The Dharmadhatu
In general, we can know that, of all the phenomena that cause samsara and nirvana, not one of them moves from the expanse of the dharmadhatu. The essential nature of samsara and nirvana is nothing other than the dharmadhatu. Yet, it is the case that we do not realize that; we do not realize the genuine
nature of reality. Therefore, we have the confused appearances, the mental afflictions and the suffering that constitutes samsara. Because of our ignorance of the dharmadhatu, we go around in samsara.
The way to realize the dharmadhatu, the way to come into experience of it is, first, to apply oneself to listening to explanations of what the dharmadhatu is. Next, one should think about the meaning of these explanations and come to certainty about them. Then, one should meditate with
this certainty, habituate oneself to the reality that is the dharmadhatu. Through this meditation one will eventually, definitely, come to experience the dharmadhatu directly. Because of that, one's ignorance will cease and when ignorance ceases, all of the mental afflictions, the kleshas that come out of ignorance, cease. Then all of the difficulties that constitute samsara cease. This is nothing more than the state of nirvana. Therefore, it is the case that the dharmadhatu, or the Buddha
potential, have the same meaning.  THE SOURCE OF THE EYE SENSE CONSCIOUSNESS: EYE AND FORM
The first verse (v. 38):In dependence on eye and form
Unstained appearances appear
Since these neither arise or cease
They are the dharmadhatu, though they
are imagined to be otherwise
The Focal and the Empowering Conditions The common explanation for how the eye sense consciousness arises is that it arises in dependence upon two conditions: the focal condition, which is the form on which it is focusing, and the empowering condition, which is the eye
sense faculty.When we examine the empowering condition, which is the eye sense faculty itself, we look at that and try to find something that is really there. When we look at the eye sense faculty, we find that we can divide it into parts, then divide those parts into parts, and finally divide those parts into the smallest, tiniest atoms. However, even these have more parts, and those parts have more parts, leading us to the realization that we cannot find anything there at
all. The eye sense faculty is not made of anything. This is not something that is a mere statement of belief of Buddhist view. It is a conclusion that we all can reach with our own investigation and intelligence: the eye sense faculty is not made up of anything and, therefore, does not exist. This fact, that it does not exist, is the dharmadhatu. The focal condition of the eye sense consciousness, the form we see, is composed of shape and color. There are many different kinds of shape, such
as square, circular or triangular, and there are many different colors, such as white, yellow, red or green. But again, if we investigate each of these in terms of shape and color, we cannot find a single existent atom. We find that form itself is not made of any substantial particles and that this form itself does not exist. In this way, we can see that the focal condition and the empowering condition, the two conditions that bring about the eye sense consciousness, are not
made of anything. They are not composed of matter or particles. Because they transcend both, for this reason, they are the dharmadhatu. Moreover, since there is nothing there to bring anything about, nothing there of substance, the eye sense consciousness that arises based on them, is also of the nature of dharmadhatu. It never really arises; it never really ceases. It is mere clarity, which is free from ever happening and free from ever stopping. |
