Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Turn From the Small Toward the Great (好樂佛法轉小趣大)
Date: March. 14. 2014
“The Buddha’s wisdom is like the sea, deep, vast and boundless. Two Vehicle practitioners cannot fathom it; only Buddha can clearly understand it.”
Everyone, we know that the Buddha’s wisdom is like the sea. The Dharma in the Buddha’s mind is more deeper and more expansive than the sea. Its depth and breath are boundless. The Two Vehicle practitioners are Hearers and Solitary Realizers. How could Small Vehicle practitioners fathom the Buddha’s wisdom? Therefore, “Two Vehicle practitioners cannot fathom it.” They cannot “Only Buddha can clearly understand it.” The Buddha’s wisdom can only be understood by other Buddhas. No one else can comprehend it.
More importantly, the Buddha wanted us to discover our own Tathagata-nature of wisdom. That is why He gave many teachings to suit various capabilities. This mindset had been guarded in His mind for a very long time. [He] concealed it but always hoped that He could reveal this hidden treasure to everyone, so they could see into His mind. He longed for all sentient beings to see it. Everyone at the Lotus Dharma-assembly had already spent a long time listening to the Buddha’s teachings, and how they had watched the Buddha manifest [auspicious] appearances before teaching.
They had also heard the dialogue between Manjusri Bodhisattva and Maitreya Bodhisattva. So, all those at the assembly began to urgently want to understand [this Dharma]. Sariputra requested it on behalf of everyone there but the Buddha said, “Stop, stop, there is no need to speak further.” When everyone enthusiastically desired to listen, believe and understand, the Buddha unexpectedly said that there was no need to continue. If He continued, heavenly beings and humans would give rise to doubts.
So then Sariputra quickly and repeatedly said, “World-Honored One, I only pray that you will speak it; I only pray that you will speak it. For what reason?” There were many who had faith and sought the Buddha’s great One Vehicle teaching. “Hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of asankya sentient beings. They have, in the past, seen all Buddhas; their capabilities are sharp and their wisdom is clear. As they listen to what the Buddha says, they are able to respect and believe it.”
These people, in the past, had practiced with all Buddhas, life after life. “They were courageous and diligent, with wisdom and clear understanding.” They wanted to receive the Buddha’s teaching of the ultimate reality of the One Vehicle. With their level of wisdom, they should be able to accept it. So, “as they listen to what the Buddha says, they are able to respect and believe it.”
With their capabilities, upon listening to the Buddha’s teaching, they could certainly respect and believe it; they could have great respect and great faith in it. those who did not believe were actually few in number. So, when the few saw that the many, those with great capabilities, could accept it, gradually they would come to accept it as well. Slowly, they would be influenced. This showed the Buddha’s intent. “Their wisdom is clear.” Let us clarify what it means that “their wisdom is clear.”
Their wisdom is clear: This means that when people listen to the Buddha’s teachings, they fully understand the meaning and develop their inherent sharp capabilities and wisdom. They demonstrate faith, accept responsibilities, and their clear illumination is unhindered.
This means that when we hear the Buddha’s teachings, we must “fully understand the meaning and develop our inherent sharp capabilities and wisdom.” In fact, we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. I often talk about the mirror in our minds, our intrinsic great perfect mirror wisdom. Every one of us has this mirror in our minds, which is very perfect and clear. If we can wipe this mirror until it is very clean, your mirror and my mirror will be as clean as the Buddha’s mirror. Then it can thoroughly reflect this natural state. Through the sutra and the Buddha’s teachings, we have been continuously seeking this “The sutra is the Path; the Path is to be walked.” We must recognize this path, believe it and also respect it.
If we listen to the Buddha’s teachings, with respect and faith, naturally we can realize ten things from one teaching, achieve countless realizations from one teaching. By grasping one truth, we may understand all truths. This is how people “develop their inherent sharp capabilities and wisdom.”We must be mindful.
One principle already contains boundless wisdom. So, we must “demonstrate faith and accept responsibilities.” Now we have wisdom and clear understanding, which means we already have faith. Not only do we have faith in [the teachings], we can also accept them. By accepting them, we can shoulder responsibilities. We will all aspire to take on the family enterprise of the Buddha, the responsibility of teaching sentient beings.
Thus, “their clear illumination is unhindered.” They could understand many teachings. They could be like the clear mirror that captures all phenomena with itself. So, they could all shoulder these responsibilities. This is because “their wisdom is clear.” Once they understood, they could shoulder responsibilities. This comes from wisdom and clear understanding.
At the end of the Lotus Sutra the Buddha expressed His hopes. He hoped that His disciples could carry on the Bodhisattva-path. But at the beginning of the Lotus Sutra it was the Buddha’s intention to eliminate the shock and doubt in people’s minds, so they could develop the Power of Faith from great capabilities, prepare to accept the Bodhisattva-path and take on the great responsibility of teaching sentient beings.
As He began to give the [Lotus] teachings, the Buddha made these preparations. So at the end, He expressed His hope of passing on [His mission]. This is the essence of [the Lotus Sutra]. The following passage is another repetition.
That moment was reference with “at that time. Sariputra, wishing to restate this meaning spoke the following verses. ”
It was not enough to just say “I only pray that you will speak it, I only pray that you will speak it”. That was not enough. Now he was going to repeat it in verse form. Clearly, this passage is very important. Those who compiled the sutras repeated the important teachings. After writing it in prose form, they repeated it in verse form. “[He] spoke the following verse”. Sariputra said, “Dharma-king, Supremely Honored One”. This phrase is very elegant. Though it is short, its meaning is deep. Here, “Dharma-king, Supremely Honored One:” was how Sariputra addressed the Buddha with his utmost respect.
The World-Honored One, “Dharma-king, Supremely Honored One, I pray You speak without worries. For, within this limitless assembly are those who can have respect and faith”.
This is the explanation of the previous passage. Now let us discuss, “Dharma-king, Supremely Honored One”,
“Dharma-king, Supremely Honored One: The Buddha is the king of all Dharma because He attained great freedom through it. Therefore, the Buddha is the Dharma-king”.
The Dharma-king is the Tathagata; The Buddha is the king of all Dharma, of all things in the universe and all phenomena. Only one with Tathagata-wisdom can realize the truths of the universe. So, all things in the world contain teachings. Human beings have a certain way of living. In just discussing the way humans live, the Buddha already had to give many teachings, not to mention that aside from the human realm, there are the heaven, asura, hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. Sentient beings of the Six Realms, each have their own Dharma. If we have great wisdom, even as humans, there are more than enough methods of spiritual practice for us to follow. But, how can we get close to the Buddha’s state of mind? We have already spent countless lifetimes on this path. We do not know how long we have been walking. And unfortunately, this road branches off in six different directions. If we are not careful and enter the heaven realms, we may say, “Isn’t heaven really great?” It is very good but once we deplete our blessings, we will still fall. Once we fall, making it back will take a long time.
So, this world where the Five Realms coexists, as I have mentioned, is a very complicated place. Even though we can create many blessings and enjoy them, once we deplete them, our mixed-up karma [will manifest]. Whatever kind of karma is stronger, we will face that retribution. So, this has been an arduous journey. Have we walked with great precision on this broad, straight Bodhi-path?
The Dharma-king, “the Tathagata, has attained great freedom through all Dharma”. He has attained great freedom through all Dharma. We ordinary people are not free. In this minute, we worry about what will happen in the next minute. Today, we worry about tomorrow. Endless and bottomless afflictions continuously arise. Our discursive thoughts are never-ending and our old afflictions continuously accumulate. One top of that we worry about the future at all times. This is why we cannot feel free.
But the Buddha “has attained great freedom through all Dharma.” “Therefore, the Buddha is called Dharma-kind.” This is why He has the title of Dharma-king. He is also called the “Supremely Honored One.”
The Buddha is the Dharma-king and the Supremely Honored One. Usually, we simple say “Word-Honored One,” meaning the most respected in the world, but He is respected throughout the universe, by all in the Six Unenlightened Realms and Four Noble Realms.
Thus He is called “Supremely Honored One.” [Sariputra said,] “I pray You speak without worries.” They hoped the Buddha could speak. They sincerely and wholeheartedly prayed that the Buddha could give these teachings without worrying so much. This was the heartfelt wish of Sariputra and of all beings in the assembly.
I pray You speak without worries. Sariputra said that the assemble had sharp capabilities and wisdom, which meant that after listening to the Dharma, they could faithfully accept it.
The capabilities and wisdom of sentient beings in the assembly had matured. This signified that they could accept this Dharma. Then after hearing the Dharma, they could believe and receive it, especially those who had attained Small Vehicle fruits.
Those who have attained the Small Vehicle fruits regret that they did not begin their practice with the Great Vehicle Dharma. So today, they turn from the small toward the great.
We have previously mentioned that attaining Small Vehicle fruits is “attaching to the small and obstructing the great. The attachment to Small Vehicle teachings can obstruct principles of the Great Vehicle. But those [in the assembly] started to “regret that they did not begin their practice with the Great Vehicle Dharma.
Now, they all knew that previously they were attached to the Small Vehicle and did not directly accept the Great Vehicle Dharma, so they felt some regret. However, many now began to “turn from the small toward the great.” They began to turn themselves from the Small Vehicle to the Great Vehicle.
From this passage, we see how they hoped to learn what Sakyamuni Buddha wholeheartedly wanted to teach them. But when they really wanted to know, the Buddha said, “Stop, stop.” Then their desire for the Dharma became more sincere. So, they made the request, again and again. They asked the Buddha to give the teaching.
Did the Buddha start to teach right away? I think He still paused for a bit because He still wanted a few people to completely eliminate their doubts and worries. Once they sweep away their doubts and worries, they can then faithfully accept it. If they do not have the slightest doubts, they will not feel disbelief or commit slander. This demonstrates His compassion. The Buddha was very thoughtful.
Fellow Bodhisattvas, we learn the Buddha’s Way to develop the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion. So, the Buddha’s wisdom is like the sea, vast and boundless. It is not what we ordinary people can comprehend, but we must have faith in His compassion and wisdom. He exercises compassion and wisdom in the world, so we must mindfully accept [the Dharma.] therefore everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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