Bodhisattvacaryavatara, 22 November 1994, part 2

Yeah. That’s now in the mirror, there’s a reflection of one’s face, and one grasp at it as if that is my face. Now if that thought which if that thought which grasp at the reflection of face in the mirror as one’s own face is unmistaken, then that would mean that there has to be a face in the mirror on by the same reason that if the very thought which grasp at the notion that there is one’s face actually there in the mirror, then if that thought is unmistaken, then there has to be a face in the mirror. In which case then it would mean that in which case there would be the erroneous, the faulty implication that one has two faces. Not only that, there will be the faulty thrust or the implication one has two noses, four eyes, a four — that’s where it doubles up, it becomes double.

Four ears and all that. So the latter part was it seemed alright not that too dramatic, two faces, two noses, but it came to eyes. They are four and the four ears. So in that case, if one has $100 here, then in the mirror, there will be another $100, and there will be $200 straight away. And if one has $500 here, then there will be 500 another 500 in the mirror.

So one instantly instantly become rich with $1,000. Also, although there appears the reflection of the face in the mirror, but there is no face to be found in the mirror. But yet due to the due to mistaken consciousness of the eyes, one’s eyes, due to mistaken consciousness of one’s eyes, they do appear the reflection of the face. And as it appears, one simultaneously grasp at it as if it is truly to be found or existing there. That is how it happens.

But when analyzed one would then find Although that’s how it stands therefore we have two cases how it what it what it appears is not what it actually exists. The manner of appearance and manner of existence are contradictory to one another. But now that’s the case now if we analyze them we would find that although in the mirror the reflection of face appears that it is emptiness of actual face there. So the reflection of face in the mirror is emptiness of face, and therefore, it has that emptiness nature about it. Also, that is the example in the case of the context meaning when referred to one’s aggregates the personality parts, then we can fit the example very well in this way that although our aggregates our aggregates the personality part do appear but we grasp onto them as if existing by their own characteristic or in other words that they do exist from their own part.

So there’s not only the appearing part of the aggregate as existing from their own side or existing truly but also as it appears we do grasp onto the mistaken understanding that they exist by their own characteristic or truly. So this is how it happens but there is no truly existent aggregates to be found similar to there is no real face to be found in the mirror. Therefore how it fits here in that way as there is no aggregate existing from their own characteristic or as there is no aggregate existing truly. So the very consciousness, the word is consciousness, the very consciousness which sees that there is truly existing aggregate is a mistaken consciousness. Oh, if that consciousness viewing the aggregates as existing from their own characteristic is not mistaken, then the implication is the aggregates has the aggregates have to exist from their own characteristic or the aggregates have to exist truly.

If that happens or if that’s the implication then that would mean that the aggregates have to exist without depending on anything from their own side, not depending on anything. Why that is so is because the mistaken consciousness which grasp at the aggregates as existing from their own characteristics is an ignorance is ignorance and the way the ignorance views is that it views the aggregates or the personality parts do exist independently not depending on anything. So if if that’s the manner how it views then in the actual effect if the supposedly the aggregates do exist in that way as ignorance thinks, then they have to it would mean that they have to exist without depending on anything. In that case, then it would it would mean that our personality components such as body and so forth would have come into existence without depending on parental seeds, genes, and so forth even physically the input part also goes. It would then mean that there will have to be an aggregate or a person upon oneself which can exist without depending on anything.

But in actual fact, we already have personality parts such as body and so forth which has come through depending on many causes and conditions such as which we have acquired through parental seed and so forth. So that is there on one side. So the whole implication would then mean that we would have it would mean that we have two aggregates, one which depends on nothing and came without depending on anything, and one which did depend on things and exist in that way. So we have double aggregates. In the case of I, it would mean that there will have to be one I which came about and exist with dependence on causes and conditions and yet another eye which came and exist which came into being and exist without depending on anything at all.

But it is absolutely not feasible to have an I which can exist with dependence on causes and conditions along with another I which can exist without depending on anything at all. Similarly, it is absolutely not feasible at all for for on the one hand an aggregate, which came about with dependence on causes and conditions along with another sets of aggregates or personality parts, which came about without depending on anything. If there is an I which exist without depending on anything, then it would mean that I is subject to no birth, no death, no extinction. So it would mean it is permanent, like they’re unchanging unchangingly there all the time. Similarly, if there is an aggregate or composite of personality parts which exist without depend on anything, it would mean that it is not subject to birth and death and extinction.

It is permanent phenomena. But in actual fact, cannot in the case of aggregates, in actual fact, by their very nature, they are functioning phenomena. Another word meaning that they are products produced by causes and conditions and that very negates the fact that they thought that they might have been not produced might not have been produced by causes and conditions and are permanent. That part becomes ruled out. But between the two between the two possible possible way of existence, in actual fact, we know that there is aggregate which is here term meaning the entire personality parts.

So there is an aggregate which come about with dependence on causes and conditions that it is a fact if it is then then that very fact that very fact that it is a product of causes condition negates there being another aggregate which come about without depending on anything because the two with dependence and without dependence are mutually exclusive. Similarly in the case of I it is fact that there is I which comes about and exist with dependence on causes and condition and that very fact is mutually exclusive to an I which supposedly exists without depending on anything. So in that way, the two other parts gets negated. By the very fact both of phenomena and both aggregate and I depend on other causes and conditions and are relative relative for their existence to other causes and condition, that very fact means that there isn’t that there isn’t any aggregate nor any I or ego which exist from its own characteristics. In another word, there isn’t by that very fact, it means that there isn’t any aggregate and I or ego which exist inherently.

Now in the case of the reflection reflection of one’s face in the mirror, one would when analyzed find that its very appearance, the reflection of the one’s face in the mirror, its its very appearance to one’s eye is a product depending on many causes and conditions and that very way it means it is a dependent originated and depend dependently existing phenomenon. How that is so is firstly there has to be the mirror out the mirror out there and then there has to be one’s face and then there has to be one’s eyes looking at the mirror. So when these three causes and factors are there, the mirror one’s face and the eyes looking at the mirror, the reflection of the mirror of one’s face in the mirror appears to one’s eyes. Now the and in the case when any of them is missing then there wouldn’t be appearance of the reflection to one’s eyes. Also in that way the whole thing is because of gathering of causes and conditions and in that way they are dependently originated, dependently existing phenomena.

So by that way, we would then conclude the reflection of face in the mirror is emptiness of face. And all the great teachers who understood the reality perfectly and talked perfectly uniformly agrees in this presentation of the understanding of view where when it is put in an dialectical in analysis format or it it is presented this way or let body as the word actually aggregate but for easier comprehension we say body. Let body be the investigative reference. It is not inherently existing because it is dependent arising phenomena. For example, like reflection, so that is the exact format where through the reasoning of dependent arising because it is dependent arising phenomena, the non true existence or the lack of inherent existence about phenomena is proven.

So in this way, by way of applying the reasoning of dependent arising in order to prove the aggregate or the body as not inherent inherently existing is considered as the best reasoning to establish that due to this very reason due to this very fact throughout the teachings there is a great admiration for the reasoning of dependent arising, and the metaphor given for it is the king like reasoning, which surpasses or stands above all other reasonings. Why it is considered the reasoning surpassing all other reasoning is because by this reasoning alone, both the extremes about view can be refuted or can be disproved or or by this reasoning alone, one can overcome two possible avenues of blunder, great blunder, the two extremes. And this is precisely why it is called the king of reasonings. And as far as the two extremes goes, they are the extreme of nothingness and extreme of permanence. And this reasoning alone by itself can overcome those two extremes.

If we look at the details of the format proving the body or aggregate as not inherently existing then we first have the first part of the format of the whole what is scripturally called syllogism or the format of proof where the first part goes the let aggregate be the investigative reference and this means the aggregate or the body so for ease of comprehension we can just say body let body be the investigative reference what that means is it is called investigative reference because here this is the basis the particular phenomena the reference of which one is trying to establish whether it exists from its own characteristic or not or in other words whether it exists truly or not and then in the next part, we have it is not inherently existing. And that is the second part. So together they become the thesis. The thesis, the theme of the establishment, establishment, the aggregate not or the body not existing inherently and in third part we bring the reasoning because it is dependent arising phenomena. So dependent arising phenomena is applied in order to establish the first reference attribute about the first part the aggregate that because the aggregate or the body is dependent arising phenomena that it cannot be inherently existing phenomena.

So altogether, the emphasis here is the dependent arising because it is dependent arising phenomenon that very phrase and its meaning is what is called the proof the reasoning in order to establish the thesis so as a practitioner on the view we then need to contemplate more on that part, the dependent arising phenomenon part. Also in this format when one has the line of the thinking going this way, the body be the investigative reference. It is not inherently existing because it is dependent arising phenomena. In that case we then have the proving of the body as not inherently existing by applying the reasoning that it is dependent arising phenomena. Through that way what happens in one’s meditation and reflection on this point is when one applies the reasoning that the aggregate or the body is dependent arising phenomena by that way when the thinking leads the awareness that the body has come about due to depending on many causes and condition then one one gets oneself freed from the misunderstanding that the body, the aggregate does not exist at all and has absolutely not exist at all.

So one gets rid of one makes one self get rid of the extreme of nothingness by the very fact thinking that the body actually exist by way of having been produced by causes and conditions. By the same way, when one thinks about the body being dependent arising phenomena then one contemplates that the body is dependent on its causes and conditions for its production and for its existence. So in that way one comes to understand that the body is a dependent phenomenon. It is relative to its causes and conditions. So the emphasis of the instruction is very much on these two phrases that one comes to understand the body is dependent on its causes and conditions and the body is relative to its causes and conditions.

When one understands that then that then that brings the implied understanding that the body cannot be existing by its own characteristic from its independently or from its own right. The reason for that is when something is understood to be dependent on others and relative to other then its total solidity or its independence not depending on anything at all somehow is negated automatically because with dependence on others and with relative to other is a direct opposite to not depending on anything and not relative to anything. Example is like when something is hot then the coldness of it automatically is worked out and when something is cold, then the hotness of it being hot is ruled out. Take in the case of water, if the water has become hot, then it means it’s no more cold and when it has become cold and it’s no more hot it’s directly opposite so in that way by this way of very understanding that the body is dependent on and relative to its causes condition one understands it cannot be existing from its own characteristic therefore it cannot be inherently existing so that very is the way how one becomes makes oneself be freed from the extreme of eternalism the extreme of eternalism being the misunderstood view that phenomena or things in this case the body exist independently, permanently from its own side without depending on anything at all.

So through this way by the very reasoning or dependent arising one then becomes freed from the other extreme, the extreme of permanence. Here, therefore, when one is to meditate on emptiness, one then needs to think very much on the reasoning reasoning part. Part. In this case, when referred to aggregate or the body, that the body is dependent arising phenomena. The reason for that is when one has reflected so much on the dependent arising manner of the body, then one comes to understand that the body is a phenomena which has come about through dependent and dependent on through dependence on and with relative to its causes and conditions.

When that comes about, although at this stage of one’s approach to understand view, one may still be without knowing whether the body is inherently existing or not but one has by thinking on the dependent arising reasoning one comes to understand that the aggregate is relative to and depends on its causes and conditions. So the part to do with the body being dependent arising gives rise to a lot of understanding that it is not independently existing because it exists with dependence on and relative to causes and conditions. When that happens then automatically, gradually, gradually it will come, it will make one come to the understanding that if the body is dependent arising phenomena then it is not possible at all that it can be at the same time an inherently existing phenomena. The reason for that is if something is inherently existing then it cannot be dependent arising and if something is dependent arising or dependently existing phenomena then it cannot be inherent existing. The two exactly are mutually exclusive.

So in that way one gradually would definitely come to understand that the aggregate or the body in this case is not it cannot at the same time be inherently existing phenomena while it already is a phenomena depending on causes and conditions and therefore dependent arising. If by this way of thinking as a practitioner one is really coming to understand greatly the lack or the emptiness of inherent existence about the present reference subject the body that means one is getting on quite good about realizing emptiness. These days in especially in modern times, there’s lot lot of talk about people saying I want to help others I want to be compassionate to others that is extremely good but in order to be compassionate and to help others one first need to be compassionate to oneself. Or if one is wisely compassionate towards oneself, then the way to go about would be to work towards one’s future to be without any suffering and be with happiness. But for oneself in all future time in all future times to be without any suffering at all and to be with all happiness, one to do that one would need to realize emptiness by which the ignorance the root of all sufferings can be overcome the point which was precisely made at the beginning of the evening here so we then can relate that it is extremely relevant in terms of our own future in that way that we must at some at any rate meditate and try to realize meditate on emptiness and try to realize it.

The actual effort into one’s realization has to be put by oneself from one’s own side because if others have realized emptiness, but if one has not realized, that’s not going to help me. That’s not going to help us. If others realization is directly going to help us then Buddha Śākyamūni and all the countless Bodhisattvas would have would have been extremely directly helpful in our realization because they have realized emptiness. But in actual fact, that’s not how it stands. Therefore, Buddha Śākyamūni has given this advice, one oneself is one’s own master, oneself is one’s own enemy.

So there are two parts with that. One’s but one might think that if one’s one oneself is one’s master, then it cannot be true for one one’s self to be one’s enemy. But here the two things need to be looked at separately in their own context where the first part one one self means one’s master means firstly, if one picks up the practices and try to overcome by one’s practice the failings of mind and in that way gradually when one makes the realization of emptiness and loving kindness and all the host of excellent quality, the realization of mind that needs to be acquired. And through that way, when one makes progresses and eventually attains liberation and Buddhahood, then one has become one’s own master that one oneself has given or that could be given to oneself. The other part, one oneself is one’s enemy means by not having wise or by not having by not having right compassion and loving kindness towards oneself one fails to do the practices which brings about happiness and removes suffering and in that way one as well fails to meditate and practice on the realization of emptiness and so forth instead one engages into all sorts of ignorance based actions, non virtuous actions.

So one creates karma. One creates karma. One creates ignorance based actions. And out of that there comes about all suffering that one gets reborn in the miserable or rebirths, life after life goes on unending in the sense of extremely long duration and through that way one for so long time experiences all nonbearable sufferings. So in in meaning one really has damaged, one really has harmed oneself so much much.

And that in the actual literal sense of the enemy as someone who harms is what exactly one would have then done to oneself and that is how one then becomes one’s own enemy. So to be loving loving kind to have loving kindness towards oneself and to have compassion for oneself seems therefore extremely important. Yeah. Thank you.

That’s a good day. And so we’ll stop here. And if there are any questions, we shall leave about five minutes for questions. The meditation on emptiness can be done in two ways of one where one meditates on emptiness after having realized it, and the other is to meditate on it prior before realizing it. But to be able to meditate on emptiness