The Essence of the Heart Sutra
Chapter Three: The Specific Connotation of the Emptiness of the Five Aggregates
Sutra: “When the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajnaparamita, he illuminated the Five Aggregates and saw that they are all empty, thereby transcending all suffering and misfortune.”
A Bodhisattva capable of contemplating the profound Prajnaparamita is at least one who has realized the mind and seen the nature. Such a Bodhisattva possesses profound contemplative wisdom and is endowed with the general wisdom, specific wisdom, and consciousness-only wisdom of prajna. After a Bodhisattva cultivates to the First Ground, they penetrate both the Mahayana and Hinayana teachings, and their contemplative wisdom becomes even deeper and subtler. The contemplative wisdom of Bodhisattvas beyond the Eighth Ground is utterly beyond our imagination.
The sutra states that after the Bodhisattva illuminates and sees that the Five Aggregates are all empty, they can transcend all suffering and misfortune. Since they can transcend all suffering and misfortune, there will no longer be any suffering in their life; they attain complete liberation and freedom. This is not something an ordinary Bodhisattva who has merely realized the mind and seen the nature can achieve. A Bodhisattva who can truly transcend the suffering and misfortune of birth and death must eradicate afflictions and habits, exhaust the attachment to self, and also eliminate the attachment to dharmas. This is the liberation state of Bodhisattvas beyond the Eighth Ground or even of all Buddhas. Bodhisattvas below the Seventh Ground have not yet completely transcended suffering and misfortune because they are burdened by the retribution of segmental birth and death and karmic obstacles; their minds are not fully liberated, and they still experience suffering. Therefore, the Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva mentioned here possesses extremely profound and subtle contemplation; the fruition they have realized surpasses that of a Seventh Ground Bodhisattva. Only such a Bodhisattva, while contemplating and seeing the emptiness of the Five Aggregates, can transcend suffering and misfortune, attain great liberation, and great freedom.
The phrase “practicing the profound Prajnaparamita” refers to the Bodhisattva contemplating the profound principles of prajna, contemplating all the characteristics and seed functions of the Tathagatagarbha. The “prajna” mentioned here does not refer to the prajna wisdom born after the conscious mind realizes the mind, but to the inherently liberated wisdom of the Tathagatagarbha. “Paramita” means “to the other shore.” This true entity, the Tathagatagarbha, is originally on the other shore without birth and death. One contemplates what great wisdom it possesses, how it is liberated and free, and why it is unbound by birth and death. When a Bodhisattva, through Chan practice, realizes the Tathagatagarbha, finds it, and directly perceives its existence and functioning, they realize the mind and become enlightened. Afterwards, they can observe and realize the reality and suchness of the Tathagatagarbha, observe and realize how their own and sentient beings’ Five Aggregates and eighteen dhatus are manifested and produced by it, and how they function in cooperation with it, thereby knowing that their own and sentient beings’ Five Aggregates and eighteen dhatus lack any real, indestructible nature.
Bodhisattvas beyond the First Ground can directly perceive the functional roles of the seeds within the Tathagatagarbha, truly knowing that all dharmas are the result of the Tathagatagarbha’s functioning; the entirety is the Tathagatagarbha. This direct perception through contemplation is profound contemplation, which is “practicing the profound Prajnaparamita.” After profound contemplation, one can illuminate and see that the Five Aggregates are like an illusion, a bubble, a shadow, like heat haze, like an image in a mirror, like the moon reflected in water. One can then realize that the Five Aggregates are originally the wondrous true suchness nature of the Tathagatagarbha, entirely its functional manifestation, neither identical to nor separate from the Tathagatagarbha. This is the connotation of “illuminating and seeing that the Five Aggregates are all empty.” At this point, the Bodhisattva possesses the great wisdom of prajna liberation, can sever the attachment to self and part of the attachment to dharmas, no longer regard the functions of the Five Aggregates as the self or as real, and no longer cling to the functionality of the Five Aggregates or the reality of all dharmas. Only then can they transcend all kinds of suffering and misfortune of birth and death, and their mind attains great liberation. Although the Bodhisattva realizes the emptiness of the Five Aggregates, they do not seek to extinguish the body of the Five Aggregates; they will always retain a trace of residual afflictions to nourish life for the benefit of self and others.
What is without birth and death is the Tathagatagarbha; what has birth and death is the body of the Five Aggregates. The Five Aggregates are originally empty, impermanent, arising and ceasing. The Tathagatagarbha is like a vast, boundless ocean; the Five Aggregates are merely bubbles rising from the ocean. The karmic seeds created by sentient beings’ Five Aggregates are stored in the ocean of the Tathagatagarbha. When conditions mature, the Tathagatagarbha delivers these karmic seeds, manifesting the Five Aggregates and eighteen dhatus of the next life. These Five Aggregates and eighteen dhatus are like bubbles and waves, floating in the ocean of the storehouse consciousness for some years before vanishing. After vanishing, another bubble emerges, thus endlessly flowing, arising and ceasing perpetually within the ocean of the Tathagatagarbha.
The Tathagatagarbha, like the ocean, truly exists without birth or death. The Five Aggregates are like bubbles magically produced within the ocean of the Tathagatagarbha. We cannot say that the bubbles are the ocean, nor can we say they are not the ocean. The ocean and the bubbles merely differ in form; their essence is the same. The bubbles belong to every drop of the ocean; their essence is also ocean water. The arising and ceasing of the Five Aggregates is originally the manifestation of the functional nature of the Tathagatagarbha. The “emptiness of the Five Aggregates” in Mahayana does not mean that the Five Aggregates are non-existent or lack function; nor is it the impermanent emptiness or dependent origination emptiness taught in Hinayana. Rather, from the perspective of the Dharma Realm of true reality, it means the Five Aggregates lack a real, indestructible self-nature; they are partial virtuous functions manifested by the immeasurable merits of the empty-nature mind, the Tathagatagarbha, their essence no different from the empty-nature mind, the Tathagatagarbha.
When a Bodhisattva practices the profound contemplation of Prajnaparamita in depth and turns back to contemplate the Five Aggregates, they understand the true nature of the Five Aggregates. This contemplative wisdom is like a searchlight in the dark night; as soon as the light shines, the scenery before them becomes clear. The Bodhisattva’s prajna wisdom is like this radiant lamp, illuminating our Five Aggregates inside and out. From then on, we understand the direction leading to ultimate liberation, and the great vow for Buddhahood made in the past becomes even more steadfast. Although our body of the Five Aggregates cannot yet permanently distance itself from the suffering of birth and death, relying on the fundamentally suffering-free, quiescent true reality mind, the Tathagatagarbha, we will ultimately reach the ultimate nirvana realm of “eternity, bliss, self, and purity.”
The Five Aggregates include the aggregate of form, aggregate of sensation, aggregate of perception, aggregate of mental formations, and aggregate of consciousness. “Aggregate” means accumulation or aggregation. The Five Aggregates are also called the Five Coverings (五阴, wǔ yīn) because they cover the nature of the Tathagatagarbha, causing sentient beings to fail to recognize the true mind and mistake the false as real. To facilitate practitioners' study and contemplation, they are briefly described below.
Section One: Brief Description of the Aggregate of Form
How is the aggregate of form formed? The aggregate of form is manifested by the Tathagatagarbha based on karmic seeds; it is gradually formed by the Tathagatagarbha delivering the seeds of the four great elements. The aggregate of form entirely originates from the Tathagatagarbha. Sentient beings, during the intermediate state (bardo), because the manas (seventh consciousness) does not cease, have not severed the attachment to their own Five Aggregates, nor have they eliminated desire. Therefore, they seek rebirth to possess a Five Aggregates body again. Thus, in the intermediate state, seeing the future parents uniting, they develop a desire to join in. Then the manas is constrained and, together with the Tathagatagarbha, enters the mother's womb; thus the manas takes rebirth. After taking rebirth and forming the Five Aggregates body, the manas regards the Five Aggregates body as the self, clinging to it with various attachments and cravings. Only by eliminating the manas’ view and attachment to the self in the Five Aggregates can one cease rebirth, release the bonds of birth and death in the three realms, and attain temporary liberation. To achieve permanent liberation, one must continue studying the Mahayana Tathagatagarbha doctrine, eliminate the manas’ attachment to all dharmas, and exhaust ignorance, thereby attaining permanent, ultimate liberation and freedom.
The manas is a mental dharma, formless and without characteristics, called “name” (名, míng). The fertilized egg is a material dharma (色法, sè fǎ). When the manas combines with the fertilized egg, the initial “name-and-form” (名色, míng sè) body of the Five Aggregates comes into being. Next, the Tathagatagarbha, relying on karmic force and using the mother’s body as a condition, absorbs the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind), and the fertilized egg continuously grows and develops. The Tathagatagarbha continuously upholds this name-and-form, transforming and producing tissues and organs like blood, muscles, bones, and internal organs. Gradually, the fetus's head, torso, and limbs form, the five sense organs take shape, and the six sense faculties gradually become complete.
When the fetus develops to four or five months old, the subtle sense faculties (胜义根, shèngyì gēn) are basically present. Relying on the six sense faculties, the Tathagatagarbha can manifest consciousness, ear consciousness, and body consciousness. At this point, the function of discrimination arises, enabling the perception of part of the external environment and the environment within the womb. After perceiving, there is sensation. Having sensations, the fetus becomes restless and active; it begins to move according to its sensations, resulting in fetal movement. Because the fetus now has the discrimination of the conscious mind, it can perceive some sound objects inside and outside the mother’s body, and partially perceive cold, heat, pressure, softness, hardness, etc., as touch objects within the womb. Thus, prenatal education can be conducted for the fetus.
When the fetus has the discriminatory functions of body consciousness and mental consciousness, it experiences painful and pleasant sensations. For example: if the mother eats something cold, it feels as uncomfortable as being in the icy hell; if the mother drinks a mouthful of hot soup, it feels scalding pain; when eating spicy food, it also feels discomfort; when the mother bends over, it feels its body being squeezed. However, if it hears soothing music, it feels comfort and pleasure, so the fetus can develop feelings of craving. By nine or ten months, the fetus’s six sense faculties are fully complete, the six consciousnesses are complete, and the Five Aggregates and eighteen dhatus are all complete. The Tathagatagarbha, knowing this condition, will cause the fetal body to move, prompting the fetus to be born.
After birth, through drinking milk and eating food, the Tathagatagarbha extracts the four great elements from the diet, transforming external nutrients into the nutrients needed by the body, continuing to uphold the infant's physical body. As the organs continuously develop, the infant's body grows and matures day by day. This infant's body is manifested by the Tathagatagarbha. Some people do not believe this, saying it is produced by the mother. If it were produced by the mother in the womb, what happens after leaving the womb? As the infant and child grow day by day, who is responsible for this? Apart from the Tathagatagarbha, no other dharma can produce the material dharmas of the aggregate of form, because the physical body is composed of the seeds of the four great elements, and only the Tathagatagarbha possesses the seeds of the four great elements. Therefore, the aggregate of form, the body root of sentient beings, is produced by the Tathagatagarbha; the aggregate of form originates from the Tathagatagarbha, and its essence is the Tathagatagarbha.
Although the aggregate of form is produced by the Tathagatagarbha, the Tathagatagarbha is not within the aggregate of form, nor is it outside the aggregate of form, nor is it in the middle of the aggregate of form. Because the Tathagatagarbha is formless and colorless, a formless and colorless dharma cannot be said to have a location; only material dharmas have locations and can be said to reside somewhere. The Tathagatagarbha does not dwell in the aggregate of form, nor is it separate from it; it does not dwell inside the body, nor does it dwell outside the body. It is neither inside nor outside, yet it is inseparable from both inside and outside. It never hides itself, nor does it have the thought to hide, yet we simply cannot find it. Without realization, it is indeed difficult to understand these characteristics of it, because it is not a worldly dharma; worldly wisdom truly cannot comprehend it. Only after prajna wisdom is awakened, with the Bodhisattva’s wisdom eye and dharma eye, can one observe its functioning and understand its nature. Only then will one marvel that the Tathagatagarbha is like a bright moon in the sky, its boundless light illuminating the earth, while sentient beings, completely obscured by ignorance and afflictions, are like blind people seeing nothing.
The aggregate of form of every sentient being is produced bit by bit by their own Tathagatagarbha; it is manufactured and formed by the Tathagatagarbha. The Tathagatagarbha’s inherent unique great wisdom knows exactly when to produce which part and what form it should take. The Tathagatagarbha can discriminate karmic seeds and, based on them, deliver the seeds of the four great elements in different proportions, causing the sentient being’s karmic retribution body to grow little by little. The Tathagatagarbha can perceive the growth condition of the physical body. After the physical body grows to maturity, it must age; the Tathagatagarbha will then alter the proportional composition of the seeds of the four great elements, causing the physical body to age gradually. The Tathagatagarbha knows when wrinkles and spots should appear on the face, knows when bodily functions decline, internal organs’ metabolism begins to decrease, and movements become slow. When a sentient being’s karmic obstacles manifest, the Tathagatagarbha delivers discordant seeds of the four great elements, and the sentient being will develop various illnesses.
When the physical body is severely aged and its various functions are nearing exhaustion, the Tathagatagarbha also knows when the sentient being should relinquish life. Before death, it will emit signals of death to alert the person, such as foul body odor, high fever, and other major changes in the four great elements of the body. When the manas perceives that the karmic conditions for death have manifested, it also alerts the mental consciousness. The person will become very attached to loved ones, saying words of reluctance to part, behaving strangely. Some people, before death, have a premonition in their mental consciousness and prepare mentally, arranging their affairs in advance. The Tathagatagarbha constantly displays many signals to us. Sometimes our conscious mind can perceive them, sometimes not; sometimes we perceive them but do not know what they mean. For example, if two people formed a deep connection in a past life, and it was a good connection, when they meet in this life, they feel very close to each other, mutually helping and caring deeply, yet neither knows why. This is their respective Tathagatagarbhas delivering karmic seeds from past lives; the perceiving mind unconsciously resonates with them and follows the karma. Sentient beings do not know who gives these signals; actually, they are all delivered by the Tathagatagarbha discerning the karmic seeds. The manas is closest to the Tathagatagarbha and perceives it first, then transmits it to the mental consciousness. The mental consciousness, if wise, will perceive it; if unwise, it remains unaware. Sentient beings formed different connections in past lives; thus, when meeting in this life, feelings differ. Some people make you feel very close, while others make you feel disgusted. To widely deliver sentient beings, a Bodhisattva must form good connections with sentient beings in every life. Because once you form a negative connection with someone, even if you become a Buddha in the future, you will be unable to deliver them.
All these are phenomena presented by the Tathagatagarbha discerning sentient beings’ karmic seeds, yet we do not know the ultimate reason why. Without developing supernatural powers, we do not know about past lives. Therefore, the occurrence of all events, the feelings towards all people, things, and objects, are all foreknown and displayed to us by the Tathagatagarbha; it’s just that we do not understand. Why do we not understand? Because of ignorance; the obscuration of sentient beings’ ignorance is too heavy. How can one avoid foolishness? Study the Tathagatagarbha doctrine, then realize the Tathagatagarbha. After realization, continue cultivation; ignorance can then be eliminated bit by bit, and wisdom gradually arises. When ignorance is completely exhausted, wisdom is ultimately perfected, and one accomplishes the Buddha Way.
Section Two: Brief Description of the Aggregate of Sensation
What is the aggregate of sensation? The aggregate of sensation is the accumulation of various sensations. Sensations can be divided into five types: suffering, pleasure, sorrow, joy, and equanimity; or into three types: suffering, pleasure, and equanimity. The “sensation” of the aggregate of sensation mainly refers to the first six consciousnesses; it does not include the sensation of the seventh and eighth consciousnesses. Sentient beings have eight consciousnesses in total. The first seven consciousnesses are: eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, mental consciousness, and the seventh consciousness, manas (mind root). The eighth consciousness is the Tathagatagarbha. The first seven consciousnesses are manifested by the Tathagatagarbha delivering consciousness seeds; they are all illusory false minds. Whatever is produced by the Tathagatagarbha is subject to arising and ceasing, illusory, impermanent, empty, suffering, and non-self. When speaking of “sensation,” all eight consciousnesses have it, but the aggregate of sensation only refers to the sensation of the first six consciousnesses, not that of the seventh and eighth. Only in the Hundred Dharmas Treatise, which discusses the five universal mental factors of the eight consciousnesses, is the sensation of the seventh and eighth consciousnesses mentioned.
The sensation of the first six consciousnesses is primarily centered on the sixth consciousness. Although the first five consciousnesses also have sensation, it is more direct and coarse. The sensation of the sixth consciousness is more subtle, rich, emotional, and sentimental, with deeper and finer connotations and a broader scope. The Buddha said in the Agama Sutras: When the six sense faculties contact the six sense objects, the six consciousnesses arise. The coming together of these three (faculty, object, consciousness) produces contact, and from contact arises sensation. When do the six consciousnesses have sensation? When the eye sees form, eye consciousness and mental consciousness arise. When eye consciousness and mental consciousness contact the form object, there is sensation. Seeing people, things, or objects one likes or is interested in causes joy to arise; seeing disliked or hated things gives rise to aversion, and suffering arises; seeing things one is indifferent to, feeling neither liking nor disliking, equanimity arises.
There is sensation when seeing form, and there is also sensation when hearing sound. Ear consciousness and mental consciousness perceive simultaneously: liking to hear this sound, disliking to hear that sound; this sound feels very uncomfortable, that sound feels very pleasant; or hearing this sound is indifferent, not feeling good or bad, hearing or not hearing is the same—these are the three sensations: suffering, pleasure, and equanimity. Similarly, when the nose smells scents and the tongue tastes flavors, there are also these three sensations.
Of course, there is also sensation when the body feels touch. Wind blowing on the body sometimes feels painful, sometimes pleasant, sometimes neither painful nor pleasant. When the sun shines on the body, these three sensations appear. Eating, drinking, sleeping, dressing, and even sitting in meditation are inseparable from these three sensations. When the sixth consciousness arises together with the first five consciousnesses, it mostly perceives together with them. When the eye sees form, it perceives and distinguishes simultaneously with the eye consciousness; when the ear hears sound, nose smells scents, tongue tastes flavors, and body feels touch, the sixth consciousness is always simultaneously distinguishing and perceiving. It is the primary consciousness producing the aggregate of sensation.
When mental consciousness, without the presence of the first five sense objects, separately discriminates mental objects (dharmas), there is also sensation. Sometimes, suddenly thinking of a certain person or event in the mind gives rise to emotion, and sensation appears—suffering, pleasure, or equanimity. Thinking of something someone said yesterday makes one angry; recalling winning a prize or getting promoted makes one happy. This is when the manas contacts the mental objects of the solitary shadow realm (独影境, dú yǐng jìng), and the sixth consciousness alone perceives the mental objects; this is the scattered solitary mental consciousness (散乱独头意识, sànluàn dútou yìshí). Another situation is dreaming. In dreams, mental consciousness also perceives mental objects alone, experiencing emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, sensations of suffering, pleasure, sorrow, joy, and equanimity, without the participation of the first five consciousnesses. This is the dreaming solitary mental consciousness alone perceiving. All sensations of the first five consciousnesses and the sixth consciousness belong to the aggregate of sensation.
Section Three: Brief Description of the Aggregate of Perception
What is the aggregate of perception? The so-called “aggregate of perception” is the accumulation of all cognitive functions. From the structure of the character “想” (xiǎng, perception/thinking), one can see that “perception” means there is an image (相, xiàng) on the heart (心, xīn). Having an image on the heart means grasping an image, which means having discrimination. Therefore, perception is knowing, meaning discrimination and grasping. What does it mean to have an image on the heart? When we see a form, we know: “Oh, this is such and such a thing.” At that moment, the mental discrimination is completed, and an image is present. Therefore, knowing and recognizing a certain thing is called perception. When the eye sees form, knowing this is a flower, that is a person—this is grasping the image and discriminating, which is perception. After discrimination, subsequent thinking, analysis, judgment, reasoning, investigation, etc., are further “perception.” Even the plans, intentions, even dreams, delusions, etc., that we often make—all these are “perception.”
“Perception” is the functional activity of our conscious mind. Whenever the six consciousnesses arise, the mind abides somewhere; where there is abiding, there is perception. When there are words and language in the mind, it is perception; even without words and language, it is still perception. The perception of the manas has no words or language, and even less so the perception of the Tathagatagarbha. There is perception when the eye sees form, when the ear hears sound, when the nose smells scents, when the tongue tastes flavors, when the body feels touch. Whenever the six consciousnesses have sensation regarding the six sense objects, perception will definitely arise. The initial perception of mental consciousness may not have words or language; when repeated thinking and analysis occur, words and language arise in the mind.
The six consciousnesses will have perception regarding all dharmas. The first five consciousnesses have perception, the sixth consciousness has perception, but the perception of the sixth consciousness is primary and also the most complex. Besides perceiving and thinking together with the five consciousnesses, mental consciousness can also have perception alone regarding mental objects. For example, when dreaming, the mental consciousness alone has perception. Also, scattered thinking in daily life, random thoughts, contemplative thinking in meditation, and delusional thoughts are all mental consciousness perceiving alone. The first five consciousnesses cannot have perception apart from the current five sense objects, but the sixth consciousness can. Any perception involving discrimination and thinking not on the current five sense objects is mental consciousness perceiving alone. The aggregate of perception is the discriminative thinking activity of the six consciousnesses when the six sense faculties contact the six sense objects.
Section Four: Brief Description of the Aggregate of Mental Formations
What is the aggregate of mental formations? What is “formation” (行, xíng)? “Formation” means things are in a state of motion, change, transition—any non-stationary state. Whether material dharmas or mental dharmas, as long as there is change, it is “formation.” This includes changes in time, transitions in space, location, direction, and also the functioning and volitional activities of several consciousnesses. In the realm of apparent phenomena, not a single dharma is at rest. Whether visible or invisible, whether the six sense objects and all dharmas, or our body and mind, everything is ceaselessly flowing and changing. This is the aggregate of mental formations.
First, let's look at mountains, rivers, and the great earth. When wishing others longevity, the phrase “May your longevity compare to the Southern Mountain” is often used because, although our ancestors for generations have passed away, the Southern Mountain still stands there, seemingly unchanged. Actually, the Southern Mountain is also subject to arising and ceasing and change. Sentient beings, because their lifespan is not long enough, cannot directly observe this fact and thus believe the Southern Mountain will last forever and not perish. People often find fossils of shells and fish in mountain rocks. Those with wisdom know that this place was originally an ocean; the Southern Mountain grew out of the sea, while the original ocean has long since disappeared. In fact, the Southern Mountain is also changing instant by instant; after hundreds of millions of years, it too will disappear. It’s just that human lifespans are too short to perceive the obvious changes of mountains, rivers, and the great earth. Look again at time: time flows ceaselessly, never stopping. Every minute, every second, every instant—even as we read this passage, several seconds have already passed.
Our physical body is like a machine that never stops operating. Even if we do nothing, even if mental consciousness enters meditative absorption, the physical body does not cease for an instant. Blood flow, breathing, heartbeat, gastrointestinal peristalsis, digestion, absorption, cell metabolism, etc.—all these are moving, all arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing under the upholding of the Tathagatagarbha. We are with our family every day and seem not to notice their changes, but if you leave home for a few years and then return, you will see that your parents have visibly aged and the children have visibly grown. In fact, even in the blink of an eye, less than a second apart, the physical body you see is not the same as it was a second ago.
Our conscious mind also changes instantaneously. For example, when eye consciousness discriminates a form object, the Tathagatagarbha produces eye consciousness seeds one after another. The previous seed arises, then falls away and returns to the Tathagatagarbha; the next seed arises in the place where the previous one fell away. The seeds continuously arise and cease like this; in the snap of a finger, 84,000 instances of seed arising and ceasing have passed. Only this ensures the eye consciousness functions normally. If we continuously look at and discriminate a certain object, the functioning of the consciousness seeds does not stop; this is motion, belonging to the aggregate of mental formations. The functioning of the other five consciousnesses is likewise. As long as conscious minds exist, there is the aggregate of mental formations. In summary, all bodily, verbal, and mental actions and volitions are mental formations and belong to the category of the aggregate of mental formations.
Section Five: Brief Description of the Aggregate of Consciousness
Finally, let's discuss the aggregate of consciousness. “Consciousness” (识, shí) refers to the mind that has the function of knowing and discriminating. The scope of the aggregate of consciousness includes the six consciousnesses: eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and mental consciousness. The aggregate of consciousness refers to the accumulation of the functions of these six consciousnesses.
The functions of the six consciousnesses differ. For example, eye consciousness is responsible for discriminating form objects. When the gross sense faculty (扶尘根, fú chén gēn) of the eye contacts the external appearing aspect (外相分, wài xiàng fēn) of the form object, the Tathagatagarbha generates the internal appearing aspect (内相分, nèi xiàng fēn) of the form object at the subtle sense faculty (胜义根, shèngyì gēn). At the point of contact between the sense faculty and the object, the Tathagatagarbha produces eye consciousness. Simultaneously, the manas contacts the mental objects (dharmas) on the form object, and the Tathagatagarbha produces mental consciousness. Eye consciousness and mental consciousness arise together to discriminate the form object, and thus we know what this thing is. This is the result of the joint discrimination of eye consciousness and mental consciousness. The scope of discrimination of eye consciousness and mental consciousness regarding the form object differs. Eye consciousness discriminates colors (显色, xiǎn sè) such as blue, yellow, red, white, light and shadow, brightness and darkness, clouds, mist, dust, fog, and space. Mental consciousness discriminates the mental objects (法尘, fǎ chén) manifested on the form object—form included in the mental base (法处所摄色, fǎ chù suǒ shè sè), which are shape/form (形色, xíng sè), gesture/movement (表色, biǎo sè), and non-manifestative form (无表色, wú biǎo sè). Eye consciousness and mental consciousness cooperate, enabling us to clearly see the form object. Similarly, ear, nose, tongue, and body consciousness are also produced by the Tathagatagarbha when their respective sense faculties contact their objects. The five consciousnesses and mental consciousness always function together in harmony; therefore, mental consciousness is called the five-concomitant mental consciousness (五俱意识, wǔ jù yìshí). The five consciousnesses can only discriminate the coarse aspects of the five sense objects; the subtle aspects are discriminated by the sixth consciousness.
Actually, the discrimination of the six sense objects by the six consciousnesses is the result of the coordinated functioning of all eight consciousnesses. The harmonious functioning of the eight consciousnesses is extremely rapid and complex. Innumerable consciousness seeds arise and cease instantaneously. This process is countless times more complex than the most powerful computer in the world. Sometimes our Five Aggregates body seems to be doing a simple thing, but behind it is the seamless coordination of the eight consciousness kings. When one realizes the mind and later contemplates and reflects, one discovers it is truly not simple at all.
Section Six: Transcending All Suffering and Misfortune
I. Where does sentient beings’ suffering come from?
Why do sentient beings have sorrow, grief, distress, and suffering? Because of afflictions and ignorance, craving for the body of the Five Aggregates and the dharmas of the triple realm, thus extensively creating various karmas, leading to lifetimes of continuous rebirth of the Five Aggregates body to receive endless karmic retribution in suffering. If the Five Aggregates are extinguished, there is no one to receive this suffering retribution. Therefore, it is said that where there is a body, there is suffering. Formless realm devas, although lacking a physical body, still have conscious minds; they still have the suffering of impermanence (行苦, xíng kǔ) and the suffering of decay (坏苦, huài kǔ). In the four formless absorptions (四空定, sì kōng dìng) of the formless realm, there is no concept of time length at all. Upon entering absorption, tens of thousands of great kalpas pass; upon exiting, it feels as if only a short while has passed. If heavenly blessings are exhausted, they may directly fall into the three evil paths to receive suffering retribution.
Ignorance and afflictions are the source of all suffering. The existence of the body and mind of the Five Aggregates is the vessel for receiving all suffering. Although a Fourth Fruit Arhat has severed the view of self and attachment to self, with no afflictions currently active in the mind, as long as they have not relinquished life, the physical body and conscious mind exist. Living in the human world, they must endure subtle suffering and residual suffering. When bitten by mosquitoes or insects, the body feels pain and itchiness; when the summer sun is too strong, the body feels hot; when the winter wind is too cold, the body feels cold; when sick, the body also experiences suffering; there are also karmic retributions that need to be settled. However, there is not much suffering in the mind because the mind is already liberated and does not care about any suffering of the physical body. Therefore, when the time and condition for the Arhat’s nirvana arrives, and their connection with this world ends, they are unwilling to continue enduring the suffering of the Five Aggregates. They extinguish the body and mind of the Five Aggregates, depart from the world, enter the remainderless nirvana, transcend suffering, and attain liberation.
II. How Śrāvakas transcend suffering and misfortune
How do Śrāvakas transcend all suffering and misfortune? Śrāvakas can only transcend part of the suffering and misfortune; they cannot transcend all. They can only end the suffering of segmental birth and death (分段生死, fēn duàn shēng sǐ); they cannot end the suffering of transformational birth and death (变易生死, biàn yì shēng sǐ). They rely on the holy teachings to contemplate their own Five Aggregates body and mind, discovering it is impermanent, arising and ceasing; because it is impermanent, it is empty; because it is empty, it is suffering; because it is suffering, it is non-self. To transcend suffering and misfortune, one must thoroughly extinguish the vessel that carries suffering and misfortune—the body and mind of the Five Aggregates—enter the remainderless nirvana, so that suffering and misfortune find no host, thus becoming neither suffering nor pleasure, nor even equanimity.
Fixed-nature Śrāvakas do not realize true reality; they can only contemplate within the aggregates, sense bases, and sense fields. By contemplating the Five Aggregates, Six Entrances, Twelve Sense Fields, and Eighteen Dhatus one by one, they discover not a single dharma is permanent; all are ceaselessly flowing, arising, ceasing, and transforming. Thus, they sever the view of self, cut the three fetters, and realize the fruit of Srotāpanna (Stream-enterer). After realizing the first fruit, they continue contemplating and reflecting. When greed, hatred, and delusion become increasingly faint, they become Sakadāgāmins (Once-returners). Next, subduing the five hindrances, they cultivate the first dhyāna, sever the minds of greed and anger, and realize the fruit of Anāgāmin (Non-returner). Anāgāmins further sever self-conceit, remove the final ignorance regarding “self” within the mind, exhaust the manas’ nature of attachment to self, completely extinguish craving for the triple realm, and realize the fruit of Arhat. Arhats, when their lifespan ends, extinguish the manas, cease rebirth, no longer have the name-and-form of the Five Aggregates born in future lives, leaving only the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha, existing alone. This is the state of remainderless nirvana.
Arhats have not realized the inherently liberated, inherently suffering-free self-nature pure mind—the Tathagatagarbha. Therefore, they cannot practice the profound Prajnaparamita to illuminate and see the emptiness of the Five Aggregates. Arhats transcend suffering by extinguishing the Five Aggregates self; with no one left to suffer, it is expediently said they have transcended all suffering and misfortune. Actually, there are still suffering seeds not eradicated; the suffering of birth and death is not completely ended. Paraphrasing the Diamond Sutra: “That which is called transcendence is not transcendence; it is merely called transcendence,” because truly no sentient being is transcended.
III. How Bodhisattvas transcend all suffering and misfortune
How do Bodhisattvas transcend all suffering and misfortune? Returning to the first sentence of the sutra: “When the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajnaparamita, he illuminated the Five Aggregates and saw that they are all empty, thereby transcending all suffering and misfortune.” From this sentence, it seems simple and easy for a Bodhisattva to transcend all suffering and misfortune, but in reality, it is extremely difficult; the Dharma practiced is profound beyond measure. What is the true principle? A Bodhisattva capable of contemplating freedom is at least one who has realized the mind and become enlightened. However, a Bodhisattva who is merely enlightened lacks sufficient wisdom and meditative concentration to transcend all suffering and misfortune. When a Bodhisattva cultivates to the point of severing afflictions and ending segmental birth and death, they can transcend most suffering and misfortune. There still remains a trace of the suffering of transformational birth and death not exhausted; only after exhausting it can they reach the other shore of nirvana. With the wisdom of true reality prajna, a Bodhisattva can contemplate all dharmas in the realm of apparent phenomena from the perspective of the true reality Dharma, seeing they do not truly exist; birth and death are like flowers in the sky. Realizing this principle, they no longer fear birth and death binding them. Bodhisattvas know that only the self-nature pure mind, the Tathagatagarbha, is the true, indestructible Dharma, without birth or death, neither on this shore nor on the other shore of quiescent nirvana. The Five Aggregates and eighteen dhatus are all illusory, provisionally existing manifestations of the Tathagatagarbha; all suffering, pleasant, and neutral sensations of the Five Aggregates are also false and unreal.
Bodhisattvas who realize the true mind, the Tathagatagarbha, no longer regard the Five Aggregates as the false self. The true self, the Tathagatagarbha, is inherently pure, eternally abiding in nirvana, never corresponding to suffering or pleasure. Deep within, Bodhisattvas abandon the false and return to the true; in principle, they transcend all suffering and misfortune of birth and death. Bodhisattvas transcend suffering without extinguishing the Five Aggregates; they attain transcendence of all suffering and misfortune without leaving the world, because the self-nature Tathagatagarbha they take refuge in fundamentally has no suffering, and the suffering of the Five Aggregates upheld by it is also non-suffering. After enlightenment, Bodhisattvas do not mind that their physical body still experiences suffering in the world. Relying on their vast vows and compassion, they accompany sentient beings in the sea of birth-and-death suffering, continuously rescuing and delivering sentient beings with affinities out of the sea of birth-and-death suffering.
Although an enlightened Bodhisattva, in principle, has transcended all suffering and misfortune, they cannot yet do so in actuality because they have not yet exhausted the afflictions of craving for the triple realm; there are still immeasurable habitual afflictions existing; there is beginningless kalpas of dust-like ignorance not eradicated; segmental birth and death and transformational birth and death still exist. Therefore, they must continuously cultivate meditative absorption, merit, and wisdom. Bodhisattvas beyond the First Ground have the ability to sever craving for the triple realm world; they do not have to come to the triple realm, but because of their vow to accomplish the Buddha Way to benefit and delight sentient beings, they are unwilling to depart from the triple realm. Eighth Ground Bodhisattvas exhaust afflictive habits, have no segmental birth and death, and have extremely long lifespans. Superficially, it seems they have no birth or death, but there are still seeds of birth and death and ignorance existing, not yet extinguished. The conscious mind still has movement and change; it is not yet truly birthless and deathless. Only upon cultivating to the ultimate Buddha Ground, when all ignorance is completely exhausted, the seeds contained in the immaculate consciousness mind (无垢识, wú gòu shí) will never undergo change, the first seven consciousnesses transform into wisdom, and the Tathagatagarbha becomes truly eternal, blissful, self, and pure. Therefore, only upon reaching the Buddha Ground can one truly end birth and death and ultimately transcend all suffering and misfortune.
