A Sure Sign of The Proper Dharma

The Venerable Master’s Lecture in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on November 9-10, 1988
Translated and copyright by the Buddhist Text Translation Society
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NA MO SA DAN TUO
SU QIE DUO YE
E LA HE DI
SAN MIAO SAN PU TUO XIE
NA MO SA DAN TUO
FO TUO JU ZHI SHAI NI SHAN
NA MO SA PO
BO TUO BO DI
SA DUO PI BI
NA MO SA DUO NAN
SAN MIAO SAN PU TUO JU ZHI NAN
SUO SHE LA PO JIA
SENG QIE NAN
NA MO LU JI E LUO HAN DUO NAN
NA MO SU LU DUO BO NUO NAN
NA MO SUO JIE LI TUO QIE MI NAN
NA MO LU JI SAN MIAO QIE DUO NAN
SAN MIAO QIE BO LA
DI BO DUO NUO NAN
NA MO TI PO LI SHAI NAN
NA MO XI TUO YE
PI DI YE
TUO LA LI SHAI NAN
SHE PO NU
JIE LA HE
SUO HE SUO LA MO TUO NAN
NA MO BA LA HE MO NI
NA MO YIN TUO LA YE

I just recited the first twenty-eight lines of the Shurangama Mantra. These twenty-eight lines tell us to take refuge in all the Buddhas, all the Bodhisattvas, all the Hearers, all Those Enlightened by Conditions, and all the gods throughout empty space and the Dharma Realm. The last line, "Na mo yin tuo la ye," refers to what Chinese people call the Jade Emperor. Those who do not understand the Buddhadharma say, "The Jade Emperor belongs to Taoism. We shouldn’t bow to him." They don’t realize that the Jade Emperor is just Lord Shakra. As Buddhist disciples, we should also respect him and gather him in. This first section of the Shurangama Mantra is the section for protecting and supporting the Triple Jewel. Therefore, when this section is recited, all the demons, goblins, ghosts, and other strange creatures flee far away. They retreat as far as they can go.

Therefore, in Buddhism it is said that if there is even one person in the world who can recite the Shurangama Mantra, then the demons, goblins, ghosts, and all the other weird creatures will not dare to openly show themselves in the world. If not even one person can recite the Shurangama Mantra from memory, then at that point all the demons, goblins, ghosts, and all the other weird creatures will appear in the world. They will wreak havoc, but no one will recognize them. Right now, since there are still people who can recite the Shurangama Mantra, the demons, goblins, ghosts, and all the other weird creatures don’t dare to openly show themselves in the world. There is a verse that expresses the meaning of this section of the Mantra.

A thousand red lotuses protect one’s body.
As one sits astride a black unicorn.
Seeing this, the myriad demons go away to hide.
Dharma Master Ji Gong had this wonderful sound.

A thousand red lotuses protect one’s body. A thousand red lotuses come to protect your body. As one sits astride a black unicorn. When you recite the mantra, you are sitting astride a unicorn. Seeing this, the myriad demons go away to hide. They all flee, because they are afraid to face such awesome virtue.

We all know about the character Ji Gong in Buddhism. In his time, Ji Gong used this section of mantra, so the verse says that Dharma Master Ji Gong had this wonderful sound. This verse gives the general meaning of this section of the Mantra text. If we were to go into detail, the Shurangama Mantra is wonderful beyond words. Thus it is also said:

The esoteric wonder is inexhaustible;
it is truly difficult to fathom.
The secret words of Vajra come from the inherent nature.
The Shurangama Mantra contains miraculous wonders.
Cultivators and ordinary people can open
the Five Eyes and Six Penetrations.

The esoteric wonder is inexhaustible; it is truly difficult to fathom. The Shurangama Mantra is extremely wonderful, and its transformations are inconceivable. It is very difficult to fathom. The secret words of Vajra come from the inherent nature. The secret words of Vajra, the Shurangama Mantra, is the secret within the secret. It is Vajra that supports and protects this mantra, which comes from our own Buddha-nature. The Shurangama Mantra contains miraculous wonders. The Shurangama Mantra is also known as a magical text. It is very miraculous and especially potent. That’s why it’s said, "The Shurangama Mantra contains miraculous wonders." Cultivators and ordinary people can open the Five Eyes and Six Penetrations. If you constantly recite the Shurangama Mantra with single-minded concentration, not thinking of anything else, you can attain the Five Eyes and the Six Penetrations. You can experience inconceivable states and transformations which are beyond the understanding of ordinary people. Therefore, I hope everyone will study and recite the Shurangama Sutra and will recite the Shurangama Mantra from memory.

Most scholars say the Shurangama Sutra is false and claim that it was not spoken by the Buddha. They say they have various pieces of evidence and documents to support their claim. This is all because they fear the Shurangama Sutra and have no way to deal with the principles in the Shurangama Sutra. What they fear most in the Shurangama Sutra are the Four Clear Instructions on Purity. The Four Clear Instructions on Purity serve as a demon-spotting mirror. All the demons, goblins, ghosts, and weird creatures are reflected in their true form. Furthermore, the section on the Fifty Skandha-demons exposes the celestial demons and externalists to the bone, enabling people to recognize their demonic appearance. Anyone who can memorize the Shurangama Sutra is a true disciple of the Buddha.

In the declining period of the Buddhadharma, the first Sutra to disappear will be the Shurangama Sutra. Why will it disappear? Because these so-called scholars, professors, and even left-home people all claim it is false. Over time, their theory will become widespread, and people will all believe what they say and take the Shurangama Sutra to be false. Even Buddhist disciples will consider it false, and after a while the Sutra will disappear. That’s how the Sutras become extinct; people no longer study them, so they disappear.

In the Shurangama Sutra, the Four Clear Instructions on Purity—which explain killing, stealing, lust, and lying—are absolutely accurate and definite. That’s why those scholars and professors fear the Four Clear Instructions on Purity. They only want to listen to muddled instructions, and they are terribly afraid of the Clear Instructions. If they admitted that the Shurangama Sutra is true, they would have no ground to stand upon. They would not be able to defend their smoking, drinking, and womanizing, for everyone would know them for what they are. The principles of the Shurangama Sutra are extremely accurate, extremely logical, and as clear as can be. That’s why the entire Shurangama Sutra is a demon-spotting mirror. When this demon-spotting mirror is hung up, the demons, goblins, ghosts, and weird creatures are frightened out of their wits.

If what I have just said about the Shurangama Sutra and the Shurangama Mantra does not accord with the Buddhas’ mind and the Sutra’s meaning, and if the Shurangama Sutra is really false, I am willing to stay forever in the hells and never come out to see the people in the world. Although I am a stupid person, I am not so foolish that I would want to go to the hells and never come out. For that reason, you should all deeply believe in the Shurangama Sutra and the Shurangama Mantra.

What I have just said is my vow. If what I said does not accord with the Buddhas’ mind, I am willing to go to the hells. I now request the infinite, endless, eternally dwelling Buddhas, Dharma, and Sangha—the Triple Jewel in the ten directions throughout empty space and the Dharma Realm—to silently certify what I have said and to enable all living beings to quickly realize the Buddha Way.

I also request the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas in the ten directions; the Sound Hearers and Those Enlightened by Conditions in the ten directions; all the Worthies and Sages in the Sangha; and all the Dharma-protecting gods of the Radiant Assembly to emit light and shine upon all living beings, enabling them to leave suffering, attain bliss, and be liberated from birth and death.

I also pray that all of you Good and Wise Advisors will instruct me if I have said something that disagrees with the Buddhadharma. Although I am not intelligent, I hope you will try to teach me. Since I am a very stupid person with limited views, my words are far from perfect. Whether you are a left-home person or a layperson, I hope you will kindly teach me. I shall bow in respect and be grateful all my life.

If there is anyone who recites the Shurangama Sutra, I am willing to serve and make offerings to such a cultivator all my life. When the Proper Dharma prospers, the Shurangama prospers. When the Proper Dharma declines, the Shurangama becomes extinct. From this, you should all realize how important the Shurangama Sutra is in Buddhism.
"The Shurangama is for opening wisdom. The Dharma Flower is for becoming a Buddha. The Avatamsaka is for teaching living beings." Therefore, in America I started out by lecturing on the Shurangama Sutra to a group of over thirty students from the University of Washington in Seattle. During the ninety-six days of summer vacation, I lectured on the Shurangama Sutra to those college students. During that time, there was only a half day’s break on Saturdays. Aside from that, I lectured on the Sutra every day, and they all took notes. In the beginning, I lectured once a day, and then they studied on their own. After half a month, I assessed the time and the length of the Shurangama Sutra. Fearing that I might not finish in time, I began lecturing twice a day. After a while, I calculated again and decided that I still would not be able to finish, so I started lecturing three times a day. Finally, in the last half month or more, I lectured four times a day.

During the Summer Shurangama Study and Cultivation Session, not only did I lecture on the Sutra, I also cooked the meals, made tea, and did the grocery shopping and everything else for them. You could say I single-handedly took on all the monastic chores. Of course I could have asked the students to take turns working, but I did not want to interfere with their cultivation and study of the Sutra. So I didn’t let a single person help. Although I dare not say I was practicing the Bodhisattva Way, if people wanted to study the Shurangama Sutra, I was willing to dedicate my life to serve and support them. After ninety-six days, I finished lecturing on the Shurangama Sutra. With the end of this lecture, people in America were beginning to give recognition to Buddhism.

At the end of the Shurangama Sutra lecture series, five people left the home-life. On New Year’s Day, I said to the assembly, "This year, five lotuses will bloom in American Buddhism. In the future, these five lotuses will spread Buddhism in the West." That’s what I said then.

After they graduated from the Summer Shurangama Study and Cultivation Session, five Americans left the home-life. I sent them to Hai Hui (Sea-like Assembly) Monastery in Taiwan to receive the precepts. The Good and Wise Advisors in Taiwan told them, "The present time is the Dharma-ending Age. No one cultivates anymore. You’re still eating one meal a day? You’ve been cheated by your teacher." When my American disciples heard this, they thought, "Oh, so we’ve been cheated by our teacher. What should we do?" The Good and Wise Advisors said, "Well, go ahead and eat. Drink wine and eat meat." The five people started to have doubts about Buddhism. "Why did our teacher teach us to eat one meal a day, and now they tell us we should eat in the morning and evening as well? What’s going on? There must be something wrong here." Their minds were swayed and they wanted to start eating more meals, but they had a meeting and decided to go back and make sure before they did that. They also told the Good and Wise Advisors in Taiwan that they slept sitting up. Some people in Taiwan told them, "You sleep sitting up? People did that when the Buddha was in the world. Now the Buddha isn’t around anymore, so why do you do it? It’s really a case of Americans being cheated by the Chinese."

What happened then? When they returned, they got mischievous. They said, "In Taiwan, everyone eats three meals a day. We shouldn’t eat just one meal." They acted naughty with me. They said more, but I don’t remember that much. It took more than three months before their doubts were resolved.

At that time, some people in Taiwan would say, "Dharma Master Hsuan Hua has taken some hippies as disciples in America. There are many hippies hanging out in Golden Gate Park, and Dharma Master Hsuan Hua goes there to meditate. When the hippies see him meditating, they’re curious and go up to talk to him. Then Dharma Master Hsuan Hua tells them to go visit the temple. They go to the temple and find that the life-style there is pretty similar to their hippie life-style, so they all leave the home-life."

There is another rumor in Taiwan: "You know what? Dharma Master Hsuan Hua takes drugs with the hippies in America. The hippies take LSD and marijuana. They can get high on just one capsule of LSD and feel as carefree as if they were in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. But Dharma Master Hsuan Hua can take more than ten capsules without being affected in the least. He doesn’t get high or feel as carefree as if he were in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. That’s why all those hippies admire him and left the home-life under him. Don’t believe in him."

You can talk back and forth, but whether they are hippies or not does not matter. He who works hard in cultivation is good. He who does not work hard in cultivation is not good. If he is not a hippie, but he does not cultivate, that’s not good. If he is a hippie and he cultivates, that’s just as good. Therefore, in Buddhism, mere talking about cultivation doesn’t count. There must be real practice and real benefit. Don’t just say, "I have concentration. I have this samadhi or that samadhi." And another person also comes up with another kind of samadhi.

Now I will tell everyone about some lines that I thought of:
Paying lip service to samadhi,
They say, "I am right and you are wrong."
In time, their original appearance is revealed,
And they are covered with offenses.

This is saying that people just pay lip service to Buddhism and treat it as child’s play. They talk carelessly without taking responsibility for cause and effect. Who will fall into the Hell of Ripping Out Tongues? Precisely that kind of person. When they get there, their tongues will be ripped out and they won’t be able to talk anymore. In their minds they will think, "What a mess I’m in. If I knew this was going to happen, I wouldn’t have fooled around like that."

They always paid lip service to samadhi, saying, "I’m right. You’re wrong about every-thing. Even if you were right, I’d say you were wrong. And if you’re wrong, I also say you’re wrong." Would you say that is just? In everything, they say "I am right and you are wrong." In time, their original appearance is revealed.

After a long distance, one will know
a horse’s stamina.
After a long time, one will see
a person’s heart.

In time, their true form is uncovered. And they are covered with offenses. Their bodies are covered by offense karma. They enter the Hell of Ripping Out Tongues without even realizing it.

"Dharma Master, don’t scold people. As you speak the Dharma, why are you scolding people?" you ask. I am not scolding anyone. I bow to the ants and mosquitoes every day; how would I dare to scold people? But I cannot refrain from telling the truth. The truth is just like that.

Let me tell you, it’s just those people that criticize me who have taught and helped me, making me the way I am today. So the people who criticize and slander me are all my Good and Wise Advisors. They are all my teachers. My teachers all pay lip service to Chan. I know how to do it because I learned it from my teachers.

I have another verse:
All people are my teachers.
I am a teacher for all people.
I always teach myself.
I myself am always a teacher.

"All people are my teachers." Everyone is my teacher. As long as you have blood and breath, I want to learn from you. If you are good, I learn the good. If you are bad, I learn the bad. I want to learn until I am a martial arts expert, skilled in all weapons. That way, when I am challenged to a fight, I will have many winning moves. "I am a teacher for all people." I am also everyone’s teacher. "I always teach myself." I am very often a teacher for myself. I am also constantly a teacher for others. That way, everyone can encourage one another to vigorously advance on the Bodhi Way. Let’s not linger in the Saha world, scheming and calculating about wins and losses. Let’s see who will reach the Land of Ultimate Bliss first!

Someone says, "Dharma Master, you keep arguing and refusing to admit that you are scolding people. Do you admit it? If you admit that you are scolding people, then you won’t scold them anymore. Right?" But the one who scolds people is like "one who spits up into the skies, and gets the spit back on his own face." We should like being scolded, because when people scold us, they are giving us fertilizer. Our fields are not fertile, so they need to be fertilized. Then our crops will be abundant and our fruits will thrive.

"Dharma Master, you just said that all people are your teachers. But there are good people and bad people, and if you take them all as teachers, you will learn to be both good and bad," you object. You have mis-understood. When I say "All people are my teachers," I mean that good people teach me how I should be, and I learn to be like them. Bad people teach me how I should not be, and I learn not to be like them. That’s why all people are my teachers.

"I always teach myself." We ourselves must always be alert and not make mistakes, not act in ignorance. We should use bright wisdom in handling all matters instead of using stupidity and ignorance to take care of things. We must turn states around, rather than be turned by states. "Do not fail to perform a good deed, thinking it is trivial. Do not perform an evil deed, thinking it is insignificant." Don’t think, "That good deed is trivial. I’m not going to do it. That bad deed is really minor. I’ll go ahead and do it. It doesn’t matter." For example, you think, "I’m vegetarian, but it won’t matter if I eat an egg." But in the future when you are reborn as a chicken, you will know that it was because you ate chicken eggs. If you are not clear in these small matters, then you are "mixing good and evil, and the retribution will not be off." It’s not fun at all.

I’ve gone kind of crazy today, and I don’t really know what I’m saying. If I have offended you, please come up and give me a beating or scolding. I will be very delighted.