by Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua
Within Buddhism, there are very many important sutras.
However, the most important Sutra is the Shurangama Sutra. If
there are places which have the Shurangama Sutra, then the Proper
Dharma dwells in the world. If there is no Shurangama Sutra, then
the Dharma Ending Age appears. Therefore, we Buddhist disciples,
each and every one, must bring our strength, must bring our blood,
and must bring our sweat to protect the Shurangama Sutra. In the
Sutra of the Ultimate Extinction of the Dharma, it says very, very
clearly that in the Dharma Ending Age, the Shurangama Sutra is
the first to disappear, and the rest of the sutras disappear after it. If
the Shurangama Sutra does not disappear, then the Proper Dharma
Age is present. Because of that, we Buddhist disciples must use our
lives to protect the Shurangama Sutra, must use vows and
resolution to protect the Shurangama Sutra, and cause the
Shurangama Sutra to be known far and wide, reaching every nook
and cranny, reaching into each and every dust-mote, reaching out to
the exhaustion of empty space and of the Dharma Realm. If we can
do that, then there will be a time of Proper Dharma radiating great
light.
Why would the Shurangama Sutra be destroyed? It is because
it is too true. The Shurangama Sutra is the Buddha's true body. The
Shurangama Sutra is the Buddha's sharira. The Shurangama Sutra
is the Buddha's true and actual stupa and shrine. Therefore, because
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the Shurangama Sutra is so true, all the demon kings use all kinds
of methods to destroy the Shurangama Sutra. They begin by
starting rumors, saying that the Shurangama Sutra is phony. Why
do they say the Shurangama Sutra is phony? It is because the
Shurangama Sutra speaks too truly, especially in the sections on
The Four Decisive Deeds, the Twenty-five Sages Describing
Perfect Penetration, and the States of the Fifty Skandha Demons.
Those of off-center persuasions and externally-oriented ways,
weird demons and strange freaks, are unable to stand it. Consequently
there are a good many senseless people who claim that the
Shurangama Sutra is a forgery.
Now, the principles set forth in the Shurangama Sutra are on
the one hand proper, and on the other in accord with principle, and
the weird demons and strange freaks, those in various cults and
sects, all cannot hide away their forms. Most senseless people, in
particular unwise scholars and garbage-collecting professors
"Tread upon the holy writ." With their extremely scant and partial
understanding, they are confused and unclear, lacking real erudition
and true and actual wisdom. That is why they falsely criticize. We
who study the Buddhadharma should very deeply be aware of these
circumstances. Therefore, wherever we go, we should bring up the
Shurangama Sutra. Wherever we go, we should propagate the
Shurangama Sutra. Wherever we go, we should introduce the
Shurangama Sutra to people. Why is that? It is because we wish to
cause the Proper Dharma long to dwell in the world.
If the Shurangama Sutra is regarded as true, then there is no
problem. To verify its truth, let me say that if the Shurangama
Sutra were phony, then I would willingly fall into the hells forever
through all eternityfor being unable to recognize the Buddhadharma
for mistaking the false for true. If the Shurangama Sutra is
true, then life after life in every time I make the vow to propagate
the Great Dharma of the Shurangama, that I shall in every time and
every place propagate the true principles of the Shurangama.
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