Surangama Sutra Exposition
by Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu
Although Ananda had cut off many deluded views, he still did not recognize the habitual tendencies accumulated within the six roots throughout countless lifetimes. Such habitual tendencies can only be eradicated through attainment in spiritual cultivation. Therefore, spiritual cultivation is a long arduous journey.
The Buddha told Ananda:
“You have now attained the fruition of Stream-Enterer (sotapanna), having eliminated the misconceptions of views that are to be cut off in the three realms among sentient beings. However, you have yet to recognize the beginningless habitual tendencies accumulated within the sense faculties, which must be eliminated through spiritual cultivation.
“What then of the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing within them, together with their divisions and distinctions?
“Now observe the six sense faculties before you: are they one or are they six? Ananda, if you say they are one, why can the ear not see, the eye not hear, the head not walk, and the feet not speak?
“But if these six faculties are definitely six, then as I now proclaim this marvelous dharma gate to you in this assembly, which one among your six faculties receives it?
Ananda replied, “I used my ears.”
Stream-enterer (sotapanna) is the first level of arhatship. Once-returner (sakadagami) and non-returner (anagami) are the second and third levels, while the fourth and highest level is called arhat. Among the statues at the Seattle Temple, there is one third-level arhat.
By that time, Ananda had reached the first level of arhatship, where he gained enlightenment and saw the Way—the first of the four stages on the path: seeing the Way, practicing, walking, and attaining the Way.
Although Ananda had cut off many deluded views, he still did not recognize the habitual tendencies accumulated within the six roots throughout countless lifetimes. Such habitual tendencies can only be eradicated through attainment in spiritual cultivation. That is why spiritual cultivation is so difficult. Even in the stage of practicing the Way, there is still arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing within it.
Despite awakening to the teachings, Ananda had not truly practiced the Way. His habitual tendencies remained strong. Once, after someone cast a mantra on him, he thought he was the lord and took off all his clothes, yet he still had bodily leakage. This was his habitual tendency! As long as a person still has leakage, habitual tendencies cannot be eradicated. Thus, spiritual cultivation is a long arduous journey.
Ananda did not change his habits. He was always plump from overeating. Among the desires for wealth, sensual pleasures, fame, food, and sleep, Ananda was the epitome of greed for food. When he went for alms, he would seek out the wealthiest families who could offer the most abundant and nutritious food. He ate the most. He reasoned that by begging from the well-to-do, he would not burden them.
In contrast, Mahakasyapa, foremost in ascetic practice, was very thin and poorly nourished because he deliberately went to poor families and ate the meager food they offered. His reasoning was that by allowing them to make offerings to him, he, as a monk with a field of fortune, gave them the chance to cultivate merit.
This shows their habitual tendencies. Sakyamuni Buddha just let them be. [However, during one teaching, the Buddha teaches that one should not be attached when begging for alms. Instead, one should follow affinities, act naturally, and remain impartial when receiving alms. This indeed applies to everything.]
Then the Buddha asked whether the six roots are one or six. Buddhist commentators of the past stated that they are of one “taste,” but not of one “body.” The six roots may be regarded as one because all six are part of the body.
But the Buddha added that if they were one, then the ears should be able to see, and the eyes should be able to hear. Yet this is not the case. Why can’t the head walk? Why can’t the feet talk?
The eyes are used only for seeing, the ears for hearing, the tongue for tasting, and the body for feeling touch.
The mind is the true root; it is the fundamental root. Only after receiving input from the other five roots does mind-consciousness arise.
The Buddha asked, “Which root do you use to hear my teaching?” Ananda replied, “My ears.” This is correct, too. We will discuss this next.