Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Planting the Root of Virtues (於諸佛所 植眾德本)
Date: June. 07, 2013
Our mindset in safeguarding the Dharma must be one of diligently cultivating the power of vows so we can obtain all Dharma without retreating. Bodhisattvas seek to achieve the Buddha’s enlightenment, vow to transform sentient beings and diligently practice both compassion and wisdom.
This is a very important lesson to learn in the practice of the Buddha-Dharma. In this world, the Buddha-Dharma is like a wheel; it can turn evil into good and transform sentient beings. Buddhist practitioners must make great aspirations, establish great vows, and safeguard and uphold the Buddha-Dharma. So, we must “maintain the will to practice Dharma.” Our hearts must maintain this intention to safeguard and promote the Buddha-Dharma so it can flourish. We also have to “diligently cultivate the power of vows.” As we form aspirations, we also make vows. If we have the intention but not the resolve, we will be unwilling to make the effort. So aside from making aspirations, we also need to make vows so that we can “obtain all Dharma without retreating.” As we learn His teachings, we must move forward. However, some people give up halfway. Some people have the will to practice, yet they turn back while they are on this path. A slight deviation causes a great divergence. So, we must attain a state of no-retreating. To do so, we must diligently cultivate the power of vows. Then we can “obtain all Dharma without retreating.” Bodhisattvas fundamentally “seek the Buddha’s enlightenment and vow to transform sentient beings.” For us to “diligently practice both compassion and wisdom,” not only must we respect ourselves and be compassionate toward sentient beings, we must also exercise wisdom. In emulating the Buddha, this is most important. Do not take one step toward, then one step back; learn one teaching, but lose another one. We must firmly believe in the Dharma that we practice and apply it to our daily living. Then in our daily living, we constantly benefit and teach others so they may continue this cycle. This is the spiritual aspiration that never retreats. Next, let us discuss the phrase,
“By making offerings to countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas, we plant roots of virtues in Their presence and are constantly praised for this by all Buddhas.”
This verse from the Lotus Sutra tells us that when we learn Buddha’s teachings, we must always feel a sense of willingness and joy. When we are willing, we are constantly filled with the delight of Dharma-joy. When we hear the Buddha-Dharma we are joyous, so we willingly work with others. Therefore, when we willingly and happily help other people that is part of the offerings we make. Because we are accepting and applying the Buddha’s teachings, we are accepting and applying teachings from past, present and future Buddhas, which are all the same. When we apply the Dharma to our hearts, the Buddhas will certainly be very happy. When we adopt the Buddha-mind and penetrate Buddha-Dharma without retreating, that is also a form of offering. But let us discuss the meaning of this text, “Making offerings to countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas.” There are three kinds of offerings we can make. The first is offering of wealth. This is a tangible, visible offering. When the Buddha was in this world, He and the Sangha focused on spiritual practice.
The Dharma was their highest priority; to practice it internally, propagate it externally.So, the daily living of the Sangha relied upon Dharma-protectors, the lay practitioners who protected the Dharma by making offerings.Part of the Sangha’s daily living was begging for alms, so all aspects of life, including clothing, food, shelter and transportation, had to provided by people in society as part of their offerings.So when the Buddha was alive, He encouraged people to make offerings to provide stability for Him and the Sangha.Then they could promote.Buddha-Dharma among people without worries.That is why we speak of offerings of wealth, giving money or material goods.
Then the second is offering of reverence.Reverence means respect.If the Buddha-Dharma is to prosper, then everybody must know to respect the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.They must have this sense of reverence.Only when the Buddha-Dharma is respected can it be promoted among people.Once people accept [the Dharma], then they know to respect it.So as part of the etiquette of a religion, there must be an offering of reverence.So, “practice respect with one’s body when interaction with others; this reverence and harmony is our offering”.These are forms of etiquette and lessons in how to interact with others.Besides acting with respect, we must be harmonious when working with others.The Sangha has six points of reverent harmony.
Harmony was an offering they made to the Buddha.The Buddha led a very large monastic community.If they did not live in reverent harmony, then things should not work.So, a monastic community msut cultivate reverent harmony internally.Then naturally, Dharma-protectors outside of the community will respect [and support] them.
The third is the offering of Dharma, which is to practice the true teachingsThis means we must cultivate the Four Sinfinite Minds and make the Four Universal Vows as an offering.We all know the Four Infinite Minds, loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.Infinite loving-kindness, infinite compassion, infinite joy and infinite equanimity are the Four Infinite Minds.
We do not practice to benefit ourselves only; we must also benefit others.Because sentient begins experience much suffering, we Buddhists must exercise our Bodhisattva-minds.A Bodhisattva mind is inseparable from loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.These are called the Four Infinite Minds.
Therefore, our spiritual practice cannot lack the Four Infinite Minds, or Four Immeasurable, and the Four Universal Vows.This is practicing the true teachings.These are the Three Offerings.
There are three kinds of offerings.
1. Offering of wealth. To give offerings of money or material goods.
2. Offering of reverence. To give offerings by practicing respect with one’s body when interacting with others; this reverence and harmony is our offering.
3. Offering of Dharma. To give offerings by earnestly cultivating the infinite minds and making universal vows.
Everyone, we are grateful every day when we come into the Great Hall to pay our respects.
The attendant monastic has already prepared everything perfectly and created a solemn atmosphere in the Great Hall.There are flowers and a fruit before the Buddha so when we physically enter the Great Hall, there is a sense of solemnity and order.This is considered a way of giving; it is also a kind of offering.
Once such a dignified scene has been set, we enter and hear sounds of bells and drums.We enter in an orderly fashion and worship reverently with our bodies and minds.This is practicing respect with one’s body.Then we sit and quietly reflect on the morning practice. Perhaps we then hear a Dharma teaching. As we mindfully listen to the Dharma, are we giving rise to spiritual aspirations? We should because human form is difficult to attain, the Buddha-Dharma is difficult to hear and the Buddha-path is difficult to practice. We have already attained human form and heard the Buddha-Dharma, so now we must put the teachings into practice. If we can do this , we are always making all of the Three Offerings. So, this is not difficult to do Simple Dharma is easy [to practice] in our daily living. To understand profound Dharma, we must be determined and never retreat as we deal with people, matters, and objects. We must be able to go among others to help them. We must practice the Four Infinite Minds and the Four Universal Vows when we deal with any person or any issue.
If we can make these kinds of offerings, we can attain virtues of blessings and wisdom. If we can do this, then we have reached a level, where we can make offerings to countless Buddhas. Indeed, based on principles, we know that all Buddhas and every person has Buddha-nature. Those in front, behind, to the left and right are all Buddhas. We need to treat everyone we meet as a Buddha; they may be a Buddha now, a future Buddha, or a Buddha from the past. We use this sense of reverence to show them gratitude, respect and love. Gratitude is like an offering of wealth. Respect is an offering of reverence. Love refers to infinite minds. In our interactions with others, we are making offerings at all times and to every person. We must be able to achieve all this. If so, then this is blessing and it also demonstrates our wisdom. Only those with blessings and wisdom can be grateful to every person, respect every person and love everyone. A person who can do this is blessed and wise and has cultivated the virtues of both blessings and wisdom at the same time.
Thus, the Buddha is the most honored of two-footed beings. He cultivated both blessings and wisdom just as we humans need our two legs to work together in order to walk smoothly. We must have blessings and wisdom to successfully walk this Dharma -path. So to attain the virtues of blessings and wisdom, we must make these offerings. These virtues, are called the root of all virtues. The root of all virtues is the root of goodness. Blessings and wisdom are the roots of our spiritual practice. I often say, “a forest of Bodhi trees flourished from one root”. When we are in a spiritual training ground, we can arouse Bodhicitta to create blessings and nurture wisdom. The root s of blessings and wisdom must grow and extend so that each Bodhi tree can flourish. Then our Bodhicitta can thrive. So the virtues of blessings and wisdom are the roots that we spiritual practitioners must cultivate. We must always be mindful.
With these offerings, we attain the two virtues of blessings and wisdom. Thus, we plant the root of all virtues, which is the root of goodness. The root of goodness is the foundation of the two virtues, blessings and wisdom.
Therefore, we call this making offerings to countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas. Those to whom we must make offerings are countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas. As I said earlier, there are countless Buddhas, but when we speak of our Buddha, aren't we just referring to a specific one? Yes! More than two thousand years ago, Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment. But at that time the Buddha said, “Make offerings to countless hundreds and thousands of Buddhas”. When we think carefully, we realize this is because the Buddha told us that every person has Buddha-nature. Perhaps one who attained Buddhahood in the past has returned to the human realm out of compassion, just as, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, there were many Dharmakaya -Bodhisattvas who had all attained Buddhahood in the past.During the Buddha’s lifetime, they returned out of compassion to help at this assembly. Therefore, all sentient beings have Buddha-nature. So we must know that at all times, countless Buddhas are by our sides. Perhaps [that person] is a Buddha. Therefore, we must treat person as a Buddha. Isn’t this what Never Slighting Bodhisattva did? No matter how badly others yelled at or beat him, he still paid respect to them with reverence and dared not slight them. We must always have this sense of respect, this desire to make offerings. Moreover, there are past, present and future. Buddhas by our sides we must make offerings with this state of mind.
“We plant roots of virtues in Their presence.” This means that when we make offerings with this mindset, naturally we are planting the roots of virtues among all Buddhas. Consider the many disasters we see in this world.In Haiti, Tzu Chi volunteers committed to going there and helping despite its harsh environment. We stayed by their sides for a very long time. Wave after wave of Bodhisattvas continuously took each other’s place. They went there with great love and respect. When they distributed relief goods, they bowed deeply from their waist, held the supplies up high and then reverently handed them over they are still so humble. People like this are called Bodhisattvas. They feel gratitude and a sense of respect. They are grateful to the disaster victims for awakening their love, helping them understand the impermanence of life, realize the suffering in life and train their perseverance. If we think about this, isn’t it “planting the roots of virtues in the presence of Buddha?” in that place, we can nurture our roots of goodness so they become longer and thicker. Then our [Bodhi] tree can flourish. This also greatly strengthens our will to practice. This is how we rely on spiritual friends so we will never retreat. Every person in front of or behind us is a virtuous spiritual friend.
So, when we help others with great respect, of course we also receive their respect of course we also receive their respect.Therefore this verse states, “constantly praised by all Buddhas.” They are pleased with us and praise us because of our contributions. We are all in this place of spiritual practice; the Saha World is a training ground where all Buddhas can confirm we are not mistaken. If our hearts can be very peaceful, they will be the root of our never retreating from our Bodhisattvas-aspirations. Although giving willingly is very tiring, we are very happy because our efforts are affirmed by every person. Thus we are very peaceful.
It is said: They made offerings to countless Buddhas and planted roots of virtues in Their presence. They were those who relied on virtuous spiritual friends to never retreat. They were constantly praised by all Buddhas. Bodhisattvas saw Buddhas as teachers. They learned and practiced the path to enlightenment. Now they were praised by Buddhas who confirmed that were not mistaken, so their minds were peaceful and free.
The Bodhisattvas-path is this simple; we must train ourselves so that every day we never retreat [from our aspirations]. In interacting with others, we need to feel gratitude. We must treat them all as Buddhas with our gratitude, respect and love. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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