The Ten Inexhaustible Treasuries

Chapter Twenty-Two

 

 

4. The Giving of Outer Wealth

Sutra:

“What is the Bodhisattvas’ Giving of Outer Wealth? Disciples of the Buddha, suppose a Bodhisattva is in his prime, full-featured, replete with the multitude of marks, and clothed in garments of superb elegance. He has just received anointing of the crown and been inaugurated as a Wheel Turning King. He is replete with the Seven Jewels and rules over the Four Continents. Suppose he is approached by a person who addresses his lordship saying, ‘I am poverty stricken and oppressed by a multitude of sufferings. I only hope that the humane one will especially let fall his kindness, relinquish his royal position, and bequeath it to me. Then I can be in command and enjoy the blessings of a king.’

Commentary:

What is the Bodhisattvas’ Giving of Outer Wealth? Forest of Merit and Virtue Bodhisattva continues again. “What is the Great Bodhisattvas’ giving of outer wealth? Disciples of the Buddha. All of you disciples of the Buddha should now pay attention and listen to what I have to tell you. Suppose a Bodhisattva is in his prime. This Bodhisattva who is cultivating the giving of outer wealth, is not like the young Bodhisattva we spoke of before, the adolescent.

Now we have a Bodhisattva who is in the prime of life, and full-featured. He is of flourishing years with full and well-proportioned features. He’s extremely good looking. He also has virtuous practice and is replete with the multitude of marks. He has thirty-one of the thirty-two marks and the eighty subtle characteristics. He is clothed in garments of superb elegance. He has the most precious and valuable flowers and clothing adorning his body. This Bodhisattva has cultivated the Six Paramitas and the Ten Thousand Conducts to perfection. His merit and virtue can be likened to the wonderful flowers and clothing which adorn him.

He has just received anointing of the crown and been inaugurated as a Wheel Turning King. This king is the Gold Wheel Turning Sage King, and he is replete with the Seven Jewels. These Seven Jewels have been explained in the previous section.

This Wheel Turning King is extremely wealthy and honored, and rules over the Four Continents. Suppose he is approached by a person who addresses his lordship…You who are listening to the Sutra should know that this is an analogy; the Sutra text says, “suppose” this should happen. Maybe it happened and maybe it didn’t. It’s just an analogy. It’s just for the sake of discussion. You shouldn’t suppose that there definitely is such a person. Maybe there really is such a person. However, the word “suppose” includes the possibility that there is no such person at all. The point being made is that a Bodhisattva should have this kind of mind of giving, of total renunciation. The person practicing the Bodhisattva Way has to be this way.

We are just expressing a principle here. So “suppose” a person comes and says to the king, “I am poverty stricken and oppressed by a multitude of sufferings. I am impoverished to the point that I don’t have any food to eat, any clothes to wear, or any place to live. And because I am so poor and destitute I am pressured by a host of sufferings.” This is suffering within suffering. Since he is enduring this suffering within suffering, he wants to win a sweepstakes, get a lucky ticket, or take first in the lottery, so he decides to go and beg from the Wheel Turning Sage King! He says to the king, “I only hope that the humane one will especially let fall his kindness, relinquish his royal position, and bequeath it to me. I only hope that you, greatly kind and compassionate Wheel Turning Sage King, will especially condescend to pity me and concede your throne to me, in order to support my life. Then I can be in command and enjoy the blessings of a king. If you give me your kingly position, then I will be a Wheel Turning Sage King. I will stand in for you to govern the Four Great Continents. I will enjoy the happiness that you heretofore have enjoyed, oh king. All of these kinds of blessings and rewards will be mine.”

So, everyone think it over. If you were to become a Wheel Turning Sage King and then such a completely nutty person were to come beg for your position of Wheel Turning Sage King, would you be able to give it up or not? Return the light and ask yourselves whether or not you could do this. Some people might say, “What is spoken of in the Sutra is just talk. What Wheel Turning Sage King would possibly be able to relinquish his position in that circumstance?” It’s just because you could not relinquish such a position if you were in it, that you have never been able to be in that position. If you were able to relinquish it, then you would be able to become a Wheel Turning Sage King. It’s just because you are so stingy and wouldn’t be able to give up the wealthy and honored position of a king that up to now, you haven’t attained this kind of position.

Sutra:

“At that time the Bodhisattva thinks like this: ‘All that is glorious will pass away, and when it is gone I will be unable to further benefit living beings. It is fitting that I fulfill his wishes.’ Having had this thought he gives him everything without any regret. This is called the Giving of Outer Wealth.

Commentary:

At that time , what time? When the person comes to ask the Wheel Turning Sage King to bequeath his royal position to him. At this time the Bodhisattva thinks like this: “All that is glorious—the riches and honor that I revel in now-- will pass away, and when it is gone I will be unable to further benefit living beings. It’s for certain this will all fade and come to an end. When that time comes if I want to practice giving, I won’t have any way to benefit living beings. Although now I can benefit living beings using my present riches, however, if I wait until I don’t have any riches—then not to speak about benefitting living beings—I won’t even be able to benefit myself. Therefore, it is fitting that I should fulfill his wishes. I must accord with what he wants and satisfy the wishes of this living being who has come to seek my regal position.” Having had this thought he gives him every-thing.

After having had this thought he instantly gives up his position of Wheel Turning Sage King to that person without any regret. He has no after thought, no remorse. He gives everything away, but the substance of the three wheels is empty: there is no reciprocity of the gift to the giver. There is no one who gives, there is nothing which is given, and in the middle there is no one who receives. The substance of the three wheels is empty. So it says he gives “without any regrets”. This is called the Giving of Outer Wealth. One can make offerings of one’s countries, cities, wives, and children. But this is not easy to actually accomplish, so all of you don’t believe it. If you believed it you’d be able to practice the Bodhisattva Way. But people who don’t believe will have to wait awhile and in the future they will be able to practice the Bodhisattva Way.

There are a lot of people here for this Kuan Yin Bodhisattva Recitation Session. I counted forty-three people. In this country, there are that many people who aren’t afraid of hardship and they have all come to recite Kuan Yin Bodhisattva’s name. This has never happened before. This is a first.

All of you who are participating in this Kuan Yin Session are number one, you are all first. Those who don’t want to be number one, couldn’t come to participate in this Kuan Yin Session. All of you should know,

To undergo suffering is to end suffering.
To enjoy blessings is to exhaust blessings.

If you endure the suffering within suffering you will be able to become a Bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas just have to want suffering. As it is said,

Bitter now, sweet later.

If you are able to undergo suffering now, in the future you will become a Buddha. In practicing the Bodhisattva Way you have to first take a little bit of a loss. If you can undergo suffering now, then in the future your bliss will be eternal. If you can just endure one hour’s worth of suffering, then in the future you will have eternal happiness.

The Giving of Inner and Outer Wealth

Sutra:

“What is called the Giving of Inner and Outer Wealth? Disciples of the Buddha, suppose a Bodhisattva such as described above, who has the position of a Wheel Turning King, is replete with the Seven Jewels, and rules over the Four Continents, is approached by someone who says: ‘This position of Wheel Turning King that the King inherited long ago is something I have never had. I only wish, oh Great King, that you would relinquish it to me and that you, Your Majesty, would become my servant.’

Commentary:

Previously, the Sutra explained the giving of inner wealth and the giving of outer wealth. The giving of inner wealth is the giving of head, eyes, brains, and marrow. The giving of outer wealth is the giving of countries, cities, wives, and children. Now this section of text discusses the giving of inner and outer wealth.

“What is called the Giving of Inner and Outer Wealth? This is a rhetorical question. It’s asking about this kind of dharma.

Disciples of the Buddha. The Bodhisattva Forest of Merit and Virtue again is afraid that all of these Bodhisattvas have entered samadhi, so he calls out again, “Disciples of the Buddha.” Suppose a Bodhisattva such as described above—the Bodhisattva who is youthful in age, robust and strong, whose body is adorned with the marks and characteristics just as the one described previously--who has the position of a Wheel Turning King. He’s in the position of a Gold Wheel Turning King and is replete with the Seven Jewels. His Seven Jewels are totally perfect and complete, and he rules over the Four Continents—he lords over the entire universe. Suppose he is approached by someone who wants to test him and who says: ‘This position of Wheel Turning King that the King inherited long ago is something I have never had. You’ve been a king for a long time but I’ve never gotten to be one. I only wish, oh Great King, that you would relinquish it to me. But not only do I want that, I also hope that you, Your Majesty, would become my servant.’ If you can renounce a position like this and fulfill this wish, this is truly the conduct of a great Bodhisattva!”

Sutra:

“At that time, the Bodhisattva thinks to himself, ‘My body, wealth, and gems, as well as the royal position, are all dharmas which are impermanent and destined to decay. I am now in my prime and my riches encompass all under heaven. Since this beggar has come forth, I will use what is insubstantial to seek a substantial dharma.’ Having thought thus, he gives everything over to that person, and with his own body, respectfully and diligently serves him. His mind harbors no regret, this is called the Giving of Inner and Outer Wealth.

Commentary:

This Wheel Turning King has great riches and stature. He has a lot of wealth and power. A person has come before him to beg for his royal position and all his wealth. In addition, he asks that the king become his personal servant. This is an extremely difficult request to grant, but at that time, the Bodhisattva thinks to himself, ‘My body, wealth, and gems, as well as the royal position—the body which I possess; my inner wealth of head, eyes, brain, and marrow, and my outer jewels such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearls, and carnelian, as well as this position of a Wheel Turning Sage King-- are all dharmas which are impermanent and destined to decay. They are all impermanent and in the future, they will certainly perish. They cannot exist forever. This is the dharma of impermanence.

“I am now in my prime—now I’m young and strong. I have plenty of blood and energy, and my riches encompass all under heaven. My wealth and position include the entire universe; everything under heaven is mine. Since this beggar has come forth and is one who seeks my wealth and position of a king, I will use what is insubstantial to seek a substantial dharma. I will offer up this body which is insubstantial, and my throne and riches which are ephemeral, and give them to this person in order to seek for the firm, strong, Dharma—The Dharma of Irreversibility from Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.”

Having thought thus—after thinking this over , he gives everything over to that person. He immediately gives away the position of a king, his body and all of his wealth. He gives it all away and doesn’t keep even a little bit, to the point that with his own body, respectfully and diligently serves him. He is respectful and vigorous when he acts as a servant. He is sincere in giving up his royal position. And after making this gift his mind harbors no regret, this is called the Giving of Inner and Outer Wealth.

Total Giving

Sutra:

“What is meant by a Bodhisattva’s Total Giving? Disciples of the Buddha, as before, this Bodhisattva inherits the position of a Wheel Turning King, is replete with the Seven Jewels, and rules over the Four Continents. At one time, limitless poverty-stricken people approached him and said, ‘Great King, your renown pervades and is heard throughout the ten directions. Out of veneration we have come. We each have certain things we would like and we hope that you will be compassionate and fulfill our wishes.’

Then the poor people begged variously of the king: Some asked for his country, some wanted his wives or children, some wished for his hands and feet, some wanted his blood, flesh, heart, lungs, head, eyes, marrow, and brains. The Bodhisattva at that time, had this thought: ‘I will eventually have to part from all those for whom I have fondness and love, but it will have been of no benefit to living beings. Now, with the hope of forever casting out greed and emotional love, I will use all of these things that are destined to disperse, to fulfill these living beings’ wishes.’

Having had this thought, he bestowed upon them all the things they wanted, without any thoughts of regret, nor any sense of repulsion or contempt toward those living beings. This is called Total Giving.

Commentary:

After the Bodhisattva Forest of Merit and Virtue had spoken about the giving of inner and outer wealth, he goes on to speak about the giving of everything—total giving. What is meant by a Bodhisattva’s Total Giving? Disciples of the Buddha—I will now tell all of you. As before, this Bodhisattva—this Bodhisattva is in the same position as the one spoken of above who gave inner wealth, outer wealth, and inner and outer wealth. He inherits the position of a Wheel Turning King, is replete with the Seven Jewels, and rules over the Four Continents.

At one time, limitless poverty-stricken people, it’s not known how many destitute people, approached him and said, “Great King, your renown pervades and is heard throughout the ten directions. You are a great philanthropist. Out of veneration we have come. We admire your loftiness, your acts of giving, and your excellent conduct, and so we have come to this country to see you. Now, we each have certain things we would like. Each one of us has that which we wish to seek from you. And we hope that you will be compassionate and fulfill our wishes.” Then the poor people begged variously of the king: Some asked for his country, some wanted his wives or children. Not only did they seek things external to his body, but they also sought for things within his body. Some wished for his hands and feet, some wanted his blood, flesh, heart, lungs, head, eyes, marrow, and brains.

The Bodhisattva at that time, had this thought: “I will eventually have to part from all those for whom I have fondness and love—I will eventually have to leave all of those whom I am fond of—my wives, children, and the people of my country. I will depart from them. But at that time, it will have been no benefit to living beings. Now, with the hope of forever casting out greed and emotional love, I will use all of these things that are destined to disperse, to fulfill these living beings’ wishes. Now I wish to renounce all these things I am fond of. I will certainly have to separate from all of these objects of wealth in the future. No matter how much wealth I have, when I die I’ll have to go empty handed. I can’t take it along with me. Therefore, I should satisfy the wishes of living beings instead.”

Having had this thought, he bestowed upon them all the things they wanted. He gave away his countries, wives, children, and cities; his head, eyes, brains, and marrow—he gave them all away to these destitute people, without any thoughts of regret. In his mind he didn’t have any regrets, nor any sense of repulsion or contempt toward those living beings. He did not detest these living beings. He did not look down on them as being people who are greedy. This is called Total Giving. This is the Dharma Door of Total Giving that the Bodhisattva practices.

7. Past Giving

Sutra:

“What is the Bodhisattva’s Past Giving? When these Bodhisattvas hear about the merit and virtue of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the past, they do not become attached. They understand its lack of existence. They do not give rise to discriminations. They are not greedy for it, not obsessed by it, and they do not grasp or seek it. They are without a place of reliance. They see dharmas as being like a dream, devoid of any solid substance. They do not give rise to thoughts about good roots, nor do they rely on them. It is only for the sake of teaching and transforming that they cling to living beings. They become perfected in the Buddhadharma and then proclaim it.

“Moreover, they further contemplate all past dharmas and realize that even when they are sought throughout the ten directions, they cannot be got at. Having had this thought, they completely relinquish all past dharmas. This is called Past Giving.

Commentary:

Forest of Merit and Virtue Bodhisattva asks: What is the Bodhisattva’s Past Giving? He asks a rhetorical question and the text that follows answers this question. When these Bodhisattvas hear about the merit and virtue of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the past they do not become attached. They understand its lack of existence. They realize that ultimately even merit and virtue are empty. They do not give rise to discriminations regarding the past Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. They are not greedy for it, not obsessed by it—that is, they don’t keep thinking about the merit and virtue. And they do not grasp or seek it. They don’t grasp or seek what the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the past amassed in merit and virtue. They are without a place of reliance.

They see dharmas as being like a dream, devoid of any solid substance. They understand that all dharmas are illusory, like a dream or transformation and ultimately not real. They do not give rise to thoughts about good roots, nor do they rely on them. They don’t think about the good roots of themselves or the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the past, and they don’t rely on them. It is only for the sake of teaching and transforming that they cling to living beings. They only appear to be attached to living beings, but that’ only because of their dedication to save them. They become perfected in the Buddhadharma and then proclaim it. Because they want living beings to accomplish the position of a Buddha and fulfill Bodhi, they then speak the Buddhadharma for these living beings.

Moreover, they further contemplate all past dharmas of the ten directions and realize that even when they are sought throughout the ten directions, they cannot be got at. Having had this thought, they completely relinquish all past dharmas. This is called Past Giving. This is cultivating one of the ten kinds of giving in the Treasury of Giving of the Ten Inexhaustible Treasuries.

8. Future Giving

Sutra:

“What is the Bodhisattva’s Future Giving? When these Bodhisattvas hear how all future Buddhas will cultivate, they understand their lack of existence. They do not grasp at appearances. They take no special delight in getting reborn in any Buddhaland. They are not obsessed or attached, and they do not give rise to weariness. They do not use their good roots to transfer to them, nor do they because of them, retreat from their good roots.

Commentary:

Forest of Merit and Virtue Bodhisattva, having finished speaking about past giving, says: What is the Bodhisattva’s Future Giving? The following text is in answer to this question. When these Bodhisattvas hear how all future Buddhas will cultivate, after these Bodhisattvas hear of the practices the Buddhas of the future cultivate, they understand their lack of existence. They understand that all dharmas are empty. They do not grasp at appearances. They do not attach to the marks and characteristics of what all Buddhas of the future will cultivate.

They take no special delight in getting reborn in any Buddhaland. While residing in their own particular country, they wouldn’t want to get reborn in some other Buddhaland. They are not obsessed or attached. They don’t ponder over the Dharmas all these Buddhas cultivate and they aren’t attached to the Dharmas which all Buddhas cultivate, and they do not give rise to weariness. Now if they aren’t attached to them, if they don’t delight in them, if they don’t greedily seek these things, then is it the case that they dislike them—that they are tired of them? Do they get weary of the practices that all the Buddhas of the future cultivate? No, they don’t weary of them. They do not use their good roots to transfer to them. They don’t use the good roots which they themselves have cultivated and transfer their merit and virtue to all Buddhas of the future, because they aren’t attached to anything. Nor do they because of them, retreat from their good roots. They won’t think that because the good roots cultivated by all Buddhas of the future are so difficult to practice that they decide to retreat. Despite the difficulty, they still don’t retreat from their own good roots or their resolve for Bodhi.

Sutra:

“They are constant and diligent in their cultivation, never renouncing it. It is only because they wish to gather in living beings that they make use of such states, so they speak for them what is true and actual and cause them to become mature within the Buddhadharma. And yet these dharmas do not exist in any location, nor do they lack a location. They are not inside, not outside, not near and not far. They also have this thought: ‘If dharmas do not exist, then I cannot fail to renounce them.’ This is called Future Giving.

Commentary:

They are constant and diligent in their cultivation. Why does it say that the Bodhisattvas do not retreat from their good roots and resolve on Bodhi? It is because they constantly and diligently cultivate. “Constant” means never letting it be cut off. “Diligent” means vigorous, courageous, and energetic. It’s not like the way most of us cultivate. We cultivate for one, two, three, four, or five days and then decide that it is not very interesting, that there’s nothing to be obtained from it, and so we stop cultivating. This is not constantly and diligently cultivating. Constant and diligent cultivation is constantly being courageous and vigorous from the very first thought of resolve on Bodhi all the way to the point of becoming a Buddha and all the time in between. It is having a great resolve on Bodhi and cultivating the Six Perfections and the Ten Thousand Practices. The Bodhisattvas diligently cultivate the Dharma, never renouncing it. They never stop or abandon it. They don’t stop being vigorous even for an instant. They are never lazy for an instant. Their cultivation never comes to a stop. They never relax or let go of it, and they never stop cultivating.

It is only because they wish to gather in living beings that they make use of such states. To “gather in” all living beings is like using a magnet to draw in iron filings: they draw them all in. So they speak for them what is true and actual. When the Bodhisattvas speak Dharma, they speak true and actual Dharma, and cause them to become mature within the Buddhadharma. They cause living beings to accomplish the Buddha Way a little bit sooner. Although they use the Dharma to teach and transform living beings, and yet they realize that these dharmas do not exist in any location. This means one shouldn’t be attached to the Dharma. So, dharmas do not exist in any location. Nor do they lack a location. Upon hearing that they don’t exist, and that you shouldn’t be attached to the Dharma, yet you shouldn’t go to the other extreme and not use the Dharma. It’s not that way either. Rather, you should speak in accord with the situations that you encounter. Without the situation, the Dharma is empty.

But even at the time you speak the Dharma, there is no Dharma. There should be no attachment to the Dharma spoken or to the speaking of it. Moreover, they are not inside, not outside. The Dharma does not arise from within, nor does it come from without. You should think this way and not be attached. It’s not near and not far. The Dharma isn’t close by nor is it far away. They the Bodhi-sattvas, also have this thought: ‘If dharmas do not exist, then I cannot fail to renounce them.’ If one says that no dharmas are true and actual, then how can one be attached to Dharma? Basically they are still and extinct, which means they are non-existent. Hypothetically there is Dharma, but basically there is no Dharma. So how can one be attached to Dharma? You ought to relinquish it. You should put it down.

This is called Future Giving. This is the future giving which the Great Bodhisattvas cultivate.

9. Present Giving

Sutra:

“What is the Bodhisattva’s present giving? These Bodhisattvas hear about the amount of merit and virtue the gods in the heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings are replete with, as well as those in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Suyama Heaven, the Tushita Heaven, the Heaven of the Transformation of Bliss, the Heaven of the Comfort From Others’ Transformations…

Commentary:

When Forest of Merit and Virtue Bodhisattva had finished speaking of the future giving of the Bodhisattva he again put forth a question and answers it himself. He says, what is the Bodhisattva’s present giving? What was spoken of before was past and future giving, but what is the present giving cultivated by the Great Bodhisattvas? What follows now is in answer to the question.

When these Bodhisattvas hear about the amount of merit and virtue the gods in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings are replete with —The Four Heavenly Kings are:

The Heavenly King “Maintaining the Country”
The Heavenly King “Great Learning”
The Heavenly King “Broad Eyes”
The Heavenly King “Increasing and Growing”

There are limitless gods in the Heaven of the Four Kings. Each of these kings lead a multitude of gods. As well as those in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. The “Heaven of the Thirty-Three is a translation of the Sanskrit name Trayastrimsha. Those who rule the Heaven of the Thirty-Three in the past were thirty-three women. Together, they all brought forth a resolve to restore a temple that had been destroyed. From the merit and virtue they accrued from restoring this temple, they were reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and became the rulers of it.

The Suyama Heaven is the “Heaven of Well-Divided Time.” The Tushita Heaven is the “Heaven of Contentment”. The Bodhisattva who is to be the next Buddha to appear in the world, waits in the inner court of the Tushita Heaven, until the time is right. It is the same for every Buddha-to-be. Therefore, this heaven is also called the “Place of the Successor.” In the next life the Bodhisattva waiting in the inner court of the Tushita Heaven will succeed the present Buddha and become the next Buddha. The Heaven of the Transformation of Bliss—this heaven is extremely blissful. There are all kinds of blissful transformations. The Heaven of the Comfort From Others’ Transformations—there’s also a heaven called the Comfort From Others’ Transformations. There, the gods rely on others’ bliss in order to become blissful themselves. They rely on the bliss of other heavens for their own bliss.

Sutra:

“The Heavens of Brahma—the Brahma Body Heaven, the Heaven of the Ministers of Brahma, the Heaven of the Multitudes of Brahma, the Great Brahma Heaven, the Heavens of Light—the Lesser Light Heaven, the Limitless Light Heaven, the Light-Sound Heaven…

Commentary:

When compared with the human realm, the heavens are very different. In the heavens, everyone is very blissful and extremely happy. Therefore, one day and night in the Heaven of the Four Kings is equivalent to fifty years in the human world. One day and one night in our human world is equivalent to fifty years in the hells. Why is it this way? Because in the hells there is so much suffering that the inhabitants feel the time goes by slowly and seems longer. Where happiness exists, people feel that the time passes quickly and so seems shorter. For this reason, in the Heaven of the Four Kings (the heaven located above us), one day and night is equal to fifty years in our human world. That is because they are very blissful when compared to the human realm, which is full of suffering.

One day and night in the Trayastrimsha Heaven corresponds to one hundred years in our human realm. The time it takes for a day and night to pass in our world increases to longer and longer periods of time in correspondence to how high up the heavens are. If we were to continue deducing in this manner, by the time we reach the Heaven of Neither Thought Nor Non-Thought, one day and night by their reckoning would correspond to millions of great kalpas of our time—that long a time.

The Heavens of Brahma—the Brahma Body Heaven, the Heaven of the Ministers of Brahma—in these heavens there are pure cultivators. The Heaven of the Multitudes of Brahma, the Great Brahma Heaven—The king of this heaven is really comfortable and independent.

The Heaven of Light—in these heavens the gods speak the Dharma by means of light. The Lesser Light Heaven, the Limitless Light Heaven, the Light-Sound Heaven. According to Buddhist Sutras, the people of our world originally descended from the Light Sound Heaven. The beings in this heaven utilize light as sound. They use the light to speak the Dharma.

Originally the beings of the Light Sound Heaven came to our earth. Because they were heavenly, they could fly, so they flew from the Light Sound Heaven down to our earth. In the beginning our earth was covered with the “fat of the land” which was kind of like the cotton candy that we have today. It was really sweet and delicious. In the Light Sound Heaven they didn’t have this delicacy so when they came to the earth they thought it was really good. They were just like kids being treated to candy, and they ate one piece after another. After the heavenly beings had eaten a bit of the fat of the land they could no longer fly. It is said that this is the way the world became inhabited by human beings.

Was it really this way? It doesn’t matter. It’s not important. If it were this way, so what? If it weren’t this way, so what? For those who really want to cultivate, it’s better to take care of your own affairs first and then worry about other affairs. If you meddle into other business before you have settled your own affairs, then whatever knowledge you come by is false and empty. So people who have to study this and study that, who must research into one field and research into another field, just keep investigating on and on until they die. And after they die, they forget all the research they have done. Then when they become human beings again, they start doing this kind of researching all over again. They do research again but they still can’t get everything cleared up before they die again. So, if viewed from this perspective, it’s far better to study the problem of life and death. How did we get born and how will we die? We have to clarify where we came from and where we are going. This is important.

Sutra:

“The Heavens of Purity—the Heaven of Lesser Purity, the Heaven of Limitless Purity, the Heaven of Pervasive Purity; the Heavens of Abundance—the Heaven of Lesser Abundance, the Heaven of Limitless Abundance, the Heaven of Abundant Fruit; the Heaven of No Afflictions, the Heaven of No Heat, the Good View Heaven, the Good Manifestation Heaven, the Heaven of Ultimate Form, and so forth, up to and including Sound Hearers and Those Enlightened to Conditions, who are replete with merit and virtue.

After hearing about this, their minds are neither confused nor depressed, nor do they become obsessed by or scattered by all of this. They merely contemplate all practices as being like a dream that lacks any reality, and they have no greed or attachment toward them. It is for the sake of causing living beings to renounce and leave the evil destinies, to have their minds become free from discriminations, to cultivate the Bodhisattva Path and accomplish the Buddhadharmas, that they speak and explain. This is called Present Giving.

Commentary:

In the First Dhyana there are three heavens, in the Second Dhyana and Third Dhyana there are also three heavens. In the Fourth Dhyana there are nine heavens. These are the Four Dhyana Heavens.

The Heavens of Purity—these heavens are even more pure than the Brahma Heavens mentioned before. The Heaven of Lesser Purity, the Heaven of Limitless Purity, the Heaven of Pervasive Purity. In the Heaven of Lesser Purity, although it is very pure, it is not a perfect purity. In the Heaven of Limitless Purity, the purity is more perfect and it is limitless but not all pervasive. In the Heaven of Pervasive Purity the purity is all pervasive and universal. The Heavens of Abundance—the Heaven of Lesser Abundance, the Heaven of Limitless Abundance, the Heaven of Abundant Fruit. In each case in the text above, the sets of three heavens are introduced with a general reference to the kinds of heavens, such as “The Heavens of Abundance”. Now we go on to single heavens, no longer sets of three.

The Heaven of No Afflictions—not only is this heaven pure, but the gods who inhabit it have no troubles, no afflictions. The Heaven of No Heat—in this heaven it is always cool and clear. “Heat” can also mean “noise” or “heated afflictions”. This heat can refer to the fact that in one’s nature there is fire. The heat of afflictions no longer plagues these gods.

The Good View Heaven, the Good Manifestation Heaven, the Heaven of Ultimate Form—in this heaven, form does not exist anymore. And so forth, up to and including Sound Hearers and Those Enlightened to Conditions, who are replete with merit and virtue. The Bodhisattvas contemplate the merit and virtue of all those heavenly beings as well as Sound Hearers and Those Enlightened To Conditions. After hearing about this—all this merit and virtue-- their minds are neither confused nor depressed, nor do they become obsessed by or scattered by all of this. These different kinds of states of the gods don’t confuse the Bodhisattvas. Nor do they get depressed and sink into these states. Nor do they constantly pay attention to them and become attached to them. Nor are their thoughts scattered by these states. They merely contemplate all practices as being like a dream that lacks any reality. As it is said;

All activity is impermanent:
This is the dharma of production and extinction.
When production and extinction are extinguished,
Still extinction is bliss.

Ultimate still extinction is happiness. So they contemplate that all practices are just like dreams and are not real, and they have no greed or attachment toward them. The Bodhisattvas remain free of attachment to all the states we have talked about—all of the blissful states of the heavens.

It is for the sake of causing living beings to renounce and leave the evil destinies that the Bodhisattvas speak the Dharma. They want living beings to abandon and depart from the Four Evil Destinies of the hells, hungry ghosts, animals and asuras. They want to have their minds become free from discriminations, to cultivate the Bodhisattva Path: They want living beings to cultivate the Bodhisattva Way to benefit other living beings in turn, and accomplish the Buddhadharmas. They want them to succeed in all of the Dharmas which the Buddhas attain. It is for this reason that they speak and explain. They speak the Buddhadharma for the sake of all living beings. This is called Present Giving. The text we have just covered is the Dharma of Present Giving.

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