Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Faith Gives Rise to Practice (起信起行)
Date: June. 03. 2014
I often think of how a human’s four limbs and five senses work in a very simple way, yet the mind is always very complicated. Some people are straightforward; their minds are calm and still. Some people’s minds waver frequently; their thoughts surge like waves in the sea. Things are clearly so simple; how can people have such complicated thoughts? We are all human, but some of us have complicated [thoughts], and some people have simple [thoughts]. So, the Buddha said that sentient beings with limited capabilities are lost and confused. Our minds have been covered and obscured. Our originally pure and bright Buddha-nature has been covered by delusion.
Take our eyes for example. We can naturally see very clearly, but if we tie a piece of cloth around our eyes with a rope, we cannot see the world around us. If we cannot see our surroundings, walking will be very dangerous. Thus, [those with] limited capabilities are lost and confused. Their minds are covered y ignorance and delusions.
Those with limited capabilities are lost ad confused. The obstruction of delusions of ignorance is their mind’s hidden flaw. They proclaim their own virtues without reflecting on themselves. Thus, they lack remorse and shame.
“The obstruction of delusions of ignorance is their mind’s hidden flaw.” We all have faults, which are our habitual tendencies. These habitual tendencies are influenced by our delusions of ignorance, which obstruct our nature of True Suchness. It is precisely this slight obstruction of delusion, this flaw in our minds, that prevents us from seeing clearly. We often “proclaim [our] own virtues without reflecting on ourselves.”
We all want to tell other people about our strong points and demonstrate that we are talented. We all have this fault. If we do something wrong, we cover it up to prevent people from knowing about it. Clearly, we have done something wrong, but we are unwilling to admit it. We make illogical arguments to prove that we did not do anything wrong. “I am very capable, and I want everyone to know that.” Meanwhile, we are always trying to cover up our shortcomings. This is our problem of “[not] reflecting on ourselves.” As ordinary people, who among us has never committed wrongs? Who has never deviated in their thinking? We have all held erroneous views; we have all committed wrongs. Wrongdoings are commonplace; the only difference is whether they were major or minor wrongs, large or small deviations.
But all of us have this problem of “proclaiming our own virtues without reflecting on ourselves.” Those with more severe [faults] are people who lack remorse and shame. If we are without remorse, then we will never be able to change. [Those with] limited capabilities [think], “I am fine the way I am. I already know a lot. This is just how I am.” They are unwilling to advance [in their practice]. These sentient beings with limited capabilities are lost and confused. They are still obstructed by ignorance; their minds are still closed. We are all the same, all obstructed by the delusions of ignorance. We always obstruct ourselves. Yesterday, I said that we are obstructing ourselves. Who is obstructing us? It is ourselves; we are obstructing ourselves. We may know someone who is very talented, but sadly the person has a very [bad] temperament and is very stubborn and attached.Though they are talented, this is a pity.It is a pity that in their minds, they still have mental ailments and have not changed their habitual tendencies.
Though they are talented and others admire them, their habitual tendencies keep others away.No one dares to bare their hearts and speak truthfully to them.
If we have great talent and are very arrogant and pound, we may often marginalize others and say only we are correct. Because of the flaw in our hearts, no one will be willing to trust or work with us.This is also a problem.
To “proclaim our own virtues without reflecting on ourselves” is very problematic.
It is one thing to be talented, but if we focus too much on that, we will always think less of others.If we are unwilling to reflect on ourselves, then we will never be successful.
When we have a talent, we want to everyone to know about it.But though everyone may know about our talents, we still have a shortcoming, which is our lack of virtue.
Because we have not reflected on ourselves, we do not detect [this shortcoming].
Indeed, we [promote ourselves] shamelessly.I hope that we spiritual practitioners will be even more diligent in our practice, simplify our thoughts and move forward.Since we know what the Buddha-Dharma is, we must quickly simplify things.A simplified mind is like a crystal, truly clear a free of flaws.We must not retain defilements in our minds.
Our minds must be pure so that we do not obstruct ourselves and others.We must earnestly, constantly reflect on ourselves so that we do not harm ourselves.Harming ourselves will also not benefit others.We must always be remorseful and repentant.
Being remorseful, we will correct our faults.Being repentant, we can work well with others.
If we are not remorseful or repentant, we will forever be lonely and find it hard to interact with other people.So, the previous sutra passage stated, “[They] are not disciples of the Buddha, nor are they Arhats, nor are they Pratyekabuddhas”.The Buddha then reasserted in particular that, as for bhiksus, “those bhiksus and bhiksunis who claim to have attained Arhatship, to be dwelling in their final bodies before achieving intimate Nirvana…”.
They believed that they were “dwelling in their final bodies” and had understood the Buddha-Dharma clearly.They thought once they left that body, they would enter Great Nirvana.Great Nirvana meant that they would not go through cyclic existence again, that their current body was their final one.Indeed, when our current bodies grow old, we will pass away, and that is the end of this life.
Are we actually confident that we will not return to cyclic existence in the Six Realms?
If so, we are claiming to have attained and realized what we have not.We may believe we are “in our final bodies”.We may believe we have reached ultimate Nirvana.
[We think] we understand everything clearly and that our minds are at peace, but is that so?
Earlier, I mentioned that many afflictions and problems are still hidden in and obscuring our minds.If we have not reflected on ourselves, nor earnestly contemplated our nature, if we have not even done this, we cannot say we have attained Arhatship or have become Pratyekabuddhas.We have not yet attained that purity.So, “they do not resolve to further seek.”
If we are so arrogant as to think we have attained it all, we will not want to move ahead and will stop at the conjured city because we think we have found the treasure.
The Lotus Sutra addresses this later.They do not resolve to further seek.Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.You should know that they are the ones with overbearing arrogance.
“They do not resolve to further seek Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”Only now are we starting to walk on the path to supreme, perfect and universal enlightenment, because only now has the Buddha begun to “set aside the provisional for the true teachings”.
He announced that the Small Vehicle, the provisional teachings, were skillful means, and He was only now abut to teach the true Path.This tells us that we must now work hard to eliminate the obstructions that have been covering our minds.
As for the problems hidden in our minds, we must always reflect on ourselves to promptly be aware of them. We must not think that we have attained and understood everything. We must not think this way. We are just beginning [our practice]. We must not [be the ones who] “do not resolve to further seek”. We now must “resolve to seek. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi”. The Buddha said that those who “do not resolve to further seek” are unwilling to advance further and want to stop at their current location, which is only a conjured city. The Buddha has begun to reveal that we are in a conjured city and must keep walking to reach the true treasure.
So, we ourselves must earnestly reflect on ourselves. Do we want to simply stop here and no longer advance diligently? Supreme, perfect and universal enlightenment is Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. I have discussed this before.
The Buddha said that those who think they are in their final bodies and have reached ultimate Nirvana, are people with “overbearing arrogance”. “Why is this?”
The next passage in the sutra states, “Why is this?If a bhiksus has actually attained Arhatship but does not believe in this Dharma, he has not attained that state”.
If we say, “I have already attained [Arhatship], we believe we have really attained it. “If a bhiksus” refers to bhiksus who have truly attained Arhatship. But some of them did not believe in “this Dharma,” the true One Vehicle Dharma that was about to be taught. The Buddha had already spent a long time praising all Buddhas’ knowledge and views and the One Vehicle Dharma. If a person is unwilling to believe it, “he has not attained that state”. He is not a real Arhat. A real Arhat would certainly have faith, would believe in provisional teachings of the past and true teachings of the future.
As this is now beings taught, people must believe in this True Dharma. If they refuse to believe they are conceited and overbearingly arrogant, stopping at the stage they are in. thus, they are not disciples of the Buddha.
If a bhiksus had actually attained Arhatship: Regarding the Buddha Vehicle, whether they have turned from the Small [Vehicle] to the Great, or have not yet begun to do so, they must strongly believe in the meaning of the Great Vehicle.
“If a bhiksus had actually attained Arhatship…” These lines of the sutra have to do with teaching the Buddha Vehicle. Now [these practitioners] had to turn from the Small [Vehicle] to the Great. Originally, they practiced the Small Vehicle, seeking only to awaken themselves. After the Buddha gave the Great Vehicle teachings, they believed in it, so they turned around to head toward the Great Vehicle. [They may have] “turned from the Small [Vehicle] to the Great. [Some] had not yet begun to do so”. Some knew of the Great Vehicle Dharma but had not yet begun to practice, had not yet put the teachings into practice. But now “they must strongly believe in the meaning of the Great Vehicle”. They had to believe it. They must go beyond, “I know, I understand” and carefully consider it, they must seriously contemplate it. The must realize that before stepping out and taking action, their direction must be correct. So, their faith must be deep and correct, and they must put themselves on the right course to put the teachings into practice.
“[If he] does not believe in this Dharma, he has not attained that state: This means he did not truly attain the fruits of the Two Vehicles and is a person with overbearing arrogance”.
If people do not believe in this Dharma, they have not truly attained the fruits of the Two Vehicles, Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas. Arhats, those who have truly attained the fruit of Arhatship, have already purified themselves and eliminated all afflictions. After they eliminated afflictions and focused on their own awakening, their minds were very pure, so surely they would believe the Buddha’s teachings. But if they gave rise to self-arrogance or overbearing arrogance, which are afflictions, would such Arhats have pure minds? They still have overbearing arrogance, so they do not believe. How could they be true Arhats? True Arhats have eliminated afflictions, have not obstructions. So, how can they have “overbearing arrogance”? The aforementioned ones who “did not believe in this Dharma” are all overbearingly arrogant people.
Next, we discuss Pratyekabuddhas, who have surpassed Arhats. Arhats are Hearers. When the Buddha speaks, they listen believe and practice.This is what Arhats do. But when Pratyekabuddhas observe the world, they can naturally realize the impermanence of all thing and how things go through infinitesimal changes. They can even clearly understand the law of karma. If they had not eliminated afflictions, how could they have such a clear understanding? Since they had eliminated afflictions, how could they be “overbearingly arrogant”?
Therefore, if someone claims to be a real Arhat, but does not believe in this Dharma, whether he says he is and Arhat or Pratyekabuddha he has not attained that state”. He is still “overbearingly arrogant” and has not attained the fruits of the Two Vehicles. The Buddha disavowed people like them, saying, “These are not disciples of the Buddha” They were not His disciples, because they had not really eliminated the ignorance and afflictions in their hearts. Those who claim to be Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, those overbearingly arrogant people, were not taught by Him and were not His disciples. The Buddha has spoken so seriously, how can we not awaken?
So, we must have deep faith in [this Dharma].
Here, it is said that the Buddha gives teachings based on principles and capabilities. Presently, those with overbearing arrogance do not believe in or listen to the Right Dharma. They are lacking karmic conditions, so they cannot be transformed by the Buddha. Yet, the World-Honored One still tirelessly adapts teachings according to conditions.
“The Buddha gives teachings” “based on principles and capabilities. We must have faith in the Buddha’s teachings, for they are “based on principles”. Indeed, they are true！ People, matters and objects all contain principles. The Buddha’s teachings, whether about people or objects, are all based on true principles. When He teaches based on capabilities to people of various and limited capacities, the Buddha gives simple teachings to [illustrate these principles].
Thus, He established skillful means. But teachings based on capabilities do not deviate from principles; they are based on principles and capabilities. Those with “overbearing arrogance” do not hear and have faith in the Right Dharma. The Buddha cannot transform those who lack karmic conditions, those who have weak karmic connections with Him. They clearly encountered the Buddha-Dharma, heard the Buddha-Dharma themselves, but their conditions were insufficient, so they held on to their attachments. Sentient beings are stubborn, and they obstruct them selves. People who do not believe in or do not hear Right Dharma and are lacking karmic conditions cannot be taught or transformed by the Buddha.
But the World-Honored One is patient and earnest. He does not abandon any sentient beings. Anyone can make mistakes, so He is forgiving of everyone. He still tries to guide and transform them. He awaits the opportune time to come and transform people; he has to teach in accord with the changing causes and conditions. Sometimes I think about how hard the Buddha had to work. Though He was enlightened, He was still concerned because sentient beings still had afflictions. Afflictions com from ignorance, but concern [is different]. So, when beings are ignorant and afflicted, the Buddha is concerned about them. So, He constantly comes to the world to according to the time and to their problems. The Buddha frequently comes and works hard. Thus we, His disciples, must vow to seek supreme, perfect, universal enlightenment and not stop at our current stage. Nor can we be conceited or arrogant. We cannot lack faith; we must believe. Without faith in the Great Vehicle Dharma, we will not believe that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature and will not believe that walking the Bodhisattva-path to transform sentient beings is the way to attain Buddhahood. If we do not believe [in this Dharma,] we have not thoroughly understood theses principles. So, we must always be mindful to completely comprehend these principles. Everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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