Maha Dhyana Shastra a Mahayana Buddhist Text in answer to the question, What is Mind? (*See note below.) The many states have no categories and are one. The one is not limited to itself and is the doorway to freedom. Freedom, although distinct from delusion, Is not separate in essence from it. The mind is focused to become aware of itself. The focus is temporary but profound. Without direction nothing can be attained. And yet nothing is the essence of the attainment. But ‘nothingness’ is not itself the goal of meditation. Levels come and go, each with its distinction. Although important none of it matters. Matter is the essence of spirit and spirit is the essence of matter. No distinction can be found in sunyata. Sunyata contains all things and all things arise and pass away in sunyata. Strength of will profoundly changes the inner and outer world. All things arise and pass away within the great void. Nothing is outside the mind and the mind has no boundaries. The mind is empty of self and matter is empty of meaning. Emptiness defines existence which assumes difference in its deluded form. The Buddha turned the wheel in ancient India. It turns today and will continue to turn forever. The ripples of enlightenment emanate outward through the universe without end. Wisdom and compassion are not different. Compassion and wisdom are not identical. The Great Meditation destroys suffering and leaves things in their pristine state. Great - because it is unassailable. Meditation – because there is nothing that is not the empty mind. The ordinary is the divine and strength is drawn from this. All is illuminated in he Great Meditation. The Great Meditation transforms the heart of the universe. Nothing remains untouched. All beings exist in its glow of compassion. In times of uncertainty, it is the foundation of security. In times of anger and violence, it is the highest residing within every mind. Pure – it can not be sullied by deluded events. Eternal – because it can not be limited in time. It has no place in language and can not be expressed by convention. Through the one-mind, all minds are known. Re-birth is an illusion that travels round and around. Whatever path is followed is meaningless if the essence is not penetrated. Prajna penetrates to the mind-ground and beyond. Whatever it discovers, it does not stop there, Wide and expansive it envelopes the entire universe and all life exists within it. It is known on all planets by every being, But the words and concepts that describe it vary from one mind to the next. It only appears lost so that it can be found. Struggle and effort are the deluded consequences of a separated mind. Inequality lurks in the realms of greed, hatred and delusion. The Buddha’s message has many layers, That remain hidden until the right time presents itself. Humanity develops in cycles, and when the time is right, New meanings manifest to those ready to receive them. Wisdom is drawn to wisdom.Compassion is drawn to compassion. No difference exists between the two. Death is an illusion of apparent form. There is no separation, there is no coming together. The Ch’an masters and the Mahasiddhis know this. They pass away in physical form, but remain in essence. In the midst of suffering, the bliss of Samadhi resides. In every received attack, the chance for forgiveness is present. Mastery and slavery – both must be transcended. The Dharma-wheel spins and creates the conditions for Dhyana and prajna. Conditions fall away, but the wheel still spins. The mystery is mundane, the mundane is incredible. The Hinayana, Mahayana and the Tantrayana all rely upon one another. No difference can be found and yet distinctions abound. The Buddha spoke but with a single voice. It echoes on and on. The mind as it perceives in its totality is the Dharmakaya. Anything that obscures this is an obscuration (klesa). Dhyana is mind – mind is dhyana. Focus one, attain the other. All things arise and pass away in the wondrous Void (Sunyata). The mountain top and the market place, Where is the difference? The surface inter-play is but a dream, an illusion. Prajna does not use illusion to create its wisdom. Be free of limitation, but exercise no will. Freedom is beyond will-power and yet discovered by it. Nature exhibits an uncontrived purity reflected within the mind. Through nature the mind is known. The human will sullies perfection and must be ‘stilled’. Do not stop where ‘stillness’ begins, move on. Do not ‘move on’ when true emptiness manifests. The true Void in the ten directions does not require a dualistic movement. All places and all times are present here and now. The Buddha watches from Vulture Peak. His gaze indifferent and tranquil. All is even and calm. The folds in time and space are evened-out. The distinction between ‘here’ and ’there’ has no meaning. Moments of utter perfection, Hang delicately in the air. A spiritual ego follows the world way. Rank, status, distinction, accolade, merit, reward, wealth, power and influence – mean nothing in reality and contain no real meaning in the face of the Void. The Mahasunyata (Great Void) does not allow for duality, Duality is arbitrary ‘distinction’ between ‘this’ and ‘that’. There is no validity whatsoever and yet the ordinary world functions through it. The everyday world of suffering exists only within the mind. Suffering will end only when the illusion that sustains it is no longer manifest. Purity immediately ‘cuts-through’ delusion – all are touched by it. The Great Void does not exclude a single living creature or thing – all are equal. Siddhis manifest but are unseen by the ordinary eye. The conventions of culture are a thin shell to the Void. It is vast and imminent. Breathing deeply and fully manifests its power. Standing, sitting, lying or walking, no state is free of it. The mind includes the breath, the body and the world, nothing is outside of it. The mind is empty. The emptiness is mind. Know reality directly do not become attached to trivia. Nagarjuna perceived the ‘greater’ in the ‘lesser’ and the ‘lesser’ in the ‘greater’. Ghantapa attends to Guru, mind and phenomena. The realised sage rejects nothing whatsoever, and is never swept off his feet by change. Stable and enduring, the vajra bolt hits the mark time and again. Indra, ensnared by the pleasures of good karma, accepts the Buddha’s teaching. The empty cloud blows through the mountains. Manjushri manifests to help those in need. Numerous are the arahants and bodhisattvas. Innumerable are the suffering beings. Distant planets and beings wait for the Buddha. The Buddha moves through time and space remaining ‘still’ and unmoving. The four noble truths explain everything and say not a word. The twelve links do not connect. The mirror-like awareness sees itself and does not reflect. Although Hui Neng could not read, he never stopped transmitting the Dharma. Train at home to be a monk and the mind reflects a great truth. Train in a monastery to be a layman, and the mind emanates a great compassion. Vimalakirti entered Samadhi and the monks remembered their past lives. Dhyana is here and now, even when it was in India, it was in China. Look everywhere for the Hua Yen and find it here and now. Maha Dhyana is the Dharma-door. Translated by Shi Da Dao, administrator of the Richard Hunn Society for Chan Study. *Note - In the spirit of the ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue that fortunately pervades the world today, Mind in Mahayana Buddhism is equivalent to consciousness, spirit, Soul.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 03:16:35 +0000
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