Six Great Doors Sutra on Cultivation and Attainment

Author: Song Zhi Ming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: All Buddhas become fully accomplished Buddhas because of "Dharma" (Dharma-nature); all Buddhas who attain enlightenment dedicate their lives to enlightening others through the preaching of "Dharma"; all Bodhisattvas also regard the propagation of the Dharma as the only way to repay the kindness of the Buddhas; and all sentient beings can only truly cut through suffering, enjoy the joy of the Dharma, reveal merits, and attain the path of enlightenment through the understanding, faith, and practice of the Dharma.
"Dharma" is truth, "Dharma" is wisdom, "Dharma" is light, "Dharma" is skillful means, "Dharma" is merit, and "Dharma" is how precious and rare it is! We believe in the "teachings" of the Tathagatas, we realize the "principles" of the Tathagatas, and we should further strive to practice the "actions" of the Tathagatas, thereby reaching the "proof" of the Tathagatas. There are eighty-four thousand methods of enlightenment, and there are three vehicles and ten schools in Buddhism. We can only take the path that suits us and reach the realm of our own minds through our own practices. The Six Subtle Methods are the Dharma used by the Buddha Shakyamuni when he attained enlightenment, the Dharma practiced in common by the Three Vehicles, the Dharma particularly valued by Master Zhiyi of the Tiantai school, and the Dharma that integrates Zen, Esoteric Buddhism, Pure Land, and all other practices. It is a subtle, all-encompassing, and infinitely adaptable Dharma.
In the Six Subtle Methods, "counting breaths" serves as the initial practice, "following the breath" as the means to deepen practice, "stopping" as the gateway to meditation, "observing" as the tool for wisdom, "returning" as the foundation of returning to the source, and "purifying" as the method for attaining enlightenment. Within these methods, there are methods within methods, practices that transcend practice, and wondrous merits that transcend attachment, all integrated into every aspect of practice.
May the words of this book, "The Complete Guide to Practicing the Six Subtle Methods," through your diligent practice, truly become the merit and wisdom of your own mind, accompanying you throughout your life and completing the brilliance of your existence.