Q:How, by whom, where, and wherefore does the theory of no-cause make its appearance?
A: When things (samskrita) are perceived as neither subject to causation nor above it, then the view maintained by the philosophers of birth and destruction is done away with.
Q: Is non-being no-birth? or does it look for causation? or is it a being's name without a [corresponding] reality? Pray tell me.
Q: Non-being is not no-birth, nor does it look for causation, nor is it a being's name, nor is it a name without a [corresponding] object. Here is a reality which does not belong to the Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, nor to the philosophers; neither does it belong to the Bodhisattvas who have entered upon the seventh stage; this is what characterises no-birth....Nothing is born; being is not, non-being is not, nowhere is being-and-non-being; except that where there is a system, there is the rising of things and their dissolution.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Lankavatara Sutra Chapter 3, Section LXXVIII
I continue to use the usual translation....and this post is my interpretation. I'm no teacher; this is just my comments...my take on the whole thing is summarized:
Labels:
Lankavatara Sutra,
Sutras
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
The Lanakavatara Sutra is best Sutra for getting the full range of description of Buddhist psycho-phenomenology. Unfortunately the sutra is not well organized for narrative reading, so one should not try to read it like other sutras that are more like short stories or novellas.
"When things (samskrita) are perceived as neither subject to causation nor above it" is a core non-dual Zen pranja. This is the focus of Case Two of the Gateless Checkpoint (Wumen Guan, J. Mumonkan) about Baizhang's Fox.
Alan:
Unfortunately the sutra is not well organized for narrative reading, so one should not try to read it like other sutras that are more like short stories or novellas.
That's quite true. I like your blog; going to link to it.
Post a Comment