The Ten Inexhaustible Treasuries

Chapter Twenty-Two

 

 

 

IX The Treasury of Upholding

Sutra:

“Disciples of the Buddha, what is the Bodhisattva Mahasattvas’ Treasury of Upholding? These Bodhisattvas uphold all the phrases, sentences, meanings, and principles in the Sutras which the Buddhas have spoken, without forgetting or losing any of them. They uphold them for one life and so forth, up to upholding them for ineffably ineffable numbers of lives. They uphold one Buddha’s name and so forth, up to upholding the names of ineffably ineffable Buddhas. They uphold them for one kalpa and so forth, up to upholding them for ineffably ineffable kalpas. They uphold one Buddha’s bestowal of predictions and so forth, up to upholding the bestowal of predictions of ineffably ineffable Buddhas.

Commentary:

The Bodhisattva Forest of Merit and Virtue had just finished explaining the Eighth Treasury of Mindfulness. Now, he talks about the ninth, the Treasury of Upholding. Before he begins to explain this Treasury, he first calls out to all the disciples of the Buddha, with the intent of requesting them to be particularly attentive to this explanation of the Dharma Treasury of Upholding.

He calls out, Disciples of the Buddha, what is the Bodhisattva Mahasattvas’ Treasury of Upholding? What is meant by the Treasury of Upholding or Maintaining which is cultivated by all of the Great Bodhisattvas? He then answers, “These Bodhisattvas uphold all the phrases, sentences, meanings, and principles in the Sutras which the Buddhas have spoken, without forgetting or losing any of them. ” They are able to receive and uphold all the Sutras spoken by all Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time.

“Sutra” here refers to the entire Three Treasuries of Sutras, Vinaya, and Shastras, and the Twelve Divisions of the Canon. They can receive and uphold all the words of the Sutras from beginning to end. They are able to read, recite, and write them out. They can understand all the phrases, meanings and principles found in the Sutras. Not only do they understand them, but they will never forget them or lose them. As soon as it enters their ear they will never forget. What the eyes see and the ears hear is never forgotten.

They uphold them for one life and so forth, up to upholding them for ineffably ineffable numbers of lives. In a single life they are able to receive and uphold these Treasuries of Dharma. Not only that but they continue to do so throughout ineffably ineffable numbers of lives without forgetting or losing any of them.

They uphold one Buddha’s name and so forth, up to upholding the names of ineffably ineffable Buddhas. They uphold the names of a single Buddha without forgetting or losing it, reaching to receiving and upholding limitless numbers of Buddhas’ names.

They uphold them for one kalpa and so forth, up to upholding them for ineffably ineffable kalpas. They uphold one Buddha’s bestowal of predictions and so forth, up to upholding the bestowal of predictions of ineffably ineffable Buddhas. They can uphold a certain Buddha’s giving a certain Bodhisattva a prediction and a special name, reaching to the point that they can uphold ineffably ineffable numbers of Buddhas’ predictions and bestowals of names on Bodhisattvas, without ever forgetting or losing any of them.

Sutra:

“They uphold one Sutra and so forth, up to upholding ineffably ineffable Sutras. They uphold one Dharma Assembly and so forth, up to upholding ineffably ineffable Dharma Assemblies. They uphold the proclaiming of one Dharma and so forth, up to upholding the proclaiming of ineffably ineffable Dharmas. They uphold the limitless aspects in the nature of one faculty and so forth, up to upholding the limitless aspects in the nature of ineffably ineffable faculties. They uphold the variations in the nature of one affliction and so forth, up to upholding the variations in the nature of ineffably ineffable afflictions. They uphold the various qualities in the nature of one samadhi and so forth, up to upholding the various qualities in the nature of ineffably ineffable samadhis.

Commentary:

They uphold one Sutra and so forth, up to upholding ineffably ineffable Sutras. The meaning of Sutra has been explained many times but maybe there are those who have forgotten them. Sutra has four meanings:

• Stringing together
• Drawing in
• Constancy
• Dharma

“Stringing together” means that the principles which are spoken are strung together just as you would string beads on a string.

“Drawing in” refers to the Sutras’ potential for gathering in and supporting living beings for whom the teaching is opportune. One gathers in and supports all living beings, teaching and transforming them by using the Dharma of the Sutras.

“Constancy” means that from ancient times until the present, there has been no change.

“Dharma” is that which is equally venerated by those of the past, present, and future. Those are the four meanings of Sutra.

Sutra also has the meaning of an “ink cord”, which carpenters make by covering a string with ink, drawing it taut, and snapping it against a board. The ink line that appears is a straight guideline for their saws to follow. This meaning is also referred to as “square, compass, and precise guideline”. The Sutras are likened to these precision instruments in that the methods taught in them act as guidelines for living beings in their practice.

Sutra is also defined as a “bubbling spring”, because principles continually emerge from it just like an endless welling up of water from a spring.

Sutra also has the meaning of “coming forth”, because it continually gives rise to more and more meanings. There are many many meanings to the word Sutra, so the original Sanskrit word is retained.

The Bodhisattvas can receive and maintain a single Sutra without forgetting it, but that does not count as perfecting their ability to receive and maintain. On top of that, they are also able to receive and maintain ineffably ineffable numbers of Sutras without ever forgetting them.

They uphold one Dharma Assembly and so forth, up to upholding ineffably ineffable Dharma Assemblies. They are able to uphold a single assembly which resides in one particular Bodhimanda. They can remember everything that transpires. They are also able to remember ineffably ineffable numbers of assemblies in Bodhimandas. They can remember everything that transpires in all of them.

They uphold the proclaiming of one Dharma and so forth, up to upholding the proclaiming of ineffably ineffable Dharmas. They receive and uphold one method of teaching, reaching to ineffably ineffable numbers of methods of teaching.

They uphold the limitless aspects in the nature of one faculty and so forth, up to upholding the limitless aspects in the nature of ineffably ineffable faculties. They can uphold limitless aspects of a single faculty of one living being, up to upholding and correcting ineffably ineffable aspects in the nature of ineffably ineffable numbers of faculties.

They uphold the variations in the nature of one affliction and so forth, up to upholding the variations in the nature of ineffably ineffable afflictions. They uphold and correct the variations in the nature of a single affliction and so forth up to the point that they can accept, maintain, and correct the various natures of ineffably ineffable numbers of afflictions.

They uphold the various qualities in the nature of one samadhi and so forth, up to upholding the various qualities in the nature of ineffably ineffable samadhis. They can use a single samadhi to cure all kinds of afflictions. They can do this to the point that they are able to use an ineffable number of samadhis to cure an ineffable number of afflictions. The Bodhisattvas at this level of the Treasury of Upholding are able to receive and maintain the Treasury of Dharma of all Buddhas.

The Bodhisattvas who cultivate this Treasury of Upholding can maintain a store of Dharma which pervades the reaches of empty space and the Dharma Realm. They maintain all the Sutras, Vinaya, and Shastras throughout the entire Dharma Realm. How are they able to maintain them? It is because they are empty. This is called “upholding without upholding”. They are empty of everything, so all Dharmas appear before them. If they weren’t empty, then there would be no way to uphold a store of Dharma which pervades empty space to the end of the Dharma Realm.

Sutra:

“Disciples of the Buddha, this Treasury of Upholding is boundless. It is difficult to fulfill and difficult to reach its depths. It is difficult to draw near. It cannot be curtailed or subdued. It is limitless, inexhaustible, and replete with great awesome power. It is the state of a Buddha, which only a Buddha can comprehend. This is called the Bodhisattva Mahasattvas’ Ninth Treasury, that of Upholding.

Commentary:

Forest of Merit and Virtue Bodhisattva once again calls out to all the Bodhisattvas, wanting them all to pay special attention: Disciples of the Buddha, this Treasury of Upholding is boundless. This kind of Dharma door is without bounds, its source is inexhaustible. Its scope and magnitude are unending and hard to reach. It is difficult to fulfill. It is not easy to cultivate the Treasury of Upholding to perfection. And it is difficult to reach its depths. It is limitlessly vast and far-reaching. It is difficult to perfect this Dharma door of Upholding and it is equally hard to fathom its depths. It is difficult to draw near. It’s hard to be able to approach this Dharma door. One has to always be mindful, receive and hold, and remember it. Since it’s not easy to always cultivate this Dharma, it is said to be “difficult to fulfill”, “difficult to reach its depths”, and “difficult to draw near”.

It cannot be curtailed or subdued. When one cultivates this kind of Dharma door, the heavenly demons and those of outside ways cannot destroy one’s practice.

It is limitless, inexhaustible, and replete with great awesome power. With the Treasury of Upholding, one is capable to subduing all heavenly demons and those of outside ways. One will not be subdued by them instead. This Treasury is endowed with vast, great, limitless, and boundless awesome spiritual power.

It is the state of a Buddha, which only a Buddha can comprehend. Only Buddhas can achieve this ultimate state. It’s not easy for any Bodhisattva to understand. Only at the level of Buddha-fruition can this state by totally fathomed.

This is called the Bodhisattva Mahasattvas’ Ninth Treasury, that of Upholding. This is the Treasury that the Great Bodhisattvas among Bodhisattvas cultivate, that of Upholding.

X. The Treasury of Eloquence

Sutra:

“Disciples of the Buddha, what is the Bodhisattva Mahasattvas’ Treasury of Eloquence? These Bodhisattvas have profound wisdom. They understand and know the real mark. They expansively explain all Dharmas for living beings. They do not go counter to any of the Buddhas’ Sutras. They explain one section of Dharma and so forth, up to explaining ineffably ineffable sections of Dharma. They explain one Buddha’s name and so forth, up to explaining ineffably ineffable Buddhas’ names. In the same way they can explain about one world realm, one Buddha’s prediction, one Sutra, and one Assembly. They can proclaim one Dharma. They can explain the limitless variations in the nature of one faculty. They can explain the limitless variations in the nature of one affliction. They can explain the limitless various qualities in the nature of one samadhi and so forth, up to explaining the limitless various qualities in the nature of ineffably ineffable samadhis.

Commentary:

Forest of Merit and Virtue Bodhisattva says, “ Disciples of the Buddha, what is the Bodhisattva Mahasattvas’ Treasury of Eloquence? ” He asks, “What kind of Dharma do the Great Bodhisattvas cultivate in order to obtain unobstructed eloquence?” How is it possible to obtain this Treasury of Eloquence?” The following Sutra text gives the answer.

These Bodhisattvas have profound wisdom. They have measureless and boundless, deep Prajna wisdom. They understand and know the real mark. They understand the principle and substance of the real mark of all dharmas. They can expansively explain all Dharmas for living beings. Using all kinds of similes, metaphors, causes and conditions, and different approaches, they speak the Dharma for all kinds of living beings. Using expedient means they clearly explain the Dharma so that all the various kinds of living beings may come to understand.

They do not go counter to any of the Buddhas’ Sutras. What they speak is in accord with the mind of the Buddhas and the principles in the Sutras.

They explain one section of Dharma and so forth, up to explaining ineffably ineffable sections of Dharma. They explain from as little as one aspect of a single Dharma, reaching to the extent of ineffably ineffable aspects of all Dharmas.

They explain one Buddha’s name and so forth, up to explaining ineffably ineffable Buddhas’ names. In the same way they can explain about one world realm, one Buddha’s prediction, one Sutra, and one Assembly, and so forth up to ineffably ineffable world realms, Buddhas’ predictions, Sutras, and Assemblies.

They can proclaim one Dharma, one superior teaching. They can explain the limitless variations in the nature of one faculty, and so forth up to limitless aspects in the nature of ineffably ineffable faculties.

They can explain the limitless variations in the nature of one affliction. They know which methods can cure a certain kind of affliction with its limitless variations.

They can explain the limitless various qualities in the nature of one samadhi and so forth, up to explaining the limitless various qualities in the nature of ineffably ineffable samadhis.

All of these are examples of the one expanding to the many and the many returning to the one. One becomes limitless and the limitless turns into the one. The Bodhisattvas have this kind of wisdom of eloquence. For this reason they can speak the Dharma to teach and transform all living beings so they will accomplish Buddhahood quickly.

Question: In the study of Ch’an, is it the true self which guides each individual on his or her own path through life? Or is it only no self? Could you define no self and are the two the same?

Answer: Saying there is a self-nature, then one has an attachment. If one thinks there is no self-nature, then one is without attachment. If one has attachment then one still has afflictions and ignorance. If one doesn’t have any attachments, then one is without afflictions and ignorance. If there are no attachments at all, then there is no place from which afflictions come forth and there is no ignorance. We say, “make the ‘self’ empty, that originally there isn’t a thing.” That’s right, it is empty; however, one as an individual still exists. If one, in fact exists here and now and speaks of being “empty, empty”, while still continuing to exist as an individual, then one is still here. One isn’t empty.

This teaching is to help people get rid of their attachments. Don’t be attached to the existence of a self. That is emptiness. However, this doesn’t mean that your body will disappear, or that your fundamental nature will disappear. One’s self-nature should disappear in the sense that it becomes of the same substance as empty space. That is basically the way it should be. The fundamental nature is emptiness and emptiness is the fundamental nature. But if one is still attached to the existence of a fundamental nature, then one cannot unite with empty space because one has still not broken through that attachment. Why is it that the Buddha’s body is like empty space? It is because he has no attachments.

The Bodhisattva should also learn about this kind of state of the Buddha. Therefore, don’t have any attachments. If one has attachments, then automatically one will give rise to ignorance and afflictions. If one has attachments, there is selfishness, and then one is bound to have afflictions. When one has no attachments and there is no self, then there is no selfishness and there are no afflictions. To be without any afflictions is to see the nature. Those who see the nature, know no anxiety, they don’t know the meaning of worry

Sutra:

“Perhaps they explain for one day, for half a month, or for one month. Perhaps they explain for a hundred years, a thousand years, or a hundred thousand years. Perhaps they explain for one kalpa, a hundred kalpas, a thousand kalpas, or a hundred thousand kalpas. Perhaps they explain for billions of nayutas of kalpas. Perhaps they explain for uncountable, limitless, up to including ineffably ineffable kalpas. The number of kalpas can be exhausted, but the meanings and principles in a single phrase or a single sentence are difficult to exhaust.

Commentary:

Perhaps they explain for one day. The Bodhisattvas who cultivate the Treasury of Eloquence may speak for one day, for half a month, or for one month. Perhaps they explain for a hundred years, a thousand years, or a hundred thousand years. Perhaps during these periods of time these Bodhisattvas cultivate the Dharma Treasury of Eloquence.

Perhaps they explain for one kalpa, a hundred kalpas, a thousand kalpas, or a hundred thousand kalpas. Perhaps they explain for billions of nayutas of kalpas. Perhaps they explain for uncountable, limitless, up to including ineffably ineffable kalpas. The number of kalpas can be exhausted —kalpas are periods of time which exist and then are gone, but, in the Treasury of Eloquence, the meanings and principles in a single phrase or a single sentence are difficult to exhaust. The Dharma which is proclaimed is limitless and incalculable, so its meanings are difficult to exhaust.

Sutra:

“Why is this? These Bodhisattvas accomplish the ten kinds of Inexhaustible Treasuries, and because they perfect this Treasury, they are able to gather in the Dharani Doors of all Dharmas and have these appear before them with a million asamkhyeyas of dharanis as their retinue. Having attained these dharanis, they use the light of Dharma to expansively proclaim the Dharma for living beings.

“When they speak the Dharma they use their vast and long tongues to emit wonderful sounds that pervade all worlds of the ten directions, and cause those in them to be fulfilled according to their faculties and natures so that their hearts are happy. They destroy all afflictions and the bonds of defilement. They skillfully enter into all sounds, words, languages, and phrases, perfecting and eloquence which causes living beings’ Buddha seed to not be cut off and their pure minds to be continuous. Also, they use the light of Dharma to speak the Dharma without end, and they never grow weary.

Commentary:

In the previous passage of text, it says that whether time is short or long it eventually will come to an end. But with regard to the Dharma, from the superficial one is able to enter the profound; from what is near one is able to enter what is distant; from the small one is able to understand what is great; from the concise one is able to understand what is vast and expansive. The meanings are endless and inexhaustible. Just a single word or phrase of a Sutra includes and infinite number of meanings.

And so it says that the Dharma cannot be exhausted. Why is this? These Bodhisattvas accomplish the ten kinds of Inexhaustible Treasuries. The Bodhisattvas who cultivate the Ten Inexhaustible Treasuries are able to bring them all to perfection. And because they perfect this Treasury of eloquence, they are able to gather in the Dharani Doors of all Dharmas and have these appear before them. Having cultivated, they obtain the Treasury of Eloquence, which is the door of encompassing and upholding. They obtain all Dharmas and Dharani Doors, with a million asamkhyeyas of dharanis as their retinue. The retinue is as large as hundreds of thousands of asamkhyeyas in number. Having attained these dharanis, they use the light of Dharma to expansively proclaim the Dharma for living beings. For the sake of all living beings, they use the light of wisdom and eloquence to vastly proclaim the Dharma. Unafraid of trouble, they delineate the doors and distinguish the different classes and broadly proclaim the Dharma for all living beings.

When they speak the Dharma they use their vast and long tongues. In the Amitabha Sutra it says;

Each brings forth the appearance of a vast and long tongue,
Everywhere pervading the three thousand great thousand worlds.

Here, when the Bodhisattvas use their vast and long tongues to speak the Dharma, they are able to emit wonderful sounds that pervade all worlds of the ten directions. All living creatures like to hear these sounds. They totally fill all worlds of the ten directions, and cause those in them to be fulfilled according to their faculties and natures so that their hearts are happy. The Bodhisattvas go along with the basic nature of living beings and enable all living beings to obtain benefits from the Dharmas which are appropriate for them. The basic nature is described in the Lotus Sutra. It tells how all the different kinds of grasses and trees obtain just the exact amount of rain that they need so that they can be moistened. In the same way each living being receives the exact amount of Dharma rain he or she needs, causing each heart to be happy, then all of the heated afflictions are extinguished.

Afflictions are born from unhappiness. Once afflictions arise, there is defilement and bondage. When there aren’t any afflictions, then there is just happiness. So the text says, “They destroy all afflictions and the bonds of defilement. They skillfully enter into all sounds, words, languages, and phrases, perfecting and eloquence which causes living beings’ Buddha seed to not be cut off and their pure minds to be continuous. ” Bodhisattvas have the unobstructed eloquence which enables them to enter into all languages and literature. They are able to cause all living beings to obtain the Samadhi of all Sounds and Languages and to gain eloquence with words and meanings in the Sutras. They can cause living beings Buddha seed to not be cut off. When the afflictions and bonds of defilement are destroyed, then one’s precepts, samadhi, and wisdom are complete. When precepts, samadhi, and wisdom are complete, then all living beings’ Buddha seed will not be cut off. The pure and clear heart of Bodhi is able to be continuous without end.

Also, they use the light of Dharma to speak the Dharma without end. They use the light of the Dharma of wisdom and eloquence to speak the Dharma extensively for all living beings, without exhaustion. Regardless of how long they speak the Dharma there is never any end to it; it never stops. And they never grow weary. Some people who do this kind of work get tired before they finish it. If living beings’ good roots aren’t complete and perfected, then after cultivating for awhile they become tired. Originally, these living beings have jumped out of the sea of suffering to cultivate the Way, but after cultivating for awhile, they get tired of studying the Buddhadharma and decide not to cultivate but to go back to the sea of suffering again. This happens because they get tired. Bodhisattvas will speak the Dharma throughout the infinite scope of future time without every becoming tired. They will never say that speaking Dharma is exhausting and that they’d like to rest or better yet, retire. The Bodhisattvas are not capable of quitting or retiring.

Sutra:

“Why is this? It is because these Bodhisattvas perfect a boundless body which exhausts empty space and pervades the Dharma Realm. This is the Bodhisattva Mahasattvas’ Tenth Treasury, that of Eloquence.

“This Treasury cannot be exhausted, cannot be divided, cannot be interrupted, cannot be cut off, cannot be changed, cannot be obstructed, and cannot be retreated from. It is deep without bottom and difficult to enter. It is the gate of universal entry into all Buddhadharmas.

“Disciples of the Buddha. These ten kinds of Inexhaustible Treasuries have ten kinds of inexhaustible Dharmas by which the Bodhisattvas ultimately accomplish Unsurpassed Bodhi.

Commentary:

Why is this? Why are these Bodhisattvas able to explain the Dharma without end and never get tired? It is because these Bodhisattvas perfect a boundless body which exhausts empty space and pervades the Dharma Realm. The Bodhisattva’s body is vast with nothing outside, and yet is so small that there can be nothing inside of it. As it says in the Avatamsaka Preface of National Master Ching Liang;

Going and returning with no border,
Movement and stillness have one source.
There is no limit to where this kind of unbounded body can go.
When it goes, there is no place that it reaches;
When it returns, there is no place that it can return to.

It doesn’t go out and it doesn’t come back. It doesn’t move and it isn’t still. This kind of limitless Dharma body takes the Dharma Realm and empty space as its substance. Pervading everywhere throughout the Dharma Realm to the exhaustion of empty space is the limitless, unbounded body of the Bodhisattva. Because of this, there is no end to the explanation of all Dharmas.

This is the Bodhisattva Mahasattvas’ Tenth Treasury, that of Eloquence. This is the Tenth Treasury of the Great Bodhisattvas among Bodhisattvas, that of Eloquence.

This Treasury cannot be exhausted. There is no time when it is finished. It is infinite without limits. It cannot be divided, or analyzed. It cannot be interrupted, and it cannot be cut off. It cannot be changed, it will always be as it is and has been. It cannot be obstructed, there is nothing that can break up or obstruct this Treasury. And it cannot be retreated from. One who cultivates this Treasury will not retreat or turn away. One will only vigorously progress.

It is deep without bottom and it is difficult to enter. It’s not easy to understand and obtain this unobstructed eloquence. It is the gate of universal entry into all Buddhadharmas. Even though this Treasury is difficult to understand, when one cultivates it one is able to universally enter all the doors of the Buddhadharma. Every Buddhadharma is replete with the Treasury of Eloquence.

The Bodhisattva Forest of Merit and Virtue again calls out, “ Disciples of the Buddha. These ten kinds of Inexhaustible Treasuries have ten kinds of inexhaustible Dharmas by which the Bodhisattvas ultimately accomplish Unsurpassed Bodhi. ” These ten kinds of Dharmas enable all Bodhisattvas who wish to cultivate the Ten Inexhaustible Treasuries to ultimately obtain the Unsurpassed Fruition of Bodhi.

I often talk to you about how the meanings in the Avatamsaka Sutra are inexhaustible and infinite. One can explain them in a variety of ways, all of which have principle, as long as the explanations are appropriate to the meaning of the Sutra and are proper and orthodox. That is why we investigate the Buddhadharma together. Each person is possessed of his or her own share of wisdom. Therefore, if anyone makes mistakes when speaking the Dharma, those who are aware of the errors can bring them up for discussion at a later time so the points can be clarified.

You should all make use of your wisdom in investigating the Buddhadharma. If you ever notice that someone’s explanation of any given passage of Sutra text is inappropriate and does not tally with the meaning, you can bring it up for discussion.

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