Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Offerings to Countless Buddhas (供養無量百千萬億佛)
Date: October. 01, 2013
As I have been telling everyone every day, we cannot stop time. Each second just continues to pass us by, so we must all be more diligent and race against time [in spiritual practice]. Will we advance quicker than the passage of time? This depends on whether we have a firm resolve. Are we diligently [learning] the Dharma? As our understanding of the Dharma progresses, by grasping one truth, we understand all truths. When we can penetrate one thought, our minds can encompass the universe and all principles and phenomena become clear to us. So if we compare the speed of time with that of [our understanding], the latter is still faster. This depends on what we have realized. If understanding one thing leads us to understand many things, then we have advanced. The speed of our thoughts [relative to] time is much faster. So as time countless to pass, we must continue to accept the Dharma. Right now we are discussing the assembly where Sakyamuni Buddha was about to expound the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. So, we think back to the beginning of the Six Fulfillments. At that time, people kept arriving. Many people were gathering at this Dharma-assembly. As they arrived, they all reverently prostrated to the Buddha and then sat down, one after another. At the Dharma-assembly, there were 80,000 Bodhisattvas along with 12,000 bhiksus, who had all attained spiritual liberation. Speaking of the Dharma-assembly at Vulture Peak, there were Bodhisattvas, bhiksus, eight classes of Dharma-protectors, heavenly beings and human kings, etc. With the magnificence of this Dharma-assembly, everyone’s minds were already calm, so they quietly sat down. Of course, at that time, the Buddha was still in the state of Samadhi.
“At that time, Great Magnificent Bodhisattva-Mahasattva saw that the assembly sat with settled minds.”
“At that time” refers to the moment when their minds truly became calm. The state of mind of Bodhisattvas and that of the Small Vehicle’s ultimate stage is already very orderly and steady. At that time, Great Magnificent Bodhisattva stood up to ask the Buddha a question. Great Magnificent Bodhisattva could comprehend the Buddha’s mind and that “the unspoken Lotus Sutra” must contain very profound wisdom. This appearance manifested by the Buddha showed that He would freely express the wondrous Right Dharma He had retained and guarded in His mind.
This required the right timing and people.
At this moment, were the minds of these people settled?Were they reverent?
Did they aspire to seek the Way?Many causes and conditions had to converge when the Buddha carried out His original intent so the listeners could live up to it.So, there must be Bodhisattvas of this capacity.
Now, we will look at how “[he] rose up from his seat and approached the Buddha with all 80,000 Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas in the assembly”.
Great Magnificent Bodhisattvas was the representative of the 80,000 Bodhisattvas.So when these Bodhisattvas saw.Great Magnificent Bodhisattvas rise up, all Bodhisattvas “rose up” at the same time “and approached the Buddha together”.Think about this scenario; 80,000 is a very large number.But as I have explained previously, we must not be attached to actual numbers.
These Bodhisattvas had risen from their seats and were prepared to seek teachings from the Buddha.To request teachings, they must do certain things.This was within the state of the Sutra of Infinite Meanings.
The Lotus Sutra and Sutra of Infinite Meanings are both part of “the unspoken Lotus Sutra,” and the manifested Lotus Sutra.
[The understanding of] the Buddha’s Lotus Sutra has always been guided by Manjusri Bodhisattva.He guided everyone to delve into the causes and conditions for Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha to expound the Lotus Sutra.
Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha.There were 20,000 Buddhas with the name Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha.This is shows that all Buddhas share the same path.Every Buddha has wisdom like the radiant sun, compassion like the gentle moon and is like a lamp shining in the dark to guide people onto a path that is safe and enlightening.This is the intrinsic nature of every Buddha.
The last Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha had eight children.These eight children (also) became monastics after their father became a monastic.These princes become students of Wondrous Light Bodhisattva.
These disciples made a great effort and so did their teacher.Teacher and students were very diligent, so they remained firm in their spiritual aspiration to attain Annutara-samyak-sambodhi.
So, now we will discuss how “those princes gave offerings to immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of Buddhas, then all attained Buddhahood”.
We know that these eight princes are just a description.The names for the eight princes all contain the word “intention,” so they represent our Eight Consciousnesses.When these connect with external conditions, of course much defilement will arise.Conversely, their fundamental powers are pure and can potentially [be returned] to the state of the mind-king, to the mind and its cognition.The mind-king is our intrinsic nature, so this means to reunite eight into one.This is found in the sutra.
If we want to delve into it more deeply, we can understand that the eight princes had already given offerings to immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, and millions of Buddhas.Their connection to Buddhas did not just arise now.In the distant past, before they became [the sons of] the last Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha, the princes had continually engaged in spiritual practice and made offerings. For a very long time, they had continually made offerings to hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands, and millions of Buddhas. You may ask, are there that many Buddhas to make offerings to? It is not easy at all to attain Buddhahood. Will our minds be stuck again and become hindered by numbers and time?
In fact, as I have shared recently with everyone, Bodhisattvas play effortlessly in the world. By focusing on saving and helping others, they create good affinities with everyone. Did not the Buddha say that everyone is a Buddha and intrinsically has Buddha-nature? So it should be said that in the eight princes' past, they had also walked on the Bodhisattva-path with multitudes of sentient beings. Take Never Slighting Bodhisattva for example. No matter who he meets, he always said, “I do not dare to slight you. You may also attain Buddhahood”. By the same token, if we look at others with a Buddha-mind, then won't everyone be a Buddha to us?
To summarize, when we normally deal with people and things, we must feel gratitude, respect and love. When we treat others with this kind of mindset, they are all receiving our offerings. When we show gratitude to others, they also become happy. They feel happy because they have received our offering of gratitude. When we respect others, they will also become very happy and there will be unity, harmony, mutual love and concerted effort as people accept, help and love each other. This is how we make offerings to each other. This is how we feel when we see each other. When we feel something is wholesome, it is an offering of Dharma. When we feel something is unwholesome, as spiritual practitioners, we should take it as a mirror. We should understand that we do not just learn the Buddha's Way from words. More importantly, we must feel it in our hearts.
Over 2000 years ago, during Sakyamuni Buddha's time, Bodhisattvas talked about the time before the three incalculable eons. Think about it, does time go by faster or do we think faster? The mind can quickly recall events, people and matters from a long time ago. With a shift in perspective, the state of Bodhisattvas will manifest. So these prices, “gave offerings to immeasurable hundreds, ten thousands, millions of Buddhas, then all attained Buddhahood”.
This means that these eight princes were taught by Wondrous Light Bodhisattva, so they “could all enter the ultimate stage of the Tathagata 's Dharma- wheel”.
The Tathagata turns the Dharma- wheel all the time. So, the Dharma- wheel never rests. The Dharma- wheel is a mental wheel. The Buddha's mental wheel is His thinking, His spiritual state. These eight princes were taught and guided by Wondrous Light Bodhisattva and had gradually entered the Buddha's spiritual state. So, this is to “enter the ultimate stage of the Tathagata 's Dharma- wheel” This is a very advanced state. After the eight princes received teachings, they made offerings.
As you all know, we can make offerings by giving wealth, respect and conduct. First we can give tangible offerings, which is giving wealth.
How do people without money make offerings? They can offer respect and revere the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. They use their actions to make offerings. Some people not only offer wealth and respect, they offer their conduct which is putting the teachings into practice. Together, these things are called offerings. When giving and making offerings, regardless of how much wealth was given, if a person makes offerings with an impure mind, and gives to others in order to attain blessings, that person’s merit will be very slight. Some people with no money may pay and show reverence to the Buddha may pay and show reverence to the Buddha. Though that comes from their hearts, if their behaviors are improper and they pay respect to Buddhas only for protection, and revere Buddhas, Dharma and Sangha only to receive blessings, their merits will also be limited. Conduct is the most important, which is putting [the Dharma] into action. If we want to walk this path, we cannot stand at a distance to look at the path. We must walk on it. A Buddha is most honored of two-footed beings. Of the two feet must set in motion, one foot is blessing and the other is wisdom. So, there are the two feet of the honored one. If we do not set our two feet in motion and walk, how can we understand the state of our minds? Or, if we do not walk this enlightened Bodhi-path, how can we know the state of this path?
So, we may just stand still and talk about respect and prayer, but those things are secondary. Whenever we can, we should physically practice the teachings. If we can put it into action, we will naturally become very respectful. Once we are respectful and understand principles, naturally we will give away our wealth. That will be very natural. So out of the three kings of offerings, the most important is conduct. Aside from making offerings of wealth and diligently making offerings of respect, we must also make offerings of Dharma-conduct. We must comply with the Dharma and put it into action. Only then can this be called true offerings.The best scenario is if we can combine these three offerings into one. This is what we need to understand about the right princes’ spiritual states.
Then the next passage states, “the last to become a Buddha was named Burning Lamp. Among the eight hundred disciples was one named Seeker of Fame, who was greedily attached to offerings of wealth. Although he read and recited many sutras, he did not comprehend them.”
In the era of Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha, Wondrous Light Bodhisattva upheld and taught the Lotus Sutra He had 800 disciples. Among these 800 disciples was one named “Seeker of Fame.” Let us think hard about why he was named “Seeker of Fame.” During his spiritual cultivation he still craved offerings of wealth. Because he had these attachments, naturally he did not retain what he read and chanted. If our minds are not focused and become scattered, although we continue to chant sutras, we will not understand the principles they contain. So if we want to learn the Buddha’s Way, the first thing to do is to completely eliminate afflictions from our minds and end all Leaks. Then our minds can be filled with pure water.
[If we do this,] the pure Dharma-water can enter our hearts and cleanse our minds of defilements. This is the mindset we must maintain in the process of our spiritual cultivation. So everyone, please be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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