The Surangama Sutra

by Hsuan Hua

  People like this comprehend what’s going on. They understand social graces. But they don’t have a genuine and comprehensive understanding that allows them to see into the past and comprehend the present.... They simply attain a superficial kind of success in dealing with the world. (VII, 187)

  “Ānanda, all these people have paid their debts from previous lives and have regained their human form. Since time without beginning, they had been creating the karma that results from deluded scheming, and they had been taking turns killing and being killed. If they do not encounter a Thus-Come One or if they do not hear the true Dharma, then in the midst of the stress of entanglement with perceived objects, they will repeat this cycle of karma indefinitely, as the Dharma explains. These people are to be deeply pitied.”

  The Destiny of the Ascetic Masters

  “Ānanda, there are also people who practice kinds of samādhi that do not follow the path that leads to true awakening. Instead, their practices are based on a mistaken intent to fortify the physical body. They seclude themselves in mountain forests beyond the reach of people. These are the ascetic masters, of which there are ten kinds.62

  “Some of these beings, Ānanda, in their effort to fortify themselves, tirelessly devote themselves to a diet of medicinal potions. When they have perfected this dietary practice, they become ascetic masters who are earth-bound.

  “Some of them, in order to fortify themselves, tirelessly devote themselves to a diet of medicinal herbs. When they have perfected this practice, they become ascetic masters who can fly.

  “Some of them, in order to fortify themselves, tirelessly devote themselves to ingesting precious metals and minerals. When they have perfected their alchemical practice, they become ascetic masters who are adept at roaming freely.

  “Some of them, in order to fortify themselves, tirelessly devote themselves, whether they are moving or still, to bringing their spirit and their vital energies to perfection. When they have perfected this practice, they become ascetic masters who are adept at astral travel.

  “Some of them, in order to fortify themselves, tirelessly devote themselves to transforming their saliva. When they have perfected this practice, they become ascetic masters who can travel to the heavens.

  When the tongue is placed on the roof of the mouth, saliva accumulates. Some non-Buddhist practitioners call this “ambrosia,” “water from heaven,” and other such names. The process is complete when the saliva is swallowed.... The faces of these ascetic masters take on a glow from this practice, and although they may be very old, their faces have a child-like appearance. (VII, 194)

  “Some of them, in order to fortify themselves, tirelessly devote themselves to absorbing the essences of celestial bodies. When they have perfected this practice, they become ascetic masters who can travel everywhere freely.

  These ascetic masters practice breathing in the essence of the sun and the moon.... For example, in the morning, they face the sun and inhale three hundred and sixty times. In the evening, they face the moon and inhale another three hundred and sixty times....

  Actually, some of the ascetic masters’ practices are similar to Buddhist practices. One major difference is that the ascetic masters’ practices involve attachments, whereas Buddhist practices do not. The kind of skill that the ascetic masters develop is basically all right, but they become attached to it.... Due to this attachment, they cannot completely transcend the cycle of death and rebirth. (VII, 194–5)

  “Some of them, in order to fortify themselves, tirelessly devote themselves to reciting mantras and observing prohibitions. When they have perfected their skill in these practices, they become ascetic masters who adhere to a specific path.63

  “Some of them, in order to fortify themselves, tirelessly devote themselves to mental control of their vital energies. When they have perfected this practice so that they can bring it to mind at will, they become ascetic masters who practice by means of contemplative illumination.

  When these ascetic masters have perfected their practice, they have a kind of light. In thought after thought, they imagine that they are transformed into a golden light. When they hold this thought for a long time... they may eventually have some success. Because of the way these masters gain some light, they are referred to as “ascetic masters who practice by means of contemplative illumination.” (VII, 196)

  “Some of them, in order to fortify themselves, tirelessly devote themselves to an internal union of energies. When they have perfected this practice, they become ascetic masters who are adept at a practice that is based on their inner essences.

  “Some of them, in order to fortify themselves, tirelessly devote themselves to following the principles of internal change. When they have perfected their understanding of this practice, they become ascetic masters who are without peer.

  “Ānanda, all these are people who, in training their minds, do not follow a path that leads to a correct awakening. Instead, they seek to know the secrets of living a long life, and they may live for thousands of years. They retire deep into the mountains or onto an island in the ocean, cutting themselves off from human contact. However, because of their deluded thinking, they too are bound to the cycle of death and rebirth. They do not practice the correct samādhi, and therefore, although they have lived long lives as a result of their practices, they too must die and enter one of the various destinies.”

  The Destiny of the Gods

  A. The Gods of the Six Heavens of Desire

  [1] “Ānanda, some people in this world do not seek what is everlasting and cannot yet renounce their love and affection for their spouses. But if their minds do not turn to thoughts of sexual misconduct, they will develop a certain purity and radiance. After their lives have ended, they will ascend to the vicinity of the sun and moon. Such people become gods in the Heaven of the Four Kings.

  Not to “seek what is everlasting” can mean that these people don’t seek eternal life in this world, but it can also mean that they don’t seek the everlasting true mind.... These individual are not interested in sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct means engaging in sexual activities with someone other than one’s spouse and does not apply to sexual activities between married couples. However, even in marriage, such activities should not be excessive. When you practice in accord with Dharma, no matter how much merit and virtue you may have, you must not engage in sexual misconduct; otherwise, all your hard work will be in vain.... When one does not engage in sexual misconduct, one will be pure, and out of that purity comes light — the natural light of virtue. (VII, 201–2)

  [2] “Some others have only a small amount of desire for their spouses, but they do not manage to live in complete purity. After their lives have ended, they will ascend beyond the sun and moon to dwell at the summit of Mount Sumeru. Such people become gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

  Those who become gods in the Heaven of the Four Kings did not engage in sexual misconduct, but they still desired their spouses.... The text discusses people with very little regard for sexual activity even within their marriage.... With little emotional desire, the light of their true nature comes forth and enables them to be reborn in the heavens. But because they don’t know how to practice in accord with Dharma, they do not attain complete purity. (VII, 203–4)

  Why do some people have such strong sexual desires? It’s because of the formidable obstacles that their karma places in their path.... Such obstacles cause people to think of nothing but sex from morning till night.... However, it’s precisely in the midst of these obstacles that we must wake up and realize the need to reduce their power over us. If we simply accept our karmic obstacles, we will continue to fall, and we will be reborn as an animal in the future. The stronger our desires, the farther we will fall. (VII, 203)

  On the other hand, if you want to be reborn in the heavens, just have few desires and be content. (VII, 207)

  [3] “Some others will succumb to desire when an occasion arises, but after an indulgence they give the m
atter no further thought. While they are in the human realm, their desire is quiescent more than it is active. After their lives have ended, they abide peacefully, shining with their own radiance, in a realm of space that is so far above the sun and the moon as to be beyond the reach of sunlight and moonlight. Such people become gods in the Heaven of Self-Restraint.

  [4] “Some others are always still, except when they are unable to resist the stimulus of contact. After their lives have ended, they ascend to a refined place that is isolated from the lower heavens and from the human realm. Here they are untouched even by the three great disasters that come at the end of an eon.64 Such people become gods of the Heaven of Joyous Contentment.65

  [5] “Some others have no desire themselves but will respond to the actions of their spouses. For them the act itself has no more flavor than wax. After their lives are ended, they ascend still higher to a realm of creativity. Such people become gods in the Heaven of Delight in Creating.

  [6] “Yet others have no mundane thoughts. Although their actions seem no different than the actions of ordinary people, their minds transcend the acts that they engage in. After their lives are ended, they ascend beyond all the lower heavens, including the Heaven of Delight in Creating. Such people are born in the Heaven of Pleasure Derived from What Others Create.

  Nothing in the environment of this heaven originates there. The gods here take delight in the offerings made by beings from other heavens. The bliss is vast here, and there’s no work to be done. (VII, 208–9)

  “Ānanda, these six kinds of gods have transcended the physical act of mating, but their minds are not free of it. Because of this, they have had to return to these heavens, which belong to the realm of desire.

  B. The Gods of the Eighteen Heavens of Form: The First Dhyāna66

  [1] “Ānanda, some people in this world, in refining their minds, do not avail themselves of the practice of meditation in stillness, and so they do not develop wisdom. Nevertheless, if they can refrain from sexual activity and if their minds are free at all times of any thought of sexual desire such that they are undefiled by sexual passion, they will not remain in the realm of desire. These people, if they wish, may be reborn as one of the companions of Brahma in the Heaven of Brahma’s Retinue.

  [2] “These people have cast out their habits of desire, and with their minds free of desire, they delight in following the precepts and the rules of deportment. At all times, they are able to practice the virtue of purity, and so they become gods in the Heaven of the Ministers of Brahma.

  [3] “When in body and mind these people have attained a wondrous perfection such that their flawless deportment inspires awe, they will not only follow the prohibitory precepts in complete purity but will gain a clarity of understanding as well. They become great Brahman kings in the Heaven of the Great Brahma, and at all times they are able to govern their retinues of gods.

  “Ānanda, the gods at these three levels are free of the burdens of suffering and affliction. Although their samādhi is not the genuine samādhi that results from correct practice, their minds are nevertheless pure, and their outflows are not active. These are the gods of the heavens of the first dhyāna.

  If you practice in accord with Dharma, your pulse may stop when you reach the level of the first dhyāna.... However, this is not a lofty state; it’s just a first step in one’s practice. (VII, 214)

  C. The Gods of the Eighteen Heavens of Form: The Second Dhyāna

  [4] “Next, Ānanda, above the gods of the Brahma Heavens are gods who govern them and who have perfected the practice of purity. The minds of these higher gods are lucid and still. From their deep tranquility, light comes forth. They abide in the Heaven of Lesser Light.

  [5] “Next are gods who emit light and who — as they shine upon one another with an inexhaustible brilliance — illumine their realm throughout the ten directions, turning it all to crystal. They abide in the Heaven of All-Permeating Light.

  [6] “Next are gods who take full control of their light, having mastered the essence of the teaching about it. They are able to emit and to respond to many kinds of pure light, and they use this light to convey countless meanings. They abide in the Heaven of Speech by Means of Light.

  In this heaven, the gods communicate by sending pulses of light to each other. Their ideas are transmitted by means of their light. (VII, 216)

  “The gods of these three heavens, which are higher than the heavens of the first dhyāna, are freed from the burdens of worry and anxiety. Although their samādhi is not the genuine samādhi that results from correct practice, their minds are nevertheless pure, and their coarse outflows have been subdued. They are the gods of the heavens of the second dhyāna.

  When practitioners meditate and enter the second dhyāna, their breath comes to a halt, and just as in the first dhyāna, their pulse stops.... If someone’s pulse stops, doesn’t it mean that he or she is dead? Not in this case, because even though the external evidence of a pulse is gone, the pulse of one’s essential nature is active. The same applies to the breath. In other words, the true breath and pulse of one’s essential nature awaken and take over, so the coarse forms of the pulse and the breath can stop. (VII, 217)

  D. The Gods of the Eighteen Heavens of Form: The Third Dhyāna

  [7] “Ānanda, to the gods who have perfected light as a medium of communication, the wondrous secrets of this medium are now revealed. They refine their practice until they succeed in opening their minds to the bliss of stillness. These are the gods of the Heaven of Lesser Purity.

  [8] “Next they experience a state of purity and emptiness which expands until it becomes boundless. Their bodies and minds are serene and are filled with tranquil bliss. These are the gods of the Heaven of All-Permeating Purity.

  [9] “After their bodies and minds have become completely pure, the world itself is purified due to the virtue of their perfected purity. This purified state becomes a superior place of refuge in which they can rest in the bliss of tranquility. These are the gods of the Heaven of Universal Purity.

  “Ānanda, in these three heavens, which are above the heavens of the second dhyāna, the gods experience perfect harmony, and their bodies and minds are peaceful and secure. They enjoy all-permeating bliss. Their samādhi is not the genuine samādhi that results from correct practice, but because their minds are peaceful and secure, they are filled with bliss. These are the gods of the Heavens of the third dhyāna.

  Before you reach the third dhyāna, your thoughts are still active. For instance, when your pulse stops, you may think, “Why has my pulse stopped?” and with that one thought, the pulse starts again. When your breath stops, you may think, “I’m not breathing!” and as soon as you have that thought, the breath starts again. This is what happens before your thoughts stop. Now, in the third dhyāna,... thoughts no longer arise. You pay no attention to your pulse or to your breath.... When no thoughts arise, you realize the genuine bliss of stillness. (VII, 222)

  E. The Gods of the Eighteen Heavens of Form: The Fourth Dhyāna

  [10] “Moreover, Ānanda, there are gods whose bodies and minds are no longer creating the causes for future suffering. They realize that the bliss of the heavens is impermanent and must eventually decay, and they thereupon renounce both suffering and bliss. Because they have put an end to all coarse and burdensome mental attributes, the essence of pure blessing is created. These are the gods of the Heaven of the Creation of Blessings.

  [11] “Once they have wholly renounced those mental states,67 they gain a superior understanding and purity. In their state of unlimited merit, they experience a wondrous harmony that is everlasting. These are the gods of the Heaven of Cherished Blessings.

  [12] “From that heaven, Ānanda, the path divides. On one path, some gods of the Heaven of Cherished Blessings are able to shine with a pure and infinite radiance such that the light of their blessings and their merit is perfected. They will be secure in the results of their practice and will become gods of the Heaven of Great
Fruition.

  [13] “On the other path are gods who, while dwelling in the Heaven of Cherished Blessings, reject both suffering and bliss and intensely and unrelentingly investigate the practice of renunciation. When they have thoroughly understood that practice and have completely mastered it, their bodies disintegrate, and for five hundred eons their minds are utterly still, like cold and compacted ashes.68 But because they have based their practice on the mind that comes into being and ceases to be, they are unable to discover the true nature that neither comes into being nor ceases to be. Their cognitive processes cease but then revive during the last half of the final eon.69 These are the gods of the Heaven of the Cessation of Cognition.

  When these gods’ cognitive processes revive, their lives enter a period of decline, and they begin to speak ill of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. They say, “The Buddha said that an Arhat at the fourth stage has ended death and rebirth. I am an Arhat at the fourth stage, so why am I on my way to undergo death and rebirth again? Probably the Buddha lied about this.”... In fact, reaching the level of the fourth dhyāna definitely does not mean that one has become a fourth-stage Arhat or even a first-stage Arhat. (VII, 226)

  “Ānanda, the gods of these four heavens, which are above the heavens of the third dhyāna, can no longer be influenced by any worldly states of suffering or bliss. However, they do not base their practice on the unmoving and unconditioned mind, and they still harbor intentions to attain something. Yet their spiritual skill is pure and perfected. These are the gods of the heavens of the fourth dhyāna.

  F. The Gods of the Eighteen Heavens of Form: The Pure Abodes