Explanation of Terms in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Volume Four

Original text: 性觉真空，性空真觉；性见觉明，觉精明见；性识明知，觉明真识；性真圆融。“性觉真空，性空真觉” means the nature of awakening is true emptiness, and the nature of emptiness is true awakening; the awakening-nature is the true emptiness (śūnyatā), and the nature of empty space is the true awakening-nature. The word “awakening” here refers to the awakening of the tathāgatagarbha; the awakening-nature of the tathāgatagarbha can give birth to empty space, and empty space is the boundary-aspect of form — wherever there is no mark of form, that is empty space. The inherent essence of empty space is precisely the nature of the tathāgatagarbha.

The relationship among empty space, material form, and the empty-natured mind, the tathāgatagarbha, needs to be understood clearly. Once these two kinds of emptiness can be distinguished, reading the sūtra becomes easy to comprehend.

“性见觉明，觉精明见” means the awakening-nature is the pure and clear awakening-nature, and the awakening-nature is the pure and clear seeing-nature. The seeing-nature is born from the pure and clear awakening-nature of the tathāgatagarbha; seeing light, seeing darkness, and seeing empty space are all the awakening-nature, the nature of the tathāgatagarbha.

“性识明知，觉明真识” means the consciousness-nature of the six consciousnesses is the pure and clear knowing-nature of the tathāgatagarbha, and the luminous awakening-nature of the tathāgatagarbha is the true consciousness-nature of the six consciousnesses. The consciousness-nature is born from the pure and clear awakening-nature of the tathāgatagarbha, and therefore it is the nature of the tathāgatagarbha.

“性真圆融” — to summarize: the natures of earth, water, fire, wind, space, seeing, and consciousness — the natures of all seven elements (dhātus) — are all the nature of the true awakening, the tathāgatagarbha; they can mutually interpenetrate without obstruction, and together they constitute all dharmas of the five-aggregate world, enabling all dharmas to manifest according to conditions and according to the capacity of the mind; in essence, they are all the one true dharma-realm of the tathāgatagarbha.