From last issue:Causation, Dependent Origination, Free Will  

The Uselessness of Metaphysical Speculation
In response to other metaphysical questions of Vacchagotta's, about whether the universe is eternal or not, etc., Buddha told him that these questions are unanswerable. Vacchagotta came to see the Buddha many times and finally became a disciple, achieved Arhatship, and so was able to put to rest his questioning about the self and the universe.

Another well-known story concerns the Buddha's disciple Malunkyaputta. Malunkyaputta went to the Buddha and threatened to leave the order of monks if the Buddha would not explain the following ten questions that were burning in his mind: (1) Is the universe eternal (eternalist view), (2) not eternal (materialist view), (3) finite, (4) or infinite? (5) Is the soul identical with the body (materialist view), or (6) is it different from the body (Upanishadic view)? (7) Does the Tathagata exist after death or (8) not exist, or (9) both exist and not exist, or (10) both not exist and not not-exist? The Buddha calmly asks if he ever promised to explain these questions when Malunkyaputta left the home life under him. No, admits the disciple. Then the Buddha says that if someone expected to have these questions answered before leaving home, he would die with his questions unanswered by the Buddha, just like a man wounded by a poison arrow would die if he insisted on having his questions about the source of the arrow answered before allowing the surgeon to pull it out.

The Buddha asks Malunkyaputta to bear in mind what the Buddha has not explained--the above 10 undeclared questions--and what he has explained--the Four Noble Truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and the Way. Why has he done so? Answers to the former questions are not “useful, (...) fundamentally connected with the spiritual life, (...) conducive to aversion, detachment, cessation, tranquillity, deep penetration, full realization, Nirvana,” while explanations of the Four Noble Truths are. Malunkyaputta understands, continues his life as a monk, and eventually achieves Arhatship.

In the Sabbasava-sutta the Buddha discusses the difference between wise and unwise reflection. Unwise reflection leads to increased cares and troubles (literally, 'outflows'), while insight based on wise reflection gets rid of all cares and troubles. The uninstructed ordinary person does not know what should be reflected on and what should not be reflected on. His mind is either occupied with sense-pleasures or with useless metaphysical questions. The Sutra lists a set of such questions, such as: Did I or did I not exist in the past? What and how was I? Having been what, what did I become? A similar set of questions is raised about the future and the present, making sixteen questions in all. Reflecting unwisely in this way gives rise to any of the following six false views concerning the ego: (1) I have a self, (2) I have no self, (3) by self I perceive self, (4) by self I perceive non-self, (5) by non-self I perceive self, (6) my self is "permanent, stable, everlasting, unchanging, remaining the same for ever and ever." The Buddha summarizes the pitiful state of a person who gets involved with such questions and views:

This, Bhikkhus, is what is called becoming enmeshed in views, a jungle of views, a wilderness of views; scuffling in views, the agitation of views, the fetter of views. Bhikkhus, the uninstructed ordinary man fettered by the fetters of views, does not liberate himself from birth, aging and death, from sorrows, lamentations, pains, griefs, despairs; I say that he does not liberate himself from suffering.

Refuting Both Spontaneity and Causes and Conditions
After having established the central position that causes and conditions have in Buddhist explanations of causality, we will now look at a Mahayana Sutra that demolishes these very concepts--the Shurangama Sutra. To understand how the Buddha can expound one doctrine early in his teaching career only to abandon it later, we need be aware how the Buddhist teachings are ranked. The teachings the Buddha can be divided in two groups: provisional and actual. The Buddha always adjusted his teachings to fit the capacity of his listeners. The provisional teachings were taught for Small Vehicle followers, those of shallow roots and understanding, who could not have comprehended or accepted the Great Vehicle teachings. When the time was right, the Buddha set the provisional aside and revealed the actual teaching. But even then it was not easy even for his brightest disciples to understand what was going on.

Volume IV of the Shurangama Sutra brings up Maskari Goshaliputra again, now as an advocate of spontaneity. As the foremost disciple in erudition and an Arhat of the first fruit who has extinguished the 88 categories of view-delusions, Ananda is not taken in by the theory of spontaneity. But attached as he is to his Small Vehicle learning, he clings to causes and conditions instead. He is unable to relinquish the doctrines he has heard before, unable to treat the Dharma as a raft. Master Hua: “This is the attachment of the adherents of the Small Vehicle: the dharma of causes and conditions (...) Adherents of sects outside the Way are attached to the nature of spontaneity.”

In the Shurangama Sutra the Buddha discloses the actual teaching and does not rely on the provisional anymore. He reveals the Treasury of the Thus Come One. But to Ananda, for whose sake the Sutra is being spoken, this sounds like the Buddha is refuting his own doctrines. Ananda cannot go beyond the concept of causes and conditions and objects: “Now you say that Bodhi does not come from causes and conditions. So the spontaneity that Maskari Goshaliputra and others advocated in Rajagriha then becomes the primary meaning!” His thinking works in polar opposites, his is an either/or mind: if enlightenment can't be traced down to causes and conditions, then its origin must be spontaneous. Master Hua comments: “By using causes and conditions, the Buddha destroyed the theory of spontaneity. Now that Buddha has renounced causes and conditions, Ananda says, spontaneity must reign supreme.” Previously the Buddha brought up the analogy of Yajnadatta who went mad and thought he had lost his head. Continuing this analogy, the Buddha points out the futility of Ananda'a discriminations: “If you realize that you have a head and recognize the madness of your pursuit, then both spontaneity and causes and conditions become idle theories.” All that is needed is for the mad mind to stop; just this is Bodhi. Superfluous theories have nothing to do with this fundamental, bright enlightenment.

In vol. III of the Shurangama Sutra the Buddha explains that the mind, dharmas, and the realm of the mind do not have their origin either in causes and conditions or in spontaneity. This is too much for Ananda, and he asks: “Why does the Thus Come One reject causes and conditions and spontaneity as well? I do not know how to understand your meaning now.” Master Hua comments: “Ananda's attachments are quite strong. In the past he has heard the Buddha explain the principle of cause and conditions. Basically that was a provisional teaching, a provisional, clever expedient; it was not true and actual. Now the Buddha explains the true and actual Dharma-door, and Ananda does not believe it.” It takes the Buddha numerous analogies and limitless patience to bring Ananda to understanding.

To be continued

Question: Only when all the disciples of the Venerable Master attain Buddhahood, will the Venerable Master attain Buddhahood. Can the Master advise us on how to learn, what Sutra to recite, and what Dharma to practice, so that we can quickly become Buddhas?

Venerable Master: You should recite the “not-getting-angry” Sutra, the “not-having-a-temper” Sutra, and “not-scolding-others” Sutra. With these three Sutras, you can attain Buddhahood very quickly.