| Foreword | x |
| Introduction | xiii |
| Prologue | 3 |
| I: The Nature and Location of the Mind | |
| 1. The Request for Dharma | 13 |
| 2. The Location of the Mind | 16 |
| A. Ananda Proposes That the Mind Is in the Body | 16 |
| B. Ananda Proposes That the Mind Is Outside the Body | 17 |
| C. Ananda Proposes That the Mind Is in the Eye-Faculty | 19 |
| D. Ananda Reconsiders Seeing Inside and Seeing Outside | 20 |
| E. Ananda Proposes That the Mind Comes into Being in Response to Conditions | 22 |
| F. Ananda Proposes That the Mind Is in the Middle | 25 |
| G. Ananda Proposes That the Mind Has No Specifc Location | 27 |
| 3. The Conditioned Mind and the True Mind | 29 |
| II: The Nature of Visual Awareness | |
| 1. It Is the Mind That Sees | 41 |
| 2. Visual Awareness Does Not Move | 43 |
| 3. Visual Awareness Does Not Perish | 48 |
| 4. The True Nature of Visual Awareness Is Not Lost | 51 |
| 5. Visual Awareness Is Not Dependent upon Conditions | 54 |
| 6. Visual Awareness Is Not a Perceived Object | 59 |
| 7. Visual Awareness Has Neither Shape nor Extension | 64 |
| 8. Visual Awareness Is Both Separate and Not Separate from Objects | 66 |
| 9. Visual Awareness Arises Neither on Its Own nor from Causes | 72 |
| 10. True Visual Awareness | 75 |
| 11. Distortions in Visual Awareness Based on Karma | 78 |
| 12. Visual Awareness Exists Neither Through Inhering nor in Conjoining | 84 |
| III: The Matrix of the Thus-Come One | |
| 1. The Five Aggregates Are the Matrix of the Thus-Come One | 89 |
| A. The Aggregate of Form | 90 |
| B. The Aggregate of Sense-Perception | 91 |
| C. The Aggregate of Cognition | 92 |
| D. The Aggregate of Mental Formations | 93 |
| E. The Aggregate of Consciousness | 94 |
| 2. The Six Faculties Are the Matrix of the Thus-Come One | 95 |
| A. The Eye-Faculty | 95 |
| B. The Ear-Faculty | 96 |
| C. The Nose-Faculty | 97 |
| D. The Tongue-Faculty | 98 |
| E. The Body-Faculty | 100 |
| F. The Cognitive Faculty | 101 |
| 3. The Twelve Sites Are the Matrix of the Thus-Come One | 103 |
| A. The Eye-Faculty and Visible Objects | 103 |
| B. The Ear-Faculty and Sounds | 104 |
| C. The Nose-Faculty and Odors | 105 |
| D. The Tongue-Faculty and Flavors | 105 |
| E. The Body-Faculty and Objects of Touch | 106 |
| F. The Cognitive Faculty and Objects of Cognition | 107 |
| 4. The Eighteen Constituents Are the Matrix of the Thus-Come One | 109 |
| A. The Coming into Being of the Eye-Consciousness | 109 |
| B. The Coming into Being of the Ear-Consciousness | 110 |
| C. The Coming into Being of the Nose-Consciousness | 111 |
| D. The Coming into Being of the Tongue-Consciousness | 113 |
| E. The Coming into Being of the Body-Consciousness | 115 |
| F. The Coming into Being of the Mind-Consciousness | 117 |
| 5. The Seven Primary Elements Are the Matrix of the Thus-Come One | 119 |
| A. The Primary Element Earth | 121 |
| B. The Primary Element Fire | 123 |
| C. The Primary Element Water | 124 |
| D. The Primary Element Wind | 126 |
| E. The Primary Element Space | 127 |
| F. The Primary Element Awareness | 129 |
| G. The Primary Element Consciousness | 132 |
| 6. Ananda’s Vow | 135 |
| IV: The Coming into Being of the World of Illusion | |
| 1. Adding Understanding to Understanding | 141 |
| 2. The Buddhas’ Enlightenment Is Irreversible | 151 |
| 3. The Interfusing of the Primary Elements | 153 |
| 4. Delusion Has No Basis: The Parable of Yajñadatta | 159 |
| V: Instructions for Practice | |
| 1. Five Layers of Turbidity | 169 |
| 2. Choosing One Faculty in Order to Liberate All Six | 175 |
| 3. The Example of the Bell’s Sound | 185 |
| 4. The Analogy of the Six Knots | 196 |
| VI: Twenty-Five Sages | |
| 1. Twenty-Five Sages Speak of Enlightenment | 205 |
| 2. The Bodhisattva Who Hears the Cries of the World | 234 |
| 3. The Bodhisattva Mañjusri’s Recommendation | 248 |
| VII: Four Clear and Defnitive Instructions on Purity | |
| 1. On Sexual Desire | 263 |
| 2. On Killing | 267 |
| 3. On Stealing | 270 |
| 4. On Making False Claims | 274 |
| VIII: The Śūraṅgama Mantra | |
| 1. Establishing a Place for Awakening | 279 |
| 2. The Śūraṅgama Mantra | 288 |
| 3. The Powers of the Mantra | 299 |
| 4. Vows of Protection | 308 |
| IX: Levels of Being | |
| 1. The Coming into Being of the World of Illusion | 313 |
| 2. Twelve Classes of Beings | 318 |
| 3. Three Gradual Steps | 323 |
| A. Avoiding the Plants of the Onion Group | 323 |
| B. Ending Any Violation of the Fundamental Rules of Behavior | 325 |
| C. Avoiding Intentional Engagement with Perceived Objects | 327 |
| 4. The Fifty-Seven Stages of the Bodhisattva’s Path | 329 |
| A. Arid Wisdom | 329 |
| B. Ten Stages of Stabilizing the Mind | 329 |
| C. Ten Abodes | 331 |
| D. Ten Practices | 333 |
| E. Ten Dedications | 336 |
| F. Four Additional Practices | 339 |
| G. Ten Grounds | 340 |
| H. Two Final Stages | 341 |
| 5. Naming the Discourse | 344 |
| 6. The Hells | 346 |
| A. Ananda Requests Instruction | 346 |
| B. The Roles of Emotion and Thought | 348 |
| C. Ten Causes and Six Retributions | 350 |
| 7. The Destiny of Ghosts | 364 |
| 8. The Destiny of Animals | 367 |
| 9. The Destiny of Humans | 370 |
| 10. The Destiny of the Ascetic Masters | 373 |
| 11. The Destiny of the Gods | 376 |
| A. The Gods of the Six Heavens of Desire | 376 |
| B. The Gods of the Eighteen Heavens of Form: The First Dhyana | 378 |
| C. The Gods of the Eighteen Heavens of Form: The Second Dhyana | 379 |
| D. The Gods of the Eighteen Heavens of Form: The Third Dhyana | 380 |
| E. The Gods of the Eighteen Heavens of Form: The Fourth Dhyana | 381 |
| F. The Gods of the Eighteen Heavens of Form: The Pure Abodes | 382 |
| G. The Gods on the Four Planes of Formlessness | 383 |
| 12. The Destiny of Asuras | 386 |
| 13. The Seven Destinies Are the Result of Karma | 387 |
| X: Fifty Demonic States of Mind | |
| 1. Dangers May Arise with Advanced Practice | 391 |
| 2. Ten Demonic States of Mind Associated with the Aggregate of Form | 396 |
| 3. Ten Demonic States of Mind Associated with the Aggregate of Sense-Perception | 402 |
| 4. Ten Demonic States of Mind Associated with the Aggregate of Cognition | 411 |
| 5. Ten Demonic States of Mind Associated with the Aggregate of Mental Formations | 429 |
| 6. Ten Demonic States of Mind Associated with the Aggregate of Consciousness | 444 |
| 7. The Five Aggregates Arise from Delusion | 457 |
| 8. The Merit of Teaching the Śūraṅgama Dharma | 463 |
| Appendix: A Brief Biography of the Venerable Master Hsüan Hua | 465 |
| Index | 471 |
