Distinguishing Reality — Ten Truths, All Built from Three Natures

What does this mean? Reality should be known as only tenfold: first, the root truth; second, the characteristic truth; third, the non-inverted truth; fourth, the truth of cause and effect; fifth, the coarse-and-subtle truth; sixth, the universally established truth; seventh, the truth of the purified object's domain; eighth, the embraced truth; ninth, the differentiated truth; tenth, the truth of the ten skillful means. This last is itself tenfold, in order to remove ten [mistaken] views of self: first, skill in the aggregates; second, skill in the elements; third, skill in the sense-fields; fourth, skill in dependent origination; fifth, skill in the possible and the impossible; sixth, skill in the faculties; seventh, skill in time; eighth, skill in the [four noble] truths; ninth, skill in the vehicles; tenth, skill in the conditioned and unconditioned dharmas.

What, here, is the root truth? It is the three natures: first, the discriminated, attached-to nature; second, the dependent nature; third, the perfectly accomplished nature — since every other truth is established in dependence on these.

What does this mean? Within these three natures: the character of the discriminated, attached-to nature is always non-existent — and precisely because it is always non-existent, it is accepted as truth within this nature, since seeing it so is without inversion. The character of the dependent nature exists but is not real — and precisely because it exists but is not real, it is accepted as truth within the dependent nature, since it has the nature of confusion. The character of the perfectly accomplished nature both exists and does not exist — and precisely because it both exists and does not exist, it is accepted as truth within this nature, since it has the nature of emptiness.

What does this mean? Regarding all dharmas and the person, there are views that exaggerate their reality and views that deny them; knowing this, such views do not arise — this is the characteristic truth of the discriminated, attached-to nature. Regarding all grasped and grasping dharmas, there are views that exaggerate and views that deny; knowing this, such views do not arise — this is the characteristic truth of the dependent nature. Regarding what exists and does not exist, there are views that exaggerate and views that deny; knowing this, such views do not arise — this is the characteristic truth of the perfectly accomplished nature. Since this is free of inversion within the character of the root truth, it is called the characteristic truth.

The non-inverted truth is the nature of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self, by which the four inversions — the belief in permanence and the rest — are remedied.

What does this mean? The three kinds of impermanence: first, no-nature impermanence — the discriminated, attached-to nature, since it is always non-existent; second, arising-and-ceasing impermanence — the dependent nature, since it has arising and cessation; third, defilement-and-purity impermanence — the perfectly accomplished nature, since its stage undergoes transformation. The three kinds of suffering: first, the suffering of the grasped — the discriminated, attached-to nature, since it is what the mistaken grasping at a person and at dharmas takes hold of; second, the suffering of the thing's own character — the dependent nature, since it bears the character of the three kinds of suffering; third, the suffering of combination — the perfectly accomplished nature, since it stands paired with the character of suffering.

The three kinds of emptiness: first, the emptiness of no-nature — the discriminated, attached-to nature, since there is no rational way it could be said to exist, and this very non-existence is called emptiness; second, the emptiness of difference-of-nature — the dependent nature, since it does not exist in the way falsely attached to, though it is not utterly non-existent in every respect; third, the emptiness of own-nature — the perfectly accomplished nature, since it takes as its own nature exactly what the twofold emptiness reveals. The three kinds of non-self: first, signless non-self — the discriminated, attached-to nature, since this character is originally non-existent and so is called signless, and this very signlessness is called non-self; second, non-self of a different character — the dependent nature, since this character, though it exists, is not as the discriminated, attached-to nature takes it to be, and so is called a different character, and this very difference is called non-self; third, non-self of one's own character — the perfectly accomplished nature, since what non-self reveals is taken as its own character, and this very own character is called non-self.

What does this mean? The truth of suffering has three aspects — the three characteristics of each of the four [impermanence, and the rest] already explained above. The truth of origin has three kinds: first, the origin of habituated tendency — the habituated tendency of attachment to the discriminated, attached-to nature; second, the origin of active arising — karma and affliction; third, the origin of what is not yet freed from bondage — suchness not yet freed of its obstruction. The truth of cessation has three kinds: first, cessation through own-nature — since the discriminated, attached-to nature never arises; second, cessation of the two graspings — since the grasped and the grasper do not arise; third, cessation of the fundamental nature — the twofold defilement-and-quiescence, namely analytical cessation and suchness. The truth of the path has three kinds: first, the path of full understanding; second, the path of permanent severance; third, the path of realization. It should be understood that, regarding the discriminated, attached-to nature, there is only full understanding; regarding the dependent nature, there is full understanding and permanent severance; regarding the perfectly accomplished nature, there is full understanding and realization — and so the truth of the path is established in dependence on these three.

What does this mean? The conventional truth has three kinds: first, the merely designated conventional; second, the functioning conventional; third, the manifest conventional. These three, in order, are established in dependence on the three root truths. The ultimate truth likewise has three kinds: first, the ultimate as meaning — suchness, the object of supreme wisdom, called the ultimate as meaning; second, the ultimate as attainment — nirvāṇa, the supreme fruit and also a genuine benefit; third, the ultimate as correct practice — the noble path, since it takes the supreme dharma as its meaning. These three should be understood as established only in dependence on the perfectly accomplished nature among the three roots. This perfectly accomplished nature has, in total, two kinds, distinguished as unconditioned and conditioned. The unconditioned wholly comprises suchness and nirvāṇa, since these are without change — hence called the perfectly accomplished nature. The conditioned wholly comprises the entire noble path, since it is without inversion regarding its object — hence it, too, is called the perfectly accomplished nature.

What does this mean? Where a matter is commonly established by worldly convention, entered into through habitual practice, and grasped by ordinary understanding — where all the world alike holds this thing to be earth and not fire, form and not sound, and so on — this is called worldly-established truth. Among the three root truths, this is established only in dependence on the discriminated, attached-to nature. Where there is a rational principle that the wise and learned, capable of careful investigation, establish and set forth by relying on the three valid means of knowledge in accordance with reasoning — this is called rationally-established truth. This is established in dependence on all three root truths.

The truth that is the domain of wisdom purified of the two obstructions — the afflictive and the cognitive — is established only in dependence on the perfectly accomplished nature among the three root truths, since the other two natures are not the object of this purified wisdom.

What does this mean? The five things — characteristic and the rest — are, each as appropriate, subsumed under the three root truths: name is subsumed under the discriminated, attached-to nature; characteristic and discrimination are subsumed under the dependent nature; the perfectly accomplished nature subsumes suchness and correct wisdom.

What does this mean? The seven — transmigration, and the rest — are, each as appropriate, subsumed under the three root truths: transmigration, establishment, and wrong practice depend, among the roots, on the discriminated, attached-to nature and the dependent nature; true character, Consciousness-Only, purity, and correct practice are established, among the roots, in dependence on the perfectly accomplished nature.

What does this mean? The meaning of "aggregate" should be known as, in brief, threefold: first, the meaning of non-singularity, as scripture says, "all form, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, coarse or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near"; second, the meaning of total collection, as scripture says, "all this is, in brief, gathered into a single mass"; third, the meaning of division into parts, as scripture says, "this is called the aggregate of form," and so on, each characteristic separately established. By this meaning of a gathered mass, the meaning of "aggregate" is established.

The seed-nature of the grasper means the six inner elements — the eye and the rest. The seed-nature of the grasped means the six outer elements — form and the rest. The seed-nature of that which takes hold of both means the six consciousness-elements — eye-consciousness and the rest.

Here, the gateway of function for the receiver is the six inner sense-fields; the gateway of function for the cognized object is the six outer sense-fields.

Where there is neither exaggeration nor denial regarding cause, effect, and function, this is the meaning of dependent origination. Exaggerating the cause means holding that the formations and the rest have some unequal, independent cause; denying the cause means holding they have no cause at all. Exaggerating the effect means holding that a real self, formations, and the rest arise conditioned by ignorance; denying the effect means holding that ignorance and the rest have no such effect. Exaggerating the function means holding that ignorance and the rest have some separate, real function in generating the formations; denying the function means holding they have no capacity whatsoever to do so. Where one is free of these three kinds of exaggerating and denying misapprehension, one should be known as skilled in dependent origination.

The meaning of the possible and the impossible should be known through seven ways in which one is not subject to free control. First, not free regarding the undesirable: through bad conduct, even without any wish for it, one falls into an unfortunate destiny. Second, not free regarding the desirable: through excellent conduct, even without any wish for it, one rises to a fortunate destiny. Third, not free regarding purity: without cutting off the five hindrances and cultivating the seven factors of enlightenment, one cannot possibly reach the very limit of suffering. Fourth, not free regarding co-arising: in one world-system, two tathāgatas, or two wheel-turning kings, do not appear at the same time. Fifth, not free regarding supreme mastery: a woman does not become a wheel-turning king, and so on. Sixth, not free regarding attainment: a woman does not realize solitary buddhahood or unsurpassed, perfect bodhi [in that very body]. Seventh, not free regarding function: one who has seen the truths will never actually commit an act such as killing a living being.

The twenty-two faculties are established with governing power over six matters: the six faculties — the eye and the rest — have governing power over grasping their objects; the life-faculty has governing power over the continuity sustaining one lifetime; the male and female faculties have governing power over the continuation of family lines; the five faculties able to experience the fruits of good and bad karma have governing power over that experience; the five faculties of faith and the rest have governing power over worldly purity; and the faculty of "coming to know what is not yet known" and the rest have governing power over supramundane purity.

Regarding cause and effect, already or not yet experienced, the meaning of the three times should each be known: where both cause and effect have already been experienced, this is the meaning of the past; where neither has yet been experienced, this is the meaning of the future; where the cause has already been experienced but the effect not yet, this is the meaning of the present.

The truths should be known as the four noble truths. First, the noble truth of suffering: all feeling, and the provisions for feeling, since scripture says all feeling is suffering — "the provisions for feeling" are the dharmas that give rise to feeling. Second, the noble truth of origin: the very formations that are the cause of that suffering. Third, the noble truth of cessation: the ultimate cessation of these first two. Fourth, the noble truth of the path: the very path that serves as the remedy for suffering and its origin.

The vehicles are the three vehicles. One who, having heard from another of nirvāṇa's virtues and saṃsāra's faults, gives rise to this wisdom, and by it attains liberation, belongs to the śrāvaka vehicle. One who, without hearing this from another, gives rise of themselves to this same wisdom, and by it attains liberation, belongs to the solitary-buddha vehicle. One who spontaneously gives rise to non-discriminating wisdom, and by it attains liberation, belongs to the unsurpassed vehicle.

Here, the designated means name and the rest; the cause means the storehouse consciousness, comprising the seeds; the characteristic means the vessel-world and the body, together with the requisites of experience, and also the evolving consciousnesses, comprising manas, the grasping [five sense-consciousnesses], and thinking. "Manas" means the consciousness whose nature is constant deliberation; "that which grasps" means the five sense-consciousnesses, since they grasp their present objects; "thinking" is the sixth, mental consciousness, since it can discriminate every object. Thus the designated, the cause, the characteristic, and their conjoined dharmas are together called the conditioned. As for quiescence, it means the cessation realized and the path that realizes it, since both are capable of quiescence. Its own observed object means suchness itself, since it is the object the quiescent path takes as its condition. What has been described — quiescence, and its own observed object — is together called the unconditioned.

What does this mean? Each of these ten — the aggregates and the rest — has three meanings. Take the aggregate of form: it has three meanings. First, form as the attached-to meaning — the discriminated, attached-to nature of form. Second, form as the discriminated meaning — the dependent nature of form, since here it is discrimination itself that constitutes form. Third, form as the dharma-nature meaning — the perfectly accomplished nature of form. Just as the aggregate of form has these three meanings, so too do the remaining four aggregates, and the nine further categories — the elements and the rest — each as appropriate. In this way, the aggregates and the rest, through this threefold distinction of meaning, are entirely subsumed within the three natures — and so it should be known that the truth of the ten skillful means is, in every case, established in dependence on the three root truths.