Why Is the Guanyin Dharma Gate of Perfect Penetration via the Ear Faculty Difficult to Cultivate?

Question: In the Guanyin's Perfect Penetration through the Faculty of Hearing Dharma method, when all dharmas are emptied in meditation, one finally enters a state of empty non-emptiness. This is the true mind. Since the true mind is empty and quiescent, how is it that in a flash of insight, one awakens to this empty, quiescent mind?

Answer: In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the Guanyin's Perfect Penetration through the Faculty of Hearing Dharma method cultivated by Bodhisattva Guanyin involves contemplating emptiness in meditation and continuously eliminating illusory dharmas. This mode of practice requires extremely profound meditation and exceptionally powerful prajñā wisdom; lacking either, one cannot accomplish this Dharma method. In this practice, within meditation, one continuously eliminates all arising-ceasing, unreal illusory dharmas until what remains is a so-called "thing" that cannot be eliminated, that cannot be emptied—this is the true mind, the Tathāgatagarbha.

This practice method is excellent, but most people—perhaps all—cannot cultivate to this level. One reason is the inability to attain such deep meditation; another is the lack of such profound prajñā wisdom of emptiness, preventing realization of this mind of emptiness within meditative concentration. Without realization, misunderstandings about the prajñā wisdom of emptiness are immense. Sentient beings in this Sahā world, with their karmic roots, cannot succeed in this practice. While prajñā wisdom can be understood to some degree, meditation is a hard requirement, the most practical cultivation skill; it cannot be achieved through understanding alone.

Therefore, eliminating all illusory dharmas in meditation is generally impossible for ordinary people. One must not only empty the self of persons but also empty the self of dharmas. After eliminating and emptying everything, what remains is an empty, quiescent true mind that cannot be emptied. Currently, it is impossible for anyone to cultivate to this level. When only an empty, quiescent mind remains, emptiness is realized. But who is it that realizes this empty, quiescent mind? Who cognizes that empty, quiescent true mind? There must still be a "who"; without this "who," it cannot be done. This "who" is also empty, also something to be eliminated, yet we must utilize this "who"—which should be eliminated and is empty—to discover our inherently empty, quiescent mind-substance, the true mind Tathāgatagarbha. Such practice eliminates illusory dharmas rather than extinguishing them; it simply does not regard them as real. Then, using the illusory, non-real consciousness and mental faculty (manas), one realizes the indestructible true mind. Without the illusory consciousness and mental faculty, there can be no clear realization of the mind. Many do not understand how realization occurs or who needs to realize.

So why, in our study of Buddhism, do we need awakening? Because we are deluded, inverted, and afflicted by ignorance. Who is this "we" referring to? This must be clearly seen and understood. This "we" refers to these two minds: consciousness and the mental faculty (manas). Because these two minds are deluded, inverted, afflicted by ignorance, and unawakened, they have not realized the true reality of the Dharma realm, the true mind—the true self, the eighth consciousness ālaya-vijñāna Tathāgatagarbha—they do not know this thing. Therefore, through practice, consciousness and the mental faculty need to awaken to this true self, and only then can they realize the illusory nature of all dharmas and exhaust all ignorance. Only after realizing the eighth consciousness can ignorance be exhausted through the practice spanning three great asamkhyeya kalpas. If the sixth and seventh consciousnesses remain deluded, inverted, and unawakened, failing to realize this inherently existing true self, the eighth consciousness, ignorance cannot be exhausted.

So who needs to awaken? It is the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. The sixth and seventh consciousnesses need to awaken to realize the eighth consciousness. Through what is it realized? Through contemplative practice within meditation. One needs to understand the nature of the prajñā empty, quiescent mind, possess contemplative wisdom, and comprehend the basic characteristics of prajñā. The nature of the eighth consciousness ālaya-vijñāna Tathāgatagarbha must be clearly understood. Then, within meditation, one must contemplatively observe this empty, quiescent mind.

What does this empty, quiescent mind mean? It means its substance is empty and quiescent, formless, without appearance; eyes cannot see it, ears cannot hear it, hands cannot touch it, the body cannot feel it, the nose cannot smell it, consciousness cannot perceive it nor conceive of it. So what should be done? Through studying the prajñā sūtras, one understands the nature of the true mind and the characteristics of its functioning. The functioning of the true mind operates precisely within the five aggregates. After understanding this, one must, within meditation and amidst the functioning of the five aggregates, investigate and thereby realize the true mind, the eighth consciousness.

The fundamental substance of the Tathāgatagarbha eighth consciousness cannot be found because it is an empty, quiescent mind, a mind without any appearance; of course, it cannot be found. It can only be realized through the functions and operations of the true mind. Within the functioning of these five aggregates, one discovers that this mode of operation is precisely the mode of operation of the eighth consciousness. How does the eighth consciousness operate? It operates thus within the five aggregates, functions in this way. At that moment, you realize the eighth consciousness. But isn't the eighth consciousness empty and quiescent? Although its substance is empty and quiescent, its functions are not empty or quiescent; its functional operations have manifest characteristics that can be contemplatively observed. When observed, that is realization.

In the detailed explanation of Tathāgatagarbha, I once used wind as a metaphor. The empty, quiescent mind is like wind—invisible, yet we can still know wind exists. Wind is also empty. Why is it empty? We cannot see wind, hear wind, touch wind, feel wind, nor smell wind. But how do we know wind has come? When wind comes, it inevitably has various effects. These effects all act upon objects and in space. The effects of wind upon objects and within space manifest various signs and phenomena. Seeing these phenomena, we realize wind. Whether it's a breeze, gale, small wind, storm, strong wind, or whirlwind/tornado, from the phenomena appearing on objects, we can determine what kind of wind it is.

Tathāgatagarbha, like wind, is formless and without appearance, but it can be found through its functioning within the five aggregates. So who finds the wind? It is the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. Knowing wind has arisen, the sixth and seventh consciousnesses together devise ways to avoid or guard against wind disasters. Similarly, when we realize the eighth consciousness, it is also jointly realized by the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, through the functions performed by the eighth consciousness, realized via its operational manifestations within the five aggregates. What are the functions of the eighth consciousness? All dharmas are generated and sustained by it; all dharmas have their specific functions arising from it. How exactly Tathāgatagarbha functions must be contemplated and investigated in meditation. Once investigated, one comprehends the five "How wondrous is the self-nature" spoken of by the Sixth Patriarch.