Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Uphold the Dharma-treasury of the Buddha (受持如來法藏)
Date: November. 15. 2013
“For infinite sentient beings, He gave infinite Dharma, infinite loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. He hoped the Dharma-treasury for all beings to widely give away treasures of merits and virtues.”
This tells us there are infinite sentient beings. In this world, how many living, moving beings are there? The number is incalculable, so there are infinite, countless sentient beings. They all experience unspeakable suffering in cyclic existence of the Six Realms. [The karma of] cyclic existence in the Six Realms is created in the human realm. People’s minds give rise to all kinds of thoughts, which create karma. That is why the Buddha has to come to this world to open and reveal [teachings]. He had to use many kinds of teachings, so the Dharma is also infinite. Since there are an infinite number of capabilities among sentient beings, they have an infinite amount of afflictions and create an infinite amount of karma. Therefore, the Buddha must teach according to capabilities, establish teachings to transform infinite beings. The Dharma used to transform sentient beings is all related to the Four Infinite Minds, which are loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. So, we must have infinite or great loving-kindness, compassion, equanimity and joy.
“Great” means countless. Infinite teachings about loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity are found in the Dharma-treasury (which is also known as our Buddha-nature). So, the Buddha came to “open and reveal” His views and knowledge to sentient beings. This open their Dharma-treasury and awaken their Buddha-nature. Then everyone will know that the Dharma-treasury is found not only in Buddhas, it is found in all sentient beings. However, this Buddha-nature is hidden. So, the Buddha came to this world to help us “open, reveal, realize and enter,” this Dharma-treasury. Once this Dharma-treasury is opened, we must “widely spread the treasures of merits and virtues” found in there. When people receive the Buddha’s teachings, that is like obtaining any treasure they want from the Dharma-treasury.
Therefore, as we learn the Buddha’s Way and hear the Dharma, we listen, contemplate and practice. After listening to the Dharma, we must think about the principles concealed within each sentence and word. Each is a Path, a road we can walk on.When we have the Path, we can walk it, so we must make an effort to comprehend them.
“Dharma Master Wondrous Light reverently upheld the Buddha’s Dharma-treasury.”
“For 80 small kalpas, he widely spread the Lotus Sutra.”
After Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha passed, but before Virtue Treasury attained Buddhahood, Dharma Master Wondrous Light was the one who “reverently upheld the Buddha’s Dharma-treasury.”He had to remain firm and preserve the Buddha’s teachings as he continued to promote them.
The Buddha’s Dharma-treasury is also called.Tathagata-garbha, which is the principles of Dharma-nature.
This means that Dharma-nature contains the potential for infinite virtues.
It contains infinites potential and virtues.We all intrinsically have these virtues, but if we do not practice, how will they manifest?We already have them, so as long as we work hard, our intrinsic virtues will manifest.So, the Buddha bestowed predictions of Buddhahod upon all sentient beings to verify that any person can become a Buddha.
It just depends on the diligence of their practice.They must focus on making progress and creating good affinities as they interact with others.When people and matters are harmonious, principles are harmonious.
“For 80 small kalpas, he widely spread the Lotus Sutra.”Wondrous Light Bodhisattva upheld the Buddha’s Dharma-treasury for 80 small kalpas.How long is 80 kalpas?
A very long time.In the past I have often explained that “kalpa” stands for a very long period of time.To help people understand how long, I make a comparison.Take the average human lifespan for an example.Staring from an average lifespan of 10 years, and adding one year every century, the time it takes for the average lifespan to reach 84,000 years is one increasing kalpa.Next, starting from 84,000, the average lifespan decreases by one year every century the average lifespan is 10 years again.The total number of years added for one of these increases and decreases is “one small kalpa”.
One small kalpa already lasts for so many years, and 20 small kalpas make one “medium kalpa”.Four medium kalpas [can reflect] the phases of formation, existence, decay and disappearance.After four medium kalpas pass, that is “one great kalpa”.
Therefore, 80 small kalpas means one great kalpa.
Look, he did this for 80 small kalpas; how long is that?“Wondrous Light Bodhisattva reverently upheld the Buddha’s Dharma-treasury.”“For 80 small kalpas, he widely spread the Lotus Sutra.”Dharma Master Wondrous Light spent a long time expounding the Lotus Sutra, starting from that Buddha’s era until He entered Parinirvana.During this time, Dharma Master Wondrous Light continuously gave teachings.
In particular, as the previous text indicated, there were 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas who attained Buddhahood one after another and. And the last of Them, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha had eight sons. These eight princes ceded the throne because they saw their father engage in spiritual practice and attain Buddhahood. They also yearned for the Buddha-Dharma and became monastics. Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddha asked Wondrous Light Bodhisattva to teach them.
Therefore, they were Wondrous Light's disciples, were “taught and transformed by Wondrous Light. They were firmly on the unsurpassed path and met with countless Buddhas”.
These eight princes were transformed by Wondrous Light Bodhisattva. Thus, their ignorance was revealed and their evil was transformed. This applies to all sentient beings.Each one of us has Eight Consciousnesses. Within them, there is much greed, anger, delusion, pride, doubt and ignorance. Before our minds are opened, we are confused. After learning the Buddha-Dharma, our confused minds should be awakened.
So, the Dharma can purify our minds, and like water, can cleanse our defilements. The filth in our minds, the contamination from Eight Consciousnesses are all purified. To refrain from all evils and do all good deeds means to reveal ignorance and transform evil. “To firmly be on the unsurpassed path is to protect the roots of goodness of all sentient beings”.
The Buddha gave the Dharma to teach us all to do good deeds and give rise to good thoughts. No matter what happens, evil thoughts must not surface at all. We engage in spiritual practice to subdue our evil thoughts and nurture our good thoughts at all times. Once good thoughts are inspired, we need to firmly guard all goodness. We do not do this only for ourselves, we must help all sentient beings do the same. Thus we are people with Bodhisattva-aspirations. We must first solidify our spiritual aspirations and then help secure others' roots of goodness. So, I often tell you all that our minds must be broad, our thoughts pure. We cannot cut off anyone's root of goodness. Even if we can clearly distinguish right from wrong and have deep roots of goodness ourselves aside from protecting our own good roots, we still cannot cut off other people's roots.
If others do wrong, we must patiently guide them. We must accompany and slowly teach them; we cannot give up on them right away. If we do, we cut off their roots of goodness. So, we need to firmly guard our spiritual aspirations as well as the roots of goodness of all beings, so their roots will not break. This is “to firmly be on the unsurpassed path”. If we do so, “we can meet with countless Buddhas”. If we can transform our Eight Consciousnesses, as our Six Roots [encounter] Six Sense Objects and [give rise to] Six Consciousnesses, we can strive for goodness. If we can do so, then our seventh and eighth consciousness will engage in very clear thinking and act in concert with the other preceding Six consciousness so that all the good we do will become seeds stored in the Eighth Consciousness.
If we can do so, encountering virtuous friends and the Buddha will not be difficult. Thus, “we can meet with countless Buddhas.” When we see others with a Buddha-mind, everyone is a Buddha?
Wondrous Light Bodhisattvas was a previous incarnation of Manjusri Bodhisattva. In addition to the eight princes, he had 800 disciples who spread the Lotus Sutra. One of his disciples was called Seeker of Fame. Seeker of Fame Bodhisattva is now Maitreya Bodhisattva. This is so inconceivable! Bodhisattva are Dharma-relatives who will always keep each other company this was the case in the past and present and will be true far into the future. These Bodhisattva-kin took turns accompanying the Buddha. The Enlightened One of the universe to keep each other company and help each other succeed. These people are our Dharma-relatives and are also Bodhisattvas.
[They also presented Buddhas with offerings]. “Having presented all Buddhas with offerings, they practiced the Great Way accordingly, and in succession, became Buddhas. In turn, they made such predictions of others.”
These 800 disciples were very diligent and continuously made offerings. As they sought the Buddha’s Way, they also transformed sentient beings. So, “they practiced the Great Way accordingly.” They followed the Buddha’s intent and faithfully accepted [His teachings]. Because they practiced the Path and were diligent, they, “in succession, became Buddhas.” If we are not always diligent, even though we have Tathagata-garbha in our minds, we remain unaware and confused. Even if we know the Buddha’s teachings, the door to our minds may not open. Even if the door does open, if we do not walk out or diligently practice, how can we attain Buddhahood?
So, “they practiced the Great Way accordingly, and in succession, became Buddhas.”
“In turn,they made such predicitions of others. ”If we are diligent, naturally we can receive predictions from Buddhas. No matter how long it takes, even as long as 80 small kalpas, as long as we are diligent, we have opportunities to receive these predictions.
Therefore, “bestowing predictions” is for sentient beings who made aspirations.” The Buddha bestowed predictions on them to become future Buddhas.
Therefore, this was the agreement that the Buddha made with these spiritual practitioners: “If you practice in this way, you will certainly attain Buddhahood. Fellow Bodhisattva, we must be mindful. As we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must practice the Bodhisattva-path and widely transform sentient beings widely transform sentient beings. So, “for infinite sentient beings, He gave infinite Dharma.” The teachings loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity are also infinite. We must open the Dharma-treasury for all beings and widely spread the treasures of virtue. This is what the Buddha taught us, so we must follow this Path. The Buddha is not the only one does this; if we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must also do the same. Therefore everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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