His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Puja Teachings – May 1, 2022

His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche ascended the Dharma throne, and expounded on “Scroll 20, ‘Immovable Tathagata Assembly’ (Chapter 6, Section 2, Part 5: Merits of Nirvana)” of the Ratnakuta Sutra.

“Sutra: ‘Sariputra, these hundreds of thousands of Great Bodhisattvas have been attuned to enlightenment, and have attained realization. They have been counted in the number of Tathagatas, and are all included in the number of the count of Buddhas. All of those who have been counted in the number of Buddhas possess all the immeasurable essence of wisdom.’

First, we need to understand the numbers mentioned here. In the quote, the term ‘hundreds of thousands’ refers to ‘100 of 1,000’, being 100,000 literally. In fact, that number is an adjective here, describing something in a great quantity. This means there are many Great Bodhisattvas there. It should have been known that ‘They have been counted in the number of Tathagatas, and are all included in the number of the count of Buddhas. All of those who have been counted in the number of Buddhas possess all the immeasurable essence of wisdom.’ The few sentences in this quote mean although Great Bodhisattvas have not attained the fruition of a Buddha, their essences, and the quantities of all their merits gained from their practices have already been counted in all the merits of Tathagatas, and have also been included in those of all Buddhas. After the latter has been achieved, ‘all the immeasurable essence of wisdom’ has been obtained.

Usually, when we talk about wisdom, we will mention ‘essence of wisdom.’ This is because when one practices the Bodhisattva Path and Vajrayana, and if one has not attained realization in Emptiness – not having mastered practices in combining acquired wisdom and original (or primordial) wisdom together – one cannot understand or realize Emptiness. The essence and characteristic of wisdom are not what have been called intelligence in the mundane world, or the understanding of many things in it. Every sentient being possesses pure, primordial wisdom. However, after we have continuously reincarnated, and because of such reincarnation, there are defiling elements produced from good and negative karma we have created in each of our lifetimes; such elements have covered our primordial wisdom. What have we been practicing the Dharma for? Besides practicing having good fortune, we practice to have wisdom, which is the so-called acquired wisdom. When our pure, primordial wisdom has been covered by our karma, we cannot see our own original essence. We do not know either that our own essence of the Buddha has originally been possessed by us and it has existed. Thus, through the practicing experiences of the Buddha and your guru, you have been taught and guided about the practices on having good fortune and wisdom. When the acquired wisdom has been practiced to perfect completion, it will be combined with the natural and pure, primordial wisdom. Once these two types of wisdom are combined, one can truly enter the pure state of Buddha’s wisdom.

Although every sentient being possesses pure wisdom, a person does not understand that it exists, nor does every sentient being know that pure wisdom can help everyone attain Buddhahood and can help benefit a great number of sentient beings. We have continuously mentioned ‘enlightenment.’ It does not mean opening something to let you see or realize a thing. (Translator’s note: In Chinese, the term ‘enlightenment’ consists of two words, with the first one being ‘open’ and the second one, ‘realization.’) Rather, ‘enlightenment’ means through constant accumulation of practices with the acquired wisdom, the defiling elements covering the original wisdom will be gradually reduced, even purified. Only then, will the originally pure light of our primordial wisdom be revealed. When such a light is revealed, it is the time of so-called being enlightened.

When the light of wisdom is revealed, can it be seen by the naked eye? Can we ourselves feel it? No, it cannot be seen or felt either way. It must be through the methods of meditations, Mahamudra or chanting of mantras, et cetera, to be able to comprehend whether the originally pure light of primordial wisdom has been revealed or not. After this happens, and after such a light is combined with the light of the acquired wisdom gained through practices, the wisdom can only then be in perfect completion. Then, practitioners can perform the acts of ‘benefiting others by benefiting oneself.’ If the acquired wisdom has not been practiced on, merely relying on sitting in meditation or thinking of the Buddha is very difficult to achieve accomplishments. If the acquired wisdom has not been obtained or not been practiced on, the defiling elements of the original wisdom will not be wiped off; the acquired wisdom cannot be combined with the primordial wisdom either.

When ‘practice’ is mentioned, what has one been practicing on? Practicing does not mean to make you better, let you strike it rich or get you a good heath, nor does it mean making all your things well and prosperous or letting you understand all. Rather, practicing is for you to recover or discover your primordial wisdom which has existed originally. The word ‘recover’ has also been used quite reluctantly here for explanation. It is because that the primordial wisdom is there already from the very beginning, and there is no need to find it; as it has originally existed, you do not need to discover it either. Why do you not know there is the primordial wisdom in you? Because your sense of ‘attachment to self’ is too strong or you are too self-righteous. Even in your learning Buddhism, the more you have learned it, the more afflictions you have had. As you have not comprehended the pure, primordial wisdom at all, you have lived this life along with the power of your karma and with your consciousness. Once this life ends, you will have a life wasted – again.

Many people think that learning Buddhism is to get them in good mood or make them know how to conduct themselves and handle things. If these are what people want, there is no need to learn Buddhism. One can also get such things by learning some ways in the mundane path. Learning Buddhism is to let us recover our original ‘features’ – what we had originally. This cannot be accomplished in a life or a lifetime. From the aspects of Vajrayana, the fastest time between the start of practicing it to the achievement of attaining the fruition of a Buddha is for a person to be reincarnated 17 lifetimes, and only then can the person truly attain such a fruition. In these 17 lifetimes for being reincarnated, there are high levels of dangers existing. Hence, Shakyamuni Buddha introduced the Pure Land of Amitabha, letting us ‘go’ there so that we will not reincarnate, and we can continuously practice until we have attained enlightenment.

Many people wish that they can attain enlightenment on Earth. This is impossible to happen. What is the reason? It is that there are too many hindrances and afflictions on Earth. It is just like in the term ‘the evil time of the Five Turbidities,’ spoken of by Shakyamuni Buddha in the Amitabha Sutra, there is view turbidity. This is the most serious one, and it refers to the views of self-righteousness in that one’s own opinions are correct. Such a turbidity will obstruct the direction of all practices. When you get to the Land of Amitabha, you will know that the Trinity of the Western Paradise or all Great Bodhisattvas and Buddhas come to expound the Dharma every day, so these Five Turbidities do not exist. As there are no Five Turbidities there, only then can your practices be effective.

So, when one is learning or practicing Buddhism on Earth, one must be clear about the things one has done, knowing clearly whether he or she has acted like an ordinary believer or a disciple of the Buddha. I have often said that if an act is evaluated in accordance with the Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, how many of the Practices can you comply your acts with? In these Practices, if you have not accomplished any one of them, you are not a disciple of the Buddha. Since you are not, it is equivalent to the situation that you are not my disciple. What is your thinking based on that you can attain enlightenment? You cannot. Many people have said, ‘I wish to attain enlightenment. After I am enlightened, I can accept my followers as my disciples, and set up a Buddhist sect of my own.’ Of course, a person could have some good fortune obtained from practices of accumulated past lifetimes to make this practitioner have his or her own Buddhist sect or temple. However, is this a good thing? Not necessarily. It is mentioned here in this section of the sutra to let us know that if one wants to enter the pure state of Buddha’s wisdom or the great sea of merits of the Buddha, one certainly needs to master the practices of being a Great Bodhisattva first. Before you have reached that stage of attainment, you need to listen truly, and enter the great seas of merits of the lineage and of your guru. You will then advance your practices step by step. Do not think that you can achieve accomplishments on your own.

Sutra: ‘If there are Great Bodhisattvas who should be born in that land of a Buddha, all will also be included in the number of the count of Tathagatas, and so forth.’

Shakyamuni Buddha said that for all Great Bodhisattvas, so long as they are born in the land of a Buddha for Immovable Tathagata, they can all ‘be included in the number of the count of Tathagatas, and so forth.’

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, excluding those Great Bodhisattvas of non-retrogression, there are other Bodhisattvas in this world. Among them, if there are some Bodhisattvas, who do not listen to and praise the merits of Immovable Tathagata and his Dharma methods, these Bodhisattvas have all been embraced by evil demons.’

Besides Great Bodhisattvas of non-retrogression, there are remaining Bodhisattvas in this world. ‘Among them, if there are some Bodhisattvas, who do not listen to and praise the merits of Immovable Tathagata and his Dharma methods,’ – meaning not listening to the merits of the Tathagata and his Dharma methods, or having listened to them but not praising them – and even if these Bodhisattvas have made vows to be born in that land, because they do not listen to and praise the merits of the Tathagata, even being Bodhisattvas, they have been embraced by evil demons too.

In Refuge Ceremony you have participated in when you have taken refuge in me, I have often told you that you need to praise the merits of your guru. It is not that I want your praises. Rather, the reason is that once you have formed such a habit, you will praise the merits of a Buddha when you go to any lands of Buddhas. Why must you listen to the Dharma expounded as I have wanted you to do? It is for the same reason as well. When you live on the earth, and if you do not praise the merits of your guru, do not listen to the Dharma expounded, or do not believe in your guru, even if you are reborn in the Land of Amitabha, it will be useless to you because you have not formed the habits just mentioned. Simply speaking, now we have been doing the preparatory work. Do not think that you can practice well on the earth. On these few sentences in the sutra quote, all of you cannot do the acts described. How many of you are there who have praised the merits of your guru all the time? There are just a few having done that. Some of you would think it this way: ‘Do not say these praises. If I do, people will laugh at me, saying I am superstitious. Then they will criticize my guru and I will be embarrassed too.’ This is what a person in ‘the evil time of the Five Turbidities’ is like.

Each time when you come to attend a puja, you always seek things to benefit yourself. You do not think that why you want to learn Buddhism or what learning Buddhism is for. If you just want to pursue things for yourself, I am telling you that, truly, do not come to learn Buddhism. It will be faster to get what you have sought for in non-Buddhist religions. This is because their gods or deities need offerings made to them. When they see that there is a fool appearing and wishing for their help unaccountably, they will give that person some little things of what he or she has asked for. This will make the person feel immediately that it is very efficacious, and they will instantly receive the offerings from the person. These are not what the Dharma itself ‘wanted.’ The Dharma is to help you solve, thoroughly, the problems you created through lifetime after lifetime. Contrarily, people in the mundane world are quite troublesome. They only believe this: ‘Only if you can solve my present problems, are you a Buddha, or a Bodhisattva, or a Rinpoche, having quite an efficacy in your solutions. If you cannot solve my problems, then you are not one with any of those three titles.’

So far, there are no mentions on these subjects in sutras except that in the Universal Gate Chapter, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara had said if there are some disasters occurring to you, Avalokiteshvara will save you. This is not mentioned in the Ratnakuta Sutra, including the sections about Immovable Tathagata, or the Amitabha Sutra. Why is this not described in these sutras? Why is it in the Universal Gate Chapter? It is because when you are to be close to mahasiddhas (great achievers), who have a level of attainments like that of the Buddha, your mindset should be different. What kinds of differences are there? You need to do well on many of the preparatory works.

Many people think that ‘If I go to the Land of Amitabha, Amitabha will naturally come to teach me.’ However, if you have not formed this habit – listening to the Dharma expounded, praising your guru, and praising the Buddha – on the earth, you will still not do these acts when you get there. You will just sleep inside a lotus every day, and will keep on sleeping until you feel hungry. Then you ‘get up’ thinking about food, and eat. After eating, you sleep again. Will this kind of a situation happen? Yes. It will. There will be such opportunities for those who are ‘the lowest class of the three lowest classes born in Amitabha’s Pure Land.’ It is very difficult to learn Buddhism on the earth. Here is the problem: it is too chaotic on Earth. Contrarily, in places that are too disordered, we can understand the suffering caused by disorder and confusion instead, and can make up our mind to learn Buddhism diligently. From a conscientious point of view, not one or two of you have come to see me while living a good life. You have sought an audience with me only when you have problems. Why? Because you have felt the efficacies of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas and they will save you. That is why you have come. Nevertheless, after I have saved you, you still have not listened. What should I do then?

Sutra: ‘Furthermore, Sariputra, after Immovable Tathagata has entered the nirvana of prajna, and even when the Right Dharma has been abided by in the world, the Great Bodhisattvas born in that land of a Buddha should also be included in the number of the count of Tathagatas. How is this so? It is because of that Tathagata’s original vows.’

After Immovable Tathagata has entered the state of nirvana, the Right Dharma is still in the world. ‘The Great Bodhisattvas born in that land of a Buddha should also be included in the number of the count of Tathagatas.’ It is because of Immovable Tathagata’s original vows.

Sutra: ‘The Bodhisattvas who are born later in that land should recite the 108 Dharma methods. Only after they have recited those methods can they accept and hold all Dharmas there. Immovable Tathagata had established steadily the original essence of the 108 Dharma methods.’

Even if it is after Immovable Tathagata’s nirvana, the Bodhisattvas who can be born ‘in that land should recite the 108 Dharma methods.’ In Exoteric Buddhism, there are 108 Dharma methods. I had a look at them before but I forget where. These methods are about the basis of Exoteric Buddhism. Only after those Bodhisattvas have clearly understood such methods, and ‘have recited those methods can they accept and hold all Dharmas there.’ It is equivalent to being on the earth. If you have not learned well on Exoteric Buddhism, and if you want to learn other Dharma methods, you will not be taught on them. Do not think that by just keeling in front of me to implore me for some methods you will get them. Although the 108 Dharma methods had not been passed down, all the Dharmas in Exoteric Buddhism that we have spoken of are in these methods. What were the subjects that the 108 Dharma methods had mentioned on? They were all about helping you how to eliminate the negative karma on your thoughts, words, and actions that you have created in your accumulated past lifetimes, how to get rid of your own disrespect for and disbelief in Bodhisattvas, how to enter the paths of your practices, and how to make up your mind to learn Buddhism diligently.

In the Four Common Preliminary Practices I have expounded, there are some Practices which are a bit like these 108 Dharma methods. For those Practices having been expounded by me before, there are 41 CDs with each one lasting for two hours; the total number of hours of the CDs is equivalent to a little more than 80. Thus, those who want to implore me for the transmission of the Four Uncommon Preliminary Practices need to finish listening to all these CDs first. Only then will I give them this transmission. My transmissions of Dharmas have not left what had been taught by the Buddha. Unlike other Buddhist centers where Dharmas are transmitted upon receiving offerings, I have transmitted Dharmas in accordance with rules that have been described in sutras. In the later part of the Ratnakuta Sutra, it is mentioned that let alone Tantra, even on the sutras of Mahayana, if a guru sees a disciple who does not have such a root capacity, the guru will not even let the disciple read a sutra or recite it. Who are they saying that you will get Dharmas transmitted to you when you implore your guru for them?

How does one’s root capacity come from? It is just like the mother of Disciple Pan. What kind of root capacity did that lady have? She did not chant mantras and did not understand my Cantonese-accented Mandarin either. She only had one root capacity and it was that she believed in me absolutely. Have you done that? You absolutely do not believe in me. So long as I have not done things according to what you have thought of, you will be in that way. Even if what I have done are what you have thought of, you will still not believe in me at all. It is because I have not fulfilled the part that you have wished the most to get accomplished. You will just think because you yourself are lucky that things are done; that is all. How is one’s root capacity generated? It is by absolutely believing in your guru. Such a belief is not being superstitious. Rather, if you have seen that your guru has been the same for decades, and has not changed the ways he has gotten things done, you will then believe in the guru entirely. Do you still have so much sense of doubts? You have thought back and forth and that is exactly your problem; it is not my problem. What is the problem then? You have no root capacity.

It is mentioned very clearly in this quote that if you have not recited these 108 Dharma methods, you will not be transmitted Dharmas later completely. You will not obtain such a Dharma method either. This has also been mentioned in the Ratnakuta Sutra. I have said before that there are some Dharma texts which I will not even let you touch. Only I can do it. A third party cannot touch them either, including my children; they cannot touch these Dharma texts. It is not that the texts are so mysterious. It is just that as you do not have such a root capacity, and if you touch these Dharma texts, your unclean mind will make such Dharmas produce uncleanness too.

Many people think that ‘If I implore you for a Dharma method, you should give it to me.’ By turning on YouTube, you will see that there are many people speaking of the Dharma. Nowadays, there are fewer people doing that on Channel Four (cable TV) here. Before, after turning on Channel Four and having watched several people speaking of the Dharma, you thought you understood it. In fact, you did not. Some Dharmas are not to be expounded and spoken of publicly. There are even some Dharmas that after a guru transmits them to a disciple, the guru will write down a few words to show them to the disciple. Then, after the disciple has seen the words, even this piece of paper will be burned, leaving no traces. Now, I have already been too compassionate to you. I have been expounding and telling you these many things. You are not qualified to listen to them originally. So, your sense of doubts is your ‘fatal wound.’

Sutra: ‘After I have entered nirvana, and if there are Great Bodhisattvas who should be born in that land of a Buddha, they should also recite the 108 Dharma methods, and they can accept and hold all Dharma methods.’

How would this have been done? Immovable Tathagata decided to get it done in a way described in the quote as ‘After I have entered nirvana, and if there are Bodhisattvas who should be born in that land of a Buddha, they should also recite the 108 Dharma methods.’ Only then, can they accept the teachings of all Dharma methods.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, Immovable Tathagata has been attuned to right equality and right awareness, and is very capable to embrace Great Bodhisattvas. Although Immovable Buddha has entered nirvana, the voice of his expounding the Dharma and his solemn merits are the same as when he was in the world – there being no differences.’

The term ‘right equality and right awareness’ refers to the merits, and the fruition level, of a Buddha. Although Immovable Buddha has entered nirvana, with the merits, and the fruition level, of a Buddha, he still can embrace all Great Bodhisattvas. Even after he has entered nirvana, ‘the voice of his expounding the Dharma and his solemn merits are the same as when he was in the world – there being no differences.’

Sutra: ‘Furthermore, Sariputra, that Immovable Tathagata has been attuned to right equality and right awareness. There is fire emerged from his body, and it is burned and cremated on its own. The remaining forms of “sarira (relics)” are all in gold color. Like a low mira tree, along all the trunk-and-branch separating points, there being the character 卍 (pronounced as wan) shown, the relics of the Tathagata are the same with character 卍 appearing.’

Shakyamuni Buddha spoke of the auspicious signs occurred after Immovable Buddha’s nirvana. When that happened, ‘There is fire emerged from his body, and it is burned and cremated on its own.’ (For the term, du wei, I will have it checked later to ensure its meaning.) (Translator’s note: In Chinese, the phrase ‘burned and cremated on its own’ is in two words, du wei.) ‘The remaining forms of “sarira (relics)” are all in gold color.’ This means the relics left by Immovable Buddha are all in gold color. Before, a big temple in eastern section of Taipei had respectfully requested some organization to send the relics of the Buddha here for exhibition. At that time, I might have already taken refuge in His Holiness. I went with several people to see the relics. At the place, those standing in front of me and behind me were all my friends. When I approached where the relics were, I saw that every piece of relics seemed to have been inlaid with red gemstones, radiating a red light continuously. I asked my friend in front of me if he had seen the light, and he said that he had not. I also asked the friend behind me the same question, and he said he had not either. It has turned out that, to this day, neither of them has become a Rinpoche.

This means if you have great causes and conditions from past lives, such relics will give you blessings. If you do not have great causal conditions, the relics will help you form affinities. What are the affinities to be formed? The relics will help you form affinities between you and the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, or great practitioners. The word ‘blessings’ here does not mean that after a person has been bestowed such blessings, he or she does not need to practice. After I saw the relics, I have been very toilful in my practices continuously, and I have never lived pleasantly, comfortably, or joyfully. The so-called comfort-joy is what have been said by humans about comforts and joys, living a good life. You sleep in bed in a spread-eagle position very comfortably every day. When you wake up, you will burn a piece of incense as an offering to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, and make a prayer like this: ‘The Buddha and Bodhisattvas, I am imploring you for giving me a peaceful day today.’ After you get off from work and are at home, you will make another prayer that ‘The Dharma Protector Achi, I am imploring you for giving me a peaceful day tomorrow.’ All of you live such a life with ease. This is a life you are living now. When you have problems at work, you will say, ‘The Dharma Protector Achi, do not let me get fired.’ If you do not work well in your job, of course you will be fired. When you will take an examination, your prayer will be this: ‘The Dharma Protector Achi, let me pass the examination.’ If this kind of prayer will work, there is no need for people to study. What do people study for then?

In this quote, Shakyamuni Buddha mentioned especially that the relics of Immovable Tathagata are in gold color. Like a low mira tree – the name of a type of trees – ‘along all the trunk-and-branch separating points, there being the character 卍 shown,’ – meaning at the separating points of the trunk and branches, the character 卍 being shown – ‘the relics of the Tathagata are the same with character 卍 appearing.’

Sutra: ‘Furthermore, Sariputra, the shape of every piece of all the relics of Immovable Tathagata is round. On the inside and the outside of each piece, there are the auspicious sign (the form and the look of the sign being shown below) 卍.’

The shape of every piece of the relics of Immovable Tathagata is round with no angles. On the inside and the outside of each piece there are the character 卍.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, like a pudlaga tree, along all the trunk-and-branch separating points, and on the inside and the outside of them, there being the auspicious sign shown, the relics of that Buddha are the same with the auspicious sign appearing.’

The relics of Immovable Tathagata ‘are the same with the auspicious sign appearing.’ This means Shakyamuni Buddha had foreseen all the auspicious signs that will appear after Immovable Tathagata’s nirvana in the future. When Shakyamuni Buddha introduced Immovable Tathagata, the latter did not enter nirvana yet, but Shakyamuni Buddha had already spoken of all the signs that will be shown on Immovable Tathagata’s nirvana. Why had He spoken of those in advance? It was to tell people in the mundane world on a Buddha’s nirvana, regarding a subject that what it is special about or what kinds of auspicious signs there will be. He even mentioned clearly what the relics of a Buddha will look like. Some people have been known that there are the relics of them shown, and then they have thusly been considered to have achieved the highest level of practices while alive. In fact, this was not necessarily the case. So long as one has observed pure precepts in this life, one has the opportunity getting the relics of one’s own appearing upon cremation. However, this does not indicate that the person had been practicing in his or her life. If there are few pieces of relics in white color shown for some people on cremations, they will then be deemed that they had practiced very well in their lives. It was not necessarily so.

If we have learned about relics in accordance with what had been spoken of by Shakyamuni Buddha, the relics of Immovable Buddha are in such ways as described in the sutra. What do the relics of Shakyamuni Buddha look like then? They will change if they are seen by sentient beings having the affinities. Generally, for the so-called monastics or laity, if there are relics after one’s cremation, it only means this person had practiced precept observance while alive. Nevertheless, had the person attained some kind of fruition level? We do not know. It is mentioned here that when Immovable Tathagata has entered nirvana, ‘there is fire emerged from’ his whole body.

As mentioned earlier, for those who have practiced the Bodhisattva Path or Arhat Path, when they have entered nirvana, there will be auspicious signs appearing. For what kinds of such signs are, they have been described in the sutra. These mentions are to let such people, like us, who have attachments in their minds, understand that there will certainly be some auspicious signs shown from practices. These signs are not what we have implored for, and they do not mean how amazing we are either. Rather, they are just sorts of by-products.

It is equivalent to the status of the Buddha that He has achieved attainments of good fortune and wisdom to perfect completion, and providing that He, or anyone else, is a Buddha, He or another person will possess thirty-two forms and eighty physical characteristics naturally. These natural appearances have been introduced in sutras. A Bodhisattva has the appearance of a Bodhisattva; an arhat has the appearance of an arhat. Have Bodhisattvas or arhats practiced to have such forms deliberately? No, they have not. If their good fortune and wisdom have been in perfect completion, their appearances will change and there is no need to implore for such forms. Hence, if you seek modest dignity, you will see how to get it in the Universal Gate Chapter. It is mentioned very clearly in this Chapter how an appearance of modest dignity with virtues comes from. It comes from mastering one’s practices from past lifetimes. When you are in an old age of this life, and if your appearance is still not modest and dignified, you need to do a self-review to evaluate your mind, and to see whether it is without modest dignity or is with many bizarre thoughts. The phrase ‘an appearance changes along with the change of mind’ is right. A change in appearance does not mean you have become rich or are having good luck; rather, you have practiced and gained your good fortune. As such, your appearance will change.

It is like us, practitioners who have been practicing Vajrayana, that our bones are different from those of other people. On our appearances, some features are also different from features of other people. If I do not tell you about these differences, you will not know them; if I do, then you will say, ‘Oh, so these are the differences.’ Thus, I do not tell you about them lest you will say ‘Oh’ every day. Those who understand these things will know the differences once they look at us; there are certain things in our looks or features that are different from what other people have.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, for making offerings to the relics, sentient beings in that world have gotten stupas of seven treasures raised, and the stupas fill all over the trichiliocosm. Also, the offerings are made with golden lotuses with thousands of leaves. In the trichiliocosm, all the worlds have such stupas and lotuses as solemn decorations.’

‘For making offerings to the relics, sentient beings in that world’ have made the offerings with stupas made of seven treasures. This cannot be done on Earth; there are nothings that can be done for this. We cannot even make offerings to the relics of Shakyamuni Buddha. This is because that there is no such good fortune for humans on Earth in that they do not have these good things to make offerings to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas.

It is mentioned here about ‘stupas of seven treasures.’ The stupas are made of seven treasures and ‘fill all over the trichiliocosm.’ ‘Also, the offerings are made with golden lotuses with thousands of leaves.’ There are no such lotuses on Earth. See, how the earth is lacking in good fortune. Did you think you have learned Buddhism or been ordained that you have great good fortune? What is it great about? Compared with what have been mentioned in sutras, you are about the same as a tiny bit of dust. Then, you are still quite complacent, thinking that because you have been ordained, you have immeasurable merits and your good fortune is incredible. Of course, it is a good thing to be a monastic. I do not look down on monastics; I quite admire them because they need to observe a precept which the laity are unable to observe. However, monastics cannot be proud – they cannot be, absolutely. If they think they have great fortune because of being ordained and if they consider themselves to be lead monastics because they lead the attendees in a puja for some activities, what kinds of lead monastics are they if they have not been practicing well? A lead monastic is to lead such attendees just mentioned, including ghosts. Contrarily, when you ‘see’ ghosts, you will run away faster than anyone else. The definition of ‘attendees’ here does not mean humans only; rather, it refers to sentient beings in the Six Realms. This means only if you can be a representative of these sentient beings, can you be a lead monastic. If you are unable to represent them, be a little humbler then.

Sutra: ‘Furthermore, Sariputra, in the world of Immovable Buddha, if Bodhisattvas are about to enter nirvana, and if they have not lost thoughts when they are near the end of their lives, they will then see such various and auspicious signs.’

This quote is a further explanation from Shakyamuni Buddha. There are many Bodhisattvas in the world of Immovable Buddha, and when they are to enter nirvana, ‘they have not lost thoughts.’ The term ‘thoughts’ here refers to ‘think of the Buddha, of the Dharma, of Sangha and of sentient beings.’ Those Bodhisattvas have not lost these four thoughts. ‘They will then see such various and auspicious signs.’ This means they will see many auspicious signs.

Sutra: ‘Or, there are Bodhisattvas who will see what lands they should be born in. If there are no Tathagatas in those lands, these Bodhisattvas will be Buddhas themselves there.’

Some Bodhisattvas will see which lands of Buddhas ‘they should be born in.’ When a Bodhisattva is born in a certain land of a Buddha, and if there is not a Tathagata there, this Bodhisattva will be a Buddha. It is just like a verse shown in my Long Life Prayer written and bestowed by His Holiness. The verse is this: ‘Freely he benefits sentient beings wherever good affinities abound including Fuzhou.’ I will go wherever affinities exist. It is exactly what this verse says that I will go towards whatever directions the lands of Buddhas are in and be in those lands where there are affinities.

Sutra: ‘Or, they will see there are Buddhas in those lands and will attend to those Buddhas immediately. Or, they will see a Bodhisattva “entering” a mother’s womb. Or, they will see Bodhisattvas being covered by great armor of mails and helmets, or renouncing to be the laity and going for being the ordained.’

‘Or, they will see there are Buddhas in those lands and will attend to those Buddhas immediately.’ If Bodhisattvas see Amitabha in the Land of Amitabha, they will make offerings, and attend, to Amitabha immediately. ‘Or, they will see a Bodhisattva “entering” a mother’s womb.’ Bodhisattvas have great supernatural powers, and can see a Bodhisattva returning to this world; they can also see which mother’s womb this Bodhisattva is to be reborn in. ‘Or, they will see Bodhisattvas being covered by great armor of mails and helmets.’ They will see these Bodhisattvas have been practicing with great diligence. ‘Or renouncing to be the laity and going for being the ordained.’ They will perceive that there being Bodhisattvas renouncing to be the laity. The term ‘going for being the ordained’ means they are to be monastics.

Sutra: ‘Or, they will see Bodhisattvas sitting at bodhimandas to subdue armies of demons.’

It is like me sitting here. You are not demons; do not worry. All of you are human beings or ‘fairy deities.’ However, there are armies of demons in your minds. In fact, what the meaning of this quote, spoken of by the Buddha, is that if we have continuously reincarnated in any day, there are opportunities for all of us to become demons’ descendants or the subjects of demons. Do not think this: ‘I have been learning Buddhism and have continuously come here listening to your teachings. Nevertheless, I do not want to take refuge in you even if I am put in a situation to be beaten to death (Translator’s note: This is an analogy). I want to keep on listening to these teachings until I have understood them or figured them out clearly.’ Do you think this is a place for studying to get a Ph.D.? So long as you do not take refuge or do not learn Buddhism, you are in the armies of demons because you will still need to reincarnate; you are still the subjects of demons. This is because that if one is in reincarnation, one is a subject of a demon. It is not a scolding here. Do not misunderstand that the Buddha was scolding people. Rather, He was telling you what the appropriateness and the differences are in learning Buddhism.

If you want to learn Buddhism, you need to make up your mind on breaking away from reincarnation. Do not implore for a lot of things that have been irrelevant to the matter of breaking away from reincarnation. Providing that you are willing to determine acting on this matter, all things in the mundane world can be solved. I have said many times before that if you are willing to practice the supramundane path, mundane issues will not hinder you. It is because the Buddha and Bodhisattvas will help you get all your hindrances stopped from happening, and then you can break away from reincarnation. You have implored for mundane path constantly, but not the supramundane. Are you not putting the first things last or last things first – reversing the order of ‘beginning’ and ‘end’? So, you are in the armies of demons. I am sitting here now to subdue such armies – you. I am not scolding you. I have been very polite to you. All of you are not demons; you are humans or ‘fairy deities.’ Nonetheless, in accordance with what have been mentioned in sutras, if you have not broken away from reincarnation, you are demons. Hence, you need to think clearly. Do not think that this is fun.

Sutra: ‘Or, they will see Bodhisattvas having attained all “wisdom and wisdom”.’

‘They will see Bodhisattvas having attained all “wisdom and wisdom”.’ These are two types of wisdom. They are mentioned earlier and are acquired wisdom and natural wisdom (primordial wisdom), and all types of wisdom are combined.

Sutra: ‘Or, they will see Bodhisattvas who, in some worlds, have attained accomplishments in right equality and right awareness, and have turned the Dharma wheel.’

‘They will see Bodhisattvas who, in some worlds,’ have attained enlightenment, ‘and have turned the Dharma wheel.’ ‘Turning the Dharma wheel’ means expounding and teaching the Dharma.

Sutra: ‘Or, there are Bodhisattvas living in the void. They will gradually cease to exist, without leaving any things. It is like burning the wet grass makes smoke rise, and the smoke will gradually scatter and disappear to extinction.’

Some Bodhisattvas will be seen in the void, and they will gradually enter nirvana, ‘without leaving any things.’ ’It is like burning the wet grass makes smoke rise.’ You have lived in suburbs before, and you know there is such a phenomenon at 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning when the weather is hot. It seems that there is smoke rising from wet grass, ‘and the smoke will gradually scatter and disappear to extinction.’ When the sun comes out, the smoke is not seen.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, as these Bodhisattvas have already entered nirvana, all heavenly beings are to prepare for practicing making offerings.’

When ‘these Bodhisattvas have already entered nirvana, all heavenly beings are to prepare for practicing making offerings.’

Sutra: ‘Furthermore, Sariputra, Immovable Tathagata has already entered great nirvana, the nirvana of prajna. The Right Dharma has been abided by in the world through hundreds of thousands of kalpas.’

This is quite a long time. We have been entering a mother’s womb in many lifetimes, and Immovable Tathagata is still there. ‘Immovable Tathagata has already entered great nirvana, the nirvana of prajna.’ Although he is in that status, his Right Dharma has still been in his world through hundreds of thousands of kalpas.

Sutra: ‘At that time, Sariputra said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, on the Right Dharma of Immovable Tathagata that has been abided by through kalpas, how many kalpas are there?” The Buddha spoke to Sariputra, “Twenty of minor kalpas are considered one kalpa. The Right Dharma has been abided by through such hundreds of thousands of kalpas.”’

Sariputra then asked the Buddha for an advice about how long the Right Dharma of Immovable Tathagata ‘has been abided by through kalpas.’ You can understand what one minor kalpa means from what you have listened to before. Its meaning is how long it takes for Earth to cycle through the Four Stages of Formation, Existence, Destruction, and Void and back again, in reverse order, Void, Destruction, Existence, and Formation. This cycle is called one minor kalpa, which is a very long time. Adding up 20 minor kalpas is called one kalpa. The number of kalpas mentioned in the quote is ‘hundreds of thousands of kalpas’ (100,000 kalpas.) (Translator’s note: The number 100,000 here means literally for ‘hundreds of thousands’ in the quote, and that term is in fact an adjective, referring to a great quantity of something.)

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, the Right Dharma has already ceased to exist. There is a great, bright light illuminating the worlds in the ten directions, and all of earth shake bringing forth great sounds. However, those phenomena cannot be destructed by heaven-demons, and cannot be quieted down or concealed by the Tathagata and Sravakas either.’

Even if ‘the Right Dharma has already ceased to exist,’ ‘there is a great, bright light illuminating the worlds in the ten directions.’ ’All of earth shake bringing forth great sounds. However, those phenomena cannot be destructed by heaven-demons.’ Although there are such phenomena showing, heaven-demons cannot destroy these occurrences, which ‘cannot be quieted down or concealed by the Tathagata and Sravakas either.’ For such phenomena appearing, even the Tathagata and Sravakas cannot get them quieted down or concealed.

In this section of the sutra, it is mentioned that after all the Right Dharma of Immovable Tathagata has ceased to exist, and after a great, bright light has appeared, and earth has shaken, even heaven-demons cannot destruct such occurrences. The Tathagata and Sravakas cannot destroy them either.

Sutra: ‘Nevertheless, because at that time, people seldom listen to the Dharma spoken of, and are mostly without desires and joys for listening to it, all of those who can expound the Dharma have gotten far away from there.’

However, starting from that time, ‘people seldom listen to the Dharma spoken of,’ and they do not have any desires or a mind with joy and happiness to listen to the Dharma expounded. It is like the earth now. Nowadays, many people do not want to listen to the Dharma spoken of.

‘All of those who can expound the Dharma have gotten far away from there.’ All of those who can expound the Dharma have left that place. I have always expounded the Dharma to you and if there is no one listening to it, I will leave you. This has been mentioned in sutras. Do not think that you can ‘drag’ me around to get me not being able to walk away from you. I can leave you, absolutely.

Sutra: ‘Since the Right Dharma has seldom been listened to, the number of people listening to it has turned to the increase of the number of nonbelievers. As the number of nonbelievers has increased, there will be no diligence or assiduities in practices.’

The number of people who have listened to the Right Dharma gradually decreases, and they have slowly turned to nonbelievers. ‘As the number of nonbelievers has increased, there will be no diligence or assiduities in practices.’ After the number of people who do not believe in the Right Dharma increases, there will be no diligence or assiduities in practices. Why have I continuously told you that you need to believe? It is because that if you do not, then naturally, you will not be diligent or assiduous in your practices. What do you not believe in? You do not believe in these: you will die, you will fall into the Three Evil Realms, and you will reincarnate. You only believe that by reciting a Buddha’s name, Amitabha will come to receive you; you only believe that by attending pujas, all your issues will need to be solved by me. These are the thoughts of so-called nonbelievers. Why has spreading the Dharma become more and more difficult in the Age of Dharma Decline? These are exactly the examples for explanations. What had been said by Shakyamuni Buddha showed that the situations in the land of Immovable Tathagata are much like those on the earth. Things are very similar in both places.

In Taiwan, there is a population of a little more than 20 million; there are not many people who can attend pujas though. Among those having participated in pujas, there are not many who can believe in the Dharma either. Thus, these practitioners who have been expounding the Dharma will be ‘forced’ to leave the places eventually. Do not misunderstand that such a leaving is because of there being no listeners. Even if there is only one listener remaining, they will still expound the Dharma. However, if attendees of pujas do not believe in the Dharma, there will be of no use to speak of it. If expounding the Dharma continues, they will be harmed instead because they will have opportunities to slander the Buddha. Hence, these practitioners will simply leave. In my Long Life Prayer written and bestowed by His Holiness, it is mentioned that I will go wherever I like. If there are no affinities in a place, I will not stay there – I will leave the place. How do affinities come? If you do not believe in the Dharma, there are no affinities naturally. Do not say, ‘In my mind, I believe in you quietly.’ In sutras, it has been mentioned very clearly that if one believes in the Dharma, one needs to do actions to show such a belief. What are the kinds of acts then? They are the acts of diligence or assiduities. Have you done such acts? No, you have not. One is lazier than the other.

Sutra: ‘The bhikkhus who have known the Dharma should retreat themselves quietly. They have observed that people are without joys and desires for listening. These bhikkhus will no longer spread and expound the Dharma. That Buddha’s short and important speeches will be concealed and will disappear gradually.’

The bhikkhus who have known the Dharma will retreat quietly and not expound it either. ‘They have observed that people are without joys and desires for listening. These bhikkhus will no longer spread and expound the Dharma.’ This means they have seen that there are no delights there. Such delights do not refer to human delights; rather, they are about the delights of promoting the Dharma. That part of the quote means these bhikkhus ‘will no longer spread and expound the Dharma.’ ‘That Buddha’s short and important speeches will be concealed and will disappear gradually.’ Eventually, what that Buddha had spoken of will disappear gradually. It is not that this Buddha has not wanted expounding the Dharma; it does not mean practitioners have not wanted transmitting Dharmas either. Rather, it is that because people do not believe in the Dharma, its methods will not be transmitted to them. Many people have come to implore me for transmitting Dharmas to them. Why have I not done the transmissions? It is not about whether you being right or being wrong; it is about the fact that you do not believe in the Dharma. You will say, ‘I do believe it! If I do not, what have I come to implore you for Dharmas for?’ You just do not believe; that is all. It is just like what I have said that you are greedy, and you think if you have learned more of some Dharma methods, you will be different from other people. You will become Number One Dharma-brother. There is no such a title here as Number One Dharma-brother or Number Two Dharma-brother. This is not a teaching place for martial arts. (Translator’s note: In Chinese society, on the sport of martial arts, people in the same group call one another ‘Brother’ for respect. This term and the added word ‘Dharma’ are used here to refer to a disciple in this Center.)

If you do not believe in the Dharma, you guru will know your attitude certainly. What do you not believe in? You will surely say, ‘I do believe and I have made repentances!’ However, you do not believe in the facts that there are sufferings in reincarnation, and you will reincarnate. There is none of you present who can accept the fact that one is to reincarnate. You think that ‘The Buddha and Bodhisattvas will receive and lead me certainly; Rinpoche will help me by performing a Dharma ritual absolutely.’ If you do not believe in the Dharma, any of my performances of Dharma methods will not be useful to you. All of you need to be watchful for your thinking and behaviors. Whether the Dharma can be thriving or not is not dependent on the Buddha or gurus – not on how amazing they are. Rather, the flourish of the Dharma depends on whether sentient beings can accept it, listen to it expounded, learn it, or practice its methods.

It is often mentioned in sutras that ‘Faith is the mother of all merits.’ If you do not have faith in the Dharma, where will your merits come from? Do not think that ‘I believe in the Dharma; I believe in it very much. I am afraid of cause and effect very much; I believe in them.’ If you have such a mindset on cause and effect, you will have been continuously doing your practices every day, just like me. If you believe in cause and effect, you will know that life is short with suffering. A few decades – a short time – will pass in the blink of an eye. If you believe that things having occurred to you, whether they are good or not good, have all been the making of the causes and effects of your past lifetimes, accept these happenings, and then you will be all right. All of you do not believe in that. You wish that the Buddha and Bodhisattvas are to help you change your destinies. They can teach you how to make changes to your own destinies, but who are the persons to do it? You are – you do it on your own.

As I have always said that after His Holiness has accepted me as his disciple and transmitted Dharma methods to me, and if I have not been doing my practices, could I have changed my own destiny? It would have been impossible! If I had not conducted retreats by following His Holiness’s instructions that I should have done them, would I have been able to change my own destiny? No, it would not have been possible! If I had not taken refuge in His Holiness upon his asking me to, could I have changed my own destiny? It would have been impossible. Many people have a lot of their own reasons about not taking refuge in a guru. They say, ‘I have older adults, like my parents, and younger people, like my children, to support, and I have a career to deal with. So, I am not in a hurry to take refuge. I will wait until all my things have been solved, and then I will take refuge.’ If you wait until your matters are settled, you will already be in a coffin. None of you has listened and gotten that through your head. You think, ‘I will wait until the last second of my life. So long as Rinpoche is not dead at that time, he will help me certainly.’ I will help you surely. However, there will be an issue that you will at least be in a state with much suffering.

No one believes that he or she will suffer. The suffering of death cannot possibly be described by pen and ink. After a person stops breathing, there are nothings that the person’s consciousness can rely on. That kind of hesitation and fear in the mind cannot be explained by words. In each of the Chod Puja, once I blow through the Dharma instrument fashioned from a human leg bone, all of you will feel that there is a chill coming in. Is there a chill? (The attendees answered: ‘Yes.’) Why is there a chill? This is because provided that after sentient beings have lost their bodies, and if they do not ‘go’ to the three upper realms of the Six Realms, but to the three lower ones instead, they will be icy cold. As a chill comes in, it indicates that the sentient beings, who have entered this place when I blow the instrument, are all from Hungry Ghost, Hell, and Animal Realms. Why do they come running? Because they know I can help them. You who are present will also receive a share of some merits of my helping these sentient beings.

I often say that when I perform Dharmas, I do not make differentiations in people participating in my pujas. Because there are no major benefactors here, I perform the Dharma rituals with a mind of indiscrimination. Why has every attendee received and accepted such performances differently? It depends on your own root capacity and faith. If you do not have enough of faith, then there is nothing that can help you. It is like that to this day, there are still many people here who have not felt there being a chill coming in. They have only felt that the air conditioning in the Center has made the air very cold today. Why is it cold today and not on normal days? The air-conditioning system has not changed and there is no maintenance work done to it recently either. Why then, has the air been especially cold during the performance of the Chod? Has your brain ever made you think of such a matter? It has not, absolutely. Why not? Because you do not believe in the Chod. The ritual performed is irrelevant to you. Thus, you cannot master your practices. Obviously, the cold is gone after the performance is completed; the degree of the temperature returns to what it was before. Some people still have not felt the change in the air though.

For example, when I chant mantras, some people can smell a fragrant scent, and there are still many people who cannot. If you are one of them, the only explanation is that you have a stuffy nose. Why have you not smelled the scent? Because your mind is not pure or you do not believe. As such, of course you cannot smell it. Will there be anything happening to you if you smell it? No, nothing. If you have smelled such a fragrant scent, it means this experience helps get your mind purer a little more. There are mentions in sutras that the Buddha and Bodhisattvas have been blessing you through various things which humans can understand, letting you have the feel and obtain the help. It has been mentioned in sutras that when a practitioner has entered a meditative state and is chanting mantras, he or she will have various and fragrant scents appearing. Such scents are not emanated by me; rather, they are there because the Buddha and Bodhisattvas have come to bless me. Why have my chanting of mantras been useful and yours have not been? It is because you have bad breath and body odor, and your mind stinks. How can there be fragrant scents coming out of you then?

Today, I have expounded the sutra for you. Do not think that what you have listened to are stories. Every sentence in the sutra is truth spoken of by Shakyamuni Buddha. It is just like the praise mentioned in sutras that the Buddha was one who spoke of true and real words. There was not any one word that He needed to lie to, swindle or deceive us in order to get us to the world described in sutras and to believe in the Dharma. He only told us about facts and truth. Nevertheless, if you do not listen to or accept them, it is your business, and is not relevant to Him as well.

Today, I have finished expounding on Part 5: Merits of Nirvana. Next time, I will expound on Part 6: Causes and Conditions of Rebirth. In that part, there will be mentions about what places the different kinds of Bodhisattvas will be born in. There are explanations on that subject. After the expounding of this part has been concluded, the expounding of the chapter on ‘Immovable Tathagata Assembly’ will then be in completion.”

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Updated on August 9, 2023