Author: Fafu
Translator : Lotus
Dear Dharma friends！
Hello everyone. Welcome to this episode of the podcast contributed by the Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated of Australia.
Today, we explore how the Buddha, by dispelling the dualistic notions of “That is” and “That is not,” and the attachments to “nature,” “cause and condition,” and ” perceiver and perceived,” guides sentient beings to awaken to the pure nature of the “wondrously clear true mind.” This teaching reveals the ultimate truth that the nature of visual awareness is neither cause nor conditions, beyond all defining attributes-that is entirely of Dharma
1. Breaking the Duality of ” Is” and ” Is Not”
The Buddha taught: The “nature of seeing” that perceives and the phenomena seen (the conditions of seeing), as well as the illusory concepts arising from past conditions, are like flowers in the sky—lacking any substantial reality. They are all manifestations of the “wondrously pure and clear nature of Bodhi.”
Using Manjusri Bodhisattva as an analogy: “I would be the real Manjushri. There couldn’t be any other Manjushri.” The true Manjusri transcends the duality of “being Manjusri” or “not being Manjusri,” for all phenomena arise from the mind and are mere illusory manifestations of the nature of seeing based on karmic activities. The wondrously clear true mind is absolute, free from the distinctions of “is” and “is not.”
The Buddha further pointed out that regarding phenomena such as “form,” “emptiness,” “hearing,” and “seeing,” labeling them as “having inherent nature” or “lacking inherent nature” is incorrect. This is because these phenomena are themselves illusory manifestations of the true mind and do not require the labels of “is” or “is not.” It is like an image displayed on a computer screen: the image is a manifestation of the screen, yet it is not the screen itself
2. Breaking the Concept of ” Spontaneity “
Ananda once wondered: Is the Buddha’s statement that ” the condition of enlightenment pervades the ten directions. It is clear and eternal its nature is neither produced nor extinguished.” the same as the non-Buddhist teaching of a “true self pervading the ten directions” or ” spontaneity “?
The Buddha explicitly rejected the concept of “spontaneity,” asking Ananda: If the nature of seeing is “spontaneous,” What is its spontaneous aspect? Is the bright light its spontaneous aspect, Is darkness its spontaneous aspect? Is emptiness its spontaneous aspect? Are solid objects its spontaneous aspect? If “brightness” is its spontaneous aspect, then in the absence of brightness, it should not see darkness; if “emptiness” is its spontaneous aspect, then in the absence of emptiness, it should not see obstruction. However, the nature of seeing pervades and perceives brightness, darkness, emptiness, and obstruction, seeing all without exception. It is not any single phenomenon, nor can it be defined as “spontaneity.” The Buddha dismantled attachment to the concept of ” spontaneity,” revealing that the nature of seeing is beyond all phenomena.
3. Breaking the Concept of “Cause and Condition”
Ananda then asked: Does the wondrously clear true mind arise due to causes and conditions?
The Buddha also refuted this, asking: Does the nature of seeing arise due to “brightness,” or due to “darkness,” “emptiness,” or “obstruction”? If it arises due to “brightness,” then in the absence of brightness, it should not see darkness; if it arises due to “emptiness,” then in the absence of emptiness, it should not see obstruction.
In reality, the nature of seeing does not arise due to any phenomenon, nor does it cease with phenomena. The Buddha concluded: ” the essential, enlightened wonderful brightness is due to neither causes nor conditions nor does it arise spontaneously.” The nature of seeing is the inherently complete, wondrously clear true mind, which does not arise dependent on external conditions nor exist due to spontaneity.
4. Breaking the “Mundane Philosophical Speculations Terms” and “Delusions”
The Buddha pointed out that the “seeing” and “phenomenal appearances” perceived by sentient beings through “eyes tainted by karma,” along with all sorts of discriminative imaginations, are delusions. The true mind cannot be understood through worldly speculation, conceptual terms, or delusions. One should let go of these false discriminations and awaken to the true mind.
5. Breaking the Concept of “Seeing and the Seen “
The Buddha further clarified: ” when you see light, the seeing is not the light. When you see darkness, the seeing is not the darkness. When you see emptiness, the seeing is not the emptiness. When you see obstructions, the seeing is not the obstructions. ” The nature of seeing is not the phenomena it perceives.
At a deeper level, the Buddha said: ” When you see your seeing, the seeing is not that seeing, since the former seeing is beyond the latter, the latter cannot reach it.” When the nature of seeing observes all phenomena, those phenomena are not the nature of seeing itself. When we chase after phenomena and cling to what is seen, we overlook the nature of seeing that enables perception. This is like looking at images on a screen while forgetting the existence of the screen itself.
6. Core Principle:
Through layer upon layer of refutation, the Buddha revealed the truth of the wondrously clear true mind:
Breaking dualistic oppositions: There is no “is” or “is not”; all phenomena are mind-only, form and emptiness are not two.
Breaking the concepts of spontaneity and cause-and-condition: The nature of seeing is neither a single phenomenon nor dependent on conditions.
Breaking conceptual terms and delusions: The wondrous Dharma of Bodhi cannot be attained through speculative thinking; one must let go of discriminations.
Breaking the dichotomy of seeing and the seen: The nature of seeing is not phenomena; phenomena are the functioning of the true mind, yet apart from phenomena is the Dharma itself.
Ultimately, the Buddha revealed the wondrously pure and clear essence of awakened awareness: ” the essential, enlightened wonderful brightness is due to neither causes nor conditions nor does it arise spontaneously. Nor is it the negation of spontaneity. It is neither a negation nor the denial of a negation. All dharmas are defined as being devoid of any attributes. This does not mean annihilating worldly phenomena but awakening to the realization that all phenomena are illusory manifestations of the true mind. Thank you, everyone!
