第51集 — 佛法的教學以什麼為目標

So, what is the goal of the Buddha’s teachings? The goal is to attain enlightenment. Enlightenment can be minor, great or supreme. Supreme Enlightenment is attainment of Buddhahood. Samadhi can be shallow or deep too. With the real enlightenment samadhi (i.e., great meditative concentration), one will not give rise to thoughts when one’s six-sense organs (e.g., the eyes and ears) are in contact with the external six objects of the senses (e.g., forms and sounds). Meditative concentration to the extreme is the original samadhi of the true nature. As Great Master Hui Neng proclaimed, “Who would have thought that the true nature is originally unmoved!” Since the true nature is the true mind, it tells us that the true mind is originally unmoved and in samadhi. Our mind now is in turbulence because we have many deluded thoughts. Since the deluded mind constantly arises and ceases, as opposed to the true mind, it is movable and unstable. So, we got a bit of information here. Why was Great Master Hui Neng able to see into his mind and true nature by pounding rice? Because he fully concentrated on pounding rice and splitting wood that he neither gave rise to thoughts nor discrimination and attachments. This is the original samadhi of the true nature. After you have attained this samadhi, you will suddenly achieve Supreme Enlightenment under certain circumstances. Great Master Hui Neng became enlightened after he listened to the Diamond Sutra. In other words, prior to attaining Supreme Enlightenment, he first attained samadhi which was none other than the samadhi of pounding rice and splitting wood. Evidently, there is no method which is not Buddhism because every method enables one to attain perfect and sudden enlightenment. However, you must know that if you do not know how to cultivate, none of the methods is Buddhism. That’s why the Diamond Sutra tells us that all methods are equal, and no method is superior or inferior to the other. This is true without the least falsity. The great vehicle and lesser vehicle teachings are equal, so are Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism, as well as mundane teachings and Buddhism. This is awesome! Sakyamuni Buddha attained Supreme Enlightenment after he entered into meditative concentration and accomplished samadhi under the Bodhi tree. Seeing the stars in the night sky was the condition that led to his Supreme Enlightenment. Since the causes and conditions are not fixed, he became enlightened under indefinite time and circumstances. However, the condition for enlightenment must be attainment of profound samadhi whereby one does not give rise to thoughts when one’s six-sense organs are in contact with the external six objects of the senses. Having no attachment is a shallow samadhi attained by arhats, while having no discrimination is a deep samadhi attained by bodhisattvas. Not giving rise to thoughts is a profound samadhi attained by Dharma-body Bodhisattvas who are buddhas.