“Subhuti, what do you think? If one fills the three-thousand-great-thousand-world with the seven kinds of precious jewels as an act of giving, would his blessings be enormous?”
Subhuti replied, “Enormous, World-Honored One! Why? The Tathagata says his blessings are enormous because they have no characteristics of a blessing.”
The Buddha said, “Should there be someone who upholds this sutra, and furthermore, expounds it to others, even if it is only the four-line verse, his blessings exceed the former. Why? Subhuti! Because all buddhas and all anuttara samyaksambodhi dharma come from this sutra.
“Subhuti, the so-called buddhadharma is not buddhadharma.”
Because you know
there is nothing to gain,
you have no contention.
With no contention,
you are totally at ease and at peace,
and your body and mind
will be healthy.
October 9, 2021
Let us first expound on the title of chapter eight—Dharma Arising Accordingly. It states that all buddhadharma arises from this Vajra Sutra.
In reading the sutra, you must be clear about which part was spoken by Subhuti and which was spoken by the Buddha. The first section was by Sakyamuni Buddha, the second by Subhuti, and the last by Sakyamuni Buddha again. This chapter includes several key points. The first paragraph is about comparison.
Sakyamuni Buddha asked,
“If one fills the three-thousand-great-thousand-world with the seven kinds of precious jewels as an act of giving, would his blessings be enormous?”
Subhuti replied, “Very much so.” Why? Because when the blessings have no characteristics of a blessing, the Tathagata says the blessings are enormous.1福德 is translated as “blessing(s)” and 功德 as “merit.” Merit is more profound and vast, and it includes the understanding of emptiness. While merit includes blessings, blessings do not necessarily include merit—unless one cultivates spiritually, thereby obtaining both blessings and merit. In this chapter, there is a paradoxical verse. There are many verses spoken in this way in the Vajra Sutra.
“…the so-called buddhadharma is not buddhadharma.”
If I don’t explain it, it will be impossible for you to comprehend these topsy-turvy phrases. Grandmaster once had a dialogue with the lay Buddhist Li Bingnan, who was very famous in Taiwan. We regard him as a patriarch of the Pureland Sect. I went to his house, then at 9 Zheng Qi Street, Taichung. In our meeting, we discussed the lay Buddhist Zhang Chengji (Garma C.C. Chang), the translator of the Milarepa biography, The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa.
Zhang got a Ph.D. from the United States and was a disciple of mine. He received refuge empowerment as well as blessings from me. He once came to my house and brought a booklet he wrote entitled “What is Buddhadharma?” I showed the booklet to Li Bingnan, who said, “I want to ask Dr. Zhang Chengji, what is buddhadharma?” Li deemed the question “What is Buddhadharma?” to be misleading. Li regarded everything as buddhadharma, so how could there be anything that is not buddhadharma?
Listen attentively. Everything is buddhadharma! Now let me ask you a question. There is buddhadharma on Earth, but is there buddhadharma on the Moon? [Someone answers, “No.”] No? [Someone else answers, “There is.”] You say there is? Oh well, let me tell you. It is very simple. Buddhadharma exists on Earth because human beings exist. Ailments exist because human beings exist. The eighty-four thousand kinds of dharma exist to remedy the eighty-four thousand kinds of ailments of human beings.2These human ailments refer to both physical and mental ailments, some of which can create afflictions, and some of which are habitual tendencies or ignorance. There are a myriad of ailments that can afflict human beings. Is there buddhadharma on the Moon? There are no humans on the Moon, so there is no need for buddhadharma there. We say there are no humans on the Moon, but it is mentioned in the Buddhist sutras that Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) Bodhisattva stays on the Moon, so there must be buddhadharma on the Moon.
“…the so-called buddhadharma is not buddhadharma.”
If all human beings were sages, there would be no need for buddhadharma. What use would buddhadharma be? It would be of no use. In such a case, the so-called buddhadharma is not buddhadharma.3The buddhadharma is not the buddhadharma as we know it.
Subhuti said if someone were to do tremendous acts of giving and give the seven kinds of precious jewels from three-thousand-great-thousand-world, his blessings would be enormous. But then, why did Subhuti also say that the blessings are enormous only when they have no characteristics of a blessing? This paradoxical phrase is similar to this statement: The so-called buddhadharma is not buddhadharma. And since it is not buddhadharma, it is buddhadharma.
A so-called blessing is not a blessing, and because it is not a blessing, it is a blessing. A so-called blessing has no characteristics of a blessing; therefore, the Tathagata says that the blessings are enormous. The blessings are enormous when they have no characteristics of a blessing. The so-called blessing is not a blessing, and only when it is not a blessing is it a [real] blessing. The statements in the sutra are all similar in this way.
Let me ask you. Who truly has blessings? [Someone answers, “Grandmaster.”] Me?! I have just said that the so-called blessings are not blessings and because they are not blessings, they are blessings. I never think of blessings. Who can obtain the seven kinds of precious jewels of the three-thousand-great-thousand-world? Whoever can obtain them has enormous blessings. But what use are they? They are useless! That’s why they are not blessings. There is no use to them!
Here comes the mention of the four-line verse:
“Should there be someone who upholds this sutra, and furthermore, expounds it to others, even if it is only the four-line verse, his blessings exceed the former.”
What is the four-line verse?
no phenomena of self
no phenomena of others
no phenomena of sentient beings
no phenomena of lifespan
The self, or “I,” does not exist. The other day, we saw Master Lian Yin seated there. Let me ask, where is Master Lian Yin? Non-phenomena of self [no phenomena of him]. It is already explained very clearly. Those childhood or baby pictures of Master Lian Yin—was that Master Lian Yin? The Master Lian Yin who was walking around—was that Master Lian Yin? The Master Lian Yin that was seated there—was that Master Lian Yin? The one that was cremated—was that Master Lian Yin? How about his sariras—was that Master Lian Yin? How about the ashes—were they Master Lian Yin? [None of the above are Master Lian Yin.] This shows that the phenomena of self is nonexistent.
Can you say what he had actually gained? Sariras? Those are just very dense stones—sariras are also called hard stones, very firm stones. So he had gained nothing. In the end it is all empty! This applies not only to Master Lian Yin but to all of us. None of us inherently exist. Hence, phenomena of self and phenomena of others are nonexistent.
I asked Tenzin Gyatso Rinpoche what he will gain a hundred years from now, and he answered that he would gain nothing. If there is nothing to gain, why do you study? He didn’t answer. I told him that he should answer that he studies to gain an understanding of Grandmaster’s teaching. Please be seated. The rinpoche is the youngest one among us here. There is another kid outside who is even younger. Where will we be a hundred years from now? We will all be gone. Grandmaster will be gone, and so will you all. In fact, Grandmaster will disappear in a few short years.
At such a time, nothing is left. What have you gained? Gold? Money? Not after you die. Those are yours only for the time being. When I am in Seattle, all I buy is gasoline because I drive a car, while in Taiwan, I just buy water. As for the rest, nothing is mine—not a single thing. Even the lifespan of my car will be longer than mine. You don’t believe that you gain nothing? Let me emphasize, “Nothing!”
I have explained the non-phenomena of self. Since everyone is in the same boat, it is called the non-phenomena of others. Likewise, since everything and all sentient beings in the cosmos are the same, this is the non-phenomena of sentient beings. So what are you fighting with each other for? This is why Buddhism advocates no contention.
Buddhism teaches non-contention. In this world, people fight with each other because they do not understand the four-line verse.
no phenomena of self
no phenomena of others
no phenomena of sentient beings
no phenomena of lifespan
If you can explain this four-line verse to others, then your blessings and merit will be incredible. Even then, only when the blessings and merit are not blessings and merit will the blessings and merit be blessings and merit. Such are the statements in the sutra.
What does Grandmaster have? You said just now that Grandmaster has great blessings. No! Though it may seem like my blessings are enormous, in fact, I do not have anything. One time, Master Thubten Dargye said to me, “You have great fortune, but I do not. You have the Rainbow Villa. Can you give it to me?” I said sure. Then he wrote, “Sheng-Yen Lu gave me his Rainbow Villa,” and told me to sign it. I did and stamped it. He said, “I am going to take this letter and become the boss of the Rainbow Villa.”
Why did I give it to him just like that? After all, I spent lots of money to build that huge premises, the homa hall, the five retreat cabins, and even the outdoor bathrooms. Shimu and I built them on the land we bought. Yet I was very generous and gave it to Master Thubten Dargye. I knew he would never get it anyway [laughs]. Not only would he not get it, but I would also not get it—nobody would, in fact. Is the villa really mine? I only go there to conduct ceremonies. Other people are managing it now, and they just give me some offerings as a gesture. But I am not sad. Why? Because I know there is “nothing gained.”
Because you know there is nothing to gain, you don’t have any contention. If you have a mindset of no contention, you are totally at ease and at peace, and your body and mind will be healthy.
Why do people have so many kinds of mental ailments? Because they think that they can gain or own something. If you know that there is nothing to gain, you will have no ailments. Why do siblings fight for an inheritance? When a person is already in heaven, his money is still in the bank, his brothers are fighting for his money, and his wife is in another man’s arms.
Is there anything that belongs to you? Think carefully and clearly. Nothing belongs to you! When you realize that there really is nothing to gain—including blessings, then we can say that blessings are not blessings. When blessings are not blessings, they are blessings. [When you know that blessings are not blessings, you gain real blessings. Likewise, when you know that merit is not merit, you gain real merit.]
Buddhadharma is not buddhadharma; therefore, it is buddhadharma. These kinds of riddle-like paradoxical phrases are all over the sutra. If I don’t explain it, you won’t understand why Sakyamuni Buddha says that the so-called buddhadharma is not buddhadharma. Is buddhadharma not buddhadharma—why is it not? It is quite baffling that he says that buddhadharma is buddhadharma only when it is not buddhadharma. The Buddha says that buddhadharma is not buddhadharma, and only when it is not buddhadharma, it is buddhadharma. He also says the same thing about blessings and merit.
Today I explained this very clearly. This is the most important sentence in the Heart Sutra:
[Knowing] there is nothing to gain, you are a bodhisattva.
Because you comprehend that there is nothing to gain, your mind is at ease, and you have no contention whatsoever. You can then be in meditative stability. Since [you comprehend] there is nothing to gain, you are a bodhisattva. A bodhisattva becomes a bodhisattva due to this realization. If you want to become a bodhisattva, you must first realize that there is nothing to gain. This is the key point of the Vajra Sutra.
Buddhadharma arises. Why does buddhadharma arise? It arises to remedy the eighty-four thousand kinds of illnesses and afflictions that humans have. If there are no humans, there is no need for buddhadharma. If everyone is a sage, there is no need for buddhadharma. [In this case,] buddhadharma is not buddhadharma. How does buddhadharma arise? From the Vajra Sutra. Do you understand?
No notion of self, no notion of others, no notion of sentient beings, and no notion of lifespan are the four non-phenomena spoken by Sakyamuni Buddha.
If you genuinely comprehend these four non-phenomena and truly eliminate all kinds of phenomena, you will be completely at peace and at ease. My mind is serene because I know there is nothing to gain. Whether I gain a lot or a little, whether my blessings are enormous or few, I remain equally at peace. If you have this kind of mindset, you become unperturbed and can live your life with total ease. If you have money, you give it away to create so-called blessings. However, so-called blessings are not blessings—only when they are not blessings are they called blessings. All the statements are like this. This is the way it is, and it applies to everything.
The key is to simply be a bodhisattva! This realization leads one to become a bodhisattva, an arhat, a pratyekabuddha, or a buddha. The Vajra Sutra serves as the basis for this understanding, as it has the power to destroy all notions and everything. In the beginning there is nothing, and then everything arises from it. That’s all there is to it. [Let me recap now.]
“Subhuti, what do you think? If one fills the three-thousand-great-thousand-world with the seven kinds of precious jewels as an act of giving, would his blessings be enormous?”
Subhuti replied, “Enormous…”
This one is very easy to explain. An act of giving seven kinds of precious jewels from the three-thousand-great-thousand-world for charity of course generates tremendous blessings.
“…his blessings are enormous because they have no characteristics of a blessing.”
This part is harder to understand, but I have explained it just now. The Buddha states that the blessings are enormous when they are not blessings—because the so-called blessings are not [real] blessings. They are [real] blessings only when they have no characteristics of a blessing.
“Should there be someone who upholds this sutra, and furthermore, expounds it to others, even if it is only the four-line verse…”
The four-line verse is no phenomena of self, no phenomena of others, no phenomena of sentient beings, and no phenomena of lifespan. The non-phenomena of sentient beings relates to the space dimension, and the non-phenomena of lifespan relates to the time dimension.
There was no concept of time or spatial dimension before they were invented by human beings. How big is the universe? Nobody knows. You cannot even go beyond the solar system. Do you know how big the universe is? In the past we said, “The heaven is round and the earth is square, execute the nine laws…”4天圓地方, 律令九章 is often used as the beginning of a mantra in Taoist practices. The sky was round while the earth was square [flat], so if you kept walking to the edge, you would fall off. That was the wrong concept! We now know the earth is not flat.
How big or small is the universe? It cannot be measured. It is immeasurable, unknowable. That is the realm of the unspeakable. How big is the whole cosmos? It is unspeakable. Last time someone asked me, “Grandmaster, do you know where your emanated bodies go to?” I went home and asked the buddhas and bodhisattvas, “How should I explain it?” They told me it is unspeakable—that is the realm of the unspeakable. Where do my emanated bodies go to? They go to Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and many more places. Whether the dharma bodies give dharma teaching in your dreams or otherwise, that is the realm of the unspeakable or indescribable. How many emanated bodies does Grandmaster have? It is unspeakable.
In the novel Journey to the West, when the Monkey King plucked his hairs and blew his breath on them, they all became Monkey Kings. How many Monkey Kings were there? Let me ask you, how many strands of hair do you have? We cannot say. How many skin pores do you have in your body? It is unspeakable. Many things inside the human body cannot be put into words. How many emanated bodies are there? All the buddhas and bodhisattvas told me that this is unspeakable—inconceivable. When you emanate a body, are you aware? Are you aware of the dharma teachings that your emanation bodies give? Although sometimes Grandmaster knows, this is the realm of the unspeakable.
Let me tell you something very interesting. Someone gave me a scorpion t-shirt recently. Do you know what a scorpion t-shirt is? Let me show you. This is my undershirt—a shirt with a scorpion5The wrathful form of Padmasambhava, known as Guru-drag-po or Padma-drag-po, is depicted as holding a scorpion in his left hand. It is also an emblem of the wrathful Phur-pa, as the scorpion took on a strong symbolic meaning in the early development of the Nyingma school. printed on it. A disciple had a dream that a scorpion bit her hands. She asked, “What kind of dream is this? Why was I bitten?” I told her, “Because I am wearing a scorpion shirt. That’s why you dreamt of a scorpion.” Very few people know of me wearing this scorpion shirt because it is worn underneath, right? Yet she had a dream about a scorpion. She said she never thought of scorpions, and I rarely thought of scorpions as well because we don’t see them around here. There are a lot of places where one can see scorpions, but not here. Her dream of a scorpion was a sign of a yogic response.
Emanation bodies are very strange. When I close my eyes, I know where I am. Do not think that I am drowsing on the dharma throne; I only appear that way because I have no thoughts—I am in the state of no-thought. I do not chant together with everybody because I am in the state of no-thought; my mind is beyond single-pointedness [as it was gone]. I start out in meditation, and then I drift off. Don’t see it as mere sleep, because when I fall asleep, I—my soul—leave my body. I do many things before coming back. You might think I am just dozing off, but my soul has left my body. I soul-travel to places, and I know what I am doing as I am lucidly aware. This is a delicate matter, an unspeakable state.
Let me tell you, nothing is yours! Someone told Grandmaster in the past, “I’m very tight on money, so can you loan me some?” I said sure, and I gave him all my savings. He prepared a cloth bag and put the money inside it. As he was walking away, he threw a sideway glance at me. I said to myself, “There’ll be no turning back.” [A Chinese expression that means “by the time you realize, it’s too late.”] I saw his back as he carried the bag away, and I have not seen him again to this day. Lian Zhu, Lian Shi, you know him, right? The person with the surname Pan. I’ve never seen him since he left with that bag of money. Just like the saying goes, with that turn of the head, it would be as if hundreds of years had passed. I still remember it but never intended to get it back or look for him. He took it, so let him have it; besides, it’s not mine anyway. [Grandmaster means that he does not own anything in the end, so he sees the money as not his.] Do you understand?
Om mani padme hum.
The four-line verse—
no phenomena of self,
no phenomena of others,
no phenomena of sentient beings,
and no phenomena of lifespan
—generates the greatest blessings and merit.
October 10, 2022
We will now discuss chapter eight.
“If one fills the three-thousand-great-thousand-world with the seven kinds of precious jewels as an act of giving, would his blessings be enormous?”
…
“Should there be someone who upholds this sutra, and furthermore, expounds it to others, even if it is only the four-line verse, his blessings exceed the former.”
The Vajra Sutra contains numerous comparisons and analogies. Here is an example of a comparison. First is an act of giving the seven kinds of precious jewels to fill the three-thousand-great-thousand-world. Second is expounding the four-line verse—no phenomena of self, no phenomena of others, no phenomena of sentient beings, and no phenomena of lifespan. The latter will generate blessings much greater than the former.
Let me first elaborate on giving. There are three types of giving. The first type is giving wealth or material things to generate blessings, such as filling the three-thousand-great-thousand-world with the seven precious jewels as an act of giving. The second type is giving dharma, which involves sharing, speaking, or teaching dharma to others. Sharing buddhadharma with others is also an act of giving, and its blessings are greater than the blessings of giving money or material things. The third type is the greatest form of giving: it is to give fearlessly, which entails impartiality in giving and generosity. Only a bodhisattva gives fearlessly.
Yesterday I mentioned an old disciple of mine who borrowed money from me. I gave away all my savings without a second thought. That was called giving fearlessly. I gave it all and never expected anything in return. I had no idea how he would use the money. Perhaps he used it for charity, good deeds, or other positive endeavors. In my opinion, money should be spent; otherwise, it is just paper—no different from toilet paper. So he helped me spend it since I rarely spend any money anyway. [You may say,] Grandmaster, since you don’t spend your money, why don’t you let me spend it for you? Sure, if you use it for charity! You see, I had some savings that I never used. When he took it, it was as though he helped me spend it. I will not ask for repayment; nor will I pursue him. With this mindset, I give fearlessly and equally.
You should adopt this mindset too! Does any money truly belong to you in this world? No, it is merely by chance that you have it. If someone helps you spend it, you should be grateful. Just think that other people take away your belongings to do good deeds. Giving fearlessly and impartially is akin to an act of a bodhisattva who always thinks for the sake of others.
This is in line with the teachings of my guru, Jesus. If someone takes your outer garments, you should willingly offer them your undergarments.6A humorous rephrase from Luke 6:29—“If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.” In doing so, you will be left completely bare. [laughs] The fearless giving of Jesus embodies the essence of a bodhisattva. On the night before his capture and crucifixion, how did he pray to God? He implored, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” This showcased his greatness. Jesus demonstrated fearlessness, equality, and forgiveness in his actions. Such is the spirit of Jesus!
The Vajra Sutra speaks on equality and fearlessness. You must train yourself to perform the three types of giving. Giving dharma is better than giving wealth, and giving fearlessly and equally is much greater than giving dharma. It is crucial to comprehend these comparisons because the spirit of the bodhisattva is truly remarkable. In our spiritual cultivation, we should embody the qualities of a bodhisattva and strive to achieve bodhisattvahood.
In today’s discourse, I would like to clearly explain chapter eight—Dharma Arising Accordingly. This chapter includes various comparisons, such as giving the seven precious jewels versus giving dharma. Let me add an even greater form of giving—giving with equanimity and fearlessness. Giving wealth is great, giving dharma is greater, and giving equally and fearlessly is the greatest form of giving.
If everyone were to practice giving impartially and fearlessly, it could lead to world peace. Confucius envisioned a world of harmony and great unity, transforming our world into a pureland. In such a world, individuals think of others before themselves, and there are no conflicts, disputes, contentions, jealousy, envy, and the like among people.
The spirit of Buddhism discourages envy and jealousy, and it does not promote self-grasping or self-interest. If we still envy others who do better than us, we still cling to a sense of self. Only when we can forsake ourselves and solely think for the sake of others will we truly reach the state of no-self. We become bodhisattvas who work selflessly for the benefit of others. Bodhisattvas never think or do anything to benefit themselves, but instead always help others without expecting anything in return.
Look at the world around you. On television, we see people mostly concerned with their own benefits and interests. This self-centered attitude is pervasive in individuals, families, and even countries. In contrast, Buddhism emphasizes the importance of world harmony as part of its teachings. Buddhadharma teaches us unconditional loving-kindness and compassion for all as we aspire toward bodhisattvahood. We should abandon a self-centered mindset. Envy and jealousy, in particular, should be avoided at all costs.
Everyone should always think for the welfare of others. I always remind those who take the bodhisattva vows to never consider themselves and think for the sake of others instead. Bodhisattvas should generate bodhicitta and constantly put themselves in other people’s shoes, exchanging places with others. If you were that person, what would you do? Always think this way! This is what it means to generate bodhicitta and embody the spirit of a bodhisattva.
Exchanging places with others is one of the methods to generate bodhicitta. Guru Serlingpa transmitted to Guru Atisa the practice of bodhicitta generation, which includes exchanging places with others. This teaches you to become a bodhisattva. Always put yourself in others’ shoes and think for their sake.
Be a bodhisattva! You can make the bodhisattva vows and learn the spirit of the bodhisattvas. Like a bodhisattva, you help others and even forsake yourself. A bodhisattva has no self! A state where the notion of “self” no longer exists is considered an attainment. However, since the self does not exist, attainment, too, is nonexistent. Only in such a case can it truly be called attainment, as described in the Vajra Sutra.
In chapter eight’s comparison, giving dharma is considered superior to giving money, while giving equally and fearlessly surpasses giving dharma. The comparison Sakyamuni Buddha mentioned in chapter eight is crucial. The comparison states that explaining the four-line verse alone is much more worthy than giving enormous wealth. Combining impartial and fearless giving with explaining the four-line verse is even better, making everything perfect.
Why do we have all kinds of wars? Wars and conflicts happen because countries only act in their own interests. Why can’t they consider the other countries as well? I saw a news story about a person who had many cats, and they made a mess in the neighborhood. A neighbor complained, and the cats’ owner got angry, blocking the neighbor’s door with trash. It was recorded on the surveillance camera. The neighbor could not leave the house and had to call the police. The cats’ owner was very selfish; he should have thought about how his cats littered the area and been more considerate of his neighbors. Such selfishness can happen to countries and their leaders as well.
As Buddhists, we should not judge or criticize others. Life is short, and it is like a movie. When we see others pass away, we feel emotional. It is not because we feel for them but because we are reminded that we might be next. So why fight? Instead of fighting, let’s focus on giving equally and fearlessly!
Om mani padme hum.
