Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Origin of City of the House of Kings (2) (王舍城的由來二)
Date: April. 23, 2013
The place the Dharma was spoken came about with great causes and conditions. When those with great blessings and virtues wondrously gathered at the assembly, the noble teachings could be spread widely and passed down to future generations. Therefore now our hearts must be filled with gratitude.
This is telling us that nothing can be achieved without causes and conditions, so expounding great Dharma certainly requires great ones. A place where the Dharma was expounded must have come about because of certain reasons. Causes and conditions such as those with great blessings and virtues gathering are needed to widely spread these noble teachings. Only if the noble teachings are spread can they grow to cover a broad area and protect future generations. If not for this assembly at Vulture Peak, if not for this great assembly, we would have no Lotus Sutra to listen to today. So, we need to spread these noble teachings to widely benefit future generations. Over 2000 years later, we can still hear the Dharma expounded by Buddha. Therefore, today we must be very grateful. With a heart of gratitude, we must hear and take the Dharma into our hearts and apply it to our living. Previously I explained that City of the House of Kings came to be when King Marked-Foot was under siege by the kings of 1000 small kingdoms. He came to Vulture Peak and when evil ghosts and raksas wanted to harm him, he said, “Well, if you capture me, just one person, for your sacrificial rite, that number would be too insignificant. But, if you let me be the King of Ghosts and command all of you, I vow to capture 1000 kings for the sacrifice.”
At that time, Marked-Foot felt resentment toward the 1000 kings for sending troops against him. So, he vowed to rule the raksas and use their powers to capture 1000 kings. The raksas and evil ghosts were very enthusiastic, so they named Marked-Foot the King of Ghosts. From then on, they went out and captured the kings of 999 small kingdoms. They caught them one by one and imprisoned them. The last one was King Shrutasoma. He devoutly believed in Buddhism and was a benevolent king who treasured his people. He especially believed in the true Dharma, so he had a strong faith. When something was spoken, he faithfully accepted and practiced it. When King Shrutasoma was caught, he knew he was the last of the 1000 kings, so they would all soon be offered to the mountain spirits. But he had already decided that his country would hold an unrestricted Dharma-ceremony.They would open the national treasury and hand out provisions to everyone.
The day drew near, but before he made it happen, he was captured.For these reasons, he felt very sad, and he cried.Ghost King Marked-Foot said, “He can you be so gutless?You cried as soon as you arrived.”King Sharutasma replied, “I am sad.You are holding many kings captive.
They are now about to die.With may arrival to complete [the total], our lives will end at your hands.This is the first reason I am sad.The second is that others will lose trust in me.”
“What do you mean?”He said, “All my life I kept word and spoke the truth.Once I gave my word that will do something, I always did it.I have already told my people that I will hold a great ceremony that is open to all, [where provisions and teachings will be given] I have not yet held this assembly, so I have not kept my word to the people.Because of this, I feel sad.”Ghost King Marked-Foot wondered, “Is there really such a person?”Because he wanted to test him, he said, “All right, I can let you go.Will you really come back willingly?”The king said, “I absolutely will.Give me three days, and I will come back on time.”Thus he was released.
In these three days, King Shtuyasoma returned to his country and quickly announced, “Everyone, quickly assemble here and receive provisions through this Dharma-ceremony.”At the same time, he summoned his crown prince.When his ministers were assembled, he said, “Today I hand over state affairs to the prince. I hope all the ministers will support the crown prince as they have supported me.Together, please rule with benevolence, treasure the people, and take care of the citizens.”Everyone felt dismayed that such a good king had encountered this kind of situation.
But once the king gave his word, he would absolutely not go back on it.So after three days, he returned to Vulture Peak.
He looked peaceful and free.Happiness and joy could be seen on his face.When Ghost King Marked-Foot saw the king, and the joy shining on his face, he remarked, “You have returned.Did you know that your return means that you are coming to die?How can a person who is about to die be so happy?”King Shrutasoma answered, “Because in my heart, I feel gratitude.”
“First I am grateful that I have encountered the noble teachings.Because noble teachings entered my heart, I can do things in my daily living and be someone the people can rely on.This is one major thing I am grateful for.Next I am grateful for you, the Ghost King.You were willing to give me three days so I could keep their trust and fulfill my word.Therefore I am very grateful for that.My heart if filled with gratitude, with the joy of faithfully accepting and practicing Dharma.”
The Ghost King heard this and found it strange.This teaching seemed so great; it could help a person facing death feel so happy, so joyous. What was this person thinking?The Ghost King said, “Tell me. I want to hear the teachings you have received.”So King Shrutasoma made a request, “Since I will speak on this, I also hope that the other 999 kings can listen as well. Then everyone can share in the noble teachings that I am so grateful for.”Since the 1000 kings were held together, their escape was not feared. Therefore the 1000 kings were assembled. They were on the verge of death, so every person was sorrowful and in a panic. But when they saw King Shrutasoma and how happy and at ease he was, with Dharma-joy shining from his face, they calmed down and listened attentively. They were curious to hear the kind of Dharma he held in his mind.
Then King Shrutasoma began to speak the teachings given by awakened noble beings. He spoke teachings on loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, along with great unconditional kindness and universal compassion. Unconditional loving-kindness means that any person’s happiness, even a person unrelated to me, can lead ne to feel very happy. This is great loving-kindness.With great compassion, I cannot bear to let sentient beings suffer. My life and the lives of all sentient beings are interconnected as one entiny. The suffering of sentient beings is my suffering. Therefore I will quickly find ways to help them. When sentient beings resolve their difficulties. And receive help, that sense of happiness is my happiness. I feel at peace. This is great compassion. I have no regrets about helping sentient beings so I feel very peaceful.
Thus every day, I feel free and at ease. When sentient beings are blessed, I feel happy. When sentient beings are freed from sufferings, I feel at peace. So every day, my heart is at ease. Loving-kindness and compassion must be put into action. We must know to give with equanimity. If we just feel kind, compassionate and loving but are not able to let go, we have no way to help others. Therefore equanimity must be practiced through giving. Therefore we must personally put all this into action. Then after we act, we have a sense of ease and joy that helps us let go of afflictions. when we physically practice equanimity, we are letting go. Thus my mind is free of afflictions. I have no worries, and I am able to let go of all afflictions. so my mind, at all times, is filled with Dharma-joy, the joy of meditation.The joy of meditation is Samadhi. Whatever happens in my surroundings, my mind is not affected.
Even life and death are things I can understand, as well as the pains of birth, aging, illness and death. When the times, all things end. Whether we are rich or poor, have a high status or are low-class, in the last moment, all of that ends and no longer exists. Death comes sooner or later, so I am not worried about death.Then there is emptiness. Nothing in this world abides forever. All material things in this world, every single thing, will disappear. Formation, existence, decay and disappearance apply to everything. Nothing in the world abides forever.This is the true nature of
All things.So,why be concerned over the length of life？All things in the world will disappear in the end.Will you still exist？Will I still exist？Will anything still exist？If we understand this principles，we will do the things we needto do；we will do the right things.Then we will be very happy every day.Why be so eaxious and worried？There is no need.When everyone heard this,they felt，“This is true！No matter how long I live,I do not need to be worried.Since I am at this place，Since I am already here，I will be at peace.Living and dying is natural.”So they become open-minded and understanding，and their minds clamed.
The Ghost King，Marked-Foot，heard this and also became very touched.In fact，he was a man with high capabilities and had manifested great potential.So after he heard this, not only was he happy, he even attained the first Bodhisattva ground He attained that first ground and his heart became open and understanding. This was the Ground of Joy He was filled with happiness. From then on, he untangled the knots in his mind.The entanglements of violence and evil in his heart, and even his complaints and grievances, dissolved and disappeared.
So he proposed this, “I will not kill you Let us all live together, even become one family.We will be like brothers. But I have already told these raksas that I will sacrifice 1000 kings to them. I still need to fulfill that obligation.”King Shrutasoma said, “We can. They crave blood. The 1000 kings will use a basin, a bucket. After filling it with water, we will prick ourselves and let a drop of blood fall into the bucket of water.” The 1000 kings dripped blood into the water and offered the pail of blood as the sacrifice. That satisfied his vow. Aside from blood, each of them pulled out three hairs.That symbolized the offering of their bodies. Then the 1000 kings felt that they could listen to the Dharma here. They wanted to listen to King Shrutasoma share the true principles he had attained, so some of the kings did not want to go home. They wanted to bring their families to this place.The 1000 kings built houses in these five mountains so it was declared a kingdom.I will continue this story tomorrow.
Everyone, we must clearly recognize the Dharma. Indeed, if it can enter our hearts, no matter what difficulty arises, we can still be truly at ease. A heart at ease, under the right causes and conditions, can change a place. Therefore, “the place where Dharma is spoken comes about with great causes and conditions.”
So, we who listen to the Dharma must be grateful at all times. If we constantly feel a sense of gratitude, we can be feel at ease and free. This is vital to our spiritual practice. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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