Taken from "The complete works of Swami Vivekananda", volume II MAAYAA AND FREEDOM ------------------ (Delivered in London by Swami Vivekanandha, 22nd October 1896) "Trailing clouds of glory we come," says the poet. Not all of us come as trailing clouds of glory however; some of us come as trailing black fogs; there can be no question about that. But every one of us comes into this world to fight, as on a battlefield. We come here weeping to fight our way, as well as we can, and to make a path for ourselves through this infinite ocean of life; forward we go, having long ages behind us and an immense expanse beyond. So on we go, till death comes and takes us off the field - victorious or defeated, we do not know. And this is Maayaa. Hope is dominant in the heart of childhood. The whole world is a golden vision to the opening eyes of the child; he thinks his will is supreme. As he moves onward, at every step nature stands as an adamantine wall, barring his future progress. He may hurl himself against it again and again, striving to break through. The further he goes, the further recedes the ideal, till death comes, and there is release, perhaps. And this is Maayaa. A man of science rises, he is thirsting after knowledge. No sacrifice is too great, no struggle too hopeless for him. He moves onward discovering secret after secret of nature, searching out the secrets from her innermost heart, and what for? What is it all for? Why should we give him glory? Why should he acquire fame? Does not nature do infinitely more than any human being can do? - and nature is dull, insentient. Why should it be glory to imitate the dull, the insentient? Nature can hurl a thunderbolt of any magnitude to any distance. If a man can do one small part as much, we praise him and laud him to the skies. Why? Why should we praise him for imitating nature, imitating death, imitating dullness, imitating insentience? The force of gravitation can pull to pieces the biggest mass that ever existed; yet it is insentient. What glory is there in imitating the insentient? Yet we are all struggling that. And this is Maayaa. The senses drag the human soul out. Man is seeking for pleasure and for happiness where it can never be found. For countless ages we are all taught that this is futile and vain, there is no happiness here. But we can not learn; it is impossible for us to do so, except through our own experiences. We try them, and a blow comes. Do we learn then? Not even then. Like moths hurling themselves against the flame, we are hurling ourselves again and again into sense-pleasures, hoping to find satisfaction there. We return again and again with freshened energy; thus we go on, till crippled and cheated we die. And this is Maayaa. So with our intellect. In our desire to solve the mysteries of the universe, we cannot stop our questioning, we feel we must know and cannot believe that no knowledge is to be gained. A few steps, and there arises the wall of beginningless and endless time which we cannot surmount. A few steps, and there appears a wall of boundless space which cannot be surmounted, and the whole is irrevocably bound in by the walls of cause and effect. We cannot go beyond them. Yet we struggle, and still have to struggle. And this is Maayaa. With every breath, with every pulsation of the heart, with every one of our movements, we think we are free, and the very same moment we are shown that we are not. Bound slaves, nature's bond-slaves, in body, in mind, in all our thoughts, in all our feelings. And this is Maayaa. There was never a mother who did not think her child was a born genius, the most extraordinary child that was ever born; she dotes upon her child. Her whole soul is in the child. The child grows up, perhaps becomes a drunkard, a brute, ill-treats the mother, and the more he ill-treats her, the more her love increases. The world lauds it as the unselfish love of the mother, little dreaming that the mother is a born slave, she cannot help it. She would a thousand times rather throw off the burden, but she cannot. So she covers it with a mass of flowers, which she calls wonderful love. And this is Maayaa. We are all like this in the world. A legend tells how once Naaradha said to Krishna, "Lord, show me Maayaa." A few days passed away, and Krishna asked Naaradha to make a trip with him towards a desert, and after walking for several miles, Krishna said, "Naaradha, I am thirsty; can you fetch some water for me?" "I will go at once, sir, and get you water." So Naaradha went. At a little distance there was a village; he entered the village in search of water and knocked at a door, which was opened by a most beautiful young girl. At the sight of her he immediately forgot that his Master was waiting for water, perhaps dying for the want of it. He forgot everything and began to talk with the girl. All that day he did not return to his Master. The next day, he was again at the house, talking to the girl. That talk ripened into love; he asked the father for the daughter, and they were married and lived there and had children. Thus twelve years passed. His father-in-law died, he inherited his property. He lived, as he seemed to think, a very happy life with his wife and children, his fields and his cattle, and so forth. Then came a flood. One night the river rose until it overflowed its banks and flooded the whole village. Houses fell, men and animals were swept away and drowned, and everything was floating in the rush of the stream. Naaradha had to escape. With one hand he held his wife, and with the other two of his children; another child was on his shoulders, and he was trying to ford this tremendous flood. After a few steps he found the current was too strong, and the child on his shoulders fell and was borne away. A cry of despair came from Naaradha. In trying to save that child, he lost his grasp upon one of the others, and it also was lost. At last his wife, whom he clasped with all his might, was torn away by the current, and he was thrown on the bank, weeping and wailing in bitter lamentation. Behind him there came a gentle voice, "My child, where is the water? You went to fetch a pitcher of water, and I am waiting for you; you have been gone for quite half an hour." "Half an hour!" Naaradha exclaimed. Twelve whole years had passed through his mind, and all these scenes had happened in half an hour! And this is Maayaa. In one form or another, we are all in it. It is a most difficult and intricate state of things to understand. It has been preached in every country, taught everywhere, but only believed in by a few, because until we get the experiences ourselves we cannot believe in it. What does it show? Something very terrible. For it is all futile. Time, the avenger of everything, comes, and nothing is left. He swallows up the saint and the sinner, the king and the peasant, the beautiful and the ugly; he leaves nothing. Everything is rushing towards that one goal, destruction. Our knowledge, our arts, our sciences, everything is rushing towards it. None can stem the tide, none can hold it back for a minute. We may try to forget it, in the same way that persons in a plague-stricken city try to create oblivion by drinking, dancing, and other vain attempts, and so becoming paralysed. So we are trying to forget, trying to create oblivion by all sorts of sense-pleasures. And this is Maayaa. Two ways have been proposed. One method, which everyone knows, is very common, and that is: "It may be very true, but do not think of it. 'Make hay while the sun shines,' as the proverb says. It is all true, it is a fact, but do not mind it. Seize the few pleasures you can, do what little you can, do not look at the dark side of the picture, but always towards the hopeful, the positive side." There is some truth in this, but there is also a danger. The truth is that it is a good motive power. Hope and a positive ideal are very good motive powers for our lives, but there is a certain danger in them. The danger lies in our giving up the struggle in despair. Such is the case with those who preach, "Take the world as it is; sit down as calmly and comfortably as you can and be contented with all these miseries. When you receive blows, say they are not blows but flowers; and when you are driven about like slaves, say that you are free. Day and night tell lies to others and to your own souls, because that is the only way to live happily." This is what is called practical wisdom, and never was it more prevalent in the world than in this nineteenth century; because never were harder blows hit than at the present time, never was competition keener, never were men so cruel to their fellow-men as now; and, therefore, must this consolation be offered. It is put forward in the strongest way at the present time; but it fails, as it always must fail. We cannot hide a carrion with roses; it is impossible. It would not avail long; for soon the roses would fade, and the carrion would be worse than ever before. So with our lives. We may try to cover our old and festering sores with cloth of gold, but there comes a day when the cloth of gold is removed, and the sore in all its ugliness is revealed. Is there no hope then? True it is that we are all slaves of Maayaa, born in Maayaa, and live in Maayaa. Is there then no way out, no hope? That we are all miserable, that this world is really a prison, that even our so-called trailing beauty is but a prison-house, and that even our intellects and minds are prison-houses, have been known for ages upon ages. There has never been a man, there has never been a human soul, who has not felt this sometime or other, however he may talk. And the old people feel it most, because in them is the accumulated experience of a whole life, because they cannot be easily cheated by the lies of nature. Is there no way out? We find that with all this, with this terrible fact before us, in the midst of sorrow and suffering, even in this world where life and death are synonymous, even here, there is still a small voice that is ringing through all ages, through every country, and in every heart: "This My Maayaa is divine, made up of qualities, and very difficult to cross. Yet those that come unto Me, cross the river of life." "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." This is the voice that is leading us forward. Man has heard it, and is hearing it all through ages. This voice comes to men when everything seems to be lost and hope has fled, when man's dependence on his own strength has been crushed down, and everything seems to melt away between his fingers, and life is a hopeless ruin. Then he hears it. This is called Religion. On the one side, therefore, is the bold assertion that this is all nonsense, that this is Maayaa, but along with it, there is the most hopeful assertion that beyond Maayaa, there is a way out. On the other hand, practical men tell us, "Don't bother your heads about such nonsense as religion and metaphysics. Live here; this is a very world indeed, but make the best of it." Which put in plain language means, live a hypocritical, lying life, a life of continuous fraud, covering all sores in the best way you can. Go on putting patch after patch, until everything is lost, and you are a mass of patchwork. This is what is called practical life. Those that are satisfied with this patchwork will never come to religion. Religion begins with a tremendous dissatisfaction with the present state of things, with our lives, and a hatred, an intense hatred, for this patching up of life, an unbounded disgust for fraud and lies. He alone can be religious who dares say, as the mighty Buddha once said under Bo-tree, when this idea of practicality appeared before him and he saw that it was nonsense, and yet could not find a way out. When the temptation came to him to give up his search after truth, to go back to the world and live the old life of fraud, calling things by wrong names, telling lies to oneself and to everybody, he, the giant, conquered it and said, "Death is better than a vegetating ignorant life; it is better to die on the battlefield than to live a life of defeat." This is the basis of religion. When a man takes this stand, he is on the way to find the truth, he is on the way to God. That determination must be the first impulse towards becoming religious. I will hew out a way for myself. I will know the truth or give up my life in the attempt. For on this side it is nothing, it is gone, it is vanishing every day. The beautiful, hopeful, young person of today is the veteran of tomorrow. Hopes and joys and pleasures will die like blossoms with tomorrow's frost. That is one side; on the other, there are the great charms of conquest, victories over all the ills of life, victory over life itself, the conquest of the universe. On that side men can stand. Those who dare, therefore, to struggle for victory, for truth, for religion, are in the right way; and that is what the Vedhas preach: Be not in despair; the way is very difficult, like walking on the edge of a razor; yet despair not, arise, awake, and find the ideal, the goal. Now all these various manifestations of religion, in whatever shape and form they have come to mankind, have this one common central basis. It is the preaching of freedom, the way out of this world. They never came to reconcile the world and religion, but to cut the Gordian knot, to establish religion in its own ideal, and not to compromise with the world. That is what every religion preaches, and the duty of the Vedhantha is to harmonise all these aspirations, to make manifest the common ground between all the religions of the world, the highest as well as the lowest. What we call the most arrant superstition and the highest philosophy really have a common aim in that they both try to show the way out of the same difficulty, and in most cases this way is through the help of someone who is not himself bound by the laws of nature, in one word, someone who is free. In spite of all the difficulties and differences of opinion about the nature of the one free agent, whether he is a Personal God, or a sentient being like man, whether masculine, feminine, or neuter - and the discussions have been endless - the fundamental idea is the same. In spite of the almost hopeless contradictions of the different systems, we find the golden thread of unity running through them all, and in this philosophy, this golden thread has been traced, revealed little by little to our view, and the first step to this revelation is the common ground that all are advancing towards freedom. Our curious fact present in the midst of all our joys and sorrows, difficulties and struggles, is that we are surely journeying towards freedom. The question was practically this: "What is this universe? From what does it arise? Into what does it go?" And the answer was: "In freedom it rises, in freedom it rests, and into freedom it melts away." This idea of freedom you cannot relinquish. Your actions, your very lives will be lost without it. Every moment nature is proving us to be slaves and not free. Yet, simultaneously rises the other idea, that still we are free. At every step we are knocked down, as it were, by Maayaa, and shown that we are bound; and yet at the same moment, together with this blow, together with this feeling that we are bound, comes the other feeling that we are free. Some inner voice tells us that we are free. But if we attempt to realise that freedom, to make it manifest, we find the difficulties almost insuperable. Yet, in spite of that it insists on asserting itself inwardly, "I am free, I am free." And if you study all the various religions of the world you will find this idea expressed. Not only religion - you must not take this word in its narrow sense - but the whole life of society is the assertion of that one principle of freedom. All movements are the assertion of that one freedom. That voice has been heard by everyone, whether he knows it or not, that voice which declares, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden." It may not be in the same language or the same form of speech, but in some form or other, that voice calling for freedom has been with us. Yes, we are born here on account of that voice; every one of our movements is for that. We are all rushing towards freedom, we are all following that voice, whether we know it or not; as the children of village were attracted by the music of the flute- player, so we are all following the music of the voice without knowing it. We are ethical when we follow that voice. Not only the human soul, but all creatures from the lowest to the highest have heard the voice and are rushing towards it; and in the struggle are either combining with each other or pushing each other out of the way. Thus come competition, joys, struggles, life, pleasure, and death, and the whole universe is nothing but the result of this mad struggle to reach the voice. This is the manifestation of nature. What happens then? The scene begins to shift. As soon as you know the voice and understand what it is, the whole scene changes. The same world which was the ghastly battlefield of Maayaa is now changed into something good and beautiful. We no longer curse nature, nor say that the world is horrible and that it is all vain; we need no longer weep and wail. As soon as we understand the voice, we see the reason why this struggle should be here, this fight, this competition, this difficulty, this cruelty, these little pleasures and joys; we see that they are in the nature of things, because without them there would be no going towards the voice, to attain which we are destined, whether we know it or not. All human life, all nature, therefore, is struggling to attain to freedom. The sun is moving towards the goal, so is the earth in circling round the sun, so is the moon in circling round the earth. To that goal the planet is moving, and the air is blowing. Everything is struggling towards that. The saint is going towards that voice - he cannot help it, it is no glory to him. So is the sinner. The charitable man is going straight towards that voice, and cannot be hindered; the miser is also going towards the same destination; the greatest worker of good hears the same voice within, and he cannot resist it, he must go towards the voice; so with the most arrant idler. One stumbles more than another, and him who stumbles more we call bad, him who stumbles less we call good. Good and bad are never two different things, they are one and the same; the difference is not one of kind, but of degree. Now, if the manifestation of this power of freedom is really governing the whole universe - applying that to religion, our special study - we find this idea has been the one assertion throughout. Take the lowest form of religion where there is the worship of departed ancestors or certain powerful and cruel gods; what is the prominent idea about the gods or departed ancestors? That they are superior to nature, not bound by its restrictions. The worshipper has, no doubt, very limited ideas of nature. He himself cannot pass through a wall, nor fly up into the skies, but the gods whom he worships can do these things. What is meant by that, philosophically? That the assertion of freedom is there, that the gods whom he worships are superior to nature as he knows it. So with those who worship still higher beings. As the idea of nature expands, the idea of the soul which is superior to nature also expands, until we come to what we call monotheism, which holds that there is Maayaa (nature), and that there is some Being who is the Ruler of this Maayaa. Here Vedhantha begins, where these monotheistic ideas first appear. But the Vedhantha philosophy wants further explanation. This explanation - that there is a Being beyond all these manifestations of Maayaa, who is superior to and independent of Maayaa, and who is attraction us towards Himself, and that we are all going towards Him - is very good, says the Vedhantha, but yet the perception is not clear, the vision is dim and hazy, although it does not directly contradict reason. Just as in your hymn it is said, "Nearer my God to Thee," the same hymn would be very good to the Vedhanthin, only he would change a word, and make it, "Nearer my God to me." The idea that the goal is far off, far beyond nature, attracting us all towards it, has to be brought nearer and nearer, without degrading and degenerating it. The God of heaven becomes the God in nature, and the God in nature becomes the God who is nature, and the God who is nature becomes the God within this temple of the body, and the God dwelling in the temple of the body at last becomes the temple itself, becomes the soul and man - and there it reaches the last words it can teach. He whom the sages have been seeking in all these places is in our own hearts; the voice that you heard was right, says the Vedhantha, but the direction you gave to the voice was wrong. That ideal of freedom that you perceived was correct, but you projected it outside yourself, and that was your mistake. Bring it nearer and nearer, until you find that it was all the time within you, it was the Self of your own self. That freedom was your own nature, and this Maayaa never bound you. Nature never has power over you. Like a frightened child you were dreaming that it was throttling you, and the release from this fear is the goal; not only to see it intellectually, but to perceive it, actualise it, much more definitely than we perceive this world. Then we shall know that we are free. Then, and then alone, will all difficulties vanish, then will all the perplexities of heart be smoothed away, all crookedness made straight, then will vanish the delusion of manifoldness and nature; and Maayaa, instead of being a horrible, hopeless dream, as it is now, will become beautiful, and this earth, instead of being a prison-house, will become our playground; and even dangers and difficulties, even all sufferings, will become deified and show us their real nature, will show us that behind everything, as the substance of everything, He is standing, and that He is the one real Self. From: lchi@PICA.ARMY.MIL (Laurinda M. Chi) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Preface 1 for "Tze Yun Bridge" T H E B R I D G E O F M E R C I F U L C L O U D ======================================================= < V o l u m e O n e > Written by Upasaka Chung-hui Lo Translated by Wei-lin Yang The Preface written by Tripitaka Master Cheng Yi ------------------------------------------------ When I gave advice to the people, telling them to learn Buddhist practice, I always heard they said "Your Buddhist religion is good, but the Buddhist principle is too profound to understand. Common people can't understand it thoroughly." So I thought myself that I would use simple expression to write down the profound meaning of Buddhism. It would be good for any one to understand the outline of Buddhism. I conceived this thought for quite a long time. I felt regretful that I didn't try to write down what I had thought. Before the Chinese lunar New Year, I received a registered package mailed by Tze Yun (Merciful Cloud) Magazine in which I found the manuscript of a book untitled (* entitled? *) "Tze Yun Chao" (The bridge of merciful cloud) written by Upasaka Lo Chung-Hui, founder of Mahayana Vihara. When I read the contents of that manuscript, I found that Upasaka Lo compiled the assays (* essays *) of Tze Yun Magazine into a book which was divided into ten chapters. When reading the contents, I noted that this book was good for the beginners to learn Buddhism. After reading over the whole book, I thought that it was really a good Buddhist book. In the first chapter, the motive and the purpose of compiling this book are briefly written. In the second chapter, the terminology and the meaning of "Buddha, Buddhist religion, Buddhadharma, Buddhism and the learning of Buddhist practice" are clearly pointed out, it is easy for people to have a basic concept on Buddhist religion. In the third chapter, the meaning of Buddha, Bodhisattva, Arhat, devine (* divine *) being, immortal and ghost are clearly illustrated. It is good for people to have a thorough understanding of our religion. In the fourth chapter, there is a topic which discusses humans' belief in religion. On the basis of religious faith and roots, the benefit acquired from believing in Buddhism is described. There is a comparison between a religious believer and an atheist. It guides people in deciding their religious faith. In the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th chapters the details of believing in Buddhism and the proper conduct of a Buddhist believer are mentioned. In these chapters, the rites of taking refuge with Triratna (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), the proper way of choosing Dharma Door, the method of learning and keeping precepts. the way of bringing forth the Bodhi-mind, and the method of practising Bodhisattva Way are all illustrated clearly. In addition, the explanation of the benefit acquired from keeping and cultivating the Buddhadharma and the illustration of living beings' rooted desire are helpful to correct one's conduct so that his afflictions can be eliminated. In the 9th chapter, the Buddhist rites are introduced to the beginner who can behave properly when worshipping the image of Buddha. The tenth chapter deals with Karmic power (the power resulted from deeds). Those learning Buddhist practice should know this principle thoroughly. Our Buddhist believer usually makes a common mistake one he (or she) believes in Buddhism, he usually chooses the suitable Dharma door and cultivates it vigorously without knowing the true meaning of the Buddhadharma. It is impossible for him to proclaim the principle and doctrine of Buddhism to others. This is the reason why Buddhist religion has been decaying and the Buddhadharma does not popularly prevail. Although in every morning and evening many Buddhist believers recite, "I vow to take cross the limitless living beings and I vow to cut off the endless afflictions..", Actually they never try to cut off their afflictions and never attempt to ferry over the livin beings. In every morning and evening some believers say, "The Buddha's brilliance will be increasingly bright, the wheel of Dharma can constantly turned..." Actually how many believers are really turning the Dharma wheel to make the Buddha's brilliance increasingly bright? The Buddhist believers' laziness and laxation are the cause which makes the Buddhist religion decayed. How can the Buddhadharma be popularly prevailed? We know that we Chinese believe in Mahayana Buddhism. The Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Adornment Sutra), the Sadharma-pundarika Sutra (Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra) and the Vamalkarti Sutra are the principal sutras adopted by Mahayanist believers. In the Vamalkarti Sutra it is written that those cultivating Mahayana (great vehicle) Buddhadharma are responsible for "adorning the Buddhalands and for helping the living beings make achievements." In the Avatamsaka Sutra it is written that Sakyamuni Buddha's appearance in the world is to proclaim the Buddha's knowledge and view to the living beings and to make living beings understand the Buddha's knowledge and view. It denotes that Buddhist disciples should illustrate the meaning of essence and appearance, proclaiming the Dharma of one vehicle, universally guiding myriads of living beings and helping them rapidly achieve Bodhi. The text of Avatamsaka sutra tells Buddhist disciples that they should adorn the Buddha fruit of one vehicle with myriads of Dharma flowers. The instruction given to the Buddhist disciples by Sakyamuni Buddha is very clear. In the sutra it is written that there is a jewel hidden in the darkness. Without a light no one can see it. If there is no one to proclaim the Buddhadharma No matter how wise you are, you can't understand it. In the sutra it is further written that when you enjoy blessings because of your cultivation in past kalpas and sit on a throne in the world. If you do not propagate the Buddhadharma to ferry over the living beings. Ultimately you can not repay the grace given by the Buddha. The sentences written above clearly illustrate that our Buddhist believers are obligatory to propagate the Buddhadharma. In other Mahayana Sutras, many sentences were writte to advise Buddhist believers to help propagate the Buddhadharma and to benefit living beings. When reading Buddhist sutras or hearing the explanation of the meaning of the sutras, a Buddhist believer should thoroughly understand the Buddha's instruction given in the sutra, he must not seek liberation for himself without caring the misery of the living beings. Otherwise, he is not deserved to be a Buddhist believer. Upasaka Lo Chung-hwei, a true Buddhist disciple, has been practicing the Bodhisattva Way since he brought forth his mind to learn Buddhism. He attempts to "seek the Buddhadharma above and to trandform the living beings below." In past few years, he established a publishing house to publish "Tze Yun (Merciful Cloud) Magazine" which aims at propagating the Buddhadharma. In addition, he founded the Mahayana Vihara where the Buddhist books and paintings can be circulated to every corner of the world. Frequently the highly learned Bhiksus, and Upasaka are invited to give lecture on Buddhism in that vihara. Transformed by his sincere devotion to Buddhism, a great number of people took refuge with Triratna, Upasaka Lo will publish a book entitled "Tze Yun Bridge." I believe those wondering at the cross road of human life will be guided by his book into enlightened path so that they may leave the sea of suffering. When asked by Upasaka Lo to write a preface for his future publication of a book named "Tze Yun Bridge", I agreed to write the sentences above to show my enthusiastic support and I hope that my preface will be regarded as a praise on his future publication of that book. Written by Tripitaka Master Cheng Yi at Avatamsaka Lotus Vihara in 1981 in Taipei From: v062qjjq@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (David T Wei) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Tze Yun Bridge (preface 2) T H E B R I D G E O F M E R C I F U L C L O U D ======================================================= < V o l u m e O n e > Written by Upasaka Chung-hui Lo Translated by Wei-lin Yang The Preface written by Tripitaka Master Hong Yin ------------------------------------------------ Now people live in a well developed society of commerce and industry. They are apt to lead a life which emphasizes on material enjoyment. They neglect the importance of spiritual life, they have afflictions, worries and uneasiness. This is the primary cause of human's turmoil and misery. At the present time, a large number of scientists concentrate their minds to explore the outer space, they ignore the importance of human's spiritual life, therefore, most people lead a disappointed and confused life. This is the crisis which will lead human beings to ultimate destruction. We firmly believe that the Buddhadharma is the best remedy for human's suffering. There are (* a *) great number of Buddhist scriptures and canon in Buddhism, there are varieties of sects and schools in Buddhist religion and there are numerous Buddhist terminologies which are difficult to understand. The beginners who lead a busy life in present society find it difficult to enter the door of Buddhism, they feel disappointed, they sighingly express their sadness when reading the profound principle of Buddhism. Some learners of Buddhism seek dharma in the wrong way, they devote themselves to academic research or to the authentication of Buddhist works in the history. They ignore the cultivation of the mind and self-nature. Some go astray to believe in wonderous mystery. Those responsible for propagating the Buddhadharma even run to the extremes, they never know the method of taking the middle way. When a Buddhist propagator explains Buddhist principle on the basis of profound truth without using common expressions, his explanation of Buddhist principle is perfect, but his way of explanation is inconvenient to the listeners. He will be criticized as a propagator who knows only how to lecture but not to explain principles. Some Buddhist propagator explains Buddhist principles with common and simple expression only without following Buddhist truth, they mistake convenient method for ultimate truth, their method of explaining Buddhism is convenient and provisional, but it is inconsistent with Buddhist principles. They may be blamed that they have superficial knowledge of Buddha's truth or they slander the Buddhadharma. A Buddhist propagator should know how to explain Buddhist truth through common expressions and with effective method, so that both the educated and the uneducated can understand his explanation. Upasaka Lo Chung-hui, a native of Pinking (* Peking *), is a Buddhist who has devoted himself to propagate the Buddhadharma for many yeas. He asked me to write a preface for his book entitled "Tze Yun Bridge." After reading the manuscript, I found that the contents of his books are consistent with Buddhist truth and the Buddhist principles are illustrated with simple and common expressions. This book will be good for the learned believers and for the beginners. In Buddhist circle, Upasaka Lo is regarded as the best coordinator with Sangha members and laity, I hope that after the publication of his book, the Buddhadharma illustrated in his book will be able to ferry over all living beings to believe in Triratna (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) and take refuge with Buddhism. In his book, the simple and common expressions will be helpful to guide beginners into right path of Buddhism. -- v062qjjq@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (David T Wei) From: v062qjjq@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (David T Wei) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Tze Yun Bridge (Chapter 1) T H E B R I D G E O F M E R C I F U L C L O U D ======================================================= < V o l u m e O n e > Written by Upasaka Chung-hui Lo Translated by Wei-lin Yang Chapter One ------------ PROLOGUE It has been two years since "Tze Yun Magazine" was published. Our sentences written in this magazine are in the style of common, verbal and literary expressions. We hope that they are suitable to the taste of general public. Our primary purpose of publishing this magazine is to guide the beginner to pass over the sea of birth and death to reach the other shore of ultimate nirvana through a bridge named "Tze Yan." Today the "Magazine of Tze Yun Bridge" could appear before the reader's eyes, it was our strenuous efforts done in the past. Through expedient and provisional means, we tried to exhort all living beings to believe in Buddhism and to take refuge with Triratna. This is the Buddha's original aim, we hope what we have done is in conformity with Buddha's concept and principle. Among the living beings, human being is the most intelligent. He has the appearance of great hero. Actually human beings in the six paths of transmigration are easy to be liberated as future Buddhas. We lay emphasis on ferrying over human beings. The purpose of propagating "Buddhism for human beings" is to make every one understand the moral principles and to guide him into cultivating Bodhisattva Way in accordance with six Paramita and myriads of practices. At this life he may try to ferry over myriads of humans, benefiting and awakening them, so that they may march toward the path of achieving Buddhahood, then the Saha world can be changed into pure land (human's pure land). Some one may think it is impossible to do that way. We know that the perfection of phenomenal affairs is based on fundamental principles. There are very few people who can be enlightened suddenly. Through the means of phenomenal affairs, we try to guide those confused into enlightenment. The publication of "Tze Yun Magazine" will help those confused to reach the other shore of enlightenment. Today we see that there is no relation between the Buddhadharma and human beings. We should try our best to exhort human beings to know the Buddhadharma and we should find out a way to guide human beings into comprehending the Buddhadharma. As Buddhist disciples, we have to perform our duty for propagating Buddhism as shown in Buddha's compassionate mind, merciful practice. We think some believers make vow before the image of Buddha, saying, "I vow to ferry over limitless living beings", if they don't try to propagate Buddhadharma, it is entirely useless for them to bring forth the mind of cultivating the Bodhisattva Way. How many human beings a believer ferries over? How can he ferry them over? We know action speaks louder than words, we should imitate many great Bodhisattvas' wisdom, mercy, and practice. The Manjuri Bodhisattva, the Samantabhardra Bodhisattva, the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva have been unremittingly practicing their Bodhisattva Way. We should devotely imitate their cultivation and practice. As Buddhist disciples, we should think what we must do and how can we do? We should try our best to enlighten those confused. Through Buddhist influence we attempt to purify every human being's mind, we hope every human being's self-nature can be revealed after they believe in Buddhism. In this book, the sentences were written in simple, easy and plain style. We try our best to explain the profound meaning of Buddhadharma with simple expressions. It is easy for readers to understand the following points: What is the Buddhist religion? What is Buddhism? How can they learn Buddhist practice? Our illustrations aim at ferrying over human beings through expedient means. My sentences based on my worldly thoughts may not be perfect, I would express my repentance on the omission or mistake made in the sentences. I hope my sentences will be beneficial to all sentient beings and I further hope that the benefit acquired from my editing and composing will be transferred to the limitless living beings of ten directions to help them achieve perfect enlightenment of Bodhi. I sincerely and devotely hope that those reading "the Bridge of Tze Yun Magazine" will ultimate (* ultimately *) arrive at the other shore of birth and death to achieve ultimate liberation. I contemplate and pray for their ultimate liberation. -- v062qjjq@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (David T Wei) From: wong@rkna50.riken.go.jp (Wong Weng Fai) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Tathagathagarbha Hi, Below is a very interesting paper in Japanese which I translated over the weekend. It is especially interesting to Buddhists and Hindus alike. Hopefully, we'll get some interesting debate on this matter. As usual, my Japanese is very POOR and I do not claim that the following represents 100% of what Prof. Matsumoto wanted to say - esp. his scholarly criticisms of his opponents. Be warned ! Also, because I am not a Buddhist scholar, there are certain names and terms which I may have rendered incorrectly. Regards, W.F. Wong. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE TATHAGATHAGARBHA THEORY IS NOT BUDDHISTIC ============================================= by Shiro Matsumoto Professor of Buddhism at Komazawa University (Translated from Chapter 1 of the book "Criticisms on the Tathagathagarbha Theory") As the title implied, I am of the opinion that the Tathagatha- garbha theory is not Buddhistic. Below are my arguments to substantiate this claim. In order to discuss this topic, it is necessary to clarify what "Tathagathagarbha Theory" and "Buddhism" mean. Of course, strictly speaking it is my personal opinion of what "Tathagathagarbha Theory" and "Buddhism" which is the subject of this discussion. First, I would like to clarify what "Buddhism" is to me. In short, Buddhism to me is basically the theory of anatta ("no-soulness") and paticca-samupatta ("dependent origination"). By "dependent origination", I do not mean (the Mahayanist) "dependent-arising in the Dharmadhatu" or "dependent-arising in the mutual interpenetration and simultaneous arising in space". By "dependent origination" I mean the "Twelve Link Dependent Origination" of the Mahavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka. I believe that it was the realization and the reversal of these 12 links that the Buddha realized at his Enlightenment. However, by adopting such a view, I am likely to encounter severe scholastic oppositions which hold that the Buddha's Enlightenment has nothing to do with the Twelve Link Dependent Origination or that Dependent Origination was a later invention or the even more extreme view that Buddha's Enlightenment is not much different from the philosophies of the Upanisads or the early Jains. Here, I am do not have the space to deal with the difficult problem of primitive Buddhism. But, daringly, I advocate the position that the Twelve Links was what the Buddha realized. I plan to do two things. First, I wish to oppose the view of objective scholasticism, i.e. scholastic studies that claim objectivity, that final judgement on this matter has to be reserved. Second, I wish to challenge the view that the Buddha's enlightenment, and therefore the whole of Buddhism, should not be understood from the point of view of anatta and emptiness but rather from the point of view of atma and form. The stand which I adopt is that the Buddha's enlightenment is the realization of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination and that the doctrine of anatta is a natural consequence of this realization. Now, I must present the view of Buddhism from the point of view of atma and form. As a representative of this position, I shall use Shinichi Tsuda. As is well known, in the Mahavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka there is a stanza which says that immediately after the Buddha realized the progress and reversal of the Twelve Links, in samadhi (the meditative state), "all dhammas revealed themselves" (patubhavanti dhamma) to him. This "all dhammas", according to Dr. Koshiro Tamaki, means the "original state of all dhammas" or "the root of all dhammas". Tsuda maintains that the basis of Dependent Origination is in the structure of the Dharma. In the same paper, he repeatedly used terms such as "ontological basis", "the existence of the basis", "the one source of the world", etc. The following is an example, "For example, the previously mentioned 'Sutra of the Elephant's Footprint' contains metaphysical implications that the birth of human is from this unified basis of the world and that his death signifies a reunification with this basis." This paper of Tsuda's neither express a complex nor a new idea. It is typical and simplistic tathagatha-garbha theory, in other words it is "dhatu vada". He does not seem to realize that all the words which he used, and which I have quoted above, can be better summarized by the word "dhatu". He only assert that the plural dhamma (dhammah) is borned of a singular dhatu. This position of his that the Buddha's enlightenment is based on the "singularly real source" is not acceptable to me. I refer the reader to the second chapter for my criticism of his paper and the discussion about Dependent Origination. Instead of discussing about "dhatu vada", I would like to move the discussion to the question of "what is the Tathagathagarbha theory ?". It is my intention to show that the Tathagathagarbha theory is but dhatu- vada. Before doing so, I wish to ask the reader to discard his conventional preconceptions about what this theory is about. For example, explaining the Dharmadhatu with "the world of Truth" is but a conventional concept. Even taking the word "dharma" to mean "truth" is a mistake. Also, I believe that there is no scripture proof that the doctrine of the "self enlightened mind"is a central doctrine of the Mahayana or that the Prajnaparamita corpus admits this doctrine. According to Dr. Akira Hirakawa, the oldest sutra in the Prajnaparamita corpus is almost certainly the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 lines (Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra) and in it the Sanskrit statement for the "self enlightened mind" (prakrtis cittasya prabhasvara) is not to be found. Also, I do not think the Tathagathagarbha theory is a theory of equality. In fact, I think it is a theory of discrimination. The reason will be made clear later. For those who accept the Tathagathagarbha theory as a theory of equality, I wish to refer you to the Mahayanasutralamkara or the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra. The Mahayanasutralamkara is famous for advocating the Yogacarin's position of the reality of the Three Vehicles. In stanza 37 of chapter 9 is the famous "all beings are of the tathagathagarbha". However, in stanza 11 of the third chapter is the mention of the "hetuhina". This is explained in the commentary as "those being complete lacking the seed of Nirvana" (atyantaparinirvanadharman). In other words, what we must take note of here is that the thesis that "all beings are of the tathagathagarbha" is clearly different from the position preached by the Lotus Sutra that "all beings will be Buddhas". Similarly, in the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, although one hears of "all beings possess buddha-nature", there is also numerous mention of the icchantika - "those beings who shall never achieve Buddhahood". In the Tibetan version of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, we have the two following verses, 1. All beings have buddha-nature (buddhadhatu). This nature (dhatu) is in the body. With the cessation of all sufferings, one becomes a Buddha. The exception being the icchantikas. 2. Although the icchantikas too has buddha-nature, it is in infinitely deep dirt. Like a pupa which is unable to break an opening in its own cocoon, for these icchantikas, the buddha- nature encased in the infinitely thick karma is unable to come through. Because of this, they shall never break the cycle of birth and death. Although Dr. Jikido Takasaki has attempted to explain this "except the icchantikas" problem away, I find his arguments unconvincing. The second verse showed even the icchantikas has buddha-nature. What they are "except"ed from is the fact of "becoming Buddhas". Also, depending on how one reads the (original of the) first verse, the icchantikas may in fact be only an example of the exceptions. In any case, it is quite clear that it is incorrect to equate "all beings have buddha-nature" with "all beings shall be Buddhas". It is also now known from Dr. Takasaki's research that in Vasubandhu's "Treatise on the Lotus Sutra" (Saddharmapundarikopadesa) the position of "all beings have buddha-nature" is discussed together with the details of each of the Three Vehicle while denying the position of "all beings shall be Buddhas". Therefore, it is not possible to accept the view that the "tathagathagarbha" or "buddha-nature" theory is but an optimistic interpretation of "the potential of Buddhahood". With the above discussion, if we include the "non-discrimation in the Dharmadhatu" position of the "Treatise on the Meditation on Reality" (Abhisamayalamkara), which we will discuss later, we have the following All Beings are of Tathagathagarbha (Mahayanasutralamkara) and All Beings have Buddha-Nature (Mahaparinirvana, Saddharmapundarikopadesa) and There is No Discrimination in the Dharmadhatu (Abhisamayalamkara) NOT EQUAL All Beings Shall Be Buddhas (Saddharmapundarika) Now, in the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the original word for "buddha-nature" is the word "buddha-dhatu". I cannot understand the relationship between the word "buddha-dhatu" and "the potential to be Buddhas" or "the nature of Buddhas". The word "dhatu" means "a place for storage". There is therefore no connection between this word and "nature" or "potential". Here, in order to clarify the meaning of the word "dhatu", I need to discuss the basic principles of the Tathagathagarbha theory and I called "dhatu-vada". "Dhatu-vada" is a term coined by myself and I would like to explain it with the following diagram. ---------- ---------- ---------- | dharma | | dharma | | dharma | = super-locus ---------- ---------- ---------- / \ / \ / \ | | | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------ | dhatu (atman) | = locus ------------------------------------------ In the figure, the lower part is the locus (which I shall abbreviate as L) and the upper part is the superlocus (abbreviated as S). The following is the basic tenet of dhatu-vada : 1. L is the basis of S. 2. Therefore, S is borned from L. 3. L is singular while there are many S. 4. L is real while S is unreal. 5. L is the atman of S. 6. S is unreal but because it is borned of L which is real, there is a degree of reality in S. Let us examine the above. Needless to say, (1) is the very basis of dhatu- vada. (2) asserts that S is "borned from" L and therefore the primacy of L is introduced. If we accept that (3) and (4) asserts that L is the sole reality, then we are forced to conclude that S is different from L. But if this is the case, it is meaningless to assert that S is borned of L. As for (5), we can reason as follows. For the relationship "without a, there is no b" (avinabhava), we can say that atman is the a. Without L, S is not possible. In fact, the major Tathagathagarbha sutras such as the Lion Roar of Queen Srimala and the Mahaparinirvana clearly asserts L as the atman. (6) is the basic principle behind the discriminatory nature of the Tathagathagarbha theory. It can also be seen as the same principle behind the 5 Natures and the caste system. Why is this so ? In the figure, there are 3 dharmas supported by L. Here we can replace them with the icchantikas or the 5 Natures of which contains the agotras (those who will never become a Buddha) in S. Doing so will not set the "all beings have Buddha-nature" and "the icchantikas shall never become Buddhas" principles in contradiction. Indeed, they are consistent. Furthermore, in S we can also place such social classes as kings, peasants and slaves etc. without causing any contradiction. However, the existence of "multiple natures" in S is an unavoidable consequence of the theory - it cannot be removed from the theory. Therefore, the so-called discrimination of existence is made absolute here. To review, the singularity of L (equality) does anything but remove the discriminatory nature of S. Indeed, it supports it and is its source. It is therefore clear that the theory is a discriminatory one. Summarizing the above dhatu-vada, we have "the singular, real dhatu gives birth to plural dharmas". Simply, it can be thought of as a theory of singular source, multiple ends or as a theory of reality of the source. Elsewhere I have argued that this dhatu-vada as represented by the Lion Roar of Queen Srimala can be seen to have its source in the chapter on the Parable of the Herb of the Lotus Sutra and developing through the Gandavyuha chapter of the Buddha-avatamsaka Sutra maturing in the Sutra of Non Increasing and Non Decreasing. The basis of dhatu-vada can also be found in the following verses from the Mahayana Abhidharma Sutra and the Abhisamayalamkara, 1. anadikaliko dhatuh sarvadharmasamasrayah tasmin sati gatih sarva nirvanadhigamo "The beginningless dhatu is the basis of all dharmas. This being the case, in it is all meanings and with it is Enlightenment attained." (Mahayana Abhidharma Sutra) 2. Dharmadhator asambhedad gotrabhedo na yujyate adheyadharmabhedat tu tadbhedah parigiyate "Because of the non-discriminating nature of the Dharmadhatu, discrimination between the different Natures is therefore illogical. However, all dharmas which must be based on it are different, we therefore speak of discrimination." (Abhisamayalamkara) In the verse from the Mahayana Abhidharma Sutra, the phrase "tasmin sati" besides indicating the locus also indicate the reason. In the verse from the Abhisamayalamkara while insisting on the non-discriminating nature of the Dharmadhatu finally had to concede to the reality of the discriminatory nature of the various dharmas. This discrimination is common to all Tathagathagarbha based theories. This "the primodal principle is singular and non-discriminating out of which the discriminating reality is borned and formalized" system of thought is also clearly visible in the Japanese Hongaku (Original Enlightenment) theory which is based on the Tathagathagarbha theory. With regard to this point, I refer to Dr. Noriaki Kotani's paper "A personal view on the background behind thought systems which gives rise to discrimination". In it, Dr. Kotani, based on Dogen's philosophical system, criticized the Hongaku and Tathagathagarbha theories. This interesting paper shows how Dogen's original philosophy evolved in later Soto Zen and how Dogen has targetted the Hongaku theory for criticism. Similarly, the same thing happened in India. The dhatu-vada which I introduced here was in fact the target of Sakyamuni Buddha's criticism. Needless to say, this was the Brahman-atman idea of the Upanisads. Dr. Takasaki has shown how closely the Tathagathagarbha theory and the philosophy of the Upanisads are related. Although till now there is no work to show that the Buddha was criticizing the dhatu-vada, it is very important to note that Paticca-Samuppada is admitted to be "the sole source for all existence". In other words, it is an anti-thesis to the Tathagathagarbha theory. Therefore, it follows that dhatu-vada is the object of Buddhism's criticism. The above is my argument that the Tathagathagarbha theory is not Buddhistic. For non-Buddhists, it probably does not matter either way. Believers of the Upanisads would probably find all this quite amusing. It is the Buddhists whom I wish to address. For any who thinks that the Tathagathagarbha theory is Buddhism, I hope you will realize quickly that it cannot be anything other than the "dhatu-vada" which the Buddha set out to criticize. I hope you will return to true Buddhism soon. This article aims to make three points : 1. The Tathagathagarbha theory is "dhatu-vada". 2. "Dhatu-vada" was what the Buddha set out to criticize. Buddhism (Paticca-samuppada) denies the "dhatu- vada". 3. Its time for Japanese Buddhism to reject the Tathagathagarbha theory and to reform Buddhism. From: v062qjjq@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (David T Wei) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Chapter 2 T H E B R I D G E O F M E R C I F U L C L O U D ======================================================= < V o l u m e O n e > Written by Upasaka Chung-hui Lo Translated by Wei-lin Yang Chapter Two ------------ THE MEANING OF BUDDHA, BUDDHISM AND BUDDHADHARMA. THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN BUDDHIST STUDIES AND THE LEARNING OF BUDDHA'S PRACTICE In this chapter we try to illustrate the meaning of Buddha, Buddhism and Buddhadharma. We also will explain the difference from (* between *) Buddhist studies and the learning of Buddha's practice. Usually a Buddhist believer can not explain the meaning of "Buddha" completely. Those who have heard about their Buddhist teacher's explanation or those who have already taken refuge with Triratna are among the exception. 1. The word "Buddha" is a Sanskrit in the meaning of enlightenment. What did a Buddha enlighten? A Buddha enlightened the real truth of human's life and the real truth in the universe. For worldly affairs, a Buddha perceived all afflictions. He did not attach to the afflictions, nor was he impeded by afflictions. Based on noumenal principles, he awakened that all changes and transformations in the universe are generated from mind consciousness. He did not dwell on the transformed appearance, leaving the distorted thoughts far behind. With enlightened wisdom, he awakened and enlightened living beings (to enlighten others). With blessings and virtue acquired from his cultivation, he benefited the living beings (to benefit others). During his prolonged practice and cultivation, he cut off the delusions of ignorance and mote of dust, and he became perfectly enlightened and achieved Buddhahood. 2. What is Buddhism? The meaning is illustrated in following: Relying on his enlightened truth, the enlightened sages taught and tansformed living beings through bodily conduct, spoken and written words, to cause them to reach the state of ultimate extinction. In a sacred and adorned religious ceremony, the donor on behalf of the sacred sages would transmit his truth to the receiver. We call that religion Buddhism. 3. What is the Buddhadharma? A Buddha using his unsurpassed wisdom, perception and enlightenment obtained the dharmas which can make living beings enlightened. Any living beings who receives such dharma will be able to march toward the path of enlightenment. In the whole system of Buddhist thoughts, the Buddhadharma plays an important role. In other words, we may say that the Buddhadharma is the methodical discourse on Buddhism. In a broad sense, the Buddhadharma is infinite. In a brief illustration, there are 84,000 dharma doors in the Buddhadharma. Any Buddhadharma can be used to relieve the living beings' suffering and to make them achieve Bodhi. 4. The knowledge acquired from the contents of Buddhist scriptures and canon can be called Buddhist study which is representative of perfect wisdom. We may say that Buddhist study is a kind of subtle and mysterious knowledge. Recently there are many scholars who have made research on Buddhist scriptures and canon and who have regarded such scriptures as a kind of academic learning. They lay emphasis on the explanation of the written sentences in the scriptures, neglecting the substance and appearance of the Buddhist sutras. 5. How can we learn Buddha's practice and cultivation? With compassionate minds, we should imitate the Buddha's personality and learn his method of practice, cultivation and certification. Our learning of his method can be classified into two parts, one deals with "practice", the other deals with "comprehension". The Buddha's practice can be learned through cultivation and certification. The comprehension means to understand thoroughly the contents of Buddhist sutras. When learning Buddha's practice, we should strictly follow Buddhist traditional system, Buddhist precepts and the Buddhadharma. In addition, we should bring forth Bodhi minds (to seek Buddha's Way above and to teach and transform the living beings below), practicing Mahayana Bodhisattva's Way, cultivating broadly the six paramitas and myriads of practices. We hope that following Sakyamuni Buddha's trace and imitating the mercy, wisdom, vow and practice of Manjusri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva we vow that we would not achieve the fruit of Buddhahood when there is a living being who is not enlightened. Doing this way, we can say that we are the real Buddhist disciples who practically learn the Buddha's practice. From: lyeh@alleg.edu (Hun Lye) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Re: Hua Hu Ching In article <1qcjovINN9qi@gap.caltech.edu> fugate@plains.NoDak.edu (Cris Fugate) writes: > > Has anybody heard of the Hua Hu Ching? I just got a copy and I think > it is very inspiring. This book is supposed to be another book by Lao Tsu. > It seems to be much closer to Buddhism than the Tao Teh Ching. Most > westerners have never heard of it because all copies were burned so it was > passed down through the ages orally. Fortunately it has recently been > written down and translated into English. Does anybody else have a copy? > If so, does anybody want to discuss it? I am currently storing it on disk There are in fact many versions of the Hua-hu Ching. Literally, the title of this book means "Classic of Transforming the Barbarians." Historically, the many versions of the Hua-hu Ching appeared as a reaction to the advent of Buddhism in China. The Tao-te Ching was supposedly given by Lao-tzu to an official guarding the western borders of China when Lao-tzu was heading out of China proper. Picking up from this myth, the Hua-hu Ching claims that after exiting China, Lao-tzu went to India to "transform (convert) the barbarians." Accordingly, the Buddha is actually Lao-tzu in disguised and Buddhim is actually teachings that Lao-tzu gave to the barbarians (hence unfit for the "superior" Chinese people). The Hua-hu Ching which Cris has *might* not contain this story as there are many versions of this classic. But as far as historians and record can tell, the original Hua-hu Ching appeared as a response to the growing and threatening influence of Buddhism in China. The Buddhists at that time responded by "translating" some sutras that supposedly claimed that "ACTUALLY... Lao-tzu is Mahakashyapa in disguised and that the Buddha had instructed him to go to China to prepare the Chinese for the coming of Buddhism by first teaching them the "lesser" teachings as contained in Taoism). And in fact, throughout the T'ang dynasty (about 600 - 900 AD), Buddhists and Taoists have argued both in and out of the imperial court for the "authenticity" of both the Hua-hu Ching and those sutras referring to Mahakasyapa as the true identity of Lao-tzu. For further info on the Hua-hu Ching and those sutras, Kenneth Chen's "Buddhism in China," and most history books dealing with Buddhism in China (like Zurcher's "Buddhist Conquest of China," and Matsumoto's "History of early Chinese Buddhism" and others) are good. Also, T. Barrett's forthcoming chapter on Taoism and Buddhism in the T'ang and Sui in the Cambridge History of China should have good stuff on these texts. Regards, Hun Lye lyeh@alleg.edu From: v062qjjq@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (David T Wei) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Tze Yun Bridge (Chapter 3) T H E B R I D G E O F M E R C I F U L C L O U D ======================================================= < V o l u m e O n e > Written by Upasaka Chung-hui Lo Translated by Wei-lin Yang Chapter Three -------------- THE BUDDHA, BODHISATTVA, ARHAT, SPIRIT, IMMORTAL AND GHOST 1. As mentioned before, the Buddha is one who enlightened the truth of human life and the truth of universe. Transcending the three realms, he cut off delusions and was cerified (* certified *) to the truth. Attaining ultimate extinction, great ease and great perfection, he perceived all, capable of transforming and teaching all beings. In transcendental life and worldly life he is incomparable. Enlightened with tranqual (* tranquil *) extinction, he has clear and purified substance and nature which is unmoving. 2. The word Bodhisattva is a Sanskrit in the meaning of enlightening and ferrying over all sentient beings. Any sentient being who brings forth the Bodhi mind cultivates the six paramitas and myriads of practices broadly. He makes himself enlightened and enlightens others, benefiting himself and others. Through three great asankyeya kalpas (aeons) and fifty one grades, he eliminates the attachment of ego and dharma, getting rid of the delusions of vision and thought, cutting off the basic affliction of ignorance which is as fine as mote of dust. Finally he attains perfect enlightenment and achieves the fruit of being a Bodhisattva. A cultivator cultivating Bodhisattva Way should pass through the above mentioned courses to achieve his fruit. We regard those bringing forth the minds to cultivate Bodhisattva Way as potential Bodhisattvas. If a cultivator does not bring forth a Bodhi mind, or his Bodhi mind is not firm and persistent, he may achieve small fruit as an arhat, although he cultivates wisdom diligently. Therefore, a cultivator should cultivate the blessings and wisdom at the same time. It is the basic rule for the cultivator to cultivate Bodhisattva Way. 3. The word Arhat (or arhan) denotes the Hinayana cultivator achieving the highest state of his cultivation. There are three names for the word of "Arhat". (1) He is called the killer of thief. It denotes that he eliminates all afflictions. (2) He is called worthy of receiving offerings. Since he is certified to the holy fruit. He is deserved to be offered by divine beings and human beings. (3) He is also called a sage without birth. He enters nirvana eternally without having the retribution of birth and death. Although this sage has cut off the delusions of vision and thought in three realms, he attaches on the principles of emptiness, he will never be a Bodhisattva. So we usually call an Arhat the sage who only liberates himself. 4. The Taoists say that a man is born from the male element interacted with female element. Those having pure male element are called spirits or gods in Buddhism. Those in the eight sections of heavenly dragons are called spirits or gods. In a word, those who are upright without partiality in lifetime will become gods or spirits after they die. When an uprightous (* upright *) person lives in the world, he cultivates ten kinds of virtuous conduct, after his death, he will become a god or spirit. God can be divided into two kinds, one is kind, the other is malicious. General Kuan Yu, Yao Fi, Minister Fen Tien-chiang were all loyal to their country and they were uprightous (* upright *). After their death, they became gods who are respected by the people of next generation. Malicious gods have some sort of spiritual powers but they are still regarded as ghosts. The Taoists say that the Heavenly Emperor of Jade (Buddhist call him Sakradevanam Indra who lives at Traysastrimsa Heaven in the realm of sensuous desire) is responsible for conferring the titles to the gods, such as Thunder God, Lightening God, Water God, Fire God, God of Plants, God of blessings and disasters, City God, Land God. Gods do not transcend three realms, they can not be regarded as Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. But their blessings and virtue acquired in past life surpass that of human beings. Usually worshippers do not understand the difference between a Buddha and a god. They worship the images of Buddha and God together. It is a great mistake. 5. Taoists cultivate their own way, hoping to become immortals. Externally they cultivate three thousand practices. Internally they use herb medicine, pills, circulation of the breath and the activating the function of veins and arteries. With resort to the above mentioned practices, they think that can be immortals. They regard man as a small world. Phenomenal existence comes from small world. From phenomenal existence the birth and death come and transmigration comes from birth and death. Taoists attach themselves to the form of bodies, they can never be ultimately liberated. Taoists say that immortals live in different heavens according to their achievements in cultivation. It is sure that immortals do not transcend three realms. (In China Taoists cultivate their own practices, hoping to become immortals. In India, the believers of Brahman Religion cultivate their practices, hoping to become immortals) 6. The word "preta" is a Sanskrit in the meaning of ghost. The ghost is listed among the three evil paths of six paths of transmigration. Those who are greedy, stingy and hateful in their life will fall into this path after their death. It is said that the ghost always feels hungry and thirsty. According to Chinese ancient thoughts, the ghosts live in Hudes. It is said that there are different kinds of ghosts. They have queer appearance and manners. Yaksa and Raksa are the most malicious. In some shrines and temples, images make in the shape of fox, snake, tiger or wolf are worshipped. It is advisable for Buddhist believers to leave them far behind. In short, we can say that a Buddha is a holy sage who attained ultimate liberation. A Bodhisattva is also a sage who is going to attain ultimate liberation. An arhat is a sage who attained the highest fruit of cultivation of Hinayana. The gods and immortals are between the divine beings and human beings. They acquired more blessings than worldly people. While ghosts are those falling into evil path and receiving miserable retribution. We advise that Buddhist believers should think whether it is reasonable to worship the images of holy sages with those of the worldly beings together. From: da374@cleveland.freenet.edu (John D. Kirszenberg) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Transcental Meditation - Seven States Of Consciousness Transcendental Meditation has been taught to the world for 36 years by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It is currently being practiced by over 2 million people in almost every country in the world. Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a simple, natural, effortless technique that allows the mind to experience finer states of the thinking process until that process is transcended and the mind experiences awareness, or consciousness, of itself. It's a simple procedure practiced for twenty minutes morning and evening. People from all walks of life practice TM. Professional people, non professional, young and old can all benefit. It's a natural process that does not involve concentration or contemplation. The process utilizes the natural tendency of the mind to proceed towards fields of greater happiness and charm, all on it's own. When TM is practiced, the body has a very real and specific physiological experience. Breath rate is reduced by about 18 percent (deeper rest than that of normal sleep) while the mind remains more alert and active (than during normal waking state). In our lives, prior to learning TM, we have all experience 3 states of consciousness. Those are: 1) Waking 2) Dreaming 3) Sleeping Each state of consciousness has a corresponding state of physiology. During waking, the mind nad body are both active. During sleep the mind is unconscious while the body is gaining rest. During dreaming the mind is active while the body is at rest. The body and mind function differently in each state of consciousness. During the practice of TM the individual experiences a 4the state of consciousness, a state of restful alertness, or sometimes called transcendental consciousness. It is an experience different from waking, dreaming, or sleeping and supports a unique state of physiological functioning. The mind experiences finer and finer values of a thought until thought is transcended and awareness is left with itself. Transcendental consciousness is an experience of pure bliss. Individuals feel tireless. The individual ego has identified with the universal self (the small self becoming the big SELF). The world of creation is experienced as being the play and display of consciousness itself. When this 4the state of consciousness, transcendental consciousness, is experienced in dynamic activity as well as in meditation (when it has become fully integrated and experienced along with waking, dreaming and sleeping) a 5the state of consciousness is born. This new 5the state of consciousness is called Cosmic Consciousness (Enlightenment in other disciplines). It is a real state of freedom in life. All desires are spontaneously fulfilled. All desires are "life supporting" (beneficial to the individual and the environment). Stree blocks the normal functioning of the human nervous system from experiencing cosmic consciousness. At present we only use about 10-15 percent of our full mental and physical potential. The human nervous system is the crown and glory of creation. It is our birth right to experience 200 % of life; 100 % of the relative value of life and 100 % of the absolute value of life. So long as the absolute value of life remains hidden is as without proper foundation. It's easy to accomplish. No long years of hard or difficult tasks. Enlightenment is for everyone and can be achieved. After the 5the state of consciousness, Cosmic Consciousness, has stabilized, growth of the heart (feelings) develops a 6the state called Glorified Cosmic Consciousness or God Consciousness (GC). Since the absolute unbounded value of life has been experienced within, it now begins to be experienced without. Human senses become refined. The absolute value of life can be experienced on the sensory level. My time is up. I will continue this discourse at a later date. Best wishes to all -- John D. Kirszenberg DA374 From: Greg Sanders Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Re: Basics of Buddism Well, since Thyagi commented as such length on my post in which I tried to summarize the basics, I suppose some response is in order. First of all, I do stand corrected about the wording of the third Noble Truth. It is in fact that there is a way to the _extinction_ or cessation of suffering. When I wrote "to be _free_ of" the suffering, that was an inaccurate statement of the original. If we regard suffering as being like a fire, the third Noble Truth is not that we can get free of the fire, but rather that there is a way leading to the fire going out. One should note that when a self is referred to in my statement of the second Noble Truth, it is the ego which is being referred to. That is inherently what the second Noble Truth is about. Similar comments could be made about several points in what I wrote. Finally, I realized within minutes of posting the article I wrote that I had omitted emptiness (or no-self) and impermanence. So, not nearly so briefly... The fact of emptiness (Skt. sunyata) is that nothing has any enduring permanent qualities. All things are mutually interdependent and flowing. Emptiness is the dynamic substratum of all existence. When Buddhists say that there is no self, what is meant is that all things (including you) are just momentary manifestations in a continually flowing universe. Quoting Yasutani Roshi (a rather noted Zen Buddhist teacher), it "is not mere emptiness; it is that which is living, dynamic, devoid of mass, unfixed, beyond individuality or personality--the matrix of all phenomena....outside the realm of imagination....Since everything imaginable partakes of form or color, whatever one imagines...must of necessity be unreal." Naturally, there is a certain provisional reality in space and time of what you see, feel, etc. But the underlying real nature of everything, from an absolute point of view, is emptiness. To see clearly into this empty mutually-interdependent nature of everything is awakening. Related to emptiness, we are not the body and not the mind. The Buddha said, "In truth, I tell you that within this six foot high body, with its thoughts and perceptions, lies the world and the rising of the world and the ceasing of the world and the Way that leads to the extinction of rising and ceasing." What the Buddha said, thus, is that we are no other than time, mountains, rivers, and the great wide earth, the sun, the moon and the stars. As an aside, the fact that nothing is separate from us is really fairly central to a Buddhist frame of reference, even if not directly a central teaching. I can't resist adding something I recently heard from a book called "No Boundaries" by Ken Wilbur. We remember the past, perhaps with regret. We imagine the future, perhaps feeling anxious about it. But we really are the present moment. In fact, memory is a PRESENT experience, as also are our thoughts about the future. Thus, the mystic really doesn't ignore the past and future, but rather recognizes that they are unreal when regarded as somehow separate from us. There are no boundaries between past present and future. We are not separated. One way of looking at time is that it works in such a way that past present and future do not interfere or collide with each other. There is only the present (which includes past and future), and there is only you, nothing outside. Impermanence is what the word suggests and is closely related to emptiness. Most people have no problem seeing that what they are at this moment is different than what they were shortly before and different than what they will be shortly after. Even a rock, or the earth, is continually changing. For instance, when you look at a rock lying embedded in the ground, even at that very moment it is being chemically broken down in the dirt, and the dirt is being altered in chemical interaction with the rock. The Grand Canyon is growing as the Colorado River interacts with it. We are like the life of a candle, being born and dying at every instant. All phenomena arise when causes and conditions produce them, and all pass away as changing causes and conditions no longer produce them. -- Greg sanders@iitmax.iit.edu From: "Laurinda M. Chi" (GC-CDSI) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Chp4 of "Tze Yun Bridge" ======================================================= < V o l u m e O n e > Written by Upasaka Chung-hui Lo Translated by Wei-lin Yang Chapter Four ------------ WHY HUMAN BEINGS BELIEVE IN RELIGION? (1) When talking about religious faith, we have to trace back the time when our ancestors lived. Beginning from the time of having our written history, the primitive civilization of human beings began already. At the time of prehistory, probably there was religious faith, but it was not shown in the form of a religion. In primitive society, human beings worked industriously on plowing lands and hunting, leading a simple life. Spiritually, they honored and revered the heaven and earth and varieties of phenomena happened in the earth. They thought there was a Lord who governed the worldly affairs. They worshipped natural elements such as heaven, water, fire, sea, mountain and land. Their worship of natural elements was helpful to relieve their fear, gradually a primitive religious thought arose, thereupon, a primitive religion was created on the basis of religious thought. Through many years of derivation and development, the various kinds of religion were founded in the world. If there is a seeker for religious faith, his purpose of believing in religion is to relieve his spiritual burden, we think that he walks in the narrow path. He should try to transcend his self-nature and to attain the great liberation of his body and mind. A man without any religious thought is easy to get defiled by anger, greediness and stupidity created from beginningless kalpas (aeons). He is easy (* apt *) to fall into the pit of sin and evil. Human beings naturally seek for religious faith, hoping to obtain liberation. During this course, the religious faith will bring forth an idea of transcending world. On the basis of objective point of view, the believer perceives human's life, and cause and effect. (2) There are three kinds of persons who can hardly believe in any religion. One kind of person believes in destiny or fate. He doesn't believe in any religion. The thought of destiny is not directly related to religious faith, but it contains potential consciousness of religious thought. If they don't give up the thought of destiny, they can never find the real faith, they believe in determinism. They are apt to mistake trifle trouble for real complicated problems and they have mental obstructions. Completely believing in destiny, they become mentally depressed persons whose mind and body are bound by their belief. There is other kind of person who says "As long as I have kind mind, I don't believe in any religion." The persons classified into this kind occupy a large portion of our population. What is the basic level to fathom a man's mind? In Buddhism, we emphasize on doing benevolent and kind conduct and on refraining from killing. If there is a man who says, "To kill a domestic animal is to eat its flesh. It is different from killing people." Hearing this, we may think that his statement seems to logical and reasonable. On our second thought we may note that killing is contrary to the benevolent conduct. Since the word "killing" means fierce action of rudeness. Probably at the time of losing one's mind, one may kill other person. It is just like killing an animal. At that time, how can he say he is kind? Although some one says that he is kind, nobody knows if his words are in conformity with his action. He may indulge in drinking wine, dancing, gambling or becoming addicted to narcotic drugs. In his mind, there are greediness, anger and stupidity. Are these really good? They think their minds are good. They don't like to have any religious faith. They have their own theory. We may regard those persons as "virtuous fools." If these persons believe in Buddhism, they keep five precepts and cultivate ten virtuous conducts, trying to plant their own blessings. In future lives, they may be reborn in the path of being of divine beings or human beings. When their blessings are consumed, they fall into six paths of transmigration again. They can never be Bodhisattvas or Buddhas in future lives. There is (* a *) third kind of persons who never believe in the retribution of cause and effect. They think that human's death is like putting off a light. When they live in the world, they indulge in sensuous pleasure, seeking for material enjoyment. The persons classified into this category occupy the largest portion of our population. It seems that they know how to enjoy life. They live in a small sphere and they are selfish and pleasure-seekers. When living in a circumstance which is without spiritual comfort, they try to grasp more material enjoyment. They try to numb themselves, killing themselves slowly. After their death, they are sure to fall into one of three evil paths, they can never get out of it. When dealing with three categories of people mentioned above, we Buddhist believers are obligatory to guide them into right religious faith. Doing this way is to propagate Mahayana principle and to cultivate Bodhisattva's practice. (3) A comparative viewpoint on religion: The writer always talks with those who do not have any religious faith. We are human beings, we have our wisdom to think about our life and many phenomenal problems in the universe. With resort to religious faith, we are able to find the truth in our life. We do not hope a person to believe in a religion blindly. When a person who does not thoroughly comprehend a certain religion has to so a research work on the teachings and principles of various religions. Through his understanding and comparison, he may make his decision to select his religious faith which is the right faith and wise choice. In present world, there are Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Mohammedanism. If some one says that he has chosen Buddhism as his religious faith after making a research on the principles and teachings of different religions, the writer will say that he has made the right choice. If some one says, "I think all the principles and teachings of Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity and Mohammedanism are good, I want to believe in all those religions." His answer is definitely wrong. On the basis of objective viewpoints, we can make our right choice among different religions. We should not advise other persons to believe in Buddhism simply because we are Buddhists. We should know that a man's religious faith is closely related to one's rooted nature, cause and external conditions and his wisdom. If there is a person who only studies in a primary school (elementary school), you teach him with a textbook for high school students, can he understand your teaching? If you discuss a doctoral thesis with a student studying in high school, is it possible for him to understand your explanation? (4) The benefit acquired from believing in Buddhism: When I studied in a school founded by Christian Mission on the mainland of China, I did not consider Christianity to be my ideal religion, I found there were many contradictory statements in the Bible. Among different kinds of religion, I finally chose Buddhism as my religious faith. My decision was based on objective analysis of the teachings and principles of different religion (* religions *), I thought Buddhist teachings to be the most perfect and ultimate. Following is my analysis: (a) On the basis of philosophical point of view, Buddhism encompasses discourse on recognition, discourse on original substance, discourse on phenomenon, discourse on arisal, discourse on sole consciousness, discourse on middle way and discourse on liberation. The thoughts contained in Buddhism far surpass that of philosophical thoughts. (b) In Buddhism, there are many statutes and laws, such as circle of cause of effect, the retribution brought forth by past deeds. The Buddhism also lays emphasis on experimental proof. When the right answer is found from proof, then we may exclaim, "So it is!" In Buddhism, we do not adopt scientists' way to test or invent any material substance, but we urge the believer to search for selfnature in the inner heart. Buddhist teachings and principles are derived and analyzed thoroughly. With scientific method, it explores the truth of human life and the various phenomena in the universe. In recent years, scientists have made many discoveries that prove the Buddha's insight and vision given in his teaching to be perfect. In many cases of scientific research, science has proved the precision of the Buddha's perception. (c) On the basis of psychology, we know the Buddha perceived that the myriads of phenomena shown in the universe are generated from human's sole mind (mind of delusion), they are transformed phenomena, they are not real. On the basis of Vijnanamatra (sole mind) adopted by Dharmalaksana School, we may perceive the mental status of living beings. We can say that the contents of all Buddhist sutras are to discuss mental problems and the source of these problems. How can we solve these mental problems? In Buddhist sutras, there are proper directions to purify our unhealthy minds. In insane asylum we usually see the insane who murmur (* to *) themselves, laughing or crying, sitting in uneasiness. They live in worry and fear. In a Buddha's eye or Bodhisattva's eye, we are all regarded as mentally abnormal beings. Are we endlessly greedy? Do we constantly lose temper without apparent cause? Do we do many foolish things? We hate others and are jealous of other's achievements. Sometimes, we think to take our revenge against others, or we think to do something harmful to others. We may think that when we have delusive thoughts in our minds, we can not be called mentally healthy persons, and our minds can never be at ease. Aiming at healing our mental disease, the Buddha bestowed his Buddhadharma through his teachings as proper treatment. In Vijnaptimatrasiddhi- Sastra and Sastra On Understanding the Door of Hundred Dharmas, there are statements which clearly illustrate living beings' consciousness and their mental phenomena. So we can say that the Buddhadharma surpasses the thoughts of psychology. In addition, the thoughts of sole consciousness clearly explain many problems that can't be explained by the principles of psychology. In Buddhist scriptures, there is unsurpassed wisdom which leads us to know the truth of human's life. In other kinds of religion, there is only a little part of statement which illustrates the truth of human's life. In Buddhist scriptures it is written that every human beings can achieve Buddhahood through cultivation and practice. This is the equitable principle existing in the substance and nature in the dharma realm. While merciful and pitiful principles illustrate the theory of great pity (* compassion *) without affinity and great pity of common substance. The principle of cause and external condition illustrates the theory that any dharma does not arise alone and myriads of dharmas are produced or extinguished according to cause and external condition. We may say that Buddhist principle is the most perfect one when compared with the principle of other religion. Buddhist practice and cultivation lay emphasis on eliminating delusions. Through the method of eliminating delusions, supreme wisdom can be produced. This wisdom will lead us to know thoroughly the truth human life without the limit of time, space and boundary. We may ask why don't we believe in Buddhism which has profound principle and doctrine. -- "Laurinda M. Chi" (GC-CDSI)