Ajnatakaundinya: the object of sound

K2 The assembly tells their former cases.
L1 The sages speak in general.
M1 Perfect penetration through the six defiling objects.
N1 Ajnatakaundinya: the object of sound.

Sutra:

Kaundinya, with the others of the five bhikshus, arose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, "When I was in the Deer Park and the Pheasant Garden, I observed the Tathagata immediately after his accomplishment of the Way. Upon hearing the Buddha's voice, I understood the four truths."

Commentary:

Kaundinya, also known as Ajnatakaundinya, was one of the Buddha's disciples. His name means "understanding the original limit" (jie ben ji); "the very first to understand" (zui chu jie). He was the first of the Buddha's disciples to become enlightened. He was a dharma-nature elder, because his enlightenment came early and he was quite old by this time. With the others of the five bhikshus, he arose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, "When I was in the Deer Park and the Pheasant Garden, I observed the Tathagata immediately after his accomplishment of the Way." It's said that the Pheasant Garden was a grove of trees where a lot of pheasants lived. The grove once caught fire, and the pheasants wetted down their wings with water and beat out the fire. So it's said that this spot was a very efficacious one. There was an unusually magical atmosphere about the place. The geomantic properties were excellent. People who cultivate the Way should find places to abide that are endowed with such an efficacious atmosphere, because it?s said of such places:

When people draw near,
It's magical for them.

In other words, it's easier to get enlightened there. "At that time," Kaundinya continued, "We observed the Tathagata right after he had been certified to the Way. At first,

He sat beneath the Bodhi tree,
Saw one night a brilliant star,
And awakened to the Way.

"Then he came to the Deer Park to meet us five bhikshus. Upon hearing the Buddha's voice, the sound of the dharma he spoke, we awakened to the Way. I understood the four truths." The Buddha turned the dharma wheel of the four truths three times. He said, "This is suffering; its nature is oppressive. This is origination; its nature is seductive." The origination of afflictions is seductive. "This is extinction; its nature is that it can be certified to. This is the Way; its nature is that it can be cultivated."

Next he said, "This is suffering; you should know it. This is origination; you should cut it off. This is extinction; you should certify to it. This is the Way; you should cultivate it." On the third turning he said, "This is suffering; I already know it. This is origination; I have already severed it. This is extinction; I have already certified to it. This is the Way; I have already cultivated it."

After the Buddha finished these turnings, Kaundinya became enlightened. Earlier in the Shurangama Sutra, Kaundinya has explained that he awakened because of the two words, "guest dust." He understood that the guest was not the host. The host does not go, while the guest does.

He heard the Buddha's voice and awakened to the Way. People's voices are a very important part of them. Your voice should be resonant. If your voice is full and carries well, people will enjoy listening when you speak dharma. If your voice is unclear and you hesitate and stammer when you speak, then people will not like listening to you. The Buddha's voice was crystal clear like a lion's roar. No matter how many people were assembled, they could all hear him, and they all understood his meaning. Nor was it only people who understood; all the animals also understood the dharma the Buddha spoke. So it is said,

With a single sound he spoke the dharma.
All beings understood, each according to their kind.

Sutra:

The Buddha asks us bhikshus to speak. I was the first to understand, and the Tathagata certified me and named me Ajnata. His wonderful sound was both secret and allpervasive. It was through sound that I became an arhat.

Commentary:

The Buddha asks us bhikshus to speak. Buddha, you have now asked all the bhikshus how they attained perfect penetration. I was the first to understand, and the Tathagata certified me and named me Ajnata. I was the first to become enlightened and obtain liberation. His wonderful sound was both secret and all-pervasive. I heard the Buddha's subtle, wonderful sound, and it tallied with my self-nature. It was both intimate and perfectly pervading. It fused perfectly with my self-nature. It was through sound that I became an arhat. I cultivated through sound and became enlightened.

Guan Yin Bodhisattva cultivated the perfect penetration of the ear-organ. After the twenty-five sages each discuss their perfect penetration, Manjushri Bodhisattva selects the ear as the best senseorgan for Ananda to use to obtain perfect penetration. He says cultivation of the ear-organ is the most appropriate dharma.

Sutra:

The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. As I have been certified to it, sound is the superior means.

Commentary:

The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. The Buddha asks which of the eighteen realms was the one through which I obtained perfect penetration. As I have been certified to it, sound is the superior means. My enlightenment came through sound. It was in that way that I obtained the fruition of arhatship. So I think sound is the most important. It is the best method to use for cultivation.