Issue 300

So that they renounce the deviant view and deviant knowledge and return to the proper view and proper knowledge. But one or two out of ten still cling to their bad habits; they have not completely eradicated them yet. For them, I, Shakyamuni Buddha, again divide into thousands of billions of bodies and use numerous additional expedient means, setting up many, many Dharma Doors. Those with keen roots, meaning people with deep and profuse good roots, will listen and immediately believe. They are brilliant and sharp and have much wisdom. Once they hear the Dharma spoken, they believe it.

Those with good retributions will respond to assiduous exhortation and strive to succeed. Maybe they have done good deeds and planted good causes in their past lives, that lead to favorable consequences; they will respond to assiduous exhortation to succeed. Assiduous means unremitting persistence. It is not persuading someone just once, but rather, repeatedly. For instance, when we are intent on crossing over (delivery to salvation) someone, we do not just try it once and give up. If it does not work on one try, we try again. If it does not work the second time, we keep trying. For example, for people living far away, you need to write more letters telling them about the Buddha dharma. For people living close by, you should interact with them more often and explain the Buddha’s teachings to them.

You should bring forth the resolve to convert people instead of being converted. For instance, originally you wanted to convert someone to believe in the Buddha, but then he pulls you into Christianity. Originally you were going to convert people to Buddhism, but you end up being turned by others and start believing in Catholicism. This is about being converted. If you can convert others, you have some power of concentration. If you are converted by others, you have no power of concentration. So, assiduous implies not being lazy.

For example, we can think of friends who are good to us and relatives who are very kind, then we resolve to urge them to believe in the Buddha and to study the Buddhadharma. To achieve this resolve, we need to be unremittingly persistent. It is not doing it for just one time, but multiple times. This time, if I fail to make them understand, I will do it again and again. In short, resolve to convert others into believing in the Buddha and continue to do so until they become Buddhas. Vows are fulfilled that way.

Those who are dim and dull, refers to those who are foolish and deluded, and do not have wisdom, will return to the proper after lengthy period of teaching and transformation. Lengthy period means a long period of time, not merely once, twice, three times or five times. In ‘assiduous exhortation’, you can count the number of times. Whereas “lengthy period” can be a stretch of two days, three days, five days, one month, two months, three months, five months, one year, two years, three years, or five years. I will remain committed to a long-term goal to teach you, persevering until you believe in the Buddha. This is about teaching someone for a long time until he or she return to take refuge with the Triple Jewel. Those whose offense karma is heavy will not show any respect. They fundamentally do not respect Buddhism.

All those different kinds of beings are distinct. Every person has his or her own causes and effects, karmic responses, and varying differences. To take across and liberate all these living beings, I, Shakyamuni Buddha, also divide into many division bodies.

I may appear in a male body. I may appear in a female body. I may appear in the body of a god or dragon. I may appear in the body of a spirit or ghost. I may appear as a mountain, a forest, a stream, a meadow, a spring, a river, a lake, a fountain, or a well in order to benefit people. I use all these ways to save beings. I may appear in the body of God Shakra. I may appear in the body of Lord Brahma. I may appear in the body of a Wheel-Turning King. I may appear in the body of a lay person. I may appear in the body of a national leader. I may appear in the body of a prime minister. I may appear in the body of an official. I may appear in the body of a Bhikshu, a Bhikshuni, a Upasaka, a Upasika, and so forth up to the body of a Hearer, an Arhat, a Pratyekabuddha, or a Bodhisattva in order to teach and rescue beings. It is not that I appear to them only in the body of a Buddha.

I may appear in a male body to take across and liberate these living beings.  I may appear in a female body. I may appear as a handsome man to cross over all women. Or I may appear as a beautiful woman to cross over all men. The Buddha understands living beings’ desires. He knows how living beings take pleasure in the gender subject of men and women. Hence, the Buddha manifests and teaches living beings according to the nature of their faculties.  I may appear in the body of a god or dragon to take across and liberate gods and dragons. I may appear in the body of a spirit or ghost. Shakyamuni Buddha may appear in the body of a god with great awesome virtue or a great ghost king.

I may appear as a mountain, a forest, a stream, a meadow, a river, a lake, a fountain, or a well, to benefit people. You see! Earth Store Sutra says a mountain, a forest, a stream or a meadow are all transformations of the Tathagata’s Dharma Body. Perhaps we are right now sitting on Shakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma Body, but we do not realize it. Let’s take San Francisco as an example. The Buddha has made San Francisco appear a long time ago to benefit living beings, so that people may live here.

Although the sutra only mentions how the Buddha manifests as mountains, forests, streams, and meadows, do not presume that the plains are not the Buddha’s Dharma Body. The plains are too. Perhaps we are now sitting on top of the Buddha’s Dharma Body? Why do we not see the Buddha’s Dharma Body? It is because we are like ants. When the ants are on the ground or on a human body, they do not see the whole body of the person. Since we are like tiny bugs on the Buddha’s Dharma Body, we do not know where his Dharma Body is. Actually, we are on his Dharma Body but do not know it. Shakyamuni Buddha may appear as a river, a pond, a spring, or a well. In general, the Buddhas manifest as such to benefit people.

I use all these ways to save beings. The Buddha makes a mountain appear, so as you stroll in the mountains and absorb the energy there, your Bodhi resolve comes forth. Or you may breathe in some fresh air in the forest without realizing that this is the air of the Buddha’s Dharma Body. All the air filling up the space is the Buddha’s qi. So, when you breathe in the Buddha’s qi, you will surely be enlightened.

Do not be attached to the notion that no one will attain enlightenment 500 years after the Buddha’s nirvana. Even 5,000 years after the Buddha’s nirvana, there will be people who become enlightened. The only concern is that you do not truly cultivate. If you truly cultivate, I can guarantee that you will surely attain enlightenment. How about buying some insurance now. When you get enlightened, I will pay you a certain amount of money. However, once you become enlightened, you would not want that money, so I end up with the profit.

The Buddha may appear as a river. When you bathe in the river, you feel very comfortable, and eventually become enlightened. Likewise, Shakyamuni Buddha may appear as a pond or a well. When you drink the water from the well, your resolve for the Way will grow day after day. These are all inconceivable states. In summary, every action and every move of the Buddha is to benefit people so that they get cross over and liberated.

Shakyamuni Buddha may appear in the body of God Shakra. For instance, when you are sitting in meditation, a heavenly god may come bow to you and say that he is God Shakra from the heavens. Why does he bow to you? He wants you to develop a steadfast resolve for the Way and forge ahead with vigor and diligence.

He may appear in the body of Lord Brahma or the body of a Wheel-Turning King. A Wheel-Turning King has a multitude of treasures. He has a flying vehicle. At present time, going to the moon in space rockets takes a very long time. Wheel-Turning King’s flying vehicle can travel throughout the three thousand great thousand worlds within an hour. Not only can it reach the moon and the planets, but it can also reach anywhere in no time at all. Wheel-Turning King also has a treasure of jewels. Wherever he is, when he says, “I need money”, the ground will break open with as much gold as he needs and as many precious gems as he needs. Why does he have these kinds of treasures? It is due to his great blessings. All the precious gems are prepared for him. He owns everything in the world.

Wheel-Turning King also has a treasure of horses. These horses also move faster than rockets. Wheel-Turning King also has a treasure of women. He likes women. They appear wherever and whenever he calls for their presence. He has such terrific blessings that he gets whatever he wants. Anything he wishes, he gets. He never experiences the suffering of not getting what he wants. The Buddha appears as a Wheel-Turning Sage King to enable all beings who saw his appearance to bring forth their resolve for Bodhi.

The Buddha may appear in the body of a lay person. Perhaps one of the laypeople here is a manifestation of Shakyamuni Buddha. You never know. Don’t think it is impossible. Laity is part of this too. He may appear in the body of a national leader, such as an emperor, or in the body of a prime minister, the highest official. He may appear in the body of an official. He may appear in the body of a Bhikshu, a Bhikshuni, a Upasaka, or a Upasika, collectively called the fourfold assembly, and so forth up to the body of a Hearer, an Arhat, a Pratyekabuddha, or a Bodhisattva to teach and rescue beings. The Buddha appears in various manifestations all for the sake of teaching and transforming living beings. It is not that Shakyamuni Buddha appears only in the body of a Buddha to transform and liberate beings.