Avatamsaka Sutra

[Amita]

Rumor has it that the BDK complete translation will be out in the next 12-18 months.

Chapter One is very deep, so this commentary by Master Hsuan Hua is helpful:

http://www.cttbusa.org/fas1/fas1p4and5.asp.html

In 2006 all of chapter one of the Flower Adornment Sutra, with Master Hua's comments was published by BTTS in four volumes.

Edited July 29, 2022 by Amita

[Amita]

Sutra:

Fire-ruling Spirit Light Illumining the Ten Directions gained a passage into liberation of refuting forever all foolish, attached views.

Commentary:

The next Fire-ruling Spirit is named Light Illumining the Ten Directions. As you can see, most of these Fire-ruling Spirits have light from fire. This particular Fire-ruling Spirit was named for having light that shines throughout the ten directions. She gained a passage into liberation of refuting forever all foolish, attached views. People who lack of wisdom, clarity, and light are foolish. Yet fools do not consider themselves foolish. Not knowing that they themselves are fools, they insist on the exact opposite and say that intelligent people are fools.

This is similar to the situation of a black crow landing on the back of a black pig and noticing the blackness of the pig, but not seeing its own blackness. Fools are the same way. They are fools precisely because they deny their own foolishness. Due to their foolishness, they have attachments that obstruct their understanding. Failing to understand situations, they become caught up in those situations. Rather than managing affairs, they are tied up by those affairs. With such attachments, they cannot achieve liberation, especially when they stubbornly cling to their own views. They insist that their own viewpoint is correct. An example of such intractable views can be found in our Way-place, where there are adults as well as children. When the children come here, they want to play. If the adults have a rigid outlook, they may claim that, because the children make so much noise here, their only recourse is not to attend the sutra lectures. They are so intransigent that they use the children as an excuse for not attending. Not only do they themselves not attend, they dissuade other people from attending. These are all instances of attachments to views. So long as people cling to such attached viewpoints, they cannot become enlightened. They cannot attain this passage to liberation. This Fire-ruling Spirit, however, could refute these types of foolish, attached views, and thus she did reach this passage into liberation.

[Ell]

Quote

Fire-ruling Spirit Treasury of Universal Flames gained a passage into liberation of totally dispelling all darkness in the world.

The sun?
 

Quote

 

Fire-ruling Spirit Banner of Universally Assembled Light gained a passage into liberation of eradicating all sentient beings’ delusions and their sufferings of aimless drifting and scorching torment.

 

The rainbow?

 

Quote

Fire-ruling Spirit Great Light Universally Shining gained a passage into liberation of a treasury of great compassion and steadfast power of blessings.  

The sun again? Or the moon?

I suspect that the person who wrote this stuff knew what he meant by it, but that person forgot to share those meanings with his readers.

What a mess.

 

[Amita]

2 hours ago, Ell said:

I suspect that the person who wrote this stuff knew what he meant by it, but that person forgot to share those meanings with his readers.

It helps or rather is necessary to know that a Bodhisattva spoke it.  The background can be learned at the link in the OP.  A sutra is not understood with no meditation on or knowledge of Mahayana Buddhism. There is much helpful matter at the beginning of Master Hua's comments:

http://www.cttbusa.org/fas1/fas1_part1.asp.html

A Fire Spirit is not human, but an invisible godly being that follows the Buddha and helps him in Buddha's redemptive work for all sorts of beings.

Edited July 30, 2022 by Amita

[Amita]

This how Master Hua began his nine year series of 2000 or so lectures on the Sutra.  This Preface is short, but contains all the root principles of the sutra.  It is most mystical and therefor Master's comments are needed.  Yet it is too sublime for most minds to grasp.

http://www.cttbusa.org/preface/faspreface_contents.asp.html

Edited July 30, 2022 by Amita

[Ell]

1 hour ago, Amita said:

It is most mystical and therefore Master's comments are needed.  Yet it is too sublime for most minds to grasp.

Nothing in the universe is mystical.
Clearly this Hua fellow doesn't have an inkling what he is chattering about.

[Amita]

7 hours ago, Ell said:

Nothing in the universe is mystical.
Clearly this Hua fellow doesn't have an inkling what he is chattering about.

Ignorance can be blissful, more often it is merely satisfaction or contentment. 

Here are some facts about Master Hua, whom I knew for 16 years or so.

http://www.cttbusa.org/founder.asp.html

[Amita]

There is still today a school of Mahayana that is rooted in this sutra.  Here is an introduction to the school and the sutra by the translator Rulu:

https://www.sutrasmantras.info/introbook5.html

[Grim Reaper 6]

3 hours ago, Amita said:

Ignorance can be blissful, more often it is merely satisfaction or contentment. 

Here are some facts about Master Hua, whom I knew for 16 years or so.

http://www.cttbusa.org/founder.asp.html

Actually ignorance is attachment ( to the past ), Yearning ( looking to the Future ) the only way to destroy ignorance is to maintain your focus in the present and in conjunction combine the Present with meditation and wisdom over time will be revealed ( even a blind man can see )

• Namaste

[+Sherapy]

42 minutes ago, Manwon Lender said:

Actually ignorance is attachment ( to the past ), Yearning ( looking to the Future ) the only way to destroy ignorance is to maintain your focus in the present and in conjunction combine the Present with meditation and wisdom over time will be revealed ( even a blind man can see )

• Namaste

An add too: I spent 5 years in MBSRT and took the training also my take away was along the lines you are suggesting Manwon, Namaste my friend. 

 

A fun article to read: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-014-0333-z

“I would argue that there is really no present moment. The present moment is one of these things that Buddhists have become terribly attached to. If you think about it, you try to find the present moment, you will never find anything. The present moment is actually just a concept; it can be a very useful, strategic concept … I will often say when instructing in meditation, “Stay in the present moment.” But I don’t mean by that, try to find this elusive thing called the present moment and stay in it. It’s basically a way of saying, Don’t get caught up in the unknown future. Don’t get caught up in reminiscing about the past. But confront the situation at hand. And the situation at hand is always unfolding. It’s fluid. It’s like water, it’s like a stream. Things are constantly impacting your senses, constantly bubbling up in your thoughts, constantly emerging as emotions and feelings; it’s always in motion, it’s moving. And it’s such a mobile experience that notion of ‘The present moment’ really has no place there. There’s no point really. So, every situation that occurs, and you could call it ‘at the present moment’ if you wish, but it’s basically an unfolding of events that is calling forth an appropriate response. And in this sense, it’s always in time.” Batchelor, S. (2009). On making a raft. Podcast recording at upaya Zen center. New Mexico: Santa Fe.

Edited July 30, 2022 by Sherapy

[+Hammerclaw]

There is no present moment, or if there is, it's too damn hard to pin down. I've settled for the present hour, myself.

Another Life After Zen, excerpt. 

[Grim Reaper 6]

33 minutes ago, Sherapy said:

An add too: I spent 5 years in MBSRT and my take away was along the lines you are suggesting Manwon, Namaste my friend. 

 

A fun article to read: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-014-0333-z

“I would argue that there is really no present moment. The present moment is one of these things that Buddhists have become terribly attached to. If you think about it, you try to find the present moment, you will never find anything. The present moment is actually just a concept; it can be a very useful, strategic concept … I will often say when instructing in meditation, “Stay in the present moment.” But I don’t mean by that, try to find this elusive thing called the present moment and stay in it. It’s basically a way of saying, Don’t get caught up in the unknown future. Don’t get caught up in reminiscing about the past. But confront the situation at hand. And the situation at hand is always unfolding. It’s fluid. It’s like water, it’s like a stream. Things are constantly impacting your senses, constantly bubbling up in your thoughts, constantly emerging as emotions and feelings; it’s always in motion, it’s moving. And it’s such a mobile experience that notion of ‘The present moment’ really has no place there. There’s no point really. So, every situation that occurs, and you could call it ‘at the present moment’ if you wish, but it’s basically an unfolding of events that is calling forth an appropriate response. And in this sense, it’s always in time.” Batchelor, S. (2009). On making a raft. Podcast recording at upaya Zen center. New Mexico: Santa Fe.

This is exactly what I was taught about the thing we call the present moment, Yet, it’s not as complicated as it is described above basically, what I was taught is the present is defined as what you are doing right now at this exact microsecond! Basically it mean focus on the task at hand don’t look forward or back just learn to apply your consideration to the task at hand!

No here is the real question, is it possible to alway stay in the present . The answer is yes, If we are disciplined enough and don’t look back or forward we can only be in present, so present, past, future !

Take Cheri!

Gute Nacht? 

 

 

 

 

r 

[Amita]

A local So. Cal. Mahayana monk, Master YongHua, began teaching from the Avatamsaka corpus in 2020.  Here is his first of many video lectures:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrYzZzm1vAY&list=PL0HTAkAoG7h8TvKS23-TSs4kHPtRmcSB3&index=2&t=1068s

[Amita]

Bhikshu Dharmamitra's complete version in three volumes came out in Oct. 2022.  This is far better than Cleary's old version.

http://kalavinka.org/index.html

[+Sherapy]

On 7/30/2022 at 9:31 AM, Grim Reaper 6 said:

This is exactly what I was taught about the thing we call the present moment, Yet, it’s not as complicated as it is described above basically, what I was taught is the present is defined as what you are doing right now at this exact microsecond! Basically it mean focus on the task at hand don’t look forward or back just learn to apply your consideration to the task at hand!

No here is the real question, is it possible to alway stay in the present . The answer is yes, If we are disciplined enough and don’t look back or forward we can only be in present, so present, past, future !

Take Cheri!

Gute Nacht? 

 

 

 

 

r 

In real time, being in the present is an ability to set aside the past, and the future recognize and focus on what is happening now and then work from there. Or Ockham’s Razor in critical thinking. 
 

I worked for a Neurologist for 3 years, who was deeply involved in meditation research and her contribution to me was to have a basic understanding of how our brain works because at the end of the day what changes is neural structure through neural plasticity and the Eastern Philosophy really understood this many moons ago. The East has come to the West and has been added too. 

Edited February 25, 2023 by Sherapy

[Crazy Horse]

On 7/30/2022 at 3:57 PM, Sherapy said:

 

“I would argue that there is really no present moment. The present moment is one of these things that Buddhists have become terribly attached to. If you think about it, you try to find the present moment, you will never find anything. The present moment is actually just a concept; it can be a very useful, strategic concept … 

I like to sometimes think, "Where has all your spiritual practices gotten you, recap your journey!?".

And, it brings me back to this very, present, moment.

Question, what does the man who wants nothing, think about?

 

 

[+Sherapy]

1 hour ago, Crazy Horse said:

I like to sometimes think, "Where has all your spiritual practices gotten you, recap your journey!?".

And, it brings me back to this very, present, moment.

Question, what does the man who wants nothing, think about?

 

 

???

[Amita]

A little from chapter 12 on motivation of bodhisattvas...

Quote

At that time, when Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva had finished speaking of

the great meritorious qualities of pure conduct free of turbidity and

confusion, because he wished to reveal the meritorious qualities

of the resolve to attain bodhi, he used a verse to make a request of

Foremost Worthy Bodhisattva, saying:

For the benefit of the bodhisattvas, I have now already

spoken of the Buddha’s past cultivation of pure conduct.

In the midst of this congregation, the Worthy One should also

freely expound on the supreme meritorious qualities of cultivation.

 

Foremost Worthy Bodhisattva then replied in verses, saying:

This is good indeed. May the Worthy Ones listen closely.

Those meritorious qualities are immeasurable.

As befits my powers, I shall now describe only a small portion

comparable to but a single drop of water from an ocean.

Whenever a bodhisattva first makes the resolve

by which he vows to seek and realize the bodhi of a buddha,

the meritorious qualities he acquires are boundless,

immeasurable, and incomparable.

How much the more so when, for countless and boundless kalpas,

he fully cultivates the qualities of the grounds and the perfections.

Even if all tathāgatas of the ten directions

joined in praising this, they could never reach the end of it.

I shall now describe but a small portion among

such boundlessly great meritorious qualities as these,

comparable only to the tracks left in the sky by a bird

or to but a single mote of dust compared to the great earth.

When the bodhisattva arouses the will to seek bodhi,

this is not something without causes and without conditions.

Developing pure faith in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha—

It is due to this that he produces the vast resolve.

He does not seek the five desires, the position of a king,

wealth, personal pleasure, or great fame.

It is solely in order to forever extinguish beings’ sufferings

and benefit those in the world that he makes this resolve.

 

[Amita]

All of chapter 12 is Foremost Worthy Bodhisattva teaching step by step about the functions of bodhisattvas:

He always aspires to benefit beings and make them happy,
to adorn the lands, to make offerings to the buddhas,
to take on and uphold right Dharma, and to cultivate wisdom.
It is to realize bodhi that he makes this resolve.

With profound intentions, resolute faith, and constant purity,
he reverently honors and esteems all buddhas
as well as, in the same way, the Dharma and the Sangha.
With utmost sincerity, he makes offerings and makes this resolve.

He has deep faith in the Buddha and the Buddha’s Dharma,
also has faith in the path practiced by the sons of the Buddha,
and he has faith, too, in the unexcelled great bodhi.
It is because of this that the bodhisattva makes the initial resolve.

Faith is the source of the path and the mother of meritorious qualities.
It brings about the growth and nourishment of all good dharmas,
cuts away the net of doubts, enables escape from the river of cravings,
and reveals the unsurpassed path to nirvāṇa.

When faith is free of defilement and turbidity, the mind becomes pure.
It extinguishes arrogance and constitutes the root of reverence.
It is also the foremost form of wealth in the treasury of Dharma
and the pure hands with which one takes on the many practices.

It is due to faith that one gives with kindness free of miserliness.
Due to faith, one is able to joyfully enter the Buddha’s Dharma.
Due to faith, one is able to increase wisdom and meritorious qualities.
Due to faith, one is able to certainly reach the ground of the Tathāgata.

Faith enables the faculties to become pure, bright, and sharp.
Solid power of faith is indestructible.
Faith enables one to forever destroy the roots of the afflictions.
Faith enables one to progress especially toward a buddha’s qualities.

Through faith, one remains free of attachment to the sense realms,
leaves the difficulties far behind, and becomes free of the difficulties.
Faith enables one to step beyond the paths of the many māras
and reveals the path to the unsurpassed liberation.

Faith is the indestructible seed of meritorious qualities.
Faith enables the growth of one’s tree of bodhi.
Faith enables the growth of the most supreme wisdom.
Faith is able to reveal all buddhas.

Therefore, to speak of the sequence in relying on the practices,
faithful aspiration is the most supreme and extremely rare.
It is analogous to having in all worlds
a marvelous wish-fulfilling jewel.

[+Sherapy]

1 hour ago, Amita said:

All of chapter 12 is Foremost Worthy Bodhisattva teaching step by step about the functions of bodhisattvas:

He always aspires to benefit beings and make them happy,
to adorn the lands, to make offerings to the buddhas,
to take on and uphold right Dharma, and to cultivate wisdom.
It is to realize bodhi that he makes this resolve.

With profound intentions, resolute faith, and constant purity,
he reverently honors and esteems all buddhas
as well as, in the same way, the Dharma and the Sangha.
With utmost sincerity, he makes offerings and makes this resolve.

He has deep faith in the Buddha and the Buddha’s Dharma,
also has faith in the path practiced by the sons of the Buddha,
and he has faith, too, in the unexcelled great bodhi.
It is because of this that the bodhisattva makes the initial resolve.

Faith is the source of the path and the mother of meritorious qualities.
It brings about the growth and nourishment of all good dharmas,
cuts away the net of doubts, enables escape from the river of cravings,
and reveals the unsurpassed path to nirvāṇa.

When faith is free of defilement and turbidity, the mind becomes pure.
It extinguishes arrogance and constitutes the root of reverence.
It is also the foremost form of wealth in the treasury of Dharma
and the pure hands with which one takes on the many practices.

It is due to faith that one gives with kindness free of miserliness.
Due to faith, one is able to joyfully enter the Buddha’s Dharma.
Due to faith, one is able to increase wisdom and meritorious qualities.
Due to faith, one is able to certainly reach the ground of the Tathāgata.

Faith enables the faculties to become pure, bright, and sharp.
Solid power of faith is indestructible.
Faith enables one to forever destroy the roots of the afflictions.
Faith enables one to progress especially toward a buddha’s qualities.

Through faith, one remains free of attachment to the sense realms,
leaves the difficulties far behind, and becomes free of the difficulties.
Faith enables one to step beyond the paths of the many māras
and reveals the path to the unsurpassed liberation.

Faith is the indestructible seed of meritorious qualities.
Faith enables the growth of one’s tree of bodhi.
Faith enables the growth of the most supreme wisdom.
Faith is able to reveal all buddhas.

Therefore, to speak of the sequence in relying on the practices,
faithful aspiration is the most supreme and extremely rare.
It is analogous to having in all worlds
a marvelous wish-fulfilling jewel.

An add to: faith is interchangeable with trust. The above can be simplified as follows.

“In practicing mindfulness, you are practicing taking responsibility for being yourself and learning to listen to and trust your own being.”
 

Source- Full Catastrophe Living, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, h.D., pages 33-40

 

Another add to: IMHO, Compassion for self and others is the ultimate takeaway, I do concur that trust (faith) in self is integral but it is compassion in action that benefits people in real time. 
 

 

Edited February 26, 2023 by Sherapy

[XenoFish]

Is this even a discussion? 

[+Sherapy]

5 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

Is this even a discussion? 

Ahahahaha it is for me

[XenoFish]

4 minutes ago, Sherapy said:

Ahahahaha it is for me

It's not preaching. More like promoting. Personally I put zero value in the topic of this thread. Not like we carry our accomplishments and failures with us when we're dead. So it really is a very pointless endeavor.

[Amita]

14 minutes ago, Sherapy said:

[...]

Another add to: IMHO, Compassion for self and others is the ultimate takeaway, I do concur that trust (faith) in self is integral but it is compassion in action that benefits people in real time. 
 

 

True indeed, but the chapter goes on for another 30 pages, as do the other 39 chapters where beneficent action is fully covered.

[Amita]

4 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

It's not preaching. More like promoting. Personally I put zero value in the topic of this thread. Not like we carry our accomplishments and failures with us when we're dead. So it really is a very pointless endeavor.

No conviction in rebirth nor karmic results does make Mahayana appear pointless.