New Revelations from the Buddha King

The Battle Between Erh-lang and the Monkey

As I was about to write on the subject of the Wisdom of Discriminatory Awareness, it suddenly came to my mind that in the book Hsi-yu Chi (Journey to the West), there is an episode in chapter six called `The Little Sage Overpowering the Great Sage.` Little Sage refers to the Deva Erh-lang while the Great Sage refers to the Monkey King.

I find the passages on `the battle between the two sages` to be brilliant in that they are totally descriptive of the Wisdom of Discriminatory Awareness. Therefore, I have quoted them below. In reading these passages, one will find them quite interesting and will note that they conform to the logic of the Wisdom of Discriminatory Awareness.

`When Erh-lang, with his eyes wide open, saw that the Monkey had assumed the form of a sparrow perching motionless on the tree, he cast aside his magic sword, laid down his catapult, and gave himself a shake to change into a hawk. With his fully extended wings flapping, Erh-lang zeroed in to swoop at the sparrow. When the Monkey saw this, he immediately raised up his wings to change into a large cormorant and soared up to the sky. As soon as Erh-lang saw this, he fluttered his plumes and changed himself into a great sea crane charging up to the clouds to snap at the cormorant with his beak. The Monkey now swooped down to dive into the stream in the ravine, where he changed into a fish. When Erh-lang hurried to the bank of the stream and found no trace of the Monkey, he thought to himself, `The Monkey must have entered into the water and assumed the form of a fish or shrimp. Let me change again to wait for him.` He then indeed changed himself into a fish hawk and began flying downstream over the water, all the while staying on the look out close to the surface.

`The Monkey, disguised as a fish, swam right along with the flow of the water. He suddenly spotted a bird which looked like a black sparrow hawk, yet its feathers were not black. The creature also resembled an egret or an old stork, but without the former`s crest tassel or the latter`s red legs. `It is probably the magic form of Erh-lang waiting for me....` The Monkey quickly turned around to flee, creating ripplets around him. Erh-lang noticed these and said, `That little fish that is making these ripplets looks like a carp, yet its tail isn`t red; it resembles a mandarin fish, yet has no scales; it would be a snakeheaded fish, but its head doesn`t have any stars; it would be a gurnard if only it had bristles on its gills. Why did it turn around when it saw me? It must be the Monkey.`

`Chasing up, Erh-lang swooped down to peck at the fish, but the Monkey leaped out of the water and changed himself into a water snake which swam towards the shore and disappeared onto the grassy bank. After missing his target, Erh-lang spotted a snake dashing off and recognized that it was the Monkey. He immediately turned himself into a vermillion-crested grey crane with a long pickaxe beak and jabbed its way along the grassy bank. The water snake leaped up and turned itself into a spotted bustard, standing dully atop the water plants. When Erh-lang saw that the Monkey had turned into the lowly and degrading spotted bustard - one of the most promiscuous of all species of birds which mates with all groups from phoenixes to eagles and crows, he did not care to keep up with the game and instantly reverted to his own form. Walking over to pick up his catapult, he pulled it taut and let go of the pellet which was aimed right at the spotted bustard.

`Seizing this chance, the Monkey rolled himself off the cliff and, while lying on the ground, he changed again into a village god temple: his wide open mouth became the temple entrance, his teeth the doors, his tongue a Bodhisattva statue, and his eyes the windows. Not knowing what to do with his tail stuck there at the back, he turned it into a flagpole. When Erh-lang rushed down to the bottom of the cliff, there was no view of the injured bustard except a small temple. Anxiously, he opened his eyes wide to take a careful look. When he saw the flagpole at the back, he smiled, `It has got to be the Monkey! He is now trying to trick me again. I have seen many temples but never one with a flagpole standing at the back. I am sure he is just waiting for me to go inside so he can bite me. Why should I go inside? Let me first smash his windows and then kick down his doors!``

Contained in these passages are observations made by both the Monkey and the Erh-lang Deva. Their observations are so meticulous and subtle, full of logical analysis and inferences, that they can be considered to be employing the Wisdom of Subtle Discrimination.

The Subtle Observations of Padmakumara

The Five Buddhas and the Five Wisdoms we know of are:
Great Sun Buddha - The Wisdom of Ultimate Reality
Akshobhya Buddha - The Great Mirror-like Wisdom
Ratnasambhava Buddha - The Wisdom of Equanimity
Amitabha Buddha - The Wisdom of Discriminatory Awareness
Amoghasiddhi Buddha - The All-accomplishing Wisdom

Since I (Padmakumara) have come from Amitabha, this connection has enabled me to bring a specialty of mine, the Wisdom of Discriminatory Awareness, into full play. The Wisdom of Discriminatory Awareness is the fruition attained when the sixth consciousness undergoes transformation in the Enlightened state; it is the wisdom that enables one to offer an analysis, based on observations, into the various phenomena in the Dharma realm.

The sutra known as Hsin Ti Kuan Ching (Sutra of Viewing the Mind) says, `The Wisdom of Discriminatory Awareness enables one to view individual as well as collective forms of all phenomena and to discourse on them in front of an assembly, enabling sentient beings to arrive at a non-receding realization.`

The Wisdom of Discriminatory Awareness which I have developed encompasses the following aspects:

Ultimate Reality - as symbolized by the Lamp-lighting Tathagata

Prajna - as symbolized by Shakyamuni Buddha

Mind Only - as symbolized by Maitreya Buddha

Samadhi - as symbolized by Guru Padmasambhava

Non-dual Nature - as symbolized by Nagarjuna Bodhisattva

I shall quote two passages from the Hua Yen Ching (Flower Adornment Sutra) to explain this Discriminatory Awareness that I possess:

(1) `A bodhisattva, abiding in mental activities that are free from attachments, may observe asamkhyeyas of worlds and asamkhyeyas of adorned and pure Buddha lands. A bodhisattva is not attracted to any majesty, nor is he repulsed by any defilements that he sees. Why is he able to do this? He is observing the various phenomena while abiding in a state of stillness and equanimity. A bodhisattva is constantly mindful that, `I shall help all sentient beings in the ten directions to reach liberation. If it takes an infinite number of eons to accomplish, I shall not regret or become weary of it. I shall stay with them without abandoning them, for aiding one sentient beings is aiding all sentient beings.` A bodhisattva has such great compassion that he dwells continuously in such thoughts, without any interruption. Thus, a bodhisattva acts without any attachments.`

(2) `A bodhisattva has ten kinds of great compassion: when he sees sentient beings lacking a refuge, a great compassion arises; when he sees sentient beings following and chasing after evil paths, a great compassion arises; when he sees sentient beings dwelling in impoverishment and the lack of good roots, a great compassion arises; when he sees sentient beings sleeping through the cycle of birth and death, a great compassion arises; when he sees sentient beings indulging in unwholesome ways, a great compassion arises; when he sees sentient beings becoming bound by desires, a great compassion arises; when he sees sentient beings drifting in the ocean of life and death, a great compassion arises; when he sees sentient beings suffering with illnesses, a great compassion arises; when he sees sentient beings having no desire for wholesome practices, a great compassion arises; and when he sees sentient beings unable to meet the various Buddhadharma, a great compassion arises.`

Because of the above causes and conditions, I, Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu, am able to enter into the Flower Adornment World through the gateway of Flower Adornment Samadhi.

There is a great inherent secret about this Flower Adornment World. It is the Flower Adornment Pure Land of Shakyamuni Buddha (the Three Peaks).

The majesty and splendor in the sceneries there is comparable to the beauty in the Indra`s pearl-strung net. The Flower Adornment World is an immense world-sphere with blazing jewelled flames on top and wheels of wind below.

Shakyamuni Buddha`s Flower Adornment World is, of course, not the only world that I may enter. I may also enter into the Flower Adornment World of the Great Sun Tathagata, the World of Ultimate Bliss [Sukhavati] of Amitabha, the Secret Adornment World, and the Tantric Realm`s Vajradhatu and Garbhadhatu.

Deva-foot Flying

I find that I am often flying outside of my body. This flying skill has accompanied me since the time the source of my life was awakened, and I have travelled on some really extraordinary journeys.

Due to the splendid light source in my background and its inherent brilliance, my soul body does not merely give off light on its own; it also envelops other bodies of light in constant and eternal radiating waves. I have experienced some of the most exquisite and splendid times in my deva-foot flying.

Observing with the eyes of my consciousness, I see that amid the indescribable play of brilliance and splendor are lights from the eighteen great Padmakumaras, lights from Shakyamuni Buddha (the Three Peaks), and lights from the Five Buddhas and Four Bodhisattvas. The aureole moves incessantly between right and left, forming a splendid, revolving pool of brilliant lights.

During my deva-foot flying, many of the deva beings in the Dharma Realms are greatly astonished to see me with such an aureole.

But, they seem to be able to come to an understanding very soon, `That is Sheng-yen Lu.`

When travelling through regions of the lower levels of consciousness in the Dharma Realm, the forms I often see are those of different animals, or of misshapen faces and twisted bodies entwined together. Hovering around me, they flicker in and out of my view but are unable to get close to my aureole.

When travelling through various heavens of higher levels of consciousness, I discover clusters of stars with forms of deva beings with soft colored lights in their centers. The realm of the devas is a region of indescribable happiness and peacefulness, bringing one joy, delight, and soothing coolness.

I also enter into the `formless region` in the Dharma realm. This means entering a region that is without meditation, without self-awareness, without consciousness, without fabrication, and without any grasping or hindrances.

I know that, bit by bit, I become larger and more expansive. It is immeasurable, boundless, limitless...beyond any descriptions. To put it more explicitly, it is like the casting of a tiny piece of stone into the tranquil ocean of Emptiness.

I, of course, travel in my deva-foot flight through the region of the Four Holy Realms. Navigation within the Four Holy Realms is reliant on one`s Bodhicitta, and there one finds the most gorgeous and noble hues. It is a transcendent realm grounded in ultimate reality, yet a kind of liberating and comforting joy is pervasive there.

Deva-foot flying is like a piece of light feather gliding through the Dharma realm where scene after scene of brilliant dances burst into existence.

These kinds of observations are sometimes dream-like, sometimes illusion-like, and sometimes so life-like that one may touch them with one`s hands.

Confucius and Tseng Wen-cheng

A thought came to me, `Where have the sages of China gone ?` In my mind, after bringing up the image of Confucius and fusing it tightly with my thoughts, I focused my attention on Confucius.

It is a major and inconceivable action. No one has ever talked about where Confucius had gone. This searching for the whereabouts of an ancient sage from another era was the first experience of its kind for me. To aid in my meditating, I even thought of all the furnishings present in a Confucian temple.

I called out to Confucius.

I prayed to Confucius.

It was a most intriguing and wonderful trip in the domain of the psychic.

While probing with the full attention of the eyes of my consciousness and enlarging its scope, I noticed that certain conditions have emerged....

Confucius has disappeared.

Confucius is basically no longer in existence.

Confucius has entered into the world beyond all phenomena.

Confucius has undergone a complete transformation.

While probing into the whereabouts of Confucius, I have even flown, via deva-foot flying, to Kufow to look at his temple and former residence. I also visited his grave, the small town he had lived in, and the trees he had planted. I flew out of my body, looking for Confucius.

I rummaged in my mind through the ideas espoused by Confucius:

`Knowledge is knowing when you know it and when you do not know it.` `Never feel ashamed to ask a question.` `Never be fed up with learning from others and never be weary of teaching others.` `Beware of both extremes and follow the mean.` `When one speaks unjustifiably out of one`s jurisdiction, it leads to failure.` `Wisdom, kindness, and courage are the three great virtues.` `Be content in poverty and be happy in walking the path.` The `humanity` of Confucius...

These ideas of Confucius, for a moment, emerged lucidly and distinctly in my stream of consciousness. It was an inner kind of transformation that took place while I meditated upon him.

But Confucius was no where to be found! I was not able to find him within the realm of spirits! A major, inconceivable happening occurred. I decided to employ the Tantric `Four Magnetizing Method` of `Zha Hum Ban Huo` to draw Confucius to me.

Zha - Appearance of the object in the Emptiness.

Hum - Moving the object to come closer.

Ban - The object comes face to face with one.

Huo - Mutual communication between the two parties.

The person who had come was not Confucius, but Tseng Wen-cheng (Tseng Kuo-fan).

I would solemnly like to tell everyone this surprising fact: it was Tseng Kuo-fan who came to my summons. A shock wave went through my heart. What an unexpected discovery! Confucius was the previous incarnation of Tseng Kuo-fan!

For an instant, my mind was not able to accept the fact. Could it be possible for Confucius to be reborn as Tseng Kuo-fan? Was it possible?

Confucius is a sage of the whole of China and a legendary teacher throughout history. He is even recognized by the people of the world to be a renowned philosopher and sage.

How about Tseng Kuo-fan? Tseng Kuo-fan (1811-1872) was from the Hunan Province. During the Ch`ing Dynasty, he built an illustrious name for himself after the Hsiang (Hunan) troops led by him defeated the Taiping Rebellion at the Battle of Hung Yang.

The Ch`ing government had praised Tseng Kuo-fan with the following proclamation: `A classical scholar who has achieved great accomplishments through his loyal services to the country and high moral integrity.` After his death, he was conferred posthumously the title of `Duke Wen-cheng.`

I feel that there were two outstanding achievements in the life of Tseng Wen-cheng: his military leadership in ruling the army and his scholarly principles in governing his own life. However, his work in the recruiting, training, and commanding of the Hsiang army and in stamping out the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had garnered such great laurels that, by emphasizing the recording of great military credits due to him, history has neglected the scholarly accomplishments he achieved.

Had Confucius ever commanded an army? No. Had Confucius fought in battles? No. Yet, Tseng Kuo-fan achieved such great success in the military field. Where are the connections?

Textual researches have shown that, although Confucius was a scholar, he had wanted to become a government officer. The motive behind his travelling throughout the various states was to find a king who would appreciate his abilities. Confucius has once remarked to Tzu Lu, one of his students, `Seek truth from facts, whether in literary or martial matters.` In other words, be practical and realistic whether one is in a scholarly or military position. What Confucius meant was that he could also become a military officer, although he had not actually led any army into war.

On the other hand, Tseng Wen-cheng`s literary pursuits have produced the following publications: Tseng wen-cheng kung chia-shu (Letters to Home by Tseng Wen-cheng), Tseng wen-cheng kung ch?n-chi (A Complete Work of Tseng Wen-cheng), Shen-che hua-hsiang chi shih (A Painting Album of Sages and Philosophers), etc..

Tseng Kuo-fan had a wide interest in academic matters. He regarded thirty-three of China`s sages and philosophers to be his own teachers: Chou Wen-wang, Chou Kung-tan, Confucius, Mencius, Pan Ku, Ssu-ma Ch`ien, Tso Ch`iu-ming, Chuang-tzu, Chu-ko Liang, Lu Chih, Fan Chung-yen, Ssu-ma Kuang, Chou Tun-yi, Ch`eng Hao, Ch`eng I, Chu Hsi, Chang Tsai, Han Y? Liu Tsung-y?n, Ou-yang Hsiu, Tseng Kung, Li Pai, Tu Fu, Su Shih, Huang T`ing-chien, Hs?Shen, Cheng Hsuan, Tu Yu, Ma Tuan-lin, Ku T`ing-lin, Ch`in Hui- t`ien, Yao Nai, and Wang Nien-sun. In his writings, Tseng Kuo-fan commented extensively on these thirty-three philosophers` ideas, speeches, moral conduct, politics, social concerns, literary and language contributions.

Just his Tseng wen-cheng kung chia-shu (Letters to Home by Tseng Wen-cheng) alone has more than one thousand articles, covering a gamut of topics ranging from international affairs, government administration, military strategies, and moral disciplines, to family matters, personal livelihood, interpersonal relationships, and health issues. There was nothing he deemed too large or too small for discussion.

Tseng Kuo-fan was also the editor of Ching-shih pai-chia tsa-ch? (Collection of Writings on Confucian Classics, History, and A Hundred Schools of Thoughts).

Here are some of the sayings by Tseng Kuo-fan:

`Plant one`s feet on solid ground and work industriously on even small matters; results will show day by day.` `The more one uses one`s mind, the better it becomes; the more one uses one`s intellect, the sharper it becomes.` `Weak are the ones who give free rein to their desires.` `Compassion and kindness move multitudes.`

Tseng Kuo-fan was originally a scholar, just like Confucius, and was not by profession a military leader. It was only because of his wide proclamation to sustain the traditional culture and his emphasis on a humanitarian and benevolent rule of the army that he was able to defeat the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

I find Tseng Kuo-fan`s scholarly pursuits and moral conduct to be the same as that of Confucius. In fact, Tseng also ruled over his troops using the same humanity and benevolence. There are just too many similarities between the two`s thoughts and ideas.

So, Tseng Kuo-fan was the reincarnation of Confucius. Others may find this to be a strange idea, but I do not think so! Under the observation of my Wisdom of Discriminatory Awareness, when the two are compared, they are effectively the same person.

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