Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Buddha Transforms and Dispatches People (佛遣化人 集眾說法)
Date: December 19.2017
“Those the Buddha will transform and dispatch are the initiators who gather the people who uphold and advance this sutra. Thus those teaching the Dharma come in response to entering the room of compassion. He will transform and dispatch the fourfold assembly, where the emphasis is on the adopters who listen to the Dharma. The influencers come in response to wearing the clothing of patience.”
Let us mindfully comprehend this. Recently, my only hope has been that everyone will take the Three Directives to heart. We must spread the sutras, must ensure that this sutra can continue on so that people everywhere in the world can make use of it. The Buddha made painstaking efforts [to this end]. In the Chapter on Dharma Teachers, the Buddha says, “I will dispatch those I have transformed to gather an assembly.” This is what the Buddha [said] during His era, more than 2000 years ago. He hoped this sutra would continue to be spread in the future. So, He wished to dispatch people to endlessly spread its message; He wanted the message of the perfect teachings of the wondrous Dharma to be constantly passed on.
Thus, the sutra says, “From another land, I will dispatch those I have transformed.” This means that there always needs to be people who ceaselessly transmit the Dharma. People need to gather an [assembly to listen]. The most crucial task is “gathering together”. For the Dharma to be spread ceaselessly, many people need to be gathered together to understand this sutra of the perfect teachings and wondrous Dharma. The Buddha was very intent on this. “Those the Buddha will transform and dispatch are the initiators who gather the people who uphold and advance this sutra.” That is, He wanted to bring together people who uphold this sutra to [pass it on] in an endless progression. The Dharma-lineage must not be broken; the lineage of the Buddha-Dharma needs to continue on unbroken. This sutra must be widely spread and transmitted. To transmit this sutra, the wondrous Dharma, there need to be initiators to mobilize many people. Otherwise, the Buddha-Dharma in the world would just be left in the sutra library without anyone reading it. Or even if they were to read it, no one would take it out to share with others. No one would read, recite, accept, uphold or explain it. If the sutra were simply left in the library, the Dharma in the great sutra treasury would be unable to transform others. Sentient beings need the Dharma to transform them, and the Dharma needs people to advance it. So, “Those the Buddha will transform and dispatch gather the people who uphold and advance this sutra.” Many people need to be inspired to listen to the sutra and after hearing it, they must put it into practice and uphold it.
In order to accept and uphold the sutra, they need to follow the Three Directives [for Spreading the Sutras]. We must definitely understand this. “Great compassion is the room, gentleness and patience are the clothing and the emptiness of all phenomena is the seat.” Our hearts must be open and spacious. We teach the Dharma all day, yet do not see any Dharma to be taught. We transform sentient beings all day, yet do not see anyone to transform. This means that we are simply doing our duty. There is no “self” that can do anything, nor is there anything to be done, nor is there anyone to accept [our teachings]. This is simply the natural law. We must simply do what we should do. If we want peace for all beings in the world and if we want the Buddha-Dharma to persist in the world, then we must all return to the natural laws, to a very smooth, unhindered life. This requires us to be in accord with nature. The Buddha hoped for the perfect teachings of this wondrous Dharma [to be passed on]. In the Buddha’s era, His final wish was that this sutra would flow unceasingly into the future, that it would continuously be transmitted. We must mindfully [contemplate] these phrases. The Buddha expressed His sincere, heartfelt [wish] that all sentient beings in the future would have the opportunity to accept this Dharma and be able to make use of it. So, He will need to dispatch people He transformed to gather an assembly of people who uphold and advance this sutra and thus be initiators; they must initiate this opportunity for everyone to accept this sutra. This is very important.
So, “Those teaching the Dharma come in response to entering the room of compassion.” To be a teacher of the Dharma, everyone needs to enter the room of compassion. We must all awaken our compassion; we [need] loving-kindness and compassion. In this room, we can call many people to come inside; this is entering the room of compassion. “He will transform and dispatch the fourfold assembly, where the emphasis is on the adopters who listen to the Dharma.” Those listening to the Dharma are the adopters. When many have gathered to enter this room, this room of great loving-kindness and compassion, naturally, “He will transform and dispatch the fourfold assembly.” Dispatching those He transformed means to gather, to call everyone to come and to ask them to call upon others as well. It has that same meaning, that of “gathering together”. “Transform and dispatch” also has the meanings of gathering together. It is a request that people go and gather others. Thus, “He will transform and dispatch the fourfold assembly.” Whether we are lay people or monastics, we all need to listen to the Dharma. Those listening to the Dharma are the “adopters”. There needs to be people to uphold this sutra and to spread the Dharma, but as they uphold and spread the Dharma, there must also be those willing to receive it and listen to it. So, the Buddha’s hope was always that people would uphold the sutra and pass it on. This is to “transform and dispatch”. It means to gather [people] together. But even more crucial is that others are willing to gather to accept and listen to the Dharma. This is all [part of] dispatching those He transformed. This means to gather an assembly.
So, “The influencers come in response to wearing the clothing of patience.” There needs to be many people, many adopters [who listen to the Dharma], as well as many who provide assisting conditions; these are the influencers. At this Dharma-assembly, the influencers came to provide assisting conditions.
The following passage will explain this. This is just like how these few days, on August 4, [2016], Tzu Chi International Medical Association members [gathered] from Singapore, Taiwan and Manila in the Philippines [etc.]. People from a total of six regions and three countries, doctors and nurses as well as volunteers, [gathered together]. In total, there were more than 500 people. On August 4, everyone met up in Tacloban to hold a very large scale free clinic. There was internal medicine doctors and surgeons, ophthalmologists, ear, nose and throat doctors as well as dentists; they was all there. All those specialties were represented as well as gynecology and pediatrics. There were all there. Such an impressive group of doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists and medical technicians all gathered together. They arrived on August 4 and borrowed a space in a school. In this school, they set up [the clinic]. Aside from the school, they also rented space in a local state hospital. In case someone needed a major surgery, it would be safer to do it in the hospital. So, they were based both in this hospital and inside the middle school. This was how they set it up. During three days, they saw over 5000 patients. The patients came with all kinds of illnesses. We could clearly see [their efforts]; it was very moving. Among the patients, there was one elderly woman. She could not see because of cataracts. She had to be guided into [the clinic]. After the surgery, she could see again! That day happened to be her birthday. When everyone heard that it was the elderly woman’s birthday, immediately everybody began singing “Happy Birthday” to her. She was truly very happy. To have a cataract operation in that place normally costs around 40,000 [Filipino] pesos, while people’s monthly income is, at most, between 3000 and 4000 pesos. Considering living costs, how could she possibly [afford this]? How long would it take to save up 40,000 pesos for such an operation? It would be very difficult! Thus, there were many people with cataracts there. Another case that stood out was a person who had not been able to walk for a long time. This person needed people to support her, so they helped her into a wheelchair and rolled her into [the clinic]. After an acupuncture treatment, they helped her back to the wheelchair. Then, slowly they encouraged her to stand up, and she could do it! They told her to walk, and she actually started walking! They all felt so happy, they began to cheer.
A Chinese medicine doctor from Taiwan, Dr. Wu Sen, demonstrated at the clinic his mastery of acupuncture. Everyone gasped in amazement. There was another person there with diabetes, who also had not been able to walk for a long time. After the same kind of acupuncture treatment, he could also stand up. He could move his feet, lift his arms and bend at the waist; he could make all [these movements]. [These doctors] all went there, and they all exercised the power of their love. A [doctor] at the ear, nose and throat station had [his patients] recline in a treatment chair. It was actually just a regular chair in which he had them lie back. Because [the chair] was so low, when the patients were reclined, the doctor had to kneel on the ground. He would [address] them very softly and gently. [The doctor] gently questioned the patient in order to carefully diagnose the problem. This doctor truly humbled himself. This compassion, this power of love, is [the meaning of ] “the room of compassion”. These doctors are all very compassionate. Surrounding these doctors were assistants. They were our medical students from Tzu Chi University in Hualien who were brought over by Superintendent Yang to participate [in the clinic]. There were also volunteers there. They were neither patients nor doctors, but they were on site to help. These are what we refer to as “influencers”. They were able to lend a hand there, to help. In that place, they put forth great effort. This is just like what we were discussing earlier. The patients were like those who came to listen to the Dharma. There were doctors willing to serve them by exercising their ability to cure illness. However, the doctors’ counterpart was their the patients. Thus, they were just like people who uphold the sutra and spread the Dharma.
“Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings.” Bodhisattvas’ counterparts are suffering sentient beings. The counterparts of those who expound the sutra are those who listen to the Dharma. after listening to the Dharma, they must accept it and apply it in their own life. Only in this way will it be effective. This is like how the doctors exercise their potential in treating [their patients]. After the patient receive the doctor’s treatment, their body is relieved of suffering. Thus, they are each others’ counterpart. In this relationship, one serve while the other receives. Between them, there must be someone who provides. This is like in the Lotus Sutra; when the Buddha began to expound the sutra. He was the one lecturing, but there had to be adopters [who listened]. Thus, Sariputra came forward to receive the teachings.
But when the Buddha remained silent, everyone grew doubtful. Then, it was Manjusri and Maitreya Bodhisattva who stepped forward as the influencers at the Dharma-assembly. They spoke of the past to give those present an understanding of how this sutra was a continuation from the past, all Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas’ original intent. This is the same principle.
It is like how that middle school was turned into a medical clinic. So many patients came, and there were so many doctors there. They needed to clean the entire school, since [some patients] would need minor surgery [and they had to avoid] contamination. Plumbers and electricians were also needed as well as carpenters and other Bodhisattva-volunteers. These people also had a big influence. These volunteers were also influencers. They cleaned up that big space and laid pipes for water. The dental station needed water, as did the ear, nose and throat station. Many stations needed water, so they had to lay pipes for water. They also needed to install lighting, so they set up electrical circuits. They needed to seal off the windows to avoid outside bacteria, and inside, they had to sweep and disinfect. This was a very big operation. So, to accomplish this, over 500 people came [to help]. Just think about it, at this free clinic, aside from the doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, medical engineers, pharmacists and technicians, they still needed so many people to help to turn this great space [into a medical clinic]. In this way, they helped create which was also a site for diagnosis and treatment.
Likewise, if one wished to teach the Dharma, one needs a large spiritual training ground where people from all over can gather together. This is the mindset we must all have. In everyone’s heart, we all must carry this room of compassion. Our hearts must have this feeling of compassion; this is the room of compassion. This is what gathers [people] together. Dispatching those transformed is gathering people. [We must] quickly call everyone to gather together, call the fourfold assembly to gather together. Those listening to the Dharma are called “adopters”.
Those who come from other places around to [support] this Dharma-assembly are called “influencers”. Everything they do is to serve others; these influencers also have to serve people. Those who have been transformed and dispatched, who go to serve, to uphold this sutra, must all “come in response to wearing the clothing of patience”.
In summary, if we wish to benefit sentient beings and are willing to give of ourselves, we must possess the Three Directives, these three kind of guidelines. Therefore there must be people to do this. so, “Gentleness and patience are the clothing. By being gentle, we can overcome hardness.”
By being gentle, we can overcome hardness; by being peaceful, we can embrace living things. When He teaches them to wear the Tathagata’s clothing, this is not the Small Vehicle’s clothing of freedom from defilement, but the clothing of patience that transcends the Three Realms which are difficult to endure.
Look at those patients lying on the [chair] with the doctor kneeling on the ground, speaking softly and gently as he diagnoses them. Although this space was very simple, he was able to provide truly outstanding service. For Bodhisattvas to transform sentient beings, they also need this gentleness. Stubborn sentient beings are difficult to tame, so we need gentleness. With this kind of mindset, “Gentleness and patience are [our] clothing.” So, “By being peaceful, we can embrace living things. By being gentle, we can overcome hardness; by being peaceful, we can embrace living things.” Only with this gentleness and peacefulness can stubborn sentient beings be tamed. The stubborn beings of the Saha World are difficult to tame.
Indeed! It is because they are very stubborn that Bodhisattvas need to take “gentleness and patience [as their] clothing”. “He teaches them to wear the Tathagata’s clothing.” The Buddha teaches us that we must wear the Tathagata’s clothing, have the Buddha’s heart of great compassion and great gentleness. This is the clothing of patience. “This is not Small Vehicle’s clothing of freedom from defilement.” This is not the Small Vehicle that [focuses on] freedom from defilement, that seeks only to eliminate afflictions and for our own benefit; it is not. We must put on the Great Vehicle’s clothing of patience because we must go among people to face and tame stubborn sentient beings. We cannot wear the Small Vehicle’s clothing of freedom from defilement. We must not just isolate ourselves. We must not just quarantine ourselves if we visit sick patients. We must be like doctors who wear sterile clothing to treat patients. We must wear clothing that cannot be contaminated. The principle is the same. This is “The clothing of patience that transcends the Three Realms which are difficult to endure”. The myriad sentient beings in the Three Realms are brimming with afflictions ignorance and dust-like delusions. For a period of time I talked about how, in the Six Realms, sentient beings have so many layers of afflictions. Sentient beings in the form realm are ignorant, and sentient beings in the formless realm have dust-like delusions. Sentient beings in the Three Realms are all the same; they have not yet eliminated their dust-like delusions, ignorance or afflictions. So, the Great Vehicle Dharma we now learn encourages every one of us to completely remove our afflictions. Only then do we have the patience to be liberated from the difficult-to-endure Three Realms. The Three Realms are filled with suffering as well as ignorance and subtle delusions. A moment of carelessness can bring about even more afflictions, which generate even more ignorance. So, we must definitely eliminate all of these, before we can truly wear the clothing of patience. What we wear should not be merely isolation clothing; it must also protect us from contamination by disease agents. This is the Great Vehicle’s clothing of patience.
The previous sutra passage says, “They abide peacefully in these, and then, with hearts that never grow indolent, for all Bodhisattvas and the fourfold assembly, they teach this Lotus Sutra extensively.”
They abide in the Tathagata’s room, sit in the Tathagata’s seat and wear the clothing of patience; they have already [accomplished] this. “Then [they have] heart that never grow indolent.” From the beginning, we must be earnest and eager; we cannot be indolent. We are replete with compassion and patience. We have also [attained realization] of the empty nature of all phenomena. We understand all these teachings, but we [still need to] be diligent and seize the moment so we do not waste any time.
Think about that middle school in Tacloban. [There were so many people] working, earnestly cleaning it throughout the night and getting up early to disinfect. If people were not there to help with the plumbing, wiring, windows and doors, how could the cleaning and disinfecting of such a large space ever be accomplished [in time] for them to begin seeing patients? So, we must make good use of every moment. We must all earnestly give of ourselves; we cannot have any indolence in our minds. This is necessary to assist people. “For all Bodhisattvas and the fourfold assembly, they teach this Lotus Sutra extensively.” We must hurry, [for we are in] the era of Dharma-degeneration, in the evil world of the Five Turbidities. We are already out of time, so we must hurry to extensively teach the Lotus Sutra to the fourfold assembly. We cannot be indolent; we must quickly teach it to the fourfold assembly.
The following passage states, “Medicine King, from another land, I will dispatch those I transformed to gather an assembly of Dharma listeners for them. I will also dispatch transformed bhiksus and bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas, to listen to them teach the Dharma.”
This is what the Buddha [will do]. He will mindfully transform and dispatch people from another land. Here, “another land” is a land different from ours. It is like this time in the Philippines, at the suite of the free clinic in Tacloban where the doctors came from Singapore, Taiwan and Manila. They all had to come by plane or by boat. From these different places, they all [brought] the same power of their hearts and gathered together in a place of need in order to serve others. This is the same idea. This is what the Buddha discussed in the sutra. “From another land, I will dispatch those I have transformed to gather an assembly of Dharma listeners for them.” He will call upon [people in] another land to all come, including other bhilsus and bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas. They will likewise gather together to listen to the teaching of the Dharma. If, while we expound the sutra and the Dharma, no one comes to listen, there will be no way to manifest the delight of teaching the Dharma, that sense of Dharma-joy. If, teaching the Dharma, one does not have joy, one will be unable to teach it in all its richness. So, there definitely needs to be many people who are willing to mindfully listen. Whether they have heard the Dharma before or not, we must always teach it for those who have not, while those who have heard it should come to act as influencers, should come from other places to accompany. Those who are listening while likewise listening to it themselves.
Moreover, the Dharma can stand the test of time; the Dharma can embrace all things. A single phrase of the Dharma, when mindfully taken to heart or when mindfully expounded, can be explained in many different ways; it is all-embracing. If we hear [a certain teaching] today, tomorrow we may hear the same teaching, but it will be explained in different terms. It embraces all things in the world; that is the wondrousness of the Dharma.
Thus, He will dispatch those He has transformed so they will all come to listen.
Medicine King, from another land, I will dispatch those I have transformed to gather an assembly of Dharma listeners for them: This means, from the other land of skillful means, He will dispatch those He has transformed to gather an assembly of Dharma listeners. This is like those being dispatched in secret in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding.
“From another land” refers to “the land of skillful means”. From this other place, He will dispatch those He has transformed to gather an assembly of Dharma listeners. The Buddha, for the sake of encouraging those who teach this sutra, will call upon people to gather from another land and come to listen. He will “dispatch those He has transformed. They are not from around there, but they will nonetheless be dispatched to come. To tell them to come and gather is referred to here as “dispatching”. [This can refer] either to sending someone out or to calling upon someone to come. It has both meanings. Those who are not from there come from surrounding areas. Originally, these people were not here, but now they are here; those people come here. [He will send them] to gather an assembly of Dharma listeners, which is those who come to listen to the Dharma. “This is like those being dispatched in secret in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding.”
Do you remember? In the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, the elder saw his son outside the door. He recognized him as his son, so he had someone secretly follow him to the place he went in order to bring him back home. This is dispatching in secret. This is like in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, when the father secretly ordered someone to watch where his son went in order to bring him back. This is the meaning of “dispatch”.
[He will] dispatch those I have transformed: The emphasis is on the word “gather”. These are the initiators; those teaching the Dharma come in response to entering the room of compassion. Gather an assembly of Dharma listeners: This means gathering people together to listen to the Dharma.
In dispatching those who are transformed, the emphasis is on the word “gather”. He does not want them to scatter; He wants them to gather together. This Dharma must always remain in the world, so there must always be people to accept, uphold and teach it and they must always gather people together. To listen the Dharma.
This word “gather” is very important. So, these are “the initiators”; we need to have people to initiate and inspire. “Those teaching the Dharma come in response to entering the room of compassion.” Upon entering the room of compassion, one immediately feels great warmth and comfort, a very soft and gentle atmosphere. It is like when Sariputra saw the Buddha manifesting signs and radiating light; it was quite out of the ordinary. So, naturally, Sariputra asked about it and became the adopter receiving the teachings. The principle is the same.
So, “To gather an assembly of Dharma listeners means gathering people together to listen to the Dharma.” they know they should gather together. “Come! Cone and listen to the Dharma!” they are like this. So, “I will also dispatch transformed bhiksus and bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas, to listen to them teach the Dharma.” they need an assembly to listen to the Dharma, so [He must dispatch] people from every place, whether monastics or lay disciples, to gather to listen to the Dharma. “The Buddha, through His spiritual power, will dispatch the people there to listen to the Dharma.” with the awe-inspiring virtue of the Buddha, His spiritual power and His awe-inspiring virtue of compassion, He teaches the Dharma to enable everyone to understand the teachings. He not only [wants us] to understand the Dharma, He also helps us all understand that assisting at the Dharma-assembly [brings about] merits and virtues. We must not only listen to the Dharma ourselves; we must take it to heart and apply it in our lives. We can also influence others so they are willing to listen to the Dharma as well. This too brings merits.
With the Buddha’s abilities, He convinced many people to be willing to accept the Buddha-Dharma. “[He] will dispatch the people there to listen to the Dharma.” This is gathering many people together to listen.
Also dispatch: He will transform and dispatch the fourfold assembly. Here the emphasis is on the two phrases about listening to the Dharma. This refers to the adopters and influencers who come in response to wearing the clothing of patience.
“Also dispatch” [means] “He will transform and dispatch the fourfold assembly. Here the emphasis is on the two phrases about listening to the Dharma.” this comes next, “[They] believe in and accept it, follow it and do not go against it.” Most important is listening to the Dharma. there needs to be someone to listen. If we truly wish to expound the teachings and there is no one to listen, there is no Dharma we can teach. So, there must be people gathering to listen for someone to be able to teach the Dharma. every sutra’s introductory chapter must have the “Six Fulfillments”. In order for someone to expound the Dharma, there must be someone to listen to the Dharma; this is also [one of] the Six Fulfillments. This is very important. So, the emphasis is on listening to the Dharma. for the fourfold assembly to listen to the Dharma, the four groups must be present, the monastic and lay practitioners. That the fourfold assembly hears the Dharma is very important. “This refers to the adopters and influencers”. These are the adopters [who listen] and the influencers who help the Dharma-assembly be more magnificent. They help those who come to listen feel even more interested. To do this, they need to “come in response to wearing the clothing of patience.” To teach the Dharma, we must call everyone to gather and listen. This demands a great amount of effort. We need patience and endurance, and we need to be compassionate, gentle etc.. It is just like wearing an article of clothing, like covering oneself with clothing. For those willing to listen to the Dharma, the Buddha will cover them with His clothing to help them feel that listening to the Dharma is an enriching experience and make them feel joyful, filled with Dharma-joy and very at ease. To feel calm, focused and at ease requires entering the Tathagata’s room, putting on the Tathagata’s clothing, having emptiness as one’s seat and so on. Only like this can we gather the fourfold assembly. As Buddhist practitioners, we must be mindful in our daily living. Buddhist practitioners must have that willingness and that sense of joy. but it is not just about willingness and joy; it is also about proactively taking initiative to influence and transform ourselves and also influence others.
So, next the sutra states, “These people who have been transformed listen to believe in and accept the Dharma, follow it and do not go against it.” These transformed people who come to listen to the teachings all follow the Dharma and accept it.
“If those who teach the Dharma are in empty places, at that time I will widely dispatch heavenly beings, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas and asuras to listen to them teach the Dharma.” That is to say, those who come to listen all come to accept the Dharma in an orderly way. All are able to accept it. All these people have been transformed. It is the Buddha’s spiritual power that transformed them so they assist at the Dharma-assembly. They are the ones who have been transformed.
These people who have been transformed listen to, believe in and accept the Dharma, follow it and do not go against it: All those transformed by the power of the Buddha immediately have faith and accept [the Dharma]. They do not violate or go against it.
So, “By the spiritual power of the Buddha, [they] immediately have faith and accept [the Dharma]. They do not violate or go against it.” Receiving the Buddha’s transformative influence, they all become influencers. “If those who teach the Dharma are in empty places….”
If those who teach the Dharma are in empty places: In terms of matters, they abide in spacious and tranquil places without people. In terms of principles, they withdraw their minds, abide in Samadhi and take delight in empty and tranquil states of non-arising.
Those willing to expound the Dharma not only teach in crowded public places, but also in empty places; this is in terms of matters. That is, “They abide in spacious and tranquil places without people.” In this way, they are in quiet places. “In terms of principles, they withdraw their minds, abide in Samadhi and take delight in empty and tranquil states of non-arising.” Those who teach the Dharma are in tranquil and empty places, or, internally, they are constantly joyful. They withdraw their minds and abide in meditation. By withdrawing their minds to within the Dharma, they feel joy, This [shows us] the true principles. In order to teach the sutra to someone else, we must first have understood it very well. We must have taken the Dharma deeply to heart. Thus, in our hearts we “take delight in empty and tranquil states of non-arising.” This is the mindset of one who expounds the sutra, the state of his mind. So, “The following tells about dispatching the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. In the mountains and forests there are no people, so the Dharma-protectors listen to the Dharma.” In these empty places, of course there is no one, There are only spiritual practitioners who uphold the Dharma. They understand the Buddha-Dharma well and prepare to go among the people.
The following tells about dispatching the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. In the mountains and forests there are no people, so the Dharma-protectors listen to the Dharma. These are the associators who come in response to sitting on the seat of the emptiness of all phenomena.
If this Dharma teacher is in an empty place, there are no other people around. Yet there are the Dharma-protectors who come to act as listeners. So, a teacher of the Dharma must be mindful. When among people, there are people listening. When in empty places, there are the eight classes of Dharma-protectors listening. All the same, our state of mind must be the empty and still wondrous Dharma. So, “The Dharma-protectors listen to the Dharma.” They have already been taught and transformed by the Buddha, so these Dharma-protectors are all associators. [They] come in response to sitting on the seat of the emptiness of all phenomena.” This is coming in response to taking the emptiness of all phenomena as the seat. In empty places there are still the eight classes of Dharma-protectors.
“At that time I will widely dispatch heavenly beings, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas and asuras to listen to them teach the Dharma.” They will all come to listen to the Dharma, all the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. They will all be transformed and dispatched by the Tathagata’s spiritual power.
So, if we teach the sutra in a very crowded place, there are [many] people who come to listen. But it is the same in an empty and spacious place; there, the Dharma-protectors come to listen. They are transformed and dispatched by the Buddha’s spiritual power. This is to say, when we listen to the teachings, it is not just we who listen. The surrounding space is full of tangible and intangible beings who listen as well. It is the same when we recite sutras, when we uphold, chant, recite and teach the sutra. Everywhere, even in empty places, there are Dharma-protectors. This is what the Buddha meant when He said, He would “cover them with His clothing”. We only need to uphold a single phrase for the Buddha to safeguard us and cover us with His clothing. We spoke about this earlier. So, when we all recite sutras, we must chant in a loud voice. As we do so, our voices come together as one; this shows the harmony and sincerity of our hearts. As we spread the Dharma into empty space, the Dharma-protectors will also hear it. They are transformed and dispatched by the Buddha to safeguard our place of practice. So, as we listen to the Dharma we must be mindful. We must be reverent and place importance on the Dharma. We must earnestly listen and not be indolent. [We must follow] the Three Directives; as we listen to this sutra, we must take them in to prepare our minds. We must be prepared to uphold this sutra. This is why we must all always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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