Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Engaging in Ascetic Practices for Countless Kalpas (於無量劫 難行苦行)
Date: May.15.2018
“We must long cultivate compassion and wisdom and virtue. Once replete with merits and virtues, we will attain realization of the perfect Bodhi of universal enlightenment, return to our enlightened nature of True Suchness and become one with the universe. [The principles] of space, time and the world are all present within a single moment. When the ocean of enlightenment is revealed, the wondrous truth will become clear. With unobstructed eloquence, we take joy in teaching.”
“We must long cultivate compassion and wisdom and virtue.” We must spend a very long time earnestly cultivating our compassion. It is through compassion that we exercise our wisdom. So, we frequently say that “we must exercise both compassion and wisdom.” We can only exercise wisdom through compassion. When it comes to compassion and wisdom, we must spend a long time earnestly cultivating them. This is because we have formed aspirations and made vows. The Four Great Vows are essential to us as Buddhist practitioners. They are the most fundamental great vows for all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Since we are learning the Buddha’s teachings, we must seek to attain Buddhahood. So, we must cultivate the “Four Great Vows.” The first vow is “the vow to deliver countless sentient beings.” We need methods to deliver sentient beings. Methods are wisdom, so we must cultivate compassion and wisdom. Also, our compassion must encompass all sentient beings. Our love must be unobstructed great love. We must not let limited love, limited affection, limited knowledge, narrow-minded views or small issues obstruct our great love for the world’s sentient beings. This is something that must be cultivated. We must cultivate a broad perspective to see the bigger picture and think more broadly. The Buddha, in His compassion, vowed to deliver sentient beings. So, we must give rise to great power of vows. Thus we need to eliminate our afflictions; we must eliminate them. If we do not do this, we will not be able to transform ourselves, so how could we possibly transform others? Our hearts will be full of afflictions; we will be truly unenlightened beings. We will worry about so many things. When we are worrying about ourselves and filled with afflictions, how will we be able to transform ourselves?
So, the Buddha manifested this appearance in order to resolve the many conflicts and hardships of sentient beings. He left His family and set aside limited love so that He would be able to take His first step [upon the path]. After that, He [traveled] for a very long time, traversing a very long path while constantly seeking out the teachings. Then He engaged in tranquil practice. He manifested this appearance to show that attaining enlightenment is not easy at all! As we begin [our practice] in this lifetime, we also have to go through this kind of journey.
In order to seek the principles, He had to manifest these matters and appearances. So, He lived like this for many years, suffering through years of hardships; He had to endure this. Later, after listening to the principles and taking them to heart, He then engaged in careful contemplation. This is “calm contemplation”; He entered the state of Samadhi. Samadhi does not mean just sitting there, nor that only that time is “sitting meditation”. Actually, He had already brought the principles together. When it comes to bringing the principles together, we always say He had done so since Beginningless Time. His memory [of them] was very clear. For the sake of seeking the true principles, He had constantly gathered them together. He constantly sought out the principles like this. In this lifetime, He manifested this temporary appearance for us to see. He did this out of compassion. This compassion we are now discussing is also evident from how the Buddha manifested the appearance of attaining Buddhahood and taught everyone through these matters and appearances. So, we must take the Buddha as our role model. We must also be like Him.
Perhaps, in our past lives, we listened to the Dharma as well; we were also accumulating the principles. It is just that when we came to this world, our memories had faded away, and we do not remember these things. Since we have encountered the Buddha-Dharma in this lifetime and have the opportunity [to hear it], we must mindfully listen [to the Dharma] and refresh those memories from the past. We seem to understand what we hear, and since we seem to understand it, if we put in more effort, we can gain true understanding, which means the principles will be clear to us.
We cannot [achieve] this all in this lifetime; we must review [the principles] in this lifetime and then review them again in the next lifetime. We do not review the teachings by just listening, but by going among people. If we already have affinities with a person, we will have even better affinities with this person in the next lifetime because we formed good affinities with this person in this lifetime. When we compassionately care for one another and our affinities seem very deep, in future lifetimes we will feel a sense of kinship with them. This is how we continually accumulate [good affinities]. So, it takes a long time to cultivate compassion; we must cultivate it lifetime after lifetime so that we will all have the compassion to create blessings to benefit others and form good affinities in life. Each time, we exercise both compassion and wisdom. We apply compassion and wisdom in parallel. This must be “long cultivated”; we must cultivate this for a very long time. This long period of time does not merely pertain to this lifetime. We must continue [our cultivation] from past lifetimes in this present lifetime, where these causes and conditions converge. When our causes and conditions converge and we go among people, we will [form affinities] with many people. Then, throughout future lifetimes, we will continue to engage in constant cultivation. For a very long time, we must constantly work hard [to accumulate merits]. [We attain] “merits” by the inner cultivation of “sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness”. “I vow to deliver countless sentient beings.” This is our sincere intent, the utmost sincere aspiration that genuinely comes from our hearts and enable us to carry on the Buddha’s teachings throughout lifetime after lifetime. “I formed this aspiration and will sustain it for lifetime after lifetime.”
This sincerity is similar what we say in the Incense Chant about “utmost sincerity”. Our sincerity must be expressed from the heart; this is sincerity. Starting now, we must engage in spiritual practice with “integrity”. We must have integrity in our mindset. We must have integrity in our mindset, thoughts, behavior, actions and so on. Then we will naturally be able to eliminate our afflictions. When we have eliminate our afflictions, our every action will be geared towards delivering sentient begins and eliminating afflictions. As we deliver sentient begins, we are cultivating compassion. As we eliminate afflictions, we are attaining wisdom. So, to “exercise both compassion and wisdom,” we must engage in long-term cultivation. Thus, the virtues of compassion and wisdom must constantly be cultivated in our daily lives. Of course, “Faith is the mother of merits and virtues”. For the past few days, we have been discussing how we must have deep faith to do this. If we listen to and take in the Buddha-Dharma, faithfully accept it and put it into practice, this is what it means to have deep faith. Only then will we able to “vow to learn infinite Dharma-doors”.
Otherwise, no matter how much we listen, it will all keep leaking away. We must have deep faith, or else it will go in one ear and out the other. We may listen to [the Dharma], but our selfishness, afflictions and ignorance are all still present. Our afflictions have not been eliminated, and that is because our faith is not firm; we have not deeply entered the Dharma-doors. So, we must have deep faith, “vow to learn infinite Dharma-doors” and “vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood”. We must genuinely and earnestly engage in spiritual practice. We must cultivate “sincerity, integrity, faith, and steadfastness” in our practice. We must work hard [to cultivate] our “virtues” so that we can attain a virtuous appearance. When we are virtuous, people will approve of us, and when we speak, people will listen. When we do things, others will be willing to support us. Deliver sentient beings is not something we can do alone; we must harmoniously lead the people to respond to the workings of the world and go to deliver sentient begins.
So, [we recite]the Three Refuges“. “We take refuge in the Buddha. May all living beings comprehend the great path and form the supreme aspiration.” “ We take refuge in the Dharma. May all living beings delve deeply in the sutra treasury” and “have wisdom like the ocean”. “We take refuge in the Sangha.” “May all living beings lead the people harmoniously without obstructions.” [We recite] “the Three Refuges” during the morning and evening recitations. We have recited it, but have we taken it to heart? Have we engaged in long-term cultivation? If we have, then we are putting in the effort. Only when put in the effort are we truly engaging in long-term cultivation of our compassion and wisdom. When we are replete in merits and virtues, then our spiritual practice will enable us to realize the principles, to truly comprehend and realize them. Then we will fulfill our “vow to deliver countless sentient begins” and attain Buddhahood at last. This is what it means to truly [realize] “the perfect Bodhi of universal enlightenment and return to our enlightened nature of “True Suchness”, turning from darkness to light. Then we can take the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, the three treasures, completely to heart.
The Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are all part of our nature of True Suchness; we intrinsically possess them in our hearts. In our hearts, we innately possess the Buddha-Dharma; we have the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. This is because we are originally pure. It is due to our ignorance that we fell into the realm of unenlightened beings. The realms of unenlightened beings is like this; impurities continue to proliferate. Humans and unenlightened beings continue to propagate [impurities]. This is how the defilements in our world continue to proliferate. So, we must return to this state of genuinely “becoming one with the universe”. All the principles go back to the universe; when the Buddha was enlightened. He became one with the universe. This means He awakened to the true principles of the entire universe, whether they were [the principles] of space, time or the world. In the vast expanse of space, we humans are on planet Earth; due to Earth’s gravitational pull, we take things slowly. If we can break free from Earth’s gravitational pull, we will awaken in an instant. This is just like how a space shuttle quickly breaks through the earth’s atmosphere to arrive in space; this happens very quickly. Because we unenlightened beings are still [bound by] space and time, we are pulled in by the earth’s gravity. So, in the realm of unenlightened beings, we take things slowly. Because we take things too slowly, [we are stuck in samsara] lifetime after lifetime. After we listen to the principles and are finally about to understand them, our life comes to an end and we have to start over again. But every time we start over again, our old afflictions are [more numerous] than the Dharma we listen to or the selfless great love we give among people. Our afflictions are more numerous than our selfless great love. We continue to replicate [afflictions], and they entrap us just like how gravity pulls us down. [Our afflictions] give us desirous thoughts that constantly pull at us. These afflictions and ignorance continue to revolve around us. This is why we are unable to awaken and become one with the universe. This is very regretful. We are pulled down by Earth’s gravitational forces just like how our afflictions and ignorance pull us down, preventing us from attaining liberation.
When the Buddha attained enlightenment and liberation. He broke away from afflictions and ignorance just like breaking away from. Earth’s gravitational pull Space and time did not bind Him. He was completely liberated. This kind of wisdom is no longer constrained by “space, time and the world”. The Buddha became one with the universe. The Buddha became “one with the universe”, so His wisdom was vast and expansive. Because of this, [the principles] “were all present within a single moment”. He awakened to the principles. This means that in a single moment, He was able to clearly understand [all principles]. Then He was able to attain liberation and no longer had to go through long period of [of cultivation]. So, “When the ocean of enlightenment is revealed, the wondrous truth will become clear. With unobstructed eloquence, we will take joy in teaching the Dharma unhindered”. When we can attain awakening and become one with the universe, we will transcend the perspectives of space, time and the world. Once we transcend them, we will no longer suffer the constraints of time, and there will be no such things as dust-inked kalpas.
However, spiritual cultivation is something that we must accumulate throughout dust-inked kalpas. Only then will we be able to, in a single moment, transcend the universe, time, space, the world and the various afflictions that constrain us. Then we will be able to break free from our many afflictions and ignorance. If we can do this, the “ocean of enlightenment will be revealed”. The “wondrous truth” refers to the principles. The principles are very clear. Although they are extremely deep, subtle and intricate, so very, very deep, they are also vast and boundless. Although they are subtle and wondrous, like we said a few days ago. “One speck of dust contains the principles of the universe”. When we clearly understand these subtle and intricate principles, one speck of dust will be like the whole universe. Although the principles are very subtle and intricate, with our wisdom. “Our mind will encompass the universe and the boundless worlds within it”. Through our awakened nature we will experience and understand everything. Because of this, as all the principles are within our minds. “With unobstructed eloquence, we take joy in teaching”. No matter how we teach the principles, [sentient beings] will understand, thus transforming sentient beings will not be hard.
This demonstrates how swiftly we can attain awakening. We seize the present moment and do not retreat from our initial aspiration. We sustain the moment forever without changing. With a mind of True Suchness, [we return to] the ground of stillness. With compassion we will long cultivate eloquence. Then we will reach True Suchness, make use of its wondrous applications, accumulate merits and virtues and realize the fruit.
“This demonstrates how swiftly we can attain awakening”. When we can break away from this ignorance, which pulls at us like the gravity of the Earth, when we can break away from it, our time will naturally be like the time in space, not like the time on Earth. Within seconds, we will be able to travel around the planet. This happens at the speed of light, very fast. Once we turn our minds around, the principles of the world and the universe will all become clear. This is “how swiftly we can attain awakening.” Because our afflictions have been completely eliminated, we can quickly attain awakening. We must seize the present moment and never lose our initial aspiration. When we have that aspiration, we sustain the moment forever without changing. Isn’t this what I have always told everyone, that we must “seize the moment and sustain it forever”?
It is all a matter of our thoughts in that moment. To do the right thing, we must seize the moment and never lose sight of that thought. In that moment, if we can sustain that aspiration forever, for a long time, throughout accumulated lifetimes, that seed will always remain in our memory. Time goes by very quickly, but when we seize it and make the most of it, “We sustain the moment forever without changing.” Then, naturally, “With mind of True Suchness [we return to] the ground of stillness.” Our mind of True Suchness will then return to the Ten Grounds, to the Ten Grounds of Bodhisattvas. We will be able to reach “the ground of stillness” in an instant. This mind of True Suchness is still and unmoving. This is the thought we had where we first formed our initial aspiration. Our “initial aspiration” was formed in that split second. So, we must seize the thought of that moment and uphold it for a long time.
I always tell everyone to work “for Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings.” We must continue to sustain the aspiration we formed in that instant and never forget it. We must always remember it. When we can persist in this aspiration, our mind of True Suchness will be still, unmoving, and our sincere aspirations will never waver. No matter how much time it takes or how hard it may be, we will always remain unwavering. We only have one goal, which is, “For Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings. I vow to deliver countless sentient beings.” This is our only vow, so it remains unchanging. This is what it means to sustain the moment forever, to seize that thought of our nature of True Suchness. This aspiration is a great teaching, so we should accept and uphold it, unwavering.
To do this, we must, “with compassion, long cultivate eioquence. Without experience, we cannot grow in wisdom.” Every situation that occurs and every challenge others pose to us is an opportunity to grow our wisdom. So, we must be grateful! Regardless of how we are tormented, we never complain, instead, we are grateful! No matter how they revile of disparage us, we must be grateful! When we do not hold grudges in our hearts, we will always be grateful. It takes a long time to cultivate [such a mindset]. When our minds are free of hateful, discursive thoughts, we will eliminate our afflictions and constantly engage in the practice of compassion. We do not have much time. We must benefit sentient beings. We must remain free of resentment, and in the end, they will be able to understand and come to protect and uphold [the Dharma]. The principle is the same. So, “With compassion, we long cultivate eloquence”. If we completely understand [the Dharma], it will be easy to analyze the principles it will be easy to analyze the principles. So, “We will reach True Suchness and make use of its wondrous applications.” When we are able to realize this nature of True Suchness, naturally, “Its wondrous applications will be ours to apply freely.” So, we must “accumulate merits and virtues and realize the fruit.” Of course, this will take a very long time to cultivate. “The virtues of compassion and wisdom take a long time to cultivate.” We must be “replete with merits and virtues to attain realization.” This begins with “seizing the present moment and not retreating from our initial aspiration, sustaining that moment forever without changing.” it must remain unchanged forever. Then, naturally our mind of True Suchness and the ground of stillness will manifest and the ground of stillness will manifest. Naturally, we will have compassion through our long cultivation This is like Devadatta and Sakyamuni Buddha. No matter how [Devadatta] tormented Him, Sakyamuni Buddha never complained and even bestowed predictions upon him. As for our nature of True
Suchness, “We will reach True Suchness and make use of its wondrous applications.” When we thoroughly understand our True Suchness, we will naturally make use of its wondrous applications. This is means we must constantly accumulate these merits and virtues, for only then will we be able to attain the fruit. We just need to put in the effort “Sincerity integrity, faith and steadfastness, loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity is the method of non-duality for attaining Buddhahood.” This must be earnestly cultivated.
In the previous passage, [Manjusri] says, “She thinks of sentient beings with loving-kindness, as if they were newborn children.” She thinks of sentient beings with loving-kindness, as if they were newborn children. She is replete with merits and virtues. All that she thinks with her mind and expresses though her words is subtle, wondrous and expansive. She is compassionate, benevoient, accommodating, harmonious and graceful in her resolve. Thus she was able to attain Bodhi.
We should see all sentient beings as if they were very young children, as if they were our own children. [Indeed,] the Buddha said, “I see all sentient beings as my only son.”
She is replete with merits and virtues [In] all hat she thinks with her mind and express through her words. We should always be this compassionate and treat all beings as our own children. When we constantly accumulate this compassion we will become replete in merits and virtues. If we focus our minds on this, then the words we use to express the Dharma will be unobstructed. [Her words] are “subtle, wondrous and expansive.” The principles are very vast, extremely profound, subtle and wondrous “She is compassionate, benevolent, accommodating, which means we must also cultivate this kind of compassion and benevolence. In all matters, we should be accommodating; there is no need to fight over anything.” We should just earnestly work hard. So, “[She is] harmonious and graceful in her resolve, thus she was able to attain Bodhi.” We must have the same determination. Resolve and determination are the same thing. We must be harmonious and naturally cultivate our own virtues and wisdom, so that when we guide others, we will “have the Dharma to transform them”. To “have the Dharma to transform them,” we must cultivate virtues and wisdom.
So, the following passage says, “Wisdom Accumulated Bodhisattva said, ‘I have seen how Sakyamuni Tathagata has engaged in difficult ascetic practices throughout infinite kalpas. He has accumulated merits and virtues while seeking the Bodhis-path without ever stopping to rest.”’
As we just mentioned, we must long cultivate compassion, wisdom and virtues. The principle is the same. Wisdom Accumulated Bodhisattva thought, “For lifetime after lifetime, Sakyamuni Buddha has continually engaged in spiritual cultivation. He has accumulated great merits and virtues”. When he looked at the dragon girl and how she could achieve dharani so quickly, how she attained unobstructed eloquence, he truly was unable to believe it. Actually, Wisdom Accumulated Bodhisattva wanted to help us understand, so He asked about this on our behalf. He asked on our behalf. “Sakyamuni Buddha had to practice for dust-inked kalpas and accumulate [merits] over such a long time. This was how He engaged in spiritual practice.” “So how was the dragon girl able to do this so quickly?” So, “[The Buddha] has engaged in difficult ascetic practices throughout infinite kalpas.”
[He] has engaged in difficult ascetic practices throughout infinite kalpas: Throughout infinite asankya kalpas, He engaged in countless difficult ascetic practices. Difficult ascetic practices: this refers to difficult, troublesome and painful practices, such as giving up one’s head and eyes and so on.
For countless kalpas, Sakyamuni Buddha endured many ascetic practices. There really were a lot! In the Jataka Sutra, the Buddha endured so much mental and physical torment. He [willing] gave His head, eyes, marrow and brain to other people. He had [to practice] for such a long time, and these were all difficult ascetic practices! This took a very long time, which is infinite asankya kalpas. He engaged in ascetic practice for such a long time. [By enduring] thee difficult ascetic practices, this difficulty, trouble and suffering, the ascetic practice of giving away. His head, eyes, marrow, brain and so on, “He accumulated merits and virtues while seeking the Bodhi-path”.
He has accumulated merits and virtues while seeking the Bodhi-path without ever stopping to rest: He accumulated merits and virtues while seeking the path to supreme Bodhi. Throughout these many kalpas, He never stopped or rested.
He only had one goal, which was to seek the Bodhi-path. He devoted Himself to so many ascetic practices. He did so “without ever stopping to rest”
He never stopped to rest. For such a long time, He slowly accumulated merits and virtues “while seeking the path to supreme Bodhi. Throughout these many kalpas,” which was a very long time, “He never stopped or rested”. He never once stopped to rest!
So, “He has accumulated merits and virtues” means, “He accumulated a thousand virtues and thereby attained the marks and characteristics of a thousand blessings”. Like this, “He accumulated 10,000 virtues and attained the magnificence of 10,000 virtues”.
He had to constantly accumulate [these virtues], from “the magnificence of one hundred blessings” to “the magnificence of a thousand blessings” He accumulated tens of thousands of virtues, continuously accumulating them. This is no easy matter. So, this entire passage explains how the Buddha engaged in ascetic practices for such a long time. Wisdom Accumulated Bodhisattva discussed the Buddha’s long [course] of spiritual cultivation. This did not take place over a short time, or just in this lifetime, but was rather a continuous accumulation from many previous lives to now. He did this all the way until this lifetime, when He finally manifested the appearance of attaining Buddhahood. This is no easy feat.
In summary, these difficult ascetic practices demonstrate how Sakyamuni gave away His life so often that there was no spot the size of a mustard seed where he had not done so.
This explanation serves to “demonstrate how Sakyamuni gave away His life so often.” Sakyamuni Buddha had given up so many of his previous bodies that they were as countless as mustard seeds. Have you seen a mustard seed before? Mustard seeds are very miniscule; they are so tiny that there are so many of them in just a handful. So it says not even the space of a mustard seed. He truly did this for countless kalpas. Let us take one seed to represent one kalpa. How many mustard seeds are in [ a handful]? This represents how Sakyamuni Buddha gave so much of Himself. Throughout many lifetimes, without any regard for Himself, He gave up His life to save and transform sentient beings and engaged in ascetic practice. He gave up His life in exchange for obtaining the true principles. He wanted everyone to understand these principles very clearly, so He had to manifest the appearance of Buddhahood. Then sentient beings could focus their faith on the words spoken by this single individual. For everyone to focus their faith on what this single individual taught, over many lifetimes and countless kalpas, He had to continuously give of himself. He had to give of Himself to all sentient beings so that they could attain [benefit]. Only then could He say, “[Listen] to what I teach. Come, you must share a common goal, and take [what I teach] as the standard for everyone to put into practice.” This required the affinities formed throughout countless lifetimes. The Buddha told us that everyone has a way [to give]. It is not just the Buddha; everyone can do this. Everyone can give of themselves and do good deeds. With a single good thought, we benefit ourselves and others as well.
This is just like how we are promoting “Ethical Eating” right now we are promoting “Ethical Eating” right now. We should strive toward a plant-based diet. We should strive to eat more fruits and vegetables. We must not take life, but protect life. We always hope that, no matter what religion people believe in, everyone can still give rise to a loving heart and protect all living beings. We should not kill or harm animals. This is also a good deed.
This is just like Master Lian Chi. He always promoted [vegetarianism] as well. So, he told a story about a businessman named Huang Dehuan. One day, he bought a turtle and put it in a steamer basket. When he was about to steam the turtle, he could not find the lid to the steamer basket. So, he used a bamboo hat [douli] as a lid for the steamer basket. Then he started a fire on the stove. [Huang Dehuan] was talking to a friend, so he told his servant, “Go and see how the fire is going and take a look at how the turtle is steaming.” The servant went and lifted the hat to see, but there was no turtle in the steamer. He looked around [and thought,] “Why does the hat feel heavier?” It turned out the turtle was stuck to the hat, but it was upside-down, with its head and legs tucked into its shell. Its back was scalded by the steam. The steam was about to break through the shell, but the turtle was still stuck to the hat. Seeing this, the servant’s heart went out to it, so he picked up this turtle and set it free in the gutter. The water in the gutter flowed into the river, so he set the turtle free there. Some time later, the servant grew sick. The boss, [Huang Dehuan], thought his servant was so severely ill that he could no longer keep him in the house. So the boss instructed that he be moved to a room by the gutter, a straw hut. He left him there to die by himself. At that point, the servant was comatose. In that place, for some reason he began to feel cool. When he woke up from his coma, he looked to the side, outside the hut, where there was a pile of mud by the gutter. There was water in the mud. The water and mud were mixed, so it was very mushy mud. There was a turtle there, digging and digging into the pile of mud. He examined himself and found that his entire body was covered in wet mud. He looked at the turtle. It lifted its head, seeing that he had awaken. So, this turtle lifted its head three times, then turned around and went into the gutter. The servant came to his senses and got up. He saw what the turtle had done. He felt much better. He got up, feeling refreshed and gradually regained his strength.
This is how all sentient beings have Buddha-nature. The nature of True Suchness is intrinsic to us all. The Buddha wanted us to understand that all sentient beings have Buddha-nature and can all attain Buddhahood. The turtle knew to repay [the servant’s] kindness, to say nothing of the eight-year-old dragon girl. How could she not attain Buddhahood? Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. So, we must be very grateful for Wisdom Accumulated Bodhisattva’s questions so that we could resolve some of our doubts. Because Wisdom Accumulated had doubts, he asked questions. He asked questions and Manjusri Bodhisattva answered. When Manjusri Bodhisattva answered, he presented these matters and appearances. For instance, he asked, “If Sakyamuni Buddha had to engage in ascetic practices for so long to be able to attain Buddhahood, how could the dragon girl [attain it so fast?]”
We will need to wait for Manjusri Bodhisattva to answer this question. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)