Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Realizing Our Own Nature (自性自證悟)
Date: July. 23. 2014
Time is everlasting; the river of time is long and endless. However, we can stop breathing at any time, so we stay alive, second by second. If we stop breathing, then in that second, our life also stops.
But we have a life apart from the physiological life of this body. When we stop breathing, our physical bodies will decay. But our true life will continue on without stopping, into future lifetimes. Our spirits are led by our past karma. [After we die,] we take nothing with us except our mind-consciousness. Where do we take it? Into our next lifetime. We cannot control where we go because we are led by our karma.
So, where will our karma take us? We have no idea. Basically, according to what karma we created, our spirits will helplessly go [wherever it leads us]. So, we feel that life is difficult. As humans we think, “I know everything, so I will take issue with you over everything.” Once the door to desires opens, there is nothing in the world that we do not want to greedily claim as our own. When we can no longer take our next breath, we cannot take any of it with us. We also have no control over where it will go. Once we consider this, we must remind ourselves to be vigilant.
Early in His practice, the Buddha attained initial realizations, then protected that Dharma. The everlasting Dharma is deeply hidden in our nature. All Buddhas kindly guide us to wondrous True Suchness so infinite Dharma-doors readily appear.
For the sake of sentient beings, the Buddha began to engage in spiritual practice to understand the truth of cyclic existence and to explore the mysterious workings of life. Thus, He engaged in spiritual practice. “Early in His practice, the Buddha attained initial realizations.” He began to understand these principles. So, “Early in His practice, the Buddha attained initial realizations, then protected that Dharma.” The wondrous Dharma He attained in the moment. He reached enlightenment was what He always wanted to share with us. However, these teachings from His heart, this True Dharma, could not be immediately taught to sentient beings, because their [limited] capabilities were insufficient. They were not able to accept it.
So, the Buddha had to safeguard “that Dharma,” which is this Dharma [He was about to expound]. “The everlasting Dharma is deeply hidden in our nature.” These phrases tell us that we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. This nature is deeply hidden. Where is it hidden? Under layers and layers of delusion.
So, our intrinsic nature is Buddha-nature, but our understanding and the afflictions in our minds create these distinct labels. So, these are “temporary labels;” we make these distinctions out of ignorance. When we are covered by heavy layers of delusion, we cannot see clearly; our spirits [are lost]. When we leave our bodies behind, we still hold grudges and resentment. We are unable to realize our own faults.
Take Dharma Master Wu-da for example. Ten lifetimes ago, Yuan Ang beheaded Chao Cuo and Chao Cuo’s spirit stayed around for ten lifetimes because he could not awaken until Venerable Kanaka [helped him]. It was not the [Samadhi-] water. Master Wu-Da used to wash his leg [that helped]. The most important thing was Venerable Kanaka helping [Chao Cuo] to resolve his grudge by helping him understand the principles. Only when Chao Cuo’s vengeful spirit understood was his enmity resolved. This shows that when this vengeful spirit could not let go, he was resentful and hateful and would rather wander around aimlessly. Unable to let go, he continuously tried to exact revenge.It took Venerable Kanaka to resolve this enmity.
Therefore, we must understand that despite different labels, whether we talk about a “spirit” or “mind-consciousness,” it is actually [intrinsically] pure; it is the same thing.
If we can purify it, we can return to our intrinsic nature, which is very clean and bright.
So, “all Buddhas kindly guide us to wondrous True Suchness”.Since countless kalpas ago, how many Buddhas have appeared in this world?These Buddhas have also engaged in spiritual practice among people.When we practice with other people, we become spiritual and virtuous friends for each other so “all Buddhas kindly guide us”.
All Buddhas are among our virtuous friends and are guiding us.
So, I constantly tell everyone about “living role models”.If we see people who are better than us, we must learn from them.So, there are always virtuous and spiritual friends coming to this world to earnestly guide us.“Wondrous True Suchness” tells us that we all intrinsically have the Buddha’s nature of wisdom.As long as we are able to accept it, everything is Dharma.Thus, “infinite Dharma-doors will readily appear”.
If we practice according to this principle, many Dharma-doors will manifest before us.
So, there are many Bodhisattvas in this world.In South Africa, over these past few days, they held a leadership training for volunteers.You need to know how difficult it was for them to hold this leadership training.They set up simple crude tents, and although the leadership training only lasted two days, they had to borrow land, set up tents and make other preparations with only a few people.
Where did these volunteers come from?They come from four countries, including Zimbabwe, Swaziland, as well as Mozambique so there were four countries total.
When people from these four countries gathered together, altogether there were 189 African volunteers.When we add in the 29 Chinese volunteers, there were around 200 people in that rural area.They came from remote places, some from over 1700km away.
Some Zimbabwe volunteers traveled over 1800km, spending almost three days in a car.
With a bread in their travel, this trip took them almost four days, Round trip, they spent seven to eight days, just for a two-day training in South Africa.
Their lives are already very difficult, and the money they had to spend on transportation alone was a lot.But they were very willing to do this.Holding local trainings there was very difficult; there are only a few Chinese volunteers but they are very diligent.
When we saw this, we really felt the Dharma in their hearts.It is as if infinite Dharma-doors have readily appeared before us from so far away.They attained Dharma-joy because they felt that helping people made them very happy.They were born into such an impoverished environment.For their entire lives, they have depended upon aid provided by others, but now they have gained spiritual wealth; they feel their hearts are filled with riches so they are able to help others.
But how did they attain such wealth?That is why they are not afraid of hardship or of traveling such great distances to receive this training and attend the classes.Think about it, isn’t this how “the everlasting Dharma is deeply hidden in our nature”?
Isn’t this how “infinite Dharma-doors readily appear before us?”They are located so far away from us, but the Dharma has been transmitted there to provide those living in poverty with spiritual wealth.They are really incredible.
Every one of them has a story that is radiant and illuminating.They are dark-skinned, and every one of them is radiant.As I walked out just now and looked at the sky, it was still dark.It is still night.The night is very dark, but I saw a cluster of clouds from far away.They looked just like the clouds of day.They were very pale and white.So even before the day dawned, I saw these white clouds in the dark sky. In my mind I thought, “Aren’t the Bodhisattvas in South Africa just like this?” Their skin is dark and they are like these beautiful white clouds, which look as if daytime clouds have appeared in the dark sky before dawn.
See how beautiful they are. We all intrinsically have a [Buddha-] nature, we just have not realized it yet. So, we must engage in spiritual practice and be “adorned with the power of Samadhi and wisdom”. Our minds must be in a state of Samadhi. We must unlock our wisdom. This gives us our power. How do we transform sentient beings? We use this Dharma to transform them.
Buddhas Themselves abide in the Great Vehicle as the Dharma They attained. They are adorned with the Power of Samadhi and Wisdom. With these They deliver sentient beings. I realized the supreme path, the universal Great Vehicle Dharma. If I transformed others with the Small Vehicle, even one person, I would be considered stingy and greedy. Such a thing could never be.
Next, we talk about “realizing the supreme path”. The Buddha realized the supreme path Himself; He realized the path and became enlightened. From the moment He first attained enlightenment, He had already pushed aside all ignorance to discover the true principles of all things. This Dharma has always been deep within us. As long as we push aside [delusion], our nature is as vast as the universe and as open as the sky and ocean. It is so vast and boundless. This is the supreme path realize by the Buddha, “the universal Great Vehicle Dharma”.
Since the Buddha realized Great Vehicle Dharma, He believed this Dharma is within all of us. We are all equal. If we can penetrate the true and wondrous principles of the Great Vehicle, we will be able to have the same understanding as the Buddha. Therefore, the principles of the Great Vehicle tell us the truth that the Buddha and sentient beings are all equal. “It is no greater in Buddhas and no less in ordinary beings”. So, these principles are always there. “If He transformed others with the Small Vehicle…” The Buddha knows that all beings are equal, but when it comes to teachings, humans are still incapable of understanding [all]. So, He taught them the Small Vehicle.
But His goal is not to stop with the Small Vehicle Dharma; the Small Vehicle was only used to guide and help people reach the main road. This was how He guided people, so He did not want people to stop once they reached the small roads. If the stopped at the small road, He would be disappointed. That was not His goal. He pointed us to the main road, hoping we would head in that direction.
“If He transformed others with the Small Vehicle.” Teaching the Small Vehicle was not His original intent. All sentient beings are the same. “Even to one person”. He wants to give teachings universally so that everyone can attain them. He could not bear to miss a single person. As Earth Treasury Bodhisattva said, “Until hell is empty, I will not attain Buddhahood. Until all have been transformed, I will forego enlightenment”. As long as there is one sentient being in hell, Earth Treasury Bodhisattva vowed to not attain Buddhahood. The Buddha had the same intent; Earth Treasury Bodhisattva was carrying on these teachings. When the Buddha teaches in this world, He does not want to miss a single individual. So, He hoped everyone would attain the Great Vehicle Dharma that is equally in us and not stay at the level of the Small Vehicle. The Buddha did not want even a single person to stop there. “I would be considered stingy and greedy”. If He only used the Small Vehicle Dharma, if any one of us stayed in Small Vehicle Dharma, that would be stingy and greedy of Him.
Actually, He wanted to share all of the Dharma with people, and hoped everyone could accept it. So He held nothing back, hoping to teach all of the Dharma in His mind to sentient beings. This is why the Buddha very earnestly told His disciples at that time. “If I transformed others with the Small Vehicle, even one person, I would be considered stingy and greedy”. He was very sincere that “such a thing could never be”. If he did this, that would be unacceptable. “I would never do a thing like that. It is certain that I will fully and selflessly offer this Dharma”. He hoped everyone would understand that He would never do a thing like that nor keep anything a secret. He selflessly offers everything. “Having realized the supreme path,” we can see “the truths of the One Vehicle”. This supreme path is the truths of the One Vehicle and “cannot be attained from anyone else”.
“The Buddha realized the supreme path: The truths of the One Vehicle cannot be attained from anyone else but must be realized for ourselves. So, we must realize it ourselves as the Buddha realized it Himself. He did not obtain it from others.”
As I have just said, we all intrinsically have true principles and everlasting Dharma deeply hidden in our nature. Therefore, “The Truths of the One Vehicle cannot be attained from anyone else”. We cannot attain it from other people; it is actually within each of us.
The Buddha come to this world to manifest this, to teach all of us, “This is within you, too” “Is this thing good?” “Yes, you have it, too” “Where is it?” “Put your hand in your pocket and feel around” “It is really there！” “As long as you are willing to reach into your pocket, you can always find this treasure” However, we refuse to take even this simple action. We have always had this precious jewel, but we still live in poverty. This is because we have not yet realized that [we have it].
Since we have not realized this or awakened, we do not yet understand. To attain this realization, we just need to reach into our pocket and find the pearl ourselves. “Oh, it is really here！” “This proves I also have it, I have the thing you are talking about” This is realizing it ourselves. We cannot say, “Give me what you have” The Buddha can only teach us the method. The Buddha’s nature is Tathagata-nature, and it is also in you as well. Why are you asking the Buddha for your intrinsic nature? The Buddha has already given us the method, so it is “not obtained from someone else”. The true Dharma, the ultimate Dharma, is within each of us.
We do not seek it from elsewhere. We have to realize it ourselves. We must realize and awaken to it ourselves to achieve the same state as the Buddha. Even though the Buddha did not withhold anything and gave all teachings to everyone, what He gave us are just methods that guide us. These help us learn how to eliminate ignorance and how to proceed on this bright path. So, the unsurpassed path is the path attained and understood by the Tathagata. His mind and body are on this path.
The path attained by the Tathagata cannot be surpassed, so it is the unsurpassed path. The sutra states: He set aside the skillful for the direct and only taught the unsurpassed path.
What cannot be surpassed is supreme, perfect and universal enlightenment. So, He “only taught the unsurpassed path” He told us that in the past, He used a small road to guide us to the main one. Once we arrive at the main road, we must keep walking forward. We must keep walking on our own in order to reach realization. The Buddha is still at the ultimate true path, He still abides in the Great Vehicle. He is still there.
We must understand the path the Buddha realized is in our minds. As long as we can walk the path, we understand that the impermanence of life and the four Noble Truths are brought about through the law of karma. To teach the law of karma, the Buddha used various analogies. If we understand them, He can slowly guide us so that we keep making progress. We not only focus on our own awakening, we must also awaken others so that they may achieve the same understanding and this knowledge may be widespread.
Sentient beings in this world can barely deal with their own suffering, so how can they listen to the Dharma? We must first help them eliminate their suffering, so naturally they will happily accept the teachings. Take South Africa as an example. As they were living in hardship, Bodhisattvas went to help them. They now understand, “I should learn the Dharma” and develop spiritual wealth. Not only do they not need to depend on others, they can even help people.They are very diligent and now they are walking on this great path.
Not only are they awakening themselves, but they are also awakening others. Only by awakening themselves and others can we have perfect awakened conduct. To do this, we must travel the Bodhisattva-path. So, we must always be mindful and diligent.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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