The Buddha as Love: The Bodhisattva in Action

Free of the confines of ego, the love of the Buddha is due to the working of great compassion. Transcending the dualism of being and non-being, it rises from a heart of non-discrimination. It is purposeless, effortless, and ego-less.

As long as there is but one unsaved sentient being to enjoy single-minded bliss (Samadhi) to which she is entitled by her long spiritual discipline, the Tathagata's great love of all sentient beings is unending until everyone of them is happily led to Nirvana.

Empowered by boundless love and compassion, the Tathagata regards all sentient beings as if they were his only child. Were he to enter into Nirvana, no work will be done in the world where imaginative discrimination goes on and wonderful variety prevails. Because of this, he refuses to leave this world of birth-life-death. All his thoughts are directed towards the ignorant and suffering masses of sentient beings.

For them, he is willing to sacrifice his enjoyment of absolute reality and self-absorption.

Thus the Buddha as love is embodied in the Bodhisattva, who through her actions and desires in the realm of twofold egolessness works to save all sentient beings.

Craving for sensation

The one who beholds that which has become as become
Passes beyond that becoming
And is released from craving for sensation.
In that which really is, he understands becoming.
Free from longing for birth or death,
He finds the true meaning of the end of becoming.

-Itivuttaka Sutta

"The one who beholds" is the disciple sitting in insight meditation whose mind is single-mindedly focused on attaining nirvana.

"That which has become" is tathata, the state of awakening in mind and in body.

When such a person views the Buddha as awakened, sh/he transcends the single-mindedness of samadhi.

In transcending nirvana, s/he lets go of vainly grasping and loses all "craving for sensation."

Having realized true Dharma as Truth, s/he "understands becoming."

Being liberated "from longing for birth and death", such a person discovers "the true meaning of the end of becoming", nirvana.

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Originally published: November 23, 2005 2351H
Updated: February 26, 2013 0928H

Reference:

See also: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/khuddaka/iti/tb0/index.html#glossary

Manjusri in Journey to the West

In the Journey to the West, The Vajrayana Bodhisattva Manjusri - Manjusri's lion caused havoc in Wuji to punish its king for dunking it (disguised as a Buddhist priest) in the moat. Tathagata Buddha did this to test the king's faith. Tathagata is another name for the Sakyamuni Buddha formerly known as Gotama.



More information on Manjusri Bodhisattva.

Amida Calls the Bonbu (Poem)

I hear Amida calling me but I don't listen to him.
Why should Amida listen to me when I need help?
Yet he always helps me without asking if I need it.

I have neither wisdom nor compassion to call my own; it is Amida's.
With his wisdom and compassion I see clearly who is Amida's own child
even though they have not heard him calling to them.

Amida helps me through all people, good and evil.
He helps me see that no one can truly harm us
unless we provoke them through our actions.


I do not doubt Amida for a moment.
His words I hear in my mind,
yet my own words come off my tongue.

This old fool that I am, willful and selfish,
regrets his actions that result in evil karma
yet rejoices in good karma.

I affirm that Amida's Vow is the root
of the Nembutsu I utter thankfully,
yet am silent before Him.


Good and evil make no difference to a fool;
to a wise person, only the greatest good remains.
The foolish person follows karma blindly.

Thus I follow my blind passions,
and am happy while doing good
and regretful while doing evil.

If a wise Shin follower may enter the Pure Land,
then so too may a fool who hears Tathagata calling
and follows His voice to the Dharma.


Sensei asks "Who is going to the Pure Land?"
Without hesitation my hand goes up.
Sensei then asks "Who is going to Hell?"
Without hesitation my hand goes up.

I have no doubt where I am going,
for I am following Shinran,
who is following Honen to the Pure Land,
straight to Hell.

A Pure, Clear Confidence

Anyone who, even for a second, feels a pure, clear confidence on hearing the truth will experience immeasurable happiness. Why? Because, at that moment, that person is not caught up in the concept of a self or a living being or a life span. He is not caught up in concepts about the world, nor is he caught up in concepts about nothingness. He does not take any notice of the idea that this is a sign, or this or that is not a sign.

For if you are caught up in ideas, then you will be caught up in the self. And even if you are caught up in ideas about nothingness, you will still be caught up in the self. That's why we should not get attached to the belief that things either exist or do not exist. This is the hidden meaning when I say that my teachings are a raft to be abandoned when you see true being.

-Diamond Sutra

The above sutra is from Chapter 6 of the Diamond Sutra.

This sutra is also known as The Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra.

Here are other versions of the same quote:

Anyone who, for only a second, gives rise to a pure and clear confidence upon hearing these words of the Tathagata, the Tathagata sees and knows that person, and he or she will attain immeasurable happiness because of this understanding. Why?

"Because that kind of person is not caught up in the idea of a self, a person, a living being, or a life span. They are not caught up in the idea of a dharma or the idea of a non-dharma. They are not caught up in the notion that this is a sign and that is not a sign. Why? If you are caught up in the idea of a dharma, you are also caught up in the ideas of a self, a person, a living being, and a life span. If you are caught up in the idea that there is no dharma, you are still caught up in the ideas of a self, a person, a living being, and a life span. That is why we should not get caught up in dharmas or in the idea that dharmas do not exist. This is the hidden meaning when the Tathagata says,'Bhiksus, you should know that all of the teachings I give to you are a raft.
--The Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra

References:

The Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra:
http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/sutras/diamond1.html

The Vajracchedika Prajna paramita Sutra (The Diamond Sutra):
http://www.buddhistinformation.com/diamondsutra.htm