Summary

Jayoṣmāyatana practices enduring the heat of bonfires. He suggests Sudhana jump into the fires from a razor-precipice. Sudhana doubts him, but the devas suggest the teacher is genuine. After jumping in, Sudhana attains a liberative samādhi.

Overall Teaching

1.     Illumined by the last teacher’s liberation, and with his mind progressing rapidly and seeking awakening, Sudhana proceeded to Īṣāṇa[1] to find the priest Jayoṣmāyatana.[2] (1217-8)

2.     Jayoṣmāyatana was practicing enduring great heat in front of huge bonfires, above him was a razor-edge precipice on a mountain.[3] (1218)

3.     Sudhana respected him and requested he explain how to engage in bodhisattva practice.

4.     Jayoṣmāyatana told Sudhana to climb onto the precipice and jump into the fire in order to purify his awakening practice.[4]

a.     Sudhana, thinking it is hard to meet spiritual benefactors and genuine instruction, Sudhana considered whether Jayoṣmāyatana might be a demon trying to mislead him.

b.     When Sudhana thought this, ten thousand brahmās appeared in the sky and told him not to be afraid. He has developed the samādhi of vajra-flame and is intent on dispersing the darkness of all times. When he practices his austerities, he develops power and even teaches the brahmās.[5] (1218-9)

c.     Ten thousand demons in the sky also said that the heat from his practice obscures their abodes. Thus, terrified, they come to get back their right minds and turn towards awakening.

d.     Ten thousand controlling gods claimed that they do longer gain pleasure in their abodes, and from his teachings learn how to purify their arrangements.

e.     Similarly, gods of the heavens of pleasant emanations, satisfaction, timely portion, thirty-three heavens, nāgas, spirit chiefs, gandharvas, asura kings, garudas, kinnaras, and desire realm gods all came and said that the pleasures of their abodes were all no longer pleasurable, and going to him they are taught so that they may be satisfied, produce roots of goodness, and aspire to awakening and his light goes all the way to Avīci hell. (1219-22)

5.     Sudhana, pleased to hear this, prostrated to Jayoṣmāyatana, who said: (1222)

a.     A bodhisattva whose mind is one with the teacher will benefit and awaken at the foot of the bodhi tree.

6.     Sudhana, climbing to the precipice, jumped into the fire, and when touching it he attained the Mystic Knowledge of the Bliss of Tranquility Samādhi, remarking how wonderful its feeling is.[6]

7.     Jayoṣmāyatana said he has attained the liberation whereby one is not overcome, but he cannot teach the practice of bodhisattvas who never slacken, thus he must go to Siṃhavijurmbhita, where he can find Maitrāyaṇī who can teach him.[7]

8.     Satisfied Sudhana departed.

[1] Li: Meaning long and straight, symbolising using teaching to extend the straight path, making one’s abode having no pretenses. (1579) 

[2] Li: Representing the ninth abode: the spiritual prince. His name means “Overcoming Heat” because he uses knowledge to adapt to falsehood, his power able to overcome the poisonous heat of emotional afflictions; entering into spiritual function, he appears to be like a Hindu ascetic, roasting his body with fires all around under the burning sun, yet in reality he was leading aberrant cultists back to right knowledge.

[3] Li: “There was a razor mountain there, symbolizing the razor of truth cutting through confusion. Below was a bonfire, representing the light of adamantine (vajra) knowledge. Because he understood inherent liberation and could use his energy freely, he had no fear and could show and remove the emotional afflictions of beings in the long night of ignorance; so the Brahmin climbed the razor mountain and three his body into the bonfire.”

[4] Li: “Because it is ordinarily unthinkable to contravene the objective order, when Jayoṣmāyatana urged Sudhana to climb the razor mountain and jump into the fire, Sudhana hesitated.”

[5] Li: “Because this inconceivable realm of energy use must be entered into experientially, celestial spirits appeared in the sky and sang praises of Jayoṣmāyatana’s virtues, urging Sudhana not to doubt.”

[6] Li: “When his knowledge meshed with the total event, Sudhana entered in experientially; so he climbed the razor mountain and leaped. Before he was even halfway down he attained well-established mental focus, and the moment he hit the fire he also attained mental focus on the bliss of tranquility.” (1580)

[7] Li: Jayoṣmāyatana is using this practice to show endless different practices according to beings’ inclinations.