Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Transform Sentient Beings and Seek Out Teachings (精勤化眾 趣求道法)
Date: July.29.2019
“We must be diligent and form great Bodhisattva-aspirations, fearing not the various difficult practices. We must embrace goodness, earnestly cultivate the virtuous Dharma, take joy in benefiting others and advance diligently without ever growing indolent. We must diligently and earnestly advise and transform sentient beings, our every thought focused on seeking out the teachings of the path. When we uphold the sutra, whether we read, recite, expound or transcribe it, each of our Six Roots will be replete with merits.”
We must be mindful! Every day, I ask everyone to be sincerely mindful. Learning the Buddha’s teachings has always required us to be meticulous and focused, [to contemplate] how we can focus our discursive thoughts as ordinary beings and wholeheartedly work toward searching for and exploring our nature of True Suchness. Our nature of True Suchness is focused, pure and undefiled; it is the innate enlightenment of the Buddha. [Returning to our nature of True Suchness] can either be easy or not easy at all. Whether it is easy or not depends on our mind. Our thoughts may be wild and unruly, running all over the place. If that is the case, we do not even know what our mind looks like. Just like what we talked about before, about our eyes, have we actually seen our own eyes? It is our eyes that see the world and people, matters and appearances. Is [a thing] good? Is it not good? Do we like it? Do we not like it? We use our eyes to see all of this. However, our eyes are but balls of flesh. What is amazing is that they have these functions.
What [form] do these functions really take? In modern terms, we call them “optic nerves”. What characteristics do the optic nerves have? They are microscopic objects that are very fine and miniscule. No matter what the ophthalmologist tells us, we still cannot see the optic nerves. It is the optic nerves that work with our eyeballs to connect with the external world. Have the external sense objects [physically] entered into our minds? In truth, nothing is [physically present]. Yet, as ordinary beings, through [the interaction] of our eye root and the external sense object, it is drawn into [our minds], causing our minds give rise to thoughts. “Oh my, this is what suffering is about.” What does this consciousness look like? When this consciousness passes into [our minds], where does it end up? We truly cannot find it. We cannot find it, so we [must] let it go, for everything is empty in nature. When explained in this way, everyone should be clear on the eye-root. However, the Buddha wants us sentient beings to work hard and search out where our eye- and mind-consciousnesses are. If we do not find their origin, yet we still let them go, are we shirking our duty? If we let it go, we relieve ourselves of our responsibility. If I see through things and let them go and if you see through things and let them go, then what are we responsible for? This indicates that we gave up our responsibilities. What kind of responsibilities are they? Do we set priorities based on importance? This is the principle of being a good person. We must also turn around and tell others how to be good people. To be a good person means that we must take on responsibilities. This is being responsible. In our interactions with others, we should always care about each other. We should think about what we want to do for people. Once we decide to do it, then we should see it through. This is the true [goal] that the Buddha hoped for us [to accomplish] [when He] asked us to understand things by going among people and learning how to [properly] see people, matters and things, while also thoroughly understanding the principles.
To fully comprehend the principles of matters, we must take them into our minds, which is last among [our Six Roots]; that is our mind-consciousness. However, we cannot forget our eye-consciousness from previously. When studying the sutras, we should be diligent. “The sutras are a path. This path is a road to walk on.” Every day, if I were to say “The sutras are...,” everyone would already be reciting in their minds, “...a path. [This path is] a road to walk on”. This is so simple. [Everyone] is able to say it and memorize it. Yet, where is the path? How can we open it? How can we pave this road?
I hear from those at the Abode, be it Pure Practitioners, the monastics or lay Bodhisattva-practitioners, how [everyone] is carrying out. Tzu Chi’s work in this world. There are four places being reported on. I am very touched hearing about [our work there]. Through listening [to the reports], I can understand [what is going on] in these different countries and different places. From the forum on Buddhism in Xiamen, China, we were able to learn what the situation is like there. It was as if our eyes could see that place. How many elders went on stage? What did they talk about? And for the disciples from the [Jing Si] Abode, [who went] to that place, what was it that they shared? It was as if I could see it while they reported. Although it had been so many days already, by hearing them, I feel as if I could see what it was like with my own eyes at that place. This is why we must be mindful.
Since I know these people, I can understand the scene simply by imagining it. Also, in Canada, we participated in [the Parliament of the World’s Religions].When it comes to how big and vast the place was, how to get around that place and what kind of scene it was, it was as if I could see it all. As for the Tzu Chi volunteers in Canada and each of their service centers, spiritual practice centers, what do they look like? How do they diligently practice? I could [see it all] very clearly. Are they diligent or are they lax? How do they utilize the spiritual practice centers? I could more or less figure it out. Since we have been there and taken a look once, when people return and give their report, we should be able to know the majority [of what took place]. This is the [difference] of being present or not and through which eyes we see things.
Then, there is also Myanmar, where we went to help and distribute seeds. [One of] our Bodhisattvas, a Pure Practitioner, accompanied so many lay Bodhisattva-practitioners in a great team, traveling from Taiwan and Malaysia to Myanmar. They met up with the Bodhisattvas in Myanmar. How did they dedicate themselves and handle the situation? How did they distribute the aid, and what was their attitude? Those who came to pick up [the materials] came from villages, and they received bags of bean seeds. Although, to those of us in Taiwan, these bags of bean seeds are not worth much, they felt like they received precious treasures! Furthermore, we knew that just a few kilograms of beans can be sown over many acres of vast farm lands. A few kilograms [of seeds] can turn into a few thousand kilograms worth of harvest. Isn’t it as we often say, “One gives rise to infinity?” When we give them 10 to 20 kilograms of bean seeds, as long as there is favorable weather, and as long as they work hard, then naturally their harvest will be very good. They will produce at a ratio of one to many. This is the help we provide them; they do not need to worry about how they will get by. This is how time functions in the world. I also often speak to everyone about time, space and interpersonal relationships. Every day of our lives [occurs] within these three dimensions. We ought to seize time and make good use of space to earnestly care for the world. This is our responsibility. This is what we call responsibility. I hope everyone can be diligent and mindful.
“We must be diligent and form great Bodhisattva-aspirations, fearing not the various difficult practices. We must embrace goodness, earnestly cultivate the virtuous Dharma, take joy in benefiting others and advance diligently without ever growing indolent.” See, isn’t this how it is? We ought to be focused and not distracted, advancing and not retreating. We ought to form this Bodhisattva-aspiration and never retreat from it. No matter what great responsibility we face, and no matter how hard it is, we must not fear it. “Fearing not the various difficult practices,” [means that], no matter how difficult they may be, we are still able to practice them. We have only one goal in our spiritual practice, which is to “embrace goodness.” There is so much suffering in the world. With so much suffering, what should we do? We ought to form aspirations and earnestly increase our own abilities. How can we help [the suffering]? We must diligently engage in spiritual practice. How can we firmly establish our resolve? [This takes] strength of mind. “Mind” and “strength” are both [intangible], but we must [still] be mindful. Being mindful is also intangible. It depends on whether everyone has this determination and resolve to practice what is difficult to practice and overcome all difficulties. So, to embrace goodness in the Dharma-realm, we are to embrace all virtuous Dharam. Not only should we earnestly cultivate virtuous Dharma ourselves, we must persuade others to cultivate, as well. Otherwise, take this time in Myanmar for example; without so many people [helping], how many bags of bean seeds could we have given with just two hands? It takes [the efforts of] many people. When so many people join forces, naturally, their actions inspire others. Even the local people. Made an effort to help out and serve as volunteers. The ones being helped and those that were helping worked closely with each other. Everyone put forth effort and worked together. At the same time, though simple teachings, they earnestly and sincerely accepted it all. The Dharma is the origin of their wisdom-life. Doesn’t this require virtuous Dharma? And with this virtuous Dharma, we must diligently [practice it].
Tzu Chi volunteers in Africa are the same. When they receive one virtuous teaching, they earnestly and sincerely accept it. No matter how hard or difficult it is, they do not wish to be someone who need help from others. They want to help people and help a very thorough way. [They embody] “gratitude, respect and love. I am grateful for those who are poorer than me and to those who need help. It is because of these people that I have [the opportunity], together with other kind-hearted people, I am able to carry this bag of rice and be very happy and joyful. [As I] dance and walk [toward the recipients], the person I am helping does not need to move. When I arrive [in front of him], I squat and kneel down, and I present this big bag of rice”. Is this not sincere, reverent and respectful love? We have seen this in Africa. They do this every month. When it comes to doing good deeds, looking out at the world, they make use of the Dharma we spread they make use of the Dharma we spread. When they make use of it, it becomes their Dharma-essence. This new blood they received is better than the old. They themselves create [this new blood]. Once we give them the essence, they can create their lives anew. Their situation is still very difficult, yet they have opened their minds completely. Their spiritual provision is the Dharma. When we give them a little bit of Dharma, it is just like making bread; with a little bit of yeast, they can expand to develop a lot. By opening their minds and expanding their hearts, they are able to be people who help others. In the past, they were the poor among the poor. Now, they are the rich among the poor, for they are rich in love. This is [the result of] “embracing goodness and earnestly cultivating the virtuous Dharma”. They are all happy and joyful, “and they take joy in benefiting others and advance diligent”. They advance and never retreat, without an ounce of indolence. So, “We must diligently and earnestly advise and transform sentient beings, our every thought focused on seeking out the teachings of the path”. It is rare to be born human, and we have already encountered the Buddha-Dharma. With just our eye-root alone, we can broaden [our perspectives] so greatly with regard to this world and space. We can overcome distances in this world and witness worldly suffering. We must make good use of our time.
For example, with the grain and bean seeds, if we had not seized the time and delivered them promptly, then [our efforts] would have been in vain. This is [how we] seized the time and utilized space to exercise the power of love. This is what it means to be diligent and earnest. Other than doing this ourselves, we ought to advise and transform others. With so many Tzu Chi volunteers gathering to go like this [to Myanmar], they were able to inspire the strong local people to help carry and transport [the materials]. This is strength. This strength comes from returning, in our everyday living, to earnestly ensure that our minds are without discursive thoughts. We must have a focused mind. When it comes to our perspective of the world, we must earnestly [advance] in one direction. We must have a direction. Our mind must not be chaotic or go in other directions. This is our direction, and our eyes must look ahead.
Thus, “Our every thought is focused on seeking out the teachings of the path”. When it comes to the path “the sutras are a path. This path is a road to walk on”. This refers to how we must open the path and guide people to walk upon it. This path of ours takes a lot of hard work to clear. Without making an effort, we cannot open it. So, we must uphold the sutra. Without the sutra, we would not have this path, and without this path, we have no road [to follow]. We [open] this path through upholding the sutra. This is how it has been in the past until now. This is a principle. The precise direction in life in the principles. Thus, we must move precisely in this direction and seek [the path]. We must diligently move forward in this direction. This is called seeking our direction, our goal. With our every thought, we seek this path and learn this Dharma. [We open] this path to the Dharma through upholding the sutra. What does “upholding this sutra” mean? This [requires us] to read and recite it. After reading and reciting it, we must understand it. Once we understand it, we must then teach it. We must allow even more people to be able to hear and understand the principles, to enter through these doors, open this path and walk the road like this.
Thus, we must “expound or transcribe it”; we must write it out. If I do not write it out, then these words will not appear. I must write it out, word for word. Otherwise, if I just say it, you will listen and let it pass. If I write [my words] down, then everyone can copy it down [and say], “This was what we the Master said”. I [share] my learning from upholding the sutra. What is on my mind is the Lotus Sutra and this path.
So, we must uphold the sutra. “When we uphold the sutra, whether we read, recite, expound or transcribe it”, we must talk about it often. Every night, Dharma master at the Abode always schedule a sharing. They listen to what has happened. Although on some days we have different events, we call this having classes. Whether it is worldly matters, discussions on the sutras or [discussions on] what we have heard, we hope that everyone understands how to explain the sutra and can facilitate a discussion about it with others. In this way, we can train ourselves to be able to share our experience with others in whichever country we go to. Thus have we heard, and thus have we done. If we can do this, then we will know what we have done and what the environment we are in is like. Then, we can feel very grounded talking [about it]. There will be nothing false in our minds, only true things. This is why we must uphold [the sutra]. [Then], Each of our Six Roots will be replete with merits”. We are only talking about our eye-root right now. With our eye-roots, we can see things from many different perspectives. Since there can be different perspectives, our direction will not be the same.
Right now, we have a united direction. This time, Living Bodhisattvas from mainland China came to Taiwan. They came to get to know Tzu chi and take a look. After experiencing it for themselves and being touched by [their experience], they [gained] deep faith that the Tzu Chi path is their direction in life. [They came from] very far away! Mainland [China] is very big. Just to come to Taiwan, just traveling by car and changing flights, it took some people over 2 days. This is truly not easy and is very tiring. Yet, they were unafraid of the long distance. In particular, for those who formed aspirations, they were willing to give of themselves and learn.
I remember that in Yunnan, in order to join in activities with others, [some people] had to travel hundreds of kilometers to meet up with them to participate in Tzu Chi’s activities and training and learn how Tzu Chi fives [to others]. They had fewer people, so they went to meet up with others. In order for them to participate in the classes, they had to travel 7 hours by train. They had to spend the night on the train in order to get to the class. Tzu Chi volunteers in China sought the Dharma [to learn] how the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism can go among people and how we open our minds to love and embrace the sentient beings of this world. This time, [we see] how diligent the living Bodhisattvas from China are. This is what it means to uphold the sutra. “The sutras are a path. This path is a road to walk on.” From this “road,” they came onto this “path”. From this “path,” they entered through “the door,” which is “the sutra”. This is how mindful we should be. This is how we should utilize our Six Roots, which have either 800 merits or 1200 merits. Each [root] has different functions that we all need to utilize. We must do good deeds by utilizing our Six Roots together. These are the merits and virtues of the Six Roots. There are major and minor merits and virtues.
Once, King Ashoka thought to himself, “I rule the world. Everyone must come and pay tribute [to me]. There is only one [ruler whom]. I have not seen come pay respects.” Which place was this [ruler from]? [It was] the dragon king of the ocean. “Why has [the ruler] of the sea not come?” His minister says, “My king! When it comes to the dragon king of the ocean, you must find a way to tame him with your virtues. Those on land [come] because of your virtues. You have the ability to tame these people. But between the virtues of you and the dragon king of the ocean, it is possible that he feels he is more virtuous. Therefore, he has not come to pay respects.” King Ashoka said, “Alright, I know what to do”. So, he began to exercise his abilities and visited many suffering people. “No matter what suffering people endure, tell me and I will go see and understand their suffering. Whatever suffering it may be, I will help them overcome it. Whatever difficulties, I will help them. I will help them until they can live a carefree life. I am determined to do this. I will stay true to my word.” For a period of time, he did this. One day, he said, “Alright, let’s go to the shore. There, he took a stature of [himself] and a stature of the dragon king of the ocean, and he placed them on a scale. “Oh! King Ashoka’s side seems to be heavier.” Then, a young fellow came out from the oceans and prostrated to king Ashoka prostrated to King Ashoka. He said, “I am convinced. Your heart is so open and accommodating. You have so much love for your people. In the past, I thought that I did more and that my blessings were greater than yours. It turns out that your blessings are greater and grander than mine. So, you have convinced me.” Thus, the land and the dragon palace in the ocean all came to pay tribute and present treasures. This [story] is about merits and virtues. Before doing [good deeds], when we measure ourselves on the scale, we will be lighter than other people; [our side of] the scale will be raised. After doing [good deeds], [our side of] the scale will be heavier and drop lower. So, the weight merits and virtues can be measured on a balance. This is not to say that, when we do deeds, our merits and virtues are actually like this. They do not have [any form]. As for the blessings you have created, how much do they weigh and what do they look like? Their weight is determined in the minds of others. Everyone has a scale in their mind. I told this story as an example for everyone to hear.
So, the Lotus Sutra aims to allow us to understand how we can [accumulate] merits and virtues. Why are there 800 and 1200 [merits]? This is what we must continue to work even harder [to comprehend]. We spent so many days talking about just the eye. Have we actually finished? Not yet; there is still more. The eyes of ordinary beings are a certain way, but there are also wisdom-eyes, Dharma-eyes, heavenly-eyes and Buddha-eyes. There are so many eyes that we must earnestly discuss.
The previous sutra passage says, “As for all the other mountains [and] forests, which we can see plainly with our eyes, and the waters of the great seas and rivers, from the Avici Hell below to the summit of existence above and all the sentient beings in between, they will see all of this. Though they have yet to attain heavenly eyes, their physical eyes will have these powers.”
We have explained this previously, so everyone [should be] clear on it. In the next section, we must all be more mindful. The sutra passage is very long, and to explain everything one by one until the end would take more than another 2 to 3 years. Since each and every thing has its own sound, and each kind of sound has its own [context], it would take an impossibly long time to explain. So, we must all read and recite it mindfully, we must all read and recite it.
“Furthermore, Constant Diligence, if good men and good women accept and uphold this sutra, whether they read, recite, expound or transcribe it, they will attain 1200 merits of the ear”.
Previously, we finished discussing the merits of the eyes. Next, are our ears which must listen. We must listen to the sounds in this space, of all sentient and non-sentient beings. Right now, in this place, you can hear my voice, and I can hear the sounds of birds that are suddenly chirping over there. When did they sound get over here? When it made contact with our mind, [we knew] this sound was the chirping of birds. From it, we can approximate the number of birds and know that it is not a single bird. We cannot see [the birds], but through our mind-root we can analyze that it is not one bird; there are 3, 5 or 6 birds there. They are talking to each other. We are not familiar with their language. But they are very friendly, nonetheless, as they talk to each other out there. This is the sound that our ear-root listens to.
Furthermore, Constant Diligence, if good men and good women accept and uphold this sutra, whether they read, recite…: We must carefully discern the teachings of the wondrous Lotus Flower Sutra, taking in each drop like ambrosial dew. This nourishes our wisdom-life. As we uphold the sutra and awaken our understanding, all Dharma will clearly manifest before us.
So, [it says] “Furthermore, Furthermore, Constant Diligence, [meaning that] the Buddha is calling out to Constant Diligence Bodhisattva again. ”Good men and good women…, [refers to] everyone who has the intention to engage in spiritual practice, whether they are male or female of the fourfold assembly, who must all be earnestly mindful. By “upholding this sutra,” whether through reading or reciting it, or through expounding or transcribing it, [these people] can “attain 1200 merits of the ear”. This means we must focus on upholding and reciting the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. We must take [the teachings] in the sutra text, analyze them meticulously and explain them thoroughly, one by one. This is how we “carefully discern the teachings, taking in each drop like ambrosial dew”. We must analyze [the Dharma] in detail. What is the eye-root? Our eye-root attains 800 merits, and now the ear-root attains 1200 merits. Why is that? The sutras [explain this], if we can “carefully discern the teachings” and analyze them one by one. Afterwards, we can take in these teachings, “[drop by drop], like ambrosial dew”. As we take them into our minds, they are just like ambrosial dew. Since our minds were originally without the Dharma, it is as if it seeps, drop by drop, into our minds. This is just like the Chapter on Medicinal Plants. Even if you [have] the seed of a bit tree, once the seed enters the soil, if there is no water to nourish it, the soil and sunlight alone are [insufficient] for the seed of this big tree to sprout. How can it grow into a big tree? Or, for small grasses, the ground can likewise not be lacking water; as soon as there is no more water, the grass will dry up and die.
So, “the Dharma is like water”. In our lives, it is like the ambrosial dew, so we must cherish this Dharma. So, the Dharma can “[nourish] our wisdom-life. As we uphold the sutra and awaken our understanding, all Dharma will clearly manifest before us”. It all appears before us. In truth, when everyone goes out to [volunteer], like [those who] went to these four countries, they all return and report on what they heard and experienced. We must be grateful and give back! In this large spiritual practice center, we are nurtured in such a way every day and [are given] such an environment. The spiritual practitioners from the Abode give us [the chance to] hear and experience the world and to encounter so many people, matters and things. Since they have personally experienced it, they should earnestly share their [experiences] when they return. This is also [a form of] “dedicating merits”. I hope that everyone can share such teachings with each other, these teachings which we call worldly Dharma.
All in all, “This nourishes our wisdom-life awaken our understanding, all Dharma will clearly manifest before us”. We ought to return and tell others about our understanding and the road we have traveled, from its origin, to the main ideas of this path, beginning with the sutra, to opening the door and walking upon this road. When we return, we should [take in] “all Dharma” and help others further understand it. So, we must all be very mindful. What we should take in, we readily take in; what we should give back, we must [give it back]. This is [our] “dedication of merits”. We must be grateful and dedicate our merits. If we can do this and further “expound or transcribe it,” what we record [forms] a path for us to travel on in life.
Now, by sharing it with others, we are extending [this road] into the future so that others [can also] know about this path, which is the Tzu Chi school of Buddhism we follow. We have opened this door and traveled here and there. Everyone can see and understand [our teachings]. So, through engaging in spiritual practice, how can we nurture Dharma teachers? Where do talented Dharma teacher come from?
[By] expounding or transcribing it, they will attain 1200 merits of the ear: These are the five kinds of Dharma teachers. To be able to uphold this Dharma, we must follow our Dharma teachers to serve as role models by putting [the Dharma] into practice. When we take the Dharma as our teacher, upholding it and teaching it accordingly, we will attain 6000 merits.
[These are] “the five kinds of Dharma teachers. To be able to uphold this Dharma, we must follow our Dharma teachers to serve as role models”. Just like how Dharma teachers must be role models, after we understand [the Dharma], we must uphold and earnestly utilize it. After listening to the Buddha-Dharma, we must put it into practice ourselves. This is what it means to be a role model. This is how we “take the Dharma as our teacher”. Because we practiced this Dharma, we “teach it accordingly”. Because we put it into practice, “we will attain 6000 merits”. The 6000 merits include the eye-, nose- and body-roots, which have 800 merits each; three times eight is 24. The latter three [roots] have 1200 [merits] each. Therefore, combined, there are 6000 merits. For any one person, when we utilize our Six Roots together, we have 6000 merits. So, with these 6000 merits upon us, how should we exercise [our Roots]? We must exercise them to truly attain merits and virtues.
Everyone, we really must be mindful. [If we can do so], [then] “with our pure ears, [we] will hear throughout the great trichiliocosm, down into the Avici Hell below up to the summit of existence above and all the various languages and sounds in between, within and beyond”. With our pure ears, we will hear the sounds of all sentient and non-sentient beings throughout the material world. This is also explained previously.“ In between” refers to the great chiliocosm.
We must be very clear on all of this. We must clearly understand the sounds of each being. So, with pure ear roots, we listen to the sounds of the world, including all sentient and non-sentient beings. When tables bump into each other, they make sounds; when our bowls hit our chopsticks, they also make sounds. We can discern that this is the sound of bowls [hitting] chopsticks, and that is the sound of tables bumping into each other. We can differentiate all of this. We can already discern non-sentient things, to say nothing of the chirping of birds. They are sentient, and we are sentient. All animals are sentient. So, we are very clear on what they sound like. Whether sentient or not, whether they are sentient people or non-sentient items, we [understand] their sounds clearly. This is how vast the state which our ear root can encounter is.
[We hear] “the sounds of elephants and horses, the sounds of cows and carts, the sounds of weeping and sighing, the sounds of the conch and drums, the sounds of bells and chimes, the sounds of laughter and speech, the sounds of men and women, the sounds of boys and girls, the sound of the Dharma and the sound that is not the Dharma, the sounds of suffering and joy, the sounds of unenlightened and noble beings, the sounds of happiness and unhappiness, the sounds of heavenly beings and dragons, the sounds of yaksas and gandharvas, the sounds of asuras and garudas, the sounds of kinnaras, the sounds of mahoragas, the sounds of fire, water and wind, the sounds of hell, the sounds of animals, the sounds of hungry ghosts, the sounds of bhiksus and bhiksunis, the sounds of Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas and the sounds of Bodhisattvas and Buddhas. In a word…”.
When we listen, in truth, the fleshy ears of us ordinary beings listen like this and differentiate these sounds. So, the ear-root has great functions.“ That which follows the path according to the principles” is called the sound of the Dharma. “That which has no principles to practice and no meaning to teach” is “the sound that is not the Dharma.”
These are [the sounds] listed in the sutra verses. That which follows the path according to the principles is known as the sound of the Dharma. That which has no principles to practice and no meaning to teach is the sound that is not the Dharma.
Everyone, if we were to truly analyze all of this well, we would see they are all within the three realms. All of these sounds exist in the realm of sentient beings. Our ear-root [hears] all these sounds, [including] other sounds of the Dharma and sounds that are not the Dharma. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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