Mengcan's comments

Meng-ts’an says, “When we practice charity, we invariably think about reaping some merit. At most temples, they hand out merit schedules and give a receipt. If people give enough, they even expect a temple to carve a stone memorial with their name on it. This is what is meant by being attached to something while practicing charity.”

Meng-ts’an says, “As for the dharma body, the Avatamsaka Sutra says that the Buddha’s dharma body is Vairochana Buddha and possesses infinite attributes and characteristics. According to the Avatamsaka, the dharma body can be seen, but what can be seen isn’t what we see. And who sees it? Only those great dharma-bodied saints who realize the final stage of practice. For the dharma body extends everywhere and preaches all dharmas in all places. Thus, it is said that attributes that have no attributes can be seen and that the Tathagata’s dharma body possesses attributes. But for lesser disciples and ordinary people it is provisionally said to have no attributes.”

Meng-ts’an says, “The meaning of this section of the sutra is that there is no one who obtains anything and nothing which is obtained. And in this regard, Subhuti cites his own experience.”   

Meng-ts’an says, “Don’t listen to others. Think about things for yourself. Think about your own name. Then ask yourself, ‘Is this me? If it isn’t me, who is it? Since this is who I am, I may as well say it’s me.’ This is what is meant by practice. What else can you use to practice?”

Meng-ts’an says, “The previous chapter concerned the true dharma body. What appears now is the Buddha’s apparitional body. Those who are saved are apparitional beings. None of them has a real body. This is how we should understand them. However, we are now in the realm of life and death and not yet able to get free because we are still ‘foolish people.’ But ‘foolish people’ is just a term of convenience. Among those who hear the Dharma or cultivate the Path or obtain Liberation, there are no real foolish people to be found. This is why foolish people are not people. It is only because of conditions that we say there are foolish people. But this name is a false name.”

Meng-ts’an says, “If you actually encounter this kind of situation, you should remember that this will help you eliminate karmic obstructions more quickly. I say this from my own experience. During the decades when I was imprisoned, I relied on this for my support. I imagined I was supposed to spend countless kalpas in prison but now only had to spend a few decades. Also, since getting out of prison, I have come to realize that by suffering the contempt of others, a person’s bad karma is eliminated and the antecedents of wisdom appear.”

Meng-ts’an says, “The Buddha is telling Subhuti, ‘If you want to still and control your mind, this is what you must do. You must vow to free all beings without becoming attached to the perception of a being. This is how you should vow to free all beings.’ To do this, you need to make use of wisdom, not intelligence. Intelligence differentiates, wisdom does not.”

Meng-ts’an says, “This sort of talk accords with the way of the world. The Tathagata could not talk about realizing unexcelled, perfect enlightenment, how much less can he now talk about merit. But people are always thinking about merit, hence he uses it as a comparison, the usefulness of which Subhuti acknowledges.”