Criteria for Transgression of Precepts

Question: In the Surangama Sutra, it is said that Ananda attained the first fruition, yet he was tempted by Matangi's daughter and nearly violated the precepts. Had he not been saved by the Surangama Mantra, would he have fallen into the three evil realms due to breaking the precepts?

Answer: Ananda was lured into the prostitute's dwelling by Matangi's mother using heretical mantras; he did not enter voluntarily. The meditative power of Ananda's first fruition was clearly insufficient to withstand the potent heretical mantras. These mantras obstructed Ananda, causing him to lose his power of resistance. However, Ananda absolutely would not actively violate any precepts and would not fall into the three evil realms. It is like a person whose meditative power is insufficient being unable to resist the deluding power of alcohol. Once alcohol affects the mind, one becomes dull and confused. This alcohol might not have been consumed voluntarily but was forcibly administered or tricked into them by others. Ananda's situation involved being forcibly subjected to heretical mantras by outsiders. Due to insufficient spiritual power, he could not resist; it was not that Ananda willingly accepted the heretical mantras. Once the heretical mantras entered his mind, Ananda could no longer remain clear-headed. When a person is under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs, they become unaware; this is not a matter of personal will, nor is it an active desire to lose oneself. Therefore, since it does not constitute an active violation of precepts arising from afflictions of the mind, he would not fall into the three evil realms. If Ananda did not give rise to a mind of lust while being deluded, then regardless of the circumstances, he would not be considered to have violated the precepts, nor would it be considered a passive breaking of the precepts. To remain completely unmoved and free from lust, one must attain at least the third fruition, having completely severed lust. Ordinary people need to rely on the control of consciousness, but consciousness is easily controlled by external forces. Thus, merely cultivating consciousness and pursuing extensive learning cannot lead to complete spiritual strength, resulting in a situation like Ananda's.

If subjected to extremely powerful external forces, a practitioner with insufficient spiritual strength will inevitably be affected. This is because if the form aggregate within the five aggregates is not exhausted, one will be influenced by the form aggregate. If the feeling aggregate within the five aggregates is not exhausted, one will be influenced by the feeling aggregate. If the perception aggregate is not exhausted, one will be influenced by the perception aggregate. This is unavoidable.

When can one become free from the influence of the five aggregates and exhaust the form aggregate, feeling aggregate, and perception aggregate? At minimum, this is only possible upon attaining the fourth dhyana. Within the fourth dhyana, one can exhaust the form aggregate, feeling aggregate, and perception aggregate. Otherwise, everyone will be influenced by the five aggregates. To possess a body is to possess this great affliction; without a body, there is no affliction. This is why one must cultivate the path, cultivate meditative absorption, and cultivate up to the level of manas, seeking to sever the five aggregates of clinging, thereby liberating the mind.

Hinayana practitioners judge whether a person has violated or broken precepts solely based on external behavior. As long as the behavior conforms to the five precepts, the bhikkhu precepts, or the bhikkhuni precepts, it is said that the precepts are unbroken. However, Mahayana judges whether a bodhisattva has violated precepts primarily by examining whether the bodhisattva's mind has violated the precepts and whether there was any stirring of the mind during the action. If there was no stirring of the mind, it is pure. But ordinary people can only observe external behavior; they cannot perceive a person's true mental conduct, leading to frequent misjudgments. If a person outwardly performs good deeds, outwardly benefits others, yet their mental conduct is entirely for personal gain, their behavior being a cover and a facade, their mind's purpose inconsistent with their actions, then this person is not doing good deeds nor benefiting others but is benefiting themselves. Such deception, using actions as a facade, not only brings no merit but incurs sin.