The Great Disclosure of Realization

By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by True Buddha Foundation
(Non-finalized version of translation, not approved for publication)

First, let's look at Buddha's enlightenment.

The Buddha left the Uruvilva (forest of the ascetic practitioners) and bathed in the Nairanjana river. Then, he sat down to meditate under the Bodhi tree. He proclaimed, "I vow not to rise from this seat until I attain enlightenment."

From the sutra, we can see the thought process of the Buddha.

Delusion leads to actions (effect of life). Actions lead to consciousness (effect of consciousness). Consciousness leads to name and form (verbal expressions and form). Name and form leads to the six sense organs (the functions of the six faculties). Six sense organs lead to touch (there are object of touch). Touch leads to sensation (the effect of receiving sensation). Sensation leads to craving. Craving leads to grasping (attachment). Grasping leads to birth (existence). Birth leads to old age, death, anxiety, sadness, suffering, anguish, and hopelessness. This [is the process that] give rise to existence of all forms of sufferings.

Then, the Buddha contemplated the principle to cease these suffering.

He contemplated from the first quarter to fourth quarter of the night, then he finally saw the bright star and achieved realization.

This is the content of Buddha's realization recorded in most sutra. Of course, there are also different explanation and quite a few different opinions.

On the Buddha's realization, some people believe that "there is no set dharma that can be expressed." He did not necessarily rely on contemplation of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. How people achieve their realizations are dependent how they cultivate their lives and calm their hearts.

Someone once asked a Dharma instructor.
"How did the Buddha achieved realization?"
This Dharma instructor answered, "The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination."
The follower asked, "What is Twelve Links of Dependent Origination?"
The Dharma instructor answered, "Bodhi"
The follower asked, "What is Bodhi?"
The Dharma instructor replied, "Bodhi is enlightenment."
Then, the follower asked, "What is enlightenment?"
"........."

I ask everyone, "In the Buddha's realization, what did he actually realize?"
***
What actually is realization? What did he realize? This is the great subject which this chapter will disclose

This is the greatest topic, the most secret of secret topic. This is a topic that no one in history has explained. This is even ineffable, an ineffable topic. This is a topic that practitioners cannot figure out despite their constant efforts.

Realization? What was realized?
What are the actual contents of the realization?

Many Buddhists only know these terminologies of realization. I know these terminologies and the readers do as well. Going through all Buddhist literatures, one runs into many of these terminologies (name form) such as:

True nature of perfect enlightenment, one true Dharmadhatu, the original appearance, enlightened heart seeing true nature, eternally constant phenomenon, wisdom of dharmadhatu body nature, self heart manifesting, ultimate self nature, the heart of the Tathagata treasury, true phenomenon of Prajna, constant bliss and self purity, tranquil nirvana, the original self, self nature of Amitabha, eternally abide in the true heart, the great luminous treasury, boundless dharma body, the enduring non-arising dharma, all encompassing luminous ocean, not coming and not going, and others.

Many great teachers of the past also meant describe this type of state with the following terminologies. For example:

Confucius -- The All Encompassing Righteous Qi
Mencius -- The Nature of Heaven's Mandate
Lao-zi -- Pristine Non-Action
Wang Yang-ming -- Virtuous Wisdom and Capacity
Zhu xi -- Non-arising of Happiness nor Anger.

Everybody have some understandings of these terminologies. Yet, honestly, how much can be understood from these terminologies?

Let’s use the term, "Enlightened Heart Seeing True Nature," as an example. It means understanding one's own innate heart and seeing one's true nature.

Okay, what is the innate heart? What is true nature? Can the answer be any more concrete than that? Whenever realization is mentioned in the sutra, it is as if everyone understands, and it is as if nobody understands. Seeing this same set of terminologies over and over again, it is still very vague.

When I achieved realization, I finally understood that all these terminologies are a bunch of useless junks, and all should be thrown into the trash.
***
I asked a great master once, "What is the realized Buddha-nature?"
The Great master replied, "Buddha nature is our original appearance. It is non-arising and non-ceasing. It is neither coming nor going. It is immovable and encompasses all empty space. It fills the entire universe. It is diligently abide by original nature without any change. It is uncontaminated, without ignorant thoughts. Everyone has the same Buddha-nature."

I answered, "A bunch of meaningless words".

The master stared at me without any recourse. This is because he fundamentally does not understand what Buddha-nature is.
***

A student once asked me, "When Shakyamuni Buddha achieved realization under the Bodhi tree, what did he realize?"

I answered, "The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, which is also called causation-affinity contemplation. These are the causes of sentient beings' transmigration in the six realms and three times. These twelve links of dependent origination include delusion, actions, consciousness, name and form, six sense organs, touch, sensation, craving, grasping, existing, birth, old age, and death. These twelve links of dependent origination are related to the Buddha's four noble truths. Realizes the principle of emptiness in the contemplation of birth and ceasation is precisely the twelve links of dependent origination."

My student asked, "Is emptiness, realization?"

I replied, "I can't tell you right now. We can go to that side of the room in which you will be the person hearing my explanation. Then, you will understand."

After being told privately, he suddenly had great realization. He exclaimed, "I finally understand. I finally understand. I will go and validate this. I will validate this complete realization."

What was the answer to this student's question?
***
I read the writings of Dharma instructor Yue-xi. In his writing, he used an analogy to explain realization.

"Let's use the example of the gold inside gold mines. The gold is concealed by the contaminants of dirt and sand. These contaminants are precisely the beginningless delusion. Only by removing these contaminants can one extract the gold. Wanting to realize Buddha nature, then all the beginningless delusions must be removed. After the gold has been extracted, it will be gold forever. It will never revert back to mineral rocks that contain gold. This also means that once a sentient being become a Buddha, then he will never revert back to a mundane man."

Yue-xi has another analogy.

"The Buddha nature is like the sun. Beginningless delusion is like clouds. The innate luminosity of the sun has been covered by clouds and cannot be found. We work hard to destroy this old-framework of beginningless delusion. This is like a great wind blowing away the clouds. Once the clouds are dispersed, the luminosity of the sun will illuminate the entire universe. The light will fill all ten directions. The sun is analogous to Buddha nature and the clouds are the beginningless delusion."

Yue-xi advocated the piercing through of beginningless delusion. Then, people will achieve realization. The most important aspect of the cultivation is the piercing through of delusion.

He mentioned many examples from the sutra on piercing through the beginningless delusion

1. Buddhavatamsaka (Flower Adornment) Sutra states: Destroy the darkness of delusion
2. Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment states: Beginningless illusory delusion.
3. `Sheng-man' (Supreme Hair arrangement) Sutra states: Sever the beginningless delusion
4. Sutra on Compassionate Recompense states: Use wisdom to pierce through darkness of delusion
5. Surangama Sutra states: Ghostly Dusts of Dharmadhatu
6. Ch'an lineage masters' terminologies of "old framework of delusion", "pitch black barrel", "ghosts' stronghold in dark mountain"
***
Let's us examine the teaching of Ch'an School on how to pierces through beginningless delusion. How do they cultivate to achieve realization?

In the contemplation of “who is reciting Buddha's name?” practitioner must first realize the thought of "reciting Buddha's name" arises from the six faculties. Even if there is no thought arising, this no-thought is still the result of the six faculties and is not Buddha-nature. Use the consciousness to fetch one's true appearance. Of course, immovably reciting Buddha's name is unrelated with the innate Buddha nature. This is fetching the innate Buddha nature from inner consciousness. Do not seek it externally of one self. Consciousness comes and goes. When the causation-affinity time arrives, with one sound of "HUO", the beginningless delusion is suddenly pierced through. With all the blockages clear, one will precisely see the innate Buddha nature.

This is also like the contemplation of "where is the original appearance?” First, one should understand thoughts arise because of six faculties. Even no-thought arises is still the result of the six faculties. The view that everything is empty and vacuum is also beginningless delusion. Persistently use the consciousness to fetch the original appearance from the beginningless delusions. Consciousness comes and goes. When the causation-affinity time arrives, the beginningless delusion is pierced through with one sound of "HUO". With all the blockages cleared, one will preciesly see the innate appearance.

Then, follow up with the contemplation of "All dharmas return one source, where does this one source return to?" Practitioner should first understand that all thoughts arise from the six faculties. The Trailokya is the creation of the heart. All dharmas are creations of the consciousness. The heart is referring to the six faculties. Consciousness refers to knowing myriad of dharmas arise from the original appearance. Compose oneself in the innate immovable truth. Also, do not let thought arise from the six faculties. Return myriad of thoughts into one thought and use the consciousness to fetch the original appearance from beginningless delusion. Consciousness comes and goes. When the time comes, all the blockages are cleared with one sound of "HUO". Then, one can precisely see that all dharmas arise from self-nature.

If practitioner contemplates "Before the parents gave birth to me, what is my original appearance," he should first understand that a person is in the intermediate body before being born to parents. The intermediate body enters into the mother's womb without a thought. Before being born to parents, one is in the intermediate body and suffers life and death because the intermediate body had not realized Buddha nature. Then, how can he see the Buddha nature before he was born? Before being born to parents, one is in the intermediate body. After being born from parents, one possesses the spiritual nature of six faculties. To understand the original appearance, use the consciousness to fetch the fetus that never enters transmigration. This person will never transmigrate in reincarnation because he had overcome the old framework obstacle of beginningless delusion. We must use consciousness to fetch this from the beginningless delusion. When causation-affinity time arrives, pierce through the beginningless delusion with one sound of "HUO". and realize all the teaching. With all the blockages cleared, the original appearance will appear, achieving the state of enlightened heart seeing true nature.
***
From these Ch'an School practices, we can clearly see how Ch'an cultivates toward realization:

1. Segregate the six senses
2. Use consciousness to fetch from the beginningless delusion
3. Consciousness comes and goes until the time is right
4. With one sound of "HUO", see the Buddha nature.

This cultivation method reminds me of a mother hen incubating eggs. When the time comes, small chick emerges from the egg with one sound of "HUO".

There are two questions that needed to be answer in this cultivation method:

1. What is beginningless delusion?
2. With one sound of "HUO", see the Buddha nature. What is this Buddha nature?

In all of the various Ch'an School Treatise such as "Record of the Lamp Transmission", "Record of Pointing to the Moon", "Compendium of the Five Lamps", "Six patriarch's Platform Sutra", and others, these treatises never completely reveal what is the Buddha nature that one sees when he achieves realization.
***
Beginningless -- All dharmas of the world are actually beginningless. Beginningless means all dharmas are inherently empty of existence.
Delusion -- It is the root of the confusion. Sudden arising of thought is delusion.

The Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment states: "What is delusion? Virtuous man, from beginningless time, all sentient beings have various inversions of thoughts and actions. They are like lost people. They transmigrate in the four corners. They regard the delusions arose from beginningless time as their masters. None of the sentient beings has wisdom eyes. Their bodies and hearts are all deluded."

The Forming Faith Commentary states: "All sentient beings are not called enlightened. From the beginning, their thoughts are linked continuously and they have never been apart from their thoughts. Hence, this is called beginningless delusion." From reading these passages, we seem to have some conceptualization on this beginningless delusion. I have the following understanding.

Beginningless -- Great emptiness
Delusion -- Great ignorance.

Beginningless delusion -- the primordial great ignorance.

Now, the reason why Ch'an school advocates piercing the beginningless delusion to reveal Buddha nature is starting to become clear.
***
There are these verses in Tilopa's Mahamudra Instruction regarding the beginningless delusion.

With insight into your sorry worldly predicament,
Realizing that nothing can last, that all is as dreamlike illusion,
Meaningless illusion provoking frustration and boredom,
Turn around and abandon your mundane pursuits.

Cut away involvement with your homeland and friends
And meditate alone in a forest or mountain retreat;
Exist there in a state of non-meditation
And attaining no-attainment, you attain Mahamudra8

(These verses were spoken by Lineage Master Tilopa pointing out that all worldly dharma are beginningless emptiness. All greed, hatred, ignorance and transmigration in the six realms are all delusion. One must cultivate by leaving the mundane world. One must diligently abide in the non-action. One must transcend and abide in the innate luminosity to realize the fundamental non-attainment).

Tilopa also said

The unborn omnipresent base dissolves your impulsion and delusion
Do not be conceited or calculating but rest in the unborn essence
And let all conceptions of yourself and the universe melt away.

The highest vision opens every gate
The highest meditation plumbs the infinite depths
The highest activity is is ungoverned yet decisive
And the highest fruition is ordinary being devoid of hope and fear.9

(I believe that this verse is extremely important. Defiled and pristine dharmas are all beginningless delusion. One must cease all grasping of mental projection in order to peaceful abiding in the non-arising state. Realizing the truth to see true nature, attaining supreme vision, cultivation, activity, and fruition.)

Vajrayana's terminologies on seeing Buddha nature

Abiding in the innate heart from the beginningless time, there is no-birth and no-cessation. There is no impurity and no purity. All dharmas manifest from this heart, also only this heart can see the manifestation of these dharmas. Hence, one can see that he sees. There is no duality in the body. There is only tranquil emptiness. The original self is innately non-arising. This is precisely the inherent emptiness of existence, form, and luminosity.

Also, leave behind nature of artificial doctrines. Only the light of Prajna can illuminate with wisdom and make correct choice. Yet, this nature of emptiness is not separate from great compassion. Prajna and Bodhi are dually applied and both must reside in the emptiness nature. Hence, one must mutually merge compassion and emptiness, and that is seeing true nature.

Clearly, Vajrayana lineage masters already pointed out that Buddha nature contains the nature of emptiness and great compassion.

Venerable Longchenpa (Longchen Rabjampa) said: The Buddha nature is vast and boundless like empty space. Leave behind existence, non-existence, right, wrong, good and evil. Practitioner must remove all grasping in order to see the innate eternal truth and self-nature.

Venerable Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa said that within the Buddha nature, there is the mutual merging of nature of emptiness and great compassion. Within self-nature, there is Prajna. Yet, it possesses great compassionate heart toward sentient beings.

Venerable Jigme Gyalwe Nyuku said -- Within Buddha nature, not only is there nature of emptiness, there is also nature of practice. This is precisely the practice to benefit sentient beings. There is alms-giving, upholding the precepts, perfect patience, diligence, meditation, and prajna. This is the true content of wondrous enlightenment. Those who perfectly cultivate these practices with enlightenment are called Buddhas.

Studying Buddha-dharma to this point, we have a more in-depth understanding of Buddha-nature. Some people think that the Buddha nature that the Buddha sees is emptiness. Some people think seeing Buddha-nature is seeing the nature of emptiness. Some people think that the Heart Sutra of Transcendent Knowledge only teaches one thing, which is emptiness. They surmise that if everything is empty, then that is Buddha nature.

In reality, that is not true. If the nature of emptiness is Buddha nature, then the state of formless heaven is Buddha nature. Then, no form, no heart, no consciousness, no thought are all Buddha nature. Then, this beginningless delusion is Buddha-nature.

Clearly, what we refer to as realization, this enlightened heart seeing true nature is absolutely not emptiness. At least, it is not just this one key word.
***
In the compilation of Ch'an Gong-an, there is a story that goes like this:

There was an old woman who built a hut for a monk and supported his cultivation for twenty years.

Normally, the old woman sent a pretty sixteen-year-old maiden delivering food to the hut. This young lady was as beautiful as a female celestial maiden.

One day, the old woman told the young lady. "When you bring the food to him, embrace him. Let's test his cultivation level."

This young lady did as she was told and asked, "Do you (monk) feel anything special?"

The monk replied, "This is like a wilted tree laying on a frozen rock on the coldest day in the winter."

When the old woman heard what the monk said, she was not impressed. Instead, she was angry. She told the young lady, "This monk should at least have some compassion toward you for all your effort taking care of him. It seems that I have wasted twenty years supporting a mundane man."

So, the old woman set the hut on fire and drove out the monk.

I read this Ch'an School Gong-an when I was first studying Buddhism. At the time, I did not understand it.

This monk's cultivation was very uncommon. He was absolutely immovable, such that his heart was completely unmoved by the young lady's beautiful physical appearance. This is seeing form as emptiness. The depth of his meditation is incredible.

At the same time, the monk upheld his precepts. Of course, he couldn't break the precept for a beautiful girl. Not only was his heart unmoved, he has even achieved the nature of emptiness.

The old woman should applaud him. Yet, why did she burn down the hut and drove out this monk? Did the old woman feel that the monk and the girl should be flirting with each other?

This point puzzled me the most.

Later, I slowly understand this gong-an through my own experiences after many years of studying Buddhism and with great amount of energy invested in meditation.

What is called realization is not the nature of emptiness. Even after mastering emptiness, one still have not achieved realization.

That monk had good mental control. Yet, he has entered into emptiness becoming like a wilted tree and burnt ashes. He accomplished great ignorance and beginningless delusion. He became completely unable to handle worldly affairs. He became a person who don't understand compassion and is without any sentiment.

Based on the construction of this gong-an:

This monk should have praised the young lady for her beauty and thank her for caring for him. Then, he should explain to her the monastic vows and express his gratitude for the young lady's hospitality. Finally, he should teach the young lady how to cultivate and achieve realization. He should explain the principle of emptiness of form. Then, this would be the perfect response.
***
In Buddhist sutra,

Shakyamuni Buddha told Universal Eyes Bodhisattva, "Virtuous man, this Bodhisattva and the sentient beings of terminal era. Through the realization that everything is inherently illusory, they will immediately attain completely purity. Their eyes, ears, noses, tongues, bodies, and consciousness will be completely purified. The form, sound, scent, taste, sensation, and dharma will also be purified. Virtuous man, by the removal of the six defilements, the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind will also be purified. Virtuous man, with the four great elements purified, the twelve places, the eighteen compositional elements of human existence (astadasa-dhatavah), twenty-five existences are all purified. Ten powers, four fearlessness, four unobstructed wisdoms, the eighteen distinctive characteristics of the Buddha, and thirty-seven aids to enlightenment are all purified. From these to the eighty-four thousand dharani gates are all purified. One body many bodies, one lifetime, many lifetime, everything is purified....

What this sutra passage is stating:
If one doesn't have realization, then the six faculties and six defilements are the six faculties and six defilements. If one achieves realization, all the six faculties, six defilements, and the eighty four thousands afflictions transform into Buddha nature.

Now, I, Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu can say this:

When I achieved enlightened heart seeing true nature, when I saw Buddha nature, what exactly is the Buddha nature that I saw? When I say realization, what exactly did I realize? This is the great mystery of millions of years. No past lineage master dare to express it. Even if they expressed, they were very vague about it. All the lineage masters said, ineffable, inexpressible. Why is it inexpressible? It is because ... because ...

I finally achieved realization, complete comprehension. I attained validation. I am the true purity. This view of realization is incredible. It is like the thunder on a clear day, the thunderous sound echoing in the sky.

I see that greed is Buddha's nature. Within Buddha nature, there is the eternal holding of great bliss.

I see that hatred is Buddha nature. Within Buddha nature, there is luminosity.

I see that ignorance is Buddha nature. Within Buddha nature, there is liberation from afflictions.

I am informing everyone.

Within Buddha nature, there is great bliss (Heavens of Desire realm), greed.
Within Buddha nature, there is clear light (Heaven of the Form realm), hatred.
Within Buddha nature, there is nature of emptiness (Heaven of Formless realm), ignorance.

I tell everyone earnestly. Perfectly mixes this great bliss, clear light, and nature of emptiness. When they have been perfectly mixed, they becomes a mixed "fruit drink". This is the Prajna. Teaching this Prajna to the sentient being is delivering sentient beings with great compassion. This "mixed fruit juice" is the transcendence of the great bliss, clear light, and nature of emptiness.

I dignifyingly proclaim

Taking the greed (great bliss), hatred (clear light), and ignorance (nature of emptiness) levelly transcending, and this is realization. This is enlightened heart seeing true nature. Simply stated, Buddha nature is the transformation of greed, hatred, and ignorance. Greed, hatred, and ignorance are Buddha nature.

If you think that I didn't say it clearly enough, I will explain this in a bit more detail.
"Form, sound, scent, taste, sensation, dharma" are the ultimate bliss of great bliss.
"Earth, water, fire, wind", are luminous clear light
"No form, no heart, no consciousness, not thinking" are liberation from afflictions.

This "yi he xiang" is very joyous.
Hell is the luminous pure land.
Animal realm is liberation.
Asuras are the most dignified.
Hungry ghost are the most stately.

These are what I observed with my eyes of Prajna after I achieved realization. I can levelly transcend. Even if I am in the three evil realms, these three evil realms are also Buddha nature. These three evil realms are also pure lands. After my realization, there is not one place that is not pure land.

If one understand the principle of this realization, then, he can achieve enlightened heart seeing true nature. This enlightened heart seeing nature is the absolute. The myriad objects and situations of the world cannot affect the heart of the practitioner. All afflictions, happiness, angers, sorrows, and joys can be displayed before him; a person with realization will be completely unaffected. This is natural because all afflictions, happiness, angers, sorrows, and joys don't really have anything to do with Buddha nature.

All the various states are illusory. Use nature of emptiness to pierce through them. Then, one can be liberated from them all. At this time, the practitioner can use divine self-mastery to be in eternal joy and self purity. This state is the state of realization. This is the true meaning of life.

I feel that the Buddha gave dharma teaching for forty nine years yet never uttered a word is referring to:
"There is no increase nor decrease. Everything is illusory."

Yet, sentient beings still cannot achieve realization nor achieve enlightened heart seeing true nature. So, they cannot leave samsara. Hence, the Buddha still has to say that Buddha-dharma is vast to help sentient beings compassionately. Those who achieved enlightenment still needs to enlighten others. This is the correct action of compassionate Bodhisattvas. How tragic is it that sentient beings are needlessly adrift in the six realms. We must use great compassion to deliver them universally, enabling them to realize Buddha nature. Enable them to transform greed, hatred, and ignorance, transforming everything into pure land.

I achieved realization.

Buddha nature is the transformation of greed, hared, and ignorance. With this one purification, all eighty-four thousand afflictions are completely purified. All afflictions are Buddha nature.

This is truly inconceivable, truly, truly inconceivable. Hell is pure land. All sentient beings are adorable Buddhas.
------------------
8. Mahasiddha Tilopa, "Tilopa's Mahamudra Instruction to Naropa in Twenty Eight Verses" (or Mahamudra Upadesha) Trans. Kunzang Tenzin. 1977.

9. lbid

Source: http://www.padmakumara.org  

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