Fifty Demonic States of Mind (2)
“Ananda, when you sit in the Bodhimanda (a sacred place and position of awakening), your thoughts come to a halt, there is nothing on the mind, only the essential awareness remains. This state of total clarity will stay the same whether you are in movement or stillness, whether you remember something or forget about everything. When you abide in this state and enter Samadhi, you are like someone with perfect vision finding themselves in total darkness, whose essential nature is perfectly pure yet whose mind is not (yet) illumined. This region is the skandha of forms. If the mind’s vision becomes clear, the ten directions will become an open expanse, and there will be no more darkness. This is the end of the form skandha. The practitioner will then transcend the turbidity of time. The cause of this form skandha, as long as one contemplates it, one will eventually realize that solid delusions are its basis.
“At this point, as one intently investigates the wondrous awareness, one may suddenly realize that the four elements of the body are not interwoven, and therefore one becomes able to transcend physical obstructions. This state is called ‘the essential awareness merging into the surroundings’, which is merely a temporary state in the course of practice. It is not an indication of sagehood. As long as one does not see oneself as a sage, it is a good state. If one considers oneself as a sage, however, one will become vulnerable to a host of demonic influences.
“Further, Ananda, as the mind continues to investigate the wondrous awareness, the mind’s eye may see inside one’s own body, and suddenly one becomes able to extract intestinal worms from one’s own body, with the body remaining intact and the worms unharmed. This state is called ‘the essential awareness going deep into the body’, which is merely a temporary state in the course of diligent practice. It is not an indication of sagehood. As long as one does not see oneself as a sage, it is a good state. If one considers oneself as a sage, however, one will become vulnerable to a host of demonic influences.
“Further, as one uses their mind to investigate both inside and outside intently, one’s spirit, mortal form, will, essence, and vital energies may take turns to be host and guest, without affecting one’s body. Suddenly, one may hear the sounds of Dharma teaching in midair, or esoteric truths being proclaimed throughout the ten directions. This state is called ‘the essence and spirit alternately separating and uniting’, which is merely a temporary state in the course of cultivating wholesome seeds. It is not an indication of sagehood. As long as one does not see oneself as a sage, it is a good state. If one considers oneself as a sage, however, one will become vulnerable to a host of demonic influences.
“Further, as the mind becomes clear and open, a bright light from within shines forth, imbuing everything throughout the ten directions with the fine color of Jambunada gold, transforming all species of beings into Tathagatas. Suddenly, one sees Vairocana Buddha seated upon a throne of celestial light, surrounded by a thousand Buddhas seated on lotus flowers, who simultaneously appear in a hundred million lands. This state is called ‘the mind and spirit imbued with spiritual awareness illuminating all worlds’, which is merely a temporary state. It is not an indication of sagehood. As long as one does not see oneself as a sage, it is a good state. If one considers oneself as a sage, however, one will become vulnerable to a host of demonic influences.
“Further, as the mind carries on investigating and observing the wondrous light, one can get to the point where self-restraint is needed in order to prevent it from overbrimming. Suddenly, all space throughout the ten directions may take on the colors of seven or hundred precious gems, with blues, yellows, reds and whites perfectly manifested, simultaneously pervading the whole space without impeding one another. This state is called ‘restraining the mind and keeping a rein on it’, which is merely a temporary state. It is not an indication of sagehood. As long as one does not see oneself as a sage, it is a good state. If one considers oneself as a sage, however, one will become vulnerable to a host of demonic influences.
“Further, as one focuses the mind on the pure light unwaveringly, one may suddenly be able to see things in a dark room at night as if it were in broad daylight, with nothing hidden by the darkness. This state is called ‘refining the mind and purifying the vision to the point where one can see in the dark’, which is merely a temporary state. It is not an indication of sagehood. As long as one does not see oneself as a sage, it is a good state. If one considers oneself as a sage, however, one will become vulnerable to a host of demonic influences.
“Further, when the mind perfectly merges with emptiness, there is no division between what is external and what is internal, and one’s four limbs may suddenly become like grass or wood devoid of sensation, feeling nothing even if burned by fire or stabbed with a knife, not even feeling the heat from the fire, and the knife cutting the flesh would be like whittling a piece of wood. This state is called ‘merging the six senses and blending the four elements into pure singlemindedness’, which is merely a temporary state. It is not an indication of sagehood. As long as one does not see oneself as a sage, it is a good state. If one considers oneself as a sage, however, one will become vulnerable to a host of demonic influences.
“Further, once the mind attains ultimate purity, one may suddenly see the whole earth, with all the mountains and rivers throughout the ten directions being transformed into Buddha-lands replete with precious gems and suffused with bright light. Also, one may see innumerable Buddhas, Tathagatas, and magnificent palaces filling out the whole space. With no obstructions whatsoever, one sees the hells below and the heavens above. This state is called ‘gradually transforming pleasant and unpleasant thoughts with day-by-day contemplation’, which is not an indication of sagehood. As long as one does not see oneself as a sage, it is a good state. If one considers oneself as a sage, however, one will become vulnerable to a host of demonic influences.
“Further, as one uses the mind to explore deep and far, one may in the middle of the night suddenly see marketplaces and kiosks, streets and back alleys, relatives and friends, and may hear their conversations. This state is called ‘flying outward after extreme suppression and seeing all those obscured from view’, which is not an indication of sagehood. As long as one does not see oneself as a sage, it is a good state. If one considers oneself as a sage, however, one will become vulnerable to a host of demonic influences.
“Further, as one extends the mental investigation to the utmost point, one may see oneself take on the form of a Dharma teacher, who undergoes various transformations in short intervals with no apparent reasons. This state is called ‘being possessed by a nightmare-ghost, a mountain sprite, or a celestial demon, because of wicked mentality’, where the practitioner may suddenly start preaching Dharma truths out of the blue. It is not an indication of sagehood. As long as one does not see oneself as a sage, these demonic activities will be curbed. If one considers oneself as a sage, however, one will become vulnerable to a host of demonic influences.
“Ananda, these ten Dhyana states may manifest when one’s skandha of forms interacts with one’s meditation. Practitioners who are confused by these occurrences cannot properly evaluate themselves, as they fail to recognize the falsehood in these circumstances; therefore, they faultily claim that they have reached the Sagehood, which will cause them to fall into the Unrelenting Hells.
“You all must carry on this teaching after the Tathagata’s Nirvana, imparting it to all beings in the Dharma Ending Age. Never let the celestial demons have their way. Protect all practitioners and support them until they realize the Supreme Way.”
阿難當知汝坐道場。銷落諸念其念若盡。則諸離念一切精明。動靜不移憶忘如一。當住此處入三摩提。如明目人處大幽暗。精性妙淨心未發光。此則名為色陰區宇。若目明朗十方洞開。無復幽黯名色陰盡。是人則能超越劫濁。觀其所由堅固妄想以為其本。
阿難當在此中精研妙明四大不織。少選之間身能出礙。此名精明流溢前境。斯但功用暫得如是。非為聖證不作聖心名善境界。若作聖解即受群邪。
阿難復以此心精研妙明其身內徹。是人忽然於其身內拾出蟯蛔。身相宛然亦無傷毀。此名精明流溢形體。斯但精行暫得如是。非為聖證不作聖心名善境界。若作聖解即受群邪。
又以此心內外精研。其時魂魄意志精神。除執受身餘皆涉入。若為賓主。忽於空中聞說法聲。或聞十方同敷密義。此名精魂遞相離合。成就善種暫得如是。非為聖證不作聖心名善境界。若作聖解即受群邪。
又以此心澄露皎徹內光發明。十方遍作閻浮檀色。一切種類化為如來。于時忽然見毘盧遮那踞天光臺。千佛圍繞百億國土。及與蓮華俱時出現。此名心魂靈悟所染。心光研明照諸世界。暫得如是非為聖證。不作聖心名善境界。若作聖解即受群邪。
又以此心精研妙明觀察不停。抑按降伏制止超越。於時忽然十方虛空。成七寶色或百寶色。同時遍滿不相留礙。青黃赤白各各純現。此名抑按功力踰分。暫得如是非為聖證。不作聖心名善境界。若作聖解即受群邪。
又以此心研究澄徹精光不亂。忽於夜合在暗室內。見種種物不殊白晝。而暗室物亦不除滅。此名心細密澄其見所視洞幽。暫得如是非為聖證。不作聖心名善境界。若作聖解即受群邪。
又以此心圓入虛融。四肢忽然同於草木。火燒刀斫曾無所覺。又則火光不能燒爇。縱割其肉猶如削木。此名塵併排四大性一向入純。暫得如是非為聖證。不作聖心名善境界。若作聖解即受群邪。
又以此心成就清淨。淨心功極忽見大地。十方山河皆成佛國。具足七寶光明遍滿。又見恒沙諸佛如來。遍滿空界樓殿華麗。下見地獄上觀天宮得無障礙。此名欣厭凝想日深想久化成。非為聖證不作聖心名善境界。若作聖解即受群邪。
又以此心研究深遠。忽於中夜遙見遠方。市井街巷親族眷屬或聞其語。此名迫心逼極飛出故多隔見。非為聖證不作聖心名善境界。若作聖解即受群邪。
又以此心研究精極。見善知識形體變移。少選無端種種遷改。此名邪心含受魑魅。或遭天魔入其心腹。無端說法通達妙義。非為聖證不作聖心魔事銷歇。若作聖解即受群邪。
阿難如是十種禪那現境。皆是色陰用心交互故現斯事。眾生頑迷不自忖量。逢此因緣迷不自識謂言登聖。大妄語成墮無間獄。汝等當依如來滅後。於未法中宣示斯義。無令天魔得其方便。保持覆護成無上道。
Buddha Mind 