Noumenon is mind, and phenomena, cosmos. When the ignorant mind discriminates between noumenon and phenomena, unreality arises in the form of confusion, and sometimes madness.
By viewing both noumenon and phenomena as one, nondual reality arises, and thus serendipity. For nonduality is the ultimate reality.
Only in the ignorant mind is the reality of existence suffering. Indeed, the mind that realizes nonduality is real has attained Nirvana.
All of what has just been written about the cosmos, the mind and reality is True. Only unbelievers doubt this Truth about reality itself.
Beyond the Buddha is Adi Buddha, the primordial Buddha. Though he is no Creator, Adi Buddha is the originator of all things, even the Creator and his Creation, the cosmos.
Although this Truth is alien to the Christian mind, the mind of the Buddhist accepts it as True and real.
Reference:
Adi-Buddha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi-Buddha
Showing posts with label Adi Buddha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adi Buddha. Show all posts
20130304
Vairochana Buddha in Journey to the West
In the Journey to the West, Vairochana is mentioned in the third book, and is part of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Obviously then, Wu Cheng'en is illumining the Avatamsaka Sutra through the imagined exploits of the Monkey King - by a stretch. :)
Indeed, Buddha Vairochana is represents Pure Awareness, and helps the disciple to center her consciousness in this sphere of Reality.
in the Vajrayana text the Mahavairocana Tantra, Vairochana is an emanation of Adibuddha and represents the cosmic element of form (rupa). He is the primordial (transcendent) wisdom of the sphere of reality. His is in the center of the mandala consisting of the five Transcendental (Dhyani) Buddhas, and his rites pacify negative emotions. He is white and his two hands are held against the chest with his thumbs and forefingers touching. He radiates the light of Buddhahood and his consort is Akashadhateshvari, who is the sovereign lady of infinite space.
So the dance of light and the space for it to radiate through creates the united dance of Dharmadhatu (Emptiness, the realm of truth known as Buddha Nature). It is this dance that is represented by these unions and the sexual imagery depicted in Tantra.
Other names for Akashadhateshvari is Dhatvishvari or White Tara.
Indeed, Buddha Vairochana is represents Pure Awareness, and helps the disciple to center her consciousness in this sphere of Reality.
in the Vajrayana text the Mahavairocana Tantra, Vairochana is an emanation of Adibuddha and represents the cosmic element of form (rupa). He is the primordial (transcendent) wisdom of the sphere of reality. His is in the center of the mandala consisting of the five Transcendental (Dhyani) Buddhas, and his rites pacify negative emotions. He is white and his two hands are held against the chest with his thumbs and forefingers touching. He radiates the light of Buddhahood and his consort is Akashadhateshvari, who is the sovereign lady of infinite space.
So the dance of light and the space for it to radiate through creates the united dance of Dharmadhatu (Emptiness, the realm of truth known as Buddha Nature). It is this dance that is represented by these unions and the sexual imagery depicted in Tantra.
Other names for Akashadhateshvari is Dhatvishvari or White Tara.
20130129
The True Meaning of the Dharma
"You, monks, should not thus cultivate the notion (samjna) of impermanence, suffering and non-Self, the notion of impurity and so forth, deeming them to be the true meaning [of the Dharma], as those people [searching in a pool for a radiant gem but foolishly grabbing hold of useless pebbles, mistaken for priceless treasure] did, each thinking that bits of brick, stones, grass and gravel were the jewel. You should train yourselves well in efficacious means. In every situation, constantly meditate upon [bhavana] the idea [samjna] of the Self, the idea of the Eternal, Bliss, and the Pure ... Those who, desirous of attaining Reality [tattva], meditatively cultivate these ideas, namely, the ideas of the Self [atman], the Eternal, Bliss, and the Pure, will skilfully bring forth the jewel, just like that wise person [who obtained the genuine, priceless gem, rather than worthless detritus misperceived as the real thing.]" — The Buddha, Chapter Three, "Grief",The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra
Accordingly, impermanence, suffering, and non-Self are not the true meaning of the Dharma. By believing impermanence to be the truth of Dharma, one clings to impermanence. By believing suffering and the Four Noble Truths to be the essence of the Dharma, one clings to suffering. By believing non-Self to be the true meaning of the Dharma, one clings to non-Self. Such clinging is not the Dharma.
What then is the Dharma?
On close examination, impermanence, suffering and non-Self are Buddhist concepts used to show that the individual self is not eternal, that belief in permanence leads to suffering, and that non-Self offers almost anyone liberation from egocentricity and the freedom from suffering. Finally, dependent arising shows us the principle of cause and effect with regard to suffering. This is the essence of the Dharma.
Thus the Dharma is what the Buddha taught.
What then are the Self, the Eternal, Bliss and the Pure?
Each of them are ideas for Buddhists to meditatively cultivate. Once the mind is freed of egoistic desires and ignorant craving, it is possible to view the Self, the Eternal, Bliss and the Pure without clinging to them.
For the Self is not the ego, nor is it the individual. Indeed, the Self is the basic form of awareness that becoming increasingly obvious as growth and transcendence. At some point, the Self ceases to identify with the mind or body. The individual self is defined as a person who is the object of his or her own consciousness. In contrast, the Self is called "higher consciousness" and is beyond the limits of human consciousness yet encompasses the interdependence of all phenomenon, from human consciousness to nature to the cosmos itself. Thus Adi-Buddha is the personification of this higher consciousness called the Self. being one of its non-Self forms. In short, the Self signifies Buddha.
As for the Eternal, Bliss and the Pure, these too are ideals. The Eternal signifies the Dharmakaya, in which the Buddha embodies the Dharma, and refers to that which has always existed and is represented by the Eternal Buddha, which in the case of the Pure Land is Amida Buddha.
Bliss signifies Nirvana, and is represented by the Buddha World called "Pure Land of Bliss".
Signifying Dharma, the Pure is represented by the Pure Land, and more intimately, the Pure Mind achieved through meditation on the Dharma.
Thus, the Self, the Eternal, Bliss and the Pure represent the Buddha, the Dharmakaya, Nirvana and Dharma.
on Grief: http://www.nirvanasutra.net/nirvanasutraa3.htm
Eternal Buddha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Buddha
Pure Land of Bliss: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land
Religious views of the self: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_views_on_the_self
Accordingly, impermanence, suffering, and non-Self are not the true meaning of the Dharma. By believing impermanence to be the truth of Dharma, one clings to impermanence. By believing suffering and the Four Noble Truths to be the essence of the Dharma, one clings to suffering. By believing non-Self to be the true meaning of the Dharma, one clings to non-Self. Such clinging is not the Dharma.
What then is the Dharma?
On close examination, impermanence, suffering and non-Self are Buddhist concepts used to show that the individual self is not eternal, that belief in permanence leads to suffering, and that non-Self offers almost anyone liberation from egocentricity and the freedom from suffering. Finally, dependent arising shows us the principle of cause and effect with regard to suffering. This is the essence of the Dharma.
Thus the Dharma is what the Buddha taught.
What then are the Self, the Eternal, Bliss and the Pure?
Each of them are ideas for Buddhists to meditatively cultivate. Once the mind is freed of egoistic desires and ignorant craving, it is possible to view the Self, the Eternal, Bliss and the Pure without clinging to them.
For the Self is not the ego, nor is it the individual. Indeed, the Self is the basic form of awareness that becoming increasingly obvious as growth and transcendence. At some point, the Self ceases to identify with the mind or body. The individual self is defined as a person who is the object of his or her own consciousness. In contrast, the Self is called "higher consciousness" and is beyond the limits of human consciousness yet encompasses the interdependence of all phenomenon, from human consciousness to nature to the cosmos itself. Thus Adi-Buddha is the personification of this higher consciousness called the Self. being one of its non-Self forms. In short, the Self signifies Buddha.
As for the Eternal, Bliss and the Pure, these too are ideals. The Eternal signifies the Dharmakaya, in which the Buddha embodies the Dharma, and refers to that which has always existed and is represented by the Eternal Buddha, which in the case of the Pure Land is Amida Buddha.
Bliss signifies Nirvana, and is represented by the Buddha World called "Pure Land of Bliss".
Signifying Dharma, the Pure is represented by the Pure Land, and more intimately, the Pure Mind achieved through meditation on the Dharma.
Thus, the Self, the Eternal, Bliss and the Pure represent the Buddha, the Dharmakaya, Nirvana and Dharma.
on Grief: http://www.nirvanasutra.net/nirvanasutraa3.htm
Eternal Buddha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Buddha
Pure Land of Bliss: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land
Religious views of the self: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_views_on_the_self
20130109
Vairocana Mantra
Just as Amida is
compassion personified,
so too is Vairocana
wisdom personified.
As the Nembutsu is
Amida calling,
the Vairocana Mantra
is Wisdom calling.
Vairocana is a celestial Buddha being the Adi Buddha which represents that wisdom of transcendental reality, the True Reality of Being and Non-Beinng. This reality is non-dual because it is empty of ignorance and because samsara is the root of nirvana.
For it is suffering that motivates us to seek its cure through understanding of the Four Noble Truths and to engage in spiritual activities that result in the spiritual treasures of teaching the Dharma, humility, meditation, giving, and fearlessness to cure spiritual ignorance out of which craving arises, the destruction of anger and hate, eradication of selfishness, neutralizing pride and greed, and pacification of envy.
Vairocana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vairocana
Five Wisdom Buddhas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Dhyani_Buddhas
20130106
Buddhism is not Mysticism
Buddhism is not a mysticism. Rather, Buddhism is a toolkit to relief psychic suffering. As part of that relief, it teaches transcendence of ego — the self which arises through ignorant craving.
That transcendence of ego is called the transcendent Self and is also known as the Diamond Mind.
Rejection of the transcendent Self is rejection of the Diamond Mind, and of the Buddha himself.
For the true Reality of the Self is often occulted by academics whose commentaries on the Buddhist sutras sometimes leads the skeptics to the false belief that Buddhism is a form of mysticism.
By hiding the fact that Adi Buddha is reflected in the Five Wisdom Buddhas, so too is the fact that personal experience is reflected in the experience of everyone.
Yet academics who have no experience in Buddhism, who have not heard the Buddhadharma, and who then write of the Diamond Mind and the transcendent Self, suggest that each of us has the potential to become bodhisattvas and ultimately Buddhas.
For the fallacy of potential nirvana is that the average person is often adverse to exercise his potential under the mistaken assumption that it's not for him and that it's all a bunch of hogwash, too.
However, I beg to differ and present you with the following analogy to encourage the willing among you to exercise your potential to become awakened and achieve Nirvana.
When we were children, we had the potential to graduate from high school. We learned to read and write, and to do math. Today, we are able to read and write, as well as add, subtract and multiply.
Likewise, in learning about the Four Noble Truths, and dependent arising, it is then possible to go on to learn about the Diamond Mind and the transcendent Self. It is even possible to understand that the spiritual nature of Adi Buddha is reflected in the 102 Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana).
For Buddhism is not mysticism, for the Four Noble Truths is proof of that.
Learning about the Diamond Mind and the transcendent Self helps us to go beyond meditating to achieve the clear mind to see that the Diamond Mind is achieved through meditation and study of the sutras. Such learning is also not mysticism.
As well, Adi Buddha is not mysticism.
For mysticism requires only one thing: a mind confused by the ego lost in ignorant craving. Since the purpose of Buddhism is to remove confusion by pacifying ignorant craving through meditation to achieve the mind of clarity and the heart of peace, the result is the true heartmind which is able to see that Buddha-Nature is in all sentient beings.
Indeed, the heartmind is able to see that all sentient beings are originally bodhisattva who have the potential to become Buddha.
That transcendence of ego is called the transcendent Self and is also known as the Diamond Mind.
Rejection of the transcendent Self is rejection of the Diamond Mind, and of the Buddha himself.
For the true Reality of the Self is often occulted by academics whose commentaries on the Buddhist sutras sometimes leads the skeptics to the false belief that Buddhism is a form of mysticism.
By hiding the fact that Adi Buddha is reflected in the Five Wisdom Buddhas, so too is the fact that personal experience is reflected in the experience of everyone.
Yet academics who have no experience in Buddhism, who have not heard the Buddhadharma, and who then write of the Diamond Mind and the transcendent Self, suggest that each of us has the potential to become bodhisattvas and ultimately Buddhas.
For the fallacy of potential nirvana is that the average person is often adverse to exercise his potential under the mistaken assumption that it's not for him and that it's all a bunch of hogwash, too.
However, I beg to differ and present you with the following analogy to encourage the willing among you to exercise your potential to become awakened and achieve Nirvana.
When we were children, we had the potential to graduate from high school. We learned to read and write, and to do math. Today, we are able to read and write, as well as add, subtract and multiply.
Likewise, in learning about the Four Noble Truths, and dependent arising, it is then possible to go on to learn about the Diamond Mind and the transcendent Self. It is even possible to understand that the spiritual nature of Adi Buddha is reflected in the 102 Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana).
For Buddhism is not mysticism, for the Four Noble Truths is proof of that.
Learning about the Diamond Mind and the transcendent Self helps us to go beyond meditating to achieve the clear mind to see that the Diamond Mind is achieved through meditation and study of the sutras. Such learning is also not mysticism.
As well, Adi Buddha is not mysticism.
For mysticism requires only one thing: a mind confused by the ego lost in ignorant craving. Since the purpose of Buddhism is to remove confusion by pacifying ignorant craving through meditation to achieve the mind of clarity and the heart of peace, the result is the true heartmind which is able to see that Buddha-Nature is in all sentient beings.
Indeed, the heartmind is able to see that all sentient beings are originally bodhisattva who have the potential to become Buddha.
20130105
The Reincarnation of the Buddha and His Diamond Mind
Always it puzzles me that of all the Buddhas, the historical Buddha has rarely been said to reincarnate.
However, I am mistaken, and apologize for giving the impression that the Buddha never reincarnates.
For he does...
Reflection Means Both Incarnation and Reincarnation
Imagine the Adi-Buddha sitting in contemplation with the 108 Buddhas in a field. Imagine further that all Buddhas possess the diamond mind which reflects upon the all the Buddhas.
With respect to the term "diamond", it refers to the unwavering mind which arises from the depths of deep meditation that is known as the clear mind of contemplation and is admired for its clarity and pureness.
Indeed, the diamond mind of the Buddha is the pure mind of Amida Buddha, which is one ofthe 108 Buddhas.
Thus all Buddhas in reflecting Adi-Buddha, reflect on the primordial wisdom of the Buddha.
For the diamond mind of the Buddha is indeed unwavering, unyielding in the face of evil yet yielding to good, and hard to fathom yet soft as a lotus petal.
As the Adi-Buddha is reflected in all the 108 Buddhas, so too is the Buddha Gautama reflected in all the Buddhas
Yet these Buddhas are but reflections of Great Compassion and Great Wisdom, and thus reflect on Amida Buddha.
For the qualities of compassion and wisdom as reflected by Amida Buddha represent the compassion and wisdom of the Buddha.
Therefore, Amida Buddha represents both compassion and wisdom of the Buddha. Thus, Amida is an incarnation of the Buddha, representing the dual aspects of compassion and wisdom.
With respect to the incarnation and reincarnation of the Buddha, it is not the soul that incarnates in the Five Wisdom Buddhas, but the spiritual qualities of the Buddha. This is why the term "reflection" is used in accurately describing the Buddha's relationship with all the Buddhas including Amida Buddha.
Great is the Life of Amitayus and Great is the Light of Amida
In a previous essay I wrote about the Boundless Wisdom of Amida as represented by Infinite Light and the Boundless Compassion of Amitayus as represented by Infinite Life.
With respect to the Buddhist principle of non-self, the term "infinite" implies permanence as in the phrase "that which never goes out."
However, because the wisdom of Amida Buddha and the compassion of Amitayus Buddha are two aspects of the Buddha, the words, "infinite" and "boundless" imply that the Buddha"s wisdom and compassion are everywhere.
For wherever the Buddhist follower sees the words Infinite or Boundless, their actual meaning is "great as the diamond mind of the Buddha, great as the pure mind of Amida", which in its short form is "Great", which has no misleading implications of permanence.
Adi-Buddha is introduced in the following essay: http://gandhara.blogspot.com/2013/01/buddhism-isnt-about-king-in-heaven.html
However, I am mistaken, and apologize for giving the impression that the Buddha never reincarnates.
For he does...
Reflection Means Both Incarnation and Reincarnation
Imagine the Adi-Buddha sitting in contemplation with the 108 Buddhas in a field. Imagine further that all Buddhas possess the diamond mind which reflects upon the all the Buddhas.
With respect to the term "diamond", it refers to the unwavering mind which arises from the depths of deep meditation that is known as the clear mind of contemplation and is admired for its clarity and pureness.
Indeed, the diamond mind of the Buddha is the pure mind of Amida Buddha, which is one ofthe 108 Buddhas.
Thus all Buddhas in reflecting Adi-Buddha, reflect on the primordial wisdom of the Buddha.
For the diamond mind of the Buddha is indeed unwavering, unyielding in the face of evil yet yielding to good, and hard to fathom yet soft as a lotus petal.
As the Adi-Buddha is reflected in all the 108 Buddhas, so too is the Buddha Gautama reflected in all the Buddhas
Yet these Buddhas are but reflections of Great Compassion and Great Wisdom, and thus reflect on Amida Buddha.
For the qualities of compassion and wisdom as reflected by Amida Buddha represent the compassion and wisdom of the Buddha.
Therefore, Amida Buddha represents both compassion and wisdom of the Buddha. Thus, Amida is an incarnation of the Buddha, representing the dual aspects of compassion and wisdom.
With respect to the incarnation and reincarnation of the Buddha, it is not the soul that incarnates in the Five Wisdom Buddhas, but the spiritual qualities of the Buddha. This is why the term "reflection" is used in accurately describing the Buddha's relationship with all the Buddhas including Amida Buddha.
Great is the Life of Amitayus and Great is the Light of Amida
In a previous essay I wrote about the Boundless Wisdom of Amida as represented by Infinite Light and the Boundless Compassion of Amitayus as represented by Infinite Life.
With respect to the Buddhist principle of non-self, the term "infinite" implies permanence as in the phrase "that which never goes out."
However, because the wisdom of Amida Buddha and the compassion of Amitayus Buddha are two aspects of the Buddha, the words, "infinite" and "boundless" imply that the Buddha"s wisdom and compassion are everywhere.
For wherever the Buddhist follower sees the words Infinite or Boundless, their actual meaning is "great as the diamond mind of the Buddha, great as the pure mind of Amida", which in its short form is "Great", which has no misleading implications of permanence.
Adi-Buddha is introduced in the following essay: http://gandhara.blogspot.com/2013/01/buddhism-isnt-about-king-in-heaven.html
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