Post by Neo on Oct 19, 2020 17:46:42 GMT -5
Student: But the Bathhouse Sutra says, "By contributing to the bathing of monks, people receive limitless blessings." This would appear to be an instance of external practice achieving merit. How does this relate to beholding the mind?
Bodhidharma: Here, the bathing of monks doesn't refer to the washing of anything tangible. When the Lord preached the Bathhouse Sutra, he wanted his disciples to remember the Dharma of washing. So he used an everyday concern to convey his real meaning, which he couched in his explanation of merit from seven offerings.
Of these seven, the first is clear water, the second fire, the third soap, the fourth willow catkins, the fifth pure ashes, the sixth ointment, and the seventh the inner garment He used these seven to represent seven other things that cleanse and enhance a person by eliminating the delusion and filth of a poisoned mind.
The first of these seven is MORALITY, which washes away excess just as water washes away dirt. Second is WISDOM, which penetrates subject and object, just as fire warms water. Third is DISCRIMINATION, which gets rid of evil practices, just as soap gets rid of grime. Fourth is HONESTY, which purges delusions, just as chewing willow catkins purifies the breath. Fifth is true FAITH, which resolves all doubts, just as rubbing pure ashes on the body prevents illnesses. Sixth is PATIENCE, which overcomes resistance and disgrace, just as ointment softens the skin. And seventh is SHAME, which redresses evil deeds, just as the inner garment covers up an ugly body. These seven represent the real meaning of the sutra. When he spoke this sutra, the Tathagata was talking to farsighted followers of the Mahayana, not to narrow-minded people of dim vision. It's not surprising that people nowadays don't understand. ~ Bodhidharma's Breakthrough Sermon
Source:
www.purifymind.com/Sutras19.htm
Bodhidharma: Here, the bathing of monks doesn't refer to the washing of anything tangible. When the Lord preached the Bathhouse Sutra, he wanted his disciples to remember the Dharma of washing. So he used an everyday concern to convey his real meaning, which he couched in his explanation of merit from seven offerings.
Of these seven, the first is clear water, the second fire, the third soap, the fourth willow catkins, the fifth pure ashes, the sixth ointment, and the seventh the inner garment He used these seven to represent seven other things that cleanse and enhance a person by eliminating the delusion and filth of a poisoned mind.
The first of these seven is MORALITY, which washes away excess just as water washes away dirt. Second is WISDOM, which penetrates subject and object, just as fire warms water. Third is DISCRIMINATION, which gets rid of evil practices, just as soap gets rid of grime. Fourth is HONESTY, which purges delusions, just as chewing willow catkins purifies the breath. Fifth is true FAITH, which resolves all doubts, just as rubbing pure ashes on the body prevents illnesses. Sixth is PATIENCE, which overcomes resistance and disgrace, just as ointment softens the skin. And seventh is SHAME, which redresses evil deeds, just as the inner garment covers up an ugly body. These seven represent the real meaning of the sutra. When he spoke this sutra, the Tathagata was talking to farsighted followers of the Mahayana, not to narrow-minded people of dim vision. It's not surprising that people nowadays don't understand. ~ Bodhidharma's Breakthrough Sermon
Source:
www.purifymind.com/Sutras19.htm