Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: All Buddhas Will Manifest in Our Own Body (於自身中 現諸佛身)
Date: October.04.2019
We must mindfully observe and listen. “The bodies of all Buddhas will manifest in our own body, and the countless pure lands of all Buddhas will also manifest [there]. All these countless lands will enter our bodies, and all Buddhas will reside there as well. ‘You must observe my pores closely, for I will now reveal to you the state of Buddhahood.’”
We need to be mindful. This is saying that all Buddhas describe how an earnest mind free of afflictions is a pure mind. [When we have] a pure mind, our bodies manifest the bodies of all Buddhas. As long as each of our minds are clear and free of discursive thoughts, the Buddha’s heart is our heart.
Don’t we often say this? We must keep the Buddha in our hearts. By the same principle, “The bodies of all Buddhas will manifest in our body.” Our bodies and minds manifest all Buddhas’ bodies. Keeping the Buddha in our mind means that the Buddha is in our mind. “The countless pure lands of all Buddhas will also manifest [there]. All these countless lands will enter our bodies.” There are also the countless pure lands; they are very pure. The Buddhas’ worlds, all these countless [lands], will enter our body. These are the Buddha-lands, the pure lands we sentient beings are guided toward in our spiritual direction. When we ordinary beings apply the Buddha’s heart in our actions, our ordinary body becomes a body-land.
Do you all understand this? The purpose of our bodies is for us to attain Buddhahood. Our direction should be aimed at attaining Buddhahood. In fact, our mind is [the mind of] the Buddha, and our body is also [the body of] the Buddha. It is where the Buddha abides. This refers to our present body immediately attaining Buddhahood and the body and mind being in the state of the Buddha. “All Buddhas will reside there as well.” All Buddhas who abide there are the same. The state of our body and mind is the same as the state manifested by the Buddha’s body and mind.
[The Buddha said], “You must observe my pores closely, for I will now reveal to you the state of Buddhahood.” What the Buddha says is, if everyone has the Buddha-mind, naturally we are in the state of the Buddha. If everyone puts in effort to observe and watch closely and earnestly, we will be able to see within [His] pores the state of Buddhahood that He manifests to [us] all. This is to tell us that we must be very mindful regarding the Buddha. It is not just about prostrating when we see a Buddha-statue.
In fact, what is most important is things like [observing], when we sweat etc., how our pores [work]. In fact, our body has countless pores. If our skin did not have pores, then it would not be healthy. A patch of skin that has been injured lacks pores on [the scar tissue]. The Buddha used this as an analogy. When looking at Him, we must be very mindful and observe closely so that we are able to see even His pores. If we are able to do this and observe the Buddha so closely, He will manifest the state of all Buddhas for us. The state of all Buddhas will naturally be there before us. This means that we must really put in a lot of effort. What should this effort be dedicated toward? We must personally dedicate ourselves to this. When we focus our mind on the Buddha, we must put in effort to apply the Buddha’s spirit and principles within our minds. [This way], we will very clearly understand the Buddha’s state and we will understand the Buddha’s mind very well. The Buddha’s mind is connected to suffering sentient beings. That is why He came to teach the Bodhisattva Way, to care for suffering sentient beings. One person cannot [accomplish this]. He hoped for many more people to be able to respect and love the Buddha so that the Buddha could teach them to care for the people He loved.
Put simply, in the Buddha’s mind, He embraces all suffering people in this world. How can they turn their suffering into blessings? This is why He taught them the Bodhisattva Way. [In terms] of the Buddha-mind, as we can see in this world, there are so many suffering sentient beings. There is suffering from illness, suffering from poverty, and suffering of the mind. There is so much [suffering] in this world.
[Recently], our main focus has revolved around how people in Africa are suffering. We continue to form aspirations and make vows to go to Africa, to Mozambique in southeast Africa. After we come into contact with those people, [we see] how they suffer, truly suffer. [In their sharing], those who came back never left out the word “suffering,” the suffering of the local people there. In our planning meeting for the humanistic culture mission, medical professionals also gathered to share their experiences in East Africa. There were doctors, a number of people from Tzu Chi International Medical Association who went as the first [medical] team, including Dr. Yeh Tian-hao and others. They were the first group that went. When they went there, they took the time to visit each home and saw that each family was truly suffering. The level of dilapidation, poverty and suffering from illness was impossible to describe with words. There were entire families who were ill who had nothing at all. Everything was broken, and even their house was so dilapidated [it was unable to] protect them from the elements. Is this a life worthy of human beings? In the eyes of the doctors, this did not seem like living in the human realm. As the doctors shared, they were heartbroken. It was the same for the pharmacists. In the same way, that environment was still in their minds.
Even Superintendent Chao of our Taipei [Tzu Chi] hospital, Superintendent Chien of Taichung [hospital], Superintendent Lai of Dalin [hospital], and Superintendent Lin of Hualien [hospital] came [to the meeting]. At Hualien Tzu chi hospital, we had a few doctors who also gathered to describe [their experiences] again. We could see how their hearts were truly still concerned with the people suffering from illness [in Africa]. That was how heartbroken they were. As they shared, their bodies and minds were still attached to that place. Everything that they had touched, seen and heard, the environment [of the locals] and so on was all still within their minds. It is true suffering, a suffering people truly cannot forget.
There was also Humanistic Culture staff who went. Our reporters repeatedly traveled there for more than two months, reporting starting from Zimbabwe and all the way to our area of focus, Mozambique. There was an even earlier report coming from Malawi; that was the first footage that was sent out. [At that time], Bodhisattvas in South Africa received news [of the disaster] and were the first team to go, with Mr. Pan leading a few young volunteers in addition to local volunteers. When they went there, they saw that houses had collapsed, so they purchased materials locally to rebuild houses for [these families]. This is the earliest [report] that we saw.
Next was the relief distribution in Zimbabwe. We could see [Yang] Jinghui going there and sending back footage. During that time, every day we saw how people suffered from the disaster there. For many days, we could see their suffering and how [the volunteers] guided them and also promoted the bamboo bank spirit. We saw women holding change in their hands, wishing to donate 30 cents [Zimbabwean currency]. They said, “These 30 cents in my hand are worth close to nothing. I cannot buy anything, but putting it [in the bamboo bank] can help save many.” The first impression it gave me was that even in poverty, people had so much wisdom. I remember that one of them said, “Despite the poverty, in this world, there is no one who is so poor that they are unable to help others.” Though poor, there is no one so poor that he cannot help others. This person also donated; it was only a tiny bit [of money], but the person was also very wise. What the person said was very touching. We have been in Mozambique for years now. The cause and conditions in Mozambique have matured. When we dedicate ourselves to the work there, there are local volunteers taking up the task. Although they were very far [from the disaster area], more than 1,200 kilometers away, a group of seed-volunteers, more than ten of them, formed aspirations and made vows to move [to the disaster area]. They wish to go there so that they can help train volunteers. In this way, they stayed together with the Bodhisattva-volunteers from Taiwan. Our young volunteers brought our humanistic culture there. They comfort people with love and also use our humanistic culture to teach them. Indeed, the people there are very kind and many dedicated themselves. The local seed-volunteers used their experience and their sincerity in joining us and dedicating themselves. The disaster relief there this time is extremely difficult. However, there is hope, great hope, because they have cultivated the spirit of turning suffering into blessings.
In Taiwan and other countries, Tzu Chi volunteers gather everyone’s strength and further mobilize people to join the [relief work] in that place, coming and going repeatedly. It all brings strength. They work together with locals to take volunteers to visit the poor and do relief distribution. This is all human strength. An even greater force is our doctors. A group of them first went to assess [the situation]. The next group that went included superintendents, directors and attending physicians, all full of love, a large group of people. All these people went there again. Apart from relief distributions, they also organized free clinics. They also held a Buddha Bathing Ceremony. This large group [of volunteers] organized this, and it was eye-opening [for the locals]. “Oh! So this is what a doctor is like! I have never seen a doctor before. I have been ill all my life, but I have never before seen a doctor. How can these doctors be so full of love?” They drew so close to them, comforting them, cherishing them, and giving them such detailed advice. [The locals] felt that, in their lives, there are still people who love and care about them.
Then, there was also our Da Ai TV staff. The director on DA Ai TV, Susan Yeh, had also requested leave [from her work]. She also dedicated herself with her own money and vacation time. She wanted to help out as well. We have some staff members from DA Ai TV who were there, but she also wanted to go and do some reporting and filming herself. There was also a very touching scene where she brought a ladder to a rooftop and climbed up to the top of a house, looking down at everything below from high above. With her camera, she stood and filmed from the rooftop, and at the same time, our documentation volunteers also filmed her in return. It was truly very touching there were also the reporters from our magazine, Rhythms Monthly, who went and brought back the pictures they took. Listening to them explain each picture, it was just like reading a sutra. These are photographers from Rhythms Monthly. Michael Xiao of Tzu Chi Monthly, used to take pictures in black and white, all very artistic photos. This time when he went, I told him, “Artistic photos are very creative, but this time, I hope you can use a normal camera and take some photos so that it can be more useable for our publications”. His photos truly captured Africa’s history, one of life that is as if in hell. This hell in our world is truly full of suffering.
Seeing how they live, our hearts truly go out to them. We also see Bodhisattvas, Tzu Chi volunteers, who do charity work with such compassionate vows. All of the ground is covered in dirt. When it is wet, the ground becomes very muddy, and when it is dry, it is covered with footprints. These footprints are like [lotuses], and each of them is like a lotus flower. It is truly a very touching matter. We hope that, in the future, we can turn their lives around. On this land, for these lives, we hope that we can bring blessings to those places. Let us hope that, for these people in this environment, this land can become green. With these dilapidated houses [being rebuilt], let us hope that these people can be completely sheltered from the wind and rain. I also heard them describe the food crisis in Africa; they told me so much. The food crisis and the extreme low level of hygiene come together in this deep suffering. There is so much suffering! One [example] in particular was described by our staff member who had distributed stationery.
The following day, a little girl was holding a small orange in her hand and tugging at him. When he turned around, he saw that this girl was poor but very beautiful. In her hand, she held an orange. She looked at him with her big eyes, without saying anything. She just kept indicating that she wanted to give this orange to him. Because of the language barrier, she [could only] look at him with her hand stretched up, wanting to give it to him. He extended his hand to take it. He described this, [saying], “This orange may have been given to her by someone else. It may be all her food for today or all that she has to eat. I only gave her a pencil yesterday. She was so kind and grateful, knowing to repay grace”. The way she held the orange, looking up and wanting to give it to [him] must have been a very beautiful scene. So, there are so many instances of suffering that I cannot describe them all. So, we see suffering and those who suffer; we have staff from the Humanistic Culture Mission who went there to [capture these conditions] and enable us to see those people who are suffering. We wish to begin paving a path for them. Our minds must be open and spacious for others, and we must open up the Bodhisattva-path. We must pave the road and open up the Bodhisattva-path. We must let everyone know that we earnestly pave this road so that everyone can open up the Bodhisattva-path and everyone can extend their hand to help others little by little. So, we already have the understanding, the vision and the views, to be able to take action ourselves. As we have taken action, lotus flowers will bloom with every step. Let us hope that we are able to influence the future, the future of Africa. If we are able to do this, then there will be countless merits and virtues.
The things I want to talk about are far too many. How can we tell about them all? We can only hope to see those who are suffering, to pave the path of the mind, to open the door to their minds and walk the Bodhisattva-path. When one eye sees, thousands of eyes can see. We must keep discussing it so that everyone can see this; we have already attained understanding and vision and have taken action. From this, lotus flowers and begin to bloom with our steps. Once we begin walking, we hope for lotus flowers to cover the ground so it will no longer just be muddy ground or ground where dusty footprints are left when we step on it. We hope it can become a very beautiful place where lotus flowers bloom and that we can have an even larger influence in that area. This is our hope. If we can do this, then this creates countless merits and virtues.
Everyone, place be mindful. This is our history, which is Tzu Chi sutras and classics. Everyone must put in effort in effort to accept this. We are able to see this “in our own body”. This is today’s theme.
“The bodies of all Buddhas will manifest in our own body and the countless pure lands of all Buddhas will also manifest [there]. All these countless lands will enter our bodies, and all Buddhas will reside there, as well. ‘You must observe my pores closely, for I will now reveal to you the state of Buddhahood’”.
In that place, it is the same with all Buddhas. We must mindfully seek to understand all Buddhas. These few days, we have talked about how, when they read, recite and uphold the teachings of the sutra, all our states, the entire trichiliocosm, will manifest within the bodies of spiritual practitioners. Everyone should still remember this sutra passage we discussed recently.
The previous sutra passage also states, “Furthermore, as a clear mirror…”. If our minds are pure, they are like a clear mirror that ”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.
During the Buddha’s time, how did these monastics practice so that their minds became pure like a bright mirror? Their minds were just like a very clean mirror, because their minds were very pure. There was nothing that their minds did not know. Because their minds were very pure, they did not have any afflictions. So, when it came to matters in the world, they could analyze them with great clarity. This is what people who uphold the sutras are like. They are Bodhisattvas who always keep the sutras in their minds. “The sutras are a path; this path is a road to walk on”. When we always walk on this path in this way, we clearly know the scenery of this path. When it comes to spiritual practitioners and the state of their minds, they are able to know this state themselves. Who else can know this state? They cannot unless they also enter the state themselves. Those who enter the state will know, and those who have not entered will not know.
For example, I spoke so much earlier. Yet, I did not go [to Africa] myself. I only relied on the words of those who went and returned. I just care about it, and it is as if the state was in front of me. Otherwise, the average person, upon hearing, would not know what suffering is. A few days ago, I said, “When I open my eyes, I see this human world. When I close my eyes, I see hell”. During the day, I see the human world. But when lie down to sleep, I see the conditions in Africa. In this way, even though I did not go, I manifest that state in my mind. It is the same principle.
The following sutra passage says, “As for all the sprouts within the trichiliocosm, such as the heavenly beings, human beings, asuras, the beings of hell, ghosts and animals, these forms and appearances will all be reflected within their body.”
We must mindfully read this passage. “All the sprouts within the trichiliocosm” refers to the sentient beings of the Three Realms.
As for all the sprouts within the trichiliocosm: “All the sprouts” refers to the sentient beings. Some are good, while some have evil thoughts and give rise to darkness, in the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, [the Brahma kings say], “One of universal wisdom honored by heavenly beings and humans, You have mercy on all kinds of sprouts.”
We sentient beings, whether human or animal, in this world, in this trichiliocosm, we are able to see all states. In the Three Realms, we can see all the sprouts. With all sentient beings, we have understood and have seen that “some are good, while some have evil thoughts and give rise to darkness”. These people, these animals and people, are different not only in their appearances. In terms of their mind, some have good thoughts and some have evil thoughts. Those with good thoughts walk the good path, and those who give rise to evil thoughts walk the evil path. This is the kind of darkness which those who do not understand the principles are in.
In the Chapter on the Parable of the Conjured City, there is a passage [where the Brahma King say], “One of universal wisdom honored by heavenly beings and humans, You have mercy on all kinds of sprouts”. This speaks of the one honored by heavenly beings and humans, the Buddha. The Buddha has mercy on all sentient beings in this world, all sentient beings in this trichiliocosm. So, the Buddha’s thoughts are all on sentient beings in this world. This is the Buddha-mind. In the Buddha’s mind, He cares for all sentient beings, so He taught the Bodhisattva-path.
When we read the sutra and uphold the teachings, it teaches us how to have a pure mind, how to go among people without becoming defiled, and how to witness suffering and mobilize ourselves to go reliever all sentient beings [of sufferings]. It is this kind of state. Isn’t every single thing that we do in Tzu Chi, every segment of our journey, coming together with every passage in the sutra?
So, from the Dharma that the Buddha taught, we must know it, realize it and then put it into practice. This is the state.
So, “the heavenly beings, human beings, asuras, the beings of hell, ghosts and animals, these forms and appearances will all be reflected within their bodies”.
The heavenly beings, human beings, asuras, the beings of hell, ghosts and animals, these forms and appearances will all be reflected within their bodies: Each being of the Six Realms has one body. Nothing comes from the outside; everything is created by the mind alone. For these who engage in such contemplations, all with be reflected within their body.
The Buddha-eyes not only see many sprouts. He not only sees the surface, but also the rise of good and evil thoughts. He sees the rising and falling within the mind, too. This passage speaks of the state of heavenly beings and asuras, the state of hell, hungry ghosts and animals and of all forms etc. Heavenly beings enjoy comforts; those in hell suffer. Asuras are in the world and in heaven, easily giving rise to anger and recklessness. These kinds of lives are all in the pure minds of spiritual practitioners; they illustrate the principles of the Dharma taught by the Buddha. This is how, as Buddhist practitioners wishing to enter the Buddha’s state, we must rely on the sutras to understand the teachings that the Buddha gave.
So, when it comes to the Dharma. “Nothing comes from the outside; everything is created by the mind alone”. Our mind is able to manifest so many states. No one is able to physically show us these states while we just listen. If we do not go in person, we must mindfully listen as others speak. When we listen, we take it to heart and can form aspirations to understand what the state is like over there. Everything is created by the mind also. When we read the sutra, we must also listen to the present state [of the world]. The sutra is the Dharma that the Buddha taught, which He passed down for future generations. He taught the Bodhisattva Way, which is recorded in the sutras. We must see the present state, the current world. Those who were able to go and return can share with us who have not been there. Our mind can seek to realize and understand what was said in the sutra. What they told us about, they could not bring back [to us]. We must listen and learn from the sutras. Our minds can keep recalling this. Thus, “Everything is created by the mind alone”. We must understand, and we must be prepared to take action. Everything is created by the mind alone. “For those who engage in such contemplations, all will be reflected within their body” We must mindfully make aspirations to listen, to observe and know, and afterwards, we must constantly contemplate and think carefully. To contemplate is to think carefully. We must carefully contemplate in detail how to transform poverty and create blessings for the people there. We should already have a blueprint in our minds. When we take that state into our minds, all will manifest. Upon hearing others, we will also be clear.
The following sutra passage says, “The palaces throughout the various heavens all the way up to the summit of existence, the Iron Ring Mountains, Mt. Meru, Mt. Masameru and all the great seas will all be reflected within their body. The places throughout the various heavens all the way up to the summit of existence: [This refers to] the heavens of the desire realm up to the formless realm and their palaces, pavilions, towers and landscapes.
We have said this in the previous passage. From the desire realm to the heavens “up to the formless realm and their palaces, pavilions, towers and landscapes…”. These states were previously discussed in the long-form prose.
The next sutra passage says, “The Iron Ring Mountains, Mt. Meru. Mt. Mahameru and all the great seas will all be reflected within their bodies”. They will become one with Mt. Sumeru. “When we cultivate and uphold the Right Dharma, we will observe with the Dharma-eyes” and see no incongruities throughout the trichiliocosm.
If we are cultivating this purifying practice, we must earnestly make use of our Dharma-eyes. Because we listen to the Buddha’s teachings, we have the Dharma-eyes, which is the mind. They are without defilement and observe the world with great purity. These are the Dharma-eyes. “We will observe with the Dharma-eyes and see no incongruities throughout the trichiliocosm”. There is no difference.
Dear Bodhisattvas, we can see that hell is inseparable from the human world. It exists over 12,000 kilometers away, where we can set our feet, in Mozambique. From the footage being sent back, we can see people’s suffering there. We must take this suffering into our hearts and find how we can form the vow of Bodhisattvas, of Earth Treasury Bodhisattva, and how we can help those suffering sentient beings. Thus, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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