Finding Bodhi Amidst Afflictions

Every sentient being has his or her own original face, and it is inherently radiating great light, constantly functioning, sustaining and manifesting all dharmas; only thus can sentient beings have normal life activities. Regardless of whether sentient beings are attached or not attached, whether they have delusive thoughts or not, whether they are inverted or not inverted, the original face is always manifesting and functioning in purity; there is absolutely no need to exhaust all afflictions, delusive thoughts, and inversions before He can be realized. Bodhisattvas all seek out bodhi amid afflictions, because afflictions are manifested by bodhi; where there are afflictions, there is certainly bodhi, and thus one can find bodhi right where afflictions arise.

When afflictions are extinguished, one is an arhat; when delusive thoughts and inversions are extinguished, one is the Buddha, the World-Honored One. These are all the results and retributions after cultivating and realizing bodhi. Ordinary beings bound by the karmic obstructions of birth and death in the six realms likewise possess the original face, illuminating heaven and earth, penetrating everything without obstruction. Therefore, when an ordinary being realizes the original face amid afflictions, he is no longer an ordinary being; only afterward can he gradually eradicate afflictions, sever all attachments, remove inversions, delusive thoughts, and defilements, and ultimately attain buddhahood.

When the World-Honored One had just attained the Way, He said: 奇哉！大地众生皆有如来智慧德相，只因烦恼妄想，不能证得。The World-Honored One's meaning is that sentient beings inherently possess the original face; they simply cannot realize it. And to realize it, it is by no means necessary to extinguish all afflictions, delusive thoughts, and inversions.

The Buddha said that bodhisattvas realize bodhi without departing from afflictions. That is to say, bodhisattvas find the bodhi mind amid afflictions; after finding the bodhi mind, afflictions will gradually fall away, until finally afflictions vanish and perish, habitual tendencies are also extinguished, and ignorance can be severed completely. Before realizing the original face of bodhi, it is impossible to exhaust afflictions, habitual tendencies, inversions, and delusive thoughts.