འཕགས་པ་སྒྱ་མ་མཁན་བཟང་པ་ལང་བསྟན་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད intro.14

intro.14

So, although Bhadra’s initial use of powers of illusion to deceive, trick, and swindle people is presented here with a conventional negative connotation, the power to deceive through illusion is not necessarily considered in a negative light in this discourse. Rather, illusion serves as an instructive symbol that illustrates the relative and insubstantial nature of phenomena. The Buddha’s miraculous displays, while being at one level no different from the illusionist’s conjurations, do not have the same negative connotations, because they are always done with an intention to inspire and teach. In this way, conjuring illusions is an example of skillful means. Such illusions illustrate the true nature of reality; their source is not mundane sorcery but a quality of awakening, demonstrating the realization of suchness as the true nature of reality.