Review of Session One
The Buddha asks Ānanda where his mind is. Ānanda replies with seven possible locations:
- Pervasively throughout the entire body
- Pervasively outside the body
- ‘Hidden’ inside the sense organ/faculty
- Inside the sense organ, but only being able see out through an orifice (i.e. the pupil)
- Arising within the sense organ when the conditions are present
- Neither internal nor external, but in a middle location
- Without location for being that which does not cling
PART ONE: ‘Transient Dust’
In this section the Buddha uses the opening and closing of his fingers, making a fist, as an upāya to introduce the ‘original bright wonderous essential’ Mind, as opposed to the false conception of a subjective mind.
First - the buddha shows his fist and tells Ānanda, the mind that sees the fist is not really his Mind.
Second - the Buddha explains that ‘seeing’ complete darkness is not not seeing.
Third - Ājñāta-kāuṇḍinya explains ‘transient dust’ as that which moves (i.e. is impermanent).
Fourth - the Buddha shoots light rays at Ānanda and asks, “What moves?”
This session covers:
Hsuan Hua translation, p. 29-47 of the book (p.85-103 of the pdf)
Luk translation, p. 11-24 of the book (p.25- of the pdf)
Goddard translation, p. 123-131 of the book