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| Contents Door 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 previous next * Preface | ||
Prologue:
Therefore, of all the assemblies, in most it is made clear that entry into samadhi is a condition for speaking the Sutra.Commentary:
It talked before about how the Buddha enters samadhi prior to speaking Dharma, and how entering samadhi enables one to speak true and actual Dharma, which makes those who listen to and take it in hold to the Sutra with great sincerity.Therefore, of all the assemblies, the Nine Assemblies of the Flower Adornment Sutra, in most it is made clear that entry into samadhi is a condition for speaking the Sutra. In each assembly, there is entry to samadhi, and afterwards the Sutra is spoken, so that is part of the causes and conditions for the speaking of the Sutra. Among the Nine Assemblies, there is no entry to samadhi in the Second Assembly, but the Sutra is spoken upon arisal from samadhi in all other eight assemblies. That’s why it says, “In most it is made clear.” It happens in eight cases out of nine, the one exception being the Second Assembly.
In the First Assembly, Universal Worthy Bodhisattva enters the Vairochana Thus Come One’s Body Treasuries Samadhi. In the Third Assembly, Dharma Wisdom Bodhisattva enters the Samadhi of the Bodhisattva’s Limitless Skill-In-Means to speak the Dharma of limitless expedient means. In the Fourth Assembly, Forest of Merit and Virtue Bodhisattva enters the Samadhi of the Bodhisattva’s Good Consideration, that dhyana-concentration. In the Fifth Assembly, Vajra Banner Bodhisattva enters the Wisdom Light Samadhi.In the Sixth Assembly, Vajra Treasury Bodhisattva enters the Samadhi of the Bodhisattva’s Wisdom Light. In the Seventh Assembly the Thus Come One, Shakyamuni himself, enters and dwells in the Kshana-Limit Samadhi, in which in the space of a single kshana one can pass through limitless kalpas, and limitless kalpas can be contained in one shana-instant. In the Eighth Assembly, Universal Worthy Bodhisattva enters the Buddha’s Flower Adornment Samadhi. In the Ninth Assembly, Shakyamuni Buddha himself enters the Lion-Sprint (Simha-Vijrimbhita) Samadhi.
There is no entry to samadhi in the Second Assembly, but it might have been lost when the Sutra was translated from Sanskrit to Chinese. As it is, the text says that in most it is clear that entry to samadhi forms part of the causes and conditions for speaking the Sutra.Prologue:
The one which has no entry to samadhi will be discussed when the text is reached. The rest which do have entry to samadhi all exhaust the Dharma’s source, their karmic funtionings difficult to conceive.Commentary:
The one which has no entry to samadhi will be discussed when the text is reached. When we come to the Second Assembly in the text of the Sutra, this will be explained. The rest which do have entry to samadhi, the other eight Assemblies, all exhaust the Dharma’s source. They exhaust the fountainhead of Dharma, their karmic functionings being difficult to conceive. They all receive the aid and support of all Buddhas in the three karmic activities; and the functionings of those karmas are inconceivable.Prologue:
The fifth, depending on the manifestation of marks. That is, the Dharma Nature is still and silent and, although it has no marks, the characteristic of marklessness does not obstruct prolific flourishing.Commentary:
The fifth is depending on the manifestation of marks to speak the Dharma. What does that mean? That is to say, the Dharma Nature is still and silent. The Dharma Nature is empty, and, although it has no marks, even so, the characteristics of marklessness does not obstruct prolific flourishing. It still does not interfere with the existence of marks, the prolific flourishing of lots and lots of marks arising.Prologue:
In the arisal of the teaching there are many events, and the marks are not of a single type. Lights may be emitted, kshetras may quake, or there may rain down flowers and clouds of incense, all of which contribute to the arisal.Commentary:
Inasmuch as the characteristics of marklessness does not obstruct prolific flourishing, in the arisal of the teaching there are many events. When a teaching arises, there are a considerable number of things that happen, and so the marks are not of a single type. There’s no fixed canon for the kinds of signs that appear. It’s not to say that the heavens have to rain precious flowers, or that there must be light emitted. For example, at the speaking of the Dharma Flower Sutra, the Buddha emitted light, made the earth quake, and caused a rain of heavenly mandarava flowers as portents.When the Mahaparinirvana Sutra was spoken, on the other hand, the marks he used were sounds and lights which pervaded everywhere and made proclamation to the Great Assembly. When he spoke the Prajna Sutra, the sign he used was the scattering of golden blossoms. Now, at the speaking of the Great Means Expansive Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra, the worlds of the Flower Treasury experience the six kinds of quakes, and the heavens rain down precious flowers which descend in colorful profusion, in addition to there being clouds of incense, rains of clouds of flowers, rains of clouds of garlands, clouds of necklaces, and a great many more kinds of clouds. It’s not fixed what marks will appear; so it says, lights may be emitted, kshetras may quake, or there may rain down flowers and clouds of incense. Heavenly mandarava flowers may descend as rain, or there may be rain of various kinds of incense-clouds, all of which contribute to the arisal. They are all causes and conditions for the arisal of the teaching.
Can anyone recite this afternoon’s Chinese lesson by heart? If you close your eyes, and take a look, you’ll be able to remember it:
In bringing forth the Bodhisattva mind
and practicing the Bodhisattva Way,
What is prized is firmness.
Eternally be constant and do not change.
Make vows and wear the armor of vigor.
Brandishing the sword of Prajna,
Chop and kill the crazy thieves which are the six organs.
Seize the yin ghosts, the six consciousnesses.
Sweep out the defiling demons of the six sense objects.
Did you forget about bringing forth the mind for Bodhi? Did you forget about practicing the Bodhisattva Way? The Prajna sword is so wonderful, and you even forgot about it. You all think the crazy thieves are your friends and don’t want to kill them, so you didn’t want to remember that. I saw today when we were studying Chinese that there were several among you who shook their heads as soon as they saw it, objecting, “I don’t want to kill the thieves. They’re my good friends, how can I kill them?” You don’t want to seize the yinny ghosts, either, because they’re always giving you news reports, keeping you informed. They see you have no “supervisor” yet to help you do things, so they come give you advice, saying; “Go ahead and do it. It doesn’t matter. It won’t make any difference.” You also can’t give up the defiled demons, but think, “They’re not bad at all. They help me out a lot, so I don’t want to get rid of them.” You were completely unwilling to remember all that, so you forgot it, right?Prologue:
Therefore, within all assemblies, when Dharma is about to be spoken, in most, lights are first emitted which both represents the light of wisdom and sustains creatures. Moreover, it is of two kinds: one, light which does not destroy sequential order, for it increases in subtlety according to the positions; two, light that perfectly interpenetrates without obstruction, for all the individual lights inter-connect and penetrate each other. The lights emitted differ according to locations, but in general there are ten kinds of light, each of which is symbolic. This will be known when the texts are reached.Commentary:
Therefore, within all assemblies, the Nine Assemblies, when Dharma is about to be spoken, in most, lights are first emitted. Almost every one of them has some kind of light sent out before the Dharma is spoken, which both represents the light of wisdom and sustains creatures. Wisdom light aids and supports all living beings with conditions of potential to be taught.Moreover, it is of two kinds: one, light which does not destroy sequential order. The first kind of light has a very orderly arrangement to it, with no mixing up of what comes before and what comes afterwards, for it increases in subtlety according to the positions. The subtle and wonderful inconceivability of the light increases with each of the result positions. Two, light that perfectly interpenetrates without obstruction. The second kind of light is fused and interpenetrative, for all the individual lights inter-connect and penetrate each other. Mutually they have unimpeded interpenetration with no obstruction of one by another.
The lights emitted differ according to locations. The places aren’t the same, and neither are the lights sent out, but in general there are ten kinds of lights, each of which is symbolic. Each of the ten general categories of light has something that it represents. This will be known when the texts are reached. You’ll find this out when you come to those parts of the Sutra text.
There are different lights emitted in each of the Assemblies. In the First Assembly, which occurs in the Chapter on the Thus Come Ones’ Manifestation of Marks, there are two sendings out of light. The first is when Shakyamuni Buddha emits various different kinds of light from his teeth. The second, also in the Chapter on the Thus Come Ones’ Manifestation of Marks, is when he emits light from between his eyebrows. In the Second Assembly, he emits light from the wheels on the soles of his feet.In the Third Assembly, the light is emitted from the toes of the feet. In the Fourth Assembly, light is emitted from the tops of the feet. In the Fifth Assembly, light is emitted from the kneecaps. In the Sixth Assembly, light is again emitted from between the eyebrows. In the Seventh Assembly, there is no light sent out in the beginning, but later on in the Appearances Chapter two kinds of light are emitted. The first is from between the eyebrows to aid Wonderful Virtue Bodhisattva, and the second is from the mouth to aid Universal Worthy Bodhisattva. There is no light sent out at all in the Eight Assembly, while in the Ninth Assembly light is again emitted from the white hair-mark between the eyebrows.
Each time light is emitted, it represents some principle of Dharma. The light emitted from the Buddha’s teeth in the First Assembly represents the benefits obtained when one perfects and exhausts the Buddha’s teaching and the Buddha Way. The light that flows from the Buddha’s mouth represents the true disciples of Buddha, who are born from the Buddha’s mouth: the disciples of Dharma. Light from the face in both cases stands for the true disciples of the Buddha. It also represents chewing the flavor of Dharma. The light emitted from between the eyebrows in symbolic of the One Vehicle and the Proper, Middle Way.
There is only the Buddha Vehicle,
And no other Vehicle besides it.
The Dharma of the ultimate meaning of the Middle Way is symbolized by the light coming from the mid-way point between the brows. The light that comes from the wheels on the soles of the feet represents the four kinds of faith:
- The most initial faith, which is oneself going from below to above. That is, one starts below and works upwards in studying the Buddhadharma.
- Since the feet are the lowest part of the body, it represents that the Dharma is produced from the very least elevated position.
- It is the basis of cultivation.
- Faith includes the sea of results, and so fulfillment has already been reached.
Light from the toes means that one is secured within the Dharma. Light from the tops of the feet means that one must rely on the Dharma to cultivate. Light sent out from the kneecaps, which bend and straighten, represents turning away from self towards others, turning away from specifics towards principle, turning away from cause and turning toward effect: in short, transference, as going from the First Ground in transference to the Tenth Ground.
The light emitted from between the eyebrows in the Ten Grounds stands for having already certified to the principle of the ten suchnesses, and having perfectly perceived the ultimate meaning of the Middle Way, so it comes from the middle point between the brows. In the Appearances Chapter, this means not dwelling in birth and death and also not dwelling in nirvana, not dwelling in the two extremes. Light from the mouth, again, means all the true disciples of the Buddha are born from the Buddha’s mouth, transformationally born from Dharma. In general, the lights sent out by the Buddha stand for the principle of unobstructed perfect interpenetration, and they themselves are that way.
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