Ceasing Worldly Afflictions and Realizing Serene Coolness

Question: I have been contemplating the meaning of "mental sense-objects (dharma-viṣaya)." The form included in the mental realm (dharmāyatana) should refer not only to the subtle forms perceived by the mind consciousness, but also to the coarse forms perceived by the consciousnesses of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body. Because form stands in opposition to mind, there is the concept of form as a sense-object, yet there is no name such as "mind-dust"; instead, the mental sense-object encompasses both—form occupies one half, mind occupies the other half, for dharma includes both material dharmas (rūpa-dharma) and mental dharmas (citta-dharma).

The forms seen by Aniruddha without eyes include both coarse forms and subtle forms; if he could not see coarse forms, how could he see subtle forms? Seeing forms without eyes means that without the eye faculty there is naturally no eye consciousness, so of course it is only the mind consciousness that sees forms. The forms included in the mental realm that he perceives—both coarse and subtle—are all clearly distinct.

Answer: The eleven material dharmas are: the eye faculty, ear faculty, nose faculty, tongue faculty, body faculty, form as sense-object, sound as sense-object, smell as sense-object, taste as sense-object, touch as sense-object, and lastly, the form included in the mental realm.

The form included in the mental realm includes: the mental sense-objects included in the realm of form sense-objects, the mental sense-objects included in the realm of sound sense-objects, the mental sense-objects included in the realm of smell sense-objects, the mental sense-objects included in the realm of taste sense-objects, and the mental sense-objects included in the realm of touch sense-objects.

The mental sense-objects that constitute the form included in the mental realm cannot appear alone; they must appear simultaneously with the five sense-objects and are discerned by the consciousness accompanied by the five senses (pañca-sahagata-mano-vijñāna). Therefore, when the conscious mind discerns the form included in the mental realm, the coarse appearances of the five sense-objects must appear simultaneously; without these coarse appearances, there would be no subtle appearances. Aniruddha had no eye faculty, and his physical eyes could not see forms; he saw forms entirely with the divine eye. With the divine eye seeing forms, there is no form that cannot be seen.

The conceptual scope of mental sense-objects is extremely broad: all dharmas are dharmas, and all are called mental sense-objects. "Dust" refers to worldly appearances—like dust motes, they do not linger even for a moment. In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the World-Honored One called them "guest dust" (āgantuka-kleśa): they are guests in the world, unable to dwell permanently in the world, arising and then ceasing—they are not the host.

And the host of the world is the eighth consciousness. The eighth consciousness is also a dharma—a dharma that neither arises nor ceases, an everlasting dharma—but it is not dust, not a dusty appearance drifting through the world and then perishing, not an appearance of dusty toil and afflictions; it is the transcendent appearance of tranquility and coolness. Therefore, if someone is burning with afflictions, he should quickly hide within the eighth consciousness.

How to hide? Contemplate that all worldly phenomena are nothing but the dharma of the eighth consciousness without remainder; contemplate that all appearances arising in one's own mind are nothing but the dharma of the eighth consciousness without remainder; contemplate that the six faculties are all nothing but the dharma of the eighth consciousness without remainder; contemplate that all the discriminating and knowing nature of one's own mind is nothing but the dharma of the eighth consciousness without remainder; contemplate that all the feelings of one's own mind are nothing but the dharma of the eighth consciousness without remainder. In this way, the functions and activities of the faculties, sense-objects, and consciousnesses—the five aggregates—are all the eighth consciousness. Since everything is the eighth consciousness, what is there to discriminate about, what is there to suffer over? Where would there be any appearance of affliction or any appearance of suffering?

After contemplating in this way, suffering will be extinguished and cease, and one will attain coolness and tranquility, entering into the tranquil nirvāṇa, wrapped up tightly and securely by the eighth consciousness, not seeing a single dharma of the world—is this not bliss! Drinking alone the nectar of the eighth consciousness—is this not refreshing!

However, if one cannot find the eighth consciousness, how can one hide within it? This is a semblance of hiding, an imagined hiding, not true hiding; one cannot hide for long and will come out again—it is not ultimate. What then should one do? Quickly realize and awaken to the eighth consciousness, quickly perfect the bodhisattva's six pāramitās and the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment. A semblant true-suchness samādhi cannot produce genuine function and lacks great power; one still needs realization and awakening to give rise to the true samādhi of suchness—only then is there something to rely upon, and only then is it ultimate.

Contemplation before awakening is called imagination and conjecture; only after awakening does one have the ability and wisdom to contemplate, and only then can one truly extinguish suffering and attain coolness. Nevertheless, contemplation before awakening also has a certain function: it can temporarily suppress afflictions.