Black Box World (LIII)

The same principle applies to the ear hearing sounds, the nose smelling scents, the tongue tasting flavors, and the body feeling touch. Therefore, the Diamond Sutra states that all phenomena are illusory. All the phenomena we recognize, differentiate, and perceive are false appearances, shadows manifested for us by the Tathagatagarbha. The Tathagatagarbha is like a mirror; when it encounters the outer six dusts, it can project shadows identical to them, and these shadows are the inner six dusts. Only when we truly realize that all phenomena are shadows, are false appearances, can the mind's clinging nature diminish, afflictions become attenuated, and we cease to be overly concerned with gains, losses, and benefits. Then the mind can become purified. When the six sense organs again contact the six dusts, the discriminating mind will not give rise to defiled afflictions, and gradually the mind will attain purity. Therefore, purity refers to the purity of the mind, not the purity of the sense faculties. The sense faculties lack the nature of discrimination, while the consciousness possesses the nature of discrimination. When the consciousness discriminates, it carries with it mental activities that are either pure or impure.