An Overview of the Buddhadharma By Living Buddha
Sheng-yen Lu Nothing Inherently Exists - No Matter and No Thought As Buddhist practitioners, we have to learn to enter into “stillness.” I have discussed two very important formulae for this, “no matter” and “no thought.” One must realize that everything is inherently empty of a separate existence, then one may enter into Samadhi. How can one enter into Samadhi when one’s mind still grasps certain matters as if they inherently exist? One cannot. One also must empty one’s mind. When the self-contracted mind is transcended, one will obtain the Dharma Taste. At such a moment, the “ching, chi, and shen” will return to their source. “No matter” and “no thought” are the most important formulae to enter into Samadhi in meditation. If one is unable to transcend both the objective world and the subjective mind, one will absolutely not be able to enter into Samadhi. In the beginning, the Buddha told us that to become liberated from emotional afflictions (the accomplishment of an Arhat), one must realize the inherent emptiness of the “self.” The “self” is the source of all emotional afflictions. All emotional afflictions of sentient beings exist because of the “self.” I now realize the Sheng-yen Lu is not Sheng-yen Lu, and Lian-sheng is not Lian-sheng. By releasing the mind into the condition prior to the “self,” emotional afflictions are transcended. Where do emotional afflictions come from? From wanting to save one’s own face. To put it simply, when one sees through the “self,” when the “self” becomes crystal clear, when the “empty nature” of the “self” is understood, one will no longer have emotional afflictions. Today, you have not yet awakened to this realization, so of course you still have troubles and want to fight to save your face. Where is one’s face? You have troubles if you must fight for this face of yours! In conceptual realization, one abandons the self and is no longer attached to it. To understand “no matter” and “no thought” is to know the “fundamental emptiness of the self.” It is true that you have been wronged and have many frustrations. I also have many frustrations. Sometimes we all feel that we have been wronged. Take for example all our volunteers who have donated their services to the housekeeping and the patrolling of the grounds. Every day, after the teaching is finished and most people have left, these volunteers stay behind to pick up the garbage, clean the bathrooms, vacuum the floors, and tidy up the place. Since these chores are not performed in my presence, the volunteers think to themselves, “It’s been four days and the Grand Master has not noticed us at all. We might as well quit. We have worked so hard, yet the Grand Master had not even come by to speak a few words of appreciation to us.” [audience laughter] As a matter of fact, behind each ceremony are many nameless volunteers who have put in a lot of hard work. Because their contributions have not been recognized, they might not want to volunteer next time. Their frustrations are justified. In the True Buddha School, there are many unsung heroes who have contributed their efforts, while encountering many frustrations, such as being misunderstood or even slandered. But all of these troubles can be liberated if the “egotistical self” is released! Otherwise, one will have frustrations, will cry and shed tears, slap oneself, and bang one’s head against the wall [audience laughter] Sometimes other thoughts occur to me, such as, “I have not indulged in any pleasures in this life. My days are spent energetically in writing, propagating the Buddhadharma, and in cultivation. Why have I attracted so much criticism and slandering? I might as well quit, go back to Taiwan and resume my land-surveying post with the military. I will apply to the Defense Department for my old position of Lieutenant Colonel. [audience laughter] In one stroke I will write off everything I have done. All this toil and sweat has earned me such harsh, mean criticism.” Then these thoughts also occur to me, “Such happening are very ordinary. I do not have to become self-oriented and self-grasping. Even if someone else has gotten the credit for my work, this is fine, too. I am cultivating the realization of the release of the self, and I will not engage in a struggle concerning my reputation. Nothing really exists independently and we all share in the harvest. This is the realization of the inherent emptiness of the self.” The “release of self” is what one is cultivating in the practice of Buddhism. If you feel that the credit from your work belongs to you, then you are “abiding in the self.” Such a person is not practicing Buddhism, but cultivating how to conduct oneself socially and to pursue prestige in the ordinary, conventional world. To practice Buddhism is to “release the self.” Therefore, the first realization attained by the Arhats is “Emptiness of Self.” If you want to enter into “stillness” or “stability” in meditation, there is no formula other than that of “no matter, no mind, and no self.” If you do not have the determination to learn to “release the self,” the you will absolutely not be able to enter into the Four Holy Realms. That is why today I can make this statement, “I will not forsake any one sentient being.” What kind of “mind” is this? This is the mind of “the release of self”! The Egotistical Self is transformed into the Infinite Self and all sentient beings have become “I”! When the sentient beings are at ease, I am at ease. When the sentient beings are not at ease, then I am responsible! Every sentient being is “I.” As long as sentient beings benefit through my work, then is it tantamount to “I” getting the benefit. There is no difference between the sentient beings and “I.” [audience applause] Do not engage in conflicts over the Limited Self. “All phenomena arise and disintegrate dependent upon causes and conditions.” All phenomena will transform and disappear. This is the truth of “Emptiness.” The hold teachings of the Tathagata on the Supreme Enlightenment starts with the realization of “Emptiness of Self” and extends to “Emptiness of Dharma.” “There is inherently no separate existence of I, others, and all sentient beings.” This “not forsaking any one sentient being” is an extension of the identification of “I” with “sentient beings.” Subsequently, renown and status belonging to others also belongs to “I.” Whatever offered by “I” to be enjoyed by others is shared by everyone. This “I” is the Infinite Self, and absolutely not the personal Limited Self. Be sure that you realize this is what you are learning in the practice of the Buddhadharma. The Oriental Buddhist concept has spread far and wide, and it differs from the concept of an individual Divine God. The views of Buddha Shakyamuni differ from those of the Great Brahmadeva. Christianity, Islam, Taoism, and many other religions reflect the views of the Great Brahmadeva, but the view of the Buddha is a transcendental one that reflects the understanding of “no separate existence of self, others, or any phenomenon between the two.” That is why the Buddha whispered into the ear of Shariputra the statement, “You have tacitly understood this Universal Truth that I have realized.” The goal of meditation is to arrive at one-pointedness and then return to “zero,” the undifferentiated and unqualified Emptiness. It is a progression from the realm of coarseness to realms of subtlety, and the finest subtlety, until one finally transmutes into Emptiness. The highest wisdom, or Complete Enlightenment, attained by the Arhats is the realization of “Emptiness of Self.” The Buddha has taught that “all phenomena are impermanent,” “all phenomena are empty of a self,” and “Nirvana is marked by tranquility and stillness.” The understanding of these three truths constitutes a real yogic response, a Yogic Communion. In Tantrayan practice, there is a visualization that involves the moon disc and seed syllable. The Sanskrit or Tibetan seed syllable is visualized to gradually fade, disappearing from the bottom up, until if finally completely disappears at the highest point. At this moment one enters into the realm of Emptiness. This visualization of the seed syllable is an example of the most subtle kind of visualization. |
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