Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Fearlessly Traversing a Dangerous and Evil Path (歷險惡道 雖難不懼)
Date: March.12.2018
“When those Buddhas from the ten directions gathered there like clouds, this was not without cause. They did so to ensure that the Buddha-seeds would not end in the era of Dharma-degeneration but would long abide in this world. Thus the Buddha’s manifestations gathered and [the Buddha] thrice transformed the pure lands to prepare Their seats.”
This should be very familiar by now; during this time, we have kept reviewing how Sakyamuni Buddha’s many manifestations gathered, returning from the four cardinal directions, the four intermediate directions and from above and below. All the Buddha’s manifestations kept coming until they had all gathered there. They gathered like clouds from the ten directions, and each was sitting beneath a tree of treasures. Actually, these manifestations of the Buddha symbolize people who have accepted the teachings, realized the principles and relinquished their afflictions and ignorance. [By then], the ground of everyone’s mind should have been completely purified of afflictions. When the mind is pure, the land is pure. The ground of Their minds was pure. They gathered together from the worlds of the ten directions because They had great causes and conditions. Their coming was not without cause. It was Sakyamuni Buddha who called Them there. We should all remember this, as we have spoken about it extensively in the past. We are already very familiar with this scene. He used this scene as a teaching; it represents the Dharma. Everyone has a Vulture Peak stupa, a place where the Buddha teaches the Dharma. This helps us understand very clearly. The stupa of treasures in the ground of our minds has now appeared before us. The complete body of that Buddha had already called out from within the stupa. Everyone was waiting to see that Buddha in His stupa of treasures. Sakyamuni Buddha had risen into the air and, with a simple touch of his finger, opened the door to the stupa. Sakyamuni Buddha entered the stupa, and the ancient Buddha, Many Treasures Buddha, rejoiced and praised Him. He then quickly said, “Very good! Very good! Sakyamuni, quickly teach this sutra! I have come to hear the Dharma. I wished to hear this sutra, so I have come and affirmed [the teachings].”
Every time I talk about this passage, joy wells up inside of me. The ancient and the present Buddha came together; they even shared a seat. Our nature of True Suchness has already been awakened. Through the teaching of the Buddha, this state of mind has been inspired in us; our nature of True Suchness has been awakened! Every time, I feel an inexpressible Dharma-joy, a joy I cannot describe. I can imagine all those Buddhas from the ten directions gathering like clouds.
The previous sutra passage says, “They have each abandoned Their wondrous lands and assemblies of disciples, the heavenly beings, dragon-gods and all their offerings. To let the Dharma long abide, they thus came here.”
The Buddha’s many manifestations had all arrived there. They came for the sake of the Dharma, to enable the Buddha-Dharma to long abide. So, Many Treasures Buddha had come to hear the Dharma. The Buddha’s manifestations all gathered at that Dharma-assembly to safeguard that Dharma-assembly [for the sake of] the Dharma, the Dharmakaya. The Buddha’s manifestations all gathered in the hope that the Buddha-Dharma might long abide; this was why They came. These were the causes and conditions.
This is like how now, [in October, 2016], there are similarly many people [gathering] at the Jing Si Halls here in Taiwan. They have arrived one after another to complete their commissioner training [and become certified]. Right now, there are over 1000 at the [Hualien] Jing Si Hall. At this time, they too are listening to the Dharma. There are also those far away, [volunteers] from Chongqing, Yunnan, Kunming, Shaanxi, Xi’an, Qinghai and Gansu, 400-500 people in total who have gathered in Sichuan. At this very moment, they are there listening to the teachings too. Their training is completed, and they will become certified this year. Right now, at this time, a large number of people [have gathered], some in Sichuan and others in Hualien Jing Si Hall. There are Bodhisattvas from many places, Tzu Chi volunteers from around Taiwan as well as from other parts of the world, including Africa. Bodhisattvas have gathered from aboard at this moment so that in this era of Dharma-degeneration, the Buddha-seeds will not end but will long abide in the world. The principle is the same. Every year, we certify new Tzu Chi volunteers in the hope that Tzu Chi spirit and ideals will remain in the world. Living Bodhisattvas are needed in even more places to continue spreading seeds of goodness throughout the world, to help these Bodhisattva-seeds grow. A Bodhi-forest [grows from] sprouting seeds; naturally, [they grow into] small trees and large trees and finally become an entire Bodhi forest.
In this way, one gives rise to infinity. Each person forms great aspirations and vows and then starts to not only diligently listen to the Dharma but also go among people to deliver them. They liberate suffering sentient beings from their hardship. They are try dedicating themselves, not merely paying lip service or just sitting there motionless, listening. More Bodhisattvas practice as well as listen. They listen, contemplate and practice. They listen to the Dharma, take it to heart and earnestly contemplate it. When something is right, they just do it. This is how diligent these modern Bodhisattvas are. They listen to the Dharma this way, and after listening, when something needs to be done, they immediately go out and do it. Tzu Chi is already 50 years old. On this path through the world. Living Bodhisattvas have passed [these teachings] on to one another. One person transforms others; one transforms 10, 10 transform 100 and 100 transform 1000. This is how “one gives rise to infinity”. When we all put the Dharma into practice, when we all mindfully guide others to join, Tzu Chi’s spirit and Dharma-lineage can continually keep expanding outward. The bodhisattva Way must be continually passed down in the world.
The Buddha’s teachings are inseparable from sentient beings. “For Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings.” In this world, we must apply the Buddha-Dharma to help others and to transform sentient beings afflictions and suffering. So, the Dharma is wondrous medicine for the world. It is the wondrous medicine for curing the world. If we can earnestly listen to the Dharma, put it into practice and go among people, then we are transmitting the Dharma and teaching the Dharma. There is so much suffering in the world now. When we comprehend the great path, we must form the supreme aspiration. As we work [to help others], we come to realize that the Dharma has always been found in the world. When we can all serve together, saving others is not difficult at all. We gain insight into the world’s suffering; there is so much that is unbearable. But with so much unbearable [suffering], we need even more people to help us. We must exercise our wisdom to go among people and help sentient beings. So, lifetime after lifetime, we vow to be born with Bodhi. This is what Tzu Chi volunteers are like; they all vow to [serve] mindfully. Every year, several thousand Bodhisattvas become certified volunteers. In this way, one gives rise to infinity, and infinity arises from one. Each of these thousands of people can help countless sentient begins attain fruition. When each person’s strength is combined, we can help countless suffering people. This is the path of Living Bodhisattvas.
Moreover, at that time the Buddha at Vulture Peak gathered His manifestations. He had now gathered all the teachings together. Those who had listened to the teachings had more or less understood them. He now needed to bring them to completion, so they had to return to their place. Wasn’t this the same principle? That too was a time of completion. In this way, He helped everyone attain an even clearer understanding of the Dharma. “They did so to ensure that the Buddha-seeds would not end in the era of Dharma-degeneration but would long abide in this world.” In this way, They continued to pass them on. The more people who pass on the Buddha-Dharma, the long the Dharma will remain in the world and the wider it will spread, both in space and in time.
So, because of this, “The Buddha’s manifestations gathered and [the Buddha] thrice transformed the pure lands to prepare Their seats.” Likewise, [we also] had to quickly make room. Each location needed to accommodate thousands of people. This is not an easy task! We had to prepare a big space that could accommodate the more than 100 people that were coming. It is the same principle. So, [the Buddha] thrice transformed the pure lands. These true transformations of the pure lands represent accumulation [of the teachings] over time. For the Buddha, just teaching the Lotus Sutra took seven years. The Buddha began in the Introductory Chapter. After teaching the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, He entered Samadhi and manifested the auspicious sign of emitting light to inspire everyone’s hearts. This led Maitreya Bodhisattva and Manjusri Bodhisattva to provide a prelude. They started out telling everyone about the past eras of the 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas. Over the course of many lifetimes, there were 20,000 Buddhas who all shared the name. “Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha. [The last Buddha] likewise had princes, eight great princes. They likewise had a guiding teacher who taught and transformed them. And so [the sutra] continued. He started on the Chapter of Skillful Means, thus entering the first cycle where the Buddha began teaching through analogies. When it came to His extremely profound wisdom, no one could clearly understand it, so He had to start using analogies. He had to use the Nine Divisions of Teachings. Thus, He began teaching with analogies. [These teachings] accumulated over time; He helped everyone understand the oppressive nature of suffering, that they must quickly leave the burning house. So, He set up three carts and encouraged them all to choose the great white ox-cart. With this parable of the burning house, He lead the four great disciples to attain faith and understanding. In this way, [He taught] passage after passage. Think of how long this must have taken!
In the past, [He had also taught] the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajna teachings. If He had no first guided us with the teachings of “emptiness” and “existence”, how would He now have enabled us to comprehend the perfect teachings? So, a long time had passed before He now thrice transformed the pure lands. This shows that He was now about to complete the “main teachings” section of the Lotus Sutra. The analogy o the burning house, the parable of the conjured city as well as the bestowing of predictions on the disciples were all to help everyone’s mind “enter the Tathagata’s room, wear the Tathagata’s clothing” and take “the emptiness of all phenomena as the seat”. They had all heard this. The room of their minds, this space, had been purified. This is the meaning of “thrice transforming the pure lands”, to make room in that place. Now, at this [point], we have “entered the Tathagata’s room”, are “wearing the clothing of patience” and have “the emptiness of all phenomena as the seat”. We understand this very thoroughly. This is how the Buddha taught the Bodhisattva Way. “He teaches all Bodhisattvas to make great vows such as this to transcend the dust and enter pure Bodhicitta”.
He teaches all Bodhisattvas to make great vows such as this to transcend the dust and enter pure Bodhicitta. Throughout countless kalpas, all Bodhisattvas have cultivated blessings and wisdom, so they are naturally replete with them. This is like people who have traversed a dangerous and evil path. Although the places they pass through and the places they will arrive at are full of difficulty, they have no fear.
We must be mindful! The Buddha mindfully taught countless Bodhisattvas to form great vows. “I vow to deliver countless beings. I vow to eliminate endless afflictions”. This requires us to transcend the dust. “I vow to eliminate endless afflictions”. We have ignorance and afflictions and also dust, dust-like afflictions. These are endless! If we vow to eliminate these, we must “enter pure Bodhicitta”. That means we “enter the Tathagata’s room, put on the Tathagata’s clothing” and take “the emptiness of all phenomena as seat”. The Tathagata’s clothing is the clothing of patience. Taking the emptiness of all phenomena as seat means to have pure Bodhicitta. “Throughout countless kalpas, all Bodhisattvas have cultivated blessings and wisdom, so they are naturally replete with them. These Bodhisattvas did not only [practice] during their present lifetime. It was due to countless kalpas of cultivating blessings and virtues that they were naturally replete in these. Who knows how many lifetimes we have practiced for us all to be gathered here together in this hall? The Lotus Sutra that the Buddha taught after attaining Buddhahood is what we listen to now. We are so fortunate because of our past causes and conditions and our having practiced the Bodhisattva-path. By engaging in the causal practice of Bodhisattvas, we cultivated blessings and virtue. Everyone’s causes and conditions are different; we are born into different roles in the world. We all have different causes and conditions. Each person has their own family and their own causes and conditions, but we all share the affinity to gather to listen to the Lotus Sutra. This is due to causes and conditions.
“This is like people who have traversed a dangerous and evil path. Although the places they pass through and the places they will arrive at are full of difficulty, they have no fear.”
We are not frightened, not afraid. This is like how people can ride in a boat or take a care to traverse a very dangerous path. Whatever teachings we practice, the fact is that we all have our own causes and conditions. Some endure a lifetime of great suffering before encountering the Buddha-Dharma. Thus, there are now many who are the rich among the poor. They practice the Bodhisattva-path. Although they may be poor and their families may have all sorts of difficulties, though their lives may have been very rocky, they have formed aspirations. They too can go out to help others. On these rocky, dangerous and evil paths, during our single lifetime, there are so many who are trudging along like this!
Look at how presently in Haiti, there are also volunteers who have emerged there. There are several dozens of volunteers in Haiti, and some have become certified. The country of Haiti has throughout history, for a very long time, constantly experienced unrest. It has also suffered from many natural disasters. The people there are very poor; it is among the world’s poorest nations. But they have now had the causes and conditions [to meet Tzu Chi]. After [the country] experienced a disaster, Bodhisattvas went there to provide relief and began spreading seeds of goodness. In that place, those seeds have begun to sprout. Some people there have also formed aspirations. Although they are not very many, one seed after another [has sprouted]. [Our volunteers] have been going there to cultivate that very infertile ground.
After so many years, there are perhaps 30, 40 or 50 people who have entered the ranks of our volunteers and two or three who have become certified, something like that. In a place so filled with the collective karma of suffering, collective karma of suffering, bringing the Bodhisattva-path to fruition is not easy! In places of extreme suffering, being able to hear the Dharma is difficult. In places of extreme suffering, engaging in spiritual practice is also difficult. So, in the Buddha-Dharma it is said that for those who enjoy the pleasures of heaven, it is difficult to engage in spiritual practice, and in hell, where there is so much suffering, there is no opportunity for spiritual practice.
Speaking of heaven, see how, when the Buddha taught the Buddha taught the sutras, although the eight classes of Dharma-protectors came to safeguard the Dharma, when the Buddha was about to begin teaching the Lotus Sutra, 5000 of the Buddha’s human disciples left the assembly. Now that he began giving the perfect teaching, He moved the heavenly beings to other lands.
Clearly, for heavenly beings who enjoy [heavenly] blessings, forming great aspirations, making great vows and going among people to save sentient beings are things they are yet unable to do. However, those with affinities can do it, in this world, even the poor and suffering are willing [to do this]. there are many of them in Africa. This year, there are also quite a few who have returned from Africa to become certified. This is also a matter of causes and conditions.
So, we said, “traversing a dangerous and evil path”. This refers to how in this world we may wish to engage in spiritual practice, but there are many environments where the causes and conditions are not mature. However, even in those environments, as long as people are willing to put in effort, if they have the causes and conditions, then they too will be able to give of themselves. They too can become certified. So, wherever they go, though [the path] may be dangerous and difficult. They are not afraid, not frightened. They still bravely continue forward. They are truly amazing!
The Bodhisattva-path is difficult to walk, but they are able to walk it. This is truly remarkable. This is speaking of present causes and conditions. Every year [at this time] people have completed their training and are to be certified. I happen to be teaching about the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures at this time; this is such fitting causes and conditions! people have gathered from all over. People from central and southern Taiwan have come here to Hualien. In Sichuan, people have also arrived from so many very far-away provinces. They come from Chongqing, Yunnan, Kunming, Shaanxi, Xi’an, Qinghai and Gansu. You should know that these are very vast provinces. They [had to travel] so far! By train, it takes several days to get there. They have willingly gathered in Sichuan, and at this very moment, they too are there listening to the Dharma. Sometimes when they come here, I ask them, “Do you understand my Taiwanese? What makes me most happy is hearing them say, “We understand 70, 80 or 90 percent!” this is not easy! With mindfulness nothing is difficult.
So, let us now read the previous sutra passage. The previous passage says, “They have each abandoned Their wondrous lands and assemblies of disciples, the heavenly beings, dragon-gods and all their offerings. To let the Dharma long abide, They thus came here.
Abandoning their enjoyments, [our volunteers] willingly traveled by boat, train or plane to gather together. This is what we must do in this world. However, to come to Vulture Peak, all willingly abandoned Their wondrous lands to assemble together. They relinquished Their enjoyments to enable the Dharma to long abide. They had all gathered from very far away with a sole purpose, that the Dharma might remain forever in the world and that the virtuous Dharma might be spread even more universally. “To enable the Dharma to long abide, They thus came here”. These causes and conditions brought Then there.
“To seat those Buddhas, I used my spiritual powers.” In order for everyone to gather together, the Buddha used His spiritual powers “to move countless beings and purify the lands. Each one of these Buddhas went beneath a tree of treasures. They are like lotus flowers dignifying a clear, pure pond. In order to accommodate so many Buddhas, He had to use all kinds of methods to clear and purify that space. He had “to move countless beings”. These were the eight classes of Dharma-protectors that He had to temporarily move away. Since they had no interest in going among people to practice the Great Vehicle Dharma, He moved them out of the way. This space was for those [who would] practice the Great Vehicle Dharma and go among people, those who practiced the Bodhisattva-path; [He prepared] this place for them to return to. This means that, although we may have listened to much Dharma, we should abandon the teachings we are attached to. We should let go of those and instead take in the Great Vehicle Dharma that inspires our spiritual aspirations and our love. In this way, our minds can be clearer and brighter. So, this was like “a clear, pure pond”. Beneath the trees of treasures, it was a like a clear, pure pond, with, “lotus flowers dignifying [it]”. This is describing Their spiritual state.
The next [sutra passage] says, “Beneath the trees of treasures there are lion’s thrones upon which the Buddhas sit, made magnificent by a brilliant radiance. They are like great lamps burning in the dark night”.
Mindfully [consider] this passage! “Beneath the trees of treasures,” [They sat] upon lion’s thrones. “A Buddha is a lion among men”. We often speak of the lion’s throne and liken the Buddha to a lion among men. To the animals in the forest, the lion is king. So, in the world, the Buddha is a lion among men. This is the metaphor [used here].
Beneath the trees of treasures there are lion’s thrones: This refers to the lion’s thrones beneath the trees of treasures. A Buddha is a lion among men, so any place where a Buddha sits, be it a bed or the ground, is called a lion’s throne. Furthermore, sitting upon this seat, He teaches the Dharma without fear. This likens the Dharma to the roar of a lion. This is also why it is called a lion’s throne.
“Any place where a Buddha sits, be it a bed…”. Whether a bed or the ground, whatever place it might be, as long as a Buddha is sitting there, we call it a lion’s throne. “Furthermore, sitting upon this throne, He teaches the Dharma without fear”. When the Buddha sits down to teach, He is without fear. When it comes to the principles of all things in the universe, however complex they are, the Buddha [teaches them] without fear. He can clearly explain them. There are no phenomena and no principles that can stump Him, so He teaches without fear. At that time, there were over 90 non-Buddhist religions in India. But no other religion could [win in] debate with the Buddha’s principles. The Buddha could encompass [the principles of] all the other religions. The Buddha-Dharma could clarify all these teachings, convincing everyone and winning them over. So, “Sitting upon this seat, He teaches the Dharma without fear. This likens the Dharma to the roar of a lion”. People say that a lion’s roar shakes the earth. This is the same principle. This means that its power is very great. The power of the Buddha’s words is truly great. “This is also why it is called a lion’s throne. [The thrones where] the Buddhas sit [are] made magnificent by a brilliant radiance”. The lion’s thrones are brilliantly radiant and magnificent. As soon as a Buddha sits down, it always feels like that place has become much more magnificent than before. This is due to the power of the Buddha. “They are like great lamps burning in the dark night”. Sentient beings are deluded, as if lost in the darkness of night. The ground of our unenlightened minds is dark and our direction unclear. We cannot see clearly what lies ahead. This is how it is for ordinary people. But [the minds of] all Buddhas are radiant; the grounds of Their minds are very clear. They know the true principles of everything in the world like the back of their hands. There is nothing unclear to them.
So, “The brilliant light of those Buddhas is like a great lamp burning”. It is like lighting a great candle or a great torch; it enables everyone to see the surroundings very clearly. “It is like lighting a great lamp in the dark”. So, it pierces and illuminates everything and makes that place magnificent.
They are like great lamps burning in the dark night: Sentient beings are deluded as if lost in the darkness of night. The brilliant light of those Buddhas is like a great lamp burning. It is like lighting a great lamp in the dark. This light pierces and illuminates everything and makes it magnificent.
This is the power of love as well as the power of wisdom. They exercise both compassion and wisdom. The Buddha, in coming to the world, for the sake of sentient beings demonstrated His compassion and wisdom. He exercised both compassion and wisdom. He did this in the hope that the Dharma would remain in the world, that the Dharma would long abide. As we said earlier, [They came to] “enable the Dharma to long abide”. This gathering of Buddhas from ten directions was not without causes and conditions. The Buddha had a purpose, to bring the Dharma that He had already explained clearly in the past back together so that everyone would remind themselves of it. When we listen to the Dharma, we must not let it leak away. There was a period of time when we constantly discussed having Leaks and being without Leaks, having precepts, Samadhi and wisdom without Leaks. In listening, contemplating and practicing we must be without Leaks. We must constantly engage in extended practice, practice with nothing further, uninterrupted practice and practice with reverence. We must constantly implement these in our daily living and use wisdom to analyze things. If something is right, we should just do it. This can be expressed in such simple words; it is just that simple. Why would we be unable to accomplish any of these? Although there is much suffering and many obstacles in the world, as long as we have the affinities to encounter the Dharma, then naturally we will be able to overcome our inner obstacles. We will be willing to give of ourselves.
This is like how in Indonesia, there is a beggar. He is crippled and begs [for a living]. Once He came to know Tzu Chi, we started to help him. We provide him with a monthly stipend, but he has also come to understand the importance of accumulating [good deeds]. He has begun recycling empty plastic bottles. This is how he loves and protects the earth. He goes out to collect plastic recyclables. Although he is disabled and begs from others to survive, he too can collect plastic recyclables and bring them to Tzu Chi. Of the money he receives from begging, he also puts a share in a bamboo bank. Then, every month as he sees Tzu Chi volunteers, he too is able to give to others. In the midst of poverty, he is rich. He is poor and his living conditions are hard, but he is still willing to give. He knows that it is small contributions that add up to great amounts and that in these great amounts of relief goods, he has contributed a share. He has accepted these principles. His own life is very difficult. He is not only poor but also severely disabled. When he comes to receive his aid or comes to see a doctor, the Bodhisattva-volunteers have to carry him in their arms. That is how difficult it is for him to move. Yet, he is willing and able [to give]. Those Bodhisattvas mindfully transformed him by first giving him love and helping him, showing him that he is as good as everyone else. Although his living conditions are difficult, he too can give of what he receives. Although he begs for money from others, aside from what he needs for himself, he also wishes to give to others. He uses his crippled body to love and protect the earth. He is also able to collect those plastic items. If you think about it, it is not that we cannot do it or that it is too difficult; it is our own minds that set up obstacles for us. So, if we can open the doors to our minds, we can see the ancient and present Buddhas sitting together. There is no difference between rich and poor. There is no difference between noble and lowly. Everyone is equal. If we can turn our minds around, there will be nothing we cannot do, even walking the Bodhisattva-path and attaining Buddhahood. What difficulty is there? All it takes is for us all to always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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