The Difference between Phenomenal Practice and Principle Practice

All dharmas are divided into two parts: phenomena (shi) and principle (li). Phenomena are the marks, and principle is the principle-substance of the tathāgatagarbha. When discussing phenomena, one must refute the true existence of marks from the standpoint of the marks themselves; at this time one must not speak from the perspective of the principle of the tathāgatagarbha. Doing so would lead some people to believe that the marks are real, giving rise to attachment, thereby binding the mind and preventing liberation.

The Hīnayāna teachings refute existence entirely from the standpoint of marks, while the Mahāyāna teachings cultivate from both principle and phenomena—refuting the marks from the standpoint of principle. Once the principle is recognized, things become easier to handle, yet the marks are not abandoned either; one does not cling to principle and discard phenomena. The requirement is that principle and phenomena be perfectly harmonized, without leaning toward either side; otherwise, the Buddha-dharma will not be accomplished.

One who cultivates to the ultimate degree of perfect harmony between principle and phenomena is a Buddha. Those whose harmony of principle and phenomena is not yet ultimate are the bodhisattvas on the bhūmis and those at the two stages of equality and wondrous awakening. Bodhisattvas who have seen the mind may be able to achieve a little bit of such harmony, but if they lack the power of observation, they cannot achieve any harmony at all.

If a person who has neither realized the fruits nor seen the mind is told that the dharmas of the five aggregates and eighteen realms, and all worldly dharmas, are neither arising nor ceasing, he will take them as real, and then clinging to them would not be wrong, nothing bad about it; consequently, he would not seek ways to eliminate his own craving and attachment. In that case, the problem of sentient beings' birth and death could not be resolved.

"All dharmas are true suchness" is the result of the direct-perception contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) of bodhisattvas on the bhūmis and of Buddhas. Ordinary beings can only cultivate step by step, starting from the mark of arising and ceasing (utpāda-nirodha-lakṣaṇa) of the basic five aggregates and eighteen realms; they cannot directly treat the five aggregates and eighteen realms as the neither-arising-nor-ceasing true suchness, for no one can directly observe this principle.

The four dhyānas and eight samādhis are phenomenal cultivation, the cultivation of marks. Marks necessarily involve arising and ceasing; there are no marks that do not arise and cease—except for the empty mark of the eighth consciousness. The empty mark is without mark, and therefore neither arises nor ceases. The six consciousnesses within the four dhyānas and eight samādhis are, from the standpoint of marks, subject to arising, ceasing, and change; the seventh consciousness, too, is subject to arising, ceasing, and change from the standpoint of marks. When discussing dharmas subject to arising, ceasing, and change—when cultivating marks—there must be marks of arising, ceasing, and change. If at this time one were to say that the seven consciousnesses and the four dhyānas and eight samādhis are all neither arising nor ceasing, that would be neither one thing nor the other. If they were all neither arising nor ceasing and permanently unchanging, then there would be nothing left for us to cultivate—we would already be perfect.