Belief and Understanding

Chapter 4

 

Sutra:

“World Honored One: At that time, the elder grew sick and knew he would die before long. He said to the poor son, “I now possess much gold, silver, and jewels, and my granaries and storehouses are filled to overflowing. You should know in detail their quantities and the amounts to be received and given. Such are my thoughts, and you should understand what I mean. What is the reason? You and I are now no different. You should be even more careful that nothing be lost.”

Outline:

O2. The command
P1. Son's knowledge of household affairs.

Commentary:

World Honored One: at that time, the elder grew sick and knew that he would die before long. The Buddha knew that he was about finished teaching and transforming living beings; he was about to enter into Nirvana. He said to the poor son, "I now possess much gold, silver, and jewels.” I have many dharma jewels--the dhyanas and the liberations and so on. They are limitless.

And my granaries and storehouses are filled to overflowing. You should know in detail their quantities and the amounts to be received and given. Such are my thoughts, and you should understand what I mean. I have already transmitted my Dharmas to you; you should cultivate accordingly. You should know the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma. Such are my thoughts that I turn over all my Great Vehicle Dharma treasures to you. And you really ought to figure out what I mean. What is the reason? The Buddha says, "Why is this?" You and I are now no different. You should be even more careful that nothing be lost. You are all disciples of the Buddha. We are not different. You are just like my own son. You should be even more careful. Pay close attention that nothing be lost. Do not let the Dharma be cut off. In every thought propagate the Buddhadharma, and do not allow it to become-extinct.

Sutra:

“At that time, the poor son, having received these instructions, took charge of all the goods, the gold, silver, and precious gems, as well as the granaries and storehouses, and yet he did not long for so much as a single meal. He continued to stay in the same place, still unable to let go of his lowly thoughts.”

Outline:

P2. Son receives the command.

Commentary:

At that time, after he had been commanded not to lose anything, that is, not to lose the Great Vehicle doctrine or the Bodhisattva Path, the poor son, those of the Two Vehicles, having received these instructions, the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma, the Buddha's command, took charge of all the goods, the gold, silver, and precious gems, as well as the granaries and storehouses. The gold represents the doctrine of the middle way. Silver represents the Real Truth. The precious gems represent the Buddha's merit, virtue, and wisdom. The granaries and storehouses represent the dhyanas, the liberations, and the samadhis. And yet he did not long for so much as a single meal. He was not like he had been before. He was not just concerned with attaining the low wages of a dung-shoveler. He was not living from hand to mouth; he was no longer content with a small portion. He had started "thinking big." He was not cultivating just for the Small Vehicle; he was now cultivating the Great Vehicle Dharma.

He continued to stay, he lived in the same place, in the state of the Two Vehicles. He still thought that he was not cut out to be a Great Vehicle Bodhisattva. In the Vaipulya Teaching, the Buddha had scolded the Small Vehicle for its one-sidedness and told them the good points of the Great Vehicle, praising the Perfect Teaching. The Buddha had said that those of the Small Vehicle who had certified to the one-sided doctrine were wrong. He scolded those of the Small Vehicle, calling them withered sprouts and sterile seeds. He praised the Great Vehicle and commended the Perfect Teaching, saying that the Perfect Teaching was the most wonderful of the Great Vehicle Dharma-doors. Although those of the Two Vehicles previously had heard the Buddha speak of the various Dharma-doors, praising the Great Vehicle, they still felt that they belonged to the Small Vehicle, and so the text says, "He continued to stay in the same place."

Still unable to let go of his lowly thoughts. "Lowly thoughts" means being content with small attainment, the attainment of nirvana with residue. They could not put down their Small Vehicle thoughts to seek diligently the Great Vehicle. They had not yet brought forth their hearts to do so.

Sutra:

“After a short while, the father knew that his son had grown more relaxed, that he had accomplished the great resolve and despised his former state of mind. Knowing that his own end was near, he ordered his son to gather together all the relatives, kings, great ministers, Kshatriyas, and lay people.

When they had all assembled, he spoke to them saying, “All of you gentlemen should know that this is my son, begotten by me. In a certain city, he left me and ran away to suffer desolation, poverty, and hardship for over fifty years. His original name was such and such, and my name was such. Long ago, in my native city, I anxiously sought him. Suddenly, here, I have found him again! This is really my son. I am really his father. All of my wealth now belongs to my son, and all that has been paid out and taken in is known by him.”

Outline:

N2 Passing on the inheritance.
O1. Passing on the inheritance proper.

Commentary:

After a short while refers to the interval from the Agama Period up to the Dharma Flower Period. The Avatamsaka Period is analogous to when the sun has just risen and shines only upon the high peaks. The Agama Period is comparable to when the sun shines equally upon the dark valleys and the high peaks. In the beginning when the sun illuminates the high peaks, it cannot illuminate the valleys. When the valleys are illuminated, so are the high peaks. Thus, in the Avatamsaka Period, the Buddha taught the Great Lords of the Dharma-body: the Bodhisattvas. During the Agama Period, the Bodhisattvas were also present in the Dharma assembly. During the Prajna Period, the Buddha was preparing to turn the Teaching toward the Great Vehicle and to pass on his wealth, his inheritance, to his disciples. He had nt actually done so. It was not until the Dharma Flower Assembly that he passed his wealth on.

The father knew that his son had grown more relaxed. He was no longer afraid. When he first heard the Buddha speak the Great Vehicle Dharma, he thought the Buddha was a demon! Now, after some time, his mind understood the principles of cultivating the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma, that he had accomplished the great resolve. He had a mind to cultivate the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma and seek the Buddha Way. And despised his former state of mind. He knew that his former Small Vehicle state was not of much value, too pitiful. Now, three times he requested the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma.

Knowing that his own end was near. The Buddha was about to enter Nirvana, because he had saved the living beings he was supposed to save and had transformed those with whom he had affinities. Since there was no one left to be saved, he was going to enter Nirvana. He ordered his son, those of the Two Vehicles, to gather together all the relatives, kings, great ministers, Kshatriyas, and laypeople. “Relatives” refers to the Bodhisattvas from other directions who came to the Dharma Assembly to act as an influential assembly. “Kings” refers to the Twelve Divisions of the Canon, that is, to all the Sutra the Buddha spoke. Each Sutra, you might say, is like a country, and each country has its king. Now, The Dharma Flower Sutra Assembly penetrates the principles of all the Sutras, and so the “kings” are all gathered together.

The “ministers” are the Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattvas. The “kshatriyas” are the Bodhisattvas on the Ten Grounds. The Bodhisattvas of the thirty minds are the “laypeople”.

When they had all assembled, he spoke to them, saying, “all of you gentlemen should know that this is my son, begotten by me.” When they had all gathered, the Buddha said to the Bodhisattvas of the Ten Dwellings, Ten Practices, and Ten Transferences, “these people of the Two Vehicles are also my own begotten sons. I started teaching them the Buddhadharma long ago during the time of the Buddha Great Penetration and Supreme Wisdom. Since I caused them to understand the Buddhadharma, it is as if I gave birth to them myself.

In a certain city, he left me and ran away. They rejected the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma and ran off to study the Small Vehicle Buddhadharma. To suffer desolation, poverty, and hardship for over fifty years. He did not have any belongings. He was very much alone. “Fifty years” represents the Five Paths of rebirth and also the over fifty positions one passes through on the way to Buddhahood. His original name was such and such, and my name was such. Long ago, in my native city, I anxiously sought him. Those of the Two Vehicles ran off, choosing not to study the Great Vehicle. This caused the Buddha to worry. Since they refused to believe, he had to search for some other expedient device. Suddenly, here, I have found him again! The Buddha meets up with those of the Two Vehicles once again and prepares to set up a clever expedient to teach and transform them.

This is really my son. Those of the Two Vehicles are really the Buddha’s sons. It was not like it was before in the Agama Period, or the Vaipulya Period, or the Prajna Period where it was never said that they were the Buddha’s sons. I am really his father. The Buddha is for sure the father of those of the Two Vehicles. All of my wealth, all of the Buddha’s wealth of Dharma, the wealth of his merit and virtue and wisdom, now belongs to my son. It all belongs to those of the Two Vehicles, and in the future they shall become Buddhas. And all that has been paid out and taken in is known by him. The Dharma I taught, from the Avatamsaka Period, through the Agama, Vaipulya, and Prajna Periods, right up to the Lotus-nirvana Period--all my Dharma--my sons of the Two Vehicles know it all. They understand it completely now.

Sutra:

“World Honored One, when the poor son heard what his father had said, he rejoiced greatly, having obtained what he had never had, and he thought, ‘Originally, I had no thought to seek anything, and now this treasury has come to me of itself.’”

Outline:

O2. Rejoicing at gaining the inheritance.

Commentary:

World honored One, when the poor son heard what his father had said. The Four Great Disciples, including Mahakashyapa spoke to the Buddha saying, “When those of the Two Vehicles heard the Buddha bestow a prediction upon them of their future Buddhahood. He rejoiced greatly, having obtained what he had never had. They had never been so happy. They congratulated themselves on their good fortune.

And he thought, ‘originally, I had no thought to seek anything’. Originally, I hadn’t hoped to become a Great Vehicle Bodhisattva or to be a real son of the Buddha. It never occurred to me. And now, this treasury has come to me of itself. All of the Buddha’s wisdom, merit, and virtue, Dharma wealth and treasure, have come to me. I did not expend the slightest bit of effort to attain it. I am really lucky!

Sutra:

“World Honored One, the great and wealthy elder is the Thus Come One. We are all like the Buddha’s sons.”

Outline:

K1. Correlation of analogy with Dharma.
L1. Correlating separation of father and son.

Commentary:

World Honored One, the great and wealthy elder, whom in this analogy we have just presented, is the Thus Come One, the Buddha. We are all like the Buddha’s sons. All of us Hearers now know that we are the Buddha’s sons. Originally, one could just say, “We are the Buddha’s sons. But the text says, “We are all like the Buddha’s sons.” They are not his sons in the truest sense of the word. The Bodhisattvas are the Buddha’s real, true sons. Hearers are like the Buddha’s sons. The Hearers have not yet realize that they are, in fact, walking the Bodhisattva Path, and so they say they are like the Buddha’s sons.

Sutra:

“The Thus Come One always says that we are his sons.”

Outline:

L2. Correlation of father and son meeting again.

Commentary:

The Thus Come One, the World Honored One, in the Avatamsaka, Agama, Vaipulya, and Prajna Periods always says that we are his sons. Continually said, “All living beings are the Buddha’s sons.”

Sutra:

“World Honored One, because of the three kinds of suffering, we have suffered much torment in the midst of births and deaths. Deluded and ignorant, we clung to petty dharmas.”

Outline:

L3. Correlation of bringing the son back.
M1. Correlation of sending people after him.

Commentary:

World Honored One, because of the three kinds of suffering, that is, 1) the suffering within suffering, which refers to all the misery we must undergo as a result of having a physical body. As the body gradually decays one undergoes, 2) the suffering of decay. As this process continues, thought after thought, without interruption, one undergoes, 3) the suffering of process. Because of these three sufferings, in the midst of births and deaths, life after life, death after death, we have suffered much torment. In the burning house of the Triple World, we are burned by the blaze of the Five Skandhas.

Deluded and ignorant, we clung to petty dharmas. We have taken a thief as our own son, turned our backs on enlightenment to join with the defilement of the mundane world. We are stupid and lacking wisdom, because we are deeply deluded by our ignorance and our afflictions. Not only that, we preferred the lesser dharmas, the Small Vehicle, failing to understand the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma.

Sutra:

“Today, the World Honored One has caused us to think about getting rid of the dung of frivolous discussions of the Dharma. We increased our vigor to earn one day’s wage of Nirvana. Having attained this, our hearts rejoiced greatly, and we were content, saying to ourselves that, through our diligence and vigor, what we had gained in the Buddhadharma was plentiful.”

Outline:

M2. Correlating sending two people after him.
N1. Correlating the instructions.

Commentary:

Today, the World Honored One, now in the Dharma Flower Assembly, has caused us to think about getting rid of the dung of frivolous discussions of the Dharma. The petty, Small Vehicle Dharmas we studied before are but frivolous assertions about the Dharma. This refers to the afflictions involved with views and thought. We increased our vigor. We, Hearers increased our vigor, cultivating the Small Vehicle, fearing birth and death, suffering and impermanence. We worked real hard at our cultivation to earn one day’s wage of Nirvana. We gained one-sided nirvana with residue. Having attained this, our hearts rejoiced greatly, and we were content, saying to ourselves that, through our diligence and vigor, what we have gained in the Buddhadharma was plentiful. Attaining this one-sided Nirvana, we are very happy and content with this little portion, something we have never had before. That is it; we have made it!

So we see that in cultivating Dhyana, if one obtains some small state, one should not be satisfied. On should increase one’s vigor and make further progress. They said, “through our diligence and vigor, working industriously as we have, what we have gained in the Buddhadharma is plentiful. We have got just too much!” Really, they had obtained one small speck of the Buddhadharma, not a lot.

Sutra:

“However, the World Honored One, knowing all along that our minds were attached to lowly desires and took delight in petty dharmas, let us go our own way and did not specify to us saying, ‘You are all to have a share in the treasury of the Thus Come One’s knowledge and vision.’”

Outline:

N2. Correlating the intention.

Commentary:

However, the World Honored One, even though we ran, the Buddha knowing all along that our minds. He know it all the time, knew that our minds were attached to lowly desires, base cravings: 1) wealth, 2) sex, 3) fame, 4) food, 5) sleep and took delight in petty dharmas. They were attached to the Small Vehicle Dharma. Let us go our own way. And so the Buddha just let them go; he did not speak of the Great Vehicle. And did not specify to us, saying how with the Great Vehicle one can become a Buddha, practice the Bodhisattva Way, teach and transform living beings, and purify the Buddhalands. He did not speak of the state of the Great Vehicle.

You are all to have a share in the treasury of the Thus Come One’s knowledge and vision. In the future, you will have the Thus Come One’s wisdom, his knowledge, and vision, and the treasuries of the Buddha. He knew that they like the Small Vehicle, and so formerly he never told them that they were the genuine sons of the Buddha.

Sutra:

“The World Honored One, using the power of expedient devices, has spoken of the Thus Come One’s wisdom. Having gained from the Buddha the one day’s wage of Nirvana, we took it to be a great attainment; we had no ambition to seek the Great Vehicle. Besides, the wisdom of the Thus Come One had been set forth for the sake of the Bodhisattvas, and so we held no expectations regarding it. What is the reason? The Buddha knew that our minds took delight in petty dharmas. He used the power of expedients to teach us in the appropriate manner, and we did not know that we were truly the Buddha’s sons.”

Outline:

L4. Correlating the inheritance.
M1. Correlating the inheritance itself.

Commentary:

The World Honored One did not tell the Small Vehicle people of the Great Vehicle directly. He used expedients to teach them of the Buddha’s wisdom. The World Honored One, using the power of expedient devices, has spoken of the Thus Come One’s wisdom. All of us Hearers who studied the Dharma under the Buddha, having gained from the Buddha the one day’s wage of Nirvana, attaining the one-sided nirvana with residue, like laborers who get paid by the day, took it to be a great attainment, a big thing. We had no ambition to seek the Great Vehicle. We had no inclination to seek the wonderful doctrine of the Great Vehicle.

Besides, the wisdom of the Thus Come One had been set forth for the sake of the Bodhisattvas, and so we held no expectations regarding it. The Buddha had assisted Shariputra and Subhuti in the teaching of Prajna. Shariputra and Subhuti thought it was not their own power. They thought it was the Buddha’s power that enabled them to speak Prajna, and so they had neither hope for the Great Vehicle nor ambition to practice the Bodhisattva Path themselves. What is the reason? The Buddha knew that our minds took delight in petty Dharmas. The Buddha knew that we of the Small Vehicle were quite attached to our Small Vehicle. He used the power of expedients to teach us in the appropriate manner. He taught us the Dharma according to our dispositions. And we did not know that we were truly the Buddha’s sons. We of the Two Vehicles did not know that, all the time, we were the Buddha’s sons; we did not understand the doctrine of the Great Vehicle. We, too are the Buddha’s sons!

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