Watching the Marks of Rain After Attaining the Way

Question: Is it that after realizing the Path, when one sees the appearance of rain, the mind naturally does not dwell on the appearance of rain, yet still knows it is raining, but without attachment? Whereas before realizing the Path, one easily dwells on it, unless something else diverts the mind's attention, or one simply does not care about the rain. The ordinary being's original system is like a camera—it must leave a negative imprint in the mind's thoughts.

Answer: So-called non-attachment and non-dwelling must be an inner skill exercised when facing the appearance of rain and all appearances; avoiding appearances precisely demonstrates the inability to be free from attachment to appearances and from dwelling on appearances. After enlightenment, bodhisattvas at the Three Stages of Worthiness (śubhakṛtsna stages) who see the appearance of rain will still attach to the appearance of rain, only more lightly than before. Only from the first bhūmi onward can one gradually cease attaching to the appearance of rain, and it is not until the eighth bhūmi that a bodhisattva truly ceases attaching to the appearance of rain and all other appearances.

Therefore, after enlightenment one must accomplish the transformation of the basis as suchness (tathatā); only at the first bhūmi can one speak of truly accomplishing the transformation of the basis, because by then the sixth and seventh consciousnesses have both been transformed into wisdom—this is the hallmark of the transformation of the basis as suchness. Only at the eighth bhūmi can a bodhisattva accomplish the transformation of the basis in a large part, but it is still not ultimate. Pre-bhūmi bodhisattvas (pūrvabhūmika bodhisattvas) shout about the transformation of the basis with their mouths, but because they still have afflictions, the transformation of the basis cannot possibly be accomplished; whereas suchness has no afflictions—are the sixth and seventh consciousnesses similar in mind-nature to suchness? Not at all, because their defilement is heavy. Shouting slogans, one only achieves partial correspondence upon reaching the first bhūmi. As for those who have not awakened, shouting slogans is pure nonsense—they cannot even see clearly their own face, yet they exalt themselves by speaking of the transformation of the basis. Before finding something to rely upon, what could one possibly rely on? And one cannot exalt oneself; only with the tathāgatagarbha and cause and effect to lift one up can one be lifted at all.