Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Bodhisattvas Practice All That Is Difficult (菩薩勇健 能行難事)
Date: October.02.2018
“Bodhisattvas, for the sake of sentient beings, practice all that is difficult to practice as they endure suffering. They make vows and never retreat or yield, diligently and sincerely putting forth effort. This is the appearance of courage and fortitude.”
Please be mindful and [listen closely]. “Bodhisattvas [practice] for the sake of sentient beings.” This is why Bodhisattvas become Bodhisattvas; they do it for the sake of sentient beings. Recently, I have repeatedly told everyone that “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings.” Bodhisattvas, having understood the principles, know that this path of spiritual practice is not just to benefit themselves. They must [use what] they learn themselves to benefit others. They must put the teachings into practice and go out to benefit others. These are Bodhisattvas. When Bodhisattvas put the teachings into practice, they are “awakening themselves.”
Bodhi is the path. The path is the way to awakening. So, Bodhi refers to “awakening”. A “sattva” is a “sentient being”; this refers to unenlightened beings. We must walk along this path and give of ourselves for sentient beings. So, Bodhi is the path to awakening, and a sattva is a sentient being. This is the Bodhisattva’s practice to attain awakening; it requires walking on the Bodhisattva-path. This is the path [we must use]. We often speak of the “great, direct Bodhi-path.” It is a very direct path. We understand that, to awaken, this is the path which we must walk on. We are very willing and joyful; we willingly walk the path toward awakening. Where do we walk to? We willingly give of ourselves for the sake of suffering sentient beings. So, upon this path, we “practice all that is difficult to practice.” We know that sentient beings are heavily defiled with many afflictions. Sentient beings have ignorance, greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt. The defilements in the minds of sentient beings make them very complicated. They continually create karma and continually pollute the environment. So, how will Bodhisattvas find ways to bring purity? They must begin from people’s minds as well as from the pollution in the environment. This is due to sentient beings’ collective karma, so they must find ways to bring purity. Let us contemplate the climate change that is discussed nowadays. The entire environment of the world has already become abnormal. This is because it has become polluted. For the past few days, we have been talking about this, how intangible [principles] must be [realized] through the convergence of tangible things. We experience the tangible things in the world. And what about the intangible?
This is like how there may not be anything in the sky. Suddenly, there are great rainstorms, strong winds or the sun may become blazing hot and there is no wind or rain at all. Everything is “burning hot from the sun,” because there is no wind that circulates or rain to moisten the earth. Thinking about it, if we encounter such a climate, how will we continue to survive? In a desert, there is no wind or rain. The sun scorches the sand. How can people survive there? The sun is oppressively hot, like boiling water. The land is baking hot, as if the sand is being fried in a wok. There is a saying, “the sun is boiling hot and fries the sand.” In a desert like this where there is only sun but no wind or rain, if we think about it, how can people live there?
Are there places like this on earth? Yes, there have always been such places. There are such [places] on Earth, but they are mostly very remote and hard to reach. However, with the climate change nowadays, these deserts continually encroach upon mankind.
A while back, we saw in Paris how the sun was so strong and the weather was so hot there that the people could not take it any longer. They vandalized the fire hydrants, which are reserved for fire control. These were the pipes for the fire hydrants. They broke the fire hydrants, and the water stored inside began shooting out. The people at the spot rejoiced because they were able to cool off! When the water finished spurting out, it was gone. Their enjoyment was short-lived. In the case that all the hydrants are empty and there is a fire, what will they use to put it out? People only [focus on] the short-term; such is their ignorance. They seek short-term, momentary happiness. Even a temporary hot weather is unbearable let alone an extended period [of heat]; how would people survive? This is how the sun is. When there is a drought, no crops will grow the land. How will people survive then? The wind is also extraordinarily strong. Look at what happened in Funing (in 2016) when there were tornadoes there. How many buildings were damaged then? It was terrifying. It was in the village of Kongdang. We went to help them rebuild their village. This village of Kongdang is entirely made up of Confucius’ descendants. Everyone’s family name there is Kong. There are 70th generation descendants of Confucius living in that place. What we witnessed there and what the people experienced there were all due to horrific winds. Where did those winds come from? Where did they go? They came without warning and left without a trace. Everything happened in an instant. How did such winds come about? This is due to “sentient beings’ collective karma”. It was a karmic wind. Where did that tornado come from? Where did it disappear to? Nothing was left after the gusts of wind. The surrounding areas were all safe and sound, but why did the wind storms keep whirling there? The tornado turned three or four or five times, then came to this place. The tornado swept through and devastated the place in a terrifying way. In an instant, a few minutes from start to finish, everything changed. So, this was a karmic wind. So, if we look back at the past, we can review our whole journey. Over the last year, we have provided emergency relief as well as continuously designed plans for long-term aid. I have seen the photos that they brought back. In this village, besides the houses [that were completed] which they have already begun to move into we are also continuing work on a school and a kindergarten. We are also helping them build a Confucian ancestral hall.
This is because we need to maintain our constant respect for Confucius. Although Confucius was originally from Shandong, because of the changes over time, his descendants were displaced and ended up here. Their lives had been very difficult, and now they were struck by this tornado so their lives have once again been changed by causes and conditions. Now we have helped them stabilize their lives, and we have helped give them shelter so they could settle down. Then, we began work on a Confucius memorial. It is taking shape there now so that everyone will know the spirit of Confucius and revive his principles in teaching. Thus, in Kongdang Village, the villagers also expressed how, when living there in the past, they felt that there was not much hope in life. Now they are proud to be part of Confucius’ family. They are proud to be Confucius’ descendants and have begun activating their willpower. Now they have begun to raise their spirits. This is how there are ups and downs in history.
Now that the village is completed, they are reviving Confucius’ teachings and Confucius’ spirit is coming back there. These [volunteers] are Bodhisattvas. Although the road may be very difficult, they are able to walk it and are always able to succeed. Group after group of volunteers have gone there. Local volunteers also went. They are the local Tzu Chi volunteers. Some, out of concern, have gone there vowing to supervise the ongoing construction. Some commissioners have gone there to promote humanistic culture at the construction sites. They even guided the locals to quit smoking, to quit drinking and to join in the construction work so that they could build their own homes. Through our Cash for Relief Program, they can have a stable livelihood and be able to build their own homes. Over there, Tzu Chi volunteers counseled them in ways of living so they would quit smoking, quit drinking and develop good living habits. This took them a whole year! We see Tzu Chi volunteers’ power of gentleness. It is so endearing!
I have seen in their videos the locals riding their bicycles to work with cigarettes dangling from their mouths. The Tzu Chi volunteers flagged them down and very gently reached out their Bodhisattva-hands to remove those cigarettes from their lips. They told them, “Cigarettes are bad for health. You must take care of your body, ok?” The locals smiled and say, “Okay, okay.” “Please stop smoking. You must quit smoking, promise me!” “Okay.” “Starting today, I will often come to visit you. Please quit smoking!” “Okay.” They said okay to everything. From that day on, the volunteers visited them daily to see if they had really quit smoking.
Sure enough, they all have quit now. There is no more drinking or smoking. They are working very earnestly there. So, in just a few short months, they have constructed two-story housing finished the walls and so on. The entire construction [was done] and they began removing the scaffolding. We have seen through many photos of how it was completed. It is very beautiful and magnificent. The village has already been completed, and they will soon start moving in. Seeing them prepare to move in takes me back to 1991, during the East China floods. Those also happened in June. In Caigao village in Xinghua county, we also went and build a Tzu Chi village there. Because the floods in East China were so severe, besides the prompt emergency relief we provided, we also held winter aid distributions and build houses for them. We rushed through construction there to complete an entire village in a few months.
In 1992, people were able to start moving in. Master De Tzu and Master De An were also there leading the Faith Corps members and commissioners. It was on the same day today, June 8, that they led a group of Tzu Chi volunteers to help cut the ribbons and mark their moving in. They also gave out the deeds for the land and houses, going from house to house. Everyone was filled with joy. We must know that we experienced many hardships at that time. Tzu Chi volunteers spent an extended period living and staying there, building one village after another so they could be completed in just a few months. “Seize clear weather and battle rainy weather” was their slogan. This was how they could so quickly complete those magnificent homes so everyone could joyfully move in.
This was on June 8, 1992. At the same time, they broke ground for a school. Because the school’s [architecture] had to be designed, they broke ground for it a year later. There were a series of floods in China then, so for several consecutive years, we aided in reconstruction of villages, residential housing as well as schools. On that day alone, we broke ground for eight secondary and primary schools.
In Xinghua, there were eight schools, which we broke ground for all at the same time. Looking back on history, this was how our Bodhisattvas were unafraid of hardships. They did it all for the sake of sentient beings. “Bodhisattvas, for the sake of sentient beings, practice all that is difficult to practice as they endure suffering”. Likewise, [the volunteers] had to endure so many hardships. This is how they put [the Dharma] into practice. “They make vows and never retreat or yield”. Now, the construction in Kongdang village is complete. This was all part of the Bodhisattvas’ journey which made it possible to achieved these things. It requires diligence to advance forward. So, “They make vows and never retreat or yield”. We saw how those senior Bodhisattvas who repeatedly traveled there at that time are still active and well.
In Taipei (in 2017), there was severe flooding. We saw how those same Bodhisattvas have never retreated. Although they are much older now, we could still see them in the footage as they dedicated themselves, holding their shovels to clean up the mud, serving in the same way. “They make vows and never retreat or yield”. What they do is truly admirable. Whether going afar or working nearby, this is how they practice. This is how they “diligently and sincerely put forth effort. This is the appearance of courage and fortitude”. They still have the appearance of courage and fortitude that they had before. This Bodhisattva spirit is [working] for the sake of sentient beings for a very long time. I really hope those senior Bodhisattvas will always be like this, will always remain very healthy. I also hope the young Bodhisattva-volunteers will continuously pick up the torch passed down. Because the world is so large, there needs to be Bodhisattvas everywhere. Now, in this evil world of turbidities, because of climate change, Living Bodhisattvas are needed more than ever. So, we must forever persist in our work. So, “All Buddhas attain liberation through the mind”.
“All Buddhas attain liberation through the mind. A pure mind is known as being undefiled. “Enlightenment” refers to the wisdom that can awaken to the Dharma-nature. This is the wisdom of people who have eliminated Leaks.”
Sentient beings create so much [evil] karma due to turbidity in their minds. Now, we must bring purity to people’s minds. An unenlightened mind contemplates the Buddha-mind. The Buddha-mind is sentient beings’ minds. When sentient beings return to the Buddha-mind, the mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are equal. As long as we bring purity to our minds, we are like the Buddha. All sentient beings have Buddha-nature. Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. So, we “attain liberation through the mind”. If we want to be liberated, we must do it through the mind. If we liberate our mind and if we bring purity to our mind, then we will naturally attain Buddhahood. This requires walking the Bodhisattva-path. Once our minds are purified, we will walk the Bodhisattva-path among people. So, “A pure mind is known as being undefiled”. When our mind becomes pure, naturally, our mind is undefiled. Along this path, no matter how turbid our surroundings are or how much the climate changes, when disasters arise and there are defilements on the land, as long as we have the will, we can quickly go to clean it up. This is the “path” that lies within us, so when we encounter outer “conditions”, we can go out following the pure path of the mind. We can cleanse our land and surroundings of all defilements and turbidities. We should mindfully see, to comprehend this. Everything depends upon the mind. “A pure mind is known as being undefiled”. So, “enlightenment” refers to our “wisdom that can awaken to the Dharma-nature”. The nature of True Suchness is intrinsic to us all. This is the Dharma-nature within us. We awaken to the fact that we all have the intrinsic nature of wisdom. It is flawless wisdom.
“Flawless” means being free of afflictions. We must remember, afflictions are called “Leaks”. Only when we eliminate all our afflictions will our Dharma-nature manifest. This is called wisdom. Only when Bodhisattvas exercise such wisdom can they truly dedicate themselves among people. This is what we must learn.
So, the previous sutra passage goes like this, “At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to restate His meaning, spoke this verse”.
The prose is completed and due to its importance, it is repeated [in verse]. “Only those who constantly practice patience and feel sorrow and empathy for all are able to expound the sutra praised by the Buddha”. It continues, “In the future era of Dharma-degeneration, when those who uphold this sutra are among lay practitioners, monastics or non-Bodhisattvas, they must give rise to compassion. Those who do not hear or have faith in this sutra suffer a great loss”.
As future spiritual practitioners, if we vow to uphold this sutra, then if we see monastics or lay spiritual practitioners, people who have never heard this sutra or who do not want to listen to it or who do not want to believe in it, we should give rise to sympathy toward such people. They do not accept [the sutra]. This is a great pity; they suffer a great loss. So, for those of us who uphold the Lotus Sutra and form Great Vehicle aspirations, when it comes to those people who do not want to listen, who do not want to understand, who do not want to believe, we should give rise to compassion for them and think of ways to draw near to them. Otherwise, it will be a pity for them. They have come to the human realm and encountered the Buddha-Dharma, but they never encounter the Great Vehicle principles; this will be a great loss for them.
Thus, we should make vows like these, “When I attain Buddhahood, I will apply all skillful means to teach this Dharma, helping all abide in it.”
We should form aspirations like these To help those who do not want to listen or believe, we must use various skillful means to guide them so they can accept this Dharma and abide in this Dharma.
Next, it says, “As a parable, a powerful wheel-turning king, on seeing his soldiers have accomplishments in battle, rewards them with all kinds of things, elephants, horses, chariots, items to dignify their bodies as well as fields, houses, settlements and cities.”
This is like a powerful wheel-turning sage king who leads his soldiers to the battlefield to fight. When he sees their accomplishments in battle, he bestows all kinds of things upon them. He gives them chariots, horses, elephants and clothing to dignify them. This shows that he promotes them in status. He gives them fields and cities as well. However great their accomplishments are, he rewards them accordingly. This is like us spiritual practitioners. However much we practice, we will attain just as much insights. It is the same principle.
The next passage tells us, “Or he rewards them with clothing, various gems and treasures, servants or wealth. He joyfully bestows these things upon them. If there are those with courage and fortitude who are able to accomplish difficult tasks, the king unfastens the pearl in his topknot and bestows it upon them.”
We previously mentioned that we need Bodhisattvas who form aspirations to go among people to truly be “able to accomplish difficult tasks”. We must be very mindful. This passage [says], “Or he rewards them with clothing, various gems and treasures, servants or wealth. He joyfully bestows these things upon them”. The king rejoices. He is victorious, so he is very joyful. Everyone can attain rewards, both great and small. This is like the Great, Middle and Small Vehicle, the Dharma we receive. We rejoice upon attaining it.
Those with “courage and fortitude” are able to accomplish difficult tasks. Only with diligence and courage can they go into battle and become victorious. So, it says, “There are people with remarkable courage and fortitude. They can transcend the Three Realms, thus it says they have ‘courage and fortitude’”, Truly, when we engage in spiritual practice, we must also be healthy in mind and body. The health of the mind is especially important. Our views and thinking must be proper so that when we encounter the Buddha-Dharma, we will not doubt it but have deep faith in it. If we can have deep faith and be free of doubt regarding the Buddha-Dharma, we can protect our aspirations so that we can engage in extended practice, uninterrupted practice, practice with nothing further and practice with reverence. Our practice may be extended, with nothing further and uninterrupted, but we must not forget reverence. [This includes] reverence for the Dharma, reverence for all monastics and reverence for all sentient beings.
Everyone has Buddha-nature. If we are respectful and reverent, naturally we can perfect our power of diligence. So, among the Four Practices, the last is “practice with reverence”. This is very important. So, they are “able to accomplish difficult tasks”.
Able to accomplish difficult tasks: This means that they are able to accomplish the difficult task of heading toward the Great Vehicle. They diligently strive toward the true and practice according principles. So it says “able to accomplish difficult tasks”.
With such aspirations, we are able to accomplish difficult tasks. Whatever difficulties [we encounter] will not pose a problem for us. So, “They are able to accomplish the difficult task of heading toward the Great Vehicle”.
This is how we engage in spiritual practice. We are willing to enter [among people] and practice the Bodhisattva-path. Though this Great Vehicle is a very difficult road to walk upon and going among people is very complicated, we are not afraid. It is because people are complicated and create so many karmic forces that sentient beings have this collective karma, which leads to so many disasters. This is when Bodhisattvas must go among people. So, “Heading toward the Great Vehicle [is a] difficult task”. We clearly know its difficulty, but we are very willing to do it. To do this work, we must overcome [hardship]. We are unafraid of weariness or difficulties. This is how we overcome [all hardships].
So, we “diligently put forth effort”. We do our best, do everything we can, to head “toward the true”. When our direction is true, all that we do will be true. When striving “toward the true,” we do not just sit there thinking, just sit there listening or just sit there talking”. We actually need to “diligently strive toward the true”. So, we must all be very mindful. We should “practice according to the principles”. We must know all these principles and put them into practice. Then we can “accomplish difficult tasks”. This is what Bodhisattvas are like, what they must be like.
So, it says, “They accomplish difficult tasks”. This is why we must be mindful!
So, “The king unfastens the pearl in his topknot and bestows it upon them”. The king unfastens the pearl in his topknot and bestows it upon them: The Buddha opened up the highest, most supreme treasure of perfect and harmonious wisdom. This refers to uncovering the provisional and bestowing the true, like the king unfastening his topknot bestow the pearl.
The wheel-turning sage king is a metaphor for the Buddha. “The Buddha opened up the highest, most supreme treasure of perfect and harmonious wisdom”. This is the Dharma that the Buddha had safeguarded within His heart. The Buddha was now willing to reveal this Dharma. This is like the pearl in the king’s topknot. It is treasure of perfect and harmonious wisdom. This refers to the Lotus Sutra. This is a metaphor for how the Buddha, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, was officially uncovering the provisional and bestowing the true upon everyone, revealing that what He had used in the past were skillful means. He told them, “I used the teachings of skillful means in the past to draw you in. Now this is what is most important. You must awaken your selves by spiritual practice and save all sentient beings.” This is “seeking the path to Buddhahood and transforming sentient beings”. Your practice is to awaken yourselves, but you must practice for the sake of benefitting all sentient beings. This is “the treasure of perfect and harmonious wisdom”.
It is for all sentient beings but we ourselves also attain [realizations]. When sentient beings are saved, it means our way of giving was correct, so we also attain the Dharma ourselves. So, “This refers to uncovering the provisional and bestowing the true, like the king unfastening his topknot to bestow the pearl”. It is the same principle.
The next passage says, “The Tathagata is also like this”. The Buddha is also like this. He is the king of all Dharma who has great power of patience and a treasury of wisdom. He uses great compassion to transform the world according to the Dharma.”
This was the Buddha’s mindset. For the sake of all sentient beings, He willingly used this Dharma because they need to be transformed by the Dharma. So, the Tathagata is like this, “He is the king of all Dharma”. All the principles in the universe of all matters and appearances are all thoroughly understood by the Buddha. So, as I have often been telling everyone, the Buddha became one with the universe. So, whether sentient or non-sentient, tangible or intangible, the Buddha thoroughly understood all their principles. The Buddha took all the principles He mastered about the tangible and intangible, and accurately distilled out their true essence. That is all within this treasure. The treasury is the Dharma. This is where the wondrous Dharma is. So, the Buddha is like this. “He is the king of all Dharma who has great power of patience and a treasury of wisdom”.
The Tathagata is also like this; He is the king of all Dharma who has great power of patience and a treasury of wisdom: The Buddha is the Dharma-king who has great power of patience and is replete with a treasury of wisdom, merit and virtue.
It was because the Buddha practiced this path that He attained Buddhahood. This required Him to give of Himself with “great power of patience”. It took the course of dust-inked kalpas, countless liketimes, when time and again He had to deal with people and endure so much [difficulties] with patience. In the past, we have repeatedly said how evil and turbid this world is! People in the world have such afflictions and ignorance. They are so stubborn. We have deeply realized all this. Don’t we need patience when facing these people? Of course we need patience! We must endure and furthermore give of ourselves. This is great power. So, wisdom is the treasury. These continuous experiences of His were accumulated with focus and precision. These treasures are so precise. He brought these all together into a treasury, ceaselessly accumulating them like this. Thus, when causes and conditions matured, He attained Buddhahood. This took a very long journey where He had to exercise His power of patience, His wisdom and the great power of His vows which had accumulated over time. The treasury He brought together over the course of many lifetimes is right here. “The Buddha is the Dharma-king who has great power of patience”. He had the Dharma inside of Him. This very accurate Dharma was in His mind, but He still needed the great power of patience. So, besides seeking wisdom, we must further persist in our great power of patience. Without the great power of patience, we cannot fulfill our wish for attaining wisdom. So, He is “replete with a treasury of wisdom, merit and virtue”. The great power of patience is necessary to complete the treasury.
So, “He uses great compassion to” “transform the world according to the Dharma”.
He uses great compassion to transform the world according to the Dharma: Like all Buddhas, He uses great compassion to teach what all Buddhas teach and moreover follow what all Buddhas practice to entice and transform all. Thus, it says “according to the Dharma”.
We need to use great compassion. Besides having wisdom, we must also have great compassion. With both compassion and wisdom, we “exercise both compassion and wisdom”. As we exercise both compassion and wisdom among people, we also need the great power of patience. So, in actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions, giving, upholding the precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom are all connected and none of them can be lacking. So, “Like all Buddhas, He uses great compassion to teach what all Buddhas teach and moreover follow what all Buddhas practice”. This is what Bodhisattvas must be like; they must be like all Buddhas. There is not only Sakyamuni Buddha; there have been infinite Buddhas of the past as well as all Buddhas of the eight directions. Sakyamuni Buddha is only one of all Buddhas. All Buddhas share the same path. So, as we engage in spiritual practice now, we must “be like all Buddhas, using great compassion”. All Buddhas share the same path, the path of great compassion. As we begin to learn the spirit of the Buddha, we learn it so that we can apply it. Then we must teach it. We teach the Dharma taught by the Buddha. Not only must we teach what the Buddha taught, we must also emulate the Buddha’s practice. This is how we “learn the Buddha-Dharma”. We teach the Dharma taught by the Buddha and follow the Buddha in going among sentient beings. If we can put it into practice like this, we can “teach what all Buddha teach and follow what all Buddhas practice”. How did the Buddha engage in spiritual practice? He did it for countless kalpas, for dust-inked kalpas, so many that it is impossible to count. He dedicated Himself in this way by going among stubborn sentient beings. Throughout the Six Realms, He followed them, transforming sentient beings in the Six Realms. These are the footsteps of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. We should follow in their footsteps. This is how we learn the Buddha-Dharma and walk the Bodhisattva-path.
So, they “entice and transform all. Thus, it says ‘according to the Dharma”.’ We must emulate all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who cannot bear to leave the sentient beings, endure all kinds of hardship and do what is difficult to do. This is what we should be doing. Our goal is to patiently guide them. What methods should we use? We use skillful means. Although we practice the One True Vehicle Dharma, we must accord with sentient beings’ capabilities and use skillful means to guide them. So, we must enter among conditioned phenomena. We must dedicate ourselves among all the phenomena in the world. In the world nowadays, there are many disasters. As Bodhisattvas, apart from giving supplies, from giving [goods] to people, we must also take action to resolve their present suffering. When there is flooding, we hasten to help them pump the water out. There was so much mud and it was very sticky, so we help them clean it out. When their furniture is all soaked and dirty, we help move the ruined items out. If something can still be used, we help them clean it up and return it to where it was. These are the moments when sentient beings suffer the most. This is when Bodhisattvas are with them, going with them into their surroundings to help them clean up as needed. They cleanse what needs cleansing to restore the living environment to what it had been before [the storm]. In summary, these are Bodhisattvas. This too is a phenomenon. This is a “conditioned phenomenon”. [What we do] in regard to conditioned phenomena is called “skillful means”. “Skillful means” comes from the “unconditioned Dharma,” the principles of the mind. As for our minds, the source of the nature of our minds is intangible, formless, without substance and without appearance, but it contains the nature of principles. With this nature of all principles, how do we take the principles of the Buddha-Dharma and apply them in our daily life when we go among people? This is following “what Buddhas practice”.
When we discuss this, there is nothing that I can really show you. Yet, there are so many matters in the world where we need to join in to help. “Having relieved them from suffering, Bodhisattvas then expound the Dharma for them.” Through skillful means, we entice and guide them so that we can draw near to them and begin to teach them the True Dharma. Some spiritual practitioners do not want to listen, believe in or accept the great principles of the One Vehicle, so we must use skillful means to draw near them. Isn’t this what was mentioned in the previous passage? We must also use skillful means to guide people. If we do not guide them, they will suffer a “great loss.” They suffer a great loss. It will be a waste of their becoming monastics and their encountering the Buddha-Dharma if they do not hear the Great Vehicle Dharma. It will truly be a pity.
We must use various skillful means to entice them. This is how we “entice and transform” them. We entice them to transform ad deliver them. So, they “entice and transform all. Thus, it says, ‘according to the Dharma.”’ This is “transforming the world according to the Dharma.” This is engaging in spiritual practice according to the Dharma. We just saw how it said they “transform the world according to the Dharma.” This is what we must work hard toward. So, “according to the Dharma” means that we “resonate with the principles.” We should not only resonate with the Buddha-mind but with the Buddha’s principles as well. So, “We must have faith, follow and practice according to the Dharma. Those who teach the Dharma must teach according to the Dharma.” We should have faith in and follow [the teachings]. The Buddha-Dharma is subtle and wondrous. It is everywhere. The Buddha-Dharma’s principles are very subtle. Its power is great. It extends throughout time and space, and it can help people with its great power. Such are the principles of the Buddha-Dharma. We must resonate with the principles to understand them in all their subtlety and wondrousness. We should strengthen our faith and believe in and follow these principles to not again give rise to the appearance, attachment and view of self. When the appearance, attachment and view of self arise like this, whether in the form of pride, conceitedness or inferior arrogance, as soon as such arrogance arises, our character changes. We must not let this happen. We have the rare opportunity to draw near the Three Treasures, the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. We should cherish these. If we are monastics, we ourselves [are part of the Three Treasures], so we should respect ourselves. We must respect ourselves as well as all our fellow spiritual practitioners. As fellow spiritual practitioners, we should respect our environment. In this environment, we work in concert with unity to be able to lead by example, guide others and lead them harmoniously. We dedicate ourselves in the ocean of Dharma. This is “taking refuge in the Dharma.” We “delve deeply into the sutra treasury to have wisdom as vast as the ocean.” This is the Sangha. We must lead everyone to accept the Dharma.
Only then can we realize the Buddha-mind. If we do not draw near the principles, how will we ever know the Buddha-mind? The Buddha-mind is ultimately the mind of sentient beings. It is intrinsic to everyone! The Tathagata-garbha is found amidst the ignorance of sentient beings. Their Tathagata-garbha is hidden within their ignorance. If we do not realize this, how can we ever comprehend the principles of the Buddha-Dharma? So, we must “resonate with the principles.” We should know that the Tathagata-garbha is within sentient beings’ ignorance! We must earnestly put forth effort to peel away our ignorance layer by layer and manifest the Tathagata-nature. We must go through this journey of “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions.” This is the Bodhisattva-path. This is “according with the Dharma.” According to the Dharma, resonating with the principles and following the Buddhas in their actions, we walk this path and take action. As for the conditioned and the unconditioned, we must seek to realize and understand them. So, “[We must] practice according to the Dharma. One who teaches the Dharma should act according to the Dharma.” This is true also for those who teach the Dharma. Our conduct and the power of our mind must be put into teaching the Dharma. When we teach the Dharma, we should teach Dharma that can be practiced. If the Dharma cannot be applied, then teaching it is pointless. So, we who listen [to the Dharma] must also listen and, after taking it in, put this True Dharma into practice. We must always keep our feet on the ground, observe and take practical action so we can experience the scenery of the mind. So, to understand the Tathagata-garbha in the scenery of the mind, we must go among our piles of afflictions and seek out our Tathagata-nature. So, we must resonate with the principles according to the Dharma. We must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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