Volume III: The Great Śūnyatā and Its Illusory Nature

Original Text: Ananda, emptiness has no form; it manifests through material phenomena. For instance, in the city of Shravasti, far from the river, when Kshatriyas, Brahmins, Vaishyas, Shudras, as well as the Pulkasas, Chandalas, and others establish new settlements and dig wells seeking water, as one foot of earth is removed, one foot of emptiness appears within. Similarly, when ten feet of earth is excavated, ten feet of emptiness is obtained. The depth of emptiness corresponds to the amount of earth removed. Is this emptiness produced by the earth, created by the digging, or does it arise spontaneously without cause?

Explanation: Ananda, emptiness has no physical form; it is revealed and perceived through material forms. For example, in Shravasti, at a place distant from the river, when members of the Kshatriya caste, Brahmin caste, Vaishya caste, Shudra caste, as well as Pulkasa, Chandala, and others build new dwellings and dig a well for water, as one foot of earth is excavated, one foot of emptiness appears in the ground. When ten feet of earth is removed, ten feet of emptiness is obtained. The depth of emptiness depends on how much earth is removed. Does this emptiness arise because of the earth, because of the act of digging, or does it arise spontaneously without any cause?

Original Text: Ananda, if this emptiness arises spontaneously without cause, why, before the earth was dug, was it not unobstructed? Why was only the solid earth seen, completely lacking any passage? If it arises from the earth, then when the earth is removed, one should see emptiness entering. If the earth is removed first without emptiness entering, how can it be said that emptiness arises because of the earth? If there is no entering or exiting, then emptiness and earth should fundamentally share the same cause. If they are identical, then when the earth is removed, why does emptiness not depart?

Explanation: Ananda, if this emptiness arises spontaneously without cause, why did it not exist before the earth was dug? Only the obstruction of the earth was seen, with no sign of the open emptiness. If this emptiness arises because of the earth, then when the earth is removed, one should see emptiness entering. If the earth is removed first without emptiness entering, how can it be said that emptiness arises because of the earth? If earth and emptiness have no entering or exiting, their arising should be without distinction. Without distinction means they are identical; arising and departing together. Then, when the earth departs, why does emptiness not depart?

Original Text: If it arises because of the digging, then the digging produces emptiness, and it should not produce earth. If it does not arise because of the digging, and the digging only produces earth, how is emptiness seen? Examine this more carefully, scrutinize and observe meticulously: the digging tool moves according to the direction guided by the hand; the earth shifts due to the ground. Thus, from what does emptiness arise? The digging tool is solid, emptiness is void; they cannot interact or combine. Emptiness cannot arise spontaneously without cause.

Explanation: If emptiness arises because of the digging tool, then the digging tool produces emptiness, meaning it should not produce earth. If emptiness does not arise because of the digging tool, and the digging tool only excavates earth, why is emptiness seen to appear? Examine this carefully once more, scrutinize and observe meticulously: the digging tool moves following the direction guided by the hand; the earth moves out because the ground shifts. From what, then, does emptiness arise? The digging tool is solid, emptiness is void; they cannot interact with each other, nor can they combine. It cannot be that emptiness arises spontaneously without any source.

Original Text: If this emptiness is by nature perfect, all-pervading, and fundamentally unmoving, you should understand that the presently seen earth, water, fire, and wind are collectively called the Five Great Elements. Their nature is truly perfect and interpenetrating; all are the Tathagatagarbha, fundamentally without birth or death. Ananda, your mind is clouded and confused; you have not realized that the Four Great Elements are originally the Tathagatagarbha. You should contemplate emptiness: does it come out or go in, or is it neither coming out nor going in? You fundamentally do not know that within the Tathagatagarbha, the nature of awareness is true emptiness, and the nature of emptiness is true awareness—originally pure, pervading the Dharma Realm, manifesting according to the capacity of sentient beings' minds.

Explanation: If this emptiness is by nature perfect, universally pervasive, and fundamentally unmoving, you should understand that the presently seen earth, water, fire, and wind are all equally named the Five Great Elements. Their nature is truly perfect and interpenetrating without obstruction; all are the nature of the Tathagatagarbha, fundamentally without birth or death. Ananda, your mind is dull and confused; you have not awakened to the fact that the Four Great Elements are originally the Tathagatagarbha. You should contemplate emptiness: is it emerging or entering, or is it neither emerging nor entering? You fundamentally do not know that within the Tathagatagarbha, the nature of awareness is true emptiness, and the nature of emptiness is true awareness—originally pure, pervading the Dharma Realm, manifesting in accordance with the measure of what sentient beings should know.

Original Text: Ananda, just as the emptiness in one well arises from digging one well, so too is the emptiness in the ten directions. Perfectly pervading the ten directions, how could it have specific directions or locations? It manifests according to karma. The world, in ignorance, mistakenly perceives it as arising from causes and conditions or as a spontaneous nature. These are all the discriminations and calculations of the conscious mind. Whatever is spoken of thus has no real meaning.

Explanation: Ananda, just as digging one well causes emptiness to appear within that one well, so too when wells are dug in the ten directions, emptiness appears throughout the ten directions. Emptiness perfectly pervades the ten directions without obstruction—how could it have fixed directions or locations? It manifests according to the karma of beings. People in the world, being ignorant, mistakenly regard it as arising from causes and conditions or as having a spontaneous nature. These are all the discriminating and calculating of the deluded conscious mind. Whatever is spoken of in this way has no real meaning.