Tenets, 17 February 1994, part 2

We can say the mind when when described from its function, we can say it can be of any of the two possibilities that either it perceives others or it perceives itself or in the case of those who believe in a part of mind that which perceives itself, in their case then mind can be seen as of two types, a mind perceiving other things and mind perceiving itself. And and in that way we can describe other perceiving mind or or knowing other, a mind knowing other, and then the second type self perceiving or own knower mind. So in the translation we deliberately avoid self perceiving because self could be misunderstood as being referred to ego, whereas here self refers to the mind itself. So own knower, although it’s a bit awkward to say, let’s say, safe safer to describe. So therefore we have these two descriptions of mind, a mind knowing others or perceiving others, and mind knowing itself and own knower.

And the explanation says when the the mind sees other external things such as white color, red color such mind can be called a mind seeing, perceiving or seeing others. And now in the schools which believe there is another aspect of mind which does not see any other external things but only the mind itself. In their case they say there is such mind and that mind is called own knower and own knower mind. So that’s the explanation. Now when we describe here the Vaibhāṣika school, the first lowest school, the lowest school in Buddhism, in their case, they don’t believe in a mind which knows itself, an own-knower mind.

And then the specific exponent school does not believe oh, sorry. Does accept an externally existing phenomena, which to interpret can be called a school which accepts material materialism, a a material material existence of things. So in basic description then we have this school which is characterized by its basic theory accepting an own knower mind but which accepts material existence of external things that external things such as white color, red color and inanimate matters and so forth truly exist there. So that’s the basic description and in defining what and how the external things actually exist or truly exist they explain that all existing external things are the gathering of many partless particles. They exist as a gathering of many partless particles.

For example, there is a part partless particle of fire, of water, of wind, so these being each by itself gathers around one another and thereby the gross matter come into being to exist. And and therefore in this in this school they believe in a partless particle theory where the basic building material of any matter is tiniest partless particle which does not have any parts and portion apart from itself existing on its own and these when gathered together makes the gross matter. So therefore they can be called one who accepts external truly existing things or external things as truly existing there. And when compared with those who are those who explain from mental perspective formation of things we can say this school does not accept an inner formation of things, of matters and things out there. Instead things exist from their side and the manner they exist and come into being is through formation and gathering of many partless particles.

So in brief, whatever we see around walls, house, so forth, it’s explained to be a formation of many partless, tiniest partless particles. And therefore, they exist truly. They do exist on their own right. They truly exist. And as a result, this school accepts an externally truly existing thing or phenomena.

This is their basic assertion. So what would you think about the things and or material things in matter? Are they do they have parts and portions or they are partless? How would how would we know that they are with parts? How can we know that it is partless?

Because here we’re talking about the tiniest particle, something which you divide and divide and finally it hasn’t it cannot be divided further. So how would you still prove that it has parts and portions? A sort of surface machine which is like particle accelerator and they create they create Yeah. That can be like explaining the reverse order where things are formed in that way. But here Yeah.

That’s right. So here it’s explaining first how would we find that last tiniest bit of particle hasn’t got any other portions and parts? How can we first work that out? So the tiniest particle which is in this school explained to be partless has to be something not which cannot be seen by eye organ because that’s how in the scriptures as well it is explained that it has to be it is not able to be seen by eye organ. If it is something can still be seen by the eye, it means it’s not the tiniest particle.

And so it has to be something else. The the great Buddhist master, Dharmakīrti, of the say about two thousand one thousand five hundred years ago, says, if it is to be seen by the senses, then it is not the tiniest particle. So it has to be something beyond being seen by senses. From outside. Well, this this school explains that the tiniest particle, which is the partless particle, it it gathers it gathers around with other similar partless particle.

And through that way, it becomes the building of the gross matter. Now this school accepts that this school accepts the theory that if the tiniest particle meets comes in contact with other tiniest particle then because they are so tiny one one would fuse with other therefore there would not be like a there would not be a separateness of gathering around one would fuse with another so similarly no matter how many partless particle gather around if they come in contact then they would fuse into one another one another and it would be just one one tiniest particle. This is how it explains. But then it would have to explain how then does particles gather around and still exist and sustain. What it explains explains as in the manner that these so many partless particle cluster around but without directly coming in contact, just coming in contact, cluster around.

So but then the other schools would put the question, well, if that’s the case then that would mean that there is a gap in between these clustering therefore if a water or a tea are poured it would mean the particle would not sustain it, retain the liquid, it would just drip down. Now as a as as a answer, the school says, well, there’s no such discrepancies because although they’re not in contact but what actually retains the liquid is the cementing of the wind in between so it is the wind which retains in the case say if it is a particle or the liquid and so forth so that’s how they explain and so the basic idea is they believe this is how the partless particles make a gross matter. And then we have, say, subtle particle because so far we talking the tiniest partless particle. And what then makes a subtle particle? Well, it explains when seven of such tiniest particle partless particle gather around, that makes a one subtle particle.

So then in the next in the next part of the explanation by the school, it says through this way the matters are class are formed firstly there is the tiniest partless particle and the seven of such makes the subtle particle and then seven such subtle particles makes one iron particle and then seven iron particles makes one water particle and seven water particles makes one sun rays sun rays particle and such seven sun rays particle makes one a rabbit particle and such seven rabbit particle makes one sheep particle so it could it could be in the previous language translation something to do with linguistic difference as a matter of size and seven sheep particle makes one ox or cow particle and this then and seven of such ox particle makes one one offspring of lice we have large lice so the baby of lies is this is the building up in such a way of the seven ox particle and then that seven makes one lies and seven of them makes one inch and then then four inches make one normal finger and this four and then it goes into the length multiplication of four and such four makes a half arm’s length and then full arm’s length and in this way that’s how the size of matter increases.

Very good. So in this way, in this school, it it believes that the ultimate of particles or the ultimate of matter is the tiniest part partless particle. And then it this school as well has theory about tiniest name, the tiniest label, tiniest name. Well, by name, as we are very well aware, it is just name of just about anything, a vast scope, and then light, so forth. And in the analysis by the school, what is is the tiniest of the name, the tiniest label?

It says and as an answer, the school says, the tiniest name and label is the alphabet a b c and so forth. So it’s a letter, a syllable. So in this way, the tiniest in the name is the alphabet or the syllable of alphabet. And when number of syllables gather together that makes a name and when various names so here in this case name would be more or less like a word so when various name or word gather together then it makes a phrase and brief sentence such as my hand and then when such names such phrases gather together then it makes a line in a verse. And when the lines gather together, it makes a verse.

And when verses gather together, it makes chapter. And when chapters gather together, it makes a book. And now when we analyze according to this school, what makes the tiniest time lapse, tiniest time, well it explains firstly the shortest duration an action takes place is a snap time taken in snapping of a finger now that snapping of finger can be divided into 65 phases, 65 parts And that each of the 65 parts can be further divided into one hundred and twenty parts. 120. And then 120 of such moments make a moment of time.

And then and then 60 times of moment of time makes one duration. So a particular name in Tibetan given is thang, a duration of a thang. And such such 30 times of a moment or a short duration makes a thang. For example, we would express we would use the expression, oh, the person just briefly passed by. Now in that way of expression, that’s how how 30 times of a moment momentary time becoming a thang, which then multiplied 30 times makes a brief moment.

And then 30 of such brief moments makes one day, which we then in present day can be called the twenty four hours and then 30 of such days makes a month so it in brief, that’s how in this school, the time when looked into its formation is explained. So this is how it is explained in Buddhism. According to that school, the particles are formed, the names are formed, and the time are formed. So we’ll stop here. And if you have any questions We talked last week about four seals of Buddhism.

One That’s true. Here in this case, the school does not believe in the self self of a person as self or ego existing truly with reference to a person, but it accepts the truly existing self or identity of phenomena of external things. And then in the four seals, all phenomena are selfless, means with reference reference to to a a person. Person. The reason is if they if these disciples were explained that external things do not truly exist then they don’t like that.

They are not interested in in that. Whereas if they are explained that external phenomena or things truly exist then they like it, are interested in it. And then as a consequence they put more effort into their practice because what they think is true is being confirmed by their teacher. Whereas if if they are explained that external things do not truly exist, then they would lose interest even in the little practice they were doing in other avenues of practice because they would think, no, there’s no point doing my practice. So from that point.

Because Buddha Śākyamūni was very skillful, therefore, he gave teachings in accordance to the circumstance need of the disciple, and he explained things in order to lead them afterwards on to higher levels and to that way improve their improve the disciples wisdom according to given circumstance one one level after another finally definitely definitely leading them to the state of omniscience enlightenment so in this case he found it more beneficial at that time to explain to those disciples that external things truly exist, they exist in substance. Doctor would give the right medicine to the patient according to whatever the sickness is if the sickness is a very minor one, but if the doctor gives a very precious expensive tablet which is not meant for that sickness, then it wouldn’t work no matter how expensive and how much the tablet would cost. But for that sickness, it wouldn’t work. So it has to be something appropriate to the to whatever this sickness is. Yep.

So it’s similar to that. And then there will still be further explanation on this school, the specific exponent, this school’s theory about base, about path, and about results. And although it is lowest, it has very interesting and very good perspective about these three major avenues of practice in the base, path, and result. Okay.