Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Teaching the Nine Divisions Accordingly (九部法隨順說)
Date: July. 08. 2014
The law of karma works in marvelous ways; everything depends on causes and conditions. Every day we observe the world. With different karmic conditions come different ways of living. If we can help those who suffer from these complicated ways of living to return to a simple and pure way of living, we can live harmoniously with the law of nature. Indeed, the Buddha comes to this world for the purpose of teaching us all how to maintain a peaceful mind.
All beings in the world are like one big family. We are a big family of brothers and sisters. If our minds are in unity and harmony, if we show mutual love and work in concerted effort, this family will be so happy and beautiful. Starting on such a small scale, these principles can then gradually expand and develop. The unity and harmony of an individual’s mindset and within a single family can influence society and the rest of the world. Simply by applying this same method, the world can be at peace. This is what I often think. Many complicated issues actually began as something simple. But returning to that simple state is actually not very easy. That depends on timing and conditions.
When timing and conditions were both suitable, He gave the Nine Divisions of Teachings. These wondrous provisional teachings lead to the One Vehicle, the great, direct Bodhi-path.
The Buddha also taught sentient beings when “the timing and conditions were both suitable”. He observed the timing and the capabilities of sentient beings to see whether they were at the same level, whether they achieved the same understanding, whether the concepts were widely comprehended. When the Buddha was about to teach the great Dharma at Vulture Peak, were all the factors in place? It was very likely. After the 5000 people left, the ones who stayed had readied their minds to receive the Buddha’s great teachings. So in this moment, “the timing and conditions were both suitable.” When the timing and conditions converged, He “gave the Nine Divisions of Teachings.”
The Nine Divisions of Teachings: Perhaps He may speak of sutras, gathas, previous lives of disciples, previous lives of Buddhas, and things that have never been. He may speak of causes and conditions, and analogies along with geyas, and the upadesa texts.
Actually, the Nine Divisions of Teachings [were taught] before the Buddha started expounding the One Vehicle Dharma. Before sentient beings capabilities were equal, the Buddha taught using the Nine Divisions of Teachings. These nine divisions were briefly explained earlier. Actually, the Tripitaka has twelve divisions. But the Buddha perceived that the capabilities of sentient beings were incomplete, so He used the Nine Divisions of Teachings to expound the Dharma to sentient beings. The remaining three divisions were only then about to be revealed.
The remaining three divisions were Apavaipulya (broad and expansive teachings）, Vyakarana (predictions of Buddhahood) and Udana (voluntarily taught without being asked）.
Aside from these three divisions, the others were the Nine Divisions of Teachings. Those nine divisions were wondrous provisional teachings,he guided people to the Great Vehicle.So, “these wondrous provisional teachings lead to the One Vehicle”.
The fruit of His previous teachings was that people were led to the One Vehicle Dharma, which was in His heart.No one asked for this Dharma, but He had been safeguarding it in His heart and now He was going to share it without being asked.This was unprecedented.Within every one is a broad road, which is the great, direct Bodhi-path.
We must return to this simple, broad and direct road.
Though we say it is “simple,” it is actually very wondrous and profound and cannot be overlooked.Do you still remember the storms that swept through Myanmar in 2008?
According to reports devastating winds and floods inflicted huge losses; the casualties exceeded 100,000 people.Many big countries donated an abundant amount of relief goods for emergency relief in Myanmar.Though Myanmar wanted to accept assistance, they also questioned those countries; motivations with regards to international politics.
This incident reflects the complicated nature of international relationships.
So, the Mayanmar government preferred to let the disaster victims work hard themselves to get back on their feet.This way they would maintain their national pride.
During that period of time, we also went into Myanmar.There were a lot of unknowns, so we could only directly help a limited number of people.This all depended on whether our karmic conditions gave us the opportunity.
But with a very simple, sincere, reverent and proper mindset, we worked for the sake of the poor and the disaster victims.We had no other motives or any other objectives.Our sole objective was to provide emergency assistance.It was that simple.So, we worked slowly and were very discreet in the way we made contact with and helped the people.
By working in this way, [the government] saw that we had no other motives or goals and did not ask for anything in return, nothing at all.
Hence, the Prime Minister of Myanmar wrote an official letter to invite Tzu Chi to enter his country to assess the needs of his people and help them.That happened in May 2008.Now we can travel freely in and out of Myanmar.We were there to work on giving the country hope for the future through construction of schools.We call it the Hope Project.We built three schools under very difficult conditions.
But the construction was completed in accordance with regulation sand building codes so we did not need to worry about it.These schools were truly well-constructed.
Therefore, their Minster of Education made a special trip to Taiwan to express his gratitude to Tzu Chi.[He also] sincerely expressed that Myanmar really needs the humanistic culture of Tzu Chi to be integrated into their society.So, he hoped to allocate a piece of land for Tzu Chi to establish itself as an official organization there.
When he saw our Da Ai TV Station, he felt widespread education of the people is also a necessity.So, our causes and conditions at this time were suitable.If something can be achieved, we must not give up.We must seize the present and sustain our resolve.
Back then, we seized the moment to build these big schools in Myanmar, both elementary and middle schools.They are in places with a dense population and many students.If we did not build these schools in time, they would have little hope for education.
Where did the hope come from?From seizing the opportunity in that moment. To date, tens of thousands of students have the hope [that comes with education]. This happened because we seized the moment. With its [sound] construction, if everything in the world can exist harmoniously, a school like this can last hundreds, thousands of years without problem. So, we call this “seizing the moment and sustaining it forever”. This moment can last forever.
But being able to sustain karmic conditions is a different matter. If a society can be more peaceful and people can work together more harmoniously, things will be even better. But this also depends on karmic conditions. So, when the Buddha gave teachings, He also observed the timing and karmic conditions. From the beginning, I have been telling everyone that the mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are no different [in their nature].
The moment He attained enlightenment, the first thought that surfaced in His mind was, “Amazing! Amazing! All sentient beings have the Tathagata’s wisdom”. This was what the Buddha wanted to share, but upon observing sentient beings’ capabilities, [He realized] things were not that simple. So, He waited He devised the Nine Divisions Teachings to use provisional and skillful means to guide sentient beings. At this moment, the Buddha had already said, “I did not say that because the time to speak had not come”. So, He was not yet able to share this because the timing and conditions were not ripe. The time had not arrived.
“I did not say that, because the time to speak had not come. Now is the right time, so I have decided to teach the Great Vehicle Dharma. The nine divisions of my Dharma are taught according to the capabilities of sentient beings. My aim is to lead them into the Great Vehicle, therefore I expound this sutra”.
“Now is the right time”. This was the moment. The time had arrived. He could wait no longer. Conditions and capabilities were mostly mature, so He “decided to teach the Great Vehicle Dharma”. “The nine divisions of my Dharma”. The Nine Divisions of Teachings are taught “according to capabilities of sentient beings”. Because sentient beings capabilities varied, He had to go along with the karmic conditions and capabilities He observed to teach people the ways to eliminate afflictions from their minds and the ways to understand this path, so they would engage in spiritual cultivation and be inspired to practice to eliminate their worries.
Myriads of sentient beings have boundless afflictions. So, the Buddha had to teach accordingly. He had to establish various suitable teachings to accord with sentient beings over a long time. But then karmic conditions ripened. Because time waits for no one, the Buddha had no choice but to teach so that the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra could be passed down to the present era. Although the Buddha used the Lotus Sutra like Dharma-water to wash away sentient beings’ ignorance and afflictions, this evil and turbid world has become more defiled.
This way why the Buddha had no choice but to expound the wondrous Great Vehicle teachings to treat sentient beings of this turbid world. The Nine Divisions of Teachings taught earlier. Because of their limited capabilities and wisdom people are still filled with many afflictions and worries. So, the Nine Divisions of Teachings are very important in the Buddhist sutra. The Dharma itself is not great or limited. If we have great capabilities, we will hear and instantly realize the teachings; we can understand them. If our capabilities are dull, even if we were actually there when the Buddha was teaching the Lotus Sutra, that would not be very helpful to us.
You see, in the end when the Buddha wanted to hand down the responsibility for the Dharma, none of the disciples were willing to take on the responsibility. “My aim is to lead them into the Great Vehicle”. That was what the Buddha said. But how many people were willing to take responsibility for the Great Vehicle Dharma? As we continue to read the Lotus Sutra, [we can understand] the Buddha’s feelings and why He had to continue teaching. Hoping that everyone could understand these principles, the Buddha expounded this sutra. That was the reason He gave this teaching. As for sutras, the Lotus Sutra states, “The nine divisions of my Dharma are taught”. We read this earlier, “According” refers to “the way Bodhisattvas want to give teachings to sentient beings”.
“According to the capabilities of sentient beings: Bodhisattvas want to give teachings to sentient beings, so first they use suitable skillful means to give them guidelines that enable them to give rise to the joy of faith. Later on, they explained in detail the extremely profound, wondrous Dharma of Tathagatas to enable them to easily understand and enter it and attain great benefits. This is what it means to teach according to the dispositions of sentient beings.”
Before attaining Buddhahood, the Buddha was a Bodhisattva in previous lives. He had also walked the Bodhisattva-path for a very long time. Based on the path He took, “first He used suitable skillful means to give them guidelines” This enabled sentient beings to give rise to the joy of faith. As we begin to teach others, we who have developed Bodhisattva-aspirations must also use these methods of skillful means and teach according to capabilities. Then we must tell them, “This is what you must do immediately. This is what you must not to.” Those are “guidelines”.
We teach them to do what they should do and to avoid what they should not do. Doing the right thing is wise. Doing the wrong thing is ignorant. If something is right, just do it. It is that simple. When everyone believes and has faith, they will do these things happily, and the doing brings them joy. These are suitable [teachings] for sentient beings. At this moment, society needs people who promptly devote themselves to diligently helping others, as well as people who can teach precepts. In Tzu Chi there are ten precepts. We promote the Ten Precepts and the Ten Good Deeds.
First we inspire the joy of faith in others, “later on, [we] explained in detail the extremely profound, wondrous Dharma of Tathagatas” We help people go into society, willingly give whatever is needed to others and do so joyfully.
Recently I have wondered, with what can I repay all of you? The Dharma, We must all have the Buddha in our hearts and the Dharma in our actions.We must accept the Dharma, realize how impermanent life is, and know we are subject to the law of karma. We cannot take anything into or from this life; the only thing that follows us is karma. Therefore, we all need to understand the law of karma. Through conditioned phenomena, we slowly help people comprehend what unconditioned Dharma is.
Truth is not created out of tangible things, it has to be experienced in our hearts. To gradually guide people to extremely the profound and wondrous Dharma, it must be “explained in detail,” bit by bit. This is why, even after teaching a long time, we are only at this [early] part of the sutra. Indeed, because people do not really understand, this must be “explained in detail to enable them to easily understand and enter it”. The Nine Divisions of Teachings must be used to help people more easily understand. This takes causes and conditions, analogies, etc. Short verses are also easier for us to memorize. Thus we can “attain great benefits”.
If we can really take the Dharma to heart, we can truly attain benefits. No matter how much worldly wealth we have, it will all eventually disappear, whatever we obtain, we will eventually lose. Only the Dharma can remain forever in our minds. This is “attaining great benefits”. “This is what it means to teach according to the dispositions of sentient beings”. We must carefully guide them to take the Dharma to heart. Only then can they attain benefits.
In the past, to suit sentient beings, [the Buddha] developed the Nine Divisions of Teachings. When we think of how hard the Buddha worked, we must always be careful. After taking the Dharma to heart, we must not let it leak out. Please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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