Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!noao!ncar!gatech!prism!mailer.cc.fsu.edu!sun13!ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu From: v062qjjq@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (David T Wei) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: The Sutra of Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching (part-2) Message-ID: <62236@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> Date: 27 Feb 91 21:20:16 GMT Sender: news@sun13.scri.fsu.edu Reply-To: v062qjjq@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu Organization: University at Buffalo Lines: 120 Approved: mayne@nu.cs.fsu.edu Notes: Bhikshu, is a religious mendicant, one who has left home, and has been fully ordained by 250 commandments. According to the Note of Vimalakirti Sutra, the word "Bhikshu" contains four meanings; (1) one who merely depends on alms for living; (2) one who desstros the passions and delusions; (3) one who could fully keep the commandments; and (4) one who shall be able to overawe Mara and his minions. Pratimokas is deliverance, emancipation; prati(towards), implies the getting rid of evils one by one. There are different Pratimoksas for the seven classes of Buddha's diciples: (1) Bhikshu-monk; (2) bhikshuni-nun; (3) Siksamana, a novice who observes the six commandments; (4) Sramanera, and (5) Sramanerika - male and female observes of the minor commandments; (6) Upasaka - male observers of the five commandments; and (7) Upasika - female ditto. Gurudev or great teacher is one who is able to teach the Sravaka (a hearer who understands the four doctrines rides himself of the unreality of the phenomena and enters Nirvana) what thing he should do and what he should not do. Keeping the commandments is one of the six Paramitas, i.e., the six infinite means of crossing the sea of mortality. The six Paramitas are: (1) Dana, charity, including the bestowing of the truth on others; (2) Sila, keeping the commandments; (3) Ksanta, patient under insult; (4) Zeal and progress; (5) Prajna, wisdom, the power discern reality. The Introduction of the Saddharmapundarika Sutra states that one who makes unadulterated progress by keeping the commandments is just like one who protects the bright pearls with full vigour. The fiery-pit is one of the Five Desires which is caused by the objects of the five senses - things, seen, heard, smelt, tasted, or touched. One who controls the three poisons,. namely, greed, anger and stupidity, and doesn't do any evil, has fixed the mind, in right contemplation, to seek for salvation. The four offerings for a monk are: clothing, victuals, bedding and medicine. Ch'an is Dhyana, probably a transliteration; Ting is an interpretation of Samadhi. The Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra states that one who enters deeper ch'an and ting, will have vision of Buddhas in the ten direction of space. What is said of "many stages of Ch'an and Ting" indicates the four Dhyanas on the form-realms and the eight concerntrations, i.e., four on the form-realms and four on the formless-realms. The Nirvana Sutra states that there are eight concentrations, i.e., four on the form-realms and rout on the formless-realms. The Nirvana Sutra states that there are eight aspects of sufferings; the suffering of birth, the suffering of old age, the suffering of illness, the suffering of death, the suffering of separation from beloved ones, the suffering of yearning. the sufferings of being in the company of our enemies, and the suffering from the five "khandhas" or senses. The five commandments (against killing, stealing, adultery, lying and intoxicating liquors) and the ten good virtues ( defined as the non-committal of the ten evils namely, killing, stealing, adultery, lying, double-tongue, coarse language, filthy language, covetousness, anger and perverted views) are the good conducts in the mundane world; while the three vehicles of learning- discipline, meditation and wisdom--are the good conducts in the supra-mundane world. (3) TO CONTROL THE MIND ------------------- Ye Bhikshus! If already you are able to keep the commandments, you must control the five roots, i.e., the five organs of senses. Their five desires ought not to enter through your self-indulgence. It is just like a cowherd, taking a stick and watching the cows, does not allowing them to run to another man's field which is ripe for the harvest. So, if you indulge the five organs of senses, not only will their desires not be stopped within the limited boundary, but, like failing to control a bad house by holding the reins, soon it will make a man fall into a pit. Likewise, you will be subject to suffering through many Yugas if you were oppressed by it. The evils of that brigand (the five organs of senses) extends through many lives and creates very great harm for which you have to be careful yourself. The wise men, therefore, control them and are not attached to them. These desires should be kept like thieves in prison, who are not allowed to run wild. Even those who entertain them, which may be extinguished before long. As for these five organs of senses, the mind acts as their master. So you must always control your mind will. Being much more than a poisonous snake, fierce beasts and fettered thieves, the mind ought to be feared dissatisfaction. It is indescrible that how terrible it is like a big fire beyond control. It is like, for instance, a man who, carrying a vessel of honey, goes jumping and dancing along his path looking only at the vessel of honey, and fails to notice a deep pit. Or,again, it is like a mad elephant without a goad, or like a monkey who, getting up a tree, is prancing and jumping, and cannot, except with difficulty, be stopped and controlled. You must hasten to deflect these desires and should not allow them to run wild. If you are indulgent to this very mind, you would lose the good of being a man. If you limit these desires in one place, there is nought you cannot accomplish. For this reason, Ye Bhikshus you ought to acquire progress skilfully and diligently, and subdue your minds. Notes: The five organs of the senses are: eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body, they being the roots of knowing. Cow is used as and illustration of the Five Roots and cowherd as Bhikshu while taking stick illustrates the keeping of commandments and harvest for all the goodness of meritorious virtues such as contemplation, wisdom, etc. The word 'pit' here is used as an illustration of the three evil direction of reincarnation: (1) Naraka-gati, or that of the hells; (2) Preta-gati, of hungry ghosts and (3) Tirygyoni-gati, of animals. Yuga, an age, 1000th part of a Kalpa. According to Lun Yu, a period of thirty years. (4) ON TEMPERANCE IN EATING ------------------------ Ye Bhikshus! In receiving all food and drink you ought to accept them as though you are taking medicine. You should not increase and decrease the things which you like or dislike; food should support just your bodies and avoid starvation and thirst. As the bee in seeking flowers, takes only the taste of them, but does not harm their fragrance and color, so also Bhikshus, do ye accept just enough of people's offerings to avoid self-distress. Don't have many demands and thereby break their good hearts. A man of wisdom, for example, having judged the amount of the capacity of his ox's strength, does not wear out its strength by overloading.