The Malady Within the Black Box

The so-called illness refers to the disharmony of the Four Great Elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—which causes alterations in the fundamental particles of the physical body, leading to pathological changes in the Five Gross Material Roots such as the body faculty. This may also include potential pathological changes in the Five Subtle Material Roots and pathological changes in the Five Internal Appearing Roots within the black box. However, all illnesses perceived by the six consciousnesses of sentient beings are illnesses within the black box, never extending beyond it. Thus, they are illusory and false illnesses, not genuine ones. For instance, when one feels pain in the eye, it is not the eye in the gross material root (the physical eye on the face) that hurts, but rather the image of the eye within the black box that feels painful. How can an image experience pain? It is merely an electric signal. Similarly, when one feels muscle pain or bone pain, it is not the pain of the gross material root body, but rather the sensation of electric signals within the black box. How can electric signals or images feel pain? It is merely an illusion.

Even when one feels a headache, it is a false headache composed of electric signals within the black box—there is no genuine pain. The head on the shoulders does not actually hurt. The perceptions of the six consciousnesses are all unreliable, for they are merely perceptions of illusory and false appearances—perceptions of electric signals within the black box, perceptions of ever-changing virtual scenarios. How, then, can the sensation (vedanā) arising after such perception possess any reality? What difference does it make whether one experiences it or not? Whatever one does in response to these illusory, false appearances—whether acting or not acting—is ultimately empty. Perceiving or not perceiving, experiencing or not experiencing—all phenomena are inherently thus. They merely increase the bonds of birth and death for the individual; beyond this, what else is there?

When ill, the Five Roots do not experience pain; the Six Objects do not experience pain. Does the Six Consciousnesses experience pain? How could the Six Consciousnesses experience pain? They possess no material nature. Birth and death themselves are the great illness—we are all gravely ill and must seek a cure.