Why Are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas Not Tainted by Evil?

If sentient beings, while dwelling in the world, encounter adverse conditions and still become defiled, thereby giving rise to afflictions, it indicates that their manas (the mental faculty) corresponds with afflictions and has not yet severed them. Thus, when encountering conditions, they become defiled; when encountering conditions, their unwholesome karma manifests. The Buddhas, through cultivation spanning three great asamkhyeya kalpas, have long since completely severed all afflictions and defilements such as greed, hatred, delusion, arrogance, doubt, and wrong views, as well as all habitual tendencies of afflictions, leaving no residual habits. When they come to the evil world of the Five Turbidities and interact with afflicted sentient beings, they are fundamentally not the least bit defiled or contaminated by the afflictions of sentient beings; their minds remain eternally pure and undefiled. This is because the Buddha severed afflictions at the First Bhumi, at which point the mind was already free from defilement, though some habitual tendencies of afflictions remained unsevered at that time.

The afflictions that the Buddhas began to sever before the First Bhumi are those severed in both the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. Because the seventh consciousness severs afflictions, it can transform consciousness into wisdom, attaining the Wisdom of Equality, which perceives all dharmas as equal and non-dual, without distinction between self and others. Thus, there is no selfishness, and they treat people and matters equally. Because the seventh consciousness, manas, has severed afflictions, no matter where they are reborn in future lives, manas will be free from afflictions and not subject to defilement. However, when the habitual tendencies of afflictions have not been severed, these tendencies may occasionally manifest; this is unavoidable, and the sixth consciousness may occasionally be influenced by the environment. Although the sixth consciousness may be influenced, manifesting some afflictions, they are quickly eliminated, not persisting or becoming entrenched, nor do they defile or affect manas.

Because manas is not subject to defilement and is itself free from afflictions, the afflictions of the sixth consciousness are easy to sever. Otherwise, the sixth consciousness, being dominated by manas, would find afflictions difficult to sever, and even if severed, they would re-arise. Bodhisattvas at the Eighth Bhumi and above will no longer have their sixth consciousness defiled; the habitual tendencies of afflictions will not manifest. The Buddhas’ sixth consciousness is even more free from the slightest defilement or contamination; neither afflictions nor their habitual tendencies appear. They see form without greed, see wealth without attachment, do not seek power or status, are free from hatred and anger, undisturbed and unagitated, their minds soft, harmonious, pure, serene, and supremely tranquil. In contrast, the sixth and seventh consciousnesses of ordinary sentient beings are fully endowed with all afflictions. When encountering conditions, they become defiled, often conforming to the environment with little resistance. They see form and become attached, see wealth and become greedy, crave power, pursue fame and profit, and when adverse conditions arise, hatred and anger constantly accompany their minds, with extremely heavy selfishness and self-centeredness.

Hence, it is evident that the manas of ordinary sentient beings is fully endowed with all afflictions—greed, hatred, delusion, arrogance, doubt, and wrong views. The sixth consciousness follows manas, so afflictions also frequently manifest. When encountering defiling conditions, the sixth consciousness is easily influenced. Because manas connects the past, present, and future lives and is fully endowed with all afflictions, sentient beings continuously revolve in the cycle of birth and death. In the intermediate state (bardo) and upon rebirth in the next life, they are fully endowed with all afflictions, no different from their previous life, perpetuating afflictions life after life. However, apart from the afflictions of self-view, self-attachment, self-arrogance, and self-delusion, which constantly accompany the ceaseless functioning of manas without pause, other afflictions do not perpetually accompany manas. Instead, they manifest only when encountering conditions, creating unwholesome karma, storing karmic seeds, and thus perpetuating the cycle of birth and death in future lives.