The Relationship Between Practical Cultivation and Theoretical Cultivation

All dharmas are divided into two aspects: phenomena and principle. Phenomena refer to appearances, while principle refers to the fundamental substance of Tathagatagarbha. When discussing phenomena, one must refute the substantial existence of appearances from the perspective of their manifestation. At this point, one should not approach it from the standpoint of the principle of Tathagatagarbha. Doing so might lead some to believe that appearances are ultimately real, thereby giving rise to attachment, which binds the mind and prevents liberation.

The Hinayana path refutes substantial existence entirely from the perspective of phenomena. The Mahayana path, however, cultivates both principle and phenomena simultaneously. It refutes appearances from the standpoint of principle. While recognizing principle is essential, it does not discard phenomena, nor does it cling to principle while abandoning phenomena. It demands the perfect harmonization of principle and phenomena, without leaning toward either extreme; otherwise, the Buddha Dharma cannot be accomplished.

To cultivate to the ultimate degree of perfect harmonization between principle and phenomena is to become a Buddha. Those who have not yet fully realized this perfect harmonization are the Bodhisattvas on the Bhūmis and the two enlightenments of equal and wonderful awakening. Bodhisattvas who have realized the mind might harmonize them to a small degree, but if their power of observation is insufficient, they cannot harmonize them at all.

For those who have neither attained fruition nor realized the mind, if they are told that the dharmas of the five aggregates and eighteen elements, and all worldly dharmas, are neither produced nor extinguished, they will regard them as ultimately real. Consequently, they will believe there is nothing wrong in clinging to these, seeing no harm in it. Thus, they will not seek methods to eliminate their greed, craving, and attachments. In this way, the problem of sentient beings' birth and death cannot be resolved.

The truth that all dharmas are Suchness is the direct experiential realization of Bodhisattvas on the Bhūmis and Buddhas. Ordinary beings must cultivate step by step, starting from the apparent production and cessation of the basic five aggregates and eighteen elements. They cannot directly treat the five aggregates and eighteen elements as the unborn and unextinguished Suchness. No one can directly perceive this principle experientially.

The four dhyānas and eight samāpattis are practices focused on phenomena, the cultivation of appearances. Appearances are necessarily subject to production and cessation; there are no appearances that are neither produced nor ceased, except for the empty nature of the eighth consciousness. The empty nature is without appearance, hence it is neither produced nor ceased. Within the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis, the six consciousnesses, viewed as appearances, are subject to production, cessation, and change. The seventh consciousness, viewed as an appearance, is also subject to production, cessation, and change. When discussing dharmas characterized by production, cessation, and change, and when cultivating appearances, there must be the aspect of appearances undergoing production, cessation, and change. If, at this point, one were to claim that the seven consciousnesses and the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis are all neither produced nor ceased, it would appear incongruous. If everything were already unborn, unceasing, and immutable, then there would be nothing left for us to cultivate—it would already be perfect.