Practices and Vows of
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva

Chapter Forty, New Edition

 

To Always Follow and Learn from the Buddhas

 

SUTRA: 

Moreover, Good Man, to always follow and learn from the Buddhas is explained like this. It is like Vairochana Tathagata of this Saha World, who, from the time he first brought forth the Bodhi-mind, vigorously advanced without retreat. He gave up ineffably ineffable numbers of bodies and lives. He peeled off his skin for paper, split his bones to fashion pens, and punctured his skin to draw blood for ink to write out Sutras stacked as high as Mount Sumeru. He revered the Dharma to such an extent that he did not even cherish his own body and life.

COMMENTARY: 

Moreover, Good Man, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva again called out to the Youth Good Wealth. What is the meaning of ‘to always follow and learn from the Buddhas?’ It is explained like this. I will now explain it for you. It is like Vairochana Tathagata of this Saha World.

Saha is Sanskrit. It means “able to patiently bear, or bearable.” This world is so full of suffering; it is really hard for all living beings to bear, yet they can still bear it. Why is this world full of suffering? In this world absolutely everything is suffering. Since even happiness is the cause of suffering, there is no real happiness. All the dharmas in this world are defiled and impure; therefore the world is all painful and suffering.

How is happiness the very cause of suffering? For example, most people like to wear new clothes, and putting on a new outfit is considered a very happy event. But when you are not careful and spill soup on it, or get it dirty some other way, you get afflicted.

People especially like to get rich. Although you acquire much wealth during your life, when you die you cannot take it with you. Nevertheless, while you are alive, you keep track of every cent. When you are without money, you devise ways to get it, and after you have it, you are afraid you will lose it. If you do not have any wealth, you eagerly seek for it and this is suffering. After you get it, you are afraid of losing it and this is also suffering. You don’t feel that this is suffering. You worry about obtaining it or you worry about losing it. During your life you are afraid you will not get it. Once you get it, you are afraid of losing it. However, when you die, you cannot take along one penny. You tell me, is this suffering or happiness?

This is the case for these two things, which everyone in the world delights in. In the same way, all the other kinds of happiness are also causes for suffering. However, you have not yet realized this fact. Therefore, it is called the Saha World or the “bearable” world.

Vairochana Buddha is the Tathagata of this Saha World, who, from the time he first brought forth the Bodhi-mind, vigorously advanced without retreat. Vairochana is Sanskrit and means “purity,” and it refers to the Dharma-body of the Buddha. Shakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma-body is called Vairochana Buddha. When Shakyamuni Buddha first brought forth the Bodhi-mind he met the ancient Shakya and made offerings to him, vowing to be just like him. He was a potter then and made bricks, tiles, teacups, and so forth. When he saw the Shakya of old, he vowed to vigorously advance and never retreat. After that he was vigorous in body and mind, day in and day out and at all times, and was never lax or lazy in his cultivation.

He gave up ineffably ineffable numbers of bodies and lives. For an ineffably ineffable number of lives, he renounced his body and life and gave them away. For example, before Shakyamuni became a Buddha, he met Dipamkara Buddha and made an offering to him with his body. Dipamkara Buddha walking along the road, had come upon a large puddle of water; Shakyamuni, seeing an old Bhikshu coming, lay down in the water so that the old Bhikshu could walk across his body. This is how he gave his body, that is, used his body to help others.

Most of us would think that this is really stupid. Could he not have used boards and logs rather than his body to provide a way for the old Bhikshu to cross the water? That is pretty smart, but Shakyamuni Buddha did not think of such an ingenious method. If he had, then it is not certain that Dipamkara Buddha would have given him a prediction of Buddhahood because he would still have had a concern for himself. He still would have had an attachment to his body. Lying in the water showed that he was without a self and only wished to help and benefit other beings. He practiced the Bodhisattva path, and paying no attention to himself, he lay down in the mud to help an old Bhikshu walk across it.

Shakyamuni was a practicing ascetic at that time, but even though ascetics do not cut their hair or their beards, still they are not hippies. Do not think that Shakyamuni was a hippie. I saw an article written by a Chinese person who said that Confucius was a hippie. This is total rubbish, and only amounts to confusing the true with the false and spreading false statements.

Then Dipamkara Buddha gave Shakyamuni Buddha a prediction. He said, “In the future you will become a Buddha. You cultivate the Bodhisattva path in this manner, and I do too. Thus it is, thus it is. In a future life, you will become a Buddha and your name will be Shakyamuni.”

This is how Shakyamuni Buddha was on the causal stage of practice. He renounced his body and life practicing giving. From an immeasurable number of kalpas in the past to the present, he did this in life after life. He practiced the Bodhisattva path so perfectly.

Vairochana Buddha is the pure Dharma-body Buddha. He pervades all places. Vairochana also means, “to pervade everywhere.” The Buddhas’ Dharma-body is neither present nor not present. There is nowhere that he is and nowhere that he is not.

What does it mean to say that there is nowhere that the Dharma-body Buddha isn’t? If we say that there is nowhere that he is not, then he is everywhere, but why do we not see him? Since we do not see him, doesn’t this mean that he is not present? No, that’s not the case.

Whether we see him or not, he is still present. Because he pervades all places, it is said that there is no place where he is present, and there is no place where he is not present. He fills up the entire dharma-realm.

Someone may ask, “You say that he extends everywhere; does this include filthy places like toilets?” Not only does he exist in toilets, but he exists in places that are even more filthy. The Buddhas’ Dharma-body exhausts the reaches of space and pervades the dharma-realm. The Buddhas’ Dharma- body is not defiled or pure, not produced or destroyed, and does not increase or decrease. Therefore, he is present everywhere.

Shakyamuni Buddha gave his body and life in cultivating the Bodhisattva path to seek unsurpassed Buddhahood. He peeled off his skin for paper. He stripped skin from his body to use as paper. He split his bones to fashion pens and punctured his skin to draw blood for ink. To do what? To write out Sutras. He used his skin for paper, his bones for pens, and his blood for ink to write out Sutras.

Why didn’t Shakyamuni Buddha go buy some paper, pens, and ink to write out Sutras? The principle here is the same as the one that applied when Shakyamuni Buddha used his body to make a bridge in the mud. You could explain this by saying that there was no paper in India at that time. For example, when the Sutras were compiled, they used palm leaves. They wrote out the Sutras on palm leaves. If one were to lay out the leaves upon which the Dharma Flower Sutra was written, they would stretch for about two and a half miles.

When Shakyamuni Buddha was practicing the Bodhisattva path and seeking the Buddha-dharma, science was not that advanced, and there was no such thing as paper as we know it, and certainly no such thing as a paper company. So paper could not be purchased anywhere. Unlike today, when paper is easily obtainable and books can be printed easily, things were not so convenient then. There was no place to buy paper, pens, or ink. So he used his skin for paper, his bones for pens, and his blood for ink to write out the Sutras.

In ancient times, science was not so advanced. In China, bamboo was used to write on before paper was invented. Bamboo was split and tied together to make writing tablets. In the past, the Book of History, the Book of Poetry, the Book of Changes, and all the other ancient classics, were written out on bamboo. While paper, pens, and inks exist at the present time, do not think that they always existed. In ancient times there was absolutely no place to purchase these things.

Besides the lack of a place to buy these things, there was another reason for him to use his skin, bones, and blood to write out Sutras. This shows that he had forgotten himself for the sake of the Dharma and did not fear pain and suffering. For the sake of the Dharma he feared nothing and renounced his blood, bones, and skin to write out Sutras. Because he was willing to make great sacrifices for the Buddha and his quest for the Dharma, he gave up his body.

Stacked as high as Mount Sumeru. He used his skin, bones, and blood to write out a stack of Sutras as high as Mount Sumeru.

He revered the Dharma to such an extent that he did not even cherish his own body and life. In Hong Kong now, there is a monk named Shou Ye. Some years ago he was the abbot of both the Guang Ji Hermitage Monastery at Wu Tai Mountain and the Bodhi Temple in Shanghai. Later he went to Vietnam and built a very large temple, but when the Vietnam War started, he returned to Hong Kong. He used his blood, obtained by cutting his tongue and other parts of the body, to write out the Flower Adornment Sutra in Chinese characters two inches high. You can say that this state is inconceivable. He specialized in reciting the Flower Adornment Sutra, bowing to the Flower Adornment Sutra, and practicing according to the Flower Adornment Sutra thus abiding in the Flower Adornment Bodhimanda. All of these represent the state of a Bodhisattva.

SUTRA: 

How much the less did he cherish a king’s throne, cities, towns, palaces, gardens, groves, or anything else at all. He also cultivated various kinds of difficult ascetic practices…

COMMENTARY: 

In his past lives, Shakyamuni Buddha practiced various kinds of difficult ascetic practices and brought forth a great Bodhi-mind for the sake of benefiting all living beings. Therefore, he did not cherish his own body or life. How much the less did he cherish a king’s throne. Since he did not cherish either his body or his life, how much the less did he cherish having the position of a king. If Shakyamuni Buddha had not renounced the life of a householder, he would have been a Wheel-Turning Sage King.

There are four kinds of Wheel-Turning Sage Kings: the Gold Wheel King, the Silver Wheel King, the Copper Wheel King, and the Iron Wheel King. The Gold Wheel King rules over all Four Continents, Purvavideha in the east, Jambudvipa in the south, Aparagodaniya in the west, and Uttarakuru in the north. The Silver Wheel King rules over all but the northern continent Uttarakuru. The Copper Wheel King watches over two continents, and the Iron Wheel King takes care of one continent. Shakyamuni Buddha, while about to take the throne of a king, renounced the householder’s life to cultivate.

An emperor was the wealthiest person. Honored as the “Son of Heaven” in China, his wealth and blessings were as vast as the four seas. Shakyamuni gave up all of this to leave the home-life and practice the path. He renounced his country, his cities, his wife and children, all his towns, all his valuable palaces, and all his valuable gardens and groves, or anything else at all. He gave up everything he possessed.

He also cultivated various kinds of difficult ascetic practices , and was able to bear what is most difficult to bear. He renounced a king’s throne to leave the home-life to cultivate various kinds of ascetic practices. This is really something that ordinary people can’t do. The different kinds of austere practices that Shakyamuni Buddha cultivated in this life and in previous lives were extremely difficult to do.

SUTRA: 

…Up to and including that he accomplished the great Bodhi beneath the Tree. Then he manifested all kinds of spiritual powers, gave rise to all kinds of transformations, made appear all kinds of Buddha bodies, and dwelled in all kinds of assemblies. Perhaps he dwelled amidst the assemblies in the Bodhimandas of all great Bodhisattvas. Perhaps he dwelled amidst the assemblies in the Bodhimandas of the Shravakas and the Pratyeka-Buddhas. Perhaps he dwelled amidst the assemblies in the Bodhimandas of Wheel-Turning Sage Kings, lesser kings, and their retinues. Perhaps he dwelled amidst the assemblies in the Bodhimandas of kshatriyas, brahmans, elders, and lay people, up to and including dwelling amidst the assemblies in the Bodhimandas of the gods, dragons, others of the eightfold pantheon of spiritual beings, as well as humans, and non-humans and others. He dwelled in all kinds of assemblies such as these. His voice was full and perfect like a great thunderclap. He complied with the likes and desires of living beings and brought them to accomplishment, up to the time that he entered Nirvana.

In all these ways I will learn from the Buddhas. In the same way that I learn from the present World Honored One, Vairochana, so too I learn from all the Tathagatas in every particle in all Buddha kshetra- lands in the ten directions and the three periods of time, throughout the dharma-realm and the reaches of space. In thought after thought I will learn from them all.

So it is that even if the reaches of space, the realms of living beings, the karma of living beings, and the afflictions of living beings come to an end, still my learning from them is without end. It continues in thought after thought without cease. I never tire of this karma in body, speech, and thought.

COMMENTARY: 

Up to and including that he accomplished the great Bodhi beneath the tree... “Up to and including” means that he passed through many stages in between. For example, after the Buddha meditated in the Himalayas for six years, he then went to sit beneath the tree—the Bodhi Tree.

When Shakyamuni Buddha went to the Himalayas, his parents at first sent five people to cultivate with him and act as his Dharma protectors. Three of these five, however, were unable to endure the suffering, and they soon ran off to the Deer Park to cultivate the path there.

The two remaining people stayed with Shakyamuni during the time he ate one sesame seed and one grain of wheat a day, until he became just skin and bones. At that time, a heavenly maiden came to him. Some say she was a heavenly maiden and others say she was a milk maid, but I do not think that the distinction is important. She appeared and gave the Buddha some rice gruel prepared with milk. The Buddha accepted her offering and ate it.

As he ate it, the two remaining ascetics who were still with the Buddha said, “He’s finished. So far this prince has been able to undergo suffering and cultivate the spiritual path, but now he’s taking milk from a milk maid. He can’t cultivate the path if he does things like this.”

So they left and abandoned the Buddha, saying, “You are unable to undergo suffering, so we can’t cultivate with you.” These two also left him to go to the Deer Park. So all five left.

Shakyamuni Buddha then was left alone in the Himalayas. He also was ready to move his location. It was then that he went to sit beneath the Bodhi Tree. The Bodhi Tree was very large, covering an area of approximately one square mile. When Shakyamuni Buddha saw it, he thought it was a good place, so he decided to sit beneath the Bodhi Tree and cultivate the path, resolving, “If I don’t accomplish the path, then I won’t get up from my seat.” Then he sat in full lotus posture. At that time a youth named Auspicious gave him some auspicious grass, and Shakyamuni Buddha sat down on it to cultivate the spiritual path.

He cultivated the path for forty-nine days until he saw a bright star in the east and became enlightened. As it is said, “In the night he saw a bright star and enlightened to the spiritual path.” And sighing three times he said,

How amazing! How amazing! How amazing!
All living beings have the Buddha-nature and can become Buddhas.
It is only because of their false thoughts and attachments that they are unable to realize it.

Why is it that living beings do not become Buddhas? Because they have false thinking and attachments. So this is how Shakyamuni Buddha became enlightened under the Bodhi Tree when he gazed upon a bright star at nighttime.

Then he manifested different kinds of spiritual powers. He manifested the wonderful function of many kinds of spiritual powers. He gave rise to all kinds of transformations, and changes and brought forth all kinds of inconceivable states. And made appear all kinds of Buddha bodies. He brought forth the pure Dharma-body, Vairochana Buddha, the perfect Reward-body, Nishyanda Buddha, and hundreds of thousands of millions of Transformation-bodies of Shakyamuni Buddha. He manifested all these many different kinds of Buddha bodies, to the extent that he manifested bodies traveling throughout the ten directions becoming Buddhas. And he dwelled in all kinds of assemblies. He spoke Dharma for everyone in all the many Dharma assemblies.

Perhaps he dwelled amidst the assemblies in the Bodhimandas of all great Bodhisattvas. He spoke Dharma and lectured Sutras for all the great Bodhisattvas who gathered together. Perhaps he dwelled amidst the assemblies in the Bodhimandas of Shravakas and Pratyeka-Buddhas. He also explained the Sutras and spoke Dharma for the gatherings of those of the Two Vehicles, the Shravakas, and Pratyeka-Buddhas who had set up Bodhimandas. Perhaps he dwelled amidst the assemblies in the Bodhimandas of Wheel-Turning Sage Kings, lesser kings, and their retinues. Previously, I explained that there are four kinds of Wheel- Turning Kings: the Gold Wheel-Turning King, the Silver Wheel-Turning King, the Copper Wheel-Turning King, and Iron Wheel-Turning King. The Gold Wheel King rules over one set of four continents under heaven, and he possesses Seven Jewels. These are not the Seven Jewels of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearls, and carnelian.

What are they? The first is the Wheel Jewel. When the Gold Wheel King rides on his Wheel Jewel, he can go faster than a rocket. In two hours he can travel everywhere in the four continents under heaven and do all kinds of things. The Wheel Jewel is a flying wheel, which can travel on land and in space. It can even travel in the water or in fire.

The Wheel-Turning King’s second jewel is the Elephant Jewel, the White Elephant Jewel. When the Wheel-Turning King rides on his elephant, he can move about very quickly.

His third jewel is the Dark Green Horse Jewel. This horse is a dragon horse, which can also travel on the earth, in water, and when it gallops rapidly it can travel through space.

The Wheel-Turning King also has the Wish-fulfilling Jewel, which is also called the Wish-fulfilling Pearl. This spiritual pearl manifests all kinds of transformations from spiritual powers as one wishes. Whatever the king wishes for will appear. This is the Wish-fulfilling Jewel.

The King’s fifth jewel is called the Jade Woman. Whenever he wishes, a beautiful woman will accompany him.

He also has the Jewel of the Minister in Charge of the Treasury. For example, if the king wishes to use gold, wherever he goes he can have the minister dig open the earth and there will be gold inside. Whatever jewels he wishes to use, the minister can dig up the earth and find those jewels. Because of this Jewel of the Minister in Charge of the Treasury, he can always have his wishes fulfilled.

The Wheel-Turning King’s seventh jewel is called the General Jewel. When he must deploy his military forces, he does not need to train a large number of soldiers. From within the General Jewel, he can call up as large an army as he wishes.

The Wheel-Turning King has these seven jewels. This king also has one thousand sons. Each one is a courageous and skillful warrior who is especially heroic.

“Lesser kings” are kings under the rule of the Wheel-Turning King. Retinues include those in these smaller countries in addition to those of the Wheel-Turning Sage King. The Buddha dwelled in the Bodhimandas of these assemblies.

Perhaps he dwelled amidst the assemblies in the Bodhimandas of kshatriyas, brahmans, elders, and lay people. “Kshatriyas” are the aristocrats in India, which include the kings and others in the ruling class. “Brahmans” are those who have pure thoughts and who cultivate pure practices. “Elders” are elderly people with great blessings, and “lay people” are all the laity. The Buddha dwelled in all of those assemblies, up to and including that he dwelled amidst the assemblies in the Bodhimandas of the gods, dragons, others of the eightfold pantheon of spiritual beings, as well as humans, and non-humans. He may also dwell in the Bodhimandas of the assemblies of gods, dragons, and the other spiritual beings of the eightfold pantheon, as well as humans and non-humans.

He dwelled in all kinds assemblies such as these. When he became a Buddha, he dwelled in all the various assemblies mentioned above. His voice was full and perfect; the perfect voice of the Buddha is like a great thunderclap, a great rumble of thunder resounding in the air. He complied with the likes and desires of living beings and brought them to accomplishment. He accorded with the delights of living beings and brought them all to maturity. That is he caused those living beings who had not yet planted the roots of goodness to plant the roots of goodness; those who had already planted the roots of goodness to increase them; and those who had increased their roots of goodness to bring them to maturity. He also caused those whose roots of goodness had matured to obtain liberation.

…Up to the time that he entered Nirvana. This includes all the things he did throughout his entire life and then entering Nirvana with its four virtues at the end of his life. In all these ways I will learn from the Buddhas. Just as he practiced all the many difficult ascetic practices and explained the Dharma in all Bodhimandas, so too, I will do the same. I will follow and study these many methods of practice.

In the same way that I learn from the present World Honored One Vairochana, the pure Dharma-body Buddha, who pervades everywhere, and who cultivated all methods of practice amidst assemblies in the various different Bodhimandas, so too I learn from all the Tathagatas in every particle in all Buddha kshetra-lands in the ten directions and the three periods of time throughout the dharma-realm and the reaches of space. I will do the same with respect to all Tathagatas. I will follow and learn from them, according to the vows I made previously. Thus I will always learn from the Buddhas. In thought after thought, in each and every thought, I will learn from them all. I will always follow and study these methods of practice of all Buddhas.

So it is that even if the reaches of space come to an end, I will continue with my study and practice in this way. This will be the case, even when the reaches of space no longer exist. When the realms of living beings come to an end, the karma of living beings comes to an end, and the afflictions of living beings come to an end, still my learning from them is without end. Even when the realms of living beings are exhausted, the karma of living beings is exhausted, and the afflictions of living beings are exhausted, my vow to learn from the Buddhas will never end. It continues in thought after thought without cease. I will learn from the Buddhas in thought after thought, and my study will never end. I never tire of this karma in body, speech, and thought. My body, speech, and thought will continue these deeds without ever tiring. There will never be a time when I become tired, lazy, or grow weary of the Dharma.

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