–Volume10(Par3)
Author: Fafu
Translator : Gemini
Dear Dharma Friends,Welcome to this episode of the podcast provided by the Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated of Australia.Today, we will discuss the final lesson of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra.
I. The Essential Nature of the Five Skandhas is Delusion:
The Buddha explicitly points out that the fundamental cause of the Five Skandhas is universally delusive thought. This means that the Five Skandhas themselves are illusory phenomena, arising due to delusive thought and are not a true or eternal existence.
- The Form Skandha is referred to as the “First Fixed Delusive Thought”.
- The Feeling Skandha is the “Second Illusory Bright Delusive Thought”.
- The Perception Skandha is the “Third Fusing Delusive Thought”.
- The continuous flux of the Skandha of Mental Formationsis the “Fourth Subtle and Hidden Delusive Thought”.
- The Skandha of Consciousness, formed by the habitual repetition in seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, is the “Fifth Inverted, Subtle, and Refined Thought”. It is the most subtle, closest to the Self-Nature, the foundation of karma creation, and the very first step of delusion.
II. Sudden Enlightenment and Gradual Cultivation:
The Principle is Understood Instantly, and Along with Enlightenment, the Delusions are Eliminated: From the level of the Mind-Essence (our fundamental nature), once one instantaneously accords with the original essence of the Self-Nature (i.e., “turning back the hearing to hear the self-nature”), one can use this awakening to shatter the Five Skandhas all at once.
The Phenomena are Not Eliminated Instantly, but Cease Sequentially: From the level of the Mind-Function, the elimination of karmic habits cannot be accomplished in one stroke. It requires “sequential exhaustion”, meaning clearing them one by one. This is the method of “gradual cultivation.”
Regarding the sequence of breaking the skandhas, the Buddha points out: “The cause of birth is due to Consciousness; the elimination begins with Form.” This indicates that the root of karma creation lies in the Skandha of Consciousness, but the breaking must commence with the Form Skandha.
III. The Boundaries of the Five Skandhas:
The boundaries represent the transition points where the essence of the Skandha becomes clear:
- Boundary of the Form Skandha: The junction of “only form and emptiness”.
- Boundary of the Feeling Skandha: The moment of “only touch and separation”.
- Boundary of the Perception Skandha: The level of “only memory and delusion” (i.e., remembering or forgetting).
- Boundary of the Skandha of Mental Formations: The place of subtle, hard-to-perceive transitions, such as nail growth, hair change, and cellular mutation.
- Boundary of the Skandha of Consciousness: The state of “profound clarity entering and merging with perfect clarity”. The “profound clarity” here refers to the seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing that is mixed with habits, while “perfect clarity” refers to the intrinsically awakened, perfectly pure, Wonderful Bright True Mind and the True Thusness Self-Nature.
IV. Conclusion:
Recognizing Delusion and Heading Toward Nirvāṇa:
The purpose of cultivation is for sentient beings to “recognize the delusion”, truly understanding that the Five Skandhas are all illusory and unreal. This generates a great sense of aversion toward these illusions and allows them to “know there is Nirvāṇa”—the state of no birth and no death. This is the key to leaving the Three Realms. Once this aversion arises, one naturally ceases to cling to the illusory cycle of transmigration in the Six Destinies of the Three Realms, and can single-mindedly overcome obstacles until the achievement of Bodhi.
The Immeasurable Merit of Propagating the Dharma:
Even those sentient beings who have committed grave sins and are due to endure the Uninterrupted Hell—if they can, in a single thought, preach this Dharma door to those who have not learned it—their karmic obstacles “will vanish instantly.” The cause of suffering in the Hells can even be transformed into the Land of Ultimate Bliss (Pure Land).
Thank you for listening! (End of Series)
