"Explanation of the Mahāyāna Vijñapti Sūtra"

Original Text: Xianhu, it is like a wooden mechanical device, fixed in one place, performing various activities—walking, leaping, jumping, dancing, or playing. What do you think? Whose power is it that drives the actions of this mechanical device? Xianhu replied to the Buddha, "My wisdom is shallow; I cannot determine this."

Explanation: The Buddha said, "Xianhu, it is like a mechanical device made of wood, placed in one location to perform various tasks—such as robots or clothes-washing devices—set to carry out activities within their capabilities. Once programmed and powered, the wooden automaton, robot, etc., begins to operate. In truth, it is not the wooden figure or robot itself that operates; it is the result of human manipulation behind the scenes. Similarly, the Ālaya-vijñāna operates according to its own programming. Once it functions, the Five Aggregates of sentient beings begin to operate. How do the Five Aggregates function? The Buddha explains this clearly here: 'walking, leaping, jumping, dancing, or playing'—all these are activities performed by the Five Aggregates."

The Buddha said, "Xianhu, what do you think? What force drives the activities of the wooden mechanical device? Who presses the button of that device? If the Buddha had explained this more explicitly here, we would not need to meditate on it. For example, a clothes-washing device starts operating once its button is pressed; a lamp lights up when its switch is flipped; a robot begins working when its button is activated; an electric doll starts singing and dancing when its button is pressed."

The Buddha asked Xianhu, "Who presses the button of these mechanical devices?" Bodhisattva Xianhu humbly replied that his wisdom was shallow and he could not know. Perhaps Xianhu deliberately feigned ignorance to allow the Buddha to expound the Dharma for sentient beings, thereby unfolding a sutra.