The Annotated True Buddha Sutra

Written by Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Janny Chow

Day 2

Discourse No. 2:
(October 7th, 1988)

Supplication for the blessing of Living Buddha Lian-sheng:

Om Ah Hum.
With reverence I make my purified body, speech, and mind
an offering to Mahavairocana.
The Holy Buddhalocana is the Dharma Body,
and Padmakumara is the Bliss Body,
Living Buddha Lian-sheng is the Emanation Body,
these three bodies being the same in essence
as the Buddha`s Grace.
Homage to His True Buddha lineage,
and to His transcendent power that encompasses the whole Universe.

Today I will continue to discuss the True Buddha Sutra.

In chanting this sutra, one begins first with the `supplication for the blessing of Living Buddha Lian-sheng.`

The three [Sanskrit] seed-syllables in the beginning, `Om, Ah, Hum,` have already been explained as follows:

`Om` is the Universe,
`Ah` is One, the Buddha,
`Hum` is fruit, the Fruition.

`Om, Ah, Hum` is the same as: The Buddhas in the Universe have manifested all phenomena, all fruition.

Actually these three seed-syllables are very profound.

They need not refer only to all phenomenal manifestations of the Universe and the Buddhas. They can also mean:

The Purity of Heaven,
The Purity of Earth,
The Purity of sentient beings
- The Original Purity of Beings.

Now the next verse, which is a supplication: `With reverence I make my purified body, speech, and mind an offering to Mahavairocana.`

One may think this easy. Is it not after all quite simple to make an offering to the Mahavairocana, through our body, speech, and mind? Actually such an offering is most difficult.

Purification of body, speech, and mind means that everything in the body is pure, that everything related to speech is pure, and all thoughts are likewise pure. Thus one`s wholly pure being is what must be offered to the Great Sun Buddha.

Don`t think that the body is purified simply by taking a bath. This washes the outside but not the inside. Although you have already sat on the `lotus` [the toilet], some dirt nevertheless remains inside [the body].

The purification of the body means that one`s hands have committed no offense such as theft or physical trespass. Taking a bath is not enough.

The second purification is that of speech. I told the students at our `mail answering department` that every practitioner should `have a zipper across the mouth` and keep it `zipped up` to prevent unnecessary quarrels and disputes. The exception to this would be meal times, but otherwise we should keep our mouths closed.

The mouths of many people bring forth `flying swords,` not `sweets` (like chocolate). Otherwise they are just talking hypocrisy, lies, nonsense, or being flirtatious. When one commits no transgression by the mouth, that is pure speech.

I find however that this is also quite difficult, because everyone is afflicted with the compulsion to respond to provocation. If one keeps one`s mouth shut, then one`s belly becomes bloated. I hope that whenever one hears some talk, one will just swallow it and discharge it from the other end. After all, much talk is pretty foul.

The purification of body and speech is not that critical in the sense that transgressions on these two levels can be more easily prevented through moment-to-moment practice of mindfulness and introspection. Mindfulness means keeping the precepts in mind, and introspection means ongoing self-assessment in view of the precepts.

The purification of mind - that is the most difficult! Who dares to say that his or her thoughts are entirely pure? Just now during the practice of Samadhi, were your thoughts pure? I examined everyone`s magnetic fields and saw above each person some dense vibrations. You were not in Samadhi. You were daydreaming!

Actually, until one becomes a sage, thoughts will be mistaken. In this world, only a few sages have come forth. Most simply hide deep in the mountain fastnesses, not daring to come down to the cities. Mass media advertising just makes their heads spin!

In the Realms of Desire and Form, the purification of mind or pure awareness is extremely difficult. Sages absorb themselves in the Formless Realm where there is no mental projection, only pure awareness. So purification of mind is extremely difficult.

This first part of the supplication says that one must use the pure body, speech, and mind to make an offering to the Great Sun Buddha (Mahavairocana).

Now many students, when they make an offering to the Grand Master, think they do so with this threefold purity. Our staff at the `mail answering department` knows that such `offerings` require us to pay the return postage from our own pockets and there is no compensation for our time and expense.

But today I say to everyone that truly making this offering to the Buddhas, to the monks, and to all sages, means that everything is freely given! However, until one has attained this level of awareness, then it would be more appropriate to send a material offering with the request for personal help.

`The Holy Buddhalocana is the Dharma Body, and Padmakumara is the Bliss Body, Living Buddha Lian-sheng is the Emanation Body, these three bodies being the same in essence as the Buddha s Grace. `

We know that Vairocana Buddha is the Great Sun Tathagata - the Personal Deity of many Buddhas. One expression of Vairocana Buddha is Buddhalocana whose two eyes have transformed into the Maha Twin Lotus Ponds in the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss. The Light of these eyes has manifested as the Padmakumaras. Presently, all [eighteen] Padmakumaras have taken birth in samsara to save living beings. Their human rebirth is the manifestation of the Bliss Body.

Actually, there is no essential difference between the three dimensions of Being. When Shakyamuni Buddha descended to birth in samsara, his pure dimension was that of Buddha Vairocana, his energetic dimension that of Rocana Buddha, and he himself was the manifest Shakyamuni Buddha. Thus these three dimensions are fundamentally related.

We True Buddha disciples should all revere this great True Buddha lineage. The ultimate goal of our cultivation is to arrive in the world of the Padmakumaras, the two eyes of Buddhalocana. That True Buddha World is our native land, and a true Pure Land.

The three bodies - the Dharma Body, the Bliss Body, the Emanation Body, have been described in the past by others as analogous to the universe, the moon, and the reflections of the moon in the water. Another analogy is cloud vapor condensing as rain that then freezes as ice. Ice, water, and vapor differ in expression but not in nature. Thus the phrase `these three bodies being the same in essence as the Buddha`s Grace`` is given in the sutra.

Next is the phrase `His transcendent power that encompasses the whole Universe. ` Earlier tonight we spoke about transcendent power. I must examine the record of my past lives for non-virtuous acts, which can result in dangerous conditions. It is a rather troubling matter: if I were fated to be crushed to death by falling rocks, I would find it impossible to eat meals in peace.

This transcendent power is accessible. By transforming your biological energy into spiritual energy, you will generate spiritual power that becomes transcendent power. Ordinarily, sunlight is benign. When focused to a point on one`s hand with a lens, however, it burns painfully! (Don`t experiment this way though, or you will barbecue yourself.)

This is how it works: when you concentrate your energies, power will develop. If you can focus all thoughts to a single point, you can penetrate all appearances. This is how the Faculty of Divine Eyes arises. Also, if you can refine all the energetic power of the body`s cellular metabolism into clear light, the transcendent power will manifest. In other words, you will become a radiant being who sends forth a vibration that fills the universe. This is the meaning of `transcendent power that encompasses the whole universe. `

An example of this is that one receives a wave of grace when beginning a session of Guru`s Heart Mantra recitation. The response is immediate because the resonance of the Guru`s Heart Mantra pervades space.

Tonight`s assembly includes a Malaysian disciple named Lian-lei. He specializes in psychic healing. Please stand for a moment so that everyone here can see you. [audience applauds] Notice that his hair is entirely white. Prior to taking refuge in Grand Master, his health was very poor and all his hair follicles died. He sought treatment from many doctors. After taking refuge however, Lian-lei became able to heal himself and has gone on to heal many others.

When performing a healing, Lian-lei will visualize the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or Grand Master sitting above his head radiating light and energy on him, which he then projects on individuals who are ill. Lian-lei often visualizes his white hair transform into a white lotus upon which Grand Master is seated. Thus the light of the Grand Master pours down upon him and through his hand, washing away the patient`s illness.

Today I recognized him on first sight and thought, `Ah ha, so you have come!` This is because he so frequently borrows electricity from me! I should really send you an electricity bill, Lian-lei. You are always `stealing electricity` from me and depleting my own store!

Om Mani Padme Hum