Chapter 07: The Analogy of the Transformed City

Sutra: 

Then, the Brahma Heaven Kings bowed with their heads at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him a hundred thousand times, and scattered heavenly flowers upon the Buddha. The flowers that they scattered were as high as Mount Sumeru, and they offered them as well to the Buddha’s Bodhi tree. Having made offerings of flowers, they each presented their palace as an offering to the Buddha, saying, “We only pray that you will show us pity and benefit us by accepting and occupying these palaces.” Then the Brahma Heaven Kings, before the Buddha, with one mind and a single voice, spoke these verses:

“It’s good indeed to see the Buddhas,
Honored Sages who save the world
And who, from the prison of the triple realm
Can effect escape for living beings,
All-wise, revered by gods and humans,
Pitying the flocks of beings
Opening the door of sweet dew,
Vastly saving all beings.

Limitless eons of yore
Have passed emptily, without a Buddha.
Before the World Honored One emerged,
The ten directions were ever in darkness,
The three evil paths increased,
And the asuras flourished,
While the hosts of gods diminished,
Most falling into evil paths at death.

They did not hear the Dharma from the Buddha,
But ever followed unwholesome paths.
Their bodily strength and wisdom,
Both decreased.

Because of offense karma
They lost joy and thoughts of joy.
They dwelt in Dharmas of deviant views,
Not knowing the rules of goodness.

Failing to receive the Buddha’s transforming,
They constantly fell into evil paths.
The Buddha acts as eyes for all the world,
And but once in a long while does appear.

Out of pity for living beings,
He manifests in the world,
Transcends it and realizes right enlightenment.
We rejoice exceedingly;
We and all the other beings,
Are happy as never before,
And all or our palaces
Receive the light and are adorned.

We now offer them to the World Honored One.
May he pity us and accept them.
We vow that this merit and virtue
May extend to all living beings,
So that we and all beings
May together realize the Buddha Way.”

Outline:

N4. Making offerings to the three karmas.

Commentary: 

Then, the Brahma Heaven Kings bowed in full prostration, with their heads at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him a hundred thousand times, and scattered heavenly flowers upon the Buddha. The flowers that they scattered were as high as Mount Sumeru, and they offered them as well to the Buddha’s Bodhi tree. Although the flowers appeared to be piled as high as Mount Sumeru, when you reached out to touch them, there was nothing there. You could see them, but you could not touch them. It is sort of like watching a movie. You can watch a movie with your eyes, but you cannot shake hands with the characters in it. It is a wonderful and inconceivable state. When ordinary people look, however, there is nothing there.

Then the Brahma Heaven Kings, before the Buddha, with one mind and a single voice, spoke these verses:

Having made offerings of flowers, they each presented their palace as an offering to the Buddha. The gods like their palaces more than anything else in the world because they are so comfortable. They sit in them and are perfectly at ease, thinking of nothing at all. They do not think about their father, and they do not think about their mothers, their sisters, or brothers. All they think about are their palaces, about how comfortable they are in them–better than lying on the sofa! They are attached to them all day long, and so, when they went looking for the light, they brought them along. However, as soon as they saw the Buddha, they got enlightened and wished to set their palaces aside.

Saying, “We only pray that you will show us pity and benefit us by accepting and occupying these palaces.” Allow us to make this offering to the Buddha and thereby plant blessings before the Triple Jewel. Please accept these palaces and live in them. Then, the Brahma Heaven Kings, the five hundred myriads of millions of them, before the Buddha, with one mind and a single voice, spoke these verses. There were many of them, but they all had one, common mind and one single sound to praise the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory Thus Come One.

I asked about udumbara flowers yesterday. If you think of it now, you may tell me about this type of flower. Udumbara is Sanskrit that means efficacious and auspicious. This type of flower only blooms once every three thousand years, therefore difficult to encounter. Buddhas are analogous to these flowers. It is a long, long time before a Buddha is in the world and for beings to encounter the Buddhadharma. You see! Just take a look at Westerners. It has been such a long time yet there are very few people who truly understand Buddhism. This is just the beginning.

Now let me say something that is superstitious and yet not superstitious. This group of you have all made vows in your past lives to the effect of, “Our master has made a vow to go to the United States to propagate the Buddhadharma in the future, so we disciples should make the vow to arrive there first.” That is why you are already here as citizens of this country and learning the Buddhadharma now. You came here riding on your vows. Do not forget your vows.

Unfortunately you have not yet forgotten your afflictions over food. Forget that affliction and do not eat too much. You will get sick if you eat too much.

The Buddhadharma is difficult to encounter. Yesterday I talked about that great Brahma Heaven King Shikhin. What does his name mean? If anyone knows, tell me. I know that none of you know. Why? It is because I did not tell you. I thought I would wait until today to ask you about it the same time that I question you about the udumbara flowers. I wanted to see if anyone knew though I did not explain it. Sometimes, students who really pay attention will research and try to find out on their own even though the Dharma Master did not discuss it. “Ah! What is this? I did not understand the explanation, let me go search for it in the Buddhist dictionary or research the parts with English translation.” Since none of you know now that I asked, the tallest disciple has gone searching for the word but still does not recognize it!

That is right, his name means cowl, not necessarily a flesh cowl, but could be a topknot as well. With the water of samadhi and wisdom, this great Brahma Heaven King transformed his fire of lust. This is Shikhin, cowl on the crown. Originally he had a tremendous amount of lust, but he used his water of wisdom to squelch his fire of lust so that it turned into the water of wisdom too. I had told you to use this water of prajna wisdom in my letter to you. I told you not to use the fire of ignorance. This is the same principle.

Shikhin, transliterated can also mean to abandon this dead body. How? The great Brahma Heaven King really liked his body so he was unwilling to give up this body of his. His body was the most gorgeous, the finest! Since it was the finest, he would cultivate so that it had no sexual desire, squelching the fire of ignorance completely with his water of wisdom.

Once, however, he met a very beautiful woman. For some reason unknown, his fire of ignorance flared up, his fire of sexual desire arose. Although he did not break any precepts, he thought, “This body really is a dangerous thing. I do not want it anymore!” So he discarded his body, he abandoned it and went to the heavens to be the Great Brahma Heaven King whose name is Shikhin.

Today I am very happy that my disciple’s parents have come to listen to the lecture. I know that the first time his parents came here to visit, they were afraid that he was in great danger, and they came prepared to bargain with me. But now this is their second visit, and they realize he is doing well; they are not afraid for him. What is more, they sat all through the lecture; that is quite inconceivable in itself! However, I believe that one’s parents are always concerned for their children’s welfare. Every move their children make is watched very carefully. It is like me. Wherever my disciples go, I find it very hard to put them down. I am always watching to see what they are up to. Have they broken any precepts? Have they been taken advantage of?

I want to announce something here at the Buddhist Lecture Hall. After this, whether you are a left-home person or a lay person, when your parents come here, they can do as they wish. If they want to stand, they can stand. If they want to sit down, they can sit down. If they want to bow to the Buddha, they can, and if they do not want to, they do not have to. One’s brothers and sisters, however, should follow along with our routine. Parents are older, and we at the Buddhist Lecture Hall want to practice filial behavior, and, therefore, we will not try to coerce them into believing in Buddhism. But, you can lean on your brothers and sisters a bit; it would not hurt. That is today’s announcement.

It is good indeed to see the Buddhas. We feel really good to see the Buddha. Honored Sages who save the world. We have met with a sage who can lead us from suffering to bliss. And who, from the prison of the triple realm from the prison of the realm of desire form, and formless can effect escape for living beings, help them to leave suffering and attain bliss, and end birth and death.

All-wise, revered by gods and humans, pitying the flocks of beings. The Buddha is the wisest and most universal guiding teacher for gods. He is the model for heavenly beings. He is greatly compassionate and merciful towards all the different kinds of living beings. This includes both sentient and insentient beings. It is said, “The sentient and insentient alike perfect the wisdom of all modes.”

Opening the door of sweet dew. “Sweet dew” is the heavenly elixir of immortality. The Buddha speaks Dharma, leading all living beings to end birth and death, and so his speaking of Dharma is called the “Door or Sweet Dew.” Vastly saving all beings. The Buddha does not just save one or two beings; he saves them all, without exception. Limitless eons of yore. Have passed emptily, without a Buddha. Way back into the past, through limitless eons, and upwards until now, the time has gone by emptily, for no Buddha has appeared. For some, it was one hundred and eighty eons, and for some it was one hundred and thirty eons. Here it is simply “limitless” eons. Living beings’ causes and effects all are different, and so they see different things.

Before the World Honored One emerged, into the world, the ten directions were ever in darkness, lacking light. The three evil paths increased and the asuras flourished while the hosts of gods diminished because they did evil deeds. Most falling into evil paths at death. The hells, the animal realm, and the path of ghosts gained in population. The asuras also grew in number. That makes Four Evil Destinies. We should all think upon this; we are ever in danger of falling into the three evil paths. We should always strive to be careful and avoid them.

They did not hear the Dharma from the Buddha. Since they did not meet up with the Buddha, they had no way to hear the Dharma. Because they did not hear the Dharma, they knew nothing about cultivation, but ever followed unwholesome paths. Because they did evil deeds, they fell into the three evil paths. If one does good deeds, one rises to the heavens or gains in good roots. They fell into the three evil paths, because they lacked good roots.

Their bodily strength and wisdom both decreased. They lost their health and their wisdom. Day-by-day, they decreased. Because of offense karma, they lost joy and thoughts of joy. They lost the happiness they were entitled to. They even lost the concept of happiness altogether. Since they had none of the proper knowledge and views, they ran toward deviant knowledge and views. They dwelt in Dharmas of deviant views not knowing the rules of goodness. They knew nothing about the rules of goodness. Failing to receive the Buddha’s transforming. Because their karmic obstacles were so great, they were unable to see the Buddha and unable to be taught by him. Therefore, they constantly fell into evil paths. Life after life, they fell into the Three Evil Paths.

The Buddha acts as eyes for all the world and but once in a long while does appear. The Buddha only appears at long, long intervals. Out of pity for living beings, he manifests in the world, transcends it, and realizes right enlightenment. The supreme, right, equal and proper enlightenment. We rejoice exceedingly at our good fortune. We and all the other beings are happy as never before and all or our palaces receive the light and are adorned. All the palaces we brought with us are shining in the Buddha’s light. They are more beautiful than they have ever been.

We now offer them to the World Honored One. May he pity us and accept them,mercifully accept our offering.

We vow that this merit and virtue gained by making this offering to the Buddha may extend to all living beings so that we and all beings, may together realize the Buddha Way, the Way of Buddhahood.

Sutra: 

At that time, the five hundred myriads of millions of Brahma Heaven Gods, having praised the Buddha in verse, addressed the Buddha, saying, “We only pray that the World Honored One will turn the Dharma-wheel to bring tranquility and liberation to many beings.” Then, the Brahma Heaven King spoke these verses of praise:

“World Honored One, turn the Dharma-wheel
Sound the sweet dew Dharma-drum,
To cross over tormented living beings,
Showing them Nirvana’s path.

Pray, accept our request,
And, with the great and subtle sound,
Pity us, and set forth,
Dharma gathered through countless eons.”

Outline:

N5. Requesting the turning of the Dharma-Wheel. 

Commentary: 

At that time, the five hundred myriads of millions of Brahma Heaven Gods, actually, there were not just five hundred, but five thousand or more, myriads of millions of gods from the ten directions–having praised the Buddha in verse, each assembly of gods from the ten directions had spoken their verses, and then they addressed the Buddha, saying, “We only pray that the World Honored One will turn the Dharma-wheel, speak the Dharma to teach and transform living beings.” Before the Buddha speaks Dharma, someone must request it. To bring tranquility and liberation to many beings “happiness and salvation.” Then, the Brahma Heaven King spoke these verses of praise.

World Honored One, turn the Dharma-wheel. We Brahma Kings and all living beings wish that the Buddha would turn the great Dharma-wheel to teach us all. Sound the sweet dew Dharma-drum so we can end birth and death with the sweet dew of Dharma. To cross over tormented living beings, all beings suffer the agonies of the Three Evil Paths. Showing them Nirvana’s path, the pathway to non-production and non-extinction. Point it out clearly to us, so we can cultivate it. Pray, accept our request to turn the Dharma-wheel and, with great and subtle sound, the inconceivable sound, speak Dharma for us. Pity us, and set forth. Be compassionate to us, and speak Dharma gathered through countless eons,gathered through successful cultivation throughout limitless eons. Proclaim the wonderful Dharma for the sake of living beings.

The Great Brahma Heaven Kings have requested the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory to turn the Dharma-wheel. Here in the Buddhist Lecture Hall we speak the Dharma and teach the Sutras, and that is also turning the Dharma-wheel. We lecture here every day. The Wheel turns from morning ‘til night. The turners get very tired but they continue to turn the wheel. Not only does it turn here but it turns in Los Angeles as well. Next Friday we are going to Los Angeles to turn the Dharma-wheel there. Six people are going; they represent the Six Perfections: giving, morality, patience, vigor, concentration, and wisdom. Guo Li and Guo Shan have invited us to their parents’ home in Los Angeles to speak the Dharma. I hear a lot of people are coming to the Dharma Assembly.

In the Buddhist Lecture Hall, we have turned the Dharma-wheel every day until we are very tired. Probably, in Los Angeles we will be even more worn out. We might not even get to sleep at night! Whoever is afraid of over-exertion should back out now, when there is still time. If you do not chicken out, that means you are not afraid of fatigue. You are wearing your armor of vigor, working in the six periods of the day and night. You must act as a good model for the lay people in Los Angeles. Last time I went to Los Angeles with Guo Li for a Chan Session, he planted a Bodhi seed there and later took refuge. Now he has invited us there to turn the Dharma-wheel. This is a case of cause and effect which is quite inconceivable.

When I went last time, a lot of people wanted to take refuge, but the person I went with was a Chinese who was jealous of the Americans and did not want them to take refuge with me. He put himself in their way. But the seed, once planted, will come up sooner or later; you cannot obstruct it forever. When the time comes the Bodhi sprout will come up anyway, and no rocks can keep it down. It will sprout and grow and bear fruit naturally. If you are not afraid of suffering, you will be able to teach and transform a lot of people. If you are half asleep, people will think, “What is this cultivation? They are our guests, and they are sound asleep! As soon as I open my mouth to lecture, my five disciples fall asleep on cue: “Let us sleep. Let us not listen!” If you do that, no one will give rise to faith. So I hope you will sleep a bit less. Each of the five of you should prepare one lecture for each day. You can speak to them in English. Prepare something you would like to say for twenty minutes or so.

Last year, on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, some of you made vows. Guo Yi and Guo Xiu wrote out their vows. Guo Ning also made ten vows, one of which was to save the insane and to save demons. Whoever is insane now has a chance to be saved and the demons also have a chance. I am sure that no one has ever made such “crazy” vows before. Guo Qian wrote his out and read them quite properly, but I never knew what they were because he did not write them in Chinese for me. I got the general gist of them, and they were not bad. Someone later told me that they were very good. Whoever else would like to make vows can do so on the tenth. We will also transmit the Bodhisattva precepts on that day and the Three Refuges.

Taking refuge, taking precepts, and making vows: faith, vows, and practice. The sooner you make vows, the better. The sooner you take refuge, the better. The sooner you leave home, the better. Guo Qian left home first. Guo Xiu is actually the oldest but she left home last, so, as far as cultivation goes. She is the youngest. I hope she hurries up and gets enlightened so she can be an enlightened Bhikshuni. In all things, you should strive to go forward and never retreat. Go forward in taking refuge, making vows, and leaving home.

Sutra: 

At that time, the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, having received the request of the Brahma Heaven Kings of the ten directions, as well as the sixteen princes.

Outline:

J2. Nearby cause.
K1. Turning the Dharma-wheel of the half word teaching.
L1. Receiving the request. 

Commentary: 

At that time, right after the Great Brahma Kings from the ten directions had praised the Buddha, the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, having received the request of the Brahma Heaven Kings of the ten directions, as well as the sixteen princes.

Sutra:

Thereupon, three times turned the Dharma-wheel of twelve parts which cannot be turned by Shramanas, Brahmans, gods, maras, Brahmas, or other beings of the world. He said, “This is suffering. This is the origination of suffering. This is the extinction of suffering. This is the way to the extinction of suffering.

Outline:

L2. Turning proper.
M1. The Four Truths. 

Commentary: 

Thereupon, three times turned the Dharma-wheel, there are three turnings of the Dharma-wheel of twelve parts, also called “the three turnings of the Four Truths”: the Demonstration Turning, the Exhortation Turning, and the Certification Turning. Everyone should know them.

The Four Truths are suffering, origination, extinction, and the Path. What is suffering? Happiness is suffering. Whatever you like is suffering. You like to get angry? That is suffering! You like to sleep? That is suffering. The things you like bring you suffering.

Right after each Buddha becomes a Buddha, he preaches the Four Truths, and then the Twelve Conditioned Causes, and after that, the Six Perfections. That is the order in which he rolls the Wheel of Dharma.

The First of the Three Turnings of the Dharma-wheel of Twelve Parts is the Demonstration Turning:

1. This is suffering, its nature is oppressive. If you get angry, your temper oppresses you so that you are uncomfortable walking, standing, sitting, and even lying down.

2. This is origination, its nature is seductive. It beckons you. You respond to the stimulus. This refers to the accumulation of afflictions, one on top of another. You did not want to get angry, but some situation triggered that response and you did. You were “seduced” into it.

3. This is extinction, its nature is that it can be certified to. This is the Path; its nature is that it can be cultivated.

That is the first turning. The second turning is called the Exhortation Turning:

1. This is suffering, you should know it.
2. This is origination, you should cut it off.
3. This is extinction, you should certify to it.
4. This is the Path, you should cultivate it.

This means that you should not only know about the Four Truths, but you should practice them: know suffering, cut off origination, long for extinction, and cultivate the Path.

Knowing suffering, you should put a stop to suffering. If you want to stop suffering, first of all you must get rid of affliction, that is, cut off origination. If you have afflictions, you will suffer. Without afflictions, there is no suffering. You must long for extinction and cultivate the Way. In this, the second turning, then, you are exhorted to do these things.

The third turning is the Certification Turning. The first turning tells you about this Dharma-door. The second turning exhorts you to cultivate. The third turning certifies that the Buddha has perfected it.

1. This is suffering. I already know it. I do not need to know it further.

2. This is origination. I have already cut it off. I do not need to certify to it further.

3. This is extinction. I have already certified to it. I do not need to certify to it further.

4. This is the Path. I have already cultivated it. I do not need to cultivate it further.

Which cannot be turned by Shramanas–those who diligently cultivate morality, samadhi, and wisdom and put to rest greed, hatred, and stupidity. Left-home people are all called Shramanas.

You say, “I know that as a Shramana it is my duty to cultivate morality, samadhi, and wisdom and put to rest greed, hatred, and stupidity. That is why, every day, I bow to the Buddha, recite Sutras, bow repentances, and bow to Sutras. I work real hard. Isn’t that diligently cultivating morality, samadhi, and wisdom?”

That is right! It is pretty easy, too, except that you get a bit tired after a while. Working so hard, you get tired and start thinking about taking a rest.

It may be easy to cultivate diligently morality, samadhi, and wisdom. But it is definitely not easy to put to rest greed, hatred, and stupidity. Greed: “Ahh, I am not greedy for money. I do not climb on conditions.” You may not be greedy for money, but sometimes you get greedy for sex. Or. If you are not greedy for sex, you may get hung up on food! Money is All-Powerful, you know. You can buy anything with it.

“If you are going to die, you cannot buy your life,” you say.

Sometimes you can! Let us say you have committed a capital crime and have been sentenced to death. If you offer the judge several million dollars, some judges might take the money and let you go. See? They say that money can get you through to the spirits.

“I do not care if it can. I am not going to be greedy for it,” you reply.

Well, perhaps you are not greedy for money, but you may then be greedy for sex. “Sex” does not just mean sexual relations; it refers to craving for material beauty of any sort–fine clothes, a trim figure, a new hat. It is all an expression of the libido.

And then, of course, there is food. You may deny that you are greedy for sex, but at lunch time you load up on the most nutritious foods and then take your vitamins. This is all greed, you know.

“Well what can I do?” you wonder.

When it comes to clothing, food, and shelter, you should be like this:

The eyes see forms outside, but inside there is nothing.
The ears hear mundane sound; but the mind does not know.

When it comes to eating:

You eat each day, but do not taste a grain of rice.

That is to be without greed.

“Sure,” you say, “I do not taste one grain of rice. I taste a lot of them. I am not Shakyamuni Buddha, sitting in Snow Mountain eating one grain of wheat and one sesame seed a day, you know.”

You certainly can count better than I can.

All day, you wear your clothes, but you do not put on a single thread.

“Of course I do not just wear one thread!” you say in surprise. “I wear a whole bunch of threads!”

That is not what I mean. When I say “not a single thread,” I mean not even one single thread.

“But you must be stretching the truth.”

When I say, “You eat each day but do not taste a grain of rice; all day, you wear your clothes, but you do not wear a single thread,” I mean that you are not preoccupied with food and clothing. You are not expending a lot of energy on eating and wearing clothes. You “eat without eating,” and “wear clothes without wearing them.”

“Not bad, you say, “Then can I go out and kill a few people, ‘killing without killing?’ Can I ‘steal without stealing?’”

If you have no mind, no thought, you are not committing an offense. But, if you have the thought, it is definitely an offense. Here, it is not that you do not eat, you do; you just are not attached to eating. You wear clothes and you are not oblivious to that fact, but you are not attached to wearing them. This is what The Vajra Sutra means by, “Producing that thought which is nowhere supported.” If you can produce that thought that is nowhere supported, then “You eat each day, but do not taste a grain of rice. All day, you wear your clothes, but you do not put on a single thread.”

“Dharma Master,” you say, “the more you try to explain it, the more puzzling it seems to get.”

Of course you do not understand it. If you understood it, you would be lecturing the Sutras.

“But I do lecture the Sutras.”

Maybe you do, but you still do not understand this principle. Wait until you understand it, and then you can explain it, too. In the Chan School, the principles taught are directed at separating you from all attachments.

Shramanas destroy greed, hatred, and stupidity. Hatred is not easy to overcome. You may make a vow not to get angry, to obey your teacher, and be filial, and then–who knows where or why–suddenly, you get mad. Your temper pops out like a mouse out of its mouse hole. The mouse of your temper hides in its invisible hole and shows itself unexpectedly. Stupidity. What is that? It is just doing dumb things, unintelligent things. You may clearly know that something is wrong, not in accord with Dharma, but insist on doing it anyway. That is stupidity.

Shramanas diligently cultivate morality, samadhi, and wisdom and put to rest greed, hatred, and stupidity.

Brahmans are an outside Way in India. They wear robes and do various things, but they do not cultivate according to Dharma. They look like Bhikshus, but they do not cultivate the practices of Bhikshus. The word Brahma means “pure will.” And they used to cultivate pure conduct. Now they do not even do that. They are all murky. With the passage of time, no matter what it is, there are bound to be false versions of it appearing. In China, the Taoists are the equivalent of Brahmans. In Taoism they talk about the three classes: the upper pure class, extreme pure ones, and the jade pure ones.

Gods. Those who cultivate the five precepts and the ten good deeds are born in the heavens and become gods. Maras are demons. They kill living beings. The Buddha saves and the demons kill. Brahmas, or other beings of the world. The Buddha, and only the Buddha, can turn the Dharma-wheel of the Four Truths. Shramanas, Brahmans, gods, demons, those of other religions–none of them can turn it.

He said, “This is suffering. This is the origination of suffering. This is suffering. This is the extinction of suffering. This is the way to the extinction of suffering.”The Dharma-door of the Four Truths includes the patience with suffering, wisdom of suffering, patience with accumulation, wisdom of accumulation, patience with cessation, wisdom of cessation, patience with the Way, and wisdom of the Way. These eight types of patience and wisdom turn into sixteen different states of mind. These are the Four Truths.

Sutra: 

And he extensively set forth the Dharma of the twelve causes and conditions: ignorance conditions dispositions. Dispositions condition consciousness. Consciousness conditions name and form. Name and form condition the six sense organs. The six sense organs condition contact. Contact conditions feeling. Feeling conditions craving. Craving conditions grasping. Grasping conditions becoming. Becoming conditions birth. Birth conditions old age and death, worry, grief, suffering and distress.

When ignorance is extinguished, dispositions are extinguished. When dispositions are extinguished, then consciousness is extinguished. When consciousness is extinguished, then name and form are extinguished. When name and form are extinguished, then the six sense organs are extinguished. When the six sense organs are extinguished, then contact is extinguished. When contact is extinguished, then feeling is extinguished. When feeling is extinguished, then craving is extinguished. When craving is extinguished, then grasping is extinguished. When grasping is extinguished, then becoming is extinguished. When becoming is extinguished, then birth is extinguished. When birth is extinguished, then old age and death, worry, grief, suffering and distress are extinguished.

Outline:

M2. The twelve causes and conditions.

Commentary: 

He extensively set forth the Dharma of the twelve causes and conditions. You have heard about them many times before. The list here is given twice. In the first list of twelve, they give rise to one another. This is called “the door of production.” In the second list of twelve, they are extinguished one after another in turn, and this is called “the door of returning to extinction.” This is the Dharma cultivated by the Conditioned Enlightened Ones. The Hearers cultivate the Four Truths. Right after the Buddha realized the Way, he first taught the Four Truths and then the Twelve Causes and Conditions.

You say, “I have heard about the Twelve Causes and Conditions so many times but I do not understand them at all. As quickly as you read them now, I further do not understand them.”

If you really do not understand though I have explained the Twelve Causes and Conditions so many times, then why should I bother talking about them? I present them to you so that you can become familiar with them and cultivate according to them. To really understand them, however, you must first certify to the Fourth Fruition of Arhatship. When you get enlightened, you will understand them. Before you become enlightened, you would not be able to understand them. So, do not worry about it. Just investigate it: ignorance conditions activity and so on. Keep looking into it until, suddenly, you understand.

Sutra: 

When the Buddha spoke this Dharma, amidst the great assembly of gods and humans, six hundred myriads of millions of nayutas of human beings, because they did not grasp at any dharma, had their minds liberated from all outflows. All attained profound and subtle Dhyana concentration, the Three Clarities, the Six Penetrations, and perfected the Eight Liberations. The second, third, and fourth times he set forth this Dharma, thousands of millions of nayutas of living beings, their numbers like the Ganges’ sands, also because they did not grasp at any dharma, had their minds liberated from outflows. From that time onwards, the assembly of Hearers was unlimited, boundless, and unreckonable.

Outline:

L3. Attaining the Way upon hearing the Dharma. 

Commentary: 

Shakyamuni Buddha first explained the Dharma of the Four Truths for the five thousand myriads of millions of Great Brahma Heaven Kings, sixteen princes, and hundred thousand myriads of millions of living beings, then he turned the Dharma wheel of the Twelve Conducts thrice. Finally he spoke the Dharma of the Twelve Causes and Conditions for Those Enlightened to Conditions. When the Buddha,Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, spoke this Dharma, turning the Dharma-wheel of the Four Truths and the Twelve Causes and Conditions, amidst the great assembly of gods, the vast assembly of Great Brahma Kings, who had requested the Buddha to speak the Dharma, and humans, the millions of living beings, six hundred myriads of millions of nayutas of human beings, because they did not grasp at any dharma.

At that time, the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory spoke the Four Truths and the Twelve Causes and Conditions. As Shakyamuni Buddha explains this chapter on the Analogy of the Transformational City, he describes the causes in the distant past. There are six hundred myriads of millions of nayutas of humans in the great assembly too. What does that mean? If you do not grasp at any dharma, how can you understand all dharmas? Grasp here means “to take in,” “to receive.” It means that they did not accept any evil dharmas. It does not mean that they did not accept any good dharma.

You may remember that Shariputra’s uncle, One of Great Joy, in debating with the Buddha, took “non-accepting” as his viewpoint. Then the Buddha, asked him, “If you take “non-accepting” as your viewpoint, do you “accept” that viewpoint or not? Shariputra’s uncle was stumped. How could he “not accept” his own viewpoint? That would mean he did not even have a viewpoint. On the other hand, if he did accept it, then he was contradicting his first premise! He took it pretty hard, because before the debate he had made a bet with the Buddha, saying, “If I lose, I will cut off my head and give it to you. If you lose, Buddha, then you must return my nephew, Shariputra, to me, and I will take him home.” The Buddha defeated him with just one sentence, “Do you accept your viewpoint or not?” There was no way he could win!

The Uncle had set up his argument, saying; “I would not accept anything you say, right or wrong, deviant or proper. “I will act like a deaf-mute. I would not even listen!” He thought this was extremely clever. If he did not listen to anything the Buddha said then he could not lose. The Buddha simply replied, “That is fine with me, your viewpoint of non-accepting. But, do you accept your viewpoint or not?”

So, he lost. He refused to admit that he had agreed to certain conditions. He was annulling the contract that he had signed. Scared stiff, he turned and ran. At that time there were no cars or trains, and he did not have a horse. He just hoofed it down the road. He took the “shoe-leather express.” His legs were obedient. They “accepted” his commands to run? He ran two or three miles. Until it occurred to him, “I am a man. I made an agreement with the Buddha to cut off my head if I lost. How can I run away like that? I am no sissy! I had better face up to things and go back.” Heroically, he ran back to the Buddha, saying, “Shakyamuni Buddha, I bow before you. I respect you a great deal. I admit that I lost, and now I must ask you to give me a knife.”

Shakyamuni Buddha said, “What do you want a knife for? Are you planning on killing the Buddha?”

“No!” he said. “I am going to kill myself!”

“What for?” asked the Buddha.

“I agreed that if I lost, I would give you my head. I lost, and, being a hero, I must keep my word.”

Shakyamuni Buddha said, “You are really stupid! You have studied the Four Vedas and the other treatises for eighteen years. How did you get so stupid?”

“S-s-s-stupid?” he stammered.

“I do not accept your agreement, and I do not want you to cut off your head. I do not want your old head!”

The uncle thought, “This Buddha sure is kind and compassionate! The Buddha really is different from ordinary people. Great! Since I get to keep my head, I might as well give my whole body to the Buddha.” Then he said, “Buddha, I will do whatever you tell me to do!” and he left home. He had gone to get his nephew back from the Sangha, but he ended up leaving home himself. All because he took non-accepting as his viewpoint.

Here the text says, “Because they did not grasp at any dharma.” This means that they did not accept any evil dharmas. It does not mean that they did not accept any good dharma. Because they did not accept any evil dharmas, then they had their minds liberated from all outflows. What are outflows? If you want to know what outflows are, you should first find out what outflows are not, or rather, what non-outflows are. I will give you an example: take a look at this teacup. Does it have any holes in it, any outflows? It has no outflows, of course, and so it can hold the tea. If it had outflows, it could not hold the tea.

Would you say that our bodies had outflows or not? Hah! Our bodies are bottomless pits. You fill your body up today, and tomorrow it all runs out. Then you fill it up again, and the next day it all flows out again. Obviously one’s excrement and urine are outflows. They flow out, and we have practically no control over it. Our bodies have nine orifices which constantly secrete impure substances: there is secretion of the eyes, wax in the ears, snot in the nose, saliva in the mouth, besides excrement and urine, but, these are very common, ordinary outflows and are not that important. The greatest outflows are the ones you are not even aware of: greed, hatred, stupidity, pride, and doubt.

Greed is an endless outflow. The more you get, the more you want. It is insatiable. If you obtain the object of your greed, then you just want more. If you cannot get it, you get afflicted, your ignorance arises, and you get stupid. Why do people do stupid things? Because of hatred, which comes from greed. Greed, hatred, and stupidity–these three poisons are everyone’s outflows. If you can be without greed, hatred, and stupidity, then you are without outflows.

If you have no afflictions and no ignorance, then you have no outflows. Those who have cultivated their dispositions will not get angry, even when scolded, even if you hit them, they would not get angry. It is not that they are incapable of anger; they simply do not indulge themselves in it. Everybody has a temper. Even the Bodhisattvas have tempers; the equal enlightenment Bodhisattvas still have one portion of temper, about as much as a hair. If they break through this hair-like particle of ignorance, then they can become Buddhas. But, because they have not broken through this ignorance, they have not become Buddhas.

We say, “break through” ignorance, but that has a negative connotation of destroying something. I lecture on this principle a bit differently from others: I say you do not have to break through it, you must transform it. Change ignorance into wisdom. Ignorance is the foundation to wisdom. Ignorance disappears once it is turned into wisdom. Ignorance is just your basic stupidity. If you change it into wisdom, it disappears. Prajna Wisdom is just that which is transformed out of ignorance.

All outflows, refer to greed, hatred, and stupidity, but you could expand this list to include the eighty-four thousand outflows. In general, outflows are just our afflictions. If you have one portion of affliction, you have one portion of outflows. If you have ten portions of affliction, you have ten portions of outflows. If you have a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand portions of afflictions, you have that many outflows. Therefore, if you want to get rid of outflows, it is very simple: just do not get angry. Get rid of afflictions.

“But, that is very simple,” you say.

Simple it may be, but you cannot do it! If you can do it, it is easy. If you cannot do it, it is very difficult.

Affliction is obviously no good; everyone knows this. But everyone takes his afflictions as more important than food. If they do not get afflicted for even the space of a single day, they feel as if they had not eaten—they are starving! Once they give rise to afflictions, then they feel as if they had eaten their fill. They do not think of anything at all–perfectly satisfied. They do not worry about their family, they do not worry about their country, and they quit concerning themselves with their own bodies. So, I always say you take affliction as a meal and eat one helping after another.

At home, you eat home-type afflictions; at school, you eat school-type afflictions; in society, you eat society-type afflictions; in the country; you eat national-afflictions; in the world, you eat international afflictions. Whatever you do you give rise to a corresponding affliction. Whatever afflictions you have, you cannot put them down. You cannot put them down; you cannot put them down. One year, you cannot put them down; ten years, you cannot put them down; but after a hundred years, you certainly must put them down. Hah! You will put down what you can put down, and you will also put down what you cannot put down. Hah! See? When it is all over, you will still be thinking, “I did not get my fill of afflictions–yet.” Wait until next life and I will eat some more. Then, in your next life you will once again take afflictions as your food and drink. That is outflow for you.

Had their minds liberated from all outflows. The text says that their minds were liberated, but it does not say that their bodies were liberated. They still have bodies, so how could you say they had been liberated from them? Their minds had been liberated. This means they had no minds at all. But it was not like Bi Gan whose heart was plucked out of his chest by the King of Chou. It means, rather, that their minds were free of all afflictions. The absence of affliction is the attainment of liberation. After all, what is liberation? It is just having no affliction.

When the Fourth Patriarch went to see the Third Patriarch, the Third Patriarch asked him, “What are you doing?”

The Fourth Patriarch answered, “I am seeking liberation. Will you help me attain liberation?

The Third Patriarch said, “Well, who has bound you up?”

As soon as the Fourth Patriarch heard this sentence, he suddenly became enlightened. “Ah! I am free. No one is tying me up. Why should I seek liberation?” Saying that their minds had been liberated just means that they had no more afflictions, no more greed, anger, and delusion.

“I cannot do it!” you say.

If you could, you would be liberated yourself! It is just because you cannot do it that you do not attain liberation. Your body cannot be liberated, nor can your mind.

All attained profound and subtle Dhyana concentration. Is that something you attain? How do you get it? The Heart Sutra says, “There is no wisdom and no gain.” Then, if there is wisdom, there is gain. Why does the text say, they “gained” it?” Because they did have wisdom. With wisdom, they gained these qualities. Then how did they get their wisdom? They got rid of their ignorance. Once rid of afflictions, they obtained wisdom.

You say, “Then I will throw my ignorance away and get some wisdom.”

If you throw away your ignorance, you will throw away your wisdom as well. Then you would not have either one! Affliction itself is wisdom. If you do not know how to use it, it is affliction. If you can use it, it is wisdom. So we say,

Affliction itself is Bodhi,
Birth and death, Nirvana.

If in the midst of affliction, you can wake up and turn that affliction into Bodhi, then, right in birth and death, you attain Nirvana. There is no Nirvana apart from birth and death, and there is no Bodhi apart from affliction. Before, when lecturing The Sixth Patriarch Sutra, I talked about Bodhidharma’s two disciples, Fo Tuo and Ye She . They said to the Venerable Yuan, “You see: The hand makes a fist and the fist makes a hand. Was that fast or not?”

The Venerable Yuan answered, “Very fast.”

They said, “Affliction is Bodhi; birth and death are Nirvana—it is just that fast.”

The Venerable Yuan was immediately enlightened. So, you should not think that affliction is eighty-four thousand miles away from Bodhi. And do not think that birth and death are eighty-four thousand miles away from Nirvana. They are immediately interchangeable.

To attain the profound and subtle Dhyana concentration referred to in the text you must cut off affliction. Turn affliction into wisdom. It is profound as in The Heart Sutra, “practicing the profound prajna-paramita.” It is subtle as in the verse we say, “Supreme, profound, subtle, and wonderful Dharma.” Proficiency in Dhyana samadhi is not gained externally. It comes from the awakening of one’s own self-nature. The self-nature takes itself across through a process of self-cultivation and self-understanding. You do not get it from outside. So do not seek it externally. It is the scenery of your nature land. Your original wisdom is within you. It is within your own self-nature. It is not external to it.

Dhyana is a Sanskrit word. It means “stilling thought.” It also means “cultivation of thought.” Dhyana samadhi is the attainment of the advantages of “stilling thought”, or “cultivating contemplation”. To gain skill in it you must actually practice it.

Attaining the profound and subtle Dhyana concentration, they perfected the Three Clarities, the clarity of the heavenly eye is also called the penetration of the heavenly eye. It is called a “clarity” because with it one can see all marks. The clarity of past lives refers to knowing what went on in the past not only in one lifetime, but through many lives into the past. It means knowing in which life you were a Bodhisattva. “Ah! I have practiced the Bodhisattva Way in the past. In such and such a place I taught and transformed living beings. I did this in the past. I should continue to do so now.” In the past you made a vow to teach living beings, and so now in the present you make that vow again. You sit there and see, “Oh, I left home during the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. Shariputra and I were brothers! My older brother leaves home in every life to be a Bhikshu and I should do the same. If he goes on ahead, I should not fall behind.” With the clarity of past lives you see, “In the past during the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, I went and bowed to him. At that time, I heard him speak the Sutras, and so now I am very intelligent and can understand all the Sutras as soon as I read them. In fact, if I do not understand something, I often have a dream and understand it through the dream. I dream,

The phoenix has not come,
And the river sends no map.
I am finished.

That is something I said myself in the past!! Gee! I said those words in the past, and so, hearing them now I am deeply impressed.”

“The phoenix has not come, and the river sends no map. I am finished.” Those lines were spoken by Confucius. The phoenix no longer shows up, mystic oracles no longer emerge out of the river. I am not going to work anymore. During the time of Fu Xi , a turtle rose out of the river with a chart on its back, giving him the idea for the eight trigrams of the Yi Jin g . I am not going to work anymore. I am going to retire.”

Or, they see, “In the past I was a thief. Now I am going to change and be good.” Such are the benefits gained from knowing past lives. Others see, “Oh, how strange! In the past I have been a pig, a cat–everything! When I was a cat, I could climb trees. When I was a dog, I guarded the door. When I was a pig, I just loved to eat. Gosh! That is really weird. Like Zhe Gong said, ‘Strange, strange, bizarre indeed!’”

One disciple made a vow to become an animal to teach animals. At first, I was surprised that he wants to be an animal, but then I thought, “I think everyone at one time or another has been an animal.” It is just that you have forgotten. Since you do not have the knowledge of past lives, you cannot see it, and so you think you are so outstanding. Actually, we are all about the same. There is not much difference, really.

The clarity of extinction of outflows means that all faults and habits are gone, outflows are ended. The most important thing is to have samadhi. With samadhi you can arrive at the stage of no-outflows. As long as you have outflows, the cause of the hells remains, as well as the cause of the hungry ghosts, and the cause of the animals. If you have extinguished outflows, then you have closed the doors to the hells, to the animal realm, and to the realm of the hungry ghosts. If you get rid of outflows, you are safe. If you have any outflows at all, then they will always be cropping up all over the place. The three evil paths will be waiting for you. The ghosts will be calling for you to come to them, and the animals will be waving frantically at you, saying, “Hey!! Come on over here!”

The Six Penetrations, six spiritual penetrations: the Penetration of the Heavenly Eye, the Penetration of the Heavenly Ear, the Penetration of Past Lives, the Penetration of Others’ Thought, the Penetration of the Extinction of Outflows, and the Penetration of the Complete Spirit. If you attain these Six Penetrations, you can make infinite transformations, as you will.

The Heavenly Eye is difficult to obtain. Most people would have to cultivate for five hundred great eons in order to attain the Six Spiritual Penetrations. If you have planted many good roots in former lives, you may meet a Good Knowing Advisor who will teach you a special Dharma-door. Then you would not have to pass through five hundred great eons to attain the Penetrations. Of all the people who cultivate the Way, why do so few obtain spiritual powers? It is because the merit and virtue they have accumulated through cultivation does not exceed the amount of offense-karma they have created. So, not only do people not attain the Six Spiritual Penetrations, but even if they do obtain them, they will lose them again.

Everyone can count up his daily score. During any given day, do you give rise to more proper thoughts or to more deviant thoughts? Do you have more false thinking or more thoughts of cultivation? You should be able to figure it out for yourself. If you have more false thinking than thoughts of proper cultivation, then you have created more offense-karma than merit and virtue. If all day long you do not have any false thinking, but just singlemindedly cultivate the Way, then you have more merit and virtue than offense karma. It is a very important point.

Some people cultivate and attain the Five Eyes and Six Penetrations because they have little false thinking and their thoughts of cultivation are firm and singleminded. In the Buddhist Lecture Hall now, there are many people who are just about to attain the Five Eyes. Why? Because they cultivate the Thousand-Hands, Thousand-Eyes Dharma of the Forty-two Hands. This Dharma will cause you to increase your eyes and hands. If you feel that your two eyes are not enough, you can grow some more. I am not joking! You can be meditating in one place, but you will know what is going on all around you outside.

“Isn’t that just false thinking?” you say.

On the part of ordinary folk, it is not false thinking. From the point of view of a Bodhisattva, yes, it is still just false thinking. It depends on where you are at. What for common people is false thinking, for ghosts is not. Ghosts do not have “false” thinking, they have “rotten thinking.” They just think about rotten things. When ordinary people meditate and are able to go outside, that is not considered false thinking. But, for Arhats, it is false thinking because Arhats should always be in samadhi. When you are in samadhi, you should not be running outside to mind other people’s business. Arhats have some leftover habits, habits going back many lifetimes and many eons, which they have not cut off. So, what is false thinking for common people is not false thinking for Arhats. What is not false thinking for Arhats is false thinking for Bodhisattvas.

You should not just think that false thinking is false thinking, and that is it. There are many different varieties of false thinking. What Bodhisattvas consider not to be false thinking is considered false thinking for a Buddha in his state. For example, I am teaching you to study the Buddhadharma, and you, for your part, do not consider this false thinking. But, from my point of view, it is false thinking. You guys think that I have probably got samadhi! When in reality, it is still false thinking. It is very difficult to pinpoint these things exactly unless you really understand what is going on.

With the Penetration of the Heavenly Eye, you can see all the activities of the gods; you can also see what is going on among people. With the Heavenly Eye, however, you can only see the gods moving around and stuff. You cannot hear what they are saying. If you have the Heavenly Ear you can hear them talking. They might be saying, “Hey, what a good kid, cultivating the Way. He can come up here to heaven with us pretty soon.” You can hear them praising you, “Oh, what a good boy. He has taken refuge with the Triple Jewel. He practices Dhyana meditation and is fairly sincere. He is so-and-so’s disciple.”

The Penetration of Past Lives means that you can know what people did in their former lives, what their former names were, and what they did. You might realize, “Oh, I met this person five hundred great eons ago. Hmm, I think he was my father then. And that person over there was my mother five hundred great eons ago. That one was my brother. That one was my sister.” You will know all those kinds of things. How far you can see into the past–five hundred years, five hundred centuries, five hundred eons–depends upon how much skill you have. Knowing that they were your relatives, friends, siblings, or spouse, you can think of some ways to cross them over. “They were my family and friends before, and so, no matter what, I am going to think of a way to save them in this life, to help them get enlightened.”

The Penetration of Other’s Thoughts is very strange. Before someone says something, you know what he is thinking. “Ah, that one is having such-and-such false thought. That one is thinking about her child, she really cannot put him down. That one is thinking about her mother who is sick. She is very worried about her. That one is thinking about her younger sister, “I really want to cross her over. Will she ever believe in the Buddha?” That one wants to save her mother. That one wants to save his father. See? Every living being has his own brand of false thinking. If you have this penetration, you can know what each one of them is thinking.

But, you had better be careful not to tell them that you know what they are thinking. If you do that, they would not be able to face you again. Why? Because you know their secrets. They will be afraid that you know all about them. Do not blurt out, “Hey, I know just what you are false thinking about. You are false thinking about New York.” Do not tell them these wonderful things. You may know it, but just act like you do not know it. Pretend it is not even happening. Then you can know their false thoughts from then on. Do not think that you can go telling people that you know what they are thinking.

The Penetration of the Extinction of Outflows means that you have gotten rid of all your faults and bad habits.

The Penetration of the Complete Spirit refers to having all kinds of power of magical transformation. You can be sitting in one place and at the same time go off to New York to play. You can go take a look at things in L.A. It would not even take you one second to make your return trip either. You can make a round trip faster than a rocket. But you have to gain this penetration first. If you do not have it, forget it.

This has been a discussion of the miraculous uses of the Six Spiritual Penetrations. Some people who cultivate really want to attain the Six Spiritual Penetrations. Before you have attained them, you may think that they are a lot of fun. Once you get them, however, you will find that you run into a lot of trouble. Really! You will get them and see, “Oh, the time has come for me to save him.” If you fail to save him, you have blown it. On the other hand, if you do save him, you have a lot of work on your hands. Getting the six spiritual powers means you are going to have a lot of things to take care of. You will think, “I have so much to do, I do not even have time to meditate. Do this! Do that! My work is never done!” You may think you are busy now. Wait until you get the Six Penetrations. You will be even busier.

“In that case, forget it,” you say. “I do not want them.”

That is perfectly all right. However, it is a part of the Path of Cultivation, and eventually you must attain them in order to teach and transform living beings. Do not be afraid of too much work. The more work you do, the more merit and virtue you will have. If you just do a little work, you only gain a little merit. It is better to be busier than to take naps all the time. Those who cultivate must not be afraid of trouble; they should not be afraid of being too busy. Do not be afraid that living beings will be hard to save. The harder they are to save, the harder you must work to save them. If one does not listen to you, keep on instructing him until he does. Do not worry about the energy expended.

And perfected the Eight Liberations. In order to have the Eight Liberations, you must have samadhi power. Without samadhi power, you cannot be liberated. Unless you are liberated, you are tied up. Who ties you up? You tie yourself up!

The Eight Liberations are:

1. The liberation in which inside there is form; outward form is contemplated.

2. The liberation in which inside there is no form; outward form is contemplated.

Inside, there is no emotional love, no material attachment, and no desire. Outwardly, however, form is still seen, but inside it is empty. When an external state arises and things are no longer empty, then you do not have this liberation. Perhaps ordinarily you have not the slightest desire. You have no greed, no hate, no stupidity at all. That is called “inwardly there is no form.” Inside you are very pure, clear, and lucid. But that is only when no external state exists to upset you. Once an external circumstance arises, your samadhi power is not yet perfect.

When you see some external state, basically you should not let it affect you. But, now you see a state, and you get all excited! Say, a lot of people show up and you fear trouble. You think immediately about running off to the mountains to cultivate alone, eat when you are hungry, sleep when you are tired, meditate when you feel like it, and recite the Sutras when you want to. You feel that would be much better than having to be with all these people. But such thoughts indicate that you are not truly liberated. You are simply attached, turned by states. If you are not turned by states, then as the saying goes,

When you see affairs and are awake, you can transcend the world.
If you see affairs and are confused, you fall beneath the wheel.

If you see something and you wake up, then you are liberated. You qualify for the second of the Eight Liberations: Inside there is no mark of form, and outward form is contemplated. You are not turned by external states.

3. The pure body of liberation certifies to the perfect dwelling. At this time, there is no inside or outside. This state is arrived at through the cultivation of dhyana meditation at the level of the Fourth Dhyana.

4. The liberation of emptiness without limit. You realize that you cannot find the limit of space, that space is infinite. That is liberation.

5. The liberation of consciousness without limit. Consciousness is very subtle, and also boundless.

6. The liberation of nothing whatsoever.

7. The liberation of neither perception nor non-perception.

8. The liberation of the samadhi of the extinction of feeling and thought.

These Eight Bodies of Liberation are also called the Eight Great Sovereign Selves once you attain them. Consequently, you will receive the eight kinds of liberating wisdom. Let us talk about these gradually when the opportunities come up. I will explain more and more each time, rather than finishing everything at once. If I finish everything at once, I would be out of a job.

The first explanation is on the Dharma of the Four Truths. The second explanation is on the Dharma of the Twelve Causes and Conditions. The third explanation is on the Six Paramitas. The explanations during this first period is the Teaching of the Tripitaka, during the second period he explains the Agama, during the third period is Vaipulya, during the fourth is Prajna. The fifth is period of Dharma Flower Nirvana.

The Storehouse Teaching is called the “Half-word Teaching.” It was only “half.” When you get to the Prajna Period, it is the “Full-word Teaching”. Some understand the full teaching through the half-teaching. To speak the “Full-word Teaching” to those of the “Half-word Teaching”. This is the Vaipulya Period. hat is called clarifying the “Full-word Teaching” to the “Half-word Teaching.”

The second, third, and fourth times he set forth this Dharma, thousands of myriads of millions of nayutas of living beings, their numbers like the Ganges sands, also because they did not grasp at any dharma, had their minds liberated from outflows. From that time onwards, the assembly of Hearers was unlimited, boundless, and unreckonable.

Sutra: 

At that time the sixteen princes all left home as virgin youths and became Shramaneras. They all possessed sharp faculties and clear wisdom. They had already made offerings to hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of Buddhas, purely cultivating Brahman conduct, seeking anuttarasamyaksambodhi.

Outline:

K2 . Turning the Dharma-wheel which gets rid of the “Half-word,” and clarifies the “Full-word.”

L1. All the kids leave home. 

Commentary: 

At that time the sixteen princes all left home as virgin youths. The Buddha’s sixteen sons left the home life. This is called entering the Way as a chaste virgin. And became Shramaneras.They all possessed sharp faculties and clear wisdom. “Sharp faculties” means that they had the six spiritual penetrations. Their eyes could talk! Their ears could hear!

“What do you mean, ‘Their eyes could talk?’ Mine certainly cannot,” you say.

Don’t you know that sometimes people can communicate very clearly with just a glance? Isn’t that like knowing other people’s thoughts, like talking with your eyes?

Sometimes, too, the eyes can eat. When the food is brought out, you just see it, and you are full.

“Oh, that is just false thinking,” you say.

You may think so, but when you attain that state, you really will be full right when you see the food. Your ears will be able to see, and your eyes will be able to hear.

And clear wisdom, they were extremely intelligent.

They had already made offerings to hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of Buddhas, purely cultivating Brahman conduct, seeking anuttarasamyaksambodhi. They cultivated Brahman conduct so diligently because they were interested in the Unsurpassed Proper, Equal, and Right Enlightenment.

Sutra: 

They all spoke to the Buddha, saying, “World Honored One, all these limitless thousands of myriads of millions of greatly virtuous Hearers already have reached accomplishment. World Honored One, you should, for our sakes, also, speak the Dharma of anuttarasamyaksambodhi. Having heard it, we will all cultivate and study it. World Honored One, we all aspire to the Thus Come One’s knowledge and vision. As to the thoughts deep within our minds, the Buddha himself knows.”

Outline:

L2. Request for Dharma. 

Commentary: 

They all spoke to the Buddha, saying, “World Honored One, all these limitless thousands of myriads of millions of greatly virtuous Hearers already have reached accomplishment. “Now, in this Bodhimanda,” said the sixteen princes, “there are limitless millions of greatly virtuous Hearers. They have great virtue.” What is great virtue? This means that in past lives they did many, many good deeds. They practiced much virtue, so they are called greatly virtuous ones. They are called Hearers because they were enlightened to the Way when they heard the Buddha’s voice preaching the Four Holy Truths. Have already reached accomplishment. What have they accomplished? They have accomplished the fruition of being Hearers. But now they have a certain doubt about whether or not they have truly attained Nirvana. They have accomplished the Hearer’s fruit, but have begun to give rise to the mind of the Great Vehicle.

World Honored One, you should, for our sakes, also speak the Dharma of anuttarasamyaksambodhi. You who are honored both in and beyond the world, O Buddha, really should, for all of us living beings, teach the Dharma of the utmost right and Perfect Enlightenment. How do you cultivate this Dharma-door which is given the name ‘the fruition of Buddhahood?’ It is the position of Buddhahood, but there must be some method by which this position is cultivated and attained. If there is no way to attain it, and you just say, ‘anuttarasamyaksambodhi,’ or Proper, Equal, and Right Enlightenment, it does not mean a whole lot to us.

If no one explains it, we will never understand it, and we will never get there. The sixteen princes are seeking the Dharma for the sake of the entire assembly of humans and gods. Basically, when they heard The Avatamsaka Sutra, the sixteen princes already certified to the fruit and understood the Dharma of anuttarasamyaksambodhi. Although they understood, the others had not understood, and so they pretended that they did not understand, so they could request it for the sake of other living beings. It is not the case that the sixteen princes, the sixteen shramaneras, the sixteen Bodhisattvas, did not understand it. They did long ago.

Why do they ask the Buddha to speak this Dharma? They want to seek the Dharma on behalf of all living beings.

Here, in the Buddhist Lecture Hall, everyday someone requests the Dharma. The ones who request the Dharma do not necessarily not understand it. Some of them can explain it, too. In fact, some of them can explain it even more wonderfully than I can. Why do they ask me to speak it? Because, I speak Chinese. Most people do not understand Chinese, and so when they hear me speak, they think it is really wonderful Dharma. Then it is translated by these eloquent translators, and they translate it ten times better than I speak it. That way, everyone gets real excited about listening to the Dharma. That is why they ask me to speak Dharma every single day. Basically, I do not teach you anything you do not already know. You can all lecture better than I. But, since I am a foreigner, you think a lot of me.

There is a saying, “Monks from far away can really recite the Sutras.” The grass is always greener, you know. I, being as shameless as I am, just go ahead and speak it, rapping away senselessly. I may rap senselessly, but you do not listen senselessly. In fact, by the time it is translated into English, it is not senseless at all. Before it is translated, it sounds all confused. “What is he saying, anyway? The people who know Chinese are all laughing, so it must be funny. Hmm…” Anyway, the sixteen princes already understood the Dharma of anuttarasamyaksambodhi, but still they asked the Buddha to preach it.

Let us take a look at what the word means: Anuttara, means “unsurpassed” (無上 –wu shang). The Buddha’s position is supreme, there is nothing higher. Samyaksam means “right, equal, and proper” (正等正 –zheng deng zheng). It is “right,” in that it differs from the state of common folk who are unenlightened. Common folk are not enlightened. They do not wake up. If you tell them the truth about things, they think it is false. If you lie to them, they think you are telling them the truth. That is just the way they are. In fact, if you try to tell them the truth, they get afraid and refuse to listen. “I do not want to hear the truth! What would I do if I knew the truth?” They do not want the truth. They may stumble in here accidentally for a lecture, but they run out before it is finished. Why? Because they do not want the truth.

I say that they do not want to hear the truth, but their rationale is that they do not want to hear what is false! Taking the true for the false, they wander around with their false ideas all day long, thinking they are true. Since they cannot let go of the false, they cannot understand the Dharma, and they are not awake.

When the Arhats hear the Dharma, they wake up. “Yes, that is the way it is, all right,” they say. “It is really true.” Since they know it is true, they pursue that truth in cultivation. One is taught to put everything down, and they do just that! They see through it all. They break all their attachments, put aside all their faults, and attain freedom and mastery. That freedom and mastery is just awakening. They have attained right enlightenment, enlightenment to what is right. They have not enlightened to what is wrong: i.e., they are not enlightened to the pleasures of the senses, dancing, and so forth. They are enlightened to what is right, “right enlightenment.” They have not, however, attained Equal Enlightenment.

Equal Enlightenment (正等 –zheng deng), means that they are the same as the Buddha, more or less. The Bodhisattvas have done this. Not only do they attain Right Enlightenment by enlightening themselves, but they also enlighten others. “I have come down this road, and I advise others to do likewise if they wish to become Buddhas. Other paths are not as direct and never get you to the position of Buddhahood. One might say, “All roads lead to Rome” (or to enlightenment), but some take longer than others. You could take one of those roads and go down it all your life and never get to Rome, see? Hah! This means that if you do not understand the Buddhadharma, but you want to become a Buddha, you can run around forever and never get there. Bodhisattvas can enlighten themselves and instruct others. “Do not go down that road.”

Take this one, come with me. You will certainly succeed.” They help others to wake up so that they, too, can attain the doctrine of enlightenment. “Oh? Not bad, hey. Right on!
I have been going down these crazy bypaths for so many years, getting absolutely nowhere. Boy, I am glad I got directions from that Bodhisattva.” Then, after they go down the right road for awhile, they become Bodhisattvas themselves and can be equal with the Bodhisattvas. They are equal with the Bodhisattvas, and, you might also say, they are equal with the Buddhas, too. They have, for all practical purposes, become Buddhas. There are two ways to explain the word “equal.” The ones who are already Bodhisattvas are said to be equal with the Buddhas, and the ones who are becoming Bodhisattvas are equal with the Bodhisattvas.

You ask, “Well, are the ones who are becoming Bodhisattvas equal to the Buddhas?”

Oh, more or less. Why make an issue out of it? It is really not that different. They may have right and equal enlightenment, but their enlightenment is not “unsurpassed,” like the Buddha’s. The Bodhisattvas are still Bodhisattvas. Their enlightenment is not supreme. The Buddha alone has the Unsurpassed Enlightenment. The Buddha is, therefore, called the Lord who is Unsurpassed, whereas the Bodhisattvas are called Lords who are Surpassed, that is, surpassed by the Buddha.

The sixteen princes, seeing the myriads of millions become Arhats, realized they could not stay at the level of Arhatship forever. They had to press on towards the Great Vehicle, to study the Buddhadharma. And, so they asked the Buddha to preach to them the Dharma of anuttarasamyaksambodhi.

Having heard it, we will all cultivate and study it. Once you have spoken this Dharma for us, we are not going to let it go in one ear and out the other, like a breeze just blowing by. No way. We are all going to cultivate and study it. Understanding the Dharma of Utmost Right, Perfect Enlightenment, we will definitely practice in accord with it. We will cultivate according to the method given us and will not be lazy. Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory Buddha, do not worry about us! We will certainly be vigorous in our cultivation. We certainly would not be lazy. We will forget even about food, we will be so vigorous. And we will be so happy, we will forget about worrying. We will be so happy with the Dharma that we will forget all our troubles!

World Honored One, we all aspire to the Thus Come One’s knowledge and vision. We here in the assembly have our hearts set on attaining the knowledge and vision of the Buddha. What is the knowledge and vision of the Buddha? The Dharma Flower Sutra talks about,

1. Opening the knowledge and vision of the Buddha.
2. Demonstrating the knowledge and vision of the Buddha.
3. Awakening to the knowledge and vision of the Buddha.
4. Entering into the knowledge and vision of the Buddha.

That is, opening, demonstrating, awakening, and entering the Buddha’s knowledge and vision. The Buddha first spoke The Avatamsaka Sutra. The next teaching was the Agama teaching, the Storehouse Teaching. Next, he taught the Vaipulya Teaching, or pervasive teaching. The next teaching was the Prajna, or Separate Teaching, and the final teaching was the Lotus-Nirvana, the Perfect Teaching. Now, all living beings want to hear The Dharma Flower Sutra; they want to “get rid of the Half-word Teaching and be clear about the Full-Word Teaching.” They do not want the Half-word Teaching. They want the Full-word Teaching. The Dharma Flower Sutra is the genuine, perfect, great teaching.

As to the thoughts deep within our minds, the Buddha himself knows. What is this? Are there deep and shallow thoughts in our minds or what? How deep are the deep ones? How shallow are the shallow ones? The deep thoughts are the ones that have been in there for a long, long time about asking for this Dharma. Which Dharma? The Dharma of becoming a Buddha, the utmost right and perfect enlightenment. Ultimately, how does one cultivate this Dharma? You need compassion, kindness, sympathetic joy, and giving–the Four Unlimited Minds of the Buddha. You also need the unconditioned mind and the undefiled mind. An undefiled mind is the most important. Take care not to have desire. If you have desire, you are defiled. If you are defiled, you would not obtain self-mastery.

One must also cultivate the Six Perfections and the Ten Thousand Conducts, the Twelve Causal Links, and the Four Truths–the Thirty-seven Wings of Enlightenment. These are all Dharmas for becoming a Buddha. But there is a quicker method, one which enables you to become a Buddha without having to pass through the usual three great asamkhyeya eons. What is it? The Surangama Mantra, which we recite every day. In the verse before the mantra, Ananda says,

“The wonderfully deep Dharani, unmoving honored one,
The foremost Shurangama is seldom seen in the world.
It melts away my eons worth of upside-down thinking,
So that I needn’t pass through asankheya eons to attain the Dharma body.
I wish now to obtain the fruit and become an honored King,
And return to save as many beings as there are sand grains in the Ganges river.”

One can become a Buddha quickly, without passing through those uncountable eons. What for? So that one can return and save other living beings. That is what Ananda said. If you can recite the Shurangama Mantra often, you will certainly become a Buddha very quickly.

You say, “But the mantra is so long. It takes at least twenty minutes to recite it once through.”

Yes, twenty minutes is a long time to say a mantra. But you take twenty minutes every day to eat lunch and you do not feel that is such a long time, do you? You do not complain about how long it takes to eat lunch and try to cut back on the time. Why complain about the mantra? Weird. You sleep for hours at a time and never complain about getting too much sleep. Why do you not object to sleeping and eating but object to saying the mantra? Hmm? I really do not understand your attitude towards studying the Buddhadharma. You do not even have twenty minutes to spare.

And also, there is the Great Compassion Mantra and the Dharma of the Forty-two Hands. Those are the most wonderful Dharmas for becoming a Buddha. Those who cultivate these Dharmas can attain the Five Eyes and the Six Spiritual Penetrations very quickly. But you are afraid of all the trouble. You think if you get those powers you will have more work to do, but by the time you have got them, it will be too late for regret. Trouble or no trouble, you are going to have to take the trouble, that is all.

“Well, I’d be better off to stay just like I am, then,” you say.

Fine, if that is what you like. I never force people to do anything. It is up to each one of you to decide what you are going to do. Do what you like. Do not do what you do not want to do. But the methods for attaining the utmost right and perfect enlightenment are just the methods that I have taught you. Today, someone said to me. “You have taught us so many Dharmas, I do not even know where to start cultivating. I do not know which one is to do. I’d like to concentrate on one single Dharma and succeed very quickly, but you have given us so many!”

You may specialize in any of the Dharmas that I have taught you. It is like going to school. First you have to study all the materials assigned. Then when you take the test you may be asked one or two questions which are taken out of all the material. You must have studied all of it to be able to answer those few questions. And you cannot take open-book tests in the Buddhadharma. Among all the Dharmas I have taught you, there is certainly one which will get you to Buddhahood, but you are going to have to learn them all to get there. It is for sure you will make it. But if you start complaining about having too many Dharmas to study, well, why don’t you complain about having to eat everyday? You have plenty of time to eat. You are not afraid of sleeping too much, either. Quite inconceivably.

So, the text says, “We all aspire to the Thus Come One’s knowledge and vision. As to the thoughts deep within our minds, the Buddha himself knows.” The Buddha knows them quite well. They are asking the Buddha to speak The Dharma Flower Sutra. The Buddha knows their deepest thoughts. The Buddha knew long ago that this was what they wanted, but since they did not request the Dharma, the Buddha did not speak it. Now they are requesting the Dharma, hoping that he will compassionately receive their request, teach and transform them. After the sixteen princes asked for the Dharma, the Buddha was delighted, and he spoke the Dharma.

Sutra: 

Then, the multitudes, led by the Wheel-turning Sage King, eighty thousand million of them, upon seeing the sixteen princes leave home, also sought to leave home, and the king permitted them to do so.

Outline:

L3. The followers also leave home. 

Commentary: 

Then, the multitudes, led by the Wheel-turning Sage King, that is, the father of the Buddha, Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, and grandfather of the sixteen princes. He had millions of followers–Eighty thousand million of them, upon seeing the sixteen princes leave home, also sought to leave home, renounce all their wealth and property, their wives and concubines, and become Bhikshus. They all decided to leave home along with them and become Bhikshus, and the king permitted them to do so. He said, “Fine. Leave home. I will help you out, in fact.

If any one of you need anything, I will give it to you.” So all eighty thousand million of them suddenly had a patron, someone to support them. They were not afraid, then, of starving, freezing, or dying of thirst or poverty, or anything else. They went right ahead and, with one heart, left home to cultivate the Way and become Bhikshus. In the future, they would all become Buddhas. A lot of them have already become Buddhas, and some are still cultivating and will do so in the future. Eighty thousand million of them limitless eons ago made vows to become Buddhas. Their patron was the Wheel-turning Sage King; he made it easy for them to cultivate the Way.

Sutra:

At that time, the Buddha, having received the request of the sixteen Shramaneras, after twenty thousand eons, then at last, amidst the fourfold assembly, spoke the Great Vehicle Sutra by the name of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower, a dharma for instructing Bodhisattvas of whom the Buddha is protective and mindful. After he spoke the Sutra, the sixteen Shramaneras, for the sake of anuttarasamyaksambodhi, all received, upheld and recited it and keenly penetrated its meaning.

Outline:

L4. The Buddha receives the request. 

Commentary: 

At that time, the Buddha, having received the request of the sixteen Shramaneras, after twenty thousand eons, during which time he spoke the Vaipulya and Prajna Teachings. Then at last, amidst the fourfold assembly–Upasakas, Upasikas, Bhikshus, and Bhikshunes–spoke the Great Vehicle Sutra by the name of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower. This Sutra is a Dharma for instructing Bodhisattvas of whom the Buddha is protective and mindful. The Buddha watches over and protects those who recite The Lotus Sutra.

After he spoke the sutra, the sixteen Shramaneras, for the sake of anuttarasamyaksambodhi, the Utmost Right and Perfect Enlightenment, the Buddha-fruit, all received, upheld, and recited it and keenly penetrated its meaning. They recited it until they could recite from the beginning to the end from memory! And they never forgot it; it stuck right in their eighth consciousnesses.

Sutra: 

When the sutra was spoken, the sixteen Bodhisattva-Shramaneras all received it with faith. Among the host of Hearers, too, there were those who had faith in it and understood it. The remaining thousands of myriads of millions of living beings, however, all gave rise to doubts.

Outline:

L5. In the assembly, some understood and some did not. 

Commentary: 

When the Sutra, The Dharma Flower Sutra,was spoken, the sixteen Bodhisattva-Shramaneras, or, you could say “Shramanera Bodhisattvas.” This means that they had received the ten Shramanera Precepts, but they had not yet received the two-hundred fifty Bhikshu Precepts. How could they become Bodhisattvas if they had not even taken the Bhikshu precepts? It was because the sixteen Shramaneras cultivated with great vigor. They were so vigorous, in fact, they did not even have time to take the Bhikshu precepts! Too busy! Busy doing what? Lecturing on the Sutras, turning the great Dharma-wheel, and reciting The Lotus Sutra.

Basically, precepts are designed for those who need them, that is, people who might not observe the precepts. If, however, you are busy reciting The Lotus Sutra all day long, you would not have time to break any precepts because you will be keeping strict control over the three karmic vehicles: body, mouth, and mind. If you are reciting the Sutra with your mouth, your mouth would not commit the four evils of the mouth: lying, harsh speech, double-tongued speech, and frivolous speech.

If you are kneeling there reciting it, you would not commit the three evils of the body: killing, stealing, or sexual misconduct. If you are keeping the meaning of the Sutra in your mind, you would not be committing the three evils of the mind: greed, hatred, and stupidity. That means you will be pure in the three karmas. If you are pure in this way, taking or not taking the precepts does not matter. That is why the sixteen Shramaneras were also Bodhisattvas.

What is more, these sixteen Shramaneras, although they were said to be shramaneras, they were actually “people who had come back again.” This means that they were born into that time and place in order to protect the Bodhimanda of Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory Buddha. In past lives they made deliberate vows, saying, “When this person becomes a Buddha, I am going to protect his Bodhimanda.” This is like Guo Hu, who made a vow that when I become Buddha, he will protect my Bodhimanda. I have not become a Buddha yet, and he is already protecting my Bodhimanda! He did not even wait for me to become a Buddha. That is a real vow for you!

Actually, when someone becomes a Buddha, he gains great spiritual powers and miraculous abilities, and it does not matter whether anyone protects his Bodhimanda or not. He can take care of himself. But, before one becomes a Buddha and gains spiritual powers, if you protect his Bodhimanda, then you are really protecting it. It is as if there were a wealthy person who ate the world’s finest food every single day, and you said, “Today I am going to treat you to a fine lunch,” he would not necessarily be too excited, because he gets terrific food at home all the time. But, if you offered to take a poor person, someone who does not eat too well, out to lunch, he would really appreciate it. So, after this, if you make vows to protect my Dharma, do not wait until I become a Buddha to protect it. At that time, there will be a lot of Dharma protectors. The time that you really need Dharma protectors is before you have become a Buddha.

They all received it with faith, accepted the wonderful Dharma spoken by the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory. Among the host of hearers, too, there were those who had faith in it and understood it. The remaining thousands of myriads of millions of living beings, however, all gave rise to doubts. They had doubts about that wonderful Dharma.

You say, “The Buddha has great spiritual powers. For example, when the Sutra began five thousand people rose and walked out. Perhaps the Buddha moved them to another land altogether so that they would not commit the offense of having doubts and perhaps slandering the Dharma.” Just having doubts would not mean that they would fall into lower realms, but if they went so far as to slander the Dharma, the Great Vehicle Scriptures, they would fall into the three evil paths.

So, when Shakyamuni Buddha spoke The Dharma Flower Sutra, he forced the five thousand arrogant Bhikshus to leave. When the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory spoke the Dharma, thousands of myriads of millions of beings gave rise to doubts, so why didn’t he have them removed to other lands to avoid their doubts? He did not do this because he knew that, although they may have given rise to doubts, they would not slander the Dharma, so he did not need to have them relocated.

Sutra: 

The Buddha spoke this Sutra for eighty thousand eons without cessation.

Outline:

L6. Period of time. 

Commentary:

The Buddha spoke this Sutra for eighty thousand eons without cessation, he spoke without stopping, without interruption. That is a long time. Shakyamuni Buddha spoke The Dharma Flower Sutra in just eight years. Why did one Buddha take so long and the other take such a short time? Discriminations of short and long periods of time are done by living beings. Really, there is no such thing as “long and short” periods of time. “Long and short” are created by mental discriminations.

The Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory spoke The Dharma Flower Sutra, the real mark Dharma-door, for eighty thousand eons and Shakyamuni Buddha spoke this real mark Dharma-door for only eight years, but there is no problem with the difference in time. The Buddha spoke for eighty-thousand eons without cessation. He did not rest at all. He did not ever take a break. He spoke the Sutra every single day. Every single day he spoke the Great Vehicle’s real mark Dharma. You should not think it unusual that we have lectures here in the Buddhist Lecture Hall every day. The Buddhas always lecture every day. Since we are the Buddha’s disciples, we should investigate the Sutra every day, too. And we should not take a rest.

Sutra: 

When he had finished speaking the Sutra, he entered a quiet room where he remained in Dhyana samadhi for eighty-four thousand eons.

Outline:

L7. After speaking the Sutra, he enters samadhi. 

Commentary: 

When he had finished speaking the Sutra, when he was done, he entered a quiet room, his meditation room, where he remained in Dhyana samadhi for eighty-four thousand eons. When the Buddha was in samadhi, was no one lecturing on the Sutra?

Sutra: 

Then the sixteen Bodhisattva-Shramaneras, knowing that the Buddha had entered his room and was silently absorbed in Dhyana samadhi, each ascended the Dharma seat. For a period of eighty-four thousand eons, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, they spoke the WonderfulDharma Flower Sutraextensively and in detail. Each one of them crossed over six hundred myriads of millions of nayutas of Ganges’ sands of living beings, instructing them with the teaching, benefiting them, making them rejoice and causing them to bring forth the thought of anuttarasamyaksambodhi.

Outline:

I2. Tying up conditions.
J1. Tying up conditions proper by speaking Dharma.
K1. Showing how they had tied conditions in distant past.
L1. Continuing the lectures for the benefit of beings. 

Commentary: 

Then the sixteen Bodhisattva-Sharamaneras, during the time the Buddha was in samadhi, knowing that the Buddha had entered his room and was silently absorbed in Dhyana samadhi. He was “thus, thus, unmoving, clear, lucid, and constantly bright” there in samadhi. They decided to keep on propagating the Dharma, and so each ascended the Dharma seat. Someone is wondering, “Did they all get up on the same seat, or what?” No! They took turns lecturing. And some went off into different directions–north, east, south, and west. Do not get to thinking that they all climbed up on the one Dharma seat. Do not be so attached.

For a period of eighty-four thousand eons, for the sake of the four fold assembly, they spoke The Wonderful Dharma Flower Sutra extensively, broadly, and in detail, they expounded upon the doctrine. Each one of them crossed over six hundred myriads of millions of nayutas of Ganges’ sands of living beings, instructing them with the teaching, benefiting them, making them rejoice, and causing them to bring forth the thought of anuttarasamyaksambodhi. All those living beings together produced the mind to seek the Utmost Right and Perfect Enlightenment.

Sutra: 

After eighty-four thousand eons had passed, the Buddha, Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory arose from samadhi, approached the Dharma throne and serenely sat down upon it. He addressed the great assembly, saying, “these sixteen Bodhisattva-Shramaneras are very rare. All their faculties are keen and their wisdom is clear. They have in the past already made offerings to limitless thousands of myriads of millions of Buddhas. In the presence of those Buddhas, they constantly cultivated Brahman conduct, accepting and upholding the Buddha’s wisdom, instructing living beings and causing them to enter into it.

Outline:

L2. The Buddha arises and praises them.
M1. Praise. 

Commentary: 

The Buddha had been in his quiet room in samadhi, and then after eighty-four thousand eons had passed, the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory arose from samadhi, approached the Dharma throne, he went to his Dharma seat, and serenely sat down upon it. He addressed the great assembly, all present in the Bodhimanda, saying, “These sixteen Bodhisattva-Shramaneras are very rare. All their faculties are keen and their wisdom is clear.” “Keen facilities” means that they could use their six sense organs interchangeably.

Their Prajna wisdom manifested, so that they clearly understood all Dharmas. Why did they clearly understand all Dharmas? They have in the past already made offerings to limitless thousands of myriads of millions of Buddhas. In the presence of those Buddhas, they constantly cultivated Brahman conduct, they kept the precepts purely, accepting and upholding the Buddha’s wisdom. They always studied the wisdom of the Buddha, instructing living beings and causing them to enter into it, enter into the Buddha’s wisdom.

Sutra: 

“You should all make a point of drawing near to and making offerings to them. Why? Those Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas, or Bodhisattvas who can have faith in the Dharma of the Sutra spoken by these sixteen Bodhisattvas, accept and uphold it without defaming it, will all attain anuttarasamyaksambodhi, that is, the wisdom of the Thus Come One.”

Outline:

M2. Exhortation. 

Commentary: 

You should all make a point. Making a point: means to be quick about it. Drawing near to and making offerings to them. Make a point of doing it, time and again. Why? Why do I say this? Those Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas or Bodhisattvas who can have faith in the Dharma of the Sutra spoken by these sixteen Bodhisattvas, deeply believing it, without any doubts, accept and uphold it, not forgetting it, and without defaming it, they will all attain anuttarasamyaksambodhi, the Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, or just living beings in general, they will all attain Supreme Enlightenment, that is, the wisdom of The Thus Come One.

Sutra: 

The Buddha told the bhikshus, “These sixteen Bodhisattvas always delight in speaking the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. Each Bodhisattvas has transformed six hundred myriads of millions of nayutas of Ganges’ sands of living beings who, life after life were born together with the Bodhisattvas and heard the Dharma from them, fully believing and understanding it. For this reason, they have met up with forty thousand millions of Buddhas, World Honored Ones and to this moment have not stopped doing so.”

Outline:

K2. Still meeting Buddhas in the interim. 

Commentary: 

The Buddha told the bhikshus, “These sixteen Bodhisattvas always delight in speaking The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, the thing they like to do best is to speak this Sutra. Each Bodhisattvas has transformed six hundred myriads of millions of nayutas of Ganges’ sands of living beings who, life after life were born together with the Bodhisattvas. Each of the sixteen Bodhisattvas has transformed and taught millions of living beings, who, life after life, were born together with the Bodhisattvas. The beings taught and transformed by the sixteen shramaneras made vows in every life to be born together with these sixteen. And heard the Dharma from them, hearing the sixteen shramaneras speak the Dharma, fully believing and understanding it. They understood it and had no doubts. For this reason, they have met up with forty thousand millions of Buddhas, World Honored Ones, and to this moment, have not stopped doing so.”

Sutra: 

“Bhikshus, I will tell you, those disciples of the Buddha, the sixteen Shramaneras, have all now attained anuttarasamyaksambodhi, and in the lands of the ten directions, are presently speaking the Dharma. They have as their retinues limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas and Hearers. Two have become Buddhas in the East. One is named Akshobhya, in the Land of Happiness. The other is named Sumeru Peak. Two have become Buddhas in the Southeast. One is named Lion Sound. The other is named Lion Sign.

Two have become Buddhas in the South. One is named Space Dweller. The other is named Eternal Extinction. Two have become Buddhas in the Southwest. One is named Royal Sign. The other is named Brahma Sign. Two have become Buddhas in the West. One is named Amitayus. The other is named Savior of all Worlds from Suffering and Anguish.

Two have become Buddhas in the Northwest. One is named Tamalapatrachandana Fragrance and Spiritual Penetrations. The other is named Sumeru Sign. Two have become Buddhas in the North. One is named Cloud Self-Mastery. The other is named King of Cloud Self-Mastery. In the Northeast there is a Buddha by the name of Destroyer of All Worldly Fear. The other Buddha, the sixteenth, is myself, Shakyamuni Buddha, here in the Saha World, where I have realized anuttarasamyaksambodhi.”

Outline:

K3. Showing how Dharma Flower is still spoken to the present.
L1. Assembly present and past.
M1. Teachers present and past. 

Commentary: 

Shakyamuni Buddha says, “Bhikshus, all of you, those who have left home and those at home, as well, I will tell you, those disciples of the Buddha, the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, the sixteen Shramaneras, the sixteen little novices, big novices, older novices, sixteen in all.” Now, after you have left home for a long while you can be called an “old novice.” If you have left home for neither too long nor too short, you are a big novice. If you have just left home, then you are called a “little novice.” These were probably “older novices,” because they had left home for a long time.

Anyway, they have all now attained anuttarasamyaksambodhi, enlightenment, and, in the lands of the ten directions, are presently speaking the Dharma, right now they are speaking Dharma. They have as their retinues limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas and Hearers. The Buddha’s family is composed of Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Hearer Disciples. They are like his children, his family. Since we are now studying the Buddhadharma, we, too, are like the Buddha’s sons and daughters, his disciples. So, you just be a filial child. We are all part of the Buddha’s retinue.

Two have become Buddhas in the east: One is named Akshobhya. “Akshobhya” is Sanskrit and means “Unmoving Honored One.” This is Medicine Master Crystal Light Thus Come One. In our Buddha House we have the three Buddhas, in the center is Shakyamuni. On his left is Medicine Master Buddha, holding the pagoda, and on the right is Amitabha, holding the Lotus Throne.

So, you remember this, because when Americans see the Buddha images, they always ask, “Who is that?” They want an introduction. So everyone should know who they are, so when they are asked, they do not have to say, “I do not know,” leaving people thinking, “God, they live here, studying the Buddhadharma every day, and they do not even know who these Buddhas are!” That is pretty embarrassing. Not only for your disciples, but for the teacher, too. “What are they learning from that Teacher, anyway? They do not even know who those Buddhas are, you who are here all the time should pay attention to this detail. So, now I have introduced you to them.

So, the Unmoving Honored One, Akshobhya, is the Buddha in the east. In the land of happiness, that is, the Eastern Pure Crystal World. The other is named Sumeru Peak; the second shramanera became a Buddha in the east, by the name of Sumeru Peak; he is Akshobhya’s neighbor to the east.

Two have become Buddhas in the southeast. One is named Lion Sound. He is called Lion Sound because when the Buddha speaks Dharma it is like the roar of a lion, awesome and fierce. The other is named Lion Sign.

Two have become Buddhas in the south. One is named Space-dweller. This does not mean that he lives in empty space, just hanging there, for heaven’s sake. The other is named Eternal Extinction; he is always extinguishing the offense karma of living beings.

Two have become Buddhas in the southwest. One is named Royal Sign. He has the signs and characteristics of royalty, like the god Shakra. The other is named Brahma Sign. In the causal ground, he always cultivated Brahman conduct, and so his marks are very pure.

Two have become Buddhas in the west. One is named Amitayus, also known as Amitabha. Amitayus means limitless life. Amitabha, his other name, means limitless light. Here it is laid out very clearly that Amitabha was originally one of the sixteen royal sons of the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory. This Buddha’s life has limitless light, as the light of his wisdom is limitless. “Limitless life” refers to his blessedness, and “limitless life” refers to his wisdom.

The other is named Savior of all Worlds from Suffering and Anguish. The other shramanera became a Buddha by this name.

Two have become Buddhas in the northwest. One is named Tamalapatrachandana Fragrance and Spiritual Penetrations. Tamalapatra-chandana is, obviously, Sanskrit. Tamalapatra is interpreted as meaning, “worthy whose nature is without defilement.” This means that his self-nature is free of dust and filth. He is a worthy sage. Chandana is a kind of incense. The other is named Sumeru Sign. His wonderful and towering features are akin to Mt. Sumeru.

Two have become Buddhas in the north. One is named Cloud Self-mastery; he can travel at will through the clouds. The other is named King of Cloud Self-mastery.

In the northeast there is a Buddha by the name of Destroyer of All Worldly Fear. He can break through all the fearful situations. The sixteenth, is myself, Shakyamuni, which means “humane and silent,” Buddha, here in the Saha World, where I have realized anuttarasamyaksambodhi, the Buddha-fruit.