Chapter 9  The Section on Arising from the Dharma, Part Eight

Original Text: Subhuti, what do you think? If a person filled the three thousandfold world system with the seven treasures and used them for almsgiving, would the merit attained by this person not be immense? Subhuti replied: Very immense, World-Honored One. Why is this? Because this merit is not the nature of merit itself. Therefore, the Tathagata speaks of it as great merit. If, moreover, there is a person who receives, upholds, even a four-line verse from this sutra, and expounds it to others, the merit of this person surpasses that of the former. Why is this? Subhuti, all Buddhas and the Dharma of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi of all Buddhas arise from this sutra. Subhuti, what is called the Buddha Dharma is not the Buddha Dharma.

Explanation: Subhuti, what do you think? If a person were to take the seven treasures filling the three thousandfold world system and use them for almsgiving, would the merit attained by this person not be immense? Subhuti said: Very immense, World-Honored One. Why is this said? Because this almsgiving yields merit, not the nature of merit. The nature of merit has no distinction of much or little; therefore, the Tathagata speaks of it as great merit. The Buddha said that if there is a person who receives and upholds even a four-line verse from this Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra and expounds it to others, the merit attained would be far more superior than that of giving the seven treasures. Why is this said? Subhuti, all Buddhas and the Dharma by which all Buddhas attain Buddhahood arise from this sutra (the vajra mind). Subhuti, what is called the Buddha Dharma is not an intrinsically real Dharma; it is merely provisionally named the Buddha Dharma.

The seven treasures of the three thousandfold world system include the seven treasures of the human world on the Earth of Jambudvipa, the seven treasures of Uttarakuru, Aparagodaniya, and Purvavideha, the seven treasures of the dragon palaces of the four great seas, the seven treasures of the seven golden mountains, the seven treasures of Mount Sumeru, the seven treasures of the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, the seven treasures of Trayastrimsa Heaven, the seven treasures of Yama Heaven, the seven treasures of Tusita Heaven, the seven treasures of Nirmanarati Heaven, the seven treasures of Paranirmitavasavartin Heaven, and the seven treasures of the eighteen heavens of the form realm. A single three thousandfold world system contains billions of the four continents, billions of the four great seas, billions of the seven golden mountains, billions of Mount Sumerus, billions of the Heavens of the Four Heavenly Kings, billions of Trayastrimsa Heavens, billions of Yama Heavens, billions of Tusita Heavens, billions of Nirmanarati Heavens, billions of Paranirmitavasavartin Heavens, billions of heavens of the first dhyana, a million heavens of the second dhyana, a thousand heavens of the third dhyana, plus the heavens of the fourth dhyana, the five heavens of the Pure Abodes, the four heavens of the formless realm, and the four heavens of the formless realm.

The seven treasures of so many celestial bodies, mountains, and seas are incalculable. If they were all given away, the merit would be even more incalculable. However, this act of giving material treasures is a conditioned phenomenon, subject to arising and ceasing, and thus is a measurable phenomenon that can be exhausted, consumed, and fully enjoyed. Serving as a heavenly lord in several heavens of the desire realm, dwelling in heavenly palaces, enjoying pleasures with heavenly sons and maidens for several or dozens of lifetimes, the merit will eventually be exhausted. Afterward, one becomes a destitute being devoid of merit, with a high likelihood of falling into the three evil destinies. Yet, there is unconditioned merit that can never be exhausted or diminished; that is the nature of merit inherent in the Tathagatagarbha.

The Tathagatagarbha contains the seeds of the four elements: earth, water, fire, and wind. These four elements combine in various proportions to form the seven treasures, a hundred treasures, and countless jewels. The seven treasures of the three thousandfold world system, the seven golden mountains, Mount Sumeru, the four great seas, heavenly palaces, the entire three thousandfold world system, and all the Buddha lands in the ten directions all arise from the Tathagatagarbha of sentient beings. The physical bodies of all sentient beings, the physical bodies of sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas, and the physical bodies of Buddhas all arise from their respective Tathagatagarbhas. The merit of the Tathagatagarbha is immeasurable and incalculable; the merit it bestows upon sentient beings is boundless and infinite, beyond reckoning. Conditioned merit can be calculated and is said to be great and vast, but the unconditioned nature of merit of the Tathagatagarbha cannot be calculated and cannot be expressed or analogized as "much" or "great." However much it is, it is little; however vast it is, it is small. As long as it has quantity, it is small. That which is immeasurable and inexpressible is the greatest and most vast. Therefore, unconditioned merit is far superior to conditioned merit.

Then, how does one cultivate this unconditioned merit? The Buddha said that if a person can study the Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra, receive its true meaning, and after realizing the vajra mind, expound it to others, even if only able to teach a single four-line verse from the sutra, the merit attained would far surpass that of giving the seven treasures. The Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra expounds the nature of the Tathagatagarbha, which is as indestructible as a vajra. The Tathagatagarbha possesses the true nature of being unconditioned, non-abiding, signless, unborn, and unceasing. Realizing it, one attains the fundamental non-discriminating wisdom. Then, by contemplating the various merits of the Tathagatagarbha, one attains discerning wisdom, or subsequent wisdom. Wisdom gradually deepens and sharpens, merit gradually increases, and then by studying the seeds contained within the Tathagatagarbha, upon attaining a portion of the wisdom of the path, one enters the first bhumi and becomes a noble sage.

The more one studies the functional seeds of the Tathagatagarbha, the broader and deeper one's wisdom becomes. Upon reaching the eighth bhumi, without deliberate effort, one can directly and swiftly manifest all necessary materials—mountains, rivers, lands, gold, silver, jewels, etc.—and can even manifest a three thousandfold world system Buddha land, as well as initiate immeasurable supernatural powers and samadhis to benefit sentient beings. The higher one ascends in practice, the deeper the wisdom, the greater the virtue and power, the more numerous the emanations, and the more sentient beings are liberated. After attaining Buddhahood, wisdom is boundless and merit is immeasurable. All of this is initiated based solely on the realization of the Tathagatagarbha. All virtues, functions, supernatural powers, and samadhis arise from the Tathagatagarbha. Without realization, there is no merit, benefit, great wisdom, or great merit.

The Buddha told Subhuti: Why is the merit of realizing this and then expounding it to others superior to that of giving the seven treasures? Because all Buddhas and the Dharma spoken by all Buddhas arise from this vajra mind, the Tathagatagarbha. Based on the realization of the Tathagatagarbha, one studies the functional seeds of the Tathagatagarbha, and from then on gradually attains Buddhahood and perfects bodhi. The seeds of wholesome dharmas cultivated by all Buddhas over three asamkhyeya kalpas are stored within their own Tathagatagarbha, and ignorance is extinguished. All Buddhas attained Buddhahood precisely because they realized the Tathagatagarbha. Then, for the sake of sentient beings, they expound all dharmas for attaining Buddhahood, and the dharmas spoken also flow forth from the Tathagatagarbha within the Buddhas' own minds.

The Buddha said to Subhuti: What is called the Buddha Dharma is not the Buddha Dharma. This statement directly addresses the theme and becomes the central sentence of this section. All dharmas for attaining Buddhahood spoken by the Buddha are called the Buddha Dharma; it is a human designation for the dharmas spoken by the Buddha. However, the dharmas spoken by the Buddha are the Dharma seeds cultivated and preserved within the Buddha's Tathagatagarbha, expressed through various conditions. These Dharma seeds were stored later; they are formed subsequently, not the original Dharma. After the Buddha expounds them, they become conditioned dharmas, not fixed dharmas that originally existed. Since they are not originally existing, fixed dharmas, they are not the Buddha Dharma in the true sense.

The Buddha Dharma in the true sense is originally existing, eternal and unchanging, unborn and unceasing, not conditioned, originally thus, spontaneously thus—the Tathagatagarbha, the amalavijnana (undefiled consciousness), Tathata (suchness), the supreme truth, the eighth consciousness, the vipaka-vijnana (maturation consciousness), the great mirror wisdom. All others are merely human designations, provisionally called the Buddha Dharma. In summary, within both worldly and transcendental dharmas, only the single Dharma of Tathata is the true Dharma, the Dharma in the true sense, the original Dharma, the Dharma of true reality. All others are subsequently arisen, conditioned formations, dharmas subject to arising and ceasing, and are not dharmas of true reality.

The Characteristics of the Buddha Dharma Must Also Be Dispelled

All Buddhas and all dharmas for attaining Buddhahood arise from the vajra mind. Therefore, the Dharma that sentient beings call the Buddha Dharma is also not the Buddha Dharma (it is merely called the Buddha Dharma). First, Buddhas are Buddhas attained later. Their five skandhas bodies with the thirty-two marks are born and manifested by their own amalavijnana. The wisdom of equality, the wisdom of wonderful observation, and the wisdom of accomplishing what is to be done are manifested by their own amalavijnana. The amalavijnana, moment by moment, uses the seeds of the seven great elements to produce and sustain the five skandhas and seven consciousnesses of the Buddha, enabling the Buddhas to exist presently. The dharmas for attaining Buddhahood are dharmas that were originally non-existent and subsequently came into being; they are experiential dharmas accumulated and summarized by the Buddhas over three immeasurable kalpas of practice. They are conditioned dharmas, not fixed dharmas, and are also produced and sustained by the Buddha's amalavijnana.

Therefore, what sentient beings call the Buddha Dharma is not an originally existing Dharma, not a true unborn and unceasing Dharma; it is merely subsequently named the Buddha Dharma, provisionally called the Buddha Dharma. Although the Buddha Dharma is empty of inherent existence, it is also not non-Dharma, because these dharmas, after all, have the function of attaining Buddhahood and exist in the phenomenal world; they are not dharmas that are empty and unseen.

After dispelling the characteristics of all Buddhas and the dharmas for attaining Buddhahood, apart from the vajra mind and the true suchness of Buddha-nature, what Dharma remains that is truly existent, immutable, and indestructible? There is none. If even the most supreme Dharma characteristics can be dispelled, then there are no Dharma characteristics in the world that cannot be dispelled. Thus, the world is truly empty and desolate, not worthy of sentient beings' pursuit or grasping. Let all beings rest their minds, cease their striving, and refrain from vain actions, because no matter what actions are performed, they are illusory and of no real use.