Section Three: The Analogy of Yajnadatta Demonstrating That Delusion Has No Cause

I. Original Text: Purna said: "The precious, perfectly enlightened, wondrously bright, true, and pure mind is equally complete and perfect in both myself and the Tathagata. Yet, I have long been bound by beginningless delusional thoughts, wandering in the cycle of rebirth. Though I have now attained the noble vehicle, it is still not ultimate. World-Honored One, when all delusions are completely extinguished, only the wondrous, true, and eternal remains. I dare to ask the Tathagata: why do all sentient beings have delusions that obscure their wondrous brightness, causing them to sink and drown in suffering?"

Explanation: Purna said that both he and the Tathagata originally possessed the same supremely precious, wondrously bright true mind, complete with all dharmas, subtle, pure, and unconditioned—nothing is more perfect or wondrous than this. The Buddha has fully realized it, leaving nothing incomplete, unfulfilled, confused, or false. Yet, I (Purna) have been trapped in delusional thinking since time immemorial, ceaselessly cycling through rebirth. Now, though I have attained the fruit of sainthood, it is not ultimate—merely liberation from birth and death on the lesser vehicle, not yet having entered the path of the greater vehicle.

World-Honored One, when all kinds of delusions are extinguished through cultivation, only the complete, wondrously bright true mind remains, eternally abiding and unchanging. Then I must ask you, World-Honored One, why do all sentient beings have so many delusions that obscure their own wondrously bright true mind, causing them to sink and suffer endlessly?

Original Text: The Buddha told Purna: "Though you have resolved your doubts, some confusion remains unextinguished. I will now question you using phenomena present in the world. Have you not heard? In the city of Shravasti, there was Yajnadatta. One morning, he suddenly looked at his face in a mirror. Enamored by the head he saw in the mirror, whose eyebrows and eyes were visible, he angrily blamed his own head, asking why it had no face. Believing himself to be a demon, not a normal person, he ran about wildly without reason. What do you think? Why did this person run about wildly without cause?" Purna said: "This man’s mind was deranged. There was no other reason."

Explanation: The World-Honored One told Purna that although he had resolved his doubts, a trace of confusion remained unsevered. "I now ask you using phenomena present in the world: Have you not heard? In the city of Shravasti, there was a man named Yajnadatta. One morning, he suddenly looked at his face in a mirror. Enamored by the head he saw in the mirror, whose eyebrows and eyes were visible, he angrily blamed his own head, asking why it had no face. Believing himself to be a demon, not a normal person, he ran about wildly without reason. Purna, what do you think about this? Why did this person run about wildly without cause?" Purna said, "This man’s mind was deranged. There was no other reason."

Original Text: The Buddha said: "The wondrous enlightened nature is originally pure, clear, and perfect; originally perfect, bright, and wondrous. Since you call delusion false, how can it have a cause? If it had a cause, how could it be called delusion? Sentient beings have had delusions since beginningless time. Taking these delusions as causes, they give rise to new delusions in turn. Accumulating delusion upon delusion, they pass through kalpas as numerous as dust motes, constantly confused and inverted.

Though the Buddha has continuously expounded the fundamental wondrous enlightenment, sentient beings still cannot return to their inherent nature. What cause is there for such confusion? Confusion exists because of confusion itself; there is no other cause. Realize that confusion has no cause, that delusion has no basis, no origin. Delusion was never born to begin with—so what is there to extinguish?"

Explanation: The Buddha said: The fundamental wondrous enlightened nature is originally pure, clear, and perfect; originally perfect, bright, and wondrous. Then you call delusion false—how can falsehood have a cause? If it had a cause, how could it be called false? Sentient beings have had delusions since beginningless kalpas. Taking these delusions as causes, they give rise to new delusions in turn, accumulating new confusion from old confusion, passing through kalpas as numerous as dust motes, constantly abiding in confusion and inversion.

Though the Buddha has continuously revealed and expounded the fundamental wondrous bright enlightenment, sentient beings still cannot return to their self-nature. What cause is there for such confusion? Confusion exists because of confusion itself; there is no other cause. Recognizing that confusion has no cause, delusion also has nothing to rely on, no cause—delusion was never born to begin with. So what is there to extinguish?

II. Original Text: "Those who attain Bodhi are like a person awake describing events in a dream. Though their mind is utterly clear and bright, what cause or condition would make them grasp at dream objects? Moreover, since there is no cause [for the dream], they are fundamentally nonexistent. Like Yajnadatta in that city—what cause or condition made him run about in terror of losing his head? If his madness suddenly ceases, he realizes his head was never obtained from outside. Even if his madness had not ceased, what had he lost?

Explanation: Those who have attained Bodhi and returned to the fundamental source are like a person who, after waking, recounts events from a dream. Their mind is already clear, awake, and bright. What cause or condition would make them grasp and cling to the people and things in the dream? What reason is there to refuse letting go of dream objects? Besides, delusion has no cause for arising; delusion is fundamentally nonexistent, never having existed to begin with. Like Yajnadatta in that city—what cause was there for him to run about wildly in terror of having no head? If he suddenly ceases his madness, he knows he originally had a head and need not seek it outside. Even if he had not ceased his madness, his head was never lost!

Original Text: "Purna, such is the nature of delusion. Where does it abide? Simply do not follow the discriminations of the world, karmic retribution, and sentient beings—these three kinds of continuity. When the three conditions are severed, the three causes do not arise. Then, the madness of Yajnadatta in your mind will cease of itself. When it ceases, that is Bodhi. The supreme pure bright mind is originally pervasive throughout the Dharma Realm. It is not obtained from others. Why toil laboriously, striving to cultivate and realize it?

Explanation: The Buddha said: Purna, such is the nature of delusion. What cause could make it exist? There is no cause. You need only refrain from following your discriminating delusions, refrain from taking discriminating delusions as real. Then the conditions for the three kinds of continuity—the worldly realm of the three realms, karmic retribution, and the five aggregates of sentient beings—will be severed, delusions will cease, and falsehood will vanish. The false appearances of the three realms’ world, karmic retribution, and sentient beings will all cease to exist, leaving only the true reality. Thus, the madness of Yajnadatta in your mind will naturally cease, and ignorance will be extinguished. What remains unceasing is the Bodhi-mind. This supreme, pure, wondrously bright fundamental mind is originally pervasive throughout the Dharma Realm; it inherently exists, not obtained from any person. Why exhaust yourself with arduous toil, striving to seek it externally?

Original Text: "For example, a man had a wish-fulfilling pearl tied within his robe but was unaware of it. Impoverished, he wandered destitute in other regions, begging for food. Though truly poor, the pearl was never lost. Suddenly, a wise man pointed out the pearl to him. His wishes were then fulfilled according to his heart, and he attained great wealth. Only then did he realize the divine pearl was not obtained from outside."

Explanation: It is like a man who had a wish-fulfilling pearl tied within his robe but forgot about it. Having no wealth to enjoy, he wandered destitute to other regions, living a life of begging. Though this man was poor, the pearl was never lost. Suddenly, a wise man told him, "You have a wish-fulfilling pearl in your robe at such-and-such place." He then found the pearl, took it out, and enjoyed it, henceforth living a wealthy life according to his wishes. Thereafter, he realized this divine pearl was not obtained from outside but was his own inherent family treasure.

III. Original Text: At that time, Ananda, amidst the great assembly, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, rose, and addressed the Buddha: "World-Honored One, you now speak of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct. When the three conditions are severed, the three causes do not arise. Then the madness of Yajnadatta in the mind naturally ceases. When it ceases, that is Bodhi—not obtained from others. This principle of cause and condition is clearly evident. Why does the Tathagata now abruptly reject cause and condition? It was through cause and condition that my mind attained awakening."

Explanation: At that time, Ananda rose amidst the great assembly, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, you now speak of the karmic actions of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct. If the three conditions that induce killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct are severed, and the three causes that produce them do not arise, then the madness of Yajnadatta in the minds of sentient beings will naturally cease. The mind that remains after it ceases is the Bodhi-mind, and this Bodhi-mind is not obtained from others. Yet this cause and condition are extremely clear and evident. Why, Tathagata, do you suddenly negate cause and condition, saying it is not born from cause and condition? It was precisely through this cause and condition that my mind attained awakening."

Original Text: "World-Honored One, this principle does not apply only to us young, still-learning śrāvakas. In this assembly now, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Śāriputra, Subhūti, and others—after hearing the Buddha expound the principle of cause and condition while they were elder Brahmins—awakened their minds, attained realization, and achieved the state of no-outflows (Arhatship). Now you say Bodhi is not born from cause and condition. Then the doctrine of spontaneity taught by the outsiders like the Kaushika in Rājagṛha would become the supreme truth. We beseech you, out of great compassion, to resolve our confusion."

Explanation: World-Honored One, the principle of conditioned arising does not apply only to us young śrāvakas who are still learning. In this great assembly now, great Arhats like Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Śāriputra, Subhūti, and others—all heard the Buddha expound the Dharma of conditioned arising while they were elder Brahmins, and their minds attained awakening, ultimately accomplishing the state of no-outflows (Arhatship). Now you say Bodhi is not born from cause and condition. Then the doctrine of spontaneity taught by outsiders like the Kaushika in Rājagṛha would become the supreme truth. We implore you, out of great compassion, to resolve the confusion in our minds.

Here, Ananda misunderstood the Buddha’s teaching on the meaning of Bodhi. He thought the Buddha was still speaking of the lesser vehicle’s Bodhi born from causes and conditions, not realizing the true, inherently complete, wondrously bright, great Bodhi-mind of the Tathāgata-garbha. The Tathāgata-garbha is neither born nor extinguished—how could it be a dharma born from causes and conditions? It is neither caused nor conditioned, nor is it spontaneous—this is the Tathāgata-garbha.

IV. Original Text: The Buddha told Ananda: "Take Yajnadatta in the city. If the cause and condition for his madness were eliminated, then his non-mad nature would naturally manifest. The principles of cause-and-condition and spontaneity are exhausted at this point. Ananda, Yajnadatta’s head was originally spontaneous, originally so—there was no ‘spontaneity’ apart from itself. Then what cause or condition made him run about wildly in terror of losing his head?

Explanation: The Buddha told Ananda: "Take Yajnadatta in the city of Rājagṛha. If the cause and condition for his madness were eliminated, then his non-mad nature would naturally manifest. The principles of conditionedness and spontaneity are exhausted at this point. Ananda, Yajnadatta’s head was originally spontaneously existent, originally so—there was no ‘spontaneity’ apart from itself. What cause or condition made him run about wildly in terror of losing his head?

Original Text: "If the spontaneous head became mad due to causes and conditions, why did it not also, spontaneously, lose itself due to causes and conditions? The original head was never lost; the madness and terror were falsely produced. Yet the head never changed—what use is cause and condition [to explain it]?

"If madness is fundamentally spontaneous, if terror was originally present, then when madness had not yet arisen, where was the madness latent? If non-madness is spontaneous, then the head fundamentally exists and is not false—why did he run about wildly, contradicting the spontaneous nature of non-madness? If one realizes the original head, one knows that running about wildly is neither due to cause and condition nor spontaneity. Both cause-and-condition and spontaneity are speculative theories, for they are both conditioned, arising-and-ceasing dharmas, not the fundamentally existent dharma."

Explanation: If the spontaneously existing head became mad due to causes and conditions, why didn’t it also spontaneously lose itself due to causes and conditions? The originally existing head is never lost; the madness and fear arose falsely from the idea that his head was lost. But no matter what, his head never changed, never was lost. How then could cause and condition be used to explain its presence or absence?

If madness is said to be fundamentally spontaneous, existing from the beginning, then when the state of madness had not yet manifested, where was the madness hidden? If non-madness is spontaneous, then the head fundamentally exists and is not false—why did he run about wildly, contradicting the spontaneous nature of non-madness? If one realizes the originally existing head, one knows that running about wildly is neither due to cause and condition nor spontaneity—both cause-and-condition and spontaneity are speculative theories, because they belong to the realm of arising-and-ceasing dharmas, not the fundamentally existent dharma.

Original Text: "Therefore, I say: when the three conditions are severed, that is the Bodhi-mind. When the Bodhi-mind arises, the arising-and-ceasing mind ceases. But this is still within arising and ceasing. Only when both arising and ceasing are exhausted is it the effortless path.

"If there is spontaneity, then it would be clear that a spontaneous mind has arisen and the arising-and-ceasing mind has ceased. But this too is within arising and ceasing. Only that which has no arising and ceasing can be called spontaneous. Just as in the world, when various characteristics mix to form a single entity, it is called a composite nature. That which is not composite is called the fundamental nature. The fundamental nature is not ‘spontaneous’; the composite is not truly ‘combined.’ Transcending both ‘combined’ and ‘spontaneous,’ beyond ‘separation’ and ‘union’—this expression points to the dharma free from speculative theories."

Explanation: Therefore, I said that when the three conditions of continuity are severed, the remaining Bodhi-mind, the Tathāgata-garbha, manifests. The Bodhi-mind arises, and the arising-and-ceasing mind ceases. But this is still within arising and ceasing. Only when the phenomena of ceasing and arising are both extinguished is it the path of effortless function, naturally unfolding.

If there is spontaneity, it would mean a spontaneous mind has arisen, and the arising-and-ceasing mind has ceased. But this is still within arising and ceasing. Only that which has no arising and ceasing can be called spontaneous. Just as in the world, when various characteristics mix to form a single entity, it is called a composite nature. That which is not composite is called the fundamental nature, the originally existent dharma. The originally existent dharma is not the nature of spontaneity; the composite dharma is not a true union. Transcending both ‘composite’ and ‘spontaneous,’ beyond ‘separation’ and ‘union’—this expression points to the dharma free from speculative theories, for it points to that fundamentally existent dharma which is neither conditioned nor spontaneous, neither composite nor separable.

V. Original Text: "Bodhi and Nirvāṇa are still far off for you. You must pass through many kalpas of diligent cultivation to realize them. Though you memorize and uphold the twelve divisions of the scriptures of the Tathāgatas of the ten directions, the pure and wondrous principles as numerous as the Ganges’ sands, they only increase speculative theories. Though you discuss cause-and-condition and spontaneity with decisive clarity, and people in the world call you ‘Foremost in Learning,’ yet, due to kalpas of accumulated learning and habituation, you could not avoid the trouble with Matangi. Why did you need to wait for my Buddha’s Summit Spirit-Spell to instantly extinguish the fire of lust in Matangi’s mind, enabling her to attain the stage of Anāgāmin, becoming a forest of vigor in my Dharma, drying up the river of love, and thereby freeing you?"

Explanation: The attainment of Bodhi and Nirvāṇa is still far off for you; you must pass through many kalpas of diligent cultivation to accomplish it. Though you are able to remember the twelve divisions of the scriptures of the Tathāgatas of the ten directions, the pure and wondrous principles as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, they are only speculative theories. Though you yourself are extremely clear about the Dharma of conditioned arising and the Dharma of spontaneity, and people in the world call you ‘Foremost in Learning,’ yet, due to kalpas of accumulated learning and habituation with the Buddha-Dharma, you could not avoid the trouble with Matangi, still needing to wait for me to use the power of the Buddha’s Summit Spirit-Spell (Śūraṅgama Mantra) to instantly extinguish Matangi’s lustful mind, enabling her to attain the third fruit, Anāgāmin, to diligently practice within my Dharma, and for the river of love to thoroughly dry up, only then freeing you.

In this passage, the World-Honored One sternly reprimands Ananda for merely being learned without genuine cultivation, thus lacking spiritual power. When encountering Matangi, he was trapped and needed the World-Honored One to rescue him. Matangi’s lustful mind ceased upon hearing the Śūraṅgama Mantra, and she became a third-stage saint, eliminating all lustful desire, no longer clinging to Ananda. Only then was Ananda liberated—truly not easy. The clinging and desire accumulated since beginningless time is extremely solid and difficult to eliminate; only with the Buddha’s power can it be removed.

Original Text: "Therefore, Ananda, though you have passed through kalpas memorizing the Tathāgata’s secret, wondrous, and majestic [teachings], it is not equal to a single day of cultivating the outflow-free karma, far removed from the two sufferings of hatred and love in the world. Take Matangi: in the past, she was a courtesan. Due to the spirit-spell’s power, her lustful desire was eliminated. In the Dharma, she is now named Bhikṣuṇī Nature. Together with Yaśodharā, Rāhula’s mother, she awakened to past causes, knowing that throughout lifetimes, greed and love are suffering. Through a single thought of cultivating the outflow-free goodness, one may either become liberated from bondage or receive a prediction [of Buddhahood]. How can you deceive yourself, still lingering in mere observation and listening?"

Explanation: Therefore, Ananda, though you have passed through kalpas always able to remember the Tathāgata’s secret, subtle principles of cultivation and realization, it is not equal to cultivating the outflow-free Dharma for a single day, thereby being far removed from the two sufferings of hatred and love in the world. Take Matangi, for example: her past lives were all as a courtesan. Due to the empowering spiritual power of my Śūraṅgama Mantra, her lustful desire was eliminated. She left home to cultivate the path under me and was given the name Bhikṣuṇī Nature. Together with Yaśodharā, Rāhula’s mother, they mutually awakened to causes from past lives, knowing the various causes throughout kalpas, understanding that clinging and desire are indeed suffering. Through a single thought cultivating outflow-free wholesome dharmas, one (Matangi) attained liberation from the bondage of clinging and desire, and the other (Yaśodharā) received a prediction of Buddhahood. But you, Ananda, how can you deceive yourself, still lingering at the stage of merely hearing and learning the Buddha-Dharma, not hastening to engage in actual cultivation?

This passage continues the reprimand and urging for Ananda to hasten actual cultivation, not to remain satisfied with mere learning. Practitioners in the Dharma-Ending Age now are even worse than Ananda, content with lip-service, taking intellectual understanding as actual realization, deceiving themselves and others. They are not even one-hundredth, one-thousandth, or one-ten-thousandth of Ananda. This passage in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra precisely points out the pain point of practitioners: remaining only at the level of intellectual learning with the conscious mind, not truly cultivating according to the Dharma. If the mental faculty (manas) is not cultivated, no amount of cultivation with the conscious mind can bring liberation. The phenomena in the Dharma-Ending Age are far more severe than this; the most prominent example is mistaking the conscious mind’s learned habituation for actual realization—a grave misunderstanding, without self-reflection. When death comes, regret will be too late.