The Ten Wonders.& The Manfestation of Enlightenment.

 
The Ten Wonders that are the Manifestation of Enlightenment:
Part One:

The first five are about the wonder of one’s own practice

1. The Wonderful Manifestation of the Object - (the sphere of objective truth) With or without a Buddha enlightened to it, it is the true spiritual aspect of reality and is also known as the spiritual realm (S. Dharmadhatu). It is explained as being the ten spiritual realms with their ten aspects, the twelve-fold wheel of causality and conditions, the four truths, the three truths, the two truths, the one truth, the truth of non-existence, etc. All of these are different ways of trying to analyze and explain it in such a way that one can grasp its totality and reality. One’s understanding of it is in accordance with one's wisdom and one's confusion. Being the teacher of the Buddhas, it is called the wonderful object. This object is also called "the door to the Buddha’s wisdom". The Lotus Sutra says:

• “The true spiritual aspect of reality can only between fathomed between Buddhas”
• “The door to the Buddha’s wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter”
• “The very deep and subtle Dharma is difficult to see and difficult to understand”
• “With the Buddhas of the Ten Directions I am able to recognize its aspect”

2. The Wonderful Manifestation of the Wisdom - (the subjective realization of truth) - This is one’s understanding of the truth, whether it is worldly (materialistic) wisdom, the selfless and noble wisdom of the Arhat, the compassionate wisdom of the Bodhisattva, or the totally enlightened wisdom of the Buddha. Because of the wonderful object, there is the wonderful wisdom that accords with it. Because the Dharma is eternal, the Buddhas are eternal as well. That is, the object is the spiritual reality (the Dharma) whereas the wisdom is the person that realizes it (the Buddha). The unconditional wisdom is fused with the object that is beyond aspects and ultimately they are one and inseparable. The Lotus Sutra says:

• “The wisdom that I have attained is most subtle and wonderful”
• “With this wonderful insight I seek the supreme path of enlightenment”
• “The Dharma is very deep, subtle, and beyond all afflictions; only I know its aspect”

3. The Wonderful Manifestation of the Practice - Wisdom guides one’s practice, just as the eyes guide the feet. With the eyes of wisdom and the feet of practice, one may reach the object. Practice includes Dharanis (chanting or prayers), Samadhis (meditations), Calm-Observation (Chih-Kuan), the threefold training of morality, mental concentration & spiritual insight, the noble eightfold path, the 37 facets of spiritual awakening, the five facets of faith as described in The Lotus Sutra, the five practices of the Buddha as described in The Nirvana Sutra, and all the various practices of Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra says:

• “Having perfected the practices of the countless Buddhas before Him, Sakyamuni attained the fruit of enlightenment at the Bodhimandala.”
• “Pressing their palms together with reverent heart, they desire to hear of the path of perfection.”
• “All things from the beginning of time have always been characterized by extinction - with the Buddha’s children having practiced the path of enlightenment, in the future world they will be able to attain enlightenment.”

4. The Wonderful Manifestation of Rank - The eyes (of wisdom), the feet (of practice) and the object (of truth) together are called ‘the vehicle’. In riding the vehicle, one progresses up through the stages towards enlightenment. This includes the stages of the three vehicles, the Four Fruits of the Arhat, the 42 stages of the Bodhisattva leading to Enlightenment, and the Six Identities with Enlightenment. The Lotus Sutra says:

• “The four kinds of flowers rain down”, expressing the ten abodes of inspired understanding, the ten practices of virtue, the ten transfers of spiritual merit, and the ten groundings of enlightenment.”
• “Opening up, revealing, awakening, and entering into enlightenment”
• “The precious vehicle traveling in the four directions”. The four directions are the four kinds of ranks (referring to the 40 ranks of the Bodhisattvas).
• “Going straight to the Bodhimandala” - This refers to the fruit of enlightenment (the Buddha).

5. The Wonderful Manifestation of the Threefold Dharma - The first four (object, wisdom, practice & rank) are the cause whereas the wonderful threefold Dharma (spiritual reality) is the effect. As one rides this vehicle of enlightenment, one perfects the threefold body of enlightenment. This body follows a threefold track, which includes:

• the nature of absolute reality,
• the illumination of observation &
• the supporting means of attainment.

It is known variously as the threefold Buddha nature, the threefold wisdom, the three Bodhis, the three virtues, the three treasures, etc etc. All of these are different names for the threefold body of enlightenment. It is threefold but it is one. It is one and yet it is three. It is inconceivable. It is also called the treasury of the secret mystery. The Lotus Sutra says:

• “The Buddha abides in the Great Vehicle, and is adorned with the power of the mental concentration and spiritual insight that He has attained”

“The Great Vehicle” (S. Mahayana) is nature of the absolute
“Mental Concentration” (S. Samadhi) is the means of attainment
“Spiritual Insight” (S. Prajna) is the illumination of observation .END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.17/10/2013.THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTMENT.