30. Tejaguṇarāja

Overall Teaching

The Buddha recounts the story of Tejaguṇarāja Buddha, who was revered by humans and devas, and the virtuous King Dṛdhadatta, who renounced his kingdom to pursue supreme bodhi. That Buddha taught the illusory nature of all things, the workings of karma, and the path to realising the ultimate truth through the practice of this Samādhi to that king, who renounced his throne and was joined by his family and subjects. The rewards of practising this supreme Samādhi for all the people at that time, and now, include protection, wisdom, and a guaranteed rebirth in Sukhāvatī under the guidance of Amitābha Buddha.

Summary

1. In verse, the Buddha relates a story about a Buddha from the distant past:

   • Tejaguṇarāja Buddha and had ten billion bhikṣus and abided in a magnificent city with beautiful birds and flowers.

   • At that time, the world was ruled by the wheel-turning King Dṛdhadatta, who was devoted to the Buddha, along with his family and kingdom. 

   • Eventually King Dṛdhadatta received a teaching from Tejaguṇarāja Buddha that emphasised:

     • The world and all phenomena in it are illusory.

     • Karma, the three realms, and birth and death are also, ultimately, illusions.

     • His teaching constituted the same Samādhirāja Sūtra.

   • After hearing this Samādhi, King Dṛdhadatta renounced his throne to pursue awakening, which inspired all of his family and the beings of Jambudvīpa to follow him.

     • After doing this, all those who practised according to this Samādhi were protected by devas and yakṣas and could not be harmed by fire, water, or weapons. 

     • They also came to possess great wisdom and eloquence, teaching others the Dharma accordingly.

     • As a result, they also came to practise generosity, renunciation, and meditation and accrue great merits as a result.

     • He also emphasises how, as the age of the decline of Dharma approached for those beings, gradually people stopped renouncing and practising purely, but that the king continued to practise diligently, and that when this happens, one should just press ahead with practice.

   • The Buddha reveals how, in the past, he was King Dṛdhadatta.

2. The Buddha then relates how he expended great effort to seek this supreme Samādhi, having repeatedly given up his family, wealth, and possessions to benefit all beings.

3. Thus, this Samādhi is a supreme meditation (and sūtra) that is hard to obtain, and provides beings with liberation from suffering and enables them to realise the ultimate truth of the Dharma, emptiness.

4. Conclusion:

   • The Buddha encourages those who wish to attain the Samādhi to first develop faith.

   • Amitābha Buddha will appear to those who hold this Samādhi at the time of their death, leading them to rebirth in Sukhāvatī (the Land of Bliss).

Commentary

In Thrangu Rinpoche's commentary, he notes that while worldly achievements, such as ruling a kingdom, are temporary, the attainment of samādhi leads to lasting happiness. The chapter emphasises the need for urgent and diligent practice, and Thrangu Rinpoche draws inspiration from Milarepa, who endured extreme hardship to prioritise Dharma practice over material comfort. He stresses that although Dharma practice might be challenging, it is far more valuable than any material possession or luxury. To sustain this commitment, practitioners must continually renew their motivation to remain dedicated to the practice until the full realisation of samādhi is achieved.

Discussion

How does the renunciation of worldly power and wealth, as described in the Samādhirāja Sūtra, challenge or complement the idea of spiritual practice in everyday life, especially in relation to balancing worldly responsibilities with the pursuit of inner transformation through samādhi or this sūtra?