After Enlightenment, Viewing the Appearance of Rain

Question: Is it that only after attaining realization of the Path, when one sees the mark of rain, the mind naturally has no mark of rain, yet one still knows it is raining, but does not abide in it or cling to it? Whereas before attaining realization, one easily abides and clings, unless there is some other matter that diverts one's thoughts, or one simply does not care about the rain. The original system of ordinary beings is like a camera—it must leave a negative imprint in the mind.

Answer: So-called non-attachment and non-abiding must be an inner skill exercised when facing the mark of rain and all marks alike; avoiding marks precisely demonstrates that one is unable to be free from attachment to marks and from abiding in marks. After enlightenment, bodhisattvas at the three stages of the wise (the three bhūmis of faith and practice) who see the mark of rain will still cling to the mark of rain, only more lightly than before. Only beginning from the first bhūmi can one gradually become free from clinging to the mark of rain, and it is not until the eighth bhūmi that a bodhisattva truly no longer clings to the mark of rain or to any other marks whatsoever.

Therefore, after enlightenment one must accomplish the transformation of the basis (āśraya-parāvṛtti) into suchness (tathatā), and only at the first bhūmi can one speak of truly transforming the basis, because by then the sixth and seventh consciousnesses have both been transformed into wisdom—this is the hallmark of the transformation of the basis into suchness. Only an eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva can transform a very large portion of the basis, but even that is not yet ultimate. Pre-bhūmi bodhisattvas (pūrvabhūmika bodhisattvas) shout about transforming the basis with their mouths, but because they still have afflictions, successful transformation of the basis is impossible; whereas suchness has no afflictions—are the sixth and seventh consciousnesses similar in mind-nature to suchness? Not at all similar, because their defilement is heavy. Only by shouting the slogan all the way to the first bhūmi does one correspond to it in part. As for those who have not attained enlightenment, shouting such slogans is purely random clamor; they cannot even see clearly what their own face is, yet they exalt themselves by speaking of transforming the basis. Before finding something to rely upon, what can one rely on? And one cannot lift oneself up by oneself; it takes the tathāgatagarbha and cause-and-effect to lift one up—only then can one be raised.