by Red Pine
“Mahamati, things do not give rise to themselves. This does not mean they do not arise—unless one is in samadhi.290 This is what is meant by non-arising. The absence of self-existence is what is meant by non-arising. What lacks self-existence is momentary and in continuous flux and manifests different states of existence but without possessing any existence of its own. Thus, whatever exists is devoid of self-existence.
“What does non-dual mean?291 This refers to everything being cloudy or sunny, long or short, bright or dark.292 Mahamati, everything is non-dual. Samsara isn’t present in nirvana, and nirvana isn’t present in samsara. This is because their existence is due to their different characteristics.293 This is what is meant by non-dual. And as with nirvana and samsara, this is true of everything else. Therefore, you should cultivate what is empty, non-arising, non-dual, and without self-existence.”
The Bhagavan then repeated this in verse:
1. “I always teach emptiness / to transcend eternity and annihilation / samsara is like an illusion or dream / but karma is relentless
2. Space and nirvana / and two kinds of cessation / fools create projections / the wise avoid what is or isn’t.”
The Bhagavan then told Mahamati, “The teaching of emptiness, non-arising, non-duality, and the absence of self-existence pervades all the sutras spoken by the buddhas. Every sutra teaches these truths. But because every sutra responds to the longings of beings, they differ as to how they express these truths, which are not really in the words. Just as the sight of a mirage confuses a herd of deer, whereby the deer imagine the appearance of water where there is no water, likewise the teachings of the sutras are meant to gladden people’s hearts. But buddha knowledge is not to be found in the words. Therefore, trust the meaning and don’t cling to the words.”
XXVIII294
Mahamati Bodhisattva then asked the Buddha, “In the sutras, the Bhagavan says that the tathagata-garbha295 is intrinsically pure, endowed with thirty-two attributes296 and present in the bodies of all beings, and that, like a priceless jewel wrapped in soiled clothing,297 the ever-present, unchanging tathagata-garbha is likewise wrapped in the soiled clothing of the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas and stained with the stain of the erroneous projections of greed, anger, and delusion,298 and that this is what all buddhas teach. How is it that what the Bhagavan says about the tathagata-garbha is the same as what followers of other paths say about a self? Bhagavan, followers of other paths also speak of an immortal creator without attributes, omnipresent and indestructible. And they say this, Bhagavan, is the self.”
The Buddha replied, “Mahamati, the tathagata-garba of which I speak is not the same as the self mentioned by followers of other paths. Mahamati, when I speak about the tathagata-garbha, sometimes I call it ‘emptiness,’ ‘formlessness,’ or ‘intentionlessness,’ or ‘realm of reality,’ ‘dharma nature,’ or ‘dharma body,’ or ‘nirvana,’ ‘what is devoid of self-existence,’ or ‘what neither arises nor ceases,’ or ‘original quiescence,’ or ‘intrinsic nirvana,’ or similar expressions.299
“It is to put an end to the fear foolish beings have about the expression ‘no self’ that the tathagatas, the arhats, the fully enlightened ones proclaim the teaching of the tathagata-garbha as a projectionless realm devoid of fabrications. Mahamati, bodhisattvas of the present and the future should not become attached to any view of a self.
“Take for example a potter who applies such things as manual labor, water, a stick, a wheel, and a string to a lump of clay to make different kinds of vessels. The Tathagata is also like this, applying wisdom and a variety of skillful means to what has no self and is free from projection. Sometimes I speak about the tathagatagarbha and sometimes no self. Thus, the tathagata-garbha of which I speak is not the same as the self spoken of by followers of other paths. This is what is meant by the teaching of the tathagata-garbha. The tathagata-garbha is taught to attract those members of other paths who are attached to a self so that they will give up their projection of an unreal self and will enter the threefold gate of liberation300 and aspire to attain unexcelled, complete enlightenment forthwith. This is why the tathagatas, the arhats, the fully enlightened ones speak in this manner about the tathagata-garbha. To speak otherwise would be to agree with the followers of other paths. Therefore, Mahamati, in order to avoid the views of followers of other paths, you should rely on the selfless tathagata-garbha.”301
XXIX302
The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse:
1. “A continuous person in the skandhas / conditions and motes of dust / the creation of a powerful lord / projections of nothing but mind.”303
XXX304
Thinking about beings in future ages, Mahamati asked the Buddha, “Bhagavan, please tell us about the practices of realization305 whereby bodhisattvas become great practitioners.”
The Buddha told Mahamati, “There are four practices the mastery of which enables bodhisattvas to become great practitioners. And which four? Becoming adept at distinguishing the perceptions of one’s own mind, perceiving the nonexistence of external existence, avoiding views of arising, duration, and cessation, and delighting 306 in the personal realization of buddha knowledge. These are the four practices the mastery of which enables bodhisattvas to become great practitioners.307
“And how do bodhisattvas become adept at distinguishing the perceptions of their own minds? They regard the three realms like this: as merely distinctions of the mind, devoid of a self or what belongs to a self, as motionless and free from coming or going, the result of the habit-energy of erroneous fabrications without beginning, and the various forms and phenomena of the three realms involving their body, their possessions, and the world around them as perceptions of those fabrications. This is how bodhisattvas become adept at distinguishing the perceptions of their own minds.
“And how do bodhisattvas become adept at perceiving the nonexistence of external existence? Since everything is a dream or mirage, they regard the self-existence of everything that exists as the result of the habit-energy of erroneous projections without beginning. This is how bodhisattvas become adept at perceiving the nonexistence of external existence.308
“And how do bodhisattvas become adept at avoiding views of arising, duration, and cessation? Since whatever exists is like an illusion or a dream and its existence does not arise from itself, from another, or from a combination of both, but as a distinction of one’s own mind, they therefore see external existence as nonexistent, consciousness as not arising, and conditions as not combining but arising due to projections. When they see that all internal or external dharmas in the three realms cannot be grasped and are devoid of self-existence, their views of arising cease. And once they know that the self-existence of everything is illusory, they attain the forbearance of non-arising. And once they attain the forbearance of non-arising, they avoid views of arising, duration, and cessation. This is how bodhisattvas become adept at distinguishing and avoiding views of arising, duration and cessation.309
“And how do bodhisattvas become adept at delighting in the personal realization of buddha knowledge? Upon attaining the forbearance of non-arising, they dwell at the eighth stage of the bodhisattva path, where they are able to transcend characteristics of the mind, will and consciousness, the five dharmas, the modes of reality, and the two kinds of no-self, and where they acquire a projection body.”310
Mahamati asked the Buddha,311 “Bhagavan, why is it called a projection body?”
The Buddha replied, “Mahamati, the reason it is called a projection body is because it travels quickly and without obstruction, like a thought. Thoughts travel to other places countless leagues away unobstructed by rock walls because of the memory of something experienced in the past. And they arise without interrupting the functioning of one’s mind or interfering with one’s body. Mahamati, such projection bodies are acquired at one and the same time. Endowed with higher powers and spiritual masteries obtained in the Samadhi of the Illusory, the different
projection bodies of bodhisattvas appear simultaneously, like unobstructed projections, in whatever realms they recall having vowed to bring those beings to perfection who delight in the personal realization of buddha knowledge.
“Thus do bodhisattvas attain the forbearance of non-arising and dwell at the eighth stage of the bodhisattva path, where they exchange the body characterized by the mind, will and consciousness, the five dharmas, the modes of reality, and the two kinds of no-self, for a projection body and become adept at delighting in the personal realization of buddha knowledge.
“These are the four practices the mastery of which enables bodhisattvas to become great practitioners and to which you should devote yourselves.”
XXXI312
Mahamati once again asked, “Bhagavan, please tell us about the causes and conditions of things so that once we are aware of their characteristics, we bodhisattvas will avoid erroneous views concerning their existence or nonexistence, and we will not mistake their appearance as sequential or simultaneous.”313
The Buddha replied, “Mahamati, all things are characterized by two kinds of conditions: namely, external and internal. External conditions include such things as a lump of clay, a post, a wheel, a piece of string, a stick, water, and manual techniques. It is from the application of such conditions that a pot results. As with a pot from clay, the application of conditions likewise results in a rug from yarn, a mat from grass, a sprout from a seed, and butter from milk. These are the before-and-after results of external conditions.
“As for internal conditions, such things as ignorance, desire, and karma constitute the conditions, while the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas give rise to constitute the results of the conditions. They aren’t separate, but this is how foolish people imagine them. This is what is meant by internal conditions 314
“Mahamati, there are six kinds of causes: an immanent cause, a connecting cause, a characterizing cause, an instrumental cause, a manifesting cause, and an inactive cause.315 An immanent cause produces internal and external effects as soon as it becomes a cause. A connecting cause produces internal and external effects as soon as it forms a connection, such as the skandhas and seeds.316 A characterizing cause produces the characteristic of an uninterrupted continuity. An instrumental cause exerts supremacy like a cakravartin. A manifesting cause manifests causes and effects whenever projections occur, just as a lamp illuminates forms. And an inactive cause317 is the absence of projection that occurs with the interruption of continuity when something ceases.
“Mahamati, these are the projections of foolish people, and they do not occur sequentially or simultaneously. And how so? If they occurred simultaneously, there would be no difference between cause and effect, and it would be impossible to identify a cause. And if they occurred sequentially, it would be impossible to identify an individual entity. The non-occurrence of a sequential occurrence is like having no word for father in the absence of children.
“Mahamati, it is not true that what occurs sequentially is a continuity. It is merely a projection of what produces or what is produced by direct, supporting, continuous, or contributing causes.318 Mahamati, a sequential occurrence does not occur because it is characterized by an attachment to an imagined reality. It does not occur sequentially or simultaneously because it belongs to the perceptions of your own mind. And it does not occur sequentially or simultaneously, Mahamati, because the individual or shared characteristics of an external existence do not exist. It is only because you are unaware that the perceptions of your own mind are projections that forms appear. Therefore you should avoid views of a sequential or simultaneous occurrence characterizing the operation of causes and conditions.”
The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse:
1. “Nothing arises from causes and conditions / nor does anything cease / at the heart of ceasing and arising / arise conceptions of causes and conditions
2. This isn’t to stop ceasing and arising / or the continuity of causes and conditions / only to stop foolish people / from misconceiving causation
3. Something existing or not due to causes / no such thing occurs / the confusion of habit-energy / from this the three realms appear
4. In truth nothing arises from causes / nor does anything cease / regard conditioned things / like flowers in the sky / let go deluded views / the grasping and the grasped319
5. Nothing has arisen or ever will / nor do causes or conditions exist / nothing exists at all / and these are nothing but words.”
XXXII320
Mahamati once more asked the Buddha, “Bhagavan, please explain for us the essential characteristics of word projection. Bhagavan, once I and the other bodhisattvas understand the essential characteristics of such projection and are able to penetrate the two kinds of truth regarding words and what they express,321 we will quickly attain unexcelled, perfect enlightenment, and we will use the two kinds of truth regarding words and what they express to free all beings from impurity.”
The Buddha replied, “Mahamati, listen carefully and ponder this well, and I will tell you.”
Mahamati said, “Wonderful, Bhagavan. May we be so instructed.”
The Buddha told Mahamati, “There are four kinds of word projection: object words, dream words, words for attachment to mistaken projections, and words for projections without beginning.322
“Object words arise from attachment to the projection of forms and characteristics. Dream words arise from recollecting previously experienced realms that upon waking are found to be nonexistent. Words for attachment to mistaken projections arise from recollecting previous acts of hostility.323 And words for projections without beginning arise from the habit-energy of the seeds of past attachments to beginningless projections. This is what characterizes the four kinds of word projection.”
XXXIII324
Mahamati once more beseeched the Buddha to explain the meaning of this, “Bhagavan, please tell us again about the realm in which word projection occurs. Bhagavan, where and why and how and based on what do beings give rise to their projection of words?”
The Buddha told Mahamati, “Sounds are produced by the conjunction of the head, chest, throat, nose, lips, tongue, and teeth.”
Mahamati asked the Buddha, “Bhagavan, are words and projections separate or not separate?”
The Buddha replied, “Words and projections are neither separate nor not separate. And how so? Because the one is the cause of the other.325 Mahamati, if words and projections were separate, projections could not be their cause. And if they were not separate, words could not express their meaning. But they do. Hence, they are not separate and not not separate.”
Mahamati again asked the Buddha, “Bhagavan, are words ultimate truth? Or is what they express ultimate truth?”
The Buddha replied, “Mahamati, words are not ultimate truth, nor is what they express ultimate truth. And how so? Ultimate truth is what buddhas delight in. And what words lead to is ultimate truth. But words are not ultimate truth. Ultimate truth is what is attained by the personal realization of buddha knowledge. It is not a realm known by means of the projection of words. Therefore, the projection of words does not express ultimate truth.
“Words arise and cease and shift, with their occurrence depending on changing causes and conditions. Mahamati, what depends on changing causes and conditions for its occurrence does not express ultimate truth. Mahamati, because of the nonexistence of their own characteristics or of those of something else, words do not express ultimate truth. Moreover, Mahamati, because any characteristic of an external existence does not exist except as a perception of one’s own mind, the projection of words does not express ultimate truth. Hence, Mahamati, you should avoid the projection of words.”
XXXIV326
The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse:
1. “Whatever exists has no self-existence / the same is true of words / the profound truth of the emptiness of emptiness / is something fools don’t know
2. Th
e self-existence of what exists / and the words I teach are like shadows / to those who realize buddha knowledge themselves / I teach ultimate reality.”327
XXXV328
Mahamati then asked the Buddha, “Bhagavan, please tell us, how do we transcend sameness, difference, both and neither, existence, nonexistence, and neither existence nor nonexistence, permanence and impermanence,329 which is not practiced by followers of other paths but which is the practice of the personal realization of buddha knowledge? And how do we get free of the individual and shared characteristics of projection? And how do we accord with the truth of ultimate reality and the sequence of stages marked by increasing purification that lead to the tathagata stage, where one’s effortless resolve, like a magic gem that reflects every color, displays realms without limit, but where everything displayed is distinguished as a perception of one’s own mind? And how do we and other bodhisattvas avoid views of the individual or shared characteristics of such an imagined reality and quickly attain unexcelled, perfect enlightenment and enable other beings to achieve complete happiness and contentment?”
The Buddha replied, “It is excellent, Mahamati, excellent, that you are able to ask me about the meaning of such things for the happiness of the many, for the welfare of the many, out of compassion for all gods and humans.”
The Buddha told Mahamati, “Listen carefully and ponder it well, and I will clarify and explain this for you.”
