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Source: pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-21) of in.bauddha.taisho.1875 · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…

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Composed by the Śramaṇa Fazang of the Great Jianfu Monastery in the Capital.

Pratītyasamutpāda is hard to conceive; surely it pervades and penetrates everything. The dharmadhātu is unfathomable; truly it manifests in the ten directions. In all cases, the ocean of nature is placid and merged, manifesting the One in response to human capacities; the light of wisdom shines brilliantly, illuminating the world to penetrate the three [vehicles]. With sublime, subtle words, a slight tip of a hair manifests the complete teaching; with an extraordinary assembly of noble ones, a tiny mote of dust displays their entire bodies. It transcends far beyond the bounds of emotional deliberation and breaks out past names and words. I have observed in secret that the mysterious guidelines are vast and expansive, and the wondrous purport is subtle and imperceptible. Those who view it seldom fathom its source; those who study it rarely exhaust its limits. Because of this, subtle words are blocked in the mind, perpetually acting as a field for conceptual conditions; the reality-limit resides right before one's eyes, but is turned into a realm of names and marks. Now, by gathering the mysterious subtleties and encompassing the great school, the sūtra scroll emerges from within a dust mote and the wheel of the Dharma is turned upon the tip of a hair. Those who understand will have their virtue exalted this very day; those who are deluded will have their hopes cut off for many lifetimes. If one grasps its meaning, mountains and peaks can easily be moved; if one departs from its purport, even a slight fraction is hard to penetrate. Thereupon, upon a single dust mote, I manifest its actual virtues and exhaust this ocean of nature. Viewing that forest of practices, I broadly present ten gates and distinctly open one hundred meanings; mingled without confusion, they are luminous as a single realm. The meanings shine brilliantly in the chapter titles, and the principle is manifestly clear in the words, so that practitioners who enter the path may roughly observe their drift. The names and items listed are arranged below:

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First: The Gate of Conditions Arising and Converging in Quiescence. / Second: The Gate of the Reality-Limit Withdrawing Traces. / Third: The Gate of Sarvākārajñatā Universally Shining. / Fourth: The Gate of Interfusion and Spontaneous Operation. / Fifth: The Gate of Essence and Function Becoming Manifest. / Sixth: The Gate of Differences Appearing. / Seventh: The Gate of Practice and Study Adorning and Fulfilling. / Eighth: The Gate of Antidotes Yielding Benefit. / Ninth: The Gate of Essence and Function Expanding and Contracting. / Tenth: The Gate of Determination and Accomplishment.

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1. The Gate of Conditions Arising and Converging in Quiescence

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As for pratītyasamutpāda and the myriad existents, existence must manifest through many gates; as for the single tenet of the absence of intrinsic nature, the tenet is revealed through manifold virtues. Distinguishing their capacities and functions, the directions of expanding and contracting are easily understood; viewing their mysterious guidelines, the gates of principle and phenomena become clear. Now, speaking in terms of essence and function, it is briefly divided into ten meanings:

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First: Explaining pratītyasamutpāda. / Second: Entering the dharmadhātu. / Third: Realising anutpāda. / Fourth: Contemplating animitta. / Fifth: Understanding integration and disintegration. / Sixth: Showing concealment and manifestation. / Seventh: Arousing bodhi. / Eighth: Opening nirvāṇa. / Ninth: Investigating departure and arrival. / Tenth: Discerning movement and stillness.

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First, explaining pratītyasamutpāda: When one sees a dust mote, this dust mote is manifested by one's own mind. Because it is manifested by one's own mind, it becomes a condition for one's own mind. Because the condition manifests before one, mental phenomena then arise; therefore the dust mote is called a phenomenon of pratītyasamutpāda. A sūtra says: 'All phenomena arise from conditions; without conditions, they do not arise.' The causes and conditions of sinking into transmigration do not exist externally at all; in the end, there is no phenomenon outside the mind that can serve as a condition for the mind. Even if one discriminates the dust mote, it is not an object grasped. Yet this round, small mark of a single dust mote arises based on phenomena, established nominally as if existing, but ultimately has no real essence; it can neither be grasped nor abandoned. Because it cannot be grasped or abandoned, one knows that the essence of the dust mote is empty and nonexistent. Now, realising that conditions are not conditions, every arising is nothing other than wondrous; because the essence of pratītyasamutpāda is quiescent, arising is ever non-arising; realising that the essence accords with conditions, non-arising is ever arising. One who sees like this is said to have true knowledge and vision.

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Second, entering the dharmadhātu: The pratītyasamutpāda of a single small dust mote is the dharma; the dharma manifests in accordance with wisdom, and its functions are distinct—this is the dhātu (realm). Because this dharma lacks intrinsic nature, it has no boundaries; interfused without dual characteristics, it is identical to true reality, equally pervading all things like the realm of space, manifesting everywhere with complete clarity. Yet this single dust mote and all phenomena neither know one another nor see one another. Why is this? Because each and every one entirely constitutes the complete dharmadhātu, universally encompassing everything, with no other dharmadhātu besides; therefore they do not further know or see one another. Even if one speaks of knowing and seeing, it is nothing other than the knowing and seeing of the dharmadhātu; there is ultimately no other dharmadhātu that could be known or seen. A sūtra says: 'The dharmadhātu is without dharmadhātu; the dharmadhātu does not know the dharmadhātu.' If nature and marks do not persist, it is the dharmadhātu of principle; not obstructing the evident appearance of phenomenal marks, it is the dharmadhātu of phenomena. Combining principle and phenomena without obstruction, two yet not two, non-dual and yet dual—this is the dharmadhātu.

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Third, realising anutpāda: The dust mote is the condition for the mind, and the mind is the cause for the dust mote; when causes and conditions combine, illusory marks then arise. Because it arises from conditions, it must lack intrinsic nature. Why is this? Now, the dust mote does not condition itself; it must depend on the mind. The mind is not mind by itself; it also depends on conditions. Because they are mutually dependent, there is no fixed [entity]; they belong to conditional arising. Since there is no fixed [entity] and they belong to conditional arising, this is called non-arising (anutpāda); it is not that one speaks of non-arising apart from conditional arising. A treatise says: 'A cause does not produce itself; it arises because conditions arise. A condition does not produce itself; it arises because the cause arises.' Now, only through arising from conditions can it be called arising. Understanding that arising has no intrinsic nature is precisely non-arising. Yet arising and non-arising mutually establish and mutually negate each other: when negating, there is non-arising; when establishing, there is conditional arising. Because establishing is precisely negating, at the very time of arising there is non-arising. One who understands like this is said to have realised anutpāda.

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Fourth, contemplating animitta: The round and small mark of a single small dust mote is transformed and raised by one's own mind, nominally established without reality. Now, when it cannot be grasped, one knows that the mark of the dust mote is unreal and empty; born from the mind, it completely lacks intrinsic nature, which is called marklessness (animitta). A sūtra says: 'All phenomena are originally empty by nature; they do not possess the mark of even a fine tip of a hair.' Yet, although the mark cannot be grasped, the meaning of expressing nonexistence is not cut off; because the mark has no essence, the phenomenal dharma of nature is established, using phenomena as the support for marklessness. Because phenomenal marks are not lost, the mark is precisely non-mark, and non-mark is precisely mark; there is truly no difference between mark and marklessness. This meaning of marklessness is like the snake upon a rope: when one completely says there is no snake, one should know that the rope is the basis for the absence of the snake. Now, the phenomenon is the phenomenon of marklessness; it entirely takes phenomena as the marks of marklessness.

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Fifth, understanding integration and disintegration: When the dust mote is established arising from conditions, this is integration; when its essence does not constitute a dust mote, this is disintegration. Now, through understanding that conditions are not conditions, it is called conditional integration; understanding that disintegration is not disintegration, it is called conditional disintegration. Because disintegration does not hinder the initial integration of phenomena, the time of disintegration is precisely the time of integration; because integration has nothing that exists, the time of integration is precisely the time of disintegration. They are both simultaneously established, with neither before nor after. If there were integration without disintegration, it would exist by intrinsic nature; if there were disintegration without integration, it would be nihilistic emptiness. Integration and disintegration are a single realm, manifesting through mutual dependence.

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Sixth, showing concealment and manifestation: When one contemplates that the mark of a dust mote cannot be grasped, marks are exhausted and emptiness appears. Because seeing marks does not mean being identical with principle, phenomena are manifest and principle is concealed. Furthermore, this dust mote and all phenomena mutually support and mutually encompass each other, differing in their persistence and cessation. If the dust mote can encompass the other, then the other is concealed and this is manifest; if the other can encompass the dust mote, then the dust mote is concealed and the other is manifest. Concealment and manifestation are a single realm: now, precisely when manifest, it has already accomplished concealment. Why is this? Because when manifest, it entirely conceals to accomplish manifestation; when concealed, it entirely manifests to accomplish concealment, being established through mutual dependence. Therefore, the time of concealment is precisely manifestation, and the time of manifestation is precisely concealment.

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Seventh, arousing bodhi: This dust mote is quiescent, extinguished, nirvāṇa, and absent of intrinsic nature, which is manifested by the wisdom of the Buddha's bodhi. Now, it is through fully comprehending that all sentient beings, as well as dust motes, hair tips, and the like, possess the principle of absence of intrinsic nature that the Buddha's bodhi wisdom is accomplished. For this reason, within the Buddha's bodhi body, one sees all sentient beings achieving right awakening and turning the wheel of the Dharma. Moreover, because sentient beings, as well as dust motes and hair tips, entirely accomplish sentient beings through the principle of the Buddha's bodhi, within the bodhi bodies of sentient beings one sees the Buddha generating the bodhi mind and cultivating bodhisattva practices. One should know that there is no other different view of the Buddha's bodhi. Now the Buddha teaches and transforms sentient beings within a dust mote, and sentient beings again receive the Buddha's teaching and transformation within a dust mote; therefore the Buddha is the Buddha of sentient beings, and sentient beings are the sentient beings of the Buddha. Even if there are expansion and contraction, there is ultimately no difference. One who sees like this is said to arouse the bodhi mind, give rise to the great compassion of identical essence, and teach and transform sentient beings.

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Eighth, opening nirvāṇa: Not understanding the manifestation of the dust mote, one is deluded by manifestation and takes it to be arising; seeing again the concealment of the dust mote, one is deluded by concealment and takes it to be cessation. Basing oneself upon these fluctuating marks of arising and cessation, conditioning them upon the dust mote, the deluded mind transforms and produces them, taking them to be real. Now, seeking the marks of arising and cessation, they ultimately have no place of arising, nor can they be found; moving thoughts vanish of themselves, and false conceptualisations are entirely extinguished. In accordance with that place of extinction, it is called great nirvāṇa. Hence a sūtra says: 'Transmigration is saṃsāra; non-movement is called nirvāṇa.'

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Ninth, investigating departure and arrival: When a dust mote moves eastward with the wind, seeking the mark of departure cannot be found; when it comes westward with the wind, seeking the mark of arrival also cannot be found. They are all merely the phenomenon of the dust mote; there are ultimately no marks of arrival and departure. Because they lack reality, when coming there is no place from which it comes; when departing there is also no place to which it goes. A sūtra says: 'Phenomena have no departure or arrival, because they are constantly non-abiding.' Truly, because one understands that the dust mote's departure and arrival have no essence, departure and arrival are precisely no departure or arrival; without departure and arrival, it yet ever arrives and departs. Established as a single realm, there is no difference between this and that. Therefore a sūtra says: 'The bodhisattva comes without the mark of coming, and departs without the mark of departing.' For this reason, without moving from the place of the dust mote, one visits the ten directions; constantly without leaving the ten directions, one enters the place of the dust mote. Ever without coming or departing, the measure of coming and departing is equal to the dharmadhātu.

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Tenth, discerning movement and stillness: When a dust mote flutters with the wind, this is movement; when it is quiet and unmoving, this is stillness. Now, at the time of stillness, because movement is not destroyed, it entirely uses movement to accomplish stillness; now, at the time of movement, because stillness is not destroyed, it entirely uses stillness to accomplish movement. Because the entire essence mutually accomplishes [them], the time of movement is precisely stillness, and the time of stillness is precisely movement. It is also like the wind: originally without movement, it can move all things. If it possessed movement beforehand, it would lose its own essence and could no longer move anything. Contemplate this.

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Now, regarding the above meanings, once conditional arising is established, principle must not stand alone; exhausting the myriad existents to form identity, encompassing the inexhaustible to achieve universality. If one seeks its depths, though dwelling in narrowness it is ever broad; if one wishes to fathom its abyss, even if abiding in profundity it is ever accessible. Great indeed is the meaning of pratītyasamutpāda!

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2. The Gate of the Reality-Limit Withdrawing Traces

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Returning to the tenet of the great chasm, the branching tributaries of the hundred rivers are obliterated; converging in the quiescence of the true source, the conditional formations of the myriad existents are dissolved. Therefore, the manifold streams vanish and marks are exhausted; multiple conditions are quiescent and phenomena are empty. Returning to essence ceases grasping at conditions; stripping away marks puts an end to delusion. Now, speaking in terms of principle, ten meanings are briefly displayed:

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First: The two kinds of selflessness. / Second: Explaining negative expression. / Third: Like empty space. / Fourth: Neither arising nor ceasing. / Fifth: No self or other. / Sixth: Non-discrimination. / Seventh: Entering non-duality. / Eighth: Absence of difference. / Ninth: Explaining the single taste. / Tenth: Returning to complete extinction.

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First, explaining the two kinds of selflessness: That which can discriminate the marks of a dust mote is the person; the dust mote that is discriminated, possessing essence through conditions, is the phenomenon. Because marks are false, seemingly existent yet without real essence, this is the selflessness of persons (pudgalanairātmya). A sūtra says: 'Even a self cannot be found; how could a non-self be found?' Because the dust mote arises from conditions and lacks intrinsic nature, this is the selflessness of phenomena (dharmanairātmya). A treatise says: 'If a phenomenon arises from conditions, then it lacks intrinsic nature.' With both person and phenomena lacking a self, they form a single taste.

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Second, explaining apophatic definition: Question: Is a dust mote existent? Answer: No, because [arising] from conditions it lacks intrinsic nature and is thus empty. Question: Is a dust mote non-existent? Answer: No, because that does not obstruct its existence through pratītyasamutpāda. Question: Is a dust mote both existent and non-existent? Answer: No, because emptiness totally displaces existence leaving only emptiness, and existence totally displaces emptiness leaving only existence, so that they do not mutually coexist. Question: Is a dust mote neither existent nor non-existent? Answer: No, because that does not obstruct the coexistence of both; [the two negations] together eliminate the view grasping at existence and non-existence, but this is not to say that phenomena are non-existent. The sūtra says: "Only eliminate their illness, but do not eliminate phenomena." This is to protect against faults.

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Third, being like empty space: this means that the essence of a dust mote is empty and has nothing existent; thus it has no boundaries and limits, nor can it be grasped or relinquished, yet it pervades the ten directions and can serve as the support for all principles and phenomena, understandings and practices, possessing inexhaustible great functions. Just as empty space serves as the support for all phenomena and entirely establishes them, lacking boundaries and limits and pervading the ten directions, so it is like empty space. This is to attain the unobstructed functions of the knowledge of empty space and the body of empty space.

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Fourth, neither arising nor ceasing: this means that a dust mote is raised and scattered by the wind, thus possessing the marks of arising and ceasing. Now investigating them, the marks of arising and the marks of ceasing are all completely empty and non-existent. The sūtra says: "Because of causes and conditions phenomena arise; because of causes and conditions phenomena cease." Because at the time of arising it is an arising without intrinsic nature, and at the time of ceasing it is a ceasing without intrinsic nature; because there is no intrinsic nature, arising is non-arising and ceasing is non-ceasing.

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Fifth, having neither self nor other: this means that the dust mote is the condition, which is the "other"; the mind is the cause, which is the "self." Now the mind is not self-caused as mind, but must depend on conditions; since it first manifests by means of conditions, one therefore knows that it lacks intrinsic nature. Furthermore, the dust mote is not self-caused as a dust mote, but also depends on the mind; since it manifests only by means of the mind, one therefore knows that it lacks an other-nature. Moreover, all phenomena are neither self-produced nor other-produced, and therefore there is neither self nor other. Now speaking of "self" and "other" is not a view of distinct difference: the self is the self of the other, and the other is the other of the self; self and other are of a single realm, spoken of with sovereign ease. The treatise says: "Intrinsic nature does not exist, nor does other-nature exist either."

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Sixth, non-conceptualization: this means that seeing the dust mote's characteristics of roundness and smallness, its beauty and ugliness, its flying and fluttering, is the conceptualization of one's own mind. This very conceptualizing mind arises in dependence on the dust mote; when sought, its arising lacks essence, and names and marks naturally perish—this is non-conceptualization. It is merely that the sentiment of conceptualization is broken, which is called non-conceptualization; it is not like [inert] wood or stone. The sūtra says: "Phenomena arise from conceptualization, and again cease through conceptualization." It also says: "Non-conceptual wisdom conceptualizes inexhaustibly; the inexhaustible marks and natures of conceptualization cease." Because conceptualization has no essence, conceptualization is non-conceptualization; because having no essence does not obstruct conditions, non-conceptualization constantly conceptualizes.

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Seventh, entering non-duality: this means that seeing duality between the dust mote and the mind is such that duality is non-duality. If one clings to the dust mote and the mind as one, this is negated by saying they are not one, because what is seen by the deluded mind is not without conditions. If one clings to the dust mote and the mind as two, this is negated by saying they are not two, because apart from the mind there is no distinct dust mote. Since mind and dust mote being two is non-duality, and the mind alone has no essence, oneness is also non-oneness. Because oneness is non-oneness and duality is non-duality, when oneness and duality manifest unobstructed before one, one then enters non-duality. As the sūtra says: "In non-dual wisdom, / the lion among men emerges. / Not clinging to the phenomena of oneness or duality, / because he knows there is neither oneness nor duality."

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Eighth, non-differentiation: this means that seeing the characteristics of a dust mote as round and small, differing in delimitation from all phenomena, is differentiation. Contemplating the dust mote as lacking essence, all is completely empty; manifested solely by principle, there is no further differing essence—this is non-differentiation. Furthermore, this nature of principle accords with conditions to form all phenomena without lacking delimitations—this is differentiation. The sūtra says: "All phenomena are without differentiation; / only the Buddha through discrimination knows them, / comprehending differentiated and undifferentiated phenomena, / because they are not apart from principle and phenomena." Thus, differentiation is the myriad existents of pratītyasamutpāda; non-differentiation is the single emptiness of the dharmadhātu. Because emptiness and existence, identity and difference inter-fuse, gathering the myriad existents to become the single emptiness, difference is non-difference; contemplating the single emptiness to form the myriad existents, non-difference is difference. Difference and non-difference manifest in a single realm; if formulated through the four propositions, it can be seen.

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Ninth, explaining the single flavor: this means that dust motes are established through conditions and all lack intrinsic nature. Even though principles, phenomena, teachings, and meanings are of ten thousand distinctions, none are other than the single flavor of empty tranquility; it is merely because of the ten thousand distinctions of pratītyasamutpāda that the single flavor of emptiness is spoken of. If there were no ten thousand distinctions, it would simply be the single flavor. If one raises emptiness, the single flavor is solely emptiness; if one raises nature, the single flavor is solely nature; if one raises suchness, then the single flavor is solely suchness. By this kind of indication it can be known.

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Tenth, returning to complete obliteration: this means that the mind and the dust mote mutually obliterate each other. If the dust mote is manifested solely by the mind, then the external dust mote is completely cut off; if the mind completely manifests as the dust mote, then the internal mind is completely obliterated. Obliteration obliterates views of what is outside essence; preservation preserves the phenomena that are completely principle. Simultaneous with obliteration there is constant preservation, and simultaneous with preservation there is constant obliteration; this can be known through the four propositions.

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However, the principles above are difficult to conceive in their reality-limit; the movements of the mind rarely reach their import. The true source cannot be measured; how could names and words fathom its origins? Yet non-speaking does not terminate speaking: relying on essence, it stirs its myriad functions. Having no phenomena does not preclude discriminating phenomena: according with conditions, they are revealed through the single emptiness. To illuminate phenomena one must necessarily speak of emptiness; when explaining essence, how could one not unfold function? Therefore, when traces are withdrawn, the conditioned mind has nothing to rely upon; when marks are eliminated, the deluded consciousness has no support. Only then can it be called arising from conditions, and will it conform with the dharmadhātu.

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Gate Three: The Universal Illumination of the Sarvākārajñatā

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Now, when the great wisdom shines brightly, one contemplates the ocean of nature in a fine hair; when the true source is clearly revealed, one looks upon the dharmakāya within a minute dust mote. Looming like thick clouds, the one and the many unfold to respond accordingly; towering like clustered peaks, principle and phenomena divide to form shapes. Now, regarding essence and function manifesting before us, we briefly divide ten meanings:

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First, revealing quantitative knowledge; second, distinguishing the six supernormal powers; third, explaining the inconceivable; fourth, being born in the Buddha's family; fifth, demonstrating the complete sound; sixth, discerning the dependent and primary [retributions]; seventh, gathering faculties and response; eighth, performing Buddha-works; ninth, opening the five eyes; tenth, dividing the three wisdoms.

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First, revealing quantitative knowledge: this means that the emptiness and non-existence of the dust mote's essence is qualitative knowledge; its not obstructing the distinct phenomenological marks is quantitative knowledge. Now, when the nature of the dust mote conforms to truth, it is without delimitation, and all phenomenal dharmas are revealed entirely relying on nature; therefore within a single dust mote one sees all phenomena. These phenomena are the domain of quantitative knowledge within qualitative knowledge.

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Second, distinguishing the six supernormal powers: this means that this dust mote lacks essence, and without moving from its place, it constantly pervades the oceans of kṣetras in the ten directions without marks of coming or going; this is the supernormal power of psychic travel. The sūtra says: "Without rising from his seat, / he travels everywhere in the ten directions." Furthermore, seeing that the dust mote's dharmadhātu is boundless, and that within it all principles and phenomena, teachings and meanings, are jointly realized and entered, jointly cultivated and practiced by all bodhisattvas, and that this Dharma has no other path; this is the supernormal power of knowing others' minds. Furthermore, when seeing the understanding and practice of the dust mote's dharmadhātu manifest before one, one immediately knows that in the past one personally heard this Dharma in the presence of the Buddha, and because the contemplating mind has not ceased, one is therefore today able to comprehend it; this is the supernormal power of the recollection of past lives. Furthermore, seeing that the nature of the dust mote is empty and tranquil, with no mark to be grasped, there are no dual views—for seeing marks is dual views; because there are no marks there is no duality, and this is called the supernormal power of the divine eye. The sūtra says: "Not seeing through dual marks / is called the true divine eye." Furthermore, comprehending that the dust mote is unarisen and that its lack of intrinsic nature is empty and tranquil, the grasping mind does not arise; this is the supernormal power of the destruction of outflows. The sūtra says: "Severing fetters, with mind and self empty, / there is then no arising." Furthermore, hearing the sounds that express the distinctions of the dust mote's dharmadhātu, one immediately knows that all sounds are entirely the ear, and hears nothing further; yet this hearing is without object and without attainment, awakening to all phenomena through sound, which is constantly hearing all Buddhadharmas; this is the supernormal power of the divine ear.

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Third, explaining the inconceivable: this means that the dust mote does not destroy its small measure yet pervades the ten directions, universally gathering all things to manifest within it; this is because measure is non-measure, and non-measure is measure. Furthermore, residing in the realm of seeing and hearing, it is beyond the reach of seeing and hearing; dwelling at the limit of thought and deliberation, it cannot be fathomed by thought and deliberation. All this is because the inconceivable essence is itself unobtainable; therefore, that which is thought cannot be thought. The sūtra says: "That which is thought cannot be thought; / this is called inconceivable."

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Fourth, being born in the Buddha's family: the Buddha takes the unarisen principle of the tathatā-dharmadhātu as his home. Now, when one sees that the dust mote is unarisen and lacks intrinsic nature, this very wisdom is manifest and born from unarisen phenomena; therefore it is called being born in the Buddha's family. The sūtra says: "Not conceptualizing phenomena, / one is thus born from suchness." It also says: "Universally among the Buddhadharmas of the three times, / having known non-arising, one is transformatively born." Simply conforming to the meaning and principle is called being born in the Buddha's family; one is a child of the Buddha, which is also called the appearance of the Buddha (one edition says: taking the unarisen principle, bodhi and nirvāṇa as home).

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Fifth, demonstrating the complete sound: this refers to the sound that explains this dust mote. This sound is fully endowed with the store of wisdom, evoking deep or shallow responses according to the capacities of sentient beings. If in sound one comprehends that large and small sounds and tones are provisionally established because they are empty and non-existent, yet sound is real—this is the capacity of the Hīnayāna, through which the teaching of those ignorant of phenomena is manifested. If in sound one immediately knows that the phenomenon of sound has no essence, gathering phenomena to reveal principle—this is due to the capacity of the Mahāyāna, through which the final teaching is manifested. If in sound one immediately knows that large and small sounds are empty and non-existent, that giving rise to mind and stirring thoughts immediately violates the essence of phenomena, and that the single flavor and single mark cannot be conceptualized—this is the capacity of the Mahāyāna, through which the sudden teaching is manifested. If in sound one fully understands that sound is the pratītyasamutpāda-dharmadhātu, where bodhi and nirvāṇa, host and companion, are unconstrained, one is all and all is one, like the realm of Indra's palace jeweled net, infinitely layered—this is due to the capacity of the ekayāna, through which the complete teaching is manifested. In this single sound, because capacities are large and small, this Dharma gate is likewise not singular. All sounds are each like this; this is the Tathāgata's unobstructed complete sound, with the wheel of the Dharma constantly turning.

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Sixth, discerning the dependent and primary [retributions]: this means that dust motes, hair-tips, and oceans of kṣetras are the dependent, while the Buddha's body, wisdom, and radiance are the primary. Now this dust mote is manifested by the Buddha's wisdom; its entire essence is completely the Buddha's wisdom, and therefore within radiance one sees dust-mote Buddha-kṣetras. Furthermore, the oceans of kṣetras and minute dust motes entirely use the nature of the dharmadhātu as the essence of the dust mote; therefore within a dust mote one sees all matters such as the Buddhas preaching the Dharma and transforming sentient beings. One should know that the dependent is the primary and the primary is the dependent, sovereign and unobstructed; even down to dust motes, hair-tips, lands, and every single phenomenon, each is like this: entirely the Buddha's dependent and primary [retributions].

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Seventh, gathering faculties and response: this means that the dust mote is the tathatā equal dharmadhātu; manifested according to wisdom, if the capacity is great, the revealed meaning is also great, and if the capacity is small, the revealed principle is also small. In accordance with the dispositions of sentient beings, there are shallows and depths of realization and awakening; this is called the response to faculties. This very response to faculties is the complete manifestation in response of the Tathāgata's dharmakāya.

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Eighth, performing Buddha-works: this means that the dust mote's sounds, voices, and letters are all completely divorced from intrinsic nature, which is liberation. These letters without intrinsic nature are phenomena that are non-phenomena, because they are empty and non-existent, manifested by the Buddha's wisdom. Whatever is performed does not depart from the dharmadhātu, which is precisely Buddha-works. The sūtra says: "Whatever is performed is nothing other than Buddha-works."

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Ninth, opening the five eyes: this means that the dust mote's form without intrinsic nature is the physical eye; the dust mote being a phenomenon of pratītyasamutpāda is the Dharma eye; the dust mote's nature being empty and therefore non-existent is the wisdom eye; the dust mote having no marks to be grasped, putting to rest all conceptualizations and dual views, is called the divine eye; the dust mote's nature being empty and tranquil, with no marks to be grasped, dependent and primary being unobstructed, thoughts and kalpas interpenetrating, existence and non-existence being equal, is called the Buddha eye. However, one cannot see the dust mote with the five eyes; names are merely established according to what manifests at the site of the dust mote.

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Tenth, distinguishing the three wisdoms: discerning the principle of the dust mote's nature as empty and nonexistent, deciding between the false and the correct, and according with principle to enter the real—this deciding mind is the preparatory wisdom (prayoga-jñāna). Furthermore, seeing that this dust mote entirely leaves behind speech and cuts off thought, that its nature transcends conception and measurement, where subject and object do not arise and even stirring a thought is absent—this is the fundamental wisdom (mūla-jñāna). Furthermore, seeing that the dust mote's conditioned origination is illusory existence and does not obstruct distinctions, so that although there are diverse distinctions, none are not empty and nonexistent, and because it does not lose its essence, it gives rise to great function entirely with the essence of phenomena—where the one and the many are unobstructed, host and companion mutually subsume, the one is the all, and the all is the one—this is the subsequently attained wisdom (pṛṣṭhalabdha-jñāna).

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However, in the above meanings, phenomena have no boundaries and are necessarily present simultaneously; principle does not obstruct distinctions, and concealment and manifestation are a single realm. In terms of function, waves surge and cauldrons boil, operating entirely with the true essence; in terms of essence, it is like a clean mirror and clear water, fully according with conditions while converging in stillness. It is like the sun's radiant rays streaming forth without intention yet illuminating the ten directions, or like the upright form in a clear mirror presenting the myriad images without moving.

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Gate 4: Fusion and Spontaneous Operation

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Indeed, the ocean of nature is boundless, and the myriad virtues are thereby multiplied and vast; conditioned origination is unfathomable, and the multiple gates are thereby perfectly pervasive. None do not revolve through the myriad distinctions, the forms of contracting and expanding according with wisdom; fusing into a single realm, the dynamics of expansion and contraction follow the mind. Illumination gives rise to no contrivance, always according even in the midst of distinctions; function does not contravene essence, always pervasive although of a single taste. Now, speaking in terms of essence and dynamics, ten meanings are briefly distinguished:

1.48

1. Merging principle and phenomena; 2. Realising form and emptiness; 3. Pervading the large and the small; 4. Gathering the distant and the near; 5. Clarifying the pure and the mixed; 6. Fusing the thought-moment and the kalpa; 7. Understanding the one and the many; 8. Merging the pervasive and the restricted; 9. Clarifying contracting and expanding; 10. Overall perfect fusion.

1.49

First, merging principle and phenomena: the dust mote's characteristics being round and small are the phenomenon; the dust mote's nature being empty and nonexistent is the principle. Because phenomena have no intrinsic essence, phenomena accord with principle and are fused and pervasive. Because the dust mote has no intrinsic essence, it pervades and penetrates everything. Because every phenomenon is not different from principle, it fully appears within the dust mote. Therefore, the sūtra says: 'A vast world is precisely a narrow world; a narrow world is precisely a vast world.'

1.50

Second, realising form and emptiness: seeing the dust mote established through conditions is form; because form has no intrinsic essence, it is emptiness. If emptiness were spoken of as emptiness without form, that would be absence of the deluded form of conventional truth, whereas true emptiness of paramārtha-satya exists because of deluded form; if form were spoken of as form without emptiness, that would be absence of the true emptiness of paramārtha-satya, whereas the deluded form of conventional truth exists because of true emptiness. Now, simply understanding that delusion has no intrinsic essence is precisely true emptiness; it is not that the absence of form is called emptiness. The sūtra says: 'The nature of form is of itself empty; it is not through the destruction of form that it is empty.'

1.51

Third, pervading the large and the small: the dust mote's round characteristic is small, while Mount Sumeru's height and vastness are large. However, this dust mote and that mountain contain one another in their largeness and smallness, revolving according to the mind without arising or perishing. Moreover, when one sees the high and vast, it is one's own mind appearing as large, not that there is a separate largeness; now when one sees the dust mote round and small, it is also one's own mind appearing as small, not that there is a separate smallness. Now, because one sees the dust mote entirely by means of the mind that sees the mountain's height and vastness, the dust mote appears; therefore, the small accommodates the large. The sūtra says: 'Immeasurable vajra iron surrounding mountains / Can all be placed on a single hair-tip; / Desiring to show that the utmost great has the small characteristic, / The bodhisattva therefore first generates the mind [of bodhi].'

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Fourth, gathering the distant and the near: this dust mote is near, and those worlds of the ten directions are distant. Now, the dust mote has no intrinsic essence and encompasses and pervades all ten directions; these ten directions are entirely the ten directions of the dust mote, and therefore the distant is always near. However, although the ten directions are distant, they are merely the ten directions of the dust mote's nature; even if they surpass inexpressible worlds, they do not go beyond the dust mote's nature. Why is this? The measure of the dust mote has no intrinsic essence and is equal to the realm of empty space, incapable of being surpassed; therefore, all ten directions are manifested solely by the dust mote's nature. Furthermore, although one departs from this place and reaches the ten directions, one still sees this dust mote. Why is this? Because the dust mote has no intrinsic essence, phenomena accord with principle and are fused and manifest; therefore, when the dust mote's nature pervades all times, the dust mote's phenomenon also manifests identically. This is the manifestation of all within a single dust mote, while the distant and the near, this and that, remain distinctly apparent. The ten directions enter into a single dust mote: being distant, they are always near; the dust mote pervades the ten directions: being near, it is always distant. Between the dust mote and the ten directions, the near and the distant, they are clearly a single realm, with no other difference; reflect upon this.

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Fifth, clarifying the pure and the mixed: the dust mote being unarisen means all dharmas are unarisen, which is pure; within this meaning of the dust mote being unarisen, it fully contains principle and phenomena, being both empty and form, both bodhi and nirvāṇa, and so forth, which is mixed. Principle does not obstruct phenomena, so the pure is always mixed; phenomena are always entirely principle, so the mixed is always pure. Because principle and phenomena are unhindered, the pure and the mixed are unobstructed.

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Sixth, fusing the thought-moment and the kalpa: when one sees the dust mote, it is manifested by a single thought of the mind; when this single thought of the mind manifests, it is entirely hundreds of thousands of great kalpas. Why is this? Because hundreds of thousands of great kalpas become great kalpas only on the basis of the original single thought; since they mutually establish one another, neither has intrinsic nature. Because a single thought has no intrinsic essence, it penetrates the great kalpas; because the great kalpas have no intrinsic essence, they encompass the single thought. Because the thought-moment and the kalpa have no intrinsic essence, the characteristics of long and short naturally fuse, and even distant and near worlds, buddhas and sentient beings, and all things of the three times without exception appear within a single thought. Why is this? All phenomena appear relying on the mind; since the thought-moment is unobstructed, phenomena also fuse accordingly. Therefore, within a single thought, one sees all things of the three times clearly apparent. The sūtra says: 'Sometimes a single thought is precisely hundreds of thousands of kalpas, / And hundreds of thousands of kalpas are precisely a single thought.'

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Seventh, understanding the one and the many: the dust mote's own characteristic is one; because its own 'one' is unmoved, it can universally respond and become many. If its own 'one' were moved, it would lose universal response, and the many would also not be established; two and three are also like this. Furthermore, the one and the many are established in mutual dependence: only when one is entirely many can it be called one, and only when many is entirely one can it be called many. Outside the many, there is no separate one, so we know it is the one within the many; outside the one, there is no separate many, so we know it is the many within the one. Truly, because it is not many, it can be the one-many; because it is not one, it can be the many-one. Only by not losing the absence of intrinsic nature does the wisdom of the one and the many exist. The sūtra says: 'Just like the method of calculation, / Increasing from one up to ten, / And even unto what has no measure, / All arise from the fundamental number, / Yet wisdom has no distinction.'

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Eighth, merging the pervasive and the restricted: the dust mote's small characteristic is restricted, while the absence of intrinsic essence in that very characteristic is pervasive. Now, boundless oceans of kṣetras constantly appear within the dust mote, which is the pervasive always being restricted; a single dust mote fully pervades the oceans of kṣetras, which is the restricted always being pervasive. Furthermore, without destroying the small, it accommodates the large: that is, the inconceivable single dust mote vastly accommodates buddha-kṣetras; without obliterating the large, it abides in the small: that is, the inconceivable oceans of buddha-kṣetras constantly appear within the dust mote. This is the unobstructedness of the pervasive and the restricted.

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Ninth, clarifying contracting and expanding: the dust mote has no intrinsic nature, and its entire essence fully pervades the ten directions, which is expanding; the ten directions have no intrinsic essence, and according to conditions they fully appear within the dust mote, which is contracting. The sūtra says: 'Filling the ten directions with a single buddha-land, / The ten directions entering into the one also leave no remainder.' Now, in contracting, all phenomena appear within a single dust mote; in expanding, a single dust mote pervades all places. Expanding is constantly contracting, because a single dust mote gathers all; contracting is constantly expanding, because all gathers a single dust mote. This is the ease of contracting and expanding.

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Tenth, overall perfect fusion: the characteristics of the dust mote having been exhausted, deluded consciousness is also eliminated. Because phenomena have no intrinsic essence, phenomena accord with principle and are perfectly fused; because the essence possesses phenomena, principle accords with phenomena and is thoroughly merged. Thus, throughout the day it is existent yet always empty, and emptiness does not terminate existence; throughout the day it is empty yet always existent, and existence does not obstruct emptiness. Yet emptiness that does not obstruct existence can fuse the myriad images, and existence that does not terminate emptiness can establish all things. Therefore, the myriad images are distinctly apparent, mutually unobstructed.

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However, in the above meanings, the dynamics of fusion obtain pervasiveness because of the absence of intrinsic nature; the form of spontaneous operation achieves convergence because of pratītyasamutpāda. The one and the many entirely subsume each other, so peering into a single dust mote suddenly reveals them; this and that mutually gather each other, so looking at a fine hair manifests them all at once. Truly, because the mind is pervasive, the dharma gates are unhindered; because the meaning is apparent, great wisdom is thereby accomplished. How could those who seek it exhaust its source? Those who speak of it rarely plumb its depths! How can the function of spontaneous operation be praised in words!

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Gate 5: Manifestation of Essence and Function

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Indeed, the essence of phenomena is completely pervasive, and the true source is fully penetrating. Manifesting, it clearly discerns the ten directions; revealing, everything is made apparent. Pointing to a minute dust mote, one perceives the profound principle; holding up a fine hair, one observes the buddha-realm. Now, to penetrate delusion and uncover the real, ten meanings are briefly distinguished:

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1. Manifesting radiance; 2. Understanding object and wisdom; 3. Clarifying producing and revealing causes; 4. Clarifying the buddha-realm; 5. Distinguishing cause and fruit; 6. Clarifying buddha-nature; 7. Expressing the virtues of the nature; 8. Manifesting from one's own mind; 9. Transcending the world; 10. Depending on conditions to produce understanding.

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First, manifesting radiance: when seeing principle and phenomena of the dharmadhātu and tathatā within the dust mote, they are clearly and distinctly evident, which is the illumination of the radiance of wisdom. If there were no light of wisdom, principle and phenomena would not be manifest. When one merely sees dharmas, it is the radiance of the mind. Because accumulated wisdom has achieved perfection, when one emits a single radiance, there is nothing in the dharmadhātu that is not revealed. Constantly observing all dharmadhātus is emitting radiance to illuminate all.

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Second, understanding object and wisdom: the round and small phenomenal characteristic of a single dust mote is conventional truth; understanding that the dust mote is unarisen and without intrinsic nature is paramārtha-satya. Those two truths of the real and conventional are the objects relied upon; this penetrating mind is the wisdom that relies upon them. This wisdom, with regard to the object, no longer has the two kinds of discrimination of grāhaka and grāhya. Why is this? Now, wisdom can only be called wisdom when established through dharmas, for apart from dharmas there is no wisdom capable of discriminating; dharmas can only be called dharmas when revealed through wisdom, for apart from wisdom there is no object to be discriminated. Because the mind's wisdom is still, although it flows and illuminates, it is constantly serene; because dharmas accord with conditions, although empty and still, they are constantly functioning.

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Third, clarifying producing and revealing causes: the dust mote's essence being empty and still, the meaning of the conditioned origination of the dharmadhātu is revealed only through wisdom, which is the revealing cause (vyañjaka-hetu). Having seen the dust mote's essence, cultivating understanding and practice to give rise to power and function is the producing cause (janaka-hetu). However, production is precisely non-production, returning to identity with the essence of phenomena; revealing is also non-revealing, for how could it equal conditioned arising? Between production and revealing there is no difference: production is spoken of in terms of practice, while revealing is based on essence. The non-essence is precisely essence, so revealing is unarisen; essence is precisely non-essence, so production returns to revealing; they accord in a single realm, without discrimination.

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