Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Old Son and the Young Father (子老父少 是事難信)
Date: December.12.2018
“Attached to the nearby fruits, people doubted the far-away seeds. Attached to what is near and far, they doubted the past and future. Although [the Buddha] had explained the intrinsic and the manifest and the far and the near, [Maitreya] explained that it was difficult to believe in. [The Buddha] clarified the nearby cause and revealed the manifest. [The Buddha] explained the distant cause and clarified the intrinsic.”
We must be mindful! “Attached to the nearby fruits,” we “doubt the far-away seeds.” “Attached to what is near and far,” we “doubts the past and future.” We must remember that over the past two days, we have been talking about Maitreya continually asking the Buddha. What he wanted to ask about was the large numbers [of Bodhisattvas]. These numbers are difficult for an ordinary person to calculate. It was very clear that. [The Buddha] was tracing the Dharma back to its source. We should be very grateful to these Bodhisattvas. First, there was Manjusri Bodhisattva, and before him there was Sariputra. Sariputra asked the Buddha [to teach] again and again. The Buddha used these circumstances so that people would place importance on [the Lotus Sutra]. Furthermore, this reminded everyone that the principles of the Lotus Sutra are very profound. These principles are indeed truly profound. Without the appropriate capabilities, after people hear them, not only would [the principles] not have any effect, people may even deviate in their direction, which could lead them far off course.
So, after the Buddha began praising the Lotus Sutra, Sariputra wanted to receive this Dharma; he admired the Great Vehicle Dharma, so he asked the Buddha to teach the profound Dharma that He praised. The Buddha’s intent was to remind everyone to be vigilant; He wanted them first to truly understand. “In order to listen to this sutra, you must be mentally prepared because you must be very mindful to deeply experience and understand it. Only then can you really become familiar with it and be able to apply it yourselves.” The Buddha, [in response to] Sariputra’s requests, repeatedly said, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.” We must be mindful of the meaning of this.
Then there was Manjusri Bodhisattva. Again and again, the Buddha spoke of the difficulties involved in practicing the path. Since He wanted to pass down the Buddha-Dharma, he let us first understand [the difficulties]. “Spreading the Buddha-Dharma is difficult!” “If you want to pass down the Dharma, you will encounter so many difficulties! Without patience, there will be no way for you to continue doing it for long.” Manjusri was worried that when people heard this, they would become afraid and wish to retreat. That is why Manjusri came out and said, “Venerable Buddha! With such profound Dharma and such a difficult and dangerous process, are there smoother paths and more skillful means that can help people easily understand and walk [this path]? What methods can we use to face the world and overcome these difficulties?” Because of this, the Buddha began teaching the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy. If Manjusri had not brought this up, we would not have had the chance to learn, in light of those difficulties, what kind of mindset we would need to overcome such difficulties. We also need to use certain methods to face the world.
Ultimately, we must put the teachings into practice. When it comes to our body, speech and mind, we must be very diligent and earnest. There is nothing in the world that is very easily understood or that can be understood at first glance. This is the Dharma; it is different from [worldly] matters. We must use the Dharma in the world, for this is closely relevant to the Bodhisattva-path in the world and to the attitude we must have in the world. This is a spiritual ideal. It is different from what we use in business, from the idea of “I should use this method to make money.” This is of great relevance to Bodhisattvas, to their consciousness over many lifetimes, to their seeds and their actions; [it is relevant] to how they speak and to how they conduct themselves. When they are among people, how do they interact with them?
How do they stabilize their spiritual aspirations? They must take the Dharma they learned and turn it into the Dharma that is their own, going from being passive to proactive. Not only must they be proactive, but they must be able to influence others as well. Passing down the Dharma like this in the world is a very intricate and precise process. When it comes to matters and principles, we use matters to understand principles. We may learn how to do things stage by stage, but everything still depends upon our mind. Whatever we do, however we act and whatever we speak about, it still ultimately depends up our mind, our consciousness. We must not let our mindset deviate; it must be deeply rooted in the source of the Dharma. Including the causes, conditions, effects and retributions, we cannot neglect any of them. The Bodhisattvas Way has always been at the core [of the teachings], and all Dharma is also at the center. So, we must all be very mindful.
We must understand it but not be attached to it. If we become attached to it, it will be impossible to completely understand. If we are attached to “matters,” we will lose sight of “the principles”. This is the main point. So, if we are “attached to the nearby fruits” we will “doubt the far-away seeds”. We will be attached to the present, to the present circumstances we are in.
Take for example the Buddha at the Vulture Peak Assembly. As described by the sutra passage, at the Vulture Peak Assembly, the people who came were welling forth; they came from empty space, from the ten directions, and continuously welled forth, gathering there at Vulture Peak. Moreover, [some] emerged from the ground; they kept emerging from the ground. Their numbers were described in terms of sands of numbers of Ganges Rivers, 60,000 Ganges Rivers and so on, millions of Ganges Rivers. They were that many. They kept emerging from the ground. If we are attached to the text, we would not be able to [truly understand] the actual place, the actual location where the Buddha taught the Dharma.
Transportation is very developed now, and many people go on tours or pilgrimages. There are many who now go to Vulture Peak, the place where the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra. From the pictures [people showed me], [I could see] what the location is actually like. Compared to the way it is described in the words in the sutras, it seems to be quite different. As people transcribed the sutras, they had to find ways to describe the Buddha’s wisdom. They had to find ways to describe the majesty of His virtue and how He used His spiritual powers. So, after they were transcribed, they were continually passed down, and those who came later kelp copying and describing the sutra. After they were compiled, they were passed down verbally; they were compiled into sutras for us to pass down. If we are not mindful in understanding and considering this, we will [not be able to] bring matters and states together with the principles. Take how Maitreya Bodhisattva kept on questioning [the Buddha]; it was as if he was challenging Him. What he was asking the Buddha about was the great number of people who were coming. The people, these Bodhisattvas, were all taught after the Buddha attained Buddhahood. The [disciples] the Buddha had taught overlooked the meaning behind this. The time the Buddha had been teaching since He has attained Buddhahood had in fact not been very long. Why did [the Buddha] say that so many Bodhisattvas of such seniority have all been taught by Him? The Buddha personally said, “I taught and transformed all of these people.” [The disciples] could not believe this, so [Maitreya] kept questioning Him again and again. He kept saying, “It is difficult to believe in it”. It was very difficult to believe in. It was almost as if he were debating the Buddha from the way he challenged Him; he kept [asking] Him over and over again and kept doubting the Buddha. The Buddha gave explanations, but he still continued asking Him. This was what Maitreya Bodhisattva did. Why did Maitreya Bodhisattva [do this] taught he had thoroughly understood the Buddha’s principles? He already clearly knew all the profound principles! We should understand this; the Buddha had already explained the affinities between Maitreya and Himself. The distant cause is that they engaged in spiritual practice together. Since Maitreya had the distant cause of engaging in spiritual practice together with the Buddha, of course he had also formed great aspirations and made great vows.
Furthermore, Maitreya is now in Tusita Heaven. The fact he is in Tusita Heaven means that in the future, he will attain Buddhahood; he will succeed the Buddha. However, Maitreya still kept on asking Him; He kept asking Him one question after another. Was Maitreya criticizing the Buddha? Was he purposely criticizing Him? He was not. He did it for the sake of future sentient beings.
Since the words in the sutra were written in this way, if we would not be mindful and simply pass it down like this, people would likely have doubts. People would not be able to resolve the doubts at that time. It was better that Maitreya raised these questions and expressed the doubts. He raised these doubts for the sake of sentient beings in the future, hoping the Buddha would clarify things further, that He would explain things more simply so that those who come later would have no doubts. If people were to give rise to doubts, they could easily become lax and retreat in their spiritual aspirations. Without faith, we easily retreat in our spiritual aspirations. This is like people today who say, “I want to get something done, but as it is, I have no way to proceed.” Just like that, they feel that they have lose their will to fight. This is the same principle. So, Maitreya Bodhisattva initiated the questions, asking questions on behalf of the people there, to pave a stable path for sentient begins in the future. This way, he was able to lead the Buddha to explain things more clearly and find a way to help everyone understand.
[Maitreya did] the same as Manjusri Bodhisattva. Since spreading the Dharma is fraught with such great difficulties, it can frighten people so much that they may be unwilling to continue in their practice. This is why the Buddha began teaching the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy. Now, Maitreya Bodhisattva did not understand how long the Buddha’s “lifespan” really was. He only saw the Buddha’s present appearance, how He had grown from childhood to youth, to adulthood, and then into middle and old age. The Buddha had already manifested old age. He followed the laws of nature and would eventually [pass away] one day.
So, the Buddha began to teach the Lotus Sutra [to pass down] the Bodhisattva Way. How could the teachings that have long [existed], the teachings that have existed since Beginning less Time, be [taught] so that everyone could know how to apply them and be firm in their spiritual aspirations as they went out among people? The Buddha had to use many different ways, whether through causes and conditions, analogies or the Dharma, to teach [the Bodhisattva Way]. This was the Buddha’s hard work for over 40 years; this was what He did throughout that time so that people could [understand] these principles. However, Maitreya Bodhisattva felt that. He had to clarify [the teachings] further for people will could not understand the source of those profound principles and the length it takes to attain awakening. Regarding this awakening, after [the Buddha] entered Parinirvana, He who awakened to the Dharma would be gone. Does this mean that this wisdom-life would end like this? The Buddha had to tell him, “Wisdom-life is never-ending! The lifespan of our wisdom-life, of our enlightened nature, is very long! This was what the Buddha wanted to say. So, if Maitreya had never asked, the Buddha would never have the karmic conditions to continue speaking of it. So, the people then were “attached to the nearby fruits” and “doubted the far-away seeds”. How did He attain [fruition] in the past and how long would He continue? Moreover, “Attached to what is near and far, they doubted the past and future”. They were “attached”. As the Buddha taught these sentient beings in the past, did people believe in those causes and conditions? He had to ask the Buddha again to strengthen everyone’s belief. So, they were attached to the Buddha’s past process of spiritual practice. Now, the Buddha had attained Buddhahood. When it came to His present “manifestation”, the way He manifested in the world, His time spent teaching and transforming people and the meaning of the Dharma, how could He pass it down long into the future? How could [Maitreya] help everyone understand more thoroughly? Maitreya asked, and the Buddha answered him accordingly, saying that His past “manifestation” in the world were all expressions of “the intrinsic”. From the very beginning, He began to accept the Buddha-Dharma. After He had understood it and had become firm in His faith, He manifested in the world lifetime after lifetime. Yet these manifestations in the world were never separate from the “intrinsic”. The Buddha-nature is intrinsic to everyone. After He clearly understood this, His body, speech and mind, in His manifestations lifetime after lifetime, were never separate from “the intrinsic”. So, [He made] vows. The vows that He made were everlasting; they were vows for lifetime after lifetime.
Although He explained it in this way, with the capabilities of [those at the assembly], they perhaps [could not understand it]. People back then might have said, “I understand! I understand!” Yet, those in the future would be sure to say, “I don’t understand”. So, those who could understand it might not necessarily have understood it completely, to say nothing of those in the future. So, this section of the sutra. So, this section of the sutra is very hard to explain and also very hard to understand, so we must be very mindful.
The Buddha did everything He could to explain it like this, and Maitreya was very mindful to clarify it for those in the future so that we too can realize and understand it. If we cannot understand it, there will be no way to spread the Dharma. If we cannot understand it, we will have no way to make vows or maintain our strength and continue on. So, we must understand this. “[Maitreya] explained that it was difficult to believe in”. Maitreya told the Buddha that it was impossible for everyone to believe in Sakyamuni Buddha began to continuously explain. What they found difficult to believe in and understand, He did His best to explain to them.
This is what is in the sutra “[the Buddha] clarified the nearby cause and revealed the manifest”. He let everyone know His present cause. What was the cause? He descended from Tusita Heaven and into the palace. They all knew very clearly the course of events of this cause. “He clarified the nearby cause and revealed the manifest”. They clearly understood these events. These were a kind of causes and conditions; they were like a story, where there were footprints along the way. Although it has been more than 2000 years ago, people now go to make pilgrimages to search for those footprints of the past. Although the historical sites are destroyed and in ruins, everyone still goes there to look for them. “These are the sites. This is where He was born. This is where He engaged in spiritual practice, where He taught the Dharma, where He entered Parinirvana”. Where people go make pilgrimages is mostly sites like these.
We know that these were things that happened not that long ago. So, “He clarified the nearby cause and revealed the manifest. He explained the distant cause and clarified the intrinsic”. He recounted how things came to be in the past. We should be very mindful of this. Only by understanding the essence of the Dharma at the beginning will we not become confused by later passages. We truly need to be very mindful.
In the previous sutra passage, [Maitreya] said, “You used the Buddha’s power and the Buddha’s merits and virtues to teach and transform these countless great Bodhisattvas, enabling them to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”.
Everyone believed in the Buddha’s power and His spiritual practice. People should have no doubts about the Buddha’s accumulated merits and virtues. The many Bodhisattvas whom the Buddha had taught were about to attain supreme, universal and perfect enlightenment. These Bodhisattvas were already very mature [Maitreya] knew their strength, their power of merits and virtues, but [he said], “World-Honored One, as for this assembly of great Bodhisattvas, even if someone spent trillions of kalpas counting them, he would be unable to finish or reach their limit”.
World-Honored One, “You said that You transformed them all, but those whom the World-Honored One have transformed are so numerous.” Even if we were to use a very long time, trillions of kalpas, to count them all, they are so numerous that counting them, we would be unable to finish or teach their limit. We would never be able to count them all!” It is evident from this description that these were truly large numbers; they were truly difficult to count. Of course, this was also inconceivable. So, when it came to these Bodhisattvas.
“Since the far distant past, these Bodhisattvas, in the presence of infinite and boundless Buddhas, have planted all roots of goodness, succeeded upon the Bodhisattva-path and constantly cultivated purifying practices. World-Honored One, such a thing is hard for those in this world to believe in!”
These Bodhisattvas had [been practicing] for a very long time. This is because before any Buddha can attain Buddhahood, they must first go through a very long time. It takes a very long time when they must continuously form aspirations. How long does it take for a Buddha to appear? [Bodhisattvas] must [follow] boundless Buddhas, be “in the presence of infinite and boundless Buddhas”. They must gone through a very long time, with many Buddhas appearing in the world. Their aspirations for spiritual practice and for transforming sentient beings, for seeking the Dharma and transforming others, must have lasted for a long time. They must also have been transformed again there, cultivated roots of all goodness and “actualized the Six Paramitas in all actions”. Having “actualized the Six Paramitas in all actions,” they transform sentient beings. “Without experience, one cannot grow in wisdom”. Only by “actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions will they be able to realize the essence of the Dharma”. So, they must have been present at the Dharma-assemblies of many Buddhas and have engaged in much practice to stabilize their roots of goodness. This is truly inconceivable. Because of this, these Bodhisattvas had to have engaged in spiritual practice for a very long time to “succeed upon the Bodhisattva-path”. So, they had to “constantly cultivate purifying practices” in every lifetime. Purifying practices are very pure; lifetime after lifetime, they did not become defiled, but instead maintained their vows and always cultivated their body, speech and mind. Lifetime after lifetime, they guarded their body, speech and mind as they engaged in spiritual practice among people. By maintaining their vows, they “planted all roots of goodness”. They continually planted roots of goodness, strengthening their roots until they were sturdy and extended deep and wide. Their roots of goodness were completely pure and undefiled. This was their experience. World-Honored One, such a thing is hard for those in this world to believe in!”
This was indeed very difficult to believe in. [Attaining Buddhahood] takes so long. To wait for even a single Buddha is not easy, and they must have experienced being in “the presence of infinite Buddhas”. They must have maintained [the purity] of their body, speech, mind and their vows and must have practiced the Bodhisattva-path lifetime after lifetime in this way, upholding purifying practices. How could they possibly believe this?
The next passage says, “By way of analogy, this is like a man with a handsome countenance and black hair, only 25 years of age, pointing to 100 year-old men and saying, These are my sons. Then these 100 year old men also point to that young man and say, ‘This is our father, who raised us’. This matter would be hard to believe”.
This was the analogy. Matreya used this to say, “This is hard to believe in!” Just like this, he said, “Someone with black hair who is very young, someone who looks to be about 25 years old, says, ‘These people whose hair is so white, who are almost 100, are my sons’.” This very young person points at many white-haired people and says, ‘These people are all my sons’.”
This is the analogy he used Maitreya used this analogy to illustrate why people did not believe. So, he used this analogy. Actually, this analogy says that, “In the Tathagata’s” virtuous transformation [of sentient beings], His recent manifestation had not been there long and the path was not far.
By way of analogy…: This represents how, in the Tathagata’s virtuous transformation [of sentient beings], His recent manifestation had not been there long, and the path He had walked was not long. He used the young man in his prime as an analogy for the Buddha’s recent attainment of Buddhahood. This is an analogy for how the Buddha pointed at those many Bodhisattvas and said, These are my disciples. This is just like a 25-year-old father having 100-year-old sons. It does not stand to reason. A handsome countenance and black hair are exclusive to youth. [The analogy] compares the Tathagata to the father who points to the 100-year-old men and compares the Bodhisattvas to the children.
The Buddha had told them that He manifested at Gaya to engage in practice and attained Buddhahood there. Maitreya used this to point out, “If we look at His virtues, His recent manifestations, it has actually not been that long!” The time since His spiritual practice to Him attaining Buddhahood and to Him teaching the Dharma has not been that long. So, when it came to the “path,” He had not traveled far upon it. He had not gone far. So, [Maitreya] likened Him to a young man; he used a young and strong man as an analogy for the Buddha’s recent attainment of Buddhahood. He used the young man as an analogy for the time since the Buddha had attained Buddhahood; it was an analogy for how recent it was. The Buddha was like the young man. Even though the time was so short, there were so many of those Bodhisattvas! It would have taken Him such a long time and so many teachings to teach and transform them. However, the time since the Buddha attained Buddhahood was very short. “[The young man] pointed to 100-year-old men” and said they were his sons. This is an analogy for the Buddha pointing to those many Bodhisattvas and saying, “These all are my disciples. This is just like a 25-year-old father having 100-year-old sons”. This would be like a 25-year-old, or someone close to that age, pointing to 100-year-old men and saying, “These are all my sons. It does not stand to reason”. It does not make sense as a principle. So, “A handsome countenance and black hair are exclusive to youth”. This is how we are as humans. When we see someone with black hair, someone handsome with smooth and beautiful skin, [we know] it means that he is young. This is an analogy used for the Buddha. When it comes to the 100-old men, the 100-year-old men being pointed to, this was an analogy for those Bodhisattvas who had emerged from the ground. When [the assembly] saw those Bodhisattvas, they seemed very experienced. Moreover, they all seemed so mature. It seemed to them as if they all were on the verge of attaining Buddhahood. How could the Buddha have possibly transformed so many people in such a short amount of time? Not only does the young person point and say, “These are my sons,” but these old men also point to the young man and say, “He is our father”. So, “Then these 100-year-old men also point to the young man and say, ‘He is our father, who raised us”’. This is an analogy for those many Bodhisattvas who were transformed and kept emerging from the ground at Vulture Peak. It is also an analogy for those great Bodhisattvas pointing at the World-Honored One and saying, “It is true! He is our teacher. He is the one who taught and transformed us”. They mutually verified this. [The young man] says the [old men] are his sons, and the old men confirm that [the young man] is their father. This is truly inconceivable. “This matter would be hard to believe”.
This matter would be hard to believe: This explains by way of analogy how difficult it is to believe in the principles. In the analogy of the young man as the father of the old men, he describes these matters and appearances like this. This is truly unreasonable.
This explains through analogy how difficult it is to believe in such a principle. “The young man [is] the father of the old men”. He is so young that, when we compare him with those 100-year-old men, he is only a quarter of their age. This is how young he looks. He is so young. He is 25, and the others are 100. This means he is very young. An analogy that describes matters and appearances like this does not really make sense. So, Maitreya used an analogy like this to compare to the Buddha pointing to those Bodhisattvas and saying, “I transformed them all; these are my disciples” When it is described like this, how can it make sense? It really does not make sense. This is being “attached to the near”. “Attached to the near, they doubted the far. Attached to the far, they doubted the near”. This was how hard it was for them to believe.
So, “He spike of the 25-year-old man and the 100-year-old men, emphasizing that the young man had yet to reach maturity”. The youth had yet to reach prime age, “while the old men were very old. This helps us see how the matters did not stand to reason”. You could see that the old men were already so old. They were old to the point of being decrepit. Not only were they old, but their hair was also really white, their skin was wrinkled and so on. They really appeared old and weak. So, “the ancients,” people of the past, used [another] analogy to explain this. “Are you that old already?” “I could never tell!” “How do you stay so young?” “Is it because you take a rejuvenating elixir?” This is what some people in the past used as an analogy.
The ancients used an analogy to explain this analogy. They said the father had taken a rejuvenating elixir, so he looked the same as a 25-year-old. Although he was older, he appeared younger. The sons never took any elixir and looked like they were 100 years old, so although they were younger, they appeared older. If people would not doubt, they would not doubt [this matter] of the sons and the father. Those who do not know would think it strange.
Why did a father so old appear to be so young? Actually, when people see a father and a son standing together now, they may say, “You look just like brothers!” It may seem like the son is older than his father. If this can happen today, this is to say nothing of the time of the Buddha. How could the Buddha have so much experience? There is of course a reason.
In any case, Maitreya Bodhisattva used all kinds of matters and appearances to describe this. It was as if he was trying to challenge the Buddha. He wanted the Buddha to explain point by point how He had taught and transformed those sentient beings over a long period of time. So, although he is older, he appears younger. It is as if the old man has taken a rejuvenating elixir, so he does not appear old, but still very young. The sons have never taken the elixir, so they keep on aging until they look like they are 100 years old. In fact, they are old.
“If people knew the power of this elixir, they would not doubt [this matter] of the sons and the father. Those who do not know would think it strange”. If they knew that there were such an elixir and that by taking it, they could be powerful, strong and never appear old, then they would understand and have no doubt. If they did not know this, then they would have doubts. We must clearly understand the principles. So, “All these Bodhisattvas represent the fundamental state”. It also talks about “the fundamental state”.
All these Bodhisattvas represent the fundamental state. They have long manifested upon the path, and now they abide in the state of non-retreating. Among Buddhas, this is definitely understood. Those below [the stage of Buddhahood] cannot comprehend this. Thus, they expressed doubt. So it is said, “This matter is hard to believe”.
How did the Bodhisattvas’ fundamental state come about? “They have long manifested upon the path.” From a very long time ago, they have manifested upon the path. This is how they have walked the path. “Now they abided in the state of non-retreating. Among Buddhas, this is definitely understood”. Among Buddhas themselves, they all understand how to teach and transform, how long the path is, how Bodhisattvas walk it, how to clear the path and how to pave it. To continue along this path for such a long time, walking it safely and continually [paving] the path, requires someone who has been through the path; such a person is very familiar with the strength needed to clear the path, the way to clear the path and the process of leading others to pave the path. Buddhas understand this very clearly. They understand all of this. They are very familiar with this. Anyone below the stage of Buddhahood, those who have not yet attained enlightenment, including Bodhisattvas, anyone “below [the stage of Buddhahood] cannot comprehend this”. Naturally, they still cannot realize how to pave the path, how to engage in spiritual practice and how to clear the path.
Naturally, they do not understand this. For those who walk upon the even path, they already have a path to walk on. They only need to go on to pave it; they do not know how the person who cleared the path did it, so it is inevitable that they would have to ask for directions, to ask about the path and direction of clearing the path. This is for certain. So, anyone below the stage of Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas, find it impossible to understand. Because of this, they expressed their doubts. They raised questions because they had doubts. So, if one does not understand something, if something, some matter or appearance, does not make sense, if one cannot make sense of it, this makes it difficult to believe. This is why [Maitreya] used this analogy for principles that are hard to believe in. It was hard for them to believe in it. So, “For a father to be old and a son young is the great principle throughout the world.”
In fact, all over the world, for a father to be older than his son would be completely logical. Fathers are older and sons are younger. When people say, “The father is old and the son is young,” this makes a lot of sense. There is no need to question this. Now it says, “For a son to be old and his father young goes against the principles of humankind.” It does not make any sense! This is what it looked like now; it did not make sense. It “goes against the principles of humankind, so how could they not doubt it?” How could they not doubt this? For a young man to bear a son older than himself would be impossible; it does not make sense. So, Maitreya asked in the way he did. “This is how Maitreya was confused about the distant cause of the Buddha’s lifespan.” Maitreya still could not understand, because he was still stuck at the stage of a Bodhisattva. He was still not in the realm of the Buddhas. This is why he knew that other people, people in the future, would certainly doubt this.
So, Maitreya was confused about the Buddha’s “lifespan.” Wisdom-life has no beginning or end, but Maitreya still did not understand this. He was still attached to the present body. This was to let everyone know that those in the future would all be attached to this singular human lifespan, to this body. We have a body in this life, but in the next life we will have another body. This lifetime is only a fragment. We spent some time in the past explaining “fragmentary samsara” and “transformational samsara.” They still had not thoroughly understood the principles. If they could understand [the concept of] “lifespan,” then they would not be attached to “fragmentary and transformational samsara.” So, Maitreya worried that people in the future would not understand this very well.
So, “the distant cause of the Buddha’s lifespan” is something Bodhisattvas and ordinary people are confused about. So, they were attached to Gaya, to the Buddha’s manifestation at Gaya, Him leaving the city and engaging in spiritual practice and so on. They were attached to these.
For a father to be old and a son young is the great principle throughout the world. So what does this leave to be discussed? For a son to be old and his father young goes against the principles of humankind, so how could they not doubt it? This is how Maitreya was confused about the distant cause of the Buddha’s lifespan and attached to the recent manifestations at Gaya.
The time since the Buddha attained Buddhahood to when He taught the Dharma and so on was short. How could He have transformed so many people? Maitreya must have known these principles. However, for the sake of those in the future, he used a very unreasonable way to challenge the Buddha. He used such an analogy. We can see that the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas were very considerate of future sentient beings. We must be very grateful to Sariputra, who, in his wisdom, initiated the opportunity for the Buddha to teach the Lotus Sutra, and to Manjusri Bodhisattva for always asking the right questions at the right time, so that we can better understand the Dharma. We must be grateful to Maitreya Bodhisattva for passing down the Dharma for future sentient beings so that they can stabilize and maintain their spiritual aspirations. We should truly be grateful to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
So, we must certainly remember to not be “attached to the nearby fruits” and “doubt the far-away seeds” or be “attached to what is near and far” and “doubt the past and future.” We must remove our “doubts” and learn about how the nearby fruits came to be. There is no need to doubt either the far-away or the near. How should we pave the path in the future? How should we clear the path? How should we pave the path? We must have deep faith and be mindful.
How do we get the most out of life and obtain the treasures of the Buddha-Dharma? We must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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