Shurangama Sutra, Volume Three: The Unreality of the Water Element

Original: Ananda, the nature of water is unstable; its flowing and ceasing are impermanent. For example, in the city of Shravasti, the Kapila rishi, the Chakra rishi, the Padma Mahasattva, and other great masters of illusion sought the essence of the lunar yin to concoct illusion-inducing elixirs. These masters, on the bright moonlit night before the full moon, held square water-crystals in their hands to receive the water descending from the moon. Now, is this water produced from the crystal, does it spontaneously exist in the empty space, or does it come from the moon? Ananda, if it comes from the moon, since the moon can cause water to emerge from the crystal from such a great distance, then all the trees and woods the moonlight passes through should also flow with water. If they flowed, why would one need to wait for the water to emerge from the square crystal? If they do not flow, it is clear that the water does not descend from the moon.

Explanation: Ananda, the nature of water is unstable; its flowing and ceasing are impermanent. For instance, within the city of Shravasti, great illusionists like the Kapila rishi, the Chakra rishi, and Padma Mahasattva sought the essence of the lunar yin (the moon's essence) to use in making illusion-inducing elixirs. On the bright moonlit night before the full moon (during the waxing phase), these illusionists held water-receiving vessels in their hands to catch the water descending from the moon. Is this water generated from the vessel, does it inherently exist in the void, or does it come from the moon? Ananda, if the water comes from the moon, the moon, being able to cause water to emerge from the vessel from such a distant sky, should cause all the trees and woods the moonlight passes through to also flow with water. If they flowed with water, why would one need to wait for the square water-crystal vessel to produce it? If the trees and woods show no flowing water, it demonstrates that the water does not descend from the moon.

Original: If it comes from the crystal, then this crystal should constantly flow with water. Why wait until midnight to receive it on the bright moonlit night? If it arises from space, the nature of space is boundless; the water should likewise be limitless. Then, from humans up to the heavens, all should be flooded and drowned. How then could there still be beings traversing the water, land, and sky? Observe carefully: the moonlight traverses from the heavens, the crystal is held by the hand, the water-receiving plate is set out by the person. From where does the water flow and pour into this plate? The moon and the crystal are far apart; they neither blend nor unite. It cannot be that the water-essence arises spontaneously without any source.

Explanation: If the water is generated from the square crystal, then this square crystal should constantly flow with water; why wait until midnight to receive the water descending from the moon before the full moon? If the water arises from space, the void is boundless and limitless; the water flowing out should likewise be boundless and limitless. Then, from the human realm up to the heavens, all should be flooded with surging water and drowned. How then could beings still move about in water, on land, and through the air? Observe carefully once more: the moonlight traverses from the heavens, the crystal is held by a hand, the water-receiving plate is set out by the person himself. From what direction does the water flow and pour into this plate? The moon and the crystal are extremely far apart; they cannot blend or unite. It should not be that the water-essence arises spontaneously without any origin.

Original: You still do not know that within the Tathagatagarbha, the nature of water is true emptiness, and the nature of emptiness is true water. Both are fundamentally pure and pervasive throughout the Dharma-realm. According to the minds of sentient beings, in response to their perceived capacities, when one holds a crystal in one place, water emerges in that one place; if crystals are held throughout the Dharma-realm, water fills the entire Dharma-realm as it arises. Being born and filling the entire world, how could it have a fixed direction or location? It manifests according to karma. The ignorant people of the world, deluded, regard it as arising from causes and conditions or as a spontaneous nature. These are all discriminations and calculations of the conceptual mind. Whatever is spoken of thus has no real meaning.

Explanation: You still do not know that within the Tathagatagarbha (the Womb of the Thus-Come One), the nature of water is true emptiness, and the nature of emptiness is true water. Both are fundamentally pure and pervasively present throughout the entire Dharma-realm (cosmos). The nature of water follows the minds of sentient beings, manifesting in response to the measure of their perception. When one holds a water-crystal in one place, water emerges in that one place; if water-crystals are held throughout the Dharma-realm, water fills the entire Dharma-realm as it arises. Being born and filling the entire world, how could it have a fixed direction or location? It manifests according to the karma of sentient beings. Ignorant people of the world, deluded, mistakenly consider it to arise from causes and conditions or to possess a spontaneous nature. These are all the discriminations and calculations of the conceptual, discriminating mind. Whatever is spoken of in such terms has no real meaning.