"He Is Now Me, I Am Now Not Him"

Venerable Dongshan was crossing a river when he saw his reflection in the water and suddenly attained enlightenment. He composed a verse: "That one is precisely me, yet I am not that one."

Question: Who is "that one"? Who is "me"? What is the relationship between the two? Venerable Dongshan pointed to the reflection in the river and said: "You are me now, but I am not you." The reflection is the five aggregates manifested by the eighth consciousness, arising from the eighth consciousness—it is the shadow of the eighth consciousness. From the ultimate standpoint of Consciousness-Only, the five aggregates can be said to be the eighth consciousness, but the eighth consciousness is not the five aggregates. These principles can be understood through contemplation and reflection; there is nothing extraordinary about them. One might call it intellectual understanding, or not call it intellectual understanding; but to call it experiential realization requires thorough examination from top to bottom, inside and out. Examine what? Examine whether his mind has changed, whether wisdom has arisen. Because realizing that the five aggregates are merely a reflection is certainly startling—it causes inner turmoil, overturning all previously held attachments and misconceptions. At such a moment, what is the state of his mind? Those who have not experienced realization many times, those without mental penetration, how could they possibly know whether this person has attained experiential realization or merely intellectual understanding? Ordinary people absolutely cannot discern it—one could say a hundred percent cannot discern it—they can only parrot others' words. Experiential realization is great wisdom; being able to accurately discern whether someone has attained experiential realization is even greater wisdom, far surpassing the wisdom of realization itself.

Experiential realization enables one to directly observe the relatively simple and coarse functioning of the eighth consciousness, which intellectual understanding cannot match. Intellectual understanding holds only a vague, indistinct impression—unclear and ineffable—without knowing how the eighth consciousness truly operates or how the five aggregates arise. Though such a person may expound volumes of theory, there is nothing precise or detailed, like floating on the surface of water, unable to enter it, unaware of what lies beneath. Some claim to be great bodhisattvas who have realized the Tathāgatagarbha (eighth consciousness) through enlightenment, yet for years these "great bodhisattvas" have failed to explain even slightly detailed aspects of the Tathāgatagarbha’s functioning. Their explanations remain general, vague frameworks—theories one could roughly deduce by studying sutras and bodhisattva treatises, nothing remarkable. As for Chan (Zen) gong’ans, observing the gestures and actions of patriarchs when receiving students allows many to grasp something superficially. Imitating the form, many can replicate it—nothing extraordinary. Even the little disciple of "One-Finger Chan" Master could point a finger, outwardly identical to his master, yet it was not Chan. Modern people possess unparalleled skill in fabrication, from secular matters to Buddhism—a consequence of heavy karmic obstructions, afflictions, and entrenched selfhood.

Those who mimic the gestures of Chan patriarchs might be said to have intellectual understanding, or they might not even touch the fringe of it. Mistaking the functions of consciousness for the functions of the eighth consciousness is heterodox. Attributing the collective functions of the eight consciousnesses solely to the eighth consciousness is mere conjecture. Outsiders absolutely cannot discern this and are often utterly bewildered. Such tactics can deceive the world because sentient beings’ insight is too shallow—they are foolishly gullible. Therefore, when deceived, you should turn inward to examine yourself: Why were you deceived? Why are others clear-eyed and undeceived? If you accidentally bump into someone on the street, and that person glares at you saying, "I am a saint who has attained the fruit! How dare you bump into me?"—just laugh, say "sorry," and let it pass. No need for surprise or further comment.