Elixir for the Weary Bodhisattva

[Guest guest]

"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 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.