The Ten Wonders
& The Manfestation of Enlightenment

 

The Ten Wonders that are the Manifestation of Enlightenment:

Part One:

The first five are about the wonder of one’s own practice

1. The Wonderful Manifestation of the Object - (the sphere of objective truth) With or without a Buddha enlightened to it, it is the true spiritual aspect of reality and is also known as the spiritual realm (S. Dharmadhatu). It is explained as being the ten spiritual realms with their ten aspects, the twelve-fold wheel of causality and conditions, the four truths, the three truths, the two truths, the one truth, the truth of non-existence, etc. All of these are different ways of trying to analyze and explain it in such a way that one can grasp its totality and reality. One’s understanding of it is in accordance with one's wisdom and one's confusion. Being the teacher of the Buddhas, it is called the wonderful object. This object is also called "the door to the Buddha’s wisdom". The Lotus Sutra says:

2. The Wonderful Manifestation of the Wisdom - (the subjective realization of truth) - This is one’s understanding of the truth, whether it is worldly (materialistic) wisdom, the selfless and noble wisdom of the Arhat, the compassionate wisdom of the Bodhisattva, or the totally enlightened wisdom of the Buddha. Because of the wonderful object, there is the wonderful wisdom that accords with it. Because the Dharma is eternal, the Buddhas are eternal as well. That is, the object is the spiritual reality (the Dharma) whereas the wisdom is the person that realizes it (the Buddha). The unconditional wisdom is fused with the object that is beyond aspects and ultimately they are one and inseparable. The Lotus Sutra says:

3. The Wonderful Manifestation of the Practice - Wisdom guides one’s practice, just as the eyes guide the feet. With the eyes of wisdom and the feet of practice, one may reach the object. Practice includes Dharanis (chanting or prayers), Samadhis (meditations), Calm-Observation (Chih-Kuan), the threefold training of morality, mental concentration & spiritual insight, the noble eightfold path, the 37 facets of spiritual awakening, the five facets of faith as described in The Lotus Sutra, the five practices of the Buddha as described in The Nirvana Sutra, and all the various practices of Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra says:

4. The Wonderful Manifestation of Rank - The eyes (of wisdom), the feet (of practice) and the object (of truth) together are called ‘the vehicle’. In riding the vehicle, one progresses up through the stages towards enlightenment. This includes the stages of the three vehicles, the Four Fruits of the Arhat, the 42 stages of the Bodhisattva leading to Enlightenment, and the Six Identities with Enlightenment. The Lotus Sutra says:

5. The Wonderful Manifestation of the Threefold Dharma - The first four (object, wisdom, practice & rank) are the cause whereas the wonderful threefold Dharma (spiritual reality) is the effect. As one rides this vehicle of enlightenment, one perfects the threefold body of enlightenment. This body follows a threefold track, which includes:

It is known variously as the threefold Buddha nature, the threefold wisdom, the three Bodhis, the three virtues, the three treasures, etc etc. All of these are different names for the threefold body of enlightenment. It is threefold but it is one. It is one and yet it is three. It is inconceivable. It is also called the treasury of the secret mystery. The Lotus Sutra says:

“The Great Vehicle” (S. Mahayana) is nature of the absolute
“Mental Concentration” (S. Samadhi) is the means of attainment
“Spiritual Insight” (S. Prajna) is the illumination of observation

 

Next, the second five of the Ten Wonders that are the Manifestation of Enlightenment...

 

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