Reading the Buddha Speaks the Eight-Yang Dharani Sutra of Heaven and Earth in the Context of the Dharma Lotus Sutra --Zhizun

Note: The English translation of the Lotus Sutra in this article is done by Mr.Burton Watson.

It has been a while since I came to uphold the Dharma Lotus Sutra following Master Zhenlin’s guidance. I have realized that the Dharma Lotus Sutra and the Buddha Speaks the Eight-Yang Dharani Sutra of Heaven and Earth are consistent and integrated with each other. I feel keenly the kindness and compassion of Master, and impressed by his superb insight and wisdom to be the first Dharma Master to have explained the Buddha Speaks the Eight-Yang Dharani Sutra of Heaven and Earth. His commentaries on the Sutra help many who had previously thought the Sutra as false to realize how esoteric the Buddha Dharma is. It cannot be more true that Dharmas are all connected no different from each other as I am now able understand better the Buddha Speaks the Eight-Yang Dharani Sutra of Heaven and Earth having recited the Dharma Lotus Sutra for sometime. I would now like to share with you some of my thoughts for your reference.



Dharma Lotus Sutra Chapter I: Introduction—



When the Sun Moon Lamp Bright Buddha had not yet left the home-life, he had had eight princely sons. The first was named Having Intention, the second Good Intention, the third Immeasurable Intention, the fourth Jeweled Intention, the fifth Increased Intention, the sixth Cleansed of Doubt Intention, the seventh Echoing Intention, and the eighth Law Intention.



The eight princely sons stand for the eight proper paths in the thirty-seven conditions leading to enlightenment. The first is proper view, the second proper contemplation, the third proper speech, the forth proper behavior, the fifth proper livelihood, the sixth vigorous cultivation, the seventh proper thought, and the eight proper concentration.



In the context of the Buddha Speaks the Eight-Yang Dharani Sutra of Heaven and Earth, the eight princely sons represent the eight consciousnesses, the eyes being the consciousness of form, ears the consciousness of sound, nose of smell, tongue of taste, body of objects of touch, and mind of discrimination. The eight consciousnesses include the six consciousnesses represented by the six roots, the storehouse consciousness, and the alaya consciousness. One attains Buddhahood with perfection in the eight consciousnesses.



The Buddha light of the Son Moon Lamp Bright Buddha illumines it all pervasively, with the sunlight during the day, moonlight at night, and lamp in dark rooms. It stands for the Buddha’s wisdom of prajna, which is formless, tasteless, neither defiled nor pure, not produced or destroyed. It is consistent with the name of the Buddha Sun Moon Lamp Bright. The names of the Buddhas always contain Dharma wisdom, and reveal to us the Buddha Nature, a mind that is firm and solid. When the Buddha speaks the Dharma, we have to listen between the lines.



Dharma Lotus Flower Chapter VII: The Parable of the Phantom City—



When the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellent had not yet left the home-life, he had sixteen princely sons, who also convey to us dharma messages. They stand for

the six roots, namely, eyes, nose, ears, tongue, body and mind,

the six dusts, namely, form, sound, taste, smell, objects of touch, and dharmas,

the six consciousnesses, namely, the eye consciousness, the nose consciousness, the ear consciousness, the tongue consciousness, the body consciousness, and the mind consciousness, and,

the four elements, namely, earth, water, fire, and wind.



The sixteen elements, to put together, are still about the eight consciousnesses. The Buddha expounds to us what they are about in the Buddha Speaks the Eight-Yang Dharani Sutra of Heaven and Earth.



The eight consciousnesses include the six consciousnesses represented by the six roots, the storehouse consciousness, and the alaya consciousness. If we get to know clearly the root of the eight consciousnesses, we shall realize the eyes are the Heaven of Brightness and what we see is no different from the Thus Come One of Sun Moon Bright.

The ears are the Heaven of Hearing, and what we hear is no different from the Thus Come One of Immeasurable Sound.

The nose is the Heaven of Buddha Fragrance and what we smell is no different from the Thus Come One of Fragrance Accumulation.

The tongue is the Heaven of Dharma Taste, and what we taste is no different from the Thus Come One of Dharma Joy.

The body is the Heaven of Vairochana, and our body is no different from the Vairochana Buddha, the Vairochana Mirror Image Buddha, and the Vairochana Bright Buddha.

The mind is the Heaven of No Discrimination, and what is reflected in our mind is no different from that in the Aksobhya Buddha and the Buddha of Great Brightness.

The heart is the Heaven of Dharma Realms and our heart is no different from that of the Thus Come One King of Emptiness.

When the storehouse consciousness is kept under control, one will be able to expound the Anagami Sutra and the Mahaparinirvana-sutra. When the alaya consciousness is kept under control, one will be able to talk the Mahaprajnaparamita Sastra and the Yogacara Sastra.



Good man, the Buddha is the Dharma and the Dharma is the Buddha. They unite to represent one mark, which is the Great-Penetrating-Wisdom-Victory, Thus Come One.”



He who is great-penetrating is obstructed by nothing, formless, tasteless, neither defiled nor pure, not produced or destroyed. He fills the complete empty space and dhama realms, and with wisdom victory, he also has unsurpassed wisdom of prajna. Again, this Buddha name conveys to us important dharma messages.


Dharma Sutra Lotus Chapter 19: the Benefits of the Teacher of the Law –



“At that time the Buddha said to the bodhisattva and mahasattva Constant Exertion: 'If good men or good women accept and uphold this Lotus Sutra, if they read it, recite it, explain and preach it, or transcribe it, such persons will obtain eight hundred eye benefits, twelve hundred ear benefits, eight hundred nose benefits, twelve hundred tongue benefits, eight hundred body benefits, and twelve hundred mind benefits. With these benefits they will be able to adorn their six sense organs, making all of them pure.

　　"These good men and good women, with the pure physical eyes they received from their parents at birth, will view all that exists in the inner and our parts of thousand-million-fold world, its mountains, forests, rivers and seas, down as far as the Avichi hell and up to this Summit of Being…



if good men or good women accept and uphold this sutra, if they read it, recite it, explain and preach it, or transcribe it, they will gain twelve hundred ear benefits with which to purify their ears so they can hear all the different varieties of words and sounds in the thousand-millionfold world, down as far as the Avichi hell, up to the Summit of Being, have been in its inner and our parts….



if good men or good women accept and uphold this sutra, if they read it, recite it, explain and preach it, or transcribe it, they will succeed in gaining eight hundred nose benefits with which to purify their faculty of smell so they can detect all the different fragrances from top to bottom and in the inner and our parts of a thousand-million-fold world…



if good men or good women except and uphold this sutra, if they read it, recite it, explain and preach it, or transcribe it, they will gain twelve hundred tongue benefits. Whether something is good tasting or vile, whether it is flavorful or not, and even things that are bitter or astringent, when encountered by the faculties of this person's tongue will be a changed into superb flavors as fine as the sweet dew of heaven, and there will be none that are not pleasing…



if good men or good women except and uphold this sutra, if they read it, recite it, explain and preach it, or transcribe it, they will gain eight hundred body benefits. They will acquire pure bodies, like pure lapis lazuli, such as living beings delight to see…



if good men or good women except and uphold this sutra after the Thus Come One has entered extinction, if they read it, recite it, explain and preach it, or transcribe it, they will acquire twelve hundred mind benefits. Because of purity of their mental faculties, when they hear no more than one verse or one phrase [of the sutra], they will master immeasurable and boundless numbers of principles.



The benefits about the six consciousnesses stated in the Dharma Lotus Flowers are consistent with the conditions about the eight consciousnesses in the Buddha Speaks the Eight-Yang Dharani Sutra of Heaven and Earth. In fact, both the concept of six consciousnesses and the concept of the eight consciousnesses are the very foundation of Buddha Dharma, and serve to remind us that “A person’s body and mind are the Dharma vehicle of the Buddha” and that there is no falsity to it. Dharma is to be found inside us. Do not seek for it externally. Otherwise, one may fall to the evil paths.