Miscellaneous Discourses on the Dharma (Part II)

Chapter 11: On the Meaning of the Dharma

I. The Importance of Understanding Terminology

The first step in studying and practicing is to clearly understand the terminology, which is very important. If one cannot even understand the terminology, one cannot cross the threshold of the Buddha-dharma. Once the terminology has been clearly understood, one can then set aside the terminology within one's own mind—grasping the meaning, one may forget the words. However, when communicating with others or guiding the community in practice, it is truly difficult to manage without terminology, for otherwise others will not know what you are talking about. If everyone has grasped the meaning, then terminology is no longer of much use; with simple expression, everyone will know what is being said, and there will be no misunderstanding.

II. Explanation of Concepts in Yogācāra Dharma

The five dharmas: marks, names, discrimination, correct wisdom, and suchness (tathatā); the three self-natures: the imputed nature (parikalpita-svabhāva), the dependent nature (paratantra-svabhāva), and the perfectly accomplished nature (pariniṣpanna-svabhāva); the eight consciousnesses: eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, mind consciousness, manas, and the eighth consciousness; the two no-selves: the no-self of persons and the no-self of dharmas. All these dharmas can be subsumed under the five dharmas: the imputed nature is subsumed under names, the dependent nature under marks, the perfectly accomplished nature under suchness, the first seven consciousnesses under discrimination, the eighth consciousness under the perfectly accomplished nature, and the two no-selves under correct wisdom.

The dependent nature of the six consciousnesses is also name; the seven consciousnesses are all names and all possess the nature of discrimination. The five aggregates are names; all dharmas except the eighth consciousness are names; the five faculties and six sense objects are marks. The seven consciousnesses are discrimination; after realizing the Buddha-dharma there is correct wisdom; the eighth consciousness belongs to suchness.

Correct wisdom is also possessed by the deluded mind of the seven consciousnesses; upon seeing the Path one has correct wisdom—it is only a matter of the degree of correctness. When there is no more inversion, that is correctness. Because the degree of non-inversion differs, there are different degrees of correctness.

III. The Difference Between Patience with Non-Arising and Patience with the Non-Arising of Dharmas

Patience with non-arising (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti at a lower level) means being patient with the fact that the body of the five aggregates is produced and upheld by the tathāgatagarbha, being patient with the fact that the body of the five aggregates is empty, illusory, and without self, and being patient with the fact that the tathāgatagarbha neither arises nor ceases, can generate the myriad dharmas, dwells within the body of the five aggregates, and life after life transforms and generates one's own five aggregates. According to the degree of one's realization, this is limited to the three stages of the wise (trīṇāni bhāvanāni), not yet having entered the noble stages.

Patience with the non-arising of dharmas (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti) is built upon patience with non-arising, realizing that all dharmas are also non-arising, realizing the consciousness-only nature of all dharmas, and subduing the grasping at self (though not yet eradicating it), thereby first entering the noble stages and abiding without regression.

IV. What Do "Beginningless Ignorance" and "Ignorance of a Single Thought" Mean?

Ignorance of a single thought, as the name implies, means that one's views and concepts are ignorant and defiled. Why are they ignorant and defiled? Because there is a self in the mind, taking the five aggregates and eighteen realms as self and what belongs to self, not knowing that this so-called self is suffering, empty, impermanent, and non-self; all of one's views and concepts revolve entirely around self and what belongs to self, firmly grasping this so-called self, and thus birth-and-death is also firm. Using views grounded in a self to guide one's bodily, verbal, and mental actions, of course the body, speech, and mind are all defiled karma; from this defiled karma, birth-and-death and transmigration necessarily continue without cease. Therefore, ignorance of a single thought can perpetuate all birth-and-death, and liberation cannot be attained.

However, ignorance of a single thought is also one kind of beginningless ignorance; it has existed throughout beginningless kalpas, with no point of beginning. If there were a point of beginning, then before that time there would have been no ignorance of a single thought, and sentient beings would be arhats, abiding in nirvāṇa without remainder; in nirvāṇa there are no sentient beings, nor any arhats. All ignorance has existed innately since before beginningless kalpas; it is all beginningless ignorance, and it is through the conditioning of later circumstances that beginningless ignorance increases or decreases.

After ignorance of a single thought has been completely eradicated, there is still beginningless ignorance that must be completely eradicated before one can become a Buddha. Beginningless ignorance means that sentient beings, throughout beginningless kalpas, have always taken the world of the five aggregates to be real, not knowing it is a false appearance conjured by the tathāgatagarbha, not knowing it is empty; from this arise grasping at self and grasping at dharmas, and thus segmented birth-and-death (pariccheda-maraṇa) and transformational birth-and-death (parināma-maraṇa), with no liberation. To eradicate beginningless ignorance one must investigate Chan, personally realize the tathāgatagarbha, personally realize the true suchness nature of all dharmas, and step by step realize the nature of the one true dharmadhātu. When the true suchness dharmatā has been realized in all dharmas, there will be a complete transformation of consciousness into wisdom, and the Buddha Way will be accomplished.

V. What Is Segmented Birth-and-Death?

Segmented birth-and-death means that life is divided into segments, and the length of each segment is not fixed; this is so for all bodhisattvas before the eighth bhūmi. One can observe the lifespans of animals, ranging from a few hours or minutes in the human world to thousands or tens of thousands of years; the lifespans of beings in the ghost realm, the lifespans of beings in the hells, the lifespans of humans, the lifespans of devas in each heaven, the lifespans of asuras, and the lifespans of bodhisattvas at each level—no matter how long they live, in the end all must die; none live forever. Since life has a time limit, it has segments; this is called segmented birth-and-death.

After segmented birth-and-death comes transformational birth-and-death; bodhisattvas from the eighth bhūmi up to those of equal enlightenment (samatā-sambuddha) and wondrous enlightenment (samyak-saṃbuddha) all have transformational birth-and-death. Although their lives can be indefinitely long, they still ultimately die, because there remains extremely subtle ignorance not yet eradicated. Ignorance can summon arising, ceasing, and change, making life unstable. Among beings in segmented birth-and-death, ignorance is heaviest, and thus birth-and-death and suffering are also heaviest. Just as when a person has thoughts there is breathing, there is the breath and pulse, there is the movement of wind, and wind calamities are summoned; without thoughts there is no movement of wind, no breathing, no beating of the heart and pulse, and one thereby distances oneself from all calamities. When ignorance is completely extinguished, there will be no form of birth-and-death whatsoever; at that point one becomes a Buddha.

VI. What Is Realization-Measure?

So-called realization-measure (zhengliang), generally speaking, refers to the degree to which one has realized the dharmas of the Great and Small Vehicles—the degree to which one has personally realized or contemplated the dharmas of the Great and Small Vehicles. "Realization" means attaining; "measure" means measurement, degree, or level.

Cultivating meditative concentration also involves realization-measure, called the realization-measure of meditative concentration. The study of any dharma involves the notion of realization-measure. If one has realized nothing, then of course there is no realization-measure.

VII. All Dharmas Are Consciousness-Only

Any subject in the world is a consciousness-only subject; all are subjects of the Buddha and of the mind. Any dharma gate is a consciousness-only dharma gate; all are the Buddha-dharma and the mind-dharma. Any teaching is a consciousness-only teaching; all are the Buddha's teaching and the mind's teaching. Any school is a consciousness-only school; all are the Buddha's school and the mind's school. Any faction is a consciousness-only faction; all are the Buddha's faction and the mind's faction. All dharmas, worldly and transcendent, are consciousness-only; all are the Buddha-dharma.

VIII. All Dharmas Have Marks

Dharmas include material form (rūpa-dharma) and mental dharmas (citta-dharma), true dharmas and deluded dharmas. Material form has its own-mark and common-mark; mental dharmas have their own-mark and common-mark; deluded dharmas have their own-mark and common-mark. True dharma has the mark of its own essence and has no common-mark.

The common-mark of material form is matter composed of the four great elements, possessing the quality of obstruction, not empty, capable of transmission and diffusion, having magnetic effects, tangible and visible, arising, ceasing, and changing. The own-marks of material form are form, sound, smell, taste, and touch, each with its own appearance and characteristics that cannot be confused; therefore the faculties and consciousnesses that touch and see them differ. Even among material forms of the same kind, each has its own appearance and characteristics and its own different functions, such as flowers, grasses, trees, and mountains, or tables, chairs, and benches.

The common-mark of mental dharmas is that all possess the nature of recognition and discernment, all have mental factors (caittas), all are formless and without marks, all are formed from the seeds of consciousness, and, except for the eighth consciousness, all arise, cease, and change. Each consciousness has its own unique object of recognition, each with its corresponding dharma to be perceived. The eighth consciousness has no common-mark; it alone is the unique dharma, the one that transcends the mundane, the one that neither arises nor ceases nor changes, neither increases nor decreases, and it is the place of reliance for sentient beings.

IX. What Is Qi?

Qi includes the qi of the mind and the bodily qi of the material four great elements. The qi of the mind manifests the breath of manas; it is the mental factors of manas, such as arrogance and pride, fullness of spirit, dignified bearing, high-spirited vigor, backbone, ambition, haughtiness, and so on. Bodily qi includes kidney qi, lung qi, stomach qi, spleen qi, liver qi, and heart qi; all the five viscera and six bowels have qi, and indeed the meridians throughout the entire body all have qi. Qi can move the blood in circulation, called blood-qi; the body relies on blood-qi for nourishment and operation. Once the supply of blood-qi falls short, the six consciousnesses lose the strength to continue operating, and the activities of the five aggregates weaken; or if the circulation of blood-qi becomes disordered, the six consciousnesses become disordered, and one may even go mad.

The qi of the mind can drive and influence bodily qi, and bodily qi can elevate and influence the qi of the mind; the two mutually influence each other, and their influence on meditative concentration is also great. When the qi of the mind is not calm and balanced, meditative concentration does not arise; when bodily qi is not harmonized, meditative concentration does not appear; therefore one must regulate the qi of the mind and the body. Regulating the qi of the mind relies, first, on principle—reasoning things out so that the mind's qi becomes calm and stable—and second, on good physical constitution with unobstructed circulation of qi and blood; only then can meditative concentration appear. Regulating bodily qi relies, first, on supplying sufficient and necessary nutrients of the four great elements; second, on adjusting the breath and exercising; and third, on regulating the qi and intention of the mind—when the mind's qi is calm, bodily qi will gradually also become calm; this is called "a calm mind and harmonious qi." If bodily qi is disordered and insufficient, the mind's qi will also become disordered and insufficient; the two complement each other.

Besides the qi of the mind and bodily qi, there is also the qi of karmic obstructions. So-called karmic-obstruction qi is in fact a kind of force of karmic actions from past lives, or the inertia and power of karma; this is the most difficult to regulate and overcome, and most of the time one can only passively endure it. If a person has relatively strong awareness, discovers where their karmic obstructions lie, and discovers their own bad habits, they should find ways to turn them around and overcome them: first, through repentance, to eliminate karmic obstructions; second, through making vows, to overpower karmic obstructions; and third, by cultivating new good habits.

X. Does Being Free from the Discriminating Mind Mean Being a Dead Person?

First of all, being free from the discriminating mind does not mean being a dead person, because this discriminating mind refers to the mind consciousness. There are many situations in which one is free from the mind consciousness; the most ordinary and common situation is that during sleep there is no discriminating mind, yet the person does not die. Although being free from the discriminating mind of the mind consciousness does not bring death, many things can no longer be done; there would be no daily life, and things would be delayed—a situation not much better than being dead, with severe obscuration.

Many things, done frequently until they are extremely familiar, can be completed quickly and directly without the mind consciousness analyzing and deliberating—for example, lifting a leg to walk without thinking about which foot to step with first, or opening one's mouth to eat when food reaches the lips. But without the mind consciousness, even these extremely familiar things cannot be done. Therefore, the functions and roles of the mind consciousness are extremely important for those without superknowledge (abhijñā). Often the mind consciousness appears not to discriminate, yet its discerning nature is constantly in operation; only thereby can sentient beings have all kinds of bodily, verbal, and mental actions and be able to survive.

XI. When Can One Achieve Non-Grasping of Marks and Non-Discrimination?

Only after the first fruit and the eradication of the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa) can one break through the mark of self, the mark of persons, the mark of sentient beings, and the mark of a life span; yet one still cannot be free from grasping at and discriminating the marks of the five aggregates of sentient beings. Even after enlightenment, not grasping at marks is extremely difficult; especially after meditative concentration has regressed, in the vast majority of cases one still grasps at marks and discriminates. Bodhisattvas before the eighth bhūmi simply cannot achieve complete non-grasping of marks and non-discrimination. Ordinary beings cannot withstand even a small test; no matter how they train themselves not to attach to marks or grasp at marks, ordinary beings will inevitably revolve within marks. Although ordinary beings often say with their mouths that they will not grasp at marks or discriminate, every single minute they are grasping at marks and discriminating; they simply cannot achieve non-grasping and non-discrimination.

Because meditative concentration and the measure of wisdom are severely insufficient, wanting to not grasp at marks and discriminate is simply impossible. The mind consciousness may forcibly suppress it for one minute, perhaps, but cannot hold out for two. Not grasping at marks and not discriminating is very hard to achieve. Thinking about it is easy, and talking about it is easy too, but to actually do it, one must realize that all marks are unreal. One can only accomplish as much as one has realized; thinking is useless, and talking is even more useless. Even if an ordinary being cultivates for another immeasurable kalpa, it is hard to say to what degree they could achieve non-grasping of marks and non-discrimination. Arhats likewise cannot achieve complete non-grasping of marks and non-discrimination, because arhats have not realized the Mahāyāna dharma at all, and therefore they have no choice but to grasp at marks and discriminate. If arhats could achieve non-grasping of marks and non-discrimination, they would not grasp at the suffering of the Sahā world and single-mindedly seek to escape the realms of the Sahā world to take up nirvāṇa without remainder.

XII. Miscellaneous Reflections

Once a non-Buddhist debated with the Buddha and proposed a thesis: "I do not accept any feeling." The Buddha said: "The feeling of 'not accepting any feeling'—do you still accept it?" The non-Buddhist was speechless. On the way back, he deliberated: "However I speak, I have lost; the Buddha is the victor; I should take refuge." So he returned to find the Buddha, was shaved and left home, and studied the Dharma under the Buddha.

Someone says: "I do not grasp at marks or discriminate." May I ask: is this statement of yours an instance of grasping at marks and discriminating? "I do not grasp at marks or discriminate"—do you still discriminate with this statement? The other party evades and changes the subject. Their defeat is beyond question, yet they cannot bravely admit it—they are not as honest as the non-Buddhist. Someone says: "I was originally a Buddha." May I ask: when did you ever sit upon the offering table receiving the veneration and offerings of the world? When did you climb down from the offering table, and by what causes and conditions did you climb down from it, to end up so destitute as you are now?

Tracing back from this life to before beginningless kalpas, you have never been a Buddha, not for a single day or moment. Kalpa after beginningless kalpa ago, not a single bit of your ignorance has ever been broken through; you have always been an ordinary being obstructed by the karma of birth-and-death, always transmigrating through birth and death in the six realms without interruption, always gathered together with the great mass of suffering. Therefore the conclusion is: you were not originally a Buddha. The Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment says: once gold has been extracted from gold ore, it will not again merge with impurities and turn back into gold ore; gold is forever gold. After becoming a Buddha, ignorance is extinguished and there will be no more ignorance, so one will never turn back into a sentient being. Having become a Buddha, one is forever a Buddha and not a sentient being. The fundamental mind relied upon to become a Buddha can be said to have originally been a Buddha, but your five aggregates and seven consciousnesses are a sentient being, not a Buddha—relying on the Buddha while remaining a sentient being obstructed by the karma of birth-and-death is like sitting by the river yet enduring intense thirst, unable to get water to drink; who is to blame?