What is Conventional Truth? What is Ultimate Truth?

Conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) is the truth of worldly phenomena; ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya) is the supreme truth, the truth that transcends worldly phenomena. The world of worldly phenomena is the world of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha); what does the truth refer to? It refers to the conditioned dharmas characterized by suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. Which dharma transcends the worldly dharma of the five aggregates? The Mahāyāna tathāgatagarbha dharma transcends the worldly dharma of the five aggregates. The Hīnayāna dharma still belongs to conventional truth; although it is supreme within the domain of worldly phenomena, it is not supreme enough—only the Mahāyāna tathāgatagarbha dharma is the most supreme, and it is called ultimate truth. As for the Hīnayāna conventional truth, although it can enter nirvāṇa without remainder and attain liberation, it has not transcended the worldly dharma of the five aggregates; only the tathāgatagarbha dharma transcends worldly phenomena. The suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self of conventional truth—the truth it reveals falls within the domain of the conventional phenomenal world, whereas the transcendent truth, the Mahāyāna tathāgatagarbha dharma, goes beyond the conventional phenomenal world. The levels and depths described by these two truths are different.

Then what is the difference between ultimate truth (shengyidi) and noble truth (shengyidi)? Ultimate truth is the first truth (paramārtha). It cannot be spoken. It is inconceivable. Noble truth, as the name implies, is the authoritative teaching spoken by the Buddha. The former is the moon; the latter is the finger. Their meanings are somewhat different. "Sheng" (ultimate) means supreme, transcendent, victorious, and superior—it is the truth manifested in comparison with the mundane world. "Sheng" (noble) is contrasted with the ordinary; it represents the noble ones, meaning one who has departed from the mundane and transcends the mundane, and it also means purity. Judging from the connotations of these two characters, they are the same—both carry the meaning of transcending the world of the five aggregates—and in substantive meaning they are also the same; there is only a slight difference in the fine details, a difference in the aspects they emphasize. The character "sheng" (ultimate) emphasizes supremacy and transcendence, while "sheng" (noble) emphasizes purity, extraordinariness, and inner sanctity of quality. Thus ultimate truth denotes the most supreme dharma, whereas noble truth denotes the dharma spoken by the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and various noble ones; the dharma spoken by the noble ones all points toward ultimate truth.

If one realizes both conventional truth and ultimate truth and fully penetrates them, the two truths will be perfectly harmonized, and one's mind will become empty, without marks, and without aspiration—nothing to do, nothing to act upon, nothing to seek. A noble one does not even act as a noble one—how could he act as a mundane person? Not acting as either noble or mundane, the mind is pure—what precept-marks could there be to keep or to violate? How could one delight in worldly fame, gain, and offerings, or in wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep? Not acting even in what is wholesome, how could one commit even a trace of evil? The reason a person grasps at the marks of worldly phenomena is that he has not penetrated the two truths and lacks the wisdom of the two truths; with marks still unextinguished in his mind, he will act and grasp, and thus inevitably karma will entangle him. Speaking of the perfect harmony of the two truths—have arhats harmonized the two truths? Have pratyekabuddhas harmonized the two truths? Have bodhisattvas harmonized the two truths? Only Buddhas and bodhisattvas can perfectly harmonize the two truths. Arhats and pratyekabuddhas can only harmonize conventional truth; only after emerging from nirvāṇa without remainder, giving rise to the great bodhi mind, and realizing the tathāgatagarbha do they gain the ability to harmonize the two truths.

Of the five dharmas of Yogācāra—marks (nimitta), names (nāma), discrimination (vikalpa), correct wisdom (samyag-jñāna), and suchness (tathatā)—which is conventional truth and which is ultimate truth? Can correct wisdom depart from marks, names, and discrimination? What kind of wisdom is correct wisdom? How is it attained? On what dharma is it attained?