Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Painting the Buddha with Goodness in Our Hearts (以善塑畫佛)
Date: September. 16. 2014
“Exercise impartial compassion with each other. Connect with those with the same vows and path. Do the Ten Good Deeds to adorn the world with blessings. Bodhisattvas cultivate themselves and benefit others.”
This is telling everyone that as we learn and practice the Buddha-Dharma, we need to exercise compassion and an impartial view. In our daily living, we must consider all sentient beings in the world. When the Buddha was in this world, He always hoped that all sentient beings would walk the Bodhisattva-path. As His teaching came to an end, He also hoped that the Buddha-Dharma would continue to flourish and remain in this world forever. So, the Buddha’s compassion did not only extend to sentient beings of that era. He also hoped that sentient beings of the future would listen to the teachings. Perhaps, at that moment in the past, we were all at the Vulture Peak assembly. With the Buddha’s reminder and charge, we have already made aspirations to always have impartial compassion accompanying us. This is what we have done lifetime after lifetime.
We have an affinity [with one another], so we “connect with those with the same vows and path.” We must link our hearts with theirs. We come to this world based on the vows we made in the past and now we will continue to carry out these vows and continue to sustain them unceasingly. This happens when we “connect with those with the same vows and path.” We must continuously find ways to help people do the Ten Good Deeds to adorn the spiritual practice center with blessings. We must nurture Bodhisattvas and form Bodhisattva-aspirations to cultivate ourselves and help others. As Bodhisattvas, we cultivate ourselves. We must put the Dharma into practice, as well as think about how we can benefit sentient beings in everything we do. Sentient beings experience much suffering.
Some people suffer from poverty and hardship. Others [suffer from] accidents and so forth. They all need Bodhisattvas to appear and help them. Also, many people are not poor, nor do they suffer any external hardship. However, they experience much mental suffering. Mental suffering comes from the Five Poisons, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. Illnesses caused by these five poisons must be treated with Dharma-medicine.
Dharma-medicine comes from Bodhisattvas, who constantly seek the Buddha-Dharma and constantly care for sentient beings. Since they seek the Dharma, they take it to heart. Since they care for others, they are willing to give to others unconditionally. This is how Bodhisattvas cultivate themselves and benefit others. As we learn the Bodhisattva-path, we cannot be selfish, but must instead give to others. Therefore, we must be mindful. We must take our causes and conditions seriously.
In the past, we listened to the Buddha teach the Dharma and took on this mission. As causes and conditions continue to converge, we continue to keep each other company. We always encourage each other, and because we share the same vows and path, we unite our hearts to guide sentient beings now and in the future to do the Ten Good Deeds to adorn with blessings the place where we practice the Buddha-Dharma.We also need to form Bodhisattva-aspirations to cultivate ourselves and benefit others, to seek the Dharma and to transform others.
To do this, we must be earnest and diligent.Previously, we discussed how the Buddha had hoped everyone could sustain and help the Buddha-Dharma flourish in the future.
He hoped they could use various skillful means to help people realize the Dharma when they see certain objects.
So by seeing a temple, they could be reminded that the Buddha appeared in this world in the past to each the Dharma, that His disciples in the future have continued to transmit those teachings, that this is a place for spiritual practice.When people in the future see this building, or this stupa, they will automatically feel a sense of respect as they realize this is something the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha have passed on.
So, in this passage from the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha encouraged people to create stupas, temples, Buddha statues and so on.These are the external objects we create.
But more importantly, as I have been saying these past few days, the Vulture Peak is in our minds.We have an inner spiritual training ground and a Buddha-nature within us.
Since the era of the Buddha, when He helped awaken our wisdom, we have had to constantly sustain it.It is our inner stupa and spiritual tainting ground, as well as our intrinsic nature.
Yet, to transform sentient beings, we must start with realizations of “unconditioned Dharma” to create “conditioned phenomena” that can transform sentient beings.
That is why the earlier passage states, “[They may have used] wax, lead, or tin, iron, wood or clay, or perhaps lacquered cloth in making and adorning Buddha statues. People such as these have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”
We have talked about this earlier.Now, the next sutra passage states that in addition to using various materials to carve, engrave or mold, we can use brush and paper.
“[Some] painted colored Buddha-images adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings. Whoever they did it themselves or directed others, they have all realized the path to Buddhahood.”
We do not have to use metals.We do not have to use clay.We do not have to use wood or similar materials.All we need is one piece of paper, one brush and some color in order to create the image of a Buddha.We can paint it so that it is “adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings”.If we can paint, that is great; the image will come from our hearts.
If we can paint what we have learned, we will know what our state of mind is like.If we know how to do this, we can also teach others to paint as well.When we paint the Buddha in our minds, we are expressing the “unconditioned Dharma” through this image of the Buddha.This is another way of nurturing our minds so we are inseparable from the Buddha.Of course, this kind of painting takes utmost reverence and a pure mind.
It does not depend on our artistic skills, but the reverence in our minds.“The mind is like an artist.”It can paint all things.The mind is really like an artist; it can paint all kinds of external phenomena.This is what a skilled artist can do.Painting [the Buddha] is a skill that must be learned.We do not learn this to make a living, nor is it a hobby we enjoy.
This passage is telling us that it is something we do with utmost reference.
In ancient times, to show reverence, some people used their blood as ink to paint images of the Buddha.They did this to show their reverence.Through their external actions, they demonstrated the reverence in their hearts and their resolve to uphold their vows.Indeed, we must have utmost reverence.Yet, over time,out of all those who have carved and sculpted Buddha statues, or painted images of the Buddha,how many people have truly manifested the image in their minds? We have to put our hearts into contemplating this.
If these paintings come from the reverence in our hearts, they are “adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings”. It takes skill and meticulous craftsmanship to express what we have learned.
“Some painted colored Buddha-images adorned with the marks of hundreds of blessings: They skillfully and meticulously created paintings. Splendid images of heaven and earth, mountains and rivers, were painted in color on paper. They could also paint hundreds of blessings to adorn the images of all Buddhas. Whether they paint it themselves or direct others to paint it, they plant good causes and affinities with the Buddha in their hearts.”
When skillful and meticulous hands paint pictures, if they paint the sky, it looks exactly like the sky above us it looks exactly like the sky above us. Isn’t what you are seeing right in front of you a representation of the solar system in our sky? I could not do this, even if I wanted to I did not have any part in it as all. As for all of you, you have not learned this specialized skill either you have not. But, by combining people’s various skills, this backdrop was created, this acrylic wall this backdrop was created, this acrylic wall. Professional knowledge was required to master these skills in order to adjust the size of the materials. If it was not big enough, then it would be pieced together with no visible trace. This required skill and meticulousness. After all that, the perfect image was carved. In the solar system, where is the sun located? With our modern advanced technology, we know where the planets in the solar system are in relation to each other, no matter how far apart they are. They are revolving every day, and their location is different every year. [For this artwork,] we were able to choose to portray the position of the planets in relation to the Sun and the Earth for the day and year we wanted.
I am grateful many people made the effort to find out what this was like 40-plus years ago, in the 55th year of the Republic of China, which was 1966. They figured out what the sky was like on that particular day, month and year. So, we picked the positions of the planets on the day [Tzu Chi was established] and carved them on this wall and carved them on this wall. It was not created by paper or brush; it was created by the wisdom of many people. Their efforts, combined with the earth’s resources and modern technology, as well as skillful and meticulous craftsmanship, created this kind of image. The Buddha is the Great Enlightened One of the Universe so we did not want to put Him in a small niche.
Thus, we used this method to express how we wanted the Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha’s wisdom and the truths of the universe Her realized to be shown in this expansive sky so they can be transmitted to future generations. This is the method we used to expressed this. If we had used paper and brush to paint this, we could have painted something like the “splendid images of heaven and earth”.
Recently, many people from Mainland China have come to visit Traditional Chinese painting [requires a lot of skill]; there are many famous, talented Chinese artists. When people come here, they give me paintings like that. Whether it is calligraphy or painting, they are all very-well written or painted, they are very lifelike.
For example, in the past, someone sent a painting of rivers and mountains. It was originally divided into two pieces, one piece in Mainland China, the other in Taiwan. For decades, for a very long time, this painting has not been whole. An entrepreneur from Mainland China finally [purchased] and put the pieces together. I believe this painting is very valuable.
So “splendid images of heaven and earth mountains and rivers were painted in color on paper”. They are all painted with a brush. Yet, in this world, [conditions] a ways come together and separate. This painting was once separated, and now the pieces have been united again is the working of the world are truly inconceivable. There are many karmic conditions. Causes and conditions can separate and causes and conditions can unite. Isn’t that the way the world works?
Even a painting can be separated by world events, and now it is combined again. There is and exciting story behind just this painting. It was painted with such skill. This painting was so precious that it was separated, but so precious that it was combined again. In this world, what is precious?
What demonstrates skill? We are not experts but art experts know this history. So, it is not only a painting of splendid images of heaven and earth, mountains and rivers; there is more to it than what we can see. With this kind of mastery, they could “paint hundreds of blessings to adorn the images of all Buddhas”. Skillful brushes can paint many images and hundreds of blessings to adorn the images of all Buddhas. Although they have never seen what the Buddha looks like, they put their hearts into painting the images.
If the paintings are dignified, people will feel a sense of reverence and naturally pay respect and bow to the Buddha. Does everyone remember that when I lived in the small hut, I only had a painting of the Three Saints of the Western Pure Land? I prayed to them very reverently. Seeing the painting inspired my reverence.
But actually, reverence is not attached to appearances. Yesterday I talked about how we can even pay respect to rocks and can also teach the Dharma to rocks.All of this comes from our state of mind. So, our minds can create hundreds of blessings to adorn the images of all Buddhas. Also, whether people paint it themselves or direct others to paint it, they are creating good affinities with the Buddha.
If people are constantly painting Buddhas, regardless of their goal for doing so, whether it is out of interest, or that they were asked to by other people, after painting them for so long, the Buddha-images will enter their minds. This is also planting a cause.So, “they plant good causes and affinities with the Buddha”.
Dear Bodhisattvas, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we must truly believe in the law of karma. We must respect ourselves. In the past, we must have lived at the same time as the Buddha and shared this karmic affinity with Him. In our hearts, we must always have impartial compassion for all. We must “connect with those with the same vows and path” and “do the Ten Good Deeds to adorn the world with blessings”.
Not only should we do it for ourselves, we must also do it for all people. Bodhisattvas cultivate themselves while benefiting others. It is not enough that we ourselves can paint, we must also teach others to paint. As we learn the Buddha’s Way our understanding of the Dharma starts with the reverence in our hearts. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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