The Black Box World (Part 51)

All phenomena in the mundane world are illusory appearances manifested by the Tathagatagarbha, yet these illusory appearances possess their own functions. Skillfully utilizing these appearances leads to the attainment of true bodhi. We cannot, upon hearing that all appearances are illusory, simply reject them all outright. Setting aside whether we even possess the capability to eradicate illusory appearances, if all illusory appearances were indeed eliminated, how could the true reality of bodhi be practiced? Bodhisattvas cultivating the path should skillfully utilize illusory appearances to perfect all merits and virtues, transforming the defiled into the beautiful and the evil into the pure. Some feel dissatisfied with the mundane dharmas, finding their environment severely obstructing, and thus wish to abandon and eliminate all mundane phenomena to attain purity. However, these mundane dharmas correspond to one's own karmic seeds. Only by transforming karma and changing the mind can everything surrounding oneself become agreeable and satisfactory.

When cultivation reaches a certain level, mundane dharmas no longer obstruct or affect oneself. Gradually, the mind becomes liberated from the bondage of these illusory appearances. Through effective cultivation, we can also transform these illusory appearances of the six dusts, turning evil into good, ugliness into beauty, and the undesirable into the desirable. When the mind changes, both the internal and external aspects simultaneously transform. Because the mind-ground changes, the karmic seeds change, and the aspects can accordingly be altered. The internal and external aspects of the six dusts can be completely transformed. With sufficient mental power, turning stone into gold is not difficult. Great Bodhisattvas with samadhi can manifest myriad transformations, turning the earth into gold or lapis lazuli. Even Eighth Ground Bodhisattvas can manifest a trichiliocosm to benefit and bring joy to sentient beings. Cultivating until the mind is vast and mental power is potent enables one to alter the proportional structure of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, and wind). When the proportions of the four elements change, the structure of matter changes; when the structure changes, the attributes of matter change. Thus, white snow can be transformed into white sugar, and dust can become gold powder. Cultivating to a certain stage, transforming the internal and external aspects of all dharmas is not difficult.