Flower Adornment Sutra
(Avatamsaka Sutra)
Lectures on the Great and Vast Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra
Lecturer: Venerable Master Hsuan Hua (宣化)
Chinese translation: Tang Dynasty by the Tripitaka Master Shramana Shikshananda of Khotan
Vietnamese translation: Bhikshu Thích Minh Định
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Chapter 1 – part 4
Wondrous Adornments of the World Rulers
Furthermore, the Spirit Who Manifests Palaces and Dwells in Them attained the liberation gate of universally entering all worlds.
Commentary: The meaning above has still not been fully explained. Now we will continue, that is, continue discussing the principles of the Avatamsaka Sutra. The eight classes in the assembly of beings of diverse kinds have now been explained. We will now continue discussing the nineteen groups of deities in that assembly. They are:
1. Lords of Abodes.
2. Lords of Night.
3. Lords of Directions.
4. Lords of Space.
5. Lords of Wind.
6. Lords of Fire.
7. Lords of Water.
8. Lords of the Ocean.
9. Lords of Rivers.
10. Lords of Crops.
11. Lords of Medicine.
12. Lords of Forests.
13. Lords of Mountains.
14. Lords of Earth.
15. Lords of Cities.
16. Bodhimanda Spirits.
17. Foot-Travelling Spirits.
18. Spirits of Multitudes of Bodies.
19. Vajra-Holding Spirits.
Among each group of Devas are ten Deva lords. Each Deva lord has realized one Dharma door of liberation and has spoken one verse praising the Buddha’s virtues. In all, there are one hundred and ninety Dharma doors of liberation and one hundred and ninety verses. If anyone clearly understands even one Dharma door of liberation or fully comprehends one verse, they may hope to attain liberation and have the potential to succeed. I hope that those who cultivate the Way will diligently recite the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, bow to it, print it, copy it, and propagate it. Then the merit and responses will surely be inconceivable. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will certainly bless you, enabling you to open up great wisdom and plant abundant roots of goodness! People who are new to hearing the Avatamsaka Sutra feel that its text is very complex, as if there were no end to what it says. That is right! The principles explained in the Avatamsaka Sutra are inexhaustible—layer upon layer, endlessly, and endless layers upon layers. As long as you listen sincerely to the sutra and the Dharma, then, over time, you will naturally come to understand the sutra’s meaning and realize its extraordinarily profound and subtle principles. Some people do not understand its wondrous meaning until they have read the Avatamsaka Sutra for the fourth time. The more you recite the sutra, the greater the benefit you receive; each recitation brings benefit.
The Manifesting Palaces Day-Presiding Deity. Day-Presiding Deities manage the daytime, which means they also oversee all merit and wrongdoing. They remember everything sentient beings do, but do not need to write it down with a pen in a notebook. Their memory is very unusual, more wondrous than a computer and even more wondrous than a calculator! These deities remember all the affairs of the world. When they want to check something, they do not need to press a button on a computer; the information they need appears on its own. It is not only fast but also accurate—this is the wondrous calculation of spiritual powers.
This Dwelling Spirit can manifest all kinds of palaces. The palaces of kings and the palaces of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas—not only can this spirit manifest them, but also adorn them. It can also enter throughout all worlds and use worldly means to reveal the Dharma that transcends the world. This is the door of liberation that this spirit has attained.
The Spirit Who Gives Rise to the Fragrance of Wisdom and Presides over Dwellings attained the liberation-gate of universally observing all sentient beings, benefiting them all, and bringing them joy and fulfillment.
The Dwelling Deity Who Arouses the Fragrance of Wisdom attained the liberation-gate of universally contemplating all the benefits to sentient beings and bringing them complete joy.
This Abiding Spirit Who Gives Rise to the Fragrance of Wisdom gives rise to the fragrances of precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation—the five fragrances of the Dharma body. This spirit knows what brings joy to sentient beings, so it radiates these five kinds of fragrance, causing sentient beings to give rise to faith. If you uphold the precepts, your body will radiate the fragrance of precepts. If you practice meditation, your body will radiate the fragrance of concentration. If you cultivate wisdom, your body will radiate the fragrance of wisdom. If your mind does not cling to external conditions, your body will radiate the fragrance of liberation. If you learn broadly and hear much, your body will radiate the fragrance of the knowledge and vision of liberation. This Abiding Spirit observes all sentient beings, enabling them to fully obtain the benefit of these five fragrances. It also brings sentient beings joy and fulfillment, so that their wishes are fulfilled and their hearts are content. This is the liberation-gate that this spirit has attained.
Patriarch Bodhidharma said: “The incense of precepts puts an end to all evil and cultivates all good. The incense of concentration is deep faith in the Great Vehicle, with a mind that never regresses. The incense of wisdom is constant inward contemplation of body and mind. The incense of liberation cuts off all bonds of ignorance. The incense of the knowledge and vision of liberation is contemplation that is always clear and penetrating, without obstruction.” The five aspects of the Dharma-body’s fragrance arise as follows: concentration is born of precepts, wisdom is born of concentration, liberation is attained through wisdom, and from liberation one attains the knowledge and vision of liberation—that is, post-attainment wisdom. From this, we can see how important the precepts are. Whatever Dharma one practices, the first requirement is to uphold the precepts. Otherwise, there can be no genuine attainment. For example, a Dharma master may know how to expound sutras and do so very well, with unobstructed eloquence, speaking at length and arguing from every angle with sound reasoning, leading listeners to a higher level. But if that Dharma master does not uphold the precepts, then it is no more than “Zen on the tip of the tongue.” The Spirit in Charge of Abodes, Adorned with Supreme Bliss, attained the liberation-door of being able to emit the light of the Dharma of boundless, delightful bliss.
The Lord Who Dwells in the Supreme Adornment of Divine Joy attained the liberation-gate of emitting boundless, delightful Dharma light.
Lecture: This Dwelling Spirit of Joyful Supreme Adornment cultivated all kinds of blessings and attained all kinds of merit and virtue. As a result, joy arose. This joy is unlike ordinary joy; it is exceptionally supreme. This Spirit is not only adorned but also has an excellent appearance. The Spirit knows the good deeds or offenses committed by sentient beings and emits immeasurable rays of wisdom and light. This light is the light of delight in the Dharma. It shines on sentient beings, enabling those with merit to continue performing good deeds and those with offenses to abandon evil and turn toward good—for turning back is the shore. This light causes all sentient beings to rejoice and gives rise in them to thoughts of delight in the Buddhadharma. This is the liberation the Spirit attained.
The Spirit Who Governs Abodes with the Wondrous Light of Flower Fragrance attained the liberation gate of opening and developing the pure faith and understanding in the minds of boundless sentient beings.
Commentary: This Spirit Who Abides in the Wonderful Fragrance of Flowers, in accordance with the vows of sentient beings, emanates various kinds of flowers and fragrances. The Spirit also manifests inconceivable wondrous light to illuminate all sentient beings, enabling them to awaken and attain wisdom.
This Spirit can reclaim wasteland. No one has yet sown grain in this fertile land. So someone must come and clear it, removing all the weeds before anything can be planted. Reclaiming wasteland takes great effort and hardship before it can succeed. Therefore: “Cultivate a portion, and you will have a portion to harvest.” The field of merit of sentient beings is like a piece of uncultivated land. It needs a great virtuous spiritual friend to bring forth the bodhi mind and cultivate it, planting the seed of bodhi mind endowed with pure faith and understanding, before the fruit of bodhi enlightenment can be attained. The minds of sentient beings are mostly impure and contain defiled thoughts. Because defilements in the mind are so numerous while purity of mind is scarce, they do not have faith or understanding. They cannot take in the Dharma when it is taught, and they do not believe even when principles are explained. Because they neither believe nor understand, they are not clear about it. Without clarity, they have no mind of pure faith and understanding.
What is a pure mind of faith and understanding? If there is no ignorance, no afflictions, and no anger, that is a pure mind of faith and understanding. If there is ignorance, afflictions, and anger, then the mind of faith and understanding is not pure. In short, when a person’s mind is heavily defiled, the purity of their mind of faith and understanding diminishes. When a person’s mind is very pure, the purity of their mind of faith and understanding is also strong. Therefore, those who study the Buddhadharma must, in every gesture and every action, turn the light around and reflect inward, seeking within themselves. They must examine their own minds: are they more defiled or more pure? Is my mind of faith and understanding stronger, or is my mind of doubt and incomprehension stronger? Examine yourself. If you can clearly discern this state, you will enter the gateway to liberation through pure faith and understanding.
The Earth Spirit Universal Gathering of Wondrous Medicines attained the liberation gate of the power of universally radiant light accumulated in adornment.
Commentary: This Spirit in Charge of Dwellings named Universal Collection of Wondrous Medicines gathers all kinds of especially excellent medicinal substances to cure all beings’ afflictions of the three poisons: greed, anger, and delusion. This spirit cultivates various Dharma methods and accumulates much merit to adorn themself. It is like growing flowers: only when they are properly fertilized do they grow lush and flourish, and only then do their blossoms become fresh and beautiful. Why are the flowers both lush and beautiful? Because someone fertilized them. Our cultivation of merit must be the same: adornment is like fertilizing.
We cultivators of the Way—why must we cultivate a dignified adornment? To accumulate all wholesome merit and virtue. This merit and virtue is like fertilizer that nourishes our Dharma-body and wisdom-life, enabling us to attain the power of the radiant great wisdom. With this power, whenever we encounter any state, we recognize it clearly and are not moved by it; instead, we can transform it. In short, we transform unwholesome states into wholesome states, and defiled states into pure states. This is the power of the radiant great wisdom.
This Dwelling Deity has attained the power of universal light, which is also the power of Prajna wisdom. Prajna wisdom is like a knife, also called the sword of wisdom. Without wisdom, you are foolish; without the sword of wisdom, you cannot cut off the heads of the six thieves. The six thieves are the six sense objects. These six sense objects lead people to act in deluded ways. Therefore, the sword of wisdom is a very important Dharma treasure. The Song of Enlightenment says: Great hero, wielding the sword of wisdom,
Its Prajñā edge and vajra flame;
It can not only shatter the hearts of those on heretical paths,
But has long since made the heavenly demons lose their nerve.
That is to say, all of us who have left the household life are great men. Shakyamuni Buddha was a great man, and we are disciples of the Buddha, so we too are great men. Anyone who has left the household life, whether male or female, is a great man. Shakyamuni Buddha was a great hero, which is why the Buddha Hall is called the Hall of the Great Hero. Wielding the wisdom sword means taking up the precious sword of wisdom, whose sharpness is peerless. It is like a diamond striking sparks: it not only shatters the minds of those outside the Way, but also makes the heavenly demons tremble with fear.
This Guardian Spirit of the Abode entered this Dharma-door of liberation through the power of wisdom’s radiant light.
The Joyful-Eyed Spirit Who Abides in Joyful Deeds attained the liberation gateway of universally enlightening all sentient beings in suffering and happiness, enabling them all to attain the bliss of the Dharma.
The Spirit Who Abides in Joyful Deeds, Joyful-Eyed, attained the liberation gateway of universally enlightening all sentient beings in suffering and happiness, enabling them all to attain the bliss of the Dharma.
The City Guardian Spirit Who Brings Joy and Delight to the Eyes is always at peace and always joyful, and also causes all sentient beings to be always at peace and always joyful. This spirit uses a compassionate mind to guide sentient beings, causing them all to awaken. Awaken to what? To all the suffering and happiness of sentient beings, causing them to realize the Dharma of joy.
There are many kinds of suffering: the three kinds of suffering, the eight kinds of suffering, and immeasurable suffering.
The three kinds of suffering are:
1. The suffering of suffering.
2. The suffering of change.
3. The suffering of conditioned existence.
The eight sufferings are:
1. The suffering of birth.
2. The suffering of old age.
3. The suffering of illness.
4. The suffering of death.
5. The suffering of being separated from those one loves.
6. The suffering of encountering those one detests.
7. The suffering of not getting what one desires.
8. The suffering of the five aggregates.
And there are also immeasurable, boundless kinds of suffering.
Suffering upon suffering: This is the suffering of the poor. For example, someone may have a little hut to live in, sheltering them from rain and sun, but it may be blown down by a storm, leaving them with nowhere to turn for shelter. Or someone may have no money and be ill; that is suffering added to suffering, also suffering within suffering.
The suffering of destruction: This is the suffering of the rich. For example, a wealthy family may have their house suddenly burned to the ground, with their money and precious jewels also destroyed by the fire. This is the suffering of destruction.
The suffering of conditioned existence: It is neither the suffering of suffering nor the suffering of change, but the suffering of conditioned phenomena through impermanence. Whether heroes, outstanding men, or great gentlemen, none can escape birth, aging, illness, and death—the suffering of the four great elements.
The suffering of birth: Being born is as painful as having a turtle’s shell peeled off and as painful as two mountains pressing against each other. That is why a child cries out when it is born—that is suffering.
The suffering of old age: The body grows from childhood and gradually grows old, changing at every moment. Hair turns white, skin wrinkles, hearing fails, vision grows dim, and the limbs weaken. The five sense organs and four limbs become unable to function, and when the teeth fall out, one can no longer taste anything one eats.
Suffering from illness: When the four elements are out of balance, illness often arises. The suffering of illness is real suffering: one cannot eat anything or do anything. In old age, the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue have to retire; when one is ill, the body has to retire too.
The suffering of death: This suffering is truly terrifying, as agonizing as a live cow being skinned. In the final moments, as one is dying, one tallies things up in one’s mind; if one has left work unfinished while alive, one dies clenching one’s teeth and glaring.
The Suffering of Loving and Having to Part: The most painful thing in human life is separation, whether in life or in death. For all kinds of reasons, we have to part from those we love. Anyone who has not experienced such a situation cannot know what it feels like.
The suffering of meeting those one dislikes: Suddenly encountering someone you dislike so intensely is an indescribable kind of suffering. The ancients said, “Grudges should be resolved, not created.” Shake hands in friendship and turn enemies into friends—that is how to avoid sowing the seeds of this kind of suffering.
The suffering of not getting what one desires: Everyone experiences this kind of suffering. The poor do, and so do the rich; men and women, the old and the young. In other words, it is the suffering of wanting endlessly.
The suffering of the five aggregates: The five aggregates are form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. These five aggregates are like a fire that consumes and destroys. Form is matter; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are mental phenomena. All are relentlessly consumed by the fires of ignorance, causing those who experience them immeasurable suffering.
Immeasurable suffering: Suffering beyond description! No kind of suffering can be endured. Why is there immeasurable suffering? Because greed is never satisfied: once it gets what it wants, it wants more, never knowing contentment. Conversely, knowing contentment brings peace and joy.
There are all kinds of joy: one’s own joy, other people’s joy, and the joy of oneself and others. Joy, too, is infinite and boundless. Yet sentient beings live amid suffering and joy, sometimes happy and sometimes suffering; neither suffering nor joy is easy to bear.
Now, whether in suffering or in joy, this Dwelling Lord Spirit causes sentient beings to attain the Dharma of joy—that is, the Dharma of complete delight and true peace and happiness. Listening to sutras and hearing the Dharma are both joyful Dharma. This spirit attained this realm and entered this gate of liberation.
The Spirit Who Universally Manifests Throughout the Directions, Lord of Abodes, attained the liberation gate of the distinct bodies throughout the Dharma realms of the ten directions.
Commentary: This Spirit Who Abides in Universal Manifestation through Contemplating the Directions observes the capacities of sentient beings and expounds the Dharma to them, prescribing medicine according to their ailments. This spirit observes the Dharma realms in the ten directions and manifests everywhere to expound the Dharma for sentient beings. This spirit also clearly understands that the Buddhas throughout the Dharma realms in the ten directions, in lands as numerous as dust motes, manifest innumerable different bodies and expound the Dharma to those they can deliver. That is, when someone can be delivered through the body of a Buddha, the Buddha manifests a Buddha’s body and expounds the Dharma to them, in order to teach and transform sentient beings. This spirit clearly understands this state and enters this gateway to liberation.
The Spirit Dwelling in the Abode of the Lord of Great Compassion and Power attained the gateway of liberation that rescues all sentient beings and brings them peace and happiness.
Commentary: The Spirit Who Dwells in the Great Compassionate Majestic Power. Great compassion means rescuing sentient beings from all suffering and bestowing every happiness upon them. Majestic power means possessing great awe-inspiring virtue. This spirit has a mind of great compassion, rescues sentient beings from all suffering, and also possesses great awe-inspiring virtue that can subdue all demons. This spirit has attained this state and clearly understands that the Buddha, in order to protect all sentient beings, enables them all to leave suffering and attain happiness. This spirit has entered this Dharma-door of liberation.
The Spirit Who Presides over the Abode of the Radiance of Good Roots attained the liberation gate of the power of merit that universally gives rise to joyful contentment.
Commentary: This Good Roots Radiance-Shining Lord Abiding Spirit planted all kinds of good roots in past lives and cultivated all kinds of wisdom light in order to teach all sentient beings. He also caused all sentient beings to nurture and plant good roots. He attained the light of wisdom, and so it is said that he attained the skillful power of merit that universally gives rise to joy and fulfillment. He entered this gate of liberation.
The Fragrant Garland Dwelling Spirit attained the liberation gate through which his praised name is universally heard, and all sentient beings who see him gain benefit.
Commentary: This Wondrous Flower Jeweled Garland Dwelling Spirit is renowned throughout the worlds of the ten directions. All sentient beings in those worlds who hear this spirit’s voice or hear this spirit’s name gain benefit and Dharma bliss. This spirit has entered this gateway to liberation.
At that time, the Palace-Manifester Dwelling Spirit, relying on the Buddha’s mighty power, universally surveyed the entire assembly of Dwelling Spirits and spoke these verses, saying:
Commentary: At that time, after the God of Abodes, Wonderful Flower Garland, had finished speaking this passage of the sutra, the God of Abodes Who Manifests Palaces, relying on the Buddha’s great awesome spiritual power, surveyed all the Gods of Abodes in the Dharma assembly and praised the Buddha’s merits and virtues in verse.
The Buddha’s wisdom is like space, without end,
Its radiant light shines throughout the ten directions,
It fully knows the thoughts and actions of all beings,
There is no world it does not enter,
Commentary: “The Buddha’s wisdom is like space, boundless and inexhaustible.” The Buddha’s wisdom is like empty space. Space is vast and without end.
“Radiant light shines throughout the ten directions.” The Buddha’s wisdom-light is unparalleled, shining throughout the worlds of the ten directions and illuminating the Buddha-lands in all ten directions.
“The Buddha clearly knows the minds and actions of all sentient beings.” The Buddha clearly understands everything sentient beings think or do. In short, whatever deluded thoughts you give rise to and whatever karma you create, the Buddha knows clearly.
“He enters all worlds everywhere.” The Buddha possesses great wisdom and radiant light, great supernatural powers, and the power of great compassionate vows. Therefore, he goes to all worlds to teach and transform sentient beings; there is no world into which the Buddha does not enter.
The Buddha knows what sentient beings delight in.
As befits them, he expounds the oceans of Dharma;
The phrases and meanings are vast and all different;
The Spirit of Complete Wisdom can see them all;
Commentary: “The Buddha knows the preferences of sentient beings.” The Buddha knows what all sentient beings rejoice in within their minds, and also knows all the things they desire.
“For their sake, he expounds the oceans of Dharma.” This means that whatever form one should manifest in to liberate them, one manifests in that form and teaches that Dharma. The Dharma methods expounded are as numerous as the oceans; they cannot all be spoken of.
“The meanings are vast, and each is different.” The meaning of every sentence and every word is immeasurably vast, and each is different. Every sentence has its own meaning; every word has its own significance and boundless nuance.
“The Deity Endowed with Complete Wisdom sees clearly.” The Fragrant Lord of Abiding, the Deity Who Gives Rise to Wisdom, sees this realm completely—and sees it very clearly.
The Buddha emits radiant light, illuminating the world
Those who see and hear rejoice; it is not in vain.
It reveals the profound and vast realm of quiescence
This blissful adornment awakens and enlightens the mind.
Commentary: “The Buddha radiates light that illuminates the world.” The Buddha emits an immeasurable treasury of great light, shining upon sentient beings throughout the worlds in the ten directions. All sentient beings who see the Buddha’s light or hear the Buddha’s voice expounding the Dharma thereby attain merit and benefit.
“Seeing and hearing bring joy and are not in vain.” Not being in vain means not being lost or wasted. If it were in vain, there would be no benefit. All sentient beings who see the Buddha’s radiance or hear the Buddha’s voice give rise to immeasurable stores of merit and Dharma wealth, and immeasurable joy.
“Pointing out the vast realm of quiescent extinction.” The Buddha expounded the Dharma in the radiance to teach all sentient beings. He not only expounded the Dharma, but also taught the supreme, subtle and profound Dharma, and pointed out to sentient beings the realm of quiescent extinction—that is, the shore of Nirvana. Nirvana is the principle of permanence, bliss, self, and purity. Permanence is the Dharma Body; bliss is Nirvana; self is the Tathagata; purity is the unconditioned Dharma.
“Joyful Supreme Adornment, the mind awakens and understands.” In this realm, the Abode-Lord Spirit Joyful Supreme Adornment awakens to and clearly understands, and enters this gate of liberation.
The Buddha’s Dharma-rain is immeasurable,
It brings great joy to all who see it.
From this arise the most excellent roots of goodness
This is the realization of Wonderful Light.
“The Buddha showers an immeasurable, boundless Dharma rain.” “The Buddha” refers to Shakyamuni Buddha, and “showers” refers to the Dharma spoken by the Buddha. “Dharma rain” means that the Buddha expounds the Dharma to teach and transform sentient beings, like rain falling from the sky, allowing sentient beings to be nourished by the Dharma rain and to grow their wisdom-life. The Buddha-Dharma is immeasurable and boundless, so there is no place that is not filled by the Buddha’s Dharma rain. Therefore, it says, “The Buddha showers an immeasurable, boundless Dharma rain.”
“Causing people to feel great joy.” The Buddha expounded a wondrous, profound, unsurpassed Dharma. All sentient beings who saw or heard it gave rise to great joy. Therefore, at the end of every sutra, it says “great joy” (great rejoicing), “joyfully accepting it with faith,” or “accepting and upholding it with faith, respectfully carrying it out, bowing, and withdrawing.” This means that all who take part in a Dharma assembly and listen to the sutras and Dharma attain a mind of great joy.
“The supreme roots of virtue arise from here.” Sentient beings, nourished by the rain of the Dharma, give rise to superior roots of virtue. The roots of virtue of sentient beings grow within the Buddha-Dharma. Do you wish to give rise to roots of virtue? Then you must listen to sutras and hear the Dharma.
“This is the realization of Wondrous Light.” This realm is realized by the Day-Abiding Deity Flower Fragrance Wondrous Light.
Universally entering the Dharma gates, the power of awakening
Through vast kalpas of cultivation and practice, all become pure
All this is for gathering sentient beings
This wondrous medicine is understood by the deity
Commentary: “Entering all Dharma-gates and generating the power of awakening.” The Buddha enters the minds of all sentient beings, causing them all to arouse the bodhi mind and attain the fruit of bodhi. The Buddha also causes all sentient beings to enter all Dharma-gates and generate the power of awakening.
“Many kalpas of cultivation and purification are all pure.” This Dharma method and its power come from the Buddha’s practice of the pure Dharma method, from beginningless kalpas up to the present. The Buddha has completely eradicated all kinds of faults, and is therefore pure and undefiled.
“All of this is for the sake of gathering in sentient beings.” The Buddha enters every Dharma-door of cultivation and study, enabling sentient beings’ power of awakening to come to fruition through practice life after life. Why must the Buddha cultivate? To gather in and transform sentient beings, so that they may all attain purity.
“This Dharma gate is thoroughly understood by Wondrous Medicine.” This realm is clearly understood by the Spirit Universal Collection of Wondrous Medicine, Lord of Abodes.
By all manner of means, transforming the multitudes of sentient beings;
Whoever sees or hears receives benefit
All are made to leap with great joy
The Spirit Abiding in Wondrous Eyes sees it thus.
Commentary: “Various means to transform sentient beings.” For the sake of the true, the Buddha imparted provisional teachings, using all kinds of skillful expedient Dharma methods to teach and transform sentient beings. Only afterward did he open up the provisional and reveal the true, enabling sentient beings to turn from the Lesser toward the Greater, arouse the aspiration for bodhi, and practice the Bodhisattva path.
“Everyone who sees or hears it benefits.” All sentient beings who see the Buddha’s transformation body or hear the Buddha’s Dharma voice gain benefit. If they take refuge in and make offerings to the Triple Gem, they gain even greater benefit.
“Everyone is made to dance with great joy.” The Buddha causes all sentient beings to give rise to joy, making them leap about uncontrollably and forget themselves. The Buddhadharma is precisely what enables sentient beings to leave behind worldly suffering and attain transcendent joy.
“The Spirit Who Abides with Wondrous Eyes saw this.” The Spirit Who Abides as the Lord of Joyful Deeds and Delightful Eyes clearly perceived this realm of liberation.
The Ten Powers respond and manifest throughout the world
The Dharma realms of the ten directions are all without remainder
The nature of being is neither nonexistence nor existence
This is the gate entered by the Deity of Universal Manifestation
Commentary: “The Ten Powers manifest throughout the worlds.” The Buddha’s Ten Powers manifest throughout all of space and the Dharma realm, filling all worlds.
“The ten directions and all Dharma realms are included, without exception.” This power fills the ten directions and all Dharma realms; there is no place it does not reach.
“The essential nature is neither nonexistent nor existent.” The Buddha’s essential nature is neither nonexistent nor existent. From the perspective of sentient beings, there are distinctions, and throughout the ten directions it cannot be said not to exist. From the Buddha’s perspective, it is called the One True Dharma Realm, and it cannot be said to exist.
“Contemplating the Universal Manifestation in All Directions.” This realm of the gateway of liberation was entered by the Spirit in Charge of Abodes Who Contemplates the Universal Manifestation in All Directions.
Sentient beings circulate amid peril and hardship,
The Tathāgata, moved by compassion, appears in the world;
Causing all suffering to be completely extinguished;
This is the liberation gate of abiding in the power of compassion.
Commentary: “Sentient beings flow through peril.” Sentient beings means you, me, and them, and encompasses all beings. You, me, and they are born through the convergence of many conditions; without even one condition, they cannot be born, and so they are called sentient beings. It is like grain planted in the ground: it needs the conditions of the sky covering it and the earth supporting it, the conditions of soil and water, the conditions of warmth and cold, as well as the condition of people tending it and the condition of the weather. Only when all these causes and conditions come together can it grow. Sentient beings, too, need the conditions of a father and mother coming together; otherwise, they cannot be born.
Transmigration means going round and round, coming and going. It also means being human in this life, then becoming one of the six domestic animals—cattle, horses, goats, chickens, dogs, or pigs—in the next, or being one of the six domestic animals in a previous life and becoming human in this one. That is called transmigration. Sometimes, in a previous life, one was a frog, toad, or rat, but because one lived near a temple, one had the opportunity to hear the Dharma and the sutras. Over time, they all accumulated merit and planted wholesome roots. In the next life, they were reborn as humans—not only as humans, but also renounced worldly life and became bhikshus or bhikshunis.
A few days ago, I saw two ordained people. In a previous life, one had been a frog, and had very great blessings, so he was plump. In a previous life, the other had been a mouse, and had very few blessings, so he was thin and frail, but he was very intelligent. This may sound like a story or a joke, but it is true. Only when you truly come to know this will you believe it is real, not false.
Although they became monks, they created a great deal of evil karma. In the future, if I’m not mistaken, they may not even be able to become frogs or mice; they may have to be maggots in a manure pit. This is because they did not cultivate merit, and so they fell into a lower realm. If they had diligently cultivated merit and widely planted roots of goodness, their blessings would have increased life after life. To put it simply, cultivating merit brings blessings; not cultivating merit brings none. That is the principle of transmigration.
We are practitioners of the Way, and must increasingly cultivate a diligent mind, arouse the aspiration for the Great Way, and give rise to joy; then our roots of goodness will grow ever deeper. Once these roots are deep, their branches and leaves will flourish more abundantly. If we do not practice today, make no effort tomorrow, and grow lazy the day after, then our cultivation of the Way will worsen with each passing day. This proves that, lifetime after lifetime, you have been lazy monks like this. If you cultivate the Way by advancing and retreating—taking one step forward and two steps back—you will never reach the other shore. The merit you cultivate is meager, while the offenses you create are many; you will certainly fall into ruin, without the slightest doubt. This is what is called transmigration.
“In peril” refers to transmigration through the various paths. This path is extremely dangerous and arduous, with wolves, insects, tigers, leopards, lions, venomous snakes, and all kinds of ferocious beasts. If one encounters a venomous snake, one will be bitten to death; if one encounters a ferocious beast, one will be bitten and devoured. That is why it is called being in peril.
We who cultivate the Way should remember, in handling anything, not to have even the slightest jealousy or a mind seeking fame and gain. If we seek fame or gain, or are jealous, and cultivate the Way for the sake of fame or gain, we will surely fall—perhaps into the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, or animals; it is impossible to say which. To cultivate the Way, we must cultivate the Perfection of Patience. If we cannot endure, it would be better to die in purity. If we cannot be diligent, what use is there in cultivating the Way? If we do not understand principles and realities, it will become increasingly meaningless; if we do not understand the Buddhadharma, we will fall further and further, even descending into a pit of feces to become maggots. After passing through countless kalpas and then being reborn as a human, their bodies will give off an extremely foul odor. Anyone whose body has an unusual smell or stinks has, in a previous life, failed to observe the precepts.
I just spoke about frogs and mice being reborn as humans and then renouncing the household life to cultivate the Way. Surely some people will have doubts: How do we know they were frogs reborn as humans? How do we know they were mice reborn as humans? This matter is very simple and easy to know. Anyone who is courageous and diligent, and who applies themselves to sitting meditation, will know this realm. For example, when an animal is reborn as a human, the image of its previous life remains along the back of that person’s spine. Whatever kind of animal it was in its previous life, that image will appear. However, only a clear-eyed spiritual mentor can know this.
If you want to know what you were in a past life, look at what you do in this life to determine it. If you are inclined to do good and observe the rules, then you were certainly someone who planted wholesome roots in a past life. If you do not want to do good and do not observe the rules, then you were certainly someone who did not plant wholesome roots in a past life.
Those who have left home must uphold the precepts, diligently cultivate, and not let even a second or a minute pass in vain. Each person must have a fixed daily schedule: when to meditate, when to recite sutras, when to bow to the Buddha, and when to recite mantras—all must be done on time. No matter how difficult or exhausting it is, each person must apply themselves and cultivate their own practice. It is not enough to be sincere for just one day; one must be sincere every day. It is not enough to practice patience for just one day; one must practice patience every day. Sincerity and patience depend on oneself; one cannot deceive others about them. Only by cultivating with courage and vigor can one hope to attain realization.
How can one know what someone was like in a previous life? You must see whether they uphold the precepts and the rules. Upholding the precepts means having wholesome roots; observing the rules means being a virtuous spiritual friend. Anyone who does not uphold the precepts, nitpicks, and causes others distress has no wholesome roots.
The human eye is a bright mirror. Sometimes it shines outward, and sometimes inward; it must turn back and shine on oneself. Don’t be a camera that shines only on others and not on oneself. Whether one has left the home life or remains a layperson, one must turn the light inward and reflect on oneself. If you do this regularly, you will succeed one day. If you do not, you will only waste precious time and let it pass in vain.
“The Thus Come One compassionately appears in the world.” Why does the Buddha appear in the world? To teach and transform stubborn sentient beings who are difficult to tame and subdue. The Buddha has compassion for all sentient beings. These beings are deluded and do not awaken. No matter what Dharma-door is used to teach and transform them, they still do not become enlightened. They only know how to fall into the three evil paths, take animals as their parents, hungry ghosts as their friends, and go sightseeing in hell. They all want to taste it and find out exactly what it is like.
“Bringing about the eradication of all suffering.” The Buddha enables all the suffering and anguish of sentient beings to be extinguished, so they may attain peace and joy.
One who is free from suffering has no ignorance, afflictions, or anger. Only one who is free from suffering is truly at ease. Only by practicing in accordance with the Dharma can one cut off ignorance and eliminate afflictions; then anger will leave no trace. Only then can one attain the pāramitā.
“This liberation gate of Compassionate Power.” The Spirit Who Abides as the Lord of Great Compassionate Power clearly perceived this liberation gate.
Sentient beings are shrouded in darkness, bound to the wheel of rebirth forever;
The Buddha expounds the Dharma, greatly opening their understanding;
He enables them all to find joy and removes their many sufferings;
The Spirit of Great Good Light enters this gateway.
Commentary: “Sentient beings drift and sink in darkness.” When no Buddha appears in the world, all sentient beings are trapped in a dark world, obscured by ignorance, and drift through the three evil paths. There is no light in the three evil paths; they are as dark as night. Sentient beings suffer eternally in the three evil paths, without freedom and, even more so, without light.
What are the three evil paths? They are hell, hungry ghosts, and animals. These three evil paths are brought about by karmic offenses. So why commit karmic offenses? Because the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance run rampant: greed leads to rebirth as a hungry ghost, anger leads to falling into hell, and ignorance leads to rebirth as an animal.
“The Buddha expounds the Dharma to bring understanding.” Because sentient beings create karmic offenses, they fall into the three evil paths. Even in the three good paths, they are obscured by ignorance and therefore still lack wisdom. The Buddha, out of compassion for these beings, expounds the Dharma to help them leave delusion and attain enlightenment, abandon what is wrong and return to what is right, give rise to the bodhi mind, and ultimately become Buddhas. The Buddha teaches and transforms all sentient beings, enabling them to understand the right principles so that they no longer create karmic offenses. To eradicate greed, anger, and delusion, they must diligently cultivate morality, concentration, and wisdom, and put faith, practice, and vows into action.
“May all be made joyful and freed from suffering.” Buddhism guides all sentient beings, enabling them to leave suffering and attain happiness, and to eliminate all suffering.
“The Good Roots Light Spirit enters this gateway.” The Spirit Who Illuminates Good Roots and Presides over Dwellings, having attained this state, clearly understands that the Buddha appeared in the world to enable all sentient beings to end suffering and attain happiness. This spirit enters this liberation gateway.
The Tathāgata’s merit is as vast as space;
All the blessings of the world arise from this;
Whatever anyone does is never in vain.
Thus, Hoa Anh attains this liberation.
“The Tathagata’s merit is as immeasurable as empty space.” All the Buddha’s merit is pure merit. All the merit of sentient beings is impure merit. Yet impure merit arises from pure merit. How great, ultimately, is pure merit? How vast? How long? Does it have limits? It does not! Therefore it is said that the Tathagata’s merit is as immeasurable as empty space. Empty space has no quantity; there is no way to measure it, nor can any boundary be found.
“The blessings of the world arise from here.” All worldly blessings are impure. Yet all worldly blessings arise from the Buddha’s pure blessings.
“Whatever one does is not in vain.” Whatever meritorious deed one performs brings karmic blessings that are not in vain. However, these blessings arise from the Buddha’s pure merit, but one must also personally perform wholesome deeds to receive them. Otherwise, do not expect to receive blessings. They do not come by chance; they must be put into practice! If we do good deeds, perform meritorious acts, and accumulate merit and virtue, then we will receive blessings. Some people in the world know only how to cultivate blessings for the present, but do not know how to nurture blessings for the future. Where do the blessings we enjoy now come from? They come from nurturing them over countless kalpas. In other words, in past lives we cultivated all kinds of roots of goodness, performed many meritorious deeds, and accumulated much virtue, which is why we have blessings in this life. So remember the blessings you already possess and cultivate blessings for the future. That is blessings added to blessings, accumulating blessings within blessings; the blessings in future lives will surely be greater. If we do not continue doing good, performing meritorious deeds, and accumulating virtue, then once we have enjoyed all our blessings, we will have to suffer in future lives. That is why it is said: “Endure suffering, and suffering will end; enjoy good fortune, and good fortune will end.” These two sentences are very important. I hope everyone will remember them. If you understand their meaning, you will also understand the principles of being a good person. Plant good causes and you will reap good results; plant evil causes and you will reap evil results. That is the law of cause and effect. However, this principle is very simple and easy to understand, but if you don’t put it into practice, it is of no use! So, endure suffering and suffering will end; enjoy blessings and they will run out. These two sentences are very important, so remember them! Don’t let them go in one ear and out the other! For example, if you are filial to your parents, your children will also be filial. Therefore: Filial parents beget filial children; filial children and grandchildren repay them in turn.
The way you treat your parents with filial devotion is the way your children and grandchildren will treat you; this is also the principle of cause and effect.
Even if your children do not know how to be filial, you should still be filial to your own parents and set an example through your actions day after day. Over time, you will gradually influence your unfilial children, and they will learn to be filial.
In this country, America, people have no moral concept of being filial to their parents or respecting their teachers and elders. They consider anyone who does so a social degenerate, a black sheep. As a result, everyone joins in, scolding and cursing them, saying they are terribly foolish. They believe that although their parents gave birth to them, raised them, and taught them, that was simply their parents’ responsibility. Consequently, no one looks after the elderly, which is truly pitiful! America’s science is the best in the world, but no one looks after its elderly either—and in that, too, it is the worst in the world. In America, anyone who is filial to their parents becomes everyone’s enemy. They face discrimination and rejection everywhere, are slandered, and are criticized as stubborn, conservative, backward, and out of step with the times. American young people try every means to get rid of their parents and fight against them. In short, not only do they fail to repay their parents for raising them, they are instead unfilial toward them. When parents have children but do not educate them, letting them develop as they please, how could those children understand the meaning of filial piety? Therefore, raising children without teaching them is the parents’ fault.
In this country, if one advocates filial piety, some young people will object. If one advocates becoming “hippies” or taking drugs, and so on, they welcome it and enthusiastically support it. They think it is good to teach them to head downstream, and bad to teach them to head upstream—isn’t that pitiful? Laws differ around the world. In the same way, something may be legal in one country but illegal in another. Some countries allow men to have long hair and long beards, considering it progressive, modern, and fashionable. Others believe it would affect social order. One country may not welcome people who are dutiful to their parents, while another welcomes them. So there are many strange things in this world; hence: “Ten miles, different winds; a hundred miles, different customs.” The things in this world are strange and myriad, and very difficult to explain; no single principle can explain them completely. In Western countries, before there was Buddhism, no one felt that anything was wrong. Now that there is Buddhism, no one recognizes what is good. This is the inverted perception of sentient beings. Sometimes they take what is true to be false, and sometimes they take what is false to be true. Therefore, no single principle can fully explain a matter. But Buddhist reasoning can explain it completely. If you commit sinful acts, you will fall into the three evil paths. If you perform virtuous deeds, you will transcend the three realms. Therefore, whatever you do is never in vain.
“Flower Garland attained this liberation.” The Flower Garland Lord of Abodes Spirit clearly understood the doctrine of the liberation gate mentioned above.
Furthermore, the Night-Deity Universal Virtue Pure Light attained the liberation gate of great courageous vigor in the bliss of tranquil meditation.
Commentary: The meaning explained above has not yet been fully covered, so I will continue explaining it now; this is why it is called “furthermore.”
Earlier, I explained the Day-Ruling Spirits, who are in charge during the daytime. Of course, there must also be spirits in charge at night. These Night-Ruling Spirits are divided into three periods: the first part of the night, the middle of the night, and the last part of the night. They watch sentient beings at night to see whether they commit any misdeeds. If they do, the spirits take note, so that in the future they will undergo karmic retribution. Sometimes, when they see sentient beings commit minor offenses, they do not take note, as if they did not know.
Among these Night Gods, seven are among the fifty-three spiritual friends of the youth Sudhana. This Night God, Universal Virtue Pure Light, possesses virtues that pervade everywhere to benefit sentient beings, protect them, and inspire them to bring forth the aspiration for supreme enlightenment. Her light is pure and unobstructed; within that light, further radiance appears, manifesting all kinds of unobstructed light. It is truly wondrous beyond description.
This one has attained the gate of liberation and delights in the bliss of tranquil meditation. “Quiescence” means stillness without movement; “quietude” means being quiet yet penetrating. Thus, “when quietude reaches its utmost, radiance penetrates,” meaning that when stillness reaches its utmost, the light of wisdom becomes manifest. “Quiescent” means: “All dharmas, from the very beginning, have always been characterized by quiescent extinction.” Because of cessation, it is still. Through stillness, one attains the bliss of meditation.
What is meditation? “Thiền” is a Sanskrit word; its full form is “dhyāna,” translated as “quiet contemplation.” Only with quiet contemplation is there meditation; without quiet contemplation, there is no meditation. “Samādhi” means being unmoving. In short, not moving is samādhi; moving is not. If one has meditation without samādhi, or samādhi without meditation, one cannot attain the state in which meditative joy serves as food.
The practice of meditation and samādhi is sitting meditation. One must sit down for the practice to become manifest; sitting meditation is not sleeping. Sleeping is not sitting meditation—it is sleeping meditation. Sleep is not meditation, and meditation cannot be sleep.
When entering samādhi, the back must be straight and the head upright. Sit straight and properly, without letting the head droop or the body lean. Keep the eyes half closed and half open. This is the posture for entering samādhi. Entering samādhi and sleeping are different. In sleep, one loses one’s clear awareness, becomes confused within confusion, and enters a dream, knowing nothing. That is sleep, not samādhi. Entering samādhi requires strength. This strength supports the body so that it does not slump, fall forward, or lean backward. Only then can one attain the practice of meditation and samādhi.
What is the bliss of meditation? It is attaining, while in meditative concentration, a kind of bliss incomparable to anything. This bliss cannot possibly be imagined; it is beyond thought. Therefore: “The path of language is cut off; the realm of mental activity is extinguished.” This joy of meditation is a continuous, unceasing pleasure. Only someone who has experienced this realm can know its wondrous bliss, just as:
“One who drinks water
knows for oneself whether it is hot or cold.” Meditation is not merely something to talk about; it is something to practice. Once you take joy in meditation, a mighty, vigorous energy arises within you. This vigorous energy is no ordinary thing; it is most extraordinary—a great and mighty vigor, a great and blissful meditative concentration. This vigor is the most steadfast, and this bliss is the most enduring. Great might and strength means the power of concentration; it also means being able to endure without fear. This power is vast, and no other force can obstruct it.
This Night-Goddess attained this Dharma-door of liberation. She was the thirty-second good-knowing advisor of Sudhana, and is also the good spiritual friend of the Stainless Ground, having realized the second Bodhisattva ground.
The Night Spirit Joyful-Eyed, Lord Who Observes the World, attained the liberation gate of the vast, pure, delightful marks of merit.
Commentary: This Joyful-Eyed, World-Observing Lord Night Spirit is always joyful in her eyes. With joyful eyes, she observes all the sentient beings of the world. If sentient beings are in distress, she reaches out her hand to rescue them from boiling oil and raging flames, bringing them coolness. For this reason, she has attained the vast, pure, and pleasing merit-characteristic that is the mind of a Bodhisattva. She has attained this liberation and is also Sudhana’s thirty-third spiritual benefactor: the Good Friend of the Radiant Ground, who has realized the third Bodhisattva stage.
The Night Goddess Who Protects the World’s Vital Essence attained the liberation gate of universally manifesting in the world to subdue sentient beings.
Commentary: This Night Goddess, Guardian of the World’s Vital Essence, protects the vital essence of all sentient beings in the world, so that none of them lose their vital essence. Because she vowed to protect the vital essence of sentient beings, she appears throughout the world. What does she appear throughout the world for? To subdue stubborn sentient beings. Sentient beings’ sense of self is so deeply ingrained and their views of self so strong that they cling to the mark of self and the view of self, unwilling to suffer even the slightest loss: “This is me; that belongs to me.” In short, refusing to accept any loss and not wanting to suffer are both effects of stubborn attachment. This Night Goddess vowed to subdue sentient beings, enabling them all to enter the Dharma-gate of liberation and receive its benefits. She is the thirty-fourth spiritual benefactor of Sudhana, and is also the good spiritual friend of the Blazing Wisdom Ground, having attained the fourth Bodhisattva stage.
The Night Goddess Master of the Sound of the Tranquil Sea attained the liberation gate of accumulating a vast and great joyful mind.
The Night Goddess Silent Ocean Sound attained the liberation gate of accumulating a vast, joyful mind.
Lecture: The Night Spirit Lord of the Sound of the Ocean of Tranquility. The ocean of tranquility has no sound of waves or wind. The ocean, too, enters samadhi and has no sound; it does not hear, yet it hears. It is not that there is no sound, but rather that the sound is tranquil and still. At night there is no sound at all, and so it is called the Sound of the Ocean of Tranquility.
This spirit attained a vast joyful mind. This joyful mind was formed by accumulating bit by bit—that is, by gathering small amounts until they became great. Thus, “accumulating grains of sand to build a stupa,” and so a vast joyful mind was assembled.
Everyone knows that rejoicing is good, yet often we still feel grief or sorrow, and our minds are not joyful. Why are we not joyful? Because we have not cultivated a vast, joyful mind. If we cultivate a vast, joyful mind, we will not be sorrowful.
“Since ancient times, the immortals have had no other way:
Let joy flourish, and let no sorrow arise.”
The gods are carefree and at ease, and endlessly joyful, because their minds are filled with joy. Why do sentient beings suffer distress? Because their minds are sorrowful, and so they cannot remain joyful at all times. This Night Goddess attained the samādhi of vast joy and entered the liberation-gate of vast joy. She is Sudhana’s thirty-fifth spiritual mentor, and is also the good spiritual friend of the Difficult-to-Conquer Ground, having attained the fifth ground of a bodhisattva.
The Night Goddess Universal Manifestation of Auspiciousness attained the liberation gate of profoundly deep,自在, pleasing speech sounds.
Commentary: The Night Goddess Universal Manifestation of Auspiciousness. Auspiciousness is a good phenomenon, while evil is a bad phenomenon, so everyone likes auspiciousness and dislikes evil. Hence, “May everything be auspicious and as wished”: auspiciousness means that nothing bad happens, and “as wished” means that things turn out just as one hopes. This goddess manifests all kinds of auspicious phenomena. Anyone who encounters her is sure to be blessed with good fortune and happiness. She has attained an exceptionally profound mastery and feels joy in her heart. Whoever hears her words and sounds is pleased and joyful; this is the gateway to liberation that she has attained. She is Sudhana’s thirty-sixth spiritual friend and is also the good spiritual friend who has realized the sixth Bodhisattva stage, the Stage of Manifestation.
The Night Goddess Who Universally Causes the Flowers of Trees to Bloom attained the liberation gate of the vast treasury of joy, complete with light.
Commentary: This Lady of the Night, Universally Bringing Forth Flowers, causes all the trees to bloom at the same time. The liberation this Lady has attained is to radiate light that pervades the Dharma realm. She has also attained a vast treasury of joy, which means boundless and inexhaustible joy. She is the thirty-seventh good spiritual friend of the youth Sudhana, and is also the good friend of the Far-Reaching Ground, having realized the seventh Bodhisattva ground.
The Night Goddess Who Equally Protects and Nurtures attained the liberation gate of awakening sentient beings and bringing their roots of goodness to maturity.
Commentary: This Equal Protection and Nurturing Lord-Dwelling Spirit protects and nurtures all sentient beings equally, without discrimination. Therefore, with compassionate eyes, he gazes upon sentient beings, enabling them all to attain awakening and realize the fruit equally.
This one has attained this gate of liberation and enlightens sentient beings, enabling them to open the Buddha’s knowledge and vision, awaken to the Buddha’s knowledge and vision, and enter the Buddha’s knowledge and vision. This is also to open, reveal, awaken to, and enter the Buddha’s knowledge and vision. This one enables all sentient beings who have not planted wholesome roots to plant them; those who have planted wholesome roots to make them grow; those whose wholesome roots have grown to bring them to maturity; and those whose wholesome roots have matured to attain liberation. This one constantly enables the wholesome roots of sentient beings to be brought to perfect fulfillment as they enter this gate of liberation. This one is the thirty-eighth good spiritual advisor of the youth Sudhana, namely, the good spiritual friend of the Immovable Ground, who has realized the eighth stage of a Bodhisattva.
The Night Deity in Charge of Playful Delight attained the liberation gate of boundless loving-kindness that rescues sentient beings.
Commentary: This Night Spirit, Lord of Play and Joy, delights in play and pleasure. Just as in our Way Place, children run back and forth playing. They think it is fun; that is play. The children come here not to listen to the sutras, but merely to fool around, run about, and shout noisily. That is pleasure.
We sentient beings in this world are the same. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas look upon us as children, running and jumping about, playing, and spending the whole day confused and caught up in disputes over right and wrong. We all think it is enjoyable. Because sentient beings enjoy amusement and pleasure, this Night God uses amusement and pleasure to teach and guide them.
This person has attained the liberation of boundless loving-kindness, rescuing sentient beings, and uses that boundless loving-kindness to cherish and protect all children. Some laypeople are unhappy when they see children present, so they do not come to listen to the sutra. Not only do they themselves not come to listen, they also tell others not to come. In fact, even if there were no children, they still would not come to listen to the sutra or study the Buddhadharma; that is merely a convenient excuse. So what do they study? Dancing; they listen to music and watch television. They devote all their time to useless amusements, thinking that these are pleasures.
Nowadays, there are some very bad laypeople and monastics. They make no effort, do not bow to the Buddha, listen to no sutras, and study no Buddhist teachings. Instead, they resent others for coming here to listen to sutras and hear the Dharma, and even advise them not to come. Without thinking for themselves, they believe what they hear and assume these people have a point. They say, “The children in the monastery cry and shout, making so much noise that you can’t hear the Master’s lecture clearly. It’s more enjoyable to stay home and watch television.” In truth, this is just an excuse for not coming to listen to the sutras. These people never wanted to study and practice the Buddha’s teachings in the first place, and they also keep others from learning them. That is why they have such thoughts. They are truly leading people into hell and onto the wrong path. So you must watch out for people like this. Don’t let them deceive you and cause you to lose your resolve on the path.
Boundless loving-kindness means forgiving others. Whoever looks down on us, slanders us, or falsely accuses us, we must be patient. Like a child who is crying: don’t hit or scold the child; speak to them with compassion, and little by little they will stop crying. That is boundless loving-kindness.
The Night Goddess Who Always Rejoices in All Faculties attained the liberation gate of the Great Compassion that Universally Manifests Adornments.
Commentary: This Night Goddess Who Presides Over Constant Joy in All Faculties always manifests joy through the faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. This joy is a fullness of Dharma joy. When the eye faculty sees the Dharma, it attains a fullness of Dharma joy. When the ear faculty hears the Dharma, it attains a fullness of Dharma joy. When the nose faculty smells the Dharma, it attains a fullness of Dharma joy. When the tongue faculty tastes the Dharma, it attains a fullness of Dharma joy. When the body faculty perceives the Dharma, it attains a fullness of Dharma joy. When the mind faculty knows the Dharma, it too attains a fullness of Dharma joy. Therefore, she is called the Night Goddess Who Presides Over Constant Joy in All Faculties.
This being’s compassion is immense, and they constantly teach and transform sentient beings. At night, they bestow all the Dharma to bless all sentient beings, causing them either to receive the benefits of the gift of Dharma in their dreams or to receive those benefits while sitting or lying down. This being imparts the sound of the Dharma equally, causing sentient beings to bring forth the bodhi mind and turn away from evil toward good.
The character “chu” in “chu căn” can serve as a grammatical particle. As a particle, it refers to one faculty—that is, it speaks specifically of the eye faculty, which is always joyful. So just now, when we explained “chu căn,” we were referring to the six faculties: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Now it speaks of just one faculty, the eye. If speaking specifically of the eye faculty, then “chu” is a particle. “Chu” means only one, so it says that the eye faculty is always joyful.
This Lord Night Deity works at night. What does he do at night? He uses the Dharma to give alms and protect all sentient beings, and so attains the liberation-gate of appearing everywhere to adorn Buddha-lands. He dedicates all the merit he creates to the Buddha-lands of the ten directions, adorning the Buddha-lands throughout the ten directions. This is called adorning the Buddha, thereby adorning oneself: adorning the Buddha-lands is adorning one’s own land. Why? Because when one becomes a Buddha in the future, one’s land will be all the more beautifully adorned. Because he has brought forth a great aspiration that is immeasurable, boundless, and indescribable, he attains adornments that are likewise inexhaustible and indescribable.
This one uses the Dharma-door of great compassion as an adornment in order to liberate all sentient beings. Great compassion means rescuing sentient beings from suffering, enabling them to leave suffering and attain joy. Through this Dharma-door, this one clearly understands this realm and attains this door of liberation.
This one uses the Dharma-gate of great compassion, manifesting in a dignified form to transform sentient beings. Hence the story, “The Stone Chamber Retains an Image; the Poisonous Dragon’s Heart Is Transformed.” The Buddha said to the Venerable Ananda:
“Formerly, the Tathagata came to Mount Gu Xian, in the country of Na Gan Ha La, to the Campaka Forest, beside the poisonous dragon’s lake behind the Blue Lotus Spring. In the Rakshasa cave were five Rakshasa demons who transformed themselves into dragon maidens and had illicit relations with the poisonous dragon. The poisonous dragon made hail fall, causing the Rakshasa demons to flee in all directions. This in turn brought about famine and an epidemic. The calamity lasted for more than four years. The king, in fear, prayed to the gods, but to no avail.” At that time, a Brahmin praised the Buddha’s virtues. Therefore, the king burned incense and prayed from afar, inviting the Tathāgata. The Tathāgata accepted the invitation of King Phất Ba Phù Đề of the country of Na Càn Ma La and manifested vast supernatural transformations. The Rākṣasa demons and the venomous dragons were all converted and turned from evil to the right path. At that time, the Dragon King knelt before the Buddha with palms joined and begged him to stay there for a long time, saying, “If the Buddha does not stay, I will give rise to evil thoughts and will be unable to attain unsurpassed bodhi.” Therefore, the Buddha consented and did not leave the dragon’s cave.
Once, the Buddha accepted an invitation from the Dragon King to enter the city and teach. He traveled to places where he had practiced the Bodhisattva path in the past. At that time, when the dragons saw that the Buddha was about to leave, they wept and implored him compassionately to stay longer, saying, “Why do you want to leave us and go? If I do not see the Buddha’s venerable countenance every day, I will do evil deeds and will surely fall into the three evil realms.” At that time, the Buddha comforted the Dragon King, saying, “I have accepted your invitation and will sit in your cave for fifteen hundred years.” Having said this, the Buddha sprang into the rock, and his image shone as clearly as a mirror. Thus, the dragons could always see the Buddha seated cross-legged on the rock wall, his image appearing on its outer surface. The dragons rejoiced with their palms joined, and thereafter did not leave that place.
The Night Goddess Who Manifests Pure Blessings attained the liberation gate of universally fulfilling the joys of all sentient beings.
Commentary: This Night Goddess Who Manifests Pure Blessings often manifests pure lands. Sentient beings who have merit and virtue are all ferried to the other shore. Does that mean sentient beings without merit and virtue cannot be ferried across? They can also be ferried across, but it takes a little longer; they are not all ferried across at the same time. First, she ferries across sentient beings of the highest capacity, then those of middling capacity, and finally those of the lowest capacity. They are ferried across in order.
The manifestations are likewise as follows: first, a pure land is manifested; then a land that is half pure and half impure; and finally, the evil age of the five turbidities. The evil age of the five turbidities is this world of ours. The five turbidities are kalpa turbidity, view turbidity, affliction turbidity, sentient-being turbidity, and life-span turbidity—the five kinds of defilement. Because of these five kinds of impurity, the world we live in has become the evil age of the five turbidities.
This Lord of the Night currently manifests great spiritual powers and observes all sentient beings. He goes to deliver those whose conditions have ripened; those whose conditions have not yet ripened must wait. Sentient beings with the weakest faculties must wait until last to be delivered. In short, all are delivered, whether their roots of goodness are sharp or inferior; the only difference is whether they are delivered sooner or later.
Whatever sentient beings take delight in, this Night Deity will help them attain. For example, if you like dogs, he will give you a beautiful dog; if you like cats, he will give you an adorable cat. Someone might say, “What kind of Dharma is the Dharma Master teaching?” He is teaching the Dharma of dogs and cats. If we cannot guide people to liberation, then guiding dogs and cats is not a bad thing either. Don’t look down on dogs and cats. In past lives, Shakyamuni Buddha was a dog, a cat, a deer, and a dragon. That is why there is an ancient legend in India about Deer Park. Don’t look down on any sentient being. All sentient beings have Buddha-nature and can become Buddhas.
In this world, when people get what they wish for, they are happy; when they do not get what they wish for, they are sad. This is only natural! Unless a practitioner has already reached home—in which case, there is nothing to discuss.
This Night-Ruling Deity attained this liberation. Whatever sentient beings desire, this deity will surely fulfill their wishes.
At that time, the Universally Virtuous Pure Light Night-Ruling Spirit, relying on the Buddha’s mighty power, surveyed the entire assembly of Night-Ruling Spirits and spoke in verse, saying: At that time, the Night Goddess Universally Virtuous Pure Light, relying on the Buddha’s power, surveyed all the Night Goddesses and spoke this verse.
Commentary: At that time – which time? That is, after the Night Goddess Who Manifests Pure Blessings had finished speaking the sutra in prose, the Night Goddess of Universal Virtue and Pure Light, relying on the Buddha’s great spiritual power, surveyed the entire assembly of Night Goddesses and spoke verses praising the Buddha.
You should all contemplate the Buddha’s practice:
Vast and serene, with the nature of space;
The boundless sea of desire, all kept pure;
Free of defilement, majestic and dignified, illuminating the ten directions.
Commentary: “You should contemplate the Buddha’s cultivation and practice.” The Night-God Master of Universal Virtue, Pure Light, said: “You should observe the Buddha’s practices of cultivation. The practices the Buddha cultivated were difficult to undertake, yet he undertook them; difficult to endure, yet he endured them. What others could not bear to suffer, he could bear. What other practitioners could not practice, he could practice. Therefore, observe the Buddha’s difficult ascetic practices.
It is not enough merely to talk about this; you must practice in accordance with the Dharma. Ask yourself: The Buddha undertook difficult ascetic practices—can I undertake them too? It is not enough merely to observe; you must put them into practice. If you cannot practice in accordance with the Dharma, you should give rise to a mind of repentance.” “Vast and still, like empty space.” The Buddha’s practice is the vastest and stillest, like empty space. Space is boundless in its vastness and silent in its stillness. The nature of space is vast and still.
The Buddha has no attachments: he practices without practicing and realizes without realizing. He neither practices nor realizes, and has no attachments, so he is like empty space. Empty space has no characteristics, yet is not separate from any characteristic. This is also expressed as: “It is all characteristics, yet apart from all characteristics.” “The boundless sea of desire is entirely purified.” Human desires have no limits and are never satisfied. Hence the saying: “The human heart is never content; a snake swallows an elephant.” Human desires never cease and have no bounds, like the vast ocean; therefore it is called the sea of desire. Although the sea of desire of sentient beings has no bounds, the Buddha uses skillful means and Dharma methods to purify it completely, enabling sentient beings to return to their source, recover their original true face, awaken to everything, and understand clearly that worldly phenomena are impermanent.
“Free from defilement, dignified and splendid, illuminating the ten directions.” The Buddha is the pure, undefiled Dharma body, and is therefore perfectly dignified and adorned—that is, the body is adorned with the thirty-two marks and eighty auspicious characteristics. The light of wisdom shines throughout the worlds of the ten directions. Now, we are expounding the Flower Adornment Sutra of the Great and Vast Buddha, which is also a place illuminated by the Buddha’s light of wisdom.
All the worlds delight in seeing him,
Across oceans of immeasurable kalpas, one meets him but once,
In great compassion, he is mindful of all beings, leaving none uncared for,
This liberation-gate is witnessed by Avalokitesvara.
Commentary: “All the worlds delight in seeing.” All worlds, both the sentient and insentient realms, encompass all beings in the ten directions. They all delight in seeing—that is, all beings delight in seeing the Buddha.
“Once in countless kalpas.” Yet it takes immeasurable, boundless great kalpas to encounter a Buddha; one does not encounter a Buddha often.
“Great compassion is mindful of all sentient beings.” The Buddha uses the mind of great compassion to teach and transform sentient beings, thinking of sentient beings and keeping them in mind, and thus liberates them. The Buddha keeps all sentient beings everywhere in mind; hence it is said, “Great compassion is mindful of all sentient beings.” “This is the liberation-gate seen by the World-Contemplating Lord.” This liberation-gate was seen and understood by the Night Goddess Joyful-Eyed World-Contemplating Lord.
Those who cultivate the Way must become ever more diligent, ever more sincere, and ever more repentant. If they become increasingly lazy and negligent, increasingly careless, and cultivate in this way, they will never make any progress, much less attain realization. They must always maintain right mindfulness, not give rise to false thoughts or desire. If they wish not to give rise to desire, they must first observe the rules. These rules are not for one person alone; they are for everyone. Everyone must observe them, because without following the rules, nothing can be made square or round. Thus, those who cultivate the Way but do not observe the rules are like rotten wood that cannot be carved. The principle is the same.
If one is a bhikshu but does not observe the rules, one has no value at all. If a bhikshu does not observe the rules, then laypeople who learn the Buddhadharma from that bhikshu will be even less likely to observe them. A bhikshu’s every action and every word serves as a model for others. Therefore, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one must conform to the rules. This is the dignified conduct that represents those who have left home.
If a bhikshu disdains his teacher and the Dharma, showing no respect for his teacher and no reverence for the Dharma, what kind of bhikshu is he? Don’t even talk about wanting to attain enlightenment or become a Buddha. All he will do is fall further and further into decline, becoming a bhikshu who does not understand the rules and etiquette—truly worse than a layperson. Laypeople understand the rules and etiquette; they know to go and request the Dharma, and that they must wear the robe and carry their ceremonial implements. Yet a bhikshu who does not understand these rules and etiquette—what kind of bhikshu is that? Seeing such people truly breaks my heart!
The Master who rescues all worlds,
All beings see [him] before them;
He can make all realms of existence pure;
Thus the World-Protecting One can observe.
Commentary: “The Guiding Master Who Rescues the Worlds.” The guiding master is the master who receives and leads beings; he is also the Buddha. This Buddha is Shakyamuni Buddha, not all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times. However, all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times, as well as Shakyamuni Buddha, rescue and protect the worlds, save all sentient beings from the sea of suffering, and at the same time protect all sentient beings and all living beings in the world.
“All beings see [the Buddha] before them.” When the Buddha appears in the world, all beings can see the Buddha before them, expounding the Dharma for them. This is also like the moon appearing in all bodies of water. The moon seen in all the waters is still one moon appearing. Now, the Buddha appears before beings. The minds of beings are water, and the Buddha is the moon. If the water of beings’ minds is still and clear, not turbid, then the moon will appear before them. Therefore:
The Buddha is the cool, serene moon,
Ever roaming in ultimate emptiness.
When the defilements in sentient beings’ minds are cleansed,
The image of bodhi appears within.
It means:
The Buddha is like the cool moon,
Ever suspended in the void.
When the waters of sentient beings’ minds grow still and clear,
The path to awakening will appear.
“To make all realms pure.” The Buddha causes all sentient beings in the evil destinies to have their offenses eradicated and blessings arise, their karma purified and afflictions emptied, and all to attain pure karmic retribution.
“The Guardian of the World observes in this way.” This realm can be observed and understood by the Night Spirit, Lord of Vital Essence, who Protects the World.
The Buddha once cultivated the Sea of Joy,
Vast and boundless, impossible to fathom.
Therefore, all who behold it rejoice and delight;
This is what Silent Ocean Sound realized.
Commentary: “In the past, the Buddha cultivated and governed the Ocean of Joy.” Countless kalpas ago, when the Buddha began practicing and governing, he practiced joyfully. Therefore:
Since ancient times, the immortals have known no other way,
Bring forth joy in abundance, and give rise to no sorrow.
Immortals are no longer subject to birth and death; they all cultivate joyful practice. The practice of joy means always giving rise to joy toward everyone, even when they treat you poorly. To perfect this practice, you must have a steadfast mind. It is not something you can accomplish by practicing for ten or twenty days; you must cultivate it lifetime after lifetime. This means never getting angry with anyone or becoming troubled by anyone. Keep advancing in your cultivation and never retreat—strive ever more diligently, with ever greater courage! In the past, the Buddha practiced with joy. No matter who treated Him badly, He would give rise to joy, not affliction or anger. We are disciples of the Buddha, so we should practice according to His example.
In the *Caigentan* are these lines:
“Clear breezes and a bright moon; grass and trees rejoice.
Fierce rain and strong winds; birds and beasts grieve.
Therefore, heaven and earth cannot go a single day without harmony,
And the human heart cannot go a single moment without joy.”
The gist is this: When there are no clouds or winds in the sky, the moon shines brightly, and all the plants and trees rejoice. When violent winds and torrential rains arise, the beasts and birds all suffer miserably. For this reason, there must not be a day without harmony between heaven and earth; in the human heart, there should always be joy and happiness.
“Vast, boundless, and unfathomable.” The vast sea of joy has no shores or boundaries and cannot be measured.
“Thus, all who see him are delighted.” Because of this cause and condition, all sentient beings who see the Buddha give rise to joyful and happy thoughts.
“The Sound of the Ocean of Tranquil Stillness was realized.” This state, this gate of liberation, was clearly understood by the Night God Lord of the Sound of the Ocean of Tranquil Stillness.
The Thus Come One’s realm is immeasurable,
Still, yet able to expound throughout the ten directions,
Universally causing sentient beings’ minds to become pure,
Thi Lợi Dạ Deity, hearing this, leaps with joy,
“The realm of the Tathagata is immeasurable.” Tathagata means: “It comes from nowhere and goes nowhere.” The Tathagata is like one who comes yet does not come. Does he go? He does not go either. He neither comes nor goes, and so is called the Tathagata. “Tathagata” is one of the Buddha’s ten epithets, and thus also means Buddha. Therefore, the Tathagata is Buddha, and Buddha is the Tathagata. Some people who do not understand Buddhadharma call the Buddha “Tathagata Buddha.” In fact, that is like saying “Buddha Buddha”: all Buddhas share the same Way, and all Buddhas are alike. Buddha and Buddha are one in essence, just as light and light are one. Although light may be red, yellow, white, or purple, all light harmonizes together and is still light. There is no distinction between one Buddha and another. That is why it is said:
“The Buddhas of the three times and ten directions
All share one Dharma body.”
So, we too have a Dharma body and a radiance. The Buddha has a radiance; why shouldn’t we have one as well? Yet radiance is not one, while energy is one. What is this energy? It is anger. You get angry, I get angry, he gets angry, and everyone gets angry. How wonderful it would be if we could transform this anger into radiance! If we can eliminate anger, that is radiance—that is wisdom. Why are people foolish? Because they get angry. Anger arises from the accumulation of ignorance and afflictions. It is truly pitiful to be angry. You should know that the fire of ignorance is constantly burning up the forest of merit and virtue. Because of anger, a mind of hatred arises. Once a mind of hatred has arisen, a mind of killing arises too. You should know that killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and drinking alcohol all arise from ignorance, afflictions, and anger.
So, I just said that people’s anger is all the same. In particular, I’m a monastic with a frightfully greedy mind. Greedy for what? For other people’s anger. I want everyone to give me their anger as alms. But you Americans are all unable to let go of it. You cling to your anger, treasuring it more than pearls and precious stones. Now I’m telling you: even if you can’t let go, you have to let go; you have no choice but to let go. If you don’t let go, you have no share in becoming a Buddha. If you can let go, then you will have a share in becoming a Buddha.
All sentient beings have Buddha-nature, yet all sentient beings also have demon-nature. Demon-nature is anger. Think about it: when there is anger, it wreaks havoc; when there is no anger, one returns to the source and reveals the great treasury of luminous light, the wisdom of prajna.
I have been lecturing for so long that I forgot the time and lost track of the topic. But I haven’t strayed too far from it, so let’s return to it now! Return to what? Return to the realm of the Buddhas we were discussing.
Some people ask, “Venerable Master, do you understand the realm of the Buddhas?” I understand a little bit of it, but not much. Someone else asks, “Why do you say you understand a little bit?” Because this realm cannot be measured; it has no number, no bounds—or, rather, it cannot be spoken of. I understand only the realm that cannot be spoken of. This is what I know of that realm. If you investigate it to its roots, ultimately it cannot be spoken of!
Someone else asks, “If it cannot be spoken of, why speak of it?” I cannot speak of it, and you needn’t ask. I cannot speak of it either—that is the realm of the Buddha. You needn’t ask; that is the realm of the Buddha. Knowing this little bit is enough. Don’t try to know too much, or you’ll have afflictions.
Someone else asks, “What is this little bit?” It is breaking through ignorance and revealing the Dharma-nature. When ignorance is broken through, the Dharma-nature will naturally manifest. That is this little bit of the realm of the Buddhas. Understanding it is also the realm of the Buddhas; everything, everything is the realm of the Buddhas. If you don’t understand, that too is the realm of the Buddhas. It’s just that you don’t know it and, for the time being, don’t understand it. That is the principle of the immeasurable realm of the Buddhas.
“Silent, yet expounding throughout the ten directions.” The realm of the Buddha is: “Still and unmoving,
It responds and thereby penetrates all things.” It is still and unmoving, yet bears no sign of extinction; it responds and communicates freely, yet bears no sign of movement. Hence it is said: “In quiescence, it can expound throughout the ten directions.” This means that without moving from the place of enlightenment, it pervades the entire Dharma realm. From that place of enlightenment, through quiescence, the Buddha expounds the wondrous Dharma for sentient beings throughout the Dharma realms of the ten directions.
When we come to this place, that place is left unattended; when we go to that place, this place is left unattended. Since we cannot divide ourselves, we cannot preach while remaining still. “Moving” means taking a plane somewhere to preach, or taking a boat there to preach. The Buddha has hundreds of thousands of millions of emanation bodies, and so can preach while remaining still. Without needing to buy plane or boat tickets, he can go throughout all the worlds in the ten directions, expounding the wondrous Dharma for sentient beings.
Someone said, “That is truly miraculous! But this is the age of science. People have even gone to the moon, yet you still talk like that—it’s not realistic at all!” Of course, you say this is unrealistic. Then go and look for reality! I believe you won’t be able to find it. Our own nature has such wondrous functions, but you don’t understand this principle. It is like having a precious pearl in your pocket but not knowing how to use it: though you have it, it is as if you do not. If you know how to use it, you can bring about countless transformations and have your wishes fulfilled—but you must know how to use it. If you cannot use it, even what goes your way will not go your way; but if you can use it, even what does not go your way will go your way.
Why do we have ignorance? Because the “mind” is not pure. Why do we have afflictions? Because the “mind” is not pure. If the mind is pure, ignorance will be shattered and afflictions will cease. If ignorance cannot be shattered, afflictions cannot cease. Why? Because afflictions must be transformed. Transformed into what? Transform afflictions into bodhi, and shatter ignorance to attain wisdom.
If afflictions are severed, how can they be transformed into bodhi? Therefore, there is no need to eliminate them; instead, transform them into bodhi. Afflictions arise from a lack of clarity, while bodhi arises from clarity. It is like ice being afflictions and water being bodhi. This does not mean boiling the ice until it has all dried up and calling that “severing afflictions.” Not at all! Let the ice melt into water. Thus: “Ice is water; water is ice.” “Afflictions are bodhi; bodhi is afflictions.” In short, when you are clear, that is bodhi; when you are confused, that is affliction. Affliction and bodhi are not two things, but one. So don’t “add another head on top of your head” by seeking bodhi outside of affliction. The scripture passage above says that it pervades the ten directions. Affliction also pervades the ten directions, bodhi also pervades the ten directions, and the Buddha’s wisdom and radiance also pervade the ten directions. They are all interconnected.
Why do we say that afflictions, ignorance, and anger pervade the ten directions? The principle is very simple: there are sentient beings in the ten directions, and wherever there are sentient beings, there are afflictions, ignorance, and anger. Bodhi is the same; it, too, pervades the ten directions. Wherever there are sentient beings, there is the nature of bodhi, which is Buddha-nature. Therefore: “All sentient beings have Buddha-nature; all can become Buddhas.” “Bring purity to the minds of all sentient beings.”
In the Avatamsaka Sutra, there is a verse:
“If anyone wishes to know the realm of the Buddha,
Let them purify their mind like empty space.”
If you wish to understand the Buddha’s realm clearly, then make your mind pure—pure like empty space, where not even a single spot is free from pollution by dust and smoke. Though empty space is polluted, this is temporary; gradually, it will become pure. The air may be impure, but before long it will become pure. The Buddha purifies the consciousness of all sentient beings, leaving not the slightest trace of pollution.
“Thi Lợi, the Night Goddess, hears and leaps for joy.” Thi Lợi means “Universal Manifestation of Auspicious Signs.” When this Night Goddess heard of this indescribable realm, she joyfully leapt about; hence: “Upon hearing the Dharma, her heart was exceedingly joyful, and she danced.” Venerable Mahākāśyapa, a foremost disciple of the Buddha, practiced asceticism devotedly and was therefore known as foremost in ascetic practice. When he heard the wondrous Dharma, it was so delightful that he could not restrain himself and began to dance. Thus, the Dharma can turn ignorance into wisdom. Our purpose in learning the Buddha-Dharma is to cultivate wisdom. Once we have wisdom, we will stop creating evil karma and instead create wholesome karma. This is because we have the Dharma-selecting eye to distinguish good from evil—that is the function of wisdom.
The Buddha among sentient beings devoid of merit
adorned with great merit, exceedingly majestic and wondrous
shows them the dust-free, quiescent Dharma of extinction
universally blooms forth; the spirit awakens to this path.
Commentary: “Expounding the Dharma of Quiescent Extinction, Free from Dust and Defilement.” The Buddha reveals to sentient beings lacking blessings that they must abandon all defilements and attachments. Defilements and attachments are dust and grime; dust and grime are impure, and this is also the evil age of the five turbidities. The more dust and grime there are, the further one will fall; to fall downward is to be in dust and grime. Where does one fall? Into the three evil paths. Although dust particles are each small, when they accumulate in great numbers, their weight is no longer light. Therefore, one must free oneself from clinging. Clinging is karmic obstruction; by freeing oneself from karmic obstruction, one attains the Dharma of Quiescent Extinction.
“Universal Manifestation Flower Spirit realizes this gateway.” The principle just explained above: the Night Spirit Universal Manifestation of Tree Flowers clearly understood this realm and entered this liberation gateway.
Great spiritual powers manifest universally throughout the ten directions;
All sentient beings are brought under control;
Every kind of form is made visible;
This is what the Spirit of Equal Protection of Desires observes;
Commentary: “Great spiritual powers manifest throughout the ten directions.” The Buddha can manifest vast spiritual powers throughout the ten directions. Why manifest vast spiritual powers everywhere? Because he wishes to liberate all sentient beings, enabling them to leave suffering and attain joy.
“All sentient beings are subdued.” It is not easy to subdue all sentient beings. The Kṣitigarbha Sutra says, “The sentient beings of Jambudvipa are obstinate and difficult to tame and subdue.” “All kinds of forms and appearances enable sentient beings to see [the Buddha].” The Buddha manifests all kinds of Dharma bodies. Why? Because only when sentient beings can see the Buddha’s body will they have faith in the Buddha-Dharma. The Lotus Sutra says, “For those who can be delivered by means of a particular body, [the Buddha] manifests that body and teaches the Dharma to them.” “Observed by Equal Protection of Desires.” The Night Goddess Equal Protection of Desires observed this realm and entered this liberation.
Within every thought of the Tathagata in ages past
All-pure skillful means, an ocean of compassion
Rescuing and protecting the world, reaching everywhere
This is the liberation of the Spirit of Blessings and Joy
Commentary: “Every thought of the Tathagata in the past.” Throughout immeasurable kalpas in the past, the Buddha never once forgot to save sentient beings, enabling them to leave suffering and attain joy.
“Pure expedient means, ocean of compassion.” The practice of this Dharma-door of expedient means is entirely pure. Use expedient means to increase the mind of compassion, and use the mind of compassion to support expedient means; they assist one another. When compassion is abundant, it is like the great ocean, and so it is called the ocean of compassion.
“Rescuing all the worlds.” To rescue sentient beings throughout the world, the Buddha manifests the Dharma body or an emanation body wherever there are sentient beings. There is nowhere in the world where the Buddha does not manifest. The Buddha is the greatest and most compassionate of teachers. He never abandons a single sentient being. Even when a being has committed evil karma, has obscured their original mind, and is unable to receive the Dharma, the Buddha still vows to rescue them. The Buddha’s practice is to teach those who cannot be taught and liberate those who cannot be liberated. Because of this great spirit, great vow power, and great compassion, he rescues all the worlds.
“This liberation of the Deity of Blessings and Bliss.” The Night Goddess Who Rules over Playful Joy has realized this gateway to liberation.
Do we wish to enter this gate of liberation? If we do, we can; if we do not, we cannot. Why? Because everything depends on the mind of the Way. Hence: “A determined person will surely succeed.” If your resolve is to become a Buddha, then you will become a Buddha; if your resolve is to become a Bodhisattva, then you will become a Bodhisattva. Look at your aspirations to decide. Everyone has the opportunity to enter this Dharma-door of liberation. If there were no hope, why would the Buddha teach this Dharma-door? The purpose of the Buddha’s teaching the Dharma is to teach living beings to cultivate in accordance with it. If they do not cultivate in accordance with the Dharma, then the Dharma is of no use. Since the Buddha has taught this Dharma-door of liberation, you, I, and they are all qualified to enter it. But you must arouse a vigorous and courageous resolve, move forward, and not retreat. Then you will have hope of entering this Dharma-door of liberation.
Foolish sentient beings are often confused and defiled;
Their minds are stubborn and venomous, exceedingly fearsome;
The Tathāgata arose out of compassion;
This dispels enmity; the Spirit realizes joy.
Commentary: “Foolish sentient beings are often confused and defiled.” Sentient beings are Buddha, and Buddha is sentient beings. Do not seek Buddha outside sentient beings, nor seek sentient beings outside Buddha. Therefore, the ten Dharma realms are not apart from a single thought, and a single thought contains all ten Dharma realms. Thus, mind, Buddha, and sentient beings—the three—are not different. That is sentient beings.
Ignorance is wisdom, and wisdom is ignorance. This principle is not easy to understand. It is like the palm and the back of the hand: being able to turn it over is wisdom; being unable to turn it over is ignorance. Ignorance and wisdom are two sides of the same thing. If you understand, it is wisdom; if you do not understand, it is ignorance. There is no profound mystery to it! So don’t put a head on top of a head, seeking wisdom outside of ignorance or ignorance outside of wisdom. This principle means that mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are not different.
Affliction is bodhi, and bodhi is affliction. Affliction is ignorance, and bodhi is wisdom. Therefore, affliction and bodhi are two, yet not two; not two, yet two. These words may seem to have little meaning, but within what seems to have no great meaning there is, in fact, great meaning. If you seek great meaning somewhere else, that is like adding another head to your head. It is like Yajñadatta’s foolishness in the Shurangama Sutra: he ran all over the streets searching for his head, asking everyone he met, “Where has my head run off to?” “Constantly chaotic and defiled” means constantly in turmoil and defiled—that is, not pure. “Constant” and “brief” are different, yet one thought can be extended across eighty thousand kalpas, and eighty thousand kalpas can be compressed into one thought. Without any fixed measure, what is constant and what is brief? Since there is neither constancy nor brevity, why speak of being constantly chaotic and defiled? This is said with regard to the thoughts of sentient beings. If we say “constantly chaotic and defiled,” sentient beings may think, “Then I must be briefly chaotic and defiled.” But if “brief” keeps getting shorter, it eventually disappears. That is the meaning here.
I am a Dharma teacher who does not know how to expound sutras or explain their meaning. Yet I use my foolish understanding and views to explain the wondrous Dharma of the Tathagata. I lay out all that I know and understand for everyone to use as reference material.
“Their minds are hard and venomous—truly frightening.” This poison cannot be destroyed, just like the hardness of diamond; nothing can destroy it, so it is called hard poison. Where is this hard poison? It is in our minds. How does hardness and poison arise in the mind? It comes from greed, anger, and delusion, which are therefore called the Three Poisons. Ignorance alone is not much of a problem. Laozi said, “When wisdom appears, great hypocrisy arises.” If you are ignorant, you are not hypocritical. Only people with wisdom do hypocritical things. Laozi once said this passage:
When the Great Way is abandoned, benevolence and righteousness appear.
When wisdom and knowledge emerge, great hypocrisy appears.
When the six relationships are out of harmony, filial children appear.
When the state is in turmoil, loyal ministers appear.
Because our minds are too clever, they become deceitful. If we were foolish, there would be no deceit. But foolishness alone cannot encompass all three poisons: greed, anger, and delusion. When all three poisons are fully present, the mind becomes hardened and vicious, which is truly frightening. What is there to fear? You will soon fall into hell—is that not frightening? If you become a hungry ghost, is that not frightening? If you turn into an animal, is that not frightening? If anyone thinks it is not frightening, then go ahead and try it—will you find out whether it is frightening or not? “The Tathagata came into the world out of compassion.” The Tathagata loves sentient beings as a mother loves her child. Sentient beings in this world run amok: sometimes they are born in the heavens, sometimes as human beings, sometimes as ghosts, sometimes as asuras, sometimes as animals, and sometimes they fall into hell. They frolic through the six paths, drifting through the cycle of rebirth without knowing how to return home. The Tathagata waits in the Land of Eternal Stillness and Light. He waits a very long time, yet still does not see them return, so he comes to our world. Why does he come to where we live? Out of compassion for sentient beings, he touches your head, my head, and their heads. This is touching the head to bestow blessings, saying: “Good sons and good daughters! Wake up soon! Do not cling to the mundane world; hurry back to the Land of Eternal Stillness and Light!” This is how the Tathagata, out of compassion for sentient beings, appears in the world.
The Buddha-lands are divided into four kinds:
1. The Land Where Ordinary Beings and Sages Dwell Together: the place where sages and ordinary beings live together.
2. The Land of Expedient Means with Remainder: the place where Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas dwell.
3. The Land of True Reward and Adornment: the place where Bodhisattvas dwell.
4. The Land of Eternally Quiescent Light: the place where all Buddhas dwell.
“What the Deity Always Rejoicing in All Faculties Realized.” The Night-Ruling Deity Always Rejoicing in All Faculties realized this realm and entered this gateway to liberation. This Night-Ruling Deity had aroused the bodhi mind, harbored no selfish thoughts, and sought no benefit for herself, but wished to benefit others. Therefore, she speaks of this gateway to liberation so that all sentient beings may hear it; every sentient being wishes to hear this gateway to liberation.
Would you like to enter this gate of liberation? You are most welcome! Anyone may enter—there is no problem at all; everyone is welcome. May all sentient beings enter together the gate of Prajñā Pāramitā. All good spiritual friends are welcome to enter the gate of Prajñā Pāramitā together.
In the past, the Buddha practiced for the sake of sentient beings,
Fulfilling all their wishes and desires.
Thus, the marks of merit were fully perfected;
Here, the Blessing Spirit manifests and enters.
Commentary: “In the past, the Buddha practiced for the sake of sentient beings.” “The Buddha” refers to Shakyamuni Buddha, and also to all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times.
For all Buddhas are the same. One Buddha is all Buddhas; all Buddhas are one Buddha. Buddhas are like light meeting light, their radiance blending together; all Buddhas are the same.
“Long ago” means formerly, before each Buddha became a Buddha; or “long ago” also refers to a time of immeasurable kalpas.
“Practicing” means cultivating the truth and following the Way. In every lifetime, through every kalpa, one practices in this way. Formerly, before becoming a Buddha, one paid careful attention even to the smallest things, accumulating little by little until they became much, gradually transforming this into great practice. Through long and sustained great practice, one becomes a Dharma body adorned with the myriad virtues, and ultimately becomes a Buddha.
Through spiritual practice, one understands the truth and awakens to it oneself, yet does not forget sentient beings, helping them too to awaken. This is the Bodhisattva’s aspiration to awaken oneself and awaken others. A Bodhisattva has three great aims: to liberate oneself and others, to benefit oneself and others, and to awaken oneself and others. In short, everything is for the benefit of sentient beings, absolutely not for one’s own benefit.
Awakening has a beginning, a middle, and an end: self-awakening, awakening others, and complete awakening. Ultimately, one attains the complete perfection of awakening and practice. At that point, self-awakening is complete, and awakening others is complete as well. One has fully practiced all 84,000 Dharma doors. Why is this so? Because the Buddha practiced in order to liberate sentient beings.
Why doesn’t the Buddha look for a job? Having become a Buddha, wouldn’t it be good to sit there and receive offerings from all sentient beings? Why not simply refrain from going out to save sentient beings? Because the Buddha sees all sentient beings as one with himself. His aspiration is for everyone to attain Buddhahood. No matter how disobedient sentient beings may be, the Buddha does not change; he continues to have compassion for them and save them. How does the Buddha save sentient beings? This is explained below.
“All wishes are fulfilled.” Whatever sentient beings desire in their hearts, the Buddha enables them to have their heart’s desire. When their wishes are fulfilled, they will be grateful for the Buddha’s merit and draw near to the Three Jewels. The Buddha’s purpose in cultivating the path is to deliver sentient beings and help them leave the sea of suffering; they need only turn around to reach the other shore.
“Thus the marks of merit are fully accomplished.” Because the Buddha wishes to save sentient beings, he enables sentient beings to have their wishes fulfilled, and he himself also attains the marks of merit. What are the marks of merit? Through this cause and condition, one fully attains the thirty-two marks and the eighty beautiful features, and becomes a Guide for gods and humans.
These marks of merit and virtue are all attained through cultivation in past lives. If even one method of cultivation is not brought to completion, then these adorned marks of merit and virtue will not be complete either. If that is so, are there marks or not? The Buddha is without marks. If so, why speak of marks of merit and virtue? If the Buddha is without marks, then which Buddha do you believe in? The Buddha is without marks, yet not without marks: having no marks, the Buddha nevertheless accumulates all marks. Since all marks are accumulated, these include marks of merit and virtue.
“Manifesting Pure Blessings enters this gate.” The Night Goddess Lord Manifesting Pure Blessings clearly perceived and realized this gate of liberation.
These four verses have now been explained briefly; if explained in detail, they still could not be fully explained. The principles of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra pervade the entire Dharma Realm. The meaning of every line of verse pervades the entire Dharma Realm and encompasses all eighty-four thousand Dharma doors. Therefore, even if explained in detail, they could not be fully explained throughout all the ages to come. I can only say this little; if I said more, I would not understand it either. Although the meaning is vast and profound, my knowledge is limited, so I cannot explain much.
So, why do I say there are so many meanings? Because I urge you to do your own research, develop your understanding yourselves, and seek within the true treasury. For this reason, I have only expounded a little. Yet those who listen to the sutra must investigate and clearly understand at least a little of this principle; the benefit will be no small thing. If you do not understand even a little of this principle, how can you understand the immeasurable, boundless principles? However, it is often said, “The one becomes the immeasurable, and the immeasurable becomes the one.” But how does the one become the immeasurable? How does the immeasurable become the one? This principle is for you to experience and understand for yourself. It is like eating food: only by eating do you become full; if you do not eat, you will not be full. Only after eating do you know its flavor; before eating, there is no way to know what it tastes like. Therefore, it is said, “You must delve deeply into the treasury of the scriptures, and then your wisdom will be like the ocean.” You must ponder it early and ponder it constantly; only then can you attain wisdom.
Furthermore, the Deva Who Dwells Everywhere in All Directions attained the liberation-gate of the power to universally rescue and protect.
Commentary: The meaning of the text above has not yet been fully explained. Now the explanation continues, so it is called “again.” The Spirit Who Pervades and Dwells in All Directions. “Directions” means orientations. Directions refer to the ten directions, and the ten directions are where all sentient beings dwell. Directions may be distinguished as one direction, four directions, eight directions, or ten directions. Here, since it says “pervades and dwells in all,” it can be said to refer to the ten directions. If it did not pervade and dwell in all, it could be said to refer to one direction.
The worlds of the ten directions are all the dwelling places of this Directional Guardian Deity. What does this deity stay in the worlds of the ten directions to do? Is it in the hope that people will burn a little incense for it, make offerings, bow, and show reverence? No! This deity has attained the power to rescue and protect all sentient beings. Is this power something the deity attained on its own? No. It is through the Buddha’s spiritual power and blessing that the deity has come to understand this realm and attained this gateway to liberation.
This state and this Dharma-door of liberation are one of the Buddha’s countless Dharma-doors. Therefore, this deity has attained the power to protect and rescue all beings everywhere. This power of protection and rescue extends to everyone; it makes no choices and draws no distinctions. It is not that if one being burns incense, makes offerings, and bows to me, I will protect and rescue them, while another being who does not bow to me or show me respect will not be protected and rescued. It is not like that; this power extends to everyone. Whether beings make offerings or not, as long as they are facing calamity, this Direction Guardian will come to rescue them. Whether there is a calamity or not, this deity will come to protect and rescue beings all the same. If there is a calamity, this deity can make it disappear; if there is no calamity, this deity can keep one from arising. In short, when calamities have already befallen beings, this deity comes to rescue them; when calamities are about to befall beings, this deity also comes to rescue them; and when no calamity has yet befallen beings, this deity still comes to rescue them. Therefore, it is called the power to protect and rescue all beings everywhere: it makes no distinction between good and evil beings, nor does it select among them, but protects and rescues them all equally. Hence it is called the Dharma-door of liberation, the power to protect and rescue all beings everywhere.
The Direction-Lord Spirit Who Universally Manifests Light attained the liberation gate of accomplishing the spiritual work of transforming all sentient beings.
Commentary: This Spirit in Charge of Directions, Universal Radiance, shines throughout the ten directions. When all sentient beings in the ten directions see this light, they accomplish wholesome karma, pure karma, and the karma of spiritual powers. Accomplishing wholesome karma causes all sentient beings to give rise to wholesome thoughts, perform the meritorious deeds of the ten good actions, and uphold the five precepts. Accomplishing pure karma causes the defiled karma of all sentient beings to become empty, and thus pure karma can be accomplished. Accomplishing the karma of spiritual powers causes all sentient beings to be free of ignorance and attain the wisdom of spiritual powers. Therefore, it is said that this spirit has attained eloquence through the accomplishment of the karma of spiritual powers, teaching and transforming all sentient beings.
The karmic supernatural powers assist those who cultivate the path to the fruit of bodhi. They can say: “What had to be done has been done; the great task has been completed; there will be no more future existence.” Everything that ought to be done has been done, and all matters have been brought to completion. One no longer drifts through the six realms of birth and death in samsara. At that point, one attains the perfect fruition: neither born nor destroyed, neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing.
This Directional Spirit Lord attained this state and entered this gate of liberation. This gate of liberation is one of the eighty-four thousand Dharma gates. Anyone who devotes themselves wholeheartedly to cultivating this Dharma gate can attain realization and enter this gate of liberation.
The Direction-Ruling Spirit Adorned with Radiant Conduct attained the liberation gate of the great light that dispels all darkness and obstructions and gives rise to wholesome joy.
Commentary: This Direction Master Spirit, Adorned with Splendorous Radiance, also emits great light; wisdom arises from concentration. Once precepts, concentration, and wisdom have been cultivated to completion, one obtains radiance. That is why it is called the liberation door of great radiance. Only after attaining great radiance can one have wisdom, and then liberation comes naturally. Why are we not liberated? Because we lack true wisdom. This Direction Master Spirit describes this state; we, too, should cultivate in accordance with the Dharma. Then we can dispel all obscurations and attain this liberation door.
Now, the remaining time is for discussing the sutra text. I hope everyone will raise any questions so we can study them together and share our views. Today we are discussing the Avatamsaka Sutra; if anything seems incorrect, please discuss it.
When explaining sutras, there is no need to explain too much; you must truly understand the sutra’s meaning clearly in order to benefit from the Dharma. If there is anything you do not understand, I will gladly explain it again, until you are clear. Now everyone has the right to speak and is entitled to offer criticism. Please raise your questions for discussion. We must bring out the full meaning and principles of the sutra, so that everyone understands them thoroughly and clearly. Only then will the long time we have spent sitting here not have been wasted.
Now someone raises a question: How does one become a spirit? It can be said, “Intelligence and uprightness are called a spirit.” One need only be intelligent and speak honestly and uprightly; that is what it means to be a spirit. A spirit is nothing strange or mysterious. A person in yin is a ghost; a person in yang is a spirit. Darkness is a ghost; radiance is a spirit. A spirit is not something to seek outside oneself. Having wisdom oneself is being a spirit; being ignorant oneself is being a ghost. Ignorant sentient beings take greed, anger, and delusion as their masters; they are ignorant ghostly sentient beings. Intelligent sentient beings take precepts, concentration, and wisdom as their masters; they are intelligent spirit-like sentient beings.
There are many kinds of deities, such as mountain deities, soil deities, heavenly deities, earth deities, grass deities, tree deities, wind deities, rain deities, water deities, fire deities, and so on. The deity spoken of by Laozi is the Valley Spirit; the deity spoken of by Confucian scholars is the Heavenly Deity. Laozi once said:
“The Valley Spirit never dies; this is called the Mysterious Female. The gate of the Mysterious Female is called the root of Heaven and Earth.”
The Valley Spirit is beyond heaven and earth, the force of great qi. The Valley Spirit neither dies nor is born, so it is said: “The Valley Spirit does not die.” The Mysterious Female is the gateway of life between heaven and earth, so it is said to be the foundation of heaven and earth; that is, the Root of Heaven and Earth.
The Confucian scholars say: “To be full and replete, and to possess a shining brilliance, is called greatness; to be great and transformative is called sagehood; to be a sage and yet unfathomable is called the divine.” To be replete and radiant—that is a great person. To be great and transformed—that is a sage. The sage is not arrogant: great yet small, small yet great. This sage is Confucius, the venerable Master Kong. Even the sage cannot know; even transformation cannot transform. All of this is inconceivable; that is called the divine.
You ask, “What exactly is a god? Do you want to know how one becomes a god?” There is no need to study them now. Just make an effort in your cultivation. When you become a Buddha, there will be nothing you do not know and nothing you do not see. That is Right and Universal Knowledge, not false and distorted knowledge. At that time, you will know the causes and conditions of countless eons in the past and countless eons in the future. Don’t say that gods know everything! Why go looking for trouble when there is none? Do you want to know the Dharma method for becoming a god? Do you want to become a god? This Directional Deity is not the same as the deity just mentioned. It is neither your deity nor mine, much less theirs; it is a Bodhisattva manifesting as a deity. These great Bodhisattvas of the Dharma body manifest as deities and come into the world to teach and transform all sentient beings. They too were originally sentient beings, but became Bodhisattvas through cultivation. Why ask how sentient beings become deities? Why not investigate how sentient beings become Buddhas? Naturally, once you understand how sentient beings become Buddhas, you also understand how they become deities. Since Buddhas are tens of thousands of times higher than deities, this question is no question at all.
The Direction-Lord Spirit Who Travels Everywhere Without Hindrance attained the liberation-gate of appearing universally in all places without futile effort.
Commentary: This Chief of Directions Spirit, Unimpeded Traveling, encounters no obstruction wherever he goes. Why? Because he has wondrous spiritual powers and transformations. He travels throughout all the lands in the ten directions to teach and transform sentient beings, enduring fatigue and toil. He fears neither suffering nor hardship. So long as sentient beings turn away from evil and toward goodness, he is willing to endure any amount of hardship and toil. The spirits manifested by Bodhisattvas all have compassionate hearts. They regard sentient beings as their own relatives and save them, helping them escape the blazing furnace of the three realms. This Chief of Directions Spirit enters this gate of liberation without weariness.
Today I have some new news to report to everyone about Guo Yu (Heng Ju) and Guo Dao (Heng Do), the two “three steps, one bow” practitioners. The two of them bowed all the way from San Francisco to the state of Seattle. Unexpectedly, while they were bowing along the road, Guo Dao’s pants were badly torn. The damage was so severe that he couldn’t possibly bow in such ragged pants; it would be improper deportment. The two of them thought and thought, trying to find a way to deal with it, but came up with nothing. Just when they had run out of ideas, they suddenly spotted a pair of pants in the middle of the road. They picked them up and saw that they were neither too large nor too small, neither too long nor too short—the perfect size for Guo Dao to wear. Don’t you think that’s strange? The Direction-Ruling Spirit Who Forever Ends Delusion attained the liberation of manifesting names equal in number to all sentient beings and thereby generating merit.
The Directional Deity Forever Severing Delusion attained the liberation gate of manifesting as many names as there are sentient beings, thereby bringing forth merit.
Commentary: This Directional Spirit Who Forever Cuts Off Delusion has eternally severed delusion. What is delusion? Delusion means not seeing anything clearly and not knowing anything at all. To be deluded is to have nothing clear: what is right is taken to be wrong, and what is wrong is taken to be right. What is white is taken to be black, and what is black is taken to be white. In other words, one mistakes what is false for principle and thereby gives rise to delusion. It can also be said that one takes phenomena for principle and principle for phenomena; one cannot clearly distinguish phenomena from principle, white from black, or even oneself from others. Why is nothing clear? Because one gives rise to doubt and therefore believes neither principle nor fact. It is like a fox crossing a river in winter: as it walks on the ice, it is constantly doubtful, afraid that if the ice melts it will fall into the water. So with every step it must listen to see whether the ice makes any sound. If there is a sound, that proves the ice is not firm and it might easily fall into the water. Such behavior is doubt. The fox is adept at suspicion; this is a manifestation of doubt.
The Diamond Sutra says, “Cut off doubt and faith arises.” This means that when delusion is cut off, faith arises; in this way, one has genuine prajna wisdom.
What does this Direction Spirit usually cut off delusion for? He cuts off delusion for sentient beings, causing them to abandon delusion and return to enlightenment, and to turn from what is wrong and return to what is right. Therefore, his name is the Direction Spirit Who Forever Cuts Off Delusion.
This Directional Spirit Chief attained the liberation that manifests names equal in number to all sentient beings and gives rise to merit. This is also the Buddha manifesting names throughout, equal in number to all sentient beings, causing all sentient beings to give rise to the merit of the bodhi mind. The Buddha causes sentient beings who have not yet given rise to the meritorious bodhi mind to give rise to the bodhi mind. He does not cause just one sentient being to give rise to the bodhi mind, but causes all sentient beings to do so. Giving rise to the bodhi mind does not mean practicing today and only giving rise to the bodhi mind the next day; rather, it means that one gave rise to the bodhi mind an immeasurable number of kalpas ago. It is only now, however, that a force of bodhi has arisen, and in the future it will come to fruition as awakening to bodhi.
Someone says, “No! At some point, I heard some sutra, and then I brought forth the resolve to believe in the Buddha.” The fact that you were able to hear the sutras is due to a remote cause for bodhi. If you had no remote cause for bodhi, there would have been no way for you to hear the sutras in the first place. Just look! How many people in this world are unable to hear the sutras? How many sentient beings are unable to see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, or see the Sangha? There are countless, boundless numbers of such sentient beings. Have they brought forth the bodhi mind? Have they planted the seeds of bodhi? They have all brought forth the bodhi mind and planted the seeds of bodhi. But it is like ginseng: if it sees a person, it hides beneath the ground for sixty years, and only emerges after those sixty years. If it does not see a person, it comes up every year.
The same is true of the bodhi mind: if it does not encounter demons, it will continue to develop, but when it encounters them, it must hide itself again. For how many years will it remain hidden? Perhaps sixty years, perhaps longer; there is no fixed period.
Some people ask, “Venerable Master, which sutra contains the principle you just spoke of?” It is in the sutra right here—my own. If you want to read my sutra, there is a passage of scripture here. You have this scripture too, but your sutra and mine are not easy to read.
The Direction-Governing Spirit Who Roams Throughout the Pure Void attained the liberation gate of constantly sounding wondrous notes that bring joy to all who hear them.
Commentary: The Spirit Who Pervades the Pure Void and Governs the Directions delights in traveling throughout the pure void, and is therefore called the Spirit Who Pervades the Pure Void and Governs the Directions. This Spirit Who Governs the Directions pervades every place and understands the realm of the Buddhas, constantly expounding wondrous sounds. These wondrous sounds are not fixed; whatever kind of sentient being hears them, each is pleased and rejoices according to their own wishes.
Now, let us speak a little about subtle and inconceivable states. All Dharma masters who preach sutras and expound the Dharma have Dharma protectors. Buddhas come to protect the Dharma; Bodhisattvas come to protect the Dharma; Śrāvakas come to protect the Dharma; devas and humans come to protect the Dharma; Asuras come to protect the Dharma; some people come to protect the Dharma; and ghosts come to protect the Dharma. So how can you know? If you attain the divine eye, you will know that a Dharma master preaching sutras and expounding the Dharma is being supported by beings from one of the noble realms among the Ten Dharma Realms, who have come to uphold the Dharma assembly.
A virtuous Dharma Master, when lecturing on sutras in a Dharma assembly, always radiates light that shines upon all sentient beings inside and outside the assembly, enabling them all to benefit and to eradicate their karmic obstacles. When some Dharma Masters lecture on sutras in a Dharma assembly, they too emit a little light, like a dim haze of smoke or mist—only a faint glow, perhaps white, red, or purple. Why? Because that Dharma Master’s Bodhi mind has not yet grown vast, so the light emitted is very faint. In short, however vast a Dharma Master’s mind is, so vast is the light in the Dharma assembly. Conversely, a small mind produces faint light, while a vast mind produces bright light. Therefore: “Everything is created by the mind.” Based on what I know and my experience of seeing some Dharma masters expound the sutras and preach the Dharma, most are protected by heavenly beings and humans, or by birds from the heavens who come to protect the Dharma and support the Dharma assembly. If a Dharma master expounds the sutras and preaches the Dharma with unobstructed eloquence, speaking endlessly, with every word embodying the Way, to the point that all the devas scatter flowers as offerings, and the sound is like birdsong, exceedingly pleasant to the ear, causing listeners to feel joyful, this is called “all rejoicing.” Why must we speak about these things today? Because in our current lecture, we have come to the passage about constantly emitting wondrous sounds. The Amitabha Sutra says: “White cranes, peacocks, parrots, śārīs, kalaviṅkas, and jīvaṃjīvas—all these kinds of birds emit harmonious sounds six times by day and night.” All these birds emit inconceivable, wondrous sounds. These sounds are all transformations made by Amitabha Buddha in order to cause the Dharma sound to spread far and wide.
This Lord of Directions Spirit constantly emits wondrous sounds, also in order to spread the Dharma sound far and wide. These sounds are brought forth through the transformations of the Buddha Vairocana, so that those who hear them and cultivate will attain accomplishment. Even if they do not hear these wondrous sounds, they must still cultivate. When their practice and the Way resonate with one another, they will then hear, in meditation, the Buddhas of the ten directions constantly emitting wondrous sounds.
The Cloud Banner Great Sound Spirit, Lord of the Directions, attained the liberation gate of bringing joy to sentient beings by raining everywhere like a dragon.
Commentary: This Cloud Banner Great Sound Directional Spirit has a voice that resounds powerfully, like thunder in the clouds, heard both near and far. The Kṣitigarbha Sutra says, “…Cloud-Thunder Sound, Great Cloud-Thunder Sound…” This Directional Spirit has a wondrous Great Cloud-Thunder Sound. How do we know? Because the realm of the Avataṃsaka Sutra is inconceivable. Therefore, this great sound is in some ways unlike the Great Cloud-Thunder Sound in the Kṣitigarbha Sutra. This is the Great Cloud-Thunder Sound Directional Spirit.
What is the Buddha-realm attained by this Directional Master Spirit? It is like a dragon raining everywhere, moistening all things. With its spiritual powers, the dragon showers Dharma rain, allowing ordinary beings like shallow soil to be moistened by the Dharma rain and give rise to joy.
Someone here may have doubts and say, “Every wish is fulfilled. So why isn’t my wish fulfilled?” I ask him, “What do you wish for?” He replies, “I want to become a Buddha.” If you want to become a Buddha, you must cultivate. If you don’t cultivate, how can your wish be fulfilled? It’s like eating: the food may be delicious, but you have to eat it for your stomach to become full. If you don’t eat, how can your stomach become full? At present, we are lecturing on the Flower Adornment Sutra, which is like a dragon raining everywhere. When you hear this Flower Adornment Sutra, you receive the nourishment of the Dharma rain. When you hear the sutra and understand its principles, joy arises in your heart. Isn’t that just like a dragon raining everywhere? Where else would you need to look? It is right before your eyes now. It is only that you receive the Dharma rain without recognizing it.
You must be clear about this principle: after hearing the great Dharma of the Flower Garland Sutra, you feel an atmosphere of abundant Dharma joy in your heart. Isn’t that like a dragon bringing rain everywhere? Doesn’t it make all living beings rejoice? And yet, you are still far from this gateway to liberation. If you truly attain complete Dharma joy, then you will have entered this gateway to liberation. When you enter this gateway, you will attain complete Dharma joy.
There is a saying: With the nature settled and demons subdued, each morning is joyful;
When deluded thoughts do not arise, everywhere is at peace.
The meaning of these two sentences is: When the mind is not settled, demons cannot be subdued; when the mind is settled, demons are subdued, and one is always at peace and ease. When deluded thoughts do not arise, wherever one is, there is no discrimination, and everything is good. These two sentences should be taken as a practice for everyone to cultivate the mind.
– Someone asked me, “Does the Venerable Master think San Francisco is a good place?”
– I said, “It’s very good.”
– Then that person asked, “Does the Venerable Master think Hong Kong is a good place?”
– I said, “It’s very good too.” In short, wherever you are, as long as you don’t give rise to deluded thoughts, every place is good.
We study the Buddhadharma here. We must learn the Buddha’s aspirations and conduct. Every gesture and thought of the Buddha is Buddhadharma. The Buddha explained all the methods by which He attained enlightenment, without keeping back a single word. Therefore, we should practice in accordance with the Dharma and put it into practice ourselves; we should not emphasize empty talk. Empty talk is like eating painted cakes: you may say you are full, but you are not. The Buddhadharma is something to practice, not merely talk about. Therefore: “A trượng of talk is not worth a thước of action.” About twenty-two years ago, when I was in Hong Kong, at Mount Daofeng, there was a Christian pastor whose job was specifically to teach those who had left home to return to lay life. His method was to use money and beautiful women to entice monastics. If their resolve was not firm, they would be deceived and make the mistake of missing their one opportunity in a lifetime to cultivate. Renunciants who were fond of wealth and beauty would stay there, delighting in worldly pleasures. This is called “lingering and forgetting to return.” What does “lingering and forgetting to return” mean? The Mencius says: “To follow the current downstream and forget to return is called *liu*;
to follow it upstream and forget to return is called *lian*;
to follow beasts without ever tiring of it is called *huang*;
to delight in wine without ever tiring of it is called *wang*.” That is to say, ancient emperors were very prone to this sort of weakness. But these ordained Dharma masters, too, pursued this “lingering and forgetting to return.” Why? First, that pastor gave them money; second, he gave them daughters. Naturally, they had money to spend and daughters as well.
After I heard about that, I also wanted to go and try it for myself. I went there to see, and realized that I had no affinity with it. At the time, I argued with that pastor. I did not hesitate to criticize him, saying: “What you are doing here goes against the heart of God. God saves people; He does not harm them. Your conduct ruins people rather than saving them, so you are not a Christian, nor are you fit to be one. You teach monastics to return to lay life, destroying their pure practice. Does what you do benefit Christianity? Does it harm Buddhism? It makes not the slightest difference. I am not a Buddhist either. Why? Because I do not have the compassion of the Buddha to save you—what a pity! I cannot save you, and I do not have the power to save you, so I say that I am not a Buddhist.” After I said all that, he had nothing to say in reply. He looked up at me and kept silent. In the end, he asked to have a picture taken together as a memento, but I refused. I said, “You’re a disgrace to Christianity, and I’m a disgrace to Buddhism. If we take a picture, it’ll turn Buddhism upside down and Christianity upside down, so it’s better not to.” This isn’t something we should look into; I’m only bringing it up so everyone knows that something this strange happened in Hong Kong.
The Direction-Ruling Deity Unconfused Eye of Calculation attained the liberation of freely manifesting, through sovereign power, the karma of all sentient beings without distinction.
Commentary: This Topknot-Eyed, Unconfused Directional Spirit had eighty-four thousand eyes arising in his topknot—that is, that many eyes arose on each hair. Though there were so many, they were not jumbled or disordered; hence he has this name.
When lecturing on the sutras, each person has their own understanding and their own inherent wisdom, and brings forth the principles already within them. But the principles contained in the sutras—their every word, sentence, and passage—fully embody the nature of the Dharma Realm. To express the sutras’ meaning and principles in their entirety, let alone in nine hours of lectures over the course of a week, even if one spoke until the end of future ages, one still could not finish.
Now, even the character “kế” has inexhaustibly profound meanings. There are hair topknots, flesh protuberances, and jeweled topknots. A hair topknot is hair gathered and coiled into a round, high knot on the crown of the head. A flesh protuberance is a round lump of flesh that rises on the crown of the head. Only Buddhas have this auspicious mark; hence the phrase, “the invisible crown of the head.” The Shurangama Sutra says: “At that time, from the World-Honored One’s flesh protuberance surged forth a hundred streams of precious light, and within the light there appeared a thousand-petaled jeweled lotus.” This means that a thousand-petaled jeweled lotus surged forth from the Buddha’s flesh protuberance, and upon each petal sat an emanation body of Shakyamuni Buddha. Each emanation body had the thirty-two marks and eighty characteristics of excellence—how could they all be described? A jeweled topknot is formed and adorned with the seven treasures.
The character *ji* (kế) here may be explained as the hair-knot, or it may be said to mean the flesh protuberance. Speaking only of the hair-knot, its wondrous principle is already inexhaustible. To speak of it a little more mystically, each strand of hair can adorn the immeasurable Dharma realms of the ten directions. Hence: “At the tip of a single hair, the jeweled king’s lands appear.” At the tip of each strand of hair are immeasurable, boundless eyes. Eighty-four thousand eyes arise at the tip of each strand of hair. Yet although each hair tip contains a full eighty-four thousand eyes, there is still no confusion or disorder: each eye observes what it ought to observe. It is not that you look and I look too, so that nothing is seen clearly and everything is muddled. Not so—the distinctions are made with great clarity.
What is being distinguished? The power of自在 distinguishes the differences in sentient beings’ karma. This Lord of Directions Spirit has so many enumerations; even so, the many karmas of sentient beings cannot be fully distinguished. Yet amid non-discrimination, the karmic rewards of sentient beings do not differ in the slightest; each person undergoes their own karmic reward. Originally: “If you see clearly, karmic hindrances are inherently empty;
if you do not, you must repay them soon.” If understood thoroughly, karmic obstructions will not remain. The nature of karma is originally empty, originally nonexistent. Karma has no form; if it had form, all of empty space and the entire Dharma realm would have nowhere to contain it, because everyone’s karma fills the Dharma realm. The karma of one’s actions has no form, so it need not be stored on the moon or planets. Karma can be folded away into the hidden and secret, but when unfolded, it fills the six directions.
Someone says, “I don’t believe there are eighty-four thousand eyes on the tip of a hair. What would so many eyes be needed for?” Have you seen how many buttons there are in an airplane cockpit? Have you seen how many buttons there are in a submarine’s control room? Those are eyes. This manifestation is not like the buttons in an airplane or a submarine. Today is an age of scientific progress, and all kinds of strange and wondrous things appear—how much more so supernatural powers. It is not excessive to have eighty-four thousand eyes on a single hair, because with supernatural powers one cannot mistake what one sees: neither the hair nor the eyes are disordered. Each hair is orderly, and the eyes see correctly rather than looking about at random. What do they observe? They observe the karma of all sentient beings. Whatever karma sentient beings create, they know it all.
The Lord of Directions Spirit Without Confusion has the function of revealing the karma of all sentient beings. “Reveal” means “it will exist in the future but does not appear now”: it will come to be in the future, though it has not manifested yet. This spirit tells sentient beings, “Let me tell you: whatever karma sentient beings create, they will have to undergo the corresponding retribution in the future.” “Manifest” means “it exists now, but did not exist before”—in other words, it appears. What appears? The karma of sentient beings appears. Each sentient being’s karma is different; everyone has their own karma. Yet the principle governing the retribution they undergo is the same: good deeds bring good results, and evil deeds bring evil results. The retributions may differ, but the principle does not. Why do we say there is no difference? Because whatever karma one creates, one undergoes the corresponding retribution—without the slightest error, and quite naturally. Sentient beings are not controlled by external forces; rather, they are controlled by the force of their own karma. In truth, the nature of karma is fundamentally empty. That is, the nature of evil karma is fundamentally empty, and the nature of good does not exist either. Therefore, this is called the power of sovereign freedom without distinction. This Lord of Directions Spirit attained this gateway to liberation.
The Spirit Who Universally Observes the Karmic Activities of the Worlds and Governs the Directions attained the liberation gate of observing the various karmas of beings in all realms of rebirth.
Commentary: The Spirit Chief of Universal Observation of the Karmic Conditions of the Worlds observes throughout the causes and conditions of all sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions: how they give rise to delusion, create karma, and undergo retribution. What method does this Spirit Chief use to awaken sentient beings and lead them to practice in accordance with the Dharma? Since this Spirit Chief is a manifestation of a Bodhisattva, he clearly understands the Buddha’s realm. Therefore, he uses the Buddha’s realm to awaken sentient beings and lead them to practice.
The Buddha’s realm consists in skillfully observing all realms. This realm moves onward—which way does it go? Does it enter the three evil paths? Or the four evil destinies? Does it ascend to the heavens? Or become a human being? People keep thinking about such things without end; this is called a realm.
This Directional Spirit Lord uses the eye of wisdom to observe all realms and the light of wisdom to illuminate them, dispelling the darkness of the evil destinies. He leads sentient beings with evil karma to abandon delusion and turn toward enlightenment, to forsake what is wrong and return to what is right. He also leads sentient beings with wholesome karma who have not yet aroused the aspiration for enlightenment to arouse it. Those who have not planted roots of goodness are taught to plant them; those who have planted roots of goodness are taught to make them grow; those whose roots of goodness have grown are helped to bring them swiftly to maturity; and those whose roots of goodness have matured are helped to attain liberation. This Directional Spirit Lord uses all kinds of teachings to counteract the karma of sentient beings, enabling all sentient beings to cultivate the practice of Prajñā Pāramitā together, to realize this inconceivable realm together, and to enter this gateway to liberation together.
The Spirit Lord of the Directions Who Roams Everywhere attained the liberation-gate of bringing joy to all beings by bringing every deed to its ultimate fulfillment.
Commentary: This Spirit Who Governs the Directions and Travels Everywhere enjoys traveling and sightseeing all over. However, this spirit’s travels are not like those of sentient beings. When sentient beings want to travel, they first go to the embassy to apply for a visa. If the consulate does not approve it, they cannot go. After that, they have to buy an airplane ticket, a boat ticket, or a train ticket, and so on. They must go through many procedures before they can travel.
When this Directional Spirit wishes to travel, there is no trouble like that; this spirit is truly free, unrestricted in any way, and can go wherever it wishes. It costs nothing at all, and the spirit is warmly welcomed. This spirit travels throughout empty space and the entire Dharma realm. Why does this spirit travel? To help all sentient beings in their work. This spirit has attained the realm of the Buddhas, and everything it does is brought to perfection, such as perfecting the ten pāramitās and the four immeasurable minds. Thus, it gives rise to joy in everyone, causing all sentient beings to feel joyful as well. What are they joyful about? They rejoice in attaining the benefits of the Dharma. This spirit brings everything to completion, so all sentient beings feel great joy. This spirit has entered this gateway to liberation.
Now, everyone, let us study the ten Pāramīs and the four immeasurable minds together. I remember that I began lecturing on the sutras in 1968. The ten Pāramīs have been covered three times, and the four immeasurable minds five times. Now we are studying them once again. When studying the Buddhadharma, we should try to get ahead rather than lag behind. Whoever remembers something should speak first. It doesn’t matter if they get it wrong, because we are discussing the subject together.
The thirteen pāramitās are:
1. Giving.
2. Observance of precepts.
3. Patience.
4. Diligence.
5. Meditation.
6. Prajñā (wisdom).
7. Skillful means.
8. Vow.
9. Power.
10. Knowledge.
The first six pāramitās have already been explained many times. Now, I will briefly explain the last four pāramitās.
First, we must understand why a Bodhisattva must cultivate the ten Paramitas. Because a Bodhisattva’s heart is so compassionate that they cannot bear to let sentient beings suffer from hunger and cold, they must practice giving. Because they cannot bear to harm the lives of sentient beings, they must observe the precepts. Because they feel compassion for sentient beings’ ignorance and afflictions, they must practice patience. Because they wish to liberate sentient beings far and wide and seek liberation for themselves, they must practice diligence. Because they seek great wisdom and great supernatural powers, they must practice meditation. And because they guide the five Paramitas above to attain a realm of utmost truth, goodness, and beauty, they cultivate Prajñā. These are the aspirations of a Bodhisattva who cultivates the six Paramitas.
Means Perfection: This is skillful means that reaches the other shore. It includes the means of dedicating merit and succoring others, and the means of neither abandoning nor accepting.
Vow Perfection: This is making vows that reach the other shore. It includes vows to seek bodhi and to benefit others.
Power Perfection: This is power that reaches the other shore. It includes the power of cultivation, the power to guide and liberate beings, and the power of considering and choosing among the three powers.
Wisdom Perfection: This is wisdom that reaches the other shore. It consists of two kinds of wisdom: the wisdom of experiencing the bliss of the Dharma, and the wisdom of bringing sentient beings to maturity.
The four immeasurable states are:
1. Loving-kindness
2. Compassion
3. Sympathetic joy
4. Equanimity
These four practices are directed toward all sentient beings, so they have no limits in scope, number, or duration, and so on. That is why they are called the Four Immeasurables. They arise spontaneously in one’s own mind; in other words, one willingly and wholeheartedly undertakes these four practices. That is why they are called the Four Immeasurable Minds.
The immeasurable mind of loving-kindness means giving happiness to all sentient beings, whether they have an affinity with us or not. Giving happiness to them all is called great loving-kindness without conditions.
The immeasurable mind of compassion: It is to relieve all the suffering of all sentient beings, seeing their suffering as no different from one’s own. Therefore, regardless of whether sentient beings are good or evil, one relieves them all of their suffering. This is great compassion that sees all as one body.
The immeasurable mind of joy: When we see sentient beings doing good deeds and attaining blissful states, we should express joy. This practice counters jealousy; we should not feel happy when they suffer misfortune.
The immeasurable mind of equanimity: Toward sentient beings, one gives rise to neither affection nor aversion, makes no distinction between enemies and loved ones, and regards all equally. One lets go of everything without attachment, giving to sentient beings without any ulterior motive. Thus: “Give kindness without seeking repayment” (help others without expecting them to repay you).
When these four minds have been cultivated to the immeasurable stage, sentient beings will respect and trust you. Only then can you inspire them to have faith in the Three Jewels, take refuge in the Three Jewels, honor the Three Jewels, make offerings to the Three Jewels, and become sincere Buddhists. Practitioners must practice the ten pāramitās in conjunction with the four immeasurable minds and the four methods of embracing others. Only then can they achieve results; otherwise, it is all just empty talk, with absolutely nothing worth mentioning to show for it.
At that time, the Deity Dwelling Everywhere in All Directions, empowered by the Buddha, surveyed the entire assembly of directional deities and spoke these verses: At that time, the Direction Spirit Lord Universally Abiding in All, relying on the Buddha’s awesome power, gazed upon all the Direction Spirit Lords and spoke this verse.
Commentary: When was “at that time”? It was just after the Deity Who Roams Everywhere Throughout the Quarters had finished speaking. Then the Deity Who Dwells Everywhere Throughout the Quarters, relying on the Buddha’s great spiritual power, spoke this verse. This deity’s strength came from the Buddha’s blessing and assistance. The Buddha bestowed blessings upon this deity through his great spiritual power; that is why the deity had such wisdom, could survey all the Deities Who Guard the Quarters, and used a four-line verse to recite and clearly express the meaning of the prose passage above.
Now let me tell you some news. Why does Sudhana Child always come to our Flower Adornment Dharma Assembly? There is no other reason; he comes only to support the Dharma Assembly and support the great Flower Adornment bodhimanda of the world. If you see Sudhana Child, it means you have a special affinity with him. Some people say, “I don’t see Sudhana Child.” That is because your cultivation has not yet reached the necessary level, so you cannot see him. If you open the five eyes, you will be able to see him. Not only that—you will also be his good friend. Would you like to be friends with Sudhana Child? Then you must cultivate courageously and diligently, investigate Chan and sit in meditation, and keep your mind free of false thoughts. Then you will become enlightened and be able to see Sudhana Child.
The Tathagata freely appears in the world,
Teaching and transforming all multitudes of beings,
Universally revealing the Dharma gates, enabling them to awaken and enter,
Certainly bringing them to attain unsurpassed wisdom,
Commentary: “The Tathagata freely appears in the world.” The Buddha came naturally and freely to the Saha world in this evil age of the Five Turbidities. Why? The Lotus Sutra says, “The Buddha appears in the world for one great cause and condition.” What great matter? The great matter of birth and death.
“Teach and transform all living beings.” Because sentient beings are obscured by ignorance, they spend all day confused and deluded, giving rise to afflictions, creating karma, experiencing its consequences, and revolving in the cycle of birth and death, unaware that they should seek liberation. The Buddha, filled with compassion for sentient beings, came into the evil age of the five turbidities to teach those deluded by sensual desire, enabling them to awaken early. Thus: “The sea of suffering is boundless; turn around, and you will see the shore.” To turn around means to cultivate. Those who cultivate the Way and realize they have taken the wrong path must turn back promptly; they must not become stuck halfway, but must strive diligently and advance in order to reach the shore of enlightenment.
“Reveal all the Dharma methods that lead to awakening and entry.” The Buddha reveals all the methods for sentient beings deluded by sexual desire to escape the sea of suffering—that is, the eighty-four thousand Dharma methods. Put simply: “Do no evil; practice all good.” And: “Diligently cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom; completely eradicate greed, anger, and delusion.” That is the fundamental Dharma for cultivation. Only after establishing a foundation can one practice the Bodhisattva path; only when one’s merit and virtue are complete can one awaken to and enter the gate of liberation.
“All will enable them to attain unsurpassed wisdom.” If this is so, then all will enable them to attain unsurpassed wisdom—that is, to transform consciousness into wisdom, transforming the eight consciousnesses into the four wisdoms: the five preceding consciousnesses into the Wisdom of Accomplishing What Is to Be Done, the sixth consciousness into the Wondrous Observing Wisdom, the seventh consciousness into the Equality Wisdom, and the eighth consciousness into the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom.
Boundless supernatural powers, as many as sentient beings
According to their wishes, [he] manifests all these forms
All who see [him] are enabled to escape suffering
This is the liberative power of Manifest Light
Commentary: “Boundless spiritual powers equal to sentient beings.” Spiritual powers are a realm beyond conception. Buddhas have the spiritual powers of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas have the spiritual powers of Bodhisattvas, Arhats have the spiritual powers of Arhats, heavenly beings have the spiritual powers of heavenly beings, humans have the spiritual powers of humans, and ghosts have the spiritual powers of ghosts. Although they all have spiritual powers, these powers are different: some are ultimate, while others are not.
Buddhas possess boundless, immeasurable, ultimate great spiritual powers. Because they wish to save and liberate sentient beings, however many sentient beings there are, the Buddha has just as many spiritual powers. If the Buddha did not have so many spiritual powers, how could he save and liberate sentient beings? Sentient beings are immeasurable, and so are the Buddha’s spiritual powers. The Buddha uses immeasurable spiritual powers to teach and transform immeasurable sentient beings. That is why it is said, “Boundless spiritual powers equal to sentient beings.” Now, let me give a simple, easy-to-understand example to explain the principle of supernatural powers. Once you understand the simple principle, you will naturally understand the profound one. You all know what radar is used for: detecting aircraft and submarines. If an enemy aircraft enters the airspace of our country, radar immediately detects it. Or if an enemy ship encroaches on our country’s territorial waters, it shows up on the radar. That is a supernatural power—but it is a scientific supernatural power, a human-made one, not a natural one.
The Buddha’s spiritual powers are natural and inherent; they do not require pressing a button, but are already fully present in one’s own nature. The Buddha’s spiritual powers are for the salvation of all sentient beings. Therefore: “All sentient beings, whatever kinds of minds they may have, the Tathagata knows and sees them all.” Meaning:
All sentient beings,
whatever kinds of minds there may be,
the Tathagata sees and knows them all.
Because the minds of the Buddha and sentient beings are connected through a mutually interacting radar network and have a mind-to-mind electrical induction relationship, the Buddha knows the thoughts in sentient beings’ minds, all clearly and without the slightest error. This is the function of supernatural powers.
“Manifesting forms according to the preferences of sentient beings.” All the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times manifest all kinds of forms according to the preferences of sentient beings, enabling sentient beings to understand all forms. I often say to you: Seeing things and awakening to them, one transcends the world;
Seeing things and being deluded by them, one falls into the depths of samsara.
That means: If, whenever you encounter something, you awaken to it and clearly understand its true nature, then there is no problem. But if you become confused when you encounter things, you will be turned by circumstances; and if you cannot transform those circumstances, you will fall into the three evil paths and suffer.
The eyes behold forms and colors, yet within there is nothing;
The ears hear worldly affairs, but the mind does not know.
Meaning:
The eyes see forms without attachment,
The ears hear worldly affairs, yet the mind remains unmoved.
When your mind is pure for a moment, you are at Vulture Peak for that moment. When it is always pure, you are always at Vulture Peak. Shakyamuni Buddha is at the Dharma assembly on Vulture Peak, still preaching the Dharma; the assembly has not yet dispersed. This state was seen by the Great Master Zhiyi during the Sui dynasty. If you see things with clear awareness, you too will experience this response. Since the Dharma assembly on Vulture Peak has not dispersed, it is said that, according to the wishes of sentient beings, he manifests various forms—that is, he manifests all forms. All forms are all dharmas. If you understand all forms, you understand all dharmas.
“Whoever sees it is freed from all suffering.” If you can see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and open up your wisdom, then you will be free from suffering, attain happiness, and transcend birth and death. If you are ignorant, then you are in a dark hell, like being in a dark room with no light. If you light a candle, there will be a little Prajna light. This little Prajna light enables you to see the words. You should open up the light of your mind. If the light of your mind opens up, then you will not need a candle or an electric light, and it will still shine as before. This is attaining the state of supreme wisdom. Once you attain supreme wisdom, even in a dark world, the great treasury of light will shine everywhere just as before.
“The liberating power of Manifest Light.” In this realm, the Directional Spirit Lord of Universal Manifestation of Light clearly sees this liberating power.
The Buddha in the ocean of sentient beings’ darkness and hindrances
Manifests a great, radiant Dharma torch,
Its light shines everywhere, leaving nothing unseen,
This is the liberation of Conduct Adornment.
Commentary: “The Buddha in the Sea of Sentient Beings’ Obscurations.” Sentient beings are so ignorant, and their obscurations are so numerous—deep and vast as the ocean. The Buddha, within the dark sea of sentient beings’ karmic obstructions, radiates great light, enabling them to turn back and see the other shore.
“To manifest the great light of the Dharma torch.” The Buddha has compassion for all sentient beings and manifests the Dharma torch for their sake. The Dharma torch is the radiant light of wisdom. The Dharma torch is the Dharma lamp; therefore, the Dharma lamp is ever bright. For the sake of sentient beings, the Buddha radiates great light and manifests the bright lamp of wisdom; this is also the Buddha’s light shining everywhere.
“This light shines everywhere.” Darkness means ignorance, and Prajñā means wisdom. When sentient beings have wisdom, they dispel darkness. Once the darkness has been dispelled, the light of Prajñā shines upon all sentient beings in the ten directions, enabling every sentient being to attain the light of Prajñā. This is the principle of reaching all beings: there is not a single sentient being who does not receive the benefit of the light of Prajñā.
“‘The Liberation of Adorned Conduct.’ This gateway to liberation concerning the realm was attained by the Directional Spirit Adorned with Radiant Conduct.” Complete with all the world’s various sounds,
Complete in every kind of sound in the world;
Turning the Dharma wheel everywhere, all understand;
Sentient beings who hear it have their afflictions extinguished,
This is the realization of the Universal Traveling Spirit.
Commentary: “Replete with all the sounds of the world.” The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single sound, and sentient beings of every kind understand it. The Buddha’s one sound is all sounds; all sounds are the one sound. Therefore, it is said that the Buddha’s sound is replete with all the sounds of the world. These various sounds are all contained in the Buddha’s one sound.
“Wherever the Dharma wheel is turned, all understand.” The Buddha turns the great Dharma wheel everywhere. Turning the Dharma wheel means encompassing all kinds of sounds in the world. Using every kind of sound and every kind of teaching to turn the great Dharma wheel, the Buddha enables all sentient beings to awaken and understand, and to be saved.
What does it mean to turn the Great Dharma Wheel? Simply put, any effort made for the sake of Buddhism is turning the Dharma Wheel. For example, lecturing on sutras and teaching the Dharma, translating scriptures, printing and distributing scriptures, and spreading the scriptures—these are all ways of turning the Dharma Wheel on behalf of the Buddhas of the ten directions. Establishing a Dharma center, sounding the great Dharma conch, and beating the great Dharma drum are all ways of turning the Great Dharma Wheel.
“When living beings hear it, their afflictions are extinguished.” When living beings hear this Dharma sound, their afflictions will be extinguished, and ignorance will also be dispelled. When ignorance is dispelled and the nature of Dharma is revealed, they return to the source and recognize their true face before their parents gave birth to them. Now let us ask ourselves: having heard the inconceivable realm of the Avatamsaka Sutra, have our afflictions been extinguished? We must turn the light inward and reflect, examining ourselves. If our afflictions have been extinguished, then we should ascend another floor. Therefore: “At the top of a hundred-foot pole, take one more step.”
If you cannot eradicate them, then give rise to a mind of repentance. You must use your own wisdom to eliminate afflictions. This is the most important point. In studying the Buddha Dharma, you must be free of afflictions; only then can you attain enlightenment. Only through enlightenment can you possess great wisdom, which is also the wondrous functioning of spiritual powers.
“The realization of the Traveling Deity.” This realm can be clearly understood by the Traveling Unimpeded, Lord of Directions Deity.
All the names that exist in the world
The names of Buddhas arise equal to them
All cause sentient beings to leave delusion
This is the sphere of activity of the Spirit Who Cuts Off Delusion
Commentary: “All the names of sentient beings.” All sentient beings in the world have their own names. Since there are immeasurable, boundless sentient beings, there are immeasurable, boundless names. “All names” means encompassing the names of all sentient beings.
“They are all born with the same name as a Buddha.” There are many names of sentient beings, yet the names of Buddhas and the names of sentient beings are equally numerous. Buddhas appear in the world to teach and transform so many sentient beings.
“All cause sentient beings to be free from delusion and confusion.” The Buddha completely enables all sentient beings to escape foolishness, ignorance, and doubt. Therefore:
“When cultivating the Way, let the mind not doubt;
If doubt arises, you are lost on the path.”
Those who cultivate the Way must practice in accordance with the Dharma and not give rise to doubts. “Is there a Buddha? Everyone says there is a Buddha, so why don’t I see one? Is it false? Were the sutras spoken by the Buddha?” Giving rise to all kinds of doubts creates causes and conditions that obstruct the Way.
Many people say that the Śūraṅgama Sutra is false. Is it really false? Let us investigate. Ah! To think, “It is probably false,” is to give rise to doubt. Once this doubt arises, one’s understanding becomes unclear. It is like a blind person walking along a road, not knowing whether to go south or north, east or west. Because a blind person cannot see the light, they think everywhere is dark. They themselves cannot see the light, yet they assume everyone else is just like them and cannot see it either. How can one be free of ignorance and delusion? Delusion arises because there is ignorance. If there is no ignorance, there is no delusion. Therefore:
“When wisdom arises, delusion is severed; When delusion is severed, the truth is realized.”
The word “delusion” has many meanings: gross delusion, subtle delusion, delusions of view and thought, dust-and-sand delusions, delusions of ignorance, and so on. In short, with wisdom, all delusions are completely severed.
“The sphere of activity of the Spirit Who Cuts Off Delusion.” When delusion is cut off, wisdom will manifest. This realm is the sphere of activity of the Spirit Lord of the Directions Who Forever Cuts Off Delusion.
If sentient beings come before the Buddha
And hear the Tathāgata’s wondrous, sublime voice,
All will give rise to great joy in their hearts
And roam throughout space, realizing this Dharma.
Commentary: “If sentient beings come before the Buddha.” If there are sentient beings who come before the Buddha, for what purpose? To hear the Buddha expound the wondrous, profound, unsurpassed Dharma.
“Hearing the wondrous voice of the Tathagata.” They go before the Buddha and reverently listen as the Buddha expounds the inconceivable, wondrous Dharma; once they have heard it, wisdom arises.
“They all gave rise to great joy.” When sentient beings heard the Buddha expound the Dharma, not one of them failed to feel great joy in their hearts and attain an abundance of Dharma joy.
“Universal Pervasion of Space understands this Dharma.” The Deity Lord of the Directions, Universal Pervasion of Space, clearly understands this realm of the Buddha and awakens to enter this liberation gate.
Within every single moment, the Buddhas
Rain everywhere the boundless great rain of Dharma
Cause all sentient beings to dispel their afflictions
This is what the Cloud Banner Spirit understands clearly
Commentary: “The Buddha is in every single instant.” An instant is a very short period of time. What does the Buddha do in every single instant? He turns the great Dharma wheel, showers the great Dharma rain, and universally saves sentient beings.
“Raining down the boundless great Dharma everywhere.” In every single moment, the Buddha ceaselessly expounds the Dharma without pause, raining down the boundless great Dharma everywhere. With every thought, he teaches and transforms; in every instant, he awakens sentient beings, without ever feeling weary.
“All cause sentient beings to eliminate afflictions.” The Buddha uses the water of prajna wisdom to extinguish the fire of ignorance and afflictions, completely eradicating the afflictions of sentient beings.
“This Dharma is clearly understood by the Cloud Banner Spirit.” The Cloud Banner Great Sound Lord of Directions Spirit clearly understands this realm and has entered this gate of liberation.
All the oceans of karma in every world
The Buddhas all reveal them without distinction,
Universally enabling sentient beings to dispel karmic delusion
This is what the Counting-Eyes Spirit understands.
Commentary: “All the Oceans of Karma in the World.” All sentient beings in the world have created karmic obstacles like an ocean—both deep and vast. Why is there karma? Because of delusion, we create karma. Thus: “Give rise to feelings, create karma, and undergo retribution.”
“The Buddhas all give the same instruction, without distinction.” The karma created by sentient beings is as vast as the ocean. Yet the Buddha still teaches sentient beings that if they create various kinds of karma, they will receive various kinds of karmic retribution. Sentient beings all have different karma, and therefore receive different karmic retribution; this is entirely equal and just. Whatever cause one plants, that is the result one reaps. Plant a good cause, and the result will be good; plant an evil cause, and the result will be evil. Although the karmic results differ, each person receives retribution according to their actions. Therefore, it is said, “The Buddhas all give the same instruction, without distinction.”
“All cause sentient beings to eliminate karmic delusions.” The Buddha enables all sentient beings everywhere to completely eliminate karmic delusions. By eliminating karmic delusions, one attains the pure original nature. Without eliminating karmic delusions, one cannot attain the pure original nature.
“This gate is clearly seen by the Deity Counting-Eyes Spirit The realm of this liberation gate is clearly seen by the Deity Kế Mục Vô Loạn Chủ Phương.
The realm of all-knowing wisdom is boundless,
The many kinds of minds of all sentient beings,
The Tathāgata illuminates and sees them all clearly,
Through this vast gateway, one enters by contemplating the world
Commentary: “The ground of all wisdom has no bounds.” This ground of the wisdom of all modes is immeasurable and boundless. This is Buddha-wisdom, the Buddha-ground, unsurpassed wisdom. Unsurpassed wisdom is Buddha-wisdom; nothing can be higher. Therefore, it is said that the ground of all wisdom has no bounds. This wisdom transforms and guides beings according to their capacities, and leads them across according to their conditions. It manifests within the minds of all sentient beings. Therefore: “A thousand ponds with water, a thousand ponds reflecting the moon;
Ten thousand miles without clouds, ten thousand miles of sky.”
Meaning:
A thousand ponds with water all reflect the moon;
Ten thousand miles without clouds, ten thousand miles of blue sky.
This wisdom is wondrous uncontrived wisdom, wondrous uncontrived insight. “Uncontrived” means that nothing needs to be done. The Buddha’s wisdom requires no thought. Whatever realm appears, it receives and resolves it, with utmost speed and swiftness. This is called the boundless ground of omniscience. This is speaking in general terms; if we were to speak in detail, we could not finish even by the end of future time. Since it has no bounds, how could we ever finish speaking of it? “All beings have all kinds of minds.” Therefore:
“However many kinds of minds beings may have,
The Tathagata knows and sees them all.”
That is:
However many kinds of minds beings may have,
The Tathagata knows and sees them all.
How can one know? Because there is unsurpassed wisdom. How can one see? Because there is the eye of wisdom.
“The Tathagata sees everything clearly.” The Buddha’s eye of wisdom illuminates and sees everything; it sees all of it perfectly clearly. Therefore: “There is nothing it does not know,
No place it does not see.”
“This vast gate was entered by Directional Lord .” The Spirit of the Directional Lord of Universal Contemplation of the World’s Karma clearly understood and entered this vast Prajñā gate of liberation.
The Buddha in the past cultivated all practices;
All immeasurable perfections were fully perfected.
With great compassion, he pitied and benefited sentient beings
This is the liberation of the Spirit of Universal Travel.
Commentary: “The Buddhas of the past cultivated the various practices.” In the distant past, throughout immeasurable kalpas, the Buddhas cultivated all the practice gates. What are the practice gates? They are the eighty-four thousand practice gates, which is why they are called “various practices.” It can also mean that this one is one of the eighty-four thousand practice gates. After successfully cultivating this gate, one cultivates another; after successfully cultivating that gate, one cultivates yet another. Therefore, the word “various” (諸) can mean many, and it can also mean one. The word “one” here is an auxiliary word—that is, “this one gate.”
If we speak of many practice gates, we will become frightened. “Oh dear! How can we cultivate so many practice gates? We will absolutely never be able to become Buddhas.” Don’t worry; don’t be afraid! Cultivate one gate at a time. Once you have successfully cultivated this gate, you can successfully cultivate the others as well. Why? Because one gate is all gates, and all gates are one gate. When one is understood, all are understood; when all are understood, one is understood. Therefore: “When one Dharma is understood, all dharmas are understood.”
The Flower Garland Sutra says:
“Self-nature is like empty space;
The true and the false are within it.
Awaken fully to the original nature,
And understanding one, understand all.” It means:
Once you attain the One, there is nothing else at all—just as when you have eaten your fill, you no longer want to eat anything. Where does the Buddha begin when cultivating all practices? He begins by cultivating patience. Therefore:
“Patience is a priceless treasure;
When people treat you badly,
You should often make use of it;
All things will succeed.”
Why can’t we let go? Because we can’t bear it.
“An infinite number of perfections are all fulfilled.” What are the perfections? They are the pāramitās. The perfections are infinitely many and boundless pāramitās. Pāramitā is translated as “reaching the other shore”: crossing the river of birth and death and afflictions from this shore, and arriving at the far shore of Nirvāṇa. The perfections are the six pāramitās, and also the ten pāramitās. Whichever perfection you find most suited to you, cultivate that one. Cultivate them one by one; if you do not cultivate them, you will absolutely never reach the other shore. You must first cultivate one perfection. When you have finished cultivating it, cultivate another. Gradually cultivate them all to completion. This is the principle of cultivating Dharma practices that are of the same kind. When one kind is cultivated to completion, every kind is likewise complete. They all connect with and support one another, just as you help me and I help you, cooperating together. You draw a little strength from me, and I draw a little strength from you. When this strength is perfected, the infinitely many and boundless pāramitās are all cultivated to completion.
“Great loving-kindness and compassion benefit sentient beings.” The Buddha uses the mind of great loving-kindness to bring joy to sentient beings, and the mind of compassion (great compassion) to rescue them from suffering. He enables sentient beings to leave suffering and attain joy, and to transcend birth and death. This is what it means to benefit sentient beings.
“This liberation of the Pervasive Traveling Spirit.” The Spirit Who Roams Everywhere, Lord of the Directions, attained this liberation.
Furthermore, the Lord of Space Pure Light Universally Shining attained the liberation-gate of universally knowing the minds of all sentient beings in every destiny.
Commentary: Again, that is, continuing to speak: this Lord of the Space Spirits, Pure Light Universally Shining, has pure light. This light manifests from the wisdom of Prajna and shines throughout the ten directions. The Shurangama Sutra says: “Even if the nature of Sunyata could be destroyed, the vajra mind would not be shaken.” Sunyata is a Space Spirit; this Space Spirit may cease to be, but the adamantine mind cannot be shaken or changed. “I have deep faith in the great Shurangama samadhi; my adamantine mind cannot be shaken or changed”—these are the verses spoken by Venerable Ananda.
This Lord of the Sky Spirit knows the minds of all sentient beings in every realm. The realms are the six paths. Whatever deluded thoughts sentient beings in the six paths give rise to, this Lord knows them all. If any sentient beings give rise to greed, this Lord bestows things upon them. If they crave one coin, he gives them two. Why? Because: “To bring them into the Buddha’s wisdom,
First lead them with the hook of desire.” Whatever sentient beings like, first give them that. For example, if you want a Buddhist dictionary, someone will bring one to you, fulfilling your wish. In short, this Lord of the Space Spirits grants every request, but satisfies only wholesome wishes, not evil ones. This deity has attained the liberation gate of knowing the minds of all sentient beings.
The Lord of the Space Spirits, Universal Travel, Deep and Vast, attained the liberation gate of universally entering the Dharma realm.
Commentary: This Spirit in Charge of Space, Who Travels Far and Wide, loves to travel. He travels not only throughout the world, but also to vast and distant places. He even visits the Dragon Palace to see whether the Dragon King is asleep and making rain at the wrong time, or has sent another dragon to make rain while he himself lazily sleeps soundly. If the Dragon King is asleep, this Spirit in Charge of Space wakes him and says, “Hey, my friend! Wake up! You have to carry out your duty! If you keep sleeping, all the living beings in the world will soon starve to death!” I say that the Space Spirit Who Travels Universally in the Deep and Vast went down to the Dragon Palace—not as the ravings of a madman, but with a basis for saying so. What basis? The basis is that this spirit attained the liberation gate of entering throughout the Dharma Realm. The Dharma Realm encompasses everything, and the Dragon Palace is also within the Dharma Realm. Therefore, this proves that this Space Spirit has been to the Dragon Palace to enjoy the scenery; it was not just idle talk.
Those of you who wish to travel to the Dragon Palace must first attain the liberation door of entering throughout the Dharma Realm. Once you have this state, your wishes can be fulfilled; nothing can hinder you, and you can come and go freely. This is the liberation door that this Lord of the Space Spirits has entered.
The monastics and laypeople at Kim Son Monastery are all diligently and vigorously applying themselves. Since Buddhism is just beginning in the West, it needs people who awaken to the Way and people who attain fruition. With people who awaken to the Way and attain fruition, Buddhism can more easily be propagated and flourish. Therefore, I hope the bhikshus and bhikshunis will strive to meditate, aspire to awaken to the Way, and attain the fruits of the Way. At present, two bhikshus have made the resolve to bow once after every three steps, praying for world peace and freedom from disasters. The bhikshunis cannot stand behind, because here in America men and women are equal. We are now testing and selecting people capable of awakening to the Way and attaining fruition, and I hope everyone will strive to seize the opportunity.
At present, a lay practitioner has raised a question. I do not know whether this lay practitioner is a man or a woman. They say, “Bhikshus and bhikshunis can attain enlightenment and realize the fruits of the path. So do we laypeople have any hope?” Let me add now: Both laymen and laywomen have hope; they too can attain enlightenment and realize the fruits of the path, but they must practice. If they do not practice, then even if the Buddha himself came to teach and transform them, they still could not become Buddhas. If they practice wholeheartedly, they can become Buddhas even without the Buddha coming. Whether you become a Buddha depends on whether or not you practice.
The Auspicious Wind Lord Space Spirit attained the liberation gate of understanding the bodily forms of boundless realms.
Commentary: The Auspicious Wind-Born Lord of Emptiness Spirits. “Auspicious” means that everything is good, with nothing bad. If anything were bad, it would not be auspicious. This Lord of Emptiness Spirits gives rise to an auspicious wind. This wind is a pure Dharma, not a defiled one, and so it is called an auspicious wind.
There are many kinds of wind: violent winds, storm winds, north winds, east winds, and west winds—all of these are not auspicious winds. Gentle winds, harmonious winds, wisdom winds, and south winds are all auspicious winds.
Great Shun said: The south wind’s gentle warmth, ah,
can ease my people’s discontent, ah.
The south wind, arriving in season, ah,
can enrich my people, ah.
He said that the south wind was very gentle and pleasant, keeping his people free from anger and helping everyone live together in harmony. When the south wind blew, it could make all his people prosperous. This King Shun was the most filial emperor in China, and also the most democratic. He was a Bodhisattva who came to teach sentient beings and benefit them. His conduct was utterly selfless and devoted to the public good. He was the emperor most honored and revered by later generations. There is a poem that says:
Beyond the mountains, green mountains; beyond the towers, more towers.
When will the songs and dances of West Lake ever cease?
The warm breeze has intoxicated the pleasure-seekers,
Who simply take Hangzhou for Bianzhou.
This is a poem from the Song dynasty, written by a patriot. The Song emperor in Jiangnan forgot to launch a northern campaign and restore the country, and therefore mistook Hangzhou (the capital of the Southern Song, called Lin’an and now called Hangzhou) for Bianzhou (the capital of the Northern Song, called Bianliang and now Kaifeng).
This poem also speaks of the wind. The poet says that beyond the mountains there are still green mountains, and beyond the towers there are still more towers, like a magnificent painting. This describes the scenery of West Lake. The warm, gentle breeze is pleasant; it blows against people’s faces and makes them feel at ease. It makes those who visit the sights feel as if they are drunk, no longer knowing east from west or north from south. They even mistake Hangzhou for Bianzhou, enjoying themselves and forgetting to return. This says that the Southern Song emperors had no will to campaign against the north, but instead were absorbed in song and dance.
At present, we are talking about the character “wind.” It appears in many terms, such as customs, moral culture, prevailing atmosphere, romantic sentiment, romantic affairs, feng shui, local conditions, winds and clouds, scenery, storms, and wind disasters, and so on. If you want to know more about them in detail, you can consult a dictionary, where many are discussed. We must fan auspicious winds everywhere. How can we bring forth auspicious winds? If you have pure and tranquil joy, that is an auspicious wind. Without purity and joy, it is not an auspicious wind but violent winds and torrential rain. We must let auspicious winds and gentle breezes with fine rain spread throughout the Dharma Realm, so that all sentient beings may benefit from these auspicious winds.
There is a saying: “A shower of wish-fulfilling rain falls throughout the mortal world.” Rain falls throughout the mortal world, which also means that wish-fulfilling jewels rain down throughout the universe. You have a wish-fulfilling jewel, and I have one too. These wish-fulfilling jewels, round, bright, and sparkling, are all within our own nature; there is no need to seek them outside ourselves. If we want this auspicious wind to arise throughout all of space and the Dharma realm, then we must fan the auspicious wind, so that all disasters disappear and all foul energy is swept away. Then there will be harmonious energy. Harmonious energy is auspicious; foul energy brings calamity. The Heart Sutra says, “Deliver all beings from suffering and calamity.” Where there is suffering and calamity, there is no auspiciousness; where there is no suffering and calamity, there is auspiciousness.
We must fan auspicious winds everywhere and sprinkle wish-fulfilling rain throughout the ten directions; we must make this resolve. If we do not fan auspicious winds, we cannot sprinkle wish-fulfilling rain. Then comets will come. At present, a comet has appeared in space. This comet is the most powerful and the largest; it appeared two thousand years ago. It can destroy this globe and turn heaven and earth upside down, with heaven below and earth above! Who has such power? This comet has such might. That means the world has reached its final day.
In the Shurangama Sutra it says, “Comets and meteors flying past” (comets flying by). A comet’s flashing light is like a celestial projectile, like a rocket, with flames shooting from its tail like a broom; that is why it is called a comet. It is an inauspicious star. When it appears, it brings about a great calamity. A bō star is also a kind of comet, and its flashes of light shooting in all directions are likewise inauspicious. “Flying past” means a falling star. This comet appeared in October 1973 and had come close to the Earth. It seems this calamity cannot possibly be averted.
I originally did not want to say these things, because the comet is so dangerous and this calamity is so great. However, if I do not speak, everyone’s minds will still be unable to make the necessary change. Only when everyone’s minds become pure can this comet vanish without a trace and this great calamity be averted. This disaster does not concern just one country; it is a great disaster for the whole world. At that time, humanity will face a life-or-death turning point—it will be perilous in the extreme.
At our Gold Mountain Monastery, two bhikshus who practice the Bodhisattva path have, for the sake of world peace, resolved to perform three steps, one bow, embodying the Dharma as they go. They may be able to subdue this comet and cause it to change course, so that it does not destroy the Earth. Some people may consider this conduct utterly foolish. In fact, these two are using the oldest and most foolish-seeming method to subdue the comet and keep it from attacking the Earth, thereby saving the lives of all sentient beings throughout the world.
This great calamity of the kalpa is the karma created by all the beings in the world. If everyone reforms their evil ways and turns toward goodness, and changes their disposition, then auspicious winds will arise. These auspicious winds can turn around the world’s perilous fate, so that it is not stealthily struck by a comet. This perilous stealth attack is hundreds of thousands of times more powerful than an atomic bomb or a hydrogen bomb (nuclear weapon). Look at these two practitioners: can the merit of bowing once for every three steps avert the calamity of the kalpa? This Lord of the Space Spirits attained the Dharma-door of liberation and penetrated the boundless realms of bodily forms. To penetrate is to awaken completely—to awaken fully to the boundless realms. What are the boundless realms? They are the Buddha’s body, which is like empty space. Because the Buddha’s body is like empty space, it is called the boundless realms. Therefore:
“If anyone wishes to know the realm of the Buddha, let them purify their mind like empty space.”
The boundless realm is also without characteristics. It has characteristics yet is without characteristics, and the characteristics of this realm are precisely the inconceivable realm of the Flower Adornment Sutra. This subtle and wondrous realm cannot be understood through the thoughts of ordinary people. This Space Lord Spirit has entered this gateway to liberation.
The Spirit Who Abides Securely in Emptiness, Free from Obstructions, attained the liberation gate of being able to eliminate the karmic and delusive obstructions of all sentient beings.
Commentary: This Spirit Ruling over Space Who Abides Free from Obstructions is free from all hindrances and abides in the Ground of Immovability, in meditation, and in tranquility. This spirit has attained the ability to eliminate the karma, delusions, and obstructions of all sentient beings—that is, to eliminate all their evil karma, all their delusions, and all their hindrances.
Evil karma can be eradicated, and wholesome karma will remain. Doubt and confusion mean being deluded and unable to see anything clearly; “obstruction” means an obstacle to the path to bodhi. What obstructs the path to bodhi? Afflictions. Yet afflictions are bodhi—how can they be eradicated? They need not be eradicated; they must be transformed: transform afflictions into bodhi, ignorance into wisdom, and evil karma into wholesome karma. Thus this Lord of the Space Spirits attained this gateway to liberation.
The Vast-Step, Wondrous-Crested Lord of Emptiness Spirit attained the liberation gate of universally contemplating the self-nature of the vast ocean of practices.
Commentary: This Space Spirit Chief of the Wonderful Topknot of Vast Steps observes the vast ocean of practices cultivated by all sentient beings and reflects on their vast capacities. He then observes their capacities and expounds the Dharma for them, prescribing medicine according to their ailments, thereby universally liberating all sentient beings. The vast ocean of practices means immeasurable, boundless Dharma-gates of practice. Each sentient being has particular causes and conditions and so cultivates a particular Dharma-gate; above all, it must be suited to them. If it is not suited to them, it benefits neither side. Therefore, this Space Spirit Chief attained this realm and understood this liberation-gate.
The Spirit Presiding over Space with Unobstructed Light and Flame attained the liberation-gate of the great-compassionate light that universally rescues all beings from calamities and distress.
Commentary: This Space Spirit, Lord of Unimpeded Light Flame, attained the liberation-gate of the light of great compassion. Great compassion means rescuing beings from suffering. This being uses the light of prajna to rescue and protect all living beings from every calamity and hardship, enabling them to leave suffering and attain joy.
All living beings undergo birth and death in the sea of suffering: they are born, then die, and die, then are born again, endlessly revolving in the cycle of birth and death. In the sea of suffering, they cast off one body and take on another, believing this to be a good thing, and so they drift along without thinking of leaving it. This is the calamity that afflicts all living beings. The Heart Sutra says, “The five aggregates are all empty; thus one crosses beyond all suffering and calamity.” This suffering and calamity is the suffering and calamity of birth and death. The five aggregates are like five layers of clothing worn on the body. One must take them off layer by layer until not even a single thread remains; then one can see one’s original true face, attain liberation, and put an end to birth and death. In this way, one can cross beyond the cycle of birth and death and reach the other shore of Nirvana. This Space Spirit Lord protects all living beings, helping them leave suffering and calamity, and attained this liberation-gate.
The Sky Spirit Chief Unobstructed Supreme Power attained the liberation door of the power of merit that universally enters all things without attachment.
Commentary: This Sky Spirit Leader, Vô Ngại Thắng Lực (“Unobstructed Supreme Power”), has attained the liberation that enables him to enter fully into all blessings and virtues without attachment. Why are we attached? Because the self exists. This is me; that belongs to me. We cling to this and that, and cannot let anything go. Thus we have neither blessings nor virtues. We who cultivate the Way must break free from attachment and cultivate blessings and virtues. When we are no longer attached to the five aggregates, we will accomplish something. In short, when the five aggregates are all empty, one is a Bodhisattva; when they are not empty, one is an ordinary person. This Sky Spirit Leader cultivates immeasurable blessings and virtues. Blessings are outward, virtues are inward, yet he is attached to neither.
The Sky Spirit Stainless Light attained the liberation-gate of purity that enables the minds of all sentient beings to be free from all hindrances.
Commentary: This Lord Sky Spirit of Defilement-Free Light has attained luminosity by leaving defilement behind. What is impure is called defilement. This defilement obscures people’s minds and nature, covering our pure, luminous essence so that it cannot shine forth. It is like dust accumulating on a mirror, preventing it from reflecting all forms. We must wipe the dust from the mirror for its function to become apparent. What is the mirror’s function? It is to reflect all forms. If there is a layer of dust on it, it cannot reflect them all. Our minds’ luminosity has an inherent brightness, an inherent wisdom as luminous as a mirror. The wisdom we inherently possess and the discerning eye of the Dharma we inherently possess are likewise like a mirror. But they are obscured by the defilements of ignorance and habitual tendencies, so their luminosity does not appear.
“Radiant Light Free of Defilement” means being free of grime and impurity, sweeping away all dust and defilements—in other words, eradicating habitual tendencies accumulated over many lifetimes and eons. When the defilements of greed, anger, and delusion are swept away, radiant light will naturally appear.
Therefore, this Lord of Space Spirit bears this name—but the name, too, is provisional, because this being is a Lord of Space. What is space? It is that in which nothing exists. If one thing is empty, then everything is empty; there is no condition or circumstance anywhere. How, then, could there be a name called “Radiant Light Free of Defilement”? Originally, there is nothing at all, so what defilement could there be to leave behind? What light could there be to appear? This is speaking of people’s inherent nature: it is originally pure, originally neither defiled nor pure. It is meant to keep people from clinging.
This Lord of Space Spirits, Defilement-Free Radiant Light, can understand only one Dharma gate among the Buddha’s immeasurable Dharma gates. Because this being is a spirit, it can understand only a portion. It is like drinking water: one need only drink enough; once one has had enough, one stops. One cannot drink too much, because the stomach has limited capacity.
This Lord of Space Spirits is not like that, yet still cannot see clearly and fully comprehend all of the Buddha’s Dharma gates. It understands only the realm of the liberation gate that enables the minds of all sentient beings to be free from all hindrances and become pure.
The hindrances are the five hindrances. What are the five hindrances? They are:
1) The hindrance of sensual desire: When this hindrance is present, one becomes attached to the objects of the five desires.
2) The hindrance of anger: When this hindrance is present, the mind becomes angry when faced with adversity.
3) The hindrance of sloth and torpor: When this hindrance is present, body and mind become dull and drowsy.
4) The hindrance of restlessness and remorse: When this hindrance is present, the mind is agitated, and one feels distress about one’s actions.
5) The hindrance of doubt: When this hindrance is present, one becomes confused about the teachings and hesitates, unable to decide.
These five hindrances conceal the mind-nature, so wholesome dharmas cannot arise. If these five hindrances are absent, one can attain purity. The mind’s light will appear, and once it appears, it will illuminate the entire Dharma Realm. This Space Spirit Lord has entered this liberation.
Wisdom’s light originally shines throughout the Dharma Realm, but because there is a black wooden box, there is no light. This black wooden box has a lid; now that it is covered, not even a little light can get in. It is like this cup of tea: if I put the lid on it now, the inside will be dark. Our minds are like this, and so is our wisdom. What covers us is ignorance. Whoever can break through these five hindrances will be free; whoever cannot break through them will not be free.
Our current method of lecturing on the sutras differs in some respects from the way they are taught in China. We have chosen a democratic approach: everyone has the right to speak, and if anyone teaches something incorrectly, everyone has the right to bring it up for discussion. That includes me. If I say anything wrong, point it out so we can examine it. We are all equal; there is no concept of class. Do not distinguish between teacher and student—we should break with authoritarian thinking.
In matters of doctrine, no one should be careless or negligent, or show off; rather, we must discern the truth and investigate it. Thus the Great Master Yongjia said, “If there is doubt that cannot be resolved, one must debate it.” Wherever something is unclear and in doubt, we must debate it. Debate what? The truth. We must bring the truth to light. My views are not necessarily all correct, so let us use everyone’s wisdom to discover the truth. One person’s wisdom is limited; the wisdom of the many is limitless. What I cannot think of, you may think of; what you cannot think of, they may think of. When everyone joins together as one, that is called the collective mind—that is, the Buddha-mind. The reasoning of the collective is the reasoning of the Buddha. So please don’t hold back in discussion; let us bring the truth to light together.
I remember that long ago—I don’t know what year—I felt that everyone was making vows to become better and more intelligent than others, hoping to have greater wisdom than others. So I made a special vow: “May I be more foolish than others; may I give the wisdom I have to everyone.” After making this vow, sure enough, I really did become foolish. If I had money, I gave it to others to use; the same went for anything else I had. I even vowed to give away my life. That is something from my past.
Deep and Far-Reaching Wonderful Sound, Chief of the Space Spirits, attained the liberation gate of universally seeing the wisdom light of the ten directions.
Commentary: This Sky Spirit, Lord of Deep and Far-Reaching Wondrous Sounds, has a profound and inconceivable realm. Within this realm, this being skillfully expounds all the Dharma. Because this being has great wisdom and can dispel all ignorance, this being attains the liberation door and wisdom’s bright light, which sees throughout the ten directions. This is one aspect of the Buddha’s realm.
The Chief Space Spirit, Light Pervading the Ten Directions, attained the liberation gateway of remaining unmoving in his original place while universally manifesting throughout the worlds.
Commentary: This Spirit Lord of Space, Light Pervading the Ten Directions, has wisdom-light that fills the ten directions and has attained the realm of remaining unmoving in his original place. “Unmoving” means that although his body and mind do not move, his wisdom-light pervades the ten directions. Yet even as it pervades the ten directions, his inherent wisdom-light is not diminished. Remaining unmoving in his original place means that his original place does not waver, even as he pervades the ten directions. Therefore, this spirit is called the Spirit Lord of Space, Light Pervading the Ten Directions.
This Dharma of liberation can be attained by anyone who wishes to cultivate it. Cultivating the Way means proceeding from small to great, from near to far, from oneself to others, step by step. What does “not moving from the original place” mean? For example, one may do a great deal of work, yet feel no weariness in the mind and have no thought of hardship or fatigue. This is “acting without anything to do,” using work to exercise the body. Although one is working, there is no work to be done; this is the Way of non-striving, which is also not moving from the original place. The original place is the mind. If the mind does not move, one does not move from the original place. If the mind moves, one moves from the original place.
At that time, Pure Light Universal Illumination, chief of the space gods, relying on the Buddha’s power, universally surveyed all the hosts of space gods and spoke in verse:
Commentary: What time does “at that time” refer to? In fact, there is no such time. If we say it is this present moment, then this present moment has already passed. The Diamond Sutra says: “The mind of the past cannot be grasped;
the mind of the present cannot be grasped;
the mind of the future cannot be grasped.”
Of course, the three periods of mind cannot be grasped, so why cling to a particular time? Then why does the scripture say “at one time”? In the scripture, “at that time” refers to the moment when hundreds of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas, the assembled gods, the Eight Classes of Dragons and Devas, and others surrounded the Buddha. Everyone praised the Buddha simultaneously, without any distinction of before or after. But when this was recorded in writing, distinctions of before and after had to be made; it was impossible to write down so many verses all at once. It is like eating food: one must eat it one mouthful at a time; one cannot eat a single mouthful all at once and be full. Thus there is an order of before and after. Originally, “at that time” means the moment when all the Bodhisattvas, all the Heavenly Kings, all the assembled gods, and all the Eight Classes of Dragons and Devas praised the Buddha simultaneously. So at that moment there was no before or after. Moreover, that moment has already passed, so what use is there in clinging to it?
This Lord of the Sky Spirits, Pure Light Shining Everywhere, has pure radiance that shines throughout the Dharma Realms of the ten directions. Relying on the Buddha’s great awe-inspiring spiritual power, this deity surveyed all the assembled Lords of the Sky Spirits and spoke this verse in praise of the Buddha’s realm.
The Tathāgata’s eyes are vast,
Pure as space
Universally seeing all sentient beings
All are perfectly clear.
Commentary: This four-line verse is by the Sky Spirit Lord Pure Light Universally Shining, praising what the Buddha said. These spirit beings praise the Buddha all at once, each reciting their own verse at the same time. But when the verses are recorded, they are arranged in an order of precedence. It is like when we gather together and simultaneously praise a country or a person. Even when speaking about an event, everyone may speak at once. It is also like everyone simultaneously praising an emperor: the emperor is the king among humans, while the Buddha is the Dharma King. The principles of a human king are used to illustrate those of the Dharma King.
Just as wherever an emperor goes on a military campaign, the people there come to pay homage to him, everyone speaking with one voice and saying, “Long live Your Majesty! May you live ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!” No matter how many people there are, they all shout together at the same time. This expresses reverence and praise. So it is with a human king, and so it is with the Dharma King. At the same time, each deity uses a four-line verse to praise the Buddha—that is, each one’s impressions of the Buddha and insight into the Dharma. They use their own experiences of realizing the Path and the gateways to liberation they have attained to compose verses praising the Buddha.
“The Tathagata’s eye is vast.” The Buddha possesses a boundless, vast Dharma Eye, capable of observing the Dharma realms in the ten directions.
“Pure as empty space.” The Buddha’s Dharma Eye is pure and luminous, like empty space.
“Seeing all sentient beings everywhere.” The Buddha’s vast eyes behold all sentient beings.
“All are clearly seen.” The Buddha clearly sees all beings give rise to delusion, create karma, and experience its consequences. Therefore, he uses all kinds of Dharma methods to teach and transform all beings, enabling them to leave suffering and attain happiness.
People celebrate birthdays, and nations celebrate their national days. On a birthday, friends come to offer their congratulations, and everyone sings “Happy Birthday.” On China’s National Day, the Chinese people shout, “Long live the Republic of China!” On the national day of each country, people shout, “Long live” that country! If even a worldly celebration is like this, how much more so when the Buddha attained Buddhahood: countless Bodhisattvas, Arhats, Heavenly Kings, hosts of gods, and the eight classes of celestial beings and nāgas all came to gather around the Buddha and praise him.
This Lord of the Sky Spirits, Pure Light Universal Illumination, uses these four lines to praise the Buddha, expressing his feelings and his understanding of the Dharma with regard to the Buddha. When Venerable Ananda compiled the sutras, he recorded them in the scriptures. Now, when we recite them, we clearly understand the wondrousness of the Avatamsaka Sutra. There are many verses like this, but if we penetrate and clearly understand even one verse, we can attain liberation.
The Buddha’s body is of great radiance
Shining throughout the ten directions
Present and abiding everywhere
Phổ Du contemplates this path.
Commentary: “The Buddha’s body of great radiance.” The Buddha’s body emits great radiance, pervading the entire Dharma realm. The radiance of the Buddha’s wisdom likewise pervades the entire Dharma realm.
“Shining throughout the ten directions.” The Buddha’s body radiates great light, illuminating all sentient beings throughout the ten directions and enabling them all to attain wisdom.
“Present everywhere.” Every sentient being says: “The Buddha is before me, expounding the wondrous Dharma for me.” This principle is like “the moon’s reflection in a thousand rivers.” That is, one moon casts its reflection into countless rivers. The Buddha’s light shines everywhere; it reaches every sentient being.
“Universal Travel contemplates this path.” The Spirit of the Void, Lord of Vast and Deep Universal Travel, observed and clearly understood this principle, and thereby entered this gate of liberation.
The Buddha’s body is like space,
Unborn, with nothing to grasp;
No attainment, no inherent nature
Clearly seen by Auspicious Wind.
Commentary: “The Buddha’s body is like empty space.” The Buddha’s body is like empty space: it is without form, yet there is no form it does not possess. That is why it is called the true aspect.
“No arising, no grasping.” Of course, it is unborn; how could there be any grasping? No arising, no defilement—that is an auspicious wind.
“There is no attainment and no intrinsic nature.” There is no attainment either. Do you say that anything is attained? What is attained? The Buddha-body has no intrinsic nature, like empty space; empty space also has no intrinsic nature.
“Auspicious Wind sees clearly.” This realm is clearly seen by the Space-Lord Spirit Born of Auspicious Wind.
The Tathagata, through immeasurable kalpas
Widely expounded all the sacred paths
Universally dispelled the hindrances of beings
Perfect Radiance realized this Dharma-gate.
Commentary: “The Tathagata through immeasurable kalpas.” The Tathagata is one of the Buddha’s ten titles; the Buddha has been [here] from immeasurable kalpas ago up to the present.
“Expounding at length the paths of the sages.” The Buddha always extensively expounds the path of practice of the sages, that is, he extensively expounds the true Dharma.
“Eradicate all obstacles of sentient beings.” This causes all the karmic obstacles of sentient beings to be completely eradicated. Once the karmic obstacles are eradicated, wisdom arises. With wisdom, one can enter the Buddha’s gate of liberation.
“This Dharma gate of awakening to perfect radiance.” At this level, the Spirit Lord of Space, Perfect Radiance, understood it clearly and attained realization.
At Gold Mountain Monastery and the International Translation Institute, the Avatamsaka Sutra is lectured on every day: if it is not being lectured at Gold Mountain Monastery, it is being lectured at the International Translation Institute. It is like a great river, flowing every day without interruption. In this Dharma-ending Age, the Buddha’s disciples should work to uphold the Proper Dharma. This is a vow I made long ago. I vowed that when the Dharma-ending Age came, I would sustain the Proper Dharma. Wherever I go, there will be only the Proper Dharma and no Dharma-ending Age. This was my past vow; now I make the same vow, and in the future I will make the same vow. My vow is to eliminate the Dharma-ending Age, continue the Buddha’s wisdom-life, and perpetuate the Three Jewels. Therefore, the sutra lectures will continue without cease.
I contemplate the Buddha past,
The practices of Bodhi that he cultivated,
All for the peace of the world;
The wondrous method is to practice this state.
Commentary: “I contemplate the Buddha of old.” The Sky Spirit Lord of the Broad Stride and Wondrous Crest said, “I contemplate the Buddha of the distant past, who, life after life, practiced the various paths of conduct.” “Accumulating the practices of bodhi.” From immeasurable kalpas until now, the Buddha has accumulated the practices of bodhi to a degree no one can match. This is the unsurpassed practice-gate.
“All for the peace of the world.” Why does the Buddha practice the path of bodhi? Entirely to enable sentient beings in the world to attain peace and happiness.
“This is the ‘Wonderful Topknot’ practice-gate.” This is the realm of practice of the Broad Steps, Wonderful Topknot Lord of the Void Spirit.
All realms of sentient beings
Circling through the sea of birth and death
The Buddha emits light that dispels suffering
The Unhindered Spirit can see.
Commentary: “All realms of sentient beings.” This encompasses both sentient and insentient beings. Sentient beings are sentient in relation to insentient beings, and insentient beings are insentient in relation to sentient beings. This is the principle of their mutual dependence, which enables people to see the Buddha-Dharma clearly. Therefore, all dharmas are originally characterized by quiescent extinction. Because there are all sentient beings, there is originally nothing in the Dharma that can be spoken of, yet one has no choice but to speak. Hence, it says, “all realms of sentient beings.” “Transmigration in the Sea of Birth and Death.” We go back and forth within the six realms of samsara, unable to escape. Birth and death are as vast as the ocean; we drift back and forth in the sea of suffering that is birth and death, transmigrating to the heavenly realm or the human realm, and even to hell. We remain forever within the six realms and cannot attain liberation from birth and death.
“The Buddha radiates light to dispel suffering.” Sentient beings are so foolish and so afflicted that they cannot distinguish what is right from what is not. They say that what is plainly right is not right, and that what is plainly not right is right. This is being turned around in an illusory, unreal realm. Being turned around is suffering, so the Buddha radiates a stream of light to dispel suffering, enabling sentient beings to awaken and inspiring them to resolve to leave suffering and attain happiness.
“The Unobstructed Spirit saw it.” The Deva named Unobstructed Light-Flame, Lord of Space, saw this realm and entered this gateway to liberation.
Pure treasury of merit,
Able to be the world’s field of blessings;
With wisdom, you open and awaken them
The Spirit of Power realizes this.
“Pure Treasury of Merit.” What is purity? It means being free from defilement. What is merit? It means performing meritorious deeds and accumulating virtue by doing many things that benefit sentient beings. Thus, wholesome merit means doing good deeds; doing good courageously is merit, and accumulating much merit is virtue. The opposite of wholesome merit is grave wrongdoing. Doing what one should not do is wrongdoing. For example, killing sentient beings when one should not is an offense. Engaging in sexual misconduct when one should not is a transgression. To have offenses and transgressions is to have committed wrongs. In short, practicing the Ten Wholesome Deeds is wholesome merit, while committing the Ten Evil Deeds is wrongdoing.
The merit the Buddha established is truly immeasurable and boundless, and the virtue the Buddha cultivated is likewise immeasurable and boundless. The Buddha’s treasury of merit is also immeasurable and boundless. In short, pure merit means cultivating a field of blessings.
“Cultivating the field of merit in the world.” The Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha—are the most excellent field of merit in the world. Whoever wishes to cultivate a field of merit must draw near to the Three Jewels, make offerings to them, revere them, and uphold them.
“Because they open the wisdom of awakening.” Why must one plant in the field of merit? Because one seeks to open up wisdom. The Buddha, following the gate of Prajñā wisdom, guides all sentient beings, enabling them to attain enlightenment.
“ The Spirit of Strength’s Realization of This Gateway.” This is the realm that the Sky Spirit Who Is Lord of Unimpeded Supreme Power awakened to and through which he entered this liberation gateway.
Sentient beings bound by delusion
Transmigrating along the perilous path
The Buddha emits light for their sake
The Stainless Deity can realize this
“Sentient beings are veiled by delusion.” All sentient beings are obscured by ignorance and foolishness. Because the luminous light of wisdom is obscured by dark ignorance, they are said to be veiled by delusion.
“Transmigration in the Perilous Paths.” Because of delusion and confusion, beings transmigrate without end through the six realms. Sometimes they are born in the three fortunate realms, and sometimes in the three unfortunate realms. This is truly perilous, and so it is called “transmigration in the perilous paths.” “The Buddha radiates light for them.” The Buddha has compassion for sentient beings and, for their sake, radiates the great light of wisdom to save them, enabling them to leave the perilous path.
“The Stainless Deity has attained it.” The Deity of Stainless Radiance, Lord of Space, attained this state.
Wisdom is boundless,
All lands are manifest,
Light shines upon the world,
Wonderful Sound thus sees the Buddha,
Commentary: “Wisdom Without Bounds.” Whose wisdom has no bounds? Of course, the Buddha’s wisdom! The radiance of the Buddha’s wisdom fills all of space and pervades the entire Dharma Realm, without bounds or end.
“All the lands appear.” Because the Buddha’s wisdom light has no bounds, it shines throughout all the Buddha-lands in the ten directions.
“Radiant light illuminates the world.” The Buddha’s wisdom-light shines upon all sentient beings throughout the three-thousand great thousand worlds.
“Wonderful Sound sees it this way.” The Sky Spirit Lord Deep and Far-Reaching Wonderful Sound, having seen this realm, entered this gateway to liberation.
The Buddha, for the sake of liberating sentient beings
Cultivation extends throughout the ten directions
Such a great-vow mind
Universal Manifestation is able to observe
Commentary: “The Buddha came to liberate sentient beings.” The Buddha came to this world to liberate all sentient beings, so that they might all leave suffering and attain happiness, understand birth and death, and transcend death.
“Practicing throughout the ten directions.” The Buddha cultivates the path through wisdom, pervading the Buddha-lands throughout the ten directions.
“Such a great aspiration.” The Buddha wished to liberate all sentient beings and had to practice throughout the ten directions; his aspiration was truly immeasurably great.
“Universally Manifesting Observation.” The Space Spirit Lord of the Ten Directions, whose light universally pervades, observed this realm, clearly understood this principle, and entered this liberation gate.
Furthermore, the Wind Deity Lord Unimpeded Light attained the liberation gate of universally entering the Buddha-Dharma and all worlds.
Commentary: Those who do not know the Buddhadharma do not know that there are Lords of Abodes, Lords of the Night, Lords of Directions, Lords of Space, Lords of Wind, and so on—there are many such deities. Only those who study the Buddhadharma learn that there are so many assemblies of deities. Speaking specifically of the Lords of Wind, there is not just one Lord of Wind; there are immeasurable, boundless Lords of Wind. The preceding sutra text merely named ten Lords of Wind. Who knows how many more were not mentioned? So now they are being discussed again. “Moreover” means that the point above was not yet fully explained, and is now being continued.
The Deities all praise the Buddha at the same time. They include not only the Deities Who Govern Dwellings, the Deities Who Govern the Night, the Deities Who Govern Directions, and the Deities Who Govern Space, but also the Deities Who Govern the Wind, and others. Now let us discuss the praise of the Buddha by the Deity Who Governs the Wind. This Deity is named Unimpeded Radiant Light. Nothing can obstruct this Deity’s radiance, which shines everywhere. This Deity attained the samadhi of entering all Buddha-dharmas. Buddha-dharmas are dharmas that transcend the world. This Deity can also enter into all worldly dharmas. Therefore, the Sixth Patriarch said: The Buddha Dharma is in the world;
Enlightenment is not apart from the world.
To seek Bodhi apart from the world
Is like searching for a rabbit’s horns.
The Buddha-Dharma is not separate from worldly dharmas. This means that within worldly dharmas there is the Dharma that transcends the world; therefore, it is said to encompass all worlds. This Wind-Ruling Spirit attained this gate of liberation.
There are many kinds of wind, so there are also many names for the Wind Gods (gods of wind). Wind, too, has a god to govern it, so that it does not blow recklessly. Without a god to govern it, it would bring violent winds and storms, causing disaster. Of the three great calamities, the most severe is the calamity of wind; even the Heaven of the Third Dhyana must suffer this calamity.
There is wind within our bodies, which is why there is wind outside. Our bodies are formed through the provisional combination of the four great elements. These four elements are earth, water, wind, and fire. Earth refers to the tendons, bones, skin, and flesh; water refers to blood, sweat, and tears; fire is the body’s temperature; and wind is the air we breathe. When the four elements are in harmony, we are healthy; when they are out of harmony, we become ill. When the four elements no longer obey our commands and lose their function, we are about to die.
Because the four elements provisionally combine, there is wind within our bodies. We live in the wind, yet cannot see its form, just as fish live in water but cannot see the form of water. People can survive only in wind (air); without it, they cannot live. Fish can survive only in water; without water, they cannot live either. In short, when people are separated from air, they die immediately, just as fish die soon after being separated from water. Therefore, wind and human beings are closely connected.
The Wind Spirit Who Universally Manifests Heroic Deeds attained the liberation-gate of making vast offerings whenever Buddhas appear in immeasurable Buddha-lands.
Commentary: This Wind Deity, the Master of Universally Manifested Valiant Deeds, manifests valiant deeds everywhere. Valiant deeds are vigorous and diligent practice: diligence in bodhi, diligence in the pure conduct, diligence in making offerings to the Triple Gem, diligence in revering the Triple Gem, and diligence without slackening in all the Buddha’s teachings. When Buddhas appear in the world throughout infinite and boundless lands, this deity makes extensive offerings to them all. With the mind of the Dharma realm, this deity makes offerings to the Buddhas throughout the Dharma realm—not only to the Buddhas of the past and present, but also to the Buddhas of the future. This is the liberation that this deity has attained.
The Wind Spirit Who Waves the Cloud Banner attained the liberation-gate of fragrant winds that universally dispel the illnesses of all sentient beings.
Commentary: This Wind-Governing Deity, Lord of the Banner of Floating Clouds, attained a Dharma-door of liberation called “Fragrant Wind That Extinguishes All Illnesses of All Sentient Beings.” Within this wind is a fragrance, which is the unsurpassed medicine that eradicates the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion—the illnesses of all sentient beings. Once the illness of the three poisons is cured, the virtues of morality, concentration, and wisdom arise. This is the Dharma-door of liberation that this deity attained.
The Wind Spirit Chief Pure Light Adornment attained the liberation gate of universally bringing forth roots of goodness in all sentient beings and causing the mountain of grave obstructions to be crushed and destroyed.
Commentary: The Pure Light Adornment Wind Spirit Lord adorns himself with pure light. He has attained the liberation-gate that enables all sentient beings to bring forth the bodhi mind, give rise to great roots of goodness, turn from evil toward good and from wrong toward right, refrain from all evil deeds, and do all good deeds. Thus, he causes all sentient beings to develop roots of goodness. As their roots of goodness grow, their evil karma is extinguished. He enables all sentient beings to eliminate mountains of heavy obstructions.
The most formidable mountain of obstacles is the attachment to self and the attachment to dharmas. An Arhat has severed the attachment to self (the belief in a self), but has not yet severed the attachment to dharmas. A Bodhisattva has not only severed the attachment to self, but has also severed the attachment to dharmas. This Wind Spirit Lord eradicated both attachments—to self and to dharmas—and leveled the mountain of obstacles. This is the gate of liberation that this being attained.
The Wind God Who Can Dry Up the Waters by His Power attained the liberation-gate of being able to destroy the boundless hosts of evil demons.
Commentary: This Wind-Governing Spirit, whose power can dry up water, has attained a liberation gate through which it can destroy boundless hosts of evil demons. The evil demon is the most formidable kind of demon; it is also the demon of ignorance and afflictions.
We cultivators must always turn the light around and reflect inward. What should we reflect on? We should look within our own nature and ask whether afflictions are present. If someone says you are no good, do you become afflicted? If someone says you are wrong, do you become afflicted? If someone comes and scolds you, do you become afflicted? If someone comes and hits you, do you become afflicted? If you do not give rise to afflictions, then you have destroyed boundless hosts of evil demons. If you give rise to afflictions, then you have not destroyed those hosts of evil demons.
Those who cultivate the Way must turn the light around and reflect inward every day—that is, examine themselves and reflect on themselves: Why do I have to get angry? Why do I lose my temper? You should know that anger is the fire of ignorance, and the fire of ignorance burns up the forest of merit and virtue.
If we have no afflictions and do not lose our temper, we are noble and inspire respect. If our ignorance, afflictions, and anger are too great, then we have no worth, are not noble, and do not deserve people’s respect. The lofty virtue of someone who cultivates the Way is to have no afflictions. Whoever has no afflictions will attain fruition sooner and awaken sooner. Whoever has afflictions will attain fruition later and awaken later. This is a practical truth that everyone knows, but no one can put into practice.
In this country, America, the Buddhadharma has only just begun. We definitely need many people to attain the fruits of realization and many people to become enlightened. We must cultivate sages and worthies, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats—sages who have attained the first, second, third, and fourth fruits. We must cultivate sages and worthies, not superfluous people. What is a superfluous person? Someone no one needs.
In this country, everyone, don’t miss this good opportunity. You are capable of attaining the fruition, but once anger arises, you have no share in it. Consider: is there any sage who has ignorance, afflictions, or anger? Since they have realized the state in which neither people nor dharmas exist, naturally no ignorance, afflictions, or anger remain. You must respect yourself and not look down on yourself. Find a way to attain the fruition soon; don’t fall behind. Do you want to attain the fruition? Then first you must defeat the evil demon. The evil demon is your ignorance and afflictions.
When I lecture on the Universal Gate Chapter of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra, I have said: “A thousand days gathering firewood, and a little fire burns it all.” After laboriously gathering firewood for a thousand days, just a little fire can burn it all up. It is the same with the merit accumulated through a thousand days of work and the virtue cultivated over a thousand days: once the fire of ignorance (anger) flares up, all the merit cultivated is burned away. Therefore, for those who practice the Way, anger is the greatest taboo; they must absolutely cultivate the Dharma practice of patience! A demon that specializes in sabotaging your spiritual cultivation sees that you have accumulated a little merit and comes to disturb you. Day after day, it waits for an opportunity, watching to see when you will lose your temper. Then it takes advantage of the moment to enter your mind and make you lose your resolve to follow the Way. You originally wanted to cultivate, but now, from morning until night, you want to return to lay life and no longer want to practice. This is being controlled by the demon king. The demon king specializes in destroying your resolve to follow the Way. If a practitioner’s will is not firm, they will surrender to the demon king and become one of its followers. Therefore, if you want to escape the suffering of the cycle of rebirth, you must practice diligently and sincerely.
This Lord of the Wind Gods has overcome boundless hosts of evil demons. Whatever kind of demon they may be, he can subdue them, preventing them from causing trouble and keeping them from disturbing the pure minds of those who cultivate the Way. He blesses and protects them so that they may attain fruition and awaken to enlightenment soon. This is the gate of liberation that he has attained.
The Wind Spirit, Lord of the Great Pervading Roar, attained the liberation gate of eternally dispelling the fear of all sentient beings.
Commentary: This Wind Deity, the Lord of Great Sound and All-Pervading Roar, is skilled at blowing mighty winds. Thus the sound of the wind is very loud, and roaring sounds fill all of space. When sentient beings are afraid, this deity gives them fearlessness, enabling them to forever dispel their fear and attain peace and bliss. This is the liberation gate attained by this deity.
The Wind Spirit Chief with a Topknot Hanging from a Tree Tip entered the liberation gate of the ocean of eloquence that universally penetrates the true nature of all dharmas.
Commentary: The Tree-Tip-Hanging-Tuft Wind Spirit Lord blows wind that makes the small branches of the trees droop. He clearly understands the realm of the true aspect of all dharmas and awakens to the ocean of eloquence concerning their true aspect, which is also the original substance of all dharmas. What is the original substance of all dharmas? It is: “All dharmas, from the beginning, have always borne the mark of tranquil extinction.” The true aspect of all dharmas cannot be expressed in words; it cannot be spoken. Since it cannot be spoken, how can there still be eloquence? Precisely because it cannot be spoken, there is eloquence through which one enters into eloquence. This ocean of eloquence is the fundamental substance—the true aspect—of all dharmas, used to bring forth its wondrous function. This principle is utterly inexhaustible; whichever way it is explained, there is a principle in it, and so it is called an ocean of eloquence. Since no single principle can explain it completely, there is no fixed Dharma. When people explain sutras and expound the Dharma, each has their own understanding and realization, so the meanings they explain are not necessarily all the same. If they were all the same, the sutras would be dead; one would not understand their profound and far-reaching meaning, nor enter into the fundamental substance of the true aspect of all dharmas, nor clearly understand the true principles.
If you clearly understand the true aspect of all dharmas, you can enter the ocean of eloquence—that is, unobstructed eloquence. No one can explain things as well as you; no one can refute your reasoning. You will always be victorious. If this is not so, you cannot attain the ocean of eloquence. This Wind Spirit Lord attained the liberation-gate of the ocean of eloquence that enters the true aspect of all dharmas.
The Wind Spirit Lord of Unimpeded Universal Conduct attained the liberation gate of the treasury of skillful means for taming all sentient beings.
Commentary: This Wind Spirit Lord of Universal Practice and Unobstructedness has wind power that reaches throughout the Dharma realms of the ten directions without obstruction. He has attained the treasury of skillful means for subduing all sentient beings. What does it mean to subdue them? It means causing the obstinate among sentient beings to cease being obstinate, the evil to cease being evil, and the corrupt to cease being corrupt. It means subduing sentient beings and making them gentle and patient, courageous and diligent, and eager to cultivate the path. It means causing all sentient beings to abandon evil and turn toward good, leave the deviant and return to the right, and leave darkness for the light. That is subduing.
What method is used to tame all sentient beings? Skillful and expedient Dharma methods are used to tame them. These skillful and expedient Dharma methods are limitless and boundless, and are therefore called a treasury. When encountering stubborn sentient beings, one uses the Dharma method of gentleness and patience to tame them; when encountering wicked sentient beings, one uses good methods to tame them. In short, all kinds of skillful and expedient Dharma methods are used to tame all sentient beings. This Wind-Deity Chief attained this gateway to liberation.
The Wind Spirit, Lord of Various Palaces, attained the liberation gate of entering quiescent meditation, which extinguishes the darkness of extremely grave ignorance.
Commentary: This Wind Spirit, Lord of Various Palaces, entered the dharma-door of tranquil meditation. Tranquility means being unmoving; being unmoving means meditation. This deity eradicates extremely deep ignorance and darkness. How does he eradicate them? Because he is able to enter the dharma-door of meditation: concentration arises from precepts, and wisdom develops from concentration. Because he has wisdom, he can eliminate extremely deep ignorance and darkness. “Foolishness” means being very stupid; “delusion” means being very confused. Ignorance means being utterly confused, without wisdom or light. When one enters meditation, one has the light of wisdom and can dispel extremely deep ignorance and darkness. This is the dharma-door of liberation that this deity attained.
The Wind Spirit Lord Great Light Universal Illumination attained the liberation gate of unobstructed power to accord with the actions of all sentient beings.
Commentary: This Wind Spirit Lord, Great Light Universally Shining, has the great wisdom light that shines everywhere upon all sentient beings. He has attained the realm of according with all sentient beings. Whatever sentient beings wish to do, he goes along with them, without causing them to give rise to affliction or anger. In short, causing sentient beings to give rise to joy is unobstructed power; causing them to give rise to affliction is an obstruction. He has attained this Dharma-door of liberation.
At that time, the Wind Spirit named Lord of Unimpeded Light, relying on the Buddha’s power, surveyed the entire assembly of Wind Spirits and spoke these verses, saying: At that time, Wind Spirit Lord Unimpeded Light, relying on the Buddha’s power, surveyed all the Wind Spirit Lords and spoke this verse.
Commentary: When the Buddha Shakyamuni preached the Flower Garland Sutra, countless Bodhisattvas gathered at the Bodhimanda, along with countless Heavenly Kings, countless beings of the eight classes of celestial beings and dragons, and assemblies of spirits. At that time, the Wind Spirit Chief named Unobstructed Light, relying on the Buddha Shakyamuni’s great spiritual power, surveyed all the Wind Spirit Chiefs and spoke this verse.
The Dharma of all Buddhas is exceedingly profound,
Unimpeded skillful means can enter everywhere,
All that exists in the world constantly appears,
Without marks, without form, without image or shadow
Commentary: “All the Profound Buddhadharmas.” All the Buddhadharma spoken by the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times is profound and wondrous Dharma. Within Buddhadharma, Buddhadharma arises again; within Buddhadharma, Buddhadharma is contained. Therefore, the Dharma of all Buddhas is inconceivable.
“Unobstructed skillful means that reach everywhere.” The Buddha has a Dharma-door of unobstructed skillful means that can reach everywhere. This Dharma-door can enter all lands, as numerous as dust motes, without any obstruction; there is nowhere it does not reach.
“Constantly appears in all worlds.” The Buddha always appears in the world of sentient beings to teach and guide them, and to liberate them all.
“No marks, no form, no shadow or trace.” Although the Buddha often appears, He has no marks and no form; naturally, He has no marks or form, so how could there be a shadow or trace? That is why it is said, “No marks, no form, no shadow or trace.”
Whatever the Buddha does, He is never attached to it, unlike us, who are attached to things. What do I think of doing today? How good am I? Yet I don’t think about where I am wrong. That is how one comes to have marks, form, and a shadow or trace.
The Buddha sweeps away all Dharmas and leaves behind all marks. Although He speaks the Dharma all day, He does not speak a single Dharma; although He eats all day, He does not eat a single grain of rice; although He wears clothes all day, He does not wear a single thread of silk. Whatever the Buddha does, He acts as though nothing were being done. This is a state of mind that ordinary people cannot understand.
You contemplate the Tathāgata in times past,
In a single thought, making offerings to boundless Buddhas.
Such is the vigorous practice of Bodhi;
The Spirit of Universal Manifestation can understand this.
Commentary: “You should contemplate the Tathagata of the distant past.” The Spirit Universal Manifestation of Valiant Deeds, Lord of Dragon Peaks, said, “You should observe that when the Buddha was at the causal stage, he cultivated inconceivable practices.” “A single thought of making offerings to boundless Buddhas.” In a single thought, one can make offerings to boundless Buddhas throughout the Dharma Realm. We all resolve to make offerings to every one of those Buddhas. This is “Extensively Cultivating Offerings.” “Such is the courageous practice of bodhi.” One diligently strives with courage, without slackening, always practicing the bodhi path. What is the bodhi path? It is the path to enlightenment, the cultivation of the Dharma-gate of wisdom.
“Universal Manifestation realized this state.” The Wind Deity Universal Manifestation, Lord of Valiant Might, clearly understood this state of liberation.
The Tathāgata’s saving of the world is inconceivable
All skillful means are never in vain
They invariably lead sentient beings to leave all sufferings
This is the liberation of the Cloud Banner Spirit.
Commentary: “The Tathagata’s saving of the world is inconceivable.” The Tathagata is the Buddha, and the Buddha is the Tathagata. Though they are two names, they are one essence. To say “Tathagata Buddha” is to show that one does not understand the Buddhadharma. The Buddha appears in the world of sentient beings to liberate all beings. This power of gentle forbearance is inconceivable; sentient beings cannot easily understand it, nor can they imagine this realm.
“All expedient means are not in vain.” The Buddha teaches the Dharma because he wishes to save the sentient beings of the world. Therefore, he uses skillful expedient means, teaching the Dharma according to the time, the circumstances, the place, and the person. Among all the Dharma-gate expedient means, there is none that he does not use. Whatever kind of sentient beings the Buddha sees, he teaches them the corresponding Dharma; thus, nothing is in vain.
“This liberation of the Cloud Banner God.” The Wind God, Lord of the Fluttering Cloud Banner, clearly understood this realm.
Sentient beings without blessings endure all kinds of suffering
Heavy veils and dense obstructions constantly delude and obscure them
May all of them be led to liberation
This is what the Pure Light Spirit knows clearly.
Commentary: “Sentient beings without blessings suffer all kinds of pain.” Sentient beings are born through the coming together of many conditions, and likewise die through the coming together of many conditions. Why do sentient beings have no blessings? Because they have not planted the seeds of blessings. Why have they not planted them? Because they have not encountered the Buddha, heard the Dharma, or seen the Sangha, and so they have had no opportunity to plant the seeds of blessings. Therefore, they do not obtain the rewards of blessings.
Where there is no Buddha, no Dharma, and no Sangha, once sentient beings have enjoyed all their blessings, they can no longer increase them. Why? Because there is no place to cultivate blessings. Without blessings, one suffers. There are many kinds of suffering, including the three kinds of suffering, the eight kinds of suffering, and so on; hence they are called “all sufferings.” The three kinds of suffering are: the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change, and the suffering of conditioned existence. The eight kinds of suffering are: birth, old age, illness, death, separation from loved ones, meeting those one resents, not obtaining what one seeks, and the burning intensity of the five aggregates.
“The heavy coverings and dense obstructions constantly keep you deluded and veiled.” The heavy coverings are ignorance and afflictions; the dense obstructions are karmic obstructions, obstructions of retribution, obstructions of afflictions, obstructions of what is knowable, and all kinds of coverings and obstructions that veil you very tightly. What do they veil? They veil your pure mind. Originally, it was perfectly clear, but now they make you constantly confused and unclear, growing more muddled day by day and having more and more false thoughts. If you have heavy coverings and dense obstructions that constantly keep you deluded and veiled, then awaken now and become clear. Don’t remain deluded. Wake up soon; don’t dream while you’re awake.
“May all be liberated.” The Buddha wishes all sentient beings who suffer to be liberated—that is, to leave suffering and attain happiness.
“The Pure Light Spirit knows this.” The state of this liberation gate is clearly perceived by the Pure Light Adornment-Lord Peak Spirit. Karma consists of fixed karma and unfixed karma. Unfixed karma can be changed and eradicated. Fixed karma cannot be changed in any way; one must undergo suffering and punishment to eradicate it.
At the end of the Ming dynasty, the Chongzhen Emperor had been a novice monk in a previous life. He died before it was time for him to receive full ordination. His master was a wise spiritual mentor with the ability to perceive causes and conditions from past and future lives. Knowing that he had fixed karma and would become an emperor in his next life, but would have virtue without blessings, the master instructed his senior fellow monk to dismember his body, which could help him eliminate karmic obstacles. This was his master’s painstaking effort, intended to bring his blessings in the next life to fruition. At the time, out of compassion, the senior fellow monk could not bear for his younger fellow monk to die without his body remaining whole, so he took the body and buried it. In the next life, when the senior fellow monk learned what had happened, he came to vie for the throne. He was Li Zicheng. When Li Zicheng attacked Beijing, the Chongzhen Emperor hanged himself from a tree on Coal Hill, dying upside down. He had been emperor for only 17 years.
If, at that time, his senior fellow monk had dismembered his corpse, then in this life he would have become an emperor with both virtue and blessings, a wise emperor. Unfortunately, because his karma had come due, he became a king who lost his country. This is a true event, meant to help everyone clearly understand the principle of fixed karma.
The Tathāgata’s vast power of supernatural abilities,
Overcomes all the hosts of Māra’s armies.
All the skillful means of subduing
The Heroic, Mighty Power can observe.
Commentary: “The Tathagata’s supernatural powers are vast.” The Buddha possesses vast, immeasurable, and boundless powers of miraculous transformation.
“Subdue all the armies of demons.” The Buddha’s spiritual powers are inconceivable, possessing great awe-inspiring power to subdue and annihilate all the armies of the heavenly demons.
“All the means of subduing.” The Buddha used every expedient Dharma method to subdue the demon armies, until they were convinced inwardly and outwardly. This is transforming others through the power of awe-inspiring virtue.
“Heroic and Mighty Strength can observe it.” This realm can be observed by the Wind God, Lord of Heroic and Mighty Strength.
The Buddha proclaims wondrous sounds from every pore;
Their sound pervades the world;
All suffering and fear are brought to an end;
This is what the Spirit of Universal Roaring understands;
Commentary: “Within the Buddha’s pores, wondrous sounds are proclaimed.” When we want to speak, we use our mouths; when we want to explain something, we use our tongues. That is the instinct of certain ordinary people. The Buddha can preach the Dharma not only with his mouth: all the pores throughout his entire body can expound the wondrous Dharma. Each pore can expound eighty-four thousand Dharma doors, and each pore can contain three thousand great chiliocosms. Every one of the Buddha’s pores can preach the Dharma and teach sentient beings. Moreover, in each pore, countless sentient beings are there listening to the Dharma. If the Buddha preaches the Dharma but no sentient beings listen to it, then it would be of no use.
Some people say, “Within a single pore of the Buddha, immeasurable sentient beings are listening to the Buddha expound the Dharma. That is impossible.” From the perspective of ordinary people, of course you do not believe that such a realm exists. Even if you attain the fruit of an Arhat, you still will not know the realm of the Buddha’s Avatamsaka Dharma assembly. You must be a Bodhisattva to understand this realm. So you are not to blame for not believing it. When you cultivate until you attain the Bodhisattva stage, you will believe.
What is wondrous sound? It means expounding the Dharma in accordance with people’s capacities: when it exactly suits your capacity, it is wondrous Dharma; when it does not, it is not wondrous Dharma. This is observing people’s capacities and adapting the teaching accordingly. Because the Dharma is expounded for people, it is called wondrous sound.
“That sound resounds throughout the world.” This wondrous sound resounds everywhere; everywhere has this wondrous sound. Sentient beings in the world hear it and awaken, abandoning delusion and returning to enlightenment.
“All suffering and fear are brought to an end.” All suffering and fear are completely eradicated. When there is no suffering, there is no fear; this is also to deliver all beings from suffering and calamity. The Prajñā Sūtra says: “The mind is free of hindrances. Because it is free of hindrances, there is no fear; one is far removed from inverted, dreamlike thoughts and ultimately attains Nirvana.” When there are no hindrances, there is no fear. Only when there is no fear can one be far removed from inverted, dreamlike thoughts. Only after becoming free of inverted, dreamlike thoughts can one attain ultimate Nirvana. To attain ultimate Nirvana is to attain the four virtues of Nirvana: permanence, bliss, self, and purity. What are permanence, bliss, self, and purity? Permanence means that neither fragmentary birth and death nor transformational birth and death remains. Bliss means the enjoyment of liberation; it is also the wisdom of liberation, attaining true joy, taking the bliss of meditation as food, and being filled with the joy of the Dharma. Self means realizing the Dharma body. Purity means being absolutely free of defilement and obstruction.
“This liberation of the Transformation-Roaring Deity.” This Great-Sound Transformation-Roar, Lord of the Wind Gods, has clearly perceived this realm and entered this gate of liberation.
Today we will explain only four verses. Does anyone have anything to say? Don’t hesitate—bring forth your own studies and develop your inherent wisdom, so you can share your distinctive interpretation with everyone. Now is the right time. If there is a word or a sentence in the sutra that you do not understand, you can bring it up for discussion. You mustn’t swallow it whole without even knowing its taste. If no one has anything to say, then we’ll continue with the next passage. We teach the sutras democratically: everyone has the right to speak, and everyone has the opportunity to teach. If every day you only listen to me teaching the sutras, then:
The deluded pass on delusion;
One teaches two who understand nothing;
The master falls into hell,
And the disciples follow.
That is taking it wrongly and passing it on wrongly; the more it is passed on, the farther it strays from the sutras. Therefore, if anything is in doubt, it must be brought up so we can study it together!
The Buddha in all the realms
For inconceivable kalpas constantly expounds;
This is the wondrous eloquence of the Thus Come One,
Which the Tree Wonderful-Topknot Spirit can comprehend.
Commentary: “Buddhas in all realms.” The Buddha is in the great kalpa; the lands are innumerable and inconceivable.
“For inconceivable kalpas, [the Buddha] constantly expounds.” Throughout inconceivable great kalpas, beyond the mind’s ability to conceive or words’ ability to discuss, the Buddha continually expounds the profound, unsurpassed wondrous Dharma.
“It is the Tathagata’s wondrous eloquence.” When the Buddha expounds the Dharma, he does so with wondrous eloquence. Whatever Dharma he teaches, his explanations are inexhaustible, moving from the profound to the simple so that all who listen understand clearly. The Buddha enters the samadhi of eloquence to expound the Dharma.
“The realm comprehended by Thụ Diểu Kế, the God-Sealing Lord.” This is the realm that Lord Thụ Diểu Kế, the God-Sealer, comprehended.
The Buddha in all doors of skillful means,
Wisdom enters them all without obstruction.
The boundless realm has no equal;
This is the liberation of the Spirit of Universal Practice.
Commentary: “The Buddha in all the doors of expedient means.” This is a verse praising the Buddha by the Universal Practice Unimpeded Lord of Mountains Spirit. He says that the Buddha is present in all kinds of expedient means.
“Wisdom enters into all of these without obstruction.” All the Buddha’s wisdom enters all the gateways of skillful means. The Dharma gates of skillful means are unobstructed Dharma gates, so it says they are all unobstructed.
“The boundless realm is unsurpassed by anyone.” The Buddha’s realm is immeasurable and boundless, inconceivable. No Bodhisattva or Arhat can compare with the Buddha, so it is called unsurpassed. This means that no one else’s realm is the same as the Buddha’s.
“This liberation of the Universal Conduct Deity.” The deity Universal Conduct, Lord of Unimpeded Winds, attained this liberation-gate.
The realm of the Tathāgata is without bounds
Everywhere, skillful means enable beings to see
Yet the body is tranquil, devoid of all marks
The Various Palace Deities’ gate of liberation.
Commentary: “The realm of the Tathagata has no bounds.” The Buddha’s realm has no bounds. He adapts to conditions without changing, and remains unchanged while adapting to conditions; one becomes the infinite, and the infinite becomes one. Therefore, the Buddha’s realm is infinite and boundless, inconceivable.
“Everywhere, skillful means enable beings to see.” “Everywhere” means all places—the ten directions and the Dharma realms. Throughout the entire realm of space and the Dharma realms, wherever they are, Buddhas use skillful means and Dharma methods that interpenetrate perfectly without obstruction, enabling sentient beings to see the Buddha’s form body, Dharma body, and transformation body. They can also see all three bodies—the Dharma body, reward body, and transformation body—depending only on the sentient beings’ conditions.
“But the tranquil original body has no characteristics.” However, one can see the Buddha’s three bodies, while the Buddha’s original body is tranquil and does not cling to characteristics. The Buddha’s original body has no characteristics. Why? Because it is tranquil; it is emptiness. Yet although it is emptiness, emptiness is not nonexistence: it can give rise to wondrous existence. That wondrous existence is not existence, hence the saying, “Wondrous existence is nonexistence,” unobstructed by true emptiness. True emptiness is not emptiness, unobstructed by wondrous existence. This is emptiness and existence being not two: emptiness is existence, and existence is emptiness. Emptiness and existence being not two is the definitive meaning of the Middle Way. Therefore, it is said that the Buddha’s original body is tranquil and signless, without characteristics. Yet, although it has no characteristics, it is not separate from any of the characteristics.
“The Dharma door of the Wind Spirit Who Presides over Various Palaces.” The Wind Spirit Who Presides over Various Palaces attained this Dharma door.
The Tathagata cultivated all practices through an ocean of kalpas,
All the powers were fully perfected,
Able to follow worldly dharmas and respond to sentient beings,
This is what the Spirit of Universal Radiance has seen,
“The Tathagata cultivated all practices throughout an ocean of kalpas.” In countless great kalpas of the past, the Buddha cultivated every kind of practice, perfecting them all. The Buddha did not dismiss a small good deed and fail to do it, nor regard a small evil deed as insignificant and commit it. Therefore, the Buddha cultivated every practice, leaving out no Dharma; he cultivated all Dharmas and every skillful means and Dharma-gate.
“All powers are perfected.” The powers are: the great power of loving-kindness, the great power of compassion, the great power of joy, the great power of equanimity, the great power of faith, the great power of vows, the great power of practice, the great power of fearlessness, the great power of unobstructedness, and so on. The Buddha cultivated all these powers to perfection and thereby attained realization.
“Respond to sentient beings in accordance with worldly dharmas.” The Buddha always accommodates all sentient beings in order to teach and transform them. This means expounding the Dharma that transcends the world by means of worldly dharmas; it does not mean leaving worldly dharmas behind to cultivate the Dharma that transcends the world. Hence it is said that one adapts to the circumstances and responds to beings by means of worldly dharmas. In short, one expounds the Dharma for sentient beings according to their faculties and dispositions. Thus, one employs skillful means in practice to teach and transform all sentient beings.
“This is the state of the Universal Radiance Spirit.” This is the Great Light Universal Radiance Lord of the Wind Spirits, who has seen this state of the liberation gate. Now it is time to discuss questions. Anyone who has a question should raise it so everyone can examine it. Someone asked, “Who is reciting the Buddha’s name?” The Diamond Sutra says, “One should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere.” If there is a place, that means abiding. To abide nowhere means not thinking of good or evil; it is right here that one applies effort. If you focus on one place and think about what is good or not good, that is all attachment. Cultivation means cultivating so as not to be attached to anything at all—to have no attachments whatsoever. Even forgetting your own body: when there is not even a body, what is there left to be attached to? When practicing meditation, do not think of anything at all; just keep in mind: “Who is reciting the Buddha’s name?” Search for this “who.” When will you find this “who”? When you do, you will awaken. If you cannot find it in one day, keep searching; if not in ten days, keep searching; if not in a hundred days, keep searching; if not in a thousand days, keep searching; if not in ten thousand days, keep searching. Continue searching for this, whether it takes one year, ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years, or ten thousand years. Only when you find it can you stop.
Don’t seek quick results. It’s not like smoking opium, where you smoke it and then become addicted. Things aren’t that easy; that is a deceptive Dharma method. To cultivate a genuine Dharma method, you must make an effort yourself. Don’t pull up the sprouts to help them grow faster, thinking, “Let them grow a little faster! Let them get a little taller!” That is mistaken thinking.
The question “Who is mindful of the Buddha?” cuts away all false thoughts and all desires. It cuts down the ten great armies of demons. This word “who” is the Vajra King’s precious sword: it cuts everything away, leaving nothing at all. This is not attachment to any particular place.
“All forms are illusory.
If one sees that all forms are not forms,
one sees the Tathagata.”
All attachment is the human mind; nonattachment is the Dao mind. If, while sitting in meditation, you do not investigate the word “who,” deluded thoughts will arise, and you will never attain enlightenment in your whole life. Investigating the huatou is using poison to treat poison: using deluded thoughts to control deluded thoughts—in other words, using one deluded thought to subdue many deluded thoughts. When you reach the point where the mountains end, the waters run out, and there is no way forward, you will attain enlightenment.
Explaining the sutras is not easy. If you have never done it, you won’t know how difficult it is; only when you give a lecture will you realize that it is not easy. Those who have never listened to a sutra lecture know even less about how difficult it is to explain the sutras. When explaining a sutra, you may not know what is correct and what is not. You may not even notice that a character in the sutra, or the sutra text itself, has been misprinted. That is why explaining the sutras is not easy.
Not only do I sometimes lecture on the sutras incorrectly; many Dharma masters may also make mistakes in their lectures. A mistaken lecture is a mistaken lecture, but I hope you will not take it in the wrong way. When you translate it, you should correct it; that would be the right thing to do. If you know it is wrong and do not correct it, that will be my karmic retribution. In the past, when I heard people lecture on the sutras, I criticized them for lecturing incorrectly. Now my disciples criticize their teacher for lecturing incorrectly. Because I am not afraid of falling into hell, I criticize others for lecturing on the sutras incorrectly. Now my disciples are likewise unafraid of falling into hell, and they criticize their teacher. In the future, when you lecture on the sutras, not only will your disciples criticize you, but your disciples’ disciples will also criticize you for lecturing incorrectly. That is karmic retribution. You will understand it in the future; I know that I am undergoing it now.
Today I received a letter from Guo Yu, saying: “As I bow once every three steps, my nose and mouth often touch the ground. I think that practicing and studying the Buddhadharma at Gold Mountain Monastery is extremely important. I cannot unite with the Buddhadharma, and I am probably very distressed about it! I want you all to make a diligent effort to study the Buddhadharma and unite with it as one, forging yourselves into a single whole.” That is the general meaning of his letter.
Think about it, everyone! At Gold Mountain Monastery, two monastics are practicing the difficult Bodhisattva path of three steps and one bow, dedicating the merit to praying for world peace. We are here every day, being lazy and doing nothing. How can we face those two? They are out in the rain and wind, practicing the Bodhisattva path and praying for peace for humanity and the world—not for their own happiness. Reflect on this: what practice should we undertake to help the two of them fulfill their great vows sooner? Should we think of ways to make Buddhism flourish and spread far and wide? Should we use compassion to save all sentient beings? Whatever Dharma practice we follow, as long as we are diligent and do not become lax, we can help the two of them, directly or indirectly, bring their merit to perfection.
The two people performing three steps and one bow on the highway have been interviewed by newspaper reporters, and television journalists have also come to photograph them. They are having a tremendous influence on Buddhism! Their success is the success of each and every one of us. We should vow to support their practice so that they may succeed soon. Practicing three steps and one bow in this country sets a record that had never been achieved before; it is a newly established record. I hope that from now on, Buddhists will take them as examples. This is only the beginning! In the future, someone will surely break the record.
Everyone, think about it: These two are cultivating in this way, while we cultivate the practice of sleeping? The practice of laziness? The practice of jealousy? Everyone must turn the light inward and reflect. That is why I resolved to lecture on the sutras for them many times. Every Saturday afternoon, I begin lecturing on the sutras at one o’clock (at present, I lecture on the sutras nine times a week). I dedicate this merit to the two of them.
Guo Yu (Heng Ju) was utterly muddleheaded and did not understand the importance of learning the Buddhadharma. Now, after doing three steps and one bow for over a month, he understands much more than before. You could say he has had a little awakening. He realizes that he missed the opportunity to learn the Buddhadharma. Not only did he miss it himself, but he also caused Guo Dao (Heng You) to miss this opportunity. That is the point at which they awakened. So I hope everyone will work hard to learn the Buddhadharma and diligently practice Chan meditation. He also hopes everyone will help him learn a little Buddhadharma.
In my perception, Guo Yu’s appearance is not like it was before; now he has the appearance of a bhikshu. Guo Dao is also different from before. I don’t need to look at them; just hearing their voices, I can tell they are very different from before. This shows that one’s efforts are not in vain. In the past, Guo Yu absolutely could not have written a letter like this. His letter now conveys an awakening—not a great awakening, but a small one. Any Dharma method can bring about a response through the Way.
Furthermore, the Fire Deity Universal Light Flame Treasury attained the liberation gate of dispelling all darkness in every world.
Commentary: The meaning above has not yet been fully explained, so the text continues. This Fire Deity, the Lord of the Treasury of Universal Light and Flames, shines its radiance throughout everything. Its radiance is boundless, layer upon layer, and so it is called the Treasury of Universal Light and Flames. Because this deity is the Treasury of Universal Light and Flames, it illuminates and dispels the darkness of all worlds. This is the liberation-gate attained by this deity.
The Fire Deity Universal Gathering Light Banner attained the liberation-gate of being able to dispel the suffering of all beings swept along by delusions and burning afflictions.
Commentary: This Fire Spirit Lord, named Universal Gathering of Light Banner, has radiance that gathers together like a jeweled banner. He can eliminate all kinds of delusion, ignorance, foolishness, and obscurations in all sentient beings, enabling them to escape drifting amid the burning afflictions in the sea of suffering. This is the liberation-gate he has attained.
Because sentient beings give rise to delusions, they transmigrate through the six realms, at times becoming human beings, ghosts, animals, asuras, or heavenly beings, and at times falling into hell; hence they are said to wander. Hell is the place of the most intense burning torment, where suffering never ends. Those who are not filial to their parents and do not respect their teachers and elders enter hell to receive their karmic retribution.
The Fire Deity, Lord of Great Light Pervading Illumination, attained the liberation gate of the Great Compassion Treasury of Unmoving Meritorious Power.
Commentary: This Fire-Ruling Spirit, Great Light Pervasive Illumination, has a fiery radiance that shines throughout the three-thousand great thousand worlds. He attained the liberation-gate of the unmoving merit-power of the treasury of great compassion. What is unmoving merit-power? It is merit-power that never ceases and remains unmoving forever. Because he cultivated this merit-power, he attained the liberation-gate of the treasury of great compassion. What is the treasury of great compassion? It is the compassionate wish to teach, transform, rescue, and liberate living beings. This Fire-Ruling Spirit uses his own merit-power to protect and uphold all living beings, enabling them all to attain the unmoving merit-power of the treasury of great compassion. That is the mind-ground of a Bodhisattva.
The Fire Deity, Lord of the Palace of Manifold Wonders, attained the liberation gate of contemplating the Tathāgata’s miraculous powers manifesting without bounds.
Commentary: This Fire Deity, Lord of the Palace of Many Wonders, adorns the palace with all kinds of precious treasures. This deity has attained the Buddha’s power of自在 spiritual mastery, and can manifest immeasurable, boundless lands and sentient beings, teaching and transforming all sentient beings throughout the ocean of realms. This is the liberation gate this deity has attained.
The Fire Spirit Lord of the Infinite Light Tuft attained the liberation gate of illuminating the boundless realm of space with light.
Commentary: This Fire Spirit, Lord of the Inexhaustible Light Topknot, has inexhaustible radiance that illuminates boundless Buddha lands, countless worlds, and countless oceans of kalpas. It reaches throughout the entirety of space and the Dharma Realm, causing all sentient beings to aspire to bodhi. This is the gateway to liberation that this Fire Spirit attained.
The Fire Deity Lord of Various Flame-Eyes attained the liberation gate of Quiescent Light Adorned with Various Merits.
Commentary: This Fire Deity, the Lord of Flaming Eyes of Diverse Colors, has eyes that emit all kinds of flaming radiance in blue, yellow, red, white, and black. This deity understands the Buddha’s Dharma Body, which is adorned with countless blessings and virtues; therefore, the deity uses all kinds of blessings to adorn the Buddha’s body. This deity possesses a kind of tranquil radiance, which is also the light of samadhi, and constantly emits radiance while in samadhi. This is the gateway to liberation that this deity has attained.
The Fire Spirit, Lord of the Palaces of the Ten Directions Like Mount Sumeru, attained the liberation gateway of being able to extinguish the burning suffering of all the realms of existence in every world.
Commentary: This Fire God, Lord of the Palaces of the Ten Directions Like Mount Sumeru, adorns all the palaces in the ten directions, making them lofty and majestic like Mount Sumeru. This deity can eliminate the burning suffering of all sentient beings in the realms of the world. These realms are hell, the hungry ghosts, animals, and asuras. In these realms, suffering is like being burned by fire. This is the liberation he attained.
The Fire Deity Sovereign of Majestic Radiance and Freedom attained the liberation-gate of freely awakening all worlds.
Commentary: This Fire God, Master of Awe-Inspiring Radiance and Freedom, possesses awe-inspiring virtue, and so his light shines forth with boundless freedom. He has attained the liberation of freely enlightening all worlds. He also enables all beings in the worlds to attain freedom through enlightenment and to fulfill their path of cultivation. This Fire God, Master of Awe-Inspiring Radiance and Freedom, is not only free in his awe-inspiring radiance, but also has great compassion. Having attained enlightenment himself, he also wishes for them to attain enlightenment.
The Fire Deity, Lord of Light Illuminating the Ten Directions, attained the liberation gate of eternally breaking through all ignorance and clinging to views.
Commentary: This Lord of Fire Spirits, Light Shining in the Ten Directions, radiates firelight throughout the ten directions, forever dispelling all the darkness and ignorance of those who lack wisdom. The ignorant do not admit that they are ignorant; instead, they say that intelligent people are the ignorant ones, like a crow sitting on the back of a black pig without realizing that it too is black. That is the behavior of the ignorant. They do not even know that they themselves are ignorant, yet they call others ignorant—how foolish indeed! It is ignorance that gives rise to attachments. They cannot see through anything or understand anything they encounter, and so they are bound by things and cannot be liberated. In particular, they cling to their own views and insist that their own understanding is right while everyone else’s is wrong. This is stubbornness and close-mindedness. If one clings to one’s views, one cannot awaken or be liberated. This Lord of Fire Spirits attained the Dharma door of liberation that dispels ignorance and attachment to one’s views.
The Fire Deity Lord of Thunderous Sound and Lightning Radiance attained the liberation gate of the Great Roar that fulfills the power of all vows.
Commentary: This Fire Spirit, Lord of Thunderous Sound and Lightning Radiance, has a sound like thunder, resounding throughout the entire Dharma Realm, and a radiance like lightning, shining throughout the entire Dharma Realm. This spirit helps all living beings fulfill the power of their vows. Whatever vow you make, this spirit will help you fulfill it. This spirit’s lion’s roar resounds throughout the Dharma Realm, awakening those who are deluded and enabling them to wake up, leave delusion and return to enlightenment. This is the Dharma door of liberation that this spirit attained.
Now is the time for us to study together. If anyone has an opinion, speak up—don’t hesitate. Wanting to speak but not daring to, or not daring to speak and then wanting to—that is not the right attitude for studying the Buddha-Dharma. We must study the Buddha-Dharma with energy and engagement; don’t be like a block of wood. We must move forward, not backward. We must express our opinions—that is the spirit of studying the Buddha-Dharma.
If you fall behind, newcomers will catch up with you. So ask yourself: Do you want to fall behind? If you don’t, then you must be courageous and diligent; don’t stand still. Hence: “Stop for one step, and you’ll fall two and a half miles behind.” Cultivating the Way is like sailing upstream: if you don’t advance, you fall back. It is also like the practice of taking three steps and making one bow, in which practitioners are required to bow for two and a half miles each day. If they are not diligent, they will not meet the requirement. You must be diligent and not fall behind.
At that time, Universal Light Flame Treasury, Chief of the Fire Gods, relying on the Buddha’s power, surveyed the entire assembly of Fire God Chiefs and spoke these verses
Commentary: At that time, the Fire Spirit Lord Universal Radiance Flame Treasury, relying on the Buddha’s great majestic spiritual power, surveyed all the Fire Spirit Lords and then used a verse to recount his liberation-gate.
At present, I have gained a little introductory understanding of lecturing on the Avatamsaka Sutra. I need only look at each passage of the sutra once to remember it; there is no need to look at it a second time. Now, when I lecture on the sutra, I look at a passage once and can then recite it from memory. This is all thanks to the blessings and support of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas at the Avatamsaka Dharma Assembly, which have brought about this response. I did not originally want to tell you this, but I hope you will learn to do the same, so that you can recite without looking at the sutra text.
I notice that when you teach the sutras, you simply read aloud the English version of my lectures. That is not right. You should draw on your own wisdom and teach from your own understanding; only then will your teaching be lively and meaningful. Some parts of what I teach may not be fully complete, so I hope you will teach in accordance with your own understanding. You should not simply follow my interpretation and read my lectures back aloud. That would be no different from my giving the lecture myself, except that you would be the one reading it aloud.
When lecturing on sutras, there is no need to memorize commentaries. When I lecture on sutras, I don’t look at commentaries; sometimes I do look at them, but I don’t remember them either. I’ve heard that when some people lecture on the Treatise on the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, they first consult an explanation of its meaning. That is all right, but they are looking at someone else’s material, not their own, and in the end they will forget it. So I advise you to bring your own wisdom into play. When you read a commentary, add your own understanding. If you merely repeat what others have said, it serves no purpose.
You contemplate the Tathagata’s power of diligence,
Vast through inconceivable countless eons;
For the benefit of sentient beings, he appears in the world,
All darkness and hindrances are entirely dispelled.
“Contemplate the Tathagata’s diligence.” Who says “you contemplate”? Who is doing the contemplating? Which Tathagata is meant? We must understand all these questions before we can clearly understand the meaning of the sutra. Who spoke this verse? It was the previously mentioned Lord of the Fire Devas, Universal Radiance Flame Treasury. He said, “Everyone, take a look!” What should you look at? Look at the Tathagata. Which Tathagata? Shakyamuni Tathagata. Are you looking at the Buddha’s thirty-two auspicious marks and eighty admirable characteristics? No! Look at the Tathagata’s power of diligence in cultivating over immeasurable kalpas.
In seeking the Dharma, the Buddha sacrificed everything and let go of everything. He even gave up his body, mind, and life. He knew only how to strive diligently: diligent by day and diligent by night, diligent through all six periods of the day and night, until all ten great demon armies fled. In his diligent cultivation, the Buddha did what others could not do, and endured what others could not endure.
When the Buddha gave up his body to save a starving tiger, what do people think? They think tigers are extremely ferocious, so why save one? It would be much better if it died of hunger! The world would have one fewer wild beast. But the Buddha did not think that way. He had a compassionate heart and gave up his own body to save the starving tiger. He also cut flesh from his body to save an eagle. Most people think that eagles are vicious birds too, specializing in eating small animals, yet the Buddha cut flesh from himself to save one. Just think! Who can match this diligence?
You only know how to be selfish, not selfless; you only know how to benefit yourselves, not others. As long as you still hold such thoughts, you cannot make progress in your practice. Therefore, we must diligently apply ourselves to cultivating the Way. Let everything be for others, not for ourselves; only then can we practice the Bodhisattva Way.
“Inconceivably vast eons.” In the past, the Buddha practiced for immeasurable eons; his practices and the power of his diligence are inconceivable.
“For the benefit of sentient beings, the Buddha appears in the world.” Why does the Buddha appear in the world? To benefit sentient beings. Why do we appear in the world? We come to harm sentient beings. The Buddha comes to teach and transform sentient beings, to deliver them all from suffering and bring them joy, and to help them understand birth and death and transcend them. We, by contrast, know only how to selfishly benefit ourselves, taking for ourselves what could benefit sentient beings. We know only ourselves and not others.
Perhaps we have thoughts like these toward sentient beings: “You should die soon! You’re using all the things I need. If you died, I could enjoy a little more.” Even between father and son, there can be thoughts like this: if the father is wealthy, the son may hope his father dies soon so that all the money and possessions will belong to him. “Good grief! Why don’t you die? You’re already old—why don’t you just die? You’re only living to cause trouble.” Children look forward to their parents dying a little sooner. Think about it: did we come into this world in order to harm sentient beings? “All obscurations are eliminated.” Obscurations refer to the afflictive obscurations, the cognitive obscurations, karmic obscurations, obscurations of karmic results, and so forth. This Fire Lord deity causes all the obscurations of sentient beings to be eradicated. When the obscurations are no more, radiance appears and wisdom is attained. This is the liberation gate attained by this deity.
Foolish sentient beings give rise to various views;
Afflictions surge like a blazing fire;
The Teacher uses skillful means to eradicate them all;
Universal Assembly Light Banner realizes this;
Commentary: “Foolish beings give rise to various views.” These views include the view of self, extreme views, wrong views, and so on. In other words, they are wrong understanding and wrong views. Foolish beings are many, while intelligent beings are few. Among ten thousand people, it is difficult to find even one intelligent person. Intelligent beings have right understanding and right views, while foolish beings have wrong understanding and wrong views.
“Afflictions surge like a blazing fire.” When there is deluded understanding and wrong views, there are afflictions. Afflictions are like torrents of rushing water that can cause houses to collapse and trees to fall. They are also like a great fire that burns everything.
“The Guiding Master’s expedient means all eradicate [them].” The Buddha is the guiding master who welcomes and leads others. He uses all kinds of expedient methods and Dharma practices to eradicate surging afflictions and the great fire.
“This realization of Universal Light Banner.” The Fire Deity, Lord of the Banner of Universal Gathered Light, awakened to this realm and entered deeply into this liberation.
Merit like space is inexhaustible; merit like space is boundless.
Seeking its boundaries, they cannot be found.
This Buddha’s great compassion is an unmoving power.
As light shines, awakening and entering, the mind rejoices.
“Merit and virtue are like empty space, without boundaries.” The Buddha’s merit and virtue are like empty space, boundless; they cannot be known through calculation or analogy.
“It is impossible to find its limits.” How much merit does the Buddha possess? It cannot be known, for it is like empty space; therefore, it cannot be calculated.
“The Buddha’s great compassionate power is unmoving.” This is the power of the Buddha’s great-compassion mind, serene and unmoving.
“Radiant Illumination realizes and enters, and the mind rejoices.” The Fire Deity Great Light Pervasive Illumination clearly understood this state and felt joy in his heart.
I contemplate the Tathagata’s deeds,
I contemplate the Tathagata’s deeds;
Across an ocean of kalpas without bounds,
Through an ocean of kalpas without limit;
Thus manifesting miraculous powers,
In this way, manifesting spiritual powers;
The Spirits of the Multitudes of Wondrous Palaces know them clearly.
The Spirits of the Multitudes of Wondrous Palaces understand this clearly.
When Venerable Ānanda compiled the sutras, he worried that some people might not understand the meaning of the prose passages, so he restated them in verse. We are now explaining ten verses. Although they were spoken by Ānanda, they represent the meanings of the ten Fire Deities. However, Ānanda was one who remembered the teachings, not one who expounded the Dharma. Each Fire Deity spoke of the realm they had attained and the liberation gate they had entered. Since the name of the deity in the first verse had already been given earlier, its final line does not include the name; the remaining nine verses all include names. For this reason, some people think that all ten verses were spoken by a single deity. This is incorrect and does not accord with the meaning of the sutra. We will now explain the four lines of verse.
“I contemplate the deeds of the Tathagata.” Who said this? It was spoken by the Fire Deity, Lord of the Palace of Many Wonders. This is a verse that Venerable Ananda composed for him to recite. “I contemplate the practice-gates cultivated by the Buddha.” What practice-gates? They are explained clearly below.
“Passing through an immeasurable ocean of kalpas.” One should read and review the sutra’s prose passage to understand its general meaning clearly. The prose passage above says that the Flame Spirit Lord of the Palace of Multitudes of Wonders attained the liberation-gate of contemplating the Tathāgata’s manifestation of supernatural powers without bounds. The Tathāgata’s attainment of supernatural powers is the practice-gate cultivated by the Tathāgata. An ocean of kalpas means great kalpas as numerous as the ocean, endless and boundless, their number inconceivable; therefore, they are called an ocean of kalpas. To pass through such a long span of time as an ocean of kalpas—ultimately, how many great kalpas are there? It cannot be known, because there are no bounds.
“In this way, [the Buddha] manifested supernatural powers.” During this long period, the Buddha manifested various kinds of supernatural powers to teach and transform all sentient beings, causing them all to give rise to the bodhi mind.
“The Gods of the Multitudes of Wondrous Palaces know clearly.” Looking back at this verse, it proves that the sutras were compiled by the Venerable Ananda. In the prose passage before it, the name of that Lord of Fire Spirits is given first, and it says that he spoke the verse by relying on the Buddha’s majestic power. Since he spoke the verse by relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, why didn’t the other nine Lords of Fire Spirits also rely on the Buddha’s majestic power when they spoke their verses? Think about it, and you’ll understand.
Earlier, I did not explain it in detail, assuming that you would understand this principle. I did not expect that some of you still would not understand and would go to consult commentaries, even though the commentaries are not necessarily correct. Each person has their own way of looking at things and their own understanding, so you have your commentary, I have mine, and others have theirs. This commentary is not necessarily accurate either. If it is not accurate, why include it in the Great Buddhist Canon? However, just because it is included in the Great Buddhist Canon does not necessarily mean it is entirely correct. Mencius said: “Better to have no books than to believe everything in them.”
Meaning:
Believing what is in books is better than having no books.
To believe the principles stated in books is worse than having no books at all; it can make people so confused. Why did Mencius have to say this? Because there are two passages in the scriptures that go like this: “King Wu attacked Zhou, and blood flowed so abundantly that pestles floated.” This is a depiction of King Wu of Zhou’s campaign against King Zhou: countless people were killed, blood flowed like a river, and iron maces (weapons) floated on the water. Do you believe this claim? That is why it is said that it would be better to have no books than to believe everything in them. King Wu of Zhou was a virtuous ruler, and all his soldiers were benevolent and righteous. He took benevolence and righteousness as his guide and went to war against an immoral king to carry out Heaven’s will, punish the guilty on behalf of the people, and save them from a sea of suffering, boiling oil, and raging flames. Yet he killed so many people that blood flowed everywhere, to the point that iron maces floated on it. Think about it: does this make sense? We will examine it closely below. An iron mace weighs at least several dozen kilograms, since weapons in ancient times were very heavy. So how much blood would it take to make an iron mace float? The principle taught in the scriptures is to break through attachment. If you are attached, you will not attain true wisdom. Thus, delusion makes one a sentient being, while awakening makes one a Buddha. What is awakening? It means having no attachments.
Therefore, when the Buddha attained the Way beneath the Bodhi tree, he exclaimed three times, “Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! All sentient beings possess the wisdom and virtuous characteristics of the Tathagata, but because of their false thoughts and attachments, they cannot realize them.”
Why are we foolish? Because we are attached. Why do we lack wisdom? Because we are attached. We cling to fame and profit: those who cling to fame die for fame, and those who cling to profit die for profit. Therefore, the two words “fame and profit” are killers.
Cultivation over countless eons is inconceivable;
Practicing for countless eons is beyond thought.
One cannot know where its bounds lie;
Try to find its limits, and they cannot be known.
Expounding the Dharma’s true nature brings joy;
Preaching the Dharma’s true nature makes one rejoice.
It is seen by the Inexhaustible Light Deity;
The Inexhaustible Light Deity beholds it.
These four verses are also in the memory of the Venerable Ānanda. When the scriptures were being compiled, the Venerable said that the Fire God Lord of the Inexhaustible Light Topknot had attained a liberation. What liberation? The verse below states it clearly.
“Cultivation through countless kalpas is inconceivable.” He knows that, countless kalpas ago, the Buddha practiced and perfected inconceivable paths of practice, possessed indescribable supernatural powers, and manifested inconceivable wondrous functions. In short, everything—everything—is inconceivable.
“If one wishes to seek its bounds, they cannot be known.” There is no way to know the bounds of the Buddha’s miraculous powers and wondrous functions, or the adornments of merit and virtue.
“Expounding the Dharma of the true aspect, bringing joy.” The Buddha expounds the wondrous Dharma of the true aspect, the wondrous Dharma of the true aspect as markless, and the wondrous Dharma of neither marks nor the absence of marks, causing all sentient beings who hear this Dharma sound to rejoice with delight, believe, accept, and respectfully put it into practice.
“The God of Infinite Light perceived it.” The Fire God Lord of the Infinite Light Topknot perceived this realm and attained this liberation.
When you listen to the sutras, if there is anything you don’t understand, write it down. But once you understand it, you must burn what you wrote. Why? When you are deluded, you can read a thousand volumes and still feel it is not enough; once you are enlightened, even a single word feels like too much. As long as there is still a single word, there is still an obstruction in your inherent nature. Think about it: what should you do? You must know what you understand and what you do not understand. When you do not understand, you have not entered deeply into the treasury of Buddhist scriptures and do not yet have wisdom as vast as the sea—that is when you should take notes. Once you have entered deeply into the treasury of Buddhist scriptures and your wisdom is as vast as the sea, the sutras are you and you are the sutras. Whatever you wrote down is remembered in your inherent nature and will never be forgotten. So why keep your notes? That is why you are told to burn everything you wrote down.
The vast assemblies in the ten directions,
All the great multitudes throughout the ten directions,
All behold the Buddha before them,
All gaze upon the Buddha before them.
Quiescent radiance shines upon the world,
Still, tranquil light illuminates the world.
This Wondrous Flame Spirit understands this,
The Wondrous Flame Spirit comprehends this Dharma gate.
“The vast multitude of all beings in the ten directions.” The ten directions are above, below, east, west, south, and north—the six directions—plus southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest, making ten directions in all. The boundless multitude of all sentient beings is in the ten directions.
“All are gazing upon the Buddha before him.” This vast multitude of boundless sentient beings all appear before the Buddha to gaze upon him.
“Radiant stillness illuminates the world.” Stillness is samadhi. The Buddha emits light while in samadhi, illuminating all sentient beings in the world.
“The Wondrous Flame Deity clearly understands this gate.” In this realm, the Fire Deity, Lord of Various Flame Eyes, clearly saw and attained this gate of liberation.
The Muni appears in all worlds; The Muni appears throughout the worlds.
Seated within every palace, Dwelling in all the palaces,
He rains down the boundless, vast Dharma everywhere; Raining everywhere the boundless, great Dharma—
This is the realm of the Gods of the Ten Directions.
“The Muni appears in all worlds.” Muni refers to Shakyamuni Buddha. Shakya is translated as “capable benevolence,” and Muni as “silent stillness.” This means that this Buddha embodies capable benevolence and silent stillness, and appears in all worlds.
“Residing in all palaces.” When the Buddha appeared in the world, he manifested in a royal lineage. The places where kings dwell are all palaces; the Buddha, too, was born in a palace. When the Buddha sat beneath the Bodhi tree, a palace adorned with the Seven Treasures also appeared. The Buddha sat in the palace of the Seven Treasures and expounded the wondrous Dharma of the Great Expansive Buddha Flower Garland Sutra.
“Rain Falls Everywhere: The Boundless, Vast Dharma.” The Buddha appears in the world to expound boundless, vast Dharma teachings for sentient beings. The Buddha teaches the Dharma according to their needs, like showering auspicious rain everywhere, so that all sentient beings who hear the Dharma gain its benefits. Just as a large tree (a sentient being with sharp faculties) is moistened by a little more nectar-like Dharma rain, while a small tree (a sentient being with dull faculties) is moistened by a little less. The Dharma rain is equal; it is only the differences in their faculties that account for this.
“This is the realm of the Ten Directions Gods.” Venerable Ananda said, “This realm was attained by the Fire God, Lord of the Palaces in the Ten Directions Like Mount Sumeru.” The wisdom of all Buddhas is most profoundly deep, / The wisdom of the Buddhas is deepest.
Freely abiding in the Dharma, they appear in the world, / In the Dharma, they freely appear in the world.
They are all able to elucidate the true principle, / They all elucidate the true principle.
Uy Quang understands this and rejoices in his heart. / Oai Quang understands this and is delighted.
“The wisdom of the Buddhas is the most profound.” The Buddhas can refer to all the Buddhas of the ten directions, or they can refer to our Original Teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha. The Buddha’s prajna wisdom is the most profound; no one has wisdom greater than the Buddha. The Buddha is the great teacher of both the worldly and supramundane realms. He can open the wisdom of all sentient beings, enabling them to return to their source and recognize their own true face. The Buddha uses all kinds of examples to teach the Dharma to sentient beings, enabling them all to understand the Buddha Dharma.
“The Dharma of freedom appears in the world.” The Buddha attained perfect, complete enlightenment. He thoroughly understood worldly and transcendental dharmas, and so was free in all dharmas. What does it mean to be free in all dharmas? It means there is no need to force anything or contrive anything; everything is entirely natural and free. The Buddha appeared in the world to enable all sentient beings to open the Buddha’s knowledge and vision and awaken to it.
“All clearly expound the true meaning.” When the Buddha teaches the Dharma, he clearly reveals the true principle. The true principle is unchanging; it is the truth that has been upheld throughout the ages.
“Majestic Radiance realized it, his heart filled with joy.” The Fire Deity Majestic Radiance Sovereign Lord clearly understood this realm, and so his heart was filled with immense joy.
All views and ignorance are an obscuration; all views and ignorance are an obscuration.
Deluded sentient beings continually transmigrate; deluded sentient beings continually transmigrate.
The Buddha, in order to expound the wondrous Dharma-gate; the Buddha, in order to expound the wondrous Dharma-gate.
Through this, the Deity of Illuminating Directions can awaken and enter. This is what the Deity of Illuminating Directions has realized.
“All views and ignorance are a dark hindrance.” “All views” refers to the various wrong views: first there is wrong understanding, then wrong views. When one’s seeing and understanding are wrong, one becomes ignorant; when they are right, one will have wisdom. Therefore, it is said that wrong views give rise to ignorance. Ignorance is nescience, that is, darkness; it is a covering, and a covering veils the luminous wisdom of sentient beings. Therefore, it is called a dark hindrance.
“Deluded sentient beings continually transmigrate.” Because we hold false and misguided views, from beginningless time until now we have been unable to escape the six realms of rebirth or put an end to birth and death. Thus, we keep moving back and forth through the six realms: sometimes in the realm of the gods, sometimes among humans, hungry ghosts, animals, or in hell, and sometimes among the asuras. This ignorance and foolish delusion, this obscuration, prevents you from transcending the six realms of rebirth. This is called “continual transmigration.” “The Buddha expounds the wondrous Dharma-gate.” For the sake of ignorant sentient beings, the Buddha reveals the most wondrous and inconceivable Dharma-gate: teaching people to recite the Buddha’s name and be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss; teaching people to uphold mantras and attain Buddhahood in this very body; and teaching people to cultivate all kinds of practices—all of which enable them to resolve birth and death, escape it, and transcend the cycle of rebirth.
“This is what the God Who Illuminates the Directions realized.” This realm, this liberation, was realized and entered by the Fire God Lord Who Illuminates the Ten Directions.
The gate of vows is vast and inconceivable;
The gate of vows is broad and beyond thought.
The powers and pāramitās, cultivated and practiced, have been purified;
The powers, pāramitās, and practice are all pure.
As in the past, all minds of vow appear;
As of old, all vows and aspirations manifest.
This is what the Spirit of Resonant Sound understands;
This is clearly understood by the Spirit of Resonant Sound.
“The vow-gate is vast and inconceivable.” The faith-gate, the vow-gate, and the practice-gate are the three conditions for rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. If you want to become a Buddha, be liberated from birth and death, and cultivate the Way, you must first have faith. Not only must you have faith, you must also have vows: vow to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and vow to be reborn in the Eastern Lapis Lazuli World. Thus, the vow-gate is vast and inconceivable.
“The powers, the perfections, and the practice are all pure.” The powers are the ten powers, and the perfections are the ten perfections. The Buddha cultivated and perfected all ten perfections and all ten powers. Because they were perfected, he attained the purity of his original nature.
“Just as all past aspirations appear.” The power of the vows manifests, and everything cultivated in the past—through life after life, throughout countless great kalpas—is now completely purified and appears before us. It is like a film being projected, with each scene appearing in sequence on the screen; it is also like a tape recorder, playing back every sentence so clearly.
“This gate, the Thunder-Sound Deity sees clearly.” This realm is clearly perceived by the Thunder-Sound, Lightning-Light Lord Fire God, who enters this gate of liberation.
Furthermore, the Water Spirit King Universal Cloud Banner attained the liberation gate of compassion that equally benefits all sentient beings.
Furthermore, the Water Spirit King Universal Cloud Banner attained the liberation gate of compassion that equally benefits all sentient beings.
The principle explained above is not yet complete, so I will continue. This Universal Flourishing Cloud Banner Water Spirit raises clouds that spread over everything, making it magnificent like a jeweled banner. This deity governs water. If no deity governed the water, it would overflow and cause calamities, flooding the whole world; everywhere would be covered in water, and living beings would be unable to live and work in peace. Because a deity governs it, the water flows in fixed places and directions.
Most people think that water flows downward, but sometimes it also flows upward, as when a spring gushes—that is, when water flows up from beneath the ground. I have personally witnessed water gushing up from a well. At that time, I was in my hometown in the Northeast, in Dong Tinh village, and saw this strange phenomenon. Five fellow monks and I went to various places to preach, and came to the home of a lay devotee in Dong Tinh village. At that time, we encountered a demon in the water; it wanted to use the water to kill us. It rained heavily, as though water were being poured down from a basin. Water shot up from the well to a height of more than two zhang, like a pillar of water. Before long, the area became a pool, and the water surged violently, like ten thousand horses, destroying more than eighty houses. More than thirty people drowned; even those standing on platforms were drowned. It was truly a terrible disaster.
However, the room where we stayed was in the lowest-lying place. The walls all around it were made of wood, like a bamboo fence, with gaps in between. The water outside the wooden fence was about one zhang high, while inside the fence it was only a little more than one chi high. So although we were frightened, we were in no danger. Before long, the rain stopped. Water can benefit people, but it can also harm them. When there is a great deal of water, it harms people; when there is little, it benefits them. Therefore, Laozi said: “The highest goodness is like water.
Water benefits all things and does not contend.
It dwells in places that people despise; therefore, it is close to the Way.” It means: The person of the highest goodness is like water. Water benefits all sentient beings, yet does not contend for credit. It does not say, “You are alive thanks to me. Without me, you would not exist, so I have done you a favor.” The places where water dwells are places no one wants to live. Why? Because they are the lowest places. Water willingly flows down to low places, and so accords with the Way. A person of the highest goodness is likewise. This Water-Ruling Deity attained the Dharma-door of liberation, compassionately and equally benefiting all sentient beings.
Ocean-Tide-Cloud-Sound Water Deity, who attained the liberation gate of adornment with boundless Dharma.
The Water Deity Ocean-Tide-Cloud-Sound attained the liberation gate of adornment with boundless Dharma.
The Water Deity Lord Ocean-Tide Cloud-Sound has a power like the sound of ocean tides and clouds. This one uses immeasurable and boundless Dharma-doors to adorn the Buddha-path; this is the liberation-door that this one has attained.
Water Deity Wonderful-Colored Wheel Topknot attained the liberation gate of skillfully and universally gathering beings by contemplating which ones were suitable for transformation.
Water Deity Wonderful-Colored Wheel Topknot attained the liberation gate of skillfully and universally gathering all beings by contemplating which ones could be transformed.
This Water Spirit, Lord of the Wheel-Crest of Wondrous Form, has radiant colors and a wheel-shaped topknot. The deity observes which sentient beings’ conditions are ripe and goes to teach and guide them first, using all kinds of skillful means and Dharma approaches to embrace these beings universally, enabling them to awaken and attain liberation. This is the liberation-gate the deity has attained.
Skillful Spring-Subduing Water Deity Lord, who attained the liberation gate of universally expounding the profound realms of the Buddhas.
The Water Deity Lord Skillful Spring-Subduing attained the liberation gate of universally expounding the profound realms of all Buddhas.
This Water Spirit, Lord of Skillful Whirlpools, clearly understands the Dharma door of skillful means. Therefore, he explained this Dharma once, then a second time; fearing that sentient beings would not understand, he repeated it again and again. He uses skillful means to teach and transform sentient beings because he has attained the Samadhi of Skillful Means. He uses all kinds of expedient methods to expound the profound realms of the Buddhas of the ten directions. Sometimes he uses light to expound the Dharma door of skillful means; sometimes he uses sound; and sometimes he uses the sound of flowing water. This is the door of liberation he has attained.
The Water-Ruling Spirit Fragrant Accumulation, Free from Defilement, attained the liberation gate of universally manifesting pure great light.
The Water-Ruling Spirit Fragrant Accumulation, Free from Defilement, attained the liberation gate of universally manifesting pure great light.
This Water Spirit Chief, Fragrant Accumulation, Free from Defilement, has left behind all defilements and attained purity. Because of this purity, five kinds of harmonious fragrance arise. When these fragrances gather, they purify the entire Dharma realm, leaving it undefiled. Throughout all of empty space and the Dharma realm, a great treasury of light appears. This is the gate of liberation that this being has attained.
Phước Kiều Quang Âm, Lord of the Water Deities, attained the liberation gate of the pure Dharma realm, which has neither form nor nature.
The Water-Deity Lord Phước Kiều Quang Âm attained the liberation gate of the pure Dharma realm, which has neither form nor nature.
This Water Spirit Chief, Blessings Bridge Radiant Sound, has blessings like bridges and provisions (numerous and immeasurable), benefiting sentient beings. This deity’s radiance is like the expounding of the Dharma and benefits sentient beings. This deity has attained the liberation-gate of the pure Dharma Realm, which has no marks and no nature. The pure Dharma Realm is one with space; it has neither marks nor nature. It is: “All dharmas, from the beginning,
have always borne the mark of quiescent extinction,” It cannot be expressed in words. Then, does the formless have a nature? It has no nature either, and thus accords with the void as one substance.
The Water Spirit Who Is Master of Contentment and Self-Mastery attained the liberation gate of the inexhaustible ocean of great compassion.
The Water Spirit Chief, Knowing Contentment and Freedom, has attained the liberation-gate of the boundless ocean of great compassion.
Lecture: This Water Spirit, Sovereign of Contentment and Freedom, has attained contentment and freedom; therefore, He is a Spirit of Joy. He uses the mind of great compassion to teach and transform sentient beings. Thus, He is always mindful of sentient beings and never forgets them; He constantly brings joy to them and relieves their suffering, never taking time to rest. Hence, this is called the boundless ocean of great compassion—the liberation door this Spirit has attained. People fear not having enough. Not knowing contentment means suffering; knowing contentment brings joy. Therefore: “Those who know contentment are always happy; those who can endure are at peace.”
Meaning:
Knowing when you have enough brings joy; being able to endure brings peace.
Happiness means knowing contentment; peace means being at ease. Not knowing contentment is the most painful thing. What does it mean not to know contentment? For example, suppose someone has no house to live in, no rice to eat, no clothes to wear, and is utterly destitute. He then thinks, “How wonderful it would be if only I had a small room to live in,” and so he spends all day and night fantasizing about having a place to live. “How warm I would be if only I had a set of clothes to wear,” and so he spends all day and night fantasizing about clothes. “How wonderful it would be if only I had something to eat,” and so he spends all day and night fantasizing about food. One day, he has a place to live, clothes to wear, and food to eat. The room can shelter him from rain and wind, the clothes can cover his body, and the food can satisfy his hunger. If he knew contentment, he would need to ask for nothing more. Yet he starts fantasizing again: “How wonderful it would be to live in a big house, wear fine clothes, and eat delicious food.” This is what it means not to know contentment.
In the past, you had no place to live; now you have a place to live, yet you still want a big house. Before, you had no clothes to wear; now you have clothes to wear, yet you still want to wear expensive clothes. Before, you had no food to eat; now you have food to eat, yet you still want to eat delicious food. This is bottomless greed, which is why it is said that not knowing contentment is suffering.
You have a place to live, clothes to wear, and food to eat, yet you still want to become an official. Once you become a county magistrate, you think the position is too small and want to become a provincial governor. Once you become a provincial governor, you think that is too small too, and want to become president. Then you want to become the leader of the world. Once you become the leader of the world, you want to become God in heaven. Just look at that! Not knowing contentment is suffering indeed.
But this Water God alone knows contentment, and so is at ease. This is the liberation-gate that this deity has attained.
The Water Spirit Pure Joyful Good-Sound Lord attained the liberation gate of the Great Treasury of Joy in the bodhisattvas’ assembly at the place of enlightenment.
The Water-Deity Chief, Pure Joyful Excellent Sound, attained the gate of liberation and, in the assembly of bodhisattvas at the site of enlightenment, became a great treasury of joy.
Explanation: This Water Spirit, Lord of Pure Joy and Excellent Sound, constantly gives rise to a pure, joyful mind and skillfully expounds the wondrous sound of the Dharma. In the assembly of Bodhisattvas at the place of awakening, this spirit enables the entire vast ocean-like assembly to attain great joy. Because they attain great joy, it is called a treasury. This is the liberation gate attained by this spirit.
The Water Deity Universal Manifestation of Majestic Light attained the liberation gate of universally appearing through the unobstructed, vast power of merit and virtue.
The Water-Deity Chief Universal Manifestation of Majestic Radiance attained the liberation-gate and, through the power of vast, unobstructed merit, appeared throughout all realms.
Lecture: The Water Deity, Lord of Universal Manifestation and Majestic Radiance, manifests everywhere and possesses great majestic radiance. This deity uses the power of merit and virtue, which is boundless, limitless, and unobstructed, to manifest throughout the lands of the ten directions. Merit comes from cultivation; virtue comes from putting it into practice. This deity clearly understands this realm and enters this gate of liberation.
The Water-Deity Roaring Sound Pervading the Ocean attained the liberation-gate of observing the skillful means for taming all sentient beings’ arising, like space.
The Lord of the Water Spirits, Roaring Sound Pervading the Sea, attained the liberation-gate of observing all sentient beings and using skillful means to tame them, arising like space.
Lecture: This Water Deity, the Lord of the Ocean Whose Roar Pervades the Seas, has a voice like a lion’s roar, which shakes immeasurable sentient beings in lands as numerous as dust particles. This deity observes all sentient beings throughout the ten directions and uses skillful means to subdue and teach them all. Yet while teaching all sentient beings, each sentient being teaches and transforms itself. Therefore, this deity acts without doing anything and does not cling to appearances; this is called arising like empty space. The Diamond Sutra says: “Having brought all sentient beings to liberation,
yet not a single sentient being has truly been liberated.” All realms of sentient beings are empty! Yet the Buddha’s vow-power is still not fully realized. Therefore, this deity observes all sentient beings and gives rise to vast vows and vast supernatural powers as boundless as space, using all kinds of skillful means and Dharma-gates to guide and subdue all sentient beings. This is the liberation-gate attained by this deity.
At that time, the Water Spirit Who Rules the Cloud Banner of Universal Flourishing, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed the entire assembly of water spirits and spoke these verses, saying: At that time, the Water Deity Chief Universal Flourishing Cloud Banner, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed all the Water Deity Chiefs and spoke this verse.
Lecture: Venerable Ānanda had already recalled the preceding prose section of the sutra. Now he used verses to restate its meaning. The Water Deity Master Universal Flourishing Cloud Banner, relying on the Buddha’s great awe-inspiring spiritual power (as did the other Water Deity Masters), surveyed all the causes and conditions, faculties, and dispositions of the Water Deity Masters, and spoke these verses, saying: The pure gates of compassion are as numerous as the dust motes in worlds;
Together they give rise to one wondrous mark of the Tathagata.
Each and every mark is just so;
Therefore, those who behold him never weary of seeing him.
“Pure doors of loving-kindness as numerous as dust motes.” This door of loving-kindness is pure; it contains no defiled dharmas. Having no defiled dharmas means having no mind of craving and desire. What is this door of loving-kindness used for? It is used to benefit all sentient beings, to benefit all sentient beings equally, and to benefit all sentient beings equally with loving-kindness and compassion. How many such doors of loving-kindness are there? As many as the dust motes in the lands. How does one generate so many pure doors of loving-kindness? “They all arise from a single mark of the Buddha.” On each and every tip of the Buddha’s hairs, many such gates of compassion are fully present; throughout the immeasurable, boundless tips of his hairs, gates of compassion as numerous as dust particles are fully present.
“Each and every mark is like this.” Within each of the Buddha’s marks are fully present boundless gates of vast, pure loving-kindness, for teaching and benefiting all sentient beings. Every mark is like this. Consider: how many such gates of loving-kindness do you think there are? “Therefore, those who see him never grow weary.” Each of the Buddha’s excellent characteristics is endowed with immeasurable, boundless gates of purity. Thus, everyone who sees the Buddha wants to keep seeing him, and wants to keep listening to the Dharma. When sentient beings see the Buddha, their eyes seem to enter samādhi; as they gaze upon the Buddha, they do not blink. Hence, “their eyes never turn away, even for a moment.” Why? Because they never grow weary. Sentient beings are all attached to forms. When they see the Buddha’s excellent marks, they give rise to a mind that does not wish to part from him and want to see the Buddha always.
When the World-Honored One practiced in ages past,
Long ago, when the World-Honored One was practicing,
He went to the abodes of all Tathagatas,
He went to every Tathagata’s abode.
He cultivated and upheld all manner of practices without weariness,
He practiced in many ways, never growing weary.
By such skillful means, Cloud-Sound entered.
By such means, Cloud-Sound entered.
“In ancient times, when the World-Honored One was cultivating the path.” The World-Honored One means the most venerable one in both the worldly and transcendent realms—the one revered by people in both realms. It is also one of the ten epithets of a Buddha. “In ancient times” means in the past, when the Buddha was at the causal stage. Now that the Buddha has attained Buddhahood, he is at the fruition stage. How did the Buddha cultivate the path when he was at the causal stage? “They all go to every place where the Tathagatas are.” Wherever there is a Buddha, they go to that Buddha’s place. At that time, Shakyamuni Buddha had not yet attained Buddhahood, so he drew near to all the Buddhas and went to make offerings to and pay reverence to them all.
“Practiced all kinds of things without laziness or weariness.” “All kinds” refers to the practices one can undertake, such as drawing near to, making offerings to, and revering all the Buddhas. For the sake of the Dharma, the Buddha forgot himself; in seeking the Dharma, he would not sleep or eat, forgetting even his own body. Even when he was ill, he paid it no mind.
Someone asked, “Could the Buddha still get sick?” At that time, the Buddha had not yet become a Buddha. Even after becoming a Buddha, there were times when he still suffered from headaches. In a past life, before he became a Buddha, he was a young boy. One day, people in a certain village went fishing and caught a large fish. The boy saw the fish and, amused, struck its head three times with a stick. In this way, he planted the karmic cause. After he became a Buddha, his head hurt for three days because he had struck the fish on the head three times.
This proves that karmic cause and effect never errs in the slightest. Everyone must believe in cause and effect; do not deny that it exists. In short, when the Buddha was cultivating in the causal stage, he was never lazy, never broke the precepts, and never faltered in his courageous diligence.
“Such expedient means are how Cloud-Sound enters.” With all the various expedient methods of the Dharma just mentioned above, the Sea-Tide Cloud-Sound Lord of Water Spirits enters this gate of liberation.
The Buddha is in all ten directions;
The Buddha is within all ten directions.
Serene and unmoving, neither coming nor going;
Serene and unmoving, neither coming nor going.
Manifesting transformations for sentient beings, he makes them all see;
All the sentient beings who can be saved are made to see.
This is what Kế Luân knows;
This is what Kế Luân knows.
“The Buddha is present in all ten directions.” Our world has ten directions, and other worlds also have ten directions. The Buddha is present in all ten directions.
“Serene and unmoving, neither coming nor going.” Because the Buddha is serene and unmoving, he neither comes nor goes; therefore: “The Tathāgata!
Comes from nowhere,
Nor goes anywhere.” “All beings who can be saved are made to see.” Although the Buddha neither comes nor goes, whenever there are sentient beings worthy of being taught and transformed by the Buddha, the Buddha uses the power of great supernatural abilities to enable them all to see him.
“This is the sphere of knowledge of Wheel Topknot.” The Water Deity Wonderful-Colored Wheel Topknot knows this realm and enters this liberation.
The Tathagata’s realm is boundless and immeasurable; the Tathagata’s realm is boundless and immeasurable.
All sentient beings cannot comprehend it; all sentient beings do not know it.
Wondrous sounds are expounded throughout the ten directions; wondrous sounds are proclaimed throughout the ten directions.
This is the sphere of practice of the Good Spring Spirit; this is where the Good Spring Spirit practices.
“The realm of the Tathagata is boundless and immeasurable.” This means that the Buddha’s realm is inconceivable, immeasurable and boundless, boundless and immeasurable.
“All sentient beings cannot know.” Sentient beings who have not had the Buddha’s knowledge and vision opened, revealed, awakened to, and entered cannot understand the Buddha’s realm. Only when they open the Buddha’s knowledge and vision, have it revealed to them, awaken to it, and enter it can they truly understand the Buddha’s realm.
“Expounding wondrous sounds throughout the ten directions.” The Buddha uses wondrous sounds to expound the wondrous Dharma—not only in one world, but throughout the worlds of the ten directions.
“This is the practice of the Good Spring Spirit.” This realm is the principle of cultivation of the Skillful Spring-Subduing Lord Water Spirit. He has entered this gate of liberation.
The World-Honored One’s radiance is without end;
The World-Honored One’s light is boundless.
It fills the Dharma Realm inconceivably;
It pervades the Dharma Realm beyond thought.
He teaches the Dharma, transforming and liberating sentient beings;
He teaches and transforms, liberating sentient beings.
This is what the Pure Fragrance Spirit beholds;
Thus does the Pure Fragrance Spirit observe.
“The light of the World-Honored One is inexhaustible.” The World-Honored One means the Buddha; the Buddha’s light manifests in immeasurable and endless ways. Because the light is layered upon layer and inexhaustible, it is said to have no end.
“Pervading the entire inconceivable Dharma realm.” The Buddha’s radiance extends through all of space and throughout the entire Dharma realm. This state is beyond thought and discussion, wondrous to the utmost.
“Preach the Dharma, teach and transform sentient beings, and liberate them.” The Buddha expounds all kinds of wondrous Dharma to teach and transform all sentient beings and liberate them, enabling all sentient beings to leave suffering and attain happiness, and to understand birth and death and transcend them.
“The Pure Fragrance Spirit sees it this way.” This realm is something the Water Spirit Lord of Undefiled Fragrant Accumulations can see, understand clearly, and realize.
The Tathagata, pure, is equal to empty space; the Tathagata, pure, is like empty space.
Formless and shapeless, pervading the ten directions; without marks or form, throughout the ten directions.
Yet causing everyone in the assembly to see; and making the whole assembly behold.
This, the Fortune-Light Spirit skillfully observes; the Fortune-Light Spirit observes and sees.
“The Tathāgata is pure, like empty space.” The Tathāgata’s Dharma body is pure like empty space, neither present anywhere nor absent anywhere, yet pervading the ten directions of the Dharma realm. Why? Because it is like empty space.
“Formless and without appearance throughout the ten directions.” Although the Buddha’s Dharma body pervades the Dharma realms of the ten directions, it has no form and no appearance. Yet it pervades the Dharma realms of the ten directions, which is why the Buddha’s realm is said to be wondrous in this way.
“Yet it causes everyone in the assembly to see.” Although it has neither form nor appearance, it enables all the sentient beings in the assembly at the bodhimaṇḍa to see the Buddha; not one of them fails to see him.
“The Merit-Light Deity can perceive it.” At this level, this Merit-Bridge Radiant-Sound Lord of Water Deity can perceive it and understand it clearly.
The Buddha once practiced the gate of great compassion,
His mind spreading widely to all sentient beings.
Thus, like a cloud, he appears in the world;
This gate of liberation is clearly known by Tri Túc.
“Long ago, the Buddha cultivated the practice of great compassion.” In the distant past, the Buddha practiced the path of great compassion, relieving sentient beings’ suffering and bringing them joy.
“The mind should extend broadly everywhere, encompassing all sentient beings.” When the Buddha cultivates the practice of great compassion, his mind is boundlessly vast. However many sentient beings there are, he cultivates that many practices of great compassion; hence it is said, “equal to all sentient beings.” “Like a cloud appearing in the world.” Because of this karmic connection, just as a cloud appears in the sky and comes into the world, covering it and turning all the scorching heat and distress of sentient beings into coolness.
“Contentment clearly understands this liberation-gate.” The Buddha is like a cloud appearing in the world, covering all sentient beings and enabling them to attain coolness. This liberation-gate is clearly perceived by the Water Spirit Sovereign of Contentment and Freedom.
All the lands throughout the ten directions,
All the worlds in the ten directions,
All see the Tathāgata seated upon a throne,
All see the Tathāgata seated upon a lotus throne.
Clearly and brightly awakening to great Bodhi,
Clearly awakening to great Bodhi,
Such is the realm entered by Joyful Sound,
Joyful Sound has entered this realm.
“The lands of all ten directions.” All the Buddha-lands in the ten directions.
“All see the Tathagata seated on a lotus throne.” All sentient beings see the Buddha sitting on a lotus throne, expounding the wondrous Dharma, whose profundity is beyond compare.
“Clearly understand and awaken to great bodhi.” All sentient beings who see and hear the Buddha’s Dharma will clearly understand and awaken, attaining the truth of great enlightenment.
“Joyful Sound has entered this realm.” The Water Spirit Lord Pure Joyful Good Sound attained this realm and entered this liberation gate.
The Tathāgata’s deeds are unobstructed;
He reaches throughout all worlds in the ten directions;
Everywhere he manifests great spiritual powers;
Universal Manifestation of Majestic Radiance has attained realization.
“Whatever the Buddha does is unobstructed.” Whatever the Buddha does is unobstructed.
“Reaching all realms throughout the ten directions.” The Buddha dwells upon the lotus throne, serene and unmoving, yet responds to affinities and reaches everywhere throughout the ten directions. Although the Buddha does not leave his seat, he responds to sentient beings. If sentient beings wish to see the Buddha or hear the Buddha-Dharma, there is a connection, and every sincere request is answered. Whoever sincerely seeks the Buddha will be able to see him.
“Everywhere, great spiritual powers are manifested.” In all the lands, as numerous as the dust motes in the Dharma Realm of the ten directions, Buddhas everywhere manifest great spiritual powers. What are great spiritual powers? They are the ability of the large to contain the small and the small to contain the large, with the small and large mutually containing one another. The lands of the ten directions are not outside a single dust mote, and a single dust mote can contain within it the lands of the ten directions. A dust mote is small, yet it can contain what is large. The lands of the ten directions are large, yet they can contain what is small. This is the state in which the large appears within the small and the small appears within the large; hence it is called great spiritual powers.
“Universal Manifestation of Majestic Light has awakened to this.” This principle sounds quite simple, but in fact it is not easy to understand. How can the small contain the large? How can the large contain the small? Some people say, “The large containing the small is possible, but the small containing the large makes no sense.” As far as the Buddha is concerned, there is neither large nor small, neither inside nor outside. There is no large, no small, no inside, and no outside; all things mutually interpenetrate perfectly without obstruction. The Water-Ruling Spirit named Universal Manifestation of Majestic Light clearly understood this realm.
Cultivating boundless practices of skillful means Cultivating boundless skillful-means practices
All completely fill the realms of sentient beings, All fully pervade, equal to the realms of sentient beings
Supernatural powers and wondrous functions never pause, Supernatural powers and wondrous functions never cease for a moment
The Roar that Pervades the Ocean can enter this. The Roar that Pervades the Ocean can enter.
“Cultivating boundless practices of skillful means.” The Water Deity Roaring Sound, Lord of the Pervasive Ocean, said, “The Buddha cultivated all kinds of boundless practice-gates of skillful means.” “They are all completely pervasive, equal in number to the realms of sentient beings.” For however many sentient beings there are, that many expedient practices and Dharma-gates are cultivated; their number is as great as the realms of sentient beings, and they all completely pervade this Dharma-gate.
“The wondrous functions of spiritual powers never cease.” The spiritual powers and wondrous functions of all Buddhas are inconceivable; they never pause, but constantly manifest their wondrous powers to teach and transform sentient beings.
“Roaring Sound Pervading the Sea was able to enter.” The Water Deity Roaring Sound Pervading the Sea was able to enter this liberation gate.
Furthermore, the Sea Deity Manifesting Jeweled Light attained the liberation-gate of giving the ocean of merit and virtue to all sentient beings with an impartial mind, and adorning the body with all kinds of jewels.
Furthermore, the Sea Deity Manifesting Jeweled Light attained the liberation-gate of giving the ocean of merit and virtue to all sentient beings with an impartial mind, and adorning the body with various jewels.
The principle discussed earlier has not yet been fully explained, so I will continue now. This Ocean Spirit King Who Manifests Jeweled Light brings forth all kinds of precious radiance. The state this spirit king has attained is to give to all living beings with an impartial mind. What does this spirit king give to all living beings? An ocean of blessings and merit. This spirit king uses gold, silver, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, agate, coral, amber, and other kinds of jewels to adorn the body. This is the liberation-gate this spirit king has attained.
The Ocean God Indestructible Vajra Banner Lord attained the liberation-gate of skillful means for protecting the wholesome roots of all sentient beings.
The Sea-Ruling Spirit Indestructible Vajra Banner attained the liberation-door of skillful means for safeguarding and protecting the wholesome roots of all sentient beings.
This Ocean Spirit, Lord of the Unbreakable Vajra Banner, has steadfast merit and virtue, like a precious vajra banner, that can never be destroyed. This spirit skillfully uses the Dharma door of expedient means to preserve and protect the wholesome roots of all sentient beings, ensuring that their wholesome roots are not destroyed, and helping all sentient beings bring their wholesome roots to fruition. This spirit has attained this liberation door.
The Ocean-Ruling Deity Unsullied by Dust and Defilement attained the liberation-gate of being able to dry up the ocean of afflictions of all sentient beings.
The Ocean-Lord Deity Unsullied by Dust and Defilement attained the liberation gate of drying up the ocean of afflictions of all sentient beings.
Lecture: The Ocean Spirit Lord Who Is Free of Dust and Defilements is supremely pure and unstained by worldly dust. This spirit causes the oceans of afflictions of all living beings to dry up. Once the oceans of afflictions have dried up, they will attain wisdom. This is the liberation gate attained by this spirit. Why haven’t we opened up our wisdom? Because our afflictions are too heavy, so the oceans of afflictions cannot dry up. Perhaps this Ocean Spirit Lord doesn’t look after us. If he did, then our oceans of afflictions would dry up too, and we would all attain this liberation gate.
Now that we have heard of the Flower Adornment Sutra, this Ocean God will surely dry up our ocean of afflictions. However, we should not rely on this Ocean God; we must rely on our own faith and strength. We should dry up our own ocean of afflictions rather than wait for this Ocean God to come and help us. He has many other things to do, so let’s not trouble him. We must dry up our own ocean of afflictions, and then the light of wisdom will appear.
The Sea Spirit Who Always Abides Amid the Waves attained the liberation gate that enables all sentient beings to leave the evil paths.
The Ocean Deity Ever-Abiding Waves attained the liberation-gate that causes all sentient beings to leave the evil paths.
Lecture: This Ocean God, Lord of Ever-Abiding Waves, usually dwells amid the waves. He has attained a gateway to liberation that enables all beings to leave behind the three evil paths and fulfill the three good paths.
Auspicious Jewel Moon, Sea-Ruling Deity, attained the liberation gate of universally extinguishing the great darkness of ignorance.
Ocean-Lord Deity Auspicious Jewel Moon attained the liberation-door that dispels all the darkness of great ignorance.
Teaching: The Ocean Deity Auspicious Jeweled Moon Lord has a jeweled topknot as beautiful as a wondrous flower dragon. This deity eradicates the suffering of sentient beings in the four evil paths, enabling them to leave suffering and attain joy. This is the liberation gate attained by this deity.
The Fragrant-Breath Dragon-Crest Sea Lord Deity attained the liberation gate of eliminating the sufferings of all realms of existence and bringing peace and happiness.
The Spirit Wondrous Flower Dragon Topknot attained the liberation-gate of bringing peace and happiness to all realms.
The Sea Spirit Universal Sustainer of Radiance and Flavor attained the liberation gate of purifying the nature of all sentient beings’ various views and ignorance.
The Ocean Lord Deity Universal Sustainer of Light attained the liberation gate that purifies all sentient beings’ various views and their ignorant nature.
Lecture: This Ocean-God, Lord of Universal Sustaining Light, whose radiance pervades everything and endures for a long time, purifies and brings under control the views of all sentient beings (the sixty-two views), and harmonizes their foolish nature, transforming it into the nature of wisdom. This is the liberation-gate he has attained.
The Ocean Spirit Jewel-Flame Flower-Light Sovereign attained the liberation gate of generating the bodhicitta of all jewel lineages.
The Sea-Ruling Deity Jewel-Flame Flower Light attained the liberation gate of giving rise to all the precious seeds of bodhicitta.
Discourse: The Ocean Spirit Who Governs the Light of Jeweled Flames and Flowers has jeweled flames and flower-light that shine throughout all sentient beings. This Spirit often gives rise to the precious seed-nature of the bodhi mind, which is firm; this bodhi mind is as firm as vajra. There is another explanation: this precious seed-nature is the original essence of the precepts. Those who leave the home life and receive the precepts thereby receive this precious seed-nature. This seed-nature must be made to grow ever larger; bodhi must be made to increase and flourish, accumulating a little until it becomes much. This Spirit attains this liberation-door.
The Sea-Ruling Spirit Vajra Wonderful Crest attained the liberation gate of the ocean of merit of the immovable mind.
The Sea Deity Vajra Wonderful Topknot attained the liberation-gate of the Ocean of Merit with an Unmoving Mind.
Explanation: The Sea God Vajra Wondrous Topknot Chief has a wondrous vajra jeweled topknot. He attained the realm of the Buddhas—the ocean of merit of the unmoving mind. His mind is always still and unmoving, and his merit is also vast as the sea. This is the liberation he attained.
The Sea-Lord Deva Ocean-Tide Thunder-Sound attained the liberation gate of the samādhi of universal entry into the Dharma Realm.
The Sea-Lord Deity Ocean-Tide Thunder Sound attained the liberation-gate of the samādhi that enters all Dharma-realm gates.
Lecture: This Ocean-Tide Thunder-Sound Lord of the Sea God has a voice like the ocean tide, like thunder and lightning, heard both near and far. Sentient beings who hear this wondrous sound can awaken. This deity enters the samādhi gate that pervades the entire Dharma realm.
At that time, the Sea-Ruling Deity Jewel Light, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, gazed universally upon all the assemblies of Sea-Ruling Deities and spoke these verses: At that time, the Sea Spirit Lord Manifesting Precious Light, relying on the Buddha’s awesome power, surveyed all the Sea Spirit Lords and spoke this verse.
Lecture: At that time, the Ocean Deity Manifesting Jewel Light, relying on the Buddha’s great awe-inspiring spiritual power, surveyed all the Ocean Deities and used verses to restate the meaning of the prose passage.
Inconceivable ocean of great kalpas—the ocean of great kalpas beyond thought;
Making offerings to all the Tathāgatas—making offerings to all the Tathāgatas;
Universally bestowing merit upon all sentient beings—using merit to benefit all beings;
Therefore supremely adorned, peerless—therefore the most dignified, beyond compare.
These four verses are the compiler of the sutras recounting and summarizing the meaning of the prose passage above. Although they are spoken by Venerable Ananda, he speaks on the basis of the meaning intended by the Ocean Lord Spirit; Venerable Ananda is merely the one who remembers and recites it.
“The inconceivable ocean of great kalpas.” The Sea God Manifesting Jewel Light said, “The Buddha, within the ocean of great kalpas, cannot be fathomed by thought or discussed in words.” The ocean of great kalpas means immeasurable, boundless great kalpas, like an ocean. There is no way to know exactly how many there are, so the word “ocean” is used to convey the idea.
“Making Offerings to All Tathagatas.” Throughout the vast ocean of kalpas in the distant past, over an immensely long period, the Buddha made offerings to all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times. Sometimes he made offerings with material wealth, sometimes with the Dharma, and sometimes with his body, mind, and life. At every moment, he diligently sought the Buddha Way.
Just as the monastics and laypeople at our Gold Mountain Monastery are all busy studying and practicing the Buddhadharma, so too are they making offerings to all the Buddhas. Let us use material wealth to make offerings to the Triple Jewel, use the Dharma to make offerings to the Triple Jewel, and use our body, mind, and life to make offerings to the Triple Jewel. This is what Buddhists should do.
“Using merit to give universally to all sentient beings.” The Buddha cultivated all kinds of merit and dedicated it all to sentient beings, giving it to them. In short, he cultivated merit for the sake of all sentient beings. All the merit the Buddha had accumulated in the past by making offerings to all the Buddhas, he kept not even a little for himself, dedicating it entirely to sentient beings. He wished for sentient beings to leave suffering and attain joy, have their karmic obstructions eradicated, increase their wholesome roots, diligently cultivate the right path, and quickly attain Buddhahood.
“No one is more dignified and majestic.” Because the Buddha dedicates all his merit to the sentient beings of the Dharma Realm and gives to the sentient beings of the Dharma Realm, the Buddha’s body is dignified and majestic, beyond compare. No sentient being, whether in heaven or below heaven, possesses the thirty-two auspicious marks and eighty beautiful characteristics, radiant as the Buddha’s. This radiance adorns those beautiful marks, and no one can compare with it; therefore, it is said that no one is more dignified and majestic.
All worlds appear,
All worlds appear.
The faculties and desires of sentient beings are all known,
The natures of all sentient beings are fully known.
For all, he widely proclaims the vast ocean of the Dharma,
For all, he proclaims the ocean of the Great Dharma.
This is what Firm Banner joyfully realized.
“All worlds appear.” The Buddha appears in all worlds. Why does he appear? To teach and transform all sentient beings, enabling them all to attain liberation and no longer be bound by the five desires.
“The Buddha knows the faculties and dispositions of all sentient beings.” The Buddha clearly knows the spiritual roots of each sentient being, whether they have wholesome roots or not. Because the Buddha possesses supernatural powers, he also knows everything that sentient beings desire.
“Universally proclaiming the ocean of the great Dharma.” The Buddha broadly proclaims and expounds the great Dharma for all sentient beings. This Dharma is like the great ocean, so it is called the ocean of the great Dharma; it is also immeasurable, boundless, and inexhaustible.
“This is the realization of Kiên Tràng.” The Ocean God Lord Kiên Tràng clearly understood this principle, and therefore entered this gate of liberation.
All the guides of beings in every world,
The Dharma cloud’s great rain is immeasurable,
It dries up the boundless ocean of suffering—
This is the Dharma-gate entered by Dust-Free.
“All the teachers of the world.” The teachers are Buddhas—that is, all the Buddhas in all worlds.
“Dharma clouds rain down a great, immeasurable rain.” The Buddhas raise great Dharma clouds throughout all realms and rain down the Great Dharma. This realm is not something ordinary people can understand or fathom, so it is called immeasurable.
“Completely extinguish the oceans of suffering.” This Dharma cloud rains down the great Dharma, eliminating the afflictions of all sentient beings. That is, it causes the afflictions of greed, anger, and ignorance to be eradicated completely, leaving not even the slightest trace. Because sentient beings’ suffering is endless, it is called an ocean.
“Ly Cấu Trần enters this Dharma-door.” The Sea Spirit Lord Ly Cấu Trần clearly perceived and entered this Dharma-door of liberation.
All sentient beings are obscured by afflictions;
They wander through the realms, enduring many sufferings.
To them, he reveals the realm of the Tathāgata.
The Spirit of the Universal Water Palace enters this gateway.
“All sentient beings are obscured by afflictions.” All sentient beings inherently possess wisdom and are no different from the Buddha, but because afflictions obscure their wisdom, the radiance of wisdom cannot manifest—just as when clouds cover the sun, its light does not appear.
“Transmigrating through the realms and enduring much suffering.” Sentient beings, obscured by afflictions, therefore wander back and forth through the six paths of samsara, ceaselessly transmigrating among the realms and experiencing every kind of suffering.
“Because they reveal the realm of the Tathagata.” Why must the Buddha reveal it to all sentient beings? So that all sentient beings may attain the realm of the Tathagata—that is, awaken and become Buddhas.
“The God of the Universal Water Palace entered this gate.” The Sea God, Lord of the Universal Water Palace, entered this gate of liberation.
The Buddha, amid an ocean of inconceivable kalpas,
The Buddha in an ocean of inconceivable kalpas,
Cultivates all practices without end,
Practicing all practices without end,
Forever cuts through the net of delusion and confusion of sentient beings,
Cuts through the net of delusion and confusion of sentient beings,
Bao Yue can clearly penetrate this,
Bao Yue thoroughly understands and enters this Dharma-gate.
“The Buddha in an inconceivable ocean of kalpas.” Long ago, the Buddha was in the ocean of kalpas for a long time. How long is an ocean of kalpas? The duration is beyond the human mind’s ability to fathom, so it is called an ocean of kalpas.
“Cultivating practices without end.” Throughout an ocean of kalpas, the Buddha cultivated every Dharma method. What was difficult to give up, he was able to give up; what was difficult to practice, he was able to practice; what was difficult to endure, he was able to endure; and what was difficult to yield, he was able to yield. In short, the Dharma methods were not easy to cultivate or carry out, yet he accomplished them all and fully completed their cultivation. The inexhaustible Dharma methods were all cultivated to perfection by the Buddha.
“Cut through the net of ignorance and delusion ensnaring sentient beings.” Ignorance is foolishness, and delusion is confusion. These two are like a net that catches sentient beings, preventing them from escaping the six paths of samsara. The Buddha cuts through the net of ignorance and delusion ensnaring sentient beings—not temporarily, but forever. This means destroying that net and enabling sentient beings to attain freedom.
“Jewel Moon fully comprehends this gateway.” The Ocean Deity Auspicious Jewel Moon Lord clearly understood this realm and entered this gateway to liberation.
The Buddha sees sentient beings constantly in fear; the Buddha sees that sentient beings are always afraid.
Drifting through the great ocean of birth and death; drifting in the vast sea of birth and death.
He reveals the Tathāgata’s unsurpassed path; he reveals the Buddha’s unsurpassed path.
Long Kế awakens to understanding and becomes joyful; Long Kế understands and rejoices.
“The Buddha sees that sentient beings are often afraid.” The Buddha sees that sentient beings often fear being unable to put an end to birth and death—not that they fear the difficulty of practicing a Dharma method. For sentient beings still do not know what the Dharma is or what a Dharma gate is. Thus, within the six realms, they are born and die, die and are born again, revolving endlessly, unwilling to leave the three realms.
“Drifting in the great sea of birth and death.” Being in the great sea of birth and death is the most frightening thing. What is there to fear? Birth after birth, death after death, with no end—that is the most frightening thing. Moreover, one endures all kinds of suffering in the three evil realms, especially all kinds of punishments in the hells; it is truly terrifying.
One hundred years in the human world are only one day and night in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. So the heavenly beings see our lifespan as being like that of mayflies, born in the morning and dead by evening. We see mayflies born early in the morning and dead by nightfall, and feel that their lives are very short; but over the course of a single day, they feel that time is very long. Is our lifespan not like that? We are born and then die, die and then are born again—truly terrifying! So the Buddha fears on behalf of sentient beings, often becoming afraid because they cannot escape the endless cycle of birth and death.
“Expounding the Buddha’s unsurpassed path.” The Buddha compassionately expounds the Tathagata’s unsurpassed path. What is the unsurpassed path? It is to diligently cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom, thereby extinguishing greed, anger, and delusion. This is the unsurpassed path that transcends the world. Do no evil; do all that is good. This is the unsurpassed path of the world.
“Upon realizing and understanding, the Dragon Crest rejoiced.” The Sea Spirit Ruler of the Wondrous Flower Dragon Crest clearly understood this realm and felt great joy in her heart.
Homage to the Buddhas who eternally abide in the ten directions
Homage to the Dharma that eternally abides in the ten directions
Homage to the Sangha that eternally abides in the ten directions
Homage to the Great and Vast Buddha Flower Garland Sutra
Homage to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the Flower Garland Assembly.
That is the prayer altar. When I had just arrived in America, America and Cuba were on the verge of war, and the situation was extremely dangerous. I had a sudden realization. I thought, “I’ve only just arrived in this country, and I can’t offer any help at all. If war breaks out, who knows how many lives both sides will have to sacrifice?” So I went before the Buddha altar, lit incense, and made a vow: to pray for the end of the war and for world peace, I would fast for five weeks—that is, thirty-five days without eating. When the fast was over, war had not broken out between Cuba and America. I don’t know whether my sincere prayers had brought about a response, but the fact is that there was no war.
Now, war has broken out again in the Middle East (1973) because of religion and ethnicity. Judaism and Islam are two different faiths, and their national ideologies are also different, so wars often break out here and there. Therefore, we must strive to pray for world peace and pray that this war will end soon, so that people do not suffer misery.
The realm of all Buddhas is inconceivable; the realm of the Buddhas is beyond thought.
The Dharma-realm and the void have the characteristic of equality; the Dharma-realm and the void are equal in nature.
Able to purify the net of sentient beings’ delusion; purifying the net of sentient beings’ delusion.
One who upholds this can expound it thus; Universal Sustainer can expound it thus.
“The realm of the Buddhas is inconceivable.” Sentient beings have the realm of sentient beings, Bodhisattvas have the realm of Bodhisattvas, and the Buddhas have the realm of the Buddhas. The realm of sentient beings is inconceivable, the realm of Bodhisattvas is inconceivable, and the realm of the Buddhas is also inconceivable. An inconceivable realm cannot be understood through the speculation and discussion of ordinary beings; hence it is called a wondrous realm beyond description.
“The Dharma realm and empty space share the aspect of equality.” All Buddhas are the Dharma realm, and the Dharma realm is all Buddhas. The Dharma realm and all Buddhas are like empty space: equal in aspect, neither lacking nor exceeding, neither more nor less—the most perfectly equal.
“Purifying the net of ignorance and delusion of sentient beings.” The Buddhas cultivate and discipline their wondrous spiritual powers and abilities to purify the ignorance and delusion of sentient beings, leaving no defiled dharma.
Sentient beings are like flies, flying east and west in swarms. Why? Because they are searching for plants; sometimes they fly around in vain along many routes and still cannot find anything to eat. Why do they become flies? Because their ignorance and delusion run so deep that they fly wildly everywhere without succeeding. Moreover, while in the causal stage, they had too many false thoughts and liked the freedom of being flies, with no one to manage them: they could do whatever they pleased. So they keep being flies, flying every day without ever escaping the net of ignorance and delusion. Therefore, the Buddha cleanses the net of ignorance and delusion surrounding sentient beings, so that in the future they will still have the opportunity to become Buddhas.
“Universal Sustainer can expound it this way.” The Sea Spirit Who Is Lord of Universal Sustaining Light clearly understands this principle and can expound this Dharma-gate.
The Buddha-eye is pure and inconceivable; The Buddha-eye is pure, beyond thought.
All realms are encompassed and surveyed; All realms appear.
It reveals to all sentient beings the wondrous paths; It displays the wondrous paths to all beings.
This is what Huaguang has realized; This is Huaguang’s realization.
“The Buddha’s pure eye is inconceivable.” The Buddha has the five eyes and six supernatural powers. The pure Buddha-eye observes everything everywhere; it is inconceivable.
“All realms appear.” All realms—the realms of sentient beings as well as the realms of the Buddhas, whatever they may be—appear within the Buddha-eye. The Buddha-eye is like a great mirror; the Buddha can see all the realms of sentient beings.
“Expound to all sentient beings the wondrous paths.” The Buddha knows the dispositions of sentient beings, whether they have many wholesome roots or more evil roots; he also knows whether their desires are many or few. Therefore, the Buddha expounds and reveals all kinds of wondrous paths for all sentient beings. What is a wondrous path? Put simply, it is the way we follow in our everyday lives, the way we use every day; everything we do is wondrous. If we do not take the time to examine it, we will not know what is wondrous about it. But if we examine it carefully, then everything is wondrous—wondrous beyond description. For example, where do the things we use every day come from? Their origin is wondrous. And how do they depart? Their going, too, is wondrous. In short, all of it is a wondrous path.
The realm we see every day—that is the wondrous Way. Just as when we do not eat, our stomachs get hungry: why do we get hungry? That is wondrous. Being full after eating is also wondrous. Even wearing clothes or drinking tea is wondrous in the same way. If it were not wondrous, why would we use it? Even after we use it, it does not last long; it is only temporary. Would you say that is wondrous? Some people say, “Everyone understands this kind of principle.” But what you understand is only on the surface; it is not the ultimate truth, and you do not know where the wonder lies. Why do you want to eat delicious food? That is wondrous. Why do you want to wear nice clothes? That is wondrous. Why do you want to live in a good house? That is wondrous.
The meaning of the word “wondrous” is that you don’t understand it very well; it isn’t very clear to you. In short, what is clear is wondrous; what isn’t clear is not wondrous. For example, two monks were bowing every three steps as they traveled along the road. Their trousers tore, leaving them unable to cover their bodies. Then a pair of trousers appeared by the roadside—that was wondrous too. Someone threw pieces of glass at them but missed; that was wondrous too. I’ve explained the meaning of the word “wondrous” at great length. Now let’s return to the sutra text.
“This is what Flower Light has realized.” This principle was realized by the Sea God, Lord of Jeweled Flame and Flower Light, who thereby entered this gate of liberation.
Mara’s armies, vast beyond number, Mara’s armies, vast beyond measure,
In a single instant, all are utterly destroyed; In one instant, all are completely crushed.
A mind that does not waver is difficult to fathom; A steadfast mind is hard to fathom.
The skillful means of Vajra’s wondrous stratagem. This is the skillful means of the Spirit of Wondrous Stratagem.
“The armies of demons are vast and innumerable.” The demon armies are the ten great demon armies: sensual desire, sorrow and worry, hunger and thirst, craving for sensations, sleep and torpor, fear, doubt, malice, gain and offerings, and arrogance. Each kind of demon army can in turn transform into ten great demon armies, making a hundred great demon armies. The hundred great demon armies can transform into a thousand, and the thousand into ten thousand. They keep multiplying, producing ever more demon sons and grandsons, demon kings and subjects—who knows how many? That is why they are said to be innumerable. Each demon can transform into hundreds of thousands of millions, because demons’ supernatural powers are also very great. It is a pity that they are on the side of evil. How good it would be if they used their powers to benefit sentient beings; instead, they harm people, so demon kings are killers. When someone cultivating the Way is about to attain realization, the demon king uses every kind of method to come and destroy that person’s resolve to follow the Way. If the person’s power of concentration is insufficient, they lose the opportunity to become enlightened.
Chan Master Huệ Ngôi was meditating in the forest when a headless ghost suddenly appeared and tried to frighten and intimidate him. But the Chan Master’s mind did not waver, and he said to the ghost, “You don’t have a headache.” Then the ghost transformed into a fearsome figure with no belly, and the Chan Master said, “Congratulations—you don’t suffer from any of the six-viscera disorders.” The ghost transformed into many more terrifying forms to frighten and intimidate him, but the Chan Master subdued them all with the power of his concentration and was not deluded by them. Finally, the ghost transformed into a celestial maiden and said to the Chan Master, “I have been sent by the Heavenly Emperor to attend upon you.” The Chan Master said, “My mind is like the great earth; it cannot be shaken in the slightest.” The demoness had no recourse, so she flew up into the sky and left. The Chan Master remained calm and unafraid. This was the result of his profound mastery of concentration: he was not shaken by any circumstances.
“Everything is completely subdued in a single instant.” There is a saying: “The Way rises one foot, while the demons rise ten feet.” But evil cannot overcome the righteous; in the end, evil must surrender. For through his spiritual powers, the Buddha subdued countless demon armies in a single instant, causing them to change their thoughts, reform their conduct, and become Dharma protectors.
“A mind that does not waver is hard to fathom.” A mind that does not waver is thusness unmoving, clearly and constantly aware. If the mind does not stir, that proves you have attained the power of concentration. When the mind does not waver, it is certainly very difficult to fathom. A mind that does not waver means that not a single thought arises. When not a single thought arises, ghosts and spirits cannot see you and will not come to bother you. It is like the sea with no waves, when the wind is calm and the waves are still; at that time, there is no way to fathom it.
“This skillful means belongs to the Wonderful Topknot Spirit.” The Ocean Spirit Vajra Wonderful Topknot Lord attained this Dharma gate of skillful means and entered this liberation.
Throughout the ten directions, wondrous sounds are proclaimed;
Its sound is heard throughout the Dharma Realm.
This is the realm of the Tathagata’s samādhi,
The domain practiced by the Sea-Tide-Sound Spirit.
“Throughout the ten directions, wondrous sounds are proclaimed.” Every sound throughout the worlds of the ten directions is a Dharma sound, flowing forth and transforming into countless forms. This includes sentient beings expounding the Dharma and insentient things expounding the Dharma, expounding the Dharma with sound and expounding it without sound. In short, everything is expounding the Dharma. This wondrous sound is the Buddha’s teaching the Dharma in a single voice, which all kinds of sentient beings understand according to their own kind. Each kind of sentient being hears the sound of its own kind when it listens to the Dharma, and thereby gains the benefits of the Dharma.
“That sound is heard throughout the Dharma Realm.” The Buddhas in the ten directions expound wondrous sounds. Not only can all beings throughout the Dharma Realm hear them; even the entirety of empty space can hear them. There is no place that is not a place where the Buddhas expound wondrous sounds.
“That is the Buddha’s state of samadhi.” That is the realm of meditative concentration perfected by the Tathagata.
“It is the sphere of activity of Ocean-Tide Sound.” This realm of samadhi and practice is what the Sea God, Lord Ocean-Tide Thunder Sound, cultivates and practices.
The wondrous sounds of the Buddha’s Dharma are not necessarily something we can hear; even if we hear them, we may not recognize them. It is like a television, which has not only sound but also images. If, three hundred years ago, someone had said that in the future there would be a device in which people could speak and perform, appearing just like the real thing, people at the time would surely have thought you were talking nonsense, that a fool was dreaming. How could such a thing exist? How could there be such a wondrous realm?
Three hundred years later, today, everyone believes it. That is the principle behind the transmission of wondrous sounds. The Buddha’s Dharma accords with science, and the more science advances, the more it proves that the Buddha’s Dharma is scientific. More than 2,500 years ago, the Buddha already knew the secrets of the universe and affirmed that there are three thousand great thousand worlds. One sun is one world; one galaxy is a small thousand-world system. There are also middle thousand-world systems and great thousand-world systems. Today, humanity is discovering that, in the future, the realm of the three thousand great thousand worlds will appear before our eyes, just like a television. Those with the five eyes and six supernatural powers see the three thousand great thousand worlds very clearly, just as if they were watching television. The causes and effects of all three lifetimes appear on television. In the past, people thought such things were impossible, but now they exist. What people think impossible now will exist in the future. Therefore, the more the Buddha’s Dharma is put to the test, the more its truth is revealed.
Furthermore, the River Spirit Universal Manifestation of Swift-Flowing Currents attained the liberation gate of universally raining boundless Dharma rain.
Again, the River God Lord Universal Emanation Swift Current attained the liberation-gate of raining boundless Dharma rain everywhere.
Lecture: The explanation of the sutra above is not yet complete, so I will continue now. The River Spirit Who Governs the Universally Spreading Swift Currents is a deity who oversees rivers and streams. This spirit makes water flow everywhere very swiftly and attains the state of universally showering the boundless great Dharma rain. Boundless Dharma rain means that throughout the entire realm of space and the Dharma Realm, there is nowhere that does not receive the Buddha’s Dharma rain. Although this Dharma rain is now falling in the present, it was also received in the past, will also be received in the future, and is received in the present as well. This is the gateway to liberation that this spirit has attained.
The River God Universal Purity of Springs and Ravines attained the liberation-gate of appearing before all sentient beings and enabling them to forever leave afflictions.
The River Spirit Lord Universal Purifying Springs and Streams attained the liberation door of appearing everywhere before all sentient beings, causing them to be forever free from afflictions.
Lecture: Spring water and stream water may sometimes be unclean, very dirty and murky. But this River Spirit in Charge of Universally Purifying Springs and Ravines makes spring water and stream water clean. This is like when sentient beings’ minds are pure: all afflictions are eliminated. This spirit universally manifests before all sentient beings, causing them to forever leave afflictions. To leave afflictions is to leave greed, anger, and delusion—the three poisons. Once all three poisons have been left behind, one forever leaves afflictions and attains one’s pure original nature, thereby giving rise to great wisdom. This is the liberation gate attained by this spirit.
The River Spirit Free from Dust and with Pure Eyes attained the liberation-gate of universally cleansing all sentient beings of the dust and defilements of delusion through the skillful means of great compassion.
The River Spirit Chief, Pure Eye Free from Dust, attained the liberation-gate of using the skillful means of great compassion to wipe away all the delusions and defilements of every sentient being.
Lecture: The River Spirit Lord of Pure Eyes, Free from Dust
What does “free from dust” mean? It means being free from all external dust and deluded thoughts; it can also be said to mean being free from all defiled thoughts. One must be free from external dust, and at the same time free from inner defilements. Only then can the mind become pure and attain pure eyes.
What are pure eyes? They are purified eyes, also called the five eyes. Only by purifying the five eyes can one attain the five powers.
The five eyes are the divine eye, the physical eye, the wisdom eye, the Dharma eye, and the Buddha eye. Only when one opens the five eyes can one be free from a defiled mind. A detailed explanation of the five eyes would be endless; there is no way to explain it all. For now, I will speak in general terms.
1). The divine eye: “The divine eye penetrates without obstruction.” This means there are no obstructions. One can not only see things thousands upon tens of thousands of miles away, but also clearly see everything throughout the Dharma realms of the ten directions, contemplate that all things are empty, and encounter no obstruction.
2). The flesh eye: “The flesh eye is obstructed and cannot see through.” The flesh eye referred to here is not the flesh eye of ordinary people. Ordinary people see only tangible things, not intangible things; they see only things with form, not formless things. The flesh eye referred to here can see not only things that are obstructed, but also things that are unobstructed. It can see all things, whether tangible or intangible, with form or formless. What are tangible things? For example, people have physical forms and can be seen. What are intangible things? For example, ghosts are intangible and cannot be seen. However, while some people cannot see ghosts and spirits, those who have opened the five eyes can see them, and can also see Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
3). The Dharma eye: “The Dharma eye contemplates only the conventional.” The Dharma eye can contemplate worldly and supramundane phenomena. It can contemplate not only conventional truth, but also ultimate truth; however, it contemplates conventional truth more clearly than ultimate truth.
4). The Wisdom Eye: “The Wisdom Eye comprehends true emptiness.” The Wisdom Eye clearly sees the principle of true emptiness. True emptiness is not mere emptiness: it is nonempty yet empty, empty yet nonempty. It is not only understood but also seen clearly.
5). The Buddha Eye: “The Buddha Eye is like a thousand suns.” The Buddha Eye shines like a thousand suns, illuminating all three thousand great thousand worlds. There is nothing it does not know and nothing it does not see. The five powers are:
1. The power of faith.
2. The power of vigor.
3. The power of mindfulness.
4. The power of concentration.
5. The power of wisdom.
These five powers nurture the bodhi seed and keep one from being shaken by external phenomena.
The power of faith dispels doubt.
The power of diligence overcomes laziness.
The power of mindfulness overcomes wrong views.
The power of concentration transforms one’s realm.
The power of wisdom overcomes all attachments.
This River Spirit Lord has attained the realm of the Buddha. With a mind of great compassion and the Dharma-gate of skillful means, he cleanses all delusions from all sentient beings throughout the ten directions and the three periods of time, and also purifies them of the dust, defilements, and delusions, enabling all sentient beings to attain this liberation-gate of the pure eye that transcends the dust.
The River Spirit Who Roars Throughout the Ten Directions attained the liberation gate of the sound that constantly issues forth to benefit sentient beings.
The River-Ruling Deity Ten-Directional Universal Roar attained the liberation gate of continually resounding with sounds that benefit sentient beings.
Teaching: This River Spirit King, Lord of Roaring Pervasively in the Ten Directions, has a very loud voice that resounds throughout the ten directions. Sentient beings who hear this roar all benefit from it. What benefit? Sentient beings with greedy minds hear this roar, and their greed diminishes a little. Sentient beings with angry minds hear this roar, and their anger diminishes a little. Sentient beings with deluded minds hear this roar, and their delusion diminishes a little. Greed, anger, and delusion quietly disappear; this is the gateway to liberation that this being has attained.
The River Spirit Who Universally Rescues and Protects Sentient Beings attained the liberation gate of continually arousing, among all sentient beings, compassion that neither afflicts nor harms.
The River Spirit Lord Who Universally Rescues and Protects Sentient Beings had attained the liberation-gate of constantly arousing harmless compassion toward all sentient beings.
Lecture: This River Spirit Chief Who Universally Rescues All Beings rescues all beings everywhere. This one has no discriminating mind between those who are dear and those who are adversaries, but regards them all equally. This one has attained the liberation gate of causing no harm to any sentient being.
What are sentient beings? They are beings with the capacity for awareness—that is, beings born from eggs, from wombs, from moisture, and by transformation. In short, all those that have blood and breath, or blood but no breath, and so on, are sentient beings. This River Spirit Chief constantly gives rise to compassion and causes no harm. This one has attained this state and entered this liberation gate.
The River Spirit Pure Light Without Heat attained the liberation gate of universally revealing all cool and wholesome roots.
The River-God Chief, Pure Light Without Heat, attained the liberation gate of universally manifesting all cool and wholesome roots.
Lecture: The River Spirit Lord of Immaculate Pure Light Without Heat: Pure light is free from heat. Being free from heat means being free from the burning of afflictions; being free from the burning of afflictions means attaining coolness and refreshment. Only by attaining coolness and refreshment can one have pure, luminous light. This one attained the Buddha’s state and manifests everywhere all the cool, refreshing wholesome roots, in order to dispel the heat of afflictions and attain wisdom.
What are the pure and cool wholesome roots? They are the wholesome roots of prajna, and also the wholesome roots of bodhi. They are also the five faculties: the faculty of faith, the faculty of diligence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, and the faculty of wisdom.
1). The faculty of faith: This faculty gives rise to the power of faith. It is exceedingly firm and cannot easily be destroyed. It is not a matter of believing halfway and doubting halfway; rather, it is believing eternally.
2). The Faculty of Diligence: This means the wholesome root of diligence. The body is diligent, the mind is diligent, one is diligent by day and diligent by night. One is diligent both day and night; only such diligence leads to accomplishment.
3). The Faculty of Mindfulness: What is mindfulness? Mindfulness of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. At every hour and every minute, one is mindful of the Three Jewels, never forgetting them for a single moment.
4). The faculty of concentration: With concentration, one is not shaken by any of the realms; therefore: “The eight winds blow, yet I remain unmoved;
Seated upright upon a purple-gold lotus.” That is also to be thus unmoving, lucid and constantly clear; this is a wholesome root arising from concentration. What are the Eight Winds? A brief explanation follows:
A. Praise: This means to praise and extol. It is a favorable wind, which easily makes people feel joyful.
B. Blame: This means to criticize. It is an adverse wind, which easily makes people feel angry.
C. Suffering: This means hardship. This wind is very difficult to endure. It is also an adverse wind, and may be called the north wind, chilling to the bone.
D. Pleasure: This means happiness. This favorable wind brings great ease and freedom. It may also be called the south wind, mild and pleasant.
E. Gain: This means benefit. This wind benefits people and makes them feel happy.
F. Decline: This means deterioration. This wind harms people and makes them feel sorrowful.
G. Acquisition: This means obtaining something. This wind is one in which one has everything; it is also a favorable wind of hope.
H. Loss: This means losing something. This wind is one in which one has nothing; it is also an adverse wind of disappointment.
5). The wisdom faculty: This means the wholesome roots of wisdom. To attain wisdom, one must read many scriptures and cultivate much prajñā; therefore: “Delving deeply into the treasury of scriptures,
Wisdom is like the sea.” If the five wholesome faculties of faith, vigor, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom are complete, they are wholesome roots of coolness. This River Lord Spirit attained this liberation gate.
The River Spirit Chief of Universal Birth and Joy attained the liberation gate of practicing perfect generosity, enabling all sentient beings to forever be free from miserliness and attachment.
The River Spirit Chief, Universal Birth Joy, attained the liberation gate of fully practicing generosity, enabling all sentient beings to forever abandon miserliness and attachment.
Lecture: This River God, Universal-Birth Joyful Lord, causes all sentient beings to give rise to joy—joy in leaving behind stinginess and joy in leaving behind attachment. He attains the realm of the Buddha; that is, he cultivates the complete Dharma-gate of giving. He practices all three kinds of giving to perfection: the giving of wealth, the giving of Dharma, and the giving of fearlessness.
1). Giving of wealth: This includes internal and external wealth. Internal wealth means giving away one’s head, eyes, marrow, and brain—offering one’s entire body and life. External wealth means giving away one’s throne, wife, and children, relinquishing all glory and riches.
2). Giving the Dharma: This includes the conditioned and the unconditioned. The conditioned Dharma has form; the unconditioned Dharma is non-action, yet nothing is left undone. It can also be said that the conditioned Dharma is worldly, while the unconditioned Dharma is supramundane. Expounding sutras and teaching the Dharma is giving to all sentient beings.
3). The giving of fearlessness: That is, when you encounter people who are frightened and afraid, you comfort them and ease their fear; or, when their circumstances threaten them, you make them safe so that they are no longer afraid. This River Deity Lord causes all sentient beings to forever be free from stinginess and attachment, and to attain happiness.
The River Spirit, Banner of Vast Virtue, attained the liberation gate of becoming a field of merit that brings joy to all.
The River God Lord Vast Virtue Victorious City attained the gate of liberation, bringing joy to all fields of merit.
Lecture: This River Spirit, Vast Virtue Victorious Banner Lord, possesses vast merit and virtue, adorned like a jeweled banner. This spirit has attained the realm of the Buddha. For the sake of sentient beings, the Buddha serves as a joyful field of merit, enabling sentient beings to plant the wholesome roots of merit and bodhi. When sentient beings accomplish immeasurable merit and virtue, they all rejoice greatly. This is the gateway to liberation attained by this spirit.
The River Goddess of Light Shining Universally over the Worlds attained the liberation gate of being able to cause all sentient beings who are defiled to become pure, and those afflicted by the poison of anger to rejoice.
The River Spirit Lord, Light Shining Throughout the World, attained the liberation gate that causes all sentient beings who are defiled to become pure, and those afflicted with poisonous anger to become joyful.
Lecture: This River Spirit, Universal Light Shining Throughout the World, has radiance that shines throughout the world, enabling all sentient beings to be free from defilement and attain coolness. Defilement means being impure: there is good and evil, good and bad, right and wrong—in other words, things are not pure. A little evil thought mixed in with a good thought, a little good thought mixed in with an evil thought; a little wrong thought mixed in with a right thought, a little right thought mixed in with a wrong thought; a little bad in what is good, a little good in what is bad—that is defilement.
This River Lord Spirit also causes all sentient beings to give rise to joyful minds free of anger. You should know that anger is like a fearsome venomous snake, making people afraid to approach. Those who harbor anger have very little joy. This River Lord Spirit attained this liberation-gate.
The River Spirit Sea-Virtue Bright-Light Lord attained the liberation gateway of being able to cause all sentient beings to enter the ocean of liberation and constantly enjoy complete bliss.
The Chief River God, Ocean Virtue Radiance, attained the liberation gate that enables all beings to enter the ocean of liberation and always enjoy complete happiness.
Discourse: This River Spirit, Sea Virtue Radiant Light, has virtue as vast as the ocean, and also radiates an immense bright light that illuminates everything. This spirit enables all sentient beings to enter the ocean of liberation. Since there are many gateways to liberation, this spirit is always endowed with joy in its fullness—perfect joy and unsurpassed joy. This is the gateway to liberation that this spirit has attained.
At that time, the River Deity Universal Emitter of Swift Currents, relying on the Buddha’s power, surveyed all the River Deities and spoke these verses, saying: At that time, the River Spirit Lord Universal Spreading Swift Current, relying on the Buddha’s awe-inspiring power, surveyed the entire assembly of River Spirit Lords and spoke this verse.
Explanation: At that time, the River Spirit Chief Universal Manifestation of Swift Currents, relying on the Buddha’s great might, surveyed the faculties of all the River Spirit Chiefs and used verses to restate the meaning of the prose passage above.
The Tathagata in ages past, for the sake of sentient beings,
The Tathagata, in the past, for the sake of sentient beings
Cultivated the boundless practices of the ocean of Dharma,
Practiced the boundless practices of the ocean of Dharma
Like abundant rain that dispels the summer heat,
Like rain that moistens and puts an end to the oppressive heat
Universally extinguishing the burning afflictions of sentient beings.
Extinguishing the burning afflictions of sentient beings.
“The Tathagata, in ages past, acted for sentient beings.” In countless eons past, the Buddha practiced the Dharma. Why did he practice? Because the Buddha saw sentient beings suffering and not knowing how to be free from suffering and attain joy. Therefore, the Buddha made a vow to practice, vowing that once he had awakened and become a Buddha, he would save and deliver all sentient beings from the sea of suffering. The Buddha practiced for the sake of sentient beings, not for himself. This is following the Bodhisattva path: everything for others, not for oneself.
“Cultivating the boundless ocean of Dharma practices.” The Dharma practices cultivated by the Buddha are as immeasurable and boundless as the ocean, and so they are called the ocean of Dharma. The Buddha first cultivated the Dharma practices of the six perfections and ten thousand deeds.
The first of the six perfections is giving: one should give to others, not ask others to give to oneself.
The second is upholding the precepts. One must sincerely observe them, not tell others to observe the precepts while failing to observe them oneself.
The third perfection is patience. You must endure what others cannot endure and bear what others cannot bear. Patience is a test; only after passing the test are you qualified. “Endurance” means the ability to bear hardship. Some people cannot endure it, but if you can, you are qualified; only then can you pass through. Of the six perfections, patience is the most important. If you cannot be patient, then no matter how you cultivate the other five, you will not achieve anything.
The fourth perfection is diligence: not being lazy, but constantly practicing meditation, reciting the Buddha’s name, reciting mantras, studying the scriptures, and translating them.
The fifth perfection is meditative concentration. With the power of concentration, you will not be swayed by external states.
The sixth perfection is wisdom. With wisdom, you will not fall into deluded, upside-down thoughts, and you will attain ultimate Nirvana.
The Buddha’s way of practicing was like this: What others could not endure, he could endure; what others could not bear, he could bear. Why? Because there was no self—when there is no longer a self to cling to, who is there to endure? Who is there to bear it? There is no longer an endurer or anything to be endured, no experiencer or experience. As the Buddha cultivated the vast ocean of Dharma, who knows how much he endured as people struck and scolded him. He remained calm and unmoved, cultivating boundless practices. In the end, he attained wondrous spiritual powers and abilities to teach and transform living beings.
“Like rain that soaks in and dispels the heat.” Mencius says: “When Heaven naturally forms clouds and pours down rain, the seedlings then spring up vigorously!” That is to say, clouds gather thickly in the sky, and rain pours down in torrents—not too much, not too little, but just the amount of water needed—so that young shoots suddenly sprout, flourish, and grow. The Buddha’s teaching and transformation of sentient beings is likewise like rain falling at the right time, dispelling all the heat and bringing coolness.
“Extinguish the heat of sentient beings’ afflictions.” The Buddha uses the cooling Buddha-Dharma to extinguish all the burning afflictions of sentient beings, enabling them all to attain coolness—not only of the body, but of the mind as well.
The Buddha’s deeds are difficult to proclaim across immeasurable kalpas;
It is hard to speak of the Buddha in the immeasurably distant past.
With the light of vows, [he] purifies the world;
Using the light of vows to purify the world.
Those whose faculties have matured are led to awaken to the Way;
Those whose faculties have matured are caused to realize the Way.
This is what the mind of the Universal Purity Spirit has realized;
This is the realization of the Universal Purity Spirit’s mind.
“It is difficult to say how many immeasurable eons ago the Buddha lived.” How many eons ago was the Buddha, in the immeasurably distant past? It is impossible to say how many immeasurable eons.
“Use the radiance of vows to purify the world.” The Buddha uses the power of great vows and the luminous light of great wisdom to teach and transform the world, to purify the world, enabling all beings in the world to leave suffering and attain happiness, and to realize and transcend birth and death.
“Those who are mature are made to awaken.” When the wholesome roots of sentient beings have matured, the Buddha causes them to awaken to the Great Way. What Great Way? It is the principle of the great matter of birth and death.
“This is the realization of the Pure Springs God.” The River God Who Presides over Pure Springs and Streams clearly understood and realized this realm in his mind, and entered this gate of liberation.
Great compassion and skillful means are equal to sentient beings;
Great compassion and skillful means are one with sentient beings.
They all appear before them, constantly teaching and guiding;
They all appear before them, constantly teaching and guiding.
Universally causing them to cleanse away the grime of afflictions;
Universally causing them to cleanse away the grime of afflictions.
Pure Eye sees this and is deeply delighted.
“Great Compassion and Skillful Means in Accord with Sentient Beings.” The Buddha uses the mind of great compassion to deliver all sentient beings. Great compassion means rescuing sentient beings from suffering and giving them peace and joy. The Buddha uses skillful-means Dharma methods to teach and transform all sentient beings. Skillful means are expedient, ingenious means: Dharma methods that are flexible and adaptable, operating provisionally rather than being unchanging. “In accord with sentient beings” means that however many sentient beings there are, there are just as many minds of great compassion and skillful-means Dharma methods.
“Always manifest before them and constantly teach and guide them.” The Buddha often manifests before sentient beings and constantly uses all kinds of methods to teach and guide them, helping them understand the Way, abandon evil and return to the right path, correct their faults, and become new people. That is why it says “constantly teach and guide them.” “Causing the filth of afflictions to be completely cleansed away.” The Buddha causes all sentient beings’ habitual tendencies and faults to be eliminated, returning them to their source. Defilements and afflictions are like garbage, which is why they are called filthy afflictions. The Buddha constantly helps sentient beings sweep away the filth of afflictions, so they may become pure, without the slightest trace of worldly dust.
“Pure Eye becomes joyful upon seeing it.” This River Spirit Lord, Pure Eye Free of Dust, having attained this realm, feels joy and delight arise in his heart.
The Buddha proclaims wondrous sounds, making them heard everywhere;
The Buddha proclaims wondrous sounds, and all hear them.
Sentient beings delight in them, their hearts filled with joy;
All are made to eliminate immeasurable suffering.
This is the liberation of the Deity Universal Roar.
“The Buddha proclaims wondrous sounds, which all hear.” The Buddha expounds the pure and wondrous Dharma sound, enabling all sentient beings everywhere to hear this inconceivable wondrous sound.
“Sentient beings delight in joyful minds.” When sentient beings hear this wondrous sound, joy and bliss arise in their hearts. They delight in this wondrous sound and never tire of listening to it.
“All cause immeasurable suffering to be completely eradicated.” When sentient beings hear the Buddha’s wondrous sound, the roots of immeasurable suffering are entirely cleansed away. Once the roots of suffering have been cleansed away, wholesome roots will arise.
“This is the liberation of the Spirit of Universal Roar.” The River Spirit, Lord of Universal Roar in the Ten Directions, attained this liberation.
In the past, the Buddha cultivated the practices of Bodhi, | Long ago, the Buddha cultivated the Bodhi way;
For the benefit of sentient beings through immeasurable eons, | For the benefit of sentient beings through immeasurable eons;
Therefore, his radiance pervades the world, | Thus, his radiance fills the world;
The Guardian Deities, remembering him, rejoice. | The Guardian Deities, recollecting him, give rise to joy.
“In the past, the Buddha cultivated the practices of bodhi.” When the Buddha was at the causal stage, he cultivated the practices of enlightenment, of awakening himself and others, and of benefiting sentient beings. In short, he cultivated all kinds of practices of the path to enlightenment.
“For the benefit of sentient beings through immeasurable kalpas.” The Buddha, for the benefit of all sentient beings, cultivated the bodhisattva path over immeasurable and boundless great kalpas.
“Thus, radiance shines throughout the world.” Because of this cause and condition, the radiance shines upon all sentient beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions.
“Recollection by the Guardian Spirit gives rise to joy.” This River Spirit, Universal Savior and Protector of Sentient Beings, recollects this realm, and immeasurable, boundless joy therefore arises in his mind. This is the liberation-gate he attained.
If anyone has any questions, please bring them up so everyone can study them together. Dharma Master Guo Hufa asked, “What is patience with beings? What is patience with the Dharma? What is patience with the non-arising of dharmas? I hope the Venerable Master will kindly explain.” Patience with sentient beings: That is, forbearance toward sentient beings. Whoever curses you, you can endure it; whoever hits you, you can endure it; whoever kills you, you can endure that too. That is forbearance toward sentient beings.
Patience with the Dharma: This means that studying the Dharma also requires patience. The Buddha’s Dharma is as deep as the ocean; without patience, one cannot learn it. There is so much of the Buddha’s Dharma—how can I possibly learn it? I have no way to learn it; that is a lack of patience with the Dharma.
**Patience with the Non-Arising of Dharmas:** Realization of a certain state in which one sees not the slightest dharma arising, nor the slightest dharma ceasing. At that time, there is no person, no dharma; both person and dharma are empty. This is patience with the non-arising of dharmas.
Patience toward sentient beings is the emptiness of persons. Only upon attaining the realm of the emptiness of persons can one attain patience toward dharmas. Once one has attained the emptiness of persons, there is patience toward sentient beings; when one also realizes the emptiness of dharmas, that is patience toward dharmas. The emptiness of persons and the emptiness of dharmas together constitute the patience of non-arising dharmas. One does not see even a single dharma arising, nor a single dharma ceasing, and patiently abides in the mind. As for this state, even if one wishes to speak of it, one cannot. That is the patience of non-arising dharmas.
In the past, the Buddha practiced for sentient beings;
Using all kinds of expedient means to bring them to maturity.
He universally purifies the ocean of merit and dispels their suffering;
Seeing this, Vô Nhiệt is filled with joy.
“In the past, the Buddha cultivated the Way for the sake of sentient beings.” The Buddha cultivated for sentient beings, not for himself. Why did the Buddha cultivate for sentient beings? Because the Buddha saw all sentient beings suffering as if he himself were suffering. If he did not remove the suffering of sentient beings, the Buddha felt that his own suffering still remained. Therefore, the Buddha vowed to remove the suffering of sentient beings. Thus, in the past, the Buddha cultivated solely for the sake of sentient beings.
“Employing all kinds of skillful means to bring them to maturity.” The Buddha uses all kinds of skillful means and teachings to bring sentient beings’ faculties to maturity quickly. In other words, for sentient beings who do not yet have wholesome roots, he causes them to plant wholesome roots; for sentient beings who have planted wholesome roots, he helps those roots grow; for sentient beings whose wholesome roots have grown, he helps those roots mature; and for sentient beings whose wholesome roots have matured, he enables them to attain liberation and Buddhahood.
“Purify the entire ocean of merit and remove all suffering.” May all sentient beings everywhere obtain a pure field of merit, accomplish the unsurpassed path, and eliminate all suffering.
“Vô Nhiệt was overjoyed upon seeing this.” The River Spirit Who Presides over Pure Light Without Heat saw and clearly understood this realm, and so was exceedingly joyful in his heart.
The gate of giving is vast and boundless; the gate of giving is immeasurably broad.
All sentient beings benefit; all sentient beings are benefited.
It enables those who see it to be free from attachment; it causes those who see it to be free from greed and attachment.
This is what the Spirit Universal Joy has realized.
“The gate of giving is vast and boundless.” This River God King saw that the Buddha’s practice of the Dharma-gate of giving was vast and boundless. The gate of giving refers to the Dharma-gate of material giving and fearlessness-giving. Giving is inexhaustible.
“All sentient beings benefit.” Every kind of sentient being can obtain benefit. This benefit is equal, with no distinction.
“Causing those who see him to be free from greed and attachment.” The Buddha’s great spiritual power, great wisdom power, and great radiance shine forth, dispelling all darkness. This darkness is greed and miserliness. All sentient beings who see the Buddha’s light, hear his Dharma, or hear the Buddha’s voice leave behind greed, miserliness, and attachment.
Practitioners must benefit others, not themselves. Therefore: “Make compassion your root and skillful means your gateway.” We must always help others. Whatever we are able to do, we should strive to help others; even when we are unable to do something, we must still help them—that is, do everything within our ability. This is what it means not to be greedy and stingy. Therefore, Buddhists must have compassionate hearts. They should cultivate not only the still practices, but also the active practices; only then can they eliminate greed and stinginess and let go of attachment. Greed and stinginess mean being unable to let go. If we can let go, we will gain something. What should we let go of? Our inner and outer wealth. And what will we gain? Virtue and merit. Therefore, those who cultivate the Way should give away all their external possessions, and also give of their inner wealth—their bodies, minds, and lives. If we can give in this way, will there still be greed and attachment? “This is the realization of the Spirit of Universal Joy.” This principle is easy to talk about, but not easy to put into practice. That is why it is said that it is not easy to understand clearly. But this River Spirit, the Lord of Universal Birth and Joy, understood it clearly and realized it, which is why it is said to be no easy matter.
The Buddha’s past cultivation was truly skillful;
In the past, the Buddha practiced skillful means.
He perfected an infinite ocean of merit and virtue;
He perfected an infinite sea of merit and virtue.
He can cause all who see him to rejoice;
He causes all who see him to rejoice.
This Victory Banner Spirit’s mind awakened in delight;
The Victory Banner Spirit awakened to this Dharma-gate.
“In the past, the Buddha practiced the true expedient means.” In ancient times, the Buddha practiced all kinds of expedient methods and Dharma gates. Why, then, call them the true expedient means? Because the provisional is taught for the sake of the true; thus, he practiced expedient Dharma methods for the sake of the true teaching.
“The boundless ocean of merit and virtue.” The Buddha benefits sentient beings, gives to them, and performs all kinds of meritorious deeds. Whatever benefits sentient beings, he goes and does; he does not act solely for his own benefit, but also benefits others. Thus he attains the boundless ocean of merit and virtue.
“Causing all who see him to rejoice.” All sentient beings who see the Buddha are made to feel joy.
“The Victory Banner Spirit realized this.” In this realm, the River Spirit Broad Virtue, Lord of the Victory Banner, realized and entered this liberation.
All defiled sentient beings are purified,
All beings stained by defilement are purified.
Toward all who bear enmity and cause harm, give rise equally to compassion,
Give rise to compassion toward all who bear enmity and cause harm.
Thus the light shines, filling all of space,
Therefore the radiance fills all of space.
The Universal World River Spirit beholds this with joy.
The Universal World River Spirit sees and rejoices.
“Defiled sentient beings are all purified.” Defilement means being dirty. Because sentient beings have defiled minds, the Buddha enables them to become completely pure.
“All resentment and harm give rise to compassion.” Resentment and harm mean malice and destructive anger. When sentient beings have this hateful, harmful anger, the Buddha causes it to transform into a compassionate mind.
“Should radiantly illuminate all of space.” The Buddha enables all defiled sentient beings to attain purity and all sentient beings poisoned by anger to attain joy. Therefore, the Buddha’s great wisdom and luminous light pervade all of space and the Dharma realm.
“The Universal World-Pervading River Spirit rejoiced.” The River Spirit Lord of Universal Radiance, upon seeing this realm, became joyful.
The Buddha is a field of blessings, an ocean of merit; the Buddha is a field of blessings, an ocean of merit.
Can cause all to leave behind every evil; cause all to leave behind every evil.
Even to the attainment of Great Bodhi; until Great Bodhi is attained.
This is the liberation of the Sea-Light Spirit; this is the liberation of the Sea-Light Spirit.
“The Buddha is a field of blessings and an ocean of merit.” The Buddha is a field of blessings for sentient beings—that is, ground on which sentient beings sow and cultivate merit—and is also an ocean of merit for sentient beings.
“Causing all to leave evil.” For the sake of sentient beings, one teaches the precepts: not doing any evil and preventing wrongdoing. If one refrains from all evil and does good, one will be free from every evil.
“Up to attaining great enlightenment.” Not only does one refrain from all evil deeds, but one also attains great enlightenment and will attain Buddhahood in the future.
“This is the liberation of the Ocean Light God.” The River God Ocean Virtue Light-Bright Lord clearly understands this liberation gate.
Furthermore, the Chief Spirit of Crops Soft and Excellent Flavor attained the liberation-gate of imparting the nourishing flavor of the Dharma to all sentient beings, enabling them to accomplish the Buddha-body.
Furthermore, the Crop-Lord Spirit Gentle Supreme Flavor attained the liberation-gate of enabling all sentient beings to attain the flavor of the Dharma’s loving-kindness, thereby bringing them to perfection in the Buddha-body.
Lecture: Above, we have already discussed the ten River Spirit Lords. Each of them spoke a verse praising the Buddha’s merit and virtue. Next come the ten Crop Spirit Lords, who continue to proclaim the principles of the great Flower Adornment assembly. Now, prose is used to explain clearly that the realm of the Flower Adornment is inconceivable. The principles of this realm cannot be understood by ordinary people or those of the Two Vehicles. Therefore, “furthermore” means that what was said above was not yet complete, and the explanation now continues.
The Deity of Gentle Softness, Excellent Flavor, and Farming
“Gentle softness” refers to skillful means that make sentient beings feel comfortable and at ease when they hear the Dharma. “Excellent flavor” refers to a supreme, wondrous flavor, and also to the five flavors: sour, sweet, bitter, pungent, and salty. “Farming” refers to cultivation and harvest: “cultivation” means planting, and “harvest” means reaping. In ancient times, Shennong taught people how to cultivate and harvest, including how to sow seeds, tend crops, water and fertilize them, and reap the harvest, and so on. This deity oversees cultivation and harvest.
People in the world enjoy these five tastes, and everyone has different preferences. Some like salty, some sweet, some bitter, some sour, and some spicy. But the tastes people enjoy are ordinary tastes, not supreme tastes. What is a supreme taste? It is expedient means within expedient means, and definitive teaching within definitive teaching. This taste surpasses all other tastes; it is a particularly supreme kind of Dharma flavor.
Everyone’s innate nature is different, and therefore so are their preferences. Those who favor Catholicism consider it supreme above all; those who favor Christianity consider it the greatest in the world; those who favor Confucianism believe that benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness—the Five Constant Virtues—are the most perfect moral principles; those who favor Daoism believe that alchemy produces an elixir of immortality; and those who favor Buddhism believe that Buddhism ultimately brings birth and death to an end.
We cultivators of the Way are like farmers: we should grow our own food, be self-reliant, and make our own way in life. Plant the seeds of bodhi in the Buddha’s field of merit, so that they germinate, sprout, and grow into bodhi trees, bearing the true fruit of bodhi and attaining the realm of liberation. Therefore: “For those who have not planted wholesome roots, cause them to plant wholesome roots; for those who have planted wholesome roots, cause them to grow; once they have grown, cause them to ripen; once they have ripened, cause them to be liberated.” This Chief Earth Spirit oversees this matter. Whoever plants the cause of bodhi will attain the fruit of bodhi in the future. In short, whoever cultivates will attain it; whoever does not cultivate will not attain it. Whether one attains it or not depends only on whether one cultivates. If one faithfully follows the teachings and cultivates in accordance with the Dharma, one will attain the Dharma bestowed by this spirit.
This flavor of the Dharma is the sweetest and most excellent. If it is fully savored, it is the supreme flavor among supreme flavors. This flavor of the Dharma encompasses eighty-four thousand Dharma-doors. Cultivate and water the field of Dharma-nature to attain Buddhahood. After becoming a Buddha, one will teach sentient beings and enable them to become Buddhas as well. The work of a Buddha is to universally liberate and teach sentient beings. This Lord of the Net enables all sentient beings to obtain the flavor of the Dharma and attain the Buddha-body. He clearly understands this realm and enters the liberation-gate of the flavor of the Dharma.
At that time, the Pure Light Flower Charioteer Spirit attained the liberation gate of being able to cause all sentient beings to experience vast, great, wholesome joy.
The Time Deity Pure Light Flower attained the liberation of causing all sentient beings to experience immense joy.
Lecture: This Seasonal Flower Pure Light Crop-Lord Spirit has a beautiful, large lotus that blooms continually throughout all four seasons of the year. This beautiful lotus radiates pure light, illuminating all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realms in the ten directions and enabling them all to attain great joy. This is the gateway to liberation that this spirit has attained.
“All sentient beings” includes you, me, and everyone else—it encompasses absolutely everyone. This Crop-Lord Spirit enables us to receive the illumination of its light and thereby gain benefit from the Dharma. As long as we diligently cultivate, we will ultimately attain the gateway to great joy and liberation.
The Crop-Lord Spirit Form and Strength, Courageous and Vigorous attained the liberation gate of purifying all realms through the Dharma gate of universal perfection.
The Spirit in Charge of Crops, named Form, Strength, Courage, and Vigor, attained the liberation of perfecting all Dharma methods and purifying realms.
Lecture: The Spirit in Charge of Chariots, with Physical Strength and Vigor. “Physical strength” means the body, and “vigorous” means brave and robust. Thus, this spirit’s body is extraordinarily strong and robust. To teach and transform living beings, he is always diligent day and night, fearing neither hardship nor toil, and never wavering in his resolve. Therefore, he perfects all Dharma practices in order to teach and transform living beings, enabling them to return to their source and attain their pure original nature. In other words, he enables living beings to leave delusion and return to enlightenment, abandon evil and return to what is right, practice the Bodhisattva Path, and attain Buddhahood. This is the gateway to liberation that this spirit has attained.
The realm of the Flower Garland Sutra is wondrous beyond description and beyond thought; it is not something that our ordinary beings’ understanding can fully explain. Even if the Buddhas in the Pure Land of Eternal Stillness and Light were to teach it every moment, they could not exhaust the principles of the Flower Garland. At present, we are speaking only in broad terms about a tiny fraction of it.
Good spiritual friends, if you feel there is anything you have questions about, please raise it so that everyone can investigate it together with a sincere mind. The greatness of Buddhism is that even when you have doubts, you can investigate them. Unlike other religions, which only let you listen to teachings and do not allow questions—that is superstition.
The Crop Spirit Who Increases Vitality and Essence attained the liberation gate of seeing the Buddha’s great compassion and immeasurable powers of spiritual mastery and transformation.
The Crop-Presiding Spirit, Increasing Vital Essence, attained the liberation gate of perceiving the Buddha’s great compassion and immeasurable supernatural powers and transformations.
Explanation: The Spirit that Increases Essence and Vital Energy and Governs Agriculture. “Increases” means to add more benefit. What benefit is increased? Essence and vital energy. This Governing Spirit oversees planting and harvesting, bringing abundant crops, and thus increasing essence and vital energy. When essence and vital energy are plentiful, the body is healthy and strong; only with a healthy, strong body can one practice cultivation. If the body is frail, even if one wishes to devote oneself to spiritual cultivation, it is difficult. When the body is ill, one cannot focus on spiritual cultivation. That is why practicing cultivation is not easy; it is no simple matter.
This Lord of the Harvest Spirit attained the Buddha’s realm and saw the Buddha’s past life, when he practiced the Dharma-gate of great compassion. He gained inconceivable, boundless supernatural powers of transformation. He augmented his Dharma body and wisdom life, and helped sentient beings strengthen their bodhicitta, thereby also helping them increase their wholesome qualities and eradicate all evil dharmas. Wholesome dharmas are bodhicitta; evil dharmas are hatred. Thus, he caused sentient beings to cultivate fields of merit and reap the fruits of merit.
If we follow the path of practice and diligently cultivate great compassion, we can also attain immeasurable and boundless powers of magical transformation. There is no fixed rule for transformation. Some people can transform while in motion, but cannot do so while still. The realm of the Buddha is such that not only can all kinds of transformations take place amid movement, but supernatural transformations are also possible in stillness; transformations can occur in either motion or stillness. Thus, the Buddha teaches the Dharma in accordance with beings’ capacities and guides them. This Lord of the Guiding Spirits understood a small part of the Buddha’s Dharma and thereby entered this gate of liberation.
The ancients said, “Movement brings change; change brings transformation—this is the utmost sincerity under Heaven.” I often say that movement brings change and transformation.
You need not hesitate to cultivate spiritual powers and see for yourself; once you have cultivated them, you will understand this transformation. If you understand it, that means you are utterly sincere; through the Way of utter sincerity, one can know things in advance. When sincerity reaches its utmost, everything can be known in advance. But if you are preoccupied with attaining this foreknowledge, then you should not know too much—knowing too much also brings afflictions. That is agitation, and it is also deluded thinking.
The Crop-Lord Spirit, Universal Producer of Roots and Fruits, attained the liberation gate of universally manifesting the Buddha as a field of merit, where seeds sown are never lost or destroyed.
The Spirit in Charge of Crops attained the liberation-gate of Universally Producing Roots and Fruits, manifesting throughout the Buddha’s fields of merit and causing the seeds planted there not to perish.
Lecture: The Spirit Who Universally Produces Roots and Fruits and Presides over Crops is not only capable of acting, but also of producing. What does it produce? Roots and fruits. What kind of roots does it produce? Roots of fruit. What kind of fruits does it produce? Fruits of roots. Only with roots can there be fruits; wherever there are fruits, there must be roots. What roots are these? They are the roots of bodhi. And what fruits? They are the fruits of bodhi. Not understanding this principle is foolishness. Why? The prose passage below explains it very clearly.
This Lord of Crops Spirit attained the liberation that manifests throughout the Buddha’s field of merit, causing the seeds sown there not to perish. Whatever is planted in the Buddha’s field of merit is a bodhi root and will bear the fruit of bodhi; it cannot perish, fail to sprout, or be lost. At any time, it is certain to produce bodhi roots and bear the fruit of bodhi. With diligent effort, the roots will sprout early, the flowers will bloom early, and the fruit will ripen early.
This Lord of the Harvest Spirit often helps sentient beings plant the roots of bodhi. If they do not get to hear the Avatamsaka Sutra, that is another matter, which we will set aside for now. As long as they hear the Avatamsaka Sutra, once it enters their ears, they have planted the seed for attaining enlightenment; that seed, once planted, will not be lost. It is like swallowing vajra into your stomach: no matter how powerful the digestive system is, it cannot digest vajra, so vajra is never destroyed. The roots and fruits of bodhi are just as indestructible as vajra. Therefore, once the Avatamsaka Sutra has entered your ears, you will certainly bring forth the bodhi mind. Those of you who bring forth the bodhi mind have all reached maturity in your wholesome roots. In the past, each of you had different causes and conditions; your causes and conditions were not all the same. So some bring forth the bodhi mind smoothly, with their merit and virtue complete, while others encounter many obstacles when they try to bring it forth. But once this seed of bodhi has been planted, it will not be lost. In the end, this seed will put down roots, sprout, blossom, and bear fruit. Do not worry: sooner or later, you will all become Buddhas. Anyone who wishes to enter this Dharma-door of liberation must bring forth the bodhi mind as soon as possible.
The Spirit Chief of Crops, Wonderful Adornment with a Ringed Topknot, attained the liberation gate of universally causing flowers of pure faith to arise in sentient beings.
The Chariot-Ruling Spirit Wondrously Adorned Ringed Topknot attained the liberation-gate of causing all beings everywhere to give rise to pure faith.
The Wondrously Adorned Ring-Topknot Spirit in Charge of Crops possesses wondrous merits and virtues that are inconceivable, adorning the ring-topknot. A ring-topknot is a circular ornament: “ring” represents infinity, while “topknot” represents the marks of adorned merit and virtue. In short, if explained in detail, it would be difficult to describe it all.
This position reveals one aspect of the Buddha’s realm: causing all sentient beings to blossom in pure faith. What is the flower of pure faith? Formerly, they were stained by many defilements, had many deluded thoughts and much selfish greed, and could not bring forth the flower of pure faith. Now that it has blossomed, it causes sentient beings who have not yet planted roots of goodness to plant them, and sentient beings who have not yet aroused wholesome intentions to do so. This is the effect of its arising. It is like planting grain in the earth: only with the supporting conditions of sunlight, water, and other conditions can it sprout, grow, and flourish. When the flower of pure faith blossoms, it bears the fruit of pure faith. There can be no flower without fruit, unless it is a wildflower; nor can there be fruit without a flower. This flower of pure faith is the merit of accomplishment. It is an expression of attaining the path of bodhi—that is, the flower that bears the fruit of perfect enlightenment.
This Lord of Crops Spirit clearly understands that the flower of pure faith bears the fruit of the path to awakening—that is, the fruit of Buddhahood. This spirit has realized this realm and entered this gate of liberation.
The Crop-Lord Spirit Pure Flower of Moistening Grace attained the liberation gate of compassionately saving all sentient beings and causing the ocean of merit and virtue to grow.
The Crop-Lord Spirit Moistening Pure Flower attained the liberation-gate of great compassion, pitying and rescuing sentient beings and causing them to increase their ocean of merit and virtue.
Lecture: This Spirit Who Presides over Crops and Moistens Pure Flowers constantly nourishes the flowers of pure faith. How does it nourish them? By using all kinds of merit. When one is endowed with immeasurable merit, the flower of pure faith flourishes. This spirit has attained the Dharma-door of great loving-kindness, compassionately rescuing sentient beings. In Buddhism, compassionately rescuing sentient beings means treating them all equally. For example, someone is trying to cross the river of birth and death but has not reached the other shore or returned to this shore; they are in midstream and about to drown. At that moment, using a life preserver to save them, or pulling them aboard a boat and taking them from this shore to the other, is called rescuing them.
Unfortunately, the boat springs leaks in midstream and lacks the strength to reach the other shore. Then another boat is used to take them across to the other shore; this is called delivering them. Buddhism uses the three studies free from outflows—precepts, concentration, and wisdom—as a boat to rescue sentient beings, enabling them to reach the ultimate shore of Nirvana.
In ancient times, there was a story about crossing a river and then burning all the boats. A great general led an army on a campaign to conquer another country. After crossing a great river, he ordered his soldiers to burn every boat. This signified that there was no way back: they could only advance, not retreat. The general told his soldiers, “Brothers, you must fight the enemy bravely, and then you still have a hope of surviving. If you are defeated, you will have no chance of returning home.” This was a warning that the army had to put aside all thoughts of survival and death, and they could then win and return in triumph.
We practitioners of the Way must resolve to break the bridge after crossing, so that we may reach the other shore of Nirvana. Once we have reached the other shore, we should not think of returning to the Saha world. So, once we have crossed, we burn the bridge completely. This is a decisive measure: once ended, it is ended forever; one period of toil brings everlasting ease. It is not a matter of guiding one sentient being to the other shore, but of guiding all sentient beings there. Why guide sentient beings to the other shore? To enable them to grow their ocean of merit and virtue. For example, if sentient beings are guided to the Land of Ultimate Bliss to cultivate, then when their merit and virtue have grown vast as the ocean, they can become Buddhas. This Charioteer Spirit understood this realm and entered this liberation gate.
The Spirit Accomplishing Wonderful Fragrance, Lord of Crops, attained the liberation gate of broadly revealing all Dharma practices.
The City-Lord Deity, Accomplishment of Wondrous Fragrance, attained the liberation-gate and broadly revealed all the Dharma-gates of practice.
This Crop-Lord Spirit Who Accomplishes Wondrous Fragrance has perfected every kind of wondrous fragrance. When sentient beings smell this wondrous fragrance, they will turn away from evil and toward goodness, and bring forth the bodhi mind; hence it is called wondrous fragrance. This wondrous fragrance is the fragrance of precepts, the fragrance of concentration, the fragrance of wisdom, the fragrance of liberation, and the fragrance of the knowledge and vision of liberation. This spirit has attained a realm of the Buddha, and therefore broadly expounds the Dharma gates of practice to all sentient beings, showing them the immeasurable and boundless Dharma gates practiced by the Buddhas of the past, present, and future. The Buddhas of all three times have awakened to the Way through these Dharma gates.
We should not become fearful of the Dharma-doors of cultivation. “Seeing the ocean and sighing” means that when people speak of the Buddha-Dharma as an ocean—vast and boundlessly deep—we wonder, “When will I ever be able to learn all these many Dharma-doors?” It is like someone standing on the shore, seeing the vast, boundless ocean and thinking, “Who knows when I’ll ever be able to cross this ocean?” And so they sigh. That is the meaning of “seeing the ocean and sighing.”
So, how can we understand this? Don’t be hasty. Simply put the teachings into practice and truly devote yourself to cultivation; eventually, the day of accomplishment will come. Therefore:
“In the snap of a finger, one perfects eighty thousand Dharma-doors.” That is to say, in the time it takes to snap one’s fingers, one can fully accomplish the eighty thousand Dharma gates. Why? Because:
“Understand one, and you understand all.” If one Dharma method is successfully cultivated, then all Dharma methods are understood without hindrance and are all brought to fruition. Therefore, it is said:
“In an instant, the three asaṃkhyeya kalpas are eradicated.” In the space of a single instant, the merit of cultivation over three great asamkhyeya kalpas is perfected. Therefore, do not develop a mind that finds the practice of the Buddhadharma difficult.
This Lord of Crops Spirit teaches all sentient beings to cultivate the eighty-four thousand Dharma gates without giving rise to fear. This deity understands this principle and has entered this gate of liberation.
Today, I have a question I’d like to ask you all, and I hope you’ll speak up! Among the eighty-four thousand Dharma methods, which one is the foremost? One disciple replied, “Of the eighty-four thousand Dharma gates, none is the foremost, yet all are foremost.” – Why are there so many “number ones” like that? – He replied again: “Because there are many sentient beings, and each sentient being has their own Dharma method that enables them to become a Buddha. Therefore, whichever method suits them is foremost; hence it is said that all are foremost.” “So, what is your foremost Dharma practice?” – Answer: “It is sleeping.” Have you really slept? – Answer: “No.” —So if one does not sleep, why is there a Dharma-door of sleep? If there is a Dharma-door of sleep, one can attain “sleep samādhi.” Sleep is also wakefulness, and wakefulness is also sleep; being awake and being asleep are one, with no distinction. When wakefulness and sleep have no distinction, and sleep and wakefulness likewise have no distinction, that is attaining “sleep samādhi.” Once one attains sleep samādhi, being awake and being asleep, asleep and awake, are all one.
Is your Dharma practice like that? — Answer: “It is not so.” – So, how did it turn out? – Answer: “All sorts of delusions.” – Deluded thoughts are also a Dharma-door—another “number one.” Why say this? Because it is based on something; it is not said arbitrarily or without reason, much less said carelessly, but is based on what the scriptures say. The Diamond Sutra says: “The Dharma is equal; there is no high or low.” There is no Dharma that is first, nor one that is second. If you don’t believe it, go investigate. Whichever Dharma practice suits you is first: sleeping. Whichever Dharma practice suits me is first: eating. Whichever Dharma practice suits them is first: wearing clothes. Eating, sleeping, and wearing clothes are all first; there is nothing else—just these three things.
The Harvest Spirit Loved by Those Who Behold Him attained the liberation gate of universally purifying all sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm, enabling them to relinquish such evils as laziness, worry, and distress.
The Harvest Deity Delightful to Behold attained the liberation-gate that enables all beings in the Dharma realm to abandon indolence, distress, afflictions, and evils, and to become pure.
Explanation: The Lord of Crops Deva Whose Sight Brings Joy: Any kind of sentient being who sees him gives rise to admiration and joy. He has attained a Buddha’s realm in which all sentient beings who see him or hear the Buddha-Dharma abandon laziness, distress, and all evils, and all become pure. This is the liberation gate he has attained.
They are at Gold Mountain Monastery, and it can be said that they have left laziness behind. Why? Before these young people had heard the Buddhadharma, when they were with their American friends, they had a share in eating but no share in working. When they ate, they had no mark of personhood (they knew only themselves and not others); when they worked, they had no mark of self (they told others to work while they themselves did not). When they harmed people, they had no mark of sentient beings; when they ate meat, they had no mark of a life-span.
Now that they have come to Gold Mountain Monastery, their conduct is completely different from before. When they eat, they have no mark of self: whether they eat or not does not matter, as long as others have enough to eat. When they work, they have no mark of personhood: they do all the work themselves and do not tell others to do it. They do not argue with people because they have the mark of sentient beings, and they do not eat meat because they have the mark of a life-span. Not only do they refrain from killing, they also protect sentient beings, wishing that all sentient beings live to be a hundred years old.
These young people all work diligently and tirelessly, and are not afraid of having a lot of work to do. That is what it means to leave laziness behind. It also means forgetting oneself for the sake of the Dharma: for the sake of learning the Buddhadharma, enduring what others cannot endure and bearing hardships that others cannot bear. Worry and distress mean sorrow and affliction. People who cultivate the Way should not have a mind of worry, sorrow, or distress. These two things are stones tied to one’s feet.
In ancient times, there was a fable about a man from the State of Qi who spent all day worrying and fretting. Someone asked him what he was worried about. He replied, “I’m afraid the sky will collapse. What would I do then?” So he didn’t go farming or do anything at all; he just sat at home worrying. Thus, when there was really nothing wrong in the world, a foolish person troubled himself, and later people called him “the man from Qi who worried about the sky.”
Some people bring trouble upon themselves. One morning, looking in the mirror, a man noticed that his nose pointed downward. He thought, “If only my nose were long and turned upward, unlike everyone else’s—how nice that would be!” And so he became troubled. This is what happens when someone has eaten his fill and has nothing to do: he starts entertaining fanciful thoughts and worrying. If he has work to do, he has no time to indulge in such thoughts and become troubled.
The Chariot-Ruling Spirit of Undefiled Light attained the liberation-gate of observing the wholesome roots of all sentient beings and teaching the Dharma as appropriate, causing the assembly to rejoice and be fulfilled.
The Crop-Lord Spirit Stainless Radiance attained the liberation-gate of observing the wholesome roots of all sentient beings and teaching the Dharma according to their capacities, bringing joy and fulfillment to the entire assembly.
Lecture: The Deity Radiant Light Free of Defilements, Lord of Chariots, has left behind all defilements and attained radiance. What are defilements? They are impurities. In the Song of Enlightenment by Venerable Yongjia, it says: “Mind is the faculty, phenomena are the dust;
These two are like stains upon a mirror.
When the stains are wiped away, pure radiance appears;
When mind and phenomena are both forgotten, true nature is revealed.” To be free of defilement, one must forget both mind and phenomena; this is also to be free of the two attachments to self and phenomena. Attachment to self is a defilement, and attachment to phenomena is also a defilement. If one is free of both attachments, then neither person nor phenomena exist, and one’s luminous nature will manifest. This person has attained the gate of liberation and uses wisdom to observe the capacities of all beings. The capacities of beings vary: some are deep, some shallow; some are greater, some lesser. Therefore, the Buddha’s teachings must be used to nurture and water them, so that they may grow and flourish. What does it mean to nurture and water them? It means teaching the Dharma according to their capacities and prescribing medicine according to their afflictions, so that everyone in the Dharma assembly may be joyful and fulfilled.
At that time, the Crop-Lord Spirit Soft and Tender Supreme Flavor, relying on the Buddha’s mighty power, looked upon the entire assembly of Crop-Lord Spirits and spoke these verses: At that time, the City Guardian Spirit Gentle Supreme Flavor, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed all the City Guardian Spirits and spoke this verse: Lecture: At that time, among the great assembly in the Dharma assembly was the Crop Spirit Soft and Gentle Supreme Flavor. Relying on the Buddha’s great spiritual power, this spirit gazed upon all the Crop Spirits and then spoke in verse.
The Tathāgata, unsurpassed ocean of merit and virtue; The Tathāgata, ocean of unsurpassed merit and virtue
Universally manifesting a bright lamp that illuminates the world; Manifesting a bright lamp that shines throughout the world
All sentient beings are rescued and protected; All sentient beings are rescued and protected
Bestowing peace and happiness on all, with none left out. All are granted peace and happiness, with none left out.
“The Thus Come One, the unsurpassed ocean of merit and virtue.” The Thus Come One is complete in the three kinds of enlightenment and all virtues, hence the phrase “unsurpassed ocean of merit and virtue.” “Unsurpassed” means that nothing is higher. The Thus Come One’s merit and virtue are beyond comparison. They are as vast as the ocean, immeasurable and boundless, endless and inexhaustible. Hence it is called the ocean of merit and virtue.
“Manifesting a bright lamp that illuminates the entire world.” The Buddha manifests equally throughout the world. Why? To teach and transform all sentient beings, helping them turn from evil toward good and leave delusion for awakening. The radiance of the Buddha’s wisdom is like a bright lamp that dispels the darkness of ignorance. Before the Buddha appeared, the world seemed to have no light from the sun or moon and no lamps; sentient beings lived in a long, dark night. Since the Buddha appeared, the world has had the light of the sun and moon, as well as lamps, illuminating all worlds, and all have received radiance. Thus, the Buddha’s light shines everywhere.
“All sentient beings are rescued.” The Buddha’s purpose in becoming a Buddha is to save sentient beings. Saving sentient beings is the Buddha’s work. Sentient beings drift in the sea of desire and cannot escape the sea of suffering. The Buddha comes in a vessel of compassion to rescue all sentient beings. That is why it says that all are rescued. There is not a single sentient being who is not among those the Buddha seeks to rescue. This means that even evil sentient beings are saved by the Buddha. The Buddha does not say, “You are too evil, so I will not save you.” The Buddha has no such discriminatory mind. The Buddha regards sentient beings as his own children. No matter how unfilial they are or how little they abide by the rules, he saves them from the sea of suffering so that they may attain liberation.
“Everyone is blissful, with no one left out.” The Buddha bestows happiness completely upon sentient beings, leaving no sentient being out and forgetting none—except those who are not sentient beings. Therefore it says, “Everyone is blissful, with no one left out.” The virtues of the Blessed One are boundless;
The Blessed One’s virtues have no bounds.
Beings who hear them will not have heard in vain;
Those who hear them will not have heard in vain.
They will surely leave suffering and always rejoice;
All will be made to leave suffering and be ever joyful.
This is what the Flower of Time enters;
This is the entry of the Flower of Time.
“The World-Honored One’s merit and virtue are boundless.” The World-Honored One is revered in both the mundane and supramundane worlds, and is the great teacher of the Three Realms. His merit and virtues are immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable.
“Sentient beings who hear it do not hear it in vain.” All sentient beings, including you, me, and them, who hear the Buddha’s name or the Buddha’s scriptures do not hear them in vain, but gain benefit and blessings.
“[They] are all made to leave suffering and always be joyful.” The Buddha completely enables all sentient beings to leave behind all suffering and attain all happiness—that is, to have no suffering and enjoy only happiness. Therefore, it is said, “always be joyful.” “This is the realm entered by Time-Flower.” In this realm, the deity Time-Flower Pure-Light, Lord of Chariots, clearly understood and entered this gate of liberation.
The Sugata’s powers are all completely perfected,
The Sugata’s powers are all perfected;
Virtues adorn and manifest in the world,
Virtues adorn and manifest in the world;
All sentient beings are subdued,
All sentient beings are subdued;
This Dharma’s heroic power can clearly attest to it.
This Dharma can be clearly realized through heroic power.
“The powers of the Well-Gone One are all perfected.” The Well-Gone One is one of the ten epithets of the Buddha. “The powers” refers to the ten powers. The Buddha cultivated all the powers and perfected them.
“Merits and virtues adorn and manifest in the world.” The Buddha’s attainment is due to the adornment of all merits and virtues. The Buddha uses merits and virtues to adorn his body and appears in the world of sentient beings.
“All sentient beings are subdued.” Sentient beings in the Sahā world are obstinate and difficult to tame. You may use every kind of skillful, expedient Dharma method and speak wholesome teachings to them, yet they still will not believe. But when they encounter the evil conditions of impure sexual misconduct, they rush after them as if mad, like a madman running off in some direction. Such people are the hardest of all to tame. Yet the Buddha can completely subdue all sentient beings. The Buddha uses two methods to subdue them: one is to deliver them through civil means, and the other through martial means. The exoteric teachings deliver through civil means; the esoteric teachings deliver through martial means. Bodhisattvas use gentle eyes to deliver sentient beings, while Vajras use wrathful eyes to deliver them. In short, all this is to help sentient beings escape the three realms; the methods are simply different. The exoteric teachings are like a prescription: take the medicine according to its instructions. The esoteric teachings are like medicine already prepared: take it, and the illness is cured.
“This Dharma was realized by Valiant Strength.” The Spirit Lord of Chariots, Form-Powerful and Valiant, clearly understood this Dharma-door and attained this liberation.
The Buddha of old cultivated the great ocean of compassion,
Long ago, the Buddha practiced the ocean of great compassion.
His mind, in every thought, was equal to the world,
The Buddha’s mind, thought after thought, was one with the world.
Therefore, his supernatural powers are boundless,
Therefore, his supernatural powers are without end.
Increasing essence and vitality, one can perceive and see,
Increase essence and vitality; one can see.
“Long ago, the Buddha cultivated the ocean of great compassion.” In ancient times, the Buddha practiced the Dharma gate of great compassion. The Dharma gate of great compassion is the Dharma gate of bringing joy to sentient beings and relieving their suffering, cultivating it until it becomes an ocean of great compassion.
“The Buddha’s mind, in every thought, is one with the world.” Every thought of the Buddha is devoted to saving sentient beings, helping them leave suffering and attain happiness, understand and transcend birth and death, and attain liberation. Thus, every thought is one with the world.
“Therefore, his supernatural powers are inexhaustible.” If one wishes to teach sentient beings who are stubborn and difficult to tame, one must have all kinds of supernatural powers and all kinds of skillful means and Dharma methods to teach them, enabling them to witness the wondrous workings of supernatural powers and give rise to faith. Therefore, the Buddha’s supernatural powers are inexhaustible.
“‘The increase of vital essence and energy can be seen through contemplation.’ This realm is seen through contemplation by the Spirit in Charge of Chariots Who Increases Vital Essence and Energy.” The Buddha pervades the world, ever appearing before it; the Buddha is ever present throughout the world.
All skillful means are never in vain.
All the afflictions and delusions of sentient beings are completely purified.
This is the liberation of the Spirit of Universal Birth.
“The Buddha is ever-present throughout the world.” The Buddha is everywhere and nowhere; the Buddha pervades every place, and so it is said that the Buddha appears throughout the world. Why do sentient beings not see the Buddha? Because they are obscured by afflictions, no different from clouds covering the sun.
Although the Buddha pervades every place and is constantly present before sentient beings, they do not see the Buddha. If they can eliminate the obstructions of delusion, karma, and ignorance, they will be able to see the Buddha.
“All skillful means are not in vain.” The Buddha uses every skillful means to teach and transform sentient beings, enabling them to give rise to the aspiration for enlightenment and attain Buddhahood. The expedient teachings the Buddha uses are not in vain; they are all effective.
“All the delusions that afflict sentient beings are purified.” The delusions referred to are delusions of view, delusions of thought, dust-and-sand delusions, and delusions of ignorance. The Buddha causes all the delusions of all sentient beings to be completely purified, with no defilement remaining. It is like the sun appearing when all the clouds have dispersed. When all afflictive delusions have been extinguished, wisdom manifests.
“This is the liberation of the God of Universal Life.” This realm was clearly understood by the God who rules over the causes and effects of universal life.
The Buddha is the great ocean of wisdom of the world; the Buddha is the ocean of wisdom of the world.
He emits pure light that illuminates all; he emits pure light that pervades everywhere.
Vast faith and understanding all arise from him; vast faith and understanding all arise from him.
Thus the Spirit of Wonderful Adornment Topknot can clearly comprehend; the Spirit of Wonderful Adornment Topknot can clearly comprehend.
“The Buddha is the ocean of wisdom in the world.” The Buddha is the wisest being in the world, the enlightened one among sentient beings. There is nothing the Buddha does not know and nothing the Buddha does not see; therefore, the Buddha is called the ocean of wisdom. The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are the great ocean of wisdom in the world, and also the inexhaustible lamp of light in the world.
“Emitting pure light that illuminates everything.” The Buddha is an ocean of great wisdom, radiating the pure light of wisdom. It shines everywhere and also illuminates the minds of sentient beings, causing them to bring forth the aspiration for enlightenment and attain the supreme Way.
“Vast faith and understanding all arise.” When the Buddha emits pure light that illuminates the minds of sentient beings, they give rise to vast faith and understanding. This faith and understanding are inconceivable; they arise from receiving the Buddha’s empowering light of wisdom.
“The God of the Wondrously Adorned Topknot can understand it.” This realm is clearly understood by the Crop-Lord Spirit of the Wondrously Adorned Topknot, who thereby enters this gate of liberation.
The Tathagata, contemplating the world, gives rise to a compassionate mind;
The Tathagata, contemplating the world, arouses loving-kindness.
Appearing for the benefit of sentient beings,
He reveals the supreme path of peace and joy.
This is the liberation of the Pure Flower Spirit.
“The Tathagata, contemplating the world, gives rise to a mind of compassion.” The Tathagata refers to Shakyamuni Buddha. He observed that sentient beings in the world suffer greatly, spending all day struggling in the sea of suffering without attaining liberation. Therefore, the Buddha aroused great compassion: he brought joy to sentient beings, relieved all their suffering, and enabled them to leave suffering and attain happiness.
“Appear for the benefit of sentient beings.” The Buddha appears for the benefit of sentient beings, coming into the world to save and protect them, to teach and guide all sentient beings so that they may all attain wisdom and awaken to the Way.
“Revealing the supreme path of peace and joy.” For the sake of sentient beings, the Buddha reveals the great path that is most peaceful and joyful, most excellent, and most radiant. As long as they diligently and courageously press forward, they will surely reach the further shore of ultimate Nirvana.
“This is the liberation of the Pure Flower Spirit.” The Spirit Lord of Crops, Moistening Pure Flower, attained this liberation-gate.
The pure conduct practiced by the Well-Gone; / The Well-Gone cultivates pure conduct.
Beneath the Bodhi tree, fully proclaimed; / Beneath the Bodhi tree, expounded in full.
In this way, teaching and transforming throughout the ten directions; / Thus teaching and transforming throughout all ten directions.
This wondrous-fragrance spirit can hear and receive; / This hearing and receiving by Wondrous Fragrance.
“The Well-Gone One cultivated the pure practice.” The Buddhas of the past cultivated the practice of purity: they did no evil and did all good. That is, they turned away from all evil dharmas and cultivated all good dharmas. All evil dharmas are defiled dharmas, and all good dharmas are pure dharmas. Worldly dharmas are defiled, while supramundane dharmas are pure. Defiled dharmas involve thoughts of desire; pure dharmas have no thoughts of desire. In brief, a mind with thoughts of desire is defiled, while a mind without thoughts of desire is pure. The purpose of our cultivation is to cut off desire and eliminate attachment.
“Beneath the Bodhi tree, he expounded it fully.” The Buddha was beneath the Bodhi tree when he saw the morning star rise and attained enlightenment. He exclaimed three times, “Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! All sentient beings possess the wisdom and virtuous attributes of the Tathagata, but because of deluded thoughts and attachments, they cannot realize them.” Therefore, we can see that deluded thoughts and attachments are major obstacles to cultivating the Way.
If we had no false thoughts or attachments, we would soon attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Why have we not attained it? Because we have too many false thoughts and our attachments are too strong, so we remain ordinary beings.
After the Buddha attained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree, he expounded the Great Expansive Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra over a period of twenty-one days. At that time, although the people of the Two Vehicles were also in the assembly, they had eyes but did not see Rocana, and ears but did not hear the sudden teaching. Why? Because their capacities were different. Bodhisattvas had keen faculties and could receive the sudden teaching; those of the Two Vehicles had dull faculties and could receive only the gradual teaching, and so they were like the blind and deaf.
“Thus, he teaches and transforms throughout the ten directions.” The Buddha expounded the Flower Garland Sutra and the entire scriptural canon in order to teach and transform all sentient beings throughout the ten directions, enabling every one of them to be liberated.
“This is Wonderful Fragrance’s hearing and receiving.” The Chariot-Lord Spirit, Accomplisher of Wonderful Fragrance, heard and received this Dharma-gate and comprehended this liberation-gate.
The Buddha in all the worlds
Causes all to leave sorrow and give rise to great joy.
All faculties and desires are kept pure;
The Lovely Bliss Spirit has contemplated and entered into realization.
“The Buddha in all worlds.” The Buddha does not appear only in this Saha world, but throughout all the worlds in the ten directions. Why does he appear in the world? This will be explained below.
“All bring worries to an end and give rise to joy.” The Buddha, out of compassion for sentient beings, saw that they could not put an end to birth and death, but transmigrated along perilous paths, wandering through the six realms of samsara—a truly grave cause for concern. Therefore, the Buddha did not shrink from hardship and toil, but thought of every possible way to deliver sentient beings, enabling them to leave behind all worries and suffering and give rise to joy.
“All faculties and desires are thoroughly purified.” The innate natures of sentient beings are not alike: some have wholesome roots, while others have unwholesome roots. For those with wholesome roots, the Buddha uses expedient Dharma methods to help them grow. For those without wholesome roots, the Buddha uses expedient means to help them plant wholesome roots. The desires and thoughts of sentient beings also differ: some like wealth, some like beauty, some like fame and profit, some like delicious food, and some like to sleep a lot. The Buddha knows all these different dispositions and desires, and so enables sentient beings to purify all the habits and faults they have accumulated over many lifetimes, transforming defilement into purity. For example, someone may never have practiced, may have observed no rules, and may have liked eating meat, drinking alcohol, and smoking. But after hearing the Buddha’s teaching, they observe the rules, practice sincerely, eliminate their habits, and let go of a defiled mind. Then a pure mind will manifest. That is why Buddhist teaching is called a bright lamp and a signpost: it shows deluded sentient beings the way to walk the bright path, which is also the path to supreme enlightenment.
“The Deity of Lovely Delight realized and entered.” This Deity, the Lord Who Sees Lovely Delight, clearly comprehended this realm and was therefore able to enter this gate of liberation.
The Tathāgata appears in the world, | The Tathāgata appears in the world
Universally observes what beings delight in, | Observes throughout the wishes of beings
With various skillful means bringing them to maturity, | Various means bring them to maturity
This is the liberation-gate of the Pure Light Spirit. | This liberation of the Pure Light Spirit.
“The Tathagata appears in the world.” Why must the Buddha appear in the Saha world? Because he wishes to rescue sentient beings from the ocean of afflictions.
“Contemplating the preferences of all sentient beings.” The Buddha observes the minds of all sentient beings, seeing what they like. Whatever sentient beings wish for, the Buddha enables them to obtain in full and attain peace and joy.
“Using all kinds of skillful means to bring them to maturity.” The Buddha used all kinds of skillful means and Dharma methods to teach sentient beings, so that their wholesome roots might mature and they could attain liberation. This shows that teaching sentient beings is no easy task for the Buddha. If it were easy, the Buddha would not need all kinds of skillful means and Dharma methods to teach them. He would need only one method to deliver everyone. Why, then, use so many different means? This shows that sentient beings are difficult to deliver. When one skillful means has been used but sentient beings have not yet been delivered, another Dharma method is used. The aim is always to help them believe in, understand, practice, and realize that Dharma, persevering until they have been delivered. Thus, all kinds of skillful means and Dharma methods are used to bring sentient beings to maturity in the attainment of Buddhahood.
There is another way of explaining it: one uses all kinds of expedient means and Dharma-gates to teach and transform all kinds of sentient beings. Since sentient beings have different faculties and inclinations, all kinds of expedient means and Dharma-gates must be used. Each kind of sentient being is taught and transformed by the Dharma-gate suited to it; hence it is said that all kinds of expedient means are used to bring them to maturity.
Of these two explanations, the latter is more complete. The former says that the Buddha must use all kinds of expedient means and Dharma-gates to teach and transform one sentient being. This raises a question: Does the Buddha not know the sentient being’s faculties and inclinations? Because the Buddha knows them, he uses just one expedient means and Dharma-gate to liberate that sentient being; there is no need to use all kinds of expedient means and Dharma-gates. Rather, all kinds of Dharma-gates are used to teach and transform all kinds of sentient beings. After teaching and transforming them, one must continue to help each sentient being cultivate the practice. Only after practicing will they reach maturity and accomplish the work of the Way.
“This liberation of the Pure Light God.” The Chariot-Lord God of Stainless Radiance attained this liberation-gate.
Furthermore, the Auspicious Chief Medicine Spirit attained the liberation gate of universally observing the minds of all sentient beings and diligently gathering them in.
Again, the Auspicious Medicine Lord Spirit attained the liberation gate of universally observing the minds of all sentient beings and diligently gathering them in.
Lecture: The principle above has not yet been fully explained, so I will continue. The Auspicious Lord of Medicine Spirits is the spirit who oversees medicinal herbs. Medicine has the ability to cure illness. Whatever illness one has, one must take the corresponding medicine. For example, if one has a cold, one must take detoxifying medicine; if one has a cough, one must take loquat syrup. Only then will it be effective, and when the medicine takes effect, the illness will go away. There are good medicines and poisonous medicines, so a Spirit must come to oversee them. Without a Spirit to manage them, they could easily harm living beings.
This Deity is named Auspiciousness. Auspiciousness means peace and freedom from illness, a healthy body, and everything going as one wishes. If you are ill, you can take this medicine and recover. Even if you are not ill, you can take it; once you have taken it, you will never fall ill. So what is this medicine? It is the medicine of joy. If everyone is joyful, they will never suffer from illness; if everyone is sorrowful, they will always be ill. Therefore, joy is auspiciousness; without joy, there is no auspiciousness. The ancients once said: “Since ancient times, immortals have had no magic;
They have always brought joy, never sorrow.” What are immortals? They are people who never die. Why are immortals immortal? Because every day they give rise to joy and know no sorrow. Do you want to live forever and never grow old? Then you must take the medicine of joy every day, which also means not getting angry. Laughter and joy are the elixir of immortality. This Medicine Lord Spirit observes all the illnesses of sentient beings. If someone suffers from greed, he gives them the medicine of “precepts”; if someone suffers from anger, he gives them the medicine of “concentration”; if someone suffers from delusion, he gives them the medicine of “wisdom.” These excellent medicines of precepts, concentration, and wisdom are specifically used to treat the feverish illnesses of greed, anger, and delusion.
The afflictions of greed and anger are relatively easier to cure; only the affliction of delusion is hardest to cure. What is delusion? For example, someone gives rise to deluded thoughts, wanting to become the top scholar in the imperial examinations without studying, wanting to reap grain without farming, or wanting to attain enlightenment without practicing. That is the affliction of delusion. The mind of a deluded person fantasizes and wishes that: “May flowers bloom forever and never fade,
May the full moon shine forever and never wane,
May the waters of rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes all turn to wine,
May the leaves on the trees in the forest all turn into money.” That is the disease of delusion, also known as a distorted psychological illness. This deity gathers all sentient beings who are deluded and given to false imaginings, leading them onto the level, even path of the great Bodhi way, and says to them: “Wake up! Don’t daydream in broad daylight.” Human life is a dream; the day you awaken is the day you attain enlightenment. This deity has attained the liberation gate of diligent gathering and receiving.
The Sandalwood Grove Lord Medicine Spirit attained the liberation gate of using light to gather sentient beings, so that none who saw it passed by in vain.
The Medicine Spirit Lord Sandalwood Grove attained the liberation-gate of drawing in sentient beings with radiant light, so that none who saw him did so in vain.
Commentary: “The sandalwood grove is the lord among medicinal plants.” Sandalwood is the name of a tree, which has a distinctive fragrance. Its roots, branches, and flowers can all be made into fragrant oils. Its scent spreads for several miles, and it also has medicinal properties.
Medicines are divided into four kinds: cold, hot, warm, and neutral. For example, Xuyên quân is a cold medicine with a purgative effect; it can treat illness as effectively as a deity and is called a mighty general. Licorice is a mild, balanced medicine that can treat a hundred kinds of poison, and is called Elder Ge. Rhinoceros horn is a fever-reducing medicine. Ginseng is a tonic.
Whatever the illness, use the corresponding medicine to counter it. One must understand the symptoms and know the properties of the medicine. Then even a poisonous medicine can become an elixir; otherwise, even an elixir can turn into poison, costing someone their life through a mistake.
This Medicine-Lord Spirit clearly understands the Buddha’s realm and uses radiance to gather in sentient beings, so that their thoughts do not pass in vain but attain wondrous efficacy. This is the liberation gate attained by this one.
The Medicine-Lord Spirit of Dust-Free Radiance attained the liberation gate of being able to use pure skillful means to eliminate the afflictions of all sentient beings.
The Medicine Spirit Chief, Light of Separation from Dust, attained the liberation-gate of using pure skillful means to extinguish all the afflictions of sentient beings.
Commentary: This Medicine Spirit, Pure Light Free from Dust, has departed from worldly defilements and attained pure light. Using the pure Dharma-gate of skillful means, this spirit eradicates all the afflictions of sentient beings, enabling them all to attain pure light and completely removing the sickness of ignorance and afflictions. This is the gate of liberation this spirit has attained.
The Medicine-Lord Spirit Universally Heard of attained the liberation door of using great renown to increase the boundless ocean of roots of goodness.
The Medicine Spirit Chief named Universally Renowned attained the liberation-gate of using great renown to increase the boundless ocean of roots of goodness.
Lecture: This Master of Medicines Deity, Whose Name Is Universally Renowned, is famous far and wide. Among all the Masters of Medicines Deities, this one has great prestige, and everyone knows of him. The medicines of this deity can cure sentient beings’ habitual afflictions and minor ailments, enabling them all to develop a wide variety of wholesome roots. This deity has attained the Buddha’s state and uses his great renown to cure the illnesses of sentient beings, so that when they hear of his fame, they give rise to the bodhi mind and cause the boundless ocean of wholesome roots to grow. This is the liberation door he has attained.
Today is the first day of our seven-day Buddha-recitation retreat. During these seven days, everyone has gathered together, all sharing the affinity to sincerely recite “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” This is a rare opportunity, so do not let it pass in vain. Therefore, Buddhists make use of their free time amid their busyness to participate in Buddha recitation.
Why participate in a seven-day Buddha-recitation retreat? Because when one person recites the Buddha’s name alone, the effort may sometimes be interrupted, and one may be unable to sustain this thought. When everyone recites together, it cannot be interrupted. Therefore: “Recite the Buddha’s name without interruption;
Recite Amitābha aloud until the mind is made whole.
When scattered thoughts no longer arise, samādhi is attained;
Rebirth in the Pure Land is surely within reach.
At last, grow weary of the sufferings of the Saha world;
Only then sever thoughts of the mundane realm.
Then seek rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss;
Let go of defiled thoughts and return to pure thoughts.” During these seven days, we must attain the “Samadhi of Buddha-recitation”; only then will our efforts not be wasted. The more arduous it is, the more we must recite; the more difficult it is, the more we must recite. Don’t be afraid of hardship! Don’t be afraid of difficulty! Don’t place so much importance on this stinking skin bag. When you sit down, your back hurts; when you walk, your legs hurt. When you recite for a long time, your throat gets dry and your voice hoarse, and you feel you can’t endure it. Who is it that can’t endure it? Why regard this stinking skin bag as so precious? Forget yourself for the sake of the Dharma! This body is false and impermanent; in time, it too will pass away.
Now you are considerate toward it, protect it, cherish it, and do not want it to feel cold, go hungry, get thirsty, or, even more so, become sick. You help it constantly and look after it. But as time goes by, its various parts gradually deteriorate: its eyes can no longer see clearly, its ears can no longer hear clearly, and eventually its limbs are no longer nimble; it may even be unable to do anything. By then, no matter how well you treat it, it will no longer obey your commands or listen to you. Therefore, while our bodies are still healthy, we must strive diligently to recite the Buddha’s name; we must use the false to cultivate the true. You should pay attention to this point.
Someone said, “Last year I took part in a Buddha-recitation retreat, but had no spiritual response, so this year I won’t take part again.” This is a mistaken view. Precisely because you gained no wonderful benefit last year, you should make even greater efforts to recite the Buddha’s name this year; then you will surely gain wonderful benefits. Those who cultivate the Way must diligently move forward, not retreat. They must become more diligent and more sincere day by day. Only then can they achieve success.
The two bhikshus take three steps and make one bow for world peace. They bow in the rain and wind, yet do not feel that it is苦; this is a spiritual response to their sincere devotion. You recite the Buddha’s name indoors, so you cannot say that it is苦. Therefore, you must make a diligent effort to recite the Buddha’s name. Only when you attain the state of “Buddha-recitation samādhi” will there be merit. Everyone, recite with single-minded concentration! The Medicine-Ruling Spirit Who Manifests Light from His Pores attained the liberation gate of the great-compassion banner that swiftly hastens to all realms of illness.
The Medicine Spirit Light Manifesting from the Pores attained the liberation gate of the Great Compassion Banner that swiftly reaches all realms of illness.
Lecture: This Medicine Spirit, the Mao Kong Manifesting Light Lord, radiates great light from every pore. This light is adept at healing the illnesses of all sentient beings. Whatever the ailment, as soon as this light shines upon it, it will be cured. This Medicine Spirit has attained the great field of compassion, also called the field of loving-kindness and compassion. Loving-kindness means giving joy; compassion means relieving suffering. Loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity are the Bodhisattvas’ four immeasurable states of mind. Every wholesome root arises from these four immeasurable states of mind. The mind of loving-kindness is especially important. The commentary says: By the power of loving-kindness and wholesome roots,
Radiate the moonlike light of love and equality;
The two illnesses of body and mind are extinguished with but a thought.
Loving-kindness is the mother of wholesome roots. Without loving-kindness, no wholesome roots can grow, so one must cultivate the “Samādhi of Loving-Kindness” in order for wholesome roots to grow. All Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas attain their realization through loving-kindness. Loving-kindness can give rise to wholesome roots; with the merit of wholesome roots, one will attain Buddhahood. Therefore, compassion is the most fundamental and most important Dharma method for practitioners. If one constantly practices giving with a compassionate heart, one’s merit will be boundless and immeasurable; the same is true of Prajñā. Thus, we can see that compassion is the most important path of practice. Therefore, practitioners must: “Take compassion as the root and skillful means as the gate.” Those who follow the Bodhisattva path must fully cultivate the four immeasurable states of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. Taking these four immeasurable states as their foundation, they will give rise to all roots of goodness. Once these have arisen, all kinds of spiritual powers and wondrous abilities will also be fully present; they are all interconnected. Spiritual powers and wondrous abilities do not arise without cause—they can be attained only through practice. Do you wish to attain spiritual powers and wondrous abilities? Then cultivate the four immeasurable states of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. When your cultivation is complete, you will attain spiritual powers. Therefore, cultivation means “keeping your feet firmly on the ground”; such abilities do not come about through mere luck.
Loving-kindness is Buddha, and Buddha is loving-kindness. One could also say that loving-kindness is the Mahayana Dharma gate, and the Mahayana Dharma gate does not go beyond this loving-kindness. Therefore, loving-kindness is said to be the most important practice. If one abandons loving-kindness and compassion, there is nothing more to discuss. You see, the Buddha cultivated the practices of the “Loving-Kindness Samadhi” and the “Moon-Love Samadhi.” Now, let us use a koan to explain what “the Samadhi of Loving-Kindness” is. The Buddha had a disciple who was the most intelligent of all: Devadatta, the Buddha’s cousin. Although Devadatta was intelligent, he was consumed by jealousy. He wanted to kill the Buddha so that he could become a Buddha himself, and so he incited King Ajatashatru to release a maddened elephant to kill the Buddha. The Buddha then entered the “Samadhi of Loving-Kindness” and stretched out his five fingers, transforming them into five lions! When the lions roared, the maddened elephant immediately stopped rampaging, bowed its head, and knelt down, subdued by the Buddha.
The Buddha said to his disciples: “At that time, my finger transformed into a lion. This was accomplished through the power of wholesome roots, and I used the mind of great compassion to subdue the drunken elephant.” Once again, let us use a kōan to explain: What is the “Moon-Love Samadhi”? When the Buddha was at the twin Sala trees, he observed in meditation that King Ajatasatru was gravely ill and on the verge of death. (King Ajatasatru had committed grave offenses: killing his father, killing his mother, killing an Arhat, causing a schism in the Sangha, and drawing blood from the Buddha’s body.) The Buddha then entered the “Moon-Love Samadhi” and radiated great light. This light was cool, like moonlight, and shone on King Ajatasatru’s body. He felt immensely cool, and his illness immediately disappeared.
Among the forty-two hand-and-eye practices, there is a hand called the Moon-Essence Mani Hand, which dispels all heat-related illnesses. Its mantra is: “Om, susiddhi kari, svaha.” Its efficacy is inconceivable.
After King Ajatasatru recovered from his illness, he asked Jivaka (who was a widely learned scholar): “What is meant by ‘Moon-Love Samadhi’? The Buddha used ‘Moon-Love Samadhi’ to cure my illness, but I do not understand its meaning. Could you explain it to me?”
Jivaka said: “‘Moon-Love Samadhi’ has six meanings:” 1). The light of the moon causes the utpala flowers to bloom fresh, beautiful, and radiant. The Moon-Love Samadhi is likewise: it causes all sentient beings to open their wholesome minds, deeply cultivate bodhicitta, and never regress.
2). The light of the moon makes travelers rejoice, radiating joy. The Moon-Love Samadhi causes all who practice the path to Nirvana to rejoice; whoever practices the Buddha-Dharma thereby gives rise to a joyful mind.
3). From the first day through the fifteenth, during this period, the moonlight grows brighter and fuller each day. The Moon-Love Samadhi also causes the wholesome roots of all sentient beings to grow.
4). From the 16th to the 30th, the moonlight gradually wanes, and the Moon-Love Samadhi also causes the afflictions of all sentient beings to diminish.
5). Moonlight can dispel irritation—that is, it completely removes heat. The Moon-Love Samādhi can dispel the feverish, toxic afflictions of greed and distress in all sentient beings, cooling their minds.
6). Moonlight is king among the stars, like nectar, and is beloved by all. Moon-Love Samādhi is king among all wholesome things, likewise like nectar, and causes feelings of joy to arise in the minds of all sentient beings.
This is Jīvaka’s reply to King Ajatashatru, who asked about the principle of the Samadhi of Moon-Love. Now let us explain the principle: “The two ailments of body and mind are extinguished with a single thought.” The body has three ailments: killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct. The mind has three ailments: greed, anger, and delusion. By contemplating the Samadhi of Loving-Kindness and the Samadhi of Moon-Love, these two kinds of ailments can be eliminated, bringing coolness and relief. A healthy person must have not only a healthy body but also a healthy mind. Learning the Buddhadharma helps make both body and mind healthy. Practicing Chan meditation and sitting in meditation promote physical health, while studying the sutras helps bring the mind to wholeness. Therefore, the Buddhadharma is an unsurpassed, wondrous medicine that makes body and mind healthy.
This Medicine-Lord Spirit Who Manifests Light from the Pores enables all sentient beings afflicted by illness, upon seeing his light, to be completely cured of every illness. When body and mind are free of illness, the spirit can be at ease and life peaceful and happy. This spirit attained this gate of liberation.
The Medicine Spirit Pure Lord Who Dispels Darkness attained the liberation gate of healing all blind and benighted sentient beings, enabling their wisdom eyes to become pure.
The Medicine Lord Spirit, Pure One Who Dispels Darkness, attained the liberation-gate of healing all sentient beings blinded by darkness and opening the pure eye of wisdom.
Lecture: This Medicine Spirit Lord, Pure Sound Who Dispels Darkness, can dispel all ignorance and thereby attain purity. What is purity? The commentary says: “Deluded about principle and retribution, the two ignorances are blind and dark.
They give rise to delusion and create karma, and undergo all manner of suffering.
With the golden probe of the true Dharma, the Buddha opens their wisdom eye,
Enabling them to clearly see the Three Truths; hence it is called purity.” Being deluded about principle and karmic retribution means neither understanding the truth nor understanding the results of karma. These two kinds of ignorance are like blindness and darkness. “Blind” means a person who cannot see anything at all; “dark” means being obscure and unperceptive—a foolish person who understands nothing. Seeing an object and arousing craving is delusion of view; being deluded about principle and giving rise to discrimination is ignorance. These two delusions are forms of ignorance, hence the phrase “the two delusions of blindness and darkness.” When delusion arises, one creates karma and then undergoes the suffering of its results.
In Volume Eight of the Nirvana Sutra, there is a passage: “Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha, ‘World-Honored One, why is Buddha-nature so profound, so difficult to see and enter?’ The Buddha said, ‘Good man, suppose a hundred blind people, wishing to have their eyes treated, go in search of a good physician. The physician then uses an instrument to remove the film over their eyes, holds up one finger, and asks, “Can you see?” The blind people reply, “I still cannot see.” He then holds up two fingers, then three, and only then do they say, “We can see a little.”’” The hundred blind people are those who do not see Buddha-nature; they are also Bodhisattvas who have not clarified the mind and seen their nature. For example, Bodhisattvas on the Ten Grounds must cultivate the ten perfections at each ground. Ten grounds times ten makes one hundred, hence the name “the hundred blind people.” This means that Bodhisattvas on the Ten Grounds cannot see Buddha-nature or understand it. Only when the Buddha points it out to them do they feel astonished: although they have practiced since beginningless time, they are still confused by ignorance and delusion and cannot fully understand Buddha-nature. If even Bodhisattvas on the Ten Grounds find it difficult to see Buddha-nature, how much more difficult it is for Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas to see it.
Some people say that the three fingers represent the three great asamkhyeya kalpas, but National Master Qingliang used the three truths as an analogy for the three fingers. The first finger represents conventional truth, the second represents ultimate truth, and the third represents the Middle Way. Conventional truth means that whoever has the aspiration for the Way will certainly become a Buddha; everyone has Buddha-nature. Ultimate truth represents Buddha-nature, the emptiness of the ultimate meaning. The Middle Way refers to Buddha-nature as the seed of unsurpassed bodhi.
Curing all sentient beings of their blindness means dispelling all darkness and ignorance, so that wisdom will manifest. Every sentient being has the eye of wisdom. If it is opened, one can see that the five aggregates are all empty, perceive the true aspect of all things, penetrate deeply into the treasury of the sutras, and attain wisdom as vast as the sea. Anyone whose wisdom is as vast as the sea will surely possess unobstructed eloquence: whatever scriptures they have studied or not studied, they will be able to explain. The principles they expound are entirely different from those they have learned, because what they have learned comes from following other people’s learning, not from themselves. But when someone opens the eye of wisdom, everything they understand flows forth from their own-nature, and so it is unlike what others say.
The eye of wisdom dispels ignorance, which is like darkness. When sentient beings are dull and unresponsive, they will not listen to instruction, heed anyone’s words, or observe the rules.
In his “Memorial on the Crocodiles,” Han Yu said, “If you are dull and unresponsive, I will shoot you with poisoned arrows and subdue you.” When he angrily threatened them, the crocodiles indeed fled. Crocodiles are dull and unresponsive animals, yet they still have awareness; how much more so should human beings, the most spiritually endowed of all creatures. If someone does not observe the rules or faithfully follow instruction, then that person is dull and unresponsive—someone who cannot be taught.
Confucianism says, “If someone cannot be made to obey and will not heed instruction, that person is a useless creature.” This means that when someone is asked to direct others, they are unable to do so, yet they also will not accept instruction from others. Such a person is useless, a dead thing.
Blindness of the eyes is not important; at most, one cannot see anything. Blindness of the mind is the most serious affliction: it means not understanding the truth or the law of cause and effect—in other words, being deluded about principle and karmic retribution.
When the wisdom eye is opened, one can receive and understand any principle; there is no obstruction at all. Some people see ghosts and spirits. This is not something that the ordinary flesh eyes of common people can see; it is due to spiritual powers.
In addition, those who cultivate the Way have the five eyes: the Buddha Eye, the Dharma Eye, the Wisdom Eye, the Heavenly Eye, and the Flesh Eye. The Flesh Eye among the five eyes is not the flesh eye of us ordinary people. This Flesh Eye can see tangible things and things that obstruct vision. This Flesh Eye is one, and the other four eyes are also one—not two rows alongside one another. Anyone who has attained the five eyes knows this realm. Those who have not opened the five eyes understand only what is said in the sutras; they do not know the ultimate truth.
Where, ultimately, are the five eyes? They are in the mind; they are not apart from the mind. Our own mind inherently possesses them all, but it is obscured by ignorance, so the five eyes seem to have vanished completely.
If one cultivates the Way or contemplates Sanskrit letters—contemplating them again and again—then, after a long time, one will succeed in contemplation, open the five eyes, and attain the six spiritual powers. How does one contemplate? One visualizes the Sanskrit letters of the Six-Syllable Great Bright Mantra: “Om mani padme hum,” six Sanskrit syllables. One may also contemplate the Sanskrit letters of the heart mantra of the Shurangama Mantra: “Tadyatha! Om, Anale, Visade …” Or one may contemplate the forty-two Sanskrit letters of the Wondrous Dharani in the Flower Adornment Sutra. Each letter contains boundless meanings. When one succeeds in contemplating a single letter, one will know the realm of the five eyes and six spiritual powers.
At this point, someone asked, “Dharma Master, how are you? Do you have the five eyes and six spiritual powers?” You and I are no different; there is no distinction between us. Those who have not opened the five eyes want to open them. But those who have opened the five eyes also have many troubles: they can see heaven, they can see hell, and they can see people, ghosts, and all kinds of things. If they cannot keep their minds focused and their power of concentration is insufficient, they can easily fall prey to demonic influence. You need to understand this principle. Whether or not one opens the five eyes is not important. Don’t assume that opening the five eyes brings many benefits. Opening the five eyes is like watching movies or television—one simply gets to see a little more. It is also like a radar machine: it merely detects things in advance. Someone who has not opened the five eyes is like a country person: the less they know, the fewer afflictions they have. When they go to the city and see singing and dancing, movie screenings, gambling, and hundreds of thousands of strange things, afflictions arise.
City people and country people live under different circumstances, so their feelings are different too. Country people do not have many afflictions in their minds. A person who has opened the five eyes has five radar screens in their mind and must constantly monitor them, fearing that enemy aircraft or missiles might come. They have to keep watch over the radar screens and cannot leave them even for a moment. Would you say that is troublesome? Without radar screens, they would know nothing at all—not a thing—and would be much more at ease by comparison. This Medicine Spirit, Pure Sound-Breaking Lord, cures all sentient beings of their blindness and darkness, enabling them to open the eyes of wisdom, understand the truth, and understand karmic retribution without undergoing the various sufferings. This is the liberation door that this spirit attained.
The Medicine-Lord Spirit Who Universally Emits Roaring Sounds attained the liberation gate of being able to expound the Buddha’s voice and explain the distinct meanings of all the Dharmas.
The Chief of the Medicine Spirits, Universal Emanation Roaring Sound, attained the liberation-gate of skillfully expounding, in the Buddha’s voice, the distinct meanings of all dharmas.
Commentary: This Medicine-Lord Spirit, Universal Emitter of Roaring Sound, can send its roar throughout all realms of reality. The sound of its roar awakens sentient beings from their deluded sleep, so that they promptly do what needs to be done that day. It is like our striking the wooden board early in the morning: this is Dharma teaching without intention. Practitioners of the Way must diligently cultivate and study; they must not crave sleep, for sleep is a way of falling into hell. This Medicine-Lord Spirit attained the liberation gateway of being able to expound the Buddha’s sounds and explain the distinct meanings of the various dharmas.
What is the sound of the Buddha? All sounds in the world are the Buddha’s mark of the broad and long tongue. If you say they are not the Buddha’s sounds, then what sounds do you say they are? Some people say, “People have the sounds of people, horses have the sounds of horses, and cows have the sounds of cows.” That is not wrong: each kind has its own sounds. Yet all of them are created through the Buddha’s miraculous spiritual powers and wondrous functions. It is just as in the Land of Ultimate Bliss: “White cranes, peacocks, parrots, śārīs, kalaviṅkas, jīvaṃjīvas, and other birds, six times a day and night, emit harmonious sounds, expounding the Dharma: the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path. Such teachings are all created by Amitābha Buddha, who wishes the sounds of the Dharma to flow forth.” The Land of Ultimate Bliss is like this, and so is our Saha World. If you know how to listen, all sounds are the Buddha’s sounds; if you do not know how to listen, all sounds are the sounds of demons.
What are the dharmas? That is: “Eleven form dharmas, eight mind dharmas, fifty-one mental-factor dharmas, twenty-four dharmas not associated with mind, and six unconditioned dharmas, making one hundred dharmas in all.” These hundred dharmas are also called “dharmas.” Here, “dharma” refers to one dharma, not many dharmas. However, the meaning of this one dharma is not the same; therefore: “One root branches into myriad forms;
myriad forms return to one root.” The one can become the immeasurable, and the immeasurable can become the one; therefore, we speak of the distinctions among all dharmas. What are these distinctions? They are differences. The one becomes the immeasurable—that is, many dharmas; the immeasurable becomes the one—that is, a single dharma. The one does not obstruct the many, and the many do not obstruct the one. A single dharma is all dharmas, and all dharmas are a single dharma. According to the Buddhadharma, there are eighty-four thousand Dharma gates, which are the dharmas. If one were to distinguish among all the dharmas, even an entire kalpa would not suffice to speak of them all. Once one has succeeded in cultivating the dharma gate of meditative absorption (dhyāna), one will understand all dharmas clearly. This is called: “Attain the root; do not worry about the branches.”
If one attains the root, then there is no need to worry about the branches and twigs. The root is one dharma. Hence:
“Attain the One, and ten thousand things are all accomplished.” Once you attain this “one,” there will be nothing more to do. However, attaining the “one” still isn’t the end. Someone might say, “Why isn’t it the end? Heaven attained the One, and so heaven is clear; earth attained the One, and so earth is at peace.” What I mean by “it isn’t the end” is that you must turn the number “one” into the number “zero.” If you clearly understand the meaning of “zero,” then you will attain the root. Therefore, as people who cultivate the Way, we must cultivate this “zero.” When we cultivate the “zero” to perfection, none of our problems will be problems anymore—none of them at all. That is, we let go of everything, and then there are no obstructions.
The Medicine Spirit Who Is Master of the Banner of Sunlight attained the liberation gate of being a good spiritual friend to all sentient beings, causing all who see him to develop roots of goodness.
The Medicine Master Spirit Sunlight Banner attained the liberation-gate of serving as a spiritual benefactor to all sentient beings, causing all who see him to develop roots of goodness.
Explanation: This Medicine Master Spirit King, Sunlight Banner, can obscure the light of the sun and moon, like a cloud covering the sun. Another interpretation is that this Medicine Master Spirit King’s jeweled banner emits light brighter than the sun. A single sentence in a sutra can have many meanings; it depends on each person’s understanding. Therefore: “The benevolent see benevolence; the wise see wisdom.” It means:
Those who interpret deeply see deeply;
those who are shallow see shallowly.
I am a shallow person, so my understanding is shallow. I am no paragon of benevolence, but an ordinary person like so many others, and so my views are the same as those of some people. As for wisdom, there is no need to speak of it; this is neither humility nor politeness. Everyone has their own understanding, and I am no different.
This Medicine Lord Spirit understands part of the Buddha’s realm. He often acts as a spiritual benefactor for all living beings. Such a spiritual benefactor leads all living beings to abandon the ten unwholesome deeds and cultivate the ten wholesome deeds—in other words, “refrain from all evil and practice all good.” This is the realm of a great Bodhisattva. If one is not a Bodhisattva, one cannot be a spiritual benefactor to all living beings. “All living beings” here includes flying creatures, birds, running beasts, animals, those born from a womb, from eggs, from moisture, and by transformation. He manifests in forms suited to their kinds and teaches them the Dharma.
Good spiritual friends are divided into three classes: great, middling, and small. A great spiritual friend observes people’s capacities and teaches accordingly, expounding the Dharma to each person. A middling spiritual friend teaches beings according to their wishes, enabling them to transform their defiled minds into pure minds. A small spiritual friend helps beings eliminate minor habitual tendencies and faults. This Medicine Lord Spirit is a great spiritual friend, able to cause all who see him to develop roots of goodness. Or, upon hearing the Dharma, they may give rise to loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, complete the four immeasurable minds, and thus fully plant roots of goodness.
Some people expound the principles of right knowledge and right views, often serving as good spiritual friends to sentient beings. Others expound the principles of wrong knowledge and wrong views, serving only as evil spiritual friends to sentient beings. Evil spiritual friends often lead sentient beings onto wrong paths, causing those who have no greed to develop greed, those who have no anger to develop anger, sentient beings who have no delusion to develop delusion, sentient beings who have no jealousy to develop jealousy, and sentient beings who have no false thoughts to develop false thoughts. This is the conduct of evil spiritual friends, the opposite of good spiritual friends. The effect of good spiritual friends is to help sentient beings eliminate their greed, anger, and delusion, and to help sentient beings eliminate their jealousy and false thoughts. They use true principles to teach and transform them, helping them turn away from the wrong and return to the right.
When I lived in my hometown in northeastern China, I encountered a heterodox group that specialized in teaching its followers to become emperors. They said, “If you believe in our religion, you will become an emperor in the future; if you do not believe in our religion, you will not even be able to remain an ordinary subject.” This kind of wrong view, which deludes the people and gives rise to covetous desires, is the mark of an evil spiritual guide. Therefore, those who cultivate the Way must have the eye that discerns the Dharma: they must clearly understand what is right and wrong, true and false. If something accords with the Way, they should advance; if it goes against the Way, they should turn back. Otherwise, they will be harmed for the rest of their lives and will not attain the true Way. This Lord Medicine Spirit became a good spiritual guide for sentient beings, inspiring them to bring forth the bodhi mind so that they would become Buddhas in the future. He attained this Dharma-gate of liberation.
The Medicine Lord Spirit Who Clearly Sees the Ten Directions attained the liberation gate of the pure treasury of great compassion, which skillfully enables beings to give rise to faith and understanding.
The Medicine-Lord Spirit, Brightly Seeing the Ten Directions, has attained the liberation-gate of the pure, great treasury of compassion. He skillfully employs expedient means, causing sentient beings to give rise to faith and understanding.
Lecture: This Medicine-Lord Deity, “Brightly Seeing the Ten Directions,” has the light of wisdom, and so can see all beings in the ten directions. That is, he also clearly understands the faculties and natures of all beings in the ten directions. He has attained the pure treasury of great compassion and repentance. “Pure” means free of defilement; defilement means attachment and views. “Great compassion” means great kindness and great compassion. “Treasury” means a storehouse that embraces and contains. It embraces great kindness and contains great compassion: kindness gives happiness, while compassion relieves suffering. Why is it called the pure treasury of great compassion? Because it is free of defiled views and attachment. The love that some beings understand is defiled attachment, not pure love. The views—the way of seeing—that some beings understand are wrong knowledge and wrong views, not right knowledge and right views. The pure kindness and love spoken of here contain not the slightest defiled, distracting thought; the pure understanding spoken of here is not mixed in the least with any improper thought. Therefore, it is called the pure treasury of great compassion.
World-transcending love and worldly defiled love arise in a single thought. A wholesome thought is pure; an unwholesome thought is defiled. Defiled and pure thoughts are one thought, not two. When a thought is undefiled, it is pure; when it is not pure, it is defiled. Thus, the love of compassion that saves sentient beings from suffering and brings them happiness is merit. Having the merit of loving sentient beings, one can then use all kinds of skillful means and Dharma practices to inspire them to develop faith and understanding. For sentient beings who have no faith, one inspires them to develop faith; for those who do not understand, one helps them understand. This Medicine Lord Spirit understood this realm and attained this liberation gate.
The Medicine Spirit Chief, Universal Emission of Majestic Light, attained the liberation gate of skillfully enabling sentient beings to be mindful of the Buddha and thereby eradicate all their illnesses.
The Medicine-Ruling Spirit Universal Emission of Awe-Inspiring Light attained the liberation-gate of skillfully causing all sentient beings to be mindful of the Buddha, thereby eliminating their illnesses.
Lecture: The Medicine Lord Spirit Universally Emitting Majestic Light has a majestic radiance that shines everywhere. When sentient beings see this majestic light, all their illnesses are dispelled. He attained a skillful-means Dharma-gate that can cause sentient beings to give rise to faith in reciting the Buddha, vow to recite the Buddha, and practice reciting the Buddha. In short, first he causes sentient beings to rejoice, then teaches them to recite the Buddha. He attained this liberation-gate.
At present, we are holding a Buddha-recitation retreat. This is an expedient Dharma method. Some people say, “The Dharma method of Buddha-recitation is not an expedient Dharma method.” Any Dharma method can be called an expedient Dharma method, and can also be said not to be an expedient Dharma method. Because Buddhadharma is dynamic, not fixed, there is no fixed Dharma. If we say that Buddhadharma is fixed, it becomes an attachment. We should not be attached; we should not cling to the expedient means of Buddha-recitation.
In the past, when people held seven-day Buddha-recitation retreats, many attained the “Buddha-Recitation Samadhi” when this practice first began in China. The “Buddha-Recitation Samadhi” is a state of single-minded, undistracted concentration, untouched by even a speck of dust. Today, Pure Land practice is also being promoted in the West, and people are encouraged to resolve to recite the Buddha’s name. But this practice is not a matter of reciting just once and stopping; one must keep reciting. When you recite until neither wind can enter nor rain seep in, you will be able to transform the realm of the six sense objects. For example, here in the Buddha hall, children may be playing noisily. If you attain the “Buddha-Recitation Samadhi,” you will feel that they are all reciting the Buddha’s name—reciting Amitābha Buddha’s name. In the practice of Buddha-recitation, a single recitation of the Buddha’s name can eradicate grave karmic offenses accumulated over eighty billion eons of birth and death. Therefore, the merit and virtue of reciting the Buddha’s name are inconceivable. But you must recite with sincerity, with your true heart, for there to be a response.
At present, Buddhism in the West has only just begun. We must certainly train great Bodhisattvas, great Patriarchs, and great sages—great Bodhisattvas, great Patriarchs, and great sages at Gold Mountain Monastery. Anyone who is not afraid of hardship or difficulty, who truly cultivates and applies themselves to the utmost, will surely attain accomplishment. Whether practicing Chan, reciting the Buddha’s name, chanting sutras, or reciting mantras, whatever Dharma method one practices, one must cultivate earnestly and not be careless in the slightest. Do not let even a single moment slip by; practice diligently, with wholehearted, single-minded focus, and success is certain. Why do we fail to attain accomplishment? Because we have not applied ourselves to cultivation as the great Bodhisattvas, great Patriarchs, and great sages did. If practitioners are lazy and remiss, they are deceiving themselves. Hence the saying: “The man who practices attains;
the woman who practices attains;
whoever does not practice does not attain.” Therefore, spiritual cultivation is genuine practice: cultivate a little, and you gain a little benefit; take one step forward, and you come one step closer to the Buddha. Be courageous and diligent, and proceed straight to the other shore.
Reciting the Buddha’s name can cure illnesses; any illness can be cured. Thus, with a single thought, a hundred illnesses are dispelled. Some people say, “Is that really true? Is this teacher trying to deceive people? I wasn’t sick before reciting the Buddha’s name, but now, after attending a Buddha-recitation retreat, I’ve become ill instead. How can this eliminate illnesses? Isn’t that deceiving people?” You have to become ill before the illness can be eliminated. If you don’t become ill, how can you eliminate the illness? Think carefully about this: you become ill, and then the illness is gone—that is what it means to eliminate illness.
Let me tell you: not only will you become ill, you will also die. So you must hurry and apply yourself to cultivation. When the ghost of impermanence arrives, it will be too late to cultivate. At that point, you will no longer be in control, and your suffering will be beyond description. Illness is a warning, telling you to cultivate and apply yourself diligently without delay. Don’t let delusions confuse you; don’t cling to this thing, or be unable to let go of that thing. If you can let go, you will awaken; if you cannot, you will remain muddled. When death comes, even if you cannot let go, you will have to. I often recite this verse to you: “I urge you to do good,
You say you have no money—
This is having, yet not having.
When disaster strikes,
You spend tens of thousands—
This is not having, yet having.
If I tell you to do good,
You say you have no time—
This is being busy even when you go;
Once your time runs out and you breathe your last, you must leave—
This is leaving even while busy.” Think about it: Why must one cultivate the path? It is to transcend birth and death and eliminate these afflictions. This Medicine Spirit Chief, Universal Majestic Light, is able to eradicate the illnesses, suffering, and calamities of all sentient beings, and thus attained this liberation gate.