Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Believing and Understanding the Wondrous Dharma (此經妙法 難信難解)
Date: November 21.2017
“To uphold the Dharma is extraordinary; those who do so are respected. Those who are respected are noble. When one is noble and thoroughly comprehends the cause of Buddhahood, one will skillfully realize the wondrousness of the fruit. Now the Buddha teaches the Lotus Sutra. In the past, He gave the great teachings. All teachings have skillful means to make them easier to believe in.”
We must mindfully seek to understand this! how can we spread the Dharma widely in this world? Only when everyone mindfully accepts and upholds the Dharma together can the Dharma become widespread in the world. This would be something very exceptional. In this world we need the Dharma to preserve [the propriety of] everyone’s mindset, aspirations and lifestyle. This way, there will not be chaos in the world.
Thus, the Dharma is very important for this world. “To uphold the Dharma is extraordinary. Those who do so are respected. Those who are respected are noble. How can we be “respected and noble?” we must stay on track; [maintaining] our cause in life is important. The principle of the Five Cardinal Relationships is essential [in life], the Three Bonds and Five Cardinal Relationships. Since ancient times, these [principles] have preserved propriety in our lives. Living in this world, everything is maintained in this way.
So, “To uphold the Dharma is extraordinary; those who do so are respected. Those who are respected are noble.” With mutual respect among all people, our lives become greatly ennobled. “When one is noble and thoroughly comprehends the cause of Buddhahood, one will skillfully realize the wondrous fruits.”
If we want to understand even more thoroughly how to [uphold] morals and order in the world, if we want to more thoroughly comprehend this, we need to understand the cause of Buddhahood; we must thoroughly comprehend this cause.
“Buddha” means “Awakened One”. How can we attain awakening? It comes from the seed of our initial cause, from that principle. [We must comprehend] how all things in the world, all these innumerable things, exist in cycles and how all things in the world give rise to each other. This law, this order, is truly very important. How can we thoroughly understand and awaken to the law of karma that governs all things? How can we understand it? Only when we understand it can we truly, thoroughly awaken and attain the fruit, which we call “wondrous”. This wondrousness is difficult to comprehend; these are subtle and wondrous principles which are very difficult to thoroughly understand. What explanation will allow people to accept them, thoroughly comprehend them and become enlightened? These truly are very subtle, extremely wondrous principles. When we attain this ultimate understanding, [our minds’ become one with the universe.
The world is boundless; there is no way to measure its vastness. The universe is truly vast beyond bounds! To explain all its principles and cycles, to explain all things from their origins and when exactly they began is truly impossible.
So, in the Buddha’s Jataka Sutra and the Sutra on Causes and Effects, [it is described how], lifetime after lifetime, He came to thoroughly understand the principles of the Buddha-Dharma and the karmic law of cause and effect. This was truly difficult. The Dharma we are discussing now is what Sakyamuni Buddha [has realized] [over the eons] since Beginningless Time, time without beginning. We cannot tell how long before the present it was. In Beginningless Time, He began forming this aspiration.
In the Lotus Sutra it does not say how long ago this was, but the Buddha mentions, in the Parable of the Conjured City, “dust-inked kalpas”. How can we calculate this? it is incalculable. “Dust-inked kalpas” compares each mote of dust to one kalpa, time that continually keeps accumulating. We can only express this simply as “Beginningless Time,” meaning that it has no beginning. He intrinsically had the aspiration to, for the sake of sentient beings, engage in spiritual practice for countless lives. He continually practiced. This process was not just for Himself; He did so also for the sake of sentient beings. The principles He wished to understand were endless!
We also wish to seek these endless [principles], but will we be able to find them? We can not! The Buddha told us if we return to ourselves, it is very simple. In our minds, we have our nature of True Suchness; it is intrinsic to everyone, however we struggle to find it. Every day, our minds are always racing outside, connecting to external states. We observe the expressions and voices of others, [ever focused on] the outside world. Isn’t this what we do every day? In this [state] we are always discriminating and giving rise to discursive thoughts; these are constantly and continually replicated. This is something we have created for ourselves over countless dust-inked kalpas. We are creating endless afflictions and ignorance for ourselves. The Buddha’s continual hope is that we will return to seek out our own intrinsic nature. This requires us to uphold the Dharma.
“To uphold the Dharma is extraordinary. Those who do so are respected. Those who are respected are noble.” Truly, we must earnestly uphold the Dharma; we must take in the Dharma we hear and earnestly search within ourselves. This is what the Buddha taught us. We must seek within ourselves by using these external states to seek out our nature of True Suchness. We must follow this rule; we must uphold the Dharma. The Buddha taught us the Dharma and how to practice according to its teachings. So, “To uphold the Dharma is extraordinary. Those who do so are respected.” In practicing according to the teachings, naturally, when we encounter external conditions, we must collect ourselves and return to our own nature of True Suchness. When we follow the Dharma, the Buddha’s teachings, we will no longer replicate afflictions. This [win us] the respect of others. “Those who are respected are noble.” Thus, [we become] truly noble.
“When one is noble and thoroughly comprehends the cause of Buddhahood, one will skillfully realize the wondrous fruits.” If we can understand this principle, we will not continue to replicate the afflictions caused by the external world. We must quickly return to our nature of True Suchness. This is what the Buddha taught us, and we must follow the Buddha’s teachings. We must put effort into realizing that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. When we understand this principle, naturally, we “are [noble]”. We can remain firm in the noble Buddha-Dharma. For lifetime after lifetime, for infinite kalpas, the Buddha went among people. What He obtained was the seeds of Bodhi. As He experienced afflictions among others, He [turned them into] awakening. Our awakened nature, Bodhi, is found among people; this is the experience that the Buddha gained through many lifetimes of practice. This is the Dharma He taught us.
So, we must mindfully uphold the Dharma, for it is what the Buddha awakened to. We must earnestly and mindfully accept it. With a singular resolve, we must focus on accepting the Buddha’s teachings, returning to our nature of True Suchness and [practicing] according to His Dharma. In order to return to our own intrinsic nature, we must focus our thoughts. We must not let the Dharma we hear leak away. After listening to the Dharma, we must [apply it] to ourselves. We must bring the Dharma we hear back into our own awakened nature. This is what the Buddha told us. He already awakened. His honored, supreme enlightened nature of something both the Buddha and all people possess. It is the enlightened nature of the Buddha. This awakened nature belongs not only to Him; it is the awakened nature intrinsic to all beings. This nature is intrinsic to all. It is just that we are deluded, while the Buddha has already awakened. So, what the Buddha experienced as He awakened, He taught to us in its entirety. He hoped we can return to our intrinsic nature. So, we must make an effort to realize the seed of the cause of Buddhahood. This seed of the cause of Buddhahood is something the Buddha possessed and something we too possess. It is just that the Buddha used a certain mindset to “skillfully realize the wondrous fruits”. Using all kinds of methods, He went where the Five Destinies coexist to comprehend the many kinds of ignorance and karma of sentient beings. He experienced them all and analyzed them for us one by one. This is why we must focus our attention on the precious teachings the Buddha awakened to. We have them in equal measure as the Buddha. We must now try to comprehend how the Buddha “skillfully realized wondrous fruits”. These skillful means are what He expounded again and again for us. Through this method, the Buddha very skillfully realized the wondrousness of the fruits.
This sounds very profound, but in fact, with a simple and pure mind, we can broaden our heart to encompass the universe. By expanding it to be as boundless as the universe, our mind will become like the Buddha’s mind, equally expansive and vast. We too are able to do this! Can’t we all put more effort into [understanding] how our hearts can encompass the universe? Can’t we put more effort considering exactly how much can [our minds] encompass? They can encompass a lot! Since Beginningless Time, the number of lifetimes we have been through is not something we can presently understand. Still, in this lifetime, [we can] reflect back on the decades that we have experienced. These memories are also in our mind. We can remember our past, our parents, our family and our experiences; these are the memories of ordinary people. Where do we find these memories? Ordinary people’s memories are very complicated, memories of interpersonal conflicts. The Buddha’s memories already encompassed the universe. Can we understand this? Yes, we can. Let me give you [an example]. If the Tzu Chi volunteers from mainland China were still here at the Abode these few days, I could ask them, “What does Kunshan look like? How do people live in Kunshan? What is Kunshan’s environment like?” If I were to ask this, these people’s minds would immediately return to the scenes in Kunshan. I may then say, “What about Suzhou? What does Suzhou look like?” Some Tzu Chi volunteers from Suzhou and Hangzhou recently returned. If I lightly mention Taiwan, Suzhou or Hangzhou, they can immediately experience the scenes in these places. Wisdom comes from experience. These are the things ordinary people [focus on] but since Beginningless Tim, the Buddha has always only had one great cause, [to deliver] sentient beings.
Myriad sentient beings remain lost in the world, and it is [to relieve] them from suffering that the Buddha made vows and formed aspirations. He made the Four Great Vows, including “to deliver countless sentient beings”, He wanted to transform sentient beings and “to eliminate endless afflictions”. This is the Buddha’s mindset! Do we have the same mindset as the Buddha? Are suffering sentient beings in our every thought? Are we constantly working to eliminate our afflictions and ignorance? Or are we, at every moment, accumulating afflictions? Awakened beings seek to eliminate afflictions, while deluded beings accumulate afflictions. The Buddha and ordinary beings have the same intrinsic nature. A fine line separates enlightenment from delusion. The enlightened work for all sentient beings, while the deluded focus on themselves. There is nothing more to it.
So, we can expand [our minds] to encompass the universe; what happens in the world is everyone’s responsibilities. The Buddha cared for sentient beings of the world, and we sentient beings must care for each other. This is how the great trichiliocosm will naturally return to the one pure land of the Buddha. There will no longer be so many worlds; there will be only one pure land, because the vistas of the innate enlightenment of everyone’s mind will be just like the Buddha’s pure land. Every day, we must mindfully comprehend this.
So, “When one is noble and thoroughly comprehends the cause of Buddhahood…” Our minds must be focused on the teachings and not become scattered. We must be focused on learning the Buddha-Dharma and on learning from the Buddha how He realized the principles of this world. The Buddha was able to attain enlightenment, and we are also definitely able to become awakened. The Buddha paved this path for us to follow, and we must also pave the path with every step as we follow it ourselves. Thus, “One is noble and thoroughly comprehends the cause of Buddhahood”. We must understand the cause of Buddhahood. Since the Buddha has this nature of True Suchness, we sentient beings also have it. Since the Buddha attained enlightenment and used skillful means to educate us, we should accept the Buddha’s skillful teachings; ultimately, they lead back to the True Dharma of the One Vehicle. This is the Bodhisattva-path we must follow. Without walking the Bodhisattva-path, we cannot reach the Buddha’s state. This is what we must mindfully understand. The Buddha said, “Now I teach the Lotus Sutra. In the past, I gave the great teachings”. During the Buddha’s lifetime, He was teaching the Lotus Sutra. When He said, “Now I teach the Lotus Sutra”, that was the time to teach it. Thus He began expounding it. He taught the Lotus Sutra for over seven years. Before He started teaching the Lotus Sutra, after concluding the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, He did not arise from His seat. He remained seated and emitted light. Then the Buddha began to teach the Lotus Sutra. “Now I teach” refers to that time, because the time needed to teach it was so long. Prior to the Lotus Sutra, [He taught] “the great teachings”.
“The great teachings” refers to the Prajnaparamita sutras. Before that, He taught the Vaipulya sutras, and before that the Agama sutras. Before the Agama we the Avatamsaka state of the Buddha’s initial awakening. This was the Buddha’s spiritual state. Having attained enlightenment, His mind was in this awakened state. His mind was in this awakened state. He then devised skillful means to meet sentient beings’ capabilities. Starting from Deer Park, He talk the Agama sutras, after which He gradually, after 12 years, began teaching the Vaipulya sutras. After eight years of the Vaipulya sutras, He entered the Prajna period. These more than 40 years were spent paving the way for the Lotus Sutra.
So, “All teachings have skillful means to make them easier to believe in.” It was the same with the Prajna teachings. Although the Prajnaparamita sutras teach that everything is empty in nature, it was the same with them; as He taught, He included previous teaching from the Agama and Vaipulya [periods]. They were all included. Likewise, as I speak to you all now, we must “understand the old Dharma with new insight”. A long time ago, more than 50 years ago, the things I taught then and the cause and conditions for Tzu Chi’s founding are still things I repeat continuously. 50 years ago, we had nothing. we started from the bamboo banks. The story of [how we started our charity work by helping] the elderly Mrs. Lin Zeng who had come to Taiwan from China is one still repeat today. Without explaining the past, how can we [understand] the present?
Like on July 19. 2010 was also a historical day for us. That was when Tzu Chi joined the United Nations by receiving special consultative status as a non-governmental organization under the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Still today when there are meetings at the United Nations, they will notify us to participate. This is called “being without boundaries”; we are not limited by national borders. If we want to take on the matters of the world, we should work for all people in the world. So, while more than 50 years ago we had nothing, at present, we are now recognized internationally in the United Nations as a non-governmental organization. We have a special consultative status. We must understand the matters of the world. Thus, our hearts must encompass the universe and embrace the boundless worlds within. Regardless of national boundaries, we must offer our care and go to understand. We should go out to experience things that have very wide scope by looking after the matters of the world. This is the same idea. So, we must be mindful and realize this.
It was the same when the Buddha taught the sutras. His mindset encompassed the principles of all things in the universe. To help everyone understand [this], he had to teach from the beginning. Since sentient beings replicate ignorance layer by layer, [He had to think of] how to free us from our layers of ignorance so we can discover our nature of True Suchness. Then, the light of that wisdom will be able to shine forth. Thus, the Buddha used all kinds of skillful means in order to guide us. So, “All teachings have skillful means.” They all use some skillful means. Even for the One Vehicle Dharma we discuss now, He used many kinds of skillful means to teach us. In the end, He would say to everyone, “That was the past. In the past, sentient beings had so much ignorance so I had to use many skillful means. Since the [time of] the 16 princes. I have continually returned to form affinities with countless sentient beings and continually teach the Dharma. I followed them lifetime after lifetime. Yet even now, they still cannot free their minds and form great aspirations and make great vows to give for the sake of sentient beings.” They are still quite far [from that stage]. [From this] we can understand that the Buddha, even now, is still our guiding teacher; He is still the kind father of sentient beings. The Dharma He teaches still contains skillful means to enable sentient beings to find faith in it and make it easier to understand. [this is necessary] to truly help everyone realize the same state as the Buddha, the Avatamsaka state. [This state] is “tranquil and clear, [with] vows as vast as the universe.” With this state of mind, He “remains unwavering for countless kalpas” and “infinite Dharma-doors readily appear in front of [Him]. To help everyone experience and understand how “infinite Dharma-doors readily appear in front of [us]” is easier said than done!
So, when [teaching] the True Dharma, we must definitely use skillful means. Today, we must always talk about past causes, and it was the same for the Buddha. In the Lotus Sutra He had to teach about the past, countless kalpas prior. He did this to continually remind everyone. Does everyone really understand this? this depends on everyone’s capabilities, whether they can gradually understand how to return to their intrinsic Buddha-nature. This enlightened nature refers not only to Sakyamuni Buddha. We all have this innate enlightenment, this awakened Buddha within. Have we realize this? this depends on our [ability] to remain unattached to the outside world and avoid outside conflicts. We must do our best not to argue, must try to let go of things and must put effort into opening our minds. This is the only way; there is no other. So, we must be mindful.
Let us listen to the previous sutra passage. “Medicine King, now I tell you that, among all the Sutras I have taught, the Lotus Sutra is foremost.”
Before the Buddha taught this sutra, He had taught many other sutras in the past. Everything He taught during those more than 40 years is included in the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra is foremost; it is the king of all sutras. The Lotus Sutra encompasses all other sutras. All those sutras likewise contain some principles from the Lotus Sutra, which He picked out to teach for everyone.
So, now He gathered all these teachings, collecting them all in the One True Dharma, in the Lotus sutra. We must mindfully comprehend the Lotus Sutra.
The following sutra passage says, “At that time, the Buddha again told Medicine Jing Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, ‘The sutras I teach number in the countless trillions, including what I have taught, am teaching now and will teach in the future. Among those sutras, this, the Lotus Sutra, is the hardest to believe and comprehend.’”
This is describing to us the wondrousness of the Dharma in this sutra, the Wondrous Lotus Sutra; it is wondrous and difficult to comprehend. The Buddha’s teachings are difficult to believe and comprehend. [The Dharma] in this sutra very profound. This is because it contains over 40 years of His previous teachings; whether big or small, all his teachings are found within this sutra. This sutra encompasses so much Dharma. what makes it so wondrous? It is difficult to believe and comprehend.
Now He explains the wondrousness of this sutra. It is hard to believe and comprehend. The Buddha teaches sentient beings all kinds of different teachings. He can teach in an indirect and tactful way to suit their capabilities, in order to dispel their doubts and eventually enable them to enter the Buddha’s understanding and views.
Now, He needed to synthesize all these teachings to enable us to understand. There is emptiness; all things are empty. Yet in emptiness, there is wondrous existence. The Prajnaparamita sutras went beyond the teachings in agama and Vaipulya which [emphasized] “existence”. Thus, it taught that everything is empty.
However, from “emptiness” the Buddha [taught] “wondrous existence. So, this sutra [contains] the Dharma-essence of the entire sutra-treasury. It encompasses all previous teachings of “emptiness” and “existence” and refines them into the One True Dharma. they are all contained in the Lotus Sutra.
So, for us to completely understand the Buddha’s teachings, we must experience them within the Lotus Sutra. Before, the time was never right to teach the Lotus Sutra in its entirety, since sentient beings had not yet developed faith and understanding. So, He had to use the Agama and Vaipulya sutras to gradually build their faith. By understanding the law of karma, they could realize the suffering of the world. Once they began to understand this, He went beyond this with the “Prajna” [teachings] of freeing themselves from attachments and so on. Nut by letting go of attachments, completely ridding themselves of them, they instead became attached to “emptiness”. [To them] “emptiness” meant doing nothing at all. Or they thought that since everything is empty, they could do whatever they wanted. All of these [views] caused them to deviate. For some, since everything is empty, they did not do anything.
For others, since everything is empty, they had no fear of karmic causes and effects. These [views] are al deviant. Thus, the Buddha [taught] that causes lead to effects and effects in turn create causes. This is wondrous [existence]; He wanted to let us know the principle of wondrous existence in true emptiness. This is hard to believe and understand, but “the Buddha taught sentient beings” using “all kinds of different teachings”. Thus He gave the Agama teachings. Based on sentient being’s capacities, their suffering, afflictions and ignorance, He explained it to them one by one. He could “teach in an indirect and tactful way”. He adapted to each sentient being. This is like how water takes on the shape of its container; His Dharma is like water which takes the shape of the vessel. He “taught in an indirect and tactful way” based on the capabilities of sentient beings.
[He gave teachings] “to suit their capabilities in order to dispel their doubts”. He gradually guided them and helped them find faith and dispel their doubts. He “eventually enabled them to enter the Buddha’s understanding and views.” Finally, He brought them all into the Buddha’s understanding and views.
The Buddha’s level of perception and understanding is the level we must achieve. To [help people] observe all beings and all things in the world so they can become one with the universe requires slow and steady guidance.
So, “At that time, the Buddha again told Medicine King Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.” This is a great Bodhisattva, “The sutras I teach number in the countless trillions, including what I have taught, am teaching now and will teach in the future.”
The sutras I teach number in the countless trillions, including what I have taught, am teaching now and will teach in the future: The Buddha said to Medicine King, “The sutras that I have taught in the past and teach now are countless trillions. Some I have finished teaching, some I am teaching today and some I will teach in the future.”
The Buddha said to Medicine King Bodhisattva, “The teachings I have given in the past, the sutras I have taught in this lifetime, are already very many. There are countless trillions. Some I have finished teachings”. Those He had already “finished teaching” were the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna teachings He had already given these teachings. Some I am teaching today and some I will teach [in the future]. These are the [sutra] was about to teach. He had already taught the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra and the Agama sutras in the past. These, He had “finished teachings”; He had taught them before.
[Some] I am teaching today” refers to the Lotus Sutra. [Some] I will teach” refers to [His teaching] before entering Parinirvana, the Nirvana Sutra, the Buddha’s last teaching. What the Buddha “has taught” refers to the teachings He gave prior to the Lotus Sutra. What He was “teaching now” was the Lotus Sutra. Then, before the Buddha entered Parinirvana, He would teach the Nirvana sutra. “Among those sutras, this, the Lotus Sutra, is the hardest to believe and comprehend.” [Among the teachings] He had given and those He was yet to give, the present Lotus Sutra was the hardest to believe and comprehend. “We must know the merits of attaining Buddhahood is so sublime that it is hard to have faith in. It is truly difficult to comprehend. “The Buddha’s understanding and views, the “understanding and views” that we speak of, [encompass] profound principles, “understanding profound and hard to comprehend.” How profound is the Buddha’s understanding? It is truly very profound. “All teachings before the [Projnaparamita] sutras contain skillful means”. They all use skillful means to help everyone find faith. Since people’s capacities were limited, He had to use very limited teachings and simple principles so that everyone could understand them more easily.
All teachings before the Mahaprajnaparamita sutras contain skillful means. They are easy to believe. Today the wondrous Dharma of this sutra can take all of these different teachings and unite them into one.
“Today… this sutra.” Now the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, can take all of these different teachings and unite them into one Dharma.” it threads together all past teachings, uniting them into one Dharma. this is the Dharma the Buddha taught in the world, the Buddha-Dharma is very profound; it is hard to explain clearly. To explain it clearly enough truly experience and understand it is a difficult task indeed. To truly believe and accept the Buddha’s teachings requires endless explanation. [He did this for] the Bodhisattvas of this world so they could begin to form great aspirations to go among people and realize [the Dharma]. “As to its meaning, how could it be easy for those who have not yet reached the first ground or above to comprehend?”
As to its meaning, how could it be easy for those who have not yet reached the first ground or above to comprehend? Thus it says, “It is hard to believe.” Because it is hard to believe, it is hard to comprehend.
This Dharma is very profound. Now, he has included the Dharma He taught for over 40 years in the present Lotus Sutra for everyone to understand its essence. This is not easy. Only those with the great aspirations and vows of a Bodhisattva can gradually realize [the Dharma]. Only those who “reach the first ground or above” can comprehend. If not, then it is truly impossible to understand. So, this is why it is hard to believe and hard to comprehend. This difficult-to-believe Dharma is very profound. However, the Buddha taught us to use our hearts to comprehend the teaching He gave us, that sentient beings are equal to the Buddha. Only a fine line separates us. since Beginningless Time. The Buddha has gone among people [to help] sentient beings. He continually practiced, attained realizations, and [finally] attained enlightenment. We sentient beings remain deluded. As ordinary beings, in delusion, we repeatedly create afflictions. Thus, we remain deluded.
So, enlightenment and delusion are separated by a line. Deluded ordinary beings are covered in ignorance. The enlightened Buddha has eliminated ignorance. His nature of True Suchness is one with the universe, so He has awakened to [the truth of] all things the Buddha achieved this. The reason He put in so much effort is that He believed sentient beings can also do it. So, we must also believe in ourselves, that we can achieve this too. It is just a matter of whether we can always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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