Fifty Demonic States of Mind (4)
“Ananda, as the good practitioner who is cultivating Samadhi has put an end to the sense-perception skandha, although his outflows have not yet come to an end, his mind will be able to leave his body like a bird escaping from a cage. Although he still has a human body, he can ascend through the sixty levels of a Bodhisattva and attain a spiritual body, which can roam freely at will. It is like someone talking in his sleep can utter clear, intelligible words that make total sense to listeners who are awake, although he is not aware of himself doing it. This is called the region of the cognition skandha. If there is no more thinking in his mind and all superfluous notions vanish, his enlightened mind will be spotless, perfectly reflecting all the births and deaths of all beings from beginning to end. It is called the end of the cognition skandha. He can then transcend the turbidity of affliction. Contemplating the cause of it all, one sees that the interflows of deluded thoughts are its source.
“Ananda, after the sense-perception skandha is gone, the good practitioner has perfect concentration and clarity, in which he is free from any negative mental state. Within the Samadhi, he may give rise to a craving for an even more perfect illumination, so he fervidly works on further intensifying his focus and sharpening his skills. Then, seizing this long-awaited opportunity, a demon from the heavens will descend on someone to possess that person, using him as a mouthpiece to expound his own theories. Without realizing that he’s been possessed, that person will come to the whereabouts of the practitioner who seeks to sharpen skills, claiming that he has attained ultimate Nirvana, and setting up an altar to preach the demon’s methods.
“Based on what appeals to you, a demon may manifest accordingly to tempt you – either as a Bhikshu, a Shakra, a laywoman, or a Bhikshuni; or he may emit light while in a dark room. The practitioner then be fooled into thinking that the demon-possessed person is a Bodhisattva, and therefore starts following his teaching, be swayed into breaking the Buddha’s precepts and engaging in all sorts of indulgence. The possessed person is usually fond of predicting future events, either calamitous or auspicious, announcing the birth of a Tathagata somewhere in the world, or speaking of apocalypse fires or wars to frighten people into panickily squandering their financial means. This demon is a freaky ghost who has turned into a demon in its old age to disturb practitioners. Once it has become weary of the game, it will abandon the person it possessed, and subsequently the followers and the ‘teacher’ will get into trouble with the law. You all should be vigilant about this and steer clear of the unfortunate cycle of transmigration; otherwise, if you become confused, you will fall into the Unrelenting Hell.”
阿难！彼善男子修三摩提受阴尽者，虽未漏尽，心离其形，如鸟出笼，已能成就，从是凡身上历菩萨六十圣位，得意生身，随往无碍。譬如有人熟寐寱言，是人虽则无别所知，其言已成音韵伦次，令不寐者咸悟其语 ，此则名为想阴区宇。若动念尽，浮想消除，于觉明心，如去尘垢。一伦生死，首尾圆照，名想阴尽。是人则能超烦恼浊 ，观其所由，融通妄想以为其本。
阿难！彼善男子，受阴虚妙，不遭邪虑，圆定发明，三摩地中，心爱圆明，锐其精思，贪求善巧。尔时天魔 ，候得其便，飞精附人，口说经法。其人不觉是其魔着，自言谓得无上涅槃，来彼求巧善男子处，敷座说法 。其形斯须或作比丘，令彼人见，或为帝释，或为妇女，或比丘尼。或寝暗室，身有光明。是人愚迷，惑为菩萨 ，信其教化，摇荡其心，破佛律仪，潜行贪欲。口中好言灾祥变异，或言如来某处出世。或言劫火，或说刀兵，恐怖于人，令其家资无故耗散。此名怪鬼 ，年老成魔，恼乱是人，厌足心生，去彼人体，弟子与师俱陷王难。汝当先觉，不入轮回；迷惑不知，堕无间狱。
Buddha Mind 