Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra: Volume 34 (Part 5)

The World-Honored One also stated: "Bhikkhus, you should know that this receptacle world remains stable for a long time. After that period has passed, progressively, until the appearance of the seven suns occurs, as extensively described in the Sūtra of the Seven Suns. Then, all the earth, the mountains, the great oceans, and the great king of mountains, Sumeru, up to and including all receptacle worlds in the Brahma realm, will be consumed by fire. After the conflagration disaster subsides, the ashes will not be visible, nor will even a trace remain. Through this Dharma teaching, the World-Honored One reveals the impermanent nature of all receptacle worlds." Thus, based solely on the reasoning of the authoritative scriptural testimony, the practitioner engaged in contemplation, through the power of intensified mindfulness born of purified faith, gains certainty regarding the impermanent nature of all conditioned phenomena. Having gained this certainty, then, precisely through this power of intensified mindfulness born of purified faith, he repeatedly seeks, ponders, and observes. He then directly perceives without obstruction that all [conditioned phenomena are impermanent], finding it not contradictory [to the scriptural testimony], and not relying on any other condition.

Explanation: The World-Honored One said in the Khuddaka Nikāya (or related sūtra describing origins): "Bhikkhus, you should know that this receptacle world of the Sahā world can still remain stable and secure for a long time now. After this period has passed, gradually two suns, then three suns, and finally up to seven suns will appear, as described in the Sūtra of the Seven Suns. At that time, all the earth, the mountains, and the great oceans within the receptacle world, as well as Mount Sumeru in the desire realm heavens, and indeed all receptacle worlds up to and including the form realm, will be completely burned and destroyed. After the fire disaster passes, the ashes will disappear without a trace, and not even any shadow or remnant can be found."

The matters explained by the World-Honored One precisely reveal the impermanent nature of all receptacle worlds. Hearing the World-Honored One's exposition and relying on the authoritative scriptural reasoning He taught, the practitioner engaged in contemplation finds his purified faith in the impermanence of all conditioned phenomena increased and strengthened, and his power of mindfulness directed towards impermanence enhanced. Consequently, he gains certainty regarding the impermanent nature of all conditioned phenomena. Once the mind is settled in this certainty, then, further through this power of intensified mindfulness born of purified faith, he repeatedly seeks, ponders, and observes the impermanent nature of all conditioned phenomena. He then directly perceives the impermanence of all conditioned phenomena, finding it not contradictory to the authoritative scriptural reasoning. This direct perception does not arise due to any other condition or prompting, but rather because of genuine observation, it is directly perceived by his own mind.

Observing the impermanence of all conditioned phenomena requires reliance on the power of purified faith—faith in the World-Honored One's teaching that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent—keeping the mind clear and free from other thoughts. It is due to purified faith that one can apply mindfulness to observe and investigate the impermanent nature of conditioned phenomena. If one lacks purified faith and does not believe that conditioned phenomena are impermanent, one will not apply mindfulness to observe. Observation is direct perception by one's own mind. If it is not direct perception, it cannot be called present observation. Direct perception by one's own mind is also called direct perception observation (pratyakṣa) or realization through direct perception (pratyakṣa-pramāṇa). "Direct" (pratyakṣa) means present, existing right before one, truly existing; it is not something thought out, imagined, or mentally fabricated. Practitioners, by steeping themselves in the World-Honored One's authoritative scriptural reasoning on the impermanence of all conditioned phenomena, observe the impermanent nature of conditioned phenomena during meditation. When the conditions ripen, they directly perceive that conditioned phenomena are indeed impermanent, thereby realizing the Truth of Suffering (duḥkha-satya) experientially. Because they directly perceive that conditioned phenomena are suffering (duḥkha), they become unwilling to endure suffering any longer, and the aspiration to extinguish suffering arises.