The Surangama Sutra

by Hsuan Hua

  [2] “Further, Ānanda, in the midst of his mental darkness, this person’s intense scrutiny within his wondrous awareness may allow him to see inside his own body. Suddenly he may find that he can pull intestinal worms out of his body without harming himself or the worms. This state is called ‘the essential awareness being able to reach deep into the physical body.’ What the practitioner has gained is temporary. It does not indicate that he has become a sage. There is nothing unwholesome about his state unless he thinks that he is now a sage. If he does think he is a sage, he will be open to a host of deviant influences.

  When you have made some progress in your practice, you will have accumulated some treasure, and that’s what these demons are after. What should you do when they come? You have to remain in a state of unmoving suchness and clear understanding. Do not become attached to appearances. Have no attachments at all. Do not think, “Ah, what a fine state this is! I’d love to experience that again!” Don’t welcome these states and don’t reject them. Just continue as if nothing were happening.... Don’t start seeing yourself as a sage, thinking, “Hey, wow! I’m incredible! I can pull parasites out of my body!”... With that one thought of arrogance, the demons will come. They will bore into your mind and take over. They can manipulate you until you have no samādhi left. (VIII, 30)

  [3] “Further, in the midst of his mental darkness, this person’s intense scrutiny may be directed both inward and outward. Then his will and the vital energies of his individual spirit may merge or become dissociated or exchange roles. His body will be unaffected. Suddenly he may hear the sound of someone teaching the Dharma in the middle of the air, or he will hear voices throughout the ten directions proclaiming identical esoteric teachings. This state is called ‘essential mental elements becoming dissociated and reintegrated as the result of the sprouting of wholesome seeds.’8

  What the practitioner has gained is temporary. It does not indicate that he has become a sage. There is nothing unwholesome about his state unless he thinks that he is now a sage. If he does think he is a sage, he will be open to a host of deviant influences.

  [4] “Further, in the midst of his mental darkness, a brilliant light may appear within this person’s mind and then shine forth to imbue everything throughout the ten directions with the purple-golden color of the River Jambu. He may see creatures of every kind becoming Thus-Come Ones. At that moment, he will see Vairocana Buddha9 seated upon a dais of celestial light and surrounded by a thousand Buddhas. Each of these Buddhas, while seated on a lotus-flower, will appear in a hundred million lands at once. This state is called ‘the mind and spirit becoming imbued with a spiritual awakening while the mind illuminates all worlds clearly and in detail.’ There is nothing unwholesome about his state unless he thinks that he is now a sage. If he does think he is a sage, he will be open to a host of deviant influences.

  [5] “Further, in the midst of his mental darkness, as this person continues these contemplations within his wondrous awareness, he may be unable to bring them to a halt. When he tries to subdue his mind so that these visions do not become overwhelming, all of space throughout the ten directions may suddenly take on the colors of the seven precious things or perhaps the colors of a hundred precious gems. Each of these colors will pervade all of space, but without interfering with each other. The practitioner will see the blues, yellows, reds, and whites with perfect clarity. This state is called ‘restraining the mind so that its contemplations do not become excessive.’ What the practitioner has gained is temporary. It does not indicate that he has become a sage. There is nothing unwholesome about his state unless he thinks that he is now a sage. If he does think he is a sage, he will be open to a host of deviant influences.

  [6] “Further, in the midst of his mental darkness, this person’s awareness may shine constantly with a brilliant light. Then in the middle of the night and in darkened rooms, he may be able to see as clearly as if it were broad daylight. Objects that would ordinarily be hidden10 may be clearly visible to him. This state is called ‘refining the mind and purifying the vision to reveal what is hidden so that one can see in the dark.’ What the practitioner has gained is temporary. It does not indicate that he has become a sage. There is nothing unwholesome about his state unless he thinks that he is now a sage If he does think he is a sage, he will be open to a host of deviant influences.

  Some practitioners, when they reach this level, will suddenly see all kinds of things because they have opened their Buddha-eye. However, not everyone is able to open the Buddha-eye, and even if it does open, it may not stay open indefinitely. In the state described here, the Buddha-eye opens temporarily, enabling one to see all of the objects in a dark house as if the house were illuminated.... Another possibility is that one may see a spirit, a ghost, a Bodhisattva, or a Buddha coming into a dark house from outside.... People who have practiced according to the Dharma for a long time may open the Buddha-eye permanently... provided that their minds are constantly pure and that they have practiced the Dharma of great compassion in their previous lives. (VIII, 39–40)

  [7] “Further, in the midst of this person’s mental darkness, what is external and what is internal may become mutually interfused within his awareness. In this state, this person may suddenly become incapable of sensation. It may seem to him that his limbs are made of grass or wood. If he is burned, he will feel nothing. If he is stabbed, he will feel that his body is like a piece of wood that is being carved. This state is called ‘rejecting the four primary elements so that sense-objects disappear and only awareness remains.’ What the practitioner has gained is temporary. It does not indicate that he has become a sage. There is nothing unwholesome about his state unless he thinks that he is now a sage. If he does think he is a sage, he will be open to a host of deviant influences.

  [8] “Further, in the midst of his mental darkness, this person’s awareness may become pure, and as a result, his skill will be perfected. Then he suddenly may see the whole world throughout the ten directions being transformed into a Buddha-land. This land will be filled with the seven precious things and will be suffused with light. In his vision the sky will be filled with magnificent and beautiful multistoried palaces and with Buddhas — with as many Thus-Come Ones as the sand-grains in the River Ganges. Nothing will obstruct this person’s vision of the hells below and of the palatial abodes of the gods above. This state is called ‘thoughts of pleasure and displeasure gradually being transformed and purified as day by day one’s concentration deepens.’ This state does not indicate that the practitioner has become a sage. There is nothing unwholesome about his state unless he thinks that he is now a sage. If he does think he is a sage, he will be open to a host of deviant influences.

  [9] “Further, in the midst of his mental darkness, this person’s mind may explore distant places. In the middle of the night, he may suddenly see marketplaces, or public wells, or streets and lanes. He may see relatives or friends, and he will be able to listen to them conversing. This state is called ‘the mind, having been restrained to an extreme, flying outward to see much that has been blocked from view.’ This state does not indicate that the practitioner has become a sage. There is nothing unwholesome about his state unless he thinks that he is now a sage. If he does think he is a sage, he will be open to a host of deviant influences.

  [10] “Further, in the midst of his mental darkness, as he pushes his mental explorations to their limit, this person may have a vision of himself as a good and wise teacher. He may be able to change his appearance from moment to moment, quickly taking on different forms one after another. This state is called ‘a vision arising from a deviance in the mind, leading to possession by a nightmare-ghost, a mountain spirit, or a celestial demon.’ While he is possessed, the practitioner may speak spontaneously of what he supposes to be the Dharma, and he may claim to have discovered wondrous truths. The practitioner has not become a sage. There is nothing unwholesome about this state unless he thinks that he is now a sage. If he does think he is a sa
ge, he will be open to a host of deviant influences.

  “These ten states, Ānanda, may manifest when these beings practice meditation in stillness and interact with the aggregate of form. They may be dulled and confused by these experiences, and they will no longer be capable of taking a proper measure of themselves. When faced with these circumstances, they will become further confused, and in their failure to know themselves, they will make the claim that they have reached the level of a sage. This egregious falsehood will cause them to fall into the Unrelenting Hell.

  “After my nirvana, you must explain my teachings and transmit them to beings of the time of the Dharma’s ending so that all beings everywhere will understand what I have taught. Do not allow the celestial demons to have their way. Protect these practitioners and lend them support so that they can realize the supreme enlightenment.”

  Ten Demonic States of Mind Associated with the Aggregate of Sense-Perception

  “Ānanda, as this good person practices samādhi and as his mind becomes still, he no will longer experience the aggregate of form. He may see the mind of the Buddhas appear to him as if in a mirror. But he may not know how to make use of that mind. He may undergo what seems to him to be a kind of paralysis. It is as if a deviant being has come into contact with his mind and has prevented him from moving, even though his hands and feet are intact and his vision and hearing are unimpaired. He is now in the region of the aggregate of sense-perception.

  “If the paralysis subsides, his mind will be able to leave his body, and he will be able to look back and see his own face. He will be able to stay or go as he pleases, without further hindrance. Having reached the end of the aggregate of sense-perception, he will now transcend the turbidity of perception. He contemplates how this aggregate arises, and he sees that its basis lies in illusion and deluded thinking.11

  [1] “Ānanda, in this situation, this good person experiences an inner light of great brilliance. If he has been restraining his mind too severely, then wherever he sees beings illuminated by the light that shines forth from his mind, he may immediately be overwhelmed by a boundless sorrow. He will look upon even mosquitoes and worms as he would look upon a newborn child. His mind will be filled with pity, and he will frequently burst into tears without knowing why. This state is called ‘an excess of severity in one’s practice.’ If he understands this state, he will not suppose that he has become a sage, and he will not become confused. Eventually the state will disappear of its own accord. But if he thinks that he has become a sage, then a demonic sorrow will enter into the depths of his mind. Whenever he sees someone, he will feel such sadness that he will break into uncontrollable sobs. Having lost his ability to enter correct samādhi, he is certain to fall.

  [2] “Further, in this samādhi,12 once this good person has seen the aggre-gate of form disintegrate, he will see the aggregate of sense-perception appear. He may then have a vision of his own superiority, for which he feels an overwhelming gratitude. Immediately a boundless courage and intensity may arise within him so that he comes to believe that his resolve is equal to the resolve of all Buddhas. He will announce that he can accomplish in a single moment of thought what others need three quadrillions of eons13 to accomplish. This state is called ‘an excessive and improper haste in trying to excel in one’s spiritual practice.’ If he understands this state, he will not suppose that he has become a sage, and he will not become confused. Eventually the state will disappear of its own accord. But if he thinks that he has become a sage, a demonic insanity will enter into the depths of his mind. He will boast about himself to everyone he meets. In his boundless arrogance he will acknowledge neither Buddhas nor ordinary people. Having lost his ability to enter the correct samādhi, he is certain to fall.

  At this stage of his practice, because the practitioner thinks that he can transcend three asamkhyeya of eons in a single moment of thought, he claims that he is a Buddha.... Such a person has fallen prey to wrong beliefs and viewpoints. It’s true that everyone has the potential to become a Buddha, but to achieve that, one has to practice for a long time.... The time can be shortened if one understands the Buddha’s Dharma and if one practices in accord with the Dharma, but one still can’t become a Buddha in a single moment of thought....

  Because of his intense overexertion, the practitioner becomes courageous and vigorous, and there is nothing wrong with that state if it is used to advance one’s practice in accord with the Dharma. But one must not become conceited and claim to be a Buddha. (VIII, 55–6)

  Excess is as bad as insufficiency. There is little difference between going too far and not going far enough. Neither is in accord with the Middle Way. For example, while traveling, if you go beyond your destination, it’s the same as if you had not gone the full distance. (VIII, 54)

  [3] “Further, in this samādhi, once this good person has seen the aggre-gate of form disintegrate, he will see the aggregate of sense-perception appear. He may then see nothing further to accomplish, while being unable to return to his previous state. He no longer has the wisdom to understand what is happening to him, and he enters a state in which it seems he is in a land that is desolate as far as the eye can see. Suddenly he will experience an overwhelming feeling of inner aridity and longing. He will be plunged at all times into memories that will not fade. He will mistake his situation for evidence that he is being diligent and vigorous. This state is called ‘losing one’s way by practicing without sufficient wisdom.’ If he understands this state, he will not suppose that he has become a sage. But if he thinks that he has become a sage, then a demonic longing for things past will enter into the depths of his mind. Day and night this longing will grasp hold of his mind, and he will not be able to let go of it. Having lost his ability to enter correct samādhi, he is certain to fall.

  In this state, the practitioner feels that everything is meaningless and boring, and he is thirsty because he needs the refreshment of the water of the Dharma. He feels he is drying up and withering away because for him there is nothing at all. Something similar happens with ordinary people who don’t have a spiritual practice, when they start to feel lonely and bored. This loneliness and boredom are certain to lead them into trouble — the same old trouble of thinking about members of the opposite sex — until they feel very anxious and restless. (VIII, 58)

  [4] “Further, in this samādhi, once this good person has seen the aggre-gate of form disintegrate, he will see the aggregate of sense-perception appear. He may have developed his wisdom more strongly than he has developed his samādhi, and as a result he may lose himself in a fierce boldness. He will cherish a belief in his own superiority, and he will make the mistake of supposing that he has become Vairocana Buddha. He will be content with what he believes he has achieved, although in fact he will have accomplished very little. This state is called ‘mental effort leading to a loss of steady discernment upon becoming immersed in a wrong understanding of one’s state of mind.’ If he understands this state, he will not suppose that he has become a sage. But if he thinks that he has become a sage, then his contentment with an inferior accomplishment will become demonic and will seize hold of his mind. Under its influence he will announce, ‘I have discovered the supreme and ultimate truth.’ Having lost his ability to enter correct samādhi, he is certain to fall.

  [5] “Further, in this samādhi, once this good person has seen the aggre-gate of form disintegrate, he will see the aggregate of sense-perception appear. But he may feel that he has not accomplished anything new, as he feels he should have. Yet he cannot resume his previous state of mind, nor can he move forward to a new state. In both what is behind him and what is ahead of him he will sense that he is in peril. Immediately he will become extremely despondent. It may seem to him that he is lying on a bed of hot iron or that he has swallowed a dose of poison. He will have no wish to go on living, and he will persist in asking people to take his life so that he can escape his anxiety with an early death. This state is called ‘losing sight of what method is s
uitable to one’s practice.’ If he understands this state, he will not suppose that he has become a sage. But if he thinks that he has become a sage, then his chronic despondency will become demonic and will take over his mind. He may seize a sword and slash his own flesh, happy to give up his life, or driven by his chronic despondency, he may flee into the mountain forests because he cannot bear the company of other people. Having lost his ability to enter correct samādhi, he is certain to fall.

  Now that you’ve read this passage, take care not to be unhappy all the time. Don’t be weepy and melancholy. If you keep feeling worried and depressed, this demon will take possession of you. Both the demon and you are equally responsible for sustaining this state, for the demon avails itself of your energy.... If it tells you to worry, you can become so worried that you flee from the company of other people. (VIII, 66)

  [6] “Further, in this samādhi, once this good person has seen the aggre-gate of form disintegrate, he will see the aggregate of sense-perception appear. He may come to abide in a state of purity, and his mind will be at peace. A feeling of boundless joy may suddenly well up within him. He will take such pleasure in this state of mind that he loses control of it. This state is called ‘feeling what one takes to be serenity but lacking the wisdom to exercise self-control.’ If he understands this state, he will not suppose that he has become a sage. But if he thinks that he has become a sage, then his fondness for joy will become demonic and will take hold of his mind. He will laugh whenever he meets someone, and he will sing and dance in the streets. He will claim to have attained an unimpeded liberation. Having lost his ability to enter correct samādhi, he is certain to fall.