Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: With Spiritual Medicine, Transform Self and Others (心靈妙藥自度度人)
Date: September. 23, 2013
Learning the Buddha’s Way is about transforming ourselves and others. This is our aim when we learn the Buddha’s Way.
“As master boatmen or great master boatmen, they ferry all living beings across the river of life and death to the shore of Nirvana.”
Everyone, when we read this passage, doesn’t joy arise in our hearts? The master boatman can cross the river and simultaneously help others cross. On the other shore is the tranquility of Nirvana, such a pure and undefiled state. The afflictions of birth and death on this shore are truly unbearably painful. Aside from having a confused and chaotic state of mind, people suffer from illness of the body and mind. According to the laws of nature, humans must go through birth, aging, illness and death. This is what happens to a physical body; it naturally ages and becomes ill. This is unbearable suffering! There are also psychological illness, such as mania, depression and autism. These states of mind are truly unbearably painful. Patients do not suffer alone, their entire families suffer with them. Not only does the family suffer, other people who come in contact with them suffer as they do not know how to interact with them. This is life. Mental illnesses are more painful than physical illnesses.
The Buddha is the Great Enlightened One. Someone who has attained Buddhahood specializes in training sentient beings’ illnesses and teaches according to capabilities. Thus, the Four Noble Truths and the 12 Links of Cyclic Existence both help us discover our problems. But after we discover our problems, how should we proceed? What physical actions can we practice to treat illnesses of the mind? The best treatment method is to actualize the Six Perfections in myriad actions. These six methods are tools that become our boats. Regardless of the size of the boat, it will need someone to sail it. We ourselves are master boatmen, the best at steering boats. Not only can we take ourselves from this shore of afflictions and confusion, of chaos and panic, directly across to the opposite shore, we can also help many people cross over. One gives rise to the infinite, the infinite arise from one.
The myriad actions of the Six Paramitas must be adapted to all kinds of people and their many kinds of suffering. People are numerous and their suffering is boundless. If we aspire to be a great boatman, we must adapt to the suffering of numerous sentient beings. We have to face boundless suffering. Their suffering is boundless; it has no end. So, we use 80,000 Dharma-doors, the myriad actions of the Six Perfections. Thus, there are many methods we need to adapt. This is how we transform the world, transform ourselves and others.
“A medicine-king or great medicine-king analyzes the phases of diseases, knows well the properties of the medicine, dispenses it according to the disease and enables people to joyfully take it.” – Chapter on Virtues, Sutra of Infinite Meanings.
Thus, the Buddha came to the human realm as the Great Medicine-king and was able to analyze what causes people to suffer, and then figure out how to treat their boundless suffering. ［The Buddha］is the Great Medicine-king and “analyzes the phases of diseases and knows well the properties of medicine.” This means He understands every person’s nature and the varying capacities of all beings. He knows which method and medicine to use to treat each illness. The Great Medicine-king comprehends all of these things and has control over them. He knows how to “dispense medicine according to the disease, and enable people to joyfully take it.” He does not just prescribe medicine, He enables the patient to accept it and joyfully take it.
In summary, in learning Buddhism and practicing the Dharma, we must be diligent. Each sentence of the Buddha-Dharma can be adapted to the capabilities of all sentient beings. How do we adapt them? We must mindfully and deeply examine them. Thus, we interact with others to gain a deeper understanding.
The Buddhas of the past were like Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha who did this for a very long time. Once He sat down at the Dharma-assembly. He sat for 60 small kalpas. This means this Buddha was in this world for a very long time. He encountered countless beings, two billion beings, and He taught according to their capabilities. Buddhas of the past did this, and Buddha of the present are the same.
“Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha finished expounding this sutra at the end of 60 small kalpas. To the Brahma, demons, sramanas, Brahmins, heavenly beings, humans and asuras assembled, He made this announcement: Today, at midnight, the Tathagata will enter Nirvana without residue.”
Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha took 60 small kalpas to finish giving this teaching. He spent such a long time, 60 small kalpas, on teaching “the unspoken Lotus Sutra,” or the true Dharma to transform the world. He explained everything. Thus, Therefore, in the previous passage, the words “Brahma’ and “demons” refers to a pure-minded heavenly king and beings who try to obstruct the Dharma.
“Demons” destroy and disturs spiritual aspirations. But by this point, they have self-reflected, changed their ways and become Dharma-protectors. So, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha had beings like these at His spiritual assembly. Besides heavenly kings and demons, there were cramanas and Brahmins, as well as heavenly beings, humans and asuras. Amid such a large gathering, He announced “Today, at midnight, I will enter Nirvana.” This shows everyone that even one who attains Buddhahood is still subject to the laws of nature. So, He was about to physically enter Nirvana. ［Beings’］ capacities and circumstances had matured and the conditions for transformation had arrived. The things that needed to be done were done. Those with karmic connections were all transformed. The capacities of those transformed were almost fully mature. So, this “transformation-body” should manifest extinction in this world.
The conditions for transformation for Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha had ended. Within that assembly He announced that He would soon physically enter Nirvana. Indeed, Parinirvana is know as “call illumination” or “tranquil stillness” or “crossing into extinction.” It destroys the rapids of birth and death. This is called Nirvana. We ordinary people are still in the rapids of birth and death without any control.
Amidst the 1000-foot swells in the river of craving and the rapids of birth and death, we are stuck treading water. We need to know that the cause and effect of cyclic existence is continuously sowing seeds in and reaping fruits during our interactions with others. Because of these karmic retributions, we are trapped in the cycle of birth and death. Because of affinities with this set of parents, or with the person who becomes our spouse or child, we are entangled in these karmic connections. So, we must understand the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. Then we make use of the Six Paramitas as six kinds of tools for building a boat. We need to cross the Truths of Suffering and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence. After we safely cross the rapids of birth and death, we reach Nirvana. This is crossing into extinction.
As stated in the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, “As master boatmen or great master boatmen, they ferry all living beings” from this shore across to the shore of Nirvana, which is the opposite shore, so “across the river of life and death to the shore of Nirvana”. I spoke of this repeatedly because this is the Buddha’s “unspoken Lotus Sutra”. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant said the same thing. So, crossing into extinction is called Nirvana.
Attaining Nirvana is crossing into extinction.What becomes extinct? The rapids of birth and death. We cross over with a boat, by use the Six Paramitas: giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, Samadhi and wisdom. These are the tools for building a boat, and among these tools is a steering wheel. We should let everyone know our course and how the rapids of birth and death come about. We already know that these rapids come from our suffering. We have accumulated many afflictions, so we want to extinguish and eliminate them. Then we can escape from the rapids.
Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha had already attained this stage. He said to everyone, “Today, at midnight, I will enter Nirvana.” When a Buddha’s connection to this world is almost over, He will expound the great Dharma. After freely sharing these major teachings, He has finished saying all He wanted to say and can depart in peace.
Then the Lotus Sutra states, “At that time, there was a Bodhisattva named Virtue Treasury Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha, who was bestowing a prediction, announced to the bhiksus that Virtue Treaury Bodhisattva would become the next Buddha, called Pure Body, Tathagata, Araha, Samyak Sambuddha”
[He] announced to the bhiksus, that is, He said to them, “everyone should know that one of my disciples, Virtue Treasury Bodhisattva, has accumulated sufficient wisdom and “sufficient connections with sentient beings. In the future, He will attain Buddhahood and come to transform sentient beings; he has the necessary qualifications.” This was because by interaction with people, Virtue Treasury Bodhisattva had already eliminated many afflictions. The intrinsic nature of His Dharmakaya had been awakened and was radiating light.
So, he was called Pure Body, referring to His pure Dharmakaya.
Also, “Tathagata” means “Thus Come,” meaning He remains unwaving as He freely comes and goes. Thus Come is His pure and wondrous nature. Araha means “Arhat, particularly the great Arhata, those worthy of offerings.
“Samyak Sambuddha” means completely awakened.
We all know the ten epithets of the Buddha, Tathagata, Worthy of Offering, Completely Awakened, Perfect in Wisdom and Action, Well-Gone, Knower of Worlds, Unsurpassed Guide, Tamer, Teacher of Heavenly Beings and Humans, Buddha the World-Honored One. Each Buddha is endowed with these ten epithets.At that time, Virtue Treasury Bodhisattva had already begun to slowly enter that state. Thus, the Buddha made a prediction.
“After the Buddha made this prediction, at midnight, He entered Nirvana without residue, I had just generally explained that Niravana means “crossing into extinction, a state of calmness and extinction, no rebirth and no contrivance. It is a state of peace and joy, as well as liberation.
Non-contrivance is transcending the world of physical existence. This material world is marked by contrivances and activities. By transcending this world of physical existence, we are in a state of non-contrivance where nothing in the universe will hinder us “non-contrivance” means “free of hindrances” or “creating nothing.” This is not like when ordinary people do nothing, it means one’s body and mind are freed and thus unaffected by obstacles in the realm of physical existence. This is non-contrivance. It is called Nirvana.
“Nirvana” has many meanings. Ordinary it is explained as “perfect stillness” eliminating the cause and effect of birth and death crossing the rapids of birth and death.
As I just explained, it is a land of peace, joy and calm illumination.
Every Buddha is motivated by compassion to return to the Saha world, to re-enter the midst of sentient beings. In fact, a Buddha comes and goes freely and is always in a land of peace, joy and calm illumination. He only comes here to manifest an opportunity for sentient beings and once the conditions mature, He declares that He will cross into extinction.
Afterwards, there are others who can provide guidance, who can transmit the Right Dharma. Fellow Bodhisattvas, when we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must make a great effort to cross these rapids of birth and death. Let us remember how the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links can create the Six Paramitas so we can safely cross the river of life and death. To treat the illnesses of the mind and many other illnesses of the world, we must make an effort to apply the wondrous medicine of all times. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
首頁 
