PART ONE: The Setting
Ānanda falls under the spell of the prostitute Mātaṅgī and her Kapila magic. In response, the Buddha manifests a thousand-petaled lotus flower from the crown (uṣṇīṣa) of his head that proclaims the Śūraṅgama spell (i.e. mantra), which Manjusri uses to rescue Ānanda.
PART TWO: The Location of the Mind
The Buddha asks Ānanda, “Where exactly are your mind and eyes?” 唯心與目今何所在
Ānanda replies with seven possible locations of the mind:
- Inside the body - then why don’t you see the inside or know anything about the inside?
- Outside the body - then why can’t you see your own face?
- ‘Hidden’ inside the eye faculty - then why can’t you see or known anything about the eye?
- Inside, but only being able see out through orifices - then is darkness internal or external?
- It arises in the eye faculty when the conditions are present - then, if it has substance , it’s a 19th element located somewhere.
- Neither internal nor external, but in the middle - then where exactly is that location?
- It is without location and, that which is without location IS mind - then it’s like turtle fur and a rabbit horn, which are also not located anywhere yet spoken of.
This session covers:
Hsuan Hua translation, Prologue and Sections I and II, p. 5-28 of the book (p.57-84 of the pdf)
Luk translation, Section I, p. 1 -10 of the book (p.24-37 of the pdf)
Goddard translation, Intro and Chapter One, p. 108-122