One Sutra, Many Sutra
Translated from His Holiness Living Buddha Lian Sheng’s 181st Book, Guiding A Clear Path by JT Tan
A monk named Shi Huihong once visited me at the Seattle Lei Zang Temple in the United States. At that time, I was still at the True Buddha Foundation and had not yet retreated to “Tahiti.” Master Huihong specialized in the study of sutras and was highly proficient in Buddhist debates, which made him quite proud.
Huihong asked me, “Sheng-yen Lu, how many sutras have you read? How familiar are you with Hinayana and Mahayana sutras?”
I remained silent.
Huihong asked again, “Have you read through all the scriptures from the Hinayana Agama Section, the Hinayana Section, the Mahayana Avatamsaka Section, the Vaipulya Section, the Prajnaparamita Section, the Lotus Section, the Nirvaṇa Section, and the Esoteric Section?”
I remained silent.
Huihong then asked, “What is a sutra?”
I replied, “That I can answer. A sutra, in Sanskrit, is ‘sutra’ – the teachings spoken by the Buddha, beginning with ‘Thus have I heard’ and ending with acceptance and practice. That is a sutra.”
Huihong asked, “Which sutra do you practice?”
I replied, “I practice Esoteric Buddhism, aligning with the Mahavairocana Sutra and the Vajrasekhara Sutra.”
Huihong asked, “Can you recite them from memory?”
I answered, “No.”
“Can you comprehend their meanings thoroughly?”
“For the most part,” I replied.
“Which sutras can you recite from memory? Most people can recite the Heart Sutra, the Vajra Sutra, the Amitabha Sutra, the Universal Gate Chapter, the Eight Realizations of Great Beings Sutra, the Mahamayuri Sutra, and so on.”
I said, “I can recite the High King Avalokiteshvara Sutra.”
Huihong laughed and said, “That sutra is not spoken by the Buddha; it’s considered a ‘dream-transmitted’ sutra, categorized as a deficient, fake sutra, or doubtful text. Are you sure there’s no problem with reciting it?”
I responded seriously:
The High King Sutra was the first sutra I encountered, and I felt a deep connection with it.
The High King Sutra has historical significance, as it was widely practiced during the Tang Dynasty.
The High King Sutra consists entirely of the names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, leaving no room for doubt.
The High King Sutra includes all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, making it complete and pure.
The High King Sutra calms my mind and carries profound meaning.
The High King Sutra is short and easy to memorize, making it ideal for daily recitation.
The High King Sutra is known to dispel the suffering of birth and death, eliminate all poisons, and is widely cherished by people.
After hearing this, Huihong simply said,
“Why not recite a sutra spoken by the Buddha instead of a dream-transmitted sutra?”
I answered, “It’s a karmic connection – it includes the sacred name of Shakyamuni Buddha and the Seven World Honoured Buddhas Repentance Mantra.”
Huihong said,”I can recite far more sutras than you. I can recite the Lotus Sutra, the Golden Light Sutra, the Mind Ground Observation Sutra, the Nirvana Sutra, the Treasure Accumulation Sutra, and many more.”
I was astonished upon hearing this.
That night, Master Huihong had a dream. He dreamt of the Pure Land in the Western Paradise. In the dream, Amitabha Buddha offered Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu a golden lotus seat, while Huihong himself received a silver lotus seat, positioned slightly lower.
Feeling discontent, Huihong asked Amitabha Buddha, “Sheng-yen Lu only recites the High King Sutra, while I can recite countless sutras. Why does he receive a higher seat than me?”
Amitabha Buddha replied,
“Although Lian-sheng only recites one sutra, his recitation is profound – it emits fragrance, heavenly music, pure light, and a rain of flowers. His recitation leads to liberation and reaches the ten directions and the three times. You, though you can recite many sutras and understand their meaning, have not yet achieved such depth – which is why your seat is slightly lower.”
Huihong was speechless.
Later, he sent me a letter expressing a sense of repentance. He now focuses solely on reciting the Universal Gateway Chapter of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and hopes to eventually reach the same level of profundity in his recitation.
I have been reciting the High King Sutra for decades without a single day of neglect. Whether traveling by boat or car, I recite it daily, listening to my own voice and engraving it in my heart. I’ve likely recited it countless times by now – and have witnessed its powerful effects.