The Esoteric Significance of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra

Chapter Five: The Perfectly Penetrating Dharma Doors Realized by the Twenty-Five Sages (Volume Five, Part 3)

Twenty-Three: The Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha’s Dharma Door of Cultivation

Original Text: The Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha then rose from his seat, prostrated at the Buddha’s feet, and addressed the Buddha, saying: “I attained the Boundless Body in the presence of the Buddha Dīpaṃkara. At that time, I held in my hand four great precious pearls, which illuminated the ten directions, transforming the dust-mote Buddha-lands into emptiness.”

Explanation: The Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha began to introduce his Dharma door of cultivation. He attained the Boundless Body in the presence of the Buddha Dīpaṃkara. The meaning of Boundless Body is that Ākāśagarbha’s physical body is vast and boundless. As vast as space is, so vast is Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya (form body). Therefore, Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya is called the Boundless Body, capable of encompassing space and containing the worlds of the ten directions. Hence, his name is Ākāśagarbha (Storehouse of Space). Although Ākāśagarbha’s body is as vast and boundless as space, it is still a rūpakāya. Since a rūpakāya exists, it possesses the functions of a rūpakāya. Since it is called a rūpakāya, it has hands. Therefore, it is said that Ākāśagarbha could hold the four great precious pearls.

These four great precious pearls could illuminate the dust-mote Buddha-lands of the ten directions. One Buddha-land is one Buddha-realm. The ten directions represent the ten directions of space: east, south, west, north, southeast, southwest, northeast, northwest, above, and below. “Dust-mote” signifies an inconceivably vast number. Space contains countless dust-motes; one dust-mote represents one Buddha-land, one Buddha-realm. The dust-motes of the ten directions’ worlds are even more innumerable. Even the dust-motes within one cubic meter are beyond counting, let alone the dust-motes of the worlds in the ten directions. These countless Buddha-lands are beyond numerical reckoning; Buddha-realms are immeasurable, boundless, and limitless in number. This demonstrates the vast, unobstructed divine power of the Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha. Ākāśagarbha held the four great precious pearls; these pearls could illuminate the Buddha-lands of the ten directions, reaching even the immeasurably numerous Buddha-realms.

Then, they transformed into emptiness. What transformed into emptiness? The dust-mote Buddha-lands of the ten directions all transformed into emptiness. This was the divine power employed by Ākāśagarbha. Why could all the dust-mote Buddha-lands of the ten directions transform into emptiness? Because the Buddha-lands of the ten directions are also illusory and unreal. Although they appear to exist in the phenomenal realm, in essence, they are non-existent, empty, and illusory. Therefore, when Ākāśagarbha used the four great precious pearls to illuminate the Buddha-realms of the ten directions, instantly, all the Buddha-realms transformed into emptiness. There is also a special meaning here: the four great precious pearls of Ākāśagarbha represent his great wisdom. Observing the Buddha-lands of the ten directions with great wisdom, the Bodhisattva understood that all the Buddha-lands of the ten directions are unreal, illusory manifestations dependent on conditions arising from the Tathāgatagarbha, and thus empty.

Original Text: “Moreover, within my own mind, I manifested a great perfect mirror, which emitted ten kinds of subtle and wondrous precious lights, flowing and pouring throughout the ten directions, reaching the limits of empty space.”

Explanation: After the Buddha-lands of the ten directions transformed into emptiness, Ākāśagarbha again manifested a great perfect mirror within his own mind. What does “own mind” refer to? Regardless of what he manifests, from where do all manifested phenomena arise? They all arise from the Bodhisattva’s Tathāgatagarbha. Ākāśagarbha is a Tenth Ground Bodhisattva. Tenth Ground Bodhisattvas have not yet become Buddhas; before Buddhahood, their Tathāgatagarbha cannot be called the Stainless Consciousness (Amalavijñāna). At this stage, it can be called the Maturation Consciousness (Vipākavijñāna). The Tathāgatagarbha of Bodhisattvas at the Eighth Ground and above is called the Maturation Consciousness, but it can also be called Tathāgatagarbha.

From the Tathāgatagarbha mind of Ākāśagarbha, a great perfect mirror manifested. This great perfect mirror was produced through the power of divine transformation. The great perfect mirror emitted ten kinds of extremely subtle, supremely wondrous precious lights. These ten kinds of precious lights radiated in the ten directions, illuminating the worlds of the ten directions. The ten directions represent all locations within space; everywhere was connected by the precious lights, with no place left unilluminated. The space of the ten directions’ worlds is boundless and limitless. The precious lights emitted from the great perfect mirror manifested within the mind simultaneously illuminated the ten directions’ space; wherever there was space, the precious lights flowed and poured.

Original Text: “The kingly banners and Buddha-lands came into the mirror, entered into my body. My body, being identical to space, was unimpeded. My body was able to skillfully enter dust-mote lands, extensively perform Buddha-works, and attain great accordance.”

Explanation: Furthermore, the precious lights also illuminated the kingly banners and Buddha-lands, meaning all the Buddha-lands of the ten directions. All Buddha-lands also appeared within the great perfect mirror manifested in Ākāśagarbha’s mind. This was due to the vast divine power, the boundless power, of a Tenth Ground Bodhisattva. Since the great perfect mirror was manifested by Ākāśagarbha’s mind, the kingly banners and Buddha-lands of the ten directions also came into Ākāśagarbha’s body. Why? Because Ākāśagarbha’s body is boundlessly vast, reaching the limits of space. As vast as space is, so vast is Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya. The kingly banners and Buddha-lands all came into the great perfect mirror. Since the great perfect mirror was manifested by his mind, it was also within Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya, which was also within space, and within the spatial expanse of the ten directions’ worlds.

At this time, Ākāśagarbha’s body was like space. Space can contain the worlds of the ten directions; it can contain the universe, the vessel world; it can contain all material forms (rūpa-dharma). Space and material forms do not impede each other; all material forms can enter space, can be stored within space, and can be established within space. Since Ākāśagarbha’s body was like space, the kingly banners and Buddha-lands of the ten directions also came into the great perfect mirror, thus entering Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya. Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya, being like space, was unimpeded and unobstructed by the kingly banners and Buddha-lands of the ten directions’ worlds.

Ākāśagarbha introduced himself, saying: “My body is able to skillfully enter dust-mote lands.” Since the dust-mote lands of the ten directions had all entered Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya, then Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya was able to enter the dust-mote lands of the ten directions. This means the dust-mote lands of the ten directions and Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya interpenetrated without obstruction, merging together without hindrance. The Bodhisattva’s divine power is so miraculous. In this way, he could extensively perform Buddha-works, broadly benefit sentient beings, and greatly perform the Buddha-works within the dream. Ākāśagarbha could accord with the conditions of sentient beings in the ten directions’ worlds, liberating immeasurable beings. The divine power of a Tenth Ground Bodhisattva is beyond our imagination. Why could he possess such great divine power? Because he possessed extremely profound wisdom and extremely deep states of meditative concentration (dhyāna). Immeasurable and boundless spiritual powers and abilities arise from this.

Original Text: “This great divine power arose because I truthfully contemplated that the four great elements have no basis and that thoughts are born and cease.”

Explanation: Why did Ākāśagarbha possess such great divine power? Ākāśagarbha himself introduced it, saying: “This great divine power arose because I truthfully contemplated that the four great elements have no basis and that thoughts are born and cease.” Ākāśagarbha used profound wisdom to carefully observe and contemplate. Wisdom-mind arose within concentration (samādhi). Contemplation within concentration is called “truthful contemplation” (谛观), where calm abiding (śamatha) and insight (vipaśyanā) function together, and concentration and wisdom are equally maintained. Only then is there “truthful contemplation.” Bodhisattvas at the Seventh Ground and above are constantly in samādhi; there is no time when they are not concentrated. The result of truthful contemplation confirmed that the rūpakāya composed of the four great elements has no reliance or abode; there is no substantial existence of a rūpakāya or material forms. From this profound wisdom, immeasurably vast spiritual powers arose, and he attained boundless, great divine power.

This boundless divine power was jointly accomplished by concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (prajñā). Therefore, the content of Ākāśagarbha’s truthful contemplation was “the four great elements have no basis.” The four great elements are the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind) formed by the four great seeds. Then, the Tathāgatagarbha uses these four great elements to extensively create forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and dharmas, extensively creating the universe, the vessel world. The universe, the vessel world, is created by the four great elements; the rūpakāya of all sentient beings is constituted by the four great elements. In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the Buddha expounds that the four great elements are fundamentally the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha; essentially, they are also the Tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, all dharmas constituted by the four great elements are baseless and abodeless, illusory, without substantial existence of material forms.

Material forms are generated by the four great elements of the Tathāgatagarbha, yet the four great elements themselves have no basis. They arise due to the false thoughts of sentient beings. Due to the false thoughts of sentient beings, the Tathāgatagarbha, relying on them, accordingly transforms and creates the material world composed of the four great elements. This “false thought” is the thinking of the seventh consciousness (manas), the mentation of the seventh consciousness, the attention of the seventh consciousness, the contact-feeling-perceiving-thinking of the seventh consciousness. Thus, the Tathāgatagarbha uses the four great elements to generate the worlds of the ten directions. The worlds of the ten directions are formed by the four great elements. Relying on the false-thinking mind, relying on the seventh consciousness mind, the Tathāgatagarbha produces the dust-mote lands of the ten directions.

Original Text: “Space is non-dual; the Buddha-lands are fundamentally the same. Realizing this sameness, I attained the patience of the non-arising of dharmas (anutpattikadharmakṣānti). The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. I, by contemplating the boundlessness of space, entered Samādhi. Wondrous power, perfect and bright—this I consider foremost.”

Explanation: The space of the ten directions and the Buddha-lands of the ten directions are non-dual and identical; both are empty, both are illusory false appearances, both are the essential nature of the original mind, the Tathāgatagarbha nature, all being the functional seeds within the substance of the Tathāgatagarbha, non-dual with the Tathāgatagarbha. Ākāśagarbha realized that the lands and space of the ten directions are non-dual with the Tathāgatagarbha, all empty. Thereupon, Ākāśagarbha gave rise to profound patience of the non-arising of dharmas (anutpattikadharmakṣānti), attaining even more profound wisdom.

Due to this profound wisdom, Ākāśagarbha gave rise to even deeper meditative concentration, entered the Samādhi where concentration and wisdom are perfectly fused and equally maintained, and thus possessed the divine power described above. Then, he could employ divine power, enter space, become identical to space, merge with the worlds of the ten directions, and liberate beings according to conditions. Since the worlds of the ten directions, space, and the four great elements all have no basis, space can contain the material forms composed of the four great elements and the dust-mote worlds of the ten directions. Simultaneously, the dust-mote worlds of the ten directions can all transform into emptiness.

Ākāśagarbha’s own body of space is composed of the four great elements. The four great elements and space are non-dual; both are the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha, manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya can be as vast and boundless as space. Space and the Buddha-lands are fundamentally the same. The Buddha-lands are also material worlds composed of the four great elements, identical to space, both manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha. Essentially, they are also the Tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, the material four great elements of the Buddha-lands can also transform into space. Space is also the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha; the material four great elements are also the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha; the dust-mote worlds of the ten directions are also the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha. Since they are all the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha, they can mutually interpenetrate without obstruction; all being empty, there is no obstruction.

The worlds of the ten directions can transform into space; space can contain the worlds of the ten directions; the Boundless Body Bodhisattva’s rūpakāya can also transform into space and can also contain the dust-mote Buddha-lands of the ten directions. This is the great divine power of perfect brightness in concentration and wisdom. This great divine power was jointly accomplished by Ākāśagarbha’s equal maintenance of concentration and wisdom. Immeasurable, boundless spiritual powers are all jointly accomplished by concentration and wisdom, jointly accomplished by śamatha and vipaśyanā. If one is lacking, they cannot be accomplished.

Ākāśagarbha, “by realizing this sameness” — this “sameness” represents non-duality. Non-dual with what? Non-dual with the Tathāgatagarbha. Whether it is the material forms of the four great elements, or space, or the Buddha-lands of the ten directions, they are all non-dual with the Tathāgatagarbha; their essence is identical. Because the essence is identical, all being empty, the Bodhisattva of Space gave rise to great wisdom. “Realizing this sameness” — the so-called “realization” means he realized, discovered, understood, and attained this great wisdom. “Ming” (明) means wisdom. He realized that the four great elements have no basis, are all produced by false thoughts, and are subject to birth and cessation.

“Space is non-dual; the Buddha-lands are fundamentally the same.” Realizing this point, that they are all the essence of the Tathāgatagarbha, all the emptiness nature of the Tathāgatagarbha, the essence being empty, therefore they mutually do not obstruct each other. In this way, Ākāśagarbha attained profound patience of the non-arising of dharmas. By attaining this patience, this great wisdom, he possessed great divine power. His divine power is incomparably great. Buddha-lands as numerous as dust-motes could merge into his rūpakāya; the Buddha-lands of the ten directions could all transform into emptiness; his rūpakāya and space, the Buddha-lands of the ten directions, the material forms of the universe, the vessel world, mutually do not obstruct or hinder each other; they interpenetrate perfectly.

Original Text: “The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. I, by contemplating the boundlessness of space, entered Samādhi. Wondrous power, perfect and bright—this I consider foremost.”

Explanation: Because he had already contemplated that space is boundlessly vast, within this contemplation he entered Samādhi. This is generating concentration from wisdom, then giving rise to spiritual powers. Space has no boundary. Why is it boundless? If it had a boundary, it would be a material form. The essence of space is also the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha; the essence of material forms and the worlds of the ten directions is also the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha; the essence is empty, it is the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha.

Contemplating this principle, the Bodhisattva entered Samādhi. Samādhi is the ground where concentration and wisdom are perfectly fused, indicating that the Bodhisattva entered profound states of meditative concentration from the realm of wisdom. Thereupon, he attained vast divine power and boundless wisdom — “wondrous power, perfect and bright, this I consider foremost.” “Wondrous power” is the subtle divine power of Ākāśagarbha, perfectly manifested, perfectly attained the wonderful power of perfect penetration.

Ākāśagarbha contemplated that space is non-dual and the Buddha-lands are fundamentally the same, considering this foremost. His cultivation methods are, on the one hand, concentration, and on the other, wisdom — śamatha and vipaśyanā sharing the same substance. He contemplated that all dharmas are the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha, non-dual with the Tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, all dharmas are empty. Since all dharmas are empty, they mutually do not obstruct each other; mutually unimpeded, they can perfectly interpenetrate and contain forms. His body can contain space, being identical to space, yet can also enable space to contain the worlds of the ten directions. His body can also contain the worlds of the ten directions. He can also go to the worlds of the ten directions, according with sentient beings, according with the Buddha-lands, extensively performing Buddha-works. This is the Dharma door of cultivation of the Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha.

Twenty-Four: The Boundless Body of the Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha

Because the Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha realized that material forms, the rūpakāya, and space are non-dual — non-dual with what? All non-dual with the Tathāgatagarbha. Space is also empty; material forms are also empty; thus, the rūpakāya of sentient beings and the rūpakāya of Bodhisattvas are also empty. After realizing this, he gave rise to the great wisdom of the patience of the non-arising of dharmas, gave rise to profound meditative concentration, and manifested vast spiritual powers. His rūpakāya became unimpeded by space and unimpeded by the Buddha-lands of the ten directions; material forms and material forms also became mutually unimpeded.

Why did material forms and material forms become mutually unimpeded? Because all material forms are empty, illusory manifestations of the Tathāgatagarbha, without substantial material existence. When both concentration and wisdom arise, one can mentally empty the material forms, and thus great spiritual powers manifest. For example, Bodhisattvas with spiritual powers, when they manifest their powers, can pass through walls. They can traverse the extremely tall Mount Sumeru in an instant. Mount Sumeru is such hard matter, such hard treasure, yet their rūpakāya can easily pass through it. Why can they pass through? Because Ākāśagarbha realized that Mount Sumeru and all kinds of material forms are empty; the Bodhisattva’s rūpakāya is also empty. Emptiness and emptiness have no obstruction, no hindrance. Therefore, Ākāśagarbha can merge into space, and the Buddha-lands of the ten directions can also merge into Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya. Of course, all this relies on extremely profound meditative concentration and the manifestation of great spiritual powers to accomplish. Without concentration, nothing can be achieved.

Then, the rūpakāya of sentient beings in the ten directions can certainly also merge into Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya. Although rūpakāyas can mutually merge, each sentient being indeed has its own Tathāgatagarbha. Each has its own Tathāgatagarbha; they cannot be confused or used interchangeably. It is only that between rūpakāyas there is no obstruction, no hindrance. This is not entirely the same as the relationship between sentient beings and bacteria on the body. Bacteria are attached to the human body; they obstruct the human rūpakāya and are not overlapping with it. However, between Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya and the rūpakāya of other sentient beings, there is no obstruction; they overlap without mutual hindrance. Ākāśagarbha’s rūpakāya and the material forms of the Buddha-lands in the ten directions also have no obstruction.

Another example can illustrate that those who realize profound emptiness find that all material forms present no obstruction to them. They can also use spiritual power to make material forms similarly unobstructive to others. Before Śākyamuni Buddha descended to the Sahā world, when he entered his mother’s womb, because the Buddha’s spiritual power was incomparably immense, while in Queen Māyā’s abdomen, he could freely go to the Buddha-lands of the ten directions. He could freely invite all Buddhas of the ten directions to gather in Queen Māyā’s abdomen. The Bodhisattvas of the ten directions, along with the Dharma-protecting deities of the ten directions, all came to gather in Queen Māyā’s abdomen. Queen Māyā’s abdomen and the rūpakāyas of the other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas mutually did not obstruct each other. This is the spiritual power of Śākyamuni Buddha and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

If we firmly cling to the notion that our own rūpakāya is real, is real material form, then this rūpakāya has obstructions and hindrances. It obstructs and hinders other material forms and the worlds of the ten directions. Then, we cannot pass through material forms, cannot penetrate material forms; material forms and our rūpakāya cannot merge unimpededly. This is because our mind has obstructions. When our mind gives rise to wisdom, recognizing that material forms are false, that our own rūpakāya is also false, actually non-existent, without substantial material form — all empty, illusory, unreal — and with the experiential realization of meditative concentration, we can transform material forms, penetrate material forms, and overlap with material forms without obstruction.

When we empty material forms, our own rūpakāya and other material forms lose their separation and obstruction. When we empty our rūpakāya and wish to go to another space, material walls and mountains will not become obstacles for us, because walls, this kind of material form, are also empty. Cultivating to the point where we mentally empty our rūpakāya, no longer aware of its existence, the rūpakāya becomes as if non-existent. Then we can pass through mountains and waters without any obstruction. When the Four Dhyānas and Eight Samāpattis arise, we can empty the rūpakāya, the Five Spiritual Powers manifest, the Six Spiritual Powers manifest, and the rūpakāya and other material forms have no obstruction; we can pass through walls. These examples prove that all material forms are not real. Through cultivating concentration and wisdom, we can empty these material forms, and we ourselves will no longer be constrained by our own rūpakāya or external material forms. Body and mind become very free. Finally, we can become like Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva, merging as one with the worlds of the ten directions.

Twenty-Five: How to Understand Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva’s Boundless Body Like Space

(1) Question: Since Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva realized that material forms, the rūpakāya, and space are non-dual, and he can freely roam the worlds of the ten directions, how is his ability to discern the differences among sentient beings and the differences in material forms? Is it impossible for the manifestation of spiritual powers and the discernment of differences in sentient beings' rūpakāya to exist simultaneously?

Answer: Although Ākāśagarbha’s body is as vast as space and unimpeded by space, what he realized is ultimately a body of space. Although formless, it still belongs to a rūpakāya. Therefore, he simultaneously possesses eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. He can see forms with the eye-consciousness, using both the physical eye and the divine eye, and also the Dharma-eye. His various kinds of eyes are all supremely excellent, far surpassing ordinary people’s; he sees more truly and discerns more clearly.

Because he attained the Dharma-eye, his great wisdom far surpasses the wisdom of ordinary beings. Ordinary beings can discern ordinary material forms; Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva possesses even greater, supernormal discernment ability regarding material forms. He has great spiritual powers and can simultaneously discern the differences among sentient beings. He can perceive both the substance and the superficial phenomena; he does not lose the shallow abilities that ordinary beings possess.

(2) Question: Regarding the “emptiness” of the rūpakāya and material forms realized by Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva, can it be understood as follows: First, that the rūpakāya and material forms are illusory manifestations of the Tathāgatagarbha, neither identical to nor different from the Tathāgatagarbha. This “emptiness” can be understood as the Tathāgatagarbha. Second, the “emptiness” of the rūpakāya and material forms is like the “round reflections seen in the lamplight due to an eye disease” mentioned in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra — illusory, like things in a dream?

Answer: The “emptiness” here, first, refers to the empty-nature mind, the Tathāgatagarbha. All dharmas are illusory manifestations of the Tathāgatagarbha, utterly unreal, like mountains, rivers, and the great earth conjured by a magician. The second meaning refers to having no substance, like space; like the round reflections in the lamplight, fundamentally non-existent. Therefore, matter and matter can overlap, can mutually contain each other; the rūpakāya can pass through walls, unimpeded by material forms.

It can also be understood from another perspective: material forms are composed of particles of the four great elements. The particles of the four great elements are instantaneously produced and extinguished, illusorily manifested by the seeds of the four great elements. Then material forms are instantaneously produced, extinguished, and illusory. Where is there any real material form? Because there is no real material form, matter can overlap, mutually contain, and mutually accommodate each other.

Regarding Ākāśagarbha’s Boundless Body, it should be understood like this: The rūpakāya of humans and animals is a substantial physical body; therefore, its functions are greatly obstructed, and they have no spiritual powers. The rūpakāya of beings in the ghost and spirit realms is not a physical body; their rūpakāya is composed of subtle material forms. They are less obstructed by their rūpakāya and possess minor spiritual powers. The rūpakāya of heavenly beings (devas) is even more subtle; therefore, their spiritual powers are greater than those of ghosts and spirits.

Then, because the concentration, wisdom, and merit of great Bodhisattvas are extremely vast and supreme, their rūpakāya is even more subtle than that of devas, and their spiritual powers and abilities are even more immense. The more subtle the rūpakāya, the less substantial, the more empty and numinous, the less obstruction, and the greater the virtue and capability. The rūpakāya of devas is relatively empty and numinous; their merit is relatively great, so their rūpakāya is also more vast. Then, Bodhisattvas with profound concentration and wisdom, possessing great spiritual powers, have a rūpakāya even vaster than that of devas, even more empty and numinous, even more capable of containing other material forms.

Thus, we can understand the direction of our cultivation: to empty the mind and also to empty the body, to empty all material forms, not to crave the rūpakāya or material forms, not to regard any form as real. Then the mind becomes vast, and the rūpakāya also becomes vast. The mind can contain all dharmas; the rūpakāya can then contain all material forms.

Twenty-Six: The Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta’s Dharma Door of Perfect Penetration

Original Text: The Dharma Prince Mahāsthāmaprāpta, together with fifty-two Bodhisattvas of the same kind, immediately rose from their seats, prostrated at the Buddha’s feet, and addressed the Buddha, saying: “I recall that in the past, as many kalpas ago as there are sands in the Ganges River, a Buddha appeared in the world named Immeasurable Light. Twelve Tathāgatas arose successively within one kalpa. The last Buddha was named Surpassing Sun and Moon Light. That Buddha taught me the Samādhi of Buddha-Recollection. It is like this: Suppose there are two people; one person is solely mindful of the other, while the other person is solely forgetful. These two people may or may not meet, may or may not see each other. If two people are mutually mindful of each other, their mutual remembrance is deep. Then, from life to life, they are like form and shadow, never separating or differing.”

Explanation: The Dharma Prince Mahāsthāmaprāpta and fifty-two great Bodhisattvas of the same kind immediately rose from their seats, prostrated at the Buddha’s feet, and said to the Buddha: I recall that in the distant past, as many kalpas ago as there are sands in the Ganges River, a Buddha appeared in the world named Immeasurable Light Buddha. After Immeasurable Light Buddha, twelve more Buddhas arose successively within one kalpa. The last Buddha was named Surpassing Sun and Moon Light Buddha. That Buddha taught me to cultivate the Samādhi of Buddha-Recollection. The specific principle and method of cultivating the Samādhi of Buddha-Recollection are like this: Suppose two people are not together; one person wholeheartedly thinks of the other, while the other person does not think of this person at all, only wishes to avoid him. In this case, these two people might meet or might not meet; might see each other or might not see each other. If two people mutually think of each other, their power of mutual remembrance is deep; they will certainly meet and gather. Because of this mutual remembrance, from this life to future lives, the two will be inseparable like form and shadow. Cultivating the Samādhi of Buddha-Recollection is precisely like this kind of Buddha-recollection; only then can it be accomplished.

Original Text: “The Tathāgatas of the ten directions pity and remember sentient beings like a mother remembers her child. If the child runs away, although the mother remembers, what is the use? If the child remembers the mother like the mother remembers the child, then mother and child through lives will not be far apart. If sentient beings’ minds remember the Buddha and recite the Buddha, then presently or in the future, they will certainly see the Buddha. They will not be far from the Buddha. Without needing expedient means, their minds will naturally open. It is like a person who works with incense; their body has a fragrance. This is called ‘adornment with fragrant light.’ In my original causal ground, with the mind of Buddha-recollection, I entered the patience of the non-arising of dharmas. Now, in this world, I gather those who recite the Buddha and guide them to return to the Pure Land. The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. I made no selection, but gathered in the six sense faculties, with pure recollection continuous, and attained Samādhi. This I consider foremost.”

Explanation: The Tathāgatas of the ten directions pity, remember, and watch over sentient beings like a mother remembers her child. If the child avoids the mother and flees, not wishing to see the mother, then no matter how much the mother remembers the child, it is useless; they still cannot meet. If the minds of sentient beings can remember the Buddha and recollect the Buddha, then presently or in the future, they will certainly be able to see the Buddha; they will not be far from the Buddha. Without needing to use other expedient means, they will naturally open their minds and see the Buddha, realize the patience of the non-arising of dharmas, and accomplish the Samādhi of Buddha-Recollection. It is like a person who works with incense; their body often has a fragrance. This is called “adornment with fragrant light.”

Originally, before becoming a Bodhisattva, I attained the patience of the non-arising of dharmas with the mind of Buddha-recollection, became enlightened, and became a Bodhisattva. Now, in the Sahā world, I gather and guide those who recite the Buddha to return to the pure land. The Buddha asks about my Dharma door of perfect penetration. I have no other choice; I utilize the method of Buddha-recollection. I gather all six sense faculties entirely, focusing the mind solely on recollecting the Buddha, with only one pure thought of the Buddha continuously lingering in the mind. In this way, I entered Samādhi and accomplished the Samādhi of Buddha-Recollection. I take this cultivation method as the foremost Dharma door of perfect penetration.

The Buddha recited here symbolizes sentient beings’ own self-nature pure mind, their own original Buddha, who has been lost due to ignorance since beginningless kalpas. Now, to no longer drift in birth and death, to find the lost original mind Buddha, relying on the lamp of the self-nature Buddha to guide them across the sea of suffering of birth and death, sentient beings must constantly remember and recollect the original mind Buddha to be able to see Him, and from then on no longer be lost, unable to find the way home. Yet the original mind Buddha has never left sentient beings; it has always been watching over sentient beings. It is only that sentient beings themselves do not know. If they can remember and recollect the original mind Buddha, under the guidance of the Buddha’s light, with a single thought turning back the mind, they will suddenly discover that the original mind Buddha has been by their side all along, accompanying them. From then on, the mind-flower blooms, the mind possesses the precious pearl, and they gain great benefit.

Twenty-Seven: Observing the results cultivated by the twenty-five sages, one knows that the mental faculty (manas) can completely replace the first six consciousnesses. This is the fact of the cultivation of sages; they are not necessarily Bodhisattvas; Arhats can already achieve this. The prerequisite is to possess meditative concentration and the power of Samādhi.

The World-Honored One repeatedly emphasized in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra that the six roots are fundamentally one root. Due to ignorance and false thoughts, they are divided into six. After attaining the Way, the six vanish and the one also perishes; all are the functional manifestations of the fundamental awareness. Among the Buddhist sūtras, it is still the Śūraṅgama Sūtra that speaks the most profoundly and penetratingly. The World-Honored One everywhere guides us to realize the mind and see the nature, recognize the essence of all dharmas, and find the way home.

Memorizing Buddhist sūtras is always far, far better than memorizing treatises by Bodhisattvas. After all, sūtras are more reliable than treatises and will not mislead people, unless limited by the translator’s level of realization and ability, or errors in transmission during circulation. The wisdom of Bodhisattvas is far inferior to the wisdom of Buddhas; what they say always has discrepancies. Nothing is completely correct. If it is eighty or ninety percent correct, it is already rare and valuable.

Twenty-Eight: Looking at the cultivation of the twenty-five sages in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, practitioners of the past cultivated very pragmatically. They did not study much theory. After briefly studying some theory, they immediately went into meditative concentration to actually contemplate and cultivate. Their cultivation primarily focused on meditative concentration and contemplative practice; cultivating concentration and investigating occupied over eighty percent of their practice. Their cultivation was very solid, so they could quickly realize the principle, attain Samādhi, and achieve realization swiftly. In ancient times, the prevailing atmosphere in cultivation was that many realized the principle, while few expounded the principle.

People today are the opposite. They use over ninety percent of their energy to study theoretical knowledge. Their ability to recite and memorize is strong, but they lack the ability to cultivate independently. They dislike cultivating concentration; their minds are too scattered and chaotic to develop meditative concentration. Their contemplative practice relies only on the emotional understanding and intellectual interpretation of the sixth consciousness (mano-vijñāna). They think that knowing a lot means having attained the Way, that knowing a seemingly correct answer means having realized it. They are completely unaware of the consequences of being a mere scholar of intellectual understanding or “talking about food without eating.” Then they write books, establish doctrines, and widely accept disciples, without the slightest consideration of whether they might mislead students and direct sentient beings onto wrong paths. This is the result of the impetuous thoughts and shallow thinking of sentient beings in the Dharma-ending Age. Looking around, everywhere are expounders of principles; practitioners who have realized the principle are almost never seen. The less merit sentient beings possess, the more severe these phenomena become. Speaking too much about these matters provokes hatred and criticism. Wanting to return to antiquity and follow the path of ancient practitioners is extremely difficult. Few can realize that Buddhism faces a great crisis, or how serious the adverse phenomena are.