Issue 299

“Considering it this way, what is clear and still is called space, and what moves is called dust. The word ‘dust,’ then, means ‘that which moves.'”
The Buddha said, “So it is!”

“Considering it this way, what is clear and still is called space. The light of wisdom shines on the dust-particles of affliction, as in Ajnatakaundinya’s analogy of the sun shining through the crack. The dark caverns of ignorance are illuminated, and when you see the dust of affliction you understand. Clear and still, it does not move, and that is called space. And what moves is called dust. The word ‘dust,’ then, means ‘that which moves.'” You see the bits of dust in the patch of sunshine dancing and flying about ceaselessly. What is this dust? It represents affliction, ignorance, the affliction of obstacle, and the obstacle of what is known. Attachment to those things is called “dust.”

After Ajnatakaundinya finished speaking, the Buddha gave him positive certification. He said, “What you have said is correct.” The Buddha said, “So it is!” What moves is dust, what does not move is space. Your theory is not mistaken!

Then in the midst of the great assembly the Thus Come One bent his five-wheeled fingers. After bending them, he opened them again. After he opened them, he bent them again, and he asked Ananda, “What do you see now?”
Ananda said, “I see the Thus Come One’s hundred-jeweled wheeled palms opening and closing in the midst of the assembly.”
The Buddha said to Ananda, “You see my hand open and close in the assembly. Is it my hand that opens and closes, or is it your seeing that opens and closes?”
Ananda said, “The World Honored One’s jeweled hand opened and closed in the assembly. I saw the Thus Come One’s hand itself open and close; it was not my seeing-nature that opened and closed.”
The Buddha said, “What moves and what is still?”
Ananda said, “The Buddha’s hand does not remain at rest. And since my seeing-nature is beyond even stillness, how could it not be at rest?”
The Buddha said, “So it is!”

The Buddha was concerned that most people in the great assembly still had not understood the genuine seeing-nature. Then in the midst of the great assembly the Thus Come One bent his five-wheeled fingers. After bending them, he opened them again. After he opened them, he bent them again. At that time the World Honored One bent his fingers, then stretched them out again, and clenched and unclenched his fist several times, and he asked Ananda, “What do you see now?” What do you see right now?

Ananda said, “I see the Thus Come One’s hundred-jeweled wheeled palms. On the Buddha’s hand is the hallmark of a thousand-spoked wheel. Ananda refers to it as the hundred-jeweled wheeled palm, opening and closing in the midst of the assembly.

The Buddha said to Ananda, “You see my hand open and close in the assembly. Is it my hand that opens and closes, or is it your seeing that opens and closes?” When you see my fist opening and closing, is it my fist that opens and closes, or is it your seeing of my fist that does the opening and closing?”

Ananda said, “The World Honored One’s jeweled hand opened and closed in the assembly. I saw the Thus Come One’s hand itself open and close.” He said, “World Honored One, it is your hundred-jeweled wheeled palm that opens and closes. It was not my seeing-nature that opened and closed. My seeing-nature, which does the seeing, does not open and close. It is you that made the movement which caused me to see your hand open and close. There is no open or close in my seeing.”

Buddha was still concerned that Ananda had not genuinely understood. So, he asked another question.

The Buddha said, “What moves and what is still?” Ananda said, “The Buddha’s hand does not remain at rest. And since my seeing-nature is beyond even stillness, how could it not be at rest?” Then how could it not be at rest? In order words, it moved. Ananda says. Since the seeing-nature doesn’t even have the characteristic of stillness, how could it possibly have movement. It does not move.

Why does he say it doesn’t even have the characteristic of stillness? Because stillness comes from movement. If there isn’t any movement, then basically there isn’t any stillness. So, it is said that there is no coming out of the Great Shurangama Samadhi and no entering it. That’s the principle here. “Nagas are always in samadhi. There is never a time when they are not in samadhi.” With the Shurangama Samadhi, Nagas are always in samadhi. Since they are never not in samadhi, they never enter it and never leave it.

Thus Ananda said, “My seeing-nature, by which I see you, is devoid even of stillness. It is beyond the characteristic of movement or its opposite, stillness.” Without movement, there is no stillness; both characteristics are gone. They are fundamentally unobtainable, non-existent, and they cannot be found.

Once again the Buddha agrees. The Buddha said, “So it is!” What you say is right. That’s the way it is!”

Then from his wheeled palm the Thus Come One sent a precious ray of light flying to Ananda’s right. Ananda immediately turned his head and glanced to the right. He then sent another ray of light to Ananda’s left. Ananda again turned his head and glanced to the left. The Buddha said to Ananda, “Why did your head move just now?”
Ananda said, “I saw the Thus Come One emit a wonderful precious light which came by my left and right, and so I looked to the left and right. My head moved of itself.”
“Ananda, when you glanced at the Buddha’s light and moved your head to the left and right, was it your head that moved or your seeing that moved?”
“World Honored One, my head moved of itself. Since my seeing-nature is beyond even cessation, how could it move?”
The Buddha said, “So it is!”

Then from his wheeled palm the Thus Come One sent a precious ray of light flying to Ananda’s right. From the Buddha’s hundred-jeweled wheeled palm, the ray of light flew swift as a bird or like a lightning. That’s more or less what it was like. It could also be likened to a flashlight, in that as soon as you turn it on, the light shoots out. The precious light which the Buddha can emit from his hand is clearer than the light of a flashlight. As soon as the precious light went flying by Ananda on his right side, Ananda immediately turned his head and glanced to the right. He turned his head to watch where the light flew, and how far. Ananda look like this: (Venerable Master turn his head) and look back.

He then sent another ray of light to Ananda’s left. From the Buddha’s wheeled palm came forth another ray of light. Where did it go? It went to Ananda’s left. Ananda again turned his head and glanced to the left. He took a look to his left. It’s likes a searchlight which shoots light out into space so that things can be seen for great distances.

The Buddha said to Ananda, “Why did your head move just now?” The Buddha questioned Ananda further. “Why did your head move as you glanced left and right?”

Ananda said, “I saw the Thus Come One emit a wonderful precious light which came by my left and right, and so I looked to the left and right. My head moved of itself. It came by my right side and then by my left side. My head moved because I was watching the light.”

The Buddha asked Ananda again, “Ananda, when you glanced at the Buddha’s light and moved your head to the left and right, was it your head that moved or your seeing that moved? Which moved back and forth, your head or your seeing-nature?”

“World Honored One, my head moved of itself.” Ananda answered that his head moved by itself. Since my seeing-nature, which is capable of seeing, is beyond even cessation, how could it move? It doesn’t even have the characteristic of ceasing. The meaning is the same as in the previous passage. If the seeing-nature has no characteristic of cessation – which is to say, if it has no characteristic of stillness – then it can’t have the characteristic of movement, either. This is how Ananda answered the Buddha. The seeing-nature is in a state of unmoving suchness.

The Buddha said, “What you’ve just said is right!” The Buddha said, “So it is!” You understand the principle correctly. Earlier, you mistook a thief for your son when you insisted on taking false thinking to be your true mind. But now you understand that your seeing-nature does not move. Now there is a little hope for you.” Thus the Buddha replies in a pleased way with a word of praise.

Then the Thus Come One told everyone in the great assembly, “Suppose other living beings called what moves ‘the dust’ and what does not dwell ‘the guest’?

Then the Thus Come One told everyone in the great assembly, at that point the Buddha told the great assembly, “Now that you’ve heard me explain this doctrine, it’s certain that you all understand it very clearly. There is no need for me to say more. But suppose other living beings called what moves ‘the dust’ and what does not dwell ‘the guest’? Perhaps there are other living beings who call “dust” the things which move and name “guest” what does not reside at a place. Why is it that way?