Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Teaching the Dharma After the Tathagata Has Gone (如來滅後 云何應說)
Date: December 13.2017
“In benefitting all lives, compassion is foremost, and we must have patience as our foundation. In teaching the Dharma, we must be rooted in selflessness. When we are replete with the Three Directives and can put them into practice, we will be able to benefit both ourselves and others. By resonating with the Buddha-mind, we enter the Tathagata’s room.”
We must mindfully seek to understand this. Now, myriad sentient beings are in need of Living Bodhisattvas to go among people and use all kinds of ways to let the teachings enter their hearts. Now is the time; we cannot wait any longer. Benefitting others does not mean creating a lot of businesses or creating lots of profit for the society. What is the most important is to lead people’s minds in the right direction. When people’s mindsets are proper, that creates spiritual wealth. When everyone has the principles in their hearts, naturally, everyone will live with moral and ethics every day. This will create a harmonious society and blessings for all people.
How do we benefit sentient beings? We should not do it with tangible things, but instead, we go among the people with intangible principles. Though people can take intangible true principles to heart, we must still use methods to guide them and lead them in the right direction.
Last night (Aug., 2016), we saw that at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial in Taipei, in the plaza between the two performing arts centers, there were many people. Tens of thousands of people had gathered there as we held the “Auspicious Seventh Lunar Month” or “Month of Gratitude Towards Parents” event. We hoped to change everyone’s [traditional] perceptions of the seventh month in the lunar calendar. In Chinese culture, the seventh lunar month has always been said to be when the doors to hell are opened and when nothing will be auspicious. People are afraid to do any joyful things. When we speak of joyful things, that is what ordinary people refer to as celebrations. People decide that they are afraid to do anything during the seventh month because they say that it is when the doors to hell are opened and it is inauspicious. However, the Buddha-Dharma is not like this. According to the true Buddha-Dharma, any time is a good time. Every month is an auspicious month. As long as our mindsets are proper and we live according to the principles and the Dharma, how is anything inauspicious?
Moreover, the Buddha taught the Dharma and people took it to heart. He helped them understand the principles of the Buddha-Dharma. Having listened to the Dharma, they would not be attached, and their minds and actions would be proper. What would be inauspicious then? Especially during the summertime, the weather became hot where the Buddha lived. Whenever they went out from the abode, they would always walk around barefoot, directly on the grass and the leaves. There are many insects during the seventh month, so when they walked on the ground, they were afraid of stepping on insects, or being bitten by poisonous insects and snakes. So, to protect everyone and for everyone to have time to all gather together in one place, for a period of three months, they would all come together to focus on listening to the Dharma night and day, calm their minds, work hard, and contemplate the Buddha’s teachings. These three months were very important to the Buddha’s Sangha, for they could all calm their minds, gather together and listen to the Buddha teach the Dharma every day. These were joyful and auspicious days. They passed every day like this. This also allowed Dharma-protectors outside [the Sangha], those in white robes, who were lay practitioners, to know they must give, must form aspirations, have reverence and respect as they make offerings to the Sangha. [This was the time] they could make offerings to the Sangha and listen to the Dharma together with the Sangha. This was the Buddha’s mindful effort. So, it was an [expression of] gratitude for the people in the society for knowing to be grateful for the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. What the Buddha taught is also about the teachings of filial piety, the fundamentals of being human, how humans were born, how parents raise their children, how their minds are always on those children and how much effort they put into raising them. So, this was how the Buddha taught to help everyone understand the fundamentals of being a good person. At home, we should be filial toward parents, respectful and loving towards siblings, and when outside the home, we should do good deeds and live in harmony with others. This is also the Buddha taught the world.
So, during this month, we have all kinds of activities, and yesterday was the first. In the plaza between the two halls at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial, we held a prayer ceremony and performed musical adaptations of sutras. I am so grateful! I am grateful to many Dharma master [who joined]. It was very special this year because the elders from fellow Buddhist temples also came to join in and participate. In particular, these great Dharma masters had all gathered together in one place, on this one occasion, and were among the assembly. Master Ming Guang in particular was also there on the stage, together with almost 50 great Dharma masters. All of them went on stage to begin the musical adaptation of the Sutra of Profound Gratitude toward Parents. The music and lyrics of the [musical adaptation] of the Sutra of Profound Gratitude toward Parents begins with the Buddha leading His assembly journeying toward the south when they saw a pile of white bones. The Buddha responded to the causes and conditions and began to teach the Sangha and the people. Upon seeing the pile of white bones, the Buddha prostrated Himself to that pile of bones. Ananda, following behind, thought this strange, as the Buddha was the guiding teacher of humans and heavenly beings. Why, upon seeing that great pile of white bones, would He prostrate Himself in respect? Ananda did not understand, so he asked the Buddha. The Buddha turned around and began teaching to the Sangha the Sutra of Profound Gratitude toward Parents. This group of Dharma masters on stage was also very dignified and orderly; they were in sync at each step and were dignified in their demeanor. It was truly a great Dharma-assembly. They guided the people with their appearance in this great Dharma-assembly.
Usually, Dharma masters just chant the sutras, while the follower along in the chanting. It was not like that this time. The Dharma masters manifested such dignified appearances; the monastic were so dignified, when people saw it, they were impressed and joyous. People’s eyes lit up when they saw. It was all indeed very impressive. With that the prologue began for the Sutra of Profound Gratitude toward Parents, in which the Buddha led His assembly to the south. With this passage from the sutra our lay practitioners, these Bodhisattvas began acting out the Sutra of Profound Gratitude toward Parents. These elderly Bodhisattvas, young Bodhisattvas and little Bodhisattvas used their talents and their reverent minds to act out the entire sutra of the Sutra of Profound Gratitude toward Parents. We saw how, from the time the children were young, from when their mother was pregnant, to when they were born to when they have grown, how their parents cherish them and raise them until they leave home and go on their studies. When those children are gone, the parents are lonely and wait every day for news of their children from afar, one day after the next. [The performance] also showed this love of parents. We also saw some children rebelling and not obeying [their parents]. The police would come to the parents saying, “You child has done such and such and is now at the police station.” The teachers would come to the house and say, “Your child has done such and such at school.” The parents’ hearts were truly broken. Thus, some of the children end up causing trouble in the streets, while some are already in prison and the parents must go to visit them there. Some became successful in their careers and forgot about their parents. Parents love their children even when they are old with crooked backs. Even if the children have a successful career, the parents will still worry about them, warring that they may be cold or thirsty while the children hate their nagging. [There were also scenes of] how the children have many social engagements and so on. All of these scenes on the stage illustrated the Sutra of Profound Gratitude toward Parents. It was very inspiring and felt very profound.
Tang Mei-yun’s theatrical troupe was also there yesterday at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and they performed the drama of “Bright-Eyed Girl Saving Her Mother”. They abridged the story but still showed its essence on stage, letting people know they should cherish life, and not let their momentary craving for taste cause them to end up suffering in hell. They acted out a part of Bright-Eyed Girl’s story. Of course, many other artists came together to give a performance [that depicts] the current society, the true state of people’s minds, the state of their lives and their minds. Seeing them performing like this was truly very moving. I am very grateful for having such good weather so that all of us could remain focused. We also saw a lot of businesspeople on stage, and many well known people were there as well.
I was also happy to see [Catholic] sisters and [representatives] of different faiths and nations. It is always very lively at this time. At the end, in addition to the curtain call, the Dharma masters led the assembly in prayer with reverent hearts; many Dharma masters led the assembly in prayer. It was a dignified Dharma-assembly. When we saw truly lived up to phrase, “With sincerity, we vow to deliver all sentient beings.” We saw so many Dharma masters joining this event; this is showing their approval. In particular, this shows that they were all going among people to deliver sentient beings, that “With sincerity, they vow to deliver all sentient beings” and “With integrity, they vow to eliminate all afflictions”. I hope we can apply this. although in the era of Dharma-degeneration, they can still use their human form, their appearance as humans, their dignified appearances, to guide people’s minds toward faith with integrity and not superstition. This represents the common perspective of these Dharma masters. The seventh lunar month is an auspicious month, a month of filial piety, and a month of gratitude. [Demonstrating] this correct belief, so many Dharma masters were on the stage, “With integrity, they vow to eliminate all afflictions, to eliminate sentient beings’ superstitions, afflictions and ignorance. They hope to inspire people to, “with faith, vow to learn all the teachings”. They hope that everyone will have correct beliefs.
We must draw near the Buddha-Dharma and “with steadfastness, vow to attain Buddhahood”. They hope that people will [return to] their intrinsic Buddha-nature, which is covered by ignorance. Even now it is not too late. If we form the aspiration at this moment to seek in the direction of the Buddha-Dharma, we will ultimately attain Buddhahood. This requires us to be mindful.
[This event took place] for three days, and in the future, will take place all over; this event for the seventh lunar month will take place all over [Taiwan]. Tzu Chi volunteers everywhere will all mobilize to promote the “Auspicious Seventh Lunar Month.” I hope that this promotion will awaken more people and bring purity to their minds.
This is something we should put our heart into. So, we should mindfully understand that, “In benefitting all lives, compassion is foremost, and we must have patience as our foundation.” To put on such a grand event, over several days, these Bodhisattvas were scorched by the sun and drenched by rain at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial. One day during a dress rehearsal, they even had to wear raincoats! They had dress rehearsals for several days under the blazing sun to produce such a beautiful performance. How many people must have been mobilized! Our staff members at Da Ai TV and our Bodhisattva-volunteers worked closely together and had such reverence; this was how [the performance] was prepared. Just for this single performance, they had to be replete with patience. This is our foundation. To put on such a beautiful performance, they needed such reverence and such patience with the weather. They had to have physical endurance as well!
So, “In teaching the Dharma, we must be rooted in selflessness.” We should not be afraid [and say,] “They sun will tan my skin!” Nor should we worry [and say,] “I will be too tired!” or anything like that. They forget about themselves. These two sutras were [performed] there; the state of society today and the Bodhisattva-path that Tzu Chi volunteers have been walking had to be presented at that time. Both the present and ancient sutras had to be presented there. So, in teaching the Dharma, they had to be rooted in selflessness. “We are replete with the Three Directives and can put then into practice.”
The Three Directives [for Spreading the Sutras] that we should practice are compassion, patience and selflessness. Only then can we accomplish the Three Directives. If we can do this, we can benefit ourselves as well as others. We train like this in regard to the Dharma, practicing again and again. Then, time after time, we can take the Dharma to heart. “By resonating with the Buddha-mind, we enter the Tathagata’s room.” If we can resonate closely with Buddha-mind, we naturally enter the Tathagata’s room. So, we must be very mindful. This is not something impossible. If we are mindful, we can do it.
Let’s take a look at the sutra passages. The previous passage said, “If Hearers hear this sutra and give rise to alarm, doubt, dread and fear, you must know that these are people of overbearing arrogance.
As we said yesterday, there are some who will listen to the sutra, yet can never really understand it. Having listened to many sutras in the past, or in their [other] faiths in the past, they may have already understood a lot. Or, having listened to many sutras in the past, they “claim to have attained what they have not.” They think they already know a lot, so they unconsciously give rise to arrogance.
They already had this arrogance during the Buddha’s lifetime, to say nothing of after He entered Parinirvana, in the era of Dharma-semblance or the era of Dharma-degeneration, this present era of Dharma-degeneration. Of these doubtful and arrogant people, during the Buddha’s lifetime, 5000 people got up and left their seats [then He taught this sutra]. This is to say nothing of the era of Dharma-degeneration. If we can reveal this Dharma. this True Dharma, in the world, how many people will be able to patiently and continuously accept, listen to, contemplate and practice, and uphold, read recite, transcribe and expound such a long sutra? So, they give rise to alarm, doubt, dread and fear. This is the precious passage that we talked about.
Below it continues, “Medicine King, if there are good men or women, who after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, want to teach the fourfold assembly this Lotus Sutra, how should they teach it?
Medicine King! The Buddha was reminding everyone again. The recipient of the teachings was Medicine King, so the Buddha called out to him again, “Medicine King! If there are good men or women….”
Medicine King, if there are good men or women: By calling them “good,” He praised their beauty and goodness in listening to the Dharma with sincere faith in the Buddha. Thus they are called good men and good women.
It says, “good”. “By calling them ‘good,’ He praised their beauty and goodness. He praised them. They are people who “listen to the Dharma with sincere faith in the Buddha”. They can be called “good men and women”. This is the Buddha praising those who reverently and mindfully listened to the Dharma. “After the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, those who want to teach the fourfold assembly this Lotus Sutra…” means that the Tathagata had already taught the Lotus Sutra. His karmic conditions were nearing their end. What about the time after the Buddha entered Parinirvana? This sutra must be constantly passed on in the future.
[If there are those who,] after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, want to teach the fourfold assembly this Lotus Sutra: after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana, they teach good men and women to spread the sutra after He entered Parinirvana. The Buddha intrinsically neither arises nor ceases. He entered Parinirvana according to capabilities and conditions.
The Buddha was worried [about how,] after He entered Parinirvana, people would teach the fourfold assembly, [which are] the male and female monastic and lay practitioners. If we want to teach them the Lotus Sutra, how should we teach it? The Tathagata was very mindful in teaching us, telling us [how it would be] after He entered Parinirvana.
First, He reminded us, “It will be very difficult!” He had preciously told us of all the different kinds of difficulties.
After He entered Parinirvana, “they teach good ,men and women”. We must teach all good men and good women. These good men and women are the disciples of the fourfold assembly. There are both monastic and lay practitioners. Monastics of course have to shoulder the Tathagata’s family business and transmit, accept and uphold the Lotus Sutra. Lay practitioners also have this responsibility; they can likewise transmit the Dharma and accept and uphold it.
So, after Buddha entered Parinirvana, how would they advance and promote the sutra? This is the responsibility of all of the fourfold disciples. The Buddha Himself is beyond arising and ceasing. He has already attained Buddhahood and entered a state of ultimate peace. His state is one of ultimate tranquility, but for the sake of sentient beings He comes lifetime after lifetime, manifesting an appearance of birth and death. A Buddha is fundamentally without birth or death, but [manifests such] in order to teach. This is like how Sakyamuni Buddha constantly practiced over dust-inked kalpas. With causes and conditions, according to people’s capabilities and conditions, He manifested among people. In accord with the human lifespan, He had to manifest entering Parinirvana; He displayed this appearance of Parinirvana.
As it is, the Buddha had already entered into the pure state of True Suchness, a state of non-arising and non-ceasing, a state without beginning or end. We always talk about the eighth consciousness, sentient beings’ karmic consciousness. All good and evil karma is stored in the eighth consciousness. The eighth consciousness is called the alaya consciousness. This is “the root consciousness of all sentient beings”.
The Buddha-Consciousness: The eighth consciousness, alaya consciousness, is the root consciousness of all sentient beings. The ninth consciousness, amala consciousness, is the pure consciousness of the Tathagata. Because He is free from all ignorance and afflictions, He enters the amala consciousness, the ninth and unwavering consciousness. If we were to identify it on its own, we would call it the Buddha-consciousness.
Sentient beings’ root consciousness only goes to [the eighth consciousness]. Because this eighth consciousness stores all the good and evil karma we create every day, the eighth consciousness is also known as the storehouse consciousness. With all our good and evil karma, in the end, “We cannot take anything with us when we die; only our karma follows us to our next life.” It is our karmic consciousness that follows us. however, we must form aspirations to eliminate all evil and practice all that is good, make the Four Great Vows and, lifetime after lifetime, “cow to deliver countless sentient beings”. We must cultivate the Four Infinite Minds and go among sentient beings with loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. Then, lifetime after lifetime, [our karmic consciousness] will be good and pure. We give unconditionally, and constantly train ourselves. Ultimately, as we train, we are not defiled by the afflictions form people. Then our pure consciousness, the roots of wisdom and blessed affinities, will all be perfected and brought to fruition. This is returning to the ninth consciousness.
The ninth is known as the amala consciousness. I do not usually mention this name, the amala consciousness. This is “the pure consciousness of the Tathagata”. It is also our nature of True Suchness. Although our nature of True Suchness is covered by layers and layers of ignorance and afflictions, it nevertheless remains stored deeply within us. Sentient beings’ nature of True Suchness does not get contaminated, but [the consciousness] we use every day create the ignorance and afflictions that cover [our intrinsic nature]. It is the eighth, seventh, sixth consciousness and the first five consciousness that we are using. Our nature of True Suchness remains buried within the ninth consciousness.
What the Buddha uses is the ninth consciousness. What we ordinary people use is what we have created in the first seven, which is then stored in the eighth consciousness. So, this is the difference. “This is because He is free from all ignorance and afflictions.” The Buddha had already become “free from all ignorance and afflictions.” He had “entered the amala consciousness.” He had already entered the ninth consciousness, the pure consciousness of a Buddha and was unwavering. “If we were to identify it on its own, we would call it the Buddha-consciousness”. To differentiate it, it is called the Buddha-consciousness. The ninth consciousness is Buddha-consciousness. Buddha-consciousness is the nature of True Suchness. It is the same principle.
Everyone possesses this, yet no one uses it; what we use instead are these ignorance and afflictions outside. But what the Tathagata worried about then was how the Dharma would be spread after He had entered Parinirvana.
This explains the observances for teaching after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana. Dharma teachers do not all need to be bhiksus. So, the Buddha used “good men and women” to refer to the fourfold assembly in general.
This explains “the observances for teaching after the Tathagata enters Parinirvana”. There are three kinds of observances in teaching the Dharma. We will talk about those later on. “Dharma teachers do not all need to be bhiksus.” Of course who teach the Dharma, those who are able to teach the Dharma, these teachers do not necessarily appear as bhiksus; that is not necessarily the case. When the Dharma is taught, it must be taught clearly. The Buddha-Dharma teaches fundamental equality, but we have these observances for teaching. So, those of us who follow these observances are called monastics. Having left the lay life, they take the Dharma and precepts as their teachers, and focus wholeheartedly on spiritual practice. They immerse themselves in the Buddha-Dharma, and then teach and guide the sentient beings. These are called Dharma masters. Otherwise, they have merely left the lay life and are wearing this clothing. If they do not take the Dharma to heart, this will not do.
For some lay practitioners, although they wear lay people’s clothing, they nonetheless follow the rules and disciplines. They have deeply penetrated the Dharma and can not only teach the Buddha-Dharma but also put it into practice, doing what they say and saying what they do. Thus, “[They] do not all need to be bhiksus”. Those who practice this Bodhisattva-path are not necessarily all monastics. “So, the Buddha used ‘good men and women’ to refer to the fourfold assembly in general”. The Buddha referred to all of those who were there listening to the sutra as “good men” and “good women”. Monastics as well as lay men and women make up the fourfold assembly. So, He referred to the fourfold assembly as good men and good women.
“How should they teach it?” How do we go about teaching it? “After the Buddha enters into Parinirvana, the noble path is laid out in the sutras. Do not teach it to those of unsuitable capabilities. For those who can bear to accept it, what skillful means should be used to teach them?”
This must be in accordance with capabilities. In the future, after the Buddha had entered Parinirvana, the sutras would have to be recorded and compiled. The Buddha also understood that the sutras would be the means of teaching the Dharma in the future. But to spread this noble path, the Lotus Sutra, through the text of the sutras, whether the sutras, the treatises or so on, they would have to teach in accord with this sutra. However, it must be taught correctly and very clearly. This is the king of all sutras, the wondrous medicine for saving this world. Those who listen to this sutra must also have suitable capabilities. So, “Do not teach it to those of unsuitable capabilities. For those who can bear to accept it, what skillful means should be used to teach them?” If someone’s capabilities are not suitable, we should not teach it to them. When it says those who can bear to accept it, as we said before, to accept and uphold this sutra, there are a great many difficulties involved. So, for those who can bear to accept it, what skillful means should be used to guide and teach them the Dharma? The Buddha guided them and taught them the Dharma. What methods did He use? He had attained Buddhahood; His ninth consciousness had manifested. The Buddha awakened and experienced how the entire universe and all Dharma-realms are one. Having realized this, He taught the Avatamsaka teachings for 21 days to those with the state of mind of Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas. He had considered their capabilities, how they could understand this enlightened state. The Buddha expressed how His spiritual state was one with the universe. To the Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas present there, He described this state of mind because they could all understand it. Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas all had reached attainment in the past; they had been practicing for dust-inked kalpas. But how could He talk to the turbid and stubborn beings of the Saha World to teach this kind of Dharma? They have serious afflictions, and their innate enlightenment of True Suchness is buried deeply. How could He teach this? How could he remove their layers of afflictions? The Buddha had no choice but to use skillful means. He truly had to use skillful means.
This is like our present. We should mindfully consider how although these Bodhisattvas are out in society, in this world, they still have afflictions. “We are tired!” They still have their afflictions. “Why are you training me so hard?” They still have afflictions. They want to go and help others, but “How could this place be so dirty? We want to approach him and help him, but he gave us an attitude.” They must endure being scolded by him and endure him shutting the door in refusal. They go again and again, but still they find, “I am here trying to help you. Why are you being like this?” Yet, they have already taken the Dharma to heart. “I have vowed to save countless sentient beings. Suffering sentient beings are those I must help!” So, a group of people must share the same aspiration. They keep [going] until he opens the door, again and again. Having gained entry, they still have to open the door to his heart. They must not only open the door to the house; they must also open the door to his heart. Some may be mentally ill, while some may be very filthy, and will not let others get close to them. When they open the door to their hearts, then the volunteers can get close to them. Though smelly and dirty, they will still hug him. Then they convince him. They heat some water and take off his clothes [to give him a bath]. Layer by layer, they take off his dirty clothing, and use hot water to slowly clean him up. They cut and wash his hair, get him into a change of clean clothes, so that this person knows, “You are here to help me and to support me. My house is clean, my body is clean and my mind has also been changed. Thank you!” From being very distant, he can become very close and rely on these Bodhisattvas.
Some of our students from Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology went to Malaysia, and visited a leprosy hospital, They went and visited them the patients. Our students asked the patients there, “Grandpa, what is your greatest hope?” “Me? My greatest hope is to see Tzu Chi volunteers every month.” See, he has resonated with the Bodhisattva’s mind. The Bodhisattva image is within his heart. This is very difficult [to achieve], but we must patiently endure to have faith. Although He used skillful means in the world, the Buddha had to manifest, the appearance of arising and ceasing, to say nothing of us sentient beings. So, besides accepting the Dharma, we must not waste a moment of our lives; we cannot allow a moment of our lives to pass us by. So, we must mindfully learn the Dharma. We saw the skillful means of adapting the sutras into body language. In addition to having everyone recite the sutra. In addition to having everyone recite the sutra, they also led people [to follow along]. A large group of Dharma masters went on stage and inspired respect with their dignified appearances.
Like this, they began [the musical adaptation] of the Sutra of Profound Gratitude to Parents. A big group of people consisting of the elderly, adults, youth and children, all joined in this [musical adaptation] of the sutra of profound Gratitude to parents. As everyone rehearsed it, they had to memorize this sutra very well, so the entire sutra’s principles were already laid out in their minds. “The sutra is a path; this path is a road to walk on.” It is not easy for the youth to enter the sutra treasury. In summary, the Dharma, these skillful means, guide us to enter the path of the One Vehicle. Once we enter the path of the One Vehicle, it is the only path, the path paved with love. This is awakened love, where all sentient beings in the world are one family. We should constantly be mindful in seeking to comprehend this. Let us always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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