The Profound Meaning of Vijñaptimātratā in the Diamond Sutra (140)

Chapter 30: The Composite Phenomenon

Original Text: "Subhuti, if a virtuous man or virtuous woman were to grind the three thousand great thousand worlds into fine dust particles, what do you think, would that multitude of dust particles be great?" Subhuti said, "Very great, World-Honored One. Why? If that multitude of dust particles were truly existent, the Buddha would not have spoken of it as a 'multitude of dust particles.' Why is that? The Buddha has said that the multitude of dust particles is not a multitude of dust particles; therefore, it is called a multitude of dust particles. World-Honored One, the three thousand great thousand worlds spoken of by the Tathagata are not worlds; therefore, they are called worlds. Why? If worlds were truly existent, that would be a composite phenomenon. The Tathagata says that a composite phenomenon is not a composite phenomenon; therefore, it is called a composite phenomenon. Subhuti, a composite phenomenon is ineffable, yet ordinary people cling to it."

Explanation: This section of the Diamond Sutra primarily introduces the composite phenomenon. The Buddha states that the composite phenomenon is not a true phenomenon; it is an illusory phenomenon, a mere designation, an illusion. What is a composite phenomenon? This section mainly explains that the three thousand great thousand worlds in which we live are precisely a composite phenomenon. This composite phenomenon does not truly exist; it is an illusory phenomenon formed by the combination of various phenomena. What constitutes a three thousand great thousand world? A three thousand great thousand world is formed by combining one thousand intermediate chiliocosms; one intermediate chiliocosm is formed by combining one thousand small chiliocosms; one small chiliocosm is formed by combining one thousand unit worlds. A unit world consists of the four great oceans, plus the four great continents, plus Mount Sumeru, plus the sun, moon, and heavens, plus the six heavens of the desire realm, plus the first dhyana heaven of the form realm—this constitutes a unit world. One thousand unit worlds plus the second dhyana heaven constitute a small chiliocosm; one thousand small chiliocosms plus the third dhyana heaven constitute an intermediate chiliocosm; one intermediate chiliocosm plus the fourth dhyana heaven and the four formless heavens constitute a three thousand great thousand world.

Therefore, this three thousand great thousand world is a composite phenomenon—a combined illusory phenomenon. It is formed by combining individual, scattered phenomena into an aggregate phenomenon; this is called a composite phenomenon. As for a unit world, it is also composite. It includes the four great oceans. Beneath the four great oceans are the seven concentric rings of golden mountains; beneath the seven golden mountains are the hells. Above the four great oceans are the four great continents: Purvavideha in the east, Aparagodaniya in the west, Jambudvipa in the south, and Uttarakuru in the north. The four great continents lie above the four great oceans, at the four directions around the base of Mount Sumeru.

Mount Sumeru stands amidst the four great oceans, extending half into the ocean depths and half above the ocean surface, forming a three-dimensional conical shape. Within Mount Sumeru is the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, where the Four Heavenly Kings reside: Dhritarashtra (East), Virudhaka (South), Virupaksha (West), and Vaishravana (North). The Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings is located on the four sides halfway up Mount Sumeru. At the summit of Mount Sumeru is Trayastrimsha Heaven (Heaven of the Thirty-Three), where Shakra Devanam Indra dwells. Above this are the other four heavens of the desire realm. Above the four heavens of the desire realm is the first dhyana heaven of the form realm. Altogether, these form a unit world.

A unit world, with each of its constituent parts, is still a composite phenomenon. For example, our Earth is composed of mountains, rivers, land, as well as trees, flowers, plants, houses, and the like; it is also composed of various countries, the territories of each nation combined together. A single country is also a composite phenomenon, combined together; it is formed by the combination of mountains, rivers, trees, houses, land, and other such phenomena. Furthermore, a country is composed of various provinces, prefectures, and counties; each province, each prefecture and county, is also composite. Down to each specific household, each dwelling, it is also composite. Even all the items within a single household are composite. Matter can be further subdivided, ultimately dividing into fine dust particles.

Therefore, this three thousand great thousand world, as a whole, is composite. The smallest parts of each component are also composite; all are composite phenomena. A unit world is a composite phenomenon; an intermediate chiliocosm is also a composite phenomenon; a great chiliocosm is even more so a composite phenomenon. This entire three thousand great thousand world is a composite phenomenon; everything is combined together. Since it is combined together, this world is not real; it is merely a designation, a concept. All forms are produced when the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature) projects the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind) as seeds, forming the smallest dust particles. These dust particles aggregate to form various substances; substances aggregate to form larger material components; these components then combine to form individual unit worlds, individual mountains, rivers, lands, palaces, and so forth. All these are composite phenomena. Any composite phenomenon is not a true phenomenon; it is illusory, not a real phenomenon.