by Hsuan Hua
Magicians deal with illusion, with what is not real. The magicians mentioned here wanted to use the essence of moonlight in their illusion-causing drugs, which muddled people’s minds. These drugs were like the present-day LSD, which, although not mixed with essence of moonlight, is nonetheless close to the kind of drug being discussed. These drugs caused people to see everything as strange and to think of themselves as having already become ascetic masters. They caused nervous disorders and caused people to be confused and unreliable. (III, 159)
“Now, does the water come out of the bowl? Is it already present because it is inherent in space? Or does it come from the moon?
“Suppose, Ānanda, that it came from the moon. If moonlight coming from such a distance could cause water to emerge from the bowl, then while crossing that distance it would cause water to emerge from the trees that it passed. Then what need would there be for the bowl? But since water does not emerge from the trees, it is clear that the water does not in fact come from the moon.
“Suppose the water came from the bowl. Then the water would be flowing out of the bowl all the time. What need would there be to wait for a bright full moon at midnight?
“Suppose the water came from space. Since space is boundless, the water too should be boundless. Then the heavens and the world of people would all be immersed in a deluge. What then will have happened to the beings that move on land, in water, and in the air?
“Carefully consider this further. The moon moves through the sky. The magician holds up the bowl to collect the water. Where in fact does the water come from? The moon and the bowl are far apart; they cannot come into contact and they cannot merge. Yet it cannot be that water comes into being on its own.
“You do not yet know that, in the Matrix of the Thus-Come One, the real nature of the primary element water is identical to the real nature of emptiness. The real nature of the primary element water is fundamentally pure and extends throughout the Dharma-Realm. The extent to which beings are aware of that real nature depends on the capacity of their understanding. One person holds up a bowl in one place and water comes forth there and anywhere throughout the Dharma-Realm, such a bowl can be held up so that water will come forth. Since water can be found anywhere in the world, how could it be limited to one particular place? In fact, the primary element water becomes apparent to beings in accord with their karma. Ordinary beings, in their ignorance, mistakenly suppose that the primary element water comes into being from causes and conditions or that it comes into being on its own. These are distinctions and constructs made by the conscious mind. They are mere words, devoid of meaning.
The primary elements are found in the true minds of all of us living beings. We are endowed not only with water but also with fire, wind, earth, space, awareness, and consciousness. These seven primary elements are all present in our minds. But though they all exist there, they are not mixed together chaotically....
The text says that the nature of water is fundamentally pure and extends throughout the Dharma-Realm. Thus, within true emptiness there is wondrous existence. You can come to understand these principles if you contemplate them with your true mind. In other words, once you yourself have gained sufficient spiritual skill while sitting in meditation — once you have gained the power of samādhi and genuine wisdom — then you will understand the truth of the principles explained in this Sutra. But these principles will not be easy to understand now if you are trying to fathom their meaning with your conscious mind. (III, 163)
D. The Primary Element Wind
“Ānanda, the nature of wind is insubstantial. It is neither always in motion nor always still. When you take your place in the great assembly, you always adjust your precept robe. Suppose that as you do so, the corner of your robe moves toward the person next to you. As a result, that person will feel a slight puff of wind against his face. Does this puff of wind arise from the corner of your robe? Does it arise from the space around it? Or does it come into being from that person’s face?
“Ānanda, suppose the puff of wind arises from the corner of your robe. Then you would be wearing wind, and your robe would billow out and fly off your body. Yet as I now expound upon the Dharma in the midst of the assembly, my robe hangs straight down. Look at my robe: where is the wind? In fact there is nowhere in the robe for the wind to be hidden.
“Suppose the wind comes into being from space. Then what need would there be for your robe to move in order for someone to feel that puff of wind? Further, space is always present; if the wind arose from it, then the wind would always have to be blowing. Conversely, if no wind were blowing, then space would cease to exist. But, while we can observe an absence of wind, what would the absence of space look like? In truth, if space came into being and ceased to be,32 it would not be what we call space. Therefore, wind cannot come into being from what we do call space.
“Suppose then that the wind came into being from your neighbor’s face. Then it would be you, rather than your neighbor, who would feel the puff of wind. Why is it your neighbor who in fact feels the puff of wind when you adjust your robe?
“Consider this matter with care. It is you who adjust your robe. It is your neighbor who feels the puff of wind on his face. Space itself is still; it is never observed to move. From where then does the wind come when it blows against your neighbor’s face? Wind and space have different natures and cannot aggregate or merge with each other. And yet it cannot be that wind comes into being on its own, independent of anything else.
“You apparently do not know that, in the Matrix of the Thus-Come One, the real nature of the primary element wind is identical to the real nature of emptiness. The real nature of wind is fundamentally pure and extends throughout the Dharma-Realm. The extent to which beings are aware of that real nature depends on the capacity of their understanding. Ānanda, just as a puff of wind arises with a small movement of your robe, so a puff of wind will arise anywhere throughout the Dharma-Realm, in any land, when someone moves his robe. Since wind can arise anywhere in the world, how could it be limited to one particular place? In fact, the primary element wind becomes apparent to beings in accord with their karma. Ordinary beings, in their ignorance, mistakenly suppose that the primary ele-ment wind comes into being from causes and conditions or that it comes into being on its own. These are distinctions and constructs made by the conscious mind. They are mere words, devoid of any real meaning.
E. The Primary Element Space
“Ānanda, the nature of space is that it is invisible. It is discerned only in the presence of visible objects. Consider, for example, how the Brahmins — for example, the Bhāradvāja clan — and the Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, Śūdras, and Caṇdālas33 in the city of Śrāvastī dig wells to find water when they build a new dwelling, since the city is far from the river. When they dig out the soil to the depth of one foot, space will be discernable in the well to the depth of one foot. When they dig out the soil to the depth of ten feet, space will be discernable in the well to the depth of ten feet. How much space is discerned depends on how much soil has been removed. Now, does the space in the well come into being out of the soil? Does it come into being because of the digging? Or does it come into being on its own?
“Ānanda, suppose the space in the well came into being on its own, without a cause. Why then in the place where the well is to be dug, is there no space before the soil is removed? Why can one see only solid land, which one cannot pass through?
“Suppose the space in the well comes into existence from the soil. Then when the soil is removed, space should be seen to enter the well. If no space enters in as the soil comes out, how could the space in the well be said to come into being from the soil? But if space does not come out of the soil to enter the well, then the soil and the space must be bound together with no distinction between them. Why then, when the soil is removed, doesn’t the space come out with it?
“Suppose the space in the well comes into existence because of the digging. Then the digging should b
ring space out of the well, along with the soil. But if the space does not come into existence from the digging, then only the soil would have been moved. Why then does the space appear?
“Carefully consider this further; consider it closely and carefully. The well-digger chooses the appropriate place to dig. The soil comes out as the well is dug. But what of the space? How does it come into existence? The soil that is removed is solid matter, while the space is insubstantial, so they cannot function together. They cannot be aggregated or combined with each other. And yet it cannot be that space comes into existence on its own, without any cause.
“Given that the fundamental nature of space is all-pervasive and does not move, you should know that the real natures of earth, water, fire, and wind — which, together with space, we may consider as five primary elements — are completely interfused with one another. In their fundamental natures, all are one with the Matrix of the Thus-Come One, neither coming into being nor ceasing to be. When we discussed the first four primary elements, Ānanda, you did not understand that fundamentally they are the Matrix of the Thus-Come One; therefore, you still need to ponder whether or not the primary element space can come out of a well that has been dug and whether or not space can enter into the well.
“You have altogether failed to realize that the primary element space is inherent in the Matrix of the Thus-Come One and is identical to the real nature of emptiness. The real nature of the primary element space is fundamentally pure and extends throughout the Dharma-Realm. The extent to which beings are aware of that real nature depends on the capacity of their understanding. Just as when one well is dug, space appears in it, Ānanda, so space will appear in any well that is dug anywhere in the ten directions. Since space is everywhere throughout the ten directions, how could it be limited to one particular place? In fact, the primary element space becomes apparent to beings in accord with their karma. In their ignorance, beings in this world mistakenly suppose that space comes into existence from causes and conditions or that it comes into being on its own. These are distinctions and constructs made by the conscious mind. They are mere words, devoid of meaning.
F. The Primary Element Awareness
“Ānanda, you do not become visually aware unless space and visible objects are present. For example, you are now in Prince Jetri’s Grove, where it is light in the morning and dark in the evening. It is bright at midnight when a full moon has risen but dark when there is no moon. At these times, you can discern light and darkness because of your visual awareness. Now, is your visual awareness identical to light and darkness and to space? Is it separate from them? Is it both identical to them and separate from them? Is it neither identical to them nor separate from them?
“Suppose, Ānanda, that your visual awareness is fundamentally identical to light, darkness, and space. But consider light and darkness: each disappears in the presence of the other. When it is dark, it is not light, and when it is light, it is not dark. Therefore, if your visual awareness were identical to darkness, it would disappear when it is light. If instead it were identical to light, it would cease to exist when it is dark. Once it had ceased to exist, how could it see either darkness or light? And how could it be identical to light and darkness, given that they are not present at the same time, whereas visual awareness neither comes into being nor ceases to be?
“Suppose that your visual awareness is not identical to light or to darkness. Then, in the absence of light, darkness, and space, can you determine what attributes your visual awareness might have, in and of itself? In the absence of light, darkness, and space, a visual awareness such as this would be no more possible that a turtle with fur or a rabbit with horns. Therefore, without these three — light, darkness, and space — how could your visual awareness come to exist? Since light and darkness are opposites, how could your visual awareness be identical to them? On the other hand, since your visual awareness cannot exist in and of itself and apart from these three, how could it be different from them? Further, no division can be discerned between your visual awareness and space; there is no boundary between them. How is it that they are not identical? Yet when you see light and then darkness, the nature of your visual awareness does not change. How is it that they are not different?
“You should examine this question in even greater detail. Examine it minutely; consider it most carefully. Light comes from the sun, and it is dark on a moonless night. We see through space but not through earth. But what causes our visual awareness, as we have just described it, to come into being? Its nature is to perceive, while space is insentient, so they cannot merge or become aggregated with one another. And yet our visual awareness cannot come to exist on its own, without any cause.
“Given that the fundamental natures of visual awareness, awareness of sounds, and cognitive awareness are all-pervasive and do not change,34 you should know that the real natures of what we may consider to be six primary elements — our visual awareness; infinite, motionless space; and earth, water, fire, and wind, which are in motion — are completely interfused with one another. In their fundamental natures, all are within the Matrix of the Thus-Come One, neither coming into being nor ceasing to be.
“Ānanda, your basic disposition has become so murky that you do not realize that, fundamentally, your visual awareness, your awareness of sounds, your tactile awareness, and your cognitive awareness are the Matrix of the Thus-Come One. You should contemplate your visual awareness, your awareness of sounds and odors, your tactile awareness, and your cognitive awareness: do they come into being and cease to be? Are they identical to each other, or are they different? Or else, do they neither come into being nor cease to be? Are they neither identical to each other nor different?
“You still do not know that the real nature of your visual awareness is inherent in the Matrix of the Thus-Come One and identical to your enlightened understanding, and that the essence of enlightenment is your illuminating awareness. Fundamentally pure, it extends throughout the Dharma-Realm. The extent to which beings are aware of its real nature depends on the capacity of their understanding. Just as the awareness of one sense-faculty, the eye, extends throughout the Dharma-Realm, so also do the wondrous, resplendent powers of hearing, smelling, tasting, tactile awareness, and cognitive awareness extend throughout the Dharma-Realm. They fill up the entirety of space throughout the ten directions. How could they be limited to one particular place? In fact, the primary element visual awareness becomes apparent to beings in accord with their karma. In their ignorance, ordinary beings mistakenly suppose that visual awareness comes into existence from causes and conditions or that it comes into being on its own. These are all distinctions and constructs made by the conscious mind. They are mere words, devoid of real meaning.
G. The Primary Element Consciousness
“Ānanda, the nature of consciousness is that it has no real basis.35 Its coming into existence in response to the six faculties and their objects is an illusion. Look around now at the sages assembled here. As you glance from one to another, your eyes see them as if in a mirror, which does not make distinctions. But your consciousness will identify each of the sages in turn as Mañjuśrī, Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra, Maudgalyāyana, Subhūti, and Śāriputra. Now, does this distinction-making faculty, this primary element consciousness, arise from your eye-faculty? Does it arise from perceived objects? Does it arise from space? Or does it arise abruptly, without a cause?
“Ānanda, suppose your primary element consciousness arose from your eye-faculty. Then in the absence of light, darkness, objects, and space — if none of these four were present — your eye-faculty would not function. If your eye-faculty were not functioning, what would cause your consciousness element to arise?
“Suppose your consciousness arose from perceived objects rather than from the eye-faculty. In that case, you would not be seeing either light or darkness, and if you were not aware of light or darkness, you would not be aware of objects and space either. If you could not see any of these
, how could your consciousness element arise out of them?
“Suppose your consciousness element arose from space rather than from perceived objects or from the eye-faculty. But without the eye-faculty, nothing visible can be perceived, and so you would not be aware of light, darkness, perceived objects, or space. If no perceived objects were present before your eye-faculty, then the conditions for seeing would be absent, and there would be no place for seeing to occur. The same would apply to hearing, tactile awareness, and cognitive awareness.
But suppose it is based on space rather than on the perceiving faculties or on their perceived objects. However, space is identical to nothingness. And even if space were something, it is not the same as an actual perceived object. If space nevertheless caused your consciousness to arise, how would you be able to make distinctions about anything?
“Suppose your consciousness appears abruptly, without any cause. Why then doesn’t the moon suddenly start shining in broad daylight?
“You should examine this question even more closely and in more detail. Seeing is a function of your eye-faculty. The perceived objects that appear in your environment have form, while space lacks form. Which of them could be the cause of consciousness? Consciousness is active, while the eye-faculty is still,36 and so they cannot combine or be aggregated with each other. The same is true of consciousness and the ear-faculty, the nose-faculty, the body-faculty, and the cognitive faculty. Yet the primary element consciousness cannot come to exist on its own, without a cause.
“Given that the primary element consciousness is not caused by any of these factors, you should know that your distinction-making eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness do not come from anywhere; all are complete and pure and do not come into being from anything. The real natures of what we may call the seven primary elements — these last two,36 together with space, earth, water, fire, and wind — are completely interfused with one another. In their fundamental natures, all are within the Matrix of the Thus-Come One and are one with the Matrix of the Thus-Come One, neither coming into being nor ceasing to be.
