After Realizing the Path, Seeing the Marks of Rain

Question: Is it that only after attaining realization of the Path, when seeing the mark of rain, does the mind naturally have no attachment to the mark of rain, and one still knows it is raining, but does not abide in it? Whereas before attaining realization, one easily abides in it, unless something else diverts one's thoughts, or one simply does not care about the rain. The ordinary person's original system is like a camera—it must leave a negative imprint in the mind.

Answer: So-called non-attachment and non-abiding must be an inner skill exercised when facing the mark of rain and all marks. Avoiding marks precisely demonstrates the inability to be free from attachment to marks and from abiding in marks. After enlightenment, bodhisattvas at the Three Stages of Worthiness still become attached to the mark of rain when they see it, only more mildly than before. Only beginning from the first bhūmi can one gradually become free from attachment to the mark of rain, and it is not until the eighth bhūmi that a bodhisattva is truly free from attachment to the mark of rain and all other marks.

Therefore, after enlightenment one must achieve the transformation of the basis as suchness (āśraya-parāvṛtti-tathatā), and only at the first bhūmi can one speak of genuine transformation of the basis, because by then the sixth and seventh consciousnesses have both been transformed into wisdom—this is the hallmark of the transformation of the basis as suchness. Only at the eighth bhūmi can a bodhisattva accomplish the transformation of the basis to a great extent, yet it is still not ultimate. Pre-bhūmi bodhisattvas (pūrvabhūmika bodhisattvas) shout about transformation of the basis, but because they still have afflictions, successful transformation of the basis is impossible; whereas suchness has no afflictions—are the sixth and seventh consciousnesses similar in mind-nature to suchness? Not at all, because their defilement is heavy. Only by shouting the slogan all the way to the first bhūmi does it partially correspond. As for those who have not attained enlightenment, shouting such slogans is pure nonsense—they cannot even see clearly their own face, yet they exalt themselves by speaking of transformation of the basis. Before finding something to rely upon, what can one rely on? And one cannot exalt oneself; only with the support of the tathāgatagarbha and cause and effect can one be lifted up.