All Dharmas Are Bodhi Without Two Forms

The Surangama Sutra original text: The Buddha addressed Manjusri and the great assembly, "The Tathagatas of the ten directions and the great bodhisattvas, within the samadhi they themselves abide in, perceive the seeing nature and the conditions on which this seeing depends, along with all mental images and appearances, as flowers in the sky—fundamentally nonexistent. This seeing and its conditions are originally the wondrous, pure, luminous essence of Bodhi. How can there be within it 'is' or 'is not'?"

Explanation: The Buddha told Manjusri and the great assembly: The Tathagatas of the ten directions and the great bodhisattvas who have attained the stages (bhumis), within the profound samadhi they themselves dwell in, perceive that the seeing nature which perceives all dharmas, the conditions upon which this seeing nature relies, and all the six dusts’ phenomenal appearances manifested in their minds, are like flowers in the sky—originally devoid of any mundane phenomenal characteristics. This seeing nature and the conditions giving rise to it are fundamentally the wondrous, pure, luminous essence of Bodhi. How could dualistic notions of "is Bodhi" or "is not Bodhi" arise within these phenomenal appearances?

What requires further explanation here is that Buddhas and bodhisattvas constantly abide in their respective samadhis. This samadhi is a state of balanced concentration and wisdom, combining meditative absorption with the wisdom of consciousness-only (vijnapti-matrata). Those lacking sufficient wisdom cannot fathom it. Even while in samadhi, Buddhas and bodhisattvas still perceive dharmas and the six dusts’ realms of the conventional world. This is the seeing of the seventh consciousness’s deluded mind, not the seeing of Buddha-nature. Of course, the seeing of the seventh consciousness cannot exist apart from the seeing of Buddha-nature; otherwise, it could not see at all. Moreover, the seeing of the seventh consciousness arises dependent on various conditions; without conditions, there can be no seeing. Seeing that arises dependent on conditions is, of course, illusory and unreal.

After Buddhas and bodhisattvas perceive the phenomenal appearances of the six dusts, mental images of these dharmas manifest in their minds. This is the object and result of seeing, the functioning of the perception aggregate (samjna-skandha) among the five aggregates, involving the recognition and confirmation of various phenomenal appearances. The Buddha states that the seeing nature of the seventh consciousness of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, the conditions giving rise to this seeing, and the phenomenal appearances manifested in the mind—these three are all like flowers in the sky, originally nonexistent; there are no conventional characteristics of this seeing, its conditions, or the appearances. Then what exactly are this seeing nature and its conditions? Though they clearly seem to exist, the Buddha says they are fundamentally nonexistent. He declares this is originally the pure, wondrous, luminous essence of the Bodhi mind, also called the true mind's self-nature, or Tathagatagarbha. How can one say the seeing and its conditions are the Bodhi nature itself, or are not the Bodhi nature itself?

It is like gold fashioned into gold objects—gold plates, gold bowls, gold bracelets. One cannot say these gold objects are not gold, nor can one say they are gold itself, for ultimately the gold has changed form and acquired mundane functions. Yet even so, the gold objects retain the value and essence of gold. Ordinary beings, however, completely mistake the gold objects for mere mundane things, clinging to the functions of plates, bowls, and bracelets. Daily they use the gold bowl for begging, holding food, and eating, unwilling to relinquish the bowl’s mundane utility. Thus, the gold is entirely mistaken for a mundane object, obscuring the intrinsic value of gold itself. Once the intrinsic value of gold is obscured, the possessor transforms from a wealthy elder into a destitute beggar, wandering homeless, impoverished, and afflicted by sorrow and suffering. To starve to death on the streets while holding a gold bowl—how unfortunate! How foolish! Once ordinary beings open their wisdom eye, Dharma eye, and Buddha eye, recognize the gold, they instantly return from ordinary status to their original identity as Buddhas and bodhisattvas. So then, have we all understood how to contemplate Chan and realize true reality?

Original text: "Manjusri, I now ask you: Regarding you, Manjusri, is there another Manjusri who is Manjusri, or is there no Manjusri?" Manjusri replied, "Just so, World-Honored One. I am the true Manjusri. There is no 'is' Manjusri. Why? Because if there were an 'is' Manjusri, then there would be two Manjusris. However, today I am not without a Manjusri who is Manjusri. Within this, there truly are no dual characteristics of 'is' and 'is not'."

Explanation: "Manjusri, I now ask you: Take yourself, Manjusri, as an example. Is there another Manjusri who is the true Manjusri, or is there no other Manjusri who is the true Manjusri?" Manjusri Bodhisattva replied: "It is thus, World-Honored One. I am the true Manjusri. There is no other Manjusri who is Manjusri. Why do I say this? Because if there were another Manjusri who is Manjusri, then there would be two Manjusris. However, I am now also not without a Manjusri who is the true Manjusri. Within this matter, there truly are no dual characteristics of 'is' and 'is not'."

How could the true Manjusri give rise to dual characteristics of "is" and "is not"? Manjusri is Manjusri; there is no other "is" or "is not." This is a false proposition, mere idle speculation. Similarly, all dharmas are Bodhi; there are no other dual characteristics of "is" and "is not." The entirety is true suchness (tathata). Realizing this principle, one returns to the identity of the original master of the three realms, no longer a begging mendicant. May all sentient beings swiftly wipe the dust from their eyes, remove the thick blindfolds, recognize the treasure, and return to the home of their self-nature!