Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Skillful Means of the True Path (方便權智 乘如實道)
Date: December. 16. 2013
“All Buddhas take the True Path to this world. They speak true words to deduce true principles through matters. What we awaken to are the Tathagata’s knowledge, views.”
What this is saying to all of us is all Buddhas come to this world on the True Path, which is the true principles. Buddhas’ natures are intrinsically pure, free of defilements, so They come to this world for one great cause. Because sentient beings experience many sufferings in this world, out of Their compassion, all Buddhas come here on the True Path and with Their true nature. They come to this world for one great cause, which is to give true teachings. Yet, do we sentient beings understand the Buddha’s true teachings? So, out of His compassion, the Buddha brought up many matters and gave many worldly examples as analogies to help us realize these principles. This is to “deduce true principles through matters.” This is “what we awaken to”. Those who already awakened are called Tathagatas.
Only with the knowledge and views of a Tathagata can the True Dharma be taught to sentient beings. Because a Tathagata’s true knowledge and views are applied to guide us sentient beings in the right direction, we actually have the karmic conditions to see the Buddha and listen to the Dharma. Although over 2000 years have passed since the Buddha’s lifetime, His teachings, His Dharmakaya (Dharma-body), have already entered our hearts.
Thus, we often say, “The Buddha must enter our hearts; and the Dharma must enter our actions.” So, the Dharma is in our hearts, and our actions are focused on the Dharma. As we engage in spiritual practice, every day we must maintain this. This section of the Lotus Sutra describes how the Buddha came to this world and understood many principles, so His knowledge and views were very clear.
He “extensively proclaims teachings verbally with countless skillful means to guide sentient beings,” so they can “transcend all attachments”.
[He] extensively proclaims teachings verbally using very broad methods to teach the Dharma in a way we sentient beings can understand. Because the Buddha-Dharma is subtle, wondrous and extremely profound, it is difficult to know and understand. Thus, the Buddha has to use countless skillful means to guide sentient beings so that they can transcend all attachments.
What are skillful means?“The wisdom of True Suchness is prajna.”The Buddha used the wisdom of True Suchness, since sentient beings cannot directly understand the Budddha’s teachings.The Buddha still exercises His wisdom and prajna to adapt to their capabilities.So, skillful means is a provisional method.“The wisdom to understand the provisional path” is a provisional kind of wisdom.This is the Buddha’s wisdom and skillful means.
prajna is the wisdom of True Suchness.Skillful means are the wisdom to understand the provisional path.The provisional path is a means of benefiting others.
Based on this, Great and Small Vehicle teachings of the Buddha are generally referred to as skillful means.
But we sentient beings do not understand Him, no matter what He says.Thus, the Buddha has to use the wisdom of skillful means to guide us and use worldly matters to reveal principles.As I have said, “a moving tree teaches us about wind”.This means we can understand that if trees are swaying, it is because the wind is blowing.Using analogies like this is also [an example of] the Buddha’s wisdom.Therefore, His teachings contain many analogies about past Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and disciples; and how in past lives they created certain causes and conditions, and how now in this world, they mutually influence each other with their resulting effects.This is how the Buddha uses the wisdom of skillful means.
We often speak of non-arising and non-ceasing, but there are so many principles.
Across the past, present and future there are so many principles that also require the Buddha’s prajna, His wisdom, to establish skillful means in order to be taught to sentient beings.
Skillful means is prajna.Methods for “understanding the provisional path” are known as skillful means.The provisional path has ways to benefit others, and “others” refer to sentient beings.To teach sentient beings beneficial methods, the Buddha exercises His skillful wisdom.Based on this skillful wisdom, all His teachings, from Great to Small Vehicles, are called skillful means.
For example, for a person with Small Vehicle capacity, the Buddha told stories about cause and effect.For example, in City of the House of Kings, there once was a wheel-turning sage king.That was King Ashoka 100 years after the Buddha entered Parinirvana, King Ashoka unified all of India.There were many female servants in the palace who often heard others tell the story about how the king encountered the Buddha in a previous lifetime.
There were two children playing in the sand and one of them said, “I will play the king, you will play may official and we will build a city.”The second child agreed.“The city is a big country.A big country must have a big storehouse, so we can collect lots of grains and treasures.”Very earnestly, they built their city, their big storehouse.
At that time, the Buddha walked by.One boy raised his head and saw the Buddha.He instantly became very joyful and respectful.Seeing that the Buddha had an alms bow, the child went to the storehouse and scooped up a handful of sand.With great respect, he said, “Venerable Buddha, with utmost respect, I offer these finest grains to You.”
Then he put the sand in the Buddha’s alms bowl. Although he was just playing, he was so innocent and reverent. The Buddha was happy, so He said, “Since you have this reverence, I bless you and in 100 years you will unify of India and become a great king who supports the Buddha-Dharma, a wheel-turning sage king.”
100 years after this happened in City of the House of Kings, everyone told this story “100 years ago, our present king was one of the two children. The Buddha bestowed a prediction upon him that after 100 years he would appear in India. Look, now it is exactly 100 years and King Ashoka has unified the country and enabled it to prosper, so the people now have ample food and clothing. Look, King Ashoka has so much respect for the Three Treasures that he built 84,000 stupas for the Buddha’s sariras. These 84,000 stupas are spread throughout India. He promoted the Buddha-Dharma, and everyone believes in the Three Treasures.”
One of the female servants in the palace often heard others repeat this story, so she thought to herself, “100 years ago, the king took only one handful of sand to reverently offer it to the Buddha and has received such blessed retributions. As for me, I am so poor, in this lifetime I am a servant in the palace. I have no way to practice giving, make offerings. Does this mean that in my future life I will become even poorer?” As she thought about this, she kept thinking that she must reverently believe in the Three Treasures.
One day she found a coin on the ground. Although it was very little money, she immediately picked it up and held on to it. She kept looking around, wondering who had dropped this coin. After several days had passed, she did not heard of anyone losing a coin. So, she thought to herself, “Someone may have lost this tiny bit of money and does not care. But to me, it is very precious. To have a chance to offer it to the Sangha is my greatest hope.”
One day, the king was making offerings to the Sangha again. When she saw the first monk enter, with great respect she made her offering to this leader of the Sangha. When the monk received the coin from her, he also reverently blessed her and wished for her prayers to be answered wished for her prayers to be answered. The servant woman thought, “I pray to have great wealth, so I can continue to have opportunities to make offerings to the Three Treasures. This was her only wish.”
After a few days, this servant woman suddenly passed away. Thereafter, King Ashoka’s wife became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter. After this princess was born, she refused to open her right hand. It was tightened into a fist and would not open. So, they gave her the name the Fist Princess because she constantly clenched her fist. One day, the King Ashoka went over and picked up the baby. He started to rub her hand and slowly pushed her fingers apart. After her fingers opened and relaxed in her hand was a coin. When King Ashoka saw it, he picked up the coin and another coin appeared in her hand. No matter how many coins he took away, another coin would appear. She was called “Fist Princess”.
Everyone began to spread the story that she might be the servant woman who had reverently offered the coin she found. This virtuous servant woman had reincarnated as King Ashoka’s daughter and was now a princess. This story is found in Buddhist classics.
If we want to tell people that practicing giving brings blessings, we can use this story to help them understand that “When you practice giving, as long as you are very reverent, even a tiny bit of money can bring about great merits. This depends on your reverence and respect.” In the Buddhist scriptures, stories from the past are used as analogies for present principles, so we can practice them. These are skillful means, methods that benefit people. This is the path of skillful and provisional means.
Skillful means are various methods that are easy to apply. Thus, “their ease of use resonates with the capabilities of all sentient beings.” These methods can develop beings’ capacities. Skillful means come from proper principles. The methods we use are proper and upright. These are the principles the Buddha taught. Our methods follow guidelines and rules. Although they are referred to as skillful means, they use matters to reveal principles. They cannot be separated from matters and principles. Skillful means are also clever. With clever methods and explanations, we can guide people.
If over 2000 years ago the Buddha had not expounded the Dharma, how would we have teachings to listen to now? Thus, these clever words are used skillfully, so they can be applied to this world. That is why they are known as skillful means.
Skillful means are methods that are easily applied. Their ease of use resonates with the capabilities of all sentient beings. Skillful means are also proper principles that are taught with clever words.
Thus, when the Buddha comes to this world, He “extensively proclaims teachings verbally.” Using His verbal teachings, He teaches countless skillful means to guide sentient beings. This enables everyone to teanscend attachments desires and so on. Our many attachments are our afflictions and the source of the karma we create in life. So, when the Buddha comes to this world, He “extensively proclaims teachings verbally with countless skillful means to guide sentient beings.” This has happened for a long time. In summary, skillful means are inseparable from the true principles of the law of karma. So, we should have faith and always be more mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV - Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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