Tathagatagarbha Buddhism (17)
Continuation of quotes from the "Angulimaliya Sutra": (Note that this part of the sutra contains an immensely important statement - namely that the essence of all things is the Tathagatagarbha: 'That mind which is said to be intrinsically pure is the tathāgata-garbha. That is foremost of all phenomena, for all phenomena have the tathāgata-garbha as their intrinsic nature (svabhāva). ' This is why Tathagatagarbha Buddhism is mysticism: it teaches that the essence of All is One (pure Buddhahood - the Tathagatagarbha). And this Buddhahood of the pure Buddhic mind lies within us and is able to be penetrated and directly known. It is the Immortal within all beings and all things).
“Mañjuśrī, I have previously taught the following:
‘I have taught the path that severs the thorns of misery.
Since the Tathāgata is the Teacher,
you should now apply yourself vigorously
to the path that I have taught !’
“There are two paths that I have taught. What are those two ? The Śrāvaka-yāna path and the bodhisattva-yāna path. Of those, the Śravaka-yāna path is the noble eightfold path. The bodhisattva-yāna path is the path that severs the thorns of misery which I have taught, that is, the tathāgata-garbha exists in all beings. Just as I have attained the impeturbable with regard to my dhātu, so too may all beings sever billions of afflictions through the method intended by the Sugata, but if they are not severed, then they will certainly wander lost in saṃsāra. ‘Misery’ (śoka) signifies the afflictions. One who extracts the ‘thorns’ is a synonym for the Tathāgata. This signifies that just as one goes to a doctor who carries out the procedures of emesis, lavage and lancing, you too should come to me if you want to eradicate the billions of afflictions and I shall explain the tathāgata-garbha. ‘You should apply yourself vigorously’ with respect to my utterances with underlying meaning (sandhā-vacana). As for ‘the Tathāgata is the Teacher’, there are various statements such as ‘The arising of a Buddha is like an udumbara flower and a perfection of faith is like gold dust’, ‘Pleasing the Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfect Buddha is like a turtle passing its neck through the hole in a yoke’, ‘Do not say that the subject of this tathāgata-garbha sūtra is non-existent’, ‘Say that the results of longevity and livelihood do exist’, ‘You will be liberated from all samsaric existences and all diseases of the afflictions’: therefore the Tathāgata is the Teacher.
“I taught the following in thecontext of the Śrāvaka-yāna:
‘Strive to do what is wholesome
suppress what is evil;
those indolent towards the meritorious
take pleasure in evil deeds’.
“This signifies that the tathāgata-garbha is very difficult to grasp: there is nothing that exemplifies it in the world, therefore it is very difficult to grasp. Because there is nothing that exemplifies it in the world, quickly focus your attention upon the tathāgata-garbha. Act thus ! What is the meaning of ‘do not take pleasure in evil deeds’ ? I shall explain the meaning. The mind is intrinsically pure, but because of the drawbacks of cleaving to unwholesome companions, monks become involved with and surrounded by many impurities such as the five impurities and so forth. What are the five impurities and so forth ? Sensual lust (kāma), longing (chanda), malice (vyāpāda), the set of three -- slackness (styāna), drowsiness (middha) and agitation (auddhatya) – and doubt (vicikitsā). These five damage (sun-‘byin-pa) the mind. You should apply yourself vigorously in order to purify the many impurities such as the five impurities and so forth, you should apply yourself vigorously with respect to the intrinsic purity of the mind. ‘Quickly, quickly !’ means that you should apply yourself vigorosly in order to liberate youself before you might abandon this sūtra, before you might become an icchantika. ‘Quckly, quickly !’ means that you should uproot the billions of adventitious impurities of the afflictions from the mind.
“The mind precedes all phenomena,
the mind is foremost: they are mind in nature;
if one acts or speaks with a lucidly pure mind,
one will become blissful, just as one’s shadow follows one.
“The ‘mind’ (manas) which is taught in the Śrāvaka-yāna signifies the tathāgata-garbha. That mind which is said to be intrinsically pure is the tathāgata-garbha. That is foremost of all phenomena, for all phenomena have the tathāgata-garbha as their intrinsic nature (svabhāva). As for ‘acts or speaks with a lucidly pure mind’, that which is severed from all the billions of afflictions, has revealed one’s dhātu and is lucidly pure is the tathāgata-garbha itself. Then, as for ‘if one acts or speaks’, after having achieved buddhahood, all that one does or says will liberate the world, and the tathāgata-garbha will be seen at that time, just as a person sees his shadow. Therefore, it says ‘just a shadow follows’. This is the meaning of that verse.
“The mind precedes all phenomena,
the mind is foremost: they are mind in nature;
if one acts or speaks with a confused mind,
one will experience suffering, just as a cart is drawn along.
“The subject matter of this verse signifies the creation of the afflictions ["kleshas" - mental and moral contaminants]. As for ‘a confused mind’, this means that it is confused because it is enveloped by billions of afflictions. This means that when the mind is in that state, the tathāgata-garbha is submerged within billions of afflictions. Then, all that one does or says will be accompanied by suffering. As for ‘just as a cart is drawn along’, just as a wheel follows along after an ox, likewise beings are dragged around by a heap of evil deeds and wander lost in the realms of the hells and animal states. Therefore, it is established that ‘those who are indolent towards the meritorious take pleasure in evil deeds’.
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or click on "Tathagatagarbha 18" below!
