Page 39 - 加拿大佛教会湛山精舍杂志季刊第76期

nals’ are there cannot be truly known to us. The mind birth and death for many kalpas to come. It is dis-
is likewise void of given moment. When the medita- tressing to realize that we not accomplished any in
tor engages in activities such as walking, standing or our previous existences, and what we have learned,
moving about, he/she should be mindful at all times, we have forgotten at the time of our rebirth. We have
continuously observing and examining. This disci- to make the following four great vows:
pline of the mind takes a long time to master, but once
it is accomplished the mind is completely subdued Sentient beings are numberless. I vow to save them.
and dwell trained. Such a quality will, in turn, em- Defilements are countless. I vow to eradicate them
power the meditator to bring to fruition Âcessation’ all.
and to sustain the state known as the Âconcentration The dharma-doors are limitless. I vow to master
or samadhi of suchness’; all his/her defilements are them.
eradicated and faith is increased. Thereafter the state The supreme enlightenment I vow to attain.
of non-retrogression follows.” To summarize, there
is mundane absorption, supramundane absorption, These vows should be repeated daily, made to act as
and an absorption that surpasses the supramundane. a rudder, maintaining the meditator steadily on the
There is a fourth absorption as well; it will be dis- course to enlightenment. When the six paramitas are
cussed at another opportunity. practiced diligently, supreme enlightenment can be
attained independently of what school or vehicle the
The sixth is the perfection of wisdom (prajnaparami- adept practices.
ta). It is said that the one who trains in perfection of
wisdom trains in buddhahood. To abide in perfect wis- It is hoped that the above presentation of Mahayana
dom one must abide in Emptiness, meaning that the Dharma has succeeded in conveying its great poten-
mind is like a perfect mirror that reflects everything tial for the enhancement of spirituality.
but has no wish to hold on to any of the reflections.
Perfection of wisdom arms the adept with acute dis- To hear the Dharma and to see it practiced is a rare
cernment of true from false as applied to teachings, privilege, the result of great causes and conditions
to views and to paths. In the Mahayana tradition it converging. The dharmakaya, or the Buddha’s es-
is expected that the practitioner will attend to all six sential nature or the Void aspect, formless and in-
paramitas because they are designed to be mutually conceivable, completely pervades the Dharmadhatu.
supportive and enhance one another. Without con- The visible human body of the Buddha in the world
centration, wisdom is difficult to attain, and without of mind-produced forms is called Nirmanakaya or
wisdom meditation is mere physical exercise. With- the transformation body. Because sentient beings are
out the virtue of giving, vigor or zeal will be thwarted numberless, the stature of the transcendental Buddha
and the meditator will not be able to accept and save is commensurate or boundless. He manifests himself
sentient beings. And without the three studies, name- in form and size that correspond to the potential of
ly discipline, concentration and wisdom, the practice those he is responding to. Initially, Buddhadharma
of giving will not result in planting good causes for was not distinct from all other existence and there
heavens and for human beings. Upholding discipline was nothing to be said; the term “Buddhadharma” did
without patience makes work with one’s anger futile. not exist, the teaching had no form. If there was no
Vigor by itself can only lead to a dead end. Buddha and no great enlightenment first, there could
be no Dharma to be taught and no path to be revealed
In according with the Mahayana Dharma, all of the afterwards. The Buddha’s appearance in the world
six virtues must be perfected and that is a task that and his teaching were expedient means to save all
requires more than just one or two lifetimes. To attain sentient beings, and since sentient beings vary great-
such perfection one will have to endure the cycle of ly, the Buddha adjusted his method accordingly. This

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