The Profound Meaning of Vijñapti-mātratā in the Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra (142)

Thus, why is it said that the Buddha speaks of the aggregate of dust motes, which are not truly the aggregate of dust motes, but are merely designated as the aggregate of dust motes? World-Honored One, the Thus Come One has spoken of the trichiliocosm, which is not truly a world, but is merely designated as a world.

Explanation: Subhuti said: Why does the Buddha say that the aggregate of dust motes is merely designated by the name 'aggregate of dust motes'? It is because the aggregate of dust motes spoken of by the Buddha is not truly the aggregate of dust motes; it is merely designated as the aggregate of dust motes. These aggregates of dust motes are provisional designations; they are not truly existent. The Buddha merely assigns them a provisional name, calling them the 'aggregate of dust motes'. World-Honored One, the trichiliocosm spoken of by the Thus Come One is not a truly existent trichiliocosm; it is merely given a provisional name, called the 'trichiliocosm'.

These aggregates of dust motes are not a true reality. Each individual dust mote is also not a true reality. The composition of the dust motes and their number are also not true realities. What is called a 'dust mote' is merely the subdivision of material form (rūpa) into individual dust motes. Do these dust motes possess a true reality? We know that matter is formed by the combination of the four great elements (mahābhūta) – earth, water, fire, and wind. If this matter is subdivided into its smallest, smallest units, called dust motes, this dust mote is still material, still form (rūpa), formed by the combination of the four great elements – earth, water, fire, and wind.

It is just that larger matter is formed by the combination of the four great elements, with a very large number of these elemental seeds. When this larger matter is subdivided into smaller matter, each piece of smaller matter is still composed of the same proportional combination of the four great elements – earth, water, fire, and wind – it is merely that the number of elemental seeds is reduced. As the number of seeds decreases, the volume and area of the matter also decrease. Reduced to the most minute degree, it is called a dust mote. No matter how small you divide the matter, whether visible to the naked eye or not, it is still formed by the combination of the four great elements – earth, water, fire, and wind. Minute matter, particulate matter, the smallest, smallest particle, it is still formed by the combination of the four great elements – earth, water, fire, and wind.

And these four great elements – earth, water, fire, and wind – are emitted moment after moment by the Tathagatagarbha. They are emitted moment after moment to sustain the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing of these dust motes and particles, enabling this particle, this dust mote, to persist and function. If the Tathagatagarbha did not emit the seeds of the four great elements, then these dust motes would cease and become non-existent. After vanishing, not even the tiniest bit of substantial matter would remain; it would become utter emptiness. Since this dust mote is not emptiness, it is formed by the four great elements – earth, water, fire, and wind. The Tathagatagarbha emits them moment after moment. After emission, they form the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing of the dust mote – ceasing and arising, ceasing and arising, ceasing and arising – composing the temporarily non-ceasing-and-arising phenomenal existence of this dust mote's matter.

Therefore, the Buddha says that these aggregates of dust motes are not truly aggregates of dust motes. 'Not' means they are not the true reality; they are not truly existent, not real. They are merely given a provisional name, called the 'aggregate of dust motes'. If they were truly existent, the Buddha said, they would not be called the 'aggregate of dust motes'. Then the aggregate of dust motes would not only have a name but also have a substantial entity existing. If a substantial entity exists, it would be non-arising and non-ceasing, equal to the eighth consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna). The actual situation is that the aggregate of dust motes is indeed arising and ceasing; whatever is formed by the four great elements is subject to arising and ceasing. Therefore, these phenomena subject to arising and ceasing are given the name 'aggregate of dust motes'. The aggregate of dust motes is merely a provisional term.

The characteristic of the aggregate of dust motes is based on the characteristic of particles or granules formed by the combination of the four great elements; it is given a provisional name, called the 'aggregate of dust motes'. Since these dust motes are all material particles provisionally combined from the four great elements, and these material particles in turn combine to form matter larger than dust motes, this larger matter is also still formed by earth, water, fire, and wind. It is also sustained and upheld moment after moment by the Tathagatagarbha emitting the seeds of the four great elements, enabling it to exist. Therefore, it is also not a true reality; it is all illusory, subject to arising, ceasing, and change.

When causes and conditions disperse, and the Tathagatagarbha ceases to emit the seeds of the four great elements, the material particles formed from dust motes, the matter they combine to form, will cease, no longer exist, and vanish. Then, from this matter, even larger matter is formed. No matter how large the matter, it is all formed by the four great elements – earth, water, fire, and wind. The Tathagatagarbha emits the seeds, moment after moment, sustaining the existence of this material form (rūpa). This material form further combines to form a celestial body. Multiple celestial bodies combine to form a small world-system. Small world-systems combine to form a small chiliocosm. Small chiliocosms combine to form a medium chiliocosm.

Medium chiliocosms combine to form a great chiliocosm. Material particles, dust particles, are all illusory, not truly existent. Then, the trichiliocosm formed from them is likewise illusory, not truly existent. It is all formed by the material world composed of the seeds of the four great elements emitted collectively by the Tathagatagarbhas of sentient beings sharing collective karma. None of this is a true reality; in essence, it is all manifested by the Tathagatagarbha, all is illusory appearance, and its fundamental nature is the Tathagatagarbha nature. Therefore, the Buddha says the entire trichiliocosm is illusory, empty, and is all the Tathagatagarbha nature.

What the Thus Come One calls the trichiliocosm is not truly a world, but is merely designated as a world. Since this trichiliocosm is composed of material particles, dust motes, provisionally combined from the four great elements, arising, ceasing, and changing moment after moment, subject to birth, decay, and alteration, then this trichiliocosm is not a truly existent world; it is an illusory world, not real. This trichiliocosm is merely an illusory appearance. Then, based on this illusory appearance, we assign a provisional name to this trichiliocosm, calling it the 'trichiliocosm'. Therefore, the trichiliocosm is also merely a provisional term. Its characteristic is an illusory characteristic, a false, illusory appearance upheld and manifested by the Tathagatagarbha; its fundamental nature is entirely the Tathagatagarbha. Thus, the trichiliocosm is not truly a world; it is merely a name.