This Indian Dharma Master had two names: \u201cGunabhadra,\u201d and \u201cMahayana.\u201d In 435 A.D., he went to China where, because of past conditions, he felt he could not teach and transform the living beings there. Such was his determination that he even made a vow to cross over the people of China.<\/p>\n
In his early years, this Dharma Master had been somewhat stupid. After studying the Buddhadharma, however, he became wiser and more intelligent than everyone else. He mastered the Tripitaka, the Sutras, the Shastras, and the Vinaya, and cultivated Dhyana with such a singleminded effort that he could attain deep Dhyana samadhi.<\/p>\n
Dharma Master Gunabhadra had been stupid when young because his family believed in an \u201coutside way\u201d; that is, another religion.<\/p>\n
What kind of outside way was it?<\/p>\n
They were so far removed from true principle that they would not allow anyone in the household to draw near Bhikshus or believe in Shramanas. When they saw a Bhikshu coming, they considered him to be fiercer than a tiger and more deadly than a poisonous snake, \u201cIf you get near one, you\u2019ll lose your life,\u201d they warned each other. \u201cWhatever you do, don\u2019t get near a Shramana.\u201d Because these were the rules of their household, their child was very stupid. He did not even know the difference between a four and a five!<\/p>\n
But eventually Gunabhadra became extremely intelligent. The causes and conditions behind this were very peculiar. On one occasion he saw a copy of The Nirvana Sutra, read it, and experienced an enlightenment. He said, \u201cBuddhism is so wonderful and the Buddhadharma is so high.\u201d Then he ran away from home. He walked right out the door of his outside way home. From inside his outside way home he drilled his way out, and ran away to find a Good Knowing Advisor. His causes and conditions must have been fairly good because, right away, he encountered what his family had called a \u201ctiger\u201d or \u201csnake,\u201d He met a Bhikshu! This Bhikshu spoke the Dharma for him saying, \u201cLeaving the home life is not easy. Not even leaving home yourself, just being able to see people who have left the home life means your roots are good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now all of you young Americans have good roots, and so you have been able to see people who have left home life. Some of you who have travelled around a lot on vacations might have seen Bhikshus, or you might have seen their pictures in books, but rarely could you have seen Bhikshus in America. Moreover, the number of people who have genuinely drawn near them is still less. But the roots of all you youngsters have now matured, and so there are Bhikshus and Bhikshunis in this country.<\/p>\n
So the Bhikshu said to him, \u201cEncountering the Triple Jewel is difficult and very rare; leaving the home life to become a Bhikshu is even more inconceivable.\u201d Gunabhadra immediately asked the Dharma Master to shave his head, and he left the home life to become a Shramanera. Later he received the complete Precepts of a Bhikshu.<\/p>\n
Gunabhadra means \u201cWorthy One of Merit and Virtue.\u201d Someone asked me if he is the same Gunabhadra mentioned in Fa Hai\u2019s introduction to the Sixth Patriarch Sutra (\u300a \u516d\u7956\u58c7\u7d93\u300b). Since the text says that Gunabhadra was also from the Liu-Song Dynasty, it is likely that they are one and the same person. However, you should keep in mind that many Indian people had the same name. It is similar in America. Take the name Steve, for instance. How many Steves are there? In the same way, many Indians had the same name. Also, if two Sanskrit names were spelled slightly differently, both could have been transliterated by the same Chinese characters, since the translators would sometimes say, \u201cJust get it more or less sounding right. It doesn\u2019t matter if it is off by a little, Steve is just Steve, let\u2019s not bother with the last name,\u201d was their attitude. So there could be two Gunabhadras, a hundred, or even a thousand. There\u2019s no way to figure out exactly what went on. Anyway, it is not that important. After all, it is just a person\u2019s name; you don\u2019t have to go to a lot of trouble over it and waste valuable time.<\/p>\n
Historians just ask for trouble by continually doing research to find out when that person lived, and when this person lived. It is a case of them not having anything to do, and just twiddling their thumbs. They get involved in doing meaningless research. It seems that the more they investigate, the more trouble there is, since they investigate absolutes. \u201cThis is false; is this true?\u201d In this world, really, what is \u201cfalse\u201d and what is \u201ctrue\u201d? Nothing. If you think something is true, it is true. For instance, if a country says they have Mr. Smith as their President, yet you haven\u2019t seen him yourself, you could draw the conclusion that this is false. On the other hand, if he wasn\u2019t President, you could go ahead and say he was. There is no way to be fixed about it. Originally Master Gunabhadra was stupid because people in his household believed in an outside way, another religion. But he became intelligent as soon as he believed in the Buddhadharma. So you see, there is nothing fixed. After Master Gunabhadra became a monk, he propagated the doctrine of the Dhyana School in India for many years. One day he had a false thought and said, \u201cThe root-nature of the Great Vehicle Dharma has matured in China. l should go there and teach living beings,\u201d He knew that it was extremely difficult to go to China and teach; for one thing, the languages were not the same. Then, too, the road was very long. He said, \u201cOh! It\u2019s too much suffering to walk from India to China. That\u2019s three and a half thousand miles on foot! I\u2019ll take a boat. This way, gradually, every day I\u2019ll get nearer to China and it will be easier.\u201d This was his plan. Now is it a good one or not? If he had been stupid he would have walked, but because he was so intelligent, he thought of a way to avoid walking. He took a ship. Yet this was still no guarantee that he would make it to China. During the voyage, the ship ran aground on a sand bar. Then the tide receded and the whole ship was left high and dry. Being a big vessel, the crew and passengers combined could not budge it. There they were, in the middle of nowhere: it looked certain that they would die. There were no communications and no tow in sight. It wasn\u2019t like the oceans of today on which there are many vessels. At that time there were very few ships. Master Gunabhadra thought, \u201cWe have encountered a demonic obstacle and the ship won\u2019t go.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was an unexpected difficulty, but the Master was intelligent and didn\u2019t get nervous or upset. He said, \u201cI will teach all of you, passengers and crew alike, to call on the Buddhas of the Ten Directions and on Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva (\u89c0\u4e16\u97f3\u83e9\u85a9). We will return our lives to the Triple Jewel of the Ten Directions and to the Greatly Compassionate Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva.\u201d Then they all put their palms together and recited, \u201cHomage to the Eternally Dwelling Buddhas of the Ten Directions. Homage to the Eternally Dwelling Dharma of the Ten Directions. Homage to the Eternally Dwelling Sangha of the Ten Directions. Homage to the Greatly Compassionate Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva.\u201d They recited and recited, and Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva, who probably could not sit still said, \u201cI have to go and rescue those people.\u201d So Guan Yin Bodhisattva ordered a rain, and soon the ship floated free. Not only that, but imperceptibly, a gentle wind rose and blew the ship right to China. Master Gunabhadra used his intelligence; in that difficult situation he became neither agitated nor nervous, but continued to believe in the Buddhas of the Ten Directions. Because of his faith, the Buddhas of the Ten Directions escorted him to China.<\/p>\n
He arrived in China during the Liu-Song Dynasty (in 435 A.D.), and the Prime Minister Nan Qiao Wang (\u5357\u8b59\u738b), who believed in Buddhism, was very good to him. He had heard that the Avatamsaka Sutra was Master Gunabhadra\u2019s specialty.<\/p>\n
Dharma Master Gunabhadra had selected this Sutra just after he left home. He had drawn the Avatamsaka in a \u201cSutra-lottery,\u201d which was the accepted method in those days for deciding which Sutra one would study. His draw prompted Dharma Master Gunabhadra\u2019s teacher to remark, \u201cYou certainly must have conditions with the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma if you drew the Avatamsaka!\u201d Then Master Gunabhadra studied, recited, learned how to explain it and at all times thought about its principles. For this reason, when he arrived in China, the Prime Minister asked him to lecture on that Sutra.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, although the Master knew the common expressions such as \u201cgood morning, good afternoon, good evening\u201d and the like, he could not speak enough Chinese to lecture the Sutra. Moreover, at that time, there wasn\u2019t anybody who could translate for him. Under such circumstances he began bowing to the Buddhas in repentance, asking them to open his wisdom and enable him to speak Chinese. His resolve was firm, and he bowed this repentance for more than a year. One day, in a dream-like samadhi, he saw a man, dressed in white, who was holding a knife in one hand and a man\u2019s head in the other. The head of the man looked Chinese.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you worried about?\u201d asked the man in white.<\/p>\n
Master Gunabhadra replied, \u201cI come from India. Although someone has asked me to explain the Avatamsaka Sutra, I can\u2019t do it because I don\u2019t speak Chinese. That\u2019s why I am requesting the Buddhas to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo problem,\u201d said the man in white. \u201cI\u2019ll give you a new head and you\u2019ll be able to speak Chinese. O.K.? If you want, I\u2019ll cut off your head and give you this one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Master Gunabhadra said, \u201cWell, if you think it\u2019s O.K., then do it…\u201d So the man in white took the knife and sliced off Master Gunabhadra\u2019s head and put on the one he was holding in his hand, in its place.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes it hurt?”<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d replied Dharma Master Gunabhadra, \u201cit doesn\u2019t hurt.\u201d Suddenly he woke up. From then on, he didn\u2019t know how or why, but he could speak fluent Chinese and was able to explain the Avatamsaka Sutra.<\/p>\n
After three years of lectures, the Prime Minister kept having a recurring bad dream which he asked Master Gunabhadra to explain to him. The Master said, \u201cl fear that within the year there will be something inauspicious and demonic which will arise in the Liu-Song Dynasty. Someone wants a revolution.\u201d Sure enough, within the year there was a revolution. Then the Prime Minister decided that he wanted to be Emperor and laid plans to start his own revolution. Although Dharma Master Gunabhadra was worried, he didn\u2019t say anything. Finally the Prime Minister asked him, \u201cGunabhadra, you are a person who cultivates the Way, why do you have such a worried expression these days?\u201d Dhyana Master Gunabhadra began to cry bitterly and urged the Prime Minister not to revolt, warning him that the revolution would be unsuccessful. However, the Prime Minister didn\u2019t listen. Not only did he want to revolt, but he intended to use the Master in his plan. He knew with Dharma Master Gunabhadra appearing to be on his side, many people, because they deeply believed in the Master, would support the revolution.<\/p>\n
So the Prime Minister took Dharma Master Gunabhadra on his march from Jingzhou to Nanjing, the capital where the Emperor lived. On their way they passed through the Liang Mountains (\u6881\u5c71). There, the armies clashed. The Prime Minister and his troops were defeated in the battle, which ended in the middle of the Yangtze River (\u9577\u6c5f). The Master thought he would certainly be killed, so he took his staff and jumped into the river. Although he was far from shore, the water only came up to his knees; yet when he used his bamboo staff to test the depth of the water, it did not touch bottom. He was a long way from shore and thought, \u201cI\u2019ll certainly die now. Even though the water is only up to my knees, I\u2019m too far from shore. There is no way to wade across this river.\u201d Just then, a little child about seven or eight years old came up to him from behind and, tugging at his clothes, pulled the Master forward, \u201cHow can a little child like you take me across?\u201d the Master asked. As soon as he had said those words, they reached land, even though he felt he had hardly moved. When he got on the shore he removed his clothing and turned to give it to the small child by way of thanks, but the child was nowhere to be found. Dharma Master Gunabhadra didn\u2019t know where he had gone. Then, realizing that because of his singleminded recitation of the name of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva while in the river, Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva had sent the Youth Good Wealth (Sudhana) to take him across and help him through that danger. But Dharma Master Gunabhadra, on reaching the shore, was captured by some of the Emperor\u2019s troops. The Emperor had sent out his troops with these orders: \u201cNo matter who captures Dhyana Master Gunabhadra, don\u2019t harm him. Bring him back to the capital.\u201d They escorted him to the Emperor who, in an audience with him, said, \u201cI have looked up to you for a long time. I have long hoped for the opportunity to meet you, but conditions have only ripened today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dharma Master Gunabhadra replied, \u201cIt\u2019s my karma that causes me to meet with this situation. I am very grateful that the Emperor spares my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Emperor then sent him to the Jeta Grove Monastery and made abundant offerings to him. He often asked him to come to the Imperial Palace to receive vegetarian banquets. The officials all took refuge, and bowed to Dhyana Master Gunabhadra as their teacher.<\/p>\n
Once when the Emperor invited him to receive offerings at the palace, the Master did not have time to shave his beard or hair, both of which were snow white. As he was on his way to the palace, the Emperor said to his officials, \u201cGunabhadra has incomparable wisdom and eloquence and is noted for his humaneness and righteousness. No matter what you ask him, he gives clear and wonderful answers. I\u2019ll question him today and we\u2019ll see what he says.\u201d When he arrived at the Palace, the Emperor and officials welcomed the Master. The Emperor said, \u201cMaster Gunabhadra, you have come from afar, but now, there is only one matter remaining.\u201d The Emperor had in mind the matter of death, but he didn\u2019t say a word. Thus the Master replied, \u201cThis old Sangha member has come from afar to draw near the Emperor and has been here some thirty years now. There isn\u2019t anything else; there is only death remaining.\u201d It made the Emperor very happy and he asked Dharma Master Gunabhadra to sit next to him. The reply had amazed all the officials, and they became particularly attentive to Dharma Master Gunabhadra.<\/p>\n
Afterwards, the Master dwelt at the Phoenix Pavilion. To the west of it he built a monastery which, on its completion, housed a lot of Bhikshus. However, during the night there was a continual knocking on the Bhikshus\u2019 doors. But if a Bhikshu went to see who was at the door, nobody could be seen. People began to think that demonic ghosts were bothering the place, keeping the Bodhimanda in an uproar.<\/p>\n
Dharma Master Gunabhadra heard gossip about this, and one evening lit some incense. Then he made the following statement: \u201cAll of you have lived here a long time and we have many conditions together. Now I have built this monastery and if you can live here, you can be the Dharma protectors and good spirits of this monastery. If you cannot live here, then do whatever you want, but don\u2019t hang around giving people who cultivate the Way a lot of trouble.\u201d That night, more than ten monks and laymen had the same dream in which they saw many ghosts pack up their bags and move out. After that, there was no more knocking on doors.<\/p>\n
In the first month of 468 A.D., the Master had a slight illness. After saying \u201cgoodbye\u201d to the Emperor and the officials, he sat in full lotus and entered Nirvana. He was seventy-five years old.<\/p>\n
Originally, the Master came from a family which b\u0435lieved in an outside way. After he became a monk his parents would often write and ask him to come home for a visit. He was fully ordained at the time, having taken the Shramanera Precepts, the Bhikshu Precepts, and the Bodhisattva Precepts. Finally he wrote them a letter in which he said, \u201cIf you are still holding on to your religion, it would be useless for me to come and see you. But if you were to take refuge with the Triple Jewel, then we could see each other quite often.\u201d His parents were so moved by his letter that they changed from the deviant and returned to the proper. They renounced the outside way, took refuge with the Triple Jewel and became Buddhist disciples. Think it over. Originally this Dharma Master didn\u2019t have any wisdom. But then, through cultivation, he became wise and was able to convert his parents. It should be clear that Dharma Master Gunabhadra is worth emulating.<\/p>\n
People who cultivate the Way should find a good model to follow. If someone is not a good model you should not follow him; only follow the good. You should see which of these virtuous High Masters you admire and respect the most. Then study his life and imitate him. Don\u2019t just listen to these stories and then forget them. You should be particularly attentive to each of them. Confucius said,<\/p>\n
Seeing a worthy one, you should resolve to be like him.
\nSeeing one who is not worthy, you should examine yourself.<\/p>\n
This means that what is good you can accept as the Dharma; what is not good you should realize as violation of the Precepts. If we see something good we can attempt to imitate it, but we should not try to be like those who set a bad example.<\/p>\n
Before you understood the Buddhadharma, you could do whatever you felt like doing. But now that you have come to understand it, you cannot do whatever you please. You should be extremely careful at all times. Be as cautious as if you were standing on the edge of an abyss or walking on thin ice. You should be as if you are in deep water where, if you don\u2019t watch out, you\u2019ll drown. That is how you should cultivate.<\/p>\n
These High Masters rose up from lowly positions. They did not become High Monks as soon as they left the home life, but accomplished the Way gradually, through steady cultivation. You too who cultivate the Way should progress little by little. Don\u2019t follow your own inclinations and say, \u201cI\u2019m going to be whatever I like.\u201d That won\u2019t work. It is necessary to continually examine yourself, and continually make the vows, \u201cI shall not be lazy today. I shall not follow my own inclinations. I shall not be greedy, hateful, or stupid.\u201d Having made such vows in the morning then, in the evening, take stock and say to yourself, \u201cThis morning I made vows. Have l acted in accord with them? Or did I make the vow not to be greedy only to end up greedier than usual; and the vow not to get angry only to end up even more angry; and the vow not to be stupid, only to find that no matter what I did, I got confused?\u201d<\/p>\n
At all times you should see if you are able to subdue yourself and return to propriety. Always watch yourself. So it is said, \u201cMahasattva, don\u2019t pay attention to others. Amitabha Buddha, every man looks after himself,\u201d If you don\u2019t wish to sincerely advance in your cultivation toward the true, then the Bodhisattvas won\u2019t pay any attention to you. But if you wish to tend toward the true, the Bodhisattvas will help you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This Indian Dharma Master had two names: \u201cGunabhadra,\u201d and \u201cMahayana.\u201d In 435 A.D., he went to China where, because of past conditions, he felt he … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1826","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gbm-online.com\/english\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1826","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gbm-online.com\/english\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gbm-online.com\/english\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gbm-online.com\/english\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gbm-online.com\/english\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1826"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.gbm-online.com\/english\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1826\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1847,"href":"https:\/\/www.gbm-online.com\/english\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1826\/revisions\/1847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gbm-online.com\/english\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}