Part 2
At that time the venerable Subhuti was in the assembly. He rose from his seat, uncovered his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms together in respect, and said to the Buddha, “It is rare and marvellous, Buddha. You always have the Bodhisattvas in mind, protect them well and entrust them well with the propagation of Buddhist Dharma.”
Commentary:
Here we should mull over what Subhuti saw and why he, saying that it was rare and marvellous, admired the Buddha although he had not said any words. He saw the true-Self that is the real form of the historical Buddha which he always tried to show to his disciples.
The reason why Subhuti said that it was rare and marvellous is that the true-Self is very difficult to see in the temporal world and perfect beyond mundane imagination. This is why ancient masters would say that if someone only opens his mouth to describe the true-Self in words, he is already wrong.
Q: “What is rare and marvellous?”
A: “The Buddha showed it.”
Q: “What is it?”
A: “It is the most common and abundant.”
Q: “Why do they say that it is rare although it is the most common and abundant?”
A: “Because few people see it although many people are seeking it.”
In ‘You always have the Bodhisattvas in mind, protect them well’, the Bodhisattvas implies both those who have attained enlightenment and those who are still seeking it. They know that not only they but also everyone and everything is always in the midst of the true-Self and can’t be out of its arms. Nothing can harm them, and they are safety itself as long as they are in the midst of the true-Self.
Q: “How does the Buddha mind and protect Bodhisattvas?
A: “We can’t be out of his arms.”
‘Entrust them well with the propagation of Buddhist Dharma’ implies that the Buddha makes the Bodhisattvas the Buddhist Dharma itself, that is, he makes them into the same Buddha as Himself by leading them to enlightenment in order that all their actions and speeches may be the functions of the Buddhist Dharma.
We should remember that our friends, family members, neighbours and colleagues are always revealing that which is rare and marvellous in the same way the historical Buddha did. Not only they but we ourselves are also Buddhist Dharma itself. The historical Buddha tried to bring people to realise this fact.
Q: “How does he entrust Bodhisattvas well with the propagation of Buddhist Dharma?”
A: “He leads them to realise that they are Buddhist Dharma itself.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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