Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Sons of Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha(日月燈明佛之子)
Date: September. 04, 2013
The spiritual states of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who have all attained the realization of Dharmakay with its perfected precepts, Samadhi, wisdom, liberation and liberated views and knowledge.
This is the spiritual state of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. As practitioners, we must first understand that as long as we form great aspirations and make great vows, we will all have the fivefold Dharmakaya. We must practice precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, this is our fundamental responsibility. If we do not uphold precepts, how can we say we are spiritual practitioners? Since we have formed aspirations and made vows, we must take the path to perfect enlightenment. This path has its own rules. If we do not follow the rules, we are not following the precepts. If we want to walk on this path, we must first follow its precepts. So precepts are a protection. They protect and nurture our wisdom-life. So, with precepts, Samadhi and wisdom, Samadhi is very important, and only wisdom can lead to liberation. We have already said that there was not just one Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha. There was another Buddha also named Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant. And then there was another Buddha, and on to 20,000 Buddhas, all sharing the same path. Their spiritual states are the same. To start on this path, one must have precepts, Samadhi and wisdom. In this way, all Buddhas share the same path.
As I previously said, the last of the 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas was also a king. Later he became a monastic and engaged in spiritual practice, He had eight sons, eight princes. When they saw their father become a monastic and then attain perfect, supreme and universal enlightenment, they were touched and joyful. So, they also followed their father’s footsteps and became monastics. Actually, these “eight sons” are used to illustrate the pure intrinsic nature of the “mind-king” and how the stirring of just one ignorant thought gave rise to the Three Subtleties and the workings of the Eight Consciousnesses. I hope you will try hard to understand the names of the eight children. They all have the word “intention” in them. So, now let us learn the names of the eight sons.
The fist was named Existing-Intention；the secend，Good- Intention；the third，
Immeasurable- Intention；the fourth Jeweled- Intention；the fifth，Increasing- Intention.
The fist was named Existing-Intention when the eye-consciousness seens forms,it can
discern the suffering of cyclie extience.Therefore,it leads to the joys of Nirvana.
The name of the first son was Existing-Intention, which refers to the eye and eye-consciousness. Ordinary people’s eye-consciousness connects to external conditions and observes forms and appearances which stirs the mind.But when the consciousness of the “mind-king” begins to connect with this condition, it is no longer using the eye-consciousness of unenlightened people.
Because the eight princes first saw that Buddha became a monastic and attained perfect and universal enlightenment became a monastic and only then aspired to spiritual practice, this shows that their eye-consciousness was unlike that of ordinary people.
I often say, “in this era, we must know right from wrong”.This begins with our views and understanding.If a person is awakened, his eye-consciousness, his views and understanding, “can discern the suffering of cyclic existence”.He can discern the difference in those who have already awakened, and see the foolishness of sentient beings.These pitiable people do not understand that impermanence can strike at any instant and is all around them.They spend all day in conflict and turmoil because they are constantly striving for recognition, wealth and status and to fulfill their desires.They are truly pitiable!
They should recognize that life is full of the suffering of birth, aging, illness and death.Those who have already awakened see that the world is filled with suffering and know they need to practice the path.They are already awakened.[They know that] suffering in the world comes from the accumulation of various causes.
So how do they bring suffering to “cessation”?To resolve the “causation”, they need to find a method to eliminate it.This means being aware and aspiring to become awakened.Then their bodies and minds can focus on this path and never stray from it.Thus they can be diligent.By having the will to practice, they can be diligent and attain “the joys of Nirvana”.
They have transcended disruptive afflictions; when their minds are on the path, naturally they are happy and at ease, which are states of Nirvana.Nirvana is a state of stillness and tranquility, in which the mind is completely at peace.It is a truly clear and lucid state.So, eye-consciousness is called Existing-Intention.It sees everything in the world, all forms and things.It sees people, matters, objects and principles; that is why “Existing” is part of its name.
All these are contained within the principles.So it is called Existing-Intention.This is the name of the first prince.
The name of the second son was Good-Intention.
Good-Intention means that when “the ear- consciousness hears sounds it can discern good and evil transcend all afflictions and penetrate the Six Dusts”.
Hearers listen to the Dharma to understand its content.The sounds we hear can help our ignorant minds become open and understanding.If we want to understand the Dharma, we need our ear-root to hear sounds.So when we engage in spiritual practice, what words do our ears hear?When we unenlightened beings hear people praise us, we are very happy.
When we hear people criticize us, we are very angry.But people who have been liberated can discern good and evil in what they hear and will not be affected by conflict.On the other hand, when people praise us or say something pleasing, an ignorant thought arises and we are influenced by what we heard.Sounds and forms make us unable to discern good and evil. We cannot tell the difference between the Way and a trap. The awakened people on this path will clearly understand what they hear and put into practice the things that should be done. They guard against things that should not be done by using the precepts. Our thoughts should not be stirred by what we hear. [The purpose of] the Dharma is to calm the mind. Right Dharma will never agitate the mind. So when we hear sounds, we need to clearly discern good and evil. People who also awakened can do this already. So they, “transcend all afflictions and penetrate the Six Dusts”.
They can surpass these. Even though they live among the Six Dusts, where eye-, nose-, tongue-, body-and mind- consciousness correspond with the [dusts] of form, sound, smell, taste, touch and thought. So our ears connect with the external environment. When the eyes see and the ears hear things in our external conditions, we need to discern them very clearly. If we can transcend [these phenomena of the world,] we will not be bound by them. So, this is how we “can transcend call afflictions”. Therefore, once all afflictions have been surpassed, we re-enter [the world of] the Six Dusts. We do so to awaken the self and others, to go among people to transform sentient beings. We engage in spiritual practice to push these bothersome things to the side and walk forward on a clear path. We do not only walk for ourselves, we also need to guide everyone onto the enlightened Bodhi-path. This is called “Good-Intention,” a metaphor for ear-consciousness.
The third was named Immeasurable-Intention. The nose-consciousness smells scents, which are intangible and immeasurable and cannot be destroyed or disarrayed.
The third son was named Immeasurable-Intention, which is the nose-consciousness. The nose smell scents from outside. Quick, look and see where it comes from. Does it smell good or bad? We may see a flower, so the smell is coming from the flower. Different flowers have different scents. What exactly is the shape of the flower that emits this scent? What kind of scent is this? We analyze the different scents. Something stinks! Where is it coming from?
Let us look for it! Ah! It is from the dead mouse. Why does the mouse smell so bad after it dies? Other beings also smell when they die. When we pass away, our bodies will smell really bad! That is why the Buddha tells us, “contemplate they body as impure”. So, when we talk about nose-consciousness, it [detects] something that is intangible and immeasurable. We smell [these scents] because of this nose. Awakened people will not be tempted by scents. We have already realized that awakened people can discern intangible and awakened people can discern intangible and immeasurable things such as scents. Scents cannot be destroyed or disarrayed. If we want to know what a scent is, we need to analyze the object. Where do we find it? It's the mouse! And why does it smell bad? Let us try to take out the smell. Can we remove it? No, we cannot. Because even though the bad smell exists, it is intangible and immeasurable, it exists everywhere. No matter how far away the [scent] is, it will come to us. We will still smell it.
Everything has its own smell. Everything has its own flavor. So, this is called Immeasurable-Intention, something we intrinsically have. Since it is intangible and immeasurable, of course, it cannot be destroyed.We cannot find a way to [physically] take it apart, either. So, it cannot be destroyed or disordered. Since it cannot be found, we can surpass it and then will not be tempted by it.
The fourth is named Treasured-Intention. When the tongue-consciousness tastes flavors, it fuels physical life. It also has unobstructed abilities of eloquence to declare the world-transcending Dharma-treasure.
The fourth son is named Treasured-Intention, which is related to the tongue. The tongue-consciousness tastes flavors. Because we want our bodies to be healthy, we eat with our mouths and taste with our tongue so “the tongue-consciousness knows flavors.” To understands what is in our mouth, we chew food carefully before swallowing it. It enters our bodies and prolongs our lives. If we did not have a mouth or tongue, I do not know how we could keep living.
Next is “unobstructed abilities of eloquence.” The mouth is not just for eating, but also for speaking. Unenlightened people gossip but saints use “unobstructed abilities of eloquence to declare the world-transcending Dharma-treasure. How do we attain liberation? How do we eliminate afflictions?We also have to make an effort to understand the principles realized by the Buddha. To clearly distinguish phenomena and principles, we must understand principles through phenomena. This has to be explained to us, that is why we need people with unobstructed abilities of eloquence. There are people who understand principles, but they do not know how to explain it. They find it hard to speak, like a mute who suffers in silence “Clearly the principles are behind me. Clearly the thing I want to do is right. But you wish to go about another way, which is the wrong thing to do. I want to do this instead, but I cannot express it.”This is truly very taxing. If we know the principles but cannot clearly explain the phenomena, the principles are not apparent [to others].Therefore, we need unobstructed abilities of eloquence. Once we have this, we can express things verbally.
Fellow Bodhisattvas, when we practice, we must have a firm spiritual aspiration. We choose our own paths, and since we know this is a good one, we have aspired to become monastics, just like the eight princes. They knew this was a great path, so they also wanted to become monastics. Once we become monastics, once we have chosen this path, we turn consciousness into wisdom. We do so by changing the way our consciousnesses connect with external conditions, so, I hope we can always be mindful!
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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