Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Awakening to Principles through Diligent Practice (勤進修 悟真理)
Date: August.31.2017
“Those at and beyond the stage of learning must both practice the Right Path and end afflictions. Those who diligently advance and practice are at the stage of learning; those who have realized the truth and eliminated defilement, who go among people and turn afflictions and delusions into Bodhi are said to be beyond learning.”
We need to mindfully seek to comprehend the meaning of “at and beyond learning.” Actually, what those at and beyond learning must all equally practice is the Right Path. They must equally end afflictions, whether they are at or beyond learning. This is the foundation of our spiritual practice. Those at the stage of learning have only recently entered the Buddha’s door; they have only just formed aspirations to enter the door to the Buddha’s teachings. They still do not understand very much, or perhaps their understanding is very superficial and their capabilities are still relatively dull. Even if their capabilities are dull and their understanding superficial, at the stage of learning, they too must practice. What they must practice is the Right Path; their concepts must be correct. The Buddha gave us the Eightfold Right Path and the Seven Factors of Bodhi. These are teachings we need to practice once we enter the Buddha’s door. So, the teachings of the Right Path provide us with the correct direction and correct perspectives. Moving in this correct direction with correct concepts and thinking, we are naturally able to clearly distinguish our afflictions and ignorance. What is correct and what is mistaken, what is deviant and evil and what is proper and [in accord with] the Path all with naturally be clearly distinguished and know how to guard against wrongs and stop evil. These are all ways of practicing the right path; they enable us to end our afflictions. If we are proper in all we do and can clearly discern right from wrong, we will no longer allow new afflictions to enter. We need to be able to contemplate past mistakes and eliminate them through repentance. These are all very important components of our spiritual practice. We must constantly reflect on our past mistakes; we must constantly have a repentant mindset. Repentance brings purity. As for new afflictions, once we understand the principles no new afflictions will arise to disturb our minds. We are able to prevent them. This is to guard against wrongs and stop evils. We no longer allow external conflicts and afflictions to enter our minds. Thus, when we learn and practice the teachings of the Right Path, ignorance and afflictions will no longer affect us. As for ignorance and afflictions from the past, we can see them clearly. We understand that we must change, must eliminate them. This is “ending afflictions”. We must not merely become aware of them or merely get rid of them, we must also diligently advance. We must diligently practice and advance. Even though we are at the stage of learning, we must constantly advance. Since we do not yet understand, we should constantly be seeking, seeking to take the true principles to heart. We must attain understanding. Only through listening to the Dharma can we come to understand the principles. We should listen more, take the Dharma to heart and earnestly engage in calm contemplation. When it comes to our hearts, we must use the Dharma to let our hearts settle. Thus, we often say, “Jing Si is a path of diligent practice.” This is our Dharma-lineage. “The Jing Si Dharma-lineage is a path of diligent practice.”
As we engage in spiritual practice here, we are very busy every day in working for the benefit of the world. So, we must spend our time serving humanity. Our time is limited, and there is so much we need to do. Therefore, we need to make use of these tangible things, people, matters and objects to earnestly contemplate. This is our spiritual training ground. So, we must not waste any time. In this kind of environment, we must be diligent, but our hearts must always be tranquil. Externally, we are [very busy], but within, we remain still. We must make use of our busy environment and those [practical] matters and tangible things, accepting them with vey pure minds. This is where we must learn the path, the training ground for our spiritual practice. So, “Those who diligently advance and practice are at the stage of learning.” We need to admit that we are still at the stage of learning and that our [understanding] is still very superficial. In regard to the principles of all things in the universe and in regard to the workings of people’s minds, our understanding is still very superficial. This is why we must make good use of this lifetime. Our physiology follows the laws of nature; “With each passing day, we draw closer to death.” So much about this life is impermanent, but in the midst of this impermanence, in the midst of this life subject to the laws of nature, we need to be oriented toward the greater world. This is such an open and spacious world. We need to go out to experience both conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. We need to understand them. This is why we must diligently advance. We must diligently practice and move forward. All matters and things in the world are what we must learn about. Conditioned phenomena, tangible things, are also Dharma. Everything we do as we face people, matters and objects is also Dharma.
Thus, from conditioned phenomena, we can thoroughly understand the unconditioned principles, the true principles that are intangible and without substance. Thus, from the tangible we can understand the intangible and unconditioned true principles. All conditioned phenomena [are] “like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow”. Anything that produces sound and has color, that has shape and casts a shadow, all such things are called conditioned phenomena. These conditioned phenomena will all, one day, disappear “like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow”. They are all impermanent. So, there is only one thing we should seek. From these conditioned phenomena with their shapes, sounds and colors, among people, matters and things, we should seek to experience the true principles. This is where we need to put in effort. Thus, “Those who diligently advance and practice are at the stage of learning.” We are still at the stage of learning.
Thus, we need to “realize the truth and eliminate defilement”. In our practice, we must go even further and realize the true principles within the unconditioned. [We also need to] take good care of our minds. All our thoughts should remain within calm contemplation. [We must] guard against wrongs and stop evils. As we see other people’s ignorance, as we see their state of mind fluctuate, seeing this, we need to remind ourselves to be vigilant. How can we comfort people with such an unsettled state of mind? How can we bring them relief? If our own minds are not settled and calm, as we see other people’s minds being unsettled and troubled by afflictions, we too will become afflicted. These are intangible defilements. We take in their perceivable [tone of voice and facial expressions] and let them pollute our minds. As we see with our eyes, our feelings [are also stirred up]. This is all intangible. Other people’s states of mind and ignorance take on tangible manifestations through their body language and expressions. These are things we see with our eyes and hear with our ears. All we see are other people’s expressions. What substance can we find within them? There is none. Yet it affects the state of our minds. If our minds can be unaffected and calm, [we think,] “How come they are so impulsive? Why do their minds fluctuate like this?” We then need to carefully think about how to comfort them and help them calm their minds. We then need to share the principles with them so they can untie the knots in their hearts. This is what we must learn. Since we ourselves must learn this, how can we keep allowing defilements to enter? As for these defilements, if we can thoroughly awaken to the principles, we can eliminate them. When observing others, we need to be calm and think of how to give the Dharma to others, how to comfort them and bring them peace. We must help them untie the knots in their hearts. This is called realizing the true principles.
Sentient begins are so affected by ignorance; they continuously reproduce afflictions and allow the true principles to leak away. As Buddhist practitioners, we must not let the true principles leak away. We need to awaken to the true principles. Then, we can eliminate our afflictions. I hope everyone can mindfully realize this. We must engage in practice with nothing further, uninterrupted practice and extended practice as well we practice with reverence. This respecting ourselves as well as respecting other people. We must be clear on this principle so we can go among people [to help them]. Those at the stage of learning must practice diligently. This is being at the stage of learning. If we want to go beyond learning, we need to “realize the truth and eliminate defilement”. We have to awaken. If we take good care of our own hearts, we can also care for other peoples’ hearts. We must not just care for one or two people; we must go out [to help] others. We must go among people and “turn their afflictions and delusions into Bodhi”. This is being “beyond learning”. We have already eliminated our own afflictions. Rather than helping just one or two people, it is better to go out [to help many]. Sentient beings have so many mental defilements. This is why their ignorance and habitual tendencies are so severe. Thus, we must be very patient, form great aspirations, make great vows and go among people. When we interact with sentient beings, it is always like this; we easily become impulsive. We easily lose control of our conduct, our voice and our expression. This [happens when] we go among people. As we go among people, we need to carefully adjust our mindset; in this way, we can temper and refine our minds. When we are among all these people but still do not give rise to discursive thoughts, that is truly having “eliminated defilements”. We are able to eliminate even the most subtle, dust-like afflictions. By going among people in this way, we can turn afflictions and delusions into Bodhi. If we can reach [this state], we are at the Great Vehicle stage beyond learning. These very profound principles need to be mindfully experienced. If we want to do it, this is not difficult. If we refuse and do not accept [the teachings] or get deeply involved, we will never experience the true principles. Therefore, we must be mindful.
The Chapter on Those at and beyond Learning [starts], “At that time, Ananda and Rahula gave rise to this thought”. We read this passage yesterday.
At that time, Ananda and Rahula gave rise to this thought, “We often thought to ourselves that if we could receive predictions we would be very joyful”. Immediately they arose from their seats and came before the Buddha. They prostrated with their heads at His feet and together spoke to the Buddha.
On the day the Buddha attained Buddhahood, Ananda was born. According to the sutras, six years after the Buddha attained Buddhahood, King Suddhodana was missing [his son]. He wanted to see Him who had attained Buddhahood, the World-Honored One. [The Buddha] was his own son, and he missed Him. Thus, he invited the Buddha to come back to the kingdom of Kapilavastu. From this we know that when the Buddha came back after six years, Ananda was still very young. We can make this kind of correlation. In any case, from that time on, King Suddhodana had faith in the Buddha-Dharma and upheld and protected the Buddha-Dharma. In the entire kingdom of Kapilavastu, the Buddha-Dharma flourished. From the time the Buddha attained Buddhahood, the Buddha-Dharma kept spreading widely throughout ancient India. So, [nearly] 20 years later, Ananda was already 19 years old. He felt that the Buddha-Dharma should not only be something to listen to. [It spoke of] the principles of life, impermanence, suffering and emptiness. In the palace, he was honored as a prince. He was not the crown prince but a prince, a son in the royal family. Although he had a very high status, he still [was subject to] the laws of nature and the impermanence of life. In the end, he would experience again, illness and death. This is something no one can escape! Indulging in pleasures is just wasting away time while creating much karma in this world. Thus, he hoped to join the pure Sangha so he could earnestly take the Dharma to heart. He hoped to, like the Buddha, awaken to all the principles of the universe so he could transform sentient beings. This was Ananda’s aspiration. Therefore, he insisted on becoming a monastic. At the time, though [the king] was reluctant to see his son leave to become a monastic, [he knew] that this was a very honorable thing. So, Ananda had no obstacles to becoming a monastic.
The next year, as we mentioned yesterday, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana recommended that Ananda become the attendant to the Buddha. Ananda made three requests that the Buddha happily accepted. Thus, the Buddha repeated the Dharma from the past 20 years for Ananda and the assembly. So, some people ask, “Ananda become a monastic 20 years after the Buddha attained Buddhahood. How come every sutra [starts with].’Thus have I heard?’ During the [first] 20 years, Ananda had not yet joined the Sangha!” From this story, we can understand the wisdom of Ananda. “If I am to be [the Buddha’s] attendant. I should know the teachings the Buddha expounded in the past”. This is like what we often say, we must know the importance of understanding the past. We need to understand the past, and we also need to understand the present. This is how the Dharma can be passed down. Only when we know the past can we pass [the Dharma] down to the future. Ananda had the wisdom to make such a request of the Buddha, and the Buddha indeed agreed to Ananda’s request to repeat His past teachings. That was for the past 20 years’ [teachings]. For the next nearly 30 years, Ananda was always by the Buddha’s side. When the Buddha was 80 years old and was about to enter Parinirvana, He was in Kushinagar, between two sala trees. He said to Ananda, “Come, spread the sitting mat here”. A sitting mat was used by those who had taken the precepts. It was something that the Buddha and the disciples always had to bring when they traveled. No matter where they went, they could use this piece of blanket to sit on and sleep on. This was something they used on a daily basis. So, the Buddha said to Ananda, “Come, help me spread [the mat]. I am very tired. I wish to rest here for the night”. He then [rested] in that place, the place where He would enter Parinirvana. The Buddha was seriously ill. He was not able to continue walking; He was going to enter Parinirvana in that place. Ananda quickly made an announcement to let everyone know that the Buddha was very ill and that He was in this place. When His disciples heard this news, from wherever they were, whether far or near, they hurried to gather in that place. During that time, prior to entering Parinirvana, the Buddha said to everybody, “Ananda has worked very hard”. This was because Ananda had not yet attained the fourth fruit of Arhatship. He was always by the Buddha’s side, working as the Buddha’s attendant. Because he had not yet attained the fourth fruit of Arhatship, he still had strong emotional attachments. Ananda was a very emotional person. After learning that the Buddha was about to enter Parinirvana, he was [greatly saddened]. He could not bear it. He knew that [the Buddha’s] entering Parinirvana was following the laws of nature, but while everyone else was very calm, he could still not control [his emotions]. He ran elsewhere to cry. While Ananda was crying [some distance away], the Buddha told everyone, “Ananda has truly worked hard in serving me. He has served me as my attendant for almost 30 years. He is very gentle, and his heart is very spacious. He has a spacious heart and pure thoughts. But when it comes to listening to the Dharma, Ananda takes every drop of Dharma to heart without letting a single drop leak away. In the future, Ananda will be the one help the Buddha-Dharma spread wide and far and be passed down throughout the ages.” This meant that the Buddha wanted Ananda to pass on the Dharma.
This was how mindful the Buddha was. While the disciples were one by one coming to gather around the Buddha, the Buddha announced to everybody, “In the future, it will depend on Ananda’s effort to compile all this Dharma so it can be passed down through the ages. This was what the Buddha told the assembly before He entered Parinirvana. Moreover, before He entered Parinirvana, the Buddha manifested [auspicious] appearances and expounded the Nirvana Sutra. after expounding the Lotus Sutra, He expounded the Nirvana Sutra. At the same time, He wanted everyone to accept and adhere closely to the Buddha’s bequeathed teachings.
We must earnestly understand the Sutra of the Buddha’s Bequeathed Teachings. As the Buddha’s disciples, we need to guard well our aspiration [to practice]. We must uphold the rules of everyday living, precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. these were the Buddha’s bequeathed teachings.
As Ananda was elsewhere, crying, Aniruddha quickly went to comfort him. “Time is running out. Ananda, you should hurry up and ask the Buddha. there are still many things that are unresolved. In the future, how should we transmit the Dharma? How can we ensure that the Sangha will live on? you should ask the Buddha for instructions. What should the Sangha rely on in the spiritual practice in the future? You need to quickly go and ask the Buddha.” this woke Ananda up. “Indeed, I should take this responsibility. I should hurry to go ask the Buddha.”
He quickly calmed down and went before the Buddha to ask for His guidance. World-Honored One, you have expounded the Dharma to us for almost 50 years. In the future, how should we pass on the Dharma so people can have faith in it?” The Buddha said, “Start each sutra with ‘Thus have I heard.’” While the Buddha was in the world, everybody relied on the Buddha as their teacher. “Whatever the Buddha teaches us is what we rely on in our daily living.” Once the Buddha had entered Parinirvana, what was the Sangha to rely on? “Regard the precepts as your teacher.” This was what the Buddha told them. most important in spiritual practice is to follow the correct path. [We] must uphold the precepts and rules. Thus, we must regard the precepts as our teacher. Only by upholding precepts can we safeguard our wisdom-life. Therefore, we must all regard the precepts as our teacher. Ananda furthermore asked, “World-Honored One, now while the Buddha is in the world, there are many within the Sangha who do not follow precepts or accept instructions, such as the evil-natured bhiksus. How can we subdue them? How can we keep them in the Sangha?” the Buddha sighed, “Everybody needs to be compassionate and mindfully exhort and admonish them. If you can encourage, caution and educate them, you can help them develop their wisdom-life. If they refuse to listen and fail to abide by the precepts, then just ignore them. In His compassion, the Buddha, even at this moment, still did not tell them to expel [those bhiksus] from the Sangha. No, He still accepted them with compassion.
“As people listen to the Dharma, they will only benefit from their own practice. Each person must accept their own karmic retributions. We need to be very clear on the karmic law of cause and effect. Just ignore these [bhiksus].” These were the bequeathed teachings given by the Buddha before He entered Parinirvana.
So, as for “Thus have I heard, the reason we have the Dharma to listen to today is that all the teachings Ananda had heard were gradually complied [into sutras]. After the Buddha entered Parinirvaba, Venerable Kasyapa gathered everybody at Rajagrha to quickly compile all the Buddha’s teachings. Taking advantage of the summer retreat, he gathered everybody to compile [the sutras]. Venerable Kasyapa called together 500 people, but when he observed these 500 people, [he noticed that] Ananda had not yet realized the fruit of Arhatship. Thus, they quickly ushered Ananda out and said, “Ananda, you have not realized the fruit of Arhatship. You have not reached the stage beyond learning. You still have a small measure of afflictions yet to be eliminated. You are not qualified to be here. Thus, he was asked to leave. [Kasyapa] did this as a way to motivate him. Ananda felt very sad. “This is the time to compile the sutras. How can I miss out on this? I am the one who knows the best the teachings of the Buddha. In my memory, I have retained and understood all the teachings that the Buddha had expounded to people. Those 499 Arhats were not always by the Buddha’s side. I was the only one. How could I be at ease with staying outside? They can’t do without me in compiling the sutras. How could I just pace around here, outside?” Therefore, he quickly redoubled his efforts. He practiced tirelessly for one day and one night. When he got to the point when he was so tired he wished to take a rest, suddenly, his mind opened up. “That’s it! The Buddha-Dharma and all things in the world are one. This was the enlightened state of the Buddha; these are the true principles of the Buddha!” Ananda had attained awakening. He had eliminated all of his afflictions. He quickly rushed back. However, Kasyapa had shut the door. Ananda asked Kasyapa to open the door, but Kasyapa said, “Since you have attained awakening, you should figure out how to get in yourself.” Indeed, Ananda exercised his wisdom and made use of his spiritual powers to enter. This is what is recorded in the sutras. 500 Arhats came together to compile the sutras.
At the time, everybody made recommendations. Who could comprehensively reiterate the teachings of the Buddha? They all realized that only Ananda [could do this]. No one else had the qualifications; only Ananda could do it. So, Ananda did not shirk this responsibility. When he walked toward the stage, everybody’s heart suddenly lit up. It seemed the Buddha was back in the world! Some senior disciples had followed the Buddha from their youth until now. When they saw Ananda standing there, he looked just like the Buddha in His youth. There was no difference at all. Could it be that the Buddha had come back to life? Some said, “It must be that Ananda has attained Buddhahood.” Because the Buddha had 32 Marks while Ananda had 30 Marks, now that [Ananda] stood on the stage, everyone started discussing his dignified appearance. “Perhaps he is a Buddha from another place?” In this dignified Dharma-assembly, everyone’s heart started radiating with brilliant light. They were jubilant, as if they were seeing the Buddha Himself. Seeing everyone so happy and jubilant, Ananda’s heart opened up and he felt very peaceful. He started [speaking], “Thus have I heard”. What he meant with this was, “I am still Ananda. I am the one who heard the Buddha say this. I have not attained Buddhahood, and I am not a Buddha coming from another place or the Buddha who has returned to life. It is me, Ananda, who has heard the teachings of the Buddha. When he was at such and such a place, where such and such people had gathered, He said this and this …. Thus have I heard.” This was [what] Ananda said.
From that time on, Ananda compiled the Buddha-Dharma. In this way, the Buddha-dharma was passed on. [He continued doing this] until 20 years after the compilation of the sutras, which was also 20 years after the Buddha entered Parinirvana. At that time, Kasyapa began to feel that he had become very old and frail. He felt he should let Ananda lead the Sangha. Thus, Venerable Kasyapa asked Ananda, who was nearing 70, if aside from spreading the Dharma, he could also lead the Sangha. Venerable Kasyapa then entered Cock’s Foot Mountain to wait for the coming of Maitreya [Buddha]. It was probably that he went to Cock’s Foot Mountain to pass away. In this way, Ananda, at the age of 70 began to lead the Sangha. At the time, the Buddha-Dharma flourished. This continued until Ananda reached the age of 120. At that time, one day, Ananda was walking on the road when he overheard a young bhiksu reciting a verse. [The bhiksu] stated, “Living for a hundred years without seeing a crane is not as good as living for one day and getting to see one.” Ananda heard this and thought, “This is not right; this teaching has deviated.” Ananda quickly called the young bhiksu over and told him, “I must correct you. The correct form of this verse should be, ‘Living for a hundred years without understanding the law of arising and ceasing is not as good as living for one day and being able to understand it.’ It should be like this. Instead of ‘without seeing a crane,’ you should say, ‘without understanding the law of arising and ceasing.’ This is what it should say ‘This is not as good as living for one day and being able to understand it.’ This is how you should say it; we need to understand the law of arising and ceasing. You should make this correction.” This bhiksu went back to tell his master. “I encountered Ananda. Ananda corrected me regarding this sentence and asked me to correct this fault.” However, this master told the young bhiksu, “You should not listen to Ananda. Ananda is already 120 years old. He is getting old and senile. He is losing his memory. His memory is not as good as when he was young, and His wisdom has also diminished. So, you should just listen to me.” This bhiksu then relayed the words of his master to Ananda, saying, “My master told me not to correct it. Venerable Ananda, you are already very old. You have lost your memory and your wisdom. This was what my master said.” After hearing this, Ananda contemplated deeply. At that time, a slight deviation in the teaching had led sentient beings to have such strong attachments that they were unable to make a correction. Moreover, all the Arhats, the practitioners who were of the same generation as him, had already passed away. They were just like a forest of great trees. A forest of great trees can provide shelter from the wind. Now, all these great trees had disappeared; only one was left which was unable to stop the wind. It could not provide shelter. He felt, “What is the benefit in me remaining in this world? It would be better for me to pass on. What is the point of me being in this world? I will pass on”. Thus. Ananda passed away at the age of 120.
This was how the Buddha passed on the Dharma to Ananda. How many years did this take from start to end? It started when Ananda was 20 and continued until he was nearly 50, when the Buddha entered Parinirvana. Think about it, Ananda spread the Dharma for the Buddha until the age of 120. This was a very long time. Thus, the contributions Ananda made for the Buddha-Dharma were truly great. We need to be always be grateful for what Ananda has done. When the Buddha was in the world, he was the Buddha’s attendant. All the Dharma taught by the Buddha entered Ananda’s heart drop by drop. After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, it was Ananda who [ reiterated what he had heard] and compiled the sutras. Once the sutras were compiled, they had to be transmitted in this world. He began to compile the sutras at the age of 50 and he was 120 when he passed away. At the age of 70, he began to lead the Sangha. At the age of 120, he passed away. This was a very long time. Within the Buddha-Dharma, he was a truly monumental person. As Buddhist practitioners, we should be wholeheartedly grateful. To wholeheartedly [express] our gratitude, we must constantly put [the teachings] into practice. To put [the teaching] into action, we need to always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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