A Detailed Exposition of the Vimalakirti Sutra 

by Grandmaster Lu, Living Buddha Lian Sheng of the True Buddha School 

Translated into English by the True Buddha School Vimalakirti Translation Team 

Discourse 17, 16 July 2022 - Chapter One—Buddhaverse (Continued)   

Chapter One—Buddhaverse 

They understood [the true reality beyond] all phenomena including the [spiritual] roots of sentient beings. They gained fearlessness and shielded beings from their fears. They were endowed with merits and wisdom through mind training. 

Let’s now talk about the Vimalakirti Sutra. Previously, I explained the non-regressing wheel and following the course of nature from the phrase: They could smoothly turn the non-regressing wheel following the course of nature.

Today we will talk about: They understood [the true reality beyond] all phenomena including the [spiritual] roots of sentient beings. 

This phrase seems ordinary and simple, right? The great bhikkus and great bodhisattvas understand all phenomena in this world and know the spiritual roots of all sentient beings. Let us go beyond this easy explanation.

What is [the true reality beyond] all phenomena? If we delve a bit deeper, it means that all phenomena are empty without self-nature—all phenomena are aggregates—as written in the Vajra Sutra. Everything is an aggregate, an assembly, or an amalgam. 

I have given this example before. A house is an aggregate without self-nature. It is made up of nails, wood, cement, sand, plastic, glass, doors, windows, and more. Once a house is built, as we know, it provides shelter and protects people from wind and rain. It includes an area we can occupy. That is the significance of a house. When a house is taken apart, the nails return to nails, sand to sand, wood to wood… [If you take these apart further and further,] there will be nothing left. It is empty without self-nature. Once a house is demolished, it returns to emptiness. It can no longer provide any shelter nor protect you from the wind and rain; you cannot live in it any longer. There is only emptiness.

This example also applies to cars, human beings, and everything. They are all the same—empty without self-nature. A human being is an aggregate of the elements earth, water, fire, wind, and space. The bones and the flesh are the earth, the blood is the water, the body temperature which your body maintains is the fire, the air we breathe in and out is the wind. Once the four elements dissipate, nothing will be left, and a human being will no longer exist. This is the meaning of “empty without self-nature.”

So they understood that all phenomena are empty without self-nature. That is their first understanding. 

Furthermore, in talking about phenomena, there are differences among all phenomena. This is called the phenomena of differences. Just take the example of a human being. No two people look exactly alike, although the face is made up of only eyebrows, eyes, nose, ears, and mouth—only these few things. Yet, their combinations make up a different face for different people. This is called the phenomena of differences, which applies to everything. 

Hence, the great bhikkus and the great bodhisattvas understand emptiness without self-nature and the phenomena of differences. In other words, they understood [the true reality beyond] all phenomena.

When you delve deeper, it would be like what the fortune-teller has written about observing vital energy. They are good at observing one’s vital energy or qi and seeing its subtle color. By observing one’s qi, they would know about the person. This is called “observing vital energy.” 

Understanding [the true reality beyond] all phenomena means that upon seeing a person, they know right away how much money they will earn, if he or she is ill-fated, and by looking at their looks, they know whether someone is a good or bad person. 

They can observe the vital energy of a person and whether one’s body emits light—its brightness and color. For example, if one’s body emits white light, that is the light of a spiritual cultivator. Red light is the light of a good and virtuous person, yellow light is the light of a rich person, gray light indicates bad luck, and black is the aura of an evil person. A black-hearted person with ill-intentions has black energy around him. So you can tell by observing the vital energy of a person.

We also know a person from their looks, color, and facial complexion. You can tell if someone is sick from the sickly look on their face. If the face shows a waning or fading energy, you can tell their future is declining. Conversely, if someone shows bright red radiance and opulence on their face, that indicates they are a wealthy person living a good life. Similarly, from their eyes, we can see their spirit; we can tell if someone is sly or sneaky—they are either a thief or up to no good. 

This is called good understanding of [the true reality beyond] all phenomena: Everything is empty without self-nature, and yet, in the realm of phenomena, there are differing phenomena. Once you understand both aspects, you have understood [the true reality beyond] all phenomena. Now do you understand?

The great bhikkus and great bodhisattvas also understood the roots of sentient beings. It means they can pierce through the heart-mind of sentient beings. With one glance, they can tell that someone is a pig. Why? They exude the look of Pigsy, so they must be lustful or gluttonous. As Grandmaster mentioned before, Taiwanese restaurants, clubs, and lower establishments also worship a deity, but the deity is the Precept Pig. They wish that people turn into a pig that desires sensual pleasures, so they go drinking and dancing at their businesses. Going with the flow, Grandmaster consecrated such places too when asked.

Knowing the roots of sentient beings means that the great bodhisattva can tell with a glance if a person loves money or is very greedy for wealth—and there are many of them! President Xi is very famous for catching corruption. How many corrupt officials have been arrested? [Someone answers.] About 400,000 of them! Wow! I didn’t even know there were that many officials. Corruption is due to greed for wealth, as we all know.

The great bodhisattvas also know what you are greedy for—sensual pleasures, wealth, and/or fame and name. Why are they greedy for it? Some want to be famous, like those who want to be officials; they are greedy for name, wealth, and some sensual pleasures. Greed is also differentiated into greed for money, fame, and sensual pleasures.

Knowing the roots of sentient beings also includes knowing their habitual tendencies. In this sense, the roots refer to the spiritual roots. What is well-known in the True Buddha School is laziness. Like the song, “A lazy bug, a lazy bug, there are bugs all over his body. A bug in the eyes, a bug in the tummy. Aiya! There are bugs all over his body. A lazy bug.” [Grandmaster sings] What kind of bug? It’s a lazy bug, just loafing around. If a monk or a nun cannot be diligent, then they are lazy. If you are not diligent, you are lazy. 

Let’s talk about diligence. When you get up in the morning, you must make your own bed. When we were young, upon waking up, our parents reminded us, “Fold the blankets!” You first fold your blankets, arrange your pillows, and make your bed. You tidy up your room. Toothpaste, toothbrush, cup, and face towel must be placed nice and neat. But those sloths would just wake up and kick away their blankets. I once asked this girl from Canada, “Why do you just kick your blanket upon waking up [and not fold it]?” She replied, “Why do I need to fold it in the morning if I’m going to use it again at night?” She had no home education and really did not understand.

When we were little and got up in the morning, we had to fold our blankets, put everything in order, and hang our clothes. We prepared our school hat and uniforms the day before—nicely folded and placed beside our bed. Afterward, we swept and mopped the floor and cleaned the house. Then we went outside to clean the area in front of the house, picking up rubbish and then sweeping and spraying water to keep the dust down.

Back then in school, we also had to clean our classroom, tables, and chairs, straighten them out, and sweep and mop the floor before and after class. In school, we were taught to do all these. We had to do these chores.

Likewise, ordained monks and nuns should do the same. You need to vacuum your room and keep it clean every day. Don’t leave any mess; after you spill, you should clean it up right away, as things such as coffee and soy sauce can stain the carpet. You cannot neglect cleanliness. Keeping your residence clean is of utmost importance because if you cannot manage the cleanliness of your place, how can you keep yourself clean? How can your heart-mind be pure? Purity starts from the outside to the inside. Your clothes should be clean and smell fresh, so you won’t offend others wherever you go. This is about habitual tendencies, a crucial part of the [spiritual] roots of sentient beings.

Many people develop habits of laziness. If that’s the case, then your life is doomed. In the future, you will become a lazy bug. Ordained monks and nuns should never become lazy bugs by all means! This is a habitual root of sentient beings. 

So is stinginess! There are many stingy people; they are “too stingy to give up even a strand of hair” [Chinese Idiom]. Some people are proud and arrogant. That’s also a kind of habitual tendency. Some people are unreasonable, so it’s better for you not to reason with them. If you start reasoning with your boss, you will get fired. If you reason with your wife, you will get divorced sooner or later. These are all the habitual roots of sentient beings. You need to understand the root of a person. 

The great bodhisattvas know the [spiritual] roots of all sentient beings; with a glance, they immediately know what the sentient beings are harboring in their minds. 

From this, they can discern the spiritual roots of sentient beings. The Venerable Atisha has written about the Three Levels of Spiritual Capacity. Guru Tsongkapa, the founder of the Gelug school, wrote a further commentary, The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, based on the Venerable Atisha’s Three Levels of Spiritual Capacity. 

In sum, there are three different paths for the differing spiritual capacities. Here is my simple explanation. First, those with a strong spiritual root have greater capacity and can become buddhas and bodhisattvas. Second, those with middling spiritual roots have middling capacity and can go to all the heavenly realms. And third, those with inferior spiritual roots have lesser capacity and can reincarnate to a better place. Therefore, spiritual practices are divided into three levels based on the spiritual roots of sentient beings: superior, middling, or inferior. The great bhikkus and the great bodhisattvas know how to guide them accordingly. Thus, it is said that they understand the [spiritual roots] of sentient beings. Do you understand now?

Grandmaster has now explained this phrase: They understood [the true reality beyond] all phenomena including the [spiritual] roots of sentient beings.

Om mani padme hum. 

Next discourse on the Vimalakirti Sutra: Discourse 18, 17 July 2022 - Chapter One—Buddhaverse (Continued)

Previous discourse on the Vimalakirti Sutra: Discourse 16, 10 July 2022 - Chapter One—Buddhaverse (Continued)

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Full webcast of 2022.07.16 Avalokitesvara Group Practice (Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple, Redmond, USA) and dharma discourse with English interpretation: https://youtu.be/AArJU4jh7Fs