UnbornMind Zen

Archive for December, 2015

Traveling with Sudhana during his spiritual sojourn in the Gandavyūha-sūtra has oftentimes been ultra-cinematic in context. J.J. Abrams would not have been able to capture one iota of its stellar-scope. If totally entered into with a sincere spirit one is empowered and privileged to experience this majestic-mystic landscape and thus gain a full appreciation of the Hua-Yen Spirit that created it. One clearly discerns how the whole Avatamsaka Saga is a syncretic recapitulation of the entire Mahāyāna Read more [...]

Of all the twists and turns in this marvelous Avatamsaka Saga, who would have suspected that Sudhana’s search for the “supreme perfect enlightenment” would simply return him to the beginning of his quest—in the presence of Mañjuśrī. It’s like Glinda telling Dorothy at the end of the Wizard of Oz that she need not had journeyed any further than within her deepest and inmost-self. Maitreya sets the stage: "Now go back to Manjushri and ask him how an enlightening being is to learn Read more [...]

Maitreya We are now entering into the climatic-conclusions of the Gandavyūha-sūtra. First up: Maitreya and the Marvelous “Tower of the adornments of Vairocana”. Throughout this sutra, as well as the Avataṃsaka as a whole, we see that Vairocana rather than Gautama, occupies the premier-position of Supreme Buddha, remaining a silent—Resplendently Transcendent—figure bracketing the entire Avataṃsaka Enterprise. The Tower symbolizes the entire Dharmadhātu, the realm of Suchness, Read more [...]

Surendrabha Sudhana’s meeting with Surendrabha is the final encounter with the goddesses. Hence, Sudhana sojourned to Trayastrimsa Heaven to visit her in the abode of the gods. Surendrabha, whose name broken-down is “divine-maiden” (deva-kanyā), informs him that she has attained an enlightening liberation called pure manifestation of unimpeded recollection. Thus, constantly engrossed in this liberation, I recollect, remember, keep in mind, reflect on, and recall the supernal manifestations Read more [...]

Gopa Gopa was the wife of Siddhartha Buddha and her name is indicative of a “sense of watching over, or protecting.” She says to Sudhana that she has “attained an enlightening liberation whose sphere is observation of the ocean of concentrations of all enlightening beings." She also lets him know that the practice of Bodhi-Beings depends on the following: "There are ten things by which enlightening beings fulfill this kind of enlightening practice, the light of total knowledge, Read more [...]

Sarvanagararakshasambhavatejahshri Sarvanagararakshasambhavatejahshri tells Sudhana that she has “attained an enlightening liberation, entry into the profound miracle of pleasing sound.” Entry into this “pleasing sound” is most profound: "Entry into the oceans of those who arrive at Thusness, identical to the structures of the reality realm, taking care of sentient beings in the highest spiritual way of expounding the Teaching to them, living by the practice of universally Read more [...]

Impressed with the immaculate virtues of the first Night Goddess, Vasanti, Sudhana sets out to meet with Eight other Night Goddesses. These meetings constitute a hefty portion of the Gandavyūha-sūtra but for our purposes, in these next two blogs, we will be encapsulating them in the following snapshots; their names constitute lengthy Sanskrit compounds. Such “Buddhist epithets integrates them into the Mahayana salvational scheme and commends them as advanced beings well on their way to enlightenment, Read more [...]

Sthavara The earth Goddess, Sthavara, assures Sudhana of his progress and showers him with countless jewels: "These billions of treasuries of jewels accompany you and are at your service, to be used as you wish; they have been produced as a result of your good works and are preserved by the power of your good works. Take of them and do whatever should be done.” These are no ordinary jewels. They radiate with Buddha-gnosis and are symbolic of the great treasure that awaits those who honor Read more [...]

Ananyagamin The Bodhi-Being Ananyagamin first appears at the end of the Avalokiteshvara segment, “descending from the eastern sky and standing on the top of the mountain range surrounding this world.” He tells Sudhana that he once associated with a Buddha named “Born of Universal Light.” While spending time in the majestic Buddha-land of the Buddha, he assimilated that Tathagata’s Bodhi-field thus awakening with that Self-Same Mind of Light. Being thus liberated he was enabled to Read more [...]

Veshthila Then Sudhana went to Veshthila's house in the city of Shubhaparamgama… Veshthila said, "I have attained an enlightening liberation called 'not ultimately exhausted.' To my way of thinking, no buddha in any world ever has, does, or will become finally extinct, except as a docetic device. When I opened the door of the shrine of the buddha Sandalwood Throne, I attained an enlightening concentration called 'manifestation of the endless lineage of buddhas.' I enter this concentration Read more [...]