Patriarch's Teachings: Direct Interpretation
Chapter Seven: Explanation of Passages and Paragraphs in Buddhist Sutras (Part 1)
I. The Buddha states in the Lotus Sutra: This Dharma abides in the Dharma position; the appearances of the world are permanent.
Explanation: "Dharma" refers to the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha. It fundamentally abides nowhere: not within the Three Realms, not outside the Three Realms, yet not separate from the Three Realms. It does not abide on the six dusts of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas within the Three Realms; it does not abide on the six sense faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; it does not abide on the six consciousnesses of eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness. It does not abide on the aggregate of form; it does not abide on the aggregates of feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness. Among the dharmas of the Three Realms, the Tathagatagarbha does not abide in a single dharma. Outside the Three Realms, there are no dharmas. If there were dharmas outside the Three Realms, they would belong within the Three Realms. The absence of dharmas is what defines "outside the realms"; outside the Three Realms, where there are dharmas, there are realms. However, the Tathagatagarbha is also not separate from the Three Realms, because the dharmas of the Three Realms are all transformed, produced, and manifested by the Tathagatagarbha. Where there are dharmas of the Three Realms, there is the Tathagatagarbha. Yet, the Tathagatagarbha does not mingle with the dharmas of the Three Realms; they do not reside within each other. Therefore, the Tathagatagarbha abides in this manner of non-abiding, supremely noble. Its location is unreachable by anyone, let alone abiding there, due to its different status.
"The appearances of the world are permanent." The function and activity of the Tathagatagarbha is to continuously manifest the dharmas of the world of the Three Realms. As long as sentient beings possess the seeds of the Three Realms world, the Tathagatagarbha will inevitably continuously manifest the appearances of the dharmas of the Three Realms world. We see that sentient beings in the world are boundless, and the seeds of the Three Realms are immeasurable. The Tathagatagarbha of each sentient being will eternally create the world of the Three Realms, endlessly and without cessation. Therefore, these worldly appearances are necessarily able to exist permanently. Although the worldly appearances are able to exist permanently, within a certain period of time, in a certain locality, these worldly appearances still have birth and destruction; they are born and perish, perish and are born, arising and ceasing endlessly. These phenomena of birth and destruction will exist forever. From the perspective of the long kalpas of distant history, these phenomena of birth and destruction are constantly present and permanent. However, from the perspective of a single individual or segmented time, these worldly appearances are subject to birth and destruction; they are impermanent, not permanently existent, not real.
For example, consider Person A. His Tathagatagarbha is unborn and undying, eternally existent. Even if Person A studies the Buddha Dharma, he cannot enter the remainderless nirvana like an Arhat and extinguish himself. Therefore, Person A's seeds of the Three Realms world are unceasing, and Person A's Tathagatagarbha will eternally create various five-aggregate bodies for Person A. When the five-aggregate body of Person A in this life perishes, in the next life his Tathagatagarbha will create another five-aggregate body for Person A, called Person B. In the future, it will create Person C, Person D, and so on, endlessly. Thus, Person A's countless five-aggregate bodies will eternally appear and exist within the world of the Three Realms; this is called "the appearances of the world are permanent and enduring." However, each of Person A's five-aggregate bodies is subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, not the true Person A; they are merely temporary, illusory appearances.
One lifetime of the five aggregates is called discontinuous rebirth (segmenting birth and death). After cultivating to the eighth Bodhisattva ground, the phenomenon of discontinuous rebirth ceases. The lifespan of the five-aggregate body becomes extremely long, seeming as if there is no birth or death, but there is still transformative rebirth. Within the Tathagatagarbha, there are still ripening seeds; the phenomena of birth and death have not truly disappeared or ended. Only at the Buddha ground, when the seeds of birth and destruction within the Tathagatagarbha are completely exhausted, is there no more birth and death. Then, the Tathagatagarbha at the Buddha ground is truly permanent and unchanging, called eternal, blissful, self, and pure—ultimate great nirvana. Even so, the Buddha, with immeasurable great compassion, pities sentient beings. Amidst having no birth and death, he unimpededly provisionally manifests birth and death, creating countless five-aggregate worlds, performing the Buddha's work within the dream, liberating immeasurable sentient beings from birth and death. Therefore, the Buddha does not truly extinguish himself; rather, he eternally manifests the world of the Three Realms, as well as immeasurable Buddha lands, enabling the worldly appearances to endure permanently, thereby benefiting and bringing joy to sentient beings endlessly.
The "Dharma" and "worldly appearances" mentioned here are certainly distinct; otherwise, the World-Honored One would not have spoken of them separately. Worldly appearances are not autonomous, not self-mastering; they are subject to birth, destruction, change, and impermanence. Why then does it say here that they are "permanent"? The dharmas that are subject to birth, destruction, and impermanence must rely on a dharma that is unborn, undying, and permanent in order to continuously arise, change, and perish. As long as this permanent dharma does not perish, the world will eternally and continuously undergo birth and destruction without end. The individual worldly appearance exists for a period of time but perishes; yet the totality of worldly appearances constantly continues to exist. All this is due to the unborn, undying permanent dharma, the eighth consciousness.
The eighth consciousness is different from worldly appearances; it does not mingle with them, eternally abiding in a pure nirvana state. Regardless of how worldly appearances undergo birth, destruction, and change, it does not participate in them. It is thusness unmoving, not moved in mind by worldly appearances, undergoing any change, having any afflictions or ignorance. Therefore, the essence of the eighth consciousness, this dharma, eternally abides unmoving in a pure, undefiled nirvana state. The worldly appearances born from it will thus continuously arise and perish forever; the phenomena of the world do not cease.
II. The Buddha states in the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment: That which perceives and knows is like empty space. That which knows empty space is the appearance of flowers in the sky. Nor can it be said that there is a perceiving and knowing nature. Both existence and non-existence are to be relinquished. This is called "accordance with pure enlightenment." Why? Because it is the nature of empty space. Because it is eternally unmoving. Because within the Tathagatagarbha, there is no arising or ceasing. Because there is no knowing or seeing. Because it is the nature of the Dharma Realm, ultimately perfect, pervading the ten directions. This is called "the practice of the cause ground." Bodhisattvas, because of this, within the Great Vehicle, give rise to a pure mind. Sentient beings of the degenerate age, relying on this to cultivate, do not fall into wrong views.
Explanation: "That which perceives and knows" is the deluded mind of the seventh consciousness, which has perception and awareness. The seventh consciousness is born from the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha. Therefore, it is said that the deluded mind has no self-nature; it is a deluded dharma that is born, like empty space—fundamentally non-existent and without anything. And the perception that knows that perception is like empty space—this kind of perception is like the appearance of flowers in the sky, utterly unobtainable. Nor can it be said that this perception has its own true perceiving and knowing nature; it is all the nature of the Tathagatagarbha. Both "having perception" and "not having perception"—these two kinds of knowing and views must be relinquished, because they are both the perception and views of the deluded perceiving mind, not the wondrous bright true mind. Within the wondrous bright true mind, there is neither "non-existence" nor "existence."
However, one cannot say that sentient beings have no perception, because the illusory appearance of perception still exists. Nor can one say that the nature of perception is real; the nature of perception is not real but illusory. In reality, it is all the nature of the Tathagatagarbha; it is the functional nature and activity of the Tathagatagarbha. Superficially, it appears as the perceiving nature of the deluded mind, but in reality, it is not. Understanding the nature of perception in this way is to accord with the pure, perfect enlightenment nature of the Tathagatagarbha mind. Why is this said? Because the nature of the Tathagatagarbha is like the nature of empty space; it does not engage with the six dusts, therefore it does not stir the mind towards the six dust realms, having no mental activity whatsoever. Within the six dusts, the Tathagatagarbha has no arising and ceasing; when the six dusts arise, it does not arise; when the six dusts cease, it does not cease. Regarding the dharmas of the Three Realms world, the Tathagatagarbha also has no knowing, seeing, or views; it has no propositions.
The Tathagatagarbha is pure and perfect, pervading the entire Dharma Realm. From sentient beings to the Buddha ground, the Tathagatagarbha exists throughout the Ten Dharma Realms, pervading the sentient beings of the Three Realms and Nine Grounds, and pervading the sentient beings' six sense faculties, six dusts, and six consciousnesses—the eighteen realms. There is nowhere it is not present, nowhere it does not exist. Pervading the worlds of the ten directions is the One True Dharma Realm, which is the nature of the Tathagatagarbha. Sentient beings in the Bodhisattva stage before attaining Buddhahood should observe and accord with the essential nature of the Tathagatagarbha in this way; then they will be able to give rise to pure faith in Anuttara Samyaksaṃbodhi. Sentient beings of the degenerate age, cultivating according to this, according with the perfect enlightenment nature of the Tathagatagarbha, will be able to avoid wrong views and inverted views, no longer taking the perceiving mind of the seventh consciousness, the five aggregates and eighteen realms, or any dharma of the Three Realms world as real, and thus will not follow wrong views into the cycle of birth and death.
III. The True Meaning of "Cultivating Illusion with Illusion" in the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment
Among worldly and transcendental dharmas, only the Tathagatagarbha, this single dharma, is not illusion; it is not conjured by other dharmas; it is true and not false; it is originally existent; it is autonomous, unborn and undying. Apart from the Tathagatagarbha, all other dharmas, including the worlds of the ten directions, are entirely conjured by the Tathagatagarbha. Whether it is the five-aggregate bodies of the Buddhas, or the Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya Buddhas, they are all conjured by the Buddha's immaculate consciousness. All dharmas of sentient beings, apart from the Tathagatagarbha, are entirely conjured by their own Tathagatagarbha.
Who studies the Buddha and cultivates? Let us see: Does the Tathagatagarbha study the Buddha and cultivate? The Tathagatagarbha does not study the Buddha nor cultivate, because it is complete and perfect in all dharmas; it is the Dharmakaya Buddha. It is the five aggregates and the deluded mind of the seventh consciousness—the illusory dharmas—that study the Buddha and cultivate. The methods used are precepts, concentration, and wisdom. Precepts, concentration, and wisdom are also dharmas, born from the Buddha's immaculate consciousness, the true suchness mind. They are cultivated by the sentient being's seventh consciousness mind. What is cultivated is the seventh consciousness mind. This is called "cultivating illusion with illusion." When the seventh consciousness mind is cultivated to the point of eliminating all ignorance, possessing complete and perfect pure wisdom, with merit and wisdom perfectly complete, then Buddhahood is attained.
The sixth and seventh consciousness minds that can cultivate, along with the five aggregates, are illusory. Cultivating with these deluded minds is "using illusion to cultivate." The dharmas that are cultivated are illusory dharmas; all dharmas of cultivation for attaining Buddhahood are illusory dharmas. Attaining Buddhahood—this dharma of Buddhahood is also illusory; it is also a dharma manifested by the Tathagatagarbha. Originally, there is no dharma of attaining Buddhahood. When we wish to cultivate, the Tathagatagarbha conjures these cultivation methods, relying on the teachings of the Buddhas of the ten directions. After attaining Buddhahood, the dharma of attaining Buddhahood is also useless; the dharma of attaining Buddhahood is an illusory dharma.
The methods of cultivation—whether precepts, concentration, wisdom; Chan school, Pure Land school, Consciousness-Only school; or the Agama path of liberation—are all conjured by the Tathagatagarbha according to the rules taught by the Buddha. One uses the illusory mind of the seventh consciousness to cultivate. Cultivation is also cultivating the illusory dharmas of body and mind, cultivating the illusory dharma of attaining Buddhahood. All this cultivation, in the end, accomplishes an illusory dharma. Finally, when the conjured sixth and seventh consciousness minds are all transformed into purity, with no more ignorance, then ultimately, consciousness is transformed into wisdom. This cultivation method is "cultivating illusion with illusion."
The Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment says it is like fire coming from wood, or like fire coming out of wood and the wood being consumed. Cultivation is like this; all are illusory dharmas. Using this illusion to replace that illusion—of course, there is still a great difference between illusory dharmas. The dharma of attaining Buddhahood is transforming the sixth and seventh consciousnesses into wisdom, perfect in both merit and wisdom. One uses this illusory dharma to replace the illusory dharma of the ignorant sixth and seventh consciousnesses; to replace the illusory dharma of the six destinies' cycle of birth and death. One uses the dharma of attaining Buddhahood to replace sentient beings' immeasurable illusions of birth, death, and afflictions; to replace sentient beings' illusions of discontinuous rebirth and transformative rebirth. This is called "cultivating illusion with illusion."
IV. Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment Original Text: Good sons, all Bodhisattvas and sentient beings of the degenerate age, at all times, do not give rise to false thoughts. Regarding all deluded minds, also do not extinguish them. Abiding in the realm of false thinking, do not add knowing. Regarding the absence of knowing, do not discriminate reality. Those sentient beings who hear this Dharma door, believe, understand, accept, and uphold it without giving rise to fright or fear—this is called "accordance with the nature of enlightenment." Good sons, you should know that such sentient beings have already made offerings to hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and to great Bodhisattvas, planting roots of virtue. The Buddha says such a person is called "accomplished in all modes of wisdom."
Explanation: This refers to the self-abiding state of the Tathagatagarbha; it speaks of the essential nature of the Tathagatagarbha, not a state the seventh consciousness mind should abide in. The essential nature of the Tathagatagarbha is that, regardless of the time, it never gives rise to false thoughts, nor does it ever extinguish the deluded mind of the seventh consciousness. On all false-thinking realms, there is the manifestation of the Tathagatagarbha, but the Tathagatagarbha never knows these false-thinking realms. The Tathagatagarbha also does not know that it does not know the various false-thinking realms. Regarding its own unknowing, the Tathagatagarbha never discriminates its reality; it does not know it has such a nature. Only Bodhisattvas with the wisdom of the path (dharmic wisdom) can understand these profound and subtle aspects of the Tathagatagarbha's nature. Therefore, this is the "accordance with the nature of enlightenment" for Bodhisattvas on the grounds (bhūmis).
Recognizing and taking hold of this state of the Tathagatagarbha nature is cultivation. Truly attaining this state is Buddhahood. That is a realm of principle—the realm of the Tathagatagarbha. The perceiving minds of great Bodhisattvas cannot do this, let alone ordinary beings. As stated above, "hearing this Dharma door"—this is a Dharma door, the Tathagatagarbha Dharma door. Being able to believe, understand, accept, and moreover practice this Tathagatagarbha Dharma door is the "accordance with the nature of enlightenment" for Bodhisattvas who have entered the grounds. Only Bodhisattvas on the grounds can truly understand and accord with it. When accordance with this enlightenment nature reaches perfection, it is the perfect enlightenment nature of the Buddhas. At this point, this sentient being has already made offerings to hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas and great Bodhisattvas, and only then can they realize all modes of wisdom (sarvajñā) and perfectly accomplish the Buddha Way.
V. Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment Original Text: Good sons, what is the mark of self? It is that which sentient beings' minds can apprehend. Good sons, for example, suppose a person whose hundred bones and joints are harmoniously comfortable, suddenly forgets his own body. His four limbs are relaxed; his care and nourishment are improper. If he is slightly pricked with a needle or moxa, then he knows there is a self. Therefore, through apprehension, the self-body appears. Good sons, even if the mind apprehends the Tathagata, ultimately knows pure nirvana—all are marks of self.
Explanation: The Buddha said: Good sons, what is the mark of self? What are the manifestations and characteristics of the mark of self? The mark of self is the apprehending, knowing mark that the minds of sentient beings can grasp and perceive. Good sons, for example, suppose a person whose bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and veins are all extremely comfortable, without any discomfort or disharmony. Then this person forgets the existence of his physical body; there is no feeling of the physical body in his mind; his limbs are very relaxed; he doesn't even know where his body is—there is no information or thought about the body. At this time, if one takes a fine needle and gently pricks his body, he immediately knows the existence of his own body. Therefore, he apprehends "me"; the concept of "my body" appears. Good sons, even if the mind apprehends the Tathagata and ultimately knows pure nirvana—all these are marks of self.
The Buddha's words in this passage indicate that the mark of self is very subtle. Coarse marks of self can be realized and severed by Arhats, but extremely subtle marks of self can only be realized and severed when cultivating to the Bodhisattva grounds. The mark of self here refers to the sentient being's extremely subtle knowing nature regarding themselves and all dharmas. As long as there is a knowing, regardless of what is known, regardless of how subtle the knowing is, regardless of how minute the knowing is, it is a mark of self; without "self," there is no knowing. Taking hold of this knowing nature is the view of self (satkāyadṛṣṭi); clinging to this knowing nature is the clinging to self (ātma-grāha), which can also be called clinging to dharmas (dharma-grāha). Clinging to dharmas is subtle clinging to self. Taking hold of this knowing nature is ignorance; then there is karmic action; then there is transformative rebirth; one cannot attain ultimate nirvana.
If a sentient being says, "I have realized the fruit," and takes hold of and clings to this mind-mark that can realize the fruit, this apprehending nature, it is the mark of self, the view of self. If someone says, "I have attained enlightenment," and takes hold of and clings to this mind-mark that can attain enlightenment, it is the mind of self, the view of self. If sentient beings think "I am good, I am the best," "He is bad, he is the worst," this already has the mark of self, the view of self. Based on this view of self, one will create karmic actions of birth and death; then there will be discontinuous rebirth and transformative rebirth; one cannot be liberated or attain nirvana. If someone considers themselves superior to others and constantly elevates themselves while disparaging others, this is a severe mark of self, a coarse mark of self; the karmic burden of birth and death is heavy, and the three evil destinies are unavoidable. If someone tries by every means to cover up their own faults and weaknesses, it is a severe mark of self. If someone tries by every means to expose and attack others, it is equally a severe mark of self. These are all coarse, heavy marks of self, heavy view of self; the three evil destinies are unavoidable.
All bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions are marks of self. If one does not take hold of or cling to them, there is no view of self. If one takes hold of and clings to them, it is the view of self and clinging to self. Protecting one's shortcomings, contentious behavior—these are having the mark of self. The various expressions on the face are marks of self, such as embarrassment, blushing, awkwardness, shyness, joy, anger, hatred—all have the mark of self. All unwholesome actions, evil actions, have the mark of self. Most sentient beings' wholesome actions also have the mark of self. The wholesome actions of sages are natural, spontaneous, without the mark of self. In all the Buddha's bodily, verbal, and mental actions, there is no mark of self.
VI. Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment Original Text: At all times, do not give rise to false thoughts. Regarding all deluded minds, also do not extinguish them. Abiding in the realm of false thinking, do not add knowing. Regarding the absence of knowing, do not discriminate reality.
Explanation: This refers to the state of the Tathagatagarbha's equal abiding in concentration and wisdom. The Tathagatagarbha is always in concentration; it has no time of emerging from concentration. Therefore, it never gives rise to thoughts. Because it is not a deluded dharma, it also has no false thoughts of deluded dharmas, nor does it wish to extinguish the deluded seventh consciousness mind. The Tathagatagarbha manifests the realms conjured by the seventh consciousness's false thinking, yet it does not know that they are false-thinking realms. Regarding its own lack of knowing, it does not make distinctions; it does not know whose lack of knowing it is.
VII. Avataṃsaka Sūtra Original Text: Faith is the source of the path, the mother of merit; it nurtures all wholesome roots.
Explanation: Sentient beings enter the path through faith. Those who have not yet begun to study the Buddha, who do not believe there is a Buddha, do not believe in cause and effect, cannot enter the Buddha's gate to study the Dharma. Those who believe in the Buddha, if their faith is not right faith, still cannot truly cultivate; they also do not wish to resolve afflictions and the problem of birth and death, let alone realize the mind and see the nature. All this is due to shallow roots, a short time span of faith in the Buddha, insufficient depth of faith roots, insufficient strength of faith, and insufficient motivation for cultivation, resulting in cultivation remaining at a very superficial level.
Faith has many levels: superstitious faith, reverential faith, admiring faith, right faith. The vast majority of Buddhists are in the stage of cultivating their faith in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha)—that is, the stage of faith (śraddhā-bhūmi). This stage begins with superstitious faith in the Buddha and requires cultivation for over ten thousand kalpas, or even longer. Only when the accumulated wholesome roots are deep enough can one have right faith: faith that the Buddha has immeasurable merit and wisdom; faith that there are Buddhas of the ten directions and their Buddha lands; faith that one oneself has the Tathagatagarbha and can become a Buddha; faith that all sentient beings have the Tathagatagarbha and can all become Buddhas. At this time, when the cultivation of the faith-stage Bodhisattva is complete, one transfers to the abiding-stage (vihāra-bhūmi) Bodhisattva cultivation, beginning to cultivate the six pāramitās of the Bodhisattva, preparing to realize the mind and see the nature, becoming a Bodhisattva of true meaning.
If this person is still stingy and greedy, unwilling to practice giving, and has not yet begun the content of the first abiding stage, then they still belong to a faith-stage ordinary Bodhisattva. The length of time required for cultivation at each stage of the Bodhisattva path varies completely from person to person. Therefore, possessing sufficient faith roots and faith strength is still not easy. If in this life one has studied Buddhism for a long time but remains in a superficial state of cultivation, unable to deeply study the Prajñāpāramitā scriptures, it is due to shallow roots from past lives. One can only slowly build the foundation oneself, cultivating right faith in the Buddha Dharma; others' urgency won't help.
When the Ten Faiths are cultivated to perfection, one has faith that oneself has the true suchness Buddha-nature, faith that sentient beings can all become Buddhas, faith that the ten directions have immeasurable Buddhas, faith in the Mahayana sutras, sincere faith that the Three Jewels abide in the world. Then one cultivates the Ten Abodes. The First Abode primarily cultivates giving (dāna). The Second Abode cultivates upholding precepts (śīla). The Third Abode cultivates patience (kṣānti). The Fourth Abode cultivates vigor (vīrya). The Fifth Abode cultivates meditation (dhyāna). The Sixth Abode cultivates prajñā (wisdom). When one realizes the mind and attains enlightenment, it is the Seventh Abode—non-retrogression from the Bodhi path. This is the non-retrogressing Avaivartika Bodhisattva mentioned in the Amitabha Sutra. Cultivating the contemplation that all dharmas are like illusions—appearing but unreal—completes the Ten Abodes. Then one enters the Ten Practices (caryā-bhūmi), realizing the contemplation like a mirage—everything is illusory like a mirage. When the Ten Practices are perfected, one enters the Ten Dedications (parināmanā-bhūmi), realizing the contemplation like a dream, attaining a portion of the wisdom of the path (dharmic wisdom). Then one enters the First Ground (prathama-bhūmi), enters the Tathagata's family, and becomes a noble one (ārya).
VIII. Question: The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says eighth-ground Bodhisattvas know how the world forms and how it disintegrates; yet the Anūnatvāpūrṇatvanirdeśa Sūtra says the view that the world has a beginning and an end is a wrong view. Does the world really have formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness?
Answer: Avataṃsaka Sūtra, Chapter on the Ten Grounds, Section 22-4 Original Text: Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas, upon reaching the eighth ground, from great expedient wisdom, give rise to effortless functioning of the mind. Abiding in the Bodhisattva path, contemplating the power of the wisdom of all Buddhas, they know the birth of worlds, the destruction of worlds, the formation of worlds, the disintegration of worlds. They know by what collection of karmic causes and conditions worlds form; by what karmic causes and conditions ceasing worlds disintegrate.
Anūnatvāpūrṇatvanirdeśa Sūtra Original Text: Śāriputra, based on the view of ultimately no nirvana, six kinds of views again arise. These six kinds of views and the view of no nirvana are inseparable like a net. What are the six views? 1. The view that the world has a beginning. 2. The view that the world has an end. 3. The view that sentient beings are conjured like illusions. 4. The view that there is no suffering and no happiness. 5. The view that there are no affairs of sentient beings. 6. The view that there are no Noble Truths.
In the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, the Buddha speaks based on the supreme meaning truth (paramārtha-satya), the Tathagatagarbha, saying the world has the four stages of formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness. Formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness rely on the Tathagatagarbha to exist. Their existence is also provisional existence; in appearance, they exist, but in essence, they are the emptiness nature of the Tathagatagarbha. Eighth-ground Bodhisattvas, with effortless functioning of the mind, can thoroughly see the formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness of the world as they are. They can clearly see what collected causes and conditions form and give rise to the world, and can clearly see what causes and conditions, through dispersion and cessation, cause the world to disintegrate. This shows that the formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness of the world exist in appearance; these phenomena exist in conventional dharmas.
The passage from the Anūnatvāpūrṇatvanirdeśa Sūtra states that sentient beings have the wrong view of annihilationism in their minds, thinking that ultimately there is no nirvana mind, the Tathagatagarbha; the Tathagatagarbha does not exist, is not real. Therefore, based on the annihilistic view, they give rise to six kinds of wrong views. The arising of the six wrong views comes from denying the existence of the Tathagatagarbha, the wrong view of ultimate emptiness. Because they deny that the Tathagatagarbha can give birth to all dharmas, they think the world can have the phenomena of formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness without the Tathagatagarbha; these phenomena are truly existent, are natural phenomena, not conjured by the Tathagatagarbha. In short, these six wrong views are products of the annihilistic view that denies the Tathagatagarbha.
IX. Brief Explanation of Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, Volume Two
Original Text: At that time, the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Mahāmati addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, World-Honored One, the sūtras say: 'The Tathāgatagarbha is inherently pure. It transforms into the thirty-two marks, entering into the bodies of all sentient beings. Like a priceless jewel wrapped in filthy rags, the Tathāgatagarbha, eternally abiding and unchanging, is also like this. Yet it is wrapped in the filthy rags of the aggregates, sense bases, and entrances; defiled by greed, hatred, delusion, unreal delusional thoughts, and karmic dust.' This is what all Buddhas proclaim."
Explanation: Bodhisattva Mahāmati asked the World-Honored One: World-Honored One, in the Buddhist sutras you say the essential nature of the Tathāgatagarbha is pure, yet it transforms the thirty-two marks into all sentient beings' bodies, only seeing the bodies of the six destinies, not seeing the thirty-two marks. It is like a priceless jewel wrapped in filthy rags. The treasure storing the Tathāgata, constantly within sentient beings' bodies, eternally unchanging, is also like this, yet it is wrapped in the filthy garments of the five aggregates, twelve entrances, and eighteen elements, and defiled by the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, as well as various unreal delusional thoughts and karmic dust afflictions. The Tathāgatagarbha dharma, wrapped like this by the five aggregates, worldly delusional thoughts, and karmic dust afflictions, is what all Buddhas proclaim; all Buddhas proclaim the Tathāgatagarbha in this way.
Original Text: "Why, World-Honored One, do you speak like the non-Buddhists, saying 'I have the Tathāgatagarbha'? World-Honored One, non-Buddhists also speak of an eternal agent, apart from causes and conditions, pervading and indestructible. World-Honored One, they speak of a self." The Buddha told Mahāmati: "I speak of the Tathāgatagarbha, not the same as the self spoken of by non-Buddhists. Mahāmati, sometimes I speak of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the actual limit, dharma-nature, dharma-body, nirvana, absence of self-nature, unborn and unceasing, originally quiescent, self-nature nirvana—phrases like these describe the Tathāgatagarbha. After speaking of the Tathāgatagarbha thus, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha, in order to stop foolish people from fearing the doctrine of no-self, teaches the Tathāgatagarbha door—the state free from delusional thinking, free from all characteristics."
Explanation: Why, World-Honored One, do you speak like the non-Buddhists, saying "I have the Tathāgatagarbha"? World-Honored One, non-Buddhists also speak of an eternal agent that creates sentient beings' bodies, apart from various causes and conditions, pervading the sentient beings' five aggregates, never perishing. World-Honored One, they also speak of a self, like the World-Honored One speaks of a self. The World-Honored One told Mahāmati: The Tathāgatagarbha I speak of is different from the self spoken of by non-Buddhists. Mahāmati, when I speak of the Tathāgatagarbha, sometimes I say the mind of emptiness nature, signlessness (without worldly signs), wishlessness (without wishing mind), the actual limit (conforming to reality, true principle), dharma-nature (the true nature, essential nature of dharmas), dharma-body (the dharma-body that gives birth to all dharmas), nirvana (the quiescent mind), the unborn and undying mind, originally quiescent (originally not cognizing the six dusts, without clamorous mind), self-nature nirvana (possessing the self-nature of unborn and undying)—all these terms refer to the Tathāgatagarbha.
I use these phrases to describe the Tathāgatagarbha. It is for the sake of those foolish ordinary people who fear having no self, to stop their fear, that I speak the Tathāgatagarbha Dharma door, speaking these alternative names for the Tathāgatagarbha (each name's meaning indicates the Tathāgatagarbha truly exists; ordinary people, knowing this, need not fear no-self and annihilation). For these foolish ordinary people, I speak the Tathāgatagarbha Dharma door without any delusional thinking, the Tathāgatagarbha Dharma door without any six dust realms.
Those foolish, unlearned ordinary people, because they fear annihilation and emptiness, fear that within the five aggregates there is no self and after death it's all over—the Tathāgatas of the ten directions, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, expound the Tathāgatagarbha Dharma door for sentient beings. They say that within the five aggregates there is a self, the Tathāgatagarbha; the Tathāgatagarbha is apart from delusional thinking, has no six dust realms, abides within sentient beings' five aggregates, eternally abiding and indestructible. Actually, the sentient being's Tathāgatagarbha is not yet the true self; it contains seeds of birth, destruction, and defilement that have not been eliminated; it is not yet fully endowed with self-nature; its karma is not yet pure. But it is the precursor to the true self after Buddhahood, so it is expediently called "self."
Original Text: "Mahāmati, future and present Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas should not conceive the view of self and cling to it. For example, a potter, with a lump of clay, using human effort, water, a wooden wheel, and string, expediently makes various vessels. The Tathāgata is also like this. Regarding the selflessness of dharmas, apart from all marks of delusional thinking, with various kinds of wisdom and skillful means, sometimes speaks of the Tathāgatagarbha, sometimes speaks of selflessness. For this reason, the Tathāgatagarbha is spoken of."
Explanation: Mahāmati, future world and present world Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas should not conceive of a self like the non-Buddhists and have such a view of self. The self conceived by non-Buddhists is a self formed by causes and conditions, subject to birth and death, not a true indestructible self. For example, a pottery craftsman takes a lump of clay and, using human effort, water, a wooden wheel, string, and other expedient means, makes various vessels. These vessels are all selfless, unreal; the non-Buddhists' self is like this—a false self synthesized from various dharmas.
The Tathāgata, like the Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas, has no view of self to conceive. Regarding the dharmas that have no self-nature, apart from all marks of delusional thinking, with various kinds of wisdom and skillful means, he either calls this dharma mark "Tathāgatagarbha" or "selfless dharma." For this reason, he expounds the Tathāgatagarbha dharma.
The five aggregates are not the self; the Tathāgatagarbha before Buddhahood is also not the self; both are selfless. The Tathāgatagarbha still has the seeds of the seventh consciousness's dharmas of birth and death within it, so it is not the true self. At this stage, the Tathāgatagarbha also has no self-nature like the seventh consciousness. Moreover, it is mixed with sentient beings' ignorance, afflictions, and delusional thinking; the karmic seeds it contains still undergo birth, destruction, and change; it is not yet the completely pure, unchanging self.
Original Text: "It is not the same as the self spoken of by non-Buddhists. This is called 'speaking of the Tathāgatagarbha.' In order to guide non-Buddhists who conceive of self, the Tathāgatagarbha is spoken of, enabling them to be free from unreal views of self and delusional thinking, to enter the state of the three doors of liberation, hoping they will quickly attain Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi. Therefore, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha, speaks thus. If the Tathāgatagarbha were not like this, it would be the same as non-Buddhists. Therefore, Mahāmati, in order to be free from non-Buddhist views, one should rely on the selfless Tathāgatagarbha."
Explanation: The World-Honored One said: The Tathāgatagarbha I speak of is different from the self spoken of by non-Buddhists. The self spoken of by non-Buddhists is the consciousness mind formed by various causes and conditions. I expound the Tathāgatagarbha Dharma in order to guide non-Buddhists who take the consciousness mind as self, enabling them to abandon unreal views of the consciousness mind self and delusional thinking, to enter the state of the three doors of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—hoping they will quickly realize Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi. Therefore, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha, must expound the Tathāgatagarbha Dharma in this way. If the Tathāgatagarbha were not expounded like this, it would be identical to the non-Buddhists' self. Therefore, Mahāmati, in order to be free from non-Buddhist wrong views, one should rely on the selfless Tathāgatagarbha for cultivation.
The Tathāgatagarbha truly exists, truly is present. It's just that the Tathāgatagarbha before the Buddha ground is a mind-essence without self-nature. After attaining Buddhahood, the Tathāgatagarbha is a mind-essence with self-nature, called the immaculate consciousness (amalavijñāna). The mind-essence no longer has defiled karmic seeds; it becomes a pure mind-essence, possessing the nature of eternity, bliss, self, and purity. This is the true self, the pure self, the complete and thorough self. Therefore, within the Buddha Dharma, there is a self; within non-Buddhism, there is no self.
X. Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra Original Text: (The Buddha said) "Mahāmati, all consciousnesses have three characteristics. They are called the characteristic of transformation, the characteristic of activity, and the characteristic of reality. Mahāmati, briefly, there are three kinds of consciousness; extensively, there are eight aspects. What are the three? They are called true consciousness, manifesting consciousness, and discriminating consciousness."
Explanation: The Buddha said: All consciousnesses have three characteristics. One is the characteristic of flowing transformation, able to flow and transform all dharmas—this refers to the seventh consciousness, the mind faculty (manas). One is the characteristic of karmic retribution, manifesting the marks of the karmic results of good and evil actions—this refers to the six consciousnesses. One is the characteristic of reality, unborn and undying, able to truly give birth to and manifest all dharmas—this refers to the eighth consciousness.
The Buddha said: Mahāmati, briefly speaking, there are three kinds of consciousness; extensively speaking, there are eight kinds of characteristics. What are the three kinds? One is true consciousness—a consciousness that truly exists and has true functional activity, unborn and undying—this refers to the eighth consciousness. One is the presently active consciousness—able to manifest all dharmas, able to guide the eighth consciousness to give birth to all dharmas—this refers to the seventh consciousness, the mind faculty. One is the consciousness that discriminates the affairs of the six dust realms—this refers to the six consciousnesses, able to discriminate the realms of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas (the six dusts).
Original Text: "Mahāmati, like a bright mirror holding all images, the manifesting consciousness manifests in its place similarly. Mahāmati, the manifesting consciousness and the discriminating consciousness—these two, the indestructible and the destructible, are mutually dependent causes. Mahāmati, inconceivable perfuming and inconceivable transformation are the causes of the manifesting consciousness. Mahāmati, grasping various dusts and beginningless delusional perfuming are the causes of the discriminating consciousness."
Explanation: The Buddha said: Mahāmati, like a bright mirror, able to support and reflect all images. The seventh consciousness presents the measure (appearance) of all dharmas manifested by the eighth consciousness; its direct perception (pratyakṣa) of all dharmas is also like this. Mahāmati, the seventh consciousness manifesting consciousness and the first six consciousnesses discriminating consciousness—these two consciousnesses, one is able to go to the future world for immeasurable kalpas without being destroyed (the seventh), the other is a consciousness that can be destroyed at any time (the six consciousnesses), unable to go to the future world. These two consciousnesses are the mutually dependent causes for the appearance of all dharmas; the direct cause is the eighth consciousness.
Mahāmati, the six consciousnesses being perfumed by the six dust realms, again perfuming the seventh consciousness—this perfuming is also inconceivable, subtly and imperceptibly misguiding the seventh consciousness, causing it to increase views of self and wrong views, greedily clinging even more to the Three Realms world, unable to extinguish itself. This is one cause for the seventh consciousness's continuous arising without ceasing. Another cause for the seventh consciousness's non-cessation is the eighth consciousness, with the collected karmic seeds, continuously transforming the dharmas of the Three Realms world, causing the seventh consciousness to cling greedily without letting go, continuously giving birth to the five aggregates, resulting in endless birth and death.
Mahāmati, because the mind consciousness (mano-vijñāna) grasps various dust realms, unwilling to relinquish them, the mind consciousness itself will continuously arise—this is one cause for the arising of the mind consciousness. Another cause is that the mind consciousness, from the moment of its birth, has continuously been perfumed by the seventh consciousness's beginningless delusional thinking, induced by the seventh consciousness, continuously cognizing dust realms, grasping dust realms, continuously acting—thus the mind consciousness must continuously arise and cannot cease.
