Sutra:
“Bhikshus, we, as Shramaneras each taught and transformed limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of Ganges’ sands of living beings, who, hearing the Dharma from us, were set towards anuttarasamyaksambodhi.”
Ouline:
M2. The disciples of past and present.
N1. Great affinities established in the past.
Commentary:
“Bhikshus,” Shakyamuni Buddha continues speaking to the Bhikshus, “We, as Shramaneras, novices, each taught and transformed limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of Ganges’ sands of living beings, who; each one of us taught quite a large number of living beings.” Here we are, Bhikshus, and we have not taught or transformed a single living being. Shame on us! Hearing the Dharma from us, studying the Buddhadharma under our tutelage, they were set towards anuttarasamyaksambodhi. Why did they study the Dharma? Because they wanted enlightenment.
Sutra:
Of these living beings, there are those who dwell at the level of Hearers. I constantly instruct and transform them in anuttarasamyaksambodhi. All these people will, by means of this Dharma, gradually enter the Buddha Path. Why? The Thus Come One’s wisdom is hard to believe and hard to understand.
Outline:
N2. Clearing up doubts of present Hearers.
Commentary:
Of these living beings, there are those who already dwell at the level of Hearers. I constantly instruct and transform them in anuttarasamyaksambodhi, teaching them the Dharma of Perfect Enlightenment. All these people will, by means of this Dharma, gradually enter the Buddha Path. Why? The Thus Come One’s wisdom is hard to believe and hard to understand. Because it is hard to believe, it is difficult to cultivate. Because it is hard to understand, it is difficult to attain the fruit.
Sutra:
You were Bhikshus while I transformed living beings as limitless as Ganges sands who shall become disciples as Hearers after my extinction in the future.
Outline:
N3. Past and present connections.
Commentary:
You were Bhikshus, they are all of you present here, while I transformed living beings as limitless as Ganges sands who shall become disciples as Hearers after my extinction in the future. Disciples of the Hearer Vehicle who will attain the fruits of Arhatship. They are those I taught before.
The Buddhadharma tells us about causes and conditions. If there are no causes, then there are no conditions. Without the cause, there is no effect. For example, before Shakyamuni Buddha became a Buddha, he taught and transformed limitless living beings. Every time, he appeared in the world, he became a Bhikshu and went about everywhere propagating the Buddhadharma. He lectured on the Sutras and spoke the Dharma, and all the living beings believed in him. They thought more of him than they did of their own parents. They felt closer to him than even to themselves!
Therefore, they were determined to follow their “Dharma-body parent.” Shakyamuni Buddha used his great and equal compassion to teach those living beings. Day by day, their numbers grew, and his position of fruition rose higher day by day as well, until he finally became a Buddha named Shakyamuni. All his students had tremendously deep affinities with him and came to protect the Dharma.
Before he became a Buddha, he was also protected by those disciples throughout life after life. They helped him spread the Dharma in every life, right up to and including the lifetime in which he became a Buddha. When he became a Buddha, they all showed up to protect the Dharma. Some did not show up, however. But they are the ones referred to here in the text “who will be Hearer disciples in the future, after my extinction.” They certify to the fruition of Arhatship, then become Buddhas. Things depend on causes and conditions. So, the Buddha said,
“All dharmas arise from conditions;
All dharmas from conditions cease.
Our teacher, the Buddha, the great Shramana,
Always teaches it thus.”
Sutra:
After my extinction, furthermore, there will be disciples who will not hear this Sutra, who will not know or be aware of the Bodhisattva conduct, but who will, through the attainment of their own merit and virtue give rise to the thought of extinction and who will enter Nirvana. I shall be a Buddha in another land, with another name. Although these people will have produced the thought of extinction and enter into Nirvana, they will, in those lands, seek the Buddha’s wisdom and get to hear this Sutra and that it is only by means of the Buddha Vehicle that extinction can be attained. There are no other vehicles, except for those expedient devices taught by other Thus Come Ones.”
Outline:
N4. Disciples of the future.
Commentary:
“After my extinction,” says Shakyamuni Buddha, “when I have gone to Nirvana, furthermore, there will be disciples, who did not see me when I appeared in the world, who will not hear this Sutra; because they will cultivate the Dharmas of the Small Vehicle, they will not understand the wonderful principles of the Great Vehicle. Therefore, they will not hear The Dharma Flower Sutra. Who will not know or be aware of the Bodhisattva conduct. They would not know what it is to practice as a Bodhisattva, that is, what Bodhisattvas are supposed to do. But who will, through the attainment of their own merit and virtue–they may have sat in Dhyana meditation or attained some state, and so will give rise to the thought of extinction and enter nirvana.”
I shall be a Buddha in another land, with another name. I would not be in the Saha world; I will be in another world. I would not be called Shakyamuni Buddha, either. I will have another name. Although these people will have produced the thought of extinction and enter into Nirvana–although these disciples of the Buddha will have had the false thought that they have entered into Nirvana and attained the state of Nirvana, which is beyond production and extinction–they will, in those lands, seek the Buddha’s wisdom and get to hear this Sutra and that it is only by means of the Buddha Vehicle, the One Buddha Vehicle, that extinction can be attained.
There are no other vehicles, except for those expedient devices taught by other Thus Come Ones. The one-sided emptiness of the Hearers does not count as true extinction. The Dharma Flower Sutra sets forth the One Buddha Vehicle, so that they can enter Nirvana. Sometimes the Buddha will use expedient devices suited for a particular period so he can become enlightened, but these are just expedient devices.
Sutra:
“Bhikshus, when the Thus Come One knows of himself, that the time of his Nirvana has come, that the assembly is pure, that their faith and understanding are solid and firm, that they fully comprehend the Dharma of emptiness and have deeply entered into Dhyana samadhi, he will gather together the host of Bodhisattvas and Hearers and speak this Sutra for them, saying, “there are not two vehicles by which extinction is attained. There is only the one Buddha Vehicle by which extinction can be attained.”
Outline:
L2. Still speaking the Dharma Flower.
M1. The time for speaking.
Commentary:
Bhikshus, when the Thus Come One knows of himself that the time of his Nirvana has come, that the assembly is pure–all his students have attained purity–and that their faith and understanding are solid and firm–they would not be moved; they would not waver–that they fully comprehend the Dharma of emptiness–they understand that all Dharmas are empty appearances–and have deeply entered into Dhyana samadhi, he will gather together the host of Bodhisattvas and Hearers and speak this Sutra for them, The Dharma Flower Sutra, saying, “there are not two vehicles by which extinction is attained. As far as methods of cultivation go, one can only gain extinction through the One Buddha Vehicle. The Two Vehicles may make claims to extinction, but their extinction is not ultimate. Those of the Two Vehicles do not attain extinction. There is only the One Buddha Vehicle by which extinction can be attained.” The position of extinction can be attained only through cultivating the One Buddha Vehicle. Other Vehicles will not get you there.
Sutra:
Bhikshus, you should know, the expedients of the Thus Come One deeply enter the natures of living beings. Knowing that they aspire to and are content with lesser Dharmas and are deeply attached to the five desires, he speaks to them of Nirvana. When they hear him, then they immediately believe and accept it.
Outline:
M2. Their intentions previously expressed.
Commentary:
Bhikshus, you should know, the expedients of the Thus Come One deeply enter the natures of living beings. If you started right out teaching living beings the real Dharma, living beings’ natures are such that they would not believe it. If you use expedient Dharma-doors, and teach them expediently, they will believe you. The expedient devices of the Buddha are in direct accord with the natures of living beings. Why does he use expedient devices to teach living beings? Because they have their own individual potentials. He speaks according to their individual dispositions.
Knowing that they aspire to and are content with lesser Dharmas and are deeply attached to the five desires. He knows that they cannot see far ahead. All they know are petty things, minor principles. If you spoke to them about the entire universe, they would not understand you. All they know are their own small problems. If you try to talk to them about the big picture, they would not understand you. They like to cultivate on a tiny pathway and are deeply attached to the five desires. They crave wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep.
Wealth: In this world, money talks. You can get anything with it. Everyone clings to it madly. If you can view money as “empty” then you would not be attached to it. If you cannot see it as empty, you will have to fight for it. I have often told you about the word for money. In Chinese it is qian （錢）， a word composed of two swords （戔). On the left of the swords stands the radical for gold （金） . This means “You have a sword, and I have a sword, and the two of us fight over the gold.” If you have money, you have a lot of problems. If you have no money, you would not have so many problems.
But everyone wants money and they are not afraid of the trouble involved. If you know how to use your money, you can create blessings. If you do not know how to use it, you create offenses. With money you can create merit and virtue, or else you can create offenses. Money is really the worst thing there is! It is also the filthiest thing there is! Haven’t you noticed that whenever people count money, they spit on their fingers and then count up the bills? Who knows how many germs are on that money? Quite unsanitary, and yet no one minds. When it comes to money, no one is concerned about hygiene. The desire for money is one thing.
There is also the desire for sex, which includes the desire for beautiful things.
Everyone wants fame; everyone wants a good reputation. If someone says something bad about you, you feel as hurt as if someone had stuck a knife into your heart. Reputation is very important to people, But it is just one of the five desires.
Everybody likes to eat. If you eat one kind of food for a while, you will start feeling like you would like something else. You never quite satisfy your desire for food. If you eat one thing, you cannot eat another, and so you think about the first kind. If you eat both kinds at the same time, you cannot eat enough of either one to get full. In general, there is no way you can ever satisfy your desire for food. If you cultivate the Way, you must not look upon food and drink as so important. You should think of it as medicine that you use to keep your body from falling apart.
The fifth desire is sleep. If you sleep one hour, it is not enough. Two, three, four, five, six hours–you sleep for seven or eight hours and enjoy it immensely. These are the five desires which everyone thinks are so important. Everyone feels that they just cannot get along without wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep.
Once a person asked me a question. He said, “You lecture on so many principles and set forth so many methods. Ultimately, do you know how many people there are in the world? If you know how many people there are in the world, then I will take refuge with you and you can be my teacher. But, if you have no exact figures…”
I said, “If you are thinking of taking refuge with me, basically, I cannot answer your questions. Why not? I do not take disciples with questions like that. If you have not taken refuge and you have so many questions, you will have even more once you take refuge. So, I do not want you for a disciple. However, I will tell you how many people there are in this world. In this world there are two people–one man and one woman. No matter where you go—it is just men and women. These two people also fit into two categories based on their behavior.
The first seeks fame and the second seeks benefit. Those who seek fame try to think of ways to get famous. Haven’t you seen such people? There are those who have no fame and try to think of a way to get attention so they fake suicide! They may overdose on sleeping pills, not enough to finish them off, but enough to get the attention of the police and get their name and picture in the newspaper. “So-and-so tried suicide, is in serious condition in such-and-such a hospital…” Others, feeling that faking suicide is too dangerous, go out and try to kidnap someone. All for fame. There are many variations on the publicity game. Those who seek fame get “burned by the fire.” They are not immune to the flames. If you can be unattached to a good or bad reputation, then you can “enter the flames and emerge unburned.”
Those who seek benefit think up many plots. They may sell dope, or engage in various illegal activities. Those who seek benefit “drown in the water.” If you seek benefit too energetically, you will drown yourself. So, I answered him that in the world there are only two people. Can you find a third?
He agreed wholeheartedly with me and asked to take refuge. I said, “I would not accept you as a disciple.” I put him outside the door, as it were. That was a long time ago.
He speaks to them of Nirvana. To those of the Two Vehicles who delight in lesser Dharmas, he teaches the Four Truths and the Twelve Links, so they can attain their “Nirvana.” But, actually, it is an expedient device. Those of the Two Vehicles cannot attain Nirvana. When they hear him, then they immediately believe and accept it.People’s faith then grow. “This is not too bad. It does not take too much time and effort. Just cultivate the Four Truth and the Twelve Causes and Conditions and we will attain Nirvana.” Therefore they go and cultivate. In fact, they could only certify to the fruition of Arhatship through cultivating the Four Truths and Twelve Causes and Conditions. They could not acquire true Nirvana without residue.
Sutra:
“It is as if, for example, there is a road, five hundred yojanas long, steep, dangerous and bad, an uninhabited and terrifying place. A large group of people wish to travel this road to reach a cache of precious jewels. Among them, there is a guide, intelligent, wise and clear-headed, who knows the road well, both its passable and impassable features…”
Outline:
J2. The analogy.
K1. Setting up the analogy.
L1. Analogy of the guide.
Commentary:
It is as if, for example, there is a road. Shakyamuni Buddha says, “I will set up an analogy for you as to why one first teaches people expedient Dharmas and the doctrines of the Two Vehicles. Five hundred yojanas long, steep, dangerous, and bad. One yojana is about 27 miles. Ten yojanas is approximately 270 miles. One hundred yojanas is about 2700 miles. Therefore a road the length of five hundred yojanas is about 13,500 miles. There were thieves on the road, wolves and tigers, it was extremely dangerous.
An uninhabited and terrifying place. Such a long ways, and not a person in sight! Really scary! And suppose a large group of people wish to travel this road to reach a cache of precious jewels. The five hundred yojanas symbolize the difficulty of our seeking the Way of the Buddha. The cache of precious jewels represents the highest fruition, that is, Buddhahood. Along the way is this Transformational City of the Two Vehicles. Among them there is a guide, intelligent, wise, and clear-headed. He is intelligent and smart. This guide is a metaphor for the Buddha. He knows the way. Who knows the road well, both its passable and impassable features. He knows which ways you can walk and which ways are blocked.
Sutra:
“…and who wishes to lead the group through this hardship.”
Outline:
L2. Wishing to guide the followers.
M1. Followers being led.
Commentary:
And who wishes to lead the group through this hardship. This represents the Buddha teaching those with whom he has affinities, but who have not yet attained liberation. Their past affinities remain, and so they are led by the guide.
Sutra:
Midway, the group he is leading grows weary and wishes to turn back. They say to the guide, “we are exhausted and afraid. We cannot go forward. It’s too far. We want to turn back now.”
Outline:
M2. Tiring midway and wishing to retreat.
N1. Retreating from Great Vehicle.
Commentary:
Midway, the group he is leading grows weary and wishes to turn back. For instance, when you start something but you quit halfway. That is to grow weary and turn back. If you cultivate and cultivate, then stop, you have become weary and retreat halfway. This group is weary and wish to turn back. They say to the guide, to the Buddha, “We are exhausted and afraid, we are extremely tired. We cannot go forward. It’s too far. We want to turn back now. We do not want to go forward. We want to turn back.”
Sutra:
Their leader, who has many expedients, has this thought; “How pitiful they are. How can they renounce the great and precious treasure and wish to turn back?” Having had this thought, through the power of his expedient devices, he transforms a city in the center of the dangerous road, three hundred yojanas in extent, and says to them, “Do not be afraid. Do not turn back; Stay here now in this great city I have created just for you. If you go into this city, you will be happy and at peace. If you then wish to proceed to the jewel cache, you may do so.”
Outline:
N2. Leading those of the Small Vehicle.
O1. Expedient set up.
Commentary:
Their leader, who has many expedients, has this thought, “How pitiful they are. How can they renounce the great and precious treasure and wish to turn back?” How can they let go of the great jewel of the Buddha fruit and return? Having had this thought, through the power of his expedient devices, he transforms a city in the center of the dangerous road, three hundred yojanas in extent. The dangerous road is the five paths of rebirth, the five destinies: Humans, gods, hungry ghosts, animals, and hell beings. Asuras are included in each of the other five. If you do not become a cow, you become a horse, or if you do not become a horse, you become a person. Or a ghost, or you fall into the hells. Or you enter the heavens. It is extremely dangerous! The fact that the city is three hundred yojanas in extent represents that they have traveled halfway through their journey.
And says to them, “Do not be afraid. Do not turn back; stay here now, in this great city I have created just for you. You may do whatever pleases you at this Transformational City. I have transformed it just for you, the position of the Two Vehicles. They are not ultimately real, however. Even though the Arhats say they have done what they had to do and will undergo no further becoming. Still, their position is not ultimate. If you go into this city, you will be happy and at peace.You will quickly attain serenity and great peace there. If you then wish to proceed to the jewel cache–if having attained Arhatship you wish to go ahead and cultivate for Buddhahood, you can attain the Buddha fruit–you may do so.”
Sutra:
Then the exhausted group rejoiced greatly, having gained what they had never had. “We have now escaped this bad road and gained happiness and peace.” Then the group went forward and entered the transformed city; thinking that they had already been saved, they felt happy and at peace.
Outline:
O2. Entering the city in their joy.
Commentary:
Then the exhausted group rejoiced greatly, having gained what they had never had. They were extremely tired, when, all of a sudden, a city appeared where they could stop and rest. After cultivating for a while, one may feel very tired. Now, hearing about the rest stop, their minds were filled with joy. They had never seen such a fine city before. The city represents the fruit of the Hearers. We have now escaped this bad road, we have escaped the paths of the gods, humans, animals, hell-beings, and hungry ghosts–the five evil paths in the Three Realms–and gained happiness and peace. Then the group went forward and entered the transformed city; thinking that they had already been saved, they felt happy and at peace. They felt they had reached a very high level.
Sutra:
At that time, the guide, knowing that they were rested and no longer weary, made the city disappear, saying to them, “All of you, come, let us go. The jewel cache is near. The great city was merely something I created from transformation to give you a rest.”
Outline:
M3. Making the city disappear to lead them to the jewel cache.
Commentary:
At that time, the guide, the Buddha, knowing that they were rested and no longer weary—they had had their rest and were full of energy again made the city disappear, saying to them, “All of you, come, let us go. The jewel cache is near. We are right near it.” Those of the Hearers who have certified to the Fourth Fruition of Arhatship should go ahead and cultivate the Great Vehicle. You are not too far away from Buddhahood. The great city was merely something I created from transformation to give you a rest. This city is not real, so do not take what is false for what is true.
Sutra:
Bhikshus, the Thus Come One is also like this. He now acts as a great guide for all of you. He knows that living beings should leave and cross over the evil road of the torments of birth and death which is so steep, difficult and long. He shall respond to and save them.
Outline:
K2. Making the analogy.
L1. Combining.
M1. Analogy of the guide.
Commentary:
“Bhikshus,” said Shakyamuni Buddha addressing the fourfold assembly, “The Thus Come One, the Buddha, is also like this, like the principle I spoke above. He now acts as a great guide for all of you. I am acting as a great leader for all of you, teaching and transforming you. He knows that living beings should leave and cross over the evil road of the torments of birth and death; if you are alive, you will have afflictions, troubles, and experience extreme danger. Which is so steep, difficult and long.” It is a long, hard road. One should get rid of afflictions and cross over birth and death. He shall respond to and save them. He will go and teach a particular type of living beings if he is meant to go to a particular place to teach that type of living beings.
Sutra:
If living beings only hear of the One Buddha Vehicle, they will not wish to see the Buddha or to draw near to him. Instead, they will think, “The Buddha path is long and far; it can only be accomplished after much labor and suffering.” The Buddha knows their minds to be weak and lowly.
When they reach the “Midway-Nirvana”, he uses the power of expedients to rest at the Midway and to speak of the two Nirvanas. If living beings dwell on these two levels, the Thus Come One then tells them, “You have not yet finished your job. The level you are dwelling at is near the Buddhas’ wisdom. You should observe and ponder this: the Nirvana you have attained is not the real one. The Thus Come One has but used the power of his expedients and, within the One Buddha Vehicle, discriminated and spoken of three.”
Outline:
M2. Analogy of followers.
Commentary:
If living beings only hear of the One Buddha Vehicle–if I were to start right out speaking The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, the Dharma-door of the One Buddha Vehicle, they will not wish to see the Buddha. The Dharma-door of the One Buddha Vehicle is difficult to believe in and difficult to understand. It is not easy to have faith in it or to comprehend it. So, if living beings heard it, they would not want to see the Buddha. They would think, “Cultivating the Buddha Path is entirely too hard.”
Or to draw near to him, because they are afraid they will lose their grip on the false things they are grasping. If they were to lose the false and gain the true, what would they do? So, they would not want to get near the Buddha. Instead, they will think, the Buddha path is long and far–because cultivating the Buddhadharma to become a Buddha takes an incredibly long time. You must pass through three great asankheya eons! Such a long time. Good grief! That is too much. It can only be accomplished after much labor and suffering. Who knows how much hard work is involved, cultivating all the ascetic practices and so on?
The Buddha knows their minds, Shakyamuni Buddha and all the Buddhas know the thoughts passing through the minds of living beings. To be weak and lowly.They are weak and soft, not solid at all. As soon as they undergo a bit of opposition, they cannot stand it. Lowly means that they are base and stupid. When they reach the “Midway-Nirvana”, when they have travelled three hundred yojanas, he uses the power of expedients, clever expedient devices, to rest at the Midway. The midway of cultivating the Way is 300 yojanas. And speak of the two Nirvanas.
They were three hundred yojanas into their five hundred yojana trek. They still had two hundred yojanas to go. Transcending the desire heavens, they traveled one hundred yojanas. Transcending to the form realm heavens, they traveled two hundred yojanas. Transcending the formless realm, they traveled three hundred yojanas. Thus, they transcended the three realms. When Bodhisattvas who have transcended the three realms have subdued and destroyed the delusions of dust and sand, they are said to have arrived in the Land of Expedients With Residue.
Having then traveled four hundred yojanas, if they then break through the delusions of ignorance, they arrive at the Adorned Land of Real Retribution. Then they have traveled five hundred yojanas. They have made it. So, the halfway point is the three hundred yojana mark. The Buddha spoke about the two Nirvanas to give them a rest.
The two Nirvanas are 1) with residue, and 2) without residue. Nirvana with residue means that there is something left. This is the Nirvana attained by Arhats who have certified to the fruit and cut off the delusions of views and thought. Their bodies still remain, however. They have not been able to get rid of both body and wisdom. Nirvana without residue means that you use the real fire of samadhi to annihilate the body as well. You can light your own fire from inside. This is called the annihilation of body and wisdom. But, both these Nirvanas belong to the state of the Two Vehicles.
If living beings dwell on these two levels, that of Nirvana with residue and Nirvana without residue, the Thus Come One then tells them, “You have not yet finished your job. Your cultivation of the Path is not yet finished. You are not done yet. You have quite a way to go. The level you are dwelling at is near the Buddha’ wisdom. You should observe and ponder this: The Nirvana you have attained is not the real one. Both Nirvana with residue and Nirvana without residue are not real; they are not genuine Nirvana. The Thus Come One has but used the power of his expedients and, using those clever devices, within the One Buddha Vehicle, discriminated and spoken of three, the Vehicle of the Hearers, the Vehicle of the Conditioned Enlightened Ones, and the Bodhisattva Vehicle.”
Sutra:
He is like that guide, who, in order to give the travelers a rest, conjured up a great city. Then, when they had rested, he told them, “the place of the jewels is near. This city is not real, but merely something I have conjured up.”
Outline:
L2. Drawing the analogy.
Commentary:
He is like that guide; the Buddha is like the guide who knows the way through the hazardous road. Who, in order to give the travelers a rest, knowing that they were weary, conjured up a great city. Then, when they had rested, he told them, “The place of the jewels is near. This city is not real, but merely something I have conjured up.”
Sutra:
At that time the World Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses saying,
“The Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory
Sat in the Bodhimanda for ten eons,
Without the manifestation of the Buddhadharma,
And he did not realize the Buddha Way.
Heavenly spirits and dragon kings,
And the host of asuras,
Constantly rained down heavenly flowers,
As an offering to that Buddha.
The Gods beat upon their heavenly drums
And made all kinds of music;
Fragrant breezes blew away the withered flowers
And fine, new ones rained down.
When ten eons had passed,
He then realized the Buddha Way.
All the gods and humans,
Danced for the joy within their minds.
The sixteen sons of that Buddha
As well as their retinues,
Thousands of millions surrounding them,
All went before that Buddha.
They bowed with their heads at his feet
And asked him to turn the Dharma-wheel,
“May the sagely lion’s Dharma rain
Fill us and everyone!”
Outline:
H2. Verses.
I1. Source of conditions.
J1. Distant conditions.
K1. Verses about Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory becoming a Buddha.
Commentary:
At that time, the World Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses saying. The Buddha wanted to go into more detail, so he talked about the doctrines in verse.
The Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory sat in the Bodhimanda for ten eons. He sat there in full lotus in samadhi, but he did not certify to the fruit in ten eons. Without the manifestation of the Buddhadharma and he did not realize the Buddha Way. Heavenly spirits and dragon kings and the host of asuras, the ugly ones, constantly rained down heavenly flowers as an offering to that Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory.
The gods beat upon their heavenly drums and made all kinds of music. Fragrant breezes blew away the withered flowers and fine, new ones rained down. When ten eons had passed, he then realized the Buddha Way. The Buddhadharma manifested, and he realized anuttarasamyaksambodhi. All the gods and humans danced for the joy within their minds. They were all ecstatic. Never had they been so happy.
The sixteen sons of that Buddha as well as their retinues thousands of millions surrounding them, all went before that Buddha. They bowed with their heads at his feet and asked him to turn the Dharma-wheel, “May the Sagely Lion’s Dharma Rain fill us and everyone!” Fill us and all living beings.
Sutra:
A World Honored One is very hard to encounter,
Appearing but once in a long time.
In order to awaken all creatures,
He shakes all things.
Outline:
K2. Ten direction Brahma kings request Dharma.
L1. His awesome light shines and shakes all things.
Commentary:
A World Honored One is very hard to encounter. As hard to encounter as he is, we have now encountered him. Appearing but once in a long time. The Buddha does not appear in every generation. Who knows how long one must have to wait before a Buddha manifests? In order to awaken all creatures. Why does the Buddha manifest in the world? To wake up all living beings. He shakes all things. The quaking occurs because they become enlightened very quickly, just as the sounds of drums and bells shake and awake you from your slumber.
Sutra:
In five hundred myriads of millions of lands,
In worlds in the eastern direction,
Brahma palaces shone with a light
Such as they never had before.
The Brahmas, seeing these signs,
Followed them to the Buddha.
They scattered flowers as an offering,
And offered up their palaces,
Asking the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel,
With verses in his praise.
The Buddha knew the time had not yet come
And received their request seated in silence.
From the other three directions, and four points in between,
And, likewise, from above, and below,
They scattered flowers and offered their palaces,
Asking the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel:
“The World Honored One is very hard to meet;
We pray that through his great compassion and pity
He will open wide the sweet dew door
And turn the supreme Dharma-wheel.”
Outline:
L2. Brahma Kings come to request the Dharma.
Commentary:
In five hundred myriads of millions of lands, in worlds of the eastern direction, Brahma palaces shone with a light such as they never had before. The Brahmas, seeing these signs, followed them to the Buddha. When the Great Brahma Kings saw these signs, they followed the light to the Buddha. Ordinarily their palaces shone with light and they would not think light was anything special. But this light was so bright they thought it quite unusual. “Something special is happening.”
They scattered flowers as an offering. The ones they had brought in their flower sacks, very wonderful and fragrant. And offered up their palaces, asking the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel, with verses in his praise. They scattered heavenly flowers over the Buddha and presented him with their most prized possessions–their palaces. They did this because they wanted him to turn the Dharma-wheel, to speak the Dharma. Before he turned the Dharma-wheel, it was appropriate that they make offerings to him. They praised him with verses.
The Buddha knew the time had not yet come. The Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory knew it was not yet time to turn the Wheel. And received their request seated in silence. He did not say a thing. From the other three directions, and four points in between. From the east, south, west, and north and the four intermediate directions, and, likewise, from above and below, they scattered flowers and offered their palaces, asking the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel.
The World Honored One is very hard to meet. It is no simple matter to encounter a Buddha. We pray that, through his great compassion and pity. We hope that the Buddha will use his basic wisdom and compassion. He will open wide the sweet dew door. Open wide for all of us the door of sweet dew, the nectar of immortality, so that we may end birth and death. And turn the supreme Dharma-wheel.
Sutra:
The World Honored One, having limitless wisdom,
Received the multitude’s request
And proclaimed various Dharmas for their sakes.
The Four Truths, the Twelve Conditions,
From ignorance up to old age and death —
All arise because of birth.
In this way the host of calamities comes to be;
You should all know this.
When he expounded on this Dharma
Six hundred myriads of millions of billions
Exhausted the limits of all suffering
And all became Arhats.
When he spoke the Dharma the second time,
Hosts like the sands of a thousand myriads of Ganges rivers
Their minds grasping no dharmas,
Also attained Arhatship.
After that, those who gained the Way,
Were incalculable in number;
Were one to count through myriads of millions of eons
One could not reach their limit.
Outline:
J2. Verses about that which is nearby.
K1. Verses concerning the turning of the Dharma-wheel of the “half-word” teaching.
Commentary:
The World Honored One, having limitless wisdom. The wisdom of the Buddha is boundless. No one’s wisdom is greater than that of the Buddha’s. That is why the Buddha is the One of Great Wisdom, the World Honored One, and the Honored One who Enter the World. Received the multitudes’ request, received the request of all the hundreds of myriads of millions of Brahma Kings and of the sixteen sons. And proclaimed various Dharmas for their sakes. He explained all the various Dharma-doors to them. The Four Truths; he began with the Dharma-door of the Four Holy Truths: Suffering, origination, stopping, and the path. The twelve conditions. Then he preached the Twelve Causal Links.
From ignorance up to old age and death. Ignorance is the first of the twelve, and old age and death comprise the last link. All arise because of birth, because of production. Without birth, none of the other twelve would exist. In this way the host of calamities comes to be, all the cares and worries of the world. You should all know this. You should all know suffering, cut off origination, long for extinction, and cultivate the Way. When he expounded on this Dharma. When the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory spoke the Four Truths and the Twelve Links, six hundred myriads of millions of billions exhausted the limits of all suffering. All their sufferings were over, and all became Arhats.
When he spoke the Dharma the second time. The first speaking here refers to the Agama Period of the Buddha’s teaching. The second speaking refers to the Vaipulya Period. Hosts like the sands of a thousand myriads of Ganges rivers, their minds grasping no Dharmas. This means that their minds took in no unwholesome dharmas, no dharmas of affliction, also attained Arhatship. They certified to the Fourth Fruit of Arhatship. After that, those who gained the Way. Those who went from Arhatship on to the Bodhisattva Path, were incalculable in number. You could not count them; no way. Were one to count through myriads of millions of eons, one could not reach their limit. This Buddha saved an uncountable number of beings. They could never be counted.
Sutra:
At that time, the sixteen princes,
Left home and became Shramaneras.
Together they requested that the Buddha
Extensively proclaim the Dharma of the Great Vehicle:
“May we and our followers
All perfect the Buddha Way.
We wish to become like the World Honored One,
With the Wisdom Eye and foremost purity.”
The Buddha, knowing the intentions of the youths,
Their practices in former lives,
Used limitless causes and conditions
And various analogies,
To teach them the Six Paramitas,
As well as matters of spiritual penetrations.
He discriminated the real Dharma,
And the pathway walked by the Bodhisattvas.
He spoke the Dharma Flower Sutra
Its verses in numbers like Ganges’ sands.
After the Buddha had spoken the sutra
In a quiet room he entered Dhyana Samadhi
Singlemindedly sitting in one place,
For eighty-four thousand eons.
Outline:
K2 . Verses concerning the turning of the Dharma-wheel which dispenses with the half-word teaching and clarifies the full-word teaching.
Commentary:
At that time, the sixteen princes, the sixteen sons of the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, left home and became Shramaneras. A shramanera is a novice monk. Shramanera is Sanskrit word that means one who diligently cultivates precept, samadhi, and wisdom, and quells greed, hatred, and ignorance. Novices take ten precepts. Together they requested that Buddha, the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, to extensively proclaim the Dharma of the Great Vehicle, to speak The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. They said “May we and our followers, all perfect the Buddha Way. May we all become Buddhas. We wish to become like the World Honored One. We want to be exactly like the Buddha. With the Wisdom Eye and foremost purity.” The Buddha possesses the Eye of wisdom and is ultimately pure.
The Buddha, knowing the intentions of the youths, knowing the thoughts of his sixteen sons. A “youth” is a child who is still a virgin. Their practices in former lives. He knew what kind of practices they had previously engaged in. Used limitless causes and conditions and various analogies to teach them the Six Paramitas;giving, morality, patience, vigor, concentration, and wisdom. Paramita is a Sanskrit word which means “arrived at the other shore.”
As well as matters of spiritual penetrations. He discriminated the real Dharma and the pathway walked by the Bodhisattvas. He defined the real, genuine Buddhadharma and the Bodhisattva path.
He spoke The Dharma Flower Sutra. The Sutra of the Great Vehicle, The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.Its verses in number like Ganges’ sands. After the Buddha had spoken the Sutra. After the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory had spoken the Sutra, in a quiet room, he entered Dhyana Samadhi. He went to his room and entered samadhi. Singlemindedly sitting in one place. He meditated there for eighty-four thousand eons.
Sutra:
All the Shramaneras,
Knowing the Buddha had not yet left Dhyana,
For the sake of the limitless millions assembled,
Spoke of the Buddha’s unsurpassed wisdom.
Each seated on his Dharma throne,
Spoke this Great Vehicle Sutra.
After the Buddha had become peacefully still,
They propagated and taught the Dharma.
Each one of the Shramaneras
Took across living beings
To the number of grains of sand
In six hundred myriads of Ganges rivers.
Outline:
I2. Tying up conditions.
J1. Speaking of Dharma.
K1. Verses about their former affinities in common.
Commentary:
All the Shramaneras, the sixteen Shramaneras and the Arhats, knowing the Buddha had not yet left Dhyana, for the sake of the limitless millions assembled, for all the living beings, spoke of the Buddha’s unsurpassed wisdom,taught the supreme wisdom of the Buddha. Each seated on his Dharma throne. Each of the sixteen princes took their Dharma-seat and spoke this Great Vehicle Sutra, The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. After the Buddha had become peacefully still, they propagated and taught the Dharma. They spread the teachings of the Buddha. Each one of the Shramaneras, the sixteen, took across living beings to the number of grains of sand in six hundred myriads of millions of Ganges rivers.
Someone has heard the word Arhat and wondered what it means. Those who listen to Sutra lectures often will know, but those who are new would not. Arhat is a Sanskrit word which is interpreted in three ways, “Worthy of Offerings,” “Destroyer of Evil,” and “Killer of Thieves.” Arhats are worthy of receiving offerings from gods and humans. If no one makes offerings to them, they would not force people. They just return the light and say, “Probably in former lives I did not cultivate blessings. As a result, now my bowl is empty.” As “destroyers of evil” they have wiped out the evils of affliction. As “killers of thieves” they have killed the thief of ignorance. Ignorance is a thief who ruins one’s Way karma.
Why do people do confused things? They do them out of ignorance. Why do people do things that are upside-down? It is out of ignorance. Why is it that, when one has no attachments, one deliberately looks for attachments? It is all out of ignorance. In spite of the fact that it is in our power to end birth and death, why do we fail to do so? Because of ignorance. So, ignorance is just terrible! Arhats kill ignorance. While we say they “kill” ignorance, they have not killed it entirely. They have killed coarse ignorance, but a subtle ignorance remains. Ignorance could be likened to a virus. Perhaps you break out in a sore. When you put some medicine on it, it clears up. But, as soon as you quit applying the medicine, it breaks out again, and your skin itches like crazy.
The Arhats have the medicine and put it on the sore, but they have not gotten rid of the disease at its source. The only way to get rid of it entirely is to become a Buddha. I have told you many times before that even Bodhisattvas at the level of Equal Enlightenment still have one share of the mark of production, ignorance, which they have not severed. Arhats have ignorance, and so do the Bodhisattvas. They do not use their ignorance, that is all. Ignorance is stupidity. If the Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattvas break through that last remaining part of stupidity, they become Buddhas. Because the word Arhat encompasses all these meanings, we retain the Sanskrit word and do not translate it.
Sutra:
After that Buddha had crossed over into extinction,
All those who heard the Dharma,
In whatever Buddhalands they might be,
Were reborn there together with their teachers.
Outline:
K2. Meeting with one another during the time in between.
Commentary:
After that Buddha had crossed over into extinction, all those who had heard the Dharma. After the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory had gone to final Nirvana, all those who had heard the Dharma, in whatever Buddhalands they might be were reborn there together with their teachers. Those who had heard the Dharma from one of the sixteen Shramaneras were reborn together with their teacher in other Buddhalands.
Sutra:
The sixteen Shramaneras
Perfectly practiced the Buddha Path.
Presently in the ten directions
Each has realized proper enlightenment.
Those who heard the Dharma then,
Are each in the presence of a Buddha;
Those who are Hearers,
Are gradually taught the Buddha Path.
I was one of the sixteen;
In the past, I taught all of you.
I therefore use expedients
To draw you into the Buddha’s wisdom.
Outline:
K3. Dharma Flower is still being spoken.
L1. The Assembly past and present.
Commentary:
The sixteen Shramaneras, the sixteen sons of the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, perfectly practiced the Buddha Path. All those Shramaneras perfect the cultivation of the Buddha Path. Presently in the ten directions. Now, in the worlds of the ten directions, each has realized proper enlightenment. Through their cultivation of the Buddha Path they have realized the fruits of Buddhahood.
Those who heard the Dharma then. Those who heard the Dharma proclaimed at that time, are each in the presence of a Buddha. They have reappeared each in the place where his former teacher became a Buddha. They went along with their teachers, each one of them. Those who are Hearers are gradually taught the Buddha Path. Those lacking strength, who have settled for a position of Hearer, are gradually, bit-by-bit, instructed by means of the Buddha Path. They are led by degrees to the Supreme Buddha Vehicle.
I was one of the sixteen. I, myself, Shakyamuni Buddha, was one of the sixteen Shramaneras. In the past, I taught all of you. You assembled here now listening to me speak The Dharma Flower Sutra–you all listened to me speak it then, way back in the distant past.
I therefore use expedients to draw you into the Buddha’s wisdom. Because you delight in lesser dharmas, I employ expedient devices to lead you to the Buddha’s supreme wisdom.
Sutra:
Through these former causal conditions,
I presently speak The Dharma Flower Sutra,
Leading you to enter the Buddha Path.
Take care not to become frightened.
Outline:
L2. Certifying that he is now speaking the Dharma Flower.
Commentary:
Through these former causal conditions. It is by means of the former connection I just told you about that I presently speak The Dharma Flower Sutra.Leading you to enter the Buddha Path. Take care not to become frightened. You are about to hear the Great Vehicle, genuine Dharma. Do not become alarmed. Here, I will set forth an analogy to make it even clearer:
Sutra:
Suppose there is a steep and bad road,
Remote and teeming with venomous beasts,
Lacking, as well, water or grass
–A place feared by all.
Countless thousands of myriads
Wish to traverse this dangerous road
With its pathways so distant,
Extending five hundred yojanas.
There is among them a guide,
Intelligent and wise,
Clear and resolute in mind,
Who can rescue them from their difficulty.
Outline:
J1. Verses about parable.
K1. Setting up parable.
L1. Verses about the guide.
Commentary:
Suppose there is a steep and bad road, a very dangerous and evil road, What is this steep and bad road? It is the turning wheel of the six paths of rebirth. Remote and teeming with venomous beasts. It is remote. No one traverses it. There are many deadly beasts there, too. Evil beasts and venomous snakes. There are tigers, lions, wolves, and panthers, too. These snakes could poison people to death. Lacking, as well, water or grass. Not only was it dangerous, there was not even any water or any grass. Obviously, there was nothing to eat. A place feared by all.Everyone was scared of this road.
Countless thousands of myriads wish to traverse this dangerous road, people want to travel on this road, to cross the six paths of rebirth. With its pathways so distant. Living beings want to transcend the three realms, to get off the six paths of rebirth, to cultivate and become Buddhas. However, the road to Buddhahood is far indeed, very distant.
Extending five hundred yojanas, approximately 13,500 miles. Such a long way one has to go to the Buddhaland! Transcending the realm of desire equals traveling one hundred yojanas. Transcending the world of form equals traveling two hundred yojanas. Transcending the formless world equals traveling three hundred yojanas. Then, breaking through the delusions like dust and sand equals traveling four hundred yojanas. Breaking through delusions of ignorance, the most subtle of delusions, equals traveling five hundred yojanas. With no one to guide you, it is hard indeed to travel this road.
There is among them a guide. Someone to lead them. Intelligent and wise.“Intelligent” here means that he had a good memory. He was not absent-minded. He is knowledgeable and remembers it always. He was wise as a result of his learning. Clear and resolute in mind. He knew what was going on. He had excellent, unfailing judgment. He would be able to lead them down the right road. He knows the proper and evil paths. He recognizes the right and wrong paths, the right and wrong dharmas. Hence, he is a Good Knowing Advisor. Who can rescue them from their difficulty, he can save all living beings from their sufferings on the hard road of birth and death.
Sutra:
The group grows weary
And says to the guide,
“We are all exhausted, now
And want to turn back.”
Outline:
L2. Verses about followers.
M1. Followers want to retreat halfway.
N1. The multitude retreats from the great.
Commentary:
The group grows weary. It is very difficult to cultivate on such a dangerous path. The aiding conditions are scarce and the opposing conditions are many. What are “aiding conditions?” For example, if you cultivate and do not have the strength to keep going, then your Good Knowing Advisor helps you. He tells you not to go down the wrong road. He advises you not to indulge in impure thinking. Then, you cultivate according to his advice and that is an aiding condition. Also, if you do not have the strength to complete a task in cultivation, the Dharma protectors may come to your aid.
What are opposing conditions? Say you want to cultivate, and you bring forth a very true Bodhi mind, but then someone comes along and uses all kinds of devious tricks to ruin your cultivation and cripple your Bodhi mind. Originally you had no lust, but this person inflames your lust. Originally, your Way-mind was very solid, but this person stunts its growth. These are opposing conditions. The Way is very difficult to cultivate. Sometimes one grows weary–sick and tired, you might say. You cultivate for one year–no success. You cultivate for two years, and still nothing is obtained. By the end of the third year, “God,” you say, “I have been wasting my time. Cultivation is impossible!” and you retreat, exhausted.
And says to the guide, to the Good Knowing Advisor, “We are all exhausted now,worn out. I have been cultivating and enduring all this pain, and I have not gotten a single thing out of it. I have gotten exactly nowhere, as a matter of fact and want to turn back. That does it; we quit!”
Sutra:
The guide thinks to himself,
“How very pitiful they are.
How can they wish to turn back
And lose the great and precious treasure?”
Instantly he thinks of a device:
Using the power of spiritual penetrations
He conjures up a great city
Adorned with houses,
Surrounded by gardens and groves,
Brooks and bathing ponds,
Layered gates and tiered pavilions,
Filled with men and women.
After creating this,
He pities them saying, “Do not be afraid.
But go into this city
And enjoy yourselves as you wish.”
Outline:
N2. Guide induces the small.
O1. The device is conjured up.
Commentary:
The guide thinks to himself, “How very pitiful they are.” They are to be pitied, really. Why? They cultivate and are exactly one hairsbreadth away from realization and then want to turn back. As soon as they retreat, they lose all their former work. “How can they wish to turn back and lose the great and precious treasure?”You retreat and in so doing lose all the wonderful treasure that was coming to you. Instantly he thinks of a device: using the power of spiritual penetrations he conjures up a great city adorned with houses, surrounded by gardens and groves; a lovely place indeed, with inner and outer walls, many fine buildings, lots of running brooks and ponds. Brooks and bathing ponds, layered gates and tiered pavilions, high and lofty buildings. Filled with men and women, a lot of people.
After creating this, he pities them, saying, “Do not be afraid. But go into this city and enjoy yourselves as you wish.” Do what you like. The transformation city represents the Nirvana with residue of the Two Vehicles. The Buddha used this device to draw in the Hearers, saying, “When you gain fourth stage Arhatship, you have ended birth and death, finished your work. No further becoming for you. That is true happiness.” Then once they had attained the fourth fruit, he told them they had to go further, to the treasure trove. The Transformation City is the place of the Two Vehicles. In the Dharma Flower Assembly the Buddha opens the provisional and reveals the real teaching, telling everyone the transformation city is not real. Before you reach the level of the transformation city, you cannot say it is not real. But, once you get there, then you know it is, and you must go on.
Sutra:
When they had entered the city,
They rejoiced greatly at heart
Thinking they were safe and sound,
And that they had been saved.
Outline:
O2. They go forward joyfully and enter the City.
Commentary:
When they had entered the city. Those of the Small Vehicle liked the Small Vehicle Dharmas, so they went right into the transformed city. The transformed city represents the fruit positions of the Small Vehicle. They rejoiced greatly at heart thinking they were safe and sound. They felt happy and at ease, thinking that they had already ended birth and death and attained Nirvana. And that they had been saved, had been taken across the suffering sea of birth and death.
Sutra:
The guide, knowing they were rested,
Assembled them together and said,
“You should all go forward,
For this is nothing but a transformed city.
Seeing that you were exhausted
And wanted to turn back midway,
I used the power of expedients,
To transform provisionally this city.
You should now be vigorous
And proceed to the jewel cache.”
Outline:
M2. He destroys the transformation to lead them to the jewel cache.
Commentary:
The guide, knowing they were rested. The guide, the great Good Knowing Advisor, in this case the Buddha, knowing that those of the Two Vehicles had reached their Small Vehicle destinations and that they were satisfied with that, assembled them together and said “You should all go forward. Now you have rested and you are no longer tired; you have certified to the position of the Two Vehicles. You are pretty happy about that, aren’t you? But you should not stay in the Two Vehicle Nirvana. You have to go forward. For this is nothing but a transformed city. It is not real. It is not the jewel cache. It is simply something I created.
Seeing that you were exhausted. You had been working very hard, and wanted to turn back midway. You felt you had undergone too much suffering. This is like when we cultivate for one, two days, it is not so bad. But, after a while, one feels as if one had not attained anything and gets discouraged and wants to retreat. They think, “I cultivated a whole year, two whole years, and I have not become a Buddha yet. Why? I have been here two years, and I have not been enlightened, I wonder if it is ever possible to get enlightened? Am I being cheated by this idea of enlightenment?” In this way, one’s mind becomes filled with doubts, and one quits cultivating.
Everyone here eats one meal a day. Even if you wanted to steal food at other times, there is no place to steal it from! It is too bitter. So you want to turn back midway. Right? “If I had known it was so bitter, I would not have left home. I really got cheated. I did! What a bad teacher! What am I going to do?”
When the guide saw that they were so tired, he used the power of expedients. He said, “Do not get nervous. You will get enlightened tomorrow. Just work one more night.” So, they go ahead and cultivate one more night. Then he says, “You are off just a bit. Just a hair. Keep trying.” So, he keeps them cultivating bit-by-bit. All of a sudden, his life had come to an end. Although he did not get enlightened, he almost did. Probably, he will for sure in the next life. So next life, he studies the Buddhadharma again.
To transform provisionally this city. He used clever expedients to set up the Dharma-doors of the Two Vehicles.
You should now be vigorous. Now you have rested. You should be courageous and press on in your cultivation. And proceed to the jewel cache. I will go along with you to the Buddha fruit. You will certainly become Buddhas. If the Buddha had told the Two Vehicles to cultivate the Buddha fruit from the beginning, they would not have believed him. They would not have believed that they could become Buddhas.
Sutra:
I, too, am like this,
I am the guide of all;
Outline:
K2. Drawing analogy to Dharma.
L1. Comparison.
M1. Guide.
Commentary:
Shakyamuni Buddha says, I, too, am like this. I am the same. I am the guide of all.I am a Guide Knowing Advisor for all living beings, I teach all living beings to hurry up and become Buddha.
Sutra:
Seeing those who seek the way,
Exhausted in mid-course
Unable to cross the dangerous paths,
Of birth, death and affliction,
Therefore, I use the power of expedients,
To speak of Nirvana and give them a rest,
Saying, “Your sufferings are ended.
You have done what you had to do.
Then, knowing they have reached Nirvana,
And had all become Arhats,
I gather them together,
To teach them the genuine Dharma.
The Buddhas use the power of expedients,
To discriminate and speak of three vehicles
But there is only the One Buddha Vehicle.
The other two were spoken as a resting place.
What I am telling you now is the truth;
What you have gained is not extinction.
For the sake of the Buddha’s All Wisdom,
You should exert yourselves with great vigor.
When you have certified to All Wisdom,
And have the Ten Powers and other Buddhadharma
And have perfected the thirty-two marks,
Then that is genuine extinction.
Outline:
M2. Followers.
Commentary:
Seeing those who seek the way, exhausted in mid-course. They cultivate, and when they are half-way there, they decide they cannot cultivate anymore. They cannot stand the suffering. They get tired and slack off, So it is said,
The first year you cultivate, the Buddha is right in front of you.
By the third year, he is eighty-thousand miles away.
By the tenth year, he is completely out of sight.
When you first decide to cultivate, you may be very sincere. If you could have held on to that kind of sincerity, you would have become a Buddha by now. However, you cannot keep it up for very long. Half way there you get lazy. This is like, here, some people should have already opened the Five Eyes and gained the Six Spiritual Penetrations. Why haven’t they done so? It is because they are lazy. Some people have opened the Five Eyes and gained the Six Penetrations, but have not developed any genuine wisdom. This is also because they are lazy and they have not purified themselves of desire. Some people have the Five Eyes and Six Spiritual Penetrations, but then they get lazy and fail to cultivate and lose their powers. These are all cases of turning back exhausted at the halfway point.
Unable to cross the dangerous paths of birth, death, and affliction. Unable to cross the sea of suffering, unable to cross the most dangerous road of affliction. Therefore I use the power of expedients, expedient Dharma-doors, to speak of Nirvana and give them a rest. To let the cultivators have a rest, he lets them have their Nirvana with residue. Saying, “Your sufferings are ended.” I say, “Your suffering is all gone. You have done what you had to do. Your job is done.” Then, knowing they have reached Nirvana and had all become Arhats, I gather them together to teach them the genuine Dharma. I open the provisional to reveal the real teaching, the real Dharma, The Dharma Flower Sutra. We are now hearing the Dharma of The Lotus Sutra, so we should put forth vigor. We should not linger in Transformation City.
The Buddhas use the power of expedients. The Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time teach and transform living beings using expedient means. To discriminate and speak of Three Vehicles. The Buddhadharma, in reality, is only the One Buddha Vehicle. The Hearer, Conditioned Enlightened Ones, and the Bodhisattva Vehicles do not really exist. If at the beginning, the Buddha had talked about the Buddha Vehicle, living beings would have been afraid. So, the Buddhas set forth the provisional dharmas for the sake of the real. Although they speak provisional Dharmas, their ultimate destination is still the real Dharmas. So it says, ‘They discriminate and speak of Three Vehicles.” Fearing living beings would think the Buddha fruit was too far away and they could never cultivate it successfully, they decided to speak the Three Vehicles to lead living beings there gradually.
But there is only the One Buddha Vehicle. The Three Vehicles are just Transformation City. They are transformed by the Buddha’s spiritual power. In the future, living beings will attain the Buddha fruit, for there is only the One Real Buddha Vehicle. The other two were spoken as a resting place. The Buddha saw that living beings had been cultivating for such a long time that they were discouraged. Consequently, he magically created the city so they could rest up a bit. The Buddha spoke of the two kinds of Nirvana: with residue and without residue.
What I am telling you now is the truth. You should go beyond the Transformation City. I am telling you the real Dharma, the Buddha Vehicle. What you have gained is not extinction. The Nirvana with residue that you have attained, the Fourth Fruit of Arhatship, is not Buddhahood. It is not ultimate; it is not real extinction. You have not completely ended birth and death and attained the bliss of still extinction. You still have a way to go. As Fourth Stage Arhats, they have ended Share Section birth and death, but they have not yet ended Change birth and death.
Share Section birth and death refers to our physical existence, that is, every person has his own body which exists for a certain period of time. Change birth and death refers to the continual process of birth and death of thoughts in our minds.
For the sake of the Buddhas’ All Wisdom, the wisdom of real mark Prajna, you should exert yourselves with great vigor. You should be extremely vigorous and seek Prajna wisdom. Do not stop at Fourth Stage Arhatship and fail to go forward. When you have certified to All Wisdom, real wisdom and have the Ten Powers and other Buddhadharma. The Ten Powers have been explained before. I shall now elaborate on a few of them, not all ten.
First of all, the Buddha has the power of wisdom to know what is right and wrong. What is right? What is wrong? What is right is that which accords with principles and the Buddhadharma. This is what is right. What is considered wrong? What is wrong is that which does not accord with the Buddhadharma; it is unreasonable dharma that opposes and goes against the Buddhadharma. The Buddha has this kind of wisdom and power. He knows all the correct and incorrect dharmas at all times and all places.
The second is, the Buddha knows the karmic retribution of living beings in the three periods of time. For now, we would not talk about the three periods of time. We will talk about last year, this year, and next year. Or, we can talk about last month, this month, and next month, or we can talk about yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If you do not believe that there are future lives or past lives, you only believe in this life. So I will change the time period. Surely you will admit to the concept of last year, this year, and next year. You cannot disagree with that. If you cannot, then you cannot really object to the idea of past, present, and future lives. The Buddha knows the karmic retribution of living beings–that is, what karmic offenses or good deeds they did in past lives, and what their cause and effect is. They know currently what they are undergoing as retribution. They also know the fruits they will reap in the future.
The third is the power of wisdom to know the liberation of all Dhyanas. All the Dhyanas include the first Dhyana, second Dhyana, third Dhyana, fourth Dhyana, and the Four Stations of Emptiness: The Heaven of the Station of Boundless Emptiness, the Heaven of the Station of Boundless Consciousness, the Heaven of the Station of Nothing Whatsoever, and the Heaven of the Station of Neither Perception nor Non-perception, which is also called the Samadhi of Extinguishing Feeling and Thoughts. These are the nine successive Samadhis. Since there are many samadhis, nine in order, they are called “all Dhyanas”. The Samadhi of Liberation consists of Eight Liberations, we have already explained many times so we will not discuss them today. Samadhi is concentration, the skill from Dhyana concentration.
The fourth is that the Buddha knows the superiority or inferiority of living beings’ faculties. This means he knows which living beings have good roots and which do not. The Buddha knows at a glance. The Buddha knows, but he would not tell you. He would not blast a living being saying, “You are too rotten. Hurry up and get away from the Buddha!” he would not say that. He also would not say, “Oh, you have such fine, good roots. You should draw near to the Buddha.” He would not talk about these things. Why not? It is one thing to know about them; it is another thing to broadcast your knowledge.
You cannot go around telling people all these things. You may know, but you cannot tell. If you tell living beings they have good roots, they will get arrogant, thinking it does not matter if they cultivate or not. Then you have harmed them. Those without good roots should not be told either, or they will get discouraged and refuse to cultivate. Thinking it meaningless, they will retreat. If they do not know whether or not they have good roots, they will go ahead and cultivate. If they know, they will be lazy and retreat from the Bodhi mind. The Buddha knows, but he does not tell people. He is not like common people who do not know, but press the issue and insist that they do know. The Buddha knows, but does not tell. We do not know and stupidly claim we do.
Genuinely intelligent people would never say, “See me? I am the most intelligent person there is!” People who say they are smart are already stupid to the extreme. If they were not stupid, they would not praise themselves as being wise. Some people affect very strange styles and ways of thinking. If you flatter them with even one sentence of praise, they feel it is as sweet as eating honey. If you say one thing unfavorable, they find it bitter as gall. Praise them, and they are delighted. If you do not praise them, they will praise themselves. No one else praises them, so they have to introduce themselves. They say, “I cultivate real hard. I have made a lot of progress. I have no false thinking.” How do you know you have no false thinking? If you know you have no false thinking, that itself is false thinking. If you had no false thinking, you would not have to introduce yourself and say, “I have no false thinking.” Why do you want everyone to know that you have no false thinking?
Others cultivate and claim that they have no thoughts of sexual desire. As soon as you say you do not have desire, that means you do have it. If you really did not have any desire, you would not feel compelled to say that you did not. If you do not have any, why bring it up in the first place? If you bring it up, that means it is still there. You just want to give yourself a high hat to wear and to cheat people into thinking that you have no sexual desire. I will tell you, until you have reached Fourth Stage Arhatship, you cannot say that you have no sexual desire.
“Oh, in that case then I probably have certified to the fourth fruit, because I really do not have any. You just do not believe me, that is all.” If you really did not have any, why would you be worried about people believing that you did or did not? Hmm? If you do not, you do not. Why try to get people to believe you? Huh? If other people believe that you do not have any, that is not going to help them get rid of theirs! It does not work like that. So, what is the big deal?
There are a lot of people who speak out of both sides of their mouths. They say they do, and they say they do not. For example, they do not have the Buddha’s wisdom, but then they say that they do. They are not as pure as the Buddha, but they say that they are. Living beings all like to be number one. They even want to put the Buddha in the number two slot! So, the fourth wisdom power of the Buddha is knowing the superiority or inferiority of living beings’ dispositions.
The fifth wisdom power is to know the various capacities of understanding oneself, but one understands other living beings as well. If you only understand yourself and know how to lecture the Sutras, what good does that do to anyone else? If you can lecture the Sutras, but living beings cannot understand it, it is useless. You have to be aware of what living beings can understand, so that when you explain a certain principle, a certain living being can understand it, and if you explain another principle, that other living being can understand it.
You cannot explain things too profoundly or too mysteriously so people cannot understand. If they do not understand, it may be very profound, but it is of no use. Right? The doctrines must be explained so that everyone can understand and accept them. That is one of the powers of the Buddha. He knows what living beings can understand, and he teaches them accordingly. You should not lecture on purpose so that people cannot understand you. It would be better not to lecture at all than to do that.
The sixth wisdom power is that the Buddha knows all the different states of living beings. Everyone has his own state of mind. If you do not understand the states of living beings, you cannot teach and transform living beings. You should understand that everyone has his likes and dislikes. Everyone has his fondness and his dislikes. Some living beings like to eat sweet things. Some do not. Some like bitter things, sour things, hot things. You teach and transform a living being with the flavor that he is fond of. There are many different religions in the world, too. There is Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam. They are like the different flavors. Everybody has his preference. If you look at it one way, there are many different religions. If you look at it another way, they are all included in Buddhism. No religion is outside of Buddhism.
Other religions claim that they are the truest, the most lofty. Buddhism does not claim to be lofty, or true, because all religions, true or false, high or low, large or small, square or round–all are included within Buddhism. None of them are outside of Buddhism. The true is Buddhism, and the false is Buddhism. They are all included within Buddhism. True and false, high and low, are discriminations made by living beings; there are no such discriminations within the religion itself. As The Vajra Sutrasays, “This Dharma is level and equal, with nothing above or below it.” Where is this “True and false?” The true comes from the false, and the false comes from the true. It is just like day and night. When the day reaches its ultimate, night is falling. When night reaches its ultimate, dawn is breaking.
People are awake sometimes, and sometimes they are asleep. When they are asleep, they do not know anything at all. They become muddled. When they are awake, they are alert. When they sleep they dream. The dreams are false. Religions are a bit like this. It is not that religions are always alert and awake. Sometimes they are sleeping, too. When religions are asleep, they are false. Even though they are false, they cannot not sleep. If you do not sleep, you cannot take it.
Look at Aniruddha who did not sleep for a week and consequently went blind! So, the Buddhas know all the different states of mind of living beings. Each living being goes with its kind. In the Ten Dharma Realms living beings hang out with those in their own realm. Bodhisattvas do the deeds of Bodhisattvas. Arhats do Arhat’s work. Gods do the deeds of gods. People do people-type things. Asuras do asura things; that is, they fight all day long. Hungry ghosts do hungry ghost things, and animals do animal things. Hell-beings do hellish things. Each follows its own kind.
The seventh is that they know where all paths lead. If you cultivate the five precepts and ten good deeds, you can be born in the heavens. If you cultivate the Dhyanas, you can certify to the fruit. If you cultivate the Six Perfections and Ten Thousand Conducts, you can become a Buddha. If you create offenses, you can turn into a hungry ghost or fall into hell. Whatever cause you plant, you reap that fruit. If you plant a good cause, you reap a good fruit; if you plant a bad cause, you reap a bad fruit.
The eighth is the power of wisdom to know with the unobstructed Heavenly Eye. This is the power of wisdom that knows that the Heavenly Eye is unobstructed. The ninth is the power of wisdom to know past lives without outflow. The tenth is the power of wisdom to know how to forever sever all habits. This is a brief explanation of the ten powers.
There are ten powers, but they are inexhaustible, really. From ten you get a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a million, and so on.
And have perfected the thirty-two marks, the thirty-two marks and eighty minor characteristics of a Buddha, then that is genuine extinction.
Sutra:
The Buddhas, the guiding masters,
Speak of Nirvana to give living beings rest,
But once they know that they are rested,
They lead them into the Buddhas’ wisdom.”
Outline:
L2. Drawing the conclusion.
Commentary:
The Buddhas, the guiding masters. All the Buddhas are great leader of living beings. Speak of Nirvana to give living beings a rest. They speak of Hearer, Conditioned-Enlightened, and Bodhisattva Vehicles. They speak of Nirvana with residue. But once they know that they are rested. Once they know living beings have rested up in the Transformation City, they lead them into the Buddhas’ wisdom. They lead living beings to become Buddhas and attain the Buddhas’ wisdom.
END OF CHAPTER 7
Chapter 06: Conferring Predictions