Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Bodhisattvas Petition to Spread the Sutra (他方菩薩 請願弘經)
Date: October.16.2018
“The aforementioned Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy can help practitioners who uphold the Dharma in this lifetime transform their obstacles and become diligent, until they perfect the fruit of all actions and attain Buddhahood. He only feared that when people hear this Dharma, there will be no evidence to verify it. So, He relied on Bodhisattvas from other lands, who heard the wondrous Dharma of the Four Practices and immediately asked for permission to spread the sutra in the Saha World.”
The aforementioned “Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy,” came out of Manjusri Bodhisattva’s and Sakyamuni Buddha’s skillful conversation. Manjusri Bodhisattva asked the Buddha, for the sake of sentient beings in the future, to explain how to spread this sutra. Sakyamuni Buddha told everyone that it is very important to practice the Bodhisattva-path in the world. The Bodhisattva-path is found within the Wondrous Lotus Sutra.
To expound the Wondrous Lotus Sutra’s spirit and ideals in this world is not easy. There are layers of obstacles. We will encounter many different difficulties. When Manjusri Bodhisattva heard the Buddha tell this to the assembly, he considered the assembly’s growing fear. So, Manjusri Bodhisattva, in his wisdom, quickly asked the Buddha again, “Venerable Buddha, since this sutra is so important, future sentient beings truly need this sutra’s spirit, truths and wondrous principles to continue teaching and transforming people in the world. We need people now to form aspirations for this sutra to be continuously passed down. However, being met with so many difficulties and so many dangerous circumstances, what methods can they use to avoid difficulties so they can continue the spirit and ideals of the sutra in future generations?”
Certainly, this is the Buddha’s original intent. Sakyamuni Buddha’s one great cause was to come here and teach us the Bodhisattva Way. The Bodhisattva Way must be passed on. Since He had not yet finished teaching this sutra, of course He had to take care of everyone’s heart so they would not give rise to fear. Everyone’s mind had only just passed through the stages of Hearer and Solitary Realizer. Now the Buddha was pushing very hard for His hope that everyone could turn from the Small to the Great. So, He began to inspire everyone’s mind. Once people began forming aspirations, He bestowed predictions of Buddhahood for them. After receiving their predictions, attaining Buddhahood would still take a long time.
Throughout this very long time, during the process of attaining Buddhahood, they must practice the Bodhisattva Way. Practicing the Bodhisattva Way requires upholding this sutra. So, when the Buddha began teaching this sutra, He truthfully and openly told everyone, “If you form aspirations and make vows to uphold this sutra in future lifetimes, then you must be mentally prepared for many difficulties.” He had to speak truthfully and be upfront, but He also had to look after everyone’s mind. He feared that people’s strength was insufficient and that they would give rise to fear. All Buddhas share the same heart and path. Manjusri Bodhisattva was Honorable Dragon King Buddha in the past. Manjusri Bodhisattva was an ancient Buddha. He had already attained Buddhahood in the past. It was to support Sakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma-assembly and to spread these teachings for future sentient beings in the Saha world that he came here to aid the Dharma-assembly as Manjusri Bodhisattva. This was Manjusri Bodhisattva. He had already attained Buddhahood and he had even taught other Bodhisattvas who later attained Buddhahood. With such superior wisdom, he came to the world as a Bodhisattva and he understood Sakyamuni Buddha’s intent. So, [the Buddha] first spoke honestly to help everyone understand that this is a very difficult mission; He wanted everyone to know this. Because of this, Manjusri Bodhisattva, during this [assembly], asked the Buddha, on behalf of the assembly, to teach them how to practice the Bodhisattva-path without encountering difficulties and, while spreading the Lotus Sutra, how to avoid the many dangers and difficulties. Thus, Manjusri Bodhisattva stepped forward, as we just discussed, to ask the Buddha to teach [the assembly] how to joyfully walk the Bodhisattva-path without encountering difficulties or suffering. The Buddha was very joyful and quickly explained how to avoid difficulties and how to safeguard our great spiritual aspirations that have not yet matured. Since our faith and great vows are not yet firm, He worried that we will retreat in our spiritual aspirations.
So, He explained, “You should avoid these kinds of people and those kinds of people.” So, as we have previously discussed, [the Buddha] wanted to help everyone understand, be clearer and more vigilant. When it comes to these 10 types of people, for us newly-inspired Bodhisattvas, we should not draw near to them. If we can do this then we can continue to firmly accept and uphold this Chapter on. So, there are “the aforementioned Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy”. We must remember the Four Practices of body, speech, mind and vows. Indeed! Though body, speech and mind are very important, have we formed the Four Great Vows? Are we very firm in our Four Great Vows? Forming vows requires us to be very resolute. These are the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy. If we have firm resolve and our will to practice is solid, then, naturally, we will become more mature as we go among people. It will not be easy for others to obstruct us or for our minds to waver; we will be very firm. Thus, even when we encounter difficulties, we will still be safe and sound, and we will be joyful in doing our work. We often see Living Bodhisattvas giving of themselves among people. However difficult the job is, for the sake of helping others, they are willing to accept any challenge. They are very vigilant, and advancing step by step, they overcome all difficulties to complete the work of saving others. Afterwards, their hearts are very joyful.
So, in the practice of bringing peace and joy, they do not fear difficulties or hardships. They can always overcome these difficulties to achieve their goals. This is [how they bring] peace and joy. They overcome [difficulties] with peace and joy. “When I meet these people, I am not affected. But my skills are not sufficient yet, so I try my best to avoid them. I gradually practice until [my skills] are very mature. Then, when I encounter these people, my mind will be very peaceful and firm. It will not waver.” This is also practicing bringing peace and joy.
So, in this case, they peacefully overcome [difficulties] with methods from the Chapter on the Practice of bringing peace and Joy. Peacefully practicing these methods “can help practitioners who uphold the Dharma in this lifetime to transform their obstacles and become diligent.” Now, the people that we meet in this lifetime will not obstruct [our spiritual practice]. This is because we have formed great vows so that, when we go among people, we are not contaminated by people’s afflictions and ignorance. While we are in this world that must be endured, in this greater environment, conditioned phenomena will not affect us. “The environment is very vile. I dare not enter,” or “These people’s mentalities are so complicated. I dare not draw near.” Mature Bodhisattvas, who are very skillful and whose minds are very firm, do not fear [these things]. So, when it comes to the greater environment in their current lifetimes, they are without fear. Thus, when it comes to people and things, they will not be affected. So, practitioners who uphold the Dharma can transform obstructions in their current lives. They can transform obstructions right now, and in particular, they can diligently advance. Already in this lifetime, they are able to uphold the Dharma without fear. Now, no matter what obstacles arise, they will not be obstructed. They can keep advancing forward. “They perfect the fruit of all actions and attain Buddhahood.” When we are no longer affected by our greater environment or by people who obstruct our resolve, we can “actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions” and safely overcome [difficulties]. This is “perfecting the fruit of all actions”. When it comes to the Bodhisattva-path, we can make regular progress without obstructions. This is how we perfect this fruit, which is the fruit of Buddhahood.
Once we are replete with Bodhisattva-causes, we will attain the fruit of Buddhahood. This all depends on whether our resolve is firm. Furthermore, “He only feared that when people [heard] this Dharma, there [would] be no evidence to verify it. So, He relied on Bodhisattvas from other lands.” Now, as the Buddha finished teaching the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy, He only worried [about one thing]. He was worried about average people who had already formed aspirations. After forming aspirations and having listened to all these previous chapters, everyone [thought], “Wow! The virtues and merits of upholding this sutra are so great!” Since Beginningless Time, for a long time, our nature of True Suchness has been deluded and confused, which makes us unenlightened beings. Our karmic retributions have led to our experience of hardship in this world. The Buddha-Dharma is not easily [encountered]. That we are able to listen to the Dharma, uphold the sutra and go among future suffering sentient beings to give of ourselves and so on, [means] we will gain many virtues and merits and a great sense of accomplishment.
Previously, we were discussing “accomplishments in battle”. The mara of afflictions is aggressive, so the king mobilized soldiers to fight him. This is just like how, when our minds have given rise to afflictions, the great Dharma of the Buddha arises in our minds and we utilize this Dharma to subdue these afflictions. This truly requires great skill. After defeating the mara of afflictions, we can then go among people to transform sentient beings. This is so beautiful and wondrous! In the process of our Bodhisattva-practice, we encounter sentient beings, so everyone greatly admires us. For those [capable of] great accomplishments, once they form aspirations, they become very dedicated. They want to go among people right away. When some people hear the Dharma, they are very joyful and willing to form aspirations. Forming aspirations is very easy for them. However, without any kind of proof, most people find it difficult to believe. So, [the Buddha] considered how to strengthen everyone’s faith to help them establish faith based on proof.
Since there was no proof yet at the moment, “He relied on Bodhisattvas from other lands.” The Buddha said that going among people to uphold the sutra and teach the Dharma brings great virtues and merits. By actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions, we can go among people and attain the fruit of Buddhahood.
Although this is how it is, what teachings could He use for everyone to strengthen their faith in this? “[He taught them] the wondrous Dharma of the Four Practices”. To rely on other lands is to “depend” on them. “Rely” here means to depend. The Buddha thus began to depend on Bodhisattvas from other lands. The Bodhisattvas in other lands heard that the Buddha was expounding the Lotus Sutra in the Saha World.
Everyone should still remember, in the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, how Bodhisattvas from other lands came along with the Buddha’s manifestations. This was when the Buddha was in this world, expounding the Lotus Sutra in the Saha world. At the same time, Bodhisattvas from other lands were also listening to the sutra. This was just like how, right now, we are at the Abode, and at this moment, all these sounds and images are broadcast through the cloud and are available around the world.
Tzu Chi volunteers, knowing that it is time, with a gentle click turn on the screen. They can see my image and hear my voice. As I teach the Dharma in this place, people in other lands can also hear it. In this way, we can use our present time as an analogy for the Buddha’s time in the past.
In the past, when the Buddha taught the Dharma in the Saha World, Bodhisattvas from other worlds also heard it. They heard [the teaching of] the “Four Practices”, the wondrous Dharma of the “Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy”. This was heard also in those other worlds. So, in the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, at this time, people from other worlds will emerge. The Buddha had finished the Chapter on the Practice of bringing Peace and Joy and began to carry on teaching everyone the Dharma.
In the past, [He gave] various teachings using the manifest. He [manifested] being born in the palace, engaging in spiritual practice, attaining Buddhahood and so on, the Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment. The intrinsic manifested in the world. Starting in the Introductory Chapter, the Buddha followed this path, [explaining how] in certain places. He taught the Dharma to certain disciples, starting from the teachings of Hearers all the way to Solitary Realizers. Thus, He continually taught for everyone to hear. Starting from “suffering, causation, cessation and the Path” and continuing with the karmic law of cause and effect and the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence, the Buddha then expanded [His teachings] by continuing on with the “Vaipulya” [teachings], then entering the “Prajna” [teachings] and so on. This was how the Buddha had patiently guided people using all sorts of methods of education so everyone could comprehend the Dharma clearly.
This was all within the method of the manifest. The course of the Lotus Sutra starts from the Introductory Chapter, the Chapter on Skillful Means, and the Chapter on Parables and it continues onto the Chapter on Faith and Understanding and so on. All of these [chapters] describe how various causes and conditions have arisen to make this moment possible. He connected these causes and conditions to a very distant time, to the time of Great Unhindered Buddha. At that time, there were 16 princes. As time went by, the 16 princes attained Buddhahood in different lands with their own causes and conditions etc. This includes Sakyamuni Buddha in the Saha World. In any case, the previous teachings were taught in order, until He reached the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures. Buddhas from all ten directions came, and the stupa of treasures emerged from the ground. Sakyamuni Buddha also rose into the air to open the door to the stupa of treasures. Everyone should have heard this part before. Remembering further, He began to help everyone understand how great the virtues and merits are for spreading the Dharma.
He taught this in the Chapter on Dharma Teachers. [The Buddha] patiently guided us along the way until this moment. These [teachings] were to guide everyone to [accept] this Dharma which [was taught through] the Buddha’s manifestation in this world. All Buddhas spread the Dharma in the world. All Buddhas share the same path. They teach the same Dharma using many different methods in the world. This is because the world is always changing and the workings of karma are inconceivable. So, because of this, the Buddha used all kinds of methods. Arriving at the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, He taught the “Four Practices” to help us understand how to walk the Bodhisattva-path and strengthen our resolve. This teaching of the manifest, the method of teaching through manifestations, was now finished.
Now, it was time to reveal the true, which is the intrinsic. All in all, our intrinsic [nature] is like how Manjusri Bodhisattva concealed the intrinsic and revealed the manifest. He was an ancient Buddha, but now at Sakyamuni Buddha” Dharma-assembly, he [acted as] a Bodhisattva. Maitreya Bodhisattva was also there; he will attain Buddhahood in the future. There was also Guanyin Bodhisattva and so on. There were many who concealed the intrinsic and revealed their manifestations in the world.
So now, the Buddha would begin, section by section, to help everyone understand how to uphold the Dharma and how to reveal its true appearance. This meant that He had to depend [on others]. He had to rely on Bodhisattvas from other lands who valued this Dharma. So, Bodhisattvas from other lands came [to help]. In the next passage, [He] began to “reveal the intrinsic”. He began revealing the most fundamental teachings. So, the Buddha first relied on Bodhisattvas from other lands to come to the Saha World, expressing that they had already heard about the “Four Practices” and that it was very subtle and wondrous Dharma. So, they all came to the Saha World to make vows to spread the sutra. They came to the Buddha of the Saha World and declared, “We are willing to come to the Saha World to accept this Dharma. The Buddha is about to spread the Dharma, and we are willing to accept it. We are willing to accept the Buddha’s teachings, and in the time and space of the future, we are willing to pass them on”. This is how they expressed their mindset to us. This was what happened.
In fact, “[The sutra] opens two doors, the intrinsic and the manifest. The Dharma and analogies clarify the profound truth, enabling all those in limited [vehicles] to realize the Buddha’s wisdom.
Next, In “the teaching of the intrinsic, we must know that we all intrinsically have the root of the Dharma”. It is just that sentient beings have severe afflictions. When the Buddha attained perfect enlightenment, He realized that “How amazing! How amazing! All beings possess the Buddha’s intrinsic nature”. All of us possess this awakened nature. This is what “the intrinsic” refers to He wanted to help us understand this simple fact, but how could we accept it? We may understand the words, but not the principles. Therefore, the Buddha had to conceal the true and open the provisional. Concealing this truth meant that He had to teach the provisional. This is the same as concealing the intrinsic and revealing the manifest. The meaning is the same. So, there are “the intrinsic and the manifest”. We need to open these two doors. The Buddha first helped everyone know the door of the provisional, limited [vehicles] so they would enter. He used this [limited] Dharma as an analogy. He wanted to teach the True Dharma, but He needed to use various methods to create analogies.
So, “The Dharma and analogies clarify the profound truth”. Although we say that matters contain very profound principles, these matters and appearances are meant to help everyone deeply understand the true principles of the Buddha-Dharma. They are meant to help us truly understand how ordinary beings are ignorant and deluded and to help us find a way back to our nature of True Suchness. So, He “enabled all those in limited [vehicles] to realize the Buddha’s wisdom”. The Buddha uses the limited teachings of the provisional to transform those of limited capabilities. As ordinary beings, our knowledge is superficial so He had to use various skillful means to teach us. So, this is like Guanyin Bodhisattva who was Clear True Dharma Tathagata in the past but is Guanyin Bodhisattva in the present. So, “The manifest is the universal doors of Guanyin”. This refers to the provisional. “These manifestations of the true are wondrous”. In truth, he was Clear True Dharma Tathagata. He had already attained Buddhahood, but he manifested as Guanyin.
Guanyin was Clear True Dharma Tathagata in the past. This is the intrinsic, while the manifest is the universal doors of Guanyin. These manifestations of the provisional and the true are wondrous. Thus, He used the intrinsic and the manifest, the provisional and the true in sequence to explain [the Dharma].
For us in this world, if we look at the image of Guanyin Bodhisattva, he appears in the form of a woman. He manifested “universal doors” as his method to transform sentient beings. In truth, he has already attained Buddhahood as Clear True Dharma Tathagata. Likewise, Manjusri Bodhisattva was Honorable Dragon King Buddha. They have already attained Buddhahood in the past. However, now they use the manifest. “Thus, He used the intrinsic and the manifest”. The intrinsic and the manifest are applied in parallel in this way. We must very mindfully seek to comprehend this. In truth, the Buddha’s [teachings] have great significance. In order to teach the future Chapter on. Emerging from the Ground and the Chapter on the Tathagata’s Lifespan, He had to begin in this place, so everyone could gain some understanding of how the Buddha came to the world in the past, and the order in which He taught the Lotus Sutra up to this point. He had all kinds of [manifestations] in the past, starting with the Eight Aspects, attaining Buddhahood and teaching the Dharma. From the Lotus Sutra’s introductory Chapter, all along the way [He had] this intent. Now, as we enter Chapter 15, the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, we must very mindfully seek to comprehend it.
Also, the sutra explained previously that the goal of cultivating the Four Practice was to abide in the ground of patience. So, now people who were able to cultivate these practices, however many they were, all emerged from the ground of patience.
In the aforementioned Four Practices, they had to start from the ground of patience. The purpose [of practice] is developing patience. In the previous “Four Practice, we had to have patience”. How many people were now accepting and upholding this practice? To uphold the sutra and expound the Dharma is truly not that easy. So, there are not many who truly want to uphold it. Thus, among these “however many, what exactly is the number? All emerged from the ground of patience”. These people [came], this is an analogy. He now wished to help everyone understand the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground and how many people that were willing to so bravely, truly make great vows to willingly uphold [the sutra]. We must go through training in difficult times. Although things may be difficult, we do not see them as difficulties. Because we are willing, we are very joyful and peaceful. This requires patience. Without patience, we are unable to resolve our difficulties. So, we must patiently endure. People, matters and things [create] difficulties, so we must endure. In “actualizing the Six Paramitas”. In all actions, patience is central. So, patience is very important. To be patient is very important, we must endure.
In the world, no matter what sounds we hear or what appearances we see, we must still be patient. Only with this ground of patience in our mind can we give rise to the vows of great Bodhisattvas. We must have patience. For this ground in our mind to emerge, we need the mastery of patience. Only then is this possible.
Now that I have mentioned it, how many people can emerge from the ground? Those who truly made vows to uphold the sutra, just how many of them were there? So, we must truly be very mindful to comprehend this.
So, in this chapter, Chapter 15, “though this chapter concludes the essence of wondrous practices of the previous chapter, it actually destroys the near to reveal the far and explains the original cause of [the Tathagata’s] lifespan.”
As for the meaning of this chapter, if we continue reading mindfully, we have concluded the previous [teachings] on how to engage in spiritual practice, so we must be mentally prepared. The Buddha had already taught us many methods and now, He was to “destroy the near to reveal the far”. We must know that it is not only the Saha World that must be endured.
In fact, in other worlds, they have already understood this Dharma. At the same time, regarding others and ourselves, we ourselves, as well as others can understand this. In the past, you, me and others were all still ordinary beings. We had many deluded views and understandings, much ignorance and many arguments. Now, we must eliminate them all. We need to earnestly return to our mind, which originally contains our nature of True Suchness.
Countless kalpas ago, we make aspirations just like how the Buddha passed on what Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha taught. In truth, prior to Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha, there were countless dust-inked kalpas. This was our far [past] from very long ago, things that are very distant. We must pull these things back into our minds. We must recognize and believe these, believe that our nature of True Suchness is equal to the Buddha’s. We must believe that our nature of True Suchness has existed since Beginningless Time. The source of the principles has no beginning nor end. So, we need to be able to comprehend this point. We must “destroy the near”. The “near refers to our attachments and ignorance throughout countless lifetimes. We must now transform them and set them aside. We must pursue and seek out our nature of True Suchness. We must establish our faith. So, [the chapter] “explains the original cause of [the Tathagata’s] lifespan”. This “lifespan” refers to a very long and distant time. [This time] is extremely long. We can now begin to understand this lifespan and its length. How can we truly form aspirations? Where exactly did our source come from? We must now begin to explore this.
We now come to the sutra passage, which says, “At that time, those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas coming from other lands exceeded the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number. They arose from among the assembly and with palms together, paid respect to and addressed the Buddha.”
From this [sutra] passage, we know that it was a great number, [which corresponds to] a very long [time]. It was a long time and a great distance. Therefore, “[They] exceeded the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number”. The number was very great. In the assembly where the Buddha was teaching the Dharma, they were already present. That is why it says “they arose from among the assembly and with palms together paid respect to and addressed the Buddha”. We must very mindfully seek to comprehend this. We must “destroy the near to reveal the far”. First He had to tell us not to be attached to the number. It is a limiting attachment. Ordinary beings’ minds cling to the number. We cannot use an ordinary being’s mind to look at this state. The principles have always been infinite. The world, the universe and the totality of celestial bodies cannot be measured with an ordinary being’s mindset.
Therefore, we should “destroy the near,” which is the mind of ordinary beings. We must demonstrate the great enlightenment of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Therefore, we must comprehend what the Buddha came to prove, how broad and expansive the principles are; their numbers are great. So, these Bodhisattvas from “other lands” had all come to the Saha World and began to petition [the Buddha].
The Bodhisattvas from other lands petitioned to safeguard this sutra in the Saha World. The Bodhisattvas from other lands, having heard of the merits and virtues of the Four Practices, made vows to abide here to spread the teachings widely. Thus, they petitioned to safeguard this sutra in the Saha World.
Although the Buddha was teaching the Dharma for the Saha World, Bodhisattvas from other lands came to listen to the Dharma. In the Chapter on Seeing the Stupa of Treasures, we saw this very clearly. So, “to safeguard this sutra in the Saha World,” they [came] to listen to the Dharma here. They wanted to make vows and safeguard this sutra in this place. This is because the Buddha lamented that He was about to enter Parinirvana, so who would spread the Dharma? Therefore, Bodhisattvas from other worlds appeared to listen to the sutra. They were moved and made vows to willingly come to the Saha World and spread the Dharma. So, “the Bodhisattvas from other lands, having heard of the merits and virtues of the Four Practices,” made vows to abide here to spread the sutra. When they heard that the virtues and merits of spreading the Dharma were great, they were willing to be here to spread the sutra.
Thus, they asked to abide in the Saha World to teach the Dharma. This is what this passage is explaining to us.
So, “At that time, those Bodhisattva-Mahasttvas coming from other lands exceeded the sands of eight Ganges Rivers in number.” In this way, all the Bodhisattvas from other worlds came here.
There was a great amount of people who came to the Saha world to listen to the Dharma. “They arose from among the assembly and with palms together paid respect to and addressed the Buddha”. There were so many Bodhisattvas present who formed aspirations and made vows. They were very reverent as they stood up, arising from among the assembly. With a reverent attitude, they put their palms together to express their wishes to the Buddha. With such reverence, they followed the rules and etiquettes. Though they came from other lands, they petitioned to be in the Saha World. They also had great etiquette.
So, they petitioned in this way, in hopes that the Buddha would entrust them with coming to the Saha World. After all, they were from other worlds. For them to be in the Saha World to spread the Dharma, they had to ask the Buddha for permission. So, “to ask to entrust” means they asked the Buddha to entrust them with spreading the Dharma in the Saha World. Thus, they expressed their reverence [to Him]. This is what the sutra passage [says].
They arose from among the assembly and with palms together paid respect to and addressed the Buddha: They were about to ask the Buddha to entrust [the teachings] to them, so they arose with proper etiquette and addressed the Buddha.
Dear Bodhisattvas, whenever a new chapter of this sutra begins, we must again review [what we read] in the past. I hope that everyone, after listening to the sutra, will once more recall [the teachings], listen, contemplate and practice. When we listen to the sutra, we must be mindful. Once we hear it, we must earnestly contemplate it; [this helps us] remember it. Once we have memorized it, we must put it into practice. We must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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