T281 蓮生活佛英文文集51－無上密與大手印Fourfold Mindfulness of Nagarjuna 2
- 詳細內容
- 分類：大燈新書上市
■Book 51─Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra
■Written by Master Sheng-yen Lu
■Chapter Six
For more information, please call +1(510)473-4818 or fax +1(510)437-1987.
Contact Address: 3440 Foothill Blvd. Oakland CA 94601, U.S.A.
Compared to others, Nagarjuna's knowledge was most profound and wide-ranging, so he was able to bring Mahayana Buddhism into blossom. He was able to fulfill his bodhisattva mission of propagating the seeds of Buddha-dharma on a large scale.
The history of Nagarjuna's life is infused with many legends. Some Tibetan lamas said that Nagarjuna was born during the first century BCE. Other lamas said that he was born four hundred years after Sakyamuni Buddha entered into pari-nirvana. There was also a saying that Nagarjuna lived for six hundred years. Other sources mentioned that he was still expounding the dharma between the second and third centuries CE.
So, why do I mention Nagarjuna in my writing about Mahamudra? It is because Nagarjuna is the first lineage holder of Vajrayana. He spoke the Dharma to the king of southern India who was committed to the Buddha-dharma, and made Nagarjuna his imperial advisor. Nagarjuna elucidated the doctrines of the Middle Path as found in the Commentary on the Great Prajnaparamita Sastra. These doctrines, he explained, are the Fourfold Mindfulness of Mahamudra.
The Fourfold Mindfulness as taught by Nagarjuna is as follows:
1.Mindfulness of the body - Contemplation on the empty nature of the body.
2.Mindfulness of the suffering caused by emotions - Contemplation on the five aggregates, which are empty in nature.
3.Mindfulness of the mind - Contemplation on the non-origination and non-extinction of all phenomena.
4.Mindfulness of phenomena - Ceaseless contemplation on the first three kinds of mindfulness.
I shall elucidate on this further:
Mindfulness of the body - As Buddhists that practice Mahamudra, it is necessary to remind ourselves to frequently practice mindfulness of the body, visualizing our fathers on our right and our mothers on our left, along with all of our parents, relatives and loved ones in the six realms surrounding us. The hell realm is located the closest to us. Lying further away is the hungry ghost realm. After that is the animal realm, followed by the human realm. Further away is the asura realm, and the furthest is the heavenly realm.
If one does not cultivate the Buddha-dharma, eventually he will become spiritually degenerated. This is true for all sentient beings. All of us who are mindful of ourselves in the physical body know that physical phenomena must undergo the four stages of completion, existence, destruction and finally emptiness. Likewise, everyone is subject to birth, old age, sickness and death. Thus, when observing the mindfulness of the body, it is important to contemplate on the empty nature of the body. As stated in the Diamond Sutra, we must see through the delusion of the physical and egotistical self. The perception of a self, a being, a life, and a soul is essentially empty.
Being mindful of the body means to contemplate on its empty nature. One who is deluded is an ordinary mortal. One who is enlightened is a buddha.
This concept of mindfulness of the body is fundamentally similar to concepts that one first learns in studying Buddhism, and may appear to be “elementary.” Nonetheless, not many people are able to see through the delusion of the body. Many are aware that “all material things will eventually be destroyed, and all living things will age and die,” and that no one is excluded from this natural process. However, those who cannot see through the delusion of the body will continue to pursue fame, fortune and other material things. These deluded people will naturally fall into the three lower realms and will be drawn back into the six realms of samsara.
Thus, constant contemplation on mindfulness of the body involves contemplation on the empty nature of the physical body, and it is the first step in seeking renunciation.
Mindfulness of the suffering caused by emotions - The five aggregates are born from five kinds of discursive thoughts, and are certainly not a part of the nature of True Reality or Suchness. The cause and effect of these two are linked and mutually dependent. The five aggregates are the aggregates of form, feeling, conception, habitual action and consciousness. The aggregate of form refers to physical form. The aggregate of sensation is the feeling caused by the perception of physical objects. The aggregate of conception is the arising of thoughts. The aggregate of habitual action refers to unfocused mental formations and unrefined actions. The aggregate of consciousness is the mental faculty that is responsible for all changes and transformations.
-To Be Continued-
T280 蓮生活佛英文文集51－無上密與大手印Fourfold Mindfulness of Nagarjuna 1
- 詳細內容
- 分類：大燈新書上市
■Book 51─Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra
■Written by Master Sheng-yen Lu
■Chapter Six
For more information, please call +1(510)473-4818 or fax +1(510)437-1987.
Contact Address: 3440 Foothill Blvd. Oakland CA 94601, U.S.A.
The name Nagarjuna was translated into Chinese in three different renderings, namely Longshu [Dragon Tree], Longsheng [Dragon Victory] and Longmeng [Dragon Vigor].The term “Longtian” [Dragon Sky] in Chinese that is often mentioned actually refers to the two Bodhisattvas, Longshu [Nagarjuna] and Tianqin [Vasubandhu].
Nagarjuna ranks third in the transmission lineage of the Eight Shingon Patriarchs, and ranks first among the Eight Shingon Lineage Torchbearers. Nagarjuna was the disciple of the Thirteenth Zen Patriarch, Kapimala. Nagabodhi founded Vajrayana after Nagarjuna's time, but since Nagarjuna had already received the Surangama Samadhi, the official establishment of Vajrayana named Nagarjuna as its founder.
The Sanskrit name for Longshu Bodhisattva is Nagarjuna. The image of Nagarjuna is carved as the form of a solitary hearer dressed in a monk's robe, seated on the lotus throne with his palms placed together. This image resembles an arhat. There is mystery and legend surrounding every aspect of Nagarjuna's life. As an exceptional person with holy characteristics, he could commit any sutras to memory at a glance. He enjoyed a widespread reputation. Before he was ordained as a monk, he was especially fond of women, indulging himself in lustful pursuits. It was only later, when he realized the uselessness of sexual indulgence, that he decided to leave the material world in search of the Buddhist path of renunciation. In a period of ninety days, he read the entire Tripitaka [the three Buddhist canons] and completely understood all the profound doctrines.
The great Bodhisattva Nagarjuna should be credited for the flourishing of Mahayana Buddhism. He was born into a Brahmin family sometime in the last quarter of the second century CE, in Vidarbha in southern India. He passed away in the last quarter of the third century.
A famous account of Nagarjuna depicts him receiving the transmission of the Mahayana sutras from an old monk while he was practicing in the Himalayas. After that, he became engrossed in the works of Mahayana. Because his ancestral link could be traced to the nagas or dragons of northern India, Nagarjuna was able to enter the dragon palace beneath the ocean by using his spiritual powers. Inside, he studied all the Mahayana sutras that were housed there, made his own records and brought the scriptures back. This was the reason why Mahayana Buddhism prospered.
When Nagarjuna was spreading the Dharma in southern India, he defeated many heretics. When he expounded the Mahayana teachings in the monastery of Black Bee Mountain, many Hinayana monks and others from the Black Sect were persuaded and impressed by his superior wisdom. According to the events recorded in the biography of Nagarjuna, he wrote Hundred Thousand Verses of Upadesa, Five Thousand Verses on the Treatise of Adorning the Buddhahood, Fifty Verses on the Treatise of the Expedient Means of Great Compassion, and Hundred Thousand Verses of the Treatise of Fearlessness, from which the Madhyamaka-sastra was derived. His works were numerous. Thus, he was revered as the Lord of a Thousand Treatises.
To my knowledge, Nagarjuna was one of the manifestations of Amitabha Buddha. Therefore, among the Five Buddhas, he is Amitabha. We can find many of his works in Buddhist libraries including the following:
Treatise on the Materials for Bodhi
Friendly Epistles [Surl-lekha]
Compilation of Sutras of the Canopy of Blessings and Right Actions [Sutrasamuccaya]
Treatise on the Twelve Gates [Dvadasa-dvara Sastra]
Fundamentals of the Middle Way [MulamadhyamakaKarikas]
Treatise on the Eighteen Kinds of Sunyata [Astadasakasa Sastra]
Refutation of the Concept of Being in the Mahayana [Bhavasamkranti]
Treatise on the Essence of Expediency, Commentary on the Great Prajnaparamita Sastra [Mahaprajnaparamita Sastra]
Exposition of the Ten Stages of Bodhisattvahood [Dasabhumi-vibhasa Sastra]
Verses in Praise of the Dharma Realm
Treatise of the Absence of Bodhicitta
Verses on the Greatness of Making of Vows
Averting Arguments [Vigraha-vyavartani]
Treatise of Many Minds
Treatise of the Thirty-Seven Stanzas
Four Treatises on Right Mindfulness
Treatise on the Auspicious Blessings
There are also others.
-To Be Continued-
T279 蓮生活佛英文文集51－無上密與大手印Mahamudra is a Method of Attaining Buddhahood 2
- 詳細內容
- 分類：大燈新書上市
■Book 51─Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra
■Written by Master Sheng-yen Lu
■Chapter Two
For more information, please call +1(510)473-4818 or fax +1(510)437-1987.
Contact Address: 3440 Foothill Blvd. Oakland CA 94601, U.S.A.
Those who wish to learn from me must meet the following five conditions:
The first condition is to take refuge in the Holy Red Crown Vajra Guru. Why? This is because I have spiritual attainments from actual cultivation, and I know the Vajrayana Buddhism for attaining buddhahood. I am the Buddha and the Buddha is me. There is really no difference. I know the means to deliver sentient beings, and those who follow my methods shall reach buddhahood. I am the representative of the holy Sangha, and I am a holy Sangha member myself. I represent the unification of the Guru, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Therefore, I embody the Triple Jewels. Thus, taking refuge in the Holy Red Crown Vajra Guru is equivalent to taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. To practice Buddha-dharma, we must follow the rules of studying Buddhism. Upon taking refuge, one develops faith. Those without faith and who haven't taken refuge will find it impossible to enter the Vajrayana path. Without the guru's power of blessings and responses, there will be no accomplishment.
The second condition is generating the bodhicitta. This vow refers to perseverance in cultivation, with the intention of attaining buddhahood and delivering sentient beings. It is expressed through the Four Immeasurable Vows, which are: “May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. This is Immeasurable Loving-kindness. May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. This is Immeasurable Compassion. May all beings live in eternal peace and delight, without suffering. This is Immeasurable Joy. May all beings abide in equanimity, and be free from attraction and aversion. This is Immeasurable Equanimity.” I want my students motivated towards reaching buddhahood and to cultivate diligently and consistently, in order to build a solid foundation. Upon reaching buddhahood, one must vow to return to deliver sentient beings so that all may attain the fruition of buddhahood. This is the highest aspiration.
The third condition is repentance. Not only do the speech and actions of ordinary beings generate negative karma, but their discursive thoughts also do as well. Hence, the behavior of ordinary beings is distorted, confused, illusory, and entwined with negative karma. Before starting any practice, humans are subject to the influence of the defiled mind and are unaware of the purified mind of self-nature. They are affected by afflictions, impulsiveness, and obstacles. Thus, they are really miserable. The Sutra on the Eight Realizations states, “The mind is the source of evil, while the form is the assembly of crimes.” One whose body and mind are drowning in a deep pool of transgressions is completely unaware of his or her predicament. Therefore, it is necessary to repent and cultivate the Four Preliminaries, especially the Vajrasattva Practice, also known as the Vajrasattva Hundred-Syllable Mantra Practice. Through the recitation of the Hundred Syllable Mantra, negative karma is eliminated.
The fourth condition is to make offerings to the guru. Since the guru is the embodiment of the Triple Jewels, making offerings to the guru is equivalent to making offerings to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. A true guru who accepts the offerings from his disciples does not delight in these donations, but rather he uses this wealth as a means to benefit sentient beings through the completion of his duties and assignments. Through your offerings, the guru may help to reduce your karma and bless you. The act of making offerings constitutes the path of generosity, and can carry the meaning of renunciation from worldly affairs and samsara. When one makes offerings to the guru, one receives his blessings and naturally gains spiritual responses quickly.
The fifth condition is to swiftly attain spiritual union with the guru. Those who follow my teachings must first practice Guru Yoga. One should know that the yogic power from the lineage gurus is the only secret to attaining buddhahood. Guru Yoga is the first Dharma gate that one practices in attaining buddhahood through Mahamudra. One must recite the Guru Mantra: Om ah hum guru-bei ah-ha-sa-sa-ma-ha lian-sheng siddhi hum. Form the Padmakumara Mudra where the right hand forms the Teaching Mudra, and the left hand forms the Lotus Holding Mudra. Visualize the lineage holders seated in meditation and arranged in levels according to the order of transmission. At the top level there is Vajradhara, and at the lowest level there is Guru Lian-sheng. The lineage holders emit a spectrum of light that enters into the practitioner's body. The initial step in gaining the wisdom of Mahamudra lies in obtaining responses in Guru Yoga. The key secret of this uncommon teaching is the active supplication of the lineage holders to bestow their guidance and blessings. In this way one becomes close with the gurus and receives their transmission.
It is only upon fulfilling these five conditions that one truly becomes my lineage disciple.
Mahamudra is the method of attaining buddhahood. By revealing this major practice and its secrets, many senior leaders of Vajrayana Buddhism around the world will most likely be astonished. The world shall witness the re-emergence of this major teaching that has only been transmitted in secrecy in past generations. The key instructions of Master Sheng-yen Lu come from a long line of gurus. With the publication of this book, the teachings shall continue to be transmitted into the future, so that everyone will be able to partake in its precious secrets. Take note, however, that we must practice in gradual steps, beginning with the fulfillment of the five conditions. We must then practice the Four Preliminaries, followed by Guru Yoga, Personal Deity Yoga, the Vajra Practices, and finally the Highest Yoga Tantra. Before one can cultivate the Mahamudra, one must gain realization through these stages.
Thus this book is precious and extraordinary, and it should be treasured. I would like to once again emphasize that the true teaching of actual practice is the Mahamudra of attaining buddhahood.
-End-
