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The Great Calm-Observation, Volume 5, Part 3, Page 5
The matrix of causality and conditions is either accepted or it is opposed.
1. In accepting the realm of Life & Death1:
A.
The cause is afflicted karma
B. The conditioning is craving, attachment,
etc.
2. In resisting the realm of Life & Death2:
A.
The cause is the true insight that is without
affliction
B. The conditioning is the practice of the various
practices
With both of these one eliminates
the grip of Life & Death and refutes confusion
3. In accepting the realm beyond Life & Death3:
A.
Again the cause is unafflicted insight
B. The conditioning is ignorance, etc.
4.
In resisting the realm beyond Life & Death4:
A.
The cause is the insight of the middle way
B.
The conditioning is the myriad of practices
With both of
these one eliminates the different manifestations of
Life & Death.
With causality and conditioning being like this, other examples of accepting and resisting are possible to understand.
If one depends on the realm of spiritual disciples, there are only nine aspects, not ten. If one depends on the the Great Vehicle that is the Threefold Life of Buddha, there is the Buddha's Body of Retribution. If one only depends upon detachment and elimination of confusions, there will be no final retribution. Upon considering this, it is possible to understand there being either nine aspects or ten aspects.5
The World of Societies
The World of Societies has already been defined. Without distinguishing the individual entities of the aggregates of self, their collective realities are given and established.
Patterned after the previous examples, they are all possible to understand.
The World of Countries & Lands is also endowed with these ten aspects.
**************
The single mind is endowed with these ten spiritual realms. With each of these spiritual realms also being endowed with the ten spiritual realms, there are one hundred spiritual realms6. With each of these spiritual realms being further endowed with the thirty kinds of distinctions7, the hundred spiritual realms are endowed with three thousand kinds of distinctions. These three thousand distinctions are all in a single thought of the mind8. If there were no mind, there would be no distinctions. But with there being any mind at all, it is endowed with the three thousand. Furthermore, one does not speak of the mind coming first and all of the distinctions coming afterwards, and one does not speak of all of the distinctions coming first and the mind coming afterwards.
It is like the eight aspects of transience9 that are inherent in all things. If things existed before these aspects, or if these aspects existed before all things, there would not be any transience, but it is impossible for them to be before or after each other. There can only be the existence of things with there being the aspects of transience, and there can only be the aspects of transience with the existence of things.
Now the mind is also like this.
* With all things being produced
from a single mind there is a vertical view of it.
* With the mind simultaneously
containing all things there is a horizontal view of it.
The vertical and horizontal views can not both
be possible. Only with there being the mind are there all things and only in
there being all things is there the mind. Therefore the mind is neither vertical nor horizontal, and
the
mind and all things are neither the same nor different.
The hidden wonder of this is deep, beyond our consciousness and beyond
any knowledge or words. Because of this, it is called the inconceivable sphere.
This is the idea here.
Footnotes:
1. Accepting the Realm of Life & Death: This is a reference to attachments to the mortal realm of Life & Death (S. Samsara), particularly to the four lower spiritual destinies
2. Resisting the Realm of Life & Death: This is a reference to the path of the Two Vehicles and letting go of attachments to the realm of Life & Death. Non-affliction refers to extinction of the ego and overcoming emotional distress (klesas) and its improper views and intentions
3. Accepting the Realm Beyond Life & Death: This is a reference to attaining the realization (the 'fruits') of the Two Vehicles. Even with the inner struggle with the ego and emotional distress being won and the mind being stilled there are ever greater levels of ignorance that will be uncovered. There is all of the ignorance of the world that must be dealt with; its reality is everywhere and is greater than one's own individual realization. One's own personal spiritual awakening is seen to be only a small part of the greater spiritual reality.
4. Resisting the Realm Beyond Life & Death: This is a reference to the path of the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas. They forsake their own individual liberation and stay engaged in the realm of Life & Death to deliver living beings to the other shore.
5. Nine Aspects vs. Ten Aspects: The Two Vehicles only aspire to the destruction to the ego and its selfishness and attain no reward or retribution. Hence the ninth aspect (the reward or retribution) is non-existent. The Bodhisattvas however attain the Buddha's Body of Reward (S. Sambhogakaya), the Buddha's embodiment of wisdom and virtues, because they remain engaged in this realm of Life & Death (karma and retribution) and bring lasting benefits (rewards) to those of this (Saha) world. The Buddha's and Bodhisattvas have spiritual influence whereas the Two Vehicles by themselves do not.
6. The Hundred Spiritual Realms: This is a reference to the mutual possession of the ten spiritual realms. Within hell there is the imminent capacity of enlightenment, of heaven, and of all the spiritual realms. All of the spiritual realms are ever interpenetating and spiritually influencing each other everywhere. Therefore there are a hundred realms, a thousands realms, a million realms and yet they are but a single realm.
7. Thirty Kinds of Distinctions: This is a reference to the ten aspects of causality and conditions and the individual, collective (society) and global (country & land) levels where they all interact.
8. All in a Single Thought of the Mind: This idea of a single thought here refers to a single instant or moment of the mind (S. Ksana). Within this moment, in which reality is timeless, all the three thousand spiritual distinctions are simultaneously imminent and awakened. Time as we conventionally know it is compressed into a single moment, much as our life flashes before us when we face death. This state of singleness of thought is the enlightened mind, from the first inspiration of the awakened (S. Bodhi) mind to the final revelation of the wonderful enlightenment. This timeless state of awakened singleness of thought (S. Ekanu Smriti, C. I-Nien, J. Ichinen) or singleness of mind (S. Samadhi) may be contrasted with the discursive, cognitive mind of our day to day existence. At any given moment in our temporal existence (trapped in time, with its aspects of duality and self-existence) some of these three thousand aspects may be revealed to us but others are latent or concealed, depending upon our spiritual condition.
9. Eight Aspects of
Transience: There are four original
aspects of transience, which are:
A. Birth; creation, production,
bringing into existence
B. Stability; Remaining in existence
without change, maintaining self-identity
C. Change; Transformation
into something different
D. Extinction; Destruction, death,
entering into non-existence
The whole universe is undergoing this cycle of
existence, and within it there are subsidiary or corresponding cycles ever occuring
with these four aspects of birth, stability, change and extinction. In combining
the greater or original four aspects of transience with the smaller,
subsidiary or corresponding four aspects of transience, there are the eight
aspects of transience.
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Since July 9, 2001