His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Puja Teachings – October 9, 2022
His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche ascended the Dharma throne, and expounded on “Scroll 55, ‘The Buddha Speaks of Dwelling in Womb Assembly for Ananda’ (Chapter 13)” of the Ratnakuta Sutra.
“Today, I will expound the Ratnakuta Sutra. Originally, I was planning to expound Treasure of Bodhisattvas Assembly, which is the third chapter of Sutra of the Treasure of Great Bodhisattvas, meaning ‘Chapter 3: Testing of Bodhisattvas’. However, after reading its contents, I felt it would have been of no use to you if I explained it to you. It is because, firstly, that chapter is about the testing that Shakyamuni Buddha did to evaluate if a Bodhisattva was indeed a Bodhisattva. As none of you is one, and if I expound the chapter, it will be superfluous. Secondly, there are some contents which are very difficult for you to understand according to your level of practices. Hence, I implored Shakyamuni Buddha again for letting me expound a sutra that will be useful to you. Thus, I turned the pages and found “‘The Buddha Speaks of Dwelling in Womb Assembly for Ananda’ (Chapter 13)”.
This sutra has almost, rarely spoken of in Taiwan. I have almost not heard of it either that there are people who have expounded it before. As nowadays most of the people who speak of sutras are monastics, and because they need to break away from desires between a man and a woman, they feel that expounding sutras about womb seems irrelevant to them. That is why they do not speak of such a topic. The second reason is many people think that the sutras on womb only talk about how to get into a womb or how to be born, and this is not relevant to one’s practices. So, the subject is not spoken of either. In Taiwan, there are also many of the laity who expound sutras, and basically, these sutras are either about the Amitabha Sutra or sutras in a large volume, like the Diamond Sutra; this indicates that such laity are knowledgeable.
I have read this sutra and I think it is very important. If our getting into a womb is not important, Shakyamuni Buddha would not have made a point of expounding this sutra; also, it had been spoken of for Venerable Ananda to listen to. What had Venerable Ananda been practicing on? It was Arhat Path, meaning the practices of the ordained. It was impossible for Shakyamuni Buddha to speak suddenly of some things that were irrelevant to practices. I read it a little. The key point of this sutra is to tell us about any sentient beings’ causes of getting into a womb, the processes of developing in it and the birth. In the interval between being in the womb and the birth, there are many causes and conditions through lifetime after lifetime occurring. There is also much suffering for the birth to happen. With my slight experiences in practicing, I think Shakyamuni Buddha was telling us not to be born again. It is not saying that you are not to give births. With the birth of a child, the one who suffers is the child. This means we are to enhance our determination of having the mind of the renunciation of reincarnation. Do not think that these monastics present certainly have a very strong mind of such a renunciation. No, all of them do not have it.
Every one of us in this lifetime has experienced the processes from being in our mother’s womb to our birth. Nevertheless, our impression or memory about this process has completely lost. Although science is very advanced now, and through medical instruments the movements of the fetus can be seen, we still do not have feelings about the processes of such movements. Therefore, Shakyamuni Buddha made a point of expounding a sutra of getting into a womb for Venerable Ananda. The meaning of this is telling those who had been practicing being arhats and all the Buddhist practitioners about the following. If you come back to this world again and being a Bodhisattva in this life in that you have already achieved attainment in the fruition level of a Bodhisattva, or if you have already been certain in this life that you will be reborn in the Western World of Utmost Bliss, and being ‘born in-line-for a certain, future position’, meaning once you are there (the Pure Land) you are in-line-for having the fruition level of a Bodhisattva, absolutely, then in either way, when you come back to this world by your vows, although you have gotten into a womb and have been born from there, there will be no pains for you. It is because you have already attained realization in Emptiness. However, usually, if people have not mastered their practices to this level, there will be much suffering for them during these 10 months before birth, and this fact is based on the explanations by Shakyamuni Buddha. We have forgotten about this though.
In this sutra, a point has been made of reminding, and telling, us about the processes we will experience and the suffering our parents will endure after we get into a womb. After we have realized this, we will make our own decision whether we want to determine to put in efforts in our practices or not. Also, do not say that you will not give births then. The Buddha did not tell you not to give births. In sutras, there are mentions that if you are a layman and have these kinds of causes and conditions in this life, you cannot refuse to have children. Nevertheless, for monastics, such a matter is not possible to happen, absolutely.
Now, this sutra has almost not been expounded in many temples. There might be just some such teachings on one or two sections of the sutra. For expounding the whole sutra, with my slight experiences in practicing, I have not heard of it.” Rinpoche then asked a monastic who has been ordained a little over 30 years, “Have you heard if there is anyone who has expounded this sutra very thoroughly?” (The monastic answered that he had not heard of it. Other monastics also indicated that they had not either.) “Although I am not in your temple where you live, I know the situations too.
Sutra: ‘Thus have I heard. Once the Buddha was at Jetavana in Sravasti. Venerable Ananda rose from his meditation between three and five o’clock of an afternoon. He and 500 bhikkhus, as an assembly, went to the residence of the Buddha. They respectfully joined the palms of their hands together and paid obeisance to the Buddha’s feet, but they stood on one side. At that time, the World Honored One spoke to Ananda and the bhikkhus, “I have an essence of the Dharma and it is in the good wherever the contents are at – at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end. The meanings of the essence are subtle, wonderful, pure, simple, and without confusion, possessing sufficiently the form of a clean, pure living. It is called the Sutra on the Dharma Method of Entering the Womb Treasury of Mothers. You should listen closely and contemplate well about what I am going to say. Now I shall explain them separately to you.”’
This quote is very strange. It is not about to implore the Dharma; it was that Shakyamuni Buddha took the initiative in speaking of this section. Also, it mentioned a sutra on a Dharma method that ‘you should listen closely and contemplate well’ about it. It is like what I expounded earlier that this Dharma method is very important to our determination of having the mind of the renunciation of reincarnation. ‘Now I shall explain them separately to you.’ This means ‘Today, I, Shakyamuni Buddha, will explain the contents separately to you.’ He was to expound the detail for Venerable Ananda and the 500 bhikkhus to listen to. It was quite strange that when Shakyamuni Buddha spoke of sutras or expounded the Dharma, He did not do it for us, the ordinary people, to understand. Why do I have some ideas about this sutra? Because I read it a little before. There are many items in it that are very important to our practices.
Sutra: ‘Ananda said to the Buddha, “Yes indeed, World Honored One; I am listening with great anticipation.” At that time, the World Honored One spoke to Ananda, “If, and when, there are sentient beings wanting to enter a womb, and if they possess sufficiently the causes and conditions, they will obtain a form of a body in the womb. If there are not enough of the causes and conditions for them, they will not get a form of a body in the womb.”’
The Buddha spoke to Venerable Ananda, ‘If, and when, there are sentient beings wanting to enter a womb….’ The ‘sentient beings’ here does not refer to humans; rather, the term means sentient beings in the Six Realms. The methods of births for such sentient beings are different; this subject will be mentioned in the later part of the sutra. However, the causes and conditions must be needed for getting the status ‘to enter a womb’ and to ‘obtain a form of a body.’ Without these causes and conditions, it is not possible for a sentient being ‘to enter a womb’ even if a conception occurs, it will be like a blank cartridge, and there will be no life from such a conception.
Sutra: ‘What does it mean that conditions are insufficient? It is that when parents arouse their love and desires, a sentient being in the intermediate state (“bardo” – after death and before one’s next birth) presents itself, seeking a place to be born in. However, the convergence of these parents’ red bindu – being the mother’s – and white bindu – being the father’s – is either before or after the presence of the “bardo,” and the merge of the bindus is not at the right time.’
Shakyamuni Buddha was too amazing. There was no medical science a little over 2,000 years ago; how could He have explained these circumstances so clearly? ‘What does it mean that conditions are insufficient’? It is regarding the time when there is an intercourse between the parents, a ‘bardo’ (being not necessarily a ghost wanting to enter a womb) arrives. The phrase ‘presents itself’ means a ‘bardo’ appears when parents are having an intercourse, and the words ‘seeking….to be born’ refer to the situation that a ‘bardo’ wants to be born. The phrase ‘However, the convergence of these parents’ red bindu (being the mother’s) and white bindu (being the father’s)….’ is about the mother’s blood and the father’s sperms. From the perspective of modern medical science, only when a father’s sperm enters a mother’s egg cell, can the convergence of them get a ‘bardo’ into the womb.
The words ‘….is either before or after the presence of the “bardo,” and the merge of the bindus is not at the right time’ mean the convergence of these parents’ bindus has, perhaps, already happened, and then the ‘bardo’ arrives. Or, maybe, the merge has not yet occurred but the ‘bardo’ appears already; then it will not be born. This means the timing needs to be at that second exactly – right at that moment – that the ‘bardo’ presents itself and ‘sees’ the parents are having an intercourse; the ‘bardo’ is stirred and wants to get into the womb. If it happens that at that moment the father’s sperm ‘meets’ the mother’s egg cell, the ‘bardo’ does get into the womb. Let us not mention humans. We will talk about, say, for example, lions. They mate every 15 minutes approximately. They seem to do it for seven days continuously, and it is just for waiting for this cause and condition to have a ‘bardo’ getting into the womb. However, humans cannot do this once every 15 minutes. Why do lions and other animals have short lifespans? Because they mate very frequently, hoping that they will encounter a chance to get a ‘bardo’ into the womb. We humans are not like this. Hence, it is not very easy for a woman having opportunities to be able to get pregnant. Only when all causes and conditions have been possessed by a woman can she get pregnant. This means if this happens to you, there are prior causes and consequent effects existing for you, absolutely.
Sutra: ‘Also, there are various misfortunes in each of the body. If such conditions occur, a “bardo” will not enter a womb.’
Perhaps, there are some (ailments of) misfortunes in the parents’ bodies, like the underdevelopment of a womb or the insufficiencies of sperms, with lots of issues existing. ‘If such conditions occur, a “bardo” will not enter a womb.’” Then Rinpoche said this with a chuckle: “Well, I am now teaching medical science.”
(Rinpoche continued the teaching.)
“Sutra: ‘Or, that womb treasury of a mother suffers from diseases of “wind and yellow” with a blockage of blood and “qi” (flow of energy).’
The following sutra quotes explain what a mother’s womb is. The wombs of some mothers ‘suffer from diseases of “wind and yellow.”’ This means they do not have enough of blood and ‘qi’ because there is a blockage in them. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, it is that blood and ‘qi’ are blocked and there is no ovulation. Even if it occurs, an egg cell is crammed in the oviduct. So, some women have problems on their oviducts. For example, ‘chocolate cyst’ (endometrioma) is this kind of blockage that an oviduct is blocked, and an egg cell cannot come out. In some women’s oviducts, there are blood blisters. This is also the same type of issue. Before, there were no dissections, and Shakyamuni Buddha was a monastic. There were also no endoscopes or pelvic examinations by hands. He did not feel the pulses either. How did he speak of all these? I, likewise, do not know.
Sutra: ‘Or, the womb is blocked or its muscle increases and forms a bond.’
On uterine tumors, nowadays nine out of ten women have it. How has this been happening? It is very complicated. There are no mentions on it in sutras; I am embarrassed to talk about it too. It is because humans are too free now that this is a result of that freedom.
Sutra: ‘Or, the womb has a disease of ‘salt,’ or an illness of ‘wheat-abdomen,’ or a disease of ‘ant-waist,’ or is like a camel’s mouth.’
On the phrase ‘Or, the womb has a disease of ‘salt,’ or an illness of ‘wheat-abdomen,’ I do not know how to explain this phrase. The doctor of Chinese medicine here needs to check it out. From my understanding, it means menstruations and their timing are irregular. The discharges of blood are much, or little, or not happening. What needs to be discharged of should have occurred once a month, but it may not happen a little over a month; or, perhaps it happens once a year. Nowadays there are many health issues for women. Hence, how women suffer!
There is a phrase ‘….or a disease of ‘ant-waist,’ or is like a camel’s mouth.’ Thus, do not wish to get pretty. It is not easy for women with very thin waits to get pregnant. What I just said may offend those people who make vests or corsets for a living but this had been spoken of by the Buddha. The term ‘….or a disease of ‘ant-waist’ has these two situations: a woman makes her wait this way deliberately; a woman was born this way. These types of women have difficulties for getting pregnant.
There are words in the quote as ‘is like a camel’s mouth.’ There are two explanations on this. A uterine orifice (opening) or a vaginal orifice is like a camel’s mouth. Women with this kind of condition are unable to get pregnant. A camel’s month is very thick and turns outward. If a woman is in a condition like this, it is not easy for her to be pregnant either.
Sutra: ‘Or, the womb is like a shaft of a cart with curved wood or like an axle on a wheel.’
This quote mentions about the cervix of the womb. It ‘is like a shaft of a cart.’ In ancient times, shafts on carts were made of wood and were not straight but curved a little. This means if a woman’s womb curves a bit or if it is not straight, turning backward, it is very difficult for her to get pregnant. There is a phrase ‘or like an axle on a wheel.’ Such an axle is not wheel itself. Carts need axles, which cannot be pieces of wood in round shapes. In axles, there are some holes, and only then can they connect with and hold the wheel. This is to explain that the cervix of a woman’s womb is not flat, and it is the same on the inside of the womb.” Rinpoche then said, “Well, I am giving a class today on women’s health!”
“Sutra: ‘Or, the womb is like the opening of a hub of a wheel, or like a leaf, or is curved, winding, and rotating in a shape like a rattan shoot.’
‘Or, the womb is like the opening of a hub of a wheel.’ It refers to the opening of the front of vehicles, where they could stop and let us off, and the opening needs to be very big so that passengers can get off the vehicles. The meaning of this is that the womb is too large. The phrase ‘or like a leaf’ means a leaf has many pattern-lines or ‘leaf channels,’ referring to the situation of there being too many bodily channels that the blood cannot be centralized.” Rinpoche then asked the doctor-disciple of Chinese medicine, “Is this so?” (The doctor replied, “Yes, it is. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, basically, bodily channels are in straight lines. If they are disordered and scattered, it indicates that blood and ‘qi’ cannot be centralized. In this way, the centralization of a reproduction in a womb is not possible.” (Then Rinpoche continued the teaching.) “The words ‘or is curved, winding’ mean the blood channels in the womb are not straight, being curved or winding. It is very difficult for women in such a condition getting pregnant too. There is a phrase ‘rotating in a shape like a rattan shoot.’ Rattans rotate like this. (Translator’s note: Rinpoche was showing a gesture with his hands.) This will include a woman’s blood channels and cervix of the womb. Some doctors have seen this type of condition.
Sutra: ‘Or, the inside of womb treasury is like awns of wheat.’
The quote explains the ‘inner wall’ of a woman’s womb having things like awns of wheat. Are there not burrs grown on ripe wheat? This means if a woman has things like such burrs in her womb, it is not easy for her to get an embryo implanted.” Rinpoche then asked the doctor-disciple of Chinese medicine if this was the explanation. (The doctor answered, “Yes, it was. For example, if a woman is unable to have her bodily channels and ‘qi’ gathered as they are too strong, she cannot get an embryo implanted.”)
Sutra: ‘Or, there are many sperms and much of blood that they leak out of the womb and cannot stop temporarily.’
This means after the sperms enter the womb, they cannot remain there with the woman’s blood in that there is not enough contractibility of the womb. Although a sperm gets inside the womb and ‘meets’ the mother’s egg cell, and because her womb does not have ability for contractions – the ‘muscle’ being too loose – such a merge of the sperm and the egg cell will also be leaked out and not remain in the womb. This type of woman will not get a conception either.
Sutra: ‘Or, in a state of stagnation of eliminating waste of a body, water appears.’
Many women have leukorrhea. (Translator’s note: It is a whitish discharge from a woman’s body.) Whether they are healthy or not, all of them have leukorrhea. Some women have conditions of stagnation, and because they do not have enough of blood and ‘qi,’ their eliminations of waste from the body are stagnant (they stopped). In such a situation, there is water or leukorrhea appearing, but not sperms and blood. What do you say, the Doctor of Chinese medicine? Is this right? (The Doctor responded, ‘Yes, this represents that when a woman’s blood cannot be gathered, it will change to water, and if there is too much water, there is less blood.’)
Sutra: ‘Or, the path of womb treasury is unsmooth.’
It describes that when sperm cells ‘swim’ toward a womb, the path is like being stopped. It means this path has no ‘attraction’ or no contractibility to let these sperm cells get into the womb.
Sutra: ‘Or, bodily parts have pointed top or pointed bottom, or are curved or shallow, or again, to be passed through and have leakages. Such parts are high, or low, or again, short, and small, and with various, miscellaneous diseases. If sentient beings have these issues, they cannot obtain the status to enter a womb.’
The quote mentions the problems of male and female organs; I will not talk more about the subjects. ‘If sentient beings have these issues, they cannot obtain the status to enter a womb.’ All the people with such bodily issues are unable to get pregnant. This means it is not all right if a man’s organ is too short; it is not fine either if a woman’s organ is grown too tall or too low. On all these topics, Shakyamuni Buddha explained them very clearly. If you have this type of problem, no matter how you have implored the Buddha and Bodhisattvas for having children, you will not have your wishes fulfilled because, innately, you cannot get pregnant. There is a phrase ‘and with various, miscellaneous diseases.’ The term ‘miscellaneous diseases’ means there are many health issues. Some men have them and some women do too.
Sutra: ‘If the parents are honorable and dignified with great good fortune and merits, and a “bardo” is humble and lowly, or if a “bardo” is honorable and dignified with great good fortune and merits, and the parents are humble and lowly, or if both the parents and a “bardo” do not possess the karma of mutual feelings towards each other, and if these situations exist, a “bardo” will also not get into the womb.’
If the parents are very ‘honorable and dignified’ – which does not mean they are necessarily rich; rather, their social positions are not those of ordinary people – and if this ‘bardo’ is in a lowly status, it is impossible for the ‘bardo’ to enter the womb. In an opposite manner, ‘if a “bardo” is honorable and dignified with great good fortune and merits, and the parents are humble and lowly,’ it is not possible for the ‘bardo’ getting into the womb either. For example, the great and reincarnated Rinpoches of past lifetimes had not been born in poor families, absolutely. They would have certainly been born in families of honor and dignity. This has been mentioned in sutras, and is not because of partiality for great Rinooches.
What does this mean? For instance, there is a Rinpoche who has been practicing very well in this life. Therefore, he has ‘great good fortune and merits.’ When he wants to utilize them – say, if he wants to come back to this world – he must find a family with good fortune and merits that it can nurture him. For example, if this family is one practicing the Dharma, and is ‘honorable and dignified,’ the ‘bardo’ of this Rinpoche will enter the womb of the mother of the family. If this family makes a living by being hard laborers, and when the family does not even have money for food, how can the family have time to nurture a child to learn Buddhism? It is impossible. So, the ‘bardo’ will not enter the womb to be part of the family. All these explanations mean if you want to give birth to a good child, ask yourselves how you have done your practices. Have you done them? With the addition of your being unfilial, your disobedience by not listening to your guru, and your disbelief in the Three Jewels, how can you have a good child? This section of the sutra has unraveled all your doubts. Many people will say, ‘My child is very smart.’ He or she is smart now. You will know, in the future, how the child will take revenge on you.
What the Buddha spoke of were not about superstitions, absolutely; what He told us were reality. When there are ‘great good fortune and merits’ in a ‘bardo,’ it will surely not find a family with a very humble and lowly background to be born in. Even if the ‘bardo’ has the causes and conditions existing with the parents, it cannot get into the womb either. Conversely, If the parents have much good fortune and many merits, and a ‘bardo’ is ‘humble and lowly,’ it is also impossible for the ‘bardo’ getting into the mother’s womb. These are exactly about causes and conditions. Without such causes and conditions, how can there be a possibility for a ‘bardo’ to enter the womb?
As far as myself am concerned, if my grandfather had not been in Tibet, and if my father had not done some good deeds, I would not have ‘entered’ and be part of our Yan family in this life, absolutely. This was because I needed a background on time and space to develop my own practices. Although my father passed away when I was 17, he had nurtured me, as I grew up, in the methods of being loyal, loving, or filial. These are basic conditions of being humans, and when people possess such conditions, they can learn Buddhism easily. Now, you are disloyal, unfilial, or unjust, and all of you are using one another. Hence, the children you have given birth to cannot be good ones; they are the same type of persons as you are. Do you understand? It is like me. I am a layman and have children. The filial piety of my first child is different from that of the few children born after the first one. This is because I had not been doing my practices before. Does the term ‘filial piety’ mean they must support me financially? No, it does not. I am already 75 years old; I know very well how my children have done their filial piety.
This section of the sutra has helped you to unravel your doubts. Some people will say, ‘No. There are no such things! In that poor family, unexpectedly, there is a child, who has studied diligently, and has graduated from a university, and then….’ Graduating from a university does not represent that this graduate has been practicing the Dharma. Will university graduates certainly do good deeds? It is like this situation that now there is a government official who is a university professor, but he deliberately misrepresents – calling a deer a horse – and lies publicly. If a person has good fortune and merits, will he or she do such a thing? The person will rather lose one’s official position than speak this way. This shows that there are no good fortune and merits for this person. The term ‘good fortune and merits’ refers to those gained from one’s practices. Thus, if you have children in your family who are unfilial, the circumstances are of your own making, and these are relevant to you – relevant to your causes and conditions. Do not complain about your children. Just do your practices diligently then!
Sutra: ‘In this way, when a “bardo” wants to get into a womb, it gives rise to two types of distorted minds first. What are these two types? They happen at the so-called the time of convergence of parents’ bindus. If the “bardo” is a male, and if its love towards the mother and its hatred towards the father have been arisen, then when the father is producing a descendant – having a conception occurred – the “bardo” is called “being the father’s own.”’
What does this quote mean? It means ‘when a “bardo” wants to get into a womb,’ if it becomes a male, it is because its love towards the mother has been arisen. It gives rise, in its mind, to an attachment of love towards the mother and hatred towards the father. So, a son and his father usually find each other disagreeable. Now, you understand. This was spoken of by the Buddha. ‘When the father is producing a descendant – having a conception occurred – the “bardo” is called “being the father’s own.”’ In modern terms, this sentence refers to the situation that when the father is having a conception occurred, the ‘bardo’ already exists.
Sutra: ‘If the “bardo” is a female, and if its love towards the father and its hatred towards the mother have been arisen, then when the mother is producing a descendant – having a conception occurred – the “bardo” is also called “being the mother’s own.” If the ‘bardo’ does not give rise to such love and hatred in its mind, it will not get into the womb.’
When it becomes a female, it is because ‘its love towards the father and its hatred towards the mother have been arisen.’ ‘When the mother is producing a descendant – having a conception occurred – the “bardo” is also called “being the mother’s own.”’ This means when the mother is at the most exciting moment physically, the ‘bardo’ also exists. Therefore, a daughter is usually more attached to her father. We often say that a daughter is her father’s lover in a prior lifetime. This idea is derived from the explanations just mentioned. Sons often make their fathers angry; this is according to sutras. Look at them thoroughly to see if there are such situations. You will say, ‘No, there are no such things! My son has said, as he grows up, that I am very handsome.’ His saying that you are handsome means there is nothing amazing about you as you only deserve the words ‘being handsome’ to describe you. If he is to say that ‘My father really takes care of me very much,’ then this child of yours has filial piety towards you. Hence, there are some gaps between what people think and what the Buddha spoke of.
‘If the “bardo” does not give rise to such love and hatred in its mind, it will not get into the womb.’ The hatred and love mentioned here are not saying that the ‘bardo’ hates or loves this father or this mother. Rather, it refers to the time when the parents are having an intercourse, the ‘bardo’ arrives. While it ‘sees’ the act, it has an idea arisen suddenly, feeling ‘this expression of my father is very handsome,’ and then it becomes a female in the womb. If its idea is ‘my mother looks very pretty,’ it becomes a male in the womb. The word ‘hatred’ here means ‘I do not like it.’ If the ‘bardo’ thinks ‘Now, I do not like my father’s appearance; I like my mother’s,’ then a male child will be given birth to. Thus, if a father wants to have a boy born, this father needs to train himself first how to make his future son dislike him.
Sutra: ‘Furthermore, Ananda, how to enter a womb of a mother? It is when parents arouse their love and desires and the woman’s menstrual period is harmonious and smooth, a “bardo” presents itself. If there are not many misfortunes or diseases mentioned above for the parents, and if they possess enough of karma and affinities, the ‘bardo’ will then enter the womb.’
What did the Buddha say about how a ‘bardo’ can enter a womb? ‘It is when parents arouse their love and desires.’ This means the parents are making a point of showing love to each other at that time, hoping to have an intercourse very much, and they ‘arouse their love and desires.’ The words ‘menstrual period is harmonious and smooth,’ describe that a woman’s menstruation occurs smoothly, so does the blood flow, which is not with a sudden excessiveness, an unexpected deficiency, or a shortage with only occasional drops of blood. Also, the menstruation will not stop happening suddenly. As it happens smoothly, ‘a “bardo” presents itself.’ When the ‘bardo’ appears, ‘if there are not many misfortunes or diseases mentioned above for the parents’ – the phrase refers to the situation that the parents do not have those diseases or weird and eccentric illnesses mentioned before – ‘and if they possess enough of karma and affinities, the ‘bardo’ will then enter the womb.’
From what the Buddha had spoken of, if a woman wants to get a conception, besides there being not enough of a man’s sperms, it is also important whether the woman’s physical conditions are all right or not. So, now, there are artificial inseminations. There is a Cantonese saying, ‘Pay money to buy miseries and accept them’ (meaning this: giving money to buy suffering and miseries to take them.) Those women who have done such inseminations know that they are very toilsome procedures, and it could be after trying them a few dozen times – say, 20 or 30 times – that it is successful once. Many women have attempted it many times without success, and the reasons are relevant to the misfortunes or diseases that have just been explained. Do not think that nowadays science is very advanced so there are artificial inseminations done. It is even popular for some women to say that ‘I am still young; I do not want to get married; I do not want to give births. I will get my egg cells frozen first, and I will wait for the day that I want to give birth. Then I will have the egg cells taken out and gotten them into my womb.’ This is nonsense, and is a matter for others to make money. It is illogical. The egg cells are frozen with no blood and with platelets depleted. How can a woman get a conception then? However, there are so many people in this world who are willing to spend this kind of money and to accept such suffering. If you have the time and this kind of money to take such suffering, why do you not use them diligently to do almsgiving, practices or making grand prostrations? Perhaps there can still be some opportunities for you in learning the Dharma. Nevertheless, you just do not listen. People in the mundane world are too clever.
Sutra: ‘In this way, when a “bardo” wants to enter a womb, again, there are two types of circumstances. What are these two types? One is there are no good fortune and merits for the “bardo,” and the other one is that it has great good fortune and merits. On the one with no good fortune, the “bardo” gives rise to the awareness of observation in its mind, and when it sees the states that it is in, it thinks, “Now, I happen to encounter wind, coldness, darkness, and rain. A crowd is muddled and noisy with its power that it comes to force me to do things; then a fear is arisen in me. I should now enter a hut of grass and its room of leaves, or hide at the foot of a wall, or enter a mountain pool, a forest, or a cave.” Also, the “bardo” even has various thoughts generated, and by following what it has seen, it then enters the womb of a mother.’
If a person does not have good fortune and merits, when the person’s intermediate state, or the ‘bardo,’ wants to enter a womb, at that moment, because of its lack of good fortune and merits, the mind of the ‘bardo’ will have many states appearing. When they occur, the ‘bardo’ might see that wind is blowing, and it is very cold, or raining; many noisy people trouble it or force it to do things. It then gives rise to fear in the mind. When such an idea is produced, it will hope to randomly find a hut (a dwelling made of grass), even a very small tea-drinking room, to get itself hidden at the foot of, or below, a wall, or to hide in a forest or a cave of a mountain. The ‘bardo’ has various thoughts generated.
This section of the topic about what a ‘bardo’ sees is very important. It must have been mentioned again in the later part of the sutra on this subject although I have not read it yet. It is important because if a bardo has these types of thoughts, it will fall into the Animal Realm. This means if you have not mastered your practices in good fortune and merits while you are alive, and even if there are causes and conditions for your ‘bardo’ entering a womb, it will be impossible for you to get into the Human Realm, absolutely. This is because you do not have good fortune and merits. How do the good fortune and merits come from? They are obtained through practices of making offerings, doing almsgiving, and observing precepts. For people who lack good fortune and merits, although they have ‘bardos,’ they still want to be born (meaning they would like to have a rebirth). However, the thoughts of these ‘bardos,’ which have been arisen, are the states that they see. These states seen are different from those seen by the ‘bardos’ of the people who have good fortune and merits. Hence, the ‘bardos’ without these qualities will hide – finding a place to hide – and that place is one of these Realms: Animal, Hungry Ghosts, or Hell. The Realm will be different if the states seen are different. Therefore, you do not need to do your practices anymore because you certainly will be reborn! Make great efforts again in not listening continuously then!
How do these states appear? They are shown from the fact that you do not have good fortune and merits in that you have not been practicing on getting them when you are living. Those who do not take refuge in a guru cannot, absolutely, master their practices in good fortune and merits. This is mentioned in sutras, and is not invented by me. After you have taken refuge, are you surely getting good fortune and merits? No, you are not. At least, because you have taken refuge – this being told to you from me in the Refuge Ceremony – after this, all the Dharma you will learn and the teachings you will be taught by your guru can only be the reliance for you. It is like that you are an auditor, not a student, in a university class. No matter how long you have listened to the teachings, say, 10 years or 100 years, as you have not registered, paying tuition, as a student, the professor will not admit you as his or her student; you will never receive a diploma. Right? Even if you have listened to lots of the teachings and understood much, do these things matter? You still do not have a position. Taking refuge is to give you that, a position of learning Buddhism in the future – a position of being a disciple of the Buddha. For those non-disciples here, you are unwilling to take refuge. What is the meaning of this? I do not understand it either.
You might say, ‘I will wait until I am capable to practice well; then I will made a decision to take refuge.’ If you can do your practices well, you are a Rinpoche then. Or, you might think, ‘Now, I am still not capable to practice yet; I want to clearly understand them first.’ How can we be clear about things in the time of the completion of our life? Not to mention the whole set of the Buddhist Canon, let us just look at the sutra in my hand. If you want to understand this sutra, you will not have enough time in your life to do it.”
Rinpoche then asked a monastic, “Have you finished reciting the Diamond Sutra 100 times yet?” (The monastic answered that he had recited it for just 12 times with only three times a day.) “Are you very busy?” (The monastic responded that he was not; he was just lazy.) “I will give you a week. If you do not finish reciting it within that time frame, do not come back here to this Center. The Diamond Sutra is very short. Really, you are full of nonsense. I have not even told you to recite the Avatamsaka Sutra. If you are to recite that sutra, I will see how you can live your life.”
(Then Rinpoche continued the teaching.)
“Sutra: ‘The “bardo” with great good fortune and merits also gives rise to this thinking, “Now, I happen to encounter wind, coldness, darkness, and rain. A crowd is muddled and noisy with its power that it comes to force me to do things; then a fear is also arisen in me.” It will then go up a high building, or ascend a large pavilion, or enter a hall and being on its bed-seat. The “bardo” has other various thoughts generated too, and by following what it has seen, it then enters the womb of a mother.’
What are differences between this quote and the prior one? For the ‘bardo’ of the people who have good fortune and merits, before it enters a womb, it will also produce in its mind the states which it will see. They are the states of getting fear arisen; a phenomenon shown is like there being strong wind, heavy rain, coldness, or a crowd forcing the ‘bardo’ doing things or driving it away. Nevertheless, it will not hide in a hut of grass or a very small place; it will not hide in a forest either. It will ‘go up a high building,’ ascend a very large house or pavilion, enter a main hall, or get itself on a bed-seat. Before, bed-seats were popular in India.
‘By following what it has seen, it then enters the womb of a mother.’ In Esoteric Buddhism, what we have been training for is visualizing the yidam’s palace all the time. Why? Because the womb of a mother is a palace. If a ‘bardo’ of ours is used to such a visualization, once it enters a womb and sees a palace, it will get into the palace; then that is certainly the Human Realm. If one is not used to visualize a palace when one is alive, and if one says, for example, ‘I want to go for a mountain climbing; it is good for my health,’ then at the time when the person’s ‘bardo’ and those of others who are like you, enter a womb, such ‘bardos’ will have good opportunities hiding in a mountain pool, a forest, or a cave. It is not saying that you are not allowed to do mountain climbing. Nonetheless, do not make it as your interest; do not love doing it. It is because the habits of your life – before you pass away – will make your ‘bardo’ get used to a choice of selecting a place where it is familiar with when it enters a womb in the future.
Why a Buddhist temple must be built in a solemn way? This does not mean it is to be magnificent or be in a glorious splendor. Rather, it must be with solemnity. Why? Because it is to let us get used to a good habit – a habit to see good things – when we are living. Then, when there is a day coming that your ‘bardo’ really wants to enter a womb, it will know that this womb is a good place to get in. If what the womb of a mother that ‘bardo’ sees is a hut made of grass, the ‘bardo’ will say to itself, ’How can I live in a grass-hut?’ With this thought, it does not enter the womb, and only then can it not fall into the Realms of Hell, Hungry Ghosts, or Animal. If a ‘bardo’ is used to the idea that it must live in a palace, it will only enter one when it sees a beautiful palace. Then, the ‘bardo’ is in the Human Realm or even the Heaven Realm. This habit of visualizing being in a good place is usually formed through a training while one is alive. Do not despise this sutra about a womb. Why have other people not spoken of the subject? It is because only those who have learned Tantra will understand how to select a fetus medium. Here the Buddha did not speak of this selection; He only told you what the results will be on the visualization of a ‘bardo.’ However, the topic of selecting a fetus medium is in Tantra. The Tantric practitioners will know about this.
Many eminent monks and honorable believers have not wanted to expound this sutra because in its early part, there are descriptions on wombs. These practitioners think that monastics will feel embarrassed if they speak of womb-related matters. As a result, many sentient beings have been harmed. Would Shakyamuni Buddha not have been embarrassed when He expounded this sutra? Was He not a monastic? Yes, He was! Whom did He speak this subject to? Was Venerable Ananda a monastic? Yes, he was! Were the 500 bhikkhus in the Assembly monastics? Yes, they were! Why had Shakyamuni Buddha spoken this sutra to them suddenly? Because He wanted to tell them very clearly about the topic. Perhaps He thought that these 500 bhikkhus could not achieve attainment in breaking away from reincarnation immediately in their lives, and maybe they would possibly return to this world one more time. Thus, the Buddha talked clearly to them first about the subject. If one has been practicing to be an arhat, the person is possibly to come back again, going through rebirth backward and forward to be born seven times the most. Nevertheless, his ‘bardo’ needs to know surely, when it comes, how to enter a womb, what the concepts or the feelings that ‘bardo’ has, or what a place to select as the womb. The ‘bardo’ is to know all these things. So, Shakyamuni Buddha expounded them in the sutra.
Why did Shakyamuni Buddha want to speak of the wombs of women and their physiology so clearly? It means telling some fathers-in-law, mothers-in-law, or husbands not to complain that daughters-in-law or wives cannot get pregnant. It is one’s fate, and is from the person’s causes and conditions. If you are fated to have children, you will not have such a woman appearing who cannot get a conception. Nevertheless, nowadays, in the Age of Dharma Decline, there are many women whose physical conditions are not very good. Why are there so many of these women? It is because in the past lifetimes, they did not practice on good fortune and merits, and they did not form good affinities with sentient beings either. Therefore, it will be very difficult for these women to seek having children in this life, and they even do not want to give births. A bunch of such things happen.
The Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching about this topic did not mean that He advocated that there must be desires between a man and a woman. However, if there is no such a desire, how do we give births? If we are not born, how can we do our practices in the next lifetime? From the perspective of an arhat, if we have been practicing the Bodhisattva Path, we will not to be reborn. Then, if our ‘bardos’ do not enter a womb anymore, how can we be born to benefit sentient beings? Hence, Shakyamuni Buddha was so compassionate that He reminded the people, who, like us, have been practicing the Bodhisattva Path, that we need to be cautious. When the ‘bardo’ is going to enter a womb, it is to remember how to select a womb, and is not to be muddled so that it will hide in a place – a womb – when seeing one which it can be hidden in. Simply speaking, if the place is not a good one, the ‘bardo’ does not enter it. The purpose is for us to have opportunities practicing the Bodhisattva Path in the future, and when you come back to this world by your vows, you need to understand how to select a fetus medium. Do not choose a wrong one.
So, those who have been unwilling to take refuge and to practice the Bodhisattva Path will select a wrong fetus medium, absolutely, as they do not know about this matter. It is pardonable. Why are there only several billion humans but so many animals? Animals include all insects, as small as an ant. They, perhaps, had been humans in past lifetimes, and in this one, their ‘bardos’ entered a womb of an animal. Thus, do not undervalue this sutra; it will let us produce very significant concepts in our practices.
Sutra: ‘The Buddha spoke to Ananda, “In this way, when a ‘bardo’ gets into a womb at the beginning, it is called kalala. All situations of kalalas rely on the impurity of the parents and the karma of the past to obtain a form of a body in the womb. In such karma and amid the affinities of the parents, if either circumstance exists independently, a ‘bardo’ will not be born.”’
‘The Buddha spoke to Ananda, “In this way, when a ‘bardo’ gets into a womb at the beginning, it is called kalala. All situations of kalalas rely on the impurity of the parents and the karma of the past to obtain a form of a body in the womb.”’ What does ‘impurity’ mean? The sperms of a father and the blood of a mother are certainly not pure; such sperms and blood and all the karma of past lifetimes make a ‘bardo’ obtain this body. ‘In such karma and amid the affinities of the parents, if either circumstance exists independently, a “bardo” will not be born.’ What does this sentence mean? Such a karma is just the karma for entering a womb. However, if all the causes and conditions created by the parents exist independently, ‘a “bardo” will not be born.’ This means what the parents have done and the act of entering a womb are just from a karma. In other words, as stated before, if all the affinities of the parents exist independently, ‘a “bardo” will not be born.’ All the affinities created by the parents will not get a ‘bardo’ to be reborn independently. There must be a case of cause and condition appearing again. What is such a case then? We do not know.
Sutra: ‘Because of the force of convergence of parents’ bindus, a “bardo” gets a form of a body in a womb. It is like using a container to put curds in and with people, ropes, et cetera, the curds are churned and butter is produced. In all the affinities, the butter cannot be obtained, and is only generated by converging the strength of curds, people, and ropes. A body of a kalala is also the same that because of the force of causes and conditions, a “bardo” gets into a womb.’
‘Because of the force of convergence of parents’ bindus, a “bardo” gets a form of a body in a womb.’ The ‘bardo’ must be through ‘the force of convergence of parents’ bindus’ to be able to get ‘a form of a body in a womb.’ There is a Chinese saying, ‘A single “yin” does not produce, and a sole “yang” does not grow, any things.’ (Translator’s note: In Chinese language, the words ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ describe an opposite but interconnected cycle. Here ‘yin’ represents a female and ‘yang,’ a male.) That means if there is only one ‘yin’ or one ‘yang,’ a childbirth cannot happen, absolutely. Even if there is an affinity for a woman to have a childbirth, without ‘the convergence of parents’ bindus,’ the woman certainly cannot give birth to a child. Therefore, it means for people who are unable to have a child, they adopt one; then this child is not their son or daughter – not their child. The child is just an ‘object’ that has been bought with no blood relation existing with the family at all. Such an event of cause and condition is only a buy-and-sell transaction, something to satisfy these people’s desire and feeling to want a child ‘born’ to them. The Buddha spoke of the subject very clearly here. A ‘bardo’ must go through ‘the force of convergence of parents’ “bindus”’ to be able to get ‘a form of a body in a womb.’ Without such a convergence, for all those children born, including the ones born by artificial inseminations or through purchases of sperms or egg cells, there are no causes and conditions related to the parents. These children are not born by ‘the force of convergence of parents’ “bindus”.’
What does the phrase ‘born from the force of convergence of parents’ “bindus”’ mean? It is that after both parents are harmonious with each other, they have converged their ‘bindus’ to give birth to a child, and only then will such a child be sound in the body and the mind. If a child is born by various scientific methods but not through the true convergence of parents’ causes and conditions, can the child be healthy physically and mentally? We do not know. Nevertheless, there must be issues on the child. With the Buddha’s great supernatural power, there would have been mentions in sutras that a conception could have had to give birth to a child if scientific methods had been used. The Buddha would not have repeatedly reminded us that there must be ‘the force of convergence of parents’ “bindus”.’ He would not have spoken of it, absolutely.
Sutra: ‘Furthermore, Ananda, for example, if a “bardo” relies on grass, cow manure, and date curd, on each one of them, a worm will be born. In a situation that there is just the grass, cow manure, or date curd individually, a worm will not be obtained. Because of the force of causes and conditions, a worm is then born. At the time of this worm’s birth, whatever its color is, being green, yellow, red, or white, it has followed what it relies on.’
The Buddha used an analogy. In some of grass, cow manure, and pickled date curd, ‘on each one of them, a worm will be born. In a situation that there is just the grass, cow manure, or date curd individually, a worm will not be obtained.’ If there is no grass, cow manure or date curd, it is impossible for such a worm to be born. Nonetheless, ‘because of the force of causes and conditions, a worm is then born.’ ‘At the time of this worm’s birth, whatever its color is, being green, yellow, red, or white, it has followed what it relies on.’ How does this worm get its color? It depends on what it relies on at its birth. For example, if it relies on grass, it is in green color; if it relies on stool, then it is in another color.
Sutra: ‘Thus, you should know that a “bardo” is born as this body because of the impurity of the parents. Such a body cannot be obtained by all the seeking of it amid the affinities of the parents, and it will not leave these affinities either. Because of the force of convergence of parents’ bindus, a “bardo” is then to get into a womb.’
We ‘should know that a “bardo” is born as this body because of the impurity of the parents.’ The word ‘impurity’ here does not mean ‘uncleanliness.’ The definition of purity is about one’s mind. The meaning is this: because the minds of parents are contaminated, and are with love, desires, and greed, our bodies are thusly born. Our bodies are not pure because they are born from the contamination of the love of the parents. Hence, the reason why people’s minds are with love and negative feelings is that the affinities have arisen from impure convergence of the parents’ bindus.
The Buddha used an analogy for us earlier. Why will the color of a worm be in a different color when it is born? It depends on what it relies on at its birth. Thus, our bodies have now been produced by relying on the impure minds of our parents. ‘Such a body cannot be obtained by all the seeking of it amid the affinities of the parents, and it will not leave these affinities either.’ It means in all the affinities, we cannot obtain our bodies by seeking them, but the bodies themselves cannot leave affinities either. What it means is that if there is not an affinity between a ‘bardo’ and the parents, the ‘bardo’ will not get into the mother’s womb – there must be such an affinity existing. However, when the affinity becomes manifest, if the convergence of the parents’ bindus does not happen, with the affinity being there, a ‘bardo’ will not obtain a form of a body. Then again, even if there is such a convergence but the factors mentioned earlier, say, perhaps, the parents’ relationship, et cetera, exist, a ‘bardo’ will not be born as a body. So, getting a ‘bardo’ into a womb and being born is not as easy as counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, absolutely. Only when many complicated causes and conditions have been gone through, can a ‘bardo’ be born.
Sutra: ‘When this body is born, there are also no differences on the body’s four major elements with those of its parents. These elements are called earth, with a nature of firmness, water, with that of wetness, fire, with that of hotness, and wind, with that of movements.’
After a body is born, ‘there are also no differences on the body’s four major elements’ (earth, wind, water, and fire) ‘with those of its parents.’ This means the nature of a child’s body’s elements of earth, wind, water, and fire is the same as that of the child’s parents, with there being no differences. ‘These elements are called earth, with a nature of firmness….’ The word ‘earth’ refers to our flesh or bones, and it is firm. If we do not have this ‘earth,’ our bodies will not be firm. Therefore, when one gets old, why will the person have osteoporosis, and it is easy for him or her to fall? Because the person’s earth element has already been reduced. So is this person’s body firmness.
The phrase ‘….water, with that of wetness….’ means all the nature of endocrine, fluids, or water in our bodies is in wetness. Hence, when one gets old, the person’s skin will be dry. It is because his or her water element has been reduced so that the wetness in the person’s body will be reduced. Then, the phrase ‘….fire, with that of hotness….’ refers to the fact that fire element will make us produce heat in our bodies. Thus, when we are old, our bodies will change and become cold. I remember this very clearly that a week before my mother passed away, her feet were intensively cold. I helped her put socks on her but her feet were still cold. It is because her fire element had started been reducing. Many people feel bodily cold easily; this indicates that they do not have enough fire element. If people have such a circumstance, they need to see doctors immediately to replenish the fire element in their bodies.
There is another phrase in the quote, ‘….wind, with that of movements….’ This means the vital organs and the movements of our bodies rely on wind (‘qi’) entirely. So, if you lack for ‘qi,’ you will not like to move around. Nevertheless, if you do not want to do physical movements, your wind element will stop; when it does, other three elements will not move. When people get old, they feel that they do not need to move around, but the more they feel not to move, the weaker their wind element (‘qi’) will be. If the ‘qi’ is weaker, it does not have enough of it to develop and promote fire element, of course. If there are no movements on fire element, water element and its nature of wetness will not appear. When water element does not appear, earth element will not be in firmness. Therefore, wind element is very important.
From the perspective of Tantra, there are five kinds of ‘qi’ in our bodies. The most important one is the last type and is called ‘qi of holding on to life,’ which is the ‘qi abiding your life.’ It does not matter if other types of ‘qi’ have been reduced and become weak, but once the ‘qi of holding on to life’ is gone, a person passes away. When will this kind of ‘qi’ be gone? It is relevant to your longevity or good fortune. If, all the time, you do many things that are not good and have many thoughts on many matters, or if you constantly give others affliction, making them suffer, or if you like to curse or hit people, your ‘qi of holding on to life’ will be reduced quickly. When that happens, the other four kinds of ‘qi’ will go along that their strength will be reduced. If there is not enough ‘qi,’ these bodily scenarios will appear: fire element will not flourish, water element will not develop, and earth element will not remain firm. Hence, all those women, who are constantly in sulky moods, or all those men, who like to beat their wives, will get illnesses, or have a short life.
How do a person’s heart problems come from? They are from the person’s liking of having a sulky mood. The sulks are kept silently in the mind so ‘qi’ is blocked. Then the blood vessels in the heart will have no movements naturally. This leads to water element being blocked, meaning the blood will not flow. If blood is blocked, how does fire element appear? Then when it does not, how can earth element be firm? Thus, how do illnesses come from? They are from your own making. For example, when a person is scolded by others, he or she will sulk, not wanting to say anything. Why does the person keep quiet about it? It is because of this thinking: ‘I do not know what I did wrong. Tell me how wrong it was that I had done. If I know that, I will get it amended.’ All of you are like this person that you cannot be scolded. Therefore, I often say this to you that those of you who do not want to be scolded by me are the people with most negative attitude. What is the principle involved in this then? If I have scolded you, there must be reasons for it. Perhaps you truly do not know them, but you are to listen to my reproach, or just accept it, and that will be all right.
I have told you frequently that, before, how His Holiness ‘fixed’ me. Why will someone’s heart become unhealthy? It is because the person has felt that ‘I am not wrong. Why have I been scolded so abominably?’ Hence, you do not have enough four major elements in your body. Then, because you lack for these elements, you will have many illnesses. Doctor of Chinese medicine, is this correct? (The doctor-disciple of Chinese medicine answered, ‘Yes. It is. Rinpoche explained very clearly about a whole body’s structure and its equilibrium on the elements of earth, wind, water, and fire. If these four major elements are out of balance, of course there will be many illnesses that one can get.’) So, you have ‘found’ your illnesses
Sutra: ‘For the body of a kalala, if it is with only earth element but not that of water, it is like that there is someone holding dry ash in hands, which on its own will not converge with things after all.’
Why does this section of the sutra emphasize the body’s elements of earth, wind, water, and fire? It is because that our bodies, on the surface and from the perspective of medical science, are produced by the convergence of a father’s sperm and a mother’s blood. However, if your parents have not allocated the essence of their elements of earth, wind, water, and fire to you, and even if your body has the convergence of your parents’ blood and sperm, you will not be born either. That is why it has been mentioned in sutras that there is a great benevolence of parents’ giving birth to you because they give things to you. Why has it been explained in sutras that the benevolence of the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and gurus are tremendous? Because they give you things. If they do not, how can you get the things you have? Do not ask this, ‘Why do I need to be filial?’ Just think if your parents do not allocate to you their elements of earth, wind, water, and fire, how can you have these elements? If you do not have them, your body will not be all right!
Here, it is clearly stated that if there are only bones or flesh but no water (not having enough water) in one’s body, ‘it is like that there is someone holding dry ash in hands, which on its own will not converge with things after all.’ This means it is like that a person holding a handful of ash in his or her hands, and as there is no water, the ash ‘will not converge with things’ forever.
Sutra: ‘For the body of a kalala, if it is with only water element but not that of earth, it is like that there is oil and water being together with a nature of wetness. As there is no firmness in that combination, it will then disperse and be scattering.’
If there is only water element without earth element, it is like water in oil. The nature of water is very moist or very wet, but the water is not firm. Once it is poured, it ‘will then disperse and be scattering.’
Sutra: ‘For the body of a kalala, if it is with only earth and water elements but not element of fire, it is like that a meatball being in a dark place in the summer. With no sunlight to illuminate the meatball, it will then get rotten.’
If you have body’s elements of earth and water but not element of fire, it is like putting a meatball in a dark, cool place in the summer. ‘With no sunlight to illuminate the meatball, it will then get rotten.’ This means if the meatball has been illuminated by sunlight, it will turn into a piece of dry meat, and will not become rotten. Hence, if there are only elements of earth and water, but not element of fire, in one’s body, such a body will be the same that it gets rotten.
Sutra: ‘For the body of a kalala, if it is with only earth, water, and fire elements but not element of wind, it will not grow. It is like that there are someone and his disciples who are very capable to make sugar. They will get the inside empty on all the sugar they make. If there is no wind element, such accomplishment will not be achieved after all. In these ways, the four major elements rely on one another and are then established. Thus, you should know that the body of a kalala having obtained the birth because of the four major karma-winds of the parents, is also the same.’
Even if you have elements of earth, water, and fire, but not enough of ‘qi,’ you will not increase various things in your body, and you will not grow either. ‘It is like that there are someone and his disciples who are very capable to make sugar.’ Nonetheless, if they want to ‘get the inside empty on all the sugar they make,’ and if there is no wind or fanning during the process, by working on the sugar continuously, the making of it will not be accomplished either.
In fact, it is already stated in these few sentences why there are some children who are born with health issues. It is because in the four major elements, there must be one lacking in a child, absolutely. This means the parents did not give the child enough of the element, or they have had some physical defects themselves. So, nowadays, many diseases have been mentioned as results of mutations of genes in that the parents’ genes given at a child’s birth have been mutated. This is from the perspective of medical science. Nevertheless, from the perspective of the Dharma, diseases are caused by the elements of earth, wind, water, and fire given by the parents. Perhaps the parents do not have enough of one of the elements, and if that is the situation, the child born will not have enough of such an element either. Therefore, the child will be born with illnesses.
‘For the body of a kalala, if it is with only earth, water, and fire elements but not element of wind, it will not grow.’ This means if there are elements of earth, water, and fire, but not enough of ‘qi’ – no element of wind – the body will not grow; it will have short lifespan. For example, a bodily inflammation is also because of insufficient ‘qi.’ If there is enough of it, a body will not get the inflammation easily. Is it right, doctor of Chinese medicine? (The doctor-disciple of Chinese medicine answered that ‘From the perspective of Chinese medicine, ‘qi’ is a function of protection for a body. If a person has enough of “qi,” the person has a good immune system, naturally, and he or she will be less likely getting bodily inflammation.’) Why do people get cancer easily? Because of insufficient ‘qi.’ Then what are the reasons that there is not enough of it? One reason is that the ‘qi’ given by one’s parents is originally insufficient. Additionally, the person makes oneself lack for ‘qi’ on one’s own by meddling things. Hence, the chances of getting cancer for this type of people are higher than anyone else.
Why do people get diabetes easily? I can explain it a bit here. It is because one’s fire element is insufficient. That indicates that one does not have enough of heat energy in the body so that all the toxins, or sugar content, in organs cannot be excreted. Why is there not enough of fire element? Because of one’s thoughts of greed being too heavy. It is like that a person always thinks of striking it rich or of living a good life. With such a thought, it is easy for one’s fire element becoming insufficient; when that happens, the bodily parts will get rotten. That disciple who had shared her story before today’s puja started, had mentioned that a person who had diabetes would get flesh rotten in the end.
In fact, all these matters mentioned are medical science-related. In sutras, they are described more thoroughly than what will be spoken of by medical doctors. Why have I been able to explain this medical situation? I am not a physician either. Now, doctors, say something about this subject then. If the fire element is insufficient, will bodily parts become rotten? (The doctor-disciple of Chinese medicine responded that ‘From the perspective of Chinese medicine, the insufficiency of fire element is that the chill in the body flourishes. When this happens, the whole function of the organs is reduced, and then the rotten situation that Rinpoche mentioned will occur.’) Thus, basically, what causes diabetes is the chill in the body, correct? (The said doctor answered, ‘Yes!’) In western medicine, it is also mentioned that a diabetic certainly does not have a good blood circulation. Is this correct? (A doctor-disciple of western medicine replied that ‘Diabetes is caused by insufficient blood flow, making the extremities, like limbs, of the body lack for blood, and then such extremities will get wounds appearing and the working of immune system reducing. These are the reasons why diabetes is not easy for medical treatments.’)
On a body’s four elements of earth, wind, water, and fire, for me, I will add another one, Emptiness. All of you, do not add this one because you are quite afraid of it. I am not though. I need Emptiness very much; if I do not, I will be bothered by you all the time and be much annoyed already.
These elements of earth, wind, water, and fire had already been given to you by your parents when you were born. Can we get these elements replenished later in our lives? If medicine or exercises are relied on, what can be replenished are limited. What is the fastest way to rely on for the replenishment? It is good fortune. However, it is not that because I spoke of practicing good fortune you then deliberately make offerings. If you make an offering deliberately, it will be useless as it is equivalent to doing a buying-and-selling transaction. Another method of replenishing these elements is for Tantric practitioners, who have been practicing the ‘solar plexus and bindus’ system in their bodies. They will place their own elements of earth, wind, water, and fire at a state of equilibrium in accordance with their age or their physical conditions. They will keep their four major elements in balance; even if these practitioners are sick, the sicknesses are minor ones. So, why have your illnesses gotten unmanageable when you are ill? Because you have problems in the mind. Your mindsets or behaviors affect your own elements of earth, wind, water, and fire. They were already insufficient when you got from your parents, and are called ‘innate conditions.’ Such conditions are what you had been given from your parents and what had brought forth by your own karma. The ‘acquired conditions’ are what circumstances occurred after you were born. They include the situations like whether your parents believe in causes and effects or not, if you have filial piety, or if you have been practicing and learning Buddhism. If the answer is a ‘yes,’ and even if you do not have enough of four major elements, you still have opportunities to adjust and replenish the elements.
For example, when I bless you, what are my blessings for? I adjust your four major elements. If you lack for fire element, I increase it; if your water element is insufficient, I give a little more of it to you. I get your elements harmonized so that your practices can be effective. It is not that I prolong your lifespan. For those who have taken refuge in me, I have dedicated to you the chanting of mantras I do every day. That is why you would not die no matter what you have meddled – strange! – unless you are one of those who really would pass away. Many of you are ill but you would not die regardless of what you have managed on your health. Of course, there are certain reasons in this that you do not know about.
Sutra: ‘In many affinities, a form of a body cannot be obtained on all of them. Because of the force of convergence of parents’ bindus, a “bardo” gets a form of a body in a womb.’
Shakyamuni Buddha spoke again about the ‘force of convergence of parents’ bindus.’ Therefore, if a child is born out of a mother having been raped, it is not by such a force. It means even if there is a conception from a rape, it is not a convergence of parents’ bindus either. The child born thusly will certainly have issues. So, if the mother is aware of such an event of being raped, she needs starting to repent when she is pregnant. It is because that the rape having happened is her karma too, and it is not that the rapist is a bad person. For instance, some girls get pregnant before being an adult. Let us not talk about there being many factors involved. Nevertheless, nowadays, the trend is that in such situations, an abortion is performed. This cannot be. If there are causes and conditions for this girl to learn the Dharma, she will be able to change then. I have a disciple who changed her life this way. She got pregnant when she was a minor and had a child. I helped her raise this first child of hers. She learned Buddhism later and the things changed for her.
Today, we have learned what Shakyamuni Buddha spoke of on this subject. It was not to encourage us to enhance our desires between a man and a woman, absolutely. It just tells you the entire process of being a human. Who gave you a body? What are the conditions of your body? You need to pay attention to these things. If you have not learned Tantra, what should you do? Rely on medicine, repentance, or chanting of more mantras then. You must have a firm faith in the Dharma. How does a mind give rise to doubts easily? It is from the shortage of water element. What does it mean there is not enough of this element? It is that blood is insufficient. If one has a shortage of blood in the body, this person’s emotions will be unstable with many more thoughts than other people, and will have many dreams in sleep. Are these correct, the doctor of Chinese medicine? (The doctor-disciple of Chinese medicine answered, ‘Yes, they are correct. When the blood is insufficient in our bodies, the fire element will flourish easily. People with flourishing fire element will have restless minds, and cannot sleep well readily. Furthermore, they easily have more thoughts, causing emotional confusion and making heart-channel of the body inharmonious.’)
Listen carefully. This section that has been expounded today is from the sutra that the Buddha spoke for Anada. Many sutras were written because Venerable Ananda, other great arhats, elders, or Bodhisattvas had implored the Buddha for expounding the Dharma, and only in such occasions that the Buddha spoke of the subjects. This is the only sutra that the Buddha took the initiative in speaking about the topic. He went out of His way to speak of it for Anand to listen. Also, it was after Ananda and 500 bhikkhus had come out from their meditation that the Buddha taught them about the subject. Was it not interesting? Hence, do not take a view that the Dharma is seemingly separate from ‘humans.’ We are all humans, and need to understand ourselves what human problems are. We need to know clearly how do humans come to exist? Who gave you your body? If there is a convergence of your parents’ bindus, and even if your ‘bardo’ has the affinity to enter the womb, there will be a miscarriage, or, perhaps, be dead in the womb. Then again, even if the force of convergence of parents’ bindus really happens, and if there are not enough of four major elements in the parents, the child born will have many illnesses and a short lifespan too.
Then, why are there not enough of four major elements in the parents’ bodies? It is because they do not believe in causes and effects, and not refrain from killing; they eat flesh of animals for food; they love to have fun. These activities consume parents’ four major elements. Therefore, their children are born having mutations of genes. Is this the fault of the children, or that of the parents? Neither are at fault. It is because of causes and conditions. If such a child’s ‘bardo’ does not have an affinity with parents, it will not enter the womb of the mother. It is exactly as they were all from the same ‘country’ in their past lifetimes they are together in this one; it is just that two of them become parents and the third one, their child. Can the situation be amended? Yes, it can by changing the behaviors immediately when a conception occurs. Many pregnant women came to seek an audience with me. I told them that they must recite the Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows every day because this sutra is one on filial piety, and can tell the unborn child about being filial to the parents. The Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows can also help mothers eliminate some karma. In addition, with the help of Tantra, this matter of the ‘bardo’ before it is born should not be fixed karma yet. It means even if it is already in a womb, it is not yet fixed karma; things can change. It will be very difficult to amend them by waiting until the child is born. Still, if you have changed and been saved once, and if you do not listen, saving you again cannot happen. I have often said to you that I can only save you once; it is not because I am incapable to save you a second time, but it is because your fixed karma becomes manifest. How can I save you again then?
Shakyamuni Buddha’s clan was about to be annihilated. He sat in the middle of the road to block the invading army, and knew that He could not block it in the end. Shakyamuni Buddha is a Buddha. He could have shown greatly His supernatural powers by making His clan invisible that it could not have been seen. Even non-Buddhist religionists have this kind of skill or religious power. However, the Buddha knew that the clan’s fixed karma became manifest – there were nothings that could have been done. So, Shakyamuni Buddha withdrew Himself, nevertheless, in the end. The Venerable Maudgalyāyana had great supernatural powers. He put 500 of Shakya clan in his alms bowl and lifted the bowl into the sky. After the army had retreated, he took down the bowl; the inside of it was full of watery blood – that group of the clan would still have died.
What Shakyamuni Buddha expounded in this section were starting from the aspects of causes, conditions, and karma to tell you the interconnections among them. Thus, after you know such causes and conditions, if you want to come back to help sentient beings later in one lifetime – coming back to this world by your vows – you will know. At the time when your ‘bardo’ sees a fetus medium that is not the right one, it will not enter the womb. It does not make any slight difference what the moment will be to enter the womb when the ‘bardo’ is ready. Do not let it rush doing it and coming out being born. If you have known this and if you have determined to have the mind of the renunciation of reincarnation, you will obtain the birth in the land of Amitabha. See, how complicated it is. It is very complicated for us to be born; it is not that simple. In fact, in this void and at every second, there are many ‘bardos’ that are fluttering, wishing to enter a womb. Without causes and conditions, a ‘bardo’ cannot enter a womb. This is especially so that nowadays it is not popular to give births; contraception is what people want, and then a ‘bardo’ cannot enter a womb either. It is the same too when some girls have abortions that a ‘bardo’ cannot be in a womb because such a womb has been flawed. Hence, with very complicated causes and conditions, a ‘bardo’ can only then obtain the birth.
If a ‘bardo’ does not fall into the Human Realm but the Animal Realm, or another Evil Realm, the reason is about the thought it has at that moment of entering a womb. So long as it gives rise to a thought that it wants to hide itself because it is afraid that others will chase it away, it will be born in Animal Realm, Hell Realm, or Hungry Ghost Realm. Therefore, let me explain this. There are some people who say that I am very keen on cleanliness. In truth, I am not like that. It is because I know clearly if I have been used to do things casually in this life, and if I really come back to this world by my vows in next lifetime, I will act casually too in many things then as that would have been my living habits in this life.
It is like a female disciple of mine who had eczema. It was exactly because her sleeping environment at home was casually arranged and her home’s hygiene conditions had not been adjusted. It was quite strange that after they had been adjusted, this girl’s eczema disappeared immediately. I did not bless her, not even giving her a puff of breath for the blessing. Many people think that it is all right to live casually, but you can live very hygienically even when you do not have money. You do not need incredibly luxurious furniture or a very glorious house; nonetheless, good hygiene conditions are very important. If you have been living in nonchalant manners, the place you go to in your next lifetime will be a nonchalant one because you have already formed such a living habit that way in this life. Let us not talk about a ‘bardo’ entering a womb. Let us say it is about your current life then. If you live in a place where hygiene conditions are not good, how can you have a good health? If I inspect your rooms unexpectedly – as a surprise – I believe that nine rooms out of ten will fail the inspection. I do not want to do this thing though. It is about unkemptness. Now, you have not learned anything but sloppiness. Why does our Center need to be kept this clean? It is precisely to get you used to the habit of having a clean environment for your living. Do not think that I am a verbose person and I want cleanliness; especially you, the monastics here, do not consider that. When you live in my monastery later, if you do not live cleanly, I will kick you out. In other words, if you live causally and sloppily, I will drive you out, absolutely. Do not think that you have been used to be like that. When is it your turn to get used to things?
All your living habits of this life will affect you in your next lifetime. You will say, ‘I will make a determination that I will not come back to this world.’ However, what you have one in this life will certainly bring you back again. I have expounded this section of the sutra today for you to contemplate. After you go home, think about this teaching. What are to be thought of? All the things having occurred to you are from your own doing, and they are relevant to the causes and conditions your parents have had. Likewise, what your parents having acted are surely relevant to you. So, I will continue to expound the subject and it is more and more wonderful in the later part of the sutra. After I finished the expounding of it, perhaps doctors will have no jobs to do. Shakyamuni Buddha was so interesting. I only read the sutra clearly today and realized that it turned out that the Buddha took the initiative in speaking of this sutra for Ananda.
Today, I went out of my way to expound this sutra to you. In it, there are two parts of Assembly, and the sutra is quite a long one. Shakyamuni Buddha had spent so much time speaking the topic; He must have had a reason. It absolutely was not to analyze how we humans had come from. Rather, it was to tell us this: ‘Do not make mistakes on the direction of your practices.’ You need to be clear about how you practice the Dharma. If you are muddled again to think that you will assuredly be all right just by relying on reciting the name of Amitabha, then you are wrong. Otherwise, Shakyamuni Buddha would have only expounded about Amitabha very early on, and that would have been fine; there would not have had the need for Him to teach more of other things. Yet, what would have been so many sutras taught by the Buddha for? The teachings had been for sentient beings in that every one of them has different causes and conditions, so the Buddha certainly wanted to tell sentient beings many things.”
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Updated on October 7, 2024