Surangama Sutra Exposition
by Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu
The six dusts and six roots share the same source. They originally were the buddhanature, yet neither embodies the buddhanature by itself.
Although Ananda had heard these words of dharma, his mind was still not clear. Bowing in reverence, he said to the Buddha:
“How is it that the very same six roots, and nothing else, are both the cause of my revolving through birth and death, and also the means to attain peaceful bliss and wondrous eternity?”
The Buddha said to Ananda:
“The sense faculties (roots) and sense objects (dusts) share the same source. Bondage and liberation are not two different things. The nature of consciousness is illusory, like flowers in the sky.
“Ananda, awareness arises because of sense objects, and appearances exist because of the sense roots. Yet appearances and perceiving have no independent nature. They are like two reeds leaning against each other for support.”
Ananda asked how the ordinary six roots can be transformed into the supreme six roots that lead to spiritual attainment and the manifestation of the wondrous luminous true mind. Only after one manifests the wondrous luminous true mind can one possess the Four Virtues of the Tathagatas: permanence, bliss, true self, and purity. Only these are non-arising and non-ceasing. Only the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the Four Sagely Beings are non-arising and non-ceasing. Everything else is arising and ceasing, and thus, not real and illusory—just like flowers in the sky, that are seen only by sick people who are hallucinating.
The six roots are the basis for both reincarnation (bondage) and attaining buddhahood (liberation). The six roots and six dusts are interdependent and inseparable. Without the six roots, there would be no six dusts. Likewise, it is through the six dusts that the six roots function—seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and thinking. Without the six dusts, what use are the six roots? The six dusts and six roots share one origin—the buddhanature, yet they are not the buddhanature.
Likewise, the nature of consciousness is like flowers in the sky. These flowers are only seen by sick people who are hallucinating. In the eyes of the Buddhas, sentient beings are hallucinating.
It is maybe difficult for people to believe that the material world is not real. How can houses and cars not be real? We can’t walk through walls. When we are hit we feel pain. However, from the Buddha’s perspective, anything that arises and ceases—anything that is subject to change—has no intrinsic reality. Only the wondrous luminous true mind, buddhanature, and the realized states of the tathagatas and bodhisattvas neither arise nor cease. These alone are real. Everything else is transient, momentary, illusory, and ultimately empty.
Our lives in this world are subject to birth and death, just like flowers in the sky. Our physical bodies, houses, land, and everything composed of the four elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—are likewise illusory. When we die, what do we truly possess? Nothing truly belongs to us.
When the four elements separate, disasters or death occurs. In nature, their imbalance gives rise to disasters such as storms, floods, earthquakes, and fires. In a human body, it brings illness and discomfort, whereas harmony brings health. Likewise, when people live in harmony with each other, there is peace. When they do not, there is conflict and war.
Regardless of race, black, brown, red, white, or yellow, all are human beings. Making distinctions only creates conflict. Even if Grandmaster were to expound the sutra every day, those who cling to such distinctions would not understand it. If people were more united, there would be far fewer problems. This is the nature of the saha world. Sakyamuni Buddha, Jesus, and Laozi understand this because they are awakened. Most people do not.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, in the time of Confucius, China was divided into many states. Confucius traveled throughout the land seeking unity, but none of the rulers fully embraced his vision. He instead gathered disciples and became a great teacher. Although the rulers refused to listen, China was eventually unified anyway.
Our parents never truly leave us. Therefore, when they pass away, we should not be consumed by grief. It’s natural to mourn, but eventually we must let go. They have merely transitioned from form to formlessness. If they ascend to a higher realm, they may watch over us, possessing the heavenly eye, wisdom eye, and dharma eye, and can still care for us. The same is true of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Although Sakyamuni Buddha departed more than 2,600 years ago, he has never truly left us. Whenever we think of him, he is present.