Shurangama Sutra (with commentary) (English)
by Hsuan Hua | 596,738 words
This is the English translation of the Shurangama Sutra with Commentary By The Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua. The Shurangamasutra is an influential Mahayana Buddhist text affecting Korean and Chinese Buddhism, especially Zen/Chan. It includes teachings on Buddha-nature, Yogacara, and Tantric or esoteric Buddhism (such as Vajrayana). Topics discussed i...
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The names of the categories of beings
K3 He explains the retributions of the categories of beings.
L1 He lists the names of the categories of beings.
Sutra:
The appearance of being upside down is based on this continuous process. Therefore, in the world there are those born from eggs, those born from wombs, those born from moisture, those born by transformation, those with form, those without form, those with thought, those without thought, those not totally endowed with form, those not totally lacking form, those not totally endowed with thought, and those not totally lacking thought.
Commentary:
The appearance of being upside down is based on this continuous process. The mutual interaction of the six defiling objects and the twelve categories of living beings brings about the appearance of the upside-down state. Therefore, in the world there are those born from eggs, those born from wombs, those born from moisture, those born by transformation. These are four categories of birth.
There are four conditions necessary for birth from an egg to occur:
- the condition of a father;
- the condition of a mother;
- the condition of individual karma;
- the condition of warmth.
There are three conditions necessary for birth from wombs to occur:
- the condition of a father;
- the condition of a mother;
- the condition of individual karma.
There are two conditions necessary for birth from moisture to occur:
- the condition of individual karma;
- the condition of moisture.
- Birth by transformation needs only one condition:
- the condition of individual karma.
Based on one's own karmic consciousness, one transforms as one wishes. One can appear and disappear at will. The next four categories of living beings are those with form, those without form, those with thought, and those without thought, also those not totally endowed with form, it's not that they have form, and yet it's not that they lack form, those not totally lacking form, those not totally endowed with thought, and those not totally lacking thought, it's not that they have thought, and yet it's not that they lack thought. These are the twelve categories of living beings. Because time is limited, each category cannot be described in great detail. A simple explanation will have to suffice.
Other Mahayana Concepts:
Discover the significance of concepts within the article: ‘The names of the categories of beings’. Further sources in the context of Mahayana might help you critically compare this page with similair documents:
Living Being, Thinking, Categories of beings, Individual karma.