Summary

80.  Mahāmati asks for the Buddha to clarify the stages involving the Samādhi of Cessation. The Buddha explains: 

o At the sixth stage bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas enter the Samādhi of Cessation.

o At the seventh stage bodhisattvas think thoughts in this samādhi without characteristics of self-existence, but śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are aware of a practitioner and practice and are not able to think thoughts.

§ While bodhisattvas see the three realms as mind, will, and conceptual consciousness without a self up to the seventh stage, on the eighth stage mind, will, and conceptual consciousness cease. Those who rather cultivate their own projections remain trapped by characteristics of external entities and see subject and object.

o   While śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are seduced by the bliss of samādhi at the eighth stage and create the thought of nirvāṇa, bodhisattvas do not enter nirvāṇa because they have the support of the buddhas.

o   The sequence of stages is to prevent bodhisattvas unaware of the stages from falling prey to the doctrines of other paths. Nothing arises or ceases but is mind-only—the stages are for those who are unaware. Ultimate truth has no stages.

o   Moreover, while śrāvakas and bodhisattvas fall prey to the conception of nirvāṇa at the eighth stage, bodhisattvas do not due to their past vows. Like someone dreaming about crossing a river and awakening before they are across: it was due to habit energy that different things appeared in the mind, will, and consciousness previously. After transcending projections of subject and object they undertake the work of the Dharma for the benefit of others. 

o   One realises all is mind-only on the 7th stage, has no projections on the 8th stage, and benevolent bodhisattva activity is carried out on the 9th and 10th. But the order of stages is ultimately meaningless, as all are projections.

81.  Mahāmati asks the Buddha whether tathāgatas are permanent or impermanent. The Buddha explains: 

o Tathāgatas are neither permanent nor impermanent. If permanent, the problem would be a first cause that is not itself caused. If impermanent, the problem would be the impermanence of a first cause,[1] and their skandhas would cease to exist, when tathāgatas do not themselves cease.

§ All that is caused is impermanent. But if everything were impermanent then the qualities of a tathāgata (knowledge, attainments, etc.) would be caused, and thus everything would be a tathāgata since their causal basis would be the same.[2] So, tathāgatas are neither permanent nor impermanent.

o   Tathāgatas are not permanent like space, since space is meaningless (which selfrealisation of buddha knowledge is not). Moreover, space transcends permanence and impermanence.

o   Tathāgatas are not permanent like that which does not arise (like rabbit horns), because, like space, that is meaningless.

o   Tathāgata’s attainment by realisation, however, is permanent, and the Dharma is fixed and abiding regardless of the tathāgatas’ appearance in the world. Awakened Ones dwell in realisation, not in space. Their knowledge is attained by prajñā, and not through the skandhas, dhātus, or āyatanas: the world arises based on false projections, but not the tathāgatas.

o   Permanence and impermanence are only found in duality. Distinctions of language occur with foolish people—the wise once and for all transcend words and thus permanence and impermanence. 

82.  Mahāmati asks the Buddha to explain how the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas arise and cease without a self. The Buddha explains: 

o The tathāgatagarbha is the cause of whatever is good or bad, like an actor who changes characters. Not understanding people suppose a self arises from the threefold combination.[3] When impregnated by habit energy, tathāgatagarbha is known as the ālāya consciousness—an ocean with waves. But it is essentially pure and clear. 

o The other consciousnesses arise due to mistaken grasping, not understanding names and appearances are projections of one’s own mind. Only when senses stop function do they enter the Samādhi of Cessation. But cultivating truths of liberation they fail to purify the ālāya because the consciousnesses arise due to causes and conditions.[4]

o Seeing the tathāgatagarbha, the five dharmas, the modes of existence, and two noselves one ceases to exist (as illusory beings). They thus progress to the unshakable 8th stage. Supported by the buddhas during their samādhis, they do not grasp the bliss of samādhi or ultimate reality and complete the ten stages. 

o Thus, bodhisattvas should purify the tathāgatagarbha and the ālāya consciousness. Because their ālāya exists, wherein they mistakenly see arising and cessation, they know they have a tathāgatagarbha. Although the tathāgatagarbha is pure, it appears impure because of the dust of sensation. 

o The Buddha used his spiritual power to support Queen Śrīmālā in explaining the ālāya and tathāgatagarbha—but you must be diligent in reflecting on them, only the wisest bodhisattvas and the buddhas can understand them truly.[5]

83.  Mahāmati requests the Buddha to explain the five dharmas, modes of existence, forms of consciousness, and two no-selves. The Buddha explains:

o   The distinguishing characteristics of these matters include (1) name and (2) appearance, (3) projection, (4) correct knowledge, and (5) suchness. Understanding these one can attain awakening: seeing them as projections of one’s own mind. 

o Fools give rise to projections, and not the wise, because they let their thoughts wonder along the lines of appearances. They fall into views of a self and desire to excel. When inflamed, karma associated with desire and anger accumulated, and becomes like silkworms in their own cocoons, not realising these are like a moon in water and devoid of origination, duration, or cessation, arising from projection.

o   As for appearances, these correspond to the six senses. Projection is the fabrication of names (notions) and applying them to appearances, thinking they are one thing and not another (e.g. this is a man, this is an elephant, etc.).

o   But names and appearances are indistinguishable and are neither annihilated nor eternal. Bodhisattvas do not assert them, knowing they do not arise: this is suchness. Dwelling in suchness one reaches the bodhisattva stage of joy, leaving the realms of other paths forever, and developing and understanding of dharmas as illusory, eventually reaching the tenth stage, and bringing other beings to maturity according to their capacities, fulfilling the bodhisattva stages.

o   As for the three modes of reality and the eight forms of consciousness and the two no-selves, they are all included in the five dharmas. Because the mind and what belongs to it arise with name, like the sun with rays, they are the dependent mode. Since correct knowledge and suchness are indestructible, they are the perfected mode.

o   The projections which are perceptions are of eight kinds corresponding to the eight consciousnesses, but their appearances are not real. When twofold grasping to a self ceases, and twofold no-self arises. In this way, the stages to buddhahood are also included in the five dharmas.

84.  As for the five dharma and how they involve the other teachings of the path:

•       Appearance: What has physical shape and features.

•       Name: When a certain appearance is referred to as one thing and not another.

•       Projection: Designating names and pointing to appearances. 

•       Suchness: That names and appearances are not graspable or knowable.

•       Correct Knowledge: Knowing suchness so that one does not give rise to projections and pointing it out to others.

85.  Mahāmati asks the Buddha to explain how the buddhas are like the sands of the Ganges. The Buddha explains:

o   This is not to be accepted as stated. Since buddhas excel worldly comparisons. But since beings are attached to projections, in order to encourage beings who are disheartened, he teaches them that beings are as many as the sands of the Ganges, but when he needs to encourage beings who need more effort, he says they are as rare as an uḍumbara flower. Tathāgatas are beyond comparison and the characteristics known by the mind, will, or consciousness. 

o However, buddhas are like the sands of Ganges because when beings tread on that sand, it does not give rise to projections or thoughts of anger. Their self-realisation is the Ganges, and the awakened ones are the sand.  

o The sand of the Ganges is earth, but when the kalpa-ending fire burns up earth, its essential nature arises together with fire: thus it is truly indestructible: thus is the dharma body. 

o   The sand of the Ganges is measureless, thus is the tathāgatas’ light, which shines everywhere.

o   Just as sand cannot desire to be other than sand, the tathāgatas are free from birth, old age, and death because they have ended the cause of existence.

o   Just as one cannot know if the sands of the Ganges increase or decrease, the same is so with the wisdom of the tathāgatas, because it is not a physical dharma.

o   Just as pressing the sand of the Ganges does not produce cooking oil, as long as any being has not attained nirvāṇa, tathāgatas do not abandon beings for the joys of samādhi.

o   Just as the sands of the Ganges flow together with the water of the Ganges, likewise all the tathāgatas’ teachings flow together with nirvāṇa, but the tathāgatas do not go/disappear anywhere. The beginning of saṃsāra cannot be known, and thus it cannot be spoke of as going anywhere. To go, ultimately, means to cease to exist.

§ As regards how beings can know liberation without knowing the beginning of saṃsāra, when one understands the external world as mind-only, the cause of beginningless habit energy giving rise to projection ceases. Apart from projection there is no external world or beings. Knowing that they are mind-only, they cease.

86.  Mahāmati asks the Buddha why dharmas are momentary and subject to destruction. The Buddha explains:

o   All dharmas have features of duality: the five skandhas are based on mind, will, and consciousness, which nourish the habit energy of duality. Cultivating the bliss of samādhi and the bliss of whatever is present is good and undefiled. 

o Duality (e.g. good/bad) refers to the eight consciousnesses. While these arise or cease, one is not aware that they are projections of one’s own mind. They arise and cease moment to moment. What is momentary is the ālāya, but while habit energy with will is momentary, its undefiled habit-energy is not momentary (i.e. nirvāṇa). Unaware of this, beings apply their views of annihilation and destruction to uncreated dharmas (i.e. reify/grasp to space, cessation, or nirvāṇa). 

o The seven lower consciousnesses do not transmigrate, experience pleasure or pain, or cause nirvāṇa. The tathāgatagarbha does. Intoxicated with the four states of affliction and ignorance [6] foolish people are not aware that their view of momentariness is the mind under the influence of differentiation.[7]

o   Realisation is not momentary: if it were the wise would not be wise. Just as gold does not diminish. Foolish people mistakenly think the meaning of everything taught by the buddha is momentary.

87.  In verse the Buddha explains:

o   The foolish see momentariness as applying to created things, but it’s true meaning is that afflictions end in a moment and nothing arises at all.

o   Nothing arises or ceases, and continuity is due to distinctions and ignorance.

o   Cessation is unceasing, but thoughts, depending on what isn’t real, follow one another focusing on form. 

o The world cannot destroy samādhis, relics, or heavenly palaces: thus, the abiding truths and perfect knowledge of a tathāgata are not momentary. Illusions are also not momentary, but they cannot be causal agencies.

88.  Mahāmati asks the Buddha to explain the six pāramitās. The Buddha explains:

o There are three different kinds of pāramitās:

i.        Mundane: those attached to a self, clinging to dualities, carry out the pāramitās in order to enjoy other states of existence (worldly power or rebirth in the heavens of Brahmā).

ii.      Metaphysical: śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas carry out the pāramitās in order to enjoy the bliss of nirvāṇa for themselves.

iii.     Transcendent: those who realise projections to which they are attached are perceptions of the mind, not giving rise to projections or other states of existence, bodhisattvas engage in the transcendent pāramitās not giving rise to projections of attachment to: material appearances, objective conditions, what grasps and what is grasped, practicing with vigour, the nirvāṇa of the śrāvakas when projections cease. As for wisdom, they examine the nonexistence of the projections of one’s mind with insight without falling into dualities and transforming their karmic body into an indestructible one (dharma body) reaching buddha knowledge.

89.  Mahāmati asks the Buddha to teach regarding differences between śrāvakas and bodhisattvas, regarding the nature of buddhahood such as why he is protected by Vajrapāṇi, or why he still appears to encounter karmic retribution or obstructions. The Buddha explains:

o   Complete nirvāṇa is spoken of for those who would engage in bodhisattva practices. Those who would delight in the nirvāṇa of the śrāvakas are taught by apparition buddhas to turn them towards buddhahood. Ultimately, both are assured by dharmatā buddhas, so their assurances don’t differ. 

o The taste of liberation does not differ when beings get rid of the obstruction of passion, but not the obstruction of knowledge. The obstruction of knowledge is purified firstly upon seeing no-self, then when the seventh consciousness ceases and one is liberated from obstructions of dharmas, and then when the habit energy of the ālāya consciousness ceases their purification (of knowledge) is complete. 

o Relying on an underlying reality, time does not apply to him. The Buddha does not reason or reflect, has no habit energy, afflictions, death, realised no-self, and removed the obstructions. 

o Since the mind, will, and consciousness rely on momentariness they are devoid of good non-karmic qualities not resulting in saṃsāra. While the tathāgatagarbha is the cause of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, because beings are confused by emptiness they don’t understand.

o   Those accompanied and protected by Vajrapāṇi[8] are apparition buddhas. Real tathāgatas dwelling in the bliss of whatever is present and the knowledge of forbearance do not need protection by Vajrapāṇi. Apparition buddhas, however, are not created by karma—they are not buddhas, but not different from buddhas. They rely on manmade things when they speak the Dharma, but do not speak about their own understanding the realm of personal realisation.[9]

o   Fools give rise to views of annihilation based on the cessation of the seven lower consciousnesses, and views of permanence based on not understanding ālāya consciousness. When projections cease, liberation occurs; when habit energy of ignorance and the four states of affliction stop, all faults stop.

90.  Mahāmati asked the Buddha to explain whether bodhisattvas should consume wine, meat, or onions, why beings would desire filth, and whether it gives rise to sin or not eating it gives rise to blessing. He suggests it would help them maintain compassion and have a purer and clearer stage. He also asks whether bodhisattvas can do better than followers of other paths who prohibit meat. The Buddha explained:

o There are countless reasons for not eating meat, such as:

i.      Because all beings have at some point been family members of you.

ii.     Because butchers indiscriminately mix the flesh of various and impure animals and humans.

iii.    Because animals are raised on impurity. iv. Because animals become afraid of the odour, like dogs at the sight of members of outcaste group who deal with cremation grounds (caṇḍalas).

iv.     Because it prevents practitioners from giving rise to compassionate thoughts.

v.    Because fools attached to its stench are maligned. 

vi. Because it makes spells and incantations ineffective. 

vii. Because those who kill living creatures become attached to its taste and think about it when they see the creatures.

viii. Because those who eat it are abandoned by the gods. 

ix. Because it makes your breath stink.

x. Because it causes nightmares. 

xi. Because tigers and wolves can smell it.

xii. Because it results in lack of restraint in food and drink. 

xiii. Because it prevents aversion (to passions). 

xiv. Because you should imagine you are consuming the flesh of your children or swallowing medicine (i.e. it is only to sustain the body).

o The Buddha never approves of eating meat. Other reasons include:

i. Because in the past king Siṃhasaudāsa started eating meat and his ministers and subjects wouldn’t accept it. They conspired to overthrow him and ended his reign. 

ii. Because, those who kill do so for profit in the market where ignorant people use money to catch their meat. When it comes to fish and meat, there is no such thing as “not requesting, seeking, or thinking about it.”[10]

iii. On some occasions the Buddha proscribes different kinds of eating meat, but here he overrules these proscriptions in favour of not eating any meat—he never ate any meat, as he looks on all beings as he would a child.

o In the verses the Buddha adds:

§  Practitioners avoid onions, leeks, garlic, alcohol, sesame oil, and beds of thorns because tiny insects cower inside.

§  People attached to their purity after admitting the offence, blinded by projections, are reborn in carnivorous worlds.

§  Rebirth as a brahmin in a place of purity in a wise or noble family comes from not eating meat.

91.  The Buddha tells Mahāmati that all buddhas proclaim the Laṅkāvatāra Mantra to protect this sūtra. If one memorises, recites, and explains it to others, no being can trouble them.

If misfortune occurs, an offending spirit will leave at once after it has been recited 108 times: • tuṭṭe tuṭṭe vuṭṭe vuṭṭe paṭṭe paṭṭe kaṭṭe kaṭṭe amale amale vimale vimale nime nime hime hime vame vame kale kale kale kale aṭṭe maṭṭe vaṭṭe tuṭṭe jñeṭṭe spuṭṭe kaṭṭe kaṭṭe laṭṭe paṭṭe dime dime cale cale pace pace bandhe bandhe añce mañce dutāre dutāre patāre patāre akke akke sarkke sarkke cakre cakre dime dime hime hime ṭu ṭu ṭu ṭu ḍu ḍu ḍu ḍu ru ru ru ru phu phu phu phu svāhā!

•       The following mantra prevents one from being trouble by any being, particularly rākṣasas: padme padmadeve hine hini hine cu cule culu cule phale phula phule yule ghule yula yule ghule ghula ghule pale pala pale muñce muñce muñce chinde bhinde bhañje marde pramarde dinakare svāhā!

•       Memorising these mantras is memorising every word of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra.

[1] Since tathāgatas do not cease to exist, they would need a permanent cause.

[2] If tathāgata-qualities were something in the world, that could be caused, everything would be characterized as being a tathāgata since these qualities are boundless (they would encompass all).

[3] Sense object, faculty, and consciousness.

[4] Truths of liberation means the Four Noble Truths in which the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas cultivate, not focusing on the projecting nature of the mind.

[5] See Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra.

[6] RP notes that together with ignorance these are “five states of affliction:” (1) views, (2) attachments to desire), (3) attachments to form, (4) attachments to formlessness, and (5) the fundamental ignorance responsible for transmigration.

[7] Projections on the backdrop of the ālāya, waves on an ocean.

[8] A protector deity holding a vajra.

[9] Since they do not have their own experiences, as they are apparitions. 

[10] Some śrāvakas contended that if they did not request, seek, or think about the meat they ate, there is no fault.