“Subhuti, wherever this Sutra may be, in whatever place it may be, it should be provided support by all beings, celestial, human, and asura. You should know that this place is a stupa, which all should honour, bow to, and circumambulate, and strew with flowers and scents.”
Commentary:
In order to understand this part, we had better take into account Part 13-2, “What do you think, Subhuti – is there any doctrine that the Realised One has preached?” Subhuti said to the Buddha, “World Honoured One, there is no doctrine that the Realised One has preached.”
The Sutra is known as words, text preached by the Buddha, whereas the Buddha said that he didn’t preach any doctrine.
This signifies that we should know clearly what ‘where this Sutra is’ represents. As mentioned in the commentary of Part 12, even if we, deluded by words, pile up hundreds of volumes of the Diamond Sutra somewhere, nothing at all except decay happens to them over time, not to mention them being provided support by all beings, celestial, human, and asura.
The core of the Buddha’s teaching is that everything is equal and one as Emptiness, the true-Self. There should not be any difference between this Sutra, the Buddha (the true-Self) and all other things, including ourselves.
Accordingly, this Sutra doesn’t mean a physical Sutra that is written, or printed on paper, or cloth, or carved in stone, or wood but, as mentioned in the previous parts, means the true-Self. This is why this Sutra should be provided support by all beings, celestial, human, and asura. Where this Sutra is, is no other than where we are now. In other words, to those who know that this Sutra is the true-Self, everything seen and heard, including ourselves, is the Sutra since everything is the true-Self.
Student: “Why should we treasure physical Sutras if they are not true Sutras?”
Master: “They also become true Sutras when you know what the true Sutra is.”
A. They didn’t mean that you don’t have to be attached to your body and take care of it but that you should escape from the stereotype of confining your being to your physical body.
Your physical body is a tiny function of the true-Self that is the essence of our being, which is unchangeable and eternal. You are so attached to the idea that your body is all of your being that you fail to see the main part of your being. This is referred to as being deluded by the illusion of your body.
The words ‘you should not be attached to your body’ mean that you should realise your true-Self that is the essence of your being instead of being deluded by the illusion of your body.
A monk asked Master Woongeo, “What should monastics do?” The master said, “They should stay in a mountain.” The monk bowed to him to indicate that he understood. The master asked him, “How do you understand my answer?” The monk said, “A monastic, just like a mountain, should not be swayed by the phenomena of good and bad, and life and death.” Hearing it, the master, hitting him, said, “You are forsaking ancient masters and spoiling our offspring.”
Student: “What was wrong with the monk?”
Master: “He was blocking the way to the mountain by planting thorn-bushes.”
Commentary:
There is no good and bad, and no life and death in the mountain.
“Why? Subhuti, those who take pleasure in small dharmas are attached to the idea of self, the idea of person, the idea of a being, and the idea of a liver of life; so they cannot accept this Sutra, read or recite it, or explain it to others.”
Commentary:
‘Those who take pleasure in small dharmas’ implies people who are deluded by words and attached to literal understanding. As mentioned in the preceding parts, ancient masters would say that people who understand the true-Self depending on the words in the sutras are not the Buddha’s students but his enemy. Speaking of the Sutra with one’s mind dwelling on words, said ancient masters, is no better than speaking ill of the Buddha. In contrast, the Lotus Sutra says that once we realise the true-Self, no matter what words we may read, or speak; mundane books, political discourses, wealth, or jobs, they will be a Dharma talk. The core of this part is that we should see what this Sutra points to instead of being attached to the words in it.
Student: “Who can accept this Sutra, read or recite it, or explain it to others?”
There are countless people who can read the Sutra, but few who can grasp the Buddha’s teaching. Reading the Sutra is one thing, and understanding the Buddha’s teaching is another.
“If there are people who can accept and hold, read and recite, and explain this Sutra extensively to people, the Realised One knows all these people and sees all these people; every one of them achieves immeasurable, incalculable, boundless, inconceivable virtues. Such people are in effect bearing the unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment of the Realised One.”
Commentary:
Those who can accept and hold, read and recite, and explain this Sutra extensively to people, as mentioned in the proceeding part, implies enlightened people who are aware that this Sutra is one with themselves. ‘The Realised One knows all these people and sees all these people’ means that these people can see the Buddha all the time. In fact, there is nothing that the Realised One, the Buddha doesn’t see. He always sees all sentient beings regardless of whether or not we can accept and hold, read and recite, and explain this Sutra extensively to people. Even at this moment we are in his sight, and we cannot escape from it.
The problem is that we cannot see Him. The purpose of Buddhism is to teach people how to see the Buddha in person. So, what matters here is that we should be able to see the Buddha in person. Then, we can know that the Buddha sees us all the time. When we cannot see Him, His seeing us is of no meaning to us, no matter how much He may see us.
Student: “How do you see the Buddha?”
Master: “I’ve never seen Him since I saw Him just once before.”
A. Before enlightenment, that is, when you see your body as a body, it may sometimes feel as if it were a foundation for enlightenment and sometimes as if it were an obstacle, according to how you perceive it, because you cannot see things as they are.
However, once you, having attained enlightenment, can see everything as it is, your body turns out to be the true-Self, just as the Buddha stated when he said that everything is the true-Self.
Once a monk asked a master what the true-Self is. The mastered answered, “I will answer your question if you pull a person out of a hundred-foot well without using any ropes, or ladders.” The monk didn’t know what to say.
Student: “How is it possible to get the person out of a well without using anything at all?”
Master: “You can do it if you understand the master’s answer.”
Student: “He didn’t answer yet.”
Master: “I heard it.”
Commentary:
Mistaking an answer for a question is due to discarding the true-Self and following illusions.
Zen Fools 