The Lesser Vehicle, Great Vehicle, and Ultimate Vehicle
There are many methods in practicing Buddhism. The Lesser Vehicle practices “eradicating afflictions.” The Great Vehicle (Maha-yana) “transforms afflictions.” In the Ultimate Vehicle, “afflictions are bodhi.” Each method is centered on the mind. In the end, they all enable sentient beings to attain unsurpassed complete enlightenment.
Those who practice the Lesser Vehicle take afflictions as real; therefore, they must exterminate them. They still have the concept of subject and object; therefore, there is still attachment to the dharmas. They only realize the emptiness of self and enter into partial nirvana.
Those who practice the Great Vehicle use the method of “transformation (of the mind)” because they understand that amid our afflictions, there is our inherent Buddha Nature. It is like forging steel from iron. The nature of steel is within the wrought iron. If we throw away the pieces of iron, we will not be able to refine the steel. Similarly, “there is no water besides the waves.” Therefore, in Mahayana, bodhisattvas cultivate the myriad good practices of the Six Paramitas. By benefiting self and others, they transform afflictions, and return to their pure inherent nature. Just as when we practice charity for a long time, we will naturally diminish greed. By contemplation of compassion, anger will naturally subside. When we are diligent in the cultivation of actions, speech, and mind, we can overcome sloth. When the mind is scattered and confused, we must use samadhi to overcome delusive thoughts. This is known as “transformation.”The last of the Six Paramitas is “prajna.” Prajna overcomes ignorance. Our mind is filled with ignorance and confusion; it easily forms attachments to the external environment. If we can reflect inward, without falling into dualism, without the concept of subject and object, and attain “triple emptiness,” we will attain prajna paramita. We can then face each encounter with clarity and mindfulness, thereby extinguish all our afflictions.
In the Ultimate Vehicle, we neither transform our afflictions nor extinguish them; our mind is originally pure and lucid. This mind is inherent in everyone; we do not need to seek it externally. This is the Chan School’s principle of “affliction is bodhi; birth and death (samsara) is nirvana.” (TOP)
The bodhi mind is not found externally
The Diamond Sutra says, “All dharmas are equal; none is superior or inferior.” Whichever method we practice, in the end it returns to the bodhi mind. The bodhi mind is our fundamental mind and nature, our inherent awareness. It is not bestowed by our parents, demons, spirits, a god, or even bodhisattvas. It is inherent in everyone. Therefore, the bodhi mind is most real and ever-present.
The bodhi mind is replete within us. If we look for it elsewhere, we will not find it. Just as a Chan patriarch said, “To move the mind is to err, to raise a thought is to stray.” As soon as we look for it, we lose it; it is like looking for an ox while riding an ox; we are already sitting on its back, but we do not know it. It is also like looking for a shadow at midday. At this moment, when you are listening to this teaching, the mind that does not raise a single thought is the profound and clear bodhi mind. A mind with no-thought is the mind of total clarity, knowing, and awareness, without a single bit of delusion, drowsiness, or scattered thoughts. When we realize this mind that is unborn and undying, we attain enlightenment.
Once there was a female Chan practitioner who traveled all over the country to study the Dharma, scaling mountains to seek an enlightened teacher. Unsuccessful and exhausted, she finally returned to her native village. As she was leaning on the plum tree by the roadside to rest, she suddenly attained enlightenment and uttered the following verse:
Straw sandals treading cloud covered peaks
Seeking spring everywhere.
In vain, I returned
To the fragrance of plum blossoms—
On the treetops is spring in full glory.
“Spring” represents the bodhi mind. The poem describes a person who suffers great hardships to seek a wise teacher but still cannot attain enlightenment. However, when this mind is no longer seeking everywhere, when we let go of body and mind and come to a complete state of rest, we attain enlightenment. “In vain, I returned/To the fragrance of plum blossoms/On the treetops is spring in full glory.” When we smell the fragrance of the plum blossom, we realize that theWay has always been here. This mind that can see and smell is ever-present.
The Venerable Po Lo Ti also said, “In the eyes it is the seeing; in the ears it is the hearing; in the nose it is the smelling; in the mouth it is the speaking; in the hands it is the grasping; in the feet it is the walking.” This awareness that sees the plum blossom and smells its fragrance is inherent in us. It is neither more in the saint nor less in the ordinary person. In those who have not attained enlightenment, it is not a bit less; in those who are enlightened, it is not a bit more. That is the bodhi mind. (TOP)
Five kinds of bodhi
There is a Chan saying, “One may cultivate for billions of kalpas, but enlightenment takes only an instant.” Knowing this, we still need to strive everyday to bring forth the bodhi mind. To fully realize the bodhi mind, there are five stages: “give rise to the bodhi mind,” “taming the mind,” “awaken to the bodhi mind,” “progressive realization of the bodhi mind,” and “ultimate bodhi mind.”
The first stage is “give rise to the bodhi mind.” This means we make a great resolve to cultivate the Way, vow to realize the bodhi mind, attain buddhahood, and liberate all sentient beings. We constantly work in this direction: do no evil, perform all good, and purify our mind. Whether practicing gradual cultivation or sudden enlightenment, in motion or in stillness, busy or idle, our every thought must be clear and in command. We should adhere to Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s great vows, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara’s great compassion, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra’s great conduct, Bodhisattva Manjusri’s great wisdom, and incorporate these into our daily lives. This is the beginning of the bodhisattva way.
The second stage is “taming the mind”—this means we resolve to study hard, constantly examine and reflect inwardly, harbor a mind of repentance, and work to gradually gain control of our delusive thoughts and afflictions. For example, if we reflect and find that we have been angry, we can immediately subdue it and not create bad karma. If greed arises, we can also detect it and subdue it. Or, as soon as sensual desires and lust arise, we immediately subdue them. This is “taming the mind.”
The third stage is “awaken to the bodhi mind.” Due to the power resulting from practicing “taming the mind,” we can finally attain awakening. “Awakening” is to awaken the deluded mind and see its true nature. When we see our original self, we will realize that our mind is inherent, unborn, and undying.
A Chan patriarch said, “The darkness of a thousand years is shattered instantly by a single lamp.” If we awaken to this present mind, always abide in right mindfulness, all our past karmic obstacles can be totally swept away. For example, after a thousand years in a dark room, if we suddenly turn on the light, the room is instantly filled with brightness. However if we lose our right mindfulness, it is like turning the light off; then everything will again be filled with darkness. Therefore, once we are enlightened, we still must constantly maintain right mindfulness in our daily lives, abide in pure awareness, be totally clear in every thought, and always be master of ourselves.
A Chan master once said, “When hungry, eat; when drowsy, sleep.” Also, “Eating all day, one has not chewed a single grain of rice; fully dressed, one has not put on a single thread.” What does this mean? It means to know yet not cling, and to firmly abide in right mindfulness. For example, when eating, do not daydream. The “knowing” that can differentiate among the sour, sweet, bitter, andspicy always exists. Do not overeat when the food is tasty, or complain when it is unsavory. Whether facing pleasant or unpleasant circumstances, we know yet do not cling, and do not give rise to greed or anger. This is to truly abide in right mindfulness.
The aim of cultivation is to attain right mindfulness. Right mindfulness is a mind of clarity and purity; it is liberation; it is the Buddha. Right mindfulness is the monastery; it is the Pure Land. Therefore, “Hauling wood and carrying rice is the Way.” In our daily lives, in our eating, dressing, working, and moving, always maintain right mindfulness. Maintain the existence of this “knowing” mind. Thus maintaining inner peace and rightful conduct in life is to cultivate the Way.
The fourth stage is “progressive realization of the bodhi mind.” After we know where our mind is, we must continue to practice after enlightenment, continue to abide firmly in right mindfulness, and maintain our pure awareness, so that ignorance is totally eradicated and the Dharma-body fully manifests. This process is the progressive realization of the ultimate bodhi mind.
After we have eradicated the last traces of ignorance, afflictions, and delusions, we arrive at “ultimate bodhi mind.” This is the perfection of our awareness and conduct, the perfection of benefiting others and ourselves. This is the ultimate stage. (TOP)
The ten dharma realms are in this one mind
The most important thing in Buddhism is our mind. This present mind is replete with the ten dharma realms. Whether we remain deluded or will achieve enlightenment depends on the mind’s resolve. To give rise to the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance is to sink into the realms of hells, hungry ghosts, or animals. If we observe the five precepts, we will be guaranteed to return as humans in the next life—to dwell in the human realm. If we can further cultivate the ten virtues and uphold the precepts, our mind will be filled with virtuous thoughts and brightness, and we can ascend to the celestial realm and receive the reward of heaven. Practicing the Four Noble Truths is the realm of the sravakas. Contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination is the realm of the pratyekabuddhas. By committing to the great compassionate vow to benefit others, seeking the Buddha Way, liberating all sentient beings, and practicing the Six Paramitas, we immediately enter the realm of the bodhisattvas. Going one step further, we should cultivate non-cultivation, be mindful of no-mind, return to the source, and not give rise to a single thought; with total clarity, we enter into the dharma realm of the inconceivable. This mind is then replete with all things. “When one dharma realm manifests, nine other dharmarealms fold.” One dharma realm means the true dharma realm; it is the mind of all of you who are listening to the Dharma, not thinking of the past, present, or future, with total clarity in every thought, being master of ourselves at all times. When we are enlightened to this dharma realm, we enter the realm of the buddha.
“A building ten thousand feet tall begins on the ground level.” Everyone’s mind, from beginningless kalpas, is filled with attachments and delusions, ignorance and erroneous views. Now we have the chance to listen to the true Dharma; it is the result of the merits from our previous virtuous roots. Therefore, we should treasure this opportunity. Buddhism embodies both practice and principle. In practice we must make efforts to cultivate the Way and uphold the pure precepts. To realize the (fundamental) principle we must bring forth the bodhi mind. If we have not yet given rise to the bodhi mind but still observe the pure precepts, in the future we will ascend into the heavens, or at least we will not descend into the suffering realms. If we can observe the pure precepts, awaken to the bodhi mind, and are replete with practice and principle, we are following the way of the great bodhisattvas. In the future, we will surely attain perfect enlightenment, truly benefiting ourselves and all others. (TOP)
