Then Ananda addressed the Lord Buddha, saying:
Noble Lord! You have always taught us that all the variety of changes in the world are manifested by means of conformity and combination of the Four Great Elements, according to the principle of causes and conditions. How is it that now, the Lord Tathagata rejects both the principle of naturalism and the principle of causes and conditions? I am confused as to what you are trying to teach. Pray, Noble Lord, have pity upon us once more and show us the true and perfect teaching of the Middle Way which is free from all ambiguous statements.
Thereupon the Blessed Lord addressed the disciples, saying: Ananda, at first you disliked the Hinayana attainments of Arahatship and Pratyaka-Buddha, and devoted all your effort to seeking Supreme Enlightenment. How does it come that you are still troubling your mind with those fictitious statements and false conceptions of causes and conditions? Though it is true that you are quite learned, you are like the man who knew the names of drugs, but when medicines were brought to him he could not tell their different properties and virtues. Ananda, you are to be pitied. Now listen to me attentively and I will answer your question by explaining clearly the distinctions in detail. And not for you only, Ananda, but for the sake of all the disciples of the future who will practice Mahayana, so that all will be able to attain to the Ultimate Principle of Reality.
Ananda, by his perfect silence and attention, showed himself ready for the teaching from the Blessed Lord Buddha.
The Lord Buddha said: Ananda, it is just as you have said, all the varieties and changes in this world are manifested by means of the conformities and combinations of the Four Great Elements (earth, water, fire, air). If the substance of these Great Elements is of the nature of non-conformity and non-combination, then they can not mingle together in conformity, just as space cannot be in conformity with sights. Or, if the great Elements are in conformity and combination with one another, they will be like all other transformations, which are forever in process of completing one another, but from beginning to end incessantly passing from death to rebirth, and from rebirth to death, like a blazing wheel.
Ananda! The manifestations of the Four Great Elements are like water being continually frozen into ice and just as repeatedly thawed into water again. Suppose we consider the nature of the earth element. In a crude and coarse form it covers the globe, but in a highly refined form it is the infinitesimal dust of space, and even everything that the eyes can see can be reduced into its seven primal elements. If we analyze this infinitesimal dust of space, we will more and more approximate the purity of space, but will not bring us its absolute vacuum. You should know, Ananda, that if this infinitesimal dust of space should be truly reduced to the purity and emptiness of space, it would be out of this inconceivable purity that the phenomena of sight is manifested also. You have just now asked me, how it is that by means of conformity and combination all sorts of transformations in this world are manifested. Let us first examine this most refined dust that is approximately close to the nature of open space and what do we find. Ananda, how much space, reduced to finest particles, do you think it would take in conformity and combination to become that most refined dust? No, however much space be condensed, its proximities can never become the proximities of finest dust, and however much finest dust be analyzed it can never become by conformity and combination the purity of space. Moreover, in regard to perceiving these finest particles of dust that approximate the purity of space, how many elements of the perception of sight will it take in combination to perceive pure space? And even if the phenomena of sights are combined together, it will not become space; and if the elements of space be combined, it will not become sights.
Indeed, Ananda, you are foolish to ask such questions, for in the Tathagata’s Womb, the intrinsic nature of sight is the real emptiness of space, the true vacuum, while the intrinsic nature of space is the real sight, the true essence. In the Tathagata’s Womb, space and sights are of perennial freshness and purity, permeating everywhere throughout the phenomenal universes, and are being forever manifested spontaneously and perfectly in accordance with the amount of karma accumulated under the conscious activity of sentient beings. However, people of the world being ignorant of this principle, become bewildered in the entanglements of cause and conditions and naturalism, which are wholly the discriminations of their mental consciousness, and are merely figurative words having no meaning in reality.
Ananda, now let us consider the nature of the water-element. By nature water is impermanent, whether in the current of rivers or in the waves of the sea. Where does water originate? The great masters of Magic in the City of Sravasti attempt to get it pure from the moon to mix with their magical medicines. They wait until there is bright moonlight and they hold out a receptacle, which they call the magical pearl, to receive this pure moon-water. What do you think about it, Ananda? Does this water come from the magical pearl, or does it come out of space, or does it really come from the moon? If the water comes from the moon, then the pearls in any far distant place could be made to give out water, and all the forests where these pearls are found, and all the lands where they are found should effuse water, and it would be unnecessary, on a moonlight night, to carry a bucket to a well. But if you had such a pearl and no water come from it, it would be proof that water does not come from the moon.
Or if the water comes from the magical pearl, then the said pearl should effuse water constantly and it would be unnecessary to wait for a bright moonlight. If the water comes from the empty space between the moon and the pearl, then, as space is boundless and if water was equally boundless, then all sentient beings on earth or in sky would be in danger of drowning. Why is it that there are still living beings in water, earth, and air? Think carefully, Ananda; here is the moon moving silently in the sky, the Master of Magic standing with the magical pearl in his hand, and remember the vast space between the moon and the pearl — they are neither in conformity nor in combination. From where does the water come? Surely it can not come from nowhere. And then, again, consider that wherever a master of magic may be standing in the moonlight in some one place there water appears, supposing there are magicians all over the world and water is appearing everywhere, what would that signify?
Ananda! Why is it that you still remain in ignorance that in the Tathagata’s Womb the intrinsic nature of water is the real emptiness, while the intrinsic nature of space is the real water-essence. In the Womb of Tathagata both water and space abide in freshness and purity and permeate everywhere throughout the universes and is being manifested freely, and perfectly corresponding to the accumulation of karma by the conscious activity of sentient beings.
However, people of this world, being ignorant of this, and by regarding water as being manifested by causes and conditions, or spontaneously by its own nature, have become bewildered. Whereas, all of these false presuppositions and prejudices are simply the discriminations made by their own mental consciousness, and are merely figurative words having no basis in reality.
Now, Ananda, let us consider the element of fire. Fire has not its own individual nature, but is dependent upon other considerations. If you were to look toward the city of Sravasti at the time people are getting ready to prepare the noon meal, you would see every householder bring his lens into the sunlight to kindle a fire. They all do the same thing, but each acts individually. In like manner this assembly of twelve hundred and fifty Bhikshus gather here for one purpose, but each has his own individuality, each has his own body and his own family name, such as Sariputra born in a Brahmin family, Urbinzuru born in the family of Kasyapa, down to you, the last of all, Ananda, born in the family of Gotama. (All of these instances are examples of individuality under the conditions of conformity and combination.)
If the quality of fire is developed by means of conformity and combination, then as one holds out his lens to the heat of the sunlight in order to kindle a fire, does the fire come from the glass, or does it come from the wormwood fiber that the heat kindles, or does the fire come from the sun, Ananda? If the fire comes from the sun and kindles the wormwood fiber, why is not the whole forest of wormwood trees kindled also? If it comes from the lens and is hot enough to kindle the wormwood, why is the lens itself not burnt? As it is, there is no fire until your hand holds out the lens between the sun and the fiber. Again, Ananda, think carefully. Here are certain conditions that being present, fire arises: you are holding a lens in your hand, the sunlight is coming from the sun, the wormwood fiber has grown from the ground, but where does the fire come from, and how does it sojourn here? Moreover, the lens and the sun are separated from each other by a very great distance. There seems to be no conformity nor any combination, but it can not be that the fire comes from nowhere.
Ananda, why is it that you still remain in ignorance that in the Tathagata’s Womb the intrinsic nature of fire is the real emptiness, while the intrinsic nature of space is the real fire-essence. In the Womb of Tathagata both fire and space abide in freshness and purity and permeate everywhere through-out the universes and are being manifested freely and perfectly corresponding to the accumulation of karma by the conscious activity of sentient beings. You should therefore know, Ananda, that wherever people in this world hold out lenses, fire may be kindled, and as fire may be kindled everywhere, there is the place where fire originates. However, people of this world being ignorant of this, and by regarding fire as being manifested by causes and conditions, or spontaneously by reason of its own nature, have become bewildered. Whereas, all of these false presuppositions and prejudices are simply the discriminations made by their own mental consciousness, and are merely figurative words having no meaning in reality.
Ananda, let us now consider the nature of wind. It has no (visible) substantiality and it has no permanency either when in motion or in quietness. For instance, whenever you enter the assembly your garments are well arranged, but as you enter the lower corner of your robe is moving and a little breeze from it blows on the faces of the brothers sitting close by. What think you, Ananda, does this little breeze come from the lower corner of your robe, or does it come from the air-space between them, or does it come from the nearby faces? If it came from your garment, then it must have been in a moving state when you put it on, and why did not your garment fly away from you? If the breeze comes from the garments, then as I stand before you teaching the Dharma with my scarf hanging quietly from my shoulder, where is the breeze? Can you find its hiding place? Or if it comes from the space of air, why do your scarfs hang motionless? Moreover, as the nature of space is permanent, the breeze, if it comes from space, should be blowing constantly. As there is no breeze, does it mean that there is no space, either? If the breeze comes and goes, what is its appearance as it comes and goes? If it comes and goes, then space would have its deaths and rebirths, and could no longer be called space. If it is called space, how can it give out wind from its emptiness? If the breeze that is felt on one’s face, comes from that face, then it should be felt by your face. As it is your garment, why does not the breeze blow toward you, why does it blow away from you? And again, Ananda, as you think about these things, the arrangement of your garment, the nearby faces, the stillness of the air, space taking no part in the moving breeze, what originates the breeze and just where does it come from? Moreover, the natures of the breeze and space are widely divergent, they are neither in conformity nor in combination with each other; and yet the breeze must come from somewhere; it is not its nature to come from nowhere.
Ananda! Why is it that you still remain in ignorance that in the Tathagata’s Womb the intrinsic nature of wind is the real emptiness, while the intrinsic nature of space is the real wind-essence. In the Womb of Tathagata both wind and space abide in freshness and purity and permeate everywhere throughout the phenomenal universes and are being manifested freely, and perfectly correspond to the amount of karma accumulated by the conscious activity of sentient beings. And then, again, wherever a single person arranges his garment there comes out a breeze, and when all the world arrange their garments, wind arises everywhere. If wind comes out everywhere, where can be the particular locality that is the origin of wind?
However, people of the world, being ignorant of this, and by regarding wind as being manifested by causes and conditions, or spontaneously by its own nature, have become bewildered. Whereas, all of these false presuppositions and prejudices are simply the discriminations made by their own mental consciousness; they are merely figurative words that have no basis in reality.
Ananda, the nature of space possesses no form and is manifested by colors only. For instance, at a distance from the river all the newly built homes in the city of Sravasti, whether belonging to the Ksatriya family, or to some Brahman family, or to a Sudra, or to a Bradha, or to a Chandra family, each has to dig a well for their supply of water. As they dig up one foot of earth, there is one foot of air space left open, and so they go on digging even down to ten feet, but there is always the same number of feet of open space left open. The amount of open space left open is entirely in proportion to the amount of digging up of earth. What think you, Ananda? Does the space left open come from the earth that has been re- moved, or does it come by means of the digging, or does it just come by itself, without any cause? If it comes just simply by itself without any other cause, why do we have to remove the earth before it comes into sight? Instead of space we see the impassable earth everywhere. If it comes from the earth, then as the earth is dug up, we should see the space coming to take its place. If we do not see space coming in to take the place of the earth as it is being removed, how can we say that the space comes from outside of the earth? If there is neither coming out of earth nor coming in of space, then we might say that both earth and space are alike, but if there was no difference between them, there would be a sameness, but as the earth is dug up, why does the space not come up also? Or if the space comes out by the digging, then as space is dug up, why should the earth come up too? If it does not come out by digging, then while the earth is being removed, why do we see space left in the hole? Ananda, you should concentrate your mind, reflect, and give intense insight upon these conditions of digging, earth coming out, and space filling up the place, trying to realize where the space comes from. As digging is a matter of fact while space is a phenomena of emptiness, there can be no correspondence between them, nor are they in mutual accommodation, that is, they are neither in conformity nor in combination with each other, and yet it can not be that the nature of space comes from nowhere. Moreover, if the nature of space is perfect and permeates all the universes, then you should know that, in our consideration, space together with earth, water, fire, and wind, are to be regarded as the Five Great Elements, whose essential nature is perfect, and all-in-unity, and all alike belonging to the Tathagata’s Womb, and all alike devoid of deaths and rebirths.
Ananda, your mind appears to be still in a state of bewilderment, you do not realize even that essence of the Four Great Elements belongs to the Womb of Tathagata. You should carefully observe as to whether space comes out from some unseen place, or comes in from something seen outside, or does it neither come out from or come into? You are ignorant that within the Tathagata’s Womb the intuition of Essence is the real emptiness, while the intrinsic nature of space is real Enlightenment. Within Tathagata’s Womb they are ever in freshness and purity, permeating everywhere throughout the phenomenal universes, and are being manifested freely and perfectly in correspondence to the amount of karma accumulated by the conscious activity of sentient beings.
For instance, Ananda, when there is one well dug, space is manifested to the limit of one well, and when all the ten quarters of the universes become empty, the space of emptiness is manifested all throughout the universes, also. If the space of emptiness is perfectly permeating everywhere throughout the ten quarters of the universes, then where can the space of emptiness be seen and located? But the world is all in ignorance and bewilderment because they have always regarded the space of emptiness as being manifested by causes and conditions, or spontaneously by its own nature, whereas, all of these false presuppositions and prejudices are simply discriminations made by their own mental consciousness; they are merely figurative words that have no basis in reality.
Ananda! The perception of sight is to be regarded in the same way. It has no substantiality of itself and its existence is dependent upon sights and space. For instance, here in the Grove of Jetavana it is daybreak in the morning and it becomes dark after sunset; at midnight, when there is moonlight, we have brightness and when there is no moonlight, there is darkness. The distinctions of brightness and darkness are noted by our perception of sight. What do you think, Ananda? Is this perception of sight in one unity with brightness, darkness and space, or is it not in unity with them? Is it of the same substantiality with them; is it of different substantiality from them; or is it not of different substantiality? If our perception of sight is in unity with brightness, darkness and space, then as brightness and darkness are in mutual correspondence as regards their appearing and disappearing, so when it is dark there is no brightness, and when it is light there is no darkness. If perception of sight is in unity with darkness, then when it is bright, it must follow that there is no perception of sight. Or if it is in unity with brightness, then when it is dark, there ought not to be any perception of sight either? If it disappears when it is both dark and bright, how can it note the difference between brightness and darkness? Or, if there is a difference between perception of sight and brightness and darkness, and perception of sight has no appearing and no disappearing, then how can they be in unity with them? If perception of sight is not in unity with brightness and darkness, then leaving brightness, darkness and space out of account, suppose you try to analyze this perception of sight and tell me what it appears like. Independent of brightness, darkness and space, perception of sight would be non-existent, like the tortoise’s hair or the horns of a rabbit. Let us grant that these phenomena of brightness, darkness and space, are different from one another, then from which one of the three phenomena is perception of sight manifested? Brightness and darkness are in contrast with each other, how can it be said that perception of sight is in unity with both of them or with either one of them? If perception of sight is independent of all three of these different phenomena, it must be devoid of existence entirely, and if it is, how can it be asserted that it is not in unity with them? The spheres of space and sight by their nature are devoid of any limits, how can it be said that there are distinctions between them? If it is asserted that when perception of sight sees brightness and when it sees darkness that its nature does not undergo any change, how can it be said that there is no distinction between them?
Ananda! You should observe carefully, scrutinize the details, concentrate your attention, bring into use your profound insight, upon all these conditions of brightness when the sun is shining, darkness when there is no moon, sight passing through space unhindered and being hindered by the opaqueness of the great earth. In all these varied conditions by what means is perception of sight manifested? From all these things perception of sight appears to be false and empty, it is neither in conformity with brightness, darkness and space, nor in combination with them, and yet it can not be that perception of space comes from nowhere.
Ananda! If perception of sight, hearing, understanding, etc., has a nature that is unlimited and perfect, permeating everywhere throughout the universes, and by nature unchangeable, then you should know that the natures of the multitudinous and different perceptions, infinite, unmovable space, together with the movable elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, are to be regarded as the Six Great Elements. Their essential natures are perfect and in one unity, and they all belong to the Womb of Tathagata, and are devoid of deaths and rebirths. As your mind-essence has fallen out of attention, you have failed to realize that all your perceptions of sight, hearing, understanding and feeling, belong by reason of their nature to Tathagata’s Womb. You should meditate upon this and note whether your perceptions of sight, hearing, understanding and feeling, belong to deaths and rebirths, or belong to one great unity. Do they belong to different natures, or belong to non-death and non-rebirth, or do they belong to not one unity and not different natures? You have never yet fully realized that within the Womb of Tathagata the essential nature of perception of sight is intuitive and enlightening, and that the intuition of the one and all embracing Essence, manifests its faculty of seeing, hearing, understanding and feeling everywhere, and that the essential nature of perception of sight, within Tathagata’s Womb is ever in freshness and purity, permeating everywhere throughout the universes, and are being manifested freely and perfectly in correspondence to the amount of karma accumulated by the conscious activity of sentient beings.
For instance, referring to one of our sense organs, the sense of sight, the perception of sight reaches to every part of the phenomenal universes, and the same is true of all the sense organs, seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching and consciousness, the wonderful qualities of their perception reaching everywhere and permeating everywhere throughout the ten quarters of all the phenomenal universes. However, all the people of the world being ignorant of this, and by regarding perception of sight as being manifested by causes and conditions, or spontaneously by its own nature, have become bewildered. Whereas, all these false presuppositions and prejudices are simply the discriminations made by their mental consciousness; they are merely figurative words and figures of speech that have no basis in reality.
Ananda! Consciousness has no originality of its own. It is an illusive manifestation developed by means of the six objects of sense. Suppose you were looking over this assembly, without making any particular distinctions, letting the different persons present be reflected in your mind as in a looking glass. Your consciousness would, nevertheless, make acknowledgement of the different ones, saying in orderly succession: This is Brother Manjusri, this is Brother Purna, this is Brother Maudgalyayana, this is Brother Subhuti, this is Brother Sariputra, etc. What think you, Ananda? Is this discriminating consciousness manifested from the phenomena, or is it manifested from space, or is it manifested spontaneously without any cause?
If the nature of your consciousness is manifested from the perception of eyes, let us suppose there is no brightness, no darkness, no sight and no space. If these are not existent then, naturally, there will be no perception of sight, and if there is no perception of sight by your eyes, how can any consciousness arise? Or, if the nature of your consciousness is manifested from phenomena, but not from the perception of your eyes, then as there can be no perception of brightness, there can be no perception of darkness, either. If there is no perception of either brightness or darkness, there can be no sight and no space. If there is no phenomena of either sight or space, from what can consciousness be manifested? Or, if the nature of your consciousness is manifested from the emptiness of space, then, as there is no phenomena, so there can be no perception of eyes and nothing to distinguish, and of course, consciousness could not say, this is brightness, this is darkness, this is sight or this is space. If consciousness belongs to non-phenomena, then there will be no condition in its presence and, thus, all perceptions of sight, hearing, understanding, feeling, will be devoid of location and therefore of all existence. If there can be no existence under these two conditions of no phenomena and no perception of sight, is it possible to have existence under any other conditions? If it is possible, then the conditions must be different in nature from the phenomena of sight, or the phenomena of space and the resulting consciousness will be something different from consciousness based upon distinctions of sight, hearing, etc. Or if the nature of your consciousness is manifested spontaneously without any particular cause, why do you not see the bright moon in some abnormal way?
Ananda! You should ponder upon this question very carefully, concentrate your attention, make use of your profound insight, scrutinizing such details of conditions as the teaching that perception of seeing is dependent upon eyes, perception of phenomena is derived from conditions within one’s presence, that existence means describable forms and that non-existence means the absence of phenomena. These conditions of consciousness — from what cause are they developed? It can not be that they come from nowhere. As to those disciples who have not yet attained to the state of absorption into the Womb of Tathagata, their consciousness belongs to activity and the perception of sight to tranquillity, so accordingly, perception of sight and the consciousness dependent upon it are neither manifested by means of conformity to something, nor by combination with something; and it is just the same with the other perceptions of hearing, understanding, and feeling, and with their corresponding consciousness.
Ananda! If your conscious mind is not manifested from any source, then you should know that both discriminative consciousness and the different perceptions of seeing, hearing, understanding, and feeling, are all existing in perfection and tranquillity the nature of which is unmanifested from any outer source, and that all of them — perceptions, consciousness, together with earth, water, air, fire and space — are to be regarded as the Seven Great Elements. Their essential nature is perfect and in unity within the Womb of Tathagata and, therefore, they are free from deaths and rebirths.
Ananda! The reason you have never been able to realize that your perceptions of seeing, hearing, understanding and feeling, and your mental faculties for discriminating phenomenal objects and developing thoughts relating to them, all belong to your own Womb of Tathagata. You should meditate upon these questions, namely, whether the six different localities of consciousness, dependent upon the sense organs, are all one consciousness or different? Whether they exist in the emptiness of space or have phenomenal existence? Whether they are in a state of non-unity and non-difference, or in a state of non-space and non-existence? Naturally, you have never known that within your Womb of Tathagata the essential nature of consciousness is enlightening and intelligent, that your enlightened intuition is your true Essence of Consciousness, and that this wonderful intuition abides in tranquillity permeating everywhere throughout the phenomenal worlds and embracing all the ten quarters of the universes. Why do you still raise questions as to its locality of existence? Moreover, it is manifested freely and perfectly in correspondence with the amount of karma accumulated by the conscious activity of sentient beings. But the people of the world, being ignorant of this, and by regarding the nature of consciousness as being manifested by causes and conditions, or spontaneously by its own nature, have become bewildered. Whereas, all these false presuppositions and prejudices are simply the discriminations made by their conscious minds; they are but figurative words and figures of speech that have no basis in reality.
