Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Dust Particles as Analogy for a Lifespan (微塵無量 喻壽長遠)
Date: January.02.2019
“Regarding the gathering of substance into matter, all forms are composed of the tiniest of particles. They are so extremely tiny that they approach nothingness; they are so extremely subtle and fine that they cannot be directly observed. If we compare their quantity, they cannot be directly compared. This is why these extremely tiny dust-like particles are infinite.”
Their quantity is extremely large. In the Buddhist sutras, every sutra mentions immeasurable and countless numbers [of particles], comparing to the amount of grains of sand in the Ganges River. These are very many dust-like particles. This is comparing to the many particles that gather together [to create matter]. The tiniest [components] are dust-like particles. So, of everything we can see, the smallest or the tiniest that we can see are dust-like particles. This “gathering of substances [into matter]” becomes [those things that] we can see. “All forms are composed of the tiniest of particles.” These things must gather together. The tiniest things that can gather are dust-like particles. “All forms are composed of the tiniest of particles.” If we grab a handful of sand, there are so many [grains]! In a handful of sand, every grain is an individual entity. So, “All forms are composed of the tiniest of particles.” The dust-like forms that we can see are so subtle and fine. However, dust is not fine enough. The powder in the dust are even more fine. They are so extremely tiny that “they approach nothingness.”
They are so fine that we cannot see them. These “paramanus” are invisible. So, “They are so extremely subtle and fine that they cannot be directly observed.” When our eyes come into contact with them, we are unable to measure their size or analyze how large they are. We cannot directly observe them. These things are so tiny; how could we directly observe them? How can we [see them]? Making use of modern technology, we can use a microscope [to observe them]. With a microscope, for things we cannot see with our [naked] eyes, we just smear them on glass slide, look through a microscope, and we will see many densely-packed things. These individual entities will become clear. This is [made possible by] our eye-root connecting with those external conditions, with sense-objects. Many fine details of the external conditions cannot be seen by our eye-root, because they are extremely tiny. So, “They cannot be directly observed.” They are so extremely subtle and fine that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. So, “if we compare their quantity,” if we want to describe how large the quantity is, actually, “They cannot be directly compared.” The Bodhisattvas who emerged from the ground were so numerous because, beginning from His initial aspirations, the Buddha has continuously returned to this world.
With His vows, He goes among people repeatedly [life after life]. This is how He transformed so many sentient beings. The numbers are so great that they cannot be compared. There are so many. “This is why these extremely tiny dust-like particles are infinite.” This shows that His mind is most intricate, how much He has served among people and so on. Speaking of time, space and the human realm, when it comes to sentient beings in the Six Realms, if we wanted to compare their numbers, it would truly be incomparable. From the point when His initial aspiration was first inspired and He started taking action, in that time and space, the number of sentient beings has been truly great. If we measure [the time since]. He first formed the initial aspiration to go among people and transform sentient beings, that time is truly infinite, boundless and incalculable.
In fact, in our daily living and [the world around us], there are also things that we cannot see with our eyes. In this space, there are extremely tiny things that exist right in front of us. So, He said, “They are so extremely tiny that they approach nothingness.” They have reached “nothingness”. We cannot see them. This is because our eye-consciousness still cannot truly see through the ultimate reality of space.
Our space looks empty. However, in fact, our space is filled with extremely tiny life forms. This is why we often say that. “There are spiritual beings three inches above us.” The body of principles [governing] our space and the life forms in this space are all things that our eye-consciousness still cannot see. We often ask how big the space is where the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra. The venue was not very big, but the space around it, the sky, the earth, even the universe, mountains and valleys and so on were all places where the Buddha taught the Dharma and where the Buddha’s manifestations appeared.
So, after the stupa of treasures emerged, the Buddha summoned. His many manifestations. His manifestations from the ten directions continuously kept arriving. As we listen to the sutra, we must mindfully try to picture that scene. It seemed to be very wide and open. It was as if there were countless Buddhas, the Buddha’s many manifestations, who came from all directions and arrived gracefully, filling the Dharma-realms of the universe. Wherever there is Dharma, the Buddha is there.
The Buddha [embodies] the “true principles,” and the true principles are “the Dharma”. So, as for the true principles, as for the Dharma, if we can comprehend them, this is called “awakening,” or our awakened nature. When our awakened nature converges with the true principles [of] the Dharma, every place in this endless void becomes a Dharma-realm. The endless void refers to the empty space between you and me. Between us, everywhere there are Dharma-realms. When we reduce [the space] between things that are not very densely packed, we will say, “There still seems to be space. It is empty inside”. There is still space. There is empty space in it.” Indeed! There still are gaps in it; there is empty space. So, the thing is not very compact; it is not very dense. Even if the gaps are very small, the gaps are voids. So, the void of a gap is a space. There is still space. So, as for space, there are principles within that space. Is something blocking it so that it cannot be densely packed? We must find that space, that spot, to see the reason it cannot be packed together.
There are so many things. We can talk about large things such as the sky and the Dharma-realms of the universe. In fact, if we draw closer, the Dharma-realms of the empty void are very tiny. There are tiny voids, gaps that have still not been closed. This means when we cannot use a thing smoothly, there must be some principles that are obstructed. Thus, we cannot use it smoothly. The principles are obstructed, so this thing cannot be used smoothly.
It is the same with our minds. Why can’t our minds get over something? There is a principle for our being unable to get over things. What principle is it? It is that afflictions and ignorance exist in our minds. We still have not completely eliminated these afflictions and this ignorance. We have the mindset of an ordinary person and our ignorance is still there, so we have not fully understood the principles. Likewise, we can talk about large things and discuss them enthusiastically. We can talk about many principles. But if we come back to [ourselves], are we able to connect with other people? Can we thoroughly understand each other’s mind? I cannot understand your thoughts. If we do not find each other’s words agreeable or if we have different perspectives, there will be conflicts and more afflictions. This is how ordinary people are. We can speak of many principles, yet we cannot apply any of these in our hearts. This is due to our ignorance and afflictions as ordinary people. The source of afflictions is in our minds, but we cannot comprehend or understand it. These are the dust-like particles entering our minds. They are so tiny that we cannot see them.
It is like a piece of glass. With very clear glass, we can look through it to see things outside. Why is there such a hard window between us and the outside world? [The glass] is a sense object. This object [consists of] dust-like [particles] that “approach nothingness”. It seems there is nothing there, but in fact, there is a piece of glass separating us. We are isolated. Even our voice cannot pass through it, not to mention other people. Glass is made from the tiniest [sand particles]. These materials become a substance that is so fine that it is invisible. Extremely tiny particles need to be combined to be turned into something transparent. When we look at it, we can see through it; it is transparent, but in fact, it has substance. So, there are many materials contained in it. Through technology, it is made to be transparent.
So, “They are so extremely tiny that they approach nothingness.” The principle is the same. As we see with our eyes, we may see things as transparent. In fact, there are extremely tiny particles. In our surroundings. This is very wondrous. We live our lives among such wondrous principles, but we are unaware of them. We live in a great space that is so very subtle and wondrous. It is as subtle as the air. We cannot live without air.
For instance, our human bodies need oxygen, hydrogen and [all kinds of things]. Nowadays, technology is advanced. We can separate these extremely subtle substances and recreate them. It is lie smoke. [Smoke] looks like there is something there, but in fact, it is nothing but gas. Gases have their own functions. How do we filter fresh air? It has substance, but we cannot see it. We truly cannot see it. Maybe it is something we can sense and feel. We must live in such an environment; we need oxygen [in the] air to be able to live. If we lack oxygen…. What does oxygen look like? We cannot see it. If we lack oxygen, we cannot breathe. It is the same principle. Our lives are filled with principles, yet we cannot comprehend them. Thus, [the difference] between Buddhahood and the state of an ordinary person is whether we are obstructed [from the principles] or not. Those who are unobstructed attain awakening; those who are obstructed are confused. Those who are awakened attain Buddhahood while those who are confused remain as ordinary people. This is what we should seek to deeply comprehend. So, we must know that, “Regarding the gathering of substance into matter, all forms are composed of the tiniest of particles”. They are extremely tiny, extremely fine.
Analyzing “dust-like particles”, seven times larger than a “dust-like particle” is a “gold particle”. In comparison to al “gold particle”, there is something even tinier. A “paramanu” is 49 times smaller. As we continue to split this particle further, we will reach a quantity that is truly impossible to compare or measure. So, it approaches “nothingness”, which is empty; it seems completely empty.
A “gold particle” can freely pass through substances. A “dust-like particle” is 7 times smaller. A “paramanu” is 49 times smaller.
We must be very mindful about this. We can only comprehend them, but we cannot directly compare their quantity. We cannot make analogies to compare their quantity. This is impossible to describe with analogies, by language or comparison. So, “They are so extremely subtle and fine that they cannot be directly observed”. It is not something we can show to you now. We must use our mind to comprehend this, using our experience and wisdom to realize it. So, “If we compare their quantify, they cannot be directly compared”. We say that the Ganges’ sands are extremely numerous. Their number cannot be known through calculation. It is definitely impossible to count. So, “This is why these extremely tiny dust particles are infinite”. They cannot be counted; they are uncountable. So, truly we can only put effort into comprehending this. As we learn the Buddha’s teachings, we must always be mindful. We must be mindful about connecting our spirit to the Dharma in every moment. With our physical bodies, we must put it into practice in our daily living. Then, all matters and things in our lives will be inseparable from the Dharma. So, “What you say accords with the principles and what you do accords with the principles; they are very reasonable”. Indeed, we must be like this. This means that what we do is reasonable, and what we say accord with the principles. This is what it means to constantly connect our minds with the external conditions. I always tell people about consciousness, the mind- consciousness, the Roots and the Dusts. We must always have wisdom.
So, we must transform consciousness into wisdom. The Four Wisdoms are always a part of our daily living. “All-accomplishing wisdom, profound discerning wisdom” and “universal equality wisdom” are all part of “great perfect mirror wisdom”. At that point, we understand everything clearly. This happens when we exercise our potential as we learn the Buddha’s teachings by putting them into practice in our daily living. We should not say, “As I learn the Buddha-Dharma, I just listen to the Dharma to accumulate it. I listen to take notes and write it down. I have taken notes and written it down”. This is not the point. The purpose is to apply it; the purpose of listening is to apply it and change our perspectives and habitual tendencies in our daily living.
This is truly learning the Buddha-Dharma. So, listening, teaching and practicing [the Dharma] must occur in parallel. So, we must be very mindful. We must gain a deeper understanding of the previous sutra passage.
“However, good men, I actually attained Buddhahood before then, infinite and limitless trillions of nayutas of kalpas ago.
Good men, was how the Buddha sincerely addressed those who listened to the Dharma at the assembly. Whether they were experienced or newly-inspired, [He urged them], “Do not cling to the near and be confused about the far. We must not cling to the near, to the manifest. We must not be attached to this lifetime and only cling to that span of time. We should not become attached to what we directly observe and the present time. We must consider the past”. The past of the past that has continued endlessly is a flow from the source of the principles. It continues to remain in this way, being passed down [over time]. We must believe in it. “It has been a long time. Actually, the time since I attained Buddhahood has been a very long time, not just this present lifetime. I only manifested in this lifetime in accordance with worldly causes and conditions to guide and transform sentient beings as one of my many manifestations that can be directly observed”. This is to help people see that at this time, there is this place in this world. [His manifestation] has form, quantity, time and realms”. In this world, there are such [manifestations] of people, matters and things. There is history that can be traced back. He had at this time manifested this form. In the past, a very long time has gone by .Time has passed from the era of Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-degeneration, all the way to the time without a Buddha. It has been a very long time. Although in the past the Buddha was in the world, the Buddha’s past eras of Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-degeneration have all passed. Even the relics of Dharma-semblance have disappeared. Sakyamuni Buddha has been through countless dust-inked kalpas as numerous as the sands of many Ganges Rivers. Over a very long time, He continuously came to this world. This world has experienced many periods of formation, existence, decay and disappearance.
Therefore, no relics can be found, not even the label “the Buddha-Dharma”. So, after such a [long] time, after past kalpas of disappearance, Sakyamuni Buddha again manifested. This took a very long time. So, when Sakyamuni Buddha manifested in this Saha World, He clearly had to begin anew to align the proportion of the quantity [of time] and His appearance to help everyone see and listen to [the Dharma]. But this time period was a very important time because the Buddha began [to teach] more than 2,000 years ago for His future time that is our present time. In the future beyond our present time, during this long period of many kalpas, the evil world of turbidity will become even more turbid, and people’s minds will change even more rapidly.
The imbalance of the climate and the four elements will become worse. There will be more extreme natural disaster and human hearts will grow extremely evil. So, in the Buddha’s future and the future beyond our present time, there will be more urgent crises in that era. So, before us, the Buddha manifested this appearance more than 2,000 years ago for the sake of the future which is [our] present. This was how it began that the Buddha manifested in this world. His worldly lifespan, in accordance with sentient beings’ lifespan, was likewise limited.
So, he left his home when he was a young man. Everyone knows this story. 11 years passed while He traveled and engaged in ascetic practice. With those 11 years and 49 years [of teaching], there were 60 years in total. Isn’t this so? During this time, He sought the Buddha-Dharma, accomplished it and taught it in the world. The time was a short period of 60 years. As of now (2017), Tzu Chi has been around for more than 50 years! I feel the time had been so short. So, if we now compare it, the time had truly not been long. In these over 50 years, what have we accomplished? This is not to mention that in the Buddha’s era, from the Buddha attaining Buddhahood to entering Parinirvana, there were only 49 years in total. It had not even been 50 years. To say that He had accomplished so many things would definitely be inconceivable. If we want to use what we have now to compare with the Buddha’s state and His accomplishment, how could we compare? So, we should not be confused about the far and attached to the near, attached to the Buddha’s current lifetime. This lifetime is only a manifestation, [a time] we can relate to and measure He manifested the appearance of becoming a monastic when He was young, began to diligently engage in spiritual practice and attained Buddhahood. This was “manifesting an appearance”.
At that time, we know that there were 1250 disciples in His retinue. We can measure and compare [the numbers]. In certain spiritual practice grounds, how many lectures had He given on the Dharma and how many people were there listening? There can be measured and compared. In the Buddha’s time, these could be compared.
However, the time since the Buddha actually attained enlightenment is beyond comparison. The ancient past that He spoke of no longer has any remaining traces or relics because it has gone through. Through formation, existence, decay and disappearance, everything has disappeared. We only have our present time, which is 2,000 years after the Buddha’s lifetime, but we can still do archaeological research and observe historical remains from the Buddha’s era. Yet the principles that the Buddha taught came from far in the past. We cannot measure or compare [how old they are]. We do not have the form nor quantity compare. So, many of the Buddha’s sutras mention “infinite and limitless trillions of nayutas of kalpas ago”. The [length of time] is so long. In addition, we must trust that the Buddha speaks the truth and does not speak falsehoods. We must trust that the Buddha’s principles indeed exist. So, we should not be confused about the far and attached to the near. We must put effort into being mindful.
The next sutra passage continues, “By way of analogy, suppose someone were to take 500 quadrillion nayutas of asankyas of great trichiliocosms and grind them into dust”. Then, passing over 500 quadrillion they were to drop one particle of dust.
Indeed! If I had not told you these things, and you now read about these numbers, how could you comprehend them? This is the amount being described. “By way of analogy, suppose someone were to take 500 quadrillion nayutas of asankyas of great trichiliocosms…”. These worlds would be so open and vast.
By way of analogy, suppose someone were to take 500 quadrillion nayutas of asankyas of great trichiliocosms…: In the Western Land, great numbers are likened to countless great trichiliocosms. “The Western Land” was what people in the Tang dynasty called ancient India.
In the past, India was called “the Western Land”. We in the present would say, “In ancient India, they referred to other lands…”. That refers to other lands from the perspective of the country they were in. This means [lands] not just in India. Lands outside of ancient India in this space [are compared to] “countless great trichiliocosms”. At that time, apart from the human realm on Earth, in fact, the Buddha wanted to say that there were many worlds in the Dharma-realms of the universe, not just Earth. Apart from Earth, there are countless worlds in the universe.
So, “nayuta” means “one trillion”. “Asankya” means countless. “All sutras, when describing a large amount, use the metaphor of innumerable dust particles”.
When He spoke about large amounts, He had to teach like this and use this method to represent it. It was such a large amount. How large? How many worlds are there in this universe? “He used the metaphor of innumerable dust particles”. He used this as an analogy. There are many dust particles. Each dust or sand particle represents a world. He used this as an analogy. “Suppose someone were to grind them into dust particles. Suppose, by way of analogy….” If someone were to grind all of these worlds into dust particles at the same time, then these worlds will all become dust particles. Also, while “passing over 500 quadrillion nayutas of asankyas of lands to the east, they were to drop one particle of dust”.
In this manner, suppose they use “one particle” after such a long time and passing through such a long distance in time and lands, dropping a single particle there. There are so many dust particles. They separate these dust particles and place each of them in a very distant place. After passing through countless asankyas of lands, they drop just a single particle. They then pass through countless lands again and place another one after such a large distance. In this manner, they drop each particle, one more distant then the other, until they have dropped all the dust particles. This present analogy in the sutra illustrates the length of His lifespan.
The sutra is drawing an analogy to illustrate the length of the Tathagata’s lifespan. Grinding so many worlds into dust and dropping a single particle of dust after passing through so many worlds shows that the worlds in which the particles would be dropped are already innumerable, let alone the worlds where the particles would not be dropped. How could they possibly be numbered? The worlds where particles would be and would not be dropped are already innumerable, so how could the particles within both kinds of worlds possibly be numbered?
Now, we will continue to talk about “the length of [His] lifespan”. Like this, in such faraway worlds, they use many dust particles, dropping a single particle after passing a great number of worlds. They drop them until these countless particles are exhausted. Think about this, how far those worlds go. This is truly [beyond words]. This is compared to the length of His lifespan. What can we compare it to? It is incomparable. Do you understand this? Suppose we grab a handful of beans, dropping a single bean after a distance and dropping another bean after another distance until all the beans in our hand are finished. Looking back from that distant place to the place where we dropped the first bean, how far is the distance? It serves as a mark to measure the distance. We place a mark after a certain distance and another mark after a certain distance. After we place the last one, we can see how great that distance is. The principle is the same.
What we are now discussing is how long [the Buddha’s] lifespan is. We use dust particles instead of beans. We grind so many worlds into dust and drop a single particle of dust in a distant place. Then after passing a very long distance, we drop another one. The distance that we continue to cover this way is used as an analogy for the length of a lifespan. This is the analogy.
So, “Grinding so many worlds into dust and dropping a single particle of dust after passing through so many worlds…”. After passing through many worlds, he drops one particle. This represents how the distance covered by the particles which were dropped is truly indescribable. Its boundaries are indescribable.
So, “Let alone the worlds where the particles would not be dropped…”. The worlds that are covered and measured, where the particles are dropped, are already so [many]. There are still worlds in which the particles are not dropped. From this, we can understand how big the universe is and how many worlds there are. This is indescribable. These are truly great numbers of worlds. “The worlds where particles would be and would not be dropped are already innumerable”. The worlds in which “particles would be and would not be dropped” are innumerable. The worlds where particles would not be dropped [are innumerable]. How could the dust particles [within the worlds] “possibly be numbered?” Think about this; how could we describe this?
In short, we must know how the Buddha-Dharma represents these numbers. Using our wisdom and consciousness, we still cannot completely comprehend this. We cannot comprehend it. It is like at the Vulture Peak, when countless Bodhisattvas emerged. At that place, so many people were gathered. So many bodhisattvas all came to Vulture Peak at the same time. When we think about that place, it is not an environment that ordinary people like us can imagine. The Bodhisattvas and Maitreya who were at that assembly brought up their doubts. They wanted to comprehend this. It was not that they did not believe the Buddha. They definitely believed the Buddha. If they still had doubts about their belief in the Buddha, this doubt would have prevented them from comprehending and merging with the true principles. The Buddha had already became one with all matters, things and principles in the universe.
So, He can truly comprehend everything. It was not only at that time that they received the Buddha’s teachings; these Bodhisattvas who emerged from the ground had already experienced them. All of them truly looked like Bodhisattvas of Equal Enlightenment who had reached a state comparable to the Buddha; these Bodhisattvas seemed to have attained enlightenment. Those Bodhisattvas who raised doubts there still were some distance away from them. These Bodhisattvas of Equal Enlightenment still were at a slight distance from the state of the Buddha.
So, to truly comprehend it all, they were still at some distance. So, this is to say, our distance from the Buddha is definitely very great. We are what is called newly-inspired Bodhisattvas. We serve while we walk the path, being among people, among their afflictions. “Afflictions are Bodhi.” We seek to comprehend sentient beings’ afflictions. After listening to the Dharma, how do we realize and comprehend the great path? We have formed the supreme aspiration; while being among people, we can remain unaffected by others, and we can help others and relieve them from their hardship. This is what we are learning. As we take one step at a time while serving, it is inevitable that we will encounter interpersonal conflicts.
However, “Conflicts are Bodhi.” They are to remind us to be vigilant and help us learn many things. “We are grateful!” When we can comprehend gratitude, we are learning to walk the Bodhisattva-path. How can newly-inspired Bodhisattvas comprehend this principle? This can be done only when we truly put it into practice in the world. The Dharma is not something we store up after listening to it or something we write down to understand. We must put it into practice. So, we must make steadfast efforts [to practice] and always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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