Not abiding in marks can only be achieved after attaining the first bhūmi

Question: Is it only after realizing the Path that, upon seeing the appearance of rain, the mind can naturally be free of the rain-appearance—knowing that it is raining, yet without dwelling on it? Whereas before realizing the Path, one easily dwells on it, unless something else diverts the mind, or one simply does not care about the rain?

Answer: What is called non-attachment and non-dwelling must be an inner cultivation exercised when facing the appearance of rain and all appearances. Avoiding appearances precisely demonstrates that one is unable to be free of attachment to appearances and unable to not dwell on appearances. After enlightenment, bodhisattvas at the Three Stages of Worthiness (sanxian) still attach to the rain-appearance when they see it, only more mildly than before. Only beginning from the first bhūmi can one gradually become free of attachment to the rain-appearance; that is, only at the eighth bhūmi does a bodhisattva truly become free of attachment to the rain-appearance and all other appearances.

Therefore, after enlightenment one must accomplish the transformation of the basis as tathatā, and only at the first bhūmi can one truly speak of transforming one portion of the basis, because by that time the sixth and seventh consciousnesses have already been transformed into wisdom; only with wisdom can one recognize and take refuge in tathatā. The transformation of consciousness into wisdom is the hallmark of the transformation of the basis as tathatā. Only an eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva can accomplish the transformation of a large portion of the basis, yet it is still not ultimate. Pre-bhūmi bodhisattvas (pūrvabhūmika bodhisattvas) shout about transformation of the basis, but because afflictions obstruct them, they cannot accomplish the transformation of the basis; and since tathatā has no afflictions—are the mind-natures of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses similar to tathatā? Not at all similar, because of their heavy defilement—there is no transformation of the basis; only when the shouting of slogans reaches the first bhūmi does it correspond to a portion [of reality]. As for those who have not awakened, shouting slogans is pure nonsense: they cannot even see clearly their own countenance, yet they exalt themselves by speaking of transformation of the basis. Before finding something to rely upon, what could one rely on? And one cannot exalt oneself; only when the tathāgatagarbha and cause-and-effect exalt one can one be lifted up.