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A Brief Discussion of the Shurangama Repentance (2)2014-04-05

 

♦  Spoken by Dharma Master Heng Yi
     English Translation by Lotus Lee

Yesterday we mentioned that for the New Year Dharma Assembly at Gold Sage Monastery, we are doing the “Repentance Dharma of the Foremost Shurangama spoken from the Crown of the Buddha’s Head.” This repentance ritual manual was compiled by the Bhikshuni Kuanru about a hundred years ago. Today I would like to introduce an even earlier repentance ritual manual that was compiled during the Northern Song Period, which is called Ceremony for Cultivation of the Mandala of the Foremost Shurangama for the Purpose of Attaining Enlightenment. It was written by one of the Huayan Masters, Jinshui Jingyuan, one of the high Sanghans of the Huayan School during the Northern Song Period.

In the Song dynasty, some of the more famous Dharma Masters included Changshui Zirui and Jinyun Zhongxi, from the Huayan school, and Gushan Zhiyuan and Jingjue Renyue from the Tiantai school. Dharma Master Jinshui was greatly influenced and inspired by these Dharma Masters, for although they represented the two great schools of Huayan and Tiantai, respectively, they were fervent propagators of the Shurangama Sutra, especially in their own works. Not only did they emphasize the principles of the Shurangama, they also made frequent mentions of the meaning of the Shurangama Mandala, the merits of constructing such a mandala, and the importance of practicing repentance rituals in the mandala. We can conclude that during the Northern Song Period, the Shurangama Sutra played a very important role.

Since Master Jinshui was inspired by these great masters, he used material from the Shurangama Sutra and composed the “Ceremony for Cultivation of the Mandala of the Foremost Shurangama for the Purpose of Attaining Enlightenment.” This repentance ritual manual is greatly different from the one we are using in our Dharma assembly today, which is called “The Repentance Dharma of the Foremost Shurangama spoken from the Crown of the Buddha’s Head.” We can see the difference between these repentances in their titles: the word “mandala.” Master Jinshui’s repentance ritual manual has not been used for a long time, and I believe the main reason is because of the complexity of the mandala. Constructing a mandala entails a complicated process that is not easy. But what is a mandala in the first place?

A mandala is a special space that has been marked out and has boundaries around it. The function of this special space is that all rituals are carried out inside the mandala. Other than serving as a space for rituals, no evil or demonic beings can come in. If they wish to enter, they have to follow the rules. If there are ghosts or demons in the Bodhimanda, if they do not follow the rules, and disturb the cultivation of others, they will be punished. The same goes for humans and animals as well. This is the reason many people feel that the monastery is safer and cleaner.
After the borders are drawn, the next step is to request the presence of the sages in the mandala: Buddhas, high Sanghans, Shravakas, and Arhats. After they have entered the mandala, we have to make offerings to them, so we make offerings of flowers, and sing praises and bow to them.

When the mandala has been established and the borders have been drawn, the Dharma protectors have to carry out their duties. Let us take the Shurangama Mantra as an example. The Shurangama Mantra includes in its scope five assemblies: the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, the eightfold pantheon, gods, and ghosts and spirits, but the group that is mentioned in the Shurangama Mantra the most is Vajra protecting spirits. The Shurangama Sutra says that people who recite and cultivate the Shurangama Mantra are protected by eighty-four thousand Vajra Treasury King Bodhisattvas, who are all generals that have hundreds of thousands of troops under their command. If there are eighty-four thousand Vajra Treasury King Bodhisattvas alone, one can only imagine how many troops there are in total. Therefore, once the mandala is established, if one cultivates diligently, one will be protected.

What are the defining characteristics of the Vajra spirits? All of them have weapons, such as vajra pestles, staves, vajra, swords, bows, and ropes, which can tie up beings that are not following the rules, and bring them to justice. There are pestles, chains, and jeweled conches, which can summon all of the devas. All of the Vajra spirits are very powerful, even ones that do not hold any weapons, because they can even use their bare hands as weapons. We can see that the Vajra protecting spirits are like police officers or military troops that maintain order in the Bodhimanda, so that no one will break the rules.

The Shurangama Mantra has five hundred fifty-four phrases in total, and at least two-thirds or even four-fifths of these phrases consist of the names of these Vajra spirits. Of these names, they are only the names of the leaders and the generals, not the names of spirits in minor positions. When we recite the Shurangama Mantra, we are effectively calling the names of the leaders, who will listen to our instructions, and they will then order their troops to listen to our instructions. Once the mantra is recited and the mandala is established, all the Vajra protecting spirits, weapons in hand, will assume their positions and prepare to carry out their duties. Since the boundaries have been drawn, they have to protect the mandala and maintain order inside.

The concepts of casting the boundaries are very important in Buddhism. Here are two examples. The Buddha established the tradition of a three-month summer retreat, which began on the fifteenth of the fourth month and ended on the fifteenth of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. It is not known when this particular tradition started, but the summer retreats of Chinese Chan monasteries were called “Shurangama Assemblies,” and the beginning and concluding rituals of these assemblies would involve a Dharma Master leading everyone in reciting the Shurangama Mantra. This practice is recorded in the guidelines for monasteries that were compiled after the Song and Yuan dynasties.

Other than summer retreat, when the precepts are transmitted, boundaries must also be drawn. The special space that is marked out serves as the precept platform. It is a most dangerous and crucial time when preceptees ascend the precept platform to receive the precepts. Therefore, the procedures within the boundaries are very strict, for fear that demons will disturb the transmission of the precepts. The precept platform is always established at CTTB, but when the precept platform is being established, we recite the Great Compassion Mantra instead.

There are a few phrases in the Shurangama Mantra that have to do with the boundaries. The five hundred and forty-sixth phrase, which is in the heart of the mantra, is “A Na Li.” The meaning of this phrase is to extend vertically. The meaning of the five hundredth and forty-seventh phrase, “Pi She Ti,” means to pervade horizontally. The boundaries can extend vertically, horizontally, and in all directions to infinity. The five-hundredth and fifty-first sentence, “Pan Tuo Pan Tuo Ni,” helps us draw a boundary that extends in twelve yojanas in every direction. The word yojana is Sanskrit, and was a measure of distance used in ancient India determined by the distance imperial troops could travel in a day. It is equivalent to about thirty or forty li. Once one recites the Shurangama Mantra, a boundary spanning twelve yojanas in every direction is drawn. In truth, the Shurangama Mantra should be capable of drawing a boundary greater than twelve yojanas, but it is a question of who is reciting it. If a greatly virtuous Sanghan recites the mantra, the boundary should cover an even larger area. Twelve yojanas is just under regular circumstances. In “Explanation of Verses on the Shurangama Sutra,” the Venerable Master said that the size of the boundary depends on the mind and thoughts of the person reciting the mantra. A person with great expanse of mind will be able to cast a large boundary.

In fascicle seven of the Shurangama Sutra, before the Shurangama Mantra is spoken, we are taught how to establish the Shurangama Mandala. This mandala is physical, in that we establish a physical mandala. But if a repentance manual does not entail establishing a physical mandala, does that mean that there is no mandala, and that no boundaries are drawn? The mandala still exists, because as soon as the mantra is recited, the theoretical mandala is established. So why do we need the physical mandala in the first place? The physical mandala has eight corners, and a round mirror has to be placed at each corner, so that they will reflect each other. One also needs to prepare a mixture of white cow dung and chandana incense powder and spread the paste on the ground. Oil lamps, which are quite difficult to come by in America nowadays, are also required. One also has to burn various kinds of incense, which are also hard to find. The only component that is slightly easier to come by is probably the cakes. Therefore, establishing a mandala is not easy.

In addition, one needs to prepare a censer for the incense, and water on which to put lotus flowers carved out of gold, silver, bronze, and wood. One needs to dig a hole five meters deep; other than that, one also needs to hang banners and images of the sages. These are familiar practices in the esoteric school. Actually, many monasteries in China follow similar procedures for repentances, but have been somewhat simplified. These procedures and traditions may seem of Chinese origin to us, but they actually come from the esoteric school, and were sinicized later. The repentance manual that we are using today, “Repentance Dharma of the Foremost Shurangama Spoken from the Crown of the Buddha’s Head,” was compiled fairly recently, about a hundred years ago, and has been sinicized to a larger extent and does not have much connection with the characteristics of the esoteric school. As a result, this repentance ritual manual does not even mention mandalas. Master Jingyuan’s version only uses a description to help you visualize the mandala.

If one can establish a theoretical mandala by reciting the Shurangama Mantra, which summons the Vajra spirits by calling their names, then why do we have to go to the trouble of establishing a physical mandala? Let me ask you: do you like doing repentance ceremonies in the monastery, or at home? (Audience: In the monastery.) Why? (Audience: Because there are more people, and the environment is pure.) In the monastery, everything is ready as is, and it is easy for you to gather in your mind. Having a physical mandala helps one to focus the mind. But when you are at home, there are many distractions, such as phone calls or people dropping in to visit you. Yesterday we mentioned that there is both repentance through activities and repentance through understanding principles. The latter kind is more profound and involves eradicating offenses while one is in samadhi, but ordinary people are unable to reach such a state. Therefore, they must use repentance through activities for their cultivation, which give them a text to follow so that they can repent and make vows. But whether the mandala in question is theoretical or physical, and no matter what sort of procedure was used to establish it, as soon as the boundaries are cast, any demons and ghosts within its boundaries must follow the orders of the Vajra spirits. What is most prevalent in the Dharma-ending Age? (Audience: Demons.) That is why the Venerable Master viewed the Shurangama Sutra in high regard.

Let us take a closer look at the format and content of Master Jinshui’s “Ceremony for Cultivation of the Mandala of the Foremost Shurangama for the Purpose of Attaining Enlightenment.” This repentance ritual manual is divided into ten sections. The first is “Layout of the Mandala,” where the text uses the section in the Shurangama Sutra that describes the procedure for establishing the mandala.

The second section is to request the presence of the sages and worthies, and the third is to make offerings to cultivators, to make offerings extensively. The fourth is to praise the Tathagatas, the fifth is to bow to the Three Jewels, the sixth is to circumambulate the mandala and recite mantras, and the seventh is to understand offenses. This entails listing out offenses according to their severity, and also goes over three different methods of repentance, which are applied to offenses of different severity.

The eighth is to practice repentance and make vows. The “Repentance Dharma of the Foremost Shurangama spoken from the Crown of the Buddha’s Head” compiled by Bhikshuni Kuanru may not include establishing a mandala, but other than that, it is equipped all needed components. The ninth is to circumambulate and recite. The tenth is to analyze and contemplate the Dharma. This corresponds to repentance through understanding principles, which we talked about earlier, which is to contemplate while one is in samadhi. Master Jingshui said: “When one understands the principle, one should contemplate and practice, enter samadhi, and attain great liberation.” This means that now we have understood the Shurangama Sutra’s principles, we should put them into practice. We will be able to attain samadhi, and observe that the nature of all offenses is inherently empty. We will attain great liberation and be free from transmigration. This is repentance through understanding principles.

When Master Jinshui was compiling this repentance ritual manual, he emphasized that the reason he included the Shurangama Mantra was to enable the cultivator to eradicate karmic offenses and remove obstructions, demonic and otherwise, that would prevent the cultivator from attaining samadhi. We know from the history of Buddhism that it takes a long time for people who cultivate Chan to become enlightened or attain fruition. However, patriarchs who propagate the esoteric school say that as long as you understand the benefits of mantras and are able to use them skillfully and consistently in your cultivation, when your skill has reached a certain level, you can transcend three great asamkhyeya kalpas. In other words, you will not need to spend three great asamkhyeya kalpas to become enlightened and attain fruition. This is why many people greatly value the esoteric school nowadays, because they promote the idea that one can attain Buddhahood in this very life, without the need to cultivate vigorously for a long time. However, that is a wrong conception: trying to attain Buddhahood in this life does not mean that you can abuse mantras. It is true that mantras have great power that can help your cultivation, but your mind must be upright, and you must be diligent. The most important element, which is also emphasized in the Shurangama Sutra, is to uphold the precepts. That is why the Four Clear and Unalterable Instructions on Purity were spoken before the Shurangama Mantra. However, people only want speed, and do not like to follow the rules, so they go down the wrong path in their cultivation. Therefore, wanting speed without upholding the precepts will ultimately backfire on you.

We’ve established that in their repentance ritual manuals, Master Zhizhe of the Tiantai School, the great masters of the Huayan and Tiantai schools, and Master Jinshui included mantras in the text for two reasons: they believed that mantras could help cultivators eradicate offenses and, more importantly, subdue demons so that cultivators could attain samadhi. We can conclude from these repentances that originally, cultivation requires back-breaking work over a long period of time, but if one relies on the power of mantras, the time can be shortened, like taking a shortcut. This has the same function as reciting Amitabha’s name, in that it helps you attain liberation from suffering more quickly.

What else is in Master Jinshui’s repentance ritual manual? It is supposed to take twenty-one days, and must be carried out in the Shurangama mandala. In these twenty-one days, reciting the Shurangama Mantra is the most important part.

This mandala plays an expedient and assisting role, as it can create an environment that will enable people to bring forth a sincere resolve, which will help to generate the efficiency of the mantra during recitation, so that offenses will be eradicated.

During the first week, after the mandala has been established, practitioners circumambulate the mandala and recite the Shurangama Mantra a hundred and eight times. During the second week, they singlemindedly bring forth Bodhisattva vows. During the third week, they recite the mantra for twelve hours each day. The text says that on the last day, “Tathagatas in the ten directions will appear all at once where the reflections from the mirrors meet, and the Buddha will rub the crown of the practitioner’s head. This part is from the Shurangama Sutra.

“After the third week, one should meditate in a quiet place for a hundred days. Those with sharp faculties will attain the first fruition of an Arhat before rising from their seat. Even if they are unable to attain fruition, they will know that they will definitely attain Buddhahood.” After twenty-one days, if you continue to meditate for a hundred days without getting up, people with sharp faculties will attain the first fruition of an Arhat. Even if you have not reached the state of a sage in body and mind, you have already planted the cause for attaining fruition in the future.
If you wish to attain the Great Shurangama Samadhi in this life, upholding the Shurangama Mantra will purify your body and mind, so that they will be “as pure and bright as beryl.” Reciting mantras, reciting the Buddha’s name, and bowing to the Buddhas are all activities that will make your body and mind pure.

The reason we recite the Shurangama Mantra during the repentance is because it can eradicate karmic offenses that we have accumulated since beginningless time. This is a key point. “Relying on the subtle and wonderful phrases of this mantra, all accumulated karmic offenses will be eradicated, like ice that melts when boiling water is poured on it. These people will attain the patience of the non-arising of dharmas.” During the repentance, after we have repented of the negative karma created by the six sense faculties, we rely on the subtle and wonderful merit of the mantra to eradicate karma. Karmic offenses that have built up since past kalpas are very hard to eradicate, but like ice that disappears once you pour boiling water on it, they will melt. A person’s heavy karma is like a thick coating of ice that is difficult to melt. On the other hand, if one has developed enough skill in reciting the Shurangama Mantra, then your stubborn bad habits will be eradicated. This is the wonderful and subtle power of the Shurangama Mantra. In addition, you will quickly attain the cessation of patience with regards to the sentient and non-sentient.


Question: What is the cessation of patience with regards to the sentient and non-sentient?

Answer: The Venerable Master usually explained it this way: “One does not see even the smallest phenomena coming into existence or ceasing to exist.” To put it in simpler terms, if someone scolds you, you won’t feel much about it. Not that you have no sense of shame, but your mind will not be moved by anything. Whatever situation you run into, your mind will remain free and at peace. You will not say that this person is horrible, or that person is great. Your mind will not rise and fall, or make distinctions. This is a state of samadhi.