Causes and Conditions That The Shurngama Sutra Came from The West

By Mr.Tee Chwee Kiat and translated from Chinese Language into English by Zhang Leng

After the Great T'ien T'ai Master Chih Che (China) read the Dharma Flower Sutra, he established the teaching of Three Contemplation. Later, when an Indian Dharma Master came to China and got to know this, he was amazed and exclaimed, "This coincides with the meaning of the Shurangama Sutra in India!" When Master Chih Che heard of the existence of the Shurangama Sutra, which he had never seen, he was moved to bow to the west in hope that he would, one day, be able to see this sutra. He bowed to the west everyday for eighteen years, but in the end he never had the opportunity to see the Sutra.

Eventually, the King of India pronounced the Shurangama Sutra a national treasure because it was one of the sutras which Nagarjuna Boddhisattva brought back from the dragon palace. After the proclamation, the Sutra was not allowed to be taken out of the country. At that time Dharma Master Paramiti was intent upon getting the Sutra out of India into other countries, especially China.

He set out for China carrying a copy of the Sutra, only to be stopped at the border by customs officials who would not permit him to carry out the Sutra across the border. Finally he thought of a way.He wrote out the Sutra in minute characters on extremely fine silk and then rolled the silk up and sealed it with wax.ThenMaster Paramiti cut open his arm and placed the small scroll inside his flesh.When the wound healed,he again set out for China and passed the border guards without incidents since the Sutra was well concealed.

Eventually, he arrived in Canton Province, where he happened to meet the Prime Minister Fang Yung, who invited him to reside at a temple in Canton while Fang Yung translated the Sutra. After that, Fang Yung offered this Sutra to the Empress Wu Zetian. Just at that time, China was experiencing a scandal regarding the Great Cloud Sutra, a fraudulent text. Empress Wu Zetian concealed the translation in the palace and did not allow it to be circulated. Later, when Dhyana Master Shenxiu was oppointed as National Master, he sat in he palace to receive offerings. One day he discovered the Sutra, realized its value for meditators in the Chan School, and put it into circulation. Only then did the Shurangama Sutra finally become known in China. How fortunate for us that the Dharma Master was so determined to take the Sutra to China. You can see how important this Sutra is.

How superior must the causes and conditions be which allow us, who have never bowed to the Sutra, to be able to encounter it now, to read, recite and investigate it!