Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Dharma Transcends Time and Space (法無古今等同日月)
Date: November. 26. 2013
Time keeps passing by. Every day we hope that every sentence of the Buddha’s teachings will enter our hearts. Earlier, we completed our discussion on the Introductory Chapter of the Lotus Sutra. The entirely of the Buddha’s original teachings is contained in the Lotus Sutra. As the Lotus Dharma-assembly was beginning, many people kept arriving. Once the Buddha sat down, He began to [teach] “the unspoken Lotus Sutra”. The unspoken Lotus Sutra means that He did not verbalize it, but first helped everyone to investigate and understand that His original intent was for them to walk the Bodhisattva-path. The Bodhisattva-path was the Buddha’s original [teaching]. As His conditions for [teaching in] this lifetime were corning to an end, He could no longer wait to expound the true Teachings He originally intended to give. So, the scene at the Lotus Assembly was different.
The Buddha began by expounding the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. Small Vehicle practitioners did not really understand the teachings He was now about to give Chapter by chapter, He recounted them one after another, from Skillful Means to Parables and so on. But He also wanted to help heighten their desire to listen to the Dharma. So, He sat down and began radiating light and manifesting auspicious signs. At this assembly, the Buddha radiated light so people wondered and wanted to find out why He sat there for so long when He should have begun teaching. His appearance now was different from before, so what exactly were the teachings that required this special appearance? Maitreya Bodhisattva then posed these questions to Manjusri Bodhisattva. This was a good arrangement. Consider these two Bodhisattvas. One was Manjusri Bodhisattva, who had already attained Buddhahood in the past. The other Bodhisattva will be a future Buddha. So, past and future Buddhas came together at this assembly. The one who had not yet attained Buddhahood asked the one who had. The two of them had a dialogue to “illustrate and describe,” to bring clarity.
From the start, Manjusri Bodhisattva exercised his wisdom and compassion. With “compassion,” he had sympathy for present and future sentient beings who had duller capabilities and had difficulties eliminating habitual tendencies. So, he recounted the story of the past 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas and how “from ancient times to now, all Tathagatas had compassion and sympathy”. All Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas in the past were also kind and “had compassion and sympathy” for the suffering of sentient beings, who are immersed in the sea of desires.This was the case in the past and is still the case in the present.Past Tathagatas exercised their compassion because these sentient beings were immersed [in suffering].In the present, Sakyamuni Buddha felt the same.
So, the Introductory Chapter included a section where Manjusri Bodhisattva and Maitreya Bodhisattva clearly “illustrated and described how, from ancient times to now, all Tathagatas have compassion and sympathy for suffering sentient beings, who are immersed in the sea of desires”.
Where do sentient beings’ sufferings come from?From the sea of desires.“Desire” is greed.Once a greedy thought arises, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt follow.Most sentient beings have various temperaments and desires which lead to various actions and behaviors.When we encounter the Buddha’s teachings, if we really understand the word “action,” we will turn it into “cultivation”.Then our minds will have sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness.If we tread matters,objects and the Dharma with reverence every day, then our minds will be truly tranquil and calm.
But the “action” of ordinary people is part of the “aggregate of action”.Form, sensation, perception, action, consciousness come form things ordinary people do when they come in contact with external conditions.Most people will then create bad karma.
Behaviors that arise from greed, anger and ignorance are all “actions”.
“There are various temperaments, desires, actions various recollections, delusions, discernments.”“Bound for many kalpas, there is no escape.”There are “various recollections, delusions, and discernments.”
Ordinary people have many complex thoughts.We live in the present, but we keep recalling the past.I have often said, “Thoughts of the past are distractions; thoughts of the future are delusions.”But ordinary people tend not to settle into the present moment.
So, they will have “various recollections, delusions and discernments”.In every second and minute, our minds are wavering, going up and down.This is why we ordinary people suffer and become immersed in the sea of desires and cannot escape.This has been happening for many kalpas; we do not know for how long.“Kalpa” means a very long time.For a very long period of time, we have been bound by various temperaments, desires, actions, “various recollections, delusions, discernments”.We ordinary people are “bound with no escape”.This is [the state of] ordinary people.
As for past and present Buddhas, we have seen that each of the 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas, after giving teachings for a lifetime, always expounded the Lotus Sutra in the end.The Dharma-assemblies where They expounded it were the same as Sakyamuni Buddha’s assembly; They all radiated light and manifested auspicious signs.We have all heard Manjusri Bodhisattva clearly describe this.Every Buddha considered that His previous teachings were for sentient beings of varying capacities who had been bound for many kalpas,and could not fully comprehend them.As their lifetimes of giving teachings were coming to an end,They had to carefully consider how to heighten and focus the awareness of those who desired to listen to teachings and inspire them to seek the Dharma.
So, “out of loving-kindness, He quietly contemplated and silently considered that the conditions for transformation were ending. For this one great cause, He freely shared and carried out His original intent. He radiated light and manifested auspicious signs from a state of Samadhi.”
He sat there to quietly contemplate and consider that His conditions for transforming [others] were ending. There was not much time lift. Most of His time had been spent on using skillful means to carefully and patiently guide them. But now the conditions for transformation were coming to and end in this lifetime. If this teaching was not given quickly, He might no longer have the chance. This is why the Buddha sat there to think of a method. Because of these causes and conditions, He kept radiating light and manifesting auspicious signs to bring people together and focus their minds. This is because the Buddha’s conditions for transforming in this world was about to end so He had to quickly and freely express and carry out His original intent.
“He freely shared and carried out His original intent.” “Share” means to release. He had to quickly release His original teachings and express it so He would have no regrets. Thus, He radiated light and manifested auspicious signs which He was in Samadhi. After He quickly contemplated and considered how to focus everyone’s attention, He radiated light and manifested auspicious signs.
Therefore, at the Vulture Peak assembly, Manjusri and Maitreya helped to reveal meanings of ultimate truth. They used stories of past Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas to explain the present. I have said that the 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas represented blessings and wisdom. When we listen to the teachings, we may feel this number is [beyond comprehension]. How can we calculate the length of time that must pass for there to be 20,000 Buddhas? What does this actually represent? Let me relate this teaching more to the present. Most likely this number means blessings and wisdom. He is [replete with blessings and wisdom].
When we engage in spiritual practice, we must cultivate infinite blessings and infinite wisdom which are incalculable. So, if we break down the name Sun-Moon-Lamp. “sun” represents wisdom and light, and “moon” represents gentleness and compassion. So, “Sun-Moon” represents wisdom and compassion. Compassion is for benefiting others. Wisdom is for clearly understanding principles. Therefore, we should see that Manjusri Bodhisattva alluded to this to inspire all of us. That is why he talked about 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas.
“The 20,000 Sun-Moon-Lamp, Radiant Buddhas represent “blessings and wisdom”. The 800 Disciples represent the Eightfold Noble Path. The Eight Princes represent the Eight Consciousnesses.
In addition, the 800 disciple represent the Eightfold Noble Path. Our spiritual practice is inseparable from the Eightfold Noble Path. The Seven Factors of Bodhi and the Eightfold Noble Path are part of the 37 Practices to Enlightenment. As we engage in spiritual practice, we must constantly keep them in mind and not stray from them. In the Lotus Sutra, these are explained one by one. The “eight princes” represent the Eight Consciousness.
Ordinary people all the Eight Consciousnesses. The First Six Consciousnesses are connect to the Six Sensory Objects. The Secenth conxciousness is the thinking, deliberating and calculating that directs us. The eight consciousnesses is like a storehouse. Everything we do, every thought that stirs and every action we take results in seeds that are stored in the eight consciousness. Because of the law of karma, causes are continuously collected here and then they connect with conditions. We do not know where we will be born next.
When this lifetime ends, will we be reborn in Taiwan? Not necessarily. There are so many countries on Earth. When we depart this life and enter the next, aside from wealthy countries, we may also end up in poor countries. Where exactly will be born? There are also the Three Evil Destinies, hell, hungry ghost and animal. We do not know where in the Six Realms we will end up the [causes] are hidden within the Storehouse Consciousness. Because of the law of karma, we follow the eight consciousness.
The Buddha taught us to eliminate all Eight Consciousnesses and return to the ninth consciousness. The ninth consciousness is Buddha-nature. So, the Buddha’s teachings remain the same; [Sun-Moon-]Lamp-Radiant Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra to Wondrous Light Bodhisattva. Wondrous Light Bodhisattva also widely taught the Lotus Sutra. The last of the 20,000 [Sun-Moon-]Lamp-Radiant Buddhas taught the Lotus Sutra to Wondrous Light. He explained this sutra to everyone intended it for Wondrous Light. So, after Wondrous Light absorbed the teachings, he transformed 800 disciples, including the eight princes, etc. wondrous Light also continued to expound the Dharma to everyone. Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiant Buddha entered taught Parinirvana “as the flame dies when firewood is consumed.” Afterwards, Wondrous Light Bodhisattva continued to teach the Lotus Sutra.
Thus, “Wondrous Light Bodhisattva upheld the Buddha’s Dharma-treasury. For 80 small kalpas, He widely taught the Lotus Sutra upheld the Buddha’s Dharma-treasury.”
This represents wisdom, which contains the Buddha’s true principles. “For 80 small kalpas.” 80 small kalpas is equal to one great kalpa. As I previously explained, this was a very long time to widely teach the Lotus Sutra, which “[transcends time and space] like the Sun-Moon[-Lamp Radiant Buddhas]. Ancient and present Buddhas are the same. This is an explanation to help conclude the Introductory Chapter, so help conclude the Introductory Chapter, so everyone will more clearly understand how it is connected to the text that follows. We should understand why [it took] a long period of time to comprehend the intention behind the Buddha’s quiet contemplation and the dialogue between Maitreya and Manjusri. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
首頁 
