Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Collectively Create Good Karma and Cultivate Dignified Appearances
(共造福業莊嚴相)
Date: October. 23, 2013
“But in ultimate reality there is neither appearance nor form. All appearances are perceived by the eye. The appearance of non-appearance manifests as His body. He manifests the same appearance as sentient beings’ bodies. But in ultimate reality there is neither appearance nor form.”
This expresses the reality that originally the Buddha’s Dharma was without appearance. We should also understand that, in the same way, the Buddha-body is without appearance or form. So, “in ultimate reality, there is neither appearance nor form.” This refers to the Buddha’s Dharmakaya and how it [changes in appearance] based on the capabilities of sentient beings perceiving it. If their capabilities have matured, then the sentient beings will see the dignified 32 Marks and 80 Excellent Characteristics in the Buddha’s transformation-body. If they have karmic affinity with the Buddha, they can naturally see that His appearance is good. The Buddha’s image always sparks joyfulness in all those who see Him. His every manner and action is admired and respected by every person.
The [appearance of] His transformation-body depends on the capabilities of sentient beings. To those whose capabilities are mature, His transformation-body appears good. Whether or not His appearance is good has nothing to do with His body, and everything to do with their capabilities.
So, is His appearance good or not? Whether the Buddha is endowed with 32 Marks depends on the capabilities of sentient beings. If the sentient beings have mature capabilities, then naturally, what they see will bring them joy. Whether they are listening to the Buddha’s voice or looking at the Buddha’s image, [without realizing it,] all Dharma will naturally penetrate their minds. Therefore, “in ultimate reality there is neither appearance nor form” means that the Buddha’s Dharmakaya is good. Does the Buddha’s Dharmakaya only have 32 Marks? Does it only have 80 Excellent Characteristics? Actually, these are infinite. We unenlightened beings are truly unable to describe His infinitely pure and perfect virtuous appearance, His marks and characteristics. The joy that sentient beings feel upon seeing Him is not only the result of the 32 Marks and 80 Excellent Characteristics. Everything about Him makes them happy. This is [because of] the Buddha-Dharma. I hope we can understand the Buddha’s teaching from His Dharmakaya (Dharma-body). His Dharmakaya has always been a set of principles and principles have always had no appearance, so [the Dharmakaya] cannot be seen nor touched. However, it is replete with principles. These principles truly encompass all things in the universe and work in harmony. As for the Buddha, when He manifested in this world, He took on a human appearance.
He did this as a result of His affinities with sentient beings.His conditions for transforming sentient beings are also principles.Causes, conditions, effects and retributions are all principles.Of these principles, we cannot see causes; we cannot touch affinities.They are but perceptions of the human mind.
Have we planted good causes in our iterations?If we typically create karma with our body, speech and mind that will help other people, those are “good causes”.
Good causes and conditions are created by the Threefold Karma of body, speech and mind.These seeds planted among people are called “good causes”.Good causes are the most important.We cannot actually see these causes; we just need to do these things.In the process of doing, we unconsciously plant the seed.Once planted, it goes through a process.People, matters and objects may act as causes.Once a cause exists, it attracts conditions.So, the cause needs to exist before the conditions.We need soil only after we have a seed.In addition to soil, the seed also needs sunlight and water.When these conditions converge, they fulfill karmic conditions, which means they enact the principles.Though we may not see that process, when everything comes together so perfectly and completely, this embodies the true principles of enlightenment.This is called the Buddha’s Dharmakaya.
So, all true principles are embodied in the Buddha’s Dharmakaya.So, we say principles have appearance and no- appearance.Appearance is the fruit of fulfilled karmic conditions created by all beings.This is called having an appearance.
From the perspective of non-appearance, appearance involves created appearances and false appearances.The Vairocana Sutra states that something that can be seen and is apparent has an appearance.Everything that has an appearance is unreal and false.We falsely see the four elements as our body.
Similarly, this applies to our relationships.We start out not knowing each other, but somehow causes and conditions brought us together.In our past lives, there was this cause which converged with various conditions.I became monastic and then had this thought.When karmic conditions were fulfilled, Tzu Chi came to be.Everyone, we can also sense that Tzu Chi created causes and conditions for people in society to better understand how the Buddha-Dharma can benefit humankind.Because of good deeds that benefit the community, people see the value of believing in the Dharma.This is why many people come to hear the Dharma, then devote themselves to benefiting all beings.This results from the sequential convergence of causes and conditions.
Because these causes and conditions converged, we have achieved this appearance.
So, true principles are without appearance and can be seen everywhere.But when causes and conditions converge, that creates an appearance.Thus, we contrast appearance with non-appearance.If not for true principles of non-appearance, how could there be conditions for creating [appearances]?So, based on true principles, causes must first be created in order to converge with conditions.
All in all, principles are without appearance; they pervade the endless void and are in all places.Appearance comes from convergence of people, matters, objects and all things in the world.Everything we see, that has an appearance, arose from the convergence of causes and conditions. This also applies to humans. We created a cause with our parents, so our affinity led us to be born in this world. Thus, we have an appearance. Non-appearance represents true principles. Everything we did in the past still exists. So I often say, nothing follows us after death except karma. What we cannot change are the actions we have taken. Because the cause had been created, after we let go of that past life, causes and conditions lead us into the next life.
I often tell you all that ordinary people do this, the Buddha does not. The Buddha uses His original true principles to guide the deluded sentient beings in this world. He returns on the ship of compassion and comes here for one great cause. His physical appearance, His 32 Marks and 80 Excellent Charcteristics are already very complete. He does not come to this world involuntarily, but solely out of compassion and a desire to not see sentient beings suffer. This is why He comes to transform sentient beings. The Dharmakaya of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is a body of true principles.
Thus, the Dharmakaya is a set of true principles. I keep saying this to everyone, but does everyone understand? The degree of magnificence in His appearance depends on the capabilities of sentient beings. If their capabilities are mature, seeing the Buddha and hearing teachings will bring them great joy. Joy comes from good appearances and good causes and conditions. These will help us more easily transform people.
Next, we will talk about,
“Seen as well wre heavenly beings and humans, dragons, gods and yaksa retinues, gandharvas and kinnaras, each making offerings to their Buddhas”
“Seen as well were heavenly beings and humans”. In the past I have often said that those who practice the Ten Good Deeds may rise to the heavens and enjoy heavenly blessings. Those who abide by the Five Precepts may stay in the human realm. In this world, the Five Destinies are intermixed, along with good and evil. Suffering and joy both exist in this world. Those who suffer can still encounter the Dharma, because the Buddha appeared in this world. One cannot attain Buddhahood in the heaven realm. [Becoming] a heavenly being relies on doing the Ten Good Deeds. Heaven is a place for enjoyment and is a place without suffering. When heavenly beings exhaust their blessings, Five Signs of Decay manifest in their appearance. This shows that once heavenly blessings are gone, heavenly beings tall back into the Six Realms, to human, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. They still carry remnants of past karma and still have to face retributions. So, the heavens are still part of the mundane world.
When the Buddha appears, He appears in this world. This is a world of endurance. Although it is a world to be endured, with both good and evil, each one of us intrinsically has Buddha-nature. We all have the opportunity to be transformed. By knowing that life is full of suffering, that life is impermanent, we can be liberated from this suffering. Here we have an opportunity for spiritual practice. So in this world, good and evil are intermixed. It is a place to accept the Buddha’s teachings. So the Buddha appears in this world not only to present and illuminate the truths of all Buddhas, but also to transform heavenly beings.
When we study Buddhist sutras, we often learn of heavenly kings coming to request teachings and heavenly beings coming to take refuge. So, even though the Buddha is in this world. He is a teacher to humans and heavenly beings.
Also “dragons, gods and yaksa retinues”, Dragons, gods, yaksa retinues, gandharvas and kinnaras represent the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. There are also gods of music, gods of fragrance and so on. They all come to take refuge in Buddha-Dharma.
In the realm of heavenly gods, there are also good deities and evil ones. There are Dharma-protectors and maras that come to destroy the Dharma. But those who come to protect the Dharma, all the heavenly Dharma-protectors, can receive the radiance of the Buddha’s light and bask in this Buddha-light. All the heavenly beings and Dharma-protectors come to make offerings. Dragon-gods have great power. Rainfalls and droughts are all connected to the dragon-gods. It is said that dragon-gods control the element of water, of rain for “they exercise power that cannot be measured.”
In the past, if a drought occurred, the king leads all his ministers and subjects to reverently adopt vegetarianism and uphold precepts to pray that the heavens would allow rain to fall.These are gods we cannot see. In this world, all beings share collective karma. So, we sentient beings must pray with great reverence to move the eight classes of Dharma-protectors. The reverence of all sentient beings, the good deeds they do and the love in their heart can bring balance to the four elements.
For the four elements to be in harmony, we cannot overlook imperceptible divine powers.
So, dragon-gods are one of the eight classes of Dharma-protectors .Yaksa, also called speedy ghosts, are also mentioned in the Medicine Buddha Sutra.
They cause things to happen to people suddenly and [unexpectedly].These are all associated with yaksas. All in all, we must treat the imperceptible heavenly beings with respect. We often say “respect the heavens, which means to respect the gods.”“Hold nature in awe, amass blessed conditions” tells us that we must constantly be respectful and hold nature and mighty but intangible divine powers in awe.
So, we are definitely not superstitious; everything happens because of the collective karma of sentient beings. If we sentient beings can collectively create more positive karma, then all gods will be our Dharma-protectors.If sentient beings collectively create bad karma, not only will heavenly beings, dragons and gods not protect the world, they will allow disasters to happen. So, we need to have great reverence, hold nature in awe and amass blessed conditions. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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