Traveling through time and space.

Chapter 25: A Study of the Śrāvaka Stage - "Exploring the Śrāvaka Vehicle, Learning from the Sutras and Enlightening One's Own Practice"

In the ancient and tranquil Lingxu Mountain, after concluding his experiences in the auspicious land of the Avalokitesvara School, Amin set his sights on the Śrāvakayāna path. Although he was single-mindedly committed to the Bodhisattva Path, with the ultimate goal of saving all sentient beings, he was well aware that the Śrāvakayāna contained profound experience and wisdom, and that absorbing even a little of it would be beneficial to his own practice.

One day, sunlight filtered through dappled leaves onto the small courtyard where Ah Ming practiced. He sat on a stone bench, ancient sutras clutched in his hands, absorbed in the teachings of the Śrāvakayāna. The Śrāvakayāna emphasizes personal liberation, and its core Four Noble Truths—the truth of suffering, the truth of origin, the truth of cessation, and the truth of the path—become a mysterious key, drawing Ah Ming to its depths. He knew that to truly grasp the essence of Śrāvakayāna practice, he must first grasp these Four Noble Truths.

Amin first delved into the truth of suffering, intently observing the impermanence and suffering of all things. In his daily mountain meditation, he observed the growth and decline of plants and trees, felt the changing temperatures of the seasons, and witnessed the struggles of animals for survival. Every subtle sight informed his reflections on the truth of suffering. He realized that physical illness, aging, and the emotional joys and sorrows of the soul were all manifestations of suffering. This suffering was more than superficial pain; it was a deeper sense of helplessness and confusion at the impermanence of the world. Throughout this process, Amin felt a surge of compassion. He lamented not only his own past experience of sinking into the sea of ​​suffering, but also the pity for all beings trapped in it without realizing it.

To gain a deeper understanding of the fruits of the Śrāvakayāna practice, Amin decided to descend the mountain and head for a monastery renowned for its Śrāvakayāna practices. His journey involved arduous climbs and treks. Along the way, he encountered a traveling merchant. Seeing him exhausted from his long journey, the merchant curiously asked, "Master, where are you going? Why are you traveling so far?" Amin clasped his hands together and smiled, "Sir, I wish to travel to the monastery ahead to seek the wisdom of the Śrāvakayāna and further my practice." The merchant shook his head and said, "Sir, why are you going so hard? The world is full of prosperity, and the true path is to enjoy life while you can." Amin sighed, realizing that this was a sign of sentient beings blinded by worldly desires. He patiently explained, "Sir, the prosperity you see is illusory and fleeting. Practice can help us gain insight into the true meaning of life and escape the endless suffering of samsara." The merchant, seemingly understanding, left, and Amin continued on his journey.

Finally, Amin arrived at the Śrāvaka monastery. A solemn and dignified atmosphere permeated the monastery. The monks, all dressed in plain robes, were absorbed in their daily practice. Amin met the monastery's elder, whose gaze was deep, revealing the wisdom and tranquility of years of practice. Amin respectfully bowed to the elder, explaining his purpose. The elder nodded slightly and said, "It is a blessing that you have come to explore the Śrāvakayāna. The Śrāvakayāna path of practice is fraught with hardship and challenges, and only those with great perseverance can persevere."

Ah Ming and the elder sat in the temple's meditation room and began a deep conversation. Ah Ming asked, "Elder, although I have gained some insights while studying the truth of suffering, I am still confused about how to truly transcend the suffering of this world." The elder sighed softly and said, "The truth of suffering is the first of the Four Noble Truths. To transcend, we must first understand the root of suffering, namely the truth of origin. All worldly suffering stems from our three poisons of greed, hatred, and ignorance. Greed prevents us from getting what we want, hatred breeds resentment, and ignorance leads us to lose our way. Only by eliminating these three poisons can we move towards the truth of extinction and achieve liberation." Ah Ming nodded thoughtfully, thinking back to the various situations he had encountered during his practice. Were not those conflicts with bandits and the disputes among villagers all caused by greed, hatred, and ignorance?

Ah Ming asked again, "Venerable, what is the path to enlightenment in the Śrāvakayāna? I've heard there are stream-entry, sakadāgāmi, anāgāmi, and arāhāra." The elder patiently explained, "Stream-entry is the initial stage of the holy path, eliminating the defilements of the three realms and gaining a first glimpse of the truth. However, achieving this stage requires countless self-examinations and corrections, overcoming numerous inner obstacles. Sakadāgāmi goes a step further, eliminating the first six of the nine defilements of the desire realm. Anāgāmi eliminates the last three defilements of the desire realm, preventing rebirth in the desire realm. As for arāhāra, the highest stage of the Śrāvakayāna, it completely eliminates all afflictions and liberates one from the cycle of birth and death. However, each stage requires tremendous effort, reaching extremely high levels of concentration, moral integrity, and wisdom."

As Ah Ming listened to the elder's account, he gained a profound understanding of the difficulty of attaining enlightenment in the Śrāvakayāna. He reflected on his own practice on the Bodhisattva Path. While his goals were different, he also faced numerous challenges and needed to continuously elevate his realm. He shared some of his experiences with the elder, who nodded slightly and said, "The Bodhisattva Path embraces the world and benefits all living beings, inherently possessing immeasurable merit. However, the Śrāvakayāna's experiences can also provide you with some valuable insights, such as in terms of inner purification and the improvement of concentration."

During his time at the monastery, Ah Ming participated in the monks' daily practices. He meditated with them in the meditation hall, experiencing the unique qualities of the Śrāvakayāna meditation. In his meditation, he endeavored to integrate the Śrāvakayāna practice with his own bodhisattva path. He contemplated how to integrate the understanding of the truth of suffering into his daily observation of the suffering of sentient beings, thereby becoming more sensitive to their needs and better practicing the bodhisattva path.

However, this integration was not without its challenges. Amin encountered some conflict as he attempted to incorporate the Śrāvakayāna philosophy of discipline into his own code of conduct. The Bodhisattva Path emphasizes flexibility in the process of saving sentient beings, using expedient means to teach them, while the Śrāvakayāna's discipline is relatively strict. Amin was torn between the two, unsure how to strike a balance. He paced the monastery grounds, engaging in a constant inner dialogue. He understood that both the Bodhisattva Path and the Śrāvakayāna aimed for the practitioner's growth and liberation, but their specific methods of practice differed.

After long periods of contemplation and inner reflection, Ah Ming finally came to a realization. He realized that on the path of spiritual practice, one cannot be bound by a single form, but should flexibly apply various methods according to different situations and the nature of sentient beings. This is like choosing the appropriate tool for crossing a different river. He decided to skillfully incorporate aspects of the Sravakayana that could help him purify his inner self and enhance his concentration into his regular practice of the Bodhisattva Path.

Upon leaving the monastery, Ah Ming was filled with gratitude. He was thankful for the elders' careful guidance and for this journey of exploration into the Śrāvakayāna. He knew this was only one stop on his spiritual path, and that there were many more unknowns waiting to be explored. With the wisdom and experience gained from the Śrāvakayāna, he would walk even more resolutely on the Bodhisattva Path, working tirelessly to save all sentient beings.