The Nature Of Reality - Verse Thirty Nine

Interdependent manifestation has two aspects -
deluded mind and true mind.
Deluded mind is imaginary construction.
True mind is fulfilled nature.

It is said that when Empress Wu established her Zhou dynasty empire, she invited Fazang to her court to receive instructions on Buddhism from him. Fazang presented the essential teachings to her using the example of a golden lion in her court.

In her court was a lion made of gold. Fazang explained that reality has three natures. Parinispanna svabhava - the gold. It is the ultimate nature. To perceive the gold is to touch suchness. The nature of gold does not change when it is molded into the shape of a lion. The parikalpita svabhava is to perceive the golden lion - a construction and to think that the construction is reality. The paratantra svabhav is the interdependent nature of reality - to perceive that the golden lion is dependent on causes and conditions.

The deluded mind is caught in the parikalpita nature. It perceives the conventional nature of reality. The true mind, on the other hand, touches suchness. It perceives the gold - the ultimate nature of reality. To switch from parikalpita nature (samsara) to parinispanna svabhava (nirvana) we must practice looking at the paratantra svabhava, the interdependent nature of reality.

Just like how the golden lion is the construction of skilled artisans, the parikalpita svabhava is a creation of the deluded mind. It thinks that the golden lion has come into existence and when the golden lion is molded into, say, a golden peacock, the deluded mind thinks the golden lion does not exist anymore. It views the golden lion and the golden peacock as separate from each other. It is unable to recognize the transformation. The deluded mind creates suffering.

The true mind is able to recognize the gold - the ultimate nature of reality. This is the realm of things-in-themselves.

Thus samsara and nirvana are two aspects of the same reality.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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