Shurangama Sutra Volume III: The Falsity of the Nose Faculty and Smelling Object

Original Text: Ananda, you smell the sandalwood in this incense burner. If this incense were to burn one zhu, within forty li around the city of Sravasti, all beings would smell it simultaneously. What do you think? Does this fragrance originate from the sandalwood, from your nose, or from empty space? Ananda, if this fragrance originates from your nose, being called nose-born, it should emanate from your nose. But the nose is not sandalwood, so how can there be sandalwood fragrance in your nose? To say that you smell the fragrance implies that the fragrance enters your nose, and you perceive it through your nose. If the fragrance emanates from your nose, it would be illogical to say that you smell it through your nose.

Explanation: Ananda, once again, smell the sandalwood fragrance in the incense burner. If one stalk of this sandalwood incense is lit, all beings within forty li around the city of Sravasti can smell it simultaneously. What is your view? Does this fragrance arise from the sandalwood, from your nose, or from empty space? Ananda, if this fragrance arises from your nose, being called nose-born, then it should emanate from your nose. However, the nose is not sandalwood—how could there be sandalwood fragrance in your nose? The reason we say you perceive the fragrance is that the fragrance enters your nose and is perceived by it. If the fragrance emanates from your nose itself, it would be incorrect to say that you perceive it through your nose.

Original Text: If it arises from empty space, the nature of space is eternal and unchanging, so the fragrance should also be constantly present. Why then rely on burning this dried wood in an incense burner? If it arises from the wood, then the substance of this sandalwood incense, when burned, becomes smoke. If your nose perceives it, you should be exposed to the smoke. Yet when the smoke rises into the air, it does not travel far—how then can it be smelled within forty li? Therefore, you should know that the fragrance, the nose, and the faculty of smelling have no fixed location. Both the act of smelling and the fragrance are illusory—they are neither dependent on causes and conditions, nor are they of inherent nature.

Explanation: If the fragrance arises from empty space, since the nature of space is eternal and unchanging, the fragrance should also perpetually exist. Why then depend on burning sandalwood in an incense burner? If the fragrance arises from the sandalwood, then this sandalwood substance, when burned, turns into smoke. If your nose perceives it, you should be enveloped by the smoke. Yet when the smoke ascends into the air, it does not travel a great distance—how then can it be smelled within forty li? Therefore, it should be understood that the fragrance, the nose, and the faculty of smelling lack any fixed location. Both the faculty of smelling and the fragrance are illusory—they are neither dependent on causes and conditions, nor are they of inherent nature; rather, they are the nature of the Tathagatagarbha.