The Buddha Perfected 20 Incalculable Eons and a Hundred Thousand Great Eons to Know This Truth

Our Great Teacher had to perfect the pāramī for 20 incalculable eons (asaṅkhyeyya) and a hundred thousand great eons (mahākappa) before he came to know the truth: that all beings are dominated by the three natures, which direct and orchestrate them into doing what is wrong, what is empty of substance, condemning them to an endlessly long cycle of death and rebirth whose beginning and end cannot be found. He took that knowledge and taught it to us. Its essential message has at least two parts: freedom from the stains of the unwholesome that drag our lives down, and purification — liberation from all forms of not-knowing, so that we reach a better life, a noble life, a wondrous and marvelous life.

The Three Natures Direct Our Thoughts Without Our Knowing

Coming to this training, we've learned that the three natures possess and rule our hearts, using feeling and emotion to pressure us, directing what we say and do. Their thoughts appear as our own thoughts, and we believe we're thinking them ourselves. Now we know that not every thought is truly our own. Everything arises through cause and condition. A cause has a cause within a cause within a cause, until there is no traceable origin — and that point is precisely kusalā dhammā, akusalā dhammā, abyākatā dhammā (wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate states) — these are the root of every cause. And what are the conditions? They are the dhamma and adhamma (right and wrong states) used as tools to force and orchestrate beings into feeling the urge to do what shouldn't be done. Why do they do this? They want energy. If unwholesome, it wants the energy of demerit to flow in and drive its own system of wrongness, dragging our elements of Dhamma down, continuously, from one dimension to the next. The further we fall, the darker and murkier the mind becomes, and the harder it becomes to control ourselves — we become more and more enslaved to it.

Only Wholesomeness Comes to Our Aid

Only the wholesome nature comes to help us, guiding and teaching us, likewise appearing as if we thought it ourselves. Wholesomeness seeks the chance to seize the role of ruling master, bringing in a higher-quality body, feeling, mind, and Dhamma to overlay us, guiding us with good thoughts and feelings, encouraging and comforting us — again, as if we thought it ourselves — in order to elevate our mind and heart to something more noble and good, drawing in the energy of merit to drive the system that refines and repairs the elements of Dhamma within us, purifying them, and freeing us continuously from one dimension to the next. The proportion of wholesomeness grows, weakening the power of the unwholesome and the neutral. Hardship and suffering diminish. A meaningless life, spent in idle pleasure-seeking, diminishes too. As the proportion of wholesomeness grows, it will guide, advise, instruct, and teach us to live rightly and well — beautifully and virtuously. A person becomes beautiful through precepts (sīla), which allow us to refrain from wrongdoing in body and speech. Dhamma, on the other hand, must be practiced — once practiced, virtue arises. Life should be composed of these two elements together: beauty and virtue.

The Law of Kamma and the Law of the Three Characteristics: The Two Laws That Govern Us

Now we know that the cause is the three natures, and the condition is the dhamma and adhamma used as tools by these natures to lead beings, drawing in the energy of merit or demerit to bear fruit. All of this gives rise to the law of kamma and the law of the three characteristics (anicca, dukkha, anattā). The law of kamma is the fruit of our past mistakes, ripening in each present moment. The law of the three characteristics then takes over in the present, prompting us to create new causes, which generate new kamma. They use just these two laws to control us. If we know and understand this, we can steady ourselves and gradually examine the causes and conditions arising in our ongoing life, as results of the law of kamma — we must accept them, because whatever cause we created, good or bad, is already complete, and its result must be received. The net effect of the law of kamma is simply the delight and displeasure we experience each day — our joy and sorrow. And this very net effect becomes the material the law of the three characteristics uses to prompt us into creating new causes.

Eliminating Joy and Sorrow, Training in Equanimity

The Fully Enlightened Buddha therefore taught us to eliminate worldly joy and sorrow entirely. Joy — the unwholesome takes it as material to lead us into greed, since all forms of greed arise from delight and satisfaction, wanting more and more, never having enough. Displeasure and sorrow — the unwholesome takes these as material to generate anger and resentment, blaming this person and that for our sorrow. If we remain trapped in joy and sorrow, we must keep creating causes, and greed and hatred never end. This is why we train ourselves to abide in equanimity (upekkhā dhamma). When we abide in equanimity, tatramajjhattatā cetasika — the wholesome mental factor of even-mindedness — is established, helping us abide in balance, so the mind doesn't sway toward the delight and displeasure that constantly stimulate us from all around. The law of kamma draws these stimulating factors in to generate our joy and sorrow, but tatramajjhattatā cetasika helps balance and steady the mind. Once steady, the stream of merit's generosity is drawn in, refining and working deeply, dimension by dimension, to help us reach the inner knowing in finer and finer detail. This causes the other twelve mental factors that draw merit in to refine our body and mind, purifying them — bringing about kāyapassaddhi and cittapassaddhi (tranquility of body and mind), lightness of body and mind, refinement of body and mind, and agility without sluggishness — enabling us to enter the first jhāna.

Ceto-Vimutti and Paññā-Vimutti Arise From Seeing Danger in Suffering

Liberation of the heart (ceto-vimutti) and liberation through wisdom (paññā-vimutti) can only arise once we see the danger in the suffering that constantly results from the law of kamma and the law of the three characteristics — the cause of the problems and obstacles that keep arising in our lives. It seems like there are a million factors making our lives chaotic and unable to flourish, but in summary, there are really only two things: problems and obstacles. A problem is something we don't know — it's a question mark, especially not knowing what we don't know. This point matters enormously, because if we don't know that we don't know something, we don't even know it's a problem — that is the heaviest burden of all. An obstacle, by contrast, is something we know — we know what the problem is, but we lack the ability to solve it or get past it. As long as we know these are the only two things, we don't need to worry ourselves sick. When we have a problem, we turn to the one who knows, whether within or without. When we have an obstacle, we turn to the one with power — externally, that's an expert in the relevant field; internally, it's the power within ourselves.

The Inner Knowing and the Power Within Take Care of Us in Every Dimension

External problems and obstacles are easy to find help for these days — social media is full of resources to help us solve them. But problems and obstacles that the world cannot solve require us to turn to the inner knowing, the power within. Once we come to study Buddhism, it teaches us to access that inner knowing and inner power, present at every level, every dimension. All we need is to abide in the system of wholesome states. In whatever dimension we're living in, the inner knowing and power will look after and help us — the knowing will fix things for us, as if we thought of it ourselves, so long as we develop our dimension to become subtler by abiding with sīla, samādhi, and paññā (precepts, concentration, wisdom). These are essential, because within us are tools proper to each body — every body, coarse or subtle, human or celestial, has its own sphere of Dhamma storing the spheres of precepts, concentration, and wisdom. These tools are what allow the sphere of liberation and the sphere of knowledge-and-vision of liberation to function. The spheres of precepts, concentration, and wisdom must be studied, or these tools will not work. This is why Buddhism records that a son or daughter of good family who enters the Teacher's dispensation should train in the precept training, the concentration training, and the wisdom training.

Studying Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom Frees Us From the Problems of the Human Body

When we study precepts, concentration, and wisdom, the tools proper to our body will work for us, and the human body will become free of its typical problems — laziness, fearfulness, irritability, boastfulness, addiction to drugs, gambling, women, alcohol, cigarettes — all stains of the unwholesome. The sphere of wisdom will let us see the danger in these things; once we see that danger, the sphere of liberation can set us free. But if we do not see the danger, we cannot be freed at all — there is no way. A person still delighting in alcohol cannot possibly be freed from alcohol addiction. As for the sphere of knowledge-and-vision of liberation, it brings us to a nobler life, a better life, a wondrous and marvelous life. Through the sphere of wisdom, we come to see the value and benefit of wholesomeness, until a vision and inspiration arise, and the sphere of knowledge-and-vision of liberation will then free us into that nobler life.

The Story: The Bodhisatta's First Life as a Shipwrecked Merchant, Adrift Seven Days and Nights

When the fruit of past kamma ripens, it draws in factors that generate great suffering and danger. When this happens, let us recall the very first life of our Fully Enlightened Buddha, our Gotama Buddha. In that first life in which he made his resolution to become a Fully Enlightened Buddha, he was born as a merchant sailing a trading ship to foreign lands, bringing his elderly mother aboard to care for her. During the voyage, the ship encountered a storm and was wrecked in the middle of the ocean. Everyone had to float, clinging to pieces of wood, adrift for seven days and seven nights. The great Bodhisatta had to carry his mother on his shoulders while floating and clinging to driftwood himself, enduring intense hunger, exhaustion, cold, heat, and drowsiness. Consider how different this is from us — when we're hot, we go into an air-conditioned room; when hungry, we eat; when thirsty, we drink; when sleepy, we sleep. But he was in the middle of the ocean, floating for seven days and seven nights, looking all around and seeing no shore at all. The other crew members who floated alongside him for those same seven days and nights, seeing no shore, grew fearful in their hearts. Their skin burned from sun and rain, intensely hungry, exhausted, cold, hot — day after day, still no shore in sight. Each one was consumed by despair and hopelessness, until they let go of the driftwood one by one, sinking down into the sea, led by the unwholesome voice within: why suffer like this? Why endure this torment? Better to just let life end.

Wholesomeness Helped the Great Bodhisatta in His Crisis, Leading to His Resolution to Become a Buddha

But the great Bodhisatta relied on wholesomeness, which comforted and encouraged him, because his proportion of wholesomeness was greater than others', giving wholesomeness the power to care for him. Wholesomeness always seeks a way to help and resolve difficulty, because that is its duty. In this crisis, while others were pressed down into despair, their hearts sinking, wholesomeness knew that this crisis required a truly great source of inspiration. It taught the great Bodhisatta that all beings in this world are born into suffering, receiving the fruit of torment — not he alone, but everyone else too, whether floating in the ocean or standing on solid ground, all facing suffering in various forms. Each person must rely on themselves; none can truly rely on another. Who, then, could be a refuge for them? Since they could not rely on themselves, nor on others, why should we not become a refuge for them ourselves? The great Bodhisatta then understood: yes, I must become a refuge for all beings — if no other refuge exists, then I must be that refuge. He then made his great resolution (mano-paṇidhāna): that he would become one of the Fully Enlightened Buddhas in a future age. At that very moment, an immense stream of merit's generosity welled up, right in the midst of that crisis — where demerit believed it would surely claim victory, drawing in a vast weight of sin to end his life — instead, wholesomeness guided him to find the courage to make his resolution in that crisis, and the vast stream of merit's generosity arose. Every atom of the element of Dhamma shone bright. Immense courage arose; exhaustion, cold, and heat all vanished entirely.

When Facing Hardship, Recall the Example of Our Great Teacher

In our lives, living within this cycle of saṃsāra, we need to rely on the example of our Great Teacher. Whenever we face hardship and suffering, let us recall him. Every situation can be overcome if we abide in the system of wholesome states — the wholesome system will take on the duty of helping and resolving things for us, as if we thought of it ourselves, lifting our mind and heart to something more noble and good.

Q&A: Does the Power of the Triple Gem Differ From Person to Person?

Someone asked whether the power of the Triple Gem within each of us is equal. The teacher answered that the Triple Gem's power is the same for everyone, but because the stains within each person differ — some have more, some less, according to the timing of merit and demerit ripening, and according to each person's own proportion of wholesomeness — a greater proportion of wholesomeness means greater power of wholesomeness. But if the proportion of the unwholesome is greater, the unwholesome can dominate that person more, giving wholesomeness less opportunity. Still, wholesomeness never neglects anyone — it constantly tries to help, turning what's heavy into something lighter, and what's light into nothing at all. But because each person's proportions differ, some humans are pressed down into lower states, becoming small creatures, insects, and so on — because their proportion of wholesomeness is small.

Q&A: Where Does the Calm Come From During a Crisis Like an Earthquake?

Someone asked why, during an unexpected event like a recent earthquake, their heart remained naturally calm and steady, without the fear or shock others experienced. The teacher answered that this is the Triple Gem looking after us — wholesome states arise in moments of crisis. Those with a greater proportion of wholesomeness receive particular care exactly in life's crises, preventing the unwholesome and the neutral — especially the unwholesome — from seizing the role of ruling master. Wholesomeness gathers all available merit and refines it; once it seizes the role of ruling master, it can keep us calm and steady even amid crisis. How severe a crisis will be can never be known in advance, because in that moment we must rely on the living and non-living beings of knowledge and power to help ease the crisis. It is wholesomeness's duty to manage that moment — if a crisis arises, it helps us stay mindful, so that even death, should it come, comes well. And even if the crisis is severe, this power that gathers merit keeps our heart from sinking or breaking — because a sinking, broken heart means the unwholesome has been able to possess us, directing us to a place we shouldn't be, where harm can occur. Once wholesomeness possesses us, it helps us stay mindful and guides us on what to do. If the crisis were more severe, it would guide us to the safest possible place.

Q&A: Can Suffering Pass Through to Someone We Love?

Someone asked whether a stream of suffering can pass through the air to someone we love. The teacher answered that each person abides within the law of kamma and the law of the three characteristics. The law of kamma bears fruit in the present from causes created in the past, drawing various factors into our lives to bear fruit — its net result being delight or displeasure. As for whether another person can affect us, it may be possible in cases where we created causes together with them in the past. For instance, an event happening to someone we love — sometimes we feel a sudden sinking of the heart without knowing why, and later learn that an accident happened to them at that very moment. This is a normal occurrence that has happened before, because we shared causes together with them in the past.

Closing: The Triple Gem and Nibbāna Are Always With Us

The Triple Gem and Nibbāna are intimately, constantly with us — unlike heaven, which remains distant, where each being lives apart, unconcerned with others. But Nibbāna holds all beings at its very center, so all beings remain intimately close to its center at all times. And the Triple Gem, which is our true self, when we recollect it, appears bright and radiant at its center, while it appears bright and radiant at the center of us — both we and it appearing radiant together at the center of Nibbāna, at the center of the one who knows, whose power is boundless, uncountable as asaṅkhyeyya.