Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Replete with the Three Studies and Six Paramitas (三學齊備 六度行因)
Date: July.23.2018
“Sentient beings in the evil world in the age of Dharma-degeneration are angry, arrogant and stubborn. Those who uphold the sutra and spread the wondrous Dharma will be able to endure hardships, but this is not as good as preventing difficulty and finding peace. So, what Dharma should we practice? We must contemplate all phenomena in their True Appearance, their essence free from all delusion. With the wisdom of impartial contemplation, the place to draw near to [lies in] taking precepts and Samadhi as our essence. To free ourselves from mundane defilement, we must take the diligent and rigorous practice of the precepts as our essence. We must collect our wandering thoughts; clear and calm, we will return to our tranquil nature of true emptiness.”
Listen mindfully, because the passage that follows must be understood through the Dharma. Earlier, the Buddha taught us very meticulously about how we ought to engage in spiritual practice while [dealing with] people and matters. Manjusri Bodhisattva was very careful to accord with the principles of the Buddha’s teachings. Profound sutras require very in-depth explanations. Listening to them is not easy. How did Manjusri Bodhisattva, during [the sutra’s] most difficult parts, [help people] listen to the Dharma? During these circumstances, Manjusri Bodhisattva led the assembly in requesting teachings so that the Buddha could expound the Dharma in more detail to help everyone understand it more clearly. So, in this section, Manjusri Bodhisattva mentioned that in this evil world, in undertaking the task to spread this sutra and putting the Dharma into practice among people, there will be all sorts of difficulties. When we encounter so many obstacles, how should we face them? With these obstacles that we have to face, are there no ways we can prevent them so that we will avoid encountering them? In a previous passage, Manjusri Bodhisattva raised this question.
So, the Buddha began to explain further in hopes that everyone could understand more clearly how to avert [these obstacles]. Since we have formed these aspirations, how do we avert [these obstacles] so that they do not affect our spiritual aspirations? Forming great aspirations is a good thing, and for the Great Vehicle Buddha-Dharma to be practiced in the world, this is extremely important. However, if our spiritual aspirations are not firm, if our spiritual practice is relatively shallow, then we will be easily influenced by others. Manjusri Bodhisattva asked the Buddha to teach about preventative [measures] that will enable us to avert these dangers. How do we keep our spiritual aspirations from being affected by others? The Buddha began to speak, starting with kings and princes, all the way to women and pandakas and so on; these are people we should not draw near to. This is because the strength of our spiritual aspirations is not yet firm. The mindset of these people mentioned above is still very stubborn. They are not easy to tame, so we should distance ourselves from them. This is why it says that “Sentient beings in the evil world in the age of Dharma-degeneration are angry, arrogant and stubborn.” In this evil world, sentient beings have this kind of mindset. Those who uphold the sutra and “spread the wondrous Dharma” will face many hardships, so we must “be able to endure”. Not only must we endure what people do openly, we must also patiently endure what people do behind our backs. We must patiently persevere in our aspirations. There are people outside with all kinds of crooked mindsets. If we still do not have the ability to help them, we will instead be swayed by them. We must avoid people like this. So, in order to endure these kinds of places, it is better to take preventative [measures] so that they will not affect our will to practice. So, which methods should we use?
Next, the Buddha began to speak and said, “We must contemplate all phenomena in their True Appearance, their essence free from all delusion.” When it comes to this appearance and essence, how can we [contemplate it] without delusion? When it comes to their True Appearance, is the appearance of phenomena illusory or real? We must understand this clearly. So, we must exercise our wisdom. “With the wisdom of impartial contemplation, the place to draw near to [lies in] taking precepts and Samadhi as our essence.”
“With the wisdom of impartial contemplation, the place to draw near to [lies in] taking precepts and Samadhi as our essence. To free ourselves from mundane defilement, we must take the diligent and rigorous practice of the precepts as our essence. We must collect our wandering thoughts; clear and calm, we will return to our tranquil nature of true emptiness.”
In order to free ourselves from delusion, we must recognize the “true,” the true appearance and essence of things. So, we must be impartial. Impartial contemplation concerns what is both near and far. Our surroundings are what is near. The external world beyond this is what is far. There are many ways of life in the world, but what is most important is our own state of mind. How do we guard our minds? How do we decide what to take in? That is all within our state of mind. This state of mind is the place to draw near to. We may be impartial toward sentient beings, our wisdom may be impartial wisdom and [we may see] all sentient beings as equal; however, when we [connect] with the external world, when the Six Roots and Six Dusts come together, there is “consciousness”. This refers to our minds. How do we discern between what we should and should not take in? We must understand the principles very clearly. Though we know [all sentient begins] are equal, we must be able to discern between appearances. We must definitely be able to discern between external appearances, and we must clearly understand right from wrong. So, contemplating things in an impartial way must come from our own consciousness. We must constantly be vigilant of ourselves and take “precepts and Samadhi as [our] essence”. We must uphold the precepts, and our minds must be in Samadhi. If we deviate from the course of the precepts, our minds will fail to remain in Samadhi. When we focus our minds, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
Some people’s past habitual tendencies are very stubborn and strong, but they [change] upon accepting the Buddha-Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma contains many precepts. These “precepts” guard our minds from giving rise to anger and stubbornness, turning anger into gentleness. How do we transform this angry mind of ours into a gentle mind? When we hold the precepts in our minds, we will naturally subdue this disposition. As we train ourselves to return to the true principles, we will naturally rid ourselves of delusion. When it comes to improper conduct, we use the precepts to eliminate it. We can start to mindfully refrain from any kind of [negative] attitude towards others. This is why we need the precepts. With the precepts, we will not get into conflicts with others and then feel frustrated afterward. If we can always maintain harmony with other people in the outside world, this is also considered upholding the precepts. If we can always maintain harmony, then our minds will not give rise to afflictions and discursive thoughts. This is Samadhi. So, “taking precepts and Samadhi as our essence” is what we must put into practice.
“To free ourselves from mundane defilement, we must take the diligent and rigorous.” To engage in spiritual practice, we must free ourselves from mundane defilement. Regarding our worldly ties and affections, aren’t we ready to sever our ties to our loved ones? We must eliminate worldly ties and affections. This is “freeing ourselves from mundanely.” We must free ourselves from worldly ties, desire and affections. This is “freeing ourselves from mundanely” and “freeing ourselves from defilement.” “Defilement” refers to contamination by the Dusts. Because of these many [dusts], we contrive many affinities in the world, so our minds have become heavily defiled. Interpersonal conflicts are all due to contamination by the external Dusts. Spiritual practice means that we must relinquish fame, wealth, status and interpersonal conflicts. We must relinquish all of them and clearly understand that we must free ourselves from defilement. When we distance ourselves from mundanely and sever the ties of our affection for family members, we must be even more careful. Have we gotten ourselves mixed up in defilement, fame, wealth, status and interpersonal conflicts amount people? Amidst interpersonal conflicts, we must not forcefully contrive connections. Only when we accomplish this can we be said to have “free ourselves from defilement”.
We must clearly discern right from wrong. We must go among people to transform sentient beings. The Buddha wants us to practice the Great Vehicle Dharma; we cannot distance ourselves from people, but we must also not be defiled by them. So, we must have the skill to “free ourselves from mundane defilement”. We must have this skill.
So, the Buddha tells us that if our skills are not strong enough yet, when [we encounter] the afore-mentioned kings, princes and ministers who forcefully contrive affinities through their power and influence, we must be very wary of them. We must distance ourselves from them. We should not [sink] into the defilement of worldly ties and go on the defile many other things. So, we must distance ourselves from all of this and refrain from drawing near to them. So, since we have heard this before and have not forgotten it, we should understand this clearly.
“To free ourselves from mundane defilement, we must take the diligent and rigorous.” We must earnestly collect our minds and refrain from entangling ourselves in worldly ties. When we are among people, we must maintain the practice of purifying our mind. In this way, “the diligent and rigorous practice of the precepts” will become our essence. Our appearance and our essence should be like this. So, in order to “collect our wandering thoughts [to become] clear and calm,” we cannot be indulgent. “I want to go sightseeing there. I want to go look for scenic places and so on.” All scenery lies entirely within our minds. Where do you want to go on a pilgrimage? The holy land is in our minds. However far we go, our thoughts go just as far. So, we must “collect” and restrain [ourselves] a little. We must “collect our wandering thoughts” somewhat. We must not give rise to discursive thoughts, only thinking about where we would rather be and clinging to conditions and forced affinities there. We must collect these thoughts. Our minds must always remain very pure. “Clear and calm, we will return to our tranquil nature of true emptiness.” Our minds must not remain attached to worldly ties.
We must always free our minds from these so that we will understand [the phrase]. “With minds tranquil and clear, vows as vast as the universe….” You all understand this phrase very well and are very familiar with it. “With minds tranquil and clear, vows as vast as the universe, they remain unwavering for countless kalpas.” Through the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, our state of mind will begin to enter the state of Infinite Meanings. When we understand this clearly, we will comprehend these matters very well.
When our power of Samadhi is great, the light of our wisdom will shine brightly. Replete with the Three Studies, we will engage in the causal practice of the Six Paramitas. This is the wondrous practice of right bodily conduct. When we have perfected our causes, we will approach fruition. This is the key to attaining Buddhahood.
“When our power of Samadhi is great, the light of our wisdom will shine brightly”. If our power of Samadhi is great, then the light of our wisdom will not be dim. We will be able to clearly discern conditions and will never confuse conditions with principles. The principles are the principles, and conditions are just conditions. Though we will be amidst the conditions of our sense organs and sense objects, our consciousness will be very clear. Thus, our power of Samadhi will be clear and deep, and, naturally, our wisdom will shine brightly. This is our nature of True Suchness, which is intrinsic to us. We must be “replete with the Three Studies”.
Does everyone know what the “Three Studies” are? They are precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. We must also “engage in the causal practice of the Six Paramitas”. This is our spiritual practice; among people, we must actualize the Six Paramitas, which are giving, precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. We must be replete with these qualities as we go among people. We must have the Three Studies and Six Paramitas in our thoughts and actions. The Causal practice of the Six Paramitas is the wondrous practice of right bodily conduct. As Buddhist practitioners who come to the world in these bodies for the sole purpose of spiritual practice, do we do this only to benefit ourselves? The Buddha tells us we must benefit others. What kind of method should we use to benefit others? We must practice the Six Paramitas. This concerns our bodies conduct, “the wondrous practice of right bodily conduct”. The right direction for us in this world is among people. Because we engage ins spiritual practice like this, people give us opportunities to practice the Six Paramitas. So, “When we have perfected our causes, we will approach fruition and attain Buddhahood”. This is the essential key [to Buddhahood], a very important method for us. We must use an important key to open this door. We must turn on the power source for this machine; then, naturally, the machine will start to run.
The principle is the same. So, as Buddhist practitioners, how do we find the source that will help us open our hearts? The buddha came to open and reveal this, so we must realize and enter it. we must use this key to unlock [this door]. So, we must put effort into being mindful. How do we make our power of Samadhi great? How can we get the light of our wisdom to shine? It must come from being “replete in the Three Studies” and “engaging in the causal practice of the Six Paramitas”. Then, we will be able to engage in “the wondrous practice of right bodily conduct”. With right bodily conduct, the path we walk will be in the right direction. This is the right practice, the right direction, so every step on this journey is wondrous! To guide people to enter the Buddha-Dharma, we ourselves must be filled with Dharma. Isn’t encountering the Dharma a joyful thing, an occasion for Dharma-joy? So, we must be very mindful! We must mindfully comprehend the state of tranquility and clarity. The following [passage] helps us understand the state of true emptiness and tranquility. So, we must start from being very mindful!
The previous sutra passage says, “They always take joy in sitting in meditation in a tranquil place to cultivate and collect their minds. Manjusri, this is known as the first place to draw near to”.
These afore-mentioned external conditions will entice our minds to deviate, so first, we must guard ourselves against them. Next, our minds must be in “stillness” and “Samadhi”. So, we must engage in calm contemplation, which is “meditation”. “Carrying firewood and water is also meditation.” During the era of the Buddha, He taught everyone to engage in spiritual practice. “Your mind must be in stillness and Samadhi. You must find a place to earnestly contemplate.”
However, the Buddha knew that in the future, this world be the evil world of turbidities. Everyone must make good use of their time. Once we understand the Buddha-Dharma, then we will clearly understand the motion of the thoughts in our minds. In fact, if we return to the right direction, even though we are still in motion, there will be stillness in this motion. When we do the right thing, our mind will have no sense of loss, so our mind will always be free and at ease. As we walk upon the right path, our every action will be a meditation. This is because our direction [is right]. So, now we say that we often “sit there [in meditation]. If we interpret this literally, this means “just sitting there”. Time passes quickly, and we are just sitting there. But once we sit, are we concentrating? Are we focused? If we are not concentrating, if we are not focused, if we wallow in delusions and stir up many deviant thoughts, what do we do if we become obsessed?
So, it is best that our minds remain tranquil and we work hard to engage in calm contemplation. The Dharma is in our daily lives. What is far is in the external world; what is near is within our minds. We should turn our thoughts back to the search for our nature of True Suchness. [It speaks of] “an empty and tranquil place”. Clearly, we want to go among people, so why does it tell us to remain in an empty and tranquil place? If our minds become defiled among people, then things will become very complicated. If our minds remain undefiled, then external conditions will just be conditions, and our Root-Consciousnesses will just be Root-Consciousnesses. Sense objects are external; our Root-Consciousnesses are in our body and mind. As we conduct ourselves, everything we do must be [in align with] right direction and right conduct. If we are like this, then when we go among people and among external conditions, we will be free of entangling defilements. Like the lotus flower, we will stand steady in the mud. The lotus seeds are on the dirty mud, but the flower itself is pure. Moreover the mud nourishes the lotus.
In short, this is purity. Free of defilement, we will remain solitary in purity. Our minds will be vast and free of any of these impure thoughts, just like how the sky accommodates all things on earth. So the mind is also broad and open. It is tranquil place, a broad and open space. It is tranquil place, a broad and open space. This is why we must be very mindful.
From the text [of the sutra], we must delve deep into the essence of the Dharma. We must not allow superficial things to cause us to misunderstand. So, we must “cultivate and collect our minds, meaning we must take care to cultivate our mind.
So, next, the Buddha again called Manjusiri’s name. “Manjusri, this is known as the first place to draw near to.” We must distance ourselves from the afore-mentioned conditions and collect our minds. This is what it means to “free ourselves.”
The next passage says, “Furthermore, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas contemplate all phenomena as empty. In their True Appearance. They are undeluded, unwavering, never-retreating and never-changing.”
This begins to bring us into that “emptiness”. How can we comprehend the emptiness of appearances? Everyone must be mindful. We must contemplate all phenomena. To “contemplate” means to be mindful. To “collect our minds” is contemplate. What should we try to concentrate on? On this “contemplation;” we must “contemplate all phenomena as empty.”
Contemplate all phenomena as empty: This means Bodhisattvas who cultivate the Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy, starting from a mind of right Samadhi, give rise to the wisdom of contemplation. They observe and contemplate all worldly and world-transcending [Dharma] and all [phenomena of] samsara and Nirvana as truly pure in essence, undefiled by even a single speck of dust. Thus, it says “empty”. This is the “supreme meaning of emptiness.”
“All phenomena [are] empty.” We have already formed aspirations to persistently uphold the sutra in the future evil world. In being willing to form aspirations, we can overcome many hardships. Most importantly, how do we avert these hardships? We must cultivate “the Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy.” So, we must cultivate the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy so that afflictions will not defile us. Then, our minds will naturally be at peace, and we will have no afflictions. A mind free of afflictions [abides in] “peace and joy”. How can we avoid afflictions? This is someth8ing dedicated Bodhisattvas must know. We must start from “a mind of right Samadhi”. With right mindfulness and Samadhi, with right and focused [thoughts], with the right direction and the power of Samadhi, we will give rise to the radiant wisdom of contemplation.
We just mentioned “the wisdom of impartial contemplation.” We must contemplate with wisdom. when the light of wisdom shines, it illuminates our external conditions. How do we view the outside world with impartially? All sentient beings have Buddha-nature. We should use [discerning] wisdom to illuminate and [impartial] wisdom to be able to comprehend how all sentient beings are equal. Regarding all phenomena, we must cultivate and collect our minds to “contemplate all phenomena as empty.” In this way, our mind will be able to abide in the practices of peace and joy. Although dedicated Bodhisattvas are very busy, they still avert all sorts of hardships while also being able to get along peacefully and joyfully in this evil world of turbidities and can attain peace and joy in their hearts. So, “starting from a mind of right Samadhi, they give rise to the wisdom of contemplation by being among people. So, “They observe and contemplate all worldly and world-transcending [Dharma] and all [phenomena of] samsara and Nirvana as truly pure in essence as truly pure in essence.” We should work hard to mindfully observe and contemplate all worldly Dharma. How do interpersonal conflicts form in the world? How do the afore-mentioned people whom we should not draw near to [give rise to] these mindsets? Why are there such things in the world? Moreover, there are still people who are very pure-hearted in the world. Human nature is originally pure. The world has its worldly Dharma [such as] the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues; there are all kinds of rules like these!
However, when sentient beings’ minds become confused, [the world] turns into chaos. [These rules] prevent us from nearing such a chaotic situation. We must be mindful and remind ourselves to be vigilant. How do we follow the worldly Dharma? Good deeds and filial plenty cannot wait. This is why we must “return,” return to the principles to humanity. How do we maintain harmony in our families? This is the worldly Dharma.
How can we adhere to the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues to bring our families back into harmony? When families are harmonious, then society will naturally be harmonious. This is the worldly Dharma. What about the world-transcending Dharma? Cyclic existence is full of suffering! When it comes to the worldly Dharma, we are already teaching based on it, guiding everyone away from a confused mind and deviant thoughts, patiently leading them with the worldly Dharma toward an ethical and principled course [of life]. However, samsara will always be full of suffering. We must transcend this world. The world-transcending Dharma is a deeper level of the Buddha-Dharma. How can we transcend the cyclic of birth and death and enter Nirvana?
“Nirvana” is world-transcending Dharma. “Samara” is small just worldly Dharma. We must find a way to [transcend] the worldly Dharma. A single instance of carelessness will fill us afflictions and cause us to create [negative] karma. Thus, it is better to learn how to transcend samsara. From the world-transcending Dharma, we [learn to] be free of attachments and understand that all phenomena are empty. This helps everyone gradually break away from greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. We must slowly eliminate these habitual tendencies to return to our pure, intrinsic nature, which is tranquil and clear and return to the state of Nirvana, which is non-arising and non-ceasing. Thus, “All [phenomena] of samsara and Nirvana [are] truly pure in essence.” Ultimately, in our nature of True Suchness, we are pure. [Our nature] is “undefiled by even a single speck of dust”; it is “empty”. Thus, we are all very pure, completely pure. Although [all is] “emptiness,” we understand “wondrous existence”. Wondrous existence is “True Suchness”. Our nature of True Suchness is pure, undefiled by the dust of worldly afflictions. Although we are in this turbulent world of temptations, we remain undefiled, just like the lotus flower. Therefore, this is called “emptiness”. All things return to emptiness. This is just like empty space. All things on Earth experience “formation” and “decay,” but when it comes to space, they have no effect on it whatsoever. This space will always remain empty space. No matter how Earth changes and transforms, the sky will always remain empty space. It remains undefiled. This is called “the supreme meaning of emptiness.” Emptiness will always be empty, meaning that it cannot be defiled by anything. Although we say that the sky is being polluted, this pollution is actually still very far away from the sky. The sky originally has no appearance or form. It is just that our eyes cannot see past the sky. So, all of this air and this atmosphere is within this empty void. All that we see is the blue sky and white clouds and so on, the day and the night. In reality, they are just tangible objects within the greater universe. Earth is also a planet within the greater universe. It is the same principle. So, the distance between our sky and the sun is still very great. It is not that the sun is stuck in our sky. Similarly, emptiness is infinite and formless. This is the principle of “emptiness”. We must understand that “emptiness” is this kind of emptiness, an infinite emptiness, a formless emptiness. This emptiness is completely undefiled. This is “true emptiness”. Because we have true emptiness, we are able to truly have “wondrous existence”.
So, neither true emptiness nor wondrous existence have any defilements. “Emptiness” is undefiled. “Wondrous existence” is also undefiled. This is called the “absolute truth,” which is the principles. This is the “supreme meaning of emptiness,” which is the absolute truth. “In their True Appearance” refers to “the Dharma within the mind of every sentient being.”
In their True Appearance: This refers to the Dharma within the mind of every sentient being, which is equal to the ultimate truth realized by all Buddhas. It is unwavering, imperishable and free from all deluded conditions and appearances.
This all comes back to the fact that what is near is the Dharma within the mind of every sentient being, “which is equal to the ultimate truth realized by all Buddhas.” In truth, within our original minds, we all possess this ultimate truth. “This refers to the Dharma within the mind of every sentient being.” We must see clearly that this is “equal to the ultimate truth realized by all Buddhas.” It is all the same. So, [this truth] is “unwavering, imperishable.” The Dharma of True Suchness in our minds is the same as that which all Buddhas realized. It is “equal, unwavering, imperishable”. Since it has no appearance, how could it “waver”? Since it has no appearance, how could it “perish”? So, it is “free from all deluded conditions and appearances.” We have already freed ourselves from many deluded thoughts and conditions around us, and we are not clinging to any appearances. Therefore, we are “undeluded”.
Undeluded: We must recognize our essence to be intrinsically empty and truly free of delusion. When we turn away from enlightenment, we converge with dusts. We must distance ourselves from these appearances of delusion. By eliminating dusts and converging with enlightenment, we will be free of confused and deluded thoughts.
We must be undeluded. If our minds are without hindrances, then we will be free of delusions. Therefore, we will be “undeluded” and recognize that our essence is intrinsically empty. If we truly recognize our own essence, [we will see it as] “truly free of delusions”. We must recognize our original essence, our nature of True Suchness. At the moment, our nature of True Suchness is still unrecognizable to us. Although our nature of True Suchness is within us, we do not recognize it ourselves. If we did, then we could make use of its strength to work together peacefully. Instead, our actions and our nature of True Suchness often go against each other. So, we ourselves have not yet discovered the essence of our True Suchness.
So, we need to “recognize” our essence to be intrinsically empty. Our essence, our nature of True Suchness, has always been truly empty, like the empty void, without substance or appearance. If we can understand that this “emptiness” is infinite emptiness, that the nature of emptiness is infinite, then we should also understand that the nature of emptiness contains “wondrous existence”. Clearly, when it comes to “wondrous existence,” we cannot take anything with us; “only karma follows us to our next life”. Clearly, when we come back to the world again, the world is so complicated and contains so many things that bring afflictions. We are still unable to understand that concealed within our afflictions lies our nature of True Suchness. This means our minds should be very open so as to encompass the universe. Instead, we get stuck and draw in all kinds of interpersonal conflicts. This is because we are deluded. So, how can we learn to be “undeluded”? We must earnestly come to recognize that our own intrinsic nature is “truly free of delusion”. Once we let go of our attachments, we will naturally become undeluded. We are attached to external conditions, so we give rise to many delusions. Ordinary beings are always “turning away from enlightenment [and] converging with dusts”. Why do we “turn away from enlightenment”? Why do we “converge with dusts”? We just said earlier that we “turn away from enlightenment” because we do not know ourselves, know our nature of True Suchness. We do not know our nature of True Suchness, so we often go against our enlightened nature. This is called “turning away from enlightenment”. We “turn away from enlightenment” amongst dust and defilement. [Instead,] we must come to know it very well. So, we must “distance ourselves from these appearances of delusion”. First, we must refrain from drawing near the aforementioned external conditions. We must avoid them. We should refrain from drawing near what we must not draw near to. We must put into practice the Dharma we must seek. This is what we must do. The “Three Studies” and “Six Paramitas” are what we must practice in the course of our learning. So, we should work diligently to “eliminate dust and converge with enlightenment and converging with dust,” for we will become deluded there. We must “eliminate dusts and converge with enlightenment” so that we can “be free of confused and deluded thoughts”. This requires us to be very mindful.
Unwavering: The Dharma-nature is intrinsically empty. By thoroughly understanding that the nature of emptiness is equal in all, we will become unwavering. Never-retreating: Sentient beings’ nature of True Suchness goes along with conditions without ever decreasing. Never-changing: In all Buddhas, [their nature] never changes. True Suchness followed what is pure without ever increasing.
Unwavering means “the Dharma-nature is intrinsically empty. By thoroughly understanding that the nature of emptiness is equal in all, we will become unwavering”. Our Dharma-nature is intrinsically empty. Our nature of True Suchness is one with true emptiness. When true emptiness and our nature become one, this is “wondrous existence”. We must personally seek to comprehend the nature of “true emptiness”. So, “the Dharma-nature is intrinsically empty. By thoroughly understanding that the nature of emptiness is equal in all, we will become unwavering”. Naturally, we will become “unwavering” and “never-retreating”. “Never-retreating” means, “Sentient beings’ nature of True Suchness follows conditions without ever decreasing”. Sentient beings still have this nature of True Suchness. We have never departed from our nature of True Suchness. It is just that we do not recognize it. We are unfamiliar with it.
In truth, it is within ourselves, within our own intrinsic nature. So, sentient beings’ nature of True Suchness only goes along with conditions. We go along with conditions within this world, this world of defilement. We follow these external conditions of greed, anger, ignorance and so on. This is what our nature of True Suchness is like from the outside. When we are out in the world, we bring our nature of True Suchness with us and become defiled by many things. Then, our nature of True Suchness cannot manifest its potential. So, it is still there, and it never decreases. Although [our True Suchness] follows us as we contrive affinities, it is still “unwavering” and never decreases. This is our nature of True Suchness. It is just that we have yet to awaken to it. We just discussed how the Dharma latent within sentient beings’ minds is the Dharma that the Buddha awakened to. The principles are the same. True Suchness goes along with conditions without ever decreasing. So, we are “never-changing,” which means [our nature] has never changed.
“In all Boddhas, [their nature] never changes”. Since the principles the Buddha awakened to are the same principles as in sentient beings’ minds, “in all Buddhas, [their nature] never changes”. Our intrinsic nature has always been unwavering and never-changing. The Buddha’s enlightenment also never changed. In truth, the Dharma has always been like this. It is just that we sentient beings are deluded. The Buddha turns the Dharma-wheel and transforms delusions into awakening.
In truth, everyone intrinsically has an awakened nature. We must mindfully seek to comprehend all of this. Our nature of True Suchness follows what is pure and never increases. If we could return to our nature to True Suchness, then naturally we would become pure. Our nature of True Suchness will always be pure. It never increases or decreases. Since it neither increases nor decreases, how would there be any “change”?
“Their minds have never wavered or changed. They train their minds to be as unwavering as Mt. Sumeru. Bodhisattvas possess the right understanding and the right views, thus they contemplate all things in this way”.
We must collect our minds and remain unwavering just like Mt. Sumeru. In truth, anything with form can waver. During the earthquake in Nepal, Mt. Sumeru wavered as well. It is not as if we will never move. However, our minds are formless, thus our minds are unwavering. When the Buddha was in the world, He always used Mt. Sumeru as an analogy for “unwavering”. But the Buddha also said that the world goes through formation, existence, decay and disappearance. Even Mt. Sumeru, in the Medicine Buddha Sutra, wavered at one time. In the Medicine Buddha Sutra, He even talks about it topping. So. We must mindfully seek to comprehend that “the Dharma-nature is intrinsically empty” and the principles are pure. “Bodhisattvas possess the right understanding and the right views, thus they contemplate all things in this way”. This is how we must contemplate the Dharma.
Everyone, we must always be mindful. Loves has its power. Although it is [intangible], it has its power, and this power is pure. It is pure love that enable us to practice the Six Paramitas and remain undefiled as we give unconditionally to others. We must earnestly and neatly plant the seed of the Six Paramitas in this world. Whether it is the worldly Dharma or world-transcending Dharma, it is pure and undefiled and enables us to serve among people without impairing or defiling our intrinsic nature. This, I believe, is the Bodhisattva-path that must practice. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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