Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Delusion Hides Suchness like Ore Conceals Gold (惑蔽真如如礦藏金)
Date: May. 01. 2014
When we hear birds singing outside, we know that today’s weather must be very tranquil and clear, different from yesterday and the day before. Though the weather may change, as long as the world remains at peace and the four elements are in harmony, then every day, at this same time, our minds will be at peace. If the four elements are not in harmony when the seasons change, we will feel oppressed by the environment around us. So in this world, this is one source of suffering. The Buddha tells us that life is impermanent and ever-changing. This is one appearance of suffering in the world, that afflictions arise as conditions change.
“Sentient beings, since Beginningless Time, have had two kinds of obstructions, afflictions and ignorance. Delusion covers all-encompassing wisdom the way ore conceals gold.”
This is saying that sentient beings, since Beginningless Time, have been in the state of samsara. We have been immersed in affliction and ignorance, which build upon one another. Afflictions are what arises in our minds when we give into temptations in our external conditions. “An ignorant thought creates the Three Subtleties.” This is how the source becomes polluted and afflictions such as greed, anger and delusion begin to multiply and proliferate until our desires are countless and boundless. This is what happens in our minds.
Once our minds have been tempted and [defiled by] external conditions, we remain continuously ignorant. Being ignorant when we encounter some external condition, we will connect with it and take it into our minds to create even more ignorance. Then we outwardly manifest that ignorance and go on to create a lot of karma, a lot of defiled karma. So, afflictions and ignorance are the two types of obstacles we create. With ignorance and afflictions, we obstruct our own minds and allow external conditions to entice us. These two things are both considered obstructions, keeping us from reaching our spiritual goals and from accepting the Buddha-Dharma. Originally, [everything] was very clear; the Buddha-Dharma is all around us and in our minds. When the Dharma is in our minds, as we look at our surroundings, everything is real and exquisite Dharma, everything is a subtle and wondrous teachings. All things in the world, all objects, are extremely subtle and detailed teachings.
As I often say, when the Buddha is in our minds, everyone we see is a Buddha.But when our minds have been defiled and obstructed, when we look at the things around us, everything will trouble us, everything will afflict us and cause us to give rise to ignorance.
So, afflictions and ignorance are always obstructing our wisdom.Our minds and our wisdom are constantly being obstructed.[They have] obstructed our Buddha-mind and our pure wisdom.So, “delusion covers all-encompassing wisdom”.“Delusion” is ignorance; ignorance is delusion.External conditions delude our minds and awaken our ignorance; we call this delusion.Delusion is the subtlest form of ignorance; it is extremely fine and subtle, so we cannot recognize it nor understand it.Such [is the nature of] delusions, which cover all-encompassing wisdom.
All of us originally have the same wisdom as the Buddha but [our minds] have been obscured just as ore conceals gold.In the past, people panned for gold in Jiufen; in the rocks and sand from an old ore vein there was still some gold.Someone had opened a gold mine and dug into the mountains and rocks.Then, from piles of sand, they slowly sifted out the gold.Thus, something of great value was hidden in such rugged mountains and in piles of rock and sand.
Such a valuable material [was extracted] from within these very [ordinary] things.
But we unenlightened beings are like the piles of sand, like the ore.We know ore contains gold, but we do not realize that we ourselves have a subtle and wondrous, pure and undefiled, intrinsic nature that has also been enclosed by such coarse things.
This is what the Buddha wants us to understand.
So in the sutra, the Buddha says, “Sariputra when all Buddhas of the future come into the world, they shall also [teach] with.”
Once again, the Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, called out to Sariputra, “Sariputra, not only did past Buddhas [do this].”“The present Buddha and the many Buddhas of the future will continue to pass on [the Dharma] and teach sentient beings.The meaning behind His words tells us that sentient beings are indeed very stubborn.Only after 40 years did the Buddha begin to point directly into their hearts to show them their nature.
He hoped that everyone who saw Him and listened to the Dharma could understand the teachings.
But was this enough to awaken the disciples at His side?The Buddha was very [realistic].He said that between previous Buddhas and now He Himself, Sakyamuni Buddha, the teaching was still not enough.So, this will need to continue.In the future, Buddhas will continue to manifest
In this era, in His lifetime, He wanted to take the most essential Dharma, which pointed directly to people’s minds, and open and reveal [it] to sentient beings, hoping sentient beings could realize and enter it. However, things are not so easy. Yet by giving these teachings then, He was preparing people to be mindful and to transmit this Dharma-lineage, so people in the future can [attain enlightenment]. Future Buddhas can, through these teachings, continue to utilize these skillful means to teach future sentient beings. Present sentient beings and disciples have the responsibility of sustaining this Dharma on into the future. So, “when all Buddhas of the future come into the world, means this Dharma must continue to be passed on and taught so that it can allow all future Buddhas to appear in the world and attain Buddhahood.
This is our Dharma-lineage. If we do not pass on the Buddha-Dharma, people will not know that every single one of us has the potential to attain Buddhahood and that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. The Dharma must be continuously transmitted and passed down.
So at this time, we must be exceptionally mindful. The Buddha-nature is intrinsic to all of us. But the two obstructions, ignorance and of afflictions, have covered our minds. Thus many things around us will elicit our afflictions and ignorance, leading us to create karma. It was this way in the past, it will be the same in the future. So, past , present and future Buddhas must continuously transmit these teachings to treat the minds of sentient beings. Otherwise, the ignorance in our minds will draw in external conditions, and our minds will in turn be tempted by them; this creates mutual entanglements. So, we must be mindful of our current external conditions and the tiniest, subtlest thoughts in our minds. The thoughts in our minds are very tiny and subtle and they arise at all times.
The future is one of the Three Periods. The Three Periods [of time] are the past, present and future. When we hear about “the Three Periods,” they seem to refer to long periods of time, as if only future lifetimes are considered the future.
The future is one of the Three Periods. The present, this instant, is the center. After this instant, we enter the next, which is the future. At any given time, there are the Three Periods. After this lifetime, we enter the next, which is the future.
Actually, often when I talk about the past, present and future, I am talking about how they endlessly happen, one instant after another. This instant is the present. The next is the future. So, this present instant is the center. Is this instant something we can hold on to? The “present”. How many times have I said “present”? How many “present” moments have already passed? The “present” is continuously passing. The previous instant is the past. The current instant is the present. The next instant is the future. Indeed, these “periods” pass by very quickly. So, our minds must be focused on each instant.We must pay attention to our minds. So, “the present, this instant, is the center. The next instant is the future.” What comes after the past is called the future. Just while I am sitting here, who knows how many past, present and future moments [have gone by].
Everyday moment of every day we are going through the past, present and future. Futures are often determined in one instant. As I always say, “Seize the present, sustain the moment forever.” In an instant, our minds can make a vow. Then we [need to] sustain it. Second by second, in every instant, we must sustain that mindset. If we take good care of our minds, [this inspiration] will be part of our ever-lasting, unceasing nature, the ever-lasting, unceasing Buddha-Dharma, which remains in the world.
This depends on all of our minds.
So, we need to clearly understand that “At any given time there are the Three Periods.” Indeed, they all exist in each present moment. So, “after this lifetime we enter the next, which is the future.” After this lifetime we enter the next.
If we speak of a longer period of time, the lifetime after this current one is a future lifetime. Regarding our minds, we must immerse ourselves in the Dharma and make sure to seize every instant. In terms of longer periods of time, we must seize this lifetime [to practice]. It is rare to be human and to hear the Dharma. In this lifetime, we have been born human and have been able to listen to the Dharma, so we must take advantage of this lifetime.
“If we do not transform ourselves in this life, when will we do so?” If we do not make good use of this life, when will we ever start?” is we are not mindful of our every thought now, when will we be? When this moment passes, it is gone. It will never come back. If we lose our focus in this moment, if we do not take the Dharma to heart in this moment, the opportunity will be gone forever. So, we must always be mindful of each moment.
Everyone, the Buddha came to this world and used many methods solely to open and reveal [for us to] realize and enter. All He hoped for was that our minds could penetrate [the Dharma]. When we are immersed in the Dharma, all the things we see are replete with subtle and wondrous teachings.
Everything from the sky, to the land, to everything on the land and below the sky, is all replete with the Dharma. Everything from dawn to dusk, to the cycle of seasons, to wind and rain and so on, is replete the teachings of the law of karma. The Dharma is very subtly and wondrously embedded within them.
But, [recognizing] that all things in the world contain such wondrously profound, subtle Dharma depends on our minds. Take gold and ore for example; gold is embedded within the ore. We all intrinsically have it, but need to figure out how to exercise this pure and undefiled intrinsic nature. Then when we look at the things in the world, everything is wondrous Dharma. Therefore, we need to always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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