An Exposition on Seeing the Nature in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra

Original text:佛复告阿难。如汝所言。无有见精。离一切物。别有自性。则汝所指。是物之中。无是见者。今复告汝。汝与如来。坐祇陀林。更观林苑。乃至日月。种种象殊。必无见精。受汝所指。汝又发明。此诸物中。何者非见。

阿难言。我实遍见。此祇陀林。不知是中。何者非见。何以故。若树非见。云何见树。若树即见。复云何树。如是乃至。若空非见。云何见空。若空即见。复云何空。我又思惟。是万象中。微细发明。无非见者。

Explanation: The Buddha further told Ānanda: As you have said, there is no seeing-nature that, apart from all objects, has a separate self-nature of its own. Therefore, among those objects you point to, there is no such seeing-nature. Now I tell you again: you and the Tathāgata are sitting in the Jeta Grove, observing this grove and park, as well as the sun and the moon; the various appearances you see are all different. There is absolutely no seeing-nature that you can point out. Now tell me again: among all these objects, which one is not the seeing-nature?

Ānanda said: I have indeed thoroughly observed this Jeta Grove, yet I do not know which of these objects is not the seeing-nature. Why do I say this? Because if the tree were not the seeing-nature, how could the tree be seen? If the tree were the seeing-nature itself, then how could it be called a tree? By the same reasoning, if empty space were not the seeing-nature, how could empty space be seen? If empty space were the seeing-nature itself, how could it be called empty space? I have further contemplated that, among all these myriad appearances, upon careful and detailed examination, there is not a single one that is not the seeing-nature.

The above dialogue between the Buddha and Ānanda shows that only where false dharma-dust objects appear can the seeing-nature function, and only when the seeing-nature is active can false dharma-dust objects appear; yet the false dharma-dust objects are not the seeing-nature, and the seeing-nature is not the false dharma-dust objects. Therefore, the appearance of a tree cannot be separated from the seeing-nature; apart from the seeing-nature, there would be no tree. If the tree were the seeing-nature itself, then there would be no tree either—how could a tree still be a tree? To summarize: all the false dharma-dust objects that sentient beings see are not the seeing-nature, yet when seeing all these false dharma-dust objects, there is no place that is not the merit and function of the seeing-nature.

Based on this passage, one can fully apply effort to investigate the seeing-nature, and when the conditions and the proper time arrive, one will be able to see the seeing-nature. But the path ahead must first be walked: first, the merit provisions of the bodhisattva's six pāramitās must be complete; second, one must have the foundation of eradicating the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa) and seeing the mind. While keeping the future in mind, one must also attend to the present, walking the path beneath one's feet well and steadily. Reflect inwardly: has the bodhi mind arisen? Have pure great vows been made? Have selfishness and arrogance been subdued? Is there a place in your heart for sentient beings, for Buddhism, for the Three Jewels? These are all essential requisites for the actual practice and realization of the Mahāyāna, and none can be lacking.