Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Spreading the Dharma on Behalf of the Buddha (傳法度化 行於佛事)
Date: November 14.2017
“According to our conditions, we live in an evil world where goodness disperses and evil amasses. This is called “the evil era of the Five Turbidities. Bodhisattvas listen to the Dharma and can constantly accept and uphold it. They spread the Dharma throughout the world to deliver and transform others.
Presently, we live in a time of turbidities and evil. This is the working of causes and conditions. Sentient beings continuously accumulate [karma]. Over a long period of time, as the human population grows in number, their individual afflictions and ignorance lead them to fight each other and accumulate [negative affinities]. So, now we are in an era in which negative conditions are prevalent in the world. This era is called the evil world of the Five Turbidities, where causes and conditions of negative karma are amassing. We all live together in this place. In evil times, goodness disperses. This is because the number of people with good thoughts has diminished, even those with good thoughts will, because of negative [influences], gradually lose the goodness in their minds. The living conditions in this turbid and evil world gradually cause people’s good thoughts to disperse. When goodness disperses, evil amasses. Because of this, it is called the evil era of the Five Turbidities” or “the evil world of the Five Turbidities”. This is due to cause and conditions amassing. We have been continuously accumulating these. Without causes and conditions, we would not come together in the same era. Because we have these causes and conditions, not only do we come together in the same era, we also live together in the same place. If we did not live at the same place, causes and conditions would still lead us to gather together. The workings of karma are inconceivable!
We must place great importance on causes and conditions. When conditions converge such that we are living in an evil world, we must be very alert. In this era, goodness will gradually be affected by the evil around it. So, evil will gradually flourish. This is what is most worrying. This is how the evil world of the Five Turbidities come into being.
So, what about Bodhisattvas? “Bodhisattvas listen to the Dharma and “constantly accept and uphold it. They spread the Dharma throughout the world to deliver and transform others and to deliver and transform others. Sentient beings are suffering, so Bodhisattvas make vows. For beginningless kalpas, they have been making the vow to be in the world, lifetime after lifetime, to listen to, teach and transmit the Dharma. This is what Bodhisattvas are like; they have always had this kind of aspiration.
So, they listen to the Dharma and can constantly uphold it. Not only do they listen to it, but they also mindfully contemplate how they can transmit the Dharma in the world and how they can transform and deliver others. They want to transform negative conditions into positive conditions and, in these evil times, find a way to bring good conditions together to transform evil into goodness. This is what Bodhisattvas hope for.
In the present era, the world is affected by imbalances among the four elements. Earth, water, fire and air are out of balance. Once they are out of balance, disasters arise frequently. For example, recently, earthquakes are frequent, and they are becoming increasingly severe. This worries us very much. A shallow earthquake causes violent shaking. Buildings are destroyed in an instant, and people suffer injuries or die. In the past few years, how many times has this happened around the world? Loving people are able to bring love together.no matter how far away [the disasters] are, international humanitarian groups quickly find ways to help. Living Bodhisattvas feel it is their duty to help. Not only do they gather and bring supplies there, with their actions and hearts they approach the disaster survivors, comforting and caring for them as if they were all part of a single family. This is the case with earthquakes as well as storms, floods, fires, any kind of natural disaster. There are also manmade calamities. These are not caused by imbalances of the four elements, but by the imbalances of human minds. The imbalances of human minds have caused tremendous disasters and driven many people from their homes. If we look at a long period of time in history, this is has happened in every era. The turbulence between countries always originates from the discord of minds. We see this throughout history and in recent times in particular. Refugees are fleeing in all directions. They come from many countries, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and so on. Whether they are refugees from manmade calamities or from natural disasters or they are people fleeing poverty, they were unable to stay in those countries. They left, hoping to find peace, stability and a livelihood. They fled in all directions. So, we are putting effort into helping these refugees. But it depends on causes and conditions. Those who have affinities [with us] can be reached and helped by Tzu Chi volunteers. In a huge refugee camp in Jordan, the tents are laid directly on the ground. When it rains outside, water collects inside. Inside these tents, [the people] have nothing. Once it rains…. Ordinarily, people are sitting on the ground, or they lie on the ground to sleep. When it rains, we can put ourselves in their place. How are they sleeping? They are sleeping in water. They quilts are soaked with water, but they [still] wrap themselves in them. Isn’t this how they sleep? What would living this way feel like? It is unbearable suffering! On top of manmade calamities, there is the weather. They are truly suffering.
Some are somewhat more fortunate. A small number, a very small number of people, have some money or status and are able to leave [the refugee camps]. In Turkey, there is a group of people who had the causes and conditions to take it to the city. But compared to their wonderful life in the past, being refugees now means that their life is totally different. In the past, they likely had recognition, wealth and status. Thus they had the causes and conditions and the ability to find their way to a city in Turkey. However, there, they could not make a living. The adults could not work. This was the government’s rule [for foreigners]; if people do not have an official status in that country, they cannot work. Sitting idle eats up their savings. How much money could they bring with them anyways? So, it was the children who had to find work, seven-, eight-, nine-, ten- and eleven-year-old children working very hard. Children of these ages are able to work there and make a little money to support the family. Some were even more fortunate and had the affinity to meet some loving people in Turkey. Tzu Chi volunteers, led by a string of causes and conditions, were able to help [the children] go back to school and stabilize their family situation. Amidst the refugees’ misfortune, their fleeing and their difficulties in the world, they had a little bit of blessings in their lives such that they were able to encounter people like this. They had these causes and conditions, allowing the children to receive steady schooling and their families to have stability. The workings of karma are inconceivable! Out of this large number, out of the millions of people fleeing, only a few thousand children were able to revive such a heartwarming opportunity to study. This is all due to causes and conditions!
We have also seen this in Serbia. Refugees were already fleeing there, and the country called for help. They proactively came to ask Tzu Chi for help. Because of these causes and conditions, we also went to Serbia. Tzu Chi volunteers from Europe, from several countries, from seven or eight countries, took turns accompanying and caring for them. There were many heartbreaking stories, many stories of suffering. But there were also joyful stories, stories worthy of celebration! We met a 13- or 14-year-old child, Kais. He fled with his parents through many countries. After three, four years, their flight finally took them to Serbia. These were their cusses and conditions. Kais is the eldest son. This boy, Kais, has been a refugee since he was eight or nine. Having suffered in life, he was very frustrated. It was not until he encountered Tzu Chi volunteers that he began to smile. When his mother saw her son smiling and her daughter smiling too, the mother also expressed her gratitude. “Among all the humanitarian organizations that we have encountered, there is not one like this organization. The sincerity with which they keep us company and love and support us has made our children smile again. Therefore, I feel at peace and very joyful.” This child said that his wish for the future is to be very wealthy, very well educated and very well-known so that everyone will know his life is no different from other people’s. With money, recognition and education, we will be the same as everyone else. This was this child’s wish. Later, he arrived in Germany, where he encountered Tzu Chi volunteers again. This made him very happy. So, in May [2016], for the Buddha-bathing ceremony, She-Wei [Chen] invited his family to her house to participate. The entire family came joyfully. This is a true story about real people. These people from Syria encountered people from Taiwan who immigrated to Germany. The workings of karma are truly inconceivable. Living in this turbid and evil world, there were Bodhisattvas with the affinity to guide them. So, in the midst of [Kais’] suffering, these benefactors appeared to stabilize his life and guide his heart. This makes it clear that that there are still man loving people in the world who can help these children eliminate the resentment in their minds. They helped them, like other children, to receive an education and helped them, like ordinary families, to settle peacefully in Germany.
Aren’t these Bodhisattvas? After listening to the Dharma, after drawing near to the Buddha-Dharma, they understood the Bodhisattva-path in the world. They opened the doors of their hearts and [started] giving of their love to the world. This is how they “listen to the Dharma and can constantly accept and uphold it”. They listen to and take the Dharma to heart and apply these teachings in the world to deliver and transform sentient beings. They also guided them to participate in Mya’s Buddha-bathing ceremony. They are not trying to influence the family’s religious beliefs by introducing another kind of religious faith; they are giving without expectations. They are coming together with all religions. There is no conflict, only love. This love makes the entire world one. They help them understand that we can coexist in the world with love. Even though they live in this evil world, they can use goodness and love to deliver and transform sentient beings. This is what must happen in the world in order for the power of love to make goodness grow and evil diminish. If evil grows and goodness diminishes, evil amasses and goodness disperses. Then this world would have no hope. If evil can be diminished, goodness will grow. When goodness grows, evil will naturally diminish. It is as if there is a tug of war between good and evil. So, only when more people have goodness at heart will the power of love be greater and the world be peaceful.
Take a look at the previous sutra verse. “If there are people who can accept and uphold the Wondrous Lotus Sutra, you must know that they are those sent by the Buddha. They feel compassion for sentient beings. All those who can accept and uphold the Wondrous Lotus Sutra forsake their pure land. They are reborn here out of compassion for sentient beings”.
During that period of time in Serbia, the weather was cold. [The volunteers] live comfortably in Europe. Going to Serbia for more than a month was very hard on them. But facing the people suffering from disasters, they still [chose to] live there with them. Isn’t this setting aside their pure land? Our of compassion for sentient beings, they went to Serbia and lived like the refuges, a simple and crude life. Furthermore, it was very cold. This was very hard! Yet they did it willingly. This is because they were willing to be the Tathagata’s emissaries and have compassion for sentient beings. So, they “can accept and uphold [this sutra]”. These people are willing to accept and uphold the principles of the Lotus Sutra. So, they were willing to set aside a clean environment and a family that lived in peace and worked happily. They also had to pay for their own flight as they made the lengthy journey to Serbia. Think about it; aren’t these Living Bodhisattvas? Wasn’t this setting aside their pure land out of compassion for sentient beings? So, they went to that place.
Next it says, “You must know that these people are free and at ease wherever they are reborn”. Having arrived at that place, they were at ease. “In this evil world, they can widely expound the supreme Dharma”.
Likewise, they formed aspirations and made vows. They were willing to set aside. They went among these suffering people; they were happy and willing to go there to give. Their heart of giving was peaceful and at ease. This is peace and happiness. After giving of themselves among people, seeing that sentient beings had been saved, they felt peaceful and at ease tnemselves.
The next verse then says, “You should use celestial followers and perfumes as well as clothes of celestial treasures and collections of wondrous heavenly treasures to make offerings to those who teach the Dharma. Toward those who can uphold this sutra in this evil world after I pass into Parinirvana, you should join your palms together to reverently show respect as if you were making offerings to the World-Honored One.”
To make offerings to people like this, we need to practice giving. Now that the Buddha has entered Parinirvana, in this evil world, those who are willing to accept and uphold the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra should receive our reverence and respect. We should join our palms, pay respect and make offerings just as if we were making offerings to the World-Honored One. This is because in this evil world, expounding the Lotus Sutra and promoting virtuous Dharma is not easy at all! It is very difficult. So, this requires firm patience and concentration. It requires a resolve that remains unaffected by unwholesome influences from the outside. Therefore, we must respect them. Not only must we respect them, we must also form aspirations and make vows ourselves. We must also uphold the sutra and be firm in our faith so we can likewise remain unaffected by unwholesome influences from the outside. We must have mutual respect and give to each other with the power of love for the sake of the world’s sentient beings. This is how we encourage each other, give to each other and love and protect each other.
So, “[using] celestial flowers and perfumes” indicates a reverent heart. “clothes of celestial treasures is the standard for making offerings to the Buddha. “collections of wondrous heavenly treasures to make offerings to those who teach the Dharma shows supreme and unsurpassed reverence.
You should use celestial flowers and perfumes as well as clothes of celestial treasures and collections of wondrous heavenly treasures to make offerings to those who teach the Dharma: Those who can truly uphold the right practices for teaching this Wondrous Lotus Sutra are the six kinds of Dharma teachers. They are the emissaries of the Tathagata and carry out the Tathagata’s work. Thus they are worthy of offerings by so you should make offerings to them.
“Those who can truly uphold the right practices for teaching this Wondrous Lotus sutra” are the six kinds of Dharma teachers. There are truly not many people like this. we should give rise to utmost reverence. We should not only talk about it but also practice it. We must engage in right practice.
Look around the world; there are suffering sentient beings in so many countries, but there are also so many people with loving hearts who practice six methods, giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. They accept the teachings on these six methods actualized in all actions and put them into practice like this. these are people whom we must respect. They are not people who just talk about [the teachings] but cannot practice them. They would not be of any use. So, what we need is to be able to teach and put the teachings into practice, to take the Dharma to heart and practice it in daily living. We must be able to teach and practice, to practice the teachings of the Right Dharma and practice giving to others. We must take the Dharma as our teacher; the Dharma is our teacher. “The six kinds of Dharma teachers” I mentioned are those who can uphold, transcribe, read, recite, explain and make offerings to the Lotus Sutra. They can put it into practice; they take the Dharma to heart and treat the Dharma as their teacher. So, they are called the six kinds of Dharma teachers. This shows that every one of us can do it. Lay practitioners can do the same, too. When we take the Dharma as our teacher and put it into practice, we are “the six kinds of Dharma teachers”. This is not the same as what we usually call “Dharma masters, referring to someone like me, not at all. It is anyone who listens to and takes in the Dharma, is able to listen, teach and transmit it. Only then are they transmitters and practitioners of the Dharma. “They are the emissaries of the Tathagata and carry out the Tathagata’s work.” If everyone can do this, can practice these six methods in all actions and take the Dharma as their teacher, this is being the Tathagata’s emissaries who carry out the Tathagata’s work. “Thus they are worthy of offerings from humans and heavenly beings, so you should make offerings to them.” These are the people humans and heavenly beings should make offerings to. The kind of people who can practice, teach, transmit, accept and uphold it are worthy of everyone’s respect.
So, the Buddha said, “Toward those who can uphold this sutra in this evil world after I pass into Parinirvana….” The Buddha said that once He entered Parinirvana, the evil turbidities of the world would become more and more prevalent. In the future, in the evil world of the Five Turbidities, they are the ones who can accept and uphold this sutra. “This sutra” is the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The Buddha was very worried. He was worried that after He entered Parinirvana, in this evil world of the Five Turbidities, it would be very difficult to pass on this sutra. The Buddha was very worried.
So, in the Buddha’s lifetime, He constantly exhorted everyone to make offerings to this sutra and place great importance on this sutra. Those who accept and uphold this sutra are worthy of people’s reverence and respect. Just as they would pay respect and make offerings to the Buddha when He abided in the world, people should make offerings and pay respect to [these people] in the same way.
In the previous sutra passages, the Buddha already gave them this charge, and the verse now repeat it. These are the Tathagata’s emissaries. The emissaries whom the Tathagata dispatches in the world must accept and uphold, transcribe, read, recite and give of themselves for this sutra, having understood the content of the sutra, we must give of ourselves to the world. This is called “making offerings,” putting the teachings into practice by making offerings. So, “You should join your palms together to reverently show respect, as if you were making offerings to the World-Honored One.”
You should join your palms together to reverently show respect, as if you were making offerings to the World-Honored One: We must sincerely respect people who accept and uphold this sutra just as we would the Buddha.
This is reverence from the heart. We must have reverence toward people who accept and uphold the sutra. It is with such sincere reverence, with deep respect, that we should interact with people who uphold this sutra. Actually, taking action is called “accepting and upholding”. Taking in the Dharma and practicing it is called “accepting and upholding”. Being able to give of ourselves among people is also accepting and upholding. The teachings and methods of the sutra are what we apply in the world. “Just as you would the Buddha….” We apply the Dharma in the world in this way and recite and spread it in the world to help others be able to make use of it. This is truly listening to, accepting, transmitting and teaching the Dharma. This is very important. So, we must be very mindful and respectfully make offerings.
“You should use all superior delicacies and all kinds of clothing to make offerings to the Buddha-children, in hopes of hearing their teachings for just a moment. Those who in future lifetimes can accept and uphold this sutra are dispatched by me to go among people to carry out the Tathagata’s work.”
Everyone should make offerings to and respect those who accept and uphold this sutra. Those who put this Dharma into practice should receive offerings from people. These are the people who are worthy of receiving offerings form others. Food is an inextricable part of the offerings. So, we use the highest quality delicacies or highest quality clothing to make offerings. “Make offerings to the Buddha-children” means these are the people whom the Buddha taught and who transmit the Buddha’s teachings in the world. This makes them Buddha-children. “…in hopes of hearing their teachings for just a moment. Even if just briefly, even if just for “a moment,” if, for one day or a brief few days, we respectfully listen to and learn this sutra or briefly accept and uphold this sutra, we will likewise have merits. Whether accepting and upholding or making offerings, this all bring merits, even if it is only for a brief period of time.
As we have discussed previously, even if it is just one phrase or one verse, if we can have faith in and understand it, that will also bring merit. In the same way, when we make offerings to people who accept and uphold the sutras, we should draw near them and joyfully accept the Dharma they expound even if it is just for a brief moment. We will do the same in future lifetimes for those who accept and uphold this sutra in future lifetimes. Now, we have formed this affinity, and in future lifetimes, we will continue to have this affinity. The time we must uphold [this sutra] is very long, lifetime after lifetime. At this time, we have the opportunity to make offerings. At this time, we joyfully come and listen. Whether the time is long or short, this is how we should treat those who accept and uphold the sutra. The Buddha said they are “dispatched by me to go among people”. These people have affinities with the Buddha. In the Buddha’s era, they all listened to the Buddha’s teachings. They all formed aspirations, whether long-lasting or brief, so in this era they can help the Buddha-Dharma to remain in this world. No matter how long they do this for, there will always be someone who respects. Then naturally, the Dharma will continue on for a long time. This is the Buddha “dispatching [emissaries] to go among people to carry out the Tathagata’s work”. The people who uphold the sutras came to the world with a mission. So, they receive everyone’s offerings and form affinities with everyone. Only with these affinities can they continue to pass on the Dharma in their future lifetimes.
So, preparing these offerings means that even hearing this sutra for just a moment is the great work of realizing the ultimate, even if we are just listening briefly to this sutra, this sutra is actually for the great work of realizing the ultimate. This is because this sutra contains the universe’s principles of formation, existence, decay and disappearance.
The Lotus Sutra is replete with them. With it we can understand the true principles of the universe, as well as the human body’s birth, aging illness and death. How do we free ourselves from birth, aging, illness and death? It is also thoroughly covered in this sutra. If we can understand birth and death, we can be peaceful and at ease. Then, we will not be here by our karma, but we will come naturally because we form we form aspirations and make vows to return to this world. This is the meaning contained in this sutra. People’s mindset goes through arising, abiding, changing and ceasing in just moments. There are also ample teachings about this in the sutra. For this sutra to remain in the world, it will have to endure so many challenges. Among interpersonal conflicts in this evil world, how can we forever uphold it and keep passing it down? There will be a lot of obstacles. So, the Buddha was very intent on this. he kept hoping everyone would pay respect to and make offerings to those who accept and uphold it. This was Him taking special care of this sutra. He worried whether, in the evil world in the future, the teachings of this sutra would be able to be practiced in the world. This was what concerned the Buddha in particular.
You should use all superior delicacies and all kinds of clothing to make offerings to the Buddha-children, in hopes of hearing their teachings for just a moment: They prepare these offerings because, even for just a moment, they want to hear this sutra and engage in the great work of realizing the ultimate. Hear their teachings for just a moment: This means they cab listen to this sutra even for just a moment. A moment: This means temporarily, for a short of time.
We need to understand the meaning of “a moment”. “A moment” is from “They can listen to this sutra even for just a moment”. We must earnestly seize [the present]. We do not always have the chance to hear this sutra. So, since we have this sutra, we must quickly seize [this opportunity].
“A moment” means very briefly, temporarily. The quantity of time is very short, very small. Since our time is short, naturally, the Dharma we can hear is limited.
“Those who in future lifetimes can accept and uphold this sutra are dispatched by me to go among people to carry out the Tathagata’s work”. After the Buddha enters Parinirvana, if one can accept and uphold this sutra, [one] “is dispatched by the Buddha to be born in the human realm to work on the Buddha’s behalf.”
These people were dispatched by the Buddha when He abided in the world. The people He charged with this responsibility need to have a sense of mission a mission to return in future lifetimes, lifetime after lifetime, to continue passing down this sutra.
So, they are “dispatched by the Buddha to be born in the human realm to work on the Buddha’s behalf,” to expound this sutra to expound this sutra on the Buddha’s behalf. This sutra was the Buddha’s original intent. From the rime He attained Buddhahood, the Lotus Sutra was already in His mind. He wanted to spread it widely for everyone in the world to understand and toe spread the seeds of goodness in the world. This was the Buddha’s goal. After expounding the Dharma for 42 years, He freely expressed His original intent by teaching the Lotus sutra. So as He was about enter Parinirvana, He was very concerned about this sutra. Who would continue to accept and uphold it? In the world in the future, there would be many challenges to expounding it. This era is the evil world of the Five Turbidities. In this world, good and unwholesome things stand in opposition to each other. To practice goodness, for everyone to practice goodness, is by no means easy. Unwholesome things are so powerful. The world keeps getting more and more…. Also education is becoming more and more inexplicable. How can education be this way? Today’s lifestyles also seem unbelievable to us. Why do modern people dress, eat, live and act the way they do? From the perspective of the principles, this is truly unbelievable. So, I keep feeling very helpless. We can see that evil and turbidity in the present era have caused people to feel very helpless. Think about it. Isn’t this what the Buddha worried about the most? Those of us who listen to and uphold the Dharma, every one [of us]. must have very firm aspirations. we must constantly be mindful in upholding, teaching and transmitting the Dharma. We must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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