2025-02-23
The Surangama Sutra from the Great Buddha Crown on the Tathagata’s Secret Cause for Cultivating and Validating the Ultimate Enlightening Reality and Myriad Practices of the Bodhisattvas
Translated during the Tang Dynasty by the Indian Sramana, Paramiti
Interpreted by the Sramana Megasikha from the Uddiyana Kingdom
Verified by the Sramana Huai Di from Nanlou Temple, Mount Luofu
Recorded by the bodhisattva precepts holder, Fang Rong, former Grand Minister of Justice and concurrently Chancellor of the Imperial Secretariat
Volume One
Thus have I heard:
One time, the Buddha was in the city of Sravasti, residing in the Jeta Grove Monastery. He was accompanied by an assembly of 1,250 great bhiksus, all of whom were great arhats without any outflows.
These sons of the Buddha upheld and transmitted the teachings, were adept in transcending all existences, and accomplished in dignified demeanor throughout the lands. Following the Buddha’s turning of the dharma wheel, they were entrusted with his wondrous teachings. They strictly upheld the precepts with purity and served as great exemplars across the three realms. Their manifested bodies were immeasurable, liberating sentient beings, rescuing future generations, and transcending all attachments and burdens.
Among them, the foremost were: the greatly wise Sariputra, Maha Maudgalyayana, Maha Kausthila, Purna Maitrayaniputra, Subhuti, Upanisad, and others. Additionally, countless pratyekabuddhas beyond learning, along with those newly aspiring, gathered before the Buddha.
It was during the Self-Reflection Ritual at the end of their summer retreat. Bodhisattvas from the ten directions also came to seek resolution for their doubts, reverently embracing the Buddha’s compassionate and majestic presence, desiring to understand the secret meaning of the dharma.
At that moment, the Tathagata arranged his seat and sat in serene composure, expounding the profound and sublime to the great assembly. Such a dharma banquet of pure assembly was unlike anything before. The sagely voice was like kalavinka birds, resounding throughout the ten directions. As numerous as the sands of the Ganges, bodhisattvas gathered at the dharma assembly, with Manjusri foremost.
At that time, King Prasenajit was holding a grand feast in memory of his late father. He invited the Buddha to the palace, personally welcoming the Tathagata and offering an array of the finest delicacies. He also invited great bodhisattvas to join. Meanwhile, in the city, elders and lay devotees were offering meals to the monastic community, eagerly awaiting the Buddha’s arrival.
The Buddha asked Manjusri to lead the bodhisattvas and arhats to accept the offerings of the various hosts. However, Ananda had previously accepted a separate invitation and was away on a journey, unable to join the monastic assembly. Without a senior or a master to accompany him, he returned alone. That day, he had not received any food offering.
Thus, Ananda took his alms bowl and walked through the city, seeking alms in sequence. In his mind, he sought a final donor to act as his meal sponsor. He did not discriminate between pure and impure, nor between the noble Ksatriya or the lowly Shudras. He practiced universal compassion, without choosing based on status or wealth. His intent was to perfect the immeasurable merit of all sentient beings.
Ananda was aware that the Tathagata, the World-Honored One, had previously admonished Subhuti and Mahakasyapa, who, as arhats, did not embody equality in their heart-minds. He deeply admired the Tathagata for expounding the dharma without obstruction, dispelling all doubts and slander.
While walking past the city walls, he proceeded with a composed demeanor, maintaining dignified conduct and observing the precepts of receiving alms with solemnity. At that time, during his alms round, Ananda happened to pass by a house of courtesans. There, he encountered a great illusionary force. The Matangi woman, using the ancient Brahmanic spell of Shamkhya, entranced him and led him into the chamber of lust. She seduced him with her touch, nearly causing him to break his precepts.
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.
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. 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.
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.
At that time, the World Honored One, amidst the great assembly, extended his golden arm and touched Ananda’s crown.
He addressed Ananda and the entire assembly:
“There is a samadhi known as the Supreme Surangama King of the Great Buddha Crown, complete in all practices. It is the singular gateway through which all tathagatas of the ten directions transcend, entering the wondrous path of adornment. Now, listen attentively.”
Ananda bowed in reverence and humbly received the compassionate instruction.
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), and dhyana (meditative power), as well as the initial expedient means.
At that 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 teachings.
The Buddha said to Ananda, “You and I share the same breath, our bond as close as that of family.”
“When you first resolved to follow the path, what extraordinary aspect of my teachings did you see that made you suddenly renounce the deep sentiments and affections of the world?”
Ananda replied to the Buddha, “I saw the Tathagata’s thirty-two hallmarks, supremely exquisite and unparalleled.”
“Your body is radiant and translucent, like lapis lazuli.”
“I often reflect that such marks cannot arise from desire and love.”
“Why is this so? Because the energy of desire is coarse and impure, foul and repulsive, mingled with pus and blood. It cannot give rise to such a supreme, pure, wondrous, and radiant gathering of golden light.”
“That is why I longed to follow you and renounced the worldly life.”
The Buddha said, “Excellent, Ananda!”
“You all must understand that all sentient beings, since time without beginning, have been bound by the cycle of birth and death, all because they do not recognize the ever-abiding true mind, and the inherently pure and luminous nature.”
“They rely on deluded thoughts, and because these thoughts are not the truth, they give rise to the cycle of samsara.”
“Now that you seek to study the unsurpassed bodhi and to truly awaken your intrinsic nature, you must answer my questions with a straightforward and sincere mind.”
“All tathagatas of the ten directions follow this single path. It is through a direct mind that they transcend birth and death.”
“Because their minds and words are straight, from the very beginning to the final stage, there is never any deviation or distortion in their path.”
“Ananda, I now ask you: When you first resolved to follow the path, drawn by the Tathagata’s thirty-two hallmarks, how were they perceived? And who was it that felt this admiration and joy?”
Ananda replied to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, this admiration and joy arose through my eyes and mind. It was by seeing the Tathagata’s marvelous hallmarks with my eyes that my mind felt admiration and joy. Thus, I resolved to follow the path and vowed to renounce the cycle of birth and death.”
The Buddha said to Ananda, “As you have said, your admiration and joy arise from your mind and eyes. But if you do not know where your eyes and mind are located, you will not be able to subdue the afflictions of the world. Just as a king, when his kingdom is invaded by robbers and must send out his troops to suppress them, they must first know where the robbers are. The reason you are caught in cyclic existence is due to your mind and eyes. Now I ask you: where, exactly, are your mind and eyes located?”
Ananda replied to the Buddha, “World-Honored One! The ten classes of beings in all the worlds commonly believe that their conscious mind resides within their body. Looking at you, Tathagata, I see that your deep blue lotus eyes are on your face. Now, as I observe these floating roots of the four dusts [referring to the four sense-organs i.e. eyes, ears, nose, and tongue corresponding to the sense-objects, i.e. forms, sounds, smells, and tastes], they are clearly on my face. Similarly, my conscious mind truly resides within my body.”
The Buddha said to Ananda, “You are now seated in the Tathagata’s teaching hall, looking out at the Jeta Grove. Where are they?”
Ananda replied, “World-Honored One, this great multi-storied pavilion, the quiet and peaceful teaching hall, is in the Garden of Anathapindika. Now, the Jeta Grove is actually outside the hall.”
“Ananda, what do you see first while inside this hall?”
“World-Honored One, while inside the hall, I first see the Tathagata, then I see the assembly. Only when I look outside I see the grove and garden.”
“Ananda, when you look at the grove and garden, how is it that you are able to see them?”
Ananda replied, “World-Honored One, this great teaching hall has open windows and doors, so while inside the hall, I can see far into the distance.”
The Buddha said to Ananda, “As you have said that while inside the teaching hall, with its open windows and doors, you can see the distant grove and garden. Now is there anyone inside the hall who does not see the Tathagata but can see the outside?”
Ananda answered, “World-Honored One, it is impossible for anyone in the hall not to see the Tathagata yet still see the grove and spring outside.”
The Buddha said to Ananda, “It is the same with you. Your mind is capable of perceiving everything clearly. If this perceptive and knowing mind of yours were truly located within your body, it should first be able to perceive everything inside your body first. But, is there anyone who can see the inside of the body before seeing external objects? They cannot see their own heart, liver, spleen, stomach, or notice the nails and hair growing, tendons moving, veins pulsing.
If the mind were truly inside the body, it should be able to perceive these things. Yet, since you cannot perceive internally, how can you claim to perceive external objects? Therefore, it is clear that your assertion—that the perceptive and knowing mind resides within the body—is incorrect.”