Selected Lectures on the Sutra of the Collection of Fathers and Sons (Part 10)

The Buddha said: "Great King, this external earth element is originally empty at its arising and also empty at its cessation. It has neither male characteristics nor female characteristics; it is merely manifested through verbal expression. Thus, both the earth element and the nature of the earth element are ultimately unobtainable. Only the Buddha's perfect wisdom can fully comprehend this without remainder."

The Buddha explained: "Great King, when this external earth element arises, it is fundamentally empty; when it ceases, it is also empty. Within this earth element, there are no male characteristics nor female characteristics—it is merely presented through language to reveal the earth element and its nature. Thus, the earth element and its solidity are ultimately unobtainable; only the Buddha's great wisdom can exhaustively comprehend this.

When the external earth element gradually formed, it underwent twenty minor kalpas (33,600,000 years), arising from utterly empty space, gradually establishing the universe of the three-thousandfold great chiliocosm. After the three-thousandfold great chiliocosm perishes, it returns to utter nothingness. All that is subject to arising and ceasing is empty—not a single dharma remains.

The seed of the earth element exists within the Tathagatagarbha. This seed is also formless, markless, and empty. The external mountains, rivers, and lands formed from it are also empty in their inherent nature, lacking self-nature. They cannot determine their own existence, for they are transformed and created by the Tathagatagarbha. The solidity of objects is also empty—formless and markless—arising and ceasing along with the objects.

The earth element can form the material bodies of sentient beings. Among desire-realm beings, material bodies are divided into male and female characteristics, but the earth element itself has no male or female characteristics—it has no characteristics whatsoever. After the seed of the earth element forms the material body, it differentiates into male and female characteristics. The characteristicless earth element can form objects and living beings with characteristics.

In our material bodies, bones, muscles, skin, hair, and nails all belong to the solidity of earth, called earth-nature. Earth-nature itself has no male or female characteristics; after forming our material bodies, it differentiates into male and female characteristics. Both male and female characteristics are actually illusory. The earth element is originally without characteristics or distinctions, yet the characteristics it manifests exhibit distinctions. Why is this so? Because characteristics are determined by the karma we create. If one creates masculine karma, the Tathagatagarbha manifests a masculine form; if one creates feminine karma, with the karmic seeds stored in the Tathagatagarbha, the Tathagatagarbha projects the earth element to create a feminine form for us.

From the characteristicless to the characterized, all characteristics are illusory. If the karmic seeds are eliminated, the characteristics transform. When we cultivate dhyāna and attain the first, second, third, and fourth dhyāna concentrations, and are reborn in the form realm heavens at the end of this life, that material body will have neither male nor female characteristics—at that time, male and female characteristics cease. The fact that male and female characteristics can transform and change demonstrates that they are unreal, illusory, and false. That which can change is false; the true reality never changes.

What remains unchanging forever? It is the Tathagatagarbha. The three calamities can destroy the great chiliocosm, but what cannot be destroyed? It is the Tathagatagarbha. Why can it not be destroyed? Because its essence is empty and its characteristics are empty; thus, there is nothing to destroy. We all have characteristics, and having characteristics means we can be destroyed. Moreover, we all have birth, and therefore have death. The Tathagatagarbha neither arises nor ceases.

If a house is empty, if someone tries to steal, rob, or destroy things within it, they cannot succeed. In emptiness, there is nothing to destroy. Who can destroy space? The Tathagatagarbha’s nature is empty; therefore, it cannot be destroyed. Yet all characteristics manifested by the Tathagatagarbha possess form, and things with form can be destroyed. When one has no money in their pocket, who can steal it? As long as something exists, it can be destroyed; as long as there is birth, there can be cessation. This principle governs both the mundane and supramundane.

Earth-nature is one of the four great elemental natures (earth, water, fire, wind). These four great elemental natures exist within the Tathagatagarbha, which contains the seeds. When the seeds are projected, they can manifest our material bodies and the mountains, rivers, and lands. The four great seeds can manifest all material phenomena.

Both the earth element and earth-nature are ultimately unobtainable—illusory and empty. Only the Buddha's wisdom can fully discern and realize this truth exhaustively. We can only partially comprehend it, perhaps even just a small part. Even tenth-stage bodhisattvas cannot fully comprehend these principles; only the Buddha's wisdom can exhaustively understand all matters pertaining to the seeds, completely knowing all functional seeds within the Tathagatagarbha without the slightest omission. Therefore, the Buddha possesses all-knowing wisdom (sarvajñā-jñāna). First-ground bodhisattvas and above possess the wisdom of the path (mārga-jñāna), having partially understood the functional seeds within the Tathagatagarbha. Those who lack any understanding are bodhisattvas below the first ground or unenlightened ordinary bodhisattvas. The more one comprehends, the higher the wisdom, and the higher the bodhisattva's stage.