7 Down 8 Up Enlightenment factor…
The true ultimate dharma never depends on anything; it can exist independently; it can exist alone. The seven vijnanas– they are considered false and deceitful
dharmas simply because they are dependent and must depend on True Suchness (depend on the Alayavijnana or the Undefiled Vijnana) to exist, so they are false and deceitful dharmas. All of them are dependent vijnanas that have
to depend on the eighth vijnana to exist; therefore, they cannot enter into the remainderless nirvana and they
cannot be the ultimate origin of nirvana. However,Tathagatagarbha is different; Tathagatagarbha can exist
alone, so it can exist in the remainderless nirvana; it can
exist alone without depending on any single dharma, and its nature is like emptiness with no dependency; hence it
can be the true reality. The seven mind-king vijnanas of the Buddha have already corresponded to the Undefiled
Vijnana completely, so they can be equally independent of anything; thus the state of Buddha ground is the state
of no dependency; this indeed is the state of ultimacy.
A Discourse on the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra, Vol. 1
This is like a Zen koan. It has no literal meaning. It is just something to reflect and contemplate on. It is like perceiving an inkling that life is like a journey but ‘who’ is making the journey? It is not necessary to actually find out who is the ‘who’. It adds to your sprituality when you perceive the ‘experience’; like knowing intuitively without really understanding why. By analogy you realise that existence and ‘time’ does not sit still. What is present is only present for the moment. Like a stream the current will gravitate downstream till it reaches the sea. Some streams or rivers do not! Ultimately worldly life like a stream comes to an end in the ocean. Karma and destiny is a bit like that.You are born and you die every moment and are reborn and re-die again. Yet you are never born or never die. ‘You’ just ‘think’ you do. a stream just gets on with the current of its life; there is no thought of birth or death. Until you reach the ‘ocean’ or the ‘other shore’ you are ‘7 down and 8 up’! BUT DO NOT DWELL ON IT! Just plod on with life!
The saying simply means to get up after falling, despite number of times, and start over, persevere.
Please Be Mindful Of Your Speech, Namo Amituofo!Cancel reply
To fall seven times,
7 Down 8 Up Enlightenment factor…
The true ultimate dharma never depends on anything; it can exist independently; it can exist alone. The seven vijnanas– they are considered false and deceitful
dharmas simply because they are dependent and must depend on True Suchness (depend on the Alayavijnana or the Undefiled Vijnana) to exist, so they are false and deceitful dharmas. All of them are dependent vijnanas that have
to depend on the eighth vijnana to exist; therefore, they cannot enter into the remainderless nirvana and they
cannot be the ultimate origin of nirvana. However,Tathagatagarbha is different; Tathagatagarbha can exist
alone, so it can exist in the remainderless nirvana; it can
exist alone without depending on any single dharma, and its nature is like emptiness with no dependency; hence it
can be the true reality. The seven mind-king vijnanas of the Buddha have already corresponded to the Undefiled
Vijnana completely, so they can be equally independent of anything; thus the state of Buddha ground is the state
of no dependency; this indeed is the state of ultimacy.
A Discourse on the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra, Vol. 1
This is like a Zen koan. It has no literal meaning. It is just something to reflect and contemplate on. It is like perceiving an inkling that life is like a journey but ‘who’ is making the journey? It is not necessary to actually find out who is the ‘who’. It adds to your sprituality when you perceive the ‘experience’; like knowing intuitively without really understanding why. By analogy you realise that existence and ‘time’ does not sit still. What is present is only present for the moment. Like a stream the current will gravitate downstream till it reaches the sea. Some streams or rivers do not! Ultimately worldly life like a stream comes to an end in the ocean. Karma and destiny is a bit like that.You are born and you die every moment and are reborn and re-die again. Yet you are never born or never die. ‘You’ just ‘think’ you do. a stream just gets on with the current of its life; there is no thought of birth or death. Until you reach the ‘ocean’ or the ‘other shore’ you are ‘7 down and 8 up’! BUT DO NOT DWELL ON IT! Just plod on with life!
The saying simply means to get up after falling, despite number of times, and start over, persevere.