Attainment and Not Abiding
(Surangama Samadhi Sutra, BDK ed, p 32)
"Resolute Mind asked, "Have you, sir, attained the Surangama Samadhi?"
The Indra king replied, "Could the characteristics of 'attain' and 'not attain' exist within this samadhi?"
Resolute Mind said, "No."
The Indra king said, "Good youth, you should understand that when a Bodhisattva practices this samadhi, there is nothing that is attained in any of the dharmas."
Resolute Mind said, "Since your understanding is like this, you must have already attained the Surangama Samadhi."
The king said, "Good youth, I do not perceive that the dharmas have any place of residence. He who has no residence in all the dharmas has attained the Surangama Samadhi. Good youth, to reside in this samadhi is to be completely without residence in all the dharmas. If one is without residence, then one is without grasping."
Buddha is an Ordinary Fellow
(p 40-41)
"To be able to penetrate [the fact] that there is no difference between the dharmas of ordinary people and the dharmas of the Buddha is called cultivation. But in fact, there is neither conjoining nor dispersing in these dharmas. Good youth, this is because there is no characteristic of birthlessness in all collocations of dharmas, because there is no characteristic of disintegration in all collocations of dharmas, because all collocations of dharmas have the characteristic of emptiness, and because there is no characteristic of acceptance in all collocations of dharmas."
Who Has Bound You?
(p 49-50)
"Thus it is that all ordinary persons, in their discriminative thinking, mistakenly grasp at characteristics, making themselves bound. Their bonds exist because they think actively and theorize argumentatively; their bonds exist because they see, hear, perceive, and know. Here there actually is no being bound and emancipated. Why? Because the dharmas are without bonds and are fundamentally emancipated, and because the dharmas are without emancipation and are fundamentally without bonds, [therefore the dharmas] permanently possess the characteristic of emancipation, and [therefore sentient beings are permanently] without stupidity."
The Realm of Mara is the Realm of the Buddha
(p 59)
"Mara's realm is suchlike, just as the realm of the Buddhas is suchlike. The Suchness of Mara's realm and the Suchness of the realm of the Buddhas are identical and not separate, and we will not transcend this Suchness. The characteristics of Mara's realm are the characteristics of the realm of the Buddhas. The dharmas of Mara's realm and the dharmas of the realm of the Buddhas are identical and not separate, and we will not leave or escape this characteristic of the dharmas. Mara's realm is without any fixed dharmas that can be manifested; likewise is the realm of the Buddhas without any fixed dharmas that can be manifested. Mara's realm and the realm of the Buddhas are not different and not separate, and we will not leave or escape this characteristic of the dharmas. Therefore, you should understand that all the dharmas are indeterminate."
Wisdom is Skillful Means
(p 77)
"Mind of Name, if a Bodhisattva is able to contemplate the dharmas as empty and unobstructed, with each moment of thought completely extinguished and transcending like and dislike, this is to cultivate this samadhi. Also, Mind of Name, one cannot study this samadhi by one approach alone. Why? In accordance with the activities [samskara] of the minds and mental attributes [citta-caitta] of sentient beings, this samadhi has various practices. In accordance with the sensory realms [ayatana] of the minds and mental attributes of sentient beings, this samadhi has various realms. In accordance with the entryways of the senses of sentient beings, this samadhi has various entryways. In accordance with the names and forms of sentient beings, Bodhisattvas who have attained this samadhi also manifest a variety of names and forms. To be able to understand thus is to cultivate this samadhi. In accordance with all the names and forms and physical characteristics of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas who have attained this samadhi also manifest a variety of names and forms and physical characteristics. To be able to understand thus is to cultivate this samadhi. In accordance with [their] vision of all the Buddha lands, Bodhisattvas are also able to create such lands. This is to cultivate this samadhi."
(Surangama Samadhi Sutra, BDK ed, p 32)
"Resolute Mind asked, "Have you, sir, attained the Surangama Samadhi?"
The Indra king replied, "Could the characteristics of 'attain' and 'not attain' exist within this samadhi?"
Resolute Mind said, "No."
The Indra king said, "Good youth, you should understand that when a Bodhisattva practices this samadhi, there is nothing that is attained in any of the dharmas."
Resolute Mind said, "Since your understanding is like this, you must have already attained the Surangama Samadhi."
The king said, "Good youth, I do not perceive that the dharmas have any place of residence. He who has no residence in all the dharmas has attained the Surangama Samadhi. Good youth, to reside in this samadhi is to be completely without residence in all the dharmas. If one is without residence, then one is without grasping."
Buddha is an Ordinary Fellow
(p 40-41)
"To be able to penetrate [the fact] that there is no difference between the dharmas of ordinary people and the dharmas of the Buddha is called cultivation. But in fact, there is neither conjoining nor dispersing in these dharmas. Good youth, this is because there is no characteristic of birthlessness in all collocations of dharmas, because there is no characteristic of disintegration in all collocations of dharmas, because all collocations of dharmas have the characteristic of emptiness, and because there is no characteristic of acceptance in all collocations of dharmas."
Who Has Bound You?
(p 49-50)
"Thus it is that all ordinary persons, in their discriminative thinking, mistakenly grasp at characteristics, making themselves bound. Their bonds exist because they think actively and theorize argumentatively; their bonds exist because they see, hear, perceive, and know. Here there actually is no being bound and emancipated. Why? Because the dharmas are without bonds and are fundamentally emancipated, and because the dharmas are without emancipation and are fundamentally without bonds, [therefore the dharmas] permanently possess the characteristic of emancipation, and [therefore sentient beings are permanently] without stupidity."
The Realm of Mara is the Realm of the Buddha
(p 59)
"Mara's realm is suchlike, just as the realm of the Buddhas is suchlike. The Suchness of Mara's realm and the Suchness of the realm of the Buddhas are identical and not separate, and we will not transcend this Suchness. The characteristics of Mara's realm are the characteristics of the realm of the Buddhas. The dharmas of Mara's realm and the dharmas of the realm of the Buddhas are identical and not separate, and we will not leave or escape this characteristic of the dharmas. Mara's realm is without any fixed dharmas that can be manifested; likewise is the realm of the Buddhas without any fixed dharmas that can be manifested. Mara's realm and the realm of the Buddhas are not different and not separate, and we will not leave or escape this characteristic of the dharmas. Therefore, you should understand that all the dharmas are indeterminate."
Wisdom is Skillful Means
(p 77)
"Mind of Name, if a Bodhisattva is able to contemplate the dharmas as empty and unobstructed, with each moment of thought completely extinguished and transcending like and dislike, this is to cultivate this samadhi. Also, Mind of Name, one cannot study this samadhi by one approach alone. Why? In accordance with the activities [samskara] of the minds and mental attributes [citta-caitta] of sentient beings, this samadhi has various practices. In accordance with the sensory realms [ayatana] of the minds and mental attributes of sentient beings, this samadhi has various realms. In accordance with the entryways of the senses of sentient beings, this samadhi has various entryways. In accordance with the names and forms of sentient beings, Bodhisattvas who have attained this samadhi also manifest a variety of names and forms. To be able to understand thus is to cultivate this samadhi. In accordance with all the names and forms and physical characteristics of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas who have attained this samadhi also manifest a variety of names and forms and physical characteristics. To be able to understand thus is to cultivate this samadhi. In accordance with [their] vision of all the Buddha lands, Bodhisattvas are also able to create such lands. This is to cultivate this samadhi."
