The Black Box World (48)

Celestial beings perceive a river as lapis lazuli, humans perceive it as water, and hungry ghosts perceive it as raging flames. The same river appears differently to these three. All three categories of sentient beings participate in manifesting that river, yet each possesses different karmic seeds, resulting in differing shares. Thus, according to their respective shares in the dividend distribution, what each obtains and perceives differs. Therefore, the defiled Saha World is described from the perspective of sentient beings. From the perspective of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Saha World is exceedingly majestic, no different from the Pure Land, as taught in the Vimalakirti Sutra. This illustrates that the karmic seeds projected by the Buddha, who participates in manifesting the world, are supremely auspicious. Consequently, the external manifestations (bāhya-pratyaya) and internal manifestations (adhyātmika-pratyaya) he attracts differ vastly from those of sentient beings. It is akin to a joint-stock company: different shares yield different benefits.

For the Buddha, the external manifestations and internal manifestations are completely consistent. The Saha World perceived by the Buddha is identical to the Pure Land. Therefore, the external manifestations of the Saha World that the Buddha encounters are also that beautiful and majestic. Similarly, dwelling within the Saha World, dust never adheres to the Buddha's robes, nor does it adhere to his body or skin. Dust symbolizes the ignorance of the mind. Since the Buddha has no ignorance, he does not attract any dust.

Only sentient beings possessing subtle sense faculties (indriya) have internal manifestations. Without subtle sense faculties, there are no internal manifestations. Only those with physical eyes but no supernatural powers can discern internal manifestations. Those with the divine eye and supernatural powers do not necessarily need to discern internal manifestations. Beings whose six sense faculties are interchangeable do not need to discern internal manifestations. Arhats with complete liberation (ubhayatobhāga-vimukta) and great bodhisattvas of the eighth ground (bhūmi), when discerning the objects of the six senses (vishaya), do not need to use the six consciousnesses (vijñāna) for discernment. Instead, they directly discern using the mental faculty (manas), and what they discern is not the internal manifestation. Formless realm (ārūpya-dhātu) devas have no physical body, hence no subtle sense faculties and no internal objects of the six senses. When they discern mental objects (dharma), they are not discerning internal mental objects.