一行禪師 Translated from the Vietnamese by Truong
Giam Tan and Carole Melkonian. Wholeheartedly, day and night, a disciple of the
Buddha should recite and meditate on the eight realizations discovered
by the mahasattvas, the great beings. THE FIRST REALIZATION is the awareness
that the world is impermanent. All political regimes are subject
to fall; all things composed of the four elements (1) are empty
and contain the seeds of suffering. Human beings are composed
of five skandhas, aggregates, (2) and are without a separate
self. They are always in the process of change--constantly being
born and constantly dying. They are empty of self, without sovereignty.
The mind is the source of all confusion, and the body is the
forest of all impure actions. If we meditate on these facts,
we can gradually be released from samsara, the round of birth
and death. THE SECOND REALIZATION is the awareness
that more desire brings more suffering. All hardships in daily
life arise from greed and desire. Those with little desire and
ambition can relax, their bodies and minds free from entanglement. THE THIRD REALIZATION is that the
human mind is always searching for possessions and never feels
fulfilled. This causes impure actions to ever increase. Bodhisattvas
however, always remember the principle of having few desires.
They live a simple life in peace in order to practice the Way,
and consider the realization of perfect understanding as their
only career. THE FOURTH REALIZATION is the awareness
that laziness is the cause of all setbacks. For this reason,
we must practice diligently- destroying the unwholesome mental
factors, which bind us, conquering the four kinds of Mara, (3)
and freeing ourselves from the prisons of the five aggregates
and the three worlds.(4) THE FIFTH REALIZATION is the awareness
that ignorance is the cause of the endless round of birth and
death. Therefore, bodhisattvas always remember to listen and
learn in order to develop their understanding and eloquence.
This enables them to educate living beings and bring them to
the realm of great joy. THE SIXTH REALIZATION is the awareness
that poverty creates more hatred and anger, which in turn creates
more evil. When practicing generosity, bodhisattvas consider
everyone, friends and enemies alike, as equal. They do not condemn
anyone's past wrongdoings, nor do they hate even those who are
presently doing evil. THE SEVENTH REALIZATION is that
the five categories of desire5 all lead to difficulties. Although
we are in the world, we should try not to be caught up in worldly
matters. A monk, for example, has in his possession only three
robes and one bowl. He lives simply in order to practice the
Way. His precepts keep him above attachment to worldly things,
and he treats everyone equally and with compassion. THE EIGHTH REALIZATION is the awareness
that the fire of birth and death is raging, causing endless suffering
everywhere. We should take the Great Vow to help everyone, to
suffer along with everyone, and to help all beings arrive at
the realm of great joy. These eight realizations are the discoveries of
great beings, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who have diligently practiced
the way of compassion and understanding. They have sailed the
Dharmakaya6 boat to the shore of nirvana, (7) But then they return
to the ordinary world, having abandoned the five desires, with
their minds and hearts directed toward the noble way, using these
eight realizations to help all beings recognize the suffering
in this world. If the disciples of the Buddha recite these eight
realizations and meditate on them, they will put an end to countless
misunderstandings and difficulties moment after moment and progress
toward enlightenment, leaving behind the world of birth and death,
dwelling forever in peace. This sutra was translated from Pali to Chinese by
the Parthian monk, An Shih Kao (Vietnamese: An The Cao), at the
Lo Yang Center in China during the later Han Dynasty, 140-171
A.D. It is not certain if the Pali version is extant. The ancient
form of this sutra is the culmination of several smaller works
combined, just like the Forty-two Chapters Sutra and the Sutra
on the Six Paramitas. This sutra is entirely in accord with both
the Mahayana and Theravada traditions. Each of the eight items discussed can be a subject
of meditation, and each of these subjects can be further divided.
Although the form of the sutra is simple, its content is extremely
profound and marvelous. The Sutra on the Eight Realizations of
the Great Beings is not an analysis of anything. It is a realistic
and effective approach to meditation. The Sutra on the Eight Realizations of the Great
Beings contains eleven essential subjects for meditation. I will
discuss these subjects along with the eight realizations. 1. The first realization explains and clarifies
the four basic subjects of Buddhist meditation: (a) impermanence,
(b) suffering, (c) no-self, and (d) impurity. We must always
remember and meditate on these four principles of reality. As
mentioned in the sutra, if someone meditates on these facts,
he or she will gradually be released from samsara, the round
of birth and death. a.
Impermanence - the impermanent nature of all things: From moment
to moment, all things in this world, including human life, mountains
and rivers, and political systems, are in constant transformation.
This is called impermanence in each moment. Everything passes
through a period of birth, maturity, transformation, and destruction.
This destruction is called impermanence in each cycle. To see
the impermanent nature of all things, we must examine this closely.
Doing so will prevent us from being imprisoned by the things
of this world. b.
Suffering - the emptiness of all things: The ancient people of
India said that all things are composed of four elements: earth,
air, water, and fire. Acknowledging this, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
understand that when there is a harmonious relationship among
the four elements, there is peace. When the four elements are
not in harmony, there is suffering. Because all things are created
by a combination of these elements, nothing can exist independently
or permanently. All things are impermanent. Consequently, when
we are caught up in the things of the world, we suffer from their
impermanent nature. And since all things are empty, when we are
caught by things, we also suffer from their emptiness. Awareness
of the existence of suffering leads us to begin to practice the
way of realization. This is the first of the Four Noble Truths.8
When we lose awareness of and do not meditate on the existence
of suffering in all things, we can easily be pushed around by
passions and desires for worldly things, increasingly destroying
our lives in the pursuit of these desires. Only by being aware
of suffering can we find its cause, confront it directly, and
eliminate it. c.
Selflessness - the nature of our bodies: Buddhism teaches that
human beings are composed of five aggregates, called skandhas
in Sanskrit. If the form created by the four elements is empty
and without self, then human beings, created by the unification
of the five skandhas, must also be empty and without self. Human
beings are involved in a transformation process from second to
second, minute to minute, and continually pass through the impermanence
in each moment. By looking very deeply into the five skandhas,
we can experience the selfless nature of our bodies, our passage
through birth and death, and emptiness. Thereby destroying the
illusion that our bodies are permanent. In Buddhism, no-self
is the most important subject for meditation. By meditating on
no-self, we can break through the barrier between self and other.
Since we are no longer separate from the universe, a completely
harmonious existence with the universe is created. We see that
all other human beings exist in us and that we exist in all other
human beings. We see that the past and the future are contained
in the present moment, and we can penetrate and be completely
liberated from the cycle of birth and death. Modern science has
also discovered the truth of the selfless nature of all things.
In the following paragraph written by the British biologist Lyall
Watson, we can see the truth of no-self through the eyes of a
scientist. Lyall Watson is not a student of Buddhism, but his
approach corresponds entirely with the principles of dependent
origination and no-self. Scientists who meditate continuously
on the selfless nature of their own bodies and minds, as well
as the selfless nature of all things, will one day easily attain
enlightenment. d.
Impurity- the nature of our bodies and minds: Impurity means
the absence of an immaculate state of being, one that is neither
holy nor beautiful. From the psychological and physiological
standpoint, human beings are impure. This is not negative or
pessimistic, but an objective perspective on human beings. If
we examine the constituents of our bodies from the hair on our
head to the blood, pus, phlegm, excrement, urine, the many bacteria
dwelling in the intestines, and the many diseases present waiting
for the opportunity to develop, we can see clearly that our bodies
are quite impure and subject to decay. Our bodies also create
the motivation to pursue and attempt to satisfy our desires and
passions. That is why the sutra regards the body as the place
where misdeeds gather. Let us now consider our psychological
state. Since we are unable to see the truth of impermanence,
suffering, and the selfless nature of all things, our minds often
become the victims of greed and hatred, and we act wrongly. So
the sutra says, "The mind is the source of all confusion." 2. "More desire brings more suffering"
is the basis of the second realization. Most people define happiness
as the satisfaction of all desires. There are five types of desire.
(9) These desires are boundless but our ability to realize them
is not, and unfulfilled desires always create suffering. When
desires are only partially fulfilled, we continue to pursue their
complete fulfillment, and we create more suffering. Even when
a desire is fulfilled, we suffer when its fulfillment terminates.
It is only after we become completely exhausted from this incessant
pursuit that we begin to realize the extent to which we were
caught in the insatiable net of desires and passions. Then we
can realize that true happiness is really a peaceful state of
body and mind, and this can only exist when our desires are few.
Having few desires and not seeking fulfillment through the pursuit
of the five desires are great steps towards liberation. 3. Knowing how to feel satisfied with few possessions
destroys desire and greed. This means being content with material
conditions that allow us to be healthy and strong enough to practice
the Way. This is an effective way to cut through the net of passions
and desires, attain a peaceful state of body and mind, have more
time to help others, and be free to realize the highest goal--the
development of concentration and understanding to attain realization.
Knowing how to feel satisfied with few possessions helps us avoid
buying unnecessarily and becoming part of an economic system
that exploits others, and it enables us to decrease our involvement
in the pollution of our environment. 4. Diligent practice destroys laziness. After we
cease looking for joy in desires and passions and know how to
feel satisfied with few possessions, we must not be lazy, letting
days and months slip by neglectfully. Great patience and diligence
are needed day and night to continually develop our concentration
and understanding--the endeavor of self-realization. We must
use all of our time to meditate on the four truths of impermanence,
suffering, selflessness, and impurity, the first four subjects
of meditation. We must penetrate deeply into the profound meaning
of The Four Foundations of Mindfulness,10 practicing, studying,
and meditating on the postures and cycles (becoming, maturing,
transformation, and destruction) of our bodies, as well as our
feelings, sensations, mental formations, and consciousness. We
should read sutras and other writings, which explain meditation--correct
sitting and controlling the breath, such as The Satipatthana
Sutta and The Maha Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra. We have to follow
the teachings of these sutras and practice them in an intelligent
way, choosing the methods which best apply to our own situation.
As necessary, we can modify the methods suggested in order to
accommodate our own needs. Our energy must also be regulated
until all the basic desires and passions--greed, anger, narrow-mindedness,
arrogance, doubt, and preconceived ideas--are uprooted. At this
time we will know that our bodies and minds are liberated from
the imprisonment of birth and death, the five skandhas, and the
three worlds. 5. Concentration and understanding destroy narrow-mindedness.
Among the basic desires and passions, narrow-mindedness has the
deepest roots. When these roots are loosened, all other desires
and passions--greed, anger, doubt, and preconceived ideas--are
also uprooted. Knowing this, we can make a great effort to meditate
on the truths of impermanence, no-self, and the dependent origination
of all things. Once the roots of ignorance are severed, we can
not only liberate ourselves, but also teach others to break through
the imprisonment of birth and death. The first four subjects of meditation are to help
us attain liberation. The next four subjects have the aim of
helping others attain liberation, thus clearly and solidly uniting
Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist thought. 6. When practicing generosity, we should consider
everyone equal. Some people think that they can only practice
generosity if they are wealthy. This is not true. Some people
who are very wealthy do practice generosity, but many give alms
with the aim of gaining merit, profiting, or pleasing others.
People whose lives are grounded in compassion are seldom rich,
because they share whatever they have with others. They are not
willing to enrich their lives financially at the cost of others'
poverty. Many people misunderstand the Buddhist expression "practicing
generosity" to mean when casually giving five or ten cents
to a beggar on the street. In fact, the practice of generosity
is even more beautiful than that. It is both modest and grand. Practicing generosity means to act in a way that
will help equalize the difference between the wealthy and the
impoverished. Whatever we do to ease human suffering and create
social justice can be considered practicing generosity. This
is not to say that we must become active in any political system.
To engage in partisan political action that leads to a power
struggle among opposing parties and causes death and destruction
is not what we mean by practicing generosity. Practicing generosity
is the first of the six paramitas.11 Paramita means to help others
reach the other shore, the shore of liberation from sickness,
poverty, hunger, ignorance, desires and passions, and birth and
death. How can a person practicing "knowing how to
feel satisfied with few possessions" also practice generosity?
It is by living simply. Almost everyone who spends his or her
life serving and helping others, sacrificing himself or herself
for the sake of humanity, lives simply. If they live their lives
worrying about making money and gaining merit, how can they practice
generosity? Mahatma Gandhi lived a very simple life; nevertheless
his merit helping humanity and saving human beings was immeasurable.
There are thousands of people among us who live very simply,
while being very helpful to many, many others. They do not have
as large a reputation as Gandhi, but their merit is no less than
his. It is enough for us just to be a little more attentive and
aware of the presence of people like these. They do not practice
generosity by giving money which they do not possess, but rather
by giving their time, energy, love, and care--their entire lives. Practicing generosity in a Buddhist context means
not to discriminate against anyone. Even though among the poor
and destitute there are cruel persons and kind persons, we must
not exclude the cruel ones from our practice. Because poverty
brings anger and hatred, poor people are more inclined to create
evil. As the sutra states, "Bodhisattvas consider everyone,
friends and enemies alike, as equal. They do not condemn anyone's
past wrongdoings, nor do they hate even those who are presently
doing evil." This expresses the spirit of Mahayana Buddhism.
Poverty creates anger, hatred, and wrongdoings. If we teach Buddhist
philosophy through lectures, but do not practice generosity to
ease the suffering of others, we have not yet attained the essence
of Buddhism. We should practice generosity with compassion and
not disdain, without discriminating against people who, because
of their poverty, have caused anger and hatred. 7. While living in society, we should not be defiled
by it. We must live in harmony with society in order to help
others, without being caught by the five desires, living like
the lotus flower, which blooms in the mud and yet remains pure
and unstained. Practicing the way of liberation does not mean
avoiding society, but helping in it. Before our capacity to help
becomes strong and solid, we may be defiled by living in society.
For this reason, Bodhisattvas meditate on the detrimental nature
of the five desires and firmly decide to live simply in order
to practice generosity without discrimination. Thus, living in
society and not being stained by it is to practice the six paramitas. 8. We should create in ourselves the firm decision
to help others. We must make a deep and solemn vow to overcome
the difficulties, dangers, and suffering that may occur while
helping others. Since the suffering in society is limitless,
the willingness and devotion to practice the way of helping others
must also be limitless. Thus, the Mahayana spirit is an endless
source of energy, which inspires us to practice generosity without
discrimination. With the Mahayana spirit, we can withstand the
many challenges and humiliations encountered in society and be
able to continue to practice the Way. This will bring great happiness
to others. Only with the Mahayana spirit can we realize the following
topics taught by the Po Lun San Mei Lu (Vietnamese: Bao Vuong
Tam Muoi Sastra): In the paragraph explaining the eighth realization,
it should be noted that the Mahayana Buddhist practice of the
six Paramitas is contained in this sutra: The 1st Paramita, giving = the sixth realization The 2nd Paramita, observing the precepts = the second,
third and seventh realizations The 3rd Paramita, diligent effort = the fourth realization The 4th Paramita, endurance = the eighth realization The 5th Paramita, concentration = the first realization The 6th Paramita, understanding = the fifth realization The style, content, and methodology of The Sutra
on The Eight Realizations are consistent and logical. It is a
very practical and concise sutra. But this discussion of the
content is only intended to serve as a preliminary guideline.
To fully benefit from this sutra, we must also practice and observe
its teachings. To practice and observe The Sutra on the Eight Realizations
of the Great Beings, choose a time when your body and mind are
completely relaxed, for example after taking a comfortable bath.
You can begin by lighting a stick of incense to give the room
a pleasant fragrance. Then, take the Sutra and slowly read it
to discover its deepest meanings. Relate the words of the sutra
to your own life experiences. It is through your own life experiences
that you can understand any Sutra's content and not through someone
else's explanation of it. Each time you sit in meditation, thoroughly examine
each subject of the Sutra. The more you meditate on each subject,
the more deeply you will discover the profound wisdom contained
in the Sutra. It would be helpful for you to also read other
sutras, such as The Anapanasati Sutta of Mindfulness on Breathing
and The Satipatthana Sutta. Both are profound and concise works
which will complement The Sutra on the Eight Realizations. These
two sutras explain in practical detail how to progress step-by-step
towards realization. If you combine the method of following and
relaxing your breathing, as described in these two sutras, with
meditation on the eleven subjects described in The Sutra on the
Eight Realizations; you will easily succeed in achieving your
aim of realizing your own self-nature. The content of The Sutra on the Eight Realizations
is grounded in both Mahayana and Theravada viewpoints. Please
treasure this Sutra. When I was seventeen, and in my first year
of novice studies at a Buddhist Monastery, I had to study and
memorize it. This enabled me to easily combine the meaning of
the Sutra with the meditation of breath counting. From this period
until now, 35 years have passed and this Sutra is still an invaluable
torch lighting my path. Today I have the opportunity to present
it to you. I am grateful to this deep and miraculous Sutra. I
join my hands and respectfully recite, "Homage to the precious
Sutra on the Eight Realizations." In 1978, I asked the La Boi Press to give this sutra
away in order to pray for those boat people who drowned in the
South China Sea and the Gulf of Siam in the prior three years,
and also for those who had the chance to survive so that they
can find a new home somewhere in the world. In 1987, I asked
Parallax Press to publish a new English edition in order to make
it available for western readers and refugees in the west. -Thich Nhat Hanh Written in 1978 while the author was conducting
a project to rescue boat people in the South China Sea.
COMMENTARY:
THE ORIGIN OF THE SUTRA
THE CONTENT OF THE SUTRA
PRACTICING AND OBSERVING THE SUTRA ON THE EIGHT
REALIZATIONS
Afterword:
NOTES: