Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Virtuous Dharma Turns the Great Dharma-wheel (善法如水轉大法輪)
Date: January.23. 2015
“The Buddha engaged in spiritual practice to attain Buddhahood for the one great cause of transforming sentient beings. The virtuous Dharma is like the cycle of water. The teaching of the Great Dharma is like the turning of a wheel.”
We learn and practice the Buddha’s teachings in order to attain Buddhahood, but how much hope do we have for ourselves of actually attaining it? We listen to the Buddha’s principles, but how many of them can we put into practice? If we can hear, understand and then put the Dharma into practice, one step at a time we are drawing closer to the state of Buddhahood. Although we are progressing step by step, just how big is each “step”? How far is the distance [we have to go]? Based on what we read in Buddhist sutras, it will obviously take us a very long time. Over this period of time, the distance in space is lengthened accordingly.
This space between heaven and earth is so vast, can we really expect to cover it step by step? This is an analogy of something tangible. Actually, the most important part of spiritual practice involves our intangible mindset. We must follow the Buddha’s reasons for engaging in spiritual practice. To engage in spiritual practice we must trace the steps the Buddha took during His lifetime. What were His motivations for engaging in spiritual cultivation? We must understand this intangible state of mind. Why did Sakyamuni Buddha engage in spiritual practice more then 2000 years ago? He was a crown prince and He could have ruled a kingdom and been its king. Why didn’t He want this? Because having wisdom and knowledge are different.
We, the people of this world, try to understand life by using knowledge. What we learn about the world through “discerning wisdom” is knowledge. To have knowledge is to discern and understand. Discernment can be profound or simple.
Each day, we are applying our discerning minds. We discern whether this is the right thing to do, or whether that is the wrong thing to do. We must contemplate everything carefully; this takes “discerning wisdom”. If we discern based on the Path, then we can walk this road correctly. If we discern based on material desires, then our course will deviate. If wealth, sensual pleasure, fame, food and the desire for enjoyment are the thoughts that arise in our minds, then the things that our “discerning wisdom” is being used to recognize are all things of the world. If worldly desires and pleasures, material things, fame, wealth and status are what we discern and understand, then we truly cannot walk on the right course.
Indeed, “knowledge” and “wisdom” are not the same thing. Intellectuals only “know”. What we are discussing here is “wisdom”. If we apply “wisdom” to understanding principles, then we can gradually grow in wisdom. If we apply “knowledge,” then we are only learning about various kinds of things in the world. Worldly things are things like material desires, fame and status. So, at the time, Prince Siddhartha saw the suffering of sentient beings and wondered, “How can I liberate them from their suffering?”
Would ruling his kingdom and relieving only the suffering of his own people be enough?It would not be enough.He wanted to eliminate the suffering of all sentient beings.How do afflictions actually arise?Where could he find the source of the thoughts that arise and lead us to create karma?There are so many intangible inconsistencies.To resolve these intangible inconsistencies, Prince Siddhartha had to leave the palace to engage in spiritual practice.
So, the Buddha engaged in spiritual practice to attain Buddhahood.He wanted to attain Buddhahood for the sake of His one great cause, for the sake of all sentient beings.In order to transform them, He manifested the attainment of Buddahood.He went through this process so people could follow in His footsteps and learn how to walk this road.This was the Buddha’s state of mind.
“The virtuous Dharma is like the cycle of water.”He left footprints for everyone to follow.This is like water; water flows from high places to low places.It flows down mountain streams to reach the rivers in the lowlands.Then it flows from the rivers into the ocean.
This is the cycle of water.
We humans are similar when it comes to methods of spiritual practice.Why do we engage in spiritual practice?How do we engage in spiritual practice?The Buddha has already laid this road out for us, so we follow this road the way waters follows a course in its cycle.
The Dharma is like this and also like the weep of a cart.Only if the wheel begins to turn can that cart move forward.The underlying principle here is the same.This is like the way that we try to expand the reach of this virtuous Dharma.
Nowadays, there are many suffering sentient beings.In impoverished places, we help out by providing tangible, material goods.Through this, we develop closer connections sand karmic affinities with those people to turn the wheels of their minds with the Dharma.Tzu Chi volunteers have begun their winter relief distributions.In Swaziland and Mozambique, they are using these tangible, material goods to help impoverished people who are starving.
When these impoverished people received the material goods, they felt this sense of love.This has gradually opened up [the door] to their spiritual wealth, which is the love in their hearts.
This is happening in these two countries.In these two countries we have already nurtured volunteers with Bodhisattva-aspirations.They give without any expectations.
Although they themselves are poor, they can use their strength to help [transport] supplies sent from Taiwan to South Africa and then, from there to Swaziland and to Mozambique.
These volunteers used their own strength, their loving hearts, their knowledge of the local language and their love for their fellow citizens, to help others.Seeing the impoverished people receiving help, they were willing [to continue], hoping there would be more opportunities like this to help people.
So, after concluding their winter relief distributions there, they accompanied Tzu Chi volunteers to visit some of the poorest and most impoverished families there.Many in South Africa are affected by violence; people die from robberies, mortars or guns.
This is their suffering.
So, they felt, “We recognize our blessings, and we are content.”
This was how they felt after giving.After feeling this warm they continued to dig deeper.Thus they found a sense of gratitude [deep] in their hearts.Although they were poor, they were still able to live peaceful lives.So, in this way, they felt very grateful.This was what happened in South Africa.
Of course, they are still carrying this out.The [understanding] of suffering begins with the truths of suffering, causation cessation and the Path.They are now walking the Path and want to further understand the Dhamra.
So, “We vow to deliver to countless sentient beings. We vow to eliminate endless afflictions. We vow to learn infinite Dharma-doors. We vow to attain unsurpassed Buddhahood”. They have now begun to approach the Buddha-path. So, in spiritual practice, “the virtuous Dharma is like the cycle of water”. The Dharma must be like the cycle of water, like the circulation of blood in our bodies. The Dharma is like this.
So, the Buddha-Dharma from over 2000 years ago has been passed down to the present. The Buddha patiently guided us, hoping this Dharma will directly enter our hearts. Therefore, the previous passage states,
“Hearing the Buddha’s soft and gentle voice, profound, far-reaching, profound, far-reaching, subtle and wondrous, widely proclaiming the pure Dharma, I feel great joy within my heart. My doubts and regrets are forever ended, so I can abide in true wisdom.”
After Sariputra heard the Buddha teach the Dharma, he gradually began to understand and his mind was now at peace. Now at peace, he wanted to move forward until he attained the state of Buddhahood. His heart was already abiding in true wisdom. Next, he continued on to say,
“I am certain to become a Buddha, revered by heavenly beings and humans. I shall turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel to teach and transform Bodhisattvas”.
“I am certain to become a Buddha, revered by heavenly beings and humans: Sariputra had faith in himself that he would receive the Buddha’s blessing and prediction for attaining Buddhahood in the future. The Dharma comes from the Buddha’s mouth.”
Sariputra began to have faith in himself, “I will certainly become a Buddha in the future. In the future, after attaining Buddhahood, I will also be revered by heavenly beings and humans.” He will turn the Dharma-wheel in heaven and on earth and teach and transform Bodhisattvas. He did not just want to attain Buddhahood, he also wanted to teach Bodhisattvas. Of course, if one wants to teach Bodhisattvas, one must first become a Bodhisattva.
But right now, the Dharma was still spoken by the Buddha and his wisdom-life was also nourished by the Dharma. Therefore, he needed the Buddha to turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel and teach the Bodhisattva Way.
“I shall turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel to teach and transform Bodhisattvas: Wisdom-life grows from the nourishment of Dharma. Those who are true Buddha-children realize their part in the Dharma and turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel so that everyone in the world can attain the Dharma without hindrance.”
We can use the Dharma taught by the Buddha to nourish our minds. Our minds are like fields. We must cultivate these fields ourselves. As we farm our won field, we must find water to irrigate it, so that the crops can grow. Thus wisdom-life grows from the nourishment of the Dharma. The Dharma from the Buddha’s mouth is what nourishes our minds, the fields in our minds. Then seeds will gradually sprout and develop and mature. This is what makes us true Buddha-children.
Seeds from an external source are planted in the field of our minds. If we are skilled farmers, these seeds will mature and grow. Thus we are called Buddha-children. Our physical life comes from our parents, but our wisdom-life comes from the Buddha. The Buddha taught the Dharma to help our minds develop wisdom-life. Thus we are called Dharma-children, who “realize their part in the Dharma”.
If we can attain the Dharma taught by the Buddha and take it to heart, then we have a part in this Dharma. Whether this happens depends on whether we are plowing our fields mindfully so that we can go among people in this world and turn the Dharma-wheel. If we can attain the Dharma, we can pass this Dharma along. Then, among other people, we can spread the seeds of goodness and share the Dharma [with them].
When we take the Buddha-Dharma to heart, naturally when we share it with others, we will not face any obstacles. We just need to follow the Buddha’s teachings. So, we spiritual practitioners can attain the Buddha-Dharma and turn the Dharma-wheel. Then the Dharma-wheel turned by the Buddha will turn unceasingly.
Now the Buddha was turning the great Dharma-wheel. The Dharma He had safeguarded in His heart for many decades was being shared with everyone. He had already started doing this. In the past, we might have had doubts. But now that the Buddha is turning the Great Dharma-wheel, it is time to put and end to doubts. We must now act quickly to eliminate all of our doubts and regrets. Without doubts and regrets, we can accept and be guided by the Buddha-Dharma, then naturally we can resolve all our questions.
In the dedications of merits [we chant], “I vow to eradicate the Three Obstructions and all afflictions. I vow to attain wisdom and true understanding”. Isn’t this the case? Our vow is to be able to eradicate various kinds of karmic obstacles of afflictions. Only when afflictions and karmic obstacles are eradicate can we achieve wisdom and true understanding. So, if we eliminate our doubts and regrets, the Three Obstructions and all afflictions will naturally be eradicated. When afflictions are eradicated, there will be no more obstacles, then wisdom will naturally grow.
So, “the Buddha, by turning the wheel of Right Dharma, pacifies the entire world with morality and virtuous Dharma”.
“When spiritual practitioners encounter the Buddha’s turning of the Dharma-wheel, if they have deviant views and doubts and regrets, those will be completely eliminated. The Buddha, by turning the wheel of Right Dharma, pacifies the entire world with morality and virtuous Dharma.”
In this world, we want everyone to travel smoothly down the path and follow the principles. Only then will this world be tranquil, only then will this world be peaceful. Harmonious families lead to a peaceful society. This all depends on people’s ethics and morals.
So, Buddha turns the Dharma-wheel in this world in the hopes that every person will follow the ethical path. First they must learn to be [good] people. Only then will they walk the Bodhisattva-path. They must walk the Bodhisattva-path in order to attain Buddhahood.This was the Buddha’s one goal cause for coming to this world.
The Buddha engaged in spiritual practice for the sake of teaching sentient beings. He manifested the attainment of Buddhahood in this world to guide sentient beings to follow the virtuous Dharma and return to our nature of True Suchness. We sentient beings must aspire to be like the Buddha’s in this world.
Our thinking and wisdom must be applied for the sake of people in this world. Why is there all this suffering in the world? In order to eliminate people’s suffering, a path had to be found. Therefore, the Buddha was born into this world so that He could look for this path. The path that He walked has already been openly shared for everyone to understand. If we truly want to be a awakened like the Buddha, we must find and follow this road. Only in this way can we “return to [our] nature of True Suchness.”
The Buddha engaged in spiritual practice and attained Buddhahood for the sake of teaching sentient beings. He guided sentient beings to follow the virtuous Dharma and return to their nature of True Suchness. Once on the path to Buddhahood, they will immediately shoulder the responsibility of turning the Great Dharma-wheel.
“Returning to [our] nature of True Suchness” is the path to attaining Buddhahood. We must certainly walk on this road, then “we will immediately shoulder the responsibility.” What Sariputra said was, “I believe in myself. I can attain Buddhahood. I will certainly attain Buddhahood in the future and be revered by heavenly beings and humans. I will turn the unsurpassed Dharma-wheel. I will teach and transform Bodhisattvas.”
Because he wanted to do this, he vowed to take on this responsibility. “Now, I must learn diligently. In the future, I will teach earnestly. All those I teach will walk the Bodhisattva-path.” This was Sariputra’s vow.
Actually, Sariputra’s vow represented the vow of all spiritual practitioners. Sariputra was foremost in wisdom, yet he also had doubts and regrets. Now all his doubts had been eliminated, so he abided in true wisdom with solid faith. Thus, he believed he would attain Buddhahood. To attain Buddhahood, one must walk the Bodhisattva-path. The end of the Bodhisattva-path is the state of Buddhahood. After attaining Buddhahood, one circles back to teach the Bodhisattva Way.
Dear Bodhisattvas, the first step of our spiritual practice must be in the right direction. After we understand the Dharma, we must follow in the Buddha’s footsteps. Then we will not go wrong. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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