Five Organs

VOLUME 5, Chapter 2

 

N3 Moonlight Bodhisattva: the water element.

Sutra:

The pure youth Moonlight arose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, "I remember that long ago, beyond kalpas as many as there are sands in the Ganges, there was a Buddha in the world named Water-God, who taught all the Bodhisattvas to cultivate the contemplation of water and enter samadhi."

Commentary:

The pure youth Moonlight entered the Way as a virgin youth. He left the home-life when he was quite young. As he speaks now, however, he was not a youth; he was an elder among the Bodhisattvas. People referred to him as "pure youth" because he entered the Way when he was young and undefiled. He arose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, "I remember that long ago, beyond kalpas as many as there are sands in the Ganges, there was a Buddha in the world named Water-God, he taught all the Bodhisattvas to cultivate the contemplation of water and enter samadhi." He practiced the samadhi of water-contemplation.

Sutra:

I reflected upon how throughout the body the essence of water is not in discord. I started with mucus and saliva and went on through digestive juices, phlegm, semen, blood, to urine and excrement. As it revolved through my body, the nature of water was identical. I saw that the water in my body was not at all different from that in the world outside, even that in royal lands of floating banners with all their seas of fragrant waters.

Commentary:

I reflected upon how throughout the body the essence of water is not in discord. It does not contend with itself. I started with mucus and saliva and went on through, investigating each in detail, digestive juices, which lie below the throat; phlegm, which lies above the throat; semen, blood, to urine and excrement. As it revolved through my body, the nature of water was identical. It circulated throughout my body, ending and beginning continually as it revolved. Throughout it all, the essence of water remained the same. I saw that the water in my body was not at all different from that in the world outside, even that in royal lands of floating banners with all their seas of fragrant waters. The "royal lands of floating banners" refers to the base of Mount Sumeru. All these kinds of water were the same. There was no distinction to be made among them.

Sutra:

At that time, when I first succeeded in the contemplation of water, I could see only water. I still had not gotten beyond my physical body.

Commentary:

At that time, when I first succeeded in the contemplation of water, I could see only water. All the waters in my body were united as one, and the water of my body and the water of the external environment were also joined. But, I still had not gotten beyond my physical body. I still had a body. I hadn't experienced the state of having no body.

Sutra:

I was a bhikshu then, and once when I was in dhyana repose in my room, a disciple of mine peeked in the window and saw only pure water there, which filled the entire room. He saw nothing else.

Commentary:

I was a bhikshu then, and once when I was in dhyana repose in my room, I was in a quiet room sitting in dhyana cultivating the water-contemplation samadhi, a disciple of mine peeked in the window and saw only pure water there, which filled the entire room. He saw nothing else. This youth swept the walks, cleaned up the place, cooked the food, and in general, served this bhikshu. "He looked in my window that day and saw nothing but clear water filling up the entire room. There wasn't anything else in there at all."

Sutra:

The lad was young, and not knowing any better, he picked up a tile and tossed it into the water. It hit the water with a 'plunk.' He gazed around and then left. When I came out of concentration, I was suddenly aware of a pain in my heart, and I felt like Shariputra must have felt when he met that cruel ghost.

Commentary:

The lad was young, and not knowing any better, he picked up a tile and tossed it into the water. The disciple was a young child and didn't have much sense. He found a little square of tile and threw it in the window into the water. It hit the water with a "plunk." He gazed around and then left. The child stood there peering in and wondering, "My teacher's in that room meditating. Why is the whole place full of water?" Then he threw a stone into the water, looked all around, and left. When I came out of concentration, I was suddenly aware of a pain in my heart, and I felt like Shariputra must have felt when he met that cruel ghost.

The pure youth Moonlight is referring to the time when Shariputra was meditating, and a couple of ghosts passed by in the air. One was named "Unreasonably Cruel," and the other was named "Repeatedly Cruel." Repeatedly said to Unreasonably, "How about if I hit that shramana over the head, the one that's there meditating?"

Unreasonably said, "Don't! You don't want to hit a shramana. Better not mess with a cultivator of the Way." After he left, Repeatedly did not heed his advice. He took a bludgeon and whacked Shariputra over the head with it. When Shariputra came out of samadhi, he had a headache. He thought, "I've already been certified to the fruition of arhatship, and I haven't any illness, so why does my head ache?" So he went to ask the Buddha about it.

"You were struck by the ghost called Repeatedly Cruel," the Buddha answered, "and as a result of what he did to you, he has already fallen into the Relentless Hells," the Avichis. The blow he dealt you was so powerful it could have split Mount Sumeru in half, had it been aimed in that direction. Fortunately, you have strong samadhi power. Otherwise you would have been smashed to smithereens.

That's how Shariputra got a headache. Now the disciple of the pure youth Moonlight threw a tile in the water of his samadhi, and when he came out of samadhi, his heart hurt.

Sutra:

I thought to myself, "I am already an arhat and have long since abandoned conditions that bring on illness. Why is it that today I suddenly have a pain in my heart? Am I about to lose the position of non-retreat?"

Commentary:

The Bodhisattva Moonlight thought to himself, "I am already an arhat and have long since abandoned conditions that bring on illness. I shouldn't get sick, so why is it that today I suddenly have a pain in my heart? Am I about to lose the position of nonretreat? Am I losing the position of arhatship I have gained? Am I retreating from my resolve for the Way?"

Sutra:

Just then, the young lad came promptly to me and related what had happened. I quickly said to him, "When you see the water again, you may open the door, wade into the water, and remove the tile." The child was obedient, so that when I reentered samadhi, he again saw the water and the tile as well. He opened the door and took it out. When I came out of concentration, my body had returned to normal.

Commentary:

Just then, the young lad came promptly to me and related what had happened. I quickly said to him, "When you see the water again, you may open the door, wade into the water, and remove the tile." The child was obedient, so that when I reentered samadhi, he again saw the water and the tile as well.

The pure youth Moonlight entered into samadhi once more, and the youth saw water in the room again, and he could also see the tile in it. He opened the door and took it out. He came in and removed the tile. When I came out of concentration, my body was as it had been before. My heart didn't hurt anymore.

Sutra:

I encountered limitless Buddhas and cultivated in this way until the coming of the Thus Come One, King of Masterful Penetrations of Mountains and Seas. Then I finally had no body. My nature and the seas of fragrant waters throughout the ten directions were identical with true emptiness, without any duality or difference. Now I am with the Thus Come One and am known as a pure youth, and I have joined the assembly of Bodhisattvas.

Commentary:

I encountered limitless Buddhas and cultivated in this way until the coming of the Thus Come One, King of Masterful Penetrations of Mountains and Seas. I cultivated the contemplation of water in this fashion under limitless, boundless Thus Come Ones. When the Buddha called King of Masterful Penetrations of Mountains and Seas entered the world, I finally had no body.

At that point in my cultivation of the contemplation of water, the waters outside and the waters within my body united, and my own body disappeared. My nature and the seas of fragrant waters throughout the ten directions were identical with true emptiness, without any duality or difference. When he succeeded in his cultivation of the great water-contemplation samadhi, he became one with all the bodies of water. Now I am with the Thus Come One and am known as a pure youth, and I have joined the assembly of Bodhisattvas. Now, in the presence of Shakyamuni Buddha, I am known as a pure youth and am part of the Bodhisattva assembly.

Sutra:

The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. By means of the nature of water, I penetrated through to the flow of a single flavor, and I obtained patience with the non-production of dharmas and the perfection of Bodhi. This is the foremost method.

Commentary:

Now the Buddha asks all his disciples about the dharma-door of perfect penetration which they obtained. By means of the nature of water, I penetrated through to the flow of a single flavor. I used the contemplation of water, of the essence of water, to find the single flavor of water that flows through everything. I obtained patience with the non-production of dharmas and the perfection of Bodhi. This is the foremost method. In my opinion, the contemplation of water is the best dharma-door.

N4 Vaidurya Bodhisattva: the wind element.

Sutra:

The dharma prince Vaidurya Light arose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, "I can still remember back through aeons as many as the sands in the Ganges to the time of a Buddha named Limitless Sound, who instructed the Bodhisattvas that fundamental enlightenment is wonderful and bright. He taught them to contemplate this world and all the beings in it as false conditions propelled by the power of wind."

Commentary:

The dharma prince Vaidurya Light. "Vaidurya" is a blue gemstone. "Dharma prince" is a title given to Bodhisattvas. He arose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, "I can still remember back through aeons as many as the sands in the Ganges to the time of a Buddha named Limitless Sound. The Buddha called Limitless Sound instructed the Bodhisattvas that fundamental enlightenment is wonderful and bright. He taught them to contemplate this world and all the beings in it as false conditions propelled by the power of wind." The dharma prince Vaidurya Light accomplished his deeds in the Way through the element wind.

Sutra:

At that time, I contemplated the position of the world, and I regarded the passage of time in the world. I reflected on the movement and stillness in my body. I considered the arising of thoughts in the mind. All these kinds of movement were nondual; they were equal and the same.

Commentary:

At that time, I contemplated the position of the world, that is, how the world-system was established. I regarded the passage of time in the world. I looked into the course of past, present, and future. I reflected on the movement and stillness in my body. I considered the arising of thoughts in the mind. As soon as we give rise to thought, we have created wind within our minds. Once there is wind in our minds, the many kinds of external winds arise. All these kinds of movement were non-dual. The substance and appearance of all the various movements are equal and the same. There is no distinction to be made among them.

Sutra:

I then understood that the nature of movement does not come from anywhere and does not go anywhere. Every single material particle throughout the ten directions and every upside-down living being in it is of the same empty falseness.

Commentary:

I then understood that the nature of movement does not come from anywhere and does not go anywhere. At that time I comprehended the essence of movement. Every single material particle throughout the ten directions and every upside-down living being in it is of the same empty falseness. They are all empty and false, created from one identical illusion.

Sutra:

And so, throughout the three-thousand-great-thousand worlds, the living beings in each of the worlds were like so many mosquitoes confined in a trap and droning monotonously. Caught in those few square inches, their hum built to a maddening crescendo. Not long after I encountered the Buddha, I attained patience with the non-production of dharmas.

Commentary:

And so, throughout the three-thousand-great-thousand world, so it goes, from one world to a small-thousands of worlds, on through a thousand small-thousands of worlds, that is, a middle-thousands of world-systems, and on through a thousand middle-thousands of worlds, which makes a great thousands of worlds. All through the three-thousand-great-thousand worlds, the living beings in each of the worlds were like so many mosquitoes confined in a trap and droning monotonously. They were like a great mass of mosquitoes trapped in a vessel. Each mosquito in the container emitted its own sound. Caught in those few square inches, their hum built to a maddening crescendo. Inside such a small space, their droning reverberated madly. I contemplated in this way, and not long after I encountered the Buddha, I attained patience with the non-production of dharmas.

Sutra:

My mind then opened, and I could see the country of the Buddha, Unmoving, in the east. I became a dharma prince and served the Buddhas of the ten directions. My body and mind emit a light that make them completely clear and translucent.

Commentary:

"My mind then opened, and I could see the country of the Buddha, Unmoving, in the east. I worked at perfecting this skill for a long time with a concentrated mind, allowing no other false thoughts to enter. Eventually I became enlightened, my mind opened, and I could see Akshobhya Medicine Master Buddha, in the east." He is known as the Buddha Unmoving and also as the Vajra Buddha. "I became a dharma prince at that place, and served the Buddhas of the ten directions. My body and mind emit a light that make them completely clear and translucent. I kept cultivating until my mind had light and my body had light. It penetrated within and without and was totally unhindered."

Sutra:

The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. I contemplated the power of wind as lacking anything to rely on, and I awakened to the Bodhi mind. I entered samadhi and meshed with the single, wonderful mind transmitted by all the Buddhas of the ten directions. This is the foremost method.

Commentary:

The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. I contemplated the power of wind as lacking anything to rely on. That is, the wind has no substantial nature of its own, it has no self-nature. From this I awakened to the Bodhi mind. I entered samadhi and meshed with the single, wonderful mind transmitted by all the Buddhas of the ten directions. I received the transmission of the Buddha's mind-seal dharma door. This is the foremost method. The dharma door of contemplating the unmoving power of wind is the best way, I think. I accomplished my Way-karma by contemplating the element wind.

N5 Treasury of Emptiness Bodhisattva: the emptiness element.

Sutra:

Treasury of Emptiness Bodhisattva arose from his seat, bowed to the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, "The Thus Come One and I attained boundless bodies at the place of the Buddha, Samadhi-Light."

Commentary:

Treasury of Emptiness Bodhisattva accomplished the Way by means of the element emptiness, which is one of the seven elements discussed previously. Now he relates how in the past he cultivated the method of the contemplation of emptiness. He arose from his seat, bowed to the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, "The Thus Come One and I attained boundless bodies at the place of the Buddha, Samadhi-Light." "Thus Come One" refers to Shakyamuni Buddha. Treasury of Emptiness Bodhisattva says his body was like empty space, boundless in its measure. "Samadhi- Light Buddha" refers to Burning Lamp Buddha. During the second great asamkhyeya of Shakyamuni Buddha's cultivation, Burning Lamp Buddha bestowed upon him a prediction of Buddhahood.

Sutra:

At that time, I held in my hands four huge precious pearls, which shone on Buddhalands as many as the motes of dust in the ten directions and transformed them into emptiness.

Commentary:

At that time, after Treasury of Emptiness Bodhisattva had attained a boundless body, he held in his hands four huge precious pearls, which shone on Buddhalands as many as the motes of dust in the ten directions and transformed them into emptiness. This occurred in innumerable Buddhalands as numerous as fine particles of dust.

Sutra:

In my mind there appeared a great, perfect mirror, which emitted from within ten kinds of subtle, wonderful precious light that poured out into the ten directions to the farthest bounds of emptiness.

Commentary:

Treasury of Emptiness, from within his everlasting, true mind, found that there appeared a great, perfect mirror. This mirror represents great wisdom. When the eighth consciousness is turned around, it becomes the great perfect mirror wisdom. It emitted from within ten kinds of subtle, wonderful precious light that poured out into the ten directions to the farthest bounds of emptiness. The light was magnificent as it flowed out into all of emptiness throughout the ten directions.

Sutra:

All the royal lands of banners came into the mirror and passed into my body. There was no hindrance to this interaction, because my body was like emptiness.

Commentary:

All the royal lands of banners, that is, all the Buddhalands, came into the mirror and passed into my body. He gathered into the mirror all the Buddhalands in the ten directions of emptiness throughout the dharma realm. Once they were in the mirror, they went on into this body. There was no hindrance to this interaction, because my body was like emptiness. His body was emptiness itself, and emptiness was his body. There was absolutely no difference between his body and emptiness.

Sutra:

My body could enter with ease as many countries as there are fine motes of dust and could do the Buddha's work on a wide scale, because it had become completely compliant.

Commentary:

Treasury of Emptiness Bodhisattva realized that his body was just emptiness, and emptiness was his body. Therefore, there was no boundary that could be distinguished between the two, and so there was no obstruction between them, either. They were fused. From that point on, my body could enter with ease as many countries as there are fine motes of dust and could do the Buddha's work on a wide scale, because it had become completely compliant. His body could pervade that many lands. What did he do when he got to all those places? He helped the Buddhas. How did he do that? He turned all mundane activities into deeds for the Buddha. His having become "completely compliant" means that he had achieved the greatest degree of ability to accord with living beings.

Sutra:

I achieved this great spiritual power from contemplating in detail how the four elements lack anything to return to; how the production and extinction of false thoughts is no different from emptiness; how all the Buddhalands are basically the same. Once I realized this identity, I obtained patience with the nonproduction of dharmas.

Commentary:

I achieved this great spiritual power, the spiritual ability to accord with living beings, from contemplating in detail how the four elements lack anything to return to. I studied and reflected on this in detail: the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water, have no substance; they are not based in anything. I realized that the production and extinction of false thoughts is no different from emptiness. False thoughts give rise to production and extinction: once I reflected on that, my body became no different from emptiness itself.

Even all the Buddhalands are basically the same. "The same" means that they, too, fundamentally are emptiness. He was a Treasury of Emptiness and found everything to be empty. He turned everything into empty space, including the places where there were Buddhalands and the places where there weren't. Once I realized this identity, I obtained patience with the non-production of dharmas. I made this discovery about emptiness, and it brought me this kind of patience.

Sutra:

The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. I used the contemplation of the boundlessness of emptiness to enter samadhi and attain wonderful power and perfect clarity. This is the foremost method.

Commentary:

The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. I used the power of the contemplation of the boundlessness of emptiness. Since emptiness had no bounds, my body also became boundless. From contemplating emptiness I entered a kind of samadhi, the concentration-power of emptiness, and attained wonderful power and perfect clarity. This emptiness-samadhi was extremely magnificent. The power of it was totally complete and full of light. This is the foremost method. As for what I, Treasury of Emptiness Bodhisattva, have cultivated, the dharma-door of contemplating emptiness is the most wonderful.

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