What Do the Lunar Reflections of the First and Second Moons Respectively Refer to?

(1) Original text from the second volume of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra:

The Buddha told Ānanda, "Moreover, that which you use to see me — this seeing-essence, the fundamental luminosity — though it is not the wondrous, luminous fundamental mind, is like the second moon, not the moon's reflection."

Explanation: The Buddha told Ānanda: The seeing-essence with which you perceive me is the fundamental source capable of illuminating form. Although this seeing-essence is not the subtle and luminous fundamental mind, it is like the second moon — not the moon’s reflection.

Here, the Buddha refers to the "second moon" as the seeing-essence and fundamental luminosity. This includes the seeing of the six consciousnesses and the seventh consciousness, yet it is not the most subtle seeing-essence of the luminous fundamental mind. In other words, the seeing-nature of the seeing-essence and fundamental luminosity belongs to the seventh consciousness, not to the substance of the Tathāgatagarbha mind. The seeing-essence explicitly refers to the seeing-nature of the six consciousnesses, but the seeing-nature of the seventh consciousness is implicitly included, though not explicitly stated. The seeing-essence of the seven consciousnesses is neither substance nor form: it is not the fundamental substance of the Tathāgatagarbha (having no self-nature), nor is it formless. Neither is it the illusory reflection produced by the Tathāgatagarbha. "Reflection" here refers to the images perceived by the seven consciousnesses, composed of earth, water, fire, wind, and space.

Original text from the third volume of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra:

"Furthermore, Ānanda, what are the six entrances? They are fundamentally the Tathāgatagarbha, the wondrous true-suchness nature. Ānanda, it is like when the eyeball, strained from staring, grows fatigued. Both the eye and the fatigue are Bodhi. The phenomenon of visual fatigue arises due to the two false dusts of light and darkness. The seeing that emerges between them, absorbing these dust-phenomena, is called the seeing-nature. This seeing, apart from those two dusts of light and darkness, ultimately has no substance."

Explanation: In the context of the six entrances being illusory, the text speaks of "Bodhi’s phenomenon of visual fatigue." At the point where the sense faculty and the fatigue interact, the seeing-nature of the six consciousnesses arises. This seeing-nature has no substance apart from the dust-phenomena; it lacks self-nature and autonomy. The seeing-nature of the six consciousnesses at the six sense faculties is the "second moon" — the phenomenon of visual fatigue arising from the Tathāgatagarbha’s Bodhi. It does not come from elsewhere but directly emerges from within the Tathāgatagarbha’s Bodhi, specifically from the consciousness-seed among the Tathāgatagarbha’s seven great seeds.

The Tathāgatagarbha’s phenomenon of visual fatigue is like pressing one’s eye with a finger: the eye becomes sore and fatigued, causing objects to appear doubled — one true, one false. The false one is the "second moon," which arises from the true. Without the true, there would be no false. To call it false is incorrect; to call it true is also incorrect. It is neither true nor false, yet both true and false. The image formed by pressing the eye is also not a mere reflection. These phenomena of fatigue in the Tathāgatagarbha are facilitated by the mental faculty (manas). If the mental faculty can become tranquil, the Tathāgatagarbha ceases its activity of fatigue, and all phenomena of fatigue — the seeing-nature — will vanish.