Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: The Path to Buddhahood is Long and Far (佛道長遠覺行精進)
Date: January.30. 2015
“Causes and conditions have been aggregating for as long as the heavens and earth have existed. Accumulating in our storehouse consciousness, they now manifest as karmic retributions. Through the Four Noble Truths, we plant seeds of goodness. With the Four Great Vows, we walk the Bodhisattva-path.”
We live between the heavens and the earth. The universe is endless and the earth is vast and boundless. Humans and sentient beings have, for who knows how many trillions of lifetimes returned to this world, over and over. As we come and go, we all bring our causes and conditions with us and are led by karmic connections. Thus, we transmigrate through the Six Realms. The karmic conditions we created in the past may not be exhausted in this lifetime and the causes we have accumulated in this lifetime will be added to our storehouse consciousness and brought to our future lifetimes. In this way, the debts we have not fully repaid will be carried over into our future lifetimes and thus continue to accumulate.
Think about it; when will we be able to repay all of our mutual debts to one another? Because of this, lifetime after lifetime, we continue to be entangled. This is truly unbearable suffering. The Buddha comes to this world for one great cause. He teaches sentient beings the true principles of suffering, the Four Noble Truths of suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. Once we understand the Four Nobel Truths, we can accept, comprehend, awaken to and practice these principles. We can gradually change ourselves. As we slowly eliminate unwholesome causes, we begin to sow new and wholesome seeds and cultivate the field in our minds. As we sow and cultivate these seeds, we create good causes and form good conditions. This is how we gradually begin to engage in spiritual practice. In the process of our spiritual practice, we must make the [Four] Great Vows. We vow to deliver countless sentient beings. Sentient beings experience so much suffering. Therefore, we must nurture our love and kindness so we can be benefactors to each other. Then these seeds will gradually accumulate.
When we all understand the Buddha-Dharma, we can encourage each other as we share a common goal and walk the same path. To head toward the path to Buddhahood, we need to walk the Bodhisattva-path. As we walk the Bodhi-path, we eliminate small bits of delusion and therefore attain slight bits of awakening. We are truly grateful to the Buddha for never abandoning sentient beings and for teaching sentient beings how to create blessings while in the midst of suffering.
Right now, when we look at Living Bodhisattvas, we can see how enthusiastic they are. In every suffering nation, we see them enthusiastically devoting themselves to help those who are suffering. They also apply the Buddha-Dharma, such as the principle of the Three Spheres of Emptiness; they give unconditionally, and at the same time, they feel grateful. They do their volunteer work very happily. The volunteers in South Africa and Mozambique are truly benefactors for each other. These places have always been very poor, but they had these causes and conditions. With the arrangement of these inconceivable causes and conditions, a young Taiwanese woman, [Denise Tsai] married a man from Mozambique and moved there. Her husband used to work at the presidential palace of Mozambique. Because she happened to be the wife of a government official, she heard about this Taiwanese group, Tzu Chi. She really longed to know more. Because of this karmic connection, Tzu Chi volunteers in South Africa reached out to her.
When we held relief distributions and so on, she joined our efforts. However, because Taiwan does not have diplomatic relationships with Mozambique, it was very hard for relief rice from Taiwan to clear customs. Denise Tsai went to the presidential palace and visited the first lady’s office.She talked about all the work that Tzu Chi has done globally.
Her stories really touched the first lady’s chief of staff, who was named Delfim [Joao].He was willing to offer his help.So, through his efforts and communication, within a very tight timeframe, we were able to begin our distributions.
At that time, we had to quickly mobilize people.We already had 100 local volunteers in Mozambique.These volunteers were people who had been helped by us before.At the beginning of 2013, there was a big flood [in Mozambique].Volunteers from South Africa went to Mozambique and met with Denise to survey the damage and distribute goods.This created a very good karmic connection.
Through many earlier trips, Bodhisattvas from sown the seeds of Tzu Chi in these impoverished communities.Now, our volunteers emerged from these communities.There were 100 of these volunteers.These volunteers quickly mobilize and unloaded everything from the shipping container.
Mr. Michael Pan and Bodhisattvas from South Africa went to Mozambique together to guide them in how to unload the rice and how to set everything up neatly.Afterwards, they had just one day before the distribution at the elementary school.They did trainings and held rehearsals to teach them how to distribute goods and how deeply they needed to bow.They also shared the Dharma with them and talked about the principles of unconditional giving.
At the distribution there was a city official named Celina.As she watched, she felt much moved.The distribution that day was very successful.The recipients were each handed.The recipients were each handed a 20 kilogram bag of rice.They held this 20 kilogram bag in their arms.This was something they had never received before in their lives.
[The volunteers] smiled at them, spoke softly and bowed deeply when they gave them the rice, so the recipients felt very happy and all wore grateful smiles.Everyone there had experienced suffering.To see the genuine smiles and happiness being brought out from their hearts is very rare.This is the best reward.
This strengthens [the volunteers’] goodness and their wisdom-life.So, the people who received the goods received material assistance.The people who gave the goods developed their kind thoughts and wisdom-life and strengthened their willingness to give.They were truly mutual benefactors.This is what makes them Living Bodhisattvas.
In such an impoverished area, once the Tzu Chi School of Buddhism has opened, the Jing Si Dharma-lineage can spread in the world.Everyone applied virtuous Dharma and exercised great willingness and love.No matter how hard the work was and how tight and stressful the schedule was, they were still able to, in a very short period of time, organize everything and hold rehearsals.Then the following day’s distribution could happen in a very orderly matter.They held seven distributions and helped 2000 families.The volunteers gave of themselves with joy.After they distributed goods to the poor, they then visited them.They went to each family to see whether the rice had been brought home.Then they assessed the condition of these families.
If they found that they faced other difficulties, they would find other ways to help them.For example, they saw a family of nine.
There were nine people in that family.Among them was a girl with an unknown illness which caused her to be unable to walk.After seeing, this, Tzu Chi volunteers quickly provided a wheelchair to the family.There were many similar stories.Indeed, in places with suffering, when people can help each other, the atmosphere is very touching and heartwarming.
Mozambique was fortunate enough to receive such love and care.This warmth has continued to be transmitted to the poorest and the most desolate areas, where it is needs most.This is the practice of the Four Great Vows, which is the bodhisattva-path.Because this world is full of suffering, we should know the principle that suffering comes from the accumulation of karmic retributions that arise through people’s interactions.
Take Denise Tsai, for example. She originally enjoyed a good life in Taiwan. Why did she marry someone from far away? These imperceptible karmic conditions led her to end up there. So, we say, “one gives rise to infinity”. First, the seed must be sown in the ground. After it is sown, if it converges with good karmic conditions, naturally it will be able to grow. Thus, “One gives rise to infinity”.
Therefore, the workings of karma are truly inconceivable. Theirs is such a long story. Let us go back to the Lotus Sutra. In the previous passage, Sakyamuni Buddha said,
“Now, again, I wish for you to recall the path you have practiced according to your original vows. I, for the sake of the Hearers, expound this Great Vehicle sutra by the name of the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower and teach the Bodhisattva Way that has been guarded and retained by Buddhas”.
This Dharma had been concealed in the Buddha’s mind for more than 40 years. Now, He began to freely carry out His intent, which was to teach the Bodhisattva-path. The following sutra passage states,
“Sariputra, you, in the future, after a countless, boundless, inconceivable number of kalpas has passed, having made offerings to several trillions of Buddhas and upheld Right Dharma, will fulfill all aspects of the Bodhisattva-path”.
Think about this, Sariputra, during the Buddha’s lifetime, was foremost in wisdom among His Sangha. At this point in time, he received the Buddha’s prediction that, in the distant future, he would also attain Buddhahood.
Therefore, for a seed to be sown in the ground and then nurtured is not a simple matter. This is because people always have periods of advancing and periods of retreating. If our Root of Faith is not strong enough, we may advance only to retreat, ending up in the same place. We follow cycles of karmic cause and effect over so many lifetimes, so we may advance and retreat many times. Thus it takes a long time to attain Buddhahood.
So, at this time, the Buddha bestowed this prediction upon him, hoping that this seed would grow under the [right] karmic conditions and that he would make an effort to protect this seed. It would still take a long time for Sariputra to attain Buddhahood, but the Buddha still decided.
“The Dharma-lineage must be passed on. Inheriting the wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle, the true Dharma of the path to One Reality”, is likewise inseparable from the provisional teachings of the Great Vehicle”.
Though there was still a long way to go, He was now making the effort to pass on the Dharma-lineage. This Dharma-lineage is the wondrous Dharma of the Great Vehicle. With the seed of the Great Vehicle, and the causes and conditions of the wondrous Dharma, the principles had to be passed on at this time. This is inseparable from the wondrous, provisional Dharma of the Great Vehicle.
In Sariputra’s future lifetimes, he must form connections with many people. It takes a very long time to form many karmic connections. It takes many lifetimes of practicing the true principles of One Reality, this wondrous Dharma. Sentient beings have varying capabilities. When [Sariputra] inherits this Dharma, he must likewise retain the Great Dharma, the wondrous Dharma, in his mind. When he teaches sentient beings, he must also make use of wondrous, provisional Dharma. These are the methods he must use to form karmic connections with sentient beings over a long period of time. This is how [the Dharma-lineage] is passed on.
As stated in the previous sutra passage, over the lifetimes of two trillion Buddhas, the Buddha unceasingly formed karmic connections with others. That was how He was able to attain Buddhahood in this world. The Buddha-Dharma has gone through the eras of Right Dharma, Dharma-semblance and Dharma-decay, up until the present time. We have already passed through the era of Dharma-semblance. The footprints left by the Buddha in His lifetime, those traces, flourished in that era. People built stupas and temples, or they carved His image in mountain grottoes, like the ones in Dunhuang Caves on the Silk Road. When Master Xuan Zang went [to India] for sutras, all along the entire Silk Road, he heard so many stories about the Buddha and how He transformed sentient beings and gave various teachings in this world.
Some of these images were painted with brushes, some sculpted with clay, stones or so on. Others were carved in mountain caves. The entire Jataka Sutra was carved in a mountain cave. This happened after the era of the Right Dharma, in the era of the Dharma-semblance. People showed their respect to the Buddha-Dharma with their imaginations by retaining its images. Though people practiced the Dharma, the semblance of the Dharma gradually deviated. There were many stories and many storytellers, so even the slightest of differences led people far off course.
For instance, the seventh lunar month became a tradition called [“ghost month”]. This is a tremendous deviation [from the Dharma]. At this time, we must quickly bring back the proper teachings of the Buddha-Dharma and help everyone understand them. The true Buddha-Dharma explains the principles of this world and helps people understand why there is suffering, why people have relationships that create love, hate, affection, animosity and so on that lead them to create various kinds of karma. Once they clearly understand principles, they can untangle the knots in their minds and eliminate ignorance little by little. Thus, we must put our hearts into comprehending these principles.
It will take Sariputra a very long time attain Buddhahood. The Buddha passé don His principles to him, hoping he will spend that very long amount of time teaching sentient beings. He must also “[make] offerings to several trillions of Buddhas”. He has to make offerings to this many Buddhas.
Actually, the Buddha said that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. As Never-Slighting Bodhisattva said, “I dare not look down on you because you will attain Buddhahood in the future”. Treating people with this kind of mindset is equivalent to making offerings. We cannot look down on anyone; we must be grateful to everyone. The best offering is to adjust to sentient being’s [desires] and go among them to give. With this perspective, practicing the Bodhisattva-path and making offerings to countless Buddhas over countless lifetimes will not be a difficult matter. Nor is it simply a metaphor; these are true principles. We must “fulfill all aspects of the Bodhisattva-path”. This is what Bodhisattvas to. We seek the Dharma and transform sentient beings.
“[He] will fulfill all aspects of the Bodhisattva-path: Making offerings to countless trillions of Buddhas is actualizing the Bodhisattvas’ Six Perfections in myriad actions. He will fulfill this completely.
We need to make offerings to countless trillions of Buddhas.” if we consider everyone a Buddha, we will be grateful to them and love them. Then we are practicing the Six Paramitas, giving, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, [Samadhi and wisdom]. We start be giving to these sentient beings. Then in the end, we will fulfill this completely and receive the Buddha’s predictions of Buddhahood.
The path to Buddhahood is very far and long, but it is also like a vast ocean. It cannot be emptied by a single ladle. We must have patience, love and perseverance, from the time we form our initial aspirations to a time very far into the future. This is the only way we can gradually and diligently advance toward the path to awakening.
The path to Buddhahood is long and far. This is like the vast sea, which cannot be emptied by a single ladle, or like a building of ren (216m), which cannot be built in a day.
Think about how long it took Sariputra to receive the Buddha’s predictions of Buddhahood. So, we must not waste even a second. We must constantly form good connections with all other sentient beings. As we meet these countless beings who can attain Buddhahood in the future, we must form good karmic connections with them and make offerings to them. We must let everyone feel joyful and content. Therefore, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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