The Black Box World (7)

The external world of the six dusts appears real, as if genuine matter exists. However, that reality is only relative to the inner perceived division. The external material world is also an illusion projected by the eighth consciousness of sentient beings sharing collective karma, jointly transforming the seeds of the four great elements. Its existence is provisional, illusory, and ultimately unreal—merely a phantom manifestation of the eighth consciousness. Moreover, it is a phantom jointly projected by the eighth consciousnesses of all sentient beings connected through shared karma; the eighth consciousness of a single sentient being cannot project it alone.

The external world of the six dusts, the external material world, seems somewhat more real compared to the inner perceived division within the "black box" at the back of our heads, appearing as a substantial material world composed of the four great elements. However, only the eighth consciousness can contact the substantial perceived matter composed of the four great elements; neither the six consciousnesses nor the seventh consciousness can contact or perceive it. For the seventh consciousness mind, the external world seems non-existent, and what we can perceive is merely an image.

Since beginningless time, we have mistaken the inner perceived division for the outer perceived division, taking it as the real material world. This is because we fail to recognize that the inner perceived division and the outer perceived division are extremely similar, virtually identical. Thus, when our body consciousness, eye consciousness, and the other six consciousnesses discern these images, they take the images as real and ceaselessly discriminate and cling to them. Daily, we believe we have truly consumed food and drink, thus clinging to sustenance; we believe we are truly sitting on a bed, thus clinging to comfortable bedding; we believe we have truly drunk water, thus clinging to tasty beverages; we believe we have truly felt the softness and lightness of clothing, thus clinging to garments; we believe we have truly seen, obtained, and possessed jewels, thus clinging to gold, silver, and gems. In reality, these are all images. We fail to realize they are merely the inner perceived division—phantoms.