"Master Han-shan's Marvelous
Elixir for the Weary Bodhisattva"
(Title in jest by translator.)
From
The Diamond Sutra: The Resolution of Doubts (Jin-gang Jing Jywe-yi)
By the
Ming Dynasty Shramana Han-shan De-ching
Translation by Bhikshu Dharmamitra
Translator's
note:
" Pathological indications: A deep heartfelt weariness at the thought
of at least three great aeons on the bodhisattva path and, beyond that, the endless
number of beings whom you have pledged to ferry across to nirvana before being
able to indulge in such a luxury yourself.
" Etiology: Delusion
"
Dosage & Directions for Use: Immediately pull out these two pages of text
with commentary and sip them slowly, one sentence at a time, until finished. You
should feel better in less than three minutes. Guaranteed to at least temporarily
palliate delusion-based symptoms when taken as directed. In the event of complications,
consult the following meditation topic: "Who is making things so complicated?"
The Section of Sutra Text:
All
types of beings, whether egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, or transformationally-born,
whether possessed of form or formless, whether possessed of thought or free of
thought, whether neither possessed of thought nor free of thought,-- I cause them
all to enter the nirvana without residue and thus cross them over to extinction.
As I cross over to extinction in this manner an incalculable, innumerable and
unbounded number of beings, in truth there are no beings whatsoever who succeed
in being crossed over into extinction. Why is this so? Subhuti, If a bodhisattva
retains the mark of a self, the mark of a person, the mark of a being or the mark
of one with a life span, he is just a non-bodhisattva.
Master Han-shan's comments
on the above:
In this section, the World Honored one provides straightforward
instruction in a contemplation for pacifying the mind. As for the bodhisattva's
bringing forth of the thought [to attain bodhi], that which is sought after is
the fruit of buddhahood and that which is transformed is beings. There are just
those two things, that's all.
As for the reason that the mind is not at peace,
it is on account of not yet having perceived the suchness of beings. Wherever
one looks there are beings. When could one possibly then be successful in completely
bringing them to deliverance? If one cannot come to the end of the beings, then
the fruit of buddhahood becomes a difficult thing to seek after. And so one becomes
inclined to perceive the endeavor as lengthy and far-off. On account of this,
one's mind is not at peace and thus it remains anxious and doesn't come to a rest.
Therefore one seeks to subdue this mind.
Now, the Buddha teaches a method for
crossing beings over [to extinction] which takes contemplative investigation into
the nonexistence of a self as what is primary. As for the bodhisattva's perceiving
that beings are numerous and difficult to entirely cross over, it is on account
of there being the mark of a self whereby there is then the perception of the
mark of a person. If there then exists this polar opposition between persons,
then where would there be a limit to all of the beings within all the realms of
the trichiliocosm? What's more, they go on being reborn without cease. Thus it
is fitting that one fear the difficulty of getting to the end of them all.
Truly
though, this is just a matter of not yet having seen that beings fundamentally
and naturally exist in a state of utter suchness, that's all. Thus, although beings
are many, generally speaking, there are but twelve categories. Even if they are
incalculable in number, still there are just these twelve. When one takes up the
twelve categories and looks into each and every one of them, they are all subsumed
within womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born and transformationally-born, those four
categories, that's all. Within the four types of birth they don't go beyond the
two dharmas of form and mind, that's all. Looked at from the standpoint of form,
they don't go beyond those with form and those without form. When one discussed
from the standpoint of mind, they still don't go beyond those which possess thought
and those which have no thought. Even if one goes to the extreme summit [of existence],
then they end with "neither possessing nor not possessing [thought]."
If in this manner one were to take up the twelve [categories], then one would
succeed in exhausting the realm of beings entirely. And so how is that so many?
What's
more, as for these twelve categories being referred to as beings, the forms and
minds of beings are originally just an artificial unity. Since they are just an
artificial unity, then beings are fundamentally nonexistent. Since beings are
fundamentally nonexistent, then it is only by virtue of erroneous views that they
are held to exist. If one merely employs [the realization] of their being fundamentally
nonexistent as one contemplates beings, then beings are [seen to be] fundamentally
and naturally in a state of utter suchness. Since beings exist in a state of suchness,
then they have already inherently perfected quiescent extinction. This being the
case, then in just this very fashion one may cause them to enter the nirvana without
residue. And so what's so difficult about that? Vimalakirti said, "All beings
ultimately exist in a state of quiescent extinction. One need not deliver them
to extinction yet again."
However, even if one crosses over to extinction
such an incalculable, innumerable, and boundless number of beings as this, in
reality there is not even one single being who succeeds in being crossed over
to extinction. How is this so? This is because there is fundamentally no self
at all. It is on account of the existence of a self that there is the existence
of persons. If persons exist, then there also exist beings and those who possess
a life span. It is merely through [perceiving] the existence of these four marks
that one would then become unfit to be called a bodhisattva. So what talk can
there even be of "crossing over beings?"
Therefore as the bodhisattva
crosses over beings he should contemplate the nonexistence of a self. If there
is no self, then there are no persons. Since there is no self and there are no
persons, then the realm of beings naturally abides in a state of quiescent extinction.
If beings exist in a state of quiescent extinction, then the fruit of buddhahood
is not far off. So what fear need one have of the lengthiness and far-off nature
of it all? Therefore the bodhisattva should contemplate the nonexistence of a
self. A later passage in the text states, "Knowing that all dharmas are devoid
of a self, one succeeds in perfecting patience." This then is [the mark of]
a genuine bodhisattva.
Copyright © 2001. Bhikshu Dharmamitra. All rights reserved.