Miscellaneous Discourses on the Dharma (Part II)
Chapter Thirteen: On the Slander of Mahayana Dharma by Theravada Buddhism
I. The Buddha’s most original Dharma is the Three Baskets and Twelve Divisions of Sutras
The so-called "original" should encompass all the Dharma expounded by the Buddha during his forty-nine years, including the Three Vehicles: the Small, Medium, and Great. This comprises the liberation path of the Small Vehicle Arhats and Medium Vehicle Pratyekabuddhas, and the Buddhahood path of the Mahayana Prajna and Vijnaptimatra (Consciousness-Only) Dharma. Naturally, the Small and Medium Vehicles are also a small, initial part of the path to Buddhahood, constituting a portion of Mahayana Buddhism. The entire path to Buddhahood is permeated throughout by the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature), the true suchness. Merely relying on the Agama Sutras can only lead to the realization of the Small Vehicle Arhatship, attaining the wisdom to liberate oneself from the Three Realms, but not the Buddha’s omniscient wisdom (Sarvajñā).
The Agama Sutras and the fruition of Arhatship are not ultimate. Only by continuing to study Prajna and Vijnaptimatra based on this foundation can one progressively advance in the path and ultimately attain Buddhahood. Therefore, the Buddha’s most original Dharma is the Three Baskets and Twelve Divisions of Sutras. There is no distinction between "original" and "later." The original Dharma of the Buddha in other Buddha-lands is far more extensive than the Three Baskets and Twelve Divisions of this Saha World. These Three Baskets and Twelve Divisions are like the dirt under a fingernail, while the Dharma surpassing them is like the earth itself. Thus, all Dharma leading to Buddhahood is spoken by the Buddha; there is no need to fragment the complete path to Buddhahood.
However, some claim that only the Agama Sutras are the Buddha's original Dharma, and that other Mahayana teachings are not the Buddha's words but fabrications by later generations. Yet, if a sect collects certain materials, forming its history, and each has its own historical records passed down, then who can prove that the historical transmission of one sect is genuine while others are not? On what basis can one believe that the research of one sect constitutes true history, conforming to the facts of what actually happened? Is it through psychic powers, or immense wisdom? Were the researchers throughout history great practitioners with profound wisdom and Dharma-eye? If not, how can one trust their own judgment?
If they are not great practitioners throughout the ages, lacking wisdom and Dharma-eye, how can they determine that Theravada Buddhism represents the most original words of the Buddha, while other Mahayana scriptures and the Three Baskets and Twelve Divisions are not the Buddha's words? How dare they slander the most precious treasure painstakingly transmitted by the Buddha over forty-nine years? If the Buddha only taught the Agama Sutras for forty-nine years, how did he attain Buddhahood? Could such extremely superficial Dharma alone lead to Buddhahood? Why would the Buddha need to expound such rudimentary Dharma repeatedly for forty-nine years? Who can prove that the Buddha only taught the Agama Sutras for forty-nine years and did not teach Mahayana? Who has witnessed with enlightened eyes the entire historical context and process of the Buddha’s teachings?
Those who slander the Mahayana Dharma, negate the Mahayana Dharma, and propagate Theravada Buddhist doctrines that contradict Mahayana commit immense offenses. If anyone has propagated Theravada Buddhism to resist Mahayana, they should quickly repent publicly; otherwise, the cause for hell is already formed and unchangeable, and the retribution will inevitably befall them, impossible to evade. Slanderers of Mahayana are the greatest evildoers in the world; their offense is the heaviest among all evil dharmas, surpassing even those guilty of murder, arson, and the ten unwholesome deeds.
Slanderers of Mahayana are those who blind sentient beings. Slanderers of Mahayana are severing the path for sentient beings to seek liberation. Those who sever the path to liberation for sentient beings will themselves inevitably fall into the Avīci Hell for life after life. Ignorant and foolish individuals who resist the Buddha’s Mahayana Dharma will, when retribution arrives, only experience endless suffering and torment, forced to endure unbearable pain. Assisting in the propagation of slander against Mahayana Dharma leads to such an outcome. Those with clear minds should repent quickly; otherwise, once the evil karma solidifies, there will be no further opportunity for repentance.
All sentient beings wish to be human, to be reborn as humans in the next life. They all fear the suffering of the three evil destinies (hell, hungry ghost, animal). They all wish to liberate themselves from the three evil destinies, to sever the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and the three fetters (saṃyojana), and to realize the fruition (phala). But what are they doing every day? Their actions of body, speech, and mind correspond to the three evil destinies. Clearly desiring to rely on the Buddha’s teachings for liberation, yet they intentionally or unintentionally slander the Buddha’s teachings—is this not foolishness? Daily depending on pure river water for survival, yet intentionally or unintentionally polluting that river—is this not foolishness? All illnesses are easy to cure, only the illness of foolishness is difficult to treat. Therefore, the Buddha taught and liberated beings in the human and heavenly realms, not in the animal realm.
II. Can proponents of the Six Consciousnesses Theory realize fruition?
Proponents of the Six Consciousnesses Theory only acknowledge the five sense consciousnesses and the sixth consciousness, denying the existence of the seventh and eighth consciousnesses. In essence, this belongs to the nihilistic view of emptiness (uccheda-śūnyatā). If one does not acknowledge the seventh consciousness (manas) as the sovereign consciousness, one cannot contemplate the sovereign nature of the seventh consciousness or its nature as one of the six sense faculties (indriya). Consequently, one cannot understand how there can be a dharma that is both a faculty and a consciousness. Due to this lack of understanding, they deny the existence of the seventh consciousness, the mental faculty (manas). Thus, the eighteen elements (dhātus) would lack one element, the view of self cannot be completely severed, and it becomes impossible to realize any fruition.
Theravada Buddhism adheres to the Six Consciousnesses Theory. However, the Agama Sutras spoken by the Buddha mention the seventh and eighth consciousnesses. They state that all sentient beings have "self as an island" (attadīpa), "Dharma as refuge" (dhammasaraṇa), and "sentient beings as support" (sattāparāyana)—this refers to the eighth consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna). They also mention the mental faculty (manas), which is one of the six faculties and one of the eighteen elements. It is merely that the proponents of the Theravada sect cannot comprehend the true meaning within the Agama Sutras; they only understand the six consciousnesses, so they only acknowledge six consciousnesses, becoming proponents of the Six Consciousnesses Theory. If one denies the existence of a subject consciousness for rebirth and negates it, it amounts to slandering the Dharma (dharma-pratikṣepa). Slandering the Dharma is equivalent to slandering the Buddha (buddha-pratikṣepa). Those who slander the Buddha and the Dharma cannot realize fruition.
Once sentient beings slander the Buddha and the Dharma, not only do they fail to accomplish the Three Refuges and Five Precepts, but they also fail to accomplish the Bhikṣu and Bhikṣuṇī precepts, let alone the Bodhisattva precepts. A true Bodhisattva, upon hearing slander against the Buddha and Dharma, feels as if pierced by three hundred spears in the heart. How could they possibly slander Mahayana Dharma and the Bodhisattva Piṭaka with their own mouth? Therefore, a true Bodhisattva would not be willing to reside or practice together with individuals or groups who slander the Buddha and Dharma, much less praise and propagate the doctrines of such individuals or groups. A true Bodhisattva would not do this; those who do so cannot become true Bodhisattvas. True Bodhisattvas strive to protect the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha) and Buddhism, paying attention to the overall development and changes in Buddhism, concerned with whether themselves and sentient beings can attain liberation, not merely focused on personal interests.
III. Is Mahayana the word of the Buddha?
Regarding whether Mahayana is the word of the Buddha, debates rage incessantly and fiercely on internet forums. Among them, those who deny that Mahayana is the word of the Buddha are the adherents of Theravada Buddhism, the Hīnayāna practitioners. They primarily study the Agama Sutras, supplemented by observing precepts and cultivating meditative concentration (dhyāna). However, if one does not believe Mahayana was spoken by the Buddha himself, one naturally negates the Tathāgatagarbha Dharma, thereby indirectly negating cause and effect (karma) and rebirth. Where do cause and effect come from? Certainly realized by the Tathāgatagarbha. Why does rebirth in the six realms occur? Certainly because the Tathāgatagarbha is indestructible; it carries the karmic seeds (bīja) and, together with the mental faculty (manas), proceeds to future lives, manifesting the resultant body in subsequent existences.
Whether Mahayana is the word of the Buddha—those with virtuous roots (kuśala-mūla), merit (puṇya), and wisdom (prajñā) need not research it at all. The rightness or wrongness of the Dharma becomes very clear after reading it twice and contemplating it. Is there any need for research? Those who insist on researching are people of very low wisdom, lacking virtuous roots and merit. For over two thousand years, no one has been able to research and produce a result proving that Mahayana is not the word of the Buddha but fabricated by later generations. If a later person could fabricate such sublime Dharma, their wisdom would be equal to the Buddha’s—truly remarkable.
Generally speaking, those who study Theravada Buddhism and the Pali Agama Sutras are more diligent, hardworking, and genuinely practice compared to people in the Han Chinese regions. However, if they negate Mahayana and deny the existence of the Tathāgatagarbha, their virtuous roots and merit are extremely shallow. No matter how they practice, they will not realize fruition. Because they do not believe the Buddha’s words, they lack sufficient faith in the Three Jewels and inadequate faith in the Buddha. Thus, the Three Refuges and Five Precepts are not accomplished, and they cannot realize fruition. If these Theravada practitioners have not realized fruition and their transmission is erroneous, then those who follow them, including people in the Han regions, will also be unable to realize fruition.
Although Theravada emphasizes precepts (śīla) and meditative concentration (dhyāna), if it negates Mahayana, its precepts are deficient, and its meditative concentration will not be very high. Moreover, negating Mahayana means there will be no blessings from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Relying solely on individual strength, no matter how one practices, there will be no accomplishment. During the Buddha’s time, some non-Buddhists later deeply believed in the Buddha and the Dharma he taught. Because they had faith in the Three Jewels, they accomplished the Three Refuges and Five Precepts. Additionally, as their meditative concentration was high, upon hearing the Buddha teach the Dharma, they could realize fruition, even the fourth fruition (Arhatship). Yet, Hīnayāna practitioners who negate Mahayana cannot realize fruition.
The wisdom of Theravada practitioners who negate Mahayana and the Tathāgatagarbha is indeed inferior. By contemplating and analyzing the origin of their own five aggregates (skandhas), they should understand: without an indestructible Tathāgatagarbha, how can there be life after life? How can there be birth, death, and rebirth? Without an indestructible Dharma, what meaning does a lifetime of practice hold? Where are the seeds of practice stored? Without a repository for storing seeds, how can there be the karmic fruit of practice in future lives?
Some feel Theravada Buddhism is good and follow it. In terms of meditative concentration and precepts, Theravada Buddhism is quite commendable. However, overall, within the Dharma, it lacks a strong pillar, a substantial Dharma to support it. It is like a castle in the air; practicing it is useless. Not only is it useless to practice, but it also plants seeds of the nihilistic view of emptiness in the field of the Ālayavijñāna. When these seeds sprout in future lives, one will still be a nihilist, sinking into the three evil destinies to suffer endlessly. Therefore, those who follow Theravada Buddhism must open their eyes, carefully contemplate its flaws and consequences, and withdraw quickly to avoid future suffering. If one propagates the nihilistic Theravada Buddhism that negates Mahayana Dharma, influencing others, the offense is immense, potentially leading to hellish karma. The law of cause and effect is truly fearsome; be cautious, be cautious.
Those people, when reading Mahayana Dharma, cannot interpret the true meaning of the Dharma at all; they are utterly confused, not understanding what the Buddha is saying. Because they cannot comprehend it, they vehemently deny it again and again—foolish and pitiable, precisely because they lack virtuous roots and merit. If they cannot understand Mahayana Dharma, then they also cannot fully understand the Small Vehicle Dharma; thus, they cannot realize fruition. In the Small Vehicle Dharma, the World-Honored One also spoke of the eighth consciousness, the Tathāgatagarbha, though the language is more implicit, not expressed very directly. By negating Mahayana, they indirectly negate the Small Vehicle; thus, the Buddha’s precepts are not accomplished, and liberation is hopeless. Those people claim their meditative concentration is so high; many say they have attained the fourth dhyāna, yet it is unlikely they have even attained the first dhyāna. However, they are indeed focused on practice, very diligent; the male practitioners are far better than some in our Han regions—all are very vigorous. Some male practitioners in our Han regions are too lax, often engaging in "liberation rituals" (chāobá) and "merit transfer ceremonies" (chāodù), which increases their karmic obstacles. They lack the heart for practice; few cultivate diligently.
Therefore, whoever goes to temples seeking "liberation rituals" and "merit transfer" not only harms the ordained Bhikṣus but also harms the entire Buddhist community. If monastics do not practice, Buddhism will perish. After performing these rituals, how could they have the energy and state of mind to exert effort in the Dharma? Everyone says monastics today are not as good as before, that the practice atmosphere in temples is poor. But who caused such consequences? Who brought worldly customs and afflictive habits into the temples? Who polluted the monastic environment for cultivation? Who deprived the monastics of their time and energy for cultivating the path?
IV. The Dharma has always been the One Buddha Vehicle
The Dharma has always been the One Vehicle, the One Buddha Vehicle. All Buddhist teachings are one method within the path to Buddhahood. The Great and Small Vehicles within the Buddha Dharma have always been inseparable—one is the foundation, the other is the enhancement and progression, the advanced stage. Why separate them?
Theravada practitioners regard Arhats as Buddhas and the Buddha as an Arhat. This is severe slander of the Buddha; thus, they cannot possess the precept essence (śīla-kāya) nor realize fruition. Since they do not believe Mahayana is the Buddha’s word, presenting them with the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is useless. Faith is the source of the path and the mother of virtues; without faith, there is no root of faith nor virtuous roots. Practice cannot lead to enlightenment. Following them for countless kalpas is futile. If one assists in their propaganda, boosting their influence, one aids the forces slandering the Buddha and destroying Buddhism, accelerating the destruction of Buddhism and the Mahayana sutras. The offense is immense, worthy of Avīci Hell.
Later, the Demon King (Māra) will exploit the foolishness of Buddhist practitioners, pretending to conduct research, then creating divisions like "Eastern Transmission" and "Western Transmission," causing Buddhism to fragment. No one will achieve realization; all will remain under Māra’s control, cycling in birth and death. Who has the qualification and wisdom to research the history of Dharma propagation and true events during the Buddha’s time? Unless it is a Bodhisattva from the Buddha’s era with the wisdom of Vijnaptimatra (Consciousness-Only) and Sarvajñā (Omniscience), who returns, having studied with the Buddha, possessing the seeds from that time. But if a Bodhisattva truly possesses the wisdom of Vijnaptimatra and Sarvajñā, they can quickly discern by reading the sutras which are the Buddha’s words and which are not; they would not be confused or unable to distinguish. How can an ordinary person possibly research ancient Buddhist history? Some are even amateur Buddhist enthusiasts doing research—truly the greatest absurdity under heaven!
Greed (rāga) can be guided; hatred (dveṣa) can be guided; only foolishness (moha) leaves even the Buddha helpless. Hatred leads to hell; Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva guides beings there. Greed leads to the hungry ghost realm; Buddhas and Bodhisattvas guide beings there. But foolishness, like bacteria and animals—no one can guide them; they cannot understand the Dharma, nor comprehend human speech.
Their misunderstanding of meditative concentration is also severe. Many commit grave false speech, claiming they and others have attained the fourth dhyāna. In reality, what they have is the "approaching concentration" (anāgamya-samādhi) passing through a dark state. In such concentration, there are scarcely any thoughts, as if one does not exist; they mistake this for the fourth dhyāna. Such groups, lacking anyone who has realized fruition, fundamentally cannot produce accomplished practitioners who have realized fruition. Following them only creates karma; no benefit is gained. Yet some prefer the Theravada view that negates Mahayana—what can be done? When Buddhism is destroyed, the great river dries up; how can small streams remain? When Mahayana Dharma perishes, Buddhism perishes. With Buddhism perished, what remains of Theravada or Mahayana? What liberation remains? It would be better to study non-Buddhist paths; at the very least, one would not slander the Buddha and Dharma, avoiding hellish karma.
