Transcript लंकावतारसूत्र Lankāvatāra-sūtra 宋 天 竺 三 藏 求 那 跋 陀 羅 譯 楞 伽 阿 跋 多 羅 寶 經 P. 24 P.25 – P. 31 =7 pages of questions P. 32 Dimensions Units of numbers lengths and weights Lankavatara Sutra Chapter 1 On behalf of all sentient beings,

लंकावतारसूत्र
Lankāvatāra-sūtra
宋
天
竺
三
藏
求
那
跋
陀
羅
譯
楞
伽
阿
跋
多
羅
寶
經
1
P. 24
P.25 – P. 31 =7 pages of questions
P. 32
Dimensions
Units of
numbers
lengths and
weights
Lankavatara Sutra Chapter 1
On behalf of all sentient beings, the
Bodhisattva “Great Wisdom” asked the
Buddha 108 profound questions that spans
all subject matters. All beings wants to
know the answers to these big questions.
But the Buddha did not answer each of
these questions. Instead, asked the
Bodhisattva “Great Wisdom” why did he
not ask even more pressing and relevant
questions?
The 108 questions
How can one be cleansed of false
intellection? Whence does it arise?
How can one perceive errors of
perceptions? Whence do they arise?
Whence come lands, transformation,
appearance, and philosophers?
see 楞伽阿跋多羅寶經卷第一 match
with English
楞伽經翻譯 Questions for Buddha
• 云何淨其念 云何念增長
How can one be cleansed of false intellection? Whence
does it arise?
• 云何見癡惑 云何惑增長
How can one perceive errors? Whence do they arise?
• 何故剎土化 相及諸外道
Whence come lands, transformation, appearance, and
philosophers?
• 云何無受欲 何故名無受
Wherefore is the state of imagelessness, the
gradations, and whence are the sons of the
Victorious?
楞伽經翻譯 Questions for Buddha
• 何故名佛子 解脫至何所
Where is the way of emancipation? By what is he
redeemed?Who is in bondage?
• 誰縛誰解脫 何等禪境界
What is the mental state of those who practise the
Dhyanas?
• 云何有三乘 唯願為解說 Whence is the triple vehicle?
Please Explain all these to me
楞伽經翻譯 Questions for Buddha
• 云何為想滅 何因從定覺
Wherefore the extinction of thoughts? And how is one awakened
from it?
• 云何所作生 進去及持身
How does action rise? Whence is the behaviour of those who hold
the body?
• 云何現分別 云何生諸地
Whence [this] visible [world]? Whence the conditions? Whence the
entrance upon the stages?
• 破三有者誰 何處身云何
Who is it that breaks through this triple existence? What is the
abode? What is the body?
• 往生何所至 云何最勝子
Where does that which is abiding arise? Whence comes the son of
the Buddha?
楞伽經翻譯 Buddha answer
心量不現有. 諸地不相至. 百變百無受. 醫方工巧論. 伎術諸
明處. 諸山須彌地. 巨海日月量. 下中上眾生. 身各幾微塵.
If you do not open up your mind, you just confine yourself in
a small thinking box, and then you will not comprehend the
realities of things. Nor will you attain the various grounds
(levels). And you will fail to comprehend the multitude of the
phenomenon and evolution of everything. This kind of
consciousness will apply to the theories in medical field,
industrial field, logics and craftsmanship. What are the
measurements of all mountains and the land, the vast oceans,
the sun and the moon? For the different sizes of all beings, can
you tell how many minute particles are there in the body of
living beings of different sizes and types?
楞伽經翻譯 Buddha answer
一一剎幾塵. 弓弓數有幾. 肘步拘樓舍. 半由延由
延.
Can you tell how many particles are there in the
planets? And in terms of distance how many
dhanus, yojana and half yojana there ?
Note: (In the Tang dynasty the measurement was 2
feet made up one arm length, 4 arm lengths made 1
bow length, 500 bow lengths made 1 dhanu (拘樓
舍), 10 dhanus made 1 yojana (由延 ) .
楞伽經翻譯 Buddha answer
兔毫窗塵蟣. 羊毛麥(廣麥)塵. 缽他幾(麥廣)麥. 阿羅(麥廣)麥幾.
獨籠那佉梨. 勒叉及舉利. 乃至頻婆羅. 是各有幾數.
7 atoms make 1 window particle. 7 window dusts make 1 hare's
hair particle. 7 hare's particle make 1 ram's hair particle. 7 ram's
hair particle make 1 cow's hair particle. 7 cow's hair dust make 1
nit (蟣).7 nits make 1 louse (一虱). 7 lice make 1 mustard seed. 7
mustard seeds make 1 barley grain. How many barley grains are
there in 1 prasha (阿羅-一斗)? How many barley are there in 1/2
prasha (缽他-半斗). 10 prashas make 1 drona (獨籠), 10 dronas
make 1 kharya (那佉梨). Laksha (勒叉) is 100 thousand, koti (舉
利) is 100 millions, vimvana is 1000 millions. If we count the
different things mention above, can you give the numbers in
different categories?
楞伽經翻譯 Buddha answer
為有幾阿(少兔). 名舍梨沙婆. 幾舍梨沙婆. 名為一賴提. 幾賴
提摩沙. 幾摩沙陀那. 復幾陀那羅. 為迦梨沙那. 幾迦梨沙那.
為成一波羅. 此等積聚相. 幾波羅彌樓. 是等所應請. 何須問餘
事.
In a mustard seed (舍利沙婆), how many atoms (阿少兔) are
there? How many mustard seeds make up one weed seed (賴提)?
How many weed seeds make up one bean (摩沙)? How many
beans are there in one dharana (陀那羅-一銖)? One dharana (陀
那羅) is 10 karshas (迦梨沙那-兩), and 16 karshas make one
pala (一斤). With all these accumulative numbers, how many
palas are there in the Mount Sumeru (彌樓-須彌山)? You should
ask me thus, why do you ask me otherwise?
Dharma Wheel Progression
~2100 years ago, the Lankavatara Sutra
provide the initial drive using numbers
quantities, weights and length measurements,
to:
1. force open the mind
2. Visualize microscopic & macroscopic
realities
But was not very systematic and did not
elucidate how the visualization helps to
answer the big questions.
Avatamsaka Sūtra 大方廣佛華嚴經
Expansion of two-dimensional Mind Set
Avatamsaka Sūtra
Number of Digits
1
10,000,000 = 10 million = 1 koti
8
2
koti x koti = ayuta
15
3
ayuta x ayuta= niyuta
29
4
niyuta x niyuta = bimbara
57
5
bimbara x bimbara = kinkara
113
6
kinkara x kinkara = agara
225
7
agara x agara = pravara
449
8
pravara x pravara = mapara
897
Expansion of one-dimensional Mind Set
Avatamsaka Sūtra
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
Number of Digits
unequalled x unequalled = unequalled2
unequalled2
unequalled4
unequalled4
inconceivable
inconceivable
inconceivable2
inconceivable2
inconceivable4
inconceivable4
immeasurable
immeasurable
immeasurable2
immeasurable2
immeasurable4
x
unequalled2
=
x
unequalled4
=
x
inconceivable
=
x
inconceivable2
=
x
inconceivable4
=
x
immeasurable
=
x
immeasurable2 =
363460780097437933997134743
04540673
726921560194875867994269486
09081345
145384312038975173598853897
218162689
290768624077950347197707794
436325377
581537248155900694395415588
872650753
116307449631180138879083117
7745301505
232614899262360277758166235
5490603009
465229798524720555516332471
0981206017
Expansion of two-dimensional Mind Set
Avatamsaka Sūtra
121
122
123
124
125
immeasurable 4 = unspeakable
unspeakable x unspeakable =
unspeakable2
unspeakable2 x unspeakable2 =
unspeakable4
unspeakable4 = unspeakably
unspeakable
unspeakably unspeakable x
unspeakably unspeakable =
untold
Number of Digits
9304595970494411110326
649421962412033
1860919194098882222065
3298843924824065
3721838388197764444130
6597687849648129
7443676776395528888261
3195375699296257
?
Thinking Boxes
Infinity
zillion, jillion, and gazillion,
are fictitious names
Quadrillion
Trillions
Dharma Wheel Progression
~2,400 years ago the Avatamsaka Sūtra
opens our mind by:
1. systematically expanded the units of
measurement
2. elucidated the thinking boxes
3. transcended infinity
But did not elucidate how to transcend duality
and attain equanimity after our mind is
opened & think boxes obliterate
Dharma Wheel Progression
~today, AWE elucidates:
1. how to transcend duality (finite &
infinite)
2. Resolved opposites/conflicts
3. from qualify to quantify
4. attain equanimity by going from
relative to absolute
Expansion of one-dimensional Mind Set
Finite – having bounds or
limits; measurable;
capable of being
completely counted;
not infinite or infinitesimal;
not zero
Infinite –
unlimited or
unmeasurable;
indefinitely or
exceedingly great
Duality (relativity, opposites) – Yin versus Yang
• Finite vs. Infinite (measurement)
• Male vs. Female (sexually
reproductive species)
• Black vs. White (abstractions)
• Living vs. Death (life)
• North vs. South (polarity)
• Positive vs. Negative pole (polarity)
• Good vs. Evil (survival advantages)
• Heaven vs. Hell (spirituality)
• Yes vs. No (Choice)
Mathematic Logic
• Finite = Measurable = unit
• Infinite = immeasurable = no unit
• Introduce additional units to measure large numbers,
the immeasurable becomes measurable
• break through duality (finite and infinite are opposites
by definition)
• Opposites are product of small mindset
• X is inside the box, Y is outside the box, therefore
they are opposites. No box, no opposites (think
outside box)
• The usefulness of very big and very small numbers
are illustrated by the Macro-micro view power point.
Take Home Messages
• Infinity is a concept founded on withinthe-box thinking (limited thinking mode).
• “Finite” and “infinite” are not opposite and
not mutually exclusive terms; they are
arbitrary concepts that depends on how
far the mind is opened; they are relative.
• Abstract concepts such as infinity (a
qualifier) can be quantified by introducing
new units of measurement.
The power of Quantification
Quality
Quantity
Descriptive
Definitive
Relative
Absolute
Duality
Singularity
Dharma Wheel Progression
~today, AWE elucidates:
1. how to transcend duality (finite &
infinite)
2. Resolved opposites/conflicts
3. from qualify to quantify
4. attain equanimity by going from
relative to absolute
AWE Method
1. Demonstrated the scientific relevance of
macroscopic and microscopic visualization
2. Linked the continuum of dimensions (a
metaphysical concept) to physical realities
3. Resolve the ultimate contradiction
4. Use counting units to measure one’s:
a) Focus/concentration/attention span
b) Emotional reaction to task
accomplishment
c) I/Ego/Self resistance to a new approach
d) Life force (Zen stability power)
Transfer of merit
By this effort, may all
sentient beings be free of
suffering.
May their minds be filled
with the nectar of virtue.
In this way may all causes
resulting in suffering be
extinguished, And only the
light of compassion shine
throughout all realms.
Feb 23, 2013
L3.3 Macro & Micro Concepts