Teachings Śūraṅgama Sūtra

1 teachings

1.1 doctrinal orientation
1.2 main themes
1.3 2 types of mind
1.4 tathagatagarbha
1.5 Śūraṅgama samādhi
1.6 white parasol crown dhāraṇī
1.7 fifty skandha-māras

teachings

the influence of māra major theme of Śūraṅgama sūtra


doctrinal orientation

the Śūraṅgama sūtra contains teachings yogācāra, buddha-nature, , vajrayana. makes use of buddhist logic methods of syllogism , catuṣkoṭi fourfold negation first popularized nāgārjuna.

main themes

some of main themes of Śūraṅgama sūtra worthlessness of dharma when unaccompanied samādhi power, , importance of moral precepts foundation buddhist practice. stressed theme of how 1 combats delusions may arise during meditation.

ron epstein , david rounds have suggested major themes of Śūraṅgama sūtra reflect strains upon indian buddhism during time of creation. cite resurgence of tribal influences, , crumbling social supports monastic buddhist institutions. era saw emergence of hindu tantrism , beginnings of esoteric buddhism , siddha traditions. propose moral challenges , general confusion buddhism said have given rise themes of Śūraṅgama sūtra, such clear understanding of principles, moral discipline, essential buddhist cosmology, development of samādhi, , how avoid falling various delusions in meditation.

two types of mind

david rounds notes buddha makes important distinction when teaching cousin, ananda mind there in fact not one, 2 different types of mind (that fundamentally different in natures) need aware of in our spiritual cultivation:

buddha compounds cousin s confusion stating there fundamentally 2 kinds of mind:

1. first, ordinary quotidian mind of aware , entangled, lifetime after lifetime, in snare of illusory perceptions , random thoughts;

2. , second, everlasting true mind, our real nature, , state of buddha.

ananda, 2 fundamentals?

the first mind basis of death , rebirth , has continued entirety of time, has no beginning. mind dependent upon perceived objects, , , beings make use of , each of consider own nature.

the second fundamental enlightenment, has no beginning; original , pure essence of nirvana. original understanding, real nature of consciousness. conditioned phenomena arise it, , yet among phenomena beings lose track of it. have lost track of fundamental understanding, though active in them day long, , because remain unaware of it, make mistake of entering various destinies.

tathagatagarbha

rounds , epstein explain buddha nature, matrix of come 1 spoken of in surangama sutra:

fundamentally, comes , goes, comes being , ceases be, within true nature of matrix of thus-come one, wondrous, everlasting understanding — unmoving, all-pervading, wondrous suchness of reality.

[the buddha] shows 1 one each of elements of physical world , each of elements of our sensory apparatus is, fundamentally, illusion. @ same time, these illusory entities , experiences arise out of real. matrix produced matrix of thus-come one. identical our own true mind , identical fundamental nature of universe , mind of buddhas.

Śūraṅgama samādhi

the Śūraṅgama sūtra teaches Śūraṅgama samādhi, associated complete enlightenment , buddhahood. samādhi featured extensively in Śūraṅgama samādhi sūtra, mahāyāna text. equally praised in mahāparinirvāṇa sūtra, explained buddha samādhi essence of nature of buddha , indeed mother of buddhas. buddha comments Śūraṅgama samādhi additionally goes under several other names, prajñāpāramitā ( perfection of wisdom ), vajra samādhi ( diamond samadhi ), siṃhanāda samādhi ( lion s roar samādhi ), , buddhasvabhava ( buddha-nature ).

white parasol crown dhāraṇī

in addition sūtra s contents, dhāraṇī contained in known in chinese léngyán zhòu (楞嚴咒), or Śūraṅgama mantra. well-known , popularly chanted in east asian buddhism. in sanskrit, dhāraṇī known sitātapatra uṣṇīṣa dhāraṇī (ch. 大白傘蓋陀羅尼). simplified in english white canopy dhāraṇī or white parasol dhāraṇī. in tibetan traditions, english instead rendered white umbrella mantra. dhāraṇī extant in 3 other translations found in chinese buddhist canon , , preserved in sanskrit , tibetan.

according venerable hsuan hua, dhāraṇī contains 5 major divisions, control vast demon armies of 5 directions :

in east vajra division, hosted akṣobhya
in south, jewel-creating division, hosted ratnasaṃbhava
in center, buddha division, hosted vairocana
in west, lotus division, hosted amitābha
in north, karma division, hosted amoghasiddhi

fifty skandha-māras

māras manifestations of 5 skandhas described in Śūraṅgama sūtra. in section on fifty skandha-māras, each of 5 skandhas has ten skandha-māras associated it, , each skandha-māra described in detail deviation correct samādhi. these skandha-māras known fifty skandha demons in english-language publications. epstein introduces fifty skandha-māras section follows:

for each state description given of mental phenomena experienced practitioner, causes of phenomena , difficulties arise attachment phenomena , misinterpretation of them. in essence presented both unique method of cataloguing , classifying spiritual experience , indication of causal factors involved in experience of phenomena. although fifty states presented no means exhaustive, approach taken has potential of offering framework classification of spiritual experience, both buddhist , non-buddhist.

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