The Great Calm Observation, Volume 2, Part 1, Page 4

 2. The Samadhi that is Always Walking

1. First, the method
2. Then, encouraging its cultivation

A. The Method

1. The Body, that which is allowed and that which is prohibited
2. The Mouth, that which is spoken and that which is silent
3. The Thinking Mind, that which is Calm and that which is Observation

This Samadhi appears in the Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra, which is translated as The Sutra on the Samadhi of Manifesting the Buddhas.

There are three meanings to Manifesting the Buddhas.They are manifesting:

1. The Majestic Powers of the Buddhas
2. The Power of Samadhi
3. The Power of the practitioner's own merits and virtues

In this meditation one is able to see the Buddhas of the Ten Directions all present and standing up before one. One sees the Buddhas of the Ten Directions as abundantly as the stars on a clear night appear to a person with keen eyes. Therefore it is called the Samadhi of Manifesting the Buddhas.

A verse of The Discourse on the Ten Stages¹ says:
"The Abodes of Samadhi
Are distinguished as little, medium, and much.
These are the various aspects
That need to be discussed"

The Abode:

Some are in the first meditation, whereas some are in the second, third, or fourth, or somewhere in between. Upon inspiring spiritual energy & power, one is able to bear Samadhi and so it is called an Abode.

• The first meditation has little.
• The second has a medium amount.
• The third and fourth have much².

Some abide in Samadhi a short time, and this is called little.  Some see a little of the Worldly Realm, and this is called little.  Some see a little of the Buddha and this is called little.  Abiding in medium amounts or much is also like this.

i. The Body

The body is always allowed to walk. When one walks, one avoids evil acquaintances as well as foolish people, relatives, and those from one's hometown. One always stays alone and does not hope for or seek favors from other people. Always begging for one's own food, one does not accept any special favors or invitations.

One beautifully adorns the Sanctuary of Enlightenment³ and furnishes it with many offerings, incense, ritual foods and sweet fruits. One cleans and bathes one's own body and changes into clean clothing upon entering into the sanctuary. One does nothing but circumambulate⁴ around the Sanctuary of Enlightenment for a period of ninety days.

1. It is necessary to have A Teacher skilled in the inner and outer disciplines⁵ who is able to help reveal and eliminate one’s problems and obstacles. In the place where one learns the Samadhi, one regards one’s teacher like one looks upon the World Honored One. One does not have hate or anger towards one’s teacher, and one does not critically assess the teacher's strengths and weaknesses. One should be willing to cut off one's own skin and flesh in offering service to one's teacher, much less make any other sacrifice. One receives one's practice from one's teacher like a servant obeying the head of the household. If one bears any evil thoughts towards one's teacher, the Samadhi that is sought will be extremely difficult to attain.
2. It is necessary to have A Protector from the outside, one that is like a mother serving her child.
3. It is necessary to have Those That Share the Same Practice who will be like those that would walk together with you through a dangerous place.

It is necessary that during this ninety-day period one shoulder one's vow that, even if one's flesh and bones wither and rot, one will not cease training in this Samadhi until one attains its realization.

“Raising up a great faith that no one can break,
Arousing a great diligence that no one can match,
One will enter into a wisdom that no one can reach.”

One always obeys and serves a good Teacher.

• For the entire three months, one will not have a mind of worldly thoughts and desires for even as long as it takes to snap the fingers.
• For the entire three months, one will not have lie down for even as long as it takes to snap the fingers.
• For the entire three months, one will walk without having to rest, except to sit down and eat, or to relieve or clean oneself. When doing so, one leaves the sanctuary to the left and returns back into it to the right.

One teaches the Sutra to people without any hope or wish for clothing or food from them.

A Verse of The Discourse on the Ten Stages says:
"Being intimately close to good acquaintances,
Having diligence and being without laziness or negligence,
Having wisdom and insight that is strong and firm, and
Having a power of faith that will not be shaken or led into error."

ii. The Mouth, That Which is Spoken and That Which is Silent

1. For ninety days the body is always walking without rest.
2. For ninety days the mouth is always chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha without rest.
3. For ninety days, the mind is always thinking about Amitabha Buddha without rest.

• Some chant and think simultaneously.
• Some think first and chant afterwards.
• Some chant first and think afterwards.

The aspects of chanting and thinking follow each other continuously without time for rest.

When one chants the name of Amitabha, the merits and virtues attained are equivalent to those from chanting the names of all the Buddhas of the Ten Directions. However, one only uses the name of Amitabha as the focus of this practice. To indicate the essence of this,

• Step after step,
• Word after word,
• Thought after thought,

One only abides in Amitabha Buddha.

Next Page         Outline          Home Page

Footnotes:

1. The Discourse on the Ten Stages: (S. Dasabhumika Vibhasa Sastra) Attributed to Nagarjuna

2. The fours basic levels of meditation are in the realm of form, pure of the distractions of sensory desire, in which one sequentially sublimates the senses.

3. Sanctuary of Enlightenment: (S. Bodhimandala) The special place where one practices the Samadhi

4. Circumambulates: Walks around the Bodhimandala over and over again

5. These include the codes for the promotion of the ten good deeds and prohibitions of the ten evil deeds as well as the 25 ways & means described in Volume Four. Generally speaking the Inner Disciplines are those of the mind and the Outer Disciplines are those of the body and the mouth.

 Copyright © Peter Johnson 2001 - All rights reserved

Copyright Policy - Contact the Author at pj@tientai.net

  Since July 9, 2001

FastCounter by bCentral