The shurangama mantra The shurangama mantra | Page 244

【THE SHURANGAMA SUTRA _ EXTRACTION.】
moral regulations. He scolds his
disciples and exposes people’s
private affairs without fear of ridicule
or rejection. 8:144
person is untroubled by any deviant
mental state and experiences perfect,
bright concentration. Within samadhi,
his mind craves to enter cessation, so
he investigates the nature of
transformations as he greedily seeks
for profound emptiness. 8:148
”He often talks about spiritual powers
and self-mastery. He may cause
people to see visions of Buddhalands,
but they are unreal and arise merely
from the ghost’s power to delude
people. He praises the indulgence of
lust and does not condemn lewd
conduct. He uses indecent means to
transmit his Dharma. 8:146
”At that time a demon from the
heavens seizes the opportunity it has
been waiting for. Its spirit possesses
another person and uses him as a
mouthpiece to expound the Sutras
and the Dharma. 8:148
”This is a powerful nature spirit: a
mountain sprite, a sea sprite, a wind
sprite, a river sprite, an earth sprite,
or a grass-and-tree sprite that has
evolved over long ages. It may be a
dragon-goblin; or a rishi who has
been reborn as a goblin; or again a
rishi who, having reached the end of
his appointed time, should have died,
but whose body does not decay and is
possessed by a goblin. In its old age it
has become a demon. It disturbs and
confuses the good person. But when
it tires of doing so, it will leave the
other person’s body. Then both the
disciples and the teacher will get in
trouble with the law. 8:146
”This person, unaware that he is
possessed by a demon, claims he has
reached unsurpassed Nirvana. When
he comes to see that good person who
seeks emptiness, he arranges a seat
and speaks the Dharma. In the midst
of the great assembly, his physical
form suddenly disappears, and no one
in the assembly can see him. Then
out of nowhere, he abruptly
reappears. He can appear and
disappear at will, or he can make his
body transparent like crystal. From
his hands and feet he releases the
fragrance of sandalwood, or his
excrement and urine may be sweet as
thick rock candy. He slanders the
precepts and is contemptuous of
those who have left the home life.
8:148
”You should be aware of this in
advance and not get caught up in the
cycle of transmigration. If you are
confused and do not understand, you
will fall into the Relentless Hells.
8:147
”He often says that there is no cause
and no effect, that once we die, we
are gone forever, that there is no
afterlife, and that there are no
ordinary people and no sages.
Although he has obtained a state of
empty stillness, he covertly indulges
"Further, in the unhindered clarity
and wonder that ensues after the
feeling skandha is gone, this good
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