–Volume 1 (Part 2)
Author: Fafu
Translator : Lotus
Dear Dharma Friends, hello everyone!
Welcome to this episode of the podcast provided by the Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated of Australia.
Today, let us explore the “Sevenfold Inquiry into the Mind” from the Shurangama Sutra. This passage features a profound dialogue between the Buddha and Venerable Ananda, where, through seven successive questions, the Buddha guides Ananda to dispel his wrong understanding of the mind and reveal the true nature of the mind. With a respectful heart, let us follow the Buddha’s teachings to realize where the true mind resides.
1. The Origin of the Shurangama Dharma Assembly
The Shurangama Sutra begins with the circumstances surrounding Venerable Ananda. The Buddha emitted a hundred-jewel radiance from the crown of his head, manifesting a divine mantra. He dispatched Manjusri Bodhisattva to wield the mantra for protection, ultimately bringing Ananda and Matangi’s daughter back to the Buddha’s presence. As a result, Ananda asked the Buddha: How do the Tathagatas of the ten directions attain Bodhi? What is the initial expedient means of practice? In other words, what kind of mind should be used as the first step toward becoming a Buddha?
The Buddha, with great compassion, taught that all sentient beings, due to beginningless delusion, overlook the “ever-abiding true mind, the pure and luminous essence,” and thus wander in the cycle of birth and death. The Buddha emphasized that the Tathagatas of the ten directions all rely on the “straightforward mind” to transcend samsara. Therefore, through the “Sevenfold Inquiry into the Mind,” the Buddha systematically dismantled Ananda’s misconceptions about the mind, guiding him to directly point to the true mind.
2. Sevenfold Inquiry into the Mind
The Buddha’s questioning began with Ananda’s initial aspiration. Ananda, upon seeing the Buddha’s thirty-two marks, extraordinary and pure, developed the resolve to become a monk. Seizing on this, the Buddha asked, “With what mind and what eyes did you perceive the Buddha’s thirty-two marks? Where are your mind and eyes?” This question strikes at the core of the matter: if one does not know the location of the mind and eyes, how can one subdue afflictions or cut off the cycle of birth and death?
Refuting “The Mind Resides Within the Body”
Ananda initially believed that the “knowing and perceiving mind” resides within the body, with the eyes located on the face, perceiving external objects through them. The Buddha incisively pointed out: If the mind is within the body, it should first be aware of the internal organs, such as the five viscera and six bowels. If it cannot even know what is inside the body, how could it know what is outside? The Buddha refuted this with logic: Since the mind is said to “know everything clearly,” if it were inside the body, it should first see the inside before seeing the outside. Since you cannot see inside the body, how could the mind be within it? Thus, the notion that “the mind resides within the body” was refuted.
Refuting “The Mind Resides Outside the Body”
Upon hearing the Buddha’s teaching, Ananda shifted to the view that the mind resides outside the body. If the mind were outside the body, it should only perceive what is external and not what is internal. The Buddha countered with a question: If the mind is outside the body, the body and mind would be disconnected, such that what the body feels, the mind would not know, and what the mind knows, the body would not feel. However, when the Buddha displayed his golden arm, Ananda’s eyes saw it, and his mind could discern it. This shows that the body and mind are interconnected and not separate. If the mind were outside the body, how could it know things in tandem with the body? Thus, the notion that “the mind resides outside the body” was refuted.
Refuting “The Mind Resides in the Eye- Faculty”
Ananda further speculated that if the mind is neither inside nor outside the body, perhaps it lurks within the eye faculty, like wearing crystal glasses, perceiving and discerning along with the eyes without obstructing vision. The Buddha used the analogy of crystal glasses to counter: If someone wears crystal glasses to view mountains and rivers, they would see the glasses themselves. If the mind were lurking in the eye faculty, when you see mountains and rivers, you should also see the eyes themselves. However, the eyes are not an object perceived by the mind, and the mind cannot see the eyes. If the mind cannot see the eyes, how can it be said to lurk within the eye faculty, like crystal glasses? Thus, the notion that “the mind resides in the eye faculty” was likewise refuted.
3、Refuting Delusion to Reveal Truth
Through these three stages of questioning (with four more to follow in the sutra), the Buddha systematically dismantled Ananda’s deluded attachments. Each of Ananda’s responses represents common misconceptions about the mind held by ordinary beings. These attachments stem from ignorance of the “ever-abiding true mind, the pure and luminous nature.” The Buddha did not directly tell Ananda where the mind is but instead used logic and analogies to guide Ananda toward self-realization: the true mind is not confined to any fixed location. The true mind inherently possesses the wisdom of the Tathagata, pure and radiant, omnipresent, yet obscured by deluded attachments. The practice is to dispel these delusions and directly realize the original self-nature.
4. Entering the Path with a Straight Mind
The Buddha emphasized that all Tathagatas of the ten directions rely on the “straight mind” to transcend birth and death. What is the straight mind? It is a mind free from flattery, deceit, and self-imposed obstacles. Thus, the initial expedient in practice is to face one’s delusions with a straight mind, clearly distinguish between the true and the false, and, relying on the Buddha’s wisdom, progress toward Bodhi.
5. Conclusion
Dear Dharma friends, in studying the Shurangama Sutra, we need not get entangled in details or make trouble. By following the Buddha’s reasoning and adhering to his teachings, we can awaken to the true mind.
Thank you all! May all Buddhas’ blessings be upon you, filled with the joy of the Dharma!
