Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Teachings for Transcending Suffering (說離苦之法)
Date: November.19. 2014
“Buddha-nature is everlasting, without beginning or end. [It is] tranquil, clear, perfect and radiant. The boundless Dharma-sea is in all equally. Kind thoughts and wisdom contain deep truths.”
This is telling everyone that Buddha-nature is everlasting, without beginning or end. This is what I say every day in the hope that all of you deeply believe that you also have this pure Buddha-nature, which is without beginning or end. Even though, for kalpas we have transmigrated in the cyclic existence of the Six Realms, our intrinsic Buddha-nature has neither increased nor decreased. The state of Buddha-nature is “tranquil, clear, perfect and radiant.” It is now and has always been like this. If all of our minds could return to our pure intrinsic nature, to this kind of state, that would be so wonderful.
“This boundless sea of Dharma is in all equally.” There are countless things in the universe. The principles encompassed in all that we see and hear will remain in our minds. Beings in the Four Noble Realms are not the only ones with a boundless sea of Dharma. Even you and I and everyone have the same “boundless sea of Dharma” in our minds. This is wisdom. Wisdom is the pure Tathagata-nature that we all possess. We must [cultivate] kind thoughts and wisdom, and deeply penetrate true principles. If we can do this, naturally we can slowly eliminate our afflictions and develop our wisdom-life. Goodness and wisdom contain very profound true principles, called deep truths. If we can deeply penetrate them, we reach our intrinsic state of True Suchness, which is tranquil, clear, perfect and radiant. This is our Buddha-nature.
“It is no less in ordinary people and no greater in Buddhas.” We have all had it since Beginningless Time. It is without beginning and end. Thus, we must always mindfully comprehend this. To find true principles, we must look within Buddha-nature is inseparable from our daily living. So, we must always be mindful.
As we have previously mentioned, the Buddha used various methods to establish the Three Vehicles, these skillful means He went among people to turn the Dharma-wheel. The first turning took place at Deer Park.
This is called “the turning of the Dharma-wheel,” leading to the “sound of Nirvana,” as well as “Arhatship,” “Dharma” and “Sangha,” these other labels.
The turning of the Dharma-wheel “led to the ‘sound of Nirvana’”. [The Buddha] began by teaching everyone the principles of the Four Noble Truths. The Buddha carefully delivered the Dharma from His mind to theirs. Thus, they became the five bhiksus. From then on, there was the Dharma and the Sangha. These distinct terms were created. So, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, the labels for the Three Treasures, came into existence at that time.
The next passage of the sutra states, “Since a far off kalpa, I have praised and revealed the Dharma of Nirvana. Ending the suffering of samsara forever is what I have always taught.”
As I previously mentioned, the Buddha established various skillful means and turned the Dharma-wheel. Actually, from this sutra passage we can see that [He has done this] since a far off kalpa. This did not start 2000-plus years ago when Prince Siddhartha engaged in spiritual practice, became enlightened and [attained Buddhahood].Since the distant past, for a period of time without beginning and end, “I have praised and revealed.”He has always praised this state of mind that is pure, undefiled, tranquil, clear and crystal-pure.This is a true principle.This is the state of a mind that has united with the universe.
The Buddha has, since a far off kalpa, constantly praised this state.He wanted to open and reveal this state of mind for everyone to know it.This takes countless kalpas.It has taken a very long time for ordinary people to be able to [encounter] these teachings.It does not take just one lifetime. Not at all.It takes a very long period of time.
Thus, the enlightened ones who have awakened must continue to devise methods [of teaching] and return on the ship of compassion.So, among the Buddhist sutras, there are many stories of the Buddha’s past lives, His lifetimes of spiritual practice benefiting sentient beings and engaging in cultivation on their behalf.
So, the Buddha exercised His wisdom to describe what has happened over countless kalpas and how His mind was always in a state of tranquility and clarity, as pure as crystal.This was the way He taught sentient beings.This was how He “praised and revealed the Dharma of Nirvana”.
Nirvana is tranquility and clarity.From amidst the hardship of this turbid [world], people know what suffering is, but they do not know how to eliminate it.So, the Buddha first had to praise this other state as being tranquil and clear.Then upon hearing about it, sentient beings would admire and thus seek to attain this state.Then naturally they would understand suffering.Why do we take us use over thigns?Why do we pursue things?
Why do we fight over and try to hold onto things?
After creasing all this conflict, don’t we just end up suffering in this sea of birth and death?
Once we understand suffering, we will want to seek liberation.So, the Buddha used various methods suitable for sentient beings’ capabilities to teach them how to attain liberation.Thus we can “end the suffering of samara forever”.
If we can attain this state, we are free from the suffering of cyclic existence and will never fall [into a lower realm].So, “This is what I have always taught.”The Buddha said He has repeatedly returned since a far off kalpa to continually teach in this way so that everyone will know that there is such a state.
So, the Buddha once taught the Amitabha Sutra praising the 48 great views if Amitabha Buddha.All His vows were to transform all beings.This method of spiritual practice is very simple; repeatedly chant the name of Amitabha Buddha to attain a very pure state of mind.This is suitable for people with discursive thoughts as it helps focus their scattered minds.This is one method.This is a skillful means devised by the Buddha.
Regardless of the kind of skillful means, the Buddha always taught by using the past as an analogy for the present.It was all for the sake of transforming sentient beings in the future.
The past, present and future, to the Buddha, are all happening at the same time.Though He has been this way since a far off kalpa, the Buddha’s state of mind is still present in every thought and moment.He is always thinking about transforming sentient beings.
So, the time “since a far off kalpa” is a period of time that is difficult to measure.Over this very long period of time,Buddha-nature has always abided.Our Buddha-nature has always existed.
Since a far off kalpa:
For such a long and difficult to measure period of time, Buddha-nature has always abided.Since a far off kalpa, sentient beings have been drowning in the strong currents of the sea of ignorance.If He taught in accordance to this Dharma, that might not resonate with their capabilities.If He taught in accordance to their capabilities, they could not attain this Dharma.
Hearing these teachings would not inspire faith and would give raise to improper, negative thoughts, leading them to slander the Buddha and Sangha, and destroy the Right Dharma.This would cause them to fall and remain in the Three Evil Realms for a very long time.The Buddha, for the sake of sentient beings, spent a long time adapting to their minds and teaching the Three Vehicles.
As I mentioned, since that distant kalpa, sentient beings have been drowning in the sea of ignorance.In the strong currents of the sea of ignorance, they drift about,they drift about. How can the Buddha adapt the wondrous Dharma so everyone can accept it? This is something the Buddha had to contemplate, because sentient beings’ ignorance is like the sea. Its currents reach far and wide. In theses turbulent currents, their minds cannot be easily calmed. So it is said, “If He taught in accordance to this Dharma that might not resonate with their capabilities”. If He taught this particular Dharma to them, it would not suit their capabilities. Sentient beings’ capabilities were still dull, so accepting it would be difficult.
“If He taught in accordance to their capabilities, they could not attain this Dharma”. Hearing these teachings would not inspire respect and faith. If the Buddha taught according to the [limited] capabilities of sentient beings, reaching that tranquil, clear, crystal-pure and unwavering state of mind would be very difficult.
Although sentient beings practice virtuous Dharma, if they lack wisdom, they can only attain blessings for being reborn heaven. But is heaven the ultimate state? No, it is not. After their blessings are depleted, they will fall [into a lower realm] again. What the Buddha wanted was for everyone to be able to understand and eventually attain the state of Buddhahood. So, if He only taught according to capabilities, no one could attain this Dharma and reach that very pure and wondrous [state].
“Hearing these teachings would not inspire faith”. Though people listen to teachings, they only know that if they seek blessings, they can attain them. If they create blessings, they will be blessed, and that is enough for them. People with limited capabilities and wisdom cannot be steadfast in their Right Mindfulness and secure in the Right Dharma.
Recall that the Buddha had begun to open the provisional to reveal the true. At the beginning of the Lotus Sutra, we spent a lot of time learning the Buddha’s explanation of the kinds of wisdom, [Hearer wisdom], natural wisdom, untutored wisdom, and so on. He continually praised all-encompassing wisdom. That kind of wisdom is accumulated by learning from billion of past Buddhas. Some people heard this and became very happy. They requested that the Buddha quickly teach this True Dharma to everyone. Sariputra had to make three requests before the Buddha agreed and said, “Alright, I will teach it”. But at that moment, 5000 people left the assembly. They had limited capabilities and wisdom, and clamed to have attained what they had not. They only sought and were content with limited teachings, so they were unwilling ot continue listening. Hearing these teachings would not inspire faith.
If [the Buddha] said, “You can attain Buddhahood”, they would not believe it. They felt, “I have heard so many teachings, I already understand everything so they stopped there”. Other people might have felt that this spiritual practice takes too long. The Buddha Himself spent many lifetimes endlessly engaging in spiritual practice and interacting with people in the world. Therefore they look for other methods of spiritual cultivation that they could easily engage in to more quickly perfect their practice. So, they end up on deviant paths and give rise to improper and negative thoughts. This even happened to the Buddha’s disciples, even among the bhiksus.
Bhiksu Hastake, prior to becoming a monastic, was considered a very evil person by everyone. One day, as he was taking a nap, he had a nightmare about falling into hell, where the suffering is unbearable when he woke up, he felt that if he kept living the same way and fell into hell as a consequence, he would face that kind of suffering. Because he was very frightened of this, he decided to engage in spiritual practice. He became a monastic who joyfully accepted the Buddha-Dharma and diligently studied. As he diligently advanced, many people praised this once-evil person, many people praised this once-evil person, whom everyone had previously feared and felt aversion towards. Surprisingly, after engaging in practice, he was able to diligently progress and become so spiritually refined. Thus, many people admired him and made offerings to him. As he gained recognition, bhiksu Hastaka’s habitual tendencies returned and he began to feel proud and arrogant. Once his pride and arrogance arose, it lead the past greed, anger and ignorance that he had had before engaging in spiritual practice to arise in his mind again.
He often opposed other people; he worried that others might be more well-known, or that his followers would begin to make offerings to them instead. Once his mind gave rise to jealousy, all the other negative thoughts returned as well. This led to an imbalance in his body and mind, so he passed away.
The other bhiksus reported to the Buddha, “Bhiksu Hastaka died of an illness. He died a horrible death in the city.” Some people asked the Buddha, “For someone like Bhiksu Hastaka, what will happen to him now that he has died?” The Buddha sighed, “Ah, it is what it is. The things he did in this lifetime and the ways he behaved will determine what happens afterwards. [The results] will be like his behavior, His evil deeds will lead him to a evil realm”. During the Buddha’s lifetime, there were bhiksus like this among His Sangha. His conceit and arrogance led his mind to give rise to evil thoughts, slander the Buddha and Sangha and harm the Right Dharma. So, he would definitely fall into the Three Evil Realms.
Thus, “the Buddha, for the sake of sentient beings spent a long time adapting to their minds.” The Buddha knew He must first use virtuous Dharma to guide sentient beings.
Whatever they needed, He taught in accord with their dispositions. So, He “taught the Three Vehicles” “[The Buddha had] praised and revealed the Dharma of Nirvana” .
Although He had established skillful means and taught the Three Vehicles, He often used the Dharma of Nirvana, a purifying Dharma, to transform sentient beings. “The Buddha’s state of Nirvana is tranquil and forever ends all suffering” This is what the Buddha intended to teach.
“Thus from ancient times until now, of all practices for the path to enlightenment” “He has praised and revealed the Dharma of Nirvana above all.”
This was what happened in the past, and actually this is still happening now. Although the Buddha used many skillful means in accordance with sentient beings’ minds, the Buddha still safeguarded the [teachings] for that tranquil state of Nirvana and continued to praise it. Thus, “ending the suffering of samsara forever, is what I have always taught.”
Upon reaching the state of Nirvana, cyclic existence will end forever. This is what the Buddha said to everyone about the importance of purifying their bodies and minds.
The suffering of samsara: All sentient beings are lost and drowning in the mud pit of samsara, unable to free themselves This suffering is hard to endure. When will it end? Out of His kindness, the Buddha gave teachings according to their capabilities So, He said, “I have always taught this to enable them to transcend suffering”.
“All sentient beings are lost and drowning in the mud pit of samsara” We sentient beings have always been in the mud pit of cyclic existence. Not only did we fall into water, We keep falling deeper. We want to be free, but the mud pit is very sticky so we keep sinking and cannot rise up It is also difficult for others to save us. Thus, we are drowning in the mud pit of samsara, unable to free ourselves or find a way to rise up. Indeed, this suffering is unbearable. When will this suffering end?
As we have become unenlightened beings, it is really difficult to become awakened. But “out of His kindness, the Buddha gave teachings according to their capabilities.” “[This] is what I have always taught [to enable them to transcend suffering].” This is the Buddha’s compassion He taught the Three Vehicles in accordance with sentient beings’ minds. The Buddha never gave up on anyone, He hoped that everyone can reach the same state and return to their pure intrinsic nature of True Suchness.
Everyone, all of us must walk on the Bodhisattva-path. So, we must form great aspirations, make great vows and enter the true state of the Buddha-Dharma. Everyone can attain Buddhahood because we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature. Thus, we must always take refuge with the Buddha of our nature. So, I hope we will always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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