Tag Archives: Tathagata

Sans Skandhas, Part 2

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Vajragoni

In the Sutra, Ānanda continues to equate Mind’s essence with transient discrepancies. The Tathagata even jokingly says at one point, “Now where is it???” Ānanda actually goes through “seven locations” wherein Mind can be positioned until he reaches the logical end of assuming that Mind is equivalent of total “non-attachment” to anything in the created order of existence; the Tathagata here as well, shatters his last assumption, indicating that in itself, non-attachment is equivalent to being separate from some-thing that apparently exists within the scope of the skandhic hemisphere, and hence has some kind of solid location. All in all, any form of temporal “location” is skandhic-dependent. The Pure Dharma-Mind is not dependent upon any temporal and environmental “dharmas”, but rather radiates from the imageless plane of the Dharmatā—or the deathless and Luminous Realm of the Dharmakaya.  Ānanda was relying exclusively upon the Skandhic-Mind, thus being sequestered in the dark forest of illusions and isolating himself from the unsoiled Realization of the Nirvanic Mind. read more

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Tozen: The four states of Zen bliss/samadhi by means of Tathagata Zen

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Tozen

A good student asked me;

“If IT (the light) is a feeling, it is not the self. Then how is uniting with a
feeling the right progress (practice)? ” read more

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No Footprints

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Vajragoni

Twenty-nine: No Footprints

“And again, O Subhuti, whoever says that the Tathagata goes, or comes, or stands, or sits, or lies down does not understand the meaning of my teaching. And why? Because the word Tathagata means one who does not go to anywhere, and does not come from anywhere; such a one is called the Tathagata, arhat, and fully enlightened.” read more

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Subhuti Makes A Request

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Vajragoni

Two: Subhuti Makes a Request

At that time the elder Subhuti arose from his seat in the assembly, uncovered his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, put his palms together with respect and said to the Buddha, read more

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Out on a Limb: Part 2

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Vajragoni

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. read more

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Mystical Spice

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Vajragoni

10.The Feast Brought by the Emanated Incarnation

At the opening of this chapter we once again find Śāriputra still with that dull-witted, conventional outlook on life; before he was concerned with the lack of chairs for the assembly, now he’s concerned that they don’t have any food. Vimalkirti responds with, “Are you so overly-concerned with your belly—just watch, and I’ll show you food the like of which you’ll never hunger again”! read more

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You have Anointed Me

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Vajragoni

When a bodhisattva ascends into higher modes of advancement, the Tathagatas themselves appear to procure their progress: “Moreover, Mahamati, the tathagatas employ two kinds of powers for the support of bodhisattvas who come before them for instruction. And which two supporting powers? The power to appear in bodily form and speak to those in Samadhi and the power to anoint their foreheads.” (Red Pine, pg 130) Suzuki goes even further and refers to these as “sustaining” powers: “Further, Mahamati, there are two kinds of the sustaining power which issues from the Tathagatas who are Arhats and Fully-Enlightened Ones; and sustained by this power the Bodhisattvas would prostrate themselves at their feet and ask them questions. What is this twofold power that sustains the Bodhisattvas? The one is the power by which they are sustained to go through the Samadhis and Samapattis; while the other is the power whereby the Buddhas manifest themselves in person before the Bodhisattvas and baptize them with their own hands.” Interesting how Suzuki employs “baptism” in reference to “anointing”—almost as if this is some kind of Christian initiation, yet the terms are interchangeable. The Lanka describes a beautiful mystical transformation that occurs when the bodhisattvas reaches the tenth-stage, or dharmamegha (dharma-cloud): “As they work their way through the easy and difficult aspects of the various stages, they finally reach the dharma cloud stage, where they dwell inside a magnificent lotus flower palace seated upon a jeweled lotus flower throne surrounded by a retinue of their fellow bodhisattvas adorned with necklaces of jewels that shine like the sun or the moon or golden champaka flowers. The great victors of the ten directions then appear before their thrones in this lotus flower palace and anoint their foreheads…this is what is meant by the power to anoint the foreheads of bodhisattvas. Mahamati, this is what is meant by the two powers that support bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas who rely on these two powers will meet the tathagatas. Otherwise, they will not.” (Red Pine, pg 131) Quite a revelation here as the Lanka portrays a mystical anointing that needs to occur for initiation into the Tathata family. read more

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