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Wisdom and teachings of
buddhist religion

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W ords and sentences are produced by the law of causation and are mutually conditioning, they cannot express highest Reality. Moreover, in highest Reality there are no differentiations to be discriminated and there is nothing to be predicated in regard to it. Highest Reality is an exalted state of bliss, it is not a state of word-discrimination and it cannot be entered into by mere statements concerning it. The Tathagatas have a better way of teaching, namely, through self-realization of Noble Wisdom.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch.II, p.287, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

D iscrimination of meaning is based upon the false-imagination that these sweet sounds which we call words and which are dependent upon whatever subjects they are supposed to stand for, and which subjects are supposed to be self-existent, all of which is on error. Disciples should be on their guard against the seductions of words and sentences and their illusive meanings, for by them the ignorant and the dull-witted become entangled and helpless as an elephant floundering about in the deep mud.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch.II, p.286, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

W ords are an artificial creation;
[…] No, Mahamati, the validity of things is independent of the validity of words.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch.II, p.286, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

T he assertion of philosophical views concerning the elements that make up personality and its environing world that are non-existent, assume the existence of an ego, a being, a soul, a living being, a "nourisher," or a spirit. This is an example of philosophical views that are not true. It is this combination of discrimination of imaginary marks of individuality, grouping them and giving them a name and becoming attached to them as objects, by reason of habit-energy that has been accumulating since beginningless time, that one builds up erroneous views whose only basis is false-imagination. For this reason Bodhisattvas should avoid all discussions relating to assertions and negations whose only basis is words and logic.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch.II, p.285, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

B ut the way of instruction presented by the Tathagatas is not based on assertions and refutations by means of words and logic.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch.II, p.284, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

T he Blessed One replied, saying: Mahamati, the error in these erroneous teachings that are generally held by the philosophers lies in this: they do not recognize that the objective world rises from the mind itself; they do not understand that the whole mind-system also rises from the mind itself; but depending upon these manifestations of the mind as being real they go on discriminating them, like the simple-minded ones that they are, cherishing the dualism of this and that, of being and non-being, ignorant of the fact that there is but one common Essence.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch.II, p.283, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

B ecause of folly they do not understand that all things are like maya, like the reflection of the moon in water, that there is no self-substance to be imagined as an ego-soul and its belongings, and that all their definitive ideas rise from their false discriminations of what exists only as it is seen of the mind itself. They do not realize that things have nothing to do with qualified and qualifying, nor with the course of birth, abiding and destruction, and instead they assert that they are born of a creator, of time, of atoms, of some celestial spirit. It is because the ignorant are given up to discrimination that they move along with the stream of appearances, but it is not so with the wise.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch I, p.282, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

T hen said Mahamati to the Blessed One: Why is it that the ignorant are given up to discrimination and the wise are not?
The Blessed One replied: It is because the ignorant cling to names, signs and ideas; as their minds move along these channels they feed on multiplicities of objects and fall into the notion of an ego-soul and what belongs to it; they make discriminations of good and bad among appearances and cling to the agreeable. As they thus cling there is a reversion to ignorance, and karma born of greed, anger and folly, is accumulated. As the accumulation of karma goes on they become imprisoned in a cocoon of discrimination and are thenceforth unable to free themselves from the round of birth and death.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch I, p.282, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

M ahamati, since the ignorant and simple-minded, not knowing that the world is only something seen of the mind itself, cling to the multitudinousness of' external objects, cling to the notions of being and non-being, oneness and otherness, bothness and not-bothness, existence and non-existence, eternity and non-eternity, and think that they have a self-nature of their own, all of which rises from the discriminations of the mind and is perpetuated by habit-energy, and from which they are given over to false imagination.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch I, p.279, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

B y tranquility is meant Oneness, and Oneness gives birth to the highest Samadhi which is gained by entering into the realm of Noble Wisdom that is realizable only within one's inmost consciousness.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch I, p.277, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

A ll that is seen in the world is devoid of effort and action because all things in the world are like a dream, or like an image miraculously projected. This is not comprehended by the philosophers and the ignorant, but those who thus see things see them truthfully. Those who see things otherwise walk in discrimination and, as they depend upon discrimination, they cling to dualism. The world as seen by discrimination is like seeing one's own image reflected in a mirror, or one's shadow, or the moon reflected in water, or an echo heard in the valley. People grasping their own shadows of discrimination become attached to this thing and that thing and failing to abandon dualism they go on forever discriminating and thus never attain tranquility.

The Lankavatara Sutra quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Ch I, p.277, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

W hile the Tathagata, in his teaching, constantly makes use of conceptions and ideas about them, disciples should keep ill mind the unreality of all such conceptions and ideas. They should recall that the Tathagata, in making use of them in explaining the Dharma always uses them in the resemblance of a raft that is of use only to cross a river. As the raft is of no further use after the river is crossed, it should be discarded. So these arbitrary conceptions of things and about things should be wholly given up as one attains enlightenment. How much more should be given up conceptions of non-existent things (and everything is non-existent).

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 6, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

M oreover, these sentient beings must have also discarded all arbitrary ideas relating to the conceptions of a personal self, other personalities, living beings and a Universal Self, because if they had not, their minds would inevitably grasp after such relative ideas. Further, these sentient beings must have already discarded all arbitrary ideas relating to the conception of the non-existence of a personal self, other personalities, living beings and a Universal Self. If they had not, their minds would still be grasping after such ideas. Therefore, every disciple who is seeking Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi should discard, not only conceptions of one's own selfhood, other selves, living beings and a Universal Selfhood, but should discard, also, all ideas about such conceptions and all ideas about the non-existence of such conceptions.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 6, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

M oreover, Subhuti, what I have attained in Anuttarasamyak-sambodhi is the same as what all others have attained. It is something that is undifferentiated, neither to be regarded as a high state, nor is it to be regarded as a low state. It is wholly independent of any definitive or arbitrary conceptions of an individual self, other selves, living beings or an Universal Self.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 23 A, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

T he phenomena of the physical appearance is wholly illusion. It is not until a disciple understands this that he can realize the true Tathagata.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 5, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

T he Lord Buddha then said:-Should anyone looking at an image or a likeness of the Tathagata, claim to know the Tathagata and should offer worship and prayer to him, you should consider such a person a heretic who does not know the true Tathagata.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 26, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

I t means that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are not enlightened by fixed teachings but by an intuitive process that is spontaneous and natural.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 7, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

S ubhuti, how is it possible to explain this Scripture to others without holding in mind any arbitrary conception of things and phenomena and Dharmas? It can only be done, Subhuti, by keeping the mind in perfect tranquility and in self-less oneness with the 'suchness' that is Tathagatahood. And why? Because all the mind's arbitrary conceptions of matter, phenomena, and of all conditioning factors and all conception and ideas relating thereto are like a dream, a phantasm, a bubble, a shadow, the evanescent dew, the lightning's flash. Every true disciple should thus look upon all phenomena and upon all the activities of the mind, and keep his mind empty and self-less and tranquil.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 32, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

T hen the Lord made this more emphatic by saying:-Subhuti, when disciples begin their practice of seeking to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, they ought thus to see, to perceive, to know, to understand, and to realize that all things and all Dharmas are no-things, and, therefore, they ought not to conceive within their minds any arbitrary conceptions whatever.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 31, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

T he Lord Buddha continued:-If any disciple were to say that the Tathagata, in his teachings, has constantly referred to himself, other selves, living beings, an Universal Self, what think you Subhuti? Would that disciple have understood the meaning of what I have been teaching?
Subhuti replied: No Blessed Lord. That disciple would not have understood the meaning of the Lord's teachings. For when the Lord has referred to them he has never referred to their actual existence; he has only used the words as figures and symbols. It is only in that sense that they can be used, for conceptions, and ideas, and limited truths, and Dharmas have no more reality than have matter and phenomena.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 31, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

L isten, Subhuti. Within these innumerable Buddha-lands there are every form of sentient beings with all their various mentalities and conceptions, all of which are fully known to the Tathagata, but not one of them is held in the Tathagata's mind as an arbitrary conception of phenomena. They are merely thought of. Not one of this vast accumulation of conceptions from beginningless time, through the present and into the never ending future, not one of them is graspable.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 18, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

S ubhuti, it is just the same when Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas speak of delivering numberless sentient beings. If they have in mind any arbitrary conception of sentient being or of definite numbers, they are unworthy to be called Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas. And why, Subhuti? Because the very reason why they are called Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas is because they have abandoned all such arbitrary conceptions. And what is true of one arbitrary conception is true of all conceptions. The Tathagata's teachings are entirely free from all such arbitrary conceptions as one's own self, other selves, living beings or a universal self.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 17, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

T his is only another way of saying that the phenomena of all things is of one 'suchness' with Buddhahood and Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, and that it is neither reality nor unreality but abides together with all phenomena in emptiness and silence, inconceivable and inscrutable.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 17, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

W hat does this mean, Subhuti? It means that what I attained is not something limited and arbitrary that can be called, 'Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi,' but is Buddhahood whose essence is identical with the essence of all things and is what it is, universal, inconceivable, inscrutable.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 17, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

T he Blessed One resumed: -Subhuti, should there be among the faithful disciples some who have not yet matured their karma and who must first suffer the natural retribution of sins committed in some previous life by being degraded to a lower domain of existence and should they earnestly and faithfully observe and study this Scripture and because of it be despised and persecuted by the people, their karma will immediately be matured and they will at once attain Anuttarasamyak-sambodhi.

The Maha Prajna Paramita quote, Buddhism, Mahayana
Diamond Sutra, 16, in Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist bible

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Wisdom and teachings of buddhist religion

Wisdom and teachings of
buddhist religion