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Praises in the Tushita Heaven Palace

Chapter Twenty-Four

 

 

 

VENERABLE ABBOT: “Did anybody get enlightened? Did anybody get stupid?

QUESTION: “If Vigorous Banner Bodhisattva is vigorous day and night throughout the six periods, my question is, when does he sleep, and for how long? Does he sleep for a couple of hours? Does he sleep for three hours? How long?”

VENERABLE ABBOT: “Every day he sleeps. While sleeping, he’s vigorous; vigorous, he’s also sleeping. Being vigorous he sleeps; while sleeping, he’s vigorous. There’s no difference.

“What’s meant by ‘sleeping’? when he’s vigorous, he doesn’t have false thoughts. When he’s sleeping, he doesn’t have any dreams. Not having false thoughts is one aspect of being vigorous, as is not having dreams. That’s why for him, sleeping and being vigorous are the same. He isn’t like we people who when sleeping, have false thoughts, and then start dreaming. But he isn’t like this. Long has he cultivated pure deeds; constantly does he enter samadhi.

“He’s constantly vigorous, which means he’s vigorous in samadhi. He doesn’t distinguish between sleeping and being vigorous. He vigor is such that he can, for example, sit in meditation for five-hundred great kalpas--that’s vigor! It’s certainly not the case that he takes a five-hundred kalpas nap! And yet five-hundred kalpas do not go beyond a single thought in the mind. From the viewpoint of common people who sleep for seven hours, bow for several hours, and sit for several hours, there’s basically no way one can make a comparison. If you talk about his cultivation, it entails several hundred great kalpas, and how do you figure that? How do you compare that with your several hours? You can’t compare it--it’s inconceivable!”

* * * * *

Sutra:

According to the categories of living creatures,
And the karma they accumulate from previous lives,
Various kinds of bodies appear,
And each one of them is different.

The bodies of all Buddhas are like that--
Limitless and unreckonable.
With the exception of the Greatly Enlightened Honored Ones,
No one else can conceive of them.

Commentary:

According to the categories of living creatures, and the karma they accumulate from previous lives, various kinds of bodies appear, and each one of them is different. The Buddha complies with all living beings, taking into account the good and bad karma they collected in former lives. Because the categories of living beings aren’t the same, and because the karma they create aren’t the same, the Buddha transforms bodies according to their categories or class. He responds according to their kind in order to teach and transform them, “And each one of them is different.” Complying with the different kinds of living beings, the Buddha manifests different kinds of bodies.

The bodies of all Buddhas are like that. The transformation and response bodies of the Buddhas are like that. They are Limitless and unreckonable. Because they have no number, they cannot be counted. With the exception of the Greatly Enlightened Honored Ones, no one else can conceive of them. Only the Buddha and other Buddhas can know the ultimate Real Mark of all dharmas. Only the Buddhas can know of these states of Buddhas. No other living beings of the other nine Dharma Realms--the Bodhisattvas, the Sound Hearers, the Conditionally Enlightened Ones, the gods, asuras, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell-beings--can fathom the state of the Buddhas.

Sutra:

Just as the self is difficult to conceive of,
And the mind and its karma cannot be grasped;
So too, the Buddha is difficult to conceive of:
It is not through the mind’s karma that he appears.

Just as lands cannot be conceived of,
Yet their pure adornments can be seen;
So too, the Buddha is difficult to conceive of,
Yet all of his wonderful marks appear without exception.

Just as all Dharmas
Arise from a number of conditions,
So too is seeing the Buddha
Dependent on a myriad of good karma.

Commentary:

Just as the self is difficult to conceive of, and the mind and its karma cannot be grasped; so too, the Buddha is difficult to conceive of. The self, the ego, is inconceivable, and the karma that is created by the mind is inconceivable. You can’t grasp them. The Buddha can’t be seen, and the Buddha can’t be sought after. He’s also inconceivable. Not only that, but It is not through the mind’s karma that he appears.

Just as lands cannot be conceived of, yet their pure adornments can be seen; so too, the Buddha is difficult to conceive of. Buddha lands are as many as dust motes--inconceivable in their quantity. These Buddha lands are either defiled or pure, either adorned or not adorned, and they’re all inconceivable. So too is the Buddha beyond conception. Yet all of his wonderful marks appear without exception. The Buddha is inconceivable too. There are no lands where the Buddha’s wonderful form bodies do not appear. Throughout all Buddha lands, the Buddha’s bodies appear without exception.

Just as all Dharmas Arise from a number of conditions, so too is seeing the Buddha dependent on a myriad of good karma . All dharmas come about because of cause and conditions. So it says,

The dharmas produced from causes and conditions,
The Buddha says are all empty.
They’re known by false names;
They’re also called the meaning of the Middle Way.

All dharmas are produced because of conditions and have no nature of their own, and seeing the Buddha is also this way. The Buddha is not produced nor destroyed, however, he does manifest. If you can see the Buddha, then you certainly must have planted good roots in former lives. If you didn’t plant good roots, you wouldn’t be able to see the Buddha, hear the Buddhadharma, or meet the Sangha.

The same applies to coming to Gold Mountain Monastery. Those people who have good roots in this present life have the opportunity to come to Gold Mountain Monastery. If they didn’t have good roots, then even if they thought about entering Gold Mountain Monastery, they wouldn’t have the causes and conditions which would enable them to do so. So in order to see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and meet the Sangha, you must have good roots.

You are able to come to Gold Mountain Monastery and bow to the Buddha and listen to Sutras because you have good roots. People without good roots won’t be able to come to Gold Mountain Monastery at all. Why? Because they don’t have good roots. Or, their good roots aren’t complete: they don’t have enough. So they can’t come to Gold Mountain.

Without blessings, it is difficult to ascend to the ground of the Triple Jewel.
Without virtue, it is difficult to enter the door of the Great Vehicle.

The ground of the Triple Jewel refers to the Buddha Jewel, the Dharma Jewel, and the Sangha Jewel. Without virtue, it’s hard to enter into the door of the Great Vehicle. If you don’t have virtuous conduct, then you can’t come to Gold Mountain Monastery, or draw near a Good Knowing Advisor. So this state is also inconceivable.

Sutra:

Just as an As-You-Will pearl
Can fulfill the minds of living beings,
So too can the Buddhadharma
Completely fulfill all your wishes.

Within limitless countries
The Guiding Masters appear in the world.
Because of the power of their vows
They respond everywhere throughout the ten directions.

Commentary:

Just as an As-You-Will pearl can fulfill the minds of living beings, so too can the Buddhadharma completely fulfill all your wishes . Those of you cultivating the “As-You-Will Pearl Hand,” will know what a Wish-fulfilling pearl is. Why is it called “Wish-fulfilling”? Because it fulfills your wishes in the sense that whatever you think about comes to be the way you want it.

For instance, if you think about gold, the As-You-Will Pearl will produce gold. If you think about silver, the As-You-Will Pearl will give you silver. Whatever you want, it will give to you. This is the way the As-You-Will Pearl function. The only way it won’t give you something is if you don’t think about it. If you think about something, it will fulfil your wishes; it will satisfy your mind. So, if you cultivate and accomplish this “As-You-Will Pearl Hand,” then according to the wishes of your mind, your fulfillment will be unlimited. An As-You-Will Pearl is able to satisfy the minds of all living beings. Whatever your mind thinks about, then you’ll get it. All of the Dharmas spoken by the Buddha are also like the As-You-Will Pearl. Whatever it is in the Buddhadharma you seek for, then that’s what you’ll obtain. If you’d like to end birth and death, then ultimately, you’ll end birth and death. No matter what it is you wish for, you’ll be able to attain it.

Within limitless countries the Guiding Masters appear in the world . Of all in the world, the Buddhas are without measure. In measureless lands, they constantly manifest coming into the world. Because of the power of their vows they respond everywhere throughout the ten directions. The reason all Buddhas can universally manifest in all worlds throughout the ten directions is because of the practice doors they cultivated in the past, and through the power of vows they brought forth. The Buddhas respond to fulfill all of the wishes of living beings.

Sutra:

At that time, Apart-From-Filth Banner Bodhisattva received the Buddha’s spiritual power, universally contemplated the ten directions, and spoke these verses:

The Tathagata’s great wisdom-light
Universally purifies all worlds.
Once these worlds have been purified,
He explains the Buddhadharma.

Supposing there are people who wish to see
Buddhas equal in number to living beings;
They will certainly all appear in response to such thoughts;
Yet there’s actually no place they come to.

Commentary:  

At that time, Apart-From-Filth Banner Bodhisattva received the Buddha’s spiritual power. After Vigorous Banner Bodhisattva had finished speaking his verses praising the Buddha, at that time, Apart-From-Filth Banner Bodhisattva, who got his name because he constantly cultivated pure conduct, respectfully received Shakyamuni Buddha’s, which is to say, Vairochana Buddha’s, great, awesome, spiritual power, plus the great, awesome, spiritual power of the Buddhas of the ten directions and three periods of time, and universally contemplated the ten directions. He pervasively contemplated the causes and conditions of all living beings throughout measureless worlds in the ten directions, and spoke these verses. He used verses to speak the Buddhadharma.

The Tathagata’s great wisdom-light universally purifies all worlds. Apart-From-Filth Banner Bodhisattva says the great wisdom light of the Thus Come One, the Buddha, purifies all worlds, universally causing living beings to obtain liberation. Once these worlds have been purified, he explains the Buddhadharma. The Buddha uses his great wisdom light and illumines the darkness in these worlds, causing them to be pure and adorned. Once he causes the worlds to be purified and adorned, he expounds and proclaims the Buddha’s Mind-Ground Dharma doors.

Supposing there are people who wish to see Buddhas equal in number to living beings. Living beings are numberless--there are a great many of them. Yet, even though there are so many living beings who all simultaneously want to see the Buddhas, there are none for whom the Buddhas do not appear. They will certainly all appear in response to such thoughts. The Buddhas appear before anyone who thinks about seeing them. Yet there’s actually no place they come to. According to the wishes of every living beings, they all get to see Buddhas right before them, yet originally, the Buddhas don’t come from anywhere, nor do they go anywhere. There’s no place the Buddhas come from and no place the place the Buddhas go to.

Coming, yet not coming;
Going, yet not going.

The Tathagatas accord with living beings, yet they don’t use the common person’s mind to fathom the world. If you use the mind of a common person to fathom the state of the Buddha, then you won’t be able to understand.

Sutra:

One who takes the Buddhas’ state as one’s own,
And concentrates one’s mind without rest,
Is one who will get to see Buddhas
Equal in number to one’s thoughts.

Accomplishing pristine, pure Dharmas,
Perfecting all merit and virtue,
One has total concentration
And never lets one’s mind forsake All-Wisdom.

Commentary:

One who takes the Buddhas’ state as one’s own, and concentrates one’s mind without rest, is one who will get to see Buddhas Equal in number to one’s thoughts. What’s meant by taking the Buddhas’ “state” as one’s own? It means to see the Buddhas right in front of your own face. This is telling you to contemplate the Buddha; to single-mindedly be mindful of the Buddha and never rest. Constantly, at all times, be attentive with single-minded determination. If you’re singleminded, then eventually you’ll be able to attain the samadhi of being mindful of the Buddha. When you attain the samadhi of mindfulness of the Buddha, at that time you’ll be able to see the Buddhas. That’s what’s meant by “one will get to see Buddhas equal in number to one’s thoughts.” This person will be able to see limitless and boundless Buddhas who are equal in number to living beings’ minds.

Accomplishing pristine, pure Dharmas, perfecting all merit and virtue, one has total concentration. You are capable of perfecting pure, white dharmas. These dharmas are pure; they aren’t defiled dharmas. If you can perfect the pure Buddhadharma, then you can accomplish all Buddhas’ merit and virtue. A person like this who can perfect all merit and virtue, who accomplishes pristine, pure dharmas, is one who And never lets one’s mind forsake All-Wisdom. He’s single-minded regarding All-Wisdom. His mind also never rests--it doesn’t stop. He constantly cultivates white, pure dharmas, and perfects all merit and virtue.

Sutra:

The Guiding Master, for the sake of living beings,
Explains the Dharma in accord with what ought to be spoken.
Complying with potentials which can be transformed,
He universally manifests most supreme bodies.

The Buddha’s body and those of beings in the world
Are all without a self.
Awakening to this, one can accomplish Proper Enlightenment;
And moreover, proclaim it for living beings.

The lion among men,
With measureless power of self-mastery,
Manifests bodies in number equal to minds;
And these bodies are each different.

Commentary:

The Guiding Master, is another name for the Buddha. for the sake of living beings, he Explains the Dharma in accord with what ought to be spoken. In accord with the conditions which have ripened, all living beings should be crossed over, and so the Buddha manifests all the response and transformation bodies in accord with living beings, and speaks the Dharma. Complying with potentials which can be transformed, he universally manifests most supreme bodies. No matter what world or what country he is in, he is able to manifest response bodies in accord with the conditions of living beings. “Most supreme bodies” refers to his manifestation of the Buddha’s body.

The Buddha’s body and those of beings in the world are all without a self. The Buddha’s transformation body and the bodies of sentient beings are all ultimately selfless. Awakening to this, one can accomplish Proper Enlightenment. If you don’t have attachments to a self, you can accomplish Anuttarasamyaksambodhi--Proper and Equal, Right Enlightenment--And moreover, proclaim it for living beings. The Buddha proclaims and speaks the Dharma for living beings.

The lion among men, with measureless power of self-mastery. Each Buddha of the ten directions and three periods of time has measureless, awesome, spiritual powers of self-mastery, and can Manifests bodies in number equal to minds--to the thoughts of living beings--that many. And these bodies are each different. Each of these bodies which appears is different.

Sutra:

The bodies of those in the worlds
Are the same as Buddhas’ bodies.
One with complete understanding of the self-nature
Is called a Buddha.

The Thus Come One has universal knowledge and views,
And completely understands all Dharmas.
But as to the Buddhadharma and Bodhi,
Neither one can be obtained.

The Guiding Master has no coming or going;
Moreover, he has no dwelling place.
Far apart from all upside-downness,
He is called one of Equal and Proper Enlightenment.

At that time, Constellation Banner Bodhisattva received the Buddha’s spiritual power, universally contemplated the ten directions, and spoke these verses:

The Thus Come One has no dwelling place,
And yet universally dwells in all countries.
Traveling to all lands
He can be seen in all places.

Commentary:

The bodies of those in the worlds are the same as Buddhas’ bodies. The bodies of all Buddhas and those of living beings in all the worlds are the same. There are just as many Buddhas’ bodies as there are living beings. One with complete understanding of the self-nature is called a Buddha. If you understand the principle that living beings’ nature is just the Buddha-nature, and that the Buddha-nature is just living beings’ nature--that they are two and yet not two; not two, and yet are two--then you can also understand the Buddha’s basic meaning.

The Thus Come One has universal knowledge and views. The Buddha possesses universal knowledge and universal views. There is nothing he doesn’t know, and nothing he doesn’t perceive. He completely understands all Dharmas. He has penetrated the substance of the true mark of all Buddhas. But as to the Buddhadharma and Bodhi, neither one can be obtained. The Buddhadharma is just Bodhi, the path of Enlightenment. However, these two cannot be obtained. These two are just names. If you seek their basic substance, you won’t be able to find it.

The Guiding Master has no coming or going. The Buddha doesn’t come from anywhere, and doesn’t go to any place. Moreover, he has no dwelling place. The Buddha produces the thought which is nowhere supported. So there’s no dwelling place. Far apart from all upside-downness, he is called one of Equal and Proper Enlightenment. Why is the Buddha called the “Buddha”? Because he is far apart from all upside-down dream thinking, and has attained ultimate Nirvana. When one isn’t upside-down, then there are no afflictions, and having no afflictions is called having Equal and proper Enlightenment. Fi you can be without any upside-downness, then you have obtained Unsurpassed, Proper and Equal, Right Enlightenment.

At that time, when the Bodhisattva-Apart-From Filth Banner had finished speaking verses, Constellation Banner Bodhisattva, who constantly emits light which is like the stars, received the Buddha’s spiritual power. He too relied upon great, awesome, spiritual power of the Buddhas of the ten directions and that of Shakyamuni Buddha, that is, Vairochana Buddha, and universally contemplated the ten directions. He pervasively investigated the causes and conditions of living beings throughout the Buddha lands in the ten directions, and spoke these verses. He used verses to explain the principles of the Buddhadharma in order to teach and transform living beings.

The Thus Come One has no dwelling place. The thus Come One is nowhere present, yet nowhere not present. And yet, he universally dwells in all countries. It’s not that he only dwells in one place, but rather he universally and pervasively dwells in all Buddha lands. Traveling to all lands--he can go to all Buddha lands. He can be seen in all places. For this reason, all living beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions can see the Buddha.

Sutra:

The Buddha accords with the minds of living beings
And everywhere reveals all bodies.
He accomplishes the way, turns the Dharma wheel,
And then enters parinirvana.

All Buddhas are inconceivable.
Who is able to conceive of the Buddha?
Who is able to perceive proper enlightenment?
Who is able to manifest the most supreme body?

Commentary:

The Buddha accords with the minds of living beings. The Buddha, according with the conditions, fulfills the whishes of the minds of living beings. In order to do this he everywhere reveals all bodies. The Buddha manifests bodies according to what living beings wish to see. If a Buddha’s body is needed to cross over living beings, then the Buddha manifests the body of a Buddha to speak the Dharma. He manifests all kinds of bodies to cross over living beings. He accomplishes the way, turns the Dharma wheel. The Buddha leaves the inner court of the Tushita Heaven Palace, enters the womb, dwells in the womb, leaves the womb, leaves the home-life, accomplishes the Way, turns the Dharma Wheel, And then enters parinirvana. These are the Eight Marks of Accomplishing the Way which cause all living beings to bring forth the resolve for Bodhi.

All Buddhas are inconceivable. All of the Buddhas of the ten directions and three periods of time are inconceivable. Who is able to conceive of the Buddha? Who can speak of the Buddha’s inconceivability? Only the Buddha and Bodhisattvas can fathom the pure, ultimate mark of all dharmas. Who is able to perceive proper enlightenment? Who can understand the Buddha’s principles? Who is able to manifest the most supreme body? Who can manifest the most victorious body? It’s only the Buddha who can manifest the body of a Buddha. It’s only the Buddha who is able to see the Buddha’s body. No one else is able to manifest the most supreme body to teach and transform living beings.

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