Master Chin Kung - Essence of Vajra Sutra # 5 A金剛經要義

(English subtitles) Buddhist Master Chin-Kung (淨空法師), 1927-2022, talks dharma.
Subtitles:
Fellow practitioners: Time flies, today is the fifth day of the Buddha-7 Dharma Assembly. I've been casually interrupting your study every day, today is the last time. The conclusion of the Vajra Sutra is certainly very important. To be honest, this sutra becomes more and more exciting as it goes on. The most important meaning is at the back, especially its conclusion. This conclusion is not only the summary of this sutra, but in fact, it is the summary of the Prajna Sutra taught by the World Honored One for 22 years. When the Buddha was alive, he preached the Dharma for forty-nine years,
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of which twenty-two years, he were preaching Prajna. If we use the three divisions that Buddhism usually talks about, the preface, the main, and the circulation division. Of course, Prajna is the main division of Buddhism, the center of the teachings of the World Honored One, and the most important part of it. This conclusion is the summary of twenty-two years of Prajna. If you want to unfold it further, it can be said to be the summary of all the Dharma taught by the Buddha in his forty-nine years.
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In these two sentences and one verse, we've seen it at the end of this sutra. In the past, Prince Zhaoming of Liang divided the sutra into thirty-two divisions, which is equivalent to dividing the Sutra into sections. Since ancient times, different people hold different views . Many great masters have their own opinions on these divisions.
This thirty-two divisions by Prince Zhaoming, in fact, is for the convenience of recitation and study. For the time being, we don’t discuss whether his division is appropriate or not, but it does bring a lot of convenience. Therefore, this 32-division version is widely circulated.
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Many people still use this version to this day. This last division is the summary of the entire sutra. At the beginning of this passage, the World-Honored One calls: “Subhuti,” This is also common sense. Whenever we see the Buddha calling a person's name in the sutras, there will be an important revelation underneath. He intended to remind everyone to pay attention.
The Buddha said, Suppose there is a person who gives alms with seven jewels, which can fill the immeasurable Asamkhya world.
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This amount is inconceivable. Asamkhya is the unit of Indian numbers(One source has it equal to 1059 ). This unit is so large that we modern people call it astronomical numbers. It is a very large number, and this is used as the unit. How many asamkhyas? Immeasurable, not only immeasurable, but also full. The seven jewels that fill the immeasurable asamkhya worlds. Today the seven jewels on this earth seem to us to be very rare and precious. An Earth is nothing much. Assume that a galaxy is the vast thousand world mentioned in the Buddhist sutras,
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which is also the parish of the Buddha. How many worlds are there? The immeasurable worlds. Consider how great is the blessing of that almsgiving.
Usually what we think of is that there are a thousand unit worlds in a small thousand world. A thousand small thousand worlds are called a middle thousand world, and a thousand middle thousand worlds are called a vast thousand world. According to this calculation, multiply one thousand by one thousand, then multiply by one thousand, and one billion worlds will constitute a vast thousand world.
How many alms to give? Give alms of jewels full of immeasurable Asamkhya vast thousand worlds. Can you imagine how great the blessings of that alms are. Today many of our fellow practitioners want to give alms and gain blessings.
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Can we compare with what is said in the Vajra Sutra? That is incomparable. Even if you give away all the jewels on earth, it will be pitifully little from the view of the vast thousand worlds.
Buddha said:
If there are good men or good women. Those who bring forth the resolve for bodhicitta. Hold on to this sutra. Read and recite, even a four-sentence verse, and lecture for people. His blessing is better than his.
You should remember this, "good men, good women", this is what the Buddha often mentioned in the sutras and what we often read.
Do we count as good men and women?
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The definition of good men and good women have standards and are not casual. We think that we are good men and good women. No, the Buddha would not recognize us. What is the standard of goodness? The Vision of Sukhāvatī Sutra (or Amitayus Bhavana-sutra), explains it very clearly. It mentions the three blessings for humans and celestial. These are small goodness. This is the good men and good women in humans and celestial. with 4 requirements: “Be filial to parents; serve teachers and elders; be compassionate and not kill; practice 10 good deeds.