The Buddha asked, “Subhuti, what do you think? Can a stream-enterer think this way: ‘I have attained the fruition of a stream-enterer?’”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One! Why? Sotapanna is called the stream-enterer, yet he does not enter anything; he does not enter sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or anything at all. Sotapanna or stream-enterer is merely a name.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can a once-returner think this way: ‘I have attained the fruition of a once-returner?’”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One. Why? Sakadagami is called the once-returner—to come and go once more—yet he does not come or go. Sakadagami or once-returner is merely a name.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can a non-returner think this way: ‘I have attained the fruition of a non-returner?’”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One. Why? Anagami is called the non-returner, yet he is not always non-returning. Anagami or non-returner is merely a name.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can an arhat think this way: ‘I have attained arhatship?’”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One. Why? Because there is no such thing called an arhat. World-Honored One, if an arhat thinks that he has attained arhatship, then he is attached to self, others, sentient beings, and lifespan.
“World-Honored One, the Buddha said that I have attained the samadhi of non-contention, that I am the first and foremost among all human beings, and that I am the leading arhat who has abandoned desire. But I do not think this way: ‘I am an arhat who has abandoned desire.’
“World-Honored One, if I think that I have attained arhatship, the World-Honored One will not say that Subhuti is the bliss aranya! Because Subhuti has not done anything, Subhuti is referred to as a bliss aranya.”
You are untouched
by the contaminated world
once you shut off
sight, sound, smell, taste, touch,
and everything.
October 16, 2021
The title of chapter nine—All Phenomena Are Not Phenomena means that all phenomena are essentially not real.
The Buddha asked, “Subhuti, what do you think? Can a stream-enterer think this way: ‘I have attained the fruition of a stream-enterer?’”
There are four levels of arhatship: stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat. The so-called arhat refers to The One Who Abandons Samsara, and it is the highest level of arhatship. These four levels of arhatship are attained through practicing the four noble truths.
Now let me elaborate on the first dialog, as the rest of this chapter follows a similar pattern. One cannot say, “I am now a buddha,” “I am a bodhisattva,” or “I am an arhat.” One cannot say it because one is already amid it! Besides, those are mere names. Buddha is a name! Bodhisattva is a name! Arhat is a name! Sotapanna is just a name!
Subhuti replies that if someone has become a stream-enterer, he will never say that he has attained the fruition of a stream-enterer.
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One! Why? Sotapanna is called the stream-enterer, yet he does not enter anything; he does not enter sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or anything at all. Sotapanna or stream-enterer is merely a name.”
A stream-enterer (sotapanna) is an arhat who resides in the saha world. At the entrance of Seattle Leizang Temple’s cafeteria, there is a statue of Pindola, who is a stream-enterer. Such arhats traverse the stream of human desire and the contaminated world of five turbidities without being affected by them. Although sotapanna means “stream-enterer,” they in fact do not enter the stream. They are pure arhats before entering the stream, and even when they enter the stream, they remain uncontaminated and maintain their purity, as if they do not enter the stream at all. Thus entering the stream is the same as not entering it. They are merely called a stream-enterer. Do you understand?
Most people fail to understand why a stream-enterer enters the stream, yet he does not enter the stream. It is because he is unaffected by the five contaminants of samsara. Why not?
“…he does not enter sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or anything at all. Sotapanna or stream-enterer is merely a name.”
Because he is unaffected by sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, dharma, or anything at all, therefore, it is as if he does not enter the stream.
“Not entering sight” means that the stream-enterer is unaffected by what he sees. For instance, if a beautiful woman walks into the cafeteria, he will not gaze at her. In contrast, a womanizer will be drawn to her and feel desire. Similarly, if the stream-enterer sees an ugly person, he will not feel aversion. He is unaffected by any sight or sound. Even if you sing a beautiful song to him, it will not move him. His six senses—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—are all closed off. He remains unaffected by any sensations. It is important to control our senses in this way in our spiritual cultivation.
Pindola, the Venerable with Long Brows, is depicted sitting there with long eyebrows and an open mouth. Behind him is an image of Sakyamuni Buddha. Pindola’s mouth is wide open, just like when he screamed after the Buddha punished him and made him live in the saha world forever. [Grandmaster demonstrates this by opening his mouth as if screaming, “Aargh!”] Look, the image of Pindola is now on the monitor! During his spiritual cultivation at Vulture Peak, his cave was very close to Sariputra’s. [Sariputra was a previous incarnation of Grandmaster Lu.] He is my friend.
While visiting Todaiji Temple in Nara, Japan, we came across a large statue of Pindola near the entrance. As I gazed into his eyes, I noticed them move, so I exclaimed, “Pindola is here! He can heal your ailments if you touch the corresponding body part on his statue!” Traveling with us at the time were Luo Riliang and Huang Yueqin. Luo had been suffering from a severe stomach ulcer and was very skinny. He quickly climbed up and touched the stomach of the statue. From then on, his stomach ulcer was cured. Prior to this, eating a slice of pineapple caused him pain, but now he can eat the whole fruit. Luo’s stomach was cured after touching Pindola’s body.
I had athlete’s foot back then, which vanished completely after touching Pindola’s feet. It is common to get athlete’s foot in the military, where everyone washes their underwear and socks together in a big tub. It is very difficult to cure athlete’s foot as it usually recurs every now and then, but I am completely cured now. I also had jock itch. Everyone in the communal military life gets infected with one skin disease or another.
There are many arhats like Pindola living in samsara, and he is the chief. He was qualified to rise to the four sagely realms, but Sakyamuni Buddha made him stay forever in samsara due to his casual display of supernatural powers.
“…he does not enter sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or anything at all.”
Yes, that is correct. Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and all mental formations relate to the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. They are often referred to as the “six thieves.” In spiritual cultivation, we initially need to close off these six doors and eliminate the six thieves.
Normally our eyes are attracted to sights, ears to sounds, tongue to tastes, and nose to smells. It is natural for humans to dislike unpleasant sensations and like pleasant ones. This is desire. However, when one has closed off the six senses, they are called a sotapanna. Even though they live in samsara, they are unaffected by the five contaminants of the world. They are not deluded by what they see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and think—through their eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. They do not let sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, or anything else enter their minds. That’s why they are said not to have entered the stream.
It is important to understand the true meaning of the Vajra Sutra. Although many people recite it morning and night, they do not comprehend its significance. The key point in this passage is that the stream-enterer does not actually enter the stream.
There are two sotapannas who have attained the initial fruition of arhatship in the Seattle temple. You may not know who they are, but those who do know can pay homage to them by joining their palms. They are also referred to as the One Whom We Offer To, indicating that it is appropriate to make offerings to them.
I have explained what a stream-enterer (sotapanna) is. They stay in samsara. Tomorrow we will talk about the once-returner (sakadagami) at the second level of arhatship. In the Vajra Sutra, it is written that the once-returner comes and goes once, yet he does not come or go. There are many similar phrases in the sutra that I will explain later.
Om mani padme hum.
Being born as a human
is likened to entering a big pickling pot.
Once you become a pickle,
you start developing bad habitual tendencies.
These can only be avoided
through spiritual cultivation.
October 17, 2021
We will now continue to discuss chapter nine and talk about the second level of arhatship—sakadagami or the once-returner.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can a once-returner think this way: ‘I have attained the fruition of a once-returner?’”
Does a sakadagami constantly think that he has attained the once-returner fruition? No, he does not. Once one has become a once-returner, it becomes second nature, and there is no need to think about it constantly. It is like fish swimming in water—they do not think about being in water because it is natural to them. Similarly, humans need air to survive, but we don’t constantly think about it because it naturally surrounds us. We don’t think about the air in the cupboard or under the blanket, and we don’t say, “air, air, air” all the time because it is just there.
Since air naturally surrounds us, we don’t usually need to think about it. Some people say that they are treated like air when they are ignored completely, as if they are invisible like air. But air exists everywhere.
“No, World-Honored One. Why? Sakadagami is called the once-returner—to come and go once more—yet he does not come or go. Sakadagami or once-returner is merely a name.”
The once-returner is on the second level of arhatship. They are called once-returner because they have causes and conditions which require them to be reborn one last time in the human realm before leaving the rebirth cycle. However, even though they are reborn in the human realm, it’s as if they have not come. Why is that so?
Like a stream-enterer who enters the streams but remains pure, a once-returner also returns to the world but maintains their purity. In this sense, it is as if they never return to the human world. Even though they live in the world, they do not enter the streams of desire and thus maintain their purity before returning to the sagely realms. Thus returning is essentially the same as not returning.
Do you know what the human world is like? It is full of the five turbidities. It is like a big pickling pot where all the vegetables soak in the same spices and become pickled. Similarly, when you enter the human world, you can quickly be contaminated by your surroundings and acquire bad habits and traits. Once you are contaminated, it is difficult to return to your purity.
In college I had a female friend—not a girlfriend—who worked in the school office. I addressed her as “big sister” and often sought her help. Knowing her made it easier for me to take care of things in school. During a visit to her house, I saw her mother carrying her elder sister, who had soft bone syndrome since birth. She was very small and feeble, could not speak or move, and could only open her eyes to look at her mother. Despite her condition, she had fair skin and beautiful, wise eyes.
During my visit I used my third eye to look into her eyes and noticed that the elder sister was a sage; she was a once-returner, a second-level arhat. I explained to the family that she needed to return to the world one last time and find benefactors with good affinities to protect her and help her maintain her purity while living in the human realm. There was a reason why her parents loved her so much. They were good benefactors and a loving family for their once-returner daughter. I thought to myself, had she been born in our family, a useless child like her would have been beaten to death long ago. I asked my friend if her family was respectful to her sister. She told me that they loved her very much despite her condition and never let harm get near her in any way. They took great care of her until her passing in her twenties. This act of care and love is considered an offering to a once-returner.
The once-returner could not generate any karma as she was deaf, mute, and unable to move or understand anything. She could only eat and sleep and therefore could not breach the five precepts of no killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct, and intoxication. She maintained her precepts and never generated any karma, good or bad. Because she did not generate any karma while living in the world, she was able to return to her original sagehood upon death. Her birth and death represented one return, and upon completing her last rebirth as a once-returner, she maintained her arhatship. It is only through my encounter with this once-returner that I can explain this passage. I use this story to show how once-returners maintain their purity while living in the saha world. But not every one of them goes through the same experience. Only some wise ones use this method to reincarnate into a family with good affinity, in which every family member is bound to love and protect them.
A once-returner may come and go in the saha world, but because they do not generate any karma—good or bad—it is as if they never come. Therefore, their presence is equivalent to not coming at all.
Now you understand the meaning of “there is no coming or going in the coming and going of a once-returner.” Their causes and conditions require them to be reborn as humans one last time, but once they are, it is extremely difficult to return to sagehood. Reincarnating as a human is like entering a big pickling pot and becoming kimchi, which can lead to the development of bad habitual tendencies such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, hypocrisy, deceit, harsh speech, and being intoxicated. To avoid these tendencies, one must cultivate spiritually and shut off the six thieves of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind as early as possible.
Human beings have many habitual tendencies. They include being jealous, envious, self-interested, superficial, shortsighted, distracted, ignorant, narrow-minded, picky, critical, judgmental, pessimistic, longing, resentful, dependent, and more. These tendencies are common human traits.
How should we cultivate so we have no more afflictions? We should train ourselves to let go of all expectations! Without expectations there is no disappointment. Remember that there is nothing to gain and nothing to lose! I have no expectations and no wish to gain anything. Understand this and practice diligently so you can reach arhatship, progressing from the first to the fourth level.
Om mani padme hum.
The one
who has abandoned all sorts of desires
is called a sage.
Even when he returns to samsara,
he still has no desires and can maintain his purity.
October 23, 2021
Let us now discuss anagami, the non-returner—the third level of arhatship.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can a non-returner think this way: ‘I have attained the fruition of a non-returner?’”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One. Why? Anagami is called the non-returner, yet he is not always non-returning. Anagami or non-returner is merely a name.”
It is the same concept. If you attain the fruition of non-returner (anagami), you need not say that you have attained it. I gave an analogy last week about fish in water and humans in air. It’s only natural that fish don’t think of water and humans don’t think of air. If you become a non-returner, you will not constantly think you are a non-returner. In that realm, you already “are.” Hence, Subhuti said that a non-returner need not think about himself being a non-returner.
What is a non-returner? A non-returner is the third level of arhatship. The first level—sotapanna or stream-enterer—enters the stream of desire in the world of five turbidities and lives in samsara. The second level—sakadagami or once-returner—must live in samsara one last time. The third level—anagami or non-returner—is a sage who no longer needs to return to samsara. They reside in the five heavens of no return,1Five Suddhavasa Worlds; Five Pure Heavenly Abodes located in the heavenly realms of form and not in the realms of desire.2The realms of desire (kamaloka) include samsara (samsaric realm of desire) and the heavenly realm of desire. Anagami signifies the complete abandonment of all desires. The one who has abandoned all desires is called a sage.
Human beings are bound by desires. For instance, Grandmaster dozing off can be considered a desire for sleep. Human desires are generally categorized into five groups: desire for money and wealth, for name and fame, for beauty and sensual pleasures, for sleep, and lastly for food.
Even within our True Buddha School, dharma personnel at different levels have desires for titles and recognition. Monks and nuns want to become masters, while masters strive to become directors of True Buddha Foundation. Similarly, directors aim to become elders, and elders aspire to become successors or future patriarchs. At every level, there exists a desire for name and fame.
Politicians also share the same mindset of desiring titles and recognition. They seek to become legislators and then aim to become county mayors, which grants them more power and privilege. They then strive to become ministers, premiers, vice presidents, and ultimately presidents. This desire for status and power is a common theme.
Do you like good food? Do you want to buy things—nice things such as brand names, cars, or even a house or two? You want to wear brand-name clothes and carry designer bags as symbols of status. You like recognition and fame. You want everything nice. All these are desires. Even the heavenly realm of desire is about desires, from the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings to its highest level of Trayastrimsa Heaven (the Heavenly Realm of the Thirty-Three Gods). Of the twenty-eight heavenly realms, the realm of desire is part of the rebirth cycle.
Non-returners do not dwell in the realm of desire. Instead, they stay in the Five Pure Heavenly Abodes in the heavenly realm of form. They are the Heaven of No Afflictions (Aviha), the Heaven of No Heat (Atapa), the Heaven of Good View (Sudarsana), the Heaven of Good Manifestation (Sudarsa), and the Heaven of Ultimate Form (Akanista). These five heavens are the abodes of the sages. Non-returners no longer need to enter the realms of desire because they have abandoned all sorts of desires. A sage has abandoned all desires.
In the Heaven of No Afflictions, there are no afflictions because afflictions exist due to desires. When there is no desire, there is no affliction. In the Heaven of No Heat, heat is never an issue. If you want air-conditioning, you still have a desire. The Heaven of Good View is a realm where everything one sees is perfect, and the scenery is always the best. Lastly, the anagamis in the Heaven of Good Manifestation can manifest anywhere to help those in need.
Anagami is a non-returner, meaning he doesn’t need to return to the turbid realms of desire. However, it’s also stated that he is not always non-returning. What does that mean? It means that he does not need to return, but he may return to the realm of desire to help sentient beings in need. The desireless anagamis from the Heaven of Good Manifestation can teach samsaric and heavenly beings who still struggle with their desires. He is not bound by any desire even when he returns to samsara. Good Manifestation means he will manifest upon seeing goodness. The non-returner is not always non-returning.
Do you know that I see non-returners at the Seattle temple as well as above the Twin Lotus Realm Columbarium at the Rainbow Temple? Walking up the steps to the Seattle temple, I often see an anagami seated above the incense burner. Another one sits above the dharma wheel between the two deer on top of the columbarium. I see him when I look out my window [from the Rainbow Temple’s main building]. What are they doing here? They are here to help people with kind thoughts and to teach buddhadharma to the spirits inside the columbarium. As a dweller of the Heaven of Good Manifestation, he still comes to samsara, although he does not have to. Now you understand this excerpt.
Attaining third-level arhatship is remarkable, as it means you have reached sagehood. Anagami is a sage who has abandoned all desires. As I mentioned earlier, there are all kinds of desires. Some people frequently move residences because they want to live in a better home. This is desire. Why do you want to drive nice cars and wear nice clothes? All the things you want, such as food, clothes, cars, and homes, are desires.
Why do you want to go to a good school? Wanting to graduate from a good school is also a kind of desire. Why don’t you just go to any school? When you go to law school, why do you want to go to the best law school? Why do you have to go to MIT or Caltech if you want to study science and engineering? Why can’t you just settle on any university? Why do you have to go to Harvard? It’s just for the name. “I graduated from Harvard University.” Look at how many presidents graduated from Harvard. It’s no joke, right? It’s not the same as graduating from other universities because if you go to Harvard, you walk with an aura around you. However, a good school is just a name, and you are bound by it for this name. Everything is desire! Studying is also a desire. That’s how human beings are.
Did you know there was someone who was always first, and when he became second, he killed himself? He had to be number one! When he suddenly became number two, he became depressed and killed himself. What a pity! He was bound by name and reputation.
Money, sensual pleasures, name, food, sleep, and many other desires should be abandoned by Buddhist practitioners. We must free ourselves from these. Let me tell you something. Speaking or talking is also a kind of desire. If you meet someone who does not like to speak much, you should marry that person immediately [laughs]. I am not picking on women, but women are amazing at exercising their mouth. When Grandmaster talks on the phone, it’s never more than a few sentences. I say only the key points and don’t chat on the phone. Talking is also a kind of desire. You will be completely free from desire once you attain sagehood and become a sage.
The first pure abode is the Heaven of No Afflictions, and the highest is the Heaven of Ultimate Form, Akanista. Where is Sakyamuni Buddha now? He is giving dharma teachings in Akanista Heaven, so the Buddha still appears.
That’s all for today. Om mani padme hum.
When you reach the state of no-self,
what will you be contending?
Do you know
that all the contentions are merely done
in dreams?
October 24, 2021
Let us continue to discuss chapter nine. Sakyamuni Buddha asked the questions, and Subhuti answered.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can an arhat think this way: ‘I have attained arhatship?’”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One. Why? Because there is no such thing called an arhat. World-Honored One, if an arhat thinks that he has attained arhatship, then he is attached to self, others, sentient beings, and lifespan.
“World-Honored One, the Buddha said that I have attained the samadhi of non-contention, that I am the first and foremost among all human beings, and that I am the leading arhat who has abandoned desire. But I do not think this way: ‘I am an arhat who has abandoned desire.’
“World-Honored One, if I think that I have attained arhatship, the World-Honored One will not say that Subhuti is the bliss aranya! Because Subhuti has not done anything, Subhuti is referred to as a bliss aranya.”
The term arhat refers to the sage at the fourth, or highest, level of arhatship. The four sagely realms—sravakahood, pratyekabuddhahood, bodhisattvahood, and buddhahood—are above the heavenly realms. Arhats are also known as sound-hearers, or sravakas, because they attain enlightenment through hearing Sakyamuni Buddha’s teachings. The term “sound” in sound-hearers refers to the voice of the Buddha, and arhats reach their attainments through this vehicle known as sravakayana. This attainment is called sravakahood.
Fourth-level arhats have been purified, and their pure self-nature and buddhanature have manifested. They are non-regressing at this stage and need not return to the realm of desire. Likewise, the non-returners at the third level, who reside at the Five Pure Heavenly Abodes, are also non-regressing. The Five Pure Heavenly Abodes are also referred to as the non-returning heavens. When their self-nature has been completely purified, they will attain the fourth level of arhatship and be called sravakas, arhats, or sound-hearers.
Let me briefly classify how the buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and sravakas cultivate and achieve attainments. There are no strict rules, however. According to the Buddha, if you practice the four noble truths—taught during the first turning of the dharma wheel—you will become an arhat. What is a pratyekabuddha? A pratyekabuddha is a solitary or lone buddha who is also a sage. He comprehends, cultivates, and realizes the twelve links of dependent arising. What is a bodhisattva? A bodhisattva cultivates according to the six perfections of generosity, precepts, endurance, diligence, wisdom, and meditation. A buddha cultivates according to the noble eightfold path. These are the general classifications for the so-called buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and sravakas. Sravakas are arhats with pure self-nature, cultivating the four noble truths.
The Buddha asked,
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can an arhat think this way: ‘I have attained arhatship?’”
Subhuti replied, “No, World-Honored One. Why? Because there is no such thing called an arhat. World-Honored One, if an arhat thinks that he has attained arhatship, then he is attached to self, others, sentient beings, and lifespan.”
This statement is crucial. If you think you have attained arhatship, then you are attached to phenomena, and you still cling to a name and a term. When one says, “I have attained arhatship,” which “I” is this? This is profound, and Subhuti understood it. Subhuti said that if he thought he had attained arhatship, then he was not an arhat because he was still attached to the phenomena of name and to the phenomena of self.
If one says, “I have attained buddhahood,” then one is attached to the term “buddhahood.” So it is best just to cultivate and realize it! There is no need to be attached to such names as buddha, bodhisattva, arhat, or pratyekabuddha.
Once you realize Dao (the Way or the Path), you let go of the phenomena of name. You do not hold any notion that you are a bodhisattva or an arhat. You have no such phenomena!
If I say that I have attained arhatship, then I am attached to self, others, sentient beings, and lifespan. Since the “self” does not exist, “others” will not exist. Subsequently, “sentient beings” also do not exist. As there are no sentient beings, what would “lifespan” be? Lifespan is essentially the time dimension, and sentient beings refers to the spatial dimension.
Everyone can understand this concept, right? This is what it means. You cannot be attached to names. Although you are already an arhat, you will not think, “I am an arhat.” If you are a bodhisattva, you will not think, “I am a bodhisattva.” Please note that you will not think so, because as soon as you think of “I,” you still have a notion of self and hold the phenomena of self. When you still hold the phenomena of self, how can you be a bodhisattva? Thus, any attachment to name should be abolished.
During the second turning of the dharma wheel, the Buddha spoke about non-phenomena—the non-phenomena of self, others, sentient beings, and lifespan. You should not hold any phenomena and thus not be attached to names. As such, arhats do not think that they have attained arhatship. Many people attained arhatship during Sakyamuni Buddha’s era. The phrase “five hundred arhats” is frequently mentioned, but “five hundred” does not literally mean five hundred; instead, it suggests a large number.
“World-Honored One, the Buddha said that I have attained the samadhi of non-contention, that I am the first and foremost among all human beings…”
What is the samadhi of non-contention? It is very simple. If the “I” no longer exists, who is contending? There is no “I,” no you, no him, and no sentient beings. With whom are you disputing? What is there to argue about?
Someone once said, “I am a visionary! I’ll open a Hilton hotel on the Moon and wait for people to visit. Humans from Earth will get on spacecraft to fly there and stay at my Hilton. I’ll make a lot of money! I’ll be the first to open a Hilton hotel on the Moon.” Just imagine, “Hey! You guys are here. Welcome! This is the price for the presidential suite, regular suite, etc.” But on the Moon, what use is money? There is nothing around—no food stalls, not even cars or buses—nothing to spend money on. Let me ask you, what use is your money? It is useless! If money were useless, perhaps you would ask for diamonds as payments? But what use are those diamonds? Can they be eaten? No, you can’t eat diamonds. How about gold? Shiny gold is very expensive, but it can crush you! You go there and open a Hilton hotel, but your effort is in vain. Over there, all you can do is gaze at
Chang-er, the Moon Goddess, and her rabbit companion or stare at Wu Gang3In Chinese folklore, Wu Gang is a figure who was punished to endlessly cut down a self-healing Osmanthus tree. chopping trees. Such meaningless thoughts are mind-boggling.
Let me ask you, who are you contending with on the Moon? You are there alone. Who are you fighting with? The Buddha says there are no phenomena of self, others, sentient beings, and lifespan. So who are you disputing with? This is the samadhi of non-contention. With this simple analogy, you will understand the samadhi of non-contention. Since there is no self, why are you still contentious? If you are still contentious, it means the self still exists.
In the past, Grandmaster made lots of mistakes. I wrote articles criticizing many things in the Sword of True Buddha Commentaries. I made such a mistake because “I” still existed then. I was so good at chiding others that I was cited as the number one critic by the China Times Weekly—a famous newspaper in Taiwan in its early days. The newspaper still exists, right? They noted that Sheng-Yen Lu was the most outspoken in his reproaches. Well, I suppose it’s because the title of my column was “Sword,” right? In that weekly column of True Buddha News, I wrote many articles to rebuke and triumphantly slash many people with the sword. It felt good, but…
I was not practicing the samadhi of non-contention then. In the samadhi of non-contention, there is no contention whatsoever. In the state of no self, who is contending? Instead, emulate the turtle until you become a bodhisattva. Like a turtle, you are safeguarded within your shell. No matter how others try to slash you, they cannot harm your hands, legs, or head. Since you remain protected, you can concentrate on your practice until you reach attainment. You can then give dharma teachings to deliver sentient beings. This is called the samadhi of non-contention!
“World-Honored One, the Buddha said that I have attained the samadhi of non-contention, that I am the first and foremost among all human beings, and that I am the leading arhat who has abandoned desire. But I do not think this way: ‘I am an arhat who has abandoned desire.’”
An arhat is one who has abandoned the realm of desire and abolished all desires. Yet Subhuti said, “I do not think this way: ‘I am an arhat who has abandoned desire.’” Of course he did not think so, because he was not attached to name. Had he thought so, he would not have been an arhat because his “self” would still have existed. The thought that he had attained arhatship never occurred to him.
“…if I think that I have attained arhatship, the World-Honored One will not say that Subhuti is the bliss aranya!”
What is a bliss aranya (hermit practitioner)? Essentially, it is like being a turtle.
“Because Subhuti has not done anything, Subhuti is referred to as a bliss aranya.”
In fact, he had not done anything! Nothing, really! I also think this way. I really have not done anything in this saha world. I will explain this in the future. Grandmaster is currently giving dharma teachings here. However, it is the same as not giving dharma teachings at all. Indeed, I have not done anything. I am merely doing illusory things in this illusory world. Merely doing illusory things in this illusory world!
The buddhadharma is very profound. It is distinct from the teachings in other religions. Its wisdom is extraordinarily profound. This is the kind of wisdom that is without wisdom. Because it is without wisdom, it is called wisdom. This is wisdom of the highest kind. Sakyamuni Buddha’s ability to teach the dharma of non-phenomena demonstrates how exceptional he is, making Buddhism stand out. It is certainly not an ordinary religion!
If you can reach the four non-phenomena, you have attained fruition. Because Subhuti has not done anything, Subhuti is referred to as a bliss aranya. In actuality, he had done something. Indeed he had. However, he regarded it as if he had not done anything, because self was nonexistent to him. Without self, nothing has been done.
Today Grandmaster Lu is giving a dharma teaching, but I say that I am not giving any teachings at all. This is called “non-doing.” All I do is in accordance with the bodhicitta I generate—the vow to be enlightened for the sake of sentient beings. This is the same as not doing anything. I never keep in mind all the dharma teachings I have given, which dharma, what I have said, or this and that—none! There is no one (no “I”) teaching the dharma.
Therefore, Bodhidharma did not speak a word when giving a dharma teaching. He was teaching that nothing is spoken and nothing is done. If anyone says that Subhuti gave dharma teachings, he is slandering Subhuti. Likewise the Buddha has not given any dharma teachings, and there is no dharma to be spoken of. By the same token, Subhuti is not the first arhat who has abandoned desires, and he is not the first and foremost among all human beings. This is a very profound wisdom that you must contemplate. The Vajra Sutra is not very easy to expound properly.
What is the samadhi of non-contention? It is when there is no contention whatsoever! Since there is no “I,” there is no contention. How can there be any contention when there is no “I”? What is there to contend about?
Now you have heard Grandmaster’s teaching. Even so, if you do not apply it and still feel jealous or envious and do foolish things, you have not reached the state of non-contention. Did you know that all the foolish things you do, you do in dreams? You practice Buddhism, yet you don’t apply non-contention and still fight with others, competing for recognition, position, and even laziness. They don’t fight to be more diligent but to be lazier instead. “If he can be that lazy, I want to be lazier than him. I am a nun—why must I work so hard and do these things every day? Why can’t I have a break? Other people don’t seem to do anything. Just ask someone else; why me?” Competing for laziness is also contention.
People use these tricks to tackle things. The first trick is passing the responsibility to others. “Not me; I don’t have time. Find someone else.” The second is dragging. They drag something on that can be done in three days to one week, month, year, two years, three years… The third trick is pulling. When they can’t drag it on for any longer, they quickly pull in someone else to do it. Passing, dragging, and pulling are the three schemes mentioned by Li Zongwu in his Thick Black Theory. He wrote an amusing observation about the skin being thick [shameless] and the heart being black [ruthless].
As Buddhist practitioners, we should be in the samadhi of non-contention! And we must be diligent!
Om mani padme hum.
