The Method and Fruition of Attaining Supreme Enlightenment

If one does not listen to the sūtras and hear the Dharma, and does not delve deeply into the treasury of the scriptures, one will not know how to practice diligently. Delving deeply into the treasury of the scriptures and contemplating in accordance with reality with right mindfulness—merely delving into the scriptures is not enough; contemplating with right mindfulness is very important, for it enables the faculty of faith and the faculty of diligence to grow ceaselessly. The Buddha said that by relying on this, one can attain the realization of unsurpassed bodhi. In particular, the dharma gate of all dharmas being like a dream and like an illusion, as taught by the Buddha in this sūtra, when contemplated deeply in meditative concentration (samādhi), enables one to realize the contemplation of "like a dream," and thereby one can enter the first bhūmi.

The retribution of attaining unsurpassed bodhi is extremely extraordinary. First, in worldly dharmas, the retribution includes obtaining all wealth, contentment, and happiness; those who study the Buddha-dharma and attain the fruits of the Path will not fall into the evil destinies. Second, wherever they are born, they enjoy the retribution of wealth, honor, glory, and splendor. In the past, after the Chan masters realized the fruit of the Great Vehicle, when they were reborn in the human world they could all become kings or great ministers; the higher the fruition attained, the higher their status in the heavens and the human world—this is called the wealth and happiness of worldly dharmas.

Those of us who study Buddhism should also cultivate much merit and much wisdom; the blessed retribution from cultivating merit will also bring us wealth and honor in worldly dharmas. The Buddha is the "Honored One of the Two Perfections"—which two perfections? The two perfections of merit and wisdom. If one has only wisdom but no merit, one cannot become a Buddha; and without merit, one also cannot attract the respect, reverence, and offerings of everyone in the world. Therefore, when we recite the sūtras, we are cultivating both merit and wisdom; sitting in meditation is also cultivating merit, and prostrating to the Buddha is also cultivating merit. How much more so the generosity of wealth and the generosity of Dharma, which benefit and bring joy to sentient beings—these are even more the cultivation of merit. Only when both merit and wisdom are perfected and complete does one become the "Supreme One" (anuttara).

By diligently studying and practicing the Buddha-dharma, one can attain the realization of unsurpassed bodhi and can eliminate all craving (tṛṣṇā) in the world. Craving means thirst and greedy attachment—an intense longing for the worldly dharmas of the three realms; longing to possess them and giving rise to greedy attachment, clinging and being unable to let go, one cannot escape the three realms, resulting in ceaseless transmigration and suffering within the three realms.

This unsurpassed bodhi can eliminate all conceit of self (māna) in the world. Ordinary sentient beings all have deep and heavy conceit of self. What is conceit of self? First, sentient beings believe that a self exists, taking the five aggregates as the self: the physical body is the self, feelings are the self, seeing, hearing, perceiving, and knowing are the self, the aggregate of perception is the self, bodily, verbal, and mental actions are the self, and the discriminating and cognizing nature of the six consciousnesses is the self. Ordinary beings take these as the self, and then grasp severely at the self; because of the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and the mind of self-grasping, they give rise to a mind of conceit, believing that their own five aggregates and eighteen realms are superior to the five aggregates and eighteen realms of other sentient beings, and that they excel over other beings in certain aspects of worldly dharmas; therefore, inwardly they exalt themselves and bully other sentient beings.