Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: A Dharma of Attaining Predictions of Buddhahood (夢見妙事 得佛授記)
Date: October.09.2018
“When the Buddha was about to teach the Lotus Sutra, He first emitted a ray of light from His tuft of hair which illuminated this land as well as other lands. It was different from the light. He usually emitted. This is called ‘the auspicious sign of radiance.’ The sutra says, ‘The Buddha emitted a ray of light from the tuft of white hair between His eyebrows which completely illuminated the 18,000 worlds to the east.’”
All of us must be mindful. We remember how, before [the Buddha] taught the Lotus Sutra in the Introductory Chapter, after the Buddha taught the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, He remained seated and did not move. Everyone had finished listening to the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, but the Buddha did not intend to leave. So, everyone remained seated and looked at the Buddha’s magnificent appearance. As He was seated, a light was emitted from between His eyebrows. That light had a very auspicious appearance which brought joy to those who saw it, a kind of joy that is indescribable. Everyone felt it was so strange that today the Buddha had finished teaching the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, yet He still did not intend to leave. He sat in Samadhi, radiating light. In their minds, they were all bewildered. When this light shone on everyone’s hearts, everyone’s hearts gave rise to joy, an inexplicable and indescribable joy. It was not just those in this spiritual training ground [who felt it]. It seemed that whichever corner this light shone on, it instantly gave everyone this feeling that the world is peaceful and harmonious. Everyone’ heart was filled with this joyous auspicious appearance. It was at the moment when the Buddha was about to teach the Lotus Sutra that people near and far had this feeling. So, “It was different from the light. He usually emitted.” This was different. Although normally it happened that the Buddha radiated light due to causes and conditions, the light He radiated this time gave people a different feeling. So, it was an “auspicious sign of radiance.” In the Introductory Chapter, this auspicious sign of radiance is different from the light He usually radiated. In the sutra, it was mentioned in the Introductory Chapter that “The Buddha emitted a ray of light from the tuft of white hair between His eyebrows.” Everyone should still remember this. When we listen to and read this sutra, we must constantly think back. We must recall the sutra in our minds, especially when it comes to crucial phrases which we must remember and seek to understand. So, this light from the tuft of hair “completely illuminated the 18,000 worlds to the east.” This is what we must seek to understand. After teaching the Sutra of Infinite Meanings and before teaching the Lotus Sutra, why did the Buddha emit this auspicious radiance? It is because the Buddha was about to teach the Lotus Sutra which is the Dharma He cared about the most in His entire life. For His whole life, He kept this Lotus Sutra deeply hidden in His heart as His original intent. The most important reason He came to this world was to teach this Dharma. However, sentient beings’ capabilities were insufficient. They were not able to accept it yet. So, the Buddha kept this sutra deeply hidden in His mind. Now, the time was ripe for Him to teach it. This is the one great cause, a very great matter. So, because of this, after the Buddha taught the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, He was going to teach the Lotus Sutra. This had a very profound meaning.
So, “He first emitted a ray of light from His tuft of hair which illuminated this land.” It illuminated this land and not just this land and the feelings of everyone in this place. It [illuminated] other lands as well. [Those in] the other lands could also feel it. At the moment He was about to teach this sutra, there were six kinds of shaking; everyone should still remember this. It was not only this Dharma-assembly. Other lands also felt this strange phenomenon, which was unusual. So, “It was different from the light. He usually emitted.” It was different. It is called the “auspicious sign of radiance.”
In the Introductory Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, at the start, He radiated this light from between His brows. Between the eyebrows on His forehead, there was very fine and delicate hair. It was like wool. It was very fine, and it was between His eyebrows. Sometimes when the sun shone upon it, it gave Him this appearance that was different from other people. So, the light radiating from this white hair came from this place. After being illuminated in sunlight, it always left people feeling this was unusual. It was different from what was usual. It was unique and different. It illuminated the east. When it came to this light and the sunlight when the sunlight touched [the tuft of hair] and reflected off it, it gave people a kind of feeling of indescribable joy. It was an extraordinary joy. It completely illuminated the 18,000 worlds to the east. The important part to tell everyone about is “the 18,000 worlds”. We must be mindful of this.
The 18,000 worlds represent how the fruit of the One Vehicle had been completely fulfilled, which is likened to 10,000, whereas the cause of the One Vehicle had yet to be perfected, which is likened to 8000. They also represent that the One Vehicle is true, thus it is replete with all meanings, which is likened to 10,000, whereas the Three Vehicles are incomplete skillful means, which are likened to 8000.
The 18,000 worlds “represent how the fruit of the One Vehicle had been completely fulfilled”. This is likened to “10,000, whereas the cause of the One Vehicle had yet to be perfected”. It is “likened to 8000”. 10,000 symbolizes perfection. 8000 is the spiritual practices we engage in. We understand only 80 percent; we do not yet completely understand. 8000 out of 10,000 means it is not yet perfect. So, the Buddha patiently leads and guides us, starting with [teachings for] Hearers and Solitary Realizers. He hoped that all would eliminate their ignorance. Hearers are those who have made contact with the Buddha-Dharma and understand the Buddha-Dharma’s principles. Those who can engage in spiritual practice and comprehend the principle of impermanence in the universe are the Solitary Realizers. They fully accept the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic existence, so they can use these many teachings to eliminate their afflictions and so on. After everyone clearly understand “all conditioned phenomena,” there is still one more step, which is to enter the “unconditioned Dharma”. Seeking only to awaken oneself is not enough. We must go among people. We find the Tathagata-garbha among people. The Tathagata’s Dharma-treasury is hidden among people. So, if we want to perfect [our practice], we must go among people. Before we have gone among people, we are still at “8000”. We know the principles of afflictions, but we have not yet truly comprehended where the source of afflictions is. We have not yet exercised the Dharma of eliminating afflictions and benefiting sentient beings. So, we have still not reached perfection. This is represented by “8000”.
When the Buddha wanted to teach the Lotus Sutra, Manjusri Bodhisattva, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva etc. who had already attained perfection, these Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas, came to support the Dharma-assembly. That is the “10,000,” which indicates perfection. There were also many Arhats, ordinary people etc. who were also at the assembly. Although the Buddha had already agreed to teach the Lotus Sutra, 5000 people were completely unable to comprehend and retreated from the assembly. This represents the sentient beings who are still transmigrating in the Five Realms and are therefore unable to accept those who have surpassed the Five Realms. Because they were unable to accept that they retreated from the assembly at that time. This is also an analogy.
[These people’s] minds remained stuck in the mindset of ordinary people, stuck in a mindset full of desire, afflictions and ignorance. They were still unable to be mindful and make aspirations to limacine [afflictions]. Such people were unable to accept the principles of the Lotus Sutra. Even if they had accepted it, they would have misused this Dharma by distorting it. The Chapter on Skillful Means discussed many instances of this. So, those who remained had engaged in practice. They had practiced, but had not yet attained the state of Dharmakaya Bodhisattvas. So, this is called “8000”. Although this was the One Vehicle Dharma’s cause, they now needed to begin pushing aside the Three Vehicles. This was the time for everyone to enter the Great Vehicle Dharma, but they had not yet received it; it was not yet perfected. So, this is symbolized by “8000”. It also represents that “The One Vehicle is true, thus it is replete with all meanings.” This sutra is already replete with the teachings of the One Vehicle. Among the three carts, the great white ox-cart contains many hidden treasures. This represents the perfection of the Great Vehicle Dharma. It is replete in all meanings. It contains many teachings of the subtle and wondrous Dharma. All wondrous Dharma is hidden in the Lotus Sutra. Be it Great, Middle or Small [Vehicle] Dharma, they are all contained within [the Lotus Sutra]. So, throughout the time we discussed this sutra, we have extensively discussed the law of karma. We have also discussed extensively about eras a long, long time ago, about the source of the Dharma and so on. We have talked about various analogies and so on. Everyone has already begun to draw near believe and understand. All of this is within this Lotus Sutra. So, it is “replete with all meanings”. The Dharma contained within will gradually be received and believed by all, helping them all to perfect [their practice]. This is the “10,000”.
This is all within this sutra. It is replete with many principles; all the Dharma is within it. So [It say], “The Three Vehicles are incomplete skillful means.” The Three Vehicles are capabilities that are uneven. They are not uniform. This is called the Three Vehicles. Some are still stuck on the Small Vehicle. Some are stuck in the Middle Vehicle. Some have begun to form Great Vehicle aspirations. These are the Three Vehicles. They are still not very uniform. So, they are likened to “8000”. This is to remind everyone again that this passage also contains this kind of meaning.
So, the previous [sutra] passage says, “When they are dreaming, they will only see wondrous things. They will see all Tathagatas sitting upon lion’s thrones, surrounded by all bhiksus as They expound the Dharma”.
This is like being in a dream-state. Following this it says, “They will also see the dragon-gods, asuras and so forth, numbering as many as the Ganges’ sands, putting their palms together in reverence. They will see themselves expounding the Dharma to these beings”.
In this dream-state, they not only see the Buddha. They also see dragon-gods and asuras who come before the one who is dreaming. It seems they are putting their palms together reverently as they are also asking the dreamer to teach them the Dharma. There also seems to be such a dream-state where, “Furthermore, they will see all Buddhas, Their bodies marked by a golden hue, emitting infinite light to illuminate all, expounding all Dharma with the Brahma-voice. Furthermore, they will see all Buddhas….”
They also see many Buddhas. They do not see them from afar. From up close, they see the Buddhas’ golden physical appearance. On Their entire bodies, Their skin seems as if it is radiating light! They radiate light, not just from between their eyebrows but from Their entire body. So, Their entire body radiates light, which “illuminates all”.
This infinite light illuminates all things. This is what they see in a dream. This golden radiance is already illuminating all things and [the Buddhas] speak in Their Brahma-voice. Seeing this light radiating from the Buddhas and hearing the Buddhas teach the Dharma, they themselves are among the asuras, the eight classes of Dharma-protectors and so on, who come to ask [the dreamer] to teach the Dharma. The Buddhas teach all Bodhisattvas, who are noble beings, the Dharma.
The one who is dreaming is to teach the Dharma to the eight classes of Dharma-protectors, asuras and so on in the unenlightened realms. This is a dream-state. This shows that the subtle and wondrous Dharma is not just the Dharma for our daily living. In fact, although we cannot see it or touch it, that Dharma is still present.
So, we often say that the unseen principles are “unconditioned Dharma”. These principles are forever present. “Conditioned phenomena” have an appearance, and we can create them. The “unconditioned Dharma” is filled with the teachings of many, many principles. It teaches us the [right] direction [in dealing with] conditioned phenomena, so we do not go astray. So, all actions are subtle, wondrous and extremely profound. We must not allow our actions to deviate even in the slightest bit, or there will be Leaks. [Whether] in the real world or in our dream-states, we must always be mindful and seek to comprehend the state of the principles. We must very mindfully seek to comprehend this.
So, the following sutra passage further says that after sentient beings hear the Dharma, some people will have such dream-states. This is the Buddha telling everyone that we cannot treat dreams as real; they are illusory. They are our subconscious. If during the day we put effort into the Dharma, the virtuous Dharma, then we will have very joyous dreams. But we cannot treat them as reality. This is just like how we serve in the world. After [acting on] conditioned phenomena, we need to [let this go]. If something is right, we should just do it. We should not have attachments and say, “I have done all these good things”. If we do that, our mind will continue to have obstructions, attachments to how much we have done for others. Then, we will start to take issue [over things]. If we want to eliminate afflictions, we must even let go of these [acts of] virtuous Dharma. “I have done all this for you. You are someone I have helped. I am a someone who is able to do good deeds. So, you have received my help”.
We cannot have this kind of mindset. We must do good deeds and after we do them, set them aside.
This is the Three Spheres of Emptiness. There is no “I, the one doing good deeds” and there is also no “you, the one I have helped. We are all in the same way enabling each other to succeed among causes and condition. I help you, and you help me attain fruition. We need to be mutually grateful to each other. There is nothing we hold in our hearts.
So, the Buddha said, “Those Buddhas will teach the unsurpassed Dharma to the fourfold assembly. They will see themselves in the assembly, praising the Buddhas with their palms together. Upon hearing the Dharma, they will rejoice and make offerings. They will attain dharana and realize non-retreating wisdom.
We must likewise be mindful and earnestly listen. The Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy is about to end. Everyone must be very mindful of these passages. We will furthermore see those Buddhas “teach the unsurpassed path to the fourfold assembly. This is the One Buddha Vehicle Dharma of ultimate reality”.
Those Buddhas will teach the unsurpassed Dharma to the fourfold assembly: They will also see the Tathagatas teach the unsurpassed path to the fourfold assembly. This is the One Buddha Vehicle Dharma of ultimate reality. They can expound the Dharma of the unsurpassed path to teach and transform.
Now, the Dharma that the Buddha was teaching the assembly was the Lotus Sutra, the One Vehicle Dharma of ultimate reality. This is the True Dharma, not the Dharma of an illusory dream. It is the True Dharma. “[He] can expound the Dharma of the unsurpassed path to teach and transform”. [The Buddha] could use this subtle and wondrous. One vehicle Dharma of ultimate reality to teach and transform sentient beings. This is the one great cause for which the Buddha came to this world. It was to reveal His true intent, which was to teach the Lotus Sutra. Everyone was very reverent; they had already heard the Buddha’s true meaning, which was this True Dharma. So, “They will see themselves in the assembly, praising the Buddhas with their palms together.
They will see themselves in the assembly, praising the Buddhas with their palms together: They will see themselves there among the assembly, pressing their palms together in reverence and praising the Buddhas in verse. They will see these appearances and give rise to goodness.
Everyone was very moved and grateful. The Buddha had expressed His true intent through revealing this subtle and wondrous Dharma. They were grateful to the Buddha for guiding, teaching and transforming them since the past. Now, with the True Dharma of the One Vehicle, He moved and transformed everyone. So, this is, “They will see themselves there among the assembly, pressing their palms together in reverence”. The intent from the depth of these Buddha’s hearts is expressed in this subtle and wondrous Dharma. So, everyone is very reverent. So, they “praise the Buddhas in verse”. This is how everyone praises the Buddhas. So, “Upon hearing the Dharma, they will rejoice and make offerings”.
Upon hearing the Dharma, they will rejoice and make offerings: Upon listening to the Buddhas teach all Dharma, they will attain joy in their hearts and begin to make offerings as they enter and are transformed by its essential meaning.
After everyone listens, they rejoice. This is to “listen to the teachings and rejoice”. Everyone is full of praise. As for “all Dharma, they have already taken the Dharma to heart”. The Dharma is already engraved in their hearts and they deeply remember it. So, everyone willingly makes offerings to the Buddhas. What do they use as offerings? We heard that in the global volunteer retreat, [the volunteers] rejoiced for so many days. Everyone made vows to pass down the [Jing Si] Dharma-lineage and advance the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism. They will put [the teachings] into practice, do what their teacher wants them to do and love those whom their teacher loves. This is how they make offerings. This is what everyone expressed. This is making an offering of the Dharma. It is an offering of conduct, putting the teachings into practice to repay [their teacher’s grace]. So, now when we make offerings to the Buddha, we must also do it in the same way to repay the Buddha’s grace in teaching and transforming us. So, what we attain is the door of retaining and upholding. So, this is how “They will attain dharani and realize non-retreating wisdom”.
They will attain dharani and realize non-treating wisdom: They will attain the door of retaining and upholding. By retaining and upholding, none of the virtuous teachings will be lost and evil will not arise. Thus, they will reaize wisdom and never retreat, attain the Dharma and become pure.
This is the way need to make offerings. If sentient beings can be diligent and mindful, they will attain all Dharma, and their hearts will be open and understanding. This is the most joyful thing for the Buddha. It is like when a teacher sees his disciples really understand his intent. When he teaches the Dharma, they understand him. When he teaches the Dharma, they understand him. Having people who understand bring great joy. This is making offerings. Everyone must “attain the door of retaining and upholding”. That is “dharana. By retaining and upholding, none of the virtuous teachings will be lost”. If we can retain and uphold [the Dharma], none of the virtuous teachings will be lost. This is the mindset we should have; it is the most important thing in repaying the Buddha’s grace. We take all the virtuous teachings into our minds, and we do not forget any of them. As we busy ourselves in our everyday lives, in anything we do, we think of the Dharma. What we are doing now converges with the Dharma. This is retaining and upholding all virtuous Dharma. When what we do converges with the Dharma, this is virtuous Dharma. We do not let any virtuous teachings be lost. For any matter that is right, we will always just do it. This is what Tzu Chi volunteers often say, “If it is the right thing to do, just do it”. Then, naturally we will continue to work harder and progress diligently. Thus, “By retaining and upholding, none of the virtuous teachings will be lost”. It is this simple. Then, “Evil will not arise”. This is because we are continually doing good. These evil thoughts will not enter our minds. We always very clearly understand that we want to do in the direction of goodness. We cannot come to a fork in the road and go astray in another direction. “A slight deviation takes us far off course”. Thousands of wrongs arise from a single thought of evil.
So, we must carefully guard our minds. “By retaining and upholding, none of the virtuous teachings will be lost and evil will not arise”. In this way, we will naturally “realize wisdom and neve retreat”. This wisdom will enter our minds. We will not retreat and we will “attain the Dharma and become pure”. This is “dharani”. Dharani means “retaining and upholding”. The translation [of dharani] is retaining and upholding. It also refers to Bodhisattvas. “Bodhisattvas use the Dharma they retain and uphold”. They have already attained the dharani-door. They already retain and uphold the Dharma, upholding all virtuous teachings without retreating. Bodhisattva shave attained such Dharma. So, “[They] suit all sentient beings who have lost their direction, guiding them toward right faith, right understanding and right views”.
Bodhisattvas use the Dharma they retain and uphold to suit all sentient beings who have lost their direction, guiding them toward right faith, right understanding and right views. They help them eliminate all evil thoughts and practice all virtuous teachings. This is the dharani-door of Bodhisattvas.
Those who have formed great aspirations have already attained this Dharma. Naturally, they are able to go among people, following confused sentient beings who do not know which direction to go. Bodhisattvas must go among those who are confused to teach and guide them. They show them proper faith as well as proper understanding and views. These are all things they need to comprehend. This is why we need to go among people. This is the Bodhisattvas door of retaining and upholding. They “uphold all goodness and retain all virtuous Dharma”. They go among people to eliminate evil. Sentient beings have afflictions and ignorance. Having eliminated ours, we must find ways to help everyone do the same. We guide everyone to use views and understanding of goodness so their thinking is focused on goodness. These are the Buddha’s understanding and views, the path of the Buddha’s views. We will talk about these for the next few days.
Over these few days, all of us must know that the path we need to walk on is the path of the Buddha’s understanding and views. “They help them eliminate all evil thoughts and practice all virtuous teachings”. Eliminating all kinds of evil thoughts and putting all virtuous teachings into practice is “the dharani-door of Bodhisattvas”. So, we often see the word “dharani” in the sutra, but we must understand that this dharani is “retaining and upholding”. It is retaining all goodness and upholding all teachings. We must persist in upholding all virtuous teachings and prevent evil from arising.
[The sutra passage] then continues, “The Buddhas will know that their minds have deeply entered the path to Buddhahood, so They will bestow predictions upon them that they will attain supreme, perfect enlightenment. ’All you good men, in a future lifetime, will attain infinite wisdom and the great path to Buddhahood.”’
So, the Lotus Sutra contains several passages on bestowing predictions. In response to their maturing capabilities, the Buddha bestowed predictions on [His disciples]. Thus, many of them received predictions of Buddhahood, one after the other. So, “The Buddhas will know that their minds have deeply entered the path to Buddhahood”. This is because their minds have already gradually begun [to attain] the Buddha’s understanding and views. Everyone has continuously and deeply entered the path to Buddhahood.
The Buddhas will know that their minds have deeply entered the path to Buddhahood: The Buddhas will understand their minds and know that they have already deeply entered the path of the One Buddha Vehicle, thus the Buddhas will bestow predictions upon them.
So, “the Buddhas will understand their minds”. The Buddha understood His disciples’ perspectives. How could the Buddha not understand? When it comes to the disciples’ direction in mind, what were they really thinking about? The Buddha could clearly see and understand all. He understood all his disciples and the direction of their mind. How deeply had they entered the path to Buddhahood? As for those who truly awakened and wanted to enter this path to enlightenment by making Great Vehicle aspirations, how many of them were there? So, because of this, the Buddha understood them and bestowed predictions on them, one by one. So, “They know that they have already deeply entered the path of the One Buddha Vehicle.” [The Buddhas in the dream] know how deeply everyone has entered the One Vehicle path. The Buddha understood that [His disciples] had deeply entered [the path]. As causes and conditions matured, naturally, the Buddha was able to bestow predictions on them.
So, “They will bestow predictions upon them that they will attain supreme, perfect enlightenment”. Sometimes [people] will dream of Buddhas bestowing predictions on them. But this is not a true bestowing of predictions. They are only hoping for the Buddha’s predictions in their minds. If we are dedicated, then naturally, we will also receive the Buddha’s predictions on day.
So, the sutra passage says, “All you good men, in a future lifetime, will attain infinite wisdom and the great path to Buddhahood.”
All you good men, in a future lifetime, will attain infinite wisdom and the great path to Buddhahood: The Buddhas will predict that in a future lifetime, they will attain the Buddha-wisdom and succeed upon the unsurpassed path. This proves that their direct retribution will be superior.
If everyone can earnestly be mindful, [we are all] “good men”. This refers to all who are interested in the Buddha-Dharma. Be it monastics or lay practitioners, they are all called “good men”. “In a future lifetime, [they] will attain infinite wisdom and the great path to Buddhahood.” As long as our mind is steady and we truly retain and uphold the dharani-door by upholding all goodness and preventing all evil, if we can do this, we will gradually began our spiritual practice that continues on into the next lifetime. This is telling us that we must be patient. We must remember this for lifetime after lifetime.
In this life, we must engrave the Dharma into our minds. If our minds are deeply engraved [with the Dharma] we will naturally remember it constantly. It will enter our consciousness, and in the future lifetimes, we will not depart from the Buddha-Dharma. Likewise, we will keep walking on the virtuous path to Buddhahood. So, “The Buddhas will predict that in a future lifetime, they will attain the Buddha-wisdom”. Likewise, in future lifetimes, we can continue to engage in spiritual practice. In the future, it will be the same. This is what the Buddha has affirmed for us in advance. As long as our mind does not retreat and we deeply remember [the Dharma] and for lifetime after lifetime we never leave the path to Buddhahood, with this seed of practicing and upholding all goodness, we will also eventually be able to receive the Buddha’s predictions.
During Sakyamuni Buddha’s lifetime, He began to vaguely bestow predictions for our future. So, “The Buddha will predict that in a future lifetime, they will attain the Buddha-wisdom”. This prediction is for us. “If you continue [the practice] you have started, in the future you will attain the Buddha’s wisdom too”. This is as if They are bestowing predictions on us. [The Buddha] has not bestowed predictions on us, [saying], “In the future, you will go to such-and-such place to attain Buddhahood. This is your Buddha-name….” These good men had not yet each received a specific prediction, but in this part [of the sutra it says], “In a future lifetime, they will attain infinite wisdom and the great path to Buddhahood”. This was already “predicted”. To be “predicted” is just like receiving the prediction itself. To “predict it” means giving a blessing. The blessing is for the future. The Buddha’s blessings are true. As long as we earnestly go on like this, continuing on this path of virtuous teachings, in the future, we will eventually be able to “attain infinite wisdom” and reach the great path to Buddhahood. This is a blessing for us. It is also a blessing for these good men. So, [it is the] “unsurpassed way”. This is proof that our direct retributions will be superior.
In the future, when we leave this body, where will we go? These are two forms of retribution, “circumstantial and direct retribution”. When we depart this life and enter the next, where do we go? What is our direct and circumstantial retribution? As long as we maintain this aspiration, this prediction is imprinted [in our mind]. In the future, we must uphold the virtuous Dharma, retaining and upholding the dharani-door. Then we will not forget and we will carry on. Then, we will naturally be able to “attain infinite wisdom”.
“The great path to Buddhahood means they will attain the Buddha-wisdom that transcends all boundaries and limitations and use it to enter the unsurpassed Bodhi-path”.
This is called “infinite wisdom”. This wisdom is very profound. So, “[They will] attain infinite wisdom”. This is “the great path to Buddhahood”. It surpasses all kinds of numbers. This is called the “Buddha-wisdom”. The Buddha-wisdom is one with all things in the universe. This is the Buddha-wisdom; He knows so many things. As we gradually practice, we will also be able to attain this same wisdom, infinite wisdom. Infinite wisdom is the Buddha-wisdom. Having the Buddha-wisdom is never retreating from this great path. So, we “use it to enter the unsurpassed Bodhi-path”. By walking this path, we will attain unsurpassed Bodhi. So, as we learn the Buddha-Dharma, we must earnestly be mindful and apply [the Dharma] in the moment. We must remember the Dharma. We must not just listen to it [and say], “Oh, yes! Today I have listened to it. I have not let it leak away.” Not letting it leak away means that we must retain what we hear every single day. Although we listen every day, are we remembering it every day? “Yes, I took notes!” But are these notes stored in our minds? Did we engrave them in our minds? Did we engrave them very clearly in our minds? If they are clearly engraved in our minds, very deeply and clearly, then naturally these [teachings] will be present in our daily living. In our actions, in the words we speak and how we handle matters, naturally, we will feel that. “Oh, in this moment, this is what this person is doing. Is this in accord with this sutra passage? Regarding what I want to do now, the way that the sutra teaches us is how we should do it." We should clearly understand this. When it comes to the Dharma, do we have “8000” or “10,000”? Out of 10,000, if we have 8000, that is not bad. We cannot just have 1000 or 2000, “believing in part of it but now knowing the rest.” We must earnestly and continuously make progress in hopes that we can achieve “10,000.” This represents perfection. We must cultivate blessings and wisdom. We must not just say, “We have already eliminated afflictions and are cultivating wisdom.” If we do not form affinities with sentient beings, if we do not go among people, we will not completely eliminate our afflictions and ignorance, those very subtle delusions. Once circumstances arise, [what was attained] will easily be lost.
So, to cultivate wisdom is not easy, let alone cultivate blessings. Cultivating wisdom is for ourselves, and cultivating blessings is for others. Just working on ourselves is not easy, let alone serving others. So, we must practice these two in parallel. We must seek the Dharma and deeply engrave it on our minds. In our everyday lives, as we have engraved this in our minds, we must also continuously print it out. We must be able to print it out very clearly. This is to deeply engrave something in our minds. When we go among people, we are forming good affinities. It is creating blessings. We must cultivate both blessings and wisdom; this is the entire meaning of the lotus Sutra. It contains very subtle and intricate [teachings] which seem very profound but are very easy to carry out. If it is the right thing, we just do it. This is do easy. The door of retaining and upholding is the dharani-door.
The dharani-door is to “retain all goodness and uphold all Dharma.” We must do all good deeds. We need to persist in all of them. We must put this Dharma into practice and give of ourselves. This is retaining all virtuous Dharma. If it is the right thing, just do it. It is that easy. A three-year-old child can recite this. Everyone also knows how to say it. But if we are to discuss its subtleties and analyze that term, “dharani,” there is much more. This is the subtle and wondrous Dharma; when analyzed, it seems very profound, but it is very easy to carry out; we just do it! So, we must constantly abide in the Dharma, taking this profound Dharma and applying it very simple in our life. Therefore, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
首頁 
