On The Way: The Daily Zen Journal
Jul 14 2020
The Empty Bowl Sutra
Manjushri Bodhisattva
Thus have I heard: Once when the Bhagavan was dwelling near Sravasti
in the Anapindada Garden of the Jeta Forest and expounding the Dharma
to the assembly, Manjushri Bodhisattva put on his robe at dawn, picked
up his bowl, and proceeded slowly toward the city.
A bodhisattva named Nagasri saw him and asked, “Where are you going,
Sir?”
Manjushri answered, “I'm going to Sravasti to beg for food in order to uplift and
benefit others, to show compassion for all beings, and to help and comfort devas
as well as people.”
Nagasri asked, “If that is so, Sir, have you not yet gotten rid of the conception of
food?”
Manjushri answered, “As for the conception of food, I don't see it as existing.
What is there to get rid of? And how so?
“The fundamental nature of all things is empty. Like space, it contains nothing to
put an end to. How could I get rid of it?
“Neither devas, Mara, Brahma, nor the monks and priests of this world can get rid
of it. And why not? Because the essential nature of all things is like that of space:
ultimately empty, immutable, and devoid of anything to get rid of.
“Moreover, since everything is like space, neither devas, Mara, Brahma, monks,
nor any other being can get hold of anything. And how so? Because the essential
nature of everything is ungraspable, there is nothing they can get hold of.”
Nagasri said, “If it is as you say, why then do bodhisattvas struggle against
Mara?”
Manjushri said, “Bodhisattvas don't struggle against the drumbeating
forces of Mara, nor do they see the slightest thing real
on which to meditate. And how so?
“Even though bodhisattvas might see those demon drummers, they aren't
frightened. It's as if a magician conjured a hostile enemy. Despite the appearance
of danger, bodhisattvas aren't alarmed, for they know that the nature of everything
is essentially empty and illusory.
“Hence, they aren't frightened. If bodhisattvas were frightened, they wouldn't
deserve the support of humans and devas. But because bodhisattvas aren't afraid
of what they know to be empty, they're worthy of serving as fields of pure
blessings.”
Nagasri asked, “Can they realize enlightenment?”
Manjushri answered, “Yes, they can.”
Nagasri asked, “Who realizes it?”
Manjushri answered, “Those with no name, concepts, or anything to say, they can
attain it.”
Nagasri asked, “If that is true, how can they realize it?”
Manjushri answered, “By not thinking about it, by not thinking about
enlightenment or a seat of enlightenment....Anyone who can free
themselves from projections and views can realize enlightenment.”
Nagasri asked, “In that case, what do you think about when you attain it?”
Manjushri answered, “There is nothing to attain and no one who attains. It isn't
something you consider. You don't think,
'I shall sit on a diamond seat under the Bodhi Tree and realize enlightenment and
turn the wheel of the Dharma and rescue others from samsara.'
And why not? Because dharmas are immutable. You can't get rid of them, and
you can't get hold of them. They're ultimately empty. It's by means of this thought
of non-attainment that you attain enlightenment.”
Nagasri said, “Sir, what you have said is truly transcendent and will surely help
others who believe and understand this teaching get free from afflictions. And by
getting free from afflictions, they will finally be able to break free from Mara's
net.”
Manjushri said, “Mara's net is unbreakable. And why is that? 'Mara' is simply
another name for enlightenment. And how so? Neither Mara nor his demon army
ultimately exist. They can't be found. This is why I say 'Mara' is simply another
name for enlightenment.”
Nagasri said, “How would you describe enlightenment?”
Manjushri said, “Enlightenment is present in all things at all
times and in all places. Just as nothing obstructs space, which is
present in all things at all times and in all places, the same is
true for enlightenment.
“Because nothing obstructs it, it's present in all things at all times and in all
places. Thus, nothing is greater than enlightenment. What kind of enlightenment
do you want to realize, Sir?”
Nagasri said, “I want to realize the highest kind.”
Manjushri said, “The highest kind of enlightenment isn't something you can
realize. What you would realize would be tantamount to nonsense. And how so?
“The highest kind of enlightenment would be a featureless nirvana. Hence, what
you would realize would amount to nonsense. It would be like someone saying, 'I
will conjure an illusory person sitting on the seat of enlightenment who realizes
an illusion of enlightenment.'
“To say something like that would amount to utter nonsense. An illusory person
is an impossibility, how much more so one who can realize an illusion of
enlightenment.
“One illusion can't become part of or separate from another illusion. Concerning
that which is essentially empty, there is nothing to grasp and nothing to let go.
The buddhas and bhagavans have said that dharmas can't be discriminated. They
are nothing but illusions.
“The kind of enlightenment you would realize would amount to discriminating an
illusion. Dharmas can't be grasped, and they can't be let go. There's nothing to
create and nothing to destroy. No dharma can create or destroy another dharma.
And no dharma can become part of or separate from another dharma. And how
so?
“Dharmas don't come together or separate. They're essentially empty and devoid
of a self or anything that belongs to a self. They're exactly the same as space.
There's nothing to describe or point to, nothing to praise or disparage, nothing to
elevate or debase, nothing to diminish or increase. They can't be imagined and
can't be fabricated.
“Their very nature is quiescent and ultimately empty. They're like illusions or
dreams. In the absence of anything to which to compare them, how can they
possibly be discriminated?”
Nagasri said, “Wonderful, Sir! I will surely attain enlightenment as a result of
this. And how so? Because you, Sir, have explained to me the most profound
teaching.”
Manjushri said “Just now, I did not explain anything apparent or hidden,
profound or superficial. How could it help you attain enlightenment? And why is
that? The essential nature of any dharma can't be explained. Saying that I have
explained the most profound teaching amounts to nonsense.
“In truth, I can't explain anything and certainly can't explain the essential nature
of anything. If someone said, 'I can describe what an illusory person perceives' or
'the perceptions of an illusory person differ like this and like that,' such a
description would only damage their own veracity. And how so?
“An illusory person has no consciousness, much less any perceptions. Just now,
your statement that my explanation of this most profound teaching could help you
realize enlightenment is like that. All dharmas are illusory. They're essentially
empty and can't be known, much less described.”
Bodhisattva of Wisdom, Manjushri from the Empty Bowl Sutra
Source:
A Day in the Life: The Empty Bowl and Diamond Sutras
By: Red Pine 2020
Returning to the sutras presents many
challenges. The Empty Bowl Sutra
exemplifies what a conversation is like
between someone speaking from the highest
realization to someone who is asking
questions we might be asking ourselves. The
inherent difficulty here is what happens
speaking from an absolute point of view to
someone in the relative space where forms are still forms and
seeks a way to see beyond that limitation.
It begins with an innocent enough sounding question and a very
understandable answer, “I'm going to Sravasti to beg for food in
order to uplift and benefit others, to show compassion for all
beings, and to help and comfort devas as well as people.”
Here compassion for all others is voiced followed by a teaching
on the formlessness of everything. That is a huge jump. For
beginners they will feel lost from here on out; for practitioners
of moderate experience, they can understand on some level
what Manjushri is teaching, but there will be places where they
too will glaze over.
What do we do in the face of such vastness? If someone sits
with a koan as part of practice, any one line could be
contemplated. The other very real question is what does it
actually feel like to experience things devoid of a sense of self
while having “just enough” sense of self to be able to perceive
this world?
Aspiring with you,
Elana, Scribe for Daily Zen
