THE RELIGION OF THE SAMURAI

A STUDY OF ZEN PHILOSOPHY AND DISCIPLINE IN CHINA AND

JAPAN
BY
KAITEN NUKARIYA
PROFESSOR OF KEI-O-GI-JIKU UNIVERSITY AND OF
SO-TO-SHU BUDDHIST COLLEGE, TOKYO
[1913]
!"##$% "& '''("!)$%-&$*&(!+,, S$-&$,.$) /000
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
(1) The Southern and Northern Schools of Buddhism
(2) The Develoment and Differentiation of Buddhism
(!) The O"#ect of this Boo$ is the %&lainin' of the (aha)anistic *ie+ of ,ife and the
-orld
(.) /en holds a Uni0ue 1osition amon' the %sta"lished Reli'ions of the -orld
(2) The 3istorical 4nti0uit) of /en
(5) The Denial of Scritural 4uthorit) ") /en
(6) The 1ractisers of /en hold the Buddha as their 1redecessor7 +hose Siritual ,evel
the) 4im to 4ttain
(8) The Iconoclastic 4ttitude of /en
(9) /en 4ctivit)
(1:) The 1h)sical and (ental Trainin'
(11) The 3istorical Imortance
C341T%R I
3ISTOR; O< /%N IN C3IN4
1= The Ori'in of /en in India
2= The Introduction of /en into China ") Bodhidharma
!= Bodhidharma and the %meror -u
.= Bodhidharma and his Successor7 the Second 1atriarch
2= Bodhidharma>s Disciles and the Transmission of the ,a+
5= The Second and the Third 1atriarchs
6= The <ourth 1atriarch and the %meror Tai Tsun'
8= The <ifth and the Si&th 1atriarchs
9= The Siritual 4ttainment of the Si&th 1atriarch
1:= The <li'ht of the Si&th 1atriarch
11= The Develoment of the Southern and the Northern School of /en
12= The (issionar) 4ctivit) of the Si&th 1atriarch
1!= The Disciles under the Si&th 1atriarch
1.= Three Imortant %lements of /en
12= Decline of /en
C341T%R II
3ISTOR; O< /%N IN ?414N
1= The %sta"lishment of the Rin /ai School of /en in ?aan
2= The Introduction of the So To School of /en
!= The Characteristics of Do@'en7 the <ounder of the ?aanese So To Sect
.= The Social State of ?aan +hen /en +as %sta"lished ") %i@sai and Do@'en
2= The Resem"lance of the /en (on$ to the Samurai
5= The 3onest 1overt) of the /en (on$ and the Samurai
6= The (anliness of the /en (on$ and the Samurai
8= The Coura'e and Comosure of (ind of the /en (on$ and the Samurai
9= /en and the Re'ent Aenerals of the 3o@#o 1eriod
1:= /en after the Do+nfall of the 3o@#o Re'enc)
11= /en in the Dar$ 4'e
12= /en under the To$u@'a+a Sho'unate
1!= /en after the Restoration
C341T%R III
T3% UNI*%RS% IS T3% SCRI1TUR% O< /%N
1= Scriture is no (ore than -aste 1aer
2= No Need of the Scritural 4uthorit) for /en
!= The Usual %&lanation of the Canon
.= Sutras used ") the /en (asters
2= 4 Sutra %0ual in SiBe to the -hole -orld 58
5= Areat (en and Nature
6= The 4"solute and Realit) are "ut an 4"straction
8= The Sermon of the Inanimate
C341T%R I*
BUDD347 T3% UNI*%RS4, S1IRIT
1= The 4ncient Buddhist 1antheon
2= /en is Iconoclastic
!= Buddha is Unnama"le
.= Buddha7 the Universal ,ife
2= ,ife and Chan'e
5= The 1essimistic *ie+ of 4ncient 3indus
6= 3ina)anism and its Doctrine
8= Chan'e as seen ") /en
9= ,ife and Chan'e
1:= ,ife7 Chan'e7 and 3oe
11= %ver)thin' is ,ivin' accordin' to /en
12= The Creative <orce of Nature and 3umanit)
1!= Universal ,ife is Universal Sirit
1.= 1oetical Intuition and /en
12= %nli'htened Consciousness
15= Buddha D+ellin' in the Individual (ind
%nli'htened Consciousness is not an Intellectual Insi'ht
18= Our Concetion of Buddha is not <inal
19= 3o+ to -orshi Buddha
C341T%R *
T3% N4TUR% O< (4N
1= (an is Aood@natured accordin' to (encius
2= (an is Bad@natured accordin' to SiCn TsB
!= (an is "oth Aood@natured and Bad@natured accordin' to ;an 3iun'
.= (an is neither Aood@natured nor Bad@natured accordin' to Su Shih
2= There is no (ortal +ho is 1urel) (oral
5= There is no (ortal +ho is Non@moral or 1urel) Immoral
6= -here7 then7 does the %rror ,ieD
87 (an is not Aood@natured nor Bad@natured7 "ut Buddha natured
9= The 1ara"le of the Ro""er Eih
1:= -an' ;an' (in' and a Thief
11= The Bad are the Aood in the %''
12= The Areat 1erson and the Small 1erson
1!= The Theor) of Buddha@Nature ade0uatel) e&lains the %thical States of (an
1.= Buddha@Nature is the Common Source of (orals
12= The 1ara"le of a Drun$ard
15= Sha$)a (uni and the 1rodi'al Son
16= The 1ara"le of the (on$ and the Stuid -oman
18= >%ach Smile a 3)mn7 each Eindl) -ord a 1ra)er>
19= The -orld is in the (a$in'
2:= The 1ro'ress and 3oe of ,ife
21= The Betterment of ,ife
22= The Buddha of (erc)
C341T%R *I
%N,IA3T%N(%NT
1= %nli'htenment is "e)ond Descrition and 4nal)sis
2= %nli'htenment Imlies an Insi'ht into the Nature of Self
!= The Irrationalit) of the Belief of Immortalit)
.= The %&amination of the Notion of Self
2= Nature is the (other of 4ll Thin's
5= Real Self
6= The 4+a$enin' of the Innermost -isdom
8= /en is not Nihilistic
9= /en and Idealism
1:= Idealism is a 1otent (edicine for Self @Created (ental Disease
11= Idealistic Sceticism concernin' O"#ective Realit)
12= Idealistic Sceticism concernin' Reli'ion and (oralit)
1!= 4n Illusion concernin' 4earance and Realit)
1.= -here does the Root of the Illusion ,ieD
12= Thin'@in@Itself means Thin'@Eno+erless
15= The <our 4lternatives and the <ive Cate'ories
16= 1ersonalism of B= 1= Bo+ne
18= 4ll the -orlds in Ten Directions are Buddha>s 3ol) ,and
C341T%R *II
,I<%
1= %icureanism and ,ife
2= The %rrors of 1hilosohical 1essimists and Reli'ious Otimists
!= The ,a+ of Balance
.= ,ife Consists in Conflict
2= The ()ster) of ,ife
5= Nature favours Nothin' in 1articular
6= The ,a+ of Balance in ,ife
8= The 4lication of the ,a+ of Causation to (orals
9= The Retri"ution in the 1ast7 the 1resent7 and the <uture ,ife
1:= The %ternal ,ife as tau'ht ") 1rofessor (Cnster"er'
11= ,ife in the Concrete
12= Difficulties are no (atch for an Otimist
1!= Do Th) Best and ,eave the Rest to 1rovidence
C341T%R *III
T3% TR4ININA O< T3% (IND 4ND T3% 1R4CTIC% O< (%DIT4TION
1= The (ethod of Instruction adoted ") /en (asters
2= The <irst Ste in the (ental Trainin'
!= The Ne&t Ste in the (ental Trainin'
.= The Third Ste in the (ental Trainin'
2= /aBen7 or the Sittin' in (editation
5= The Breathin' %&ercise of the ;o'i
6= Calmness of (ind
8= /aBen and the <or'ettin' of Self
9= /en and Suernatural 1o+er
1:= True Dh)ana
11= ,et Ao of ;our Idle Thou'hts
12= >The <ive Ran$s of (erit>
1!= >The Ten 1ictures of the Co+herd>
1.= /en and Nirvana
12= Nature and 3er ,esson
15= The Beatitude of /en
411%NDIF
ORIAIN O< (4N
1R%<4C%
INTRODUCTION
C341T%R I
R%<UT4TION O< D%,USI*% 4ND 1R%?UDIC%D (DOCTRIN%)
C341T%R II
R%<UT4TION O< INCO(1,%T% 4ND SU1%R<ICI4, (DOCTRIN%)
1= The Doctrine for (en and Devas
2= The Doctrine of the 3ina)anists
!= The (aha)ana Doctrine of Dharmala$sana
.= (aha)ana Doctrine of the Nihilists
C341T%R III
T3% DIR%CT %F1,4N4TION O< T3% R%4, ORIAIN
2= The %$a)ana Doctrine that Teaches the Ultimate Realit)
C341T%R I*
R%CONCI,I4TION O< T3% T%(1OR4R; -IT3 T3% R%4, DOCTRIN%
Ne&tG Introduction
INTRODUCTION
BUDD3IS( is 'eo'rahicall) divided into t+o schoolsH1I@@the Southern7 the older and
simler7 and the Northern7 the later and more develoed faith= The former7 "ased mainl)
on the 1ali te&tsH2I is $no+n as 3ina)anaH!I (small vehicle)7 or the inferior doctrineJ
+hile the latter7 "ased on the various Sans$rit te&ts7 H.I is $no+n as (aha)ana (lar'e
H1= The Southern School has its adherents in Ce)lon7 Burma7 Siam7 4nan7 etc=J +hile the
Northern School is found in Neal7 China7 ?aan7 Ti"et7 etc=
2= The) chiefl) consist of the <our Ni$a)asG (1) Di'ha Ni$a)a (Dir'ha'amas7 translated
into Chinese ") Buddha)aKas7 4=D= [email protected]!)J (2) (a##hima Ni$a)a ((adh)ama'amas7
translated into Chinese ") Aautama San'hadeva7 4=D= !96@!98)J (!) San)utta Ni$a)a
(Sam)u$ta'amas7 translated into Chinese ") Auna"hadra7 of the earlier Sun' d)nast)7
4=D= .2: .69)J (.) 4n'uttara Ni$a)a (%$ottara'amas7 translated into Chinese ")
Dharmanandi7 4=D= !8.@!82)= Out of these 3ina)ana "oo$s7 the %n'lish translation of
t+ent)@three suttas ") Rh)s Davids e&ist in >Sacred Boo$s of Buddhist7> vols= ii=@iii=7 and
of seven suttas ") the same author in >Sacred Boo$s of the %ast7> vol= &i=
!= The Southern Buddhists never call their faith 3ina)ana7 the name "ein' an invention of
later Buddhists7 +ho call their doctrine (aha)ana in contradistinction to the earlier form
of Buddhism= -e have to notice that the +ord 3ina)ana fre0uentl) occurs in (aha)ana
"oo$s7 +hile it does not in 3ina)ana "oo$s=
.= 4 catalo'ue of the Buddhist Canon7 E>@)uen@luh7 'ives the titles of 896 (aha)ana
sutras7 )et the most imortant "oo$s often 0uoted ") Northern Buddhist teachers amount
to little more than t+ent)= There e&ist the %n'lish translation of ,ar'er Su$havati@v)uha@
sutra7 Smaller Su$havati@v)uha@sutra7 *a#racchedi$a@sutra7 ,ar'er 1ra#na@aramita@
hrad)a@sutra7 Smaller 1ra#na@aramita@hrda)a@sutra7 ") (a& (Cller7 and 4mita)ur@
dh)ana@sutra7 ") ?= Ta$a$usu7 in >Sacred Boo$s of the %ast7> vol= &li&= 4n %n'lish
translation of Saddharma@undari$a@sutra7 ") Eern7 is 'iven in >Sacred Boo$s of the %ast7>
*ol= &&i= Comare these "oo$s +ith >Outlines of (aha)ana Buddhism7> ") D= SuBu$i=I
vehicle)7 or suerior doctrine= The chief tenets of the Southern School are so +ell $no+n
to occidental scholars that the) almost al+a)s mean the Southern School ") the +ord
Buddhism= But +ith re'ard to the Northern School ver) little is $no+n to the -est7
o+in' to the fact that most of its ori'inal te&ts +ere lost7 and that the teachin's "ased on
these te&ts are +ritten in Chinese7 or Ti"etan7 or ?aanese lan'ua'es unfamiliar to non@
Buddhist investi'ators=
It is hardl) #ustifia"le to cover the +hole s)stem of Buddhism +ith a sin'le eithet H1I
>essimistic> or >nihilistic7> "ecause Buddhism7 havin' "een adoted ") sava'e tri"es as
+ell as civiliBed nations7 ") 0uiet7 enervated eole as +ell as ") +arli$e7 sturd) hordes7
durin' some t+ent)@five hundred )ears7 has develoed itself into "eliefs +idel) diver'ent
and even diametricall) oosed= %ven in ?aan alone it has differentiated itself into
thirteen main sects and fort)@four su"@sectsH2I and is still in full vi'our7 thou'h in other
countries it has alread) assed its rime= Thus ?aan seems to "e the "est reresentative
of the Buddhist countries +here the ma#orit) of eole a"ides ") the 'uidin'
H1= 3ina)anism is7 'enerall) sea$in'7 inclined to "e essimistic7 "ut (aha)anism in the
main holds the otimistic vie+ of life= Nihilism is advocated in some (aha)ana sutras7
"ut others set forth idealism or realism=
2= (1) The Ten Dai Sect7 includin' three su"@sectsJ (2) The Shin Aon Sect7 includin'
eleven su"@sectsJ (!) The Ritsu SectJ (.) The Rin /ai Sect7 includin' fourteen su"@sectsJ
(2) The So To SectJ (5) The O Ba$u SectJ (6) The ?o Do Sect7 includin' t+o su"@sectsJ
(8) The Shin Sect7 includin' ten su"@sectsJ (9) The Nichi Ren Sect7 includin' nine su"@
sectsJ (1:) The ;u /u Nen Butsu SectJ (11) The 3osso SectJ (12) The Ee Aon SectJ (1!)
The ?i Sect= Out of these thirteen Buddhist sects7 Rin /ai7 So To7 and O Ba$u "elon' to
/en= <or further information7 see >4 Short 3istor) of the T+elve ?aanese Buddhist
Sects7> ") Dr= B= Nan#o=I
rincile of the Northern School= To stud) her reli'ion7 therefore7 is to enetrate into
(aha)anism7 +hich still lies an une&lored land for the -estern minds= 4nd to
investi'ate her faith is not to di' out the remains of Buddhist faith that e&isted t+ent)
centuries a'o7 "ut to touch the heart and soul of (aha)anism that enlivens its devotees at
the resent moment=
The o"#ect of this little "oo$ is to sho+ ho+ the (aha)anistic vie+ of life and of the
+orld differs mar$edl) from that of 3ina)anism7 +hich is 'enerall) ta$en as Buddhism
") occidentals7 to e&lain ho+ the reli'ion of Buddha has adated itself to its
environment in the <ar %ast7 and also to thro+ li'ht on the e&istin' state of the siritual
life of modern ?aan=
<or this urose +e have sin'led out of thirteen ?aanese sects the /en Sect7H1I not onl)
"ecause of the 'reat influence it has e&ercised on the nation7 "ut "ecause of the uni0ue
osition it holds amon' the esta"lished reli'ious s)stems of the +orld= In the first lace7 it
is as old as Buddhism itself7 or even older7 for its mode of ractisin' (editation has "een
handed do+n +ithout much alteration from re@Buddhistic recluses of IndiaJ and it ma)7
on that account7 rovide the student of comarative reli'ion +ith an interestin' su"#ect
for his research=
In the second lace7 in site of its historical anti0uit)7 ideas entertained ") its advocates
4re so ne+ that the) are in harmon) +ith those of the Ne+ BuddhistsJH2I accordin'l)
H1= The +ord /en is the Sinico@?aanese a""reviation of the Sans$rit Dh)ana7 or
(editation= It imlies the +hole "od) of teachin's and disciline eculiar to a Buddhist
sect no+ oularl) $no+n as the /en Sect=
2 There e&ists a societ) formed ") men +ho have "ro$en +ith the old creeds of
Buddhism7 and +ho call themselves the Ne+ Buddhists= It has for its or'an >The Ne+
Buddhism7> and is one of the influential reli'ious societies in ?aan= -e mean ") the Ne+
Buddhists7 ho+ever7 numerous educated )oun' men +ho still adhere to Buddhist sects7
and are carr)in' out a reformation=I
the statement of these ideas ma) serve as an e&lanation of the resent movement
conducted ") )oun' and a"le reformers of ?aanese Buddhism=
Thirdl)7 Buddhist denominations7 li$e non@Buddhist reli'ions7 la) stress on scritural
authorit)J "ut /en denounces it on the 'round that +ords or characters can never
ade0uatel)= e&ress reli'ious truth7 +hich can onl) "e realiBed ") mindJ conse0uentl) it
claims that the reli'ious truth attained ") Sha$)a (uni in his %nli'htenment has "een
handed do+n neither ") +ord of mouth nor ") the letters of scritures7 "ut from teacher>s
mind to discile>s throu'h the line of transmission until the resent da)= It is an isolated
instance in the +hole histor) of the +orld>s reli'ions that hol) scritures are declared to
"e >no more than +asteH1I aer ") reli'ionists7 as done ") /en masters=
<ourthl)7 Buddhist as +ell as non@Buddhist reli'ions re'ard7 +ithout e&cetion7 their
founders as suerhuman "ein's7 "ut the ractisers of /en hold the Buddha as their
redecessor7 +hose siritual level the) confidentl) aim to attain= <urthermore7 the) li$en
one +ho remains in the e&alted osition of Buddhashi to a man "ound ") a 'old chain7
and it) his state of "onda'e= Some of them +ent even so far as to declare Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas to "e their servants and slaves=H2I Such an attitude of reli'ionists can hardl)
"e found in an) other reli'ion=
<ifthl)7 althou'h non@Buddhist eole are used to call Buddhism idolatr)7 )et /en can
never "e called so in the acceted sense of the term7 "ecause it7 havin' a 'rand
concetion of Deit)7 is far from "ein' a form of idol@+orshiJ na)7 it sometimes even
too$ an iconoclastic
H1= ,in Tsi ,uh (Rin@Bai@ro$u)=
2 LSha$)a and (aitre)a7L sa)s Ao So7 Lare servants to the other erson= -ho is that other
ersonDL (/en@rin@rui@#u7 *ol= i=7 = 28)=I
attitude as is e&emlified ") Tan 3ia7H1I +ho +armed himself on a cold mornin' ")
ma$in' a fire of +ooden statues= Therefore our e&osition on this oint +ill sho+ the real
state of e&istin' Buddhism7 and serve to remove reli'ious re#udices entertained a'ainst
it=
Si&thl)7 there is another characteristic of /en7 +hich cannot "e found in an) other
reli'ion@that is to sa)7 its eculiar mode of e&ressin' rofound reli'ious insi'ht ") such
actions as the liftin' u of a hair@"rush7 or ") the tain' of the chair +ith a staff7 or ") a
loud outcr)7 and so forth= This +ill 'ive the student of reli'ion a stri$in' illustration of
differentiated forms of reli'ion in its scale of evolution=
Besides these characteristics7 /en is noted for its h)sical and mental trainin'= That the
dail) ractice of /aBenH2I and the "reathin' e&ercise remar$a"l) imroves one>s h)sical
condition is an esta"lished fact= 4nd histor) roves that most /en masters en#o)ed a lon'
life in site of their e&tremel) simle mode of livin'= Its mental disciline7 ho+ever7 is ")
far more fruitful7 and $ees one>s mind in e0uioise7 ma$in' one neither assionate nor
disassionate7 neither sentimental nor unintelli'ent7 neither nervous nor senseless= It is
+ell $no+n as a cure to all sorts of mental disease7 occasioned ") nervous distur"ance7 as
a nourishment to the fati'ued "rain7 and also as a stimulus to toror and sloth= It is self@
control7 as it is the su"duin' of such ernicious assions as an'er7 #ealous)7 hatred7 and
the li$e7 and the a+a$enin' of no"le emotions such as s)math)7 merc)7 'enerosit)7 and
+hat not= It is a mode of %nli'htenment7 as it is the disellin'
H1= 4 Chinese /en teacher7 +ell $no+n for his eculiarities7 +ho died in 4=D= 82.= <or
the details of this anecdote7 see /en@rin@rui@#u7 *ol= i=7 1= !9=
2 The sittin'@in@meditation7 for the full e&lanation of +hich see Chater *III=I
of illusion and of dou"t7 and at the same time it is the overcomin' of e'oism7 the
destro)in' of mean desires7 the uliftin' of the moral ideal7 and the disclosin' of in"orn
+isdom=
The historical imortance of /en can hardl) "e e&a''erated= 4fter its introduction into
China in the si&th centur)7 4=D=7 it 're+ ascendant throu'h the Sui (298@516) and the
Tan' d)nast) (518@9:5)7 and en#o)ed 'reater oularit) than an) other sect of Buddhism
durin' the +hole eriod of the Sun' (965@1125) and the Southern Sun' d)nast) (1126@
1!56)= In these times its commandin' influence "ecame so irresisti"le that Confucianism7
assimilatin' the Buddhist teachin's7 eseciall) those of /en7 into itself and chan'in' its
entire asect7 "rou'ht forth the so@called Seculative hilosoh)=H1I 4nd in the (in'
d)nast) (1!58@1529) the rincial doctrines of /en +ere adoted ") a cele"rated
Confucian scholar7 -an' ;an' (in'7H2I +ho there") founded a school7 throu'h +hich
/en e&ercised rofound influence on Chinese and ?aanese men of letters7 statesmen7 and
soldiers=
4s re'ards ?aan7 it +as first introduced into the island as the faith first for the Samurai
or the militar) class7 and moulded the characters of man) distin'uished soldiers +hose
lives adorn the a'es of her histor)= 4fter+ards it 'raduall) found its +a) to alaces as
+ell as to cotta'es throu'h literature and art7 and at last ermeated throu'h ever) fi"re of
the national life= It is /en that modern ?aan7 eseciall) after the Rust@?aanese -ar7 has
ac$no+led'ed as an ideal doctrine for her risin' 'eneration=
H1= See >4 3istor) of Chinese 1hilosoh)7> ") R)u$ichi %ndo7 and 4 3istor) of Chinese
1hilosoh)7> ") Aiichi Na$auchi=
2 <or the life of this distin'uished scholar and soldier (1.62@1229)7 see >4 Detailed ,ife
of O ;o (ei ") Ta$e#iro Ta$ase7 and also >O@)o@mei@shutsu@shin@sei@ran@ro$u=>I
Ne&tG Chater IG 3istor) of /en in China
Sacred Te&ts Buddhism Inde& 1revious Ne&t
THE RELIGION OF THE SAMURAI
CHAPTER I
HISTORY OF ZEN IN CHINA
1= O)121# +3 Z$# 1# I#%1"=@@To@da) /en as a livin' faith can "e found in its ure form
onl) amon' the ?aanese Buddhists= ;ou cannot find it in the so@called Aosel of Buddha
an)more than )ou can find Unitarianism in the 1entateuch7 nor can )ou find it in China
and India an) more than )ou can find life in fossils of ")'one a'es= It is "e)ond all dou"t
that it can "e traced "ac$ to Sha$)a (uni himself7 na)7 even to re@Buddhistic times7
"ecause Brahmanic teachers ractised Dh)ana7 or (editation7H1I from
H1= LIf a +ise man hold his "od) +ith its three arts (chest7 nec$7 and head) erect7 and turn
his senses +ith the mind to+ards the heart7 he +ill then in the "oat of Brahman cross all
the torrents +hich cause fear=
LComressin' his "reathin's let him7 +ho has su"dued all motions7 "reathe forth throu'h
the nose +ith the 'entle "reath= ,et the +ise man +ithout fail restrain his mind7 that
chariot )o$ed +ith vicious horses=
L,et him erform his e&ercises in a lace level7 ure7 free from e""les7 fire7 and dust7
deli'htful ") its sounds7 its +ater7 and "o+ersJ not ainful to the e)e7 and full of shelters
and eaves=
L-hen ;o'a7 is "ein' erformed7 the forms +hich come first7 roducin' aaritions in
Brahman7 are those of mist) smo$e7 sun7 fire7 +ind7 fire@flies7 li'htnin's7 and a cr)stal
moon=
L-hen7 as earth7 +ater7 li'ht7 heat7 and ether arises7 the fivefold 0ualit) of ;o'a ta$es
lace7 then there is no lon'er illness7 old a'e7 or ain for him +ho has o"tained a "od)
roduced ") the fire of ;o'a=
The first results of ;o'a the) call li'htness7 healthiness7 steadiness7 a 'ood comle&ion7
an eas) ronunciation7 a s+eet odour7 and sli'ht e&cretions L(Mvet= Uanisad7 ii= 8@1!)=
L-hen the five instruments of $no+led'e stand still to'ether +ith the mind7 and +hen the
intellect does not move7 that is called the hi'hest state=
LThis7 the firm holdin' "ac$ of the senses7 is +hat is called ;o'a= 3e must "e free from
thou'htlessness then7 for ;o'a comes and 'oesL (Eatha Uanisad7 ii= 1:7 11)=
LThis is the rule for achievin' it (viB=7 concentration of the mind on the o"#ect of
meditation)G restraint of the "reath7 restraint of the senses7 meditation7 fi&ed attention7
investi'ation7 a"sortion@these are called the si&fold ;o'a= -hen "eholdin' ") this
;o'a7 "e "eholds the 'old@coloured ma$er7 the lord7 the erson7 Brahman7 the causeJ then
the sa'e7 leavin' "ehind 'ood and evil7 ma$es ever)thin' ("reath7 or'ans of sense7 "od)7
etc=) to "e one in the 3i'hest Indestructi"le (in the pratyagatman or Brahman) L ((aitr=
Uanisad7 vi= 18)=
L4nd thus it has "een else+hereG There is the suerior fi&ed attention (dharana) for him@
viB=7 if he resses the ti of the ton'ue do+n the alate7 and restrain the voice7 mind7 and
"reath7 he sees Brahman ") discrimination (taraka)= 4nd +hen7 after the cessation of
mind7 he sees his o+n Self7 smaller than small7 and shinin' as the 3i'hest Self7 then7
havin' seen his Self as the Self7 he "ecomes Self@less7 and "ecause he is Self@less7 he is
+ithout limit7 +ithout cause7 a"sor"ed in thou'ht= This is the hi'hest m)ster)@@viB=7 final
li"eration L ((aitr= Uanisad7 vi= 2:)=
4mrta"= Uanisad7 187 descri"es three modes of sittin'@namel)7 the ,otus@seat
(1admasana)7 the sittin' +ith le's "ent underneathJ the m)stic dia'ram seat (Svasti$a)J
and the ausicious@seat (Bhadrasana)J@@+hile ;o'aKi$ha directs the choice of the ,otus@
osture7 +ith attention concentrated on the ti of the nose7 hands and feet closel) #oined=I
earliest times= But Brahmanic /en +as carefull) distin'uished even ") earl) BuddhistsH1I
as the heterodo& /en from that tau'ht ") the Buddha= Our /en ori'inated in the
%nli'htenment of Sha$)a (uni7 +hich too$ lace in
H1= The anon)mous author of ,an$avatara@sutra distin'uishes the heterodo& /en from the
3ina)ana /en7 the 3ina)ana /en from the (aha)ana /en7 and calls the last ") the name
of the Buddha>s 3ol) /en= The sutra is "elieved ") man) Buddhists7 not +ithout reason7
to "e the e&osition of that (aha)ana doctrine +hich 4Kva'hosa restated in his
Mraddhotada@Kastra= The sutra +as translated7 first7 into Chinese ") Auna""adra7 in 4=D=
..!J secondl)7 ") Bodhiruci in 4=D= 21!J and7 thirdl)7 ") Mi$sanada in 4=D= 6::@6:.=
The "oo$ is famous for its rohec) a"out Na'dra#una7 +hich (accordin' to Dr= Nan#o>s
translation) is as follo+sG
L4fter the Nirvana of the Tatha'ata7
There +ill "e a man in the future7
,isten to me carefull)7 O (ahatma7
4 man +ho +ill hold m) la+=
In the 'reat countr) of South7
There +ill "e a venera"le Bhi$su
The Bodhisattva Na'ar#una ") name7
-ho +ill destro) the vie+s of 4sti$as and Nasti$as7
-ho +ill reach unto men m) ;ana7
The hi'hest ,a+ of the (aha)ana7
4nd +ill attain to the 1ramudita@"humi=L
I
his thirtieth )ear7 +hen he +as sittin' a"sor"ed in rofound meditation under the Bodhi
Tree= It is said that then "e a+o$e to the erfect truth and declaredG L4ll animated and
inanimate "ein's are %nli'htened at the same time=L 4ccordin' to the traditionH1I of this
sect Sha$)a (uni transmitted his m)sterious doctrine from mind to mind to his oldest
discile (aha$aK)aa at the assem"l) hold on the
H1= The incident is related as follo+sG -hen the Buddha +as at the assem"l) on the
(ount of 3ol) *ulture7 there came a Brahmara#a +ho offered the Teacher a 'olden
flo+er7 and as$ed him to reach the Dharma= The Buddha too$ the flo+er and held it
aloft in his hand7 'aBin' at it in erfect silence= None in the assem"l) could understand
+hat he meant7 e&cet the venera"le (aha$aK)aa7 +ho smiled at the Teacher= Then the
Buddha saidG LI have the %)e and Treasur) of Aood Dharma7 Nirvana7 the -onderful
Sirit7 +hich I no+ hand over to (aha$aK)aa=L The "oo$ in +hich this incident is
descri"ed is entitled >Sutra on the Areat Brahman Ein'>s Nuestionin' Buddha to Disel a
Dou"t7> "ut there e&ists no ori'inal te&t nor an) Chinese translation in the Triita$a7 It is
hi'hl) ro"a"le that some earl) Chinese /en scholar of the Sun' d)nast) (4=D= 95:@
1125) fa"ricated the tradition7 "ecause -an' N'an Shih (O@an@se$i)7 a o+erful (inister
under the %meror Shan Tsun' (Shin@so7 4=D= 1:58@1:82)7 is said to have seen the "oo$
in the Imerial ,i"rar)= There is7 ho+ever7 no evidence7 as far as +e $no+7 ointin' to
the e&istence of the Sutra in China= In ?aan there e&ists7 in a form of manuscrit7 t+o
different translations of that "oo$7 $et in secret veneration ") some /en masters7 +hich
have "een roved to "e fictitious ") the resent +riter after his close e&amination of the
contents7 See the 4endi& to his /en@'a$u@hi@han@ron=I
(ount of 3ol) *ulture7 and the latter +as ac$no+led'ed as the first atriarch7 +ho7 in
turn7 transmitted the doctrine to 4nanda7 the second atriarch7 and so till Bodhidharma7
the t+ent)@ei'hth> atriarch= -e have little to sa) a"out the historical value of this
tradition7 "ut it is +orth +hile to note that the list of the names of these t+ent)@ei'ht
atriarchs contains man) eminent scholars of (aha)anism7 or the later develoed school
of Buddhism7 such as 4Kva'hosa7H2I Na'ar#una7H!I Eanadeva7H.I and *asu"handhu=H2I
H1= The follo+in' is the list of the names of the t+ent)@ei'ht atriarchsG
1= (aha$aK)aa= 11= 1un)a)aKas= 2:= ?a)ata=
2= 4nanda= 12= 4Kva'hosa= 21= *asu"andhu=
!= Manavasu= 1!= Eaimala= 22= (anura=
.= Ua'uta= 1.= Na'ar#una= 2!= 3a$lana)aKas=
2= Dhrta$a= 12= Eanadeva= 2.= Simha=
5= (iccha$a= 15= Rahulata= 22= *aKasuta=
6= *asumitra= 16= Sam'hanandi= 25= 1un)amitra=
8= Buddhanandi= 18= Sam'ha)acas= 26= 1ra#Oatara=
9= Buddhamitra= 19= Eumarata= 28= Bodhidharma=
1:= 1arKva=
The first t+ent)@three atriarchs are e&actl) the same as those 'iven in >The Sutra on the
Nidana of transmittin' Dharmaita$a7> translated in 4=D= .62= Ein' Teh Ch+en Tan' Iuh
(Eei@to$u@den@to@ro$u)7 a famous /en histor) of China7 'ives t+o ela"orate narratives
a"out the transmission of Ri'ht Dharma from teacher to discile throu'h these t+ent)@
ei'ht atriarchs7 to "e trusted +ithout hesitation= It +ould not "e difficult for an) scholar
of sense to find these statements +ere made from the same motive as that of the
anon)mous author +ho 'ives a short life7 in Dir'ha'ama@sutra7 of each of the si&
Buddhas7 the redecessors of Sha$)a (uni7 if he carefull) comare the list 'iven a"ove
+ith the lists of the atriarchs of the Sarvastivada school 'iven ") San ;in (So@)u died
4=D= 218) in his Chuh San Tsun' Ei (Shutsu@san Bo@$i)=
2= One of the founders of (aha)ana Buddhism7 +ho flourished in the first centur) 4=D=
There e&ists a life of his translated into Chinese ") Eumara#iva in 4=D= .:1@.:9= The
most imortant of his +or$s areG (aha)anaKraddhotada@Kastra7 (ahalan$ara@sutra@
Kastra7 Buddha@carita$av)a=
!= The founder of the (adh)ami$a school of (aha)ana Buddhism7 +ho lived in the
second centur) 4=D= 4 life of his +as translated into Chinese ") Eumara#iva in 4=D=
.:1@.:9= T+ent)@four "oo$s are ascri"ed to him7 of +hich (ahara#Oaaramita@Kastra7
(adh)ami$a@Kastra7 1ra#Oadia@Kastra7 DvadaKani$a)a@Kastra7 4stadaKa$aKa@Kastra7 are
+ell $no+n=
.= Sometimes called 4r)adeva7 a successor of Na'ar#una= 4 life of his +as translated into
Chinese ") Eumara#iva in 4=D= .:1@.:9= The follo+in' are his imortant +or$sG Mata@
Kastra7 >Mastra ") the Bodhisattva Deva on the refutation of four heretical 3ina)ana
schools mentioned in the ,an$atvatara@sutra>J >Mastra ") the Bodhisattva Deva on the
e&lanation of the Nirvana ") t+ent) 3ina)ana teachers mentioned in the ,an$avatara@
sutra=>
2= 4 )oun'er "rother of 4sam'a7 a famous (aha)anist of the fifth centur) 4=D= There
are thirt)@si& +or$s ascri"ed to *asu"andhu7 of +hich DaKa"humi$a@Kastra7
4arimita)us@sutra@Kastra7 (ahaari@nirvana@sutra@Kastra7 (aha)ana@
Katadharmavid)advara@Kastra7 *id)a@matrasiddhi@tridaKa@Kastra7 Bodhicittoadana@Kastra7
Buddha@'otra@Kastra7 *id)amatrasiddhivinKati'atha@Kastra7 (adh)antavi"ha'a@Kastra7
4"hidharma@$oKa@Kastra7 Tar$a@Kastra7 etc=7 are +ell $no+n=I
2= I#&)+%4!&1+# +3 Z$# 1#&+ C51#" .6 B+%51%5"),"=@@4n eoch@ma$in' event too$
lace in the Buddhist histor) of China ") Bodhidharma>s comin' over from Southern
India to that countr) in a"out 4=D= 22:=H1I It +as the introduction7 not of the dead
scritures7 as +as reeatedl) done "efore him7 "ut of a livin' faith7 not of an) theoretical
doctrine7 "ut of ractical %nli'htenment7 not of the relies of Buddha7 "ut of the Sirit of
Sha$)a (uniJ so that Bodhidharma>s osition as a reresentative of /en +as uni0ue= 3e
+as7 ho+ever7 not a missionar) to "e favoura"l) received ") the u"lic= 3e seems to
have "ehaved in a +a) 0uite oosite to that in +hich a modern astor treats his floc$=
-e ima'ine him to have "een a reli'ious teacher entirel) different in ever) oint from a
oular Christian missionar) of our a'e= The latter +ould smile or tr) to smile at ever)
face he haens to see and +ould
H1= Buddhist historians differ in oinion resectin' the date of Bodhidharma>s aearance
in China= Comare Ch+en <ah Chan Tsun' ,un (Den "o sho #u ron) and 3+ui ;uen (%@
'en)=I
tal$ socia"l)J +hile the former +ould not smile at an) face7 "ut +ould stare at it +ith the
lar'e 'larin' e)es that enetrated to the innermost soul= The latter +ould $ee himself
scruulousl) clean7 shavin'7 com"in'7 "rushin'7 olishin'7 oilin'7 erfumin'7 +hile the
former +ould "e entirel) indifferent to his aarel7 "ein' al+a)s clad in a faded )ello+
ro"e= The latter +ould comose his sermon +ith a 'reat care7 ma$in' use of rhetorical art7
and sea$ +ith force and ele'anceJ +hile the former +ould sit as a"solutel) silent as the
"ear7 and $ic$ one off7 if one should aroach him +ith idle 0uestions=
!= B+%51%5")," "#% &5$ E,-$)+) 74=@@No sooner had Bodhidharma landed at E+an'
Cheu in Southern China than he +as invited ") the %merorH1I -u7 +ho +as an
enthusiastic Buddhist and 'ood scholar7 to roceed to his caital of Chin ,ian'= -hen he
+as received in audience7 3is (a#est) as$ed himG L-e have "uilt temles7 coied hol)
scritures7 ordered mon$s and nuns to "e converted= Is there an) merit7 Reverend Sir7 in
our conductDL The ro)al host7 in all ro"a"ilit)7 e&ected a smooth7 flatterin' ans+er
from the lis of his ne+ 'uest7 e&tollin' his virtues7 and romisin' him heavenl) re+ards7
"ut the Blue@e)ed Brahmin "luntl) ans+eredG LNo merit at all=L
This une&ected rel) must have ut the %meror to shame and dou"t in no small de'ree7
+ho +as informed siml) of the doctrines of the orthodo& Buddhist sects= >-h) not7> he
mi'ht have thou'ht +ithin himself7 >+h) all this is futileD B) +hat authorit) does he
declare all this meritlessD -hat hol) te&t can "e 0uoted to #ustif) his assertionD -hat is
his vie+ in reference to the different doctrines tau'ht ") Sha$)a (uniD -hat does he
hold as
H1= The %meror -u (Bu@Tei) of the ,ian' d)nast)7 +hose rei'n +as 4=D= 2:[email protected]=I
the first rincile of BuddhismD> Thus thin$in'7 he in0uiredG L-hat is the hol) truth7 or
the first rincileDL The ans+er +as no less astonishin'G LThat rincile transcends all=
There is nothin' hol)=L The cro+ned creature +as comletel) at a loss to see +hat the
teacher meant= 1erhas he mi'ht have thou'htG >-h) is nothin' hol)D 4re there not hol)
men7 3ol) Truths7 3ol) 1aths stated in the scrituresD Is he himself not one of the hol)
men H2I> LThen +ho is that confronts usDL as$ed the monarch a'ain= LI $no+ not7 )our
ma#est)7L +as the laconic rel) of Bodhidharma7 +ho no+ sa+ that his ne+ faith +as
"e)ond the understandin' of the %meror=
The elehant can hardl) $ee coman) +ith ra""its= The ett) orthodo&) can ") no
means $ee ace +ith the elehantine stride of /en= No +onder that Bodhidharma left
not onl) the alace of the %meror -u7 "ut also the State of ,ian'7 and +ent to the State
of Northern -ei=H1I There he sent nine )ears in the Shao ,inH2I (onaster)7 mostl)
sittin' silent in meditation +ith his face to the +all7 and earned for himself the aellation
of >the +all@'aBin' Brahmin=> This name itself su''ests that the si'nificance of his
mission +as not areciated ") his contemoraries= But neither he +as nor the) +ere to
"lame7 "ecause the lion>s imortance is areciated onl) ") the lion= 4 'reat ersona'e is
no less 'reat "ecause of his unoularit) amon' his fello+ men7 #ust as the 'reat 1an'H!I
is no less 'reat "ecause of his unoularit) amon' the +in'ed creatures= Bodhidharma
+as not oular to the de'ree that he +as envied ") his contemorar) Buddhists7 +ho7
H1= Northern Ai d)nast) (4=D= !85@2!.)=
2 Sho@rin@#i7 erected ") the %meror 3iao (in' of Northern -ei 4=D= .96=
! Ch+an'@tsB in his famous ara"le comares a 'reat sa'e +ith the 1an'7 an ima'inar)
"ird of enormous siBe7 +ith its +in's of ninet) thousand miles= The "ird is lau'hed at ")
+rens and sarro+s "ecause of its e&cessive siBe=I
as +e are told ") his "io'rahers7 attemted to oison him three times7H1I "ut +ithout
success=
.= B+%51%5")," "#% 51 S4!!$+) &5$ S$!+#% P"&)1")!5=@@China +as not7 ho+ever7 an
uncultivated H2I
H1= This reminds us of Nan ;oh 3+ui SB (Nan@'a$u@e@shi7 died 4=D= 266)7 +ho is said to
have learned /en under Bodhidharma= 3e sa)s in his statement of a vo+ that he +as
oisoned three times ") those +ho envied him=
2= The translation of 3ina)ana /en sutras first aved the +a) for our faith= <ourteen /en
sutras7 includin' such imortant "oo$s as (ahanaanadh)ana@sutra7 Dh)anacar)a@
dharmasaO#Oa@sutra7 Dh)anacar)a@satatrimKadvar'a@sutra7 +ere translated ") N'an Shi
Eao (4n@sei@$o) as earl) as 4=D= 1.8@16:= Cullamar'a"humi@sutra +as translated ") E>
;ao (Shi@)o) in 4=D= 182J Dharmatara@dh)ana@sutra ") Buddha"hadra in 4=D= [email protected]
Dh)ananisthitasamadhi@dharma@ar)')a@sutra ") Eumara#iva in 4=D= .:2J >4n 4"rid'ed
,a+ on the Imortance of (editation> ") Eumara#iva in 4=D= .:2J 1ancadvara@
dh)anasutra@maharthadharma ") Dharmamitra in 4=D= [email protected]= <urthermore7 (aha)ana
"oo$s closel) related to the doctrine of /en +ere not un$no+n to China "efore
Bodhidharma= 1rat)utanna@"uddhasammu$havasthita@samadhi +as translated ") E> ,eu
Cia Chan (Shi@ru@'a@sen) in 4=D= 15.@185J *imala$irttinirdeKa@sutra7 +hich is much used
in /en7 ") Eumara#iva in 4=D= [email protected] ,an$avatara@sutra7 +hich is said to have "een
ointed out ") Bodhidharma as the "est e&lanation of /en7 ") Auna"hadra in 4=D= .!!J
Saddharma@undari$a@sutra7 in its comlete form7 ") Eumara#iva in 4=D= .:5J
4vatamsa$a@sutra ") Buddha"hadra in 4=D= .18J (ahaarinirvana@sutra ") Dharmara$sa
in 4=D= .2!=
If +e are not mista$en7 Eumara#iva7 +ho came to China 4=D= !8.7 made a valua"le
contri"ution to+ards the foundation of /en in that countr)7 not merel) throu'h his
translation of /en sutras a"ove mentioned7 "ut ") the education of his disciles7 such as
San' Chao (So@#o7 died 4=D= .1.)7 San' Shan' (So@sho7 +hose +ritin's undou"tedl)
influenced later /en teachers= 4 more imortant ersona'e in the histor) of /en revious
to the Blue@e)ed Brahmin is Buddha"hadra7 a +ell@$no+n /en master7 +ho came over to
China 4=D= .:5= 3is translation of Dharmatara@dh)ana@sutra (+hich is said to have "een
reached ") Bodhidharma himself +hen he +as in India) and that of 4vatamsa$a@sutra
ma) "e said +ithout e&a''eration to have laid the corner@stone for /en= 3e 'ave a course
of lectures on the /en sutra for the first time in China in 4=D= .1!7 and it +as throu'h his
instruction that man) native ractisers of /en +ere roduced7 of +hom Chi ;en (Chi@
'on) and 3Cen Eao (Aen@$o) are +ell $no+n= In these da)s /en should have "een in the
ascendant in India7 "ecause almost all Indian scholars@at least those $no+n to us@+ere
called /en teachers@for instance7 Buddha"hadra7 Buddhasena7 Dharmadhi7 and some
others +ere all /en scholars=
Chinese Buddhist scholars did no less than Indian teachers to+ard the urisin' of /en=
The foremost amon' them is 3+ui ;uen (%@on7 died 4=D= .1.)7 +ho ractised /en ")
the instruction of Buddha"hadra= 3e founded the Societ) of the -hite ,otus7 +hich
comrised ei'hteen eminent scholars of the a'e amon' its mem"ers7 for the urose of
ractisin' (editation and of adorin' Buddha 4mita"ha= -e must not for'et that durin'
the -estern and the %astern Tsin (Shin) d)nasties (4=D= [email protected]:) "oth Taoism and
Buddhism 're+ roserous to no small e&tent= 4nd China roduced7 on the one hand7
Taoists of an eccentric t)e7 such as the Seven -ise (en of the Bam"oo <orest7 +hile
she 'ave "irth to man) recluse@li$e men of letters7 such as Tao ;uen (in' (To@)en@mei7
died 4=D= .26) and some others on the other= Besides there +ere some scholars +ho
studied Buddhism in connection +ith Taoism and Confucianism7 and led a secluded life=
To the last class of scholars "elon'ed Ch+en 3ih (3u dai shi)7 $no+n as Ch+en the
Areat= 3e is said to have "een accustomed to +ear a Confucianist hat7 a Buddhist ro"e7
and Taoist shoes= It +as in 4=D= 2!. that he resented a memorial to the %meror -u7 in
+hich he e&lained the three 'rades of 'ood= LThe 3i'hest Aood consists7L sa)s he7 Lin
the emtiness of mind and non@attachment= Transcendence is its cause7 and Nirvana is its
result= The (iddle Aood consists in moralit) and 'ood administration= It results in a
eaceful and ha) life in 3eaven and in %arth= The ,o+est Aood consists in love and
rotection of sentient "ein's=L Thus his idea of 'ood7 as the reader +ill see +ithout
difficult)7 is the result of a comromise of Taoism and Buddhism= Sin -an' (in' (Sin@
o@mei7 On the (ind@Ein')7 one of his masterieces7 to'ether +ith other minor oems7 are
still used as a te&t"oo$ of /en= This fact unmista$a"l) roves that Taoist element found
its +a) into the constituents of /en from its ver) outset in China=I
land for the seed of /en@@na)7 there had "een man) ractisers of /en "efore
Bodhidharma= 4ll that he had to do +as to +ait for an earnest see$er after the sirit of
Sha$)a (uni= Therefore he +aited7 and +aited not in vain7 for at last there came a
learned Confucianist7 Shan' E+an' (Shin@$o) ") name7 for the urose of findin' the
final solution of a ro"lem +hich trou"led him so much that he had "ecome dissatisfied
+ith Confucianism7 as it had no roer diet for his no+ siritual hun'er= Thus Shan'
E+an' +as far from "ein' one of those half@hearted visitors +ho $noc$ed the door of
Bodhidharma onl) for the sa$e of curiosit)= But the silent master +as cautious enou'h to
tr) the sincerit) of a ne+ visitor "efore admittin' him to the (editation 3all= 4ccordin'
to a "io'rah)H1I of his7 Shan' E+an' +as not allo+ed to enter the temle7 and had to
stand in the court)ard covered dee +ith sno+= 3is firm resolution and earnest desire7
ho+ever7 $et him standin' continuall) on one sot for seven da)s and ni'hts +ith "eads
of the froBen dros of tears on his "reast= 4t last he cut off his left arm +ith a shar $nife7
and resented it "efore the infle&i"le teacher to sho+ his resolution to follo+ the master
even at the ris$ of his life= Thereuon Bodhidharma admitted him into the order as a
discile full) 0ualified to "e instructed in the hi'hest doctrine of (aha)anism=
Our master>s method of instruction +as entirel) different from that of ordinar) instructors
of learnin'= 3e +ould not e&lain an) ro"lem to the learner7 "ut siml) hel him to 'et
enli'htened ") uttin' him an a"rut "ut tellin' 0uestion= Shan' E+an'7 for instance7
said to Bodhidharma7 erhas +ith a si'hG LI have no eace of mind= (i'ht I as$ )ou7 sir7
to acif) m) mind H2IL LBrin' out )our mind (that trou"les )ou so much)7L relied the
master7 Lhere "efore meP I shall acif) it=L LIt is imossi"le for me7L said the discile7
after a little consideration7 Lto see$ out m) mind (that trou"les me so much)=L LThen7L
H1= Ein' Teh Ch+en Tan' ,uh (Eei@to$u@den@to@ro$u)7 u"lished ") Tao ;uen (Do@'en)
4=D= 1::.7 'ives a detailed narrative concernin' this incident as stated here7 "ut earlier
historians tell us a different stor) a"out the mutilation of Shan' E+an'>s arm= Comare
Suh Eas San Ch+en (/o$u@$o@so@den) and 3+ui ;uen (%@'en)=I
e&claimed Bodhidharma7 LI have acified )our mind=L 3ereon Shan' E+an' +as
instantl) %nli'htened= This event is +orth) of our notice7 "ecause such a mode of
instruction +as adoted ") all /en teachers after the first atriarch7 and it "ecame one of
the characteristics of /en=
2= B+%51%5"),"8 D1!1-9$ "#% &5$ T)"#,11+# +3 &5$ L"'=H1I@@Bodhidharma>s
la"our of nine )ears in China resulted in the initiation of a num"er of disciles7 +hom
some time "efore his death he addressed as follo+sG LNo+ the time (of m) dearture
from this +orld) is at hand= Sa)7 one and all7 ho+ do )ou understand the ,a+DL Tao <u
(Do@fu$u) said in resonse to thisG LThe ,a+ does not lie in the letters (of the Scritures)7
accordin' to m) vie+7 nor is it searated from them7 "ut it +or$s=L The (aster saidG
LThen )ou have o"tained m) s$in=L Ne&t Tsun' Chi (So@#i)7 a nun7 reliedG L4s 4nanda
H2I sa+ the $in'dom of 4$so"h)aH!I onl) once "ut not t+ice7 so I understand the ,a+LJ
The master saidG LThen )ou have attained to m) flesh=L Then Tao ;uh (Do@i$u) reliedG
LThe four elementsH.I are unreal from the first7 nor are the five a''re'atesH2I reall)
e&istent= 4ll is emtiness accordin' to m) vie+=L The master saidG LThen )ou have
ac0uired m) "one=L ,astl)7 3+ui Eo (%@$a)7 +hich +as the Buddhist name 'iven ")
Bodhidharma7 to Shan' E+an'7 made a olite "o+ to the teacher and stood in his lace
+ithout a +ord= L;ou have attained
H1= <or details7 see Ch+en Tan' ,uh and Den Ea Ro$u7 ") Eei /an= 4s for the life of
Bodhidharma7 Dr= B= (atsumoto>s >4 ,ife of Bodhidharma> ma) +ell "e recommended to
the reader=
2= 4 favourite discile of Sha$)a (uni7 and the Third 1atriarch of /en=
!= TheG name means I Immova"le7> and reresents the firmness of thou'ht=
.= %arth7 +ater7 fire7 and air=
2= (1) Rua7 or formJ (2) *edana7 or ercetionJ (!) Sam#Oa7 or consciousnessJ (.)
Earman (or Sams$ara)7 or actionJ (2) *i#Oana7 or $no+led'e=I
to m) marro+=L So sa)in'7 Bodhidharma handed over the sacred Eacha)a7HlI +hich he
had "rou'ht from India to 3+ui Eo7 as a s)m"ol of the transmission of the ,a+7 and
created him the Second 1atriarch=
5= T5$ S$!+#% "#% &5$ T51)% P"&)1")!5=@@4fter the death of the <irst 1atriarch7 in 4=D=
2287 3+ui Eo did his "est to roa'ate the ne+ faith over si&t) )ears= On one occasion a
man sufferin' from some chronic disease called on him7 and re0uested him in earnestG
L1ra)7 Reverend Sir7 "e m) confessor and 'rant me a"solution7 for I suffer lon' from an
incura"le disease=L LBrin' out )our sin (if there "e such a thin' as sin)7L relied the
Second 1atriarch7 Lhere "efore me= I shall 'rant )ou a"solution=L LIt is imossi"le7L said
the man after a short consideration7 Lto see$ out m) sin=L LThen7L e&claimed the master7
LI have a"solved )ou= 3enceforth live u to Buddha7 Dharma7 and Sam'ha=LH2I LI $no+7
)our reverence7L said the man7 Lthat )ou "elon' to Sam'haJ "ut +hat are Buddha and
DharmaDL LBuddha is (ind itself= (ind itself is Dharma= Buddha is identical +ith
Dharma= So is Sam'ha=L LThen I understand7L relied the man7 Lthere is no such thin' as
sin +ithin m) "od) nor +ithout it7 nor an)+here else= (ind is "e)ond and a"ove sin= It is
no other than Buddha and Dharma=L Thereuon the Second 1atriarch sa+ the man +as
+ell 0ualified to "e tau'ht in the ne+ faith7 and converted him7 'ivin' him the name of
San' Tsun' (So@san)= 4fter t+o )ears> instruction and disciline7 heH!I "esto+ed
H1= The clerical cloa$7 +hich is said to have "een dar$ 'reen= It "ecame an o"#ect of 'reat
veneration after the Si&th 1atriarch7 +ho a"olished the atriarchal s)stem and did not
hand the s)m"ol over to successors=
2 The so@called Three Treasures of the Buddha7 the ,a+7 and the Order=
! The Second 1atriarch died in 4=D= 29!@@that is7 si&t)@five )ears after the dearture of
the <irst 1atriarch=I
on San' Tsun' the Eacha)a handed do+n from Bodhidharma7 and authoriBed him as the
Third 1atriarch= It is ") San' Tsun' that the doctrine of /en +as first reduced to +ritin'
") his comosition of Sin SinH1I (in' (Sin Bin@mei7 On <aith and (ind)7 a metrical
e&osition of the faith=
6= T5$ F+4)&5 P"&)1")!5 "#% &5$ E,-$)+) T"1 T4#2 :T"1-+;=@@The Third H2I
1atriarch +as succeeded ") Tao Sin (Do@shin)7 +ho "ein' initiated at the a'e of fourteen7
+as created the <ourth 1atriarch after nine )ears> stud) and disciline= Tao Sin is said
never to have 'one to "ed for more than fort) )ears of his atriarchal career=H!I In 4=D=
5.! the %meror Tai Tsun' ([email protected])7 $no+in' of his virtues7 sent him a secial
messen'er7 re0uestin' him to call on 3is (a#est) at the alace= But he declined the
invitation ") a memorial7 sa)in' that "e +as too a'ed and infirm to visit the au'ust
ersona'e= The %meror7 desirous of seein' the reuted atriarch7 sent for him thrice7 "ut
in vain= Then the enra'ed monarch ordered the messen'er to "ehead the infle&i"le mon$7
and "rin' the head "efore the throne7 in case he should diso"e) the order for the fourth
time= 4s Tao Sin +as told of the order of the %meror7 he stretched out his nec$ read) to
"e decaitated= The %meror7 learnin' from the messen'er +hat had haened7 admired
all the more the imertur"a"le atriarch7 and "esto+ed rich 'ifts uon him= This e&amle
of his +as follo+ed ") later /en masters7 +ho +ould not condescend to "end their $nees
"efore temoral o+er7 and it "ecame one of the characteristics of /en mon$s that the)
H1= 4 'ood man) commentaries +ere +ritten on the "oo$7 and it is considered as one of
the "est "oo$s on /en=
2= 3e died in 4=D= 5:57 after his la"our of thirteen )ears as the teacher=
!= 3e died in 4=D= 521@that is7 fort)@five )ears after the death of the Third 1atriarch=I
+ould never aroach rulers and statesmen for the sa$e of +orldl) fame and rofit7
+hich the) set at nau'ht=
8= T5$ F13&5 "#% &5$ S1*&5 P"&)1")!5=@@Tao Sin transmitted the ,a+ to 3un' ?an (Eo@
nin)7 +ho "ein' educated from infanc)7 distin'uished himself as the 4""ot of the 3+an'
(ei (onaster) at Ei Cheu= The <ifth 1atriarch7 accordin' to his "io'raher7 'athered
a"out him seven hundred uils7 +ho came from all 0uarters= Of these seven hundred
uils the venera"le Shan' Sin (?in@shu) +as most noted for his learnin' and virtues7 and
"e mi'ht have "ecome the le'itimate successor of 3un' ?an7 had not the Eacha)a of
Bodhidharma "een carried a+a) ") a oor farmer>s son of Sin Cheu=
3+ui Nan'7 the Si&th 1atriarch7 seems to have "een "orn a /en teacher= The siritual
li'ht of Buddha first flashed in his mind +hen he haened to hear a mon$ recitin' a
sutra= On 0uestionin' the mon$7 "e learned that the "oo$ +as *a#racchedi$a@ra#Oa@
aramita@sutra7H1I and that 3un' ?an7 the 4""ot of the 3+an' (ei (onaster)7 +as used
to ma$e his disciles recite the "oo$ that it mi'ht hel them in their siritual disciline=
3ereuon he made u his mind to ractise /en7 and called on 3un' ?an at the (onaster)=
L-ho are )ou7L demanded the <ifth 1atriarch7 Land +hence have )ou comeDL LI am a son
of the farmer7L relied the man7 Lof Sin Cheu in the South of Ta ;C ,in'=L L-hat has
"rou'ht )ou hereDL as$ed the master a'ain= LI have no other urose than to attain to
Buddhahood7L ans+ered the man= LO7 )ou7 eole of the South7L e&claimed the atriarch7
L)ou are not endo+ed +ith the nature of Buddha=L LThere ma) "e
H1= The "oo$ +as translated into Chinese ") Eumara#iva in 4=D= !8.= .16J also ")
Bodhiruci in 4=D= 2:97 and ") 1aramartha in 4=D= 292J then ") 3iuen Tsan' in 4=D=
5.8= (an) commentaries have "een +ritten on it ") the rominent Buddhist authors of
China and ?aan=I
some difference "et+een the Southern and the Northern eole7L o"#ected the man7 L"ut
ho+ could )ou distin'uish one from the other as to the nature of BuddhaDL The teacher
reco'niBed a 'enius in the man7 "ut he did not admit the romisin' ne+comer into the
order7 so 3+ui Nan' had to sta) in the (onaster) for ei'ht months as a ounder of rice
in order to 0ualif) himself to "e a /en teacher=
9= T5$ S-1)1&4"9 A&&"1#,$#& +3 &5$ S1*&5 P"&)1")!5=@@Some time "efore his death (in
562 4=D=) the <ifth 1atriarch announced to all disciles that the Sirit of Sha$)a (uni is
hard to realiBe7 that the) should e&ress their o+n vie+s on it7 on condition that an)one
+ho could rove his ri'ht realiBation should "e 'iven +ith the Eacha)a and created the
Si&th 1atriarch= Then the venera"le Sun' Siu7 the head of the seven hundred disciles7
+ho +as considered ") his "rothers to "e the man entitled to the honour7 comosed the
follo+in' versesG
LThe "od) is the Bodhi@tree=H1I
The mind is li$e a mirror "ri'ht on its stand=
Dust it and +ie it from time to time7
,est it "e dimmed ") dust and dirt=L
4ll +ho read these lines thou'ht that the +riter +as +orth) of the e&ected re+ard7 and
the <ifth 1atriarch also7 areciatin' the si'nificance of the verses7 saidG LIf men in the
future +ould ractise /en accordin' to this vie+7 the) +ould ac0uire an e&cellent result=L
3+ui Nan'7 the rice@ounder7 hearin' of them7 ho+ever7 secretl)
H1= The idea e&ressed ") these lines is clear enou'h= Bod) is li$ened to the Bodhi@tree7
under +hich Sha$)a (uni attained to his sureme enli'htenmentJ for it is not in another
"od) in the future e&istence7 "ut in this ver) "od) that one had to 'et enli'htened= 4nd
mind is ure and "ri'ht in its nature li$e a mirror7 "ut the dirt and dust of assions and of
lo+ desires often ollute and dim it= Therefore one should dust and +ie it from time to
time in order to $ee it "ri'ht=I
remar$ed that the) are "eautiful7 "ut hardl) e&ressive of the Sirit of Sha$)a (uni7 and
+rote his o+n verses7 +hich ran as follo+sG
LThere is no Bodhi@tree7
Nor is there a mirror stand=
Nothin' e&ists from the first
-hat can "e dimmed ") dust and dirtDL
1erhas no"od) ever dreamed such an insi'nificant fello+ as the rice@ounder could
surass the venera"le scholar in a reli'ious insi'ht7 "ut the <ifth 1atriarch sa+ at once an
%nli'htened Soul e&ressed in those linesJ therefore he made u his mind to 'ive the
Eacha)a to the +riter7 in +hom he found a 'reat siritual leader of future 'enerations=
But he did it secretl) at midni'ht7 lest some of the disciles from env) do violence to
3+ui Nan'= 3e +as7 moreover7 cautious enou'h to advise his successor to leave the
(onaster) at once7 and 'o "ac$ to the South7 that the latter mi'ht conceal his
%nli'htenment until a time +ould come for his missionar) activities=
1:= F9125& +3 &5$ S1*&5 P"&)1")!5=@@On the follo+in' mornin' the ne+s of +hat had
haened durin' the ni'ht fle+ from mouth to mouth7 and some of the enra'ed "rothers
attemted to ursue the +orth) fu'itive= The foremost amon' them7 3+ui (in' (%@m)o)7
overtoo$ the Si&th 1atriarch at a mountain ass not ver) far from the (onaster)= Then
3+ui Nan'7 la)in' do+n the Eacha)a on a roc$ ") the road7 addressed the ursuerG LThis
is a
H1= These verses have often "een misunderstood as e&ressive of a nihilistic vie+7 "ut the
real meanin' is an)thin' "ut nihilistic= (ind is ure and "ri'ht in its essence= It is al+a)s
free from assions and mean desires7 #ust as the sun is al+a)s "ri'ht7 desite of cloud and
mist that cover its face= Therefore one must 'et an insi'ht into this essential nature of
(ind7 and realiBe that one has no mean desires and assions from the first7 and also that
there is no tree of Bodhi nor the mirror of %nli'htenment +ithout him7 "ut the) are +ithin
him=I
mere s)m"ol of the atriarchal authorit)7 and it is not a thin' to "e o"tained ") force=
Ta$e it alon' +ith )ou7 if )ou lon' for it=L Uon this 3+ui (in'7 +ho "e'an to "e
ashamed of his "ase act7 tried to lift the Eacha)a7 "ut in vain7 for it +as7 as he felt7 as
heav) as the roc$ itself= 4t last he said to the Si&th 1atriarchG LI have come here7 m)
"rother7 not for the sa$e of this ro"e7 "ut for the sa$e of the ,a+= Arant m) heart) desire
of 'ettin' %nli'htened=L LIf )ou have come for the ,a+7L relied 3+ui Nan'7 L)ou must
ut an end to all )our stru''les and lon'in's= Thin$ neither of 'ood nor of evil (ma$e
)our mind ure from all idle thou'hts)7 then see ho+ is7 3+ui (in'7 )our ori'inal
(mental) h)sio'nom)PL Bein' thus 0uestioned7 (in' found in an instant the Divine
,i'ht of Buddha +ithin himself7 and "ecame a discile of the Si&th 1atriarch=
11= T5$ D$<$9+-,$#& +3 &5$ S+4&5$)# "#% +3 &5$ N+)&5$)# S!5++9 +3 Z$#=@@4fter the
death of the <ifth 1atriarch the venera"le Shan' Siu7 thou'h not the le'itimate successor
of his master7 +as not inactive in the roa'ation of the faith7 and 'athered a"out him a
num"er of enthusiastic admirers= This led to the foundation of the Northern school of /en
in oosition to the Southern school led ") the Si&th 1atriarch= The %mress Tseh Tien
-a 3eu7H1I the real ruler of China at that time7 +as an admirer of Shan' Siu7 and
atroniBed his school7 +hich nevertheless made no further develoment=
In the mean+hile the Si&th 1atriarch7 +ho had 'one to the South7 arrived at the <ah Sin'
(onaster) in E+an' Cheu7 +here ;in Tsun' (In@shu)7 the a""ot7 +as 'ivin' lectures on
the (aha)ana sutras to a num"er of student mon$s= It +as to+ards evenin' that he
haened to overhear
H1= The %meror Chun' Tsun' (Chu@so7 4=D= 58.@6:.) +as a nominal soverei'n7 and the
%mress +as the real ruler from 4=D= 58. to 6:2=I
t+o mon$s of the (onaster) discussin' a"out the fla' floatin' in air= One of them saidG
LIt is the +ind that moves in realit)7 "ut not the fla'=L LNo7L o"#ected the other7 Lit is the
fla' that moves in realit)7 "ut not the +ind=L Thus each of them insisted on his o+n one@
sided vie+7 and came to no roer conclusion= Then the Si&th 1atriarch introduced
himself and said to themG LIt is neither the +ind nor the fla'7 "ut )our mind that moves in
realit)=L ;in Tsun'7 havin' heard these +ords of the stran'er7 +as 'reatl) astonished7 and
thou'ht the latter should have "een an e&traordinar) ersona'e= 4nd +hen he found the
man to "e the Si&th 1atriarch of /en7 he and all his disciles decided to follo+ /en under
the master= Conse0uentl) 3+ui Nan'7 still clad li$e a la)man7 chan'ed his clothes7 and
"e'an his atriarchal career at that (onaster)= This is the startin'@oint of the 'reat
develoment of /en in China=
12= M11+#")6 A!&1<1&6 +3 &5$ S1*&5 P"&)1")!5=@@4s +e have seen a"ove7 the Si&th
1atriarch +as a 'reat 'enius7 and ma) "e #ustl) called a "orn /en teacher= 3e +as a man
of no erudition7 "ein' a oor farmer7 +ho had served under the <ifth 1atriarch as a rice@
ounder onl) for ei'ht months7 "ut he could find a ne+ meanin' in Buddhist terms7 and
sho+ ho+ to al) it to ractical life= On one occasion7 for instance7 <ah Tah (3o@tatsu)7
a mon$ +ho had read over the Saddharma@undari$a@sutraH1I three thousand times7
visited him to "e instructed in /en= L%ven if )ou read the sutra ten thousand times7L said
the Si&th 1atriarch7 +ho could never read the te&t7 Lit +ill do )ou no 'ood7 if )ou cannot
'ras the sirit of the sutra=L LI have siml) recited the "oo$7L confessed the mon$7 Las it
H1= One of the most noted (aha)ana sutras7 translated ") Dharmara$sa (4=D= 285) and ")
Eumara#iva (4=D= .:5)= The reader has to note that the author states the essential doctrine
in the second chater= See L Sacred Boo$s of the %ast7L vol= &&i=7 = !:@29=I
is +ritten in characters= 3o+ could such a dull fello+ as I 'ras its siritDL LThen recite it
once7L resonded the masterJ LI shall e&lain its sirit=L 3ereuon <ah Tah "e'an to recite
the sutra7 and +hen he read it until the end of the second chater the teacher stoed him7
sa)in'G L;ou ma) sto there= No+ I $no+ that this sutra +as reached to sho+ the so@
called 'reatest o"#ect of Sha$)a (uni>s aearin' on earth= That 'reatest o"#ect +as to
have all sentient "ein's %nli'htened #ust as 3e 3imself=L In this +a) the Si&th 1atriarch
'rased the essentials of the (aha)ana sutras7 and freel) made use of them as the
e&lanation of the ractical 0uestions a"out /en=
1!= T5$ D1!1-9$ 4#%$) &5$ S1*&5 P"&)1")!5=@@Some time after this the Si&th 1atriarch
settled himself do+n at the 1ao ,in (onaster)7 "etter $no+n as Tsao Ei Shan (So@$ei@
Ban)7 in Shao Cheu7 and it 'ro+ into a 'reat centre of /en in the Southern States= Under
his instruction man) eminent /en masters 0ualified themselves as ,eaders of the Three
-orlds= 3e did not 'ive the atriarchal s)m"ol7 the Eacha)a7 to his successors7 lest it
mi'ht cause needless 0uarrels amon' the "rethren7 as +as e&erienced ") himself= 3e
onl) 'ave sanction to his disciles +ho attained to %nli'htenment7 and allo+ed them to
teach /en in a manner "est suited to their o+n ersonalities= <or instance7 3Cen Eioh
(Aen@$a$u)7 a scholar of the Tien Tai doctrine7> +ell $no+n as the Teacher of ;un'
EiaH2I (;o@$a)7 received a sanction for his siritual attainment after e&chan'in' a fe+
+ords +ith the master in their first intervie+7
H1= The Teacher of Tien Tai (Ten@dai7 4=D= 2!8@296)7 the founder of the Buddhist sect of
the same name7 +as a 'reat scholar of ori'inalit)= 3is doctrine and criticism on the
Triita$a 'reatl) influenced the +hole of Buddhism after him= 3is doctrine is "riefl)
'iven in the second chater=
2 3is Chin' Tao Eo (Sho@do@$a)7 a "eautiful metrical e&osition of /en7 is still read ")
most students of /en=I
and +as at once ac$no+led'ed as a /en teacher= -hen he reached the Benith of his fame7
he +as resented +ith a cr)stal "o+l to'ether +ith rich 'ifts ") the %mress Tseh TienJ
and it +as in 4=D= 6:2 that the %meror Chun' Tsun' invited him in vain to roceed to
the alace7 since the latter follo+ed the e&amle of the <ourth 1atriarch=
4fter the deathH1I of the Si&th 1atriarch (4=D= 61!)7 the Southern /en +as divided into
t+o schools7 one "ein' reresented ") Tsin' ;uen (Sei@'en)7 the other ") Nan ;oh (Nan@
'a$u=) Out of these t+o main schools soon develoed the fiveH2I "ranches of /en7 and the
faith made a slendid ro'ress= 4fter Tsin' ;uen and Nan ;oh7 one of the #unior
disciles of the Si&th 1atriarch7 3+ui Chun' (%@chu)7 held an honoura"le osition for
si&teen )ears as the siritual adviser to the %meror Suh Tsun' (4=D= 625652) and to the
%meror Tai Tsun' (4=D= 65!@669)= These t+o %merors +ere enthusiastic admirers of
/en7 and ordered several times the Eacha)a of Bodhidharma to "e "rou'ht into the alace
from the 1ao ,in (onaster) that the) mi'ht do roer homa'e to it= -ithin some one
hundred and thirt) )ears after the Si&th 1atriarch7 /en
H1= There e&ists ,uh Tan <ah 1ao Tan Ein' (Ro$u@so@ho@"o@dan@$)o)7 a collection of his
sermons= It is full of "old statements of /en in its urest form7 and is entirel) free from
am"i'uous and eni'matical +ords that encum"er later /en "oo$s= In conse0uence it is
+idel) read ") non@Buddhist scholars in China and ?aan= Both 3+ui Chun' (%@chu)7 a
famous discile of the Si&th 1atriarch7 and Do@'en7 the founder of the Soto Sect in ?aan7
den) the authorit) of the "oo$7 and declare it to "e misleadin'7 "ecause of errors and
re#udices of the comilers= Still7 +e "elieve it to "e a collection of 'enuine sections
'iven ") the Si&th 1atriarch7 thou'h there are some mista$es in its historical narratives=
2= (1) The Tsao Tun' (So@to) Sect7 founded ") Tsin' ;uen (died in 4=D= 6.:) and his
successorsJ (2) the ,in Tsi (Rin@/ai) Sect7 founded ") Nan ;oh (died in 6..) and his
successorsJ (!) the -ei ;an (;i@')o) Sect7 founded ") -ei Shan (;i@san7 died in 82!)
and his discile ;en Shan (E)o@Ban7 died in 89:)J (.) the ;un (an (Un@mon) Sect7
founded ") ;un (an (died in 9.9)J (2) the 1ao ;en (3o@'en) Sect7 founded ") 1ao ;en
(died in 928)=I
'ained so 'reat influence amon' hi'her classes that at the time of the %meror SCen
Tsun' (4=D= 8.6@829) "oth the %meror and his 1rime (inister7 1ei 3iu7 +ere noted for
the ractice of /en= It ma) "e said that /en had its 'olden a'e7 "e'innin' +ith the rei'n
of the %meror Suh Tsun'7 of the Tan' d)nast)7 until the rei'n of the %meror 3iao
Tsun' (115!@1189)7 +ho +as the 'reatest atron of Buddhism in the Southern Sun'
d)nast)= To this a'e "elon' almost all the 'reatest /en scholars> of China= To
H1= Durin' the Tan' d)nast) (4=D= 518@9:5) China roduced7 "esides the Si&th 1atriarch
and his rominent disciles7 such 'reat /en teachers as (a Tsu (Ba@so7 died in 688)7 +ho
is ro"a"l) the ori'inator of the /en 4ctivit)J Shih Teu (Se$i@to7 died in 69:)7 the reuted
author of Tsan Tun' Ei (San@do@$ai)7 a metrical +ritin' on /enJ 1oh Chan' (3)a$u@#o7
died 81.)7 +ho first laid do+n re'ulations for the /en (onaster)J -ei Shan (;i@san)7
;an' Shan (E)o@Ban)7 the founders of the -ei ;an' SectJ 3+an' 1ah (O@"a$u7 died in
82:)7 one of the founders of the ,in Tsi Sect7 and the author of Ch+en Sin 1ao ;ao7
(Den@sin@ho@)o)7 one of the "est +or$s on /enJ ,in Tsi (Rin@Bai7 died in 855)7 the real
founder of the ,in Tsi SectJ TCn' Shan (To@Ban7 died in 859)7 the real founder of the
Tsao TCn' SectJ Tsao Shan (So@Ban7 died in 9:1)7 a famous discile of TCn' ShanJ Teh
Shan (To$u@san7 died in 852)7 +ho +as used to stri$e ever) 0uestioner +ith his staffJ
Chan' Sha (Cho@sha7 died in 82!)J Chao Cheu (?o@shu7 died in 896)J Nan TsCen (Nan@
sen7 died in 8!.)J -u ;eh ((u@'o7 died in 82!)J +ho is said to have relied7 >4+a) +ith
)our idle thou'hts7> to ever) 0uestionerJ ;un ;en (Un@'an7 died in 829)J ;oh Shan
(;a$u@san7 died in 8!.)J Ta (ei (Tai@"ai7 died in 8!9)7 a noted recluseJ Ta TsB (Dai@#i7
died in 852)J E+ei <un' (Eei@ho7 died in 8.1)7 the author of >The Ori'in of (an7> and
other numerous +or$sJ and ;un EC (Un@'o7 died in 9:2)=
To the eriod of the <ive D)nasties (4=D= 9:6@929) "elon' such teachers as SCeh <un'
(Set@o7 died in= 9:8)J 3Cen Sha (Aen@sha7 died in 9:8)J ;un (an (Un@mon7 died in
9.9)7 the founder of the ;un (an SectJ Shen ;ueh (/en@'etsu7 died in 912)7 a reno+ned
/en oetJ 1u Tai (3o@tei7 died in 915)7 +ell $no+n for his eculiaritiesJ Chan' Ein'
(Cho@$ei7 died in 9!2)J Nan ;uen (Nan@in7 died in 922)J 1ao ;en (3o@'en7 died in 928)7
the founder of the 1ao ;en Sect= Durin' the Sun' d)nast) (4=D= 95:@1125) aeared
such teachers as ;an' Ei (;o@'i7 died in 1:.9)7 the founder of the ;an' Ei School of
/enJ SCeh Teu (Set@cho7 died in 1:22)7 noted for oetical +or$sJ 3+an' ,un' (O r)u7
died in 1:59)7 the founder of the 3+an' ,un' School of /enJ 3+an' ,in (Eo@rin7 died in
986)J TsB (in' (?i@m)o7 died in 1:.:)J Teu Ts) (To@shi7 died in 1:8!)J <u ;un (<u@)o7
died in 1118)J -u Tsu (Ao@so7 died in 11:.)J ;un' (in' (;o@m)o7 died in 962)7 the
author of Tsun' Ein' ,uh (Shu@$)o@ro$u)J Ei Sun' (Eai@su7 died in 1:61)7 a 'reat /en
historian and author= In the Southern Sun' d)nast) (4=D= 1126@1269) flourished such
masters as ;uen -u (%n@'o7 died in 11!2)7 the author of 1i$ ;en Tsih (3e$i@'an@shu)J
Chan 3ieh (Shin@$etsu7 flourished in 1121)J 3un' Chi (-an@shi7 died in 1126)7 famous
for his oetical +or$sJ Ta 3+ui (Dai@e7 died in 115!)7 a noted discile of ;uen -uJ -an
Sun' (Ban@sho)7 flourished in 119!@1196)7 the author of Tsun' ;un ,uh (Sho@)o@ro$u)J
?C Tsin' (N)o@#o)7 died in 1228)7 the teacher to Do@'en7 or the founder of the So@to Sect
in ?aan=I
this a'e "elon' almost all the eminent men of letters7H1I statesmen7 +arriors7 and artists
+ho +ere $no+n as the ractisers of /en= To this a'e "elon's the roduction of almost
all /en "oo$s7H2I doctrinal and historical=
H1= 4mon' the 'reat names of /en "elievers the follo+in' are most imortantG 1an' ;un
(3o@on7 flourished in 682@8:.)7 +hose +hole famil) +as roficient in /enJ Tsui EiCn
(Sai@'un7 flourished in 8:5@82.)J ,uh Ean' (Ri$@$o)7 a la) discile to Nan TsCnJ 1oh
,oh Tien (3a$u@ra$u@ten7 died in 8.6)7 one of the 'reatest Chinese literar) menJ 1ei 3iu
(3ai@$)u7 flourished 826@825)7 the 1rime (inister under the %meror SCen Tsun'7 a la)
discile to 3+an' 1ahJ ,i N'ao (Ri@$o7 lived a"out 8:5)7 an author and scholar +ho
ractised /en under ;oh ShanJ ;C Chuh (U@te$i7 flourished 682@8:.)7 a local 'overnor7 a
friend of 1an' ;unJ ;an' ;ih (;o@o$u7 flourished in 965)7 one of the 'reatest +riters of
his a'eJ <an Chun' N'an (3an@chu an7 flourished 1::8@1:22)7 an a"le statesman and
scholarJ <u 1ih (<u shitsu7 flourished 1:.1@1:8!)7 a minister under the %meror ?an
Tsun'J Chan' Shan' ;in' (Cho@sho@)ei7 1:85@1122)7 a Buddhist scholar and a
statesmanJ 3+an' Tin' Eien (Eo@tei@$en7 1:5.@1:9.)7 a 'reat oetJ Su Shih (So@sho$u7
died in 11:1)7 a 'reat man of letters7 +ell $no+n as So@to@"aJ Su Cheh (So@tetsu7 died in
1112)7 a )oun'er "rother of So@to@"a7 a scholar and minister under the %meror Cheh
Tsun'J Chan' Eiu Chin' (Cho@E)u@sei7 flourished a"out 11!1)7 a scholar and la)
discile of Ta 3+uiJ ;an' Eieh (;o@$etsu7 flourished 1:68@1:85)7 a scholar and
statesman=
2= Of doctrinal /en "oo$s7 "esides Sin Sin (in' ") the Third 1atriarch7 and <ah 1ao Tan
Ein' ") the Si&th 1atriarch7 the follo+in' are of 'reat imortanceG
(1) Chin' Tao Eo (Sho@do@$a)7 ") 3Cen Eioh (Aen@$a$u)=
(2) Tsan Tun' Ei (San@do@$ai)7 ") Shih Ten (Se$i@to)=
(!) 1ao Ein' San (ei (3o@$)o@san@mai)7 ") TCn' Shan (To@Ban)=
(.) Ch+en Sin 1ao ;ao (Den@sin@ho@)o)7 ") 3+an' 1ah (O@"a$u)=
(2) 1ih ;en Tsih (3e$i@'an@shu)7 ") ;uen -u (%n@'o)=
(5) ,in Tsi ,uh (Rin@Bai@ro$u)7 ") ,in Tsi (Rin@Bai)=
(6) Tsun' ;un ,uh (Sho@)o@ro$u)7 ") -an Sun' (Ban@sho)=
Of historical /en "oo$s the follo+in' are of imortanceG
(1) Ein' teh Ch+en Tan@,uh (Eei@to$u@den@to@ro$u)7 u"lished in 1::. ") Tao ;uen
(Do@'en)=
(2) E+an Tan' ,uh (Eo@to ro$u)7 u"lished in 1:!5 ") ,i Tsun SCh (Ri@#un@$)o$u)=
(!) Suh Tan' ,uh (/o$u@O@ro$u)7 u"lished in 11:1 ") -ei 1oh (I@ha$u)=
(.) ,ien Tan' ,uh (Ren@O@ro$u)7 u"lished in 118! ") 3+ui -an' ((ai@o)=
(2) Chin' Tsun' Ei (Sho@#u@$i)7 u"lished in 1:28 ") Ei Sun' (E+ai@su)=
(5) 1u Tan' ,uh (<u@O@ro$u)7 u"lished in 12:1 ") Chin' Sheu (Sho@#u)=
(6) 3+ui ;uen (%@'en)7 u"lished in 1222 ") Ta Ch+en (Dai@sen)=
(8) Sin Tan' ,uh (Sin@-@ro$u)7 u"lished in 128:@129. ") Sui (/ui)=
(9) Suh Ch+en Tan' ,uh (/o$u@den@to@ro$u)7 ") -an' Siu (Bun@shu)=
(1:) 3+ui ;uen Suh ,ioh (%@'en@Bo$u@r)a$u)7 ") Tsin' Chu (?o@chu)=
(11) Ei Tan' ,uh (Eei@to@ro$u)7 ") ;un' Eioh (;o@$a$u)=I
1.= T5)$$ I,-+)&"#& E9$,$#& +3 Z$#=@@To understand ho+ /en develoed durin' some
four hundred )ears after the Si&th 1atriarch7 +e should $no+ that there are three
imortant elements in /en= The first of these is technicall) called the /en Num"er@@the
method of ractisin' (editation ") sittin' cross@le''ed7 of +hich +e shall treat later=H1I
This method is full) develoed ") Indian teachers "efore Bodhidharma>s introduction of
/en into China7 therefore it under+ent little chan'e durin' this eriod= The second is the
/en Doctrine7 +hich mainl) consists of Idealistic and 1antheistic ideas of (aha)ana
Buddhism7 "ut +hich undou"tedl) em"races some tenets of Taoism= Therefore= /en is
not a ure Indian faith7 "ut rather of Chinese ori'in= The third is the /en 4ctivit)7 or the
mode
H1= See Chater *II=I
of e&ression of /en in action7 +hich is entirel) a"sent in an) other faith= It +as for the
sa$e of this /en 4ctivit) that 3+an' 1ah 'ave a sla three times to the %meror SCen
Tsun'J that ,in Tsi so often "urst out into a loud outcr) of 3oh (Eatsu)J that Nan TsCen
$illed a cat at a sin'le stro$e of his $nife in the resence of his discilesJ and that Teh
Shan so fre0uentl) struc$ 0uestioners +ith his staff=H1I The /en 4ctivit) +as disla)ed
") the Chinese teachers ma$in' use of diverse thin's such as the staff7 the "rushH2I of
lon' hair7 the mirror7 the rosar)7 the cu7 the itcher7 the fla'7 the moon7 the sic$le7 the
lou'h7 the "o+ and arro+7 the "all7 the "ell7 the drum7 the cat7 the do'7 the duc$7 the
earth+orm@@in short7 an) and ever)thin' that +as fit for the occasion and convenient for
the urose= Thus /en 4ctivit) +as of ure Chinese ori'in7 and it +as develoed after the
Si&th 1atriarch=H!I <or this reason the eriod revious to the Si&th 1atriarch ma) "e
called the 4'e of the /en Doctrine7 +hile that osterior to the same master7 the 4'e of
the /en 4ctivit)=
12= D$!91#$ +3 Z$#=@@The "loomin' roserit) of /en +as over to+ards the end of the
Southern Sun' d)nast) (1126@1269)7 +hen it "e'an to fade7 not "ein' "itten ") the frost
of oression from +ithout7 "ut "ein' +ea$ened ")
H1= 4 lon' official staff (Shu@#o) li$e the crosier carried ") the a""ot of the monaster)=
2= 4n ornamental "rush (3os@su) often carried ") /en teachers=
!= The 'ivin' of a sla +as first tried ") the Si&th 1atriarch7 +ho struc$ one of his
disciles7 $no+n as 3o Tseh (Ea@ta$u)7 and it +as ver) fre0uentl) resorted to ") the later
masters= The liftin' u of the "rush +as first tried ") Tsin' ;uen in an intervie+ +ith his
eldest discile7 Shih Ten7 and it "ecame a fashion amon' other teachers= The loud outcr)
of 3oh +as first made use of ") (a Tsu7 the successor of Nan ;oh= In this +a) the ori'in
of the /en 4ctivit) can easil) "e traced to the Si&th 1atriarch and his direct disciles=
4fter the Sun' d)nast) Chinese /en masters seem to have 'iven undue +ei'ht to the
4ctivit)7 and ne'lected the serious stud) of the doctrine= This "rou'ht out the
de'eneration severel) reroached ") some of the ?aanese /en teachers=I
rottenness +ithin= 4s earl) as the Sun' d)nast) (95:@1125) the +orshi of Buddha
4mita"haH1I stealthil) found its +a) amon' /en "elievers7 +ho could not full) realiBe
the Sirit of Sha$)a (uni7 and to satisf) these eole the amal'amation of the t+o faiths
+as attemted ") some /en masters=H2I
H1= The faith is "ased on ,ar'er Su$havati@v)uha7 Smaller Su$havati@v)uha7 and
4mita)us@dh)ana@sutra= It +as tau'ht in India ") 4Kva'hosa7 Na'ariuna7 and
*asu"andhu= In China 3+ui ;uen (%@on7 died in 4=D= .15)7 Tan ,+an (Don@ran7 died in
2.2)7 Tao Choh (Do@sha$u)7 and Shen Tao (/en@do) ("oth of +hom lived a"out 5::@52:)7
chiefl) tau'ht the doctrine= It made an e&traordinar) ro'ress in ?aan7 and differentiated
itself into several sects7 of +hich ?odo Shu and Shin Shu are the stron'est=
2= It is "e)ond all dou"t that 1oh ,oh Tien (3a$u@ra$u@ten) ractised /en7 "ut at the same
time "elieved in 4mita"haJ so also Su Shih (So@sho$u)7 a most noted /en ractiser7
+orshied the same Buddha7 ;an' Eieh (;o@$eteu)7 +ho carried a icture of 4mita"ha
+herever he +ent and +orshied it7 seems to have thou'ht there is nothin' incomati"le
"et+een /en and his faith= The foremost of those /en masters of the Sun' d)nast) that
attemted the amal'amation is ;un' (in' (;o@m)o7 died in 962)7 +ho reconciled /en
+ith the +orshi of 4mita"ha in his -an Shen Tun' E+ei Tsih ((an@Ben@do@$i@shu) and
Si N'an ;an Shan <u (Sei@an@)o@sin@fu)= 3e +as follo+ed ") Tsin' TsB (?o@#i) and Chan
3ieh (Shin@$etsu7 lived a"out 1121)7 the former of +hom +rote E+ei ;uen Chih Chi
(Ei@'en@#i$i@shi)7 and the latter Tsin' Tu Sin ;ao (?o@do@sin@)o)7 in order to further the
tendenc)= In the ;uen d)nast) Chun' <un' (Chu@ho7 died in 1!2!) encoura'ed the
adoration of 4mita"ha7 to'ether +ith the ractice of /en7 in his oetical comosition
(E+an@shu@#o@'o)= In the (in' d)nast) ;un Si (Un@sei7 died in 1512)7 the author of Shen
E+an Tseh Tsin (/en@$+an@sa$u@shin) and other numerous +or$s7 +ritin' a commentar)
on Su$havati@v)uha@sutra7 "rou'ht the amal'amation to its hei'ht= Eu Shan (Eu@Ban7 died
in 1526)7 a /en historian and author7 and his rominent discile -ei ,in (%@rin)7 a&e +ell
$no+n as the amal'amators= ;un (in' declared that those +ho ractise /en7 "ut have no
faith in 4mita"ha7 'o astra) in nine cases out of tenJ that those +ho do not ractise /en7
"ut "elieve in 4mita"ha7 are saved7 one and allJ that those +ho ractise /en7 and have the
faith in 4mita"ha7 are li$e the ti'er rovided +ith +in'sJ and that for those +ho have no
faith in 4mita"ha7 nor ractise /en7 there e&ist the iron floor and the coer illars in
3ell= Eu Shan said that some ractise /en in order to attain %nli'htenment7 +hile others
ra) 4mita"ha for salvationJ that if the) +ere sincere and dili'ent7 "oth +ill o"tain the
final "eatitude= -ei ,in also o"servedG LTheoreticall) I em"race /en7 and racticall) I
+orshi 4mita"ha=L %@chu7 the author of /en@to@nen"utsu (>On /en and the -orshi of
4mita"ha>)7 oints out that one of the direct disciles of the Si&th 1atriarch favoured the
faith of 4mita"ha7 "ut there is no trust+orth) evidence7 as far as +e $no+7 that roves
the e&istence of the amal'amation in the Tan' d)nast)=I
This tendenc) steadil) increasin' +ith time "rou'ht out at len'th the eriod of
amal'amation +hich covered the ;uen (128:@1!56) and the (in' d)nasties (1!58@1529)7
+hen the ra)er for 4mita"ha +as in ever) mouth of /en mon$s sittin' in (editation=
The atrons of /en +ere not +antin' in the ;uen d)nast)7 for such a +arli$e monarch as
the %meror Shi Tsu (Sei@so)7 128:@129.) is $no+n to have ractised /en under the
instruction of (iao Eao7 and his successor Chin' Tsun' (1292@1!:6) to have trusted in
;ih Shan7H1I a /en teacher of reutation at that time= (oreover7 ,in 1in' Chun' (Rin@
hei@cha7 died in 126.)7 a o+erful minister under Shi Tsu7 +ho did much to+ard the
esta"lishment of the administrative s)stem in that d)nast)7 had "een a /en mon$7 and
never failed to atroniBe his faith= 4nd in the (in' d)nast) the first %meror Tai Tsu
(1!58@1!98)7 havin' "een a /en mon$7 rotected the sect +ith enthusiasm7 and his
e&amle +as follo+ed ") Tai Tsun' (1.:[email protected].)7 +hose siritual as +ell as olitical
adviser +as Tao ;en7 a /en mon$ of distinction= Thus /en e&ercised an influence
unaralleled ") an) other faith throu'hout these a'es= The life and ener') of /en7
ho+ever7 +as 'one ") the i'no"le amal'amation7 and even such 'reat scholars as Chun'
<un'7H2I ;un' Si7H!I ;un' Eioh7H.I +ere not free from the over+helmin'
H1= The %meror sent him to ?aan in 1299 +ith some secret order7 "ut he did nothin'
olitical7 and sta)ed as a /en teacher until his death=
2= 4 most reno+ned /en master in the ;uen d)nast)7 +hom the %meror ?an Tsun'
invited to visit the alace7 "ut in vain=
!= 4n author noted for his learnin' and virtues7 +ho +as rather a +orshier of 4mita"ha
than a /en mon$=
.= 4n author of voluminous "oo$s7 of +hich TCn' Shan' Eu Cheh (To@#o@$o@tetsu) is
+ell $no+n=I
influence of the a'e= -e are not7 ho+ever7 doin' #ustice to the tendenc) of amal'amation
in these times siml) to "lame it for its o"no&ious results7 "ecause it is "e)ond dou"t that
it "rou'ht forth +holesome fruits to the Chinese literature and hilosoh)= -ho can den)
that this tendenc) "rou'ht the SeculativeH1I hilosoh) of the Sun' d)nast) to its
consummation ") the amal'amation of Confucianism +ith Buddhism eseciall) +ith
/en7 to ena"le it to e&ercise lon'@standin' influence on societ)7 and that this tendenc)
also roduced -an' ;an' (in'7H2I one of the 'reatest 'enerals and scholars that the
+orld has ever seen7 +hose hilosoh) of Consciences still holds a uni0ue osition in the
histor) of human thou'htD -ho can den) furthermore that -an'>s hilosoh) is /en in
the Confucian terminolo')D
H1= This +ell@$no+n hilosoh) +as first tau'ht ") Cheu (en Shuh (Shu@mo@shi$u7 died
in 1:6!) in its definite form= 3e is said to have "een enli'htened ") the instruction of
3+ui Tan'7 a contemorar) /en master= 3e +as succeeded ") Chan' (in' Tao (Tei@
mei@do7 died in 1:82) and Chan' I Ch+en (Tei@i@sen7 died in 11:6)7 t+o "rothers7 +ho
develoed the hilosoh) in no small de'ree= 4nd it +as comleted ") Chu TsB (Shu@shi7
died in 12::)7 a cele"rated commentator of the Confucian classics= It is +orth) to note
that these scholars ractised (editation #ust as /en mon$s= See >3istor) of Chinese
1hilosoh)> (= 212@259)7 ") A= Na$auchi7 and >3istor) of Develoment of Chinese
Thou'ht7> ") R= %ndo=
2 3e +as "orn in 1.627 and died in 1229= 3is doctrine e&ercised a most fruitful influence
on man) of the 'reat ?aanese minds7 and undou"tedl) has done much to the ro'ress of
Ne+ ?aan=
! See Den@shu@ro$u and O@)a@mei@Ben@sho=I

Sacred Te&ts Buddhism Inde& 1revious Ne&t
CHAPTER II
HISTORY OF ZEN IN JAPAN
1= T5$ E&".915,$#& +3 &5$ R1# Z"1[1] S!5++9 +3 Z$# 1# J"-"#=@@The introduction of
/en into the island emire is dated as earl) as the seventh centur)JH2I "ut it +as in 1191
that it +as first esta"lished ") %i@sai7 a man of "old7 ener'etic nature= 3e crossed the sea
for China at the a'e of t+ent)@ei'ht in 11587 after his rofound stud) of the
H1= The ,in Tsi school +as started ") Nan ;oh7 a rominent discile of the Si&th
1atriarch7 and comleted ") ,in Tsi or Rin /ai=
2 /en +as first introduced into ?aan ") Do sha (529@6::) as earl) as 52!@5257 at the
time +hen the <ifth 1atriarch #ust entered his atriarchal career= Do@sho +ent over to
China in 52!7 and met +ith 3Cen Tsan'7 the cele"rated and 'reat scholar7 +ho tau'ht him
the doctrine of the Dharma@la$sana= It +as 3Cen Tsan' +ho advised Do@sho to stud) /en
under 3+ui (an (%@man)= 4fter returnin' home7 he "uilt a (editation 3all for the
urose of ractisin' /en in the Aan@'o monaster)7 Nara= Thus /en +as first translanted
into ?aan ") Do@sho7 "ut it too$ no root in the soil at that time=
Ne&t a Chinese /en teacher7 I Eun' (Ai@$u)7 came over to ?aan in a"out 81:7 and under
his instruction the %mress Danrin7 a most enthusiastic Buddhist7 +as enli'htened= She
erected a monaster) named Dan@rin@#i7 and aointed I Eun' the a""ot of it for the sa$e
of roa'atin' the faith= It "ein' of no urose7 ho+ever7 I Eun' +ent "ac$ to China
after some )ears=
Thirdl)7 Ea$u@a in 1161 +ent over to China7 +here he studied /en under <uh 3ai (Bu$@
$ai)7 +ho "elon'ed to the ;an' Ei (;o@'i) school7 and came home after three )ears=
Bein' 0uestioned ") the %meror Ta$a@$ura (1159@118:) a"out the doctrine of /en7 he
uttered no +ord7 "ut too$ u a flute and la)ed on it= But his first note +as too hi'h to "e
cau'ht ") the ordinar) ear7 and +as 'one +ithout roducin' an) echo in the court nor in
societ) at lar'e=I
+hole Triita$aH1I for ei'ht )ears in the 3i@)ei (onaster)H2I the then centre of ?aanese
Buddhism= 4fter visitin' hol) laces and 'reat monasteries7 he came home7 "rin'in' +ith
him over thirt) different "oo$s on the doctrine of the Ten@Dai Sect=H!I This7 instead of
0uenchin'7 added fuel to his "urnin' desire for adventurous travel a"road= So he crossed
the sea over a'ain in 11867 this time intendin' to ma$e il'rima'e to IndiaJ and no one
can tell +hat mi'ht have "een the result if the Chinese authorities did not for"id him to
cross the "order= Thereon he turned his attention to the stud) of /en7 and after five )ears>
disciline succeeded in 'ettin' sanction for his siritual attainment ") the 3C N'an (Eio@
an)7 a noted master of the Rin /ai school7 the then a""ot of the monaster) of Tien Tun'
Shan (Ten@do@san)= 3is active roa'anda of /en +as commenced soon after his return in
1191 +ith slendid success at a ne+l) "uilt temleH.I in the rovince of Chi$u@Ben= In
12:2 ;ori@i)e7 the Sho'un7 or the real 'overnor of the State at that time7 erected the
monaster) of Een@nin@#i in the cit) of E)o@to7 and invited him to roceed to the
metroolis= 4ccordin'l) he settled himself do+n in that temle7 and tau'ht /en +ith his
characteristic activit)=
H1= The three divisions of the Buddhist canon7 viB=G
(1) Sutra@ita$a7 or a collection of doctrinal "oo$s=
(2) *ina)a@ita$a7 or a collection of +or$s on disciline=
(!) 4"hidharma@ita$a7 or a collection of hilosohical and e&ositor) +or$s=
2 The 'reat monaster) erected in 688 ") Sai@cho (656@822)7 the founder of the ?aanese
Ten Dai Sect7 $no+n as Den A)o Dai Shi=
! The sect +as named after its founder in China7 Chi 1 (2!8@296)7 +ho lived in the
monaster) of Tien Tai Shan (Ten@dai@san)7 and +as called the Areat Teacher of Tien Tai=
In 8:. Den@')o +ent over to China ") the Imerial order7 and received the transmission
of the doctrine from Tao Sui (Do@sui)7 a atriarch of the sect= 4fter his return he erected a
monaster) on (ount 3i@)ei7 +hich "ecame the centre of Buddhistic learnin'=
. 3e erected the monaster) of Sho@fu$u@#i in 11927 +hich is still roserin'=I
This rovo$ed the env) and +rath of the Ten Dai and the Shin AonH1I teachers7 +ho
resented memorials to the Imerial court to rotest a'ainst his roa'andism of the ne+
faith= Ta$in' advanta'e of the rotests7 %i@sai +rote a "oo$ entitled Eo@Ben@'o@$o$u@ron
(>The 1rotection of the State ") the 1roa'ation of /en>)7 and not onl) e&lained his o+n
osition7 "ut e&osed the i'norance 2 of the rotestants= Thus at last his merit +as
areciated ") the %meror Tsuchi@mi$ado (1199@121:)7 and he +as romoted to So ?o7
the hi'hest ran$ in the Buddhist riesthood7 to'ether +ith the 'ift of a urle ro"e in
12:5= Some time after this he +ent to the cit) of Eama@$ura7 the olitical centre7 "ein'
invited ") Sane@tomo7 the Sho'un7 and laid the foundation of the so@called Eama@$ura
/en7 still roserin' at the resent moment=
2= T5$ I#&)+%4!&1+# +3 &5$ S+-T+ S!5++9[3] +3 Z$#=@@4lthou'h the Rin /ai school +as7
as mentioned a"ove7 esta"lished ") %i@sai7 )et he himself +as not a ure /en teacher7
"ein' a Ten Dai scholar as +ell as an e&erienced ractiser of (antra= The first
esta"lishment of /en in its
H1= The Shin Aon or (antra Sect is "ased on (ahavairocana"hi@sam"odhi@sutra7
*a#raKe$hara@sutra7 and other (antra@sutras= It +as esta"lished in China ") *a#ra"odhi
and his discile 4moahava#ra7 +ho came from India in 62:= Eu $ai (66.@8!2)7 +ell
$no+n as Eo Bo Dai Shi7 +ent to China in 8:.7 and received the transmission of the
doctrine from 3+ui E+o (Eei@$a)7 a7 discile of 4mo'hava#ra= In 8:5 he came "ac$ and
roa'ated the faith almost all over the countr)= <or the detail see >4 Short 3istor) of the
T+elve ?aanese Buddhist Sects> (cha= viii=)7 ") Dr= Nan#o=
2 Sai@cho7 the founder of the ?aanese Ten Dai Sect7 first learned the doctrine of the
Northern School of /en under A)o@h)o (died in 696)7 and after+ards he ursued the
stud) of the same faith under Siao ?an in China= Therefore to oose the roa'ation of
/en is7 for Ten Dai riests7 as much as to oose the founder of their o+n sect=
! This school +as started ") Tsin'@;uen (Sei@'en)7 an eminent discile of the Si&th
1atriarch7 and comleted ") Tsin' Shan (To@Ban)=I
urest form +as done ") Do@'en7 no+ $no+n as ?o ;o Dai Shi= ,i$e %i@sai7 he +as
admitted into the 3i@)ei (onaster) at an earl) a'e7 and devoted himself to the stud) of
the Canon= 4s his scritural $no+led'e increased7 he +as trou"led ") ine&ressi"le
dou"ts and fears7 as is usual +ith 'reat reli'ious teachers= Conse0uentl)7 one da) he
consulted his uncle7 Eo@in7 a distin'uished Ten Dai scholar7 a"out his trou"les= The latter7
"ein' una"le to satisf) him7 recommended him %i@sai7 the founder of the ne+ faith= But
as %i@sai died soon after+ards7 he felt that he had no cometent teacher left7 and crossed
the sea for China7 at the a'e of t+ent)@four7 in 122!= There he +as admitted into the
monaster) of Tien Tun' Shan (Ten@do@san)7 and assi'ned the lo+est seat in the hall7
siml) "ecause "e +as a forei'ner= 4'ainst this affront he stron'l) rotested= In the
Buddhist communit)7 he said7 all +ere "rothers7 and there +as no difference of
nationalit)= The onl) +a) to ran$ the "rethren +as ") seniorit)7 and he therefore claimed
to occu) his roer ran$= No"od)7 ho+ever7 lent an ear to the oor ne+@comer>s rotest7
so he aealed t+ice to the Chinese %meror Nin' Tsun' (1192@122.)7 and ") the
Imerial order he 'ained his o"#ect=
4fter four )ears> stud) and disciline7 he +as %nli'htened and ac$no+led'ed as the
successor ") his master ?C Tsin' (N)o@#o died in 1228)7 +ho "elon'ed to the Tsao Tun'
(So To) school= 3e came home in 12267 "rin'in' +ith him three imortant /en "oo$s=H1I
Some three )ears he did +hat Bodhidharma7 the -all@'aBin' Brahmin7 had done seven
hundred )ears "efore him7 retirin' to a hermita'e=
H1= (1) 1ao Ein' San (ei (3o@$)o@san@mai7 >1recious (irror Samadhi>)7 a metrical
e&osition of /en7 ") TCn' Shan (To@Ban7 8:5@859)7 one of the founders of the So To
school= (2) -u -ei 3ien 3Ceh (Ao@i@$en@$etsu= >%&lanation of the <ive Cate'ories>)7 ")
TCn' Shan and his discile Tsao Shan (So@Ban)= This "oo$ sho+s us ho+ /en +as
s)stematicall) tau'ht ") the authors= (!) 1ih ;en Tsih (3e$i@'an@shu7 >4 Collection and
Critical Treatment of Dialo'ues>)7 ") ;uen -u=I
at <u$a@$usa7 not ver) far from E)o@to= ?ust li$e Bodhidharma7 denouncin' all +orldl)
fame and 'ain7 his attitude to+ard the +orld +as diametricall) oosed to that of %i@sai=
4s +e have seen a"ove7 %i@sai never shunned7 "ut rather sou'ht the societ) of the
o+erful and the rich7 and made for his 'oal ") ever) means= But to the Sa'e of <u$a@
$usa7 as Do@'en +as called at that time7 om and o+er +as the most dis'ustin' thin' in
the +orld= ?ud'in' from his oems7 "e seems to have sent these )ears chiefl) in
meditationJ d+ellin' no+ on the transitoriness of life7 no+ on the eternal eace of
NirvanaJ no+ on the vanities and miseries of the +orldJ no+ listenin' to the voices of
Nature amon'st the hillsJ no+ 'aBin' into the "roo$let that +as7 as he thou'ht7 carr)in'
a+a) his ima'e reflected on it into the +orld=
!= T5$ C5")"!&$)1&1! +3 D+-2$#, &5$ F+4#%$) +3 &5$ J"-"#$$ S+ T+ S$!&=@@In the
meantime see$ers after a ne+ truth 'raduall) "e'an to $noc$ at his door7 and his
hermita'e +as turned into a monaster)7 no+ $no+n as the Temle of Eo@sho@#i=H1I It +as
at this time that man) Buddhist scholars and men of 0ualit) 'athered a"out him "ut the
more oular he "ecame the more dis'ustin' the lace "ecame to him= 3is heart) desire
+as to live in a solitude amon' mountains7 far distant from human a"odes7 +here none
"ut fallin' +aters and sin'in' "irds could distur" his deli'htful meditation= Therefore he
'ladl) acceted the invitation of a feudal lord7 and +ent to the
H1= It +as in this monaster) ("uilt in 12!5) that /en +as first tau'ht as an indeendent
sect7 and that the (editation 3all +as first oened in ?aan= Do@'en lived in the
monaster) for eleven )ears7 and +rote some of the imortant "oo$s= /a@Ben@'i (>The
(ethod of 1ractisin' the Cross@le''ed (editation>) +as +ritten soon after his return from
China7 and Ben@do@+a and other essa)s follo+ed7 +hich are included in his 'reat +or$7
entitled Sho@"o@'en@Bo) (>The %)e and Treasur) of the Ri'ht ,a+>)=
rovince of %chi@Ben7 +here his ideal monaster) +as "uilt7 no+ $no+n as %i@hei@#i=H1I
In 12.67 "ein' re0uested ") To$i@)ori7 the Re'ent Aeneral (12.6@125!)7 he came do+n to
Eama@$ura7 +here he sta)ed half a )ear and +ent "ac$ to %i@hei@#i= 4fter some time
To$i@)ori7 to sho+ his 'ratitude for the master7 dre+ u a certificate 'rantin' a lar'e tract
of land as the roert) of %i@hei@#i7 and handed it over to Aen@m)o7 a discile of Do@'en=
The carrier of the certificate +as so leased +ith the donation that he disla)ed it to all
his "rethren and roduced it "efore the master7 +ho severel) reroached him sa)in'G LO7
shame on thee7 +retchP Thou art @defiled ") the desire of +orldl) riches even to th)
inmost soul7 #ust as noodle is stained +ith oil= Thou canst not "e urified from it to all
eternit)= I am afraid thou +ilt "rin' shame on the Ri'ht ,a+=L On the sot Aen@m)o +as
derived of his hol) ro"e and e&communicated= <urthermore7 the master ordered the
>olluted> seat in the (editation 3all7 +here Aen@m)o +as +ont to sit7 to "e removed7 and
the >olluted> earth under the seat to "e du' out to the deth of seven feet=
In 122: the e&@%meror Ao@sa@'a ([email protected]) sent a secial messen'er t+ice to the %i@
hei monaster) to do honour to the master +ith the donation of a urle ro"e7 "ut he
declined to accet it= 4nd +hen the mar$ of distinction +as offered for the third time7 he
acceted it7 e&ressin' his feelin's ") the follo+in' versesG
L4lthou'h in %i@hei>s vale the shallo+ +aters lea7
;et thrice it came7 Imerial favour dee=
The 4e ma) smile and lau'h the Crane
4t a'ed (on$ in urle as insane=L
H1= The monaster) +as "uilt in 12.. ") ;oshi@shi'e (3atano)7 the feudal lord +ho invited
Do@'en= 3e lived in %i@hei@#i until his death7 +hich too$ lace in 122!= It is still
flourishin' as the head temle of the So To Sect=I
3e +as never seen uttin' on the urle ro"e7 "ein' al+a)s clad in "lac$7 that +as "etter
suited to his secluded life=
.= T5$ S+!1"9 S&"&$ +3 J"-"# '5$# Z$# '" $&".915$% .6 E1-"1 "#% D+-2$#=@@No+
+e have to o"serve the condition of the countr) +hen /en +as introduced into ?aan ")
%i@sai and Do@'en= No"ilities that had so lon' 'overned the island +ere no"ilities no
more= %nervated ") their lu&uries7 effeminated ") their ease7 made insiient ") their
de"aucher)7 the) +ere entirel) o+erless= 4ll that the) ossessed in realit) +as the
nominal ran$ and hereditar) "irth= On the contrar)7 desised as the i'norant7 sneered at as
the ustart7 ut in contemt as the vul'ar7 the Samurai or militar) class had ever)thin' in
their hands= It +as the time +hen ;ori@tomoH1I (11.8@1199) con0uered all over the
emire7 and esta"lished the Samurai Aovernment at Eama@$ura= It +as the time +hen
even the emerors +ere dethroned or e&iled at +ill ") the Samurai= It +as the time +hen
even the Buddhist mon$sH2I fre0uentl) too$ u arms to force their +ill= It +as the time
+hen ?aan>s indeendence +as endan'ered ") Eu"lai7 the terror of the +orld= It +as the
time +hen the +hole nation +as full of martial sirit= It is "e)ond dou"t that to these
risin' Samurais7 rude and simle7 the hilosohical doctrines of Buddhism7 reresented
") Ten Dai and Shin Aon7 +ere too comlicated and too alien to their nature= But in /en
the) could find somethin' con'enial to their nature7 somethin' that touched their chord of
s)math)7 "ecause /en +as the doctrine of chivalr) in a certain sense=
H1= The Samurai Aovernment +as first esta"lished ") ;oritomo7 of the (inamoto famil)7
in 11857 and ?aan +as under the control of the militar) class until 18567 +hen the
olitical o+er +as finall) restored to the Imerial house=
2 The) +ere de'enerated mon$s (+ho +ere called mon$@soldiers)7 "elon'in' to 'reat
monasteries such as %n@r)a$u@#i (3i@)ei)7 Eo@fu$u@#i (at Nara)7 (i@i@dera7 etc=I
2= T5$ R$$,.9"#!$ +3 &5$ Z$# M+#= &+ &5$ S",4)"1=@@,et us oint out in "rief the
similarities "et+een /en and ?aanese chivalr)= <irst7 "oth the Samurai and the /en
mon$ have to under'o a strict disciline and endure rivation +ithout comlaint= %ven
such a rominent teacher as %i@sai7 for e&amle7 lived contentedl) in such need)
circumstances that on one occasionH1I he and his disciles had nothin' to eat for several
da)s= <ortunatel)7 the) +ere re0uested ") a "eliever to recite the Scritures7 and
resented +ith t+o rolls of sil$= The hun'r) )oun' mon$s7 +hose mouths +atered
alread) at the e&ectation of a lon'@loo$ed@for dinner7 +ere disaointed +hen that sil$
+as 'iven to a oor man7 +ho called on %i@sai to o"tain some hel= <ast continued for a
+hole +ee$7 +hen another oor follo+ came in and as$ed %i@sai to 'ive somethin'= 4t
this time7 havin' nothin' to sho+ his su"stantial mar$ of s)math) to+ards the oor7 %i@
sai tore off the 'ilt 'lor) of the ima'e of Buddha BheKa#)a and 'ave it= The )oun'
mon$s7 "itten "oth ") hun'er and ") an'er at this outra'eous act to the o"#ect of +orshi7
0uestioned %i@sai ") +a) of reroachG LIs it7 sir7 ri'ht for us Buddhists to demolish the
ima'e of a BuddhaDL L-ell7L relied %i@sai romtl)7 LBuddha +ould 'ive even his o+n
life for the sa$e of sufferin' eole= 3o+ could he "e reluctant to 'ive his haloDL This
anecdote clearl) sho+s us self@sacrifice is of first imortance in the /en disciline=
5= T5$ H+#$& P+<$)&6 +3 &5$ Z$# M+#= "#% &5$ S",4)"1=@@Secondl)7 the so@called
honest overt) is a characteristic of "oth the /en mon$ and the Samurai= To 'et rich ")
an i'no"le means is a'ainst the rules of ?aanese chivalr) or Bushido= The Samurai
+ould rather starve than to live ") some e&edient un+orth) of his di'nit)= There are
man) instances7 in the ?aanese histor)7 of
H1= The incident is told ") Do@'en in his /ui@mon@$i=I
Samurais +ho +ere reall) starved to death in site of their havin' a hundred ieces of
'old carefull) reserved to meet the e&enses at the time of an emer'enc)J hence the
rover"G LThe falcon +ould not feed on the ear of corn7 even if he should starve=L
Similarl)7 +e $no+ of no case of /en mon$s7 ancient and modern7 +ho 'ot rich ") an)
i'no"le means= The) +ould rather face overt) +ith 'ladness of heart= <u@'ai7 one of the
most distin'uished /en masters #ust "efore the Restoration7 suorted man) student
mon$s in his monaster)= The) +ere often too numerous to "e suorted ") his scant
means= This trou"led his discile much +hose dut) it +as to loo$ after the food@sul)7
as there +as no other means to meet the increased demand than to sul) +ith +orse
stuff= 4ccordin'l)7 one da) the discile advised <u@'ai not to admit ne+ students an)
more into the monaster)= Then the master7 ma$in' no rel)7 lolled out his ton'ue and
saidG LNo+ loo$ into m) mouth7 and tell if there "e an) ton'ue in it=L The erle&ed
discile ans+ered affirmativel)= LThen don>t "other )ourself a"out it= If there "e an)
ton'ue7 I can taste an) sort of food=L 3onest overt) ma)7 +ithout e&a''eration7 "e called
one of the characteristics of the Samurais and of the /en mon$sJ hence a rover"G L The
/en mon$ has no mone)7 mone)ed (ontoH1I $no+s nothin'=L
6= T5$ M"#91#$ +3 &5$ Z$# M+#= "#% +3 &5$ S",4)"1=@@Thirdl)7 "oth the /en mon$
and the Samurai +ere distin'uished ") their manliness and di'nit) in manner7 sometimes
amountin' to rudeness= This is due artl) to the hard disciline that the) under+ent7 and
artl) to the mode of instruction= The follo+in' stor)7H2I translated ") (r= D= SuBu$i7 a
friend of mine7 ma) +ell e&emlif) our statementG
H1= The riest "elon'in' to Shin Shu7 +ho are 'enerall) rich=
2= The Journal of the Pali Text Society7 19:5@19:6=I
-hen Rin@BaiH1I+as assiduousl) al)in' himself to /en disciline under O"a$ (3uan'
1o in Chinese7 +ho died 82:)7 the head mon$ reco'niBed his 'enius= One da) the mon$
as$ed him ho+ lon' he had "een in the monaster)7 to +hich Rin@Bai reliedG >Three
)ears=> The elder saidG >3ave )ou ever aroached the master and as$ed his instruction in
BuddhismD> Rin@Bai saidG >I have never done this7 for I did not $no+ +hat to as$=> >-h)7
)ou mi'ht 'o to the master and as$ him +hat is the essence of BuddhismD>
LRin@Bai7 accordin' to this advice7 aroached O"a$ and reeated the 0uestion7 "ut "efore
he finished the master 'ave him a sla=
L-hen Rin@Bai came "ac$7 the elder as$ed ho+ the intervie+ +ent= Said Rin@BaiG >Before
I could finish m) 0uestion the master slaed me7 "ut I fail to 'ras its meanin'=> The
elder saidG >;ou 'o to him a'ain and as$ the same 0uestion=> -hen he did so7 he received
the same resonse from the master= But Rin@Bai +as ur'ed a'ain to tr) it for the third
time7 "ut the outcome did not imrove=
L4t last he +ent to the elder7 and said In o"edience to )our $ind su''estion7 I have
reeated m) 0uestion three times7 and "een slaed three times= I deel) re'ret that7
o+in' to m) stuidit)7 I am una"le to comrehend the hidden meanin' of all this= I shall
leave this lace and 'o some+here else=> Said the elderG >If )ou +ish to deart7 do not fail
to 'o and see the master to sa) him fare+ell=>
LImmediatel) after this the elder sa+ the master7 and saidG >That )oun' novice7 +ho as$ed
a"out Buddhism three times7 is a remar$a"le fello+= -hen he comes to ta$e leave of )ou7
"e so 'racious as to direct him roerl)= 4fter a hard trainin'7 he +ill rove to "e a 'reat
master7
H1= ,in Tsi7 the founder of the ,in Tsi school=I
and7 li$e a hu'e tree7 he +ill 'ive a refreshin' shelter to the +orld=>
L-hen Rin@Bai came to see the master7 the latter advised him not to 'o an)+here else= "ut
to Dai@'u (Tai@)u) of Eaoan7 for he +ould "e a"le to instruct him in the faith=
LRin@Bai +ent to Dai@'u7 +ho as$ed him +hence he came= Bein' informed that he +as
from O"a$7 Dai@'u further in0uired +hat instruction he had under the master= Rin@Bai
ans+eredG >I as$ed him three times a"out the essence of Buddhism7 and he slaed me
three times= But I am )et una"le to see +hether I had an) fault or not=> Dai@'u saidG >O"a$
+as tender@hearted even as a dotard7 and )ou are not +arranted at all to come over here
and as$ me +hether an)thin' +as fault) +ith )ou=>
LBein' thus rerimanded7 the si'nification of the +hole affair suddenl) da+ned uon the
mind of Rin@Bai7 and he e&claimedG >There is not much7 after all7 in the Buddhism of
O"a$=> -hereuon Dai@'u too$ hold of him7 and saidG >This 'hostl) 'ood@for@nothin'
creatureP 4 fe+ minutes a'o )ou came to me and comlainin'l) as$ed +hat +as +ron'
+ith )ou7 and no+ "oldl) declare that there is not much in the Buddhism of O"a$= -hat
is the reason of all thisD Sea$ out 0uic$P sea$ out 0uic$P> In resonse to this7 Rin@Bai
softl) struc$ three times his fist at the ri"s of Dai@'u= The latter then released him7 sa)in'G
>;our teacher is O"a$7 and I +ill have nothin' to do +ith )ou=>
LRin@Bai too$ leave of Dai@'u and came "ac$ to O"a$7 +ho7 on seein' him come7
e&claimedG ><oolish fello+P +hat does it avail )ou to come and 'o all the time li$e thisD>
Rin@Bai saidG >It is all due to )our dotin' $indness=>
L-hen7 after the usual salutation7 Rin@Bai stood ") the side of O"a$7 the latter as$ed him
+hence he had come this time= Rin@Bai ans+eredG LIn o"edience to )our $ind instruction7
I +as +ith Dai@'u= Thence am I come=>
4nd he related7 "ein' as$ed for further information7 all that had haened there=
LO"a$ saidG >4s soon as that fello+ sho+s himself u here7 I shall have to 'ive him a
'ood thrashin'=> >;ou need not +ait for him to comeJ have it ri'ht this moment7> +as the
rel)J and +ith this Rin@Bai 'ave his master a sla on the "ac$=
LO"a$ saidG >3o+ dares this lunatic come into m) resence and la) +ith a ti'er>s
+his$ersD> Rin@Bai then "urst out into a 3o7H1I and O"a$ saidG >4ttendant7 come and carr)
this lunatic a+a) to his cell=>L
8= T5$ C+4)"2$ "#% &5$ C+,-+4)$ +3 M1#% +3 &5$ Z$# M+#= "#% +3 &5$ S",4)"1=@@
<ourthl)7 our Samurai encountered death7 as is +ell $no+n7 +ith unflinchin' coura'e= 3e
+ould never turn "ac$ from7 "ut fi'ht till his last +ith7 his enem)= To "e called a co+ard
+as for him the dishonour +orse than death itself= 4n incident a"out Tsu ;uen (So@'en)7
+ho came over to ?aan in 128:7 "ein' invited ") To$i@muneH2I (3o@#o)7 the Re'ent
Aeneral7 +ell illustrates ho+ much /en mon$s resem"led our Samurais= The event
haened +hen he +as in China7 +here the invadin' arm) of ;uen sread terror all over
the countr)= Some of the "ar"arians7 +ho crossed the "order of the State of -an7 "ro$e
into the monaster) of Tsu ;uen7 and threatened to "ehead him= Then calml) sittin' do+n7
read) to meet his fate7 he comosed the follo+in' verses
LThe heaven and earth afford me no shelter at allJ
I>m 'lad7 unreal are "od) and soul=
-elcome th) +eaon7 O +arrior of ;uenP Th) trust) steel7
That flashes li'htnin'7 cuts the +ind of Srin'7 I feel=L
H1= 4 loud outcr)7 fre0uentl) made use of ") /en teachers7 after Rin@Bai= Its Chinese
ronunciation is >3oh7> and ronounced >Eatsu> in ?aanese7 "ut >tsu> is not audi"le=
2= 4 "old statesman and soldier7 +ho +as the real ruler of ?aan 125.@128!=I
This reminds us of San' ChaoH1I (So@#o)7 +ho7 on the ver'e of death ") the va'a"ond>s
s+ord7 e&ressed his feelin's in the follo+ linesG
LIn "od) there e&ists no soul=
The mind is not real at all=
No+ tr) on me th) flashin' steel7
4s if it cuts the +ind of Srin'7 I feel=L
The "ar"arians7 moved ") this calm resolution and di'nified air of Tsu ;uen7 ri'htl)
suosed him to "e no ordinar) ersona'e7 and left the monaster)7 doin' no harm to him=
9= Z$# "#% &5$ R$2$#& G$#$)"9 +3 &5$ H+-J+ P$)1+%=@@No +onder7 then7 that the
reresentatives of the Samurai class7 the Re'ent Aenerals7 eseciall) such a"le rulers as
To$i@)ori7 To$i@mune7 and others noted for their 'ood administration7 of the 3o@#o eriod
(12:2@1!!2) 'reatl) favoured /en= The) not onl) atroniBed the faith7 "uildin' 'reat
temlesH2I and invitin' "est Chinese /en teachers=H!I
H1= The man +as not a ure /en master7 "ein' a discile of Eumara#iva7 the founder of
the San Ron Sect= This is a most remar$a"le evidence that /en7 eseciall) the Rin /an
school7 +as influenced ") Eumara#iva and his disciles= <or the details of the anecdote7
see %@'en=
2= To@fu$u@#i7 the head temle of a su"@sect of the Rin /ai under the same name7 +as "uilt
in 12.!= Een@cho@#i7 the head temle of a su"sect of the Rin /ai under the same name7
+as "uilt in 122!= %n@'a$u #i7 the head temle of a su"@sect of the Rin /ai under the same
name7 +as "uilt in 1282= Nan@Ben@#i7 the head temle of a su"@sect of the Rin /ai under
the same name7 +as erected in 1!25=
!= Tao ,un' (Do@r)u)7 $no+n as Dai@$a$u /en@#i7 invited ") To$i)ori7 came over to
?aan in 12.5= 3e "ecame the founder of Een@cho@#i@ha7 a su"@sect of the Rin /ai7 and
died in 1268= Of his disciles7 ;a$u@o +as most noted7 and ;a$u@o>s discile7 ?a$u@
shitsu7 "ecame the founder of ;o@'en#i@ha7 another su"@sect of the Rin /ai= Tsu ;uen
(So@'en)7 $no+n as Bu$@$o@$o$u@shi7 invited ") To$i@mune7 crossed the sea in 128:7
"ecame the founder of %n@'a$u@#i@ha (a su"@sect of the Rin /ai)7 and died in 1285= Tsin'
Choh (Sei@setsu)7 invited ") Ta$a@to$i7 came in 1!267 and died in 1!!9= Chu Tsun (So@
shun) came in 1!!17 and died in 1!!5= <an Sien (Bon@sen) came to'ether +ith Chu Tsun7
and died in 1!.8= These +ere the rominent Chinese teachers of that time=I
"ut also lived #ust as /en mon$s7 havin' the head shaven7 +earin' a hol) ro"e7 and
ractisin' cross@le''ed (editation= To$i@)ori (12.6@125!)7 for instance7 +ho entered the
monastic life +hile "e +as still the real 'overnor of the countr)7 led as simle a life7 as is
sho+n in his verse7 +hich ran as follo+sG
L3i'her than its "an$ the rivulet flo+sJ
Areener than moss tin) 'rass 'ro+s=
No one call at m) hum"le cotta'e on the roc$7
But the 'ate ") itself oens to the -ind>s $noc$=L
To$i@)ori attained to %nli'htenment ") the instruction of Do@'en and Do@r)u7 and
"reathed his last calml) sittin' cross@le''ed7 and e&ressin' his feelin's in the follo+in'
linesG
LThirt)@seven of )ears7
Earma mirror stood hi'hJ
No+ I "rea$ it to ieces7
1ath of Areat is then ni'h=L
3is successor7 To$i@mune (125.@128!)7 a "old statesman and soldier7 +as no less of a
devoted "eliever in /en= T+ice he "eheaded the envo)s sent ") the 'reat Chinese
con0ueror7 Eu"lai7 +ho demanded ?aan should either surrender or "e trodden under his
foot= 4nd +hen the alarmin' ne+s of the Chinese 4rmada>s aroachin' the land reached
him7 "e is said to have called on his tutor7 Tsu ;uen7 to receive the last instruction= LNo+7
reverend sir7L said= he7 Lan imminent eril threatens the land=L L3o+ art thou 'oin' to
encounter itDL as$ed the master= Then To$i@mune "urst into a thunderin' Ea +ith all his
mi'ht to sho+ his undaunted sirit in encounterin' the aroachin' enem)= LO7 the lion>s
roarPL said Tsu ;uen=
LThou art a 'enuine lion= Ao7 and never turn "ac$=L Thus encoura'ed ") the teacher7 the
Re'ent Aeneral sent out the defendin' arm)7 and successfull) rescued the state from the
mouth of destruction7 'ainin' a slendid victor) over the invaders7 almost all of +hom
erished in the +estern seas=
1:= Z$# "3&$) &5$ D+'#3"99 +3 &5$ H+-J+ R$2$#!6=@@To+ards the end of the 3o@?o
eriod7H1I and after the do+nfall of the Re'enc) in 1!!!7 san'uinar) "attles +ere fou'ht
"et+een the Imerialists and the re"els= The former7 "rave and faithful as the) +ere7
"ein' outnum"ered ") the latter7 erished in the field one after another for the sa$e of the
ill@starred %meror Ao@dai@'o (1!19@1!!8)7 +hose
H1= 4lthou'h /en +as first favoured ") the 3o@#o Re'enc) and chiefl) rosered at
Eama@$ura7 )et it raidl) "e'an to e&ercise its influence on no"les and %merors at E)o@
to= This is mainl) due to the activit) of %n@ni7 $no+n as Sho@Ichi@Eo$u@Shi (12:2@128:)7
+ho first earned /en under A)o@)u7 a discile of %i@sai7 and after+ards +ent to China7
+here he +as %nli'htened under the instruction of -u Chun7 of the monaster) of Ein'
Shan= 4fter his return7 (ichi@i)e (<u#i@+ara)7 a o+erful no"leman7 erected for him To@
fu$u@#i in 12.!7 and he "ecame the founder of a su"@sect of the Rin /ai7 named after that
monaster)= The %meror Ao@sa'a ([email protected])7 an admirer of his7 received the (oral
1recets from him7 One of his disciles7 To@Ban7 "ecame the siritual adviser of the
%meror <ushi@mi (1288@1298)7 and another discile7 (u $+an7 +as created the a""ot of
the monaster) of Nan@Ben@#i ") the %meror Eame@)ama (125:@126.)7 as the founder of
a su"@sect of the Rin /ai under the same name=
4nother teacher +ho 'ained lastin' influence on the Court is Nan@o7 $no+n as Dai@O@
Eo$u@Shi (12!2@1!:8)7 +ho +as aointed the a""ot of the monaster) of (an@#u@#i in
E)o to ") the %meror <ushi@mi= One of his disciles7 Tsu@o7 +as the siritual adviser to
"oth the %meror 3ana@Bono (1!:8@1!18) and the %meror Ao@dai@'o= 4nd another
discile7 ()o@cho7 $no+n as Dai@To@Eo$u@Shi (1282@1!!6)7 also +as admired ") the
t+o %merors7 and created the a""ot of Dai@to$u@#i7 as the founder of a su"@sect of the
Rin /ai under the same name= It +as for ()o@cho>s discile7 Ean@Ban (1266 1!5:)7 that
the %meror 3ana@Bono turned his detached alace into a monaster)7 named ()o@shin@#i7
the head temle of a su"@sect of the Rin /ai under the same name=I
eventful life ended in an&iet) and desair= It +as at this time that ?aan 'ave "irth to
(asa@shi'e (Eusu@no$i)7 an a"le 'eneral and tactician of the Imerialists7 +ho for the
sa$e of the %meror not onl) sacrificed himself and his "rother7 "ut ") his +ill his son
and his son>s successor died for the same cause7 "oldl) attac$in' the enem) +hose
num"er +as over+helmin'l) 'reat= (asa@shi'e>s lo)alt)7 +isdom7 "raver)7 and rudence
are not merel) uni0ue in the histor) of ?aan7 "ut erhas in the histor) of man= The
tra'ic tale a"out his artin' +ith his "eloved son7 and his "raver) sho+n at his last "attle7
never fail to insire the ?aanese +ith heroism= 3e is the "est secimen of the Samurai
class= 4ccordin' to an old document7H1I this (asa@shi'e +as the ractiser of /en7 and
#ust "efore his last "attle he called on Chu Tsun (So@shun) to receive the final instruction=
L-hat have I to do +hen death ta$es the lace of lifeDL as$ed (asa@shi'e= The teacher
reliedG
LBe "old7 at once cut off "oth ties7
The dra+n s+ord 'leams a'ainst the s$ies=L
Thus "ecomin'7 as it +ere7 an indisensa"le disciline for the Samurai7 /en never came
to an end +ith the 3o@#o eriod7 "ut 're+ more roserous than "efore durin' the
rei'nH2I of the %meror Ao@dai@'o7 one of the most enthusiastic atrons of the faith=
H1= The event is detailed at len'th in a life of So@shun7 "ut some historians susect it to "e
fictitious= This a+aits a further research=
2= 4s +e have alread) mentioned7 Do@'en7 the founder of the ?aanese So To Sect7
shunned the societ) of the rich and the o+erful7 and led a secluded life= In conse0uence
his sect did not ma$e an) raid ro'ress until the <ourth 1atriarch of his line7 Eei@Ban
(1258@1!22) +ho7 "ein' of ener'etic sirit7 sread his faith +ith remar$a"le activit)7
"uildin' man) lar'e monasteries7 of +hich ;o@$o@#i7 in the rovince of No@to7 So@#i@#i
(near ;o$ohama)7 one of the head temles of the sect7 are +ell $no+n= One of his
disciles7 (ei ho (1266@1!2:)7 roa'ated the faith in the northern rovincesJ +hile
another discile7 Aa@san (1262@1!52)7 "ein' a 'reater character7 "rou'ht u more than
thirt) distin'uished disciles7 of +hom Tai@'en7 Tsu@'en7 (u@tan7 Dai@tetsu7 and ?i@o7
are "est $no+n= Tai@'en (died 1!6:) and "i' successors roa'ated the faith over the
middle rovinces7 +hile Tsu@'en (1!!2@1!91) and his successors sread the sect all over
the north@eastern and south@+estern rovinces= Thus it is +orth) of our notice that most
of the Rin /ai teachers confined their activities +ithin Eama$ura and E)o@to7 +hile the
So To masters sread the faith all over the countr)=I
The Sho'uns of the 4shi@$a'a eriod (1!!8@126!) +ere not less devoted to the faith than
the %merors +ho succeeded the %meror Ao@dai@'o= 4nd even Ta$a@u#i (1!!8@1!26)7
the notorious founder of the Sho'unate7 "uilt a monaster) and invited So@se$i7H1I "etter
$no+n as (u@So@Eo$u@Shi7 +ho +as resected as the tutor ") the three successive
%merors after Ao@dai@'o= Ta$a@u#i>s e&amle +as follo+ed ") all succeedin' Sho'uns7
and Sho'un>s e&amle +as follo+ed ") the feudal lords and their vassals= This resulted in
the roa'ation of /en throu'hout the countr)= -e can easil) ima'ine ho+ /en +as
roserous in these da)s from the slendid monasteriesH2I "uilt at this eriod7 such as the
Aolden 3all Temle and the Silver 3all Temle that still adorn the fair cit) of E)o@to=
11= Z$# 1# &5$ D")= A2$=@@The latter half of the 4shi$a'a eriod +as the a'e of arms
and "loodshed= %ver) da) the sun shone on the 'litterin' armour of marchin'
H1= So@se$i (1265@1!21) +as erhas the 'reatest /en master of the eriod= Of numerous
monasteries "uilt for him7 %@rin@#i7 in the rovince of Eae7 and Ten@r)u@#i7 the head
temle of a su"@sect of the Rin /ai under the same name7 are of imortance7 Out of over
sevent) eminent disciles of his7 Ai@do (1!52@1!88)7 the author of Eu@'e@shuJ Shun@o$u
(1!!1@1!!8)7 the founder of the monaster) of So@$o$u@#i7 the head temle of a su"@sect of
the Rin /ai under the same nameJ and /e$@$ai (1!!6@1.:2)7 author of Sho@$en@shu7 are
"est $no+n=
2 ()o@shin@#i +as "uilt in 1!!6 ") the %meror 3ana@BonoJ Ten@r)u@#i +as erected ")
Ta$a@u#i7 the first Sho'un of the eriod7 in 1!..J So@$o$u@#i ") ;osh@imitsu7 the third
Sho'un7 in 1!82J Ein@Ea$u@#i7 or Aolden 3all Temle7 ") the same Sho'un7 in 1!96J
Ain@$a$u@#i7 or Silver 3all Temle7 ") ;oshi@masa7 the ei'hth Sho'un7 in 1.8:=I
soldiers= %ver) +ind si'hed over the lifeless remains of the "rave= %ver)+here the din of
"attle resounded= Out of these fi'htin' feudal lords stood t+o chamions= %ach of them
distin'uished himself as a veteran soldier and tactician= %ach of them +as $no+n as an
e&erienced ractiser of /en= One +as 3aru@no"uH1I (Ta$e@da7 died in 126!)7 "etter
$no+n ") his Buddhist name7 Shin@'en= The other +as Teru@toraH2I (U)e@su'i7 died in
1268)7 "etter $no+n ") his Buddhist name7 Een@shin= The character of Shin@'en can "e
ima'ined from the fact that he never "uilt an) castle or citadel or fortress to 'uard himself
a'ainst his enem)7 "ut relied on his faithful vassals and eoleJ +hile that of Een@shin7
from the fact that he rovided his enem)7 Shin@'en7 +ith salt +hen the latter suffered
from +ant of it7 o+in' to the co+ardl) strata'em of a rival lord= The heroic "attles +a'ed
") these t+o 'reat 'enerals a'ainst each other are the flo+ers of the ?aanese +ar@
histor)= Tradition has it that +hen Shin@'en>s arm) +as ut to rout ") the furious attac$s
of Een@shin>s troos7 and a sin'le +arrior mounted on a hu'e char'er rode s+iftl) as a
s+eein' +ind into Shin@'en>s head@0uarters7 do+n came a "lo+ of the heav) s+ord
aimed at Shin@'en>s forehead7 +ith a 0uestion e&ressed in the technical terms of /enG
L-hat shalt thou do in such a state at such a momentDL 3avin' no time to dra+ his
s+ord7 Shin@'en arried it +ith his +ar@fan7 ans+erin' simultaneousl) in /en +ordsG L4
fla$e of sno+ on the red@hot furnacePL 3ad not his attendants come to the rescue Shin@
'en>s life mi'ht have 'one as >a fla$e of sno+ on the red@hot furnace=> 4fter+ards the
horseman +as $no+n to have "een Een@shin himself= This tradition
H1= Shin@'en ractised /en under the instruction of E+ai@sen7 +ho +as "urned to death
") No"u@na'a (O@da) in 1282= See 3on@cho@$o@so@den=
2 Een@shin learned /en under Shu@$en7 a So Ta master= See To@#o@ren@to@ro$u=I
sho+s us ho+ /en +as racticall) lived ") the Samurais of the Dar$ 4'e=
4lthou'h the riests of other Buddhist sects had their share in these "lood) affairs7 as +as
natural at such a time7 )et /en mon$s stood aloof and siml) cultivated their literature=
Conse0uentl)7 +hen all the eole 're+ entirel) i'norant at the end of the Dar$ 4'e7 the
/en mon$s +ere the onl) men of letters= None can den) this merit of their havin'
reserved learnin' and reared for its revival in the follo+in' eriod=H1I
12= Z$# 4#%$) &5$ T+=4-2"#" S5+24#"&$=@@1eace +as at last restored ") I)e@)asu7 the
founder of the To$u@'ana Sho'unate (15:!@1856)= Durin' this eriod the Sho'unate 'ave
countenance to Buddhism on one hand7 ac$no+led'in' it as the state reli'ion7 "esto+in'
rich roert) to lar'e monasteries7 ma$in' riests ta$e ran$ over common eole7
orderin' ever) householder to "uild a Buddhist altar in his houseJ +hile7 on the other
hand7 it did ever)thin' to e&tirate Christianit)7 introduced in the revious eriod (12..)=
4ll this aral)Bed the missionar) sirit of the Buddhists7 and ut all the sects in dormant
state= 4s for /enH2I it +as
H1= 4fter the introduction of /en into ?aan man) imortant "oo$s +ere +ritten7 and the
follo+in' are chief doctrinal +or$sG Eo@Ben@'o@$o$u@ron7 ") %i@saiJ Sho "o@'en@BoJ
Aa$u@do@)o@Bin@shuJ <u@$+an@Ba@Ben@'iJ %i@hei@$o@ro$u7 ") Do@'enJ /a@Ben@)o@Bin@$iJ
and Den@$o@ro$u7 ") Eei@Ban=
2 The So To Sect +as not +antin' in cometent teachers7 for it mi'ht ta$e ride in its
Ten@$ei (15.8@1599)7 +hose reli'ious insi'ht +as unsurassed ") an) other master of the
a'eJ in its Shi 'etsu7 +ho +as a commentator of various /en "oo$s7 and died 165.J in its
(en@Ban (158!@1659)7 +hose indefati'a"le +or$s on the e&osition of So To /en are
invalua"le indeedJ and its Aetsu@shu (1518@1595) and (an@Ban (15!2@161.)7 to +hose
la"ours the reformation of the faith is ascri"ed= Similarl)7 the Rin /ai Sect7 in its Au@do
(1269@1551)J in its Isshi (15:[email protected])J in its Ta$u@an ([email protected])7 the favourite tutor of
the third Sho'un7 I)e@mitsuJ in its 3a$u@in (1556@1621)7 the 'reatest of the Rin /ai
masters of the da)7 to +hose e&traordinar) ersonalit) and la"our the revival of the sect is
dueJ and its To@rei (1621@1692)7 a learned discile of 3a$u@in= Of the imortant /en
"oo$s +ritten ") these masters7 Ro@#i@tan@$in7 ") Ten@$eiJ (en@Ban@$o@ro$u7 ") (en@
BanJ ;a@sen@$+an@+a7 So$u@$o@ro$u7 E+ai@an@$o$u@'o7 Eei@so@do$u@Bui7 ") 3a$u@inJ
Shu@mon@mu@#in@to@ron7 ") To@rei7 are +ell $no+n=I
still favoured ") feudal lords and their vassals7 and almost all rovincial lords em"raced
the faith=
It +as a"out the middle of this eriod that the fort)@seven vassals of 4$o disla)ed the
sirit of the Samurai ") their erseverance7 self@sacrifice7 and lo)alt)7 ta$in' ven'eance
on the enem) of their deceased lord= The leader of these men7 the tra'ic tales of +hom
can never "e told or heard +ithout tears7 +as ;oshi@o (O@ishi died 16:2)7 a "eliever of
/en7H1I and his tom" in the cemeter) of the temle of Sen@'a$u@#i7 To$)o7 is dail) visited
") hundreds of his admirers=
(ost of the rofessional s+ordsmen formin' a class in these da)s ractised /en= (une@
noriH2I (;a@')u)7 for instance7 esta"lished his reutation ") the com"ination of /en and
the fencin' art= The follo+in' stor) a"out Bo$u@den (Tsu$a@hara)7 a 'reat s+ordsman7
full) illustrates this tendenc)G
LOn a certain occasion Bo$u@den too$ a ferr) to cross over the ;a"ase in the rovince of
Omi= There +as amon' the assen'ers a Samurai7 tall and s0uare@shouldered7 aarentl)
an e&erienced fencer= 3e "ehaved rudel) to+ard the fello+@assen'ers7 and tal$ed so
much of his o+n de&terit) in the art that Bo$u@den7 rovo$ed ") his "ra'7 "ro$e silence=
>;ou seem7 m) friend7 to ractise the art in order to con0uer the enem)7 "ut I do it in
order not to "e con0uered7> said Bo$u@den= >O mon$7> demanded the man7 as Bo$u@den
+as clad li$e a /en mon$7 >+hat school of s+ordsmanshi do )ou "elon' toD> -ell7 mine
is the
H1= See L/en Shu7L No= 121=
2 3e is $no+n as Ta@#ima7 +ho ractised /en under Ta$u@an=I
Con0uerin'@enem)@+ithout@fi'htin'@school=> >Don>t tell a fi"7 old mon$= If )ou could
con0uer the enem) +ithout fi'htin'7 +hat then is )our s+ord forD> >() s+ord is not to
$ill7 "ut to save7> said Bo$u@den7 ma$in' use of /en hrasesJ >m) art is transmitted from
mind to mind=> >No+ then7 come7 mon$7> challen'ed the man7 >let us see7 ri'ht at this
moment7 +ho is the victor7 )ou or I=> The 'auntlet +as ic$ed u +ithout hesitation= >But
+e must not fi'ht7> said Bo$u@den7 >in the ferr)7 lest the assen'ers should "e hurt=
;onder a small island )ou see= There +e shall decide the contest=> To this roosal the
man a'reed7 and the "oat +as ulled to that island= No sooner had the "oat reached the
shore than the man #umed over to the land7 and criedG >Come on7 mon$7 0uic$7 0uic$P>
Bo$u@den7 ho+ever7 slo+l) risin'7 saidG >Do not hasten to lose )our head= It is a rule of
m) school to reare slo+l) for fi'htin'7 $eein' the soul in the a"domen=> So sa)in' he
snatched the oar from the "oatman and ro+ed the "oat "ac$ to some distance7 leavin' the
man alone7 +ho7 stamin' the 'round madl)7 cried outG >O7 )ou fl)7 mon$7 )ou co+ard=
Come7 old mon$P> >No+ listen7> said Bo$u@den7 >this is the secret art of the Con0uerin'@
enem)@+ithout@fi'htin'@school= Be+are that )ou do not for'et it7 nor tell it to an)"od)
else=> Thus7 'ettin' rid of the "ra+lin' fello+7 Bo$u@den and his fello+@assen'ers safel)
landed on the oosite shore=LH1I
The O Ba$u School of /en +as introduced ") ;in ;uen (In@'en) +ho crossed the sea in
152.7 accomanied ") man) a"le disciles=H2I The Sho'unate 'ave him a tract of land at
U#i7 near E)o@to7 and in 1529 he "uilt there a monaster)
H1= Shi@se$i@shu@ran=
2 In@'en (152.@156!) came over +ith Ta@(ei (Dai@"i7 died 156!)7 3+ui ,in (%@rin died
1581)7 Tuh Chan (Do$u@tan7 died 16:5)7 and others= <or the life of In@'enG see /o$u@$o@
shu@den and Ea$u@shu@$o@)o=I
noted for its Chinese st)le of architecture7 no+ $no+n as O@"a$u@san= The teachers of the
same schoolH1I came one after another from China7 and /enH2I eculiar to them7
flourished a short +hile=
H1= Tsih <ei (So$u@hi died 1561)7 (uh N'an ((o$u@an died 158.)7 Eao TsCen (Eo@sen
died 1592)7 the author of <u@so@Ben@rin@so@"o@den7 To@$o$u@$o@so@den7 and Sen@un@shu7
are "est $no+n=
2 This is a su"@sect of the Rin /ai School7 as sho+n in the follo+in' ta"leG
T4B,% O< T3% TR4NS(ISSION O< /%N <RO( C3IN4= TO ?414N=
The O Ba$u School is the amal'amation of /en and the +orshi of 4mita"ha7 and
different from the other t+o schools= The statistics for 1911 'ive the follo+in' fi'uresG
The Num"er of Temles The Num"er of Teachers
The So To School 1.7222 97265
The Rin /ai School 57128 .722!
The O Ba$u School 2.5 !.9
I
It +as also in this eriod that /en 'ained a 'reat influence on the oular literature
characteriBed ") the shortest form of oetical comosition= This +as done throu'h the
'enius of Ba@sho7H1I a 'reat literar) man7 recluse and traveller7 +ho7 as his +ritin's sho+
us7 made no small ro'ress in the stud) of /en= 4'ain7 it +as made use of ") the teachers
of oular H2I ethics7 +ho did a 'reat deal in the education of the lo+er classes= In this
+a) /en and its eculiar taste 'raduall) found its +a) into the arts of eace7 such as
literature7 fine art7 tea@ceremon)7 coo$er)7 'ardenin'7 architecture7 and at last it has
ermeated throu'h ever) fi"re of ?aanese life=
1!= Z$# "3&$) &5$ R$&+)"&1+#=@@4fter the Restoration of the (ei@#i (1856) the oularit)
of /en "e'an to +ane7 and for some thirt) )ears remained in inactivit)J "ut since the
Russo@?aanese -ar its revival has ta$en lace= 4nd no+ it is loo$ed uon as an ideal
faith7 "oth for a nation full of hoe and ener')7 and for a erson +ho has to fi'ht his o+n
+a) in the strife of life= Bushido7 or the code of chivalr)7 should "e o"served not onl) ")
the soldier in the "attle@field7 "ut ") ever) citiBen in the stru''le for e&istence= If a erson
"e a erson and not a "east7 then he must "e a Samurai@"rave7 'enerous7 uri'ht7 faithful7
and manl)7 full of self@resect and self@confidence7 at the same time full of the sirit of
self@sacrifice= -e can find an incarnation of Bushido in the late Aeneral No'i7 the hero of
1ort
H1= 3e (died 159.) learned /en under a contemorar) /en master (Buccho)7 and is said to
have "een enli'htened "efore his reformation of the oular literature=
2 The teachin' +as called Shin@'a$u7 or the >learnin' of mind=> It +as first tau'ht ") Bai@
'an (Ishi@da)7 and is the reconciliation of Shintoism and Buddhism +ith Confucianism=
Bai@'an and his successors ractised (editation7 and +ere enli'htened in their o+n +a)=
Do@ni (Na$a@Ba+a7 died 18:!) made use of /en more than an) other teacher=I
4rthur7 +ho7 after the sacrifice of his t+o sons for the countr) in the Russo@?aanese
-ar7 'ave u his o+n and his +ife>s life for the sa$e of the deceased %meror= 3e died
not in vain7 as some mi'ht thin$7 "ecause his simlicit)7 uri'htness7 lo)alt)7 "raver)7
self@control7 and self@sacrifice7 all com"ined in his last act7 surel) insire the risin'
'eneration +ith the sirit of the Samurai to 'ive "irth to hundreds of No'is= No+ let us
see in the follo+in' chaters +hat /en so closel) connected +ith Bushido teaches us=
Ne&tG Chater IIIG The Universe is the Scriture of /en
Sacred Te&ts Buddhism Inde& 1revious Ne&t
CHAPTER III
THE UNIVERSE IS THE SCRIPTURE
[1]
OF ZEN
1= S!)1-&4)$ 1 #+ M+)$ &5"# 7"&$ P"-$)=@@/en is "ased on the hi'hest siritual lane
attained ") Sha$)a (uni himself= It can onl) "e realiBed ") one +ho has
H1= /en is not "ased on an) articular sutra7 either of (aha)ana or of 3ina)ana= There are
t+ofold Triita$as (or the three collections of the Buddhist scritures)@namel)7 the
(aha)ana@triita$a and the 3ina)ana@triita$a= The former are the "asis of the
(aha)ana7 or the hi'her and reformed Buddhism7 full of rofound metah)sical
reasonin'sJ +hile the latter form that of the 3ina)ana7 or the lo+er and earl) Buddhism7
+hich is simle and ethical teachin'= These t+ofold Triita$as are as follo+sG
T3% (434;4N4@TRI1IT4E4=
The Sutra Pitaka=@The Saddharma@undari$a@sutra7 Samdhi@nirmocana@sutra7
4vatamsa$a@sutra7 1ra#Oaaramita@sutra7 4mita)us@sutra7 (ahaarinirvana@sutra7 etc=
The Vinaya Pitaka=@@Brahma#ala@sutra7 Bodhisattva@car)anirdeKa7 etc=
The Abhidharma Pitaka=@@(ahara#Oaaramita@sutra7 (aha)ana@craddhotada@Kastra7
(adh)ama$a@Kastra7 ;o'acar)a "humi@Kastra7 etc=
T3% 3IN4;4N4@TRI1IT4E4=
The Sutra Pitaka=@@Dir'ha'ama7 %$ottara'ama7 (adh)ama'ama7 Sam)u$ta'ama7 etc=
The Vinaya Pitaka=@@Dharma'uta@vina)a7 (ahasam'hi$a@vina)a7 Sarvastivada@vina)a7
etc=
The Abhidharma Pitaka=@@Dharma@s$andha@ada7 Sam'iti@ar)a)a@ada7 ?Oanarasthana@
Kastra7 4"hidharma@$osa@Kastra7 etc7
The term >Triita$a7> ho+ever7 +as not $no+n at the time of Sha$)a (uni7 and almost all
of the northern Buddhist records a'ree in statin' that the Triita$a +as rehearsed and
settled in the same )ear in +hich the (uni died= (ahavansa also sa)sG LThe "oo$ called
4"hidharma@ita$a +as comiled7 +hich +as reached to 'od7 and +as arran'ed in due
order ") 2:: Budhu riests=L But +e "elieve that Sha$)a (uni>s teachin' +as $no+n to
the earl) Buddhists7 not as Triita$a7 "ut as *ina)a and Dharma7 and even at the time of
Ein' 4Ko$a (+ho ascended the throne a"out 259 B=C=) it +as not called Triita$a7 "ut
Dharma7 as +e have it in his %dicts= (aha)anists unanimousl) assert the comilation of
the Triita$a in the first council of Ra#a'rha7 "ut the) differ in oinion as to the 0uestion
+ho rehearsed the 4"hidharmaJ not+ithstandin'7 the) a'ree as for the other resects7 as
)ou see in the follo+in'G
The Sutra 1ita$a7 comiled ") 4nandaJ the *ina)a 1ita$a7 comiled ") UaliJ the
4"hidharma 1ita$a7 comiled ") 4nanda@@accordin' to Na'ar#una ((ahara#Oaaramita@
Kastra)=
The Sutra 1ita$a7 comiled ") 4nandaJ the *ina)a 1ita$a7 comiled ") UaliJ the
4"hidharma 1ita$a7 comiled ") EaK)aa accordin' to 3Cen Tsan' (Ta@tan@si@)C@$i)=
The Sutra 1ita$a7 comiled ") 4nandaJ the *ina)a 1ita$a7 comiled ") UaliJ the
4"hidharma 1ita$a7 comiled ") 1urna@@accordin' to 1aramartha (>4 Commentar) on the
3istor) of the 3ina)ana Schools>)=
The a"ove@mentioned discreanc) clearl) "etra)s the uncertaint) of their assertions7 and
'ives us reason to discredit the comilation of 4"hidharma 1ita$a at the first council=
Besides7 #ud'in' from the Dharma@'uta@vina)a and other records7 +hich states that
1urna too$ no art in the first council7 and that he had different oinions as to the
alication of the rules of disciline from that of EaK)aa7 there should "e some errors in
1aramartha>s assertion=
Of these three collections of the Sacred -ritin's7 the first t+o7 or Sutra and *ina)a7 of
(aha)ana7 as +ell as of 3ima)ana7 are "elieved to "e the direct teachin's of Sha$)a
(uni himself7 "ecause all the instructions are ut in the mouth of the (aster or
sanctioned ") him= The (aha)anists7 ho+ever7 comare the 3ina)ana doctrine +ith a
restin'@lace on the road for a traveller7 +hile the (aha)ana doctrine +ith his
destination= 4ll the denominations of Buddhism7 +ith a sin'le e&cetion of /en7 are
"ased on the authorit) of some articular sacred +ritin's= The Ten Dai Sect7 for instance7
is "ased on Saddharma@undari$a@sutraJ the ?o Do Sect on ,ar'er Su$havati@v)uha7
Smaller Su$havati@v)uha7 and 4mita)us@dh)ana@sutraJ the Ee Aon Sect on 4vatamsa$a@
sutraJ the 3osso Sect on Samdhi@nirmocana@sutra=I
attained the same lane= To descri"e it in full ") means of +ords is "e)ond the o+er
even of Aotama himself= It is for this reason that the author of ,an$avatara@sutra insists
that Sha$)a (uni so$e no +ord throu'h his lon' career of fort)@nine )ears as a reli'ious
teacher7 and that of (ahara#Oaaramita@sutraH1I also e&ress the same oinion= The
Scriture is no more nor less than the fin'er ointin' to the moon of Buddhahood= -hen
+e reco'niBe the moon and en#o) its "eni'n "eaut)7 the fin'er is of no use= 4s the fin'er
has no "ri'htness +hatever7 so the Scriture has no holiness +hatever= The Scriture is
reli'ious currenc) reresentin' siritual +ealth= It does not matter +hether mone) "e
'old7 or sea@shells7 or co+s= It is a mere su"stitute= -hat it stands for is of aramount
imortance= 4+a) +ith )our stone@$nifeP Do not +atch the sta$e a'ainst +hich a runnin'
hare once struc$ its head and died= Do not +ait for another hare= 4nother ma) not come
for ever= Do not cut the side of the "oat out of +hich )ou droed )our s+ord to mar$
+here it sun$= The "oat is ever movin' on= The Canon is the +indo+ throu'h +hich +e
o"serve the 'rand scener) of siritual nature= To hold communion directl) +ith it +e
must 'et out of the +indo+= It is a mere stra) fl) that is al+a)s "uBBin' +ithin it7
stru''lin' to 'et out= Those +ho send most of their lives in the stud) of the Scritures7
ar'uin' and e&lainin' +ith hair@slittin' reasonin's7 and attain no hi'her lane in
siritualit)7 are reli'ious flies 'ood for nothin' "ut their "uBBin' a"out the nonsensical
technicalities= It is on this account that Rin@Bai declaredG H2I >The t+elve divisions of the
Buddhist Canon are nothin' "etter than +aste aer=>
2= N+ N$$% +3 &5$ S!)1-&4)"9 A4&5+)1&6 3+) Z$#=@@Some Occidental scholars
erroneousl) identif) Buddhism +ith the rimitive faith of 3ina)anism7 and are inclined
to call (aha)anism7 a later develoed faith7 a de'enerated one= If the rimitive faith "e
called the 'enuine7 as
H1= (ahara#Oaaramita@sutra7 vol= .22=
2= Rin@Bai@ro$u=I
these scholars thin$7 and the later develoed faith "e the de'enerated one7 then the child
should "e called the 'enuine man and the 'ro+n@u eole "e the de'enerated onesJ
similarl)7 the rimitive societ) must "e the 'enuine and the modern civiliBation "e the
de'enerated one= So also the earliest +ritin's of the Old Testament should "e 'enuine
and the four Aosels "e de'enerated= Be)ond all dou"t /en "elon's to (aha)anism7 )et
this does not iml) that it deends on the scritural authorit) of that school7 "ecause it
does not trou"le itself a"out the Canon +hether it "e 3ina)ana or (aha)ana7 or +hether
it +as directl) so$en ") Sha$)a (uni or +ritten ") some later Buddhists= /en is
comletel) free from the fetters of old do'mas7 dead creeds7 and conventions of
stereot)ed ast7 that chec$ the develoment of a reli'ious faith and revent the
discover) of a ne+ truth= /en needs no In0uisition= It never comelled nor +ill comel
the comromise of a Aalileo or a Descartes= No e&communication of a SinoBa or the
"urnin' of a Bruno is ossi"le for /en=
On a certain occasion ;oh Shan (;a$u@san) did not reach the doctrine for a lon' +hile7
and +as re0uested to 'ive a sermon ") his assistant teacher7 sa)in'G L-ould )our
reverence reach the Dharma to )our uils7 +ho lon' thirst after )our merciful
instructionDL LThen rin' the "ell7L relied ;oh Shan= The "ell ran'7 and all the mon$s
assem"led in the 3all ea'er to "ear the sermon= ;oh Shan +ent u to the ulit and
descended immediatel) +ithout sa)in' a +ord= L;ou7 reverend sir7L as$ed the assistant7
Lromised to deliver a sermon a little +hile a'o= -h) do )ou not reachDL LSutras are
tau'ht ") the Sutra teachers7L said the masterJ LMastras are tau'ht ") the Mastra teachers=
No +onder that I sa) nothin'=LH1I This little eisode +ill sho+ )ou that /en is no fi&ed
doctrine em"odied in a Sutra or a
H1= /en@rin@rui@shu and %@'en=I
Mastra7 "ut a conviction or realiBation +ithin us= To 0uote another e&amle7 an officer
offered to TCn' Shan (To@Ban) lent) of alms7 and re0uested him to recite the sacred
Canon= TCn' Shan7 risin' from his chair7 made a "o+ resectfull) to the officer7 +ho did
the same to the teacher= Then TCn' Shan +ent round the chair7 ta$in' the officer +ith
him7 and ma$in' a "o+ a'ain to the officer7 as$edG LDo )ou see +hat I meanDL LNo7 sir7L
relied the other= LI have "een recitin' the sacred Canon7 +h) do )ou not seeDLH1I Thus
/en does not re'ard Scritures in "lac$ and +hite as its Canon7 for it ta$es to@da)s and
tomorro+s of this actual life as its insired a'es=
!= T5$ U4"9 E*-9"#"&1+# +3 &5$ C"#+#=@@4n eminent Chinese Buddhist scholar7 +ell
$no+n as Ten Dai Dai Shi (4=D= 2!8@296)7 arran'ed the +hole reachin's of Sha$)a
(uni in a chronolo'ical order in accordance +ith his o+n reli'ious theor)7 and o"served
that there +ere the <ive 1eriods in the career of the Buddha as a reli'ious teacher= 3e
tried to e&lain a+a) all the discreancies and contradictions7 +ith +hich the Sacred
Boo$s are encum"ered7 ") arran'in' the Sutras in a line of develoment= 3is elucidation
+as so minute and clear7 and his metah)sical reasonin's so acute and cativatin'7 that
his oinion +as universall) acceted as an historical truth7 not merel) ") the Chinese7 "ut
also ") the ?aanese (aha)anists= -e shall "riefl) state here the so@called <ive 1eriods=
Sha$)a (uni attained to Buddhashi in his thirtieth )ear7 and sat motionless for seven
da)s under the Bodhi tree7 a"sor"ed in dee meditation7 en#o)in' the first "liss of his
%nli'htenment= In the second +ee$ he reached his Dharma to the innumera"le multitude
of Bodhisattvas7H2I
H1= /en@rin@rui@sha and To@Ban@ro$u=
2 Bodhisattva is an ima'inar) ersona'e7 or ideal saint7 suerior to 4rhat7 or the hi'hest
saint of 3ina)anism= The term >Bodhisattva> +as first alied to the Buddha "efore his
%nli'htenment7 and after+ards +as adoted ") (aha)anists to mean the adherent of
(aha)anism in contradistinction +ith the Mrava$a or hearers of 3ina)anism=I
celestial "ein's7 and deities in the nine assem"lies held at seven different laces= This is
the ori'in of a famous (aha)ana "oo$ entitled Buddhavatamsa$a@mahavaiul)a@sutra= In
this "oo$ the Buddha set forth his rofound ,a+ #ust as it +as discovered ") his hi'hl)
%nli'htened mind7 +ithout considerin' the mental states of his hearers= Conse0uentl) the
ordinar) hearers (or the Buddha>s immediate disciles) could not understand the doctrine7
and sat stuefied as if the) +ere >deaf and dum"7> +hile the 'reat Bodhisattvas full)
understood and realiBed the doctrine= This is called the first eriod7 +hich lasted onl) t+o
or threeH1I +ee$s=
Thereuon Sha$)a (uni7 havin' discovered that ordinar) "earers +ere too i'norant to
"elieve in the (aha)ana doctrine and areciate the 'reatness of Buddhahood7 thou'ht it
necessar) to modif) his teachin' so as to ad#ust it to the caacit) of ordinar) eole= So
he +ent to *aranasi (or Benares) and reached his modified doctrine@@that is7
3ina)anism= The instruction 'iven at that time has "een handed do+n to us as the four
4'amas7H1I or the four Ni$a)as= This is called the second eriod7 +hich lasted a"out
t+elve )ears= It +as at the "e'innin' of this eriod that the Buddha converted the five
ascetics7H!I +ho "ecame his disciles= (ost of the Mrava$as
H1= Bodhiruci sa)s to the effect that the reachin's in the first five assem"lies +ere made
in the first +ee$7 and the rest +ere delivered in the second +ee$= Na'ar#una sa)s that the
Buddha so$e no +ord for fift)@seven da)s after his %nli'htenment= It is said in
Saddharma@undari$a@sutra that after three +ee$s the Buddha reached at *aranasi7 and
it sa)s nothin' resectin' 4vatamsa$a@sutra= Thou'h there are divers oinions a"out the
Buddha>s first sermon and its date7 all traditions a'ree in this that he sent some time in
meditation7 and then delivered the first sermon to the five ascetics at *aranasi=
2= (1) 4n'uttara7 (2) (a##hima7 (!) Di'ha7 (.) Sam)utta=
!= EondaOOa7 *aa7 Baddi)a7 (ahanana7 4ssa#i=I
or the adherents of 3ina)anism +ere converted durin' this eriod= The) trained their
hearts in accordance +ith the modified ,a+7 learned the four no"le truths7H1I and +or$ed
out their o+n salvation=
The Buddha then havin' found his disciles firml) adherin' to 3ina)anism +ithout
$no+in' that it +as a modified and imerfect doctrine7 he had to lead them u to a hi'her
and erfect doctrine that he mi'ht lead them u to Buddhahood= -ith this o"#ect in vie+
Sha$)a (uni reached *imala$irtti@nirdeKa@sutraH2I7 ,an$avatara@sutra7 and other sutras7
in +hich he comared 3ina)anism +ith (aha)anism7 and descri"ed the latter in 'lo+in'
terms as a dee and erfect ,a+7 +hilst he set forth the former at nau'ht as a suerficial
and imerfect one= Thus he sho+ed his disciles the inferiorit) of 3ina)anism7 and
caused them to desire for (aha)anism= This is said to "e the third eriod7 +hich lasted
some ei'ht )ears=
The disciles of the Buddha no+ understood that (aha)anism +as far suerior to
3ina)anism7 "ut the) thou'ht the hi'her doctrine +as onl) for Bodhisattvas and "e)ond
their understandin'= Therefore the) still adhered to the modified doctrine7 thou'h the) did
no lon'er decr) (aha)anism7 +hich the) had no mind to
H1= The first is the sacred truth of sufferin'J the second the truth of the ori'in of
sufferin'@@that is7 lust and desireJ the third the sacred truth of the e&tinction of sufferin'J
the fourth the sacred truth of the ath that leads to the e&tinction of sufferin'= There are
ei'ht no"le aths that lead to the e&tinction of sufferin'@@that is7 Ri'ht faith7 Ri'ht
resolve7 Ri'ht seech7 Ri'ht action7 Ri'ht livin'7 Ri'ht effort7 Ri'ht thou'ht7 and Ri'ht
meditation=
2 This is one of the most noted (aha)ana "oo$s7 and is said to "e the "est secimen of
the sutras "elon'in' to this eriod= It is in this sutra that most of Sha$)a>s eminent
disciles7 $no+n as the adherents of 3ina)anism7 are astonished +ith the rofound
+isdom7 the elo0uent seech7 and the suernatural o+er of *imala$irtti7 a Bodhisattva7
and confess the inferiorit) of their faith= The author fre0uentl) introduces eisodes in
order to condemn 3ina)anism7 ma$in' use of miracles of his o+n invention=I
ractise= Uon this Sha$)a (uni reached 1ra#Oaaramita@sutrasH1I in the si&teen
assem"lies held at four different laces7 and tau'ht them (aha)anism in detail in order to
cause them to "elieve it and ractise it= Thus the) "ecame a+are that there +as no
definite demarcation "et+een (aha)anism and 3ina)anism7 and that the) mi'ht "ecome
(aha)anists= This is the fourth eriod7 +hich lasted a"out t+ent)@t+o )ears=
No+7 the Buddha7 a'ed sevent)@t+o7 thou'ht it +as hi'h time to reach his lon'@
cherished doctrine that all sentient "ein's can attain to Sureme %nli'htenmentJ so he
reached Saddharma@undari$a@sutra7 in +hich he rohesied +hen and +here his
disciles should "ecome Buddhas= It +as his 'reatest o"#ect to cause all sentient "ein's to
"e %nli'htened and ena"le them to en#o) the "liss of Nirvana= It +as for this that he had
endured 'reat ain and hardshis throu'h his revious e&istences= It +as for this that he
had left his heavenl) a"ode to aear on earth= It +as for this that he had reached from
time to time throu'h his lon' career of fort)@seven )ears= 3avin' thus realiBed his 'reat
aim7 Sha$)a (uni had no+ to reare for his final dearture7 and reached
(ahaarinirvana@sutra in order to sho+ that all the animated and inanimate thin's +ere
endo+ed +ith the same nature as his= 4fter this last instruction he assed to eternit)= This
is called the fifth eriod7 +hich lasted some ei'ht )ears=
These five eriods a"ove mentioned can scarcel) "e called historical in the roer sense
of the term7 )et the) are in'eniousl) invented ") Ten Dai Dai Shi to set the Buddhist
Scritures in the order of doctrinal develoment7 and lace Saddharma@undari$a in the
hi'hest ran$ amon' the (aha)ana "oo$s= 3is ar'ument7 ho+ever do'matic and anti@
historical in no small de'ree7 +ould "e
H1= Na'ar#una>s doctrine deends mainl) on these sutras=I
not a little valua"le for our reader7 +ho +ants to $no+ the 'eneral hase of the Buddhist
Canon7 consistin' of thousands of fascicles=
.= S4&)" 4$% .6 Z$# M"&$)=@@Ten Dai failed to e&lain a+a) the discreancies and
contradictions of +hich the Canon is full7 and often contradicted himself ") the i'norin'
of historicalH1I facts= To sa) nothin' of the stron'
H1= ,et us state our o+n oinion on the su"#ect in 0uestion= The foundation of
3ina)anism consists in the four Ni$a)as7 or four 4'amas7 the most imortant "oo$s of
that school= Besides the four 4'amas7 there e&ist in the Chinese Triita$a numerous
"oo$s translated ") various authors7 some of +hich are e&tracts from 4'amas7 and some
the lives of the Buddha7 +hile others are entirel) different sutras7 aarentl) of later date=
?ud'in' from these sources7 it seems to us that most of Sha$)a (uni>s ori'inal teachin's
are em"odied into the four 4'amas= But it is still a matter of uncertaint) that +hether
the) are stated in 4'amas no+ e&tant #ust as the) +ere7 for the Buddha>s reachin's +ere
rehearsed immediatel) after the Buddha>s death in the first council held at Ra#a'rha7 )et
not consi'ned to +ritin'= The) +ere handed do+n ") memor) a"out one hundred )ears=
Then the mon$s at *aisali committed the so@called Ten Indul'ences7 infrin'in' the rules
of the Order7 and maintained that Sha$)a (uni had not condemned them in his
reachin's= 4s there +ere7 ho+ever7 no +ritten sutras to disrove their assertion7 the
elders7 such as ;aKa7 Revata7 and others7 +ho oosed the Indul'ences7 had to convo$e
the second council of 6:: mon$s7 in +hich the) succeeded in 'ettin' the Indul'ences
condemned7 and rehearsed the Buddha>s instruction for the second time= %ven in this
council of *aisali +e cannot find the fact that the (aster>s reachin's +ere reduced to
+ritin'= The decisions of the 6:: elders +ere not acceted ") the art) of oosition7
+ho held a searate council7 and settled their o+n rules and doctrine= Thus the same
doctrine of the Teacher "e=@an to "e differentl) stated and "elieved=
This "ein' the first oen schism7 one disrution after another too$ lace amon' the
Buddhistic Order= There +ere man) different schools of the Buddhists at the time +hen
Ein' 4Ko$a ascended the throne (a"out 259 B=C=)7 and the atrona'e of the Ein' dre+ a
'reat num"er of a'an ascetics into the Order7 +ho7 thou'h the) dressed themselves in
the )ello+ ro"es7 )et still reserved their reli'ious vie+s in their ori'inal colour= This
naturall) led the Church into continual distur"ances and moral corrution= In the
ei'hteenth )ear of 4Ko$a>s rei'n the Ein' summoned the council of 17::: mon$s at
1ataliutra (1atna)7 and settled the orthodo& doctrine in order to $ee the Dharma ure
from heretical "eliefs= -e "elieve that a"out this time some of the Buddha>s reachin's
+ere reduced to +ritin'7 for the missionaries desatched ") the Ein' in the )ear
follo+in' the council seem to have set out +ith +ritten sutras= In addition to this7 some of
the names of the assa'es of the Dharma are 'iven in the Bhar"ra edict of the Ein'7
+hich +as addressed to the mon$s in (a'adha= -e do not suose7 ho+ever7 that all the
sutras +ere +ritten at once in these da)s7 "ut that the) +ere coied do+n from memor)
one after another at different times7 "ecause some of the sutras +ere ut do+n in Ce)lon
15: )ears after the Council of 1atna=
In the introductor) "oo$ of %$ottara'ama (4n'uttara Ni$a)a)7 no+ e&tant in the Chinese
Triita$a7 +e notice the follo+in' ointsG (1) It is +ritten in a st)le 0uite different from
that of the ori'inal 4'ama7 "ut similar to that of the sulementar) "oo$s of the
(aha)ana sutrasJ (2) it states 4nanda>s comilation of the Triita$a after the death of the
(asterJ (!) it refers to the ast Buddhas7 the future Buddha (aitre)a7 and innumera"le
BodhisattvasJ (.) it raises the rofound doctrine of (aha)anism= <rom this +e infer that
the 4'ama +as ut in the resent form after the rise of the (aha)ana School7 and handed
do+n throu'h the hand of (ahasan'hi$a scholars7 +ho +ere much in s)math) +ith
(aha)anism=
4'ain7 the first "oo$ of Dir'ha'ama7 (Di'ha Ni$a)a)7 that descri"es the line of Buddhas
+ho aeared "efore Sha$)a (uni7 adots the +hole le'end of Aotama>s life as a
common mode of all Buddhas aearin' on earthJ +hile the second "oo$ narrates the
death of Aotama and the distri"ution of his relies7 and refers to 1ataliutra7 the ne+
caital of 4Ko$a= This sho+s us that the resent 4'ama is not of an earlier date than the
third centur) B=C= Sam)u$ta'ama (Sam)utta Ni$a)a) also 'ives a detailed account of
4Ko$a>s conversion7 and of his father Bindusara= <rom these evidences +e ma) safel)
infer that the 3ina)ana sutras +ere ut in the resent shae at different times "et+een the
third centur) B=C= and the first centur) 4=D=
-ith re'ard to the (aha)ana sutras +e have little dou"t a"out their "ein' the +ritin's of
the later Buddhist reformers7 even if the) are ut in the mouth of Sha$)a (uni= The) are
entirel) different from the sutras of 3ina)anism7 and cannot "e ta$en as the reachin's of
one and the same erson= The reader should notice the follo+in' ointsG
(1) <our councils +ere held for the rehearsal of the Triita$a namel)7 the first at
Ra#a'rha7 in the )ear of Sha$)a (uni>s deathJ the second at *aisali7 some 1:: )ears after
the BuddhaJ the third at the time of Ein' 4Ko$a7 a"out 2!2 )ears after the (asterJ the
fourth at the time of Ein' Eanish$a7 the first centur) 4=D= But all these councils +ere
held to comile the 3ina)ana sutras7 and nothin' is $no+n of the rehearsal of the
(aha)ana "oo$s= Some are of oinion that the first council +as held +ithin the
Sattaanni cave7 near Ra#a'rha7 +here the 3ina)ana Triita$a +as rehearsed ") 2::
mon$s7 +hile outside the cave there assem"led a 'reater num"er of mon$s7 +ho +ere not
admitted into the cave7 and rehearsed the (aha)ana Triita$a= This oinion7 ho+ever7 is
"ased on no relia"le source=
(2) The Indian orthodo& Buddhists of old declared that the (aha)ana sutras +ere the
fa"rication of heretics or of the %vil One7 and not the teachin's of the Buddha= In rel) to
this7 the (aha)anists had to rove that the (aha)ana sutras +ere comiled ") the direct
disciles of the (asterJ "ut even Na'ar#una could not vindicate the comilation of the
dou"tful "oo$s7 and said (in (ahara#Oaaramita@Kastra) that the) +ere comiled ")
4nanda and (an#uKri7 +ith m)riads of Bodhisattvas at the outside of the Iron (ountain
Ran'e7 +hich encloses the earth= 4san'a also roved (in (aha)analan$ara@sutra@Kastra)
+ith little success that (aha)anism +as the Buddha>s direct teachin's= Some ma) 0uote
Bodhisattva@'ar"hastha@sutra in favour of the (aha)anaJ "ut it is of no avail7 as the sutra
itself is the +or$ of a later date=
(!) 4lthou'h almost all of the (aha)ana sutras7 e&cetin' 4vatamsa$a@sutra7 treat of
3ina)anism as the imerfect doctrine tau'ht in the first art of the (aster>s career7 )et
not merel) the +hole life of Aotama7 "ut also events +hich occurred after his death are
narrated in the 3ina)ana sutras= This sho+s that the (aha)ana sutras +ere comosed
after the esta"lishment of earl) Buddhism=
(.) The narratives 'iven in the 3ina)ana sutras in reference to Sha$)a (uni seem to "e
"ased on historical facts7 "ut those in the (aha)ana "oo$s are full of +onders and
e&trava'ant miracles far from facts=
(2) The 3ina)ana sutras retain the traces of their havin' "een classified and comiled as
+e see in %$ottara'ama7 +hile (aha)ana "oo$s aear to have "een comosed one after
another ") different authors at different times7 "ecause each of them strives to e&cel
others7 declarin' itself to "e the sutra of the hi'hest doctrine7 as +e see in Saddharma@
undari$a7 Samdhinirmocana7 Suvarnara"hasottamara#a7 etc=
(5) The dialo'ues in the 3ina)ana sutras are in 'eneral those "et+een the Buddha and his
disciles7 +hile in the (aha)ana "oo$s ima'inar) "ein's called Bodhisattvas ta$e the
lace of disciles= (oreover7 in some "oo$s no mon$s are mentioned=
(6) (ost of the (aha)ana sutras declare that the) themselves ossess those m)stic
o+ers that rotect the reader or the o+ner from such evils as eidemic7 famine7 +ar7
etc=J "ut the 3ina)ana sutras are ure from such "eliefs=
(8) The (aha)ana sutras e&tol not onl) the merits of the readin'7 "ut the co)in' of the
sutras= This unfailin'l) sho+s the fact that the) +ere not handed do+n ") memor)7 as the
3ina)ana sutras7 "ut +ritten ") their resective authors=
(9) The 3ina)ana sutras +ere +ritten +ith a lain st)le in 1ali7 +hile the (aha)ana
"oo$s7 +ith "rilliant hraseolo')7 in Sans$rit=
(1:) The Buddha in the 3ina)ana sutras is little more than a human "ein'7 +hile Buddha
or Tatha'ata in the (aha)ana is a suerhuman "ein' or Areat Deit)=
(11) The moral recets of the 3ina)ana +ere laid do+n ") the (aster ever) time +hen
his disciles acted indecentl)7 +hile those of the (aha)ana "oo$s +ere so$en all at
once ") Tatha'ata=
(12) Some (aha)ana sutras aear to "e the e&a''eration or modification of +hat +as
stated in the 3ina)ana "oo$s7 as +e see in (ahaarinirvana@sutra=
(1!) If +e ta$e "oth the 3ina)ana and the (aha)ana as so$en ") one and the same
erson7 +e cannot understand +h) there are so man) contradictor) statements7 as +e see
in the follo+in'G
(a) Historical Contradictions=@@<or instance7 3ina)ana sutras are held to "e the first
sermon of the Buddha ") the author of Saddharma@undari$a7 +hile 4vatamsa$a declares
itself to "e the first sermon= Na'ar#una holds that 1ra#Oa sutras are the first=
(") Contradictions as to the Person of the Master=@@<or instance7 4'amas sa) the
Buddha>s "od) +as mar$ed +ith thirt)@t+o eculiarities7 +hile the (aha)ana "oo$s
enumerate ninet)@seven eculiarities7 or even innumera"le mar$s=
(c) octrinal Contradictions=@@<or instance7 the 3ina)ana sutras ut forth the essimistic7
nihilistic vie+ of life7 +hile the (aha)ana "oo$s7 as a rule7 e&ress the otimistic7
idealistic vie+=
(1.) The 3ina)ana sutras sa) nothin' of the (aha)ana "oo$s7 +hile the latter al+a)s
comare their doctrine +ith that of the former7 and sea$ of it in contemt= It is clear that
the name >3ina)ana> +as coined ") the (aha)anists7 as there is no sutra +hich calls itself
>3ina)ana=> It is therefore evident that +hen the 3ina)ana "oo$s too$ the resent shae
there aeared no (aha)ana sutras=
(12) The authors of the (aha)ana sutras should have e&ected the oosition of the
3ina)anists7 "ecause the) sa) not seldom that there mi'ht "e some +ho +ould= not
"elieve in and oose (aha)anism as not "ein' the Buddha>s teachin'7 "ut that of the
%vil One= The) sa) also that one +ho +ould venture to sa) the (aha)ana "oo$s are
fictitious should fall into 3ell= <or e&amle7 the author of (ahaarinirvana@sutra sa)sG
L-ic$ed Bhi$sus +ould sa) all *aiul)a (aha)ana sutras are not so$en ") the Buddha7
"ut ") the %vil One=L
(15) There are evidences sho+in' that the (aha)ana doctrine +as develoed out of the
3ina)ana one=
(a) The (aha)anists> 'rand concetion of Tatha'ata is the natural develoment of that of
those ro'ressive 3ina)anists +ho "elon'ed to the (ahasam'hi$a School7 +hich +as
formed some one hundred )ears after the (aster= These 3ina)anists maintained that the
Buddha had infinite o+er7 endless life7 and limitlessl) 'reat "od)= The author of
(ahaarinirvana@sutra also sa)s that Buddha is immortal7 his Dharma@$a)a is infinite and
eternal= The authors of (aha)ana@mula'ata@hrda)a"humi@dh)ana@sutra and of
Suvarnara"ha@sottamara#a@sutra enumerate the Three Bodies of Buddha7 +hile the +riter
of ,an$avatara@sutra descri"es the <our Bodies7 and that of 4vatamsa$a@sutra the Ten
Bodies of Tatha'ata=
(") 4ccordin' to the 3ina)ana sutras7 there are onl) four sta'es of saintshi7 "ut the
(ahasam'hi$a School increases the num"er and 'ives ten stes= Some (aha)ana sutras
also enumerate the ten sta'es of Bodhisattva7 +hile others 'ive fort)@one or fift) t+o
sta'es=
(c) The 3ima)ana sutras name si& ast Buddhas and one future Buddha (aitre)a7 +hile
the (aha)ana sutras name thirt)@five7 fift)@three7 or three thousand Buddhas=
(d) The 3ina)ana sutras 'ive the names of si& *i#Oanas7 +hile the (aha)ana "oo$s
seven7 ei'ht7 or nine *i#Oanas=
(16) <or a fe+ centuries after the Buddha +e hear onl) of 3ina)anism7 "ut not of
(aha)anism7 there "ein' no (aha)ana teacher=
(18) In some (aha)ana sutras ((ahavairocana"hisam"odhi@sutra7 for e&amle)
Tatha'ata *airocana ta$es the lace of Aotama7 and nothin' is said of the latter=
(19) The contents of the (aha)ana sutras often rove that the) +ere7 comosed7 or
re+ritten7 or some additions +ere made7 lon' after the Buddha= <or instance7 (ahama)a@
sutra sa)s that 4Kva'hosa +ould refute heretical doctrines 5:: )ears after the (aster7 and
Na'ar#una +ould advocate the Dharma 6:: )ears after Aotama7 +hile ,an$avatara@sutra
rohesies that Na'ar#una +ould aear in South India=
(2:) The author of San@ron@'en@'i tells us (ahadeva7 a leader of the (ahasam'hi$a
School7 used (aha)ana sutras7 to'ether +ith the orthodo& Triita$a 115 after the
Buddha= It is7 ho+ever7 dou"tful that the) e&isted at so earl) a date=
(21) (ahara#Oaaramita@Kastra7 ascri"ed to Na'ar#una7 refers to man) (aha)ana "oo$s7
+hich include Saddharma@undari$a7 *imala$irtti@nirdeKa7 Su$havati@v)uha7
(ahara#Oaaramita7 1rat)utanna@"uddhasammu$havasthita@samadhi7 etc= 3e 0uotes in
his DaKa"humivi"hasa Kastra7 (ahaarinirvana7 DaKa"humi7 etc=
(22) Sthiramati7 +hose date is said to "e earlier than Na'ar#una and later than 4Kva'hosa7
tries to rove that (aha)anism +as directl) tau'ht ") the (aster in his
(aha)anavatara$a@Kastra= 4nd (aha)anottaratantra@Kastra7 +hich is ascri"ed ") some
scholars to him7 refers to 4vatamsa$a7 *a#racchedi$$a@ra#Oaaramita7
Saddharmaundari$a7 Crimala@devi@simhananda7 etc=
(2!) Chi@leu@cia@chin7 +ho came to China in 4=D= 1.6 or 4=D= 15.7 translated some art
of (aha)ana "oo$s $no+n as (aharatna$uta@sutra and (ahavaiul)a@mahasanniata@
sutra=
(2.) 4n@shi@$ao7 +ho came to China in 4=D= 1.87 translated such (aha)ana "oo$s as
Su$havati@v)aha7 Candra@dia@samadhi7 etc=
(22) (atan'a7 +ho came to China in 4=D= 567 is said ") his "io'raher to have "een
informed of "oth (aha)anism and 3ina)anism to have 'iven interretations to a noted
(aha)ana "oo$7 entitled Suvarnara"hasa=
(25) Sandhinirmocana@sutra is suosed to "e a +or$ of 4san'a not +ithout reason7
"ecause 4san'a>s doctrine is identical +ith that of the sutra7 and the sutra itself is
contained in the latter art of ;o'aKar)a"humi@Kastra= The author divides the +hole
reachin's of the (aster into the three eriods that he mi'ht lace the Idealistic doctrine
in the hi'hest ran$ of the (aha)ana schools=
(26) -e have ever) reason to "elieve that (aha)ana sutras "e'an to aear (erhas
1ra#Oa sutras "ein' the first) earl) in the first centur) 4=D=7 that most of the imortant
"oo$s aeared "efore Na'ar#una7 and that some of (antra sutras +ere comosed so late
as the time of *a#ra"odhi7 +ho came to China in 4=D= 619=I
oosition raised ") the ?aanese scholars7H1I such an assumtion can "e met +ith an
assumtion of entirel) oosite nature7 and the difficulties can never "e overcome= <or
/en masters7 therefore7 these assumtions and reasonin's are mere 0ui""les un+orth) of
their attention=
H1= The foremost of them +as Chu$i Tomina'a (16..)7 of +hose life little is $no+n= 3e
is said to have "een a nameless merchant at Osa$a= 3is Shutsu@#o@$o@'o is the first 'reat
+or$ of hi'her criticism on the Buddhist Scritures=I
To "elieve "lindl) in the Scritures is one thin'7 and to "e ious is another= 3o+ often
the childish vie+s of Creation and of Aod in the Scritures concealed the li'ht of
scientific truthsJ ho+ often the "lind "elievers of them fettered the ro'ress of
civiliBationJ ho+ often reli'ious men revented us from the realiBin' of a ne+ truth7
siml) "ecause it is a'ainst the ancient fol$@lore in the Bi"le= Nothin' is more a"surd
than the constant dread in +hich reli'ious men7 declarin' to +orshi Aod in truth and in
sirit7 are $et at the scientific discover) of ne+ facts incomati"le +ith the fol$@lore=
Nothin' is more irreli'ious than to ersecute the see$ers of truth in order to $ee u
a"surdities and suerstitions of ")'one a'es= Nothin' is more inhuman than the
commission of >devout cruelt)> under the mas$ of love of Aod and man= Is it not the
misfortune7 not onl) of Christianit)7 "ut of +hole man$ind7 to have the Bi"le encum"ered
+ith le'endar) histories7 stories of miracles7 and a crude cosmolo')7 +hich from time to
time come in conflict +ith scienceD
The Buddhist Scritures are also overloaded +ith Indian suerstitions and a crude
cosmolo')7 +hich ass under the name of Buddhism= 4ccordin'l)7 Buddhist scholars
have confused not seldom the doctrine of the Buddha +ith these a"surdities7 and thou'ht
it imious to a"andon them= Eaise$i7H1I for instance7 +as at a loss to distin'uish
Buddhism from the Indian astronom)7 +hich is utterl) untena"le in the face of the fact=
3e ta&ed his reason to the utmost to demonstrate the Indian theor) and at the same time
to refute the Coernican theor)= One da) he called on ;e$i@doH2I a contemorar) /en
master7 and e&lained the construction of the Three -orlds as descri"ed in the Scritures7
Ba)in' that Buddhism +ould come to nau'ht if the theor) of the Three -orlds "e
overthro+n ") the Coernican= Then ;e$i@do e&claimedG LBuddhism aims to destro) the
Three -orlds and to esta"lish Buddha>s 3ol) Ein'dom throu'hout
H1= 4 learned ?aanese Buddhist scholar7 +ho died in 1882=
2= 4 famous /en master7 the a""ot of the So@#i@#i (onaster)7 +ho died in 1869=I
the universe= -h) do )ou +aste )our ener') in the construction of the Three -orldsD>H1I
In this +a) /en does not trou"le itself a"out unessentials of the Scritures7 on +hich it
never deends for its authorit)= Do@'en7 the founder of the ?aanese So To Sect7 severel)
condemns (in his Sho@"o@'en@Bo) the notions of the imurit) of +omen inculcated in the
Scritures= 3e oenl) attac$s those Chinese mon$s +ho s+ore that the) +ould not see
an) +oman7 and ridicules those +ho laid do+n rules rohi"itin' +omen from 'ettin'
access to monasteries= 4 /en master +as as$ed ") a Samurai +hether there +as hell in
sooth as tau'ht in the Scritures= LI must as$ )ou7L relied he7 L"efore I 'ive )ou an
ans+er= <or +hat urose is )our 0uestionD -hat "usiness have )ou7 a Samurai7 +ith a
thin' of that sortD -h) do )ou "other )ourself a"out such an idle 0uestionD Surel) )ou
ne'lect )our dut) and are en'a'ed in such a fruitless research= Does this not amount to
)our stealin' the annual salar) from )our lordDL The Samurai7 offended not a little +ith
these re"u$es7 stared at the master7 read) to dra+ his s+ord at another insult= Then the
teacher said smilin'l)G LNo+ )ou are in 3ell= Don>t )ou seeDL
Does7 then7 /en use no scritureD To this 0uestion +e ans+er "oth affirmativel) and
ne'ativel)G ne'ativel)7 "ecause /en re'ards all sutras as a sort of ictured food +hich has
no o+er of aeasin' siritual hun'erJ affirmativel)7 "ecause it freel) ma$es use of
them irresective of (aha)ana or 3ina)ana= /en +ould not ma$e a "onfire of the
Scritures as Calih Omar did of the 4le&andrian li"rar)= 4 /en master7 havin' seen a
Confucianist "urnin' his "oo$s on the thou'ht that the) +ere rather a hindrance to his
siritual 'ro+th7 o"servedG L;ou had "etter "urn )our "oo$s in mind and heart7 "ut not
the "oo$s in "lac$ and +hite=LH2I
H1= Ein@sei@Ben@rin@'en@$o@ro$u=
2= U$i)o@soshi=I
4s even deadl) oison roves to "e medicine in the "and of a 'ood doctor7 so a heterodo&
doctrine anta'onistic to Buddhism is used ") the /en teachers as a fin'er ointin' to the
rincile of /en= But the) as a rule resorted to ,an$avatara@sutra7H1I *a#racchedi$a@
ra#Oa@aramita@sutra7H2I *imala$irtti@nirdeKa@sutraH!I (ahavaiul)a@urna"uddha@
sutraH.I (a"a"uddhosnisa@tatha'ata@'uh)ahetu@sa$sat$rta@rasannatha@
sarva"hodhisattvacar)a@suran'ama@sutra7H2I (ahaari@nirvana@sutra7H5I Saddharma@
undari$a@sutra7 4vatamsa$a@sutra7 and so forth=
2= A S4&)" E>4"9 1# S1?$ &+ &5$ 75+9$ 7+)9%=@The hol) +rit that /en masters admire is
not one of archment nor of alm@leaves7 nor in "lac$ and +hite7 "ut one +ritten in heart
and mind= On one occasion a Ein' of %astern India invited the venera"le 1ra#Oatara7 the
teacher of Bodhidharma7 and his disciles to dinner at his o+n alace=
H1= This "oo$ is the nearest aroach to the doctrine of /en7 and is said to have "een
ointed out ") Bodhidharma as the "est "oo$ for the use of his follo+ers= See Nan#o>s
Catalo'ue7 Nos= 1627 1651 166=
2= The author of the sutra insists on the unrealit) of all thin's= The "oo$ +as first used ")
the <ifth 1atriarch7 as +e have seen in the first chater= See Nan#o>s Catalo'ue7 Nos= 1:7
117 127 1!7 1.7 12=
!= The sutra a'rees +ith /en in man) resects7 eseciall) in its maintainin' that the
hi'hest truth can onl) "e realiBed in mind7 and cannot "e e&ressed ") +ord of mouth=
See Nan#o>s Catalo'ue7 Nos= 1..7 1.27 1.57 1.67 1.87 1.9=
.= The sutra +as translated into Chinese ") Buddhatrata in the seventh centur)= The
author treats at len'th of Samadhi7 and sets forth a doctrine similar to /en7 so that the te&t
+as used ") man) Chinese /enists= See Nan#o>s Catalo'ue7 Nos= .26 and 1529=
2= The sutra +as translated into Chinese ") 1aramiti and (i$aKa$)a7 of the Tan' d)nast)
(518@9:6)= The author conceives= Realit) as (ind or Sirit= The "oo$ "elon's to the
(antra class7 althou'h it is much used ") /enists= See Nan#o>s Catalo'ue7 No= ..5=
5= The author of the "oo$ sets forth his o+n concetion of Nirvana and of Buddha7 and
maintains that all "ein's are endo+ed +ith Buddha@nature= 3e also 'ives in detail an
incredi"le account a"out Aotama>s death=I
<indin' all the mon$s recitin' the sacred sutras +ith the sin'le e&cetion of the master7
the Rin' 0uestioned 1ra#OataraG L-h) do )ou not7 reverend sir7 recite the Scritures as
others doDL L() oor self7 )our ma#est)7L relied he7 Ldoes not 'o out to the o"#ects of
sense in m) e&iration nor is it confined +ithin "od) and mind in m) insiration= Thus I
constantl) recite hundreds7 thousands7 and millions of sacred sutras=L In li$e manner the
%meror -u7 of the ,ian' d)nast)7 once re0uested Ch+en 3ih (<u Dai@shi) to 'ive a
lecture on the Scritures= Ch+en +ent uon the latform7 struc$ the des$ +ith a "loc$ of
+ood7 and came do+n= 1ao Chi (3o@shi)7 a Buddhist tutor to the %meror7 as$ed the
erle&ed monarchG LDoes )our ,ordshi understand himDL LNo7L ans+ered 3is (a#est)=
LThe lecture of the Areat Teacher is over=L 4s it is clear to )ou from these e&amles7 /en
holds that the faith must "e "ased not on the dead Scritures7 "ut on livin' facts7 that one
must turn over not the 'ilt a'es of the hol) +rit7 "ut read "et+een the lines in the hol)
a'es of dail) life7 that Buddha must "e ra)ed not ") +ord of mouth7 "ut ") actual deed
and +or$7 and that one must slit oen7 as the author of 4vatamsa$a@sutra alle'oricall)
tells us7 the smallest 'rain of dirt to find therein a sutra e0ual in siBe to the +hole +orld=
LThe so@called sutra7L sa)s Do@'en7 Lcovers the +hole universe= It transcends time and
sace= It is +ritten +ith the characters of heaven7 of man7 of "easts7 of 4suras7HlI of
hundreds of 'rass7 and of thousands of trees= There are characters7 some lon'7 some short7
some round7 some s0uare7 some "lue7 some red7 some )ello+7 and some +hite@in short7
all the henomena in the universe are the characters +ith +hich the sutra is +ritten=L
Sha$)a (uni read that sutra throu'h the "ri'ht star illuminatin' the "road e&anse of the
mornin' s$ies7 +hen he sat in
H1= The name of a demon=I
meditation under the Bodhi Tree= ,in' ;un (Rei@un) read it throu'h the lovel) flo+ers of
a each@tree in srin' after some t+ent) )ears of his research for ,i'ht7 and saidG
L4 score of )ears I loo$ed for ,i'htG
There came and +ent man) a srin' and fall=
%>er since the each "lossoms came in m) si'ht7
I never dou"t an)thin' at all=L
3ian ;en (E)o@'en) read it throu'h the noise of "am"oo7 at +hich he thre+ e""les= Su
Shih (So@sho$u) read it throu'h a +aterfall7 one evenin'7 and saidG
LThe "roo$ sea$s forth the Tatha'ata>s +ords divine7
The hills reveal 3is 'lorious forms that shine=L
5= G)$"& M$# "#% N"&4)$=@@4ll 'reat men7 +hether the) "e oets or scientists or
reli'ious men or hilosohers7 are not mere readers of "oo$s7 "ut the erusers of Nature=
(en of erudition are often le&icons in flesh and "lood7 "ut men of 'enius read "et+een
the lines in the a'es of life= Eant7 a man of no 'reat erudition7 could accomlish in the
theor) of $no+led'e +hat Coernicus did in astronom)= Ne+ton found the la+ of
'ravitation not in a +ritten a'e7 "ut in a fallin' ale= Unlettered ?esus realiBed truth
"e)ond the comrehension of man) learned doctors= Charles Dar+in7 +hose theor)
chan'ed the +hole current of the +orld>s thou'ht7 +as not a 'reat reader of "oo$s7 "ut a
careful o"server of facts= Sha$eseare7 the 'reatest of oets7 +as the 'reatest reader of
Nature and life= 3e could hear the music even of heavenl) "odies7 and saidG
LThere>s not the smallest or" +hich thou "eholdest7
But in his motion li$e an an'el sin's=L
Ch+an' TsB (So@shi)7 the 'reatest of Chinese hilosohers7 sa)sG Thou $no+est the
music of men7 "ut not the music
H1= Ch+an' TsB7 vol= i=7 = 1:=I
of the earth= Thou $no+est the music of the earth7 "ut not the music of the heaven=L
Aoethe7 erceivin' a rofound meanin' in Nature7 sa)sG L<lo+ers are the "eautiful
hiero'l)hics of Nature +ith +hich she indicates ho+ much she loves us=L Son@to$uH1I
(Ninomi)a)7 a 'reat economist7 +ho7 overcomin' all difficulties and hardshis ") +hich
he +as "eset from his childhood7 educated himself7 sa)sG LThe earth and the heaven utter
no +ord7 "ut the) ceaselessl) reeat the hol) "oo$ un+ritten=L
6= T5$ A.+94&$ "#% R$"91&6 ")$ .4& "# A.&)"!&1+#=@@4 'rain of sand )ou7 tramle
uon has a deeer si'nificance than a series of lectures ") )our ver"al hilosoher +hom
)ou resect= It contains +ithin itself the +hole histor) of the earthJ it tells )ou +hat it has
seen since the da+n of timeJ +hile )our hilosoher siml) la)s on a"stract terms and
emt) +ords= -hat does his 4"solute7 or One7 or Su"stance meanD -hat does his
Realit) or Truth iml)D Do the) denote or connote an)thin'D (ere nameP mere
a"stractionP One school of hilosoh) after another has "een esta"lished on lo'ical
su"tletiesJ thousands of "oo$s have "een +ritten on these 'rand names and fair mira'es7
+hich vanish the moment that )our hand of e&erience reaches after them=
LDu$e 3+an7L sa)s Ch+an' TsB7H2ILseated a"ove in his hall7 +asL(once) readin' a "oo$7
and a +heel+ri'ht7 1hien7 +as ma$in' a +heel "elo+ it= ,a)in' aside his hammer and
chisel7 1hien +ent u the stes and saidG >I venture to as$ )our Arace +hat +ords )ou are
readin'D> The du$e saidG >The +ords of sa'es=> >4re these sa'es aliveD> 1hien continued=
>The) are dead7> +as the rel)= >Then7 said the other7 >+hat )ou7 m) Ruler7 are readin' is
onl) the dre's and sediments of those old men=> The du$e saidG
H1= One of the 'reatest self@made men in ?aan7 +ho lived 1686@1825=
2= Ch+an' TsB7 vol= ii=7 = 2.=I
>3o+ should )ou7 a +heel+ri'ht7 have an)thin' to sa) a"out the "oo$ +hich I am
readin'D If )ou can e&lain )ourself7 ver) +ellJ if )ou cannot7 )ou shall die=> The
+heel+ri'ht saidG >;our servant +ill loo$ at the thin' from the oint of vie+ of his o+n
art= In ma$in' a +heel7 if I roceed 'entl)7 that is leasant enou'h7 "ut the +or$manshi
is not stron'J if I roceed violentl)7 that is toilsome and the #oinin's do not fit= If the
movements of m) "and are neither (too) 'entle nor (too) violent7 the idea in m) mind is
realiBed= But I cannot tell (ho+ to do this) ") +ord of mouthJ there is a $nac$ in it= I
cannot teach the $nac$ to m) son7 nor can m) son learn it from me= Thus it is that I am in
m) seventieth )ear7 and am (still) ma$in' +heels in m) old a'e= But these ancients7 and
+hat it +as not ossi"le for them to conve)7 are dead and 'one= So then +hat )ou7 m)
Ruler7 are readin' is "ut their dre's and sediments=L> /en has no "usiness +ith the dre's
and sediments of sa'es of )ore=
8= T5$ S$),+# +3 &5$ I#"#1,"&$=@@The Scriture of /en is +ritten +ith facts simle and
familiar7 so simle and familiar +ith ever)da) life that the) escae o"servation on that
ver) account= The sun rises in the east= The moon sets in the +est= 3i'h is the mountain=
Dee is the sea= srin' comes +ith flo+ersJ summer +ith the cool "reeBeJ autumn +ith
the "ri'ht moonJ +inter +ith the fa$es of sno+= These thin's7 erhas too simle and too
familiar for ordinar) o"servers to a) attention to7 have had rofound si'nificance for
/en= ,i N'ao (Ri@$o) one da) as$ed ;oh Shan (;a$u@san)G L-hat is the +a) to truthDL
;oh Shan7 ointin' to the s$) and then to the itcher "eside him7 saidG L;ou seeDL LNo7
sir7L relied ,i N'ao= LThe cloud is in the s$)7L said ;oh Shan7 Land the +ater in the
itcher=L 3Cen Sha (Aen@sha) one da) +ent uon the latform and +as read) to deliver a
sermon +hen he heard a s+allo+ sin'in'= L,isten7L said he7 Lthat small "ird reaches the
essential doctrine and roclaims the eternal truth=L Then he +ent "ac$ to his room7 'ivin'
no sermon=H1I
The letters of the alha"et7 a7 "7 c7 etc=7 have no meanin' +hatever= The) are "ut artificial
si'ns7 "ut +hen selt the) can e&ress an) 'reat idea that 'reat thin$ers ma) form= Trees7
'rass7 mountains7 rivers7 stars7 moons7 suns= These are the alha"ets +ith +hich the /en
Scriture is +ritten= %ven a7 "7 c7 etc=7 +hen selt7 can e&ress an) 'reat idea= -h) not7
then7 these trees7 'rass7 etc=7 the alha"ets of Nature +hen the) comose the *olume of
the UniverseD %ven the meanest clod of earth roclaims the sacred la+=
3+ui Chun'H2I (%@chu) is said first to have 'iven an e&ression to the Sermon of the
Inanimate= LDo the inanimate reach the DoctrineDL as$ed a mon$ of 3+ui Chun' on one
occasion= L;es7 the) reach elo0uentl) and incessantl)= There is no ause in their
orations7L +as the rel)= L-h)7 then7 do I not hear themDL as$ed the other a'ain= L%ven if
)ou do not7 there are man) others +ho can hear them=L L-ho can hear themDL L4ll the
sa'es hear and understand them7L said 3+ui Chun'= Thus the Sermon of the Inanimate
had "een a favourite toic of discussion 9:: )ears "efore Sha$eseare +ho e&ressed the
similar idea7 sa)in'G
L4nd this our life7 e&emt from u"lic haunt7
<inds ton'ues in trees7 "oo$s in the runnin' "roo$s7
Sermons in stones7 and 'ood in ever)thin'=L
L3o+ +onderful is the Sermon of the Inanimate7L sa)s TCn' Shan (To@Ban)= L;ou cannot
hear it throu'h )our ears7 "ut )ou can hear it throu'h )our e)es=L ;ou should hear it
throu'h )our mind>s e)es7 throu'h )our heart>s e)es7 throu'h )our inmost soul>s e)es7 not
throu'h )our
H1= Den@to@ro$u and %@'en=
2 4 direct discile of the Si&th 1atriarch=I
intellect7 not throu'h )our ercetion7 not throu'h )our $no+led'e7 not throu'h )our
lo'ic7 not throu'h )our metah)sics= To understand it )ou have to divine7 not to defineJ
)ou have to o"serve7 not to calculateJ )ou have to s)mathiBe7 not to anal)BeJ )ou have to
see throu'h7 not to criticiBeJ )ou have not to e&lain7 "ut to feelJ )ou have not to a"stract7
"ut to 'rasJ )ou have to see all in each7 "ut not to $no+ all in allJ )ou have to 'et
directl) at the soul of thin's7 enetratin' their hard crust of matter ") )our ra)s of the
innermost consciousness= LThe fallin' leaves as +ell as the "loomin' flo+ers reveal to us
the hol) la+ of Buddha7L sa)s a ?aanese /enist=
;e +ho see$ for urit) and eace7 'o to Nature= She +ill 'ive )ou more than )e as$= ;e
+ho lon' for stren'th and erseverance7 'o to Nature= She +ill train and stren'then )ou=
;e +ho asire after an ideal7 'o to Nature= She +ill hel )ou in its realiBation= ;e +ho
)earn after %nli'htenment7 'o to Nature= She +ill never fail to 'rant )our re0uest=
Ne&tG Chater I*G Buddha7 The Universal Sirit
Sacred Te&ts Buddhism Inde& 1revious Ne&t
CHAPTER IV
BUDDHA, THE UNIVERSAL SPIRIT
1= T5$ A#!1$#& B4%%51& P"#&5$+#=@@The ancient Buddhist antheon +as full of deities
or Buddhas7 !7:::H1I in num"er7 or rather countless7 and also of Bodhisattvas no less than
Buddhas= No+ada)s7 ho+ever7 in ever) church of (aha)anism one Buddha or another
to'ether +ith some Bodhisattvas rei'ns sureme as the sole o"#ect of +orshi7 +hile
other suernatural "ein's sin$ in o"livion= These %nli'htened Bein's7 re'ardless of their
ositions in the antheon7 +ere 'enerall) re'arded as ersons +ho in their ast lives
cultivated virtues7 under+ent austerities7 and various sorts of enance7 and at len'th
attained to a comlete %nli'htenment7 ") virtue of +hich the) secured not onl) eace and
eternal "liss7 "ut ac0uired divers suernatural o+ers7 such as clairvo)ance7
clairaudience7 all@$no+led'e7 and +hat not= Therefore7 it is natural that some
(aha)anistsH2I came to "elieve that7 if the) should 'o throu'h the same course of
disciline and stud)7 the) could attain to the same %nli'htenment and Bliss7 or the same
Buddhahood7 +hile other (aha)anistsH!I came to "elieve in the doctrine that the "eliever
is saved
H1= Tri$ala@trisahasra@"uddhanrama@sutra 'ives the names of !7::: Buddhas7 and
Buddha"hisita@"uddhanama@sutra enumerates Buddhas and Bodhisattvas 117:9! in
num"er= See Nan#o>s Catalo'ue7 Nos= .:.7 .:27 .:57 .:6=
2= Those +ho "elieve in the doctrine of 3ol) 1ath= See >4 3istor) of the T+elve ?aanese
Buddhist Sects7> = 1:9@111=
!= Those +ho "elieve in the doctrine of the 1ure ,and=I
and led u to the eternal state of "liss7 +ithout under'oin' these hard discilines7 ") the
o+er of a Buddha $no+n as havin' "oundless merc) and fathomless +isdom +hom he
invo$es=
2= Z$# 1 I!+#+!9"&1!=@@<or the follo+ers of Bodhidharma7 ho+ever7 this concetion of
Buddha seemed too crude to "e acceted unhesitatin'l) and the doctrine too much
irrelevant +ith and uncon'enial to actual life= Since /en denounced7 as +e have seen in
the revious chater7 the scritural authorit)7 it is 0uite reasona"le to have 'iven u this
vie+ of Buddha inculcated in the (aha)ana sutras7 and to set at nau'ht those statues and
ima'es of suernatural "ein's $et in veneration ") the orthodo& Buddhists= Tan 3ia
(Tan@$a)7 a noted Chinese /en master7 +as found +armin' himself on a cold mornin' ")
the fire made of a +ooden statue of Buddha= On another occasion he +as found mountin'
astride the statue of a saint= Chao Chen (?o@shu) one da) haened to find -an' ;uen
(Bun@)en) +orshiin' the Buddha in the temle7 and forth+ith struc$ him +ith his staff=
LIs there not an)thin' 'ood in the +orshiin' of the BuddhaDL rotested -an' ;uen=
Then the master saidG LNothin' is "etter than an)thin' 'ood=LH1I These e&amles full)
illustrate /en>s attitude to+ards the o"#ects of Buddhist +orshi= /en is not7 nevertheless7
iconoclastic in the commonl) acceted sense of the term7 nor is it idolatrous7 as Christian
missionaries are at to suose=
/en is more iconoclastic than an) of the Christian or the (ohammedan denominations in
the sense that it ooses the accetance of the etrified idea of Deit)7 so conventional and
formal that it carries no inner conviction of the "elievers= <aith dies out +henever one
comes to stic$ to one>s fi&ed and immuta"le idea of Deit)7 and to deceive
H1= /en@rin@rui@shu=I
oneself7 ta$in' "i'otr) for 'enuine faith= <aith must "e livin' and 'ro+in'7 and the livin'
and 'ro+in' faith should assume no fi&ed form= It mi'ht seem for a suerficial o"server
to ta$e a fi&ed form7 as a runnin' river aears constant7 thou'h it 'oes throu'h ceaseless
chan'es= The dead faith7 immuta"le and conventional7 ma$es its em"racer aear
reli'ious and resecta"le7 +hile it arrests his siritual 'ro+th= It mi'ht 'ive its o+ner
comfort and ride7 )et it at "ottom roves to "e fetters to his moral uliftin'= It is on this
account that /en declaresG LBuddha is nothin' "ut siritual chain or moral fetters7L and7
LIf )ou remem"er even a name of Buddha7 it +ould derive )ou of urit) of heart=L The
conventional or orthodo& idea of Buddha or Deit) mi'ht seem smooth and fair7 li$e a
'old chain7 "ein' olished and hammered throu'h 'enerations ") reli'ious 'oldsmithsJ
"ut it has too much fi&it) and fri'idit) to "e +orn ") us=
LStri$e off th) fetters7 "onds that "ind thee do+n
Of shinin' 'old or dar$er7 "aser oreJ
Q Q Q Q Q
Eno+ slave is slave caressed or +hied7 not freeJ
<or fetters tho> of 'old7 are not less stron' to "ind=L
The Song of the Sannyasin=
!= B4%%5" 1 U##",".9$=@@Aive a definite name to Deit)7 3e +ould "e no more than
+hat the name imlies= The Deit) under the name of Brahman necessaril) differs from
the Bein' under the aellation of ?ehovah7 #ust as the 3indu differs from the ?e+= In li$e
manner the Bein' desi'nated ") Aod necessaril) differs from One named 4mita"ha or
from 3im entitled 4llah= To 'ive a name to the Deit) is to 'ive 3im tradition7 nationalit)7
limitation7 and fi&it)7 and it never "rin's us nearer to 3im= /en>s o"#ect of +orshi cannot
"e named and determined as Aod7 or Brahman7 or 4mita"ha7 or Creator7 or Nature7 or
Realit)7 or Su"stance7 or the li$e= Neither Chinese nor ?aanese masters of /en tried to
'ive a definite name to their o"#ect of adoration= The) no+ called 3im That One7 no+
This One7 no+ (ind7 no+ Buddha7 no+ Tatha'ata7 no+ Certain Thin'7 no+ the True7
no+ Dharma@nature7 no+ Buddha@nature7 and so forth= TCn' ShanH1I (To@Ban) on a
certain occasion declared it to "e L4 Certain Thin' that illars heaven a"ove and suorts
the earth "elo+J dar$ as lac0uer and undefina"leJ manifestin' itself throu'h its activities7
)et not +holl) comrisa"le +ithin them=L So@$eiH2I e&ressed it in the same +iseG LThere
e&ists a Certain Thin'7 "ri'ht as a mirror7 siritual as a mind7 not su"#ected to 'ro+th nor
to deca)=L 3Cen Sha (Aen@sha) comarin' it +ith a 'em sa)sG LThere e&ists a "ri'ht 'em
illuminatin' throu'h the +orlds in ten directions ") its li'ht=LH!I
This certain thin' or "ein' is too su"lime to "e named after a traditional or a national
deit)7 too siritual to "e s)m"oliBed ") human art7 too full of life to "e formulated in
terms of mechanical science7 too free to "e rationaliBed ") intellectual hilosoh)7 too
universal to "e erceived ") "odil) sensesJ "ut ever)"od) can feel its irresisti"le o+er7
see its invisi"le resence7 and touch its heart and soul +ithin himself= LThis m)sterious
(ind7L sa)s E+ei <un' (Eei@ho)7 Lis hi'her than the hi'hest7 deeer than the deeest7
limitless in all directions= There is no centre in it= No distinction of east and +est7 and
a"ove and "elo+= Is it emt)D ;es7 "ut not emt) li$e sace= 3as it a formD ;es7 "ut has
no form deendent on another for its e&istence= Is it intelli'entD ;es7 "ut not intelli'ent
li$e )our mind= Is it non@intelli'entD ;es7 "ut not non@intelli'ent li$e
H1= TCn' Shan ,uh (To@Ban@ro$u7 >Sa)in's and Doin's of Ta@Ban>) is one of the "est /en
"oo$s=
2= So@$ei7 a Eorean /enist7 +hose +or$ entitled /en@$e@$i@$+an is +orth) of our note as
a reresentation of Eorean /en=
! Sho@"o@'en@Bo=I
trees and stone= Is it consciousD ;es7 "ut not conscious li$e )ou +hen +a$in'= Is it
"ri'htD ;es7 "ut not "ri'ht li$e the sun or the moon=L To the 0uestion7 L-hat and +ho is
BuddhaDL ;uen -u (%n@'o) reliedG L3old )our ton'ueG the mouth is the 'ate of evilsPL
+hile 1ao <uh (3o@fu$u) ans+ered to the same 0uestionG LNo s$ill of art can icture
3im=L Thus Buddha is unnama"le7 indescri"a"le7 and indefina"le7 "ut +e rovisionall)
call 3im Buddha=
.= B4%%5", &5$ U#1<$)"9 L13$=@@/en conceives Buddha as a Bein'7 +ho moves7 stirs7
insires7 enlivens7 and vitaliBes ever)thin'= 4ccordin'l)7 +e ma) call 3im the Universal
,ife in the sense that 3e is the source of all lives in the universe= This Universal ,ife7
accordin' to /en7 illars the heaven7 suorts the earth7 'lorifies the sun and moon7 'ives
voice to thunder7 tin'es clouds7 adorns the asture +ith flo+ers7 enriches the field +ith
harvest7 'ives animals "eaut) and stren'th= Therefore7 /en declares even a dead clod of
earth to "e im"ued +ith the divine life7 #ust as ,o+ell e&resses a similar idea +hen he
sa)sG
L%ver) clod feels a stir of mi'ht7
4n instinct +ithin it that reaches and to+ers7
4nd 'roin' "lindl) a"ove it for li'ht7
Clim"s to a soul in 'rass and flo+ers=L
One of our contemorar) /enists +ittil) o"served that >ve'eta"les are the children of
earth7 that animals +hich feed on ve'eta"les are the 'rand@children of earth7 and that men
+ho su"sist on animals are the 'reat@'rand@children of earth=> If there "e no life in earth7
ho+ could life come out of itD If there "e no life7 the same as the animal>s life in the
ve'eta"les7 ho+ could animals sustain their lives feedin' on ve'eta"lesD If there "e no
life similar to ours in animals7 ho+ could +e sustain our life ") su"sistin' on themD The
oet must "e in the ri'ht7 not onl) in his esthetic7 "ut in his scientific oint of vie+7 in
sa)in'@
LI must
Confess that I am onl) dust=
But once a rose +ithin me 're+J
Its rootlets shot7 its flo+erets fle+J
4nd all rose>s s+eetness rolled
Throu'hout the te&ture of m) mouldJ
4nd so it is that I imart
1erfume to them7 +hoever thou art=L
4s +e men live and act7 so do our arteriesJ so does "loodJ so do coruscles= 4s cells and
rotolasm live and act7 so do elements7 molecules7 and atoms= 4s elements and atoms
live and act7 so do cloudsJ so does the earthJ so does the ocean7 the (il$) -a)7 and the
Solar S)stem= -hat is this life +hich ervades the 'randest as +ell as the minutest +or$s
of Nature7 and +hich ma) fitl) "e said >'reater than the 'reatest and smaller than the
smallestD> It cannot "e defined= It cannot "e su"#ected to e&act anal)sis= But it is directl)
e&erienced and reco'niBed +ithin us7 #ust as the "eaut) of the rose is to "e erceived and
en#o)ed7 "ut not reduced to e&act anal)sis= 4t an) rate7 it is somethin' stirrin'7 movin'7
actin' and reactin' continuall)= This somethin' +hich can "e e&erienced and felt and
en#o)ed directl) ") ever) one of us= This life of livin' rincile in the microcosmos is
identical +ith that of the macrocosmos7 and the Universal ,ife of the macrocosmos is the
common source of all lives= Therefore7 the (ahaarinirvana@sutra sa)sG
LTatha'ata (another name for Buddha) 'ives life to all "ein's7 #ust as the la$e 4navatata
'ives rise to the four 'reat rivers=L LTatha'ata7L sa)s the same sutra7 Ldivides his o+n
"od) into innumera"le "odies7 and also restores an infinite num"er of "odies to one "od)=
No+ "e "ecomes cities7 villa'es7 houses7 mountains7 rivers7 and treesJ no+ he has a lar'e
"od)J no+ he has a small "od)J no+ he "ecomes men7 +omen7 "o)s7 and 'irls=L
2= L13$ "#% C5"#2$=@@4 eculiar hase of life is chan'e +hich aears in the form of
'ro+th and deca)= No"od) can den) the transitoriness of life= One of our friends
humorousl) o"servedG L%ver)thin' in the +orld ma) "e dou"tful to )ou7 "ut it can never
"e dou"ted that )ou +ill die=L ,ife is li$e a "urnin' lam= %ver) minute its flame dies out
and is rene+ed= ,ife is li$e a runnin' stream= %ver) moment it ushes on+ard= If there "e
an)thin' constant in this +orld of chan'e7 it should "e chan'e itself= Is it not #ust one ste
from ros) childhood to sno+) a'eD Is it not #ust one moment from the nutial son' to the
funeral@dir'eD -ho can live the same moment t+iceD
In comarison +ith an or'anism7 inor'anic matter aears to "e constant and chan'elessJ
"ut7 in fact7 it is e0uall) su"#ected to ceaseless alteration= %ver) mornin'7 loo$in' into the
mirror7 )ou +ill find )our visa'e reflected in it #ust as it +as on the recedin' da)J so also
ever) mornin'7 loo$in' at the sun and the earth7 )ou +ill find them reflected in )our
retina #ust as the) +ere on the revious mornin'J "ut the sun and the earth are no less
chan'eless than )ou= -h) do the sun and the earth seem chan'eless and constant to )ouD
Onl) "ecause )ou )ourself under'o chan'e more 0uic$l) than the)= -hen )ou loo$ at the
clouds s+eein' across the face of the moon7 the) seem to "e at rest7 and the moon in
raid motionJ "ut7 in fact7 the clouds7 as +ell as the moon7 incessantl) move on=
Science mi'ht maintain the 0uantitative constanc) of matter7 "ut the so@called matter is
mere a"straction= To sa) matter is chan'eless is as much as to sa) 2 is al+a)s 27
chan'eless and constant7 "ecause the arithmetical num"er is not more a"stract than the
h)siolo'ical matter= The moon aears standin' still +hen )ou loo$ at her onl) a fe+
moments= In li$e manner she seems to "e free from chan'e +hen )ou loo$ at her in )our
short san of life= 4stronomers7 nevertheless7 can tell )ou ho+ she sa+ her "etter da)s7
and is no+ in her +rin$les and +hite hair=
5= P$1,1&1! V1$' +3 &5$ A#!1$#& H1#%4=@@In addition to this7 the ne+ theor) of
matter has entirel) over thro+n the old concetion of the unchan'in' atoms7 and the) are
no+ re'arded to "e comosed of ma'netic forces7 ions7 and coruscles in incessant
motion= Therefore +e have no inert matter in the concrete7 no unchan'in' thin' in the
shere of e&erience7 no constant or'anism in the transient universe= These
considerations often led man) thin$ers7 ancient and modern7 to the essimistic vie+ of
life= -hat is the use of )our e&ertion7 the) +ould sa)7 in accumulatin' +ealth7 +hich is
doomed to melt a+a) in the t+in$lin' of an e)eD -hat is the use of )our strivin' after
o+er7 +hich is more short@lived than a "u""leD -hat is the use of )our endeavour in the
reformation of societ)7 +hich does not endure an) lon'er than the castle in the airD 3o+
do $in's differ from "e''ars in the e)e of TransienceD 3o+ do the rich differ from the
oor7 ho+ the "eautiful from the u'l)7 "o+ the )oun' from the old7 ho+ the 'ood from
the evil7 ho+ the luc$) from the unluc$)7 ho+ the +ise from the un+ise7 in the court of
DeathD *ain is am"ition= *ain is fame= *ain is leasure= *ain are stru''les and efforts=
4ll is in vain= 4n ancient 3indu thin$er H1I sa)sG
LO saint7 +hat is the use of the en#o)ment of leasures in this offensive7 ithless "od)@@a
mere mass of "ones7 s$ins7 sine+s7 marro+7 and fleshD -hat is the use of the en#o)ment
of leasures in this "od)7 +hich is assailed ") lust7 hatred7 'reed7 delusion7 fear7 an'uish7
#ealous)7 searation from +hat is loved7 union +ith +hat is not loved7 hun'er7
H1= (aitra)ana Uanisad=I
old a'e7 death7 illness7 'rief7 and other evilsD In such a +orld as this7 +hat is the use of
the en#o)ment of leasures7 if he +ho has fed on them is to return to this +orld a'ain and
a'ainD In this +orld I am li$e a fro' in a dr) +ell=L
It is this consideration on the transitoriness of life that led some Taoist in China to refer
death to life7 as e&ressed in Ch+an' TsB (Su@shi)GH1I
L-hen E+an'@BBe +ent to Ehu7 he sa+ an emt) s$ull7 "leached indeed7 "ut still
retainin' its shae= Tain' it +ith his horse@s+itch7 he as$ed it sa)in'G >Did )ou7 sir7 in
)our 'reed of life7 fail in the lessons of reason and come to thisD Or did )ou do so7 in the
service of a erishin' state7 ") the unishment of an a&eD Or +as it throu'h )our evil
conduct7 reflectin' dis'race on )our arents and on )our +ife and childrenD Or +as it
throu'h )our hard endurances of cold and hun'erD Or +as it that )ou had comleted )our
term of lifeD>
L3avin' 'iven e&ression to these 0uestions7 he too$ u the s$ull and made a illo+ of it7
and +ent to slee= 4t midni'ht the s$ull aeared to him in a dream7 and saidG >-hat )ou
said to me +as after the fashion of an orator= 4ll )our +ords +ere a"out the
entan'lements of men in their lifetime= There are none of those thin's after death= -ould
)ou li$e to hear me7 sir7 tell )ou a"out deathD> >I should7> said E+an'@BBe7 and the s$ull
resumedG >In death there are not (the distinctions of) ruler a"ove minister "elo+= There are
none of the henomena of the four seasons= Tran0uil and at ease7 our )ears are those of
heaven and earth= No $in' in his court has 'reater en#o)ment than +e have=> E+an'@BBe
did not "elieve it7 and saidG >If I could 'et the Ruler of our Destin) to restore )our "od) to
life +ith its "ones and flesh and s$in7 and to 'ive )ou "ac$ )our father and mother7 )our
+ife and children7 and all )our villa'e ac0uaintances7 +ould )ou +ish
H1= >Ch+an' TsB7> vol= vi=7 = 2!=I
me to do soD> The s$ull stared fi&edl) at him7 and $nitted its "ro+s and saidG >3o+ should
I cast a+a) the en#o)ment of m) ro)al court7 and underta$e a'ain the toils of life amon'
man$indD>L
6= H1#"6"#1, "#% 1& D+!&)1#$=@@The doctrine of Transience +as the first entrance 'ate
of 3ina)anism= Transience never fails to derive us of +hat is dear and near to us= It
disaoints us in our e&ectation and hoe= It "rin's out 'rief7 fear7 an'uish7 and
lamentation= It sreads terror and destruction amon' families7 communities7 nations7
man$ind= It threatens +ith erdition the +hole earth7 the +hole universe= Therefore it
follo+s that life is full of disaointment7 sufferin's7 and miseries7 and that man is li$e >a
fro' in a dr) +ell=> This is the doctrine called ") the 3ina)anists the 3ol) Truth of
Sufferin'=
4'ain7 +hen Transcience once 'ets hold of our ima'ination7 +e can easil) foresee ruins
and disasters in the ver) midst of roserit) and hainess7 and also old a'e and u'liness
in the rime and )outh of "eaut)= It 'ives rise 0uite naturall) to the thou'ht that "od) is a
"a' full of us and "lood7 a mere hea of rotten flesh and "ro$en ieces of "one7 a
deca)in' corse inha"ited ") innumera"le ma''ots= This is the doctrine called ") the
3ina)anists the 3ol) Truth of Imurit)=H1I
4nd7 a'ain7 Transience holds its t)rannical s+a) not onl) over the material "ut over the
siritual +orld= 4t its touch 4tman7 or soul7 is "rou'ht to nothin'= B) its call Devas7 or
celestial "ein's7 are made to succum" to death= It follo+s7 therefore7 that to "elieve in
4tman7 eternal and
H1= (ahasatiatthana Suttanta7 67 runs as follo+sG L4nd7 moreover7 "hi$$hu7 a "rother7
#ust as if he had "een a "od) a"andoned in the charnel@field7 dead for one7 t+o7 or three
da)s7 s+ollen7 turnin' "lac$ and "lue7 and decomosed7 al) that ercetion to this ver)
"od) (of his o+n)7 reflectin'G >This "od)7 too7 is even so constituted7 is of such a nature7
has not 'ot "e)ond that (fate)=>LI
unchan'in'7 +ould "e a +him of the i'norant= This is the doctrine called ") the
3ina)anists the 3ol) Truth of No@atman=
If7 as said7 there could "e nothin' free from Transience7 Constanc) should "e a 'ross
mista$e of the i'norantJ if even 'ods have to die7 %ternit) should "e no more than a
stuid dream of the vul'arJ if all henomena "e flo+in' and chan'in'7 there could "e no
constant noumena underl)in' them= It therefore follo+s that all thin's in the universe are
emt) and unreal= This is the doctrine called ") the 3ina)anists the 3ol) Truth of
Unrealit)= Thus 3ina)ana Buddhism7 startin' from the doctrine of Transience7 arrived at
the essimistic vie+ of life in its e&treme form=
8= C5"#2$ " $$# .6 Z$#=@@/en7 li$e 3ina)anism=7 does not den) the doctrine of
Transience7 "ut it has come to a vie+ diametricall) oosite to that of the 3indus=
Transience for /en siml) means chan'e= It is a form in +hich life manifests itself=
-here there is life there is chan'e or Transience= -here there is more chan'e there is
more vital activit)= Suose an a"solutel) chan'eless "od)G it must "e a"solutel) lifeless=
4n eternall) chan'eless life is e0uivalent to an eternall) chan'eless death= -h) do +e
value the mornin' 'lor)7 +hich fades in a fe+ hours7 more than an artificial 'lass flo+er7
+hich endures hundreds of )earsD -h) do +e refer an animal life7 +hich asses a+a) in
a fe+ scores of )ears7 to a ve'eta"le life7 +hich can e&ist thousands of )earsD -h) do +e
riBe chan'in' or'anism more than inor'anic matter7 unchan'in' and constantD If there
"e no chan'e in the "ri'ht hues of a flo+er7 it is as +orthless as a stone= If there "e no
chan'e in the son' of a "ird7 it is as valueless as a +histlin' +ind= If there "e no chan'e
in trees and 'rass7 the) are utterl) unsuita"le to "e lanted in a 'arden= No+7 then7 +hat is
the use of our life7 if it stand stillD 4s the +ater of a runnin' stream is al+a)s fresh and
+holesome "ecause it does not sto for a moment7 so life is ever fresh and ne+ "ecause it
does not stand still7 "ut raidl) moves on from arents to children7 from children to
'randchildren7 from 'randchildren to 'reat@'randchildren7 and flo+s on throu'h
'eneration after 'eneration7 rene+in' itself ceaselessl)=
-e can never den) the e&istence of old a'e and death@@na)7 death is of caital imortance
for a continuation of life7 "ecause death carries a+a) all the deca)in' or'anism in the
+a) of life= But for it life +ould "e cho$ed u +ith or'anic ru""ish= The onl) +a) of
life>s ushin' itself on+ard or its rene+in' itself is its roducin' of the )oun' and 'ettin'
rid of the old= If there "e no old a'e nor death7 life is not life7 "ut death=
9= L13$ "#% C5"#2$(@@Transformation and chan'e are the essential features of lifeJ life is
not transformation nor chan'e itself7 as Ber'son seems to assume= It is somethin' +hich
comes under our o"servation throu'h transformation and chan'e= There are7 amon'
Buddhists as +ell as Christians7 not a fe+ +ho covet constanc) and fi&it) of life7 "ein'
allured ") such smooth names as eternal life7 everlastin' #o)7 ermanent eace7 and +hat
not= The) have for'otten that their souls can never rest content +ith thin's monotonous=
If there "e everlastin' #o) for their souls7 it must "e resented to them throu'h incessant
chan'e= So also if there "e eternal life 'ranted for their souls7 it must "e 'iven throu'h
ceaseless alteration= -hat is the difference "et+een eternal life7 fi&ed and constant7 and
eternal deathD -hat is the difference "et+een everlastin' "liss7 chan'eless and
monotonous7 and everlastin' sufferin'D If constanc)7 instead of chan'e7 'overn life7 then
hoe or leasure is a"solutel) imossi"le= <ortunatel)7 ho+ever7 life is not constant= It
chan'es and "ecomes= 1leasure arises throu'h chan'e itself= (ere chan'e of food or
clothes is often leasin' to us7 +hile the aearance of the same thin' t+ice or thrice7
ho+ever leasin' it ma) "e7 causes us little >leasure= It +ill "ecome dis'ustin' and tire
us do+n7 if it "e resented reeatedl) from time to time=
4n imortant element in the leasure +e derive from social meetin's7 from travels7 from
si'ht@seein's7 etc=7 is nothin' "ut chan'e= %ven intellectual leasure consists mainl) of
chan'e= 4 dead7 unchan'in' a"stract truth7 2 and 2 ma$e .7 e&cites no interestJ +hile a
chan'ea"le7 concrete truth7 such as the Dar+inian theor) of evolution7 e&cites a $een
interest=
1:= L13$, C5"#2$, "#% H+-$=@@The doctrine of Transcience never drives us to the
essimistic vie+ of life= On the contrar)7 it 'ives us an ine&hausti"le source of leasure
and hoe= ,et us as$ )ouG 4re )ou satisfied +ith the resent state of thin'sD Do )ou not
s)mathiBe +ith overt)@stric$en millions livin' side ") side +ith millionaires saturated
+ith +ealthD Do )ou not shed tears over those hun'er@"itten children +ho co+er in the
dar$ lanes of a 'reat cit)D Do )ou not +ish to ut do+n the stuendous oressor@@
(i'ht@is@ri'htD Do )ou not +ant to do a+a) +ith the so@called armoured eace amon'
nationsD Do )ou not need to miti'ate the stru''le for e&istence more san'uine than the
+ar of +eaonsD
,ife chan'es and is chan'ea"leJ conse0uentl)7 has its future= 3oe is therefore ossi"le=
Individual develoment7 social "etterment7 international eace7 reformation of man$ind
in 'eneral7 can "e hoed= Our ideal7 ho+ever unractical it ma) seem at the first si'ht7
can "e realiBed= (oreover7 the +orld itself7 too7 is chan'in' and chan'ea"le= It reveals
ne+ hases from time to time7 and can "e moulded to su"serve our urose= -e must not
ta$e life or the +orld as comleted and doomed as it is no+= No fact verifies the "elief
that the +orld +as ever created ") some other o+er and redestined to "e as it is no+= It
lives7 acts7 and chan'es= It is transformin' itself continuall)7 #ust as +e are chan'in' and
"ecomin'= Thus the doctrine of Transience sulies us +ith an ine&hausti"le source of
hoe and comfort7 leads us into the livin' universe7 and introduces us to the resence of
Universal ,ife or Buddha=
The reader ma) easil) understand ho+ /en conceives Buddha as the livin' rincile from
the follo+in' dialo'uesG LIs it true7 sir7L as$ed a mon$ of Teu tsB (To@shi)7 Lthat all the
voices of Nature are those of BuddhaDL L;es7 certainl)7L relied Teu tsB= L-hat is7
reverend sir7L as$ed a man of Chao Cheu (?o@shu)7 Lthe hol) temle (of Buddha)DL L4n
innocent 'irl7L relied the teacher= L-ho is the master of the temleDL as$ed the other
a'ain= L4 "a") in her +om"7L +as the ans+er= L-hat is7 sir7L as$ed a mon$ to ;en E+an
(;en@$an)7 Lthe ori'inal "od) of Buddha *airocanaDLH1I L<etch me a itcher +ith +ater7L
said the teacher= The mon$ did as he +as ordered= L1ut it "ac$ in its lace7L said ;en
E+an a'ain=H2I
11= E<$)6&51#2 1 L1<1#2 "!!+)%1#2 &+ Z$#=@@%ver)thin' alive has a stron' innate
tendenc) to reserve itself7 to assert itself7 to ush itself for+ard7 and to act on its
environment7 consciousl) or unconsciousl)= The innate7 stron' tendenc) of the livin' is
an undeveloed7 "ut fundamental7 nature of Sirit or (ind= It sho+s itself first in inert
matter as imenetra"ilit)7 or affinit)7 or mechanical force= Roc$ has a o+erful tendenc)
to reserve itself= 4nd it is hard to crush it= Diamond has a ro"ust tendenc)
H1= ,iterall)7 4ll Illuminatin' Buddha7 the hi'hest of the Tri$a)as= See %itel7 = 192=
2 /en@rin@rui@shu=I
to assert itself= 4nd it ermits nothin' to destro) it= Salt has the same stron' tendenc)7 for
its articles act and react ") themselves7 and never cease till its cr)stals are formed=
Steam7 too7 should have the same7 "ecause it ushes aside ever)thin' in its +a) and 'oes
+here it +ill=
In the e)e of simle fol$s of old7 mountains7 rivers7 trees7 serents7 o&en7 and ea'les +ere
e0uall) full of lifeJ hence the deification of them= No dou"t it is irrational to "elieve in
n)mhs7 fairies7 elves7 and the li$e7 )et still +e ma) sa) that mountains stand of their o+n
accord7 rivers run as the) +ill7 #ust as +e sa) that trees and 'rass turn their leaves to+ards
the sun of their o+n accord= Neither is it a mere fi'ure of seech to sa) that thunder
sea$s and hills resond7 nor to descri"e "irds as sin'in' and flo+ers as smilin'7 nor to
narrate +inds as moanin' and rain as +eein'7 nor to state lovers as loo$in' at the moon7
the moon as loo$in' at them7 +hen +e o"serve siritual element in activities of all this=
3aec$el sa)s7 not +ithout reasonG LI cannot ima'ine the simle chemical and h)sical
forces +ithout attri"utin' the movement of material articles to conscious sensation=L
The same author sa)s a'ainG L-e ma) ascri"e the feelin' of leasure and ain to all
atoms7 and so e&lain the electric affinit) in chemistr)=L
12= T5$ C)$"&1<$ F+)!$ +3 N"&4)$ "#% H4,"#1&6=@@The innate tendenc) of self@
reservation7 +hich manifests itself as mechanical force or chemical affinit) in the
inor'anic nature7 unfolds itself as the desire of the reservation of secies in the
ve'eta"les and animals= See ho+ ve'eta"les fertiliBe themselves in a comlicated +a)7
and ho+ the) sread their seeds far and +ide in a most m)sterious manner= 4 far more
develoed form of the same desire is seen in the se&ual attachment and arental love of
animals= -ho does not $no+ that even the smallest "irds defend their )oun' a'ainst
ever) enem) +ith self @sacrificin' coura'e7 and that the) "rin' food +hilst the)
themselves often starve and 'ro+ leanD In human "ein's +e can o"serve the various
transformations of the self@same desire= <or instance7 sorro+ or desair is e&erienced
+hen it is imossi"leJ an'er7 +hen it is hindered ") othersJ #o)7 +hen it is fulfilledJ fear7
+hen it is threatenedJ leasure7 +hen it is facilitated= 4lthou'h it manifests itself as the
se&ual attachment and arental love in lo+er animals7 )et its develoed forms7 such as
s)math)7 lo)alt)7 "enevolence7 merc)7 humanit)7 are o"served in human "ein's=
4'ain7 the creative force in inor'anic nature7 in order to assert itself and act more
effectivel)7 creates the 'erm of or'anic nature7 and 'raduall) ascendin' the scale of
evolution7 develos the sense or'ans and the nervous s)stemJ hence intellectual o+ers7
such as sensation7 ercetion7 ima'ination7 memor)7 unfold themselves= Thus the creative
force7 e&ertin' itself 'raduall)7 +idens its shere of action7 and necessitates the union of
individuals into families7 clans7 tri"es7 communities7 and nations= <or the sa$e of this
union and co@oeration the) esta"lished customs7 enacted la+s7 and instituted olitical
and educational s)stems= <urthermore7 to reinforce itself7 it 'ave "irth to lan'ua'es and
sciencesJ and to enrich itself7 moralit) and reli'ion=
1!= U#1<$)"9 L13$ 1 U#1<$)"9 S-1)1&=@@These considerations naturall) lead us to see
that Universal ,ife is not a "lind vital force7 "ut Creative Sirit7 or (ind7 or
Consciousness7 +hich unfolds itself in m)riads of +a)s= %ver)thin' in the universe7
accordin' to /en7 lives and acts7 and at the same time discloses its sirit= To "e alive is
identicall) the same as to "e siritual= 4s the oet has his son'7 so does the ni'htin'ale7
so does the cric$et7 so does the rivulet= 4s +e are leased or offended7 so are horses7 so
are do's7 so are sarro+s7 ants7 earth+orms7 and mushrooms= Simler the "od)7 simler
its siritJ more comlicated the "od)7 more comlicated its sirit= >(ind slum"ers in the
e""le7 dreams in the lant7 'athers ener') in the animal7 and a+a$ens to self@conscious
discover) in the soul of man=>
It is this Creative7 Universal Sirit that sends forth 4urora to illuminate the s$)7 that
ma$es Diana shed her "eni'n ra)s and Rolus la) on his har7 +reathes srin' +ith
flo+ers7 that clothes autumn +ith 'old7 that induces lants to ut forth "lossoms7 that
incites animals to "e ener'etic7 and that a+a$ens consciousness in man= The author of
(ahavaiul)a@urna"uddha@sutra e&ressl) states our idea +hen he sa)sG L(ountains7
rivers7 s$ies7 the earthG all these are em"raced in the True Sirit7 enli'htened and
m)sterious=L Rin@Bai also sa)sG LSirit is formless7 "ut it enetrates throu'h the +orld in
the ten directions=LH1I The Si&th 1atriarch e&resses the same idea more e&licitl)G L-hat
creates the henomena is (indJ +hat transcends all the henomena is Buddha=LH2I
1.= P+$&1!"9 I#&41&1+# "#% Z$#=@@Since Universal ,ife or Sirit ermeates the universe7
the oetical intuition of man never fails to find it7 and to deli'ht in ever)thin' t)ical of
that Sirit= LThe leaves of the lantain7L sa)s a /en oet7 Lunfold themselves7 hearin' the
voice of thunder= The flo+ers of the holl)hoc$ turn to+ards the sun7 loo$in' at it all da)
lon'=L ?esus could see in the lil) the Unseen Bein' +ho clothed it so lovel)= -ords+orth
found the most rofound thin' in all the +orld to "e the universal siritual life7 +hich
manifests itself most directl) in nature7 clothed in its o+n roer di'nit) and eace=
LThrou'h ever) star7L sa)s Carl)le7 Lthrou'h ever) 'rass "lade7 most throu'h ever) soul7
the 'lor) of resent Aod still "eams=L
H1= Rin@Bai@ro$u=
2= Ro$u@so@dan@$)o=I
It is not onl) 'randeur and su"limit) that indicate Universal ,ife7 "ut smallness and
commonlace do the same= 4 sa'e of old a+a$ened to the faithH1I +hen he heard a "ell
rin'J another7 +hen he loo$ed at the each "lossomJ another7 +hen he heard the fro's
croa$in'J and another7 +hen he sa+ his o+n form reflected in a river= The minutest
articles of dust form a +orld= The meanest 'rain of sand under our foot roclaims a
divine la+= Therefore Teu TsB ?o@shi)7 ointin' to a stone in front of his temle7 saidG L
4ll the Buddhas of the ast7 the resent7 and the future are livin' therein=LH2I
12= E#9125&$#$% C+#!1+4#$=@@In addition to these considerations7 +hich mainl)
deend on indirect e&erience7 +e can have direct e&erience of life +ithin us= In the first
lace7 +e e&erience that our life is not a "are mechanical motion or chan'e7 "ut is a
siritual7 urosive7 and self@directin' force= In the second lace7 +e directl) e&erience
that it $no+s7 feels7 and +ills= In the third lace7 +e e&erience that there e&ists some
o+er unif)in' the intellectual7 emotional7 and volitional activities so as to ma$e life
uniform and rational= ,astl)7 +e e&erience that there lies deel) rooted +ithin us
%nli'htened Consciousness7 +hich neither s)cholo'ists treat of nor hilosohers "elieve
in7 "ut +hich /en teachers e&ound +ith stron' conviction= %nli'htened Consciousness
is7 accordin' to /en7 the centre of siritual life= It is the mind of minds7 and the
consciousness of consciousness= It is the Universal Sirit a+a$ened in the human mind= It
is not the mind that feels #o) or sorro+J nor is it the mind that reasons and infersJ nor is it
the mind that fancies and dreamsJ nor is it the mind that hoes and fearsJ nor is it the
mind that distin'uishes 'ood
H1= Both the Chinese and the ?aanese histor) of /en are full of such incidents=
2 /en@rin@rui@shu and To@shi@'o@ro$u=I
from evil= It is %nli'htened Consciousness that holds communion +ith Universal Sirit or
Buddha7 and realiBes that individual lives are inseara"l) united7 and of one and the same
nature +ith Universal ,ife= It is al+a)s "ri'ht as a "urnished mirror7 and cannot "e
dimmed ") dou"t and i'norance= It is ever ure as a lotus flo+er7 and cannot "e olluted
") the mud of evil and foll)= 4lthou'h all sentient "ein's are endo+ed +ith this
%nli'htened Consciousness7 the) are not a+are of its e&istence7 e&cetin' men +ho can
discover it ") the ractice of (editation= %nli'htened consciousness is often called
Buddha@nature7 as it is the real nature of Universal Sirit= /en teachers comare it +ith a
recious stone ever fresh and ure7 even if it "e "uried in the heas of dust= Its divine
li'ht can never "e e&tin'uished ") dou"t or fear7 #ust as the sunli'ht cannot "e destro)ed
") mist and cloud= ,et us 0uote a Chinese /en oet to see ho+ /en treats of itGH1I
LI have an ima'e of Buddha7
The +orldl) eole $no+ it not=
It is not made of cla) or cloth7
Nor is it carved out of +ood7
Nor is it moulded of earth nor of ashes=
No artist can aint itJ
No ro""er can steal it=
There it e&ists from da+n of time=
It>s clean7 althou'h not s+et and +ied=
4lthou'h it is "ut one7
Divides itself to a hundred thousand million forms=L
15= B4%%5" D'$991#2 1# &5$ I#%1<1%4"9 M1#%=@@%nli'htened Consciousness in the
individual mind ac0uires for its ossessor7 not a relative $no+led'e of thin's as his
intellect does7 "ut the rofoundest insi'ht in reference to universal "rotherhood of all
"ein's7 and ena"les him to understand the a"solute holiness of their nature7 and the
hi'hest 'oal for +hich all of them are ma$in'= %nli'htened
H1= See /en@'a$u@ho@ten=I
Consciousness once a+a$ened +ithin us serves as a 'uidin' rincile7 and leads us to
hoe7 "liss7 and lifeJ conse0uentl)7 it is called the (asterH1I of "oth mind and "od)=
Sometimes it is called the Ori'inalH2I (ind7 as it is the mind of minds= It is Buddha
d+ellin' in individuals= ;ou mi'ht call it Aod in man7 if )ou li$e= The follo+in'
dialo'ues all oint to this sin'le ideaG
On one occasion a "utcher7 +ho +as used to $ill one thousand shee a da)7 came to
Aotama7 and7 thro+in' do+n his "utcher@$nife7 said LI am one of the thousand Buddhas=L
L;es7 reall)7L relied Aotama= 4 mon$7 3+ui Chao (%@cha) ") name7 as$ed 1ao ;en
(3o@'en)G L-hat is BuddhaDL L;ou are 3+ui Chao7L relied the master= The same
0uestion +as ut to Sheu Shan (Shu@Ban)7 Chi (an (Chi@mon)7 and Teu TsB (To@shi)7 the
first of +hom ans+eredG L4 "ride mounts on a don$e) and her mother@in@la+ drives itJL
and the secondG L3e 'oes "arefooted7 his sandals "ein' +orn outJL +hile the third rose
from his chair and stood still +ithout sa)in' a +ord= Ch+en 3ih (<u@$iu) e&lains this
oint in une0uivocal termsG LNi'ht after ni'ht I slee +ith Buddha7 and ever) mornin' I
'et u +ith 3im= 3e accomanies me +herever I 'o= -hen I stand or sit7 +hen I sea$ or
"e mute7 +hen I am out or in7 3e never leaves me7 even as a shado+ accomanies "od)=
-ould )ou $no+ +here 3e isD ,isten to that voice and +ord=LH!I
16= E#9125&$#$% C+#!1+4#$ 1 #+& "# I#&$99$!&4"9 I#125&=@@%nli'htened
Consciousness is not a "are intellectual insi'ht7 for it is full of "eautiful emotions= It
loves7 caresses7 em"races7 and at the same time esteems all
H1= It is often called the ,ord or (aster of mind=
2= 4nother name for Buddha is the Ori'inal (indL (Eechi@m)a$u@ron)=
! <or such dialo'ues7 see Sho@)o@ro$u7 (u@mon@$an7 3e$i@'an@shu= <u@$iu>s +ords are
reeatedl) 0uoted ") /en masters=I
"ein's7 "ein' ever merciful to them= It has no enemies to con0uer7 no evil to fi'ht +ith7
"ut constantl) finds friends to hel7 'ood to romote= Its +arm heart "eats in harmon)
+ith those of all fello+ "ein's= The author of Brahma#ala@sutra full) e&resses this idea
as he sa)sG L4ll +omen are our mothersJ all men our fathersJ all earth and +ater our
"odies in the ast e&istencesJ all fire and air our essence=L
Thus rel)in' on our inner e&erience7 +hich is the onl) direct +a) of $no+in' Buddha7
+e conceive 3im as a Bein' +ith rofound +isdom and "oundless merc)7 +ho loves all
"ein's as 3is children7 +hom 3e is fosterin'7 "rin'in' u7 'uidin'7 and teachin'= LThese
three +orlds are 3is7 and all "ein's livin' in them are 3is children=LH1I LThe Blessed One
is the mother of all sentient "ein's7 and 'ives them all the mil$ of merc)=LH2I Some
eole named 3im 4"solute7 as 3e is all li'ht7 all hoe7 all merc)7 and all +isdomJ some7
3eaven7 as 3e is hi'h and enli'htenedJ some7 Aod7 as 3e is sacred and m)steriousJ some7
Truth7 as 3e is true to 3imselfJ some7 Buddha7 as 3e is free from illusionJ some7 Creator7
as 3e is the creative force immanent in the universeJ some7 1ath7 as 3e is the -a) +e
must follo+J some7 Un$no+a"le7 as 3e is "e)ond relative $no+led'eJ some7 Self7 as 3e
is the Self of individual selves= 4ll these names are alied to one Bein'7 +hom +e
desi'nate ") the name of Universal ,ife or Sirit=
18= O4) C+#!$-&1+# +3 B4%%5" 1 #+& F1#"9=@@3as7 then7 the divine nature of Universal
Sirit "een comletel) and e&haustivel) revealed in our %nli'htened ConsciousnessD To
this 0uestion +e should ans+er ne'ativel)7 for7 so far as our limited e&erience is
concerned7 Universal Sirit reveals itself as a Bein' +ith rofound
H1= Saddharma@undari$a@sutra=
2 (ahaarinirvana@sutra=I
+isdom and "oundless merc)J this7 nevertheless7 does not iml) that the concetion is the
onl) ossi"le and comlete one= -e should al+a)s "ear in mind that the +orld is alive7
and chan'in'7 and movin'= It 'oes on to disclose a ne+ hase7 or to add a ne+ truth= The
su"tlest lo'ic of old is a mere 0ui""le of no+ada)s= The miracles of )esterda) are the
commonlaces of to@da)= No+ theories are formed7 ne+ discoveries are made7 onl) to
'ive their laces to ne+er theories are discoveries= Ne+ ideals realiBed or ne+ desires
satisfied are sure to a+a$en ne+er and stron'er desires= Not an instant life remains
immuta"le7 "ut it rushes on7 amlif)in' and enrichin' itself from the da+n of time to the
end of eternit)=
Therefore Universal ,ife ma) in the future ossi"l) unfold its ne+ siritual content7 )et
un$no+n to us "ecause it has refined7 lifted u7 and develoed livin' "ein's from the
amS"a to man7 increasin' the intelli'ence and ran'e of individuals7 until hi'hl) civiliBed
man emer'e into the lane of consciousness@consciousness of divine li'ht in him= Thus to
"elieve in Buddha is to "e content and than$ful for the 'race of 3is7 and to hoe for the
infinite unfoldment of 3is 'lories in man=
19= H+' &+ 7+)51- B4%%5"=@@The author of *imala$irtti@nirdeKa@sutra +ell e&lains
our attitude to+ards Buddha +hen he sa)sG L-e as$ Buddha for nothin'= -e as$ Dharma
for nothin'= -e as$ Sam'ha for nothin'=L Nothin' +e as$ of Buddha= No +orldl)
success7 no re+ards in the future life7 no secial "lessin'= 3+an' 1ah (O@"a$u) saidG LI
siml) +orshi Buddha= I as$ Buddha for nothin'= I as$ Dharma for nothin'=7 I as$
Sam'ha for nothin'=L Then a rinceH1I 0uestioned himG L;ou as$ Buddha for nothin'=
;ou as$ Dharma for
H1= 4fter+ards the %meror SCen Tsun' (Sen@so)7 of the Tan' d)nast)=I
nothin'= ;ou as$ Sam'ha for nothin'= -hat7 then7 is the use of )our +orshiDL The
1rince earned a sla as an ans+er to his utilitarian 0uestion=H1I This incident +ell
illustrates that +orshi7 as understood ") /en masters7 is a ure act of than$s'ivin'7 or
the oenin' of the 'rateful heartJ in other +ords7 the disclosin' of %nli'htened
Consciousness= -e are livin' the ver) life of Buddha7 en#o)in' 3is "lessin'7 and holdin'
communion +ith 3im throu'h seech7 thou'ht7 and action= The earth is not >the vale of
tears7> "ut the 'lorious creation of Universal SiritJ nor man >the oor misera"le sinner>
"ut the livin' altar of Buddha 3imself= -hatever +e do7 +e do +ith 'rateful heart and
ure #o) sanctioned ") %nli'htened ConsciousnessJ eatin'7 drin$in'7 tal$in'7 +al$in'7
and ever) other +or$ of our dail) life are the +orshi and devotion= -e a'ree +ith
(ar'aret <uller +hen she sa)sG LReverence the hi'hestJ have atience +ith the lo+estJ let
this da)>s erformance of the meanest dut) "e th) reli'ion= 4re the stars too distantD 1ic$
u the e""le that lies at th) feet7 and from it learn all=L
H1= <or the details7 see 3e$i@'an@shu=I
Ne&tG Chater *G The Nature of (an
Sacred Te&ts Buddhism Inde& 1revious Ne&t
CHAPTER V
THE NATURE OF MAN
1= M"# 1 G++%-#"&4)$% "!!+)%1#2 &+ M$#!14=H1I@@Oriental scholars7 eseciall) the
Chinese men of letters7 seem to have ta$en so $een an interest in the stud) of human
nature that the) roosed all the ossi"le oinions resectin' the su"#ect in 0uestion@
namel)7 (1) man is 'ood@naturedJ (2) man is "ad@naturedJ (!) man is 'ood@natured and
"ad@natured as +ellJ (.) man is neither 'ood@natured nor "ad@natured= The first of these
oinions +as roosed ") a most reuted Confucianist scholar7 (encius7 and his
follo+ers7 and is still adhered to ") the ma#orit) of the ?aanese and the Chinese
Confucianists= (encius thou'ht it as natural for man to do 'ood as it is for the 'rass to "e
'reen= >Suose a erson has haened7> he +ould sa)7 >to find a child on the oint of
tum"lin' do+n into a dee +ell= 3e +ould rescue it even at the ris$ of his life7 no matter
ho+ morall) de'enerated he mi'ht "e= 3e +ould have no time to consider that his act
mi'ht "rin' him some re+ard from its arents7 or a 'ood reutation amon' his friends
and fello+@citiBens= 3e +ould do it "arel) out of his in"orn 'ood@nature=> 4fter
enumeratin' some instances similar to this one7 (encius concludes that
H1= (encius (!62@282 B=C=) is re'arded as the "eat e&ounder of the doctrine of
Confucius= There e&ists a +ell@$no+n +or$ of his7 entitled after his o+n name= See >4
3istor) of Chinese 1hilosoh)7> ") R= %ndo7 and also >4 3istor) of Chinese 1hilosoh)>
(= !8@2:)7 ") A= Na$auchi=I
'oodness is the fundamental nature of man7 even if he is often carried a+a) ") his "rutal
disosition=
2= M"# 1 B"%-#"&4)$% "!!+)%1#2 &+ S1@# T? [1] :J4#-51;=@@The +ea$nesses of
(encius>s theor) are full) e&osed ") another diametricall) oosed theor) roounded
") SiCn TsB (?un@shi) and his follo+ers= >(an is "ad@natured7> sa)s SiCn TsB7 >since he has
in"orn lust7 aetite7 and desire for +ealth= 4s he has in"orn lust and aetite7 he is
naturall) 'iven to intemerance and +antonness= 4s he has in"orn desire for +ealth7 he is
naturall) inclined to 0uarrel and fi'ht +ith others for the sa$e of 'ain=> ,eave him +ithout
disciline or culture7 he +ould not "e a +hit "etter than the "east= 3is virtuous acts7 such
as charit)7 honest)7 roriet)7 chastit)7 truthfulness7 are conduct forced ") the teachin's
of ancient sa'es a'ainst his natural inclination= Therefore vices are con'enial and true to
his nature7 +hile virtues alien and untrue to his fundamental nature=
These t+o theories are not onl) far from thro+in' li'ht on the moral state of man7 "ut
+ra it in deeer 'loom= ,et us raise a fe+ 0uestions ") +a) of refutation= If man>s
fundamental nature "e 'ood7 as (encius maintains7 +h) is it eas) for him to "e vicious
+ithout instruction7 +hile he finds it hard to "e virtuous even +ith instruction= If )ou
contend that 'ood is man>s rimar) nature and evil the secondar) one7 +h) is "e so often
overo+ered ") the secondar) natureD If )ou ans+er sa)in' that man is 'ood@natured
ori'inall)7 "ut he ac0uires the secondar) nature throu'h the stru''le for e&istence7 and it
'raduall) 'ains
H1= SiCn TsB>s date is later ") some fift) )ears than (encius= SiCn TsB 'ives the reason
+h) man see$s after moralit)7 sa)in' that man see$s +hat he has not7 and that he see$s
after moralit) siml) "ecause he has not moralit)7 #ust as the oor see$ riches= See >4
3istor) of Chinese 1hilosoh)> (= 21@5:)7 ") A= Na$auchi7 and >4 3istor) of
Develoment of Chinese Thou'ht7> ") R= %ndo=I
o+er over the rimar) nature ") means of the same cause7 then the rimitive tri"es
should "e more virtuous than the hi'hl) civiliBed nations7 and children than 'ro+nu
eole= Is this not contrar) to factD
If7 a'ain7 man>s nature is essentiall) "ad7 as SiCn TsB holds7 ho+ can he cultivate virtueD
If )ou contend that ancient sa'es invented so@called cardinal virtues and inculcated them
a'ainst his natural inclination7 +h) does he not 'ive them uD If vices "e con'enial and
true to man>s nature7 "ut virtues "e alien and untrue to him7 +h) are virtues honoured ")
himD If vices "e 'enuine and virtue a decetion7 as )ou thin$7 +h) do )ou call the
inventors of that deceivin' art sa'esD 3o+ +as it ossi"le for man to do 'ood "efore
these sa'es> aearance on earthD
!= M"# 1 .+&5 G++%-#"&4)$% "#% B"%-#"&4)$% "!!+)%1#2 &+ Y"# H14#2[1] :Y+-
64;=@@4ccordin' to ;an' 3iun' and his follo+ers7 'ood is no less real than evil7 and evil
is no more unreal than 'ood= Therefore man must "e dou"le@natured@that is7 artl) 'ood
and artl) "ad= This is the reason +h) the histor) of man is full of fiendish crimes7 and7 at
the same time7 it a"ounds +ith 'odl) deeds= This is the reason +h) man$ind comrises7
on the one hand7 a Socrates7 a Confucius7 a ?esus7 and7 on the other7 a Nero and a Eieh=
This is the reason +h) +e find to@da) a honest fello+ in him +hom +e find a "etra)er to@
morro+=
This vie+ of man>s nature mi'ht e&lain our resent moral state7 )et it calls forth man)
0uestions "ard to ans+er= If this assertion "e true7 is it not a useless tas$ to educate man
+ith the urose of ma$in' him "etter and no"lerD 3o+ could one e&tirate man>s "ad
nature imlanted +ithin him at his ori'inD If man "e dou"le@natured7
H1= ;an 3iun' (died 4=D= 18) is the reuted author of Tai 3uen (Tai@'en) and <ah ;en
(3o@'en)= 3is oinion in reference to human nature is found in <ah ;en=I
ho+ did he come to set 'ood over evilD 3o+ did he come to consider that he ou'ht to "e
'ood and ou'ht not to "e "adD 3o+ could )ou esta"lish the authorit) of moralit)D
.= M"# 1 #$1&5$) G++%-#"&4)$% #+) B"%-#"&4)$% "!!+)%1#2 &+ S4 S515 :S+-5+=4;=
H1I@@The difficult) ma) "e avoided ") a theor) 'iven ") Su Shih and other scholars
influenced ") Buddhism7 +hich maintains that man is neither 'ood@natured nor "ad@
natured= 4ccordin' to this oinion man is not moral nor immoral ") nature7 "ut unmoral=
3e is morall) a "lan$= 3e is at a crossroad7 so to sea$7 of moralit) +hen he is first "orn=
4s he ifJ "lan$7 he can "e d)ed "lac$ or red= 4s he is at the cross@road7 he can turn to the
ri'ht or to the left= 3e is li$e fresh +ater7 +hich has no flavour7 and can "e made s+eet or
"itter ") circumstances= If +e are not mista$en7 this theor)7 too7 has to encounter
insurmounta"le difficulties= 3o+ could it "e ossi"le to ma$e the unmoral "ein' moral or
immoralD -e mi'ht as +ell tr) to 'et hone) out of sand as to 'et 'ood or evil out of the
"lan$ nature= There can "e no fruit of 'ood or evil +here there is no seed of 'ood or "ad
nature= Thus +e find no satisfactor) solution of the ro"lem at issue in these four theories
roosed ") the Chinese scholars@@the first theor) "ein' incometent to e&lain the
ro"lem of human deravit)J the second "rea$in' do+n at the ori'in of moralit)J the
third failin' to e&lain the ossi"ilit) of moral cultureJ the fourth "ein' lo'icall) self@
contradictor)=
2= T5$)$ 1 #+ M+)&"9 '5+ 1 P4)$96 M+)"9=@@B) nature man should "e either 'ood or
"adJ or he should "e 'ood as +ell as "adJ or he should "e neither 'ood nor "ad= There
H1= Su Shih (1:.2@11:1)7 a 'reat man of letters7 ractiser of /en7 noted for his oetical
+or$s=I
can "e no alternative ossi"le "esides these four roositions7 none of +hich can "e
acceted as true= Then there must "e some misconcetion in the terms of +hich the)
consist= It +ould seem to some that the error can "e avoided ") limitin' the sense of the
term >man7> sa)in' some ersons are 'ood@natured7 some ersons are "ad@natured7 some
ersons are 'ood@natured and "ad@natured as +ell7 and some ersons are neither 'ood@
natured nor "ad@natured= There is no contradiction in these modified roositions7 "ut
still the) fail to e&lain the ethical state of man= Suosin' them all to "e true7 let us
assume that there are the four classes of eoleG (1) Those +ho are urel) moral and have
no immoral disositionJ (2) those +ho are half moral and half immoralJ (!) those +ho are
neither moral nor immoralJ (.) those +ho are urel) immoral and have no moral
disosition= Orthodo& Christians7 "elievin' in the sinlessness of ?esus7 +ould sa) he
"elon's to the first class7 +hile (ohammedans and Buddhists7 +ho deif) the founder of
their resective faith7 +ould in such case re'ard their founder as the urel) moral
ersona'e= But are )our "eliefs7 +e should as$7 "ased on historical factD Can )ou sa) that
such traditional and self@contradictor) records as the four 'osels are histor) in the strict
sense of the termD Can )ou assert that those traditions +hich deif) (ohammed and
Sha$)a are the statements of "are factsD Is not ?esus an a"straction and an ideal7 entirel)
different from a concrete carenter>s son7 +ho fed on the same $ind of food7 sheltered
himself in the same $ind of "uildin'7 suffered from the same $ind of ain7 +as fired ")
the same $ind of an'er7 stun' ") the same $ind of lust as our o+nD Can )ou sa) the
erson +ho fou'ht man) a san'uinar) "attle7 +ho 'ot throu'h man) cunnin' ne'otiations
+ith enemies and friends7 +ho ersonall) e&erienced the trou"les of ol)'am)7 +as a
erson sinless and divineD -e mi'ht allo+ that these ancient sa'es are suerhuman and
divine7 then our classification has no "usiness +ith them7 "ecause the) do not roerl)
"elon' to man$ind= No+7 then7 +ho can oint out an) sinless erson in the resent
+orldD Is it not a fact that the more virtuous one 'ro+s the more sinful he feels himselfD
If there "e an) mortal7 in the ast7 the resent7 and the future7 +ho declares himself to "e
ure and sinless7 his ver) declaration roves that he is not hi'hl) moral= Therefore the
e&istence of the first class of eole is oen to 0uestion=
5= T5$)$ 1 #+ M+)&"9 '5+ 1 N+#-M+)"9 +) P4)$96 I,,+)"9=@@The same is the case
+ith the third and the fourth class of eole +ho are assumed as non@moral or urel)
immoral= There is no erson7 ho+ever morall) de'raded he ma) "e7 "ut reveals some
'ood nature in his +hole course of life= It is our dail) e&erience that +e find a faithful
friend in the erson even of a ic$oc$et7 a lovin' father even in a "ur'lar7 and a $ind
nei'h"our even in a murderer= <aith7 s)math)7 friendshi7 love7 lo)alt)7 and 'enerosit)
d+ell not merel) in alaces and churches7 "ut also in "rothels and 'aols= On the other
hand7 a"horrent vices and "lood) crimes often find shelter under the sil$ hat7 or the ro"e7
or the coronet7 or the cro+n= ,ife ma) fitl) "e comared +ith a roe made of +hite and
"lac$ stra+7 and to searate one from the other is to destro) the roe itselfJ so also life
entirel) indeendent of the dualit) of 'ood and "ad is no actual life= -e must
ac$no+led'e7 therefore7 that the third and the fourth roositions are inconsistent +ith
our dail) e&erience of life7 and that onl) the second roosition remains7 +hich7 as seen
a"ove7 "rea$s do+n at the ori'in of moralit)=
6= 75$)$, &5$#, %+$ &5$ E))+) L1$A@@-here7 then7 does the error lie in the four ossi"le
roositions resectin' man>s natureD It lies not in their su"#ect7 "ut in the redicate@that
is to sa)7 in the use of the terms >'ood> and >"ad=> No+ let us e&amine ho+ does 'ood
differ from "ad= 4 'ood action ever romotes interests in a shere far +ider than a "ad
action= Both are the same in their conducin' to human interests7 "ut differ in the e&tent in
+hich the) achieve their end= In other +ords7 "oth 'ood and "ad actions are erformed
for one end and the same urose of romotin' human interests7 "ut the) differ from each
other as to the e&tent of interests= <or instance7 "ur'lar) is evidentl) "ad action7 and is
condemned ever)+hereJ "ut the caturin' of an enem)>s roert) for the sa$e of one>s
o+n tri"e or clan or nation is raised as a meritorious conduct= Both acts are e&actl) the
same in their romotin' interestsJ "ut the former relates to the interests of a sin'le
individual or of a sin'le famil)7 +hile the latter to those of a tri"e or a nation= If the
former "e "ad on account of its i'norin' others> interests7 the latter must "e also "ad on
account of its i'norin' the enem)>s interests= (urder is considered "ad ever)+hereJ "ut
the $illin' of thousands of men in a "attle@field is raised and honoured7 "ecause the
former is eretrated to romote the rivate interests7 +hile the latter those of the u"lic=
If the former "e "ad7 "ecause of its cruelt)7 the latter must also "e "ad7 "ecause of its
inhumanit)=
The idea of 'ood and "ad7 'enerall) acceted ") common sense7 ma) "e stated as
follo+sG >4n action is 'ood +hen it romotes the interests of an individual or a famil)J
"etter +hen it romotes those of a district or a countr)J "est +hen it romotes those of the
+hole +orld= 4n action is "ad +hen it inflicts in#ur) on another individual or another
famil)J +orse +hen= it is re#udicial to a district or a countr)J +orst +hen it "rin's harm
on the +hole +orld= Strictl) sea$in'7 an action is 'ood +hen it romotes interests7
material or siritual7 as intended ") the actor in his motiveJ and it is "ad +hen it in#ures
interests7 material or siritual7 as intended ") the actor in his motive=>
4ccordin' to this idea7 'enerall) acceted ") common sense7 human actions ma) "e
classified under four different headsG (1) 1urel) 'ood actionsJ (2) artl) 'ood and artl)
"ad actionsJ (!) neither 'ood nor "ad actionsJ (.) urel) "ad actions= <irst7 urel) 'ood
actions are those actions +hich su"serve and never hinder human interests either material
or siritual7 such as humanit) and love of all "ein's= Secondl)7 artl) 'ood and artl) "ad
actions are those actions +hich are "oth for and a'ainst human interests7 such as narro+
atriotism and re#udiced love= Thirdl)7 neither 'ood nor "ad actions are such actions as
are neither for nor a'ainst human interests@@for e&amle7 an unconscious act of a dreamer=
,astl)7 urel) "ad actions7 +hich are a"solutel) a'ainst human interests7 cannot "e
ossi"le for man e&cet suicide7 "ecause ever) action romotes more or less the interests7
material or siritual7 of the individual a'ent or of someone else= %ven such horri"le
crimes as homicide and arricide are intended to romote some interests7 and carr) out in
some measure their aim +hen erformed= It follo+s that man cannot "e said to "e 'ood or
"ad in the strict sense of the terms as a"ove defined7 for there is no human "ein' +ho
does the first class of actions and nothin' else7 nor is there an) mortal +ho does the
fourth class of actions and nothin' else= (an ma) "e called 'ood and "ad7 and at the
same time "e neither 'ood nor "ad7 in that he al+a)s erforms the second and the third
class of actions= 4ll this7 nevertheless7 is a more la) of +ords= Thus +e are driven to
conclude that the common@sense vie+ of human nature fails to 'ras the real state of
actual life=
8= M"# 1 #+& G++%-#"&4)$% #+) B"%-#"&4)$%, .4& B4%%5"-#"&4)$%(@@-e have had
alread) occasion to o"serve that /en teaches Buddha@nature7 +hich all sentient "ein's are
endo+ed +ith= The term >Buddha@nature7>H1I as acceted 'enerall) ") Buddhists7 means a
latent and undeveloed nature7 +hich ena"les its o+ner to "ecome %nli'htened +hen it is
develoed and "rou'ht to actualit)=H2I Therefore man7 accordin' to /en7 is not 'ood@
natured nor "ad@natured in the relative sense7 as acceted 'enerall) ") common sense7 of
these terms7 "ut Buddha@natured in the sense of non@dualit)= 4 'ood erson (of common
sense) differs from a "ad erson (of common sense)7 not in his in"orn Buddha@nature7 "ut
in the e&tent of his e&ressin' it in deeds= %ven if men are e0uall) endo+ed +ith that
nature7 )et their different states of develoment do not allo+ them to e&ress it to an
e0ual e&tent in conduct= Buddha@nature ma) "e comared +ith the sun7 and individual
mind +ith the s$)= Then an %nli'htened mind is li$e the s$) in fair +eather7 +hen
nothin' revents the "eams of the sunJ +hile an i'norant mind is li$e the s$) in cloud)
+eather7 +hen the sun sheds faint li'htJ and an evil mind is li$e the s$) in storm)
+eather7 +hen the sun seems to "e out of e&istence= It comes under our dail) o"servation
that even a ro""er or a murderer ma) rove to "e a 'ood father and a lovin' hus"and to
his +ife and children= 3e is an honest fello+ +hen he remains at home= The sun of
Buddha@nature 'ives li'ht +ithin the +all of his house7 "ut +ithout the house the
dar$ness of foul crimes shrouds him=
9= T5$ P")".9$ +3 &5$ R+..$) K15(H!I@@Ch+an' TsB (So@shi) remar$s in a humorous
+a) to the follo+in'
H1= <or a detailed e&lanation of Buddha@nature7 see the chater entitled Buddha@nature in
Sho@"o@'en@Bo=
2 (ahaarinirvana@sutra ma) "e said to have "een +ritten for the urose of statin' this
idea=
! The ara"le is told for the urose of undervaluin' Confucian doctrine7 "ut the author
there") accidentall) touches human nature= -e do not 0uote it here +ith the same
urose as the author>s=I
effectG LThe follo+ers of the 'reat ro""er and murderer Eih as$ed him sa)in'G >3as the
ro""er also an) moral rinciles in his roceedin'sD> 3e reliedG >-hat rofession is there
+hich has not its rincilesD That the ro""er comes to the conclusion +ithout mista$e
that there are valua"le deosits in an aartment sho+s his +isdomJ that he is the first to
enter it sho+s his "raver)J that he ma$es an e0ual division of the lunder sho+s his
#usticeJ that he never "etra)s the fello+@ro""ers sho+s his faithfulnessJ and that he is
'enerous to the follo+ers sho+s his "enevolence= -ithout all these five 0ualities no one
in the +orld has ever attained to "ecome a 'reat ro""er=>L The ara"le clearl) sho+s us
Buddha@nature of the ro""er and murderer e&resses itself as +isdom7 "raver)7 #ustice7
faithfulness7 and "enevolence in his societ)7 and that if he did the same outside it7 he
+ould not "e a 'reat ro""er "ut a 'reat sa'e=
1:= 7"#2 Y"#2 M1#2 :O-6+-,$1; "#% " T51$3=@@One evenin' +hen -an' +as 'ivin' a
lecture to a num"er of students on his famous doctrine that all human "ein's are endo+ed
+ith Conscience7H1I a thief "ro$e into the house and hid himself in the dar$est corner=
Then -an' declared aloud that ever) human "ein' is "orn +ith Conscience7 and that
even the thief +ho had 'ot into the house had Conscience #ust as the sa'es of old= The
"ur'lar7 overhearin' these remar$s7 came out to as$ the for'iveness of the masterJ since
there +as no +a) of escae for him7 and he +as half@na$ed7 he crouched "ehind the
students= -an'>s +illin' for'iveness and cordial treatment encoura'ed the man to as$ the
0uestion ho+ the
H1= It is not conscience in the ordinar) sense of the term= It is >moral> rincile7 accordin'
to -an'7 ervadin' throu'h the Universe= >It e&resses itself as 1rovidence in 3eaven7 as
moral nature in man7 and as mechanical la+s in thin's=> The reader +ill notice that
-an'>s Conscience is the nearest aroach to Buddha@nature=I
teacher could $no+ such a oor +retch as he +as endo+ed +ith Conscience as the sa'es
of old= -an' reliedG LIt is )our Conscience that ma$es )ou ashamed of )our na$edness=
;ou )ourself are a sa'e7 if )ou a"stain from ever)thin' that +ill ut shame on )ou=L -e
firml) "elieve that -an' is erfectl) ri'ht in tellin' the thief that he +as not different in
nature from the sa'es of old= It is no e&a''eration= It is a savin' truth= It is also a most
effective +a) of savin' men out of dar$ness of sin= 4n) thief ceases to "e a thief the
moment he "elieves in his o+n Conscience7 or Buddha@nature= ;ou can never correct
criminals ") )our severe reroach or unishment= ;ou can save them onl) throu'h )our
s)math) and love7 ") +hich )ou call forth their in"orn Buddha@nature= Nothin' can
roduce more ernicious effects on criminals than to treat them as if the) +ere a different
sort of eole and confirm them in their conviction that the) are "ad@natured= -e 'reatl)
re'ret that even in a civiliBed societ) authorities ne'lectin' this savin' truth are drivin' to
erdition those criminals under their care7 +hom it is their dut) to save=
11= T5$ B"% ")$ &5$ G++% 1# &5$ E22=@@This is not onl) the case +ith a ro""er or a
murderer7 "ut also +ith ordinar) eole= There are man) +ho are honest and 'ood in
their homesteads7 "ut turn out to "e "ase and dishonest fol$ outside them= Similarl)7 there
are those +ho7 havin' an enthusiastic love of their local district7 act unla+full) a'ainst
the interests of other districts= The) are uri'ht and honoura"le 'entlemen +ithin the
"oundar) of their o+n district7 "ut a 'an' of rascals +ithout it= So also there are man)
+ho are -ashin'tons and -illiam Tells in their o+n7 "ut at the same time irates and
canni"als in the other countries= 4'ain7 there are not a fe+ ersons +ho7 havin' racial
re#udices7 +ould not allo+ the ra)s of their Buddha@nature to ass throu'h a coloured
s$in= There are civiliBed ersons +ho are humane enou'h to love and esteem an) human
"ein' as their "rother7 "ut so unfeelin' that the) thin$ lo+er creatures as their roer
food= The hi'hl) enli'htened erson7 ho+ever7 cannot "ut s)mathiBe +ith human "ein's
and lo+er creatures as +ell7 as Sha$)a (uni felt all sentient "ein's to "e his children=
These eole are e&actl) the same in their Buddha@nature7 "ut a +ide difference o"tains
amon' them in the e&tent of their e&ressin' that nature in deeds= If thieves and
murderers "e called "ad@natured7 reformers and revolutionists should "e called so= If7 on
the other hand7 atriotism and lo)alt) "e said to "e 'ood7 treason and insurrection should
li$e+ise "e so= Therefore it is evident that a so@called 'ood erson is none "ut one +ho
acts to romote +ider interests of life7 and a so@called "ad erson is none "ut one +ho
acts to advance narro+er ones= In other +ords7 the "ad are the 'ood in the e''7 so to
sea$7 and the 'ood are the "ad on the +in'= 4s the "ird in the e'' is one and the same as
the "ird on the +in'7 so the 'ood in the e'' is entirel) of the same nature as the "ad on
the +in'= To sho+ that human nature transcends the dualit) of 'ood and evil7 the author
of 4vatamsa$a@sutra declares that >all "ein's are endo+ed +ith the +isdom and virtue of
Tatha'ata=> E+ei <un' (Eei@ho) also sa)sG L4ll sentient "ein's have the Real Sirit of
Ori'inal %nli'htenment (+ithin themselves)= It is unchan'in' and ure= It is eternall)
"ri'ht and clear7 and conscious= It is also named Buddha@nature7 or Tathagata!garbha=L
12= T5$ G)$"& P$)+# "#% S,"99 P$)+#=@@<or these reasons /en rooses to call man
Buddha@natured or Aood@natured in a sense transcendental to the dualit) of 'ood and "ad=
It conve)s no sense to call some individuals 'ood in case there is no "ad individual= <or
the sa$e of convenience7 ho+ever7 /en calls man 'ood7 as is e&emlified ") Sha$)a
(uni7 +ho +as +ont to address his hearers as >'ood men and +omen7> and ") the Si&th
1atriarch in China7 +ho called ever)"od) >a 'ood and +ise one=> This does not iml) in
the least that all human "ein's are virtuous7 sinless7 and saintl)@na)7 the +orld is full of
vices and crimes= It is an undenia"le fact that life is the +arfare of 'ood a'ainst evil7 and
man) a valiant hero has fallen in the foremost ran$s= It is curious7 ho+ever7 to notice that
the chamions on the "oth sides are fi'htin' for the same cause= There can "e no sin'le
individual in the +orld +ho is fi'htin' a'ainst his o+n cause or interest7 and the onl)
ossi"le difference "et+een one art) and the other consists in the e&tent of interests
+hich the) fi'ht for= So@called "ad ersons7 +ho are roerl) desi'nated as >small
ersons> ") Chinese and ?aanese scholars7 e&ress their Buddha@nature to a small e&tent
mostl) +ithin their o+n doors7 +hile so@called 'ood ersons7 or >'reat ersons> as the
Oriental scholars call them7 actualiBe their Buddha@nature to a lar'e e&tent in the +hole
shere of a countr)7 or of the +hole earth=
%nli'htened Consciousness7 or Buddha@nature7 as +e have seen in the revious chater7 is
the mind of mind and the consciousness of consciousness7 Universal Sirit a+a$ened in
individual minds7 +hich realiBes the universal "rotherhood of all "ein's and the unit) of
individual lives= It is the real= self7 the 'uidin' rincile7 the Ori'inal 1h)sio'nom)H1I
(nature)7 as it is called ") /en7 of man= This real self lies dormant under the threshold of
consciousness in the minds of the confusedJ conse0uentl)7 each of them is inclined to
re'ard ett) individual as his
H1= The e&ression first occurs in 3o@"o@dan@$)o of the Si&th 1atriarch7 and is fre0uentl)
used ") later /enists=I
self7 and to e&ert himself to further the interests of the individual self even at the cost of
those of the others= 3e is >the smallest erson> in the +orld7 for his self is reduced to the
smallest e&tent ossi"le= Some of the less confused identif) their selves +ith their
families7 and feel ha) or unha) in roortion as their families are ha) or unha)7
for the sa$e of +hich the) sacrifice the interests of other families= On the other hand7
some of the more enli'htened unite their selves throu'h love and comassion +ith their
+hole tri"e or countr)men7 and consider the rise or fall of the tri"e or of the countr) as
their o+n7 and +illin'l) sacrifice their o+n lives7 if need "e7 for the cause of the tri"e or
the countr)= -hen the) are full) enli'htened7 the) can realiBe the unit) of all sentient
lives7 and "e ever merciful and helful to+ards all creatures= The) are >the 'reatest
ersons> on earth7 "ecause their selves are enlar'ed to the 'reatest e&tent ossi"le=
1!= T5$ T5$+)6 +3 B4%%5"-N"&4)$ "%$>4"&$96 $*-9"1# &5$ E&51!"9 S&"&$ +3 M"#(@@
This theor) of Buddha@nature ena"les us to 'et an insi'ht into the ori'in of moralit)= The
first a+a$enin' of Buddha@nature +ithin man is the ver) "e'innin' of moralit)7 and
man>s ethical ro'ress is the 'raduall) +idenin' e&ression of that nature in conduct= But
for it moralit) is imossi"le for man= But for it not onl) moral culture or disciline7 "ut
education and social imrovement must "e futile= 4'ain7 the theor) ade0uatel) e&lains
the ethical facts that the standard of moralit) under'oes chan'e in different times and
laces7 that 'ood and "ad are so inseara"l) $nit to'ether7 and that the "ad at times
"ecome 'ood all on a sudden7 and the 'ood 'ro+ "ad 0uite une&ectedl)= <irst7 it 'oes
+ithout sa)in' that the standard of moralit) is raised #ust in roortion as Buddha@nature
or real self e&tends and amlifies itself in different times and laces= Secondl)7 since
'ood is Buddha@nature actualiBed to a lar'e e&tent7 and "ad is also Buddha@nature
actualiBed to a small e&tent7 the e&istence of the former resuoses that of the latter7 and
the mess of dualit) can never "e 'ot rid of= Thirdl)7 the fact that the "ad "ecome 'ood
under certain circumstances7 and the 'ood also "ecome "ad often une&ectedl)7 can
hardl) "e e&lained ") the dualistic theor)7 "ecause if 'ood nature "e so ar"itraril) turned
into "ad and "ad nature into 'ood7 the distinction of 'ood and "ad nature has no meanin'
+hatever= 4ccordin' to the theor) of Buddha@nature7 the fact that the 'ood "ecome "ad
or the "ad "ecome 'ood7 does not iml) in the least a chan'e of nature7 "ut the +idenin'
or the narro+in' of its actualiBation= So that no matter ho+ morall) de'enerated one ma)
"e7 he can ulift himself to a hi'h ethical lane ") the +idenin' of his self7 and at the
same time no matter ho+ morall) e&alted one ma) "e7 he can descend to the level of the
"rute ") the narro+in' of his self= To "e an an'el or to "e a devil rests +ith one>s de'rees
of enli'htenment and free choice= This is +h) such infinite varieties e&ist "oth amon' the
'ood and the "ad= This is +h) the hi'her the ea$ of enli'htenment the eole clim"7 the
more +idel) the vista of moral ossi"ilities oen "efore them=
1.= B4%%5"-N"&4)$ 1 &5$ C+,,+# S+4)!$ +3 M+)"9(@@<urthermore7 Buddha@nature or
real self7 "ein' the seat of love and the nucleus of sincerit)7 forms the +ar and +oof of
all moral actions= 3e is an o"edient son +ho serves his arents +ith sincerit) and love=
3e is a lo)al su"#ect +ho serves his master +ith sincerit) and love= 4 virtuous +ife is she
+ho loves her hus"and +ith her sincere heart= 4 trust+orth) friend is he +ho $ees
coman) +ith others +ith sincerit) and love= 4 man of ri'hteousness is he +ho leads a
life of sincerit) and love= Aenerous and humane is he +ho s)mathiBes +ith his fello+@
men +ith his sincere heart= *eracit)7 chastit)7 filial iet)7 lo)alt)7 ri'hteousness7
'enerosit)7 humanit)7 and +hat not@all@this is no other than Buddha@nature alied to
various relationshis of human "rotherhood= This is the common source7 ever fresh and
ine&hausti"le7 of moralit) that fosters and furthers the interests of all= To@#uH1I e&resses
the similar idea as follo+sG
LThere e&ists the Ine&hausti"le Source (of moralit)) +ithin me=
It is an invalua"le treasure=
It is called Bri'ht Nature of man=
It is eerless and surasses all #e+els=
The aim of learnin' is to "rin' out this Bri'ht Nature=
This is the "est thin' in the +orld=
Real hainess can onl) "e secured ") it=L
Thus7 in the first lace7 moral conduct7 +hich is nothin' "ut the e&ression of Buddha@
nature in action7 imlies the assertion of self and the furtherance of one>s interests= On
this oint is "ased the half@truth of the %'oistic theor)= Secondl)7 it is invaria"l)
accomanied ") a feelin' of leasure or satisfaction +hen it fulfils its end= This
accidental concomitance is mista$en for its essence ") suerficial o"servers +ho adhere
to the 3edonistic theor)= Thirdl)7 it conduces to the furtherance of the material and
siritual interests of man7 and it led the Utilitarians to the confusion of the result +ith the
cause of moralit)= <ourthl)7 it involves the control or sacrifice of the lo+er and i'no"le
self of an individual in order to realiBe his hi'her and no"ler self= This 'ave rise to the
half@truth of the 4scetic theor) of moralit)=
12= T5$ P")".9$ +3 " D)4#=")%(@@No+ the 0uestion arises7 If all human "ein's are
endo+ed +ith Buddha@nature7
H1= To@#u Na$a@e (died 4=D= 15.9)7 the founder of the ?aanese -an' School of
Confucianism7 $no+n as the Sa'e of Omi=I
+h) have the) not come naturall) to "e %nli'htenedD To ans+er this 0uestion7 the Indian
(aha)anistsH1I told the ara"le of a drun$ard +ho for'ets the recious 'ems ut in his
o+n oc$et ") one of his friends= The man is drun$ +ith the oisonous li0uor of
selfishness7 led astra) ") the allurin' si'ht of the sensual o"#ects7 and 'oes mad +ith
an'er7 lust7 and foll)= Thus he is in a state of moral overt)7 entirel) for'ettin' the
recious 'em of Buddha@nature +ithin him= To "e in an honoura"le osition in societ) as
the o+ner of that valua"le roert)7 he must first 'et rid himself of the influence of the
li0uor of self7 and detach himself from sensual o"#ects7 'ain control over his assion7
restore eace and sincerit) to his mind7 and illumine his +hole e&istence ") his in"orn
divine li'ht= Other+ise he has to remain in the same li'ht to all eternit)=
,ot us avail ourselves of another fi'ure to e&lain more clearl) the oint at issue=
Universal Sirit ma) fitl) "e li$ened to the universal +ater7 or +ater circulatin' throu'h
the +hole earth= This universal +ater e&ists ever)+here= It e&ists in the tree= It e&ists in
the 'rass= It e&ists in the mountain= It e&ists in the river= It e&ists in the sea= It e&ists in the
air= It e&ists in the cloud= Thus man is not onl) surrounded ") +ater on all sides7 "ut it
enetrates his ver) "od)= But "e can never aease his thirst +ithout drin$in' +ater= In
li$e manner Universal Sirit e&ists ever)+here= It e&ists in the tree= It e&ists in the 'rass=
It e&ists in the 'round= It e&ists in the mountain= It e&ists in the river= It e&ists in the sea= It
e&ists in the "ird= It e&ists in the "east= Thus man is not merel) surrounded ") Sirit on all
sides7 "ut it ermeates throu'h his +hole e&istence= > But he can never "e %nli'htened
unless he a+a$ens it +ithin him ") means of (editation= To drin$ +ater is to drin$ the
universal +aterJ to
H1= (ahaarinirvana@sutra=I
a+a$en Buddha@nature is to "e conscious of Universal Sirit=
Therefore7 to 'et %nli'htened +e have to "elieve that all "ein's are Buddha@natured@@that
is7 a"solutel) 'ood@natured in the sense that transcends the dualit) of 'ood and "ad= LOne
da)7L to cite an e&amle7 L1an Shan (Ban@Ban) haened to ass ") a meat@sho= 3e
heard a customer sa)in'G >Aive me a ound of fresh meat=> To +hich the sho$eeer7
uttin' do+n his $nife7 reliedG Certainl)7 sir= Could there "e an) meat that is not fresh in
m) shoD> 1an Shan7 hearin' these remar$s7 +as %nli'htened at once=L
15= S5"=6" M4#1 "#% &5$ P)+%12"9 S+#(@@4 'reat trou"le +ith us is that +e do not
"elieve in half the 'ood that +e are "orn +ith= -e are #ust li$e the onl) son of a +ell@to@
do7 as the author of Saddharma@undari$a@sutraH1I tells us7 +ho7 "ein' for'etful of his
rich inheritance7 leaves his home and leads a life of hand@to@mouth as a coolie= 3o+
misera"le it is to see one7 havin' no faith in his no"le endo+ment7 "ur)in' the recious
'em of Buddha@nature into the foul ru""ish of vices and crimes7 +astin' his e&cellent
'enius in the e&ertion that is sure to dis'race his name7 fallin' a re) to "itter remorse
and dou"t7 and castin' himself a+a) into the #a+ of erdition= Sha$)a (uni7 full of
fatherl) love to+ards all "ein's7 loo$ed +ith comassion on us7 his rodi'al son7 and
used ever) means to restore the half@starved man to his home= It +as for this that he left
the alace and the "eloved +ife and son7 ractised his self@mortification and rolon'ed
(editation7 attained to %nli'htenment7 and reached Dharma for fort)@nine )earsJ in
other +ords7 all his stren'th and effort +ere focussed on that sin'le aim7 +hich +as to
"rin' the rodi'al son to his rich mansion of Buddha@nature= 3e
H1= See >Sacred Boo$s of the %ast7> vol= &&i=7 cha= iv=7 = 98@118=I
tau'ht not onl) ") +ords7 "ut ") his o+n actual e&amle7 that man has Buddha@nature7 ")
the unfoldment of +hich he can save himself from the miseries of life and death7 and
"rin' himself to a hi'her realm than 'ods= -hen +e are %nli'htened7 or +hen Universal
Sirit a+a$ens +ithin us7 +e oen the ine&hausti"le store of virtues and e&cellencies7 and
can freel) ma$e use of them at our +ill=
16= T5$ P")".9$ +3 &5$ M+#= "#% &5$ S&4-1% 7+,"#=@@The confused or unenli'htened
ma) "e comared +ith a mon$ and a stuid +oman in a ?aanese ara"le +hich runs as
follo+sG LOne evenin' a mon$ (+ho +as used to have his head shaved clean)7 'ettin'
drun$ a'ainst the moral recets7 visited a +oman7 $no+n as a "loc$head7 at her house=
No sooner had he 'ot into her room than the female fell aslee so soundl) that the mon$
could not +a$e her na= Thereuon he made u his mind to use ever) ossi"le means to
arouse her7 and searched and searched all over the room for some instrument that +ould
hel him in his tas$ of arousin' her from death@li$e slum"er= <ortunatel)7 he found a
raBor in one of the dra+ers of her mirror stand= -ith it he 'ave a stro$e to her hair7 "ut
she did not stir a +hit= Then came another stro$e7 and she snored li$e thunder= The third
and fourth stro$es came7 "ut +ith no "etter result= 4nd at last her head +as shaven clean7
)et still she slet on= The ne&t mornin' +hen she a+o$e7 she could not find her visitor7
the mon$7 as he had left the house in the revious ni'ht= >-here is m) visitor7 +here m)
dear mon$D> she called aloud7 and +a$in' in a state of somnam"ulation loo$ed for him in
vain7 reeatin' the outcr)= -hen at len'th her hand accidentall) touched her shaven head7
she mistoo$ it for that of her visitor7 and e&claimedG >3ere )ou are7 m) dear7 +here am I
m)self 'one thenDL 4 'reat trou"le +ith the confused is their for'ettin' of real self or
Buddha@nature7 and not $no+in' >+here it is 'one=> Du$e N'ai7 of the State of ,u7 once
said to ConfuciusG LOne of m) su"#ects7 Sir7 is so much for'etful that he for'ot to ta$e his
+ife +hen "e chan'ed his residence=L LThat is not much7 m) lord7L said the sa'e7 Lthe
%merors EiehH1I and CheuH2I for'ot their o+n selves=L>
18= 8E"!5 S,19$ " H6,#, $"!5 K1#%96 7+)% " P)"6$)(8@@The 'lorious sun of Buddha@
nature shines in the Benith of %nli'htened Consciousness7 "ut men still dream a dream of
illusion= Bells and cloc$s of the Universal Church roclaim the da+n of Bodhi7 )et men7
drun$ +ith the li0uors of the Three 1oisonsH.I Still slum"er in the dar$ness of sin= ,et us
ra) to Buddha7 in +hose "osom +e live7 for the sa$e of our o+n salvation= ,et us invo$e
Buddha7 +hose "oundless merc) ever "esets us7 for the Sa$e of #o) and eace of all our
fello+@"ein's= ,et us adore 3im throu'h our s)math) to+ards the oor7 throu'h our
$indness sho+n to the sufferin'7 throu'h our thou'ht of the su"lime and the 'ood=
LO "rother man7 fold to th) heart th) "rotherJ
-here it) d+ells7 the eace of Aod is thereJ
To +orshi ri'htl) is to love each other7
%ach smile a h)mn7 each $indl) +ord a ra)er=L
-3ITTI%R=
,et7 then7 )our heart "e so ure that )ou ma) not "e un+orth) of the sunshine "eamin'
uon )ou the li'ht of Universal Sirit= ,et )our thou'ht "e so no"le that )ou ma) deserve
fair flo+ers "loomin' "efore )ou7 remindin' )ou of merciful Buddha= ,et )our life "e so
'ood that )ou ma) not "e ashamed of )ourself in the resence of the
H1= The last %meror of the 3a d)nast)7 notorious for his vices= 3is rei'n +as 1818@1656
B=C=
2= The last %meror of the ;in d)nast)7 one of the +orst desots= 3is rei'n +as 112.@
1122 B=C=
!= Eo@shi@$e@'o=
. ,ust7 an'er7 and foll)=I
Blessed One= This is the iet) of (aha)anists7 eseciall) of /enists=
19= T5$ 7+)9% 1 1# &5$ M"=1#2(@@Our assertion is far from assumin' that life is no+
comlete7 and is in its "est state= On the contrar)7 it is full of defects and shortcomin's=
-e must not "e uffed u +ith modern civiliBation7 ho+ever 'reat victor) it has scored
for its side= Be)ond all dou"t man is still in his cradle= 3e often stretches forth his hands
to 'et at his hi'her ideal7 )et is still satisfied +ith +orthless la)thin's= It is too 'larin' a
fact to "e overloo$ed ") us that faith in reli'ion is d)in' out in the educated circles of
societ)7 that insincerit)7 co+ardice7 and dou"le@ton'ue are found holdin' hi'h ositions
in almost ever communit)7 that ,ucrese and %BBelin' are loo$in' do+n uon the starvin'
multitude from their lu&urious alace7 that (ammon and Bacchus are sometimes re)in'
on their livin' victims7 that even reli'ion often sides +ith Contention and iet) ta$es art
in Cruelt)7 that 4narch) is ever read) to srin' on the cro+ned "ein's7 that hilosoh) is
disosed to turn the deaf ear to the etition of eace7 +hile science rovides fuel for the
fire of strife=
-as the 'olden a'e of man7 then7 over in the remote astD Is the doomsda) comin'
insteadD Do )ou "ear the trumet callD Do )ou feel the earth trem"leD No7 a"solutel) no7
the 'olden a'e is not assed= It is )et to come= There are not a fe+ +ho thin$ that the
+orld is in comletion7 and the Creator has finished 3is +or$= -e +itness7 ho+ever7 that
3e is still +or$in' and +or$in'7 for actuall) +e hear 3is hammer@stro$es resoundin'
throu'h heaven a"ove and earth "eneath= Does 3e not sho+ us ne+ materials for 3is
"uildin'D Does 3e not 'ive ne+ forms to 3is desi'nD Does 3e not surrise us +ith
novelties7 e&traordinaries7 and m)steriesD In a +ord7 the +orld is in ro'ress7 not in
retro'ression=
4 stream does not run in a strai'ht line= It no+ turns to the ri'ht7 no+ to the left7 no+
leas do+n a reciice7 no+ +aters rich fields7 no+ runs "ac$ to+ards its sourceJ "ut it is
destined to find its outlet in the ocean= So it is +ith the stream of life= It no+ leas do+n
the reciice of revolution= No+ it enriches the fertile field of civiliBation= No+ it
e&ands itself into a 'lass) la$e of eace= No+ it forms the dan'erous +hirlool of strife=
But its course is al+a)s to+ard the ocean of %nli'htenment7 in +hich the 'ems of
e0ualit) and freedom7 #e+els of truth and "eaut)7 and treasures of +isdom and "liss can
"e had=
2:= T5$ P)+2)$ "#% H+-$ +3 L13$(@@3o+ man) m)riads of )ears have assed since the
'erms of life first made aearance on earth none can tellJ ho+ man) thousands of
summers and +inters it has ta$en to develo itself into hi'her animals7 no scientist can
calculate e&actl)= Slo+l) "ut steadil) it has ta$en its s+ervin' course7 and ascendin' sto
") ste the series of evolution7 has reached at len'th the lane of the rational animal= -e
cannot tell ho+ man) "illions of )ears it ta$es to develo ourselves and "ecome "ein's
hi'her than man himself7 )et +e firml) "elieve that it is ossi"le for us to ta$e the same
unerrin' course as the or'anic 'erms too$ in the ast= %&istin' humanit) is not the same
as rimitive one= It is 0uite another race= Our desires and hoes are entirel) different
from= those of rimitive man= -hat +as 'old for them is no+ iron for us= Our thou'hts
and "eliefs are +hat the) never dreamed of= Of our $no+led'e the) had almost none=
That +hich the) $et in veneration +e tramle under our feet= Thin's the) +orshied as
deities no+ serve us as our slaves= Thin's that trou"led and tortured them +e no+ turn
into utilities= To sa) nothin' of the customs and manners and mode of livin' +hich
under+ent e&traordinar) chan'e7 +e are of a race in "od) and mind other than the
rimitive forefathers of 'ood old da)s=
In addition to this +e have ever) reason to "elieve in the "etterment of life= ,et us cast a
'lance to the e&istin' state of the +orld= -hile the Turco@Italian +ar +as raisin' its
ferocious outcr)7 the Chinese revolution lifted its head "efore the trem"lin' throne= -ho
can tell +hether another san'uinar) affair +ill not "rea$ out "efore the Bul'arian
"loodshed comes to an endD Still +e "elieve that7 as fire drives out fire7 to "orro+
Sha$eseare>s hrase7 so +ar is drivin' out +ar= 4s an ocean7 +hich searated t+o
nations in the ast7 serves to unite them no+7 so a +ar7 +hich searated t+o eole in the
ast7 "rin's them to unit) no+= It 'oes +ithout sa)in'7 that ever) nation 'roans under the
"urden of cannons and +arshis7 and heartil) desires eace= No nation can +illin'l)
+a'e +ar a'ainst an) other nation= It is a'ainst the national conscience= It is no
e&a''eration to sa) the +orld is +holl) the ear to hear the ne+s from the 'oddess of
eace= 4 time +ill surel) come7 if our urose "e stead) and our resolution firm7 +hen
universal eace +ill "e restored7 and Sha$)a (uni>s recet7 >not to $ill7> +ill "e realiBed
") all man$ind=
21= T5$ B$&&$),$#& +3 L13$(@@4'ain7 eole no+ada)s seem to feel $eenl) the +ound of
the economical results of +ar7 "ut the) are unfeelin' to its moral in#uries= 4s elements
have their affinities7 as "odies have their attractions7 as creatures have their instinct to live
to'ether7 so men have their in"orn mutual love= >Aod divided man into men that the)
mi'ht hel each other=> Their stren'th lies in their mutual hel7 their leasure is in their
mutual love7 and their erfection is in their 'ivin' and receivin' of alternate 'ood=
Therefore Sha$)a (uni sa)sG LBe merciful to all livin' "ein's=L To ta$e u arms a'ainst
an) other erson is unla+ful for an) individual= It is the violation of the universal la+ of
life=
-e do not den) that there are not a fe+ +ho are so +retched that the) re#oice in their
crimes7 nor that there is an) erson "ut has more or less stain on his character7 nor that
the means of committin' crimes are multilied in roortion as modern civiliBation
advancesJ )et still +e "elieve that our social life is ever "rea$in' do+n our +olfish
disosition that +e inherited from our "rute ancestors7 and education is ever +earin' out
our canni"alistic nature +hich +e have in common +ith +ild animals= On the one hand7
the si'ns of social morals are manifest in ever) direction7 such as as)lums for orhans7
oorhouses7 houses of correction7 lod'in's for the enniless7 as)lums for the oor7 free
hositals7 hositals for domestic animals7 societies for the revention of cruelt) to
animals7 schools for the "lind and the dum"7 as)lums for the insane7 and so forthJ on the
other hand7 various discoveries and inventions have "een made that ma) contri"ute to the
social imrovement7 such as the discover) of the F ra)s and of radium7 the invention of
the +ireless tele'rah and that of the aerolane and +hat not= <urthermore7 siritual
+onders such as clairvo)ance7 clairaudience7 teleath)7 etc=7 remind us of the ossi"ilities
of further siritual unfoldment in man +hich he never dreamed of= Thus life is 'ro+in'
richer and no"ler ste ") ste7 and "ecomin' more and more hoeful as +e advance in
the -a) of Buddha=
22= T5$ B4%%5" +3 M$)!6(@@(ilton sa)sG
L*irtue ma) "e assailed7 "ut never hurtJ
Surrised ") un#ust force7 "ut not enthralled=
But evil on itself shall "ac$ recoil7
4nd mi& no more +ith 'oodness= If this fail7
The illared firmament is rottenness7
4nd earth>s "ase "uilt on stu""le=L
The +orld is "uilt on the foundation of moralit)7 +hich is another name for Universal
Sirit7 and moral order sustains it= -e human "ein's7 consciousl) or unconsciousl)7
+ere7 are7 and +ill "e at +or$ to "rin' the +orld into erfection= This idea is alle'oricall)
e&ressed in the Buddhist sutra7H1I +hich details the advent of a merciful Buddha named
(aitre)a in the remote future= 4t that time7 it sa)s7 there +ill "e no stee hills7 no filth)
laces7 no eidemic7 no famine7 no earth0ua$e7 no storm7 no +ar7 no revolution7 no
"loodshed7 no cruelt)7 and no sufferin'J the roads +ill "e aved smoothl)7 'rass and trees
al+a)s "loomin'7 "irds ever sin'in'7 men contented and ha)J all sentient "ein's +ill
+orshi the Buddha of (erc)7 accet 3is doctrine7 and attain to %nli'htenment= This
rohec) +ill "e fulfilled7 accordin' to the sutra7 2756:7:::7::: )ears after the death of
Sha$)a (uni= This evidentl) sho+s us that the (aha)anist>s aim of life is to "rin' out
man>s in"orn li'ht of Buddha@nature to illumine the +orld7 to realiBe the universal
"rotherhood of all sentient "ein's7 to attain to %nli'htenment7 and to en#o) eace and #o)
to +hich Universal Sirit leads us=
H1= See Nan#o>s Catalo'ue7 Nos= 2:.@2:9=I
Ne&tG Chater *IG %nli'htenment
Sacred Te&ts Buddhism Inde& 1revious Ne&t
CHAPTER VI
ENLIGHTENMENT
1= E#9125&$#,$#& 1 .$6+#% D$!)1-&1+# "#% A#"961(@@In the fore'oin' chaters +e
have had several occasions to refer to the central ro"lem of /en or %nli'htenment7
+hose content it is futile to attemt to e&lain or anal)Be= -e must not e&lain or anal)Be
it7 "ecause ") doin' so +e cannot "ut mislead the reader= -e can as +ell reresent
%nli'htenment ") means of e&lanation or anal)sis as +e do ersonalit) ") snashots or
") anatomical oerations= 4s our inner life7 directl) e&erienced +ithin us7 is an)thin'
"ut the shae of the head7 or the features of the face7 or the osture of the "od)7 so
%nli'htenment e&erienced ") /enists at the moment of their hi'hest SamadhiH1I is
an)thin' "ut the s)cholo'ical anal)sis of mental rocess7 or the eistemolo'ical
e&lanation of co'nition7 or the hilosohical
H1= 4"stract Contemlation7 +hich the /enists distin'uish from Samadhi7 ractised ") the
Brahmins= The author of >4n Outline of Buddhist Sects> oints out the distinction7 sa)in'G
LContemlation of outside reli'ionists is ractised +ith the heterodo& vie+ that the lo+er
+orlds (the +orlds for men7 "easts7 etc=) are dis'ustin'7 "ut the uer +orlds (the +orlds
for Devas) are desira"leJ Contemlation of common eole (ordinar) la) "elievers of
Buddhism) is ractised +ith the "elief in the la+ of Earma7 and also +ith dis'ust (for the
lo+er +orlds) and desire (for the uer +orlds)J Contemlation of 3ina)ana is ractised
+ith an insi'ht into the truth of 4natman (non@soul)J Contemlation of (aha)ana is
ractised +ith an insi'ht of Unrealit) of 4tman (soul) as +ell as of Dharma (thin')J
Contemlation of the hi'hest erfection is ractised +ith the vie+ that (ind is ure in its
nature7 it is endo+ed +ith unolluted +isdom7 free from assion7 and it is no other than
Buddha himself=LI
'eneraliBation of concets= %nli'htenment can "e realiBed onl) ") the %nli'htened7 and
"affles ever) attemt to descri"e it7 even ") the %nli'htened themselves= The effort of the
confused to 'uess at %nli'htenment is often li$ened ") the /enists to the effort of the
"lind +ho feel an elehant to $no+ +hat it loo$s li$e= Some of them +ho haen to feel
the trun$ +ould declare it is li$e a roe7 "ut those +ho haen to feel the "ell) +ould
declare it is li$e a hu'e drumJ +hile those +ho haen to feel the feet +ould declare it is
li$e the trun$ of a tree= But none of these con#ectures can aroach the livin' elehant=
2= E#9125&$#,$#& 1,-91$ "# I#125& 1#&+ &5$ N"&4)$ +3 S$93(@@-e cannot ass over7
ho+ever7 this +ei'ht) ro"lem +ithout sa)in' a +ord= -e shall tr) in this chater to
resent %nli'htenment "efore the reader in a rounda"out +a)7 #ust as the ainter 'ives the
fra'mentar) s$etches of a "eautiful cit)7 "ein' una"le to 'ive even a "ird>s@e)e vie+ of it=
%nli'htenment7 first of all7 imlies an insi'ht into the nature of Self= It is an emanciation
of mind from illusion concernin' Self= 4ll $inds of sin ta$e root dee in the
misconcetion of Self7 and uttin' forth the "ranches of lust7 an'er7 and foll)7 thro+ dar$
shado+s on life= To e&tirate this misconcetion BuddhismH1I stron'l) denies the
e&istence of the individual soul as conceived ") common sense@that is7 that unchan'in'
siritual entit) rovided +ith si'ht7 hearin'7 touch7 smell7 feelin'7 thou'ht7 ima'ination7
asiration7 etc=7 +hich survives the
H1= Both (aha)ana and 3ina)ana Buddhism teach the doctrine of 4natman7 or Non@self=
It is the denial of soul as conceived ") common sense7 and of 4tman as conceived ")
Indian heterodo& thin$ers= Some (aha)anists "elieve in the e&istence of real Self instead
of individual self7 as +e see in (ahaarinirvana@sutra7 +hose author sa)sG LThere is real
self in non@self=L It is +orth) of note that the 3ina)anists set forth 1urit)7 1leasure7
4tman7 and %ternit)7 as the four 'reat misconcetions a"out life7 +hile the same author
re'ards them as the four 'reat attri"utes of Nirvana itself=I
"od)= It teaches us that there is no such thin' as soul7 and that the notion of soul is a 'ross
illusion= It treats of "od) as a temoral material form of life doomed to "e destro)ed ")
death and reduced to its elements a'ain= It maintains that mind is also a temoral siritual
form of life7 "ehind +hich there is no immuta"le soul=
4n illusor) mind tends either to re'ard "od) as Self and to )earn after its material
interests7 or to "elieve mind deendent on soul as %'o= Those +ho are 'iven to sensual
leasures7 consciousl) or unconsciousl)7 "old "od) to "e the Self7 and remain the life@
lon' slave to the o"#ects of sense= Those +ho re'ard mind as deendent on soul as the
Self7 on the other hand7 undervalue "od) as a mere tool +ith +hich the soul +or$s7 and
are inclined to denounce life as if un+orth) of livin'= -e must not undervalue "od)7 nor
must +e overestimate mind= There is no mind isolated from "od)7 nor is there an) "od)
searated from mind= %ver) activit) of mind roduces chemical and h)siolo'ical
chan'es in the nerve@centres7 in the or'ans7 and eventuall) in the +hole "od)J +hile
ever) activit) of "od) is sure to "rin' out the corresondin' chan'e in the mental
function7 and eventuall) in the +hole ersonalit)= -e have the in+ard e&erience of
sorro+ +hen +e have simultaneousl) the out+ard aearance of tears and of allorJ
+hen +e have the out+ard aearance of the fier) e)es and short "reath7 +e have
simultaneousl) the in+ard feelin' of an'er= Thus "od) is mind o"served out+ardl) in its
relation to the sensesJ mind is "od) in+ardl) e&erienced in its relation to introsection=
-ho can dra+ a strict line of demarcation "et+een mind and "od)D -e should admit7 so
far as our resent $no+led'e is concerned7 that mind7 the intan'i"le7 has "een formed to
don a 'arment of matter in order to "ecome an intelli'i"le e&istence at allJ matter7 the
solid7 has faded under e&amination into formlessness7 as that of mind= /en "elieves in the
identification of mind and "od)7 as Do@'enH1I sa)sG LBod) is identical +ith mindJ
aearance and realit) are one and the same thin'=L
Ber'son denies the identification of mind and "od)7 sa)in'H2IG LIt (e&erience) sho+s us
the interdeendence of the mental and the h)sical7 the necessit) of a certain cere"ral
su"stratum for the s)chical state@nothin' more= <rom the fact that t+o thin's are
mutuall) deendent7 it does not follo+ that the) are e0uivalent= Because a certain scre+
is necessar) for a certain machine7 "ecause the machine +or$s +hen the scre+ is there
and stos +hen the scre+ is ta$en a+a)7 +e do not sa) that the scre+ is e0uivalent of the
machine=L Ber'son>s simile of a scre+ and a machine is 0uite inade0uate to sho+ the
interdeendence of mind and "od)7 "ecause the scre+ does cause the machine to +or$7
"ut the machine does not cause the scre+ to +or$J so that their relation is not
interdeendence= On the contrar)7 "od) causes mind to +or$7 and at the same time mind
causes "od) to +or$J so that their relation is erfectl) interdeendent7 and the relation is
not that of an addition of mind to "od)7 or of "od) to mind7 as the scre+ is added to the
machine= Ber'son must have comared the +or$in' of the machine +ith mind7 and the
machine itself +ith "od)7 if "e +anted to sho+ the real fact= (oreover7 he is not ri'ht in
assertin' that Lfrom the fact that t+o thin's are mutuall) deendent7 it does not follo+
that the) are e0uivalent7L "ecause there are several $inds of interdeendence7 in some of
+hich t+o thin's can "e e0uivalent= <or instance7 "ric$s7 mutuall) deendent in their
formin' an arch7 cannot "e e0uivalent one +ith anotherJ "ut +ater and +aves7 "ein'
mutuall) deendent7 can "e identified= In li$e manner fire
H1= The master stron'l) condemns the immortalit) of the soul as the heterodo& doctrine in
his Sho@"o@'en@Bo= The same ar'ument is found in (u@chu@mon@do7 ") (u@so Eo$u@shi=
2= >Creative %volution7> = !2.7 !22=I
and heat7 air and +ind7 a machine and its +or$in'7 mind and "od)=H1I
!= T5$ I))"&1+#"91&6 +3 &5$ B$91$3 +3 I,,+)&"91&6(@@Occidental minds "elieve in a
m)sterious entit) under the name of soul7 #ust as Indian thin$ers "elieve in the so@called
su"tle "od) entirel) distinct from the 'ross "od) of flesh and "lood= Soul7 accordin' to
this "elief7 is an active rincile that unites "od) and mind so as to form an harmonious
+hole of mental as +ell as "odil) activities= 4nd it acts throu'h the instrumentalit) of the
mind and "od) in the resent life7 and en#o)s an eternal life "e)ond the 'rave= It is on this
soul that individual immortalit) is "ased= It is immortal Self=
No+7 to sa) nothin' of the ori'in of soul7 this lon'@entertained "elief is hardl) 'ood for
an)thin'= In the first lace7 it thro+s no li'ht uon the relation of mind and "od)7 "ecause
soul is an emt) name for the unit) of mind and "od)7 and serves to e&lain nothin'= On
the contrar)7 it adds another m)ster) to the alread) m)sterious relationshis "et+een
matter and sirit= Secondl)7 soul should "e conceived as a s)chical individual7 su"#ect to
sacial determinations@@"ut since it has to "e derived ") death of its "od) +hich
individualiBes it7 it +ill cease to "e individualit) after death7 to the disaointment of the
"eliever= 3o+ could )ou thin$ an)thin' urel) siritual and formless
H1= Ber'son7 ar'uin' a'ainst the deendence of the mind on "rain7 sa)sG LThat there is a
close connection "et+een a state of consciousness and the "rain +e do not disute= But
there is also a close connection "et+een a coat and the nail on +hich it han's7 for if the
nail is ulled out7 the coat +ill fall to the 'round= Shall +e sa)7 then7 that the shae of the
nail 'ave the shae of the coat7 or in an) +a) corresonds to itD No more are +e entitled
to conclude7 "ecause the s)chical fact is hun' on to a cere"ral state7 that there is an)
arallelism "et+een the t+o series7 s)chical and h)siolo'ical=L -e have to as$7 in +hat
resects does the interrelation "et+een mind and "od) resem"le the relation "et+een a
coat and a nailDI
e&istin' +ithout "lendin' to'ether +ith other thin'sD Thirdl)7 it fails to 'ratif) the desire7
cherished ") the "eliever7 of en#o)in' eternal life7 "ecause soul has to lose its "od)7 the
sole imortant medium throu'h +hich it ma) en#o) life= <ourthl)7 soul is ta$en as a
su"#ect matter to receive in the future life the re+ard or the unishment from Aod for our
actions in this lifeJ "ut the ver) idea of eternal unishment is inconsistent +ith the
"oundless love of Aod= <ifthl)7 it is "e)ond all dou"t that soul is conceived as an entit)7
+hich unifies various mental faculties and e&ists as the foundation of individual
ersonalit)= But the e&istence of such soul is 0uite incomati"le +ith the +ell@$no+n
atholo'ical fact that it is ossi"le for the individual to have dou"le or tre"le or multile
ersonalities= Thus the "elief in the e&istence of soul conceived ") the common sense
turns out not onl) to "e irrational7 "ut a useless encum"rance on the reli'ious mind=
Therefore /en declares that there is no such thin' as soul7 and that mind and "od) are
one= 3+ui Chun' (;e@chu)7 a famous discile of the Si&th 1atriarch in China7 to 0uote an
e&amle7 one da) as$ed a mon$G L-here did )ou come fromD> LI came7 sir7 from the
South7L relied the man= L-hat doctrine do the masters of the South teachDL as$ed 3+ui
Chun' a'ain= LThe) teach7 sir7 that "od) is mortal7 "ut mind is immortal7L +as the
ans+er= LThat7L said the master7 Lis the heterodo& doctrine of the 4tmanPL L3o+ do )ou7
sir7L 0uestioned the mon$7 Lteach a"out thatDL LI teach that the "od) and mind are one7L
+as the rel)=H1I
<is$e7H2I in his ar'ument a'ainst materialism7 "lames the denial of immortalit)7 sa)in'G
LThe materialistic assumtion that there is no such state of thin's7 and that the life of the
soul ends accordin'l) +ith the life of the "od)7 is erhas the most colossal instance of
"aseless assumtion
H1= <or further e&lanation7 see Sho@"o@'en@Bo and (u@chu@mon@do=
2= >The Destin) of (an7> = 11:=I
that is $no+n to the histor) of hilosoh)=L But +e can sa) +ith e0ual force that the
common@sense assumtion that the life of soul continues "e)ond the 'rave is7 erhas7
the most colossal instance of "aseless assumtion that is $no+n to the histor) of thou'ht7
"ecause7 there "ein' no scientific evidences that 'ive countenance to the assumtion7
even the siritualists themselves hesitate to assert the e&istence of a 'host or soul= 4'ain
heH1I sa)sG L-ith this ille'itimate h)othesis of annihilation the materialist trans'resses
the "ounds of e&erience 0uite as +idel) as the oet +ho sin's of the Ne+ ?erusalem
+ith its river of life and its street of 'old= Scientificall) sea$in'7 there is not a article of
evidence for either vie+=L This is as much as to sa) there is not a article of evidence7
scientificall) sea$in'7 for the common@sense vie+ of soul7 "ecause the oet>s descrition
of the Ne+ ?erusalem is nothin' "ut the result of the common@sense "elief of
immortalit)=
.= T5$ E*",1#"&1+# +3 &5$ N+&1+# +3 S$93(@@The "elief in immortalit) is "ased on the
stron' instinct of self@reservation that calls forth an insatia"le lon'in' for lon'evit)= It is
another form of e'oism7 one of the relics of our "rute forefathers= -e must "ear in mind
that this illusion of the individual Self is the foundation on +hich ever) form of
immoralit) has its "ein'= I challen'e m) readers to find in the +hole histor) of man$ind
an) crime not "ased on e'oism= %vil@doers have "een as a rule leasure@hunters7 mone)@
see$ers7 see$ers after self@interests7 characteriBed ") lust7 foll)7 and cruelt)= 3as there
"een an)one +ho committed theft that he mi'ht further the interests of his villa'ersD 3as
there "een an) aramour +ho dis'raced himself that lie mi'ht hel his nei'h"oursD 3as
there "een an) traitor +ho erformed the i'no"le conduct to romote the +elfare of his
o+n countr) or societ) at lar'eD
H1= >The Destin) of (an7> = 11:7 111=I
To 'et %nli'htened7 therefore7 +e have to correct7 first of all7 our notions concernin' Self=
Individual "od) and mind are not the onl) imortant constituents of Self= There are man)
other indisensa"le elements in the notion of Self= <or instance7 I have come into
e&istence as another form of m) arents= I am theirs7 and ma) #ustl) "e called the
reincarnation of them= 4nd a'ain7 m) father is another form of his arentsJ m) mother of
hersJ his and her arents of theirsJ and ad infinitum= In "rief7 all m) forefathers live and
have their "ein' in me= I cannot hel7 therefore7 thin$in' that m) h)sical state is the
result of the sum total of m) 'ood and "ad actions in the ast lives I led in the ersons of
m) forefathers7 and of the influence I received thereinJH1I and that m) s)chical state is
the result of that +hich I received7 felt7 ima'ined7 conceived7 e&erienced7 and thou'ht in
m) ast e&istences in the ersons of m) ancestors=
Besides this7 m) "rothers7 m) sisters7 m) nei'h"ours@@na)7 all m) follo+@men and fello+@
+omen are no other than the reincarnation of their arents and forefathers7 +ho are also
mine= The same "lood invi'orated the $in' as +ell as the "e''arJ the same nerve
ener'iBed the +hite as +ell as the "lac$ menJ the same consciousness vitaliBed the +ise
as +ell as the un+ise= Imossi"le it is to conceive m)self indeendent of m) fello+@men
and fello+@+omen7 for the) are mine and I am theirs@@that is7 I live and move in them7
and the) live and move in me=
It is "are nonsense to sa) that I 'o to school7 not to "e educated as a mem"er of societ)7
"ut siml) to 'ratif) m) individual desire for $no+led'eJ or that I ma$e a fortune7 not to
lead the life of a +ell@to@do in societ)7 "ut to satisf) m) individual mone)@lovin' instinctJ
or that I see$ after truth7 neither to do 'ood to m) contemoraries nor to the future
'enerations7 "ut onl) for m) individual curiosit)
H1= This is the la+ of Earma=I
or that I live neither to live +ith m) famil) nor +ith m) friends nor +ith an)one else7 "ut
to live m) individual life= It is as 'ross a"surdit) to sa) that I am an individual a"solutel)
indeendent of societ) as to sa) I am a hus"and +ith no +ife7 or I am a son to no arents=
-hatever I do directl) or indirectl) I contri"ute to the common fortune of manJ +hatever
an)one else does directl) or indirectl) determines m) fate= Therefore +e must realiBe that
our Selves necessaril) include other mem"ers of the communit)7 +hile other mem"ers>
Selves necessaril) comrehend us=
2= N"&4)$ 1 &5$ M+&5$) +3 A99 T51#2(@@<urthermore7 man has come into e&istence out
of Nature= 3e is her child= She rovided him food7 raiment7 and shelter= She nourishes
him7 stren'thens him7 and vitaliBes him= 4t the same time she discilines7 unishes7 and
instructs him= 3is "od) is of her o+n formation7 his $no+led'e is of her o+n la+s7 and
his activities are the resonses to her o+n addresses to him= (odern civiliBation is said ")
some to "e the con0uest of man over NatureJ "ut7 in fact7 it is his faithful o"edience to
her= LBacon trul) said7L sa)s %uc$en7H1I Lthat to rule nature man must first serve her= 3e
for'ot to add that7 as her ruler7 he is still destined to 'o on servin' her=L She can never "e
attac$ed ") an) "ein' unless he acts in strict conformit) to her la+s= To accomlish
an)thin' a'ainst her la+ is as imossi"le as to catch fishes in a forest7 or to ma$e "read
of roc$= 3o+ man) secies of animals have erished o+in' to their ina"ilit) to follo+ her
stesP 3o+ immense fortunes have "een lost in vain from man>s i'norance of her orderP
3o+ man) human "ein's disaeared on earth from their diso"edience to her un"endin'
+illP She is7 nevertheless7 true to those +ho o"e) her rules= 3as not science roved that
she is truthfulD 3as not art found that she is "eautifulD
H1= %uc$en>s >1hilosoh) of ,ife7> ") -= R= Ro)ce Ai""on7 = 21=I
3as not hilosoh) announced that she is siritualD 3as not reli'ion roclaimed that she
is 'oodD 4t all events7 she is the mother of all "ein's= She lives in all thin's and the) live
in her= 4ll that she ossesses is theirs7 and all that the) +ant she sulies= 3er life is the
same vitalit) that stirs all sentient "ein's= Ch+an' TsBH1I (So@shi) is ri'ht +hen he sa)sG
L3eaven7 %arth7 and I +ere roduced to'ether7 and all thin's and I are one=L 4nd a'ainG
LIf all thin's "e re'arded +ith love7 3eaven and %arth are one +ith me=L San' Chao (So@
#o) also sa)sG L3eaven and %arth are of the same root as +e= 4ll thin's in the +orld are of
one su"stance +ith (e=LH2I
5= R$"9 S$93(@@If there "e no individual soul either in mind or "od)7 +here does
ersonalit) lieD -hat is Real SelfD 3o+ does it differ from soulD Self is livin' entit)7 not
immuta"le li$e soul7 "ut muta"le and ever@chan'in' life7 +hich is "od) +hen o"served
") senses7 and +hich is mind +hen e&erienced ") introsection= It is not an entit) l)in'
"ehind mind and "od)7 "ut life e&istent as the union of "od) and mind= It e&isted in our
forefathers in the ast7 is e&istin' in the resent7 and +ill e&ist in the future 'enerations= It
also discloses itself to some measure in ve'eta"les and animals7 and shado+s itself forth
in inor'anic nature= It is Cosmic life and Cosmic sirit7 and at the same time individual
life and individual sirit= It is one and the same life +hich em"races men and nature= it is
the self@e&istent7 creative7 universal rincile that moves on from eternit) to eternit)= 4s
such it is called (ind or Self ") /enists= 1an Shan (Ban@Ban) sa)sG LThe moon of mind
comrehends all the universe in its li'ht=L 4 man as$ed Chan' Sha (Cho@sha)G L3o+ can
)ou turn the henomenal universe into Self DL L3o+ can
H1= Ch+an' TsB7 vol= i=7 = 2:=
2= This is a favourite su"#ect of discussion ") /enists=I
)ou turn Self into the henomenal universeDL returned the master=
-hen +e 'et the insi'ht into this Self7 +e are a"le to have the oen sesame to the
m)steries of the universe7 "ecause to $no+ the nature of a dro of +ater is to $no+ the
nature of the river7 the la$e7 and the ocean@@na)7 even of vaour7 mist7 and cloudJ in other
+ords7 to 'et an insi'ht into individual life is the $e) to the secret of Universal ,ife= -e
must not confine Self +ithin the oor little erson called "od)= That is the root of the
oorest and most misera"le e'oism= -e should e&and that e'oism into famil)@e'oism7
then into nation@e'oism7 then into race@e'oism7 then into human@e'oism7 then into livin'@
"ein'@e'oism7 and lastl) into universe@e'oism7 +hich is not e'oism at all= Thus +e den)
the immortalit) of soul as conceived ") common sense7 "ut assume immortalit) of the
Areat Soul7 +hich animates7 vitaliBes7 and siritualiBes all sentient "ein's= It is 3ina)ana
Buddhism that first denied the e&istence of atman or Self so emhaticall) inculcated in
the Uanisads7 and aved the +a) for the 'eneral concetion of Universal Self7 +ith the
eulo'ies of +hich almost ever) a'e of (aha)ana "oo$s is filled=
6= T5$ A'"=$#1#2 +3 &5$ I##$),+& 71%+,(@@3avin' set ourselves free from the
misconcetion of Self7 ne&t +e must a+a$en our innermost +isdom7 ure and divine7
called the (ind of Buddha7H1I or Bodhi7H2I or 1ra#OaH!I ") /en masters= It is the divine
li'ht7 the inner heaven7 the $e) to all moral treasures7 the centre of thou'ht and
consciousness7 the source of all influence and o+er7 the seat
H1= /en is often called the Sect of Buddha@mind7 as it la)s stress on the a+a$enin' of the
(ind of Buddha= The +ords >the (ind of Buddha> +ere ta$en from a assa'e in
,an$avatara@sutra=
2= That $no+led'e ") +hich one "ecomes enli'htened=
!= Sureme +isdom=I
of $indness7 #ustice7 s)math)7 imartial love7 humanit)7 and merc)7 the measure of all
thin's= -hen this innermost +isdom is full) a+a$ened7 +e are a"le to realiBe that each
and ever)one of us is identical in sirit7 in essence7 in nature +ith the universal life or
Buddha7 that each ever lives face to face +ith Buddha7 that each is "eset ") the a"undant
'race of the Blessed One7 that 3e arouses his moral nature7 that 3e oens his siritual
e)es7 that 3e unfolds his ne+ caacit)7 that 3e aoints his mission7 and that life is not
an ocean of "irth7 disease7 old a'e7 and death7 nor the vale of tears7 "ut the hol) temle of
Buddha7 the 1ure ,and7H1I +here "e can en#o) the "liss of Nirvana=
Then our minds 'o throu'h an entire revolution= -e are no more trou"led ") an'er and
hatred7 no more "itten ") env) and am"ition7 no more stun' ") sorro+ and cha'rin7 no
more over+helmed ") melanchol) and desair= Not that +e "ecome assionless or
siml) intellectual7 "ut that +e have urified assions7 +hich7 instead of trou"lin' us7
insire us +ith no"le asirations7 such as an'er and hatred a'ainst in#ustice7 cruelt)7 and
dishonest)7 sorro+ and lamentation for human frailt)7 mirth and #o) for the +elfare of
follo+@"ein's7 it) and s)math) for sufferin' creatures= The same chan'e urifies our
intellect= Sceticism and sohistr) 'ive +a) to firm convictionJ criticism and h)othesis
to ri'ht #ud'mentJ and inference and ar'ument to realiBation=
-hat +e merel) o"served "efore +e no+ touch +ith heart as +ell= -hat +e $ne+ in
relation of difference "efore +e no+ understand in relation of unit) as +ell= 3o+ thin's
haen +as our chief concern "efore7 "ut no+ +e consider as +ell "o+ much value the)
have= -hat +as outside us "efore no+ comes +ithin us= -hat +as dead and indifferent
"efore 'ro+s no+ alive and lova"le to us= -hat +as insi'nificant and emt) "efore
"ecomes no+ imortant7
H1= Su$havati7 or the land of "liss=I
and has rofound meanin'= -herever +e 'o +e find "eaut)J +homever +e meet +e find
'oodJ +hatever +e 'et +e receive +ith 'ratitude= This is the reason +h) the /enists not
onl) re'arded all their fello+@"ein's as their "enefactors7 "ut felt 'ratitude even to+ards
fuel and +ater= The resent +riter $no+s a contemorar) /enist +ho +ould not drin$
even a cu of +ater +ithout first ma$in' a salutation to it= Such an attitude of /en to+ard
thin's ma) +ell "e illustrated ") the follo+in' e&amleG SCeh <un' (Se@o) and Ein
Shan (Ein@Ban)7 once travellin' throu'h a mountainous district7 sa+ a leaf of the rae
floatin' do+n the stream= Thereon Ein Shan saidG L,et us 'o u7 dear "rother7 alon' the
stream that +e ma) find a sa'e livin' u on the mountain= I hoe +e shall find a 'ood
teacher in him=L LNo7L relied SCeh <un'7 Lfor he cannot "e a sa'e +ho +astes even a
leaf of the rae= 3e +ill "e no 'ood teacher for us=L
8= Z$# 1 #+& N15191&1!(@@/en #ud'ed from ancient /en masters> ahorisms ma) seem7 at
the first si'ht7 to "e idealistic in an e&treme form7 as the) sa)G L(ind is BuddhaL or7
LBuddha is (ind7L or7 LThere is nothin' outside mind7L or7 LThree +orlds are of "ut one
mind=L 4nd it ma) also aear to "e nihilistic7 as the) sa)G LThere has "een nothin' since
all eternit)7L LB) illusion )ou see the castle of the Three -orlds>J ") %nli'htenment )ou
see "ut emtiness in ten directions=LH1I In realit)7 ho+ever7 /enH2I is neither idealistic
nor nihilistic= /en ma$es use of the nihilistic idea of 3ina)ana Buddhism7 and calls its
students> attention to the chan'e and evanescence of life and of the
H1= These +ords +ere reeatedl) uttered ") Chinese and ?aanese /enists of all a'es=
Ch+en 3ih (<u@dai@shi) e&ressed this ver) idea in his Sin -an' (in' (Shin@o@mei) at
the time of Bodhidharma=
2= The Rin@Bai teachers mostl) ma$e use of the doctrine of unrealit) of all thin's7 as
tau'ht in 1ra#Oa@aramita@sutras= -e have to note that there are some differences "et+een
the (aha)ana doctrine of unrealit) and the 3ina)ana doctrine of unrealit)=I
+orld7 first to destro) the error of immutation7 ne&t to disel the attachment to the sensual
o"#ects=
It is a misleadin' tendenc) of our intellect to conceive thin's as if the) +ere immuta"le
and constant= It often leaves chan'in' and concrete individual o"#ects out of
consideration7 and la)s stress on the 'eneral7 a"stract7 unchan'in' asect of thin's= It is
inclined to "e 'iven to 'eneraliBation and a"straction= It often loo$s not at this thin' or at
that thin'7 "ut at thin's in 'eneral= It loves to thin$ not of a 'ood thin' nor of a "ad thin'7
"ut of "ad and 'ood in the a"stract= This intellectual tendenc) hardens and etrifies the
livin' and 'ro+in' +orld7 and leads us to ta$e the universe as a thin' dead7 inert7 and
standin' still= This error of immutation can "e corrected ") the doctrine of Transcience
tau'ht ") 3ina)ana Buddhism= But as medicine ta$en in an undue 0uantit) turns into
oison7 so the doctrine of Transcience drove the 3ina)anists to the suicidal conclusion of
nihilism= 4 +ell@$no+n scholar and "eliever of /en7 E+ei <un' (Eei@ha) sa)s in his
refutation of nihilismGH1I
LIf mind as +ell as e&ternal o"#ects "e unreal7 +ho is it that $no+s the) are soD 4'ain7 if
there "e nothin' real in the universe7 +hat is it that causes unreal o"#ects to aearD -e
stand +itness to the fact that there is no one of the unreal thin's on earth that is not made
to aear ") somethin' real= If there "e no +ater of unchan'in' fluidit)7 ho+ can there "e
the unreal and temorar) forms of +avesD If there "e no unchan'in' mirror7 "ri'ht and
clean7 "o+ can there "e the various ima'es7 unreal and temorar)7 reflected in itD If mind
as +ell as e&ternal o"#ects "e nothin' at all7 no one can tell +hat it is that causes these
unreal aearances= Therefore this doctrine (of the unrealit) of all thin's) can never
clearl) disclose siritual
H1= See the aendi&7 cha= ii=7 >The (aha)ana Doctrine of Nihilism=>I
Realit)= So that (aha"heri@hara$aarivarta@sutra sa)sG L 4ll the sutras that teach the
unrealit) of thin's "elon' to the imerfect doctrine L (of the Sha$)a (uni)= (ahara#Oa@
aramita@sutra sa)s The doctrine of unrealit) is the entrance@'ate of (aha)ana=L
9= Z$# "#% I%$"91,(@@Ne&t /en ma$es use of Idealism as e&lained ") the
Dharmala$sana School of (aha)ana Buddhism=> <or instance7 the <ourth 1atriarch sa)sG
L 3undreds and thousands of la+s ori'inate +ith mind= Innumera"le m)sterious virtues
roceed from the mental source=L Niu Teu (Ao@Bu) also sa)sG L-hen mind arises7 various
thin's ariseJ +hen mind ceases to e&ist7 various thin's cease to e&ist=L Tsao Shan (So@
Ban) carried the oint so far that he cried out7 on hearin' the "ellG LIt hurts7 it ains=L Then
an attendant of his as$ed L-hat is the matterDL LIt is m) mind7L said he7 that is struc$=LH2I
-e ac$no+led'e the truth of the follo+in' considerationsG There e&ists no colour7 nor
sound7 nor odour in the o"#ective +orld7 "ut there are the vi"rations of ether7 or the
undulations of the air7 or the stimuli of the sensor) nerves of smell= Colour is nothin' "ut
the translation of the stimuli into sensation ") the otical nerves7 so also sounds ") the
auditor)7 and odours ") the smellin'= Therefore nothin' e&ists o"#ectivel) e&actl) as it is
erceived ") the senses7 "ut all are su"#ective= Ta$e electricit)7 for e&amle7 it aears as
li'ht +hen erceived throu'h the e)eJ it aears as sound +hen erceived throu'h the
earJ it aears as taste +hen erceived throu'h the ton'ueJ "ut electricit) in realit) is not
li'ht7 nor sound7 nor taste= Similarl)7 the mountain is not hi'h nor lo+J the river is not
dee nor shallo+J the house is not lar'e nor smallJ
H1= 4endi&7 cha= ii=7 >The (aha)ana Doctrine of Dharmala$sana=>
2= /en@rin@rui@shu=I
the da) is not lon' nor shortJ "ut the) seem so throu'h comarison= It is not o"#ective
realit) that disla)s the henomenal universe "efore us7 "ut it is our mind that la)s an
imortant art= Suose that +e have "ut one sense or'an7 the e)e7 then the +hole
universe should consist of colours and of colours onl)= If +e suose +e +ere endo+ed
+ith the si&th sense7 +hich entirel) contradicts our five senses7 then the +hole +orld
+ould "e other+ise= Besides7 it is our reason that finds the la+ of cause and effect in the
o"#ective +orld7 that discovered the la+ of uniformit) in Nature7 and that discloses
scientific la+s in the universe so as to form a cosmos= Some scholars maintain that +e
cannot thin$ of non@e&istence of sace7 even if +e can leave out all o"#ects in itJ nor can
+e dou"t the e&istence of time7 for the e&istence of mind itself resuoses time= Their
ver) ar'ument7 ho+ever7 roves the su"#ectivit) of time and sace7 "ecause7 if the) +ere
o"#ective7 +e should "e a"le to thin$ them non@e&istent7 as +e do +ith other e&ternal
o"#ects= %ven sace and time7 therefore are no more than su"#ective=
1:= I%$"91, 1 " P+&$#& M$%1!1#$ 3+) S$93-!)$"&$% M$#&"9 D1$"$(@@In so far as
Buddhist idealism refers to the +orld of sense7 in so far as it does not assume that to to "e
$no+n is identical +ith to "e7 in so far as it does not assert that the henomenal universe
is a dream and a vision7 +e ma) admit it as true= On the one hand7 it serves us as a
urifier of our hearts olluted +ith materialistic desires7 and ulifts us a"ove the lain of
sensualismJ on the other hand7 it destro)s suerstitions +hich as a rule arise from
i'norance and +ant of the idealistic concetion of thin's=
It is a lamenta"le fact that ever) countr) is full of such suerstitions eole as descri"ed
") one of the Ne+ Thou'ht +ritersG >Tens of thousands of +omen in this countr) "elieve
that if t+o eole loo$ in a mirror at the same time7 or if one than$s the other for a in7 or
if one 'ives a $nife or a shar instrument to a friend7 it +ill "rea$ u friendshi= If a
)oun' lad) is resented +ith a thim"le7 she +ill "e an old maid= Some eole thin$ that
after leavin' a house it is unluc$) to 'o "ac$ after an) article +hich has "een for'otten7
and7 if one is o"li'ed to do so7 one should sit do+n in a chair "efore 'oin' out a'ainJ that
if a "room touches a erson +hile someone is s+eein'7 "ad luc$ +ill follo+J and that it
is unluc$) to chan'e one>s lace at a ta"le= 4 man too$ an oal to a Ne+ ;or$ #e+eller
and as$ed him to "u) it= 3e said that it had "rou'ht him nothin' "ut "ad luc$7 that since it
had come into his ossession he had failed in "usiness7 that there "ad "een much sic$ness
in his famil)7 and all sorts of misfortune had "efallen him= 3e refused to $ee the cursed
thin' an) lon'er= The #e+eller e&amined the stone7 and found that it +as not an oal after
all7 "ut an imitation=>
Idealism is a most otent medicine for these self@created mental diseases= It +ill
successfull) drive a+a) devils and sirits that fre0uent i'norant minds7 #ust as ?esus did
in the old da)s= /en ma$es use of moral idealism to e&tirate7 root and "ranch7 all such
idle dreams and hantasma'oria of illusion and oens the +a) to %nli'htenment=
11= I%$"91&1! S!$-&1!1, !+#!$)#1#2 O.B$!&1<$ R$"91&6(@@But e&treme Idealism
identifies >to "e> +ith >to "e $no+n7> and assumes all henomena to "e ideas as illustrated
in (aha)ana@vid)amatra@siddhi@tridaKa@KastraH1I
H1= 4 hilosohical +or$ on Buddhist idealism ") *asu"andhu7 translated into Chinese
") 3iuen Tsan' in 4=D= 5.8= There e&ists a famous commentar) on it7 comiled ")
Dharmaala7 translated into Chinese ") 3iuen Tsan' in 4=D= 529= See Nan#o>s Catalo'ue7
Nos= 1196 and 1122=I
and *id)amatra@vinKati@Kastra7H1I ") *asu"andhu= Then it necessaril) arts coman)
+ith /en7 +hich "elieves in Universal ,ife e&istin' in ever)thin' instead of "ehind it=
Idealism sho+s us its dar$ side in three scetic vie+sG (1) sceticism resectin' o"#ective
realit)J (2) sceticism resectin' reli'ionJ (!) sceticism resectin' moralit)=
<irst it assumes that thin's e&ist in so far as the) are $no+n ") us= It is as a matter of
course that if a tree e&ists at all7 it is $no+n as havin' a trun$ lon' or short7 "ranches
lar'e or small7 leaves 'reen or )ello+7 flo+ers )ello+ or urle7 etc=7 all of +hich are
ideas= But it does not iml) in the least that >to "e $no+n> is e0uivalent to >to "e e&istent=>
Rather +e should sa) that to "e $no+n resuoses to "e e&istent7 for +e cannot $no+
an)thin' non@e&istent7 even if +e admit that the a&ioms of lo'ic su"sist= 4'ain7 a tree
ma) stand as ideas to a $no+er7 "ut it can stand at the same time as a shelter in relation to
some "irds7 as food in relation to some insects7 as a +orld in relation to some minute
+orms7 as a $indred or'anism to other ve'eta"les= 3o+ could )ou sa) that its relation to
a $no+er is the onl) and fundamental relation for the e&istence of the treeD The
disaearance of its $no+er no more affects the tree than of its feederJ nor the aearance
of its $no+er affects the tree an) more than that of $indred ve'eta"les=
%&treme idealism erroneousl) concludes that +hat is reall) e&istent7 or +hat is directl)
roved to "e e&istent7 is onl) our sensations7 ideas7 thou'htsJ that the e&ternal +orld is
nothin' "ut the ima'es reflected on the mirror of the mind7 and that therefore o"#ective
realit) of thin's is dou"tful@na)7 more7 the) are unreal7 illusor)7 and dreams= If so7 +e can
no lon'er distin'uish the real from the visionar)J the +a$in' from the dreamin'J the sane
from
H1= 4 simler +or$ on Idealism7 translated into Chinese ") 3iuen Tsan' in 4=D= 551= See
Nan#o>s Catalo'ue7 Nos= 12!87 12!97 and 12.:=I
the insaneJ the true from the untrue= -hether life is real or an emt) dream7 +e are at a
loss to understand=
12= I%$"91&1! S!$-&1!1, !+#!$)#1#2 R$9121+# "#% M+)"91&6(@@Similarl)7 it is the case
+ith reli'ion and moralit)= If +e admit e&treme idealism as true7 there can "e nothin'
o"#ectivel) real= Aod is little more than a mental ima'e= 3e must "e a creature of mind
instead of a Creator= 3e has no o"#ective realit)= 3e is +hen +e thin$ 3e is= 3e is not
+hen +e thin$ 3e is not= 3e is at the merc) of our thou'ht= 3o+ much more unreal the
+orld must "e7 +hich is suosed to have "een created ") an unreal AodP 1rovidence7
salvation7 and divine 'race@@+hat are the)D 4 "are dream dreamed in a dreamP
-hat is moralit)7 thenD It is su"#ective= It has no o"#ective validit)= 4 moral conduct
hi'hl) valued ") our fathers is no+ held to "e immoral ") us= Immoral acts no+ stron'l)
denounced ") us ma) "e re'arded as moral ") our osterit)= Aood deeds of the sava'e
are not necessaril) 'ood in the e)es of the civiliBed7 nor evil acts of the Orientals are
necessaril) evil "efore the face of the Occidentals= It follo+s7 then7 that there is no
definite standard of moralit) in an) lace at an) time=
If moralit) "e merel) su"#ective7 and there "e no o"#ective standard7 ho+ can )ou
distin'uish evil from 'oodD 3o+ can )ou sin'le out an'els from amon' devilsD -as not
Socrates a criminalD -as not ?esus also a criminalD 3o+ could )ou $no+ 3im to "e a
Divine man different from other criminals +ho +ere crucified +ith 3imD -hat )ou
honour ma) I not denounce as dis'raceD -hat )ou hold as dut) ma) I not condemn as
sinD %ver) form of idealism is doomed7 after all7 to end in such confusion and sceticism=
-e cannot em"race radical idealism7 +hich holds these threefold scetical vie+s in her
+om"=
1!= A# I9941+# !+#!$)#1#2 A--$")"#!$ "#% R$"91&6(@@To 'et %nli'htened +e must ne&t
disel an illusion resectin' aearance and realit)= 4ccordin'= to certain reli'ionists7 all
the henomena of the universe are to succum" to chan'e= -orldl) thin's one and all are
evanescent= The) are nou'ht in the lon' run= Sno+caed mountains ma) sin$ into the
"ottom of the dee7 +hile the sands in the fathomless ocean ma) soar into the aBure s$)
at some time or other= Bloomin' flo+ers are destined to fade and to "loom a'ain in the
ne&t )ear= So destined are 'ro+in' trees7 risin' 'enerations7 roserin' nations7 'lo+in'
suns7 moons7 and stars= This7 the) +ould sa)7 is onl) the case +ith henomena or
aearances7 "ut not +ith realit)= Aro+th and deca)7 "irth and death7 rise and fall7 all
these are the e"" and flo+ of aearances in the ocean of realit)7 +hich is al+a)s the
same= <lo+ers ma) fade and "e reduced to dust7 )et out of that dust come flo+ers= Trees
ma) die out7 )et the) are reroduced some+here else= The time ma) come +hen the earth
+ill "ecome a dead shere 0uite unsuita"le for human ha"itation7 and the +hole of
man$ind +ill erishJ )et +ho $no+s that +hether another earth ma) not "e roduced as
man>s homeD The sun mi'ht have its "e'innin' and end7 stars7 moons7 theirs as +ellJ )et
an infinite universe +ould have no "e'innin' nor end=
4'ain7 the) sa)7 mutation is of the +orld of sense or henomenal aearances7 "ut not of
realit)= The former are the hases of the latter sho+n to our senses= 4ccordin'l) the) are
al+a)s limited and modified ") our senses7 #ust as ima'es are al+a)s limited and
modified ") the mirror in +hich the) are reflected= On this account aearances are
su"#ect to limitations7 +hile realit) is limitless= 4nd it follo+s that the former are
imerfect7 +hile the latter is erfectJ that the former is transient7 +hile the latter is
eternalJ that the former is relative7 +hile the latter is a"soluteJ that the former is +orldl)7
+hile the latter is hol)J that the former is $no+a"le7 +hile the latter is un$no+a"le=
These considerations naturall) lead us to an assertion that the +orld of aearances is
valueless7 as it is limited7 short@lived7 imerfect7 ainful7 sinful7 hoeless7 and misera"leJ
+hile the realm of realit) is to "e asired for7 as it is eternal7 erfect7 comforta"le7 full of
hoe7 #o)7 and eace@hence the eternal divorce of aearance and realit)= Such a vie+ of
life tends to ma$e one minimiBe the value of man7 to ne'lect the resent e&istence7 and to
)earn after the future=
Some reli'ionists tell us that +e men are helless7 sinful7 hoeless7 and misera"le
creatures= -orldl) riches7 temoral honours7 and social ositions@na)7 even su"limities
and "eauties of the resent e&istence7 are to "e i'nored and desised= -e have no need of
carin' for those thin's that ass a+a) in a t+in$lin' moment= -e must reare for the
future life +hich is eternal= -e must accumulate +ealth for that e&istence= -e must
endeavour to hold ran$ in it= -e must asire for the su"limit) and "eaut) and 'lor) of
that realm=
1.= 75$)$ %+$ &5$ R++& +3 &5$ I9941+# L1$A@@No+ let us e&amine +here illusion lies
hidden from the vie+ of these reli'ionists= It lies deel) rooted in the misconstruction of
realit)7 'ro+s u into the illusive ideas of aearances7 and thro+s its dar$ shado+ on
life= The most fundamental error lies in their construin' realit) as somethin' un$no+a"le
e&istin' "ehind aearances=
4ccordin' to their oinion7 all that +e $no+7 or erceive7 or feel7 or ima'ine a"out the
+orld7 is aearances or henomena7 "ut not realit) itself= 4earances are >thin's $no+n
as7> "ut not >thin's as the) are=> Thin'@in@itself7 or realit)7 lies "ehind aearances
ermanentl) "e)ond our $en= This is ro"a"l) the most rofound metah)sical it into
+hich hilosohical minds have ever fallen in their +a) of seculation= Thin's aear7
the) +ould sa)7 as +e see them throu'h our limited sensesJ "ut the) must resent entirel)
different asects to those that differ from ours7 #ust as the vi"ration of ether aears to us
as colours7 )et it resents 0uite different asects to the colour@"lind or to the ur"lind=
The henomenaI universe is +hat aears to the human mind7 and in case our mental
constitution under'oes chan'e7 it +ould "e comletel) other+ise=
This ar'ument7 ho+ever7 is far from rovin' that the realit) is un$no+a"le7 or that it lies
hidden "ehind aearances or resentations= Ta$e7 for instance7 a realit) +hich aears as
a ra) of the sun= -hen it 'oes throu'h a ane of 'lass it aears to "e colourless7 "ut it
e&hi"its a "eautiful sectrum +hen it asses throu'h a rism= Therefore )ou assume that
a realit) aearin' as the ra)s of the sun is neither colourless nor coloured in itself7 since
these aearances are +holl) due to the difference that o"tains "et+een the ane of 'lass
and the rism=
-e contend7 ho+ever7 that the fact does not rove the e&istence of the realit) named the
sun>s ra) "e)ond or "ehind the +hite li'ht7 nor its e&istence "e)ond or "ehind the
sectrum= It is evident that the realit) e&ists in +hite li'ht7 and that it is $no+n as the
+hite li'ht +hen it 'oes throu'h a ane of 'lassJ and that the same realit) e&ists in the
sectrum7 and is $no+n as the sectrum +hen it 'oes throu'h the rism= The realit) is
$no+n as the +hite li'ht on the one hand7 and as the sectrum on the other= It is not
un$no+a"le7 "ut $no+a"le=
Suose that one and the same realit) e&hi"its one asect +hen it stands in relation to
another o"#ectJ t+o asects +hen it stands in relation in t+o different o"#ectsJ three
asects +hen it stands in relation to three different o"#ects= The realit) of one asect
never roves the unrealit) of another asect7 for all these three asects can "e e0uall)
real= 4 tree aears to us as a ve'eta"leJ it aears to some "irds as a shelterJ and it
aears to some +orms as a food= The realit) of its asect as a ve'eta"le never roves the
unrealit) of its asect as food7 nor the realit) of its asect as food disroves the realit) of
its asect as shelter= The real tree does not e&ist "e)ond or "ehind the ve'eta"le= -e can
rel) uon its realit)7 and ma$e use of it to a fruitful result= 4t the same time7 the "irds can
rel) on its realit) as a shelter7 and "uild their nests in itJ the +orms7 too7 can rel) on its
realit) as food7 and eat it@to their satisfaction= 4 realit) +hich aears to me as m) +ife
must aear to m) son as his mother7 and never as his +ife= But the same real +oman is
in the +ife and in the motherJ neither is unreal=
12= T51#2-1#-I&$93 ,$"# T51#2-K#+'$)9$(@@3o+7 then7 did hilosohers come to
consider realit) to "e un$no+a"le and hidden "ehind or "e)ond aearancesD The)
investi'ated all the ossi"le resentations in different relationshis7 and ut them all aside
as aearances7 and "rooded on the thin'@in@itself7 shut out from all ossi"le relationshi7
and declared it un$no+a"le= Thin'@in@itself means thin' cut off from all ossi"le
relationshis= To7 ut it in another +a)G thin'@in@itself means thin' derived of its relation
to its $no+er@@that is to sa)7 thin'@$no+er@less= So that to declare thin'@in@itself
un$no+a"le is as much as to declare thin'@un$no+a"le un$no+a"leJ there is no dou"t
a"out it7 "ut +hat does it roveD
Derive )ourself of all the ossi"le relationshis7 and see +hat )ou are= Suose )ou are
not a son to )our arents7 nor the hus"and to )our +ife7 nor the father to )our children7
nor a relative to )our $indred7 nor a friend to )our ac0uaintances7 nor a teacher to )our
students7 nor a citiBen to )our countr)7 nor an individual mem"er to )our societ)7 nor a
creature to )our Aod7 then )ou 'et )ou@in@)ourself= No+ as$ )ourself +hat is )ou@in@
)ourselfD ;ou can never ans+er the 0uestion= It is un$no+a"le7 #ust "ecause it is cut off
from all $no+a"le relations= Can )ou thus rove that )ou@in@)ourself e&ist "e)ond or
"ehind )ouD
In li$e manner our universe aears to us human "ein's as the henomenal +orld or
resentation= It mi'ht aear to other creatures of a different mental constitution as
somethin' else= -e cannot ascertain ho+ it mi'ht seem to Devas7 to 4suras7 to an'els7
and to the 4lmi'ht)7 if there "e such "ein's= 3o+ever different it mi'ht seem to these
"ein's7 it does not iml) that the henomenal +orld is unreal7 nor that the realm of realit)
is un$no+a"le=
>-ater7> the Indian tradition has it7 >seems to man as a drin$7 as emerald to Devas7 as
"lood) us to 1retas7 as houses to fishes=> -ater is not a +hit less real "ecause of its
seemin' as houses to fishes7 and fishes> houses are not less real "ecause of its seemin' as
emerald to Devas= There is nothin' that roves the unrealit) of it= It is a 'ross illusion to
conceive realit) as transcendental to aearances= Realit) e&ists as aearances7 and
aearances are realit) $no+n to human "ein's= ;ou cannot searate aearances from
realit)7 and hold out the latter as the o"#ect of asiration at the cost of the former= ;ou
must ac$no+led'e that the so@called realm of realit) +hich )ou asire after7 and +hich
)ou see$ for outside or "ehind the henomenal universe7 e&ists here on earth= ,et /en
teachers tell )ou that Lthe +orld of "irth and death is the realm of NirvanaLJ Lthe earth is
the ure land of Buddha=L
15= T5$ F+4) A9&$)#"&1<$ "#% &5$ F1<$ C"&$2+)1$(@@There are7 accordin' to /en7 the
four classes of reli'ious and hilosohical vie+s7 technicall) called the <our 4lternatives7
H1I of life and of the +orld= The first is >the derivation of su"#ect and the non@derivation
of o"#ect> that is to sa)7 the denial of su"#ect7 or mind7 or 4tman7 or soul7 and the non@
denial of o"#ect7 or matter7 or thin's@@a vie+ +hich denies the realit) of mind and asserts
the e&istence of thin's= Such a vie+ +as held ") a certain school of 3ina)anism7 called
Sarvastivada7 and still is held ") some hilosohers called materialists or naturalists= The
second is the >derivation of o"#ect and the non@derivation of su"#ect>@@that is to sa)7 the
denial of o"#ect7 or matter7 or thin's7 and the non@denial of su"#ect7 or mind7 or sirit@a
vie+ +hich denies the realit) of material o"#ect7 and asserts the e&istence of sirit or
ideas= Such a vie+ +as held ") the Dharmala$sana School of (aha)anism7 and is still
held ") some hilosohers called idealists= The third is >the derivation of "oth su"#ect
and o"#ect>@@that is to sa)7 the denial of "oth su"#ect or sirit7 and of o"#ect or matter@a
vie+ +hich denies the realit) of "oth h)sical and mental henomena7 and asserts the
e&istence of realit) that transcends the henomenal universe= Such a vie+ +as held ") the
(adh)ami$a School of (aha)anism7 and is still held ") some reli'ionists and
hilosohers of the resent da)= The fourth is >the non@derivation of "oth su"#ect and
o"#ect>@@that is to sa)7 the non@denial of su"#ect and o"#ect@@a vie+ +hich holds mind and
"od) as one and the same realit)= (ind7 accordin' to this vie+7 is realit) e&erienced
in+ardl) ") introsection7 and "od) is the selfsame realit) o"served out+ardl) ") senses=
The) are one realit) and one life= There also e&ist other ersons and other "ein's
"elon'in' to the same life and realit)J conse0uentl) all thin's share
H1= Shi@r)a@$en in ?aanese7 the classification mostl) made use of ") masters of the Rin
/ai School of /en= <or the details7 see Ei@'ai@$+an7 ") E= -atana"e=I
in one realit)7 and life in common +ith each other= This realit) or life is not
transcendental to mind and "od)7 or to sirit and matter7 "ut is the unit) of them= In other
+ords7 this henomenal +orld of ours is the realm of realit)= This vie+ +as held ") the
4vatamsa$a School of (aha)anism7 and is still held ") /enists= Thus /en is not
materialistic7 nor idealistic7 nor nihilistic7 "ut realistic and monistic in its vie+ of the
+orld=
There are some scholars that erroneousl) maintain that /en is "ased on the doctrine of
unrealit) of all thin's e&ounded ") Eumara#iva and his follo+ers= Eo@"en7H1I $no+n as
()o@)e Sho@nin7 said 5:: )ears a'oG L;an' Shan (E)o@Ban) as$ed -ei Shan (I@san)G
>-hat shall +e do +hen hundreds7 thousands7 and millions of thin's "eset us all at onceD>
>The "lue are not the )ello+7> relied -ei Shan7 >the lon' are not the short= %ver)thin' is
in its o+n lace= It has no "usiness +ith )ou=> -ei Shan +as a 'reat /en master= 3e did
not teach the unrealit) of all thin's= -ho can sa) that /en is nihilisticDL
Besides the <our 4lternatives7 /en uses the <ive Cate'oriesH2I in order to e&lain the
relation "et+een realit) and henomena= The first is >Relativit) in 4"solute7> +hich
means that the universe aears to "e consistin' in relativities7 o+in' to our relative
$no+led'eJ "ut these relativities are "ased on a"solute realit)= The second is >4"solute in
Relativit)7> +hich means 4"solute Realit) does not remain inactive7 "ut manifests itself
as relative henomena= The third is >Relativit) out of 4"solute7> +hich means 4"solute
Realit) is all in all7 and relative henomena come out of it as its secondar) and
su"ordinate forms= The fourth is >4"solute u to Relativit)7> +hich means relative
H1= 4 +ell@$no+n scholar (116!@12!2) of the 4natamsa$a School of (aha)anism=
2 Ao@i in ?aanese7 mostl) used ") the So@To School of /en= The detailed e&lanation is
'iven in Ao@i@$en@$etsu=I
henomena al+a)s la) an imortant art on the sta'e of the +orldJ it is throu'h these
henomena that 4"solute Realit) comes to "e understood= The fifth is the >Union of "oth
4"solute and Relativit)7> +hich means 4"solute Realit) is not fundamental or essential to
relative henomena7 nor relative henomena su"ordinate or secondar) to 4"solute
Realit)@@that is to sa)7 the) are one and the same cosmic life7 4"solute Realit) "ein' that
life e&erienced in+ardl) ") intuition7 +hile relative henomena are the same life
out+ardl) o"served ") senses= The first four Cate'ories are tau'ht to reare the
student>s mind for the accetance of the last one7 +hich reveals the most rofound truth=
16= P$)+#"91, +3 B( P( B+'#$(@@B= 1= Bo+neH1I sa)sG The) (henomena) are not
hantoms or illusions7 nor are the) mas$s of a "ac$@l)in' realit) +hich is tr)in' to eer
throu'h them=L LThe antithesis7L he continues7H2I Lof henomena and noumena rests on
the fanc) that there is somethin' that rests "ehind henomena +hich +e ou'ht to erceive
"ut cannot7 "ecause the mas$in' henomena thrusts itself "et+een the realit) and us=L
?ust so far +e a'ree +ith Bo+ne7 "ut +e thin$ he is mista$en in sharl) distin'uishin'
"et+een "od) and self7 sa)in'H!IG L-e ourselves are invisi"le= The h)sical or'anism is
onl) an instrument for e&ressin' and manifestin' the inner life7 "ut the livin' self is
never seen=L L3uman form7L he ar'ues7H.I Las an o"#ect in sace aart from our
e&erience of it as the instrument and e&ression of ersonal life7 +ould have little "eaut)
or attractionJ and +hen it is descri"ed in anatomical terms7 there is nothin' in it that +e
should desire it= The secret of its "eaut) and its value lies in the invisi"le realm=L LThe
same is true7L he sa)s
H1= >1ersonalism7> = 9.=
2= I"id=7 = 92=
!= I"id=7 = 258=
.= I"id=7 = 261=I
a'ain7 Lof literature= It does not e&ist in sace7 or in time7 or in "oo$s7 or in li"raries = = =
all that could "e found there +ould "e "lac$ mar$s on a +hite aer7 and collections of
these "ound to'ether in various forms7 +hich +ould "e all the e)es could see= But this
+ould not "e literature7 for literature has its e&istence onl) in mind and for mind as an
e&ression of mind7 and it is siml) imossi"le and meanin'less in a"straction from
mind=L LOur human histor)L@@he 'ives another illustrationH1I@@Lnever e&isted in sace7
and never could so e&ist= If some visitor from (ars should come to the earth and loo$ at
all that 'oes on in sace in connection +ith human "ein's7 he +ould never 'et an) hint of
its real si'nificance= 3e +ould "e confined to inte'rations and dissiations of matter and
motion= 3e could descri"e the masses and 'rouin' of material thin's7 "ut in all this "e
+ould 'et no su''estion of the inner life +hich 'ives si'nificance to it all= 4s
conceiva"l) a "ird mi'ht sit on a tele'rah instrument and "ecome full) a+are of the
clic$s of the machine +ithout an) susicion of the e&istence or meanin' of the messa'e7
or a do' could see all that e)e can see in a "oo$ )et +ithout an) hint of its meanin'7 or a
sava'e could 'aBe at the rinted score of an oera +ithout ever susectin' its musical
imort7 so this suosed visitor +ould "e a"solutel) cut off ") an imassa"le 'ulf from
the real seat and si'nificance of human histor)= The 'reat drama of life7 +ith its li$es and
disli$es7 its loves and hates7 its am"itions and strivin's7 and manifold ideas7 insirations7
asirations7 is a"solutel) forei'n to sace7 and could never in an) +a) "e discovered in
sace= So human histor) has its seat in the invisi"le=L
In the first lace7 Bo+ne>s concetion of the h)sical or'anism as "ut an instrument for
the e&ression of the inner7 ersonal life7 #ust as the tele'rahic aaratus is the
instrument for the e&ression of messa'es7 is erroneous7
H1= >1ersonalism7> = 2627 26!=I
"ecause "od) is not a mere instrument of inner ersonal life7 "ut an essential constituent
of it= -ho can den) that one>s h)sical conditions determine one>s character or
ersonalit)D -ho can overloo$ the fact that one>s "odil) conditions ositivel) act uon
one>s ersonal lifeD There is no h)sical or'anism +hich remains as a mere assive
mechanical instrument of inner life +ithin the +orld of e&erience= (oreover7
individualit)7 or ersonalit)7 or self7 or inner life7 +hatever )ou ma) call it7 conceived as
a"solutel) indeendent of h)sical condition7 is sheer a"straction= There is no such
concrete ersonalit) or individualit) +ithin our e&erience=
In the second lace7 he conceives the h)sical or'anism siml) as a mar$ or s)m"ol7 and
inner ersonal life as the thin' mar$ed or s)m"oliBedJ so he comares h)sical forms
+ith aer7 t)es7 "oo$s7 and li"raries7 and inner life7 +ith literature= In so doin' he
overloo$s the essential and inseara"le connection "et+een the h)sical or'anism and
inner life7 "ecause there is no essential inseara"le connection "et+een a mar$ or s)m"ol
and the thin' mar$ed or s)m"oliBed= The thin' ma) adot an) other mar$ or s)m"ol= The
"lac$ mar$s on the +hite aer7 to use his fi'ure7 are not essential to literature= ,iterature
ma) "e e&ressed ") sin'in'7 or ") seech7 or ") a series of ictures= But is there inner
life e&ressed7 or ossi"le to "e e&ressed7 in an) other form save h)sical or'anismD -e
must therefore ac$no+led'e that inner life is identical +ith h)sical or'anism7 and that
realit) is one and the same as aearance=
18= A99 &5$ 7+)9% 1# T$# D1)$!&1+# ")$ B4%%5"8 H+96 L"#%(@@-e are to resume this
ro"lem in the follo+in' chater= Suffice it to sa) for the resent it is the la+ of
Universal ,ife that manifoldness is in unit)7 and unit) is in manifoldnessJ difference is in
a'reement7 and a'reement in differenceJ confliction is in harmon)7 and harmon) in
conflictionJ arts are in the +hole7 and the +hole is in artsJ constanc) is in chan'e7 and
chan'e in constanc)J 'ood is in "ad7 and "ad in 'oodJ inte'ration is in disinte'ration7 and
disinte'ration is in inte'rationJ eace is in distur"ance7 and distur"ance in eace= -e can
find somethin' celestial amon' the earthl)= -e can notice somethin' 'lorious in the
midst of the "ase and de'enerated=
>There are nettles ever)+here7 "ut are not smooth7 'reen 'rasses more common stillD> Can
)ou reco'niBe somethin' a+e@insirin' in the rise and fall of nationsD Can )ou not
reco'niBe somethin' undistur"ed and eaceful amon' distur"ance and trou"leD 3as not
even 'rass some meanin'D Does not even a stone tell the m)ster) of ,ifeD Does not the
immuta"le la+ of 'ood s+a) over human affairs after all7 as Tenn)son sa)s@
LI can "ut trust that 'ood shall fall
4t last@far off@at last7 to all=L
3as not each of us a li'ht +ithin him7 +hatever de'rees of lustre there ma) "eD -as
-ashin'ton in the +ron' +hen he saidG L,a"our to $ee alive in )our heart that little
sar$ of celestial fire called conscience=L
-e are sure that +e can realiBe the celestial "liss in this ver) +orld7 if +e $ee alive the
%nli'htened Consciousness7 of +hich Bodhidharma and his follo+ers sho+ed the
e&amle= >4ll the +orlds in ten directions are Buddha>s 3ol) ,andsP> That ,and of Bliss
and Alor) e&ists a"ove us7 under us7 around us7 +ithin us7 +ithout us7 if +e oen our e)es
to see= >Nirvana is in life itself7> if +e en#o) it +ith admiration and love= L,ife and death
are the life of Buddha7L sa)s Do@'en= %ver)+here the %l)sian 'ates stand oen7 if +e do
not shut them u ") ourselves= Shall +e starve ourselves refusin' to accet the rich
"ount) +hich the Blessed ,ife offers to usD Shall +e erish in the dar$ness of sceticism7
shuttin' our e)es to the li'ht of Tatha'ataD Shall +e suffer from innumera"le ains in the
self@created hell +here remorse7 #ealous)7 and hatred feed the fire of an'erD ,et us ra) to
Buddha7 not in +ord onl)7 "ut in the deed of 'enerosit) and tolerance7 in the character
no"le and lovin'7 and in the ersonalit) su"lime and 'ood= ,et us ra) to Buddha to save
us from the hell of 'reed and foll)7 to deliver us from the thraldom of temtation= ,et us
>enter the 3ol) of 3olies in admiration and +onder=>
Ne&tG Chater *IIG ,ife
Sacred Te&ts Buddhism Inde& 1revious Ne&t
CHAPTER VII
LIFE
1= E-1!4)$"#1, "#% L13$(@@There are a 'ood man) eole al+a)s "uo)ant in sirit and
mirthful in aearance as if "orn otimists= There are also no fe+er ersons constantl)
crestfallen and 'loom) as if "orn essimists= The former7 ho+ever7 ma) lose their
"uo)anc) and sin$ dee in desair if the) are in adverse circumstances= The latter7 too7
ma) re'ain their "ri'htness and 'ro+ e&ultant if the) are under roserous conditions= 4s
there is no evil ho+ever small "ut ma) cause him to 'roan under it7 +ho has his heart
undiscilined7 so there is no calamit) ho+ever 'reat "ut ma) cause him to desair7 +ho
has his feelin's in control= 4 lau'hin' child +ould cr)7 a cr)in' child +ould lau'h7
+ithout a sufficient cause= >It can "e teased or tic$led into an)thin'=> 4 'ro+n@u child is
he +ho cannot hold s+a) over his assions=
3e should die a slave to his heart7 +hich is +a)+ard and "lind7 if he "e indul'ent to it= It
is of caital imortance for us to disciline the heart7> other+ise it +ill disciline us=
1assions are li$e le's= The) should "e 'uided ") the e)e of reason= No +ise serent is led
") its tail7 so no +ise man is led ") his assion= 1assions that come first are often
treacherous and lead us astra)= -e must 'uard ourselves a'ainst them= In order to 'ratif)
them there arise mean desires@the desires to lease si'ht7 hearin'7 smell7 taste7 and touch=
These five desires are ever ursuin' or7
H1= Comare Aa$u@do@)o@#in@shu7 cha= i=7 and /en@$+an@sa$u shin=I
rather7 drivin' us= -e must not send our +hole lives in ursuit of those mira'e@li$e
o"#ects +hich 'ratif) our sensual desires= -hen +e 'ratif) one desire7 +e are sill)
enou'h to fanc) that +e have realiBed true hainess= But one desire 'ratified "e'ets
another stron'er and more insatia"le= Thirst alla)ed +ith salt +ater "ecomes more intense
than ever=
Sha$)a (uni comared an %icurean +ith a do' che+in' a dr) "one7 mista$in' the
"lood out of a +ound in his mouth for that of the "one= The author of (ahaarinirvana@
sutraH1I has a ara"le to the follo+in' effectG >Once uon a time a hunter s$illed in
catchin' mon$e)s alive +ent into the +ood= 3e ut somethin' ver) stic$) on the 'round7
and hid himself amon' the "ushes= B)@and@") a mon$e) came out to see +hat it +as7 and
suosin' it to "e somethin' eata"le7 tried to feed on it= It stuc$ to the oor creature>s
snout so firml) that he could not sha$e it off= Then he attemted to tear it off +ith "oth
his a+s7 +hich also stuc$ to it= Thereuon he strove to $ic$ it off +ith "oth his hind@
le's7 +hich +ere cau'ht too= Then the hunter came out7 and thrustin' his stic$ throu'h
"et+een the a+s and hind@le's of the victim7 and thus carr)in' it on his shoulder7 +ent
home=> In li$e manner an %icurean (the mon$e))7 allured ") the o"#ects of sense
(somethin' stic$))7 stic$s to the five desires (the snout and the four lim"s)7 and "ein'
cau'ht ") Temtation (the hunter)7 loses his life of -isdom=
-e are no more than a secies of mon$e)s7 as evolutionists hold= Not a fe+ testif) to this
truth ") their "ein' cau'ht ") means of >somethin' eata"le=> -e a"olished slaver) and
call ourselves civiliBed nations= 3ave +e not7 nevertheless7 hundreds of life@lon' slaves to
ci'ars amon' usD 3ave +e not thousands of life@lon' slaves to sirits amon' usD 3ave
+e not hundreds of thousands of life@lon'
H1= The sutra translated ") 3+ui ;en and 3+ui E+an7 4=D= [email protected]!=I
slaves to 'old amon' usD 3ave +e not m)riads of lifelon' slaves to vanit) amon' usD
These slaves are incredi"l) lo)al to7 and incessantl) +or$ for7 their masters7 +ho in turn
"esto+ on them incura"le diseases7 overt)7 cha'rin7 and disaointment=
4 oor u) +ith an emt) can tied to his tail7 Thomas Carl)le +ittil) o"serves7 ran and
ran on7 fri'htened ") the noise of the can= The more raidl) he ran7 the more loudl) it
ran'7 and at last he fell e&hausted of runnin'= -as it not t)ical of a so@called 'reat man
of the +orldD *anit) tied an emt) can of fame to his tail7 the hollo+ noise of +hich
drives him throu'h life until he falls to rise no more= (isera"leP
Neither these men of the +orld nor Buddhist ascetics can "e otimists= The latter
ri'orousl) den) themselves sensual 'ratifications7 and $ee themselves aloof from all
o"#ects of leasure= <or them to "e leased is e0uivalent to sin7 and to lau'h7 to "e cursed=
The) +ould rather touch an adder>s head than a iece of mone)=H1I The) +ould rather
thro+ themselves into a fier) furnace than to come in contact +ith the other se&= Bod) for
them is a "a' full of "lood and usJH2I life7 an idle7 or rather evil7 dream= *e'etarianism
and celi"ac) are their hol) rivile'es= ,ife is un+orth) of havin'J to ut an end to it is
their deliverance=H!I Such a vie+ of life is hardl) +orth our refutation=
2= T5$ E))+) +3 P519++-51!"9 P$1,1& "#% R$9121+4 O-&1,1&(@@1hilosohical
essimistsH.I maintain that there are on earth man) more causes of ain than of leasureJ
H1= Such is the recet tau'ht in the *ina)a of 3ina)anists=
2 See (ahasatitthana Suttanta7 2@1!=
! This is the lo'ical conclusion of 3ina)anism=
. Schoenhauer7 >The -orld as -ill and Idea> (R= B= 3aldane and ?= Eem>s translation7
vol= iii=7 = !8.@!85)J 3artman7 >1hilosoh) of the Unconsciousness> (-= C= Couland>s
translation7 vol= iii=7 = 12@119)=I
and that ain e&ists ositivel)7 "ut leasure is a mere a"sence of ain "ecause +e are
conscious of sic$ness "ut not of healthJ of loss7 "ut not of ossession= On the contrar)7
reli'ious otimists insist that there must not "e an) evil in Aod>s universe7 that evil has no
indeendent nature7 "ut siml) denotes a rivation of 'ood@@that is7 evil is null7 is nou'ht7
is silence iml)in' sound=>
No matter +hat these one@sided o"servers> oinion ma) "e7 +e are certain that +e
e&erience 'ood as +ell as evil7 and feel ain and leasure as +ell= Neither can +e
alleviate the real sufferin's of the sic$ ") tellin' them that sic$ness is no other than the
a"sence of health7 nor can +e ma$e the oor a +hit richer ") tellin' them that overt) is
a mere a"sence of riches= 3o+ could +e save the d)in' ") ersuadin' them that death is
a "are rivation of lifeD Is it ossi"le to disirit the ha) ") tellin' them that hainess
is unreal7 or ma$e the fortunate misera"le ") tellin' them that fortune has no o"#ective
realit)7 or to ma$e one +elcome evil ") tellin' one that it is onl) the a"sence of 'oodD
;ou must admit there are no definite e&ternal causes of ain nor those of leasure7 for
one and the same thin' causes ain at one time and leasure at another= 4 cause of
deli'ht to one erson turns out to "e that of aversion to another= 4 d)in' miser mi'ht
revive at the si'ht of 'old7 )et a Dio'enes +ould ass +ithout noticin' it= Ci'ars and
+ine are "lessed 'ifts of heaven to the intemerate7> "ut accursed oison to the temerate=
Some mi'ht en#o) a lon' life7 "ut others +ould heartil) desire to curtail it= Some mi'ht
'roan under a sli'ht indisosition7 +hile others +ould +histle a+a) a life of serious
disease= 4n %icure mi'ht "e ta$en risoner ") overt)7 )et an %ictetus +ould fearlessl)
face and van0uish him= 3o+7 then7 do )ou distin'uish the real cause of ain from that of
leasureD
H1= The author of 3an Shu (Ean Sho) calls sirits the 'ift of 3eaven=I
3o+ do )ou $no+ the causes of one are more numerous than the causes of the otherD
%&ose thermometers of several $inds to one and the same temerature= One +ill
indicate7 sa)7 5:T7 another as hi'h as 1::T7 another as lo+ as 12T= %&ose the
thermometers of human sensi"ilities7 +hich are of m)riads of different $inds7 to one and
the same temerature of environment= None of them +ill indicate the same de'rees= In
one and the same climate7 +hich +e thin$ moderate7 the %s$imo +ould "e +ashed +ith
ersiration7 +hile the 3indu +ould shudder +ith cold= Similarl)7 under one and the
same circumstance some mi'ht "e e&tremel) misera"le and thin$ it un"eara"le7 )et others
+ould "e contented and ha)= Therefore +e ma) safel) conclude that there are no
definite e&ternal causes of ain and leasure7 and that there must "e internal causes +hich
modif) the e&ternal=
!= T5$ L"' +3 B"9"#!$(@@Nature 'overns the +orld +ith her la+ of "alance= She uts
thin's ever in airs7> and leaves nothin' in isolation= 1ositives stand in oosition to
ne'atives7 actives to assives7 males to females7 and so on= Thus +e 'et the e"" in
oosition to the flood tideJ the centrifu'al force to the centrietalJ attraction to
reulsionJ 'ro+th to deca)J to&in to antito&inJ li'ht to shadeJ action to reactionJ unit) to
variet)J da) to ni'htJ the animate to the inanimate= ,oo$ at our o+n "odiesG the ri'ht e)e
is laced side ") side +ith the leftJ the left shoulder +ith the ri'htJ the ri'ht lun' +ith the
leftJ the left hemishere of the "rain +ith that of the ri'htJ and so forth=
It holds 'ood also in human affairsG advanta'e is al+a)s accomanied ") disadvanta'eJ
loss ") 'ainJ convenience ") inconvenienceJ 'ood ") evilJ rise ") fallJ roserit) ")
adversit)J virtue ") viceJ "eaut) ") deformit)J ain ")
H1= /enists call them >airs of oosites=>I
leasureJ )outh ") old a'eJ life ") death= >4 handsome )oun' lad) of 0ualit)7> a ara"le in
(ahaarinirvana@sutra tells us7 >+ho carries +ith her an immense treasure is ever
accomanied ") her sister7 an u'l) +oman in ra's7 +ho destro)s ever)thin' +ithin her
reach= If +e +in the former7 +e must also 'et the latter=> 4s essimists sho+ intense
disli$e to+ards the latter and for'et the former7 so otimists admire the former so much
that the) are indifferent to the latter=
.= L13$ C+#1& 1# C+#391!&(@@,ife consists in conflict= So lon' as man remains a social
animal he cannot live in isolation= 4ll individual hoes and asirations deend on societ)=
Societ) is reflected in the individual7 and the individual in societ)= In site of this7 his
in"orn free +ill and love of li"ert) see$ to "rea$ a+a) from social ties= 3e is also a moral
animal7 and endo+ed +ith love and s)math)= 3e loves his fello+@"ein's7 and +ould
fain romote their +elfareJ "ut he must "e en'a'ed in constant stru''le a'ainst them for
e&istence= 3e s)mathiBes even +ith animals inferior to him7 and heartil) +ishes to
rotect themJ )et he is doomed to destro) their lives da) and ni'ht= 3e has man) a no"le
asiration7 and often soars aloft ") the +in's of ima'ination into the realm of the idealJ
still his material desires dra' him do+n to the earth= 3e lives on da) ") da) to continue
his life7 "ut he is unfailin'l) aroachin' death at ever) moment=
The more he secures ne+ leasure7 siritual or material7 the more he incurs ain not )et
e&erienced= One evil removed onl) 'ives lace to anotherJ one advanta'e 'ained soon
roves itself a disadvanta'e= 3is ver) reason is the cause of his dou"t and susicionJ his
intellect7 +ith +hich he +ants to $no+ ever)thin'7 declares itself to "e incaa"le of
$no+in' an)thin' in its real stateJ his finer sensi"ilit)7 +hich is the sole source of finer
leasure7 has to e&erience finer sufferin'= The more he asserts himself7 the more he has
to sacrifice himself= These conflictions ro"a"l) led Eant to call life La trial time7
+herein most succum"7 and in +hich even the "est does not re#oice in his life=L L(en
"eta$e themselves7L sa)s <ichte7 Lto the chase after felicit)= = = = But as soon as the)
+ithdra+ into themselves and as$ themselves7 >4m I no+ ha)D the rel) comes
distinctl) from the deth of their soul7 > Oh noJ thou art still #ust as emt) and destitute as
"eforeP> = = = The) +ill in the future life #ust as vainl) see$ "lessedness as the) have sou'ht
it in the resent life=L
It is not +ithout reason that the essimistic minds came to conclude that >the unrest of
unceasin' +illin' and desirin' ") +hich ever) creature is 'oaded is in itself
un"lessedness7> and that >each creature is in constant dan'er7 constant a'itation7 and the
+hole7 +ith its restless7 meanin'less motion7 is a tra'ed) of the most iteous $ind=> >4
creature li$e the carnivorous animal7 +ho cannot e&ist at all +ithout continuall)
destro)in' and tearin' others7 ma) not feel its "rutalit)7 "ut man7 +ho has to re) on
other sentient "ein's li$e the carnivorous7 is intelli'ent enou'h7 as hard fate +ould have
it7 to $no+ and feel his o+n "rutal livin'=> 3e must "e the most misera"le of all creatures7
for he is most conscious of his o+n miser)= <urthermore7 >he e&eriences not onl) the
misfortunes +hich actuall) "efall him7 "ut in ima'ination he 'oes throu'h ever)
ossi"ilit) of evil=> Therefore none7 from 'reat $in's and emerors do+n to nameless
"e''ars7 can "e free from cares and an&ieties7 +hich >ever flit around them li$e 'hosts=>
2= T5$ M6&$)6 +3 L13$(@@Thus far +e have ointed out the inevita"le conflictions in life
in order to reare ourselves for an insi'ht into the deth of life= -e are far from "ein'
essimistic7 for +e "elieve that life consists in confliction7 "ut that confliction does not
end in confliction7 "ut in a ne+ form of harmon)= 3oe comes to conflict +ith fear7 and
is often threatened +ith losin' its hold on mindJ then it rene+s its life and ta$es root still
deeer than "efore= 1eace is often distur"ed +ith +ars7 "ut then it 'ains a still firmer
'round than ever= 3ainess is driven out of mind ") melanchol)7 then it is re@enforced
") favoura"le conditions and returns +ith dou"le stren'th= Sirit is dra''ed do+n ")
matter from its ideal heaven7 then7 incited ") shame7 it tries a hi'her fli'ht= Aood is
oosed ") evil7 then it 'athers more stren'th and van0uishes its foe= Truth is clouded ")
falsehood7 then it issues forth +ith its 'reater li'ht= ,i"ert) is endan'ered ") t)rann)7
then it overthro+s it +ith a slendid success=
(anifoldness stands out "oldl) a'ainst unit)J difference a'ainst a'reementJ articularit)
a'ainst 'eneralit)J individualit) a'ainst societ)= (anifoldness7 nevertheless7 instead of
annihilatin'7 enriches unit)J difference7 instead of destro)in' a'reement7 'ives it variet)J
articularities7 instead of uttin' an end to 'eneralit)7 increase its contentJ individuals7
instead of "rea$in' the harmon) of societ)7 stren'then the o+er of it=
Thus >Universal ,ife does not s+allo+ u manifoldness nor e&tin'uish differences7 "ut it
is the onl) means of "rin'in' to its full develoment the detailed content of realit)J in
articular7 it does not a"olish the 'reat oositions of life and +orld7 "ut ta$es them u
into itself and "rin's them into fruitful relations +ith each other=> Therefore >our life is a
m)sterious "lendin' of freedom and necessit)7 o+er and limitation7 carice and la+J )et
these oosites are constantl) see$in' and findin' a mutual ad#ustment=>
5= N"&4)$ F"<+4) N+&51#2 1# P")&1!49")(@@There is another oint of vie+ of life7 +hich
'ave the resent +riter no small contentment7 and +hich he "elieves +ould cure one of
essimistic comlaint= Buddha7 or Universal ,ife conceived ") /en7 is not li$e a
caricious desot7 +ho acts not seldom a'ainst his o+n la+s= 3is manifestation as sho+n
in the %nli'htened Consciousness is la+ful7 imartial7 and rational= Buddhists "elieve that
even Sha$)a (uni himself +as not free from the la+ of retri"ution7 +hich includes7 in
our oinion7 the la+ of "alance and that of causation=
No+ let us "riefl) e&amine ho+ the la+ of "alance holds its s+a) over life and the +orld=
-hen the Ca$ravartin7 accordin' to an Indian le'end7 the universal monarch7 +ould
come to 'overn the earth7 a +heel +ould also aear as one of his treasures7 and 'o on
rollin' all over the +orld7 ma$in' ever)thin' level and smooth= Buddha is the siritual
Ca$ravartin7 +hose +heel is the +heel of the la+ of "alance7 +ith +hich he 'overns all
thin's e0uall) and imartiall)= <irst let us o"serve the simlest cases +here the la+ of
"alance holds 'ood= <our men can finish in three da)s the same amount of +or$ as is
done ") three men in four da)s= The increase in the num"er of men causes the decrease in
that of da)s7 the decrease in the num"er of men causes the increase in that of da)s7 the
result "ein' al+a)s the same= Similarl) the increase in the sharness of a $nife is al+a)s
accomanied ") a decrease in its dura"ilit)7 and the increase of dura"ilit) ") a decrease
of sharness= The more "eautiful flo+ers 'ro+7 the u'lier their fruits "ecomeJ the rettier
the fruits 'ro+7 the simler "ecome their flo+ers= >4 stron' soldier is read) to dieJ a
stron' tree is eas) to "e "ro$enJ hard leather is eas) to "e torn= But the soft ton'ue
survives the hard teeth=> 3orned creatures are destitute of tus$s7 the shar@tus$ed creatures
lac$ horns= -in'ed animals are not endo+ed +ith a+s7 and handed animals are
rovided +ith no +in's= Birds of "eautiful luma'e have no s+eet voice7 and s+eet@
voiced son'sters no feathers of "ri'ht colours= The finer in 0ualit)7 the smaller in
0uantit)7 and "ul$ier in siBe7 the coarser in nature=
Nature favours nothin' in articular= So ever)thin' has its advanta'e and disadvanta'e as
+ell= -hat one 'ains on the one hand one loses on the other= The o& is cometent in
dra+in' a heav) cart7 "ut he is a"solutel) incometent in catchin' mice= 4 shovel is fit
for di''in'7 "ut not for ear@ic$in'= 4erolanes are 'ood for aviation7 "ut not for
navi'ation= Sil$+orms feed on mul"err) leaves and ma$e sil$ from it7 "ut the) can do
nothin' +ith other leaves= Thus ever)thin' has its o+n use or a mission aointed ")
NatureJ and if +e ta$e advanta'e of it7 nothin' is useless7 "ut if not7 all are useless= >The
nec$ of the crane ma) seem too lon' to some idle on@loo$ers7 "ut there is no surlus in it=
The lim"s of the tortoise ma) aear too short7 "ut there is no shortcomin' in them=> The
centiede7 havin' a hundred lim"s7 can find no useless feetJ the serent7 havin' no foot7
feels no +ant=
6= T5$ L"' +3 B"9"#!$ 1# L13$(@@It is also the case +ith human affairs= Social ositions
hi'h or lo+7 occuations siritual or temoral7 +or$ rou'h or 'entle7 education erfect or
imerfect7 circumstances need) or oulent7 each has its o+n advanta'e as +ell as
disadvanta'e= The hi'her the osition the 'raver the resonsi"ilities7 the lo+er the ran$
the li'hter the o"li'ation= The director of a lar'e "an$ can never "e so careless as his
errand@"o) +ho ma) sto on the street to thro+ a stone at a sarro+J nor can the mana'er
of a lar'e lantation have as 'ood a time on a rain) da) as his da)@la"ourers +ho send it
in 'am"lin'= The accumulation of +ealth is al+a)s accomanied ") its evilsJ no
Rothschild nor Roc$efeller can "e haier than a oor edlar=
4 mother of man) children ma) "e trou"led ") her nois) little ones and env) her sterile
friend7 +ho in turn ma) comlain of her lonelinessJ "ut if the) "alance +hat the) 'ain
+ith +hat the) lose7 the) +ill find the "oth sides are e0ual= The la+ of "alance strictl)
for"ids one>s monool) of hainess= It alies its scorion +hi to an)one +ho is 'iven
to leasures= ?o) in e&tremit) lives ne&t door to e&ceedin' sorro+= L-here there is much
li'ht7L sa)s Aoethe7 Lshado+ is dee=L 4'e7 +ithered and disconsolate7 lur$s under the
s$irts of "loomin' )outh= The cele"ration of "irthda) is follo+ed ") the commemoration
of death= (arria'e mi'ht "e suosed to "e the luc$iest event in one>s life7 "ut the
+ido+>s tears and the orhan>s sufferin's also mi'ht "e its outcome= But for the former
the latter can never "e= The death of arents is indeed the unluc$iest event in the son>s
life7 "ut it ma) result in the latter>s inheritance of an estate7 +hich is ") no means
unluc$)= The disease of a child ma) cause its arents 'rief7 "ut it is a matter of course
that it lessens the "urden of their livelihood= ,ife has its leasures7 "ut also its ains=
Death has no leasure of life7 "ut also none of its ain= So that if +e "alance their smiles
and tears7 life and death are e0ual= It is not +ise for us7 therefore7 to commit suicide +hile
the terms of our life still remain7 nor to fear death +hen there is no +a) of avoidin' it=
4'ain7 the la+ of "alance does not allo+ an)one to ta$e the lion>s share of nature>s 'ifts=
Beaut) in face is accomanied ") deformit) in character= Intelli'ence is often
uncom"ined +ith virtue= L<air 'irls are destined to "e unfortunate7L sa)s a ?aanese
rover"7 Land men of a"ilit) to "e sic$l)=L L3e ma$es no friend +ho never ma$es a foe=L
L3onest) is ne&t to idioc)=L L(en of 'enius7L sa)s ,on'fello+7 Lare often dull and inert
in societ)J as the "laBin' meteor +hen it descends to earth is onl) a stone=L 3onour and
shame 'o hand in hand= Eno+led'e and virtue live in overt)7 +hile ill health and
disease are inmates of lu&ur)=
%ver) misfortune "e'ets some sort of fortune7 +hile ever) 'ood luc$ 'ives "irth to some
sort of "ad luc$= %ver) roserit) never fails to so+ seeds of adversit)7 +hile ever) fall
never fails to "rin' a"out some $ind of rise= -e must not7 then7 desair in da)s of frost
and sno+7 remindin' ourselves of sunshine and flo+ers that follo+ themJ nor must +e "e
thou'htless in da)s of )outh and health7 $eein' in mind old a'e and ill health that are in
the rear of them= In "rief7 all7 from cro+ns and coronets do+n to ra's and "e''in' "o+ls7
have their o+n hainess and share heavenl) 'race ali$e=
8= T5$ A--91!"&1+# +3 &5$ L"' +3 C"4"&1+# &+ M+)"9(@@4lthou'h it ma) "e needless
to state here the la+ of causation at an) len'th7 )et it is not e0uall) needless to sa) a fe+
+ords a"out its alication to morals as the la+ of retri"ution7 +hich is a matter of
disute even amon' Buddhist scholars= The $ernel of the idea is ver) simle@li$e seed7
li$e fruitJ li$e cause7 li$e effectJ li$e action7 li$e influence@@nothin' more= 4s fresh air
stren'thens and imure air cho$es us7 so 'ood conduct "rin's a"out 'ood conse0uence7
and "ad conduct does other+ise=H1I
Over a'ainst these 'eneraliBations +e raise no o"#ection7 "ut there are man) cases7 in
ractical life7 of dou"tful nature= 4n act of charit)7 for e&amle7 mi'ht do others some
sort of dama'e7 as is often the case +ith the 'ivin' of alms to the oor7 +hich ma)
roduce the undesira"le conse0uence of encoura'in' "e''ar)= 4n act of love mi'ht
roduce an in#urious effect7 as the mother>s love often soils her children= SomeH2I ma)
thin$ these are cases of 'ood cause and "ad effect= -e have7 ho+ever7 to
H1= /en la)s much stress on this la+= See Shu@sho@'i and %i@hei@$a@$un7 ") Do@'en=
2= Dr= 3= Eato seems to have thou'ht that 'ood cause ma) "rin' out "ad effect +hen he
attac$ed Buddhism on this oint=I
anal)Be these causes and effects in order to find in +hat relation the) stand= In the first
case the 'ood action of alms'ivin' roduces the 'ood effect of lessenin' the sufferin's of
the oor7 +ho should "e than$ful for their "enefactor= The 'iver is re+arded in his turn ")
the eace and satisfaction of his conscience= The oor7 ho+ever7 +hen used to "ein'
'iven alms are inclined to 'ro+ laB) and live ") means of "e''in'= Therefore the real
cause of the "ad effect is the thou'htlessness of "oth the 'iver and the 'iven7 "ut not
charit) itself= In the second case the mother>s love and $indness roduce a 'ood effect on
her and her children7 ma$in' them all ha)7 and ena"lin' them to en#o) the leasure of
the s+eet homeJ )et carelessness and foll) on the art of the mother and in'ratitude on
the art of the children ma) "rin' a"out the "ad effect=
3istor) is full of numerous cases in +hich 'ood ersons +ere so unfortunate as to die a
misera"le death or to live in e&treme overt)7 side ") side +ith those cases in +hich "ad
eole lived in health and roserit)7 en#o)in' a lon' life= 3avin' these cases in vie+7
some are of the oinion that there is no la+ of retri"ution as "elieved ") the Buddhists=
4nd even amon' the Buddhist scholars themselves there are some +ho thin$ of the la+
of retri"ution as an ideal7 and not as a la+ 'overnin' life= This is ro"a"l) due to their
misunderstandin' of the historical facts= There is no reason "ecause he is 'ood and
honoura"le that he should "e +ealth) or health)J nor is there an) reason "ecause he is
"ad that he should "e oor or sic$l)= To "e 'ood is one thin'7 and to "e health) or rich is
another= So also to "e "ad is one thin'7 4nd to "e oor and sic$ is another= The 'ood are
not necessaril) the rich or the health)7 nor are the "ad necessaril) the sic$ or the oor=
3ealth must "e secured ") the strict o"servance of h)'ienic rules7 and not ") the $eein'
of ethical recetsJ nor can +ealth ever "e accumulated ") "are moralit)7 "ut ")
economical and industrial activit)= The moral conduct of a 'ood erson has no
resonsi"ilit) for his ill health or overt)J so also the immoral action of a "ad erson has
no concern +ith his +ealth or health= ;ou should not confuse the moral +ith the h)sical
la+7 since the former "elon's onl) to human life7 +hile the latter to the h)sical +orld=
The 'ood are re+arded morall)7 not h)sicall)J their o+n virtues7 honours7 mental eace7
and satisfaction are amle comensation for their 'oodness= Confucius7 for e&amle7 +as
never rich nor hi'h in ran$J he +as7 nevertheless7 morall) re+arded +ith his virtues7
honours7 and the eace of mind= The follo+in' account of him7H1I thou'h not strictl)
historical7 +ell e&lains his state of mind in the da)s of misfortuneG
L-hen Confucius +as reduced to e&treme distress "et+een Ehan and /hai7 for seven
da)s he had no coo$ed meat to eat7 "ut onl) some sou of coarse ve'eta"les +ithout an)
rice in it= 3is countenance +ore the aearance of 'reat e&haustion7 and )et "e $et
la)in' on his lute and sin'in' inside the house= ;en 3ui (+as outside) selectin' the
ve'eta"les7 +hile /Be ,u and /Be Eun' +ere tal$in' to'ether7 and said to himG >The
master has t+ice "een driven from ,uJ he had to flee from -eiJ the tree "eneath +hich he
rested +as cut do+n in Sun'J he +as reduced to e&treme distress in Shan' and EauJ he is
held in a state of sie'e here "et+een Ehan and /haiJ an)one +ho $ills him +ill "e held
'uiltlessJ there is no rohi"ition a'ainst ma$in' him a risoner= 4nd )et he $ees la)in'
and sin'in'7 thrummin' his lute +ithout ceasin'= Can a suerior man "e +ithout the
feelin' of shame to such an e&tent as thisD> ;en 3ui 'ave them no rel)7 "ut +ent in and
told (their +ords) to Confucius7 +ho ushed aside his
H1= The account is 'iven ") Ch+an' TsB in his "oo$7 vol= &viii=7 = 16=I
lute and saidG >;u and /hBe are small men= Call them here7 and I +ill e&lain the thin' to
them=>
L-hen the) came in7 /Be ,u saidG >;our resent condition ma) "e called one of e&treme
distressP> Confucius reliedG >-hat +ords are theseD -hen the suerior man has free
course +ith his rinciles7 that is +hat +e call his successJ +hen such course is denied7
that is +hat +e call his failure= No+ I hold in m) em"race the rinciles of ri'hteousness
and "enevolence7 and +ith them meet the evils of a disordered a'eJ +here is the roof of
m) "ein' in e&treme distressD Therefore7 loo$in' in+ards and e&aminin' m)self7 I have
no difficulties a"out m) rincilesJ thou'h I encounter such difficulties (as the resent)7 I
do not lose m) virtue= It is +hen +inter>s cold is come7 and the hoar@frost and sno+ are
fallin'7 that +e $no+ the ve'etative o+er of the ine and c)ress= This distress "et+een
Ehan and /hai is fortunate for me=> 3e then too$ "ac$ his lute so that it emitted a
t+an'in' sound7 and "e'an to la) and sin'= (4t the same time) /Be ,u hurriedl) seiBed a
shield and "e'an to dance7 +hile /Be Eun' saidG >I did not $no+ ("efore) the hei'ht of
heaven nor the deth of earthP>L
Thus the 'ood are unfailin'l) re+arded +ith their o+n virtue7 and the +holesome
conse0uences of their actions on societ) at lar'e= 4nd the "ad are inevita"l) recomensed
+ith their o+n vices7 and the in#urious effects of their actions on their fello+@"ein's= This
is the unsha$en conviction of humanit)7 ast7 resent7 and future= It is the ith and
marro+ of our moral ideal= It is the cr)stalliBation of ethical truths7 distilled throu'h lon'
e&eriences from time immemorial to this da)= -e can safel) arove %d+in 4rnold7 as
he Ba)sG
L,o I as hid seed shoots after rainless )ears7
So 'ood and evil7 ains and leasures7 hates
4nd loves7 and all dead deeds come forth a'ain7
Bearin' "ri'ht leaves7 or dar$7 s+eet fruit or sour=L
,on'fello+ also sa)sG
LNo action7 +hether foul or fair7
Is ever done7 "ut it leaves some+here
4 record@as a "lessin' or a curse=L
9= R$&)1.4&1+#[1] 1# &5$ P"&, &5$ P)$$#&, "#% &5$ F4&4)$ L13$(@@Then a 0uestion
su''ests itselfG If there "e no soul that survives "od) (as sho+n in the recedin' chater)7
+ho +ill receive the retri"utions of our actions in the resent lifeD To ans+er this
0uestion7 +e have to restate our conviction that life is one and the sameJ in other +ords7
the human "ein's form one life or one self@@that is to sa)7 our ancestors in the ast formed
man>s ast life= -e ourselves no+ form man>s resent life7 and our osterit) +ill form the
future life= Be)ond all dou"t7 all actions of man in the ast have "rou'ht their fruits on
the resent conditions of man7 and all actions of the resent man are sure to influence the
conditions of the future man= To ut it in another +a)7 +e no+ rea the fruits of +hat +e
so+ed in our ast life (or +hen +e lived as our fathers)7 and a'ain shall rea the fruits of
+hat +e no+ so+ in our future life (or +hen +e shall live as our osterit))=
There is no e&cetion to this ri'orous la+ of retri"ution7 and +e ta$e it as the +ill of
Buddha to leave no action +ithout "ein' retri"uted= Thus it is Buddha himself +ho
$indles our in+ard fire to save ourselves from sin and crimes= -e must ur'e out all the
stains in our hearts7 o"e)in' Buddha>s command audi"le in the innermost self of ours= It
is the 'reat merc) of 3is that7 ho+ever sinful7 suerstitious7 +a)+ard7 and thou'htless7
+e have still a li'ht +ithin us +hich is divine in its nature= -hen that li'ht shines forth7
all sorts of sin are destro)ed at once= -hat is our sin7 after allD It is nothin' "ut illusion or
H1= The retri"ution cannot "e e&lained ") the doctrine of the transmi'ration of the soul7
for it is incomati"le +ith the fundamental doctrine of non@soul= See
4"hidharmamahavi"hasa@Kastra7 vol= c&iv=I
error ori'inatin' in i'norance and foll)= 3o+ true it is7 as an Indian (aha)anist declares7
that >all frost and the de+dros of sin disaear in the sunshine of +isdomP>H1I %ven if +e
mi'ht "e imrisoned in the "ottomless "ell7 )et let once the ,i'ht of Buddha shine uon
us7 it +ould "e chan'ed into heaven= Therefore the author of (aha$aruni$a@sutraH2I
Sa)sG L-hen I clim" the mountain lanted +ith s+ords7 the) +ould "rea$ under m)
tread= -hen I sail on the sea of "lood7 it +ill "e dried u= -hen I arrive at 3ades7 the)
+ill "e ruined at once=L
1:= T5$ E&$)#"9 L13$ " &"425& .6 P)+3$+) M@#&$).$)2(@@Some hilosohical
essimists undervalue life siml) "ecause it is su"#ect to limitation= The) ascri"e all evils
to that condition7 for'ettin' that +ithout limitation life is a mere "lan$= Suose our si'ht
could see all thin's at once7 then si'ht has no value nor use for us7 "ecause it is life>s
urose to choose to see one thin' or another out of man)J and if all thin's "e resent at
once "efore us throu'h si'ht7 it is of no urose= The same is true of intellect7 "earin'7
smell7 touch7 feelin'7 and +ill= If the) "e limitless7 the) cease to "e useful for us=
Individualit) necessaril) imlies limitation7 hence if there "e no limitation in the +orld7
then there is no room for individualit)= ,ife +ithout death is no life at all=
1rofessor 3u'o (Cnster"er' finds no value7 so it seems to me7 in >such life as "e'innin'
+ith "irth and endin' +ith death=> 3e sa)sGH!I L() life as a causal s)stem of h)sical and
s)cholo'ical rocesses7 +hich lies sread out in time "et+een the dates of m) "irth and
of m) death7 +ill come to an end +ith m) last "reathJ to continue it7 to ma$e it 'o on till
the earth falls into the sun7 or a "illion times lon'er7 +ould "e +ithout an) value7 as that
H1= Samanta"hadra@dh)ana@sutra=
2= Nan#o>s Catalo'ue7 No= 116=
!= >The %ternal ,ife7> = 25=I
$ind of life +hich is nothin' "ut the mechanical occurrence of h)siolo'ical and
s)cholo'ical henomena had as such no ultimate value for me or for )ou7 or for an)one7
at an) time= But m) real life7 as a s)stem of interrelated@+ill@attitudes7 has nothin' "efore
or after "ecause it is "e)ond time= It is indeendent of "irth and death "ecause it cannot
"e related to "iolo'ical eventsJ it is not "orn7 and +ill not dieJ it is immortalJ all ossi"le
thin$a"le time is enclosed in itJ it is eternal=L
1rofessor (Cnster"er' tries to distin'uish sharl) life as the causal s)stem of
h)siolo'ical and s)cholo'ical rocesses7 and life as a s)stem of interrelated@+ill@
attitudes7 and denounces the former as fleetin' and valueless7 in order to riBe the latter
as eternal and of a"solute value= 3o+ could he7 ho+ever7 succeed in his tas$ unless he
has t+o or three lives7 as some animals are "elieved to haveD Is it not one and the same
life that is treated on the one hand ") science as a s)stem of h)siolo'ical and
s)cholo'ical rocesses7 and is conceived on the other ") the 1rofessor himself as a
s)stem of interrelated@+ill@attitudesD It is true that science treats of life as it is o"served
in time7 sace7 and causalit)7 and it estimates it of no value7 since to estimate the value of
thin's is no "usiness of science= The same life o"served as a s)stem of interrelated@+ill@
attitudes is indeendent of time7 sace7 and causalit) as he affirms= One and the same life
includes "oth hases7 the difference "ein' in the oints of vie+ of the o"servers=
,ife as o"served onl) from the scientific oint of vie+ is "are a"stractionJ it is not
concrete lifeJ nor is life as o"served onl) in the interrelated@+ill@attitude oint of vie+ the
+hole of life= Both are a"stractions= Concrete life includes "oth hases= (oreover7
1rofessor (Cnster"er' sees life in the relationshi entirel) indeendent@of time7 sace7
and causalit)7 sa)in'G LIf )ou a'ree or disa'ree +ith the latest act of the Russian CBar7 the
onl) si'nificant relation +hich e&ists "et+een him and )ou has nothin' to do +ith the
naturalistic fact that 'eo'rahicall) >an ocean lies "et+een )ouJ and if )ou are reall) a
student of 1lato7 )our onl) imortant relation to the Aree$ hilosoher has nothin' to do
+ith the other naturalistic fact that "iolo'icall) t+o thousand )ears lie "et+een )ouLJ and
declares life (seen from that oint of vie+) to "e immortal and eternal= This is as much as
to sa) that life7 +hen seen in the relationshi indeendent of time and sace7 is
indeendent of time and sace@that is7 immortal and eternal= Is it not mere tautolo')D 3e
is in the ri'ht in insistin' that life can "e seen from the scientific oint of vie+ as a
s)stem of h)siolo'ical and s)cholo'ical rocesses7 and at the same time as a s)stem of
interrelated@+ill@attitudes indeendent of time and sace= But he cannot ") that means
rove the e&istence of concrete individual life +hich is eternal and immortal7 "ecause that
+hich is indeendent of time and sace is the relationshi in +hich he o"serves life7 "ut
not life itself= Therefore +e have to notice that life held ") 1rofessor (Cnster"er' to "e
eternal and immortal is 0uite a different thin' from the eternal life or immortalit) of soul
"elieved ") common sense=
11= L13$ 1# &5$ C+#!)$&$(@@,ife in the concrete7 +hich +e are livin'7 'reatl) differs from
life in the a"stract7 +hich e&ists onl) in the class@room= It is not eternalJ it is fleetin'J it is
full of an&ieties7 ains7 stru''les7 "rutalities7 disaointments7 and calamities= -e love
life7 ho+ever7 @not onl) for its smoothness7 "ut for its rou'hnessJ not onl) for its leasure7
"ut for its ainJ not onl) for its hoe7 "ut for its fearJ not onl) for its flo+ers7 "ut for its
frost and sno+= 4s IssaiH1I (Sato) has atl) ut itG L1roserit) is li$e
H1= 4 noted scholar (1662@1829) and author7 +ho "elon'ed to the -an' School of
Confucianism= See Aen@shi@ro$u=I
srin'7 in +hich +e have 'reen leaves and flo+ers +herever +e 'oJ +hile adversit) is
li$e +inter7 in +hich +e have sno+ and ice= Srin'7 of course7 leases usJ +inter7 too7
disleases us not=L 4dversit) is salt to our lives7 as it $ees them from corrution7 no
matter ho+ "itter to taste it +a) "e= It is the "est stimulus to "od) and mind7 since it
"rin's forth latent ener') that ma) remain dormant "ut for it= (ost eole hunt after
leasure7 loo$ for 'ood luc$7 hun'er after success7 and comlain of ain7 ill@luc$7 and
failure= It does not occur to them that >the) +ho ma$e 'ood luc$ a 'od are all unluc$)
men7> as Aeor'e %liot has +isel) o"served= 1leasure ceases to "e leasure +hen +e attain
to itJ another sort of leasure disla)s itself to temt us= It is a mira'e7 it "ec$ons to us to
lead us astra)= -hen an over+helmin' misfortune loo$s us in the face7 our latent o+er
is sure to "e aroused to 'rale +ith it= %ven delicate 'irls e&ert the o+er of 'iants at the
time of emer'enc)J even ro""ers or murderers are found to "e $ind and 'enerous +hen
+e are thro+n into a common disaster= Trou"les and difficulties call forth our divine
force7 +hich lies deeer than the ordinar) faculties7 and +hich +e never "efore dreamed
+e ossessed=
12= D1331!49&1$ ")$ #+ M"&!5 3+) &5$ O-&1,1&(@@3o+ can +e suose that +e7 the
children of Buddha7 are ut at the merc) of ett) trou"les7 or intended to "e crushed ")
o"staclesD 4re +e not endo+ed +ith inner force to fi'ht successfull) a'ainst o"stacles
and difficulties7 and to +rest trohies of 'lor) from hardshisD 4re +e to "e slaves to the
vicissitudes of fortuneD 4re +e doomed to "e victims for the #a+s of the environmentD It
is not e&ternal o"stacles themselves7 "ut our inner fear and dou"t that rove to "e the
stum"lin'@"loc$s in the ath to successJ not material loss7 "ut timidit) and hesitation that
@ruin us for ever=
Difficulties are no match for the otimist7 +ho does not fl) from them7 "ut +elcomes
them= 3e has a mental rism +hich can searate the insiid +hite li'ht of e&istence into
"ri'ht hues= 3e has a mental alchem) ") +hich he can roduce 'olden instruction out of
the dross of failure= 3e has a siritual ma'ic +hich ma$es the nectar of #o) out of the
tears of sorro+= 3e has a clairvo)ant e)e that can erceive the e&istence of hoe throu'h
the iron +alls of desair=
1roserit) tends to ma$e one for'et the 'race of Buddha7 "ut adversit) "rin's forth one>s
reli'ious conviction= Christ on the cross +as more Christ than ?esus at the ta"le= ,uther at
+ar +ith the 1oe +as more ,uther than he at eace= Nichi@renH1I laid the foundation of
his church +hen s+ord and scetre threatened him +ith death= Shin@ranH2I and 3en@enH!I
esta"lished their resective faiths +hen the) +ere e&iled= -hen the) +ere e&iled7 the)
comlained not7 resented not7 re'retted not7 reented not7 lamented not7 "ut contentedl)
and #o)ousl) the) met +ith their inevita"le calamit) and con0uered it= 3o@nen is said to
have "een still more #o)ous and contented +hen "e "ad suffered from a serious disease7
"ecause he had the conviction that his desired end +as at hand=
4 Chinese mon$7 % E+ai ") name7 one da) seated himself in a 0uiet lace amon' hills
and ractised Dh)ana= None +as there to distur" the calm en#o)ment of his meditation=
The 'enius of the hill +as so much stun' ") his
H1= The founder (1222@1282) of the Nichi Ren Sect7 +ho +as e&iled in 1261 to the Island
of Sado= <or the histor) and doctrine of the Sect7 see I 4 Short 3istor) of the T+elve
?aanese Buddhist Sects7> ") B= Nan#o7 = [email protected]=
2= The founder (116!@1252) of the Shin Sect7 +ho +as "anished to the rovince of
%echi'o in 12:6= See Nan#o>s >3istor)7> = 122@1!1=
!= The founder (11!1 1212) of the ?o Do Sect7 +ho +as e&iled to the Island of Tosa in
12:6= See Nan#o>s >3istor)7> = 1:.@11!=I
env) that he made u his mind to "rea$ ") surrise the mental serenit) of the mon$=
3avin' suosed nothin' ordinar) +ould "e effective7 he aeared all on a sudden "efore
the man7 assumin' the fri'htful form of a headless monster= % E+ai "ein' distur"ed not a
+hit7 calml) e)ed the monster7 and o"served +ith a smileG LThou hast no head7 monsterP
3o+ ha) thou shouldst "e7 for thou art in no dan'er of losin' th) head7 nor of sufferin'
from headachePL
-ere +e "orn headless7 should +e not "e ha)7 as +e have to suffer from no headacheD
-ere +e "orn e)eless7 should +e not "e ha)7 as +e are in no dan'er of sufferin' from
e)e diseaseD 3o Ei Ichi7H1I a 'reat "lind scholar7 +as one evenin' 'ivin' a lecture7
+ithout $no+in' that the li'ht had "een ut out ") the +ind= -hen his uils re0uested
him to sto for a moment7 he remar$ed +ith a smileG L-h)7 ho+ inconvenient are )our
e)esPL -here there is contentment7 there is 1aradise=
1!= D+ T56 B$& "#% L$"<$ &5$ R$& &+ P)+<1%$#!$(@@There is another oint of vie+
+hich ena"les us to en#o) life= It is siml) this7 that ever)thin' is laced in the condition
"est for itself7 as it is the sum total of the conse0uences of its actions and reactions since
the da+n of time= Ta$e7 for instance7 the minutest 'rains of dirt that are re'arded ") us
the +orst7 lifeless7 valueless7 mindless7 inert matter= The) are laced in their "est
condition7 no matter ho+ oor and +orthless the) ma) seem= The) can never "ecome a
thin' hi'her nor lo+er than the)= To "e the 'rains of dirt is "est for them= But for these
minute microcosms7 +hich7 fl)in' in the air7 reflect the sun"eams7 +e could have no
aBure s$)= It is the) that scatter the
H1= 3ana+a (16.5@1821)7 +ho u"lished Aun@sho@rui@Bu in 1682=I
sun>s ra)s in mid@air and send them into our rooms= It is also these 'rains of dirt that form
the nuclei of raindros and "rin' seasona"le rain= Thus the) are not thin's +orthless and
'ood for nothin'7 "ut have a hidden imort and urose in their e&istence= 3ad the) mind
to thin$7 heart to feel7 the) should "e contented and ha) +ith their resent condition=
Ta$e7 for another e&amle7 the flo+ers of the mornin' 'lor)= The) "loom and smile
ever) mornin'7 fade and die in a fe+ hours= 3o+ fleetin' and ehemeral their lives areP
But it is that short life itself that ma$es them frail7 delicate7 and lovel)= The) come forth
all at once as "ri'ht and "eautiful as a rain"o+ or as the Northern li'ht7 and disaear li$e
dreams= This is the "est condition for them7 "ecause7 if the) last for da)s to'ether7 the
mornin' 'lor) shall no lon'er "e the mornin' 'lor)= It is so +ith the cherr)@tree that uts
forth the loveliest flo+ers and "ears "itter fruits= It is so +ith the ale@tree7 +hich "ears
the s+eetest of fruits and has u'l) "lossoms= It is so +ith animals and men= %ach of them
is laced in the condition "est for his aointed mission=
The ne+l)@"orn "a") suc$s7 slees7 and cries= It can do no more nor less= Is it not "est for
it to do soD -hen it attained to its "o)hood7 he 'oes to school and is admitted to the first@
)ear class= 3e cannot "e ut in a hi'her nor lo+er class= It is "est for him to "e the first@
)ear class student= -hen his school education is over7 he ma) 'et a osition in societ)
accordin' to his a"ilities7 or ma) lead a misera"le life o+in' to his failure of some sort or
other= In an) case he is in a osition "est for his secial mission ordained ") 1rovidence
or the 3um@total of the fruits of his actions and reactions since all eternit)= 3e should "e
contented and ha)7 and do +hat is ri'ht +ith mi'ht and main= Discontent and ve&ation
onl) ma$e him more +orth) of his ruin Therefore our ositions7 no matter= ho+ hi'h or
lo+7 no matter ho+ favoura"le or unfavoura"le our environment7 +e are to "e cheerful=
LDo th) "est and leave the rest to 1rovidence7L sa)s a Chinese ada'e= ,on'fello+ also
sa)sG
LDo th) "estJ that is "est=
,eave unto th) ,ord the rest=L

Ne&tG Chater *IIIG The Trainin' of the (ind and the 1ractice of (editation
Sacred Te&ts Buddhism Inde& 1revious Ne&t
CHAPTER VIII
THE TRAINING OF THE MIND AND THE
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION
1= T5$ M$&5+% +3 I#&)4!&1+# A%+-&$% .6 Z$# M"&$)(@@Thus far +e have descri"ed
the doctrine of /en inculcated ") "oth Chinese and ?aanese masters7 and in this chater
+e roose to s$etch the ractice of mental trainin' and the method of ractisin' Dh)ana
or (editation= /en teachers never instruct their uils ") means of e&lanation or
ar'ument7 "ut ur'e them to solve ") themselves throu'h the ractice of (editation such
ro"lems as@@>-hat is BuddhaD> -hat is selfD> >-hat is the sirit of BodhidharmaD> >-hat
is life and deathD> >-hat is the real nature of mindD> and so on= Ten Sh+ai (To@sotsu)7 for
instance7 +as +ont to ut three 0uestionsH1I to the follo+in' effectG (1) ;our stud) and
disciline aim at the understandin' of the real nature of mind= -here does the real nature
of mind e&istD (2) -hen )ou understand the real nature of mind7 )ou are free from "irth
and death= 3o+ can )ou "e saved +hen )ou are at the ver'e of deathD (!) -hen )ou are
free from "irth and death7 )ou $no+ +here )ou 'o after death= -here do )ou 'o +hen
)our "od) is reduced to elementsD The uils are not re0uested to e&ress their solution
of these ro"lems in the form of a theor) or an ar'ument7 "ut to sho+ ho+ the) have
'rased the rofound meanin' imlied in these ro"lems7 ho+ the) have
H1= The famous three difficult 0uestions7 $no+n as the Three Aates of Teu Sh+ai (To
Sotsu San E+an)7 +ho died in 1:91= See (u (on E+an7 &lvii=I
esta"lished their conviction7 and ho+ the) can carr) out +hat the) 'rased in their dail)
life=
4 Chinese /en masterH1I tells us that the method of instruction adoted ") /en ma) atl)
"e comared +ith that of an old "ur'lar +ho tau'ht his son the art of "ur'lar)= The
"ur'lar one evenin' said to his little son7 +hom he desired to instruct in the secret of his
tradeG L-ould )ou not7 m) dear "o)7 "e a 'reat "ur'lar li$e m)selfDL L;es7 father7L
relied the romisin' )oun' man=L LCome +ith me7 then= I +ill teach )ou the art=L So
sa)in'7 the man +ent out7 follo+ed ") his son= <indin' a rich mansion in a certain
villa'e7 the veteran "ur'lar made a hole in the +all that surrounded it= Throu'h that hole
the) cret into the )ard7 and oenin' a +indo+ +ith comlete ease "ro$e into the house7
+here the) found a hu'e "o& firml) loc$ed u as if its contents +ere ver) valua"le
articles= The old man claed his hands at the loc$7 +hich7 stran'e to tell7 unfastened
itself= Then he removed the cover and told his son to 'et into it and ic$ u treasures as
fast as he could= No sooner had the "o) entered the "o& than the father relaced the cover
and loc$ed it u= 3e then e&claimed at the to of his voiceG LThiefP thiefP thiefP thiefPL
Thus7 havin' aroused the inmates7 he +ent out +ithout ta$in' an)thin'= 4ll the house
+as in utter confusion for a +hileJ "ut findin' nothin' stolen7 the) +ent to "ed a'ain= The
"o) sat holdin' his "reath a short +hileJ "ut ma$in' u his mind to 'et out of his narro+
rison7 "e'an to scratch the "ottom of the "o& +ith his fin'er@nails= The servant of the
house7 listenin' to the noise7 suosed it to "e a mouse 'na+in' at the inside of the "o&J
so she came out7 lam in hand7 and unloc$ed it= On removin' the cover7 she +as 'reatl)
surrised to find the "o) instead of a little mouse7 and 'ave alarm= In the meantime the
"o) 'ot out of the "o& and
H1= -u Tsu (Ao So)7 the teacher of ;uen -u (%n Ao)=I
+ent do+n into the )ard7 hotl) ursued ") the eole= 3e ran as fast as ossi"le to+ard
the +ell7 ic$ed u a lar'e stone7 thre+ it do+n into it7 and hid himself amon' the "ushes=
The ursuers7 thin$in' the thief fell into the +ell7 assem"led around it7 and +ere loo$in'
into it7 +hile the "o) cret out unnoticed throu'h the hole and +ent home in safet)= Thus
the "ur'lar tau'ht his son ho+ to rid himself of over+helmin' difficulties ") his o+n
effortsJ so also /en teachers teach their uils ho+ to overcome difficulties that "eset
them on all sides and +or$ out salvation ") themselves=
2= T5$ F1)& S&$- 1# &5$ M$#&"9 T)"1#1#2(@@Some of the old /en masters are said to have
attained to sureme %nli'htenment after the ractice of (editation for one +ee$7 some
for one da)7 some for a score of )ears7 and some for a fe+ months= The ractice of
(editation7 ho+ever7 is not siml) a means for %nli'htenment7 as is usuall) suosed7
"ut also it is the en#o)ment of Nirvana7 or the "eatitude of /en= It is a matter7 of course7
that +e have full) to understand the doctrine of /en7 and that +e have to 'o throu'h the
mental trainin' eculiar to /en in order to "e %nli'htened=
The first ste in the mental trainin' is to "ecome the master of e&ternal thin's= 3e +ho is
addicted to +orldl) leasures7 ho+ever learned or i'norant he ma) "e7 ho+ever hi'h or
lo+ his social osition ma) "e7 is a servant to mere thin's= 3e cannot adat the e&ternal
+orld to his o+n end7 "ut he adats himself to it= 3e is constantl) emlo)ed7 ordered7
driven ") sensual o"#ects= Instead of ta$in' ossession of +ealth7 he is ossessed ")
+ealth= Instead of drin$in' li0uors7 he is s+allo+ed u ") his li0uors= Balls and music
"id him to run mad= Aames and sho+s order him not to sta) at home= 3ouses7 furniture7
ictures7 +atches7 chains7 hats7 "onnets7 rin's7 "racelets7 shoes@@in short7 ever)thin' has a
+ord to command him= 3o+ can such a erson "e the master of thin'sD To ?u (Na@$ae)
sa)sG LThere is a 'reat #ail7 not a #ail for criminals7 that contains the +orld in it= <ame7
'ain7 ride7 and "i'otr) form its four +alls= Those +ho are confined in it fall a re) to
sorro+ and si'h for ever=L
To "e the ruler of thin's +e have first to shut u all our senses7 and turn the currents of
thou'hts in+ard7 and see ourselves as the centre of the +orld7 and meditate that +e are
the "ein's of hi'hest intelli'enceJ that Buddha never uts us at the merc) of natural
forcesJ that the earth is in our ossessionJ that ever)thin' on earth is to "e made use of for
our no"le endsJ that fire7 +ater7 air7 'rass7 trees7 rivers7 hills7 thunder7 cloud7 stars7 the
moon7 the sun7 are at our commandJ that +e are the la+@'ivers of the natural henomenaJ
that +e are the ma$ers of the henomenal +orldJ that it is +e that aoint a mission
throu'h life7 and determine the fate of man=
!= T5$ N$*& S&$- 1# &5$ M$#&"9 T)"1#1#2(@@In the ne&t lace +e have to strive to "e the
master of our "odies= -ith most of the unenli'htened7 "od) holds a"solute control over
Self= %ver) order of the former has to "e faithfull) o"e)ed ") the latter= %ven if Self
revolts a'ainst the t)rann) of "od)7 it is easil) tramled do+n under the "rutal hoofs of
"odil) assion= <or e&amle7 Self +ants to "e temerate for the sa$e of health7 and +ould
fain ass ") the resort for drin$in'7 "ut "od) +ould force Self into it= Self at times la)s
do+n a strict dietetic rule for himself7 "ut "od) +ould threaten Self to act a'ainst "oth the
letter and sirit of the rule= No+ Self asires to 'et on a hi'her lace amon' sa'es7 "ut
"od) ulls Self do+n to the avement of masses= No+ Self rooses to 'ive some mone)
to the oor7 "ut "od) closes the urse ti'htl)= No+ Self admires divine "eaut)7 "ut "od)
comels him to refer sensualit)= 4'ain7 Self li$es siritual li"ert)7 "ut "od) confines
him in its dun'eons=
Therefore7 to 'ot %nli'htened7 +e must esta"lish the authorit) of Self over the +hole
"od)= -e must use our "odies as +e use our clothes in order to accomlish our no"le
uroses= ,et us command "od) not to shudder under a cold sho+er@"ath in inclement
+eather7 not to "e nervous from sleeless ni'hts7 not to "e sic$ +ith an) sort of food7 not
to 'roan under a sur'eon>s $nife7 not to succum" even if +e stand a +hole da) in the
midsummer sun7 not to "rea$ do+n under an) form of disease7 not to "e e&cited in the
thic$ of "attlefield@@in "rief7 +e have to control our "od) as +e +ill=
Sit in a 0uiet lace and meditate in ima'ination that "od) is no more "onda'e to )ou7 that
it is )our machine for )our +or$ of life7 that )ou are not flesh7 that )ou are the 'overnor
of it7 that )ou can use it at leasure7 and that it al+a)s o"e)s )our order faithfull)=
Ima'ine "od) as searated from )ou= -hen it cries out7 sto it instantl)7 as a mother does
her "a")= -hen it diso"e)s )ou7 correct it ") disciline7 as a master does his uil= -hen
it is +anton7 tame it do+n7 as a horse@"rea$er does his +ild horse= -hen it is sic$7
rescri"e to it7 as a doctor does to his atient= Ima'ine that )ou are not a "it in#ured7 even
if it streams "loodJ that )ou are entirel) safe7 even if it is dro+ned in +ater or "urned ")
fire=
%@Shun7 a uil and sister of R)o@an7H1I a famous ?aanese master7 "urned herself calml)
sittin' cross@le''ed on a ile of fire+ood +hich consumed her= She attained to the
comlete master) of her "od)= Socrates> self +as never oisoned7 even if his erson +as
destro)ed ") the venom he too$= 4"raham ,incoln himself stood unharmed7 even if his
"od) +as laid lo+ ") the assassin= (asa@shi'e +as 0uite
H1= R)o an (%@m)o7 died 1.11)7 the founder of the monaster) of Sai@#o@#i7 near the cit) of
Oda+ara= See To@#o@ren@to@ro$u=I
safe7 even if his "od) +as he+ed ") the traitors> s+ords= Those mart)rs that san' at the
sta$e to the raise of Aod could never "e "urned7 even if their "odies +ere reduced to
ashes7 nor those see$ers after truth +ho +ere $illed ") i'norance and suerstition= Is it
not a 'reat it) to see a man endo+ed +ith divine sirit and o+er easil) uset ") a "it of
headache7 or cr)in' as a child under a sur'eon>s $nife7 or at to 'ive u the 'host at the
comin' of little dan'er7 or trem"lin' throu'h a little cold7 or easil) laid lo+ ") a "it of
indisosition7 or )ieldin' to trivial temtationD
It is no eas) matter to "e the dictator of "od)= It is not a matter of theor)7 "ut of ractice=
;ou must train )our "od) that )ou ma) ena"le it to "ear an) sort of sufferin'7 and to
stand unflinched in the face of hardshi= It is for this that So@raiH1I (O'iu) laid himself on
a sheet of stra+@mat sread on the 'round in the coldest ni'hts of +inter7 or +as used to
'o u and do+n the roof of his house7 havin' himself clad in heav) armour= It is for this
that ancient ?aanese soldiers led e&tremel) simle lives7 and that the) often held the
meetin'@of@erseverance7H2I in +hich the) e&osed themselves to the coldest +eather in
+inter or to the hottest +eather in summer= It is for this that Eatsu 4+a ractised fencin'
in the middle of ni'ht in a dee forest=H!I
Ei@sa"uro7 althou'h he +as a mere outla+7 havin' his left arm half cut at the el"o+ in a
0uarrel7 ordered his servant to cut it off +ith a sa+7 and durin' the oeration he could
calml) sit tal$in' and lau'hin' +ith his friends= 3i$o@$uro (Ta$a)ama)7H.I a ?aanese
lo)alist of note7 one
H1= One of the 'reatest scholars of the To$u'a+a eriod7 +ho died in 1628= See %tsu@+a@
"un@$o=
2 The soldiers of the To$u'a+a eriod +ere used to hold such a meetin'=
! Eai@shu@'en@$o@ro$u=
. 4 +ell@$no+n lo)alist in the To$u'a+a eriod7 +ho died in 169!=I
evenin' haened to come to a "rid'e +here t+o ro""ers +ere l)in' in +ait for him=
The) la) full) stretchin' themselves7 each +ith his head in the middle of the "rid'e7 that
he mi'ht not ass across it +ithout touchin' them= 3i$o@$uro +as not e&cited nor
disheartened7 "ut calml) aroached the va'a"onds and assed the "rid'e7 treadin' uon
their heads7 +hich act so fri'htened them that the) too$ to their heels +ithout doin' an)
harm to him=H1I
The histor) of /en is full of the anecdotes that sho+ /en riests +ere the lords of their
"odies= 3ere +e 0uote a sin'le e&amle ") +a) of illustrationG Ta 3+ui (Dai@)e)7 once
havin' had a "oil on his hi7 sent for a doctor7 +ho told him that it +as fatal7 that he must
not sit in (editation as usual= Then Ta 3+ui said to the h)sicianG L I must sit in
(editation +ith all m) mi'ht durin' m) remainin' da)s7 for if )our dia'nosis "e not
mista$en7 I shall die "efore lon'=L 3e sat da) and ni'ht in constant (editation7 0uite
for'etful of his "oil7 +hich +as "ro$en and 'one ") itself=H2I
.= The Third Ste in the (ental Trainin'=@To "e the lord of mind is more essential to
%nli'htenment7 +hich7 in a sense7 is the clearin' a+a) of illusions7 the uttin' out of
mean desires and assions7 and the a+a$enin' of the innermost +isdom= 3e alone can
attain to real hainess +ho has erfect control over his assions tendin' to distur" the
e0uili"rium of his mind= Such assions as an'er7 hatred7 #ealous)7 sorro+7 +orr)7 'rud'e7
and fear al+a)s untune one>s mood and "rea$ the harmon) of one>s mind= The) oison
one>s "od)7 not in a fi'urative7 "ut in a literal sense of the +ord= O"no&ious assions once
aroused never fail to "rin' a"out the h)siolo'ical chan'e in the nerves7 in the or'ans7
and eventuall) in the +hole constitution7 and
H1= %tsu@+a@"un@$o=
2= Sho@"o@'en@Bo@Bui@mon@$i7 ") Do@'en=I
leave those in#urious imressions that ma$e one more lia"le to assions of similar nature=
-e do not mean7 ho+ever7 that +e ou'ht to "e cold and assionless7 as the most ancient
3ina)anists +ere used to "e= Such an attitude has "een "lamed ") /en masters= L-hat is
the "est +a) of livin' for us mon$sDL as$ed a mon$ to ;un EC (Un@'o)7 +ho reliedG
L;ou had "etter live amon' mountains=L Then the mon$ "o+ed olitel) to the teacher7
+ho 0uestionedG L3o+ did )ou understand meDL L(on$s7 as I understood7L ans+ered the
man7 Lou'ht to $ee their hearts as immova"le as mountains7 not "ein' moved either ")
'ood or ") evil7 either ") "irth or ") death7 either ") roserit) or ") adversit)=L
3ereuon ;un EC struc$ the mon$ +ith his stic$ and saidG L;ou forsa$e the -a) of the
old sa'es7 and +ill "rin' m) follo+ers to erditionPL Then7 turnin' to another mon$7
in0uiredG L3o+ did )ou understand meDL L(on$s7 as I understand7L relied the man7
Lou'ht to shut their e)es to attractive si'hts and close their ears to musical notes=L L;ou7
too7L e&claimed ;un Ea7 Lforsa$e the -a) of the old sa'es7 and +ill "rin' m) follo+ers
to erditionPL 4n old +oman7 to 0uote another e&amle reeatedl) told ") /en masters7
used to 'ive food and clothin' to a mon$ for a score of )ears= One da) she instructed a
)oun' 'irl to em"race and as$ himG L3o+ do )ou feel no+DL L4 lifeless tree7L relied the
mon$ cooll)7 Lstands on cold roc$= There is no +armth7 as if in the coldest season of the
)ear=L The matron7 "ein' told of this7 o"servedG LOh that I have made offerin's to such a
vul'ar fello+ for t+ent) )earsPL She forced the mon$ to leave the temle and reduced it
to ashes=H1I
If )ou +ant to secure Dh)ana7 let 'o of )our an&ieties and failures in the astJ let ")'ones
"e ")'onesJ cast aside enmit)7 shame7 and trou"le7 never admit them into
H1= These instances are 0uoted from /en@rin@rui@shu=I
)our "rainJ let ass the ima'ination and anticiation of future hardshis and sufferin'sJ
let 'o of all )our anno)ances7 ve&ations7 dou"ts7 melancholies7 that imede )our seed in
the race of the stru''le for e&istence= 4s the miser sets his heart on +orthless dross and
accumulates it7 so an unenli'htened erson clin's to +orthless mental dross and siritual
ru""ish7 and ma$es his mind a dust@hea= Some eole constantl) d+ell on the minute
details of their unfortunate circumstances7 to ma$e themselves more unfortunate than
the) reall) areJ some 'o over and over a'ain the s)mtoms of their disease to thin$
themselves into serious illnessJ and some actuall) "rin' evils on them ") havin' them
constantl) in vie+ and +aitin' for them= 4 man as$ed 1oh Chan' (3)a$u@#o)G L3o+
shall I learn the ,a+DL L%at +hen )ou are hun'r)7L relied the teacherJ L slee +hen )ou
are tired= 1eole do not siml) eat at ta"le7 "ut thin$ of hundreds of thin'sJ the) do not
siml) slee in "ed7 "ut thin$ of thousands of thin's=LH1I
4 ridiculous thin' it is7 in fact7 that man or +oman7 endo+ed +ith the same nature as
Buddha>s7 "orn the lord of all material o"#ects7 is ever uset ") ett) cares7 haunted ") the
fearful hantoms of his or her o+n creation7 and "urnin' u his or her ener') in a fit of
assion7 +astin' his or her vitalit) for the sa$e of foolish or insi'nificant thin's=
It is a man +ho can $ee the "alance of his mind under an) circumstances7 +ho can "e
calm and serene in the hottest strife of life7 that is +orth) of success7 re+ard7 resect7 and
reutation7 for he is the master of men= It +as at the a'e of fort)@seven that -an' ;an'
(in'H2I
H1= %@'en and Den@to@ro$u=
2= The founder of the -an' School of Confucianism7 a ractiser of (editation7 +ho +as
"orn in 1.627 and died at the a'e of fift)@seven in 1229=I
(O@)o@mei) +on a slendid victor) over the re"el arm) +hich threatened the throne of the
(in' d)nast)= Durin' that +arfare -an' +as 'ivin' a course of lectures to a num"er of
students at the head0uarters of the arm)7 of +hich he +as the Commander@in@chief= 4t
the ver) outset of the "attle a messen'er "rou'ht him the ne+s of defeat of the foremost
ran$s= 4ll the students +ere terror@stric$en and 're+ ale at the unfortunate tidin's7 "ut
the teacher +as not a +hit distur"ed ") it= Some time after another messen'er "rou'ht in
the ne+s of comlete rout of the enem)= 4ll the students7 enratured7 stood u and
cheered7 "ut he +as as cool as "efore7 and did not "rea$ off lecturin'= Thus the ractiser
of /en has so erfect control over his heart that he can $ee resence of mind under an
imendin' dan'er7 even in the resence of death itself=
It +as at the a'e of t+ent)@three that 3a$u@in 'ot on "oard a "oat "ound for the %astern
1rovinces7 +hich met +ith a temest and +as almost +rec$ed= 4ll the assen'ers +ere
laid lo+ +ith fear and fati'ue7 "ut 3a$u@in en#o)ed a 0uiet slee durin' the storm7 as if
he +ere l)in' on a comforta"le "ed= It +as in the fifth of (ei@#i era that Do$u@onJ lived
for some time in the cit) of To$)o7 +hom some Christian Bealots attemted to murder=
One da) he met +ith a fe+ )oun' men e0uied +ith s+ords at the 'ate of his temle=
L-e +ant to see Do$u@onJ 'o and tell him7L said the) to the riest= LI am Do$u@on7L
relied he calml)7 L+hom )ou +ant to see7 'entlemen= -hat can I do for )ouDL L-e have
come to as$ )ou a favourJ +e are ChristiansJ +e +ant )our hoar) head=L So sa)in' the)
+ere read) to attac$ him7 +ho7 smilin'7 reliedG L4ll ri'ht7 'entlemen= Behead me
forth+ith7 if )ou lease=L Surrised ") this une&ected "oldness on the art of the riest7
H1= Do$u On (O'ino)7 a distin'uished /en master7 an a""ot of So@$o$u@#i7 +ho +as "orn
in 18187 and died in 1892=I
the) turned "ac$ +ithout harmin' even a hair of the old Buddhist=H1I
These teachers could throu'h lon' ractice constantl) $ee their minds "uo)ant7 castin'
aside useless encum"rances of idle thou'htsJ "ri'ht7 drivin' off the dar$ cloud of
melanchol)J tran0uil7 uttin' do+n tur"ulent +aves of assionJ ure7 cleanin' a+a) the
dust and ashes of illusionJ and serene7 "rushin' off the co"+e"s of dou"t and fear= The
onl) means of securin' all this is to realiBe the conscious union +ith the Universal ,ife
throu'h the %nli'htened Consciousness7 +hich can "e a+a$ened ") dint of Dh)ana=
2= Z"?$#, +) &5$ S1&&1#2 1# M$%1&"&1+#(@@3a"it comes out of ractice7 and forms
character ") de'rees7 and eventuall) +or$s out destin)= Therefore +e must racticall)
so+ otimism7 and ha"ituall) nourish it in order to rea the "lissful fruit of
%nli'htenment= The sole means of securin' mental calmness is the ractice of /aBen7 or
the sittin' in (editation= This method +as $no+n in India as ;o'a as earl) as the
Uanisad eriod7 and develoed ") the follo+ers of the ;o'a s)stem=H2I But Buddhists
sharl) distin'uished /aBen from ;o'a7 and have the method eculiar to themselves=
Eei@BanH!I descri"es the method to the follo+in' effectG >Secure a 0uiet room neither
e&tremel) li'ht nor e&tremel) dar$7 neither ver) +arm nor ver) cold7 a room7 if )ou can7
in the Buddhist temle located in a "eautiful mountainous district= ;ou should not
ractise /aBen in a lace +here a confla'ration or a flood or ro""ers
H1= Ein@sei@Ben@rin@'en@$o@ro$u7 ") D= (ori=
2= See ;o'a Sutra +ith the Commentar) of Bho#a Ra#a (translated ") Ra#endralala
(itra)7 = 1:2@1:.=
! Eei@Ban (?o@$in)7 the founder of So@#i@#i7 the head temle of the So To Sect of /en7 +ho
died at the a'e of fift)@ei'ht in 1!22= 3e sets forth the doctrine of /en and the method of
ractisin' /aBen in his famous +or$7 entitled /a@Ben@)o@#in@$i=I
ma) "e li$el) to distur" )ou7 nor should )ou sit in a lace close ") the sea or drin$in'@
shos or "rothel@houses7 or the houses of +ido+s and of maidens or "uildin's for music7
nor should )ou live in close ro&imit) to the lace fre0uented ") $in's7 ministers7
o+erful statesmen7 am"itious or insincere ersons= ;ou must not sit in (editation in a
+ind) or ver) hi'h lace lest )ou should 'et ill= Be sure not to let the +ind or smo$e 'et
into )our room7 not to e&ose it to rain and storm= Eee )our room clean= Eee it not too
li'ht ") da) nor too dar$ ") ni'ht= Eee it +arm in +inter and cool in summer= Do not sit
leanin' a'ainst a +all7 or a chair7 or a screen= ;ou must not +ear soiled clothes or
"eautiful clothes7 for the former are the cause of illness7 +hile the latter the cause of
attachment= 4void the Three Insufficiencies@that is to sa)7 insufficient clothes7
insufficient food7 and insufficient slee= 4"stain from all sorts of uncoo$ed or hard or
soiled or unclean food7 and also from ver) delicious dishes7 "ecause the former cause
trou"les in )our alimentar) canal7 +hile the latter cause )ou to covet after diet= %at and
drin$ #ust too aease )our hun'er and thirst7 never mind +hether the food "e tast) or
not= Ta$e )our meals re'ularl) and unctuall)7 and never sit in (editation immediatel)
after an) meal= Do not ractise Dh)ana soon after )ou have ta$en a heav) dinner7 lest )ou
should 'et sic$ there")= Sesame7 "arle)7 corn7 otatoes7 mil$7 and the li$e are the "est
material for )our food= <re0uentl) +ash )our e)es7 face7 hands7 and feet7 and $ee them
cool and clean=
>There are t+o ostures in /aBen@@that is to sa)7 the crossed@le' sittin'7 and the half
crossed@le' sittin'= Seat )ourself on a thic$ cushion7 uttin' it ri'ht under )our haunch=
Eee )our "od) so erect that the ti of the nose and the navel are in one erendicular
line7 and "oth ears and shoulders are in the same lane= Then lace the ri'ht foot uon the
left thi'h7 the left foot on the ri'ht thi'h7 so as the le's come across each other= Ne&t ut
)our ri'ht hand +ith the alm u+ard on the left foot7 and )our left hand on the ri'ht
alm +ith the tos of "oth the thum"s touchin' each other= This is the osture called the
crossed@le' sittin'= ;ou ma) siml) lace the left foot uon the ri'ht thi'h7 the osition
of the hands "ein' the same as in the cross@le''ed sittin'= This osture is named the half
crossed@le' sittin'=
>Do not shut )our e)es7 $ee them al+a)s oen durin' +hole (editation= Do not "reathe
throu'h the mouthJ ress )our ton'ue a'ainst the roof of the mouth7 uttin' the uer lis
and teeth to'ether +ith the lo+er= S+ell )our a"domen so as to hold the "reath in the
"ell)J "reathe rh)thmicall) throu'h the nose7 $eein' a measured time for insiration and
e&iration= Count for some time either the insirin' or the e&irin' "reaths from one to
ten7 then "e'innin' +ith one a'ain= Concentrate )our attention on )our "reaths 'oin' in
and out as if )ou are the sentinel standin' at the 'ate of the nostrils= If )ou do some
mista$e in countin'7 or "e for'etful of the "reath7 it is evident that )our mind is
distracted=>
Ch+an' TsB seems to have noticed that the harmon) of "reathin' is t)ical of the
harmon) of mind7 since he sa)sG L The true men of old did not dream +hen the) slet=
Their "reathin' came dee and silentl)= The "reathin' of true men comes (even) from his
heels7 +hile men 'enerall) "reathe (onl)) from their throats=LH1I 4t an) rate7 the countin'
of "reaths is an e&edient for calmin' do+n of mind7 and ela"orate rules are 'iven in the
/en Sutra7H2I "ut Chinese and ?aanese /en masters do not la) so much stress on this
oint as Indian teachers=
5= T5$ B)$"&51#2 E*$)!1$ +3 &5$ Y+21(@@Breathin' e&ercise is one of the ractices of
;o'a7 and some+hat
H1= Ch+an' TsB7 vol= iii=7 = 2=
2= Dharmatara@dh)ana@sutra=I
similar in its method and end to those of /en= -e 0uote hereH1I ;o'i Ramachara$a to
sho+ ho+ modern ;o'is ractise itG L(1) Stand or sit erect= Breathin' throu'h the
nostrils7 inhale steadil)7 first fillin' the lo+er art of the lun's7 +hich is accomlished ")
"rin'in' into la) the diahra'm7 +hich7 descendin'7 e&erts a 'entle ressure on the
a"dominal or'ans7 ushin' for+ard the front +alls of the a"domen= Then fill the middle
art of the lun's7 ushin' out the lo+er ri"s7 "reast"one7 and chest= Then fill the hi'her
ortion of the lun's7 rotrudin' the uer chest7 thus liftin' the chest7 includin' the uer
si& or seven airs of ri"s= In the final movement the lo+er art of the a"domen +ill "e
sli'htl) dra+n in7 +hich movement 'ives the lun's a suort7 and also hels to fill the
hi'hest art of the lun's= 4t the first readin' it ma) aear that this "reath consists of
three distinct movements= This7 ho+ever7 is not the correct idea= The inhalation is
continuous7 the entire chest cavit) from the lo+er diahra'm to the hi'hest oint of the
chest in the re'ion of the collar@"one "ein' e&anded +ith a uniform movement= 4void a
#er$in' series of inhalations7 and strive to attain a stead)7 continuous action= 1ractice +ill
soon overcome the tendenc) to divide the inhalation into three movements7 and +ill
result in a uniform continuous "reath= ;ou +ill "e a"le to comlete the inhalation in a
coule of seconds after a little ractice= (2) Retain the "reath a fe+ seconds= (!) %&hale
0uite slo+l)7 holdin' the chest in a firm osition7 and dra+in' the a"domen in a little and
liftin' it u+ard slo+l) as the air leaves the lun's= -hen the air is entirel) e&haled7 rela&
the chest and a"domen= 4 little ractice +ill render this art of e&ercise eas)7 and the
movement once ac0uired +ill "e after+ards erformed almost automaticall)=L
H1= 3atha ;o'a7 = 1127 11!=I
6= C"9,#$ +3 M1#%(@@The ;o'i "reathin' a"ove mentioned is fit rather for h)sical
e&ercise than for mental "alance7 and it +ill "e "eneficial if )ou ta$e that e&ercise "efore
or after (editation= ?aanese masters mostl) "old it ver) imortant to ush for+ard= The
lo+est art of the a"domen durin' /aBen7 and the) are ri'ht so far as the resent +riter>s
ersonal e&eriences 'o=
>If )ou feel )our mind distracted7 loo$ at the ti of the noseJ never lose si'ht of it for
some time7 or loo$ at )our o+n alm7 and let not )our mind 'o out of it7 or 'aBe at one
sot "efore )ou=> This +ill 'reatl) hel )ou in restorin' the e0uili"rium of )our mind=
Ch+an' TsBH1I thou'ht that calmness of mind is essential to sa'es7 and saidG LThe
stillness of the sa'es does not "elon' to them as a conse0uence of their s$ilful a"ilit)J all
thin's are not a"le to distur" their mindsJ it is on this account that the) are still= -hen
+ater is still7 its clearness sho+s the "eard and e)e"ro+s (of him +ho loo$s into it)= It is a
erfect level7 and the 'reatest artificer ta$es his rule from it= Such is the clearness of still
+ater7 and ho+ much 'reater is that of the human siritD The still mind of the sa'e is the
mirror of heaven and earth7 the 'lass of all thin's=L
<or'et all +orldl) concerns7 e&el all cares and an&ieties7 let 'o of assions and desires7
'ive u ideas and thou'hts7 set )our mind at li"ert) a"solutel)7 and ma$e it as clear as a
"urnished mirror= Thus let flo+ )our ine&hausti"le fountain of urit)7 let oen )our
inestima"le treasure of virtue7 "rin' forth )our inner hidden nature of 'oodness7 disclose
)our innermost divine +isdom7 and +a$en )our %nli'htened Consciousness to see
Universal ,ife +ithin )ou= L/aBen ena"les the ractiser7L sa)s Eei@Ban7H2I Lto oen u his
mind7 to see his o+n nature7 to "ecome conscious of m)steriousl) ure and "ri'ht sirit7
or eternal li'ht +ithin him=L
H1= Ch+an' TsB7 vol= v=7 = 2=
2= /a@Ben@)o@#in@$i=I
Once "ecome conscious of Divine ,ife +ithin )ou7 )on can see it in )our "rethren7 no
matter ho+ different the) ma) "e in circumstances7 in a"ilities7 in characters7 in
nationalities7 in lan'ua'e7 in reli'ion7 and in race= ;ou can see it in animals7 ve'eta"les7
and minerals7 no matter ho+ diverse the) ma) "e in form7 no matter ho+ +ild and
ferocious some ma) seem in nature7 no matter ho+ unfeelin' in heart some ma) seem7 no
matter ho+ devoid of intelli'ence some ma) aear7 no matter ho+ insi'nificant some
ma) "e7 no matter ho+ simle in construction some ma) "e7 no matter ho+ lifeless some
ma) seem= ;ou can see that the +hole universe is %nli'htened and enetrated ") Divine
,ife=
8= Z"?$# "#% &5$ F+)2$&&1#2 +3 S$93(@@/aBen is a most effectual means of destro)in'
selfishness7 the root of all Sin7 foll)7 vice7 and evil7 since it ena"les us to see that ever)
"ein' is endo+ed +ith divine siritualit) in common +ith men= It is selfishness that
thro+s dar$ shado+s on life7 #ust as it is not the sun "ut the "od) that thro+s shado+
"efore it= It is the self@same selfishness that 'ave rise to the "elief in the immortalit) of
soul7 in site of its irrationalit)7 foolishness7 and suerstition= Individual self should "e a
oor misera"le thin' if it +ere not essentiall) connected +ith the Universal ,ife= -e can
al+a)s en#o) ure hainess +hen +e are united +ith nature7 0uite for'etful of our oor
self= -hen )ou loo$7 for e&amle7 into the smilin' face of a rett) "a")7 and smile +ith
it7 or listen to the s+eet melod) of a son'ster and sin' +ith it7 )ou comletel) for'et )our
oor self at that enratured moment= But )our feelin's of "eaut) and hainess are for
ever 'one +hen )ou resume )our self7 and "e'in to consider them after )our o+n selfish
ideas= To for'et self and identif) it +ith nature is to "rea$ do+n its limitation and to set it
at li"ert)= To "rea$ do+n ett) selfishness and e&tend it into Universal Self is to unfetter
and deliver it from "onda'e= It therefore follo+s that salvation can "e secured not ") the
continuation of individualit) in another life7 "ut ") the realiBation of one>s union +ith
Universal ,ife7 +hich is immortal7 free7 limitless7 eternal7 and "liss itself= This is easil)
effected ") /aBen=
9= Z$# "#% S4-$)#"&4)"9 P+'$)(@@;o'aH1I claims that various suernatural o+ers can
"e ac0uired ") (editation7 "ut /en does not ma$e an) such a"surd claims= It rather
disdains those +ho are "elieved to have ac0uired suernatural o+ers ") the ractice of
austerities= The follo+in' traditions clearl) sho+ this siritG L-hen <ah ;un' (3o@)u)
lived in (ount Niu TeuH2I (Ao@Bu@san) he used to receive ever) mornin' the offerin's of
flo+ers from hundreds of "irds7 and +as "elieved to have suernatural o+ers= But after
his %nli'htenment ") the instruction of the <ourth 1atriarch7 the "irds ceased to ma$e
offerin'7 "ecause "e "ecame a "ein' too divine to "e seen ") inferior animals=L L3+an'
1ah (O@"a$u)7 one da) 'oin' u (ount Tien Tai (Ten@dai@san)7 +hich +as "elieved to
have "een inha"ited ") 4rhats +ith suernatural o+ers7 met +ith a mon$ +hose e)es
emitted stran'e li'ht= The) +ent alon' the ass tal$in' +ith each other for a short +hile
until the) came to a river roarin' +ith torrent= There "ein' no "rid'e7 the master "ad to
sto at the shoreJ "ut his comanion crossed the river +al$in' on the +ater and "ec$oned
to 3+an' 1ah to follo+ him= Thereuon 3+an' 1ah saidG >If I $ne+ thou art an 4rhat7 I
+ould have dou"led )ou u "efore thou 'ot over thereP> The mon$ then understood the
siritual attainment of 3+an' 1ah7 and raised him as a true (aha)anist=L LOn one
H1= >;o'a 4horisms of 1ataO#ali7> cha= iii=
2 4 rominent discile of the <ourth 1atriarch7 the founder of the Niu Teu School (Ao@
Bu@Ben) of /en7 +ho died ill 4=D= 562=I
occasion ;an' Shan (E)o@Ban) sa+ a stran'er mon$ fl)in' throu'h the air= -hen that
mon$ came do+n and aroached him +ith a resectful salutation7 he as$edG >-here art
thou fromD >%arl) this mornin'7> relied the other7 >I set out from India=> >-h)7> said the
teacher7 >art thou so lateD> >I stoed7> resonded the man7 >several times to loo$ at
"eautiful sceneries=> Thou ma)st have suernatural o+ers7> e&claimed ;an' Shan7 >)et
thou must 'ive "ac$ the Sirit of Buddha to me > Then the mon$ raised ;an' Shan
sa)in'G >I have come over to China in order to +orshi (aO#uKri7H1I and met
une&ectedl) +ith (inor Sha$)a7> and7 after 'ivin' the master some alm leaves he
"rou'ht from India7 +ent "ac$ throu'h the air=>LH2I
It is 0uite reasona"le that /enists distin'uish suernatural o+ers from siritual uliftin'7
the former an ac0uirement of Devas7 or of 4suras7 or of 4rhats7 or of even animals7 and
the latter as a no"ler accomlishment attained onl) ") the ractisers of (aha)anism=
(oreover7 the) use the term suernatural o+er in a meanin' entirel) different from the
ori'inal one= ,in Tsi (Rin@Bai) sa)s7 for instanceG LThere are si& suernatural o+ers of
BuddhaG 3e is free from the temtation of form7 livin' in the +orld of formJ 3e is free
from the temtation of =sound7 livin' in the +orld of soundJ 3e is free from the
temtation of smell7 livin' in the +orld of smellJ 3e is free from the temtation of taste7
livin' in the +orld of tasteJ 3e is free from the temtation of Dharma7H!I livin' in the
+orld of Dharma= These are si& suernatural o+ers=LH.I
H1 (aO#uKri is a le'endar) Bodhisattva7 +ho "ecame an o"#ect of +orshi of some
(aha)anists= 3e is treated as a ersonification of transcendental +isdom=
2= 3+ui ;uen (%@'en) and Sho@"o@'en@Bo=
!= The thin's or o"#ects7 not of sense7 "ut of mind=
.= ,in Tsi ,uh (Rin@Bai@ro$u)=I
Sometimes /enists use the term as if it meant +hat +e call /en 4ctivit)7 or the free
disla) of /en in action7 as )ou see in the follo+in' e&amles= TCn' Shan (To@/an) +as
on one occasion attendin' on his teacher ;un ;en (Un@'an)7 +ho as$edG L-hat are )our
suernatural o+ersDL TCn' Shan7 sa)in' nothin'7 clased his hands on his "reast7 and
stood u "efore ;un ;en= L3o+ do )ou disla) )our suernatural o+ersDL 0uestioned
the teacher a'ain= Then TCn' Shan said fare+ell and +ent out= -ei Shan (%@san) one da)
+as ta$in' a na7 and seein' his discile ;an' Shan (E)o@Ban) comin' into the room7
turned his face to+ards the +all= L;ou need not7 Sir7L said ;an' Shan7 Lstand on
ceremon)7 as I am )our discile=L -ei Shan seemed to tr) to 'et u7 so ;an' Shan +ent
outJ "ut -ei Shan called him "ac$ and saidG LI shall tell )ou of a dream I dreamed=L The
other inclined his head as if to listen= LNo+7L said -ei Shan7 Ldivine m) fortune ") the
dream=L Thereuon ;an' Shan fetched a "asin of +ater and a to+el and 'ave them to the
master7 +ho +ashed his face there")= B)@and@") 3ian' ;en (E)o@'en) came in7 to +hom
-ei Shan saidG L-e disla)ed suernatural o+ers a moment a'o= It +as not such
suernatural o+ers as are sho+n ") 3ina)anists=L LI $no+ it7 Sir7L relied the other7
Lthou'h I +as do+n "elo+=L LSa)7 then7 +hat it +as7L demanded the master= Then 3ian'
;en made tea and 'ave a cu to -ei Shan7 +ho raised the t+o disciles7 sa)in'G L;ou
surass MariutraH1I and (aud'al)a)anaH2I in )our +isdom and suernatural
o+ers=LH!I
4'ain7 ancient /enists did not claim that there +as
H1= One of the rominent disciles of Sha$)a (uni7 +ho "ecame famous for his +isdom=
2= One of the eminent disciles of Sha$)a (uni7 noted for his suernatural o+ers=
!= /en@rin@rui@s$u=I
an) m)sterious element in their siritual attainment7 as Do@'en sa)sH1I une0uivocall)
resectin' his %nli'htenmentG LI reco'niBed onl) that m) e)es are laced cross+ise
a"ove the nose that stands len'th+ise7 and that I +as not deceived ") others= I came
home from China +ith nothin' in m) hand= There is nothin' m)sterious in Buddhism=
Time asses as it is natural7 the sun risin' in the east7 and the moon settin' into the +est=L
1:= True Dh)ana=@To sit in (editation is not the onl) method of ractisin' /aBen= L-e
ractise Dh)ana in sittin'7 in standin'7 and in +al$in'7L sa)s one of the ?aanese /enists=
,in Tsi (Rin@/ai) also sa)sG L To concentrate one>s mind7 or to disli$e nois) laces7 and
see$ onl) for stillness7 is the characteristic of heterodo& Dh)ana=L It is eas) to $ee self@
ossession in a lace of tran0uillit)7 )et it is ") no means eas) to $ee mind undistur"ed
amid the "ivouac of actual life= It is true Dh)ana that ma$es our mind sunn) +hile the
storms of strife ra'e around us= It is true Dh)ana that secures the harmon) of heart7 +hile
the sur'es of stru''le toss us violentl)= It is true Dh)ana that ma$es us "loom and smile7
+hile the +inter of life covets us +ith frost and sno+=
LIdle thou'hts come and 'o over unenli'htened minds si& hundred and fift) times in a
sna of one>s fin'ers7L +rites an Indian teacher7H2I Land thirteen hundred million times
ever) t+ent)@four hours=L This mi'ht "e an e&a''eration7 )et +e cannot "ut ac$no+led'e
that one idle thou'ht after another ceaselessl) "u""les u in the stream of consciousness=
LDh)ana is the lettin' 'o7L continues the +riter@@Lthat is to sa)7 the lettin' 'o of the
thirteen hundred million of idle thou'hts=L The ver) root of these
H1= %i@hei@$o@ro$u=
2= The introduction to 4naana@sutra ") Ehin San 3+ui7 +ho came to China 4=D= 2.1=I
thirteen hundred million idle thou'hts is an illusion a"out one>s self= 3e is indeed the
oorest creature7 even if he "e in heaven7 +ho thin$s himself oor= On the contrar)7 he is
an an'el +ho thin$s himself hoeful and ha)7 even thou'h he "e in hell= L 1ra) deliver
me7L said a sinner to San' Tsun' (So@san)=H1I L-ho ties )ou uDL +as the rel)= ;ou tie
)ourself u da) and ni'ht +ith the fine thread of idle thou'hts7 and "uild a cocoon of
environment from +hich )ou have no +a) of escae= >There is no roe7 )et )ou ima'ine
)ourself "ound=> -ho could ut fetters on )our mind "ut )our mind itselfD -ho could
chain )our +ill "ut )our o+n +illD -ho could "lind )our siritual e)es7 unless )ou
)ourself shut them uD -ho could revent )ou from en#o)in' moral food7 unless )ou
)ourself refuse to eatD LThere are man)7L said SCeh <un' (Se@o) on one occasion7 L+ho
starve in site of their sittin' in a lar'e "as$et full of victuals= There are man) +ho thirst
in site of seatin' themselves on the shore of a sea=L L;es7 Sir7L relied 3Cen Sha (Aen@
sha)7 Lthere are man) +ho starve in site of uttin' their heads into the "as$et full of
victuals= There are man) +ho thirst in site of uttin' their heads into the +aters of the
sea=LH2I -ho could cheer him u +ho a"andons himself to self@created miser)D -ho
could save him +ho denies his o+n salvationD
11= L$& G+ +3 6+4) I%9$ T5+425&(H!I@@4 Brahmin7 havin' trou"led himself a lon' +hile
+ith reference to the ro"lem of life and of the +orld7 +ent out to call on Sha$)a (uni
that he mi'ht "e instructed ") the (aster= 3e 'ot some "eautiful flo+ers to offer them as
a resent to the (uni7 and roceeded to the lace +here 3e +as
H1= The Third 1atriarch=
2= 3+ui ;uen (%@'en)=
!= 4 famous /enist7 (u@'o@$o$u@shi7 is said to have relied to ever) 0uestioner7 sa)in'G
L,et 'o of )our idle thou'hts=LI
addressin' his disciles and "elievers= No sooner had he come @in si'ht of the (aster
than he read in his mien the stru''les 'oin' on +ithin him= L,et 'o of that7L said the
(uni to the Brahmin7 +ho +as 'oin' to offer the flo+ers in "oth his hands= 3e droed
on the 'round the flo+ers in his ri'ht hand7 "ut still holdin' those in his left= L,et 'o of
that7L demanded the (aster7 and the Brahmin droed the flo+ers in his left hand rather
reluctantl)= L,et 'o of that7 I sa)7L the (uni commanded a'ainJ "ut the Brahmin7 havin'
nothin' to let 'o of7 as$edG L-hat shall I let 'o of7 Reverend SirD I have nothin' in m)
hands7 )ou $no+=L L,ot 'o of that7 )ou have neither in )our ri'ht nor in )our left "and7
"ut in the middle=L Uon these +ords of the (uni a li'ht came into the sufferer>s mind7
and he +ent home satisfied and in #o)=H1I LNot to attach to all thin's is Dh)ana7L +rites
an ancient /enist7 Land if )ou understand this7 'oin' out7 sta)in' in7 sittin'7 and l)in' are
in Dh)ana=L Therefore allo+ not )our mind to "e a recetacle for the dust of societ)7 or
the ashes of life7 or ra's and +aste aer of the +orld= ;ou "ear too much "urden uon
)our shoulders +ith +hich )ou have nothin' to do=
,earn the lesson of for'etfulness7 and for'et all that trou"les )ou7 derives )ou of sound
slee7 and +rites +rin$les on )our forehead= -an' ;an' (in'7 at the a'e of seventeen or
so7 is said to have for'otten the da) >on +hich he +as to "e married to a handsome )oun'
lad)7 dau'hter of a man of hi'h osition= It +as the afternoon of the ver) da) on +hich
their nutials had to "e held that he +ent out to ta$e a +al$= -ithout an) definite urose
he +ent into a temle in the nei'h"ourhood7 and there he found a recluse aarentl) ver)
old +ith +hite hair7 "ut )oun' in countenance li$e a child= The man
H1= >Sutra on the Brahmacarin Blac$@famil)7> translated into Chinese ") E> Ehien7 of the
-u d)nast) (4=D= 222@28:)=I
+as sittin' a"sor"ed in (editation= There +as somethin' e&tremel) calm and serene in
that old man>s loo$ and "earin' that attracted the )oun' scholar>s attention= Nuestionin'
him as to his name7 a'e7 and "irthlace7 -an' found that the venera"le man had en#o)ed
a life so e&traordinaril) lon' that he for'ot his name and a'e7 "ut that he had )outhful
ener') so a"undantl) that "e could tal$ +ith a voice soundin' as a lar'e "ell= Bein' as$ed
") -an' the secret of lon'evit)7 the man reliedG LThere is no secret in itJ I merel) $et
m) mind calm and eaceful=L <urther7 he e&lained the method of (editation accordin'
to Taoism and Buddhism= Thereuon -an' sat face to face +ith the old man and "e'an
to ractise (editation7 utterl) for'etful of his "ride and @nutial ceremon)= The sun
"e'an to cast his slantin' ra)s on the +all of the temle7 and the) sat motionlessJ t+ili'ht
came over them7 and ni'ht +raed them +ith her sa"le shroud7 and the) sat as still as
t+o mar"le statuesJ midni'ht7 da+n7 at last the mornin' sun rose to find them still in their
reverie= The father of the "ride7 +ho had started a search durin' the ni'ht7 found to his
surrise the "ride'room a"sor"ed in (editation on the follo+in' da)=H1I
It +as at the a'e of fort)@seven that -an' 'ained a 'reat victor) over the re"el arm)7 and
+rote to a friend sa)in'G LIt is so eas) to 'ain a victor) over the re"els fortif)in'
themselves amon' the mountains7 )et it is not so +ith those re"els livin' in our mind=LH2I
Tsai EiCn (u (Sai@$un@"o) is said to have had an e&ceedin'l) lon' and "eautiful "eard7
and +hen as$ed ") the %meror7 +ho received him in audience7 +hether he should slee
+ith his "eard on the comforters or "eneath them7 "e could not ans+er7 since he had
never $no+n ho+ he did= Bein' distracted ") this
H1= O@)o@mei@shutsu@shin@sei@ran@ro$u=
2= "bid=I
0uestion7 he +ent home and tried to find out ho+ he had "een used to mana'e his "eard
in "ed= <irst he ut his "eard on the comforters and vainl) tried to sleeJ then he ut it
"eneath the comforters and thou'ht it all ri'ht= Nevertheless7 he +as all the more
distur"ed ") it= So then7 uttin' on the comforters7 no+ uttin' it "eneath them7 he tried
to slee all ni'ht lon'7 "ut in vain= ;ou must therefore for'et )our mental "eard that
anno)s )ou all the time=
(en of lon'evit) never carried trou"les to their "eds= It is a +ell@$no+n fact that /ui@o
(Shi@'a)H1I en#o)ed ro"ust health at the a'e of over one hundred )ears= One da)7 "ein'
as$ed +hether there is an) secret of lon'evit)7 he relied affirmativel)7 and said to the
0uestionerG LEee )our mind and "od) ure for t+o +ee$s7 a"stainin' from an) sort of
imurit)7 then I shall tell )ou of the secret=L The man did as +as rescri"ed7 and came
a'ain to "e instructed in the secret= /ui@o saidG LNo+ I mi'ht tell )ou7 "ut "e cautious to
$ee )ourself ure another +ee$ so as to 0ualif) )ourself to learn the secret=L -hen that
+ee$ +as over the old man saidG LNo+ I mi'ht tell )ou7 "ut +ill )ou "e so careful as to
$ee )ourself ure three da)s more in order to 0ualif) )ourself to receive the secretDL The
man did as he +as ordered7 and re0uested the instruction= Thereuon /ui@o too$ the man
to his rivate room and softl) +hisered7 +ith his mouth close to the ear of the manG
LEee the secret I tell )ou no+7 even at the cost of )our life= It is this@don>t "e assionate=
That is all=LH2I
12= 8T5$ F1<$ R"#= +3 M$)1&(8@@Thus far +e have stated ho+ to train our "od) and mind
accordin' to the 'eneral rules and customs esta"lished ") /enists= 4nd here +e shall
descri"e the different sta'es of mental uliftin'
H1= This famous old man died in 4=D= 16!:=
2 Se@#i@h)a$u@dan=I
throu'h +hich the student of /en has to 'o= The) are technicall) called >The <ive Ran$s
of (erit=>H1I The first sta'e is called the Ran$ of Turnin'7H2I in +hich the student >turns>
his mind from the e&ternal o"#ects of sense to+ards the inner %nli'htened Consciousness=
3e 'ives u all mean desires and asires to siritual elevation= 3e "ecomes a+are that he
is not doomed to "e the slave of material thin's7 and strives to con0uer over them=
%nli'htened Consciousness is li$ened to the Ein'7 and it is called the (ind@Ein'7 +hile
the student +ho no+ turns to+ards the Ein' is li$ened to common eole= Therefore in
this first sta'e the student is in the ran$ of common eole=
The second sta'e is called the Ran$ of Service7H!I in +hich the student distin'uishes
himself ") his lo)alt) to the (ind@Ein'7 and "ecomes a courtier to >serve> him= 3e is in
constant >service> to the Ein'7 attendin' him +ith o"edience and love7 and al+a)s fearin'
to offend him= Thus the student in this sta'e is ever careful not to ne'lect rules and
recets laid do+n ") the sa'es7 and endeavours to ulift himself in siritualit) ") his
fidelit)=
The third sta'e is called the Ran$ of (erit7H.I in +hich the student distin'uishes himself
") his >meritorious> acts of con0uerin' over the re"el arm) of assion +hich rises a'ainst
the (ind@Ein'= No+7 his ran$ is not the ran$ of a courtier7 "ut the ran$ of a 'eneral= In
other +ords7 his dut) is not onl) to $ee rules and instructions of the sa'es7 "ut to
su"#u'ate his o+n assion and esta"lish moral order in the mental $in'dom=
The fourth sta'e is called the Ran$ of Co@oerative (erit7> in +hich the student >co@
oerates> +ith other ersons in order to comlete his merit= No+7 he is not comared +ith
a 'eneral +ho con0uers his foe7 "ut +ith
H1= Eo@$un@'o@i= <or further details7 see So@to@ni@shi@ro$u=
2= Eo in ?aanese=
!= Bu in ?aanese=
.= Eo in ?aanese=
2= Au@$o in ?aanese=I
the rime@minister +ho co@oerates +ith other officials to the "enefit of the eole= Thus
the student in this sta'e is not satisfied +ith his o+n con0uest of assion7 "ut see$s after
siritual uliftin' ") means of e&tendin' his $indness and s)math) to his fello+@men=
The fifth sta'e is called the Ran$ of (erit@over@(erit7HlI +hich means the ran$ of
meritless@merit= This is the ran$ of the Ein' himself= The Ein' does nothin' meritorious7
"ecause all the 'overnmental +or$s are done ") his ministers and su"#ects= 4ll that he
has to do is to $ee his in"orn di'nit) and sit hi'h on his throne= Therefore his conduct is
meritless7 "ut all the meritorious acts of his su"#ects are done throu'h his authorit)=
Doin' nothin'7 he does ever)thin'= -ithout an) merit7 he 'ets all merits= Thus the
student in this sta'e no more strives to $ee recets7 "ut his doin's are naturall) in
accord +ith them= No more he asires for siritual elevation7 "ut his7 heart is naturall)
ure from material desires= No more he ma$es an effort to van0uish his assion7 "ut no
assion distur"s him= No more he feels it his dut) to do 'ood to others7 "ut he is naturall)
'ood and merciful= No more he sits in Dh)ana7 "ut he naturall) lives in Dh)ana at all
times= It is in this fifth sta'e that the student is ena"led to identif) his Self +ith the (ind@
Ein' or %nli'htened Consciousness7 and to a"ide in erfect "liss=
1!= 8T5$ T$# P1!&4)$ +3 &5$ C+'5$)%(8H2I@@Besides these <ive Ran$s of (erit7 /enists
ma$e use of the Ten 1ictures of the Co+herd7 in order to sho+ the different sta'es of
mental trainin' throu'h +hich the student of /en has to 'o= Some oems +ere +ritten ")
Chinese and ?aanese teachers on each of these ictures ") +a)
H1= Eo@$o in ?aanese=
2= The ictures +ere dra+n ") E+oh N'an (Ea$u@an)7 a Chinese /enist= <or the details7
see /en@'a$u@ho@ten=I
of e&lanation7 "ut the) are too am"i'uous to "e translated into %n'lish7 and +e rest
content +ith the translation of a sin'le ?aanese oem on each of the ten ictures7 +hich
are as follo+sG
The first icture7 called >the Searchin' of the Co+7> reresents the co+herd +anderin' in
the +ilderness +ith a va'ue hoe of findin' his lost co+ that is runnin' +ild out of his
si'ht= The reader +ill notice that the co+ is li$ened to the mind of the student and the
co+herd to the student himself=
LI do not see m) co+7
But trees and 'rass7
4nd hear the emt) cries
Of cicadas=L
The second icture7 called >the <indin' of the Co+>s Trac$s7> reresents the co+herd
tracin' the co+ +ith the sure hoe of restorin' her7 havin' found her trac$s on the
'round=
LThe 'rove is dee7 and so
Is m) desire=
3o+ 'lad I am7 O loP
I see her trac$s=L
The third icture7 called >the <indin' out of the Co+7> reresents the co+herd slo+l)
aroachin' the co+ from a distance=
L3er loud and +ild mooin'
3as led me hereJ
I see her form afar7
,i$e a dar$ shado+=L
The fourth >icture7 called >the Catchin' of the Co+7> reresents the co+herd catchin'
hold of the co+7 +ho stru''les to "rea$ loose from him=
L4lasP it>s hard to $ee
The co+ I cau'ht=
She tries to run and lea
4nd sna the cord=L
The fifth icture7 called >the Tamin' of the Co+7> reresents the co+herd acif)in' the
co+7 'ivin' her 'rass and +ater=
LI>m 'lad the co+ so +ild
Is tamed and mild=
She follo+s me7 as if
She +ere m) shado+=L
The si&th icture7 called >the Aoin' 3ome Ridin' on the Co+7> reresents the co+herd
la)in' on a flute7 ridin' on the co+=
LSlo+l) the clouds return
To their o+n hill7
<loatin' alon' the s$ies
So calm and still=
The seventh icture7 called >the <or'ettin' of the Co+ and the Remem"erin' of the (an7>
reresents the co+herd loo$in' at the "eautiful scener) surroundin' his cotta'e=
LThe co+ 'oes out ") da)
4nd comes ") ni'ht=
I care for her in no +a)7
But all is ri'ht=L
The ei'hth icture7 called >the <or'ettin' of the Co+ and of the (an7> reresents a lar'e
emt) circle=
LThere>s no co+herd nor co+
-ithin the enJ
No moon of truth nor clouds
Of dou"t in men=L
The ninth icture7 called >the Returnin' to the Root and Source7> reresents a "eautiful
landscae full of lovel) trees in full "lossom=
LThere is no d)er of hills7
;et the) are 'reenJ
So flo+ers smile7 and titter rills
4t their o+n +ills=L
The tenth icture7 called >the Aoin' into the Cit) +ith Oen 3ands7> reresents a smilin'
mon$7 'ourd in hand7 tal$in' +ith a man +ho loo$s li$e a edlar=
LThe cares for "od) ma$e
That "od) ineJ
,et 'o of cares and thou'hts7
O child of minePL
These Ten 1ictures of the Co+herd corresond in meanin' to the <ive Ran$s of (erit
a"ove stated7 even if there is a sli'ht difference7 as is sho+n in the follo+in' ta"leG
T3% <I*% R4NES= T3% T%N 1ICTUR%S=
1= The Ran$ of Turnin' 1= The Searchin' of the Co+=
2= The <indin' of the Co+>s Trac$s=
2= The Ran$ of Service != The <indin' of the Co+=
.= The Catchin' of the Co+=
!= The Ran$ of (erit 2= The Tamin' of the Co+=
5= The Aoin' 3ome7 Ridin' on the Co+=
.= The Ran$ of Co@oerative (erit 9= The Returnin' to the Root and Source=
1:= The Aoin' into the Cit) +ith Oen 3ands=
2= The Ran$ of (erit@over@(erit 6= The <or'ettin' of the Co+ and the
Remem"erin' of the (an=
8= The <or'ettin' of the Co+ and of the (an=
1.= Z$# "#% N1)<"#"(@@The "eatitude of /en is Nirvana7 not in the 3ina)anistic sense of
the term7 "ut in the sense eculiar to the faith= Nirvana literall) means e&tinction or
annihilationJ hence the e&tinction of life or the annihilation of individualit)= To /en7
ho+ever7 it means the state of e&tinction of ain and the annihilation of sin= /en never
loo$s for the realiBation of its "eatitude in a lace li$e heaven7 nor "elieves in the realm
of Realit) transcendental of the henomenal universe7 nor 'ives countenance to the
suerstition of Immortalit)7 nor does it hold the +orld is the "est of all ossi"le +orlds7
nor conceives life siml) as "lessin'= It is in this life7 full of shortcomin's7 miser)7 and
sufferin's7 that /en hoes to realiBe its "eatitude= It is in this +orld7 imerfect7 chan'in'7
and movin'7 that /en finds the Divine ,i'ht it +orshis= It is in this henomenal universe
of limitation and relativit) that /en aims to attain to hi'hest Nirvana= L-e sea$7L sa)s
the author of *imala$irtti@nirdeKa@sutra7 Lof the transitoriness of "od)7 "ut not of the
desire of the Nirvana or destruction of it=L L1aranirvana7L accordin' to the author of
,an$avatarasutra7 Lis neither death nor destruction7 "ut "liss7 freedom7 and urit)=L
LNirvana7L sa)s Eiai 3+an7H1IL means the e&tinction of ain or the crossin' over of the
sea of life and death= It denotes the real ermanent state of siritual attainment= It does
not si'nif) destruction or annihilation= It denotes the "elief in the 'reat root of life and
sirit=L It is Nirvana of /en to en#o) "liss for all sufferin's of life= It is Nirvana of /en to
"e serene in mind for all distur"ances of actual e&istence= It is Nirvana of /en to "e in the
conscious union +ith Universal ,ife or Buddha throu'h %nli'htenment=
12= N"&4)$ "#% 5$) L$+#(@@Nature offers us nectar and am"rosia ever) da)7 and
ever)+here +e 'o the rose and lil) a+ait us= LSrin' visits us men7L sa)s Au@do7H2I Lher
merc) is 'reat= %ver) "lossom holds out the ima'e of Tatha'ata=L L-hat is the siritual
"od) of Buddha +ho is immortal and divineDL as$ed a man to Ta ,un (Dai@r)u)7 +ho
instantl) reliedG LThe flo+ers cover the mountain +ith 'olden "rocade= The +aters tin'e
the rivulets +ith heavenl) "lue=L LUniverse is the +hole "od) of Tatha'ataJ o"served Do@
'en= LThe +orlds in ten directions7 the earth7 'rass7 trees7 +alls7 fences7 tiles7 e""les@in a
+ord7 all the
H1= 4 commentator of Saddharma@undari$a@sutra=
2= One of the distin'uished /enists in the To$u'a+a eriod7 +ho died in 1551=I
animated and inanimate o"#ects arta$e of the Buddha@nature= There")7 those +ho
arta$e in the "enefit of the -ind and -ater that rise out of them are7 all of them7 heled
") the m)sterious influence of Buddha7 and sho+ forth %nli'htenment=LH1I
Thus )ou can attain to hi'hest "liss throu'h )our conscious union +ith Buddha= Nothin'
can distur" )our eace7 +hen )ou can en#o) eace in the midst of distur"ancesJ nothin'
can cause )ou to suffer7 +hen )ou +elcome misfortunes and hardshis in order to train
and stren'then )our characterJ nothin' can temt )ou to commit sin7 +hen )ou are
constantl) read) to listen to the sermon 'iven ") ever)thin' around )ouJ nothin' can
distress )ou7 +hen )ou ma$e the +orld the hol) temle of Buddha= This is the state of
Nirvana +hich ever)one "elievin' in Buddha ma) secure=
15= T5$ B$"&1&4%$ +3 Z$#(@@-e are far from den)in'7 as alread) sho+n in the fore'oin'
chaters7 the e&istence of trou"les7 ains7 diseases7 sorro+s7 deaths in life= Our "liss
consists in seein' the fra'rant rose of Divine merc) amon' the thorns of +orldl) trou"le7
in findin' the fair oasis of Buddha>s +isdom in the desert of misfortunes7 in 'ettin' the
+holesome "alm of 3is love in the seemin' oison of ain7 in 'atherin' the s+eet hone)
of 3is sirit even in the stin' of horri"le death=
3istor) testifies to the truth that it is miser) that teaches men more than hainess7 that it
is overt) that stren'thens them more than +ealth7 that it is adversit) that moulds
character more than roserit)7 that it is disease and death that call forth the inner life
more than health and lon' life= 4t least7 no one can "e "lind to the fact that 'ood and evil
have an e0ual share in formin' the character and +or$in' out the destin) of man= %ven
such a 'reat essimist as
H1= Sho@"o 'en@Bo=I
Schoenhauer sa)sG L4s our "odil) frame +ould "urst asunder if the ressure of
atmoshere +ere removed7 so if the lives of men +ere relieved of all need7 hardshi7 and
adversit)7 if ever)thin' the) too$ in hand +ere successful7 the) +ould "e so s+ollen +ith
arro'ance = = = that the) +ould resent the sectacle of un"ridled foll)= 4 shi +ithout
"allast is unsta"le7 and +ill not 'o strai'ht=L Therefore let us ma$e our shi of life 'o
strai'ht +ith its "allast of miseries and hardshis7 over +hich +e 'ain control=
The "eliever in Buddha is than$ful to him7 not onl) for the sunshine of life7 "ut also for
its +ind7 rain7 sno+7 thunder7 and li'htnin'7 "ecause 3e 'ives us nothin' in vain= 3isa@
no"u (Eo@)ama) +as7 erhas7 one of the haiest ersons that ?aan ever roduced7
siml) "ecause he +as ever than$ful to the (erciful One= One da) he +ent out +ithout
an um"rella and met +ith a sho+er= 3urr)in' u to 'o home7 he stum"led and fell7
+oundin' "oth his le's= 4s he rose u7 he +as overheard to sa)G LThan$ heaven=L 4nd
"ein' as$ed +h) he +as so than$ful7 reliedG LI 'ot "oth m) le's hurt7 "ut7 than$ heaven7
the) +ere not "ro$en=L On another occasion he lost consciousness7 havin' "een $ic$ed
violentl) ") a +ild horse= -hen he came to himself7 he e&claimedG LThan$ heaven7L in
heart) #o)= Bein' as$ed the reason +h) he +as so #o)ful7 he ans+eredG LI have reall)
'iven u m) 'host7 "ut7 than$ heaven7 I have escaed death after all=LH1I 4 erson in such
a state of mind can do an)thin' +ith heart and mi'ht= -hatever he does is an act of
than$s for the 'race of Buddha7 and he does it7 not as his dut)7 "ut as the overflo+in' of
his 'ratitude +hich lie himself cannot chec$= 3ere e&ists the formation of character= 3ere
e&ist real hainess and #o)= 3ere e&ists the realiBation of Nirvana=
H1= Ei@#in@den=I
(ost eole re'ard death as the 'reatest of evils7 onl) "ecause the) fear death= The) fear
death onl) "ecause the) have the instinct of self@reservation= 3ereuon essimistic
hilosoh) and reli'ion roose to attain to Nirvana ") the e&tinction of -ill@to@live7 or
") the total annihilation of life= But this is as much as to roose death as the final cure to
a atient= %lie (etchni$off rooses7 in his >Nature of (an7> another cure7 sa)in'G >If man
could onl) contrive to live lon' enou'h@@sa)7 for one hundred and fort) )ears@@a natural
desire for e&tinction +ould ta$e the lace of the instinct for self@reservation7 and the call
of death +ould then harmoniousl) satisf) his le'itimate cravin' of a rie old a'e=> -h)7
+e must as$7 do )ou trou"le )ourself so much a"out deathD Is there an) instance of an
individual +ho escaed it in the +hole histor) of man$indD If there "e no +a) of escae7
+h) do )ou trou"le )ourself a"out itD Can )ou cause thin's to fall off the earth a'ainst
the la+ of 'ravitationD Is there an) e&amle of an individual o"#ect that escaed the
'overnment of that la+ in the +hole histor) of the +orldD -h)7 then7 do )ou trou"le
)ourself a"out itD It is no less sill) to trou"le )ourself a"out death than )ou do a"out
'ravitation= Can )ou realiBe that death7 +hich )ou have )et no immediate e&erience of7
is the 'reatest of evilD -e dare to declare death to "e one of the "lessin's +hich +e have
to "e than$ful for= Death is the scaven'er of the +orldJ it s+ees a+a) all uselessness7
staleness7 and corrution from the +orld7 and $ees life clean and ever no+= -hen )ou
are of no use for the +orld it comes uon )ou7 removes )ou to o"livion in order to relieve
life of useless encum"rance= The stream of e&istence should "e $et runnin'7 other+ise it
+ould "ecome utrid= If old lives +ere to sto the runnin' stream it +ould stand still7 and
conse0uentl) "ecome filth)7 oisoned7 and +orthless= Suose there +ere onl) "irths and
no deaths= The earth has to "e ac$ed +ith men and +omen7 +ho are doomed to live to
all eternit)7 #ostlin'7 collidin'7 "umin'7 tramlin' each other7 and vainl) stru''lin' to
'et out of the Blac$ 3ole of the earth= Than$s to death +e are not in the Blac$ 3oleP
Onl) "irth and no death is far +orse than onl) death and no "irth= LThe dead7L sa)s
Ch+an' TsB7 Lhave no t)rannical $in' a"out7 no slavish su"#ect to meetJ no chan'e of
seasons overta$es them= The heaven and the earth ta$e the laces of Srin' and 4utumn=
The $in' or emeror of a 'reat nation cannot "e haier than the)=L 3o+ +ould )ou "e if
death should never overta$e )ou +hen u'l) decreitude ma$es )ou "lind and deaf7 "odil)
and mentall)7 and derives )ou of all ossi"le leasuresD 3o+ +ould )ou "e if )ou
should not die +hen )our "od) is "ro$en to ieces or terri"l) "urned ") an accident@@sa)7
") a violent earth0ua$e follo+ed ") a 'reat confla'rationD ?ust ima'ine Satan7 immortal
Satan7 thro+n do+n ") the ire of Aod into 3ell>s fier) 'ulf7 rollin' himself in dreadful
torture to the end of time= ;ou cannot "ut conclude that it is onl) death +hich relieves
)ou of e&treme sufferin's7 incura"le diseases7 and it is one of the "lessin's )ou ou'ht to
"e than$ful for=
The "eliever of Buddha is than$ful even for death itself7 the +hich is the sole means of
con0uerin' death= If he "e than$ful even for death7 ho+ much more for the rest of thin'sP
3e can find a meanin' in ever) form of life= 3e can erceive a "lessin' in ever) chan'e
of fortune= 3e can ac$no+led'e a mission for ever) individual= 3e can live in
contentment and #o) under an) conditions= Therefore ,in Tsi (Rin@Bai) sa)sG L4ll the
Buddhas mi'ht aear "efore me and I +ould not "e 'lad= 4ll the Three Re'ionsH1I and
3ells mi'ht suddenl) resent themselves "efore me7 and I +ould not fear= = = = 3e (an
%nli'htened erson)
H1= (1) Nara$a7 or 3ellJ (2) 1retas7 or hun'r) demonsJ (!) "easts=I
mi'ht 'et into the fire7 and it +ould not "urn him= 3e mi'ht 'ot into +ater7 and it +ould
not dro+n him= 3e mi'ht "e "orn in 3ell7 and he +ould "e ha) as if he +ere in a fair
'arden= 3e mi'ht "e "orn amon' 1retas and "easts7 and he +ould not suffer from ain=
3o+ can he "e soD Because "e can en#o) ever)thin'=L
H1= ,in Tsi ,u$ (Rin@Bai@ro$u)=I
APPENDIC
ORIGIN OF MAN
:GEN-NIN-RON;
BY
K7EI FUNG TSUNG MIH
THE SEVENTH PATRIARCH OF THE KEGON SECT
TRANSLATED BY
KAITEN NUKARIYA
PREFACE
TSUNA (I3 (S3U@(ITSU7 4=D= [email protected])7 the author of ;uen ?an ,un (>Ori'in of
(an>)7 one of the 'reatest scholars that China ever roduced7 +as "orn in a Confucianist
famil) of the State of E+o Cheu= 3avin' "een converted ") Tao ;uen (Do@)en)7 a noted
riest of the /en Sect7 he +as $no+n at the a'e of t+ent)@nine as a rominent mem"er of
that sect7 and "ecame the %leventh 1atriarch after Bodhidharma7 the <irst 1atriarch of the
sect7 +ho had come over to China from India a"out 4=D= 22:= Some )ears after he
studied under Chino7 E+an (Cho@$+an) the hilosohical doctrine of the 4vatamsa$a
School7 no+ $no+n in ?aan as the Ee'on Sect7 and distin'uished himself as the Seventh
1atriarch of that school= In 4=D= 8!2 he +as received in audience ") the %meror -an
Tsun'7 +ho 0uestioned him in a 'eneral +a) a"out the Buddhist doctrines7 and "esto+ed
uon him the honoura"le title of Areat *irtuous Teacher7 to'ether +ith a"undant 'ifts=
The author roduced over ninet) volumes of "oo$s7 +hich include a commentar) on
4vatamsa$a@sutra7 one on 1urna"uddha@sutra@rasannartha@sutra7 and man) others= ;uen
?an ,un is one of the shortest of his essa)s7 "ut it contains all the essential doctrines7
resectin' the ori'in of life and of the universe7 +hich are found in Taoism7
Confucianism7 3ina)anism7 and (aha)anism= 3o+ imortant a osition it holds amon'
the Buddhist "oo$s can "e +ell ima'ined from the fact that over t+ent) commentaries
+ere +ritten on it "oth ") the Chinese and the ?aanese Buddhist scholars= It is said that a
short essa) under the same title ") a noted contemorar) Confucianist scholar7 3an Tui
Chi (Ean@tai@shi7 +ho flourished 8:!@82!)7 su''ested to him to +rite a "oo$ in order to
ma$e clear to the u"lic the Buddhist vie+ on the same su"#ect= Thus "e entitled the "oo$
>Ori'in of (an7> in site of his treatin' of the ori'in of life and of the universe=
Throu'hout the +hole "oo$ occur couled sentences7 consistin' mostl) of the same
num"er of Chinese characters7 and conse0uentl) +hile one sentence is too laconic7 the
other is overladen +ith suerfluous +ords7 ut in to ma$e the ri'ht num"er in the
"alanced 'rou of characters= In addition to this7 the te&t is full of too concise hrases7
and often of am"i'uous ones7 as it is intended to state as "riefl) as ossi"le all the
imortant doctrines of the Buddhist as +ell as of the outside schools= On this account the
author himself +rote a fe+ notes on the assa'es that lie thou'ht it necessar) to e&lain=
The reader +ill find these notes "e'innin' +ith >4> ut ") the translator to distin'uish
them from his o+n=
E= N=
Ne&tG Ori'in of (anG Introduction
Theosohical Universit) 1ress Online %dition
T5$ S$<$# P)1#!1-9$ +3 M"#
A# A#!1$#& B"1 3+) " N$' P6!5+9+26
B6 L$+91#$ L( 7)125&
1u"lished as art of a set in the 19!:s and >.:s ") Theosohical Universit) 1ressJ
Revised %lectronic %dition co)ri'ht U 1998 ") Theosohical Universit) 1ress=
%lectronic version ISBN 1@226::@1:.@9= 4ll ri'hts reserved= This edition ma) "e
do+nloaded for off@line vie+in' +ithout char'e= No art of this u"lication ma) "e
reroduced or transmitted for commercial or other use in an) form or ") an) means7
electronic7 mechanical7 hotoco)in'7 recordin'7 or other+ise7 +ithout the rior
ermission of Theosohical Universit) 1ress= Because of current limitations in 4SCII
character fonts7 and for ease in searchin'7 no diacritical mar$s aear in the electronic
version of the te&t=
CONTENTS
Chater 1G Introductor)
Chater 2G The (onad
Chater !G The 3i'her Triad
Chater .G The ,o+er Nuaternar)
Chater 2G Eama@(anas @@ The 1ersonalit)
Chater 5G -e 4re Rooted in a Sevenfold Universe
Chater 6G 4n 4ncient Basis for a Ne+ 1s)cholo')
TU1 Online (enu
Theosohical Universit) 1ress7 u"lishin' and distri"utin' 0ualit) theosohical literature
since 1885G 1O Bo& C7 1asadena7 C4 911:9@61:6 US4J e@mailG
turessVtheosociet)=or'J voiceG (525) 698@!!68J fa&G (525) [email protected]= #ree printed
catalog availa"le on re0uest= *isit the on@line TU1 Catalo'=
C5"-&$) 1
I#&)+%4!&+)6
Seven is one of the most imortant num"ers in the teachin's of theosoh)7 the +isdom@
reli'ion= It is a $e) ") +hich are revealed and e&lained man) of the m)steries of nature7
for in theosoh) it is tau'ht that num"er and num"ers underlie all the rocesses of
creation= This numerical $e) of seven lies at the root of all evolution7 +hether h)sical or
siritual= It is therefore imortant "oth in its meanin's and alication=
There is nothin' ar"itrar) a"out the use of seven as alied to the stud) of our comosite
constitution7 as this num"er is found to "e universal throu'hout the universe= -e discover
it ever)+here= Some common facts are 'ood instances of this7 such as the seven la)ers of
the human s$in7 the musical scale +ith its seven notes7 and the seven colors +hich ma$e
u a ra) of sunli'ht= Then there is the moon7 +hich theosoh) and science "oth sho+ to
have close relation to the 'eneration of h)sical life on our lanet= The moon is 'overned
in its activities ") the num"er seven= Note the recurrence of seven in the 'estation eriod7
the hases of the moon7 +ith the +ee$ of seven da)s7 etc= The in0uirer has onl) to loo$
o"servantl) into the matter to find man) other e&amles of the setenar) in the +orld
a"out him=
In Christianit) +e find the human nature divided ") the aostle 1aul into three elementsG
"od)7 soul7 and sirit= This division includes7 ho+ever7 the other four rinciles= Christian
theolo')7 +hile accetin' this threefold division7 tells us little a"out +hat soul reall) is7
or +hat is the difference "et+een soul and sirit= Nor can resent@da) s)cholo') hel
us= The "est $no+n modern s)cholo'ists ta$e into account onl) the lo+er ran'es of soul
activit)= The) stud) almost e&clusivel) our physiological mentalit)7 such emotions as
fear7 assional desires7 and the li$e= 3o+ever7 this is not surrisin'= <or over a centur)
science has re'arded the human "ein' as merel) a develoed ae +hose inner life
consists of hi'hl) secialiBed reactions to his environment7 thou'h a chan'e in this oint
of vie+ is no+ seen to "e on the +a)= 4 num"er of s)cholo'ists are discoverin' that to
re'ard the human soul as a comle& of merel) semi@h)siolo'ical reactions does not
"e'in to cover the 'round= The) ac$no+led'e that such a oint of vie+ is destructive to
all moral and siritual asiration= It does not ta$e into account the nature of our siritual@
mental activities= 4nd the) are "e'innin' to admit that it is this hi'her side +hich is the
more imortant=
1resent@da) s)cholo') is the ne+est and most incomlete "ranch of modern science=
3o+ different it +as in the 'reat ancient civiliBationsP The) +ere "uilt around the
()ster)@schools as a nucleus= 4nd those 'reat esoteric colle'es tau'ht a comlete
science of the soul7 a su"#ect +hich +e moderns name s)cholo')= These schools or
colle'es +ere the 'uardians of a sacred science +hich included ever)thin' a"out life7
death7 man7 and the universe= It included the truths of reli'ion7 science7 and hilosoh) in
all their immense ran'es=
Our resent reli'ions7 hilosohies7 and sciences are "ut ale reflections of that ancient
$no+led'eJ or else the) are ne+ and incomlete 'ro+ths arisin' from its remnants= This
ancient s)stem7 +hich is referred to in theosohical +or$s as the +isdom@reli'ion7 the
secret doctrine7 the esoteric hilosoh) or tradition7 the archaic +isdom7 etc=7 +as $no+n
all over the ancient +orld= Clear evidence of this fact can "e found ") a stud) and
comarison of the "asic doctrines and s)m"olo'ies of all the old +orld@reli'ions7
includin' even the Bi"le= The same is true of the ancient 'reat hilosohies= 1)tha'oras7
+ith his esoteric school at CrotonaJ 1lato in his 4cadem) at 4thensJ and the Stoics7 of
+hom (arcus 4urelius is a cele"rated e&amle7 all sho+7 in site of differences in the
form of their s)stems7 that the) +ere teachers of the +isdom@reli'ion= %vidence can also
"e found in archaeolo'ical remains the +orld over and in man) other fields of research7
should the reader "e interested in this fascinatin' su"#ect= (See also The %soteric
Tradition ") A= de 1uruc$erJ and The ()ster)@Schools ") Arace <= Enoche=)
One of the most imortant of the teachin's of these ()ster)@schools +as the sevenfold
nature of the manifested universe7 and of its offsrin'7 man=
C5"-&$) /
T5$ M+#"%
4n e&lanation of our comosite nature +ith its seven rinciles must include a "rief
outline of +hat theosoh) tells us a"out evolution= %volution7 as tau'ht ") the +isdom@
reli'ion7 means an un+rain'7 a rollin' outJ in other +ords7 it is the 'ro+th into
manifestation or activit) of 0ualities +hich are latent and invisi"le in the inner nature of
an) "ein'= The 0ualities of a livin' seed +hen first droed into the soil are invisi"le and
latent= But +hen the time and the conditions are rie for 'ro+th these latent 0ualities
"e'in to develo7 to un+ra or roll out into visi"ilit)= 4n acorn7 for e&amle roduces
first a tin) shoot and then at last the ma'nificent and sturd) oa$=
4ll or'anisms7 that is7 all livin' "ein's @@ lants7 animals7 men @@ 'ro+ from seeds= In the
case of humans and most animals these seeds are so minute as to "e invisi"le to an) e)e
"ut that of the microscoe= 4nd )et one of these infinitesimal vital cells ma) 'ro+ into a
si&@foot man +ith all his comle& faculties7 or into the enormous elehant +ith its hi'hl)
secialiBed or'ans=
-hat is it that causes this trul) ma'ical 'ro+th of an invisi"le seed into a +ondrous
individual7 such as a 'reat musician or inventorD -h) is it that the la+ of develoment
from +ithin out+ards7 from invisi"ilit) into visi"ilit)7 is at the root of evolutionD It is
"ecause at the heart of ever) seed there is a livin' sirit@soul7 atma@"uddhi= This sirit@
soul is a sar$ of the universal life@sirit= It is the ur'e to self@e&ression of this invisi"le
sirit@soul at the core of ever) or'anism +hich causes it to e&and7 to unfold its o+n
o+ers throu'h the out+ard develoment of facult) and function= Of course it is fed and
heled for+ards ") the stimulation of its environment= But unless there +ere this livin'
siritual ur'e resent at its core7 the seed +ould not e&and and fructif)= 4 dead seed +ill
not 'ro+7 no matter ho+ favora"le its environment=
4'ain7 modern science in its theories of evolution has confined its studies to the visi"le
side of nature @@ the h)sicalJ althou'h there are scientists +hose researches are "rin'in'
them to a more comrehensive vie+= Not onl) the "odies7 ho+ever7 "ut the minds and
souls of creatures7 are su"#ect to evolution= <or if evolution is a la+ of nature then
nothin' can "e e&cluded from the action of that la+= In ever) article of matter there is
imrisoned a sar$ of the universal7 indestructi"le ,I<%= This sar$ is named in
theosoh) the monad7 a +ord +hich means a Lunit7L an Lindividual=L This monad is a
oint7 a center of comlete7 individualiBed7 indestructi"le consciousness7 ori'inatin'7 as
said7 in the central universal life= Such a monad lives at the core of ever) or'anism7 from
an atom to a star=
But these monads are in vastl) differin' de'rees of evolution= The monad at the heart of7
sa)7 an atom in the mineral $in'dom is much less evolved or unfolded than one +hich
has reached7 on its u+ard evolutionar) #ourne) of self@unfoldment7 the ve'eta"le or the
animal $in'dom= The monad at the core of a human "ein' is immeasura"l) more
advanced than either= The reason is that7 durin' the a'es of its ro'ressive self@
develoment throu'h the sta'es of matter in all the lo+er $in'doms7 it has no+ reached
the oint +here it has so hi'hl) evolved its o+n latent intellectual and siritual o+ers
that it can at last manifest as a human "ein'= The difference "et+een this rocess7 +hich
is a spiritual one7 and some of the erroneous ideas of Dar+inian evolution is full)
e&lained in (an in %volution ") A= de 1uruc$er=
There is a monad at the core of ever) h)sical atom= The h)sical atom is the outmost
"od) or vehicle throu'h +hich the monad +or$s and e&resses itself= -hen it ensouls a
chemical atom7 the monad is startin' near the "ottom of the evolutionar) ladder= 4nd
slo+l) throu'h countless a'es that monad asses from $in'dom to $in'dom of nature7
advancin' ever u+ard=
-e can understand somethin' of this rocess if +e remem"er ho+ a lant 'ro+s= Bac$ of
ever) lant is +hat ma) "e called a lant@monad7 in other +ords a siritual monad
assin' throu'h the ve'eta"le hase of its evolutionar) #ourne)= 4 seed is droed in the
soil and immediatel) that conditions are ri'ht7 the sleein' or latent ener') loc$ed +ithin
it "e'ins the rocess of "uildin' u from the soil a lant@vehicle for itself= Similarl) does
the monad ma$e for itself hi'her and hi'her vehicles as it asses u+ards throu'h the
elemental7 mineral7 ve'eta"le7 animal7 and human $in'doms @@ someda) to "lossom forth
in the vesture of humanhood=
The reader +ill no+ "e'in to see that it is these monads +hose activities not onl)
roduce7 "ut are the ver) stuff of evolution= The monadic hosts7 hi'h7 intermediate7 and
lo+ in their scale of develoment7 ensoul and "uild all manifestations of life visi"le and
invisi"le to us @@ siritual7 intellectual7 s)chic7 and h)sical= 4nd the) do this "ecause of
the siritual ur'e at the heart of each monad7 this ur'e "ein' 'enerated in its ori'in in the
central universal fount of life=
It is these monads7 +ith their inner life of ur'es7 activities7 and slo+l) unfoldin'
characteristics7 +hich ma$e u the invisi"le arts of nature @@ that invisi"le +orld of
inconceiva"l) 'reater scoe and ran'e than our visi"le= 3ere in these inner realms +or$
the vast hosts of invisi"le monads +hich are thus the cause of visi"le evolution=
Before assin' on to consider ourselves as seven@rinciled "ein's7 +e shall ans+er a
0uestion that ma) have arisen in the mind of the student= 3e ma) as$G -hat is the
urose of all this monadic evolution from $in'dom to $in'dom and from ran'e to ran'e
or lane to lane of evolvin' "ein'D This urose can "e stated as follo+sG %ach 'reat
solar eriod of evolution is called in theosoh) a man$antara= In this solar eriod or
manvantara the monad starts out at the ver) "e'innin' as an unself@conscious 'od@sar$=
4nd the o"#ect of its assa'e throu'h all the forms of life in that articular solar
manvantara is that it ma) emer'e from them as a full) self@conscious 'od= -hen the end
of that solar eriod comes7 a monad +hich has successfull) comleted its evolution +ill
have first@hand $no+led'e of @@ +ill in fact have been !! all the life@forms in that
manvantara= It +ill have a"sor"ed to itself at last the o+er self@consciousl) to
understand and assimilate and use all those e&eriences= So it "ecomes a self@conscious
'od7 a master of +isdom and life in that manvantara +hich it has #ust rounded out= In a
later solar manvantara7 the monad +ill 'o on to e&erience still hi'her levels of evolution
and $no+led'e=
The monad at the center of each one of us is far on its +a) to "ecomin' such a self@
conscious 'od= 4nd this of course means that )ou and I7 +ho are in realit) our o+n
monads if +e could onl) realiBe it7 are destined to emer'e at the close of this solar
manvantara throu'h +hich +e are no+ assin' as full)@fled'ed7 all@understandin' 'ods=
One of the most "eautiful asects of this teachin' is that in thus mountin' the
evolutionar) ladder of "ein' +e a+a$en and stimulate the evolutionar) otencies of all
the atoms and creatures +hich +e contact on all the lanes of e&erience= It is a la+ of
the universe @@ in other +ords it is in the ver) nature of thin's @@ that +e cannot ourselves
rise +ithout liftin' ever)thin' else to some de'ree= The ethical imlications in
resonsi"ilit) and $armic conse0uences are easil) aarent= But let us no+ 'o "ac$ to our
su"#ect of the seven human rinciles=
C5"-&$) 3
T5$ H125$) T)1"%
-e ourselves7 ho+ever7 are not #ust a monad +or$in' throu'h a h)sical "od)= -e are
the roduct of several different lines of evolution com"ined into that comosite nature
+ith +hich +e are all so familiar= It +ould not "e ossi"le for a monad to +or$ directl)
throu'h a human "od)= The monad is ure sirit@consciousness7 "ut the "od) is made of
matter +hich is too dense and slu''ish for the monad to +or$ uon it directl)= It +ould
"urn the "od) u7 #ust as electricit) +ould consume the h)sical flesh= So intermediate
elements "et+een the monad and "od) are needed= These must "e of a more ethereal and
sirituall) sensitive nature than h)sical matter "ecause the) have to act as transformers=
The) must ste do+n or conduct the siritual ener'ies of the monad into the h)sical
or'anism= Then the directin' o+er of the monad can insire and shae our evolution
throu'h the e&eriences of human life= It must "e remem"ered too that the monad +hich
+or$s throu'h a human "ein' is immensel) more evolved and o+erful than the
comarativel) unevolved monad actin'7 for e&amle7 throu'h the form of a ve'eta"le
atom=
One of the more ethereal forms of ener')@su"stance used ") the monad as a vehicle to
ste do+n or transfer its ener'ies to this earth lane is mind= (ind is a ver) definite line
of human evolution= Our minds are develoin' all the time on their o+n lines +hile our
"odies are 'ro+in' and develoin' alon' theirs= 4nd +e also carr) on mental evolution
side ") side +ith the siritual evolution of the monad a"ove7 as +ell as the evolution of
the "od) and its vital ener'ies "elo+= (ind is the lin$ "et+een the "od) and the monad=
4nd no+ +e understand somethin' more of 1aul>s meanin' +hen he divided human
nature into "od)7 soul7 and sirit= Soul is the intermediate ortion of human nature7 and
the hi'her art of that soul is mind or intellect=
Before 'oin' farther and sho+in' ho+ these three elements resolve themselves naturall)
into seven7 a 0uestion +hich has ro"a"l) alread) occurred to the reader should "e
ans+ered= -here do these human rinciles come fromD The monad7 as +e have alread)
seen7 ta$es its rise7 and is an emanation from7 the universal cosmic life or sirit= It is in
one sense the erson himself7 his immortal root@rincile= But +hat is the ori'in of the
mindD
(ind as a rincile is latent in the monad= <or the monad7 srin'in' as it does from the
central fire of cosmic sirit7 contains +ithin itself the seeds or ossi"ilities of ever)thin'7
even as ever)thin' is contained +ithin its cosmic ori'in= The art contains ever)thin' that
the +hole contains= One sar$ is of the same nature throu'hout as the flame +hich thro+s
it off= One dro of the ocean is in miniature all that the +hole ocean is= So each monad
holds +ithin itself7 as "ein' a art of the cosmic +hole7 all the elements and otencies
and ossi"ilities that evolution can unfold in the life san of this our universe= But in the
"e'innin' of this universal life san these otencies are latent7 aslee7 undeveloed=
Then7 as the a'es ass7 and the monad #ourne)s on its evolutionar) il'rima'e from the
invisi"le siritual and causal +orlds Lout+ardL into the visi"le +orld of forms and
effects7 latent otencies @@ mineral7 ve'eta"le7 animal @@ are 'raduall) un+raed7
unfolded7 evolved= <inall) the time comes +hen the monad is read) to ta$e uon itself
humanhood= It has advanced to the oint +here it has comletel) develoed all its lo+er
faculties and is no+ read) for evolution alon' mental and intellectual lines=
It +as at this oint then7 a'es a'o in our evolution7 that occurred +hat 3= 1= Blavats$) in
The Secret octrine calls Lthe incarnation of the manasautras=L 4s alread) e&lained7
the monad is far a"ove this human lane @@ too far for it to "e a"le to a+a$en even the
intellectual rincile in the human constitution= <or this reason at first the manasic or
mind element +as then still Laslee=L This state of thin's has "een e&lained as follo+sG
The course of evolution develoed the lo+er rinciles and roduced at
last the form of man +ith a "rain of "etter and deeer caacit) than that of
an) other animal= But this man in form +as not man in mind7 and needed
the fifth rincile7 the thin$in'7 erceivin' one7 to differentiate him from
the animal $in'dom and to confer the o+er of "ecomin' self@conscious=
@@ -= N= ?ud'e7 The %cean of Theosophy& = 2!
Thus the intellect of the no+ almost human "ein' overshado+ed ") its monad needed a
sar$7 an imulse to a+a$en it into consciousness of itself=
This sar$ or a+a$enin' touch +as 'iven to those evolved human vehicles of the monad
") the sons of universal mind= The) are called in esoteric tradition the manasaputras& or
Lsons of mind=L These "ein's called manasautras are a hierarch)7 or ran'e or class7 of
siritual entities= The) erfected their intellectual evolution in a lon'7 lon' ast c)cle of
+hat +as e0uivalent to human e&erience in a no+ vanished s)stem of +orlds= <or this
reason the hi'hest of these manasautras are ") this time advanced in their evolution to
the status of cosmic 'ods= The) are 'reat consciousnesses +ho ma$e u7 +ho are7 the
hierarch) of intellectual self@consciousness in our universe= 4s a 'reat hierarch) or 'rou
the) are +hat Blavats$) in The Secret octrine referred to as mahat& or the universal
mind=
It +as these manasautras or sons of cosmic mind +ho 'ave the sar$7 the creative
imulse7 +hich a+a$ened mind in the human vehicle alread) evolved for that urose ")
the monad=
This rocess +as somethin' li$e the li'htin' of a candle= ;ou cannot have a flame unless
)ou have the fuel reared in some definite form read) for li'htin'= %ven a "onfire must
"e started from carefull) laid fuel= In the case of the li'htin' of mind in the evolved
human vehicle7 man mi'ht thus "e comared to a candle= 3e +as a s)cholo'ical vehicle
or instrument evolved ") the overshado+in' monad throu'h lon' a'es of evolution= The
forces of nature also contri"uted7 so that +hen the time came that the creative flash could
"e 'iven ") the manasautras7 a flame +ould srin' u7 never a'ain to "e e&tin'uished=
Thus +hat then +as human onl) in form "ecame in actualit) manas7 a thin$er= 4nd this
thin$in' rincile lin$ed the monad more or less directl) to the animal nature7 and human
evolution +as thus immensel) 0uic$ened=
It +as then7 as said7 that man first "ecame trul) man= <or +hat differentiates a human
"ein' from an animalD Is it not mind7 the o+er to thin$7 to reason7 to lanD (an is not
'uided ") instinct alone as the "easts are= 3e is self@conscious= Sharl) develoed in him
is the e'o7 the art +hich realiBes7 LI am I7 and not an)one else= I am m)self7 not m)
environment= I am searate from all other thin's= I can influence or control these other
thin's and "end them to m) o+n uses7 and so control m) environment= Thus I can shae
m) destin) to suit m)self=L
(an alone has this o+er of self@conscious free +ill= 3e has the o+er of self@directed
choice= 4nd this he derives from manas the e'o7 the self@conscious thin$er7 a+a$ened in
him ") the manasautras= But7 if this is the case7 +h) is it7 at resent at least7 that +e do
not sho+ more o+er of free +ill over ourselves and our destin)D <or the ans+er to this
imortant 0uestion the reader is referred to (ahatmas and Chelas and The 'ey to
Theosophy& = 18:@5= It is this manas7 this thin$er7 +hich in its hi'her asects forms the
third element of +hat +e call the hi'her human triad= But "efore stud)in' the other t+o
rinciles +hich ma$e u this hi'her triad7 let us ta$e a 0uic$ 'lance over the +hole of
comosite human nature=
In the follo+in' dia'ram it is interestin' to note that Sans$rit +ords are used to descri"e
the different asects of our setenar) constitution= This is made necessar) ") the
limitations of %uroean lan'ua'es= -estern science7 reli'ion7 and hilosoh) have so
lon' for'otten the $no+led'e of the metah)sical and siritual facts of "ein' that no
+ords have "een develoed to indicate or descri"e these hi'her and lo+er states of
consciousness= But in the Orient the ancient sacred science @@ theosoh) or the esoteric
tradition @@ has "een $et alive= Thus +e find in the Sans$rit lan'ua'e7 all read) for use7
the +ords needed to ma$e these seven rinciles easil) understanda"le to those
unfamiliar +ith them= 4nd another reason for the use of Sans$rit is that these terms +ill
then "e the same in all lan'ua'es7 thus avoidin' the translation of len'th) descritions=
In the follo+in' dia'ram7 the "rac$ets indicate the relationshis and some of the
interactions of the seven rinciles=
It +ill "e noticed first of all that +hat +e have called the monad aears to "e dual @@
comosed of t+o rinciles7 atman and "uddhi= 4nd )et +e have "een sea$in' all alon'
of the monad as a unit of consciousness= But +hen these t+o rinciles are understood7
their inseara"le e&istence in human evolution +ill "e understood=
The Sans$rit +ord atman means Lself=L %ver) "ein' an)+here7 no matter ho+ small7 no
matter ho+ 'reat7 is a self= 4ll these multim)riad selves are derived from the cosmic self7
the universal atman or cosmic life7 as sar$s are derived from their ori'inatin' flame=
There is the self or atman of our universe from +hich is derived the atman7 the informin'
consciousness7 of the solar s)stemJ and so on do+n the mi'ht) scale of evolvin' "ein's
until +e reach man$ind= 4nd "elo+ man$ind ever) "ein' in all the $in'doms includin'
atoms and electrons and elementals is a monadic self derived from the universal atman or
self of the universe=
4t the root of our "ein' d+ells our atman7 the I 4(7 our self @@ our sense of e&istence7 of
"ein' alive= This sense of I 4( is universal= It is the same in all creatures= 4nd it is
universal and the same in all "ecause the inmost siritual consciousness of ever)
or'anism is an inte'ral art of the universal self or atman7 as a dro is an inte'ral art of
the encomassin' ocean= 4nd each sin'le dro is li$e in comosition and nature to ever)
other dro and to the +hole ocean itself=
This consciousness of I 4( is sometimes difficult to understand7 if +e have never
thou'ht a"out it "efore= -e are all so familiar +ith the e'o @@ it is a"out all that +e $no+
of ourselves= -e are steeed in the consciousness of our differentness from ever)one
else= 3o+ever7 +e can 'et some idea of +hat is meant ") +atchin' the )oun' "a"e= Or
+e can find it in ourselves +hen +e first a+a$e in the mornin' @@ a+are of "ein' alive
and comforta"le "ut not )et aroused to the shar ed'es of our dail) lives=
4tman7 the I 4( sense in each one of us7 is universal and therefore unli$e the e'o or
manas from +hich +e derive our sense of LI am I=L <or this e'o@sense is different in
ever) erson +hile7 as said7 the sense of ure selfhood7 of "ein' alive and active7 is the
same in all creatures7 +hether human or other+ise= The understandin' of this "asic
selfhood of universal ori'in in each of us leads to the realiBation of true siritual
"rotherhood and develos all our hi'hest7 "ecause siritual7 o+ers=
It has alread) "een noted that atman7 the heart of the monad7 is in its nature too far a"ove
this human lane to +or$ directl) here= So the first vehicle or 'arment +ith +hich it
clothes itself is "uddhi= This +ord buddhi im"odies the idea7 Lto a(aken=L Thus the
"uddhic facult) in human "ein's leads to understandin'7 seein' into thin's7 "ecause it
ma$es us a+a$e or a+are= 3o+ man) there are +ho are still aslee @@ una+a$enedP The)
are not interested in the common life of humanit) @@ in other eole7 in the horror of
+orld conditions= %nou'h if the) and theirs have a #o" and a car and a chance to en#o)
lifeP But the erson +ho has "e'un to thin$7 to 0uestion7 to see$7 is +a$in' u7
articularl) if his interest sreads out irresisti"l) from his o+n ro"lems to an interest in
the ro"lems of others=
Buddhi as a rincile is siritual consciousness of the hi'hest $ind e&istin' in that 'rade
of evolution to +hich man$ind "elon's= -hen vie+ed from the universal standoint of
atman7 "uddhi is a 'arment or veil or vehicle of rimar) su"stance= But this Lsu"stanceL
is so close to the lane of the divine that vie+ed from "elo+7 from the standoint of our
comarativel) 'ross mentalit)7 it is ure consciousness= 4nd so +e can descri"e "uddhi
as siritual consciousness= Dr= de 1uruc$er in his %ccult )lossary thus e&lains this
rincileG
Buddhi is the rincile or or'an in man +hich 'ives to him siritual
consciousness7 and is the vehicle of the most hi'h art of man @@ the
atman= Buddhi is the facult) in man +hich manifests as understandin'7
#ud'ment7 discrimination7 etc=7 and it is an inseara"le veil or 'arment of
the atman=
The use of this +ord Linseara"leL e&lains +h) +e can sea$ of the monad +hen
vie+ed from our oint of vie+ as a unit=
Buddhi stes do+n the ener'ies of atman to manas7 the e'o= <rom the standoint of the
e'o7 "uddhi is racticall) a universal rincile= It is therefore the seat or or'an of
imersonal love7 that Llove of all creaturesL +hich is divine= 4nd in the same sense
"uddhi is the ori'in of human conscience7 our sense of rectitude and dut)= Conscience is
rooted in our feelin' of dut) to+ards others= It is also a sense of +hat is ri'ht= The ri'ht
thin' is the universal thin' @@ that +hich ever)one ou'ht to do +hen actin' in harmon)
+ith siritual la+ and order= The e'o is +illful @@ see$s itself and its o+n +a)= Buddhi
moves us to the sacrifice of e'otistical feelin's and actions to the rincile of universal
'ood=
4 stud) of the hi'her triad +ith its different asects and their ractical relation to our
dail) ro"lems +ould "e one of the 'reatest contri"utions to s)cholo') ever made= <or
the ancient +isdom teaches us to see$ and to realiBe and ma$e use of the almost
unlimited siritual o+ers +hich are stored there= It sho+s ho+ to use them for the
master) of the lo+er animal and selfish nature ") the hi'her triad= It is of incomara"l)
'reater utilit) and insiration than di''in' into the li"ido and other under'round ")+a)s
of oor human nature= 4nd as the student 'oes deeer into this stud)7 he learns the shar
and imortant difference "et+een the siritual and the ersonal +ill @@ a $no+led'e
+hich +ill "e of siml) inestima"le value to him= These oints +ill "ecome clear after
readin' Chater 2 of this (anual=
C5"-&$) D
T5$ L+'$) E4"&$)#")6
-e have outlined thus far a necessaril) "rief descrition of the atman and the "uddhic
rinciles in our constitution7 as +ell as of manas7 the e'o= -e no+ come to a
consideration of those sides of human nature +ith +hich +e avera'e men and +omen are
more familiar @@ the rinciles +hich comrise our lo+er 0uaternar)=
The lo+er 0uaternar)7 as the name imlies7 consists of four rincilesG $ama7 rana7
lin'a@sarira7 and sthula@sarira= These four +or$in' to'ether form the vehicle in +hich the
e'o7 overshado+ed and 'uided ") atma@"uddhi7 reim"odies itself on this earth @@ in a
+ord7 reincarnates=
E4(4
The Sans$rit +ord kama means desire= 4t first thou'ht +e ma) 'et the idea of $ama as
somethin' lo+ in the scale of human 0ualities7 "ut such is not necessaril) the case=
Eama is the drivin' or imellin' force in the human constitutionJ er se it
is colorless7 neither 'ood nor "ad7 and is onl) such as the mind and soul
direct its use= It is the seat of the livin' electric imulses7 desires7
asirations7 considered in their ener'ic asect= Usuall) ho+ever7 althou'h
there is a divine $ama as +ell as an infernal one7 this +ord is restricted7
and +ron'l) so7 to evil desire almost e&clusivel)= @@ A= de 1uruc$er7
%ccult )lossary
4lso7 in the *haga$ad!)ita& +e find Erishna7 +ho is the ersonified self of the cosmos7
tellin' his discile 4r#unaG
In all creatures I am desire re'ulated ") moral fitness= @@ 6G2.
Of course in the avera'e man or +oman desire is limited as a rule to narro+ ersonal
interests and certainl) therefore it is not hi'h in 0ualit)= -e can "etter understand the
ran'e of this rincile if +e comare the desires of a Christ or a Buddha7 in their
comassionate self@dedication to the needs of the +orld7 +ith the desires +hich motivate
a 'an'ster @@ these "ein' e&amles of e&treme asects of the human $amic rincile=
In the avera'e erson desire is neither ver) hi'h nor ver) lo+= It is the +or$ of evolution
to train us throu'h e&erience in man) lives to raise the 0ualit) of our desires7 for these
desires o"viousl) form a o+erful element in the develoment of character and therefore
of evolution= Unfortunatel)7 due to i'norance and selfishness7 eole too often use the
vital o+ers of desire and +ill to secure success for themselves re'ardless of the ri'hts
and +elfare of others= So +e create disharmon) and suffer sooner or later the
conse0uences= This "ein' an ethical universe +e have thus had to learn mostl) throu'h
sufferin'=
1R4N4
Prana si'nifies Llife rincileL @@ vitalit)= It forms the s)cho@electrical field7 "ounded ")
the or'anism7 li$e the air in the lun's= 1rana $ees the astral@h)sical or'anisms of all
creatures alive and 'ro+in'= It ermeates the lin'a@sarira and the h)sical "od) from
"irth to death +ith ever@rene+in' currents of vital@ma'netic ener'ies= 1rana also accounts
for the fallin' to ieces of an or'anism= The death of an or'anism is caused in the first
lace ") the rolon'ed +earin'@do+n of that or'anism ") streams of ranic ener')
+hich at last "rin' it to the oint of dissolution= Both death and @@ as even science is
"e'innin' to susect @@ slee come not from the failure of life "ut from its e&cess=
,INA4@S4RIR4
This is the Lmodel@"od)L uon +hich the h)sical "od) is formed= It is li$e a matri& or
mold of ethereal matter into +hich the atoms of the h)sical "od) are "uilt= It is often
called the astral "od)= -illiam N= ?ud'e +rote of itG
The astral "od) is made of matter of ver) fine te&ture as comared +ith
the visi"le "od)7 and has a 'reat tensile stren'th7 so that it chan'es "ut
little durin' a lifetime7 +hile the h)sical alters ever) moment= = = = The
matter of +hich it is comosed is electrical and ma'netic in its
essence7 = = = The astral "od) is the 'uidin' model for the h)sical one7 and
all the other $in'doms have the same astral model= @@ The %cean of
Theosophy& = !9
It is this astral model7 flushed +ith rana7 that reserves our h)sical identit)= -e have
"een told ") scientists that +ithin a eriod of seven )ears7 more or less7 the matter of the
h)sical "od) is comletel) rene+ed= %ach da) +e lose atoms +hich are relaced ")
others= -e are therefore different h)sical "ein's toda) from +hat +e +ere7 sa)7 ten
)ears a'o= -hat is it then that $ees our "odies in shae7 so that in site of this continual
flu& of enterin' and deartin' atoms7 +hich is 'oin' on continuousl) all our lives7 each
"od) )et retains its o+n characteristics of structureD This marvel is due to the model@
"od) +hich7 e&istin' +ithin the h)sical7 molecule for molecule and cell for cell7 holds
its form so that even scars7 deformities7 or mere +rin$les are eretuated=
There is another oint +hich should also "e emhasiBedG
The astral "od) has in it the real or'ans of the outer sense or'ans= In it are
the si'ht7 hearin'7 HtasteI7 o+er to smell7 and the sense of touch= @@ The
%cean of Theosophy7 = .2
In the case of mar$in' ") "ein' "orn le'less7 the idea and stron'
ima'ination of the mother act so as to cut off or shrivel u the astral le'7
and the result is that the molecules7 havin' no model of le' to +or$ on7
ma$e no h)sical le' +hatever @@ and similarl) in all such cases= But
+here +e find a man +ho still feels the le' +hich the sur'eon has cut off7
or erceives the fin'ers that +ere amutated7 then the astral mem"er has
not "een interfered +ith7 and hence the man feels as if it +ere still on his
erson= <or $nife or acid +ill not in#ure the astral model7 "ut in the first
sta'es of its 'ro+th ideas and ima'ination have the o+er of acid and
sharened steel= @@ I"id=7 = .1
The astral "od) or lin'a@sarira is made of astral matter or su"stance= Sea$in' 'enerall)7
it mi'ht "e said7 of course7 that it is made of +hat science used to call ether= Theosoh)7
ho+ever7 can e&lain much more a"out the ether than science= The aether or astral li'ht
or7 to 'ive it its technical name in theosoh)7 the akasa is7 li$e ever)thin' else7 sevenfold=
Its hi'hest or innermost levels or reaches are the home of our hi'her rinciles= Its lo+er
and 'rosser levels surround our earth and +e call them the astral li'ht= 4ll eole cannot
see the astral li'ht in the +a) that the) can see the surroundin' air "ecause the) have not
develoed the astral faculties to ena"le them to see it=
1s)chics and clairvo)ants see its faintl) luminous coils= It is this star@li$e luminosit) that
ori'inated the name Lastral=L These sensitives have develoed in themselves the astral
senses +hich corresond in their ran'e of activit) to the astral lane= But these so@called
visions of clairvo)ants are seldom an)thin' "ut 'limses into the lo+er levels of the
astral li'ht= These levels are the ones closest to and surroundin' the earth= The) are a
+elter of ima'es and influences roduced uon and +ithin astral matter ") man$ind>s
unre'ulated and often evil emotions7 thou'hts7 and desires= 3ence these visions are not
onl) misleadin' "ut fre0uentl) dan'erous=
4t the moment of death7 +hen the sirit@soul lets 'o of all the lo+er rinciles7 the) fall
aart= The astral "od) then searates out from the h)sical "ut does not leave it7 as the)
"elon' to'ether= 4nd as the h)sical "od) disinte'rates7 the astral li$e+ise slo+l) asses
a+a)=
ST3U,4@S4RIR4
There are certain interestin' facts connected +ith the h)sical "od)7 or sthula@sarira7
+hich theosoh) has al+a)s tau'ht "ut +hich h)sical science has onl) recentl)
discovered= One of these facts is that h)sical matter is mostl) holes= -e are no+ told ")
scientists that if all the material sread out in this seemin'l) solid "od) of ours +ere
collected into a comact mass7 it +ould actuall) occu) a sace a"out the siBe of a in
headP
The "od)7 therefore7 thou'h aroriatel) called the sthula@sarira or L'ross "od)7L is
reall) foam@li$e7 full of vacant saces7 somethin' li$e a son'e= This is one of the man)
arado&es or seemin' contradictions +hich a"ound throu'hout nature and +hich ma$e
the stud) of her rocesses so fascinatin'= The 'rosser a su"stance appears the more
foam) it actuall) is7 and therefore the more illusor)= Our "odies aear solid "ecause the)
are formed of articles of matter in such inconceiva"l) raid motion that to our senses
the) seem as if solid= ?ust as +hen +e +hirl a li'hted stic$ fast enou'h +e see +hat
aears to "e a comlete circle of fire= This indicates one 'reat lesson that +e ma) learn
from a consideration of h)sical matter @@ that the real thin's7 the ermanent thin's7 are
invisi"le to our h)sical senses= -e do not even see h)sical matter7 "ut onl) the forms
+hich it ta$es in the incomrehensi"le raidit) of its vi"rations=
The sthula@sarira illustrates for us another "asic siritual fact of the cosmos= <or it is a
convenient e&amle of the la+ of analo')7 L4s a"ove so "elo+J as it is "elo+7 so is it
a"ove=L In other +ords7 the h)sical "od) "ein'7 in its su"stances7 structures7 and
functions7 an offsrin' of the universal cosmic life7 it is itself a cosmos in miniature= This
"ein' the case7 a $no+led'e of +hat ta$es lace in h)sical "odies +ill7 in the li'ht of the
archaic teachin's of theosoh)7 reveal to us and illustrate faithfull) the rocesses of the
invisi"le siritual +orlds= 4s Blavats$) tells usG
Analogy is the 'uidin' la+ in Nature7 the onl) true 4riadne>s thread that
can lead us7 throu'h the ine&trica"le aths of her domain7 to+ard her
rimal and final m)steries= @@ The Secret octrine 2G12!
The use of this la+ of analo') therefore @@ in the action of the nervous s)stem and the
circulation of the "lood7 the nuclear structure of the cells7 and man) other facts @@ +ill
rovide a +onderful $e) to the understandin' and alication of the deeer teachin's in
re'ard to the structure and oerations of the invisi"le and causal +orlds= To the i'norant
the "od) is a 'ross dra' uon siritual e&erience= But +hen $et in its roer lace7
controlled and intelli'entl) used7 the "od) has its o+n "asic art to la) in our evolution=
<or +ithout it7 ho+ could +e function in human life7 +here +e are dail) 'ainin' such rich
lessons in e&erience and develomentD
The relation of the sthula@sarira to our evolution ma) "e vie+ed in t+o +a)sG
(1) It is our vehicle of contact +ith h)sical nature7 and also +ith human life +here +e
'ain necessar) lessons in e&erience and conse0uent develoment= Besides7 +ithout a
comlete $no+led'e of all the asects of nature7 divine7 siritual7 mental7 emotional7
vital7 astral7 and h)sical7 +e +ould never reach the comlete evolution of all our
faculties=
(2) The sthula@sarira ena"les our hi'her rinciles to act not onl) uon our o+n h)sical
atoms "ut also uon the atoms throu'hout the +hole ran'e of our h)sical and mental
contacts= 4nd this d)namic influence hels unconsciousl) in the evolution of all those
atoms7 articularl) those used in our o+n "od)= -e must remem"er that at the heart of
ever) atom is a sirit@soul or monad ourin' throu'h it the ur'e to unfoldment and
'ro+th= 4nd the effect of human +ill and evolutionar) desires uon these develoin'
monad@atoms is continuous and immense= So that the h)sical "od) has its definite and
vital use in our develoment=
C5"-&$) F
K","-M"#" -- T5$ P$)+#"91&6
The ever)da) self +hich +e live +ith and ima'ine that +e $no+ thorou'hl) is called the
ersonalit)= But it is recisel) this ersonalit) of +hose elements +e are so i'norant= 4nd
this is true not onl) of the man in the street "ut even of the rofessor of the modern so@
called science of s)cholo')= <or some of the most oular e&lanations of the human
s)cholo'ical nature are delvin's into +hat +e have alread) so$en of as the cellar
re'ions7 the lo+er h)siolo'ical side7 of the human s)che or soul=
The +hole drama of human life7 made u of the stru''le +ithin us "et+een the forces of
'ood and evil7 centers around the ersonalit)= -h) is thisD If )ou loo$ at the dia'ram )ou
+ill see= It is "ecause the ersonalit) is dual7 t+ofold= It is a comound7 a resultant of the
min'lin' of the nature of manas7 the thin$in' e'o7 +ith $ama= It ma) do no harm to
reeat that the $ind of $ama e&hi"ited ") the ordinar) erson is selfish assional desire= It
is onl) the rarest human "ein's +ho $no+ much a"out the hi'her asects of $ama7 such
as divine desire7 althou'h there are man) men and +omen +hose comassionate
humanitarian interests and activities are liftin' them slo+l) to those hi'hest lanes of
desire= Therefore the technical name in theosoh) for the ersonalit) is $ama@manas= 4nd
as humanit) is at resent constituted7 this name is more e&ressive than manas@$ama7
there "ein' as said "ut ver) fe+ in +hom the thin$er ta$es recedence over selfish
emotions7 or reason over imulse=
Eama@manas or the ersonalit) is the instrument7 the vehicle7 ") +hich the monad +ith
its siritual ur'es and ener'ies is "rou'ht into remote control of this mental@material
+orld= 4ll evolution is roduced ") ori'inal monadic ur'es and ener'ies oured do+n or
out+ard throu'h our less siritual rinciles= If the monad +ere to +ithdra+ its resence7
as it does at death7 the rinciles +ould fall aart and the man +ould disaear from this
h)sical +orld=
This ersonalit) of ours has "een "uilt u in its $amic arts ") the monad in its assa'e
or il'rima'es throu'h the lo+er sta'es or $in'doms of nature7 as alread) e&lained=
Durin' that time it fashioned +hat is sometimes called the animal soul7 another name for
our $amic nature= 4nd then +hen this $amic soul +as read)7 it +as touched into self@
consciousness7 a+a$ened to humanhood7 ") the infusion of the divine intellectual fire of
the manasautras= Thus $ama@manas came into action= It is the com"ination of the animal
soul and the thin$in'7 self@conscious nature in the human constitution=
This ersonalit) then "e'an to reincarnate as the vehicle for its hi'her manas= It too$
human form a'ain and a'ain7 life after life on this earth= But all this time +hile man has
"een develoin' his faculties of +ill o+er7 ima'ination7 reason7 creative intellect7 and
the li$e7 the instincts and desires of the animal or $amic self have "een stren'thenin' and
develoin' too7 ") the ver) reason of their d)namic alliance +ith manas= The) have
"ecome stron'7 self@centered7 and self@demandin'= Thus the t+o forces in human nature7
the siritual and the animal7 have "een at +ar all do+n the a'es= The lo+er $ama@manasic
self al+a)s ur'es to assion7 strife7 and selfishnessJ the hi'her manasic e'o7 insired ")
atma@"uddhi7 slo+l) throu'h innumera"le incarnations has "een strivin' for siritual
master)=
In this +a) the lo+er and material rinciles are insired or ur'ed for+ard in self@
unfoldment and are thus slo+l) transformed and develoed from material into siritual
ener'ies= <or this is the urose of life and the o"#ect of evolution @@ to raise the mortal
into immortalit)=
So that toda) +e see our nature hoverin' uon the oint of "alance "et+een self@
indul'ence and self@master)7 the animal and 'odli$e in human nature= 4nd this condition
in the individual is naturall) reflected in the mass= The resent condition of our +orld
+ell illustrates the situation= Nations7 on the one hand7 are ur'ed ") ideals of eace7
international fraternit)7 and cooeration= On the other hand7 the) are 'oaded ") 'reed7
i'norance7 and the clamor of selfish national interests= It +as this ver) condition +hich
+as foreseen ") the 'reat teachers7 the mahatmas +ho throu'h the +or$ of 3= 1=
Blavats$) founded the Theosohical Societ)= 4t the same time the) restored to us the
$no+led'e +hich +ill ena"le the sirit@soul +or$in' throu'h our hi'her nature7 "oth in
the individual and in the mass7 to +in the final victor) over selfishness and hatred=
Eatherine Tin'le) once +rote7 LImersonal love is the secret of life=L It is the cure for all
resent evils7 "oth individual and collective= B) LimersonalL is meant self@for'etful love=
%ven more7 it means love for all "ein's7 no matter +hether "ase or no"le7 no matter ho+
different or hostile to us or dear and close to our hearts= B) silencin' the $ama@manas7 the
selfish demandin' ersonalit)7 +e "e'in to understand7 to love7 and to kno( in a
+onderful ne+ +a)7 "rin'in' us hainess and eace= Becomin' 0uic$ to love7 and so to
understand and for'ive7 irritation and criticism and resentment fall a+a) from us= No
matter +hat haens +e shall then never hinder or "e un$ind "ut al+a)s tr) to hel=
Ultimatel) +e shall 'o farther still and come to understand and for'ive our enemies @@ the
haiest state of all= Broadenin' then 'raduall) our s)mathies7 +e e&tend our love to
include all nations as +ell as our o+n "eloved land= 4nd thus +e eventuall) "ecome a
o+er for universal 'ood=
There are trul) ma'ical o+ers +raed u in our hi'her nature @@ creative o+ers +hich
are even no+ fee"l) illustrated ") intuitive ima'ination and discilined +illJ +ith the
unselfish imulses of our deeest hearts +hich lead to 'rand humanitarian activitiesJ and
all our dreams and visions and ur'es to+ards that siritual 'enius +hich is "e'innin' to
unfold in humanit) even toda)= But these seeds of ma'ical o+ers +ill not srout @@ the)
cannot @@ +hile our +hole attention and desires are concentrated merel) uon "usiness
interests7 selfish self@evasive leasures7 and the race to $ee u +ith or 'et ahead of
ever)one else= -e are not e&ected of course to ne'lect or a"andon necessar) material
ursuitsJ "ut in chan'in' our inner ob+ecti$e +e seiBe our resent oortunit) to develo
the asect of $ama alread) referred to as divine desire=
The imulse to "less +ith unselfish service our famil) or friends7 to ta$e an honora"le
art in civic or national "etterment7 to 'ive hel and consolation to those in sorro+ or
need @@ these imulses srin' from our siritual monad7 atma@"uddhi= Under this ma'ic
sunshine the dar$ side of the $amic rincile +ill +ither a+a)J divine $ama +ill come
into action and coalesce +ith lo+er manas= Dualit) +ill disaear and the t+o +ill
"ecome +elded into a erfect vehicle7 a luminous ersonalit)7 throu'h +hich the siritual
monad7 our inner 'od7 ma) our its divine ener'ies into our human hearts= Such men
+ere ?esus the Christ and Aautama the Buddha=
C5"-&$) G
7$ A)$ R++&$% 1# " S$<$#3+9% U#1<$)$
The sevenfold nature of the universe has alread) "een referred to= One of the most
imortant teachin's of theosoh) tells us that all +e see of the real universe is "ut its
outermost or h)sical arts= The other si& arts are invisi"le to us= The) are "uilt of more
ethereal matters than h)sical and move to hi'her and finer rates of vi"ration= -e cannot
sense them "ecause +e have not )et develoed the etheric sense or'ans or the finer
ercetions +hich could reveal them to us= So that si&@sevenths of the 'reat or'anism of
(other Nature is hidden from us at resent7 #ust as in the structure of li'ht there are
ran'es of vi"ration "e'innin' +ith the ultraviolet at one end and the infrared at the other=
These are either too raid or too slo+ to "e erceived ") our or'an of vision7 "ut the)
nevertheless have a ver) mar$ed effect uon our health and in other deartments of the
+orld of h)sical causes=
The fact that all thin's are moved and motivated ") inner invisi"le ener'ies and their
livin' ur'es7 +e see around us even in our h)sical +orld= 4 flo+er or a tree @@ is not its
life of distri"utin' sa7 of color transmutation and 'ro+th7 unseen ") us in all "ut its
effectsD 4nd a roc$ is held to'ether ") the attractions and reulsions of the atoms and
electrons +hich form the imerceti"le side of its structure= This fact of the h)sical and
e&terior "ein' L+or$ed from +ithinL is +hat +e call a la+7 "ein' universal throu'hout
nature=
Thus these inner and invisi"le realms are the causal or creative +orlds= The) roduce the
h)sical universe= Nature as +e see it around us is "ut the multifold h)sical or'anism
throu'h +hich these inner realms of creative evolution +or$= But nature is much more
than this= It should roerl) "e called universal nature7 and has "een thus definedG
= = = >Universal Nature> = = = means Nature siritual and material +ith all the
countless hierarchical ran'es "et+een7 includin' +orlds visi"le and
invisi"le7 "ein's divine7 siritual7 intellectual7 ethereal7 astral7 and
h)sical= @@ A= de 1uruc$er7 The ,soteric Tradition& = .
The fore'oin' +ill "e easier to 'ras if +e thin$ of it as e&emlified in our o+n human
e&erience= Ta$e our nearest and dearest= 4ll that +e can see of them is their h)sical
aearance and activities= But that is the ver) least of their meanin' to us= It is their inner
comle& invisi"le selves that +e love @@ their s)math)7 intellectual or temeramental
fascination7 or their moral "eaut)= These are the erson= Someone +ho at first
ac0uaintance ma) have seemed h)sicall) u'l) to us "ecomes at last "eautiful "ecause of
a no"le or lovin' character= Or another +ho at first si'ht charmed "ecause of h)sical
"eaut) ma) end in "ein' actuall) u'l) to us +hen the real nature is discovered to "e
selfish or cruel= So +ith the +orld around us= It is made u of inner forces and invisi"le
creative ener'ies +hich are the realit) of +hich h)sical nature is "ut the face and form=
There is a direct relationshi "et+een the invisi"le si&@sevenths of human "ein's and the
invisi"le si&@sevenths of nature= In either case the h)sical asect is the lo+est or seventh
rincile7 the "od) or sthula@sarira= 4nd as +e derive our "odies from the earth and our
vitalit) indirectl) from the h)sical sun7 so +e derive our invisi"le si& rinciles from the
si& invisi"le rinciles of universal nature=
LBut7L someone erhas o"#ects here7 Lit has alread) "een said that +e derive all of our
rinciles from the monad= The monad7 )ou have told us7 emanates "uddhi7 its enveloe
or 'arment of siritual intelli'ent su"stance= Then "uddhi roduces manas7 manas unfolds
$ama7 and so on do+n the sevenfold ladder of "ein'= But no+ )ou sa) that man derives
his rinciles from the seven rinciles of nature= There seems to "e a contradiction
here=L
No7 "ecause it is #ust as +e see it in human e&erience= 3o+ often +e hear the 0uer) as to
character and environment= -hich is the more o+erful in shain' a erson>s life @@ his
in"orn character or the environment into +hich he is "ornD In the last anal)sis +e must
a'ree that +hile environment is tremendousl) imortant7 character must actuall) lead in
formative o+er= Other+ise +e should never see those cases of eole "orn in overt)
+ho have raised themselves to the innacles of achievement= The +ell@$no+n hrase7 a
self@made man7 has srun' from this fact @@ that the real directin' o+er of a erson>s life
is +ithin himself= -hen stron' enou'h it cannot "e nullified ") his surroundin's=
Our o+n characteristic rinciles srin' from our siritual individualit)7 the monad= But
these rinciles of ours are also acted uon ") the e&ternal rinciles of nature= 4n acorn
+ill roduce onl) an oa$ tree= But the acorn is fed ") +ater from the air and chemicals in
the soil= It later dra+s in solar vitalit) to "uild u its cells and roduce color in its leaves
and "lossoms= (an li$e+ise7 the divine seed of the universe7 dra+s sustenance from the
surroundin' seven rinciles of nature= The astral "od) cannot "e fed from the earth7 onl)
") its o+n elements contained in the lo+er levels of the ether= 4nd so on u the scale=
%ach rincile dra+s its sustenance from hi'her and hi'her levels of the invisi"le si&
hi'her rinciles of nature=
4ll our rinciles are dual= Not dual in the sense of "ein' in t+o arts li$e a "o& and its
cover7 "ut t+o in action in the same +a) that the electric ma'net has a ositive and a
ne'ative ole= %ver) rincile has an ener'ic7 that is a ositive consciousness side7 and a
su"stance or ne'ative side= 4nd it is throu'h this latter that the consciousness +hich
derives from the monad is a"le to +or$ on the lo+er lanes of "ein'= The consciousness
side is siritual electricit) derived from the life@force of the monad= The material side is
dra+n ") the ma'netic attractions of this life force from the reservoirs of life@atoms of
the corresondin' rinciles in sevenfold nature=
-e must also remem"er that the monad itself is an inte'ral art of spiritual nature= It is
an emanation of the root@consciousness of our universe7 the cosmic self7 and e&resses its
homo'eneous ener') throu'h its immediate vehicle "uddhi= So that +e realiBe that #ust as
+e derive our h)sical ener') indirectl) from the sun7 +e derive our siritual life
indirectl) throu'h the monad from the siritual ener'ies of universal nature= It mi'ht "e
added here that the sun and all the lanets are li$e+ise sevenfold= 4nd it is these inner
rinciles of the solar s)stem to +hich theosoh) refers +hen it sea$s of the inner
+orlds= It is in the relation of our seven rinciles to the seven rinciles of the sun and
some of its lanets that the e&lanation of this +hole matter lies=
This su"#ect is one of the most fascinatin' of all the theosohical teachin's7 involvin' the
'lorious destin) of man$ind +ith its e&eriences and adventures in the inner +orlds= But
it is too +ide@reachin' and imortant to "e dealt +ith ade0uatel) here=
C5"-&$) H
A# A#!1$#& B"1 3+) " N$' P6!5+9+26
The final test of an) idea lies in its o+er of ractical alication to the difficulties of
human life= Can it hel us to develo and stren'then characterD -ill it lead us into more
satisfactor) human relationshis7 'ivin' a 'reater understandin' of our fello+s +ith
conse0uent caacit) to hel themD -ill it 'ive us a lar'er o+er to control environment
and direct our o+n destin)D Theosoh) ans+ers that the $no+led'e it confers of the
comosite nature of man uts into our hands the ractical means +hich ena"le us to do all
these thin's= 4nd thus it 'ives us the "asis of a sound and +or$a"le s)cholo')=
1s)cholo') is one of the most oular su"#ects in our resent@da) +orld= Its uses and
imlications are evident even to the thou'htless= Such e&ressions as Lthe s)cholo') of
salesmanshi7L Lmass s)cholo')7L etc=7 indicate ho+ +idel) sread is the ercetion of
the imortance7 for success in an) field7 of understandin' the "asic rinciles of human
nature= 4nd the use of ever) form of commercial or olitical slo'an to create consumer or
voter s)cholo') illustrates this oint=
If a erson +ill stud) himself "ut for one da) he +ill "e amaBed to see the +ide ran'e of
moods7 imulses7 and character trends that his thou'hts and actions +ill e&hi"it= 4nd he
+ill also "e astonished to find ho+ ver) little he $no+s a"out +hat 'oes on in his inner
self= 3e +ill come to realiBe that he is almost comletel) at the merc) of these shiftin'
currents of consciousness uon +hich he is more or less dan'erousl) driftin' !!
dan'erous "ecause of his i'norance of the source or the meanin' of these contradictions
+ithin himself=
In fact7 it is the almost universal discontinuity of human nature that sho+s ho+ comosite
+e are= 4nd this rather hi'h"ro+ statement means that the ina"ilit) of the avera'e erson
to hold one line of thou'ht or feelin' or +illin' for an) considera"le len'th of time
indicates that there are different and oosin' elements in his ma$e@u= These revent
him from continuin' in the same frame of mind or feelin' for ver) lon' at one time=
O"viousl)7 then7 until +e master these oosin' elements @@ "rin' them into harmon) and
learn to direct them @@ the) +ill continue to run amuc$ in our lives= But to "e a"le to
master them7 must +e not "e'in ") $no+in' +hat and +here the) areD
Then +e 'o a ste farther and e&amine the dual ersonalit) @@ ho+ it +or$s7 ho+ to
understand it and direct its ener'ies= <or here in this dual ersonalit) is +here the "attle is
+a'ed in the evolution of the human "ein' into somethin' hi'her= It is in the stru''le
"et+een the ersonal and the divine=
This stru''le7 as alread) ointed out in Chater 27 centers in the dual ersonalit)= 4nd
this ersonalit) is dra''ed do+n no+ ") its alliance +ith $ama7 and no+ ulifted and
urified ") its union +ith hi'her manas= 3= 1= Blavats$) in The 'ey to Theosophy 'ives
us a ver) clear and comlete anal)sis of this dual s)cholo') in human nature= 4t one
oint she tells us of the
essential& inherent7 characteristic7 heaven@asirin' mind (hi'her Manas)
and = = = the human 0ualit) of thin$in'7 or animal co'itation7 rationalised
o+in' to the sueriorit) of the human "rain7 the 'ama@tendin' or lo+er
(anas= @@ = 18.
-e must 'et a ractical concetion of these t+o elements in ourselves= -e must learn
ho+ to reco'niBe each element in its +or$in's in our dail) livesJ ho+ to cultivate the
hi'her manas and ho+ to transform its lo+er $ama@manasic side into an instrument or
vehicle for the use of the hi'her manas= Until +e have this $no+led'e and can ut it into
self@conscious oeration7 +e +ill "e at the merc)7 not onl) of our moods and +ea$nesses7
"ut +ill also react in#uriousl) to the moods and +ea$nesses of others=
Self@consciousness means self@reco'nition= It is the o+er of manas as the thin$er to
realiBe itself as a searate individual "ein'7 different in character and caacities from all
other "ein's= <rom this follo+s a reco'nition of our relationshi +ith others and to our
environment @@ +hat these mean to us and ho+ to react to them=
It is in this field of self@consciousness that free +ill in man first arises= Throu'h his
reco'nition of himself in relation to others and to his environment there comes home to
him a realiBation of his o+er to develo himself and use his circumstances and
relationshis to further his o+n desires and aims= But it is here in this field of self@
consciousness that the stru''le of dualit) in his nature ta$es lace= Reco'niBin' these
facts7 man can al) them to the selfish ersonal ends of the animal nature "elo+7 or he
can su"#ect his ersonal +ill to the silent "ut ever resent demands of the hi'her manas=
3ere at this oint7 as said7 the stru''le of human evolution concentrates=
4s man ro'resses he learns to control and to dedicate the lo+er $amic nature to the
service of the hi'her manas= If he fails to do this7 he deteriorates= If he uses his self@
conscious free +ill to in#ure others @@ or even onl) for his o+n ersonal ends @@ he ma$es
the $ind of $arma that roduces sufferin's and failure= ;et7 even so7 throu'h these
sufferin's and failures he slo+l) learns and develos= 4nd at last throu'h man) lives the
ersonalit) is "rou'ht to realiBe that onl) the alliance +ith hi'her manas can "rin' eace
and hainess=
-hen +e reach this oint +e first $no+ true freedom= Eno+led'e of the spiritual
s)cholo') tau'ht ") theosoh) convinces us that onl) +hen the +ill voluntaril) su"#ects
itself to the 'ood of others does it "ecome reall) free= 4 erson actin' entirel) from
selfish animal instinct is merel) +illful= 4nd he suffers as a slave to fear and env) and
ever) form of ersonal frustration= 3e onl) ima'ines himself to "e free=
-e ma) use an e&treme case to illustrate this imortant oint= Comare the man of civic
virtue7 +ho +illin'l) lives in entire conformit) +ith the e0uita"le la+s of his communit)7
+ith the hunted e&istence of the ha"itual la+@"rea$er= (ost criminals ass the 'reater
art of their lives in rison7 +hile the more notorious ones +ho ma) escae imrisonment
live under the heel of some ett) criminal dictator +ho7 li$e themselves7 is 'enerall)
short lived= But the man +ho o"e)s the ethical dictates of "rotherhood and 'ladl) ad#usts
his life to the la+s of his countr) en#o)s freedom of "od)7 mind7 and sirit=
(oreover7 in e&act roortion as +e consciousl) disciline our free +ill ") conformin'
to the 'ood of others do +e e&and in consciousness= <or this attitude means that +e are
turnin' the ersonalit) to the li'ht and o+er of hi'her manas7 and are thus oenin' our
+hole lo+er nature to the divine=
The reason +h) in follo+in' this course +e are e&andin' our dail) consciousness and
oenin' our lo+er selves to the divine7 lies in the nature of "uddhi and atman= 4tman7 as
alread) e&lained7 is the ra) of the cosmic universal self +hich d+ells at the innermost
center of each of us= It is identical in us all7 "ein' therefore the root of universal
"rotherhood= 4tman is ure divine consciousness at one +ith the universal source from
+hich it srin's=
Buddhi is the divine vehicle of universal consciousness= It is emanated from atman=
Buddhi therefore arta$es of the universal nature of atman= -ithin "uddhi lie all the
universal otencies of atman @@ imersonal love of all creatures7 'enius in its hi'hest and
divine e&ression7 intelli'ence in its most 'lorious and a"stract o+er=
Thin$in' this over +e see that +hen an) ersonalit) stron'l) turns to hi'her manas and
o"e)s its mandates of love and comassion and self@dedication to the universal and the
real7 it "rin's itself under the 0uic$enin' o+er of the "uddhic radiance= <or this "uddhic
radiance "roods li$e a divine resence over the nature and activities of hi'her manas=
This radiance is al+a)s there= But most ersonalities are so saturated and o"scured in a
fo' of selfishness and ett) ersonal interests that the ure ra)s of the "uddhic slendor
cannot enetrate to their "rain@minds=
But +hen7 throu'h deli"erate self@disciline7 these fo's are cleared a+a)7 then manas is
free to all) itself +ith "uddhi +ithout hindrance= It is no lon'er reoccuied +ith the
effort to control the distractin' stru''les of the $ama@manas= -hen this ha) time
arrives7 then the "uddhic o+er of imersonal love7 the stimulation of divine and creative
intellect7 +ill 0uic$en all the lo+er man= Unsusected faculties and o+ers +ill "e'in to
unfold in the hitherto limited ersonalit)= It +ill 'ro+ almost dail) in eace and
hainess and the a"ilit) to hel and "less those +ith +hom it lives=
This is +h) virtue and unselfishness are trul) and literall) their o+n re+ard= 4nd this too
is +h) the ractice of "rotherhood and the siritual disciline of the human +ill can lead
to a ma'nificent e&ansion of consciousness= Such eole7 livin' under the 'lor) of the
"uddhic slendor7 are on the +a) to "ecomin' 'ods in human form=
If the student +ill comare this s)stem of trul) siritual s)cholo') +ith the other
s)stems in vo'ue toda)7 he +ill see ho+ much farther it 'oes in e&lainin' himself to
himself and in thro+in' li'ht uon the comle& +orld of eole a"out him=
The follo+in' assa'e from A= de 1uruc$er>s #undamentals of the ,soteric Philosophy
+ill "e illuminatin' in this connection= 3e tells us that the +ord s)cholo')
is ordinaril) used to si'nif) in our da)s and in the seats of learnin' in the
Occident a stud) more or less cloud)7 mostl) "eclouded +ith dou"ts and
h)otheses7 actual 'uess+or$7 meanin' little more than a $ind of mental
h)siolo')7 racticall) nothin' more than the +or$in' of the "rain@mind
in the lo+est astral@s)chical aaratus of the human mind= But in our
hilosoh) the +ord s)cholo') is used to mean somethin' ver) different7
and of a no"ler characterG +e mi'ht call it neumatolo')7 or the science or
the stud) of sirit7 "ecause all the inner faculties and o+ers of man
ultimatel) srin' from his sirit= But as this +ord neumatolo') is an
unusual one and mi'ht cause confusion7 let us retain the +ord s)cholo')=
-e mean ") it the stud) of the inner econom) of man7 the interconnection
of his rinciles7 so to sea$7 or centers of ener') or force @@ +hat the man
reall) is in+ardl)= @@ Chater 12
Theosoh)7 then7 confidentl) offers this s)stem of s)cholo')7 $no+in' that the erson
+ho +ill al) it to himself and the ro"lems of his dail) life +ill find it suremel)
ractical= It is not ne+= <or it +as founded a'es a'o on the al+a)s@e&istin' and
unchan'ea"le la+s of that universe of +hich human "ein's @@ their nature7 ro"lems7 and
evolution @@ are an inseara"le art=
It is not e&erimental= <or it +as develoed and tested7 and made as nearl) infalli"le as
an)thin' in this +orld can "e7 ") Lthe seers and sa'es of the a'es7L +ho7 as A= de
1uruc$er tells us7 have
enetrated "ehind and "e)ond the veil of aearancesJ have 'one "ehind
that veil to the roots of thin'sJ have sent their souls dee into the +om" of
"ein' and have "rou'ht "ac$ $no+led'e therefrom= -onderful indeed are
the s)stems of thou'ht that these 'reat seers and sa'es of the a'es have
formulated in human lan'ua'e7 touchin' ever) hase of the human "ein'J
s)stems +hich are so s)mmetrical7 so rofound in hilosohical and
scientific reach7 that ever) fact that e&ists in human s)cholo') finds its
roer niche7 its roer i'eon@hole so to sa)7 its e&act lod'ment7 +here it
"elon's= @! The Masters and the Path of %ccultism
The onl) thin' ne+ toda) in this ancient s)stem is its Lformulation in human lan'ua'eL
+ith a fe+ necessar) ad#ustments to the modern oint of vie+= It stands as it has al+a)s
stood7 uon its demonstration of cosmic la+7 revealin' man as a sevenfold "ein' li$e the
universe around himJ and ointin' out as it has al+a)s done the onl) road to hainess @@
harmon) in thou'ht and +ord and deed +ith the universal heart of imersonal love in
+hich sirituall) +e all live and move and have our "ein'=
ORIGIN OF MAN
[1]
INTRODUCTION
4,, animated "ein's that live (under the sun) have an ori'in7 +hile each of inanimate
thin's7 countless in num"er7 o+es its e&istence to some source=H2I There can never "e
(an) "ein' nor) an) thin' that has (no ori'in7 as there can "e no) "ranch +hich has no
root= 3o+ could man7 the most siritual of the Three 1o+ersH!I e&ist +ithout an ori'inD
(It is said)7H.I moreover7 that that +hich $no+s others is intellect7 and that that +hich
$no+s itself is +isdom= No+ if I7 "ein' "orn amon' men7 $no+ not +hence I came (into
this life)7 ho+ could I $no+ +hither I am 'oin' in the after@lifeD 3o+ could I understand
all human affairs7 ancient and modern7 in the +orldD So7 for some scores of )ears I
learned under man) different tutors7 and read e&tensivel) (not onl)) the Buddhist ("ut
also) outside "oo$s= B) that means I tried to trace m) Self7 and never stoed m)
research till I attained7 as I had e&ected7 to its ori'in=
H1= The author treats the ori'in of life and of the universe7 "ut the "oo$ +as entitled as +e
have seen in the reface=
2= The same idea and e&ression are found in Tao Teh Ein' (Do@to$u@$)o)7 ") ,ao TsB
(Ro@shi7 5:.@222 B=C=)=
!= The Three 1o+ers are@(1) 3eaven7 that has the o+er of revolutionJ (2) %arth7 that has
the o+er of roductionJ and (!) (an7 that has the o+er of thou'ht=
.= The sentence is a direct 0uotation of Tao Teh Ein'=I
Confucianists and Taoists of our a'e7 nevertheless7 merel) $no+ that our nearest ori'in is
the father or the 'randfather7 as +e are descended from them7 and the) from their fathers
in succession= (The) sa)) that the remotest (ori'in) is the undefina"le (rimordial) AasH1I
in the state of chaosJ that it slit itself into the t+o (different) rinciles of the 1ositive
and the Ne'ativeJ that the t+o "rou'ht forth the Three 1o+ers of 3eaven7 %arth7 and
(an7 +hich (in their turn) roduced all other thin'sJ that man as +ell as other thin's
ori'inated in the Aas=
(Some)H2I Buddhists7 (ho+ever)7 maintain siml) that the nearest (ori'in) is Earma7H!I as
+e +ere "orn amon' men as the results of the Earma that +e had roduced in the ast
e&istencesJ and that the remotest (ori'in) is the 4la)a@vi#Oana7H.I ("ecause) our Earma is
"rou'ht forth ") illusion7 and (illusion ") attachment)7 and so forth7 in one +ord7 the
4la)a is the ori'in of life= 4lthou'h all of (these scholars) claim that the) have alread)
'rased the ultimate truth7 )et not in fact=
Confucius7 ,ao TsB7 and Sha$)a7 ho+ever7 +ere all the +isest of sa'es= %ach of them
'ave his teachin's in a +a) different from the other t+o7 that the) mi'ht meet the
siritual needs of his time and fit to the caacities of men= (So that) the Buddhist and the
outside doctrines7 each
H1= Such a statement concernin' the creation of the universe as the one here 'iven is
found in I Ein' (%e$i@$)o)= The rimordial su"stance is not e&actl) >'as7> "ut +e ma)
conceive it as "ein' somethin' li$e a ne"ula=
2= Not all Buddhists7 "ut some of them7 are meant here@that is7 3ina)anists and Dharma@
la$sanists=
!= 4ccordin' to 3ina)anists7 Earma (action) is that moral 'erm +hich survives death and
continues in transmi'ration= It ma) "e conceived as somethin' li$e an ener')7 ") the
influence of +hich "ein's under'o metems)chosis=
. 4ccordin' to the Dharma@la$sana Sect7 4la)a@vi#Oana (recetacle@$no+led'e) is the
siritual Su"stance +hich holds the >seeds> or otentialities of all thin's=I
sulementin' the other7 have done 'ood to the multitude= The) +ere all (intended) to
encoura'e thousands of virtuous acts ") e&lainin' the +hole chain of causalit)= The)
+ere (also intended) to investi'ate thousands of thin's7 and thro+ li'ht on the "e'innin'
and on the end of their evolution= 4lthou'h all these doctrines (mi'ht) ans+er the
urose of the sa'es7 )et there must "e some teachin's that +ould "e temorar)7H1I +hile
others +ould "e eternal= The first t+o faiths are merel) temorar)7 +hile Buddhism
includes "oth the temorar) and the eternal= -e ma) act accordin' to the recets of
these three faiths7 +hich aim at the eace and +elfare (of man)7 in so far as the)
encoura'e thousands of virtuous acts ") 'ivin' +arnin' a'ainst evil and recommendin'
'ood= (But) Buddhism (alone) is alto'ether erfect and "est of all7 in investi'atin'
thousands of thin's and in tracin' them "ac$ to their first cause7 in order to ac0uire
thorou'h understandin' of the natures of thin's and to attain to the ultimate truth=
%ach of our contemorar) scholars7 nevertheless7 adheres to one school of the (a"ove
mentioned) teachin's= 4nd there are some (even) amon' the Buddhists +ho mista$e the
temorar) for the eternal doctrine= In conse0uence the) are never successful in tracin'
3eaven7 %arth7 (an7 and other thin's "ac$ to their <irst Cause= But I am no+ ('oin' to
sho+ ho+) to infer an Ultimate Cause for thousands of thin's7 not onl) from the
Buddhist7 "ut from outsiders> teachin's= <irst I shall treat of the suerficial doctrines7 and
then of the rofound7 (in order to) free the follo+ers of the temorar) faiths from those
(re#udices that rove to "e) o"structions in their +a) to the truth7 and ena"le them to
attain to the Ultimate Realit)= 4fter+ards I shall oint out7 accordin' to the erfect
doctrine7 ho+
H1= The temorar) doctrine means the teachin' reached ") Sha$)a (uni to meet the
temorar) needs of the hearers= The term is al+a)s used in contrast +ith the real or
eternal doctrine=I
thin's evolved themselves throu'h one sta'e after another out of the <irst Cause (in order
to) ma$e the incomlete doctrines fuse into the comlete one7 and to ena"le the follo+ers
to e&lain the henomenal universe=>
This essa) is entitled >Ori'in of (an7> and it consists of the (follo+in') four chatersG (1)
Refutation of Delusive and 1re#udiced (Doctrine)J (2) Refutation of Incomlete and
Suerficial (Doctrine)J (!) Direct %&lanation of the Real Ori'inJ (.) Reconciliation of
the Temorar) +ith the %ternal Doctrine=
H1= 4= >That is7 3eaven7 %arth7 (an7 and other thin's=>I
Ne&tG Chater IG Refutation of Delusive and 1re#udiced (Doctrine)
CHAPTER I
REFUTATION OF DELUSIVE AND PREJUDICED
:DOCTRINE;
[1]
4CCORDINA to ConfucianismH2I and Taoism all sorts of "ein's7 such as men and
"easts7 +ere "orn out of and "rou'ht u ") the (so@called) Areat 1ath of %mtiness=H!I
That is to sa)7 the 1ath ") the oeration of its o+n la+ 'ave rise naturall) to the
rimordial Aas7 and that Aas roduced 3eaven and %arth7 +hich (in their turn) "rou'ht
forth thousands of thin's= 4ccordin'l) the +ise and the un+ise7 the hi'h and the lo+7 the
rich and the oor7 the ha) and the misera"le7 are redestined to "e so ") the heavenl)
flat7 and are at the merc) of Time and 1rovidence= Therefore the) (must) come "ac$ after
death to 3eaven and %arth7 from +hich (in turn) the) return to the (1ath) of %mtiness=
The main urose of these H.I (t+o) outside teachin's is siml) to esta"lish morals +ith
re'ard to "odil) actions7 "ut not to trace life to its <irst Cause= The) tell of
H1= 4= >Those of Confucianists and Taoists=>
2= Confucianists are not of e&actl) the same oinion as Taoists resectin' the creation=
The Areat 1ath here mentioned refers e&clusivel) to Taoism=
!= The Areat 1ath of %mtiness7 3C -u Ta Tao7 is the technical name for the Taoist
concetion of the 4"solute= It is somethin' e&istent in an undeveloed state "efore the
creation of the henomenal universe= 4ccordin' to Tao Teh Ein'7 it is >self@e&istent7
unchan'ea"le7 all@ervadin'7 and the mother of all thin's= It is unnama"le7 "ut it is
sometimes called the 1ath or the Areat=> It is also called the %mtiness7 as it is entirel)
devoid of relative activities=
.= Confucianism mainl) treats of ethical ro"lems7 "ut Taoism is noted for its
metah)sical seculation=I
nothin' "e)ond the henomenal universe in their e&lanation of thousands of thin's=
Thou'h the) oint out the Areat 1ath as the ori'in7 )et the) never e&lain in detail (+hat
is) the direct7 and (+hat) the indirect cause of the henomenal universe7 or ho+ it +as
created7 or ho+ it +ill "e destro)ed7 ho+ life came forth7 +hither it +ill 'o7 (+hat is)
'ood7 (+hat) evil= Therefore the follo+ers of these doctrines adhere to them as the erfect
teachin's +ithout $no+in' that the) are merel) temorar)=
No+ I (shall) raise7 in "rief7 a fe+ 0uestions to oint out their +ea$nesses= If ever)thin'
in the universe7 as the) sa)7 came out of the Areat 1ath of %mtiness7 that Areat 1ath
itself should "e the cause of (not onl)) of +isdom7 ("ut) of foll)7 (not onl)) of life7 ("ut)
of death= It ou'ht to "e the source of roserit) (as +ell as) of adversit)7 of fortune (as
+ell as) of misfortune= If this ori'in e&ist (as it is suosed) to all eternit)7 it must "e
ossi"le neither to remove follies7 villainies7 calamities7 and +ars7 nor to romote
+isdom7 'ood7 hainess7 and +elfare= Of +hat use (then) are the teachin's of ,ao TsB
and Ch+an' TsBDH1I The 1ath7 "esides7 should have reared the ti'er and the +olf7 'iven
"irth to EiehH2I and Cheu7H!I caused the remature deaths of ;enH.I and ?an7H2I and
laced IH5I and TsiH6I
H1= One of the 'reatest Taoist hilosohers7 and the author of the "oo$ entitled after his
name= 3e flourished !!9@!26 B=C=
2= The last %meror of the 3ia d)nast)7 notorious for his vices= 3is rei'n +as 1818@1656
B=C=
!= The last %meror of the ;in d)nast)7 one of the +orst desots= 3is rei'n +as 112.@
1122 B=C=
.= ;en 3+ui (Aan@$ai7 [email protected]! B=C=)7 a most "eloved discile of Confucius7 $no+n as a
+ise and virtuous scholar=
2= ?an 1oh Niu (/en@a$@'iu7 221@ = = = B=C=)7 a rominent discile7 of Confucius7
distin'uished for his virtues=
5= 1oh I (3a$u@i)7 the elder "rother of Tsi7 +ho distin'uished himself ") his faith and
+isdom at the do+nfall of the ;in d)nast)=
6= Shuh Tsi (Shi$u Sei)7 the "rother of I7 +ith +hom he shared the same fate=I
in their most lamenta"le condition= 3o+ could it "e called a no"le (ath)D
4'ain7 if7 as the) sa)7 thousands of thin's could come naturall) into e&istence +ithout
direct or indirect causes7 the) should come forth in all laces +here there are neither
direct nor indirect causes= <or instance7 a stone +ould "rin' forth 'rass7 +hile 'rass
+ould 'ive "irth to man7 and man +ould "e'et "easts7 etc= In addition to this the) +ould
come out all at the same time7 nothin' "ein' roduced "efore or after the others= The)
+ould come into e&istence all at the same moment7 nothin' "ein' roduced sooner or
later than the others= 1eace and +elfare mi'ht "e secured +ithout the hel of the +ise and
the 'ood= 3umanit) and ri'hteousness mi'ht "e ac0uired +ithout instruction and stud)=
One mi'ht even "ecome an immortal 'eniusH1I +ithout ta$in' the miraculous medicine=
-h) did ,ao TsB7 Ch+an' TsB7 Cheu Eun'H2I and Confucius do such a useless tas$ as to
found their doctrines and la) do+n the recets for menD
4'ain7 if all thin's7 as the) sa)7 +ere made of the rimordial Aas (+hich has no feelin'
nor +ill)7 ho+ could an infant7 #ust "orn of the Aas7 +ho had never learned to thin$7 or
love7 or hate7 or to "e nau'ht)7 or +ilful (even "e'in to thin$ or feel)D If7 as the) ma)
ans+er7 the infant as soon as it +as "orn could 0uite naturall) love or hate7 etc=7 as it
+ished7 it could (as +ell) 'ain the <ive *irtuesH!I and the Si& 4c0uirements7H.I as it
+ished= -h)
H1= De'enerated Taoists maintained that the) could reare a certain miraculous drau'ht7
") the ta$in' of +hich one could "ecome immortal=
2= Cheu Eun' (Shu@$o)7 a most noted statesman and scholar7 the )oun'er "rother of the
%meror -u (1122@1115 B=C=)7 the founder of the Chen d)nast)=
!= (1) 3umanit)7 (2) Uri'htness7 (!) 1roriet)7 (.) -isdom7 (2) Sincerit)=
.= (1) Readin'7 (2) 4rithmetic7 (!) %ti0uette7 (.) 4rcher)7 (2) 3orsemanshi7 (5) (usic=I
does it +ait for some direct or indirect causes (to 'ain its $no+led'e)7 and to ac0uire
them throu'h stud) and instructionD
4'ain7 the) mi'ht sa) life suddenl) came into e&istence7 it "ein' formed of the Aas7 and
suddenl) 'oes to nau'ht (at death)7 the Aas "ein' disersed= -hat7 then7 are the sirits of
the dead (+hich the) "elieve in)D Besides7 there are in histor) some instances of
ersonsH1I +ho could see throu'h revious e&istences7 or of ersonsH2I +ho recollected
the events in their ast lives= Therefore +e $no+ that the resent is the continuation of
the ast life7 and that it did not come into e&istence on a sudden ") the formation of a
Aas= 4'ain7 there are some historical factsH!I rovin' that the suernatural o+ers of
sirits +ill not "e lost= Thus +e $no+ that life is not to "e suddenl) reduced to nau'ht
after death ") the disersion of the Aas= Therefore (matters concernin') sacrifices7
services7 and sulications (to the sirits) are mentioned in the sacred "oo$s=H.I %ven
more than thatP 4re there not some instances7 ancient and modern 7 of ersons +ho
revived after death to tell the matters concernin' the unseen +orld7 or +ho> aeared to
move the hearts of their +ives and children
H1= 4ccordin' to Tsin Shu7 a man7 1ao Tsin' ") name7 told his arents7 +hen he +as five
)ears7 that he had "een in the revious life a son to ,i7 an inha"itant of ECh ;an'7 and
that he had fallen into the +ell and died= Thereuon the arents called on ,i7 and found7
to their astonishment7 that the "o)>s statement +as actuall) coincident +ith the fact=
2= ;an 3u7 a native of Tsin Chen7 recollected7 at the a'e of five7 that he had "een a son to
the ne&t@door nei'h"our7 and that he had left his rin' under a mul"err)@tree close ") the
fence of the house= Thereuon he +ent +ith his nurse and successfull) restored it7 to the
astonishment of the +hole famil)=
!= 4ll the ancient sa'es of China "elieved in sirits7 and roitiated them ") sacrifices=
.= The sacred "oo$s of Confucianism7 Shu Ein' and ,i Ei=
2 1an' Shan'7 the 1rince of Tsi7 is said to have aeared after his death=I
a +hile after death7 or +hoH1I too$ ven'eance (on the enem))7 or +hoH2I returned favours
(to their friends)D
The outside scholars mi'ht as$7 ") +a) of o"#ection7 if one live as a sirit after death7 the
sirits of the ast +ould fill u streets and roads7 and "e seen ") menJ and +h) are there
no e)e@+itnessesD I sa) in rel) that (as) there are the Si& -orldsH!I for the dead7 the) do
not necessaril) live in the +orld of sirits= (%ven as sirits) the) must die and "e "orn
a'ain amon' men or other "ein's= 3o+ can the sirits of the ast al+a)s live in a cro+dD
(oreover7 if (as )ou sa)) man +as "orn of (rimordial) Aas +hich 'ave rise to 3eaven
and %arth7 and +hich +as unconscious from the ver) "e'innin'7 ho+ could he "e
conscious all on a sudden after his "irthD -h) are trees and 'rass +hich +ere also formed
of the same Aas unconsciousD 4'ain7 if7 (as )ou sa))7 the rich and the oor7 the hi'h and
the lo+7 the +ise and the un+ise7 the 'ood and the "ad7 the ha) and the unha)7 the
luc$) and the unluc$)7 are redestinated ali$e ") heavenl) decree7 +h) are so man)
destined ") heaven to "e oor and so fe+ to "e richD -h) so man) to "e lo+ and so fe+
to "e hi'hD In short7 +h) are so man) destined to "e unluc$) and so fe+ to "e luc$)D
If it "e the +ill of 3eaven to "less so limited a num"er of ersons at all7 and to curse so
man)7 +h) is 3eaven so artialD %ven more than thatP 4re there not man) +ho hold a
hi'h osition +ithout an) meritorious conduct7 +hile some are laced in a lo+ one in
site of their $eein'
H1= 1oh ;iu7 of Chin'7 is said to have "ecome an eidemic sirit to ta$e ven'eance on his
enemies=
2= 4ccordin' to Tso Ch+en (Sa@den)7 +hen -ei -u7 a Aeneral of Tsin7 fou'ht +ith Tu
3+ui7 the dead father of his concu"ine aeared7 and revented the march of the enem)
in order to return favours done to him=
!= (1) The heaven7 or the +orld for DevasJ (2) the earth7 or the +orld for menJ (!) the
+orld for 4surasJ (.) the +orld for 1etrasJ (2) the +orld for "eastsJ (5) hell=I
to (the rules of) conductD 4re there not man) +ho are rich +ithout an) virtues7 +hile
some are oor in site of their virtuesD 4re there not the un#ust +ho are fortunate7 +hile
the #ust are unfortunateD 4re there not the humane7 +ho die )oun'7 +hile the inhuman
en#o) lon' livesD In short7 the ri'hteous (are doomed) to erish7 +hile the unri'hteous
roserP Thus (+e must infer) that all this deends on the heavenl) +ill7 +hich causes the
unri'hteous to roser and the ri'hteous to erish= 3o+ can there "e re+ard for the 'ood
(as it is tau'ht in )our sacred "oo$s)7H1I that 3eaven "lesses the 'ood and sho+s 'race to
the hum"leD 3o+ can there "e unishment for the "ad (as it is tau'ht in )our hol) "oo$s)7
H2I that 3eaven curses the evil and inflicts unishment on the roudD
4'ain7 if even all such evils as +ars7 treacheries7 and re"ellions deend on the heavenl)
+ill7 those Sa'es +ould "e in the +ron' +ho7 in the statement of their teachin'7 censure
or chastise men7 "ut not 3eaven or the heavenl) +ill= Therefore7 even if ShiH!I is full of
reroofs a'ainst maladministration7 +hile ShuH.I of eulo'ies for the rei'ns of the +isest
monarchs@even if 1roriet)H2I is recommended as a most effectual means of creatin'
eace "et+een the 'overnors and the 'overned7 +hile (usicH5I (is recommended as a
means of) amelioratin' the customs and manners of the eole@@still7 the) can hardl) "e
said to realiBe the -ill on 3i'h or to conform to the +ishes of the Creator= 3ence )ou
must ac$no+led'e that those +ho devote themselves to the stud) of these doctrines are
not a"le to trace man to his ori'in=
H1= Shu Ein' and I Ein'=
2= "bid-
!= Shu Ein'7 a famous "oo$ of odes=
.= Shu Ein'7 the records of the administrations of the +isest monarchs of old=
2= ,i Ei7 the "oo$ on rorieties and eti0uette=
5= It is said in 3iao Ein' that music is the "est means to imrove customs and manners=I
Ne&tG Chater IIG Refutation of Incomlete and Suerficial (Doctrine)
Sacred Te&ts Buddhism Inde& 1revious Ne&t
CHAPTER II
REFUTATION OF INCOMPLETE AND
SUPERFICIAL :DOCTRINE;
[1]
T3%R% are in the Buddhist doctrines7 to state "riefl)7 the five 'rades (of develoment)7
"e'innin' +ith the most suerficial7 and endin' +ith the most rofound teachin's= (The)
are as follo+sG) (1) The Doctrine for (en and DevasJ (2) the Doctrine of the 3ina)anistsJ
(!) the (aha)ana Doctrine of Dharma@la$sanaJ (.) the (aha)ana Doctrine of the
Nihilists H2IJ (2) the %$a)dna Doctrine that teaches the Ultimate Realit)=H!I
1= T5$ D+!&)1#$ 3+) M$# "#% D$<"(@@The Buddha7 to meet temoraril) the siritual
needs of the uninitiated7 reached a doctrine concernin' 'ood or "ad Earma as the cause7
and its retri"ution as the effect7 in the three e&istences (of the ast7 the resent7 and the
future)= That is7 one +ho commits the tenfold sinH.I must "e re"orn after death in hell7
+hen these sins are of the hi'hest 'radeJH2I amon' 1retas7H5I +hen of the middle 'radeJ
and amon'
H1= 4= >The imerfect doctrines tau'ht ") the Buddha=>
2= 4= >These first four doctrines are treated of in this chater=>
!= 4= >This is mentioned in the third chater=>
.= (1) Ta$in' life7 (2) theft7 (!) adulter)7 (.) l)in'7 (2) e&a''eration7 (5) a"use7 (6)
am"i'uous tal$7 (8) covetin'7 (9) malice7 (1:) un"elief=
2= There are three 'rades in each of the tenfold sin= <or instance7 the ta$in' of the life of a
Buddha7 or of a sa'e7 or of a arent7 etc=7 is of the hi'hest 'radeJ +hile to $ill fello+@men
is of the middleJ and to $ill "easts and "irds7 etc=7 is of the lo+est= 4'ain7 to $ill an) "ein'
+ith leasure is of the hi'hest 'radeJ +hile to reent after $illin' is of the middleJ and
$illin' ") mista$e is of the lo+est=
5= 3un'r) sirits=I
animals7 +hen of the lo+est 'rade= Therefore the Buddha for a temorar) urose made
these (uninitiated) o"serve the <ive 1recets similar to the <ive *irtuesH1I of the outside
doctrine7 in order to ena"le them to escae the three (+orst) StatesH2I of %&istence7 and to
"e re"orn amon' men= (3e also tau'ht that) those +ho cultivateH!I the tenfold virtueH.I
of the hi'hest 'rade7 and +ho 'ive alms7 and $ee the recets7 and so forth7 are to "e
"orn in the Si& Celestial Realms of Eama +hile those +ho ractise the <ourH5I
H1= The five cardinal virtues of Confucianism are 0uite similar to the five recets of
Buddhism7 as +e see ") this ta"leG
*IRTU%S= 1R%C%1TS=
1= 3umanit)= 1= Not to ta$e life=
2= Uri'htness= 2= Not to steal=
!= 1roriet)= != Not to "e adulterous=
.= -isdom= .= Not to 'et drun$=
2= Sincerit)= 2= Not to lie=
2= (1) 3ell7 (2) 1retas7 (!) Beasts=
!= 4= >The Buddhist recets are different from the Confucian teachin's in the form of
e&ression7 "ut the) a'ree in their +arnin' a'ainst the evil and in encoura'in' the 'ood=
The moral conduct of the Buddhist can "e secured ") the cultivation of the five virtues of
humanit)7 uri'htness7 etc=7 as thou'h eole in this countr) hold u their hands #oined in
the resecta"le salutation7 +hile the same o"#ect is attained ") those of The <an7 +ho
stand +ith their "ands han'in' do+n= Not to $ill is humanit)= Not to steal is uri'htness=
Not to "e adulterous is roriet)= Not to lie is sincerit)= Not to drin$ sirits nor eat meat
is to increase +isdom7 $eein' mind ure=>
.= (1) Not to ta$e life7 (2) not to steal7 (!) not to "e adulterous7 (.) not to lie7 (2) not to
e&a''erate7 (5) not to a"use7 (6) not to tal$ am"i'uousl)7 (8) not to covet7 (9) not to "e
malicious7 (1:) not to un"elieve=
5 Eama@lo$a7 the +orld of desire7 is the first of the Three -orlds= It consists of the earth
and the si& heavenl) +orlds7 all the inha"itants of +hich are su"#ect to sensual desires=
5 The Buddhists tau'ht the four Dh)anas7 or the four different
de'rees of a"stract contemlation7 ") +hich the mind could free itself from all su"#ective
and o"#ective trammels7 until it reached a state of a"solute a"sence of unconcentrated
thou'ht= The ractiser of the four Dh)anas +ould "e "orn in the four re=@ions of the Rua@
lo$as in accordance +ith his siritual state=I
Dh)anas7 the %i'ht Samadhis7H1I are to "e re"orn in the heavenl) +orlds of RuaH2I and
4rua= <or this reason this doctrine is called the doctrine for men and Devas= 4ccordin'
to this doctrine Earma is the ori'in of life=H!I
No+ lot me raise some 0uestions ") +a) of o"#ection= Arantin' that one has to "e "orn in
the <ive States of %&istencesH.I ") virtue of Earma roduced (in revious lives)7 is it not
dou"tful +ho is the author of Earma7 and +ho the reciient of its conse0uencesD If it
mi'ht "e said that the e)es7 ears7 hands7 and feet roduce Earma7 then the e)es7 ears7
hands7 and feet of a ne+l)@dead erson are
H1= Namel)7 the a"ove@mentioned four de'rees of contemlation7 and other four deeer
ecstatic meditations= The ractiser of the latter +ould "e "orn in the four siritual re'ions
of 4rua@lo$a in accordance +ith his state of a"straction=
2 Rua@lo$a7 the +orld of form7 is the second of the >three -orlds= It consists of ei'hteen
heavens7 +hich +ere divided into four re'ions= The first Dh)ana re'ion comrised the
first three of the ei'hteen heavens7 the second Dh)ana re'ion the ne&t three7 the third
Dh)ana re'ion the follo+in' three7 and the fourth Dh)ana re'ion the remainin' nine=
4rua@lo$a7 the +orld of formlessness7 is the third of the Three -orlds= It consists of four
heavens= The first is called I the heaven of unlimited sace7> the second >the heaven of
unlimited $no+led'e7> the third >the heaven of a"solute non@e&istence7> the fourth >the
heaven of neither consciousness> nor unconsciousness=7
4= I None of heavens7 or of hells7 or of the +orlds of sirits7 is mentioned in the title of
this "oo$7 "ecause these +orlds are entirel) different from ours7 and a"solutel) "e)ond
the si'ht and hearin'= Ordinar) eole $no+ not even the henomena actuall) occurrin'
"efore themJ ho+ could the) understand the unseenD So I entitled it siml)7 LThe Ori'in
of (an L in a'reement +ith the +orldl) teachin's= No+ that I treat7 ho+ever7 of the
Buddhist doctrine7 it is reasona"le to enumerate these +orlds in full=>
! 4= >But there are three sorts of EarmasG (1) The "ad7 (2) the 'ood7 (!) the immova"le=
There are the three eriods for retri"utionG (1) In this life7 (2) in the ne&t life7 (!) in some
remote future life=>
. The states of@@(1) heavenl) "ein's7 (2) men7 (!) "ein's in hell7 (.) hun'r) sirits7 (2)
"easts=I
still as the) +ere= So +h) do the) not see and hear and thus roduce EarmaD
If it "e said that it is the mind that roduces Earma (I as$)7 +hat is the mindD If )ou mean
the heart7 the heart is a material thin'7 and is located +ithin the "od)= 3o+ can it7 ")
comin' 0uic$l) into the e)es and ears7 distin'uish the leasin' from the dis'ustin' in
e&ternal o"#ectsD If there "e no distinction "et+een the leasin' and the dis'ustin'7 +h)
does it accet the one or re#ect the otherD
Besides7 the heart is as much material and imenetra"le as the e)es7 ears7 hands7 and feet=
3o+7 then7 can the heart +ithin freel) ass to the or'ans of sense +ithoutD 3o+ can this
one ut the others in motion7 or communicate +ith them7 in order to co@oerate in
roducin' EarmaD
If it "e said that onl) such assions as #o)7 an'er7 love7 and hatred act throu'h the "od)
and the mouth and ena"le them to roduce Earma7 (I should sa)) those assions@@#o)7
an'er7 and the rest@@are too transitor)7 and come and 'o in a moment= The) have no
Su"stance ("ehind their aearances)= -hat7 then7 is the chief a'ent that roduces
EarmaD
It mi'ht "e said that +e should not see$ after (the author of Earma) ") ta$in' mind and
"od) searatel) (as +e have #ust done)7 "ecause "od) and mind7 as a +hole7 con#ointl)
roduce Earma= -ho7 then7 after the destruction of "od) ") death7 +ould receive the
retri"ution (in the form) of ain or of leasureD
If it "e assumed that another "od) is to come into e&istence after death7 then the "od) and
mind of the resent life7 committin' sins or cultivatin' virtues7 +ould cause another "od)
and mind in the future +hich +ould suffer from the ains or en#o) the leasures=
4ccordin'l)7 those +ho cultivate virtues +ould "e e&tremel) unluc$)7 +hile those +ho
commit sins ver) luc$)= 3o+ can the divine la+ of causalit) "e so unreasona"leD
Therefore +e (must) ac$no+led'e that those +ho merel) follo+ this doctrine are far from
a thorou'h understandin' of the ori'in of life7 thou'h the) "elieve in the theor) of
Earma=
2= T5$ D+!&)1#$ +3 &5$ H1#"6"#1&(@@This doctrine tells us that ("oth) the "od)7 that is
formed of matter7 and the mind7 that thin$s and reflects7 continuall) e&ist from eternit) to
eternit)7 "ein' destro)ed and recreated ") means of direct or indirect causes7 #ust as the
+ater of a river 'lides continuall)7 or the flame of a lam $ees "urnin' constantl)= (ind
and "od) unite themselves temoraril)7 and seem to "e one and chan'eless= The common
eole7 i'norant of all this7 are attached to (the t+o com"ined) as "ein' 4tmanH1I=
<or the sa$e of this 4tman7 +hich the) hold to "e the most recious thin' (in the +orld)7
the) are su"#ect to the Three 1oisons Of lust7H2I an'er=H!I and foll)7H.I +hich (in their
turn) 'ive imulse to the +ill and "rin' forth Earma of all $inds throu'h seech and
action= Earma "ein' thus roduced7 no one can evade its effects= Conse0uentl) all must
"e "ornH2I in the <ive States of %&istence either to suffer ain or to en#o) leasureJ some
are "orn in the hi'her laces7 +hile others in the lo+er of the Three -orlds=H5I
-hen "orn (in the future lives) the) are attached a'ain to the "od) (and mind) as 4tman7
and "ecome su"#ect to lust and the other t+o assions= Earma is a'ain roduced
H1= 4tman means e'o7 or self7 on +hich individualit) is "ased=
2 4= >The assion that covets fame and 'ain to $ee oneself in roserit)=>
! 4= >The assion a'ainst disa'reea"le thin's7 for fear of their inflictin' in#uries on
oneself=>
. 4= >-ron' thou'hts and inferences=>
2 4= Different sorts of "ein's are "orn ") virtue of the individualiBin' Earma=>
5 4= >-orlds are roduced ") virtue of the Earma common to all "ein's that live in
them=>I
") them7 and the) have to receive its inevita"le results= (Thus) "od) under'oes "irth7 old
a'e7 disease7 death7 and is re"orn after deathJ +hile the +orld asses throu'h the sta'es of
formation7 e&istence7 destruction7 and emtiness7 and is re@formed a'ain after emtiness=
Eala after EalaH1I
H1= Eala7 a mundane c)cle7 is not rec$oned ") months and )ears= lt is a eriod durin'
+hich a h)sical universe is formed to the moment +hen another is ut into its lace=
4= LThe follo+in' verses descri"e ho+ the +orld +as first created in the eriod of
emtinessG 4 stron' +ind "e'an to "lo+ throu'h emt) sace= Its len'th and "readth
+ere infinite= It +as 15 la$hs thic$7 and so stron' that it could not "e cut even +ith a
diamond= Its name +as the +orld@suortin'@+ind= The 'olden clouds of 4"hasvara
heaven (the si&th of ei'hteen heavens of the Rua@lo$a) covered all the s$ies of the Three
Thousand -orlds= Do+n came the heav) rain7 each dro "ein' as lar'e as the a&le of a
+a''on= The +ater stood on the +ind that chec$ed its runnin' do+n= It +as 11 la$hs
dee= The first la)er +as made of adamant (") the con'ealin' +ater)= Araduall) the cloud
oured do+n the rain and filled it= <irst the Brahma@ra#a +orlds7 ne&t the ;ama@heaven
(the third of si& heavens of the Eama lo$a)7 +ere made= The ure +ater rose u7 driven
") the +ind7 and Sumeru= (the central mountain7 or a&is of the universe) and the seven
concentric circles of mountains7 and so on7 +ere formed= Out of dirt) sediments the
mountains7 the four continents7 the hells7 oceans7 and outer rin' of mountains7 +ere made=
This is called the formation of the universe= The time of one Increase and one Decrease
(human life is increased from 1: to 8.7::: )ears7 increasin' ") one )ear at ever) one
hundred )earsJ then it is decreased from 8.7::: to 1: )ears7 decreasin' ") one )ear at
ever) one hundred )ears) elased= In short7 those "ein's in the second re'ion of Rua@
lo$a7 +hose 'ood Earma had sent its force7 came do+n on the earth= 4t first there +ere
the >earth "read> and the +ild vine for them= 4fter+ards the) could not comletel) di'est
rice7 and "e'an to e&crete and to urinate= Thus men +ere differentiated from +omen=
The) divided the cultivated land amon' them= Chiefs +ere electedJ assistants and
su"#ects +ere sou'ht outJ hence different classes of eole= 4 eriod of nineteen
Increases and Decreases elased= 4dded to the a"ove@mentioned eriod7 it amounted to
t+ent) Increases and Decreases= This is called the Eala of the formation of the universe=
LNo+ let us discuss this oint= The Eala of %mtiness is +hat the Taoist calls the 1ath
of %mtiness= The 1ath or the Realit)7 ho+ever7 is not emt)7 "ut "ri'ht7 transcendental7
siritual7 and omniresent= ,ao TsB7 led ") his mista$en idea7 called the Eala of
%mtiness the 1athJ other+ise he did so for the temorar) urose of denouncin' +orldl)
desires= The +ind in the emt) sace is +hat the Taoist calls the undefina"le Aas in the
state of Chaos= Therefore ,ao TsB said7 >The 1ath "rin's forth one=> The 'olden clouds7
the first of all h)sical o"#ects7 is (+hat the Confucianist calls) the <irst 1rincile= The
rain@+ater standin' (on the +ind) is the roduction of the Ne'ative 1rincile= The
1ositive7 united +ith the Ne'ative7 "rou'ht forth the henomenal universe= The Brahma@
ra#a@lo$a7 the Sumeru7 and others7 are +hat the) call the 3eaven= The dirt) +aters and
sediment are the %arth= So ,ao TsB said7 >One roduces t+o=> Those in the second re'ion
of the Rura@lo$a7 +hose 'ood Earma had sent its force7 came do+n uon the earth and
"ecame human "ein's= Therefore ,ao TsB said7 >The t+o roduce three=> Thus the Three
1o+ers +ere comleted= The earth@"read and different classes of eole7 and so on7 are
the so@called >roduction of thousands of thin's ") the Three=> This +as the time +hen
eole lived in eaves or +andered= in the +ilderness7 and $ne+ not the use of fire= 4s it
"elon's to the remote ast of the rehistoric a'e7 revious to the rei'ns of the first three
%merors7 the traditions handed do+n to us are neither clear nor certain= (an) errors
cret into them one 'eneration after another7 and conse0uentl) no one of the statements
'iven in the various +or$s of scholars a'rees +ith another= Besides7 +hen the Buddhist
"oo$s e&lain the formation of the Three Thousand -orlds7 the) do not confine
themselves merel) +ithin the limits of this countr)= 3ence their records are entirel)
different from those of the outsiders (+hich are confined to China)=
L>%&istence> means the Eala of %&istence that lasts t+ent) Increases and Decreases=
>Destruction> means the Eala of Destruction that lasts also t+ent) Increases and
Decreases= Durin' the first nineteen Increases and Decreases livin' "ein's are destro)edJ
+hile in the last +orlds are demolished throu'h the three eriods of distress (1) the eriod
of +ater7 (2) the eriod of fire7 (!) the eriod of +ind= >%mtiness> means the Eala of
%mtiness7 durin' +hich no "ein's nor +orlds e&ist= This Eala also lasts t+ent)
Increases and Decreases=LI
(asses "))7 life after life (comes on)7 and the circle of continuous re"irths $no+s no
"e'innin' nor end7 and resem"les the ulle) for dra+in' +ater from the +ell=H1I
H1= 4= >Taoists merel) $no+ that there +as one Eala of %mtiness "efore the formation
of this resent universe7 and oint out the %mtiness7 the Chaos7 the rimordial Aas7 and
the rest7 namin' them as the first or the "e'innin'less= But the) do not $no+ that the
universe had alread) 'one throu'h m)riads of c)cles of Ealas of formation7 e&istence7
destruction7 and emtiness= Thus even the most suerficial of the 3ina)ana doctrines far
e&cels the most rofound of the outside doctrines=>I
4ll this is due to I'norance +hich does not understand that no "odil) e&istence7 ") its
ver) nature7 can "e 4tman= The reason +h) it is not 4tman is this7 that its formation is7
after all7 due to the union of matter and mind= No+ (let us) e&amine and anal)Be (mind
and "od))= (atter consists of the four elements of earth7 +ater7 fire7 and +ind7 +hile
mind consists of the four a''re'ates of ercetion7H1I consciousness7H2I concetion7H!I
and $no+led'e=H.I
If all (these elements) "e ta$en as 4tman7 there must "e ei'ht 4tmans (for each erson)=
(ore than thatP There are man) different thin's7 even in the element of earth= No+7 there
are three hundred and si&t) "ones7 each one distinct from the other= No one is the same as
an) other7 either of the s$in7 hair7 muscles7 the liver7 the heart7 the sleen7 and the
$idne)s= <urthermore7 there are a 'reat man) mental 0ualities each different from the
others= Si'ht is different from hearin'= ?o) is not the same as an'er= If +e enumerate
them7 in short7 one after another7 there are ei'ht) thousand assions=H2I
4s thin's are thus so innumera"le7 none can tell +hich of these (+ithout mista$e) is to "e
ta$en as the 4tman= In case all "e ta$en as the 4tman7 there must "e hundreds and
thousands of 4tmans7 amon' +hich there +ould "e as man) conflicts and distur"ances as
there are masters livin' in the one (house of) "od)= 4s there e&ists no "od) nor
H1= 4= >It receives "oth the a'reea"le and the disa'reea"le imressions from +ithout=> It is
;edana7 the second of the five S$andhas7 or a''re'ates=
2 4= >It erceives the forms of e&ternal o"#ects=> It is Sam#Oa7 name7 the third of the five
a''re'ates=
! 4= >It acts7 one idea chan'in' after another=> It is Sams$ara7 the fourth of the five
a''re'ates=
. 4= >It reco'niBes=> It is *i#Oana7 the last of the five a''re'ates=
2 %i'ht) thousand siml) means a 'reat man)=I
mind searated from these thin's7 one can never find the 4tman7 even if he see$s for it
over and over a'ain=
3ereuon an)one understands that this life (of ours) is no more than the temorar) union
of numerous elements (mental and h)sical)= Ori'inall) there is no 4tman to distin'uish
one "ein' from another= <or +hose sa$e7 then7 should he "e lustful or an'r)D <or +hose
sa$e should he ta$e life7H1I or commit theft7 or 'ive alms7 or $ee recetsD (Thus
thin$in') at len'th he sets his mind free from the virtues and vices su"#ected to the
assionsH2I of the Three -orlds7 and a"ides in the discriminative insi'ht into (the nature
of) the 4natmanH!I onl)=
B) means of that discriminative insi'ht he ma$es himself ure from lust7 and the other
(t+o assions) uts an end to various sorts of Earma7 and realiBes the BhutatathataH.I of
4natman= In "rief7 he attains to the State of 4rhat7H2I has
H1= 4= >3e understands the truth of miser)=> The truth of Duh$ha7 or miser)7 is the first of
the four No"le Sat)as7 or Truths7 that ou'ht to "e realiBed ") the 3ina)anists= 4ccordin'
to the 3ina)ana doctrine7 miser) is a necessar) concomitant of sentient life=>
2 4= >3e destro)s Samuda)a=> The truth of Samuda)a7 or accumulation7 the second of the
four Sat)as7 means that miser) is accumulated or roduced ") assions= This truth should
"e realiBed ") the removal of assions=
! 4= >This is the truth of (ar'a=> The truth of (ar'a7 or 1ath7 is the fourth of the four
Sat)as= There are the ei'ht ri'ht 1aths that lead to the e&tinction of assionsJ (1) Ri'ht
vie+ (to discern truth)7 (2) ri'ht thou'ht (or urit) of +ill and thou'ht)7 (!) ri'ht seech
(free from nonsense and errors)7 (.) ri'ht action7 (2) ri'ht dili'ence7 (5) ri'ht meditation7
(6) ri'ht memor)7 (8) ri'ht livelihood=
. 4= >This is the truth of Nirodha=> Nirodha7 or destruction7 the third of the four Sat)as7
means the e&tinction of assions= Bhutatathati of 4natman means the truth of the non
e&istence of 4tma or soul7 and is the aim and end of the 3ina)anist hilosoh)=
2 4rhat7 the Eiller of thieves (i=e=7 assions)7 means one +ho con0uered his assions= It
means7 secondl)7 one +ho is e&emted from "irth7 or one +ho is free from
transmi'ration= Thirdl)7 it means one deservin' +orshi7 So the 4rhat is the hi'hest sa'e
+ho has attained to Nirvana ") the destruction of all assions=I
his "od) reduced to ashes7 his intelli'ence annihilated7 and entirel) 'ets rid of sufferin's=
4ccordin' to the doctrine of this school the t+o a''re'ates7 material and siritual7
to'ether +ith lust7 an'er7 and foll)7 are the ori'in of ourselves and of the +orld in +hich
+e live= There e&ists nothin' else7 either in the ast or in the future7 that can "e re'arded
as the ori'in=
No+ let us sa) (a fe+ +ords) ") +a) of refutation= That +hich (al+a)s) stands as the
ori'in of life7 "irth after "irth7 'eneration after 'eneration7 should e&ist ") itself +ithout
cessation= ;et the <ive *i#OanasH1I cease to erform their functions +hen the) lac$
roer conditions7 (+hile) the (ano@vi#OanaH2I is lost at times (in unconsciousness)=
There are none of those four (material) elements in the heavenl) +orlds of 4rua= 3o+7
then7 is life sustained there and $et u in continuous "irth after "irthD Therefore +e
$no+ that those +ho devote themselves to the stud) of this doctrine also cannot trace life
to its ori'in=
!= T5$ M"5"6"#" D+!&)1#$ +3 D5"),"9"="#"(H!I@@This doctrine tells us that from
time immemorial all sentient "ein's naturall) have ei'ht different *i#OanasH.I and the
H1= 4= >The conditions are the Indri)as and the *isa)as7 etc=> Indri)as are or'ans of sense7
and *isa)as are o"#ects on +hich the sense acts= <ive *i#Oanas are@@(1) The sense of
si'ht7 (2) the sense of hearin'7 (!) the sense of smell7 (.) the sense of taste7 (2) the sense
of touch=
2= (ano@vi#Oana is the mind itself7 and the last of the si& *i#Oanas of the 3ina)ana
doctrine= 4= >(<or instance)7 in a state of trance7 in dee slum"er7 in Nirodha@samaatti
(+here no thou'ht e&ists)7 in 4sam#Oi@samaatti (in +hich no consciousness e&ists)7 and
in 4vrhalo$a (the thirteenth of Brahmalo$as)=
!= This school studies in the main the nature of thin's (Dharma)7 and +as so named= The
doctrine is "ased on 4vatamsa$a@sutra and Samdhi@nirmocana@sutra7 and +as
s)stematiBed ") 4sam'a and *asu@"andhu= The latter>s "oo$7 *id)amatra@siddhi@Kastra@
$ari$a7 is held to "e the "est authoritative +or$ of the school=
.= (1) The sense of si'htJ (2) the sense of hearin'J (!) the sense of smellJ (.) the sense of
tasteJ (2) the sense of touchJ (5) (ano@vi#Oana (lit=7 mind@$no+led'e)7 or the ercetive
facult)J (6) Elista@mano@vi#Oana (lit=7 soiled@mind@$no+led'e)7 or an introsective
facult)J (8) 4la)a@vi#Oana (lit=7 recetacle@$no+led'e)7 or ultimate@mind@su"stance=I
ei'hth7 4la)a@vi#Oana7HlI is the ori'in of them= (That is)7 the 4la)a suddenl) "rin's forth
the >seeds>H2I of livin' "ein's and of the +orld in +hich the) live7 and throu'h
transformation 'ives rise to the seven *i#Oanas= %ach of them causes e&ternal o"#ects on
+hich it acts to ta$e form and aear= In realit) there is nothin' e&ternall) e&istent= 3o+7
then7 does 4la)a 'ive rise to them throu'h transformationD Because7 as this doctrine tells
us7 +e ha"ituall) form the erroneous idea that 4tman and e&ternal o"#ects e&ist in realit)7
and it acts uon 4la)a and leaves its imressionsH!I there= Conse0uentl)7 +hen *i#Oanas
are a+a$ened7 these imressions (or the seed@ideas) transform and resent themselves
("efore the mind>s e)e) 4tman and e&ternal o"#ects=
Then the si&th and the seventh> *i#Oana veiled +ith 4vid)a7 d+ellin' on them7 mista$e
them for real 4tman and the real e&ternal o"#ects= This (error) ma) "e comared +ith one
diseased> in the e)e7 +ho ima'ines that
H1= The first seven *i#Oanas deend on the 4la)a7 +hich is said to hold all the >seeds> of
h)sical and mental o"#ects=
2 This school is an e&treme form of Idealism7 and maintains that nothin' searated from
the 4la)a can e&ist e&ternall)= The mind@su"stance7 from the first7 holds the seed ideas of
ever)thin'7 and the) seem to the non@enli'htened mind to "e the e&ternal universe7 "ut
are no other than the transformation of the seed@ideas= The five senses7 and the (ano@
vi#Oana actin' on them7 ta$e them for e&ternal o"#ects reall) e&istent7 +hile the seventh
*i#Oana mista$es the ei'hth for 4tman=
! The non@enli'htened mind7 ha"ituall) thin$in' that 4tman and e&ternal o"#ects e&ist7
leaves the imression of the seed@ideas on its o+n 4la)a=
. 4vid)a7 or i'norance7 +hich mista$es the illusor) henomena for realities=
2 4= >4 erson +ith a serious disease sees the vision of stran'e colours7 men7 and thin's
in his trance=>I
he sees various thin's (floatin' in the air) on account of his illnessJ or +ith a dreamerH1I
+hose fanciful thou'hts assume various forms of e&ternal o"#ects7 and resent themselves
"efore him= -hile in the dream he fancies that there e&ist e&ternal o"#ects in realit)7 "ut
on a+a$enin' he finds that the) are nothin' other than the transformation of his dreamin'
thou'hts=
So are our lives= The) are no other than the transformation of the *i#OanasJ "ut in
conse0uence of illusion7 +e ta$e them for the 4tman and e&ternal o"#ects e&istin' in
realit)= <rom these erroneous ideas arise delusive thou'hts that lead to the roduction of
EarmaJ hence the round@of re"irth to time +ithout end=H2I -hen +e understand these
reasons7 +e can realiBe the fact that our lives are nothin' "ut transformations of the
*i#Oanas7 and that the (ei'hth) *i#Oana is the ori'in=H!I
.= (aha)ana Doctrine of the Nihilists=@This doctrine disroves ("oth) the (aha)ana and
the 3ina)ana doctrines a"ove mentioned that adhere to Dharma@la$sana7 and
su''estivel) discloses the truth of Transcendental Realit) +hich is to "e treated later=H.I
,et me state7 first of all7 +hat it +ould sa) in the refutation of Dharma@la$sana=
H1= 4= >That a dreamer fancies he sees thin's is +ell $no+n to ever)"od)=>
2 4= >4s it +as detailed a"ove=>
! 4= >4n imerfect doctrine7 +hich is refuted later=>
. 4= LThe nihilistic doctrine is stated not onl) in the various 1ra#Oa@sutras (the "oo$s
havin' 1ra#Oa@aramita in their titles)7 "ut also in almost all (aha)ana sutras= The a"ove@
mentioned three doctrines +ere reached (") the Buddha) in the three successive eriods=
But this doctrine +as Dot reached at an) articular eriodJ it +as intended to destro) at
an) time the attachment to the henomenal o"#ects= Therefore Na'ar#una tells us that
there are t+o sorts of 1ra#Oas7 the Common and the Secial= The Mrava$as (lit=7 hearers)
and the 1rat)e$a"uddhas (lit=7 sin'l) enli'htened ones)7 or the 3ina)anists7 could hear
and "elieve in7 +ith the Bodhisattvas or the (aha)anists7 the Common 1ra#Oa7 as it +as
intended to destro) their attachment to the e&ternal o"#ects= Bodhisattvas alone could
understand the Secial 1ra#Oa7 as it secretl) revealed the Buddha nature7 or the 4"solute=
%ach of the t+o 'reat Indian teachers7 Mila"hadra and ?Oanara"ha7 divided the +hole
teachin's of the Buddha into three eriods= (4ccordin' to Mila"hadra7 4=D= 5227 teacher
of 3iuen Tsan'7 the Buddha first reached the doctrine of >e&istence> to the effect that
ever) livin' "ein' is unreal7 "ut thin's are real= 4ll the 3ina)ana sutras "elon' to this
eriod= Ne&t the Buddha reached the doctrine of the middle ath7 in Samdhi@nirmocana@
sutra and others7 to the effect that all the henomenal universe is unreal7 "ut that the
mental su"stance is real= 4ccordin' to ?Oanara"ha7 the Buddha first reached the
doctrine of e&istence7 ne&t that of the e&istence of mental su"stance7 and lastl) that of
unrealit)=) One sa)s the doctrine of unrealit) +as reached "efore that of Dharma@
la$sana7 +hile the others sa) it +as reached after= 3ere I adot the latters> oinion=LI
If the e&ternal o"#ects +hich are transformed are unreal7 ho+ can the *i#Oana7 the
transformer7 "e realD If )ou sa) the latter is reall) e&istent7 "ut not the former7H1I then
()ou assume that) the dreamin' mind (+hich is comared +ith 4la)a@vi#Oana) is entirel)
different from the o"#ects seen in the dream (+hich are comared +ith e&ternal o"#ects)=
If the) are entirel) different7 )ou ou'ht not to identif) the dream +ith the thin's dreamed7
nor to identif) the thin's dreamed +ith the dream itself= In other +ords7 the) ou'ht to
have searate e&istences= (4nd) +hen )ou a+a$e )our dream ma) disaear7 "ut the
thin's dreamed +ould remain=
4'ain7 if ()ou sa)) that the thin's dreamed are not identical +ith the dream7 then the)
+ould "e reall) e&istent thin's= If the dream is not the same as the thin's dreamed7 in
+hat other form does it aear to )ouD Therefore )ou must ac$no+led'e that there is
ever) reason to "elieve that "oth the dreamin' mind and the thin's dreamed are e0uall)
unreal7 and that nothin' e&ists in realit)7 thou'h it seems to )ou as if there +ere a seer7
and a seen7 in a dream=
H1= 4= >In the follo+in' sentences I refute it7 ma$in' use of the simile of the dream=>I
Thus those *i#Oanas also +ould "e unreal7 "ecause all of them are not self@e&istent
realities7 their e&istence "ein' temorar)7 and deendent uon various conditions=
LThere is nothin'7L (the author of) (adh)ami$a@KastraH1I sa)s7 Lthat ever came into
e&istence +ithout direct and indirect causes= Therefore there is an)thin' that is not unreal
in the +orld=L 3e sa)s a'ainG LThin's roduced throu'h direct and indirect causes I
declare to "e the ver) thin's +hich are unreal=L (The author of) Craddhotdada@KastraH2I
sa)sG L4ll thin's in the universe resent themselves in different forms onl) on account of
false ideas= If searated from the (false) ideas and thou'hts7 no forms of those e&ternal
o"#ects e&ist=L L4ll the h)sical forms (ascri"ed to Buddha)7L sa)s (the author of) a sutra7
H!I Lare false and unreal= The "ein's that transcend all forms are called Buddhas=LH.I
Conse0uentl) )ou must ac$no+led'e that mind as +ell as e&ternal o"#ects are unreal=
This is the eternal truth of the (aha)ana doctrine= -e are driven to the conclusion that
unrealit) is the ori'in of life7 if +e trace it "ac$ accordin' to this doctrine=
No+ let us sa) (a fe+ +ords) to refute this doctrine also= If mind as +ell as e&ternal
o"#ects "e unreal7 +ho is it that $no+s the) are soD 4'ain7 if there "e nothin' real in the
universe7 +hat is it that causes unreal o"#ects to aearD -e stand +itness to the fact
there is no one of the unreal thin's on earth that is not made to aear ") somethin'
H1= The rincial te&t"oo$ of the (adh)ami$a School7 ") Na'ar#una and Nilanetra7
translated into Chinese (4=D= .:9) ") Eumara#iva=
2= 4 +ell@$no+n (aha)ana "oo$ ascri"ed to 4Kva'hosa7 translated into Chinese ")
1aramartha= There e&ists an %n'lish translation ") D= SuBu$i=
!= *a#racchedha@ra#Oa@aramita@sutra7 of +hich there e&ist three Chinese translations=
.= 4= >Similar assa'es are found in ever) "oo$ of the (aha)ana Triita$a=>I
real= If there "e no +ater of unchan'in' fluidit)7H1I ho+ can there "e the unreal and
temorar) forms of +avesD If there "e no unchan'in' mirror7 "ri'ht and clean7 ho+ can
there "e various ima'es7 unreal and temorar)7 reflected in itD It is true in sooth that the
dreamin' mind as +ell as the thin's dreamed7 as said a"ove7 are e0uall) unreal7 "ut does
not that unreal dream necessaril) resuose the e&istence of some (real) sleeersD
No+7 if "oth mind and e&ternal o"#ects7 as declared a"ove7 "e nothin' at all7 no@ one can
tell +hat it is that causes these unreal aearances= Therefore this doctrine7 +e $no+7
siml) serves to refute the erroneous theor) held ") those +ho are assionatel) attached
to Dharma@la$sana7 "ut never clearl) discloses siritual Realit)= So that (aha"heri@
hara$aarivarta@sutraH2I sa)s as follo+sG L4ll the sutras that teach the unrealit) of thin's
"elon' to an imerfect doctrine (of the Buddha)= (ahara#Oa@aramita@sutraH!I sa)sG
LThe doctrine of unrealit) is the first entrance@'ate to (aha)anism=L
-hen the a"ove@mentioned four doctrines are comared +ith one another in the order of
succession7 each is more rofound than the recedin'= The) are called the suerficial7
rovided that the follo+er7 learnin' them a short +hile7 $no+s them ") himself to "e
imerfectJ ("ut) if he adheres to them as erfect7 these same (doctrines) are called
incomlete= The) are (thus) said to "e suerficial and incomlete +ith re'ard to the
follo+er=
H1= The 4"solute is comared +ith the ocean7 and the henomenal universe +ith the
+aves=
2 The "oo$ +as translated into Chinese ") Auna"hadra7 4=D= .2:@.69=
! This is not the direct 0uotation from the sutra translated ") 3iuen Tsan'= The +ords are
found in (ahara#Oa@aramita@sutra7 the commentar) on the sutra ") Na'ar#una=I
Ne&tG Chater IIIG The Direct %&lanation of the Real Ori'in
CHAPTER III
THE DIRECT ECPLANATION OF THE REAL
ORIGIN
[1]
2= T5$ E="6"#" D+!&)1#$ &5"& T$"!5$ &5$ U9&1,"&$ R$"91&6(@@This doctrine teaches us
that all sentient "ein's have the Real SiritH2I of Ori'inal %nli'htenment (+ithin
themselves)= <rom time immemorial it is unchan'in' and ure= It is eternall) "ri'ht7 and
clear7 and conscious= It is also named the Buddha@nature7 or Tatha'ata@'ar"ha=H!I 4s it is7
ho+ever7 veiled ") illusion from time +ithout "e'innin'7 (sentient "ein's) are not
conscious of its e&istence7 and thin$ that the nature +ithin themselves are de'enerated=
Conse0uentl) the) are 'iven to "odil) leasures7 and roducin' Earma7 suffer from "irth
and death= The 'reat %nli'htened One7 havin' comassion on them7 tau'ht that
ever)thin' in the universe is unreal= 3e ointed out that the Real Sirit of ()sterious
%nli'htenment (+ithin them) is ure and e&actl) the same as that of Buddha= Therefore
he sa)s in [email protected] LThere are no sentient "ein's7 the children of Buddha7
+ho are not endo+ed +ith +isdom of Tatha'ataJH2I "ut the)
H1= 4= >The erfect doctrine7 in +hich eternal truth is tau'ht ") the Buddha=>
2= The ultimate realit) is conceived ") the (aha)anist as an entit) self@e&istent7
omniresent7 siritual7 imersonal7 free from all illusions= it ma) "e re'arded as
somethin' li$e the universal and enli'htened soul=
!= Tatha'ata>s +om"7 Tatha'ata "ein' another name for Buddha=
.= The "oo$ +as translated into Chinese ") Buddha"hadra7 4=D= [email protected]:=
2= The hi'hest eithet of the Buddha7 meanin' one +ho comes into the +orld li$e the
comin' of his redecessors=I
cannot attain to %nli'htenment siml) "ecause of illusion and attachment= -hen the) are
free from illusion7 the Universal Intelli'ence7H1I the Natural Intelli'enceH2I the
Unimeded Intelli'ence7H!I +ill "e disclosed (in their minds)=L
Then he tells a ara"le of a sin'le 'rain of minute dustH.I containin' lar'e volumes of
Sutra7 e0ual in dimension of the Areat Chiliocosmos=H2I The 'rain is comared +ith a
sentient "ein'7 and the Sutra +ith the +isdom of Buddha= 4'ain he sa)s laterGH5I LOnce
Tatha'ata7 havin' o"served ever) sort of sentient "ein's all over the universe7 said as
follo+sG >-onderful7 ho+ +onderfulP That these various sentient "ein's7 endo+ed +ith
the +isdom of Tatha'ata7 are not conscious of it "ecause of their errors and illusionsP I
shall teach them the sacred truth and ma$e them free from illusion for ever= I shall (thus)
ena"le them to find ") themselves the Areat -isdom of Tatha'atha +ithin them and
ma$e them e0ual to Buddha=>
,et me sa) (a fe+ +ords) a"out this doctrine ") +a) of criticism= So man) Ealas +e
sent never meetin' +ith this true doctrine7 and $ne+ not ho+ to trace our life "ac$ to its
ori'in= 3avin' "een attached to nothin' "ut the unreal out+ard forms7 +e +illin'l)
ac$no+led'ed ourselves to "e a common herd of lo+l) "ein's= Some re'arded
themselves as "easts7 (+hile) others as men=
H1= The all@$no+in' +isdom that is ac0uired ") %nli'htenment=
2= The in"orn +isdom of the Ori'inal %nli'htenment=
!= The +isdom that is ac0uired ") the union of %nli'htenment +ith the Ori'inal
%nli'htenment=
.= One of the famous ara"les in the sutra=
2= 4ccordin' to the Buddhist literature7 one universe comrises one sun7 one moon7 one
central mountain or Sumeru7 four continents7 etc= One thousand of these universes form
the Small Thousand -orldsJ one thousand of the Small Thousand -orlds form the
(iddle Thousand -orldsJ and the Areat Thousand -orlds7 or Areat Chiliocosmos7
comrises one thousand of the (iddle Thousand -orlds=
5= This is not an e&act 0uotation of the sutra=I
But no+7 tracin' life to its ori'in accordin' to the hi'hest doctrine7 +e have full)
understood that +e ourselves +ere ori'inall) Buddhas= Therefore +e should act in
conformit) to Buddha>s (action)7 and $ee our mind in harmon) +ith his= ,ot us "eta$e
ourselves once more to the source of %nli'htened Sirit7 restorin' ourselves to the
ori'inal Buddhahood= ,et us cut off the "ond of attachment7 and remove the illusion that
common eole are ha"ituall) 'iven to=
Illusion "ein' destro)ed7H1I the +ill to destro) it is also removed7 and at last there
remains nothin' to "e done (e&cet comlete eace and #o))= This naturall) results in
%nli'htenment7 +hose ractical uses are as innumera"le as the 'rains of sand in the
Aan'es= This state is called Buddhahood= -e should $no+ that the illusor) as +ell as the
%nli'htened are ori'inall) of one and the same Real Sirit= 3o+ 'reat7 ho+ e&cellent7 is
the doctrine that traces man to such an ori'inPH2I
H1= The assa'e occurs in Tao Teh Ein'=
2= 4= >4lthou'h all of the a"ove@mentioned five doctrines +ere reached ") the Buddha
3imself7 )et there are some that "elon' to the Sudden7 +hile others to the Aradual7
Teachin's= If there +ere ersons of the middle or the lo+est 'rade of understandin'7 3e
first tau'ht the most suerficial doctrine7 then the less suerficial7 and LAraduall)L led
them u to the rofound= 4t the outset of 3is career as a teacher 3e reached the first
doctrine to ena"le them to 'ive u evil and a"ide ") 'oodJ ne&t 3e reached the second
and the third doctrine that the) mi'ht remove the 1ollution and attain to the 1urit)J and7
lastl)7 3e reached the fourth and the fifth doctrine to destro) their attachment to unreal
forms7 and to sho+ the Ultimate Realit)= (Thus) 3e reduced (all) the temorar) doctrines
into the eternal one7 and tau'ht them ho+ to ractise the ,a+ accordin' to the eternal and
attain to Buddhahood=
>If there is a erson of the hi'hest 'rade of understandin'7 he ma) first of all learn the
most rofound7 ne&t the less rofound7 and7 lastl)7 the most suerficial doctrine@that is7 he
ma) at the outset come LSuddenl)L to the understandin' of the One Realit) of True
Sirit7 as it is tau'ht in the fifth doctrine= -hen the Siritual Realit) is disclosed "efore
his mind>s e)e7 he ma) naturall) see that it ori'inall) transcends all aearances +hich
a&e unreal7 and that unrealities aear on account of illusion7 their e&istence deendin'
on Realit)= Then he must 'ive u evil7 ractise 'ood7 ut a+a) unrealities ") the +isdom
of %nli'htenment7 and reduce them to Realit)= -hen unrealities are all 'one7 and Realit)
alone remains comlete7 he is called the Dharma@$a)a@Buddha=>I
CHAPTER IV
RECONCILIATION OF THE TEMPORARY 7ITH
THE REAL DOCTRINE
[1]
%*%N if Realit) is the ori'in of life7 there must "e in all ro"a"ilit) some causes for its
comin' into e&istence7 as it cannot suddenl) assume the form of "od) ") accident= In the
recedin' chaters I have refuted the first four doctrines7 merel) "ecause the) are
imerfect7 and in this chater I shall reconcile the temorar) +ith the eternal doctrine= In
short7 I shall sho+ that even Confucianism is in the ri'ht=H2I That is to sa)7 from the
"e'innin' there e&ists Realit) (+ithin all "ein's)7 +hich is one and siritual= It can never
"e created nor destro)ed= It does not increase nor decrease itself= It is su"#ect to neither
chan'e nor deca)= Sentient "ein's7 slum"erin' in (the ni'ht of) illusion from time
immemorial7 are not conscious of its e&istence= 4s it is hidden and veiled7 it is named
Tatha'ata@'ar"ha=H!I On this Tatha'ata@'ar"ha the mental henomena that are su"#ect to
'ro+th and deca) deend=
Real Sirit7 as is stated (in the 4Kva'hosa>s Mastra)7 that transcends creation and
destruction7 is united +ith
H1= 4= >The doctrines refuted a"ove are reconciled +ith the real doctrine in this chater=
The) are all in the ri'ht in their ointin' to the true ori'in=>
2 4= >The first section states the fifth doctrine that reveals the Realit)7 and the statements
in the follo+in' sections are the same as the other doctrines7 as sho+n in the notes=>
! 4= >The follo+in' statement is similar to the fourth doctrine e&lained a"ove in the
refutation of the henomenal e&istence su"#ect to 'ro+th and deca)=> Comare
Mraddhotada@Kastra=I
illusion7 +hich is su"#ect to creation and destructionJ and the one is not a"solutel) the
same as nor different from the other= This union (+ith illusion) has the t+o sides of
enli'htenment and non @enli'htenment7> and is called 4la)a@vi#Oana= Because of non@
enli'htenment7H1I it first arouses itself7 and forms some ideas= This activit) of the *i#Oana
is named >the state of Earma= H2I <urthermore7 since one does not understand that these
ideas are unreal from the "e'innin'7 the) transform themselves into the su"#ect (+ithin)
and the o"#ect (+ithout)7 into the seer and the seen= One is at a loss ho+ to understand
that these e&ternal o"#ects are no more than the creation of his o+n delusive mind7 and
"elieves them to "e reall) e&istent= This is called the erroneous "elief in the e&istence of
e&ternal o"#ects=H!I In conse0uence of these erroneous "eliefs7 he distin'uishes Self and
non@self7 and at last forms the erroneous "elief of 4tman= Since he is attached to the form
of the Self7 he )earns after various o"#ects a'reea"le to the sense for the sa$e of the 'ood
of his Self= 3e is offended7 (ho+ever)7 +ith various disa'reea"le o"#ects7 and is afraid of
the in#uries and trou"les +hich the) "rin' on him= (Thus) his foolish assionsH.I are
stren'thened ste ") ste=
Thus (on one hand) the souls of those +ho committed the crimes of $illin'7 stealin'7 and
so on7 are "orn7 ") the influence of the "ad Earma7 in hell7 or amon' 1retas7 or amon'
"easts7 or else+here= On the other hand7 the souls of those +ho7 "ein' afraid of such
sufferin's7 or "ein'
H1= 4= >The follo+in' statement is similar to the doctrine of Dharma@la$sana=>
2= 3ere Earma siml) means an active stateJ it should "e distin'uished from Earma7
roduced ") actions=
!= 4= >The follo+in' statement is similar to the second doctrine7 or 3ina)anism=>
.= 4= >The follo+in' statement is similar to the first doctrine for men and Devas=>I
'ood@natured7 'ave alms7 $et recets7 and so on7 under'o 4ntara"havaH1I ") the
influence of the 'ood Eharma7 enter into the +om" of their mothers=H2I
There the) are endo+ed +ith the (so@called) Aas7 or material (for "od))=H!I The Aas first
consists of four elementsH.I and it 'raduall) forms various sense@or'ans= The mind first
consists of the four a''re'ates7H2I and it 'raduall) forms various *i#Oanas= 4fter the
+hole course of ten months the) are "orn and called men= These are our resent "odies
and minds= Therefore +e must $no+ that "od) and mind has each its o+n ori'in7 and that
the t+o7 "ein' united7 form one human "ein'= The) are "orn amon' Devas and 4suras7
and so on in a manner almost similar to this=
Thou'h +e are "orn amon' men ") virtue of >the 'eneraliBin' Earma7>H5I )et7 ") the
influence of >the articulariBin' Earma7>H6I some are laced in a hi'h ran$7 +hile others
in a lo+J some are oor7 +hile others richJ some en#o) a lon' life7 +hile others die in
)outhJ some are sic$l)7 +hile others health)J some are risin'7 +hile others are fallin'J
some suffer from ains7 +hile others en#o) leasures= <or instance7 reverence or
indolence in the revious e&istence7 +or$in' as the cause7 "rin's forth hi'h "irth or lo+
in the resent as the effect= So also "enevolence in the ast results in lon' life in the
resentJ the ta$in' of life7 a short lifeJ the 'ivin' of alms7 richness
H1= The siritual e&istence "et+een this and another life=
2= 4= >The follo+in' statement is similar to Confucianism and Taoism=>
!= 4= >This harmoniBes +ith the outside oinion that Aas is the ori'in=>
.= (1) %arth7 (2) +ater7 (!) fire7 (.) air7
2= (1) 1ercetion7 (2) consciousness7 (!) concetion7 (.) $no+led'e=
5= The Earma that determines different classes of "ein's7 such as men7 "easts7 1retas7 etc7
6= The Earma that determines the articular state of an individual in the +orld=I
miserliness7 1overt)= There are So man) articular cases of retri"ution that cannot "e
mentioned in detail= 3ence there are some +ho haen to "e unfortunate7 doin' no evil7
+hile others fortunate7 doin' no 'ood in the resent life= So also some en#o) a lon' life7
in site of their inhuman conductJ +hile others die )oun'7 in site of their ta$in' no life7
and so forth= 4s all this is redestinated ") >the articulariBin' Earma> roduced in the
ast7 it +ould seem to occur naturall)7 0uite indeendent of one>s actions in the resent
life= Outside scholars i'norant of the revious e&istences7 rel)in' siml) on their
o"servations7 "elieve it to "e nothin' more than natural=H1I
Besides7 there are some +ho cultivated virtues in the earlier7 and committed crimes in the
later7 sta'es of their ast e&istencesJ +hile others +ere vicious in )outh7 and virtuous in
old a'e= In conse0uence7 some are ha) in )outh7 "ein' rich and no"le7 "ut unha) in
old a'e7 "ein' oor and lo+ in the resent lifeJ +hile others lead oor and misera"le lives
+hen )oun'7 "ut 'ro+ rich and no"le +hen old7 and so on= 3ence outside scholars come
to "elieve that one>s roserit) or adversit) merel) deends on a heavenl) decree=H2I
The "od) +ith +hich man is endo+ed7 +hen traced ste ") ste to its ori'in7 roves to "e
nothin' "ut one rimordial Aas in its undeveloed state= 4nd the mind +ith +hich man
thin$s7 +hen traced ste ") ste to its source7 roves to "e nothin' "ut the One Real
Sirit= To tell the truth7 there e&ists nothin' outside of Sirit7 and even the 1rimordial Aas
is also a mode of it7 for it is one of the e&ternal o"#ects ro#ected ") the a"ove@stated
*i#Oanas7 and is one of the mental ima'es of 4la)a7 out of +hose
H1= 4= >This harmoniBes +ith the outside oinion that ever)thin' occurs naturall)=>
2= 4= >This harmoniBes +ith the outside oinion that ever)thin' deends on rovidence=>I
idea7 +hen it is in the state of Earma7 come "oth the su"#ect and the o"#ect= 4s the su"#ect
develoed itself7 the fee"ler ideas 'ro+ stron'er ste ") ste7 and form erroneous "eliefs
that end in the roduction of Earma=H1I Similarl)7 the o"#ect increases in siBe7 the finer
o"#ects 'ro+ 'raduall) 'rosser7 and 'ives rise to unreal thin's that end in the
formationH2I of 3eaven and %arth= -hen Earma is rie enou'h7 one is endo+ed ") father
and mother +ith serm and ovum7 +hich7 united +ith his consciousness under the
influence of Earma7 comletes a human form=
4ccordin' to this vie+ (of Dharmala$sana)7 thin's "rou'ht forth throu'h the
transformations of 4la)a and the other *i#Oanas are divided into t+o artsJ one art
(remainin')7 united +ith 4la)a and the other *i#Oanas7 "ecomes man7 +hile the other7
"ecomin' searated from them7 "ecomes 3eaven7 %arth7 mountains7 rivers7 countries7 and
to+ns= (Thus) man is the outcome of the union of the t+oJ this is the reason +h) he alone
of the Three 1o+ers is siritual= This +as tau'ht ") the BuddhaH!I himself +hen he
stated that there e&isted t+o different $inds of the four elements@@the internal and the
e&ternal=
4lasP O )e half@educated scholars +ho adhere to imerfect doctrines7 each of +hich
conflicts +ith anotherP ;e that see$ after truth7 if )e +ould attain to Buddhahood7 clearl)
understand +hich is the su"tler and +hich is the 'rosser (form of illusive ideas)7 +hich is
the ori'inator and
H1= 4= >4s a"ove stated=>
2= 4= LIn the "e'innin'7 accordin' to the outside school7 there +as >the 'reat
chan'ea"leness7> +hich under+ent fivefold evolutions7 and "rou'ht out the <ive
1rinciles= Out of that 1rincile7 +hich the) call the Areat 1ath of Nature7 came the t+o
su"ordinate rinciles of the 1ositive and the Ne'ative= The) seem to e&lain the
Ultimate Realit)7 "ut the 1ath7 in fact7 no more than the >erceivin' division > of the
4la)a= The so@called rimordial Aas seems to "e the first idea in the a+a$enin' 4la)a7
"ut it is a mere e&ternal o"#ect=L
!= Ratna$uta@sutra (D)7 translated into Chinese ") ?Oana'uta=I
+hich is the ori'inated= (Then) 'ive )e u the ori'inated and return )e to the ori'inator7
and to reflect on the Sirit7 the Source (of all)= -hen the 'rosser is e&terminated and the
su"tler removed7 the +onderful +isdom of sirit is disclosed7 and nothin' is "e)ond its
understandin'= This is called the Dharma@sam"ho'a@$a)a= It can of itself transform itself
and aear amon' men in num"erless +a)s= This is called the Nirmana@$a)a of Buddha=
H1I
H1= %ver) Buddha has three "odiesG (1) Dharma@$a)a7 or siritual "od)J (2) Sam"ho'a@
$a)a7 or the "od) of comensationJ (!) Nirmana@$a)a7 or the "od) caa"le of
transformation=I
T3% %ND=