Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Buddha’s Revelation of Secrets (彌勒之請 佛顯祕密)
Date: December.28.2018
“The path of great enlightenment directly guides people to illuminate their minds and see their nature. However, sentient beings are confused and deluded. As a result, for over 40 years the Buddha gradually trained them, teaching according to their capabilities. Later, during the Lotus Dharma-assembly at Vulture Peak, the Buddha first taught [the Dharma] for those with great capabilities, but only Sariputra resonated with the Buddha’s intent. Next, He taught it using analogies for those with average capabilities, but only the four great disciples were able to comprehend it. Once again, for those with limited capabilities, He taught the causes and conditions of past lifetimes, revealing the manifest. Then, 1200 Hearers began to attain awakening and received the Buddha’s predictions that they would [attain Buddhahood] in the future.”
Everyone must be very mindful of this. The Buddha is the Great Enlightened One. We ordinary people are deluded sentient beings. Our goal now is to learn from the Buddha. In the moment when the Buddha awakened, His first thought was that all sentient beings have Buddha-nature. The Buddha’s goal for His spiritual practice was to seek the true principles. This was because there are many contradictions among people in this world, and many sentient beings are deluded. How could He resolve the world’s doubts? How could He help all sentient beings so that everyone could set off on the path toward awakening? It was for the sake of sentient beings that [He sought] ways to reveal their delusion.
In the moment the Buddha attained enlightenment, His first thought was of wanting to point our minds [in the direction of] clearly understanding and realizing our nature. He hoped that we could all thoroughly observe our own minds, that our nature would be clear, free and at ease and would thoroughly converge with the principles. In fact, everyone has the ability to understand the mind and realize their true nature. But how unfortunate! It is unfortunate that we sentient beings are confused and trapped by our own intangible cords of ignorance. We are bound by cords of our own making, as if we had trapped ourselves in a net, in a very close-knit net of cords which binds us tighter and tighter. This truly is great suffering! So, since this is the case, how could the Buddha help these people free themselves from these cords one by one, from these nets layer by later? It was for this purpose that He took over 40 years of time and used many methods. In this world, when it comes to those with limited capabilities and limited capacities, the Buddha used the Small [Vehicle] Dharma of skillful means to patiently guide them, so those with limited capabilities would not be attached to “existence”. For those with average capabilities or capacities, He also used all kinds of methods to earnestly and patiently teach them, helping them not to be attached to “emptiness”.
“Emptiness” must be true emptiness; the emptiness of being unhindered. As for “existence,” it must be “wondrous existence”. This is wondrous existence in true emptiness. He needed to help those attained to emptiness to thoroughly understand that “emptiness” is not forgetting about everything. Within emptiness, there is still “wondrous existence”. It is a “wondrous existence” that is pure and free of defilements. This is our genuine nature of True Suchness. “Wondrous existence” is going among people who have “attachments” and using these “attachments” to temper ourselves. It is taking the principles of “emptiness” and tempering them amidst “existence” to refine our “wondrous existence in true emptiness.” When we temper it, this intrinsic nature of True Suchness will not be defiled by attachments and afflictions. This is having true mastery.
For those who have attachments, they must use the principles to break away from these attachments, not be attached to what they have. As for this “attachment to existence,” we must earnestly seek to comprehend the true principles. We must earnestly investigate “existence”. Layer by layer, we analyze “existence” until the very end, where there really is “nothing”. How do these cords and nets bind us? What are these things that bind us? We must work very hard and analyze this earnestly, so that we can thoroughly understand that the things from the material [world] exist only in name and appearance; they are our own attachments. When we analyze them to the end, we realize that there is nothing. These things that are nothing are what continue [to bind us] lifetime after lifetime. This “net” is made of very fine cords that are continuously woven. Throughout lifetime after lifetime, we remain in this net of afflictions, unable to be liberated.
Therefore, the Buddha wanted to help everyone to first understand their own problems. So, first He gave the, teachings that they were able to understand with their capabilities. After that, He “gradually trained them”. Gradually, He trained them. Everyone had adjusted their mindset and become more calm. Those who were attached to emptiness calmed their minds, and those who were attached to existence let their minds become still. Everyone gathered their thoughts and listened as the Buddha analyzed the Dharma.
So, after “gradually training them and teaching according to their capabilities,” the Buddha could analyze [the Dharma for them]. According to their capabilities, He provided them with these teachings. To accommodate their capabilities, He devised particular teachings to help all of them understand that the Buddha taught the Dharma based on capabilities. After people understood that, the Buddha quickly seized the moment as everyone was gathering at the Vulture Peak Lotus Dharma-assembly. He began to gather everyone together. So, first, He taught the Dharma for those with great capabilities. This was at the Lotus Dharma-assembly. After manifesting appearances in the Introductory Chapter, the Buddha began the Chapter on Skillful Means and continued on from there. So, we need to be very clear on this point.
In that assembly, the only one who praised the extremely profound, wondrous Dharma, was Sariputra. Out of so many Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, of the many people at the Vulture Peak Assembly, only Sariputra was able to “resonate with the Buddha’s intent”. Sariputra heard the Buddha continuously praising the Dharma of extremely profound wisdom and how the Dharma is subtle and wondrous. Since Sariputra had deeply comprehended the Buddha’s original intent, he thus acted as a recipient of the teachings and asked the Buddha to expound this extremely profound and wondrous Dharma. The Buddha said “Stop,” but Sariputra again requested the teachings. [Sariputra] “asked three times” before the Buddha began to expound the Dharma that He wanted to teach. So, the Buddha analyzed this for them and “next taught [the Dharma] using analogies for those with average capabilities.” The Buddha began using analogies to help everyone understand this extremely profound Dharma. Since the Buddha had promised to teach it, He wanted everyone to be able to understand it. Sentient begins’ capacities are so many, so He taught parables and expressions, using all kinds of analogies to teach it.
The Chapter on Skillful Means led into the Chapter on Parables, where only the four great disciples were able to comprehend and awaken. So, He then continued with the Chapter on Faith and Understanding. We should be able tot recall this for a moment. “Once again, for those with limited capabilities, He taught the causes and conditions of past lifetimes, revealing the manifest.” This is how He continuously led them all the way, teaching about past Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and how they began to form aspirations, about Great Unhindered Buddha and so on and about the 16 princes. He continued on like this, using these various analogies and causes and conditions. This was all to help everyone clearly understand this Dharma. Responding to capabilities and opportunities, He helped everyone through that period, so they were able to receive [the teachings]. This shows the Buddha’s compassion and patience for sentient beings. He patiently guided them and patiently revealed the teachings. Thus, He revealed “the manifest”. Throughout this period, He continued on like this. Every chapter was like this. He gradually helped everyone to comprehend and receive [the teachings] so they could understand and awakened to their own attachments. Gradually, everyone was able to comprehend. So, 1200 Hearers gradually comprehended and awakened. One after another, they awakened and received the Buddha’ periods of Buddhahood for the future. This is how they continued to smoothly travel this path; we have also listened patiently. The Buddha compassionately taught like this and we have also been patiently listening.
So, “The Lotus Sutra’s teaching of the manifest [was expounded] after Sariputra asked three times.” This was due to Sariputra, who began to ask one, two, three times, only for the Buddha to stop him one, two and three times. Because Sariputra persisted [in asking] without giving up, the Buddha [said], “Since you have asked three times, how can I not teach it? Since you have asked so sincerely, how can I not teach?” This is how He began the Chapter on Skillful Means.
[The Buddha] expounded the Lotus Sutra’s teaching of the manifest after Sariputra had requested it three times. [The Buddha] expounded the Lotus Sutra’s teaching of the intrinsic after Maitreya had requested it three times.
Everyone, the Buddha-Dharma is truly extremely profound and wondrous. When we truly seek the Buddha-Dharma, it cannot [be summed up] in a few lines, nor does it take only a few short years to finish listening to the Dharma. It is not just within this lifetime, for a few months or years. No, We do not just do this for one lifetime; we do it lifetime after lifetime. We must live our lives with the Dharma; only then can we truly be liberated and at ease. If we hold the true principles steadfastly in our hearts, then no matter what the next life brings, we will keep following the right path. As for this path that we have already cleared in the past, in our next lifetime, we will again return to it and continue clearing the same path. Lifetime after lifetime, this cycle will go on. We will return to this path and continue to clear it and pave it, leveling it and opening it up. This will continue until we attain Buddhahood.
This is how we grow our wisdom-life, lifetime after lifetime. So, now we are at the Chapter on [the Tathagata’s] Lifespan. The time of seeking the Dharma is very, very long. How many past lifetimes have we spent before gaining the affinities in this lifetime to willingly keep listening to the Dharma for such a long time? Have we immersed ourselves in our wisdom-life? We must seize the time and the causes and conditions in our future and current lifetimes. This kind of lifespan requires that we work hard on bringing our life back to our wisdom-life. In life, as time passes, we draw closer to death. [Our lives] continue to shorten [over time]. Yet in our lives, if we implement the Dharma in our daily living, through our experiences and the good deeds we do, we grow our wisdom-life. In this way, we need to turn our bodies into vessels for spiritual cultivation. We must use our bodies to carry us along this path. When we practice according to the path, this path grows our wisdom-life. Then our wisdom-life becomes an infinite lifespan as we repeatedly return [to this world]. If we can apply this kind of thinking as we [read] the Chapter on [the Tathagata’s] Lifespan, we will understand it easily. As we go on with the sutra passages, we are not just telling stories. We must completely allow our awareness and our spirit to comprehend the Dharma. So, we must all mindfully seek to comprehend it.
Previously we discussed and studied the Introductory Chapter, the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Chapter on Faith and Understanding and so on. Through this, we were able to comprehend the teachings of the manifest. So, previously in the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, Maitreya Bodhisattva continuously had to “raise doubts”. He repeatedly asked the Buddha to give teachings to explain the causes and conditions of these Bodhisattvas and their karmic affinities with the Buddha. It was Maitreya Bodhisattva’s compassion for sentient beings that led him to continuously sincerely request sincerely request this of the Buddha.
We discussed this in the previous passages. Maitreya Bodhisattva acted as the leader and the Buddha began expounding the Chapter on [the Tathagata’s] Lifespan. Maitreya Bodhisattva again asked Him sincerely. It was Maitreya Bodhisattva who took the lead.
As this time, the assembly of Bodhisattvas, with Maitreya as the leader, put their palms together and said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One”, We only hope that You will teach this. We will faithfully accept the Buddha’s words”. After saying this three times, they said once again, “We only hope that You will teach this. We will faithfully accept the Buddha’s words”.
Since Maitreya Bodhisattva raised doubts on behalf of everyone, the Buddha concurred and began to teach the Dharma. Maitreya Bodhisattva fulfilled his responsibility likewise leading the assembly to express their reverence. The Buddha had already admonished everyone that, “If everyone wants to listen, I will speak. However, you must believe and accept that the Buddha’s words are honest and true. You must listen carefully”. This also happened three times! So, Maitreya Bodhisattva led the assembly to adjust their state of mind. Everyone quickly sat down, expressing their sincerity and reverence with great emphasis. They would certainly listen in earnest and have great faith, and they would faithfully accept and practice [the Dharma].
It was Maitreya Bodhisattva who led the assembly to again express their reverence. So, putting their palms together before the Buddha [they said], “World-Honored One, We only hope that You will teach this. We will faithfully accept the Buddha’s words. But we hope the Buddha will quickly teach us this Dharma so the whole assembly can understand. We are willing to believe”. This what we talked about before.
So, after this, “He said it three times”. The sutra passage continues on. This was how Maitreya Bodhisattva earnestly asked three times.
So, looking at the present sutra passage, the passage continues like this, “At that time, the World-Honored One knew that those Bodhisattvas would not stop after three requests, so, He told them. All of you must listen carefully to the Tathagata’s mysterious and secret spiritual powers’”.
Everyone had to be very mindful. That is what Sakyamuni Buddha said at the time. He already knew what was in these Bodhisattvas’ minds. Everyone had put their thoughts in order, and the Buddha already knew everyone’s sincerity. These newly-inspired Bodhisattvas probably also understood this clearly. This group of Bodhisattvas was very reverent. For the sake of future sentient beings, they raised doubts and asked questions. At this point, these newly-inspired Bodhisattvas already understood very clearly. Everyone was already sincerely listening to the Buddha expound the Dharma.
Thus, the Buddha said, “You have all already sincerely asked three times. Therefore, I can begin to teach you. So, He told them”. He told them, “All of you must listen carefully to the Tathagata’s mysterious and secret spiritual powers”. Everyone needed to listen very earnestly to the Tathagata’s spiritual powers.
So He told them, “All of you must listen carefully”: The Buddha knew that the Bodhisattvas would not stop after three requests, so, He first admonished them that upon hearing the Dharma, they must deeply give rise to love and joy, concentrate whole-heartedly on accepting it and listen to it carefully.
This shows that the previous admonishment was over. They must listen to the Dharma from the depths of their hearts and give rise to love and joy. The mindset they needed to seek the Dharma had to be one of very deep reverence. And they had to seek out and love the Dharma. Taking delight in the Buddha-Dharma and pursuing it with great love is loving the Dharma with true sincerity and taking delight in the Buddha-Dharma. This was not paying lip service to it and say, “I want to listen, I enjoy listening to it!” It was not just that. It had to come from their hearts. This is a calling coming from our wisdom-lives. It is not a calling for entertainment in the world.
No. From deep within our minds, it is voice our wisdom-life that seeks nourishment from the Dharma and takes joy in listening to the teachings. This is true sincerity. The Buddha already understood how their minds had become focused. So, the Buddha began to remind them again if you want to have deep love and joy, the Dharma must enter your wisdom-life. “You must focus on receiving and reviewing it, be mindful and listen carefully, when it comes to every phrase in the Dharma, you must very carefully and earnestly take it to heart and analyze it with as you listen. This was the Buddha’s reminder He gave this admonishment three times before He reminded them to review [these truths]. As we listen, we must be very mindful.
Next, He repeated it. Again, He gave them this kind of reminder. So, it was the same this time. The Buddha said this and also told them they needed to earnestly and “deeply give rise to love and joy. This was another earnest reminder “You must be focused. You must earnestly accept it, earnestly review and listen to the Dharma”. This is also very important. The Buddha seldom repeated things like this He gave a third and then a fourth reminder, so we must be very mindful!
After this, it goes on to speak of “the Tathagata’s mysterious and secret spiritual powers”. The Tathagata’s mysterious and secret spiritual powers: Out of compassion, the Tathagata wanted to transform sentient beings with His speech. Thus, He used His mysterious, wondrous and profoundly secret spiritual powers to conseal the true and apply the provisional, saying that He had only attained enlightenment recently.
“Out of compassion” refers to how [the Tathagata] used His words to transform sentient beings. since everyone wanted to understand the Dharma, they needed to listen to it. To listen, there had to be a voice, a voice to speak the words. To “transform sentient beings with His speech”. He had to use speech. Bringing Peace and joy, didn’t the Buddha tell us this in the Four Practices of Bringing Peace and Joy? We must use our speech. This requires the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms. With the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms, we use speech to express that we must have “unobstructed Dharma,” “unobstructed meaning,” “unobstructed language” and “unobstructed joy in teaching”. With these Four Unobstructed [Wisdoms] we take the Dharma to heart and expound the Dharma through our voices. This is “transforming sentient beings with speech”. It is using words to transform sentient beings. to express ourselves, we must speak to people and help them. When there is strength in our words, we demonstrate strength through gentleness to help people receive [the Dharma]. This is “transforming sentient beings with speech”.
“Thus, He used His mysterious, wondrous and profoundly secret spiritual powers.” Words of expression came from the wisdom of our wisdom-life. We must thoroughly understand the Dharma, connecting its meaning and principles with matters. Also there is a manner of compiling and revising the words we speak. Apart from just revising the words literally, teaching the Dharma in a way that all sentences flow together smoothly. Is truly not an easy thing to do. “Thus, He used His mysterious, wondrous and profoundly secret spiritual powers. These came from deep within His mind. They took the focus of His entire body and spirit. We must be focused or distracted; only then can our spiritual power come through. If we have discursive thoughts, our spirit will be distracted. So, with our spirit, we can gather, we can gather strength.
He “conceals the true and applies the provisional”. When the Buddha was in the Bodhimanda His feeling of being one with the universe was truly not something that could be demonstrated for everyone to perceive. It was not! It was certainly very wondrously profound as well as very practical. This is wondrously profound principle, but it is also very practical, everyone must make use of it. He wanted everyone to understand this principle, this truth, right away, but for ordinary people, there are layers upon layers of ignorance that bind us. We are in confusion. How could we [understand it]?
The Buddha had to use the “provisional”. So, since the words He wanted to say to everyone could not be understood, He concealed them deep in His mind. Thus, He went among people with the “provisional”. These principles were all concealed in the Buddha’s ocean of enlightened wisdom. So, they became mysterious and secret spiritual powers. Even if He wanted to reveal them, sentient beings were unable to receive them, so, this was all He could do. Step by step, He revealed them [to us]. It would have been impossible to immediately reveal all of them like this. If He were to reveal them [all], people would be unable to accept them.
So, from His mind, He continually used speech to transform [people]. According to people’s capabilities, He gave them different teachings. So, because this, He “said that He had only attained enlightenment recently”. This is why He manifested in this world. He wanted everyone to know that He was also a human being. He also had parents and had also been born into this environment. He was born into a wealthy and pleasurable environment, but He was not deluded by these riches. When it came to the webs of wealth in that deluded lifestyle, He liberated Himself from them. He did not allow this world’s fame, status or luxurious environment to bind Him. He escaped from this to seek the path. He escaped from this first web [of obstructions]. Now, He manifested this appearance to help us understand why, though the Buddha had a prestigious environment, luxurious fame and fortune, he was still willing to give it up what does the ego count for? He wanted to purse the Dharma. It was the right thing for Him to do.
In summary, the Buddha manifested what others could not do; He was able to do it. In various physical appearances, over a long period of time, He spent five years visiting [different teachers]. He appeared as an average person and visited people in search of teachings, taking these teachings and analyzing them. “Is this what I am seeking? No. It is not the ultimate. So, I must be even more earnest to contemplate these teachings myself. I must also find a more thorough way that I myself can clear [a path] in a direction that is correct”. Thus, the Buddha cleared a path [for us] so that we could realize where that ancient path is. Looking back on it, we can now follow this sutra and understand the Dharma according to these teachings. Looking at this ancient path now, we see how it is covered with weeds and wild bushes. Our many layers of ignorance have covered it up. So, we must quickly remove these weeds and tree branches to quickly clear a path to connect to the path cleared by the Buddha. This will take a very long time. So, the Buddha says it is “mysterious”.
Mysterious: The ultimate reality of all Dharma can only be thoroughly understood among Buddhas. It cannot be fully known by those in the other Dharma-realms, thus it is called “mysterious”. Secret: This means a closely-guarded and wondrous secret.
“Mysterious” is “the ultimate reality of all Dharma” that “can only be thoroughly understood among Buddhas”. This is the meaning of “mysterious”. “It cannot be fully known by those in the other Dharma-realms”. Everyone is seeking the Dharma, but we have not yet truly understood it thoroughly. To have true and thorough understanding, we must attain Buddhahood, attain awakening. When we are one with all things in the universe, we will be able to fully understand the principles. Usually when we talk about spiritual practice, even if we reach the state of Bodhisattvas, we will still unable to fully understand. So, it is said to be “mysterious”. And what about the “secret”? This is a “closely guarded secret,” a “wondrous secret”. So, this is “mysterious”.
This Dharma is wondrously profound. It’s not that the Buddha did not want to reveal it. The Buddha had already openly said. Everyone had already acknowledged His attainment of Buddhahood. But what was the state of Buddhahood like? We truly have no way to comprehend this. So, it is mysterious and wondrously profound.
The Buddha’s perfect Dharma-body that He ultimately manifested and His perfect reward-body that He ultimately cultivated and realized were realized and understood by the Tathagata alone. Thus, they are called “the Tathagata’s mysterious and secret powers”.
So, “The Buddha’s perfect Dharma-body that He ultimately manifested” is what the Buddha already attained. “His perfect reward-body that He ultimately cultivated and realized” is what the Buddha had begun to use. A few days ago we talked about the Sambhogakaya (reward-body), Dharmakaya (Dharma-body) and Nirmanakaya (transformation-body). I already told everyone about these. So, the Buddha attained His Sambhogakaya and began using it in spiritual practice. He engaged in practice, attained Buddhahood and transformed sentient beings in this way. “[The Dharma] was realized and understood by the Tathagata alone”. He traveled [this path] on His own, so He was able to comprehend and understand it. “Thus, they are called ‘the Tathagata’s mysterious and secret powers’”. So, [though] we call it “mysterious,” it is not really such a mystery. We are simply unable to comprehend the Buddha’s state of mind, so we feel that it is very mysterious and wondrously profound. In fact, it is we who are unable to comprehend it. So, He said, “Now I will explain for you all the two mysterious and secret bodies of the Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya. Though you are unable to comprehend it, I must still expound to all of you now the two mysterious and secret bodies of the Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya”.
He said, “Now I will explain to you all the two mysterious and secret bodies of the Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya as well as my Nirmanakaya with its spiritual powers. You all must listen carefully. Do not give rise to doubts”.
So [He would explain], “The Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya, these two bodies,” the Dharma-body and the reward-body, “as well as my Nirmanakaya (transformation-body) with its spiritual powers. You all must listen carefully. I will begin telling you the principles of these bodies. Everyone must listen carefully, and you must not give rise to doubts again. Earlier, when Bodhisattvas emerged in great numbers,” “everyone had doubts”. “Now, you must no longer give rise to doubts”.
So, “The Tathagata’s Dharmakaya is the essence. The Tathagata’s Sambhogakaya is the appearance. The Tathagata’s Nirmanakaya is the application. The one becomes three, yet the three are one”.
The Dharmakaya is the essence. The Dharmakaya is the Tathagata’s body of principles. This essence of the principles is something we cannot see. We have been continually talking about the principles. We can only listen to the principles, but we cannot see them. Yet when we talk about them, can you feel them? We can feel them. “We felt it; now let us see it!” Still, we have nothing to show. When we truly take the principles to heart, we cannot see them. The only thing we can do is use them by applying them in our daily living. In the past, as ordinary people, we took issue with things and had a bad attitude. After listening to the Dharma, we no longer take issue with things; our attitude and perspectives have changed. We have changed how we interact with people and deal with matters in our everyday life. This is our Sambhogakaya, our reward-body, how we connect with people, how we interact in this world, how we treat people and handle matters and how we make use of our body to act, creating “conditioned phenomena”. Everything we do and how we engage in spiritual practice is a matter of our Sambhogakaya. It is how we use our body to go among people and take action. Our Nirmanakaya is our “application”. After receiving the Dharma, we truly put it to use. We apply it to change our attitude, change our character and change our habitual tendencies. After we change, we are in harmony with others; this becomes our appearance. It is because we apply the Dharma that this Dharma returns us to the principles. The principles are the essence. This is the Dharma.
To sum it up, “The one becomes three, yet the three are one”. This is what we must earnestly seek to comprehend. It is truly a profound principle. There is also another explanation. “What was ‘mysterious and secret’ was the great compassion and skillful means that He gave rise to upon attaining the fruit of Buddhahood”.
Also, another explanation is that what was “mysterious and secret” was the great compassion and skillful means that He gave rise to upon attaining the fruit of Buddhahood. Powers: This refers to actual conditioned good deeds with practical power.
After the Buddha attained the principles, the “fruit” was the principles. He completely comprehended and awakened to them. Afterwards, He began to exhibit a mind of great loving-kindness and developed skillful means. With these, He was able to go among people to transform sentient beings. In lifetime after lifetime, He went among people. He had already attained and comprehended these principles. The principles are the essence; this is His Dharmakaya. Lifetime after lifetime, He implemented skillful means and expressed goodness among people. This is skillful means. He skillfully comprehended sentient beings’ needs. This kind of empathy, “great compassion and skillful means,“ refers to [using] “unconditional loving-kindness and universal compassion” as we go among people. There are so many disasters in the world now. So many Bodhisattvas are going into those disaster areas to accompany the disaster survivors. In these places, they give of themselves for them. This is “great compassion and skillful means.” [The Buddha] had this Dharma and was willing to go among people to serve others, throughout lifetime after lifetime. Although He had not yet attained Buddhahood, He was already going among people, using His powers to serve and do good deeds. Thus, He went among people over many lifetimes. This is how it should be. So, “powers” are the “actual conditioned good deeds with practical power.” This is how we use our strength to serve. “’Spiritual’ refers to unfathomable transformations.”
“Spiritual” refers to unfathomable transformations. “Powers” refers to the ability to come and go unhindered. The Buddha manifests according to the type of being; this is His body-wheel. He observes the capabilities of sentient beings; this is His mind-wheel. He teaches all kinds of Dharma; this is His speech-wheel. They are all part of His incredible transformation-body. Thus, this is called “the Tathagata’s spiritual powers.”
We may become very tired from our work. Should we rest? We cannot; we cannot bear [to rest]. We must continue to persist. We do not feel hindered by physical fatigue. We must continue to persist. This is “the ability to come and go unhindered.” We must still enter among this group of people in suffering. We are not impacted by the disaster. We come to this place because of the suffering of those impacted in this environment. We intentionally devote ourselves to coming into this environment. We come and go unhindered. We are able to leave at any time. In that environment of suffering, we are not there to experience suffering. We come there to serve. Coming and going unhindered like this truly is a rare thing. So, this is where “spiritual powers” come in. How the Buddha manifested is His “body-wheel.” This refers to His body.
Using His body, He transforms sentient beings. “He observes the capabilities of sentient beings; this is His mind-wheel.” We see sentient beings’ capabilities and needs. This comes from our minds.
This is our “mind-wheel.” Teaching the Dharma is using our speech-wheel. Giving of ourselves is using our “body-wheel” to be able to serve others. When we give rise to thoughts, this is our “mind-wheel”; this comes from our minds. Teaching various Dharma is the “speech-wheel.” These three wheels truly are inconceivable. In our time, Tzu Chi volunteers give without expectations and are grateful. This is how we regularly do things, putting [the teachings] into action. We give rise to thoughts in our minds, go out to serve and comfort sentient beings’ minds. These are spiritual powers. It is just that we ordinary people still have afflictions. There is still much that everyone must mindfully seek to comprehend. Time is passing by with every second. It does not stop just because we have not finished discussing the Dharma. Time is still passing. However, are our spirits able to comprehend it? Do we use our spirit to comprehend this Dharma? When we listen to the Dharma, are we mindful? We must be mindful at all times. We must not waste even a bit of time. Therefore, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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