Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Reach Understanding with Firm Faith (信力堅固達諸法)
Date: January. 03. 2014
“Tranquil and clear, with vows as vast as the universe, having lightness of body and peace in our hearts we attain great wisdom. Without faith, it is difficult to enter this subtle and wondrous state.”
These verses are sharing a state of being. Most of us are caught up in our surroundings, in people and matters around us, entangled in this impurity. Actually, we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature, but our minds are bound by afflictions and ignorance. If our minds can be tranquil and clear, we will thoroughly understand our surroundings. Then naturally the afflictions that bind us will be completely cast off and discarded. No longer will afflictions entangle our minds. Then we will naturally have lightness in our body and peace in our hearts and feel great freedom. “Isn’t that easier said than done?” You are probably all thinking something like this. Indeed, this is by no means easy, because we cannot yet thoroughly understood our afflictions nor can we completely let them go. We just are not able to do that yet. Once afflictions arise, firmly believing in and understanding the Dharma is not that easy. And if we cannot do that, then the subtle and wondrous state [it contains] cannot enter our minds.
“Without faith, it is difficult to enter this subtle and wondrous state.” So “tranquil and clear, with vows as vast as the universe” is a very subtle and wondrous state. If we cannot remain firm in our faith, we definitely cannot enter this subtle and wondrous state.
As I have already mentioned before, “Under the guidance of countless Buddhas, He fully acquired and practiced all Paths.” This was the process of His spiritual practice. Thus [He practiced] “the profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma that is hard to see and understand. For immeasurable millions of kalpas, He has been practicing these Paths.”
When He engaged in spiritual practice, He deeply penetrated and practiced the Paths taught by all Buddhas. So, that kind of profound and wondrous Dharma could only be realized by spiritual practitioners. There is a saying, “Only the person who drinks the water knows if it is hot or cold.” This is also a simple analogy. So, we must engage in spiritual practice ourselves to truly attain realizations.
The Buddha was speaking from His experience to help us understand firstly that we have a Buddha-nature equal to Buddhas. Then, secondly, that He has already drawn near to countless Buddhas and practiced Their teachings of the Path. These are things He wanted to help us understand. Thirdly, He wanted to let us know that all Buddhas’ teachings of the Path are in His heart, and He has thoroughly awakened to them. So, [He] “fully acquired and practiced all Paths of the profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma.” This is what the Buddha Himself has thoroughly understood.But for ordinary people, it is “hard to see and understand”.
“For immeasurable millions of kalpas, He has been practicing these Paths.”In another words, we ordinary people have only been listening to His teachings for the span of this lifetime.Of course, in our past lives we have formed a karmic affinity with the Buddha so that is why can listen to His teachings.However, we lack the sense of determination.
We do not put the teachings into practice, nor do we remain firm in our faith.
“Without faith, it is difficult to enter this subtle and wondrous state.”If we do not remain firm in our faith, we cannot enter this state.Therefore, lifetime after lifetime, we just form affinities with the Buddha and listen to His teachings.As for a sense of determination and vows as vast as the universe, we have not yet established those.Thus, how can we realize the state of tranquility and clarity?To be in a tranquil and clear state, we must have vows as vast as the universe.We must have great vows and great aspirations to thoroughly understand all Dharma.
Next, we talk about His spiritual training ground.He had encountered countless Buddhas and absorbed Their teachings.Then over 2000 years ago, He was born as the crown prince of Kapilavastu and aspired to engage in spiritual practice.He spent five years seeking answers and then six years in ascetic practice.Later Prince Siddhartha realized that only by experiencing the truths of nature could he thoroughly understand worldly matters.So, he abandoned ascetic practices and came to the Nairanjana Rive to wash the filth off of His body.
Afterwards, He became very weak, and fainted there.A shepherdess offered some goat milk to help Him recover His strength.After He recovered, He came across a Bodhi tree.
He chose to face a certain direction, sat on a rock and began to make vows.From the moment He sat down, He was determined to realize all truths of the universe before leaving this spiritual training ground.His spiritual training ground was where He engaged in spiritual practice and set His mind on the road toward enlightenment.
The starting point for the road we pave is our spiritual training ground.The inward cultivation of our minds must be connected to our external conditions.The place where we exert our effort and our mind is called the spiritual training ground.
“In this spiritual training ground, He attained the fruit.He had already seen and known all completely.”
Because He sat in meditation there, on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month, in a state of stillness and tranquility, He looked into the sky and saw the morning star.His mind connected with the universe, so “in this spiritual training ground, He attained the fruit.”
“He had already seen and known all completely.”This happened in that instant when He came in contact with the universe and saw and understood all truths of the cosmos.
Everything in world was seen and known by the Buddha.
“Such is this great karmic retribution, and the meaning of all natures and appearances, that I and Buddhas of ten directions alone can understand.”
When He came in contact with all truths in the universe, in that state, at that moment in time, His pure intrinsic nature was suddenly awakened.The “I” in this passage is Sakyamuni Buddha referring to Himself. His pure intrinsic nature was suddenly awakened. The “I” in this passage is Sakyamuni Buddha referring to Himself. I, Sakyamuni, and the Buddhas of ten directions, are the only ones who can understand the appearances of these conditions and the principles of all things. Only Buddhas can achieve complete understanding. As just mentioned, Sakyamuni Buddha found a spiritual training ground after He abandoned acetic practices. He stilled His mind and sat under the Bodhi tree on the Vajra-throne. That was His spiritual training ground.
“Spiritual training ground: The place where the Buddha was enlightened. In the central Indian kingdom of Magadha, by the Nairanjana River and under the Bodhi tree, is the Vajra-throne.”
Therefore, engaging in spiritual practice requires a training ground. This was the case for all Buddhas in the past. And now? In our current environment, engaging in spiritual practice also requires a training ground. We must stabilize these internal and external training grounds. Our external training ground is a physical place we can rest and rely on. Our internal training ground is the Dharma we can rest and rely on. So, a training ground is the place where our body and mind abide. We must practice by following the Dharma; this is our spiritual training ground.
Next, I will speak of “natures and appearances”.
“Natures and appearances: Appearances are forms; something we can visibly recognize. So, unconditioned Dharma is nature, conditioned Dharma is appearance. The conditioned and unconditioned both have natures and appearances.”
We should know about natures and appearances. We must deal with tangible appearances, which are “things we can visibly recognize”. This is a training ground we can rest and rely on, as it has a physical appearance. Unconditioned Dharma is nature, and conditioned Dharma is appearance. Unconditioned Dharma is what we are both with.
Since Beginningless Time, along with our nature, it has followed us lifetime after lifetime. This is call “nature”. When this nature is pure, it is Buddha-nature. When it is defiled, it is unenlightened. Therefore, nature is unconditioned Dharma. Not only do humans have natures, truly all things in the universe have a fundamental nature. Externally created form is an appearance. What does our nature look like? Actually, if we are asked to show it to others, we cannot show them any form. But when we look at a person, we can see a form. “So, this is this person’s form.” “When he walks, by looking at his back, I can recognize him”. The way he typically walks can be easily recognized by others. This is called an “exterior appearance”. The way a person looks and behaves are all part of the appearance. But within these appearances is the nature we all intrinsically have.
So, “our natures are similar, but our habits differ greatly.” Our nature is actually very similar to the Buddha’s nature. But because of an ignorant thought, we fell and became ordinary people. As such, different habitual tendencies have come to fruition in us. So, our karmic retribution is related to our nature and appearance. Therefore, conditioned Dharma is appearance, and unconditioned Dharma is then called nature. Thus, the conditioned and unconditioned both have natures and appearances. This is what we must thoroughly understand.
Next, the sutra states, “This Dharma cannot be demonstrated, the appearance of language cannot be used to describe stillness and extinction. Among all kinds of living beings, there are none who can understand it, except Bodhisattvas who are firm in the Power of Faith.”
This enhances our understanding. “This Dharma cannot be demonstrated, this unconditioned Dharma is a nature that we cannot see, the ultimate reality of the One Vehicle is a Dharma that completely describes our nature. All things in the world are created by the mind. The nature of our minds created all appearances so that we can see all phenomena. But, True Dharma is said to be in our minds so “this Dharma cannot be demonstrated.
I cannot physically show it to you as an object. Because it cannot be seen, how can we demonstrate it? Since it really cannot be seen we have to use various skillful means to make analogies. So, I cannot show you ultimate reality, but I can use analogies to help you understand.
Therefore, “the appearance of language cannot be used [to describe] stillness and extinction.” This tranquility and clarity has to be transformed into language so people can understand it. We use various conditioned phenomena in this world as analogies. The only thing we can do is to use language and appearances.
But ultimately, [true nature] is still and extinct, so we try to convey this tranquil and clear state through appearances and language. “Among all kinds of living beings there are none who can understand it. Once again, this indicates that people find this hard to understand, “except Bodhisattvas.” Only Bodhisattvas, who are firm enough in their faith, can really understand this.
Next, I will explain “stillness and extinction.” That is a state of Nirvana. Nirvana is a state of tranquility and clarity. A word like that is also called the land of tranquil illumination. Where is this tranquil and clear state? It is our mind. So, the “essence is tranquil and still refers to the state of Nirvana and how its embodiment is tranquil and still. It transcends all appearances.
If we [analyze] all appearances, in the end they break down to nothing. All things in the end each return to their original nature. Everything is composed of earth, water, fire and air. Lumber comes from trees, and trees are inseparable from the land, from moisture, from sunshine and from air. This is the union of the four elements. This applies to trees.
The same goes for concrete. It is also extracted from mines in the mountains. If we analyze all these appearances, we can break them down to their original natures. When we discuss nature, we really need to transcend the appearance of all things and understand that all things break sown to nothing. This is the state of tranquility and stillness.
Still and extinct is Nirvana. The essence is tranquil and still and transcends all appearances. Therefore, it is still and extinct.
Fellow Bodhisattvas, when it comes to “this still and extinct” state and understanding, we are still very far away from it. As I share in the beginning, “without faith, it is very hard to enter this subtle and wondrous state.” Therefore, we must establish a true and firm faith so that we can enter a subtle and wondrous state and feel lightness in our bodies and peace in our heart and gain great freedom. Only then can we truly experience a state of mind that is tranquil and clear, with vows as cast as the universe. In conclusion, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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