Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Faithfully Accepting the Buddha’s Words (忍辱不退 信受佛語)
Date: December.05.2018
“Through the power of patience, Bodhisattvas retain and uphold all virtuous Dharma. They must always have Samadhi and never regress or lose it, forever upholding their aspirations without retreating. They know for certain the path is not long and diligently cultivate wisdom without indolence. They clearly understand and deeply penetrate their nature. They only advance and never retreat. This is having a non-retreating mind.”
To have a non-retreating mind, we must always be mindful. To be a Bodhisattva, we must be able to patiently endure. We learn the Bodhisattva-path in this world that must be endured. We willingly live in this Saha World. We who learn and practice the Dharma must practice upon the Bodhisattva-path. Only then will be able to learn from the Buddha and attain Buddhahood. This is a very logical path.
So, we must be very mindful and know that the course of the Bodhisattva-path requires the power of patience for us to patiently [endure] this world. The Buddha clearly told us that this world is “hard to endure”. In this world that is hard to endure, “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings.” He made this clear to us as well. Since we must make connections among people and sentient beings face so much suffering, what should Bodhisattvas do among them? We should uphold all that is virtuous. We must treat their suffering with a heart of virtue and wisdom. With a heart of virtue, we seek to make up for their shortcomings. With wisdom, we teach them about their afflictions. [To treat] suffering and afflictions, Bodhisattvas must exercise both virtue and wisdom. These are essential.
So, Bodhisattvas must be replete with the power of patience, and they must “retain and uphold all virtuous Dharma.” In this world, there are countless forms of suffering. Some people lack life’s necessities and struggle to survive. Others enjoy prosperous lives and are very affluent, but inside, they feel discontent and are always lacking something. There are still many things they lack. Some people lack good relationships, whether with their family or their spouse. Others have very good relationships, yet life is impermanent.
Ultimately, how long of a life and how much time will they be able to spend together? Life is full of suffering. Others are unable to have a harmonious relationship with their children. Or perhaps once they have reconciled with them, problems arise again, and they are unable to maintain the natural love between parents and children throughout their life between parents and children throughout their life. Sometimes, on their long path through this world, with the way of life in today’s society, it is easy for young people to develop psychological issues. Aren’t there a lot of temptations and stress in today’s society?
All in all, our society has become very complicated. Which direction should our young people take? Sometimes they cannot focus at all. They are interests in everything and want to learn everything. They are dissatisfied with everything, and they are discontent with everything. They must work with others to accomplish things, but everyone has their own ideas and opinions. This gives rise to the turbidities of afflictions and views. The turbidities of afflictions, views and life, these roiling turbidities, exist within the world, society and families, and when causes and conditions converge, they bring us suffering. This is not necessarily physical suffering, the suffering caused by natural disasters or manmade calamities. This is not necessarily so.
Even in peaceful societies and families, there is still so much suffering. In just a single family, [we can see] the turbidities of afflictions, views and life. This modern era is the “kalpa of turbidity”. [It is filled with] the Five Turbidities. These roiling turbidities are very severe. They bring suffering for sentient beings. What should we do if we encounter this suffering? We should uphold all virtuous Dharma. We should use this virtuous Dharma to remedy [this situation] by exercising the wisdom and power of Samadhi with which we are endowed. We must find a way to guide people without being influenced by them or affected by our environment. When we exercise our wisdom and compassion, the virtuous teaching of our wisdom and compassion will enter the hearts of sentient beings. So, this world, as the Buddha has clearly expressed to us, is the world that must be endured. Bodhisattvas must endure it patiently and train themselves [through upholding] all virtuous [Dharma] while facing the countless forms of suffering in this world and dedicating themselves [to helping others]. This is what Bodhisattvas must practice. So, to “retain and uphold all virtuous [Dharma],” [Bodhisattvas] must have the power of Samadhi. “They must always have Samadhi and never regress or lose it, forever upholding their aspirations without retreating.” This is the path we must persevere upon. We know that this is our direction in this world. We must form aspirations to clear this path. If we do not clear this path, even though we will always know our direction, we will have no path to walk upon.
The suffering of sentient beings is truly unbearable. Suffering is not limited to sentient beings with hardships, ignorance and severe turbidities. Even though we know the Buddha-Dharma, if we refuse to progress forward, we too will remain in this place with severe turbidities, unable to escape. So, though it takes hard work to clear this path, as we receive the Buddha’s teachings, we must constantly accept, realize and comprehend the principles, and we must put them into practice. We must open up the path in the right direction, dedicate our strength and fully dedicate our reward-body. We must give our all to open up this path in the right direction. Chi Hui, [our director] in Jordan, has vows, patience and endurance like this. He upholds this power of patience in Jordan as he faces the suffering sentient beings there. The hardships faced by people there do not stem from Jordanian society, but rather from the many [neighboring] countries where people flee because of manmade calamities. People flee as homeless refugees to the Jordanian border. In the vast wilderness of the desert, a refugee camp has been built. One by one, small tents were erected there. The tents were erected on the desert land. Just imagine! Whenever a hard wind blows, it stirs up a sandstorm. When the sun scorches the sand, it is like the sun is baking the sand. The hot sun presses down on the earth. These helpless refugees flee for their lives to that place. They number in the tens of thousands, and people keep coming in on a constant basis. The [Jordanian] government was generous to open the border to let them in, but there are so many people.
By 2017, most of those people still live in the tent area. How do they get by? Chi Hui has been [in Jordan] for over 20 years by now. Tzu Chi has also been serving there for over 20 years. [Chi Hui] first started [volunteering] by visiting care recipients; this is how he got started. Over the last ten or more years, [Jordan’s] neighboring countries have been ravaged by war, including Iraq and Syria. There are other historical reasons behind this. [People] are still fleeing from certain countries. Due to the instability of the Middle East, refugees are still fleeing. In whichever country they endure suffering wherever people encounter hardships in life, charity organizations will go there to assist them. Many humanitarian organizations will go.
However, before long, these organizations will slowly start to withdraw. Chi Hui has been providing long-term care there. He and several local volunteers have been providing long-term care. There are so many cases of hardship and misery. People must flee against impossible odds in order to keep their families safe. People lose their family members along the way. Those who remain are eventually abide to reach the refugee camps. Some arrive already injured or sick. They all come from anguished, devastated families. Chi Hui has dedicated himself to serving and accompanying those in that place for the long term. Although he has support from [Tzu Chi] in Taiwan, being in that place and maintaining his morale for the long term is no easy feat! It really is hard work. Faced with so many suffering people with a different religion, he has to find ways to mindfully lead people out of their mental and physical [hardships]. Even though they all say, “We are grateful to Allah for sending you, for sending Tzu Chi here, [Chi Hui] still maintains his own spiritual path without losing sight of his spiritual aspirations. He also tells them, “I am also very grateful. I am grateful to Sakyamuni Buddha. I am grateful for Tzu Chi’s support”. This is a perfect response. “You believe in your religion, and I believe in mine. I uphold my spiritual aspirations, and I uphold my path, this clear path of mine. I use the power of patience and love. I have formed aspirations, and I know my direction in life. I know how I should walk this path. Following along in this direction, I put the Dharma into practice to clear this path so that everyone can safely walk together upon this bumpy path in this world”. This is the spirit with which we must face different religions. [People of] different religions have their own form of spiritual support, but the Buddha-Dharma still gives us ways to use the Dharma to transform ourselves and others. How do we make the effort [to do this]? We must clear the path ourselves instead of waiting for others to do it [for us]. When we form aspirations, it means that we are willing to clear this path. We will clear this path together and walk it together. This is an everlasting path. If no one is willing to put the Dharma into practice, there will be no path. Without a path, there will be chaos in the world. When leaders have no path and do not know the principles, they bring about manmade calamities and chaos, not just natural disasters but manmade calamities as well.
In historical costume dramas, we often see pathless [rulers]. These pathless [rulers] bring about great chaos in the world. To engage in spiritual practice, we must have this path. We must clear this path well so that everyone will have a path to walk. If we fear the hard work and just want to rely on others to do it, how much longer are we going to be dependent? There needs to be people willing to open up this path and clear it so that everyone can walk it and pave it together. They are the true foundation [of this path], the builders and teachers of the path and those who walk it. This is the direction we should take. We must “retain and uphold all virtuous Dharma” so that we can “always have Samadhi and never regress or lose it”. We must keep walking this path so that we never develop the desire to retreat. We put the Dharma into practice as we walk it; only then will we experience [the Dharma] deeply. This is just like Chi Hui, who keeps on walking. He has empathy for those who are suffering. This is universal compassion. Seeing how those people and their children can stand up [on their own two feet], the compassion he feels naturally propels him forward as he “forever uphold [his] aspirations without retreating”. This requires true aspirations and persistence to keep walking onward. We must “know for certain the path is not long”. This is the right path to walk on. We must keep walking it. As long as we know for certain that we walk the right path, we will not fear its length. We already know this world is hard to endure. We already understand that this path is bumpy. Yet we align ourselves along this path and pave it with dedication. We must pave this bumpy path level and even.
“Diligently cultivate wisdom without indolence” means that, in addition to “retaining all virtuous Dharma”, we must be even more diligent. We must retain all virtuous Dharma to relieve sentient beings’ suffering. “Diligently cultivate wisdom” means we must put the principles into practice. We must personally experience the principles. We have been walking the path steadfastly, with a genuine sense of stability upon this path. So, we must “diligently cultivate wisdom” without indolence. [Bodhisattvas] “clearly understand and deeply penetrate their nature”. They only progress and never retreat. So, they only diligently advance and never retreat. This is what it means to have a “non-retreating mind”. Everyone should clearly understand these matters.
Every day, I tell everyone about how the Buddha teaches us to walk the Bodhisattva-path. We must personally seek to experience this. Where does its meaning lie? Where does the core of its essence lie? We must mindfully seek to comprehend this. Be it today’s world, the present era, society, families or the human mind, we must constantly seek to understand them. Only then, as we learn the sutra, will we be able to fully comprehend the principles of the path.
In the previous sutra passage, [the Buddha] says, “All these children learn and practice my teachings of the path. Day and night, they are always diligent for the sake of seeking the path to Buddhahood. They abide in the empty space below this Saha World. Their power of resolve and thought is firm, and they always earnestly seek wisdom. They teach all kinds of wondrous Dharma, and their minds are fearless”.
We have previously discussed this, the causes and conditions behind the arrival of these Bodhisattvas and the place where they abide. The path they walk is the Middle Way. We must be very mindful of this next sutra passage.
“In the city of Gaya, I sat beneath the Bodhi tree, attained the most perfect enlightenment and turned the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel. At that time, I taught and transformed them, helping them form initial spiritual aspirations. Now they all abide in the state of non-retreating and will all attain Buddhahood”.
We need to be even more mindful. As I have said previously, the sentient beings whom Sakyamuni Buddha had transformed Beginning less kalpas ago had now become Bodhisattvas who had formed great aspirations.
However, in the next sutra passage, [the Buddha] states, “In the city of Gaya, I sat beneath the Bodhi tree”. Again, we must mindfully seek to comprehend this passage.
The Buddha made use of His causes and conditions as a Bodhisattva from beginning to end. What seems like a recent manifestation actually leads to the distant intrinsic. People who have great spiritual aspirations and engage in spiritual practice begin from their initial aspiration. By practicing on the path without retreating, they will eventually attain Buddhahood.
This passage states that this manifestation” seems to be very recent. During the Buddha’s course of spiritual practice in this lifetime, he went to the city of Gaya and sat beneath the Bodhi tree. Only after He attained enlightenment did He begin to expound the Dharma, to teach and transform. This manifestation seems very recent, as they are the circumstances of His present lifetime. But actually, the principles contained within [this manifestation] are the distant intrinsic. The “present” we are now discussing was rooted countless kalpas in the past. So, we should always focus on the present while we listen to the sutra. We should be pragmatic and principled. To be pragmatic is to face the reality of life.
Who is it I speak to? How long will our affinities last? These are very practical considerations. When did our affinities in this life begin? These causes and conditions came together on a certain day of a certain year and have extended toward this period of time. This is our “recent manifestation” in our present lifetime, but we should have faith in our affinities, our causes and conditions, including the distant causes and conditions from many lifetime ago.
So, we must try to understand the true “distant intrinsic”. I often refer to the 16 princes from the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City. I often mention them to everyone. This is a distant cause, somethomg that happened a long time ago. [The events in] the city of Gaya happened during.
Sakyamuni Buddha’s lifetime. On the surface, they seem recent but when these disciples listened to and accepted the Dharma [the Buddha] taught them, actually, this affinity did not come from this lifetime, but rather from distant causes and distant lifetimes. This came from very long ago, thus, it is called the “distant intrinsic”. “People who have great spiritual aspirations and engage in spiritual practice begin from their aspiration”. They had truly formed great spiritual aspirations. We have discussed how great spiritual aspirations are accumulated throughout many lifetimes beginning from that initial aspiration. We must not retreat [from this aspiration]. This is how they continued to sustain it all the way throughout their present lifetime; they had to constantly sustain all the way up to their present lifetime. By this time, there were so many of them, these Bodhisattvas who had gathered there. These present effects would not exist if it were not for those past causes; this is the law of cause and effect. These causes need conditions, and effects are followed by retributions. Causes, conditions effects and retributions appear in this order. Through their present cultivation, they attained the Dharma; they heard, accepted and attained the Dharma because they had [accumulated].
At this time, in this lifetime, they were able to receive predictions of Buddhahood. They completed [this process] in this lifetime because the Buddha had attained enlightenment in this lifetime. Thus, He bestowed predictions upon them in this lifetime.
So, “In the city of Gaya, I sat beneath the Bodhi tree”. He sat beneath this Bodhi tree. Where was the city of Gaya? It “was a city close to where the Buddha attained enlightenment.
This city is not far from the Bodhi tree. This city is not far from the Bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment. That place is not far from the city of Gaya. People say that it is a mountain city, that Gaya is a mountain city, a place with many mountains and hills. It is southwest of the kingdom of Magadha in India. The Bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment is also somewhere within that area. From this we know that after the Buddha left the palace to travel everywhere, when He attained enlightenment, He returned to a place not far from their capital. This place was not far from Gaya. This was the place of enlightenment where He attained Buddhahood. Hence, “I attained the most perfect enlightenment and turned the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel.
I attained the mist perfect enlightenment and turned the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel: He ascended to and abided in conplete enlightenment. Thus, this is called perfect enlightenment. When He turns [the wheel of] the Three Vehicles, it is divided into great, average and limited, when He turns [the wheel of] the One Vehicle, it is called “unsurpassed”. In that place, He engaged in tranquil cultivation.
Suddenly, He became one with the universe and attained enlightenment. The principles of all things in the universe were all absorbed into the Buddha’s ocean of enlightenment. This Buddha-nature and ocean of wisdom fully contains the true principles of the universe. Thus, “He ascended to and abided in complete enlightenment”. This is where He abides. The Buddha’s state of mind abides in complete enlightenment. He forever abides in this place; this is the Buddha’s spiritual state. “Thus, this is called perfect enlightenment.”
Thus, the Buddha is called the Enlighted One, the Great Enlightened One who has become enlightened. “when He turns [the wheel of] the Three Vehicles, it is divided into great, average and limited He turned the Dharma-wheel in Deer Park. There, He completed the Three Turnings of the Four Noble Truths, suffering, causation cessation and the Path. This completed [the Three Treasures], the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. When the five bhiksus became monastics, the [Three Treasures] were complete. The Buddha began to give the teachings by using the Three Vehicle in parallel, the Three Vehicles of Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas. Using this method, He taught according to capabilities. people have different capacities for awakening so the Buddha teaches according to capabilities. Each person receives different teachings based on their capability. Such is the Buddha’s wisdom.
So, “When He turns [the wheel of] the One Vehicle, it is called ‘unsurpassed”’. The sound of the Buddha-Dharma reflects His wisdom. He expounds the Dharma in various ways according to people’s different capabilities and speaks in relation to the principles they wish [to understand]. Such is the Buddha’s great enlightenment and great wisdom.
“At that time, I taught and transformed them, helping them form initial spiritual aspirations”. After He attained Buddhahood in that place, from then on, He began to teach the Dharma at Deer Park using the Three Vehicle Dharma. Thus, He began [to teach] the Three Vehicle Dharma. So, “Since that time, I constantly taught and transformed them, helping them form their initial unsurpassed aspirations”. After attaining enlightenment, He left the Bodhimanda and began a life of teaching the Dharma. When the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha were fully realized within this life, He began to teach and transform sentient beings.
So, He “helped them form their initial unsurpassed aspirations”. He used His voice to spread the Dharma. He relied on people to take His voice to heart. His voice was His tool for spreading the Dharma. One by one, people came to understand the Buddha-Dharma and accepted transformation. This is how the Buddha was able to use [different] teaching methods for [different] sentient beings. “Now they all abide in the state of non-retreating and will all attain Buddhahood.” Now that He had led them all to this path, they would never retreat from it.
Now they all abide in the state of non-retreating and will all attain Buddhahood: Now they all abide in the state of non-retreating and will all attain the supreme fruit of Buddhahood.
Patiently enduring this Saha World, we gradually cultivate through the Small Vehicle and Middle Vehicle to reach the Great Vehicle. We understand that this world is inherently full of suffering; we know this from the Small Vehicle Dharma. Where does the principle of suffering come from? We must personally eliminate the source of our suffering. To eliminate the source of our suffering, we must live patiently within this Saha World and accept the Buddha’s teachings. Only then will we have the means to eliminate these afflictions and ignorance. This is the meaning of self-cultivation, to patiently endure this world, to patiently endure this spiritual training ground and to patiently endure being among such people. The Buddha has taught us all about suffering, and we all have this patient endurance; it is just that we form aspirations on different levels. Some people say, “I just want to endure this life. I dare not return again in my next life”. They dare not return in their next life.
The Buddha hopes everyone will do more than dare to return in their next life, but also seek to form everlasting aspirations that will last lifetime after lifetime. To this place of suffering, we must tirelessly return again and again. We must return again to teach others, because sentient beings in the evil world of turbidities are becoming more and more severely afflicted, and the world is becoming more and more chaotic. In this world, countries, societies, communities and families are all undergoing changes. The human mind is becoming more complicated. More than ever, we need people to make vows to return again. Bodhisattvas must be able to endure [this world].
So, by then, [these Bodhisattvas’ minds] abided in the state of non-retreating. They had formed Great Vehicle aspirations and were fearless, [completely] without fear. [They said], “I am enduring and patient, and I am willing to return to this place lifetime after lifetime”. Thus, they abide in the empty space beneath the [Saha] World, going back and forth without ever leaving this world. They walk the Middle Way. So, “[They] will all attain Buddhahood”. We must walk upon the right path like them. This path is not that long. Although this path is rough and bumpy, we have been clearing it all this time. We keep clearing and paving the path. Some clear the path while others pave it. We must pave this path level and even and open up this path in people’s hearts. If our hearts know no path, there will be chaos in this world. Leaders must have the path in their hearts, and so must those who are led. We must walk this same path together. Only by doing so will we be able to change this world. While this path has yet to open up to us, we need to form aspirations, make vows and continue to clear this path. This principle is certain.
Hence, “Now they all abide in the state of non-retreating and will all attain Buddhahood”. If we keep walking forward, we are guaranteed to arrive at the other end of this path.
In the next sutra passage, [the Buddha] says, “What I speak now is the truth. You all should believe this wholeheartedly. Since a long and distant time ago, I have taught and transformed this group”.
This sutra passage reinforces for us that we must have faith. “What I am speaking now is the truth.” We have the intrinsic, the fundamental Dharma, and our karmic conditions in this life. Past causes and present conditions will result in future effects. At this time, He wanted to make sure everyone understood this clearly. So, the Buddha said, “What I speak now is the truth. Everything I say is true”. He wanted to convey what was right to everyone, His honest and sincere [intentions]. “You must establish your faith. Every word I speak is true.” This statement He made is true, not false.
What I speak now is the truth. You all should believe this wholeheartedly: The Buddha said, “What I speak now is the truth”. He spoke with truth, sincerity and faith. “Previously, when I said that in this lifetime, I attained Buddhahood at the city of Gaya, I said this for those of limited capabilities as skillful means. Now, when I say I attained Buddhahood long ago, I am speaking the truth. All of you must wholeheartedly have faith in and accept this; do not give rise to doubt.”
“Previously, when I said….” This refers to His past and present teachings. He taught about His causes and conditions from countless kalpas ago and shared with everyone about His causes and conditions for attaining Buddhahood in this life. Whether He spoke of the past or the present, about attaining Buddhahood in the city of Gaya or so on, everyone could remember all of this. “How did I come into this life? What is the purpose of my spiritual cultivation?” Everyone had heard and understood these things. The story of the city of Gaya, which He spoke of now, is a story that even people of duller capabilities can understand. He raised this example as a form of skillful means. His present transformation-body came to this world in accordance with these causes and conditions. They could see it, experience it and hear it. It had a form and an appearance. They were all able to hear these skillful means. In fact, this form, this appearance contained the true principles, which have neither form nor appearance and have existed since long ago. “Now, when I say I attained Buddhahood long ago,” this is the truth. His present appearance would not abide for long. Because the principles have existed a long time, when this lifetime was to end, He must return to these timeless principles all the same. Thus, [He said], “I am speaking the truth.” By returning to the timeless [principles], He spoke the truth. Everyone can see what is plain and apparent now; this is skillful means. “This is how I teach with what is tangible, with what cannot abide permanently in this world. We must eventually return to the intangible, the timeless principles which constitute our spirit and ideals.”
“Now, when I say I attained Buddhahood long ago, I am speaking the truth. All of you must wholeheartedly have faith in and accept this; do not give rise to doubt.” We must connect this passage with the previous passage we discussed. So, everyone, please be mindful!
We must be mindful of the present moment. How should Bodhisattvas conduct themselves? We must maintain patience in our every thought. We must understand the foundations of our past and apply them in our present. Right now, we are all a form of skillful means. Our names are skillful means. Our strength is skillful means. Our bodies are skillful means. We all function within skillful means. This [life] is transient and temporary, and our lifespan is fixed. We are not real; we are a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow. Let us return to what is real, which means we must truly find our own direction, our own path, and find ways to help others. We accumulate our memories, real memories; this is “consciousness.” They return to our storehouse consciousness, our nature of True Suchness. This enables us to decide for ourselves what we are willing to do. Even now, we must skillfully make use of our strength to help those who are suffering due to the karmic law of cause and effect. We must use the causes and effects of goodness to protect them. We must teach them to cultivate the ground of their mind, to sow seeds and plant a field of blessings. Although this is all part of our transient human life, it all brings us back to the principles, which are everlasting. Please be mindful and seek to comprehend the True Dharma behind this.
So, the Buddha wants to teach us the True Dharma, and this is why, in this sutra passage, [He says,] “You all must have faith. You must have faith that I speak the True Dharma.” This was the Buddha’s request to us. So, we must have faith in the Dharma expounded by the Buddha. We must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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