Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Bodhisattvas Refine Their Spiritual Practice (菩薩修持 功高行精)
Date: August.13.2019
“As Bodhisattvas cultivate and uphold [the Dharma], their merits grow high and their practice refined. The nature of all phenomena is emptiness. As their virtues accumulate, they gain vitality. To benefit and widely transform sentient beings, they implement skillful means for them to learn and practice, observing their capabilities to impart the teachings.”
Why is it that Bodhisattvas accept and uphold [the Dharma]? They do so to go among people and transform sentient beings! They must put effort into their inner cultivation and external practice, for thus a Bodhisattva’s “merits grow high and their practice refined.” Inner cultivation leads to “merit,” and external practice leads to “virtue”. Thus, by engaging in self-cultivation, Bodhisattvas benefit themselves, while putting the Dharma into practice by going among people [enables them] to benefit others. This is the direction of a Bodhisattva’s spiritual practice. Actually, through spiritual practice [we realize that] all is empty in nature. We often say, “The workings of the mind cease.” Can we take back something we just said? It is intangible and leaves no trace, so once a sound is uttered, it is gone. So, [how can] we enter the Dharma? Where do we store it? We seek it, but we can never really attain it. Thus, “The nature of all phenomena is emptiness.” After something has passed, it is empty. But most importantly, “by accumulating virtues, we gain vitality.” We [often say that] “the virtuous attain.” This is something we must often remember as we form the resolve to walk upon the path. Each of us has formed vows and made aspirations, and we are resolute in the direction of our spiritual practice.
The purpose of our spiritual practice is to awaken ourselves to the worldly and world-transcending spirit in our lives. Once we understand this worldly and world-transcending principle, we will understand the suffering of life. When we create interpersonal conflicts due to our own afflictions and ignorance, we become endlessly entangled in them, lifetime after lifetime. Once we know this principle, we realize that karmic conditions accumulate and turn into suffering. Since we understand this principle, how do we begin to deplete [this suffering]? We must heighten our vigilance so that we do not become entangled again in the karmic conditions of afflictions and ignorance. So, we must clearly understand this. When it comes to discerning right and wrong, [what is] “right” is the Dharma, which we realize is unerring. This is what is “right.” And what is “wrong”? This is when we do not clearly understand the principles. This is what we call “ignorance”. It means we do not understand. Ignorance is when we do not understand the principles, so we create ignorance.
Now that we are clear on the principles, and we have formed aspirations and made vows, we [can begin] to “attain”. When we form aspirations and make vows, we must then put the Dharma into practice, for by practicing it, we can experience what it is to “attain”. When we help others and do things that benefit them, the interpersonal relationships [we form] do not [lack] joy or [become] poor affinities. They do not. Our relationships should be calm and simple, like [pure] water. “I cannot live without water, but my water cannot be contaminated. You cannot live without water, so I will give you pure water.” So, when we get along with others, our relationships will be like water. “A friendship with a noble person is as pure as water.”
By the same principle, when Bodhisattvas interact with sentient beings, because sentient beings are ignorant, Bodhisattvas think, “Knowing this, I am committed [to helping them]. I am clear that I must benefit sentient beings. When I have helped [others], my heart is free of hindrances.” When [we help others] eliminate their afflictions, both of our hearts become purified. Like we said before, our hearts are the vessels for all phenomena. Our hearts can accept the Dharma, the pure Dharma, the pure Dharma-water. When the vessel of our hearts remains undefiled, then all of the water we absorb remains pure. By the same principle, when it comes to our minds, “The nature of all phenomena is emptiness.” Using our ears to listen, we can mindfully absorb and remember [the Dharma]. We then resolve to put it into action; once we have done so, we feel very joyful. This is because, within our consciousness, there is a vital spirit. Usually, ordinary people utilize their unenlightened consciousness to follow their external conditions and give rise to thoughts depending on the forms they see. However, for spiritual practitioners, “Their intention comes from their vital spirit, “for this spirit possesses vitality.” We refer to this spirit as our vital force. When we have earnestly formed aspirations, our resolution will become firm. This firm resolution is what “thoughts give rise to vitality” means. This vital force causes our will to become very determined. “Vitality gives rise to essence.” In their purest [form], our thoughts are vital [energy]. We call this our vital essence. This is why we say, “Bodhisattvas’ merits grow high and their practice refined.” Their vitality [arises from] their intention. Their vitality “comes from their vital spirit.” When we connect with this spirit’s vitality and put the Dharma into practice, then, “as our virtues accumulate, we gain this vitality.” We must [begin to] practice focusing our intention, for such determination grants us vital force, which comes from the accumulation of virtues. “As our virtues accumulate, we gain vitality.” How do we accept that the nature of all phenomena is emptiness? We must become determined in our resolve, which gives us vital energy. We must firmly resolve to [advance in] the direction that we have chosen. With this kind of vital force, no external state will cause us to waver. Then, we can do what we have truly resolved to do. Spiritual practice is a great undertaking that is difficult for an ordinary person. An ordinary person cannot accomplish it. We practice in order to transcend [the world] by [understanding] that “the nature of all phenomena is emptiness.” Once we understand this, though “the nature of all phenomena is emptiness,” it is [in fact] kike pure Dharma-water that nourishes our minds. Once our minds are filled with Dharma, we can mindfully cultivate purity in our minds and form aspirations to go among others and relieve and transform sentient beings. There is so much work to do, and it takes lots of mastery to actualize this phrase in practice. “The nature of all phenomena is emptiness; as our virtues accumulate, we gain vitality.” We must be able to clearly understand that the Dharam can be sought but never attained, for it leaves no trace.
However, when we take the Dharma to heart, [it gives] spiritual power to our aspirations. After we listen and take it to heart, we can begin to resolve to move forward. This is our direction of our spiritual practice. “We benefit and widely transform sentient beings.” If we want to benefit sentient beings and widely transform them, we must “implement skillful means for them to learn and practice.” Although we often say, ”The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different in their nature” yet we [still] need to manifest this form. In the world, we take on the form of monastics, a term for people who engage in pure practice. As monastics or Pure Practitioners, without this tangible image or title, how can we deliver and transform sentient beings? So, just as people need titles, spiritual practice needs them, as well. This is what we call “skillful means.” Otherwise, since anyone can attain Buddhahood, wouldn’t the teachings from anyone be the same? This is not the case! These are the teachings from a Dharma-master, which means a Pure Practitioner. The Dharma-masters are already [familiar] with the Dharma, from the sutras and commentaries. They listen to the Dharam, teach the Dharma and have spread the Dharam. This is why we should have faith [in them]. The Buddha-Dharma is what we must keep passing down. We must pass on our Dharma-lineage, for we have established our own school of Buddhism. This is our Dharma-lineage, our school of Buddhism, so we must believe it firmly.
And what about Pure Practitioners? We know that they have also selflessly left their loved ones behind and devoted themselves fully [to the Dharam], forming great vows and focusing on purifying their minds by going among people. This grants them a clear title and appearance. They think, “This is not enough for me. I need to go further in my spiritual practice. I have [cultivated] this appearance, but I must continue in my spiritual practice.” These are the Pure Practitioners. Although they appear to be lay people, they follow the rules of monastic practitioners, so they live differently from average worldly people. When people become monastics, they can be called Dharma-masters.
So, this appearance is a skillful means. Still, they never stop seeking the Dharma and still focus on taking the Dharma to heart.
As we mentioned previously, the Dharma is as plentiful as the Ganges’ sands, [but] the Buddha could only give sentient beings teachings as numerous as the grains of sand held on top of one of His fingernails. Moreover, since [the Dharma] leaks from the minds of ordinary people, how much of it is able to remain? So, what we have understood is very little, for we are always forgetting the teachings that the Buddha gave us, to say nothing of all the countless teachings that He was unable to teach us! The Buddha’s time in the world was limited, and since the capabilities of sentient beings were so dull at that time, how much was He able to teach them? Since sentient beings’ capabilities were so dull, how much of it leaked away?
So, we must mindfully learn and practice and put effort into our spiritual practice. Spiritual practice is a never-ending process. During this never-ending process, we must always observe people’s capabilities. Based on the person, we need an appropriate way to give them the Dharma. For those who are suffering, the phenomena of suffering require us to satisfy their needs. If someone is in physical pain, and they have no medicine or treatment, we should quickly fulfill their medical [needs]. This [means] giving them medical care to relieve them from physical suffering and helping them [return to] full physical health. We must help them with whatever they lack. When people experience hardships in their lives, even if we must cross mountains [to get to them], we are willing to go help them to return to their way of life. Those who receive [our care] are grateful, while the Bodhisattvas who give are filled with Dharma-joy. [As we make] these connections, although so many people will never know our names, we have been able to connect with them by giving to them, comforting them, speaking with them and so on. Their hearts are filled with gratitude, while ours are filled with Dharma-joy, which forms a deep, blessed affinity [between us]. These wholesome and blessed affinities are future provisions for our spiritual [journey]. As we engage in spiritual practice, we need [these people to be our] retinue. [As our] “retinue,” when we teach the Dharam, these people will all come to listen to us. Thus, they are our “retinue.” In our spiritual practice, we must transform sentient beings, follow us in spiritual practice. They are our provisions for spiritual practice. In our future lifetimes, having good affinities with sentient beings, very pure Dharma-affinities, requires us to seize this moment to go among people and help them. With our help, they are liberated from suffering, and their minds [are filled with] gratitude. By helping them, we are filled with Dharma-joy. This is what happens. Then, we can spend our whole lives working to “impart the teachings by observing capabilities”. In doing so, we bring others joy, while practicing the Dharma by helping others. In this way, after they have received our help, they may think, “I also want to help people”. Having received help from others, they begin to want to help others, also. There are many among us who [began] like this! “I want to go with you to help others. I’ve been moved; I feel such joy. I want to go along with you. I am so grateful to have received your help. I have also formed an aspiration to go with you”. Thus, they become our spiritual companions who have formed the Bodhisattva-aspirations. Those who aspire to walk the same path as us and help us clear the path together are called our spiritual companions. They are our companions on the Bodhisattva-path. This refers to people we transformed in the past who, now that we are teaching [the Dharma], are willing to draw near us. This is very important; everyone should mindfully seek to understand this.
The previous passage says, “When all Buddhas and great sages, who teach and transform sentient beings, expound the subtle and wondrous Dharma in the great assemblies, those who uphold the Lotus Sutra will be able to hear all of this”.
Because the Buddha already engaged in spiritual practice during His past lifetimes and [gained] abundant [spiritual] provisions, once He attained Buddhahood, He was called a great sage. For Him to “teach and transform sentient beings”. He needed there to be willing sentient beings who would rejoice at the sound of His name and give rise to joy in their hearts upon seeing. His form and Dharma-appearance. When the Buddha taught the Dharma, they gave rise to joy, willingly followed Him in spiritual practice and accepted His teachings. Thus, the [groups of] people who came to listen to the Buddha teach the Dharma were called “great assemblies”. There were many people gathered together. “He expounded the subtle and wondrous Dharma”. Only when there are people to listen will [a Buddha] teach [the Dharma]. Thus, in that place, He taught the subtle and wondrous Dharma. When the Buddha came to this world, He began by teaching according to capabilities to help them accept [the Dharma] as they were able. But what about the Buddha’s original intent? The Buddha’s original intent is for everyone [to realize that all beings] are equal to the Buddha, to be able to comprehend the essence of the principles and to give rise to wondrous existence. These are the Buddha’s true teachings. He hoped that everyone would take the Dharma as the essence of their minds.
However, for us sentient beings to truly be able to realize [the Dharma] is difficult. So, in His compassion, the Buddha, had “opened up the provisional”, and now He would “reveal the true”. He spent a lot of time patiently guiding us. In every moment, He taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities. He taught the provisional and then the true. This is now mindful the Buddha was. This is the intricate and wondrous Dharma. How do we guide sentient beings to the spiritual training ground? Once they arrive, how do we teach the True Dharma? This is also very important. So, “Those who uphold the Lotus Sutra will be able to hear all of this”.
Those who uphold the Lotus Sutra, will be able to hear all of this: We must uphold the essence of the Lotus Sutra. [The Buddha] manifests the subtle and reveals the true. The cause behind every Buddha coming to this world and transforming sentient beings is to teach the Bodhisattva Way so that may learn it.
Those who accept and uphold the Lotus Sutra “will be able to hear all of this. We must uphold the essence of the Lotus Sutra”. We must not simply listen to the Lotus Sutra. Once we are able to comprehend the essence of the Lotus Sutra, we will understand how the Buddha “manifested the subtle and revealed the true”. It many sound very simple, but amidst its subtle wondrousness is truth; there is a very practical teaching within. So, we must be very mindful.
There is an abundance of Dharma within the subtle and intricate [teachings]. So, He “manifests the subtle and reveals the true”. This is “the supreme, subtle and wondrous Dharma”. The Dharma is supremely profound, and True Dharma is the essence of the Lotus Sutra. This essence, the True Dharma, requires us to go out into the world; we must not remain separate from others. [The Buddha] wants us to go among people, for “the cause behind every Buddha coming to this world is transforming sentient beings”. This is what Bodhisattvas must learn, that the Buddha’s Great Dharma requires us to go among people and transformed them. This why He “taught the Bodhisattva Way”. Since the Buddha [journeyed] on His vow to teach the Bodhisattva Way, we must also go among people to exercise the Bodhisattva-spirit. This is “so that all may learn it”. [They will] thoroughly understand the most subtle and intricate essence. So, it says that “all may learn it”. We must clearly understand this teachings.
The following sutra passage says, “When it comes to all the sounds within and beyond the great trichiliocosm, form Avici Hell below up to Peak Heaven above, they will hear all these sounds without damaging their ear-root. Because their ears are keen and sharp, they will discern and understand them all”.
We must be mindful. “When it comes to all the sounds within and beyond the great trichiliocosm….” We all know about the great trichiliocosm, for we have talked about [it] often in the past. There is a small chiliocosm, a medium chiliocosm, and the great chiliocosm. [This passage talks about] the great trichiliocosm, and “all sounds within and beyond” it. This is an open, spacious and limitless realm, and these sounds are heard within and beyond it.
When it comes to all the sounds within and beyond the great trichiliocosm, from Avici Hell below up to Peak Heaven above…: [The sounds] within and beyond the world represent the two types of karmic retributions, which can be positive or negative. All these sounds of suffering and joy range from Avici Hell below to Peak Heaven above.
What are these sounds heard within and beyond this world? These sounds are either positive or negative, “these sounds [are] of suffering and joy”. When we do good deeds, people make joyful sounds. Those who give and those who receive all rejoice and are grateful. We invite everyone to join us in doing good deeds. They may say, “I will join you I am happy to respond to your invitation”. This is all [done] joyfully. When we are done, we are filled with Dharma-joy. Everyone is happy when we do good deeds. When those who came back from serving in Myanmar first returned to the Abode, they put down their luggage and reported to me. [I asked], “Are you tired?” They replied, “No, we are really joyful!” They were joyful! When we heard how joyful they were, everybody was also very joyful. After the people [in Myanmar] had joyfully accepted [their help], they had now safely returned, and everyone smiled as they joyfully described the happiness that they had brought to others. This is goodness.
“Within and beyond the great trichiliocosm” means not just here in Taiwan. There are people outside of Taiwan who are suffering as well. When we go there to help them, we must work hard. Whatever country it may be, they are [part of] the real world. We can cite many countries and regions as examples of places in the world, of different countries where we were able to cross borders and hear the sounds of the people there. After going there and returning, the sounds of those who report back are such wonderful sounds of joy!
And what about negative [sounds]? These are [our] hindrances. When it comes to what we are supposed to do, if we do not want to work with others, or if we are unwilling to work with others, then we will not able to respond to a situation. This is how afflictions arise in our minds; this is what we mean by negativity. Negativity [robs] our minds of joy, and without joy, we will have afflictions. This is to say nothing of the many tangible forms of negativity that take place in the world. When people’s speech is negative, harsh or coarse, their conduct will be unwholesome, and unwholesome phenomena will arise in their minds. When people disregard wholesome teachings, and nothing they ever do or say is good, then this will become great evil. Thus, when it comes to sounds, there are sounds of joy or suffering, which “range from Avici Hell below to Peak Heaven above”. The joyful sounds reach as high as the Peak Heaven above, and the sounds of suffering reach all the way down to Avici Hell. These are the sounds of joy and suffering, which are “the two kinds of karmic retributions, within and beyond the world, which can be positive or negative”. So, we must always encourage everyone to practice the virtuous Dharma, to go among others and appeal to everyone not to discriminate or draw boundaries between ourselves and others. We must help those who are suffering and appeal to everyone to do good deeds together. We must give everyone cause to rejoice so that there are no sounds of suffering; this is our goal.
They will hear all these sounds without damaging their ear-root: Their ears hear all kinds of good and evil sounds. Because their minds are pure and undefiled, their ear-root will not be damaged. The eight tones encompass many meanings. The ear-root also possesses the functions of all Five Sense Organs. Therefore, they will be able to hear the sounds all throughout the Ten Realms.
“They will hear all these sounds without damaging their ear-root”. The ear-root, our ears, hear all kinds of good and evil sounds. Our ear-root is what comes in contact with sounds like these, with the things that we hear. “These things are very bad”. These things are very good. This is such a good person! “That person is bad and doesn’t follow the rules”. These are things that our ears constantly hear. “Because their minds are pure and undefiled, their ear-root will not be damaged”.
As spiritual practitioners, we regard our minds as vessels. As mentioned before, [the mind] is the vessel of all phenomena. When the vessel of our minds is pure, everything we take into it will be pure. We will be able to turn evil into good and be understanding. We will turn these evil sounds into lessons. I have been saying this these past few days. I hope you will all be able to apply the Dharma. The Dharma we hear is to be used in daily life, in the way we treat each other.
So, we must remember that the minds is a vessel. “The mind is a vessel, the vessel that contains all phenomena”. We must [keep it] clean and keep its capacity open and spacious to turn the evil sounds we hear into good ones. Then, by the same principle, “our ear-root will not be damaged”. The eight tones encompass many meanings. Our voices have eight tones. If we analyze our voices, we find that there are eight tones. When we speak, we also use phonetics and the four tones of the Chinese language. This is all the same principle. There are high and low tones, all with different meanings. If the tone of our voice gets higher, it can being to sound shrill. If we use a lower tone of voice, perhaps it sounds more genuine. This is something we must fine-tune by adjusting our tone of voice, “The ear-root also possesses the functions of all Five Sense Organs”. As for the ear-root, some can use their eyes as their ears and their ears as their eyes. When we see with our eyes, it is like listening with our ears. What we hear and what we see are both the same. When our ears hear something, it may sound like we have seen it. “Listen to that sound! It seems like something has happened somewhere! Oh my! Was that the sound of a car crash? Or was it the sound of something else crashing?” From the sound we heard, we can analyze whether a car was in a collision or if it smoothly arrived at its destination. With our ear-root, we do not need to see, for we can naturally know what has happened. In so many ways, the ear-root stands in for the other five senses. On behalf of our eyes, our noses and our tongues, we can understand so many things with our ears. We may hear someone say, “This is chili”. Just by hearing that, we know “Oh! That is chili!” Without seeing it or tasting it, we will know that this chili is spicy. Before we even put it in our mouths, we can feel the spiciness already.
So, our ears can stand in for our other five senses. This is true for each of the five senses. “Therefore, they will be able to hear the sounds all throughout the Ten Realms”.
Because their ears are keen and sharp, they will discern and understand them all: Because they uphold the sutra, their ear-root is keen and sharp. Thus, when it comes to the aforementioned sounds, they will discern and understand them well.
“Because their ears are keen and sharp, they will discern and understand them all”. This is when our ear root is keen and sharp. Without ears and eyes, we could not discern forms and shapes clearly. So, we must mindfully seek to comprehend how our ear-root can be so keen. So, “Because their ears are keen and sharp, they will discern and understand them all”. Since we uphold this sutra, as we have heard this sutra, we truly understand its principles; we understand the Dharma, worldly phenomena and principles regarding people, matters and objects all very clearly. If we have never listened to the sutra, then when our ear-root comes in contact with the dusts of the outside world, we will hear everything with the consciousness of an unenlightened person. With the consciousness of an unenlightened person, we will create karma in the way ordinary people do. This makes it easy for afflictions to arise. When our consciousness is like this, everything we hear through our ear-consciousness [will sound like] conflict and gossip. This means we will easily give rise to ignorance. With wisdom, we can transform our consciousness.
Where does that wisdom come from? It comes from listening to the sutra and taking in its essence, like how we accept the essence of the Lotus Sutra. It is not merely reading and reciting the sutra. We may read and recite the sutra, but we must also go further by taking the meaning of the sutra to heart.
So, we must take this sutra’s essence, the Dharma-essence, to heart. When we have taken the Dharma-essence to heart, our ear-root will naturally transform consciousness into wisdom. Our ears will become truly sharp; we become spirited, courageous in heart, very determined and decisive. When we hear people talk, we will not use speech to twist the truth into gossip. We may wonder, “Is what they are saying true or not?” Depending on what we hear, things remain ambiguous for us. We wonder, “Is it true or not?”
However, those who uphold this sutra can use wisdom to analyze the situation, so they can understand. “Their ears are keen and sharp”. This is our soul, our spiritual power. This is our essence, the spiritual power of our aspirations. Because we take the essence of the sutra to heart, there is spiritual power in our aspirations, so we can understand whatever we hear. In this way, [our] “ears are keen and sharp”. As we transform our consciousness into wisdom, everything we hear, we hear with wisdom. So, it says, “Their ears are keen and sharp. Thus, when it comes to the aforementioned sounds, they will discern and understand them well”. Everyone can understand this point. Most importantly, everyone must be mindful with the outline that I mentioned to you all previously.
Before discussing the sutra passage, I wanted to first give everyone a general outline. “As Bodhisattvas cultivate and uphold [the Dharma], their merits grow high and their practice refined”. [We] transform consciousness into wisdom once we have already come to understand the direction of our spiritual practice. With our spiritual power, we do the things we need to do, and we can discern clearly between right and wrong. We encourage everyone to do good deeds so that everyone can become joyful. Good voices make us feel joyful, while a negative mindset makes us depressed, afflicted or obstructed in many ways. With spiritual power, we have no obstacles and just do what we should do with a simple mind. When we act with knowledge, there are layers of obstacles; when we act with wisdom, things can be smooth and unimpeded. Therein lies the difference. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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