Yuan Zheng Tang - Perfect Enlightenment
(No: 6) The Commentary Sword of True Buddha by Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu A Commentary: A World Without A Buddha On 15 February 1970, I took refuge in an elder of Buddhist fraternity, Master Yin-Shun. When the ritual was about to end, Master Yin-Shun said, “All of you must cultivate unceasingly and attain Buddha hood!” I still remember clearly what he said. Li Bing-Nan, an elderly kulapati (householder), asked me “Why are you learning Buddhism?” With full confidence I answered, “For the purpose of becoming a Buddha,” he was very impressed. But according to the sutra, there is an era when the world is without a Buddha. That is, after the parinirvana (death) of Sakyamuni Buddha and before the birth of Maitreya Buddha. In accordance with the Sutra, the duration is as long as fifty-six billion years. Another word, the world will not see a Buddha for such a long time… Here comes the problem: those of us who are born during this era, no matter how hard we cultivate, we are fated not being able to attain Buddha hood. There is simply no such thing as “attaining Buddha hood”. My question is, “If we cultivate Buddhism but we cannot attain Buddha hood, why should we cultivate ourselves in the first place?” Master Yin-Shun must be talking nonsense when he wanted us “to attain Buddha hood”, or he must be contradicting himself. Sakyamuni Buddha ever said, “Those who develop full confidence and rejoice without any doubt upon hearing this Dharma, will attain enlightenment in no time, they are equivalent to the Buddha’s.” “Equivalent to the Buddha’s” is attaining Buddha hood, completely enlightened and attaining the most supreme enlightenment of a Buddha. I firmly believe that the saying – “ A world without a Buddha”, should be abolished. We have full confidence with a joyous heart we actualize the cultivation in order to attain the most supreme enlightenment, we shall not be deterred by saying – “ A world without a Buddha”; one is free from this fetter, is a true Buddhist practitioner. A Study on Maitreya’s Pure Land I studied the following Sutras in detail: Maitreya’s Attainment of Buddha hood Sutra, Maitreya ‘s Ascendance Sutra, Maitreya’s Descendance Sutra and Maharatnakuta Sutra. The studies on Buddha Maitreya can be summarized as follows: Maitreya was known as Xian-Xin in his previous life and he learned from Yan-Guang Buddha; Maitreya also learned from Sakyamuni Buddha, and the Buddha prophesied that the former would attain Buddha hood in the future. Maitreya was later reborn in the inner court of Tushita Heaven. He will be reborn into this world fifty-six billion years later and attain Buddha hood. He will preach under the Naga-Puspa (dragon-flower tree) thrice: in the first assembly, ninety-six billion sentient beings will be succored; the second assembly, ninety- four billion; and the third, ninety- two billion. According to the Sutra, fifty-six billion years from now, our world – Jambudipa, will become: 1. The sea will recede to a level of three thousand “Yojana” (a measure of length, about 7 miles). The earth is as level as the surface of a mirror. 2. The grain will grow by itself and trees bear clothes. The trees will be thirty “ li” (a measure of length, about 1/2 kilometer) tall and human beings sixteen “zhang”. (unit of length, about 3 1/2 meters). 3. Human beings will have a life expectancy of eighty thousand years. 4. The world will be ruled by a Universal Monarch (cakravartin). The seas will be calm and clear. I do not have any demur whatsoever on the belief in Maitreya’s Pure Land. Although during the Sui-Tang dynasties, high monks such as Dao-Chuo and Jia-Cai had denounced the belief in the Pure Land of Maitreya but praised the belief in Amitabha Buddha. I, however, pay due respects to both beliefs. My only objection is that fifty-six billion years between the parinirvana of Sakyamuni Buddha and the birth of Maitreya Buddha, can anyone else attain Buddha hood in the present lifetime? Is Master Bodhidharma’s saying – “Pointing directly to the mind, knowing the true nature of being and attain Buddha hood”, a lie? Is Master Hong-Fa’ book – “Exposition on attaining Buddha hood in one lifetime”, a lie too? (Master Hong-Fa was said to have achieved Vairocana Buddha hood in his life) Are “the four ways of gaining enlightenment in one lifetime” as expounded in the book “Yan Ao Chao” (Preaching and explaining the Sutra of Vairocana), a lie? (In fact, there had been many instances of practitioners gaining enlightenment in one lifetime). Sakyamuni Buddha had actually prophesied on many of his disciples who would be attaining Buddha hood in the future; Maitreya was just one of them. Human beings are bound by their own mental defilement to this vicious cycle of birth and death. They are unable to see through the “original channel” due to “knowledge obscurations”. In my opinion, these hindrances actually stem from “wrong” view. If we are able to overcome these hindrances, one is no different from the Buddha; one has attained the Buddha hood! Let Him Go! Today the True Buddha School has evolved into sizable religious group. The rituals of True Buddha Tantra are rich, lively and all encompassing. A True Buddha practitioner who conscientiously performs the practice and tries to understand the practice can elevate himself spiritually and savor the Dharma-flavor; one is therefore able to truly enter the profound teachings of Buddha Dharma. However, the actualization of practice is not one of verbal commitment, it is to be applied and internalized. Please do not simply bear the title of a “True Buddha practitioner”, yet one is still very much a confused person who is craving for fame and wealth; one who cannot resist the temptation of status and money; or one who is simply more orthodox than a commoner. I do not deny the fact that within our school there are many students who are still fighting for fame and wealth; there are people who capitalize on the name of True Buddha School in their own interest; there are people who gobble money collected for charity purposes; there are even some who are constantly fighting with each other for chairmanship, directorship and the position of an abbot. I, Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, Sheng-Yen Lu, know very well what is going on. Although I do not utter a word, deep in my heart I know it well. I sigh from the depth of my heart: these are the “burnt sprouts and spoiled seeds” (incorrigible ones), they are indeed lacking of good fortune and favourable karmic connection. We, the practitioners, have to relinquish our wealth, relinquish our fame and status, relinquish our time, and even relinquish our life, to be completely honest in wanting to actualize our spiritual cultivation. Only then we are considered a true Bodhisattva, but not going all out to earn money, going all out to fight for fame and status! I shall remind all my students seriously:
I always look at those students who are overwhelmed by fame and wealth;I try very hard to hold back my tears and murmur: “Let him go! Let him go!”
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