Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Practice the Bodhisattva-path to Escape Attachment (修菩薩行 遠離染著)
Date: October.25.2018
“The practitioners of the Bodhisattva-path have listened extensively, thus, when it comes to positive and negative karmic retributions and the causes and conditions of all phenomena, they completely understand everything. They distance themselves from paths that do not accord with the Dharma. They are tranquil and clear; they keep their minds unscattered, undefiled and unattached.”
We must seek to mindfully comprehend this. “The practitioners of the Bodhisattva-path have listened extensively.” As we engage in the Bodhisattva-practice, we must constantly listen to the Dharma. We must take the Dharma to heart in our daily living. We must draw near the Dharma, so we must constantly listen to it. After listening to it, when it comes to people, matters and things, our everyday actions must accord with the principles. What we hear each day, we should try to experience that day. Does this Dharma resonate with our daily living?
Speaking of this Dharma, it is a method that can be applied. This is the true principle. We are not listening to something unrelated to our daily living. That is not the Dharma. It is not. We need to listen to the Dharma and learn how to apply it in our world. This is the True Dharma. The Lotus Sutra teaches us how to go among people. When we go among people and see all kinds of afflictions and ignorance of sentient beings, what kind of approach will we use to face them? Sentient beings have much suffering. What kind of methods are we going to use to help them break free from their suffering? This is learning to apply it; this is the Dharma. This is what the Bodhisattva Way is like. Therefore, we must listen more so that we will know many methods and be able to deal [with people] when we go among them. This is why we must listen extensively. After listening to the teachings extensively, [we can understand] “when it comes to positive and negative karmic retributions and the causes and conditions of all phenomena.” This means that, after listening to the Dharma, we can thoroughly understand positive and negative karmic retributions. In the way of life in the world, everyone has their own karmic retributions. [This is true for] every person, not only for humans but for all living beings. So, we are collectively called “sentient beings”. All sentient beings have their own causes and conditions and karmic retributions, positive and negative karmic retributions. It is the same for humans; although people have their own causes and conditions to be human, people also have their own different positive and negative karmic retributions. When we look at some people, why do they seem to have such fortunate lives? As for other people, they may complain, “Why was I born into such an unfortunate life?” Some of us may have certain illnesses and pain [the think,] “Why me? Why do I have this kind of illness? Indeed, everything good happens to other people. Why does everything unpleasant happen to me?”
Our minds give rise to such complains, confusion, afflictions and ignorance. Thus, we cannot comprehend it. If we listen to the teachings extensively, naturally, we can clearly understand positive and negative karmic retributions. Some are wealthy; they do not lack in fortune and are rich, yet they still have regrets in life. There are many kinds of regrets in life. Some are poor, but they are satisfied with their life. For example, poverty, illness or a handicap, they [may] have all of them. Yet, their children are well-behaved and their family is harmonious. Although they do not have money, they are filled with love.
With disciplined love that is in accordance with what is proper, while this kind of family may look like they lack everything and may look pitiful, they may think, “I feel satisfied. I am content that I have children like this, that I have a wife and son like this.” They are already satisfied. Some families are wealthy. They have everything. They have fame, status and wealth. But, unfortunately, their wives only want to continuously enjoy comforts. As for their children, they commit wrongdoings and do not think about how to work hard or how to follow the rules of the family. This undisciplined child [wanders] outside. Or a very wealthy woman is very satisfied [with her wealth], but not with her husband and children who do not follow her wishes. She enjoys material pleasures, but she always has regrets in life. She feels that she suffers a lot. Indeed! All goodness leads to blessed retributions, but there are also negative retributions within goodness. People cannot be replete with everything. This is what unenlightened begins are like; there is “a mixture of good and bad”.
They create both positive and negative seeds that mix together. We come bringing karma, both positive and negative karma. So, positive and negative causes and conditions are the karmic conditions of all phenomena. The karmic conditions of all phenomena are created by us in our past lifetimes, and we receive them in this lifetime, suffering negative karmic retributions. We must thoroughly understand positive and negative karmic retributions. After listening to the Dharma, in this lifetime, regardless of what we encounter, naturally, we will know to be understanding and open our hearts. So, if we can do this, “we completely understand everything. We distance ourselves from paths that do not accord with the Dharma.” If we frequently listen to the Dharma, regardless of any environment or state that we face, we will understand that everything is our positive and negative karmic retributions. These are our causes and conditions. These are the positive and negative phenomena that we created in past lifetimes. So, this is how our present lifetime is. The result is that we live this kind of life, go through this kind of journey, and have such causes and conditions. This is why we must listen to the Dharma. If we have listened to the Dharma, “we can completely understand everything.” We will clearly understand these things. When we encounter matters, we must put our minds at ease. This is called being in “peace and stability”. We must put our mind at ease. Since this is what we are encountering, we must clearly understand it. Then naturally, our minds will not give rise to discursive thoughts not any ignorance or afflictions. Our minds will be clear and bright like a mirror. We must understand that, having encountered these causes and conditions, time will always pass. When time has passed, a section of causes and conditions has passed again.
Thus, we must settle our mind and accept the suffering we encounter every day. This is the truth of suffering and its principles. Thus, time will gradually pass. With the passing of these sufferings, our minds will be clear. So, we will have already comprehended and understood [suffering] and let the Dharma abide in our minds. Naturally, “We will distance ourselves from paths that do not accord with the Dharma.”
Speaking of such ignorance and afflictions since time has passed, these things have also passed with it. Ignorance and hardship have also passed. For our minds to always be understanding comes from listening to the Dharma. Naturally, “We will completely understand everything.” We completely understand all principles and positive and negative karmic retributions. Since we understand them all, naturally, we can distance ourselves from that ignorance. If we distance ourselves from ignorance, we will not create [afflictions] again. So, “We distance ourselves from paths that do not accord with the Dharma.” We should not say, “This is how I am. I have to go seek something. I am going to make offerings. I am going to spend money to eliminate misfortune.” In face, we should spend money on [daily necessities], on the right things. We should just do the things that we should do. We must not do what is not right. If we have the view of the law of karma, we will not do things due to deviant understandings and views. Deviant understandings and views “do not accord with the Dharma”. So, we must listen to the Dharma to be able to understand so that we will not replicate. Ignorance or things that go against the Dharma. We must listen to the Dharma extensively then we can naturally let our minds be “tranquil and clear” and “keep our minds unscattered, undefiled and unattached”.
When we listen to the Dharma, [we can be at ease] when positive and negative causes and effects manifest. When positive causes and effects manifest everything will go smoothly. In everything that we want to do, all matters will be understood and go smoothly; this is called positive causes and effects. What about negative [karma]? That is when things go against our intent and do not follow our wishes, when unpleasant things keep happening. This is called negative karma; there are always flaws. If we understand all these causes and conditions, naturally, we will be free of this ignorance. We will naturally distance ourselves from it. Then, our minds can be clean and pure. This is being tranquil and clear. “We keep our minds unscattered, undefiled and unattached.” When our minds do not create any [karma] naturally, we will be free of defilements. We will not be defiled by people when we are among them and we will not be obstructed by our surroundings. This is the Dharma.
This is what the previous sutra passage states. This passage talked about [Bodhisattvas] emerging from the ground and abiding in empty space. They were numerous, as numerous as “the sands of 60,000 Granges Rivers”. There were many of them; the number was incalculable. All the way from [the sands of] 60,000 to 50,000, 40,000, 30,000, 20,000 and 10,000 [Ganges Rivers], the numbers continuously decreased. Bodhisattvas as numerous as the sands of many Ganges Rivers had already appeared. What were they here for? They have affinities with sentient beings in the Saha World. These Bodhisattvas came here to transform sentient beings, to find ways to constantly decrease the ignorance and afflictions of suffering sentient begins. In this way, [the numbers] go from very many and continuously decrease. We can also use this as an analogy for afflictions. For afflictions as many as the sands of [60,000] Ganges Rivers we must “actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions” to eliminate them and treat this infinite, immeasurable number of ignorance, afflictions and suffering of sentient beings.
We can [treat them] by “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions”. This is another analogy.
In the ground of our minds, when a thought stirs, [it gives rise to] ignorance and afflictions. Within one day, in every instant, thoughts continuously flash through our minds. We do not know how many afflictions we create in one day. They are incalculable. This is what we meant previously. It is same when we transform sentient beings.
We hope that for these many sentient beings, we can go among people to purify them and slowly transform them to help them understand the principles so they can face the situations they encounter feeling free and at peace. They will not only know to use the Dharma to face situations, but also gain insights, so they can in turn share [the Dharma] with others. This is how we save them from suffering. They can then use their insights to help others. Their retinues will contain even more followers. Each person transforms another, or one transforms many people. These many people go on to transform even more people. They transform many people who need to be transformed, until they all understand the principles and the Dharma. Then, everyone will have a pure round of the mind.
This is like when we talked about the Buddha bestowing predictions of Buddhahood; those who received the predictions will teach countless others in the places where they will be born in the future. With these countless [beings], all [these places] will become pure lands. Those who accept the teachings will all become Bodhisattvas. The principle is the same.
We hope that in this impure land, the Saha World, the grounds of everyone’s mind can also be purified continuously until everyone’s life has been purified. This is called “transforming defiled [lands] into pure lands”. It is often mentioned in the Buddha-Dharma. This is what this sutra passage means.
So, the previous sutra passage states, “There were also those who led retinues as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River or one half of the sands of one Ganges River or one quarter, all the way down to one thousandth, one millionth, one billionth or one part in a nayutas”.
The number continually decreased. From the sands of one Ganges River, it became one half of the sands of one Ganges River; one half of the sands of one Ganges River became one quarter of the sands of one Ganges River. Like this it continually decreased to “one thousandth, one millionth, one billionth or one part in a nayutas”. Even if it were one quarter of the sands of one Ganges River, it would be very difficult to calculate the number of sands. Not mentioning one quarter of the sands of one Ganges River, even counting the sands we pick up with a finger nail is not an easy task, let alone one quarter of [the sands of Ganges] or “all the way down to one thousandth, one ten thousandth, one hundred millionth or one part in a nayutas”. This number continuously decreased to a miniscule amount, until only “one” or “zero” was left. When asked, everyone understood the Dharma and had been practicing it. They put the Dharma into practice. Very few had never heard the Dharma. Everyone was probably putting the Dharma into practice. This was how the number continuously decreased to this extent. If this could happen, [the land] would be purified. So, “There were also those with retinues numbering in the thousands of trillions, in nayutas”.
There were also those with retinues numbering in the thousands of trillions, in nayutas. There were also those with retinues numbering in the trillions. There were also those numbering in the billions, millions, all they way down to ten thousand. There were also those with one thousand, one hundred, all the way down to ten [disciples]. There were even those who led five, four, three, two or one disciple.
With these innumerable numbers, we continuously divide them until they become “one”. So, “there were also those with retinues numbering in the trillions. There were also those numbering in the billions, millions, all the way down to ten thousand. There were also those with one thousand, one hundred, all the way down to ten [disciples]”. This number, [starting from] countless sands of Ganges Rivers, continued to decrease like this until this much and this much was left. How many were left? There was one [disciples] left. Two decreased to one.
Although He had so many disciples, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, as this continued on, so many people continuously received His teachings. Now these disciples had all become teachers. “Teachers increased while disciples decreased” until they decreased to only “one”. Even this “one [disciple]” became a teacher. So, everyone became a teacher. This is how Bodhisattvas transform sentient beings. It is like Earth Treasury Bodhisattva who said, “Until hell is empty, I will not attain Buddhahood. Until all have been transformed, I will forego enlightenment”. Indeed! Only after he transforms all sentient beings will he attain Bodhi, attain Buddhahood. This is the vow of Bodhisattvas.
This is the meaning of the Earth Treasury Sutra. Here, the Lotus Sutra is describing the same thing. We must transform all sentient beings in the Saha World and help them awaken from their confusion. This is the wish the Buddha has for us.
The next sutra passage continues, “There were also those who were alone, who took joy in the practice of distancing themselves. They were more limitless and boundless than what any calculation or analogy could make known”.
“There were also”, meaning “moreover, those who were alone, who took joy in the practice of distancing themselves”. Every one of them had been transformed in such a way that they thoroughly understood [the Dharma]. “The practice of distancing themselves” is spiritual practice. They must engage in spiritual practice and distance themselves. What must they distance themselves from?
Practitioners of the Bodhisattva-path distance themselves from the desire realm’s afflictions of craving and defilement. Thus, regarding all the worldly and world-transcending Dharma, they understand it all clearly and completely and are free of any doubts or delusions.
We must distance ourselves from the desire realm’s afflictions of craving and defilement. We must constantly transform people to engage in spiritual practice. We must transform people so they can all distance themselves from the desire realm’s defilement of craving. In the human realm, because of the defilement of craving, we bring about many afflictions. We cannot suppress our desires, our greed and our lust.
The Chapter on the Practice of Bringing Peace and Joy mentions that we must distance ourselves from lust for women. On the other hand, women must also distance themselves from men. Regarding the desires between men and women, if we distance ourselves from lust, naturally, we will not give rise to the many defilements and afflictions of family [life]. Many sufferings of afflictions come from the [relationships] among people and family members. Grievances and passions are all entangled in that place. Without understanding the principles, [people] keep extending these contrived affinities. Thus, there is much worldly desire and craving. So, we must put effort into being mindful.
“[They] distance themselves from the desire realm.” In this desire realm, there is wealth, sensual pleasure, food, fame and sleep. These are five kinds of cravings. Who does not crave wealth? Who does not crave fame? Who does not crave sensual pleasures? Who does not crave taste? When it comes of sleep, if we sleep too little, we do not feel well. Who does not hope to sleep all day long? Everyone hopes to live like this, to be carefree without having to do anything, as if sleeping.
Therefore, we have many afflictions. So, if we can leave this desire realms and the afflictions of craving, “regarding all the worlding all the worldly and world-transcending Dharma, we understand it all clearly and completely. Only then can we clearly understand all the worldly and world-transcending Dharma. How did we come to this world? We truly do not know where we come from. We do not know. This is telling us that it is this desire that pulls us here; it is our defilement that drags us here. We must clearly understand this.
Since we are already here, how do we transcend the world? We need world-transcending Dharma. How do we remain undefiled? How do we prevent ourselves from being affected by all defilements in the world, becoming defiled among the multitudes of people? How do we practice the world-transcending Dharma? So, if we can engage in the Bodhisattva-practice, naturally, “[we will] understand it all clearly and completely] and be free of any doubts or delusions”. If we can engage in spiritual practice, naturally, we can distance ourselves. As we distance ourselves from [afflictions] we can understand how we came to this world and how we can engage in spiritual practice to transcend the world. In this way when we completely understand these afflictions and ignorance, we will not have any doubt or confusion. No matter what king of positive and negative causes and conditions manifest, we can understand them thoroughly. As we are free of afflictions, worries and obstructions, we can see through things. This is what it means to clearly understand.
So, “There were also those who were alone who took joy in the practice of distancing themselves. This means we must understand how to distance ourselves. We must earnestly engage in spiritual practice to be able to distance ourselves from all kinds of defiled phenomena in the world. This refers to “those who took joy in upholding their practice on their own and had no disciples.
There were also those who were alone, who took joy in the practice of distancing themselves: This refers to those who took joy in upholding their practice on their own and had no disciples. Yet, their numbers were also countless. In short, the Bodhisattvas who emerged were numerous.
How do we distance ourselves? Those who practice the Small Vehicle, the Hearers and Solitary Realizers, wanted to distance themselves; they wanted to be alone. They did not want to be among people. They “took joy in the practice of distancing themselves”. They accepted and upheld the sutra themselves. They engaged in the practice to benefit themselves. They did not have any disciples. They did not want any attachment, so they did not take any disciples. Without disciples, they “took joy in the practice of distancing themselves. Yet, their numbers were also countless. There were many people who only benefited themselves. Just now we discussed how some had great retinues while some had very small retinues, which means they had few disciples. There were also some who had no disciples. There were also people like these. There were also people like these, who engaged in spiritual practice.
“In short,” there were many kinds of Bodhisattvas who emerged. There were some who came with many disciples and also many who had few disciples. Some came with just one disciple and some came alone. [The Buddha] expound explained this with numbers.
We preciously talked about how they continuously decreased from the start. Decreasing means that teachers increase while disciples decrease. [We can also see this] in the numbers. This is saying that there were many more kinds of people who emerged. So, “Those who were alone took joy in the practice of distancing themselves.”
Those who were alone took joy in the pactice of distancing themselves: In the heaven realm above, there is no way to attain Buddhahood in the hell realm below, none of the sentinet beings can be transformed. When we forget both self and others, we regard sentient beings and the Buddha as equals. There is no duality or discrimination; the many are also the one. Thus it says “alone”.
“Those who were alone took joy in the practice of distancing themselves.” By repeating this, I want to tell everyone about the numbers we mentioned previously. Regarding the “practice of distancing themselves” to be honest, it is not easy to. How do we transform sentient beings? it also requires causes and conditions; time, space and interpersonal relationship must be in place for there to be cause and conditions to transform sentient beings. otherwise, those causes and conditions are far from us. We speak of “above” because these Bodhisattvas emerged from the ground. Where did they emerge to? They went into the sky. So, this describes them emerging from the ground and int the sky. Since they were in the sky, were they going to the heaven realm? There is no use going to the heaven realm because “in the heaven realm, there is no way to attain Buddhahood”. Regarding the heaven realm, we often say that there is no way to cultivate in the heaven realm, because heaven is full of people who are just enjoying themselves. If we were to teach the Buddha-Dharma to those in comfort, because they never experience suffering. They do not understand suffering nor the karmic law of cause and effect. They only know to enjoy the pleasures of their present lifetime. They only enjoy the pleasures, the heavenly blessings.
So, they do not want to engage in spiritual practice. So, “in the heaven realm above, there is no way to attain Buddhahood”. What about “below?” “below” refers to the hell realm, in the hell realm, no sentient beings can be transformed. This is because the hell realm is suffering! There is so much suffering. They are constantly suffering from instruments torture and painful retributions, so they do not have any time. [Their] suffering is continuous. They suffer retributions like this. Since this is the case, how could they engage in spiritual practice? Look at those in extreme suffering in the world. They are suffering so much, how could they engage in spiritual practice? So, in the human realm, we are neither “above” nor “below”. Can we say that we are suffering? We are ok; we still have time to engage in spiritual practice. Can we say that we happily enjoy ourselves here? We cannot say that. The true principle of the world is suffering. Since we understand suffering, we know to engage in spiritual practice. So, as we practice the Bodhisattva-path, we must not crave the joy in the heaven realm. Nor must we, as we encounter suffering, as we encounter certain situations or challenges, think of ourselves as suffering and let this entrap us. In the human realm, there is heaven and hell. Hell is when we are unable to open our hearts; when we encounter hardship, we pull our minds into the hell realm. If we speak of the Buddha-Dharma at such a time, people will not listen. If we ask those who always wish to be in comfort to listen to the Buddha-Dharma, they too will not have time to listen to it. So, being in this world, we must not be attached to pleasures, nor should we bury ourselves in suffering. We must always remain neutral in the Middle Way.
We have said this previously as well, that the Middle Way is very important. We must be neither above nor below, but follow the Middle Way. This is what we must thoroughly understand. So, there is wondrous existence in emptiness; this is the true principle. “So, we should forget both self and other.” We should not be attached to others nor ourselves [and say,] “This person I am attached to is the one I love, so I am reluctant to let go. I am very stubborn”. In fact, with the law of nature, [all things] have their own causes and conditions, whether short or long. These are very natural causes and conditions. So, we must not be affected by people’s afflictions. Nor should we be constantly attached to ourselves [and think,] “Will I lose what I have? Will I …” and so on. We must not. We must let go of both self and others. This is “forgetting both”. We should not have attachments to others or to ourselves.
We must expand our minds and open them up. Speaking of whom we love, we love everyone. Speaking of whom we can draw near to, we can draw near to everyone. As for those we should not draw near to, we must heighten our vigilance. The Chapter on Peace and Joy teaches us about this very well. So, “We regard sentient beings and the Buddha as equals”. Sentient beings and the Buddha are equal. This is what we always say. The Buddha told us that the mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are all equal. So, we must respect everyone and have no preference to anyone, viewing all impartially.
So, “There is no duality or discrimination and the many are also the one”. Even if there are many people, they are also “one”. So, “one” is infinity. This is “one giving rise to infinity. Infinity arises from one”. Our minds can give rise to much ignorance. Our minds can also open up to many teachings. This depends on the direction of our minds. If we focus our [thoughts], it is all from our minds. “The many are also the one. Thus, it says ‘alone”’.
There is only “one”. That is all. [In terms of] “distancing themselves, they see the need to be uncontriving and distance themselves”.
Distancing themselves: Though they see the need to be uncontriving and distance themselves, their bodies and minds never depart from conditioned good deeds. They also engage in the practice of distancing themselves from the two kinds of samsara. They only take joy in the state of permanent tranquility and cessation, and ultimately return to emptiness. Thus, earlier it says they “abide in empty space”.
We already understood the unconditioned Dharma. With the unconditioned Dharma, we should not take issue over anything. We must distance [ourselves] from everything, from all interpersonal conflicts in the world. This is the Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha’s teachings. We understand that this is very important, but our “bodies and minds never depart from conditioned good deeds”. Although in our spiritual practice, all is empty [in nature], we must understand “wondrous existence”.
Since the myriad sentient beings are in suffering, our bodies and minds cannot bear to leave people. This is called conditioned phenomena. We understand the principles of unconditioned [Dharma], but we must also enter [this state] where “[our] bodies and minds never depart from conditioned good deeds”. Conditioned phenomena and conditioned good deeds, goodness in action, are all wondrous existence in true emptiness. Although everything is empty and unrelated to us, our minds do not leave sentient beings’ suffering. We still must dedicate ourselves to people, but interpersonal conflicts will not defile us. This is true emptiness in wondrous existence.
Does everyone understand this? “They also engage in the practice of distancing themselves from the two kinds of samsara.” There are two kinds of samsara. For a while in the past, I kept telling everyone about the two kinds of samsara. They are “fragmentary samsara” and “transformational samsara”. We must distance ourselves from these two kinds of samsara. We should not let these two kinds of samsara obstruct us again. So, “They only take joy in the state of permanent tranquility and cessation”. We must often be joyful. “Tranquility and cessation” means to be tranquil and clear. After we help others, when we return, we are still tranquil and clear. We “return to emptiness”. Though we enter conditioned phenomena and conditioned good deeds and create all phenomena, we still return to emptiness and tranquility, which is the state of tranquility and clarity.
Thus, we “abide in empty space”. We do not want to go to heaven nor do we want to go to hell. This means we are practicing the Middle Way. As we practice in the human realm, although we understand the Buddha-Dharma, we must have the practice of distancing ourselves. This is the unconditioned Dharma. We must stay away from interpersonal conflicts, but we should not forget to dedicate ourselves to proactively doing “conditioned good deeds”. In other words, we must do good deeds. This is called the Bodhisattva-practice. The Bodhisattva-practice is the Middle Way; it is to “abide in empty space”. They abided in this [state]. So, “There were also those who were alone”. “[They] did not lead an assembly of disciples.”
There were also those who were alone: Those who did not lead an assembly of disciples were actually more numerous than those who did lead a retinue. There were even more additional [Bodhisattvas]. They demonstrated inexhaustibility and limitlessness. Thus He used the word “also” seven times to demonstrate this.
Some people are alone. “I am going to do good deeds, but I do not want to lead any disciples. I am here to eliminate your suffering, that is all. I do not want to take any disciples.”
[These people] “were actually more numerous than those who did lead a retinue”. So, although they helped others, in fact, they had no obstructions or afflictions. They were without attachments. “I am the one who leads the assembly. These people are my disciples. They had none of these attachments. There were in fact even more such people. Although they did not lead any disciples, they were actually more numerous in numbers. This is because “They demonstrated inexhaustibility and limitlessness. In fact, they had transformed [others]. They were free of afflictions and obstructions, but they could practice conditioned good deeds within unconditioned Dharma. So, they had helped many people. The more people they helped, the more it shows that they inexhaustibly and limitlessly served others.
“Thus,” because of this, previously we had the word “also” seven times. This is how [the numbers] decreased. But in fact, the decrease [in number]. What decreases corresponds to what increases. This is to say that we eliminated ignorance and instead gave rise to these intangible, countless and limitless acts of helping others. There are more of these. “They were more limitless and boundless” refers to what we talked about preciously.
In this way, there were constant comparisons. “[They were more] limitless and boundless there were so many [more] of them, than what any calculation or analogy “could make known”.
They were more limitless and boundless than what any calculation or analogy could make known: When compared with the precious sequential levels, they were countless and boundless they were countless and boundless. Neither using numbers to calculate them nor using matters as analogy could make them known.
Starting from a large numbers, it decreased. After it decreased, it increased again. It was inexhaustible and limitless. Their numbers were truly very great. We “compare [it] with the precious sequential levels”. We constantly use sequential levels as analogies. These are all included in the Dharma. We use numbers as analogies for the Dharma, the numbers, the people and so on. we constantly use these as analogies.
From these analogies, we continuously give rise to Dharma. So, “They were countless and boundless. Neither using numbers to calculate them nor using matters as analogies could make them known”. Whether calculating them with numbers or using things as analogies, we cannot describe them completely. “These assemblies came forth from below like gushing water or billowing clouds.
They were like water gushing out the earth or clouds billowing in the sky and filling the empty space. “They were impossible to count. They could not be counted. “Thus, it says their [number] could not be known.” There are still many things we do not understand. So, we must actualize the Dharma in our daily living. We just talked about it in the beginning. We must put effort into our daily living. As we listen to the Dharma, we must quickly remember it and apply it to people, matters and things. If we thoroughly understand the Dharma, open our hearts and are understanding, we can use all kinds of things as analogies. There are countless numbers that we can use to make analogies. We have countless things we can use to make analogies, as long as it is accordance with the Dharma, we can make analogies for boundless Dharma and countless practices. Furthermore, all phenomena begin with “one,” which us the mind. It can be one, and it can also be infinity. They can all return to “one”. Beyond this “one,” there is nothing more to analyze. Where is the true principle? There is no substance or appearance. Where is your one thought? We cannot find that one thought, it is also zero, which is nothing. But with the law of karma, when it manifests, it has a form and appearance, and [we] experience it, we cannot deny this. After we create [karma], some seeds will fall into our karmic consciousness and [we] are brought into the world by our karmic consciousness. This is beyond our control. There are many retinues of causes and conditions, but there are even more things for us to worry about. This is because of “the law of karma”. There is much Dharma in the world that we can make analogies for. So, everyone, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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