Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Traces of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in This World (諸佛菩薩 顯跡人間)
Date: July. 08, 2013
Whatever conditions each of us face, we need to still our minds. They must be very pure and peaceful. When we have that stillness and purity in our minds and can perceive all things with a tranquil state of mind, everything is teaching us the Dharma.
Therefore, All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas revealed traces in this world, both intrinsic and manifest. They have long had intrinsic Buddha-nature and have recently manifested their cultivation of compassion and wisdom. Recent ones should ask, experienced ones should answer.
This tells us that when we hear [the teachings of] the Lotus Sutra, the state at the beginning of the sutra is very important. We must use our state of mind and our heart to connect with that state at the beginning of the teachings. We need to understand the original intent of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. All Buddhas refers to those of the past, present and future. We know that as the Buddha started to expound teachings, the light from between His brows illumined 18,000 Buddha lands. Look at those many Buddha-lands. [From] the Saha World, the light from Sakyamuni Buddha’s tuft of white hair lit up so many lands. The term “all Buddhas” tells us that Sakyamuni Buddha of Saha World was not the only Buddha; there are Buddhas everywhere. But the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas we mention now have all manifested in this world. There is intrinsic, and there is manifest. The intrinsic refers every person’s inherent enlightened nature.
But sentient beings are deluded and their minds are confused. Therefore, this causes chaos in the world. The Buddha wants to help sentient beings return to their true, intrinsic nature. To do so, the Buddha must manifest traces. He has long had an intrinsic Buddha-nature, which does not arise or cease, does not increase or decrease. Does this clear and awakened intrinsic Buddha-nature exist only in Sakyamuni Buddha? No. [It exists] in Bodhisattvas, too. Bodhisattvas also manifest in this world and also intrinsically have this clear and awakened Buddha-nature. But according to worldly principles, an enlightened one of the Saha World is a Buddha. This Buddha’s land of transformation is the Saha World. There are also Bodhisattvas with the same vow and this clear, awakened and intrinsic Buddha-nature who manifest traces [in this world].
All Bodhisattvas have the same clear and awakened intrinsic nature as Buddha, and they come to assist Him in teaching and transforming sentient beings in the Saha World. So though they intrinsically have the same intrinsic enlightened Buddha-nature that has not arisen or ceased, increased or decreased for a long time, the still manifest traces in this world.They still manifest traces in this world.Manifestations are traces, like the footprints people leave behind them.Buddha-nature neither arises nor ceases, but when Bodhisattvas come to this world their time is limited.
For example, did the Buddha only live for 80 years?No.But the traces He manifested began when He was born into the palace.And He left traces from this through the moment He attained enlightenment, up until He reached the age of 80.This happened according to the principles of this world; birth, aging, illness and death are also manifestations.[People] go through childhood, a period of youth, then middle age, and finally old age.This kind of impermanence is apparent in this world.No one remains an infant.Nor does one remain a youth.These [stages] pass with time.
Therefore, these are called manifestations.
Manifestations also refer to a lifetime of spiritual cultivation that leads to realizations.This is a recent manifestation.Actually, this is recent relative to the universe.All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas constantly come and go.Each time they come and go, they manifest lifetimes of traces of spiritual cultivation.So these fragments, these lifetimes, are the manifestation of traces.When the Buddha expounded the teachings.[He taught] that since Beginningless Time and in past lives, there has been such a Buddha who appeared.A devoted spiritual practitioner like Him and the causes and conditions of His aspiration are also manifestations.
Therefore, we can understand the meaning of the intrinsic and the manifest.The intrinsic and the manifest were originally the same.In order to teach and transform, they had to leave traces in this world.Therefore, this intrinsic Buddha-nature of the Buddha and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas does not arise or cease.It abides perpetually.To inspire sentient beings to turn away from delusion toward awakening, they manifested traces of spiritual practice.
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas show compassion and apply wisdom toward sentient beings.Because they were sympathetic toward deluded sentient beings, out of compassion all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifested their wisdom and their process of spiritual cultivation.This is a recent manifestation of their cultivation of compassion and wisdom.They revealed manifestations to teach us, to be our role models.So recent ones should ask, experienced ones answer.
Recent ones are those who say, “I have just begun my spiritual cultivation.”“I don’t know much about anything.”Do they really not know anything?If so, they would not be asking questions.
Because they know things, they ask questions.Therefore, with their recent manifestations, they exercised both compassion and wisdom to find the appropriate responder.So Maitreya manifested questions.“I do not know, so I need to find someone to ask.”The person he turns to must have the same level of capability so that he can answer the questions.
Let us note that starting with the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha freely carried out His original intent.When the Buddha was in His old age, He had to prepare to pass thing on.So He had to affirm His disciples’ practice.“I affirm that by pursuing this spiritual practice these disciples will create certain karmic conditions and will attain Buddhahood at such a time and place.”He affirmed that they will complete their spiritual practice in the future.
So, this sutra predicts that Hearers will attain Buddhahood in the future.The Lotus Sutra includes the Chapter of Predictions of Future Buddhas.So clearly, this is a Mahayana sutra. In particular, certain Hearers would accept His predictions for attaining Buddhahood. In this state, if he was not he one to become the next Buddha, he would not have been able to ask. Who will become the next Buddha and succeed Sakyamuni Buddha? We should already know that the future Buddha of the world is Maitreya Buddha.
After the Buddha's teachings go through periods of. True Dharma, Dharma Semblance, Dharma Decay, Maitreya Buddha will teach, transform and attain enlightenment in the Saha World. This will happen in the future. In the era of Amoghasiddhi Buddha, some people had received predictions to be Buddhas. Sakyamuni would become a Buddha first, then Maitreya. According to the sequence of the predictions, Sakyamuni Buddha would be in the Saha World first, then Maitreya Buddha. Therefore, Maitreya Buddha is a future Buddha. So, he brought up this question and asked it out of his compassion. Only one who had reached Buddhahood could answer.
I have mentioned that Manjusri Bodhisattva had attained Buddhahood. He was the Honorable Dragon King Buddha. Now he came here to assist Sakyamuni Buddha to transform sentient beings, so he manifested as Bodhisattva. Not only was he a Buddha in the past, he was also the teacher of the seven ancient Buddhas. And in the Lotus of Sutra, he was the teacher of the eight princes, [sons of the last Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha,] who also attain ed Buddhahood one after another. Therefore, Manjusri Bodhisattva had great wisdom and could answer the question held by everyone at this spiritual training ground. Sakyamuni Buddha manifested extraordinary appearances to inspire questioning. Only when one had questions will one have a seeking mind. So there is a saying, “Great questions bring great awakenings”.
But someone must first initiate these questions. So Buddhas and Bodhisattvas shared this common understanding; this was a wonderful state. You may wonder why we have not delved into the sutra text yet and have kept talking about this Dharma-assembly. I think [these conditions] were wonderful. In particular, this state [balanced] movement and quietude, questioning and awakening. I want everyone to value these states. I hope that everyone's minds are elevated to comprehend the meaning behind such states. Then we can truly realize and penetrate this sutra. So in the questions and answers, Manjusri demonstrated great wisdom. Maitreya had only cultivated knowledge. Again, he manifested this state on purpose. He showed that this state could only be entered with wisdom. Without wisdom, there was no way to penetrate this state. It is only possible with consciousness.
I often speak of the seventh, eighth, and also the ninth consciousnesses. The ninth consciousness is tranquil and clear and is as awakened as the Buddha's. With just knowledge, one could not understand. Could all of these many meanings be explained in words? Only with true mindfulness can people understand. Only Maitreya Bodhisattva and Manjusri Bodhisattva could resonate with each other and ask and answer questions about the wonder and beauty of these states.
So at this point, if everyone knew what this state was like, why would they begin to describe it again? Do you remember what I have told you before about the meaning of “repeated verses”? “Repeated verses” take into consideration that if people arrive late and do not hear these wondrous teachings, then that is a great pity. Or perhaps they are listening but the ideas do not deeply penetrate their minds. These are the two reasons [for repeated verses].Therefore, such as an important sutra describes that kind of state of mind again. So, these are reason “repeated verses” are used. They are recited on behalf of latecomers or for those who heard but could not thoroughly comprehend them. Thus, the meaning is restated. In this case, the meaning [that is restated] refers to the state of mind [of the assembly.] The questions and answers are given in verses.
The Next passage of the sutra states, “Majusri, why dod our guiding teacher, from the tufts of white hair between His brows, radiate a great light that shone everywhere?
When you recite this section, do you recall the beginning of this sutra in your mind? It introduced bhiksus, Arhats, then Bodhisattvas, the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. Can the grandeur of this gathering be realized in your state of mind? Can you experience the Buddha’s state of mind after He finished teaching and entered Samadhi? In particular, after the Buddha finished teaching, a ray of light from the tuft of white hair between His eyebrows illumined 18,000 worlds.[Remember] that state of mind? And in that state,
“There was a rain on Mandaravas and Manjusaka flowers, and a breeze of frahrant sandalwood, which delighted the hearts of those assembled.
Can you feel what it was like at that moment when flowers rained down and the heavens and earth shook in six ways? You should be able to comprehend that state.
“Through these causes and conditions, the earth is completely adorned and purified. And within this world, the earth trembled in six different ways. Then the fourfold assembly rejoiced together, happy in body and mind, having experienced what they never had before.
At that moment, everyone felt inspired and very joyous. Their joy was truly unprecedented.
Everyone, are you delighted upon hearing this? I do not know about everyone’s state of mind, but at least I am very happy. Such a state was supreme and unsurpassed, profound and wondrous. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas on that occasion sought the wondrous Dharma, along with so many people. That kind of state of mind was very shocking and moving. There were six kinds of shaking. That state was truly marvelous, solemn, very dignified and very pure. Such a state is very indescribable.
So, I hope every one of us are mindful when we are in this state of mind. When we hear the teachings, we need to remember our state of mind from when we were first inspired. This setting in the Lotus Sutra was truly meant inspire sentient beings. We need to know that the Buddha’s original intent was His one great cause, to open and reveal, so that sentient beings could realize and enter Buddha’s wisdom and view. But the capabilities of sentient beings were dull. The Buddha expounded Dharma for over 40 years. It was truly very tiring. But time was limited, and his manifested state was also limited.
So in His old age, He had to freely carry out His original intent. So, He manifested a state of setting aside the provisional for the true teachings. We also need to know that the Buddha manifested extraordinary occurrences because He was worried that people would not be respectful or feel sincere faith.
Therefore, under these conditions He manifested extraordinary occurrences. These two Bodhisattvas, whether in the past or the future, intrinsic or manifested, were there to initiate this opportunity and inspire everyone’s reverence and faith. So everyone, we must be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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