Introduction

Chapter 1

 

Sutra:

Further were seen all the present Buddhas in those lands.

Commentary:

The second of the Six Portents is that of seeing the Buddhas.

Within the white hair-mark light emitted by Shakyamuni Buddha appeared the Buddhalands, and within the Buddhalands there were Buddhas teaching and transforming living beings. This passage of text is the portent of seeing the Buddhas. The white hair-mark light represents the Middle Way.

Why did the Buddha emit light? And why did he choose to emit light from the white hair-mark?

The Buddha emitted light in order to illumine those whose potentials had ripened; the living beings who should be taught, the living beings who should be taken across. Those ready to be taught are called “those with potential.” They have the opportunity to be taught. The teaching is dispensed in response to the potentials of living beings. Depending upon an individual’s potential, a certain teaching is given. Thus, the emitting of light represents the dispensing of the teaching in response to potentials.

There’s another way to explain the white hair-mark. It represents the severing of delusions and casting out of doubts. The light which was emitted got rid of all the doubts of living beings. It broke through their deluded thoughts. That is why the light was emitted.

As to the white hair-mark: Amitabha Buddha also has a white hair-mark, and so do other Buddhas. The verse in praise of Amitabha Buddha says:

Amitabha’s body is the color of gold;
The splendor of his hallmarks has no peer.
His white hair-mark light winds ‘round five Mount Sumerus;
Wide as the seas are his azure eyes pure and clear.
Shining in his brilliance by transformation,
Are countless Bodhisattvas and infinite Buddhas.
His forty-eight vows will be our liberation;
In nine lotus stages we reach the further shore.

The brilliance of Amitabha Buddha’s thirty-two marks and eighty minor characteristics is incomparable. The hair-mark, located between his eyebrows, winds around and around like a dragon, not in a straight course but winding and coiling. How big is it? As big as five Mount Sumerus. His azure eyes are deep and clear, and as large as the four great seas. Would you say those are big eyes? Within his light are many, many Buddhas. And the Bodhisattvas are also beyond all count. He has made forty-eight vows to save living beings; every vow contains the wish that living beings might realize Buddhahood.

There are nine grades of lotuses:

Superior-superior;
superior-middle;
superior-inferior;
middle-superior;
middle-middle;
middle-inferior;
inferior-superior;
inferior-middle
inferior-inferior.

All living beings are led to the other shore--to Nirvana--to realize Buddhahood.

Shakyamuni Buddha’s white hair-mark is also as big as five Mount Sumerus. According to The Sutra of the Samadhi of Contemplating the Sea of Buddha, when the Buddha came into the world, his white hair-mark measured five feet. When he cultivated ascetic practices, it was fourteen feet. When he realized Buddhahood, it was fifteen feet.

The white hair-mark is empty in the center, like a glass tube. It represents the Four Virtues of Nirvana:

1. permanence;
2. joy;
3. (true) self;
4. purity.

The emptiness in the center represents the Middle Way and permanence. Its softness represents joy, its whiteness, purity. The ability to extend or contract it at will represents true self. Thus represented are the Four Virtues of Nirvana. The white hair-mark represents the Middle Way, the Real Mark’s precious seal.

Within the light from the white hair-mark could be seen all the Buddhas in other lands. Also could be seen from the time of the Buddha’s birth up to his Nirvana, all the bitter practices he cultivated in all their various aspects, and then, following his Nirvana, all his merit and virtue.

Sutra:

And all the Sutras and Dharma spoken by the Buddhas was heard.

Outline

F3. the portent of hearing the Dharma

Commentary:

This is the third, the portent of hearing the Dharma. The Six Portents in the Other Worlds fall into three pairs. The first two portents, that of seeing the six destinies and seeing the Buddhas make of the pair of the common and sagely. Those in the six destinies are common people and the Buddhas are sages.

Sutra:

Also seen were the Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, Upasikas in those lands who cultivated and attained the Way.

Outline:

F4. the portent of seeing the four-fold multitude attain the Way.

Commentary:

What were the Buddhas in their respective Buddhalands doing? They were speaking the Dharma, lecturing on the Sutras and expounding the Teaching.

What is the use of speaking the Buddhadharma?

It was so that the Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas--the four-fold assembly of disciples--could cultivate in accord with the Dharma and certify to the fruit, perhaps to the fruit of Arahatship, or perhaps become Bodhisattvas or Buddhas.

Within the Buddha’s white hair-mark could be seen the Buddhas speaking the Dharma and the four assemblies who cultivated and attained the fruit. These two portent represent the pair of people and Dharma, the people being the four-fold assembly, and the Dharma being the Way which they certified to.

Sutra:

Moreover were seen the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, the various causes and conditions, the various beliefs and understandings, and the various appearances of their practice of the Bodhisattva Way.

Outline:

F5. the portent of seeing the cultivation of the Bodhisattva Way.

Commentary:

Moreover were seen the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, the various causes and conditions by which they cultivated the Dharma-doors to teach and transform various kinds of living beings. The various beliefs and understandings: Perhaps they cultivated through belief and understanding of the Four Holy Truths, or perhaps through belief and understanding of the Twelve Causes and Conditions, or perhaps through belief and understanding of the Six Perfections and the Ten Thousand Conducts. The various appearances of their practice of the Bodhisattva Way: This does not refer to the physical appearances of the Bodhisattvas, but to the various practices and Dharmas they cultivated. They practiced the Bodhisattva Way.

What is the Bodhisattva Way?

It is to benefit oneself and benefit others, to enlighten oneself and enlighten others. The Thus Come One’s white hair-mark shines from this land into other Buddhalands and this represents the Dharma-door of enlightening oneself and enlightening others, benefiting oneself and benefiting others. Walking the Bodhisattva Way, you must enlighten yourself and enlighten others, benefit yourself and benefit others. This is the fifth, the portent of seeing the practice of the Bodhisattva conduct.

Sutra:

Further were seen the parinirvana of the Buddhas and, after the parinirvana of the Buddhas, the building of stupas with the seven jewels to hold their sharira.

Outline:

F6. portent of seeing the Buddhas enter Nirvana

Commentary:

Further were seen the parinirvana of the Buddhas within the white hair-mark light the Buddhas could be seen. Nirvana is a Sanskrit word which is interpreted as meaning “perfect stillness”. It is said that the merit is nowhere not perfect and the virtue nowhere not still. Nirvana is also interpreted as meaning “not produced or destroyed”. Birth and death have been brought to an end.

And, after the parinirvana of the Buddhas, the building of stupas with the seven jewels to hold their sharira. Stupas made of the seven jewels were built to honor the sharira of those Buddhas. Sharira is a Sanskrit word which means “efficacious bones”. Stupas are buildings used to house the sharira. After Shakyamuni Buddha entered Nirvana, his body was cremated and in the remains an uncountable number of sharira, bright, gem-like relics, were found. Jeweled stupas were built to contain them, so that people could worship and make offerings to them.

In the Thus Come One’s white hair-mark light one could see how, in other lands, after the Buddhas entered Nirvana, their bodies were cremated and the sharira were obtained. Then stupas were built for them. Stupa, also a Sanskrit word, means “square grave”; it also means a “high and manifest place”, because they are tall structures which can easily be seen.

What are the stupas used for?

They are used to house the Buddhas’ sharira so that people can make offerings to them. Wherever the Buddhas’ sharira are present, the Buddhas’ Dharma-body is also present. This is the sixth, the portent of seeing the Nirvana of the Buddhas.

The fifth and sixth portents make up the pair of the beginning and the end. The Bodhisattvas are at the beginning; they are cultivating the Way. The Buddhas have reached the end, the ultimate state of Buddhahood.

This ends the discussion of the Six Portents in Other Worlds.

I lecture to you coming and going and you pay no attention. You must pay close attention to the Buddhadharma in order to understand it fully. If it goes in one ear and out the other, it’s of no use at all. You could listen for a hundred years; yet it would be just as if you never heard. Why? Because you don’t remember it. You don’t take note of it.

You are now listening to the Sutras and studying the Buddhadharma. If you were to go somewhere else and were invited to speak, you could speak in such a way that it gushed forth unceasingly. Your mouths would be like raging rivers; everyone would be very pleased. But then if some said, “Just one moment, excuse me, but I have a question. How many kinds of Nirvana are there? Please tell me.”

You would gape, “Ohhh? Ahhh… I forgot!”

“Well, who did you study under?”

“I studied with a Dharma Master for several years, but although I heard them, I’ve forgotten now”.

Would you say that was losing face or not? You may not understand any of the profound aspects of the Dharma, but if you don’t even know what the four kinds of Nirvana are, you’d really lose face, wouldn’t you?

There’s not much time left, so I’ll just tell you the names. No doubt when I do, you will all recall them. If I didn’t’ tell you, you wouldn’t be able to remember them. Once I tell you, you’ll pipe up and say, “I didn’t forget. Oh, you mean those four kinds!” If you know ahead of time, that’s okay. If you have to wait until after you’ve been told and then insist you knew it all along, it won’t work. What are they?

1. The Nirvana of the purity of the self-nature.
2. The Nirvana with residue.
3. The Nirvana without residue.
4. The Nirvana of no dwelling place.

Sutra:

Then the Bodhisattva Maitreya had this thought: “Now, the World Honored One manifests signs of spiritual transformations. What is the reason for these portents? The Buddha, the World Honored One, has now entered Samadhi, yet these are inconceivable and rare events. Who should I ask concerning them? Who could answer?”

He further thought: “The Dharma Prince, Manjushri, has in the past drawn near and made offerings to limitless Buddhas. Surely he has seen such rare signs. I shall now ask him.”

Outline:

D3. the doubtful thoughts

E1. doubts of Maitreya

Commentary:

In this passage of text, Maitreya Bodhisattva gives rise to doubts. What are his doubts? He doesn’t understand what the Buddha is about to do. The Buddha has emitted light and the earth shook. Six portents were seen in this world and in other worlds as well. Maitreya Bodhisattva does not understand what the portents mean. For this reason he has some doubts. When Maitreya Bodhisattva gives rise to doubts, the rest of the assembly does so too.

Then the Bodhisattva Maitreya had this thought. Which Bodhisattva is he? He’s the very fat one, the one who is always laughing. He is extremely compassionate. Whether you are a good or an evil person, he likes you all the same. He regards all living beings with equal compassion and doesn’t make discriminations among them.

Now, the World Honored One manifests signs of spiritual transformations. Now, the World Honored One has manifested states of spiritual penetrations transformations and changes. He emitted light from the white hair-mark, and there were the six types of earthquakes--all as a result of the Buddha’s spiritual powers. The Bodhisattva had never seen them before and so he didn’t know what they meant.

The Bodhisattva Maitreya is a “successor-Bodhisattva,” a Buddha-to-be. He is waiting for Shakyamuni Buddha to retire and then he will realize Buddhahood in the Saha world. Although he is basically very wise, he still didn’t know what the Buddha was going to do.

Why didn’t he know?

Those at one level do not understand those on a higher level. The Bodhisattvas on the first ground do not know the state of those on the second. Those on the tenth ground do not know the realm of Equal Enlightenment, and the Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattvas do not understand the Wonderful Enlightenment of the Buddha. It is said, “The common folk don’t know the wise.” Simple common people are incapable of understanding the state of the wise. Why? Because, being simple and common, their thoughts are stupid and dull. Either they don’t go far enough or they go too far. People with scattered thoughts do not understand those with Samadhi. People who are continually flustered, and always glancing nervously about the north, east, south, and west, do not know what the person sitting there in Samadhi is experiencing.

Ordinary people do not understand the sage. Those who have not certified to the fruit can’t know the state of the worthy sages. Sages of lesser wisdom cannot understand the wisdom of Shariputra, “Body-seed,” who is the foremost of the Buddha’s disciples in wisdom. Shariputra is known as the “greatly wise Shariputra” but even he cannot fathom the wisdom of the Bodhisattvas. He is just an Arhat and, compared to the Bodhisattvas, his wisdom is small. Bodhisattvas, that is, Bodhisattvas in general, cannot know the state of the successor-Bodhisattvas and the successor-Bodhisattvas do not understand the state of the Ultimately Venerable Ones, the Buddhas.

The Bodhisattva Maitreya is a successor-Bodhisattva, and he will become a Buddha in the future and succeed Shakyamuni Buddha. But when Shakyamuni Buddha manifested states of spiritual transformations, Maitreya did not understand them, and so he gave rise to false thinking. Yes, even the Bodhisattva Maitreya can have false thinking! He thought, “Shakyamuni Buddha is now revealing these appearances. Why? What is the reason? Why? Why the signs? Usually, Bodhisattvas do not indulge in false thinking, but he gave rise to three doubts:

1. First he thought about the Buddha’s spiritual transformations, wondering, What is the reason for these portents?The Buddha, the World Honored One, has now entered Samadhi, yet these are inconceivable and rare events, which cannot be thought of with the mind or expressed in words. No one knows what they mean. What am I going to do? Such things have simply never happened before.

2. Secondly, he wondered who he should ask. Who should I ask concerning them? Which Bodhisattva? Who could answer?”

3. His third thought was to ask Manjushri Bodhisattva about them. “Who should I ask? The Dharma Prince, Manjushri, has in the past drawn near and made offerings to limitless Buddhas. Surely he has seen such rare signs. I shall now ask him. Since he has surely had the experience already, I will now ask him.” This third thought cancelled out the second thought, for he had found someone to ask.

Sutra:

Thereupon the Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas, as well as the gods, dragons, ghosts, spirits, and others, all had this thought: “Who should now be asked concerning the Buddha’s bright light and signs of spiritual penetrations?”

Outline:

E2. the doubts of the assembly

Commentary:

This passage expresses the doubts of the assembly. Not only did the Bodhisattva Maitreya have doubts, but so did everyone in the Dharma assembly. They wondered what the Buddha was going to do. The gods and dragons and the ghosts and spirits also did not understand. “From the white-hair mark light, the Buddha now emits light and manifests spiritual penetrations. Who should we ask about them? These are the two doubts of the assembly:

1. They wondered about the six portents.
2. They wondered who to ask concerning them

Now, was Maitreya Bodhisattva really perplexed by all of this? Did he really have doubts?

I don’t believe so.

Why not?

Because in the past he had also drawn near to limitless Buddhas. By all rights, he should have had this experience himself. But he pretended that he didn’t know so that he could request the Dharma for the sake of the assembly. The doubts of the assembly were real enough, however, and this passage expresses their confusion.

Sutra:

At that time, the Bodhisattva Maitreya, wishing to resolve his own doubts, and further regarding the thoughts of the four-fold assembly of Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas, as well as the thoughts of the assembled gods, dragons, ghosts, and spirits and others, questioned Manjushri as follows:

Outline:

D4. the question

E1. the prose section

F1. narration

Commentary:

We have talked about “ghosts” many times, but what are ghosts?

“I know!” you say. “There are hungry ghosts and there are full ghosts!”

Well what are hungry ghosts and what are full ghosts?

In Chinese the word for ghost ( 鬼 ) is pronounced ‘gui’ which sounds the same as the word which means “ to return,”– gui. This means that when people die and become ghosts, they return.

Where did they come from?

They came from the Buddha. Now they return to the hells or to the path of hungry ghosts.

Why must they return there?

Because they took the wrong road. They took for their own territory that which is not their own territory. They took the wrong road and so they must return as ghosts.

After this, when the word “ghost” comes up you should remember that they are ghosts because they took the wrong road. They still must come back, return. In Chinese ghosts are called gui and in English they are ghosts. You could say, “Go! Go! Ghost!”

Go where?

They go off to hell--to hell--to hell! In English a ghost is one who goes. Although I can’t speak English, I can explain this English word.

”Spirits” are called “natural minded”. They have spiritual penetrations and evoke spontaneous responses.

Maitreya Bodhisattva asked Manjushri as follows:

Sutra:

“What are the reasons for these portents, these signs of spiritual penetrations, for the emanation of great light which illumines eighteen thousand lands to the east so that the adornments in all those Buddha worlds are fully seen?”

Outline:

F2. the questions proper

Commentary:

”Great Bodhisattva! Son of the Dharma King! Please be compassionate and tell me, what are the reasons for these portents? What is the principle involved? Why has the Buddha now emitted light which is so great that it illumines eighteen thousand lands to the east? These sighs of spiritual penetrations are truly rate. I have never seen the likes of them before. What is the reason for the emanation of great light. It doesn’t just shine nearby. It shines across eighteen thousand lands.”

We think that going to the moon is so remarkable and a historical first. Shakyamuni Buddha put forth light which shone across eighteen thousand worlds. That’s even farther than eighteen thousand moons or eighteen thousand stars.

So that the adornments in all those Buddha worlds are fully seen. Not just a little bit was seen. They were seen in their entirety. How big the country was, how it was superbly adorned--all this appeared.

Sutra:

Thereupon, Maitreya Bodhisattva, wishing to restate his meaning, spoke verses asking:

“Manjushri, what is the reason
For the guiding master’s emanation
From the white hair between his brows
Of a great light which shines everywhere,
and for the rain of Mandaravas
and of Manjushaka flowers,
the breeze of fragrant Chandana which
delights the hearts of those assembled?

Through these causes and conditions,
the earth is all adorned and pure,
and within this world the earth
trembles in six different ways.
Then the four-fold multitude
rejoices altogether;
in body and in mind enraptured,
they obtain what they had never had.

Outline:

E2. Verse section

F1. restatement f former questions

G1. asking about six portents

Commentary:

The Bodhisattva Maitreya wished to restate his meaning, to speak the doctrine one more time. Why did he want to go to the trouble of saying it all over again?

It was just because he feared that you and I, the living beings of today, would not understand. And you have the nerve to think of it as trouble? Don’t have such thoughts!

He spoke verses asking:

“Manjushri, what is the reasonFor the guiding master’s emanation. What is a Guiding Master? “Guide” means to lead forth, off of the road of darkness onto the road full of bright light. That is what is meant by “Guiding Master.”

Who is the Guiding Master?

Shakyamuni Buddha is the Great Guiding Master. He takes us out of the hells and back to our original home. Now, we should return to our genuine home, to the place where Shakyamuni Buddha lives, the Pure Land of Eternal, Still Light. That’s our true home.

What is the reasonfor the guiding master’s emanation. Why has the World Honored One emitted light from the white hair between his brows? This great light which shines everywhere, illumining the entire universe.

Previously, in the prose text, the light was said to shine across eighteen thousand worlds to the east. Here it says, “Shining everywhere,” and so I explained it saying that the light shines not only to the east, but to the south, north and west, and the four points in between, and up and down as well. It shines in all possible directions.

And for the rain of Mandaravasand of Manjushaka flowers. It rains, not water, but Mandarava Flowers. They are as beautiful as you could possibly imagine. When you see them, your heart is overjoyed. “I have never seen such beautiful flowers before.” They cause your heart to be extremely happy and so they are called the “flowers which go along with your wish.”

Manjushaka flowers are red flowers. They are not only beautiful, but soft as well. They can’t be crushed, however, and if you wish for big blossoms, they are big. If you wish for small blossoms, they are small. They are especially beautiful.

The breeze of fragrant Chandana. Chandana incense can be smelled at a distance of forty miles.

Delights the hearts of those assembled. Seeing the flowers, their hearts rejoice. They are filled with joy. They’ve never been so happy before. Not just one of them was happy; the entire assembly was happy.


Through these causes and conditions,the earth is all adorned and pure. Because the flowers have cleansed, purified, and adorned the earth, no one needs to sweep it; it’s sparkling clean.

And within this world the earththat is, our world here, trembles in six different ways.The six types of earthquakes have already been discussed. They represent the six sense organs. Those who don’t work hard won’t know about this, but those who do may sometimes find that their eyes blink very fast, like an electric fan. If you haven’t had any experience, you may wonder, “Has a ghost come? Why are my eyes blinking like this?”

It’s not a ghost! It’s a result of your hard work. Sometimes you may hear birds warbling or the sounds of cows or horses. You needn’t be afraid. It’s just the occurrence of one of the six types of earthquakes: shaking, surging, rising, crashing, roaring, and banging.

“Shaking” refers to movement in one place. “Universal shaking” refers to shaking throughout the Four Continents, but you should not think this is a particularly big earthquake. It is not as big as the shaking of the entire three thousand great thousand worlds, which is called a “cosmic shaking.”

Shaking, universal shaking and cosmic shaking represent the eye organ, the object of the eye, and the eye-consciousness; the same also applies to the other five sense fields. The six sense organs, the six sense objects, and the six sense consciousnesses make up the eighteen realms of sense. Each of the six types of earthquakes has three divisions making eighteen which represent the eighteen fields of sense. The light illumining the eighteen thousand worlds to the east also represents the eighteen realms of sense.

Crashing occurs in one world. Universal crashing occurs in Four Continents. Cosmic crashing occurs throughout the entire three thousand great thousand worlds. Each of the six types of earthquakes has these three divisions corresponding to the eighteen realms of sense.

Then, when the great earth shakes the four-fold multitude the Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas, rejoices altogether. This is the portent of the rejoicing of the assembly. And body and in mind enraptured,pleased to the extreme as they obtain what they had never had. In the past they had never been as delighted and happy. They obtain what they never had before.

Sutra:

The bright light from between the brows
shines into the eastern quarter,
causing eighteen thousand lands
all to become of golden hue.

And from the Avichi hell,
upwards to the peak of being,
within each of the worlds are seen
the beings within the six paths,
their destinies in birth and death,
their karmic conditions, good or evil,
their retributions, favorable or ill--
all of this is seen, herein.

Outline:

G2. asking about portents in other worlds.

H1. asking about living beings in the six destinies.

Commentary:

The bright light from between the brows, the white hair-mark, located between the Buddhas eye-brows, emits a great light which shines into the eastern quarter, causing eighteen thousand lands all to become of golden hue.

And from the Avichi hell,from the lowest point, upwards to the peak of being. There are three realms of existence: the realm of desire, the realm of form and the formless realm. The peak of being refers to the Heaven of Neither Perception nor non-Perception, which is the fourth station of emptiness. This is located in the form realm and can’t be said to have any particular form.

Nevertheless, the Buddha now emits light which shines all the way up to the top of the of the formless heavens. Within each of the worlds are seen, in all the worlds in the limitless Buddhalands the beings within the six paths; the path of the gods, humans, asuras, and hell-beings, hungry ghosts, as well as the animals. Their destinies in birth and death within the six paths, living beings are

Born and then they die; they
Die and then are born:
Birth, birth, death--
Death, death, birth--
Death, birth,Birth, death--
they spin around in the revolving wheel of the six paths of rebirth.

Although you are a human being in this world, don’t think that you will always be so. If your actions are good, you may be assured of keeping a human body, but if you do evil deeds, you will lose it.

Then what will one become?

Haven’t I already told you? You can go to hell, become a hungry ghost, or turn into an animal.

Their karmic conditions, good or evil. Perhaps your deeds are good or perhaps they are evil. Goodness creates good karmic conditions and evil has evil karmic conditions, but the deeds are done and the conditions created by you alone. It is said,

Good and evil are two diverging roads;
You can cultivate the good, or commit crimes.

“Cultivate” means to practice the Way. “Commit” means to create offenses. There is a good road and a bad road. It’s up to you to choose which one you will walk. If you walk down the good road, you’ll create good karma. If you walk down the evil one, you will create evil karma.

Their retributions, favorable or ill, good or evil refer to conditions on the causal ground. If you plant good causes, you will receive favorable retribution; if you plant evil causes you will receive bad retribution. A favorable retribution means that everything is as you wish it to be. An unfavorable retribution goes against your wishes. Favorable and ill refer to the effect of prior actions. If you plant good seeds you will reap a favorable fruit. If you plant evil seeds, you’ll reap an ill fruit. All of this is seen, herein. The turning wheel of the six paths, the interrelated process of creating karma and undergoing retribution is all seen in the Thus Come One’s white hair-mark light.

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