Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Focus on Practice to Sincerely Protect the Dharma (專精道業 虔誠護法)
Date: May.02.2019
“We must maintain our spiritual aspirations to practice and uphold the Dharma and focus on our spiritual practice without distractions. When we peacefully abide in our spiritual training ground with deep aspirations, we will be able to receive the Four Offerings. We must sincerely protect the Dharma and reverently make offerings to it, for the Four Offerings of clothing, shelter, food and medicine are provisions to help us peacefully abide in spiritual cultivation.”
We must be mindful and put our hearts into understanding this. To cultivate our spiritual practice, our mind must be focused and settled. Having a settled, focused mind and taking the Dharma we hear to heart is very important. Over this very long period of time, all of us have been earnestly upholding and listening to the Dharma, and we have also seen everyone actualizing the Dharma in their lives. We can use the Dharma among people and matters to experience a spiritual atmosphere. The feeling of a spiritual atmosphere brings great joy. Whether or not they come from another country, as Bodhisattva-volunteers come together to share their insights, we can hear them share about their daily lives and how they accomplished their mission while also introducing the Dharma and their experience of it.
For instance, volunteers from Central Taiwan return to the Abode and did chores with the Dharma masters at the Abode. They call it “short-term spiritual practice.” Every month, the volunteers make time to come back. When they mentioned this, they said, “I am so grateful! I am grateful for the spiritual training ground of the Abode, which permits us to return often for some short-term spiritual practice.” Actually, the Abode is also very grateful to this group of Bodhisattvas who had the heart to return and protect the Dharma. They know that those in the Abode work very hard. By coming back, they can lend a hand and exercise their strength to give and to protect the Dharma. After everyone does chores together, before they have to leave, they get together with the Dharma masters at the Abode to “drink a cup of the water of wisdom.” Everyone comes together to share their insights. How did they work in the fields during the past several days? As they pulled the weeds in the fields, there were many stones. How did they collect the stones? Some of the stones were buried deeper than others. Since they had to remove the stones, if a stone was buried underground, they even had to take a hoe and dig it out of the earth. Even from digging with the hoe as they were digging out the stones and from the sound when they hit the stone did they have Dharma to share. Every time they come back, at the time before their departure, I am always very joyful. “Ah, another group of Bodhisattvas [has come].” When it comes to the laws of the natural world, they face them and give of themselves. After putting in their hard work there, when it comes to weeds, grains, crops and things to be harvested, they all have insights they can share. As expected, while they sit, a few hours [pass by] without feeling long because they feel joy. They often mention that as they work, everything is the Dharma, and they are joyful. That kind of Dharma-joy is not simply joy. As they work, the efforts they make are arduous. But when the Dharma masters, share just one phrase with them, they gain great insights that they then implement in their lives. This is the same whether going into the fields or washing sheets and drying quilts. For instance, when the weather was very hot, they happened to come here right when we were drying the quilts. The Dharma masters told them, “Come, Bodhisattvas. We will now carry the quilts across the abyss bridge.” They said, “Oh, how can the Abode have an abyss bridge? Just follow me.” They carried all the quits and piled them outside. From the rooftop of this building, they must be carried over to the next building. The floor of the connecting area looks like a bridge, which they must step over to go across. At this time, the weather was very warm. After a long time in the sun, the cement was hot. On that rooftop, because the roof was very clean, every person was barefoot. Walking from here to there was very hot! So, the masters told them, “Come, we must cross this bridge. This is the abyss bridge.” Stepping on it, [they said], “Ah, it burns! It’s so hot!” So, everyone stepped across very quickly. This was what they did. On the roof, they spread out the quilts to dry in the sun.
Soon, it was dusk, and the sun set. “Hurry up, we must collect the quilts.” The late afternoon sunshine was weaker, so the bridge was not as scalding as before. They folded up the quilts and put them away. They felt, “So this is the smell of sunlight.” After being dried in the sun, the quilts had a sun-dried aroma. They felt this was the sweetest smell in the world. It was the smell of sunshine. It put them in that kind of mindset. Then, they had to stuff the quilts into covers. The masters told them, “Ever corner [must be stuffed properly]. The Fourfold Mindfulness, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment” and other such terminology all came up. This was how [the master] gradually told them, and they would listen joyfully. In every little detail, everything is Dharma actualized in life. This means we must mindfully listen to the Dharma, and bring everything we encounter in daily life together with the principles. This time, hearing what they shared brings me great fulfillment and joy. All along, the Buddha-Dharma is meant to be applied in our daily lives. We go among people and use it in our daily lives, interacting with and loving each other. This is just like what we have said before. Most importantly, let us actualize the Four All-Embracing Virtues. They are very simple. If we explain the Buddha-Dharma word by word and phrase by phrase from the text, we are unable to make use of any of it. We just need to apply [the Dharma] in our daily lives, using the Four All-Embracing Virtues to go among people. Furthermore, the Four All-Embracing Virtues can be applied every day in each of our lives no matter what kind of life we are facing. Charitable giving, beneficial conduct, loving speech and working together, aren’t these inseparable from how we treat people and handle matters in every moment of our lives? As we form good affinities among people and cultivate our body and mind to interact with people and handle matters, isn’t this the best form of spiritual practice? With these four [virtues] among people, if we make sufficient use of them, when we examine ourselves, we should not have too many shortcomings. We just need to use the Four All-Embracing Virtues. They are most common and memorable within the human world. Whether in the fields or on the rooftop, everyone receives great joy. When the sun beats in the fields and it is hot, when the wind blows or when the rain soaks us, everyone can still receive great joy. With the Dharma in our hearts, no matter what environment [we are in], we have intangible “patience with phenomena.” As for “patience with phenomena,” to sit here in this place and explain it to everyone is very intricate and explain it to everyone is very intricate. The more we drill into it, the deeper it gets, so the more we listen, the more confused we get.
However, if we put it regularly into practice, we can “just do it” with a calm [mind]. [There are] patience with beings and patience with phenomena. Simply discussing this one word, “patience,” is already very difficult, so it is even harder to comprehend it. However, we can simply face the natural world in this way, which is something human beings cannot create. The nature climate and natural laws are not manmade, but they are very arduous and must be endured. If we can endure through this and continue to work earnestly without giving rise to discursive thoughts, this “patience with phenomena” will be natural.
Then, is spiritual practice difficult? What about “patience with beings”? In our interpersonal relationships, we encounter obstacles with people, difficulties in situations and so on. There are many such instances. If we have used the Four All-Embracing Virtues to train ourselves very well, no difficulties with people or matters can stop us. When these Four All-Embracing Virtues have become habits of our daily living, we will not bear grudges with people. Then, obstacles from people, matters and so on will certainly be greatly reduced.
The Dharma has always been a part of our lives. So, “We must maintain or spiritual aspirations to practice and uphold the Dharma.” Everyone must be very mindful and clear [on this]. We must be focused. We must “focus on our spiritual practice without distractions.” As long as we focus our minds in our daily living, whether in speech or action, whether we walk, stand, sit or sleep, interact with people, handle matters or so on, as long as our minds are focused and refined, everything we face is [an opportunity] for spiritual cultivation. Because the path is in our minds and in our actions, we have the Dharma to transform people. We have the means to deal with people, so there are no difficulties.
So, if we “peacefully abide in our spiritual training ground with deep aspirations” then everywhere is a spiritual training ground. The sutra we have been reading recently, the Lotus Sutra, is the Buddha’s entire body. We do not need to build stupas or erect monasteries for the Sangha. As long as we “abide peacefully in our spiritual training ground with deep aspirations”, our minds abide within the Dharma. This is our spiritual training ground, the best training ground for our minds. “We will be able to receive the Four Offerings.” We go through our daily lives in this way. Is there any difficulty in that? There is no difficulty at all. Moreover, our family is very large. The whole world is one big family. As we can support ourselves independently, the Four Offerings will not be difficult. “We must sincerely protect the Dharma and reverently make offerings to it.” The most important [way] to truly reverently protect the Dharma is for everyone to read, recite and transcribe the sutras. This is how we must reverently protect the Dharma. we must take up the mission of the Tathagata. So, listening to, teaching and spreading the Dharma are of our duties. How can we support the Dharma so that it abides throughout the world? We cannot just ask people to transcribe the sutra. The era of transcribing the sutra was in ancient times. To spread the Dharma, everyone had to have copy of the sutra. This was the case in ancient times. Nowadays, we consider environment protection, so we do not want to waste paper. Now, everything is digital. With the press of a finger, we can simultaneously spread texts widely, and everyone can immediately have a copy in hand. So, in this period, we must transmit the Dharma by retuning to what the Buddha taught, which is to protect the Dharma. We must listen earnestly and take the Buddha’s principles int our hearts. This is spreading and protecting the Dharma so the Right Dharma can abide in the world. We must actualize the Buddha’s ideology and apply right thinking in the world. In order to transform people with the Dharma, we must “have a way” so that we can transform people with the Dharma. So, we must “sincerely protect the Dharma and reverently make offerings to it”. We must be reverent as we listen to the Dharma, reverently teaching it and reverently spread the Dharma. These are all ways to reverently protect the Dharma. If we can [live] this way, it will be as if we made the Four Offerings of clothing, shelter, food and medicine. These are provisions for us to abide in our training ground and nourish our wisdom-lives. When we do this, it is much more wonderful than tangible luxury in food, clothing and lodging. We must abide for the sake of the Dharma and live for the sake of the Dharma. This is our true direction in learning the Buddha-Dharma. Therefore, everyone must be very mindful!
In the previous sutra passage, [the Buddha] said, “Ajita, after I enter Parinirvana, if there are people who, upon hearing this sutra are able to accept and uphold it, transcribe it and teach others to transcribe it, it will be as though they have built monasteries and used red sandalwood to build great halls, 32 in total”.
The meaning here is that not just that by reading, reciting and upholding the sutra or teaching others to read, recite, accept, uphold and transcribe this Lotus Sutra, we are “continuing the Buddha’s wisdom-life”. When we earnestly read and recite [the sutra], we can apply the meaning within the sutra in our daily lives. As we cultivate ourselves, we must also teach others to cultivate themselves. This is how we ourselves accept and uphold and teach others to accept and uphold this Lotus sutra. This is “continuing the Buddha’s wisdom-life. It will be as though we have erected a stupa of Seven Treasures”. We have previously discussed how we must cultivate the Seven Excellences, which is equivalent to building a stupa of Seven Treasures. This is the meaning of this teaching.
Not only do they recite and uphold it themselves, but they also teach others to read, recite, accept, uphold and transcribe this Lotus Sutra. By continuing the buddha’s wisdom-life, it will be as though they have erected a stupa of Seven Treasures for the Buddha’s sariras.
So, we must emphasize spiritual practice. As we practice the Lotus Sutra, we must practice so that we take it to heart and it is carved within our minds. When it is inscribed in our hearts, we must put it to use in our daily lives. Then, “It will be as though we have built monastic”.
It will be as though they have built monasteries and used red sandalwood to build great halls, 32 in total: By transcribing and upholding [the sutra] in this way, it will be as though they have built temples and monasteries.
Reading and reciting the sutra in this way, expounding it for other people or teaching other people to transcribe it is the same as building monasteries. Moreover, it is like using the best materials. The idea is that these actions are the same as building a monastery.
The following sutra passage says, “They will be eight Tala trees in height, tall, spacious and magnificent. Hundreds and thousands of bhiksus will abide within “Groves, bathing pools, pathways, meditation coves, clothing, food and drink, bedding, medicine and every musical instrument will fill them”.
From this sutra passage, we can see that if we practice this way, it will be the same as if we have used very good materials to construct monasteries for the Sangha and also fully furnish the landscape within. Do you remember? I have already explained this landscape, with its rows of trees, towers, platforms and so on, clearly before. We have clearly explained this spiritual state of mind. So, it is now repeated to tell us that, by mindfully protecting and upholding the sutra, it is as if we are prostrating to the entire body of Sakyamuni Buddha, the wisdom-life of the Dharmakaya. So, it is described again as building a monastery using very good materials. That monastery is “eight Tala trees in height”.
They will be eight Tala trees in height: This refers to palm trees with trunks as hard as iron that are straight and tall. So, to describe something that is very tall, it says they are “eight Tala trees [in height]”. “Eight” represents the Eightfold Noble Path.
This kind of tree is called a “palm tree”. Its trunk is of very solid substance. It is very tough and hard. This is a very strong kind of tree. [Palm trees] are “straight and tall”. In the Buddha’s lifetime, to describe tangible objects that were tall, people described them as being “eight Tala trees”, because, at the least, they were seven to nine meters tall. So, this also represents the Eight fold Noble Path, which includes right views, right thinking and so on. So, we use these tangible things as analogies for the Dharma. So, “tall, spacious and magnificent” [means] they are very tall. If the trees are tall, then the roots spread wide, and the truck is very large.
Tall, spacious and magnificent: These trees stand between heaven and earth and are the creations of nature. These trees stand tall and spread wide, equal to the sky. Their appearance is magnificent; there is nothing that they are not replete with.
“Tall, spacious and magnificent”. Every one of these trees stands very straight, “between heaven and earth and are the creations of nature”. Every one of these trees in the grove stands between heaven and earth. When seeds converge with heaven and earth, and the climate in the world comes together, [the trees] are brought to fruition. The four elements of earth, water, fire and wind all contribute to their formation. Everything in the world comes about naturally, including trees. So, they are a creation of nature, these great trees between heaven and earth.
So, these kings of trees are both straight and tall, and in particular they are very large. So, they are “equal to the sky, and their appearance is magnificent. Each of the trees stands tall in this manner in vast forests on the earth. When we stand beneath and look up at a high tree, it is like it goes straight into the sky. [Trees] have such a magnificent appearance. “There is nothing they are not replete with.” They are extremely magnificent. “Hundreds and thousands of bhiksus will abide within.“
Hundreds and thousends of bhiksus. The discipline of the awakened self-nature is called the Dharma. The Buddha-Dharma is non-dual; when people join together in harmony, this is the Sangha. When the right mindfulness of hundreds and thousands is concentrated in one body, this is called “abiding within”.
In this way, we have built such magnificent monasteries with such beautiful landscapes constructed around them, and many, many bhiksus, hundreds and thousands, are in that place. This represents “the discipline of the awakened self-nature”. This is called the Dharma; it is the Dharma. Every bhiksu’s heart contain the Dharma, just as we, after listening to the Dharma so long, each have the Dharma in our hearts. When we bring matters and principles together, when we encounter a certain situation, we can describe the Dharma through these matters, so we can return these matters to the Dharma. With Dharma in the world, we have “the discipline of awakened self-nature”. This discipline is the Dharma; this is the Dharma. “The Buddha-Dharma is non-dual.” The Buddha-Dharma is just the same. Everyone has a bhiksu in own nature. According to the laws of nature, this is natural. So, “The Buddha-Dharma is non-dual”. This is how it is. When people join together in harmony, this is the Sangha. In our monastic spiritual training ground, everyone is in harmony. This harmony is a training ground for spiritual practice. “When the right mindfulness of hundreds and thousands is concentrated in one body, this is called ‘abiding within’”.
In this way, wherever there are people, the Dharma is present. With the Dharma, human hearts are in harmony. This does not only refer to monastics but to all people who learn the Buddha-Dharma. “The Buddha-Dharma is non-dual”. It does not mean that only monastics have it. Everyone who accepts the Dharma has it. “When people join together in harmony, this is the Sangha.” When people are together in harmony, they are all spiritual practitioners. So, there will be a lot of right mindfulness, because every person has right mindfulness concentrated in one body. Right mindfulness and Right Dharma both abide within our hearts. “This is called ‘abiding within’”. These teachings all abide within our minds. So, we must cherish this. Our hearts have entered the Dharma, so we should be very joyful. Next it says, “Groves, bathing pools, pathways and meditation coves”.
Groves, bathing pools, pathways and meditation coves: The groves refer to the Seven Branches of Enlightenment, which represent retaining and upholding. The bathing pools represent liberation. Precepts are known as the pools where all the noble beings bathe. The rules we keep in our practice all day are represented by the pathways. Great Nirvana is represented by the meditation coves. Although we are in motion, we always remain tranquil.
In these groves, between heaven and earth, monasteries have been built. There are these rules in this place. So, there is already such a magnificent spiritual training ground there. This means that the groves contain the Seven Branches of Enlightenment. We just spoke of the Eightfold Path. Now, we get to the Seven Branches of Enlightenment. The 37 Practices of Enlightenment are all to be found in our daily living; it is inseparable from the Dharma. Among the 37 Practices of Enlightenment, the Seven Branches of Enlightenment “represent retaining and upholding. If we can cultivate all the 37 Practices of Enlightenment, it is equal to suing the Dharma and wisdom-life to establish our physical conduct.
We have built a monastery, not just as a tangible architecture but in spiritual architecture. In every person there is a stupa on Vulture Peak. The monasteries built in that training ground are around that stupa on Vulture Peak we have. So, we must be mindful.
This “represents retaining and upholding. The bathing pools represent liberation.” Our bodies and minds are defiled, but the Dharma is like water. We bathe in the flow of the Dharma, so these pools express how we use the Dharma to bathe our minds, and we become liberated. “Precepts are known as the pools where all the noble beings bathe.” These “precepts” are like low pools. All spiritual practitioners, noble beings and sages bathe in this Dharma. The Dharma is like water. “The tasks we carry out all say are represented by the pathways. Every day, we step into these surroundings and walk the pathways there walk the pathways there.
Moreover, we are within “Great Nirvana, represented by the meditation coves”. Great Nirvana is tranquil; with tranquility and clarity, our mindset is [always] within Samadhi. “Although we are in motion, we always remain tranquil.” Although in our daily lives we need to be in motion, actually, throughout this motion, our minds remain tranquil because we are focused on the path. Although life requires motion, our minds remain tranquil. This is the state of tranquility and clarity.
“Clothing, food and drink, bedding [and] medicine”. These are the Four Offerings.
Clothing, food and drink, bedding [and] medicine: Gentleness and patience are the clothing. The bliss of Samadhi and Dharma-joy are the food and drink. The seat of the emptiness of [all] phenomena is the bedding. That which cures the illness of the mind is the medicine.
Clothing, food and drink, bedding and medicine are also [things] we often come across in life. “Gentleness and patience are the clothing”. Do you still remember? [We must] “enter the Tathagata’s room and wear the Tathagata’s clothing”. With the clothing of gentleness and patience, we are about to enter the Tathagata’s room because we are about to “enter the Buddha’s views and understanding”. Starting now, we are entering the Buddha’s views and understanding. These objects are actually just a description. They represent the Dharma, the Dharma-body. Therefore, our spiritual practice is the same. Whether it is clothing, food, drink, bedding, medicine or so on, they are all part of our daily lives. When we put on clothing, we know that being a good person requires patience, patience with both beings and phenomena. Do we face obstacles in dealing with people and matters? Or is the natural world obstructing us? As long as we are sincere in spiritual practice, nothing can hinder us. So, when we wear our uniforms of patience, we remember that we are spiritual practitioners. As we interact with people and handle matters, if we can practice the Four All-Embracing Virtues, no one will be able to hinder us. In spiritual practice, we need to endure hardship and be able to persevere. If we have such a resolve, then be it phenomena in nature or situations created by humans, we can overcome anything. This is “the clothing of patience”.
“The bliss of Samadhi and Dharma-joy are the food and drink”. Food is meant to preserve our bodies and biological health, because we need life for spiritual practice and to go among people to transform sentient beings. However, when it comes to food, we take simple and plain food. This is how we eat; it is enough that it is nutritious and sufficient. This way, no matter what we eat, we are happy. “The bliss of Samadhi and Dharma-joy are the food and drink”. As long as we feel joy, anything we eat is good. Our grains and crops are all to nourish our biological life and feed our wisdom-life. With a healthy life, we can nourish our wisdom-life with our physical life.
“The seat of the emptiness of [all] phenomena is the bedding”. “The emptiness of all phenomena is the seat”. Everyone should remember that “great compassion is the room, gentleness and patience are the clothing and the emptiness of all phenomena is the seat”. This means that we must be free of attachments. To avoid attachments, we must practice according to the teachings. The Lotus Sutra contains the perfect teachings of the Middle Way. We mentioned this before; in the river, [our boat] must not brush one bank or the other. We must steer it straight through the middle. We must not be attached to existence or emptiness.
In existence, everything is empty, and in emptiness, there is wondrous existence. This is the True Dharma. If we understand this, naturally “the seat of the emptiness of [all] phenomena” becomes what we need in our lives. There is also what cures the illness of the mind, which is called “the medicine”. Are our minds healthy? If our minds are not healthy, we truly need to take medicine. Most of this medicine only treats the mind. This true medicine treats false illnesses. True illness cannot be cured by any medicine, only by our thoughts. With the right mindset, right conduct and right practice, we can return everything to Right Dharma, so we must be mindful. If we can do that, “every musical instrument will fill [the halls]”.
Every musical instrument will fill [the halls]: Various precious forms of music will delight their eyes and hearts, and all kinds of other joyful things will fill [the halls].
When all things exist in abundance, we will also feel satisfied with our lives. As spiritual practitioners, each of our units has one bed, one bookcase and one desk, and that is all. In this way, decades pass like a single day. This simple life is completely fulfilling. In each dorm, there are several beds, and everyone lives together in a simple and natural manner. This life is also full of joy. “Various precious forms of music will delight their eyes and hearts, and all kinds of other joyful things will fill [the halls]”. Everything [makes us] very happy, and everything gives us joy. The word happiness includes both joy and the feeling of happiness. All the things we use are sufficient. Though they are not very valuable, they satisfy us. We do not lack much in our lives. Actually, it is possible to live this simply. The joy in such a life is already enough. In this way, we can experience “various precious forms of music”. Music is like speaking. When we speak, we also have high and low tones. We are replete with the Eight Tones, so when we listen to people speak or speak to other people, chat with people and so on, all of it is precious and joyful.
Thus, we are joyful when we hear [each other]. What enters our ears becomes joy in our hearts. This is how we share [insights] with each other. “All kinds of joyful things will fill [us]." Many, many happy things can all be encompassed in this. If we can do this, then we will truly have very happy lives, so what can our lives possibly lack? They are very fulfilling. So, I do not know how those who are listening feel. But as the person teaching, I am very happy, completely immersed in the flow of the Dharma. Being in the Dharma is like taking a bath, and body and mind are very joyful. We must not allow the world’s material appearances to entangle our minds. We must “maintain our spiritual aspirations to practice and uphold the Dharma” and “focus on our spiritual practice.” Our mind must not be distracted. If we can do that, we will “abide in our spiritual training ground, peacefully and with deep aspirations.” Then, what else can we possibly lack? In every sense, we are replete and abundant. This sutra is the Buddha’s entire body. It is the Buddha’s Dharmakaya. When we prostrate to it, we are fully taking it into our bodies, hearts and minds.
So, we should constantly listen joyfully to the Dharma and happily deal with matters. Only then are we actualizing the Dharma we hear and uniting matters with principles. That is truly the goal of listening to the Dharma. So, all of us must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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