A. There is a saying that a good thought is not as good as no thought. The Buddha means the state free from all discriminations, illusions. In that state even a thought, good and holy, or bad and mundane, is an illusion which defiles the state because it makes the Buddha that is Oneness into many that means illusions.
The thought of the Buddha, for instance, breaks Oneness into two; the Buddha and the rest that is not the Buddha. The moment Oneness breaks into two, the Buddha turns into illusions. This is why even the idea of the Buddha is wrong.
Zen master Nanquan, once visited a village. For this occasion, the village headsman had made arrangements to welcome him beforehand. Nanquan said, “Usually my coming and going is not known about by others, how is it that you knew of my coming and prepared for it like this?” The headsman said, “Last night the deity of this land told us that you were coming.” Nanquan said, “Nanquan has not practised hard enough and was seen by a spirit.” His attendant said, “You are a master of great knowledge. Why is it that you were noticed by a spirit?” Nanquan said, “Offer a bowl of rice to the land deity.”
Student: “What did the master mean when he told his attendant to offer a bowl of rice to the land deity?”
Master: “I hope that you are not with a land deity.”
“Subhuti, I remember how in the past, over incalculable eons in the presence of Dipankara Buddha, I got to meet eight hundred and four thousand myriad zillions of Buddhas; I supported and served every one of them, not missing a single opportunity. If, however, there is someone in the final age who can accept and hold and read and recite this Sutra, the merit obtained thereby are such that the merit of my support of those Buddhas do not amount to a hundredth part, to a trillionth part, indeed to any numerical or figurative part of it.”
Commentary:
This part explains how important it is to accept and hold and read and recite this Sutra. What should be kept in mind is that only when we accept and hold, and read and recite this Sutra in the right way as the Buddha told us to can we enjoy the merit mentioned by the Buddha.
The merit of seeing the true-Self in each word at this moment is a trillion times larger than that of the Buddha’s supporting eight hundred and four thousand myriad zillions of Buddhas because then, we can realise that we are the Buddha and that not only the eight hundred and four thousand myriad zillions of Buddhas but also all the Buddhas are one with us.
As stated previously, the purpose of Buddhism is not to support, or worship the Buddhas but to realise that we are the Buddha. Supporting many Buddhas is no more than an expedient, not the final goal. This is why the merit of accepting and holding and reading and reciting this Sutra is much greater than that of supporting eight hundred and four thousand myriad zillions of Buddhas.
Student: “Why isn’t the merit of serving so many Buddhas as much as that of accepting and holding and reading and reciting this Sutra?”
Master: “Because seeing many Buddhas is not seeing them but the illusions of them until you become the Buddha.”
Master Joshu asked a monastic, “Have you ever read the Lotus Sutra?” The monastic said, “Yes, I have.” The master said, “How do you comprehend the words ‘A Buddhist garment is a borrowed name, and a meditation room deceives people’?” When the monastic was on the point of offering a bow, the master asked the monastic, “Are you wearing a Buddhist garment?” The monastic answered, “Yes, I am.” The master said, “Don’t deceive me.” The monastic said, “How can I avoid deceiving you?” The master said, “Don’t accept my words.”
Student: “Why couldn’t the monastic answer Joshu’s questions although he had read the Lotus Sutra?”
Master: “Because he didn’t read the Sutra but merely the letters on the paper.”
“Furthermore, Subhuti, even if good men and good women accept and hold and read and recite this sutra, if they are slighted by others, those people should have fallen into miserable ways because of their misdeeds in former times; but because of being slighted by others in the present, the misdeeds of former times are thereby erased, and they will attain unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment.”
Commentary:
In the preceding parts, a lot was mentioned regarding what this Sutra is and how to hold and recite it, and how this Sutra signifies the true-Self. Everything, including ourselves, is this Sutra, and every sound is a four-line verse.
However, interpreting the Sutra literally, if someone, now deluded by words and forms, thinks of this Sutra as a physical Sutra that is written, or printed, keeps and reads it, he will also be able to escape from all illusions and attain enlightenment later, even if he struggles with suffering now.
To conclude, it’s up to you who are reading this Sutra whether you enjoy the merit of holding this Sutra at this moment, or later. As mentioned in the beginning, each word is a gate to the Pure land, or the function of the true-Self. If you can see the true-Self in each word now, you are already in the Pure land. If you can’t, you will be there, sooner or later, according to how hard you try.
Student: “According to the preceding parts, the merit of accepting and holding and reading and reciting this Sutra is so immense as to be beyond description. How can being slighted happen to those who keep and read this Sutra?”
Master: “The best medicine works as well as it should when a patient takes it as he is told to.”
A. Nirvana is another name of Emptiness that means the state free from illusions. This is also referred to as Oneness because everything, myself included, belongs to it. In the state, I am one with Nirvana: I am Nirvana and Nirvana is me. That is why Nirvana is not where to stay. Staying in Nirvana implies that there are two; one who stays and a place to stay. This goes counter to the fact that Nirvana is Oneness.
“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.
Zen Fools 