如是我闻。一时。佛在室罗筏城。祇桓精舍。与大比丘众。千二百五十人俱。皆是无漏大阿罗汉。佛子住持。善超诸有。能于国土。成就威仪。从佛转轮。妙堪遗嘱。严净毗尼。弘范三界。应身无量。度脱众生。拔济未来。越诸尘累。其名曰。大智舍利弗。摩诃目犍连。摩诃拘絺罗。富楼那弥多罗尼子。须菩提。优波尼沙陀等。而为上首。复有无量辟支无学。并其初心。同来佛所。嘱诸比丘。休夏自恣。十方菩萨。咨决心疑。钦奉慈严。将求密义。即时。如来敷座宴安。为诸会中。宣示深奥。法筵清众。得未曾有。迦陵仙音。遍十方界。恒沙菩萨。来聚道场。文殊师利。而为上首。
时。波斯匿王。为其父王讳日营斋。请佛宫掖。自迎如来。广设珍馐无上妙味。兼复亲延诸大菩萨。城中复有长者居士。同时饭僧。伫佛来应。佛敕文殊。分领菩萨。及阿罗汉。应诸斋主。惟有阿难。先受别请。远游未还。不遑僧次。既无上座。及阿阇黎。途中独归。其日无供。即时。阿难执持应器。于所游城。次第循乞。心中初求最后檀越。以为斋主。无问净秽。刹利尊姓。及旃陀罗。方行等慈。不择微贱。发意圆成。一切众生。无量功德。阿难已知如来世尊。诃须菩提。及大迦叶。为阿罗汉。心不均平。钦仰如来。开阐无遮。度诸疑谤。经彼城隍。徐步郭门。严整威仪。肃恭斋法。
尔时。阿难因乞食次。经历淫室。遭大幻术。摩登伽女。以娑毗迦罗先梵天咒。摄入淫席。淫躬抚摩。将毁戒体。如来知彼淫术所加。斋毕旋归。王及大臣。长者居士。俱来随佛。愿闻法要。于时。世尊顶放百宝无畏光明。光中出生千叶宝莲。有佛化身。结跏趺坐。宣说神咒。敕文殊师利。将咒往护。恶咒消灭。提奨阿难。及摩登伽。归来佛所。阿难见佛。顶礼悲泣。恨无始来。一向多闻。未全道力。殷勤启请。十方如来得成菩提。妙奢摩他。三摩禅那。最初方便。于时。复有恒沙菩萨。及诸十方大阿罗汉。辟支佛等。俱愿乐闻。退坐默然。承受圣旨。
佛告阿难。汝我同气。情均天伦。当初发心。于我法中。见何胜相。顿舍世间深重恩爱。
阿难白佛。我见如来三十二相。胜妙殊绝。形体映彻。犹如琉璃。常自思惟。此相非是欲爱所生。何以故。欲气粗浊。腥臊交遘。脓血杂乱。不能发生胜净妙明。紫金光聚。是以渴仰。从佛剃落。
佛言。善哉。阿难。汝等当知。一切众生。从无始来。生死相续。皆由不知常住真心。性净明体。用诸妄想。此想不真。故有轮转。汝今欲研无上菩提。真发明性。应当直心詶我所问。十方如来。同一道故。出离生死。皆以直心。心言直故。如是乃至终始地位。中间永无诸委曲相。阿难。我今问汝。当汝发心。缘于如来三十二相。将何所见。谁为爱乐。
阿难白佛言。世尊。如是爱乐。用我心目。由目观见如来胜相。心生爱乐。故我发心。愿舍生死。
佛告阿难。如汝所说。真所爱乐。因于心目。若不识知心目所在。则不能得降伏尘劳。譬如国王。为贼所侵。发兵讨除。是兵要当知贼所在。使汝流转。心目为咎。吾今问汝。惟心与目。今何所在。
阿难白佛言。世尊。一切世间。十种异生。同将识心居在身内。纵观如来青莲花眼。亦在佛面。我今观此浮根四尘。只在我面。如是识心。实居身内。
佛告阿难。汝今现坐如来讲堂。观祇陀林。今何所在。
世尊。此大重阁清净讲堂。在给孤园。今祇陀林。实在堂外。
阿难。汝今堂中。先何所见。
世尊。我在堂中。先见如来。次观大众。如是外望。方瞩林园。
阿难。汝瞩林园。因何有见。
世尊。此大讲堂。户牖开豁。故我在堂。得远瞻见。
尔时。世尊在大众中。舒金色臂。摩阿难顶。告示阿难。及诸大众。有三摩提。名大佛顶首楞严王。具足万行。十方如来。一门超出妙庄严路。汝今谛听。
阿难顶礼。伏受慈旨。
佛告阿难。如汝所言。身在讲堂。户牖开豁。远瞩林园。亦有众生。在此堂中。不见如来。见堂外者。
阿难答言。世尊。在堂不见如来。能见林泉。无有是处。
阿难。汝亦如是。汝之心灵。一切明了。若汝现前所明了心。实在身内。尔时先合了知内身。颇有众生。先见身中。后观外物。纵不能见心肝脾胃。爪生发长。筋转脉摇。诚合明了。如何不知。必不内知。云何知外。是故。应知汝言觉了能知之心。住在身内。无有是处。
阿难稽首。而白佛言。我闻如来如是法音。悟知我心。实居身外。所以者何。譬如灯光燃于室中。是灯必能先照室内。从其室门。后及庭际。一切众生。不见身中。独见身外。亦如灯光。居在室外。不能照室。是义必明。将无所惑。同佛了义。得无妄耶。
佛告阿难。是诸比丘。适来从我室罗筏城。循乞抟食。归祇陀林。我已宿斋。汝观比丘。一人食时。诸人饱否。
阿难答言。否也。世尊。何以故。是诸比丘。虽阿罗汉。躯命不同。云何一人。能令众饱。
佛告阿难。若汝觉了。知见之心实在身外。身心相外。自不相干。则心所知。身不能觉。觉在身际。心不能知。我今示汝兜罗绵手。汝眼见时。心分别否。
阿难答言。如是。世尊。
佛告阿难。若相知者。云何在外。是故。应知汝言觉了能知之心。住在身外。无有是处。
阿难白佛言。世尊。如佛所言。不见内故。不居身内。身心相知不相离故。不在身外。我今思惟。知在一处。
佛言。处今何在。
阿难言。此了知心。既不知内。而能见外。如我思忖。潜伏根里。犹如有人。取琉璃碗。合其两眼。虽有物合。而不留碍。彼根随见。随即分别。然我觉了能知之心。不见内者。为在根故。分明瞩外无障碍者。潜根内故。
佛告阿难。如汝所言。潜根内者。犹如琉璃。彼人当以琉璃笼眼。当见山河。见琉璃否。
如是。世尊。是人当以琉璃笼眼。实见琉璃。
佛告阿难。汝心若同琉璃合者。当见山河。何不见眼。若见眼者。眼即同境。不得成随。若不能见。云何说言此了知心。潜在根内。如琉璃合。是故。应知汝言觉了能知之心。潜伏根里。如琉璃合。无有是处。
阿难白佛言。世尊。我今又作如是思惟。是众生身。腑藏在中。窍穴居外。有藏则暗。有窍则明。今我对佛。开眼见明。名为见外。闭眼见暗。名为见内。是义云何。
佛告阿难。汝当闭眼见暗之时。此暗境界。为与眼对。为不对眼。若与眼对。暗在眼前。云何成内。若成内者。居暗室中。无日月灯。此室暗中。皆汝焦腑。若不对者。云何成见。若离外见。内对所成。合眼见暗。名为身中。开眼见明。何不见面。若不见面。内对不成。见面若成。此了知心。及与眼根。乃在虚空。何成在内。若在虚空。自非汝体。即应如来今见汝面。亦是汝身。汝眼已知。身合非觉。必汝执言。身眼两觉。应有二知。即汝一身。应成两佛。是故。应知汝言见暗名见内者。无有是处。
阿难言。我常闻佛开示四众。由心生故。种种法生。由法生故。种种心生。我今思惟。即思惟体实我心性。随所合处。心则随有。亦非内外中间三处。
佛告阿难。汝今说言。由法生故。种种心生。随所合处。心随有者。是心无体。则无所合。若无有体。而能合者。则十九界。因七尘合。是义不然。若有体者。如汝以手自挃其体。汝所知心。为复内出。为从外入。若复内出。还见身中。若从外来。先合见面。
阿难言。见是其眼。心知非眼。为见非义。
佛言。若眼能见。汝在室中。门能见否。则诸已死。尚有眼存。应皆见物。若见物者。云何名死。阿难。又汝觉了能知之心。若必有体。为复一体。为有多体。今在汝身。为复遍体。为不遍体。若一体者。则汝以手挃一肢时。四肢应觉。若咸觉者。挃应无在。若挃有所。则汝一体。自不能成。若多体者。则成多人。何体为汝。若遍体者。同前所挃。若不遍者。当汝触头。亦触其足。头有所觉。足应无知。今汝不然。是故。应知随所合处。心则随有。无有是处。
阿难白佛言。世尊。我亦闻佛。与文殊等诸法王子。谈实相时。世尊亦言。心不在内。亦不在外。如我思惟。内无所见。外不相知。内无知故。在内不成。身心相知。在外非义。今相知故。复内无见。当在中间。
佛言。汝言中间。中必不迷。非无所在。今汝推中。中何为在。为复在处。为当在身。若在身者。在边非中。在中同内。若在处者。为有所表。为无所表。无表同无。表则无定。何以故。如人以表。表为中时。东看则西。南观成北。表体既混。心应杂乱。
阿难言。我所说中。非此二种。如世尊言。眼色为缘。生于眼识。眼有分别。色尘无知。识生其中。则为心在。
佛言。汝心若在根尘之中。此之心体。为复兼二。为不兼二。若兼二者。物体杂乱。物非体知。成敌两立。云何为中。兼二不成。非知不知。即无体性。中何为相。是故。应知当在中间。无有是处。
阿难白佛言。世尊。我昔见佛。与大目连。须菩提。富楼那。舍利弗。四大弟子。共转法轮。常言。觉知分别心性。既不在内。亦不在外。不在中间。俱无所在。一切无著。名之为心。则我无著。名为心否。
佛告阿难。汝言觉知分别心性。俱无在者。世间虚空。水陆飞行。诸所物象。名为一切。汝不著者。为在为无。无则同于龟毛兔角。云何不著。有不著者。不可名无。无相则无。非无则相。相有则在。云何无著。是故。应知一切无著。名觉知心。无有是处。
尔时。阿难在大众中。即从座起。偏袒右肩。右膝着地。合掌恭敬。而白佛言。我是如来最小之弟。蒙佛慈爱。虽今出家。犹恃骄怜。所以多闻。未得无漏。不能折伏娑毗罗咒。为彼所转。溺于淫舍。当由不知真际所诣。惟愿世尊。大慈哀愍。开示我等奢摩他路。令诸阐提。隳弥戾车。作是语已。五体投地。及诸大众。倾渴翘伫。钦闻示诲。
尔时。世尊从其面门。放种种光。其光晃耀。如百千日。普佛世界。六种震动。如是十方微尘国土。一时开现。佛之威神。令诸世界。合成一界。其世界中。所有一切诸大菩萨。皆住本国。合掌承听。
佛告阿难。一切众生。从无始来。种种颠倒。业种自然。如恶叉聚。诸修行人。不能得成无上菩提。乃至别成声闻缘觉。及成外道。诸天魔王。及魔眷属。皆由不知二种根本。错乱修习。犹如煮沙。欲成嘉馔。纵经尘劫。终不能得。云何二种。阿难。一者。无始生死根本。则汝今者。与诸众生。用攀缘心。为自性者。二者。无始菩提涅槃。元清净体。则汝今者。识精元明。能生诸缘。缘所遗者。由诸众生。遗此本明。虽终日行。而不自觉。枉入诸趣。阿难。汝今欲知奢摩他路。愿出生死。今复问汝。即时。如来举金色臂。屈五轮指。语阿难言。汝今见否。
阿难言。见。
佛言。汝何所见。
阿难言。我见如来举臂屈指。为光明拳。耀我心目。
佛言。汝将谁见。
阿难言。我与大众。同将眼见。
佛告阿难。汝今答我。如来屈指为光明拳。耀汝心目。汝目可见。以何为心。当我拳耀。
阿难言。如来现今征心所在。而我以心推穷寻逐。即能推者。我将为心。
佛言。咄。阿难。此非汝心。
阿难矍然。避座合掌。起立白佛。此非我心。当名何等。
佛告阿难。此是前尘虚妄相想。惑汝真性。由汝无始至于今生。认贼为子。失汝元常。故受轮转。
阿难白佛言。世尊。我佛宠弟。心爱佛故。令我出家。我心何独供养如来。乃至遍历恒沙国土。承事诸佛。及善知识。发大勇猛。行诸一切难行法事。皆用此心。纵令谤法。永退善根。亦因此心。若此发明不是心者。我乃无心。同诸土木。离此觉知。更无所有。云何如来说此非心。我实惊怖。兼此大众。无不疑惑。惟垂大悲。开示未悟。
尔时。世尊开示阿难。及诸大众。欲令心入无生法忍。于狮子座。摩阿难顶。而告之言。如来常说。诸法所生。惟心所现。一切因果。世界微尘。因心成体。阿难。若诸世界。一切所有。其中乃至草叶缕结。诘其根元。咸有体性。纵令虚空。亦有名貌。何况清净妙净明心。性一切心。而自无体。若汝执吝。分别觉观。所了知性。必为心者。此心即应离诸一切。色香味触。诸尘事业。别有全性。如汝今者。承听我法。此则因声而有分别。纵灭一切见闻觉知。内守幽闲。犹为法尘分别影事。我非敕汝。执为非心。但汝于心。微细揣摩。若离前尘有分别性。即真汝心。若分别性。离尘无体。斯则前尘分别影事。尘非常住。若变灭时。此心则同龟毛兔角。则汝法身同于断灭。其谁修证。无生法忍。
即时。阿难与诸大众。默然自失。
佛告阿难。世间一切诸修学人。现前虽成九次第定。不得漏尽。成阿罗汉。皆由执此生死妄想。误为真实。是故。汝今虽得多闻。不成圣果。
阿难闻已。重复悲泪。五体投地。长跪合掌。而白佛言。自我从佛发心出家。恃佛威神。常自思惟。无劳我修。将谓如来惠我三昧。不知身心本不相代。失我本心。虽身出家。心不入道。譬如穷子舍父逃逝。今日乃知虽有多闻。若不修行。与不闻等。如人说食。终不能饱。世尊。我等今者二障所缠。良由不知寂常心性。惟愿如来。哀愍穷露。发妙明心。开我道眼。
即时。如来从胸卍字。涌出宝光。其光晃昱。有百千色。十方微尘。普佛世界。一时周遍。遍灌十方。所有宝刹。诸如来顶。旋至阿难。及诸大众。告阿难言。吾今为汝建大法幢。亦令十方一切众生。获妙微密。性净明心。得清净眼。阿难。汝先答我见光明拳。此拳光明因何所有。云何成拳。汝将谁见。
阿难言。由佛全体阎浮檀金。赩如宝山。清净所生。故有光明。我实眼观。五轮指端。屈握示人。故有拳相。
佛告阿难。如来今日实言告汝。诸有智者。要以譬喻而得开悟。阿难。譬如我拳。若无我手。不成我拳。若无汝眼。不成汝见。以汝眼根。例我拳理。其义均否。
阿难言。惟然。世尊。既无我眼。不成我见。以我眼根。例如来拳。事义相类。
佛告阿难。汝言相类。是义不然。何以故。如无手人。拳毕竟灭。彼无眼者。非见全无。所以者何。汝试于途。询问盲人。汝何所见。彼诸盲人。必来答汝。我今眼前。惟见黑暗。更无他瞩。以是义观。前尘自暗。见何亏损。
阿难言。诸盲眼前。惟睹黑暗。云何成见。
佛告阿难。诸盲无眼。惟观黑暗。与有眼人。处于暗室。二黑有别。为无有别。
如是。世尊。此暗中人。与彼群盲。二黑校量。曾无有异。
阿难。若无眼人。全见前黑。忽得眼光。还于前尘。见种种色。名眼见者。彼暗中人。全见前黑。忽获灯光。亦于前尘。见种种色。应名灯见。若灯见者。灯能有见。自不名灯。又则灯观。何关汝事。是故。当知灯能显色。如是见者。是眼非灯。眼能显色。如是见性。是心非眼。
阿难虽复得闻是言。与诸大众。口已默然。心未开悟。犹冀如来慈音宣示。合掌清心。伫佛悲诲。
尔时。世尊舒兜罗绵网相光手。开五轮指。诲敕阿难。及诸大众。我初成道。于鹿园中。为阿若多。五比丘等。及汝四众言。一切众生。不成菩提。及阿罗汉。皆由客尘烦恼所误。汝等当时。因何开悟。今成圣果。
时。骄陈那。起立白佛。我今长老。于大众中。独得解名。因悟客尘二字成果。世尊。譬如行客投寄旅亭。或宿或食。食宿事毕。俶装前途。不遑安住。若实主人。自无攸往。如是思惟。不住名客。住名主人。以不住者。名为客义。又如新霁。清旸升天。光入隙中。发明空中诸有尘相。尘质摇动。虚空寂然。如是思惟。澄寂名空。摇动名尘。以摇动者。名为尘义。
佛言。如是。
即时。如来于大众中。屈五轮指。屈已复开。开已又屈。谓阿难言。汝今何见。
阿难言。我见如来百宝轮掌。众中开合。
佛告阿难。汝见我手。众中开合。为是我手。有开有合。为复汝见。有开有合。
阿难言。世尊。宝手众中开合。我见如来手自开合。非我见性自开自合。
佛言。谁动谁静。
阿难言。佛手不住。而我见性。尚无有静。谁为无住。
佛言。如是。
如来于是从轮掌中。飞一宝光。在阿难右。即时。阿难回首右盼。又放一光。在阿难左。阿难又则回首左盼。
佛告阿难。汝头今日何因摇动。
阿难言。我见如来出妙宝光。来我左右。故左右观。头自摇动。
阿难。汝盼佛光。左右动头。为汝头动。为复见动。
世尊。我头自动。而我见性。尚无有止。谁为摇动。
佛言。如是。
于是。如来普告大众。若复众生。以摇动者。名之为尘。以不住者。名之为客。汝观阿难头自动摇。见无所动。又汝观我。手自开合。见无舒卷。云何汝今以动为身。以动为境。从始洎终。念念生灭。遗失真性。颠倒行事。性心失真。认物为己。轮回是中。自取流转。
Thus I have heard. At one time the Buddha dwelt at the City of Shravasti in the sublime abode of the Jeta Grove with a gathering of great Bhikshus, twelve hundred fifty in all. All were great Arhats without outflows, disciples of the Buddha who dwelt in and maintained the Dharma. They had fully transcended all existence, and were able to perfect the majestic deportment wherever they went. They followed the Buddha in turning the wheel and were wonderfully worthy of the bequest. Stern and pure in the Vinaya, they were great exemplars in the three realms. Their numberless response-bodies took beings across and liberated them, extricating and rescuing those of the future so they could transcend the bonds of all mundane defilements. The names of the leaders were: the Greatly Wise Shariputra, Mahamaudgalyayana, Mahakaushtila, Purnamaitreyaniputra, Subhuti, Upanishad, and others.
Moreover, numberless Pratyekabuddhas who were beyond learning and those of initial resolve came to where the Buddha was. All the Bhikshus were there as well, having the Pravarana at the close of the summer retreat.
And there were also Bodhisattvas from the ten directions, who desired counsel in order to resolve their doubts. All were respectful and obedient to the compassionate and stately one as they prepared to seek the Secret Meaning.
Then the Tathagata arranged his seat, sat quietly and peacefully, and for the sake of everyone in the congregation, proclaimed the profound and mysterious. At the banquet of Dharma, what the members of the pure congregation obtained was unprecedented. The Immortals kalavinka-sound pervaded the worlds of the ten directions and Bodhisattvas as many as the Ganges sands gathered at the Way-place with Manjushri as their leader.
On the day of mourning, King Prasenajit, for the sake of his father, the former king, arranged a vegetarian feast and invited the Buddha to the side rooms of the palace. He welcomed the Tathagataa with a vast array of superb delicacies of unsurpassed, wonderful flavors and himself invited the Great Bodhisattvas, as well. Elders and laypeople of the city were also prepared to provide meals for the Sangha at the same time, and they stood waiting for the Buddha to come and receive offerings.
The Buddha commanded Manjushri to assign the Bodhisattvas and Arhats to receive offerings from the various vegetarian hosts. Only Ananda, who had travelled far to accept a special invitation earlier, and had not yet returned, was late for the apportioning of the Sangha. No senior Bhikshu or Acharya was with him, and so he was returning alone on the road. On that day Ananda had received no offerings, and so at the appropriate time he took up his almsbowl and, as he travelled through the city, received alms in sequential order. As he set out to receive alms from the first to the last donors, his vegetarian hosts, he thought not to question whether they were pure or impure; whether they were kshatriyas of honorable name or chandalas. While practicing equality and compassion he would not select merely the lowly but was determined to perfect all beings limitless merit and virtue. Ananda was aware that the Tathagata, the Bhagavan(World Honored One)， had admonished Subhuti and Mahakashyapa for being Arhats whose minds were not fair and equal. He revered the Tathagatas instructions on impartiality for saving everyone from doubt and slander.
Having crossed the city moat, he walked slowly through the outer gates, his manner stern and proper as he strictly respected the rules for obtaining vegetarian food. At that time, because Ananda was receiving alms in sequential order, he passed by a house of prostitution and was waylaid by a powerful artifice. On the strength of Kapilas mantra, which came from the Brahma Heaven, the daughter of Matangi drew him onto an impure mat. With her licentious body she caressed him until he was on the verge of destroying the precept-substance. The Tathagata, knowing Ananda was being taken advantage of by an impure artifice, finished the meal and immediately returned to the Sublime Abobe.
The king, great officials, elders, and laypeople followed along after the Buddha desiring to hear the essentials of the Dharma. Then the Bhagavan from his crown emitted hundreds of rays of jeweled light which dispelled all fear. Within the light appeared a thousand-petalled jeweled lotus, upon which was seated a transformation-body Buddha in full-lotus posture, proclaiming a holy Mantra. Shakyamuni Buddha commanded Manjushri to take the mantra and go provide protection, and, when the evil mantra was dispelled, to support Ananda and Matangis daughter and encourage them to return to where the Buddha was. Ananda saw the Buddha, bowed, and wept sorrowfully, regretting that from time without beginning he had been preoccupied with erudition and had not yet perfected his strength in the Way. He respectfully and repeatedly requested an explanation of the initial expedients of the wonderful shamatha, samapatti, and dhyana, by means of which the Tathagatas of the ten directions had realized Bodhi.
At that time Bodhisattvas as numerous as Ganges sands, great Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and others from the ten directions, were also present. Pleased at the opportunity to listen, they withdrew quietly to their seats to receive the sagely instruction.
The Buddha said to Ananda, You and I are of the same family and share the affection of this natural relationship. At the time of your initial resolve, what were the outstanding characteristics which you saw in my Dharma that caused you to suddenly cast aside the deep kindness and love found in the world?
Ananda said to the Buddha, I saw the Tathagatas thirty-two hallmarks, which were so supremely wonderful and incomparable that his entire body had a shimmering translucence just like that of crystal. I often thought that those hallmarks could not have been born of desire and love. Why? The vapors of desire are course and murky. From foul and putrid intercourse comes a turbid mixture of pus and blood which cannot give off such a magnificent, pure, and brilliant concentration of purple-golden light. And so I eagerly gazed upward, followed the Buddha, and let the hair fall from my head.
The Buddha said, Very good, Ananda. You should know that from beginningless time all beings are continually born and continually die, simply because they do not know the everlasting true mind with its pure nature and bright substance. Instead they engage in false thinking. These thoughts are not true, and so they lead to further transmigration. Now you wish to investigate the unsurpassed Bodhi and actually discover your nature. You should answer my questions with a straightforward mind. The Tathagatas of the ten directions escaped birth and death because their minds were straightforward. Since their minds and words were consistently that way, from the beginning, through the intermediate stages to the end, they were never in the least evasive. Ananda, I now ask you: at the time of your initial resolve, which arose in response to Tathagatas thirty-two hallmarks, what was it that saw those characteristics and who delighted in them? Ananda said to the Buddha, World Honored One, this is the way I experienced the delight: I used my mind and eyes. Because my eyes saw the Tathagatas outstanding hallmarks, my mind gave rise to delight. That is why I became resolved and wished to extricate myself from birth and death.
The Buddha said to Ananda, It is as you say, that experience of delight actually occurs because of your mind and eyes. If you do not know where your mind and eyes are, you will not be able to conquer the wearisome mundane defilements. For example, when a country is invaded by thieves and the king sends out his troops to suppress and banish them, the troops must know where the thieves are. It is the fault of your mind and eyes that you undergo transmigration. I now ask you specifically about your mind and eyes: where are they now?
Ananda answered the Buddha, Bhagavan, All the ten kinds of beings in the world alike maintain that the mind-consciousness dwells within the body; and as I regard the Tathagatas eyes that resemble blue lotuses, they are on the Buddhas face. I now observe that these prominent organs, four kinds of defiling objects, are on my face, and my mind-consciousness actually is within my body.
The Buddha said to Ananda, You are now sitting in the Tathagatas lecture hall. Where is the Jeta Grove that you are gazing at? Bhagavan, this great many-storied pure lecture hall is in the Garden of the Benefactor of the Solitary. At present the Jeta Grove is, in fact, outside the hall.
Ananda, as you are now in the hall, what do you see first? Bhagavan, here in the hall I first see the Tathagata, next I see the public, and from there, as I gaze outward, I see the grove and the garden.
Ananda, how are you able to see the grove and the garden. Bhagavan, since the doors and windows of this great lecture hall have been thrown open wide, I can be in the hall and see into the distance.
Then, in the midst of the great assembly, the Bhagavan extended his golden arm, rubbed Anandas crown, and said to Ananda and the public, There is a Samadhi called the King of the Foremost Shurangama at the Great Buddhas Crown Replete with the Myriad Practices; it is a path wonderfully adorned and the single door through which the Tathagatas of the ten directions gained transcendence. You should now listen attentively. Ananda bowed down to receive the compassionate instruction humbly.
The Buddha said to Ananda, It is as you say. When one is in the lecture hall and the doors and windows are open wide, one can see far into the garden and the grove. Could someone in the hall not see the Tathagata and yet see outside the hall? Ananda answered: Bhagavan, to be in the hall and not see the Tathagata, and yet see the grove and fountains is impossible.
Ananda, you are like that too. Your mind is capable of understanding everything thoroughly. Now if your present mind, which thoroughly understands everything, were in your body, then you should first be aware of what is inside your body. Could there be beings who first see the inside of their bodies before observing external phenomena? Even if you cannot see your heart, liver, spleen, and stomach, still, you should be able to clearly perceive the growing of your nails and hair, the twist of your sinews, and the throb of your pulse. Why dont you perceive these things? If you cannot perceive your internal organs, how could you perceive what is external to you? Therefore you should know that declaring that the aware and knowing mind is inside the body is an impossible statement.
Ananda bowed his head and said to the Buddha, Upon hearing the Tathagata proclaim this explanation of Dharma, such a Dharma-sound as the Tathagata has proclaimed, I realize that my mind is actually outside my body. How is that possible? For example, a lamp lit in a room will certainly illumine the inside of the room first, and only then will its light stream through the doorway to reach the recesses of the hall. Beings not being able to see within their bodies but only see outside them, is analogous to having a lighted lamp placed outside the room, so that it cannot illumine the rroom.This principle is clear and beyond all doubt. It is identical with the Buddhas complete meaning, isnt it?
The Buddha said to Ananda, All these Bhikshus, who just followed me to the city of Shravasti to go on sequential almsrounds to obtain balls of food, have returned to the Jeta Grove. I have already finished eating. Observing the Bhikshus, do you think that by one person eating everyone gets full? Ananda answered, No, Bhagavan. Why? Although these bhikshus are Arhats, their physical bodies and lives differ. How could one persons eating enable everyone to be full? The Buddha told Ananda, If your mind which is aware, knows, and sees were actually outside your body, your body and mind would be mutually exclusive and would have no relationship to one another. The body would be unaware of what the mind perceives, and the mind would not perceive the awareness within the body. Now as I show you my hand which is soft like tula-cotton, does your mind distinguish it when your eyes see it?
Ananda answered, Yes, Bhagavan.
The Buddha told Ananda, If the two have a common perception, how can the mind be outside the body? Therefore you should know that declaring that the mind which knows, understands, and is aware is outside the body is an impossible statement. Ananda said to the Buddha, Bhagavan, it is as the Buddha has said. Since I cannot see inside my body, my mind does not reside in the body. Since my body and mind have a common awareness, they are not separate and so my mind does not dwell outside my body. As I now consider the matter, I know exactly where my mind is.
The Buddha said: So, where is it now?
Ananda said, Since the mind which knows and understands does not perceive what is inside but can see outside, upon reflection I believe it is concealed in the organ of vision. This is analogous to a person placing crystal lenses over his eyes; the lenses would cover his eyes but would not obstruct his vision. The organ of vision would thus be able to see, and discriminations could be made accordingly. And so my mind is aware and knows, understands, and is aware does not see within because it resides in the organ: it can gaze outside clearly, without obstruction for the same reason: it is concealed in the organ.
The Buddha said to Ananda, Assuming that it is concealed in the organ, as you assert in your analogy of the crystals, if a person were to cover his eyes with the crystals and looks at the mountains and rivers, would he see the crystals as well? Yes, World Honored One, if that person were to cover his eyes with the crystals, he would in fact see the crystals.
The Buddha said to Ananda, If your mind is analogous to the eyes covered with crystals, then when you see the mountains and rivers, why dont you see your eyes? If you could see your eyes, your eyes would be part of the external environment, but that is not the case. If you cannot see them, why do you say that the aware and knowing mind is concealed in the organ of vision as eyes are covered by crystals? Therefore you should know that you state the impossible when you say that the mind which knows, understands, and is aware is concealed in the organ of vision in the way that the eyes are covered by crystals.
Ananda said to the Buddha, Bhagavan, I now offer this reconsideration: viscera and bowels lie inside the bodies of living beings, while the apertures are outside. There is darkness within where the bowels are and light at the apertures. Now, as I face the Buddha and open my eyes, I see light: that is seeing outside. When I close my eyes and see darkness, that is seeing within. How does that principle sound?
The Buddha said to Ananda, When you close your eyes and see darkness, does the darkness you experience lie before your eyes or not? If it did lie before your eyes, then the darkness would be in front of your eyes. How could that be said to be within？ If it were within, then when you were in a dark room without the light of sun, moon, or lamps, the darkness in the room would constitute your vital organs and viscera. If it were not before you, how could you see it? If you assert that there is an inward seeing that is distinct from seeing outside, then when you close your eyes and see darkness, your would be seeing inside your body. Consequently, when you open your eyes and see light, why cant you see your own face? If you cannot see your face, then there can be no seeing within. If you could see your face, then your mind which is aware and knows and your organ of vision as well would have to be suspended in space. How could they be inside? If they were in space, then they would not be part of your body. Otherwise the Tathagata who now sees your face should be part of your body as well. In that case, when your eyes perceived something, your body would remain unaware of it. If you press the point and insist that the body and eyes each have an awareness, then you should have two perceptions, and your one body should eventually become two Buddhas. Therefore you should know declaring that to see darkness is to see within is an impossible statement.
Ananda said to the Buddha, I have often heard the Buddha instruct the four assemblies that since the mind arises, every kind of dharma arises and that since dharmas arise, every kind of mind arises. As I now consider it, the substance of that very consideration is truly the nature of my mind. Wherever it joins with things, the mind exists in response. It does not exist in any of the three locations of inside, outside and in between.
The Buddha said to Ananda, Now you say that because dharmas arise, every kind of mind arises. Wherever it joins with things, the mind exists in response. But it has no substance, the mind cannot come together with anything. If, having no substance, it could yet come together with things, that would constitute a nineteenth realm brought about by a union with the seventh defiling object. But there is no such principle. If it had substance, when you pinch your body with your fingers, would your mind which perceives it come out from the inside, or in from the outside? If it came from the inside, then, once again, it should be able to see within your body. If it came from outside, it should see your face first. Ananda said, Seeing is done with the eyes; mental perception is not. To call mental perception seeing doesnt make sense.
The Buddha said, Supposing the eyes did the seeing. That would be like being in a room where the doors could see! Also, when a person has died but his eyes are still intact, his eyes should see things. But how could one be dead if one can still see? Furthermore, Ananda, if your aware and knowing mind in fact had substance, then would it be of a single substance or of many substances? Would its substance perceive the body in which it resides or would it not perceive it? Supposing it were of a single substance, then when you pinched one limb with your fingers, the four limbs would be aware if it. If they all were aware if it, the pinch could not be at any one place. If the pinch is located in one place, then the single substance you propose could not exist. Supposing it was composed of many substances: then you would be many people. Which of those substances would be you? Supposing it were composed of a pervasive substance: the case would be the same as before in the instance of pinching. But supposing it were not pervasive; then when you touched your head and touched your foot simultaneously, the foot would not perceive being touched if the head did. But that is not how you are. Therefore you should know that declaring that wherever it comes together with things, the mind exists in response is an impossible statement.
Ananda said to the Buddha, Bhagavan, I also have heard the Buddha discuss reality with Manjushri and other disciples of the Dharma King. Bhagavan also said, The mind is neither inside nor outside. As I now consider it, it cannot be inside since it cannot see within, and it cannot be outside since in that case there would be no shared perception. Since it cannot see inside, it cannot be inside; and since the body and mind do have shared perception, it does not make sense to say it is outside. Therefore, since there is a shared perception and since there is no seeing within, it must be in the middle.
The Buddha said, You say it is in the middle. That middle must not be haphazard or without a fixed location. Where is this middle that you propose? Is it in an external place, or is it in the body? If it were in the body, the surface of the body cannot be counted as being the middle. If it were in the middle of the body, that would be the same as being inside. If it were in an external place, would there be some evidence of it, or not? If there would not be any evidence of it, that amounts to it not existing at all. If there were some evidence of it, then it would have no fixed location. Why not? Suppose that middle were indicated by a marker. When seen from the east, it would be to the west, and when seen from the south, it would be to the north. Just as such a tangible marker would be unclear, so too the location of the mind would be chaotic.
Ananda said, The middle I speak of is neither one of those. As Bhagavan has said, the eyes and forms are the conditions which create the eye-consciousness. The eyes make discriminations; forms have no perception, but a consciousness is created between them: that is where my mind is.
The Buddha said, If your mind were between the eyes and their object, would such a minds substance combine with the two or not? If it did combine with the two, then objects and the mind-substance would form a chaotic mixture. Since objects have no perception, while the substance has perception, the two would stand in opposition. Where could the middle be? If it did not combine with the two, it would then be neither the perceiver nor the perceived. Since it would lack both substance and nature, what would such a middle be like? Therefore you should know that declaring the mind to be in the middle is an impossible statement.
Ananda said to the Buddha, Bhagavan, when I have seen the Buddha turn the Dharma Wheel in the past with Mahamaudgalyayana, Subhuti, Purna, and Shariputra, four of the great disciples, he often said that the nature of the mind which is aware, perceives, and makes discriminations is located neither within nor outside nor in the middle; it is not located anywhere at all. That very non-attachment to everything is what is called the mind. Therefore, is my non-attachment my mind?
The Buddha said to Ananda, You say that the mind with its aware nature that perceives and makes discriminations is not located anywhere at all. Everything existing in the world consists of space, the waters, and the land, the creatures that fly and walk, and all external objects. Would your non-attachment also exist? If it did not exist, it would be the same as fur on a tortoise or horns on a rabbit. Just what would that non-attachment be? If non-attachment did exist, it couldnt be described as a negation. The absence of attributes indicates negation. Anything not negated has attributes. Anything with attributes exists. How could that define non-attachment? Therefore you should know that to declare that the aware, knowing mind is non-attachment to anything is an impossible statement.
Then Ananda rose from his seat in the midst of the great assembly, uncovered his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, respectfully put his palms together, and said to the Buddha: I am the Tathagatas youngest cousin. I have received the Buddhas compassionate regard and have left the home life, but I have been dependent on his affection, and as a consequence have pursued erudition and am not yet without outflows. I could not overcome the Kapila mantra. I was swayed by it and almost went under in that house of prostitution, all because I did not know how to reach of the realm of reality. I only hope that Bhagavan, out of great kindness and sympathy, will instruct us in the path of shamatha to guide the icchantikas and overthrow the mlecchas. After he had finished speaking, he placed his five limbs on the ground and then, along with the entire great assembly, stood in anticipation, waiting eagerly and respectfully to hear the instructions.
Then the Bhagavan radiated from his face various kinds of light, lights as dazzlingly brilliant as hundreds of thousands of suns. The Buddharealms quaked pervasively in six ways and thus lands as many as atoms of universe throughout the ten directions appeared simultaneously. The Buddhas stateliness and sacrosanctity caused all the realms to unite into a single one. In these realms all the great Bodhisattvas, while remaining in their own countries, put their palms together, and listened.
The Buddha said to Ananda, From beginningless time onward, all living beings and in all kinds of upsidedown ways, have created seeds of karma which naturally run their course, like the aksha cluster. The reason that cultivators cannot accomplish unsurpassed Bodhi, but instead reach the level of Hearers or of those enlightened to conditions, or become accomplished in externalist ways as heaven-dwellers or as demon kings or as members of the demons retinues is that they do not know the two fundamental roots and so are mistaken and confused in their cultivation.
They are like one who cooks sand in the hope of creating savory delicacies. They may do so for as many eons as there are atoms of universe, but in the end they will not obtain what they want. What are the two? Ananda, the first is the root of beginningless birth and death, which is the mind that seizes upon conditions and that you and all living beings now make use of, taking it to be your own nature. The second is the primal pure substance of beginningless Bodhi Nirvana. It is the primal bright essence of consciousness that can bring forth all conditions. Due to these conditions, you consider it to be lost. Having lost sight of that original brightness, although beings use it to the end of their days, they are unaware of it, and unintentionally enter the various destinies.
Ananda, now you wish to know about the path of shamatha with the hope of quitting birth and death. I will now question you further.
Then the Tathagata raised his golden-colored arm and bent his five webbed fingers as he asked Ananda, Do you see? Ananda said, I see. The Buddha said, What do you see? Ananda said, I see the Tathagata raise his arm and bend his fingers into a fist of light which dazzles my mind and my eyes. The Buddha said, What do you see it with? Ananda said, The members of the great assembly and I each see it with our eyes. The Buddha said to Ananda, You have answered me by saying that the Tathagata bends his fingers into a fist of light which dazzles your mind and eyes. Your eyes are able to see, but what is the mind that is dazzled by my fist? Ananda said, The Tathagata is asking where the mind is located. Now that I use my mind to search for it thoroughly, I propose that precisely that which is able to investigate is my mind.
The Buddha exclaimed, Hey! Ananda, that is not your mind. Startled, Ananda leapt up from his seat, stood, put his palms together, and said to the Buddha, If that is not my mind, what is it? The Buddha said to Ananda, It is your perception of false appearances based on external objects which causes your true nature to be deluded and has caused you from beginningless time to your present llife to take a thief for yourson, to lose your eternal source, and to undergo transmigration. Ananda said to the Buddha, Bhagavan, I am Buddhas favorite cousin. It is because my mind loved the Buddha that I was led to leave the home life. With my mind I not only makes offerings to the Tathagata, but also, in passing through lands as many as the grains of sand in the Ganges River to serve all Buddhas and good, wise advisors, and in marshalling great courage to practice every difficult aspect of the Dharma, I always use my mind. Even if I were to slander the Dharma and eternally sever my good roots, it would also be because of this mind. If this is not my mind, then I have no mind, and I am the same as a clod of earth or a piece of wood, because nothing exists apart from this awareness and knowing. Why does the Tathagata say this is not my mind? I am startled and frightened and not one member of the great assembly is without doubt. I only hope that Bhagavan will regard us with great compassion and instruct those who have not yet awakened. Then the Bhagavan gave instruction to Ananda and the great assembly, wishing to cause their minds to enter the state of patience with the non-existence of beings and dharmas.
From the lions seat he rubbed Anandas crown and said to him, The Tathagata has often said that all dharmas that arise are only manifestations of the mind. All causes and effects, the worlds as many as atoms of universe, take on substance because of the heart. Ananda, if we regard all the things in the world, including blades of grass and strands of silk, examining them at their fundamental source, each is seen to have a nature, even empty space has a name and an appearance. And so how could the clear, wonderful, pure bright mind, the essence of all thought, itself be without substance? If you insist that the nature which is aware, observes and knows is the mind, then apart from all forms, smells, tastes, and tangiblesapart from the workings of all the defiling objectsthat mind should have its own complete nature. And yet now, as you listen to my Dharma, it is because of sound that you are able to make distinctions.
Even if you could put an end to all seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, and maintain an inner composure, the shadows of your discrimination of dharmas would remain. I do not insist that you grant that it is not the mind. But examine your mind in minute detail to see whether there is a discriminating nature apart from sense objects. That would truly be your mind. If the discriminating nature you discover has no substance apart from objects, then that would make it just a shadow of discriminations of mental objects. The objects are not eternal, and when they pass out of existence, such a mind would be like f ur on a tortoise or horns on a rabbit. In that case your Dharma-body would come to an end along with it. Then who would be left to cultivate and attain patience with the non-existence of beings and dharmas? At that point Ananda and everyone in the great assembly was speechless and at a total loss.
The Buddha said to Ananda, There are cultivators in the world who, although they realize the nine successive stages of Samadhi, do not achieve the extinction of outflows or become Arhats, all because they are attached to birth and death and false thinking and mistake these for what is truly real. That is why now, although you are highly erudite, you have not realized sagehood.
When Ananda heard that, he again wept sorrowfully, placed his five limbs on the ground, knelt on both knees, put his palms together and said to the Buddha. Since I followed the Buddha and left home, I have relied on the Buddhas stateliness and sacrosanctity. I have often thought, There is no reason for me to toil at cultivation expecting that the Tathagata would bestow Samadhi upon me. I never realized that he could not stand in for me in body or mind. Thus, I lost my original mind and although my body has left the home-life, my mind has not entered the Way. I am like the poor son who renounced his father and roamed around. Therefore, today I realize that although Im greatly learned, if I do not cultivate, it amounts to having not learned anything; Just as someone who only speaks of food will never get full. Bhagavan, now we all are bound by two obstructions and as a consequence do not perceive the still, eternal nature of the mind. I only hope the Tathagata will empathize with us poor and destitute ones, disclose the wonderful bright mind, and open our Way-eyes.
Then from the svastika myriad on his chest, the Tathagata poured forth gem-like light. Radiant with hundreds of thousands of colors, this brilliant light simultaneously pervaded throughout the ten directions to Buddha-realms as many as atoms of universe, anointing the crowns of every Tathagata in all these jeweled Buddhalands of the ten directions. Then it swept back to Ananda and all the great assembly. The Buddha said to Ananda, I will now erect the great Dharma banner for you, to cause all living beings in the ten directions to obtain the wondrous subtle secret, the pure nature, the bright mind, and to attain those pure eyes.
Ananda, you have told me that you saw my fist of bright light. How did it take the form of a fist? How did the fist come to emit light? How was the fist made? By what means could you see it?
Ananda replied, The body of the Buddha is born of purity and cleanness, and therefore, it assumes the color of Jambu river gold with deep red hues. Hence, it shone as brilliant and dazzling as a precious mountain. It was actually my eyes that saw the Buddha bend his five-wheeled fingers to form a fist which was shown to all of us.
The Buddha told Ananda, Today the Tathagata will tell you the truth: all those with wisdom are able to achieve enlightenment through the use of examples. Ananda, take, for example, my fist: If I didnt have a hand, I couldnt make a fist. If you didnt have eyes, you couldnt see. If you apply the example of my fist to the case of your eyes, is the principle the same? Ananda said, Yes, Bhagavan. Since I cant see without my eyes, if one applies the example of the Tathagatas fist to the case of my eyes, the principle is the same.
The Buddha said to Ananda, You say it is the same, but that is not right. Why? If a person has no hand, his fist is gone forever. But one who is without eyes is not entirely devoid of sight. Why not? Try consulting a blind man on a street: What do you see? Any blind person will certainly answer, Now I see only darkness in front of my eyes. Nothing else meets my gaze. The meaning is apparent: If he sees dark in front of him, how could his sight be considered lost？
Ananda said, The only thing blind people see in front of their eyes is darkness. How can that be called seeing? The Buddha said to Ananda, Is there any difference between the darkness seen by blind people, who do not have the use of their eyes, and the darkness seen by someone who has the use of his eyes when he is in a dark room?
Stated in that way, Bhagavan, there is no difference between the two kinds of blackness, that seen by a person in a dark room and that seen by the blind.
Ananda, if the person without the use of his eyes who sees only darkness were suddenly to regain his sight and see all kinds of forms, and you say it is his eyes which see, then when a person in a dark room who sees only darkness suddenly sees all kinds of forms because a lamp is lit, you should say it is the lamp which sees. If the lamp did the seeing, it would be endowed with sight. But then we would not call it a lamp anymore. Besides, if the lamp were to do the seeing, what would that have to do with you? Therefore you should know that while the lamp can reveal forms, the eyes, not the lamp, do the seeing. And while the eyes can reveal forms, the seeing-nature comes from the mind, not the eyes.
Although Ananda and everyone in the great assembly had heard what was said, their minds had not yet understood, and so they remained silent. Hoping to hear more of the gentle sounds of the Tathagatas teaching, They put their palms together, purified their minds, and stood waiting for the Tathagatas compassionate instruction.
Then the Bhagavan extended his bright hand that is as soft as tula cotton, opened his five webbed fingers, and told Ananda and the great assembly, When I first accomplished the Way I went to the Deer Park, and for the sake of Ajnatakaundinya and all five of the bhikshus, as well as for you of the four-fold assembly, I said, It is because beings are impeded by transitory defilements and afflictions that they do not realize Bodhi or become Arhats. At that time, what caused you who have now realized the various fruitions of sagehood to become enlightened?
Then Ajnatakaundinya arose and said to the Buddha, Of the elders now present in the great assembly, only I received the name Understanding because I was enlightened to the meaning of tranisory defilements and realized the fruition. Bhagavan, the analogy can be made of a traveler who stops as a guest at a roadside inn, perhaps for the night or perhaps for a meal. When he has finished lodging there or when the meal is finished, he packs his baggage and sets out again. He does not remain there at his leisure. The host himself, however, does not leave. Considering it this way, the one who does not remain is called the guest, and the one who does remain is called the host. The transitory guest, then, is the one who does not remain. Again, the analogy can be made to how when the sun rises resplendent on a clear morning, its golden rays stream into a house through a crack to reveal particles of dust in the air. The dust dances in the rays of light, but the empty space is unmoving. Considering it is that way, what is clear and still is called space, and what moves is called dust. The defiling dust, then, is that which moves.
The Buddha said, So it is.
Then in the midst of the great assembly the Tathagata bent his five webbed fingers. After bending them, he opened them again. After he opened them, he bent them again, and he asked Ananda, What do you see now? Ananda said, I see the Tathagatas hand opening and closing in the midst of the assembly, revealing his hundred-jeweled wheeled palms. The Buddha said to Ananda, You see my hand open and close in the assembly. Is it my hand that opens and closes, or is it your seeing that opens and closes? Ananda said, Bhagavans jeweled hand opened and closed in the assembly. I saw the Tathagatas hand itself open and close while my seeing-nature neither opened nor closed. The Buddha said, What moved and what was still? Ananda said, The Buddhas hand did not remain at rest. And since my seeing-nature is beyond even stillness, how could it not be at rest?
The Buddha said, So it is. Then from his wheeled palm the Tathagata sent a gem-like ray of light flying to Anandas right. Ananda immediately turned his head and glanced to the right.
The Buddha then sent another ray of light to Anandas left. Ananda again turned his head and glanced to the left. The Buddha said to Ananda, Why did your head move just now? Ananda said, I saw the Tathagata emit a wonderful gem-like light which flashed by my left and right, and so I looked left and right. My head moved by itself. Ananda, when you glanced at the Buddhas light and moved your head left and right, was it your head that moved or your seeing that moved? Bhagavan, my head moved of itself. Since my seeing-nature is beyond even cessation, how could it move? The Buddha said, So it is.
Then the Tathagata told everyone in the assembly, Normally beings would say that the defiling dust moves and that the transitory guest does not remain. You have observed that it was Anandas head moved; yet his seeing did not move. You also have observed my hand open and close; yet your seeing did not stretch or bend. Why do you continue to rely on your physical bodies which move and on the external environment which also moves? From the beginning to the end, this causes your every thought to be subject to production and extinction. You have lost your true nature and conduct yourselves in upside-down ways. Having lost your true nature and mind, you take objects to be yourself, and so you cling to revolving on the wheel of rebirth.
