Chapter 15: Welling Forth from the Earth

The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra
Translated by the Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of Yao Ch’in
A Commentary by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua

Chapter 15

This is the fifteenth chapter of the twenty-eight chapters in the Dharma Flower Sutra. There are thirteen chapters left to explain. Why is this chapter named “Welling forth from the Earth”? The title refers to the Great Bodhisattvas who rise up out of the earth. How many of them do this? A tremendous number of them; six hundred billion, or as many as the number of sand grains in eight Ganges Rivers. Each of those Bodhisattvas also brings along six hundred billion members of his retinue. All these beings are disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha whom he taught and transformed in past lives. And so this chapter, number fifteen, has the title “Welling forth from the Earth.”

Sutra:

At that time, in the great assembly, the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, who had come from other lands in numbers exceeding the grains of sand in eight Ganges Rivers, rose, placed their palms together, made obeisance, and said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, if you will allow us, after the Buddha’s Quiescence, here in this Saha world we will with ever-increasing vigor protect, maintain, read, recite, write out, and make offerings to this Sutra, and we will proclaim it far and wide throughout this land.”

Outline:

B2. The fundamental door. Disclosing the near and revealing the far.
C1. Introductory narration.
D1. Welling up.
E1. Bodhisattvas from other lands ask to propagate the Sutra.

Commentary: 

At that time, in the great assembly, the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, who had come from other lands in numbers exceeding the grains of sand in eight Ganges Rivers, rose. This multitude of Great Bodhisattvas came from other worlds and other lands to the Dharma assembly to see the Thus Come One Many Jewels and Shakyamuni Buddha.

They placed their palms together, made obeisance, bowing to the Buddhas, and said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, if you will allow us, after the Buddha’s Quiescence, here in this Saha world we will with ever-increasing vigor protect, maintain, read, recite, write out, and make offerings to this Sutra, and we will proclaim it far and wide throughout this land.” They spoke to Shakyamuni Buddha, saying, “Please allow us to make this vow before the Buddhas.

After the Buddha goes to Nirvana, we here in this Saha world will diligently increase our efforts in protecting those who are vigorous cultivators of the Way. We will protect the Bodhisattvas who read and recite the Wonderful Dharma Flower Sutra and who write out the Dharma Flower Sutra. We will make offerings to the Bodhisattvas who bring forth the Bodhisattva resolve to read and recite this Sutra. We will use the power of our various spiritual penetrations to protect such people in the Saha world, enabling them to explain the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra for all living beings.

* * * * * * * * * *

The mother of one of my disciples was here today for the Ullambana festival. Recently she was walking in the mountains and ate some sort of wild herb, which made her sick. At the time, she remembered that her daughter had told her that when she had been sick, she recited the name of Amitabha Buddha and her sickness was alleviated very quickly. Her daughter had even written out the name of the Buddha on a slip of paper and given it to her mother. She looked in her purse, found the slip of paper, and began reciting “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” After just a few minutes, she felt better.

Do you believe this? Some people might not. Some people might say that the Chinese are always telling unbelievable stories. But now Americans have such things happen to them, too. Actually, events like this are very common. You will hear of more as the days go by. Often when they happen, people do not know what to think, because the events are inconceivable, wonderful states. They happen whether you believe them or not. This disciple’s mother is very happy that her daughter is studying here and is very supportive of her interest in Buddhism. That is why she obtained such a response.

After this, whenever something unusual happens, you can bring it up and tell everyone in the assembly. We can examine it according to the methods of Western logic and find out what kind of logic is behind it.

I will tell you a wonderful secret in one sentence: Those who have faith are saved. There is nothing more to it than that. Those who believe are saved; those who do not are not.

In Christianity, they say the same thing: “Those who believe will be saved.” Those who believe get to go to heaven and be with God. The only problem with that is that the heavens are still within the wheel of rebirth. To be “saved” in Buddhism means to transcend the wheel of rebirth—to end birth and death. The Christian version of salvation is only a temporary arrangement; it is not eternal. It is true that if you cultivate according to their teachings, you can be born in heaven, but when your heavenly blessings are used up, you fall back down again. If you are saved according to the Buddha’s teachings, you will be saved forever; you would not fall again.

Although the Christians claim that life in heaven is bliss eternal, it is only a claim. No one can prove it. People with wisdom would not believe that one cannot fall from the heavens. The Buddhist Sutras clearly state that if you are born in the heavens, once your heavenly blessings are exhausted, you will fall. There is no need to argue the point, however. Suffice it to say that there are differences in the Christian and Buddhist concepts of salvation.

In America there are weird people who lump the Buddhas, the gods, the spirits, and Jesus together, and say they are all the same. Why? To confuse the issue so that people cannot understand. Their aim is to keep you from understanding. My method is different. I want you to understand.

Sutra:

The Buddha then told the host of Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, “Stop! Good men, you do not need to protect and maintain this Sutra. Why not? Within my Saha world itself there are Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas equal in number to the sands of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers, each of whom has a retinue equal in number to the sands of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers. After my Quiescence, all of them will protect, uphold, read, recite, and vastly proclaim this Sutra.”

Outline:

E2. The Thus Come One refuses to grant permission.

Commentary: 

The Buddha Shakyamuni then told the host of Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, “Stop!” When he heard the Great Bodhisattvas, in number as many as the grains of sand in eight Ganges Rivers, express their wish to make a vow to read and recite the Dharma Flower Sutra after the Buddha’s Quiescence, he said, “Stop! Do not make that vow! You do not need to protect and uphold my Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.

Good men, you do not need to protect and maintain this Sutra. Why did he stop them? Probably Shakyamuni Buddha wanted his own disciples to amass more merit and virtue, and so he objected to these Bodhisattvas from outside coming to protect and maintain his Dharma Flower Sutra. If these Bodhisattvas from outside protected the Sutra, his own disciples, whom he was teaching and transforming, would not have any work to do. Therefore he quickly said, “Stop, do not make that vow. I already have someone for this job. It is not necessary for you to do it. I do not need you to make this vow to protect and uphold the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.”

Why not? Within my Saha world itself there are Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas equal in number to the sands of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers, each of whom has a retinue equal in number to the sands of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers.These are the ones I have taught and transformed. Each of these Bodhisattvas in turn has taught and transformed many other beings, who now make up their retinues.

After my quiescence, all of them will protect, uphold, read, recite, and vastly proclaim this Sutra. They have already made this vow to protect and maintain the Dharma Flower Sutra, as well as to protect those who read the Sutra, recite the Sutra from memory, and who expansively explain this Sutra.

Sutra:

Just as the Buddha said this, the earth in the three thousand great thousand lands in the Saha world trembled and split open, and from its midst limitless thousands of tens of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas simultaneously welled forth.

Outline:

E3. Welling up from below.
F1. Narrator’s observation.
G1. Welling up.

Commentary: 

Just as the Buddha Shakyamuni said this, the earth in the three thousand great thousand lands in the Saha world trembled and split open. “Saha” refers to our world, which is “able to be endured.” Within it there are three thousand great thousand lands. All of them quaked and split open. And from its midst limitless thousands of tens of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas simultaneously welled forth.

All at the same time, they rose from where the earth had split open. Would you say that was an amazing sight or not? Who were these Bodhisattvas? They were those whom Shakyamuni Buddha had taught and transformed in previous lives. That was why they all came to where Shakyamuni Buddha was speaking the Dharma Flower Sutra; they wanted to listen to the Dharma.

Sutra:

All of these Bodhisattvas possessed golden-hued bodies, the thirty-two marks, and limitless light.

Outline:

G2. The appearance of their bodies.

Commentary: 

All of these Bodhisattvas who rose up out of the earth possessed golden-hued bodies. Their bodies emitted purple-golden light, and they were replete with the thirty-two marks and limitless light.

Sutra:

They had been dwelling beneath the Saha world in the space belonging to this world.

Outline:

G3. Where they lived.

Commentary:

They had been dwelling beneath the Saha world—the world we live in—in the space belonging to this world. Below the Saha world, the World That Can Be Endured, is the wheel of space, and that is where they had been staying.

Sutra:

Upon hearing the sound of Shakyamuni Buddha’s voice, all the Bodhisattvas came up from below.

Outline:

G4. Hearing the Buddha’s voice.

Commentary: 

Even though they were quite far away from our world, they could still hear Shakyamuni Buddha’s voice as he spoke the Dharma Flower Sutra. Upon hearing the sound of Shakyamuni Buddha’s voice, all the Bodhisattvas came up from below, from the wheel of empty space beneath this Saha world.

Sutra:

Each one of the Bodhisattvas was a leader who instructed and guided a great multitude. Each had a retinue numbering as many as the sand grains of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers. Still others had retinues numbering as many as the sand grains of fifty thousand, forty thousand, thirty thousand, twenty thousand, or ten thousand Ganges Rivers. Others had retinues numbering as many as the sand grains of one Ganges River, one half a Ganges River, one fourth, and on down to one thousandth of a ten thousandth of a millionth of a nayuta of a Ganges River.

Other had retinues numbering in the billions of nayutas. Others had retinues numbering in the hundreds of millions. Others had retinues numbering in the tens of millions, the millions, and on down to the tens of thousands. Others had a thousand or a hundred and on down to ten. Others had five, four, three, or two disciples, down to one disciple. Still others came alone, preferring isolation. And so it was that their numbers were limitless and boundless, beyond the power of calculation or analogy to make known.

Outline:

G5. Their retinues.

Commentary: 

Each one of the Bodhisattvas was a leader who instructed and guided a great multitude. They were guiding masters who were teaching and transforming living beings. “Instructed” means they lectured on the Sutras and spoke the Dharma. “Guided” means they told beings what path to take, what method to use in their cultivation. These Bodhisattvas acted as eyes for living beings. And living beings looked to them to find out how to practice.

Each had a retinue numbering as many as the sand grains of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers. Each of the Bodhisattvas, who were as numerous as the sand grains of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers, brought along retinues of disciples and students numbering as many as the sand grains in sixty thousand Ganges Rivers. They were like one Dharma family. We are one big family in the Dharma, regardless of where we came from. Those who have taken refuge with the Triple Jewel are all of one family. There were as many Bodhisattvas as the sand grains of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers, and each had as many disciples as the sand grains of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers. Can you count how many that would be?

Still others had retinues numbering as many as the sand grains of fifty thousand Ganges Rivers. Although it is said that each Bodhisattva had a retinue numbering as many as the sand grains in sixty thousand Ganges Rivers, some had less. Perhaps they had retinues numbering as many as the sand grains in forty thousand, thirty thousand, twenty thousand, or ten thousand Ganges Rivers. Others had retinues numbering as many as the sand grains of one Ganges River, one half a Ganges River, one fourth, and on down to one thousandth of a ten thousandth of a millionth of a nayuta of a Ganges River. That is a relatively small number.

Others had retinues numbering in the billions of nayutas. Others had retinues numbering in the hundreds of millions. Others had retinues numbering in the tens of millions, the millions, and on down to the tens of thousands. Others had a thousand, or a hundred, and on down to ten. Others had five, four, three, or two disciples, down to one disciple. If we explain these numbers as representing aspects of the Dharma, the “five” here could refer to the five skandhas; “four” to the four truths; “three” to the three non-outflow studies of precepts, samadhi, and wisdom; “two” to samadhi and wisdom; and “one” to the one true path.

Still others came alone, preferring isolation. There might have been a Bodhisattva who did not want to take disciples. “Too much trouble,” he said. “They never do what you tell them to do!” Such a Bodhisattva might even have vowed not to take disciples. It is true! He might fear the trouble, because with disciples, one is laughing while another is crying, or one is crying while the other is laughing. Another one is getting angry, and yet another is crying. Then the one that was angry may start laughing and say, “I will think of a way to make you get angry, and that will prove that you do not have any samadhi either—that you are no better than I am.” Therefore the Bodhisattva may not want to take disciples. It is pretty nice, not having disciples.

These Bodhisattvas prefer isolation. They run off to the mountains to get away from everyone. Perhaps a man feels that women are just giving him a lot of trouble, so he runs to the mountains to get away from them. That is seeking isolation. But if you retire from the world, you should do it properly. Do not go into seclusion and then send a publicity package out, telling everyone to come and make offerings to you—the Great Hermit! If you do that, you will have even more company and more problems. People will flock to you seeking blessings, wisdom, and liberation, wishing for this and hoping for that, and you will be in a fine fix! Those who genuinely prefer isolation do not want others to know that they are isolating themselves. They are not concerned about whether or not other people know that they are cultivating. Cultivation is something you do yourself. Why tell other people about it?

Someone says, “But if no one knows, how can we teach and transform beings?”

You do not teach and transform beings in a single period of time or even a single lifetime. You have to practice the Bodhisattva Way life after life and time after time. Before you have realized the Way, your main responsibility is to cultivate the Way.

And so it was that trying to compare them in order to know their number could not be done. Their numbers were limitless and boundless. That was because the number was simply too large. Some numbered as many as the sand grains of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers, some as many as in five Ganges Rivers, four, three, or two Ganges Rivers, and if you tried to add them all together, how many Ganges Rivers’ sand grains would that be? No one could know precisely what that number would be; it would be beyond the power of calculation or analogy to make known. It would have no limit, no end, no bounds, and you could not even make an analogy that would come close. The best mathematician could not count them. All you could say is that those Bodhisattvas were limitless.

A mathematician may not believe that they cannot be counted. “Any number, no matter how large, can be calculated,” might be the protest. But even if you did get a count, it would not be one hundred percent accurate. It could only be an approximation. To say nothing of anything else, we cannot even count the number of beings here at the Buddhist Lecture Hall! We would also have to approximate that number.

I have always liked math. When I was a child I always wanted to figure out what the biggest number would be. I would write a “1” and then start adding zeros to make 10; 100; 1,000; 10,000; and so forth. I kept adding zeros, covering the floor, the ceiling, and everything in between, on and on until I had written zeros on everything between heaven and earth and filled up empty space as well. What do you think the total was? Could you figure it out? Essentially, that is what is happening here in the text. We just keep adding zeros, filling up all of space, heaven and earth, and the wheel of space beneath the world. Nobody knows what the total is. You could not even count the number of zeros, let alone what they represent! Numbers are endless. No matter how gifted you are in mathematics, you could not figure this one out. 

Sutra:

Having welled forth from the earth, all the Bodhisattvas went to the Wonderful Stupa of Seven Jewels in space, where the Thus Come One Many Jewels and Shakyamuni Buddha were.

Arriving there, they turned toward the two World Honored Ones and bowed with their heads at those Buddhas’ feet. They went on to where all the Buddhas were seated on lion thrones beneath jeweled trees, bowed to them, circumambulated them three times to the right, put their palms together respectfully, and praised them with various Bodhisattva praises. Then they withdrew to one side and gazed joyfully at the two World Honored Ones.

Outline:

F2. Paying respects.
G1. Offerings representing the three karmas.
H1. The offerings proper.

Commentary: 

Having welled forth from the earth, all the Bodhisattvas, the uncountable Great Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, emerged from the ground and went to the Wonderful Stupa of Seven Jewels in space, where the Thus Come One Many Jewels was. Each Bodhisattva went up into space to the place where the stupa made of seven treasures was. They went to see Many Jewels Thus Come One and Shakyamuni Buddha.

Arriving there, after they got to that place, they turned toward the two World Honored Ones, Many Jewels and Shakyamuni, and bowed with their heads at those Buddhas’ feet. They made full prostrations with their five limbs on the ground. They were single-mindedly respectful, and they placed their palms together. They went on to where all the Buddhas were seated on lion thrones beneath jeweled trees. They went to the Buddhas who had come from the ten directions and who were seated on lion seats underneath jeweled trees.

Each of those Buddhas from the ten directions was on a lion throne, and the Bodhisattvas went to where they were and bowed to them. They made obeisance to them and circumambulated them three times to the right. Walking to the right around them thrice was a gesture of particular respect. They put their palms together respectfully. Placing their palms together represents purity of mind karma. Their body karma was also pure, and they praised them with various Bodhisattva praises. They sang praises that Bodhisattvas use to mutually laud one another, as well as praises to Buddhas, such as the one that begins “Amitabha’s body is the color of gold.”

We, too, sing praises every day, such as the praise to Shakyamuni Buddha:

In the heavens above, and in all that is below,
Nothing compares to the Buddha.
Throughout the worlds of the ten directions,
He is beyond compare.
Of all I have seen in the world,
There is nothing at all like the Buddha.

We also recite the praise to Amitabha Buddha:

Amitabha’s body is the color of gold;
The splendor of his hallmarks has no peer.
The light of his brow shines round a hundred worlds;
Wide as the seas are his eyes pure and clear.
Shining in his brilliance by transformation
Are countless Bodhisattvas and infinite Buddhas.
His forty-eight vows will be our liberation;
In nine lotus stages we reach the farthest shore.

Those are praises to the Buddhas. Since we sing them every day, we should be conscious of what we are doing. Some people just do things by rote, and they do not really know what they are doing. They do not know that they are praising the Buddha. They get all caught up in the sound of the singer’s voice, and forget what the purpose of the chanting is. Some leaders of ceremonies recite so beautifully that the women who hear them become infatuated. They pursue the leader so they can listen to him recite the Sutras. This happens more often than you would think. It is hypnotic. When they are doing their secret ceremonies they say:

Nan ya hong!

Or:

Nan wa zi la hong,

They take money and run!

Then they, these Bodhisattvas, withdrew to one side after they had made obeisance and sung their praises to the Buddhas. They gazed joyfully at the two World Honored Ones. The Bodhisattvas were happy. They liked to look at Shakyamuni Buddha and the Thus Come One Many Jewels. You see, Bodhisattvas also have attachments: They like to see the Buddhas. There is a certain amount of attachment at whatever level you have reached. Getting rid of those attachments is what is meant by “You should produce that thought which is nowhere supported.”

Someone is having a false thought: “Who does secret ceremonies like that?”

I will tell you: Me!

Someone else is thinking, “You talked about men who felt that women were giving them trouble, and so they ran off to the mountains. What about women? When they run off to the mountains, who is giving them trouble?”

Do you need to ask? Men, of course! You should be able to figure that one out for yourself.

Sutra:

From the time the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas first welled forth from the earth, and while they praised the Buddhas with various Bodhisattva praises, a period of fifty small eons elapsed. During that time, Shakyamuni Buddha remained seated in silence, and the four assemblies were silent for fifty small eons as well.

Outline:

H2. The amount of time elapsed.

Commentary: 

From the time the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas first welled forth from the earth.The Great Bodhisattvas had initially come out of the ground, and while they praised the Buddhas—Shakyamuni Buddha, Many Jewels Thus Come One, and the Buddhas of the Ten Directions—with various Bodhisattva praises, a period of fifty small eons elapsed. They praised the Buddhas for fifty small eons. During that time, Shakyamuni Buddha remained seated in silence. The Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas were singing praises to the Buddhas for fifty small eons. How long is that?

An eon is a period of “an increase and a decrease.” During the rise of an eon, every one hundred years, people’s life spans increase by one year and their heights increase by one inch. When people reach an average life span of 84,000 years, then a decline begins. Having started from an average life span of ten years and increased to an average life span of 84,000 years, a decline then sets in. Every one hundred years, the average life span decreases by one year and the average height by one inch. The decline continues until the average life span has decreased to ten years. One cycle of increase and decrease is considered “one small eon.” The Buddha sat quietly for fifty such small eons and did not speak the Dharma.

Someone might start calculating and say, “What the Buddhist Sutras say is totally impossible. Shakyamuni Buddha was only in the world for about eighty years, and he lectured on the Dharma for forty-nine years in over three hundred Dharma assemblies, propounding the Dharma Flower Sutra for eight of those years. Why does the text of the Dharma Flower Sutra say that Shakyamuni Buddha spoke the Dharma Flower Sutra for fifty small eons? That is way off. There is no proof.”

Well, we would not talk about the fifty small eons. Let us talk about the Vimalakirti Sutra. The Elder Vimalakirti stayed in a ten-foot-square room. But that space was able to contain 32,000 lion thrones, each of which was 80,000 yojanas tall. How could his ten-foot-square room contain lion thrones 80,000 yojanas high? The thrones were so tall that the Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas found it impossible to climb up and sit on them. That is a case of:

The small manifests within the great;
The great manifests within the small.
The small does not obstruct the great;
The great does not obstruct the small.

This state of unobstructed interpenetration is not something that ordinary people comprehend. If you understand it, then fifty small eons is like a single thought. If you do not understand it, then one knows not how long fifty small eons will be. Therefore, the small can manifest within the great, and the great can manifest within the small. The near can manifest within the far, and the far can manifest within the near.

Thus, fifty small eons is not a long time, and the time it takes for a single thought is not a short time. One thought can take fifty small eons, and fifty small eons can be contained in a single thought.

There is a story that makes this point very clear: Dhyana Master Gao Fengmiao was a cultivator who sat on the inverted lotus precipice of Xitian Mu and meditated. Why did he go there to cultivate? It was a very dangerous ledge. Were he to doze off in meditation, he would fall thousands of feet into the valley and be smashed to pieces. Even a rock dropped from that height would be smashed to bits, to say nothing of a person.

Because he had a tendency to dose off during meditation, he vowed to go to that dangerous place and sit on that inverted lotus. “Let’s see me fall asleep now!” he said, positioning himself near the edge. He sat there for about seven days without falling asleep; he did not dare! After all, his life was at stake. Therefore, no matter what, he simply would not fall asleep.

However, on the eighth day, he could no longer control himself. While sitting in meditation, he dozed off. As soon as he fell asleep, he slumped forward and tumbled right off the edge. Waking, he thought, “It is all over. I am certainly not going to come out of this alive.”

Just then he gave up his body and mind. “If I must die, then I will die. I am not going to pay any attention; I will get ready for the big sleep.”

When he had fallen halfway down the mountain, Weituo Bodhisattva manifested his spiritual powers. From right there in space, he dragged the Dhyana Master back up to the top of the mountain.

“Who is this protecting my Dharma?” the Master said.

“It is me, Dharma Protector Weituo!” came the reply.

The Dhyana Master suddenly became arrogant and had the thought, “You mean I moved Weituo Bodhisattva to protect my Dharma? Probably, in this world, there are very few cultivators who are as courageously vigorous as I am.” And so he asked Weituo Bodhisattva, “How many cultivators are there in the world who work as hard as I do in their cultivation?”

“About as many as the hairs on a cow,” said Weituo Bodhisattva dryly. “And since you are so arrogant, I am not going to protect your Dharma again for eighty thousand great eons!” So saying, he took his jeweled pestle, rose up into space, and disappeared.

Dhyana Master Gao Fengmiao really regretted what he had said. “Weituo Bodhisattva was protecting me, and I had to go and get arrogant. That was really a mistake,” he lamented. Tears of remorse began to roll softly down his cheeks. He cried for quite a while before he gave rise to a renewed resolve: “I was cultivating before I knew that Weituo Bodhisattva was protecting me. Why should I quit cultivating now that I know he is not? I should cultivate whether he protects me or not!” Then with great determination, he took his seat on the ledge once again and continued to meditate.

A little while later, sure enough, he fell asleep and dropped over the edge again, plummeting down the mountain. “This time, I have really had it,” he thought. “It is all over now!” Suddenly, he was hauled back up to the top again; he had been caught in midair when he was about halfway down. “Now, who saved me this time?” he asked.

“It is me, Dharma Protector Weituo, once again,” came the reply.

This irritated Dhyana Master Gao Fengmiao. “Old Brother Wei, didn’t you say that you were not going to protect my Dharma for eighty thousand great eons? Why did you save me again? Doesn’t that make you a liar?”

Weituo Bodhisattva replied, “Your tears and shame were very genuine; they canceled out eighty thousand great eons worth of time. Therefore I was obliged to come to your aid. Your one thought of repentance took you across eighty thousand great eons!”

Why is this Sutra called the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra? Because it is extremely wonderful, inconceivable. It is a state you have no way to see. If you use a telescopic lens you can see things very far away, just as if they were right before you. Without the telescopic lens, you would have no way to see that far. This story about Dhyana Master Gao Fengmiao proves that one thought can transcend fifty small eons, or even eighty thousand great eons. This is the same principle as in looking at things through a telescope: What is long can become shortened; what is short can become lengthened.

Time is not fixed. According to mundane truth—speaking of it from the point of view of worldly dharmas—everything exists. But in terms of the real truth, everything is empty. Nothing is indestructible; nothing lasts forever. As to time, there is no past, present, or future. Past thought cannot be grasped; present thought cannot be grasped; and future thought cannot be grasped. Since the three periods of time cannot be grasped, even time is non-existent.

For fifty small eons, Shakyamuni Buddha remained seated in silence, and the four assemblies—the Bhikshus, the Bhikshunis, the Upasakas, and the Upasikas—were silent for fifty small eons as well.

Sutra:

Because of the Buddha’s spiritual power, all in the great assembly thought only half a day had passed. At that time the four assemblies were also able, because of the Buddha’s spiritual power, to see all the Bodhisattvas completely filling the space of limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of lands.

Outline:

H3. The aid of the Buddha’s spiritual powers.

Commentary: 

Because of the Buddha’s spiritual power, the strength of his spiritual penetrations, all in the great assembly thought only half a day had passed. Although it seemed like half a day, more than fifty small eons had passed. Although it had been fifty small eons, it seemed like half a day’s time. Most people had that impression.

At that time the four assemblies of Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas were also able, because of the Buddha’s spiritual power, to see all the Bodhisattvas completely filling the space. How many were there? They filled up limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of lands. How many Bodhisattvas were there altogether? No one could know.

Speaking about the relativity of time, a day and a night in the Heaven of the Four Kings, the heaven we can see above us, is equal to fifty years in the human realm. The gods there live for five hundred years, so you can figure out how much time that is in human terms.

In the Heaven of the Thirty-three (Trayastrimsha Heaven), a day and a night is one hundred human years, and the gods there live for a thousand years.

When the Buddha was in the world, a follower of an externalist way once challenged his disciple Mahakatyayana, saying, “I do not believe in rebirth. If it is true that there is rebirth, then why hasn’t anyone who has died ever sent a message back to tell us about it?”

Mahakatyayana said, “Let us take the example of a prisoner who has been put in jail. Is he free to send a letter home?”

“No,” said the nonbeliever. “Fine, I grant that people in hell are not free to communicate, just like prisoners in jail. But what about the people in heaven? Why don’t they send a message back?”

The Venerable Mahakatyayana answered him, saying, “One day and night in the heavens equals fifty years on earth. Two days equal a hundred years in the human realm. Once they arrive there, first they want to rest. The second day they want to get settled in, unpack their bags, make the bed, and rearrange the furniture. By the third day in heaven, they might think about sending you a letter, but you will already be dead. That is because if they were to come back three days later, a hundred and fifty years in the human realm would have passed. How would you be able to see them?”

The externalist had no answer.

Therefore, time in the heavens and time on earth are experienced differently. A day and night on earth is equal to five hundred years in the hells. Do not be attached to time. Time is basically empty. People create their concept of time, but time itself does not exist. Its very substance is empty. Since it has no self-nature, no substance of its own, why be attached to there being any certainty about time?

Sutra:

Among the multitudes of Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas were four leaders. The first was named Superior Practice, the second was named Boundless Practice, the third was named Pure Practice, and the fourth was named Secure Practice.

These four Bodhisattvas, among the assembly, were the foremost leaders, the spokesmen and guides. Before the great multitudes, they joined their palms together, contemplated Shakyamuni Buddha, made deep bows from the waist and said, “World Honored One, are you in good health and free from worry? Are you peaceful and happy in your practice? Are those who should be crossed over receptive to the teaching? They do not cause the World Honored One weariness, do they?”

The four Great Bodhisattvas then spoke verses, saying:

“Is the World Honored One happy and at peace,
Free from worry and disease?
In teaching and transforming beings,
Is he free from weariness?
And further, do living beings
Receive transformation easily?
They do not cause the World Honored One
To become fatigued, do they?”

Outline:

G2. Inquiring after the Buddha’s welfare.

Commentary: 

Among the multitudes—the limitless, boundless, uncountable number of Great Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas filling up the space in hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of lands—were four leaders. They were guides and teachers for living beings and the other Bodhisattvas. The other Bodhisattvas studied from them; they were the senior-seated Bodhisattvas.

The first was named Superior Practice. His cultivation, his practice, was the very highest. None was more lofty than his. The second was named Boundless Practice. The entrances into practice that he cultivated had no limit, no end. The third was named Pure Practice. His name indicates that he became a Bodhisattva by cultivating pure practices. And the fourth Bodhisattva leader was named Secure Practice. He was able to peacefully and happily establish his entrance into practice. These four Bodhisattvas, these leaders among the assembly in the space of limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of lands, among all those Bodhisattvas, were the foremost leaders. They were senior-seated Bodhisattvas.

As the leaders of the great assembly, the spokesmen and guides, they led everyone in singing praises. They were the leaders in doing everything, the leaders before the great multitudes. They, the four Bodhisattva leaders, joined their palms together, contemplated Shakyamuni Buddha, made deep bows from the waist, and inquired after the Buddha’s welfare.

They said, “World Honored One, are you in good health and free from worry?Hopefully, World Honored One, you have not been sick, and there is nothing troubling you, is there? Are you peaceful and happy in your practice? Are you well-established in the four modes of peaceful and happy conduct—body, mouth, mind, and vows? Are those who should be crossed over receptive to the teaching? Are they easy to teach and transform? They do not cause the World Honored One weariness, do they? They do not present obstacles, do they?

“With living beings easy to teach, the World Honored One will certainly be happy. He would not grow sick and tired from teaching them.”

The four Great Bodhisattvas then spoke verses in praise of Shakyamuni Buddha and to inquire after his welfare, saying, “Is the World Honored One happy and at peace? You are very content and tranquil, free from worry and disease, are you not? Certainly you have no sickness and no affliction. In teaching and transforming beings, is he free from weariness? Certainly, the Buddha is not tired. And further, do living beings receive transformation easily? It is not too difficult, is it? They do not cause the World Honored One to become fatigued, do they? Since they easily accept being taught and transformed, the World Honored One will not feel tired. Right?”

Sutra:

The World Honored One then, in the midst of the great host of Bodhisattvas, said this: “So it is, so it is, good men. The Thus Come One is peaceful and happy, free from disease and worry. All the living beings are easy to transform and take across, and they do not cause me weariness. Why is this?

All these living beings have, in lifetime after lifetime, have always received my teaching, and they have also paid reverence to and venerated the Buddhas of the past, thereby planting the roots of goodness. When these living beings first saw me and heard my teaching, all, except for those who had formerly cultivated and studied the Small Vehicle, immediately believed and accepted it and entered the Thus Come One’s wisdom. I now lead even such people as these to hear this Sutra and to enter the Buddha’s wisdom.”

Outline:

G3. The Buddha replies that he is happy and at peace.

Commentary: 

The World Honored One, then… “Then” is when the four guiding masters had finished speaking their verse on behalf of all the Great Bodhisattvas. In the midst of the great host of Bodhisattvas, the Buddha said this. This narrative sentence was added by the Venerable Ananda when he compiled the Sutras. “Then the World Honored One Shakyamuni, in the midst of Bodhisattvas who completely filled the space in limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of lands, such a great assembly as that, spoke.” What did he say? He said, “So it is, so it is, good men. You asked how I am doing, and it is just as you stated. I am just fine. Good men, I, the Thus Come One, am peaceful and happy, free from disease. I am in good health and do not have cause to worry. I have no afflictions. All the living beings are easy to transform and take across. They are all very obedient, and they do not cause me weariness.

Therefore, I do not feel tired. I am not at all displeased. Why is this? All these living beings have, lifetime after lifetime, always received my teaching. In live after live, at all times, they have been receiving my teaching. They have obtained my transforming instructions. And they have also paid reverence to and venerated the Buddhas of the past. Not only have they been taught by me, but in the presence of countless Buddhas of the past, they have been reverent and respectful, and have praised them. They have thereby planted the roots of goodness,planting many, many good roots; limitlessly, boundlessly many good roots.

When these living beings that I have been teaching first saw me, beheld my physical being, and heard my teaching—the Storehouse Teaching, the Connecting Teaching, and the Special Teaching—all, except for those who had formerly cultivated and studied the Small Vehicle—the people who previously studied the Small Vehicle are not included in this number—immediately believed and accepted it. They instantly give rise to faith. Some certified to the fruition of Arhatship; others certified to the fruition of Those Enlightened by Conditions. Still others certified to various stages of Bodhisattvahood and entered the Thus Come One’s wisdom,passing through the Ten Dwellings, the Ten Practices, the Ten Transferences, the Ten Grounds, and on to the level of Equal Enlightenment.

Having traversed altogether forty-one levels, they became Great Masters of the Dharma-body. Finally, they entered the Buddha’s wisdom and obtained the fruition of Wonderful Enlightenment. I now lead even such people as these to hear this Sutra. Now I want them to listen to this Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra and cause them to turn from the small and go toward the great, to bring forth the resolve of a Bodhisattva, to cultivate the Bodhisattva Way, and to enter the Buddha’s wisdom.

Sutra: 

At that time the Great Bodhisattvas spoke these verses:

“Good indeed, good indeed,
Great Hero, World Honored One,
That all the living beings
Are easy to transform and save,
That they can ask about the Buddha’s deep wisdom
And, having heard it, believe and practice it.
We all rejoice accordingly.”

Outline:

G4. Verses of rejoicing in accord.

Commentary: 

At that time, after Shakyamuni Buddha finished speaking, the Great Bodhisattvas spoke these verses to praise Shakyamuni Buddha: Good indeed, good indeed.That is very good, very good, Great Hero, World Honored One. The Buddha is the Great Hero who has transcended the world. He is heroic both in and beyond the world. All the living beings who should be taught and transformed are easy to transform and save. They very easily accept the Buddha’s teaching and transforming.

They can ask about the Buddha’s deep wisdom and, having heard it, believe and practice it. After they listen, they believe, accept, and respectfully offer up their conduct. They practice according to the Dharma. We all rejoice accordingly. All of us, the Great Bodhisattvas, rejoice in this merit and virtue, and we wish to respectfully offer up our conduct and to rely upon the Buddha’s teaching in our cultivation as well.

Sutra:

Then the World Honored One praised the leaders of all those Great Bodhisattvas: “Good indeed, good indeed, that you good men have brought forth a heart of rejoicing in accord with the Thus Come One.”

Outline:

G5. The Buddha’s praise.

Commentary: 

“Then” means at the time when all of the Great Bodhisattvas had finished praising Shakyamuni Buddha in verses. The Bodhisattvas praised the Buddha, and now the Buddha praises the Bodhisattvas. The World Honored One praised the leaders of all those Great Bodhisattvas. They mutually praised each other. “Good indeed, good indeed. You Great Bodhisattvas are really good. You are the best Bodhisattvas. You good men are capable and have brought forth a heart of rejoicing in accord with the Thus Come One. You have resolved to rejoice in the joy of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra spoken by the Buddha and to praise it. You have been able to come to this Dharma Assembly to listen to the Dharma.”

Sutra:

At that time Maitreya Bodhisattva and the Bodhisattvas in the multitudes, numbering as many as the sand grains in eight thousand Ganges Rivers, all had this thought: “From of old, we have never seen or heard of these Great Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas who have welled forth from the earth and who are standing before the World Honored One, joining their palms, making offerings, bowing from the waist, and inquiring after his welfare.”

Outline:

D2. The doubts.
E1. Doubts of the Bodhisattvas in this land.
F1. Doubts expressed in prose.

Commentary: 

At that time Maitreya Bodhisattva. This is why the Buddha cannot casually praise the Bodhisattvas. It is all right for the Bodhisattvas to praise the Buddha, but it is not all right for the Buddha to praise the Bodhisattvas as he pleases. Here, as soon as the Buddha praises these limitless Great Bodhisattvas, Maitreya Bodhisattva is the first to have a false thought. He gives rise to a doubt. What doubt does he has?

Maitreya Bodhisattva’s other name, Ajita, is Sanskrit, and is translated as “Invincible.” No one can be victorious over him; he is the most victorious. Maitreya Bodhisattva and the Bodhisattvas in the multitudes, numbering as many as the sand grains in eight thousand Ganges Rivers, all had this thought. How strange! They all had the same false thought at the same time.

“From of old, we have never seen or heard of these Great Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas. Where have they come from? There are so many of them, and we do not recognize a single one.” Maitreya Bodhisattva can fly and roam anywhere he wants to. He is a Great Master of the Dharma-body, and so he roams across all lands. He has been everywhere, but he has never encountered this great multitude of Bodhisattvas.

Therefore, he is quite astonished. “We have never seen them before. How can it be that we have followed the Buddha for so long and have never seen all these Great Bodhisattvas? We do not recognize a single one of them. They have welled forth from the earth and are standing before the World Honored One, joining their palms and making offerings to the World Honored One. They are bowing from the waist and inquiring after his welfare. We have been with the Buddha a long time. Why haven’t we ever seen them? Why are they so close to the Buddha? Why don’t we recognize these Bodhisattvas?” They gave rise to those kinds of doubts.

Sutra:

Then Maitreya Bodhisattva Mahasattva, knowing the thoughts in the minds of the Bodhisattvas and others, numbering as many as the sand grains in eight thousand Ganges Rivers, and wishing as well to resolve his own doubts, placed his palms together, faced the Buddha, and spoke verses.

“These limitless thousands of myriads of kotis of
Bodhisattvas form a great host,
Such as we have never seen before.
We pray the Doubly Complete Honored One
Will tell us where they came from
And why they are gathered here.

They have huge bodies, great spiritual penetrations,
And inconceivable wisdom.
They are solid in resolve and will,
And possess the great power of patience.
Living beings delight in seeing them.
But where did they come from?”

Outline:

F2. Questions expressed in verses.
G1. Asking where the Bodhisattvas came from and why they have come.

Commentary:

Then Maitreya Bodhisattva Mahasattva, a Great Bodhisattva, knew the thoughts in the minds of the Bodhisattvas and others, numbering as many as the sand grains in eight thousand Ganges Rivers. We need not go into how Maitreya Bodhisattva long ago obtained the five eyes and the six spiritual penetrations. This is why he knew what the Bodhisattvas and others, numbering as many as the sand grains in eight thousand Ganges Rivers, were thinking and the doubts they were having. He was wishing as well to resolve his own doubts. He did not understand either; he wanted to clear up his own questions, so he placed his palms together, faced the Buddha, and spoke verses. He spoke verses in order to ask the Buddha what the reason for all this was.

These limitless thousands of myriads of kotis, so many Bodhisattvas! Such a vast host of Great Bodhisattvas! Beyond count! Ultimately how many are there? Thousands of tens of thousands of millions of kotis—I cannot calculate the number!

These Bodhisattvas form a great host. So many Bodhisattvas, such as we have never seen before. Although there are so many, I never met a single one of them in the past. I have been to many places, but I have never encountered any of these Great Bodhisattvas.

We pray the Doubly Complete Honored One will explain. We hope the Thus Come One, who is replete with both blessings and wisdom will tell us where they came from. From what place are these limitless, boundless, thousands of myriads of kotisof Bodhisattvas coming? I have traveled to many places. I have gone on many vacations, but I have never happened upon any of these Bodhisattvas. I have been all over the Dharma Realm, and I never encountered a single one.

Why are they gathered here? What are the causes and conditions that bring them to assemble in this place? They have huge bodies and great spiritual penetrations. They are physically big—extremely tall. With such large bodies, their spiritual penetrations are also certainly not going to be small. They must have great spiritual penetrations, no doubt much greater by far than those possessed by Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana. And their wisdom is inconceivable wisdom. We cannot fathom their wisdom. We have no way to comprehend the magnitude of their wisdom. Both their spiritual penetrations and their wisdom are vast. We can neither conceive of them with our minds nor express them in words.

They are solid in resolve and will. These Great Bodhisattvas’ determination is definitely firm and strong. Their three kinds of learning to be without outflows—precepts, samadhi, and wisdom—are certainly exceptionally solid. They possess the great power of patience. They possess the great power of giving, the great power of precepts, the great power of patience, the great power of vigor, the great power of samadhi, and the great power of prajna. Living beings delight in seeing them.Everyone likes to see these Great Bodhisattvas. Everyone delights in hearing them speak the Dharma. But where did they come from? Will the World Honored One please tell us? We all want to hear about these causes and conditions.

Originally I was going to ask you to identify one of the Arhat disciples, whose accomplishment I mentioned yesterday. I had told you that if you could not answer, then I would not lecture. But before the lecture I forgot to ask, and only remembered as I began to lecture. Once I thought of it, I said to myself, “I’d better just go ahead and lecture tonight and then ask at the end of the lecture. And if no one can answer the question, then I would not lecture tomorrow night. Because if I asked at the beginning of the lecture, right after I had ascended the Dharma seat, and then did not lecture, that would disappoint everyone. But to ask now, at the end of the lecture, will prepare you in advance for the fact that I am not going to lecture tomorrow night if no one knows the answer.

Question: And so, who is foremost in debate?
Answer: Mahakatyayana.

All you need to do is remember this verse, and you will be relatively well-informed about the ten foremost disciples’ abilities:

Shariputra is wisdom; Maudgalyayana, penetrations.
Speaking the Dharma is Purna.
Subhuti is empty; Katyayana debates.
Kashyapa practices dhuta.
Aniruddha has the heavenly eye,
Upali upholds the precepts,
Ananda has much erudition.
Rahula practices in secret.

Sutra:

Each and every Bodhisattva
Has brought a retinue
Limitless in number,
Like the Ganges sand grains.

Some of the Great Bodhisattvas
Lead retinues of beings as many as
The sand grains in sixty thousand Ganges Rivers.
Such are the great assemblies
Single-mindedly seeking the Buddha Way.

These Great Masters,
In number like the sand grains in sixty thousand Ganges Rivers,
Have all come to make offerings to the Buddha
And to protect and uphold this Sutra.

Those with retinues comprised of as many as
the sand grains in fifty thousand Ganges Rivers
Are even more in number.
Those with retinues numbering forty, or thirty thousand,
Twenty down to ten thousand,
One thousand, one hundred,
And so forth, down to the sand grains of a single Ganges River,
And those with a half, a third, or a quarter thereof,
Down to one ten thousandth of a millionth thereof,
Or one thousandth of a ten thousandth of a nayuta thereof,
And the ones with tens of thousands of millions of disciples,
on down to half a million,
Are even more numerous.

There are also those with hundreds of tens of thousands,
or tens of thousands,
Thousands or hundreds,
Fifty, or ten,
Down to three, two, or one,
And those who come alone without a retinue,
Preferring isolation—
All these come before the Buddha
In numbers surpassing those just stated.

So large is the assembly,
That were one to count them
For eons numbering more than Ganges sand grains,
Still one could not fully know them.

Outline:

G2. Giving the sizes of their retinues.

Commentary: 

Each and every Bodhisattva. Maitreya Bodhisattva continues to question the Buddha about the Bodhisattvas who welled forth from the earth, not one of whom he has ever seen before.

Every one of those Bodhisattvas has brought a retinue limitless in number. The actual count of all these Bodhisattvas would be extremely difficult to ascertain. They were limitless and boundless, like the Ganges sand grains. Some of the Great Bodhisattvas lead retinues comprised of beings, disciples, who are as many as the sand grains of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers. They have that many disciples. Such are the great assemblies single-mindedly seeking the Buddha Way.

These Great Masters, in number like the sand grains in sixty thousand Ganges Rivers have all come to make offerings to the Buddha. These Great Bodhisattvas and Great Dharma Masters all make offerings to the Buddha at the same time, and they arrive to protect and uphold this Sutra. They wish to make vows to protect and maintain the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.

Those with retinues comprised of as many disciples as the sand grains in fifty thousand Ganges Rivers are yet even more in number. Perhaps there are those whose retinues surpass the number fifty thousand or are less than fifty thousand. There are those with retinues numbering forty or thirty thousand disciples. Some bring twenty, down to ten thousand, one thousand, one hundred, and so forth, down to the sand grains in a single Ganges River. Those who bring disciples whose number was a half, a third, or a quarter thereof, down to one ten thousandth of a millionth thereof, or one thousandth of a ten thousandth of a nayuta thereof, on down to half a million disciples are more numerous. Maybe they bring more or less than the above numbers.

And the ones with tens of thousands of millions of disciples, on down to half a million, are even more numerous. There are also those with hundreds of tens of thousands, or tens of thousands, thousands, or hundreds in their retinues. Some bring fifty disciples or ten disciples. Some bring down to three or twodisciples or one disciple.

And there are those who come alone without a retinue. Maybe there are Bodhisattvas who come by themselves because they prefer not to take disciples, feeling that disciples often fail to heed instructions and make all kinds of trouble.

Preferring isolation, some cultivators come all by themselves. But now even they, all these, come before the Buddha Shakyamuni, in numbers surpassing those just stated. There is really no way to calculate their number. So large is the assembly that were one to count them for greateons numbering more than Ganges sand grains, still one could not fully know them. Never could their number be completely known.

Sutra:

Who spoke the Dharma for
All these of great awesome virtue—
This vigorous host of Bodhisattvas—
Teaching, transforming, and bringing them to accomplishment?
Under whom did they first bring forth their resolve?
Whose Buddhadharma do they praise and proclaim?
Whose sutras do they receive, uphold, and practice?
And which Buddha’s Way do they cultivate?

Outline:

G3. Asking who is their teacher.

Commentary: 

All these of great awesome virtue, these greatly virtuous Bodhisattvas, must certainly cultivate vigorous practices. They definitely must be extraordinarily vigorous. That must be why now they are endowed with such awesome virtue. This vigorous host of Bodhisattvas form a great multitude, and they vigorously cultivate the Bodhisattva Way. Now they have become Great Bodhisattvas. Who spoke the Dharma for them in the beginning? Who did they study the Dharma with? Now we want to know this.

Who has been teaching, transforming, and bringing them to accomplishment?Who has been helping them to accomplish their Bodhisattva deeds in the Way. Who taught and transformed them? We are wondering about these things. Under whom did they first bring forth their resolve? Which Dharma Master were they following when they brought forth their very first resolve? Under which Dharma Master did they leave home and cultivate the Way? Which Dharma Master did they follow in cultivating the six perfections and practices? Under whom did they first bring forth their resolve?

In cultivation, bringing forth the initial resolve is the most important event for a cultivator. You should never forget your initial resolve. Why did you first bring forth the resolve to investigate the Buddhadharma? Why, after you investigated the Buddhadharma, did you want to leave home? Now that you have left the home-life, how should you proceed? These are important matters.

You should not be all muddled, learn some confused Buddhadharma, leave the home-life in a confused way, and then become a confused monk who does confused things. That is what you should not do. Therefore, you must be vigorous. Never forget that one thought when you first brought forth the resolve. Why did you decide to leave the home-life? There are so many other things you could have done with your life. And so the question is asked: Under which Dharma Master did they make their initial resolve?

Whose Buddhadharma do they praise and proclaim? Which Buddha’s Dharma do they laud? What Buddhadharmas do they extol? Whose sutras do they receive, uphold, and practice? What Sutras do they cultivate? Did they rely on the Store Teaching in their cultivation? Or did they rely on the Penetrating Teaching in their cultivation? Or did they rely on the Special Teaching in their cultivation? Or do they rely on the Perfect Teaching in their cultivation? What teaching’s principles do they use as the foundation for their cultivation? What Sutras do they follow in their cultivation? Do they rely on the Dharma Flower Sutra in their cultivation? Do they rely on the Shurangama Sutra in their cultivation? Do they rely on the Flower Adornment Sutra, with its endless, endless entrances into practice, in their cultivation?

Or do they cultivate the Pure Land Dharmas? Do they cultivate the Chan School? Do they cultivate the Secret School? Do they cultivate the Vinaya School? Do they study and practice the Teaching School? Chan, Teaching, Vinaya, Secret, and Pure Land are the five teaching schools. Which ones did they use as their entrances into practice? And which Buddha’s Way do they cultivate and practice? Do they hold precepts? Practice patience? Or do they practice giving? Do they cultivate vigor? Do they cultivate Chan samadhi or prajna? These are the things we are not clear about.

Sutra:

Such are the Bodhisattvas’ powers
Of spiritual penetrations and great wisdom,
That throughout the four directions,
The earth quakes and splits open,
And they rise out of it.

Outline:

G4. Conclusion of request to clear up doubts.
H1. Concluding praise.

Commentary:

Such are the Bodhisattva’s power. There are so many Bodhisattvas; you could never count them. Their spiritual penetrations and great wisdom are such. Their spiritual penetrations are great, and the power of their wisdom is great. Because their wisdom power is great, their spiritual penetrations are great. Because they have great spiritual penetrations, they have great wisdom. Throughout the four directions, the earth quakes and splits open. Because of their great spiritual powers and great wisdom, the earth in the north, south, east, and west trembles and splits open, and they rise out of it. They issue forth, welling forth from the earth like a bubbling spring.

Sutra:

World Honored One, from of old,
I have never seen such a thing.
Pray tell us the names
Of the countries they come from.

I am always roaming through the lands,
But I have never seen this assembly.
I do not recognize
A single one of them.

Outline:

H2. Requesting to know where they came from.

Commentary:

World Honored One, from of old—from the long distant past onwards—I have never seen such a thing. I have seen many inconceivable states, but this state I have never seen. Just imagine, even Maitreya Bodhisattva has never seen such an event. I hope the World Honored One will be greatly compassionate and tell us where these Bodhisattvas have come from.

Pray tell us the names of the countries they come from. What countries do they reside in and what are the names of those countries? Although I am a Bodhisattva, I do not know anything about these matters. I am always roaming through the lands. Previously I told you that Maitreya Bodhisattva is always taking vacations—going on holidays—to all the different countries. Now he tells us that himself. No wonder Americans love to go on vacations. Even Bodhisattvas like to travel.

But I have never seen this assembly. Although I have been to many lands—I have been everywhere—I have never met these Bodhisattvas. I do not recognize a single one of them. I do not have a single friend among them. I am not acquainted with any of them.

Sutra:

Suddenly they have welled forth out of the earth.
Pray explain the reason why.

Outline:

H3. Requesting to know why they came.

Commentary:

Suddenly they have welled forth out of the earth. Pray explain the reason why.He is unclear about what is happening. Even Maitreya Bodhisattva is confused, because he does not know who they are. Not knowing is a kind of confusion. “Although I am unclear, I would like to get clear. Shakyamuni Buddha, please tell us about the causes and conditions of these Bodhisattvas. Let us hear about them. Will you do it? Shakyamuni Buddha, I know you are very compassionate, and surely you will tell us.”

Sutra:

Now in this great assembly,
The limitless hundreds of thousands of millions
Of Bodhisattvas all
Wish to understand this event:
The causes and conditions, first to last,
Of this host of Bodhisattvas.
O World Honored One of limitless virtue,
We only pray you will resolve the assembly’s doubts.

Outline:

H4. The entire assembly wishes to know.

Commentary:

Now in this great assembly, the limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas all—not just me, Maitreya Bodhisattva—wish to understand this event. They are of the same mind as I am. I want to know because I know they want to know. And so now I am requesting on their behalf. What are the causes and conditions, first to last, of this host of Bodhisattvas? Their very beginnings are their formative stages. I want to know their formative stages on through to the very end. I want to know their causes and conditions. We want to know their immediate and remote causes. I want to know their background. We want to know all about them. O World Honored One of limitless virtue, we only pray you will resolve the assembly’s doubts. World Honored One, you have limitless blessings, limitless wisdom, and limitless virtue. My only hope is that you will resolve the assembly’s doubts, so we can all understand the causes and conditions behind what is happening here.

Sutra:

At that time all the division bodies of Shakyamuni Buddha, who had come from limitless thousands of myriads of kotis of lands in other directions, sat in lotus posture on lion thrones beneath jeweled trees throughout the eight directions. The attendants of those Buddhas, seeing this great assembly of Bodhisattvas of the three thousand great thousand worlds welling forth from the earth in the four directions and dwelling in space, each said to his respective Buddha, “World Honored One, where have all the limitless boundless, asamkhyeyas of Bodhisattvas in this great host come from?”

Each of those Buddhas then told his attendants, “All of you good men, just wait one moment! There is a Bodhisattva Mahasattva named Maitreya, upon whom Shakyamuni Buddha has bestowed a prediction that he shall be the next Buddha. He has already asked about this matter, and the Buddha is about to answer him. For this reason, you may all hear about it.”

Outline:

E2. Doubts of the Bodhisattvas in other lands.

Commentary:

In the previous verse section, Maitreya Bodhisattva expressed his doubts. Now the attendants that the Shakyamuni Buddhas have brought with them, their disciples, having seen this rare occurrence of the arrival of so many Great Bodhisattvas, have false thoughts and doubts, too: “Where did all these Bodhisattvas come from? Why have so many people come today? So many Bodhisattvas! Where could they have come from?”

At that time all the division bodies, whom Shakyamuni Buddha had sent to all the limitless lands, came here from limitless thousands of myriads of kotis of lands in other directions. Beneath jeweled trees throughout the eight directions: They dwell in the eight directions—east, south, west, north, southwest, southeast, northwest, and northeast. These are the four cardinal directions and four intermediate directions. They sat in lotus posture on lion thrones. Lotus posture is the most honored, most esteemed posture in Buddhism; so you students of the Buddhadharma should first know how to sit in the lotus position.

Each of the attendants of those Buddhas were seeing this great assembly of Bodhisattvas. Every attendant looked at these Great Bodhisattvas of the three thousand great thousand worlds welling forth from the earth in the four directions. In each of the cardinal directions, they issued forth from the ground andwere dwelling in space, because the stupa of Many Jewels Buddha—the Thus Come One Many Jewels—and Shakyamuni Buddha were both in space.

Each attendant said to his respective Buddha, “World Honored One.” Here the title World Honored One here does not refer to Shakyamuni Buddha, but to all of his division-body World Honored Ones. There were limitless, boundless asamkhyeyasof Bodhisattvas in this great host. Asamkhyeya means a limitless number. There were limitless, boundless numbers of limitlessly, boundlessly many Bodhisattvas. “Where have they all come from, this great assembly of Great Bodhisattvas? How is it that we have never met them before? What place have all these Great Bodhisattvas come from?”

Each of those Buddhas, all those division bodies of Shakyamuni Buddha, then told his attendants, the disciples he had brought with him, “All of you good men. You youngsters! Just wait one moment. Do not make so much noise. You are not the least bit composed.” Surely the Buddhas said, “Quiet! Do not make so much noise. Wait a minute. Do not be nervous.

There is a Bodhisattva Mahasattva—there is already a Great Bodhisattva—named Maitreya. He is the one upon whom Shakyamuni Buddha has bestowed a prediction that he shall be the next Buddha. Maitreya Bodhisattva has been given a prediction and a name; he will follow Shakyamuni Buddha to become the next Buddha. After Shakyamuni Buddha enters Nirvana, then, in the future, Maitreya will be the next Buddha within the Buddhadharma.”

In the world, there are proponents of externalist ways who claim to be Maitreya Buddha. This one says, “I am Maitreya Buddha; I have come. Do you recognize me?”

Another says, “Actually, I am the real Maitreya Bodhisattva.”

That is the way it goes. One transmits a Way and another one transmits another Way. Each transmits a different teaching. There is “receiving perfection” and “reaping the fruition”—lots of kinds. In China alone, there are many phony Maitreya Bodhisattvas. People may say they are Maitreya Bodhisattva, but actually it is too early for Maitreya Bodhisattva to appear.

Maitreya Bodhisattva will come in the future. When will that be? I have talked about this before. Every hundred years the average human life span decreases by a year and the average height of people decreases by an inch. When the life span has decreased to the point that people live an average of ten years, it will begin to increase again at the same rate: every hundred years adds a year to the average life span and an inch to the average height.

When the average life span drops to ten years, people will be about the height of dogs. They would not grow very tall, and they will die by the time they are ten years old. People’s life spans and heights will decrease each hundred years. But most people do not live to be a hundred, so we won’t know how tall the people will be a hundred years from now. Also, you have to remember that this is an average, not a specific person’s height and life span. You may want to argue that some people are taller than people used to be. But individuals do not count; we are referring to the average.

After the average human life span reaches ten years, it will begin to increase. Every hundred years, the life span will increase by one year and the average height by one inch; they will increase again. When the average life span has increased to eighty-four thousand years, it will begin to decrease again. When it has decreased to eighty thousand years, Maitreya Bodhisattva will come into the world. Therefore, these pretenders who say they are Maitreya Bodhisattva are mistaken. But you should also realize this: If you have conditions with Maitreya Bodhisattva, he can come now and teach and transform you; he can save you. There are no fixed Dharmas.

He has already asked about this matter. Maitreya Bodhisattva has already asked about what is going on here. And the Buddha is about to answer him. Shakyamuni Buddha is just about ready to reply to his question. For this reason, you may all hear about it. Do not make noise. Be quiet. Listen. Since Maitreya Bodhisattva has already asked and Shakyamuni Buddha is going to answer his question, if you listen, you will all understand as well. Do not be nervous, youngsters.

In the blink of an eye, the summer session has passed. Those of you who attended may feel it was very exhausting, and you may be tired. But you should know that although it may be invisible to you, your fatigue and weariness has actually created inconceivable merit and virtue for you within your inherent natures.

Therefore, in these last few weeks you should certainly be heroic and vigorous. Do not relax as you did during the middle of the session. Be careful to speak less and to refrain from false thinking. Everyone should single-mindedly work hard at cultivating, investigating the Sutras, and sitting in Dhyana. Do this seriously. I noticed there was a period when you all slacked off in the middle of the session. If a single person indulges in a lot of talk, he disturbs everyone, making it impossible for others to cultivate. We should protect the group and not do things that cause people not to cultivate. If the great assembly does not cultivate, it then becomes your offense. Do you realize that?

I told one of my disciples not to look after money anymore. There was an important reason for doing this. It was not that he is muddled, and so I did not want him to deal with money. Although he may be muddled occasionally, sometimes he understands; he is not muddled every day. And although he sleeps all the time, sometimes he is awake; he is not sleeping all the time. And so why did I not want him to deal with money? It is because there is another more important responsibility than that of looking after money that I want him to take care of. Some people are thinking I want him to be the president. No, this time I want him to sit in Chan. That was because last year I thought that this disciple should become enlightened, but to date he has not done so and I have just let it go by.

Basically I do not pay attention to these kinds of things. But recently I looked into the question of why he had not become enlightened. I found that it was because he had entered the money samadhi, and being in the money samadhi, he did not have any meditation skill. Because he had entered the money samadhi, there was no Chan samadhi. That was why he was not becoming enlightened.

I have instructed him that from now on he should practice sitting in Chan meditation; he should meditate every day. Every day he should develop his skill well, and he should become familiar with how to start and end the sitting periods. We have already announced the upcoming meditation session: a fourteen-week Chan session this winter. I want him to stay in the Chan Hall all the time and accompany all of you while you are working at your meditation skill. We are making several incense boards. If he does not apply effort himself, you can tap him. If you do not work, he can hit all of you, because he is so tall. If he does not work, you can hit him. This is called “striking up a Chan seven,” [a Chan session], so you can strike each other.

And so his responsibility is to be the leader (weinuo) in the Chan Hall. He will not be allowed to leave the hall at any time. In a Chan session, we want to end birth and death. It is not something to take casually. It would not be like the summer session has been, with lectures on the Sutras, Dharma talks, and investigation of the Sutras. At that time, there will be “wordless speaking of Dharma,” no one will talk. Perhaps there will be one or two instructional talks each day, but no more than that.

If I do not relieve him of his responsibilities involving money now, if I wait until it is nearly time to start the session, he certainly would not be able to stop his false thinking. That is why he has to start training now. From now on he should make a special effort. If he does not become enlightened this year during that session, I will not allow him to eat, only to drink water.

Sutra:

Shakyamuni Buddha then said to Maitreya Bodhisattva, “Good indeed, good indeed, Ajita, that you can ask the Buddha about such a great matter.”

Outline:

C2. The explanation proper.
D1. Assenting with a warning.
E1. Prose.
F1. Praise.

Commentary:

Shakyamuni Buddha then said to Maitreya Bodhisattva, “Good indeed, good indeed, Ajita, that you can ask the Buddha about such a great matter.” The attendants that the Buddhas of the ten directions brought with them, those Bodhisattvas, also had doubts, and each went to ask the Buddha whom he accompanied. They asked, “Where have these Great Bodhisattvas come from? Why don’t we recognize them?”

And so each of the Buddhas told his attendants: “Be patient. Listen. Just now, Maitreya Bodhisattva has already asked Shakyamuni World Honored One that question. Shakyamuni World Honored One is now going to answer. From their dialogue you will come to understand the causes and conditions.”

“Then” refers to that time. Shakyamuni Buddha, the World Honored One, spoke to Maitreya Bodhisattva, saying, “Good indeed, good indeed, Maitreya Bodhisattva!”

“Good indeed, good indeed” has two meanings. The first “good indeed” means that Maitreya Bodhisattva’s question was excellent. Why? Because he understood the Buddha’s mind. Above, his question tallied with all the Buddhas’ minds. The second “good indeed” means that his question was again excellent in that below it tallied with everyone’s thoughts. It tallied below with living beings’ thoughts, with their minds. That was why “good indeed” was spoken twice.

Why is it said to be a “great matter”? Because it “discloses the traces in order to reveal the origin, and discloses the near to reveal the far. “Traces” are the imprints left by previous events. Revealing the origin means manifesting the way it basically was, manifesting the events of one’s previous lives.

The Buddha also wants to disclose the near to reveal the far. In the past, this Dharma-door had never been spoken. This Dharma-door was not spoken during the Flower Adornment period, nor was this Dharma-door spoken during the Agama period. In the Vaipulya period, this Dharma-door was not spoken; and in the Prajna period, this Dharma-door was also not spoken.

Only in the Lotus-Nirvana period was this Dharma-door finally spoken. It is only now, in the Lotus-Nirvana period, that the Dharma Flower is spoken. This is “disclosing the near to reveal the far,” a subtle, wonderful, inconceivable Dharma-door. And, since it has never before been spoken out in such an open and obvious manner, this is a great matter. Furthermore, the “great matter” does not refer to the virtue of the nature, but to the virtue of cultivation. The virtue of cultivation through which one attains the level of fruition is extremely profound and far-reaching. This does not refer to the principle of the equality of the virtue of the nature. Therefore, this matter is a specific, not a principle. It is a great matter.

The Buddha therefore says, “Good indeed, good indeed, Ajita, that you have been able to ask the Buddha about this great matter.”

Sutra:

“You should all single-mindedly don the armor of vigor and bring forth a firm resolve.”

Outline:

F2. Exhortation.

Commentary:

You should all single-mindedly. The word “should” is an exhortation, an admonishment. “Each of you in this great assembly should be single-minded. Do not allow your minds to be scattered,” he warns them. “If you want to listen to me explain this Dharma, you must be single-minded. Don the armor of vigor. Put on vigor as your armor. Vigor implies that one should not be lazy. This is a warning to you not to be lazy. Go forward with vigor. And bring forth a firm resolve; do not retreat. You should bring forth a determined resolve not to retreat.”

The Thus Come One’s genuine wisdom was perfected long ago. Long, distant eons ago it was perfect. Since it was perfected so long ago, he is able to expediently appear and teach and transform living beings. For the sake of the real, he bestows the provisional. He uses provisional, clever, and expedient Dharma-doors to teach and transform living beings. He has done this work of teaching and transforming living beings in the past, and he is doing it in the present.

And so it is said that his teaching reaches throughout the three periods of time and benefits creatures in the ten directions. Thus the Buddha teaches and transforms those in the ten directions and the three periods of time. This is a state that those below the level of a Bodhisattva of Equal Enlightenment can understand. Therefore it is said to be inconceivable.

The Buddha takes advantage of the Bodhisattva’s question to exhort and warn the great assembly. He tells them what they should do and what they should refrain from doing: They should be single-minded and not let their minds be scattered; they should don the armor of vigor and not be lax; they should bring forth a firm resolve and not retreat. This is how hee told the multitude in the Dharma assembly to think.

Sutra:

“The Thus Come One now wishes to disclose and proclaim the wisdom of all Buddhas, the power of all Buddhas’ sovereignty and spiritual penetrations, the power of all Buddhas’ lion sprint, and the power of all Buddhas’ awesome courage and mighty strength.”

Outline:

F3. Assenting.

Commentary:

The Thus Come One now wishes to disclose and proclaim the wisdom of all Buddhas. Shakyamuni Buddha said, “I, the Thus Come One, wish to disclose and proclaim the wisdom of all Buddhas.”

What is the wisdom of all Buddhas? The Dharma Flower Sutra contains the wisdom of all Buddhas. It has the wisdom of accomplishing the Buddha Way. If you want to know the wisdom of all Buddhas, you should investigate the Dharma Flower Sutra. The power of all Buddhas’ sovereignty and spiritual penetrations. He also wishes to disclose and proclaim, explain and reveal, the power of all Buddhas’ sovereignty and spiritual penetrations. “All Buddhas’ sovereignty ” represents the virtue of true self—one of the Four Virtues of Nirvana. Spiritual penetrations represent the virtue of bliss on that same list.

The power of all Buddhas’ lion sprint. The Thus Come One wants to proclaim and disclose all Buddhas’ power of the lion sprint. What is that power? Of the Four Virtues—eternity, bliss, true self, and purity—it represents the virtue of purity. The virtue of purity is the power of the lion sprint, because the lion sprint can expel defilement. Since it expels defilement, the lion sprint is the virtue of purity.

“The power of all Buddhas’ awesome courage and mighty strength” refers to all Buddhas’ great power of awesome virtue and heroic courage. Shakyamuni Buddha also wants to proclaim and disclose all Buddhas’ power of great awesome courage, which represents the virtue of eternity. Because they have perfected the Four Virtues, all Buddhas have the power to benefit living beings in the past, present, and future. Power refers to beneficent strength.

“Sovereignty and spiritual penetrations” means having entered the “ultimate dwelling place of compassion.” The “power of the lion sprint” means “ascending to the ultimate throne of the emptiness of dharmas.” “Awesome courage and mighty strength” represents the “ultimate clothing of patience.” This is the same as “entering the Thus Come One’s room, sitting on the Thus Come One’s seat, and putting on the Thus Come One’s clothes.”

Sutra:

At that time, the World Honored One, wishing to restate these principles, spoke verses:

“ You should be vigorous and single-minded,
For I wish to speak about this matter.
Hold no doubts or regrets.”

Outline:

E2. Verses.
F1. Verses of warning.

Commentary:

At that time Shakyamuni, the World Honored One, wishing to restate these principles in detail, spoke verses; he used verses to reiterate his meaning:

“You should be vigorous and single-minded,” Shakyamuni Buddha said. “You in this great assembly and all the Great Bodhisattvas who have come from the ten directions, as well as Maitreya Bodhisattva, should be vigorous and single-minded. You should don the armor of vigor. Do nt be lax. Do not be lazy. Have undivided attention, become single-minded. Do not let your minds become scattered while you are listening to the Lotus Dharma I am about to explain for you. For now I wish to speak about this matter. Now I want to tell you about the causes and conditions of the great matter for which I appeared in the world. I want to tell you clearly about this matter. Hold no doubts or regrets. Do not give rise to doubts or fail to believe me.

Sutra:

The wisdom of the Buddhas is inconceivable.
Bring forth, now, the power of faith,
And abide in patience and goodness,
For the Dharma which from of old has never been heard,
You are now about to hear.

I am comforting you now,
So have no doubt or fear.
The Buddhas never speak falsely,
And their wisdom cannot be measured.

That foremost Dharma they have gained
Is extremely profound, beyond discerning.
As such, it should now be explained,
And you should single-mindedly listen.

Outline:

F2. Verses of assenting.

Commentary:

The wisdom of the Buddhas is inconceivable. The Buddha said, “The wisdom of the Buddhas of the ten directions and of me, Shakyamuni Buddha, is inconceivable. You ordinary people cannot comprehend it. You cannot understand the wisdom of the Buddhas. Bring forth, now, the power of faith. All of you in the great assembly should get hold of the strength of your faith and abide in patience and goodness.You should concentrate on the paramita of patience and do the good deeds born of patience. Set your minds on patience.

For the Dharma which from of old has never been heard. You have never heard this Dharma before. It is only now that you will hear this Wonderful Dharma. You are now about to hear it. Earlier I spoke expedient, provisional Dharma-doors. I did not speak actual Dharma for you to hear. Now I want to speak the inconceivable, wonderful Dharma for you. You will all be able to hear it.

I am comforting you now. I want to comfort all of you; you should become single-minded and vigorous. Bring forth a firm resolve to listen to this Dharma. So have no doubt or fear. Do not have doubts; do not become frightened. The Buddhas never speak falsely. The Dharma that the Buddhas speak is true, actual and not false. Now is the time to open up the provisional and reveal the actual, to disclose the near and reveal the far. I am going to speak the inconceivable Wonderful Dharma for you. The Buddhas never say anything that is not so. You should bring forth faith.

And their wisdom cannot be measured. The Buddhas speak true and actual words and their wisdom is incalculable. There is no way to express how much wisdom a Buddha has. That foremost Dharma they have gained. The Buddhas have obtained the most supreme Wonderful Dharma. This Wonderful Dharma for accomplishing Buddhahood is extremely profound, beyond discerning. It is especially deep, utterly profound. There is no way to determine how deep it is; it is beyond discerning.

As such, it should now be explained. Although this inconceivable Wonderful Dharma cannot be discriminated, now is the time to explain it. And you should single-mindedly listen. All of you in the great assembly, including all of you Bodhisattvas, should become single-minded and listen to this Wonderful Dharma.