Cultivating on Illusory Phenomena to Perfect All Merits

All phenomena in the mundane world are illusory appearances manifested by the Tathagatagarbha, yet these illusory appearances serve specific functions. By skillfully utilizing these appearances, one attains the true and genuine Bodhi. We cannot dismiss all illusory appearances simply because they are illusory. Setting aside the question of whether we possess the capability to eliminate such appearances, if all illusory appearances were eradicated, how could the true reality of Bodhi be practiced? Bodhisattvas should skillfully employ illusory appearances to perfect all merits and virtues, transforming the defiled into the pure and the evil into the virtuous. Some may feel dissatisfied with mundane phenomena, finding their living environment severely obstructive, and thus seek to abandon and eliminate all mundane phenomena in pursuit of purity. However, these mundane phenomena correspond to one's own karmic seeds. Only by transforming karma and transforming the mind can everything surrounding oneself become harmonious and satisfactory.

When cultivation reaches a certain level, mundane phenomena will no longer obstruct or affect oneself. The mind will gradually free itself from the bondage of these illusory appearances. Through effective practice, we can also transform these illusory appearances of the six dusts (external sense objects), turning the unwholesome into the wholesome, the ugly into the beautiful, and the undesirable into the desirable. When the mind transforms, both internal and external manifestations simultaneously change, because when the mental ground transforms, the karmic seeds transform, and the manifestations can accordingly be altered.

The internal and external manifestations of the six dusts can be completely transformed. With sufficient mental power, turning stones into gold is not difficult. Great Bodhisattvas with deep meditative concentration can perform countless transformations, turning the earth into gold or lapis lazuli. Even Eighth Ground Bodhisattvas manifest three thousand great thousandfold world systems to benefit and bring joy to sentient beings. Upon cultivating a vast mind and powerful mental strength, one can alter the proportional structure of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind). When the proportions of the four elements change, the structure of matter changes; when the structure changes, the attributes of matter transform. Thus, white snow can be turned into white sugar, and dust can become gold powder. When cultivation reaches a certain stage, transforming the internal and external manifestations of all phenomena is not difficult.