The Manifestations of the Thus Come One

Chapter Two

I.A.1.i. The kinds of self-mastery of the Buddhas

Sutra:

What kinds of self-mastery do the Buddhas have?

Commentary:

All of the great Bodhisattvas have another doubt; there is something they don’t understand, and so they further ask, “What kinds of self-mastery do the Buddhas have?” Are there any limits to the self-mastery of the Buddhas? Does it have any bounds? No, it doesn’t.

To have self-mastery means being free of afflictions. To have afflictions is to be without self-mastery. People who are free from afflictions have self-mastery. People who get afflicted experience troubles. People without afflictions don’t have any troubles. Troubles don’t come from the outside; they are induced by one’s inherent nature.

Yesterday I spoke about the Four Noble Truths. The Second Truth says, “This is accumulation; by nature it beckons.” To accumulate [afflictions, etc.] is to be without self-mastery. To not engage in accumulation [of afflictions] is to have self-mastery.

Self-mastery also means not having any false thinking. If you have false thoughts, you won’t have any self-mastery. If you don’t have false thoughts, you will attain self-mastery. Self-mastery is just not being greedy. If you are greedy, you won’t have any self-mastery. If you aren’t, you can experience self-mastery. Self-mastery is not being angry. If you indulge in anger, you won’t attain self-mastery. If you are free of anger, you will attain self-mastery. Self-mastery is not being deluded. If you are deluded, you won’t enjoy self-mastery.

If you have self-mastery with one thing, you will have self-mastery with everything. If you don’t have self-mastery with one thing, then you won’t have self-mastery with everything else.

What is meant by “the one”? The one is the beginning of all the other numbers; it already implies the notion of numbers. Once there is one, there will be two, and from two comes three. One leads to ten; ten leads to one hundred; one hundred leads to one thousand, and one thousand leads to ten thousand. The farther you go, the less self-mastery there is. If you can attain the one, you will have self-mastery. If you can’t attain the one, you won’t have self-mastery. One means being single-minded. Single-minded means not having two minds; there is only one mind.

For example, for those of us who cultivate the Way, why can’t we become enlightened? It’s just because we aren’t single-minded. Why haven’t we increased our wisdom? It’s also because we aren’t single-minded.

If you can be single-minded, then you have self-mastery. If you aren’t single-minded, you don’t have self-mastery. If you have many minds, your mind will not have self-mastery. If you have lots of false thinking, you do not having self-mastery.

We’ve just spoken about the one, yet still nobody understands what the one means. People are saying, “Dharma Master, you’ve been lecturing all wrong. Children could speak about this: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Not to mention adults, even children understand the one. Why did you say there are people who don’t understand?”

I said you didn’t understand because it’s for certain, you don’t. If you understood, I wouldn’t have said you didn’t understand. Why? Because this “one” is internal; it’s not external. What is the internal “one”? It’s your essence, energy, and spirit. If you can keep your essence from going out, you will attain the one. If you can’t keep your essence from leaving you, if you still want to let it go, not only will you be unable to attain the one, you won’t even be able to attain the two.

What is the Way that we are cultivating? What is the sutra that is lectured talking about? What is the Dharma that we are speaking? It all goes back to the “one.” It’s all telling us to cut off desire and sever love. Your thoughts of love and desire cause you to fall.

Therefore, self-mastery is simply the ability to keep your essence from escaping. If you cannot keep your essence from leaving, then you do not have self-mastery. You might consider yourself to have attained self-mastery, but it would be false. It’s right here that cultivators of the Way want to pay special attention.

When the one is attained, the myriad things are done with.

If you can attain the one, everything will be finished. All other matters will be unessential. If you are able to protect your true essence and not let it flow outside, then you have attained the one.

When you attain the one, you still have to protect it. If you don’t protect the one, it will still run off. So you need to guard it. Guarding the one, you still have to understand the one. If you don’t understand the one, you will be all muddled while you are trying to protect it, and your wisdom will not be able to unfold.

To attain the one is precepts. To protect the one is samadhi. To understand the one is wisdom. This is just precepts, samadhi, and wisdom. So you have to ask yourself whether or not you can attain the one. If you can’t attain it, you should quickly feel repentant, bring forth the bodhi resolve, and muster vigorous determination. Otherwise, in the future you will certainly fall into the hells. There won’t be any other road for you to take. That is because you don’t want to attain the one, you can’t protect the one, and you don’t want to understand the one. You figure you can just be all muddled and confused, and it doesn’t matter. If you can attain the one, then you have true self-mastery.

Why do all Buddhas have great self-mastery? It’s because they have attained the one. They hold the precepts, cultivate samadhi, and give rise to wisdom, so they have attained self-mastery. There are also ten kinds of self-mastery that Buddhas possess.

The first is the functioning of unobstructed self-mastery with regard to Buddhalands. These Buddhalands do not obstruct one another. The Buddha can take this land and move it to another land, and then take that land and move it to where this land was. They can take a world and move it at their leisure.

The second is the functioning of unobstructed self-mastery with regard to beings. The Buddha can teach and transform each and every being as he pleases. According to their circumstances, they are taught and transformed and can realize the Buddha Way.

The third is the functioning of unobstructed self-mastery with regard to the Dharma. The Dharma spoken by the Buddha is based on the principles of self-mastery. Self-mastery is just the mind; the minds of beings. Therefore, the Dharma spoken by the Buddha is not apart from beings’ minds. Apart from beings’ minds, of what use is any Dharma? Apart from the mind, Dharma isn’t necessary. This is the great functioning of unobstructed self-mastery with regard to Dharma.

The fourth is the functioning of the unobstructed self-mastery of the Buddha’s body. The Buddha can go wherever he wants. If he doesn’t feel like going anywhere, he doesn’t have to. Responding to conditions, he manifests in order to teach and transform beings. Why does the Buddha’s body have the functioning of unobstructed self-mastery? It is because of the power of the vows he made in past lives.

The fifth is the functioning of unobstructed self-mastery derived from the power of vows. Why does the Buddha have such great self-mastery? It’s because in his past lives—in life after life—he brought forth limitless vows to achieve self-mastery. And these vows do not obstruct one another in their functioning.

The sixth is the functioning of unobstructed self-mastery with regard to states. The states of the Buddha are limitless and boundless, because he has self-mastery. Using his self-mastery, he can transformationally create all of these states, which do not obstruct one another.

The seventh is the functioning of the unobstructed self-mastery of wisdom. The Buddha’s wisdom is even more unobstructed. Functioning with self-mastery, it can illumine everything.

The eighth is the functioning of the unobstructed self-mastery of spiritual strength.

The ninth is the functioning of the unobstructed self-mastery of spiritual powers.

The tenth is the functioning of the unobstructed self-mastery of the Buddha’s Ten Powers.

If I were to speak in detail about these kinds of self-mastery, I could not finish speaking to the end of time. And so I have just given a very simple explanation.

I.A.1.j. The kinds of indestructibility of the Buddhas

Sutra:

What kinds of indestructibility do the Buddhas have? 

Commentary:

All of the great Bodhisattvas further asked, “What kinds of indestructibility do the Buddhas have?” Indestructible means impossible to vanquish or destroy. The force of the Buddha’s spiritual powers cannot be compared with those of gods, demons, externalists, adherents of the Two Vehicles, or even great Bodhisattvas. They cannot be destroyed by any being. This indestructibility is also limitless and boundless. One could never finish speaking about it. In general, there are ten kinds.

The first is that all Buddhas throughout the ten directions and the three periods of time—Buddhas of the past, present, and future—at the level of planting causes, made great vows. These great vows are solid; they can’t be destroyed. The Buddhas’ vows aren’t like those of one of my disciples, who made a vow that he said would expire after three years. That is not a solid vow; it’s a weak vow.

The vows that the Buddhas make are adamantine and indestructible. No one can destroy them. When they make vows, they definitely carry them out. They say, “I’ve made a vow; I’m certainly going to act on that vow.” They wouldn’t make a vow and then forget about it after a couple of days. They don’t deviate from their words. They don’t tell lies. That is the first kind of indestructibility.

The second is that, wishing to cultivate and perfect all merit and virtue, passing through eons to the end of time, they always cultivate the Bodhisattva conduct. They cultivate the six perfections and the myriad practices and never become weary or lazy.

The third is that they want to subdue all beings. Basically, beings are stubborn and difficult to regulate and subdue. Nonetheless, the Buddhas make vows to regulate and subdue all beings. And so they send innumerable division-bodies to an ineffable, ineffable number of worlds in order to regulate and subdue all the beings there. Their practice never ends.

The fourth is that they universally contemplate with great compassion those beings who have faith and who cultivate. Whoever has faith will receive the aid of the Buddhas. Whoever cultivates will also receive the aid of the Buddhas; it’s very egalitarian. However much faith you have, they will aid you that much.

The fifth is that from the time they first make the bodhi resolve, from the very first day they begin cultivating, up through the time when they become Buddhas, they never retreat from their resolve. They are vigorous from start to finish. They never retreat from their bodhi resolve. Such are the Buddhas’ conduct and vows with regard to the fifth kind of indestructibility.

The sixth is that they have accumulated an infinite amount of wholesome merit and virtue. Starting with a very small amount, they accumulate a limitless and boundless amount of merit and virtue. They transfer their merit and virtue to the nature of All-Wisdom; that is, they make transference to the Buddhas. The Buddhas make transference to one another, because the Way of all Buddhas is the same. They have no defiled attachments to worldly dharmas.

The seventh kind of indestructible conduct is that within all of the Buddhas’ bodhimandas, they cultivate the purity of the three karmic vehicles: the body, the mouth, and the mind. They cultivate the methods of practice cultivated by all Buddhas. They don’t cultivate the practices of the Two Vehicles. They simultaneously transfer all of the merit and virtue from their cultivation of all practices to the nature of All-Wisdom, or Buddhahood. And therefore they realize Unsurpassed, Proper and Equal, Right Enlightenment, or bodhi.

The eighth is that Buddhas always emit brilliant light. Their light equally illuminate all places, and also illuminate the Dharma spoken by all Buddhas, purifying the minds of all Bodhisattvas and enabling them to perfect All-Wisdom.

The ninth is that they renounce all worldly happiness. They neither covet nor become tainted by worldly happiness. Common people, greedy for quick gratifications, can’t experience ultimate happiness; they can’t leave suffering and attain happiness. The Buddha universally vows to help beings leave suffering and afflictions behind and attain ultimate happiness. He helps them to renounce non-ultimate sophistry.

The tenth is that the Buddhas pity all beings in their various plights of woe, and wish to rescue them. Buddhas protect the Buddhas’ seed, which is the bodhi resolve. One cultivates toward the states of the Buddhas, attains freedom from birth and death, and arrives at the fruition of the Ten Powers and the fearlessnesses.

We have spoken of ten kinds of indestructible conduct and vows of the Buddhas, or the ways in which the Buddhas cannot be vanquished or destroyed.

I. The oceanic multitudes simultaneously request [Dharma]
A. Requesting by directly asking questions
2. Asking about salient physical characteristics
a. The eyes of the Buddhas
b. The ears of the Buddhas
c. The noses of the Buddhas
d. The tongues of the Buddhas
e. The bodies of the Buddhas
f. The minds of the Buddhas

Sutra:

What are the Buddhas’ eyes like? What are the Buddhas’ ears like? What are the Buddhas’ noses like? What are the Buddhas’ tongues like? What are the Buddhas’ bodies like? What are the Buddhas’ minds like?  

Commentary:

This is speaking about the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind of a Buddha. The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind of a Buddha are not like those of ordinary people.

What are the Buddhas’ eyes like? Usually we speak of a Buddha as having the Five Eyes. But now the Flower Adornment Sutra is speaking about the ten eyes; a Buddha has ten eyes. The Five Eyes are: the heavenly eye, the flesh eye, the Dharma eye, the wisdom eye, and the Buddha eye. The flesh eye of a Buddha’s Five Eyes does not refer to the flesh eyes that we have been born with. His flesh eye can see things with shape and form, the things that ordinary people can see. It’s said,

The heavenly eye penetrates through solid objects and beyond.
The flesh eye sees solid objects and does not penetrate beyond.
The Dharma eye can contemplate only the relative truth.
The wisdom eye sees and understands true emptiness.
While the Buddha eye blazes forth like a thousand suns.
Although the Five Eyes’ perceptions differ, they are the same in essence.

The heavenly eye penetrates through solid objects and beyond. The heavenly eye is unobstructed. It can see all of the heavens. Above, it can see up to the peak of existence. Below, it can see the avici (relentless) hells. It can see everything that is going on. Therefore, the heavenly eye penetrates what is without obstruction.

The flesh eye sees solid objects and does not penetrate beyond. The flesh eye sees material things. However, it does not refer to our ordinary physical eyes. The heavenly eye can only see what is immaterial, what does not have shape. It cannot see material things very clearly. The flesh eye very clearly perceives those things with material form. It can also see very clearly those things without material form. That’s why the verse says, “the heavenly eye penetrates beyond,” and ‘the flesh eye sees solid objects and does not penetrate beyond.” The flesh eye can only see solid objects.

The Dharma eye can contemplate only the relative truth. The Dharma eye contemplates mundane and transcendental dharmas. It can recognize worldly, conventional truths as well as world-transcending truth.

The wisdom eye sees and understands true emptiness. This eye endowed with wisdom comprehends the principle of true emptiness.

The Buddha eye blazes forth like a thousand suns. The Buddha eye is as bright and illuminating as a thousand suns.

Although the Five Eyes’ perceptions differ, they are the same in essence. Although these Five Eyes differ in what they see, they basically are of a common substance.

In addition, there is also the knowledge eye, which has unobstructed knowledge of all phenomena and noumena. There is the light eye, which can see all kinds of light. There is also the eye that can transcend birth and death. There is the unobstructed eye, which has no obstructions. And there is the eye of All-Wisdom. Together with the previous five eyes, that makes a total of ten eyes.

What are the Buddhas’ ears like? A Buddha’s ears can hear all kinds of sounds. They can clearly distinguish among billions of sounds. What are the Buddhas’ noses like? A Buddha’s nose can distinguish the characteristics of every phenomema. It can smell all of them. What are the Buddhas’ tongues like? A Buddha’s tongue can taste all kinds of flavors including those that people don’t even know about. What are the Buddhas’ bodies like? What is meant by a Buddha’s body? The body of a Buddha pervades all places. What are the Buddhas’ minds like? A Buddha’s mind can fathom the minds of all beings. That’s what the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind of a Buddha are like.

I.A.2. Asking about salient physical characteristics
g. The auras of the Buddhas
h. The light of the Buddhas
i. The sounds of the Buddhas
j. The wisdom of the Buddhas
I.A.3. Concluding request

Sutra:

What are the auras around the Buddhas’ bodies like? What is the light of the Buddhas like? What are the Buddhas’ sounds like? What is the wisdom of the Buddhas like? We only hope the World Honored One will take pity on us and reveal and explain these for us.  

Commentary:

All of the great Bodhisattvas are further wondering, “What are the auras around the Buddhas’ bodies like?” How many kinds of auras and lights does a Buddha’s body have? What is the light of the Buddhas like? What is the difference between the lights of a Buddha’s body and a Buddha’s light? A Buddha’s light pervasively shines, while the light of his body refers to the light in close proximity to his body.

What are the Buddhas’ sounds like? A Buddha’s sounds are also limitless and boundless. The sutra will speak of this again later on. What is the wisdom of the Buddhas like? What is the difference between a Buddha’s wisdom and that of a Bodhisattva? All of the great Bodhisattvas are now reflecting on this.

We only hope the World Honored One will take pity on us. Now our wish is that the World Honored One will bring forth great kindness and compassion, sympathize with all of us beings, and reveal and explain these matters for us. Clearly explain this for us, so that we may listen and understand it.

I. The oceanic multitudes simultaneously request [Dharma]
B. Requesting by referring to examples of Dharma
1. Asking about the universality of transformational abilities

Sutra:

Moreover, all the Buddhas in oceans of worlds throughout the ten directions, for the sake of the Bodhisattvas, spoke of oceans of worlds, oceans of beings, oceans of arrangements of dharma realms, oceans of Buddhas, oceans of Buddhas’ paramitas, oceans of Buddhas’ liberations, oceans of Buddhas’ transformations, oceans of Buddhas’ proclamations, oceans of Buddhas’ titles, oceans of Buddhas’ life spans.  

Commentary:

Moreover, furthermore, there were all the Buddhas in oceans of worlds throughout the ten directions. The worlds are so numerous the effect is like a great ocean. In the oceans of worlds throughout the ten directions, every world has a host who speaks the Dharma; a Buddha is there teaching and transforming beings. And all of the Buddhas, for the sake of the Bodhisattvas, spoke of oceans of worlds. In all of the oceans of worlds, all the Buddhas are speaking Dharma for all the great Bodhisattvas. They are speaking about the oceans of worlds and oceans of beings. How many beings are there? They too are limitless and boundless. Worlds are limitless and boundless, and beings are also limitless and boundless. These worlds and the beings in them are all within the Dharma Realm. How are these oceans of arrangements of dharma realms arranged? Within these dharma realms are many, many Buddhas—oceans of Buddhas.

They are speaking about the oceans of Buddhas’ paramitas. The paramitas that the Buddhas are speaking about are also like great oceans in number. There are oceans of methods that can take one to the other shore. They are speaking of the oceans of Buddhas’ liberations, the ways in which the Buddhas attained liberation. They are speaking of the oceans of Buddhas’ transformations. The Buddhas have great spiritual powers and transformations, which are like great oceans. They are speaking of the oceans of Buddhas’ proclamations. The Buddhas speak the Dharma, giving us all the sutras within the Twelve Divisions of the Canon in the Tripitaka, which are also like a great ocean.

They are speaking of the oceans of Buddhas’ titles. Every Buddha has his own name. Collectively, there are so many that they are like a great ocean. They are speaking of the oceans of Buddhas’ life spans. For example, there is a chapter in the Dharma Flower Sutra that speaks about the life spans of the Buddhas, giving various explanations and analogies, which are like a great ocean.

previous   next   Contents

Chapter 2 pages:   1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14

return to top