Translated into English by
Bhikshuni Heng Yin
Reviewed by Bhikshuni Heng Ch'ih
Sutra:
But now at last I realize
It is not real extinction, for
When I become a Buddha,
Complete with the thirty-two marks,
By gods, humans, and yaksha hoardes,
Dragons, spirits, and others, revered,
Only then will I be able to say,
"This is eternal extinction, without residue."
The Buddha, in the Great Assembly,
Has said I shall become a Buddha.
Hearing such a Dharma Sound,
All my doubts have been dispelled.
When I first heard the Buddha speak,
My heart was filled with great fear.
Is this not Mara disguised as the Buddha
Come to disturb and confuse my heart?
Commentary:
But now at last I realize/ Shariputra says, before, I thought I had gained extinction. Who would of guessed it was nothing but transformation city; it was not the Treasure Trove! So now, now I have awakened. It is not the real extinction, for/ The position I previously attained was merely certification to the principle of the one extreme of emptiness. It was not the true attainment of Nirvana. When I become a Buddha/ In the future, if I become a Buddha, complete with the thirty-two marks/ I will posses the thirty-two marks of a great man. By gods, humans and yaksha hoardes/ By the gods in the heavens, the human beings and all the yaksas, the entire eight-fold division, the dragons, spirits and others, revered/The dragons and spirits and others will be reverent. Only then will I be able to say/At that time I will be able to say. This is eternal extinction, without residue/That I have truly attained extinction and entered Nirvana without residue. The Buddha, in the Great Assembly/Presently, the Buddha from amidst the Great Assembly, Has said, "I shall, become a Buddha/"He has conferred a prediction upon me saying that I shall, in fact, become, a Buddha. Hearing such a Dharma Sound/Hearing this sound of the Law from the Buddha, All my doubts have been dispelled/All my doubts are completely gone. When first I heard the Buddha speak/However, when I first heard the Buddha speak the Dharma, My heart was filled with great fear/My heart was full of fear. Is this not Mara disguised as the Buddha/Has the demon, come and turned himself into a "Buddha?" How else could he be speaking such a strange Dharma? Come to disturb and confuse my heart? Come to disturb, to vex my cultivation of samadhi? Sariputra admits that when he first heard the Buddha speaking this wonderful Dharma he held some doubts.
Sutra:
The Buddha, by means of various conditions,
Analogies and clever speech,
Makes ones heart as placid as the sea.
Hearing him, the network of my doubts was rent.
The Buddha says that in the past
The Limitless Buddhas, now extinct,
Dwelling securely in expedients,
Also spoke the Dharma each one of them.
The Buddhas of the present and future,
Their number without limit, also
Employ expedient devices
To extensively proclaim the Dharma such as this.
Just as now, the World Honored One,
From birth until his leaving home,
Attaining the Way, and turning the Dharma Wheel,
Also spoke by means of expedients.
The World Honored One speaks the actual path,
The evil one does no such thing;
Hence I know for certain this
Is not the demon acting as a Buddha,
But because I had fallen into the net of doubts,
I said it was the doing of the demon.
Hearing the Buddha’s compliant voice,
Profound, far reaching, subtle and wondrous
Proclaiming wide the clear, pure Dharma,
Great is the joy within my heart, and
My doubts are forever ended.
Standing firmly in real wisdom, I
Am certain to become a Buddha;
Revered
by gods, I shall turn The Wheel of Dharma, unsurpassed. To teach and
transform Bodhisattvas.
Commentary:
The Buddha, by means of various conditions/Sariputra says, "When I first heard the Buddha speak the Dharma, I thought a demon had come disguised as the Buddha, to disturb my cultivation of samadhi, my heart in the Way. The Buddha used all manner of expedient devices, drawing analogies, speaking the Dharma to me with his unobstructed eloquence. Makes ones heart as placid as the sea/The Buddha's heart was as; calm as the sea and caused my heart to also become as calm as the sea. Hearing him, the network of my doubts was rent/Hearing the Buddha's analogies and Clever speech, my doubts disappeared.
The Buddha says that in the past/The Buddha says in the past The limitless Buddhas now extinct/the limitless, limitless Buddhas Dwelling securely in expedients/They all were securely established in the application of expedient Dharma-doors in order to teach the Dharma to living beings. Also spoke this Dharma, each one of them/They also spoke The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The Buddhas of the present and future/The Buddhas of the present and those yet to come. Their number without limit also/They, too, cannot be counted. Employed expedient devices/They also used all manner of expedients To proclaim the Dharma such as this/To expound the wonderful. Dharma, the wonderful Dharma which is "Thus."
Just as now, the World Honored One/The present Buddha, Sakyamuni, From birth until his leaving home/The Buddha manifested Eight Signs of Accomplishing the Path which I shall explain to you today.
1. The Buddha descended from the Tushita heaven. The Buddha descended from the Tushita Heaven to be born in India, in Kapilavastu, in the palace of King Suddhodhana.
2. He entered the womb.
3. He dwelt in the womb. When the Buddha dwelt in the womb, day and night, he spoke the Dharma for the gods, dragons, ghosts, and spirits.
4. He left the womb. He was born into the world. When the Buddha Sakyamuni was born, he pointed one forefinger to the sky and one to the ground and said,
"In the heavens and below, I alone am honored."
5. He left home.
6. He accomplished the Way. While sitting beneath the Bodhi tree, one night he saw a bright star and awakened to the Path.
7. He turned the Dharma for all living beings.
8. He entered Nirvana.
In the T'ien T'ai teachings they omit the third, "dwelling in the womb" and substitute "He defeated Mara" as the fifth, "he accomplished the Way" the sixth, and so forth. Actually, it amounts to the same thing because in the Great Vehicle, the defeating of Mara is included within the "accomplishing of the Way."
So the Buddha manifested these Eight Signs of accomplishing the Way. The line of text, "From birth until his leaving home" includes the first five of the Eight Signs, Attaining the Way, turning the Dharma Wheel/Turning the Dharma Wheel is to speak the Sutras and teach the Dharma. Also spoke by means of expedients/Also used expedient devices as Dharma doors to teach the Dharma. The World Honored One speaks the actual Path/The World Honored One now speaks The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, and this is the true real wisdom, the doctrine of the Real Mark. Papiyas does no such thing/ Papiyas is Mara, the demon king and he does not do these things. Hence I know for certain this/Because of this, I know for sure This is not the demon acting as the Buddha/This is not the demon acting as the Buddha. But because I had fallen into the net of doubts/Why did I think it was the demon acting as the Buddha? It was because I had fallen into the net of doubts. So I didn't believe in the Buddha. I doubted him. I said it was the doing of Mara/ I said, "The Buddha speaking Dharma is actually a demon king speaking wildly." Hearing the Buddha's compliant voice/Now, hearing the sound of the Buddha's voice, The wonderful sound which is compassionate, kind, joyous and generous, Profound, far reaching, subtle and wondrous/These are among the Buddha's eighty minor characteristics. Proclaiming wide the clear, pure Dharma/The Buddha is expounding the pure, wondrous Dharma. Great is the joy within my heart and/Me, Sariputra, my heart is very happy. My doubts are forever ended/All my doubts have eternally vanished. They shall not return because they have been cut off. Standing firmly in real wisdom, I/I now abide securely in the real wisdom. Am certain to become a Buddha/In the future it is for sure that I will become a Buddha. Revered by gods, I shall turn. I shall be revered by all the gods, dragons, and spirits. The Unsurpassed Wheel of Dharma/In the future I, too, shall turn the supreme wheel of the law To teach and transform Bodhisattvas/teaching and converting all the great Bodhisattvas.
Sutra:
At that time the Buddha told Sariputra, "I, now, amidst the great
assembly of gods,
humans, Shramanas, Brahmins, and others, declare: I, in the distant past,
in the presence
of twenty-thousand millions of Buddhas, for the sake of the unsurpassed
Path, have
constantly taught and transformed you, and you, in the long night, have
followed me and
received my instructions. I have used expedients to induce you to be born
in my Dharma.
Commentary:
At that time the Buddha told Shariputra/Right then, the Buddha Shakyamuni told Shariputra I, now, amidst the assembly of gods, humans, Shramanas...Shramana is a Sanskrit word which means "diligent and resting" because they diligently cultivate morality, samadhi and wisdom and put to rest greed, hatred, and stupidity.
Brahmins are those of outside ways who cultivate pure conduct.
And others declare: I, in the distant past, in the presence of twenty-thousand millions of Buddhas/At the time of Sun Moon Lamp Buddha, for the sake of the unsurpassed Path/The text says, "For the sake of seeking the unsurpassed Path." There are seven aspects to the adjective "unsurpassed" as follows:
1. The unsurpassed body
2. The unsurpassed receiving and holding
3. The unsurpassed completeness
4. The unsurpassed wisdom
5. The unsurpassed inconceivability
6. The unsurpassed liberations
7. The unsurpassed conduct
Have constantly taught and transformed you/I have continually taught and transformed you, Sariputra.
...and you in the long night, have followed me and received my instruction/Before you had understood, before you became enlightened, it was as if you were following me in a dark and long night, receiving By teaching, my instructions. I taught you the Buddhadharma.
I have used expedients to induce you to be born in my Dharma/I have used all manner of various expedient device Dharma doors to lead and guide you and so, Sariputra, you have been born within my, Sakyamuni Buddha's, Buddhadharma.
Sutra:
Sariputra, in the past I taught you to resolve yourself on the Buddha
Path, but you
have completely forgotten this and so you say of yourself that you already
have obtained
extinction. Now, again wishing you to recall the Path you have practiced
according to your
past vows, I, for the sake of the Sound Hearers, speak this Great Vehicle
Sutra by the name
of
The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower, a Dharma for instructing
Bodhisattvas of whom the
Buddhas are protective and mindful.
Sariputra, in a future age, after limitless, boundless, inconceivable
aeons, having
made offerings to some thousands of myriads of millions of Buddhas, having
reverently
upheld the proper Dharma, and having perfected the Path practiced by the
Bodhisattvas, you
shall become a Buddha, by the name of Flower Light Tathagata, One Worthy
of Offerings, of
Proper and Universal Knowledge, One Whose Clarity and Conduct are
Complete, a Well Gone
One, One Who Understands the World, and Unsurpassed Knight, a Taming and
Regulating Hero,
World Honored One. His country shall be called "Apart from
Filth," its ground level, pure
and adorned, tranquil and prosperous, and abounding with gods. It shall
have Lapis Lazuli
for soil, and eight intersecting roads bordered with golden cords, and by
which shall stand
rows of trees made of the seven jewels, which constantly bloom and bear
fruit. The
Tathagata Flower-Light will also teach and transform living beings by
means of the Three
Vehicles. Sariputra, when this Buddha comes into the world, although it
will not be an evil
age, because of his past vows, he shall teach the Dharma of the Three
Vehicles.
Commentary:
Sariputra/Sakyamuni Buddha called out again, "I, have used various expedients to lead you to be born within my Dharma. In the past I taught you to resolve yourself on the Buddha Path/I instructed you to establish a great resolve, to vow to accomplish the Buddha Path. You have now completely forgotten it/Before I taught you to realize the Buddha Path. However, Sariputra, you have now forgotten. You don't remember the Dharma-door, which I taught you then.
This is like before, I taught you all the Surangama Sutra, but you've all forgotten it now. You've forgotten what it says. So it's all forgotten...
And so you of yourself that you have already obtained extinction/You say that you have already attained the Dharma door of genuine extinction.
Now, again wishing you to recall the Path you have practiced according to your past vow/Sakyamuni Buddha says, "Now, I wish to cause you to remember, to think back and remember the vows you made in past lives. You have made vows to the effect that in every life you would support my Dharma, and what is more, that you would study the Buddhadharma under me and realize the Buddha Path. Do you remember? You would not be satisfied with studying the Small Vehicle Buddhadharma, and realizing the fruit of Arhatship, by any means. You should think over the vows you made in the/past, vows to cultivate the Buddha Path.
I, for the sake of the Sound Hearers/for all the living beings who are Shravakas, Speak this Great Vehicle Sutra by the name of The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The sutra is Called The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, A Dharma for instructing Bodhisattvas/It is a method for the instruction of Bodhisattvas of which the Buddhas are protective and mindful/ When you study this sutra all the Buddhas throughout the ten directions will come to protect and be mindful of you.
Sariputra, in a future age/I am conferring a prediction upon you to the effect that in the future, After limitless, boundless, inconceivable aeons you/After a number of aeons which is infinite and boundless, that many inconceivable great kalpas which can't be conceived of with the mind or expressed in language. Having made offerings to some thousands of myriads of millions of Buddhas/"Some" here means the number is uncountable, is not known, but in general, however many he made offerings to it's that many. "Some" may be a thousand, ten thousand, a million who knows how many Buddhas? Having reverently upheld the Proper Dharma/You will have most reverently, respectfully practiced the proper, orthodox Dharma, not the deviant Dharma.
And having perfected the path practiced by the Bodhisattvas/having completed the practices essential to Bodhisattvas, the Path of the Six Perfections and the Ten Thousand Conducts.
You shall become a Buddha/At that time you can become a Buddha. By the name of flower Light Tathagata/What will your name be? It will be Flower, the lotus flower; Light, bright light Thus Come One. One Worthy of Offerings/You will also be endowed with the Ten Titles of the Buddha.
The first of the Ten Titles is "Thus Come One." The Thus Come One takes the vehicle of the Way which is "thus" to "come" to the realization of proper enlightenment. What is meant by "taking the vehicle of the Way, which is "thus?" The Way, which is Thus, is the real, substantial Buddha Way, path of the realization of Buddhahood. The path of realization of Buddhahood is most certainly not an illusion; it is real, and substantial. Therefore, an explanation of the term "Thus Come One" is that the Buddha takes the Vehicle of the Way which is "thus" and "comes" to the realization of proper enlightenment, that is, Buddhahood.
One of the best explanations of the term Thus Come One, however, is found in The Vajra Sutra. It says, "The Thus Game One comes from nowhere
If he comes from nowhere, then does he go somewhere?
"...and nowhere does he go. Therefore he is called the Thus Come One."
Also, "thus" represents stillness. "Come" represents movement. Movement does not obstruct stillness; stillness does not obstruct movement. Movement itself is stillness and stillness itself is movement. Movement and Stillness are of one "thusness." Movement is stillness; stillness is movement.
Why is there movement? Movement is manifest through stillness. Why is there stillness? Stillness appears out of movement. Stillness is produced from movement. Movement comes from stillness. That is why movement and stillness are of one "thusness." They are dual and yet non-dual. Although they are two, they are one. They are like water and ice. Water is ice and ice is water. The principle is the same. So, movement does not obstruct stillness and stillness does not obstruct movement. Stillness, at its extreme point, becomes movement, and movement at its extreme turns into stillness.
We human beings move during the day and are still at night. However, sometimes during the time of stillness people move. Sometimes during the time of movement, people are still. For instance, during the day people are supposed to be on the move, but some of them may take a nap. Sleeping is stillness; and waking is movement. At night, one should sleep. But some people don't. That's movement.
Thus
Come One,
, is the first of the Buddha's Ten Titles.
The second title is One Worthy of Offerings. One ought to make offerings to the Buddha. You should make offerings. Living beings should make offerings to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. On the part of the Buddha, the Buddha is worthy, and should rightfully receive, the offerings of gods and humans. It is said, "Where there is seeking there will be a response; there is no influence that does not come through." When you make offerings you do so because you seek for something. You seek blessings and wisdom, and therefore you make offerings to the Triple Jewel.
The third of the Buddha's Ten Titles is "One of Proper and Universal Knowledge." What is meant by "Proper Knowledge?" Proper Knowledge is to know that the mind produces the ten thousand dharmas. If you then comprehend that the ten thousand dharmas are only the mind, that is "Universal Knowledge?" All dharmas come from the mind.
The Buddha spoke all dharmas
For the minds of living beings.
If there were no minds,
What use would dharmas be?
One Whose Clarity and Conduct are Complete/"Clarity" means, "light." "Conduct" is cultivation. What is "light?" It is wisdom. Because he is replete with wisdom he is "One Whose Clarity and Conduct are Complete."
Well Gone One Who Understands the World/"Well" means good. "Gone" means that he has gone to a good place. "Understands the World" means that he is clear about everything in the world. There are no dharmas, either worldly or transcendental, which he does not understand. Unsurpassed Knight/ is also one of the Buddha's Ten Titles, and only the Buddha can be called "The Unsurpassed Knight." Other living beings cannot. The Bodhisattvas are called Great Knights, but they are also known as "Surpassed Knights." This is because the Buddha is the Unsurpassed Knight and no one is higher than he.
Taming and Regulating Hero/This is just to control. To turn a car from south to west, you must turn the steering wheel. You hold the handlebars when you ride a bike. In the north (of China) they have horse carts. The driver cracks the whip, and they go forward. This is just "controlling." The Buddha is a great hero who tames and regulates those in the Three Realms: the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm.
Teacher of gods and humans/The Buddha is a leader for both the gods in the heavens and the people on the earth. The Buddha/has three meanings, "self enlightened"'; "enlightening others", and "complete in enlightenment and practice." It is said,
Having perfected the three kinds of enlightenment,
Replete with the ten thousand virtues,
He is therefore called, "The Buddha."
World Honored One/means that the Buddha is honored both in and beyond this world.
His country shall be called "Apart From Filth." Its ground shall be level, pure and adorned/Not only will it be level, it will also be pure. There will be no garbage in it whatsoever, no unclean things. Tranquil and prosperous, abounding with gods/The land will be peaceful and without any trouble at all. It will be for the most part, a happy place. Not only will ordinary people live in this country, but many gods will dwell there, their numbers flourishing, like a blaze of flame. It shall have lapis lazuli for soil, and eight intersecting roads bordered with golden cords. Where the roads intersect, golden ropes will mark off the boundaries. By which will stand rows of trees made of the seven jewels/Beside the roads will be layers of netting and rows of trees made of the seven gems. Which will constantly bloom and bear fruit/ The trees will always be blooming and bearing fruit. The Tathagata Flower-Light will also teach and transform living beings by means of the Three vehicles/ The Thus Come One, the Buddha Flower Light will also use the Three Vehicles: Sound Hearers, Conditioned Enlightened Ones, and Bodhisattvas, to teach and convert living beings.
Sariputra, when this Buddha corner into the world, although it will not be an evil age/an age of the five turbidities, Because of his past vows, he shall teach the Dharma of Three Vehicles/Because of his original vows, the vows he made in the past, he will speak the Three Vehicles: Sound Hearers, Condition enlightened, and Bodhisattvas. Why is this? It's because the teacher he studied the Buddhadharma under in the past will have been Sakyamuni Buddha. Since his teacher spoke the dharma of the Three Vehicles, the disciple also will make a vow to imitate his teacher. Although the age he will be born in will riot be one of the five evil turbidities, he will nevertheless teach the expedient dharmas of the Three Vehicles.
Sutra:
That
aeon will be called "Adorned with Great Jewels." Why will it be
called "Adorned
with Great Jewels?" Because in that land Bodhisattvas will be
considered great jewels.
These Bodhisattvas will be limitless, boundless, inconceivable in number,
beyond the reach
of calculation or analogy, so that with the exception of the power of the
Buddha wisdom, no
one shall be able to know their number.
Commentary:
When the Thus Come One Flower Light becomes a Buddha, That aeon shall be called "Adorned with Great Jewels."
Why will it be called "Adorned with Great Jewels?" For what reason? Because in that land Bodhisattvas shall be considered Great Jewels/This is because in that country they will take Bodhisattvas as great jewels. So in that aeon a great, great many Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas will merge. That is why the aeon shall be called "Adorned with Great Jewels." The Great Bodhisattva Jewels will adorn the age.
The term Bodhisattva has been explained many times. But perhaps some have forgotten, so today I will take a little time to investigate it.
Where do Bodhisattvas come from? Bodhisattvas come from living beings.
Then where do living beings come from? Living beings come from the Buddha.
Where does the Buddha come from? He comes from living beings. Therefore, the Buddha comes from living beings; living beings come from the Buddha. Coming and going going and coming; not coming and not going and not going and not coming.
The aeons will take its name from the great Bodhisattvas who are called Great Jewels. They are great living, not dead, jewels, and they adorn the aeon, so the aeon is called Adorned with Great Jewels. There/refers to the great living jewels, that is, the living Bodhisattvas/They will be limitless, boundless, inconceivable in number/How many will there be? You could never count them; you could never find their limits. Why is that? It's because their number is inconceivable. If it had a limit or a boundary it would be "conceivable."
Beyond the reach of calculation or analogy/Because the number is inconceivable, it can not be reckoned. The number of Bodhisattvas can't be counted, can't be alluded to. Who knows how many there will be? This is because the Bodhisattvas will exist in numbers like the Ganges River's sands. The entire land will be covered with them. That's why the aeon will be called "Adorned with Great Jewels." Take a look at the Ganges River. How could you count the sand' in it? The number of Bodhisattvas is even greater than that. So that, with the exception of, the power of the Buddha wisdom, no one shall be able to know their number/Without the Buddha's wisdom power, the ten wisdom powers of the Buddha, no one could know how many Bodhisattvas there will be.
Sutra:
When they wish to
walk, jeweled flowers will spring up beneath their feet. These
Bodhisattvas will not be those who have just brought forth their thoughts,
but will have
for a long time planted the roots of virtue, and in the presence of
limitless hundreds of
thousands of myriads of Buddhas, purely cultivated Brahma conduct,
constantly receiving the
praise of the Buddhas. Ever cultivating the Buddha-wisdom, complete with
great spiritual
penetrations, they are well versed in all the doors of the Dharma,
straightforward,
ingenuous, and strong willed. Bodhisattvas such as these will fill that
country.
Commentary:
When they wish to walk/Perhaps they are standing there, or sitting down, that's not extraordinary. However, as soon as they move to walk, Jeweled Flowers will spring up beneath their feet/When they walk, lotuses will spring up to receive their feet. These Bodhisattvas, all the limitless, boundless, inconceivable numbers of Bodhisattvas will not be those who have just brought forth their thoughts/They haven't just now brought forth their resolve. They have cultivated good roots for a long time and certified to unobstructed wisdom. These Bodhisattvas, you might say, were old Bodhisattvas, not young ones.
Last summer, during the Summer Session I told you,
Fish eggs and the amala fruit,
And the newly resolved Bodhisattva
In the cause there are many of these three,
But few of them bear fruit.
Newly resolved Bodhisattvas sometimes don't make it. Fish spawn in the spring, and although they lay many eggs, they don't all become fish. Some do, others are turned into muck by the current in the sea.
The amala fruit has lots of blossoms, but bears little fruit. Bodhisattvas find that bringing forth the first thought is easy.
The heart of heroism is easy to bring forth,
But enduring determination is hard to keep.
The heroic heart will suddenly arise, "Ah! I have brought forth the Bodhisattva heart. I'm going to give this and that valuable gift." That's easy. But if you try to give that way every day, it's not easy. So it's easy to bring forth the first thought to become a Bodhisattva, but in cultivating the Bodhisattva Way you must practice for a long, long time; it's very difficult. Sometimes they bring forth the thought and then retreat. Haven't I said, in cultivating the Way people will suddenly advance and, just as suddenly retreat.
"Today, I'm thinking about my old friends. They're all dead. And my young friends, too, are no longer in this world. My middle aged friend died in an auto accident. The old, middle aged, and young ones are all dead. Human life is truly meaningless. In the future everyone is going to die. What day am I going to die? Don't know..." yesterday we went to "take across" someone who had died. It is the Chinese Buddhist custom that when someone dies, those who have left home & recite Sutras, to take them across. One person over eighty asked us to go recite Sutras so the entire company three novices and a Bhikshu--mobilized and went. When we returned I asked the little Sramanera how he felt about it and he said, "I really enjoyed it." "Oh? I said, then think of a way to make more people die and you can do it everyday." But don't have that false thought. If you do, if you think to make other people die, other people will think to make you die and then you'll all die together and no one will be left in the world at all. Even if you enjoyed it you'll still have to wait for opportunities to arise. You can't let other people die.
Why do I bring this up? It's because in the future everyone is going to die. The question is: where are we going after we die? Where did we come from in the first place? That, too, is a question. Therefore, you must find out where you came from before you were born and where you will be going after you die. When you are clear about that, then you won't have lived your human life in vain. The Venerable Elder Master Hsu Lao said in his "Song of the Skin Bag", "it won't have been in vain..."
You won't have come here for nothing. So the Bodhisattvas who have just brought forth the mind, seeing that everyone is bound to die, will get nervous, "I'd better hurry up and cultivate the Way, recite the Buddha's name, meditate, keep precepts, listen to Sutra lectures. I've simply got to cultivate. There's a lecture every night at 125 Waverly Place, 4th Floor. We ought to take it in.
So they go to one lecture; find it utterly tasteless and never return. That's called, "The Bodhisattva bringing forth the first thought for a day." The first day they are most enthusiastic, by the second day they've cooled off considerably, and, by the third day, their hearts are frozen solid. They've entered the icebox when it comes to the Buddhadharma.
It's easy to bring forth that initial thought, but very difficult to sustain it for any length of time. That's why the verse says, "In tile cause, these three are many." The fish eggs, the amala fruit, and the newly resolved Bodhisattva are many where the causes are planted. But few of them bear fruit." When the time comes to reap the fruit, there are very few of them.
So these old Bodhisattvas, who knows how many little Bodhisattvas were in the group they began in? Anyway, when they walk, lotuses bounce up to catch their feet when Sakyamuni Buddha walks, there are lotuses beneath his feet, and he walks four inches above the ground. He doesn't need to have his feet touch the ground in order to make footprints.
"Now, that I don't believe," you say, "how could someone make footprints whose feet don't even touch the ground?"
I don't care if you believe it or not. What difference does it make to me whether or not you believe? I'm lecturing the Sutras in accord with the truth. If you don't believe it so much the better! That is my fondest wish, in fact. If you believed, I wouldn't have to lecture on the Sutras. As long as you don't believe, I can keep lecturing just to get you to disbelieve! See? The inconceivable is right there.
These Bodhisattvas will not be those who have just recently brought forth their hearts. But will have, for a long time, planted the roots of virtue/For a long time they will have planted Way virtue, merit, and blessings. What are the roots of virtue? They are obtained by planting blessings. If you do a lot of good deeds, you are planting the roots of virtue. If you do a lot of evil deeds, you are planting the roots of offenses. These Bodhisattvas did no evil and practiced every kind of good deed. For a long time they had been planting the roots of their virtue. Not just for a day or two, a month or two, a year or two, but in/every life throughout limitless asankheya kalpas they had been doing good deeds. If they found out there was a good deed to be done, they did it, regardless. They benefited living beings and in the presence of limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of Buddhas/These old Bodhisattvas in the presence of limitless, boundless Buddhas Purely cultivate Brahma conduct/"Purely" means clean, sparkling clean, not defiled by a single speck of dust:
Not defiled by a single speck of dust,
The myriad thoughts all empty. That's true purity.
If one wishes to truly be pure, one must not handle money. If you have money, that's impure. Having no money is a form of purity. Why? Money is the filthiest thing there is. In spite of the fact it's filthy, everyone takes it for a treasure. When people count money they spit on their hands to count the bills. How filthy would you say that was? The germs are crawling all over the money, but that doesn't stop anyone from putting it right in their pockets, germs and all. The more the better! People like to be unclean; they take dirty things as gems. The pure cultivation of Brahma conduct means that you don't handle money.
"I can't manage that," you say.
Of course you can't. If you could, you would be a Bodhisattva. But you can't, so you aren't. That's putting it simply.
Constantly receiving the praise of the Buddhas/"Constantly" means all the time. The ten directions Buddhas continually praise the great Bodhisattvas saying. You're really good old Bodhisattvas, great Bodhisattvas." Why do they praise them? Because they really do perform extremely well. They've been a long time cultivating their roots of virtue, so naturally they're deserving of the Buddha's praise.
Ever cultivating the Buddha Wisdom/What is the Buddha wisdom? It is real, genuine wisdom. Complete with great spiritual penetrations/not small ones. They don't just have the power of knowing others thoughts, or past lives, or have the heavenly eye, or the heavenly ear. It's not that simple. They have great spiritual powers. With great spiritual penetrations one does not have to use an act of deliberate mentation and observation in order to thoroughly comprehend everything. Those with small spiritual penetrations, such as Arhats, have to deliberately think and observe. What is meant by "deliberate mentation and observation?" It means that if they want to know about something they first have to quiet their minds and quite deliberately think, "I want to know this..." They have a wisdom, which comes from mental activity. Those with great spiritual powers, on the other hand, don't have to do that. They don't have to settle their minds and sit down to meditate for five minutes or so before they can know something. They don't have to meditate, because at all times and in all places there is nothing they do not know, nothing they do not see. That's great spiritual penetrations. So if you study the Buddhadharma, and can't tell the difference between great and small spiritual penetrations, such a simple thing...
They are well versed in all the doors of the Dharma/The Great Bodhisattvas know the entrance to the Dharmas, that is, how to get into them, so to speak. They are able to penetrate the Real Mark of all Dharmas.
Straightforward/means that their behavior is straightforward and not sneaky. Ingenious/ means they are not false. They are truthful in all they do. And strong willed/When it comes to the Buddhadharma, their determination is extremely firm. They can't be sidetracked, and they would never retreat. Bodhisattvas such as these will fill that country/Great Bodhisattvas like these will completely fill the land of the Thus Come One Flower Light during the aeon Adorned with Great Jewels.
Sutra:
Sariputra, the lifespan of the Buddha Flower Light will be twelve small
aeons, not
counting the time during which he, as a prince, had not yet become a
Buddha. The lifespan
of the people in that country will be eight small aeons.
After twelve small aeons, the Thus Come One Flower-Light will confer upon
the
Bodhisattva Solid Fullness a prediction of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, and
announces to the
Bhikshus, "The Bodhisattva Solid Fullness shall next become a Buddha
by the name of
"Flowery Feet Peacefully Walking, an Arhat, Samyaksambu tha. His
Buddha country will be of
like character.
Shariputra, when the Buddha Flower-Light
has passed into
extinction, the Proper Dharma
shall dwell in the world
for thirty-two small aeons. The Resemblance Dharma shall dwell in
the world also for thirty-two small
aeons.
Commentary:
Shakyamuni Buddha called out, Shariputra, the lifespan of the Buddha Flower-Light will be twelve small aeons.
What is meant by "a small aeon?"
Every one hundred years the average human lifespan decreases by one year, and the average height decreases by one inch. We are now in a period of a "decreasing aeon." When the lifespan has decreased to ten years, (it is now on the average of 60 or 70 years) it will begin to increase again. When it has increased to 84,000 years, it will begin to increase again. One period of increase and one period of decrease is considered to be an aeon. One thousand of those aeons is a small aeon. Twenty small aeons--how long is that?
You'll need some time to figure it out.
Not counting the time during which as a Prince, he has not yet become a Buddha/ The lifespan of 12 small aeons does not count the time during which he is a prince and hasn't yet become a Buddha.