Surangama Sutra Exposition
by Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu
Purna attained arhatship through his exceptional ability to expound the dharma and liberate sentient beings. Through sound of the dharma, he subdued demonic forces and extinguished all outflows.
Purna Maitrayaniputra then rose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and said to the Buddha:
“For countless kalpas, I have possessed unobstructed eloquence. I expounded suffering and emptiness and deeply understood the true reality of human life. Even the secret dharma gates of Tathagatas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, I was able to explain subtly and wondrously before the assembly, attaining fearlessness.
“The World-Honored One knew that I possessed great eloquence and taught me to propagate the teachings through the wheel of sound. In the presence of the Buddha, I assisted the Buddha in turning the dharma wheel. Through the lion’s roar, I attained arhatship. The World-Honored One confirmed me as foremost in expounding the dharma.
“The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. Through the sound of the dharma, I subdue demonic forces and adversaries and extinguish all outflows. I regard this as the supreme means.”
Grandmaster explained that the Surangama Sutra presents the cultivation methods of great bodhisattvas and arhats. It explains the eighteen sense fields—the six sense faculties, six sense objects, and six consciousnesses—and the five aggregates. This sutra includes many Buddhist principles.
Grandmaster recounted how Ananda falls under a spell cast by Matangi and nearly breaks his precepts. The Buddha radiates light from his usnisa and sends Manjusri Bodhisattva with the Surangama Mantra to rescue him and bring him back together with the prostitute. This incident gives rise to the sutra’s dharma assembly. Matangi attains anagami—third level of arhatship—upon encountering the Surangama Mantra, while Ananda does not attain arhatship before the Buddha’s parinirvana.
Purna is foremost in expounding buddhadharma. His teachings are inseparable from the true reality of human life—suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and no self. He deeply understands these principles and the secret dharma gates of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, explaining their subtle meanings fearlessly, like a lion’s roar.
The Buddha teaches Purna to propagate buddhadharma through the wheel of sound. Purna assists in turning the dharma wheel and travels throughout India to teach and liberate sentient beings. Through this practice, he attains arhatship.
Grandmaster explained that Purna cultivates through the tongue faculty. Through the sound of the dharma, he subdues demonic forces and adversaries, extinguishes all outflows, and eliminates afflictions and attachments. His practice benefits both himself and others. We should seek not only our own awakening and liberation, but also help others awaken and become liberated.
Grandmaster also explained no self and impermanence: Where is “Sheng-Yen Lu” or “Living Buddha Lian Sheng”? These are merely names. There is no fixed, unchanging “I.” Grandmaster no longer looks as he did at birth, in childhood, or in his youth. He changes every day and will continue to change. We may be alive and well today, but gone tomorrow.
Grandmaster illustrated life’s unpredictability by recounting a report about a priest in Ecuador killed by a falling cross while speaking about impermanence. He also mentioned a collision between two trains in Spain. We cannot know what will happen next.
Grandmaster discussed different accounts of the sutra’s transmission, mentioning Shenxiu, Huang Rong, and the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, as well as a legend about Nagarjuna encountering it in the dragon palace.
The Surangama Mantra is exceptionally long and powerful, encompassing many other mantras. Its five parts correspond to the Five Wisdoms, with Vairocana, Sakyamuni, Avalokitesvara, Vajragarbha, and Manjusri as their respective principal deities.
Grandmaster explained that light from the Buddha’s usnisa gives rise on different occasions to the Surangama Mantra, Usnisavijaya, Sitatapatra, and Vajragarbha. These teachings are interrelated, and the usnisa represents supreme wisdom. The sutra’s profound principles and varied cultivation methods are why Grandmaster chooses to expound it.