Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Reestablishing Respect and Trust （運悲啟智重起敬信)
Date: March. 11. 2014
“When the fruit of a great tree has ripened, do not forget about the small seeds. The Three Vehicles each have their causes and conditions. Depending on the seeds planted, certain fruits are formed.”
We must realize that this is a very logical principle. When we see big trees weighted down by ripened fruits, we must not forget small seeds. Inside each of these small seeds are microscopic genes; when sown in the earth they await the right conditions. With soil, water, air and sunlight, a fruit tree will grow and mature. It will begin to flower and bear fruit. This is the law of nature.
All things in the universe follow the law of nature. No matter what type of seed it is, when it matures, it will always produce that type of fruit. A grass seed can never grow into a great tree. That is impossible. A bean seed can never grow into rice. This is a definite principle of nature.
So, “The Three Vehicle each have their causes and conditions. Depending on the seeds planted, certain fruits are formed.” The type of seed we have planted will naturally determine the type of fruit that is produced. This is definite principle. So, whether we are wise or foolish in this lifetime, we cannot blame others for it. We must look to ourselves. In the past, what were the causes, conditions and effects that led us to this lifetime of suffering? Look at the era we live in. The four elements are imbalanced, causing frequent disasters. People’s hearts are also imbalanced, but we must still always be grateful that we are able to encounter good people and help each other succeed in spiritual practice. So, we must express our gratitude [to everyone]. Because of the causes we planted in the past and the conditions we formed, right now we are dealing with their effects. The resultant feelings we elicit in each other are called karmic retribution.
Our retributions may be good causes and conditions and may allow us to help each other succeed. Previously, we talked about how people wanted to quickly understand the Buddha’s extremely profound and wondrous true principles of the universe. The Buddha had concealed and guarded [this Dharma] in His heart for a very long time. People were willing to listen, so they prayed for the Buddha to quickly expound the Dharma. It was Sariputra who pleaded on their behalf.
How many people there aspired to walk the Bodhisattvas-path?We said before, “numbering as many as the Ganges’ sand,” which is very many.But this section began by stating, “They numbered around 80,000.”So, “They numbered around 80,000 and [more came] from billions of lands.”There were more than just the many present, those countless numbers.
In fact, “from billions of lands” implies that the Buddha’s enlightenment [encompassed] countless lands in the universe.Heavenly beings, humans, dragons, gods, the eight classes of Dharma-protectors and all livings beings of the Six Realms in this universe came and listened to the Dharma.There were even wheel-turning sage kings.They led people with love and virtue, looked after the people’s daily living and taught them morals and ethics.They were considered benevolent kings and were called wheel-turning sage kings [are here] along with.Bodhisattvas seeking the Buddha’s teachings.They numbered around 80,000.And, from billions of lands, wheel-turning age kings came they wished to hear of the complete path.
We can all turn the Dharma-wheel.When our minds turn, the Dharma-wheel will turn.
If we can all become Buddhas, how can we not turn the [Dharma-] wheel?So, if we think from this perspective, we will be able to be very diligent and will be able to guide others so that their minds can turn, can turn evil into goodness.This is also turning the Dharma-wheel.During this period of time, “with palms pressed together and sincere hearts, they wished to hear of the complete path”.
The next passage states, “At that time the Buddha told Sariputra.”After Sariputra spoke, the Buddha started to answer him.He said, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.If this matter were spoken of, heavenly beings and humans in all the worlds would be shocked and begin to doubt.”
They all desired this understanding.At that time, the Buddha unexpectedly responded by saying, “Stop, stop, there is no need to ask again or speak further.”Because He felt that if He started to speak, “If this matter were spoken of, heavenly beings and humans in all the worlds would be shocked and begin to doubt.”He was worried that if He talked about it, people would become scared and doubtful.This demonstrated the Buddha’s skillful means and His wisdom.
The Buddha knew that Three Vehicle practitioners, upon hearing this, would find it hard to give rise to high regard, faith and understanding.So He immediately exercised compassion and wisdom to say, “Stop, stop” to re-inspire their respect and faith.
The Buddha understood these practitioners.“[He] knew the Three Vehicle practitioners;” He understood them.The Three Vehicles are Hearers, Solitary Realizers and newly-inspired Bodhisattvas.Upon hearing these teachings, they might “find it hard to give rise to high regard, faith and understanding”.If they did not have faith, they would not have high regard for the Dharma.This was the Buddha’s thinking.
If they did not have faith, how could they accept the Dharma? So, the Buddha deliberately [stopped]. They were full of admiration and very happy because they thought the Buddha would start to speak the Dharma that He had guarded and retained without any reservations. As they were waiting for this, the Buddha took this moment to exercise compassion and wisdom. He deliberately said, “There is no need to speak further”. He considered that [these teachings] might cause people to have doubts. Those only focused on their own awakening might become fearful and doubtful. They might think, “In my spiritual cultivation, I practice and attain [results] for myself, that works well for me. Now you want me to not worry about myself and go help others. That was a very difficult thing for them to do.” In order to help these people, the Buddha inspired those with limited capabilities and wisdom to open up their great capabilities and wisdom and form deeply-rooted aspirations and vows.
At this point, the Buddha successively said, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further because if I keep speaking, everyone might begin to doubt. Sometimes, when people come and request teachings of ask me to tell them certain things, after some thinking, I will say, “There is no need; you will not apply them.” Then they will become more earnest, “Master, please speak, don’t hold back. We will definitely overcome the obstacles and accomplish our mission.” This is just like that. So, the Buddha-Dharma can be applied in the world to help people succeed in their practice and inspire them. This was the method the Buddha used.
“Heavenly beings and humans were frightened. Because of their doubts, they had no faith. Because they lacked faith, surely offenses of slandering the Dharma could arise. Speaking was not beneficial. Not speaking was not harmful.”
Therefore, He said to stop.
So, all heavenly beings in the world, after listening to teachings, would be shocked and begin to doubt. We must know that heavenly beings would be shocked and doubtful. With doubts, they could not have faith. If they had doubts, they would definitely not believe in the teaching. If they still had doubts after He taught them, how could they faithfully accept practice? Not only would they not faithfully accept and practice it, they would definitely slander it. If they slandered it, they would be committing an ‘offense”. An “offense” is a wrongdoing Slandering the Right Dharma was a form of wrongdoing. At that time, there were still those who could not fully accept the teachings and doubted the instead. After feeling doubtful, they might slander [the teachings]. Not only could they not practice it themselves, they would create obstacles for others.
I recall that I have told this story before. During Sakyamuni Buddha’s spiritual practice, in one lifetime, he formed great aspirations and made great vows to walk the Bodhisattva-path. As he walked the Bodhisattva-path, he had true Dharma in His heart, so he achieved a high level of spiritual practice. He helped others without regard for himself. A heavenly being saw this and became very frightened. He thought, “I am a king of heaven. But there is such a good person in the world, if all the good deeds he does lead him to be reborn in the heaven realm, wouldn’t he seize my throne?” So, he asked another heavenly being to help him. He told the other heavenly being, “Tell this spiritual practitioner that by practicing giving as part of his spiritual practice, he is not accumulating merits. On the contrary, he will fall into hell”.
When the practitioner heard this, he asked, “If practicing giving will cause me to fall into hell, may I ask you, what will happen to those suffering beings in hell that have received my help?” He said, “After they receive your help, they can be born into the human realm and receive blessed retributions.” This spiritual practitioners said, “If that is the case, I am very willing. If my giving can help free them from hell so they can be born into the human realm to receive blessed retributions, and I alone fall into hell, what is wrong with that? I am willing to do this.”
Then, the heavenly king appeared at that moment and asked, “If you are willing [to go to hell,] what is the goal of your spiritual practice?”He said, “I do not have a goal. If I must state my purpose, “I can only say I am following the Bodhi-path.”
Past Buddhas gave teachings in this world and I accepted them, so I walk the Bodhisattva-path. This is my vow, lifetime after lifetime. I do not have any goals other than to return to my pure intrinsic nature, so I can complete the Bodhi-Path.
The heavenly king felt grateful, “So, you are not trying to seize my throne but are engaging in spiritual practice so you can return to your intrinsic nature and attain the great Bodhi-path.Since that is all you want, I vow to be your Dharma-protector.”
This spiritual practitioner was [a past life of] Sakyamuni Buddha. So, those who do not understand, such as the heavenly king who doubted his spiritual practice, will give rise to slander and hinder [people’s] path of spiritual practice. This was story from the Jataka Sutra about the Buddha’s lifetimes. If we ordinary people commit slander, that will be a very serious wrongdoing.
I often say that those who slander the Buddha-Dharma will fall into hell because denying the law of karma create tremendous karma. The Buddha did not want people to lack faith and thus give rise to doubt and a slanderous mind. So He said, “Speaking is not beneficial.” For people who had not yet developed deep faith, [more teachings] are not beneficial.Not only are they not beneficial, they are harmful. Speaking at this time world not benefit everyone and was actually harmful to some. So, “not speaking is not harmful.” [Not speaking] was the Buddha’s way to exercise compassion and inspire wisdom. So, He stopped temporarily. At this time, He said, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.”
He pointed out those who still had doubts, the worlds’ heavenly beings and humans. Since they still had doubts, the Buddha said, for now, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.” This showed the Buddha’s wisdom. A small group of people were still not ready to receive this great Dharma.This happened “at that time.” So, some people still could not accept [teachings].
So everyone, we must put our hearts into listening to and penetrating the Dharma. We must know that. We must learn all the laws of nature. We must clearly understand the many incredible things in the world.
Look at these fruit trees, Imagine how a small seed, after decades and centuries, can still bear so many fruits. See, this is a constant and unchanging principle of all things in the universe. So, we must have faith and always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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