Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (62)

62. Without a Mind of Attachment and Delight, One Can Distance Oneself from All Dharmas

Original text: 当知眼处。毕竟空故。自性亦空。前际后际。皆不可得。未来所造。亦不可得。何以故。自性离故。若自性无有。则无男相。亦无女相。何有爱乐。若生爱乐。是魔境界。若无爱乐。是佛境界。何以故。若无爱乐。则能远离。一切诸法。

Explanation: We should know that because the eye base (cakṣur-āyatana) is ultimately empty, its self-nature is also empty; the past limit and future limit of the eye faculty are both unattainable. Why is this said? Because the self-nature of the eye faculty is apart from all dharmas. If the eye faculty has no self-nature, then the eye faculty has no male mark and no female mark, and thus there is nothing lovable or delightful about male and female marks. If one gives rise to a mind of attachment and delight toward male and female marks, that is a realm of Māra. If one has no mind of attachment and delight toward male and female marks, that is a realm of the Buddha. Why is this said? Because without a mind of attachment and delight, one can distance oneself from all dharmas, and the mind attains purity.