The Dharma of dependent arising is an unreliable dharma

Dependent origination (paratantra) refers to dharmas that can only arise by relying on other dharmas. "He" and "other" are the conditions for a dharma's arising. Therefore, what is dependently originated is a conditioned dharma, a dharma produced by causes and conditions. Apart from the conditions it relies upon, it does not exist. When the conditions change, the dharma changes accordingly; when the conditions cease, the dharma ceases accordingly. Therefore, dependently originated conditioned dharmas are illusory and unreal dharmas, false dharmas, empty, subject to arising, ceasing, and change.

Conditioned dharmas include the five sense faculties, the six sense objects, and the six consciousnesses. The eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body are conditioned dharmas; they rely on numerous conditions in order to arise, exist, and develop and change. They are unreliable dharmas, and therefore we cannot rely on them completely, nor can we always rely on them. When one cultivates to a certain point and no longer relies on them at all, the mind becomes empty, and there will be great liberation. The six sense objects are conditioned dharmas, arising, existing, and developing and changing in reliance on numerous conditions; therefore the six sense objects are unreliable and cannot be relied upon. We should gradually free ourselves from dependence on the six sense objects, reducing our craving and attachment to them. When one cultivates to a certain point and no longer relies on the six sense objects at all, the mind becomes empty—that is great liberation. What dharma do we rely upon in order to have some dependence on the six sense objects? Grasping the six sense objects requires the six consciousnesses; after the six consciousnesses discriminate the six sense objects, there arises some dependence on them. What dharma grasps the six sense objects and requires the six consciousnesses? It is the manas that grasps the six sense objects, and then the six consciousnesses are produced; the six consciousnesses are used to take up the six sense objects, and the manas then grasps the six sense objects again, and grasps again the functions of the six consciousnesses. Thus the cycle of birth and death continues unceasingly. The mind that grasps is the manas, which uses the six consciousnesses as tools to take up [the objects]; in fact, it is still the manas that does the taking. The six consciousnesses are also conditioned dharmas, arising, existing, and developing and changing in reliance on numerous conditions; they are unreliable dharmas, dharmas that cannot be relied upon. Therefore we should gradually distance ourselves from the six consciousnesses and reduce our dependence on them. When one cultivates to a certain point and no longer relies on the six consciousnesses at all, the mind becomes empty, and we will attain great liberation.

To whom are all these truths spoken? They are spoken to ourselves. Who do "we" refer to? Who does "ourselves" refer to? Both refer to the manas. The six consciousnesses are messenger troops, responsible for conveying this information to the manas for it to know; whether to go one way or another is decided by the manas, which makes the decision. If this information remains only with the six consciousnesses and is not conveyed to the master, the manas, then this information is of no use; it cannot influence or change the master's intentions and choices, and everything will remain as before, with the cycle of birth and death continuing endlessly.

How can these truths and this information be conveyed to the manas? Cultivate meditative concentration (samādhi); contemplate and practice contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) within dhyāna. The deeper the meditative concentration, the better the effect of the transmission, and the more the manas can absorb and digest this information, and the more it can change its intentions. Then all ignorance and grasping will vanish completely, and one will be liberated from all dharmas, with no more suffering of birth and death.