Share your favorite passages from the Sutras you're reading

General discussion, particularly exploring the Dharma in the modern world.
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Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Share your favorite passages from the Sutras you're reading

Post by Jesse »

I've been reading the same two passages for several weeks now, in addition to the heart Sutra. These have helped me enormously, so I am curious what others are reading, in particular what helps you on your worst days.

There are my current go to:

TNH's Translation of the Heart Sutra:
Avalokiteshvara
while practicing deeply with
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore,
suddenly discovered that
all of the five Skandhas are equally empty,
and with this realisation
he overcame all Ill-being.

"Listen Sariputra,
this Body itself is Emptiness
and Emptiness itself is this Body.
This Body is not other than Emptiness
and Emptiness is not other than this Body.
The same is true of Feelings,
Perceptions, Mental Formations,
and Conciousness.

"Listen Sariputra,
all phenomena bear the mark of Emptiness;
their true nature is the nature of
no Birth no Death,
no Being no Non-being,
no Defilement no Purity,
no Increasing no Decreasing.

"That is why in Emptiness,
Body, Feelings, Perceptions,
Mental Formations and Consiousness
are not seperate self entities.

The Eighteen Realms of Phenomena
which are the six Sense Organs,
and six Sense Objects,
and the six Conciousnesses
are also not seperate self entities.

The Twelve Links of Interdependant Arising
and their Extinction
are also not seperate self entities.

Ill-being, the Causes of Ill-being,
the End of Ill-being, the Path,
insight and attainment,
are also not seperate self entities.

Whoever can see this
no longer needs anything to attain.

Bodhisattvas who practice
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
see no more obstacles in their mind,
and because there
are no more obstacles in their mind,
they can overcome all fear,
destroy all wrong perceptions
and realize Perfect Nirvana.

"All Buddhas in the past, present and future
by practicing
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
are all capable of attaining
Authentic and Perfect Enlightenment.

"Therefore Sariputra,
it should be known that
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
is a Great Mantra,
the most illuminating mantra
the highest mantra,
a mantra beyond compare,
the True Wisdom that has the power
to put an end to all kinds of suffering.
Therefore let us proclaim
a mantra to praise
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore:

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!"
A passage from the Lotus Sutra that I picked up from the forum somewhere:
Then, expounding further, the World-honored One spoke in verse:
When the sense faculty of sight is corrupted
By karmic encumbrances that make it impure,
You must resolutely internalize the Great Vehicle
And ponder its ultimate principle!
This is called doing self-amendment for the eye
To bring unwholesome karmic influences to an end.
The sense faculty of hearing gives ear to disruptive sounds
And spoils your sense of accord.
Because such confusion occurs,
You become just like a foolish monkey.
You must resolutely internalize the Great Vehicle
And contemplate the emptiness and formlessness of all things!
You will lastingly bring an end to unwholesomeness
And hear in all ten directions with a celestial ear!
The sense faculty of smell has attachments to scents
And, so affected, drives you to make contacts.
The nose is thus crazed and seduced,
And, so affected, begets impure perceptions.
When you internalize the Great Vehicle sutras
And contemplate the true reality of all things,
You will lastingly part from harmful karmic actions
And, in lives to come, not produce them again!
The sense faculty of speech promotes the five wrong views—
An unwholesome karmic cause resulting from the wanton use
of words.
When you aspire to effect self-control,
Diligently foster a heart of compassion!
Reflect on how the tranquil true reality of all phenomena
Has no aspects for you to discern!
The sense faculty of the mind, just as a monkey,
Takes not even one moment of rest.
When you aspire to govern it,
You must diligently internalize the Great Vehicle!
Focus on the buddhas—on their fully awakened embodiments,
With the capabilities and dauntlessness they have achieved!

And turn your mind to the mother of bodhisattvas!
Countless surpassing skillful means are gained
By reflecting on the true reality of all things.
These six ways
Are thus named the governing of the six sense faculties.
The ocean of all karmic encumbrances
Is produced by deluded perceptions.
When you aspire to amend yourself of them,
Focus on the true reality of all phenomena while sitting
upright and properly!
All impurities, like frost and dew,
Can be dispelled by wisdom’s sun;
Accordingly, with utmost dedication,
Do self-amendment for the six sense faculties!
A passage from the Flower Adornment Sutra:
At that time the kinnara king Heaven of Light of Refined Intellect,
imbued with the power of the Buddha, looked over all the masses of kinnaras and said in verse:

All the pleasant things in the world
Arise from seeing the Buddha.
The Guide benefits all living beings,
Being the savior and refuge of all.

He produces all joys and delights
Which beings receive without end;
He causes all who see not to waste:
This is the enlightenment of Flower Banner.

The ocean of Buddha's virtue is inexhaustible;
No bounds or limits to it can be found.
Its light shines in all ten directions:
This is the liberation of Adornment King.

The Buddha's great sound is always spoken,
Showing the real true way out of distress;
All beings who hear it are happy and glad:
Pleasing Sound is capable of believing this way.

I see the Buddha's sovereign powers
All stem from practices cultivated in the past;
With great compassion he saves beings and makes them pure:
This Jewel Tree King can understand.

It is difficult to get a chance to see a Buddha;
Beings may encounter one in a million eons,
Adorned with the marks of greatness all complete:
This is the view of Beholder's Delight.

Observe the great knowledge and wisdom of Buddha,
Responding to the desires of all sentient beings,
Expounding to all the path of omniscience,
Supreme Adornments can comprehend this.

The Ocean of deeds is inconceivably vast--
Being's suffering and happiness all come from it;
All this the Buddha can show:
This is what Flower Banner knows.

The Buddha's mystic powers are uninterrupted--
In all directions the earth constantly quakes,
Though no sentient beings are aware of it:
This Immense Power ever clearly sees.

Manifesting spiritual powers while among the masses,
He radiates light to make them wake up,
Revealing the realm of all the enlightened:
This Fierce Lord capably observes.
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
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cky
Posts: 92
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:00 pm

Re: Share your favorite passages from the Sutras you're reading

Post by cky »

Thus indeed, is that Blessed One: He is the Holy One, fully enlightened, endowed with clear vision and virtuous conduct, sublime, the Knower of the worlds, the incomparable leader of men to be tamed, the teacher of gods and men, enlightened and blessed.
The Dhamma of the Blessed One is perfectly expounded; to be seen here and how; not delayed in
time; inviting one to come and see; onward leading (to Nibbana); to be known by the wise, each for himself.
The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has entered on the good way; the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has entered on the straight way; the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples has entered on the proper way, that is to say; the Four Pairs of Men, the Eight Types of Persons; the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is fit for gifts, fit for hospitality, fit for offerings, and fit for reverential salutation, as the incomparable field of merit for the world.
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