Recent Comments
- Vajragoni on Speeding-forth in All Directions
- Scott on Speeding-forth in All Directions
- Vajragoni on The Tathāgata’s Dharma-body
- Ardent Hollingsworth on The Tathāgata’s Dharma-body
- Jim on The Black Dragon Eye Mandala: A Singular Focal-point of the Unmoving Principle
-
Recent Posts
Categories
- A Darkness Visible
- A Docetic Assessment
- A Mystical Odyssey through the Sagathakam
- Akṣayamatinirdeśasūtra
- Akṣhobhya’s Pure Land
- Ālaya-vijñāna
- Anūnatvāpūrṇatvanirdeśaparivarta
- Ariyapariyesanā Sutta
- Ascending the Noble Mountain of Primordial Perfection
- Asceticism
- Ashtavakra Gita in Light of the Unborn
- Audiobook
- Bankei Zen
- Beyond the Ascent
- Beyond the Rainbow Body
- Black Dragon Eye Mandala
- Bodhicitta
- Buddhism’s Black Holes
- Buddhist Anecdotes
- Buddhist Hells
- Buddhist Meditations on the Tarot
- Chuang-Tzu
- Contemporary Musings
- Ḍākiṇī
- Dāsbodh
- Dharmakaya Abbey
- Dharmakaya Stick
- Divine Revelation
- Doctrine of the Void
- Dust Contemplation
- Ekacitta: Advanced Studies in Dark Zen
- Entry into the Dharmadhātu
- Eremitical Dhyani Meditations
- Exploring the Book of Revelation
- Gnostikos
- Hsin Hsin Ming
- Journey to the Center of the Mind
- Karma and Rebirth
- Korean Sŏn
- Kulayarāja Tantra—The Motherly Buddha
- Little Office of Our Lady of the Void
- LSD and Psychedelic Buddhism
- Māṇḍukya Kārikā
- Mañjuśrī Teaches Prajñāpāramitā
- Māra and Satan
- Meister Eckhart
- Mud and Water: Bassui Zen
- Mystagogia
- Nirvana
- Notes from the Iron Stupa
- Nothingness in Nāgārjuna and John of the Cross
- Obscure Religious Cults
- Preparation for the Afterlife
- Primordial Qigong
- Reflections on the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra
- Spirituality
- Springtime with Tozen
- Terma: A Mind Film by Vajragoni
- The Afterglow
- The Awakening of Faith
- The Bhagavad Gita
- The Book of Bodhi
- The Cloud of Unknowing in Light of the Unborn
- The Diamond Sutra
- The Divine Ātman
- The Divine Liturgy of Vajrasattva
- The Doctrine of Awakening
- The Dragon Mind of Zen Tarot
- The Elucidation of Consciousness
- The Experience of No-Self
- The Great Perfection of the Unborn Mind: A Book of Privy Counseling
- The Heart Sutra
- The Hermit's Den
- The Khaggavisāṇa Sutta: A Rhinoceros Horn
- The Lankavatara Sutra
- The Lankavatarian Book of the Dead
- The Lion's Roar of Queen Śrīmālā
- The Lotus Sutra
- The Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra
- The Naga Chronicles
- The Platform Sutra
- The Ratnagotravibhāgaśāstra
- The School of the Spirit
- The Secret Golden Light of the Unborn
- The Soul
- The Śūrańgama Sūtra
- The Sutra of Primordial Enlightenment
- The Tathāgatagarbhatārā Tantra
- The Udāna
- The Unborn Mind Mythos
- The Unborn Mind Sessions
- The Unborn Odyssey: A Novel
- The Vajrasamādhi Sutra
- The Vimalakirti Sutra
- The Yogasūtras of Patañjali
- The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma
- The Zen Teaching of Instantaneous Awakening
- The Zen Teachings of Huang Po
- Theologia Mystica
- Tozen Teaching
- Tsung-mi: An Intimate Study
- Unborn I Ching
- Unborn Light Reiki
- Uncategorized
- Vasubandhu and the Absolute
- Wisdom from the Masters
- Wordsworth and Zen
- Yoga of the Manomayakāya
- Zen
- Zuowang
Archives
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- June 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- October 2018
- August 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
Meta
Tag Archives: Śāriputra
The Dharma-Door of Praising Tathagāta Akṣhobhya’s Merits
Thus have I heard. Once the Buddha was dwelling on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa near Rājagṛha, together with an assembly of twelve hundred fifty great monks. All these monks were well-known Arhats who had extinguished all defilements and suffered afflictions no more. They were liberated in mind and in wisdom, and were as free and unhindered as great dragons. They had done what should be done and abandoned the heavy burdens. They had benefited themselves and severed all bonds of existence. They were conversant with the true teaching and had reached the other shore. Among them, only Ānanda remained in the stage of learning.
The Inconceivable Samādhi
At that time, the spiritual power of the Buddha caused the great earth to shake in six directions, with the manifestation of impermanence. Sixteen thousand people attained the Dharma Patience of Non-arising, and seven hundred bhikṣus, three thousand upāsakas, forty thousand upāsikās, and sixty countless myriads of beings from the Six Heavens of Desire left the dust and dirt far behind, and attained the pure Dharma Eye regarding all dharmas.
The True Nature of Bodhi
At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha, saying, “Bhagavān, the beginning bodhisattvas are unable to understand Prajñāpāramitā as Mañjuśrī explains it.” Mañjuśrī said, “It is not only the beginning bodhisattvas who are unable to understand, but also those who are established in the Two Vehicles have not yet been able to understand it. When the Dharma is explained thusly, they are unable to understand it. Why? The appearance of Bodhi is truly without the existence of dharmas which may be known. It is without seeing and hearing, without grasping and without thought, without birth and without death, without speech and without listening. As such, the appearance of the nature of Bodhi is empty and silent, without realization and without knowledge, without form and without appearance, so how could there be the existence of one who attains Bodhi?”
Posted in Mañjuśrī Teaches Prajñāpāramitā
Tagged Arhat, Bodhi, Bodhi-field, Dharma, dharmadhatu, Five Offenses, Śāriputra, True Nature, Unmoving Principle
Leave a comment
Contemplating the Buddha
Mañjuśrī addressed the Buddha, saying, “Bhagavān, I will now speak further about the meaning of Prajñāpāramitā.” The Buddha said, “As you wish.” “Bhagavān, when cultivating Prajñāpāramitā, there is no seeing dharmas in which one should dwell or not dwell, nor seeing the appearance of a realm that may be obtained or relinquished. Why? This is because all tathāgatas as such do not see the appearance of a realm of dharmas, not even seeing the buddha realms. It is also such as this for the attainment of the śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and mundane realms. There is no grasping characteristics of thought and also no grasping characteristics of no-thought. Not seeing the existence of various characteristics of dharmas, self-realization of the emptiness of dharmas is inconceivable. Thusly, all bodhisattva-mahāsattvas provide offerings to innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of buddhas, planting every good root, and are therefore able to be without alarm and fear of the extremely profound Prajñāpāramitā. Moreover, when cultivating Prajñāpāramitā, seeing neither fetters nor liberation, and not distinguishing between characteristics of ordinary people and even those of the Three Vehicles, is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.”
Posted in Mañjuśrī Teaches Prajñāpāramitā
Tagged Bodhi, bodhimanda, Brahmacarya, Buddha Vehicle, Dharma, dharmadhātujakāya, Lamotte, Śāriputra, Upāsikā
6 Comments
Emptiness on a Thursday Afternoon
Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra
46. Mañjuśrī Teaches Prajñāpāramitā
Translated from Taishō Tripiṭaka volume 11, number 310
Posted in Mañjuśrī Teaches Prajñāpāramitā
Tagged Bhagavān, bhiksus, Bodhisattva, Dharma, Emptiness, Manjusri, prajnaparamita, Right Contemplation, saṃgha, Śāriputra, sunyata
Leave a comment
A Fiery Situation
Chapter 3 includes perhaps the most famous of all Buddhist Parables, The Burning House:
Then the Buddha said to Śāriputra: “Did I not previously tell you that all the Buddha Bhagavats explain the Dharma with various explanations and illustrations using skillful means, all for the sake of highest, complete enlightenment!? All of these teachings are for leading and inspiring the bodhisattvas.
“Moreover, Śāriputra, I will now clarify what I mean with illustrations. Those with wisdom will be able to understand through these illustrations.
“O Śāriputra! Suppose there were an aged and extremely affluent man, either in a town, city, or country, who has immeasurable wealth, abundant estates, mansions, and servants. He has a spacious house, yet it only has a single entrance. Suppose many people live there, as many as one, two, or even five hundred people. The buildings are in poor repair, the fences and walls are crumbling, the pillar bases are rotten, and the beams and framework are dangerously tilted.
“Suddenly and unexpectedly, fires break out everywhere, setting the house swiftly aflame. The children of this man, ten, twenty, or thirty in number are in the house.
“The affluent man, seeing the fire breaking out everywhere, becomes alarmed and terrified. He thinks:
I am capable of escaping through the burning entrance in safety, but my children are absorbed in play within the burning house and are not aware [of the fire], do not know, are not alarmed or terrified, and the fire is approaching them! They are not troubled about their suffering nor do they intend to leave the house.
“O Śāriputra, this affluent man thought:
Since I am still physically strong I could take the children out of the house in the folds of my garment or on top of a desk.
“He further thought:
There is only one entrance to this house and it is very narrow. The children, who are immature and still unaware, are attached to their place of play. They may fall into danger and be burned by the fire. I should now tell them of the danger; this house is already burning! They must escape as quickly as they can to avoid being burned by the fire!
“After considering this he urged the children according to his thought: Children! Run out immediately!
“Although their father in his concern has given them the proper advice, the children are immersed in their play and do not accept it; they are neither alarmed nor afraid and have no intention of leaving [the burning house]. Moreover, they do not even know what a fire is, the condition of the house, or what they may lose. They merely run about, back and forth, looking at their father.
“Thereupon the affluent man thought:
This house is already engulfed in flames. If my children and I do not get out, we shall perish in the fire. I will now use skillful means to help my children escape from this disaster.
“Since the father already knew that his children were attached to various rare toys and unusual things that each of them liked, he said to them: The toys you are fond of are rare and hard to obtain. If you do not take them you will certainly regret it later. Right now, outside the house, there are three kinds of carts. One is yoked to a sheep, one to a deer, and one to an ox. Go play with them. Children! Run out of this burning house immediately and I will give you whatever you want!
“The children, hearing what their father had said about the rare toys, became excited and, in their eagerness to get to them they pushed each other out of the way in a mad rush out of the burning house.
“Then the affluent man saw that his children had got out safely and were sitting unharmed in an open area at a crossroad. He was relieved, happy, and joyful. The children said to their father:
Father, please give us the toys you promised: those [three] carts, one yoked to a sheep, one to a deer, and one to an ox!
“O Śāriputra, the affluent man then gave each child the same kind of large cart. These carts were tall and spacious, adorned with various jewels, and encircled with railings full of hanging bells. On the tops of the carts were canopies also decorated with various kinds of jewels. These carts were draped with jeweled cords and hung with flower garlands. They were thickly piled with fabrics, and red pillows had been placed about. These carts were each yoked to an ox with a spotlessly white hide. These oxen had beautiful bodies with powerful muscles, even gaits, and were as swift as the wind; and there were many attendants guarding them. Why did the affluent man give these carts? Because the man had great and immeasurable wealth and his abundant storehouses were full. He thus thought further:
Since my treasure has no limit, I should not give my children inferior carts. These are my children and I love them all equally. I have an immeasurable number of large carts such as these, decorated with the seven treasures. I should equally distribute them to each child without discrimination. Why is this? Even if I gave carts like these to everyone in the country, their number would not be exhausted. Why should I not give them to my own children?
“At that time, the children each climbed into a great cart and had an unprecedented experience, one beyond their original expectations.”
Posted in The Lotus Sutra
Tagged Buddha Nature, parable of burning house, Śāriputra, Shariputra, skillful means, suffering
Leave a comment
Predictions
At that time the Buddha said to Śāriputra: “I will now reveal to you before the great assembly of devas, humans, śrāmaṇas, and brahmans that in the past, in the presence of two hundred thousand koṭis of buddhas, I led and inspired you constantly for the sake of the highest path. You have followed my instructions for a long time. Because I led you with skillful means, you were born in my Dharma.
Śāriputra’s Persistence
At that time it occurred to the great assembly of twelve hundred śrāvakas, arhats free from corruption, beginning with Ājnāta kauṇḍinya, and the other monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen who had set out to become śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas: “Why has the Bhagavat just now so earnestly praised skillful means? For what reason has he declared that the Dharma that the buddhas have attained is very profound and difficult to understand? Why has he said that their intention in adapting their teaching to what is appropriate is so difficult to comprehend that all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are not able to understand it?
Posted in The Lotus Sutra
Tagged Dharma, faith, nirvana, perseverance, persistence, Śāriputra
Leave a comment
Out on a Limb: Part 2
12.Vision of the Universe Abhirati and the Tathagata Aksobhya, cont’d
The venerable Sariputra then asked the Buddha, “Lord, in which buddha-field did the noble Vimalakirti die, before reincarnating in this buddha-field?” The Buddha said, “Sariputra, ask this good man directly where he died to reincarnate here.” Then the venerable Sariputra asked the Licchavi Vimalakirti, “Noble sir, where did you die to reincarnate here?” Vimalakirti declared, “Is there anything among the things that you see, elder, that dies or is reborn?” Sariputra: There is nothing that dies or is reborn. Vimalakirti: Likewise, reverend Sariputra, as all things neither die nor are reborn, why do you ask, “Where did you die to reincarnate here?” Reverend Sariputra, if one were to ask a man or woman created by a magician where he or she had died to reincarnate there, what do you think he or she would answer? Sariputra: Noble sir, a magical creation does not die, nor is it reborn. Vimalakirti: Reverend Sariputra, did not the Tathagata declare that all things have the nature of a magical creation? Sariputra: Yes, noble sir, that is indeed so. Vimalakirti: Reverend Sariputra, “death” is an end of performance, and “rebirth” is the continuation of performance. But, although a bodhisattva dies, he does not put an end to the performance of the roots of virtue, and although he is reborn, he does not adhere to the continuation of sin.
The House that Vimalakirti Built
7 The Goddess, Cont’d
Thereupon, a certain goddess who lived in that house, having heard this teaching of the Dharma of the great heroic bodhisattvas, and being delighted, pleased, and overjoyed, manifested herself in a material body and showered the great spiritual heroes, the bodhisattvas, and the great disciples with heavenly flowers. When the flowers fell on the bodies of the bodhisattvas, they fell off on the floor, but when they fell on the bodies of the great disciples, they stuck to them and did not fall. The great disciples shook the flowers and even tried to use their magical powers, but still the flowers would not shake off. Then, the goddess said to the venerable Sariputra, “Reverend Sariputra, why do you shake these flowers?” Sariputra replied, “Goddess, these flowers are not proper for religious persons and so we are trying to shake them off.”
The goddess said, “Do not say that, reverend Sariputra. Why? These flowers are proper indeed! Why? Such flowers have neither constructual thought nor discrimination. But the elder Sariputra has both constructual thought and discrimination. “Reverend Sariputra, impropriety for one who has renounced the world for the discipline of the rightly taught Dharma consists of constructual thought and discrimination, yet the elders are full of such thoughts. One who is without such thoughts is always proper. “Reverend Sariputra, see how these flowers do not stick to the bodies of these great spiritual heroes, the bodhisattvas! This is because they have eliminated constructual thoughts and discriminations. “For example, evil spirits have power over fearful men but cannot disturb the fearless. Likewise, those intimidated by fear of the world are in the power of forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures, which do not disturb those who are free from fear of the passions inherent in the constructive world. Thus, these flowers stick to the bodies of those who have not eliminated their instincts for the passions and do not stick tothe bodies of those who have eliminated their instincts. Therefore, the flowers do not stick to the bodies of these bodhisattvas, who have abandoned all instincts.”
Then the venerable Sariputra said to the goddess, “Goddess, how long have you been in this house?”
The goddess replied, “I have been here as long as the elder has been in liberation.”
Sariputra said, “Then, have you been in this house for quite some time?”
The goddess said, “Has the elder been in liberation for quite some time?”
At that, the elder Sariputra fell silent.
The goddess continued, “Elder, you are ‘foremost of the wise!’ Why do you not speak?
Now, when it is your turn, you do not answer the question.”
Sariputra: Since liberation is inexpressible, goddess, I do not know what to say.
Goddess: All the syllables pronounced by the elder have the nature of liberation. Why? Liberation is neither internal nor external, nor can it be apprehended apart from them. Likewise, syllables are neither internal nor external, nor can they be apprehended anywhere else. Therefore, reverend Sariputra, do not point to liberation by abandoning speech! Why? The holy liberation is the equality of all things!
Sariputra: Goddess, is not liberation the freedom from desire, hatred, and folly?
Goddess: “Liberation is freedom from desire, hatred, and folly” that is the teaching of the excessively proud. But those free of pride are taught that the very nature of desire, hatred, and folly is itself liberation.
Sariputra: Excellent! Excellent, goddess! Pray, what have you attained, what have you realized, that you have such eloquence?
Goddess: I have attained nothing, reverend Sariputra. I have no realization. Therefore I have such eloquence. Whoever thinks, “I have attained! I have realized!” is overly proud in the discipline of the well-taught Dharma. Sariputra: Goddess, do you belong to the disciple-vehicle, to the solitary-vehicle, or to the great vehicle?
Goddess: I belong to the disciple-vehicle when I teach it to those who need it. I belong to the solitary-vehicle when I teach the twelve links of dependent origination to those who need them. And, since I never abandon the great compassion, I belong to the great vehicle, as all need that teaching to attain ultimate liberation. Nevertheless, reverend Sariputra, just as one cannot smell the castor plant in a magnolia wood, but only the magnolia flowers, so, reverend Sariputra, living in this house, which is redolent with the perfume of the virtues of the Buddha-qualities, one does not smell the perfume of the disciples and the solitary sages. Reverend Sariputra, the Sakras, the Brahmas, the Lokapalas, the devas, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, and mahoragas who live in this house hear the Dharma from the mouth of this holy man and, enticed by the perfume of the virtues of the Buddha-qualities, proceed to conceive the spirit of enlightenment.
Reverend Sariputra, I have been in this house for twelve years, and I have heard no discourses concerning the disciples and solitary sages but have heard only those concerning the great love, the great compassion, and the inconceivable qualities of the Buddha.
Posted in The Vimalakirti Sutra, Zen
Tagged devi, liberation, Śāriputra, Vimalakirti Sutra, Wisdom
Leave a comment