THE SORROWLESS FLOWERS
Thiện Phúc

VOLUME II

336. Different Kinds Of Supernatural Powers
337. Without Leakage
338. Self-Vow Ordination
339. Five Factors of Endeavour
340. Five Kinds of Deviant Livelihood
341. The Triple Jewel
342. Taking Refuge on the Three Gems
343. Own Mind Takes Refuge with Own Self-Nature
344. Bodhisattva-Bhumis
345. A Brief History of Buddhist Sects
346. Last Teachings of the Buddha
347. Five Bases of Emancipation
348. Five Elements Making for Deliverance
349. Six Kinds of Cultivation for Deliverance
350. Turning the Wheel of Law

336. Different Kinds Of Supernatural Powers

Supernatural or magical powers that are part of Abhijna. It refers to the power to manifest multiple forms of oneself or to transform oneself into another shape, to become invisible, to pass through valid things, to walk on water or fire, to touch the sun and moon, and to scale the highest heaven. These abilities are by-products of meditation, concentration and contemplation practices. However, exhibiting or exploiting these powers is a violation of monastic discipline and pretending to possess such powers is grounds for dismissal from the sangha. According to the Sutra In Forty-Two Sections, Chapter 13, a Sramana asked the Buddha: ‘What are the causes and conditions by which one come to know past lives and also by which one’s understanding enables one to attain the Way?’ The Buddha said: ‘By purifying the mind and guarding the will, your understanding can achieve (attain) the Way. Just as when you polish a mirror, the dust vanishes and brightness remains; so, too, if you cut off and do not seek desires, you can then know past lives.”

“Abhijna” is a Sanskrit term for higher knowledge. Super-knowledge are modes of insight attained by the practice of Dhyana. Super knowledge or supernatural powers, a high state of consciousness when six spiritual powers have been developped, abilities possesses by a Buddha, bodhisattva or arhat. These are six supernatural abilities that are believed in traditional Buddhist meditation theory to result from the practice of meditation: 1) magical powers (rddhi), such as levitation, or divine ability to be at anywhere at anytime; 2) the “devine ear” (divya-srotra), or clairaudience, which can perceive all human and divine voices; 3) the ability to know others’ minds (paracitta-jnana); 4) the “devine eye” (divya-caksus), or clairvoyance, which can see all things in the universe including the cycles of births and deaths of all beings; 5) the ability to recall the details of former lives (purvanivasamusmrti), or divine perception of the thoughts of other beings, recollection of previous existences; 6) knowledge of the extinction of defilements (asrava-ksaya-vijnana), or knowledge concerning the extinction of one’s own imputrity and passions. The first five are classified as mundane abilities, while the sixth is a supramundane ability that results from completion of training in insight meditation. Miracle powers include knowing, skillful, clever, understanding, conversant with, remembrance, recollection. Miracles mean ubiquitous supernatural power, psychic power, high powers, supernormal knowledges, or superknowledge. Miraculous Powers are what the Western religious imagination would regard as miraculous or supernatural, attainable only through penetrating insight, as seen in the two Amitabha Sutras as inconceivable.

According to Buddhist tradition, there are three aspects of the omniscience of Buddha: knowledge of future karma, knowledge of past karma, and knowledge of present illusion and liberation. Besides, there are five kinds of supernatural powers. First, supernatural powers of bodhisattvas through their insight into truth. Second, supernatural powers of arhats through their mental concentration. Third, supernatural or magical powers dependent on drugs, charms, incantations, etc. Fourth, reward of karma powers of transformation possessed by devas, nagas, etc. Fifth, magical powers of goblins, satyrs, etc. There are still five other supernatural powers or five mystical powers. First, seeing to any distance, ability to see without hindrances. Ability to see beings vanishing and reappearing, low and noble ones, beautiful and ugly ones, seeing beings are reappearing according to their deeds (karma). Deva-vision, instantaneous view of anything anywhere in the form-realm. Second, deva hearing, ability to hear sound both heavenly and human, far and near (ability to hear any sound anywhere). Third, penetrating men’s thoughts, ability to know the thoughts of all other minds (knowledge of the minds of all others). Ability to know the minds of other beings, by penetrating them with one’s own mind. This person knows the greedy mind, hate mind and deluded mind, shrunken and distracted mind, developed mind and free mind of others or vice sersa. Fourh, knowing their state and antecedents (knowledge of all former existence or transmigrations of self and others), ability to remember former existences, may be from one to five or even to hundred or thousand births. Fifth, magical powers or taking any form at will, ability to be anywhere or do anything at will. Ability to pass through walls and mountains, just as if through the air. Ability to walk on the water without sinking, just as if on the earth.

Furthermore, there are six magical penetrations (six superknowledges) or six supernatural or universal powers acquired by a Buddha, also by an arhat through the fourth degree of dhyana. First, Deva-eye or Divine sight, which has instantaneous view of anything anywhere in the form realm. Power to see what one wills to see anywhere. Seeing to any distance. Ability to see without hindrances. The Deva-eye also has the ability to see beings vanishing and reappearing, low and noble ones, beautiful and ugly ones, seeing beings are reappearing according to their deeds (karma). Second, Deva-Ear or Divine hearing (Clairaudience or Penetration of the Heavenly Ear), which has the ability to hear all sounds (ability to hear any sound anywhere or Hearing to any distance). Power to hear and understand all languages. The Deva-Ear also has the ability to hear sound both heavenly and human, far and near. Third, Mental telepathy (penetration into others’ minds or thoughts) or the ability to know the thoughts of others or power to read thoughts, or knowledge of the minds of all living beings. Ability (power) to know the thoughts of all other minds which enlightened beings have to a greater or lesser extent depending on their spiritual achievements. Mental telepathy (penetrating men’s thoughts) also has the ability to know the minds of other beings, by penetrating them with one’s own mind. This person knows the greedy mind, hate mind and deluded mind, shrunken and distracted mind, developed mind and free mind of others or vice sersa. Fourth, Psychic travel (penetration of spiritual fulfillment or fulfillment of the spirit), or the ability (power) to be anywhere and to do anything at will, or power to appear at will in any place and to have absolute freedom to do anything. Psychic travel also has the ability to take any form at will. Ability to pass through walls and mountains, just as if through the air, or the ability to walk on the water without sinking, just as if on the earth. Fifth, knowledge of past and future of self and others or ability to penetrate into past and future lives of self and others (knowledge of all forms of former existences of self and others). Knowledge of past and future of self and others also means knowing their state and antecedents. Ability to remember former existences, may be from one to five or even to hundred or thousand births. Sixth, Ability to end contamination, or power to deliver of the mind from all passions. Penetration of the exhaustion (extinction) of outflows. Ability to extinct all cankers (afflictions) in this very life, extinction of cankers through wisdom. Ability to end contamination also means supernatural consciousness of the waning of vicious propensities, and the deliverance of mind from passions, or insight into the ending of the stream of transmigration; or the ability to extinct all cankers (afflictions) in this very life, extinction of cankers through wisdom.

There are ten supernatural, ubiquitous powers: knowing all previous transmigrations, Deva hearing, knowing the minds of others, Deva vision, showing deva powers, manifesting many bodies or forms, being anywhere instantly, power of bringing glory to one’s domain, manifesting a body of transformation, power to end evil and transmigration. According to the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Buddha has ten spiritual powers. He can achieve all these wonders by merely entering into a certain Samadhi. First, the sustaining and inspiring power which is given to the Bodhisattva to achieve the aim of his life. Second, the power of working miracles. Third, the power of ruling. Fourth, the power of original vow. Fifth, the power of goodness practiced in his former lives. Sixth, the power of receiving good friends. Seventh, the power of pure faith and knowledge. Eighth, the power of attaining a highly illuminating faith. Ninth, the power of purifying the thought of the Bodhisatva. Tenth, the power of earnestly walking towards all-knowledge and original vows. According to the Flower Adornment Sutra, Chapter 38, there are ten kinds of unimpeded function relating to spiritual capacities. Enlightening Beings who abide by these can penetrate all Buddha-teachings. First, show the bodies of all worlds in one body. Second, in the audience of one Buddha they hear the teachings spoken in the assemblies of all Buddhas. Third, in the mind and thoughts of one sentient being they accomplish inexpressible, unsurpassed enlightenment and open the minds of all sentient beings. Fourth, with one voice they manifest the different sounds of speech of all worlds and enable sentient beings each to attain understanding. Fifth, in a single moment they show the various differences in results of actions of all ages of the entire past, causing sentient beings all to know and see. Sixth, in one atom appears Buddha-land with boundless adornment. Seventh, cause all worlds to be fully adorned. Eighth, penetrate all pasts, presents and futures. Ninth, emanate the great light of truth and show the enlightenment of all Buddhas, and the acts and aspirations of sentient beings. Tenth, Enlightening beings protect: all living beings, Saints, Individual Illuminates, Enlightening Beings, the ten powers of enlightenment, and the roots of goodness of Enlightening Beings.

To conclude on the psychic powers, the Buddha taught: “There are three types of psychic powers. One is the power to fly in the air and dive into the earth, or to perform other superhuman performances. The second is the power to read other people’s minds. They can look into the eyes of th eperson and tell what the person is thinking. People can be very impressed with them. But the third psychic power, the power of instruction, whereby one can tell other people what is right and what is wrong; what is good and what is bad. This is unwholesome, unskillful, not conducive to your welfare or that of others. They are able to tell people what to abandon and what to follow or to practice or to cultivate wholesome actions. This power to guide another person on the right path is the most important psychic power. This is the best psychic power of them all.”

337. Without Leakage

No leakage means no drip. No leakage also means without afflictions, or what is outside of the passion stream (passionless), or a state without emotional distress. The unconditioned also means what is outside the stream of transmigratory suffering, or away from the down flow into lower forms of rebirth. Unconditioned merits and virtues are the main causes of liberation from birth and death. No leakage is the state in which things are as they are. Whatever is in the stream of births and deaths. Even conditioned merits and virtues lead to rebirth within samsara. We have been swimming in the stream of outflows for so many aeons, now if we wish to get out of it, we have no choice but swimming against that stream. To be without outflows is like a bottle that does not leak. For human beings, people without outflows means they are devoided of all bad habits and faults. They are not greedy for wealth, sex, fame, or profit. However, sincere Buddhists should not misunderstand the differences between “greed” and “necesities”. Remember, eating, drinking, sleeping, and resting, etc will become outflows only if we overindulge in them. Sincere Buddhists should only eat, drink, sleep, and rest moderately so that we can maintain our health for cultivation, that’s enough. On the other hand, when we eat, we eat too much, or we try to select only delicious dishes for our meal, then we will have an outflow.

338. Self-Vow Ordination

In the formal discipline, there should be a private tutor, a ceremonial teacher, and some other senior monks as witnesses. An ordination should be carried through by a Committee or an Order of Sangha. When the article of a disciplinary code is read, the recipient makes a vow of obeisance by repeating the code of discipline. However, in some cases when such formal requirement cannot be fulfilled, one is as the self-vow discipline. According to the Brahma-Jala Sutra, in some special situations, self-vow ordination is permitted. In some places, one cannot obtain the proper instructor in discipline, one can accept the precepts by self-vow. This is a kind of Bodhisattva Ordination. In Japan in the thirteenth century, Eison Daishi taught a new movement of “self-vow discipline.” This was a reformed doctrine, called the Reformed or New Ritsu or Reformed Disciplinary School. There are three kinds of obtaining the commandments. First, to obtain the commandments, or to attain to the understanding and performance of the moral law. Second, to obtain ordination in a ceremony. or to receive ceremonial ordination as a monk. Third, self-ordination, or to self-vow to keep the precepts. To make the vows and undertake the commandments oneself before the image of a Buddha (self ordination when unable to obtain ordination from the Ordained); however, the person must see auspicious marks, usually in dreams. In the formal discipline, there should be a private tutor, a ceremonial teacher, and some other senior monks as witnesses.

339. Five Factors of Endeavour

According to the Sangiti Sutta in the Long Discourses of the Buddha, there are five factors of endeavour. First, a cultivator must have trust in the enlightenment of the Tathagata. Here a monk has faith, trusting in the enlightenment of the Tathagata: “Thus this Blessed Lord is an Arahant, a fully-enlightened Buddha, perfected in knowledge and conduct, a Well-Farer, Knower of the world, unequalled Trainer of men to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, a Buddha, a Blessed Lord.” Second, one must have good health, must be in a suitable place, and in a moderate temparature. He is in good health, suffers little distress sickness, having a good digestion that is neither too cold nor too hot, but of a middling temperature suitable for exertion. Third, a cultivator must be honest to everyone. He is not fraudulent or deceitful, showing himself as he really is to his teacher or to the wise among his companion in the holy life. Fourth, a cultivator must be diligent in cultivation. He keeps his energy constantly stirred up for abandoning unwholesome states and arousing wholesome states, and is steadfast, firm in advancing and persisting in wholesome states. Fifth, a cultivator must have a wisdom in cultivation. He is a man of wisdom, endowed with wisdom concerning rising and cessation, wuth the Ariyan penetration that leads to the complete destruction of suffering.

340. Five Kinds of Deviant Livelihood

Five improper ways of gaining a livelihood for a monk or five kinds of deviant livelihood. First, changing his appearance theatrically, or displaying an unusual appearance. Second, advertise his own power or virtue, or using low voice in order to appear awesome. Third, fortune-telling, or performing divination and fortune telling. Fourth, hectoring and bullying. Fifth, praising the generosity of another to induce the hearer to bestow presents.

341. The Triple Jewel

The foundation of Buddhism is the Three Treasures, without trust in which and reverence for there can be no Buddhist religious life. There are three kinds of Triratna (three Treasures). The Triple Jewel was defined in many different ways. First, the Unified or one-body Three Treasures: “The Vairocana Buddha, representing the realization of the world of Emptiness, of Buddha-nature, of unconditioned Equality. The Dharma that is the law of beginningless and endless becoming, to which all phenomena are subject according to causes and conditions. The harmonious fusion of the preceding two, which constitutes total reality as experienced by the enlightened.” The Three Treasures are mutually related and interindependent. One unrealized in the Unified Three Treasures can neither comprehend in depth the import of Sakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment, nor appreciate the infinite preciousness of his teachings, nor cherish as living images and pictures of Buddhas. Again, the Unified Three Treasures would be unknown had not it been made manifest by Sakyamuni in his own body and mind and the Way to its realization expounded by him. Lastly, without enlightened followers of the Buddhas’ Way in our own time to inspire and lead others along this Path to Self-realization, the Unified Three Treasures would be a remote ideal, the saga of Sakyamuni’s life desiccated history, and the Buddhas’ words lifeless abstractions. More, as each of us embodies the Unified Three Treasures, the foundation of the Three Treasures is none other than one’s own self.

Second, the Manifested Three Treasures: “The Buddha is the historic Buddha Sakyamuni, who through his perfect enlightenment relaized in himself the truth of the Unified Three Treasures. The Dharma, which comprises the spoken words and sermons of sakyamuni Buddha wherein he elucidated the significance of the Unified Three Treasures and the way to its realization. The Sangha, Sakyamuni Buddha’s disciples, including the immediate disciples of the Buddha Sakyamuni and other followers of his day who heard, believed, and made real in their own bodies the Unified Three Treasures that he taught. An assembly of monks, an order of the Monks, or a company of at least three monks. “Sangha” is a sanskrit term for “community.” The community of Buddhists. In a narrow sense, the term can be used just to refer to monks (Bhiksu) and nuns (Bhiksuni); however, in a wider sense, Sangha means four classes of disciples (monks, nuns, upasaka and upasika). Lay men (Upasaka) and lay women (Upasika) who have taken the five vows of the Panca-sila (fivefold ethics). All four groups are required formally to adopt a set of rules and regulations. Monastics are bound to two hundred-fifty and three hundred forty-eight vows, however, the actual number varies between different Vinaya traditions. An important prerequisite for entry into any of the four catergories is an initial commitment to practice of the Dharma, which is generally expressed by “taking refuge” in the “three jewels”: Buddha, Dharma, Samgha.” The Supremely Enlightened Being includes the iconography of Buddhas which have come down to us. The teaching imparted by the Buddha. All written sermons and discourses of Buddhas (that is, fully enlightened beings) as found in the sutras and other Buddhist texts still extant. The congregation of monks and nuns or genuine Dharma followers. Sangha consists of contemporary disciples who practice and realize the saving truth of the Unified Three Treasures that was first revealed by Sakyamuni Buddha.

The first jewel is the Buddha. The Buddha is the person who has achieve the enlightenment that leads to release from the cycle of birth and death and has thereby attained complete liberation. The word Buddha is not a proper name but a title meaning “Enlightened One” or “Awakened One.” Prince Siddhartha was not born to be called Buddha. He was not born enlightened, nor did he receive the grace of any supernatural being; however, efforts after efforts, he became enlightened. It is obvious to Buddhists who believe in re-incarnation, that the Buddha did not come into the world for the first time. Like everyone else, he had undergone many births and deaths, had experienced the world as an animal, as a man, and as a god. During many rebirths, he would have shared the common fate of all that lives. A spiritual perfection like that of a Buddha cannot be the result of just one life. It must mature slowly throughout many ages and aeons. However, after His Enlightenment, the Buddha confirmed that any beings who sincerely try can also be freed from all clingings and become enlightened as the Buddha. All Buddhists should be aware that the Buddha was not a god or any kind of supernatural being (supreme deity), nor was he a savior or creator who rescues sentient beings by taking upon himself the burden of their sins. Like us, he was born a man. The difference between the Buddha and an ordinary man is simply that the former has awakened to his Buddha nature while the latter is still deluded about it. However, the Buddha nature is equally present in all beings. According to Tao-Ch’o (562-645), one of the foremost devotees of the Pure Land school, in his Book of Peace and Happiness, one of the principal sources of the Pure Land doctrine. All the Buddhas save sentient beings in four ways. First, by oral teachings such recorded in the twelve divisions of Buddhist literature; second, by their physical features of supernatural beauty; third, by their wonderful powers and virtues and transformations; and fourth, by recitating of their names, which when uttered by beings, will remove obstacles and result their rebirth in the presence of the Buddha.

The second jewel is the Dharma. Dharma is a very troublesome word to handle properly and yet at the same timeit is one of the most important and essential technical terms in Buddhism. First, etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit root “Dhri” means to hold, to bear, or to exist; there seems always to be something of the idea of enduring also going along with it. The most common and most important meaning of “Dharma” in Buddhism is “truth,” “law,” or “religion.” Secondly, it is used in the sense of “existence,” “being,” “object,” or “thing.” Thirdly, it is synonymous with “virtue,” “righteousness,” or “norm,” not only in the ethical sense, but in the intellectual one also. Fourthly, it is occasionally used in a most comprehaensive way, including all the senses mentioned above. In this case, we’d better leave the original untranslated rather than to seek for an equivalent in a foreign language. Besides, Dharma also means the cosmic law which is underlying our world. According to Buddhism, this is the law of karmically determined rebirth. Dharmas are all phenomena, things and manifestation of reality. All phenomena are subject to the law of causation, and this fundamental truth comprises the core of the Buddha’s teaching. In Buddhism, Dharma means the teaching of the Buddha (Understanding and Loving). The way of understanding and love taught by the Buddha. The Buddha says: “He who sees the Dharma sees me.”. All things are divided into two classes: physical and mental; that which has substance and resistance is physical, that which is devoid of these is mental (the root of all phenomena is mind). The doctrines of Buddhism, norms of behavior and ethical rules including pitaka, vinaya and sila.

According to Prof. Junjiro Takakusu in The Essentials of Buddhist Philosophy, the word “Dharma” has five meanings. First, the Dharma would mean ‘that which is held to,’ or ‘the ideal’ if we limit its meaning to mental affairs only. This ideal will be different in scope as conceived by different individuals. In the case of the Buddha it will be Perfect Enlightenment or Perfect Wisdom (Bodhi). Secondly, the ideal as expressed in words will be his Sermon, Dialogue, Teaching, Doctrine. Thirdly, the ideal as set forth for his pupils is the Rule, Discipline, Precept, Morality. Fourthly, the ideal to be realized will be the Principle, Theory, Truth, Reason, Nature, Law, Condition. Fifthly, the ideal as realized in a general sense will be Reality, Fact, Thing, Element (created and not created), Mind-and-Matter, Idea-and-Phenomenon. According to the Madhyamakas, Dharma is a protean word in Buddhism. In the broadest sense it means an impersonal spiritual energy behind and in everything. There are four important senses in which this word has been used in Buddhist philosophy and religion. First, Dharma in the sense of one ultimate Reality. It is both transcendent and immanent to the world, and also the governing law within it. Secondly, Dharma in the sense of scripture, doctrine, religion, as the Buddhist Dharma. Thirdly, Dharma in the sense of righteousness, virtue, and piety. Fourthly, Dharma in the sense of ‘elements of existence.’ In this sense, it is generally used in plural. According to the meaning of Dharma in Sanskrit, Dharma is a very troublesome word to handle properly and yet at the same timeit is one of the most important and essential technical terms in Buddhism. Dharma has many meanings. A term derived from the Sanskrit root “dhr,” which” means “to hold,” or “to bear”; there seems always to be something of the idea of enduring also going along with it. Originally, it means the cosmic law which underlying our world; above all, the law of karmically determined rebirth. The teaching of the Buddha, who recognized and regulated this law. In fact, dharma (universal truth) existed before the birth of the historical Buddha, who is no more than a manifestation of it. Today, “dharma” is most commonly used to refer to Buddhist doctrine and practice. Dharma is also one of the three jewels on which Buddhists rely for the attainment of liberation, the other jewels are the Buddha and the Samgha.

Besides, the term “Dharma” also means the teaching of the Buddhas which carry or hold the truth. The way of understanding and love taught by the Buddha doctrine. The Buddha taught the Dharma to help us escape the sufferings and afflictions caused by daily life and to prevent us from degrading human dignity, and descending into evil paths such as hells, hungry ghosts, and animals, etc. The Dharma is like a raft that gives us something to hang onto as we eliminate our attachments, which cause us to suffer and be stuck on this shore of birth and death. The Buddha’s dharma refers to the methods of inward illumination; it takes us across the sea of our afflictions to the other shore, nirvana. Once we get there, even the Buddha’s dharma should be relinquished. The Dharma is not an extraordinary law created by or given by anyone. According to the Buddha, our body itself is Dharma; our mind itself is Dharma; the whole universe is Dharma. By understanding the nature of our physical body, the nature of our mind, and worldly conditions, we realize the Dharma. The Dharma that is the law of beginningless and endless becoming, to which all phenomena are subject according to causes and conditions. The Dharma, which comprises the spoken words and sermons of Sakyamuni Buddha wherein he elucidated the significance of the Unified Three Treasures and the way to its realization. The Dharma, the teaching imparted by the Buddha. All written sermons and discourses of Buddhas (that is, fully enlightened beings) as found in the sutras and other Buddhist texts still extant. According to the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra, the basic characteristic of all dharmas is not arising, not ceasing, not defiled, not immaculate, not increasing, not decreasing. The Buddha says: “He who sees the Dharma sees me.”

The third jewel is the Sangha. “Sangha” is a Sanskrit term for “community.” The community of Buddhists. In a narrow sense, the term can be used just to refer to monks (Bhiksu) and nuns (Bhiksuni); however, in a wider sense, Sangha means four classes of disciples (monks, nuns, upasaka and upasika). Lay men (Upasaka) and lay women (Upasika) who have taken the five vows of the Panca-sila (fivefold ethics). All four groups are required formally to adopt a set of rules and regulations. Monastics are bound to two hundred-fifty and three hundred forty-eight vows, however, the actual number varies between different Vinaya traditions. An important prerequisite for entry into any of the four catergories is an initial commitment to practice of the Dharma, which is generally expressed by “taking refuge” in the “three jewels”: Buddha, Dharma, Samgha. The Sangha means the congregation of monks and nuns or genuine Dharma followers. Sangha consists of contemporary disciples who practice and realize the saving truth of the Unified Three Treasures that was first revealed by Sakyamuni Buddha. Sangha is a Sanskrit term means the monastic community as a whole. Sangha also means a harmonious association. This harmony at the level of inner truth means sharing the understanding of the truth of transcendental liberation. At the phenomenal level, harmony means dwelling together in harmony; harmony in speech means no arguments; harmony in perceptions; harmony in wealth or sharing material goods equally, and harmony in precepts or sharing the same precepts. Buddhist monks and nuns have left the family life to practice the Buddha’s teachings. They usually own only a few things, such as robes, an alms bowl and a razor to shave their heads. They aim to give up the need for material possessions. They concentrate on their inner development and gain much understanding into the nature of things by leading a pure and simple life. Community (congregation) of monks, nuns, and lay Buddhists who cultivate the Way. The Buddhist Brotherhood or an assembly of brotherhood of monks. Sangha also means an assembly, collection, company, or society. The corporate assembly of at least three or four monks under a chairperson. “Sangha” is an Assembly of Buddhists; however, in a narrow sense, sangha means the members of which are called Bhikkhus or Bhikkhunis; however, in a wider sense, Sangha means four classes of disciples (monks, nuns, upasaka and upasika). Usually, an assembly of monks. The corporate assembly of at least three or four monks under a chairman, empowered to hear a confession, grant absolution, and ordain. The church or monastic order, the third member of the Triratna.

342. Taking Refuge on the Three Gems

The three Refuges are three of the most important entrances to the great enlightenment. There are several problems for a Buddhist who does not take refuge in the Three Gems. There is no chance to meet the Sangha for guidance. Buddhist sutras always say, “If one does not take refuge in the Sangha, it’s easier to be reborn into the animal kingdom.” Not taking refuge in the Sangha means that there is no good example for one to follow. If there is no one who can show us the right path to cultivate all good and eliminate all-evil, then ignorance arises, and ignorance is one of the main causes of rebirth in the animal realms. There is no chance to study Dharma in order to distinguish right from wrong, good from bad. Thus desire appears, and desire is one of the main causes of rebirth in the hungry ghost. Therefore, Buddhist sutras always say, “if one does not take refuge in the Dharma, it’s easier to be reborn in the hungry ghost realms.” There is not any chance to get blessings from Buddhas, nor chance to imitate the compassion of the Buddhas. Thus, anger increased, and anger is one of the main causes of the rebirth in hell. Therefore, Buddhist sutras always say, “if one does not take refuge in Buddha, it’s easier to be reborn in hell. In the Dharmapada Sutra, the Buddha taught: “Men were driven by fear to go to take refuge in the mountains, in the forests, and in sacred trees (Dharmapada 188). But that is not a safe refuge or no such refuge is supreme. A man who has gone to such refuge, is not delivered from all pain and afflictions (Dharmapada 189). On the contrary, he who take refuge in the Buddhas, the Dharma and the angha, sees with right knowledge (Dharmapada 190). With clear understanding of the four noble truths: suffering, the cause of suffering, the destruction of suffering, and the eighfold noble path which leads to the cessation of suffering (Dharmapada 191). That is the secure refuge, the supreme refuge. He who has gone to that refuge, is released from all suffering (Dharmapada 192).”

To take refuge in the Triratna, a Buddhist must first find a virtuous monk who has seriously observed precepts and has profound knowledge to represent the Sangha in performing an ordination ceremony. An admission of a lay disciple, after recantation of his previous wrong belief and sincere repetition to the abbot or monk of the Three Refuges. Take refuge in the Buddha as a supreme teacher. To the Buddha, I return to rely, vowing that all living beings understand the great way profoundly, and bring forth the bodhi mind (1 bow). Take refuge in the Dharma as the best medicine in life. To the Dharma, I return and rely, vowing that all living beings deeply enter the sutra treasury, and have wisdom like the sea (1 bow). Take refuge in the Sangha, wonderful Buddha’s disciples. To the Sangha, I return and rely, vowing that all living beings form together a great assembly, one and all in harmony without obstructions(1 bow). When listening to the three refuges, Buddhists should have the full intention of keeping them for life; even when life is hardship, never change the mind.

To take refuge in the Triratna, or to commit oneself to the Triratna, i.e. Buddha, Dharma, Sangha (Buddha, his Truth, and his Order). Those who sincerely take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha shall not go to the woeful realm. After casting human life away, they will fill the world of heaven. Any Buddhist follower must attend an initiation ceremony with the Three Gems, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, i.e., he or she must venerate the Buddha, follow his teachings, and respect all his ordained disciples. Buddhists swear to avoid deities and demons, pagans, and evil religious groups. A refuge is a place where people go when they are distressed or when they need safety and security. There are many types of refuge. When people are unhappy, they take refuge with their friends; when they are worried and frightened they might take refuge in false hope and beliefs. As they approach death, they might take refuge in the belief of an eternal heaven. But, as the Buddha says, none of these are true refuges because they do not give comfort and security based on reality. Taking refuge in the Three Gems is necessary for any Buddhists. It should be noted that the initiation ceremony, though simple, is the most important event for any Buddhist disciple, since it is his first step on the way toward liberation and illumination. This is also the first opportunity for a disciple to vow to diligently observe the five precepts, to become a vegetarian, to recite Buddhist sutras, to cultivate his own mind, to nurture himself with good deeds, and to follow the Buddha’s footsteps toward his own enlightenment.

To take refuge means to vow to Take Refuge in the Buddha-Dharma-Sangha. The root “Sr” in Sanskrit, or “Sara” in Pali means to move, to go; so that “Saranam” would denote a moving, or he that which goes before or with another. Thus, the sentence “Gachchàmi Buddham Saranam” means “I go to Buddha as my Guide”. Take refuge in the three Precious Ones, or the Three Refuges. In Buddhism, a refuge is something on which one can rely for support and guidance, not in a sense of fleeing back or a place of shelter. In most Buddhist traditions, “going for refuge” in the “three refuges” or “three jewels”: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, is considered to be the central act that establishes a person as a Buddhist. Going for refuge is an acknowledgment that one requires aid and instruction and that one has decided that one is committed to following the Buddhist path. The Buddha is one who has successfully found the path to liberation, and he teaches it to others through his instructions on dharma. The Sangha, or monastic community, consists of people who have dedicated their lives to this practice and teaching, and so are a source of instruction and role models for laypeople. The standard refuge prayer is:

“I go for refuge in the Buddha.

I go for refuge in the Dharma

I go for refuge in the Sangha.”

These three phrases mean: “I go to Buddha, the Law, and the Order, as the destroyers of my fears, the first by the Buddha’s teachings, the second by the truth of His teachings, and the third by good examples and virtues of the Sangha.

There are five stages of taking refuge: Take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma, take refuge in the Sangha, take refuge in the eight commandments, take refuge in the Ten commandments. These are five modes of trisarana, or formulas of trust in the Triratna, taken by those who: First, those who turn from heresy. Second, those who take the five commandments. Third, those who take the eight commandments. Fourth, those who take the ten commandments. Fifth, those who take the complete commandments. The ceremony of taking refuge in the Triratna and observing precepts should be celebrated solemnly in front of the Buddha’s Shrine with the represent of the Sangha in performing an ordination ceremony. The initiation ceremony must be simple, depend on the situation of each place. However, it must be solemn. It is led by Buddhist Master who would grace it by standing before the altar decorated with the Buddha’s portrait, with the assistance of other monks and nuns, relatives, and friends. As for the initiated, he must be clean and correctly dressed. Under the guidance of the Master, he must recite three times the penance verses in order to cleanse his karmas: “As a Buddhist disciple, I swear to follow in Buddha’s footsteps during my lifetime, not in any god, deity or demon. As a Buddhist disciple, I swear to perform Buddhist Dharma during my lifetime, not pagan, heretic beliefs or practices. As a Buddhist disciple, I swear to listen to the Sangha during my lifetime, not evil religious groups.”

The Buddha had said: “I am a realized Buddha, you will be the Buddha to be realized,” meaning that we all have a Buddha-nature from within. Therefore, after having taken the initiation with the Three Gems, we must repeat the above vows, addressing this time the inner Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha: “As a Buddhist disciple, I vow to take refuge in the inner Buddha. To the Buddha, I return to rely, vowing that all living beings understand the great way profoundly, and bring forth the bodhi mind (1 bow). As a Buddhist disciple, I vow to take refuge in the inner Dharma. To the Dharma, I return and rely, vowing that all living beings deeply enter the sutra treasury, and have wisdom like the sea (1 bow). As a Buddhist disciple, I vow to take refuge in the inner Sangha. To the Sangha, I return and rely, vowing that all living beings form together a great assembly, one and all in harmony without obstructions(1 bow).” When listening to the three refuges, Buddhists should have the full intention of keeping them for life; even when life is hardship, never change the mind.

Buddhism has indeed proved to be the genuine article and has given those people where it has come the highest right conduct for a human being. The gentle, courtesy and upright lives of the Buddhists from all over the world show that Buddhism has indeed proved to be the genuine article and has given those people where it has come the highest right conduct for a human being. If happiness is the result of good thoughts, words and actions; then indeed devout Buddhists have found the secred of right living. In fact, have we ever found true happiness resulting from wrong thinking and wrong doing, or can we ever sow evil cause and reap sweet fruits? Furthermore, Can any of us escape from the Law of Change or run away from the sufferings and afflictions? According to Buddhism, false refuge means not to take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. From the beginningless time, we had taken refuge in momentary and transitory pleasures with the hope to find some satisfaction in these pleasures. We consider them as a way out of our depression and boredom, only end up with other sufferings and afflictions. When the Buddha talked about “taking refuge”, he wanted to advise us to break out of such desperate search for satisfaction. Taking true refuge involves a changing of our attitude; it comes from seeing the ultimate worthlessness of the transitory phenomena we are ordinarily attached to. When we see clearly the unsatisfactory nature of the things we have been chasing after, we should determine to take refuge in the Triple Gem. The Benefits of a true refuge. Devout Buddhists, especially laypeople, should try to understand the Four Noble Truths because the more we have the understanding of the Four Noble Truths, the more we respect the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sacred Disciples of the Buddha. Of course we all respect the Buddha, but all of us should gain a profound admiration for the Dharma too for at the time we do not have the Buddha, the Dharma is the true refuge for us, the lighthouse that guide us in our path of cultivation towards liberation. The process of “Taking refuge” is not a process that happens on the day of the ceremony of “Taking refuge”, or take place within just a few days, or a few years. It takes place not only in this very life, but also for many many aeons in the future. Besides, there are still other benefits of taking refuge include the followings: first, we become a Buddhist; second, we can destroy all previously accumulated karma; third, we will easily accumulate a huge amount of merit; fourth, we will seldom be bothered by the harmful actions of others; fifth, we will not fall to the lower realms; sixth, we will effortlessly achieve our goal in the path of cultivation; and lastly, it is a matter of time, we will soon be enlightened.

Take refuge in the Triple Gem for Secret Sects according to the first Tibetan Panchen Lama: “With great bless, I arise as my Guru Yidam. From my clear body masses of light rays diffuse into the ten directions. Blessing the world and all sentient beings. All becomes perfectly arrayed with only extremely pure qualities. From the state of an exalted and virtuous mind. I and all infinite, old mother sentient beings. From this moment until our supreme enlightenment. We vow to go for refuge to the Gurus and the Three Precious Gems. Homage to the Guru (Namo Gurubhya). Homage to the Buddha (Namo Buddhaya). Homage to the Dharma (Namo Dharmaya). Homage to the Sangha (Namo Sanghaya three times). For the sake of all mother sentient beings. I shall become my Guru Deity. And place all sentient beings in the supreme state of a Guru Deity (three times). For the sake of all mother sentient beings, I shall quickly attain supreme state of a Guru Deity in this very life (three times). I shall free all mother sentient beings from suffering and place them in the great bliss of Buddhahood (three times). Therefore, I shall now practice the profound path of Guru-Yidam yoga (three times). Om-Ah-Hum (three times). Pure clouds of outer, inner and secret offerings. Fearsome items and objects to bond us closely and fields of vision pervade the reaches of space, earth and sky spreading out inconceivably. In essence wisdom-knowledge in aspect inner offerings and various offerings objects as enjoyments of the six senses they function to generate the special wisdom-knowledge of bliss and voidness.

Take refuge in the Triple Gem and Hundred Thousand Buddhas in the Pure Land for Secret Sects according to Lozang-Dragpa: “I take safe direction from the Three Precious Gems; I shall liberate every limited being. I reaffirm and correct my bodhicitta aim (three times). May the surface of the land in every direction be pure, without even a pebble. As smooth as the palm of a child’s hand; naturally polished, as is a beryl gem. May divine and human objects of offering actually arrayed and those envisioned as peerless clouds of Samantabhadra offerings. From the heart of the Guardian of the hundreds of deities of Tusita, the Land of Joy, on the tip of a rain-bearing cloud resembling a mound of fresh, white curd. We request you alight and grace this site, King of the Dharma, Lozang-Dragpa, the omniscient, with the pair of your spiritual sons. Seated on lion-thrones, lotus, and moon in the sky before us, ennobling, impeccable gurus, we request you remain, with white smile of delight. For hundreds of eons to further the teachings as the foremost fields for growing a positive force for us with minds of belief in the facts. Your minds have the intellect that comprehends the full extent of what can be known. Your speech, with its elegant explanations, becomes an adornment for the ears of those of good fortune. Your bodies are radiantly handsome with glorious renown. We prostrate to you whom to behold, hear, or recall is worthwhile. Refreshing offerings of water, assorted flowers, fragrant incense, lights, scented water, and more. This ocean of clouds of offerings, actually arranged and imagined here. We present to you foremost fields for growing a positive force. Whatever destructive actions of body, speech and mind that we have committed, since beginningless time, and especially the breaches of our three sets of vows, we openly admit, one by one, with fervent regret from our heart. In this degenerate age, you perserved with a phenominal amount of study and practice and, by riding yourselves of the eight childish feelings, you made the respites and enrichments of your lives worthwhile, and from the depth of our hearts, we rejoice, O Guardians, in the towering waves of your enlightening deeds. In the towering waves of your enlightening deeds that billow in the skies of your Dharmakayas, we request you to release a rain of profound and vast Dharma to rain upon the absorbent earth of us, eager to be tamed in fitting ways. May whatever constructive forces built up by this benefit the teachings and those who wander, and may they especially enable the heart of the teachings of the ennobling, impeccable Lozang-dragpa to beat ever on. By directing and offering to the Buddha-fields this base, anointed with fragrant waters, strewn with flowers, and decked with Mount Meru, four islands, the sun, and the mon. May all those who wander be led to pure land. I send forth this mandala to you precious gurus by the force of having made fervent requests in this way. From the hearts of the ennobling, impeccable father and the pairs of his spiritual sons, hollow beams of white light radiate forth. Their tips combine into one and penetrate us through the crowns of our heads. Through the conduit of these white tubes of light, white nectars flow freely, the color of milk, purging us of diseases, demons, negative forces, obstacles, and constant habits, baring none. Our bodies become as pure and as clear as a crystal. You are Avalokitesvara, a great treasury of compassion. Manjushri, a commander of flawless wisdom. Vajrapani, a destroyer of all hordes of demonic forces. Tsongkhapa, the crown jewel of the erudite masters of the Land of Snow. At your feet, Lozang-Dragpa, we make you requests (three times). Glorious, precious root guru, come grace the lotus and moon seats at the crowns of our heads. Taking care of us through your great kindness. Direct us to the actual attainments of your body, speech and mind. Glorious, precious guru, come grace the lotus seats at our hearts. Taking care of us through your great kindness. Remain steadfast to the core of our enlightenment. By this constructive act, may we quickly actualize ourselves as Guru-Buddhas and thereafter lead to that state, all wandering beings, not neglecting even one.

343. Own Mind Takes Refuge with Own Self-Nature

Own Mind Takes Refuge with Own Self-Nature also means Markless Triple Refuge. According to the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Treasure, the Sixth Patriarch, Hui-Neng, taught: Good Knowing Advisors, I will transmit the precepts of the triple refuge that has no mark. Good Knowing Advisors, take refuge with the enlightened, the honored, the doubly complete. Take refuge with the right, the honored, that is apart from desire. Take refuge with the pure, the honored among the multitudes. ‘From this day forward, we call enlightenment our master and will never again take refuge with deviant demons or outside religions. We constantly enlighten ourselves by means of the Triple Jewel of our own self-nature.’ Good Knowing Advisors, I exhort you all to take refuge with the Triple Jewel of your own nature: the Buddha, which is enlightenment; the Dharma, which is right; and the Sangha, which is pure. When your mind takes refuge with enlightenment, deviant confusion does not arise. Desire decreases, so that you know contentment and are able to keep away from wealth and from the opposite sex. That is called the honored, the doubly complete. When your mind takes refuge with what is right, there are no deviant views in any of your thoughts because there are no deviant views; there is no self, other, arrogance, greed, love or attachment. That is called the honored that is apart from desire. When your own mind takes refuge with the pure, your self-nature is not stained by attachment to any state of defilement, desire or love. That is called the honored among the multitudes. If you cultivate this practice, you take refuge with yourself. Common people do not understand that, and so, from morning to night, they take the triple-refuge precepts. They say they take refuge with the Buddha, but where is the Buddha? If they cannot see the Buddha, how can they return to him? Their talk is absurd. Good Knowing Advisors, each of you examine yourselves. Do not make wrong use of the mind. The Avatamsaka Sutra clearly states that you should take refuge with your own Buddha, not with some other Buddha. If you do not take refuge with the Buddha in yourself, there is no one you can rely on. Now that you are self-awakened, you should each take refuge with the Triple Jewel of your own mind. Within yourself, regulate your mind and nature; outside yourself, respect others. That is to take refuge with yourself.”

In the Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra, Chapter Six, the Sixth Partriarch taught: “Good Knowing Advisors, now that you have taken refuge with the Triple Jewel, you should listen carefully while I explain to you the three bodies of a single substance, the self-nature of the Buddha, so that you may see the three bodies and become completely enlightened to your own self-nature. Repeat after me: 1)I take refuge with the clear, pure Dharma-body of the Buddha within my own body. 2) I take refuge with the hundred thousand myriad Transformation-bodies of the Buddha within my own body. 3) I take refuge with the complete and full Reward-body of the Buddha within my own body. Good Knowing Advisors, the form-body is an inn; it cannot be returned to. The three bodies of the Buddha exist within the self-nature of worldly people but, because they are confused, they do not see the nature within them and so, seek the three bodies of the Tathagata outside themselves. They do not see that the three bodies of the Buddha are within their own bodies. Listen to what I say, for it can cause you to see the three bodies of your own self-nature within your own body. The three bodies of the Buddha arise from your own self-nature and are not obtained from outside. What is the clear pure Dharma-body Buddha? The worldly person’s nature is basically clear and pure and, the ten thousand dharmas are produced from it. The thought of evil produces evil actions and the thought of good produces good actions. Thus, all dharmas exist within self-nature. This is like the sky which is always clear, and the sun and moon which are always bright, so that if they are obscured by floating clouds, it is bright above the clouds and dark below them. But if the wind suddenly blows and scatters the clouds, there is brightness above and below, and the myriad forms appear. The worldly peson’s nature constantly drifts like those clouds in the sky. Good Knowing Advisors, intelligence is like the sun and wisdom is like the moon. Intelligence and wisdom are constantly bright but, if you are attached to external states, the floating clouds of false thought cover the self-nature so that it cannot shine. If you meet a Good Knowing Advisor, if you listen to the true and right Dharma and cast out your own confusion and falseness, then inside and out there will be penetrating brightness, and within the self-nature all the ten thousand dharmas will appear. That is how it is with those who see their own nature. It is called the clear, pure Dharma-body of the Buddha.”

Good Knowing Advisors: “When your own mind takes refuge with your self-nature, it takes refuge with the true Buddha. To take refuge is to rid your self-nature of ego-centered and unwholesome thoughts as well as jealousy. obsequiousness, deceitfulness, contempt, pride, conceit, and deviant views, and all other unwholesome tendencies whenever they arise. To take refuge is to be always aware of your own transgressions and never to speak of other people’s good or bad traits. Always to be humble and polite is to have penetrated to the self-nature without any obstacle. That is taking refuge.”

344. Bodhisattva-Bhumis

“Bhumi” is a Sanskrit term referring to stages of development of a Bodhisattva. Each succeeding level represents a further stage of spiritual accomplishment and is accompanied by progressively greater power and wisdom. In Mahayana, there are ten levels through which Bodhisattvas progress on their way to the attainment of buddhahood: 1) very joyous (pramudita) or land of joy, which is attained when a bodhisattva first directly perceives emptiness (sunyata), and which is simultaneous with the path of seeing (darsanamarga); bodhisattvas on this level develop the perfection (paramita) of generosity (dana); 2) the “stainless” (vimala) or land of purity, during which bodhisattvas ripen the perfection of ethics (sila) and overcome all tendencies to engage in negative actions; 3) the “luminous” (prabhakari) or land of radiance, when bodhisattvas cultivate the perfection of patience (ksanti); 4) the “radiant” (arcismati) or balzing land, when they work at the perfection of effort (virya); 5) the “difficult to cultivate” (sudurjaya) or land of extreme difficult to conquer, during which they ripen the perfection of concentration (dhyana); 6) the “manifest” (abhimuki) or land in view of wisdom, on which they develop the perfection of wisdom (prajna); 7) the “gone afar” (duramgama) or far-reaching land, the stage of perfecting “skill in mean” (upaya-kausalya, the ability skillfully to adapt their teachings to any audience); 8) the “immovable” (acala) or immovable land, during which they work at the perfection of aspiration (pranidhana), from this point onward they are incapable of backsliding and will inevitably progress steadily toward buddhahood; 9) the “good intelligence” samdhumati) or land of good thoughts, the level on which they advance the perfection of power (bala) and fully comprehend all doctrines; 10) the “cloud of doctrine” (dharma-megha) or land of dharma clouds, during which they eliminate the subtlest traces of remaining afflictions and cultivate the perfection of knowledge (jnana) and finally attain Buddhahood.

Probably in the fourth century A.D., Asanga, one of the leading figures of the Indian Buddhist Yogacara tradition, wrote a Sanskrit treatise named “Yogacara-Bhumi Sastra”. It outlines the path to buddhahood followed by the Bodhisattva and describes the practices pertaining to the path. It is the fifteenth section of his voluminous Levels of Yogic Practice (Yogacara-bhumi). Asanga describes ten Bodhisattva-bhumi, grading the upward course of the Bodhisattva’s spiritual development, which culminates in the realization of Buddhahood. The work is said to have been dictated to him in or from the Tusita heaven by Maitreya, about the doctrine of the Yogacara or Vijnanavada. The sastra was translated into Chinese by Hsuan-Tsang, is the foundation text of this school. Treatise on the Stages of the Yogachara. This is the fundamental work of the Yogachara school, which the author might have been either Asanga or Maitreyanatha. Later in the 5th century AD Dharmatrata and Buddhasena based on the Bodhisattva-bhumi Sastra to compose the Yogacharabhumi-Sutra on the methods of meditation for the Hinayana. The sutra was translated into Chinese by Buddhabhadra. The sutra was divided into five parts. First, the seventeen stages presenting the progression on the path to enlightenment with the help of the Yogachara teaching, this is the most important part. Second, interpretations of these stages. Third, explanation of these sutras from which the Yogachara doctrine of the stages draws support. Fourth, classifications contained in these sutras. Fifth, topics from the Buddhist canon (sutra, Vinaya-pitaka, Abhidharma).

The Yogacara-Bhumi Sastra itself outlines the path to Buddhahood followed by the Bodhisattva and describes the practices pertaining to the path. It is the fifteenth section of his voluminous Levels of Yogic Practice. There are ten Bodhisattva-bhumi, grading the upward course of the Bodhisattva’s spiritual development, which culminates in the realization of Buddhahood. The first stage is the stage of joy in which one rejoices at realizing a partial aspect of the truth; and having overcome the former difficulties and now entering on the path to Buddhahood. The second stage is the stage of purity in which one is free from all defilements, or freedom from all possible defilements and afflictions. The third is the stage of further enlightenment. In the stage of the emission of light, one radiates the light of wisdom. The fourth is the stage of glowing wisdom in which the flame of wisdom burns away earthly desires. The fifth is the stage of mastery of utmost or final difficulties; or the stage of overcoming final illusions of darkness. The sixth is the stage of the open way of wisdom above definitions of impurity and purity; or the stage of the sign of supreme wisdom in which supreme wisdom appears. The seventh is the stage of proceeding afar, getting above ideas of self in order to help others. In the stage of progression, one rises above the state of two Vehicles. The eighth is the stage of attainment of calm unperturbedness. In this stage of immobility, one dwell firmly in the truth of the Middle Way. The ninth is the stage of the finest discriminatory wisdom, knowing where and how to save. In the stage of all penetrating wisdom, one preaches the Law freely and without restriction. The tenth is the stage of attaining to the fertilizing powers of the Law-cloud. In the stage of the Cloud of Teaching, one benefits all sentient beings with the Law (Dharma).

According to the Flower Adornment Sutra (Avatamsaka Sutra) and the Surangama Sutra, there are ten stages or characteristics of a Buddha. The ten stages of a Mahayana Bodhisattva development. The Ten Stages of the Bodhisattva, originally found in the Dasa-bhumi Sutra of the Avatamsaka School, are simply name sakes for ordinary people who have no experience in the Path of No Learning (asaiksa-marga). These Mahayanistic Stages are said to have been profounded in order to distinguish the position of the Bodhisattva from those of the Hinayanistic sravaka and pratyeka-buddha. The first stage of Joy (or utmost joy) at having overcome the former difficulties, realizing a partial aspect of the truth, and now entering on the path to Buddhahood and enlightenment. In this stage, the Bodhisattva attains the holy nature for the first time and reaches the highest pleasure, having been removed from all errors of Life-View (darsana-marga) and having fully realized the twofold sunyata: pudgala and dharma. In this stage, a Bodhisatva feels delight because he is able to pass from the narrow ideal of personal Nirvana to the higher ideal of emancipation all sentient beings from the suffering of ignorance. In the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Buddha told Ananda: “Ananda, these good men have successfully penetrated through to great Bodhi. Their enlightenment is entirely like the Thus Come One’s. They have fathomed the state of Buddhahood. This is called the ground of happiness.” The second Bhumi is the land of freedom from defilement, or the land of purity, or ground of leaving filth. Negatively speaking, Vimala means ‘freedom from defilement;’ positively speaking, Vimala means ‘purity of heart.’ This is the stage of purity, perfect of discipline, and freedom from all possible defilement through practices of dhyana and samadhi. The stage of purity in which a bodhisattva overcomes all passions and impurity. In this stage, the Bodhisattva reaches the perfection of discipline (sila) and becomes utterly taintless with regard to morality. In the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Buddha told Anana: “The differences enter into identity; the identity is destroyed. This is called the ground of leaving filth.” The third stage is the Land of radiance, or the ground of emitting light. The stage of further enlightenment where bodhisatva’s insight penetrates into the impermanence of all things, or where he gains insight into impermanence (anitya) of existence and develops the virtue of patience (kshanti) in bearing difficulties and in actively helping all sentient beings. In this stage of the emission of light, after having attained the deepest introspective insight, the Bodhisattva radiates the light of wisdom, gets the pefection of forbearance (ksanti) and becomes free from the errors of Life-Culture (bhavana-marga). According to the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Buddha told Ananda: “At the point of ultimate purity, brightness comes forth. This is called the ground of emitting light.” The fourth stage is the blazing land, or the ground of blazing wisdom. Archismati is the stage in which the Bodhisattva practices passionlessness and detachment and burns the twin coverings of defilement and ignorance. This is the stage of glowing or flaming wisdom where Bodhisattva attains the perfection of bravery or effort (virya), thereby increasing the power of insight more and more. He is able to burn away earthly desires as well as remaining false conceptions, develops wisdom and perfects the thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment. In the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Buddha told Ananda: “When the brightness becomes ultimate, enlightenment is full. This is called the ground of blazing wisdom.” The fifth stage is the land extremely difficult to conquer, or the ground of invincibility. The stage of mastery of utmost or final difficulties, or illusions of darkness, or ignorance. In this stage, the Bodhisattva develops the spirit of sameness and absorbs himself in meditation, gets the perfection of meditative concentration, in order to achieve an intuitive grasp of the truth, to understand the four noble truths, to clear away doubt and uncertainty, to know what is proper and what is not. During this stage Bodhisattva continues to work on the perfection of the thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment. In the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Buddha told Ananda: “No identity or difference can be attained. This is called the ground of invincibility.” The sixth stage is the land in view of wisdom, or the ground of manifestation. In this stage, the bodhisattva attains the perfection of wisdom or insight (prajna), recognizes that all dharmas are free from characteristics origins, and without distinction between existence and nonexistence. In this stage, the Bodhisattva stands face to face with Reality. He realizes the sameness of all phenomena. Thus, the sign of supreme wisdom begins to appear; owing to the perfection of the virtue of wisdom and comprehension of nothingness, Bodhisattva can enter nirvana; however, also retains equanimity as to purity and impurity, so he still vow to come back to the world to save beings. This is the stage of the open way of wisdom above definitions of impurity and purity. According to the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Buddha told Ananda: “With unconditioned true suchness, the nature is spotless, and brightness is revealed. This is called the ground of manifestation.” The seventh stage is the stage of far-reaching land, or the ground of traveling far. The stage of proceeding afar, or far-going, which is the position farthest removed the selfish state of the two Vehicles. He is getting above ideas of self, gaining knowledge and skillful means which enable him to exercise great mercy to all beings by helping them proceed the way to enlightenment. After passing through this stage, the Bodhisattva rises above the states of the Two Vehicles, and it’s impossible to fall back to lower levels. In this stage, the Bodhisattva acquires the knowledge that enable him to adopt skillful means for his work of salvation. He has won Nirvana, but without entering it, for he is busily engaged for the emancipation of other sentient beings. In the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Budha told Ananda: “Coming to the farthest limits of true suchness is called the ground of traveling far.” The eighth stage is the immovable land, or the stage of immovability, or the ground of immovability. When the Bodhisattva reaches here, he experiences the anutpattika-dharma-ksanti or the acquiescence in the unoriginatedness of all phenomena. He knows in detail the evolution and involution of the universe. In this stage, he gets rid of discrimination and has a thorough understanding of the nature of existence, realizing why it is like maya, etc., how discrimination starts from our inmate longing to see existence divided into subject and object, and how the mind and what belongs to it are stirred up; he would then practice all that pertains to the life of a good Buddhist, leading to the path of truth all those who have not yet come to it. This is the Bodhisattvas’ nirvana which is not extinction. In this stage, the Bodhisattva completes the perfection of vow (pranidhana) and abiding in the view of “No Characteristic” (alaksana), wanders freely according to any opportunity. In this stage, the Bodhisattva dwells firmly in the truth of the Middle Way; he reaches the stage of attainment of calm unperturbedness where he no longer be disturbed by anything. He gains the ability to transfer his merit to other beings and renounce the accumulation of further karmic treasures. In the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Buddha told Ananda: “The single mind of true suchness is called the ground of immovability.” The ninth stage is the land of good thoughts, or the ground of good wisdom. In this stage, the Bodhisattva acquires comprehensive knowledge, unfathomable by ordinary human intelligence. He knows the desires and thoughts of men and is able to teach them according to their capacities. This is the stage of wisdom of the bodhisattva is complete (all-penetrating wisdom). In this stage he possesses the finest discriminatory wisdom, six supernatural powers, four certainties, eight liberations, all dharanis. He knows the nature of all dharmas and expound them without problems (without restriction). He also knows when, where and how to save other sentient beings. In this stage, the Bodhisattva preaches everywhere discriminating between those who are to be saved and those who are not. According to the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Buddha told Ananda: “Bringing forth the function of true suchness is called the ground of good wisdom. Ananda! All Bodhisattvas at this point and beyond have reached the effortless way in their cultivation. Their merit and virtue are perfected, and so all the previous positions are also called the level of cultivation.” The tenth stage is the land of dharma clouds, or the ground of the Dharma cloud. The stage of attaining to the fertilizing powers of the Law-cloud (the Cloud of Teaching). Bodhisattva has realized all understanding and immeasurable virtue. The dharmakaya of the bodhisattva is fully developed. In this stage, the Bodhisattva benefits all sentient beings with the Law just as a cloud sends down rain impartially on all things. His Buddhahood is confirmed by all Buddhas. In this he acquires perfection of contemplation, knows the mystery of existence, and is consecrated as perfect. In fact, this is the stage of the Buddha who is represented by such a Bodhisattva (he attains Buddhahood). In this stage, the Bodhisattva is able to preach the Dharma to all the world equally, just as the rainclouds pour down heavy rains during drought. The with a wonderful cloud of compassionate protection one covers the sea of Nirvana. This is called the ground of the Dharma cloud.”

345. A Brief History of Buddhist Sects

According to Edward Conze, a famous Buddhist scholar, in “A Short History of Buddhism”, Buddhism has so far persisted for about 2,500 years and during that period it has undergone profound and radical changes. Its history can conveniently be divided into four periods. The first period is that of the old Buddhism, which largely coincided with what later came to be known as the “Hinayana”; the second is marked by the rise of the Mahayana; the third by that of the Tantra and Zen. This bring us to about 1000 A.D. After that Buddhism no longer renewed itself; but just persisted, and the last 1,000 years can be taken together as the fourth period. Geographically, first period Buddhism remained almost purely Indian; during the second period it started on its conquest of Eastern Asia and was in its turn considerably influenced by non Indian thought; during the third, creative centres of Buddhist thought were established outside India, particularly in China. On the field of emancipation, these periods differ in the conception of the type of cultivation. In the first period the ideal saint is an Arhat, or a person who has non-attachment, in whom all craving is extinct and who will no more be reborn in this world. In the second period, the ideal is the Bodhisattva, a person who wishes to save all sentient beings and who hopes ultimately to become an omniscient Buddha. In the third period, the ideal is a “Siddha”, or a person who is so much in harmony with the cosmos that he is under no constraint whatsoever and as a free agent who is able to manipulate the cosmic forces both inside and outside himself. A special characteristic of Buddhism throghout these periods is that the innovations of each new phase were backed up by the production of a fresh canonical literature which, although clearly composed many centuries after the Buddha’s Nirvana, claims to be the word of the Buddha Himself. The scriptures of the first period were supplemented in the second by a large number of Mahayana Sutras and in the third by a truly enormous number of Tantras.

Buddhism has been persisting for more than 2,500 years. During the period of almost 26 centuries Buddhism has undergone a lot of ups and downs. Before developing abroad, at first, Buddhism developed solely inside Indian continent. The Buddha had never written any of his teachings for his disciples. All Buddhist scriptures were recited and accumulated by his followers hundreds of years after the Buddha’s Nirvana. During the first five hundred years after the Buddha’s Nirvana, several big meetings called Buddhist Councils, in which matters of greater importance were discussed and clarified. Thus, at the start, after each Buddhist Council, Buddhist scriptures had undergone considerable changes. As a result, in each new phase, his followers produced fresh canonical literature which, although clearly composed many centuries after the Buddha’s Nirvana, claims to be the word of the Buddha Himself. In the first Council, the Sangha only tried to consolidate their communities with the clarification of the Buddha’s teachings and rules. In the Second Buddhist Council, Buddhist traditions were confusing and ambiguous, and the overall result was the first schism in the Sangha.

During the first 500 years of Buddhism the scriptures were transmitted orally and they were written down only towards the end of the first period. Of course, we are not so sure if the Buddha’s actual words were transmitted into what we now call “Scriptures”. During His lifetime, the Buddha may have taught in Ardhamagadhi, but none of His sayings is preserved in its original form. As for the earliest Canon, even its language is still a matter of dispute. All we have are translations of what may have been the early Canon into other Indian languages, such as Pail and Sanskrit. Thus, not long after the Buddha’s Nirvana, a lot of differences in the interpretation of the Buddha’s teachings ignited. And thus not long after the Buddha’s Nirvana, Buddhism had divided itself at some unspecified time into a number of sects, of which usually 18 are counted; however, in fact more than 30 sects are known to us, at least by name. Most of these sects had their own Canon. Nearly all of these Canons are lost either because they were never written down, or because the written records were destroyed by humans or the depredations of time. As different communities fixed themselves in different parts of India, local traditions developed. Even though these sects had differences in geography and interpretations in the Buddha’s teachings, they remained the original core Buddha’s teachings. From the difference in the Buddha’s teachings, about 140 years after the Buddha’s Nirvana, the Sthaviras separated from the Mahasanghikas, who in their turn provided about the beginning of the Christian Era the starting point for the Mahayana.

About 400 years after the Buddha’s Nirvana a number of Buddhists felt that the existing doctrines had become stale and somewhat useless. They believed that the doctrines required reformation so as to meet the needs of new ages, new populations and new social circumstances, so they set out to produce a new literature. They also believed that old literature could not sustain a living religion as Buddhism. Unless counterbalanced by constant innovation, it would become fossilized and lost its living qualities. Philosophically speaking, we must sincerely say that philosohy is one of the main causes of sectarian divisions, for philosophy differs from all other branches of knowledge in that it allows of more than one solution to each problem. And Buddhism is not only known as a religion, but it is also known as a profound living philosophy. In the course of carrying out cultivation, Buddhist monks and nuns came up against problems in the field of philosophy, such as the nature and classification of knowledge, criteria of reality, cause and effect, time and space, the existence or non-existence of a “self”, and so on. The first period concentrated on psychological questions, the second on ontological, the third on cosmic. The first is concerned with individuals gaining control over their own minds, and psychological analysis is the method by which self-control is sought; the second turns to the nature of true reality and the realization in oneself of that true nature of things is held to be decisive for salvation; the third sees adjustment and harmony with the cosmos as the clue to enlightenment and uses age-old magical and occult methods to achieve it. Historically speaking, the first division of opinion was between those who thought that only the present exists, and those who maintained that the past and future are as real as present. Furthermore, two dharmas were often counted as unconditioned, space and Nirvana. Some schools, however, doubted whether space is either real or unconditioned, while others seem to have disputed the unconditioned nature of Nirvana, there was no agreement on what kind of reality should be assigned to it. Some believed that it had none at all, while others asserted that it alone should be regarded as truly real.

The Mahasanghikas are those who represented the viewpoint of the laypeople against the monkish party. They minimized the importance of the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni, whom they replaced by the Buddha who is the embodiment of Dharma (dharmakaya). In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha abides for aeons and aeons, from eternity, and that He preaches the Law at all times in countless places and innumerable disguises. The Mahasanghikas maintained that everything, the contingent as well as the Absolute, is fictitious, a mere concept, mere verbal chatter, without any substance of its own. The “totality” of these fictitious dharmas was contrasted with a Dharma-element or dharmahood, which was further identified with one vast Emptiness into which all dharmas are absorbed. The Pudgalavadins caused a great stir with their view that in ađition to the impersonal dharmas, there is still a Person to be reckoned with. They deliberately challenged the fundamental dogma of all contemporary Buddhist scholars. The schism between Sthaviras and Mahasanghikas was occasioned by the question of the status of the Arhat. The Mahasanghikas tôk the line that in several ways the Arhats fell short of the god-like stature which the Sthaviras attributed to them. Arhats were not yet entirely frê, because, among other things, they could still be troubled by demons, had their doubts, and were ignorant of many things. With the Mahayana the Arhats have become worthy, but they are selfish people. Their philosophical statements are no longer based on Arhats’ experiences, but on those of the “Bodhisatvas” who unselfishly prepare themselves for Buddhahood during aeons of self-sacrificing struggle.

The Mahasanghikas identified Emptiness with the nature of the Buddha. For them, all beings, both worldly and supramundane, have the Void for their basis. The Void is the Buddha-nature and the great final Nirvana. The Buddha-nature must therefore necessarily exist in all beings. The Mahasanghikas regarded the historical Buddha as alien to the real Buddha, who was transcendental, altogether supramundane, had no imperfections, or impurities whatsoever, was omniscient, all-powerful, infinite, and eternal, forever withdrawn into trance, never distracted or asleep. The historical Buddha was only a magical creation of the transcendental Buddha, a fictitious creature sent by Him to appear in the world to conform Himself to its ways and teach its inhabitants. With His Nirvana, He has not altogether disappeared, but with a compassion as unlimited as the length of His life He will until the end of time conjure up all kinds of messengers who will help all kinds of beings in diverse ways. Nor are Buddhas found on this earth alone, but they fill the entire universe, and exist here and there everywhere, in all the world systems. According to the Mahasanghikas, the conception of the Buddha as the timeless embodiment of all Truth allowed for a successive revelation of that truth by Him at different times, and not necessarily only during His lifetime. The Mahasanghikas and Mahayanists were, in a sense, “mystics” opposed to the “Rationalism” of the Sthaviras. The difference was really one between the rational mysticism of the Mahayana, and the mystical tinged rationalism of the Theravadins or Sarvastivadins. However, they had much common ground on the Middle Path where their practitioners strove for emancipation. Completely contrary with the Mahasanghikas, the Sthaviravadins School regards the Buddha as having been an ordinary human being, despite indications to the contrary in its own Pali Canon. It maintians that there is only one Bodhisattva at present, who is Maitreya. He currently resides in the Tusita Heaven, from which he will be reborn in the human realm when the Dharma has died out. Eighteen sects of Early Buddhism include: Mahasanghikah, Ekavya-vaharikah, Lokottaravadinah, Bahusrutiyah, Prajanptivadinah, Jetavaniyah (Caityasailah), Aparasailah, Uttarasailah, Kaukkutikah (Gokulika), Aryasthavirah, Haimavatah, Sarvastivadah, Vatsiputriyah, Dharmottariyah, Bhadrayaniyah, Sammatiyah, Sannagarikah, Mahisasakah, Dharmaguptah, Kasyahpiya, and Sautrantikah.

346. Last Teachings of the Buddha

Before entering Nirvana, the Buddha uttered His last words: “Nothing in this world is precious. The human body will disintegrate. Ony is Dharma precious. Only is Truth everlasting.” When the day of the Buddha’s passing away was drawing near, and the Bhiksus were reluctant for the parting. The Buddha instructed them saying: “The Buddha’s incarnation body cannot say in the world forever. This is the natural law. But my dharma can live on for a long time. You should observe and practice according to my teachings.” Ananda and others then consulted the Buddha on four things of the Buddha’s disciples after the Buddha’s passing away. First, who will be the Teacher? Second, on what ground will the Sangha dwell? Third, how to tame and discipline the ill-natured Bhiksus? And fourth, how to compile the Sutras to establish faith in them? The Buddha said his last instructions (or the Sutra of Buddha’s Last Exhortations”: adhere to the Precepts as your Teacher, dwell on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, discreetly reject the ill-natured Bhiksus, and in all Sutras, start at the beginning with the four words “Thus Have I Heard.” Right after that, beneath the Sala Trees at Kusinagara, the Buddha taught his last words to his disciples as follows: 1) Make yourself a light. Rely upon yourself, do not depend upon anyone else. 2)Make my teachings your light. Rely on them; do not rely on any other teaching. 3) Consider your body, think of its impurity. 4) Consider your body, knowing that both its pains and its delight are alike causes of suffering, how can you indulge in its desires? 5) Consider your “self,” think of its transciency, how can you fall into delusion about it and cherish pride and selfishness, knowing that they must end in inevitable suffering and afflictions? 6) Consider substances, can you find among them any enduring “self” ? Are they aggregates that sooner or later will break apart and be scattered? 7) Do not be confused by the universality of suffering, but follow my teaching, even after my death, and you will be rid of pain. Do this and you will indeed be my disciples. 8) My disciples, the teachings that I have given you are never be forgotten or abandoned. They are always to be treasured, they are to be thought about, they are to be practiced. If you follow these teachings, you will always be happy. 9) My disciples, the point of the teachings is to control your own mind. Keep your mind from greed, and you will keep your behavior right; keep your mind pure and your words faithful. By always thinking about the transciency of your life, you will be able to resist greed and anger, and will be able to avoid all evils. 10) If you find your mind tempted and so entangled in greed, you must try to suppress and control the temptation; be the master of your own mind. 11) A man’s mind may make him a Buddha, or it may make him a beast. Misled by error, one becomes a demon; enlightened, one become a Buddha. Therefore, control your mind and do not let it deviate from the right path. 12) You should respect each other, follow my teachings, and refrain from disputes. You should not like water and oil, repel each other, but should like milk and water, mingle together. 13) My disciples, you should always study together, learn together, practise my teachings together. Do not waste your mind and time in idleness and quarreling. Enjoy the blossoms of Enlightenment in their season and harvest the fruit of the right path. 14) My disciples, the teachings which I have given you, I gained by following the path myself. You should follow these teachings and conform to their spirit on every occasion. 15) My disciples, if you neglect them, it means that you have never really met me. It means that you are far from me, even if you are actually with me. But if you accept and practice my teachings, then you are very near to me, even though you are far away. 16) My disciples, my end is approaching, our parting is near, but do not lament. Life is ever changing; none can escape the disolution of the body. This I am now to show by my own death, my body falling apart like a dilapidated cart. 17) Do not vainly lament, but realize that nothing is permanent and learn from it the emptiness of human life. Do not cherish the unworthy desire that the changeable might become unchanging. 18) My disciples, you should always remember that the demon of worldly desires is always seeking chances to deceive the mind. If a viper lives in your room and you wish to have a peaceful sleep, you must first chase it out. You must break the bonds of worldly passions and drive them away as you would a viper. You must positively protect your own mind. 19) My disciples, my last moment has come, do not forget that death is only the end of the physical body. The body was born from parents and was nourished by food; just as inevitable are sickness and death. 20) But the true Buddha is not a human body: it is Enlightenment. A human body must die, but the Wisdom of Enlightenment will exist forever in the truth of the Dharma, and in the practice of the Dharma. He who sees merely my body does not see me. Only he who accepts and practies my teaching truly sees me. 21) After my death, the Dharma shall be your teacher. Follow the Dharma and you will be true to me. 22) During the last forty-five years of my life, I have withheld nothing from my teachings. There is no secret teaching, no hidden meaning; everything has been taught openly and clearly. My dear disciples, this is the end. In a moment, I shall be passing into Nirvana. This is my last instruction.

According to the Mahaparinirvana Sutra in the Digha Nikaya, volume 16, the Buddha compassionately reminded Ananda: “It is through not understanding the Four Noble Truths, o Bhiksus, that we have had to wander so long in this weary path of rebirth, both you and I!” On his last days, the Buddha always reminded his disciples to be mindful and self-possessed in learning the Three-fold training “Such is right conduct, such is concentration, and such is wisdom.” In His last instructions to the Order, the Buddha told Ananda: “The Tathagata does not think that he should lead the Order or the Order is dependent on Him. Therefore, Ananda, be lamps to yourselves. Be a refuge to yourselves. Go to no external refuge. Hold fast to the Dharma as a lamp. Hold fast to the Dharma as a refuge. And how, O Ananda, is a Bhiksu to be a lamp to himself, a refuge to himself, going to no external refuge, holding fast to the Dharma as a lamp? Herein, a Bhiksu lives diligent, mindful, and self-possessed, overcoming desire and grief in the world, reflecting on the body, feeling, and mind and mental objects.” In Kusinagara, the Buddha told his last disciple, Subhadda: “O Subhadda, in whatever doctrine, the Noble Eightfold Path is not found, neither is there found the first Samana, nor the second, nor the third, nor the fourth. Now in this doctrine and discipline, O Subhadda, there is the Noble Eightfold Path, and in it too, are found the first, the second, the third and the fourth Samanas. The other teachers’ schools are empty of Samanas. If, O Subhadda, the disciples live rightly, the world would not be void with Arahants. Void of true Saints are the system of other teachers. But in this one, may the Bhiksus live the perfect life, so that the world would not be without saints.” Then the Buddha turned to everyone and said his final exhortation: “Remember what I have taught you. Craving and desire are the cause of all unhappiness. Everything sooner or later must change, so do not become attached to anything. Instead, devote yourself to clearing your mind and finding true and lasting happiness. Behold now, O Bhiksus, I exhort you! Subject to change are all component things! Strive on with diligence!”

347. Five Bases of Emancipation

Moksha means the escaping from bonds and the obtaining of freedom, freedom from transmigration, from karma, from illusion, from suffering of the burning house in the three realms (lokiya). According to Buddhism, deliverance means deliverance from all the trammels of life, the bondage of the passion and reincarnation. Thus, moksha also denotes nirvana. Moksha can be achieved in dhyana-meditation. Zen practitioners should always remember that in Buddhism, it is not the Buddha who delivers men, but he teaches them to deliver themselves, even as he delivered himself. According to the Sangiti Sutta in the Long Discourses of the Buddha, there are five bases of deliverance. The first base of deliverance: Here, the teacher or a respected fellow-disciple teaches a monk Dhamma. Anh he receives the teaching, he gains a grasp of both the spirit and the letter of the teaching. At this, joy arises in him, and from this joy, delight; and by this delight his sense are calmed, he feels happiness as a result, and with this happiness his mind is established. The second base of deliverance: Here a monk who has not heard the teaching, but in the course of teaching Dhamma to others he has learnt it by heart as he has heard it. At this, joy arises in him, and from this joy, delight; and by this delight his senses are calmed, he feels happiness as a result, and with this happiness his mind is established. The third base of deliverance: Here a monk who has not heard the teaching, but as he is chanting the Dhamma, joy arises in him, and from this joy, delight; and by this delight his senses are calmed, he feels happiness as a result, and with this happiness his mind is established. The fourth base of deliverance: Here a monk who has not heard the teaching from a teacher or a respected fellow-disciple; nor has he taught the Dhamma; nor has he chanted the Dhamma; but when he applies his mind to the Dhamma, thinks and ponders over it and concentrates his attention on it, joy arises in him, and from this joy, delight; and by this delight his senses are calmed, he feels happiness as a result, and with this happiness his mind is established. The fifth base of deliverance: Here a monk who has not heard the teaching from a teacher or a respected fellow-disciple; nor has he taught the Dhamma; nor has he chanted the Dhamma; nor has he thought or pondered over the Dhamma; but when he has properly grasped some concentration-sign (samadhi-nimittam), has well considered it, applied his mind to it (supadharitam), and has well penetrated it with wisdom (suppatividdham-pannaya). At this, joy arises in him, and from this joy, delight; and by this delight his senses are calmed, he feels happiness as a result, and with this happiness his mind is established.

348. Five Elements Making for Deliverance

According to the Sangiti Sutta in the Long Discourses of the Buddha, there are five elements making for deliverance. First, the deliverance from SENSE-DESIRES: Here when a monk considers sense-desires, his mind does not leap forward and take satisfaction in them, fix on them or make free with them, but when he considers renunciation it does leap forward, take satisfaction in it, fix on it, and make free with it. And he gets this thought well-set, well-developed, well-raised up, well freed and disconnected from sense-desires. And thus he is freed from the corruptions (asava), the vexations and fevers that arise from sense-desires, and he does not feel that sensual feeling. Second, the deliverance from ILL-WILL: Same as in 1. Replace “sense-desires” with “ill-will”. Third, the deliverance from CRUELTY: Same as in 1. Replace “sense-desires” with “cruelty”. Fourth, the deliverance from FORMS (rupa): Same as in 1. Replace “sense-desires” with “forms”. Fifth, the deliverance from PERSONALITY: Same as in 1. Replace “sense-desires” with “personality”.

349. Six Kinds of Cultivation for Deliverance

According to the Sangiti Sutta in the Long Discourses of the Buddha, there are six elements making for deliverance. First, having developed the emancipation of the heart through LOVING-KINDNESS. Here a monk might say “I have developed the emancipation of the heart by LOVING-KINDNESS (metta), expanded it, made it a vehicle and a base, established, worked well on it, set it well in train. And yet ill-will still grips my heart. He should be told :No! Do not say that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it is not right to slander him thus, for he would not have said such a thing! Your words are unfounded and impossible. If you develop the emanicipation of the heart through loving-kindness, ill-will has no chance to envelop your heart. This emancipation through loving kindness is a cure for ill-will. Second, emancipation of heart through compassion. Here a monk might say: “I have developed the emanicipation of the heart through compassion (karuna), and yet cruelty still grips my heart.” (the rest remains the same as in 1). Third, emancipation of the heart through sympathetic joy (mudita). Here a monk might say: “I have developed the emancipation of the heart through sympathetic joy,… and yet aversion (prati) still grips my heart.” (the rest remains the same as in 1). Fourth, emancipation of the heart through equanimity. Here a monk might say: “I have developed the emancipation of the heart through equanimity (upeka,…, and yet lust (rago) grips my heart.” (the rest remains the same as in 1). Fifth, the signless emancipation of the heart. Here a monk might say: “I have developed the signless emancipation of the heart, and yet my heart still hankers after signs (nimittanusari-hoti).” (the rest remains the same as in 1). Sixth, the emancipation of the heed to the idea: ‘I am this,’ means the emancipation of doubts, uncertainties, and problems. Here a monk might say: “The idea ‘I am is repellent to me, I pay no heed to the idea: I am this.” Yet doubts, uncertainties and problems still grip my heart.” (the rest remains the same as in 1).

350. Turning the Wheel of Law

Wheel of the teaching in Buddhism, a symbol of the teaching expounded by the Buddha, including the Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Noble Path and The Middle Way. The Dharma-Chakra is always depicted with eight spokes representing the eightfold path. The Buddha truth which is able to crush all evil and all opposition. The preaching of a Buddha. Dharma wheel is likened a wheel because it crushed all illusions, evil and on opposition, like Indra’s wheel, which rolls from man to man, place to place, age to age. According to Buddhist tradition, the wheel of dharma was set in motion three times. The first turning happened in Sarnath where the Buddha pronounced his first discourse after attaining complete enlightenment. The second turning happened at the origination of the Mahayana. The third turning happened at the arising of the Vajrayana. In Sarnath where the Buddha pronounced his first discourse after attaining complete enlightenment. In the beginning, Sakyamuni Buddha first went to convert the five Bhiksus in the Deer Park. These five Bhiksus were the Buddha’s relatives. They had been cultivating the Way with the Buddha, but three of them could not endure the bitterness of ascetic practices. When Sakyamuni Buddha was in the Himalayas, he ate one seasame seed and one grain of wheat each day, and he became as thin as a matchstick, so they left because they were starving and could not endure the suffering, only two of them remained. Later, on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, a heavenly maiden made an offering of milk to the Buddha. When the Buddha drank the milk, his two remaining companions also left, saying: “Cultivation consists of ascetic practice. But now, you have drunk milk. That shows that you could not cultivate. You cannot take the suffering.” Then they left. All of them went to the Deer Park. When the Buddha arrived at the Deer Park, He turned the Dharma Wheel of the Four Holy Truths three times for the five Bhiksus. In the first Turning, the Buddha taught: “This is suffering, its nature is oppressive. This is accumulation, its nature is enticement. This is cessation, its nature is that it can be realized. This is the Way, its nature is that it can be cultivated in order to become enlightened.” The Second Turning, the Buddha taught: “This is suffering, you should know it. This is accumulation, you should cut it off. This is cessation, you should realize it. This is the Way, you should cultivate it.” The Third Turning, the Buddha taught: “This is suffering. I already know it and need not know it again. This is accumulation. I have already cut it off and need not cut it off again. Đây là sự hết khổ, ta đã dứt sạch, không cần dứt thêm gì nữa: This is cessation. I have already realized it, and need not realize it any more. This is the way. I have already cultivated it and need not cultivate it any more.” After speaking the Four Holy Truths, the Buddha said, “Ajnatakaundinya, you are troubled by the guest-dust and have not obtained emancipation.” When Ajnatakaundinya heard the words ‘guest-dust’ he became enlightened. What is meant by ‘guest-dust’? Guest is not the host, and ‘dust’ is something impure. The self-nature is the host, and it is pure. So Ajnatakaundinya became enlightened, and the Buddha named him “One who understands the original limit” because he understood the basic principle.