YOU MUST DETACH FROM FIVE ACCUMULATIONS OF GRASPING
The review has finished. Let's go into today's discourse. Today
I would like to explain about "the five accumulations of grasping"
which can be found in Agama Sutra.
The five accumulations of grasping are; body, sense, sufficient
consciousness, subconsciousness, and will. Then how should we deal
with this five accumulations of grasping according to the words of
Buddha Sakyamuni? He teaches as follows;
"Physical body is something which will be caught in deseases, and
something which will be aged. So you should negate it and detach
from it.
Sense changes and occurs sufferings. Since sense are connected to
the outer world, it tries to pull us into the rough world. so you
should negate it and detach from it.
The sufficient consciousness is the consciousness which we think
in our daily life. It can easily be changed. For example, like,
dislike, pleasure and sorrow. This is also the reason for
suffering, so you should negate it and detach from it.
Subconsciousness is image. It belongs to the Astral world. Though
the lifespan is long and the aging takes enormous time in Astral
world, such things are sure to come in the end. As a result,
everything is impermanent. So you should negate it and detach from
it.
It is same with our will. Our will often changes. And we suffer
when we couldn't fulfill what we had tried. So you should negate it
and detach from it.
Please think of what result can you get by detaching from the five
accumulations of grasping. Please compare this to "the four steps
and the four results".
Detaching from the physical body, detaching from sense, and
eradicating sufficient consciousness. Detaching from
subconsciousness and will which exist in the Astral world. Isn't
it the practice to enter the Causal world by becoming Arhat? Isn't
the final aim eqqual to that of the practice of "the four steps and
the four results"? So "the five accumulations of grasping" was the
system of practice to enter Nirvana of Hinayana.
WHY DIDN'T BUDDHA SAKYAMUNI PREACH MAHAYANA
Buddha Sakyamuni taught the method to enter the Causal world by
"the five accumulations of grasping". However, hedo not mention
about what kind of world the Causal world is. In the Causal world,
there should be "the foundamental element", "cosmic godly element",
"the sphere of life vayu", and various spheres of light which can
be seen. But he never mentioned anything about them. I think he
intentionally did so. Why do you think he had done so?
At the same time, he also teaches the system of practice called
"the seven groups and thirty-seven system of practices". This is
also the system of practice to attain the Causal world as it is in
the practice of "the four steps and the four results" and "the five
accumulations of grasping". Why did Buddha Sakyamuni only taught
the attainment of Hinayana leaving the process of Mahayana aside?
What do you think?
It is not correct to think that he didn't know the further stage.
He underdstood every stage of Yogas and attained ultimate
enlightenment. I can prove this by looking into "The Original
Buddhist Sutras".
"Buddha Sakyamuni had already obtained the six supernatural powers
in his past lives."
"Buddha Sakyamuni had a great merit."
This tells that he had attained the ultimate enlightenment in his
past lives. The six supernatural power can't be obtained without
attaining to that level.
Buddha Sakyamuni didn't teach the process of Mahayana because the
state of the souls at that period of time was not heading toward
Mahayana.
People were suffering. They think of doing spiritual practice if
they were to escape from suffering. However, they didn't have the
mind to do spiritual practice for other people.
In such situation, it is natural that the idea of Mahayana to
devote oneself for others and to live for others can not be
accepted. If he were to force people to do so, they may throw away
the spiritual practice itself. And if they throw away their
spiritual practice, they might fall down to hell.
This is the reason why he consentrated on the teaching to bring
people to higher world rather than the teaching of Mahayana to make
a man of the saviors.
Buddha Sakyamuni said, "You should give three offerings, observe
five precepts, and take refuge in the truth. This let you throw
away the path to hell and let you attain to heaven.". Rather than
to perplex people's mind by telling too much things, he mainly
tried to lead people to the world of happiness.