The Esoteric Significance of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra

Chapter Six   Explanations of Passages from Other Volumes

I. Original Text from Volume Five: “Zhi jian li zhi, ji wu ming ben. Zhi jian wu jian, si ji nie pan.” (To establish knowing within knowing and seeing is the root of ignorance. Without knowing and seeing in knowing and seeing, this is Nirvana.)

Explanation: In the past, someone repunctuated these two sentences from the Shurangama Sutra: “Zhi jian li, zhi ji wu ming ben; zhi jian wu, jian si ji nie pan.” (Knowing and seeing established, knowing is the root of ignorance; knowing and seeing absent, seeing this is Nirvana.) Afterwards, he attained enlightenment. What did he realize? The meaning of the first sentence is that having the knowing that perceives the six dusts (objects of sense), and establishing this knowing as true, is ignorance. This knowing is a false and impermanent dharma subject to birth and death; it is the knowing of the seventh consciousness mind, including the knowing that perceives the dharmas (objects) of various meditative states, the knowing of the sixth consciousness mind, the knowing that one has entered samadhi. If one considers that the mind is empty at this time, equating it with the emptiness of the Tathagatagarbha, believing it to be the state of enlightenment, then it is a misunderstanding. This mistaken identification is precisely ignorance.

The meaning of the second sentence is that there is a mind without knowing and seeing, unaware of the six dusts, not perceiving the six dusts. This mind is the Nirvana mind. Nirvana is neither born nor extinguished. It does not engage with the six dusts, does not give rise to afflictions, is without ignorance, and is inherently pure. Finding this mind, realizing this inherently pure Nirvana mind, is enlightenment. Thus, that person attained enlightenment, and later generations named him "Po Leng Yan" (The Breaker of Shurangama).

II. Original Text from Volume Five: “Zhen xing you wei kong, yuan sheng gu ru huan.” (The conditioned dharmas of the true nature are empty, for they are produced by causes and conditions, hence like illusions.)

Explanation: “Zhen xing you wei kong” means that all dharmas produced by the Tathagatagarbha are empty, because the Tathagatagarbha possesses not only an unconditioned nature but also a conditioned nature. The conditioned nature of the Tathagatagarbha refers to its functional role in producing all dharmas. All dharmas are manifested and produced by the Tathagatagarbha based on corresponding conditions; therefore, all dharmas are false and unreal, they are empty. This is called “the conditioned dharmas of the true nature are empty.”

All dharmas produced by the true nature are conditionally arisen; they are produced based on corresponding conditions. Conditionally arisen dharmas are false and unreal, like illusions conjured by a magician. The Tathagatagarbha is that magician. Without the Tathagatagarbha, there would be no illusory dharmas. The illusory dharmas exist dependent on the Tathagatagarbha; it is only with the true substance of the Tathagatagarbha that all dharmas can be conjured. Therefore, there is a real entity existing in the Dharma Realm; it’s just that this entity is not a worldly entity like those perceived by ordinary beings, who lack the prajna wisdom to perceive such a true entity.

Original Text: “Wu wei wu qi mie, bu shi ru kong hua. Yan wang xian zhu zhen, wang zhen tong er wang.” (The unconditioned has no arising or cessation, unreal like sky-flowers. Using the false to reveal the true, the false and the true are both false.)

Explanation: The unconditioned dharmas refer to the true suchness nature of the Tathagatagarbha, and can also represent the essence of the Tathagatagarbha. The Tathagatagarbha is the essence. Dependent on the Tathagatagarbha are the nature of reality and the nature of suchness; the nature of reality and the nature of suchness are called the true suchness nature. The unconditioned nature of the Tathagatagarbha has no arising or cessation, is unborn and unextinguished, because the Tathagatagarbha has eternally existed, and its unconditioned nature is also eternally existent, without arising or cessation. The true suchness nature refers to a quality; this quality has no substantial entity. The Tathagatagarbha is the substantial entity; the true suchness nature dependent on the Tathagatagarbha is not a substantial entity. The true suchness nature is an unconditioned nature, a quality, not a substantial entity. Therefore, the unconditioned dharmas are unreal like illusions; the true suchness nature is also unreal like an illusion.

The true mind's intrinsic nature is not a conditioned dharma; it is not produced or fabricated later. Conditioned dharmas are produced by various causes and conditions; since they are produced later, they are like illusions. However, the true mind is not conditionally born, not illusory. The intrinsic nature of the true mind is unconditioned. Within the three realms of the world, it does not engage in actions; it does not cognize and discriminate everything like the minds of the seven consciousnesses. It is not a dharma that is born, nor will it cease in the future.

Dharmas that have arising and cessation are false and unreal, like flowers in the sky, conjured up only to disappear. This intrinsic nature of the true mind cannot display itself, nor can it express itself. We can only use our words and language to describe its essence. Language itself is a false dharma. Although this false dharma can describe the intrinsic nature of the true mind, the described essence remains a false dharma; it is not the true mind's intrinsic nature itself.

Its essence does not come forth to manifest itself; it cannot stand up and declare, "This is me," like the five aggregates body can. Therefore, both the language and the true mind's essence described and expressed by the language are false dharmas; they still do not constitute a relationship of true and false; one cannot establish one as true and the other as false. Thus, both are false. The method of using the false to reveal the true and verify the true is also false; together they constitute two falsehoods. Such seeing and what is seen, the described essence, lack true reality; they are dharmas of birth and death, like a banana tree without a solid core, empty and insubstantial.

Original Text: “You fei zhen fei zhen, yun he jian suo jian. Zhong jian wu shi xing, shi gu ruo jiao lu.” (Still, it is neither true nor not-true; how then can there be seeing and the seen? Between them is no real nature; therefore, they are like intertwined reeds.)

Explanation: False language and the method of language revealing the true mind are both false; they are not yet an opposition of true and not-true; both are equally false dharmas. The seeing seventh consciousness mind and the seen mark of true suchness both depend on the true entity, the Tathagatagarbha, to exist and manifest. Between them, there is no true reality; therefore, they are like intertwined reeds, without a solid core.

“You fei zhen fei zhen” means that the Alaya consciousness of sentient beings is not yet the true self, not completely real, because within the mind essence still lie the seeds of birth and death created by the seven consciousnesses. These seeds still possess the nature of birth and death; it is not yet the self of eternal bliss, true self, purity, and permanence. Only upon becoming a Buddha does the Stainless Consciousness (Amala-vijñāna) become the true self, completely real. When there are no longer seeds undergoing birth, death, and change, it transforms into the state of eternal bliss, true self, purity, and permanence.

The Dharma meaning of the Shurangama Sutra and all Mahayana sutras is extremely profound. If we only rely on the literal meaning of the text to understand, we often misinterpret the sutra's meaning, going against the Buddha's intent. When we explain based on the literal meaning, it often contains many misunderstandings. When explaining, one must rely on the context, understand each sentence and each paragraph according to the meaning of the entire sutra text, and not take passages or sentences out of context. If one takes passages or sentences out of context, the meaning often contradicts the Buddha's intent. The Buddha's meaning is that there is a real entity, the Tathagatagarbha. If we take passages out of context, saying "unreal like sky-flowers," and take just this one sentence or a few sentences, then think that the Tathagatagarbha is unreal like sky-flowers, saying the Tathagatagarbha is like sky-flowers and unreal, this is exactly the opposite and inverted from the Buddha's meaning. Then one slanders the Buddha and the Dharma, with consequences too dreadful to contemplate.

Each of us studying the Buddha Dharma must be down-to-earth, honest, earnest, and serious. From beginning to end, connect the front and back to penetrate the true meaning of the Dharma. Do not take one sentence or one paragraph and force your own interpretation. After misunderstanding, one still thinks one's interpretation is correct, then believes in one's own views and opinions; after believing, one everywhere promotes one's own views and opinions. If one's views are wrong, one will mislead many people. Misleading people creates sin; this karmic sin will obstruct us, preventing liberation in future lives, causing us to remain trapped in the cycle of birth and death, unable to escape. Therefore, when explaining the Buddha Dharma, we must be extremely cautious and prudent, not overly confident, to avoid creating the karmic sin of slandering the Buddha and the Dharma.

III. Original Text from Shurangama Sutra Volume Six: “Fo yan: Yun he zei ren. Jia wo yi fu. Bi fan ru lai. Zao zhong zhong ye. Jie yan fo fa. Que fei chu jia. Ju jie bi qiu. Wei xiao cheng dao. You shi yi wu. Wu liang zhong sheng. Duo wu jian yu.” (The Buddha said: How are those thieves? They borrow my robes, peddle the Tathagata, create all kinds of karma, yet all claim it is the Buddha Dharma. They deny the fully ordained Sangha, calling bhikshus practitioners of the Small Vehicle path. Thereby, they confuse and mislead measureless beings, causing them to fall into the Uninterrupted Hell.)

Explanation: The Buddha said, how do those thieves act? They borrow my name to peddle me, claiming what was not spoken by the Tathagata was spoken by the Tathagata, saying what was spoken by the Tathagata was not spoken by the Tathagata, teaching non-Dharma as Dharma, Dharma as non-Dharma, creating all kinds of evil karma. These thieves all say that the Buddha Dharma is not for ordained practitioners, that ordained practitioners cannot attain Buddhahood, that the Buddha Dharma does not require leaving home to practice, that those ordained monks with full precepts are of Small Vehicle capacity, only able to practice the Small Vehicle path, unable to become Buddhas. After the thieves say this, they mislead measureless beings, causing measureless beings to create the karmic sin of slandering the ordained Sangha, creating the sin of slandering the Buddha, thereby causing them to fall dead into the Uninterrupted Hell.

IV. The Five Aggregates and Delusions from Shurangama Sutra Volume Ten

Original Text: “Ru ti xian yin. Fu mu xiang sheng. Ru xin fei xiang. Ze bu neng lai. Xiang zhong chuan ming. Ru wo xian yan. Xin xiang cu wei. Kou zhong xian sheng. Xin xiang deng gao. Zu xin suan qi. Xuan ya bu you. Cu wu wei lai. Ru ti bi fei. Xu wang tong lun. Kou shui ru he. Yin tan cu chu. Shi gu dang zhi. Ru xian se shen. Ming wei jian gu. Di yi wang xiang.” (Your body first arose due to the thought of your parents. If your mind had not thought, it could not have come. Life was transmitted through thought. As I said before: thinking of the taste of vinegar, saliva arises in the mouth; thinking of climbing high, a sour feeling arises in the soles of the feet. The cliff does not exist, the sour thing has not come. Your body certainly did not interact with the imagined object. How then did saliva flow out because of talking about the sour taste? Therefore, you should know that your present physical body is called the first, solid delusion.)

Explanation: Your physical body first arose due to the thought directed towards your parents. If your mind had not thought, you would not have been drawn to your parents, would not have come into your parents’ desire-thought to transmit your life. In the intermediate state (bardo), sentient beings, because the manas (seventh consciousness) thinks of taking rebirth, thinks of having a physical body, will encounter parents and take rebirth. As I said before, if one thinks of the sour taste of vinegar, saliva will arise in the mouth; if one thinks of climbing a high mountain, a sour, astringent feeling will arise in the soles of the feet. Before you, there is originally no cliff, the sour object has not appeared before you, your body certainly did not contact the object you imagined; why did saliva flow out because of talking about the sour taste of vinegar? Therefore, you should know that your manifested physical body is called the first solid delusion. This is saying that the form aggregate is a solid delusion.

Original Text: “Ji ci suo shuo. Lin gao xiang xin. Neng ling ru xing. Zhen shou suan se. You yin shou sheng. Neng dong se ti. Ru jin xian qian. Shun yi wei sun. Er xian qu chi. Ming wei xu ming. Di er wang xiang.” (That which was just spoken of—the mind imagining being at a height—can cause your form to truly experience sourness and astringency. Due to the arising of sensation, it can move the physical body. Now before you, the two appearances of pursuing the agreeable and avoiding the harmful are called the second delusion of empty brightness.)

Explanation: The false thought-mind imagining oneself standing at the edge of a cliff, as just described, can cause the soles of your feet to produce a real sour, astringent feeling. Due to the arising of inner sensations, it can cause changes in the physical body. For example, the two phenomena just described arise, making your mind feel that the sour object and the cliff are right before you, thus causing bodily changes. The comfortable feeling you now experience when encountering agreeable conditions that benefit the body, and the painful feeling when encountering adverse conditions that harm the body—these two phenomena are called the second delusion of empty brightness.

This is saying that the feeling aggregate is an empty bright delusion, also a product of delusion, therefore not real. Clinging to the feeling aggregate brings the suffering of birth, death, and rebirth, preventing liberation from afflictions. All feelings and sensations are empty bright delusions, fundamentally unreal, merely deceiving oneself. Being able to know one is deceiving oneself is the prelude to enlightenment; knowing how one deceived oneself, knowing how to no longer deceive oneself, is enlightenment; from then on, no longer deceiving oneself is liberation.

All people live revolving around feelings and sensations; they live for the sake of sensation. What is sensation? How many people are clearly suffering, yet feel good about themselves? How many, for the sake of sensations, do not hesitate to create evil karma, only to suffer the painful sensations of that evil karma? All this is caused by ignorance, delusion, and afflictions. How much suffering has stupidity brought upon oneself? Ultimately, who can become enlightened? What is called feeling good about oneself? It means there is an "I" inside the mind, satisfied with that "I." As long as that "I" can be displayed, the mind feels satisfied, happy, and at ease. Encountering adverse conditions causes suppression, anger, resentment. Why is this? Because an "I" inside the mind is offended, one feels unhappy, depressed, distressed. This is the mark of self in sentient beings.

Original Text: “You ru nian lü. Shi ru se shen. Shen fei nian lun. Ru shen he yin. Sui nian suo shi. Zhong zhong qu xiang. Xin sheng xing qu. Yu nian xiang ying. Wu ji xiang xin. Mei wei zhu meng. Ze ru xiang nian. Yao dong wang qing, ming wei rong tong. Di san wang xiang.” (Due to your thoughts and considerations, your physical body is moved. The body is not of the same category as thought. Why then does your body follow the command of thought? The mind takes on various images; forms arise in the mind and are grasped. This corresponds to thought. When awake it is the thinking mind; when asleep it becomes all dreams. Thus your thoughts stir your false emotions; this is called the third delusion of fusion and penetration.)

Explanation: Due to your thoughts and considerations, your physical body can be moved. The body and your thoughts are not of the same category, yet why is your body driven by your thoughts? The inner mind takes on various images of objects; shapes of images appear in the mind, consistent with the thoughts in the mind. When awake, it is the thoughts in the mind; when asleep, it becomes various dreams. Thus your thoughts stir your own false emotions; this is called the third delusion of fusion and penetration. This is saying that the perception aggregate is the delusion of fusion and penetration.

The delusion of fusion and penetration of the perception aggregate—who is fusing and penetrating with whom? Due to delusively imagining certain states, the body changes along with the delusion; the body has not contacted the real state, it’s just that the mind thinks and the body changes. This shows that the body moves according to the mind's thoughts; it is directed by mental thoughts. Such bodily movement is so false and unreasonable. Who is directing and controlling the body like this? It is the perception aggregate. The perception aggregate mainly refers to the perception of the sixth consciousness (mano-vijñāna). The perception of the sixth consciousness is, first, governed and decided by the manas (seventh consciousness), and second, can influence the manas.

Why do the eyes shed tears when the conscious mind thinks of something sad? Why do the hands clench into fists and the heart pound when thinking of something that made one angry? Why does the body get sick when one is depressed? Why does the body recover from illness when one is happy? The body and the conscious mind are interconnected; they can fuse together. Mental thoughts determine the body's movements; mental thoughts can drive the body. Therefore, good thoughts—positive, optimistic, uplifting thoughts—can make the physical body healthy. Conversely, evil thoughts—pessimistic, negative thoughts—can cause the physical body to develop illnesses and fatigue. A doctor of Chinese medicine, seeing a patient's bodily illness, will know that person's inner thoughts and emotions. To treat the bodily illness, they will counsel the patient's thoughts, treating the bodily disease starting from the mind. All these belong to the delusion of fusion and penetration; they are extremely false and unreal, all just wild thoughts, without any real substance. The world is originally without trouble; it is the ignorant who trouble themselves.

Original Text: “Hua li bu zhu. Yun yun mi yi. Jia zhang fa sheng. Qi xiao rong zhou. Ri ye xiang dai. Zeng wu jue wu. A nan. Ci ruo fei ru. Yun he ti qian. Ru bi shi zhen. Ru he wu jue. Ze ru zhu xing. Nian nian bu ting. Ming wei you yin. Di si wang xiang.” (The principle of transformation does not abide; ceaselessly and secretly it shifts. Nails grow, hair sprouts, vital energy wanes, the face wrinkles. Day and night they alternate, yet there has never been awareness. Ananda, if this is not you, why does your body change? If it is truly you, why are you unaware? Therefore, your formations, thought after thought without cease, are called the fourth delusion of hidden subtlety.)

Explanation: The changes in the body have never stopped; moment by moment they are secretly moving and transforming. For example, nails grow, hair sprouts, vital energy diminishes, the face wrinkles. The body's various functions renew day and night, yet one has never been aware of it. Ananda, if these formations are not you, why does your body change? If these formations are truly you, why are you unaware, why have you not discovered them? Therefore, all your formations, thought after thought without ceasing, are called the fourth delusion of hidden subtlety.

This is saying that the formation aggregate is a hidden, secret delusion difficult to perceive. "Hidden" means secret, "subtlety" means concealed, both referring to the phenomena of the body's birth, death, and transformation that are difficult for people to perceive. These phenomena are not controllable by the subjective conscious mind; they are due to the relationship of karmic force, the body undergoing various changes over time. If the karmic force disappears, one becomes ageless and forever young, like beings in the Pure Land and the devas of the desire and form realms.

The delusion of hidden subtlety is also a delusion; the formation aggregate, difficult to perceive, is also a product of delusion. Thoughts flow without ceasing, the former thought arises, the latter thought ceases, like subtle waves, flowing secretly, birth, old age, sickness, and death ceaselessly. If delusion is extinguished, the formation aggregate does not arise; Nirvana is tranquil, with eternity, bliss, true self, and purity.

Original Text: “You ru jing ming. Zhan bu yao chu. Ming heng chang zhe. Yu shen bu chu. Jian wen jue zhi. Ruo shi jing zhen. Bu rong xi wang. He yin ru deng. Ceng yu xi nian. Du yi qi wu. Jing li nian sui. Yi wang ju wu. Yu hou hu ran. Fu du qian yi. Ji yi wan ran. Ceng bu yi shi.” (Moreover, that within you which is clear and luminous, pure and unmoving, is called the constant. Within the body it does not go beyond seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing. If it were truly clear and real, it would not admit false habits. Why then is it that you, in past years, saw a strange thing, passed many years, and both memory and delusion were absent? Yet afterwards, suddenly seeing that former thing again, the memory is clear and distinct, never having been lost.)

Explanation: Furthermore, your essence of consciousness, clear and luminous, seems pure and unmoving, called the constant, unchanging conscious mind. Within the body, it is nothing more than the functional activities of seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing. If these functions were clear, luminous, and real, they should be incompatible with false habits. Yet why is it that you all, in past times, saw a strange thing, passed many years, and could no longer recall it or think of it? Then, at some unknown time, you suddenly see that thing you saw before, and so remember it was once seen; the memory reappears, without having lost it.

The Buddha said that if this seemingly unmoving, clear and luminous mind were the true mind, that real, unchanging true mind, then this mind should not admit those false habits. Yet such a mind does admit false habits; therefore, it is not the true mind. For example, when sitting in meditation cultivating samadhi, cultivating to the point where there is not a single false thought, the mind is clear and luminous. Suddenly, one remembers an event; the conscious mind suddenly recalls something from many years ago, remembers things from childhood. Before this, the conscious mind seemed unmoving on the surface, but actually, seeds were still churning inside; the conscious mind did not perceive the seeds churning. When the churning reaches a certain point, this seed manifests, the conscious mind remembers an event, and thus one exits samadhi.

This clear and luminous mind at this time is not the clear and true essence, because it still admits false dharmas. False habits have been lying hidden within, latent; seeds have been operating all along, which we do not perceive. Therefore, this state of clarity and non-movement is a temporary clear state of the conscious mind, not the clear and true essence. The Buddha gives an example to illustrate that the conscious mind in a clear state is not the true mind, because this mind still has memory regarding worldly dharmas. Someone once saw a strange thing, passed many years, and forgot all about it. Then, when they happen to see this thing again, they remember seeing it at a certain time and place; the impression of the situation at that time is still clear; this impression has not been lost at all.

Original Text: “Ze ci jing liao. Zhan bu yao zhong. Nian nian shou xun. You he chou suan.” (Thus, within this clear knowing, pure and unmoving, thought after thought receives perfuming; what calculation is there?)

Explanation: Then this essence of consciousness, this knowing nature, within the pure, unmoving state, thought after thought is being perfumed; how can it have its own independence, its solid immutability? Within the thought-by-thought perfuming, the essence of consciousness does not plan, think, consider, or calculate anything; on the surface, there is no subjective activity.

This clear and luminous mind, over all these years, did not grasp at this strange thing; yet why, upon seeing it again, does it remember? Actually, the clear and luminous mind thought after thought has been undergoing perfuming. The seed of seeing that strange thing back then has been churning in the eighth consciousness storehouse all along, constantly perfuming the conscious mind. The conscious mind temporarily does not think of it. But suddenly, at some time and place, one sees the strange thing again and suddenly remembers it. Why can one remember this thing? It is because the eighth consciousness storehouse contains the seed of seeing that thing, which has been perfuming the conscious mind all along; encountering it again, one remembers.

Usually, the surface of the conscious mind seems not to be thinking of it, but the Buddha says that, in fact, thought after thought it is undergoing perfuming. Within this, there is no calculating, no considering this matter, no thought, no preoccupation; the mind is not thinking thought after thought about this strange thing. But when the seed manifests, when the karmic condition appears, memory arises, and the clear and luminous mind remembers that this is the strange thing it saw in a certain year.

Original Text: “A nan dang zhi. Ci zhan fei zhen. Ru ji liu shui. Wang ru tian jing. Liu ji bu jian. Fei shi wu liu.” (Ananda, you should know that this clarity is not real. It is like rapidly flowing water: appearing tranquil, its flow is too swift to see; it is not that there is no flow.)

Explanation: The Buddha said: Ananda, you should know that this surface state of purity and clarity is not real. It is like a swiftly flowing river: looking at it, it seems very tranquil, but actually it flows extremely fast; that's why one cannot see it flowing; it is not that it is not flowing.

This unmoving clarity, the conscious mind without thoughts, appearing calm and peaceful, without false thoughts, without memories, not thinking of some thing, some person—this conscious mind is not the unmoving true mind. It is like water flowing very swiftly; because it flows too fast, vision cannot keep up, so one cannot see its surface movement; it looks very calm. Actually, it appears calm precisely because it flows too fast. If it flowed a bit slower, one would see the moving appearance of the water.

The Buddha said that the conscious mind at this time is like this. It is not that there is no flow; it is still thought after thought undergoing perfuming; there are still thoughts, but these thoughts flow too fast; the mind is dim and unaware, obscured, so it feels as if there is no movement. If something moves too fast, one cannot perceive its moving appearance. For example, if one shakes a torch too fast, it forms what seems like a stationary ring of fire; one cannot see the moving torch. We don’t know the ring of fire is actually a torch that is constantly moving; we only see that ring of fire and also cannot see the torch moving. But once this torch is shaken slower, we discover it is a torch, not a ring. Originally, we always thought it was a ring; the torch moves slower and slower, and finally we discover the ring of fire is an illusory appearance formed by the torch shaking rapidly.

Original Text: “Ruo fei xiang yuan. Ning shou wang xi. Fei ru liu gen. Hu yong kai he. Ci zhi wang xiang. Wu shi de mie. Gu ru xian zai. Jian wen jue zhi. Zhong chuan xi ji. Ze zhan liao nei. Wang xiang xu wu. Di wu dian dao. Wei xi jing xiang.” (If it were not the source of perception, how could it admit false habits? Without your six faculties being mutually used, opening and closing, this delusion would never cease. Therefore, your present seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing are permeated with false habits. Then that which within the clear knowing seems unmoving, that illusory nothingness, is the fifth upside-down subtle delusion of essence.)

Explanation: If the essence of consciousness were not the root of your perception aggregate, how could it be perfumed by those false habits? Without cultivating to the point where the six faculties interact, function mutually, and open and close, the delusions of one's own mind cannot cease for a moment. Unless sentient beings cultivate to the point where the six faculties interact and function mutually, the delusion of the consciousness aggregate cannot cease; otherwise, the delusion will always exist without ceasing. Therefore, your present seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing are all being perfumed by false habits; many false habits are interwoven within. Then that seemingly unmoving, knowing the inner dust, illusory and empty like the legendary water monster of ancient times, the consciousness aggregate, is the fifth upside-down subtle delusion of the essence. Although it appears empty, numinous, and pure on the surface, without false thoughts or delusions, it still belongs to the fifth upside-down subtle delusion of essence. This is saying the consciousness aggregate is an upside-down subtle delusion of essence.

V. The Form Aggregate is a Product of Solid Delusion

Due to the solid delusion of the manas, considering the form aggregate as the self, as real, indivisible, and indestructible, the form aggregate thus severely obstructs and seals one's own mind. The mind's functions are severely hindered, unable to break through the obstruction; its functions are impeded. Whatever we take as ourselves, as real, that thing becomes our burden, burdening us, preventing liberation, preventing the manifestation of great spiritual powers, preventing unimpeded mastery of all dharmas.

Actually, due to ignorance, due to afflictions, we obstruct ourselves. Clearly, one can be a Buddha, can have immeasurable spiritual powers and abilities, without any limitations, yet everywhere one is obstructed, everywhere there are obstacles. So many people are troubled all day long, constantly embroiled in right and wrong, competing with each other over wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep, competing over power, status, fame, and profit, jealous and resentful of each other—truly extremely foolish. All are everywhere setting obstacles for themselves; in the end, it is oneself who suffers. Due to deep afflictions, sentient beings, as soon as they gather, as long as there are three or more people, inevitably there are disputes and conflicts, inevitably phenomena of mutual competition and jealousy, either overtly or covertly contending with each other, trying to outshine and overwhelm the other.

In a group, there will always be one part squeezing out another part of the people. After splitting, the remaining part again competes, becomes jealous, and excludes each other, leaving only a small part. Then disputes continue until only one person remains, and only then is it somewhat quiet. Therefore, I fear crowds the most; I fear people with deep afflictions the most; I fear people with many disputes and an impure mind the most; I fear people who like to stir up trouble the most; I fear people with heavy hatred and jealousy the most; and I also fear ignorant people who cannot distinguish right from wrong the most. Yet such people are everywhere; one cannot avoid them. This is the appearance of sentient beings in the Saha world.

The Shurangama Sutra, chapter by chapter, section by section, everywhere instructs us to realize the mind and see the nature, to abandon the false and see the true, to eliminate afflictions, ignorance, and karmic obstacles. Every sentence is a pearl, every paragraph is gold and treasure; it is the supreme Dharma treasure for attaining the Way and becoming a Buddha. To free oneself from ignorance and afflictions, to liberate body and mind, regardless of how difficult the Shurangama Sutra is to understand, we must study and practice it. As long as the Shurangama Sutra exists, the Buddha Dharma will not perish; as long as the Shurangama Mantra exists, the Buddha Dharma will not perish.

VI. When the Shurangama Sutra speaks of the falsity of the perception aggregate, imagining oneself standing at the edge of a cliff causes the soles of the feet to feel sour. Thinking of a sour plum causes saliva to flow in the mouth—all this is delusion, being deceived by the state. Sentient beings take the six dust objects they contact as their own, resulting in being bound and hindered by the six dust objects, lacking freedom. Since beginningless kalpas, we have all been fooling ourselves, deceiving ourselves, yet the result is very miserable. Since beginningless kalpas, sentient beings have taken the physical body as the self; as a result, the physical body binds and hinders, lacking freedom, suffering boundlessly. All this is the mischief of delusion, living vainly and dying in vain.

The World-Honored One, in this section of the tenth volume of the Shurangama Sutra, is entirely explaining the false nature of the five grasping aggregates. These false natures have five kinds: The body born from the fusion of one's own and one's parents' delusional thoughts is the first, solid delusion. The sensations of pleasure and pain, benefit and harm, manifested due to delusional thoughts, are the second, empty bright delusion. The psychological emotions stirred by delusional thoughts grasping forms and shapes are the third, fusion and penetration delusion. The continuous physiological changes caused by the succession of delusional formations—nails growing, hair sprouting, vital energy waning, face wrinkling—are the fourth, hidden subtlety delusion. The hidden conscious mind's habitual tendencies formed by delusional perfuming, the functions of seeing, hearing, feeling, knowing, etc., are the fifth, upside-down subtle delusion of essence.

The first delusion is called the solid delusion. The Buddha said the form aggregate is the first solid delusion formed; the Buddha said the form aggregate is formed by delusion, not the true mind, not the clear and true essence. The second delusion is called the empty bright delusion. The empty bright delusion, the Buddha said, is the feeling aggregate of sentient beings; it is all delusion, all false. The third delusion is called the fusion and penetration delusion. The fusion and penetration delusion is the perception aggregate of sentient beings; it is also all false. The fourth delusion is called the hidden subtlety delusion. This refers to the formation aggregate of sentient beings; the very subtle operational states of the form and consciousness aggregates all belong to the formation aggregate. The fifth delusion is called the upside-down subtle delusion of essence. The consciousness aggregate is the fifth upside-down subtle delusion of essence; the subtle delusion of essence is what the Buddha is calling the consciousness aggregate.

VII. The Fifty Skandha-Demon States in the Shurangama Sutra

Original Text: “A nan dang zhi. Ru zuo dao chang. Xiao luo zhu nian. Qi nian ruo jin, ze zhu li nian. Yi qie jing ming. Dong jing bu yi. Yi wang ru yi. Dang zhu ci chu. Ru san mo ti. Ru ming mu ren. Chu da you an. Jing xing miao jing. Xin wei fa guang. Ci ze ming wei. Se yin qu yu. Ruo mu ming lang. Shi fang dong kai. Wu fu you an. Ming se yin jin. Shi ren ze neng. Chao yue jie zhuo. Guan qi suo you, jian gu wang xiang. Yi wei qi ben.” (Ananda, you should know that when you sit in the place of enlightenment and put an end to all thoughts, if your thoughts come to an end, then all apart from thoughts—all that is clear and knowing—does not shift with movement or stillness, is the same whether remembering or forgetting. Abiding right here, you enter samadhi. It is like a clear-eyed person in deep darkness: the essence is wonderfully pure, but the mind has not yet emitted light. This is called the region of the form aggregate. If the eyes become clear and bright, the ten directions open wide, no more darkness, this is called the exhaustion of the form aggregate. This person can then transcend the kalpic turbidity. Observe the cause: solid delusion is its basis.)

Explanation: The Buddha said: Ananda, you should know that when you sit in the place of enlightenment, eliminate all thoughts and considerations. If thoughts are completely extinguished, the conscious mind without any thoughts is yet very clear about everything around it; whether moving or still, it is not shaken; whether remembering or forgetting, it is the same—without thoughts. Abiding in such a state, one enters samadhi. It is like a person with clear eyes who can see all states clearly, yet is in a very dark environment; the essence of consciousness is very clear and pure, but the mind does not see any light. This is called the region of the form aggregate, blocked by the form aggregate, unable to perceive forms; if one could break through, darkness would no longer be an obstruction to seeing forms.

If the eyes are open and bright, illuminating everything, the worlds of the ten directions become thoroughly clear and bright, no more darkness; all form dharmas will appear before the eyes. This is called the exhaustion of the form aggregate; there are no more obstructions. This person can then transcend the kalpic turbidity. Observing why a person within the region of the form aggregate cannot break through the form aggregate and is obstructed by darkness, it is because there is a solid delusion, a firm attachment to the form aggregate as real and indestructible, unwilling to let go.

Original Text: “A nan. Dang zai ci zhong. Jing yan miao ming. Si da bu zhi. Shao xuan zhi jian. Shen neng chu ai. Ci ming jing ming. Liu yi qian jing. Si dan gong yong. Zan de ru shi. Fei wei sheng zheng. Bu zuo sheng xin. Ming shan jing jie. Ruo zuo sheng jie. Ji shou qun xie.” (Ananda, you should within this state investigate the subtle brightness until the four elements no longer interweave. In a short while, the body can transcend obstructions. This is called the essence overflowing into the state before it. This is merely a function temporarily attained thus; it is not a sage’s certification. Not taking it as a sage’s mind is called a good state. If taken as a sage’s understanding, one then receives the hordes of demons.)

Explanation: Ananda, you should within this state investigate minutely; the subtle four elements no longer closely interweave inseparably. After the four elements loosen, in an instant, the body can break through obstructions, no longer limited by the four elements. This situation arises because the essence of consciousness flows onto the state; this is a temporary function of the conscious mind, not a certification of any sage's state. Without attaining the sage's fruit, not taking the born-and-ceased essence of consciousness as the sage's mind—such a situation is called a good state. If one considers oneself to have attained the sage's fruit and become a sage, taking the essence of consciousness as the unborn, unceased sage's mind, one will then be disturbed by numerous demons.

When reading Buddhist sutras, one must look at the text coherently, comparing the front and back; one cannot extract a certain paragraph or a few lines and grasp their meaning. This easily leads to taking passages out of context and misunderstanding the Buddha Dharma. Since this section is discussing the content of the fifty skandha-demons, it refers to various false state appearances within meditation practice, not true states. One should not grasp the meditative states described within as real and ultimate; one should not give rise to attachment to such states, lest one enter demonic states and be unable to extricate oneself.

These descriptions are all states of meditative concentration (dhyāna), and states of meditative concentration are states of the conscious mind, not states of the true mind; therefore, they are not states of realizing the mind and attaining enlightenment. This passage describes meditative states just before breaking through the region of the form aggregate; the five-aggregate conscious mind is still within the form and feeling aggregates, not yet beyond the limitations of the form and feeling aggregates. Therefore, the Buddha said one cannot take this state as a sage-certified sage state; thus, this is not an enlightenment state. One should continue practicing further; do not grasp this state as real, for if one grasps it, one will enter demonic states. This is the general meaning of the entire passage; it does not involve realizing the mind and attaining enlightenment. Even non-Buddhists can cultivate to such states; it is nothing rare.

The states manifested through cultivating concentration are delusional states of the conscious mind; they are temporary meditative states. No matter how pure the conscious mind is, even without thoughts or delusions, it is still the conscious mind within meditative concentration. Non-Buddhists can also cultivate to such states. Therefore, the Buddha repeatedly admonishes: do not take it as a sage's understanding; this is nothing remarkable; do not grasp it as the sage state of realizing the mind and attaining enlightenment; otherwise, one will become attached to demons.

The language of the Buddhist sutras is somewhat obscure and difficult to understand; therefore, misunderstandings are inevitable. Thus, everyone should not easily assume that their own understanding is necessarily correct; it may not be. Why is it easy to become attached to demons when studying Buddhism and cultivating meditation? Because one grasps a certain state as sage-like, takes a certain state as real; having attachments makes it easy to enter demonic states, and the mind becomes deranged. The Buddha said that all states are false. All states are states of the conscious mind; the true mind has no states; it is tranquil, extremely tranquil. It does not care whether you meditate or not, whether you are pure or impure, whether you have thoughts or no thoughts; it cares about nothing. No matter what, it remains as it is. What a pure mind this is!

Many people mistake meditative states for enlightenment. Others think that enlightenment must mean extinguishing all conscious minds, even the manas ceasing to function, and only then is it the true state of enlightenment. Let us consider the fault in this: such enlightenment—who is enlightened? What is realized? In this state, there is no person, no five aggregates, no seven consciousnesses; only the Tathagatagarbha remains. This is clearly the nirvana state of an Arhat, unrelated to enlightenment. Moreover, an ordinary person cannot directly extinguish the manas through cultivating concentration and immediately attain the great Arhatship of complete liberation, entering the state of non-abiding nirvana. Even extinguishing the five consciousnesses is extremely difficult; extinguishing the sixth consciousness (mano-vijñāna) is even harder, let alone extinguishing the manas.

Some always grasp "the falling away of the faculties and objects" as the state of enlightenment. But when the faculties and objects fall away, there are no faculties, no objects; faculties and objects do not come together; then, of course, there is no mind of the six consciousnesses. If this is enlightenment, then who is enlightened? Taking the state of "the void shattering, the earth leveling and sinking" as enlightenment—but at this time, what exactly is realized? Not knowing the relationship between this state and the Tathagatagarbha, one cannot prove it is an enlightenment state. The fundamental reason why everyone misunderstands and misinterprets the Buddha Dharma is that false dharmas and true dharmas have not been clearly distinguished, not been understood clearly. One's merit and wisdom are still insufficient, and there are heavy afflictions and karmic obstacles severely obstructing the growth of merit and wisdom. Therefore, one cannot truly comprehend and penetrate the true and the false.

The true mind and the false mind each have their different essences. For example, awareness has the awareness of the true mind and the awareness of the false mind; equality has the equality of the true mind and the equality of the false mind; purity has the purity of the true mind and the purity of the false mind; signlessness has the signlessness of the true mind and the signlessness of the false mind; the conditioned has the conditioned of the true mind and the conditioned of the false mind; the unconditioned has the unconditioned of the true mind and the unconditioned of the false mind, and so on, many aspects. In summary, everyone studying the Dharma finds it very difficult to distinguish the true from the false; they are often confused and unclear, frequently having many misunderstandings. This is because the conditions of the Bodhisattva's six paramitas are not yet complete; once complete, one will have the wisdom to distinguish the essences of the true and the false, and realizing the Way will come quickly.

VIII. Question: All dharmas are produced by the Tathagatagarbha based on various conditions. That is to say, without various conditions, even though the Tathagatagarbha inherently possesses the seeds of all dharmas, it still cannot produce the dharmas? The contact of sense faculty, object, and consciousness—the three conditions combining to produce the sixth consciousness—then here can it be changed to say the Tathagatagarbha, relying on conditions, produces all dharmas?

Answer: All dharmas are conditionally arisen; it is the Tathagatagarbha, relying on conditions, using the seven great seeds and karmic seeds, that produces all dharmas. Without conditions, dharmas will not be produced. Without causes, only the created karmic seeds, still dharmas cannot be produced. Although the Tathagatagarbha inherently possesses the seven great seeds, if the conditions for the sixth consciousness to arise are absent, the sixth consciousness will not arise. If the grasping nature of the manas towards the five-aggregate world is extinguished, all six consciousnesses will cease to arise; even the manas itself can be extinguished. Arhats extinguish the manas and enter the state of non-abiding nirvana. Although seeds still exist within the Tathagatagarbha, no dharmas can be produced, because the manas no longer grasps at the dharmas of the three realms.

Supplementary Explanation

This book explaining the Shurangama Sutra is a compilation of explanations of passages gathered based on requests from numerous disciples; it is not a systematic and comprehensive explanation of the entire text from beginning to end. Because the content requested by each disciple differs, the compilation appears somewhat unsystematic. It is merely to provide an object of reliance and reference for the public who love the Shurangama Sutra in their practice, hoping they may have it sooner. Therefore, it is first compiled in the form of selected passages. Currently, only one volume is compiled. Later, when there is time and practice has further advanced, the Shurangama Sutra will be explained systematically and comprehensively, supplementing and revising the incomplete parts. It is hoped that the public will patiently wait.