Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have the physical eye?” “Yes, World Honored One. The Tathagata has the physical eye.” “Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have the heavenly eye?” “Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata has the divine eye.” “Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have the wisdom eye?” “Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata has the wisdom eye.” “Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have the Dharma eye?” “Yes, World Honored One. The Tathagata has the Dharma eye.” “Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have the Buddha eye?” “Yes, World Honored One. The Tathagata has the Buddha eye.
In chapter 17, we are asked to practice a way of living based on the persepctive of "no-self". An easy way to start is think of being selfless.
In chapter 18, the Buddha began by talking about the Five Eyes, which are different kinds of abilities of the mind.
- In English we say "every man for himself", which seems more natural. Why should we live a lifestyle based selflessness? What about my own happiness and needs?
- What are the functions of each of the Five Eyes?
- If there is "no-self", why did the Buddha talk about the Five Eyes as if they all exist?
- How can we possess the five eyes?
Posts
1) If we live a life of selflessness, than we can truly benefit others. When all actions are based around the self, then many erroneous views and behaviors arise. There is no self, so when we spend our energies in trying to attain things that dont bring the liberation of mind than we attended, than we are in a perpetual state of being unsatisfied.
ReplyDelete2)The funcions of each of the five eyes:
a)Physical eye- to pereive the human world that we live in, takes in a limited spectrum of light
b)Heavenly eye- to perceive past lives up to a point, and have an unhindered eye to view not just the human world, but other realms of existence.
c)Wisdom eye - this eye is conditioned by the practicing of Dharma by using the wisdom of the Buddha Dharma. With this eye we can observe the four noble truths, and the truth of our lives and the way to our liberation.
d)Dharma eye- the eye which can perceive the world and all of its conventional truths and the way to use these truths to liberate all sentient beings.
e)Buddha eye- the Buddha eye is able to see all the small grain details and the big details, helping to see the close up of all things, while keeping a big picture.
3)The Buddha did not want to wholly negate all existence. The purpose of the first part of the Sutra was to break the concept in our minds of a solid self, I, as well as objects by saying they are not really there. The Buddha is reconciling this view by bringing the conventional truth back into the picture, elucidating on the middle way reality.
4) We can possess (eventually) the five eyes by coming to the Zen Center every week for class and practicing diligently, for a kalpa or two.
Justin