Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Vow to Pass Down the Buddha’s Discipline (立願傳佛律儀)
Date: August. 09, 2013
In learning the Buddha’s Way, we must be sincere and apply our right knowledge and right views to pursue the teachings of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Buddhism was established in response to worldly principles. So in this world, there is a need for a Buddha to lead us. This is like every group in this world, every organization. They all need leaders. A hospital has a leader called a superintendent. Then there are many departments. A large hospital requires many assistant superintendents to help. Besides assistant superintendents, there need to be chiefs and directors for each specialty and department to help fulfill these missions. This is how the world works. Buddhism, to be in this world, has to adapt to it. Sakyamuni Buddha was not the only one who has attained enlightenment over countless eons. The same applies to all Bodhisattvas. Therefore, all Bodhisattvas came at this time to assist Sakyamuni Buddha in transforming this world.
Bodhisattvas hid their realizations and manifested questions to guide those who have gone astray back to the path of enlightenment. They felt sympathy for deluded sentient beings, so they vowed to pass down the Buddha’s discipline by wearing Buddhist robes, upholding purifying precepts, repenting attachments to delusions, and cleansing mental defilements.
Modern sentient beings are stubborn and hard to train and tame. So those who attained Buddhahood come to this world and become Bodhisattvas. They hide their understanding and raise questions to guide those who have gone astray back to the right path. This tells everyone that at this time, all Bodhisattvas “hide their realizations and manifested questions.” They clearly knew the causes and conditions of the Buddha’s auspicious appearances. Thus, Maitreya Bodhisattva knew this He had been close to many Buddhas, and every Buddha shared the same path, so how could he not know? He knew, but deliberately asked because “Bodhisattvas hid their realization and manifested questions.” He already knew but under the current causes and conditions, he had to initiate these questions so no one would have further questions. Therefore, he asked the one Bodhisattva, who everyone knew was foremost in wisdom.
This is why the Lotus Sutra is very exciting and relatable starting [with the section on] the assem. We need to have great sincerity and respect to understand the causes and conditions that converged at the Lotus Dharma-assembly. Therefore, we must be mindful. So, the discussion between the Bodhisattvas was to “guide those gone astray back to the right path.” We sentient beings have deviated. Everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature but just one thought going astray marks the difference between noble and unenlightened beings, a pure land and a hell.
Just one thought going astray marks the difference between noble and unenlightened beings, a pure land and a hell.This great distance comes from just one thought going astray.Out of their compassion, all Bodhisattvas helped Sakyamuni Buddha in training sentient beings.Therefore, they had this conversation.“You ask and I answer, and this will help everyone understand.”Thus, they conversed to “guide those gone astray back to the right path”.They guided people who had strayed, who had no faith and were doubtful, to be able to establish faith again.Then, those people could walk on the path to enlightenment again.[They did this] because they had “sympathy for deluded sentient beings”.
Sentient beings are deluded so they need Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to continually steer the ship of compassion back to this world,.This is “sympathy for deluded sentient beings”.So, every Bodhisattva “vowed to pass down the Buddha’s discipline”.
Buddhism has always had to adapt to worldly principles so it requires this kind of worldly appearance.That is why the Buddha had to manifest the physical appearance of attaining Buddhahood through spiritual practice.Spreading the Dharma requires monastics.Monastics represent Buddhism’s original method for spreading the Buddha’s teachings, the “vow to pass down the Buddha’s discipline”.The spiritual practices of monastics are completely different from that of lay people.Lay people have many [worldly] obligations in their lives, and they face many traps, karmic forces, etc.So, their confused minds drift up and down in the sea of afflictions.
Being a monastic begins when one is willing to be free of these kind of worldly afflictions, to be free of the sea of ignorance and desires.One then makes a steadfast vow to walk this path to enlightenment.
Therefore, when we vow to become monastics, we must take on a certain physical appearance.
By following the Buddha’s disciplines, we manifest the appearance of monastics to pass down the Buddha’s discipline.We all need to be role models.A role model for whom?For Dharma-practitioners and society at large so people know, “These are the Buddha’s disciples.” who have accepted the Buddha’s teachings and uphold the purifying precepts.The Buddha’s disciplines can be seen in these people’s words and actions.They fully demonstrate the Ten Good Deeds.I believe this will strengthen the faith of ordinary people.
So with our physical appearances and our practice of the discipline, we can guide sentient beings,so that all who see and hear us can uphold the teachings.So, when they see monastics they become happy and vow to enter the door to receive the Buddha-Dharma.This is our responsibility.Thus, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas had to go through this process in order to attain Buddhahood, to really become a Bodhisattva.
This “vow to pass down the Buddha’s discipline” is very important, and so is “wearing Buddhist robes, upholding purifying precepts”.Once we put on this robe, we have truly become monastics.
To leave home to become a monastic.We need to know that family is a worrisome burden.
However, we are still grateful for the affinity with our parents that brought us here.We are grateful for our parents' grace and for this karmic affinity. We become monastics to repay our parents' grace. Their sperm and egg created our bodies. Our bodies can then help develop many people's wisdom-life. The merit from this will repay our parents' grace.
So when we wear Buddhist robes, we must carry our the mission to uphold purifying precepts, we must constantly repent. So [we must] “repent attachments to delusions and cleanse mental defilements”. We need to make a firm commitment. Everyone, please remember this passage.
Bodhisattvas hid their realizations and manifested questions to guide those gone astray back to path of enlightenment. They felt sympathy for deluded sentient beings, so they vowed to pass down Buddha's discipline by wearing Buddhist robes, upholding purifying precepts, repenting attachments to delusions and cleansing mental defilements.
These are the vows we make: to “wear Buddhist robes and uphold purifying precepts”.
To reinforce that, we constantly “repent attachments to delusions” and always “cleanse mental defilements”. We must cleanse our mental defilements and have a pure heart. We cannot have doubts about the noble teachings of the Buddha. How can we still have doubts? So do not doubt and do not be influenced by demonic paths. Evil cannot intrude upon the righteous mind.
Before Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, He also had to overcome demons and many doubts and conquer the discursive thoughts in His mind. In summary, we have to “wear Buddhist robes, uphold purifying precepts, repent attachments to delusions and cleanse mental defilements”. Therefore everyone, please always be mindful.
After radiating this brilliant light, He was about to speak the great Dharma. Only Buddhas can realize this ultimate Buddha-Dharma.
As we have mentioned, the exchange between Maitreya and Manjusri was to explain one thing only . Before the Buddha expounded the lotus Sutra at this extraordinary spiritual training ground, He radiated light and showed auspicious signs. So Manjusri Bodhisattva told everyone, “I have seen this before. When past Buddhas expounded the great Dharma. They also manifested light like this. After this state passes, it will be time to expound the great Dharma. So “this kind of state, this kind of Dharma, this great Dharma is the ultimate Dharma only Buddhas can realize”. This is his way of reminding everyone, “Fellow Bodhisattvas, not only have I seen it, you have seen it, too”. These Bodhisattvas had all seen it, so they believed it. In truth, Manjusri was reminding ordinary people. “Not only have I seen it, you know that all Buddhas share the same path”.
After manifesting this state, it will be time for Them to expound great Dharma. But this great Dharma can only be realized by Buddhas. Unenlightened beings with limited capabilities still cannot accept it. Some sitting in the audience were already starting to feel impatient. The Buddha still had not even begun to speak. Then He started and told everyone, “I have set aside skillful means of the past. I am now going to expound the true Dharma. Everyone, pay attention”.
But when some people heard this, they thought, “I have heard the Dharma for over 40 years. I have heard what He is about to say. I have heard the principle of true emptiness. Everything in the world cycles between non-existence and existence. Everything the Buddha says revolves around that.” So they thought, “I already understand everything 5000 people left the assembly right then because they did not believe. The Buddha had only just started by saying, “I have set aside the skillful for the direct and will now expound the Dharma.”Then these arrogant, egotistic people left. The Buddha saw this and felt sympathy for them, but it the sutra He also started, “It is good that they left.” This way they will not slander the great Dharma just because they could not accept it. Their causes and conditions had not ripened, so it was better that they left.
We can see that expounding great Dharma that sentient beings can truly accept and understand is not easy.
So here the sutra states, “After radiating this brilliant light, He is about to speak the great Dharma.” Then, listen carefully to the next sentence, “Only Buddhas can realize the ultimate Buddha- Dharma.”
Everyone should know the Dharma the Buddha was about to expound could only be realized by Buddha. Therefore, we must have patience if we want to learn the Buddha’s Way and attain Buddhahood.
Then the sutra talks about Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. Most attendees of the Lotua Dharma-assembly were (at the level of) Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. The Buddha worried that in this moment, if He did not speak soon, they would stay at the same level. Therefore, the great Dharma must be expounded quickly for Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas to accept it.
Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas have heard the Buddha’s teachings and attained Nirvana. They say they have attained the state of no-arising, therefore they do not believe there is an unsurpassed Bodhi-way beyond that.
At this Dharma-assembly, “Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas have heard the Buddha’s teachings and attained Nirvana.” They thought, “I have followed the Buddha for a long time. I pretty much know everything. I have heard and understood what the Buddha has taught. I have already attained Nirvana. I understand all the Dharma. My mind is filled with the Buddha’s teachings so I already have control over my mind.”
So, they believe they had realized and were able enter the state of Nirvana. Nirvana is a tranquil state where afflictions will no longer arise. The Dharma trains all beings to erase afflictions. They thought their afflictions were all eliminated.So, “they say they have attained the state of no-arising.” They believed, “I understand all the Dharma. My mind is free from disturbances” and so on. So “they say they have attained the state of no-arising, therefore they do not believe there is an unsurpassed Bodhi-way beyond that. Thus, they had no patience. When they heard the Buddha say He will begin to expound the Dharma, they became impatient.
Therefore, all sentient beings in the world and the Hinayana sages find this great Dharma difficult to believe. So this Dharma of liberation the Buddha taught the practitioners of the Two Vehicles, Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas was actually the skillful means for teaching the Mahayana Dharma of Bodhisattvas.
Fellow practitioners, if we are seeking the Buddha’s Way, we need to walk the Bodhisattvas-path. The Bodhisattvas-path is vast and boundless. The Buddha’s teachings are great unsurpassed, deep and profound. Therefore, we need to sincerely seek the Buddha’s teachings. Our minds must be free of disturbances. We must self-reflect and repent. Our minds are still full of afflictions. Have we really achieved attainment? No, we are still far off. So, we all need to have patience and perseverance and pray for the Dharma o penetrate our hearts and develop our wisdom-life, bit by bit. Everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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