Surangama Sutra Exposition
by Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu
Taoist teachings state that to follow the natural flow is to be human, while reversing it makes one an immortal. Taoist practices involve refining essence into energy, energy into spirit, and spirit into emptiness.
The Tathagata, knowing that Ananda had been ensnared by the sorcery of lust, completed his meal and returned. The king, along with his ministers, elders, and lay devotees, all followed the Buddha, eager to hear his essential teachings.
Matangi, a prostitute, used the Brahmanic spell of Samkhya—a form of sorcery—upon Ananda, nearly leading him to break his precepts of sexual misconduct. At that moment, the Buddha who has the transcendent power of knowing others’ mind (known as sudden impulse in Taoism) knew Ananda was at a dangerous juncture, so he quickly finished his meal and returned to Jetavana.
At that moment, the World-Honored One emitted from his crown a fearless light of a hundred precious jewels. Within the light, a thousand-petaled jeweled lotus appeared, upon which a transformation body of the Buddha sat in full lotus posture, proclaiming a divine mantra.
The Buddha appeared seated in a full lotus posture—sitting cross-legged with the soles of the feet facing upwards—emitting the Surangama Mantra from his crown. This buddha was an emanation of Sakyamuni Buddha.
There are three bodies or three kayas, namely dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya. Nirmanakaya can either be a physical body, emanation body, manifested body, transformation body, or split body. Even when a buddha is born into a physical body, he can manifest many transformation bodies to help sentient beings; they are not confined to a mere physical body. As an example, numerous people all over the world witness the manifested bodies of Padmakumara (Living Buddha Lian Sheng).
He instructed Manjusri to take the mantra and go to protect Ananda. The evil spell was destroyed and Manjusri brought Ananda and the Matangi woman back to the Buddha.
With his supernatural power, Manjusri reached Ananda instantaneously, although they were a great distance apart. Ananda was on the brink of downfall, so Manjusri immediately chanted the Surangama mantra, and broke the evil spell. Then he brought the remorseful Ananda, along with Matangi, back to the Buddha‘s place.
Upon seeing the Buddha, Ananda prostrated in deep sorrow, tears streaming down his face. He lamented that since beginningless time, he had relied solely on hearing and extensive learning and had not yet attained the full power of the path.
Other than listening and remembering the Buddha’s teachings, Ananda had not practiced seriously. He had not developed any meditative stability or wisdom. Without meditative stability, he was easily tempted and swayed. Without wisdom, he was unable to discern.
With utmost sincerity, he earnestly requested the methods by which the Tathagatas of the ten directions attained enlightenment—the wondrous practices of samatha (stopping), samadhi (serene contemplation; meditative concentration), and dhyana (meditative stability; meditative power), as well as the initial expedient means.
At the same time, countless bodhisattvas, along with great arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and other beings from the ten directions, also wished to hear the teaching. They respectfully withdrew to their seats in silent reverence, awaiting the sacred instructions.
Upon Ananda’s request, the Buddha expounded on the practice of “stopping,” “contemplation,” and “meditative stability.” Stopping and contemplation comprise the dual execution. A good example that Grandmaster gave was the dual execution of the consort practice: It begins with arousing desire. Then, at the crucial moment, one must prevent leakage and stop the desire by contemplating or visualizing the yidam. After the leakage has been stopped, one starts to arouse the desire again. And so it continues. Grandmaster emphasized that dual-body consort practice is not for everyone! Only those who are fully qualified can practice it. Otherwise, there will be great repercussions. This method is not commonly transmitted.
Taoists teachings state that following the natural flow generates a human, while reversing it makes one an immortal. [As stated in the Golden Mother Sutra of Universal Liberation, the way to reach attainment in Taoist spiritual cultivation is by going against human nature and “returning to the source.”] Taoist practices involve refining essence into energy, energy into spirit, and spirit into emptiness.
Chinese YouTube: https://youtu.be/hCaBNZCCKbk