Surangama Sutra Exposition
by Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu
From time to time, close your eyes and look inward. Instead of listening to the external world, listen to our own mind. What are you thinking? What is arising within? Observe your thoughts and you can assess your level of spiritual cultivation.
“By the two appearances of movement and stillness, attached to the lucid wondrous perfection, hearing arises. The essence of hearing reflects sounds; together with sound, it becomes the root. The source of the root is called the pure four great elements. Thus it is called the physical ear, shaped like a newly curled lotus leaf. The floating root and four dusts flow and rush toward sound.
“By the two appearances of openness and obstruction, attached to the lucid wondrous perfection, smelling arises. The essence of smelling reflects fragrances; together with fragrance, it becomes the root. The source of the root is called the pure four great elements. Thus it is called the physical nose, shaped like two hanging claws. The floating root and four dusts flow and rush toward fragrance.”
The Supreme Master Ching Hai taught that one should turn inward to see one’s own wondrous luminous true mind—seeing the inner light, hearing inner sound, and observing inner thoughts.
When we look inward, we perceive inner light, whereas when we look outward, we see forms and sense objects, and consequently become deluded by the external environment. This accords with the Surangama Sutra. Spiritual cultivation is to turn inward and recognize the wondrous luminous true mind, rather than be carried away by what is outside.
Take the eyes, they are easily deluded by external beauty. When one sees agreeable appearances, desire arises. Some people may even peep at a woman bathing or take improper photos because they are blinded by external forms. This is how the eyes become attached to sense objects.
The ears are also easily deluded by sound. When Grandmaster speaks, sound waves arise and our ears hear them. When he is silent, we hear nothing. Yet when we hear noise, gossip, slander, or scolding, the mind follows the sound and anger may arise. When we hear beautiful music, we may become joyful, carried away by it, or moved to dance. External sounds can stir the mind and lead to wandering thoughts. Instead, we should listen inwardly to the sound of our own wondrous luminous true mind.
At times, we should close our eyes and stop looking outward. We should also block out external sounds and listen inwardly. We observe what is arising in the mind and examine our thoughts. In this way, we can assess our own level of spiritual cultivation.
The nose is similar. When we are sick, such as with COVID-19, we may lose our sense of smell because the nose is blocked. When the nose is clear, we can smell again. Pleasant fragrances and unpleasant odors both arise, and we naturally like what smells good and dislike what smells bad. From this, attachment and aversion arise.
The wondrous luminous true mind is within, but the eyes, ears, and nose cling to surface phenomena. These appearances are like clouds, wind, rain, hail, thunder, and lightning appearing in the sky. We think there is something in the sky, but in truth, the sky itself remains empty and unchanged.
Using the nose in cultivation relates to breathing practice. Through the breath, the body is refined. One inhales, holds the breath, and exhales. The color, length, direction, and balance of the breath are all part of practice. The breath should be long, and the amount of qi inhaled and exhaled should be balanced.