The Reason For Buddha's Preaching Of Shurangama Sutra

At one time the Buddha dwelt in Shravasti in the sublime abode of the Jeta Grove. There was a gathering of great bhikshus, twelve hundred fifty in all. Morever unlimited number of pratyekas who were beyond study and those with initial resolution came to where the Buddha was, to join the bhikshus' pravarana at the close of the summer retreat. Boddhisattva from the ten directions who desired counsel in order to resolve the doubts in their minds were respectful and obedient to the Awesome but Compassionate One as they prepared to seek the secret meaning.

Then the Tathagata arranged his seat, sat quietly and peacefully, and for the sake of everyone in the assembly proclaimed the profound and myterious.The pure assembly at the banquet of Dharma abtained what they had never obtained before. The Immortal's kalavinka-sound pervaded the ten directions .And Boddhisattva as numerous as the sands of the Ganges gathered at the Boddhimanda with Manjushri as their leader.

Then King Prasenajit, for the sake of his father, the late king, arranged on the day of mourning a vegetarian feast and invited the Buddha to the side rooms of the palace. He welcomed the Tathagata in person with a vast array of superb delicacies of unsurpassed wonderful flavors and invited the great Boddhisattva himself. In the city there were also elders and laypeople who were also prepared to feed the Sangha at the same time, and they stood waiting for the Buddha to come and receive offerings.

The Buddha commanded Manjushri to assign the Boddhisattva and Arhats to receive offerings from the various vegetarian hosts. Only Ananda, who having accepted a special invitation earlier, had travelled far and had not yet returned; was late for the apportioning of the Sangha. No senior-seated one or acharya was with him, so he returned alone on the road. On that day he had received no offerings, and so at the appropriate time Ananda took up his begging bowl and as he travelled through the city, begged in successive order.

Having crossed the city moat, he walked slowly through the outer gates, his manner stern and proper as he honored with propriety the method of obtaining food. At that time, because Ananda was begging in sequential order, he passes by a house of prostitution where a family with a lovely daughter named Pochiti lived. She was as beautiful as a fairy.

Pochiti's mother Matangi, knows how extrordinary the power of the artifice of the Bhrama Heaven is. Pochiti fell in love with Ananda at first sight. Pochiti immediately pleaded with her mother to get Ananda be her life long companion. Because of Matangi's love for her daughter, she had no choice but to use the Kapila religion, formerly of the Brahma Heaven's artifice, to cast a spell on Ananda to achieve her daughter's wishes. Ananda fell under her spell, almost stupor and lost all sense of reasoning. He was not himself and behaved like he was dreaming.

Ananda followed Pochiti and she drew him onto an impure mat. With her licentious body she stroked and caressed him and Ananda appeared to be in a drunken state, completely out of control. Untill he was on the verge of destroying the precept substance. The Tathagata, knowing Ananda was being taken advantage of by the indecent artifice, finished the meal and immediately returned. The king, great officials, elders, and laypeople followed the Buddha, desiring to hear essentials of Dharma.

At that time, a hundred brilliant rays sprang from the mound of the World Honored One's head. A thousand-petalled precious lotus arose from amidst those rays. Upon the precious flower sat the Thus Come One's transformation. From the crown of its head, in turn, he emitted ten beams, each composed of a hundred rays of precious light. Each glowing ray revealed throughout all of empty space, dharma-protecting Secret Vajra Spirit, as many as the sands of ten Ganges rivers, each holding aloft a mountain and wielding a pestle.

The great assembly, gazing upward, felt fearful admiration and sought the Buddha's kind protection. Single mindedly they listened as the Thus Come One in the light at the invisible appearance on the crown of the Buddha's head proclaimed the spiritual Mantra:.... He commanded Manjushri to take the Mantra and to go and provide protection. And, when the evil mantra was extinguished, to lend support, and to encourage Ananda and Matangi's daughter to return to where the Buddha was.

Ananda saw the Buddha, bowed, and wept sorrowfully, regretting that from time without beginning he had been preoccupied with erudition, and had not yet perfected his strenght in the Way. He respectfully and repeatedly requested an explanation of the very first expedients of the wonderful shamatha, samapatti, and dhyana, by means of which the Tathagatas of the ten directions had realized Boddhi. At that time Boddhisattva as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, great Arhats, Pratyekas, and others from the ten directions, were also present. Pleased at the opportunity to listen, they withdrew silently to their seats to receive the sagely instruction.

In the midst of the great assembly, the World Honored One then extended his golden arm and rubbed Ananda's crown, and said to Ananda and the great assembly, "There is a samadhi called the King of the Foremost Shurangama at the Great Buddha's Summit Replete with the Myriad Practices; it is a path wonderfully adorned and the single door through which the Tathagata of the ten directions gained transcendence. You should now listen attentively. Ananda bowed down to receive the compassionate instruction humbly.

Later, the Buddha explained to them the way to cultivate the wonderful samadhi, procedures of liberation, stages of Boddhisattva and also a complete explanation of the scerets of the universe and life, formation of the world, causes of the retributions of beings, ability to distinguish the truth from the evil,....etc. The contents of the Sutra are complete. Indeed the Shurangama Sutra is very rare and can be said to be the essence of all the Buddhadharma.