Vajra (Diamond) Sutra February 11, 2011 Lecture

8/7/2019 Vajra (Diamond) Sutra February 11, 2011 Lecture

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The Vajra (Diamond) SutraFebruary 11 lecture

as outlined by a Buddhist monk(Listen live or recorded audio explanations at

www.wondrousdharma.org)

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o sa va an r a s un ers an ng oReality results in different Samadhi

S 26 The Dharma Body is not appearances


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Verse for opening a sutra

Homage to the Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra and theVajra assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (3x)

The unsurpassed, deep, profound, subtle, wonderfulDharma,

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In a hundred thousand million eons, is difficult toencounter, Now that Ive come to receive and hold it, within my

sight and hearing,

I vow to fathom the Thus Come Ones true andactual meaning.


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Q&A

Question: Though Venerable Ananda was erudite, his samadhistrength was not sufficient against a spell as we learnt in the

Shurangama assembly. Therefore understanding the realitywill not lead you to samadhi. Comment and discuss.

Comments:

The Shurangama Sutra teaches both Shurangama samadhi

and wisdom.

The entire Shurangama Sutra explains about Reality teachingus the wisdom to see things in its true character.

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Q&A

Because of ignorance, we need to understand Reality or thetrue character of dharma prior to recognizing the true mind orReality.

Understanding Reality means to understand that allappearances are empty and false (s 5 of the Vajra Sutra)

Recognizing Reality is to abide in Reality and to do so we needto contemplate that all appearances are empty and false illusionand dreamlikejust as in s 32 of the Vajra Sutra which states all

conditioned things are like dreams, illusions

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Q&A.

Appearances are empty and false are reflected in our

actions if and when we put down the appearances ofself, others, living beings and a life. (s 3 of the Vajra Sutra)

Putting down these 4 appearances leads to cessation of

the false thinking mind; when the false thinking mind

ceases, the True Mind is revealed.

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Q&A

The important implicit aspect of the Shurangama Sutra isthere is a balanced teaching and practice of Samadhiand wisdom which is:

1. When you tend towards Samadhi, you should strengthenyour wisdom contemplation.

2. When you tend towards Wisdom, you should strengthen

your Samadhi power. If you dont then you are attached to either the practice

of samadhi or the practice of wisdom. This is theinterpretation of Subhuti is foremost of those whodelight in practicing Aranya. Since Subhuti actuallydoes not practice anything, he is called, Subhutiwho delights in practicing Aranya. (s 9 )

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Q&A

The indestructibility of the Shurangama Samadhi isexplained If one bases ones work on the nature whichis neither produced nor extinguished, one can cultivate a

samadhi which is neither produced nor extinguished.That is a genuine samadhi, one that cannot be moved byoutside forces.(Venerable Master Hsuan Hua)

A samadhi that is neither produced nor destroyed is

expressing the principle that All Buddhas haverelinquished all appearances. (s 14)

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Q&A The problem with Venerable Ananda is this: It was because

in the past, in cultivating samadhi, he had used his conscious

mind. The conscious mind is subject to production andextinction and is not ultimate.

did. For instance, when he listened to Sutras, he used hismind to remember the principles the Buddha spoke. But theconscious mind which remembered the principles cannot lead

to the fundamental solution. So when Ananda encountered ademonic state, he failed to recognize it.(Venerable Master HsuanHua)

.

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Q&A

The contemplation used by Venerable Ananda and theArhats has its shortcomings:

The contemplations of Arhats involved contemplation ofpurity, contemplation of impurity, contemplation ofhappiness, contemplation of suffering, contemplation of

emptiness, contemplation of existence, contemplation ofself, and contemplation of no self.

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Q&A

Bodhisattvas have relinquished all such contemplationsas these involve the power of the false thinking

conscious mind which merely contemplate Reality in the

context of outward conditions that is neither pure norimpure, neither happy nor suffering, neither empty nor

exist, neither self nor without self. (Nagarjuna

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Q&A

Bodhisattvas do not based their realizations in thosecontemplations because they are inherently linked to worldly

dharma.

Those contemplations do not correspond to the inherent Buddhanature which is pure, perfect and indestructible.

Those contem lations do not ualif as ra na aramita.

(Nagajurna Bodhisattva)

The Arhats dont know but Bodhsitavvas know about this

passage in the Shurangama Sutra When one realizes thatconfusion has no cause, the falseness becomes baseless.Since it never arose, why would you hope for its extinction?One who obtains bodhi (awakening) is like a person who

awakens to realize the events of a dream. 11


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Q&A

The contemplation of permanence, bliss, suffering and

true self can enable one to end the suffering of birth,sickness and death.

not lead to anuttarasamyaksambodhi and so Arhats arenot qualified to teach living beings. (Nagajurna

Bodhisattva)

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Q&A

Arhats also do not foster merit. Merit is importantelement in the practice of Bodhisattva.

Bodhisattvas are able to dwell in the desire realm and

not be affected because of the merit they create. How isthis so?

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Q&A

Nagajurna Bodhisattva says, Except for Bodhisattvas no

other beings can be in dhyana concentration whilst in theDesire Realm. How is this the case?

,merit [facilitating easy access to dhyana absorption evenwhen they are in the Desire Realm].

Because of his habitual meritorious deeds, theBodhisattvas mind is compliant and yielding resulting inthe absence of afflictions.

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Q&A

Arhats may gain wisdom pertaining to general characterof dharma resulting in them being able to transcenddesire through contemplation of impermanence,

suffering and impurity.

Bodhisattva however, are able to distin uish the

specific characteristics of all dharmas andthereby able to transcend desire. (NagajurnaBodhisattva)

What are the specific characteristics of dharma whichBodhisattvasa are able to distinguish?

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Q&A

The specific character of Dharma in essence is this:

1. World Honored One, the Appearance of Reality iswithout appearance. (s 14)

.

all living beings have the Buddha nature in perfection.

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Q&A

How is the Reality expressed in our daily life?

1. By not grasping at appearances and being unmoving. (s

32) This is referred to as dhyana of Reality in the LankavataraSutra

2. A pure mind does wholesome deeds (s 23) This is referred toas dhyana of the Thus Come One in the Lankavatara Sutra

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Specificcharacter ofReality

4 line verse express essence Reality indaily life

Appearanceof Reality iswithout

appearance

All with appearance is empty and false, ifone sees all appearances as noappearance, one sees the Thus

Come One (s 5)

1. Dontgrasp atappearance

2. beunmoving(s 32)3.Save

Appearanceof Reality is

If one sees me in form, and seeks me insounds, one practices a deviant way and

livingbeingswithout thefour

appearance(s 3)

w ouappearance

w no see e us ome ne s

Appearanceof Reality is

withoutappearance

All conditioned dharmas are like dreams,illusions, bubbles, and a shadow,

contemplate them thus (s 32)

Nothing

attained

If a Bodhisattva has a self, others, living

beings and a life, he is not a Bodhisattva(s 3)

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Q&AHere is a story to illustrate the power of the dhyana

concentration of a Bodhisattva:

Druma, the king of kinnaras ( a Bodhisattva appearing asking of kinnaras) strummed his lute and praised theBuddha by singing on Reality.

,

quaked.

Mahakayapa and the other great disciples could notremain still in their seat.

A Bodhisattva asked Mahakasyapa, You are the mostsenior in years and are foremost in dhuta asceticpractices. Why then do you now remain unable to controlyour mind and remain at peace?

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Q&A

Mahakasyapa replied, I am not even slightly moved by

any thoughts of desire associated with men or gods. ThisBodhisattva possesses a sound which is the reward ofimmeasurable amount of merit.

Moreover, he uses a wisdom-generated transformationto create these sounds. Hence one is unable to endure

these sounds.

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Q&A

Yet we are reminded in the Shurangama Sutra that At

all these (52) levels the Bodhisattvas use vajracontemplation of the ten profound analogies for theways in which things are like an illusion. This tallieswith s 32 of the Va ra Sutra

And the Great Master 6th Patriarch teaches thebalanced study of concentration and wisdom

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Q&A

The Mahaparinirvana Sutra says:

Because the Arhat disciples are more developed in theirpowers of meditative absorption, they are unable toperceive the Buddha nature.

developed in the power of wisdom. Although they doperceive the Buddha nature, still that perception has not

developed into complete clarity.

The powers of meditative absorption and wisdom areequally developed in the Buddha.

Consequently the Buddhas possess absoluteunderstanding and perception of the Buddha nature.

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Q&A

In summary:1. The Samadhi developed through the nature which is

neither produced nor destroyed is foremost and

indestructible accords with the appearance of Reality.2. Creating merit and wisdom contributes to dhyana

absorption.

. a ance prac ce o w s om an sama an ey complement each other.

4. Contemplation on permanence, bliss, emptiness andtrue self will only end birth and death but not lead to

Buddhahood.5. Contemplations on Reality practiced by Bodhisattvas will

lead to anuttarasamyaksambodhi.

6. The Vajra Sutra contains the essentials contemplationson Reality.

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S 26 The Dharma body is not appearances

Sutra: Subhuti, what do you think, is it possible tocontemplate the Thus Come One in his Thirty-twoPhysical Appearances?

Comments:

In s 5 the Buddha had said that all appearances are empty,

we can contemplate the 32 appearances of a Buddha.

The question was raised because earlier on the Buddha had

taught that the reward for practicing of blessings and wisdomfor 100 eons will result in one having the 32 physicalappearances.

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Sutra: Subhuti said, So it is. So it is. It is possible tocontemplate the Thus Come One in his Thirty-twoPhysical Appearances.

Comments:

Is it the case that Subhuti who is foremost in emptiness

does not know that all a earances are em t and

false? No, it is just the Buddha and Subhuti is playing a role to

bring out any doubts that may linger in the minds of thepeople in the assembly and in the future.

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Sutra: The Buddha said, Subhuti, if one couldcontemplate the Thus Come One in his Thirty-twoPhysical Appearances, then a Wheel Turning Sage

King would be the Thus Come One.Comments:

The Thirt -two Ph sical A earances are ust the reward

of having cultivated blessings and wisdom for 100 eons. And so it is not surprising that the Wheel Turning Sage

King also has these appearances.

The Buddha when he was just born was predicted tobecome either a Buddha if he chooses to practice thespiritual path or become a Wheel Turning Sage King.

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Sutra: Subhuti addressed the Buddha, World HonoredOne as I understand what the Buddha has said, oneshould not contemplate the Thus Come One in his

Thirty-two Physical Appearances.Comments:

The appearance is just the Transformation body and notthe true Dharma Body.

The Transformation body dwells in this false world ofexistence and therefore it is not permanent.

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Question: The Appearance of Reality is withoutappearance. (s 14). What do you mean by without

appearance and how do we apply in our daily life?

Comments:

The Buddhas life span knows no birth or death. Thus it

eons: eternal in the Pure Land of Eternal Stillness andLight, not produced and not extinguished

The Buddha-nature is light; but that refers to the

wonderful light of basic enlightenment. Basicenlightenment is the natural inherent enlightenment of us

all, and it is also the Buddhas light. And it is from thislight that the beings are transformed.(VM Hsuan Hua)

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Eternal stillness and not produced and not extinguishedis expressed in the Vajra Sutra s 29 The Thus Come

One does not come from anywhere nor does he goanywhere. Therefore he is called the Thus ComeOne.

And s 32 of the Vajra Sutra teaches how to be withoutappearance: By not grasping at appearance andbeing in unmoving thusness.

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Venerable Master Hsuan Hua explains, Everything isproduced from the self nature and within the mind whichis thus, thus unmoving true reality is to be found. Seenin this way this state is the original nature exactly; it isthe hi hest enli htenment.

Great Master Sixth Patriarch explains it as:

Fully able to discriminate among appearances,

But unmoving in the primary sense The very act of viewing in this way

Itself is the function of true Reality.

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Dedication of merit

May every living beings,

Our minds as one and radiant with light

Share the fruits of peace, with heart of goodness

luminous and bright. If people hear and see, how hands and hearts can find in

giving unity

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, ,

and to joy. May kindness find reward; may all who sorrow leave their

grief and pain;

May this boundless light break the darkness of theirendless night.

Because our hearts are one, this world of pain turns intoparadise;

May all become compassionate and wise (2x)

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Vajra (Diamond) Sutra February 11, 2011 Lecture