Selected Lectures on the Sutra of the Meeting of Father and Son
Chapter Four: Explanation of the Six Sense Bases
Original Text: Great King, what is the eye sense base? It refers to the pure form produced by the four great elements: the earth element, water element, fire element, and wind element. If the earth element is pure, then the eye sense base is pure. If the water, fire, and wind elements are pure, then the eye sense base is pure.
Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, what is the eye sense base? The eye sense base is the pure form sense faculty constructed by the four great elements: the earth element, water element, fire element, and wind element. If the earth element is pure, then the eye sense base it constructs is pure; if the water, fire, and wind elements are pure, the eye sense base formed by their combination is pure.
The eye faculty is a material form (rūpa) composed of the combined four great elements, containing the solidity of earth, the moisture of water, the warmth of fire, and the movement of wind. The eye faculty includes the visible eye organ on the face (eye float-dust faculty) and the subtle eye faculty at the back of the brain (eye superior-meaning faculty), both formed by the four great elements.
The four great elements are inherent seeds within the Tathāgatagarbha. When the causes and conditions for the birth of the eye faculty mature, the Tathāgatagarbha projects these four great elements, forming the eye faculty. Both the internal and external eye faculties gradually develop within the mother's womb. In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the World-Honored One described the human eye faculty as resembling the shape of a grape cluster; this is the eye sense base.
The four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—within the Tathāgatagarbha are originally pure, free from defilement and afflictions such as greed, hatred, and delusion. These four great elements combine in specific proportions to form the eye faculty. Different proportions result in different material forms. Because the four great elements are pure, the eye faculty formed is pure, free from the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, and undefiled. However, the six consciousnesses—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—that arise dependent on the eye faculty as a condition are defiled and afflicted. The eye faculty itself is undefiled and without joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure, as it lacks mental activity.
Original Text: Why is this? Because the eye sense base arises dependent on the purity of the earth element. Within this, not the slightest dharma can be attained. Similarly, up to the purity of the wind element, the eye sense base arises, yet within this, not the slightest dharma can be attained. Why? Because there is no controller, no doer. It is like Nirvāṇa, intrinsically pure.
Explanation: Why is the eye sense base pure when the four great elements are pure? Because the eye faculty arises dependent on the purity of the earth element. Although the eye faculty arises, it is ultimately ungraspable. Similarly, due to the purity of the water element, the eye faculty arises dependent upon it, yet it is ungraspable; due to the purity of the fire element, the eye faculty arises dependent upon it, yet it is ungraspable; due to the purity of the wind element, the eye faculty arises dependent upon it, yet it is ungraspable. Why is the eye faculty ungraspable? Because the arising of the eye faculty has no controller, no doer; it is like the unborn and undying mind of Nirvāṇa, intrinsically pure.
When the earth element is pure, the eye sense base it constitutes is pure, because pure raw materials result in a pure formed dharma. If the water, fire, and wind elements are all pure, the eye faculty they constitute is pure, because pure raw materials result in a pure formed dharma. Outwardly, it appears that the eye faculty material form arises, possessing the characteristics of form, but this form is so illusory and unreal. The four great elements flow out bit by bit, the eye faculty gradually forms, built up from nothingness. Its raw materials are formless, signless, empty-natured seeds. These seeds flow out from the Tathāgatagarbha; thus, the essence of the eye faculty is the Tathāgatagarbha itself, entirely belonging to the Tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, the intrinsic nature of the eye faculty is ungraspable.
Because the Tathāgatagarbha is intrinsically pure, unborn and undying, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither coming nor going, the projected four great elements are pure, and the eye faculty constituted from them is also intrinsically pure—unborn and undying, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither coming nor going, without self-mastery, without volitional activity, possessing only the attributes of the Tathāgatagarbha. There is not the slightest dharma of the eye faculty that can be grasped.
Before the earth, water, fire, and wind were projected, did the eye faculty exist? No, originally there was nothing. When the Tathāgatagarbha projects the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—the eye faculty begins to form: the eye socket, vitreous humor, retina, optic nerves—material form gradually arises from nothingness, only to eventually disintegrate. Thus, not the slightest dharma of the eye sense base can be grasped.
The four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—are also formless and signless, not material form. The Tathāgatagarbha is formless and signless. Projecting these formless, signless seeds gives rise to formed, sign-possessing material dharmas, creating a formed material object from nothingness. Within this, not the slightest dharma can be grasped; nothing can be obtained. The nature of earth cannot be grasped, the nature of water cannot be grasped, the nature of wind cannot be grasped, the nature of fire cannot be grasped. Therefore, the eye faculty, eyeball, vitreous humor, retina, etc., are ungraspable, illusory, subject to destruction, unreliable, and not to be clung to.
The seeds of the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—are all ungraspable; the material world formed from them is also ungraspable. Within this, not the slightest dharma can be grasped. Why? Because material dharmas lack autonomy, lack mastery, lack independence; they are illusory and unreal. There is no controller within this, no one who creates it. Who creates it? If we say "we" create it, who commands "us"? Before the eye faculty arose, there was no five aggregates, no so-called "us." The Tathāgatagarbha does not control nor create; therefore, there is no person or dharma that creates the eye faculty.
Original Text: Great King, thus, when the eye sense base is sought in every way, it cannot be attained. Why? Because the earth element is empty, hence the earth element is pure. Similarly, up to the wind element being empty, hence the wind element is pure. If all dharmas are intrinsically empty from the outset, how can there be purity in that realm? There is also no contention. Both purity and contention are ungraspable. What form, then, could possibly be seen?
Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, such an eye faculty, when sought from all aspects, cannot be found; it is ungraspable. Why is it ungraspable? Because the earth element is empty, hence the earth element is pure; similarly, the water, fire, and wind elements are empty, hence the water, fire, and wind elements are pure—not a single dharma exists. If all dharmas are intrinsically empty, then there is no talk of purity or defilement in the various dharma realms; there is no defilement, anger, hatred, or contention. The purity and defilement of dharmas are both ungraspable. What form, then, could be grasped? All material forms are ungraspable.
No matter how we seek the eye faculty, it is ungraspable. Its nature is the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha; its appearance is bestowed by the Tathāgatagarbha, illusory—the appearance is ungraspable. The four elements—earth, water, fire, wind—that constitute the eye faculty are empty in appearance; their nature is the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha, which is also empty. Because they are empty, the four great elements are pure; because the four great elements are pure, the eye faculty is pure. Because the eye faculty is intrinsically empty, there is also no characteristic of purity or impurity; its appearance is ungraspable, its purity and defilement are both ungraspable. The intrinsic nature of the eye faculty is the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha; it lacks self-nature and is also empty.
Seeking the nature of earth within the eye sense base is ungraspable. The nature of earth itself is empty, formless, signless—an intangible seed, ungraspable. The formed eye faculty is also ungraspable. Similarly, the natures of the water, fire, and wind elements are all empty, formless, signless—the nature of the four great elements is ungraspable, empty; the formed eye faculty is also empty, ungraspable. Seeking the intrinsic nature of the eye faculty cannot be found because the eye faculty has no intrinsic nature.
The Buddha said all dharmas are intrinsically empty from the outset. Therefore, the eye faculty, as a dharma, is intrinsically empty—empty coming, empty going, ultimately nothing. After the eye faculty arises, it will cease, becoming nothing. It has no origin, no destination; it is empty in itself. The earth, water, fire, and wind elements are all intrinsically empty; the eye faculty formed from them is intrinsically empty. The eye faculty realm has no concept of purity or impurity; purity and defilement do not exist, nor good nor bad, because it is itself empty. One cannot speak of it being pure or not, contentious or not.
Original Text: Know that the eye sense base is ultimately empty; hence its intrinsic nature is also empty. Its past and future cannot be grasped. What is to be created in the future is also ungraspable. Why? Because its intrinsic nature is apart [from all dharmas]. If there is no intrinsic nature, then there is no male characteristic, nor female characteristic. How can there be delight? If delight arises, that is the realm of Māra. If there is no delight, that is the realm of Buddha. Why? Because without delight, one can then transcend all dharmas.
Explanation: We should know that because the eye sense base is ultimately empty, its intrinsic nature is also empty; the past and future of the eye faculty cannot be grasped. Why is this? Because the intrinsic nature of the eye faculty is apart from all dharmas. If the eye faculty has no intrinsic nature, then it has no male characteristic nor female characteristic; thus, the male and female characteristics have nothing delightful about them. If one gives rise to delight regarding male and female characteristics, that is a state of Māra. If one has no delight regarding male and female characteristics, that is the state of Buddha. Why is this? Because without delight, one can transcend all dharmas, and the mind attains purity.
Material dharmas themselves are empty, formed by the four great elements—earth, water, fire, wind. Earth, water, fire, and wind themselves are empty; the material world formed from them is empty and ungraspable. Similarly, the eye faculty is empty and ungraspable, not to be clung to. Originally, there is no eye sense base, no eye faculty. The four great elements are projected, and the eye faculty arises from nothingness, only to return to nothingness. The process and result of its formation are both empty—a dharma that arises and ceases, a dharma of nothingness—thus empty. What dharma is not empty? Our Tathāgatagarbha mind is not empty. Though formless and signless, it constantly gives rise to mind, constantly functions, constantly manifests all dharmas for us. Apart from this, all dharmas are empty.
If the eye faculty were not empty, it would always exist, without birth or death; it would have self-mastery, and there would be no dharma capable of controlling its birth and death. But the eye faculty is precisely the opposite. If the eye faculty can be born and, without self-control, ceases—if it must cease whenever it is not sustained—then it is empty, illusory. How is the eye faculty formed? The earth component is added, the water component, fire component, wind component are added and mixed together. The four great elements combine in specific proportions, arrange and unite to form the physical body of the eye faculty. When the karmic conditions disappear, the four great elements disperse, and the eye faculty vanishes—empty coming, empty going, without self-nature, ungraspable.
We should not give rise to greed or delight towards the eye faculty, saying it is good or bad. In reality, there is no good or bad; it is all illusory and empty. Therefore, the eye sense base is ultimately empty; its past and future cannot be grasped. The eye faculty of a previous life, the eye faculty of a future life, the present eye faculty and the past eye faculty, today's eye faculty and yesterday's eye faculty—all are ungraspable. Yesterday, relative to today, is the past; tomorrow, relative to today, is the future. The present moment while I speak is the present; before speaking is the past; after speaking is the future. Connecting this past and future, the past and future are ungraspable, all empty.
The eye faculty of a past life is also ungraspable; ultimately, it cannot be produced. Wherever one searches, it cannot be found. The eye faculty to be created in the future is still ungraspable; it cannot be produced now, being a dharma not yet manifested, even more illusory. The present eye faculty is ceaselessly arising and perishing, changing moment by moment; it is also ungraspable. The appearance of eye diseases like myopia, presbyopia, glaucoma, etc., demonstrates that the eye faculty is changing and unreliable. It cannot even maintain a healthy, normal state; its intrinsic nature is truly ungraspable.
The nature of the eye is apart from all dharmas, unattached to any dharma. It has neither a male characteristic nor a female characteristic. Therefore, we need not give rise to delight or greed towards the eye faculty. The eye faculty itself has no characteristic—neither male nor female. If one gives rise to delight towards the eye faculty, that is the realm of Māra—attachment to objects is attachment to Māra. Giving rise to feelings of joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure towards any thing is the realm of Māra. With such feelings, one is forever under Māra's control. The Demon King is called Pāpīyas (Pāpīyān); he resides on the highest sixth heaven of the desire realm. Due to his great merit, he controls the entire six heavens of the desire realm, including the human world. If a sentient being lacks desire for the dharmas of the desire realm, they escape Māra's grasp. Then Māra will try every means to make them rekindle desire for the desire realm. As long as there is desire, one remains bound within the desire realm, unable to escape; one is Māra's disciple, a child of Māra.
When each individual possesses the preliminary concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) and is about to attain the first dhyāna, Māra uses various means to obstruct them. He targets the weakest point in each person's mind, breaking through that vulnerability to make desire arise, causing the dhyāna to vanish, preventing escape from his grasp. If the concentration is firm and not broken by Māra, one will be reborn in the form realm heavens upon death, a realm higher than Māra's, beyond his jurisdiction and control.
What is in the desire realm? The desire realm has various desires: wealth, sex, fame, food, sleep—with sexual desire being primary. If one transcends this desire, eradicates it, Māra's palace trembles. If a practitioner's resolve is not firm and their merit insufficient, they can easily be disturbed, and their dhyāna will vanish. Māra greatly desires this, so he tries every means to make sentient beings love and crave this desire realm world, so his subjects do not decrease. Māra always wishes for his subjects to increase; therefore, he seeks to control them, ensuring sentient beings all have desire, not escaping his grasp.
Therefore, the Buddha said that if delight arises, that is the realm of Māra. All people in our world are under the control of Māra and also governed by Śakra (Shì Dì Huán Yīn), who resides in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven (Heaven of the Thirty-Three) in the desire realm. If humans in the desire realm cultivate goodness, Śakra is most pleased, because those who cultivate goodness will be reborn in the desire realm heavens upon death, increasing Śakra's subjects. Therefore, on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, he sends heavenly protectors to patrol the human world, observing whether more people practice good or evil dharmas. If more practice good dharmas, Śakra is pleased; if more practice evil dharmas, Śakra is displeased. Knowing this, humans make offerings to the Buddha, observe fasting, eat vegetarian food, and perform good deeds on the first and fifteenth days of each month, accumulating good karma to be reborn in the heavens and enjoy bliss after death. Sometimes, worldly people's actions have their reasons.
The absence of delight is the realm of Buddha. In the Buddha's realm, there is no delight; there is no joy or greed for the five desires and six dusts. Buddha is the Tathāgata; the Tathāgata is the Tathāgatagarbha. It has no joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure; it neither likes nor dislikes. It is non-active (asaṃskṛta). The first seven consciousnesses have joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure; the true mind does not. When the seven consciousnesses manifest joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure, the true mind acquiesces and cooperates; otherwise, the deluded minds of the seven consciousnesses could not manifest the phenomena of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure. In all dharmas, both true and false operate together. When the seven consciousnesses experience joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure, there is an unmanifest, unknown, selfless Tathāgatagarbha continuously projecting various seeds to sustain the seven consciousnesses' manifestation of their mental activities of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure. Finding this behind-the-scenes, silent, selfless contributor is to realize the mind and attain enlightenment, gaining prajñā wisdom.
Why is the absence of delight the realm of Buddha? The Buddha said: Without delight, one can then transcend all dharmas. Because all Buddhas are already tranquil and non-active, unattached to any dharma of the mundane or supramundane, not dwelling on objects, with no dharmas existing in their minds, ultimately transcending all dharmas. Although Buddhas, within the illusory appearances of the five aggregates, continuously act to liberate countless sentient beings, this does not hinder the Buddha-mind's non-abiding. It has no delight towards any dharma. The Dharma-body Buddha (Dharmakāya) dwells nowhere in the mundane or supramundane dharmas, transcending all dharmas and appearances, having no delight towards any dharma.
Why can we not transcend dharmas? Because of greed, attachment, and delight—having delight causes the mind to dwell on dharmas, unable to separate. We wish to possess and own all worldly dharmas; this is delight. Without delight, the mind would dwell nowhere, not wishing to possess or own. Thus, the mind is not bound by any dharma; possessing the power of liberation, one attains liberation. One who gives rise to no delight towards the desire realm will attain the first dhyāna. One who gives rise to no delight towards the state of the first dhyāna will attain higher dhyāna states. One who gives rise to no delight towards even higher dhyāna states can reach the highest state of the three realms. One who gives rise to no delight towards the dharmas of the threefold world will enter the cessation of perception and feeling (nirodha-samāpatti), the state of a fourth-stage Arhat. Upon death, one can extinguish the first seven consciousnesses, extinguish the physical body, extinguish the seven consciousnesses, extinguish the five aggregates, and enter the remainderless Nirvāṇa (anupādhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa), liberated from birth and death in the three realms, no longer cycling in saṃsāra.
Arhats can enter the remainderless Nirvāṇa, end birth and death, and escape the three realms precisely because they have no mental delight or activity towards the dharmas of the threefold world. We suffer within the three realms, especially in the desire realm. Being born in the human realm of the desire realm, not in the heavens of the desire realm, is because our delight towards the dharmas of the desire realm is deeper than that of heavenly beings, deeper than form realm heavenly beings, and incomparably deeper than formless realm heavenly beings. The lighter the delight, the higher the heaven one is reborn in upon death; life is happier, more tranquil, with less suffering. The heavier the delight, the heavier the suffering. Without delight, one can transcend all dharmas, and the mind attains purity and stillness.
Our true mind originally has no dharmas. The Heart Sūtra says: "There is no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; no eye realm, up to no mind consciousness realm"; no five aggregates, no eighteen realms, no four noble truths, no twelve links of dependent origination, no six pāramitās of Bodhisattvas, no wisdom nor attainment. Truly transcending all dharmas, without any dharmas, tranquil and non-active. Yet our minds are filled with the five desires and six dusts; what we pursue are the dharmas of the threefold world. Therefore, joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure are unceasing, and suffering is endless.
The more mundane dharmas one possesses, the more suffering one has, the less liberation one attains. We are bound by the suffering of birth and death. Delighting in form, one is bound by form, bound by the physical body, unable to attain liberation. Delighting in sound dust, one is bound by sound dust, unable to attain liberation. Delighting in smell dust, taste dust, touch dust, or dharma dust, one is bound, unable to attain liberation. Whether liking or disliking the six dusts' realms, both are afflictions, both are bondage, preventing liberation, keeping one in the desire realm amidst worry, sorrow, and suffering.
The true mind has no delight nor aversion towards any dharma; therefore, it is not bound by any dharma, forever liberated, without birth, death, sorrow, or suffering. Having delight leads to falling into the six paths to suffer. The true mind has no delight; it does not dwell in the six paths, does not abide in the realms of the six dusts to suffer. Abiding in any realm is bondage, unable to be liberated. Not abiding in any realm means leaving, being liberated. Therefore, the goal of our practice is to gradually become like the true mind, able to transcend all dharmas, empty and purify our own minds, and head towards Nirvāṇa.
Original Text: Great King, what is the ear sense base? It refers to the pure form produced by the four great elements. The characteristics and aspects are as previously explained. Great King, the liberation of all dharmas is decisively present. Like the emptiness of the Dharma realm, it cannot be established.
Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, what is the ear sense base? The ear sense base is the pure form produced by the four great elements. Its characteristics are similar to the eye sense base, born from the combination of the four great elements. If the four great elements are pure, then the ear sense base is pure; within this, not the slightest dharma can be attained. Because the four great elements are empty, the intrinsic nature of the ear sense base is empty; because the four great elements are liberated, the ear sense base is intrinsically liberated, with not a single dharma able to bind a person. Great King, all dharmas are intrinsically liberated; their state of liberation is everywhere revealed and manifested, like the emptiness of the one true Dharma realm, originally so, not artificially established.
The ear sense base refers to the ear faculty, including the external and internal ear faculties, both formed by pure four great elements. Therefore, it is also a pure form, without afflictions, without defilement. "Pure" here means without joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure, without greed, delight, or aversion. When the ear faculty contacts sound dust, it never says it likes this sound or dislikes that sound; it has no mental activity; neither wholesome nor unwholesome mental activity exists. Defilement belongs to the mind; the ear faculty is not defiled. The earth, water, fire, and wind four great elements constituting the ear faculty are empty; the ear sense base is also empty; its self-nature is ungraspable. The nature of the four great elements—earth, water, fire, wind—is ungraspable; the ear sense base is also ungraspable.
Liberation means not being bound. Since all dharmas are ultimately ungraspable, they cannot bind people. Sentient beings themselves mistake dharmas as real and as self, clinging incessantly, thus willingly attaching to dharmas, binding themselves, unable to attain liberation—this has nothing to do with the dharmas themselves. If one realizes all dharmas are ungraspable and no longer wishes to grasp them, one attains liberation, no longer bound by dharmas. Sentient beings are bound by the realms of the six dusts, bound by their own five-aggregate bodies. The ropes bind link by link, locked firmly, as if in a prison of the three realms, unable to break free and escape. The root knot is that sentient beings' own minds do not clearly recognize dharmas, not knowing dharmas are empty, illusory, and unreal. Dharmas fundamentally do not bind people; therefore, there is no need to cling. If sentient beings can realize this truth, their minds will naturally be liberated from the illusory realms. The liberation of dharmas is decisively present; sentient beings are originally liberated, only bound by their own delusion about the truth. There is no sentient being who cannot be liberated, except those who remain deluded.
All dharmas in the world are originally illusory and empty; we do not need to empty them. All dharmas are originally liberated; we do not need to liberate them. As long as we recognize the truth and reality, there is not a single dharma that is not empty, not a single dharma that is not liberated. We cannot establish dharmas as real; the ten dharma realms, the eighteen realms are all similarly illusory and empty. Therefore, there are no sentient beings, no sages, no six faculties, no six dust realms, no six consciousnesses. Then there is no bondage, nor one who is bound; bondage and the bound are both illusory appearances, ungraspable.
Original Text: Great King, each of the faculties delights in its own objects. When the eye contacts form, delight arises. Therefore, form is said to be the object of the eye. Moreover, when this eye faculty contacts form objects, three kinds of characteristics arise: Upon seeing a lovely form, a thought of greed arises; upon seeing an unlovely form, a thought of hatred arises; upon seeing a form that is neither lovely nor unlovely, a thought of equanimity arises.
Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, the six faculties each delight in their respective objects. When the eye faculty contacts form dust, the mind gives rise to delight. Therefore, form dust is said to be the object contacted by the eye faculty. Furthermore, when the eye faculty contacts form objects, three kinds of characteristics arise: The first characteristic is that when the eye faculty contacts a lovely form object, the mind gives rise to a thought of greed; the second characteristic is that when the eye faculty contacts an unlovely form object, the mind gives rise to a thought of hatred; the third characteristic is that when the eye faculty contacts a form object that is neither lovely nor unlovely, the mind gives rise to a thought of equanimity, neither liking nor disliking.
The eye faculty delights in form objects, the ear faculty delights in sound objects, the nose faculty delights in smell objects, the tongue faculty delights in taste objects, the body faculty delights in touch objects, the mind faculty delights in dharma objects. Each faculty greedily clings to its respective object. The eye faculty can only contact form, not sound; the ear faculty can only contact sound, not touch. Ordinary beings' six faculties are not interchangeable. When sages cultivate to a certain level, the six faculties can interpenetrate: the eye faculty can contact sound, smell, etc.; the ear faculty can contact form, taste, etc.; the mind faculty can see form, think, etc. The six faculties interpenetrate and can substitute for each other. The six faculties are originally interconnected; only because sentient beings are deluded and attached to the dust realms, the single function is divided into six functions, and each faculty has its boundary. When cultivation removes the deluded attachment of the six faculties, the mind becomes interconnected, and the six faculties interpenetrate and function interchangeably. Then, even without a physical body, one can still feel touch objects, feel the breeze and warm sun; one faculty can perform the functions of six faculties, unifying the functions of the six faculties.
When the six faculties contact the six dusts, the mind's feelings have three states: liking, disliking, and neither liking nor disliking—the state of equanimity. For us cultivators, which state should the mind maintain? Practitioners should keep the mind peaceful and balanced. Towards all realms, neither liking nor disliking, maintaining a middle way state of non-abiding—that is the state of equanimity.
Original Text: Similarly, up to the mind clinging to the dharma sense base as its object. If that mind sense base contacts a lovely form, it gives rise to extreme delight. Being drawn by that, it produces actions of greed. Contacting an unlovely form, it produces actions of hatred. Contacting a form that is neither lovely nor unlovely, it produces actions of delusion. Similarly, for sound, etc., the three kinds of grasping and the characteristics of reception, etc., should be explained as previously stated.
Explanation: The Buddha said: Just as when the faculties contact objects, three kinds of mental actions arise, so too when the mind faculty contacts dharma dust, the mind consciousness discriminates the dharma dust realm. If the mind faculty contacts a lovely form, the mind consciousness gives rise to a very delighted mental action, is drawn by that form, and gives rise to an action of greed. If the mind faculty contacts an unlovely form, the mind consciousness gives rise to an action of hatred. If the mind faculty contacts a form that is neither lovely nor unlovely, the mind consciousness gives rise to an action of delusion. Similarly, when the mind faculty contacts the sound sense base, the mind consciousness also has three kinds of mental actions, the same as when the mind faculty contacts form. When the mind faculty contacts the smell sense base, taste sense base, touch sense base, the mind consciousness is likewise.
The six faculties respectively contact the six dusts: the eye faculty contacts form dust, ear faculty contacts sound dust, nose faculty contacts smell dust, tongue faculty contacts taste dust, body faculty contacts touch dust, and mind faculty contacts dharma dust. Dharma dust is a kind of form included in the dharma sense base (dharmāyatana) manifested upon the first five dusts. For example, when I look at a book, upon this form dust of the book appears a dharma dust—referring to the book's shape, size, length, width, squareness, roundness, paper quality, thickness, font size and style, content information, etc.—all belong to dharma dust, discriminated by the mind consciousness. The mind faculty corresponds to dharma dust; the eye faculty corresponds to the color of the book. Then the mind consciousness and eye consciousness simultaneously discriminate the book, but the scope and subtlety of what is discriminated differ.
The mind clinging to the dharma sense base as its object—the mind consciousness delights in and greedily clings to the dharma dust realm, is drawn by the realm, and gives rise to greed. For example, taking a piece of cake: the cake has color, seen by the eye consciousness; the shape manifested on the cake, its ingredients, nutrition, and other information are dharma dust, contacted by the mind faculty, discriminated by the mind consciousness. After discriminating, the mind consciousness feels the cake is fragrant, sweet, and delicious, gives rise to greed. Because there is greed, there is greedy action—wishing to possess it, quickly eat it, and perhaps also planning how to ensure eating it again later. This is greedy action. Greedy action is bodily and verbal action. Greed is the mind's deluded thoughts, plans, feelings—being able to be drawn by the realm and deciding to create karmic actions. After karmic actions are created, the seeds are stored in the Tathāgatagarbha. When the seeds' conditions ripen, the karmic result manifests. If the mind faculty is successfully influenced, this person will be greedy for food life after life.
If the cake eaten belongs to someone else, and when eaten, the other person does not know or does not wish to give it, then it is stealing the cake. The karmic seed of stealing is stored in the Tathāgatagarbha. When the karmic conditions ripen, the karmic result manifests, and one must repay a thousand times or more. Stealing one cake requires repaying at least a thousand cakes in the future. If one steals an item belonging to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha) or a person of virtue, the repayment is ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million, or immeasurable times more. Moreover, within this is the karmic offense of the nature of greed (性罪, svabhāva-āpatti), a serious offense leading to rebirth in hell to suffer retribution.
As long as actions of greed, hatred, or delusion are created, regardless of size, they are stored as karmic seeds in the Tathāgatagarbha. The Tathāgatagarbha makes no selection; it does not refrain from recording the karma of killing just because it is killing by the five aggregates of its own manifested body. The Tathāgatagarbha has no discriminating mind; it records equally. The Tathāgatagarbha does not favor the five aggregates it births, storing only good karma and not evil karma; it has no such mental activity—it is non-discriminating. As long as there is karmic action, regardless of size, good, evil, or neutral, it stores it all equally.
For example, cooking is a neutral action. The skill of cooking, once learned, is stored as a seed; in the next life, encountering conditions, one quickly knows how to cook. Driving skills and other skills are the same; whatever is learned is stored—good, evil, neutral. Some people are born with certain abilities because they have the karmic seeds; they were skilled in a past life. Some cannot learn no matter how hard they try; they lacked the karmic seeds in past lives. Therefore, everyone's talents differ. Some children are born understanding music, able to compose; some are born knowing how to dance; some dogs also dance very well—their past-life skills are stored in the Tathāgatagarbha. This is called habit-energy, habit, karma, seeds. Some people liked scolding others in a past life; born in this life, without being taught, they scold, uncontrollably—this is the manifestation of karmic seeds; the habit is like this.
All actions of greed and hatred belong to actions of delusion—not knowing good from bad, not discerning right from wrong is also delusion. Delusion has deluded karmic results. How to counteract delusion? Use the principles of the Buddha Dharma to eradicate ignorance and delusion.
When the mind faculty contacts the six dust realms—form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas—the mind consciousness manifests three kinds of mental actions: delight, hatred, and delusion. When the six faculties contact the six dusts, three kinds of feelings arise: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. These feelings are all arising and ceasing, illusory, not to be clung to.
