Hangin' with the Home Boys at the Dharma-Door

[Guest guest]

Then, the Licchavi Vimalakirti asked those bodhisattvas, "Good sirs,

please explain how the bodhisattvas enter the Dharma-door of

nonduality!"

 

 

))) Already the Trickster

has set a trap, but

God Is Gracious, eh Sabu?

even as He plays with us

down on the corner, out

in the street!

 

 

The bodhisattva Dharmavikurvana declared, "Noble sir, production and

destruction are two, but what is not produced and does not occur

cannot be destroyed. Thus the attainment of the tolerance of the

birthlessness of things is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) You speak of what is not produced

and does not occur,

but have you ever changed diapers,

and would you then demur?

 

 

The bodhisattva Srigandha declared, " 'I' and 'mine' are two. If

there is no presumption of a self, there will be no possessiveness.

Thus, the absence of presumption is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

))) Sense of absence arises as

a complement to sense of presence, but

before sensation of absence or presence,

what entrance is there to approach?

 

 

The bodhisattva Srikuta declared, " 'Defilement' and 'purification'

are two. When there is thorough knowledge of defilement, there will

be no conceit about purification. The path leading to the complete

conquest of all conceit is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

 

))) To conquer conceit of purity & taint

substantiality must be granted to it,

and so the word "Defilement" is used

to complicate matters further.

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Bhadrajyotis declared, " 'Distraction'

and 'attention' are two. When there is no distraction, there will be

no attention, no mentation, and no mental intensity. Thus, the

absence of mental intensity is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

 

))) That's why many love TV –

it requires little mental intensity,

nor entrance fee to nonduality.

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Subahu declared, " 'Bodhisattva-spirit' and 'disciple-

spirit' are two. When both are seen to resemble an illusory spirit,

there is no bodhisattva-spirit, nor any disciple-spirit. Thus, the

sameness of natures of spirits is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) Yes, the costumes

are getting predictable --

when I open the door to

hand out the candy

Shiva's grinning:

"Trick or Treat?"

 

Happy Halloween!

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Animisa declared, " 'Grasping' and 'nongrasping' are

two. What is not grasped is not perceived, and what is not perceived

is neither presumed nor repudiated. Thus, the inaction and

noninvolvement of all things is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

))) Out of sight out of mind?

 

What Is

is the only action,

indivisibly involved as all things,

already empty of all things.

 

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Sunetra declared, " 'Uniqueness'

and 'characterlessness' are two. Not to presume or construct

something is neither to establish its uniqueness nor to establish its

characterlessness. To penetrate the equality of these two is to enter

nonduality."

 

 

 

)))) "To enter nonduality"

requires a presumption that

there is something outside of

What Is, trying to get inside.

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Tisya declared, " 'Good' and 'evil' are two. Seeking

neither good nor evil, the understanding of the nonduality of the

significant and the meaningless is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) But it's a waste of good wine at a wine tasting!

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Simha declared, " 'Sinfulness' and 'sinlessness' are

two. By means of the diamond-like wisdom that pierces to the quick,

not to be bound or liberated is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) Not to be bound or liberated

is neither an entrance nor an exit --

the door to nonduality is an appendage

added to a house without walls.

 

 

The bodhisattva Simhamati declared, "To say, 'This is impure'

and 'This is immaculate' makes for duality. One who, attaining

equanimity, forms no conception of impurity or immaculateness, yet is

not utterly without conception, has equanimity without any attainment

of equanimity - he enters the absence of conceptual knots.

Thus, he enters into nonduality."

 

 

))) And he did it all with just

a hundred pounds of clay!

 

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Suddhadhimukti declared, "To say, 'This is happiness'

and 'That is misery' is dualism. One who is free of all calculations,

through the extreme purity of gnosis - his mind is aloof, like empty

space; and thus he enters into nonduality."

 

 

)))) Fine, as long as he keeps his hands on the wheel!

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Narayana declared, "To say, 'This is mundane'

and 'That is transcendental' is dualism. This world has the nature of

voidness, so there is neither transcendence nor involvement, neither

progress nor standstill. Thus, neither to transcend nor to be

involved, neither to go nor to stop - this is the entrance into

nonduality."

 

 

)))) While he's busy neither going nor stopping,

the entrance to nonduality gets impatient and starts

looking around for other customers.

 

How about Dantamati, for example?

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Dantamati declared, "'Life' and 'liberation' are

dualistic. Having seen the nature of life, one neither belongs to it

nor is one utterly liberated from it. Such understanding is the

entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) One neither belongs to it nor

is one utterly liberated from it

in the same manner

it Is what one Is, prior to and beyond

concepts of ownership or freedom.

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Pratyaksadarsana declared, "'Destructible'

and 'indestructible' are dualistic. What is destroyed is ultimately

destroyed. What is ultimately destroyed does not become destroyed;

hence, it is called 'indestructible.' What is indestructible is

instantaneous, and what is instantaneous is indestructible. The

experience of such is called 'the entrance into the principle of

nonduality.'"

 

 

)))) Does it have a shorter name?

 

With a name like yours,

you probably do!

 

I would guess

"Yak".

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Parigudha declared, "'Self' and 'selflessness' are

dualistic. Since the existence of self cannot be perceived, what is

there to be made 'selfless'? Thus, the nondualism of the vision of

their nature is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

 

)))) "Even His seeming absence is but

another of His Manifestations."

 

~ Mazie

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Vidyuddeva declared, "'Knowledge' and 'ignorance' are

dualistic. The natures of ignorance and knowledge are the same, for

ignorance is undefined, incalculable, and beyond the sphere of

thought. The realization of this is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) Food for thought, fraught with beneficial enzymes,

more than can be defined or calculated

within the sphere of thought, so

don't think twice,

it's all right,

in fact

 

it's praise.

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Priyadarsana declared, "Matter itself is void.

Voidness does not result from the destruction of matter, but the

nature of matter is itself voidness. Therefore, to speak of voidness

on the one hand, and of matter, or of sensation, or of intellect, or

of motivation, or of consciousness on the other - is entirely

dualistic.

 

Consciousness itself is voidness. Voidness does not result from the

destruction of consciousness, but the nature of consciousness is

itself voidness. Such understanding of the five compulsive aggregates

and the knowledge of them as such by means of gnosis is the entrance

into nonduality."

 

 

)))) Everybody has an opinion, it seems.

 

Call it "gnosis" if you like but

somehow that looks odd in print

without a dia- or pro-.

 

"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts!" they say,

but who & how are we to gnow?

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Prabhaketu declared, "To say that the four main

elements are one thing and the etheric space-element another is

dualistic. The four main elements are themselves the nature of space.

The past itself is also the nature of space. The future itself is

also the nature of space. Likewise, the present itself is also the

nature of space. The gnosis that penetrates the elements in such a

way is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

))))) For etymologists, perhaps

the origin of

 

"spaced out"?

 

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Pramati declared, "'Eye' and 'form' are dualistic. To

understand the eye correctly, and not to have attachment, aversion,

or confusion with regard to form - that is called 'peace.'

Similarly, 'ear' and 'sound,' 'nose' and 'smell,' 'tongue' and

taste,' 'body' and touch,' and 'mind' and 'phenomena' - all are

dualistic. But to know the mind, and to be neither attached, averse,

nor confused with regard to phenomena - that is called 'peace.' To

live in such peace is to enter into nonduality."

 

 

 

))))) Peace & war result from knowing,

alternating frequencies of attraction & aversion.

To seek for peace supports the war to open a door

that's never been closed.

 

 

The bodhisattva Aksayamati declared, "The dedication of generosity

for the sake of attaining omniscience is dualistic. The nature of

generosity is itself omniscience, and the nature of omniscience

itself is total dedication.

 

Likewise, it is dualistic to dedicate morality, tolerance, effort,

meditation, and wisdom for the sake of omniscience. Omniscience is

the nature of wisdom, and total dedication is the nature of

omniscience. Thus, the entrance into this principle of uniqueness is

the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) Total devotion to uniqueness

depends upon a subtle weakness –

omniscience is an ideal state, but

knowing nothing is still our fate.

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Gambhiramati declared, "It is dualistic to say that

voidness is one thing, signlessness another, and wishlessness still

another. What is void has no sign. What has no sign has no wish.

Where there is no wish there is no process of thought, mind, or

consciousness. To see the doors of all liberations in the door of one

liberation is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) To see the door of all liberations

presumes a viewing position that is

other than liberation.

 

 

The bodhisattva Santendriya declared, "It is dualistic to

say 'Buddha,' 'Dharma,' and 'Sangha.' The Dharma is itself the nature

of the Buddha, the Sangha is itself the nature of the Dharma, and all

of them are uncompounded. The uncompounded is infinite space, and the

processes of all things are equivalent to infinite space. Adjustment

to this is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) Adjustments imply that

infinite space needs tweaking,

as if the invisible must align with

the unseen.

 

 

The bodhisattva Apratihatanetra declared, "It is dualistic to refer

to 'aggregates' and to the 'cessation of aggregates.' Aggregates

themselves are cessation. Why? The egoistic views of aggregates,

being unproduced themselves, do not exist ultimately. Hence such

views do not really conceptualize 'These are aggregates' or 'These

aggregates cease.' Ultimately, they have no such discriminative

constructions and no such conceptualizations. Therefore, such views

have themselves the nature of cessation. Nonoccurrence and

nondestruction are the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

))))) Since any entrance into nonduality

is itself a nonoccurrence,

why congratulate the dog

for chasing its tail?

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Suvinita declared, "Physical, verbal, and mental vows

do not exist dualistically. Why? These things have the nature of

inactivity. The nature of inactivity of the body is the same as the

nature of inactivity of speech, whose nature of inactivity is the

same as the nature of inactivity of the mind. It is necessary to know

and to understand this fact of the ultimate inactivity of all things,

for this knowledge is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) Necessary knowledge acquisition

is an activity of the very mind

declared to be inactive.

 

Thank God for non-aspirins!

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Punyaksetra declared, "It is dualistic to consider

actions meritorious, sinful, or neutral. The non-undertaking of

meritorious, sinful, and neutral actions is not dualistic. The

intrinsic nature of all such actions is voidness, wherein ultimately

there is neither merit, nor sin, nor neutrality, nor action itself.

The nonaccomplishment of such actions is the entrance into

nonduality."

 

 

)))) Since it is itself a non-accomplishment, the non-action

of entering into nonduality can be compared to

not being seated in the non-smoking section of

an imaginary restaurant.

 

You weren't hungry anyway, were you?

 

Got a light?

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Padmavyuha declared, "Dualism is produced from

obsession with self, but true understanding of self does not result

in dualism. Who thus abides in nonduality is without ideation, and

that absence of ideation is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) So,

think nothing of it!

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Srigarbha declared, "Duality is constituted by

perceptual manifestation. Nonduality is objectlessness. Therefore,

nongrasping and nonrejection is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

))))) Which neither grasps nor rejects

duality or nonduality.

 

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Candrottara declared, "'Darkness' and 'light' are

dualistic, but the absence of both darkness and light is nonduality.

Why? At the time of absorption in cessation, there is neither

darkness nor light, and likewise with the natures of all things. The

entrance into this equanimity is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

)))) It is not the absence or presence of darkness and light

that distinguishes dual from nondual, but in that

very distinguishing equanimity itself is

abandoned.

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Ratnamudrahasta declared, "It is dualistic to detest

the world and to rejoice in liberation, and neither detesting the

world nor rejoicing in liberation is nonduality. Why? Liberation can

be found where there is bondage, but where there is ultimately no

bondage where is there need for liberation? The mendicant who is

neither bound nor liberated does not experience any like or any

dislike and thus he enters nonduality."

 

 

)))) Sounds like he's been here awhile already,

like it or not.

 

 

 

The bodhisattva Manikutaraja declared, "It is dualistic to speak of

good paths and bad paths. One who is on the path is not concerned

with good or bad paths. Living in such unconcern, he entertains no

concepts of 'path' or 'nonpath.' Understanding the nature of

concepts, his mind does not engage in duality. Such is the entrance

into nonduality."

 

 

)))) On or off the path –

there you go again, just

one step shy of the 365th!

 

 

The bodhisattva Satyarata declared, "It is dualistic to speak

of 'true' and 'false.' When one sees truly, one does not ever see any

truth, so how could one see falsehood? Why? One does not see with the

physical eye, one sees with the eye of wisdom. And with the wisdom-

eye one sees only insofar as there is neither sight nor nonsight.

There, where there is neither sight nor nonsight, is the entrance

into nonduality."

 

 

))) Something beyond the entrance is

looking out clear-eyed at that which

looks within.

 

 

When the bodhisattvas had given their explanations, they all

addressed the crown prince Manjusri: "Manjusri, what is the

bodhisattva's entrance into nonduality?"

 

Manjusri replied, "Good sirs, you have all spoken well. Nevertheless,

all your explanations are themselves dualistic. To know no one

teaching, to express nothing, to say nothing, to explain nothing, to

announce nothing, to indicate nothing, and to designate nothing -

that is the entrance into nonduality."

 

 

))) Perhaps, but it makes for dull forum chat.

 

 

Then the crown prince Manjusri said to the Licchavi Vimalakirti, "We

have all given our own teachings, noble sir. Now, may you elucidate

the teaching of the entrance into the principle of nonduality!"

Thereupon, the Licchavi Vimalakirti kept his silence, saying nothing

at all.

 

)))) Whew!

Almost done!

 

 

The crown prince Manjusri applauded the Licchavi

Vimalakirti: "Excellent! Excellent, noble sir! This is indeed the

entrance into the nonduality of the bodhisattvas. Here there is no

use for syllables, sounds, and ideas."

 

 

))))) Isn't it so?

 

 

When these teachings had been declared, five thousand bodhisattvas

entered the door of the Dharma of nonduality and attained tolerance

of the birthlessness of things."

 

 

)))) That's 5000 less

in the lottery line,

trying to play the

right numbers!

 

 

 

The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti:

A Mahayana Scripture

Robert A. F. Thurman, ed. and trans.,

Copyright © 1976 by The Pennsylvania State University Press.

Reproduced by permission of the publisher.