“Six Linglong Windows, Eyes Hearing and Ears Seeing”: The Influence of the True Mind of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra on the Imageries of Guanyin and Sages in Song Literature

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This paper deals with the intersection of Buddhism and literature, and is very innovative in its direction. The thesis argues that the phenomenon of “interplay of the six roots” in Song poems is not based on psychological Synaesthesia, but on the Buddha-nature theory of the Shurangama Sutra. The conclusion can be established. The logic of the whole paper is to first summarize the thought of true mind of the Shurangama Sutra and the rationale for the mutual use of the six roots, and then to interpret poems from this idea, in a way that is summarizing and then expounding, and logically coherent as well. However, there are some minor problems with the details, which could be revised:

1.The Shurangama Sutra is a classic of the late emergence of Tathagatagarbha如來藏, which belongs to the ideas that emerged out of the two systems of the Mādhyāmika and The Yogacara空有二宗after the middle and late Mahayana period. This paper should be described as talking about the developmental significance of turning out of Tathagatagarbha after going from them and not just from the perspective of the two being in opposition to each other, in order to highlight the characteristics of the thoughts of the Shurangama Sutra.

2.The paper also talks about nase-view and tongue-view, but there is too little space to discuss them. The whole paper focuses on the imagery of Guanyin, so it is suggested that the title be narrowed down and the title be changed to “Six Exquisite Windows, Eyes Hearing and Ears Seeing: On the Influence of the True Mind of the Shurangama Sutra on the Imagery of Guanyin in the Song Dynasty.”

3.The paragraph on the Nose-View and Tongue-View is a new topic in Song poetry, and as an expansion of this topic, it should be placed after the conclusion, which is more appropriate as a direction for the expansion of the thesis. Because Guanyin imagery, used in the thought of the Shurangama Sutra, is a direct and explicit statement of the poems, while Nose View and Tongue View need to be further justified as to why they cannot be thoughts from other Buddhist scriptures. Therefore, this is another topic for expansion.

In short, the paper clears up some misconceptions of past research, is of academic originality and value, and can be recommended for publication.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The English of this paper need to be modified.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This explanation of the liberation of the mind from the senses in the Surangama Sutra is difficult for a reader but also quite important, both for the study of Buddhist epistemology and of certain Chinese poets. I think it should be published, but it needs a lot of work: the English needs some cleaning up and the translations do too. In the paragraphs below I address some of the problems, but an expert in Buddhism should be the primary evaluator. My views are merely suggestions.

To begin with, the article should jump right in by stating the issue: that because the senses [are “interoperable (a military term?)”] can substitute for one another / interchange means that they have a foundation in the mind, belong to a single faculty, which itself is founded on the Buddha nature. So, comparing the SS to the Liezi or Xunzi should come at the end not the beginning. Another thing: the relation of the faculties of perception to objective reality was a big issue for Kant and other enlightenment thinkers. Does the author want to reference them too for the sake of comparison?

The word chen-dust (red dust) is common to all Buddhist sects and means 1) unclean and 2) impermanent, easily blown away. Thus it refers to the illusory (unstable) external world. If the mind attaches itself (結 / 根結 = attachment by senses) to these appealing illusions (色) the mind will never be in a state of samatha (calm, full control = 大定 after 脫 detachment is achieved), which is more or less the meaning of Lengyan / Suramgana the title of the sutra.

The word yin 陰 is the opposite of 光 a key Buddhist term for enlightenment. How about obscurity vs clarity?

p. 6 The focus of attention shifted from the outside world to the mind. Arision??

n.Huang Tingjian also used the phrase "six exquisite windows 六窗 玲瓏", but it is worth noting that this refers to the state achieved by the Bodhisattva, rather than practitioners. LINGLONG = SPARKLING clarity of perception, literally light thru darkness

p. 8 Hui Hong said: "From hearing and thinking and practicing into the wondrousness of the mind, my hearing had disappeared into the essence of my mind and attained enlightenment 從聞思修入悟心 from hearing thought develops into enlightened mind,心精遺聞而得道". the purified mind leaves behind 遺mere hearing . . .

p. 8 Inscription 法雲寺 鐘銘" said: If there's a bell, who's going to bang STRIKE the bell? There is a bump BELL WHO RANG IT, and who bumped it? A bump THE SOUND originates from three factors. Adding hearing and to be heard, there are five factors. If one factor is missing, you can't hear a bump. how can you hear it? Where did you hear it? The ears see and the eyes hears. One know what one hears still sound in the stillness.有鐘誰為撞？有撞誰撞

之？三合而後鳴,聞所聞 為五.闕一不可得,汝則安能聞？汝聞竟安在？耳視目可聽.當知所聞者,鳴寂寂時鳴 .

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The English needs some cleaning up and the translations do too.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I think it still needs more work, especially on terminology, but as I have said my knowledge of the subject is limited. Others who know more should decide on publication. Here are a few additional suggestions.

The Zeng Ji poem on p. 8 needs improvement. "The four walls face one another in stillness . . . the monkey mind is momentarily 閑 at rest" Explain yuanxin = restless mind?   Explain why gen-root is used for the senses / faculties. Is it because of tenacity? Difficult to uproot or cleanse?    陰=蘊 translates skanda, so explain the idea. "Aggregate" is confusing. Does it mean the accumulation of experiences via the senses / consciousness? Does the accumulation of personal history have to be cleared away? Explain Guanyin's relation to the theme of the paper guan = seeing (panoramically) yin = cries of suffering humanity. So seeing sounds, the eye hears. How to interpret rulai / thus come one? Does it mean ever-present and immutable as if able to emerge from within after purification of the senses by withdrawing them from rupa, the outside world of forms, and relocating them internally where they interchange?

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf