Surangama Sutra Exposition
by Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu
The wondrous luminous true mind is indescribable and cannot be perceived with an ordinary mind, but some can experience it when it manifests. If one has experienced it, one will understand. Otherwise, no matter how it is explained, it is hard to fathom.
Ananda said, “Here in this multi-storied lecture hall, whether I look far to the Ganges River or up at the sun and moon, everything I point to with my hand or gaze upon with my eyes—all are objects; none of them is ‘seeing’ itself.
World-Honored One, just as you have said, how could I—a sravaka still bound by defilements (outflows)—and even bodhisattvas, possibly extract seeing-essence from all phenomena as something with a nature of its own?”
The Buddha responded, “So it is! So it is!” Then he continued, “Since you said that there is no seeing-essence with its own nature apart from all things, then among all the objects you pointed to, none of them is seeing.
“Now let me ask you again: here you sit with the Tathagata in the Jeta Grove, and as you look at the forest, the garden, and up to the sun and moon—though all these appearances differ, not a single one you pointed to is the seeing-essence. But now, can you point out and identify which of these things is not seeing?”
Ananda said, “I do indeed see this entire Jeta Grove all around me, yet I do not know which among these is not seeing. Why? If the tree is not seeing, then how is it that I can see the tree? But if the tree is seeing, then how can it still be called a tree?
“In the same way, if space is not seeing, how can it be perceived as space? But if space is seeing, then how can it still be called space? Thinking further, I realize: ‘Among all these myriad phenomena, even down to the subtlest detail, there is nothing that is not seen.’”
The Buddha said, “Exactly so, exactly so.”
At that moment, even those in the great assembly who were beyond learning were bewildered upon hearing the Buddha’s words. They were confused, unable to grasp the meaning from beginning to end. All at once, they became alarmed and unsettled, losing their composure.
The Tathagata, knowing that their spirits were shaken and their minds disturbed, felt compassion for them. He comforted Ananda and the entire assembly, saying, “Good men! The Supreme Dharma King speaks words of truth. What has been spoken is just as it is—neither deceptive nor false. It is not like the false and confused speculation of the four kinds of ‘immortal’ doctrines taught by Makkhali.
Reflect on this deeply, and do not let your sincere yearning be in vain.”
The wondrous luminous true mind cannot be pinpointed but it can be experienced when it manifests. Grandmaster Lu gives several examples of these experiences.
One is the manifestation of dharma bodies—split bodies that only an enlightened high adept can manifest. Bodhisattvas like Avalokitesvara, Ksitigarbha, Manjusri, and all buddhas have myriad emanations. These are functions of the wondrous luminous true mind. An ordinary mind cannot perform or perceive such a thing.
Another example is the so-called spontaneous emission of the light of the heart, such as the True Buddha Sutra and the High King Sutra. They cannot be perceived with the physical body, but sometimes you can, because at that moment, your physical body is the wondrous luminous true mind.
In True Buddha School, countless disciples—and even outsiders—have experienced Grandmaster’s miraculous emanations through dreams, visions, healings, and protection. Many dream of him guiding, protecting, or teaching them. Some see him perform surgeries or averting disasters, others see, hear, or speak with him as if he were physically present. None of these arise from the ordinary mind, but from the wondrous luminous true mind, manifesting through the guru’s dharma power.
The Buddha is a supreme dharma king who speaks the ultimate truth. Only his view is the right viewpoint because he is truly awakened and perfectly enlightened. The heretics’ views, by contrast, do not come from true experiences and are based on their own [speculative] thoughts or hearsay that they believe and then spread. These four incorrect views are interrelated:
1. No reincarnation—disbelief in the rebirth cycle
2. No moral discernment—no good and bad
3. No karma—no cause and effect
4. Nihilism—nothing upon death
In the Ksitigarbha Sutra, all of Ksitigarbha’s emanations go to Trayastrimsa Heaven and merge into one listening to the Buddha’s teaching. He is enlightened, so he can emanate dharma bodies—this is the manifestation of the wondrous luminous true mind.
Dharma bodies are the revelation of the heart light, which the physical eyes cannot detect—unless, in certain moments, the physical eyes become the wondrous luminous true mind.
Whenever Grandmaster invokes his mother, Guru Padmasambhava, or any deity, they appear—ever-present, yet illusory.
Once, on a flight, Grandmaster saw the spirit of a disciple requesting bardo deliverance. He later learned that the disciple had died at that very moment.
Many have experienced miraculous healings through Grandmaster’s blessings. An Indonesian disciple saw Grandmaster performing brain surgery on him. A disciple’s wife saw Grandmaster taking out the disciple’s blood clot from his head when she dozed off. Upon re-examination by the doctor, the blood clot was gone.