Can a Non-Vessel Become a Vessel?

So-called "vessel" refers to a container that holds objects, which can be material substances, or they can be wisdom, thoughts, and concepts. In the context of the Dharma, "vessel" refers to the latter, meaning the capacity for the Dharma Path—the degree to which one can accommodate the Buddhist path. Due to insufficient merit accumulated over beginningless kalpas, many people lack sufficient accumulated experience, rendering them unable to accept teachings beyond their own understanding. Hence, it is said that such individuals have poor "root capacity" and are unsuited for studying deeper Dharma.

But does this mean that a "non-vessel" is permanently a non-vessel, incapable of being transformed into a vessel? The Dharma is not fixed; there is no Dharma that remains eternally unchanged. When the right causes, conditions, and time arrive, any Dharma can change. Some non-vessels conceal great potential. By skillfully removing obscurations and gathering the necessary causes and conditions, a non-vessel can become a great vessel. If even stone can be transformed into gold, how much more so for a human being who is currently a non-vessel? How could their mental capacity and innate nature be fixed and unchanging?

To be honest, all sentient beings are fundamentally non-vessels. For beginningless kalpas, they have willingly sunk into the bitter sea of birth and death, utterly disinclined towards awakening, incapable of accepting any Dharma. It is the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who secretly plant Dharma seeds within sentient beings and expedite the ripening of causes and conditions, gradually transforming sentient beings into vessels capable of accommodating the Dharma. Initially, all sentient beings cling firmly to the five aggregates as "self," a fixation seemingly impossible to loosen. From the perspective of the Hinayana teaching of non-self, all sentient beings are non-vessels. But should one therefore refrain from expounding the Hinayana principle of severing the view of self simply because sentient beings are non-vessels? Of course not. The Buddha spent twelve years transforming sentient beings into vessels, enabling countless beings to attain the fruition of the Four Fruits of Arhatship, including non-vessel outsiders. Therefore, whether one becomes a vessel or remains a non-vessel also depends on the wisdom and skill of the polisher. One who lacks understanding of the polishing method often ruins a vessel, turning it into a non-vessel.

In the Dharma, there is a saying that expounding profound teachings to non-vessels will cause them to be unable to accept it in faith, leading them to slander the teachings through speech and action. This saying originated with the Buddha, who feared that sentient beings, by slandering the Dharma and creating negative karma, would suffer the karmic retribution of enduring kalpas in the hell realms. The Buddha is compassionate towards sentient beings, but He also possesses great wisdom. Therefore, this teaching of the Buddha is not a rigid dogma; it is applied flexibly according to the person and the time.

The greatly wise Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī was exceptionally skilled in flexible application. He once expounded the profound Dharma of Prajñā (Great Wisdom) to five hundred Bhikṣus of Hinayana capacity. Because these five hundred Bhikṣus disbelieved this great Dharma, they all fell into hell realms upon death. Someone asked Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, "Since you clearly knew this would be the outcome, why did you still expound the Prajñāpāramitā to these five hundred Bhikṣus?" Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī replied, "Because I knew that after they entered the hell realms, they would reflect upon the reason for their fall—their disbelief in the Prajñāpāramitā. Realizing the immense power of the Prajñāpāramitā, they would develop deep reverence, sincerely repent, and thus be liberated from hell. After emerging from hell, they would first ascend to the heavens, then return to the human realm, encounter the Prajñāpāramitā Dharma, and then have the opportunity to study and practice Prajñā. Their wisdom would increase rapidly, and soon they would attain Mahāyāna Bodhi, shortening their kalpas of practice and achieving Buddhahood ahead of time."

Truly worthy of an Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattva! With great wisdom, He forcefully transformed non-vessels into great vessels. Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī is a master craftsman skilled in polishing non-vessels. His extraordinary wisdom and Dharma eye penetrate the causes and conditions of immeasurable kalpas. He first destroys the non-vessel, smelts it down, and directly forges it into a great vessel. This is equivalent to dismantling an unusable non-vessel object and reassembling it into a usable vessel. How incredibly fortunate were those five hundred Bhikṣus to encounter Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī! Such a great karmic connection—how could one encounter it without immense merit? Had they encountered an unwise teacher who remained silent about the Mahāyāna Prajñā, the fate of the five hundred Bhikṣus would never have undergone such a tremendous turnaround. In conclusion, vessel and non-vessel—the Dharma is not fixed. If one encounters wholesome conditions, even a non-vessel becomes a vessel.