Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature
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2. Consider how it applies to you, the people you know, and all beings around you.
3. Seeing that each sentient being is impeded by obscurations that limit happiness and cause misery, let compassion arise for each and every sentient being.
4. With strong compassion, cultivate bodhicitta and determine to become a buddha in order to lead all beings to actualize their buddha essence.
Three Aspects of the Tathāgatagarbha
Maitreya asserts that each sentient being has the buddha essence and can attain buddhahood (RGV 1.27).
Because a perfect buddha’s body is pervasive,
because suchness is without differentiation,
and because a [buddha] lineage exists, all embodied [beings]
are always in possession of a buddha essence.
He gives three reasons for stating that all sentient beings have the buddha essence and can attain full awakening: (1) The buddhas’ bodies are pervasive so sentient beings can engage with the awakening activities of the buddhas. (2) The suchness (natural purity) of the buddhas’ minds and of sentient beings’ minds cannot be differentiated because both are the emptiness of inherent existence. (3) Sentient beings possess the transforming buddha nature that can develop all of a buddha’s excellent qualities and transform into the three buddha bodies. These reasons, confirmed by the nine similes, indicate the following three aspects of the tathāgatagarbha.
1. The tathāgatagarbha has the nature of the dharmakāya of self-arisen pristine wisdom.
The tathāgatagarbha possessing the nature of the dharmakāya refers to the clear light nature of the tathāgatagarbha being called the dharmakāya. This is another case of giving the name of the result (dharmakāya) to the cause (tathāgatagarbha). Although the emptiness of the mind is permanent and is not an actual cause, it is called a cause because it is the foundation on which the dharmakāya is attained. The first three similes describe this.
The tathāgatagarbha is pervaded by the awakening activities of the dharmakāya. This means that sentient beings have the potential to be engaged with and influenced by the buddhas’ awakening activities that will guide them to awakening.
Within this first aspect of the buddha essence, the dharmakāya, there are two parts: (1) The dharmakāya of realizations is the undefiled empty nature of a buddha’s mind that is realized by that buddha’s wisdom dharmakāya. This emptiness is the actual dharmakāya and refers specifically to the dharmadhātu that is totally free from defilements and has the nature of clear light. It is what is perceived and experienced by the wisdom dharmakāya of a buddha. (2) The dharmakāya of the teachings leads to the realization of this empty nature. These teachings consist of the profound teachings of the definitive sūtras that explain the ultimate truth, and the interpretable teachings of the provisional sūtras that explain various veiled truths — such as the person, aggregates, grounds and paths — that are taught in accordance with the dispositions and interests of various disciples. The dharmakāya of the teachings is called the dharmakāya although it is not the actual dharmakāya. The actual dharmakāya is experienced by a buddha. The teachings are the conditions to attain this dharmakāya.
Just as the buddha image hidden in the closed lotus in the first simile cannot be seen, the wisdom dharmakāya — the ultimate, supreme meditative equipoise on emptiness — is not perceivable in the world. The honey (simile 2) resembles the profound teachings on the ultimate truth. Just as all honey shares the same taste of sweetness, all phenomena have the same “taste” of being empty of inherent existence. The grain (simile 3) corresponds to the vast teachings on the method side of the path. Just as the grain needs to be removed from its husk and cooked to become edible food, the vast teachings are provisional and require interpretation.
The definitive and interpretable teachings and the profound and vast teachings are given to disciples of all three dispositions — śrāvakas, solitary realizers, and bodhisattvas — as well as to sentient beings who are temporarily of uncertain disposition. This latter group consists of individuals who will later become disciples with one of the three dispositions, depending on the teachers they meet and the teachings they receive. By hearing, reflecting, and meditating on both the vast and profound teachings, sentient beings will attain the actual wisdom dharmakāya.
The chief way in which buddhas’ awakening activities engage with and influence sentient beings is by means of the buddhas’ speech — the teachings they give. This ability of the buddhas’ awakening activities to influence sentient beings is always present, and in this sense sentient beings are pervaded by the awakening activities of the dharmakāya.
2. The tathāgatagarbha has the nature of emptiness, suchness.
The tathāgatagarbha — the emptiness of sentient beings’ minds — cannot be differentiated from the aspect of the natural purity of the dharmakāya. The gold buried in filth (simile 4) illustrates the emptiness of the mind. Just as pure gold does not change into a base metal, the emptiness of the mind does not change into something else. Like pure gold, the tathāgatagarbha is pure and faultless. The ultimate nature of sentient beings’ minds and the ultimate nature or natural purity of the tathāgatas’ minds cannot be differentiated in that both are emptiness. They appear the same and cannot be distinguished to the face of the meditative equipoise directly perceiving emptiness. In this sense it is said that the suchness of the Tathāgata is the essence of sentient beings.
3. The tathāgatagarbha has the nature of the buddha lineage or disposition.
This disposition culminates as the three bodies of a buddha, thus accomplishing buddhahood. Encompassing the remaining five similes, this disposition has two parts: (1) The buddha disposition that has existed beginninglessly resembles a treasure under the ground (simile 5). Just as no one put the treasure there and its beginning is unknown, the naturally abiding buddha nature has existed beginninglessly. (2) The transforming buddha disposition that has the potential resembles a sprout (simile 6). Just as a tiny sprout, upon meeting the conditions that nourish it, will gradually grow into a tree, the transforming buddha disposition has the potential to accomplish buddhahood and the three buddha bodies when it encounters the right conditions, such as learning, reflecting, and meditating on the Dharma.
The buddha statue covered by tattered rags (simile 7) represents the beginningless, naturally abiding buddha disposition. Just as a beautiful, precious statue shines forth when the impediment of the tattered rags is removed, the beginningless purity of the mind — its emptiness of true existence — is revealed when all adventitious defilements have been forever banished owing to the collection of wisdom. At this point the naturally abiding buddha disposition is called the nature dharmakāya of a buddha.
The transforming buddha disposition blossoms owing to the accumulation of merit. When it is fully evolved, it becomes the enjoyment and emanation bodies of a buddha. Just as a future great leader who is now in his mother’s womb (simile 8) will come to enjoy majesty, the enjoyment body enjoys the majesty and wealth of the Mahāyāna Dharma. Similar to a golden buddha statue emerging from the dust that surrounds it (simile 9), emanation bodies, which represent the actual dharmakāya, appear in whatever forms are most conducive to subduing the minds of sentient beings.
In our practice, our buddha disposition is initially awakened through listening to and reflecting on the Dharma, especially teachings on the value and purpose of bodhicitta and the two methods of generating it. Upon generating bodhicitta, we have the strong aspiration to attain the three buddha bodies. To accomplish this, we engage in the bodhisattva deeds — the six perfections and the four ways of maturing disciples — and fulfill the collections of merit and wisdom. Cultivating the collection of wisdom leads to gaining the pristine wisdom directly perceiving the ultimate nature of all phenomena. When this wisdom is developed further and used to fully cleanse all obscurations from our mindstreams, our naturally pure buddha nature becomes the nature dharmakāya — the suchness of the mind that has the two purities: the n
atural purity of inherent existence and the purity from adventitious defilements. The cultivation of the collection of merit, done through practicing the method aspect of the path, leads to our transforming buddha nature becoming the two form bodies — the enjoyment body and the emanation body. In this way, the three bodies of a buddha are actualized and our pristine wisdom perceives all existents throughout the universe.
Three Aspects of the Buddha Disposition
1. The clear light nature of the tathāgatagarbha that will become a buddha’s dharmakāya in the future.
•The dharmakāya of realizations: the undefiled empty nature of a buddha’s mind that is realized by that buddha’s wisdom dharmakāya; buddha image (1).
•The dharmakāya of the teachings that are the conditions to attain it.
•Profound teachings of the definitive sūtras on the ultimate truth; honey (2).
•Interpretable teachings of the provisional sūtras on veiled truths; grain (3).
2. The tathāgatagarbha’s empty nature (suchness) that cannot be differentiated from the emptiness of a buddha’s mind; gold (4).
3. The tathāgatagarbha that has the buddha lineage and accomplishes the state of a buddha.
•Beginningless buddha nature; treasure (5).
•Transforming buddha nature that has the potential to accomplish buddhahood; sprout (6).
•When purified, the beginningless, naturally abiding buddha disposition becomes the nature dharmakāya of a buddha; statue (7).
•When the transforming buddha disposition is fully evolved, it becomes the enjoyment body of a buddha; the future great leader in his mother’s womb (8).
•The emanation bodies of a buddha; golden statue (9).
In summary, in his commentary to the Sublime Continuum, Asaṅga says:
The similes taught in the Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra explain that the mind, which has existed without beginning in all realms of sentient beings, is empty by nature and therefore the afflictions are adventitious. Being empty by nature, this beginningless mind is inseparable from the innate development of the qualities of awakening.85
A Puzzle
Maitreya admits that some aspects of buddha nature are difficult for ordinary beings to understand (RGV 1.25).
[The buddha nature] is pure and yet has affliction.
[Awakening] is not afflictive and yet is purified.
Qualities are totally indivisible [and yet not manifest].
[Awakening activity] is spontaneous and yet without any thought.
Here are several puzzling points.
•From beginningless time buddha nature has been pure and free from defilements, yet it still has afflictions and defilements.
•The awakened mind is pure, yet it needs to be purified.
•The emptiness of buddhas’ minds and sentient beings’ minds are indistinguishable in that both are pure and empty of inherent existence, yet one belongs to buddhas and the other to sentient beings.
•Buddhas’ awakening activity is spontaneous, yet it occurs without conscious motivation.
Initially these four statements may seem contradictory, but seen from the proper perspective, they cease to be paradoxical. The explanations below clarify their meaning. We must think carefully to understand the explanations correctly; doing so will bring important and essential insights.
•Buddha nature is completely pure; the defilements are adventitious. They obscure the buddha nature but are not its essential nature.
•The awakened mind has no defilements, but prior to becoming a buddha, the mind’s nature is covered by defilements. It is like gold hidden by stains. The gold is still gold, but its luster and beauty cannot be seen. Similarly, when the mind is immersed in defilements, the potential to develop a buddha’s qualities remains; it is part of the mind’s nature. However, this potential is covered and cannot yet function as the actual qualities of a buddha. Love and compassion are present in the unawakened mind; they cannot be forever extricated from the mind. But when anger overwhelms the mind, the seed of love is not apparent, although it is still there.
•In terms of their ultimate nature, both buddhas’ minds and sentient beings’ minds are empty of inherent existence, and any difference in these emptinesses cannot be discerned by the wisdom directly realizing emptiness. However, on the conventional level, the two minds are different: one is a mind with obscurations, the other is a mind that is completely free from obscurations.
•Buddhas’ awakening activities are effortless; they occur spontaneously, without purposefully cultivating a motivation. A buddha is free from conception and has become so habituated with compassion over many eons that no motivation or thought is needed for that buddha’s awakened activities to radiate out in the most flawless and suitable way according to the disposition of each sentient being. This is inconceivable to us unawakened beings because our virtuous deeds require deliberate effort.
As we practice the path, sometimes discouragement fills our minds. If we observe closely, we will see that discouragement is simply a mass of distorted conceptions that we believe to be true. Instead of following these proliferating perverted thoughts, if we challenged their validity we would easily see they are false. One distorted conception is particularly pernicious; it believes that buddha nature does not exist and thus eliminating duḥkha and attaining awakening is not possible. Maitreya banishes this noxious thought (RGV 1.34):
If the buddha nature were not present,
there would be no remorse over suffering.
There would be no longing for nirvāṇa,
or striving and devotion toward this aim.
If sentient beings truly lacked the possibility to be awakened and were doomed to irreversible saṃsāric suffering, no one would ever regret being in saṃsāra or long to be free from duḥkha and attain nirvāṇa. No one would aspire for full awakening or make effort toward that goal. This clearly is not true; the life stories of the Buddha and other realized beings disprove this. We see within ourselves the wish to be free from saṃsāra’s duḥkha, the yearning for freedom from the grip of afflictions and karma. While we may not make as much effort as we would like toward this aim, we do take steps in this direction. This is based on trust that there is an alternative to saṃsāra and that an awakened state exists.
REFLECTION
1. Contemplate the four puzzling points above and then reflect on the explanations that resolve them.
2. Feel your own yearning for spiritual awakening and your aspiration to free yourself from the obscurations that bind you. Realize that these indicate the existence of the buddha nature. Respect that aspect of yourself and determine to nourish it.
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Going Deeper into Buddha Nature
VOLUME 1 of this series, Approaching the Buddhist Path, introduced the three turnings of the Dharma wheel and briefly described the presentation of true cessation and true path in each. I would now like to review and then expand on this topic and its relationship to buddha nature.
The Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel and Buddha Nature
The first turning of the Dharma wheel presents the overall structure of the Buddhist worldview based on the four truths. The second turning of the Dharma wheel contains a more detailed explanation of the third and fourth truths and presents the emptiness of inherent existence and the bodhisattva path. The essence of the third truth — true cessation — is understood in the context of the emptiness of the mind. The fourth truth — true path — is the wisdom realizing that emptiness.
We can see a progression. The first turning of the Dharma wheel discusses selflessness (anātman) in a general way. Having described the nature or identity of each truth and the way to engage with it, the Buddha explained the resultant understanding of each truth. Here he said that true cessation is to be actualized but there is nothing to actualize. This statement has deep implications. The Buddha wants us to understand emptiness, true cessation, and the unborn nature of phenomena.
In the second turning, th
e Buddha clarified that the precise meaning of selflessness is the emptiness of inherent existence (śūnyatā), the unborn nature. He also described the wisdom realizing this unborn nature. Here he called it “objectless” or “nonobjectifying” wisdom because it has ceased the apprehension of any objectifiable basis or inherent existence in persons and phenomena.
The Perfection of Wisdom sūtras — which were taught in the second turning — and the Ornament of Clear Realizations, a commentary by Maitreya on those sūtras, explain tathāgatagarbha — buddha essence — from the perspective of it being the ultimate nature of the mind, the emptiness of the mind.
The third turning of the Dharma wheel delves deeper: The purified aspect of the emptiness of the mind is true cessation, but what mind is the basis of that emptiness? The ordinary mind we have at present, which is the basis of all our afflictions, is not that mind. Our sense consciousnesses also cannot be that basis, because they are not stable and continuous. Nor can afflictive minds such as ignorance be that basis because the continuity of ignorance is not present at buddhahood and thus the emptiness of ignorance is also absent then.
The mind that is the basis for true cessation must be a pure mind — pure in that afflictions have not entered into its nature. That mind must be beginningless and endless because its continuum must go without interruption to buddhahood and become a buddha’s mind. This mind is the clear light mind that can become a liberating path — the subject clear light realizing the object clear light, the emptiness of the mind. This is the tathāgatagarbha presented in the third turning. While the second turning speaks of tathāgatagarbha primarily as the object, emptiness, the third turning presents it as the subject, the clear light mind that can realize emptiness, which is also the basis of that emptiness.