Part One:
The Path to Enlightenment
Descent from Tuṣita Heaven / 3
Bodhisattva Entering the Womb / 6
Birth of Prince Siddhārtha / 10
Meditation at the Royal
Ploughing Festival / 14
Life in the Secular World / 20
Renouncing the Secular Life / 24
Ascetic Practice for Six Years / 29
Awakening on Hearing the Lute / 32
Subduing the Demon King and Becoming Enlightened / 37
Brahmā’s Request / 42
Turning the Wonderful Dharma Wheel / 46
Guiding the Naughty Child / 49
Taming of a Shrew / 54
Enlightening an Ignorant Man / 57
Śākyamuni’s Filial piety / 62
Unrivalled Compassion / 65
Transforming Circumstances through
Transformation of Mind / 70
Attaining the State of Being Totally
Carefree and at Ease / 73
Part Two:
The Right Dharma Abides Permanently
Ancient Buddha Dīpaṃkara / 78
Nirmāṇakāya as Śākyamuni Buddha / 82
Compilation of the Tripiṭaka / 86
Mahākāśyapa Entering Samadhi at Mount Jizu / 90
Emperor Aśoka Building Stupas / 93
Nāgārjuna Composing Śāstras / 97
Asaṅga and Vasubandhu / 101
Buddhism Coming to the East / 106
Kumārajīva Translating the Sutras / 111
Three Laughs at Tiger Brook / 114
Xuan Zang’s Pilgrimage / 119
Jian Zhen’s Eastward Sea Voyages / 122
Combined Practice of Chan and Pure Land / 126
Humanistic Buddhism / 130
Chan Master Bei Du Crossing the Waters in a Wooden Cup / 134
Practicing Buddhism in Thatched Huts / 140
The Buddha’s Birthday as a Public Holiday / 145
Three Great Assemblies under the Dragon-Flower Trees / 148
Part Three:
Everlasting Lamp
A Special Transmission Outside the Scriptures / 154
No Dependence upon Words / 158
Pointing Directly at the Mind / 162
Seeing One’s Intrinsic Nature is Accomplishment of Buddhahood / 166
The Arrival of Bodhidharma / 170
Hui Ke Seeking the Dharma / 174
Shen Xiu’s Gradual Enlightenment / 178
Hui Neng’s Sudden Enlightenment / 182
Enlightened to the Way through the Mind / 188
Mind without Obscurations / 192
Bai Zhang Established Monastic Regulations / 197
One Flower, Five Petals / 200
Stirring Fire, the Weiyang Style / 205
Hitting and Shouting, the Linji Style / 209
Meticulous, Caodong Style / 214
Eating Rice Cakes, Yunmen Style / 218
Hidden Brilliance, Fayan Style / 222
Who Is Reciting the Buddha’s Name / 227
Part Four:
The Sixteen Visualizations
An Unfilial Son Imprisons His Father / 233
Vaidehī’s Prayer / 236
Visualization of the Setting Sun / 239
Visualization of Water / 242
Visualization of the Ground / 245
Visualization of the Jeweled Trees / 250
Visualization of the Lotus Ponds / 252
Visualization of the Jeweled Palaces / 257
Visualization of the Lotus Seat / 259
Visualization of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas / 263
Visualization of Amitābha Buddha’s Body / 268
Visualization of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva / 272
Visualization of Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva / 275
Visualization of Oneself Being Reborn in the Pure Land / 279
The Composite Visualization / 282
Visualization of Superior Rebirth / 285
Visualization of the Middle Grade Rebirth / 288
Visualization of the Low Grade Rebirth / 291
Part Five:
Ten Ox-herding Pictures
Searching for the Ox / 295
Discovering the Footprints / 299
Seeing the Ox / 302
Seizing the Ox / 305
Taming the Ox / 308
Riding the Ox Home / 311
Ox Forgotten, the Person Remaining / 314
Person and Ox Both Forgotten / 317
Returning Home / 320
Entering the World with Arms Hanging Loose / 323
Part Six:
Understanding Cause and Effect
The Background of Compassionate Samadhi
Water Repentance Assembly / 327
Origin of the Ullambana Dharma Assembly / 330
Origin of the Water and Land Dharma Assembly / 336
Guangmu Rescuing Her Mother / 339
Seven Practices to Cultivate Merits / 345
Being Grateful and Repaying Kindnes / 348