Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Three Bodies are Unhindered (三身無礙 本跡圓融)
Date: January.01.2019
“From the ancient past to the present, [time] has neither arisen nor ceased. From beginning to end, it is limitless and infinite. From the intrinsic to the manifest, the infinite becomes finite. From the manifest to the intrinsic, the finite becomes infinite. The three bodies are unhindered; the intrinsic and the manifest are in perfect harmony. [The Tathagata’s] lifespans are neither one [and the same] nor different. If we compare or measure them, we find they are neither existent nor non-existent. ‘Dust-inked’ is used to illustrate what has neither beginning nor end.”
We must mindfully seek to comprehend this. “From the ancient past to the present, [time] has neither arisen nor ceased. From beginning to end, it is limitless and infinite.” This means the ancient times from long, long ago are already matters of the distant past. We refer to the ancient past as “that time.” This is no different from our present. Our present will also come to pass, and in the future, they will call this the ancient past. This is the cycle of time. We call this moment “the present”. In the distant future, our present will be called “the ancient past.” When I came in just now, that [moment] is already in the past. Just now, the present has become the past. This [cycle] between the present, past and future, without ever stopping for a moment, continues endlessly. I just said, “from the ancient past to the present,” and I just said this again. Right now, I am speaking at this present moment. Every present moment will become a moment of the past. In this way, these past [moments] ceaselessly accumulate to become “ancient,” the ancient past. We must clearly understand the concept of time. We are always experiencing the past, present and future. In every moment of every day, time does not wait for us. It flows on without stopping for even a second. We live within time.
Time [has gone on] for so long. Has it ever arisen? Will it ever cease? Actually, it neither arises nor ceases; it continuously passes us by like this. We are living amidst such infinitesimal divisions of time. A second is still too long. There are femtoseconds, microseconds and so on. They are too small for us to even measure. So, [time] goes by without us being aware of its passage. We go through birth, aging, illness and death. This too happens in time. It happens without us realizing it. We do not realize when our own bodies enter childhood, adolescence, the prime of life, middle age and old age. Even within our own bodies, we are unaware of how the new is constantly replacing the old. This happens very subtly as the time passes. We might say that time arises and ceases, but we really have no way to perceive or experience this.
So, we might as well say it never arises or ceases. “From beginning to end,” [time] passes by and continuously moves forward at a rapid pace. Time has gone on and on for so long, but for how long? It is “limitless and infinite.” When it comes to our nature of True Suchness, at what time did we begin to possess it? The Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City continually tells us that it is beginningless and endless. We have no way to determine the source of our life, nor can we determine where our wisdom-life begins or ends. So, regarding our awakened nature, we also cannot say how long our awakened nature of True Suchness has been here. [It has existed] “from the ancient past to the present.” We are unable to determine these things. We must return to the true principles; the true principles are our “awakened nature,” our “intrinsic nature of True Suchness,” and are also called the “Dharma-nature”. These true principles have always existed. They are so very subtle and intricate that whether they arise or cease is imperceptible to us. So, they have been here from beginning to end; being infinite, when will they ever end?
Knowing “the manifest,” it refers to appearances. We are able to discern [the principles] among matters and appearances. For a tree, we can record when we plant the seed and when and where it is planted. With soil and water, in this space, it grows tall until we transplant it elsewhere. We can record all of this. But what is the source of that seed? Where did it come from? It came from another tree. But where did the seed for that tree come from? Where did it come from and when did this seed come into existence? It is very difficult to find out. There are so many things in our world that come from such a distant source. The awakened nature of our wisdom-life is also like this. If we understand this matter thoroughly and clearly, [when we read] the teaching of the intrinsic in the next chapter about the Tathagata’s lifespan and many other chapters, we will be able to understand them all the more clearly. We must understand them very clearly. So, we are unable to trace these things back to their beginning or end. We cannot say when time began or determine when it ends. We are unable to do this. “From the intrinsic to the manifest, the infinite becomes finite. From the manifest to the intrinsic, the finite becomes infinite.” So, we must discuss the teaching of the manifest. The past 14 chapters contain the teaching of the manifest. In the era, [the Buddha] was able to talk about. His present lifetime in this world. [Starting from] these events, He explored His past lifetimes. During that time, He was always speaking about past causes and conditions, what His own past causes and conditions were, how He formed affinities with certain disciples and what affinities a certain disciple or Arhat had formed during their past lifetimes. This is like the Buddha’s Jataka Sutra or stories about the causes and conditions of His disciples’ past lives, the past lives of their past lives, or their past lifetimes from countless kalpas ago. This is all part of the teaching of the manifest, wherein [the Buddha] systematically described the causes and conditions of one life after another to provide parables about the Dharma. This was the era of the teaching of the manifest.
So, “from the intrinsic to the manifest…”. This is the “manifest,” [the teachings] about His past. Within this teaching of the manifest, He also revealed the era of Great Unhindered Wisdom Superior Buddha. This was in the very ancient past. He uses “infinite kalpas ago” and “dust-inked kalpas ago” to describe how long ago [this happened]. It was then and there that He formed aspirations. This was the very first time He formed aspirations. This was the fundamental root. It all began from a single thought. He formed His initial aspiration and [sustained it] all the way to His present [life]. This happened dust-inked kalpas ago, thus the chapter makes it very clear that neither “a mathematician nor a mathematician’s disciples” could finish describing [how ago it was]. [Even mathematicians] have no way to know or calculate this, let alone anyone else. So, “From the intrinsic to the manifest, the infinite becomes finite.”
Though He spoke of it as infinite, He still [measured] the past in dust-inked kalpas. But within these dust-inked kalpas, there is also infinity. “The infinite becomes finite.” The era of the 16 princes was finite. During the era of the 16 princes, they each expounded the Dharma again [to others]. The associates who listened to the Dharma then were also infinite. So, there is the finite and the infinite, the infinite and the finite. The 16 princes have all attained Buddhahood by now according to their own innate capabilities.
Before each Buddha attained Buddhahood, as in the Chapter on Emerging from the Ground, He [must first] finish. Only after transforming infinite beings will He manifest the attainment of Buddhahood.
Think about it; is this finite or infinite? Only one person attained Buddhahood [at first], but the people who listened to the Dharma were infinite in number. So, when we try to measure them, [we find] an infinite number of people who listened to the Dharma and succeeded. What they succeed in was returning to their intrinsic nature, which is equal to the Buddha’s. This is our intrinsic nature of True Suchness, which we all possess. Is it “finite,” or is it “infinite”? The infinite becomes finite, and “from the manifest to the intrinsic, the finite becomes infinite”. In the teaching of the manifest, starting from the era of Great Unhindered Buddha and the 16 princes, their initial aspirations continued to manifest until those they had transformed were infinite. These [people] were “infinite” in number.
Did He get to this point and stop there? No. Did the Buddha attain Buddhahood and stop there? This is not the case either. It was simply due to the causes and conditions of that time that. He manifested these appearances then. For the sake of the future age of the evil world of turbidities, He manifested these appearances in His time. These were His causes and conditions in the world. In the past, He needed to go through a period in which He transformed so many people helping them fulfill and perfect their enlightened nature. Later on in His present [lifetime], He had to start again to help everyone return to the true principles, their awakened nature, which means He had to use the form of the “manifest” once again.
Over 2000 years [ago], the Buddha revealed His manifestation in the world to enable us to bear witness to the Enlightened One being born in this world. He went through this process so that we would be able to believe in Him. This Dharma has already been put into writing. In accordance with His teachings, we faithfully accept, practice and spread them. We spread these principles to future generations to teach to others. As time endlessly passes by, tangible materials go through [the cycle of] formation, existence, decay and disappearance. The structures built in the Buddha’s era have decayed or disappeared [as part of the cycle of] formation, existence, decay and disappearance. They are all gone. During that era, the past that the Buddha spoke of was also empty. Because it was countless, infinite kalpas ago, even the traces of that time cannot be found, and the exact location [of those events] is unknown. None of this can be determined. All that remains are abstract images which tell us about [what occurred] countless, infinite kalpas ago. Thus, appearances are an absolute necessity. That is why the Buddha appeared in this world. For those of us who listen to the Dharma, we absolute must have faith in this. So, the Buddha began with the teaching of the intrinsic, which lasted such a long period of time. Maitreya Bodhisattva raised doubts, so the Buddha manifested these appearances and kept making these infinite [Bodhisattvas] emerge. Those who were doubtful continued to harbor doubts in their heart. This went on until the very end, when those listening to the Dharma at the assembly wanted to seek the ultimate truth.
They wanted the Buddha to personally explain the ultimate truth behind these people, these Bodhisattvas, the state [they had reached] and what causes and conditions had brought this about. They needed to investigate this. They wanted to trace this back to the past. They asked the Buddha to explain this clearly. In the end, the Buddha agreed. After three requests, the Buddha agreed, but He still admonished them, saying, “You must believe. You must believe. You must believe in the Buddha’s true words”. Everyone said, “We absolutely believe. We already believed before, it is just that we are unable to understand. We do not dare to doubt the Buddha’s integrity or the Dharma He teaches. We are just unable to understand these teachings, but we still believe them; we absolutely believe. Venerable Buddha, please explain these causes and conditions again to help everyone believe and understand. As long as we have faith, we will slowly come to understand. So, we are all willing to believe, and we hope that we will come to understand it”.
This was the fourth time that they expressed their reverence for the Dharma and sought and requested the Buddha to reveal the teaching of the intrinsic. The Buddha listened to their declaration and still remined them one more time that they had to be attentive, mindful and focused and sincerely come to faithfully accept the Buddha’s true words. This was the fourth time [He admonished them]. Clearly, we must also be this way. So, first we need to understand [the meaning of] “ancient past”, “arising and ceasing” and “finite”. Do these things actually exist? When did they start? When will they end? We need to fully understand this first.
So, “From the manifest to the intrinsic, the finite becomes infinite”. We must not harbor any doubts. As time passes by, the space left behind goes through [the cycle of] formation, existence, decay and disappearance. This is the Buddha’s wisdom, the Dharma that He continuously taught in the past. Now we must seek to comprehend it. So, “The three bodies are unhindered, the intrinsic and the manifest are in perfect harmony”. We have previously discussed the Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya. In fact, they are all as one. This is our “intrinsic self-nature”, that is, the principles. Thus, “[The Tathagata’s] lifespans are neither one [and the same] nor different. How long is His lifespan after all? How could the Buddha’s lifespan have only lasted 80 years in this world? That was just an appearance. In fact, in turns out His true lifespan has lasted “from the ancient past to the present”. It has no beginning! His lifespan has always been ongoing. This is what is known as the “Dharma-nature”.
We have our nature of True Suchness. How long does this “nature” last? It has lasted since Beginningless Time. Our innate ocean of enlightened wisdom is infinite and boundless. So, “[The Tathagata’s] lifespans are neither one [and the same] nor different”. His lifespans are not one [and the same], nor are they different from one another. He will always respond to the needs of sentient beings throughout the world. This is how He continuously comes and goes in response to sentient beings. Thus, He is “guiding teacher of the Three Realms” and the “kind father of the Four Kinds of Beings”. “The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different”. When everyone has awakened, everyone will be as one. If we do not awaken, each person will be an individual entity. The gulf between the Buddha and sentient beings will be very wide.
It is the same principle. This is just like how, on the same planet, in the same world, we can all be there at the same time but still have a time difference. By the same principle, names and appearances also have their differences. If we want to talk with someone, we need only to make a phone call. Even at midnight, they will still be able to hear us. They really share the same moment as we do, it is just that the time in that place is different. There is a time difference, yet when we are connected, we share the same time. There is no difference between your daytime and my evening. There is not difference; we can connect at the push of a button. So, a lifespan is also like this.
A lifespan is also a span of time. The length of our lifespan is measured in the years we live. A year starts out with a second. It is just that there are so many names and appearances, which we use to differentiate [between lengths of time]. Hence, “lifespans are neither one [and the same] nor different. This time belongs to everyone. Time belongs to us all, and as a matter of fact, True Suchness and the true principles belong to us all as well. If I am the only one who realizes this, then [this knowledge] is mine alone, and you will never be able to realize this. When each person realizes and awakens to this, then it will become their own [knowledge]; [what they realize] individually will become their own lifespan.
To sum it up, this all happens because sentient beings differentiate between appearances, thereby producing individual differences. Otherwise, all would be equal. Thus, “If we compare or measure them, we find they are neither existent nor non-existent”. When we seek to draw comparisons, something will seem longer compared to one thing, but shorter compared to another thing. In fact, long and short are merely appearances.
By the same principle, when we speak of time in seconds, hours, days, months and years, we are just differentiating between appearances. When it comes to time, we are unable to measure any of this; all we can measure is its length. When we return to its true [form], we find that it is all the same. Hence, “If we compare or measure them, we find they are neither existent nor non-existent”. Are they existent or non-existent? Does time really exist? We cannot obstruct [the passage of] time. Does air exist? We cannot grasp it .We are unable to do any these things, but they still exist. When it comes to their existence or non-existence, “They are neither existent nor non-existent”. Thus, “dust-inked” is used to illustrate what has neither beginning nor end.
This term “dust-inked” represents beginninglessness and endlessness. If we understand this principle clearly and fully, when we listen to this Dharma, we will naturally come to understand it quickly. As long as we know a person, talking to them is easy. We just need to pick up a cell phone, and at the press of a button, we will be connected. It is the same principle. As long as we know them, as long as we have a close connection with them, we will be able to reach them.
This principle is that simple. In the previous sutra passage, [the Buddha] said, “All throughout the world, heavenly beings, humans and asuras all say that the present Buddha, Sakyamuni, left the Sakya Palace and went somewhere not far from the city of Gaya, where I sat in the place of enlightenment and attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
Thus, “All throughout the world, heavenly beings, humans and asuras…”. These were all unenlightened beings. They all differentiated between appearances. So, they merely saw the Buddha’s appearance and confined [His lifespan] to that period of time. They confined [His lifespan] to the time and place of the Buddha’s birth, to how He became a monastic and engaged in spiritual practice. This measurement was based on appearances. This is how unenlightened beings see the Buddha.
In the next sutra passage, [the Buddha] goes on to say, “However, good men, I actually attained Buddhahood before then, infinite and limitless trillions of nayutas of kalpas ago”.
This is a very long time “Nayutas of kalpas ago is such a long period of time”. This sutra passage describes how such a long time had passed since the Buddha attained Buddhahood. It was not the case that He had only attained Buddhahood 40 or so years ago. Next, He began to explain how long His lifespan really is and how long ago He had attained enlightenment. It was only at this time that He began to describe this.
Here He describes how long it had been since He attained Buddhahood. When He left the Sakya Palace and sat at the Bodhimanda, this was the Buddha’s manifestation of His Nirmanakaya. He traced the manifest back to the intrinsic, thus He describes here how long ago. His Sambhogakaya had attained Buddhahood.
So, “when He left the Sakya Palace” and sat in His place of enlightenment, this was “the Buddha’s manifestation of His Nirmanakaya” in response to the causes and conditions and the capabilities of sentient beings. So, the Buddha’s Nirmanakaya manifested in this world. The manifestations of His Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya were all that unenlightened beings could perceive. This is His transformation-body. So, “He traced the manifest back to the intrinsic”. His manifestation in the world was just like any other human. This was in response to the needs of human beings. He was in the same world [as them]. It is just that He was in the palace. He manifested being born as a noble in the palace. He manifested wealth and nobility but did not lose Himself in this wealth and nobility. As a result, His ideas and way of thinking differed from others. He wanted to leave the palace to seek out the source of life. He wanted to find a way to break through the idea that human life is unequal. His way of thinking was very different from others.
So, “He left the Sakya Palace”. He ended up spending 11 years visiting [religious teachers] and engaging in ascetic practices. Once these two periods came to an end, He went to the Bodhimanda, where He sat beneath the Bodhi tree and attained perfect enlightenment. This was merely an appearance He manifested in response to sentient beings’ capabilities. He taught people, “This is how I formed aspirations in the past”. I was able to do this. “You all should be able to do it too.” He manifested this appearance to serve as a model.
So, “He traced the manifest back to the intrinsic”. His course of practice was a “manifestation”. The principles that He taught are the Dharmakaya; He traced [the manifest] back to His Dharmakaya. The Buddha wanted to teach all sentient beings to understand the principles so that everyone could understand the course of the Dharma. So, He manifested this appearance as a role model. He “traced the manifest back to the intrinsic”. He wanted to reveal the nature of the True Dharma, so now He began to teach it. “Thus He describes here how long ago”. His Sambhogakaya had attained Buddhahood”. How long did it take for His Sambhogakaya to attain Buddhahood? How long did He live in this world? It was only through His body that everyone could see that He was able to reveal the manifestation of His Nirmanakaya and His Dharmakaya. This is how He was able to do this. So, [He said], “However, good men, I actually attained Buddhahood before then”. In the past over 40 years since He attained Buddhahood, this period of over 40 years, [His body] was merely an image He wanted others to look to. He acted as a role model. “However, good men…”. The Buddha told everyone, “I actually attained Buddhahood before then”. The Buddha cautioned His disciples again that they all must be diligent. The Buddha had already expressed this, and He earnestly called upon them once again. “Good men” are people who form aspirations to engage in spiritual practice and form aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva-path; they are all known as “good men”.
Everyone is a great person who must courageously shoulder this heavy burden and undertake this mission. So, He called them all “good men”. All good men of great undertakings, in listening to the Dharma, must “carefully listen to, contemplate and faithfully accept the Buddha’s words”. Everyone must be very vigilant and listen carefully. Everyone must be very vigilant and listen carefully. Once we hear it, we must contemplate it mindfully and earnestly and faithfully accept the Buddha’s teachings. This was the Buddha’s instruction.
However, good men, I actually attained Buddhahood before then: The Buddha earnestly called upon those listening to the Dharma to carefully listen to, contemplate and faithfully accept the Buddha’s words. The Buddha declared: “I actually attained Buddhahood before then” The Dharmakaya is neither attainable nor unattainable; it has always been innate.
Again, the Buddha said, “I actually attained Buddhahood before then”. This was to explain about the “Dharmakaya”. The Dharmakaya, this enlightenment, is “neither attainable nor unattainable”. This enlightenment has always been there. It is innately present. The Buddha-nature is inherently without beginning or end. It has been present from the beginning. This enlightenment is merely what He expressed in the world to help everyone understand that this Dharma manifests our intrinsic nature. This intrinsic nature did not come out of nowhere. This awakened nature has always been innate to us. So, this intrinsic awakened nature is something innate to us all. We all share this intrinsic nature. This awakening is our awakened nature. We might lose sight of it, but this intrinsic nature still exists in everyone. So, we must mindfully seek to comprehend this. We have always innately possessed this intrinsic nature of goodness. We must take one step further to awaken it. We have always innately possessed this intrinsic nature of goodness. We must take one step further to awaken it. We have always had this innate enlightenment; it has always been with us.
If we cultivate our causal practice to perfection, our Sambhogakaya’s blessed virtue and our wisdom will also have the appearance of perfection. This is known as attaining Buddhahood.
“If we cultivate our causal practice to perfection, our Sambhogakaya’s blessed virtue…”. In the past, the Buddha, over many kalpas since Beginningless Time, engaged in causal practice, actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions. Once we form aspirations, we must walk the Bodhisattva-path and go among people to transform sentient beings lifetime after lifetime. So, our cause, this “causal practice,” is our seed. We must constantly cultivate and nurture it all the way until “one gives rise to infinity and infinity arises from one”. Doesn’t the Sutra of Infinite Meanings say this? So, we must “cultivate our causal practice”. We must practice as Bodhisattvas, actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions. If we constantly cultivate [this causal practice] for infinite kalpas, walk the Bodhisattva-path lifetime after lifetime and constantly go among people, we will come to full and perfect fruition, and so will “our Sambhogakaya’s blessed virtue”. When we widely form good affinities, our causes and conditions will be inconceivable. People will always watch us, listen to us and praise us. If we have no affinities with others, we can say a whole lot, but they will never accept what we say. But if we have the affinities, even if we just say half a sentence to them, they will find it useful. We must always be very mindful and work hard to form good affinities with everyone. This is cultivating the Bodhisattva-path. When we form good affinities, everyone will accept what we have to say. We must transform sentient beings and be replete with causes and conditions to be able to attain Buddhahood.
So, for “our Sambhogakaya’s blessed virtue,” we must constantly accumulate blessed affinities. We have explained this “virtue” continuously throughout the past. We must engage in “inner cultivation and external practice. Inner cultivation is merit, external practice is virtue”. As we constantly cultivate and accumulate blessed virtue, “our wisdom will have the appearance of perfection”. Naturally, we will continue to accumulate [wisdom]. With every experience, we grow in wisdom. As we constantly accumulate [experience], naturally, our wisdom will be perfect, and we will manifest the appearance of wisdom. The principles of all things in the world [will appear to us] like a gushing spring. We will understand all principles and matters. To gain full understanding, we must accumulate [wisdom] in daily life. This is “the appearance of perfect wisdom”. Our blessed virtues will also be perfect as we actualize the Six Paramitas in all actions. This is what it means to attain Buddhahood.
Also, the reason why He was able to attain the Sambhogakaya of Buddhahood is because He was able to realize the Dharmakaya. Bodhisattvas are also capable of realizing the Dharmakaya in part and attaining the Sambhogakaya, but it will not be perfect or complete.
There is also the Sambhogakaya, the Sambhogakaya of Buddhahood. The Buddha attained Buddhahood because of His Sambhogakaya. Lifetime after lifetime, He responded to the capabilities of sentient beings in the world. He constantly built up to this until He attained it. So, [this is] “because He was able to realize the Dharmakaya”. Because He constantly accumulated blessed and virtuous conditions and was replete in both blessings and wisdom, He was able to perfect this Dharmakaya. When we form ample affinities with sentient beings and go among sentient beings, we will also come to understand their many afflictions and hardships.
Thus, “afflictions are Bodhi”. Among people, we come to understand so many afflictions and help [many others] succeed on the path to awakening. “With every experience, we grow in wisdom”. [Worldly] matters bring so many afflictions. But once we experience these matters, we will grow in wisdom. In this way, we will perfect our Sambhogakaya among people and matters. Once we realize this, we will return to the Dharma, our Dharma-nature. We will return to our Dharma-nature. This is something we must mindfully seek to comprehend. In everything we do, we must mindfully seek to comprehend this. Only then will we be able to work up to this. Thus, “Bodhisattvas are also capable of realizing the Dharmakaya in part”. We just need to form aspirations to walk the Bodhisattva-path. Even as newly-inspired Bodhisattvas, we will begin to accept the Dharma, gain some insights and begin to put it into practice. As we slowly come to understand, we will change our habitual tendencies.
This is like the honorary board members in Kaohsiung who came to Hualien to meet some entrepreneurs. They came to speak of their past experiences, seeking to improve by revealing their shortcomings. In the past, they had many bad habitual tendencies. They did not try to conceal any of them. Over 30 people gave testimony together to how bad a certain person used to be in the past. This person also personally described how awful he had been in the past, how he had destroyed his own family, destroyed his relationships with others, and what became of his family. When he came back here, he told me his story again. This is the meaning of repentance. He shared [his story] with everyone.
When he repented, [he said to me,] “Master, I still have some things that I have not told you yet. I already shared them with everyone today. Now I have come to you to repent. Master, you did not know that. I kept something from you. This is how I used to be in the past. I am grateful to Master, for it is because I have this Dharma that I was able to awaken. So, I have changed myself. Now I have repented. This is how my family has changed…”. This is how it was. He formed Bodhisattvas-aspirations and began to change himself. This is because he was able to awaken. Awakening means coming to a realization. When we realize and awaken to this Dharma, we will immediately change ourselves; this is returning to our intrinsic nature. In this way, we will also come to realize this in part. “Only this Dharma can change me. Only this Dharma can bring my family peace. Only this Dharma can stabilize my business. Only this Dharma can enable me to widely form good affinities.” We must start by being a good person and apply the Dharma in our lives to change ourselves and benefit others. This is what it means to be a Bodhisattva. So, this is “attaining the Sambhogakaya.” Right now, in this world, we can change ourselves and serve others. This is very inspiring indeed. It is just that right now, we are still imperfect. “But [we] will not be perfect or complete.” Because we are unenlightened beings, we still have many faults. This is something we must be very mindful of. We need to quickly improve our shortcomings and hasten to serve others. “If we can reach wondrous enlightenment and cause our Dharma-nature to manifest in its ultimate perfection…”.
If we can reach wondrous enlightenment and cause our Dharma-nature to manifest its ultimate perfection, then we will attain the Dharmakaya of Buddhahood. If, through our casual practice, we can cultivate our merits and virtues to their ultimate perfection, then we will attain the Sambhogakaya of Buddhahood.
If we want to attain the state of Buddhahood, we must very quickly manifest this Dharma-nature to its ultimate perfection. We must be very proactive. Then we will “attain the Dharmakaya of Buddhahood.” We must be diligent and work very hard to make the most out of our time. Human life is short. We have no control over [its length], yet we are able to expand its breadth and depth. We can open up a broad path and pave it smooth. In this way, we can seize our time and hasten to serve others. So, this is how we build up to this, beginning with the Sambhogakaya. We must seize our opportunities. “If, through our casual practice, we can cultivate our merits and virtues to their ultimate perfection…”. If we have the causes and conditions to encounter the Buddha-Dharma and come to understand the principles, we will correct our faults. Not only must we correct our faults, we must also continue to diligently advance, “cultivating our merits and virtues to their ultimate perfection.” We must quickly advance forward, continuing on until we attain the state of ultimate perfection.
“Then we will attain the Sambhogakaya of Buddhahood.” As we advance diligently, we will [attain] our Sambhogakaya. We must use our Sambhogakaya to accomplish our mission. So, [the Buddha] went on to say, “…infinite and limitless trillions of nayutas of kalpas ago”.
…infinite and limitless trillions of nayutas of kalpas ago: This part reveals that the length of time since the Buddha attained Buddhahood is limitlessly and infinitely long. It is even more extensive than the length revealed in the Brahmajala Sutra.
This “reveals the length of time since the Buddha attained Buddhahood,” showing how long it had been since He attained it. It has been infinite kalpas, a very long time. In fact, He had already attained Buddhahood before. He had already perfected His enlightened nature a very long time ago. How long ago was this? It was “infinite and limitless trillions of nayutas of kalpas ago.” “Nayutas of kalpas” are infinite. They cannot be calculated. “Infinite trillions of nayutas of kalpas” is even longer than what was said in the Brahmajala Sutra. “It is even more extensive than the length [that sutra] revealed.”
To sum it up, this took a very long time. What should we do during such a long time? The world will always be full of suffering. Sentient beings must form Bodhisattva-aspirations to engage in spiritual practice. Amidst the many sentient beings, we must begin to give rise to compassion. We must give rise to compassion and go among people and transform sentient beings. We must serve as a role model in many ways and do various conditioned good deeds to serve others. We must seize the time and just do what is right. Everyone, please always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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