Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Reflecting All Appearances Like a Clear Mirror (如淨明鏡 照現諸相)
Date: October.03.2019
Let us be mindful. “Though we may bear the sutras atop our heads for dust-inked kalpas and, like the king who diligently sought the path to Buddhahood, offer up our body as a bed or a seat all throughout the trichiliocosm, if we do not spread the Dharma to transform sentient beings, we will still fail to repay [the Buddha’s] grace.”
We must mindfully seek to understand this passage. As we engage in spiritual cultivation, we must accomplish our spiritual goals. As an analogy, this is like bearing many sutras atop our heads. We might carry these numerous heavy things, whether they are sutras or something else, for a very, very long time. We might be like the king who diligently sought the path to Buddhahood. He sought the path to Buddhahood so diligently.
Do you remember [his story]? In the Chapter on Devadatta, the king posted a notice in his search to attain true principles in order to find someone to teach him the Dharma. The notice went out, but for a long time, no one dared to respond to it. [Eventually], a mystic named Asita arrived and took down the notice. He said with confidence, “Take me to see your king.” Upon meeting Asita, the king asked respectfully, “Are you able to teach me the Dharma that I seek? I seek [the Dharma] because I want to seek liberation. Life is full of contradictions. So many principles are [concealed by] layers upon layers of contradictions. I want to know how to attain the principles and where to apply the principles I attain.” He requested, “Can you really share these teachings with me?”
Asita said, “I have the Dharma. So long as you do so I wish, I will pass it on to you without reservation.”
The king said, “Okay, I am willing. As long as I can attain the True Dharma, I am willing to do anything.”
Asita said, “Then, can you follow me in spiritual practice and also wait on me?”
“Yes, of course, as long as I can have teachings to practice and can follow the wise, I will be very blessed.”
[The king] passed down his throne to his son and left the kingdom’s affairs to his subjects. He gave up his throne to follow Asita and engage in spiritual practice. The king waited on all of Asita’s daily demands. While being waited upon [by the king], [Asita] made a lot of unreasonable demands. However, [the king] fulfilled all his demands, serving him willingly no matter how taxing [his demands were]. Asita even went as far as to say, “Come, crouch down so I can use you as a chair for me to sit on.” The king willingly complied and crouched down so that Asita could sit on him. If the mystic said to him, “I am tired, lie down as a bed for me to sleep on,” [the king] would willingly comply and sprawl on the floor as a bed for Asita to sleep on. Throughout [Asita’s] many challenges, the king did not mind the hard work and single-mindedly sought the path. This is how he engaged in spiritual practice and sought the path.
How do we usually engage in spiritual practice? How do we live our lives? The Dharma is right in front of us; We must [serve] the world unconditionally, always doing our utmost. In this world, we must work harmoniously together, fulfilling our duties to help others while looking after our fellow practitioners. This is just like that king who wanted to engage in spiritual practice; he would even give up his throne to engage in spiritual cultivation. No matter how he had to humble himself, no matter what [Asita] told him to do, no matter how he had to serve him, he met all his demands. This was how he engaged in spiritual practice.
When we think of how we engage in spiritual practice in our lives today, we [will realize that] we are truly blessed. [In 2019], a group of doctors returned from East Africa. Superintendent Lin accompanied them. This group of doctors went to East Africa to provide medical care for those suffering there. What they saw there left them heartbroken. In addition to providing medical care, [the doctors] also visited their homes. They learned how different their lives were and saw that they were in hardship. They witnessed their physical condition and the state of their living conditions. They talked extensively [about this]. As they took turns sharing, every doctor noted their extreme suffering. They found that in witnessing their suffering, they had realized their own blessings, and they were very grateful for the opportunity to go on this trip. Before their departure, they felt very uneasy; they were heading toward a place with infectious diseases, AIDS, cholera, an area so filthy and so poor, with such limited transportation. They had so many concerns. Once their friends heard about it, they said, “You dare to go there?” This added to their stress. Still, they bravely volunteered to go. “I’m not the only one going,” [they said]. So, they went forth this way.
They went and witnessed these conditions, which were not as terrifying as expected. They just went from shock to heartbreak. They were heartbroken for all the adorable children, children who were strangers at first, but had now become dear to them. When they returned, the images of these children still remained in their minds. The suffering [of the children] will forever remain in their minds.
So, this is how life goes. They went and returned, left this blessed place to willingly give of themselves. They went to meet and help those suffering people far away, and returned with hearts full of compassion.
This is just like what that king realized. “Alas, life is full of so many contradictions and so much impermanence. How can we resolve such contradictions? How can we face the true principles with a mind free of doubts?” He searched for a long time, and no one could answer his questions. By posting a notice, he found Asita. Asita told him very clearly and directly, “If you follow me in spiritual practice, you must not be afraid of hard work; you will be my servant and do what I ask.” The king was willing to do this. For the sake of his spiritual practice, the king was even willing to give up his own life. This is not easy to do.
These doctors are no different. So, [just like the king] said, “I am willing,” [these doctors] said, “Since everyone is going, I will go too.” They went and came back, just like the king who dedicated his body and life to his spiritual practice. Although their goals are different, they all felt [the same]. [The king] was joyful from beginning to end, without any grudges or regrets. When [the doctors] were to meet these people, they were at first very fearful. Then, they began to treat them. I listened to our dentists speak about this. Our doctors are very knowledgeable, so they knew we had to take precautions, because they were worried about infectious diseases. “I am compassionate and want to treat them, so I must take precautions.” They had to take precautions by covering their bodies completely, wearing multiple layers of face masks when treating the people there. This is how they took care of themselves and sever others lovingly. This was also very moving.
There was also a dentist from Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Director Xia. When he returned [to Taiwan], at the airport, he learned that Taiwan TIMA was visiting the nursing home that they go to regularly, a nursing home for comatose patients. Upon hearing that they had gathered together, he did not rest after leaving the airport, but quickly went to register with TIMA. Then, he joined in their activities while they visited the comatose patients there. They make this visit every few months. Every time I go to Taipei, I hear about this group of doctors. Many people, dozens of people, form this very solid organization. Equipped with medical instruments and a medical service team, they form a big team. They make regular visits to this nursing home, where there are many comatose patients. The staff are so grateful for TIMA. For every patient they care for, they need [a team of] doctors and aides. This requires doctors from multiple departments, not just dentistry; doctors from many departments must be there in case of an emergency. They have to prop open the patients’ mouths. While rinsing it out, due to the risk of the patient choking on water or some other issue arising, doctors and aides remain by their side, surrounding them.
Each visit requires water and electricity; [the dentists] even bring their own water and electricity for their dental equipment. Every time they visit, they attend to dozens of people who lie there, one by one. So, one by one, [the doctors] visit and take care of each of them. Several months later, after a few visits, whenever the nursing staff saw Tzu Chi’s doctors, they felt very grateful and now they consider t hem to be their benefactor. With these TIMA doctors, they are able to solve problems that they cannot handle on their own. This group of TIMA doctors do this voluntarily. The caretakers are joyful, and although the care recipients cannot express it themselves, they must also feel more at ease. When their family members, filial children and devoted husbands or wives go to visit them now, they are also very moved. This is incredible.
Humans [are capable of] this; this power of love is remarkable. What kind of love is this? This love comes from the heart, from the willingness to practice medicine. When they formed aspirations to become doctors, they already possessed this wish to willingly save lives and help others. Now, as doctors, their mission remains the same, and they take joy in it. They do this of their own volition. The vow they made when they became doctors has now been fulfilled. They can help others without being asked; they voluntarily go to help them. They help people who cannot ask for help or do not know how to ask for help; this is a very difficult process. Our TIMA doctors, this group of willing [volunteers], dedicated themselves to resolving these matters.
Although this doctor left the country to relieve suffering in faraway places, immediately upon his return from East Africa, upon his arrival at the Taoyuan airport, he learned of [the nursing home visit], so he quickly turned around and joined in, joining the TIMA doctors to visit the nursing home. He did not want to throw away this opportunity. The way he proactively gives of his love is certainly praiseworthy.
I also saw group of honorary board members from Kaohsiung who came to visit. They came specifically for one purpose. They said, “Master, we come specifically to let you know that we would like to serve in East Africa. We come to ask Master. If the opportunity arises, we would like to go”. Several of them want to go. This will allow them to go and see the suffering and hardships there. They were willing to go and help the people there. They also made donations [and said], “I want to adopt schools. I want to adopt several schools and help build housing for people there”. This is how we gather together everyone’s love.
The Buddha came to this world to teach sentient beings about how life is full of suffering. Suffering is caused by accumulation. This is due to not knowing the principles and giving rise to afflictions that obstruct our love and virtuous thoughts so that we are unwilling to give of ourselves. When it comes to the Buddha’s teachings, we must earnestly put them into practice upon the path. What is this path? It is the Bodhisattva-path. The Buddha came to this world for one great cause, which is to teach us to walk the Bodhisattva-path.
Now, “Bodhisattvas arise because of suffering sentient beings”. We saw these people in suffering, so our organization gathered together every bit of our strength, leveraging each other’s strengths. [Everyone] donates a little, and by leveraging the strength gathered from everyone bit by bit, we are able to go and help people. I am very touched by how everyone is doing their utmost to adopt the schools there. For the future of education in East Africa, I feel very joyful. It is also a virtue to rejoice when we see others doo good deeds.
Haven’t we discussed this before? In the Chapter on the Merits and Virtues of Joy, by encouraging others to do good and inviting them to listen to the Dharma, we likewise [attain merits and virtues]. When we see others listen to the Dharma and give rise to goodness, and rejoice alongside them for all of this, we will also attain merits and virtuous. When I saw that this group of Bodhisattvas had come to make vows to serve others, this strengthened my faith. For the sake of East Africa, we must make plans and take action. [They have given us] a huge amount of strength. Not only are they donating the money, but they are also willing to devote their labor. This is truly remarkable.
In this way, they have fully understood infinite meanings and principles. We have come into this human life to be able to serve people in suffering and transform their lives. No matter how much [we can do], we must always give it our all. When we can do this and call on everyone [to do the same], this is wisdom; this is having a “pure mind-root”. We do not do this for our own benefit, but because we cannot bear to see people in suffering. Everyone is giving, little by little. “Whatever I am able to give. I am willing to give it all”. By pooling together our various capabilities and strengths, we can truly transform [the lives of those] in poverty there and give them some stability and the opportunity to create blessings locally in the future. This is very important. So, we ought to “transform consciousness into wisdom”. We must not be attached to things at the present moment and say, “There are so many of them! How can we possibly save them all?“ I do not know what causes and conditions keep making me always say that our focus for the future will be on Africa. I have said this often. I only knew that people in Africa suffer so much and that we need certain causes and conditions to be able to relieve the suffering in Africa. This time around, we have very [special] causes and conditions. This made me realize, “Wow! These are our causes and conditions”. Thus, with these causes and conditions, it seems like we can achieve so much. We must seize these causes and conditions and immediately do what is right. So, we have a “mission”.
Our spiritual practice is also our mission. Since we aspire to engage in spiritual practice, we must serve others even when they are unable to ask [for help]. Then, we will be just like the kind who, in order to seek the Dharma and out of reverence for his teacher and the path, willingly served as a chair for [Asita] to sit on and as bad for [Asita] to sleep on and took care of all matters in [Asita’s] life. This was his course of spiritual practice. These were the past lives of Sakyamuni Buddha and Devadatta, explained to us throughout the course of the sutras. Indeed, this is how life goes.
Currently, we are in the present, and our mission is to engage in spiritual practice. Whether as lay or monastic practitioners, we must embrace the power of love and find a way to help others; this is very important. If we are not mindful, then we cannot accomplish anything.
A group of Bodhisattvas from Singapore came here for the Tzu Chi board meeting. I was deeply moved to hear their reports of the compassion, love, joy and equanimity there, especially of how they watch over the Jing Si Dharma-lineage and safeguard the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism through their faith, vows and actions. They have opened up a path and set an example with sincerity and integrity, thereby safeguarding our Dharma-lineage and School of Buddhism.
In their group, although they are all board members by title at [company] boards, whether they are board members or chairpersons or executive directors, even with titles like these, when doing charity work, they are all equal. The board members must also join the home visits and are responsible for supporting care recipients. The CEO also shares the responsibility of supporting care recipients and sponsoring their cases. Each person is responsible for four families. This way, everyone, including all the Tzu Chi commissioners, Faith Corps members, board members and the CEO, is devoted to doing the same work. I was very moved to hear all this.
When serving others, everyone gives equally. When carrying out their responsibilities, each person takes care of their respective duties and what they are responsible for. So, when it comes to management, they “organize with precepts and manage with love.” This is not easy to do. I am also very moved by this; I commend them. They are true-to-their-name Bodhisattvas practicing unity and concerted effort as they cultivate purity inwardly. This is what we have been discussing these past few days.
In our spiritual practice, we must cultivate our minds to be very pure, clear as crystal like the Buddha’s body. The spiritual practitioner’s mindset does not discriminate based on position; all we have is a sense of duty and willingness to act. If something needs to be done, everyone will come together to do it. If it is our duty, we take responsibility for it. We must take care of this matter and communicate with everyone about how to do it. This is how Bodhisattvas work with unity and concerted effort as they inwardly cultivate purity. This is not easy.
So, everyone is sincere; they go among people with this sincerity and give without expectations. When we give without expectations, [others ask], “How are you able to accomplish this?” In truth, the Dharma-joy we gain from this is something we know best ourselves. Once we go out to serve others, we feel joy. Their project to support care recipients has been very successful. This is using the Dharma to serve others. When they successfully take care of a care recipient, they take joy in the experience. The Dharma-joy they gain is apparent to them, for they alone are able to know [their own joy]. “I am so full of joy. By using these methods, I can help these people. Seeing these people receive aid make me feel so joyful”. They said this about one of their care cases. I will tell you about this if have time. I am truly touched when I see this. As for the recipient they helped, [he said], “I am grateful; I am so grateful”. He had become another person; his life has been transformed. What about those who guide him? Oh, I have seen them; their images are shown in the footage. I can see that are very joyful. Where does their joy come from? I myself feel very joyful. For those who gain joy from serving others, how does that joy feel? I believe that [only] they themselves know. They themselves know the gratitude they feel from successfully helping a care recipient. They each experience their own sense of joy. This is true spiritual practice, [giving] without expectations. This is the joy of accomplishing one’s goal. Because they all listen to the Dharma, they are filled with Dharma-joy.
The previous sutra passage says, “At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to restate. His meaning, spoke in verse, ‘If someone upholds the Lotus Sutra, their body will be extremely pure, like clear clear crystal, and all sentient beings will rejoice upon seeing them’”.
So, just like this, whenever they visit the care recipient, they are very happy to see one another. Everyone is very happy to see them. This is how Bodhisattvas are in the world. Those who engage in the Bodhisattva-practice are respected by everyone.
The following sutra passage [says], “Furthermore, as a clear mirror reflects all forms and appearances, Bodhisattvas, from their pure bodies, see everything in the world. They alone clearly understand what others are unable to see.”
Indeed, we alone understand this. Others are unable to understand how our experiences of spiritual practice and the Dharma can bring us such joy. Once we accomplish something, we gain insights and feel joyful. No one can share our own joy. People can only rejoice in being touched [by our experience]. The principle is the same.
This wondrous Dharma becomes clear by way of analogy. It evokes the image of a Bodhisattva’s pure body and likens it to a clear mirror that reflects objects distinctly and clearly, inherently undefiled and unattached. As the long-form prose says, [this is] “because their body will be pure.”
“This wondrous Dharma become clear by way of analogy.” We apply this Dharma to people and matters by way of analogy. The principle is the same. This evokes the image of a Bodhisattva’s pure body in order to explain to us the depth of the principles. Bodhisattvas practice in this way and take such actions to unite with principles. These matters are used as analogies. In the Buddha’s time, spiritual practitioners engaged in cultivation until their minds were pure and clear as a mirror.
Now, I share stories of people in present times, telling everyone how [volunteers] from Singapore engage in spiritual practice and form teams so that even board members and CEOs work alongside everyone. They also sponsor care recipients and mentor people alongside everyone else and are very joyful. The principle is the same. In different ears, we engage in [the same] Bodhisattva-practice and use analogies in the same way.
Hence, it “likens it to a clear mirror that reflects objects distinctly and clearly”. Like a clear mirror, [the sutra] reveals these images to us. For what we cannot see, we must come look into this mirror, and this image will be [reflected] there. Once the image is gone, this mirror will still remain clear and pure. This is what Bodhisattvas are like. “Why are you so joyful?” “I am joyful because after my clear mirror reflects something, this mirror of mine still remains very pure”. We return to our [true nature], free of pride and afflictions. This is what we want to cultivate in ourselves. “[We] reflect objects distinctly and clearly, inherently undefiled and unattached”. [This means] we are free of attachments; this is giving without expectations. As the previous long-form prose says, “Because their body will be pure…”.
Furthermore, as a clear mirror reflects all forms and appearances: Because their mind and vision are clear, there is nothing they do not understand, just as a clear mirror reflects all forms and appearances.
This is in verse. “Furthermore, as a clear mirror reflects all forms and appearances”. This verse reiterates the long-form prose. “Because their mind and vision are clear, there is nothing they do not understand”. They are just like a clear mirror. They are like a very clear mirror, for their mind is very pure and there is nothing they do not understand. Their mind is very pure, like this mirror, and nothing can defile it. This mirror is very clear.
Bodhisattvas, from their pure bodies, see everything in the world: Because these Bodhisattvas who uphold the sutra are pure in body and mind, they are able to perceive all matters and appearances in the world.
“Bodhisattvas, from their pure bodies, see everything in the world”. These Bodhisattvas are pure in body and mind and see things very clearly. “They are able to perceive all [matters and appearances] in the world”. Their mind is very pure and free of afflictions, so they are able to clearly discern all matters in the world. These are the people who uphold the sutra, these Bodhisattvas. The sutras are always on their mind. “The sutras are a path; this path is a road to walk on”. We walk this path at all times. We clearly perceive the scenery upon this path. Thus, “They are able to perceive all matters and appearances in the world”. This is all very clear to them.
They alone clearly understand what others are unable to see: By seeing with their eyes alone, they are able to clearly discern what others who do not learn [the path] are unable to see.
So, “They alone clearly understand what others are unable to see”. We ourselves understand this joy best of all. “What are you so joyful about?” “I am just joyful. Doing these things just makes me happy.” “My goodness, you work so hard. I don’t understand why you are so happy.” “I am just joyful.” We are just joyful, and others do not understand. So, “By seeing with their eyes alone, they are able to clearly discern….” We can see clearly with our own eyes, but as for “others who do not learn [the path],” those who do not learn the path cannot see.
Dear Bodhisattvas, this is the way. As we engage in spiritual practice, the sutras have already paved this path for us. We have walked and walked upon it all the way to the present, opening the doors to our hearts as Bodhisattvas. When we see someone who needs our help, we help them like this. We help and support them on a personal level, getting up close and personal, doing so many things for them. If someone’s home is dirty, we will help them clean it. If someone does not have food to eat, we will bring food to them. We serve them like the king served [Asita]. We see the people we help and support as [a manifestation of] the Dharma. “I am engaging in spiritual practice. Through helping this care recipient, I will realize many wondrous teachings”. So, this is how [our volunteers] care for people, seeking the Dharma just like this king; this is truly praiseworthy.
Dear Bodhisattvas, if we truly wish to engage in spiritual practice, since it just so happened that I can use these stories to explain this sutra passage to everyone, we ought to be grateful. As we put the Dharma into practice and serve, let us discuss and share our experiences so that everyone can gain more insights. So, we must always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
首頁 
