Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Walk the Bodhi-Path with the Four Infinite Minds(四心覺道)
Date: October. 06. 2014
“With sincerity, we vow to transform all beings. With integrity, we eliminate afflictions. With faith, we learn the Dharma-doors. With steadfastness, we attain Buddhahood.”
I constantly tell people that if we always have sincerity, integrity, faith and steadfastness, we can engage [in spiritual practice] with utmost reverence and sincerity. To engage in spiritual practice, we need to make the [Four] Great Vows. “We vow to deliver countless sentient beings.” We must vow to transform sentient beings. With the proper mindset and Right Thinking, we “vow to eliminate endless afflictions.” We must vow to eliminate afflictions. Our mindset must be proper and not go astray. Our faith must be firm so that we can “vow to learn infinite Dharma-doors”. More importantly, we must be grounded in our spiritual practice. Buddhahood is unsurpassed, so we must vow to attain it. These are the Four Great Vows.
If we do not transform sentient beings, do not eliminate afflictions, do not seek Dharma-doors and do not vow to attain Buddhahood, then there is no need for us to learn the Buddha’s Way. Thus, making the Four Great Vows is essential for spiritual practitioners. So, we must have a heart of utmost reverence as we learn the Buddha’s Way and listen to Dharma. As practitioners, we must always listen to teachings.
In the sutras, the Buddha establishes skillful teachings. He uses many kinds of worldly matters and methods of spiritual practice to patiently guide us. He constantly tells everyone that we must mindfully listen to the Dharma, take it in and constantly review it. During the Buddha’s lifetime, there was a bhiksu who reverently listened to the Dharma, thus he carefully maintained Right Thinking. Whatever the Buddha taught, he faithfully accepted and practiced.
Each day, after he listened to the Buddha’s teachings, he worked very hard. He would go into the forest and begin to recite whatever Dharma the Buddha had taught that day. He did not just repeat the teachings in his mind, he recited them very loudly and clearly, with energy and spirit.
In this forest were many birds. Whenever the bhiksu recited the Dharma, they would rest on the tree branch and listen mindfully. One of these birds was particularly dedicated. Listening [to the Dharma] made him very happy. Day after day, the bird rested on the same spot to listen with great care and reverence to the bhiksu as he recited and reviewed the Buddha’s teachings. Every single day he did this mindfully. One day, a hunter went [into the forest] to hunt. He saw the bird on a tree, so he aimed and shot the bird. The bird was happily listening to Dharma and was completely unaware of this external danger. So, the bird was shot by the hunter and thus lost his life. This was how this bird died. After this bird passed away he was reborn in heaven. As he was suddenly reborn in heaven, the bird wondered, “What virtue or ability, what causes and conditions do I have, such that from my previous life as a bird, I could suddenly be reborn in heaven?”
Let me think about this. I got it; it must be because when I was alive, I listened with it most reverence to the bhiksu reciting the Buddha’s teachings. Because of this karmic condition, I was reborn in heaven. That must be it,” the bird thought.
“I’m so grateful. I’m grateful to the Three Treasures, for the Buddha teaching the Dharma and for the diligent practice of the bhiksu, so that I could take this wonderful Dharma into my heart. I must repay the grace of the Three Treasures.”
He brought flowers and reverently presented them to the bhiksu.Then he prostrated in gratitude.“I’m grateful for your diligence and mindfulness that allowed me to attain the blessings for been reborn in heaven. Today, I have come to ask you to allow me to take refuge with you. I want to take refuge in the Three Treasures.”
After the bhiksu heard this, he joyfully wished blessings upon this heavenly begin who used to be a bird, and helped him take refuge.This greatly enhanced [the bhiksu’s] own faith and confidence.After listening to the Dharma, we must take it to heart and earnestly continue to recite it.This is also a way to engage in spiritual practice.Internal cultivation brings merits and external practice brings virtues.So, this bhiksu had faith.
When Ananda learned of this story, he reported it to the Buddha in detail.
The Buddha was very happy and said to everyone, “Have you heard about this?Even a bird who reverently listens to the Dharma can receive the blessings of listening to, contemplating and practicing it and be born in heaven, let alone a human being. If a person can learn the Dharma with focus and faith, he will not achieve less than a bird.”
The Buddha gave this teaching based on this story.
We must understand that we must listen to the Dharma with utmost reverence; we must not say, “I’m listening, more or less.”We must listen with utmost reverence.When we sincerely listen to the Dharma, aside from transforming ourselves, we can also transform others.After we listen to and take the Dharma to heart, we can share it with others.By doing so, we can sow Bodhi-seeds in people’s hearts.
So, we must exercise utmost reverence to always engage in Right Thinking, develop faith and advance with our feet solidly on the [path].This is the goal of our spiritual practice.
Yesterday we discussed the passage, “All of the Tathagatas, by means of infinite skillful teachings, transform all sentient beings so they penetrate the Buddha’s flawless wisdom. Of those who have heard the Dharma, none will fail to become a Buddha.”
All Buddhas of the past, Sakyamuni Buddha in the present, and all Buddhas of the future use many kinds of skillful means just so They can transform all sentient beings.
They not only want to transform humans, but all sentient beings.“Of those who have heard the Dharma, none will fail to become a Buddha.”Even a bird could be reborn in heaven, let alone people who listen to the Dharma and can, as time passes, diligently advance forward without going astray.They will certainly attain Buddhahood.
This is the previous sutra passage.
Next, “All Buddhas make this vow, having walked this path to Buddhahood, I wish to enable all sentient beings to also obtain this path.”
This is what the Buddha said, “All Buddhas make this vow.”The vow of every Buddha is the same.When all Buddhas appear in this world, They also engage in spiritual practice, attain enlightenment and then come back again.Thus, we say, “The Tzu Chi School is a road through the world.” We must work with people in the world.Though we have the Jing Si Dharma-lineage, a path of diligence, we must also make the Four Great Vows and go among people on this road through the world.
Only by interacting with people do we have a way to transform sentient beings.All Buddhas, whether transcending or entering the world, have this original intent.Thus, all Buddhas intent is to carry out “great vows of compassion and wisdom.”
“All Buddha make this vow: All Buddhas transcend and enter the world with the original intent of carrying out great vows of compassion and wisdom. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas make two kinds of vows, general and particular. The Four Great Vows are general vows and for internal cultivation. The Four Infinite Minds are for external practice. Vows such as the Medicine Buddha’s 12 vows are particular vows.”
No [Buddha] departs from this: every Buddha make these great vows which are to transform all sentient beings, eliminate all afflictions, learn all Dharma-doors and attain Buddhahood. This is the original intent of all past, present and future Buddhas.
After attaining Buddha. They exercise both compassion and wisdom and actualize those great vows. This is the original intent of all Buddhas. So, no Buddha or Bodhisattva departs from these general vows and particular vows. All Buddhas make general and particular vows. The general vows are the Four Great Vows.
Now, Sakyamuni Buddha is actualizing the Four Great Vows. All past and future Buddhas do the same. Even Amitabha Buddha also made the Four Great Vows. Medicine Buddha also had the Four Great Vows as His foundation. These are the general vows of all Buddhas.
No Buddhas can lack the Four Great Vows. These are the most basic and general vows of all Buddhas. Of course, all Buddhas also make particular vows. For example, Amitabha Buddha made 48 vows. Medicine Buddha made 12 great vows. Sakyamuni Buddha has the Four Infinite Minds. Besides the Four Great Vows, He also cultivated the Four Infinite Minds, loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. Since Amitabha Buddha has 48 vows, so many, and Medicine Buddha has 12 vows, why does Sakyamuni Buddha only have four vows? Other than the Four Great Vows, He also cultivated the Four Infinite Minds. Out of great loving-kindness, the Buddha loves all sentient beings. Out of great compassion, the Buddha views all sentient beings as His own children and as Himself. He feels sentient beings’ countless sufferings as His own suffering, as pain in His own body, so He gives rise to the Four Infinite Minds.
He has great loving-kindness without regret and great compassion without resentment. No matter how stubborn sentient beings are, out of loving-kindness and compassion, He unceasingly goes among sentient beings without regret or resentment to find ways to transform them. No matter how man afflictions He encounters, the Buddha always happily helps others with an open heart and pure thoughts. This kind of joyful giving comes from joy and equanimity toward sentient beings. As long as they are in the Six Realms, the Buddha will also be there, endlessly looking for causes and conditions to transform them. He gives without being afraid of hard work.
So loving-kindness, compassion, joy, equanimity are the Four Infinite Minds of Sakyamuni Buddha, and the Four Great Vows are His general vows. General vows are for internal cultivation. All Buddhas make the Four Great Vows for Their internal cultivation. The Four Infinite Minds are for external practice. This is what Sakyamuni Buddha taught us.
Actually the 48 vows and the 12 great vows are all related to loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. Therefore, to walk the Bodhisattva-path we must actualize the Six perfections in myriad actions, which means every action must be an extension of those vows. Therefore, our vows must be boundless.
“Thought the universe has bounds, our vows are boundless”. This means that our vows must be endless. So, we make both general and particular vows. The Buddha said, “Having walked this path to Buddhahood”. Sakyamuni Buddha’s path to Buddhahood is inseparable from loving-kindness.
“having walked this path to Buddhahood: the Buddha, out of kindness, came to this world for the sake of sentient beings. He demonstrated the path of spiritual practice and enlightenment to guide sentient beings to practice the Bodhi-path. He wished to enable all sentient beings to also obtain this path.”
The path walked by the Buddha is inseparable from His loving-kindness for sentient beings. Therefore, He manifested in this world. He descended from Tusita Heaven and was born into the palace. He manifested this appearance to be the same as ordinary people. He went through childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle age and so on. As He entered middle age from this prime, He began to seek the true principles of the world. This is to teach us that we will intrinsically have Buddha-nature, and to manifest our buddha-nature, we also must go through these stages of life and seek the Buddha-Dharma. This is how we can all comprehend the Buddha-Dharma.
So, He “came to this world” and “demonstrated the path of enlightenment.” These appearances He manifested are called the Eight Aspects of the Buddha’s life. As previously mentioned, He manifested with this worldly appearance to engage in spiritual practice. After He attained enlightenment, He returned to this world to guide sentient beings to practice the Bodhi-path. He had already walked this path so he came back to guide people to follow the same path. For us “to practice the Bodhi-path,” we observe the road taken by the Buddha and follow in His footsteps. The Buddha [paved] this Bodhi-Dharma, this path to enlightenment, so we can unceasingly advance on it. “He wished to enable all sentient beings to also obtain this path.” These sutra verses express the hope that all of us will form great aspirations and make great vows to walk the Bodhi-path.
Learning the Buddha’s Way is not just about saying, “Yes, I have listened.” If you listened, “Have you taken it to heart?” “Yes, I have.” “Repeat what you have heard to me.” “I cannot.” “Why not?” “I don’t know where to start.” “Do you remember it?” “Yes, I remember.” “Why don’t you articulate it?” “But…”
If you cannot articulate it, it means you have not taken the Dharma to heart. You may say you have listened, you may say you have understood, but you have not realized it. If the Dharma did not resonate with your mind, then you cannot articulate it. “It’s OK if you cannot articulate it. Why don’t you recite what I just said back to me?” “I remember it, but I cannot recite it. If so, can you really say you “remember?” If I ask you now, “What did I say at the beginning? What do we do with sincerity?” (We vow to transform all beings.) Yes, with sincerity, we vow to transform all beings. How about with integrity? (We eliminate afflictions.) With faith? (We learn the Dharma-doors.) and with steadfastness? (We attain Buddhahood.) Fortunately, everyone can at least memorize it and take it in. As these words are instilled into our memory they will penetrate our hearts.
After listening to it, are we going to keep quiet? (No.) What are we supposed to do? We need to repeatedly recite it and share it. “I heard this, do you remember it?” “Yes.” “Then you can recite it to me.” “I will recite to you and then we can both memorize it.” “Do you remember.” “Yes, I remember, I will recite to you.” See, this is reciting.
If we can all do this, we will memorize it and then recite it, loud and clear. Then everyone around us can hear it. Even birds can hear it and become happy. When we recite [sutras] with reverence, our minds will abide by the Dharma. Sentient beings who hear it can comprehend the principles and take the Dharma to heart. Then they will naturally take in genuine Dharma.
As we listen to and understand the Dharma, we must recite it with utmost reverence. Everyone, even a bird can be reborn in heaven after listening to the Dharma, let alone us human beings. If we listen to the Dharma and diligently practice how can we fail to attain Buddhahood? So, we must all have faith, but we must also always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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