Now let’s introduce some important principles of Buddhism. When we start to learn Buddhism, there are some fundamental concepts we need to know. How does Buddhism explain the formation of the universe? It uses the concept of “the interdependent origination is empty in nature” to explain everything created in the universe. At Buddha’s time, he was unable to explain what light, sound and energy are. At his time, he hadn’t even seen a light bulb. If he explained only light, sound and energy to his disciples, they wouldn’t have understood. Thus, when Buddha started to preach Dharma, he used languages that his disciples could understand.
the concept of “the interdependent origination is empty in nature”
Buddhism uses the concept of “the interdependent origination is empty in nature” to explain everything that is created in the universe. Actually, Buddha based his explanation of all things and affairs of human beings on the angle of the area of true vacuum space. He explained that all things and affairs have “the interdependent origination”. This is opposed to the concept and belief in Hinduism that Brahma heaven created everything, and we are all created by Brahma heaven. Buddha explained that we are not created by any person or power. We all have interdependent origination – we are born when all required causes and connections are fulfilled. This comes to the popular question: “the chicken or the egg, which came first?” If there are causes and connections for chicken, there will be chicken. That’s how Buddhism explains it. It’s all depending on causes and connections. This means all things and affairs you see have interdependent origination. When the connections gather, there is birth; when the connections dissipate, there is extinction. The nature of every connection is empty. We will explain more about the concept of “the interdependent origination is empty in nature” in our lectures on our website. You will see the explanation in further lectures. Right now, I will explain it very briefly.
For example: a table is completed only when wood, nails, and a carpenter fulfill all these connections. This desk needs wood, nails, and a carpenter. When all the conditions are fulfilled and combined together, a desk can be created. This table is a material thing; it doesn’t have to be called a table. Only because we think it has four legs and a surface, so we call it a table – we name this material thing “table”. Because we need to read, so we label this table a “desk”. Indeed, the original concept of this desk is empty. This desk didn’t come out from itself. It’s because of the gathering of three conditions that the desk is manifested. But the original nature of this desk is empty. When we call it a “desk”, it’s only the form and usage of material things. This material thing has the form of four legs and a surface – its function is to read books. Thus, it’s called a “desk”. Every material thing we see only exists based on its form and usage. And the true nature of every connection is empty. Where is the wood from? This wood didn’t fall from the roof. A lumberjack went to cut trees. A tree fell down, a carpenter sawed it, trimmed and lumbered it – when all these causes and conditions are fulfilled, the piece of wood appeared here. It also needs all causes and conditions to be fulfilled. And where did the tree come from? It came from a seed that was planted, that received enough sunshine and nutrients, then grew up into a tree. If we trace every connection back, at the end, it is all empty. The true nature of every connection is empty. We can only see its form and usage in this world. But we are very attached to these “form” and “usage”. These are all fake forms and fake labels. It’s us who define and name them. If you don’t understand this, don’t worry, we will explain more later.
the concept of middle path (Mādhyamaka)
The Great Vehicle also uses the concept of middle path (Mādhyamaka) to guide cultivation and realization, to help practitioners enter the state of “the interdependent origination is empty in nature”. Many Buddhist practitioners will have contact with the Middle path. Based on the Middle Path, when practitioners negate one side, they must also negate the truth of the other side. This is the Middle path. For example, at the beginning practitioners will be very distracted and unable to focus – this is not right. But if you think your state of tranquility is a state of emptiness, just like Arhats believe their state of tranquility with the cessation of thoughts is a state of emptiness – it’s also wrong. You can neither abide on “emptiness” nor “reality”. Distraction and tranquility are only two sides of movement and stillness. When negating both sides, you are in the Middle path. There is indeed no “middle”. If there aren’t two sides, there won’t be a “middle” – this is an easy and simple explanation.
No matter if our cultivation includes the “Middle path” or the middle way, first, we must use the angle of the area of true vacuum space to look at things. Cultivation is a process of crossing time and space, and our understanding and insights must first be within the perspective of the area of true vacuum space. Then, we can cross back and forth to see all things. This is what many sutras mentioned – you need to look from the angle of the area of true vacuum space. We often don’t understand the sutras because our heart can’t be pacified within this area; we are still lured and affected by the area of matter and the area of light and sound.
The “Middle path” has an explanation. The “Middle path” is also called “the concept of no-birth” or “Middle way”, explained by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna. This is a fundamental concept of Buddhism. It was mainly Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna who developed and explained it based on the Buddhist concept of “the interdependent origination is empty in nature”. The main ideas in the Fundamental Verses on the “Middle Path” are the important principles and insights to guide the practitioners’ cultivation of the Great Vehicle.
The main points of the “Middle Path” include: during the process of cultivating and realizing Buddhahood, the practitioners of the Great Vehicle can’t be attached to any side of anything or any state; when negating one concept or one state, at the same time, you must negate the opposite concept and state. For example, when practitioners practice the cultivation of mindfulness, neither dwelling into the distracted and chaotic states, nor dwelling into any inward and outward states of body and mind is right. Nor abiding in the extinctive state of Samadhi that everything is empty, and thinking this is what Buddha meant by “our true nature is empty” – this is wrong as well. You can’t dwell into emptiness or reality, movement or stillness.
Indeed, this explanation is based on when we are still in the area of undulation – we are still in the state of “moment real, moment empty” – for sure, it is not complete and perfect. We all know that these three areas – the area of matter, the area of light and sound and the area of undulation – are not complete and ultimate. Even in the area of true vacuum space, there is still an empty self. Thus, we must not be attached to the state of “moment real, moment empty”, and not be attached to the cultivation of any side of binary oppositions. For example, in the process of cultivation, we have “watched over”, “being aware and the object that is being aware on”, “illuminating and the objects being illuminated” – this is called the conducts of the “Middle Path”. Indeed, there is no such thing as “reality” if the opposite side is empty. The term “Middle path” is only an easy and skillful means of explaining Dharma.
Using the Middle path’s mindfulness method to pacify and be still in the middle way is one of the best conscious states for beginners of the Great Vehicle in cultivating mindfulness and watching over. This means that when you are watching over and illuminating your mind, your consciousness needs to be in the Middle way.
The “Middle Path” is also called the principle and insight of “no birth”. This means that according to the concept of “the interdependent origination is empty in nature”, all inward and outward states of mind and consciousness manifest as “no birth originally” when standing in the area of the true vacuum space. The state of “no birth originally” already goes beyond the area of true vacuum space, and enters into the manifestation of “the form and emptiness are no-distinct”.
In the Sutra of Perfect and Complete Enlightenment, Buddha said: “Sentient beings, because of their chaotic thoughts and illusory concepts, see birth and extinction where there is no birth.” This includes everything in the area of true vacuum space, the area of light and sound, the area of undulation and the area of matter – birth and no distinction, but because of our chaotic thoughts and illusory concepts, we believe that we see birth and extinction. Thus, all the projections you see are unreal. There is not even a manifestation – a manifestation doesn’t exist. Therefore, there is no birth, we were never born. Then, we surpass everything: reality and emptiness, defiled and pure, birth and extinction. So Buddha’s insight and view are very important. If there weren’t Buddha’s insight and view as guidance, we couldn’t break and go beyond certain things and enter the state of Tathāgata-hood.
the principle of ‘Consciousness-only’
Another important concept and insight in the Great Vehicle is the principle of ‘Consciousness-only’. Probably you have been taught by experienced practitioners: myriad Dharmas in the universe are all the transformation and manifestations of our mind and consciousness. This is also the view of things and affairs from the area of true vacuum space. “Three realms are only manifestations of our heart; the myriad Dharmas are the manifestations of our consciousness” in Consciousness-only – we (who are learning Buddhism) may all have heard about it. Everything is only a projection of the heart and consciousness. If we stand in the area of true vacuum space and look at the other areas, everything is only the projection of our heart and consciousness. And in the first aspect of the area of true vacuum space, the form of emptiness included is the same as the Ālayavijñāna in the theory of the “Consciousness-only”, the eighth consciousness. The visual consciousness, the auditory consciousness, the olfactory consciousness, the bodily consciousness – that is “eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind”. It is “the visual consciousness, the auditory consciousness, the olfactory consciousness, the bodily consciousness and mind consciousness”, then “manas consciousness and ālaya consciousness”. There are eight consciousnesses. The eight consciousnesses can manifest everything. Through explaining how our mind consciousness can manifest into the forms of all things, the method of Consciousness-only can help us break and go beyond our attachment to the area of matter, the area of light and sound, and the area of true vacuum space, and help us to understand the illusory nature of all forms. Practitioners who have learnt the concept of Consciousness-only can understand a bit more.
The method of “cessation and mindfulness”
There are the so-called “eighty-four thousand doors” to Buddhism – it means an infinite number of dharma doors. Many people would like this method today, and another method tomorrow. However, most of their methods are included in ‘cessation and mindfulness’. What is “cessation”? Cessation means to calm down all chaotic and illusory thoughts. Mindfulness means to see the true nature of Tathāgata. The method of “cessation and mindfulness” is also called the method of “watching over our mind”. It has a few sequences. I will explain briefly here. Later on, I will explain more detailedly and thoroughly. Today because of the time restraint, I will only explain briefly.
The First Stage – A person who is watching over is manifested
At the beginning, practitioners watch over their thoughts flowing like a river during meditation. Their thoughts rise and extinguish continuously. There is always an awareness here that knows that distracted thoughts have lessened. I calm down and am still being surrounded by distracted thoughts, but my awareness is always there – awareness. We call this awareness – the person who is watching over: the watcher. We can watch over our chaotic thoughts. Thus, a “watcher” and a “person being watched over” are manifested. Chaotic thoughts indeed are only an illusion. Don’t try to cover and remove one thought by another one. They are only illusions. If you add a thought “I need to eliminate the chaotic thoughts”, then your heart moved – you added one more thought. Chaotic thoughts arise and extinguish continuously, changing, unreal. You only need to watch over them calmly, don’t raise the heart to eliminate them, and don’t be affected by the thoughts and any feelings or perceptions of your body and mind. The physical feelings of soreness, numbness, coldness, swelling and pain are also illusory. They are in constant change and belong to the mind consciousness. The physical feelings are also a part of mind consciousness. Your mind consciousness is in constant birth and extinction. It arises and it extinguishes.
After cultivating as such for a period of time, “Watcher” and “a person being watched over” constantly arise and extinguish. This means that when we attain this state, when we get up from our meditation, talking to other people, or when we are in the emotional state of joy, anger, sadness or happiness, we will notice an immovable self watching over us – watching us getting angry, etc. When we attain this state, when there is a constant “watcher”, then the first stage of the method of watching over the mind is completed. A person who is watching over is manifested.
The second stage – to break and go beyond the “watcher” and “the person being watched”
The second stage we need to break the “watcher” and “the person being watched”. Some people may believe the “watcher” – this immovable “watcher” – is the true self. And the person who constantly cries and laughs is the fake self. A true self and a fake self – the true self exists because of the fake. Then, the true self doesn’t exist either. You cultivate a true self only in reference to the fake self. If the fake self is illusory, then the true self doesn’t exist either. This is the right view of the “Middle path” of Buddhism. When you negate one side, simultaneously, you negate the other side. Thus, true self doesn’t exist.
Gradually, with practice, the “watcher” and “the person being watched” will both disappear. One is in the state of tranquility, and one is in the state of movement. They are only two states: tranquility and movement. When we follow the “watcher” – meaning the power of watching over increases – our heart will be very calm and pure. When thoughts become less and less to a certain point, we will naturally combine the “watcher” and “the person being watched” into one – this will happen naturally, because we have reached an extreme tranquil state. And if we don’t distinguish between the forms of tranquility and movement, as long as we don’t believe he is real or he is fake, then the “watcher” and “the person being watched” will combine into one. When we reach the ultimate tranquility, they will combine into one. Thus, we break and go beyond the forms of ‘tranquility and movement’. There is no “movement” or “tranquility” – we break and go beyond our distinctive concept of these two forms. As this, we break and go beyond the “watcher” and “the person being watched”.
But many practitioners stop at cultivating the stage of “the watcher”. At the end, they can only reach the state of “the watcher”. They believe that is the true self: the self who is still and immovable. For example, some people with better capacity of growth will feel and believe that they are the reincarnation of certain Bodhisattva. They can actually cultivate to a state that there is a Bodhisattva there looking at them. This Bodhisattva keeps looking at them and confirms that they are fully realized. Indeed, this is all fake. If that Bodhisattva appears because of your meditative cultivation – for example, if I (Yang Ning) am here, and here stands a Bodhisattva – then, it’s not. That means in your consciousness, if there is a Bodhisattva looking at Yang Ning, it exists only in reference to Yang Ning. If Yang Ning is fake, then the Bodhisattva is fake. They are only two illusory states – one is moving and constantly in the cycle of birth and extinction; another one has no birth and extinction. Thus, both of these two states need to be broken and gone beyond.
But why, when many practitioners enter this state, can’t they break and go beyond? This is because their power of concentration is not strong enough to enter the state of Samadhi. This means that their concentration power is not strong enough. Many disciples of Shakyamuni who followed the path of the Small Vehicle, if they used the four dhyānas and eight samadhis as the foundation to cultivate meditative tranquility and mindfulness, they could quickly break and go beyond the above two states, because their power of Samadhi and meditative tranquility were strong enough. But we don’t have the experience and the power of the four dhyānas and eight samadhis, so when we are trying to break and go beyond the state of “watcher” and “the person being watched”, we need a long time. Because our meditative tranquility is not strong enough. Even if you can stop all distracted thoughts, but your power of meditative tranquility is still not strong enough – the power of meditative tranquility always appears in a state of non-distracted thoughts. This requires a long period of time to develop this power. And only if there is enough meditative power that can be used. If we are only very serene and pure today and very distracted and chaotic tomorrow, then this is useless. Even if you enter Samadhi for a couple of days, you still don’t have enough meditative power. Being in Samadhi one or two days means nothing. Even if you enter samadhi, you still haven’t developed that power. You need a long time in a state of samadhi to accumulate enough meditative power, to be transformed into wisdom. If today I was in Samadhi for eight hours, I am still far from being completely enlightened. This will require a series of explanations on cultivation afterward.
The Third Stage – to enter the state of Samadhi
Let me read this. When practitioners enter the third stage, it’s very easy to enter the non-distinctive state of movement and stillness, a state of Samadhi of the Great Vehicle. The state of Samadhi is a state where your body and mind no longer exist. You can’t feel their existence, or you forget about their existence. At the beginning you forget, and later, they disappear. Forgetting and disappearing are two different states. One is that you forgot, and one is that it disappeared. This happens when your Chi channels transform into certain states, but this process still belongs to the state of mind consciousness – it hasn’t reached complete enlightenment.
The transition from the third stage to the fourth stage needs work other than meditation: to build good merits and virtues. For example: offering and charity, following precepts and forbearance and tolerance. If your merit and virtue, and your meditative practice are both complete, then the practitioners of the Great Vehicle have already entered the ocean of brightness; they broke “emptiness of self” and “the emptiness of Dharma”, and are bathed in the ocean of brightness of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. They will see all things in the Dharma realm are transformed from the brightness, including all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are transformed from the brightness – they are moment real and moment empty. This state is very similar to the state of Dharma-body Buddha. Now, the practitioners realize that their mind, Buddha and all beings are one, are non-distinctive. The practitioners follow the light in the ocean of brightness and are in the state of moment real and moment empty. However, this hasn’t reached the state of “the nature of emptiness”. The practitioners seem to attain the state of “not dwelling to anything” and give rise to the mind. Even they understand “the marvelous reality and the true emptiness”, but “birth and extinction” still exist in their state. They haven’t broken and gone beyond the attachment to the Dharma body. The brightness is “the attachment to the Dharma body”. The ocean of brightness is the attachment to the Dharma body. This needs cultivation and realization; I don’t think that I can explain too much.
The fourth stage
The fourth stage: everything is in Samadhi, you are still and immovable, and there is no birth and extinction. Including everything in the ocean of brightness or all things transformed from the light – in this state, there is “no dwelling to anything in the Dharma realm”. The practitioners now attain the state of “no birth”. Since there is “no birth”, thus there is no “formation, existence, decay, and dissolution”. The practitioners entered the empty Samadhi of Tathāgata, and attained the state of “Tathāgata”.
The fifth stage
The fifth stage: when the practitioners reach the fifth stage, the practitioners of the Great Vehicle truly and completely break and go beyond all sexual and emotional desires, and self-attachments. Their sexual and emotional desires raise to the great compassion and the universal love. At this point, practitioners are willing to help all sentient beings from the six realms.
The sixth stage
The sixth stage: the practitioners return to the human world and live in the present moment. Their body and mind will arise following the connections. All movement or stillness, conditioned or unconditioned, are all means to benefit sentient beings.
The entire process of cultivating “meditative tranquility and awareness” follows the concepts of the “Middle Path”. Moving from the area of matter to the area of true vacuum space, the sequence is as following: empty the state of the “watcher” and “the one being watched”. Then, “aware” and “being aware” are empty, “illuminate” and “being illuminated” are empty, until the complete illumination of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. “Illuminating the five skandhas are empty” is the state of complete illumination.
After breaking through the area of true vacuum space, all other areas overlap. Since there is no longer time and space, there is no time tunnel within these areas. They overlap into one point. Thus, practitioners will feel that they didn’t move from the original place. They are Buddha originally. Indeed, we never did any cultivation. This is the highest state of “Zen”.
In the cultivation path, there are all kinds of scenarios. People with different capacities of growth will encounter different illusory states and problems. So, it’s better to follow the guidance of experienced practitioners. But presently, there are very few masters who can actually coach concrete cultivation. Therefore, we hope every practitioner can resolve the vow: “Attain the complete enlightenment with our body and mind; help and save all sentient beings.”
At the end, let’s return all merits from this lecture and our cultivation to all the sentient beings in the Dharma realm, we wish all of us can be liberated from the reincarnation of the six planes of existence as soon as possible! Thanks to everyone.