The Lankavatara Sutra
Page 12
The Buddha replied, “Mahamati, the tathagatas, the arhats, the fully enlightened ones use their powers to support bodhisattvas so that they are not troubled by demons and do not fall into the trances of shravakas and so that they will attain the personal realization of the tathagata stage and so that their attainments will increase. If they did not use their powers to support them, they might fall prey to the misconceptions and projections of followers of other paths or to the longings of shravakas and demons and not attain unexcelled, perfect enlightenment. Therefore, all tathagatas use their powers to protect bodhisattvas.”
The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse:
1. “The noblest of those with higher powers / vow to purify everyone / their samadhis and their foreheads / from the initial stage to the tenth.”383
XLI384
Mahamati again asked the Buddha, “Bhagavan, when the Buddha speaks of dependent origination,385 he speaks of causes and conditions and does not speak of a self.386 Bhagavan, followers of other paths also speak of causes and conditions, namely, that whatever exists arises as a result of a supreme deity or force, or time, or minute particles. When the Bhagavan says whatever exists arises as a result of causes and conditions, is his position the same or different?
“Bhagavan, followers of other paths say what exists comes from what exists or what does not exist, while the Bhagavan says what exists comes from what does not exist, and once it arises, it ceases. According to the Bhagavan, ignorance is the condition of memory and so on up to old age and death.387 But this, Bhagavan, is a teaching of no causes, not a teaching of causes. The teaching established by the Bhagavan goes like this: ‘Because this exists, that exists.’388 It does not acknowledge a gradual existence.389 The teaching of other schools would appear to be superior, not that of the Tathagata. And how so? Because according to other schools, Bhagavan, the cause does not arise from conditions but gives rise to what exists.390 Whereas the Bhagavan says the effect is discernable in the cause, and the cause is discernable in the effect,391 which confuses causes and conditions and which thus forms an endless circle.”
The Buddha told Mahamati, “I do not teach that there are no causes, nor do I confuse causes and conditions, rather ‘because this exists, that exists,’ the nonexistence of what grasps and what is grasped, and the awareness that these are nothing but perceptions of one’s own mind. Mahamati, as long as people cling to what grasps or what is grasped and are unaware that these are nothing but perceptions of their own mind, it is they who mistake the existence or nonexistence of external objects, not my teaching of dependent origination. I have always taught that things arise due to the conjunction of causes and conditions not that they arise without a cause.”
XLII392
Mahamati once more asked the Buddha, “Bhagavan, is it not because words exist that things exist? Bhagavan, if nothing existed, words would not arise. Therefore, Bhagavan, it is because words exist that things exist.”393
The Buddha told Mahamati, “Words are created even when things don’t exist. Among the words that appear nowadays are ‘rabbit horns’ and ‘tortoise hair.’394 Mahamati, these do not exist and do not not exist. They are merely words. Your contention that because words exist things exist is faulty.
“Nor, Mahamati, do words exist in every world. Words are simply fabrications. In other buddhalands, the Dharma is expressed by staring or by facial expressions, or by lifting the eyebrows, or by blinking the eyes, or by smiling, or by opening the mouth, or by clearing the throat, or by thinking about something, or by nodding. For example, Mahamati, in the worlds of Unblinking Eyes or Gathered Fragrances395 or in the land of Samatabhadra Tathagata,396 a simple stare enables bodhisattvas to attain the forbearance of non-arising and incomparable samadhis. Therefore, the existence of words does not mean the existence of things. Mahamati, in this world such creatures as mosquitoes and gnats and ants and bugs all conduct their lives without words.”
The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse:
1. “Just as space or rabbit horns / or a barren woman’s child / do not exist except as words / such are the projections of existence
2. Where causes and conditions meet / fools give rise to projections / unable to fathom what is real / they wander through the Inn of Three Realms.”397
XLIII398
Mahamati Bodhisattva then asked the Buddha, “Bhagavan, why is speech said to be eternal?”399
The Buddha told Mahamati, “Because of delusion.400 Delusions also appear to the wise, but they aren’t confused by them. Mahamati, such things as shimmering mirages, firebrands, strands of hair, cities of gandharvas, illusions, dreams, and reflections confuse worldly people, but not the wise. It is not that these don’t appear, Mahamati—all kinds of delusions appear, but it is not the case that delusions are not eternal. And how so? Because they neither exist nor do not exist.
“And how is it, Mahamati, that delusions neither exist nor do not exist? Because the realms of foolish beings are different. For example, because pretas see and do not see the Ganges, it does not exist as a delusion.401 But because it appears to others, it does not not exist. Likewise, the wise are neither confused nor not confused by delusions. Thus, because their characteristics are not destroyed, delusions are eternal. Mahamati, it is not the different characteristics of delusions but the characteristics of projections that are destroyed. Thus, delusions are eternal.
“And how is it, Mahamati, that delusions are real?402 For the reason that the wise do not give rise to the thought of being confused or the thought of not being confused by a delusion. Not only the wise, Mahamati, but if anyone gives rise to the slightest perception of a delusion, it does not qualify as buddha knowledge. Mahamati, anything about its existence is the mistaken talk of fools and not the talk of the wise.
“Whether delusions are imagined as confusion or not, they give rise to two lineages: the lineage of fools and the lineage of the wise, with the lineage of the wise being further divided among a shravaka path, a pratyeka-buddha path, and a buddha path.
“And how do the projections of the ignorant give rise to membership in the shravaka path? Membership in the shravaka path is the result of attachment to individual and shared characteristics. This is how projections give rise to membership in the shravaka path.
“Mahamati, as for how the projections of delusion give rise to membership in the pratyeka-buddha path, membership in the pratyeka-buddha path is the result of attachment to aversion to the individual and shared characteristics of delusions.
“And as for the wise, and how delusions give rise to membership in the buddha path, membership in the buddha path is the result of the awareness of perceptions as nothing but one’s own mind, of external existence as nonexistent, and of the non-projection of characteristics. This is how delusions give rise to membership in the buddha path.403
“Meanwhile, when people misperceive the existence of different objects, this gives rise to membership in the lineage of fools. Maintaining that this object does not exist or that object does not not exist, this is what is meant by this lineage.
“But when delusions are not projected, Mahamati, the wise are able to transform the existence of the habit-energy of the mind, the will and consciousness, the modes of reality, and the dharmas into what is called suchness.404 Thus is it said: ‘suchness is the mind set free.’ And to make it clearer, I say ‘to be free of projections means to be free of all projections.”
Mahamati asked the Buddha, “Bhagavan, do delusions exist or not?”
The Buddha told Mahamati, “They are like illusions. There is nothing to grasp. If a delusion had something that could be grasped, the existence of grasping would never cease, and dependent origination would amount to creation by causes and conditions, as claimed by followers of other paths.”405
Mahamati asked the Buddha, “If a delusion is like an illusion, can it serve as the cause of other delusions?”
The Buddha told Mahamati, “An illusion is not the cause o
f a delusion because it does not give rise to misperception. Mahamati, an illusion does not give rise to misperception because it does not involve projection. Mahamati, illusions are produced by magic and not by the habit-energy of projections or misperceptions. Thus, they do not give rise to misperception. Mahamati, it is the minds of fools that become attached to delusions, not those of the wise.”
The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse:
1. “The wise don’t see delusions / with anything real inside them / if there was something real inside / delusions would be real
2. If delusions are abandoned / and something should appear / it would be another delusion / a defect like a cataract.”406
XLIV407
“Moreover, Mahamati, in viewing everything as an illusion, if not for illusions, there would be nothing to compare things to.”408
Mahamati said, “Bhagavan, do you say things are illusory because of attachment to illusory characteristics or because of attachment to something else? If everything that exists was illusory because of attachment to different illusory characteristics, Bhagavan, something would exist that wasn’t illusory.409 And how so? Because the different characteristics of a form have no cause. Bhagavan, it is the appearance of the different uncaused characteristics of a form that is illusory. Therefore, Bhagavan, it isn’t attachment to different illusory characteristics that makes things seem illusory.”
The Buddha told Mahamati, “It isn’t because of attachment to different illusory characteristics that makes everything seem illusory. Rather, Mahamati, it is because everything is unreal and vanishes as fast as lightning. This is why it is illusory. Like lightning, Mahamati, it appears but for a moment. And as soon as it appears, it disappears. But this is not how things appear to foolish people, who observe everything in terms of the individual and shared characteristics of their own projections. Since what doesn’t exist doesn’t appear, they remain attached to the characteristics of form.”
The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse:
1. “If not an illusion what are things like / thus are they called illusory / unreal and transient as lightning / thus are they called illusory.”
XLV410
Mahamati once more asked the Buddha, “According to the Bhagavan, everything is non-arising and illusory. But when he says what is non-arising is illusory, is there not a contradiction in the Bhagavan’s earlier and later statements?”411
The Buddha told Mahamati, “It is not true that when I say what is non-arising is illusory there is a contradiction in my earlier and later statements. And why not? Because what arises does not arise. When you realize that whether something exists or not is nothing but the perception of your own mind, its external existence is seen as nonexistent and non-arising. Mahamati, there is no contradiction in my earlier and later statements.
“However, it is to refute the arising from causes of other schools that I say everything is non-arising. Mahamati, the confused members of other schools maintain the arising of existence or nonexistence and deny that they are the result of attachment to their own projections. Mahamati, because I deny the arising of existence or nonexistence, I teach the teaching of non-arising.
“Mahamati, I teach existence to refute the nihilistic view that nothing exists and so that my disciples will accept samsara,412 so that they will accept that where they are reborn involves differences in karma. Thus, I teach existence so that they will accept samsara.413
“Mahamati, I teach the illusoriness of self-existence so that they will get free of self-existence. But due to erroneous views and hopes, foolish people are unaware that these are nothing but the perceptions of their own minds. To refute arising from causes and attachment to the self-existence of conditions and to prevent foolish people from clinging to erroneous views and hopes regarding what belongs to themselves and others and from creating mistaken doctrines about how to see things as they really are, I teach that the self-existence of everything is an illusion and a dream. Mahamati, to see things as they really are means to transcend 414 what are nothing but perceptions of your own mind.”
The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse:
1. “Non-arising means nonexistence / existence includes samsara / who sees these as illusions / doesn’t give rise to projections of form.”
XLVI415
“Moreover, Mahamati, I will explain the characteristics of word, phrase, and letter units.416 For bodhisattvas who become adept at examining the characteristics of word, phrase, and letter units and at penetrating the meaning of word, phrase, and letter units will quickly attain unexcelled, perfect enlightenment. And once they are thus enlightened, they will enlighten others.
“Mahamati, as for a word unit, a word is established based on an object. This is what is meant by a word unit. As for a phrase unit, a phrase is a unit of meaning. It defines or determines the self-existence of something. This is what is meant by a phrase unit. As for a letter unit, it points to a word or phrase. This is what is meant by a letter unit. Moreover, a letter unit can be long or short, high or low.417 Also, a phrase unit is a footprint. For example, a footprint left by a person or by an animal like a horse or an elephant can be called a phrase unit.418
“Mahamati, as for words and letters, we use words to refer to the four formless skandhas.419 Thus we speak of words. And we use letters to point to their individual characteristics. Thus we speak of letters. This is what is meant by word, phrase, and letter units and why I say distinguishing the characteristics of word, phrase, and letter units is something you all should cultivate.”
The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse:
1. “Distinguish units of letters / units of words and phrases / people who foolishly cling to these / are like elephants in a quagmire.”
XLVII420
“Moreover, Mahamati, in future ages those who are wise might ask those who are not what I mean by ‘avoiding views characterized by sameness, difference, both, or neither.’421 And they might answer, ‘Whether form422 and so on are permanent or not or whether they are different or not is not a proper question.’423 Likewise, if they are asked to compare and contrast the characteristics of nirvana and samskara,424 characteristics and what is characterized, qualities and what is qualified, matter and what is made of matter,425 seeing and what is seen, earth and dust, practice and practitioner, they might answer, ‘The Buddha has declared these to be unanswerable.’
“But silence is something such foolish people would not understand. It is because those present lack sufficient wisdom that the tathagatas, the arhats, the fully enlightened ones say these are unanswerable to help them overcome fear. This is why they don’t answer. Also, it is to put an end to the mistaken views of other paths that they don’t respond.
“Mahamati, followers of other paths teach such unanswerable propositions as, ‘Life is identical to the body.’426 Mahamati, this is because these followers of other paths are bewildered by causality. Unanswerable propositions are not what I teach. What I teach, Mahamati, is getting free of what grasps and what is grasped and not giving rise to projections. Why should I be silent?
“However, Mahamati, when someone is attached to what grasps or what is grasped and does not understand that these are nothing but perceptions of their own minds, then I am silent. Mahamati, the tathagatas, the arhats, the fully enlightened ones use four kinds of explanation to teach others. Mahamati, I invariably use silence with those whose roots are not yet mature, not with those whose roots are mature.”427
XLVIII428
“Moreover, Mahamati, whatever exists is neither created nor does it arise from causes. There is no creator. Hence whatever exists does not arise. And why, Mahamati, does whatever exists have no self-existence? Because in the light of personal realization, neither individual nor shared characteristics can be found. Thus, I say whatever exists does not arise.
“Mahamati, why is it that whatever exists cannot be grabbed or released? If you try to grab its individual
or shared characteristics, there is nothing to grab. And if you try to release them, there is nothing to release. Thus, whatever exists cannot be grabbed or released.
“Mahamati, why is it that whatever exists does not cease to exist? Because no characteristics of its self-existence exist, whatever exists cannot be found. Thus, whatever exists does not cease to exist.
“Mahamati, how is it that whatever exists is impermanent? Because once a characteristic appears, its impermanence exists.429 This is why I say whatever exists is impermanent. And how is it, Mahamati, that whatever exists is permanent? Because once a characteristic appears, its non-arising exists.430 And because its impermanence is permanent, I say everything is permanent.“431
The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse:
1. “For refuting the views of other paths / I use four kinds of explanations / a direct answer or another question / analysis or silence
2. Whether life exists or doesn’t / for what is better left to silence / Vaisheshika and Samkhya masters433 / present their explanations
3. Examined by correct knowledge / self-existence cannot be found / because it transcends words / I teach no self-existence.”
XLIX434
Mahamati once more asked the Buddha, “Please tell us about srota-apannas and the different characteristics common to the srota-apanna path so that by becoming versed in such characteristics and by knowing how to differentiate the practices of sakrid-agamins, an-agamins, and arhats, we bodhisattvas might thus explain the Dharma to others, namely, the two kinds of no-self and the elimination of the two obstructions.435 And as we pass through the various stages until we finally reach the inconceivable and ultimate realm of the tathagatas, we might benefit all beings like multicolored, wish-fulfilling gems and protect and nourish them with the infinite bodies and wealth of the realm of all dharmas.”