When the Mind-Ground Is Level, the World Ground Is Level (The Perfect Penetration Realized by Bodhisattva Dharanindhara)

Original text from the Shurangama Sutra: At that time, the king of the country held a feast for the Buddha and offered alms. At that moment, I was leveling the ground in preparation for the Buddha's arrival. Vipashyin Buddha touched my crown and said to me: 'Level your mind-ground. When the mind-ground is leveled, then the ground of the world will all be leveled.' My mind instantly opened. I saw that the minute particles composing my body and those creating the world were equal and without difference. The inherent nature of these particles does not interact or collide. Even weapons cannot touch them.

Explanation: In the beginning, when the Bodhisattva Dharanimdhara first left home countless kalpas ago, he constantly repaired roads and built bridges to help people pass, always silently providing convenience for the multitude without seeking reward, diligently engaging in conditioned practices without realizing the mind-ground. After countless Buddhas appeared in the world, he accumulated immeasurable merit and virtue, laying an extremely solid foundation for realizing the Path. He may have attained realization multiple times during this period, but it was not profound enough.

It was not until he encountered Vipashyin Buddha that, while leveling the ground the Buddha was to traverse, the Buddha touched his crown in blessing and told him: 'You should level your mind-ground. If your mind-ground is leveled, then all the ground in the world will be leveled, including the ground of the worlds in the ten directions.' Under the Buddha's blessing and upon hearing this teaching, Bodhisattva Dharanimdhara instantly opened his mind and attained enlightenment. He immediately saw that the minute particles composing his physical body and those creating the world were entirely equal and without difference. The intrinsic nature of these particles is empty, without form or appearance; therefore, they do not interact or merge with each other. Even weapons on a battlefield cannot affect these particles in the slightest; they cannot be touched at all.

What does 'leveling the mind-ground levels the earth-ground' mean? All phenomena arise from the mind. An unleveled mind perceives uneven ground, sees the world's rises and falls, perceives the vastness of heaven and earth, and distinguishes good and evil, right and wrong, beauty and ugliness. If one can level the mind, whatever one perceives is Bodhi, whatever one sees is the manifestation of the seven fundamental elements, and everything is seen as equal and without distinction, without high or low, above or below. Therefore, leveling the mind-ground allows one to perceive the true reality and directly reach supreme Bodhi.

After the Buddha finished explaining the principle of leveling the mind-ground, Bodhisattva Dharanimdhara, through the immeasurable good roots and merit he had cultivated over countless kalpas, along with his profound meditative concentration, instantly entered samadhi. He saw that the minute particles within his own physical body and all the particles creating the world were equal and without difference—that is, they are composed of the same elements and constituents, formed from identical factors, instantly realizing the non-duality of body and world. Moreover, the essence of the particles is empty. The particles composing the physical body and the world are formed from the five great elements, which are formless and without appearance. Although the composed particles have appearance, that appearance is empty.

Since the appearance is empty, there is no such thing as substantial particles that can touch or combine with each other. Thus, there is no obstruction or hindrance between body and body; they do not overlap, do not clash, like the merging of emptiness with emptiness. Between body and world, and between world and world, there is likewise no obstruction or hindrance, no overlapping or clashing, like the merging of emptiness with emptiness, utterly without contact. Since this is so, immeasurable spiritual powers can manifest without obstruction. The body can enter all realms as if entering empty space, without the slightest effort or moment of time.

Original text: Within the Dharma-nature, I realized the patience of non-arising and attained Arhatship. Turning my mind, I now enter the Bodhisattva stages. Hearing all the Tathagatas proclaim the wonderful Lotus Flower, the Buddha's knowledge and vision, I first verified and testified to it, becoming the foremost. The Buddha asked about perfect penetration. I contemplated discerningly that the two kinds of particles—body and world—are equal and without difference. They fundamentally arise from the Tathagatagarbha as illusory manifestations of particles. When the particles vanish, wisdom becomes perfect, and supreme enlightenment is attained. This is foremost.

Explanation: Bodhisattva Dharanimdhara said: "Within the Dharma-nature of the minute particles, I realized the patience of non-arising and attained Arhatship. Turning my mind towards the Mahayana Bodhisattva path, I heard all the Buddhas proclaim the wonderful Lotus Sutra, the Buddha's knowledge and vision. I first verified and testified to what the Buddha taught, thereby becoming the foremost. The Buddha asked me about my method of perfect penetration. I carefully contemplated the two kinds of particles—the physical body and the Dharma-realm—finding them equal and without difference. Both fundamentally arise from the Tathagatagarbha as illusory manifestations of particles. In samadhi, the particles vanished from the mind, and wisdom became perfect, enabling me to attain supreme enlightenment. This is my foremost method of perfect penetration."

This self-description by Bodhisattva Dharanimdhara also reveals the key to cultivation and attainment. After hearing the subtle and profound Dharma principles taught by my Buddha, he personally practiced them and ultimately verified the truth of the Dharma, rather than stopping at mere faith in the Buddha's words. Faith and actual practice are two different levels. Faith alone does not make one a true disciple of the Buddha. Practicing the Dharma taught by the Buddha is true reverence for the Buddha, true understanding of the Buddha's intention, and makes one a true child of the Buddha. If one does not practice, what use is faith? What use is studying theory and knowledge?

Knowing the principles explained above, are our body, mind, and world now free from obstruction? Not the slightest bit. Obstructions remain obstructions, karmic hindrances remain karmic hindrances, afflictions remain afflictions, ignorance remains ignorance. It is of no help and changes nothing. According to this principle, only through earnest practice, upon realizing the non-duality of particles, can those obstructions be resolved, karmic hindrances and afflictions eliminated, and body, mind, and world become perfectly fused. Only then can immeasurable samadhis, spiritual powers, and abilities manifest. Principles are meant to guide practice. If one has no intention to practice, even mountains of principles are useless. Knowledge alone cannot save a person; only practice and realization can rescue one from suffering. Therefore, those who pride themselves on the quantity of their knowledge should wake up already and stop dreaming. If knowledge cannot be transformed into the power of practice, having it or not makes no difference.

For several years, someone has continuously sent me various tables—outlines of the Shurangama Sutra, compiled and organized by unknown individuals. For years, they have focused solely on these outlines, studying the structure of the Shurangama Sutra, yet they have never been willing to follow the methods taught in the Sutra to guide their own actual practice, refusing to put theory into action. Such research can at best make one a scholar, a theoretical researcher. But what is a scholar or a researcher? Nothing but someone who can play with words. Even if they circulate within words for another billion years, they remain nothing.