The World of Black Boxes

Chapter Five: The Issue of Internal and External Manifestations

I. Definition of Internal and External Manifestations

The so-called internal manifestation is the image resembling the external six dusts (objects of the six senses) produced by the eighth consciousness in the area of the brain known as the "Black Box" when the six sense faculties (indriyas) encounter the six dusts; it is the image within the refined sense faculties (indriyas). Subsequently, the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature) gives rise to the six consciousnesses at the points corresponding to the refined sense faculties and the six dusts. Once the six consciousnesses arise, they can differentiate the images of the six dusts within the refined sense faculties.

The Buddha explained in the Agama Sutras that the eighteen realms (dhatus) are divided into internal and external realms. There are external six dusts and internal six dusts; there are external five coarse sense faculties and internal five refined sense faculties; there are external consciousnesses and internal consciousnesses. The external consciousness refers to the eighth consciousness which can contact external dusts, while the internal consciousnesses refer to the six consciousnesses which can contact internal dusts. As for the mental faculty (manas), it is both a faculty and a consciousness; it is both an external faculty and an internal faculty; it is both an external consciousness and an internal consciousness, capable of contacting both internal and external dusts. However, the external dusts contacted by this mental faculty as an external consciousness are not the essential objects contacted by the eighth consciousness, but rather the dust realms manifested by the eighth consciousness based on those essential objects; they are the external dusts before entering the refined sense faculties. Regardless of internal or external, all manifestations are produced by the eighth consciousness; the six dusts we differentiate are all false appearances. As the Buddha stated in the Diamond Sutra: "All phenomena with characteristics are illusory"; this is the principle.

All manifestations we can contact are the internal manifestations produced by our own eighth consciousness, while the essential realm of the external manifestation is jointly produced by the eighth consciousnesses of all beings sharing the same karma. When we contact it, our own eighth consciousness manifests it again, so it is false upon false, illusion upon illusion. When beings depart from the world of existence, not only must they extinguish the internal six dust manifestations produced by their own eighth consciousness based on the external six dusts, extinguishing the shadows of the external six dusts, but they must also extinguish the portion of the external six dusts that their own eighth consciousness participated in manifesting. Because when the mental faculty intends to leave the five-aggregate body, the eighth consciousness no longer upholds the five-aggregate body, the body faculty becomes useless, it is no longer a receptor absorbing the external six dusts, and therefore the internal manifestations no longer appear.

II. The External Manifestation Also Changes After Saints Depart the World

Each person has their own internal manifestation; the six dust realms perceived by each individual are their own internal manifestations, produced solely by their own eighth consciousness. No one can contact the essential realm of the external manifestation; the external six dust realms cannot be discerned by the six consciousnesses. After beings die, their mental consciousnesses cease, the six dusts cannot manifest, and thus they can no longer perceive the six dusts. However, others still have their own internal manifestations; others can still see their own internal manifestations, indicating that the external six dusts still exist.

However, the external six dusts will inevitably change, albeit so subtly that ordinary people cannot detect it. After Arhats enter Nirvana, they too extinguish their internal six dusts because the six sense faculties cease, they can no longer absorb the six dusts, there is no seven-consciousness mind, they cannot perceive the six dusts, and there are no six consciousnesses to perceive them. But this does not hinder others from seeing the six dusts, so each person sees their own internal manifestation. When the Arhat's karmic connection with this world ends, the six dust external manifestations that their eighth consciousness participated in manifesting also disappear. Then, the shared dependent environment of beings, the external manifestation, will certainly change, but beings, being ignorant, often fail to perceive any change in the external manifestation.

What changes occur in the external manifestation after saints and sages depart the world? The external manifestation is the dependent environment jointly manifested by the outflow of wholesome and unwholesome karma seeds of virtuous people and the wholesome and unwholesome karma seeds of evil people—the karma seeds of all beings. Saints and sages have many wholesome karma seeds; their eighth consciousnesses participated in manifesting the dependent environment, so the dependent environment was certainly slightly more superior. After they depart, the portion of the external manifestation belonging to them also scatters and ceases. The living environment of beings then becomes worse than before.

For example: White and black pigments mixed together in a certain proportion; if some or most of the white pigment is removed, then the proportion of black pigment increases, and the resulting color becomes darker. The white pigment is like the wholesome karma seeds of saints and sages, the black pigment is like the unwholesome karma seeds of beings. Thus, when saints and sages depart, the living environment of beings becomes increasingly worse. Although each being still perceives their own internal manifestation as usual, still has their internal manifestation to differentiate and use. However, because the external manifestation has changed, the internal manifestation will inevitably change. The internal manifestation depends on the external manifestation to appear; it is the shadow of the external manifestation, almost identical to it.

Beings often like to say: "The world keeps turning regardless of who's gone." But does it turn the same? When a saint leaves, they take away the superior external manifestation that belonged to them. Before a saint arrives, they participate in manifesting this world. As soon as a saint is born, auspicious signs appear in the world, and the dependent environment becomes different. With many saints, the world is greatly auspicious; with many evil people, the world declines, crops fail, and disasters occur frequently. Whether the Buddha Dharma abides in the world or not, the dependent environment of the world is vastly different. The living environment of a country inhabited by people of great merit and a country inhabited by people without merit are vastly different.

When a saint departs, the world certainly changes. When a great evil person departs, the world also changes, only the direction of change is different. When Shakyamuni Buddha came to this world, the world became different; when he left this world, the world changed again. When the Buddha was about to enter Parinirvana, it caused the earth to shake in six ways, trees turned white, and the forests were filled with cries of lament. When the Sixth Patriarch departed, it also caused trees to turn white, creating a scene of desolation. When saints are born into this world, there are always auspicious signs, called auspicious responses. When great practitioners are about to be born, there are often auspicious signs, and those with karmic connection have corresponding experiences. From this, we can see that people can influence the surrounding material world. When a great evil person comes to this world, the world changes for the worse; when an evil person departs, the world also changes, and the environment becomes slightly better.

Therefore, when an evil person leaves, someone might sigh with relief and say, "He's finally gone!" having long hoped for him to leave quickly. Anyone who does not bring a positive influence to a group will have people secretly wishing for them to leave early, to make the surrounding atmosphere more pleasant. Because the eighth consciousnesses of all beings participate in manifesting the external manifestation, therefore mountains, rivers, and the great earth contain a portion belonging to each being, including ants, insects, and all kinds of animals. Thus, after beings leave this world, the external manifestation changes. However, it depends on how many wholesome and unwholesome karma seeds they contributed to its manifestation and the strength of their influence. If the power of the karma seeds is relatively strong, whether wholesome or unwholesome, it can affect the external manifestation, causing noticeable changes.

Reflecting on our own cultivation of virtue, what impact do we have on the world? If there is no good influence, but rather a bad influence, then we have not learned Buddhism well; our evil minds have not changed. If we learn Buddhism well, we can have a good influence on the external manifestation, even though the vast majority of people may not perceive it. This is true for a family, for a group. Good virtue can influence a group. If a group seems desolate and neglected without your participation, if the group is different with you present or absent, then you have played a significant role for that group.

III. Colors Do Not Delude People; People Delude Themselves. Wine Does Not Intoxicate People; People Intoxicate Themselves.

The external manifestation includes the six dusts of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects (dharmas), jointly manifested by the alaya-consciousnesses of beings sharing the same karma. Ordinary beings, however, believe them all to be real, and thus chase after them, clinging to them life after life, not knowing that the six dusts they can perceive are all internal manifestation images, shadows produced by the alaya-consciousness through the contact of the six sense faculties with the external six dusts; they are illusory, false appearances. It is like looking at a reflection in a mirror, like watching television, like looking through a camera lens, like listening to a recording, like hearing an echo in an empty valley, like observing the moon reflected in water, like watching the shadow of a tree under the sun. Ordinary beings do not know this but take it as real.

For example, external flowers exist; that is the external manifestation. But when our eyes see them, what we see is the shadow of the flower. Physics explains the principle of visual imaging: when the eye sees form, an inverted image first forms on the retina, then through focusing becomes an upright image, which is then recognized by the eye consciousness. Therefore, what we see are false images, yet we believe we are seeing the external form, which seems so real. If what beings saw was the external truth, then a flower seen by one person could not be seen by another.

In fact, a hundred million, ten billion, a hundred billion people, all heavenly beings can see it. You see your shadow, I see my shadow, without mutual obstruction. If you don't want to see it, close your eyes and you won't see it, but the flower remains, regardless of whether you look or not. For example, there is only one real moon in the sky. If one person plucks it, others cannot obtain it. Yet, not just one person can see the moon; all beings in the human realm can see the moon; they see the moon in their own mind. It is like the moon reflecting in thousands of rivers and seas, appearing as thousands of moon reflections. What beings witness is the moon's reflection in the water, not the real moon.

The World-Honored One explained in the Shurangama Sutra: Sound does not reach the ear, nor does the ear reach the place of sound, yet hearing occurs. This shows that what is heard is not the real sound; the act of hearing sound itself is illusory. If the essential sound formed by the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind) reached one person's ear, it could not reach another person's ear; if one person could hear it, others could not. If the ear faculty went to the place of sound, it could not go to other places of sound and thus could not hear other sounds. Similarly, when seeing form, if form reached the eye faculty, enabling sight, others could not see it, because the form could not then go to others. If the eye faculty went to the place of form, it could not go to other places of form, and the eyes could not see other forms. Therefore, the six dust realms contacted by beings are illusory; the act of differentiating the six dusts is an illusory dharma.

When we are knocked unconscious, the nature of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and knowing ceases; we cannot see, hear, smell, taste, touch, or differentiate; thus, we cannot know any dharmas. But the flower is still there; others can see it. The sound of wind and rain outside is still there; others hear it. The fragrance of flowers outside is still there; others smell it. Delicious food outside is still there; others taste it. The warm sunshine outside is still there; others feel it. Others can perceive their own internal manifestations. Death, entering meditation, and sleep are all like this. When we look at a flower, the beautiful flower has no mind intending to fascinate us; it is our own seven consciousnesses that differentiate it, think about it, judge it, admire it, and consequently generate feelings of liking or disliking. Similarly, the myriad dharmas of heaven and earth do not cause us to generate feelings of joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness; it is our own deluded minds that generate attachment to the myriad things. Wine has no mind to intoxicate people; it is the drinker's own inability to handle the alcohol, intoxicating themselves.

External realms have no mind to delude us; the realms manifesting in our minds are also like shadows. It is our own seven-consciousness mind that stirs, insisting on differentiating them, giving rise to various thoughts and emotions, causing our own minds to surge and generate afflictions by themselves. And these consciousnesses, if the eighth consciousness did not transmit consciousness seeds to them, could not exist. After transmitting the consciousness seeds, the several minds become lively, generating various differentiations, various views, various emotions, producing various bodily, verbal, and mental actions and creations. It is like a shadow puppet play; when someone pulls the strings, the puppets can perform.

These consciousness minds are likewise, extremely unreal. From this, we can see how illusory our consciousness minds are, how illusory and unreal our five aggregates are; they are merely tumbling about on the surface of the eighth consciousness mind. Therefore, when we see a phenomenon, the phenomenon is illusory, the seeing is illusory; there is no such thing as seeing a phenomenon; it is merely like diseased eyes seeing flowers in the sky. I advise fellow beings to recognize the true and the false, cease deluded attachments, return to their self-nature, and attain great liberation early!

IV. The Difference Between Internal and External Six Dusts

Internal and external dusts cannot be completely identical and consistent; change is inevitable because external dusts, during transmission, pass through intermediate media. The most common media are the four great elemental particles in the atmosphere. The void space itself, at different times and in different regions, contains different four great elemental particles, which differently affect the transmission of external dusts. Besides the gaseous particles in the void, there is also dust and wind in the air, transparent and opaque substances, light, water vapor, and so on. Different media passed through result in different transmission obstacles; the number and type of the four great elemental particles in the external dusts that are absorbed or blocked also differ, causing the image of the internal dusts to have certain differences from the external dusts, with certain changes in appearance.

If the five coarse sense faculties have obstructions, this can also cause the transmitted six dusts to change. Problems in the transmission nerves can also hinder the normal transmission of the six dusts, resulting in relatively large differences between the internal six dusts within the refined sense faculties and the external six dusts. After the six consciousnesses differentiate the internal six dusts within the Black Box which have significant differences, their feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousnesses may all manifest somewhat abnormally. The individual feels it is normal, but others do not think so. Because others discern the same six dust realms, the differences between their internal and external six dusts are small, so their manifestations are normal, differing from one's own cognition; their feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousnesses are also different.

V. The Tathagatagarbha's Function of Extracting and Transmitting the External Manifestation

All six dust phenomena that beings can contact are internal manifestations; they cannot contact the external manifestation. The true form of the external manifestation can only be contacted by the Tathagatagarbha, but the Tathagatagarbha does not differentiate the specific six dusts of the external manifestation, so it does not know what the specific appearance of the external manifestation is. The external manifestation is the form dharmas (material phenomena) jointly manifested by the Tathagatagarbhas of all karmically connected beings outputting the four great seeds (earth, water, fire, wind), and it is also collectively upheld by the Tathagatagarbhas of all beings sharing the same karma.

These form dharmas contain the four great elements; an individual's Tathagatagarbha also contains the four great elements. Being in accord with the form dharmas, it can contact the external manifestation form dharmas and can extract the four great elemental particles within the external manifestation for transmission. These particles are also arising and ceasing moment by moment; one particle arises and ceases, another particle arises and ceases, continuously transmitting the particles composed of the four great elements to the refined sense faculties, becoming the subtle four great internal manifestations that the seven consciousnesses can perceive, resembling the external manifestation. What the seven consciousnesses differentiate is this internal manifestation, not the true external essential form dharmas.

If a being leaves this world, they must withdraw the four great seeds belonging to their portion of the external manifestation back into their Tathagatagarbha. Then the external manifestation outside will be different from before, yet beings will not perceive it. If beings with unwholesome karma all leave this world, some of the adverse external manifestations will cease, and our world will become slightly better. If more saints are added, the power of their wholesome karma is great; participating in manifesting the external manifestation, this world will change dramatically.

VI. Can the Actions of the Six Consciousnesses Involve the External Manifestation?

Since the six dusts we contact are all internal manifestations, then a large tree we see is an internal manifestation; it is within the Black Box. Our six consciousnesses cannot contact the external manifestation. So, if the five-aggregate body of the six consciousnesses cuts down the tree, is it destroying the internal manifestation of the tree or the external manifestation? Does the large tree outside still exist? If killing a person, is it killing the internal manifestation of the person or the external manifestation? If killing the internal manifestation of the person, then it cannot be called killing a person, because that person would still be alive. If killing the external manifestation of the person, the six consciousnesses cannot contact the external manifestation. When we hit a person, are we hitting our own external manifestation or our internal manifestation? If hitting our own internal manifestation, the other person should not feel pain. If hitting our own external manifestation, our six consciousnesses cannot contact the external manifestation. What exactly is going on here?

Cutting down a large tree: if only the internal manifestation of the tree is cut, then the external manifestation of the tree would still exist; the large tree has not been cut down. The act of cutting down the tree would not be established. If the external manifestation of the tree is cut, the six consciousnesses cannot contact the external manifestation of the tree. Stealing someone else's belongings: is it stealing the internal manifestation of the belongings or the external manifestation? If stealing the internal manifestation of the belongings, it should not be illegal. If stealing the external manifestation of the belongings, the six consciousnesses cannot contact the external manifestation.

Actually, the true principle is that the internal manifestation exists depending on the external manifestation; first there is the external manifestation, then the internal manifestation. Without the external manifestation, there is no internal manifestation. Therefore, when a person destroys an object, it is not only destroying the internal manifestation but certainly also destroying the external manifestation. Moreover, the external manifestation is destroyed first, and the internal manifestation follows immediately in being destroyed. The external manifestation of that object is certainly destroyed or disappeared; others cannot benefit from it or see it anymore; that certainly means the external manifestation is gone.

That is why it is said that destroying things incurs sin, stealing incurs sin, killing incurs sin. It is precisely because the external manifestation is destroyed, causing loss to others who can no longer benefit from it, and not merely involving one's own internal manifestation. If only one's own internal manifestation were destroyed, then killing billions of people would incur no sin, and no one could do anything about it. Therefore, killing, cutting down trees, destroying property, stealing—all involve the essence of the external manifestation; that is why there is karmic fault.

Since the six consciousnesses can only contact the internal manifestation and cannot contact the external manifestation, why can the actions and creations of the six consciousnesses still involve changes in the external manifestation? Herein lies a great secret. The external manifestation is the relatively real material world composed of the four great elements externally. This reality is also relative to the internal manifestation; actually, it is also not real; it is also an illusion produced by the Tathagatagarbha; its essence is still illusory. The true dharma is only the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha; all other dharmas are illusory.

VII. Which Changes First After the Six Consciousnesses Act: Internal or External Manifestation?

There is a saying: "Afflictions are precisely Bodhi." Afflictions on one hand refer to greed, hatred, delusion, killing, arson, and other unwholesome dharmas; on the other hand, they refer to daily trivialities like eating, drinking, defecating, and urinating. Bodhi refers to the Tathagatagarbha. All dharmas are manifested and upheld by the Tathagatagarbha; the external manifestation is likewise. Therefore, the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing of the external manifestation are all accomplished by the Tathagatagarbha, and the internal manifestation is certainly also manifested and upheld by the Tathagatagarbha. All changes in mountains, rivers, and the great earth are the doing of the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha; the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing of all dharmas are the doing of the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha.

The six consciousnesses can never directly change the external manifestation because the six consciousnesses contain no seeds; they do not correspond to the external manifestation. Moreover, the six consciousnesses are dharmas that arise later; there must first be the internal manifestation, then the six consciousnesses can arise. Therefore, the six consciousnesses cannot go and directly change the external manifestation. The Tathagatagarbha contains the seeds of the four great elements and the six great elements; therefore, all dharmas are decided by the Tathagatagarbha. Thus, the direction for investigating these questions is already clear. Since the six consciousnesses can only contact the internal manifestation and cannot contact the external manifestation, why can the actions and creations of the six consciousnesses still involve changes in the external manifestation? Herein lies a great secret.

When my hand picks up a book from a table, the body consciousness of the hand can only contact the internal manifestation of the book; what is picked up is the internal manifestation of the book. Yet, the external manifestation of the book is no longer on the table; others cannot see it or take it. What exactly is the connection between the internal and external manifestations? Which comes first, the internal manifestation or the external manifestation? Naturally, the external manifestation comes first. Which changes first, the external manifestation or the internal manifestation? Naturally, the external manifestation changes first. Where does the internal manifestation come from? Naturally, it is manifested by the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha, based on the external manifestation. Therefore, the change of any dharma must be that the external manifestation changes first; then the changed external manifestation, transmitted through the coarse sense faculties to the refined sense faculties, forms the internal manifestation.

But my hand cannot contact the external manifestation of the book; how then can it cause the external manifestation of the book to change first, thereby causing the internal manifestation of the book to change? For another example, when the six consciousnesses create the karma of killing a person, the six consciousnesses can only contact the internal manifestation of the person, not the external manifestation of the person. How then do the six consciousnesses cause the external manifestation of the person to cease? Moreover, the external manifestation of the person ceases or is destroyed first, then the internal manifestation of the person can cease or be destroyed afterward. Because the internal manifestation comes from the external manifestation, manifested depending on it, it must certainly be that the external manifestation changes first, and immediately afterward the internal manifestation follows in changing. This great secret is left for those with karmic connection to investigate carefully; it cannot be elaborated upon further here.

VIII. Only by Cultivating on the False Appearances Can All Merits Be Perfected

All dharmas in the mundane world are false appearances conjured by the Tathagatagarbha. But false appearances have their function; using the appearances skillfully leads to true Bodhi. We cannot hear that all appearances are false and then reject them all without exception. Not to mention whether we ourselves have the ability to extinguish false appearances, even if we could extinguish all false appearances, how then could the true nature of Bodhi practice the path? Bodhisattvas should cultivate by skillfully utilizing false appearances to perfect all merits, transforming the defiled into the beautiful, the evil into the pure. Some feel that worldly dharmas are unsatisfactory, that the living environment severely obstructs them, and thus wish to abandon and extinguish all worldly dharmas to attain purity. However, these worldly dharmas correspond to their own karma seeds; only by changing their karma and changing their mind can everything surrounding them become satisfactory.

When cultivation reaches a certain level, worldly dharmas will no longer obstruct oneself nor affect oneself; the mind will gradually become free from the bondage of these false appearances. Through effective cultivation, we can also change these six dust false appearances, transforming the unwholesome into the wholesome, the ugly into the beautiful, the unsatisfactory into the satisfactory. When the mind changes, both the internal and external manifestations change simultaneously, because when the mind-ground changes, the karma seeds change, and the manifestations can change accordingly.

The internal and external manifestations of the six dusts can be completely transformed. As long as the power of mind is sufficient, turning stone into gold is not difficult. Great Bodhisattvas with meditative concentration can transform things in myriad ways; they can transform the great earth into gold and lapis lazuli. Even Eighth Ground Bodhisattvas can transform and manifest a trichiliocosm (three-thousand-fold world system) to benefit and bring joy to beings. Cultivating until the mind's capacity is vast and the mind's power is strong, one can change the proportional structure of the four great elements' seeds. When the proportions of the four great elements change, the structure of matter changes; when the structure changes, the attributes of matter change. Then, white snow can be transformed into white sugar, dust can be transformed into gold powder. Cultivated to a certain point, changing the internal and external manifestations of all dharmas is not difficult.