UnbornMind Zen

Posts Tagged ‘Buddha-gnosis’

[* It needs to be stated at the outset that the Sagathakam as translated by Suzuki oftentimes just stated “Chapter/Verse”, in which the reader was forced to go back into the main text to discover the full verses. What follows for this series is taken from the Complete Lanka and Discussion which can be found in our library. At the time in 2002, each chapter of the Lanka had to be copied down in its entirety since no such translation of Suzuki’s Lanka was available on the net. I copied the Read more [...]

The Blog-series, Ascending the Noble Mountain of Primordial Perfection, could well be subtitled from the closing refrain of the last verse of the previous blog in this series: “[This] prajñā (wisdom) is for those who are willing to abandon the 'long night' of the mind and its characteristics.” Without the dreamy eye lifting its veil, it shall forever be plunged into the darkness, as Wŏnhyo says, “Since one does not achieve the cause of awakening, there is a “long night”; this is Read more [...]

The most important point to grasp in the nature of Awakening is that first and foremost one needs to be human. The first point is that in order to aspire to awakening one must be a human being. The possibility of achieving absolute liberation is offered primarily, according to Buddhism, only to one who is born a man. Not only those who are in lower conditions of existence than the human, but also those who are in higher conditions, such as the devil, the celestial or "angelical" beings, do not Read more [...]

“At that time innumerable thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings approach the Buddha and listen to his teaching. Then the Tathāgata, perceiving the faculties of sentient beings—whether they are sharp or dull, diligent or idle—explains the teachings according to their capacities in a variety of immeasurable ways, gladdening and benefiting them all. “Having heard his teaching, all of these beings are at peace in this world and are born into a good existence in the future. Read more [...]

7 The Goddess, cont’d Sariputra: Goddess, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state? Goddess: Although I have sought my "female state" for these twelve years, I have not yet found it. Reverend Sariputra, if a magician were to incarnate a woman by magic, would you ask her, "What prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?" Sariputra: No! Such a woman would not really exist, so what would there be to transform? Goddess: Just so, reverend Read more [...]

6. The Inconceivable Liberation Thereupon, the venerable Sariputra had this thought: "There is not even a single chair in this house. Where are these disciples and bodhisattvas going to sit?" The Licchavi Vimalakirti read the thought of the venerable Sariputra and said, "Reverend Sariputra, did you come here for the sake of the Dharma? Or did you come here for the sake of a chair?" Sariputra replied, "I came for the sake of the Dharma, not for the sake of a chair." Vimalakirti continued, Read more [...]

Purification of the Buddha-field, cont’d Their mindfulness, intelligence, realization, meditation, incantation, and eloquence all were perfected. They were free from all obscurations and emotional involvement, living in liberation without impediment. They were totally dedicated through the transcendences of generosity, subdued, unwavering, and sincere morality, tolerance, effort, meditation, wisdom, skill in liberative technique, commitment power, and gnosis. They had attained the intuitive Read more [...]