Three major aspects of body analysis

A combination of body and appearance. The essence that does not change and is the basis for different phenomena is called substance, and the different phenomena that appear based on the substance are called appearance. The essence is the one, absolute, infinite, and constant nature of the Dharma; while the appearance is the non-one, relative, finite, and extraordinary appearance of the Dharma.

All dharmas have three

Only Chinese Buddhism talks about the three major aspects of substance, appearance and function. The Southern and Tibetan Buddhism do not discuss them. The "Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana" says: "All dharmas possess the three major elements." The wisdom of Chinese Buddhism is very high, and its theories are not inferior to those of Tibetan Buddhism.

If you want to understand a person, an event or a phenomenon, you can use the physical form to understand it, which is very useful. The essence is the nature of all things. All things are impermanent, so they are empty. Appearance is the manifested phenomenon. Anything that can be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched by the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body, and that is felt and thought of by the five senses is appearance. As long as you have a photo, it will be useful. Different phases have different uses. For example, if clay is made into a bowl (image), it has the function of a bowl; if it is made into a cup (image), it has the function of a cup; but if it is made into a Buddha statue, it is different. Its function will make Buddhists feel respectful and pay homage to the Buddha and Bodhisattva statues. Ladies and gentlemen, would we bow to a bowl? A cup? Because its phases are different, the functions it produces are different. Of course, a practitioner must not be attached to appearances and must be able to experience emptiness, so a practitioner will respect all sentient beings and all dharma realms. This is another matter. But no matter what, different phases will produce different effects.

For example, a teacher is a teacher in school and in front of students, and is respected; but when he returns home, in front of his parents, he is no longer a teacher, and he can no longer ask a certain student to help the teacher get the lunch box (we often helped the teacher get the lunch box when we were young). When taking the bus, you are not allowed to avoid paying just because you are a teacher. Because they play different roles, they have different appearances and are used differently.

Why do Buddhists not cling to appearances? Because after becoming formless, the functions can be infinite. Otherwise, if you think that you are great and can only play that role, then you can only play the role of that role. When you go home, you won't clean or take out the trash. If you are attached to your identity, you will not be able to play other roles. Buddhism wants us not to be attached to appearances because it wants to display infinite and boundless appearances and thus bring out infinite and boundless functions. Because we want to serve all living beings, we have to play different roles.

When we deal with problems in our daily life or at work, we can approach them from three angles based on physical appearance. In Buddhism, some methods are practiced by the great body, some methods are practiced by the great appearance, and some methods are practiced by the great function. When we practice the method, we need to understand that it is approached from the perspective of great substance, great appearance, or great function, otherwise we will be confused. Sometimes we think that some methods are superstitious, and some methods are incomprehensible to everyone because we don’t know which of the three major doors of body, form and use that method is approached.

Using a big cut-in - the gate of faith and aspiration

What does it mean to make a big entry? Use means function, as long as there is a phase, there will be a function. From the method of using the great entry, such as chanting mantras, reciting the Buddha's name, or praying for the blessings of the Three Jewels, these are all entered through the great entry, and the method established is the door of faith and aspiration. That is, I have faith in Buddhism, in a certain Bodhisattva or Buddha, and in a certain sutra. No matter what others say, I just believe that the Western Pure Land exists, that Amitabha Buddha is compassionate and merciful, and that the merits of the Lotus Sutra are immeasurable. No matter what others say, I don’t care, because I have faith and vows, I have deep faith and vows, and I dare to take on things. This is the reason why I use the method of practice with a big entry point. The practice method of using the Great Entry is very effective for the general public, because it is unlikely for the general public to meditate and study Buddhist scriptures. But if you tell them to worship Buddha, recite sutras, and repent, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will help you, most of them will accept it and it will be easy for them to respond and feel it. Because if your heart is sincere, you will definitely feel it. This is cultivation from a broad perspective.

The Gate of Compassion

The second is to approach it from a broader perspective, such as viewing images, worshiping Buddha, visualizing a certain Buddha, or visualizing the Pure Land. This is entering through appearance. In terms of the practice of Buddhism, this is called 囗囗 (Editor’s note: the second half of the original sentence is missing and needs to be confirmed and corrected. The meaning of this sentence should refer to "the practice of visualizing the mandala of the deity"). Seeing the compassionate image of Guanyin Bodhisattva will calm our hearts, and we can report any pain or unpleasantness to Guanyin Bodhisattva. Why should the statues of the Three Holy Ones of the West be placed next to the dying for them to see? Because Amitabha Buddha has a compassionate appearance, he uses his compassionate and kind appearance to allow every living being to gain psychological support. This is to practice from the perspective of great appearance, and great appearance means compassion.

Body University cuts into the door of wisdom

Let’s talk about the great body. The great body is Muni. Muni is silence and stillness. The so-called silence means that the mind is very peaceful and is not affected by the environment. The heart is still and calm, even though the outside environment is always in turmoil, but the heart is still and quiet, this belongs to the category of body size. The most important practice is to observe emptiness. For example, by observing with Prajna wisdom, that is, by using transcendent wisdom to face all situations, you can transcend appearances and directly enter into emptiness. As the Diamond Sutra says: If one sees all things as not being things, then one sees the Tathagata. This is to practice from the perspective of the essence. It does not mention faith and vows, nor does it mention compassion. It relies entirely on wisdom. If you see that all things are not things, then you will see the Tathagata. Appearance is the greatest appearance. Whenever you see a certain appearance, you will know that it is not the true face of this appearance, and then you can see the Tathagata. Because sentient beings are attached to external appearances and are unable to see the true nature, they are unable to see emptiness and therefore their thoughts and actions are influenced by external appearances.

The great body mentioned in Buddhism is emptiness, complete emptiness, complete Tathagata nature. Emptiness and Tathagata nature are formless, shapeless and colorless. No physical description can explain the vastness of the body as mentioned in Buddhism. Therefore, we cannot understand the vastness of the body, but can only understand it through the vastness of appearance and function. Because the body is so big that ordinary people cannot understand it. I tell you that it is empty after all, and there is no self after all. I say that there is no self in people and no self in dharma. Ordinary people cannot understand it.

Therefore, the better method for people to practice is to use big, and the second best method is to use big. As for great power, as long as you have faith and make a vow, there will definitely be a response; as for appearance, one must look for its compassionate and dignified appearance. Why is it said that the Western Pure Land has both dependent and true adornments? The environment there is very solemn, and all sentient beings there are great bodhisattvas, bodhisattvas who will never regress, because it presents a great appearance. The easiest to repair is a large one, followed by a large one in appearance, and a large one in body is the most difficult to repair. The purpose of the body is to understand the ultimate emptiness of all dharmas and to practice based on the ultimate emptiness of all dharmas. Although the words in the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra are very simple, they are completely different from our logical concepts and life experiences. Why? Because the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra talk about the practice of the body, and the practice of the body is the door to wisdom. Use wisdom, what wisdom? It is to use the wisdom of Prajna, the wisdom of observation.

Prajna of Reality Prajna of Contemplation Prajna of Words

Wisdom can be divided into three types: one is the Prajna of Reality, which is the great body. The second is the Prajna of Contemplation, which is the great form. The third is the Prajna of words, which is great in use. All the scriptures, especially the Prajna Sutras, are the words spoken or taught by the Buddha with the mind of Prajna of Reality (that is, the mind of emptiness) and the wisdom of ultimate emptiness that is non-attachment and completely transcendent, according to the needs of the roots of sentient beings. This is the textual Prajna. When later generations write it down or translate it into Chinese or other languages, it will be useful. Later generations understand the truth of knowledge based on the scriptures or the master's teachings, that is, based on the written Prajna. Therefore, we should always bring up the Prajna of observation and contemplation, and use the wisdom of observation and contemplation to observe and illuminate, and not be hindered by external appearances. As the Diamond Sutra says: If one sees all things as not being things, then one sees the Tathagata. There should be no self-image, no image of others, no image of living beings, and no image of life. One should transcend all external appearances. It’s not that external appearances don’t exist, but that we are not affected by them. We know that external appearances are caused by conditions, and that all phenomena are empty. We have obtained the textual prajna from our master and the scriptures, so we must always have the contemplative prajna. Once the contemplative prajna arises, we can always enter into the real prajna. Therefore, we say that the Buddha expressed the truth that he realized in accordance with the Prajna of Reality. In order to make his disciples understand, what he said according to the disciples’ aptitude became the Prajna of Words. We, the later generations, should start with the Prajna of words and observe and contemplate at all times according to the scriptures or the teachings of our master. When observing, the mind must be clear. The mind must clearly understand that these are all external appearances, and then distinguish what is the substance, what is the appearance, and what is the function. You must know that the nature of all things must be emptiness, because all things are constantly changing and are impermanent. They do not have any characteristics that allow them to exist independently. This is called the great nature of the body.

We apply these three aspects of body appearance in our daily life and they are very useful. When you encounter a situation or an event, you start to think about it. This is the great substance, and the great substance must be empty; the great appearance is born from causes and conditions and destroyed by causes and conditions; the great use is based on the appearance.

The function of the mind is called consciousness

Why do we need to observe and be mindful at all times? Because when we do not practice, the function of our mind is called consciousness. Psychologists say there is conscious, subconscious, and unconscious. Original Buddhism said there are five consciousnesses and six consciousnesses, while the Mahayana Yogacara school said there are eight consciousnesses. Later, the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra and the Destiny Collection called the Avalokitesvara consciousness the ninth consciousness. Later, the Mahayana Sutra established the one and only mind as the tenth consciousness. Let’s use the six consciousnesses to explain. In psychology, this is only surface consciousness. The seventh consciousness is what psychology calls the subconscious. We often talk about subconscious actions because the sixth consciousness originates from the seventh consciousness and is influenced by the seventh consciousness at all times. It is very subtle, and we often act without understanding our subconsciousness because we are affected by the subconscious. The eighth consciousness may be equivalent to the subconscious mind in psychology, but the function of the eighth consciousness is broader than that of the subconscious mind, because it includes the continuous flow of the past, present and future lives, and brings the past karma of body, speech and mind into the future.

It's not easy to be alone

From the perspective of surface consciousness, the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body consciousness of all of us act on the external world, but when these five consciousnesses act, they must work together with the sixth consciousness, which is called the five-consciousness. The five consciousnesses must first have an intention. For example, the mind will see something only when it wants to see it; I can hear you talking only when I want to listen to you talk. If I don’t want to listen to you talk, I will not hear you no matter how loud your loudspeaker is, because my mind has already wandered away. There must be intention first, and that intention is the sixth consciousness, that is, attention, which is the five-associated consciousness. Therefore, our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body are always influenced by the external environment. It is not easy for a person to retreat and be alone. Our five senses are very busy and scattered, and must have something to rely on. For example, we must watch TV when we get home. If we can go without watching TV for twenty or thirty years and not be affected by the external environment, then we must be a great practitioner. It is not easy to go into seclusion. This is the five consciousnesses.

The function of the mind transcends time and space and is the most difficult to master.

The sixth consciousness has the greatest function, that is, the function of the mind. The function of the mind transcends time and space, and is the most difficult to master. The eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, and body consciousness will all be affected by time and space. The five consciousnesses are affected by time and space. Time is only in the present, so we can only see things in the present, and hear sounds in the present. Our eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body are all affected by time and space. We cannot see things from the past, nor can we see things from the future. We can only see things from the present. We cannot hear the sounds from the past, nor can we hear the sounds from the future. We can only hear the sounds from the present. It is affected by time and space, and there must be a certain distance, a certain amount of light, and certain harmonious conditions. Therefore, our five consciousnesses are all limited by time and space. But our sixth consciousness, our chaotic mind, is beyond time and space. We can think about what happened yesterday, what happened ten years ago, or when we were children. We can also plan what we will do tomorrow, next year, or the future. We can make random associations there. We can transcend space. Now we don’t have to think about things inside the Buddhist temple. We can think about things at home, things in Kaohsiung, things in the United States, or anything else. Therefore, the sixth consciousness mind transcends time and space and is the most difficult to deal with and the most difficult to master.