In the Buddha’s Shurangama Sutra, two obstacle states that arise to derail a person are the Old Memories Demon and the Chronic Depression Demon. I feel that these two passages are of particular importance nowadays, especially as people are often tormented by depression, anxiety or melancholic nostalgia. I hope that the following passages and Master Hsuan Hua’s great commentary will help people who are thus afflicted to purge their hearts of these uncertain doubts, obstacles, sadness and fears, and muster the courage to find happiness.
Memory Demon (Bold is Sutra Text, rest is commentary by Master Hsuan Hua):
”Further, in this state of Samadhi the good person sees the disintegration of the form skandha and understands the feeling skandha. With no new realization immediately ahead of him, and having lost his former status as well, his power of wisdom weakens, and he enters an impasse in which he sees nothing to anticipate. Suddenly a feeling of tremendous monotony and thirst arises in his mind. At all times he is fixated in memories that do not disperse. He mistakes this for a sign of diligence and vigor. This is called ‘cultivating the mind, but losing oneself due to a lack of wisdom’. If he understands, then there is no error. This experience does not indicate sagehood. But if he considers himself a sage, then a demon of memory will enter his mind. Day and night it will hold his mind suspended in one place. Lacking proper Samadhi, he will certainly fall.”
“This is similar to the way ordinary people who do not cultivate start to feel lonely and bored. This loneliness and boredom are sure to lead to trouble, the same old trouble. I did not intend to bring this up, but because I’m afraid people might not understand, I will still talk about it. It is as when a woman thinks about a man. She keeps thinking about him until she feels incredibly anxious and restless. When men think about women, they also have this feeling of restlessness. They are lonely and bored, as if they have lost something which they cannot find.
At all times he is fixated in memories that do not disperse. It is the way a man and a woman who are lovesick for each other keep thinking and thinking about each other and never forget. He mistakes this for a sign of diligence and vigor. This state of fixation on thoughts that don’t disperse appears to him to indicate vigor.
But if he considers himself a sage, then a demon of memory will enter his mind. Did you hear that! This is truly dangerous! If you consider it a fine state, a demon of memory will come and help you remember things. So you can’t remember something? It will help you to think. It sees how much you would like to remember, so it comes to help you and enters into your mind. Day and night it will hold his mind suspended in one place. Your mind will be preoccupied and kept in one spot. Lacking proper samadhi, unable to attain samadhi, he will certainly fall into the hells in the future.”
Chronic Depression Demon (Bold is Sutra Text, rest is commentary by Master Hsuan Hua)
”Further, in this state of Samadhi the good person sees the disintegration of the form skandha and understands the feeling skandha. He has not yet obtained any results, and his prior state of mind has already disappeared. Surveying the two extremes, he feels that he is in great danger. Suddenly he becomes greatly distraught, as if he were seated on the Iron Bed, or as if he has taken poison. He has no wish to go on living, and he is always asking people to take his life so he can be released sooner. This is called, ‘cultivating, but losing expedients’. If he understands, then there is no error. This experience does not indicate sagehood. But if he considers himself a sage, then a demon of chronic depression will enter his mind. He may take up knives and swords and cut his own flesh, happily giving up his life. Or else, driven by constant anxiety, he may flee into the wilderness and be unwilling to see people. Lacking proper Samadhi, he will certainly fall.”
“…Ghosts are involved in most suicide cases. The ghost bows to the person and then recites a mantra, but the person does not hear the ghost reciting. The meaning of the mantra is, “You’d be better off dead! You’d be better off dead! Hurry up and die. The sooner you die the better.” Even though the person contemplating suicide cannot hear it with his ears, subconsciously it penetrates his mind.
“…Since ghosts have the spiritual power of knowing others’ thoughts, they can use their demonic energy to get into your mind and persuade you to want to die. Your mind hears the ghost and believes what it says. Then you may take poison, hang yourself, cast yourself into the ocean, or jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. That’s how you die! There are lots of ghosts around the Golden Gate Bridge. They dare not bother you if you are full of yang energy. But if someone comes along whose yang energy is weak, who is lacking in essence, energy, and spirit, the ghosts say, “You’d be better off dead. You’d be better off dead,” and get the person to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge.”
“Most suicides are caused by demonic ghosts that provoke people into taking their own lives. And he, the person who experiences tremendous anxiety, is always asking people to take his life so he can be released sooner. He is always saying to people, “Kill me! If you have a way to do me in, that would be great! I’ll be free!”
“..Happily giving up his life, he may wish to die. Or else, he may be driven by constant incredible anxiety. Now that you’ve heard this passage, take care not to be unhappy all the time. Do not always cry and feel melancholy. If you keep feeling worried and depressed, this demon will take possession of you. That is based half on the demon’s power and half on your own. The demon avails itself of your energy. If your thoughts are proper, there will be no problems.”
“But if your thinking is improper, you will be influenced by the demon. If it tells you, “Worry,” you worry, and you become more and more worried, until you flee into the mountains, refusing to see people. And, unable to tolerate people, he may flee into the mountain forests. Lacking proper samadhi, he will certainly fall....”
Source: https://archive.org/details/TheSurangamaSutraWithCommentary
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