{"id":1258,"date":"2024-02-29T10:12:48","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T15:12:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/?p=1258"},"modified":"2024-02-29T10:12:48","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T15:12:48","slug":"perfect-enlightenment-27-buddha-teaches-25-expedient-practices-part-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/2024\/02\/29\/perfect-enlightenment-27-buddha-teaches-25-expedient-practices-part-6\/","title":{"rendered":"Perfect Enlightenment 27: Buddha Teaches 25 Expedient Practices, Part 6"},"content":{"rendered":"

Show scripture (Chinese).<\/span>

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

Chinese:<\/h2>\n

\u300c\u82e5\u8af8\u83e9\u85a9\u4ee5\u5713\u89ba\u6167\u5713\u5408\u4e00\u5207\uff0c\u65bc\u8af8\u6027\u76f8\u7121\u96e2\u89ba\u6027\uff1b\u6b64\u83e9\u85a9\u8005\uff0c\u540d\u70ba\u5713\u4fee\u4e09\u7a2e\u81ea\u6027\u6e05\u6de8\u96a8\u9806\u3002<\/p>\n

\u300c\u5584\u7537\u5b50\uff01\u662f\u540d\u83e9\u85a9\u4e8c\u5341\u4e94\u8f2a\uff0c\u4e00\u5207\u83e9\u85a9\u4fee\u884c\u5982\u662f\u3002\u82e5\u8af8\u83e9\u85a9\u53ca\u672b\u4e16\u773e\u751f\u4f9d\u6b64\u8f2a\u8005\uff0c\u7576\u6301\u68b5\u884c\uff0c\u5bc2\u975c\u601d\u60df\uff0c\u6c42\u54c0\u61fa\u6094\uff0c\u7d93\u4e09\u4e03\u65e5\u3002\u65bc\u4e8c\u5341\u4e94\u8f2a\u5404\u5b89\u6a19\u8a18\uff0c\u81f3\u5fc3\u6c42\u54c0\uff0c\u96a8\u624b\u7d50\u53d6\uff1b\u4f9d\u7d50\u958b\u793a\u4fbf\u77e5\u9813\u6f38\uff0c\u4e00\u5ff5\u7591\u6094\u5373\u4e0d\u6210\u5c31\u3002\u300d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Show scripture (English).<\/span>

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

English:<\/h2>\n

\u201cSome bodhisattvas, using the wisdom of Perfect Enlightenment, harmoniously combine all of these, and in connection with all natures and characteristics, never separate from the enlightened nature. These bodhisattvas are called practitioners of the three kinds of accordance with the purity of the self-nature.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood sons, these are called the twenty-five applications of the bodhisattvas. The teachings of the sutras are like the finger pointing to the moon. If you also look at the moon and completely understand, then that which is pointing is ultimately not the moon. All the various words and explanations of the Tath\u0101gata that are used to awaken bodhisattvas are also like this. All bodhisattvas practice like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you bodhisattvas and sentient beings of the degenerate age deign to use these applications, you must maintain practices of purity, quiescence and contemplation and sincerely repent. Then passing through three weeks, you settle upon whichever of the twenty-five applications is indicated on your lot. With your whole mind and a repentant spirit, immediately choose one. Depending on what is indicated on the chosen lot, you will immediately know whether you are to practice the sudden or gradual. If there is one moment of doubt you will not be able to accomplish your assigned application.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Commentary:<\/h2>\n

Buddha answering Voice of Discerning by teaching 25 expedient practices, now we have come to the last practice of \u201cthe three kinds of accordance with the purity of the self-nature,\u201d or the simultaneous practice of \u015bamatha, sam\u0101patti, and dhy\u0101na.<\/p>\n

25. Simultaneous \u015bamatha, sam\u0101patti, and dhy\u0101na.<\/span>

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

The simultaneous practice of the three practices is in fact one meditation. Because all dharma are equal, practicing one meditation is like practicing any meditation. A practitioner of sharp faculty does not have to pursuit many teachings, nor is there a need to examine every single practices. Entering one entrance, reaching the ultimate realization, is like simultaneously realizing all practices. Huineng, the Sixth Master of Chan, was illiterate, was not able to read the scriptures. From his perspective, there were not all that many practices. But whenever someone came to inquire about the practice, it was as if he was fluent in the entire Buddhist Canon, there was not a practice that he didn\u2019t know. This is an example of penetrating through a practice is to thoroughly know all practices.<\/p>\n

The simultaneous practice of \u015bamatha, sam\u0101patti, and dhy\u0101na is the three practices being interconnected. Therefore, there are \u015bamatha of \u015bamatha, sam\u0101patti of \u015bamatha, and dhy\u0101na of \u015bamatha; \u015bamatha of sam\u0101patti, sam\u0101patti of sam\u0101patti, and dhy\u0101na of sam\u0101patti; \u015bamatha of dhy\u0101na, sam\u0101patti of dhy\u0101na, and dhy\u0101na of dhy\u0101na. This happens to be the feature of Nyingma tradition as well. The three dharma of development, perfection, and the coalescent of development and perfection, their interconnection becomes nine kinds of practice. But there are more, the nine kinds can further be divided. Consider \u015bamatha of \u015bamatha. It could be \u015bamatha of \u015bamatha-\u015bamatha, sam\u0101patti of \u015bamatha-\u015bamatha, dhy\u0101na of \u015bamatha-\u015bamatha. Now three times nine becomes 27 kinds, which can be further divided ad infinitum<\/em>. A guru observes the faculty of a student-practitioner, the instruction would take it into consideration through their individuation, interconnectedness, and alternating practices. This is the underlying principle of the simultaneous practice.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Tam's concluding comment on the 25 practices.<\/span>

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

The above concludes the discussion of the twenty-five practices.<\/p>\n

After, Buddha further taught how best to approach the practices. \u201cIf you bodhisattvas and sentient beings of the degenerate age deign to use these applications, you must maintain practices of purity, quiescence and contemplation and sincerely repent\u2026 passing through three weeks.\u201d Then, wholeheartedly and sincerely, the practitioner is to choose one of the twenty-five, to divine on what one is to practice.<\/p>\n

This method is also Nyingma\u2019s way of prayer via flower-tossing. At the altar, setup a ma\u1e47\u1e0dala of five buddhas, after repenting and prayers one tosses a flower. Whichever buddha the flower falls into, one is to follow the practices in that division.<\/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

\u8faf\u97f3\u6c5d\u7576\u77e5\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u4e00\u5207\u8af8\u83e9\u85a9\uff0c
\n\u7121\u7919\u6e05\u6de8\u6167\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u7686\u4f9d\u79aa\u5b9a\u751f\u3002
\n\u6240\u8b02\u5962\u6469\u4ed6\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u4e09\u6469\u63d0\u79aa\u90a3\uff0c
\n\u4e09\u6cd5\u9813\u6f38\u4fee\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u6709\u4e8c\u5341\u4e94\u7a2e\u3002
\n\u5341\u65b9\u8af8\u5982\u4f86\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u4e09\u4e16\u4fee\u884c\u8005\uff0c
\n\u7121\u4e0d\u56e0\u6b64\u6cd5\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u800c\u5f97\u6210\u83e9\u63d0\uff1b
\n\u552f\u9664\u9813\u89ba\u4eba\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u5e76\u6cd5\u4e0d\u96a8\u9806\u3002
\n\u4e00\u5207\u8af8\u83e9\u85a9\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u53ca\u672b\u4e16\u773e\u751f\uff0c
\n\u5e38\u7576\u6301\u6b64\u8f2a\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u96a8\u9806\u52e4\u4fee\u7fd2\uff0c
\n\u4f9d\u4f5b\u5927\u60b2\u529b\uff0c\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u4e0d\u4e45\u8b49\u6d85\u69c3\u3002<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Show scripture (English).<\/span>

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

English:<\/h2>\n

Then the World Honoured One, desiring to reiterate the gist of this, spoke a verse. He said:<\/p>\n

Voice of Discernment, you should know,
\nAll bodhisattvas’
\nUnobstructed pure wisdom
\nIs without exception, produced from meditation.
\nThe so-called \u015bamatha
\nsamapatti and dhy\u0101na\u2014
\nThe three methods of sudden and gradual practice,
\nHave twenty-five applications.
\nThere are none among the tath\u0101gatas of the ten directions
\nAnd the practitioners of the three worlds
\nWho do not rely upon these methods
\nIn their attainment of perfection of bodhi\u2014
\nExcept for suddenly enlightened people
\nAnd those who have nothing to do with the dharma.
\nAll bodhisattvas
\nAnd sentient beings of the degenerate age,
\nShould always embrace these applications,
\nFollowing them, endeavoring to practice them.
\nRelying on the power of the Buddha’s great compassion,
\nBefore long they will actualize nirvana.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Show commentary on the section-concluding verse.<\/span>

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

Commentary:<\/h2>\n

The verse points out that all of \u015bamatha, sam\u0101patti, and dhy\u0101na are meditations. From the three meditations, twenty-five practices can further be established, which form the Buddhahood for buddhas of the three times in the ten directions, with the exception for the utmost sharp faculties who follow the sudden enlightenment.<\/p>\n

A practitioner should regulate their mind prior to meditation, as well as being grateful and repentant so as to be without objectification to enter meditation. Subsequent to a meditation session, one should be thankful for buddha\u2019s great compassion, to recollect purity. This is then truly \u201calways embrace these applications \/ Following them, endeavoring to practice them.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Commentary: Buddha answering Voice of Discerning by teaching 25 expedient practices, now we have come to the last practice of \u201cthe three kinds of accordance with the purity of the self-nature,\u201d or the simultaneous...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1259,"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\/1258"}],"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=1258"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1260,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1258\/revisions\/1260"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbatoronto.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}