Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: All Conditioned Phenomena Arise and Cease (一切有為 皆是生滅)
Date: November.15.2018
“All conditioned phenomena are phenomena subject to arising and ceasing. Only when we see how something arises can we understand how it truly ceases. So if we wish to understand arising and ceasing, we should especially understand how things arise. For all appearances that arise, the timing of their arising is inseparable from the convergence of causes and conditions.”
Everyone must deeply understand this, so we must be mindful! “All conditioned phenomena are phenomena subject to arising and ceasing. Conditioned phenomena” is something we have repeatedly mentioned lately. We often use the phrase “conditioned phenomena”. I hope everyone can become familiar with and take this phrase to heart. This concept is in fact in our daily living. As we open our mouths to speak or give rise to the slightest thought, our bodies and minds encounter states that our Roots, Dusts and Consciousnesses connect to. Our minds are within these states. [In life,] we have to make choices. When we want to do this thing, or when we are planning to do something, whether we are in the process of doing it or are still planning it, all of these are inseparable from conditioned phenomena. Conditioned phenomena are all phenomena that we take action. All the things we are able to do and all the Dusts we encounter with our Roots are among the conditioned phenomena. Whether it is our Five Roots, our Five Consciousnesses or the external Five Dusts, when these continuously interact [with one another] and lead us to take actions, these are all called “conditioned phenomena”. These are all things we do.
But these things all [abide by] “the law of arising and ceasing”. We often hear people recite, “All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow.” Aren’t we all very familiar with these simple words from the Diamond Sutra that encompass the principle that “everything is empty in nature”? Indeed, all phenomena eventually return to emptiness. In the human realm, [compared to] the realm of heavenly beings, noble beings and the Buddha, [our time] is very short. When they use their time and mindset to look at our world, it is just like how we humans would view the world of insects. [In our eyes, insects’] lives, behaviors and their [lifespan in the] world are all very short. [Insects] such as mosquitoes have a very short lifespan. When heavenly beings look at the lifespan in the human realm, of course they will think that it is very short. We often say that one day in Trayastrimsa Heaven is longer than our lifetime [in the human realm]. This is because not many people can live to 100 years. One day in Trayastrimsa Heaven is equivalent to 100 years in our human realm. Before a day has passed [in heaven] our life will have already come to an end. When we return to the world again for the second or third lifetime, we may not be in human form.
These three lifetimes [may only be] one day in the heavens. What have we been doing in these three lifetimes? Were we in the animal realm? Did we go to the hell realm? Or did we return in human form? We do not know. But do we understand the principles? If we understand the principles and uphold the Five Precepts, then we will definitely return in human form. If we uphold the Ten Good Deeds and practice the Ten Good Deeds well, we can enjoy being in the human realm or, even better, enjoy the blessings of heavenly beings. This depends upon whether we understood the principles thoroughly and put them into practice with all our heart and all our efforts.
So, if we seek to go to heaven, then we must practice the Ten Good Deeds. We must put effort into being mindful. Life is very short. Of all contrived [actions], of the things that we do, are we doing evil? [If we do] evil deeds, [we will fall into] the hell, animal and the hungry ghost [realms]. These are also conditioned phenomena, [realms] we may go to in the future. We can also accomplish things. Another thing we can do is to do good deeds. We can also do the Ten Good Deeds, practicing the ultimate good to cultivate heavenly blessings. Although we may feel that the lifespan is longer and that there are many pleasures in heaven, if we go to heaven, we will have no chance to encounter the Buddha-Dharma. The true principles are not to be found in heaven. To [learn] the Buddha-Dharma, we do not necessarily have to go to heaven because heavenly beings are only enjoying pleasure without any suffering. All Buddhas make vows to relieve suffering sentient beings. In the human realm, there is not always happiness; there is also suffering. What about in hell? There is no happiness, only lots of suffering. There is so much suffering that the Buddha-Dharma cannot exist in hell. This is because the sentient beings in hell are there following the law of karma. At that place, there is simply no space for the Buddha-Dharma to enter. This is because those sentient beings are there suffering from karmic retributions. When they arrive at that place, they are constantly in suffering. They suffer so much that they do not have the affinities [with Dharma]. With no affinities, there is neither the environment nor the causes and conditions for them to accept the Dharma. In heaven, there is so much happiness that there is no environment for them to accept the Buddha-Dharma. Only in the human realm are there both happiness and suffering. With both happiness and suffering, the Buddha-Dharma can come in and [help everyone] witness suffering. It can help people understand suffering.
Where do the causes and conditions of suffering come from? [It can help them understand] joy. How do we cultivate causes and conditions for joy? [In the world], there is the environment [for people] to be transformed. This is like us human beings. Why is it that though we are all in the same world, some receive such a great education? This is because there is the environment [for them to lean]. Some people work very hard to help their children finish their studies and receive high education. Some people are rich, but their children have no desire to receive education in the first place. So, although they are rich, they do not have that environment to receive education. So, whether there is the environment or not is the same as whether there are the causes and conditions or not. So, all of these are conditioned phenomena. Conditioned phenomena depend on how our minds interact with the [external] states, how our roots interact with dusts and how the causes and conditions come together. So, when affinities converge, the law of arising and ceasing [takes effect]. When affinities converge, things arise. Although affinities converge, will they exist forever?
Even if they have the causes and conditions to study, will sixth graders remain in sixth grade forever? Of course not. They have the causes and conditions to go to middle school and even university. They are always advancing forward. In the process, the leave what was in the past; it is no longer there. “Now, I am no longer an elementary school student or a middle school student. I am now a college student. Being a college student, will I forever be a college student? No, I am a PhD student now. Will I be a PhD student forever? I must enter society to start a career.” Depending on what we do, our accomplishments will be different. This is the life of a successful person. We follow the arising and ceasing of causes and conditions. There are causes and conditions to help us accomplish things. With these causes and conditions, we will go through a process. After the process has ended, [the causes and conditions] then cease. When causes and conditions arise again, we will continue to develop. This is the law of arising and ceasing.
The process is always like this. But as [causes and conditions] keep arising, what is at the end of arising? [Causes and conditions] are inseparable from time; time can bring all things into fruition. Everything in this world is accomplished through time.
So, in our lifetime in this world, as time passes, we continue to accomplish things until we reach the highest point. We then age, get ill and die, and nothing remains. Our lifetime will still come to an end.
Our lifetime in this world is just a few decades. Now, when we are 60 years old, 65 or 70 years old, we must retire. Then, our function and authority [in society] will disappear, and we may idle our life away. How long will this idling life last? It will not be long before our life will end. Isn’t this the conditioned phenomena of life? For all the actions we take, when we take them all into consideration is there any that will be there any given day? No.
The time I came out earlier and the time now are different. So, time changes with every minute and second. The actions in our daily living are constantly arising and ceasing. The words we just talked about were all “thoughts [that] arose from the mind”. Thoughts arise from the mind and are called “the gateway to enlightened conduct”. This is in terms of names and appearances. “Recitation is done through speech.” When we speak, “It is the appearance of the sound.” Throughout the time we have in one day, the thoughts in our mind keep arising. As we are go through the day, we pass through gateways and doors one by one. This is like how when I speak, what I just said, you have taken in through listening. As you listened, the sound disappeared. When you listen to the sound, whether it is loud or quiet, you are able to differentiate it. “The sound is too low; if it can be louder, I can hear it more clearly. It is too loud, it is very noisy.” Sounds can also be appearances to differentiate. So, “the sound” is also an appearance, while “the thought” is a door. As we open the door to our minds, our thoughts begin to come out continuously. [These thoughts] will flash through.
In a moment, in less than a second. When I think this thought, I may say it right away. These will be the words, the appearances that you hear and take in. So, what we have heard is also conditioned phenomena; it was taught by people and spoken through their voices. These are also conditioned [phenomena]. So, conditioned phenomena arise and cease.
This is the law of arising and ceasing. “Only when we see how something arises can we understand how it truly ceases.” We must understand whether these appearances come from, how these doors appear and how these appearances pass. Then, we can clearly understand [how something arises]. When a thought arises, how does it come about? What do the sounds mean together? Many principles and meanings come from sound. This sound comes from a thought. How do the thoughts and sounds arise? If we can understand this clearly, we can “see how something arises”. When we clearly understand, “we can understand how it truly ceases”. We can understand the source of arising,
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3000We will follow our conditions and be amidst joy or suffering. Then, our life will be in confusion. We will not know that “This is not true arising and true ceasing.” Instead we will live our lives in confusion. “If there is true arising and ceasing, then there is neither arising nor ceasing. True arising and true ceasing means that there is “neither arising nor ceasing”. We will come to our next life on our own accord; we will come to our next life by our vows. Coming by our vows is different from transmigrating according to our karma. So, if we want to make vows to come [to the world] and make our lives meaningful, we must quickly explore the principles. True principles are not simply following what others said. Whatever the Buddha taught, we must also contemplate it ourselves. We must clearly contemplate the true principles and the way we should clear the path. We may know the direction, but we must clear the path ourselves. If we do not work hard ourselves, then we have “no Dharma to transform people”. So, we have been talking about this recently. I hope we can return to the True Dharma.
So, I must use more time to help everyone understand what the “intrinsic” is? Now, let us return to the sutra passage. The previous sutra passage states that “As to this group of diligent Bodhisattvas of great might and virtue, who expounded the Dharma for them and taught them until they reached attainment? Who helped them form initial aspirations? What Buddha-Dharma did they praise and promote? Whose sutra did they accept, uphold and practice? Which Buddha’s path did they cultivate and practice?”
We have talked about this previously Maitreya Bodhisattva asked [the Buddha] on behalf of the assembly, “How did so many Bodhisattva come here? What causes and conditions did they come with? What kind of teachings did they receive to teach and guide so many people?” [He asked about] their causes and conditions.
So, the next sutra passage continues with “These Bodhisattvas have spiritual powers and great power of wisdom. The ground in the four directions quaked and split open, World-Honored One, we have never seen anything like this before. We wish You would tell us the name of the land from whence they came.
This was Maitreya Bodhisattva speaking “These Bodhisattva have great spiritual powers. I often teach the Dharma around the world. I also transform sentient beings everywhere. Why is it that I have never seen these people? Why is it that I have never heard their names? Where do they live? Where do they come from? How could I not know any one of them?” He asked the Buddha for answers and asked Him to explain to him how these people came about. What causes and conditions did they have to have such a dignified [appearance], such a virtuous appearance? What causes and conditions helped them accomplish that?
The next sutra passage continues with, “I constantly travel to many lands, yet I have never seen this group. Among this group, I do not recognize even a single person. They suddenly emerged from the ground. I wish You would tell us their causes and conditions.”
This was how Maitreya Bodhisattva spoke on his own accord “I have traveled to so many lands, yet I have never seen these people. Among these people, how could I not recognize even a single person”. He expressed [his thoughts] like this. This was what Maitreya Bodhisattva wanted to express. He also expressed his identity [as a Bodhisattva of] equal enlightenment. I have engaged in spiritual practice for a long time.” How long did Maitreya Bodhisattva practice?
Remember? In Amonghasiddhi Buddha’s era, Maitreya Bodhisattva engaged in spiritual practice at the same Buddha’s spiritual training ground. It was that Buddha who bestowed predictions upon Sakyamuni Bodhisattva. Who would attained Buddhahood first among these two Bodhisattva? It appears that Sakyamuni Bodhisattva [would attain Buddhahood first]. The affinities that Sakyamuni Bodhisattva formed with sentient beings had matured. So, He was able to attain Buddhahood. Maitreya focused more on himself. He [focused on] cultivating his own wisdom and formed less affinities with sentient beings. So, his affinities with sentient beings were not yet mature. Thus, Maitreya Bodhisattva will attain Buddhahood after Sakyamuni Buddha. From this, we can see that Maitreya Bodhisattva also engaged in spiritual practice for a long time. He once engaged in spiritual practice along with Sakyamuni Buddha at the same spiritual training ground as fellow spiritual practitioners.
However, Sakyamuni Buddha attained Buddhahood before Maitreya Bodhisattva. So, Maitreya Bodhisattva expressed, “I abide in equal enlightenment”. In fact, he had accomplished everything except that affinities with sentient beings had not matured. So, this is called “equal enlightenment”. He was replete with virtues, but his causes and conditions had not matured yet. So, I often tell people to form good affinities with sentient beings; this is the reason why. As a Bodhisattva of equal enlightenment he forms affinities with sentient beings everywhere.
I constantly travel to many lands, yet I have never seen this group. Among this group, I do not recognize even a single person: Though I abide in equal enlightenment and constantly travel to the ten directions, I have never seen this group, nor recognize even a single person in the group.
“I constantly travel to the ten directions, [but] I have never seen this group.” He traveled to many different lands. He continuously traveled in all directions to spread the Dharma. He had never seen these people, nor “recognized even a single person in the group”. “Among all these people, I do not recognize even a single person.” This expressed Maitreya Bodhisattva’s thoughts. “They suddenly emerged from the ground. I wish You would tell us.” These Bodhisattva suddenly emerged from the ground. [Maitreya] suddenly saw these people. So, he hoped the Buddha would talk about their causes and conditions. Maitreya Bodhisattva asked the Buddha to tell him these Bodhisattvas’ origins, the reason why they came.
They suddenly emerged from the ground, I wish You would tell us their causes and conditions: He requested the Buddha to tell them the causes and conditions. The lands he had passed through and the places that he had traveled to were many. Whether teachers or friends, those whom he had met were also many. In this group, he had never met any single person. They suddenly emerged from the ground. There had to be a cause for this. He wished the Buddha would tell them what it was.
So, “the lands he passed through describes how Maitreya Bodhisattva had traveled to many places. Whether teachers or friends, he formed many affinities [with people] and met many people. Some were teachers and some were friends. “Those whom he met were also many”. In each session where he expounded the Dharma, there were teachers, fellow students and friends; there were many people. “In this group” even though he met so many people, “he had never met any single person”. He did not recognize these people. “They suddenly emerged from the ground. There must be a cause for this. For these people to suddenly show up, there must be causes and conditions to this. So, Sakyamuni Buddha, please tell them about these people. On behalf of these people, please thoroughly tell them the purpose of these people coming, their causes and conditions and where they are from”. Maitreya Bodhisattva raised these questions to understand [more].
The next sutra passage continues with “Now at this great assembly, these countless trillions of Bodhisattvas and others all wish to know about this matter, about the causes and conditions of this group of Bodhisattvas from beginning to end. World-Honored One of infinite virtue, we only wish that You resolve people’s doubts.”
Now there were so many people at this great assembly; there were “countless trillions” of people. There were so many people. Looking around, [the assembly] was filled with people. Seeing the space from the Bodhisattva’s perspective, it was filled with “these countless trillions of Bodhisattvas”. They were all Bodhisattvas coming to listen to the Dharma and protect the Dharma. So, they were all called Bodhisattvas. “[They] all wish to know about this matter”. Everyone looked forward to understanding the matter of these people who came and their causes and conditions. So, everyone was looking forward to it. This was the number of people at the assembly and the purpose of their request. They asked where these people came from. Everyone present wanted to know. This was their wish. So, “Now this assembly would be happy to hear [about them]”.
Now this assembly would be happy to hear the causes of these Bodhisattvas from beginning to end. Each of them must have their own individual causes and conditions. When the Buddha personally speaks as a noble being, people’s doubts will be resolved.
Everyone there wanted to listen and understand the causes and conditions of the many Bodhisattvas who emerged from the ground and the reason they came. [They wanted to know] the goals they had, the responsibility they had and so on. All of them wanted to hear “the [causes of] these Bodhisattvas from beginning to end,” [They wanted to know] from beginning to end their causes and conditions, the reasons they came. “Each of them must have their own individual causes and conditions”. [They] believed that with so many [Bodhisattvas], each had their own individual causes and conditions. Indeed! Every single person has their own causes and conditions. Likewise, each Bodhisattva also has their own causes and conditions. This is very simple; we just talked about this. Sakyamuni Bodhisattva was so earnest. He did not care for himself; [everything he did was for] all sentient beings. He continuously formed good affinities with sentient beings and created blessings for them. With these causes and conditions, He could quickly attain Buddhahood before Maitreya Bodhisattva. Maitreya Bodhisattva was replete with wisdom. Why could he not [attain Buddhahood]? Amoghasiddhi Buddha mentioned, “It is because it is more difficult to be replete with affinities with sentient beings. It is easier to complete personal [cultivation]”. So, Maitreya only [completed] personal [cultivation]. He had very thorough wisdom. He completely understood all [principles]. He thoroughly understood the Buddha-Dharma and was replete with wisdom. However, he lacked affinities with sentient beings. Amoghasiddhi Buddha analyzed that it would be more difficult to accumulate affinities with sentient beings. It would be faster for Sakyamuni Buddha to attain [enlightenment].
So, by going among people, He formed good affinities. At the same time, with afflictions among people, he knew how to thoroughly understand the principles through the afflictions. Clearly seeing the root of the principles is not very difficult. He did not necessarily have to only benefit Himself. So, as we talked about Maitreya’s and Sakyamuni Buddha’s causes and conditions, they each had different causes and conditions. They had different perspectives. One said, “After completing my [cultivation], I will then transform others”. The other one thought, “With all the things I know now, I must quickly go and help others. With all I understand, I must help others. So, since I understand [the principles], I must go help others”. They had different mindsets, so they had different accomplishments. In short, everyone had different causes and conditions. “Each of them must have their own individual causes and conditions”. Each of them had their own causes and conditions. So, “When the Buddha personally speaks as a noble being, people’s doubts will be resolves”. What Maitreya meant was that, in fact, he knew [the causes and conditions], but it would not be as persuasive if he said it. As for these Bodhisattvas’ cause and conditions, he could not explain them persuasively. If Sakyamuni Buddha could explain this, everyone would believe Him. This describes [the depth of] Sakyamuni Buddha’s affinities with the world. To speak in a way that people believe us, we must have [good] affinities with them. When we speak to people we have affinities with, all they hear is true principles. If it is people we have [bad] affinities with, all they hear is antagonizing words. The principle is the same.
So, Maitreya asked the Buddha to teach in person, to speak about the reason these Bodhisattvas came. It was not that Maitreya had doubts; he asked on behalf of these Bodhisattvas. He also expressed the causes and conditions and the affinities that Sakyamuni Buddha formed with sentient beings in the Saha World.
The Buddha taught according to affinities. This was what he expressed. “The causes and conditions of this group of Bodhisattvas from beginning to end…”. [He] had to talk about the causes and conditions of these Bodhisattvas from beginning to end. These Bodhisattvas [had the causes and conditions] “from beginning to end,” from the root where they began. “Beginning” refers to the start. From start to finish, from beginning to end, “as he asked earlier, what were the various causes and conditions?” [Maitreya] hoped the causes and conditions of these Bodhisattvas from beginning to end could be explained by Sakyamuni Buddha verbally. [He hoped the Buddha] would explain the causes and conditions of these people.
So, “World-Honored One of infinite virtue, we only wish that You resolve people’s doubts.” Maitreya also wanted to express that he respected Sakyamuni Buddha. After all, Sakyamuni Buddha was the current [Buddha]. Although they cultivated together in the past, [Sakyamuni] Buddha had attained Buddhahood, while Maitreya was still a Bodhisattva. So, he had to respect the Buddha. Out of the etiquette of respect, he had to follow the etiquette and principles. He had to follow the principle of order and sequence; he had to follow this etiquette. So, the world of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is just like [the human world].
At that place, Maitreya had to respectfully address the Buddha as “World-Honored One of infinite virtue.” He praised Him again “World-Honored One! Your infinite virtue is honored by the world. We only wish that the Great Enlightened World-Honored One would help these great Bodhisattvas resolve their doubts. [We hope You would] prevent them from harboring doubts in mind and help them resolve the doubts in their minds.” We know that in the Bodhisattvas’ world and the Buddha’s world, they also follow the same etiquette.
World-Honored One of infinite virtue, we only wish that You resolve people’s doubts: They only wished that the Great Enlightened. World-Honored One of 10,000 Virtues would resolve for the assembly of Bodhisattvas this feeling of doubt so that they would not harbor any doubts.
In our lives, throughout the day, we live amidst our Roots, Dusts and Consciousnesses. When our Roots connect with these Dusts, how should our consciousness, our thoughts, arise? We must open the door to our hearts every day. Once opened, our thoughts arise from our minds. When we see people, we must treat them with propriety and be courteous. As for the words we speak, we must greet others. So, we often say that when we see people, [we must say,] “Good morning!” “Good evening!” or “Good night!” We must first greet them or say hello to them. “Hello!” After we finish working with each other, [we say] “Thank you, thank you!” This is the etiquette. This is not just with words we say. As we open our minds, the words we speak must all be good words spoken kindly.
What about our bodies? Likewise, we must also have etiquette. We cannot do without etiquette. No matter what environment we enter, we must display the etiquette we have for that environment. This is the principle. So, our actions and speech come from our mind. As the door to our hearts open, all our appearances [are expressed] through our body and speech. Whether the actions of our bodies or words from our mouths, these are all “appearances.” “Appearances” come from our “minds.” Our minds refer to our thoughts. As the door of our minds open, our thoughts arise, our hands take action and our mouths utter words. This is how our daily living is inseparable from the principles. Principles exist in the display of etiquette. This is the “appearance.” “Principles” are intangible. “Appearances” can be displayed. So, we must understand “the law of arising and ceasing.” “The law of arising and ceasing” is about “appearances.” Within “appearance” and “non-appearance,” there are principles; we can understand how things “arise” and “cease.” In fact, things that arise do not exist forever; they do not always exist. If we are born in heaven, do we live forever? Being born in heaven gives us longer lifespans, but once we exhaust our blessings, we will fall into [other realms] again. Good and evil [retributions result from] the convergence of causes and conditions, so causes and conditions are very important. So, those who create blessings can go to heaven and enjoy heavenly blessings. Those who do evil will fall into hell and suffer. This is the law of karma. If our actions are right, we will be joyful. If there is a deviation in our actions, we will feel very troubled, and this will cause us lifelong regrets. In our daily life, amidst the arising and ceasing, [we must understand] how things arise in the beginning and where they return when they cease to exist. We must earnestly put our mind to use so that we can come and go with peace and clearly understand arising and ceasing. To be able to do so is the true goal of our lives. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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