Seeking Bodhi Within Afflictions

Every sentient being has their own original face, which by nature radiates great light, constantly functioning—sustaining and manifesting all dharmas—so that sentient beings can have normal life activities. Whether or not sentient beings are attached, whether or not they have delusive thoughts, whether they are inverted or not, the original face is always manifesting and functioning in purity; there is absolutely no need to exhaust all afflictions, delusive thoughts, and inversions before one can realize Him. Bodhisattvas all find bodhi amid afflictions, because afflictions are themselves manifested by bodhi; where there are afflictions, there is certainly bodhi, and thus one can find bodhi right where afflictions appear.

When afflictions are extinguished, one is an arhat; when delusive thoughts and inversions are extinguished, one is the World-Honored Buddha. These are the results and retributions attained after cultivating and realizing bodhi. Ordinary beings in the six realms of birth and death, bound by karmic obstructions, likewise possess the original face, which illuminates heaven and earth, penetrating everything without obstruction. Therefore, when an ordinary being realizes the original face amid afflictions, he is no longer an ordinary being; only afterward can he gradually eliminate afflictions, sever all attachments, and remove inversions, delusive thoughts, and defilements, ultimately attaining buddhahood.

When the World-Honored One had just attained the Way, He said: 奇哉！大地众生皆有如来智慧德相，只因烦恼妄想，不能证得。The World-Honored One's meaning is that sentient beings originally possess the original face; they simply cannot realize it. And to realize it, it is by no means necessary to extinguish all afflictions, delusive thoughts, and inversions.

The Buddha said that bodhisattvas realize bodhi without departing from afflictions. This means that bodhisattvas find the mind of bodhi amid afflictions; after finding the mind of bodhi, afflictions will gradually fall away, until finally afflictions vanish and perish, habitual tendencies are exhausted, and ignorance can be completely severed. Before realizing bodhi—the original face—it is impossible to exhaust afflictions, habitual tendencies, and inverted delusive thoughts.