Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Disciples in the Saha World Must Spread the Dharma (娑婆弟子 應弘佛法)
Date: October.18.2018
“When [the Buddha] taught the wondrous Dharma on Vulture Peak, there were numerous Bodhisattvas from other lands who came from afar to listen. They were many in number, exceeding the infinite sands of the Ganges. They heard what the World-Honored One said, that those who promote this sutra have great blessings, so they were willing to remain in this defiled land and make vows to widely spread the Dharma.”
We must mindfully seek to realize and comprehend this. Sakyamuni Buddha lived in the Saha World, this world that is hard to endure. When we hear that it is hard to endure, we know that this is a very painful world. This is because this world is full of imperfections and so much inescapable suffering. People in this world strive for wealth and status, but are these people truly blessed? No matter how wealthy someone is, life is limited; the law of nature brings aging, illness and death. Moreover, there are many instances of impermanence. Anything can happen. This is what we are most afraid of, that which lurks beyond what we are able to predict. At what time, in what place, in which relationship will [impermanence strike]? No one knows. This is “impermanence”.
A sudden strike causes unbearable suffering. Also, when it comes to the law of nature, we clearly know that birth, aging, illness and death are very natural. When we are born, everything is very natural. But when we grow up, as we age throughout the years, we gradually grow to learn about worldly things and slowly give rise to greed. As we give rise to greedy thoughts, bit by bit, our afflictions continuously increase. Through this increase of afflictions and our ignorant actions, without realizing it, we have created the causes and conditions of suffering in the world. This is how we bring this upon ourselves. This is the suffering of this world. This is why [this world] is called “Saha”. In Sanskrit, this means “endurance”.
Yes, this is a world that requires endurance. How can we eliminate all of this ignorance and all of these afflictions? Who knows how to do this? Who can understand? Sakyamuni Buddha is the Great Enlightened One. This is why He is called “Buddha,” whereas we are all unenlightened beings. Unenlightened beings have many afflictions that they are unable to deeply comprehend. However, the Buddha is enlightened, so He understands. The true principles of all things in the universe and the Buddha’s enlightened nature are as one. So, connected to all matters and principles in the universe, He comprehends them all. His mind is one with all matters and principles. There is nothing He does not understand. The Buddha understands all things, but helping everyone else understand these things is easier said than done. For over 40 years, He patiently guided people all the way to the Vulture Peak Assembly. By that time, He was already old, so He absolutely had to teach the True Dharma. As for the skillful means He taught in the past, the Buddha felt that He had to quickly unite them with the true principles to help everyone realize their intrinsic nature of True Suchness. The world’s sentient beings experience so much suffering. There are many people who do not understand this principle. So many sentient beings are unable to comprehend these principles. So, the Buddha “taught the Wondrous Lotus Sutra on Vulture Peak.” When He taught the wondrous Dharma, there were [Bodhisattvas] from other lands who also heard that the Buddha was teaching the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, so they came. This is because the Lotus Sutra is the path to Buddhahood. It is the path all Buddhas share. Every Buddha is the same. No matter which world They teach the Dharma in, They will never depart from the Lotus Sutra. Because of this, when the Bodhisattvas in other lands heard that in the Saha World. Sakyamuni Buddha was teaching the Lotus Sutra, they [left] their lands to come to Vulture Peak to listen to the Dharma.
So, this verse says there were those “from other lands who came from afar to listen”. We discussed this passage earlier. Now, we will attempt to understand it again. So, “There were numerous Bodhisattvas”; there were very many of them. These Bodhisattvas from other lands truly were very, very numerous. [Their number] was incalculable; it [exceeded] the number of the sands of eight Ganges Rivers. We should still remember this from the previous sutra passage. When we think about “the sands of eight Ganges Rivers,” if we were to pick up just one handful of sand, that amount on its own would be incalculable, let alone the number of sands in eight Ganges Rivers. “They were many in number.” They were that numerous, these Bodhisattvas who came from other lands. So, we can understand and imagine that scene on Vulture Peak. We should still remember that when the stupa of treasures emerged, there were so many Bodhisattvas who came from other lands. It is same exact situation here. Because the Buddha was teaching the Lotus Sutra, the stupa of treasures and Many Treasure Buddha had appeared. In the stupa of treasures, Many Treasures Buddha yielded His seat to Sakyamuni Buddha. This pair of Buddhas was inside the stupa. One taught the Dharma, and the other bore witness to it. Everyone should still remember this. We must [imagine] that surrounding environment in our heads. We must use our brains to contemplate that occasion, that scene.
There really were so many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. “They heard what the World-Honored One said, that those who promote the sutra have great blessings.” These Bodhisattvas from other lands had heard the Dharma on Vulture Peak. They already understood. But the minds of the begins in the world of endurance had yet to awaken. Their minds had yet to awaken. This is to say nothing of the future world, which was still a long time away. In the future world, sentient beings would be very numerous. In the future world, the turbidities would grow more and more severe. Sentient beings’ afflictions would grow more and more numerous. More than ever, they would need the Dharma to spread through the world. The Buddha had grown old. As He taught the Dharma on Vulture Peak. His heart was very heavy, because He had countless expectations and hopes. He hoped His disciples would be able to form great aspirations and make great vows. This describes Sakyamuni Buddha’s state of mind when He taught the Lotus Sutra. So, when the Buddha taught the Dharma, during the previous. Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, the Buddha had already said that. He was about to enter Parinirvana and that the Dharma needed to be spread. He needed people to accept and spread the Dharma. Because they had these causes and conditions, these Bodhisattvas [from other lands] were inspired to take action. They were joyful and willing. They made vows and asked Sakyamuni Buddha, “Please permit us to do this. If you give us your permission, we are willing to remain in this land to teach the Dharma to future sentient begins.” But the Buddha’s hope was for His disciples in the Saha World. He patiently guided His disciples. In the Saha World from their confusion.
At the end of the Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy, in this sutra passage, the Buddha said, “You must be diligent. Even when you are dreaming, it must be like you are listening to the Dharma. When you have a heart that seeks the Dharma you will listen to the Dharma even in your dreams. You must be willing to spread the Dharma to sentient beings and even spread the Dharma in your dreams. With this earnestness in seeking the Buddha-Dharma, you must be willing to spread the Dharma throughout this world in the future, and you also need to teach the Dharma yourselves.” These are the kinds of vows that sentient begins must have.
After His disciples heard the Dharma, they mindfully delved into its subtleties. What we contemplate by day, we will dream of at night. We must not allow the diligence we have during the daytime to grow lax at night.
So, in the final passage of the previous chapter in that sutra passage, we can see how the Buddha spoke of His hopes. He said that the Dharma must be spread. He hoped that His own disciples would accept the Dharma and undertake this task, yet it was the Bodhisattvas from other lands who [arose to do so]. The Bodhisattvas from other lands had Buddhas in their own lands. The Bodhisattvas from other lands had been taught by the Buddhas in their lands, whereas in the Saha World, [Sakyamuni] had His own disciples from the Saha World. Why didn’t the disciples from the Saha World want to take action? The Bodhisattvas from other lands had declared that they would spread the Dharma in the Saha World. What about the disciples in this land? Why hadn’t they declared they would do this yet? The Buddha could not agree to anything [proposed by those Bodhisattvas]. If He agreed that. He would entrust this mission to the Bodhisattvas from other lands, then the Dharma would have no roots in the Saha World. The Buddha had expectations for His disciples in this Saha World. The Buddha had worked hard to cultivate Himself [and manifested] the Eight Aspects of Attaining enlightenment. Through these manifestations, He helped everyone understand very clearly. Through these aspects, these appearances, this Dharma and this course [of practice]. He helped everyone develop faith. With this body of ours that came from our parents, at the change of a thought, we can diligently advance. This is the course of spiritual cultivation. Eventually, our karmic conditions will ripen, and we will perfect our seeds and fruits. At that moment, instantaneously, we will awaken to the true principles of all things in the universe, and our awakened nature that is one with everything in the universe will emerge.
The Buddha was able to attain Buddhahood in this world. Everyone in this world can attain Buddhahood too. We are all born of our parents. We all walk the same path. We can engage in the same spiritual practice, transform our afflictions and return to our nature of True Suchness. Everyone has their now karmic conditions their circumstantial and direct retributions, but at the same time, all conditioned phenomena are created by the mind. This is why the Buddha came to this world, to guide ignorant unenlightened beings into an awakened state where they will awaken to the world’s impermanence, awaken to the convergence of all kinds of causes and conditions, awaken to this sturdy path to walk upon and awaken to these methods of spiritual practice. In the end, our minds can also become one with the universe. Becoming one with the universe is called “attaining enlightenment”.
He hoped that His disciples in the Saha World would be able to awaken like this. So, the Buddha did not permit the Bodhisattvas from other lands to accept [this mission]. He expected His disciples in the Saha World to take up this mission. So, because of this, “The Buddha stopped those [Bodhisattvas] from other lands who came from afar so as to call upon His disciples in this lands of the Saha World”.
The Buddha stopped those [Bodhisattvas] from other lands who came from afar so as to call upon His disciples in this land of the Saha World to put effort into taking up the task. By safeguarding the blessed causes of the practice of wisdom, we must be diligent among conditioned phenomena and return to the unconditioned Dharma.
He did this in order to call upon [the people of] this place, this Saha World, the people of this Earth. These people were all disciples taught directly by the Buddha. We are over 2000 years removed from the Buddha, yet we are still teaching the Dharma He taught. The principles Sakyamuni Buddha realized over 2000 years ago have been continuously passed down to this day. So, we are still the disciples of Sakyamuni Buddha. The Buddha promoted [this Dharma] to guide us. He guides us so we are able to engage in spiritual practice and undertake this mission. He hopes that [His disciples] in the Saha World will “put effort into taking up the task”.
So, “We must be diligent among conditioned phenomena and return to the unconditioned Dharma”. He encourages and guides everyone to diligently engage in spiritual practice, to be diligent with conditioned phenomena. Conditioned phenomena is everything that we do. We must diligently practice conditioned phenomena because we are in this world. We have not yet transcended life in this world. We have not yet transcended worldly matters, because we are still human. Regarding worldly matters, we have duties that we must do our best to fulfill. We must do our best to fulfill our duties. Our mission is to engage in our own spiritual practice and spread the Dharma to others. This is our duty that we as the Buddha’s disciples must [fulfill]. However, we have yet to truly become one with the universe. We have yet to do this. The Buddha-Dharma, the Dharma of enlightenment, is something we have yet to realize completely. Our aspirations are still irresolute, so we need to constantly train ourselves. We still need to uphold our practice among people, matters and things. Because of this, earlier, we discussed the ten kinds of people we should avoid. We must be determined in going among people to understand their many, many afflictions. We must work hard to practice according to the teachings, following the teachings the Buddha gave us. We must earnestly practice according to the Dharma. This is doing our best to fulfill our duties.
This is also conditioned phenomena, which lies in everything that we do. We need to safeguard our wisdom. We need to firmly uphold our vows. We must make great vows and work hard to uphold them. This is all considered “conditioned phenomena”. Through conditioned phenomena, we return to the unconditioned Dharma. The unconditioned Dharma is the true principles. The true principles have no form or appearance; they neither arise nor cease. They are known as “unconditioned Dharma”. We have discussed this previously. So, when it comes to all our interpersonal conflicts in this world, we must use unconditioned Dharma to understand them.
Our interpersonal conflicts are nothing at all! They are dreams, illusions, bubbles and shadows. These [principles] are “unconditioned Dharma”. We must understand that when we wake up from a dream, the dream is gone. Noble beings have no dreams; dreams are unattainable. Dew appears for an instant, then disappears very quickly. As soon as a bead of dew slides off a blade of grass, it is gone; it has returned to the earth. Where did this bead of dew go? Everything is an illusion. We think of illusory things for a moment, and then they are gone. We want to reach for that person, but they have no true body. We wish to go to that place, but that state is not real.
So, all things are illusory. This [principle] is unconditioned Dharma. All things are illusions produced by our brains, but they also return to the true principles. This is just like our Six Roots. The “roots”, in “Six Roots” refers to our sense organs. Now, we call them our sense organs. We can sense with our eyes; this is what we see. We can sense with our ears; this is what we hear. This is the true state at this moment. However, as time continues to pass, in another ten seconds, each of us will leave this state. What we sense with our eyes will no longer be this state. As we move along in time, this state shifts to become part of the past. The sound of my voice disappears right after I speak. This sound cannot be stored in your ears. However, if you are mindful, you will remember everything that I said. This is our mind-consciousness at work. This mind-consciousness is what allow us to understand and deeply comprehend the meaning of this sentence. However, our mind-consciousness also depends on our environment. As we connect to our environment, we develop this consciousness.
If we are born in Taiwan, we will speak Taiwanese. If we are born in China, we will speak Mandarin. If we are born in the US, we will speak English. In this way, our mind-consciousness is continuously shaped by our environment. The way we speak and express ourselves will depend upon which language they speak [in that environment], which we must learn. Some people can understand many languages. This is the mind-consciousness. Where does the mind-consciousness fit in with [the other consciousness]? There are also the seventh and eighth consciousness. This mind-consciousness comprehends things, hears things and discerns them. Once we hear something and understand it in order to be able to understand it clearly.
For example, if I really love this thing, I must find a way to grab it. When I try to take it with this hand, picking it up this way is not convenient; I must [change] the direction of my hand so I can pick this thing up and can hold it steadily with my two hands. This all seems to happen very quickly. Very quickly, the external world and my mind-consciousness connect with each other like this. However, if a difficulty arises, my [sixth] consciousness must think of a way to grasp it smoothly and nimbly like this. This is our consciousness.
There ae the Five Roots and Five Dusts, but we also need the “consciousness“. So, these constitute the “Six consciousness”. Our eye- consciousness is the “eye-root” connecting with external objects, called “dusts”. These are the sense objects. When our Five Roots converge with the Five Dusts. If is our “mind- consciousness” that analyzes them. Our mind- consciousness decides how to attribute and classify [this information]. We must contemplate all of this. This is called our [sixth] consciousness. Our seventh consciousness directs the creation of karma. However, when our sixth and seventh consciousness create karma in response to external conditions, once this karma is created, it returns to eighth consciousness.
The eighth consciousness is called the “karmic consciousness”. So, the sixth consciousness is called the “mind-consciousness”. The seventh consciousness is called the “manas consciousness”. The eighth consciousness is called the “alaya consciousness”. The ninth consciousness is what we still have no way [to reach]. This is our “amala consciousness”. The “amala consciousness” is the Buddha’s pure intrinsic Tathagata-nature. This is the Tathagata’s enlightened nature; if is one with the universe. The inherent nature of the true principles is intangible, immaterial and formless.
[This consciousness] is extremely vast; it connects with the true principles of all things. This is the “amala consciousness”. This amala consciousness is very far away from our current state. So, we cannot comprehend it. However, we all have the nature of True Suchness. If is lust that we have yet to realize it. The Tathagata’s awakened nature is intrinsic to us all. So, we must work hard to be mindful.
“World-Honored One!” in the [sutra passage] we discussed preciously. It says, “World-Honored One, should you hear us, after the Buddha enters Paranirvana, in this Saha World, we will diligently advance forward to be those who protect, uphold and make offerings to this sutra. we will widely expound it in this land.
This is what [the Bodhisattvas] from other lands asked the World-Honored One. “We are willing to engage in spiritual practice again here. We are willing to remain in this place to earnestly uphold this sutra”. these were Bodhisattvas from other lands who were taught by the Buddhas in their own lands. Even though the Saha World is hard to endure, they were willing to come to the Saha World to learn once again. So, they wanted to lead, recite, transcribe and uphold the sutra through these methods.
So, “At that time, the Buddha told those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, the Buddha told those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, ‘Stop! Good men! There is no need for all of you to safeguard and uphold this sutra.’”
At that time, Sakyamuni Buddha quickly and tactfully refused them. He called them “Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas” to praise them. “To these great Bodhisattvas, I am very grateful. You do not need to do this, because here in this place, in the Saha World, I already have people. You do not need to trouble yourselves who come from so far away to come here again. It is too troublesome.” This was the Buddha’s wisdom. He got numerous [Bodhisattvas] from other lands to emerge, manifest this scene and express that they were all willing to come here. This was to inspire us, His disciples in the Saha World. “If you are unwilling to accept [this mission] Bodhisattvas from other lands are willing to come and do this”. We must work hard to make the most of our time. This was the buddha’s intent, His intent and His wisdom. He made of these Bodhisattvas from other lands to inspire spiritual practitioners of this world to form great aspirations. This is the method He used.
So, in the next sutra passage, He said, “Why is this so? There is no need to trouble yourselves so much. Why?
“Why is this so? In my Saha World, there are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers. Each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers.
This is what Sakyamuni Buddha expressed to His disciples. I have great faith in the Saha World. In this Saha World, I naturally have countless disciples. How many disciples were in this place? There are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers. This Saha World has so many great Bodhisattvas. These Bodhisattvas are all my disciples, so they should spread my Dharma.
Why is this so? In my Saha World, there are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattva as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganes Rivers: In my Saha World, I already have countless disciples. They should spread my Dharma. These disciples are all great Bodhisattvas.
This is how the Buddha inspired us, His disciples in the Saha World, while also dealing harmoniously with [the bodhisattvas] who came from other lands. They were willing to come to the Saha World. He had to tell them, “I already have many people here. This strength of everyone here who will [remain] in this world to serve should be sufficient. So, you do need to trouble yourselves. This is how the Buddha “stopped” those [bodhisattvas] from other lands by refusing to accept their [request]. However, He also expressed His faith in this Saha World, where He had so many [disciples]. In fact, “There are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers”. This represents the Six Consciousnesses. We are all ordinary beings, and we all have the Five Roots. The Five Roots are the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body. As our Five Roots connect with the external world. Truly, there are many subtle and intricate things [to sense]. We can hear and see so many things. When we want to eat, we crave so many things. As we bring these things into our Five Roots and Five Consciousnesses, we must turn them around, turn them from desires into Dharma. We must turn from pursuing external desires to seeking out the Dharma; the strength [from doing this] will be very great.
Right now, we have all kinds of cravings and desires for the external world. We must turn all these cravings and desires into conditioned Dharma by taking action. We must form great aspirations and sincerely make great vows. With sincerity, we vow to deliver sentient beings. This aspiration is to actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. These vows are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges Rivers, and there are so many [teachings] that can help us diligently advance. In the myriad practices of the Six Paramitas, there are as many methods as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers. The disciples in the Saha World used their Six Consciousnesses to cultivate [themselves] by using the myriad practices of the Six Paramitas. So, this results in an infinite number, especially when [those transformed] use these myriad practices to transform others. “One gives rise to infinity, and infinity arises from one”. This is the principle of infinite meanings. For all of us in the Saha World, doesn’t everyone in the Saha World need to endure it patiently? We must patiently endure it. We can transform our Six Roots and Six Dusts. With wisdom, we can transform them; we can transform our cravings and desires into the spiritual practice of the Six Paramitas, turning our Six Desires into the Six Paramitas. This way, we can serve as a role model for others. We will be able to transform others one by one, on a constant basis, serving as a role model for others in all things. Doesn’t this [show] “There are already Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers,” and in turn, “each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers”? We have the Six Root-Consciousnesses. The people we transform also have the Six Root-Consciousnesses. If we can use our Six Root-Consciousnesses to comprehend our seventh consciousness, the manas consciousness, and eighth consciousness, the alaya consciousness, and come to understand them very clearly, we will be able to engage in careful contemplation. We will engage in careful contemplation about how to make use of our Six Consciousnesses and how to make use of our bodies so that when our bodies react to [things], we will practice skillful understanding.
As for understanding, I often say, “Wisdom is the ease we gain by being understanding”. It is so hot; what can we do about it? We must have the wisdom to be understanding. Then, naturally, we will feel at ease. “Oh, serving others is so difficult. What can be done about this? I am so stressed out”. With understanding, we will feel at ease. We must come to know our blessings. “Blessings come from the joy we gain through serving others.” We are all creating blessings. Although it is hard to serve others, we are creating blessings. Tzu Chi volunteers do not call this hardship; they call it blessings. So, Blessings come from the joy we gain through serving others. Wisdom is the ease we gain by being understanding.” Having we heard this before? I have always hoped for Tzu Chi volunteers to understand this.
So, in doing good deeds, we must act immediately without hesitation. This is actualizing the Six Paramitas. With our sixth consciousness, we must engage in contemplation. We must do this to inspire our thoughts of goodness and act immediately, without hesitation. We need to be earnest and diligent and go among people to transform sentient beings. We must bravely undertake this mission. This is true mindfulness. Thus, we need to put effort into being mindful. So, for each of those Bodhisattvas, “Each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers”.
Each of those Bodhisattvas has a retinue as numerous as the sands of 60,000 Ganges Rivers: The retinue of followers that every single Bodhisattva had transformed was also as numerous as the Ganges’ sands.
Every single one of us is capable of immediately going out to transform others. We are capable of transforming others. Similarly, every single Bodhisattva possesses the Six Roots and the Six Consciousnesses. By contemplating this state of the Six Dusts, we will be able to create blessings. “Blessings come from the joy we gain through serving others” The more we serve, the more joy we gain. Although things are hard to endure in this world, although they are very difficult to endure, we must be understanding. “Wisdom is the ease we gain by being understanding.” We develop our wisdom from the ease we gain by being understanding. This is the mindset we should have. So, we must not hesitate. We must always choose the right thing and just do it. We must earnestly advance without hesitation.
So, every Bodhisattva’s retinue of followers that they have transformed is completely composed of Bodhisattvas. [The people] we have around us are all Bodhisattvas. So, Never-Slighting Bodhisattva said, “I dare not look down on you, because you are all able to attain Buddhahood”. This is something we must very mindfully seek to understand.
So, “All of these people, after I enter Parinirvana, will be able to safeguard, uphold, read, recite and widely teach this sutra.”
They will transform each other one after the other. One by one, they will become people who actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. So, each person will transform the next. These people will be able to “widely teach this sutra” and spread the Dharma.
All of these people, after I enter Parinirvana, will be able to safeguard, uphold, read, recite and widely teach this sutra: All of these disciples of mine in this land have deep and extensive Dharma-affinities, and the people who uphold the Dharma are many. They are all capable of spreading my Dharma to benefit sentient beings.
“All of these disciples of mine in this land have deep and extensive Dharma-affinities. These disciples of mine are already in the Saha World. In both their past and present [lives], they have accepted the Dharma. Their Dharma-affinities are deep and extensive.”
So, “The people who uphold the Dharma are many.” Those who wanted to come to accept and uphold the Dharma are many. So, “They are all capable of spreading my Dharma. These people should all be able to spread my Dharma and benefit the sentient beings in the Saha World.” Because of this, the Buddha used this method to say, “I do not dare trouble those of you from other lands to remain in this land to safeguard this sutra.”
He would not trouble the Bodhisattvas from other lands to remain in this land to safeguard this sutra. This is because the Bodhisattvas from other lands each had their own affinities, their own responsibilities and their own karmic conditions. In this land, there were already Bodhisattvas who had affinities with this land. So, He stopped the Bodhisattvas from other lands from promoting the sutra in the Saha World.
This land already had Bodhisattvas like these who would naturally be able to spread and pass down this sutra here. “This is because the Bodhisattvas from other lands each had their own affinities. In your own land, you all have your own karmic conditions. You should return to your own land. Everyone has their own karmic conditions. Everyone has their own responsibilities. There is no need to trouble you to come to this place. This place, this land, already has Bodhisattvas who have affinities with this land. This place already has people with affinities who are studying the Dharma here and transforming sentient beings here. Just like [in your land], they will be able to attain Buddhahood here.”
So, this was the Buddha’s intent. On one hand, he dealt courteously with the Bodhisattvas from other lands who came to the Saha World and [requested] to spread the Dharma here. The Buddha graciously [refused] them. At that time, He wanted to encourage us, His disciples in the Saha World, so that we would start to form aspirations to promote this Dharma in the Saha World. Moreover, [the teachings] to come would be deeply meaningful and intricate. [The Buddha] had many more things to talk about.
This is to say nothing of the profound and intricate [teachings to come]. All Buddha-Dharma is attained completely through our self-nature. Though our Six Consciousnesses are full of afflictions, if we can awaken to our original mind, we will be replete with wondrous wisdom. Thus, we must practice and attain realization by ourselves, without waiting for others to ask us to do so and without depending on others’ help. If we pursue [things] outside [ourselves] and depend upon others to teach and transform us, this is not the Tathagata’s true teachings of the One Vehicle.
“All Buddha-Dharma is attained completely through our self-nature.” The Dharma is not something that others give to us. It is in our own self-nature. We must put in the effort ourselves. “Our Six Consciousnesses are full of afflictions.” For us unenlightened beings, our Six Consciousnesses are all afflictions. They are full of afflictions.
But it is because of these afflictions that we must engage in spiritual practice. “If we can awaken to our original mind, we will be replete with wondrous wisdom.” If we are able to transform our mind, our afflictions will become wisdom and the desires from our Six Root-Consciousnesses will be transformed. Then, when our Six Roots connect with conditions, we will actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. This is what our Saha World needs. We must know how to serve others and engage in spiritual practice. “Thus, we must practice and attain realizations by ourselves.” We must practice and attain realization ourselves. No one gives this to us. We must do this through our hard work. We must fight hard ourselves. The Buddha told us very clearly and led us in the direction we should go. We must walk this road. We must build this road ourselves so that we will be able to walk on it safely. We build and pave the road ourselves. “Thus, we must practice and attain realizations by ourselves.”
We must engage in spiritual practice and experience it for ourselves, “without waiting for others to ask us to do so.” We must not wait around for someone else to give us something. This is impossible. We need to eat for ourselves; if others eat for us, we will never be full. This would be impossible. So, we cannot depend on others’ help. ”If we pursue [things] outside [ourselves],” if we keep searching outside ourselves, we will always be in pursuit, chasing after people to give things to us. This cannot happen. “This is not the Tathagata’s true teachings of the One Vehicle.” This is not what the Buddha taught us. So, the Buddha expects for us to engage in our own spiritual practice. We cannot depend on others to do it for us. This is the true principle. The Buddha’s true principle of the One Vehicle Dharma has but one method. If we want to be full, we must eat for ourselves. We must absorb the nutrients ourselves. I cannot eat and be full and give my fullness to you. That is impossible.
So, if you want to attain Buddhahood, you must work hard yourself. You must work hard to cultivate yourself. The principle is the same. So, we absolutely must seek to [cultivate] “blessings that come from the joy we gain through giving.” If we want to be blessed, we must create blessings for others. If we do not create blessings for others, how can we seek blessings [for ourselves]? We need to take action to serve others, and in return, we will feel joy. “Wisdom is the ease we gain by being understanding.” As we practice to cultivate our wisdom, if we encounter any difficulties, we must be understanding and know that we must cultivate blessings and wisdom immediately. We cannot hesitate. If we do not do it now, someone else will take it on and do it. Look at what those Bodhisattvas from other lands were saying “Buddha, please give us your permission. We will do it; we are willing to engage in spiritual practice again.” These other Bodhisattvas were willing to come engage in spiritual practice again. They were willing to start anew. They were willing to come again to this Saha World that is hard to endure. Think about it; if we do not quickly take action, someone else will take it up and do it. So, we must diligently go among people. We must quickly and bravely take up this mission. Therefore, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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