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PROF. CHOU HSIANG.KUANG, PH. D.

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itTHE SUTRA OF BUDDHA'S

BEQUEATHED TEACHING

Translated by

The Tribitaha Dharma-Teacher, Kumaraiiaa,in the reign of the Emperor Yao of the latter

Ch'in Dynasty.

(1) TNTRODUCTION TO THE SUTRA

Sakyamuni Buddha, when he first set inmotion the wheel of Dharma, saved Ajnata-Kaundinya, and in his last sermon he saved

Subhadra. Those who were to be saved he hassaved, and now he lay among the twin Sal-treesunder which Buddha was aboutto enter Nirva-na. The time was the middle of the night, calmand noiseless. For the sake of all the discipleshe briefly spoke of the most important Dharmadoctrines.

Notes: Kumarajiva came to China in the 3rdyear of Hung-shih's reign of the Latter Ch'indynasty (401 A.D.) and died at Chang-an in the15th year of Hung-shih's reign of the samedynasty (413 A.D.). He was commanded by theTartar Chief to translate sacred Buddhist textsobtained from India. He was one of the greatest

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THE SUTRA OF BEOUEATHED TEACHING 2

of the Indian Buddhist missionaries to come toChina. His father seems to have been an Indianand his mother a princess of Kiue-tse State ofChina. His philosophy was based on the ThreeSastras (Pranyamulasastratika, Dvadasanikayaand Sata Sastra) and he also paid respect toNagarjuna's teachings. He denied the noumenalworlC, the reality of all phenomenal existence, anddefined noumenal world in negative terms. Its aimdoes not seem to have been nihilistic; it wasrather to establish the ultimate reality which isbeyond human conception and expression andwhich in our terminology may be termed spiritualreality.

Sakyamuni Buddha was called the Buddhabecause he was the Enlightened one ("i3uddha"),the new leader of the greatest office in thespiritual hierarchy of mankind. The date of hisbirth is still controversial, but according to theRecords of Buddhism and Taoism of the Bookof the Wei Dynasty he was born one night inthe month of April in the ninth year of ChuangWang's reign of the Chou dynasty (704 B.C.); onthat very night, stars had disappeared but thesky was still looking bright. At the age of 30, herealized full enlightenment, and so he becameBuddha. From that time until his death orParinirvana, at the age of 80, he preached histeaching that was appropriate.

Sakya is the family name of Buddha, said tobe derived from Saka, meaning 'venerable' but

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3 THE SUTRA OF BEQUEATHED TEACHING 3

interpreted in Chinese it is explained as powerful,also charitable; while Muni is interpreted as onewho dwells in seclusion. The rvord"Buddha"-bythe u'ay-is a title and means the "Knon'er" orthe fully "Enlightened One."

There are ten titles of a Buddha: Tathagata(he who comes as do all other Buddhas) i Arhat(u'orthy of worship)i Samyak-Sambuddha (theuniversal knowledge of a Buddha) ; Vidyacharana-Sampana (Knowledge-conduct-perfect)i Sugata(well departed); Lokavid (knower of the world;Anuttara (the peerless nobleman) I Sasta Deva-Ivlanusyanam (teacher of devas and men); Buddha;and Buddha-Lokanatha ( the World-honouredOne).

Buddha called the whole system of his teachingsas Dharma, the Law of the Universe. On his death-bed Buddha said: "The teachings I have given youwill be your teacher when I am gone." Preachinghis Dharme is called setting in motion thewheel of Dharma. The Assistance in carrying outChih Kuan or Cessation and contemplationstates that the word "wheel" implies twomeanings: (1) it is able to crush all evil andopposition and (2) it is able to turn or rollalong the Dharma-wheel, i.e., to preach Buddha'steachings.

What we call the Eight Aspects of theBuddha's life the Sraddhotpada Sutra gives us:(1) descend into and abode in the Tusita heaven;(2) entry into his mother's womb; (3) abode

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there, while visibly preaching to the devas; (4)birth from mother's side in Lumbini, (5) leavinghome at 25 as a hermit; (6) after six years

suffering attaining enlightenment; (7) rolling theDharma-Wheel; and (8) at 80 entering Nirvana.

The word, "saye" means to cross over the Samsara orOcean of N'Iortality by a ferry-boat, i.e., the Buddha Dharma-

Ajnata-Kaundinya, one of the first five disciplesof Buddha, was said to be the first to realize theBuddha'truth. Subhadra, the last convert of theBuddha, was a Brahmin 120 years old; later onhe heard the Eightfold Noble Path, and becameArhat.

Nirvana, means blown out, or extinguished.With Buddhists and Jains absolute extinction ofindividual existence is the goal. The NirvanaSutra claims for Nirvana the ancient ideas ofpermanence, bliss, personality and purity in thetranscendental realm. The Dirghagama states thatwhen the Lord Buddha was about to enter Nirvana,all trees blossomed and looked fully white, justas white cranes gathered there.

The second part of the Nirvana Sutra statesthat the Buddha entered the fourth Dhyana heavenof form in the middle of the night, calm andnoiseless.

The Genealogical Table of Sakyamuni states:"fijnata-Kaundinya, O brother, ye ought to see thefive Skandhas: the suffering of birth, the suffering ofdecay, the suffering of illness, the suffering of death,the suffering of separation from objects we love,the suffering of not obtaining what we desire, the

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suffering of being in the company of our enemies,and the suffering of losing happiness and glories.Ye Ajnata-Kaundinya, all the living sentientbeings, whether they have forms or not, whetherthey have one leg, two legs, three legs, four legs oreven many legs, they are bound to have thesesufferings with them. All the sufferings are basedon egaentity. If any living sentient being whohas the least idea of ego-entity, has further toface such sufferings. The desire, hate and stupidityare being produced from the root of ego-entityand they are the causes of all sufferings. It isjust like when you sow a seed in the field and itwill sprout later on. The living sentient beings,therefore, are under the fate of transmigration inthe three states of mortal existence, i.e., therealms of desire, of form and beyond form. Ifyou can extinguish the idea of ego-entity and thedesire, hate and stupidity, then all the sufferingswould break off. Due to realization of the Eight-foldNoble Path, the sufferings were cut off, just likea man who brought water to pour on fire. YeAjnata-Kaundinya, you ought to know the rootof sufferings, must cut off the causes of allsufferings, should realize the way out of sufferings,and cultivate Dharma in order to attainNirvana. Ye Ajnata-Kaundinya, I (Buddha) havecome to know the root of sufferingls, havebroken off the causes of sufferings, realized theway out of sufferings, and cultivated the Dharmain order to attain Nirvana. I, therefore, attained

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the Anuttara Samyat Sambodhi-Consummation ofIncomparable Enlightenment. O Brother! Nowye ought to know the root of sufferings, thecauses of sufferings, the way out of sufferings,and cultivation of Dharma. If the man who doesnot know these Four Noble Truths, we then willcome to understand that the man will neverattain salvation. The Four Noble Truths are thetrue facts, the suffering is true suffering, itscause is true cause, its ending is true ending, theway thereto is true way. Ye Ajnata-Kaundinya,do you understand it?"

Ajnata - Kaundinya said: " World- honouredOne, I understand it, I know it now." As herealized these Four Noble Truths, he is calledAjnata-Kaundinya.

(2) TO KEEP TIIE COMMANDMENTS

Ye Bhikshus! After my annihilation youmust revere, value and respect, the Pratimoksa.They are like finding a light in the darkness,like a poor man securing the precious treasure.You ought to know, therefore, they are indeedyour Guru, there shall be no difierence in thesethan when I myself lived in this world. Thosewho would keep pure commandments should notbuy, sell, or trade. They should not covet fieldsand buildings, nor accumulate servante or femaleslaves or animals. From all planting and all sortsof wealth ought they to keep away like one

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would move afar off a fiery-pit. You should notcut trees and grasses, plow the soil, hoe thelands, mix medicines, to prophesy good or evilfrom a man's physiognoml , to look up theposition of constellations, cast horoscopes by thewaxing and the waning of the moon, not reckondays of good fortune, as all these things areimproper for the Bhikshus to do. Restrain thebody, eat at proper time and conduct your lifein purity and chastity. You ought not to concernyourselves with the worldly afrairs and be awayfrom unexpected blame and praise. You shouldnot concern 1'ourselves in reciting incantations,nor use the elixir of life, nor bind yourselves toprominent persons in friendship. nor becomefamiliar and have indecent behaviour with themso that you may be able to boast of iL Youought to, with fixed mind, in right contempla-tion, seek for salvation. You should not concealyour faults :rnd defects, nor give rise to heresy,nor lead people astray. Of the four offeringsfor a monk, you know the limits, you understandwhat is enough. When you have received a smallprovision, you must not store it up. Here,therefore, I shall speak briefly about thephenomena of heeping the commandments. Thecommandrnents are the basis of the decisionof liberation. Therefore they are called thePratimoksa. If you rely on the cause of thecommandments, you will attain many stages ofCh'an and Ting and shall have wisdom of

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the extinction from sufrering. For this reason,Bhikshus, you should always keep the com-mandments pure and must not break and destroythem. The man who can keep these command-ments pure, indeed will be of good conduct in theworld. If there are no pure commandments, nomeritorious virtues can arise at all. You oughtto know for this reason that the meritoriousvirtues of the place of perfect solid is acquiredthroughout the commandments.

Notes: Bhikshu, is a religious mendicant, onewho has left home, and has been fully ordainedby 250 commandments. According to the Note ofVimalakirti Sutra, the word "Bhikshu" containsfour meanings; (1) one who merely depends onalms for a livingi Q) one who destroys thepassions and delusions; (3) one who could fullykeep the commandments; and (4) one who shallbe able to overawe lMara and his minions.

Pratimoksa is deliverance, emancipation; prati(towards), implies the getting rid of evils one byone. There are different Pratimoksas for theseven classes of Buddha's disciples: (1) Bhikshu-monk; (2) Bhikshuni-nun; (3) Siksamana, a

novice who observes the six commandments; (4)Sramanera, and (5) Sramanerika - male andfemale observers of the minor comrhandments;(6) Upasaka-male observers of the five com-mandments; and (7) Upasika-female ditto.

Gurudev or great teacher is one who is ableto teach the Sravaka (a hearer who understands

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the four doctrines rids himself of the unreality ofthe phenomena and enters Nirvana) what thinghe should do and what he should not do.

Keeping the commandments is one of the six

Paramitas, i.e., the six infinite means of crossingthe sea of mortality. The six Paramitas are: (1)Dana, charity, including the bestowing of thetruth on others; (2) Sila, keeping the conl-

mandments; (3) Ksanta, patience under insult;(4) zeal and progress; (5) Dhyana, meditation;and (6) Prajna, wisdom, the power to discernreality. The Introduction of the Saddharrna'pundarika Sutra states that one who makes

unadulterated progress by keeping the command-

ments is just like one who protects the brightpearls with full vigour.The fiery-pit is one of the Five Desires which iscaused by the objects of the five senses-thingsseen, heard, smelt, tasted, or touched.

One who controls the three poisons. namely,greed, anger and stupidity, and does not do anyevils, has fixed the mind, in right contemplation,to seek for salvation.

The four offerings for a monk are: clothing'victuals, beddins and medicine. Ch'an is dhyana,probably a transliterationl Ting is an interpretationof Samadhi. The Saddharma-Pundarika Sutrastates that one who enters deeper Ch'an and

Ting, will have vision of Buddhas in the tendirections of space.

What is said of "many stages of Ch'an and

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Ting" indicates the four Dhyanas on the form-realms and the eight concentrations, i.e., four onthe form-realms and four on the formless-realms.

The Nirvana Sutra states that there areeight aspects of sufferings; the suffering of birth,the suffering of old age, the suffering of illness,the suffering of death, the suffering of separationfrom beloved ones, the suffering of yearning, thesufferings of being in the company of our enemies,and the suffering from the five "khandhas" orsenses.

The five commandments ( against killing,stealing, adultery, lying and intoxicating liquors)and the ten good virtues (defined as the non-committal of the ten evils namely, killing, stealing,adultery, lying, double-tongue, coarse language,filthy language, covetousness, anger and pervertedviews) are the good conducts in the mundaneworld; while the three vehicles of learning-discipline, meditation and wisdom-are the goodconducts in the supra-mundane world.

(3) TO CONTROL TrIE M tNr)

Ye Bhikshus! If already you are able to keepthe commandments, you must control the fiveroots, i.e., the five organs of senses. Their fivedesires ought not to enter through your self-indul-gence. It is just like a cowherd, taking a stickand watching the cows, does not allowing themto run to another man's field which is ripe for

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II THE SUTRA OF BEQUEATHED TEACHING 11

the harvest. So, if you indulge the five organsof senses, not only will their desires not be

stopped within the limited boundary, but, likefailing to control a bad horse by holding thereins. soon it will make a man fall into a pit.Likewise, you will be subject to suffering throughmany Yugas if you were oppressed by it. Theevils of that brigand (the five organs of senses)extends through many lives and creates verygreat harm for which you have to be earefulyoursell. The rvise men, therefore, control themand are not attached to them. These desiresshould be kept like thieves in prison, whoare not allowed to run wild. Even those whoentertain them, which may be extinguishedbefore long. As for these five organs of sense, themind acts as their master. So you must alwayscontrol your mind well. Being rnuch more thana poisonous snake, flerce beasts and fetteredthieves, the mind ought to tre feared dissatisfac-tion. It is indescrible that how terrible it is likea big fire beyond control. It is like, for instance,a man who, carrying a vessel of honey, goesjumping and dancing along his path looking onlyat the vessel of honey, and fails to notice adeep pit. Or, again, it is like a mad elephantwithout a goad, or like a monkey who, gettingup a tree, is prancing and jumping, and cannot,except with difriculty, be stopped and controlled.You must haste;r to deflect these desires andshould not allow them to run wild. If you are

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indulgent to this very mind, you would lose

the good of being a man. If you limit thesedesires in.one place, there is nought you cannotaccomplish. For this reason, Ye Bhikshus you

ought to acquire progress skilfully and diligently,and subdue your minds.

Notes: The five organs of the senses are:eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body, they being theroots of knowing.

Cow is used as an illustration of the FiveRoots and cowherd as Bhikshu while taking stickillustrates the keeping of commandments andharvest for all the goodness of meritoriousv irtuessuch as contemplation, wisdom, etc.

The word 'pit' here is used as an illustrationof the three evil directions of reincarnation: (1)Naraka-gati, or that of the hells; (2) Preta-gati,of hungry ghosts; and (3) Tirygyoni-gati, ofanimals.

Yuga, an dg€, 1000th part of a Kalpa.According to Lun Yu, a period of thirty years.

(4) ON TEMPERANCE IN EATING

Ye Bhikshus! In receiving all food and drinkyou ought to accept them as though you aretaking medicine. You should not increase anddecrease the things which you like or dislike;food should support just your bodies and avoidstarvation and thirst. As the bee in seekingflowers, takes only the taste of them, but does

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g.tu !

t3 13 THE SUTRA OF BEQUEATHED TEACHING 13

not harm their fragrance and color, so alsoBhikshus, do ye accept just enough of people's

ofrerings to avoid self-distress. Don't have manydemands and thereby break their good hearts.A man of wisdom, for example, having judgedthe amount of the capacity of his ox's strength,does not wear out its strength by overloading.

(5) AI)MONISHTNG 0N SLI'I'PING

Ye Bhikshus : With diligence of mindcultivate and practice the Good Dharma by day.Don't waste your time. In the earll evening noreven late at night, do not cease your cultivation.Even in the mid-night you must examine yourself,waning and waxing on the task better by recitingthe Sutras. You will gain nothing by passingyour whole life in vain by sleeping. You oughtto think of the fire of the inconstant burningupon the world, and you must save yourself atearliest time, and must not sleep. The brigandof all Klesa (pain, affiiction and distress) isalways stalking and killing people much morethan one would try to kill the enemy. How canyou sleep without arousing and cautioningyourself? The Klesa is a poisonous snake sleepingin your mind. It is like a black cobra sleepingin your room. It can be quickly got rid of withthe spear of keeping the commandments. Onlywhen that dormant snake has fled can you sleeppeacefully. If you sleep without the snake

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being gone, you are a shameless person. Theconsciousness of ashamedness, among all gloriousadornments, is the best. The consciousness ofashamedness is like an iron goad which cancontrol man's unrighteousness. Ye Bhikshus, youmust always be conscientious on ashamednessand do not ignore it for a moment. If you leaveofr the consciousncss of ashamedness, you willlose all meritious virtues. One who has consci-ousness of ashamedness, will have good conduct.One who has no consciousness of ashmedness,will not be difrerent from birds and beasts.

Notes: The three division of the day ismorning, noon and evening and of the night isearly night, midnight and late night.

There are two ways of gaining nothing, the oneis good and the other bad. Here is the bad wayof gaining nothing. A man who passes his wholelife in vain through sleeping. The good way tmgains nothing as the Maha Parinirvana Sutrastates 'one who has nothing to obtain is called aman of wisdom' (the immaterial universal realitybehind all phenomena).

Inconstant or impermanent, is the first ofTrividya. The Impermanent Sutra states thatthere is no single thing which is not swallowedby the impermanent.

The Gatha of Early-Night says: "Ye au-dience, hear the Gatha of early-night! The Klesais deep without bottom, the ocean of mortalitytras no border, there is no boat to take us to

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cross over the distress. Then how can you behappy with a sleepz Go ahead with diligence andbraveness, with determination of your mind inmeditation!

Ashamedness is one of the eleven good mentalconditions.

(6) ADllrONrSHrNc ON ANGERAND RAGE

Ye, Bhikshus! If there were a man whocame and mutilated your body and cut yourlimbs away at eyery joint, you must not hateand be angry with him, but rather keep yourmind in one point. And you ought to guardyour mouth, so that no evil words come out ofit. If you pave a way to hateful thoughts thereis a hindrance on your own ray and you wouldlose the benefit of meritorious virtues. Patienceis a virtue which the ke€ping of every com-mandment or anS other austerity cannot equal.He who can practice patience can truly becalled the great man of strength. He who cannotendure the poison of evil abuses, as if it wereambrosia to be drunk, cannot be called aBuddhist or a man of n'isdom. How is this?Because the harm of anger and rage shatter,sall good Dharma and spoil your good fame andname, so that, in present or future generations,people will not like to behold them. You shouldknow that the angry mind is worse than afierce fire. You ought always to guard and watch

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yourselves and do not let them obtain entrance.No brigand could steal your merit and virtuethan anger and rage. Those householders, dressedin white clothes, who haye desires but do notpractice the Buddha-Dharm&, are not in aposition to control themselves; but anger isexcusable in them. Those who have left homeand are practising Buddha-Dharma without anydesires, but are still subject to anger and rage,are unexcusable indeed. For example, the light-ning and a clap of thunder cannot appear inthe bracing cloud.

Notes: When a person has no anger, evenwhen his body is being mutilated, it shows thathis hody and mind are pure. The Vajracchedika-prajna-paramita Sutra states that when the Rajahof Kalinga mutilated the Buddha's body, he wasat that time free from the idea of an ego-entity, apersonality, a being, and a separated individuality.Wherefore? Because rvhen his limbs were cutoff piece by piece, had he been bound by thedistinctions aforesaid, feelings of anger and ragewould have been aroused within him. The Buddharemembers that, long ago, sometime during hislast past five hundred mortal lives, he was anascetic practising patience. Even then he wasfree from those distinctions of separated selfhood.

Lactzu says that the conqueror is powerful;the master of himself is strong.

Ambrosia is the nectar of immortality. Fourkinds of ambrosia are mentioned-green, yellow,

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red and white- all coming from 'Edible tree' andknown as Sonta.

The white clothing is said to be that ofBrahmins and the common people in India.

(7) ADMONTSHTNG ONSELF-INI)ULGENCE

Ye Bhikshus! To feel with hands upon yourhead you ought to think of yourself like this:"I have already given up all fine ornaments. Iwear plain coloured clothing and have an alms-bowl to beg my living." If arrogance and pridearise, you should immediately extinguish them.The growth of arrogance and pride is notsuitable eyen for the white clothed commonpeople, much less for those who have left homeand entered the way of Dharma in order toaehieve deliverance, sutrdue their social positionand practice begging.

Notes: There are two kinds of deliverance(Moksa). One is the original freedom and theother deliverance acquired by the ending of allhindrances (to salvation).

Begging is one of the twelve means relatingto release from ties to clothing, food, and dwellingfor a Buddhist monk.

(8) ADMONISHING ON }'LATTERI

Ye Bhikshus! A mind full of flattery iscontrary to the way of Buddha-Dharma. Therefore

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you ought in simplicity and sincerity to correctsuch a mind. You should know that flatteryis a thing of cheating. and lying. It has noproper place for a man who has entered theway of Dharma. For this reason, you all musthave a correct mind and base yourselves onsimplicitY.

(9) LESSENING OF DESIRES

Ye Bhikshus! you ought to know that aman of many desires, by reason of his desirefor profit, has much sufrering too. The man whohas less of desires, neither securing anythingnor wishing anything, therefore, does not havesuch a distress. But if you wish to lessen yourdesires, you ought to practice it. Even muchmore than this, is the result of meritoriousvirtues of your practicing the lessening ofdesires. One who has less desires need not byflattery sway another's mind, nor is he pullingalong with all the roots (faculty of sense). Onewho practises the lessening of desires, has aeontented mind, and has no cause for sorrowand fear. The things he gets are enough andthere is never an insufficiency at all. One whohas little desire, would attain Nirvana. This iswhat is called "the lessening of desires."

Noteg: There are tw'enty-two roots: eye, ear,nose, tongue, body, mind, female organ, maleorgan, life, suffering, pleasure, sorrow, joy,

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te THE SUTRA OF BEQUEATHED TEACHING 19

abandoning, faith, zeal, memory, meditation,wisdom, the power for learning, (the Four NobleTruths), the power of having learned (them),and the power of perfect knowledge (of them).

(10) TrrE SATTSFACTTON

Ye Bhikshus! If you wish to leave ofi allsufferings, you ought to see what satisfactionis. The means of satisfaction is the basis ofobtaining the rich joy, peace and solidity. Aman of satisfaction, even though he lies on theground, still is in the mood of peaee andhappiness. One who is not satisfied, even if hewere in the heavenly abode, still would notaccord in his desire. One who is not satisfied,even though he be rich, is poor. One whois satisfied, even though he be poor, is rich.One who is not satisfied is pulled by the fivedesires and, therefore, is pitied by the manwho is satisfied. This is what is called "Satis-faction."

(11) rHE SECLUSTON

Ye Bhikshus! If you wish quietude, inaction,peace and joy, you should always be away fromconfusion and noise, and live alone in a quietretreat. One who lives in a quiet retreat willbe respected by the Sovereign Sakra and Devasof all heavens. This is why you should leave ofi

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your own and other communities to live alone

in seclusion, to think the way out of sufferings.If you rejoice in company, have the sufferingsof company, just as when many birds flock upon

the big tree, it is in danger of rotting and

falling. Attachment to the mundane worlddrowns one in human sufrering, just as an old

elephant, sinking in the mud, cannot get

himself out. This is what is called "Seclusion."Notes: Sovereign Sakra is the Lord of Thirty-

three Heavens."Devas of all heavens" means the six devalokas,

i.e., the heavens with sense organs above, Sumeru,

between the Brahmalokas and the earth; thedivision of the eighteen Brahmalokas into fourdhyana heavens: and the four heavens withoutform, immaterial, consisting only of mind incontemplation.

"Your own corrmunity" indicates your ownteachers and class-fellows, while " the othercommunity" means those who are outside the foldof your teachers and class-fellows.

"To live alone in seclusion" means one wholives at Aranya.

(T2) TIIE UNADULTERATED PROGRESS

Ye Bhikshus! If you strive energetically forthe unadulterated progress, there is nothingthat is difficult. Ye, therefore, must striveenergetically for the unadulterated progress.

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2I THE SUTNA OF BEOUEATHED TEACHING 21

For example, a constant trickle of water willbore a hole in a rock. If the mind of an Acarin(performing the duties of a disciple) becomes

in many ways lazy and inattentive frequently,it is just like making a fire by friction andresting before it is hot. Though you want tohave fire, you cannot get it. This is what iscalled "the unadulterated progress."

(13) TO APPREHEND AND HOLDIN THOUGHT

Ye Bhikshus! Seek a good friend (one, whois well known and intimate), seek a goodassistant, there is nothing like you to apprehendand hold in your wandering thought. If oneapprehends and holds wandering thought, allthe brigands of Klesas are unable to enter inhim. You, therefore, ought to keep your mindconcentrated. If one loses his concentration ofmind, he will lose all rneritorious virtues. Ifyour power of mental concentration is strongand solid, even though you are caught by thefive desires, they will be unable to harm you; asif you have worn an armour to go to thebattle-field, there will be no fear at all. This iswhat is called "Apprehending and holding ofthought."

Notes: The man who helps me to gain theway for attaining Bodhisattavahood, is called GoodFridnd. The Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra states:"A good friend is a great cause, rvhereby men are

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converted and led to see the Buddha and aroused

to perfect Enlightement."

(14) DHYANA AND SAMADHI

Ye Bhikshus! If you can keep one-pointedmind, your mind is then fixed in abstraction.As your mind is in a fixed abstraction, you canunderstand the characteristics of things in birthand death in the mundane world. Ye brethren,you should always practice and cultivate thevarious stages of Samadhi (a fixed abstraction)diligently and progressively. One who attainsSarnadhi, his mind will not cheer up. Just as

a man, whose house with little water is carefullyconserved, can also regulate the reservoir well,so also are the disciples of the Buddha. Forthe sake of obtaining the water of wisdom,you should practise the Dhyana (meditation)and fixing of the abstraction (samadhi), andshould not let it leak away. This is what iscalled "Samadhi."

Notes: The Manjusri-Panha Sutra states: "Theessence of the mind is pure in origin, but the faultshave made man to be dirty; we will use the waterof wisdom to cleanse the mind free from stains."

Ch'an is Dhyana, a transliteration; Ting is aninterpretation of Samadhi. Ch'an is an element inTing, which cover the whole grourd of meditation,concentration and abstraction, reaching to theultimate beyond emotion. Wordsworth in his poem

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23 23 THE SUTRA OF BEQUEATHEIJ TEACHING 23

"Tintern Abbey" describes Samadhi as follows:

"...... '. ..That blessed mood,

In which the burthen of the mystery,In which the heavy and the weary weightOf all this unintelligible world.

Is lightened:-that serene and blessed mood

In which the affections gently lead us on,

Until, the breath of this corpcreal frameAnd even the nrotion of our human bloodAlmost suspended, we are laid asleep

In body, and become a living soul:While with an eye made ouiet by the powerOf harnony, and the deep power of joy,

We see into the life of things."

(15) THE PRAJNA

Ye Bhikshus! If you have Prajna, then youwill have freedom from greed. You shouldalways look into yourself and do not let yourselfhave any fault. Thereby then, you will obtainsalvation within my teachings of Dharma. Ifyou do not do so, you are already neither afollower of Dharma nor the common people.There would be no name to call you in a suitableway. The true Prajna is a strong and firm shipwhich will carry you across the ocean of oldoS€, decay and death. Again, it is a greatbrilliant light in deep darkness of ignorance. Itis a fine medicine for all who are sick. It is asharp ar which cuts the tree of Klesa (delusion,

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trials of the passions and of ignorance, whichdisturb and distress the mind). For this reason,you must struggle for hearing the word andbecome wise in it, so that you can benefityourself and improved. If a man who has theclarity of Prajna, though he has the physicaleyes to view things, he is a man of view ofnon-ignorance. This is what is called "Prajna-"

Notes: Prajna means Wisdom of the highestand clearest kind, it is the last of the Six para-mitas which are the Bodhisattvas' iCeals of practice.

There are three modes of attaining moralwisdom: (1) to attain wisdom from hearingl, (Z)to attain wisdorn from reflection, and (3) to attainwisdom from practice. (of abstracted meditation).

There are ten views mentioned in the Yo-gasastra, the last is the view of non-ignorance,namely, the right viev'.

(16) UNSOPHISTICATED ARGUMENT

Ye Bhikshus! If you enter into many kindsof sophisticated arguments, then your rnind willbe disturbed and distressed, and though youhave left home, still you will not attain salvation.Ye Bhikshus! You ought immediately to renouncethe wandering thought and sophisticated argu-ments. If you want to obtain the bliss of calmannihilation, you need only extinguish the illnessof sophisticated arguments. This is what is called"unsophisticated arguments."

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Notes: Li-hao, the magistrate of l-ang-chow,in the T'ang dynasty, asked the Dhyana MasterYao-shan: "How does the black wind blow theship down to the devil country?" The latteranswered: "Li-hao, young fellow. w'hy do you askthis question'/" Li-hao's face u'as flushed withanget. Yao-shan said with smile: "You haveproduced such a mind of rage and anger, it iswhat is called the black wind that blows theship down to the devil country." Though Yao-shan

had given a very clear example to explainLi-hao's question, Yao-shan had also committedthe evil of sophisticated argument.

(17) SELI'-EXERTION

Ye Bhikshus! In all kinds of meritoriousvirtues you ought whole-heartedly to get rid oflaxity frequently, just as you take leave fromhateful brigands. World-Honoured One, the MostCompassionate rvho after all has preached the doc-trine (of improving oneself) for benefiting others.Yet ye ought to practise it diligently. Whether youlive on the mountains or marshy place, whetheryou live under the shadow of tree or you livein seclusion in the quiet room (for practisingmeditation), think of those Dharmas which youhave received from your Teacher ancl do not letthem be neglected. You should always exertyourself to practise them zealously and progres-sively. Do not remain passive and die for

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nothing, it would be made a great regret lateron. I am like a good physician who knows thec&use of illness and prescribes a medicine; butwhether it will actually be taken or not is notthe responsibility of the physician. Again. I am

like a good guide who directs a man to theproper path. If, on hearing that, he does notgo along it, the fault is not with the guide.

(18) TO ELUCTDATn DOUBTS

"Ye Bhikshus! If you have any doubtsregarding the sufrerings, etc., in the Four NobleTruths, you may ask immediately. Do not concealdoubts to avoid elucidation of them." The Wortd-Ilonoured One spoke thus thrice, but no onequestioned him. What was the matter? Becausethe assembly had no doubts at all! At thattime, Aniruddha, who was looking into whatwas in the minds of those assembled there, saidto the Buddha: "The World-Ilonoured One!The moon might be made hot and the sunmight grow cool, but the Four Noble Truthswhich Buddha taught could not be changed. Thetruth of suffering taught by Buddha is of realsuffering and it would not become joy. The causeof sufrering is a real cause and there cannever be another cause therein. If the sufferingis annihilated, it is only when its cause hasbeen annihilated. If the cause of suffering isannihilated, its result has also been annihilated.

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The way of annihilating the suffering is thepath of true Dharma and there is no otherpath that remains. The World-Honoured one! Allthese Bhikshus have firmly believed in it, andare without any doubt about the Four NobleTruths."

(19) ALL THE LTVTNG SENTIENTBEINGS ARE TO BE SAVED

If those gathered in this assembly have notaccomplished their task to be done, perhaps onseeing the passing away of Buddha, shall havefeeling of sorrow. If there is anyone who hasalready entered the way of Dharma, on hearingwhat Buddha has been preaching, would attainthe salvation. As one sees the lightning in thenight, he is able to attain the stage of beholdingthe truth. Is there anyone who has accomplishedhis task and has crossed over the ocean ofsufierings, but will think only this: .,The World-honoured One has annihilated away, why wasthis done so rapidly?" Although Aniruddha hasspoken these words, but those who were gatheredin the assembly had ail penetrated the meaningof the Four Noble Truths. The World-honouredOne who wished to make all those who weregathered in the assembly to have a firm andstrong mind. With a mind of great pity, heasain spoke for the benefit of the assembly. ..yeBhikshus! Do not feel sad and distressed. If Iwere to live in this mundane world for the

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whole period of Kalpa, our association wouldstill be ended. It is impossible to obtain anyassociation that does not separate. The doctrineof improving oneself for the purpose of bene-fiting others has been completed. If I were tolive in this mundane world, it would be of nobenefit to us. Those who were to be saved bothin heaven and earth, have already been saved.Those who have not been saved, they have allmade the causes for their attaining salvation."

Notes: "Those who have not accomplished fortheir task to be done" indicates those who onlyhave achieved the initial fruit, ttre stage of Srota-apanna, illusion being discarded and the stream ofenlightenment entered in the Hina1,ans School.

The Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra states: ,,......and has deeply entered into rreditation andpenetrated into all Dharmas."

(20) TriE ETERNAL RR.ALITYOF DHARMA-KAYA

Henceforth, all djsciples of mine, turning itover in their r,rinds, must practise it; therebyit is that the eternal reality of the Dharma-kayaof Tathagata will never be annihilated. you will,therefore, corne to know that the rnundane worldts all transient, and meeting certainly impliesseparation. Do not feel sorrow and distress sincethe phenomenon of the world is Iike this. younust strive in zeal to progress towards immediatesalvation. With the prajna's light destroy alt

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darkness of ignorance. The world is dangerousand perishable, and there is nothing of strengthand stability in it. To attain annihilation is justlike getting rid of an evil disease. Which wecall physical body is a criminal and evil thingthat ought to be abandoned. It is sunk in thegteat ocean of decay, sickness, birth and death.Is there any wise man who v-ould be glad to getrid of this, just like the one who would kill ahateful brigand?

Notes: Dharma-Kaya, the Law Body of aBuddha is synonymous with the ultimate realitywhich is indestructible and unchanging. TheEssential Meaning of the Saddharma-PundarikaSutra states "Chih-I, founder of the T'ien T'aiSchool of Buddhism, was staying at Ta Su hillsand cultivating the Fa Hwa Sanradhi, which sees

into the three dogmas of unreality, dependentreality, and transcendence. Once he was recitingthe Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra and carne up tothe sentence: "'fhe briglrtness illuminated allworlds, the Buddhas in which acclaimed theirdeeds as true zeal; the True Dhar ma to theTathagata; the supreme gift." Then suddenly heenterd into Samadhi, when he glimpsed the sceneof the Spirit Vulture Peak Assembly which wascontinuing. Once Buddha rn'as staying at the Cityof Royal Palaces (Rajagriha), and on the VulturePeak (Gridhrakuta) assembled a great host of hisSeat monks, trn'elve thor,rsand in all, and heDreached the Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra. When

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30 THE SUTRA OF BEQUEATHED TEACHIHG 30

Chih-I's lived in the Sui dynasty, the abovementioned assenrbiy \A,as still continuing. !Ve,

therefore, conre to know that the l)harrla-Kava isetental and nevel amihilates.

(2I ) THI,I CONCTLUSI0N

Ye Bhikshus ! Ye ought always to aspirewholeheartedly to the way of salvation. Thechangeable and unchangable phenomena is inappearance corrupt and disturbing. Stop ye amoment and do not speak any more. The timewill pass an-ay and I wish to be in the state ofannihilalion. This is whal I have taught at thelast.

The sutra of buddha's bequeathed teaching

Spiritual

Transcript of The sutra of buddha's bequeathed teaching