The Prajñā-wisdom of the Middle Way

 

Quote from Madhyamaka, Vol. 1, Nāgārjuna : 

“Dharmas are not self-arisen,

Nor are they other-arisen.

They do not arise together or without a cause.

Hence, we understand the non-arising.”

【諸法不自生，亦不從他生，

　不共不無因，是故知無生。】

《中論》卷1，龍樹

Remarks (Excerpts from The Correct Meanings of Treatise on the Middle Way, 中論正義, pp. 67-71, authored by Teacher Sun Cheng-Te): 

To save Bodhisattva Vasubandhu from the karmic retribution of rebirth in hell due to his slandering of the Mahāyāna Dharma, Bodhisattva Asaṅga expounded the Compendium of the Great Vehicle to guide Vasubandhu in accepting and personally realizing the Mahāyāna teachings. This was directed at Vasubandhu’s context of having an unimpeded penetrating understanding of various Hīnayāna sectarian schools without being attached to their erroneous views. Asaṅga’s direct explicit exposition of the ālaya-consciousness mind entity and his profound training in higher wisdom that “all three realms are mind-only, and all phenomena are mere consciousness” enabled the exceptionally intelligent Vasubandhu to accept without doubt and directly realize these teachings. Although there was a limited explanation of the Middle-Way prajñā, it was fundamentally based on the same principal entity of the ālaya-consciousness. This was a skillful means devised by Bodhisattva Asaṅga for Bodhisattva Vasubandhu because the depth and breadth of the Mahāyāna Dharma are proficiently adapted to suit the varying capacities of different practitioners.

One who has realized the mind entity of ālaya-consciousness will be able to correctly ascertain the true characteristics of the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing of the five aggregates. This means that the prajñā-wisdom associated with the sign of reality is contingent upon the faithful acceptance of the existence of ālaya-vijñāna and the direct realization of the mind entity of ālaya-consciousness. Thus, it is said that the mind entity of the ālaya-consciousness is the principal entity of prajñā. As such, through this direct realization, a bodhisattva personally verifies the doctrinal foundation of the dependent arising without an intrinsic nature of the aggregates, sense fields, and elements, as well as the Two-Vehicle nirvāṇa. He understands that the Two-Vehicle nirvāṇa is actually expounded based on this tathāgatagarbha mind. The so-called dependent arising denotes that all dharmas arise from the tathāgatagarbha mind through conditions; without the tathāgatagarbha mind, there would be no arising of myriad conditions and thus no dharma of dependent arising without an intrinsic nature to speak of. Therefore, it is said that the tathāgatagarbha mind is also the principal entity of the Two-Vehicle Bodhi and the Two-Vehicle nirvāṇa. The notion of nondual reality-nature described in prajñā belongs to the mind entity of the ālaya-consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha. This nondual reality-nature denotes the Middle Way, which falls neither into existence in the three realms nor into nihilistic nothingness. It does not conform to the view of perpetual existence resolutely held by the ordinary adherents of Sectarian Buddhism because none of the six consciousnesses of the consciousness concealment can continue into the next life and hence cannot extend to the infinite future. Nor does it align with the view of absolutely empty resolutely held by those with a wrong attachment to total nothingness because all arhats believe in the existence of the permanent and indestructible intrinsic vijñāna.

Those who have attained direct realization rely on the prajñā-wisdom associated with the sign of reality to directly observe the dependent arising with an empty nature of the dharmas of the aggregates, sense fields, and elements as well as to directly observe that the aggregates, sense fields, and elements basically should be inherently subsumed under the seed functions in the mind entity of the ālaya-consciousness. That is to say, without the continuous functional operations of the mind entity of ālaya-consciousness, the aggregates, sense fields, and elements would have no functionalities. The mind entity of the sign of reality is neither arising nor ceasing, is inherently nirvāṇic, and is inherently non-arising. A bodhisattva who personally realizes and directly observes as such can therefore thoroughly comprehend the Mahāyāna core tenet expounded by the Buddha to various bodhisattvas in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, where it is stated that “the various dharmas of the aggregates, sense fields, and elements are also inherently non-arising.” Thus, with the wisdom gained from directly observing the dharmas of the aggregates, sense fields, and elements through the Middle-Way nature of the ālaya-consciousness mind entity, one directly observes and personally realizes that all dharmas are neither separate from nor identical to the mundane world. This denotes the prajñā-wisdom of the Middle Way.

#Middle Way #prajna #Mahayana #alayaconsciousness 

Consciousness-Only Series (Cheng Weishi Lun)

 

'"Why is it that apart from the consciousness, no real dharmas can be found?' This is because the real dharmas grasped by non-Buddhists and other vehicles [of Buddhism] do not exist from the standpoint of reason.'" Cheng Weishi Lun, Vol. 1

 

「『如何識外實有諸法不可得耶？』外道餘乘所執外法，理非有故。」 

成唯識論, 卷一 

Remarks: (Excerpts from Commentary on the Cheng Weishi Lun)

 Translation: "Question: ‘Why is it that apart from the inner consciousness, no real dharmas can be found?’ Answer: This is because the real dharmas, other than the inner consciousness, grasped by non-Buddhists and ordinary monks of Two-Vehicle sectarian Buddhism do not exist from the standpoint of the correct principle."

 All the dharmas rely on “the consciousness,” the tathāgatagarbha, to arise directly, indirectly, or interchangeably. All generated minds or dharmas cannot give rise to dharma because they lack the meritorious quality to give rise to dharma. That is, other than the eighth consciousness, no dharmas can be found that can give rise to various dharmas.

 The above quote already indicates that the dharmas of the five concealments and others are brought forth by the eighth consciousness and abide in the state of the six sense objects that originate from the eighth consciousness. However, sentient beings often mistakenly believe that they are experiencing the six external sense objects due to ignorance.

 In fact, both the second consciousness capable of transforming (the mental faculty) and the third consciousness capable of transforming (the six consciousnesses) are brought forth from the tathāgatagarbha and merely serve to assist the eighth consciousness in transforming and producing various other dharmas. Hence, they are expediently referred to as the second and third consciousnesses capable of transforming. When it comes to the actual transformation and generation of various dharmas, all of them are still transformed and produced by the eighth consciousness; the seven evolving consciousnesses (the second and third consciousnesses capable of transforming) cannot transform and generate various other dharmas.

 What is important is that only a mind capable of producing can generate all dharmas; all generated minds cannot give rise to any dharma. This is the law of the dharma realm that can be equally and directly observed by all Buddhas and bodhisattvas who have realized the reality-suchness mind, “the consciousness,” tathāgatagarbha, and who can expound this knowledge of the real dharma to others. A correct law of principle that is not understood by all non-Buddhists and Two Vehicle sectarian Buddhists.

#ChengWeishiLun #ConsciousnessOnly #tathagatagarbha

 

The True Self in Buddhism

 

Quote:

“Samsara is full of erroneous, deviant, and unjust views. These include taking the impermanent as permanent, the non-self as self, unhappiness as happiness, and impurity as purity. Only the unsurpassed True Dharma can eliminate these views. Because of this, one should take refuge in the True Dharma.” Sūtra on Upāsaka Precepts

Remarks: (Excerpts from Commentary on Cheng Weishi Lun)

Throughout the streams of transmigration, many erroneous, fallacious, and evil views and teachings are constantly circulating in the human world among ordinary people and non-Buddhist practitioners. People inevitably encounter such inverted teachings throughout their transmigration into the human world.

According to the Cheng Weishi Lun, Vol. 1, “As a result of false perfuming [by false notions], something resembling a self appears. The foolish mistake it for the real self.[1]” Sentient beings have consciousness aggregates that differ from life to life, and the incessant phenomenon of “the former disappearing and the succeeding appearing” leading to the perception of the eight or three kinds of suffering, due to the false perfuming [by false notions] of the various dharmas of the five concealments, among others, as the cause. One thus mistakenly clings to the entirety or parts of the five concealments as the real self, and is hence trapped by the notion of “self-view” and becomes attached to the various self-belongings, which correspond to the five concealments. This is why one incessantly transmigrates until the present life.

If one can avoid falling into the notion of five concealments and refrain from misapprehending them as the “true self,” then one will not continue to suffer the pain of transmigration. However, due to the force of false perfuming since beginningless time, ignorant individuals regard the five concealments that constantly arise and cease as the real self, life after life since birth.

In fact, our karmic seeds stored in the tathāgatagarbha contain our countless past wholesome and unwholesome deeds, and only after we pass away will our five-concealment body disappear, and our newly grown five-concealment body will bear the retribution when the cause and conditions mature. Thus, it is the permanent and eternally and undeniably existent tathāgatagarbha that allows the law of cause and effect to exist and that allows righteousness and justice based on our actions to be faithfully executed throughout the stream of transmigration.

It is thus of utmost importance for Buddhist practitioners to have a true mentor who can guide them toward true liberation and help them transcend the cyclic rebirth. By recognizing that the five aggregates/concealments which constitute the self are illusory and lack intrinsic nature, one can then avoid being misled by false teachings and stay on the correct path toward enlightenment.

[1] 「由妄熏習似我相現，愚者於中妄執為我。」成唯識論 卷1

Bodhisattva Nagarjuna -The Non-Arising Truth

“Dharmas are not self-arisen,

Nor are they other-arisen.

They do not arise together or without a cause.

Hence, we understand the non-arising.”

Root Verses on the Middle Way, Vol. 1

「諸法不自生，亦不從他生，不共不無因，是故知無生。」《中論》卷1

Remarks:

The notion of non-arising nature expounded by Bodhisattva Nagarjuna refers to the Mahāyāna emptiness-nature pertaining to prajñā, not to the notion of the emptiness-appearance of the five aggregates and their phenomenal world. That is, the Middle-Way emptiness of the tathāgatagarbha is not the emptiness-appearance of the arising and ceasing condition-based dharmas that is part of the Two-Vehicle teachings. As the five aggregates are impermanent dharmas and will ultimately become extinct, they do not have the inherently non-arising nature of the tathāgatagarbha, which is permanent, real, and imperishable. Hence, we know that the tathāgatagarbha is different from the five aggregates.

However, if the five aggregates differ from the tathāgatagarbha, then the tathāgatagarbha cannot abide in the bodies of the three realms (all beings have bodies) and will differ from the five aggregates in the three realms. Then, the tathāgatagarbha entity self has nothing to do with the five aggregates’ bodies. In this case, all cultivational efforts of practitioners will become empty, meaningless, and unachievable.

Therefore, a bodhisattva who has realized the tathāgatagarbha knows and can personally witness that it brings forth all the arising and ceasing dharmas in the three realms. That is, the dharmic nature of all dharmas arises and ceases, but the tathāgatagarbha entity does not arise or cease. Therefore, a bodhisattva leaves the two extremes of arising and ceasing and neither arising nor ceasing and abides in the Middle Way and the prajñā of non-arising. This is the true meaning of the verses taught by Bodhisattva Nagarjuna.

#Buddha #Nagarjuna #tathagatagarbha #middleway

The Three Categories of Vijñānas Taught By the Buddha

Quotes:

 

“Mahāmati! In brief, there are three types of consciousness, which can be extensively expanded to eight aspects. What are those three? They are the true consciousness, the manifesting consciousness, and the phenomena-differentiating consciousness.”

Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, Volume 1, “Words and Thoughts of all the Buddhas”

 

「大慧！略說有三種識，廣說有八相。何等為三？謂真識、現識，及分別事識。」Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra《楞伽阿跋多羅寶經 》卷一〈一切佛語心品〉

 

Remarks: (Excerpts from Commentary on Cheng Weishi Lu, Vol. 1) 

According to Buddhist scriptures, the universe and the lives of sentient beings have originated from the mind, the eighth consciousness (tathāgatagarbha). The intrinsic nature of the tathāgatagarbha is permanent and neither arises nor ceases. In Triṃśikā-vijñaptimātratā (唯識三十論誦), Bodhisattva Vasubandhu states, “There are only three types of consciousness that can transform and generate the self and dharma in three realms: maturation-consciousness, decision-making consciousness, and state-discriminating consciousness.” The statement of Bodhisattva Vasubandhu is based on the statements in the chapter “Words and Thoughts of all the Buddhas” in Volume 1 of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra.

The first type of consciousness that is true and permanently abides and is thus called the true consciousness is the fundamental consciousness of all sentient beings—the eighth maturation-consciousness or ālāya-consciousness. The manifesting-consciousness, which prompts the true consciousness to transform and generate various dharmas, is the second type, the seventh-consciousness mental faculty, also known as the manas-consciousness; it can induce the true consciousness to arise myriad dharmas, hence being called the manifesting-consciousness. The third type of consciousness, which distinguishes all the phenomena of the six sense objects, is mental awareness, etc., the perceptive mind of the six consciousnesses. The discerning mind of the six consciousnesses applies to those who have not eliminated the self-view and abide therein. 

In other words, the notion of mental objects are the things that are apprehended (perceived), which are among the five sense objects to be perceived by the apprehender (perceiver). That is, these six consciousnesses require the supportive conditions of the three dharmas of sense faculties, sense objects, and contact before they can be brought forth from the eighth true consciousness, tathāgatagarbha. Once these six consciousnesses have arisen, they are collectively called the consciousness aggregate, which is part of the five aggregates (concealments).

The ability to discern and the act of discerning both denote the apprehender (perceiver). The perceptive mind as the apprehender, comprising the mental faculty (manas), the mental consciousness, and so forth. These essentially consist of the dharmas of duality. Thus, practitioners must first truly understand the arising sequences of the five aggregates, including the consciousness aggregates to understand the impermanent nature of the five aggregates. As such, practitioners will then be able to rid themselves of the notion that the perceptive mind or the mental consciousness is permanent. Such is referred to as the wisdom of “eliminating self-view.”

Hence, only when the mind is intrinsically away from seeing, hearing, feeling, and cognizing, free from the apprehender, both the mental consciousness and the mental faculty (manas), and from the five sense objects or the mental objects being apprehended, can it denote the permanently existent True Mind, the ālāya-consciousness or tathāgatagarbha that encompasses the three categories of vijñānas.

#Buddha #alayaconsciousness #tathagatagarbha #Vasubandhu #Triṃśikā-vijñaptimātratā

True Liberation in Buddhism

 

Quote: 

"By eliminating the obstacle of passions that lead to successive rebirth, one realizes true liberation; by eliminating the obstacle to the knowable that hinders true understanding, one obtains great awakening (mahā-bodhi)"  Cheng Weishi Lu, Vol. 1

「由斷『續生』煩惱障故，證真解脫；由斷『礙解』所知障故，得大菩提。 」

《成唯釋論》卷一

Remarks:

The Two-Vehicle saints, without turning to Mahāyāna, have not realized the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha, and thus cannot attain reality-suchness. They cannot directly witness the Benji (intrinsic limit) of the remainderless nirvāṇa, which they are to enter after death. Hence, the liberation they will attain is not true liberation.

Why is that so? It is because the liberation attained by Two-Vehicle saints is an expedient establishment, taught by the World-Honored One based on the tathāgatagarbha that neither arises nor ceases. However, Two-Vehicle saints have not actually realized the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha, and cannot directly observe its intrinsicality, nature, purity, and nirvāṇa (i.e. substantial nature of ālaya-vijñāna). Thus, their liberation is not real and is not a “true liberation.” Practitioners still need to eradicate their seeds of habit energy contained therein before the attainment of the Great Bodhi (mahā-bodhi). Therefore, the Two-Vehicle sages dwelling in the nirvāṇa with remainder while they are still alive are unaware of what the state of liberational nirvāṇa will be when they “have exhausted all future existence” or when they are already entirely without the future five or four aggregates. In other words, after they pass away and enter the remainderless nirvāṇa, they will not have a five- or four-aggregate self and will assume the state of no-self, “without future existence.” Thus, they will naturally not be able to validate the existence of the stateless state of liberation in the remainderless nirvāṇa.

Therefore, according to Master Xuanzang and Kuiji, the liberation of Two-Vehicle sages and non-Buddhists is “not true liberation.” It was established by the World-Honored One merely for expediency, based on the existence of the eighth consciousness-the tathāgatagarbha, so that Two-Vehicle saints with fixed dispositions who fear suffering from samsara could be temporarily freed from the cycle of births and deaths.

#ChengWeishiLu #tathagatagarbha #remainderlessnirvana #noself #Xuanzang #Twovehicle

 (Reference: Commentary on Cheng Weishi Lu)