Turn the light around and contmplate at ease

[mat black]

This is a talk by Master Hsuan Hua about how Avalokiteshvara reversed the sense faculties to find the source.

In particular, it pertains to listening within to the source of hearing, and the emptiness of concepts of past & future. Very similar to the topic on Ramanas 40 verses on reality

http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?showtopic=5270&st=0

 

Turn the Light Around and Contemplate at Ease

 

"When Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, he illuminated the five skandhas and saw that they are all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty." This line from the Heart Sutra speaks of Guanshiyin (whose name in Sanskrit is Avalokiteshvara) Bodhisattva, who realized perfect penetration by means of the faculty of hearing. He "turned the hearing back to listen to his own nature, so his nature attained the unsurpassed Way." To turn the hearing back means to "turn the light around and reflect within," and to "investigate." If you investigate, you will discover an inconceivable state.

I cannot describe this state to you; if you want to taste its flavor, you have to work at your own practice. Turning the light around means to reflect, to investigate, to illuminate. You have to truly practice if you want to experience that inconceivable state. You turn the light around and reflect within, using your Prajna wisdom to illuminate it and dispel all the darkness.

This is also known as turning the hearing back to listen to your own nature. Your inherent nature is pure and undefiled, but your mind--not the true mind, but the human mind which exploits for selfish benefit--is defiled. That mind is very unreliable, like a monkey that bounces up and down all day long. Turning the hearing back to listen to the nature means watching over the mind until the mind returns to the nature. The mind moves, but the nature is still and unmoving. When the stillness reaches an extreme, the light becomes penetrating. When you are still to the utmost point, the light appears and your nature attains to the unsurpassed Way. This is the method that Guanshiyin Bodhisattva cultivated.

Reflecting within means seeking inside yourself, listening to your nature to see if you have thoughts of greed, anger, or stupidity. If the three poisons are not present, then you have the three nonoutflow studies: precepts, concentration, and wisdom. This is the general meaning of turning the hearing around to listen to the nature.

 

Because he turned the hearing back to listen to his own nature, he was able to contemplate at ease. Being at ease is a state of being without others, self, living beings, or a life span. "At what level is one at ease?" you ask. One is at ease at the level of sagehood. Ordinary people are not at ease. Sages have no mark of others, self, living beings, or life span, so they can be at ease. Ordinary people are attached to these four marks, so they are never at ease.

People study the Buddhadharma but cannot see the four marks as empty, so they cannot obtain ease. To be at ease, you must sweep away the three minds and annul the four marks. "The mind of the past cannot be got at," because it has already passed. "The mind of the present cannot be got at. "You may say "this" is the present, but by then it has already become the past. There is no such thing as "the present"; it is false. "The mind of the future cannot be got at," because it is not here yet. Since the future hasn't arrived, why think about it? If you know that the three minds cannot be obtained and the four marks are empty, then you are the Bodhisattva Who Contemplates at Ease".

- Hsuan Hua

 

The full article, which includes the wonderful practice and nature of Guan Shr Yin's compassion can be found here: http://cttbusa.org/dharmatalks/guanyin2.htm

 

Namo Guan Shr Yin Pusa

Edited July 6, 2008 by mat black

[SiliconValley]

Splendid, thank you...

[seadog]

Great post Matt thanks for the link.

[.broken.]

Cheers Mat - great information as always.

 

Vaguely related...

[mat black]

Cheers Mat - great information as always.

 

Vaguely related...

 

that's amazing choreography James

 

 

My teacher once told me about the 1000 hands with an eye on each are to observe and assist living beings who call to the great Bodhisattva. It was great to hear it with such conviction and sincerity. Another thing he spoke about is Guan Yin's capacity to appear in multiple places & multiple worlds simultaneously.

And yes, it happens.

 

Here's a similar description:

 

"According to the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra: Eons ago, the Thousand Lights King Peace Buddha taught the Great Compassion Mantra to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva . Instantly, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva advanced from first to ninth level Bodhisattva (ten levels total). Delighted, the Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva sworn: If I can assisted all beings to achieve enlightenment in the future, endow me with Thousand Eyes and Thousand Hands. Then, the Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva became Thousand eyes and Thousand arms Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva

In each of his hand, there is an eye (wisdom) in the center of the palm (skills) which symbolizes the union of wisdoms and skills"

from http://www.geocities.com/directx_user/gall...okiteshvara.htm

[mat black]

"Right now our thousand-handed, thousand-eyed image of Guanyin Bodhisattva constantly emits unobstructed light which reaches all living beings with affinities throughout the entire Three Thousand Great Thousand World Realm;

How, then, should I be in my daily bowing and recollection of Guanyin Bodhisattva? Should I continue to have a huge temper? Should I still retain my old faults and not change them?" If you are that way, you could bow to the exhaustion of the boundaries of the future, but you would never see Guanyin Bodhisattva. If you can change from evil and go towards the good, and truly rid yourself of your faults and bad habits -- doing your best to reform and become a new person -- Guanyin Bodhisattva is certain to come to your aid. That is why some people cultivate a good many years without opening the least bit of wisdom, while others cultivate and, without being aware of it, open their wisdom and acquire unobstructed eloquence"

 

- Hsuan Hua

[Taiji Bum]

Mat Black wrote,

My teacher once told me about the 1000 hands with an eye on each are to observe and assist living beings who call to the great Bodhisattva.

 

Kinda reminds me of Ezekiels vision of the throne of God surrounded by eyes.