Books/Refining Our Perception of Reality/Dudjom Lingpa's Usage of Buddha-Nature in ''Buddhahood Without Meditation'', with Commentary by Sera Khandro

Dudjom Lingpa's Usage of Buddha-Nature in Buddhahood Without Meditation, with Commentary by Sera Khandro

The following is extracted from Zangpo, Ngawang (Hugh Thompson), trans. Refining Our Perception of Reality: Sera Khandro's Commentary on Dudjom Lingpa's Account of His Visionary Journey. Boston: Snow Lion Publications, 2013: pp. 148-155.

The main presentation of pervasive insubstantial evenness has three parts: pervasive insubstantial evenness of the ground of being, of the spiritual path, and of the result.

First, the ground of being is the nature of mind endowed with buddha nature. Before sentient beings became deluded, no faults, defilements, or habitual patterns whatsoever stained them. Thus, this is the pervasive insubstantial evenness of the ground of being.

Second, during the circumstance of sentient beings’ delusion, that delusion’s power prevents them from seeing the characteristics of the ground of their being. Nevertheless, the nature of that ground is pure; the fact that that enlightenment’s supreme bodies and wisdoms naturally dwell there is the pervasive insubstantial evenness of the spiritual path.

Third, at the time of final enlightenment, the ground of being (the lord that no faults, defilements, or habitual patterns have ever stained since primordial time) becomes manifest, without the addition of any new qualities. For instance, the sun’s essence during three circumstances—before clouds cover it, during its covering, and once it is free from clouds—has no change whatsoever, positive or negative. Lord Bodhisattva Maitreya states:

As it was before, so it is later:
it is the changeless nature.

The Ornament of Manifest Realization states:

There is no difference between former and latter:
the nature is pure.

It is as stated here.

The nature of mind, called "buddha nature," is pervasive
insubstantial evenness that faults do not stain. For instance,
if it were possible for buddhas to fill open space, their wisdom
and qualities could not find an object to benefit within this
nature; thus, it is pervasive insubstantial evenness. If it were
possible for sentient beings with an autonomous mind-stream
to equal the bounds of space, there would be no object within
this nature for them to harm; thus, it is pervasive insubstantial
evenness.

The ground of being’s body of ultimate enlightenment,
buddha nature, has neither any place, object, or agent
of birth; thus, it is free from the extreme of origin.
It transcends a time or agent of cessation; thus,
it is free from the extreme of cessation. It does not
fall into the category of existent substance; thus,
even the Victor’s eyes have not seen it—it is free from
the extreme of permanence. Its nonexistence has not lapsed
into void nonexistence; thus, it forms the general basis for
the wheel of life and transcendent states—it is free from the
extreme of nihilism. It transcends any location, object, or
agent of going—it is free from the extreme of going. Since
its location, object, and agent of coming do not exist, it is free
from the extreme of coming. Within the expanse of the ground
of being, buddha nature, all phenomena of the wheel of life and
transcendent states, like planets and stars upon the ocean, arise
unmixed and distinct—it is free from the extreme of unity. Just as
the reflection of the ocean’s planets and stars are not other than the
ocean, in whatever ways the forms of the wheel of life and
transcendent states arise, they remain of a single flavor within the
ground of being, buddha nature—it is free from the extreme of multiplicity.

Since pervasive insubstantial evenness does not fall into any
of these eight extreme formulations, faults do not stain it.

Likewise, this nature of mind, called "buddha nature," is the epitome of suchness unstained by the fault of emptiness; it is pervasive insubstantial evenness, unstained by faults.

Although there is definitely no autonomous buddha apart from intrinsic awareness, let us imagine that there is one. In that case, if it were possible for buddhas to fill open space, we would have to think of their ground of being, buddha nature, as positive due to their wisdom and qualities; yet, because no object to benefit exists within buddha nature, emptiness, pervasive insubstantial evenness, is unstained by faults.

Although there is definitely no autonomous sentient being apart from self-manifest apparent phenomena, let us imagine that there is one. If it were possible, in the same way, for autonomous sentient beings to equal the bounds of space, we would have to think of their ground of being, buddha nature, as negative due to their karma, afflictive emotions, negative acts, obscurations, and habitual patterns; yet, because no object to harm exists within buddha nature, emptiness, pervasive insubstantial evenness, is unstained by faults.

This ground of being’s body of ultimate enlightenment, buddha nature, is free from the eight extreme formulations and is endowed with the three doors to liberation.

Freedom from the Eight Extreme Formulations:

First is the manner in which this nature is free from the eight extreme formulations. The illustrious lord, exalted Nagarjuna, states in the Fundamental Sublime Insight of the Middle Way:

What arises in interdependent arising
is unceasing, unborn,
not finite, not permanent,
not coming, not going,

not single, not unified.
It is the complete pacification of formulations, peaceful, and stable.
The perfect Buddha expressed this:
to that holy one, I pay homage.

As stated here, the ground of being, buddha nature, is the epitome of freedom from place, object, or agent of birth. You might wonder whether the basis, buddha nature, originates from earth (or water, fire, or wind).The answer is no. The ground of being, buddha nature, appears as earth (water, fire, wind); earth (water, fire, wind) is buddha nature’s display.

Likewise, you might wonder whether the basis, buddha nature, originates from space. The answer is no. Space appears from buddha nature; space is buddha nature’s display. Those elements appear from buddha nature; those elements are buddha nature’s display. Therefore, buddha nature has not originated from the constituents of the outer five elements.

Moreover, if any apparent phenomena is examined and analyzed, it does not originate in the present. If we take a flower, for instance, you might think that the time of its first full growth is the present time of its coming into being, but that is not so. Its growth so far is its past coming into being; what growth it has left is its future coming into being. Between them, there is no present coming into being. Réchungpa [1085–1161] states:

Past thoughts have ceased and gone;
future thoughts have not emerged;
the present cannot be identified.

As he stated, buddha nature does not fall into the extreme of having a point of origin: its pervasive insubstantial evenness is untouched by faults. The nature of mind, buddha nature, transcends a time or an agent of cessation. In general, any phenomenon you might examine and analyze has no present cessation. If we take a flower, for example, you might wonder if its first completion of growth is present cessation, but it is not so. Its completed growth so far is past cessation. The growth it has left is future cessation. Between them, there is no present cessation. Therefore, buddha nature is free from cessation: its pervasive insubstantial evenness is untouched by faults.

You might wonder whether the nature of mind, buddha nature, is subsumed in existent substance, but that is not so. It does not fall into the category of existent substance, thus even the eyes of the victors, perfect buddhas, transcendent conquerors, have not seen it, do not see it, and will not see it. Thus, it is free from the extreme of permanence: its pervasive insubstantial evenness is untouched by faults.

You might wonder whether the ground of being, buddha nature, is void nonexistence, but this is not the case. It has not lapsed into void nonexistence—it forms the general basis for all phenomena of appearing existence, the wheel of life and transcendent states. It does not fall into the category of the extreme of nihilism: its pervasive insubstantial evenness is untouched by faults. It is as awareness-holder Jikmé Lingpa states:

It is not existent:
even the victors do not see it.
It is not nonexistent:
it is the basis for the wheel of life and transcendent states.

Buddha nature is an essence that transcends any location, object, or an agent of going. You might wonder whether the body of ultimate enlightenment, buddha nature, has gone east (south, west, north), but this is not the case. East (south, west, north) appears as such from buddha nature. East (south, west, north) is buddha nature’s display. For instance, worldly phenomena have no present going. You might wonder whether the moment of a foot lifted upward in a step is present going, but the ground covered so far is past going. What must be traveled now is future going. Between the two, there is no present going. Therefore, buddha nature does not fall into the extreme of going: its pervasive insubstantial evenness is untouched by faults.

The ground of being, buddha nature, has no existent location, objects, or agent of coming. You might wonder whether buddha nature has come from the east (south, west, north), but this is not the case. East (south, west, north) appears as such from buddha nature; east (south, west, north) is buddha nature’s display. If you examine and analyze worldly phenomena as well, there is no present coming. You might wonder whether the foot lifted upward in a step is present coming, but this is not the case. The ground covered so far is past coming. What must be traveled now is future coming. Between the two, there is no present coming. Therefore, the ground of being, buddha nature, is free from the extreme of coming: its pervasive insubstantial evenness is untouched by faults.

You might wonder whether the body of ultimate enlightenment, buddha nature, is an entity of unity, but this is not the case. Within the expanse of the ground of being, buddha nature, all phenomena of appearing existence, the wheel of life and transcendent states, like planets and stars reflected upon the ocean, arise unmixed, clear, and distinct from one another. Therefore, it is free from the extreme of unity: its pervasive insubstantial evenness is untouched by faults.

However vast and numerous the appearing aspects of the wheel of life and transcendent states arise, they remain of a single flavor within the ground of being, buddha nature, just as the planets and stars reflected in the ocean are nothing other than the ocean. Therefore, buddha nature is free from the extreme of multiplicity: its pervasive insubstantial evenness is untouched by faults.

Therefore, the nature of mind, buddha nature, does not fall into any of the eight extreme formulations: its pervasive insubstantial evenness is untouched by faults.

Endowment with the Three Doors to Liberation:

Further, buddha nature transcends time, and space—above,
below, main and intermediate direction or interval: it is empty.
It pervades all and encompasses all: it is empty. Externally, all
apparent phenomena have no existent substance, characteristics,
or reality: it is outwardly empty. Internally, your
own mind transcends all foundation or root: it is inner
emptiness. Between, it is not divided into dualistic clinging: it is
great encompassing pervasiveness, emptiness without
anything being rejected. This is emptiness, a door to liberation.

The ground of being’s body of ultimate enlightenment, buddha nature,
is free from characteristics that can be expressed in words;
it transcends the similitude or likeness of metaphors, and
is empty of any substance that can be ultimately revealed.
This is absence of characteristics, a door to liberation.

You might think of the nature of reality, buddha nature, the
movement to bliss in the three times, as the result of mere
physical and verbal virtuous practice, a liberation in which you go
to a realm elsewhere. You might think of this encompassing
pervasiveness, the panorama of space, as a domain of going and
coming, or as an agent. Such ideas are very deceptive and foolish.

What is the spiritual path? It is to hold to your own ground within
your own nature. What is realization? It is exact knowledge of
your own nature’s abiding nature. What is liberation?
It is enlightenment in your own nature. To grasp the place of
liberation and the object of liberation to be otherwise and to strive
for them is to be very deluded. Ultimately, in the result, there
is no place to formulate even mere mental aspirations.
This is lack of aspiration, a door to liberation.

Further, buddha nature transcends time, and space—above, below, main and intermediate direction or interval: it is empty. The power of human beings’ delusion makes them grasp such locations as above, below, main or intermediate directions, but ultimately, such places as above, below, main or intermediate directions do not exist. For instance, when you reach the mountain summit of what is called"eastern," that eastern mountain has now become the central mountain. From that vantage point, there is another eastern mountain; from that vantage point, what was the central mountain has become the western mountain. The same is true for all main and intermediate directions, above, and below. Therefore, all locations—above, below, and main or intermediate directions—cannot be identified. To cling to an identification of what cannot be identified is to tell oneself lies. The great master from Oddiyana states:

Beings who cling to directions where there are none
bind themselves in delusion: how pitiful!

Emptiness pervades and encompasses the entire wheel of life and transcendent states; therefore, they are empty.

Designations of all external, nonexistent apparent phenomena as existent cannot ultimately have substance, characteristics, or reality; therefore, buddha nature is outwardly empty. If you examine what is"internal," the nature of your mind, it is free from points of origin, cessation, or dwelling, and transcends any foundation or root. Therefore, it is inner emptiness.

Apart from mere designations of "outer apparent phenomena" and "inner grasping" as separate, dualistic clinging is indivisible or nonexistent. It is great encompassing pervasiveness; therefore, it is emptiness without anything being rejected. This is emptiness, a door to liberation.

The ground of being’s body of ultimate enlightenment, buddha nature, does not have existent identifiable attributes of form, shape, or color. It is free from characteristics that can be expressed in words; it is indescribable, inconceivable, and inexpressible; it transcends the similitude or likeness of metaphors. It is empty of any ultimate substance that can be shown. This is absence of characteristics, a door to liberation.

The nature of reality, buddha nature, has never experienced delusion in the past. In the present, the nature of reality, buddha nature, does not dwell within delusion. In the future, it is impossible that the nature of reality, buddha nature, become deluded: in the three times, it is the movement to bliss. You might wonder whether mere physical prostrations and circumambulations, verbal recitations of prayers, texts, or mantras, or mental cultivation of good thoughts, mental training, worldly states of concentration, or virtuous meditative states will result in travel to a pure realm elsewhere, where you will gain liberation. You might think of encompassing pervasiveness, the panorama of space, as a domain of going and coming, or as an agent. Such ideas are very deceptive and foolish.

What is the spiritual path? It is to hold to your own ground within your own nature. What is realization? It is a definitive conclusion concerning all phenomena gathered within appearing existence, the wheel of life and transcendent states, gained through discerning sublime insight, which leads to manifest sublime insight of nonself. This knowledge of the nature of reality, your own essence, abiding nature, and true state, is itself realization. What is liberation? It is enlightenment in your own nature. To not hope for transfer or travel to another place, and for liberation elsewhere, is definite liberation. To grasp the place of liberation and the object of liberation to be otherwise and to strive for them is to be very deluded. For this reason, to commit to the result on one’s own ground, without formulating even mere mental aspirations for another result, is lack of aspiration, a door to liberation.