{"id":1072,"date":"2023-01-01T09:00:13","date_gmt":"2023-01-01T14:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/?p=1072"},"modified":"2022-12-18T13:14:48","modified_gmt":"2022-12-18T18:14:48","slug":"perfect-enlightenment-13-on-surpassing-illusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/2023\/01\/01\/perfect-enlightenment-13-on-surpassing-illusion\/","title":{"rendered":"Perfect Enlightenment 13: On Surpassing Illusion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Show scripture (Chinese).<\/span>

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Chinese:<\/h2>\n

\u300c\u5584\u7537\u5b50\uff01\u89ba\u6210\u5c31\u6545\uff0c\u7576\u77e5\u83e9\u85a9\u4e0d\u8207\u6cd5\u7e1b\uff0c\u4e0d\u6c42\u6cd5\u812b\uff0c\u4e0d\u53ad\u751f\u6b7b\uff0c\u4e0d\u611b\u6d85\u69c3\uff0c\u4e0d\u656c\u6301\u6212\uff0c\u4e0d\u618e\u6bc0\u7981\uff0c\u4e0d\u91cd\u4e45\u7fd2\uff0c\u4e0d\u8f15\u521d\u5b78\u3002\u4f55\u4ee5\u6545\uff1f\u4e00\u5207\u89ba\u6545\uff0c\u8b6c\u5982\u773c\u5149\u66c9\u4e86\u524d\u5883\uff0c\u5176\u5149\u5713\u6eff\u5f97\u7121\u618e\u611b\uff0c\u4f55\u4ee5\u6545\uff1f\u5149\u9ad4\u7121\u4e8c\u7121\u618e\u611b\u6545\u3002<\/p>\n

\u300c\u5584\u7537\u5b50\uff01\u6b64\u83e9\u85a9\u53ca\u672b\u4e16\u773e\u751f\uff0c\u4fee\u7fd2\u6b64\u5fc3\u5f97\u6210\u5c31\u8005\uff0c\u65bc\u6b64\u7121\u4fee\u4ea6\u7121\u6210\u5c31\u3002\u5713\u89ba\u666e\u7167\u5bc2\u6ec5\u7121\u4e8c\uff0c\u65bc\u4e2d\u767e\u5343\u842c\u5104\u4e0d\u53ef\u8aaa\u963f\u50e7\u7947\u6052\u6cb3\u6c99\u8af8\u4f5b\u4e16\u754c\uff0c\u7336\u5982\u7a7a\u82b1\u4e82\u8d77\u3001\u4e82\u6ec5\uff0c\u4e0d\u5373\u3001\u4e0d\u96e2\uff0c\u7121\u7e1b\u3001\u7121\u812b\uff1b\u59cb\u77e5\u773e\u751f\u672c\u4f86\u6210\u4f5b\uff0c\u751f\u6b7b\u3001\u6d85\u69c3\u7336\u5982\u6628\u5922\u3002\u5584\u7537\u5b50\uff01\u5982\u6628\u5922\u6545\uff0c\u7576\u77e5\u751f\u6b7b\u53ca\u8207\u6d85\u69c3\u7121\u8d77\u3001\u7121\u6ec5\u3001\u7121\u4f86\u3001\u7121\u53bb\uff0c\u5176\u6240\u8b49\u8005\u7121\u5f97\u3001\u7121\u5931\u3001\u7121\u53d6\u3001\u7121\u6368\uff0c\u5176\u80fd\u8b49\u8005\u7121\u4f5c\u3001\u7121\u6b62\u3001\u7121\u4efb\u3001\u7121\u6ec5\uff0c\u65bc\u6b64\u8b49\u4e2d\u7121\u80fd\u3001\u7121\u6240\uff0c\u7562\u7adf\u7121\u8b49\u4ea6\u7121\u8b49\u8005\uff0c\u4e00\u5207\u6cd5\u6027\u5e73\u7b49\u4e0d\u58de\u3002\u5584\u7537\u5b50\uff01\u5f7c\u8af8\u83e9\u85a9\u5982\u662f\u4fee\u884c\uff0c\u5982\u662f\u6f38\u6b21\uff0c\u5982\u662f\u601d\u60df\uff0c\u5982\u662f\u4f4f\u6301\uff0c\u5982\u662f\u65b9\u4fbf\uff0c\u5982\u662f\u958b\u609f\uff0c\u6c42\u5982\u662f\u6cd5\uff0c\u4ea6\u4e0d\u8ff7\u60b6\u3002\u300d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Show scripture (English).<\/span>

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

English:<\/h2>\n

\u201cGood sons, since their enlightenment is fully perfected, you should know that bodhisattvas are not attached to the dharma, and do not seek liberation from the dharma. They do not hate sa\u1e43s\u0101ra and do not love nirv\u0101\u1e47a. They do not venerate one for keeping the precepts, nor despise the person who breaks them. They are not in awe of the adept practitioner and do not look down on the beginner. Why? Because they are all enlightened. It is like vision seeing an object. The vision completely pervades without experiencing like or dislike. Why? Vision, in essence has no duality, therefore there is neither like nor dislike.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood sons, these bodhisattvas and sentient beings of the degenerate age who cultivate this mind and are able to fully consummate it, have neither cultivation nor consummation. Their Perfect Enlightenment illuminates everywhere, and is perfectly tranquil, without duality. Here, Buddha-worlds a quintillion times as many as the incalculable amount of grains of sand in the Ganges river haphazardly arise and cease like flowers in the sky. There is neither sameness nor difference, neither bondage nor freedom. Now you know for the first time that all sentient beings are originally perfect buddhas; that sa\u1e43s\u0101ra and nirv\u0101\u1e47a are like last night\u2019s dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood sons, since they are like last night\u2019s dream, you should know that sa\u1e43s\u0101ra and nirvana have neither arising nor ceasing, neither coming nor going. In the actualization of this there is neither gain nor loss, neither grasping nor releasing. In the one who realizes, there is no effort, no stopping, without letting things be, nor annihilation. In this actualization there is neither subject nor object, and ultimately neither actualization nor actualized one. The nature of all dharmas is equal and indestructible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood sons, these bodhisattvas use this kind practice, gradually advance like this, think in this way, abide in this way, and awaken others using these kinds of expedient means. If you seek this kind of dharma, you will not again be vexed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Commentary:<\/h2>\n

From the earlier observation, a bodhisattva accomplishes the perfect enlightenment, attains its fruition. A bodhisattva\u2019s attainment is no different from a buddha\u2019s attainment, which is an attainment of complete awareness. The complete awareness is where the nature of awareness permeates all phenomena without conflict nor confusion. All phenomena coalesce into the nature of awareness without confusion, the nature of awareness coalesces with all phenomena without defilement. This way, a bodhisattva is no longer trapped by phenomena, and therefore no longer seeks to become liberated.<\/p>\n

One might ask, how is a bodhisattva\u2019s accomplishment of perfect enlightenment the same as a buddha\u2019s. Because perfect enlightenment is of one nature, it does not change because the person has changed. Therefore, the realization of a bodhisattva is the same as the realization of a buddha. Here, we can make an analogy. The sunlight we see in the open field, compared to the ray of sunlight through a pinhole into a dark room, both are sunlight, for all sunlight are the same with no differences. One cannot say that only the former is sunlight and the latter is not. The only difference between the two is how widespread the light is.<\/p>\n

Since the nature of awareness for a bodhisattva is the same as a buddha\u2019s, then its virtue is also the same, where one does not \u201cseek liberation from the dharma. They do not hate sa\u1e43s\u0101ra and do not love nirv\u0101\u1e47a,\u201d and so on.<\/p>\n

The scripture continues with the equality of awareness... click to show more.<\/span>

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The scripture continues with the equality of awareness. Because the awareness is complete and perfect, it is equal to a buddha\u2019s enlightenment that pervades the entire dharmadh\u0101tu. Consider vision as an analogy. \u201cIt is like vision seeing an object,\u201d what is in sight in front is naturally all equal. For example, it wouldn\u2019t be the case that only the flowers are seen but not the leaves; it wouldn\u2019t be the case that only people are seen but not the roads. Hence the scripture says, \u201cVision, in essence has no duality, therefore there is neither like nor dislike.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because the nature of awareness is equality, coalescing with all phenomena, mind-consciousness can become aware of with this awareness. A bodhisattva observes one\u2019s mind, attaining quiescence. The realm of quiescence is also equal and of one taste, and is said to have \u201cneither cultivation nor consummation.\u201d (Because there is not a true practicable practice, nor is there a fruition truly realizable. It is, then, a practice without effort, a realization without contrivance.) This realm of wisdom realization (which is also a realm of consciousness) is said to \u201cilluminate everywhere, and is perfectly tranquil, without duality.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

With the illumination of dharmadh\u0101tu... click to show more.<\/span>

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The scripture continues. \u201cIlluminates everywhere\u201d is the illumination of the entire dharmadh\u0101tu, \u201cbuddha-worlds a quintillion times as many as the incalculable amount of grains of sand in the Ganges river.\u201d Here, buddha-worlds include dharmadh\u0101tu of dharmakaya buddha, the land of sa\u1e43bhogak\u0101ya buddha, and the land of nirm\u0101\u1e47ak\u0101ya buddha, which means that the vast expanse encompasses dharmadh\u0101tu and all worlds within it. That said, all buddha-worlds are also like sky-flowers, lands of form bodies are also with arising and annihilation, \u201cneither sameness nor difference, neither bondage nor freedom.\u201d In such a realm of pervading illumination of perfect awareness, \u201cNow you know for the first time that all sentient beings are originally perfect buddhas; that sa\u1e43s\u0101ra and nirv\u0101\u1e47a are like last night\u2019s dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sentient beings as \u201coriginally perfect buddhas\u201d is the teaching of the Buddha-Within, but was never spelled out in the Tath\u0101g\u0101tagarbha series of scriptures. However, it is also said that the nature of mind is buddha-nature, which is already saying that all sentient beings are originally perfect buddhas. In the Nyingma tradition, the Great Perfection practice considers the nature of great equality as the foundational view, this view also says sentient beings are originally perfect buddhas, that the storehouse consciousness is originally the Buddha-Within. Hence it is also called the \u201cBuddha-Within storehouse consciousness\u201d (\u5982\u4f86\u85cf\u85cf\u8b58).<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

With the illumination of the realm of consciousness... click to show more.<\/span>

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The scripture continues. The realm of consciousness is illustrated according to the perfect awareness of mind-consciousness (Buddha-Within storehouse consciousness). In this realm, \u201csa\u1e43s\u0101ra and nirvana have neither arising nor ceasing, neither coming nor going.\u201d This is exactly the realm of Buddha-Within.<\/p>\n

In this realm, there is no longer duality of subject and object. If one insists on describing what is realized, it is said to be \u201cneither gain nor loss, neither grasping nor releasing,\u201d which means there is not an object of realization. If one must describe the one who has realized, then \u201cthere is no effort, no stopping, without letting things be, nor annihilation,\u201d or in other words, there is no realizer. The scripture says, \u201cthere is neither subject nor object, and ultimately neither actualization nor actualized one.\u201d In summary, this is a realm of \u201call dharmas [that] is equal and indestructible,\u201d which is the same as the nature of great equality.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

A summary on the stages of practice... click to show more.<\/span>

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

To summarize, Buddha taught the stages of practice, one should know it is the practice of the illusory sam\u0101dhi. With the correct thought, all illusions are transcended. One, then, abides by the Tath\u0101gata\u2019s practice of \u015bamatha, \u201cfirmly established in moral discipline\u2026 practicing silent sitting in a quiet room.\u201d This is the beginner\u2019s practice.<\/p>\n

The subsequent practice is a meditation to observe the body as an amalgam of Four Elements, like an illusory manifestation; \u00a0to observe the mind encountering the habitual energy, what is perceived is illusory. From this contemplation, the realm of body and mind as illusions is formed.<\/p>\n

The next practice is abiding, practicing to surpass the illusion, perfecting the expedient means. Now observe the outer six objects are pure, and the inner faculties and consciousnesses are pure, the four elements are pure, the mundane and the transcendent are pure, all the way to the 84,000 dh\u0101ra\u1e47\u012b-entrances are completely pure. (The sayings describing the dh\u0101ra\u1e47\u012b-entrances are impure, but their secret meaning is ultimately pure.) This way, one can enter and abide in the pervading equality of awareness, directly realizing the six faculties and the six objects pervading dharmadh\u0101tu, all the way to the 84,000 dh\u0101ra\u1e47\u012b-entrances are pervading dhamadh\u0101tu. With this realization, one enters and abide in the pure, great equality. Knowing that all sentient beings are originally perfect buddhas, \u201csa\u1e43s\u0101ra and nirv\u0101\u1e47a are like last night\u2019s dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

This completes the expedient practice of the primordially pure, perfect awareness to surpass illusion.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Show scripture (Chinese).<\/span>

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Chinese:<\/h2>\n

\u723e\u6642\uff0c\u4e16\u5c0a\u6b32\u91cd\u5ba3\u6b64\u7fa9\u800c\u8aaa\u5048\u8a00\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u666e\u773c\u6c5d\u7576\u77e5\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u4e00\u5207\u8af8\u773e\u751f\uff0c
\n\u8eab\u5fc3\u7686\u5982\u5e7b\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u8eab\u76f8\u5c6c\u56db\u5927\uff0c
\n\u5fc3\u6027\u6b78\u516d\u5875\u3002\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u56db\u5927\u9ad4\u5404\u96e2\uff0c
\n\u8ab0\u70ba\u548c\u5408\u8005\uff1f\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u5982\u662f\u6f38\u4fee\u884c\uff0c
\n\u4e00\u5207\u6089\u6e05\u6de8\u3002\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u4e0d\u52d5\u904d\u6cd5\u754c\uff0c
\n\u7121\u4f5c\u6b62\u4efb\u6ec5\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u4ea6\u7121\u80fd\u8b49\u8005\u3002
\n\u4e00\u5207\u4f5b\u4e16\u754c\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u7336\u5982\u865b\u7a7a\u82b1\uff0c
\n\u4e09\u4e16\u6089\u5e73\u7b49\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u7562\u7adf\u7121\u4f86\u53bb\u3002
\n\u521d\u767c\u5fc3\u83e9\u85a9\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u53ca\u672b\u4e16\u773e\u751f\uff0c
\n\u6b32\u6c42\u5165\u4f5b\u9053\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u61c9\u5982\u662f\u4fee\u7fd2\u3002<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Show scripture (English).<\/span>

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

English:<\/h2>\n

Then the World Honoured One, wanting to restate the meaning, spoke a verse. He said:<\/p>\n

Universal Vision, you should know
\nThe bodies and minds of all sentient beings
\nAre only illusion.
\nThe body is composed of the Four Elements;
\nThe mind depends upon the Six Objects.
\nWhen the Four Elements disperse,
\nWho will be there as a synthesis?
\nIn this kind of gradient practice
\nAll is completely pure,
\nUnchanging, pervading the realm of reality.
\nWithout contrivance, stopping, naturalism or annihilation
\nAnd also without any subjective “releaser,”
\nAll Buddha-worlds are
\nJust like sky-flowers.
\nThe three times are all the same
\nUltimately without coming or going.
\nBodhisattvas who have recently arisen their minds
\nAnd sentient beings of the degenerate age
\nWho want to enter the Buddha Way
\nShould practice like this.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Commentary:<\/h2>\n

A being\u2019s ignorance lies in the false attachment to body and mind. Therefore, Chan masters teach \u201cthe shedding of body and mind\u201d (\u8eab\u5fc3\u812b\u843d). Ordinary people become attached to the Four Elements as the characteristics of one\u2019s body, images of the Six Objects as the characteristics of one\u2019s mind. To become free from the appearance of body, one must surpass the Four Elements; to become free from the appearance of mind, one must surpass the Six Objects. This begins with the stages of practice where one gradually apprehends and realizes dharmadh\u0101tu. The apprehending is in truth beyond effort (contrivance), beyond stopping (attachment), without letting things be, no annihilation. Therefore, there is no realizer. Since there is no realizer, nor is there what is to be realized. Thusly knowing the buddha realm is like flowers in the sky, the three times are equal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Commentary: From the earlier observation, a bodhisattva accomplishes the perfect enlightenment, attains its fruition. A bodhisattva\u2019s attainment is no different from a buddha\u2019s attainment, which is an attainment of complete awareness. The complete awareness...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1075,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1072"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1072"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1072\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1078,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1072\/revisions\/1078"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1075"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}