So far, we have learnt the importance of setting our spiritual intention beyond form, and we also learnt the importance of not following the notions of a self, others, beings, and immortality in our practice.  One may ask, without the notion of the self, how can we set our spiritual intention?

Careful examination of one’s self reveals that the setting of spiritual intention is beyond the self, where the self merely claims credit of it soon after it happens.  In a classic prayer, we would quiet our mind (in fact the entity that needs to be quieted is the self), and when the self is quite, there is communication, or reunion with our inner wisdom, our divine, or whatever we set faith in.  Otherwise, it would become a “self-talk” which reinforce the notion of our “self”.  Therefore, there is a difference between a prayer where our “self” pray to our faith, and a prayer where we put down our “self” in our faith.

Next time you pray, try and feel the difference:
1) “To (your faith), I pray to be a better person in You”
2) “To (your faith), I surrender to be the better person in You.”

Note: Where the former would seemingly strengthened the self and the latter weaken, real surrender does NOT necessarily lead to either (the strengthening and weakening of the self), but instead embraces the possibility of both.  Ponder on it.

* * *

究竟无我分第十七

ULTIMATELY THERE IS NO SELF, SEVENTEEN

尔时，须菩提白佛言：世尊！善男子、善女人，发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，云何应住？云何降伏其心？
At the time, Subhuti asked the Buddha: “World Honoured One, if a virtuous man or woman is determined to develop the Supreme Enlightened Mind, how should his or her mind abide and how should it be subdued?”

佛告须菩提：善男子、善女人，发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者，当生如是心，我应灭度一切众生。灭度一切众生已，而无有一众生实灭度者。何以故？
须菩提， 若菩萨有我相、人相、众生相、寿者相，则（即）非菩萨。所以者何？
须菩提！实无有法。发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者。
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “A virtuous man or woman who is determined to develop the Supreme Enlightened Mind, should thus develop it: I have to lead all living beings to put a stop to (reincarnation) and escape (suffering), and when they have been so led, not one of them in fact stops (reincarnating) or escapes suffering. Why?”

“Because, Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva clings to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, he is not a (true) Bodhisattva. Why?”

“Because, Subhuti, there is not really a Dharma which can develop the Supreme-Enlightenment-Mind.

In this Chapter, Buddha described the essential nature of Bodhisattva (enlightened beings that serves in this world): transcendence of the notion of: self, others, beings, and immortals.

self: a separate sense of individual self
others: what appears outside of one’s self
beings: the collective living beings
immortals: any part of life, form or no-form, that continue to exist indefinitely

Why does Bodhisattva not attached to the above 4?  For a Bodhisattva is a state of enlightenment which is beyond separation or duality.  And alignment with self, others, beings, or immortality implies separation in various levels.

Therefore, the Buddha described that a Bodhisattva that clings to the notion of these 4 is not a real Bodhisattva:  I.e. there is no “one” that can be Bodhisattva, no Bodhisattva who could perceive “others” or “collective beings”, and no Bodhisattva who could “last” forever.  Clinging or attachment to these 4 notions, therefore, represents sidetracks to, or misunderstanding of, the pathway of Bodhisattva towards spiritual enlightenment.

This transcendence of separation and opposition, as a key direction in spiritual cultivation, is basically in line with the Daoist notion of non-duality, represented in the Tai-chi diagram, which embraces and transcends separations and opposites (Yin and Yang) in perfect harmony.

* * *

大乘正宗分第三

THE ORTHODOX DOCTRINE OF THE GREAT VEHICLE, THREE

佛告须菩提：诸菩萨摩诃萨应如是降伏其心！所有一切众生之类：若卵生、若胎生、若湿生、 若化生；若有色、若无色；若有想、若无想、若非有想非无想，我皆令入无余涅槃而灭度之。如是灭度无量无数无边众生，实无众生得灭度者。

何以故？ 须菩提！若菩萨有我相、人相、众生相、寿者相，即非菩萨。
The Buddha said: “Subhuti, “all Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas should subdue their minds as follows: “All living beings born from eggs, wombs, humidity or by transformation, with or without form, either thoughtful or thoughtless,and neither thoughtful nor thoughtless, are all led by me to the final nirvana for the extinction of reincarnation. Although immeasurable, uncountable and unlimitable numbers of living beings are thus led to (the final nirvana for) the extinction of reincarnation, it is true that not a living being is led there.

Why so, Subhuti? (Because) if a Bodhisattva (still) clings to the false notion (laksana) of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, he is not ( a true) Bodhisattva.

Dao gives birth, De (virtue) nurtures, materials materialize, environment shapes.

-> The process of manifestion: 1) birth, 2) nurture, 3)form, 4)materiallze

Therefore things pay reverence to Dao and value De.

-> as they are the source and on-going reality of all things

The reason why Dao is reverenced, and Virtue is valued, is because they allow things to manifest and grow according to their own essence.

-> vs. we like to interfere and manipulate our creations with our agendas, bias, and attachments.

Therefore Dao gives birth, Virtue nurtures; grows it and raises it; matures it and ripens it; nurtures it and protects it.

-> Dao and De everlastingly give birth and nuture all things.  Together represents and ongoing creation and evolution of all.

(Dao) gives birth but does not own, acts but does not claim credit, grows but does not kill, this is the great virtue.

-> As the ongoing source and totality of all, the Dao does not own or manipulate anything.  Even life and death are seen as life in different forms (e.g. plants in different seasons).  No dying or killing is therefore possible, such is Daoist look of the world.

* * *

Chapter 51 discussion:

We like owning things, claiming credits and manipulating things.  When we do so, the self is engaged, and we align with the temporary and limited.

The Dao does not own things, does not claim credit, and do not manipulate things.  When we follow it, the self is transcended, and we align with the everlasting and unlimited.

Bilingual version of Ch51: https://www.lisiming.net/ddj34-52/

The Dao moves in reverse direction; and runs through those humble.

-> Ordinary people invest their energy in their “self”, which claim credits from reality about what is happening.  The process reverses when we surrender attachment to our selves, and align our live to the universal Dao.  When this process starts, Dao starts to move and run in our live.

Things born out of manifest, manifest born out of unmanifest.

-> From unconscious arises consciousness (the waking up of the “self”), from consciousness arises the perception of the entire world.

Discussion of Ch40:

When we align our intention to Dao or to Truth, the entire universe starts to guide us towards it.  The less we are addicted to our selves, the more humble we are, and better the Dao can run through us.

As we start to pay attention to our “self”, we begin to see the nature of it, including how it arises, and how it relates to the perceptive world.  Then we are in position to continue its dominance or to reverse the process through surrender.

Bilingual text of Ch40: https://www.lisiming.net/ddj34-52/

Weight is the root of lightness, stillness is the ruler of recklessness.

-> In the phenomenal world, weight anchors lightness.  In the spiritual world, stillness (in and of the center) persists over recklessness.

Therefore the Sage at all times stay centered at the weighted wagon.

Although in luxury and glamour, (he) remain transcended and nonattached.

-> Seeing the temporariness of phenomena, Sages identified him/herself as the center that give rise to the changing world.

How could the lord of the world rule with a lightness?

-> lightness here means not knowing the center, and attached to the changing.  How can someone who does not know its center rule his/her life?

Lightness will cost one’s foundation, recklessness will cost one’s lordship.

-> When we follow our attachments, we are led away from the center.  When we are away from the center, we lost our foundation.  Like tree without root but attempts to rule the entire tree, we become reckless and lost our true lordship and mastership.

* * *

Chapter 26 discussion:

We often describe spiritual masters as being grounded.  At where do they ground themselves to?  Laozi suggests grounding to the center.  When we realize our identity beyond, and underneath the changing body-mind-self, we realize our deeper identity as the non-personal witness-consciousness-awareness-Self, which is the stable reality underneath and beyond the changing phenomena.  When we realized this, we will not be confused by the lightness of the peripheral, and will know our everlasting home in midst of the changing phenomenal world.

bilingual text of Chapter 26: https://www.lisiming.net/philosophy/chinese-philosophy/daoist/daoist-philosophy/dao-de-jing-core-33-chapters/ddj11-3/