Chapter 2. The Truth of Cultivating and Realizing Buddhism
Today, we will mainly talk about cultivating Buddhism. The highest principle of Buddhism is that we need to become a Buddha ourselves. It’s very difficult to teach cultivating and realizing Buddhism, because some theories are the explanations of the states we will attain during our cultivation, and it will be more difficult for people who have never cultivated Buddhism. Anyway, I hope everyone can understand.
Cultivating and realizing Buddhism means to search and investigate the entire mysteries and ultimate meaning of life. It is a growing path of our heart. It rises and improves our body and mind, and completes human life. Buddhism was not founded by Buddha. He just explained the true form of the universe and life that he saw. Cultivating Buddhism is to look at the universe and life from Buddha’s perspective. Buddhism is not only about what Buddha said, or about the mysteries and meaning of earth and human. It involves all of our galaxy. Based on Buddhist words, it concerns a billion-fold universe and all beings in the six planes of existence. A person is itself a small universe. Every cell in the human body contains the complete information of the universe. Understanding the mysteries of human life is equivalent to knowing everything about the universe. Thus, today we will talk about how Buddhism transforms the world of human’s body and mind. Then let’s start from the beginning of the universe.
Modern science says that the universe was formed in a Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago. From the perspective of Buddhism, this is not the ultimate truth. However, based on the perspective of human cognition, this is the theory that is the closest to the truth, and it is closer to the true form than the theory of “the universe being created naturally”. If we use a circle to represent the universe before the Big Bang, let me draw it for you.
This is the state before the Big Bang. We can use a circle to represent the WuJi picture of Taoism. Actually, from Buddhism’s perspective, it wouldn’t be a two-dimensional picture to represent the world, but a hollow sphere. This will be more vivid. From human’s three-dimensional understanding of the world, using a WuJi circle is easier to explain certain things, and is more visual. Thus, we use a circle, a Taoist circle to explain.
the true vacuum space
Before the Big Bang, the universe was in a state of true emptiness. We use a circle to represent this state before the Big Bang. After the Big Bang, it produced waves. Since it’s in the center of the true vacuum space, thus, it produced waves. Since there are no material things, therefore, it is continuously undulating. This huge undulation – the more it expanded outside, the more energy it created. This is also a question that scientists don’t fully comprehend. It seems that the universe is constantly expanding, and the more it expands, the more energy it creates. This is what we can see with our physical eyes: the more outer expansion, the more energy wave we see. Since at the beginning it was very weak, when it exploded in the true vacuum space, with the outer expansion, its energy formed an enormous energy flow.
the undulation area
If we regard the state formed by the undulation as true vacuum space, this undulation area has the undulation of energy and wave. During this process, only energy can be produced. Thus, this undulation area is where everything is: “Moment real, moment empty.” Why is everything moment real and moment empty? Because this area has no “time and space.” The time hasn’t been produced yet. This is only undulation, so there is no time. There is no time and space. Since this place has no time and space, thus it is “moment reality and moment emptiness”. If there is no time, we will see a phenomenon: all births are going to extinction at the same time. This means the birth and extinction are simultaneous. Birth and extinction appear at the same time. There is no time and space.
During our cultivation process, if we enter this undulation area, this is what Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva mentioned in the “Heart” Sutra: the state of “All forms are emptiness; the emptiness is all forms.” If we attained this state, when we enter the undulation area, in this place, birth and extinction are simultaneous. Since there is no time and space, everything is “moment real and moment empty.” When this world is still forming, it is also going to the extinction. This is difficult for us humans to understand.
the area of light and sound
Then, from this, energy has been produced, and energy created light and sound. Due to this huge undulation, the stream of energy was initiated. This energy can create light and sound. Thus, we call this place the area of light and sound. This sound is the very original sound of the universe. It is the sound created by the vibration of the energy stream when the universe just started to form. This sound is “OM, AH, HUM.” This is why when cultivating esoteric Buddhism, we often chant this three words mantra, “OM, AH, HUM.” This sound is called the Seed syllables and original sound. People who learned esoteric Buddhism would know that we often chant this mantra, “OM, AH, HUM.” People who haven’t learned esoteric Buddhism possibly don’t understand these three syllables. We call it the seed of the universe. These are the original syllables generated by the vibration of the energy stream when the stream of energy just started to enter the universe.
If your cultivation attained this state, you can hear that everything in the universe is pronouncing these three syllables. When you enter this space, you can imagine that all the energy friction of all planets will create the sound “OM,” or “AH.” Normally, the sounds that human can understand come from our consciousness. It forms the language that can express our thinking. For example, we are angry, or we express whatever we want to say. But these syllables are the language of the universe. It’s not from the sound of our acquired spoken language. It’s from the initial sound made when the energy stream started, and formed the space-time of the universe. Thus, it’s called the Seed syllables and original sound.
The Six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva (Avalokiteshvara) came from these Seed syllables. “Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum” – the Six-syllables Great Bright Mantra.
We call this place: the area of light and sound. We can enter this area during our cultivation. When we enter this area, all matter transforms into shadows of projection of light and sound. This means that we will be freed from material restraints. The physical body will disappear. This is the area of light and sound. There is only light, sound and energy left. Different vibrations formed different physical fields. What we can see now is the matter emerging from these physical fields. Matter includes the Milky Way, the solar system and other different planets, as well as humans, living beings that we can see. We live in the area of matter. We can’t fully understand the area of light and sound. This place is called the area of true vacuum space.
the area of matter
What is cultivating Buddhism? It is to be liberated from the area of matter, to be liberated from our attachments to material things, cross the area of undulation, and enter the area of true vacuum space. If we stand there, turn around and look at our material world, we will find out that everything overlaps in one point. There is no time and space. Everything is: “moment reality and moment emptiness” and “form and emptiness are no-distinct,” as what Buddhism explains. From this perspective, to look at all physical things, this place is “moment reality and moment emptiness”. This place has nothing to see. These three areas overlap into one point. Since there is no time and space, thus, they overlap into one point. When we reach this cultivation state, all the cultivation paths become only dreams. There is no time and space. All living beings enter into tranquil extinction.
If we look from the area of physical fields toward the area of the true vacuum space, then, our cultivation is crossing time and space, crossing the tunnel of time and space, from this side to that side – we are actually moving within time and space. Ok, you understand. However, it’s difficult to realize and attain it. But you should be able to understand. It’s quite difficult for us to cross time and space, we need a guide, so this path is quite long.
Our area of matter has different light and sound, and different energies. The vibration frequency forms the present matter and life: the universe and planets we see now, as well as everything on earth. Modern science believes that the solar system was formed 5 billion years ago; Earth was formed 4.6 billion years ago. There are about 100 billion stars in the Milky Way. In the universe, there are 1 billion galaxies as big as the Milky Way. The planets humans can see through physical vision all belong to the area of matter. Our science investigates a lot in the area of matter. However, if we look at the area of matter based on the perspective of the true vacuum space, all planets are like a speck of dust that we can see floating within sun rays. Earth is only one of them. If we stand in the middle of the Milky Way and look, that’s how it is.
Cultivating and realizing Buddhism from the perspective of conditioned phenomena means to be liberated from the attachments of the area of matter, and crossing the area of light and sound to enter the area of true vacuum space. From the perspective of the area of matter, it seems that this is like crossing a tunnel of time and space. The truth is that these three areas are overlapping into one point. Based on Buddhism, our physical body can’t cross like this, but our mind can cross any areas. Actually, our mind travels in all these areas at the same time, but we can’t perceive it. When mind realizes and attains the area of true vacuum space, looking from that angle, everything in the world we live in is “moment real and moment empty.” It’s in our lecture. Everything is “born” and at the same time manifests “its extinction”. Birth and extinction are simultaneous. This is the meaning of the Heart Sutra’s passage: “all forms are empty; emptiness is all forms.” As well as the verse in the Diamond Sutra: “the past mind, present mind and future mind are unobtainable.” Since birth and extinction are simultaneous, because we can’t see the time and space of past, present and future, we say our past mind, present mind, and future mind are unobtainable.
If our mind could travel freely within these areas, and if our mind could be pacified in the state of true vacuum space, that would be the life state of the eighth stage bodhisattva of Buddhism. Thus, the eighth-ground Bodhisattva is called the Bodhisattva of immovability. This Bodhisattva’s heart is as still and immovable as emptiness. Thus the eighth-ground Bodhisattva is called the Bodhisattva of immovability.
Once in the area of true vacuum space, Buddhist cultivation hasn’t finished yet. In this area, it’s still not complete and ultimate. There still exists a form: “emptiness” itself. This true vacuum space is like a video recorder, recording the transformation from birth to extinction; formation, existence, decay, and dissolution of our universe. For humans, it recorded our reincarnations life after life, as well as our projections, and our images of life after life. Within this true vacuum space, it can project images in the other three areas. Thus, after it recorded life after life, its projection in the area of undulation is “moment real, moment empty”. In the area of matter and in the area of light and sound, the repeating projections have time and space. Thus, we can see “formation, existence, decay, and dissolution”. We are in the cycle of birth and extinction. When we look at the projection of the earth, we can only see one side at a time, depending on the angle where we are in the universe. This means that we can only see one side at a time. For example, we can only see the top of a table, but can’t see underneath simultaneously. Our viewing angles are limited. The position of the earth in the universe determines our visual standpoint. We can only see things in three-dimensional space. Also, our eyes, because of our attachment and discriminative mind on the conscious level, have visual limitations.
Why do we have an attachment and discriminative mind on the conscious level? Indeed, this attachment and discriminative mind are determined by our standpoint in the universe.
Shattering Emptiness
Many religious schools end their cultivation at the attainment of the area of vacuum space. They will find out that he is empty, and he will consider that there are no more things to cultivate and realize. He becomes “empty” – “an empty self”. When he looks at the area of matter and the area of light and sound from the area of true vacuum space, everything is “moment real, moment empty”. He was born from himself and returns to himself. Thus, he will be called God. Everything comes from him and returns to him. This is because he looks at the world from the angle of true vacuum space, so he feels that this world is born from him, and everything will return to him, unifying with him as one and obtaining strength and empowerment. This is what we often see with divinities or the Brahma heaven of Hinduism – they all stop at this area of true vacuum space.
However, Buddha’s cultivation didn’t stop at this area. This is the biggest difference between Shakyamuni Buddha and all other religions. He broke through this empty “self”. In this true vacuum space, there is still the existence of an empty “self”. Although this empty “self” is shapeless and formless, and can’t be described by anything. Taoist calls it Wu Ji. Although there is nothing within it, there is still an empty “self” inside. This empty “self” stores all information of all living beings in the universe. Thus, in Buddhism, to break through this empty “self” is called “shattering the emptiness”. Eventually, Chinese Taoists were influenced by Buddhism, also call the liberation from this area “shattering emptiness”. The state of “shattering emptiness” is the state described in the “Heart Sutra” of Bodhisattva Guan Yin: “realizing and illuminating the five skandhas intrinsic emptiness”. Beings in this state are in a state of awareness of “no self”. Since Bodhisattva Guan Yin had already attained Buddhahood in other worlds, Guan Yin’s explanation of this state is much deeper and more complete than that of ordinary practitioners who just attained the area of true vacuum space. This is the cultivation state in the “Heart Sutra” that reads: ‘Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva who attained the complete awareness and liberation, and meditating in deep Prajna Paramita”. This explains what state he attained. The state of “breaking emptiness” is the state described by Buddha when preaching Dharma to the monk Sariputra. After breaking emptiness, one leaves the state of conditioned Dharma to enter the state of unconditioned Dharma, entering the manifestation of “the form and emptiness are not distinct.” This is the true manifestation of an enlightened person.
Us humans on earth, who are very restricted by our physical forms, have a very subjective and partial perspective regarding all things. We can only see one side of things. We are only able to see one side and understand on one level. We can’t see two opposite sides simultaneously. We can see forms, either existing or not existing. We can’t say that the forms “exist or not exist” are the same. We can’t see two opposite sides simultaneously. In one instant, we can only understand and see one side at a time. Thus, regardless of which angle we look from, humans can’t clearly see the truth of the universe.
But when attaining the state of “breaking emptiness”, one can see all the truth of the universe within any material form, or surface, or point on earth. Why? Because in true cultivation, one then realizes the illusion of time and space. One also realizes another state of breaking emptiness. Time and space don’t exist in that state. Thus, in the instant of the present moment, one can simultaneously see the area of matter, the area of light and sound and the area of undulation, and won’t be affected by any of them. One will stay still in the state and manifestation of “form and emptiness are not distinct.” In such a state, matter, light, sound and so on – these are all manifestations of “Tao”. Even every speck of dust has the complete nature of Buddha. This is the state realized by the practitioners of “breaking the emptiness”.
For every one of us, regardless of our cultivation level, we all embody the complete cultivation state. Because all the above areas are overlapping from true vacuum space. Thus, no matter if we just started to cultivate, or already attained a very high cultivation state, this means that these three areas exist in our heart and mind consciousness. Our heart unceasingly goes through and reincarnates within these three areas. This is what Buddhism explained: we can’t leave the area of matter and look for the area of light and sound, or the area of undulation, or the area of true vacuum space. Just like we can’t leave the solar system to look for the Milky Way, because the solar system is within the Milky Way. We can’t leave our fake “self” to look for another true “self”. You can’t leave yourself to find a Buddha from outside. We can’t leave the fake one and find the true one. Everything is overlapping. The true vacuum space is overlapping onto the area of matter. These areas are all overlapping.
If we are still being affected by the area of matter, based on this perspective, we can never understand the states of other areas. If you are affected by the area of matter, you will never understand the area of light and sound, the undulation area, and the area of true vacuum space. If you are affected by the area of light and sound, you will never understand the undulation area and the area of true vacuum space. If you are affected by the undulation, your “moment reality, moment emptiness” still belongs to the category of “reality and existence”. You haven’t attained the state of “forms and emptiness are not distinct”. You are simply emptying the reality moment by moment. There is still a reality, a birth and an extinction. Thus, if you are affected by the undulation area, you can never understand the area of true vacuum space.
Therefore, cultivation is a step by step process. If we are affected by any area, we will be like a frog at the bottom of a well that can only see a narrow piece of sky. We will be limited in every area, regardless of which area you are trapped in, whether in the area of light and sound or the undulation area, you won’t see the thorough and complete image of “Tao”. You will only see a very small piece of sky, like the frog at the bottom of the well that can only see a narrow piece of sky. There, you can never understand the mystery of the universe.
Living in The Present Moment
Time, according to Buddhism, from the “timeless” perspective of the area of true vacuum space, is only the present moment. For a being that has already realized into the present moment, the present moment doesn’t mean time. Present moment is an existing state of life. We often hear others say, “live in the present moment”. For instance, when we drink tea, we often say beside the tea table, “Live in the present moment”, but that means that we focus on a certain moment, or on a certain period of time, or focus on this experience of tasting tea. This present moment is not the same meaning as the present moment in Buddhism. We will not be liberated by the mundane present moment. Living in the present moment is the living state after a person attained enlightenment, it is not “time”.
In fact, our heart and mind often return to the area of true vacuum space: the state of the eighth stage Bodhisattva. Although our heart often returns, it can’t be pacified. We are still always affected by the area of matter and the area of light and sound. If we look from the angle of the area of true vacuum space, they are simply projections of the recording we put. If our heart is truly in the area of true vacuum space, other areas are then only a projection of the recording of our life after life. This means that at the same time as our “birth”, there is “extinction”. This is probably very hard to understand, since this is a state that needs to be cultivated and realized. We must go through all these areas to understand.
If we return to the area of true vacuum space, if we recognize that our physical body that experiences this continuous birth and extinction is not “us”, and we recognize that we are truly in the area of true vacuum space, then, if we look from there, everywhere can be seen as only a projection. All places and areas are only projections that we are projecting. We are often being touched by these projections, and affected by them. Just like when we sit down and watch a television series, we become the main character in there, and feel that we are the main character. We feel happy, angry, sad and joyful according to the development of the plot, and even experiencing reincarnation. Thus, reincarnation, life after life, is an experience.
Look at us right now, why is our heart not free and pacified? That’s why when Bodhidharma came to China, the second patriarch of Zen school who had been cultivated for many years inquiring about Buddhist Dharma, his first question was: “Master, my heart is not pacified, please pacify my heart!” Why can our desires never be satisfied? Because this is not our home. The one that stays within your body and mind is not “you”. Where is your heart? It is in the area of true vacuum space. Here is only a projection. Along with the long-lasting time and space, this projection becomes very long-lasting. It projects all the way to the earth. We experience all our life recording in this projection. We experience birth and extinction, experience reincarnation, we rise and extinguish continuously within this projection. We feel pain and enjoy pleasure.
Thus, it’s written in the “Diamond Sutra”: “all conditioned phenomena are like an illusion, like a bubble, like a shadow, like dew, also like lightning”. Many Buddhist sutras such as “Heart Sutra” and “Diamond Sutra” that explain our empty nature look at the problems based on the perspective of the area of true vacuum space. They explain all things and phenomena from the standpoint of the area of true vacuum space. If we can’t look from the standpoint of the area of true vacuum space, we won’t understand what these sutras are talking about.
When reading Buddhist sutras, especially the sutras concerning prajna wisdom, we must put ourselves in the area of true vacuum space, read from that angle, and then we will understand all the sutras. Although we haven’t realized the state in the area of true vacuum space, first, we need to comprehend it, because our heart can attain that state in a blink of an eye. It’s our physical body that needs time. It takes time to transform our physical body into light. The transformation of our nadi (chi channels) requires time and space. But our heart can arrive instantly.