Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Apply Compassion to Attain Perfect Fruition (運慈啟悲因圓果滿)
Date: November. 08 2013
When I walked out early this morning, I looked up into the sky. Though I heard raindrops, the sky was completely clear and my surroundings were so very tranquil. I could not help but feel a sense of gratitude, boundless gratitude. I am grateful for this place I live in and for the cycle of the four seasons that bring this sense of balance to my environment. The Buddha is the Great Enlightened One of the Universe. He realized the true and permanent nature of the universe, the everlasting true principles of all things. Our intrinsic nature is also non-arising and non-ceasing. But we go through cyclic existence without end.
So, [our intrinsic] nature is everlasting, but what makes it complicated is that our minds continue to fluctuate as we continuously go through cyclic existence. Thus, we have “delusions of views and thinking”. How many views do we sentient beings have? [There are] 62 views, and so on. In the Water Repentance, I explained, at great length, that sentient beings’ views arise because one ignorant thought created the Three Subtleties. Therefore, we have countless views. Each of us has so many different views, so think about how complicated the world is with so many people and all their views.
So, “views” refer to ignorance. It is coupled with “thinking,” which refers to the stirring of thoughts and the arising of emotions in response to conditions. Take a look at how good and bad karmic connections bring people together. Our “thinking” comes from seeing and then reflecting on something. How many delusions do we have? There are myriad dust-like delusions. “Delusions” are things that we do not understand. Our afflictions and ignorance number as many as the grains of dust and sand on earth. In our life, “delusions of views and thinking” form in our minds, so thoughts begin to stir, and then we commit transgression and create karma. This karma has already been created. The collective karma created by sentient beings causes imbalance in the weather and in the four elements. This leads to “formation, existence, decay and disappearance”. The collective karma in the minds of human beings has caused so many complications and disasters. But [if we can] return to our intrinsic nature, won’t [our minds] be very pure and true, and in an everlasting, non-ceasing, non-arising and unchanging state?
In summary, one ignorant thought can create so much karma.The Buddha had maintained the true and permanent nature of His mind and steered the ship of compassion back to this world, life after life, solely to “open and reveal” [teachings] to sentient beings [to help them] return to their original, intrinsic nature.But, each time He returns, there must be a great cause.So, over 2000 years ago, as Prince Siddhartha of Kapilavstu,.He came to this world for the one great cause of manifesting the attainment of enlightenment and expounding the Dharma for sentient beings.For people of that era, His teachings broke down the divisions between the four castes.He was also able to give up wealth and luxury, and the power to rule [a kingdom].
Thus, He came to lead us with this physical manifestation so we would know that we should not cling to [anything] at any given time.For Him, He was able to let go and turn His mind around, thus He became a Buddhist monk and engaged in spiritual practice.
This was His self-enlightenment.He went through five years of traveling, as well as six years of ascetic practices.The process was very arduous, and He eventually attained enlightenment.This was also a “manifested appearance,” so we know that spiritual practice is not that easy.
Although we also start with our minds, we must still experience [worldly and transcendent] ways of living, the chaging of naturae and deep sufferings in life and so on.We must go through all this to attain enlightenment in still contemplation.Actually, He is intrinsically enlightened, but He manifested the Eight Aspects [of His life] to help us understand and lead us through these steps.
So, with self-awakening, we have “the awakened nature [that] is true and permanent and can eliminate delusions and illusions”.
Although these words are simple, they are truly explaining that.His intrinsic nature is true and permanent and the principles behind it are very profound.For an awakened one, by understanding one principle, one realizes all principles.So, can we awaken ourselves?After we awaken, we must eliminate “delusions of views and thinking,” all that is unreal and false.When we can eliminate this delusional thinking, we can naturally return to our intrinsic nature.Not only must we awaken ourselves, we must also awaken others.
“To awaken others,” we “exercise unconditional loving-kindness to transform sentient beings.
The Buddha came to this world with the goal of transforming sentient beings, so He exercised loving-kindness and inspired compassion.He had unconditional loving-kindness and great universal compassion.He could not bear to see sentient beings confused and continuously creating karma in this world.So, when the Buddha saw the suffering of multitudes of sentient beings.He came back to “apply.Since Beginningless Time, we have always had this intrinsic nature, but we are deluded so we do not know about it.So, the Buddha applied [this truth] by turning the [Dharma-]wheel.
The Buddha continuously comes back to this world to apply the Four Infinite Minds, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy and great equanimity.This is called “awakening others,”which means transforming sentient beings. Sentient beings do not just refer to humans but all living beings. Humans have power over all sentient beings. We can allow them to be carefree and at ease in this world. According to their karmic retributions, these different beings are born into different forms. Whether or not they can be carefree and at ease depends on humans.
If we humans can cultivate a sense of universal compassion, we will naturally respect living beings and will not kill them. So, when He comes to transform sentient beings, the Buddha has to activate everyone’s compassion. He also serves as their role model by applying unconditional loving-kindness to transform sentient beings and manifest universal compassion. He could not bear the suffering of others, so He had to attain perfect awakening. If we can awaken the self and others, naturally we can attain perfect awakened conduct.
Perfect awakening: After kalpas of spiritual practice, one’s causes and effects are perfected and one is called a Buddha, and awakened one.
To attain perfect awakened conduct, we must engage in spiritual practice over. Many kalpas. We ordinary people do not become awakened with just one lifetime of practice. The karmic conditions we accumulated in past lifetimes are the reason we can practice in this one. Now, we many hear and immediately understand the Buddha’s teachings because in the past we have also listened to and understood them. Thus, our intrinsic nature has been slowly approaching a state of realization and awakening.
So, the Buddha said that attaining Buddhahood took Him a long time, three great asankya kalpas. So, this happened “after kalpas” of spiritual cultivation. What practices did He cultivate over that time? He widely created affinities with sentient beings. After kalpas of spiritual practice, their causes and effects were perfected. When karmic conditions have matured, He manifested attainment of Buddhahood, enlightened Himself, others and had perfect enlightened conduct, and was thus called a Buddha, an Enlightened One, who has realized the true principles of all things in the universe. So spiritual practice brings perfect enlightenment. He gave teachings in this world for 49 years. At the beginning, He patiently guided everyone; all the methods He taught were based on people’s capabilities so as to slowly guide them toward transformation. However, time waits for no one, and the time for the Buddha to enter Parinirvana gradually approached. So, He “set aside the skillful for the direct” and freely carried out His original intent and proclaimed true teachings.
Thus, in the Lotus Sutra, He began to tell everyone what He has always wanted to say. He “opened and revealed” teachings, hoping sentient beings could “realize and enter” them. He solely wanted to help people awaken themselves and others so that they could have perfect awakened conduct. This is why the Buddha comes to this world. So at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, He entered Samadhi and radiated light.
Before the Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra, He taught “the unspoken Lotus Sutra”, gave the Sutra of Infinite Meanings and entered the Samadhi of Infinite Meanings. Thus, He radiated light form the tuft of white hair between His brows. Look at how it illuminated such a vast space. This revealed the true principles of the universe.
However, many were unable to understand this so they looked to each other to ask what teachings the Buddha would give this time. He had been in Samadhi for a long time and revealed unusual appearances such as radiating light and other signs why hadn’t He emerged from Samadhi? What teaching was He going to give? They all looked to each other.
Maitreya understood how everyone felt at that moment, so he started to look for Manjusri He knew that Manjusri Bodhisattva was foremost in wisdom among Bodhisattvas. In particular, he had been the teacher of seven ancient Buddha. Among the disciples he taught and guided, seven of them had attained Buddhahood.
Therefore, he could understand why the Buddha radiated light, manifested auspicious appearances. Only if he gave the explanation would people believe and accept it. This is what Maitreya Bodhisattva [knew] He would soon become one of the Buddhas in the Saha World, but here, the word “soon” means a long time. But, [Maitreya] had karmic affinity with the beings of this world. The Buddha-Dharma exists in this world, so as the Buddha was radiating light and manifesting appearances, how could he (Maitreya) help people understand the principles behind [these signs]? Therefore, he looked to Manjusri to give answers.
So, Manjusri exercised his wisdom to explain why Sakyamuni Buddha manifested [these signs] by mentioning Sun-Moon-Lamp Buddha from countless kalpas in the past and His process Manjusri Bodhisattva gave a very lengthy explanation. Since the course of attaining Buddhahood covers a lengthy period of time, it also requires great causes and conditions, which take a long time [to develop]. This shows that time is everlasting.
We often say that time is impermanent, but actually time can be everlasting Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiant Buddha existed numerous, countless kalpas in the past. And there were countless kalpas before that. Think about it, isn’t this kind of time everlasting? That is why I often tell everyone that when we hold on to a moment of inspiration, that moment can last forever. Our awakened nature is inherently everlasting. It is a permanent, true and everlasting principle. In time, relationships and space, wherever we are in the universe, the truth is everlasting, real and permanent. So, we need to thoroughly understand that time passes very quickly. When I speak of everlasting, I hope we will all look within ourselves and hold on to our [aspirations], so they will last for countless eons. This very profound and broad principle was taught at the Vulture Peak assembly. Everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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