The Buddha asked Subhuti, “What do you think? Did the Tathagata gain anything at Dipamkara Buddha’s place?”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One. He did not gain anything at Dipamkara Buddha’s place.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Do the bodhisattvas adorn the buddhaverse?”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One. Why? Because adorning is not adorning; it is merely called adorning.”
“That is so, Subhuti. All bodhisattvas and mahasattvas should generate this pure mind; they should not give rise to the mind that dwells on forms, or on sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or anything at all. Instead, they should give rise to the mind that does not dwell on anything.
“Subhuti, if someone has a body as big as Mount Meru, is his body big? What do you think?”
Subhuti replied, “Very big indeed, World-Honored One. However, the Buddha says that only a non-body is called a big body.”
This statement is crucial!
Only buddhanature has true reality
and nothing else.
Every sentient being has never been without it,
so buddhanature is not something to gain.
This is why the Buddha says
there is “nothing to gain.”
October 30, 2021
Now we will discuss chapter ten—Magnificent Pureland. What is a pureland? A pureland is a completely pure place, the abode of the sages, where there is only bliss and absolutely no suffering. In a pureland, there are dharmakaya buddhas, sambhogakaya buddhas, and nirmanakaya buddhas. Amitabha Buddha’s pureland, Sukhavati—the Western Realm of Utmost Bliss—is the pureland most frequently mentioned. [Western Paradise is another commonly known English name.] However, there are many other purelands, like Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Jade Green Profound Pureland, Avalokitesvara’s World of Omnipresence, Medicine Buddha’s Lapis Lazuli Light Realm, and more.
There are four levels of pureland in Sukhavati. The lowest level is the Pureland of Mixed Mundane Beings and Sages, where sentient beings with remaining karma can be reborn. In this pureland, mundane beings are greatly influenced by the sages and can easily rise to a higher realm, becoming sages themselves. The second level is the Abundant Pureland for Convenience, a pureland for nirmanakaya buddhas. The third level is the Magnificent Pureland of Real Rewards, where the sambhogakaya buddhas are. The dharmakaya buddhas are at the highest level, the Pureland of Eternal Serene Light.
The dharmakaya buddhas, the sambhogakaya buddhas, and the nirmanakaya buddhas are all in the purelands. The sages also stay in the purelands. What is meant by magnificent? It means it is utterly pure. Magnificence is purity.
In one of Sakyamuni Buddha’s past lives, he was called Sumeda. He took the lotus blossoms given to him by Sumita, Yasodhara’s previous reincarnation, and offered them to Dipamkara Buddha.
The Buddha asked Subhuti, “What do you think? Did the Tathagata gain anything at Dipamkara Buddha’s place?”
Did he obtain anything at Dipamkara Buddha’s place?
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One. He did not gain anything at Dipamkara Buddha’s place.”
In other words, when Sakyamuni Buddha went to Dipamkara Buddha’s place, did he learn anything? Subhuti replied that the Buddha had learned nothing—he did not gain anything!
Who can give a complete explanation of “he did not gain anything”? Why is there nothing to gain? If you can give a satisfactory answer, then you will “gain” this prayer bracelet. [laughs] Everybody can chant the Vajra Sutra, which is frequently chanted during bardo or any ceremony. Think, why is it that when Sakyamuni Buddha met Dipamkara Buddha, he did not gain anything? Did Dipamkara Buddha not teach anything? [Someone tries to answer but fails.]
Let me tell you then, for this is very significant. If you cannot provide a clear explanation, it means that you have not sufficiently understood it. The Vajra Sutra has been used as a yardstick to determine whether one has reached enlightenment since the time of the Sixth Patriarch [of Zen Buddhism]. One is deemed to have been enlightened if one complies with the Vajra Sutra.
Why does Sakyamuni Buddha say that there is nothing to gain? All sages never gain anything. Anything they gain from any guru anywhere does not count, because it is not a true gain. The only real gain is unattainability [the understanding that everything is unattainable and that there is nothing to gain].
Upon enlightenment, Sakyamuni Buddha made this crucial statement: “All beings in the world embody buddhanature.” Since you innately embody buddhanature, you will always have it in you. Why do you need to gain buddhanature from elsewhere? Buddhanature is not to be gained. In fact, it is impossible to gain buddhanature.
Are you talking about obtaining the light of Dipamkara Buddha [Dipamkara literally means To Set the Light]? Did he ignite the light of your heart? No! Buddhanature is innate within the heart-mind of each sentient being. The Records of Pointing to the Moon speaks of similes analogous to a finger pointing to the moon to show that buddhanature has been there all along. [The finger is analogous to the enlightening teaching, and the moon represents buddhanature.]
You already have it in you, so there is no need to ask for it from anyone. Nothing to ask—that is correct! You must realize your own buddhanature that is innate within you. Even Dipamkara Buddha cannot give you anything, thus the saying, there is nothing to gain.
Pay attention to this meaning, as it is of great importance. Why did Sakyamuni Buddha not gain anything at Dipamkara Buddha’s place? Because there was nothing to gain other than buddhanature, and buddhanature was already within him. This is referred to as “nothing to gain.” Only Subhuti could say,
“No, World-Honored One. He did not gain anything at Dipamkara Buddha’s place.”
This describes our innate state, which has been within us all along. Buddhanature is intrinsically within us; buddhahood is also our very own. You cannot ask for buddhahood from Dipamkara Buddha, nor is it something that Grandmaster can give you. In the future if you attain buddhahood, it is you who attains buddhahood. It is your very own; it is not something to be given or gained.
What can be given are mundane things like prayer bracelets or vajra scepters. Saying, “At Dipamkara Buddha’s place, I got a vajra scepter, so I got something,” does not mean you gained anything, because those are just mundane things that do not last. The only real thing is buddhanature, and you have never been without it. So what else is there to gain?
The Heart Sutra states, “[Knowing] there is nothing to gain, you are a bodhisattva.” You can become a bodhisattva because [you comprehend that] there is nothing to gain.
This statement is the key point: there really is nothing to gain. Subhuti knew it. Yet had I not known it and explained it, you would never have understood the real meaning of this statement. All you know is just the words “nothing to gain.” Everybody can chant these words, and some can even memorize them. Some chant them daily or frequently, yet they do not understand their essential meanings. It is important to comprehend the meaning when you recite the Vajra Sutra.
Whether reciting sutras or practicing buddhadharma, we need to understand their meanings. Most gurus just talk about the words or their literal meanings in their explanations. Like Lian Xu, who tried to answer earlier and said, “The mind of the past is unattainable, the mind of the present is unattainable, and the mind of the future is unattainable.” Nothing is attainable. Most of them would only speak the words as such. They do not know the real reason why Sakyamuni Buddha did not gain anything upon meeting Dipamkara Buddha.
There is a story of a Zen patriarch who went to train with a guru, and upon returning, people inquired about what he had gained from the guru. He said, “I finally got…” to which they asked, “What did you get?” He continued, “I finally knew…” and was asked, “What did you know?” Finally, he said, “I know that the eyes are horizontal and the nose is vertical.” Everybody knows that the eyes are horizontal and the nose is vertical, right? By stating the obvious, he implied that he did not gain anything.
Attaining buddhahood is something that you must do on your own, and it is not to be given by your guru. It is you yourself who attains buddhahood! Grandmaster only points to the moon. My finger points to the moon so you will see the moon. This is what it means.
Sakyamuni Buddha’s teachings (buddhadharma) are full of unsurpassed supreme wisdom. In particular, the Vajra Sutra embodies the supreme wisdom of the Tathagata, which is beyond the comprehension of ordinary beings. This sutra condenses the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, while the Heart Sutra condenses the Vajra Sutra. The Heart Sutra is the shortest, and most people can even memorize it. All three sutras contain the Tathagata’s wisdom, but the quintessence lies in the Heart Sutra and the Vajra Sutra.
If you are truly enlightened, you will immediately understand every sutra you read. Otherwise, you will find any sutra a hindrance. Memorizing or daily chanting of the Heart Sutra or the Vajra Sutra is not as meaningful as having a clear understanding of their meanings. The Sixth Patriarch Huineng was immediately enlightened upon hearing the statement, “The mind that arises should not dwell on anything.” Imagine that, becoming enlightened with only one statement!
“No, World-Honored One. He did not gain anything at Dipamkara Buddha’s place.”
This statement is the key point today. Buddhanature is already in you! And it cannot possibly be obtained. Therefore, there is nothing to gain!
Om mani padme hum.
Why is it that no one can adorn
a bodhisattva, a buddha, or a pureland?
It is because they are inherently magnificent as they are.
They are magnificent
only when they are not deliberately made magnificent.
October 31, 2021
Let us continue to discuss chapter ten—Magnificent Pureland. Here is the question again, and it is astounding. Sakyamuni Buddha asked,
“Do the bodhisattvas adorn the buddhaverse?”
No, the bodhisattvas do not adorn the buddhaverse. There is no adorning in the buddhaverse. Why is adorning not adorning? Because it is merely a term called “adorning.”1莊嚴 is translated as “magnificent” when it is an adjective, to “adorn” as a verb, and “adorning” indicate the act of adorning, and “magnificence” and “adornment” as the noun—when appropriate depending on context. You must understand its meaning and not just read it.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Do the bodhisattvas adorn the buddhaverse?”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One. Why? Because adorning is not adorning; it is merely called adorning.”
Bodhisattvas are inherently magnificent; the buddhas are likewise inherently magnificent. How magnificent is the appearance of a buddha? It is endowed with the thirty-two marks of perfection and eighty minor exemplary characteristics. We all know what the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor marks are.
One of the marks is long earlobes that touch the shoulders. You see, my ears can touch my shoulders. [Grandmaster jokingly raises his right shoulder to touch his right ear.] The eyebrows are like the moon, the eyes are full of wisdom, the nose is like Mount Meru, the mouth is neither big nor small—particularly, not this big [Grandmaster points to his cheeks to show the mouth cannot be that wide]—and the tongue is so long and wide that it can cover the whole face when it sticks out. When standing upright, the hands can reach below the knees. Also, there is the mark of a thousand-spoked wheel on the soles of the feet. These are some of the thirty-two major and eighty minor characteristics of a great man.
The term “magnificence” also refers to a type of external adornment called the six or seven adornments. They include earrings, three strings of mala beads, necklaces, bracelets, and anklets that are sometimes worn [for a ritual].
The bodhisattvas and buddhas are magnificent by nature. The buddhaverse is also innately magnificent.2In this passage, buddhaland and pureland are used interchangeably. When the bodhisattvas arrive in the buddhaverse, as magnificent as they are, they do not add to the magnificence of the buddhaverse. Everything is naturally and inherently magnificent as it is.
As you know, Sukhavati (Amitabha Buddha’s pureland) is adorned with seven-treasure trees, lakes brimming with eight-merit water, and magnificent palaces, pavilions, and terraces made of precious jewels. This realm has no harsh winter or scorching summer, and the temperature is always comfortable. The ground is covered with pure gold, and celestial garments hang from the trees, which you can wear at will. Whatever food you desire appears instantly before you, and you live in luxurious dwellings made of gold or silver. You travel on clouds, which appear at your mere thought.
Everything in this realm is wondrously magnificent and is not adorned or deliberately made magnificent. The magnificence has been there all along. Nothing has been done to it. Everything is magnificent yet not [made] magnificent, and because it is not [made] magnificent, it is magnificent.
Bodhisattvas and buddhas do not need to intentionally create or enhance their magnificence, as they are inherently magnificent as they are. They do not need to adorn themselves with anything, as their intrinsic nature is wondrously magnificent. This also applies to the pureland. Magnificence is not something that needs to be added or created—rather, it is already present in its essence. Thus the very absence of deliberate adornment is what makes them truly magnificent. Because they are not [made] magnificent, they are magnificent. This statement should be clear to you now.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Do the bodhisattvas adorn the buddhaverse?”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One.”
Of course, the bodhisattvas do not adorn the buddhaverse. Why? Such a magnificent buddhaverse is not and cannot be deliberately adorned; it is magnificent as it is. Only then is it called magnificent. This short statement—if not explained clearly—can be mind-boggling. Bodhisattvas, buddhas, and the purelands are inherently magnificent, and no adornments can make them more magnificent.
The phrase “not magnificent is magnificent” means that it is magnificent only when it is not [made] magnificent. If I had not explained this clearly today, no one would understand its real meaning. It was still a very good discourse, even if we only discussed this passage.
Om mani padme hum.
The mind of a bodhisattva
arises without dwelling on anything.
Non-dwelling,
a bodhisattva performs acts of giving
and helps sentient beings without any condition.
They are never mindful that they are a bodhisattva.
November 6, 2021
Let’s discuss chapter ten—Magnificent Pureland and focus on this passage first, as the excerpt following it discusses a different topic.
“All bodhisattvas and mahasattvas should generate this pure mind; they should not give rise to the mind that dwells on forms, or on sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or anything at all. Instead, they should give rise to the mind that does not dwell on anything.”
This passage contains a well-known phrase: “The mind that arises does not dwell on anything.” The Sixth Patriarch Huineng heard his neighbor chanting the Vajra Sutra. Upon hearing this phrase, he understood and was awakened immediately. Aren’t we, with the surname Lu, amazing? The Sixth Patriarch also had the surname Lu and was called Cultivator Lu. He immediately gained enlightenment upon hearing the phrase should give rise to the mind that does not dwell on anything.
In this world, is there anyone who never makes mistakes? The Ksitigarbha Sutra states that any action and thought arising in sentient beings’ minds is karmic. Even the slightest movement of thoughts and emotions creates karma. If you never make any mistakes, please raise your hand. Nobody does because only dead people never make mistakes. Of course, buddhas do not make mistakes, because they give rise to the mind that does not dwell on anything. As for human beings, the only person that can’t make any mistakes is a dead person. They can’t move and just lie there, so of course they don’t make mistakes or generate karma.
It is very difficult to generate a pure mind and give rise to the mind that does not dwell on anything at all. Who can be in the state of no-mind? How can anyone have no mind at all? Every human being has a mind, and they all have thoughts.
I remember hearing a dharma teacher talking about how somebody was chanting “Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha…” [with his eyes closed]. When this person opened his eyes, he saw a beautiful girl walking by and exclaimed, “Amitabha, such a beauty!” He was affected by sight! The thought that arose in his mind dwelled on sight. He continued chanting, “Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha…” and mouth-watering aromas wafted from the kitchen. “Hmm, this is my favorite stinky tofu.” Affected by the sense of smell, a thought arose and dwelled on it. Then he chanted again, “Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha…” and heard a song, “Thinking of you, you are far on the horizon. Thinking of you, you are right in front of my eyes. Thinking of you, you are on my mind. Thinking of you, you are in my heart.” “Such a nice song!” The thought that arose dwelled on sound. Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and anything—these six senses affect your mind. It is the same even for someone who recites Amitabha.
The Buddha said,
“All bodhisattvas and mahasattvas should generate this pure mind; they should not give rise to the mind that dwells on forms, or on sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or anything at all. Instead, they should give rise to the mind that does not dwell on anything.”
It is extremely difficult, but if you can train your mind so that it arises without dwelling on anything, then you are a bodhisattva.
You asked, “Grandmaster, you have five million—meaning very many—disciples. Why don’t you build your own Leizang Temple? Even the Ghost Witch of San Francisco has her own temple. Why can’t you? You can! If you let your disciples know, they’ll make offerings and help pay for it, and then you can have a huge temple. Wouldn’t it be great?” No thought arose upon hearing this, and my mind stayed unaffected. I didn’t dwell on the mind of having my own temple. In fact, I never do. Do you understand what this means?
One may say that I am transmitting buddhadharma. It’s correct that transmitting buddhadharma is also a mind, but after transmitting it, I let it go and forget about it. Since I don’t let it dwell on my mind, my mind is non-dwelling. Someone may ask, “Didn’t you give a dharma teaching? You gave dharma teachings to deliver sentient beings, so didn’t you have the mind to deliver sentient beings?” No, I don’t hold such a mind because after I give my teaching, I forget it. I leave it up to you whether you listen or not.
My mind is non-dwelling as I don’t care how many disciples I have or will have. It’ll always be five million,3Five million in Chinese is five hundred [times] ten thousand. In the Buddhist metaphor, five hundred means many. and it doesn’t increase or decrease. I won’t be affected if all my disciples leave me. It’ll be okay—no problem. My mind doesn’t dwell on any of these things. This is called a non-dwelling mind. If my mind were to dwell on it, I would have wanted to build my own Leizang Temple.4“Leizang” is the name attached to all True Buddha School temples. “Leizang” means Hidden Thunder. I would have built it by now, and I would have named it Sheng-Yen Lu Leizang Temple. It would have been the biggest temple. Is this considered big? No, that is not “big.”
My mind doesn’t dwell on anything. I don’t dwell on fame. What fame is there anyway? Think as if you’re dead already—what does a dead person have? Keep this in mind: if you’re dead, what can you have? Nothing at all. You might be baffled and ask, “Since that’s the case, what are you doing then?” The answer is that I just do what I’m supposed to do.
There is a Chinese idiom, “wu wei er wei,”5無為而為 which means “doing without acting” or “doing without intention and exertion.” This type of effortless and motiveless action is equivalent to giving rise to the mind that does not dwell on anything. My state of mind is such that I do many things, but I don’t dwell on any of them. In other words, no whys. This state of mind is only achievable by a bodhisattva.
Some people perform charitable acts and want to ensure they are known for it. Having done great charity, they checked the television and newspaper afterward. Acting with a motive such as this is not non-dwelling! Instead, you should forget what you’ve done. It’s amazing that Jesus also says, “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” This refers to the mind that arises without dwelling on anything. Remember, you want to be a bodhisattva and thus do things with no motives—not for yourself, others, or any reason at all. You do things not for sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or anything at all. You just do them, yet your mind arises without dwelling on anything. You do them and then forget them.
Back then, Cultivator Lu—the Sixth Patriarch Huineng—was immediately enlightened upon hearing this statement. Yet many people can’t understand it. They don’t understand what it means to give rise to the mind that does not dwell on anything.
This is exactly what Jesus says: “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” Grandmaster Lu is a great adept with a non-dwelling mind. A non-dwelling mind is also called “no-mind.” Grandmaster Lu is a “no-mind cultivator.” Whatever I do, whatever articles I write, I don’t keep in my mind afterward. I have written close to three hundred books, [and published more than three hundred publications including poetry collections, art books, discourses, and more] but I don’t make a big deal out of it or think that I must be remarkable since very few people have written such a quantity of books. I don’t think that way, for such a thought would be incorrect.
Instead, you forget about it after you perform an action. A bodhisattva never dwells on fame and gain. Conversely, people in the world seek fame and gain even when fame is useless—no matter how well-known you are. If your mind still dwells on fame, then you pursue status and recognition. If your mind dwells on gain, then you try to accumulate wealth at the expense of others. It’s simple—if you perform acts of giving without dwelling on fame and gain, then you are a bodhisattva.
My guru instructed me, “Never ever ask for money from anybody. This is your precept!” This is non-dwelling on gain. No matter what, I never ask for money. If I were to ask, I would become a turtle crawling on the ground. If Grandmaster ever opens his mouth and asks for money, then you can point at my nose and say, “You have violated your precept.” Why on earth would I want money?
Likewise, I don’t dwell on fame or name. I seek no reputation, such as wanting to be known as a savior. Such a thought should be abolished. The Ghost Witch wrote in the Purple Lotus Magazine that Jesus told her she was a messiah. Ghost Witch, a messiah?! The idea of being a savior never crosses my mind. It’s good enough that I can save myself. How can you expect to save the world if you can’t even save yourself? Pei! In Tantric Buddhism, we chant the syllable “Pei!” for dispersal. By saying this one syllable, we disperse anything inauspicious.
A bodhisattva gives rise to the mind that does not dwell on anything. If you can do this, then you are a bodhisattva. As a bodhisattva, you still perform acts of giving and help sentient beings, but you do so without any condition—and without dwelling on them in your mind.
Furthermore, even the thought that you are a bodhisattva should be relinquished! Because if you still think that you are a bodhisattva, then you are not a bodhisattva. You are a bodhisattva only when there is no thought of being one. This is the meaning of the Vajra Sutra. It is especially crucial!
Today I have explained the phrase: should give rise to the mind that does not dwell on anything. Whatever you do should be performed without motives or expectations; there are no whys! You just do. Even delivering sentient beings is done without any conditions. This is called the non-dwelling mind. The above is my explanation of this statement.
Om mani padme hum.
What is “big”?
Is Mount Meru big?
Is the whole universe big?
The Buddha said,
“The one who merges with Dao is the biggest.”
November 7, 2021
“Subhuti, if someone has a body as big as Mount Meru, is his body big? What do you think?”
Subhuti replied, “Very big indeed, World-Honored One. However, the Buddha says that only a non-body is called a big body.”
This excerpt is very meaningful, and I will expound on it today. The key point here is the word “big.” What is meant by “big”? In Buddhist cosmology, the universe has Mount Meru at its center, with Trayastrimsa Heaven on its peak. Halfway up Mount Meru are the heavens of the Four Heavenly Kings. At its foot are the four major and eight minor continents, with fragrant seas in between. Mount Meru is, of course, the biggest of all. In this analogy the Buddha used Mount Meru to represent something big.
Is Mount Meru big? If someone were as big as Mount Meru, would he be considered big? Subhuti replied that he would be very big indeed. It is right to say that such a body would be big, but then Subhuti continued to say that the Buddha says that only a non-body is considered a big body. The Buddha emphasizes that only a non-body can be called big. The key point is the word “big.” What is the real meaning of big? Subhuti already answered this—the Buddha says that only a non-body is called a big body. The significance lies in the word “big,” whereas Mount Meru is merely a metaphor.
Is our universe big? Indeed it is! Is our solar system big? Of course! Yet our solar system is just one among numerous others. Imagine that! Just one. Even with advancements in science and technology, we still can’t know the actual size of the universe.
Is the USA big? It is! Is China big? Yes! Is India big? Big, indeed! How about Brazil? Brazil is big as well! Among these nations, who is the most powerful? We dare not say, with the two biggest vying against each other. China and America are in a rivalry to be the most powerful. Everyone wants to be the big boss, the leader! [Grandmaster gestures.] “I am the United States of America, the world’s superpower, and I dominate the world! Many countries listen to me. Who dares not listen?”
The South China Sea is closer to China and further away from America, isn’t it? Yet the United States is still getting involved with the South China Sea. America has been building military bases and sending aircraft carriers there. America hopes to control everything. [joking] We have Avalokitesvara in the South China Sea and the East Sea Dragon King in the East China Sea. There are also Dragon Kings in the Four Seas of China. If the Seas of China become part of America, where will they live? It’s a joke, a modern-day joke!
Seeing what is happening, I find the world is very much like the theme in the famous kungfu novels written by Jin Yong. Everyone wants to be number one and is fighting to be on top! Jin Yong’s depiction of human behavior is quite philosophical. This is not just between countries; even billionaires compete to be the wealthiest. Two rich men don’t see each other eye-to-eye, eh? Amazon’s boss is extraordinarily rich, but so is Tesla’s boss, right? When Amazon’s boss saw Tesla making money designing electric cars, he thought, “What’s the big deal? I can make them too and beat you at it.” Lo and behold, Amazon is now making electric vehicles as well. Both are extremely wealthy, yet they are fighting each other to be the richest.
Not only that, rivalry exists even among religious sects! When you go to Fo Guang Shan, you don’t say that Tzu Chi is better. If you do, everyone will stare at you and exclaim, “What did you just say?!” Likewise, if you go to Tzu Chi and praise Fo Guang Shan, they’ll say, “Where are you from? Are you trying to cause trouble?!” In fact, everyone in this world is striving to be number one.
In the past, there existed the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China. Every Buddhist temple in Taiwan was under its umbrella. After Taiwan’s martial law was lifted, everyone left the association, so it became an empty shell. The True Buddha School Vajrayana Association, Fo Guang Shan, and Tzu Chi also became independent.
Back then, monk ID cards were issued under the association. Grandmaster has a monk ID card issued by Venerable Wu Ming, then president of the association. I still carry it with me, so I am a real monk. Let me see if I have it with me so I can show it to you. If I don’t have it with me—then, oh well. Oh, here it is! The membership card of the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China!
Dharma Name: Lian Sheng
Origin: Chiayi, Taiwan
Name: Sheng-Yen Lu, Male
Birth Date: June 27, 1945
Monk ID No: 002083
[Grandmaster shows the card to the audience.] This is a certification from the association, as monks must have an ordination certificate. Since we are now independent, monkhood certificates are issued through our own True Buddha Foundation. Who is in charge? No one. Everyone is the boss!
Amid all the fighting and contention, let us listen to Sakyamuni Buddha, who says, “The one merging with Dao is the biggest.” If you are in harmony with Dao, then you are the grandest. What kind of body do you have when you are in union with Dao? It is called “non-body” and not a physical body, or a body with form.
Only when you are in union with Dao are you number one! It differs from the kind of first place that mundane beings strive for. Students want to be number one in exams. They must be number one every time due to a strong desire to win. There was a student who became number two and killed himself. What a pity! What use is being the top student? Grandmaster Lu repeated the same grade three times, and yet he founded the True Buddha School. He has many followers—disciples taking refuge in him—and is now sitting on the dharma throne. Let me tell you, you can establish your own sect if you repeat a grade three times! [joking] Being number one is not necessarily good, so don’t fight over it!
The Buddha made the most important last statement, “The one in union with Dao is the grandest.” This is the realm of the intangible! It’s so big that there is no exterior, yet small enough that there is no interior. Only when there is no outside and no inside is it called “big”!
Dao is like that—so big that there is no outside, but also so small that there is no inside. This is what “big” really means. Non-body is without forms and appearances, and only non-body is “big.” Anything with an appearance is small.
So you think you live in a luxurious mansion, eh? Well, how big is it? The size of all the Rainbow Villa buildings is over 16,000 square feet! It’s a huge mansion, right? But there are also houses that are 20,000 square feet, one acre, two acres, or even bigger. Have you seen them? How can you ever compare? You cannot! You think you live in a mansion and therefore are the biggest or the best. You might feel like a big shot when you drive a Rolls-Royce. Let me tell you, there is a Ferrari that costs over a million dollars! A Rolls-Royce costs only half of that. You could buy two Rolls-Royces for the price of one Ferrari. Then there is Lamborghini, which can create a customized car for ten million dollars. Do you still want to compare? The Rolls-Royce is nothing compared to that. There is no need to compare because anything tangible is not big.
The Buddha says, “The one in union with Dao is the biggest.” Non-phenomena is the biggest. Anything tangible, with form and appearance, is therefore small. I have emphasized this for you.
A non-body refers to anything without form and is thus called the “biggest.” What is anything without form or phenomena? It is Dao; it is the buddhanature. You will be the biggest if you cultivate spiritually to the point where you are in the state of non-phenomena, and your buddhanature has appeared.
When reading the Vajra Sutra, do you understand what the Buddha says—only a non-body is called a big body? What is a non-body? A non-body is formless and without any phenomena. And it is the biggest! It is Dao, true suchness; it is buddhanature!
Om mani padme hum.
