The Prose & Verse of The Lotus Sutra

Measuring the Life of The One That Has Come - Chapter 16

Page 8

 

And next:

All the various merits & virtues of the threefold body were completely realized at the original time at the site of enlightenment under the Bodhi tree1.

The first time, long ago, is called the source. Since then, and now the realizations of Nirvana have been called the manifestations.

Many Sutras teach of source and manifestation. They make the spirituality and the reward attained in the serene extinction at the site of enlightenment to be the source. From this source there arose both the greater and lesser responses which have been the manifestations.

Now this Sutra clarifies this:
* It holds that the period of attaining the threefold body at the site of Nirvana is the manifestation, and
* It holds that the original threefold body attained long ago at the site of enlightenment is the source.
Therefore it is different from all the other Sutras.

The Master Seng-Chao2 said:
"The idea here is that of the site of Nirvana."

"The Site of Nirvana" also has a source and a manifestation, and there are many kinds:

  1. Some make Nirvana3 to be the source, and arising and responding from this absolute truth to be the manifestation. The source and manifestation are both empty and so they are beyond the ways of words and conceptualization. Therefore they are called an inconceivable unity.
  2. Some make The Mundane Truth4 to be the source and arising and responding from the mundane truth to be the manifestation. The manifestation and the source are both deep and broad. Those at the lower stages of spritual progress are unable to express or conceive of the bounds of its shores. Because of this they are called an inconceivable unity.
  3. Some make The Mean5 to be the source, and arising and responding from the mean to be the manifestation. The manifestation and the source are both totally beyond the way of words and language. The place of the mind's activity is extinguished and it is spoken of being an inconceivable unity.
  4. And next, these three are not just three, nor are they just one. In being neither three nor one there is the source, and in being both three and one there is the manifestation. This is all beyond the way of words and language. The place of the mind's activity is extinguished and there is an inconceivable unity6.

I do not know of any masters who indicate the place where source and manifestation are an inconceivable unity.

We have included four kinds. In all of these manifestations there is an inconceivable unity. The long-range revelation of the original ground is thus three times and four times inconceivable. This is the source.

Source and manifestation are like this. How is that which is attained different from that taught by the other Sutras and teachers?

Question:
Many other Sutras teach of ranks in practice. The Flower Garland Sutra has forty-one and The Sutra on the Bodhisattva's Necklace has fifty-two7. The meanings of their names are elaborated. From beginning to end this Sutra does not have this phenomenon. How is this difference explained?
Answer:
This can be compared to a worldly man who cultivates various deeds, gathers various treasures and seeks various ranks. If he is to live no longer, of what value would they be? The Great Nirvana Sutra says:
"Compare this to a rich man who raises one son. A master fortune-teller appears who sees that the child will have a short life and will not inherit the family fortune. The father and mother suddenly realize that they are like the grass and trees."8

The doors to the spirituality of the Dharma are also like this. One practices various kinds of causes to attain various kinds of effects. One manifests various kinds of spiritual penetration to influence various kinds of multitudes. One teaches various aspects of the Dharma to deliver various kinds of people, everywhere in the ocean that is the life of The One That Has Come. The essence of this ocean is the nature of spirituality, the reward and the response.

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Footnotes:

1. The original time an the site of enlightenment under the Bodhi tree: The time and place of very first attainment of enlightenment.

2. The Master Seng-Chao: (384-414 CE) Leading disciple of Kumarajiva at Chang-An and editor of translations there. Co-founder of the Three Treatise School. Among his writings are a renowned Commentary on The Vimalakirti Nidesa Sutra and other works such as On The Immutability of Things (Wu Pu-Ch'ien Lun), On the Non-Absoluteness of Emptiness (Pu-Chen-K'ung Lun), On Prajna Being Beyond the Cognitive (Pan-Jo Wu-Chih Lun) and On Nirvana Being Nameless (Nieh-P'an Wu-Ming Lun) and The Discources of Seng-Chao (Chao-Lun).

3. Nirvana: Focus on emptiness

4. The Mundane Truth: Focus on that which is temporary

5. The Mean: Focus on the middle way

6. The inconceivable unity: The three truths in the single mind; The total blending and fulfillment of the three turths

7. The Flower Garland Sutra has forty-one : The Flower Garland (Avatamsaka) Sutra has The Forty Stages of the Bodhisattva Path and the first stage of universal enlightenment, which can be briefly described as:
a. The Ten Abodes of Inspiration and Understanding; Opening up the doors to spiritual enlightenment
b. The Ten Practices of Virtues; The Ten Paramitas; Revealing spiritual enlightenment in onself
c. The Tenfold Dedication or 'Turning Over' of Spiritual Merit; The Ten Paranamanas; Awakening it in others
d. The Tenfold Grounding of Enlightenment; The Ten Bhumis; Entering into the one spiritual realm
The 41st is 'The Universal Enlightenment', the Buddha, The Manifestation of Enlightenment
The Sutra on the Bodhisattva's Necklace has fifty-two: This apocryphal Sutra adds the ten facets of faith, which are:
     a. aspiration
     b. remembrance
     c. diligence
     d. spiritual insight
     e. mental concentration
     f. non-regresson
     g. guarding of the spirituality (Dharma) from evil
     h. turning one's life over (dedication, devotion)
     i. embracing the precepts of morality
     j. vows (promises, determinations)
Additionally this Sutra adds the 52nd and final stage, which is 'The Wonderful Enlightenment', the Eternal Threefold Body or Life that is The Source of Enlightenment.

8. Like the grass and trees: Impermanent but part of the one spiritual realm. "Even the grass and trees will attain enlightenment."

 

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