Time and Mind Non-concomitance

What kind of dharma is time? Is it a substantially existent dharma similar to matter? Time is neither material form (rūpa-dharma) nor mind-dharma; it is neither form nor mind. It is a formation (saṃskāra-dharma) that is not associated with the mind. Why is time not associated with the mind? Because dharmas manifested by the mind must be associated with the mind. Dharmas produced through the combined transformation of the three transforming consciousnesses are associated with those three transforming consciousnesses—they arise, cease, change, increase, and decrease according to the mind's transformations. However, this provisional dharma called time is not produced by the three transforming consciousnesses; it is a provisional dharma manifested through the combination of mind-dharmas, material form-dharmas, and mental factors (caittas). Therefore, it does not change according to the mind; it cannot be born or cease; it cannot be extended or shortened; it cannot be gained or lost. Time is not a substantially existent dharma like matter. Material form-dharma is formed by the four great seeds (mahābhūtas) and is a real dharma. Time, however, is not formed by any seeds; it is manifested through the relative changes of matter. Therefore, it is a non-substantially existent dharma, a provisional dharma, like turtle's fur or rabbit's horns—invisible, intangible, and ungraspable.

What is the function of time? Time has no substantial function; a provisional dharma cannot be used. Because time is a provisional dharma and has no use, it also cannot be given to others or seized from others. Someone might say: "You occupied my time," or "You wasted my time." In reality, there is no such thing; no one can occupy or waste time. For example, suppose I was supposed to eat now, but you came over, and I had to talk with you to resolve your matter, so I didn't get to eat. Does this involve time? Whether eating, talking, or resolving matters, there is no dharma called "time" involved. From beginning to end, it is only the operation of people, events, and things—the combined operation of these three. The length of this process manifests what we call time.

The length of the operating process or the manifesting process of mind-dharmas and material form-dharmas is called time. The length of the process of material change is called time. For example, after a baby is born for one month, it is called a "full month." One month is time, but it is actually just one process in the baby's growth and development; there is no such thing as time itself. Whether the baby grows for one year, ten years, one hundred years, one second, one minute, one hour, or one day, it all refers to the baby's growth process. There is no dharma called time; time is passively manifested. Some say that time seems to have stopped or stands still, but actually, it is the mind that has stopped, that has ceased discriminating. There is no such thing as time. Saying that time moves or doesn't move is all speculative talk, like discussing how turtle's fur or rabbit's horns are—it's all idle speculation.

We observe time by looking at clocks. The combination of the second hand, minute hand, and hour hand on a clock manifests time. Without these hands, there is no time; with these hands, there is still no time. Time is fundamentally manifested based on the position of the sun in the sky. Without the sun, there is no time; with the sun, there is still no time. When the sun rises above the horizon, humans define this state as morning; simultaneously, because the temperature is relatively low, they define the state of the rising sun as morning. When the sun ascends directly overhead, humans define it as noon. When the sun sets below the horizon, humans define it as evening. Thus, one complete cycle of the sun's movement is defined by humans as one day. Then, by counting the number of these solar cycles, they define ten days, half a month, one month to twelve months, one year, two years, etc. All durations of time are manifested only based on material form-dharmas; there is no real dharma called time.

If someone asks me to do something, I might say I have no time. In reality, no one possesses time; it's just that each person has their own matters to attend to and cannot do other things, so it is provisionally named "having no time." Doing anything is always related to mind-dharmas and material form-dharmas. Mind-dharmas are dharmas formed by consciousness-seeds, characterized by arising, ceasing, and changing—they are also not substantially existent, though they are more real than time. Material form-dharmas are dharmas formed by the four great seeds and are likewise not substantially existent, merely somewhat more real than time. Both mind-dharmas and material form-dharmas are illusory dharmas. The time manifested by the combination of these two is an even more illusory dharma.

If someone wishes to live longer, it is not that time is stretched; rather, it is the operational process of their five aggregates (skandhas) form-body that is prolonged. Some people live shorter lives not because time is shortened, but because the operational process of their five-aggregate body is short. There is no appearance or dharma called time. Some people like to make schedules, but these are not schedules of time, not arrangements on a timeline; they are process charts for handling people, events, and things—flowcharts for arranging people, events, and things. When there is no appearance of time in life, how much bondage can the mind be liberated from? Previously, because of the concept of time, how many constraints did you impose on yourself? How many more attachments did you add?

For example, having a dream—a long, extensive dream. In the dream, you lived a lifetime, lived for several kalpas, experiencing sweetness and bitterness, joy and sorrow, separation and reunion, displacement and hardship. Upon waking, you discover it was merely a dream; nothing happened, no one appeared, nothing was gained or lost, and you yourself are safe and sound. In the dream, there were no people, events, things, nor time; everything was illusory. Upon waking, you are liberated from the dream. Similarly, all sentient beings are displaced and suffering in the great dream of birth and death. This great dream of birth and death is the same as the dream at night—there are no real people, events, or things; no time and space; nothing at all—it's all illusory. Upon awakening, you find yourself without gain or loss, without attachment or obstruction, completely at ease. At that moment, there is great liberation, and one ultimately becomes a Buddha. Upon awakening from the great dream of birth and death, one realizes that sentient beings attain Buddhahood in just an instant; there is no time span of three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas.

Dedication Verse: We dedicate all the merit from Dharma propagation and group practice on our online platform to all beings throughout the Dharma realm, to the people of the world. We pray for world peace, that wars may cease; that conflict may not arise, and weapons may forever be laid down; that all disasters may completely subside! We pray that the people of all nations may unite in mutual aid, with minds of kindness towards one another; for favorable weather and harmonious seasons, for national prosperity and people's well-being! May all beings deeply believe in cause and effect, with compassionate minds abstaining from killing; may they widely form virtuous connections and cultivate wholesome karma; may they believe in the Buddha, learn the Buddha-Dharma, and increase their wholesome roots; may they understand suffering, abandon its origin, aspire to cessation, and cultivate the path; may they close the door to the evil destinies and open the path to Nirvāṇa! We pray that Buddhism may flourish forever, the true Dharma abide eternally; may the burning house of the three realms be transformed into the Lotus Land of Ultimate Bliss!