Episode 206 – The Ultimate Reality of True Suchness
>> “The ultimate reality of True Suchness
is always with us. You and I possess it but do not realize it. The Enlightened
Ones know and see it; unenlightened beings are deluded. With provisional and
true teachings, They skillfully, cleverly guide them to the truth.”
>> “The Buddha attained extraordinary and difficult-to-understand
Dharma. Only Buddhas can thoroughly realize the ultimate reality of all
things.”
>> “All phenomena have this suchness of form, this suchness of
nature, this suchness of embodiment, this suchness of power, this suchness of
function.”
>> “All things have the True Suchness of ultimate reality, also
called Suchness.”
>> Within the Ten Dharma-realms 1. An externally revealed appearance is
the suchness of form 2. The intrinsic principle is the suchness of nature 3.
The composing substance is the suchness of embodiment.
>> Within the Ten Dharma-realms 4. The power that embodiment generates is
the suchness of power 5. The creation of karma is the suchness of function.
“The ultimate reality of True Suchness is always with us.
You and I possess it but do not realize it.
The Enlightened Ones know and see it; unenlightened beings are deluded.
With provisional and true teachings, They skillfully, cleverly guide them to the truth.”
We should clearly know that “the ultimate reality of True Suchness is always with us.” We all have it. It is with us every day, whether we are walking, standing, sitting or lying down. In whatever we say, it is always with us. We all intrinsically have this ultimate reality of True Suchness, but we are unable to realize it. However, the Enlightened Ones already “know.” Such are Their understanding and views.
The Buddha’s understanding and views already encompass the truth of all things in the universe. There is nothing He is not aware of. But ordinary people are still deluded, so they cannot comprehend this. The Buddha has to give “provisional” teachings, which actually contain the “true” [Dharma]. So, provisional teachings are wondrously skillful and wondrously true. To expound the true Dharma, He also has to use various skillful means to help everyone accept true teachings. So, there is provisional in the true and cleverness in the provisional. Wondrous provisional and true teachings are clever and skillful ways of guiding people of various levels to earnestly [practice] certain teachings. So, we need to be mindful when we listen to the Dharma.
So, the Buddha uses various skillful means to help us understand that life is not just about living through night and day. We also have to understand how the sky darkens and brightens. He helps us recognize what we are doing just as the sky darkens and brightens. He hopes all of us can meticulously experience our lives and everything that is intimately related to our living. This is out of the Buddha’s compassion.
So, the previous passage from the sutra states,
“The Buddha attained extraordinary and difficult-to-understand Dharma. Only Buddhas can thoroughly realize the ultimate reality of all things.”
This requires being at the state of the Buddha.
There are Buddhas of the past, present and future; They are all Buddhas, and. Their enlightened nature is beginningless and endless. Our enlightened nature is also the same. We should also have the same hopes. Our enlightened nature is equal to all Buddhas.’ As for the Dharma taught by the Buddha, we must be able to “understand the ultimate reality of all things.” We should also be able to accept and realize this. So [as part of] “all Buddhas,” we must have this realization and knowledge. We must accept this Dharma and thoroughly understand it.
The next passage then states,
“All phenomena have this suchness of form, this suchness of nature, this suchness of embodiment, this suchness of power, this suchness of function.”
Our daily living cannot be separated from these principles. There are ten categories of suchness. The Ten Suchnesses were categorized by. Dharma Master Tiantai. They mean that,
“All things have the True Suchness of ultimate reality, also called Suchness.”
When we expound the sutra, it opens with. “Thus have I heard” as the first sentence. All things are contained within this “thus.” This refers to “Suchness”; it is real and not illusory. This True Dharma is called “Suchness.”
True Suchness is inherent in all of us. All things in this world contain the ultimate reality of True Suchness and manifest different physical appearances. For example, take our knowledge of plants. Look at grasses and trees; whether they naturally grew on their own or were planted and cultivated by people, they just appear to be plants. What exactly is their true nature? Indeed, their “suchness of form” is a plant. There is also their “suchness of nature.” Plants all have their own nature, as well as “suchness of embodiment.” They have their own physical make up, and also their “suchness of power.” They have power, as well as their “suchness of function.” They have their uses.
These are [some of] the Ten Suchnesses. Each thing has a different nature and a different form. Hence, we have the Ten Dharma-realms. The Six Unenlightened and Four Noble Realms are called the Ten Dharma-realms. These are completely created by our minds. This is the pure Buddha-nature innate in us all. So when a thought goes astray, it spreads across the Ten Dharma-realms.
We all know the Six Unenlightened Realms, heaven, human, hell, hungry ghost, animal [and asuras]. These are all part of the Six Unenlightened Realms. And the Four Noble Realms? Hearers, Solitary Realizers, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas comprise the Four Noble Realms. In the Four Noble Realms, the clear understanding of True Suchness all comes back to the One Vehicle.
Within the Ten Dharma-realms 1. An externally revealed appearance is the suchness of form 2. The intrinsic principle is the suchness of nature 3. The composing substance is the suchness of embodiment.
So within the Ten Dharma-realms, first is the externally revealed appearance. All kinds of different shapes and forms manifest. I hear a sound, so I ask, “What kind of sound is that? Birds chirping. What is the image of a bird chirping?” An image of a bird will flash in your minds. As birds chirp, their image will appear in our minds. We see one, two or many birds. This is the perception that we have as humans.
Whether we speak of innate enlightenment, initial enlightenment or so on, we unenlightened beings are all in this state. We know that birds and all moving sentient beings have Buddha-nature. So in the animal realm, animals can also return to their intrinsic Buddha-nature. Thus, “an externally revealed appearance is the suchness of form.” Everything has a true intrinsic nature.
So, the Suchness I just mentioned is its true nature. Our true intrinsic natures are also within the Ten Dharma-realms. Thus, it is not apart from the. Six Unenlightened and Four Noble Realms. To understand something, we must recognize that all external appearances contain principles of the ultimate reality of the One Vehicle.
Second is the “suchness of nature.” Things contain intrinsic principles. On the surface, we see the appearance of a bird. Actually, it contains principles. It is often said, “A sparrow may be small, but it still has all necessary organs.” Its biology is also quite similar to that of humans. It has its own awareness and awakened nature. For example, when the weather is good, it will come outside and so on. This is its logical nature, the “suchness of nature.”
“Form” and “nature” both have this suchness. Suchness is an intrinsic and true principle. Both our nature and our form contain their own principles, which are true principles.
Third, “the composing substance is the suchness of embodiment.” The suchness of embodiment is the quality within. Regardless of the type of plant, if we can refine it, we will find oil inside. Different oils have different uses. This is its composing substance.
Consider a mountain. Let me ask you, is the mountain hard or soft? Do you know the answer? Is the mountain hard or soft? It is hard, correct? Yes, mountains are hard in nature. They have dirt and rocks, so they can carry the weight of many things. Then let me ask, is water hard or soft? It is soft. Water and mountains are composed of different substances. A mountain has the substance and function of a mountain; water has the substance and function of water. So, they are different. This is its composing substance, “the suchness of embodiment.”
But a mountain is not just hard; it may include many substances. [Consider the natural landscape]. On the body of a mountain, there will also be water. There is water on even the highest mountain top. By the same principle, a mountain can give life to all things. Without water, a mountain will lose its function. In summary, all things in this world are interconnected. Between them, they may manifest [different appearances], but their innate embodiment is the same.
Within the Ten Dharma-realms 4. The power that embodiment generates is the suchness of power 5. The creation of karma is the suchness of function.
Fourth is the power that embodiment generates; this power is called the “suchness of power.” Because of their substance, they have this power. Would you say that the nature of water is soft? Actually, the nature of water is powerful. I was once in a marble factory and watched the workers cut marble. They did not cut it with a blade, but with water. That is called a “water jet cutter.” Water is that sharp? Yes, water can cut through stone. Look at how powerful water is.
Mountains are very solid and look very strong. But when there is a massive rainstorm, there are landslides and rockslides. Mountains are so big but the power of water can change the face of an entire mountain. So, do you think water is powerful? It usually looks very soft. When it is in a rectangular container, it takes the shape of the container. In a round container, it takes a round shape. It seems to be very soft, but it has such great power.
So, mountains are powerful in their own ways and so is water. Although water is very soft, it can be very sharp and powerful. This is the “suchness of power.” So, suchness is the true nature contained within; it is very sharp.
In summary, this is the “suchness of embodiment” and “the suchness of power.” Each appearance has its unique kind of power.
Although a plant may be small, consider something like the Datura plants. From looking at them, we may not know that by just touching a plant or breaking off its straight branches to use as chopsticks when we forget our utensils and eating with it, we may die without knowing why. This happens really quickly. Its poison is very lethal. We often see them planted by the road. We must recognize that these are very poisonous. It is immediately toxic to us when it comes in contact with the human nervous system. The body becomes paralyzed and stops breathing. Then the person passes away. Consider this plant. It does not look like much, but it is also very powerful. So, each body and form has its own power.
The fifth is the creation of karma, “the suchness of function.” All our karma is created through our actions. I just spoke of the Ten Dharma-realms; we are in the Six Unenlightened and. Four Noble Realms. In truth, ultimately we all have this true nature. We all have innate enlightenment, a nature of True Suchness. But we are confused, so we create karma that causes us to transmigrate in the Six Realms.
To reach heaven, we must create blessed karma; to stay human, we must carefully keep precepts. If we are not careful, we give rise to greed, anger and ignorance. Asuras have heavenly blessings but lack heavenly virtues. Then next are the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. We cannot control where we go in the Six Unenlightened Realms.
As I mentioned previously, the ultimate reality of True Suchness is always by our side. Moreover, you and I are all replete with this ultimate reality of True Suchness. The Enlightened One, Sakyamuni Buddha, has knowledge and views of all things. Ordinary people are deluded, so the Buddha uses His skillful means and wondrous provisional and true teachings. He applies His wisdom to guide us well.
So, we must understand the Dharma the Buddha wants us to accept. In our daily living, everything we see and everything our body comes in contact with contains an abundance of principles within. Therefore, we must always be mindful.