Bodhisattvas Asks for Clarification

Chapter Ten

 

 

IV. The Profoundness of the Buddhas’ Speaking of Dharma

SUTRA:

At that time, Manjushri Bodhisattva asked Virtuous Leader Bodhisattva, “Disciple of the Buddha, all the Thus Come Ones enlighten to only one Dharma. Why then do they explain innumerable Dharmas; why do they appear in innumerable Buddhalands; why do they transform innumerable sentient beings; why do they expound with innumerable different sounds; why do they manifest innumerable bodies; how do they know the innumerable minds; why do they demonstrate innumerable spiritual penetrations; how can they universally cause innumerable worlds to quake; how can they display innumerable exquisite adornments; and, how can they manifest an infinite variety of states of being, while within the Dharma nature, these distinctive marks all cannot be obtained?” 

Then Virtuous Leader Bodhisattva answered in verse. 

Disciple of the Buddha, what you ask about
Is profound and difficult to fathom.
Wise Ones are able to know
And find constant joy in the Buddhas’ virtues.  

COMMENTARY:

We just heard Jeweled Leader Bodhisattva finish speaking the previous verses. At that time Manjushri Bodhisattva had not yet finished asking all his questions, so he turned and asked Virtuous Leader Bodhisattva, “Disciple of the Buddha, and all you disciples of the Buddha, all the Thus Come Ones enlighten to only one Dharma. When the Thus Come Ones realize the Way, actually they all certify to the same Dharma. Why then do they explain innumerable Dharmas? All the Buddhas enlighten to one and only one Dharma. So why is it that when the Buddhas speak the Dharma they do not speak only that one Dharma, but limitlessly many different ones?

Why do they appear in innumerable Buddhalands and why do they teach and transform innumerable sentient beings? The sentient beings they teach and transform are also limitlessly many. And why do they expound with innumerable different sounds to teach and transform sentient beings? When they expound the Dharma, they use infinitely many sounds to teach and transform sentient beings.

And why do they manifest innumerable bodies? Why do limitlessly and countlessly many Buddhas’ bodies appear? And how do they know the innumerable minds? How is it the Buddhas, using their all-encompassing knowledge and views, can know whether a sentient being’s mind is obedient or rebellious? How is it he knows and sees it all? Why do they demonstrate innumerable spiritual penetrations? The Buddhas, in order to teach and transform sentient beings, manifest limitlessly, countlessly many spiritual penetrations. Why? And how can they universally cause innumerable worlds to quake? They are able to universally cause countlessly many worlds to have earthquakes. Why?

How can they display innumerable exquisite adornments? Why do they have the ability to display countlessly, limitlessly many exquisitely adorned Way-place? And, how can they manifest an infinite variety of states of being? They have that ability. Why? 

While within the Dharma nature, these distinctive marks all cannot be obtained? And yet, within the Dharma nature, those kinds of characteristics cannot be distinguished, cannot be obtained. There are none. Since the Dharma nature is originally void, how could it be that within the Dharma nature there are any of those various states of being, those appearances? The sutra tells us that they are all unobtainable.

Then Virtuous Leader Bodhisattva answered in verse. Virtuous Leader Bodhisattva, having heard the Dharma Prince, Manjushri Bodhisattva, inquire about the Dharma and ask him about all those principles, used verses to respond.He said, Disciple of the Buddha, what you ask about / Is profound and difficult to fathom. The questions you pose are very deep and not easy to understand, not easy to comprehend, not easy to grasp. Only Wise Ones are able to know. It takes a wise person to know and understand these principles. And find constant joy in the Buddhas’ meritorious virtues. Wise people constantly wish to cultivate all the merit and virtue cultivated by the Buddhas.

SUTRA:

As the Earth is of a single nature
That allows sentient beings upon it their individuality,
Yet the Earth has no thoughts of difference:
Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. 

As fire is of a single nature
That enables it to consume things,
Yet the flames do not discriminate;
Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. 

As the sea is of one nature
That forms myriad different waves,
Yet the water does not distinguish the variations;
Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. 

And as the wind is of one nature
That enables it to blow upon anything,
Yet the wind makes no differentiations;
Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma.  

COMMENTARY:

The Dharma spoken by the Buddhas is all the same, and yet, it has myriads of variations. What is this like? It is as the Earth is of a single nature without differentiations. The earth allows sentient beings upon it their individuality. There are all kinds of beings living on the Earth, and each species lives in its own individual type of habitat. Yet the Earth has no thoughts of difference: The Earth does not differentiate, “This kind of being lives upon me in such and such a place. Another kind of being dwells in another part of me.” No, it does not have all those thoughts. It does not have even one thought, and it does not have many thoughts. Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. The Buddhas’ Dharma is just like the Earth – it is only differentiated because of sentient beings.

As fire is of a single nature, that creates combustion, that enables it to consume things; there are differences in the things it burns, and yet fire’s own nature is undifferentiated. Yet the flames do not discriminate. The fire itself does not make discriminations. Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. The Dharma attained by all Buddhas is the same way.

As the water in the sea is of one nature, / That forms myriad different waves; the waves come one after another, in a myriad different varieties, yet the nature of the water is unchanging. Yet the water does not distinguish the variations; the waves are not all the same, for there are big waves, small waves, waves in front, waves in back – there are all kinds of waves. However, the water is identical and undifferentiated in its nature. Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. The Dharma that the Buddhas attain and expound is like the water in the ocean.

We are now explaining the chapter of the Flower Adornment Sutra called “The Bodhisattvas Ask for Clarification.” The text in this chapter is tremendously important and meaningful. It is especially helpful to people who are studying the Buddhadharma. Everyone should take time out of their busy schedules to come listen to the principles in this chapter. Lazy people, in particular, should stop being lazy and should diligently cultivate the Buddhadharma. This passage directly explains why people fail to realize the Way. It is all because of laziness. Since they are not vigorous, they cannot realize the Way. Those who are attached to erudition are also that way. No matter how busy and hectic your day is, all of you should come here to study the Buddhadharma. It is even better if you can invite your friends and relatives to come study the Dharma as well.

The Buddhadharma can be illustrated with all kinds of analogies. And so the text says: the wind is of one nature, / That enables it to blow upon anything. Although its essential nature is one, the wind can blow with varying force through the grass and trees, and upon all the myriad things that exist in nature, between heaven and earth.

Yet the wind makes no differentiations; the nature of wind does not discriminate and say, “Those things are bigger and these things are smaller,” nor does it say, “There are more of those and fewer of these.” It does not have such quantitative thoughts, no thoughts of one, no thoughts of many. Neither the one nor the many are established.

Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. The Dharma realized by all Buddhas follows this same principle.

SUTRA:

And as huge thunderclouds
Universally shed rain over the earth,
Yet their raindrops do not discriminate:
Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. 

Or, as the singular locale of earth,
Is able to sprout all kinds of plants,
Yet, the earth makes no differentiations:
Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma.  

Also, as the sun, when not obscured by clouds,
Universally shines throughout the ten directions,
Yet, the nature of its light is without differentiation:
Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. 

And, as the moon in space
Can be seen everywhere in the world
Yet the moon itself does not go to those places:
Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. 

And as the Great Brahma Lord,
Appears in response throughout the trichiliocosm,
Yet his body is not of several different sorts:
Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. 

COMMENTARY:

And the Dharma is as huge thunderclouds. This is another metaphor, that of thick clouds forming in the sky like oil. After the clouds mass together, there may be thunder and lightning. Following the thunder’s roll and lightning’s flash, there may be a downpour as the clouds universally shed rain all over the earth, sweet-dew rain, which pervasively soaks the soil. Yet their raindrops do not discriminate: The rain, in general, and each drop of rain are of one and the same nature. However, vegetation that has larger roots and leaves will absorb more of the rain, while vegetation that has smaller roots and leaves will absorb less rain. Whether a plant obtains more rain or less rain depends upon how much each one is capable of absorbing. It is not that the rain portions itself out.

Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. The Dharma by which the Buddhas teach and transform sentient beings is the same way. Each sentient being obtains exactly the benefit of Dharma he should obtain in the same way that plants obtain rainwater.

Or, the Dharma is as the singular locale of earth. It is also like the great earth in springtime. When spring arrives, the earth, which remains one and the same, is able to sprout all kinds of plants. Every kind of plant—flowers, grasses, and trees—gives forth buds and sprouts upon the earth. Yet, the earth makes no differentiations: It is not that the earth thinks, “In such-and-such a place, I should produce such-and-such a plant.” The earth is non-dual; it is of a single nature. Yet the things that are produced from the earth are all different. Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. The Dharma of all the Buddhas is also like that; the same principle applies to both.

Also, the Dharma is as the sun, unobscured by clouds. It is also like the sun clear of clouds and haze universally shines throughout the ten directions. The sun universally illuminates every place throughout the worlds of the ten directions. Yet, the nature of its light is without differentiation: All the light is coming from one and the same sun. 

Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. The Dharma by which all Buddhas teach and transform beings is the same way; it follows the same principle.

And, the Dharma is as the moon’s light in space, which can be seen everywhere in the world. All the people in the world can see the light of the moon. Yet the moon itself does not go to all those places: Although all beings can see the moon, it is not the case that moon has to go to where each being is in order to be seen. Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. So it is with the Dharma by which the Buddhas teach sentient beings.

Virtuous Leader Bodhisattva says: And as the Great Brahma Lord, / Appears in response throughout the trichiliocosm. He manifests the form of the Great Brahma Heaven Lord everywhere in all the worlds of the trichiliocosm. Yet was it the case that his body came and went? That it actually had a thought of the trichiliocosm? No, his body is not of several different sorts: / Thus, too, is all Buddhas’ Dharma. The Buddhadharma of the Buddhas resembles the Great Brahma Lord’s body.

previous   next   Contents

Chapter 10 pages:  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12
                             13    14    15    16    17    18    19    20    21    22

return to top