The Subtle Method for Eradicating Lust through Contemplative Practice (Chapter on Mind Training)

Original text from Volume Five of the Surangama Sutra: (Ucchusma) I often recall that in the distant kalpas past, my nature was full of greed and desire. A Buddha appeared in the world named King of Emptiness, who taught that those with excessive lust become like a mass of raging fire. He instructed me to contemplate universally the cold and warm energies throughout all the hundred bones and four limbs. Spiritual light coalesced inwardly, transforming the mind of excessive lust into the fire of wisdom. From then on, all Buddhas have addressed me as Fire-Head. Through the power of the dhyana of fire-light, I attained Arhatship. With a mind that gave rise to great vows, whenever Buddhas achieved enlightenment, I served as a mighty guardian, personally subduing demonic adversaries. When the Buddha inquired about perfect penetration, I replied that through thorough contemplation of the warm sensations within body and mind, unobstructed and flowing freely, all outflows were extinguished, giving rise to the great precious flame. Ascending to supreme enlightenment, this I consider foremost.

Explanation: Ucchusma recalls that in the distant kalpas past, he was heavily burdened by lust. The Buddha King of Emptiness told him that those with lustful natures, due to excessive desire, daily exist as if within a tribe gathered in raging flames, burning their own bodies and minds, constantly experiencing the scorching of body and mind without peace. To liberate himself from this torment, the Buddha taught Ucchusma a wondrous method to counteract lust: daily contemplating the cold and warm energies throughout all the hundred bones and four limbs of his entire body, observing thoroughly from head to toe and back again.

This practice begins with contemplation based on the fire element. The manifestation of the fire element in the physical body is body temperature—either cold or warm—pervading the entire body internally and externally, specifically within the hundred-plus bones and four limbs. The Buddha instructed Ucchusma to contemplate all cold and warm sensations throughout his entire body. After practicing this contemplation for some time, Ucchusma underwent a profound transformation: spiritual light coalesced inwardly, transforming his excessive lustful mind into the fire of wisdom. What is this spiritual light? It refers to mental vigor, energy, attention, and mental power, primarily indicating the spiritual strength of the mental faculty (manas). Not only did the attention of the six consciousnesses cease scattering outward, but crucially, the energy of the mental faculty also stopped leaking outward to vent lustful desires. Instead, it coalesced inward, fully applied to contemplating the cold and warm energies within the body. This energy and vitality, originally destined for outward release, transformed inwardly into powers of observation and wisdom, giving rise to the light of wisdom—the fire of lust became the radiance of wisdom.

The Buddha's method does not forcefully suppress lust from arising but skillfully transforms and redirects it. The same vital energy and passion are redirected elsewhere—toward developing wisdom, toward liberation. How ingenious this is! Suppression causes pain and struggle, as difficult to endure as quitting gambling or drugs, while transformation guides the fire back to its source, repurposing it elsewhere. After being fully utilized, the dhyana of fire-light arises; body and mind both radiate vibrant vitality; afflictions and outflows are exhausted; one attains coolness, stillness, and extinction; the mind achieves great freedom, and Arhatship is realized. The perfect penetration dharma door cultivated by Ucchusma was: single-mindedly contemplating all sensations of cold and warmth throughout the hundred bones and four limbs of the body. The fire element within the body could flow unobstructed throughout the entire body, no longer hindered or stagnated by lust. From then on, all afflictions were eradicated, and great wisdom liberating one from the three realms arose. He ascended the path of unsurpassed enlightenment.

Contemplation beginning with the other great elements—earth, water, wind, and space—follows the same principle: all involve observing the contact between the body (sense organ) and its objects. Lust pertains to the fire element, while broader greed pertains to the water element. One can contemplate the water realm within the body and the water realm outside as equally without distinction, both returning to emptiness, thereby eradicating greed and exhausting the outflows of afflictions. Anger also pertains to the fire element; similarly, one can contemplate the fire of the mind returning to emptiness, thereby eliminating anger and attaining liberation. Any dharma among the five aggregates can serve as an object of contemplation, providing a path to entry, enabling the exhaustion of afflictive outflows, and leading to nirvana and liberation.