Book: The Annotated True Buddha Sutra

Day 11

Discourse No. 11:
(January 7th, 1989)

The Holy Revered One of great compassion,
the Secret One who is most supreme,
had attained Enlightenment in the past,
and transcended all worldly passions.
He now establishes the True Buddha World,
showering compassion on all living beings.
Transforming Himself into a Pure Land Founding Buddha,
He descends into the Saha World.
With Lian-sheng as His name,
He announces and proclaims the Dharma to all.
We have now all heard and
shall vow to protect and uphold His Dharma.

I will discuss the verses today. Let me first read aloud. "The Holy Revered One of great compassion, the Secret One "who is most supreme, had attained Enlightenment in the past, and transcended all worldly passions. He now establishes the True Buddha World, showering compassion on all living beings. Transforming Himself into a Pure Land Founding Buddha, He descends into the Saha World. With Lian-sheng as His name, He announces and proclaims the Dharma to all. We have now all heard and shall vow to protect and uphold His Dharma"

In the first verse of "The Holy Revered One of great compassion," the "great compassion" refers to an expansive and boundless salvation and deliverance. Why is it not a "little compassion"? A little compassion also exists. Most people do have a "little compassion" in them. For example, when a person figures out a good way to make money, he will keep it to himself and not tell anyone else about it. Like our Master Chao Shao-tung, who is now a real estate agent: if he knows a certain area is more profitable, he will not share the knowledge with a second or a third agent. He has his reasons for doing business this way. If he told others about all these good tips, how would he make a living?

Why is the Holy Revered One a great compassionate one? I know of the existence of a place called the Maha Twin Lotus Ponds in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss [Sukhavati], and I know of a method of cultivation that may enable one to go there. I could have just gone there myself and not bothered to tell anyone about it! To put it in more down-to-earth terms: food is so bountiful there that it will never be exhausted; the palaces there are gorgeous; the attendants there are so numerous that one may go there alone and become king. Although I have such knowledge, I do not want to keep it a secret to myself. I want everyone to know of this place and the procedure to be able to go there. This is great compassion.

I do not feel that the Maha Twin Lotus Ponds belong to me only, that no one else is allowed to go there. Several of our school's masters, however, are exhibiting the opposite kind of behavior. For example, a master will stake out a certain area in the south and, when a master in the north goes to teach in the south, the former will accuse the latter of invading his territory, or vice versa. If a student from the north goes to a local chapter in the south for group cultivation, he is regarded as a spy. Actually such distinctions should not be made among the True Buddha students. We have to go beyond a "little compassion" and engender the "great compassion." One should not consider a certain territory as exclusively one's own and regard anyone else going there as an invader who will steal one's harvest. Unlike ordinary secular people who only have a "little compassion," which is actually based on an egotistic mind, we spiritual cultivators have to develop great compassion. This is the meaning behind "the Holy Revered One of great compassion."

The second verse is "the Secret One who is most supreme" This demonstrates the unexcelled aspects of our school. Why is it called "the Secret One"? Very early on, while I was in Taiwan, I was already aware of the identity of my previous existence, but I kept it a secret. It was only after moving to the United States that I started revealing this secret in my books. It was a secret in the past but, after disclosing it, it is no longer a secret. The phenomenon of one becoming more and more revered by others is an indication of the supreme qualities inherent in oneself.

This phrase, "had attained Enlightenment in the past" means that I attained Buddhahood a long time ago in the past. I know that I, in my former existence, was very intimate with the Great Sun Tathagata (Vairocana Buddha) and also with the Buddha Eyes Buddha Mother. My relationship with Amitabha is like that between a father and son - this is getting mystical. Shakyamuni Buddha and I are almost like brothers, and Maitreya Bodhisattva is like an uncle. And there is practically no distinction between Padmasambhava and me. So, in a way, it is as if we are all in the same family. This is the meaning behind "had attained Enlightenment in the past."

Do not think that I am wallowing in self-aggrandizement. Are you thinking to yourself, "The Grand Master is usually very humble, but now he is claiming again that he is the greatest?" Actually, all of you are the same. As long as you practice cultivation and attain Enlightenment, you will also become a family member to all of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Since Enlightenment had already been attained in the past, it is possible to depart from all worldly desires and transcend the Saha World.

"He now establishes the True Buddha World." This means that the realm of the Maha Twin Lotus Ponds has been transformed into the True Buddha World.

The following phrase again states the great compassion Padmakumara has for this Saha World and all of the sentient beings. Many people have been puzzled by this phrase "Transforming Himself into a Pure Land Founding Buddha" People have asked me, "Grand Master, are you not a founder of a school? Why is there this reference to a Pure Land Founding Buddha?" Some people interpreted this claim as a denigration of Shakyamuni Buddha. This, however, is my explanation: Shakyamuni Buddha is the founding father of Buddhism in this Saha World; Amitabha Buddha is the founding father of the World of Ultimate Bliss to the west; Medicine Buddha is the founding father of the Lapis Lazulis World to the east; the great Sun Tathagata Vairocana Buddha is the founding father of the All-Conquering Palace in the Dharma Realm. The Five Transcendent Buddhas are all founding fathers. That is why White Mahapadmakumara is going to be the founding father of the True Buddha World. Each of the many worlds previously listed has its own founding father. The All-Conquering, Wonderful Treasure, Round Pearl, Sorrowless, and Pure Rest all have founding fathers. The founding father of Buddhism in the Saha World is Shakyamuni, and there is no attempt whatsoever to usurp Shakyamuni Buddha's place. Do not get nervous! Many students of our school as well as of other schools get quite excited over this. They worry that, if Sheng-yen Lu wants to become a founder in the Saha World, what happens to Shakyamuni Buddha?

"With Lian-sheng as his name,"Lian-sheng is lotus born, with "birth by transformation through the lotus" as his name.

"He announces and proclaims the Dharma to all." Thus begins the mission of dissemination of the Buddhadharma, the proclamation and widespread teaching of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma, to all beings in the world.

Those who have come to hear the teachings have now heard it and they all want to participate in the mission and lend their utmost support to the True Buddha World, the True Buddha School, and the True Buddha Tantric Dharma.

We will stop here today.

Om Mani Padme Hum

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