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NGAMA 3UTRA !N /VERVIEW OF THE 3| URA $AVID 2OUNDS

!BSTRACT 4HE |3URANGAMA 3UTRA LITTLE KNOWN IN THE 7EST EVEN AMONG "UD DHISTS IS NEVERTHELESS A MAJOR TEXT IN THE -AHAYANA TRADITION OF %AST !SIA

WHERE FOR MANY CENTURIES IT HAS BEEN WIDELY ESTEEMED FOR ITS COMPELLING NAR RATIVE ITS RHETORICAL BRILLIANCE AND ITS PROFOUND EXAMINATION OF THE WORKINGS

OF THE MIND 4HE PRESENT ARTICLE OFFERS A SUMMARY OF THE |3URANGAMA 3UTRA S ANALYSIS OF THE HUMAN SENSORY APPARATUS "ASED UPON THIS ANALYSIS THE SUTRA DEVELOPS IN DETAIL A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE OF FOCUSING THE ATTENTION INWARD BY WITHDRAWING ONE S ATTACHMENT TO THE WORLD OF THE SENSES 4HE SUTRA MAKES FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING ETHICAL PURITY AND THE USE OF MANTRAS

AND IT CONCLUDES WITH A THOROUGH ACCOUNTING OF THE PITFALLS INTO WHICH CARELESS PRACTITIONERS CAN FALL

NGAMA 'ENERAL #HARACTERISTICS OF THE 3| URA

/

F THE WORLD S RELIGIOUS MASTERPIECES THE "UDDHA S DISCOURSE KNOWN

NGAMA 3UTRA

AS THE 3| URA IS PERHAPS THE LEAST FAMILIAR TO 7ESTERN READERS 5NLIKE SUCH DISCOURSES AS THE ,OTUS 3UTRA THE (EART 3UTRA AND THE $IAMOND 3UTRA WHICH SURVIVE IN THEIR ORIGINAL 3ANSKRIT VERSIONS AND

NGAMA WHICH HAVE BEEN STUDIED IN THE 7EST FOR WELL OVER A CENTURY THE 3| URA IS NO LONGER EXTANT IN AN )NDIC ORIGINAL AND THE TEXT IS PRESERVED ONLY IN AN EIGHTH CENTURY TRANSLATION INTO #HINESE 4HE TEXT AS WE HAVE IT CONSISTING OF SOME CHARACTERS IN TEN ROLLS IS TERSELY EXPRESSED DENSELY ARGUED AND SUBTLY ALLUSIVE RESORTING OFTEN TO RARE CHARACTERS AND TO TRANSLITERATIONS OF 3ANSKRIT TERMS SUCH THAT EVEN DEVOUT AND ERUDITE #HINESE READERS ARE NOT INFREQUENTLY PUZZLED AS TO THE MEANING )T IS PERHAPS NOT SURPRISING

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THEN THAT THERE HAVE BEEN FEW ATTEMPTS AT TRANSLATION OF THIS TEXT INTO THE %UROPEAN LANGUAGES "UDDHISTS IN THE #HINESE TRADITION HOWEVER HAVE LONG CONSIDERED

THE 3| URANGAMA TO BE OF CENTRAL IMPORTANCE 4HE SUTRA IS VALUED ABOVE ALL

FOR A UNIl ED SEQUENCE OF TEACHINGS THAT ELUCIDATE A SERIES OF FUNDAMENTAL RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS 4HE TEXT l RST DEVELOPS A PHILOSOPHY OF MIND AND OF PERCEPTION AND THEN BASES ON THAT FOUNDATION A SERIES OF INSTRUCTIONS IN SPIRITUAL PRACTICE IN PARTICULAR IN THE DEEP MENTAL ABSORPTION KNOWN AS

SAMADHI 4O THIS END THE SUTRA OFFERS IN GREAT DETAIL A PRECISE PRESCRIPTION FOR THE SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL OF THE SENSE FACULTIES FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PHYSICAL WORLD 3UCH A DISENGAGEMENT WHEN CARRIED OUT CORRECTLY CAN RESULT IN LASTING ILLUMINATION A TEACHING THAT IS CENTRAL TO "UDDHISM AND THAT APPEARS IN SOME FORM IN THE ESOTERIC TRADITIONS OF ALL THE OTHER GREAT RELIGIONS

4HE PHILOSOPHICAL DENSITY OF THE 3| URANGAMA DISCOURSE IS LIGHTENED BY THE MANNER OF ITS GENERAL PRESENTATION 4HE l RST TWO THIRDS OF THE SUTRA CONSIST OF A DRAMATIC DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE "UDDHA AND HIS YOUNG COUSIN

AND ATTENDANT !NANDA /THER INTERLOCUTORS INTERVENE AT CRITICAL MOMENTS

EACH SPEAKING IN A DISTINCT VOICE AS THEY GIVE TESTIMONY TO THEIR EXPERIENCE

WITH SPIRITUAL PRACTICE OR AS THEY POSE A QUESTION THAT !NANDA DOES NOT YET HAVE THE SPIRITUAL DEPTH TO ASK "UT MOST OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL ARGUMENT AND THE SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE THAT FOLLOWS IT ARE CONVEYED TO THE READER THROUGH THE

DRAMA OF !NANDA S PERSONAL STORY $URING THE LONG HOURS OF HIS CONVERSATION WITH THE "UDDHA WE SEE THE YOUNG MONK SEESAW BETWEEN IMPERTINENCE AND REMORSE BETWEEN ASTONISHMENT AND GRATITUDE BETWEEN BEWILDERMENT AND ENLIGHTENED UNDERSTANDING (IS PLUCKY EARNESTNESS ADDS TO THE DISCOURSE

THE UNEXPECTED ELEMENT OF CHARM $ESPITE THE FOCUS ON !NANDA HOWEVER

HIS STORY IS EXPLICITLY PRESENTED MERELY AS AN EXAMPLE IT IS ITSELF A PARABLE &ROM THE BEGINNING THE "UDDHA MAKES IT CLEAR THAT HIS INSTRUCTIONS ARE

MEANT NOT ONLY FOR !NANDA BUT FOR hBEINGS OF THE FUTUREv THAT IS FOR US

!CCORDINGLY !NANDA S GRADUAL AND SUCCESSFUL STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND AND TO AWAKEN BRINGS TO DRAMATIC LIFE THE STRUGGLE THAT CAN STILL BE EXPECTED BY ANYONE WHO SETS FOOT ON A SPIRITUAL PATH

4O THE 7ESTERN READER THE 3| URANGAMA S FORMAT SUGGESTS A SIMILARITY TO THE DIALOGUES OF 0LATO "UT 0LATO S MANNER OF UNCOVERING TRUTH THROUGH 3OCRATES SLY CROSS EXAMINATIONS OF HIS HAPLESS INTERLOCUTORS IS IN FACT VERY

DIFFERENT FROM THE PATTERN WE ENCOUNTER IN THE 3| URANGAMA 4HE "UDDHA

AND !NANDA ENGAGE FOR MUCH OF THE SUTRA IN FORMAL DEBATE ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF WHAT IS NOW CALLED "UDDHIST LOGIC )N THE MONASTIC UNIVERSITIES OF CLASSICAL )NDIA "UDDHIST MONKS WERE TRAINED IN LOGICAL DEBATE IN ORDER TO SHARPEN THEIR MINDS AND ALSO TO WIN OVER ADHERENTS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS

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AND SECTS 4O SOME EXTENT IT WAS AN INTELLECTUAL SPORT "UDDHIST DEBATE WAS TRANSMITTED TO 4IBET AND YOUNG 4IBETAN MONKS ARE STILL TRAINED IN IT )N #HINA IT WAS CHAMPIONED BY THE GREAT SEVENTH CENTURY TRANSLATOR 8UAN :ANG WHO BROUGHT BACK SEVERAL TEXTS ON LOGIC FROM )NDIA "RIEm Y "UDDHIST LOGIC 3KT HETUVIDYYA #H Ï&#x2013; â&#x20AC;« بâ&#x20AC;¬YIN MING LITERALLY THE G CLARIl CATION OF CAUSES ORIGINALLY FOLLOWED l VE STEPS

! PROPOSITION THAT ONE IS UNDERTAKING TO PROVE 4HE REASON THAT THE PROPOSITION IS CLAIMED TO BE TRUE /NE OR MORE INSTANCES OF THE PROPOSITION AT WORK IN ORDINARY EXPERIENCE !PPLICATION OF THE INSTANCES TO THE PROPOSITION #ONCLUSION USUALLY BY RESTATEMENT OF THE PROPOSITION NOW DEMONSTRATED

4HESE l VE WERE LATER REDUCED TO THREE IN EFFECT LEAVING OUT THE LAST TWO OF THE l VE

4HE PROPOSITION 4HE REASON FOR THE TRUTH OF THE PROPOSITION 3UPPORTING EXAMPLES A POSITIVE INSTANCE B NEGATIVE INSTANCE

4HE POSITIVE INSTANCES SERVE TO PROVE AN ASSERTION BY SHOWING HOW IT IS AT WORK IN AN ANALOGOUS CONTEXT WHILE THE NEGATIVE INSTANCES SHOW THAT ANY ASSERTION CONTRARY TO THE ONE BEING DEFENDED WOULD RESULT IN ABSURDI TIES )N PARTICULAR THE RULES OF LOGIC REQUIRED THAT THESE INSTANCES BE DRAWN NOT FROM DOCTRINE OR THEORY WHICH ONE S OPPONENT IN DEBATE MIGHT l ND UNPERSUASIVE BUT RATHER FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF ORDINARY LIFEÂ&#x2C6;EXPERIENCES WHICH AN OPPONENT COULD NOT PLAUSIBLY DISCOUNT (ERE IS A SUMMARY OF ONE OF MANY INSTANCES OF THE hCLARIl CATION OF

NGAMA CAUSESv IN THE 3| URA

0ROPOSITION IT IS THE MIND NOT THE EYES THAT SEES IN THE TEXT THIS STEP IS IMPLICIT RATHER THAN STATED 2EASON OUR VISUAL AWARENESS IS ACTIVE EVEN IF NOTHING IS BEING SEEN A 0OSITIVE INSTANCE FOUND IN ORDINARY LIFE )N THE "UDDHA S WORDS

h)F YOU ASKED A BLIND MAN ON THE STREET @$O YOU SEE ANYTHING HE WOULD NO DOUBT ANSWER @!LL ) SEE IS DARKNESS v A !PPLICATION OF THE POSITIVE INSTANCE h2Em ECT UPON WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN !LTHOUGH THE BLIND MAN SEES ONLY DARKNESS HIS VISUAL AWARENESS IS INTACT v >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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B .EGATIVE INSTANCE h)F A BLIND MAN REGAINED HIS SIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS HIS EYES THAT COULD NOW SEE THEN

BY ANALOGY IF A PERSON SUDDENLY COULD SEE IN A DARKENED ROOM BECAUSE A LAMP HAD SUD DENLY BEEN LIT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE LAMP THAT SEES v B !PPLICATION OF THE NEGATIVE INSTANCE h)N THE ANALOGY THE LAMPLIGHT SIMPLY REVEALS VISIBLE OBJECTS IT IS THE PERSON THAT SEES THEM v #ONCLUSION h)N ACTUALITY THE EYES THEMSELVES SIMPLY REVEAL VIS IBLE OBJECTS IT IS THE MIND THAT HAS THE FUNDAMENTAL CAPACITY TO SEE NOT THE EYES v 4HIS SEQUENCE COMES EARLY IN THE DISCUSSION AND THE "UDDHA DOES NOT AT THIS POINT EXPLAIN ITS IMPLICATIONS ,ATER HE WILL POINT OUT THAT SINCE SEE ING IS ACTUALLY A FUNCTION OF THE MIND NOT THE EYES OUR VISUAL AWARENESS IS FUNDAMENTALLY INDEPENDENT OF THE PRESENCE OF VISIBLE OBJECTS 4HEREFORE

IT MUST BE POSSIBLE TO WITHDRAW OUR VISUAL AWARENESS FROM THE GRIP OF VISUAL OBJECTS AND THE SAME MUST BE POSSIBLE FOR ALL THE OTHER SENSES AS WELL !WARENESS THUS FREED MAY BECOME PURIl ED AND MAY EVENTUALLY BE TRANSMUTED INTO ILLUMINATION

4HE 3| URANGAMA S USE OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE INSTANCES DRAWN FROM DAILY LIFE TO PROVE EACH STEP IN THE ARGUMENT IS A DOMINANT ASPECT OF THE SUTRA S DISTINCTIVE STYLE !S THE ARGUMENT PROGRESSES FROM POINT TO POINT AND IS ILLUSTRATED BY INSTANCE AFTER INSTANCE THE READER IS GIVEN A SLIDE SHOW OF GLIMPSES INTO THE DAILY ROUTINES OF THE MONASTIC COMMUNITY AND INTO

7E READ OF THE | AVAST THE LIFE OF ORDINARY CITIZENS OF THE NEARBY CITY OF 3R MONKS SEATED WITH THEIR ALMSBOWLS BUSY ROLLING UP THEIR FOOD INTO BALLS TO BE EATEN WITH THE l NGERS IN THE )NDIAN MANNER 7E HEAR OF HOUSEHOLDERS DIGGING WELLS FOR NEW DWELLINGS AND LOCAL HEALERS HOLDING UP BOWLS TO THE FULL MOON TO COLLECT DEW THAT THEY WILL MIX INTO THEIR HERBAL POTIONS 7E MEET A MONK WHO HAS SPENT HIS LIFE REPAIRING POTHOLES IN THE PUBLIC ROADS AND A KING WHO DESPAIRS BECAUSE HE IS GROWING OLD (OWEVER ABSTRACT OR SUBTLE THE DISCOURSE MAY FREQUENTLY SEEM THEN IT IS DEEPLY COLORED WITH A SENSE OF TIME AND PLACE WITH THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS AND PEOPLE OF .ORTHERN )NDIA IN ITS EARLY CLASSICAL ERA 4HIS UNDERLYING )NDIAN TINT KEEPS SEEPING UP INTO THE #HINESE SURFACE OF THE TRANSLATED TEXT REMINDING THE READER THAT THE NEARBY RIVER OFTEN INVOKED IN THE m OW OF ARGUMENT IS NOT THE 9ANGZI BUT THE 'ANGES

#ONSIDERED AS A WHOLE THE ENTIRE EDIl CE OF THE 3| URANGAMA DISCOURSE IS A MASTERWORK IN THE ARCHITECTURE OF LOGICAL ARGUMENTATION %ACH LEVEL OF THEORY ESTABLISHED BY THE "UDDHA ELEGANTLY SUPPORTS THE NEXT LEVEL 4HE ENTIRE DISCOURSE IS GIRDED TOGETHER BY CROSS REFERENCES PARALLELISMS REIT ERATIONS OF PREVIOUS ASSERTIONS AND ANTICIPATORY SUMMARIES OF WHAT IS TO

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COME 4HE PRESENT ESSAY IS A PRELIMINARY ATTEMPT TO READ THE PLANS OF THIS EXEMPLARY SCRIPTURAL EDIl CE -ANY GENERATIONS OF #HINESE READERS "UDDHIST AND OTHERWISE HAVE

ESTEEMED AND DELIGHTED IN ONE FURTHER ASPECT THE 3| URANGAMA 3UTRA NAMELY

THE VIRTUOSIC LITERARY ELEGANCE OF THE TRANSLATION ITSELF %XCEPT FOR A FEW VERSES

THE ENTIRE #HINESE TEXT UNROLLS IN A SEQUENCE OF FOUR CHARACTER PHRASES

WHICH ARE IN EFFECT A METERED PROSE 4HIS FOUR CHARACTER PATTERN IMBUES THE DISCOURSE WITH A VIGOROUS AND STATELY MAJESTY &OR ALL THESE REASONS

IN #HINA THE 3| URANGAMA 3UTRA HAS FOR MANY CENTURIES BEEN THE SUBJECT OF WRITTEN COMMENTARIES BY ILLUSTRIOUS MONASTIC SCHOLARS A TOPIC FOR PUBLIC LECTURES AND SPOKEN EXEGESES AND THE OBJECT OF DEVOUT PRIVATE STUDY RECITA TION AND MEMORIZATION )T SHOULD BE NOTED BEFORE PROCEEDING FURTHER THAT THE AUTHENTICITY OF

THE 3| URANGAMA HAS BEEN CHALLENGED BY SOME MODERN SCHOLARS WHO HAVE HELD THAT SINCE NO )NDIC ORIGINAL IS EXTANT THE TEXT IS NO TRANSLATION AT ALL

BUT RATHER AN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION IN THE #HINESE 4HE TIMING OF THE TRANS LATION HAS BEEN QUESTIONED AND TEXTUAL ANOMALIES THAT MIGHT SUGGEST THE INTERPOLATION OF PURELY #HINESE CULTURAL 4HE FOUR CHARACTER ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIl ED 4HERE ARE STRONG REASONS TO BELIEVE HOWEVER THAT THE ORIGINAL TEXT CAN ONLY BE )NDIAN PATTERN IMBUES THE DIS )T IS TRUE FOR EXAMPLE THAT DURING "UDDHISM S EARLIEST CENTURIES IN #HINA SPURIOUS OR CORRUPTED "UDDHIST TEXTS COURSE WITH A VIGOROUS WERE CIRCULATED BUT BY THE EARLY EIGHTH CENTURY WHEN

THE 3| URANGAMA TRANSLATION APPEARED

#HINESE MONAS AND STATELY MAJESTY TIC SCHOLARS HAD BECOME SUFl CIENTLY VIGILANT TO DENOUNCE INAUTHENTIC TEXTS &URTHER WHILE SOME DETAILS IN THE TEXT DO SEEM TO ARISE FROM A #HINESE CONTEXT THESE COULD MERELY REPRESENT CHOICES MADE BY THE TRANSLATORS TO SUBSTITUTE #HINESE EQUIVALENTS OR ANALOGUES FOR UNFAMILIAR )NDIAN ELEMENTS THAT WERE PRESENT IN THE ORIGINAL 4HERE ARE BESIDES AT LEAST AN EQUAL NUMBER OF DETAILS THAT POINT TO AN )NDIAN SUBSTRATUM BENEATH THE #HINESE SURFACE 4HE MOST PERSUASIVE INTERNAL TRACE OF A 3OUTH !SIAN ORIGINAL HOWEVER IS THE PRESENCE OF TWO INDISPUTABLY )NDIAN ELEMENTS THAT PLAY LEADING ROLES IN THE TEXT 4HE l RST OF THESE IS THE ABOVE MENTIONED hCLARIl CATION OF CAUSESv

OF )NDIAN "UDDHIST LOGIC AND THE SECOND IS THE 3| URANGAMA -ANTRA 4HIS MANTRA WHICH THE #HINESE TEXT LEAVES UNTRANSLATED LIES AT THE HEART OF THE SUTRA S INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE ,AST AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL IN

THIS DISPUTE AS TO THE SUTRA S AUTHENTICITY IS THE FACT THAT THE 3| URANGAMA HAS BEEN WIDELY ACCEPTED IN #HINA AS CANONICAL FOR WELL OVER A THOUSAND YEARS 3UCH ACCEPTANCE REm ECTS THE VIEW THAT A RELIGIOUS TEXT S AUTHENTICITY MUST BE MEASURED BY ITS EFFECTIVENESS AS A GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL AND MORAL PRACTICE &ROM >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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THIS ORTHOPRAXIC POINT OF VIEW THE 3| URANGAMA MAY BE CORRECTLY DEEMED TO BE AUTHORITATIVE SIMPLY BECAUSE GENERATIONS OF ADVANCED PRACTITIONERS HAVE REVERED IT HAVE FOLLOWED ITS INSTRUCTIONS AND HAVE EXPLAINED IT TO OTHERS AS A RELIABLE PRESCRIPTION FOR MORAL PURIl CATION AND SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT

EVEN AS FAR AS ENLIGHTENMENT 4O THE 3| URANGAMA S MANY ADMIRERS THEN

ITS TEXTUAL HISTORY IS IN THE END OF NO GREAT IMPORTANCE AND THE DISPUTE SURROUNDING ITS ORIGIN IS IRRELEVANT 4HE #ONCEPTUAL &RAMEWORK OF THE $ISCOURSE

!S THE 3UTRA OPENS !NANDA ALONE ON THE ROAD FALLS UNDER A SPELL THAT IS RECITED BY A COURTESAN AND HE IS ON THE BRINK OF BREAKING HIS VOW OF CELIBACY 4HE "UDDHA SENSES FROM A DISTANCE HIS YOUNG COUSIN S DISTRESS AND HAV ING MADE A TRANSl GURATION OF A "UDDHA APPEAR ABOVE HIS HEAD HE RECITES

THROUGH THIS TRANSl GURATION A MANTRA THE 3| URANGAMA -ANTRA WHICH DEFEATS THE COURTESAN S SPELL 4HE "UDDHA THEN SENDS A SENIOR MEMBER OF HIS | WHO IN THE -AHAYANA TRADITION EMBOD ASSEMBLY THE "ODHISATTVA -A¶JUSR

IES WISDOM TO RESCUE !NANDA AND TO BRING BOTH MONK AND COURTESAN BEFORE THE "UDDHA !MIDST THE ASSEMBLY OF MONKS AND A THRONG OF LAY ADHERENTS

!NANDA NOW l NDS HIMSELF FACE TO FACE WITH HIS TEACHER $EEPLY MORTIl ED HE REQUESTS INSTRUCTION SO THAT HE CAN AVOID FURTHER ERROR 4HIS IS THE hREQUEST FOR $HARMAv WITH WHICH MOST OF THE "UDDHA S DISCOURSES BEGIN

)N HIS ANSWER THE "UDDHA MAKES CLEAR THAT !NANDA S ERROR WAS NOT ENTIRELY THAT HE PERMITTED SEXUAL DESIRE ALMOST TO OVERWHELM HIS MONASTIC RESOLVE %QUALLY IN ERROR WAS HIS LAXITY IN HIS PRACTICE OF MENTAL CONCEN TRATION A LAXITY THAT LEFT HIM VULNERABLE TO ENTICEMENT BY THE COURTESAN S

A CONCENTRATION l RM ENOUGH SPELL 7HAT !NANDA LACKED WAS SAMADHI

TO RESIST DISTURBANCE AND INTRUSION 4HE "UDDHA PROPOSES THEN TO AN

SWER !NANDA S REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTION BY TEACHING HIM HOW TO PERFECT HIS

SAMADHI 4HE 3UTRA SAYS

4HEN THE 7ORLD (ONORED /NE BEFORE THE GREAT ASSEMBLY EXTENDED

HIS GOLDEN HUED ARM ;COMFORTED !NANDA BY= PASSING HIS HAND OVER

THE CROWN OF F !NANDA S HEAD AND SAID TO !NANDA AND TO ALL GATHERED

NGAMA |3URA THERE h4HERE IS A SAMADHI CALLED @4HE 'REAT AND 2OYAL THAT IS 0ROCLAIMED FROM !BOVE THE "UDDHA S (EAD AND IS THE 0ERFECTION OF THE -YRIAD 0RACTICES )T IS A WONDROUS AND MAGNIl CENT 0ATH THE UNIQUE PORTAL THROUGH WHICH THE "UDDHAS IN ALL TEN DIRECTIONS HAVE PASSED IN ORDER TO TRANSCEND THE CONDITIONED WORLD v 4HE "UDDHA THEN LAUNCHES A DIALOGUE WHICH CONTINUES THROUGH MOST

OF THE SUTRA (E BEGINS BY ASKING !NANDA TO CONSIDER WHERE HIS MIND IS

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LOCATED !NANDA OFFERS THE EVIDENT ANSWER THAT HIS MIND IS TO BE FOUND IN HIS BODY 4HE "UDDHA HOWEVER WITH HIS SUPERIOR COMMAND OF LOGIC QUICKLY DISPOSES OF THIS WIDELY HELD SUPPOSITION AND OF SIX MORE POSSIBILITIES THAT

!NANDA OFFERS 4HE YOUNG MONK IS LEFT WITH THE BEWILDERING CONCLUSION THAT HIS MIND IS NEITHER INSIDE HIS BODY NOR OUTSIDE IT NOR SOMEWHERE BETWEEN

NOR ANYWHERE ELSE 4HE "UDDHA THEN COMPOUNDS HIS COUSIN S CONFUSION BY STATING THAT THERE ARE FUNDAMENTALLY TWO KINDS OF MINDÂ&#x2C6;l RST THE ORDINARY QUOTIDIAN MIND OF WHICH WE ARE AWARE AND WHICH IS ENTANGLED LIFETIME AFTER LIFETIME IN THE SNARE OF ILLUSORY PERCEPTIONS AND RANDOM THOUGHTS AND SECOND THE EVERLASTING TRUE MIND WHICH IS OUR REAL NATURE AND WHICH IS THE STATE OF THE "UDDHA

!NANDA WHAT ARE THE TWO FUNDAMENTALS 4HE l RST IS THE MIND THAT IS THE BASIS OF DEATH AND REBIRTH AND THAT HAS CONTINUED FOR THE ENTIRETY OF TIME WHICH HAS NO BEGINNING 4HIS MIND IS DEPENDENT ON PERCEIVED OBJECTS AND IT IS THIS THAT YOU AND ALL BEINGS MAKE USE OF AND THAT EACH OF YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR OWN NATURE 4HE SECOND FUNDAMENTAL IS ENLIGHTENMENT WHICH HAS NO BEGIN NING IT IS THE ORIGINAL AND PURE ESSENCE OF NIRVANA )T IS THE ORIGINAL UNDERSTANDING THE REAL NATURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS !LL CONDITIONED PHENOMENA ARISE FROM IT AND YET IT IS AMONG THOSE PHENOMENA THAT BEINGS LOSE TRACK OF IT 4HEY HAVE LOST TRACK OF THIS FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING THOUGH IT IS ACTIVE IN THEM ALL DAY LONG AND BECAUSE THEY REMAIN UNAWARE OF IT THEY MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ENTERING THE VARIOUS DESTINIES

!NANDA WILL AT l RST HAVE NONE OF THIS (ERE HE SPEAKS FOR ALL WHO PRIDE THEMSELVES AS HE DOES ON THEIR DISCURSIVE INTELLIGENCE 7HEN THE "UDDHA

SEEING !NANDA S SKEPTICISM ASKS HIM WHAT HE TAKES TO BE HIS MIND !NANDA ANSWERS

h4HE ;"UDDHA= HAS JUST NOW BEEN ASKING ME ABOUT MY MIND S LOCA TION AND MY MIND IS WHAT ) HAVE BEEN USING TO DETERMINE WHERE IT MIGHT BE -Y MIND IS THAT WHICH HAS THE CAPABILITY OF MAKING SUCH DETERMINATIONS v

4HE "UDDHA EXCLAIMED hh!NANDA 4HAT IS NOT YOUR MIND v

!NANDA PROTESTS h)F THIS ACTIVITY OF COMPREHENSION IS NOT THE MIND THEN ) HAVE NO MIND AND ) AM THE SAME AS A CLOD OF EARTH OR A PIECE OF WOOD v 4HE "UDDHA REASSURES HIS COUSIN THAT THERE IS INDEED ANOTHER KIND OF AWARENESS )T IS THE TRUE MINDÂ&#x2C6;THAT hORIGINAL AND PURE ESSENCE OF NIRVANAv >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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JUST MENTIONED )T IS THE ULTIMATE REALITY INHERENT IN THE MIND OF ALL BEINGS

(OWEVER IT HAS REMAINED OUTSIDE OF !NANDA S CALCULATIONS (E HAS SIMPLY NOT BEEN AWARE THAT HE IS ENDOWED WITH IT BECAUSE HE IS IMMERSED IN THE DISORDERED ACTIVITIES OF HIS MUNDANE THOUGHTS AND IS DISTRACTED BY HIS UNRELENTING INTERACTIONS WITH THE SENSE DATA THAT HE TAKES TO BE THE WORLD

!BSORBED IN HIS OWN DRAMA HE CANNOT ENTER SAMADHI MUCH LESS PROCEED

THROUGH SAMADHI TO AWAKENING )N THIS HE STANDS IN FOR US

3INCE !NANDA IS SOMEONE WHO PROUDLY IDENTIl ES HIMSELF WITH HIS ABILITY TO THINK HE IS AT A DISADVANTAGE IN HIS SEARCH TO AWAKEN TO HIS TRUE MIND /NE CANNOT THINK ONE S WAY INTO ENLIGHTENMENT BECAUSE THE AWAKENED MIND IS BEYOND THOUGHT 0UT OTHERWISE WHAT IS MOST WORTH UNDERSTANDING IS BEYOND CONCEPTION WHAT MOST NEEDS DESCRIBING CANNOT BE DESCRIBED .EVERTHELESS

THE "UDDHA IN THE 3| URANGAMA DISCOURSE IS WILLING TO TAKE EXCEPTION TO THIS

GENERALLY RECOGNIZED CONUNDRUM 3INCE WORDS ARE WHAT !NANDA TRUSTS AND

UNDERSTANDS AND SINCE THINKING IS WHAT !NANDA RELIES ON THE "UDDHA IS WILLING TO MAKE USE OF WORDS AND THOUGHT TO WAKE HIS COUSIN UP 4HE "UD DHA CONCLUDES THIS l RST SECTION OF THE 3UTRA WITH THIS PROMISE ) NOW WILL RAISE FOR ALL OF YOU A GREAT BANNER OF $HARMA SO THAT ALL BEINGS THROUGHOUT ALL TEN DIRECTIONS CAN GAIN ACCESS TO WHAT IS WON DROUS SUBTLE AND HIDDEN THE PURE ENLIGHTENED MIND 4HE "UDDHA PROCEEDS BY BRINGING TO OUR ATTENTION TO THE SIMPLE FACT THAT WE ARE AWARE 4AKING VISUAL AWARENESS AS THE PARADIGM HE EXAMINES AWARENESS THROUGH A SERIES OF ILLUSTRATIVE VIGNETTES SEVERAL OF THEM INVOLV ING OTHER SPEAKERS (E DEMONSTRATES THAT WHILE THINGS MOVE IN THE l ELD OF OUR VISUAL AWARENESS OUR AWARENESS ITSELF REMAINS STILL 4HE BODY AGES BUT OUR AWARENESS ENDURES 7HAT LIES WITHIN OUR l ELD OF AWARENESS MAY BE IN DAYLIGHT OR IN DARKNESS MAY BE OBSCURED OR CLEAR BUT OUR AWARENESS ITSELF IS UNCHANGED NO MATTER WHAT CONDITIONS APPEAR WITHIN ITS SCOPE /UR l ELD OF VISUAL AWARENESS ENCOMPASSES VISIBLE OBJECTS BUT IS NOT ITSELF AN OBJECT IT LACKS BOTH SHAPE AND EXTENSION 3TILL IT CANNOT BE SAID TO BE CLEARLY DISTINCT FROM THE THINGS WHICH ARE IN IT AT THE SAME TIME THAT IT CANNOT BE SAID TO BE IDENTICAL TO THEM /UR VISUAL AWARENESS IS ACTIVE EVEN AMIDST TOTAL DARKNESS

AS THE "UDDHA SHOWS WITH THE ALREADY CITED EXAMPLE OF THE BLIND MAN WHO IS NEVERTHELESS AWARE OF THE DARKNESS AROUND HIM !LL THIS APPLIES NOT ONLY TO VISUAL AWARENESS BUT ALSO TO THE l VE OTHER KINDS OF AWARENESS OUR AWARENESS OF SOUNDS OF SMELLS OF TASTES OF TANGIBLE OBJECTS AND OF THE THOUGHTS IN OUR MINDS ! PLENITUDE OF SENSE OBJECTS EXISTS WITHIN EACH OF THESE l ELDS OF AWARENESS BUT THE AWARENESS ITSELF IS INDEPENDENT OF THEM !S THE "UDDHA SAYS LATER h4HE ESSENTIAL CAPACITY TO HEAR IS NEVER ABSENT NO MATTER WHETHER THERE IS SOUND OR SILENCE v

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'RADUALLY DURING THIS INVESTIGATION THE "UDDHA GIVES HINTS THAT OUR CAPACITY FOR AWARENESS IS MORE CENTRAL THAN WE MAY HAVE SUPPOSED (AVING

SHOWN !NANDA THAT HIS VISUAL AWARENESS IS INDEPENDENT OF THE PHENOMENA OF WHICH IT IS AWARE THE "UDDHA CONCLUDES THAT THIS AWARENESS MUST BE AT

LEAST AN ASPECT OF THAT TRUE MIND THAT !NANDA HAS LOST TRACK OF h7HAT IS NOT AFFECTED BY CONDITIONS MUST BE WHAT YOU FUNDAMENTALLY ARE )F THAT IS NOT YOU WHAT IS v &OR ONE THINGÂ&#x2C6;AS HE GENTLY REASSURES THE AGING +ING 0RASENAJIT WHO IS FRIGHTENED AT THE PROSPECT OF HIS MORTALITYÂ&#x2C6;SINCE OUR VISUAL AWARENESS IS INDEPENDENT OF CONDITIONS IT MUST BELONG TO WHAT SUR VIVES THE TRAUMAS OF DEATH AND REBIRTH

3URRENDERING TO THE FORCE OF THE "UDDHA S LOGIC !NANDA GRANTS h-Y AWARENESS IS INDEED MY WONDROUS TRUE NATURE v "UT OF COURSE IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE )T IS THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF AWARENESS THAT IS THE ENLIGHTENED MIND

NOT OUR ORDINARY AWARENESS THAT WE EXPERIENCE DAY AFTER DAY 4HIS ORDINARY AWARENESS HAS BEEN DISTORTED IT IS DISEASED 4HE "UDDHA COMPARES US TO A MAN WHO SEES CIRCLES OF COLOR AROUND A LAMP BECAUSE HE SUFFERS FROM A DISEASE OF THE EYES 9ET IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE MAN S EYE DISEASE TO BE CORRECTED SO THAT HE CAN SEE CLEARLY AND IT IS POSSIBLE FOR OUR DISTORTED AWARENESS TO BE PURIl ED SO THAT WE SEE THE WORLD AS IT REALLY IS )T IS PROBABLY WORTH NOTING AT THIS POINT THAT THE RADICAL SKEPTICISM EXPRESSED IN THIS ANCIENT DOCUMENT IS IN MODERN TIMES NO LONGER RADICAL AT ALL 4HE SPECULATIONS OF $AVID (UME AND )MMANUEL +ANTÂ&#x2C6;NOT TO MENTION THE INVENTION OF THE MICROSCOPE AND TELESCOPE AND EVERY OTHER DEVICE THAT SEES AND HEARS BETTER THAN WE DOÂ&#x2C6;HAVE LONG MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE WORLD WE SEE WITH THE NAKED EYE AND HEAR WITH THE UNAIDED EAR IS NOT THE WORLD AS IT REALLY IS 7E DO NOT HEAR THE HIGH AND LOW FREQUENCIES AND DO NOT SEE BEYOND THE VISIBLE SPECTRUM /UR VISUAL AND AURAL l ELDS ARE DISTORTED BY THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR VISUAL AND AURAL AWARENESS 4HESE LIMITS ARE NOT MERELY THOSE OF SCOPE BUT OF VALUE AND OF PERSPECTIVE !S THE "UDDHA WILL EXPLAIN

TO !NANDA LATER ON IN THE 3| URANGAMA DISCOURSE WE ALSO ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE FOOLED IN THAT WE INTERPRET EVERYTHING WE PERCEIVE AS GOOD BAD OR INDIF FERENT ASSIGNING IT A VALUE MEASURED BY WHAT IT WILL MEAN TO US )N THIS WAY

WE DISTORT THE WORLD BY RESPONDING TO IT WITH DESIRE OR REVULSION &URTHER

WE DIVIDE THE CONTENTS OF OUR EXPERIENCE INTO WHAT IS US AND WHAT IS NOT USÂ&#x2C6;WHAT IS SELF AND WHAT IS OTHER %VERYTHING IS COLORED BY THE PERSPECTIVE OF SELF JUST AS THE LAMP IS DISTORTED BY THE EYE DISEASE OF THE VIEWER IN THE "UDDHA S ANALOGY 7HAT THEN IS THIS ENLIGHTENED MIND THAT IS THE PURIl ED ESSENCE OF OUR

AWARENESS AND WHAT MIGHT IT MEAN TO PURIFY IT 4O PREPARE !NANDA FOR AN ANSWER TO THESE QUESTIONS THE "UDDHA TURNS NEXT TO ONE OF THE DOCTRINES MOST DISTINCTIVE TO "UDDHISMÂ&#x2C6;THE DOCTRINE OF EMPTINESS !LL THE THINGS >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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THAT WE PERCEIVE IN THIS WORLD ARE IMPERMANENT AND FURTHERMORE ALL THINGS ARE MERELY CONCATENATIONS OF INGREDIENTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES 4HEY EXIST BUT THEY HAVE NO REALITY THAT IS THEIR OWN 4HEY ARE CONSTRUCTS ONTOLOGICALLY THEY ARE EMPTY /UR VERY SELVES ARE MERELY MENTAL CONSTRUCTS WHICH┬ИAS MODERN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY CONl RMS┬ИWE PUT TOGETHER AS CHILDREN IN ORDER

TO NAVIGATE AMONG OUR EXPERIENCES )N THE 3| URANGAMA 3UTRA THE "UDDHA APPROACHES THIS DOCTRINE THROUGH OUR SENSE APPARATUS )N A SERIES OF ARGU MENTS THAT FOLLOW THE PATTERN OF THE CLARIl CATION OF CAUSES

4HE UNIVERSE IS EMPTY HE BRIEm Y EXAMINES IN TURN OUR SIX SENSES EYES EARS NOSE

TONGUE SKIN AND MIND THEN THE SIX KINDS OF SENSE OBJECTS VISUAL OBJECTS SOUNDS SMELLS TASTES TACTILE OBJECTS AND BUT THIS EMPTINESS IS THOUGHTS┬ИTHAT IS OBJECTS OF MIND ALSO THE SIX KINDS OF SENSE CONSCIOUSNESSES THAT ARISE WHEN THE SENSE FACULTIES NOT THE SAME THING AS ENCOUNTER SENSE OBJECTS THAT IS SEEING HEARING SMELLING

TASTING TOUCHING AND AWARENESS OF MENTAL CONTENTS AND A VOID l NALLY THE ELEMENTAL QUALITIES THAT CHARACTERIZE THE WORLD OF SENSE OBJECTS l RE OR HEAT EARTH OR SOLIDITY WATER OR LIQUIDITY WIND

OR MOVEMENT SPACE LIVING BEINGS ORDINARY SENSE AWARENESS AND BEINGS CONSCIOUSNESS !LL THESE THE "UDDHA SAYS ARE ILLUSORY AND UNREAL 4HEY DO NOT EXIST AS INDEPENDENT NATURES WITH THEIR OWN BEING 4HUS IN THIS SENSE

THE UNIVERSE OF OBJECTS THAT WE PERCEIVE IS EMPTY !ND YET AT THE SAME TIME THAT MIND AND WORLD ARE EMPTY IN THAT THEY ARE UNREAL AND HAVE NO INDEPENDENT BEING ONE CANNOT SAY THAT THEY DO NOT EXIST 4HE UNIVERSE IS EMPTY BUT THIS EMPTINESS IS NOT THE SAME THING AS A VOID )T IS NOT ONLY THAT THE UNIVERSE TEEMS WITH ALL MANNER OF SENTIENT BEINGS AND INSENTIENT THINGS CONTINGENT AND IMPERMANENT THOUGH THEY MAY BE )T IS ALSO THAT AT A MORE PROFOUND LEVEL THIS EMPTY UNIVERSE AND ALL

BEINGS IN IT ARE SUFFUSED WITH AN ULTIMATE REALITY )N THE 3| URANGAMA 3UTRA AND ELSEWHERE THE "UDDHA CALLS THIS ULTIMATE REALITY hTHE -ATRIX OF THE 4HUS #OME /NEv┬ИIN 3ANSKRIT THE 4ATHAGATA GARBHA

H LITERALLY THE WOMB OF THE "UDDHA )T IS FROM THIS MATRIX THAT THE WORLD AND THE MIND COME FORTH %NLIGHTENMENT THEN BRINGS NOT ONLY AN AWAKENING OF THE FUNDA MENTAL "UDDHA NATURE WITHIN ONE S OWN MIND┬ИTHAT ORIGINAL TRUE MIND WHICH WE HAVE FORGOTTEN )T BRINGS ALSO AN APPREHENSION OF ULTIMATE RE ALITY BECAUSE THESE TWO┬ИTHE TRUE MIND AND THE REALITY OF THE UNIVERSE

OTHERWISE NAMED THE "UDDHA NATURE AND THE -ATRIX OF THE 4HUS #OME

NGAMA

NUMEROUS TERMS /NE┬ИARE ONE AND THE SAME 4HUS IN THE 3| URA OF PRAISE APPLY EQUALLY TO THE TRUE MIND AND TO THE REALITY OF THE UNIVERSE WONDROUS ╥в MIAO ORIGINAL ╦Х YUAN FUNDAMENTAL ═╡ BEN TRUE ре│ ZHEN GENUINE р┐и SHI AWAKENED сЩо JIE ENLIGHTENED UNDERSTANDING тАл ╪итАмMING LUMINOUS G ╬┤ GUANG UNCHANGING G ркШ CHANG PURE G рк╖рм╖ QING

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JING THE hSUCHNESS OF REALITYv G ॳϩ ZHEN RU ANDÂ&#x2C6;MOST IMPORTANT TO THE

3| URANGAMA DISCOURSEÂ&#x2C6;THE AWAKENED NATURE OF OUR AWARENESS Ô´â&#x20AC;«×¸â&#x20AC;¬

JIAN XING 4HE "UDDHA TELLS G !NANDA )N THE -ATRIX OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE THE NATURE OF YOUR VISUAL AWARENESS IS YOUR ENLIGHTENED UNDERSTANDING AND THE ESSENCE OF ENLIGHTENMENT IS YOUR AWARENESS THAT UNDERSTANDS &UNDAMENTALLY PURE IT EXTENDS THROUGHOUT THE $HARMA 2EALM ;I E THE UNIVERSE= 4HE EXTENT TO WHICH BEINGS ARE AWARE OF ITS REAL NATURE DEPENDS ON THE CAPACITIES OF THEIR MINDS *UST AS THE AWARENESS OF ONE SENSE FAC ULTY THE EYE EXTENDS THROUGHOUT THE $HARMA 2EALM SO ALSO DO THE WONDROUS RESPLENDENT POWERS OF HEARING SMELLING TASTING TACTILE AWARENESS AND MENTAL AWARENESS EXTEND THROUGHOUT THE $HARMA 2EALM 4HEY l LL UP THE ENTIRETY OF EMPTY SPACE (OW THEN IS IT THAT WE HAVE LOST SIGHT OF OUR ORIGINS IN THIS -ATRIX

WHICH IS TO SAY HOW IS THAT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN OUR TRUE MINDS !NOTHER OF NA MAITRAYANI PUTRA NOW RISES TO ASK THIS

THE "UDDHA S SENIOR DISCIPLES 0 0UR

QUESTION )F HE SAYS OUR MINDS AND THE WORLD AS WE EXPERIENCE IT ARE ALL THE -ATRIX OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE WHICH IS ITSELF FUNDA MENTALLY PURE THEN HOW IS IT THAT THE MOUNTAINS THE RIVERS THE EARTH AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD OF PERCEIVED OBJECTSÂ&#x2C6;ALL CONDITIONED PHENOMENAÂ&#x2C6;SUDDENLY COME INTO BEING 4HE "UDDHA S ANSWER FOCUSES ON ONE ESSENTIAL EVENT THE SEPARATION OF THE PERCEIVER FROM THE PERCEIVED OF THE SELF FROM THE OTHER (E DESCRIBES IT AS ADDING AN UNDERSTANDING TO AN ALREADY EXISTING UNDERSTANDING !LTHOUGH NOTHING NEED BE ADDED TO ENLIGHTENMENT ONCE AN UN DERSTANDING IS ADDED THAT UNDERSTANDING MUST UNDERSTAND SOME THING /NCE THE CATEGORY OF hSOMETHING UNDERSTOODv IS MISTAKENLY ESTABLISHED THE CATEGORY hTHAT WHICH UNDERSTANDSv IS MISTAKENLY ESTABLISHED AS WELL !S A RESULT THE ORIGINAL ENLIGHTENED AWARENESS WHICH HAD BEEN A SINGLE UNITY DIVIDES INTO SIX SENSE FACULTIES AND THEIR SIX OBJECTS 7HAT IS NOW A PERCEIVED UNIVERSE IS FURTHER DIVIDED INTO THE DESIRABLE THE UNDESIRABLE AND THE NEUTRAL AND AS A RESULT THERE IS DISGUST AND DESIRE +ARMA IS NOW IN PLAY AND WITH IT EMERGE THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF BEING AND THE CYCLE OF DEATH AND REBIRTH 4HIS ACCOUNT SUMMARIZED HERE OF THE SEPARATION OF ULTIMATE REALITY INTO SUBJECT AND OBJECT IS ALL THE "UDDHA IS WILLING TO OFFER AS AN EXPLANATION >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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OF THE COMING INTO BEING OF MIND AND WORLD 4HE "UDDHA DID NOT DISCUSS A &IRST #AUSE NOR DID HE VIEW THE UNIVERSE IN TERMS OF A l NITE AND LINEAR NARRATIVE GUIDED BY THE PURPOSES OF AN ULTIMATE PURPOSER )F THE PRIMOR DIAL SEPARATION INTO SUBJECT AND OBJECT IS OUR &ALL FROM INNOCENCE IT IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL FALL A RIFT AT THE FOUNDATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS NOT A MORAL FALL 4HERE IS NO ORIGINAL SIN THERE IS ONLY THE ORIGINAL SEPARATION FROM THE TRUE MIND 7HILE THE "UDDHA IS WILLING TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS SEPARATION COMES ABOUT HE DOES NOT OFFER A SIMILAR EXPLANATION AS TO WHY IT COMES ABOUT NA MAITRAYANI PUTRA ASKS THE "UDDHA TO SHED LIGHT ON THIS MYSTERY h)

0UR

VENTURE TO ASK THE 4HUS #OME /NE WHY ALL BEINGS ARE DELUDED v

A NEIGHBOR | AVAST 4HE "UDDHA REPLIES WITH A PARABLE )N NEARBY 3R HOOD IDIOT NAMED 9AJ¶ADATTA THINKS THAT THE HEAD HE SEES IN THE MIRROR ONE MORNING IS NOT HIS OWN )N A PANIC HE CONCLUDES THAT THE HEAD HE DOES SEE IN THE MIRROR BELONGS TO A GHOST (E RUNS MADLY OUT INTO THE STREET 4HE NA "UDDHA ASKS 0UR

h7HAT DO YOU THINK 7HAT CAUSED THIS MAN TO RUN MADLY ABOUT FOR NO GOOD REASON v NA REPLIED h(E WAS CLEARLY INSANE 4HAT AND NOTHING ELSE 0UR

WAS THE CAUSE v 4HE "UDDHA SAID h7ONDROUS ENLIGHTENMENT IS PERFECT UNDER STANDING (OW THEN COULD IT BE THE BASIS OF THE DELUSIONS WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING 4HIS THEN IS THE CAUSE OF DELUSION IT ARISES FROM DELUSION -ERELY REALIZE THAT YOUR DELUSION HAS NO ULTIMATE BASIS AND THE BASIS OF YOUR DELUSION WILL DISAPPEAR 4HE SAME MAY BE SAID EVEN MORE EMPHATICALLY OF 9AJ¶ADATTA 7HAT HE EXPERIENCED THAT DAY IN THE CITY HAD NO BASIS AND SO WAS FUNDAMENTALLY UNREAL 7AS THERE ANY REASON FOR HIM TO HAVE BECOME AFRAID THAT HE HAD LOST HIS HEAD AND TO HAVE RUSHED MADLY ABOUT 4HE SAME IS TRUE OF DELUSION (OW COULD IT BE BASED IN REALITY v 4HERE CAN BE NO REASON FOR OUR SLIPPING FROM ENLIGHTENMENT INTO DELU SION &IRST IT CONTRADICTS LOGIC TO SUPPOSE THAT PERFECT UNDERSTANDING COULD BE THE CAUSE OF DELUSION AND SECOND DELUSION WOULD NOT BE DELUSION IF IT HAD A RATIONAL BASIS 4HAT IS ALL THE "UDDHA WILL GIVE US HERE 4HE IMPETUS OF THE "UDDHA S MINISTRY WAS SIMPLY THE PLAIN FACT THAT WE ARE CAUGHT UP IN AN UNSATISFACTORY EXISTENCE AND HE OFFERS NOTHING MORE NOR LESS THAN

A WAY OUT 4HUS IN THE 3| URANGAMA THE "UDDHA CONCLUDES HIS PARABLE OF 9AJ¶ADATTA WITH A PRESCRIPTION h!LL THAT IS NEEDED IS FOR YOU NOT TO FOLLOW AFTER THE DISTINCTIONS YOU MAKE CONCERNING THE WORLD BEINGS AND RET RIBUTION IN ACCORD WITH KARMA v

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)NSTRUCTIONS IN 0RACTICE h.OT TO FOLLOWv THIS PRESCRIPTION TO DECLARE OUR INDEPENDENCE FROM SENSE

OBJECTS LEADS US BACK TO THE OCCASION FOR THE SUTRA ITSELF !NANDA S LACK OF

SAMADHI LEFT HIM VULNERABLE TO DISASTER BECAUSE HE PERMITTED HIS HEARING TO TAKE IN THE COURTESAN S SPELL (E SHOULDN T HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THE SPELL

(E SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOCUSING HIS HEARING INWARD 4HE 3| URANGAMA DISCOURSE HAS NOW REACHED ITS SECOND STAGE 4HE "UDDHA HAS ERECTED A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND HE IS READY TO CLOTHE THE FRAMEWORK WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR

PRACTICE !NANDA DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY PERCEIVE THIS AND HE NOW SPEAKS UP TO CHALLENGE THE "UDDHA S ARGUMENT THAT NO CAUSE CAN BE ASCRIBED TO THE PRIMORDIAL DIVISION BETWEEN SELF AND OTHER "RIEm Y THE "UDDHA REVISITS

THE PARABLE OF THE FOOLISH 9AJ¶ADATTA AND THEN HE GIVES !NANDA A SOUND SCOLDING $ESPITE YOUR MANY EONS OF ACCUMULATED LEARNING YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO ESCAPE YOUR DIFl CULTY WITH THE YOUNG -ATANGA WOMAN ;THE COURTE

SAN= 7HY DID YOU NEED ME TO RECITE THE |3URANGAMA -ANTRA FOR YOU )N THE YOUNG -ATANGA WOMAN THE l RES OF LUST HAVE BEEN EXTINGUISHED

AND INSTANTLY SHE HAS BECOME A 3AGE WHO NEED NOT RETURN

)N OTHER WORDS THE COURTESAN HAS SURPASSED !NANDA IN HER LEVEL OF

ENLIGHTENMENT ,ISTENING TO THE 3| URANGAMA DISCOURSE HAS LIFTED HER QUICKLY

TO THE THIRD LEVEL OF THE 3AGE !NANDA HAS LONG BEEN STUCK AT THE l RST STAGE 4HIS IS SUFl CIENTLY MORTIFYING TO SAP THE YOUNG MONK S APPETITE FOR ARGU MENTATION &OR THE REMAINDER OF THE SUTRA HE LARGELY CONl NES HIS REMARKS TO REQUESTS FOR FURTHER TEACHING 4HE YOUNG INTELLECTUAL IS NOW READY TO BE

NGAMA 3AM

TAUGHT HOW TO PRACTICE THE 3| URA ADHI (E TEARFULLY CONFESSES 4HE 4HUS #OME /NE HAS ALSO ADMONISHED ME FOR PURSUING ERUDI TION AT THE EXPENSE OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICE .OW THEREFORE ) AM LIKE A WANDERER WHO UNEXPECTEDLY MEETS A CELESTIAL KING WHO BESTOWS UPON HIM A MAGNIl CENT HOUSE 4HE HOUSE IS HIS YET IN ORDER TO GO IN HE WILL STILL NEED TO l ND A DOOR ) ONLY HOPE THAT THE 4HUS #OME /NE WILL NOT WITHHOLD HIS COMPASSION FROM ALL OF US IN THIS ASSEMBLY WHO ARE COVERED IN DARKNESS AND THAT HE WILL SHOW US THE ROAD THAT LEADS FROM OUR ORIGINAL RESOLVE TO CERTAIN ATTAINMENT OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE S COMPLETE NIRVANA 4HE "UDDHA RESPONDS BY RETURNING TO THE SUBJECT OF SENSE PERCEPTION (E POINTS OUT THAT SOME OF THE SIX SENSES HAVE A WIDER RANGE THAN OTHERS FOR EXAMPLE WE CANNOT SEE BEHIND US BUT OUR HEARING IS OMNI DIRECTIONAL

(E THEN REASSURES !NANDA THAT HE NEEDS TO CONCENTRATE IN HIS PRACTICE ON >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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ONLY ONE OF THE SENSES SINCE WHEN ONE OF THEM IS PURIl ED ALL OF THEM WILL

BE PURIl ED 4HE WORK OF SAMADHI HE REPEATS IS hNOT TO FOLLOW v 4HAT IS IT IS TO LEARN NOT TO ALLOW ONE S ATTENTION TO BE DISTRACTED BY SENSE OBJECTS NOT TO ALLOW ONE S MIND TO EVALUATE THESE OBJECTS AS GOOD BAD OR NEUTRAL AND NOT TO ALLOW ONE S EMOTIONS TO RESPOND WITH DESIRE OR REVULSION (E SAYS %XTRICATE ONE SENSE FACULTY BY DETACHING IT FROM ITS SENSE OBJECTS AND REDIRECT IT INWARD SO THAT IT MAY RETURN TO WHAT IS ORIGINAL AND TRUE 4HEN IT WILL RADIATE WITH THE LIGHT OF YOUR ORIGINAL UNDERSTANDING 4HIS BRILLIANT LIGHT WILL SHINE FORTH AND DETACH THE OTHER l VE SENSE FACULTIES UNTIL THEY TOO ARE COMPLETELY FREE OF SENSE OBJECTS 4HE "UDDHA THEN ASKS HIS SON 2AHULA WHO HAS JOINED HIS MONASTIC RETI 2 NUE TO STRIKE THE TEMPLE BELL IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE ONCE AGAIN THAT HEARING CONTINUES WHETHER THERE IS SOUND OR SILENCE &INALLY HE ASKS THE ENLIGHTENED

SAGES IN THE ASSEMBLY TO TELL !NANDA HOW THEY BECAME ENLIGHTENED 7HEN YOU l RST MADE THE COMMITMENT TO REALIZE ENLIGHTENMENT WHICH ONE OF THE EIGHTEEN CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS OF PERCEPTION DID YOU WAKEN IN ORDER TO BREAK THROUGH ALL OBSTRUCTIONS "Y WHAT METHOD DID YOU

ENTER SAMADHI 4HUS BEGINS WHAT IS PERHAPS THE MOST CELEBRATED PASSAGE IN THE SUTRA THE TESTIMONY OF THE TWENTY l VE SAGES OF WHOM THE LAST IS THE "ODHISATTVA | ES AS HIS AVENUE TO ENLIGHTENMENT ONE OF !VALOKITESVARA %ACH SAGE IDENTIl THE SIX SENSE FACULTIES SIX SENSE OBJECTS SIX SENSE CONSCIOUSNESSES OR SEVEN ELEMENTAL QUALITIES THUS A TOTAL OF TWENTY l VE %ACH SAGE EXPLAINS HOW BY CONTEMPLATING HIS AWARENESS AS ULTIMATELY INDEPENDENT OF SENSE FACULTIES AND SENSE OBJECTS HE BROKE HIS ATTACHMENT TO THE WORLD OF THE SENSES 4HE SAGE 'AVAMPATI FOR EXAMPLE TESTIl V ES IN PART -Y CONTEMPLATION WAS THAT THE KNOWLEDGE OF m AVORS DOES NOT COME FROM THE TONGUE FACULTY AND DOES NOT COME FROM ANY OBJECT OF TASTE 7ITHIN ) LET GO OF MY MIND AND BODY AND WITHOUT ) TOOK MY LEAVE OF THIS WORLD ) LEFT THE THREE REALMS OF EXISTENCE FAR BEHIND LIKE A BIRD ESCAPING FROM ITS CAGE ) DEPARTED FROM ALL IMPURITY AND WAS DONE WITH ALL SENSE OBJECTS AND MY $HARMA EYE BECAME CLEAR 3O IT WAS THAT ) BECAME A 3AGE 4HE 4HUS #OME /NE HIMSELF VERIl ED THAT ) NEEDED NO FURTHER INSTRUCTION 4HE "UDDHA HAS ASKED US HOW WE BROKE THROUGH ALL OBSTRUCTIONS ) BELIEVE THAT TURNING OUR AWARENESS OF m AVOR AROUND TO REm ECT UPON ITSELF IS THE BEST METHOD !S FOR THE SEVEN SAGES WHO FOCUSED ON ONE OF THE SEVEN ELEMENTAL QUALI TIES THEIR CONTEMPLATIONS WERE OF THE IDENTITY OF BODY MIND AND WORLD

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AND THEREFORE THE ULTIMATE UNREALITY OF THE DIVISION INTO SUBJECT AND OBJECT 4HE YOUTH -OONLIGHT TESTIl ES ) SAW TOO THAT THE WATER INSIDE MY BODY WAS NO DIFFERENT FROM THE WATER OUTSIDE OF MY BODY %VEN AS FAR AWAY AS THE FRAGRANT SEAS OF THE 2OYAL &LOATING "ANNER "UDDHA LAND THE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE OF WATER IS ONE AND THE SAME -Y BODY VANISHED 4HEN THE FUN DAMENTAL NATURE OF THE WATER IN MY BODY AND OF ALL THE WATERS OF THE FRAGRANT SEAS IN WORLDS THROUGHOUT THE TEN DIRECTIONS MERGED INTO TRUE EMPTINESS | &INALLY THE "ODHISATTVA !VALOKITESVARA DESCRIBES HIS PRACTICE FOR PU RIl CATION OF THE EAR (E SAYS &IRST ) REDIRECTED MY HEARING INWARD AS IF TO GO AGAINST A STREAM

AND THEN EXTERNAL SOUNDS DISAPPEARED 7ITH ITS DIRECTION REVERSED AND WITH SOUNDS STILLED BOTH SOUNDS AND SILENCE CEASE TO ARISE 3O IT WAS THAT AS ) GRADUALLY PROGRESSED WHAT ) HEARD AND MY AWARENESS OF WHAT ) HEARD CAME TO AN END %VEN WHEN THAT STATE OF MIND IN WHICH EVERYTHING HAD COME TO AN END DISAPPEARED ) DID NOT REST -Y AWARENESS AND THE OBJECTS OF MY AWARENESS WERE EMPTIED AND WHEN THAT PROCESS OF EMPTYING MY AWARENESS WAS WHOLLY COMPLETE THEN EVEN THAT EMPTYING AND WHAT HAD BEEN EMPTIED VANISHED #OMING INTO BEING AND CEASING TO BE THEMSELVES CEASED TO BE 4HEN THE ULTI MATE STILLNESS WAS REVEALED !LL OF A SUDDEN ) TRANSCENDED THE WORLDS OF ORDINARY BEINGS AND ) ALSO TRANSCENDED THE WORLDS OF BEINGS WHO HAVE TRANSCENDED THE ORDINARY WORLDS %VERYTHING IN THE TEN DIREC TIONS WAS FULLY ILLUMINATED

NGAMA (ERE WE HAVE THE ESOTERIC TEACHING THAT IS CENTRAL TO THE 3| URA FREEING THE SENSE FACULTIES FROM THE WORLD OF SENSE OBJECTS LEADS l RST TO hEVERYTHING DISAPPEARING v AND THEN TO hILLUMINATION v !S THE "ODHISATTVA | !VALOKITESVARA PUTS IT /NCE PERCEIVED OBJECTS HAD DISAPPEARED FROM MY MIND AS ) TURNED THE LIGHT OF MY UNDERSTANDING INWARD MY BODY AND MIND AND THE ENTIRE $HARMA 2EALM ;THAT IS THE UNIVERSE= WERE AS BRIGHT AND TRANSLUCENT AND m AWLESS AS CRYSTAL 7HEN HIS HEARING AS HE SAYS BECAME ALL PERVASIVE HE WAS ABLE TO HEAR THE CRIES OF BEINGS EVERYWHERE THUS ONE #HINESE TRANSLATION OF HIS NAME IS 'UAN 3HI 9IN N 4HE /NE 7HO (EARS THE 6OICES OF THE 7ORLD (E IS "UDDHISM S EXEMPLAR OF COMPASSION AND WHEN "UDDHISM TRAVELED TO %AST !SIA HE BECAME AN OBJECT OF WORSHIP AND PETITION IN HIS FEMININE FORM >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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(E TELLS THE 3| URANGAMA ASSEMBLY THAT HE IS ABLE TO APPEAR BEFORE VARIOUS CLASSES OF BEINGS IN THEIR OWN FORMS TO GRANT THEIR WISHES AND TO DELIVER THEM SAFELY FROM FEARSOME SITUATIONS 4HE CELEBRATED TWENTY l FTH CHAPTER OF THE ,OTUS 3UTRA h/N THE 5NIVERSAL $OORWAYv SIMILARLY CELEBRATES THE | "ODHISATTVA !VALOKITESVARA S SALVIl C POWERS THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT IN THE

|3URANGAMA HE EXPLAINS HOW THOSE POWERS WERE GAINED "ECAUSE ) DID NOT LISTEN TO SOUNDS ) WAS ABLE TO CONTEMPLATE THE LIS TENER WITHIN .OW ) CAN HEAR THE CRIES OF SUFFERING BEINGS THROUGHOUT THE TEN DIRECTIONS AND ) CAN BRING ABOUT THEIR LIBERATION v !ND

/NCE SOUNDS WERE SO PURIl ED THAT THEY CEASED BEING PERCEIVED OBJECTS

THE SENSE FACULTY AND ITS OBJECTS WERE COMPLETELY INTERFUSED SO THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT PERCEIVED AND NOTHING THAT WAS PERCEIVED 4HEREFORE ) CAN CAUSE BEINGS BURDENED BY ANGER AND HATRED TO BE FREE OF THEIR ENMITY | 7HEN !VALOKITESVARA HAS l NISHED SPEAKING THE "UDDHA ASKS THE | TO RECOMMEND ONE OF THE METHODS DESCRIBED BY "ODHISATTVA -A¶JUSR

THE TWENTY l VE SAGES SO THAT !NANDA AND BEINGS OF THE FUTURE CAN KNOW | RESPONDS WHICH METHOD hWILL LEAD THEM MOST EASILY TO SUCCESS v -A¶JUSR

| WITH A LINE VERSE IN SUMMARY OF THE 3URANGAMA TEACHING AND THE SAGES TWENTY l VE METHODS (E CONCLUDES BY RECOMMENDING THE HEARING PRACTICE | OF !VALOKITESVARA ) NOW RESPECTFULLY SAY THIS TO THE 7ORLD (ONORED /NE

7HO IS THE "UDDHA THAT APPEARED HERE IN THIS 3AHA 7ORLD )N ORDER TO TRANSMIT THE ESSENCE OF TRUE TEACHING -EANT FOR THIS PLACE IT IS THAT PURITY IS FOUND THROUGH HEARING

4HOSE WHO WILL WISH TO GAIN A MASTERY OF SAMADHI 7ILL SURELY l ND THAT HEARING IS THE WAY TO ENTER !ND A LITTLE FURTHER ON

'REAT !SSEMBLY !NANDA (ALT THE SHADOW PLAY /F YOUR DISTORTED HEARING 4URN YOUR HEARING ROUND AND LISTEN 4O YOUR TRUE NATURE 4HEN YOU LL REALIZE THE UNSURPASSED %NLIGHTENMENT 4HIS IS THE GENUINE WAY 4O BREAK THROUGH ALL OBSTRUCTIONS

4HE INSTRUCTION OF !NANDA IS NOT YET QUITE COMPLETE HOWEVER /NE CRUCIAL POINT REMAINS TO BE MADE (OW IS IT POSSIBLE AFTER ALL TO TURN THE HEARING AROUND AND LISTEN TO ONE S TRUE NATURE (OW CAN ONE STAKE OUT AN

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INDEPENDENCE FROM THE DATA OF THE SENSES 4HE "UDDHA IS NOW READY TO OFFER A FRANK ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION .O MATTER HOW MUCH YOU MAY PRACTICE IN ORDER TO TRANSCEND THE STRESS OF EXPERIENCING SENSE OBJECTS YOU WILL NEVER TRANSCEND THAT STRESS UNTIL YOU HAVE FREED YOURSELF FROM SEXUAL DESIRE )N THE #HINESE THE WORD IS YIN рм▓ LITERALLY LUST LUST NOT ONLY FOR SEXUAL EXPERIENCE BUT FOR SENSE EXPERIENCE IN GENERAL 7HAT KEEPS US TIED TO SENSE OBJECTS┬ИWHAT PREVENTS US FROM BEING ABLE TO LIBERATE OUR AWARENESS AND GAIN ILLUMINATION┬ИIS SIMPLY OUR DESIRE FOR SENSE EXPERIENCES OF WHICH SEXUAL EXPERIENCE IS THE MOST COMPELLING 4HUS THE "UDDHA RETURNS TO HIS INITIAL TEACHING THE &OUR .OBLE 4RUTHS WHICH HE TRANSMITTED TO THE l VE ASCETICS IN THE $EER 0ARK SOON AFTER HIS OWN AWAKENING 4HESE TRUTHS TELL US THAT THIS LIFE OF OURS IS UNSATISFACTORY AND THAT THE ROOT OF OUR DISSATISFACTION IS OUR HABIT OF CRAVING SENSATION AND EXPERIENCE /NLY BY EXTINGUISHING THIS CRAVING CAN ONE GAIN FREEDOM 9OU MUST PURGE YOURSELF OF THE MOST SUBTLE PROMPTINGS OF LUST BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL 4HEN THERE WILL BE HOPE THAT YOU MAY REALIZE THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF THE "UDDHAS 4O THIS THE "UDDHA ADDS THREE OTHER PREREQUISITES TO SUCCESS IN SPIRITUAL PRACTICE &IRST ONE MUST FREE ONESELF OF VIOLENCE BOTH IN ONE S ACTIONS AND IN ONE S THOUGHTS INCLUDED IN THIS INSTRUCTION IS AN INJUNCTION AGAINST EATING MEAT 3ECOND THERE MUST BE NO COVETING AND NO THEFT !ND LASTLY ONE MUST NEVER MAKE PRIDEFUL FALSE CLAIMS TO SPIRITUAL ACCOMPLISHMENT &INALLY THE "UDDHA OFFERS AN EXPEDIENT FOR HASTENING THE PRACTITIONER S

NGAMA

3AMADHI 4HIS EXPEDIENT IS RECITATION OF THE ENTRY INTO THE 3| URA

3| URANGAMA -ANTRA THAT SAME COUNTER SPELL BY WHICH AT THE OUTSET OF

THE SUTRA THE "UDDHA RESCUED !NANDA FROM WHAT HE DELICATELY REFERS TO AS hYOUR DIFl CULTY WITH THE -ATANGA WOMAN v 4HE "UDDHA HIMSELF CALLS THE MANTRA h4HE 'REAT 7HITE #ANOPY v BECAUSE IT TAKES THOSE WHO RECITE IT

UNDER ITS PROTECTION !T !NANDA S REQUEST THE "UDDHA NOW PROCLAIMS THE MANTRA FOR A SECOND TIME AND THIS TIME ITS LINES ARE GIVEN IN THE TEXT 4HE "UDDHA GIVES PRECISE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND CONSECRATION OF A SACRED SPACE IN WHICH A PRACTITIONER CAN PROPERLY FOCUS ON RECITATION OF THE MANTRA AND HE LISTS NUMEROUS BENEl TS THAT IT BESTOWS UPON THOSE WHO MAKE IT PART OF THEIR PRACTICE

7ITH THE TEACHING CONCERNING THE 3| URANGAMA -ANTRA THE "UDDHA HAS

NGAMA 3AM

NOW COMPLETED HIS INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTERING THE 3| URA ADHI 4HE

GOAL OF THE NARRATIVE HAS BEEN GAINED !NANDA HAS BEEN GRANTED WHAT HE NEEDS TO AVOID FURTHER ERROR "UT THE SUTRA ITSELF IS NOT COMPLETE #ONl DENT >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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THAT HE CAN AT LAST MAKE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS !NANDA ASKS FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF ENLIGHTENMENT THROUGH WHICH HE HOPES TO SOON BEGIN HIS ADVANCE )N ANSWER THE "UDDHA l RST BACKS UP TO BRIEm Y DESCRIBE TWELVE LEVELS OF UNENLIGHTENED BEINGS WHICH HE CATEGORIZES ACCORDING TO THE MANNER OF THEIR BEING BORN .EXT IN A PASSAGE OF DAUNTING TERSENESS

HE SUMMARIZES l FTY l VE STAGES OF THE "ODHISATTVA S PROGRESS TOWARD "UD DHAHOODÂ&#x2C6;A TOPIC TREATED AT GREAT LENGTH IN THE !VATAMSAKA 3UTRA .EXT

HAVING HEARD ABOUT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF BEING !NANDA EVER CURIOUS ASKS ABOUT THE LOWEST LEVELS THAT IS THE HELLS 4HE "UDDHA COMPLIES BY LAUNCHING INTO A HAIR RAISING DESCRIPTION OF THE TORTURES OF THE NETHER REGIONS WHICH BEINGS EXPERIENCE AS THE KARMIC RETRIBUTION INCURRED BY THEIR MISDEEDS IN THEIR LIVES AS PEOPLE 4HE "UDDHA CONTINUES BY SUMMARIZING A GRADUAL ASCENT THROUGH OTHER LEVELS OF REBIRTH AS GHOSTS ANIMALS PEOPLE ADEPTS

| GODS AND ASURAS BEINGS ADDICTED TO VIOLENCE &INALLY IN A LENGTHY AND IMPORTANT SECTION THAT CAN STAND ALONE THE "UDDHA WARNS AGAINST l FTY NEGATIVE STATES OF MIND IN WHICH SERIOUS PRAC TITIONERS CAN BECOME TRAPPED IF THEY FALL PREY TO GREED PRIDE OR CONFU

SION 4HIS LAST TEACHING SERVES AS A WARNING THAT THE 3| URANGAMA PRACTICE

OF ENTERING SAMADHI THROUGH REDIRECTING THE SENSES INWARD CARRIES WITH IT SOME DEGREE OF PERIL )T IS ESSENTIAL TO RECOGNIZE THAT TO AVOID NOT ONLY ERROR BUT SERIOUS MENTAL ENDANGERMENT ANY INTENSE SPIRITUAL PRACTICE MUST BE PURSUED IN THE CONTEXT OF A PROPER SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY SURROUNDED BY OTHERS DEVOTED TO PURE CONDUCT UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A WISE AND SKILLFUL TEACHER #ONCLUSION )T IS PERHAPS APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO CONCLUDE ON A PERSONAL NOTE

BY LAMENT ING THE OBSCURITY INTO WHICH THIS MAGNIl CENT SCRIPTURE HAS FALLEN IN THE 7EST

WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MANY LESSER WORKS HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED BY 7ESTERN

3UTRA IS SCHOLARS AND WIDELY CIRCULATED 4HE CHARGE THAT THE 3| URANGAMA INAUTHENTIC AND APOCRYPHAL HAS NOT BEEN WITHOUT ITS EFFECT 4HE DISCOURSE IS RARELY IF EVER TAUGHT FOR EXAMPLE IN UNIVERSITY COURSES ON "UDDHISM

AND IT IS PROBABLE THAT THE GREAT MAJORITY OF 7ESTERN "UDDHISTS HAVE NEITHER READ THE SUTRA NOR EVEN HEARD OF IT 9ET IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT LEGITIMATE GROUNDS THERE CAN BE FOR SCHOLARS WHO ARE NOT THEMSELVES "UDDHIST MASTERS OR EVEN "UDDHIST PRACTITIONERS TO CONl DENTLY PRESENT THEMSELVES AS QUALIl ED TO RULE ON THE PROPER PLACE THAT THIS OR ANY OTHER SCRIPTURE SHOULD HOLD IN THE "UDDHIST CANON /NE CAN ONLY BE PUZZLED BY THE EASE WITH WHICH IT IS ASSUMED THAT UNCERTAINTIES CONCERNING TEXTUAL HISTORY SHOULD BE DEEMED SUFl CIENT TO DIMINISH THE SIGNIl CANCE OF A TEXT THAT HAS BEEN IMPORTANT TO

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2ESCUING ! NANDA

ITS OWN TRADITION FOR SOME YEARS 4HERE IS HERE A WHIFF OF THE 7ESTERN CULTURAL ARROGANCE THAT %DWARD 3AID FAMOUSLY CHARACTERIZED AS ORIENTAL ISM ) CAN ONLY VENTURE TO HOPE THAT THE NEW TRANSLATION BEING PREPARED

BY THE TEAM OF WHICH ) AM MEMBER WILL SERVE SOME SMALL ROLE IN BRINGING

THE 3| URANGAMA MORE INTO THE LIGHT s .OTES 4HE SUTRA 4 IS GENERALLY KNOWN IN #HINESE AS $A FO DING SHOU LENG YAN JING ʩщఋ࡜๯ᘸ໪ THE COMPLETE TITLE IS $A FO DING RU LAI MI YIN XIU ZHENG LIAO YI ZHU PU SA WAN HENG SHOU LENG YAN JING ʩщఋϩդઃϖࡹᗲ

NGAMA ʅ໴ቃ൚ᕇ໘н࡜๯ᘸ໪ )T IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE |3 URA

SAMADHI 3UTRA 4 IN TWO ROLLS WHICH HAS BEEN TRANSLATED BY TIENNE ,AMOTTE 4HE ONLY COMPLETE TRANSLATION IN %NGLISH IS THAT BY THE "UDDHIST 4EXT 4RANSLATION 3OCIETY WITH COMMENTARY BY THE 6EN -ASTER (SÓAN (UA IN EIGHT VOLUMES REVISED EDITION !N EARLIER INCOMPLETE TRANSLATION BY #HARLES ,UK WITH EXCERPTS FROM THE COMMENTARY OF (AN 3HAN $EQING WAS PUBLISHED BY 2IDER IN 4HERE IS ALSO A 4IBETAN TRANSLATION OF THE #HINESE TEXT ! GROUP OF COLLEAGUES INCLUDING THE AUTHOR OF THE PRESENT PAPER IS ENGAGED IN A REVISED TRANSLATION FOR THE "UDDHIST 4EXT 4RANSLATION 3OCIETY TO BE PUBLISHED IN IN TANDEM WITH A TRANSLATION INTO 3PANISH !S ADMIRABLY DEMONSTRATED BY &RITHJOF 3CHUON IN 4HE 4RANSCENDENT 5NITY OF 2ELIGIONS 7HEATON ), 4HEOSOPHICAL 0UBLISHING (OUSE 1UEST "OOKS

&OR EXAMPLE 4HE .YAYAMUKA Y A OF $IGNAGA TRANSLATED BY 8UANZANG AS hYIN MING ZHENG LI MEN LUN BENv ϖ‫ب‬͹୏‫ۄ‬቉͵ 4 3EE THE ONLINE $IGITAL $ICTIONARY OF "UDDHISM UNDER THE ENTRY FOR ϖ‫ ب‬ HTTP BUDDHISM DICT NET CGI BIN XPR DDB PL XML ID @B FD ACB )BID 4HE CAPITAL CITY OF THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF +OSALA ON THE 'ANGETIC PLAIN IN WHAT IS NOW 5TTAR 0RADESH )NCLUDING THE LATE -ING MASTER (AN 3HAN $EQING AND MORE RECENTLY THE 6EN -ASTERS 8U 9UN 9UAN 9ING AND (SÓAN (UA !CCORDING TO A STUDY BY 2ONALD " %PSTEIN COMMENTARIES EXIST IN THE #HINESE THE EARLIEST DATING FROM # % %

THE MOST RECENT THAT DELIVERED BY THE 6EN (SUAN (UA IN 2ONALD " %PSTEIN

NGAMA 3UTRA 4 ! 2EAPPRAISAL OF ITS !UTHENTICITY v UNPUBLISHED MS

h4HE 3URA FF ) AM GRATEFUL TO 0ROFESSOR %PSTEIN FOR STEERING ME TO THIS AND OTHER REFERENCES AND SOURCES CITED IN THE PRESENT ARTICLE &OR EXAMPLE 0ETER 'REGORY IN 4SUNG -I AND THE 3INIl CATION OF "UDDHISM M (ONOLULU 5NIV OF (AWAII 0RESS

# % "EGINNING WITH $AO !N IN THE FOURTH CENTURY %PSTEIN h3URANGAMA 3UTRA v FF #HINESE CONCEPTS IN THE TRANSLATION WHICH SEEM TO ACT AS REPRESENTATIVES OF ANALOGOUS )NDIAN CONCEPTS IN THE ORIGINAL MAY INCLUDE THE REFERENCES TO PARAHELIAL PHENOMENA AND OTHER ATMOSPHERIC OR CELESTIAL EVENTS CONSIDERED TO BE MALIGN ASTROLOGICAL INm UENCES )N OTHER CASES WHAT IS #HINESE IS )NDIAN AS WELL &OR EXAMPLE THE "UDDHA CITES AN OWL THAT LAYS ITS EGGS ON THE GROUND THIS COULD EASILY BE THE GRASS OWL WHICH

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$AVID 2OUNDS IS FOUND IN BOTH )NDIA AND #HINA 3O (AN 3HAN $E 1ING IN HIS .IEN 0U !UTOBIOGRAPHY TRANS #HARLES ,UK IN HIS U 0RACTICAL "UDDHISM M ,ONDON 2IDER

IN THE ENTRY FOR HIS THIRTY l RST YEAR n h!FTER MY GREAT AWAKENING HAVING NO ONE TO CONl RM AND TESTIFY TO IT )

NGAMA OPENED THE 3| URA 3UTRA TO VERIFY MY EXPERIENCE ) HAD NOT LISTENED PREVIOUSLY TO LECTURES ON THIS SUTRA AND SO DID NOT KNOW ITS MEANING .OW BY USING THE POWER OF THE DIRECT REASONING OF THE NONDISCRIMINATING MIND AND WITHOUT EVEN THE SLIGHTEST USE OF ITS CONSCIOUSNESS SINCE THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THINKING ) GAINED AFTER EIGHT MONTHS A COMPLETE COMPREHENSION OF ITS PROFOUND MEANING WITHOUT HAVING A

NGAMA SINGLE DOUBT LEFT v !LSO 6EN (SUAN (UA h7HERE THE 3| URA 3UTRA EXISTS THEN

THE 0ROPER $HARMA EXISTS )F THE 3| URANGAMA 3UTRA CEASES TO EXIST THEN THE 0ROPER

NGAMA $HARMA WILL ALSO VANISH )F THE 3| URA 3UTRA IS INAUTHENTIC THEN ) VOW TO FALL INTO THE (ELL OF 0ULLING 4ONGUES TO UNDERGO UNINTERRUPTED SUFFERINGv h4HE 3HURANGAMA 3UTRA )S $El NITELY !UTHENTIC v A TALK GIVEN *ANUARY

NGAMA h%VEN IF IT WERE A FORGERY

$OGEN IN HIS .IHON 3HISO 4AKIKEI SAYS OF THE 3| URA IF THE "UDDHAS AND "ODHISATTVAS HAVE TAKEN IT UP IT IS A TRUE "UDDHA SUTRA A TRUE 0ATRIARCH 3UTRA 9OU SHOULD UNDERSTAND AND REALIZE THAT SENTIENT BEINGS IF THEY TRANSCEND AND REALIZE CORRECT AWAKENING ARE THE "UDDHAS AND 0ATRIARCHSv 1UOTED

NGAMA 3UTRA v IN %PSTEIN h 3| URA 4HE MANTRA IS GIVEN IN FULL LATER ON IN THE TEXT IN ITS TRANSCRIPTION FROM THE 3ANSKRIT INTO #HINESE MONOSYLLABLES )N THIS FORM THE MANTRA IS STILL RECITED EVERY MORNING IN CERTAIN MONASTERIES IN THE #HINESE TRADITION 4HIS AND THE EXCERPTS THAT FOLLOW ARE FROM THE "UDDHIST 4EXT 4RANSLATION 3OCIETY S TRANSLATION IN PROGRESS FORTHCOMING IN 4HE TRANSLATIONS ARE STILL TENTATIVE AND ARE NOT FOR REPRODUCTION Ï© Õ¤á&#x2022;&#x2020; RU LAI ZANGG IN #HINESE 4HE h4HUS #OME /NEv 3KT 4ATH HA GATA #H Ï© Õ¤RU LAI IS ONE OF TEN EPITHETS OF THE "UDDHA #HINESE TRANSLATORS GENERALLY RENDERED THE 3ANSKRIT GARBHA MEANING hWOMB v AS á&#x2022;&#x2020; ZANG WHICH VARIOUSLY MEANS hSTOREHOUSE

COLLECTION OR CANON v AND SECONDARILY hVISCERA OR WOMB v (ERE FOLLOWING THE 3ANSKRIT IT IS RENDERED IN %NGLISH AS MATRIX hWOMBv IN ,ATIN IN ITS PROPER %NGLISH SENSE OF hA PLACE OR ENVELOPING ELEMENT WITHIN WHICH SOMETHING ORIGINATES TAKES FORM OR DEVELOPSv -ERRIAM 7EBSTER

4HE "UDDHA NEVER ASCRIBES TO THE 4ATHAGATA GARBHA ANY OF THE QUALITIES OF A PERSONAL

'OD 4HE 4ATH HAGATA GARBHA HAS NO PERSONALITY NO HISTORY NO INTENTION NO SELF )T IS ABOVE ALL EMPTY 4HAT IS NEED FACE NO FURTHER REBIRTHS 4HE 3ANSKRIT IS AN NA GA MIN

| 4HE 3ROTA APANA 3KT hONE WHO HAS ENTERED THE STREAMv THIS IS THE l RST LEVEL OF THE ENLIGHTENED 3AGE !N ADEPT AT THIS LEVEL CAN EXPECT ONLY SEVEN MORE REBIRTHS .UMEROUS PASSAGES IN THE SUTRA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT IS NOT MERELY A METAPHOR TO SAY THAT SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IS EXPERIENCED IN PART AS ILLUMINATION &REQUENTLY THE ASSEMBLY IS TREATED TO DISPLAYS OF LIGHT OFTEN FROM THE "UDDHA HIMSELF (E EMITS LIGHT FROM HIS HANDS FROM HIS CHEST FROM HIS FACE AND FROM A TRANSl GURATION OF A "UDDHA WHICH HE MAKES APPEAR ABOVE HIS HEAD 0RESUMABLY BY SHOWING THAT ANGER AND HATRED REQUIRE AN OBJECT THAT IS SEEN AS REAL

WHEREAS ALL OBJECTS ARE ONTOLOGICALLY EMPTY AND THE DUALITIES OF SELF AND OTHER MIND AND WORLD hUSv AND hTHEMv ARE ULTIMATELY FALSE 4HIS IS THE SECTION ON THE DEMONIC STATES ASSOCIATED WITH THE l VE MAIN BRANCHES OF

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2ESCUING ! NANDA EXPERIENCE )N HIS CLASSIC OF POST COLONIAL STUDIES /RIENTALISM M .EW 9ORK 0ENGUIN "OOKS

3AID S ARGUMENT IS DIRECTED PARTICULARLY AT THE 7EST S DISTORTED VIEWS OF !RABS AND )SLAM BUT IT IS NO LESS APPLICABLE TO )NDIA AND #HINA AND "UDDHISM

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