Chapter 19: The Merit and Virtue of a Dharma Master

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 19: The Merit and Virtue of a Dharma Master

This is the nineteenth of the twenty-eight chapters of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The previous chapter talked about the merit and virtue of rejoicing in accord with the Sutra. In this chapter we hear about a Dharma Master who explains and lectures on the Dharma Flower Sutra, who writes it out, receives and upholds it, reads or recites it aloud. The Merit and Virtue derived from these acts is greater than that of one who newly rejoices along in accord.

What is a Dharma Master? “Dharma” refers to the Buddhadharma. We take the Buddhadharma as our “Master.” A Dharma Master takes the Buddhadharma as his guide. A Dharma Master also gives the Buddhadharma to living beings.

There are Five Types of Dharma Masters:

1. Dharma Masters Who Receive and Uphold the Sutras. They conduct themselves in accord with the meaning of the Sutras. They receive them with their minds and practice them with their bodies.

2. Dharma Masters Who Lecture the Sutras. They expound on the texts and speak the Buddhadharma.

3. Dharma Masters Who Read the Sutras.

4. Dharma Masters Who Recite the Sutras from Memory. They can do it without the text.

5. Dharma Masters Who Write Out the Sutras. After they write them out they may place them in a jeweled stupa, or print them and circulate them throughout the world. When the Sutras are placed in the stupa, people can come, bow and make offerings to them. The merit and virtue obtained by writing out the Sutras is inconceivable. If you can write out the Sutras and circulate them in the world, your merit and virtue will abide forever.

Sutra:

At that time the Buddha told the Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, Ever-Vigorous, “If a good man or a good woman receives and upholds the Dharma Flower Sutra, whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it to others or writing it out, that person will obtain eight hundred meritorious virtues of the eyes, twelve hundred meritorious virtues of the ears, eight hundred meritorious virtues of the nose, twelve hundred meritorious virtues of the tongue, eight hundred meritorious virtues of the body, and twelve hundred meritorious virtues of the mind. By means of these meritorious virtues, he adorns his six faculties, causing them all to become pure.” 

Outline:

D2. Explaining the first kind of merit and virtue as an exhortation to propagation.

E1. General listing of merits.

Commentary: 

At that time the Buddha told the Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, Ever-Vigoroussomething more about merit and virtue. When he had finished chapter eighteen, he went on to chapter nineteen, which discusses the merit and virtue of a Dharma Master.

If a good man or a good woman, one who has taken the Five Precepts and practices the Ten Good Deeds, receives and upholds the Dharma Flower Sutra, whether reading it, reciting it from memory, explaining it to others, or writing it out, that person will obtain eight hundred meritorious virtues of the eyes.

Basically, each of the six sense organs has a potential of twelve hundred meritorious virtues. They divide into the three periods of time—past, present, and future—and the four directions of north, east, south and west. In the front there are three hundred meritorious virtues; in the back there are three hundred meritorious virtues; on the left there are three hundred meritorious virtues; and on the right there are three hundred meritorious virtues. That makes twelve hundred meritorious virtues.

Now why do we say that the eyes have only eight hundred meritorious virtues? Because our range of vision is limited. If we look straight ahead, we cannot see behind at the same time. While we are looking to our left, we cannot see what is to our right.

I do not believe that. You tell us that if one opens the Five Eyes, one can see in front and behind at the same time,” you protest.

Yes, but that is a functioning of the Five Eyes. Here we are talking about our ordinary eyes, not the Five Eyes.

Although the eyes have a potential of twelve hundred meritorious virtues, they do not function at full capacity but are limited to only eight hundred:

250 to the right
250 to the left
300 to the front

making only eight hundred meritorious virtues for the eye.

Twelve hundred meritorious virtues of the ears. Whether the sound is coming from above or below, right or left, the ears can still hear it. They can hear from any direction, and so they are perfect and unobstructed and are given twelve hundred meritorious virtues.

There are eight hundred meritorious virtues of the nose. The nose has 400 meritorious virtues when breathing in, and 400 meritorious virtues when breathing out, which gives it 800 meritorious virtues. But in between breathing in and out, the nose does not smell and so it is deficient by 400 meritorious virtues. The nose is not a “perfect organ.”

There are twelve hundred meritorious virtues of the tongue. No matter what comes in contact with the tongue, the tongue can taste it. Therefore, the tongue has twelve hundred merits.

There are eight hundred meritorious virtues of the body. The body feels touch. It has two conditions:

1. according, which refers to pleasurable contact.
2. opposing, which refers to unpleasurable contact.

Pleasurable touch carries 400 meritorious virtues, and unpleasurable touch carries 400 meritorious virtues. They add up to eight hundred meritorious virtues possessed by the body. Since touch does not take place when there is separation, the body id deficient by 400 meritorious virtues.

And there are twelve hundred meritorious virtues of the mind. We are talking about the sixth (mind) consciousness, not the eighth consciousness. The thoughts of the mind take place regardless of conditions, so it is very perfect and gets twelve hundred points.

The person who receives, upholds, reads, recites, writes out and explains the Dharma Flower Sutra derives six thousand meritorious virtues from the six sense organs.

By means of these meritorious virtues, he adorns his six faculties, causing them all to become pure. By means of these six thousand meritorious virtues, his eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind become clear and pure.

Sutra:

“This good man or woman, thus purifying the ordinary physical eyes that he or she was endowed with at birth, will see throughout the three thousand great thousand world system, inside and out, all the mountains, forests, rivers and seas, below to the Avici hells, and above to the Peak of Existence. Such a person will also see all the living beings therein, as well as their karmic causes and conditions, rewards and retributions, and places of birth. All of those he will see and know.”

At that time the World Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning spoke verses, saying,

“If, within the great assembly,
One speaks this Dharma Flower Sutra,
With a heart free of fear,
Listen to me tell of his merit and virtue:
This person will gain eight hundred
Supreme meritorious virtues of the eyes,
And because of this adornment,
His eyes shall be very clear and pure.

With the eyes given him from birth,
He will see throughout the three thousand
Great thousand world system,
Inside and out, Mount Meru,
Sumeru, and the Iron Ring Range,
As well as the other mountains and forests,
The waters of the great seas, rivers, and streams,
Below to the Avici hell,
Above to the Peak of Existence,
And all the living beings within–
All of this he will completely see.
Although he has not yet gained the Heavenly Eye,
His flesh eyes will have powers such as these.”

Outline:

E2. Specific explanation of the merits and virtues.
F1. The eyes.

Commentary: 

This good man or good woman thus purifying the ordinary physical eyes which he or she was endowed with at birth, will see throughout the three thousand great thousand world system, inside and out, all the mountains, forests, rivers, and seas.

The “ordinary physical eyes” are not the Five Eyes. A verse about the Five Eyes says:

The heavenly eye penetrates what is without obstruction;
The flesh-eye sees obstacles and does not penetrate.
The Dharma-eye can contemplate only the relative truth;
The wisdom-eye can contemplate and know true emptiness,
While the Buddha-eye blazes forth like a thousand suns.
Although the Five Eyes’ functions differ, their substance is of one source.

“Mountains” can refer to our bodies. “Forests” can refer to the hairs on our bodies. Our blood veins are the “rivers,” and our inner organs are the “seas.” A person who gains six thousand meritorious virtues to adorn his sense organs can, with his flesh eyes, see the three thousand great thousand world system. Arhats who have attained the Fourth Fruition can see the three thousand great thousand world system. First Ground Bodhisattvas can see one hundred Buddhalands. Bodhisattvas on the Second Ground can see twice as many Buddhalands. Sages have varying ranges of vision.

This person can see below to the Avici hells. “Avici” is Sanskrit and means “unspaced.” This hell is a place of uninterrupted punishment. The Earth Store Sutra lists the five reasons why the hell is called Avici—“unspaced”. You can read about it in detail here.

This person can see above to the Peak of Existence–the Heaven of Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception, which is the highest point in the three realms. Such a person will also see all the living beings therein, as well as their karmic causes and conditions, rewards and retributions, and places of birth. He will see what delusions they give rise to, what karma they create, and what retribution they must undergo. All of those he will see and know completely.

At that time the World Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning spoke verses, saying:

If, within the great assembly, one speaks this Dharma Flower Sutra, with a heart free of fear, listen to me tell of his merit and virtue: In this chapter concerning the merits and virtues of a Dharma Master, Shakyamuni Buddha talks about speaking Dharma in a large assembly. That is not particularly easy, because a great assembly has a kind of awesomeness about it. Unless you have a fearless heart, you will be frightened and unable to speak Dharma.

To be able to lecture on the Buddhadharma in front of a lot of people is no simple matter. But the person described here uses a heart that is free of fear because of the merit and virtue he has gained from listening to and lecturing on the Dharma Flower Sutra. If you are afraid, you would not be able to lecture on the Dharma properly. A Dharma Master like this, however, has no fear of the great assembly. He expounds on the Dharma Flower Sutra, explaining it so that everyone can understand it.

This person will gain eight hundred supreme meritorious virtues of the eyes.The eyes have only eight hundred meritorious virtues, because one’s range of vision is limited. There are 250 meritorious virtues to the left, 250 meritorious virtues to the right, and 300 in front, making eight hundred in all. A Dharma Master who explains the Dharma Flower Sutra obtains these supreme and meritorious virtues of the eyes.

We all have eyes, but ordinary people’s eyes have no merit and virtue. They just see things on the physical and material plane. But the merit and virtue of this person’s eyes enable him to see throughout the three thousand great thousand world system–everything inside and outside. He does not need to gain the Heavenly Eye to see these things, either.

And because of this adornment, his eyes will be very clear and pure. The eyes he was born with will become clear and pure. With the eyes given him from birth, he will see throughout the three thousand great thousand world system. This is an inconceivable state. He will see the living beings both inside and out, as well as Mount Meru—“Meru” is a Sanskrit word which means “light”—Sumeru, and the Iron Ring Range. Sumeru means “wonderfully high.” Mount Sumeru is at the center of the world, and the Iron Ring Mountains are just beyond the fragrant seas.

He will see these as well as the other mountains and forests, the waters of the great seas, rivers, and streams; below to the Avici hell; above to the peak of existence. “Avici” means “unspaced.” In this hell, if there are many people, it is full; if there is just one person, it is still full. One person fills it; a thousand people also fill it. Ten thousand people also can fit in this hell and make it just as full as one person would. It is called “unspaced” because there is no space there. What kind of people fall into the Avici hell? Those who commit the Five Rebellious Acts:

1. Killing one’s father.
2. Killing one’s mother.
3. Killing an Arhat.
4. Shedding a Buddha’s blood.
5. Breaking up the harmonious Sangha.

“Breaking up the harmonious Sangha” occurs when one goes into a Sangha dwelling where everyone is basically getting along very well, and proceeds to indulge in a lot of gossip and get everybody upset. “Shedding a Buddha’s blood” also includes damaging or destroying Buddha images. If a Buddha is in the world and you injure him and shed his blood, you fall into the Avici hell. If a Buddha has entered Nirvana, the offense is the same if you break or damage a Buddha image.

If you fall into the Avici hell, and try to get out, you won’t be able to. There is no way out. It is not known when you will ever escape. A Bodhisattva or a Buddha might emit light to shine on you and you will be able to get out. But such things happen only very rarely.

The ” Peak of Existence” is the Heaven of Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception–the highest place in the three realms. An astronomer cannot even think of a place like this, let alone get there. No matter how far advanced science gets, it is not going to get there! However, one who lectures on the Dharma Flower Sutra can see this place, the highest of the heavens.

And he will see all the living beings within—from the pits of hell to the highest of the heavens. All of this he will completely see. Although he has not yet gained the Heavenly Eye, his flesh eyes will have powers such as these. His ordinary physical eyes will have that much merit and virtue.

Sutra:

“Furthermore, Ever-Vigorous, if a good man or a good woman receives and upholds this Sutra, whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it to others, or writing it out, that person will obtain twelve hundred meritorious virtues of the ears.

With his pure ears he will hear throughout the three thousand great thousand world system, inside and out, below to the Avici hell and above to the Peak of Existence, all the various sounds and voices, such as sounds of elephants, horses, cows, and carriages; sounds of sobbing and sighing; sounds of conches, drums, gongs, and bells; sounds of laughter and talking; sounds of men, women, boys, and girls; sounds of Dharma and non-Dharma; sounds of suffering and joy; sounds of common people and sages; sounds of happiness and unhappiness; sounds of gods, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas; sounds of fire, water, wind; sounds of hell-beings, animals and hungry ghosts; sounds of Bhikshus and Bhikshunis; sounds of Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas.

In general, although he has not yet obtained the Heavenly Ear, by using the pure ordinary ears given to him at birth, he can hear and know whatever sounds there may be inside and outside the three thousand great thousand world system. In this way he distinguishes between all the various sounds, and still his hearing is not impaired.”

Commentary:

Furthermore, Ever-Vigorous, if a good man or a good woman who keeps the Five Precepts and cultivates the Ten Good Deeds, or a Bhikshu or Bhikshuni who has taken the Complete Precepts, or a Bodhisattva who has taken the Bodhisattva Precepts, or a Shramanera who has taken the Shramanera Precepts, receives in the mind and upholds with the body this Sutra, whether reading it, reciting it from memory, explaining it to others, or writing it out, that person will obtain twelve hundred meritorious virtues of the ears.

The ear is complete in its meritorious virtues because it can hear sounds from all directions. With his pure ears, that is, the ones he was born with, he will hear throughout the three thousand great thousand world system, inside and out, below to the Avici hell and above to the Peak of Existence, all the various sounds and voices, such as sounds of elephants, horses, and cows. Hearing your sound he will know if you were an elephant in your last life, or if you are going to be an elephant in your next life; whether you were a horse in your last life or whether you are going to be a horse in your next life. Simply by hearing your sound, he knows your former causes and latter effects.

He can know, “Oh, originally that person was an ox in his last life, and so now his sound still has that bovine touch to it.” Or he can tell, “Oh, no, that person sounds like he is on his way to being an ox in his next life.” He does not even have to see the person. He can just listen with his eyes closed to the sound of the voice and know what a person is going to be in the future. He can also pick out the various sounds in one single voice: “Oh that voice contains human sounds, and horse sounds, ox sounds, pigeon sounds–all kinds of sounds rolled into one!”

He will hear the sounds of carriages and sounds of sobbing and sighing. Some people’s voices sound very whiny, as if they are going to cry. There is no resonance to them. Some people sound as if they are sighing and whimpering every time they say something. This Dharma Master will know why they sound so miserable, too. He will know that they sound so miserable because in the future they are due for such and such an accident. Perhaps, they are soon to die in an automobile accident. Or perhaps at present they have some problem they cannot solve.

He hears the sounds of conches, drums, gongs, and bells. He hears the sounds of laughter and talking, sounds of men, women, boys, and girls. “Oh, that is a man talking, but in the future he is going to be a woman.” Or perhaps someone was a man in a former life and is now a woman. Everyone sounds different when talking. There are sounds of Dharma and non-Dharma. “They are just rapping confusedly. Do not listen!” There are sounds of suffering and happiness, sounds of common people and sages. Just by hearing your voice, he can know you are a common person who has not been certified to the fruit; or “Ah! That person is a sage.” So you cannot fool this Dharma Master.

Sounds of happiness and unhappiness–all these he knows, and so the ears have twelve hundred merits.

He will hear the sounds of gods who inhabit the heavens of desire, form, and formless realms.

How does one get born in the heavens? By keeping the Five Precepts and cultivating the Ten Good Deeds, one will receive the blessings of the heavens. Just by hearing a person talk, the Dharma Master can tell, “Oh, that person is going to be born in the heavens in the future.” Or he can tell, “That person came from heaven. It is a god who has become a human being.”

He will hear the sounds of dragons. Hearing the sound, he is able to know what the dragon did in the past that caused him to fall into the body of a dragon. Or he can tell that a person is going to turn into a dragon in the future. He knows if one was a dragon in the past, is one now, or will be one in the future. Just hearing the sound, he can tell the former causes and latter effects.

He will hear the sounds of yakshas. Yakshas are “speedy” ghosts. There are earth-bound yakshas who can travel on the ground, and there are space-travelling yakshasthat can fly. They travel very fast.

He will hear the sounds of gandharvas. He knows their past, present and future. Perhaps this was a person before, and now he has turned into a gandharva. Or maybe he is a person now, but will be a gandharva in the future. Hearing his sound, the Dharma Master will know his past causes and present effects, and his future effects, too.

“Gandharva” is also Sanskrit and means “incense inhaling spirits.” They love to smell incense. The Jade Emperor has a certain kind of chandana incense, and when he lights some, the gandharvas all show up to make music in his court. They also dance.

This Dharma Master will also hear the sounds of asuras. “Asura” is also Sanskrit. It means “ugly.” They are extremely ugly. They have the blessings of the gods but not the virtue of the gods. They are very feisty and love to fight. Just on hearing these sounds, the Dharma Master is able to know their past, present, and future retributions.

He will hear the sounds of garudas. The garudas are great golden-winged pengbirds. They eat dragons in the same way that we eat noodles. Dragons are pretty large. They are one of the largest varieties in the class of worms. Birds all eat worms, you know. Small birds eat small worms, and big birds eat big worms. The wing-spread of this bird is 360 yojanas. With one flap of his wings, he can dry up the waters of the sea for a radius of 360 yojanas.

That leaves all the dragons exposed–perfect garuda meals! The garuda prefers the tender young dragons, and besides the older dragons tend to be better at concealing themselves. Seeing all their young being devoured, the older dragons decided it was time to start a “save the dragons” movement, but they could not think of what to do. They thought, “Shakyamuni Buddha is greatly compassionate. Let us go ask him to help us.”

“Buddha,” they said, “the golden-winged peng bird has been indiscriminately slaughtering our young for food. Our dragon-race is about to become extinct. Please be compassionate and save us.”

Shakyamuni Buddha said, “Here, give each of the dragons one thread from my robe, and you will be okay.”

The next time the garuda bird flapped the sea dry, there were no dragons to be seen. The sea was dried up, but all the bird could see was little threads. The garuda had a bit of spiritual powers himself. He knew that the Buddha must have helped the dragons. He went to the Buddha and said, “Shakyamuni Buddha, you are being very compassionate to the dragons, but you are not being compassionate towards the great golden-winged peng birds. If we do not eat dragons, we are going to starve. We eat a lot, and only dragons are big enough to provide us with sufficient nourishment. You are not being impartial and fair about this.”

The Buddha said, “In my Dharma, we liberate life and stop killing. Eating dragons is a form a killing. You kill dragons now, and in your next life they kill you. Things just get worse and worse. You should quit eating dragons. You should be vegetarians. Do not eat meat anymore.”

“Where am I going to get vegetables?” asked the bird. “After this,” said the Buddha, “whenever my disciples eat lunch, they will make an offering of food to you, so you do not have to eat dragons anymore.” And so the garuda and the Buddha signed that agreement. The dragons could live without fear of being eaten, and garudas did not starve to death. Even up to the present when we eat lunch we send out some food for the garudas. If you have opened the Five Eyes, when you send the food out you will see the great golden-winged peng birds come and eat it. Wherever they go, when Buddhist disciples eat lunch, they should send out a portion to the garudas.

Kinnaras are one of the eight-fold divisions. Translated from Sanskrit, “kinnara” means “doubtful spirit.” They are also musicians in the Jade Emperor’s court. When the gods have parties, they call in the kinnaras who make extremely fine music.

And mahoragas are big snakes, pythons, one of the eight-fold divisions. The Dharma Master who lectures the Dharma Flower Sutra can know all the sounds of the eight-fold divisions.

Sounds of fire, water, and wind. This means he knows the sounds of past, present, and future fires. He knows of the sounds of the three periods of time. He knows that a certain place was, is, or will be flooded. He can know the sounds of hurricanes of the past, present, and future. “Ah! A hurricane is approaching from ten thousand miles away.” He knows why the wind is blowing and when it will blow in the future.

Sounds of hell-beings. Just on hearing a person’s voice he can tell, “That person is going to fall into the hells,” or “that person just came out from the hells.” He can also hear the sounds of the hells at the present period of time.

Animals. Hearing a person’s voice he can tell, “That person was an animal,” or “That person will be an animal in the future.” He can hear an animal’s sound and know, “That one is going to continue being an animal.”

And hungry ghosts have a hard time finding food. Sometimes for great eons they cannot find a drop of water, blood, or wine to drink. They are always starving, and it is really painful. You should not think about eating all the time; otherwise, you might turn into a hungry ghost. You should look upon food as medicine. Do not get carried away with how tasty or how nutritious it is. It is medicine, because if we did not eat, we would die. So we should think, “I take this food only as medicine, to cure this decaying body.” This is one of the Five Contemplations one makes when one eats:

1. Consider the amount of work involved in bringing the food to the table.

2. Reflect on whether or not your virtuous conduct is sufficient to entitle you to receive the offering.

3. Guard against mental transgressions, principally that of greed.

4. Regard the food as medicine to prevent the body from collapsing.

5. Take this food only in order to accomplish your work of the Way.

If you hold these Five Contemplations while you eat, you will digest your food very well. If you do not, then, as the saying goes, “If the three minds are not ended, it is hard to digest water.” If you have not ended the thoughts of the past, present, and future, you will have a hard time digesting even an offering of a cup of water. On the other hand, “If the Five Contemplations are understood, you can digest gold.” So when left-home people eat, they recite the Offering Mantra and then hold the Five Contemplations. They do not indulge in polluted thinking, but instead “respond to offerings,” as they eat.

Sounds of Bhikshus. He knows who was a Bhikshu in a previous life, who is about to become a Bhikshu in the present life, and who will become a Bhikshu in the future life, just by hearing his voice.

one of the largest varieties Perhaps she was a Bhikshuni in the past and is not one now, or is one now and will be one in the future.

Sounds of Hearers. Hearers awaken to the Way when they hear the Four Noble Truths: suffering, origination, extinction, and the Way.

Pratyekabuddhas awaken through cultivation of the Twelve Causes and Conditions.

This Dharma Master knows who was a Bodhisattva in the past but is now an ordinary person, who will be a Bodhisattva in the future, and who is now a Bodhisattva.

And Buddhas. Hearing a voice he knows, “That is the Buddha sound.”

In general, although he has not yet obtained the Heavenly Ear, by using the pure ordinary ears given to him at birth, he can hear and know whatever sounds there may be inside and outside the three thousand great thousand world system. In this way he distinguishes between all the various sounds, and still his hearing is not impaired. Even though he hears all these sounds, he is not turned, defiled, or influenced by the sounds. Because he is not attached to them, his faculty of hearing is not damaged. If he were to get attached to them, his hearing would be harmed.

At that time the World Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses saying,

“The ears he was born with
Are pure and without filth.
With his ordinary ears he hears
Sounds of the three thousand great thousand world system:
Sounds of elephants, horses, carriages and cows;
Gongs, bells, conches and drums;
Sounds of lutes and harps;
Sounds of pipes and flutes; and
Sounds of clear, fine chants.
He hears these, but is not attached to them.

Hearing the sounds of countless kinds of people,
He can understand them all.
He also hears the sounds of the gods–
Their subtle, elegant voices raised in song.

He also hears the sounds of men and women,
The sounds of young boys and girls,
As well as the kalavinka sound
Coming from the mountains, streams, and deep ravines.

He hears all the sounds
Of the jiva-jivaka and other birds,
The bedlam of misery and pain in the hells–
The sounds of all the torture there.

He hears the sounds of hungry ghosts,
driven by hunger and thirst,
As they seek for food and drink, and
The mighty roar put forth
By all of the asuras
As they dwell beside the sea
Bickering among themselves.

In this way, one who speaks the Dharma
Can dwell securely there and hear
The faraway multitude of sounds,
And yet there is no harm to his hearing.

Throughout all the ten directions,
Birds and beasts cry out to one another.
The one who speaks the Dharma
Can hear them one and all.

As for the sounds and speech of the Brahma gods,
The Light Sound gods and those of Pervasive Purity,
Up to the Heaven of the Peak of Existence,
The Dharma Master here in the world
Can hear them one and all.

The entire assembly of Bhikshus
And Bhikshunis,
Whether reading or reciting Sutras,
Or speaking them for others,
The Dharma Master dwelling here
Can hear them one and all.

Further, all the Bodhisattvas
Reading or reciting this Sutra-Dharma,
Or speaking it for others,
Or compiling commentaries on its meaning,
All such sounds as these,
He hears in detail.

All the Buddhas, great sagely honored ones,
Teaching and transforming living beings
In the midst of the great assemblies,
Expounding upon the subtle, wondrous Dharma,
Can be heard by one who holds the Dharma Flower.

All the sounds inside and out
Of the three thousand great thousand world system,
Below to the Avici hell,
And above to the Heaven of the Peak of Existence
Can each and every one be heard
And still his hearing is not harmed.

Since his ears are keen and sharp,
He can discern them all.
The one who upholds the Dharma Flower,
Although he has not yet gained the Heavenly Ear,
Merely using the ears he was born with,
Already has meritorious virtues such as these.”

Outline:

F2. The ears.

Commentary:

At that time, the World Honored One, wishing to restate his meaning, in detail, spoke verses, saying, “The ears he was born with are pure and without filth.” The Dharma Master who lectures on the Dharma Flower Sutra, with his ordinary ears hears sounds of the three thousand great thousand world system: Sounds of elephants, horses, carriages, and cows. He can distinguish these all very clearly.

Gongs, bells, conches and drums, sounds of lutes and harps, sounds of pipes and flutes–he hears all the various musical instruments making sounds of clear, fine chants. Perhaps someone sings with a clear, fine voice. He hears these but is not attached to them.

Hearing the sounds of countless kinds of people, he can understand them all. He also hears the sounds of the gods–their subtle, elegant voices raised in song. He also hears the sounds of men and women, the sounds of young boys and girls, as well as the kalavinka sound coming from the mountains, streams, and deep ravines. The kalavinka is the “good-sounding bird.” It starts singing even before it hatches out of its egg. It is also called the “immortal sound,” and it sings extremely well.

He hears all the sounds of the jiva-jivaka and other birds. The jiva-jivaka is a kind of bird with two heads. The two birds have different karma but shared retribution. The two heads fight over their food and chirp at each other. Have you ever seen such a bird?

He hears the bedlam of misery and pain in the hells—the sounds of all the various kinds of torture there as beings are punished, and he hears the sounds of hungry ghosts, driven by hunger and thirst as they seek for food and drink.The hungrier the ghosts get, the scarcer the food becomes. The scarcer the food gets, the hungrier they are. They are about ready to go up in flames, they are so hungry. And he hears distinctly the mighty roar put forth by all the asuras as they dwell beside the great sea bickering among themselves. They make a terrible racket when they talk. Alligators are a kind of asura. They roar at each other to show off.

In this way, one who speaks the Dharma, can dwell securely there and hear the faraway multitude of sounds, and yet there is no harm to his hearing. The person who speaks the Dharma Flower Sutra dwells securely in compassion. Those who cultivate the Way should develop as much compassion as they can. If you are not compassionate, the asuras will get you. If you are compassionate, the asurashave no way to get at you.

Throughout all the ten directions, birds and beasts cry out to one another. The one who speaks the Dharma, can hear them one and all. One tiger may cry out, “Tiger!” and the second one answers, “Yes!” The person who speaks the Dharma can hear all of these communications.

As for the sounds and speech of the Brahma gods, the Light Sound gods, and those of Pervasive Purity, up to the Heaven of the Peak of Existence, the Dharma Master here in the world can hear them one and all. The person who speaks the Dharma in the unmoving Bodhimanda can hear all the sounds in the three thousand great thousand world system. The Light Sound Heaven is in the Second Dhyana.

The Pervasive Purity Heaven is in the Third Dhyana. The Peak of Existence is the Heaven of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception in the Fourth Dhyana. The Dharma Master who lectures on the Dharma Flower Sutra can hear all these sounds right in the Bodhimanda where he is lecturing.

The entire assembly of Bhikshus and Bhikshunis, whether reading or reciting Sutras, or speaking them for others, the Dharma Master dwelling here, can hear them one and all. Further, all the Bodhisattvas, reading or reciting this Sutra-Dharma, or speaking it for others, or compiling commentaries on its meaning, or writing articles of their own, or compiling others’ explanations on the Sutras–all such sounds as these, he hears in detail.

All the Buddhas, great sagely honored ones, teaching and transforming living beings in the midst of the great assemblies, expounding upon the subtle, wondrous Dharma, can be heard by one who holds the Dharma Flower. The Buddha’s sound is inconceivable, and the Dharma Master can hear them set forth the subtle, inconceivable Dharma bestowing the provisional for the sake of the real, opening the provisional to reveal the real, proclaiming the Wonderful Dharma.

All the sounds inside and out of the three thousand great thousand world system can be heard by the Dharma Master. One sun, one moon, one Mount Sumeru, and one set of four continents makes up one world. One thousand of these are called a small world system. One thousand small world systems are called a middle world system. One thousand middle world systems are called a great world system.

Therefore we say “three thousand” because the number “thousand” is raised to the third power. Now, the world that we know is just one small world. We should not be attached and pay attention just to our own small sphere, with Americans just thinking of America, British people of Great Britain, French people of France, Germans of Germany. Compared to the three thousand great thousand world system, our world is just like a tiny mote of dust. You may think it is great, but it is not really.

You say, “But I had no idea there were so many worlds!” Hah! If you had known, you would have become a Buddha long ago. You would not be an ordinary living being at all. You would not be so hateful, greedy and stupid.

He can hear below to the Avici hell, the unspaced hell, which is full even if only one person is in it, but which can also expand to accommodate millions of people, this hell is merely a manifestation of people’s karma.

And above to the Heaven of the Peak of Existence can each and every one be heard. You have no way to conceptualize this heaven. Even though the heavens are so high and the hells are so low, the Dharma Master can hear all of the sounds within them very clearly, and still his hearing is not harmed. He hears all these sounds, but they do not hurt his ears at all. Sometimes if you hear too much, you can go deaf.

But that does not happen in this case. Since his ears are keen and sharp, he can discern them all. His ears are so sharp that before you finish your sentence, he has already heard the whole thing! Hearing one word, he knows everything you are about to say. The one who upholds the Dharma Flower, although he has not yet gained the Heavenly Ear, merely using the ears he was born with–his ordinary ears–already has meritorious virtues such as these. His merit and virtue is such as just described.

Above, we have discussed the meritorious virtues of the ears. We speak often of the Five Eyes: the flesh eye, the heavenly eye, the Dharma eye, the wisdom eye, and the Buddha eye. But there are also five such ears: the flesh ear, the heavenly ear, the Dharma ear, the wisdom ear, and the Buddha ear. Now the ears we are talking about in reference to this Dharma Master are not any of the Five Ears listed above. The ears in question are his ordinary, regular ears. You have these ears, and so do I.

But if you are not able to lecture on the Dharma Flower Sutra, your hearing will not be as acute as that of the Dharma Master who can. He can hear all the sounds throughout the three thousand great thousand world system.

Sutra:

“Further, Ever-Vigorous, if a good man or a good woman receives and upholds this Sutra, whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it to others, or writing it out, he will accomplish eight hundred meritorious virtues of the nose. With his pure nose he will smell throughout the three thousand great thousand world system, above and below, inside and outside, all the various fragrances: the scents of the sumana, jatika, mallika, champaka, and patala flowers; scents of red, blue, and white lotus flowers; scents of flowering and fruit-bearing trees; scents of chandana, aloe-wood, tamalapatra, and tagara; and scents of a thousand myriad kinds mixed together, whether powdered, in lumps, or in paste. One who upholds this Sutra, dwelling in this place, can distinguish all of these.”

“In the same way, up to and including the Brahma realms and the Peak of Existence, he can smell the scents of all the gods and at the same time smell the incense burned by the gods, the scent of Hearers, the scent of the Pratyekabuddhas, the scent of the Bodhisattvas, and the scent of the Buddhas. All of these he can smell from afar and know where they are. Although he smells these fragrances, his sense of smell is not harmed and makes no mistakes. Should he wish to distinguish and explain them for others, his memory will not fail him.”

Outline:

F3. The nose.

Commentary:

“Further, Ever-Vigorous,” Shakyamuni Buddha continues, “if a good man or a good woman, one who keeps the Five Precepts and practices the Ten Good Deeds, or one who has taken the Bhikshu, Bhikshuni, or Bodhisattva precepts, receives and upholds this Sutra, receives it with his mind and practices it with his body, cultivating according to the doctrines found within it, whether reading it, reciting it from memory, explaining it to others, or writing it out very reverently, he will accomplish eight hundred meritorious virtues of the nose.” The eight hundred meritorious virtues of the nose are gained through recitation of the Dharma Flower Sutra. If he had not recited the Sutra, he probably would not have even eight merits, to say nothing of eight hundred!

With his pure nose he will smell throughout the three thousand great thousand world system, above and below, above to the Peak of Existence and below to the Avici hells, inside and outside. There are many suns and moons, limitless numbers of them. Since we are in our own world, we only see the sun and moon in Jambudvipa. There are other worlds with other suns and moons in them, but we have not gone to them yet, and do not know about them. Travelling to the moon does not count as going to another world; that moon is included in our world. If you go to another world, you would not see this one.

“Are the sun and moon in other worlds the same as the ones here?” you ask. When you get there you will know. The sun may be triangular; it is not for sure. Perhaps the moon will be square! When you get there, you will know what it is like. Before we get there, it is anybody’s guess. You should not be like the muddle-headed scientists who raise theory after theory after theory about what it is like, but never get there. They theorize themselves to death without ever going there to find out what it is really like.

Their hair turns all white, their eyes go bad, their teeth fall out, and they go deaf, but they still have no idea what this world is all about. Just when they are on the verge of making their big breakthrough, they die. Then someone has to start all over again, and the same process repeats itself. Scientist have studied for so many years, and they do not have it straight yet. It is really pathetic.

All the various fragrances…

The summer session is over, but many students remain. Probably they sat in meditation so long their legs are permanently asleep, and they cannot walk away. That is one theory. There is another theory. Perhaps their legs are lazy and do not care to walk. Yet another theory is that their minds are too lazy to leave. Those who wanted to run off have not run off, and those who ran off have all come back. So there are a lot of people here. Everyone should help each other out in cultivation.

Soon we will have a Guanyin Recitation Session. This is a very good opportunity. In China when they have a session, someone usually volunteers to sponsor it. American people do not understand about the merit and virtue involved in this, so no one has come forth to sponsor the session. The sponsor may offer to provide the food and then be the first to light incense every day.

The one who lights incense first, right after the Abbot, gets the Buddha’s first glance. Now in China, at the very least, it costs you three to five thousand dollars to light the first piece of incense. Perhaps it will cost even ten thousand dollars. We do not do that in America, but those who attended the session should create some merit and virtue. At that time everyone ties up Dharma conditions with Guanyin Bodhisattva. That is the news for today.

The scents of the sumana, jatika, mallika, champaka, and patala flowers: “Sumana” is Sanskrit and means “in accord with one’s wishes.” These flowers may be yellow or white; they are fragrant and beautiful. “Jatika” is also Sanskrit and means “golden coin” because the blossoms resemble gold coins. The mallika flower is very fragrant. “Champaka” is translated as “yellow flower” or “golden flower.” “Patala” is translated as “multiple blossoms,” because it blooms again and again, repeatedly.

Scents of red, blue, and white lotus flowers; scents of flowering and fruit-bearing trees; scents of chandana—sandalwood from Mount Oxhead, which when burned can be smelled for forty li [13 miles]. Aloe-wood is as heavy as metal or rock. It sinks in water and is extremely fragrant.Tamalapatra means “nature without filth.” It is also called “betony” and is a medicinal herb.

Tagara means “root incense” because the roots of this plant are very fragrant. And scents of a thousand myriad kinds mixed together, whether powdered, in lumps, or in paste. One who upholds this Sutra, dwelling in this place, can distinguish all of these. Powdered incense represents the one mind spreading to ten thousand good deeds. The ten thousand good deeds return to the one mind.

“Dwelling in this place,” means dwelling in compassion. He can distinguish all of these; he can distinguish all these scents just listed, very clearly. If millions of scents are mixed together, he can still tell them apart.

Again, he can further distinguish the scents of living beings, all the different smells of living beings, the scents of elephants, horses, cows, sheep, and so forth, the smalls of animals; scents of men, women, boys, and girls; as well as scents of grasses, trees, thickets, and forests. All these scents, whether near or far, he can smell and distinguish without mistake. Fragrances represent good and foul odors represent evil.

Although one who upholds the Sutra dwells here, he can smell the scents of all the gods in the heavens. He dwells among people, but he can smell the fragrances in the heavens. The scents of the parijataka.This is a tree that grows in Shakra’s garden. The Sanskrit meaning is “king of heavenly trees.” It is also very fragrant. And kovidara trees, also a heavenly tree. “Kovidara” means “a lot of fun.”

As well as the scents of the mandarava (small white flowers), mahamandarava (big white flowers), manjushaka (small red flowers), and mahamanjushaka(big red flowers); the scents of chandana and aloe-wood powder and various kinds of powdered incense; and assorted floral scents. Of all these heavenly scents, or fragrances arising from the blending of them, there are none he will not smell and know.

Further he will smell the scents of the god’s bodies. The bodies of the gods are always fragrant. Some human beings are fragrant, too, if they wear perfume or something like that. But the gods are naturally fragrant. They do not have to put on perfume. Why are they fragrant? Because they keep the precepts purely. People who keep the precepts purely emit a fragrance. People who do not keep the precepts stink. A fragrance means that one has done many good deeds. A foul odor means that you have done much evil.

The bodies of the gods always emit a fragrance. When their bodies quit emitting a fragrance, it is a sign that they are about to die. You should not think that the gods live forever. The gods manifest five signs of decay when they are about to die. To say nothing of the gods, even the Lord of the Heavens will fall.

The first of the five signs of decay is that the flowers on the gods’ caps wilt. Gods wear flowered caps, and the flowers are always fresh and clean; they never get dirty. When this sign of decay manifests, the flowers wilt, the petals fall off, and their caps are ruined. As soon as the flowers on someone’s hat starts wilting, the gods all know, “He is about to die!”

The second sign of decay is that the god’s clothes get dirty. The clothing of the gods is not like ours; our clothes get dirty and we have to wash them. The gods’ clothes never get dirty, and they do not need to wash them. That is because it is very pure in the heavens, and there is no dirt there. When the five signs of decay manifest, suddenly they do not know how their clothes get dirty, stained and spotted.

The gods do not perspire, no matter how hot it is. In fact, it never even gets hot in the heavens. It is always cool and so they do not perspire. When the third sign of decay manifests, their armpits sweat.

The fourth sign is that their bodies stink. Usually gods emit a fragrance. The more good deeds they have done, the more fragrant they are. When people stink, they smell like animals. When gods stink, they smell like people! When the five signs of decay appear, they stink; they smell like people. Their smell drives away all the other gods.

The fifth sign of decay is that they cannot sit still. The gods usually sit all the time. In fact, when they “walk,” they do not actually walk, they just fly through the air in a sitting position in their palaces. It is a lot more convenient than our methods of air travel, too. They can go wherever they wish, and they do not need any gasoline. If a god wanted to go to New York, all he would have to do is think, “I want to go to New York,” and there he will be. How can he do that? With spiritual powers.

This is an analogy; you should not think that the gods all want to go to New York. When the five signs of decay manifest, the gods cannot sit still. They sit down, and then they stand up. They sit down again and get up, and so on. They do not know what is going on, and they fall. They may turn into hell-beings, animals, hungry ghosts, or people. There is nothing fixed about it. You should not think that there is any security in going to the heavens. There is no security up there, no permanence. No one will guarantee that you would not fall. The gods, then, will fall.

The gods’ bodies are fragrant. This is a different kind of fragrance from that found in the human realm.

The scent of Shakra Devanam Indra in his supreme palace as he enjoys the pleasures of the five desires, or his scent when, from the Wonderful Dharma Hall, he speaks the Dharma for the gods of the Trayastrimsha Heaven, or his scent when he plays in his gardens. The five desires in the heavens are a bit different from those among humans, but the gods do have the five desires. The gods like to dance. They have parties all the time where they get together and dance. They do not dance in the same manner that people do, jumping around. They can dance in a sitting position, from which they can rise up into the air and fly around as they wish. You should not have thoughts of envy toward the gods for all the fun they have. If you do, it could be very dangerous.

The Wonderful Dharma Hall is where Shakra lectures on the Dharma for the gods in the Heaven of Thirty-three. Lord Shakra is mentioned in the Shurangama Mantra in line twenty-seven “Na mo yin tuo la ye.”

As well as the scents of the bodies of other gods or goddesses. All these he can smell from afar. The gods represent movement; the goddesses represent stillness. Movement is yang, and stillness is yin. So this is a yin-yang fragrance. The Dharma Master or layperson who reads, recites, or writes out the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra can smell all of these very clearly. 

In the same way, up to and including the Brahma realms and the Peak of Existence, he can smell the scents of all the gods and at the same time smell the incense burned by the gods, the scent of Hearers, that is, the fragrance of the Four Truths; the scent of the Pratyekabuddhas, the scent of the twelve causes and conditions; the scent of the Bodhisattvas, the fragrance of the six perfections and ten thousand conducts; and the scent of the Buddhas, that is, the scent of liberation and enlightenment.

All of these he can smell from afar and know where they are. We say “afar” because we common people are in the world, but those of the Four Sagely Dharma Realms are in the land of eternal stillness and light. It is basically not easy for people to be able to smell the fragrance of the Four Sagely Realms. However, in the inconceivable state of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, no matter how far away one is, one can smell those fragrances. Smelling the fragrance, he can tell where the fragrance is coming from.

Although he smells these fragrances, his sense of smell is not harmed and makes no mistakes. Although he is able to smell all these scents, his nose does not suffer in any way, and he never errs in his discernment of these various scents. Should he wish to distinguish and explain them for others, his memory will not fail him. If he wishes to explain his own experiences along this line to others, he would not forget any of it. He will certainly remember very clearly and make no mistakes.

I have a news announcement now. We have lectured the first nineteen of the twenty-eight chapters of the Dharma Flower Sutra. I plan to finish it very quickly before the winter Chan session. On Sunday I will lecture twice: 12:30 to 2:30 in the afternoon, and evening 7:00 to 9:00. Monday through Thursday, I will also lecture in the evening. On Saturday my disciples will lecture on the Dharma Flower Sutra. I was going to announce this a few days ago, but I forgot. I do not know why I forgot, but today someone asked me about it so I was determined not to forget again. Besides, a lot of people have been calling up asking, “Who is lecturing tonight?” Now everybody knows what the schedule is, and you can listen to Sutras seven days a week. If you listen to the Sutras and the Dharma, you can become enlightened. At the Buddhist Lecture Hall, the Dharma is lectured like running water. The Dharma water flows every day. If you come to the lectures every day you will certainly be able to return to your originally existent wisdom.