Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Rahula’s Prediction of Buddhahood (羅睺羅受記)
Date: September.29.2017
“Those who journey on the path of True Suchness go from the seeds to the fruits and attain perfect enlightenment. [They journey] throughout the universe [on] the Dharma of Suchness, the Tathagata-garbha. They journey on the path of True Suchness to the Three Realms, manifesting to teach and transform. Journeying on the Dharma of Suchness, they manifest as the Tathagata and are replete with True Suchness.”
Let us mindfully consider this for a moment. “Those who journey on the path of True Suchness go from the seeds to the fruits and attain perfect enlightenment.” As we come and go, our lives in this world, both past and present, keep cycling according to the law of nature. Life after life, as we come and go, what kind of vehicle are we utilizing as we enter and leave each lifetime? Starting from an era infinite kalpas ago, what we often talk about as dust-inked kalpas ago, from the time of Great Unhindered Buddha beginningless kalpas ago, we have journeyed on the Great Vehicle Dharma and listened to the Great Vehicle teachings. For such a long time, we have kept the Dharma in our hearts. As we have come and gone, I trust that we have always been born human. Not only have we kept our human form in the human realm, but we have probably also gone among people, coming to the world journeying on our vows. Traveling along the path of True Suchness we go among people, sow seeds and cultivate causes and conditions. Thus, “[we attain] fruits.” However many seeds we sow, that will be the number of fruits we attain. So, we “cultivate causes to realize effects.” This is “going from the seeds to the fruits.” In this way, the fruit we attain is to attain perfect enlightenment. We have been seeking the Dharma and taking the Dharma to heart. Every day we listen to the Dharma, we understand a bit more. It thus keeps accumulating. Having accumulated over a long time, even if, after hearing it, some leaks away, at least these teachings have passed through and nourished our minds. Thus, from the beginning, we have already had the Dharma in our minds, and we have not lost it. This is True Suchness.
Everyone’s intrinsic nature is True Suchness. It remains in our hearts as we keep coming back to the world journeying on the Dharma we have heard. Thus, life after life, as we come to this world, we constantly listen [to the teachings], constantly interact with people, constantly cultivate our causes and constantly store the effects in our minds. In the field of our eighth consciousness, these seeds will remain. Thus, [these seeds] gradually accumulate. In the end, our goal is attaining perfect enlightenment.
So, we “[journey] throughout the universe [on] the Dharma of Suchness, the Tathagata-garbha.” We can be born in any place; we [journey] throughout the universe. This world is so vast. Over many lifetimes, we have likely wandered throughout every continent in this world. Whichever place we have karmic connections with, whichever country where we have karmic connections with sentient beings, we may have been there in the past. Perhaps in each life in the places we passed through, like Buddhas and Bodhisattvas we were sowing the seeds and practicing the Buddha-Dharma. “Afflictions are Bodhi.” We have experienced the suffering of sentient beings, the truth of suffering. We have passed through every place; we might have already experienced the suffering of every country in this world. [We might have been] in any country; in those with wealth like heaven, we may have been there to “teach the rich to help the poor.” Or we may have gone to poor places to “help the poor realize their riches.” For many kalpas, for a very long time, throughout this vast and boundless space, we have followed our causes and conditions, coming and going in this world. Thus, we “journey on the Path of True Suchness.” As long as the Dharma is in our minds and the field of our eighth consciousness contains these seeds, these causes and conditions, we will journey on these seeds, on these causes and conditions. Thus, according to the time, and the laws of nature, we follow our causes and conditions to travel throughout countless places. This is not something impossible. This is implied in the Buddha’s true principles. Thus, “[We journey] throughout the universe.” This is “the Dharma of True Suchness,” the principles of True Suchness. In this universe, in any place and at any time, for as long as heaven and earth exist, our lifespans are limited and we follow the laws of nature. Therefore, we constantly come and go as we are reborn over and over in cyclic existence for lifetime after lifetime. We need to believe in this. We really, hope that whatever space we are in, [as we journey] throughout the universe, we will always be immersed in the Dharam of Suchness.
In the era of Great Unhindered Buddha and the 16 princes, they repeatedly expounded the Lotus Sutra. This Great Vehicle Dharma has been in our minds, in our eighth consciousness, without leaking away. Journeying on these causes and conditions, on this Dharma, we come to the world. The Dharma of Suchness is the Tathagata-garbha; it is forever stored in our minds. The Tathagata-garbha is our ninth consciousness. The eight consciousness is where, our affinities from life after life [are stored]. So, with the causes we create, our intrinsic Tathagata-garbha bring our causes and conditions to fruition. We have journeyed throughout the universe. We must have faith in ourselves. That we live together in this world and in the same lifetime means we share a karmic affinity. Despite coming from different families, we have the same vow and mission. Thus, we share this Dharma together. It has been more than 2000 years since the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra. The time was different and the places He experienced were different. The Buddha taught in ancient India, in that particular place and time. Now it has been more than 2000 years since that time, and the space we are in right now is several thousand kilometers away from the Buddha’s birthplace. Yet the Dharma of True Suchness extends throughout the universe.
The principles have not changed. With a common vow and a common aspiration, we are able to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday in so many countries using the same way of bathing the Buddha; it is very moving. We combine three celebrations in one, the Buddha’s Birthday, Mother’s Day and Tzu Chi Day. Everywhere, the same method is used in bathing the Buddha, and we all sing [the same songs]. In the video recordings that are sent back, if we close our eyes and listen, the melodies are all the same. However, when we open our eyes and look at the scene, we see different places and different ethnicities. While the locations and places differ, the Dharma is still the same. This is the meaning of “[journeying] throughout the universe [on] the Dharma of Suchness, the Tathagata-garbha”. This principle is stored in everyone’s mind; as long as we share the same mission, the Dharma will be the same for everyone.
So, “They journey on the path of True Suchness to the Three Realms, manifesting to teach and transform.” All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas journey upon the True Dharma to come to the human world. Thus, they come to the Three Realms. The Three Realms are the desire realm, the form realm and the formless realm. The minds of sentient beings never leave these Three Realms. They never leave their desires, they never leave behind the appearances of material things in this world, and they never leave their intangible thoughts and perspectives. As sentient beings in the Three Realms, we are affected by afflictions, ignorance and dust-like delusions. In the Three Realms, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest to teach and transform sentient beings. They keep coming to this vast, boundless space, over an unlimited amount of time, life after life, to teach and transform sentient beings. We are still counted among sentient beings; we must still accept the Buddha-Dharma so that it will nourish our minds.
However, we are fortunate. We are able to hear the Dharma every day. So, we should make vows to go among people. As [practitioners] who listen to the Dharma, teach the Dharma and transmit the Dharma, we must practice. after listening to the Dharma, we must practice expressing the Dharma the Buddha taught us. We need to pass it on. this is the responsibility that comes with listening to the Dharma.
So, “Journeying on the Dharma of Suchness, they manifest as the Tathagata and are replete with True Suchness.” They come to the world journeying on this Dharma. No matter where we are born, [it is according to] our direct and circumstantial retributions. No matter where we are manifesting, we come to the world according to these causes and conditions. the Buddha also manifested in the world. Of course, the Buddha was the Buddha and we are just unenlightened beings, but the way we are born to the world is the same for everyone; it is through the union of the father’s sperm and mother’s egg. Yet, the Buddha, like all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, with His pure, intrinsic nature of True Suchness was not led here by afflictions and karmic forces. He came on a mission; unable to bear the suffering of sentient beings, He came out of compassion. Thus, He manifests as the Tathagata. Actually, manifesting as the Tathagata means being replete with True Suchness.
Every one of us likewise has this True Suchness stored in our hearts, the principles of all things in the world. It is just that the Great Enlightened One has completely awakened, while we ordinary beings are still confused. And yet, this True Suchness is there within our Tathagata-garbha. The Tathagata also journeyed on the Dharma of True Suchness to come to the world; that is why He is called Tathagata, [“Thus-come”].
Actually, True Suchness is the true principles. As for the intrinsic nature of True Suchness, everything throughout the universe contains the principles of True Suchness. All things in the universe, including every one of us, contain True Suchness, the true principles. Thus, the goal of the Tathagata, the Tathagata who manifested in the world, was to tell every one of us that the principles, the nature of True Suchness, are intrinsic to the minds of all people. It is contained in everybody’s mind, in our consciousness. We need to believe in this, and we must also understand it. This morning, when I heard everybody start chanting the Incense Praise, I wondered what day it is today. Today is the eighth day of the fourth lunar month. [It is the day that] Sakyamuni Buddha, according to His causes and conditions, was born into the world. He “manifested as the Tathagata,” manifested this body. It was the first day as He journeyed on the Dharma of True Suchness to this world. It was at this time, on this day. The principle is the same.
So, we must be mindful. When we put our hearts into helping others there will be nothing we cannot achieve. Take India as an example; in recent decades, it has suffered from continuous drought. It gets drier and drier, and the impact of the drought is becoming more and more severe. Now the drought has taken a turn for the worse. More than 330 million people are affected by the drought. Moreover, the climate is becoming hotter. One third of India’s population already does not have access to [clean] water. Even getting a mouthful of water is not easy. Wealthy families have wells. There is a story about this. It is not actually a story but something that took place just now. In India, the different castes are still clearly separated from each other. When it comes to water, people with wells, people with access to [clean] water, for the most part are those who are wealthy. But if the dalits who suffer from poverty and hardship want to get water, they must go to a wealthy person’s residence and beg for it. Sometimes, those people give them looks or show them a bad attitude. Nonetheless, in order to get to get water for their families, women have to endure these kinds of looks and negative attitudes from other people as they go to beg for water. One day, a wealthy family reused to give them water. Not only did they refuse to give them water, they also cursed at them. The husband of one woman saw how, when his wife went to get water each day, she had to endure this kind of treatment from the wealthy. Because of this, he decided to work hard every day. Before going to work, he spent four hours digging a well in the village. In this way, every day before going to work, he spent four hours digging the well. Then he went to work. After coming back from work, he spent another two hours digging. He spent six hours a day [digging the well]. And so, after 40 days, he could see water inside the well. It just took one earnest person with two hands. He said, “Sine the wealthy refuse to give us water. I have to rely on my own two hands. With determination, nothing is impossible”. Thus, he set his mind to digging a well. With only his own two hands, he kept digging. Finally, after 40 days, he hit a water source. At that time, the people in his village were very happy. They had water! This person used his hands and basic tools to dig until he found the water. everyone needed water, so he formed this aspiration. That is right! The land belongs to everyone, and so does the water that springs from it. He just wanted everybody to live in peace. That was his goal. After digging this well, he felt very happy. With this kind of resolve, as long as we have a will, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
This is like when we seek the Dharma. Our minds are in a state of drought; they have grown dry. If we do not have Dharma-water to nourish us, how can we wisdom-life grow? We should be like this person. His name is Bapurao Tajne. Although Mr. Tajne comes from the lowest caste, he has a very strong resolve. “If the wealthy refuse to give me water, I can obtain it using my own two hands”. And just like that, he dug a well. Now, water flows from it and everyone is happy. He also felt a sense of joy and ease when he saw everyone having access to water. Think about it, isn’t he a Living Bodhisattva? This Mr. Tajne is a Bodhisattva. Although he was born into the lowest caste, [his thinking] is transcendent. This kind of love is truly hard to come by. So, that is to say that the Buddha-nature is intrinsic to everyone. This is True Suchness. Exercising his nature of True Suchness, he did not say, “When I needed water, I asked everybody to do this together, but since nobody joined me, I had to depend on my own two hands. Now that I have water, don’t come asking me for some”. He did not that. He felt that the land belongs to everyone. “I am doing this so everyone can have [water]. it gives me joy”. You see, he is so noble! Compared with those wealthy people, he has manifested his intrinsic nature. This is being transcendent; he has drawn close to the state of a Bodhisattva. This is what we call a Bodhisattva. He is manifesting his enlightened nature. So, what we need to learn is all found in our daily living.
Let us take a look at the previous passage. “At that time, the Buddha told Rahula. ‘In a future lifetime, you will attain Buddhahood. Your epithets will be Treading on Flowers of Seven Treasures Tathagata, completely Awakened One, One Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans, and Buddha, the World-Honored One.’”
All Buddhas share the same path. Through practice, they accumulate virtues. They must be replete in these ten virtues. This journey on the cause to attain the fruit, and when they have realized this fruit they will ne endowed with the ten epithets. They will be respected by everyone.
Next, the sutra says, “You will make offerings to Buddhas’ Tathagatas, as numerous as the dust particles in ten worlds. You will always be the eldest son of those Buddhas, just as you are now.”
Treading on Flowers of Seven Treasures Tathagata will likewise be endowed with the ten epithets and attain Buddhahood. However, before attaining Buddhahood, he must “make offerings to Buddhas, Tathagatas, as numerous as the dust particles in ten worlds.” This was to say, “Ruhula, you can attain Buddhahood and will be endowed with the ten epithets. However, before attaining Buddhahood, you must begin to make offerings to Buddhas, Tathagatas, as numerous as the dust particles in ten worlds. You still have a long time left to go. Meanwhile, lifetime after lifetime, you will be the eldest son of those Buddhas, just as you are now.”
You will make offerings to Buddhas, Tathagatas, as numerous as the dust particles in ten worlds” He used the dust particles in ten worlds, ten transformation-lands, as an analogy for the number of Buddhas to whom he will make offerings. Ten Worlds: This refers to the ten directions.
This is saying that the Buddhas, the Tathagatas, will be as numerous as the dust particles in ten worlds. This is how many Buddhas there will be. Clearly this is not only a matter of ten worlds; He also speaks of the number of dusts. The Buddhas manifesting will be as many as the dust in these ten worlds. There is no need to speak too broadly; just in Taiwan along, how many dust particles are there here? The dust we sweep off the floor every day is already impossible for us to count. Then there is also all the sand on the land as well as in the mountains and rivers. They all contain sand and dust. What this means is that it will take so long that it is impossible to calculate. He used this analogy to explain how long. [Rahula] will make offerings to Buddhas. He will need to practice in so many Buddha-worlds. “Ten worlds” represents the ten directions, east, west, south, north, the four intermediate directions and up and down. The number of dust particles in these ten worlds is the number of Buddhas. “You will always be the eldest son of those Buddhas.” Rahula will be the eldest son of all those Buddhas. “Moreover, in the future, whenever a Buddha appears in the world….” In the future, there will be many Buddhas who will appear in the world, and Rahula will definitely, when each of these Buddhas attains Buddhahood, be by His side as the eldest son of that Buddha.
This [world] “eldest son” is like how we in lay life speak of an “heir”. This is the one who inherits the father’s business. In the past, a father could have a first wife and second wife. However, only the son of the first wife would inherit [the property]. He was the one who carried the blood-line; he was the “heir”. However many businesses the father had, it was this child who was able to inherit them all. The same goes for the Tathagata’s Dharma-children who must take on the Noble path and the teachings of all Tathagatas. We who have become monastics must all form aspirations and make vows to take on the Tathagata’s family business. We are all Buddha-children. As Buddha-children, we need to take on the family business of the Tathagata.
What is the Tathagata’ family business? It is advancing the Buddha-Dharma. We must constantly seek the path to Buddhahood and transform sentient beings.
Eldest son: Like an heir in the world inherits the family business, the Dharma-son of the Tathagata shoulders the responsibility of the Noble Path. His intention is to cultivate the wondrous practice of Samantabhadra and follow the perfect and complete teachings. By engaging in practice accordingly, he becomes replete in all actions. This is called the practice of Samantabhadra.
As “the guiding teacher of the Three Realms and the kinds father of the four kinds of beings,” the Buddha regards the world as one family and all sentient beings as His only child. Thus, we are all children of the Buddha, no matter how bid this family is, we all need to form aspirations to take responsibility for all the world’s beings. we “shoulder the responsibility of the Noble Path”. We must earnestly listen to the Buddha’s teachings and apply them in our day living. We must teach and spread the Dharma in this world and put the Dharma into practice. lifetime after lifetime, this is the kind of aspiration we must have. We need to journey on the Tathagata’s Dharma in coming to the world. This is our mission.
In the same way, the eldest son does not just refer to Rahula. Actually, we should also regard ourselves as the Buddha’s children. As Buddha-children, we need to shoulder the Noble Path. We need to shoulder this responsibility. It is like the wondrous practice of Samantabhadra. In the Avatamsaka sutra, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva make vows to carry out the wondrous practice. later in the Threefold Lotus Sutra, the power of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s vows is also mentioned. [Practitioners] of the true Great Vehicle Dharma must emphasize practical implementation.
So, he “followed the perfect and complete teachings.” Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s vow is to follow the perfect and complete teachings, the Dharma-door to the perfectly enlightened state. “Engaging in practice accordingly” means putting the teachings into practice. therefore, Samantabhadra was called “Great Practice Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.” There is also “Great Wisdom Manjusri Bodhisattva,” “Great Vow Earth Treasury Bodhisattva” and “Great Compassion Guanyin Bodhisattva”.
That is to sat, every Bodhisattva has his own vow. Samantabhadra Bodhisattva focuses on practice. When he learns something new, he adheres to it and puts it into practice. This is Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s [vow]. He “engages in practices accordingly”. When it comes to the True Dharma, he vows to put it into practice. “He becomes replete in all actions. This is called the practice of Samantabhadra”. So, he will definitely attain all teachings of the True Dharma, adhere to them and put them into practice. This is the practice of Samantabhadra. “The eldest son mentioned here” refers to being like Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. When we [hear] a teaching, we must not allow it to leak away. Once we attain the Dharma, we should cherish it and diligently uphold it so that we can use it in our daily living and apply it among people. This is the mindset of the eldest son. Every one of us should be able to accomplish the practice of Samantabhadra. Everyone should be able to shoulder the family business of the Tathagata.
The eldest son mentioned here refers to this practice [of Samantabhadra]. Hearing all and engaging in secret practice always support each other. Therefore, Rahula’s fruit will be the same as Ananda’s. In the future, he will also be [Ananda’s] son.
Thus, we need to “hear all and engage in secret practice”. This was what Rahula did. He received strict teachings from the Buddha and guidance from Sariputra. Thus, he too had “heard all”. It was not only Ananda who heard all, Rahula also heard all. However, after listening to the Dharma, he quickly engaged in secret practice. What he heard, he kept in his mind and then put into practice. This is upholding the practice of Samantabhadra. After listening to the Dharma, we must not let it leak out. Our minds must be very grounded, so we can apply the Dharma in our daily living. Thus, they “always support each other”. Every day, he formed these aspirations and made these vows. Therefore, “Rahula’s fruit will be the same as Ananda’s”. He will be just like Ananda. “He will also be [Ananda’s] son”. When Ananda attains Buddhahood in the future, Rahula will also be Mountain-Ocean-Wisdom Free Unhindered King Buddha’s son. This will be after many lifetimes, a very long period of time, and many successive Buddhas; he will come and go like this. So, I often talk about how, for us human beings, in this present lifetime, our mutual causes and conditions are such that in this life, I am your master. In the next life, you will be my master. In this way, “500 years before, a master transformed his disciple; 500 years later, the disciple transforms the master”. The principle is the same. In the future, the Rahula of today will be Ananda’s son, the eldest son of Mountain-Ocean-Wisdom Free Unhindered King Buddha. In this way, he will continue to hear all and engage in secret practice.
Just as you are now” [means] “He will be no different from how he was in the Buddha’s lifetime”.
In the future, he will make offerings to a great number of Buddhas, including Mountain-Ocean-Wisdom Free Unhindered King Buddha. He will still be the eldest son, just as he was now. “He will be no different from how he was in the Buddha’s lifetime”. He will be just the same.
The passage continues, “Treading on Flowers of Seven Treasures Buddha’s land will be magnificent. The number of kalpas in His lifespan, the disciples He will transform and His eras of Right Dharma and Dharma-semblance will be exactly the same as those of Mountain-Ocean-Wisdom. Free Unhindered King Tathagata.”
In the future, they will be the same. Now, the Buddha’s prediction for Rahula, the future land of Treading on Flowers of Seven Treasures Buddha, His magnificence and His lifespan, His number of kalpas, the disciples He will transform and His eras of Right Dharma and Dharma-semblance will be exactly the same as for Mountain-Ocean-Wisdom Free Unhindered King Buddha. There will be no difference.
[It] will be exactly the same as those of Mountain-Ocean-Wisdom Free Unhindered King Tathagata: Treading on Flowers of Seven Treasures Buddha’s land, lifespan, number of kalpas, transformed disciples and His eras of Right Dharma and Dharma-semblance will all be the same as Ananda’s.
According to this prediction, it is not only Ananda who will be able to have such a long lifespan and such a magnificent land. Moreover, the sentient beings [Rahula] will teach and transform will all form great aspirations and practice on the Bodhisattva-path. His disciples will all be like this. His periods of Right Dharma and Dharma-semblance will be equal to those of Ananda. However, he will need an even longer time than Ananda to attain Buddhahood. This time is truly impossible to calculate. It will still take a very long time with the same mindset of delivering sentient beings. This is why attaining Buddhahood is not so easy. Thus, as Buddhist practitioners, we need patience. Some people might feel, “To be engaged in spiritual practice for so long is too difficult! Attaining this is not easy.” Yes, it is not easy. However, without engaging in spiritual practice, we will forever remain in the Six Realms as the four kinds of beings with [the threat] of the Three Evil Destinies. This is unavoidable. So, although there will be a very long time before [our practice] is complete, by engaging in spiritual practice now, we can understand the principles. We can see everything very clearly. First, we need not take issue with other people. Second, we must go among people and help them. When we help others, we will feel very happy. Whether we obtain any virtues or not, in any case, within our hearts we gain joy, peace and a sense of ease. We have already realized this. With the cause of helping others, we feel peaceful and at ease, and our minds will be calm and happy. We have already realized this fruition. What bad could come from our spiritual practice? As we listen to the Dharma, if we can take every word to heart, it will help us alleviate our afflictions. No matter how long it takes to attain Buddhahood, listening to the Dharma is still much better than not listening at all. Moreover, as Buddhist practitioners, we absolutely must have faith.
Take Mr. Tajne from India for example. He belongs to the dalit caste, and he is very impoverished. Without water to drink, there was no way he could survive. So, he begged for water from wealthier people but did not receive any. Although his fellow delits were unable to help him, he made up his mind, With his own two hands and simple tools, he could keep digging by himself. Each day, he spent six hours digging. 40 days later, he finally hit water. He saw the water appear in the well he had dug. In a photo, we can see him all by himself standing deep inside the well. When he hit upon water, he looked up [and realized], “The well is deep!” But the water now flowed forth. Look at him standing so straight inside that well! He looks truly filled with joy. Looking at that photo, we also feel happy for him. Furthermore, the gushing spring inside that well can provide water to those who have none; they can now freely come to get water. That kind of joy can not be experienced by others. This joy is his alone to experience. Although we praise him, [we cannot experience] that joy. This is a person living today! If this story was included in a Buddhist sutra, he would have been called a Bodhisattva. It is truly a moving story. This is not something impossible. Everything in the Buddhist sutras is true Dharma.
In this era, at this time, we can witness this. He lives at the same time as us. We are alive now, and he is also alive now! Although the distance between us is great, this story could reach us by means of modern technology. Living in our modern era, we must even further deepen our faith in the Buddha-Dharma. We must believe deeply, because we are able to witness this now. In this life, as long as we are willing to give, there is nothing we cannot attain. In this way, we “journey on the path of True Suchness, go from the seeds to the fruits and attain perfect enlightenment”. The principle is the same. With this mindset, this cause, this willingness to help others, “[we journey] throughout the universe [on] the Dharma of Suchness.” As long as we are willing to give to others, we will have this kind of strength. This is the Tathagata-garbha, which holds our nature of True Suchness. True Suchness is these principles. As long as we are willing to give to others, the Tathagata-garbha will manifest in our daily living, in our nature of True Suchness. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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