The Fifty Skandha-Māra States in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra

Original Text: Ānanda, you should know that when you sit in the place of practice and dissolve all thoughts, if thoughts are completely exhausted, then all that is free from thoughts becomes utterly lucid. Neither shifting with movement nor stillness, and neither mindful nor forgetful, it remains as one. Abiding in this state, you enter samādhi. It is like a clear-eyed person dwelling in profound darkness: the essence of consciousness is exquisitely pure, yet the mind has not yet emitted light. This is called the realm of the aggregate of form. If the eyes become bright and clear, the ten directions are fully revealed without any darkness. This is called the exhaustion of the aggregate of form. Then, this person can transcend the kalpic turbidity. Observing its origin, it is based on firm delusion.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Ānanda, you should know that while sitting in the place of practice, you eliminate all mental thoughts and concepts. If thoughts are utterly extinguished, the mind free from thoughts becomes perfectly clear and aware of all phenomena. Unaffected by motion or stillness, and equally undisturbed whether remembering or forgetting—being without thoughts—dwelling in this state leads to entry into samādhi. It is like a person with clear vision who can perceive all objects yet finds themselves in utter darkness: the essence of consciousness is extremely refined and pure, but the mind does not perceive any light. This is called the realm of the aggregate of form, where one is obscured by the aggregate of form and cannot perceive material objects, unable to break through it. If one could break through, darkness would no longer obstruct perception.

If the eyes become bright and illuminate everything, the ten directions will be completely clear and bright, without any darkness. All forms will manifest before one's eyes. This is called the exhaustion of the aggregate of form, where there is no more obstruction. Such a person can then transcend the kalpic turbidity. Observing why those within the realm of the aggregate of form cannot break through and are obstructed by darkness, it is because they have a firm delusion, mistakenly believing the aggregate of form to be real and indestructible, clinging to it stubbornly without relinquishing.

Original Text: Ānanda, while in this state, if you meticulously investigate the subtle illumination, and the four elements no longer interweave, then in a brief moment, your body can pass through obstacles. This is called the lucid essence overflowing into the preceding state. It is merely a temporary function of the faculties, not a sage's realization. If you do not regard it as a sage's mind, it is called a wholesome state. If you interpret it as sagehood, you will fall prey to demonic influences.

Explanation: Ānanda, you should, while in this state, meticulously investigate further. When the subtle four elements no longer tightly interweave and become loose, within an instant, the body can break through obstructions and is no longer confined by the four elements. This phenomenon arises when the essence of consciousness flows into the perceived state. It is a temporary function of the conscious mind, not a realization of sagehood. Not having attained the fruition of sagehood, if you do not mistake this conditioned essence of consciousness for the sage's mind, such a state is termed a wholesome state. If you interpret it as having attained sagehood and becoming a sage, regarding the essence of consciousness as the undying sage's mind, you will then be afflicted by numerous demonic disturbances.

When reading Buddhist scriptures, one must compare and connect the text coherently, not extract a certain paragraph or a few lines and grasp their meaning in isolation, as this easily leads to taking words out of context and misunderstanding the Dharma. Since this section discusses the fifty skandha-māras, it refers to the various illusory states experienced during meditation, not true states. One should not cling to these meditative states as real and ultimate. Do not develop attachment to such states, lest you fall into demonic realms and become trapped.

The states described here are all meditative states, which belong to the realm of the conscious mind, not the realm of the true mind. Therefore, they are not the state of realizing the mind and attaining enlightenment. This passage describes the meditative state just before breaking through the realm of the aggregate of form, where the conscious mind of the five aggregates is still within the aggregate of form, not yet transcending the limitations of the aggregates of form and feeling. Thus, the Buddha says not to mistake this state for the sage's realization of a holy state. Therefore, this is not an enlightenment state; one should continue practicing further. Do not cling to this state as real, for if you cling, you will fall into demonic states. This is the general meaning of the entire passage, which does not involve realizing the mind and attaining enlightenment. Even non-Buddhist practitioners can attain such states—it is nothing particularly remarkable.

The states manifested through meditation are illusory states of the conscious mind, temporary meditative states. No matter how pure the conscious mind may be, even without thoughts or delusions, it is still the conscious mind within meditation—a state even non-Buddhists can achieve. Therefore, the Buddha repeatedly admonishes: Do not interpret this as sagehood; it is nothing extraordinary. Do not cling to it as the enlightened state of realizing the mind and becoming a sage, or else you will be possessed by demons.

The language of the sutras is somewhat obscure and difficult to comprehend, so misunderstandings are inevitable. Therefore, everyone should not easily assume that their own understanding is necessarily correct—it may not be. Why do those who study Buddhism and practice meditation easily fall prey to demons? Because they cling to certain states as holy, grasping certain states as real. With such attachment, one easily falls into demonic states and risks mental derangement. The Buddha said that all states are illusory. All states belong to the realm of the conscious mind; the true mind has no states. It is utterly tranquil, supremely still. It does not concern itself with whether you meditate or not, whether you are pure or impure, whether you have thoughts or no thoughts. It pays no attention to anything, remaining just as it is regardless. What a perfectly pure mind this is!

The more crucial the point in practice, the more demons will interfere; the more sublime the state, the more demons will interfere. The higher the level of practice, the greater the interference. Practices that are trivial and inconsequential, conversely, attract no demonic interference. Therefore, the more essential or profound the Dharma one practices, the more cautious and careful one must be. Especially if someone desires supernatural powers, demons will grant them, and then control the person, never releasing them from their grasp. The Śūraṅgama Mantra is a protective talisman; one must recite it constantly. It is even better to memorize it—then demons will be powerless against you. If all Buddhists could recite and memorize the Śūraṅgama Mantra, the demon king would withdraw from the Sahā world, the Buddha Dharma would endure, and the Śūraṅgama Sūtra would not perish.