–Volume 3(Part7)
Author: Fafu
Translator : Gemini
Hello, Dharma Friends! Welcome to this episode of the podcast contributed by the Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated of Australia.
Today, we will explore how the Buddha refutes worldly sophistry and dissects the illusory nature of the Four Great Elements (Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind), guiding us to abandon the discriminating and calculating mind-consciousness, and to awaken to the pure fundamental mind of the “Tathagata-garbha, the Wondrous True Suchness Nature.” With rigorous logic and vivid metaphors, the Buddha reveals that the Four Great Elements manifest according to karma, dependent on the Wondrous Bright True Mind.
1. Refuting Worldly Sophistry:
The Venerable Ananda believed that all worldly phenomena arose either from “Combination of Causes and Conditions” or from “Spontaneity (Nature).” However, the Buddha explicitly points out that both views are “worldly sophistry and delusional causal thinking,” products of the “discriminating and calculating mind-consciousness,” and fundamentally “have no real meaning.”
The Buddha used Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind, and even the “Seven Great Elements” as examples, one by one refuting the claim that they arise from “Combination” or “Spontaneity”:
The Illusion of the Earth Element:
Ananda thought the combination of the Four Great Elements generates worldly changes. The Buddha retorted: If the Earth Element combines with the self-nature (spontaneity), the self-nature should not be mixed with phenomena, just as empty space does not combine with form. The Buddha further analyzed: The coarse aspect of the Earth Element is the great earth; the subtle aspect is a dust mote, down to the “neighboring void particle”. If this ultimate subtle form is analyzed, it is composed of seven parts; when further analyzed, it becomes emptiness. If the neighboring void particle dissolves into empty space, how can empty space generate form? How many empty spaces combine to form one neighboring void particle? Neighboring voids should not combine to form another neighboring void. If empty space were formed by the combination of form, form can be analyzed, but how can emptiness be combined?
Conclusion: The fundamental essence of the Earth Element is “The True Void of Nature’s Form, the True Form of Nature’s Void.” It is pure and fundamentally existing, responding to the minds of sentient beings and manifesting according to their karma.
The Illusion of the Fire Element:
The Buddha used the example of holding a yangsui (magnifying glass) toward the sun to seek fire, and asked: Does the fire come from the mirror, the moxa (or paper), or the sun? If it comes from the sun, the sun should burn all the moxa and forests. If it comes from the mirror, the mirror should melt; yet the mirror does not melt, and the hand feels no heat. If it arises from the moxa, why is the contact with the sun-mirror necessary? The sun comes from the sky, the mirror is held by the hand, and the moxa arises from the earth. Where does the fire come from? The sun and the mirror are far apart, being neither combined nor not-combined. Fire should not arise spontaneously without cause.
Conclusion: The fundamental essence of the Fire Element is “The True Void of Nature’s Fire, the True Fire of Nature’s Void.” It is pure and fundamentally existing, responding to the minds of sentient beings and manifesting according to what is known by them. Holding the mirror in one spot, fire arises in that spot; if held throughout the entire Dharma Realm, it arises throughout the world. It has no fixed location, manifesting according to karma.
The Illusion of the Water Element:
The Buddha used the example of a magician holding a fangzhu (a vessel) on a white moonlit night to collect water from the moon, and asked: Does the water come from the gem, arise from empty space, or come from the moon? If it comes from the moon, the moonlight shining on forests should cause water to flow out; yet there is no flow, so water is not delivered by the moon. If it comes from the gem, the gem should constantly flow with water; why is it necessary to hold it up on a moonlit night? If it arises from empty space, the nature of empty space is boundless, so the water should be limitless, submerging humans and devas. How then can there be land, water, and air travel? The moon rises from the sky, the gem is held by the hand, and the water basin is set up by a person. Where does the water come from? The moon and the gem are far apart, being neither combined nor not-combined. Water should not arise spontaneously without cause.
Conclusion: The fundamental essence of the Water Element is “The True Void of Nature’s Water, the True Water of Nature’s Void.” It is pure and fundamentally existing, responding to the minds of sentient beings and manifesting according to what is known by them. Holding the gem in one spot, water flows out in that spot; if held throughout the entire Dharma Realm, it arises throughout the Dharma Realm. It has no fixed location, manifesting according to karma.
The Illusion of the Wind Element:
The Buddha used the example of Ananda adjusting his sangkali (outer robe), causing the corner to move and brush a person’s face, and asked: Does the wind come from the corner of the robe, arise from empty space, or arise from the person’s face? If it comes from the robe, the robe should fly away from the body; yet when the Buddha speaks the Dharma, the robe hangs still, with no place to hide the wind. If it arises from empty space, the nature of empty space is permanent, so wind should be constant; if there is no wind, empty space should cease, but empty space has no arising or ceasing, so how can wind arise from it? If it arises from the person’s face, when you adjust your robe, the wind should blow back towards you, so how does it brush others?
The act of adjusting the robe is yours; the face belongs to another; empty space is still and does not participate in the movement. Where does the wind come from? Wind and the nature of empty space are different, being neither combined nor not-combined. Wind should not arise spontaneously without cause.
Conclusion: The fundamental essence of the Wind Element is “The True Void of Nature’s Wind, the True Wind of Nature’s Void.” It is pure and fundamentally existing, responding to the minds of sentient beings and manifesting according to what is known by them. One person moves their robe, and wind arises in one spot; if brushed throughout the entire Dharma Realm, it arises throughout the world. It has no fixed location, manifesting according to karma.
2. Summary: The Ultimate Meaning of the Middle Way, the Wondrous True Suchness Nature
Through the dissection of the Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind Four Great Elements, the Buddha:
- Refutes Combination and Spontaneity: The Four Great Elements are neither formed by combination nor spontaneously existing. They are all delusions generated by the discriminating and calculating mind-consciousness, having no real meaning.
- The True Void of Nature’s Form, the True Form of Nature’s Void: The phenomena of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind are essentially void, yet the nature of voidness can manifest phenomena. The True Void manifests Wondrous Existence, and Wondrous Existence is fundamentally the True Void. Their fundamental essence is the “Tathagata-garbha, the Wondrous True Suchness Nature,” which is pure and fundamentally existing, pervading the entire Dharma Realm. All phenomena respond to the minds of sentient beings and manifest according to their karmic capacity. Fire arises in one spot when a mirror is held, water flows out in one spot when a gem is held; there are no fixed locations—all are the function of the Wondrous Bright True Mind.
Thank you!
