華嚴經內章門等雜孔目章 1.32

1.32

How are the dhātus established? The aggregate of form comprises ten dhātus: the five sense faculty dhātus of eye and so forth, and the five sense object dhātus of forms and so forth; as well as a portion of the dharmadhātu. The aggregates of sensation, perception, and conditioning factors are a portion of the dharmadhātu. The aggregate of consciousness comprises the seven consciousness dhātus: the six consciousness dhātus of eye[-consciousness] and so forth, and the mind dhātu. Why is there no distinct characteristic when establishing the dhātus and āyatanas? Because in the establishment of the aggregates their individual distinct characteristics have already been spoken of; therefore, the dhātus are established out of the aggregates, and the āyatanas are established out of the dhātus. Which dhātu dharmas are not subsumed under the aggregates? The unconditioned dharmas within the dharmadhātu are not subsumed under the aggregate of dharmas. These unconditioned dharmas are further divided into eight kinds: the tathatā of wholesome dharmas, the tathatā of unwholesome dharmas, the tathatā of indeterminate dharmas, space, uncalculated cessation, calculated cessation, immovability, and the cessation of perception and sensation. In establishing these eight unconditioned dharmas, one should know that it is due to distinctions in their bases that tathatā is differentiated and conventionally posited as three kinds, not due to its intrinsic nature. The tathatā of wholesome dharmas refers to selflessness, emptiness, signlessness, the limit of reality, the ultimate truth, and the dharmadhātu. Why is tathatā called tathatā? Because its intrinsic nature is without alteration; that is to say, because the real nature of selflessness never changes at any time, it is said to be without alteration. One should know that this is precisely selflessness, because it is free from the two selves. Why is it further called emptiness? Because it is untainted by any defilement. Why is this? Because by taking this as an object, all defiled phenomena can be made completely empty and tranquil. Although at times it is spoken of as having defilement, one should know that it is merely defiled by adventitious afflictions. What is called adventitious defilement? It means that because the seeds of the grasped and the grasper have not yet been eradicated, the paratantra mind is caused to operate in two aspects; it is not the mind of dharmatā, for the dharmatā of all dharmas is intrinsically pure. Why is it further called signlessness? Because all signs are tranquil. 'All signs' refers to all conceptual proliferations from form, sensation, and so forth up to bodhi; because in the nature of tathatā those signs are quiescent and extinguished, it is called signlessness. Why is it further called the limit of reality? Because it is an undistorted cognitive object. 'Reality' means non-distortion; this place is ultimate, and so it is called 'limit', because there is nothing further to be sought beyond the nature of selflessness. Why is it further called the ultimate truth? Because it is the realm of practice of the most supreme noble wisdom. Why is it further called the dharmadhātu? Because it is the base-characteristic of the wondrous Dharma of all śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and Buddhas. As with the tathatā of wholesome dharmas, one should know that the tathatā of unwholesome dharmas and the tathatā of indeterminate dharmas are also likewise. Space refers to the nature of non-form, because it accommodates all actions performed. The nature of non-form refers to the dharma whose characteristic is non-nature, which solely contradicts form, and is the cognitive object of the mental consciousness; this is called space. 'Cognitive object of the mental consciousness' means that it is subsumed under the dharmadhātu. The phrase 'solely contradicts form' distinguishes it from the tathatā common to sensation and the rest, calculated cessation, the non-cessation of impermanence, and so forth. Although a hare's horn and the like are also non-nature, they do not contradict dharmas because they are merely absolute nonexistence. Furthermore, a hare's horn and the like do not solely contradict form, since they are shared in common with dharmas such as sensation; therefore, it is said only that it contradicts form. The phrase 'characteristic of non-nature' distinguishes it from the formless dharmas of sensation and so forth. Why? Because the self-substance of sensation and so forth possesses characteristics of existence, not characteristics of non-existence. Uncalculated cessation means that it is cessation, but not freedom from bondage, because it does not permanently eliminate the dormant afflictions. Calculated cessation means that it is cessation, and is freedom from bondage, because it permanently eliminates the dormant afflictions. Immovability refers to having already become free from desire for the [Third Dhyāna of] Universal Purity, but not yet free from higher desire—the unconditioned dharma of the cessation of pain and pleasure. The cessation of perception and sensation refers to having already become free from desire for the Sphere of Nothingness and surpassed the Peak of Existence, preceded by the attention to temporarily calming signs. Thus, it is the unconditioned dharma of the cessation of all non-constant mental factors and a portion of constant mental factors. One should know that here there are two kinds of dharmas to be abandoned: the afflictions and the sensations upon which they depend. Sensations are of two kinds: changing and unchanging. One should know that they correspond respectively to painful/pleasant and neither-painful-nor-pleasant. Because afflictions are abandoned, calculated cessation is established; because the two sensations are abandoned, immovability and the cessation of sensation and perception are established respectively. Abandoning afflictions refers to the basis-transformation obtained by eliminating the crude heaviness of this category. Abandoning sensations refers to the basis-transformation obtained by eliminating the meditative obstacles that oppose them. Therefore, when attaining the Second Dhyāna, although one realizes the cessation of pain, an unconditioned dharma is not established, because changing sensation has not yet been completely abandoned. Furthermore, the five kinds of form, the aggregates of sensation, perception, and conditioning factors, and the eight unconditioned dharmas mentioned here—these sixteen are collectively named the dharmadhātu. The five kinds of form are: extremely summarized form, extremely remote form, form derived from taking vows, form derived from conceptualization, and form produced by mastery. Question: What is the meaning of dhātu? Answer: It has the meaning of the seeds of all dharmas, which means that based on the seeds of all dharmas within the ālayavijñāna, it is called a dhātu, because dhātu has the meaning of cause. Furthermore, the capacity to maintain its own characteristic is the meaning of dhātu; the capacity to maintain the nature of cause and effect is the meaning of dhātu. 'Capacity to maintain the nature of cause and effect' refers, in the dhātus of the ten directions, to the dhātus of faculties and objects and the six consciousness dhātus, respectively. Furthermore, the capacity to subsume all distinctions of dharmas is the meaning of dhātu. 'Capacity to subsume all distinctions of dharmas' means that the earth dhātu and other dhātus, as well as the remaining dhātus spoken of in the sūtras, are all subsumed under the eighteen dhātus as appropriate. According to the Hīnayāna, they are subsumed as real; according to the initial teaching, they are subsumed as empty—emptiness meaning the non-conceptual emptiness; according to the final teaching, they are subsumed under tathatā—subsumption meaning that nothing is subsumed; according to the sudden teaching, they are ineffable; according to the Ekayāna, it is as stated previously. All remaining meanings are as in the separate chapter.