One of the clues to saving all sentient being lies in the Diamond Sutra (Vajracchedika-prajñâ-parâmitâ Sutra), a Sutra which helps to reveal the Buddha’s Diamond Mind which is the fundamental Mind of all Buddhas.
While the yet-to-become-a-Buddha Bodhisattva is overwhelmed with the task of saving all sentient beings, Buddhas, on the other hand, do not suffer from this difficulty. No matter how great the number of sentient beings in samsara, it is more like a huge dream to them. In other words, a Buddha does not see sentient beings the way a Bodhisattva does—a fledgling Bodhisattva we add.
A Buddha realizes that all sentient beings are not apart from the profound state of bhutatathata, that is, ultimate reality. Putting it otherwise, this means that the totality of beings is of one primordial substance which is Mind. When a sentient being arises such that we determine (samjñâ) “here is a sentient being,” what we are beholding is but a composition of absolute Mind (ekacitta), a composition not actually real. Although such a composition seems to have an independent existence of its own, possessing an ego or a personality, it is nothing apart from ultimate reality (bhutatathata). Since a Buddha abides in ultimate reality, and sees things accordingly, he beholds not a single being which is unsaved.
I hasten to add that this is a real attainment. It’s not playing with words. From the time a Bodhisattva first beholds Mind (bodhicittotpada), eventually to becoming a Buddha, his way (bhumi) has been one of becoming more of Mind, hence, progressively giving up his former attachments to mind phenomena, which includes the perception (samjñâ) of sentient beings, which was never more than illusory.
Oops, it seems I caused some anxiety here. Sorry it was not my intention.
But you are right, I am just a Fool who knows Nothing...an irritating fly to be swished away by the horses tail.
Please forgive my intrusion onto your reality. I will leave you now to muse upon your own truth.
Posted by: c.c.keiser | March 26, 2011 at 10:49 PM
cc.Keiser, a crypto- existentialist wrote; a/ If there is but one mind, how can you call yourself "I".
For us to know the meaning of "I", we must first know "Not I". Without "Not I" there is no meaning to "I".
and b;
"It is not that there is but one Mind, but that there is one Consciousness of which all minds are degrees of. Like the seeds in a sunflower, all are a different degree of the sunflower, but all are the sunflower."
New age crappola and ignorance at its best and another reason the zennist keeps repeating the same message again and again on his blog until the most thickheaded blockhead gets it.
Tell me fool, what is the main difference between Mind Only and Consciousness Only?
You could take a peek at the famous treatise on this subject by the spiritual chan-giant Tsung-Mi, where he completely obliterates any argument by the consciousness only followers, but then you would stand on the shoulders of a giant, merely pretending wisdom, as you do now, instead of sharing your own insight derived from even the tiniest glimpse into the singular reality of Mind Only.
Posted by: azanshi | March 24, 2011 at 06:49 AM
It is not that there is but one Mind, but that there is one Consciousness of which all minds are degrees of. Like the seeds in a sunflower, all are a different degree of the sunflower, but all are the sunflower.
Posted by: c.c.keiser | March 23, 2011 at 05:53 PM
If there is but one mind, how can you call yourself "I".
For us to know the meaning of "I", we must first know "Not I". Without "Not I" there is no meaning to "I".
Posted by: c.c.keiser | March 23, 2011 at 12:37 AM
Zennist; Was this post written based on your direct experience and real attainment or was this post written from your understanding of the Diamond Sutra and other writings?
Posted by: clyde | March 21, 2011 at 10:12 PM