What Is Anutpattika-Dharma-Kṣānti?

The term "non-arising" (wusheng) has two meanings. One meaning refers to the fact that although the worldly dharmas of the five aggregates appear to arise and cease on the surface level of phenomena, their essential nature is empty and non-arising. "Arising" is merely an illusory, false appearance—arising yet non-arising. The wisdom that cognizes this is the wisdom of realizing the selflessness of the person within the five aggregates. To patiently accept and firmly believe in the selflessness of the five aggregates is a great wisdom called "patience with non-arising" (wusheng ren). This is the Hinayana (Small Vehicle) patience with non-arising. The other meaning of "non-arising" refers to the ultimate reality of the Dharma Realm, the Tathagatagarbha, which is unarisen, innate, and neither born nor extinguished. To be able to patiently accept and firmly believe in the non-arising of the Tathagatagarbha is an even greater wisdom, also called "patience with non-arising," and this is the Mahayana (Great Vehicle) patience with non-arising. Observing the Hinayana and Mahayana concepts of non-arising together, one realizes that all dharmas, both worldly and transcendent, are non-arising, are Nirvana-quiescent. Not a single dharma can be grasped as real (dangqing), and both the one who grasps and the one who does not grasp are also non-arising.

Why is it called "patience" (ren)? Previously, one always considered the five aggregates to be substantially real. Although they could arise and cease, one felt that the phenomena of arising and ceasing were also real, not knowing that the five aggregates are non-arising. Now, having realized from both the Hinayana and Mahayana perspectives that the five aggregates are empty and selfless, to acknowledge this extremely difficult principle and to patiently bear and accept it requires great wisdom. Without wisdom, one cannot endure and accept it. Therefore, this "patience" is a form of wisdom.

To attain the Hinayana patience with non-arising, one needs to study and practice the truths of the Four Noble Truths, contemplate and investigate the five aggregates, cut off defilements, and realize the emptiness and selflessness of the five aggregates. Although the phenomenon of emptiness exists, this emptiness is also empty, hence it is also non-arising. If a Hinayana practitioner can patiently accept this principle, it is called patience with non-arising. The wisdom state of this patience with non-arising is inferior and coarser than the Mahayana patience with non-arising, and it is even lower, weaker, and more superficial compared to the wisdom of the patience with the non-arising of dharmas (wusheng fa ren) realized by Bodhisattvas on the Bhumis (stages).

The Mahayana patience with non-arising is the wisdom state attained by Mahayana Bodhisattvas upon realizing the fundamental mind, the Tathagatagarbha. Upon the sudden enlightenment to the Tathagatagarbha, one simultaneously realizes the principle of the non-arising of the five aggregates. Both the Tathagatagarbha and the five aggregates are non-arising. When the mind bears, accepts, acknowledges, and patiently endures this principle, the wisdom of patience with non-arising arises. Previously, one did not know that within the functioning of the five-aggregate body there exists the non-arising, non-ceasing Tathagatagarbha. Now one knows of the existence of the Tathagatagarbha, but before realization, this is merely intellectual understanding. After realization, one knows that the fundamental mind is truly unarisen—this is true knowledge. Simultaneously with true knowledge, one also realizes that the five aggregates are produced by the Tathagatagarbha and depend on the Tathagatagarbha for their existence. The five aggregates arise and cease, and the karmic actions performed exist as seeds within the Tathagatagarbha. In later lives, after these seeds take root and sprout, new five aggregates are born. Therefore, the Tathagatagarbha cannot cease; since it does not cease, it is certainly not a dharma that is produced.

"Patience" (ren) means to endure, to accept, to acknowledge, and it also has the meaning of abiding steadfastly. "Patience with humiliation" (renru) means to endure and accept others' insults and humiliation without retaliation. The "patience" in the Four Applications of Mindfulness (si jia xing) refers to the mind patiently accepting, acknowledging, and affirming the emptiness of the grasper and the grasped, the emptiness of the five aggregates subject to grasping (wu shou yin), and the emptiness of the eighteen elements (shiba jie). The "patience" in patience with non-arising and patience with the non-arising of dharmas also carries this meaning: accepting, acknowledging, and patiently affirming the non-arising and selflessness of all dharmas. When there is no more struggle or doubt in the mind, this is the manifestation of the birth of great wisdom.