The Four Primal Teachings on the Contemplation Sutra by Great Master Shandao (2)

The Four Primal Teachings on the Contemplation Sutra by Great Master Shandao.

Chapter 2 The preface and the interpretation of the Contemplation Sutra

From here onwards are the five doors of interpretation of this Sutra.

1. From ‘Thus as I have heard’ until the ‘the toils of the five sufferings and how to see the World of Ultimate Bliss’ are Preface.

2. From the first line of the contemplation of the sun, the Buddha told Vaidehi and all living beings until bottom position of the inferior grade is known as the Proper Teaching.

3. From the passage on after saying this until all the sentient beings bring forth the Bodhi Mind are passages on obtaining benefits.

4. From Ananda said to the Buddha until the Vaidehi and others rejoiced are passages on circulation. These four parts are the proper teaching of the Buddha in the palace.

5. From Ananda’s repetition of the teaching at Vulture Peak for the Great assembly is another assembly. It is further divided into three parts.

 a.  The preface is from ‘At that time the

World Honoured One walked in the space to return to Vulture Peak.’

b. The Proper teaching are passages from ‘Ananda spoke the above matters to the great assembly pervasively’.

c. Passage on propagation is from ‘The great assembly rejoiced, upheld and practised accordingly’.

As there must be a reason for this teaching. So first we have the preface.

From the preface is to expound on what is happening.

Next is the Proper Teaching.

When the teaching was fully propounded, it should be passed down to the future generation, praising its superiority and exhort all to learn the dharma.

At the end is the circulation. We have thus discussed the five different meanings.

This is the end of a brief discussion on the meaning of the preface, proper teaching and propagation in the Contemplation Sutra.

Moreover, the preface is further divided into two:

1. From Thus as I have heard is the preface on the certification of faith.

2. From at one time until how to see the World of Ultimate Bliss is the clarification of the preface on origination.

Thus, as I have heard

Firstly, it is the certification of faith. It carries two meanings.  1. The word ‘Thus as’ generally refer to the Buddha, the Teacher.

2. ‘I have heard’ refers to Ananda, the listener.

So, it is said, Thus as I have heard. These are the explanations for the two meanings.

Moreover, ‘thus’ also refers to the two Dharma doors of concentration and mixed practices.

It means the teaching is confirmed and those who practise them will be benefitted.

Here ‘Thus as’ means there is no mistake in the Buddha’s teaching.

‘Thus’ also carries the meaning of in accord with the wishes of living beings. The Buddha crosses them over in accord with what they desire. The individual potential and the teaching are in coherence is known as ‘as’. So it is said ‘Thus as’

Moreover, the meaning of ‘Thus as’ are as follows:

They are to clarify the teaching of the Buddha.

When he says gradual, it is gradual.

When he says instantaneous, it is instantaneous.

When he says marks, they are as the marks. When he says emptiness, it is emptiness.

When he says the human dharma, it is as the human dharma.

When he says the celestial dharma, it is as the celestial dharma.  When he says small, it is small.

When he says big, it is big.

When he says mundane, it is as mundane.

When he says sages, they are the sages.

When he says causes, they are the causes.

When he says fruition, it is as the fruitions.

When he says suffering, it is suffering.

When he says bliss, it is the bliss.

When he says far, it is far.

When he says near, it is near.

When he says the same, they are the same.

When he says different, they are different.

When he says pure, it is pure.

When he says filthy, it is filthy.

He says that all the dharma is of myriad differences. When the Thus Come One contemplates it he clearly penetrates it. In accord with the arising of thoughts and conduct, he benefits all in different manner.

All karmic fruitions are in accord with the rules of dharma and they are free from faults. So, it is known as ‘as’ and this is the explanation of ‘Thus as’.

Talking about I have heard, it is to clarify that Ananda is the attendant for the Buddha who often follows the Buddha, who is endowed with broad and expansive knowledge. As he is by the side of the Buddha, he is able to listen and uphold the Dharma personally from the Buddha.

This is to show what he says is not heresay and is without fault. So, it is said as ‘I have heard’.

Or we say it is the certification of faith.

This is to clarify Ananda is given the responsibility to pass down the Buddha’s teaching to the Dharma Ending Age.

On facing the living beings, he says the dharma of contemplation is heard by him personally from the Buddha.

These are the honest words which can be trusted. So, this is the preface of certification to faith.

 Here we explain from the angle of Ananda.

Secondly, in the preface of bringing forth the mind, it is further divided into seven sections.

1st from at one time the Buddha was at… until the Dharma prince as the leader is the fore preface in teaching.

2nd from the Rajgir great town until the countenance is peaceful and bliss clarify the bringing forth preface to give the reason for locking up the father.

3rd from at that time Ajatasatru until not to let her out is the reason for locking up his mother.

4th from Vaidehi was secluded until to become the retinues is to clarify the despising of sufferings.

5th from May the Buddha speak for me pervasively until teach me how to dwell in right visualization is to clarify the delights in the purity.

6th from at that time the World Honoured One smiled and until the proper causes for Pure Karma clarify the mixed wholesomeness, to show the conditions of conduct.

7th from the Buddha told Ananda and others to listen attentively until how to see the Land of Ultimate Bliss is to clarify the wholesomeness of concentration, to show the conditions of contemplation.

The seven parts are different and this is the end of the Primal teaching on the bringing forth preface.

Thus, as I have heard, at one time the Buddha was staying at Vulture Peak in Rājgiṛ with a great assembly of twelve hundred and fifty monks. He was also accompanied by thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas led by Mañjuśrī, the Dharma Prince.

Firstly, it is the preface to explain at one time before the teaching proper. There are four explanations.

Firstly, at one time is to clarify the time of teaching. When the Buddha is going to teach the Dharma the time and place is first stated.

But it is necessary to have suitable causes and conditions before living beings can be enlightened to the Dharma.

So, the Teacher waited until a suitable time and place before teaching the dharma.

Moreover, at one time can also refer to the twelve hours in the day time and twelve hours at night, the month, the year and the four seasons in a year. These are the time when the Thus Come One can teach in accord with the individual potential and conditions.

Staying at a place refers to the dwelling which is suitable for the Thus Come One to teach the Dharma.

It might be in the mountainous forests, at a palace, a village or remote place, or the graveyard.

Or he might be at the place of man and devas, the dwelling of Sravaka and Bodhisattvas, or the dwelling of the eightfold divisions, the dwelling of man and heavenly kings.

Or he might dwell among the mundane men at one or two places.

Or he might dwell among all the Sages at one or two places.

Wherever the Buddha is dwelling and at whatever time the contemplation or knowing faculty of the Thus Come One is neither increase nor decrease. In accord with the conditions, he speaks the Dharma and every one will be benefitted.

It is the same as the hitting of the bell. The sound of the bell could be loud and clear but it has to wait for someone to hit it.

The Great Sage is bestowed with kindness and yet he would wait for a request of Dharma before he speaks. So, this is the meaning of at one time.

Moreover, at one time is thus explained: Where was the Buddha when Ajatasatru started to get rebellious?

At that time the Buddha was at Vulture Peak together with the two assemblies. This is the time when the Ajatasatru was committing evils while the Buddha was still waiting for the right time to teach the evil being. These two situations happen at the same time so it is called at one time.

Another explanation for at one time. The Buddha was together with the two assemblies at Vulture Peak. He heard about Ajatasatru who had committed the evil causes and conditions. These are the two situations when the Buddha knows the evils of Ajatasatru. So, it is called at one time.

2nd We will discuss the Buddha. He is the Teacher. This is to show the teacher is Sakyamuni Buddha, not other Buddhas.

3rd From Rajgir onwards is to clarify the place where the Thus Come One was dwelling. There are two places:

One is at the villages of Rajgir to transform the worldly people.

Another is at the places around Vulture Peak so as to teach the left home assembly.

Moreover, the lay men are attached to the five desires and it is a normal practice for them. They might have temporarily brought forth the pure mind but it is very short, just like the instance of drawing on the water.

But the Buddha would bestow benefits pervasively in accord with conditions, not renouncing his Great Compassion.

Besides, the cultivators and laymen are different in appearance and they cannot stay together. This is known as dwelling in the states of existence.

The left home brothers put aside their body, renounce their life, severe the desires and return to the genuine. Their mind resembles the Vajra, equivalent to the perfect mirror.

They seek only the Buddha ground, propagate the dharma to benefit self and others. If they do not stay away from the dust and noise, they will be unable to certify to these virtues. This is known as the reliance on the dwelling.

4th, from the assembly of Great Bhikshu until as the leader clarify the retinues of the Buddha.

The assembly is divided into two, namely the Sravaka assembly and the Bodhisattva assembly.

In the Sravaka assembly we can see nine greatness. At the beginning the word ‘and’ is used which means the Buddha is together with the assembly.

Next is the general greatness

3rd, the greatness of mark,

4th the greatness of the assembly

5th the greatness in seniority and being virtuous

6th the greatness of number

7th the greatness of the honoured position

8th the greatness of the inner genuine virtues

9th the greatness of the certification to fruition.

Question: At the beginning of all the Sutras, these Sravaka were often mentioned. Why is this so?

Answer: There is a special meaning. What is this special meaning?  These Sravaka were mostly deviant cultivators.

As it is stated in the Sutra of the Worthies and Deluded, ‘Uruvilva Kasyapa led 500 disciples to practise the deviant dharma. Gaya Kasyapa led 250 disciples to practise the deviant dharma. Nadi Kasyapa led 250 disciples to practise the deviant dharma. All together there were a thousand disciples who were transformed by the Buddha to attain the Arahant Path.

Another 250 disciples were led by Shariputra and Maudgalyayana who stayed together to practise the deviant dharma. They were transformed by the Buddha and attained the Path of Fruition. These four assemblies stayed together so there were 1250 disciples.

Question: In the assembly there were also the non-deviant practitioners. Why do you give a generalization?

Answer: According to the Sutra, these deviant practitioners always followed the World Honoured One. They would never leave him. Those who compiled the Sutra wrote them down in accord with their virtues. So, there are the difference in names.

Comparatively most of them are deviant practitioners. The non-deviant cultivators are few.

Question: I do not know why these deviant practitioners always follow behind the Buddha.  What is the reason for this?

Answer: There are two explanations. 1. From the angle of the Buddha, 2. From the angle of the deviant practitioners.

1. From the angle of the Buddha, these deviant practitioners have cultivated the wrong practice for a long time, not only in this life.

Even though now they have entered the genuine door, their habits are still there.

That is why the Buddha understands this and does not encourage them to go out to transform people.

It is afraid that they might harm the roots of proper views among living beings.

With the growth of the evil karma, they will not be able to reap the fruits of cultivation in this life or in future.

Because of such causes and conditions, he gathers them in and does not allow them to go forth to others.

This is the end of the discussion from the point of view of the Buddha.

2. From the angle of the deviant cultivators, Kasyapa and others have been thinking that they have dwelt long in the seas of birth and death throughout the long kalpas without respite.

Even though they have practised seriously they are unable to leave the acute sufferings in the six paths.

They knew they are bound by their deviant habits of delusion, evil views.

Without the guidance of a good knowing adviser, they will forever sink into the seas of sufferings.

Luckily with the ripening of the past conditions they are fortunate to encounter the Honoured One of Great Kindness.

The moisturization of the Dharma is equal for all but they feel they are lucky to obtain the benefits of the Dharma.

Considering the Kindness of the Buddha, they are unable to repay Him even if their bodies are broken down into pieces.

That is why they personally go forth to attend to the Buddha as no one can replace this position in repaying the kindness.

This is the end of the explanation from the angle of the deviant practitioners.

Question: Why do we call these Honoured Elders the good knowing advisers for the multitude?

Answer: They are replete with lofty virtues. This is known as Honoured.

They have been practising the dharma for a long time. This is known as the Elders.

All the mundane men and Sages know of their unsurpassed innate virtues, recognize their supreme and special marks.

So, they are known as the good knowing advisers of the multitude.

Above are the nine different sentences to explain the assembly of Sravaka.

This is the end on the discussion of Sravaka assembly.

Next, we will explain the multitude of bodhisattvas. In this assembly there are seven points:

1. Revealing the marks

2. Revealing the numbers

3. Revealing the position

4. Revealing the fruits

5. Revealing the virtues

6. Special revelation on the high and virtuous position of Manjushri Bodhisattva

7. Conclusion

Moreover, this type of Bodhisattvas is replete with immeasurable conduct and vows.

They dwell in the dharma of all merits and virtues. They travel to the ten directions and practise the expedience. They enter the Buddha Dharma store and ultimately, they will arrive at the other shore.

In immeasurable worlds there are their transformation bodies in the accomplishment of Equal Enlightenment.

The bright illumination is shining brightly and pervasively to the ten directions.

In immeasurable Buddha Lands there are the six types of vibration and movements.

They teach the multitude in accord with conditions. This is the turning of the Dharma Wheel.

They beat the Dharma drum and hold the Dharma Sword, quake the Dharma Thunders and rain down the Dharma Rains.

They give the dharma talk and they often propound the dharma sound to enlighten living beings in the worldly realms.

The net of evils is torn apart, the various views are put to extinction, the dust of afflictions are dispersed and the gutters of desires are destroyed.

They reveal the pure and clean Dharma with the wise assimilation of the Buddha dharma.

The Proper Dharma is propagated widely.

They take great pity on all living beings and they are never arrogant.

They obtain the Dharma of equality and are replete with immeasurable hundreds of thousands Samadhi.

In a single mindfulness they travel pervasively to all realms, lightening the burdens of living beings just as though they are their own sons.

All the wholesome roots are brought forth to arrive at the other shore.

They obtain the immeasurable merits and virtues of all the Buddha and are replete with expansive and inconceivable wisdom.

These are the seven different descriptions of the bodhisattvas and this is the end on the explanation of bodhisattvas.

We have discussed the two different assemblies. This is the end on the explanation on the preface before the teaching proper.

At that time, in the great city of Rājgiṛ, there was a prince by the name Ajātaśatru.

Instigated by his wicked friend Devadatta, he seized his father, King Bimbisāra and confined him in a room with seven layers of walls.

The court officers were forbidden to visit him.

Vaidehī, the mother queen was devoted to him. After cleansing her body, she spread over her body a mixture of ghee, honey and wheat flour. She filled her ornaments with grape juice, and secretly offered this food and drinks to the king. At that time, after eating the wheat paste, drank some juice,  the king asked for water to rinse the mouth.

Having rinsed his mouth, he joined his palms in reverence, facing the Vulture Peak.

He made obeisance to the World Honoured One from afar and said, ‘Mahā Maudgalyāyana is my close friend. I beseech the Honoured One to have pity on me and send him here to give me the eight precepts.’

Then Mahā Maudgalyāyana flew as swiftly as a hawk to the king. Day after day he came like this to give the king the eight precepts.

The World Honoured One also sent Venerable Pūrṇa to the palace to expound the Dharma for the king.

Three weeks passed by in this way. As he had eaten the wheat and honey and listened to the Dharma, he looked peaceful and contented.

Secondly, there are seven situations showing the prohibition of the father’s movement.

1. From at that time in the city of Rajgir onwards shows the place for the teaching to take place. 

It is said that in the ancient time, the citizens built their houses in the city and their houses would be destroyed by the fire from the sky.

Only the palaces and bungalows that belonged to the King were not destroyed by the fire. Later the citizens reported this to the King.

They said, ‘The houses that we built are all destroyed by the fire from the sky except those that belong to the King. We do not know why this is happening.’

The King ordered, ‘From now onwards, when you want to build a house, you should say I build this house for the King.’

All the citizens acted in accord with the King’s order. When their houses were built, they were not destroyed by the fire.

As such the news spread and the town is known as Rajgir which means the City with the King’s houses.

It is called a big city because it is inhabited by nine billion people. So, it is known as the Great City Rajgir.

Talking about the origination of the teaching it can be discussed from two points.

1. The prince Ajatasatru committed the evils of keeping his parents in the prison.

In this condition of being kept prisoners one will wish to leave the Saha world, one would desire to be born in a world without worries.

2. The Thus Come attended the invitation. With the spiritual lights efficacious manifestations appear on the shadowy platform.

On seeing this the Queen sought to be born in the World of Serenely Blissful.

Moreover, she sincerely sought the Buddha to teach her the way of practice and with this as a cause the Buddha opened up the three Blessings.

Proper Contemplation is the Door of Concentration.

Besides this it brings out the benefits of the nine sections. Because of such causes and conditions, it is known as the dwelling for the arising of this teaching.

2 From there was a prince until the listening to the words of an evil friend showed that the King Ajatasatru was in confusion while listening to the words of evil man.

The word prince shows his position.

Saying that he is Ajatasatru is to show the name.

Besides, Ajatasatru is the proper pronunciation of the western territory. In our country it is translated as The Blame before His Birth or the Broken finger.

Question: Why is he known as the Blame before His Birth or the Broken finger?

Answer: He is thus named because of some past causes and conditions.

What are the past causes and conditions? Originally his father the King had no son even though he had sought the help from many spiritual beings.

One day, a physiognomist came to see the King and said,

‘I know of a cultivator in the mountain. He will pass away soon and after passing away he will become your son.’

The King was so glad and asked when this cultivator would pass away.

The physiognomist answered, ‘He will only die after three years.’

The King answered, ‘I am old now and I do not have a son to inherit my throne. How can I wait for another three years?’

So, the King sent his messenger to enter the mountain to beg on his behalf,

‘The King is without a son and his throne is without a successor.

He has sought the help of many devas but to no avail.

Then there is this physiognomist who found out that you would become his prince after passing away.

I hope the great cultivator will be kind enough to go to be the prince very soon.’

The messenger entered the mountain and found the cultivator, telling him the causes and conditions for the invitation by the King.

The cultivator said to the messenger, ‘After three years only will I leave the world. It is impossible for me to go immediately, as ordered by the king.’

The messenger returned and reported to the King what the cultivator had said.

The King said, ‘I am the Chief of this country. All the people and things belong to me. Now I lower myself to plead him to fulfil my wish yet he dares to refuse.’

Again, he sent the messenger to pronounce his wish. He ordered, ‘If he is still so stubborn, kill him for me. After his death, how could he avoid to be my son.’

The messenger went to see the practitioner and told him the intention of the king.

On hearing this the cultivator disagreed with the king’s suggestion. So, the messenger wanted to kill him as ordered by the king. 

The cultivator said, ‘Go and tell the king. I am not supposed to die now. With his mind and mouth he ordered people to kill me, I will also use my mind, my mouth to send people to kill him.’

After saying this the cultivator was killed.

After his death he entered the palace to be born again.

On that night, the queen found that she was pregnant. The king was very glad to listen to this. In the morning he sent for a physiognomist to observe the queen to determine the sex of the baby.

The physiognomist studied and reported to the king it was a boy, not a girl. This boy would be harmful to the king.

The king said, ‘My country will be inherited by him. Even if there is any harm, I will not be frightened.’

As usual after listening to these words, the king is filled with mixed feeling of worries and joy.

The king told his queen, ‘I would like to share with you my personal opinion. The physiognomist said that this son will bring harm to me. On the day of your delivery, you deliver him at the balcony in the higher floor. Do not ask people to receive him, let him fall on the ground. It will surely be death. Then I will get rid of my worries. No one will know about this also.’

The queen agreed with the king and when it was time to deliver the child, she acted as instructed by the king.

The baby fell on the ground but he was not dead, only broke the small finger. That is why outsiders all call him the prince with the broken finger.

He is called the Blame before his birth.

As Devadatta was angry and jealous with the Buddha he revealed to the prince Ajatasatru the past evil causes.

Why was he jealous of the Buddha and created this evil conditions?

Devadatta was evil by nature and he was very rough and ferocious.

Even though he had left the homelife he was always jealous of the Buddha’s fame and offerings.

Prince Ajatasatru’s father was the supporter of the Buddha, the donor.

At every session of offerings, the king would offer lots of gold, silver and seven gems, precious clothes and expansive cloth besides the myriad tasty food and drinks, fruits and others.

Every item will amount to 500 carts, surrounded with fragrant flowers, adorned music and the praises of the multitude as many as hundreds of thousand million in number. These offerings were sent to the Buddha and Sangha.

On seeing this, Devadatta became more jealous. He went to see Shariputra seeking to learn the body spiritual power.

The Honoured One advised him, ‘The Humane One, you can learn the Four dwelling of mindfulness. It is unnecessary to learn the body spiritual power.’

As his wish was ungranted, he sought to learn from other Honoured Ones.

Even after seeing the 500 disciples all of them advised him to learn the four dwellings of mindfulness instead of spiritual power.

As his wish was not fulfilled, he sought to learn from Ananda.

He said, ‘You are my brother. As I desire to learn the spiritual power, please teach me one by one.’

Ananda had already attained the first fruition but he had yet to certify to the mind of knowing other’s mind.

He did not know that his brother sought to learn spiritual power aiming to go against the Buddha.

So, Ananda asked him to go to a quiet place and began to teach him in sequence.

First, he was told to sit properly in full lotus posture and to visualize his mind is lifting the body upwards.

Then, he had to visualize his body was leaving the ground by one fraction, then one inch, one foot and ten feet.

After that he had to renounce it and visualize the emptiness with no obstructions and visualize how it rose into the space straight away.

After that he was told to gather in his mind and visualize it returned to its original sitting place.

Next, he had to visualize how the body raised up the mind. At the beginning it stayed away from the ground by one fraction, one inch and just the same as before.

Using the body to raise the mind, using the mind to raise the body and in both cases the body would also rise into the air.

Then he was told to gather the body and return it to its original sitting position.

Next, he was taught to visualize his body and mind combine and rose together, just the same as before starting from one fraction, one inch and so on and the visualization was repeated.

Next, he was told to visualize the body and mind enter all the obstructions of form matters and visualize them as with no obstruction.

Next, he was told to visualize all the mountains, rivers and great earth and other forms enter the body, just like entering empty space with no obstructions as one did not see the form appearance.

Next, he should visualize his body was as big as the empty space pervasively. He was able to sit and lie down all at ease in empty space.

He was able to sit, to lie down in space, to catch and turn the sun and moon.

Or he was taught to visualize his body became so tiny that it was able to enter a dust mote. He should visualize everything was without obstructions.

So, in this way Ananda taught him in sequence.

After obtaining the Dharma, Devadatta went forth to a quiet place to practise for seven days and seven nights with full concentration.

Finally, he obtained the body spiritual penetration and accomplished all at ease.

After he had the spiritual penetration, he went to the front portion of the Prince’s Palace to manifest the great spiritual transformation in the space.

From the top of his body fires were emitted and from the bottom of his body water was emitted.

Or the water sprang out on the left side and the fire was burning on the right.

He manifested all at ease the big body, the minute body while sitting and lying down in space in accord with his desire.

The prince saw this and asked the attendants around him, ‘Who is this man?’ The attendants said that he was the Honoured One Devadatta.

On hearing this the prince was most glad and he raised his hands to call at him,

‘Why don’t you come down Honoured One?’

On hearing this Devadatta transformed himself into a child and went straight to sit on the lap of the prince.

The prince held the baby and kissed him. He also spit into Devadatta’s mouth and the baby swallowed it. After that he resumed his original form.

After seeing the spiritual transformation of Devadatta the prince was extremely respectful towards him.

Devadatta saw that the prince was respectful towards him so he told him about the causes and conditions for the King who offered 500 carts of offerings to the Buddha and Sangha.

Listening to this the prince told the Honoured One, ‘Your disciple can also prepare myriad offerings each in 500 carts as offering to the Honoured One and the multitude of Sangha.

Then it will be the same for you too.’

Devadatta said, ‘Dear Prince, your idea is most appreciated.’

From then onwards he received lots of offerings and became very arrogant.

Let us take the analogy of hitting the nose of an evil dog with a stick, it becomes fiercer.

This is also the same for him.

The prince used the stick of offerings and benefits to hit Devadatta’s greedy mind that resemble the nose of a dog, his evil was worsened.

As such this is destroying the Sangha. He dared to change the Buddha Precepts and invented his own precepts.

He waited until the Buddha was teaching the Dharma to the great multitude of Sages and mundane men, he sought to take over all the Buddha’s disciples as he wanted to inherit all the Dharma Store from the Buddha.

He said that the Honoured One was already very old and he should just retire to have a good rest.

On listening to the speech of Devadatta, the multitude was very surprised. They felt it was very strange to say like that and they looked at each other shockingly.

At that time the World Honoured One said to Devadatta before the Great Assembly,

‘I do not even leave the Buddha Dharma in the care of Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, the Great Dharma Protectors, what is more to leave it to a deluded man like you who swallowed others’ saliva?’

On hearing the Buddha’s comment before the multitude, Devadatta felt as though his heart was pierced with a poisonous arrow and his mind became more deluded with wild thoughts.

With this as the causes and conditions he went forth to the dwelling of the prince to discuss an evil plan to overthrow the Buddha.

On seeing the Honoured One the prince asked him with respect, ‘Today the Honoured One look pale and unhappy, unlike your former self.’ 

Devadatta said, ‘I looked pale all because of the prince.’

The prince asked respectfully, ‘May I know why the Honoured One said it was for my sake?’

Devadatta answered, ‘Don’t you the prince know that the World Honoured One is old and strengthless? I wish to take over his place to become the Buddha.

The King, your father is also old and you should just take over the throne. Isn’t it a good idea to have a new king and a new Buddha to govern the world?’

On hearing this the prince was very angry and said, ‘Please don’t say like this!’

Again, Devadatta said, ‘Do not be angry, my prince.

Your father the king is unkind and wicked towards you.

When you were to be delivered, the king ordered the queen to give birth at the balcony, a hundred feet above the floor, hoping that you would fall to your death.

But as you the prince is endowed with the strength of great blessings you were not killed but your small finger was broken.

Take a look at your small finger if you disbelieve in me. This is the evidence.’

On hearing this, the prince questioned him again, ‘Are you sure of what you are talking?’

Devadatta answered, ‘If this is untrue, what is the point for me to come and lie to you?’

After hearing this the prince believed in Devadatta and acted in accord with his evil plan. So, this is acting in accord with the words of evil friend Devadatta.

3. From the imprisonment of the king until no one is allowed to enter the lockup shows that the king was imprisoned by his son.

It means Ajatasatru the prince acted in accord with Devadatta’s plan to renounce the relationship of father and son.

He neglected all the kindness which was shown upon him as a child and acted rebelliously against his parents.

Kept means keeping the king in a lockup so no one can go forth to see him.

Tightly means not renouncing after getting. So, it is said kept tightly.

The word father is used to show the closeness in a relationship. ‘The king’ is to show his position. ‘Bimbisara’ is to show his name.

Saying he was kept in prison in a room with seven layers of wall means this is a severe action.

This happening is not something light or unimportant.

In the human realm we do not simply keep someone in the prison as this is against the human’s right.

Such an occurrence happened in the palace and surely most outsiders would not know about it except for the palace officers who were attending to the king knew about this imprisonment.

If he did not act seriously may be others would have a chance to help the king.

So, to make sure no one could go near the king, he was kept inside seven layers of wall.

4. From the queen Vaidehi until she secretly sent them to the king shows that the queen had secretly sent food to the king.

Stating ‘the queen’ is to show her status which is the highest among other women. 

Stating ‘Vaidehi’ is to show her name.

Saying she is very respectful towards the king is shown as follows:

She found out about the imprisonment of the king.

She had no news about him as the doors were tightly closed.

She was worried that the king might die.

That is why she washed her body with fragrant water so that it was clean.

Then she covered her body with honey and cheese. When they were dried, she put the flour paste on the honey and cheese.

She put on the clean under garments and then the proper clothes before putting on the necklace and jewellery, just as she was wearing the usual clothes.

People would not be suspicious of her then. She poured the grape juice from one small hole in the decorative jewels after sealing up the other end with wax.

When it was full, she sealed up the hole again with wax.

Every decorative jewel was filled with juice.

After she had adorned herself, she walked gently into the palace to see the king.

Question: The officers were ordered not to let any go to see the king. What is the reason that they allow the queen to enter? What is the meaning here?

Answer: The officers thought this restriction is meant for the outsiders who might come to help the king.

That is why they do not allow the outsiders to enter.

Moreover, the queen is a lady. She should be harmless, without any special aim as she is the wife of the king. She has very closed affinities and karmic ties with the king.

Even though they are two people, their heart is one.

So, people are not suspicious of her. That is why she can enter to see the king.

5. From ‘At that time the king ate the food until he received the eight precepts’ clarifies the king sought the Dharma while he was in imprisonment.

It means that after seeing the king, the queen removed the honey flakes from her body and rounded it before giving to the king. After eating, the queen sought some water from the palace for the king to rinse his mouth.

After the purification of the mouth, he contemplated that his mind was without a reliance and so he put his palms together respectfully towards the Vulture Peak to make obeisance to the Thus Come One, to seek protection.

This is to show the respect with the body karma. It also means a respectful mind.

Then ‘he said and onwards’ shows that he is requesting from the Buddha.

With the mouth karma he sought the guidance from the Buddha. It also shows a respectful mind karma.

He said that Maha Maudgalyayana was his relative, his close friend.

This carries two meanings. Maudgalyayana is the king’s relative. After leaving home he is his teacher who can enter the palace without hindrances.

Maudgalyayana is his relative before leaving home, his friend after leaving home. So, he said the Honoured One Maudgalyayana was his relative and friend.

He said he hoped the Honoured One would be kind and compassionate to give him the eight precepts.

This means the king is respectful towards the Dharma. He placed high importance on the Dharma, the teacher than himself.

If he is not kept prisoner, it is easy for him to invite the Buddha and the Sangha. But now as he is in the prison there is no way to go personally to seek the precepts.

So, he only wished that Maudgalyayana would come to give him the precepts.

Question: The king made obeisance from afar by paying respect to the World Honoured One first. After that he requested the Buddha to invite Maudgalyayana to bestow upon him the precepts. What is the meaning in this?

Answer: Among the Sages, the highest is the Buddha. As he has brought forth the mind to cultivate it is proper for him to make obeisance to the Great Master.

The giving of precepts is a minor condition so he only invites Maudgalyayana to give the precepts.

According to the wishes of the king it is important to adorn oneself with precepts.

This is the meaning and it is unnecessary to have the World Honoured One to come personally to give the precepts.

Question: The Thus Come One had taught immeasurable dharma on precepts. Why does the king request only the Eight Precepts, not others?

Answer:

Other precepts are slightly not so urgent as it takes time.

He is afraid that he might lose his mindfulness and finally end up falling into the transmigration of birth and death.

For the Eight Precepts, it is spoken by the Buddha in other Sutras that it is meant for a layman to uphold the left home precepts.

The upholding of this precept requires a refine mind, a mind which is urgent and anxious.

The time taken is short as it is only one day and one night. After that time span it is renounced automatically.

How do we know that it requires a refine mind to uphold this precept?

It is as stated in the passages of the precepts:

‘Disciple of the Buddha, from today’s morning until the next morning, for one day and one night, just as all the Buddhas abstain from killing, can you do so?’

Answer: ‘Yes, I do.’

And in the next question, it continues to ask if the disciple of the Buddha, from today’s morning until the next morning, for one day and one night is able to conduct himself just the same as all the Buddhas in abstaining from stealing, abstaining from having sexual conduct, abstaining from false speech, abstaining from drinking wine, abstaining from applying fragrance on the body, abstaining from singing, dancing, watching and listening to the performance and abstaining from sleeping on high and lofty bed.’

The above are the precepts, not the fasting.

Not eating after the noon time is the fast, not the precepts.

All these precepts are based on the Buddhas’ practice as certification.

Why is this so?

It is because all the Buddhas have severed and put into extinction all afflictions and habits.

Other sages are incomparable to the Buddhas because they still have the residues of habits.

So, they cannot be the certifiers.

That is why we know this precept is meant for those who are refined in thought, who are anxious to conduct themselves just like the Buddha.

Moreover, the Buddha said that this precept is replete with the eight Dharma of supremacy.

If a man can uphold it for one day and one night fully without transgression, the merits and virtues thus accrued by him far-surpass the states of human, devas and the two vehicles.

This is discussed expansively in the Sutra. Because of such benefits the king took the precepts daily.

6. From Maudgalyayana until after he had spoken the Dharma for the king shows the king’s request and the acquiring of the sagely Dharma.

This is to show that Maudgalyayana had attained the mind of knowing others’ mind so he understood the wish of the king.

With the spiritual power, he arrived at the dwelling of the king in a flick of the fingers.

The swift eagle is used as an analogy to describe his spiritual power as some people may not understand the function of spiritual power.

Of course, this analogy is not very accurate as Maudgalyaya with his spiritual strength is able to travel around the four continents hundreds of thousand times in the arising of a thought.

How can the flight of an eagle be comparable to him?

There are many such comparisons but I will not mention them all. They are fully described in the Sutra of Worthies and Deluded.

Saying that he comes every day to give the precepts to the king means that the king’s life is prolong and Maudgalyayana has to come every day to bestow upon him the precepts.

Question: Since we know of the supremacy of the Eight Precepts it is enough if we can receive it once. Why should we receive it every day?

Answer: The mountain does not mind being high. The ocean does not mind being deep. The knife does not mind being sharp. The sun does not mind being bright. A man does not mind being good. An offender does not mind to have his sins being eradicated. The worthy does not mind being virtuous. The Buddha does not mind being a Sage.

As the king was kept in prison and there was no way for him to go out. In every thought he was afraid he might be killed. That is why he relied only on the Eight Precepts to calm down his mind throughout the day and night. He hopes by doing so he would be able to accumulate the wholesomeness karma for the good of his future life.

The World Honoured One also sent Punna Maitrayaniputra to speak the Dharma for the king.

It shows that the kind and compassionate World Honoured One is very concerned about the king. The king who was put into imprisonment might be sad and unhappy. Punna was the best Dharma teacher among the sagely disciples. He possessed the expedients to open up the mind of people. As such the Buddha sent him to teach the Dharma to the king, to free him from worries and afflictions.

7. From such a time until he looks calm and blissful shows that the king has eaten the food and listened to the dharma for many days and he is still alive.

This means that the queen has been supplying the food to free him from thirst and hunger.

The two sages go forth to the king to give the precepts and to teach the dharma. The mind of the king is opened up.

With the food his life is prolonged. With the precepts his spirits are nurtured. He is free from sufferings and worries as such he looks calm and blissful.

So, these are the seven different sentences that describe the situations. This is the end on the clarification of the imprisonment of the king.

Then Ajātaśatru asked the guard, “Is the king still alive?”

The guard replied, “Great King, the mother queen spreads the paste of flour and honey all over her body, fills her ornaments with grape juice, and offers these to the king. The monks Mahāmaudgalyāyana and Pūrṇa travel in from space to expound the Dharma to him. It is impossible to stop them.”

On hearing this, Ajātaśatru was furious with his mother and said, ‘My mother is a thief. She is the accomplice of my enemy.

Those monks are evil. With their delusive magic and mantra, they have kept this wicked king alive for so many days.’

After saying this, he drew his sharp sword, intending to kill her.

At that time a minister by the name Candraprabha who was intelligent and wise, together with Jīvaka made obeisances to the king and said,

‘Great King, according to the Vedic scripture, from the beginning of this kalpa there were eighteen thousand wicked kings who killed their fathers for the greed of the throne.

But we have not heard of anyone who has committed the outrage of killing his mother.

Your Majesty, if you commit such an outrage, you will bring disgrace upon the Kṣatriya class. As your ministers, we cannot bear to hear what people will say as this is an act of the outcaste. We cannot stay on here anymore.’

After saying these words, the two ministers grasped their swords, stepped back and decided to leave.

At that time Ajatasatru was nervous and frightened. He said to Jīvaka, ‘Are you not on my side?’

Jīvaka replied, ‘Your Majesty, please restrain yourself. Do not kill your mother.’

On hearing this, the king repented and begged for forgiveness. He threw his sword away without harming his mother. Instead, he ordered the court officials to lock her up in an inner chamber. She was not allowed to leave her room.

3. From the imprisonment of his mother there are eight conditions.

a. From at that time Ajatasatru until is he still alive shows that he asked about his father. It means that Ajatasatru had kept his father for many days. A man who goes without food and water for more than two weeks will surely die. After thinking this way, he asked the guard at the palace gate if his father the king was still alive.

Question: If a man goes without eating for seven days he will surely die. Now the King has not been eating for three weeks, he should be dead by then. There is no doubt about this.

Why did Ajatasatru do not ask if his father had passed away or not?

Why is still harbouring doubts questioning if his father is still alive?

What is the reason for this?’

Answer: This means Ajatasatru is questioning secretly. As a king of the country, he cannot simply say anything he likes. Moreover, there is the close relationship between a son and his father and it is very unkind to question his death.

He is afraid that people will criticize him for being so cruel. But in his mind, he is thinking the father must be dead. But his mouth asked if he is still alive. This is to stop the spread of his notorious name for being so evil and rebellious.

b. From the guard answered until could not stop them from entering is the guard’s answer on what is happening.

This is to answer Ajatasatru’s question if the king is still alive.

After that the guard gave the reasons from the queen entered to see the king until how she brought along the food for the king. With the food he was able to prolong his life.  That was why after so many days he was still alive. This is the wish of the queen. It is not the fault of the guard.

Question: The queen carried the food on her body and she was properly dressed when she entered and left. No one saw her food. Why did the guard say she was carrying the food?

Answer: Anything that is secretive cannot be kept for too long. Even though she was careful yet there would be signs to reveal the truth.

Since the king was kept imprisonment in the palace and the queen travelled there every day. If she did not bring the food surely the king would not be able to live on.

Now he said secretly bringing the food is the description of the guard on the queen’s intention.

The queen thought she was secretive in bringing the food and no one would know about this.

She did not realize the guard could detect her intention. Now since the matter is out in the clear there is no way to hide the truth. That is why he spoke out what had really happened to the king.

He said that the bhikshu Maudgalyayana onwards is to show the two Sages travelled in the air to enter the palace, not from the door.

They came daily to teach the Dharma to the king. So, the king should understand that the queen brought in the food as she was not told not to do so. The guard dared not stop her. The two sages entered from the space and a door keeper was unable to stop them.

c. From at that time Ajatasatru on hearing these words until he wished to kill his mother shows that the king was angry.

This means after listening to the explanation of the door keeper, he was angry with his mother, scolded his mother using the foul mouth.

He is committing the three rebellious karma, the three karmas of evil.

Scolding the parents as the thieves is known as the rebellious mouth karma. Scolding the Bhikshus is known as the evil of the mouth karma.

Holding the sword wishing to slaughter the mother is known as the rebellious bodily karma.

The action of the body and mouth relies on the mind as the master. This is known as the rebellious mind karma.

Moreover, the fore expedience is called the evil. The later action is known as rebellious.

When he said that his mother was the thief and onwards shows that he was committing bad mouth.

Why did he call his mother a thief?

It is because she is the companion of the thief.

Ajatasatru is angry with his father originally and wishes for his early death. Now as the mother had provided him the food, he was not death. So, he scolded his mother as the accomplice of the thief.

From the scolding of the Bhikshus as the evil men and onwards shows that Ajatasatru is angry with his mother who provides food for his father.

On hearing the Bhikshus travelled in and out to see the king, his anger is magnified.

That is why he said what mantras they use to enable the evil king to live for so long and still not dead.

After saying this he carried his sharp sword and onwards is to clarify the acute anger of the king who was even rebellious towards his mother.

It is a most pitiful case when he even lost his mind wishing to kill her with the sword, and her life was at stake. The mother put her palms together, lowered her head with her body moving towards his hand. At that time her body was enveloped in heated sweat as she was low in spirit, half fainted. This is an acute suffering for her to encounter such a great torture in body and mind.

d.  From at that time there was an officer by the name Moon Light (Candraprabha) until they retreated from the king shows that the king refused to listen to the officers’ advice.

It means the two officers were the ministers of the country, who were in charge of setting laws and rules for the government.

In this way the country would be famous and become the learning centre for other countries in the eight directions.

Suddenly when they witnessed Ajatasatru the king who gave rise to a rebellious mind, wishing to kill his mother, they felt terrible to witness such an evil act.

So together with Jivaka they went against the king’s wish by giving him the advice.

At that time means the time Ajatasatru was going to kill the mother.

Saying there was an officer is to show his position. Stating Candraprabha is to show the name. Saying that he is clever and wise is to show his virtues.

Saying together with Jivaka shows Jivaka was the other son of the old king’, whose mother was a slave.

The brother saw that his elder brother was rebellious towards the mother so he came forth with Candraprabha to give advice.

Saying that they pay respect to the king shows that this is the etiquette if we wish to advise those who are higher in position by revealing the bodily respect before putting forth the suggestion.

Now these two officers conducted themselves by bowing to the king so that he would be touched.

Then they put their hands on the swords, bowing and saying out their wishes. 

Next, they put forward their suggestion.

Again, he said, ‘The Great King…’ means that Candraprabha desired to give his idea and wished the king Ajatasatru would listen to him with an open heart.

Because of such causes and conditions. he first asked for permission.

Then he said he had heard in the Vedic scripture shows that the ancient and present historical records on the past kings are taken as examples.

According to the sayings of the ancient people, a good man will be shameful to say things without evidence.

As the advice he is giving is not something light, he cannot simply create a fake issue.

He said from the beginning of the kalpas until now to show the long timespan.

He said there are the evil kings to show this type of rebellious, cruel men who do not abide by propriety.

He said there are those who were greedy for the throne means the unrightful way to rob the position.

Saying they killed their father to show their hatred towards their father and wishing his death.

So, they killed their father and this amount to 18,000 cases. It means presently the king is killing the father and his sins is the same as theirs.

‘But we have not heard of them killing their mother’, an act which is against the laws of the heaven and earth.

This is to clarify from the ancient time until now there were many examples in history on the assassination to rob the throne but there was not a case when the mother was killed.

This is to take the ancients as examples, that the evil kings who were greedy for the throne only killed the father, not the mother.

This is to take the ancients as evidence to compare to the present situation.

Presently the king is greedy for the country and kills his father. This is the same as what that happened in the ancient time when the king was assassinated, his throne was robbed.

Now the mother has no position and if one were to kill her, such an incident has not been recorded before.

They said that if the king were to kill his mother, this is an act that defiled the name of Kshatriya.

Kshatriya is the highest order in the caste system, the caste of the ruler, the king.

Their position is passed down from one generation to another generation.

They are not the commoners.

The officers said they were disheartened to hear such a happening.

On seeing the anger of the king who brought shame to the ancestors and relatives, the notoriety will spread afar.

Our name will be destroyed in this shameful act.

They say that this is the behaviour of the candela, the lowest caste in the four orders.

This shows that such a man is evil in nature without humaneness and righteousness.

Even though he wears the skin of a man he is not much different from an animal.

A king is the highest in authority, the master of all the foundation.

Now if he is down with evil to harm people who are kind to him, he is not much different from the lowest caste.

When they say it is inconvenient for them to stay here carries two meanings.

1. As the king is now committing evils he is without propriety and not paying respect to custom and culture, how can the people in the town or villages let him to be the king?

This means he should be sent out of the palace gate.

2. Even though the king is in our country he is bringing shame and dishonour to our people and relatives.

It is better for us to leave this place and go to a faraway place so as not to hear such shameful happenings.

That is why they say it is not suitable for them to stay on.

On saying this the two officers and onwards shows that they are serious in their advice, speaking directly in a rough manner, hoping that the king will be enlightened by citing the examples from ancient times till now. 

Saying that they put their hands on the swords means they hold on to their swords.

Question: Their advice is rough and they are not afraid to go against the king. This is not the way an officer should talk to the king as their act is unrighteous.

Why do not they just turn and leave?

Why are they walking backwards to retreat?

Answer: Even though their speech is rough, the aim is that the king will put down the mind to harm his mother. They are also careful as the angry king might harm them with his sword. That is why they hold on to their swords as a precaution and they retreated by walking backwards.

e. From Ajatasatru was frightened until he asked, ‘Aren’t you on my side?’ onwards shows that the king was worried now.

It means that when Ajatasatru listened to the rough words of the two officers, and saw them retreating from him with their hands on the swords, he was worried the officers would go against him and side the king or have other plans.

He was emotionally unstable, frightened. He was thinking the officers were leaving him and he did not know which side they were taking.

With a doubtful mind he questioned them. That is why he asked Jivaka if he was not on his side. Jivaka is the king’s brother.

The ancients said: When there is a disaster in the family, outsiders are unable to interfere. Since you are my brother, how can you behave like Candraprabha?

f. From the speech of Jivaka until please do not harm mother mean the two officers advised the king again.

Here Jivaka answered the king, ‘If you wish us to help you, please do not harm our mother.’ Here he is giving advice directly.

g. from the King heard these words until he stopped from harming his mother means the king Ajatasatru gave up the intention to kill his poor mother.

After listening to the advice of Jivaka he was regretful. So, he knew that he was wrong and begged for pardon from the two officers. As such his mother is free from the disaster of death. He replaced his swords into the holder.

h. From he gave the instructions to the internal officer until not to allow her to come out means the king was still angry with his mother and put her in seclusion.

It means the king Ajatasatru accepted the advice of the officers but he was still angry with her.

That is why her movement was restricted. He ordered the palace officers to keep her in the palace and she was not allowed to come out to see the old king.

The above are the end of the discussion on the eight different sentences to explain the situations for restricting the movement of his mother.

At that time, Vaidehi who was kept in confinement was extremely sad and in despair.

She turned towards the Vulture Peak and made obeisance to the Buddha from afar.

She said, ‘O, Tathagata, the World Honoured One, in the past you used to send Ananda to comfort me.

Now I am deep in sorrow and distress.

The World Honoured One is most awesomely adorned One. I do not have a chance to see you.

May the World Honoured One send the Honoured One Maha Maudgalyayana and Venerable Ananda to see me.’

After saying these words, she bowed down to the Buddha from afar, with tears pouring out torrentially.

Even before she raised her head, the World Honoured One, who was then staying at Vulture Peak, knew of Vaidehī’s thoughts.

Immediately he sent Mahāmaudgalyāyana and Ānanda to travel in space to see her.

The Buddha himself disappeared from the Vulture Peak and reappeared in the royal palace.

After bowing down to the Buddha, Vaidehī raised her head and saw Śākyamuni Buddha, the World Honoured One with the adorned purplish golden hue body was sitting on the lotus of myriads gems.

He was attended by Mahāmaudgalyāyana on his left and Ānanda on his right.

Śakra and the Brahmān Heavenly Gods, the Dharma protectors of the world and other devas were dwelling in the space. They pervasively rained down the heavenly flowers as offerings to the Buddha.

At that time, Vaidehi on seeing the Buddha, the World Honoured One, tore down her ornaments and prostrated herself on the ground.

Weeping bitterly, she said to the Buddha, ‘O World Honoured One, what offences did I commit that I gave birth to this evil son? What are the causes and conditions that Devadatta becomes a retinue of the World Honoured One?’

4 There are four conditions in despising the sufferings.

1. From Vaidehi until she becomes pale and sad shows that the queen was kept in seclusion by her son.

Even though she was not killed, her movement was restricted in the deep chamber.

As she could not leave the jail, she could only harbour great sadness in every thought and hence she looked pale and distress.

The is the verse to describe her unhappiness,

‘Today’s suffering was a great disaster. She encountered the King Ajatasatru who ordered for her to be killed with a sharp knife. This happens because of a karmic knot. Besides she was kept captivity in the deep palace. It was truly sad.’

Question:  As the queen was free from the threats of death, she should be rejoicing. Why was she unhappy and worried?

Answer: There are three explanations. a. As she was kept in the deep chamber, no one would bring food to the king.

Moreover, the king knew about her difficult situation he would also be worried.

Now that he was without food in addition to his worries, surely, he would not live long.

b. Since the queen was kept in enclosure, when will she be able to see the Thus Come One and his disciples?

c. As she was ordered to stay in the deep chamber, there would surely lots of internal officers who prevent her from going out. From the day till the night, it is only a death road with no other ways out. That is why how can she not be pale and worried in these three death ends.

2 From she looked at Vulture Peak from afar until before she raised her head means that the queen wished to seek help from the Buddha.

In her captivity she wishes to talk to him. It means that she was in imprisonment and was unable to go forth to see the Buddha. She could only face the Vulture Peak alone and make obeisance to the World Honoured One from afar.

She hopes that the Buddha who is kind and compassionate will know of her worries.

Stating from the past the Thus Come One and onwards carries two meanings.

1. It means before the king was put into jail, maybe she can go with the king to see the Buddha personally. Or the king can personally come to invite the Buddha and his disciples. But now the king and I are both kept in captivity. All the causes and conditions are severed. There is no way to see each other.

2. Clarifies that when the king was kept in prison the World Honoured One often sent Ananda to come and console her.

Why did the Buddha often send Ananda to console the queen?

The Buddha knew that the king was kept in captivity so he was afraid she would be worried and sad.

Because of such causes and conditions, he often sent Ananda to console her.

When she said the Buddha was lofty and awesome that she had no reason to see him is to show that the queen was humble and lower herself as a disciple of the Buddha.

Moreover, a woman with a defiled body is lacking in blessings and conditions to serve the Buddha who is lofty in virtues and awesome in conduct.

There is no reason to go near him. She only hopes the Buddha will send Maudgalyayana or other disciples to see her.

Question: Since the Thatagatha is the Teacher, so it should be proper to call for him.

Why did not the queen seek his help solely instead she asked for Maudgalyayana?

What is the reason for this?

Answer: The Buddha is Honoured and lofty in virtues. With a minor reason she does not dare to trouble the Buddha.

She only wishes to tell Ananda her problems so that he can tell the World Honoured One.

When the Buddha knows of her intention, he will pass the instructions to her through Ananda. This is why she asks to see Ananda.

Saying after she has spoken her wish. This is the end of the discussion on the general meaning.

Saying that she cries like the pouring rain means the queen knows of her heavy sins and she wishes to seek the Buddha to take pity on her.

Out of great respect and deep emotions she cried in deep distress. This is because she hopes to see the Buddha so much.

That is why she again makes obeisance from afar, putting her head on the floor for a long time, not raising it.

3. From at that time, the World Honoured One until the offerings of heavenly flowers shows that the World Honoured One comes personally without being asked.

This means that even though the World Honoured One is at Vulture Peak he understands the mind of the queen.

Saying he sent Maha Maudgalyayana and others to travel in space shows he responds to the request of the queen.

Saying he disappears from the Vulture Peak shows that the guarding of the internal chamber was very strict. If the Buddha were to come to the palace in person, Ajatasatru might know about this and create more issues.

That is why he disappeared from Vulture Peak and appeared in the palace.

Saying that Vaidehi raised her head after making obeisance shows that was the time the queen was paying respect.

Saying she saw the Buddha the World Honoured One shows that the World Honoured One was already in the palace. That is why when the queen raised her head, she saw him immediately.

Stating it is Sakyamuni Buddha is to differentiate him from other Buddhas. It is because the Buddhas can have the same name, their bodily marks are not different.

It is specially stated Sakyamuni Buddha so that there will be no doubts.

Saying that the body is purplish gold is to reveal the mark of the Buddha.

Saying he is sitting on the lotus of myriad gems is to differentiate his seat is different from other seats.

Saying Maudgalyayana was attending on his left and onwards shows that there are no others except the two monks.

Saying the Sakra, the Brahman and the protectors of the world shows that the heavenly kings and others saw the Buddha, the World Honoured One disappeared from the mountain and appeared in the palace know that he should be teaching a special and rare dharma.

Because of Vaidehi, the heavenly beings will be benefitted as they are able to listen to the dharma which is not taught before.

Every celestial being brings out this thought and they filled up the space pervasively. They used their heavenly ears to listen to the teaching. They rained down the flowers as offerings to the Buddha.

The word Sakra refers to the heavenly king.

The word Brahman refers to Brahman Kings in the Form Realm.

The words protectors of the world refer to the Four Heavenly Kings. Saying the various heavens refer to the multitude of heavenly beings in the Form and Desire realms.

They saw their heavenly kings go to see the Buddha, the multitude of heavenly beings also followed the kings to listen to the Dharma, to make offerings.

From Vaidehi saw the World Honoured One until to be the retinues of Devadatta shows that the queen raised her head and saw the Buddha, she pronounced such sad exclamation.

Her heart was tied in the knots of love and hatred.

Saying she tore down her adornments explains that the queen was still attached to the bodily adornments. Suddenly she saw the Thus Come she was ashamed of herself and severed the adornments.

Question: Why did she tear apart her adornments?

Answer: The queen is the most honoured one among other honoured people. She is the most respectable one. The adornments on her body are mostly offered by others.

Even the clothes on her body were helped by others to put on.

Now that she saw the Buddha, she was ashamed of herself of her deep emotional attachments. She pulled at her adornments without opening up the hooks and pulled them off by herself.

Saying she stood up and fell on the ground shows that the queen was tied in knots of extreme hatred and sufferings. That is why she stood up from her seat and fell on the ground.

This shows her extreme hatred, that she could not conduct herself properly in making obeisance to the Buddha.

Saying she cried loudly before the Buddha shows that the queen could no longer control her emotion and cried loudly in despair.

Saying that she talked to the Buddha and onward means that the queen was slightly awakened from weeping for some time.

Only then she conducted herself properly in accord with the deportments, placed her palms together and said to the Buddha,

‘In this life I have not committed any great sins. I do not know what are the past causes and conditions of evils that I have committed that I become his mother.’

This shows that the queen knew of her deep hindrances that she did not know of the past causes. Now she felt that she was in disaster as she was harmed by her son. She wished that the Buddha who was kind and compassionate would show her a road out.

Asking what are the causes and conditions the World Honoured is connected to Devadatta and on wards shows the queen was revealing her feelings to the Buddha, that she was a mundane woman who had not put the sins and afflictions into extinction, that she had to suffer such evil retribution. She had admitted this was what she should undergo.

But for so many kalpas the World Honoured One has been cultivating the path and has severed all habits and afflictions, and is endowed with the clarity of Savartha wisdom, and has perfectly accomplished the Buddhahood. She does not know what are the causes and conditions that the Buddha has retinue such like Devadatta.

This carries two meanings.

1 The queen blamed her son who suddenly became rebellious towards his parents.

2 She was angry with Devadatta who taught her son Ajatasatru with his evil plan. If it is not because of Devadatta her son will surely not harbour such thoughts. Because of such causes and conditions, she asked such a question.

Moreover, the queen asked why Devadatta become the retinues of the Buddha carries two meanings.

1. The retinue at home

2. The retinue of left home brothers.

Talking about the retinues of the Buddha’s family, he had four uncles. The Buddha was the son of Suddhodana, Ananda was the son of Sukkodana, Devadatta was the son of SuppaBuddha and Mahanama was the son of Amitodana.

These were the lay retinues of the Buddha’s family. The retinues of left home brothers were his closed retinues who became his disciples.

Above the four different sentences are the end of an expansive discussion on the disgust for the states of sufferings.

‘May the World Honoured One pervasively speak for me a dwelling which is free from sorrow and afflictions.

I would like to be born there.

I no longer want to stay in Jambudvipa, a world of evils and turbidities. 

This defiled and evil world is a dwelling of evils which is filled to the brim with hells, hungry ghosts and animals.

It is a place with the gathering of evil beings. 

May I not hear evil sound in future, not see wicked people. World Honoured One, now I am seeking repentance before you. I am making obeisance to the World Honoured One. May the Buddha with the strength of the Buddha teach me the contemplation of a dwelling of pure karma.’

At that time, the World Honoured One emitted golden lights from between his eyebrows.

It pervasively illumined the immeasurable worlds in the ten directions.

The lights reflected back to the Buddha’s summit.

They were transformed into a gold platform that resembled Mount Sumeru.

On the platform the pure and wonderful Lands of all the Buddhas in the ten directions appeared.

Some of these Lands were made of the seven jewels, some Lands were fully covered with lotuses.

Some Lands resembled the Self at ease heavenly palaces, while others are like a crystal mirror in which all the lands in the ten directions were reflected.

Innumerable adorned Buddha Lands such like these were displayed to Vaidehī clearly.

At that time Vaidehi said to the Buddha, ‘World Honoured One, even though all the Buddha Lands are pure and brightly illuminated.

Presently I desire to be born in the World of Ultimate Bliss, the dwelling of Amitabha Buddha.

May the World Honoured One teach me how to visualize, how to dwell in right contemplation.’

5 There are eight situations to reveal the inclination towards purity:

A. From ‘May the World Honoured One speak for me pervasively until the evil world of turbidity’ is the general request of the queen.

This is to point out specifically the realm of sufferings.

The queen herself personally encounters the sufferings and awakens to the impermanence of the world.

In the six paths, every living being undergoes the same sufferings as there is not a place of peace and ease.

When she has heard of the Buddha’s teaching on the pure land of no birth, she wishes to renounce her impure body to certify to the bliss of noumena.

B From this turbid dwelling until not to see the evil men shows that the queen’s disgust for the states that she dislikes.

This shows generally that Jambudvipa is an evil place.

There is not a single place which is worth clinging to.

But the illusive and afflicted deluded men continue to dwell in these sufferings.

Stating the turbid and evil dwelling shows the suffering realms, or the surroundings of the worldly realm.

They are the place of reliance for all living beings, the place where they stay.

Stating the hell and others until the three lower grades shows the most acute sufferings.

Saying it is filled to the brim means that the three suffering gatherings are not limited to Jambudvipa. Even in the Saha World it is full of evils pervasively.

Stating that there are many unwholesome gathering shows that there are different kinds of living beings equivalent to the Ganges sands in the six paths of the triple realm in accord with their state of mind.

In the Sutra it is thus stated,

‘Our karma adorns our consciousness. In every lifespan, wherever we may be, in the various paths we will reap the rewards and retribution in accordance with the conditions we have created.

We might not even recognize each other even when we meet face to face.

When she says may I in future and onwards shows that the queen truly penetrates the sufferings of the Saha Worlds.

She wishes to be born in the states of noumena, the state of Nirvana and to return to the permanent bliss forever.

But the state of noumena is not easily attained by us.

The sufferings and afflictions of the Saha World cannot be renounced suddenly.

It is necessary to bring forth the Vajra resolution to leave the origin of birth and death.

If not, it will be impossible. 

So, if we do not follow the kind Honoured One’s advice, how can we leave suffering forever? 

She says, ‘In future I hope not to hear the evil sound, not to see the evil people.’

This refers to the evil sounds of the king Ajatasatru and Devadatta in killing the father and destroying the Sangha.

She wishes that she will not see or hear such things again.

The king Ajatasatru is her own son yet he is able to kill his own parents, it will be too easy for him to harm others who are not related to him.

That is why the queen gives up and severs all the relations of being closely related or not related.

C From now she seeks repentance from the World Honoured One and onwards shows that the queen feels that the wonderful dwelling will not take in the unwholesome ones.

She is afraid she has other obstacles and will be unable to attain a rebirth.

That is why she again seeks repentance from the Buddha to take pity on her.

D From she says may the Buddha until the dwelling of pure karma shows that the queen seeks to practise in a general way.

This is to show that the queen has already sought to attain a rebirth generally, now she requests the method of practice to attain a rebirth.

Stating the sun of the Buddha is an analogy of the dharma with double meanings.

For example, when the sun comes out all the darkness is eradicated.

The wisdom of the Buddha’s lights shines with ever increasing brightness in the night of ignorance.

So, she requested the Buddha to teach her on how to contemplate the pure dwelling and onwards is to reveal her despise of defilement and her intention for purity.

If she can calm down her mind to dwell in one pointedness, she will be born in the pure dwelling.

E From at that time the World Honoured One emitted the lights between the eye brows until to let Vaidehi see onwards shows that the World Honoured One pervasively reveals the Pure lands as a respond to her general request.

This means that the World Honoured One on seeing the queen’s intention to seek for a pure Land, the Thus Come One reveals the lights between his eyebrows to illumine the worlds in the ten directions.

In his illuminations, the lands are gathered in and they appear above his summit which are then transformed into a golden platform.

It is like the Mount Sumeru. Like means resemble. It resembles the Mount Sumeru.

This mountain is narrow at the waist and expands widely above the waist.

All the Buddha Lands appear in this bright illumination. The lands are decorated with a varieties of adornment.

With the spiritual power of the Buddha, the lands are clearly revealed.

By relying on the Buddha’s power, Vaidehi can see them clearly.

Question: Vaidehi requested the Buddha to speak for her pervasively the dwelling of no worries.

Now, why did the Buddha do not speak about the place widely?

Instead, he revealed them on the golden platform.

What is the meaning behind this?

Answer: This is to reveal the secret meanings of the Thus Come One.

This is because of Vaidehi’s request that the Pure Land Door is opened up pervasively.

If he were to talk to her generally, there might be doubts in her mind as she did not see with her own eyes.

That is why every land is revealed before her and she is allowed to choose what she desires.

F From at that time Vaidehi said to the Buddha until there is the bright illumination onwards shows that the queen is able to feel the Buddha’s kindness and see the manifestation generally.

It shows that the queen is able to see generally the Buddha Lands in the ten directions which are most adorned.

Yet they are still incomparable to the adornment of the World of Ultimate Bliss.

That is why she said, ‘Now, I desire to be born in the World of Serenely Blissful.’

Question: All the Buddhas in the ten directions have severed their afflictions.

They have perfected their practice and attained the Bodhi fruit which should also be the same.

So, why are there the superior Pure Lands and the inferior Pure Lands?

Answer: The Buddha is the King of the Dharma. He is all at ease in his spiritual penetration.

A mundane man cannot really differentiate if it is superior or inferior.

The only aim for the Buddha is that he hopes to transform living beings in accord with their potential, to benefit them by revealing or hiding the adornment.

Or he may purposely hide certain of their superiority in order to let the Western Land stands out with its supremacy.

G. From I now desire to be born in the Amitabha Land and on wards shows that the queen has selected the Land that she desires.

This means that every Vow of the 48 Vows of Amitabha Buddha is repleting with the enhancing factor of the supreme causes. 

By relying on the causes, the supreme practices are brought forth.

By relying on the practices, the supreme fruition is its respond.

By relying on the fruition there is a respond of the supreme rewards.

By relying on the rewards, the World of Ultimate Bliss comes forth.

By relying on the World of Ultimate Bliss the compassionate transformations are revealed and penetrated.

By relying on the compassionate transformation, the door of wisdom is revealed.

But as there is no ending in the compassionate mind, there will be the inexhaustible wisdom.

With a mind which is replete with compassion and wisdom, the door of sweet dews is widely opened up.

With this dharma it is able to moisturize and gather in living beings pervasively.

In other sutras there are many areas of exhortation as all the sages single-mindedly point out this sutra, praise this sutra.

Because of such causes and conditions, the Thus Come One with his hidden power enables the queen to choose this Land specially.

H. From may the World Honoured One onwards, the queen requested the other practices.

It means as the queen has chosen the place of rebirth, she chooses other practices to enhance her concentration so that she will obtain the benefits of a rebirth.

When she says please teach me how to visualize, this is the fore expedience of concentration in visualizing and mindful of the proper rewards and the dependent rewards of the four kinds of adornments.

When she says please teach me how to have proper mindfulness, it means the former visualization gradually becomes more refine, awareness and thinking will become extinct.  

When the concentrated mind and the states combine this is known as proper mindfulness.

This is just a brief discussion. It will be discussed more expansively in the doors of contemplation below.

We should thus know. So even there are the eight varied sentences, it is the end of the discussion on the conditions of wishing for purity.

At that time the World Honoured One smiled, with five coloured lights emitting from his mouth. Every light illumined the summit of King Bimbisara.

At that time, even though the King was in confinement, his mind and eyes were unhindered.

He could see the World Honoured One from afar.

He made obeisance to the Buddha with the head and face touching the ground.

He naturally advanced to become Anagamin.

At that time the World Honoured One told Vaidehi,

‘Do you know or not, that Amitabha Buddha is not far from here?

You should contemplate clearly that Land which is accomplished by Pure Karma.

I will now speak for you pervasively all kinds of analogies. In this way all the mundane men in the future world who desire to cultivate the Pure Karma will attain a rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Those who desire to be born in that Land must cultivate the three blessings.

1. They are filial to their parents and take good care of them

They are respectful to their teachers and elders and attend to them gratefully.

They are kind-hearted and abstain from killing by cultivating the ten wholesome deeds.

2.They uphold the three refuges and are replete with the myriad precepts. They do not transgress the awesome deportment.

3. They bring forth the Bodhi Mind and have deep faith in cause and effect.

They read and recite the Great Vehicle Sutra besides exhorting other cultivators to advance on the path.

These three matters are known as the Pure Karma.’

The Buddha told Vaidehi, ‘Do you know or not, that the three karma are the right causes of the Pure Karma which are practised by the past, present and future Buddha in the three periods of time?’

6.In the mixed wholesomeness there are five conditions in the practice.

a From at that time the World Honouerd smiled until the accomplishment of Anagamin shows that the lights are benefitting the old king.

It shows here that the Thus Come One sees that the queen is willing to seek a rebirth in the World of Ultimate Bliss besides requesting the practice to attain a rebirth, this is in accord with the original intention of the Buddha.

It also shows that by relying on these two requests which are in accord with the vows and wishes of Amitabha Buddha and thus the Pure Land Door is opened up widely.

It is not Vaidehi alone who can attain a rebirth.

All the living beings with consciousness can attain a rebirth.

Because of such benefits the Thus Come One smiles.  

Saying that there are the five colours light emitting from the Buddha’s mouth shows that this is the constant awesome dharma of deportments of the mind and mouth for all the Buddhas.

The lights will surely be beneficial to all living beings.

Saying that every light shine on the summit of Bimbisara King shows that the light from the mouth does not shine on other places, except the head summit of the king.

The lights emitted by the Buddha will surely bring benefits to living beings.

When the Buddha emits lights from his feet, they will benefit the path of the hell.

When the lights are emitted from the knees, they will benefit the animals’ path.

When the lights are emitted from the hidden private parts, they are beneficial to the paths of ghosts and spirits.

When the lights are emitted from the navel, they are beneficial to the asuras’ path.

When the lights are emitted from the mind, they are beneficial to the human path.

When the lights are emitted from the mouth, they will benefit the two Vehicles practitioners.

If the lights are from between the eye brows, they will benefit the great vehicles practitioner.

Now it states that the lights are emitted from the mouth and shone directly on the summit of the king it means the bestowment of the small fruits.

When the lights are emitted from between the eyebrows and entered the Buddha’s summit, this is the bestowment on the prediction of a Bodhisattva.

Indeed, there are immeasurable and expansive meanings such like these and it is impossible to speak of them all.

Stating that at that time the great king was kept in prison and onwards shows that the lights shine on the King’s summit and his mind eyes are opened.

He naturally sees the Buddha even though there are so many obstructions.

This shows that he sees the Buddha because of the lights. It is not something that he is expecting.

With sincere respect he takes refuge in the Buddha by bowing down and immediately his practice is enhanced. He is certified to the third fruition of Anagami.

2 From at that time the World Honoured One onwards until he spoke the various analogies shows that he is answering the queen’s question specially on other practices which are put forward by her.

It shows that the Thus Come One disappeared from the Vulture Peak and appeared again in the palace.

Until this passage, the World Honoured One was sitting silently.

He had not spoken a word.

In between the queen sought repentance until she asked the questions, the Buddha emitted the lights to reveal the Lands and others are spoken by Ananda who followed the Buddha to the palace.

Because of the causes and conditions for seeing these happenings, he told the great assembly in the Vulture peak about this after he had returned to the mountain.

So, this passage appeared in the Sutra. We should thus know as it is not the Buddha speaking about this.

Saying that at that time the World Honoured One told Vaidehi onwards shows that the Buddha told her properly about Amitabha Buddha who was not far away from here.

This is to tell her the states of existence of the Pure Land so that her mind has a reliance.

There are three meanings:

1. Clarifying the Land is not far away. Amitabha Buddha Land is situated at a place after the passing by ten million kotis of Lands.

2. Clarifying that even though the Land seems far away, it can be reached with the arising of one thought.

3. Clariying that if Vaidehi and others, the future living beings who have affinities with the Buddha, who can be mindful of the Land and Buddha, they will often see the Land naturally when the states of concentration are reached.

This is the response they will obtain.

Because of such meanings, the Buddha says that the Land is not far away.

Saying that you should gather in your mind and onwards shows that that the mundane men with afflictions and deep obstacles are down with a confused and dispersed mind.

If they could not renounce the mind of chasing after the external states, the pure states cannot be revealed.

This is rightly teaching us to calm down our mind and to concentrate on our practice.

If we follow this method, it is known as the accomplishment of the Pure Karma.

Saying that presently I will speak for you and onwards show that the potential and conditions are not ripe, so he will not stress on the cultivation of the door on concentration.

That is why the Buddha studies the potential and he himself opens the practices of three blessings.

3. From he also enables the living beings of the future world until the Land of Ultimate Bliss shows that he is teaching in accord with the potential of living beings and exhorting them to cultivate so that they will be benefitted.

This means that the request of the queen has greatly and deeply benefitted the living beings.

And even those who transfer the merits and virtues will also attain a rebirth.

4. From those who desire to be born in that Land until it is the Pure Karma is the Buddha’s exhortation to cultivate the conduct of three blessings.

This is to clarify that the potential of all living beings can be categorized into two:

1. Concentration

2. Dispersed.

By relying on the practice of concentration it will have no way to gather in all the living beings.

That is why the Thus Come One brings forth the expedience to open up the three blessings, to gather in those who have dispersed potential.

He says if you desire to be born in that Land is to show the place of refuge.

Saying that you should cultivate the three blessings is to show generally the door of practice.

What are the three Blessings?

1. They are filial to their parents and take good care of them. There are four reasons

 A. saying to be filial to our parents, to take good care of them is to clarify that all mundane men are born relying on conditions.

What is meant by relying on conditions?

Some living beings are born from transformation, some are born from dampness, some are born from the eggs and some are born from the wombs.

In the four types of birth every form of birth again consists of the other four births.

This is widely explained in the Sutra of Thus Birth.

Because of the related causes for one to be born, one will have parents.

Since there are the parents, they are the greatest kindness to us.

If there is no father, the cause of a birth is absent.

If there is no mother, the conditions for a birth are disrupted. 

If without the parents there is no place for a birth to come forth.

We need the fulfilment of the conditions of parents only then we can be born.

Since we desire to be born, our karmic consciousness is the internal condition, the blood and sperms of our parents are the external conditions.

With the harmony of causes and conditions we will have this body.

Because of such a reasoning the kindness of our father and mother is the greatest.

Our mother carries us for ten months and she experiences the greatest sufferings and afflictions while she is walking, standing, sitting or lying down.

Moreover, she is worried about the disaster of death when she is giving birth.

After giving birth, she often sleeps with the urine and faeces for three years.

The clothing she puts on  is often soiled.

Now that when the children are grown up, they love their wife and sons and they are angry with their parents. They are unfilial to their parents and do not care to repay the kindness of their parents. Such people are not much different from the animals.

Moreover, our parents are the ultimate fields of blessing in the worldly realm.

The Buddha is the ultimate field of blessings in the realm of leaving the world.

At one time when the Buddha was dwelling in the world, it was the time of famine and many people died of hunger.

The white bones were seen all over the place and it was very difficult for the Bhikshu to beg for food.

At that time after seeing the bhikshus had left, the Buddha alone entered the town to beg for alms.

From the morning until noon time, he called out at every door to beg for food but nobody gave him.

The Buddha returned with an empty bowl. The next day he went out again and was back with nothing to eat. On the third day he went to beg for alms and still came back with an empty bowl.

Suddenly a bhikshu met the Buddha half way along the road.

He looked at the Buddha and found that he was weak and strengthless.

So, he asked, ‘World Honoured One, have you taken your food today?’

The Buddha said, ‘Bhikshu, I have not eaten even one spoon of food for three days. Now I am hungry and strengthless. This is what I am telling you.’

After listening to this, the bhikshu can no longer control his tears.

He was thus thinking, ‘The Buddha is the Unsurpassed fields of blessings who cares and protects all the living beings.

I will now sell my three sashes to buy a bowl of rice as offerings to the Buddha.

This is the right time to do so.

After thinking in this way, he bought a bowl of rice for the Buddha and he quickly presented it to him.

The Buddha knew about this yet he asked, ‘Bhikshu, it is the famine time and most people died of hunger. Where did you get this bowl of pure rice?’

The bhikshu told the Buddha what he had done.

The Buddha said, ‘Bhikshu, the three sashes are the signs of banners of all the Buddha in the three periods of time.

The causes and conditions to possess these sashes are signs of extreme honoured, invaluable and extreme gratitude.

Now that you have exchanged them for this bow of rice for me, I am most grateful of your kindness but I am unable to digest it.

The bhikshu asked the Buddha, ‘The Buddha is the fields of blessings in the triple realms.

You are the greatest sage among the sages.

And now you say you cannot digest this rice. Besides the Buddha, who else can really digest this food?’

The Buddha asked, ‘Bhikshu, are your parents still around?’

He answered, ‘Yes.’ The Buddha said, ‘You can offer it to your parents.’

The Bhikshu said, ‘Even the Buddha is unable to digest this food, how can my parents digest it.’

The Buddha answered, ‘They can digest the food. Why do I say so?

It is because your parents give birth to your body.

They are the greatest kindness towards you.

As such they are able to digest the food.’

The Buddha asked again, ‘Do your parents have faith in the Buddha?’

The bhikshu answered, ‘No, they do not have faith in the Buddha.’

The Buddha said, ‘Now they will have faith.

When they see that you are giving them the rice, they will be so happy.

As such they will bring forth the faith. First you teach them to take the three refuges.

Then they will be able to digest this food.’

At that time the bhikshu received the Buddha’s teaching and left with a mind of faith and piety.

Because of such a meaning, we should be filial and take good care of our parents.

Moreover, the Buddha’s mother, Queen Maya passed away seven days after giving birth to the Buddha.

She was then born in the Trayastrimsa Heaven. After the Buddha had attained Buddhahood until the 15th day of the fourth month, he went to the Trayastrimsa Heaven to speak the Dharma for his mother in the whole of the Vassa month.

This is to repay the kindness of his mother for carrying him ten months.

Even the Buddha subdues his own great kindness and shows filial piety to his parents.

How can we mundane be unfilial to our parents?

That is why we should know that the deep kindness of our parents is truly heavy, extremely difficult to repay.

Paying respect to the teachers and elders.

This is to show that our teacher and elder inculcate in us the etiquette and propriety.

With the knowledge and guidance, we are able to cultivate virtues accordingly as we will take good care of our conduct.

Even our accomplishment of Buddhahood all depends on the wholesome strength of our good teachers, our good knowing advisers.

We should be pay respect to such great kindness especially.

Filial piety towards our parents, respecting our teachers and elders are known as the conduct of respect for those who are higher than us.

To be replete with the kindness of not killing is to clarify all living beings love their life.

On encountering evil conditions, they will surely run away with terror, trying to hide themselves to escape death.

This is because all living beings want to protect their life.

In the Sutra it is thus stated, ‘All living beings love their life and they only wish to live on. So do not kill them, do not hit them with a stick. Let us take the analogy that they are just like us, hoping to live on. This is an evidence.

In the cultivation of ten wholesome karma shows that killing is the heaviest evil karma in the ten evils.

That is why it is placed in front.

In the ten goodness, longevity is the most important so it can be taken as a comparison.

We will further discuss the nine evils and nine goodness in the nine grades of lotuses expansively.

This is the worldly goodness, or it is also known as to be kind to those below us.

2nd Stating the upholding of the three refuges shows that the worldly goodness is very minor, the rewards are incomplete.

The virtues of precepts are most lofty and they are able to bring forth the fruits of Bodhi.

But the refuges and faith of living beings come from a gradual process, from the state of shallow practice until the deep faith in practice.

That is why they are taught to take three refuges before the learning of myriad precepts.

Saying that they are replete with the various precepts show the many types of precepts.

For example, the precept of taking three refuges, the five precepts, the eight precepts, the 220 precepts, 500 precepts, Sramanera precepts, the three Bodhisattva Samvara precepts, the ten unending precepts and so on.

That is why it is known as the repletion of the various precepts.

Moreover, in every type of precepts, some can uphold only a minor fraction, others can uphold more fractions while there are those who fully uphold the precepts. 

Saying not transgressing the awesome deportments means that we take care of the bodily karma, mouth karma and mind karma while we are walking, standing, sitting or lying down because they are the expedience revealing of the awesome deportment of the precepts.

If we are able to uphold the light precepts, the heavy ones, the coarse and the fine ones, and we will repent immediately on any transgression, this is known as not transgressing the awesome deportments.

This is known as the wholesome precepts.

3rd The bringing forth of bodhi mind.

This is to clarify that the bringing forth of the great vehicle mind by living beings.

It is not because of minor causes that they bring forth the magnificent mind pervasively.

Without the expansive mind how can they encounter and bring forth the Bodhi Mind?

May my body be like the empty space, may my mind be expanded to the size of the Dharma Realm.

In the unending nature of living beings, I use my body to create the karma of making obeisance and to make offerings respectfully.

I welcome them, I send them off and by doing so all will be crossed over to still extinction ultimately.

I use my mouth to create the karma of praising, or the speaking of dharma, so that all will be transformed by me.

On listening to my speech, they are certified to the path and all will arrive at still extinction ultimately.

Moreover, with my mind karma I enter concentration to contemplate.

I manifest in various forms in the dharma realm to cross over living beings in accord with their potential.

 None will be left behind.

I bring forth this vow, and my vow will grow and be enhanced just like the empty space.

They pervasively extend to the dharma realm.

The flow of practice is unending until the end of the future time.

My body will not be tired and my mind will be vigorous always without being disgust.

Moreover, it is said that Bodhi is the name of the Buddha Fruits.

It is said that the mind is the seeking mind of living beings.

So, this is known as bringing forth the Bodhi Mind.

4th Saying about the deep faith in causes and effect carries two meanings.

Firstly, we will talk about the cause and effect of sufferings and bliss in the worldly realm.

With the planting of suffering causes, we will reap the fruits of sufferings.

With the planting of the causes of bliss we will reap the blissful fruits.

It is the same when we use a mould to mould the sand, when the mould is broken down the word is formed.

We should have no doubt in this.

Saying about the recitation of the Great Vehicle clarifies the Sutra teaching resembles the mirror.

With a continual recitation and pondering over the teaching, our wisdom will be opened up.

If the eyes of wisdom is opened, we will surely despise suffering and go for the bliss of Nirvana and such like.

Talking about the exhortation on all practitioners, it means the dharma of sufferings resembles the poisons, the evil dharma resembles the knife.

Transmigrating in the three existences they are harmful to living beings.

Now the goodness resembles the clear mirror, the dharma resembles the sweet dew.

The mirror illumines the Proper Path for us to tread on, to return to the genuineness of innate nature.

The sweet dews resemble the pouring of dharma rain which is inexhaustible.

In this way all the sentient beings will equally be moisturized and entered the flows of dharma.

Because of such causes and conditions, it is necessary to exhort them.

Saying these three matters onwards is a general conclusion on the above practice

5th From the Buddha told Vaidehi onwards till the proper causes clarifies that sages are shown as examples to exhort the mundane men.

If a man is able to be decisive to subdue his mind, he will have no doubt on his attainment of a rebirth.

Even though there are the five different sentences, it is the end of the discussion on the mixed wholesomeness to show the conditions of practice.

The Buddha told Ananda and Vaidehi,

‘Listen attentively, listen attentively and think about my words.

Now the Thus Come One will speak about the pure karma for the sake of all the future living beings who are harmed by the thieves of afflictions.

Good indeed it is for Vaidehi to ask this question.

Ananda, you should uphold my teaching and proclaim the Buddha’s words to the myriad living beings pervasively.

Now the Thus Come One is teaching Vaidehi and all the future living beings to contemplate the Western World of Ultimate Bliss.

Because of the reliance on the Buddha’s strength, one is able to see that Pure Land just as though one is holding a clear mirror looking at one’s face.

On seeing the happiness in the Land of Ultimate Bliss a man will instantly attain the Dharma Patience of No-birth because of a joyful mind.’

The Buddha told Vaidehi, ‘You are a mundane woman and your mind is weak and uncertain.

You do not possess the heavenly eyes so you cannot see far.

All the Buddha Thus Come One possess the special expedience that enable you to see the Land from afar.’

At that time Vaidehi asked the Buddha, ‘World Honoured One, now I am able to see that Land relying on the Buddha’s strength.

After the Buddha reveals the still extinction, the evil and defiled living beings are oppressed by the five sufferings.

How are they going to see Amitabha Buddha’s World of Ultimate Bliss?’

7.  From the concentration wholesomeness there are seven conditions in contemplation.

a. From the Buddha told Ananda until the pure karma shows that the Buddha asked them to listen carefully and allowed them to talk.

Here is to clarify that Vaidehi seeks to make vows to be born in the World of Ultimate Bliss.

Moreover, she also asks about the practice to attain a rebirth.

The Thus Come One also promised to teach her.

From this passage it shows that the Buddha is going to reveal the expedience that leads to the proper contemplation.

This is a very important cause and condition as it brings deep benefits.

It is a dharma which is very difficult to encounter throughout the long kalpas.

And only now the Buddha is going to talk about it.

Because of such a reason the Thus Come One calls out to the two of them.

He told Ananda, ‘I am now going to open the door of pure land. You must uphold it and spread it so that it will not be lost.’

The Buddha told Vaidehi, ‘You are the one who request this Dharma. I am now going to talk about it. You must listen attentively, think about it, accept it rightly so that there will be no mistakes or loss.’

Saying that it is for the sake of all future living beings because the Buddha enters the world as he especially wishes to benefit all sunken living beings in the seas of birth and death.

Now as he is spreading the cloud of kindness equally, he only hopes to moisturize all living beings pervasively.

Saying they are harmed by the thieves of afflictions clarifies that the mundane men are heavy in hindrances, their false thoughts and loving desire are deep and deluded.

They do not realize that the three evil fire pits are already at their feet.

When they wish to practise in accord with conditions, hoping to advance on the path to earn the dharma wealth, the six thieves know about this and they come forth to attack so that they will lose this dharma wealth.

So how can they be free from worries and sufferings?

Stating the pure karma shows that the Thus Come One sees the sins of living beings.

He speaks for them the method of repentance so that they will sever and eradicate the evils continually.

Ultimately, they will attain purity forever.

Moreover, purity also means the reliance on the door of contemplation, to recite the Buddha’s Name exclusively, to concentrate on thinking the western lands.

By doing so in every mindfulness sins will be eradicated and purity will be attained.

b. From good indeed onwards shows the queen’s enquiry about the dharma from the Sagely One.

c. From Ananda, you should uphold it until the proclamation of the Buddha’s words shows clearly the exhortation to uphold the practice.

This dharma is very profound and important so it should be spread widely.

This means that before this the Thus Come One speaks generally so that the audience will listen calmly.

Later the Buddha specially appoints Ananda to uphold the dharma and not to forget it.

The practice should be spread to the multitude.

Saying the Buddha’s words, shows that the Thus Come One has eradicated false speech for many past aeons.

As such those who hear his speech will naturally give rise to faith.

d. From the Thus Come One will now until the attainment of the Dharma Patience of No Birth shows the benefits thus obtained in exhorting others to cultivate.

This means that the Thus Come One desires to teach the queen and future living beings by revealing the expedience in contemplation, the concentration in thinking about the western land.

By doing so one will despise the Saha World and desire to go to the World of Ultimate Bliss.

Saying with the reliance on the Buddha’s strength and onwards shows that the karmic hindrance of living beings is most frightening.

They are like the men who are born blind.

They say it is too far as they cannot even see their own palms.

For them the other lands in other directions, they say it is thousands of miles away as an analogy but in actuality it is only separated by the bamboo bark.

What is more for the mundane men to understand the states of the Buddha?

Without the enhanced power of the Buddha, there is no way for them to see the Land.

From just like holding a bright mirror one will see the face onwards shows that the queen and living beings enter the contemplation and dwell in this state of mind.

Their mind is unmoving.

When the mind and states are in the same frequency everything will be revealed.

When the states come forth it is as though one is seeing the things in a mirror.

Saying that the mind rejoices and so it attains the patience.

It is also known as the Patience of Joy, the Patience of enlightenment, the Patience of faith.

This is still talking only as such a man has not certified to it.

This is spoken for the sake of the queen and others to give rise to a rare mind so as to obtain this benefit.

They will be courageous and cultivate wholeheartedly as they wish to see the Land.

Only then will they be enlightened to the patience.

Here it is mostly the patience of the ten faith.

It is not the patience of understanding and practice.

e. From the Buddha told Vaidehi until so that you will see shows that the queen is a mundane man, not a sage.

As she is not a sage, she needs the bestowment of the Buddha so as to see the Land as it is far away.

The Thus Come One is afraid that living beings will have doubts, saying that the queen is a sage not a mundane man.

Because of this doubt they will be afraid that they have no power to attain it.

They will say Vaidehi is now a bodhisattva who reveals in the mundane form.

We the offenders are incomparable to her.

In order to sever this doubt, the Buddha said, ‘You are a mundane man.’

Saying that the mind is weak and lowly because a mundane man does not possess the great resolution.

Saying that she has not attained the heavenly eyes is to show that the queen sees with the flesh eyes and there is no need to discuss her ability to see far or near.

Now the Pure Land is so far away, how can she see it?

Saying that the Buddha Thus Come One has the special expedience to reveal the Pure Land and on wards shows that the mundane man does not possess the ability to see it.

All the ability to see is because of the power of the Buddha.

f.  From Vaidehi said to the Buddha until seeing that Land shows that the queen is showing gratitude to the Buddha again as she desires to ask further question.

Here it means that the queen understands the meanings of the Buddha.

For example, she feels she has the ability to see the Lands on the bright platform.

After the explanation of the World Honoured One only then she realizes this is the kindness of the Buddha.

So, in this way, when the Buddha is in the world, the living beings with the bestowment of the Buddha are able to see the Western Land.

When the Buddha enters Nirvana, there is no one to confer this power on the living beings.

How then can they see the Pure Land?

g. From if after the still extinction of the Buddha until the World of Ultimate Bliss shows that the queen is endowed with a compassionate mind.

She wishes all living beings will attain a rebirth just like her.

In this way they will leave the Saha forever and dwell permanently in the calm and bliss of the pure land.

This shows that the Thus Come One desires to cross over all living beings in the future without respite.

But as the world keeps on changing, the living beings are lacking in blessings.

That is why the Thus Come One by himself cut down the lifespan which is able to abide forever in the world and leads a life of a human being.

In this way he is able to subdue those who are arrogant by revealing impermanence, transform the stubborn and unteachable beings so that all will attain still extinction.

That is why it is said here after the Nirvana of the Buddha.

Saying all the living beings shows that the Thus Come One sees that the living beings have no place of refuge if he stops transforming them.

All the myriad kinds of living beings will transmigrate pitifully, unceasingly on the six paths.

Saying that they are evil, turbid and unwholesome is to show the five turbidities namely:

1. The turbidity of kalpa

2. The turbidity of living beings,

3. The turbidity of views,

4. The turbidity of afflictions,

5. The turbidity of a lifespan.

Let us discuss the turbidity of kalpa. In actuality, the kalpa is not turbid. It is only at the decreasing kalpa that the evils will be increased.

Talking about the turbidity of living beings, all living beings are pure and wholesome at the beginning of the kalpa. But at the end of the kalpa the ten evils of living beings will be getting worst.

Talking about the turbidity of views, it means we see all our evils as good while even others are without any wrong, we see them as being bad.

Saying about the turbidity of afflictions, it means that in this kalpa ending age, the evil nature of living beings is very difficult to change.

On facing the six states, the six roots will give rise to greed and anger quickly.

Saying about the turbidity of a lifespan, from the two turbidity of views and afflictions, most living beings commit the karma of killing and harming without a care for kindness, gratitude or nurturing.

Since they have committed the severing others’ lifespan and yet they wish to have a long life.

How can this be obtained?

Turbidity means that the body is unwholesome. Here is the end of a brief discussion on the meanings of five turbidities.

Saying being oppressed by the five sufferings means that in addition to the five sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, death and the departure of our loved ones, there are the three sufferings.

The three sufferings are the burning sufferings of the five skandhas, the sufferings of seeking and not getting and the sufferings of meeting the hateful enemies.

Altogether there are the eight sufferings.

These five turbidities, the eight sufferings are equally experienced by all in the six paths.

None of them can escape. All living beings are often pressurized by them.

If they do not experience these sufferings, they are no more mundane man.

Saying how to see it and onwards shows that the queen gives the examples of beings who are heavy in karmic offences and who do not have the opportunity to see the Buddha.

She said without the power of the Buddha how are they going to see that Land.

There are the seven different situations and it is the end of the expansive discussion on the wholesomeness of concentration to reveal the conditions of contemplation.

The first is the preface for the certification to faith. Next is the preface before the proper teaching. It is followed by the preface of bringing forth the mind.

Even though the three prefaces are different, it is the end of the discussion on preface.

–The end of chapter 2 on the Four Primal teachings—the meaning of the preface

Planting a Bodhi Tree, Planting a Poisonous Tree

When we wish to beautiful our environment, we plant trees. It is very simple if we want to plant a small tree. We just dig out the tree trunk with the roots and leaves and plant it.

But if we wish to plant a big tree, it is not so simple.

Even I feel bad on seeing the process as I have to cut away all the branches and leaves. What is left is the main trunk with some branches. Then it is planted in the soil.

Why must we plant it this way?

The leaves and branches are so beautiful. Isn’t it nice to plant them all in? But if we plant them all in, it will not survive.

We need to cut away the branches and leaves and it will survive.

When it is alive, it will start to grow. When the spring comes it will grow into a tree with abundant branches and leaves.

The branches and leaves represents the mixed practices, the mixed wholesomeness.

The main trunk represents the six characters, Namo Amitabha, the great Bodhi Tree.

If we want to plant Amitabha in our mind and we also plant in the branches and leaves, the earth in our mind ground is unable to provide enough nutrients.

This tree will die.

This Bodhi tree of the six characters consists of the adornment of myriad virtues. It is replete with myriad practices. All the wholesome dharma is inside this great tree of the six characters. All the wholesomeness of samadhi, the mixed wholesomeness, all the dharma doors, all the cultivation, all the merits and virtues of sutras and mantras are kept in the six characters.

But it does not mean that we have to cultivate them one by one, reciting the sutras or mantras.

It is unnecessary to do this.

If we want the tree to grow in our mind, all the mixed practices, mixed wholesomeness must be cut away, just like cutting away the branches and leaves.

What remains are the Five Proper conduct taught by Great Master Shandao.

The main trunk is Namo Amitabha Buddha. Reciting the Buddha’s Name is known as the Karma of Right Concentration.

Making obeisance, praising the Buddha, making offerings, are cultivated besides the main trunk which refers to the recitation of the Buddha’s Name.

They resemble the tree barks that cover up the tree.

Reciting the Buddha’s Name is the Proper cultivation.

Before we can cultivate the proper cultivation, that is Nianfo, reciting the Buddha’s Name, we will naturally take refuge in Him sincerely, bowing to the Buddha.

After reciting the Buddha’s name, we will be grateful to the Buddha.

With a heart of gratitude, we will surely praise and make offerings to the Buddha.

Making obeisance and praising the Buddha are the side actions which we conduct ourselves besides the recitation of the Buddha’s Name. 

Even though there are the four side-karmas, each of them has different effects and functions. But they are all closely connected to the recitation of the Name.

We have spoken of reciting the Sutras and contemplation which refer to the two branches.

Firstly, we read and recite the Contemplation Sutra. Contemplation is to contemplate the World of Ultimate Bliss.

With these two branches, we can recite the Buddha’s Name to attain a rebirth in the World of Ultimate Bliss.

After we have decided to recite the Buddha’s Name, the tree is alive.  

The recitation of the contemplation can be extended to the recitation of the three Pure Land Sutras.

Later we can recite all the sutras, all the dharmas as the trees will grow fully with all the branches.

The cultivation of contemplation will bring forth the growth of all the supreme merits and virtues, all the merits and virtues of samadhi wholesomeness and mixed wholesomeness.

For the Buddha reciters, the tree of the six characters is alive in our mind.

Naturally we will cultivate wholesome deeds, to accrue virtues.

Moreover, all these good deeds are grown from the six characters, Namo Amitabha. So the goodness is the absolute life of Amitabha Buddha, the lively life of Amitabha.

It is a life of genuine pure good deeds as it is grown from the merits and virtues of Amitabha Recitation.

If the tree of the six characters is not alive in our mind, then there is the growth of a poisonous tree of mixed practices, mixed cultivation in our mind.

Even the leaves are poisonous.

Maybe someone may bring a piece of fake leave, the leave of self-attachment, the leave of self-views with the glue of self-strength and arrogance.

He says, ‘See, I am cultivating good deeds. I am a good man.’

All these are lifeless. A fake tree may look so beautiful, so attractive, but it is lifeless.

The fake flowers millions in number seem to be attractive, but the bees will not be cheated.

The bees will not go for them, the butterflies will not go for them either.

It is because they are not genuine, not fragrant, and are without the nectar.

The butterflies and bees represent the Buddha, the Bodhisattvas.

If you are without a genuinely sincere mind, not a mind of genuine wholesomeness, the Buddha and Bodhisattva will not come forth to protect you, to be mindful of you.

An Amitabha reciter is being protected by Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva and all the great bodhisattvas.

They resemble the butterflies, the bees circling the Buddha reciters.

They say, ‘You are the pundarika flower among all other men. We are here to collect the nectar.’

It is most adorned when we are surrounded by all these bodhisattvas.

Great Master Shandao is truly a wise monk. He plants the Buddha’s Name of six characters in our mind and says, ‘It is good enough if you cultivate the five Proper practices.’

Reciting the Buddha’s Name is the karma of right concentration. The four side-karma of branches are planted together and the tree is alive.

If we are to plant all the dharma practices, which means we cultivate all kinds of mixed practices besides reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha, it will be too difficult for us to understand.

It is too difficult for us to carry out.

Finally, the tree will die as we cannot even recite the Buddha’s name solely.

Nothing will be achieved.

Great Master Shandao is not only a good propagator of the Buddha Dharma, he is also a good planter.

He knows the root potential of living beings.

Firstly, he knows the living beings with deep faith potential. He immediately digs up a big pit in their heart by saying, ‘You are the sinful mundane offender.’

Then he knows our deep faith in the dharma. He takes the tree and plants it in our mind after cutting away all the branches and leaves. 

He says the six characters encompasses everything. Plant it first before saying anything.

After that the branches and leaves start to grow from inside.

If he were to carry the whole tree without cutting away the branches and leaves, this tree will not grow up. It will die.

This is because the strength of our mind is too weak and it is unable to support such a fully grown tree.

After talking about this, can we not be especially thankful to the Great Master Shandao?

How can we not admire him?

How can we not make obeisance to him?

How can he not be the transformation body of Amitabha Buddha?

摘自净宗法师{观经四重判-4}

An extract of Venerable Master Shi Jing Zong on the explanation of the Four Criteria of the Contemplation Sutra..4

Feng Gan Zen Master Travelled on a Tiger

During the Tang Dynasty, Zen Master Feng Gan 豐干禪師 was staying in Guo-qing Monastery.

He would often sit on a tiger while travelling to and fro from the temple.

At times he would travel to other places, still sitting on the back of the tiger.

One day while he was travelling around, he met with an officer Lv Qiu Yin 閭丘胤 who was on his way to be the Chief Officer at the State of Tai.

Officer Lv was down with a severe headache and he could not find a cure for this illness. Feng Gan went to see him without being invited.

He asked, ‘I heard that you have a headache. I am here to help you.’

He recited some mantra while holding a cup of water and sprayed it on Mr. Lv’s head.

Miraculously he was cured.

Zen Master Feng Gan was replete with spiritual power.

The High Officer of Tai was very thankful and asked,

‘Where are you from?’

He answered, ‘I am from the Guoqing Monastery國清寺.’

It was situated in the State of Tai.

The High Officer asked,

‘Beside you how many more high monks are there in your Monastery who are replete with such lofty cultivation?’

Fen Gan Zen Master answered,

‘I am not considered the High Sangha. In the Guoqing Monastery, there are the transformation bodies of Manjushri Bodhisattva, by the name Han Shan and the transformation body of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva Shi De.’

On listening to this, Officer Lv took an effort to note down their names.

After he had reported to his position at the State of Tai, and on the third day he prepared lots of presents, getting ready to go and pay respect to Han Shan and Shi De.

What were the position of Han Shan and Shi De in the Monastery?

They were in-charged of making fire and cooking rice in the Monastery.

In the eyes of the monks, these two monks were simply crazy and out of their mind. Most people looked down on them.

When the High Officer Lv arrived, he went straight to see the guest monk who was in-charged of receiving the guests, telling him his intention to see Han Shan the Great Master and also Shi De the Great Master.

The guest monk answered, ‘Fine, Mr. Lv. I will call them out to see you.’

The High Officer answered, ‘But I wish to pay respect to them personally.’

The guest monk felt very strange.

He said, ‘Oh, really? You mean you wish to pay respect to them personally, right? Most people here have no respect for them.’

But the High Officer insisted he needed to pay respect to them.

When he arrived at the kitchen, he immediately knelt down and made obeisance to them.

Han Shan and Shi De looked at him and they quickly ran away.

They ran towards the mountain with the High Officer chasing behind them.

They ran towards the mountain.

Even the rock of the mountain could not stop them from entering.

The mountain opened up to receive them.

When the mountain was about to close, Han Shan turned around and looked at the High Officer. He said,

‘Fen Gan is a talkative monk.’

He continued to say, ‘Why don’t you bow to Amitabha Buddha? Why are you bowing to us?’

After saying this, the mountain closed up. They were no longer to be seen.

On hearing to this, everyone now knew that Fen Gan Zen Master was Amitabha Buddha!

Quickly, everyone turned back and wished to bow to Feng Gan Zen Master.

But instead they received the news that Feng Gan Zen Master had perfected Stillness.

So. if the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas do not reveal their genuine identity, who else will know Feng Gan Master is the transformation of Amitabha Buddha, Han Shan is the transformation of Manjushri Bodhisattva while Shi De, the transformation of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva?

Han Shan had written many poems on the trees, on the rock. Mr. Lv Qiu Yin collected these poems and compiled them into booklets. These poems are still in circulation to this day.

A story told by the Abbot of Dong Lin Monastery, Venerable Master Shi Da An

How to become the Hands, the Legs, the Mouth of Amitabha Buddha?

It is not difficult to give some money to others to create good affinities and with the giving, there is the blessings.

But comparatively, it is not easy for us to contemplate the giver, receiver and the things as emptiness

As such our giving is considered very far away from the meaning taught by the Buddha.

We can only do the giving in accord with our potential and our ability.

The Grand Master Hui Jing said, ‘I would like to tell you the giving which I had conducted once. By doing so I hope that all of you will have a better understanding on how to give wisely.

Originally, whatever good deeds we have done, we should not tell others. If we say it out, this goodness is no longer a hidden goodness. It becomes the known goodness.

But I say it out so that all of you will know how to do better in giving and helping others.’

I feel that Grand Master’s story will bring some food of thoughts for us. In fact, with this goodness bringing to light, it enables people to learn giving. By doing so, the merits and virtues will not be less. Instead, it will be much bigger.

In fact, he said it out without any intention to show off his kindness. Grand Master is very lofty and high in virtues.

Grand Master Huijing said,

‘In the beginning of the year 1985- Ming Guo74 year, I went to Thailand for one month.

I went to northern Thailand.

It was the end of the war fighting against the communists. The refugees who comprised of the Chinese soldiers and the citizens ran away from Yunan and arrived at Northern Thailand.

They had come to a situation where there was nowhere for them to go. So, they decided to stay put and their future generation started to flourish in this northern district.

When there is warfare, such occurrence is unavoidable.

I went to take a look and I felt as though I was back to my hometown. This is because the dialect they speak is just the same like mine.

When I entered their house there was a section that looks like the Buddha hall. But there was no Buddha sitting there. Instead, they prayed to an altar with the words:

Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parents and Teachers, according to the Chinese Custom.

They offered joss sticks every day.

In front of the door there were two rows of attractive red characters. I felt as if I was at my hometown as the people and the things around me were so familiar. But they were very poorly maintained, only enough to escape the heat and rain. If it rained, they would use up all their pails to collect the drips.

I was thinking if possible, I would like to build every family a house.’

The Venerable has brought forth the mind to benefit people.

He continued, ‘Ten years ago, I saw a project which was organized by the country to relieve the refugees by building houses in northern Thailand.

Every house is about 33 square metres which are made from bricks and tiles. Every unit consists of a guest hall, bedrooms, toilets and kitchen.

Even though it is a small unit everything is complete. For the people there it is too good to own such a house. Every unit is not expensive as it amounts to Taiwan dollars five million besides it provides a safe place from rain and shine.

At that time, I had 65 million with me. The money was given by the lay disciples who wished to help me to have a place to cultivate, to practice the path. This was because at that time I did not have a permanent dwelling to stay. So, the lay disciples saw my problem and they gave the money which amounted to 65 million.

At that time, I was at southern Taiwan. I was thinking this amount was enough for me to buy a small flat.

If I want to buy a small vihara it would come to more than one hundred million.

If I were to give away the money to northern Thailand, then I would be able to provide 13 units of houses for 13 families.’

After thinking this way, Venerable Hui Jing decided to give away the money. This is to give without much waste. It is truly great. We can see the Venerable’s mind is very soft and kind. He does not think of himself. He was only thinking on how to benefit others. He does not harbour the thoughts of self and others. He felt great as this amount was able to benefit 13 families. Besides the name of the donor will be nailed on the side of the front door, as a remembrance of the donor’s kindness. I feel this is something very valuable.

 Venerable asked, ‘Dear disciples, am I supposed to write my name Shi Hui Jing on the door?’

No. It was because I was thus thinking, ‘The donor is Namo Amituofo. By doing so they will stay together with Amituofo. Let the light of Amitabha Buddha shine on their family, shine on their door, that their future generation will become Amitabha reciters. Because of this Name, may they be free from calamities and disaster. May their blessings and virtues be enhanced.’

So, the Grand Master sent in the cheque.

He is truly a wise teacher. Of course, he also sent in his address and telephone, but the name of the donor is Namo Amituofo.

As such the receivers only know this money is from Amituofo.

Grand Master continued, ‘After one to two years, the organization sent me a report. In the report there were particulars of those who were staying in the units donated by me, together with a photo album. They also sent in photos of the old bamboo grass houses and the newly built brick houses as comparison. The organization has done a good job. And there were photos of all the family members who were standing in front of their new house. They were standing beside the name of the donor, Namo Amituofo which was bright and clear together with name of the owner of the house.’

The grand master’s donation is truly a great example for us to emulate as we can thoroughly see his virtues and kindness. Not only that he gave them the house, he also gave them the six characters, Namo Amituofo. By doing so, their mind will dwell in the Name of Amitabha Buddha. The name of the Buddha creates good affinity with them and they are enveloped in the Buddha’s lights. In this way they will be free from disaster and have planted the precious affinity with the Buddha. The Grand Master’s mind is very soft, kind and compassionate. It is truly good.

Grand Master said, ‘After seeing the particulars, I felt a little regretful. Of course, it is not because my name is not on the list. I was regretful as I saw the name Lifa New Village. This village was built with the fund of Lifa （立法）Organization. So, the village is called Lifa  Nes Village (立法新村).

There is a primary school in this village. The school is donated by an old retired soldier who donated fifty million for the school. The soldier was single without a family. Why am I so regretful? It was because at that time I did not like to get involved in the money matter. I felt it was disgusting to be connected with money. I seldom talked about money matter with the lay disciples or relatives. I did not even beg money from them. Later I was thinking if they would use the name I suggested to name the village, or the name of the school, I am sure I will be willing to beg money from people!

Maybe I will say, ‘Do you want to donate for this village, or the school? Any amount will do. It is for the building of a village and school in northern Thailand. If you donate, your name will be written there. You will be endowed with blessings and virtues. The village can be named as Amitabha New Village, the school will be Amitabha Primary School. I will surely go forth to beg for money. Then in the northern Thailand there will be the Amitabha New Village, Amitabha Primary School.’

This is why the Grand Master is regretful. This will be a great donation, a great giving.

He said, ‘Next time if there is such a chance, we can take this as an example and we will be able to carry out more fruitful project.’

This is because we will become the hands of Amitabhe, the legs of Amitabha. This can also be the mouth of Amitabha.

In this life, we come without bringing anything and we will leave empty handed. I hope that when we attain a rebirth, we do not leave even one cent in the pocket. This is called corruption. We are already dead. Why are we leaving that one cent? Are we trying to bring it to see King Yama? Or are we thinking we have to leave some money for funeral?

During the Song Dynasty there was a scholar by the name Fan Zhong Yan （笵仲淹）He was a man of loving kindness.

He made a vow that he would benefit the people wherever he went.

There are many lofty worthies of the ancient who are our models.

This is the same for our Grand Master so that we can emulate after him.

Because of Fan Zhong Yan’s kindness his offspring of 800 years comprised of many great and talented officers, scholars and warriors. His future generations were well off and highly educated who became the great officers for the country. All the talented ones, the virtuous men were born into his family.

As he was the prime minister, a geomancer told him of a piece of land with flourishing factors. If Mr. Fan were to build a house, his offspring will be flourishing too.

Fan Zhong Yan bought the land but he did not build his own house. Instead, he built a school for the people.

He was thinking thus, ‘If I were to build a house for myself, only my offspring will be well off. If I were to build a school, many people will be benefitted. Many families will live in peace, bliss and auspiciousness. Moreover, it will help to produce talented people for the society, for the country at large.’

Look at the broad mind of a prime minister. As he had taken care of other people, his future generations were taken care too for more than 800 years. There are many famous scholars, officers and warriors from the Fan family. This is called giving, to share whatever that is good with other people.

A Dharma talk By Venerable Master Shi Jing Zong, the Abbot of Hong Yuan Monastery, Anhui, China. Title: Grand Master Shi Huijing’s Giving and Sharing