Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Great Joyful Eloquence’s Request for Dharma (樂說請願 遇見古佛)
Date: January.23.2018
“They rejoiced in seeing Many Treasures Buddha with His entire body sitting inside the stupa. Throughout dust-inked kalpas, the essence is unchanging. From ancient times to the present, there is only one true principle. The assembly wished to see, within the stupa of treasures, the entire body of Many Treasures Buddha. When Sakyamuni Buddha entered the stupa, Many Treasures shared His seat with Him.”
This scene must have been very warm, very joyous. Now, on behalf of the present assembly, Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva asked the Buddha about the causes and conditions for Many Treasures Buddha’s stupa to appear. At the same time, he also requested to see Many Treasures Buddha’s body. At that Dharma-assembly, Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva heard the joyful and jubilant words of everyone’s hearts. He perceived everyone’s common wish. He realized that the stupa’s appearance [represented] the height of the Buddha’s virtues. [The Buddha] had actualized the Six Paramitas in all actions, which are the causes cultivated by all Bodhisattvas, and the fruits the Buddha had attained had now manifested before them in their entirety. Everyone was also already clear on this principle. However, they also hoped that the Buddha could, in greater detail, [introduce] the virtuous and noble one inside the stupa of treasures to everyone on an even deeper level, so they could understand more clearly. So, “They rejoiced in seeing Many Treasures Buddha with His entire body sitting inside the stupa.” In their imagination, Many Treasures Buddha in His stupa should be sitting down. Everyone hoped to be able to truly see this for themselves. They [wished] to see this, to experience this for themselves. So it says, “Throughout dust-inked kalpas, the essence is unchanging. From ancient times to the present, there is only one true principle.” This began dust-inked kalpas ago. Speaking in terms of principles, the entire body of Many Treasures Buddha contained inside this stupa of treasures should have its origin dust-inked kalpas ago [as told in] the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City. When Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha began to teach the Lotus Sutra, the 16 princes listened to Him teach. They accepted and upheld, read, recited and understood it and thus took the entire Lotus Sutra to heart. After Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha entered His meditation room, each of the 16 princes took those with whom he had affinities aside. Those who had the affinities followed that particular prince to listen to and receive the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Everyone should still remember that, since dust-inked kalpas ago, they have continued to guide the sentient beings with whom they had formed affinities. So it says, “Throughout dust-inked kalpas, the essence is unchanging.” This was all to help everyone understand that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, that all intrinsically have the Buddha’s entire body in their hearts. In everyone’s heart, there are very abundant principles. It is just that we are covered by ignorance. Everyone has a stupa on Vulture Peak, but it has been covered; it is ignorance that covers us. There are also guiding teachers who lead us. When someone feels tired, the guiding teacher will quickly say, “Look! In the distance, the city of treasures is near.” It is still very far, but there in the haze, they see a city of treasures, a stupa of treasures. It is in the distance, but it seems to appear right in front of them. Then, everyone naturally puts in renewed effort to keep advancing forward. They raise their spirit and keep forging onward.
So, the Chapter on Dharma Teachers also tells us that those with the merits of upholding the sutra will be covered by the robes of all Buddhas. In this way, step by step, [the Buddha] wished to reveal the principles of these perfect teachings so everyone could understand them more clearly. We must remember this. Since Beginningless Time, our nature of True Suchness has been complete. So, we must all truly comprehend that “Throughout dust-inked kalpas, the essence is unchanging.” “Unchanging” means that the noble body of True Suchness is always present. With our nature of True Suchness, the principles are all in our minds.“ From ancient times to the present, there is only one true principle.” Since billions of kalpas ago, the Lotus Sutra that Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha taught dust-inked kalpas ago, which the 16 princes then renarrated, has been transmitted, all the way to the present. The Lotus Sutra that Sakyamuni Buddha taught has an unchanging essence, one true principle. It is always exactly the same. For dust-inked kalpas, from ancient times until now, this always remained the same. So, “The assembly wished to see, within the stupa of treasures, the entire body of Many Treasures Buddha.” The assembly’s only wish was to be able to see the stupa of treasures. Where is this stupa of treasures? It is within us, but as sentient beings, we seek it externally. In fact, where is Many Treasures Buddha? The entire body of Many Treasures Buddha is in the stupa of treasures. And where is this stupa? The stupa of treasures is in our hearts. If everyone could be clear on this, then Sakyamuni Buddha could also enter the stupa. Many Treasures Buddha would then naturally yield half His seat, and sit there together with Sakyamuni Buddha.
In the following sutra passages, we will be able to see this. We should mindfully comprehend that the principles are not found far away. If we can contemplate our own nature, [we will find that], in fact, the stupa of treasures is with us day and night. All it takes is for us to be mindful. So, Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva had to rely on the Buddha’s power to be able to truly fulfill everyone’s wish. To open the stupa of treasures, the Buddha’s many manifestations in Their different places also had to gather together. This is another very important topic in the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures.
To use His power to open the stupa, the Buddha needed to gather His many manifestations and entrust [the Dharma]. When His disciples emerged from below, He accordingly opened the near to reveal the far. This was a great matter. Is this not the blessing of the Buddha’s spiritual powers?
How were the Buddha’s manifestations to come? We all need to put out heart into understanding how they gathered together. After gathering together, the Buddha still had to entrust [this Dharma] to His manifestations and to all His disciples. This stupa of treasures had already emerged and was floating in the air. The Buddha was in mid-air, but He still needed to entrust and pass down [this Dharma] to His disciples below. He needed to reveal the principles of this sutra; the world in the future could not do without them. They are the wondrous medicine that can bring purity to people’s hearts and teach sentient beings. “He accordingly opened the near to reveal the far.” “Near” refers to the stupa that manifested to reveal principles from the distant past. This was a great matter. The ancient Buddha and the present Buddha shared one and the same Dharma; all Buddhas share the same path. The ancient Buddha must affirm this, and the present Buddha must reveal it. He must reveal His expectations for the future. This is the wonder of this sutra. The wonder lies in how it gradually guides us to let everyone probe the past from the present, to understand the past principles and then unite them with the present.
Only when we are very clear on this can we continue on into the future. “Is this not the blessing of the Buddha’s spiritual powers?” We definitely need the Buda’s spiritual powers in order for this Dharma to be clearly revealed. The people who uphold the sutra are protected by all Buddhas, covered by Their robes. This is how They care for and protect them. Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva was the one who understood everyone’s mind and represented everyone in requesting the Dharma. He thus let Sakyamuni Buddha reveal the Dharma through the analogy of this appearance. This is why requesting the Dharma is so important. He enabled the Buddha to continue to reveal the truly abundant principles of the wondrous Dharma.
Though Great Joyful Eloquence heard His words, he did not see Him in person, so he requested to see that Buddha’s body to help people of all kinds of capabilities resolve their doubts and give rise to faith.
Although Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva had already hard [Many Treasure Buddha’s] voice, he had not yet seen that Buddha. He had not yet seen Many Treasures Buddha in person. He had heard Him but not yet seen Him, so “He requested to see that Buddha’s body.” He made this petition on everyone’s behalf. They had only heard a voice, so was there really Buddha inside [the stupa]? They had only heard a voice, so they wished to see Him as proof. They still hoped they could see, inside the stupa, Many Treasure Buddha, whose voice they heard. It was Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva who expressed everyone’s wish by reverently requesting the Buddha’s teaching. How were they to open the stupa’s door to reveal Many Treasures Buddha’s entire body inside the stupa? “To help people of all kinds of capabilities resolve their doubts…” He hoped to help the many people who found it unbelievable get an explanation of these rare appearances. This was to help everyone resolve the questions in their hearts, so they could give rise to faith. So, in the previous sutra passage it speaks of how the entire body of Many Treasures Buddha was inside the stupa. But everyone had only heard His voice and had not yet seen the Buddha’s body.
So, “With His entire body in the stupa, He said in praise, ‘Excellent! Excellent!’” Great Joyful Eloquence!” Sakyamuni Buddha called Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva’s [name]. “Now that Many Treasures Tathagata in His stupa hears that I am teaching the Lotus Sutra, He has emerged from the ground and said in praise, ‘Excellent! Excellent!’”
Great Joyful Eloquence asked for teachings. He had only heard [a voice], so now Sakyamuni Buddha began to answer him. “Great Joyful Eloquence, now Many Treasures Buddha has come together with His stupa of treasures for the sake of listening to me teach the Lotus Sutra in the Saha World. So, His stupa of treasures emerged and He spoke from within the stupa, saying in praise, ‘Excellent! Excellent!’” They were very joyful to be able to listen to this kind of Dharma, and inside the stupa of treasures, Many Treasures Buddha was also very happy.
So, “At that time, Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva relying on the Tathagata’s spiritual powers…” He thought of Sakyamuni Buddha’s might and power, so he began to “speak to the Buddha. ‘World-Honored One’, we wish to see this Buddha’s body.’” [He said], “Since Many Treasures Buddha’s entire body resides inside, we all have this kind of wish. Our wish is to see Many Treasures Buddha’s entire body. This was a request.
The next sutra passage says, “The Buddha told Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, Great Joyful Eloquence is a great Bodhisattva, so Sakyamuni Buddha again called on. Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva-Mahasattva. [Mahasattva] means he is a great Bodhisattva. “Great Joyful Eloquence, Many Treasures Buddha had a strong and profound vow. When my stupa of treasures, in order for me to listen to the Lotus Sutra, emerges before those Buddha…’” The Buddha began telling Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva that Many Treasures Buddha had a profound vow. His strong and profound vow was that My stupa of treasures, in order for me to listen to the Lotus Sutra,” will naturally emerge before all Buddhas, at the Dharma-assemblies where. They teach this sutra.
The Buddha told Great Joyful Eloquence Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, Many Treasure Buddha had a strong and profound vow: The Buddha told Great Joyful Eloquence that in the past, that Buddha had a strong and profound vow.
In Many Treasures Buddha’s previous life, a very, very long time ago, He had already formed this vow. “Previous life” refers to far-off kalpas ago, in the eastern land of Treasure Purity. At that time, such a long time ago, in that previous life, He formed this profound vow.
When my stupa of treasures, in order for me to listen to the Lotus Sutra, emerges before those Buddhas: Many Treasures Buddha’s vow was strong Great Joyful Eloquence asked again about the emergence of that Buddha and His stupa and about Many Treasures Buddha’s vow.
“When my stupa of treasures, in order for me to listen the Lotus Sutra, emerges before those Buddhas….” As for Many Treasures Buddha’s strong vow, Great Joyful Eloquence wished to understand it more deeply. Thus, Great Joyful Eloquence asked again about the emergence of that Buddha and His stupa. Now, the Buddha was about to begin explaining its emergence and Many Treasures Buddha’s vow. He still retains this vow. The following sutra passage says, “If there are those who wish for my body to manifest before the fourfold assembly, that Buddha’s manifestations who teach the Dharma in the worlds of the ten directions must all return to gather in one place. Then, my body will appear.”
This was Many Treasures Buddha’s vow. Now Great Joyful Eloquence asked, wishing to see Many Treasures Buddha’s entire body. Many Treasures’ [vow] was not only for His stupa to manifest. Also, “If everyone wants to see my entire body revealed to the Fourfold Assembly, then His condition was for the Buddha who is teaching the Lotus Sutra to gather His manifestations spread throughout the ten directions in a single place.
This was Many Treasures Buddha’s vow who teach the Dharma in the worlds of the ten directions: The manifestations of that Buddha who is teaching the sutra in the world which are currently in the worlds of the ten directions, widely expounding all kinds of Dharma to deliver sentient beings.
“That Buddha” is, for example, Sakyamuni Buddha. His manifestations were in the worlds of the ten directions, where they widely expounded the Lotus Sutra. These manifestations needed to gather together; this was His wish. So, they must “all return to gather in one place.”
[They] must all return to gather in one place; [Many Treasures Buddha] wanted [the Buddha’s] manifestations to gather. He waited for these manifestations to gather together all at once. These trillions of manifestations emanated from one body. Now they were to gather here, the many returning to the one. Thus, it says “[They] must all return.
[They must] all return to gather in one place. These manifestations all had to come back and gather in one place. [Many Treasures Buddha] wanted the manifestations to gather. This was His requirement. “If you wish to see my body, then the manifestations of the Buddha who teaches the Lotus Sutra, His manifestations in the ten directions, must all appear and gather in one place. This was Many Treasures Buddha’s wish, to see so many of the Buddha’s manifestations gather together. “He waited for these manifestations to gather together all at once.” He kept waiting. To see Sakyamuni Buddha’s manifestations who taught the Dharma in the worlds of the ten directions. He wished to see Them gather. So, “These trillions of manifestations emanated from one body. This is what we often [chant], “trillions of transformation-bodies.” Indeed, [He can manifest] trillions of bodies. As long as people this spirit and ideals, they can all be considered [manifestations of the Buddha]. This was Many Treasures Buddha’s wish, for these manifestations of the Buddha to gather together. “Then, my body will appear.” [He said,] “When these manifestations of the Buddha have all returned, I will reveal my bodily form for everyone to see.” It was a mutual wish. Everyone’s wish was to see the Buddha’s entire body in the stupa, while the Buddha in the stupa wished to see Sakyamuni Buddha’s manifestations gather together. “Now they were to gather here, the many returning to the one.” The Buddhas of the ten directions were about to gather in one place, “the many returning to the one.” Thus it says, “[They] must all return to gather in one place.”
In fact, the principles are all here. Do you all remember? On Sunday, two days ago, there were so many people from Taiwan and from abroad in our spiritual practice centers. This was a great spiritual gathering! In Our Jing Si Halls throughout Taiwan, Bodhisattvas from each area gathered together; these are our Tzu Chi volunteers. These Living Bodhisattvas consistently share the same spirit as they walk the Bodhisattva-path in their areas. It is the same with Tzu Chi volunteers abroad. In each location, they walk the Bodhisattva-path. But when there is a great spiritual gathering, no matter which country they are in, they gather together like this. They gather in their spiritual practice centers to practice together. Modern technology enables us to manifest spiritual powers. They are in Africa, China, Australia and the US, In seven to eight [different] countries, in dozens of spiritual training grounds abroad. In their spiritual practice centers, they gathered to practice together. They could all simultaneously listen to the practice centers in Taiwan through an interactive video link. They could listen to the Bodhisattvas from each area sharing their experiences. At the end, when it was my turn to speak, I did not leave the Abode, I was right here. I likewise [spoke] using video link technology, and everyone could hear me at the same time. After I was done speaking, as I left and was walking down the hallway, I heard someone report to me, “The South African [volunteers] are very joyful.” “Did South Africa hear me?” “When Master was praising Africa, the people there were very happy. We already heard back from them. Everyone was filled with joy! They all heard Master praise the African Bodhisattvas for being so eager, so earnest and so diligent. They were very happy to hear this!”
See, this is the power of modern technology. This proves that when we speak here, they can hear it over there. So what about their regular [practice]? Ordinarily, everyone in their respective areas practices according to the teachings. They apply the Dharma they have heard, each in their own area, continually encouraging each other and sharing [the Dharma] with each other. They [encourage] each other to be diligent and go among people. They walk the Bodhisattva-path and form good affinities. In this world, when sentient beings are afflicted, they go to comfort them. When sentient beings are suffering, they go to their aid. This all comes from the same Dharma. Countless people exercise this Dharma with the same heart. “They take the Buddha’s heart as their heart and take their teacher’s mission as their mission.” They have this same heart and mission in walking the Bodhisattva-path. When there is a spiritual gathering, they come together in their own spiritual practice centers. They thus all gather to practice together, to listen to the same teachings. Isn’t this like how Sakyamuni Buddha at that time needed to gather His manifestations? This was Many Treasures Buddha’s [vow]. Wherever the Lotus Sutra is taught, meaning where the teachings of these principles are given, in that place, the stupa of treasures manifests. Sakyamuni Buddha wanted to educate us all. With our nature of True Suchness, in our minds, we each have a stupa on Vulture Peak. In each person’s mind, since distant, far off kalpass ago, we have had the ancient Buddha, Many Treasures Buddha. The person Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of this religion in the Saha World, now wants to open the door to our hearts; this is just like opening that stupa. Opening the stupa is to reveal the true principles. We must all first be able to look at ourselves and know that in our heart, we all have the nature of True Suchness. Has our nature of True Suchness already been revealed? If our nature of True Suchness has been revealed, then among the people present here now, there are already many [future] Buddhas who have received Sakyamuni Buddha’s teachings. That spirit has already been transmitted to the nature of True Suchness in each of us. I do not know if this is the case; this depends on the person who receives the Buddha-Dharma. So, Many Treasures Buddha has this kind of vow. “In order for my stupa of treasures to manifest, the Buddha’s manifestations, the manifestations of [the Buddha] who teaches the Lotus Sutra in that place, must first gather together.” This is to say, when we listen to the Dharma, in our minds, have we really taken the Dharma to heart? If we have, our nature of True Suchness should be able to be awakened by us ourselves. So, like this, “They must all return to gather in one place.” Then naturally, Many Treasures Buddha’s body [will appear]. “My body will appear.”
This “my” refers to Many treasures Buddha. This means that in us all, the Buddha in our own nature naturally appears. So, ‘“My body’ as said by Many treasures Buddha is the perfect, radiant, pure, wondrous, ever-present and true complete Dharmakaya of the Tathagata.” This is the meaning of “my body”. This “complete Dharmakaya of the Tathagata” is actually something we all intrinsically have. So, “It is shared by all Buddhas in the ten directions and the Three Periods.” Many treasures Buddha’s “pure, wondrous, ever-present and true complete Dharmakaya of the Tathagata” is in fact shared by all Buddhas in the ten directions and the Three Periods. Thus, all Buddhas share the same path.
From “When my stupa” to “my body will appear” is the vow made by Many Treasures. He vowed to show Himself only after [the Buddha’s] manifestations had gathered. This has three meanings.
So, from “When my stupa” to “my body will appear” is “the vow made by Many Treasures.” The meaning of this vow is that now, for Many Treasures Buddha to appear, for this ancient Buddha to appear at this time, this was [His condition]. “He vowed to show Himself only after [the Buddha’s] manifestations had gathered” This has three meanings.
1. It completely affirms the perfect assembly. With Many Treasure’s entire body in the stupa, in order for His entire body to be seen, [Sakyamuni Buddha] must bring the applications back to the essence. From ancient times to the present, there is only one appearance. So, once the stupa of treasures opened, Many Treasures and Sakyamuni sat together on the same seat.
“He vowed to show Himself only after [the Buddha’s] manifestations had gathered.” The first [meaning] was to [affirm] the Dharma-assembly of the perfect teachings. “It completely affirms the perfect assembly.” In this place, He completely affirmed this Dharma-assembly of the perfect teachings. This was the first meaning. So, Many Treasures Buddha’s entire body was in the stupa. For His entire body to appear and serve as testimony at this assembly of perfect teachings, in order for Him to show His entire body for us to see, [Sakyamuni Buddha] had to “bring the applications back to the essence.” “[Applications]” are what He regularly used. This is like what we just mentioned, how Living Bodhisattvas put their heart and effort into giving of themselves in every place and putting the teachings into action. When we put the teachings into action, what we return to is our nature of True Suchness. This is returning to the essence of things, bringing the applications back to the essence. When we use our strength to pick up a heavy thing and put it back into place, this is something we can see. But this strength must be used; that is an application. When we are willing to give, that is an application. By giving, we return to the essence. Only with this essence do we have the strength. This means that only through this nature of True Suchness will we be able to manifest these teachings and transmit the Dharma, furthermore putting them into action and actualizing them among people. “From ancient times to the present, there is only one appearance.” From ancient times until now, it has always been the case that the essence and the appearance are one. “So, once the stupa of treasures opened, Many Treasures and Sakyamuni sat together on the same seat.” Once the stupa of treasures opens, we will be able to see Sakyamuni Buddha and Many Treasures Buddha. Many Treasures Buddha yields [half His seat] to sit together with Sakyamuni Buddha. This is the first meaning.
The second is, “In order to reveal the Dharmakaya which is free from arising and ceasing….”
2. In order to reveal the Dharmakaya which is free from arising and ceasing, one definitely needs transformation-bodies that come and go. Nirmanakayas arise from the Dharmakaya, so the manifestations must be gathered to return to the Dharma. The one is also infinity, and infinity is also one. He wanted us to abandon our views of arising and ceasing as well as the appearance of coming and going. The one and many do not hinder each other, thus we can see the essence of the Dharmakaya.
The Dharmakaya does not arise or cease. In fact, “one definitely needs transformation-bodies that come and go.” There is coming and going. Past Buddhas manifested entering Parinirvana, but in fact, They still need to respond to the world and occasion, returning to this world. Don’t we frequently say that all Buddhas’ vow is to never abandon sentient beings? So, their transformation-bodies come and go. Nirmanakayas arise from the Dharmakaya,” From this Dharma, from the true principles, [Buddhas] form aspirations to manifest in response to sentient beings’ suffering. They cannot abandon sentient beings, so They must keep returning to the world. “The manifestations must be gathered to return to the Dharma.” In response to sentient beings who are covered by ignorance, They must come and go to repeatedly demonstrate the teachings. They manifest a body and teach sentient beings. Like this, “The manifestations must be gathered to return to the Dharma.” From the Nirmanakayas, transformation-bodies, that teach [sentient beings], He must return to the nature of True Suchness. It is intrinsic in everyone, [He] just needs to teach us how to return to it. We can actually attain Buddhahood too! For this, we must walk the Bodhisattva-path. This is the only way for “the manifestations to be gathered to return to the Dharma.” So, “The one is also infinity, and infinity is also one.” This is [the Buddha’s] spirit and thinking. The Dharma and the universe share the same principles; from ancient times to the present, all principles [return to] one. So, “He wanted us to abandon our views of arising and ceasing.” Everyone needs to abandon their views of arising and ceasing. As for arising, there I no need to be afraid of birth and death. As long as we can completely eliminate our ignorance and delusions, we can come to the world in response to conditions to teach sentient beings according to capabilities. As long as we are not dragged here by karmic forces, we can come to transform sentient beings. If we can eliminate arising and ceasing, fragmentary samsara and transformational samsara, there will be no birth and death to worry about. So, “[Abandon] the appearance of coming and going; the one and many do not hinder each other." Whether it be in one life or many lives, coming and going will not in any way obstruct our intrinsic nature. This nature of True Suchness, even though we are now unenlightened beings, is not obstructed. What is obstructed is ignorance and afflictions. Our nature of True Suchness is unwavering; it always remains unchanging, without arising or ceasing. True Suchness has no appearance of arising and ceasing; it has always existed in everyone. It is just that we are unable to make use of it. All Buddhas exercise the Dharma of True Suchness; They remain undefiled. Unenlightened beings’ nature of True Suchness has been covered by ignorance, so they are unable to apply it. Therefore, we must in this way mindfully seek to break through ignorance and afflictions. Then, we do not need to be worried. “The one and many do not hinder each other, thus we can see the essence of the Dharmakaya." Only when we are like this will we truly be able to see the intrinsic essence of our Dharmakaya, our nature of True Suchness. Actually, to eliminate fragmentary samsara and transformational samsara, we must eliminate our afflictions and ignorance. When we have liberated ourselves, we will have not more afflictions and ignorance, and our nature of True Suchness will manifest.
3. In order to gather [the Buddha’s] manifestations from the ten directions, this defiled Saha land must be transformed. We must eliminate our discriminating mind, our limiting and obstructing consciousness and our sense of self and other. Only then will we be able to see the true state of ultimate reality.
The third meaning is that “to gather [the Buddha’s] manifestations from the ten directions, this defiled Saha land must be transformed. We must eliminate our discriminating mind.” How can we make these manifestations gather together? We must eliminate the defilements of this Saha land. This refers to our minds. We must eliminate and dispel our defiled thoughts. We must rid ourselves completely of them. This “discriminating mind” must be eliminated. So, “our limiting and obstructing consciousness” will hinder us so that we can only reach the eighth consciousness. This consciousness must be eliminated; only then can we get through to the ninth consciousness. The eighth consciousness is our karmic consciousness. It still obstructs us. [There is also] “our sense of self and others." Only after all of these are eliminated “will we be able to see the true state of ultimate reality." Naturally, this “true state of ultimate reality” is the ninth consciousness manifesting. This is “His vow to show Himself only after [the Buddha’s] manifestations had gathered.” With these three meanings, we will be able to see Many Treasures Buddha. Later, another great principle [will be revealed]. So, in listening to the sutra, we must continually link [the teachings] together. We cannot just listen and forget it. “Do not be attached. After listening, just let it go. It is in the past.” Is this right? Should we be like this? After listening, the Dharma must stay in our minds. This is called being “without Leaks.” The Dharma must remain in our minds, and afflictions and ignorance must be eliminated. This requires us to always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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