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The Aura of Wisdom
- Book 154: The Aura of Wisdom
- Chapter 72:
A Mantra is the Infinite Dharma Treasury of All Buddhas
- Written by Sheng-yen Lu
- Translated and edited by True Buddha Foundation
- Translation Team (Cheng Yew Chung, Victor Hazen, Dance Smith)
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When the Buddha expounded the Dharma, it included both the Sutric and Tantric teachings. The Sutric teachings touch widely on the principles of Buddhism and the nature of phenomena. It enlightens one on the subjects of emptiness and appearance, through which one cultivates and attains the Truth body, and arrives at the other shore. The Tantric teachings emphasize the recitation of secret mantras with little explanation, yet they lead one to attaining Buddhahood at once.
When I first studied the mantras, my teacher Reverend Liao Ming related to me two incredible and incomprehensible examples:
Example one. The Tantric practitioner cultivates the rice offering practice. This requires one to hold rice in one`s hand, and upon completion of the mandala offering mantra, cast the rice which has since been transformed spiritually into infinite quantity. Should a bird consume the rice, due to the fact that the rice has been blessed by the power of mantra, the bird shall definitely attain Buddhahood in a future life.
Example two. If a person walks under a temple`s wooden sign inscribed with the six-syllable mantra, and it happens that a wind blows the dust off the wooden board and the dust falls onto the person, the person`s karma shall be removed completely. The seed of bodhi shall be planted into his heart and in a future life this individual shall definitely attain Buddhahood.
When these two examples were related to me, they really made a strong impression in my mind. Mantra is the very essence and body of the secret Dharma realm. It shows incredible effects when applied through the actions of the Three Secrets. It is the most supreme vehicle of all Dharma. Mantra belongs in the Dharma realm of the formless, through which all buddhas are born. Within its body are contained countless Dharma treasures.
When I read The Mantra Treasury, I discovered this:
Buddha, in his compassion for future sentient beings, spoke of the mantras. Should Buddhists accept and recite these mantras, their karma of ten thousand, a million, or infinite kalpas, including karma of the five unpardonable transgressions, will be completely eliminated.
Should anyone recite the mantras, all bodhisattvas shall become his good companions. He shall have the opportunity to meet all buddhas wherever he is born, and his cultivation shall be accelerated towards attaining the Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
Should the class of sentient beings whose merits and blessings are few, and whose natural capacity to cultivate the Dharma and their Bodhyanga (factors of enlightenment) are literally non-existent, decide to recite a Buddha mantra just once, these sentient beings shall be instantly blessed with the growth of their capacity for enlightenment. Therefore, by reciting mantra diligently, they would definitely attain Buddhhood based on the merits of their effort.
It is said in The Mantra Treasury that by reciting mantras, the thousands of actions from the six perfections shall be naturally complete.
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