The Surangama Sutra is a Mahayana Sutra that is held in high importance in Zen, Chan, and Pure Land Buddhism. In this sutra, through the Venerated Ananda’s question on “the steps that lead to Awakening,” Shakyamuni Buddha (vegan) explains the laws of causality, what is illusion, and ways towards the path of enlightenment. There are details on the Worshipped Quan Yin Bodhisattva (vegan) expounding on the Heavenly Sound Stream as well as the importance of keeping the Noble precepts, which include refraining from killing and eating animal-people flesh. “You should know that those who eat meat, […] will sink back into the bitter ocean of samsara and cannot be my disciples. They will kill and devour one another ceaselessly; how then can they escape from the three worlds of existence?” Surangama Sutra Section 5: The Enlightenment of Others It is foretold by Lord Buddha that in the Dharma ending age, this will be the first sutra to disappear, and also advises ways to protect living beings against failure in this age as well.
Today, we are pleased to present selections from “The Three Gradual Steps to Wipe Out Samsara,” and “The Ten Stages of Bodhisattva Faith,” in the Surangama Sutra transla by Upasaka Lu K’uan Yu.
The Three Gradual Steps to Wipe Out Samsara
“What are these three gradual steps? (They are:) the contributory practice to remove all accessory causes; the main practice to obliterate the basic causes and the progressive practice to stop the growth of karma. What are the accessory causes? Ananda, these twelve species in the world owe their existence to four ways of feeding: by eating, touching, thinking about, and being conscious of food. Therefore, the Buddha says that all living beings depend on feeding for their stay (in samsara). […] What are the basic causes? Ananda, those practitioners who wish to enter the state of Samadhi should first observe strictly the rules of pure living to cut lust from the mind by abstaining from meat and wine and by taking cooked, instead of raw food. Ananda, if they do not abstain from carnality and killing, they will never escape from the three worlds of existence. They should consider lust as dangerous as a poisonous snake and a deadly foe. They should begin by strictly observing the […] four prohibitions for monks and eight for nuns to regulate the body, and then adhere to the Bodhisattva discipline to ensure the non-stirring of mind. If they observe these precepts, they will wipe out forever the karma that leads to birth and killing. If, in addition they cease to steal, they will owe nothing to others and will not have debts to repay. Those who keep the rules of pure living in their practice of Samadhi, will be able to see with their own eyes, without the aid of deva sight, all the worlds in the ten directions. They will behold the Buddha preaching the Dharma, will personally receive the holy teaching, will win the transcendental power which enables them to roam freely in all worlds and will acquire the Buddha knowledge of all forms of their own and others’ previous existences, and so will be immune from all calamities. This is the second step of gradual practice. What happens when karma (no longer) grows? The minds of these practitioners who observe the prohibitions, now free from sensual desire, will not wander outside in search of sense data, but return to the inner (mind). For lack of causal sense data, their organs, thus disengaged from externals, turn back to the (undivided) one to which, since the six functions have ceased to discriminate, all countries will appear pure and clean. This is like a crystal ball with a bright moon inside it. Their bodies and minds will experience joy and great comfort in the state of absolute and perfect impartiality in which the esoteric perfection and pure absoluteness of all Tathagatas appear. They will then achieve the great patience of the uncreated and will continue their progress towards sainthood. This is the third step of gradual practice.”
Progressive Advance in Bodhisattva Development The Stage of Dry Wisdom
“Ananda, these virtuous men will dry up their sensual desire and disengage their organs from sense data; this withering of causes stops the growth of karma. The clinging mind is now empty and clear, being but unmixed wisdom which is perfect and bright by nature, illumining all worlds in the ten directions. This realization of wisdom is called the stage of dry wisdom because they have cut off their sensual habits but have not yet entered the Tathagata’s Dharma stream.”
The Ten Stages of Bodhisattva Faith
“1. (After realizing the dry wisdom, if) they use their (progressive) mind to look into the innermost depth, the perfect and profound (essence of mind) will manifest. This state of absolute perfection leads to that of true absoluteness, resulting in the permanence of absolute faith and the total eradication of all false thinking. This is the Mean in its true purity and is called the stage of Bodhisattva faith. 2. Their faith, thus genuinely achieved, ensures their complete understanding which is no more hindered by the (five) aggregates, (twelve) entrances (ayatana) and (eighteen) fields of senses (dhatu) and thereby embraces the past, present and future. Thus are exposed the vicious habits which led to their countless incarnations in the past, the smallest details of which they can now remember. This is called the stage of remembrance (or unforgetfulness). 3. This absolute perfection in its purity causes the essential (wisdom) to turn all vicious habits contracted since the time without beginning into one bright essence which continues to advance towards the real and the pure. This is called the stage of zealous progress. 4. The essence of the mind, which now manifests, is the wisdom (that destroys the darkness of ignorance). This is called the stage of wisdom. 5. This bright wisdom now shines upon its own substance in stillness and profundity, thus ensuring the permanent union (of function and substance). This is called the stage of dhyana. 6. The light of dhyana becomes brighter; it is now more penetrating and prevents all back-sliding. This is called the stage of non-retrogression. 7. The mind now advancing smoothly preserves all previous achievements and is aware of all Tathagatas in the ten directions. This is the stage of protection of the Dharma. 8. The brightness of wisdom, thus preserved and strengthened, can now, by means of its transcendental power, reflect the light of the Buddha’s compassion and thereby abide within His (body), like two bright mirrors facing and reflecting each other to infinity. This is the stage of reflective powers. 9. The light of the mind then turns inwards and unites forever with the unsurpassed absolute purity of the (inner) Buddha, thereby resting in the non-retrogressive state of transcendental non-activity (wu wei). This is called the stage of (unshaken) discipline (sila). 10. A great comfort derives from this rest in discipline, which enables the mind to roam at will anywhere in the ten directions. This is called the stage of the mind (of high) resolve.”
