Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Nagarjuna's stanzas

"In some things be like trampled grass.
In some things be like blazing fire.
In some things labour like a slave.
In some things remain as immovable as a mountain."


What does these verses of the great Nagarjuna, father of the Mahayana tradition mean?

Trampled grass refers to the perfect patience of the Buddha-nature. Like when King Kali angrily cut off the limbs of Rishi Ksantivadin (one of the Buddha's past life) with his sword, he felt no anger towards him. Or when Ven Hui Ke chopped off his own arm to seek the highest doctrine from Bodhidharma, he too felt no regret at all for that sacrifice.

Blazing fire refers to the the Samadhi fire of the Buddha-nature, able to burn away all klesha (defilements) and tranform them into pure Prajna (wisdom). Whatever klesha that arise in the mind is caused by Avijja (fundamental ignorance). When Avijja is shattered, all klesha are melted back into the true mind & becomes its manifestation bodies.

Labouring like a slave refers to the untiring nature of the Buddha-nature, for it is devoid of any concept of self or something belonging to a self. Like the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, who vowed never to attain Buddhahood until all the hells are emptied, the Buddha-nature also works tirelessly to transform all sentient beings in the mind into Buddhas.

Immovable as a mountain refers to the admantine nature of the Buddha-nature, for despite being able to see & know all things, remains unattached & unchanged throughout all time & space.

So u see all Dharmas are not apart from the Buddha-nature. Once u see your own true mind, you will be able to understand all the teachings of the Buddha, sadhu.

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