Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. The rope mistaken for a snake — Khensur Rinpoche uses this image to frame the central objection a lower Buddhist tenet raises against the Prāsaṇgika view: if nothing inherently exists, conventional truth must be nothing more than a mistaken perception, like seeing a snake where there is only rope. In this 102-minute commentary on Śāntideva’s ninth chapter, he first completes the four placements of mindfulness by explaining why both compounded things (which disintegrate the instant they arise) and uncompounded things lack inherent existence. The main argument then unpacks the Prāsaṇgika response: conventional phenomena exist “merely conventionally,” grounded in the interplay of dependent origination and emptiness, confirmed by the Heart Sūtra lines “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.” A Q&A on vacuum as an uncompounded phenomenon — why it has parts, why it does not perish — concludes the session. For practitioners already following this ongoing Mādhyamika study series.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 05 Ch9 Wisdom 1994 08 30.mp3
UUID: e3ef6f20-1b55-40c4-bfa2-41b0c7bfb8b3
Teacher: Khensur Rinpoche
Collection: Śāntideva Ch9 Wisdom (Khensur Rinpoche)
Date: 1994-08-30
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 102.0 minutes
Words: ~6,190
Śāntideva, the author of the ninth chapter, says, therefore, the birth of all phenomena is not seen to be existent. This part is where, from our earlier Tuesday evening sessions, we were discussing the two selflessnesses or the two emptinesses, the selflessness of the person and of phenomena. And in our study into the selflessness of phenomena, we looked at it through the meditation on the placement of four mindfulnesses, among which the first three mindfulnesses have been finished. Now, tonight, we look at the placement of the mindfulness on phenomena. The reason why there are classifications of mindfulness into four types is more from the perspective of the focus of meditation.
Whether it is with the variation on the focus of meditation, then there are these four types of placement of mindfulnesses. For example, where the focused meditation is on the body, where one realizes the emptiness upon the body, and through that realization, when one retains the mindfulness or the memory or the awareness of the body being inherently non existent, that becomes the placement of mindfulness of the body. In the second case, where the focus of meditation is the feeling, one realizes the feelings are not inherently existing, therefore there is emptiness upon the feeling, which, having realized, one retains the mindfulness of it becoming the mindfulness of feeling. Similarly, that applies with the mind. Now, these three already have been explained in our previous sessions.
Now we are at the fourth, which is the placement of the mindfulness phenomena. Here, the focused object of which the emptiness is being realized and maintained in mindfulness covers quite a many range of varieties of phenomena. For example, there are so many phenomena apart from those previous three. For example, within the phenomena or the mindfulness of phenomena, are the aggregates, the person, the five objects of the senses, such as form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and so on. Likewise, there are many other phenomena within that, such as compounded phenomena and uncompounded phenomena.
In brief, then here in the fourth mindfulness, one firstly establishes how all these range of phenomena do not have inherent existence, therefore they are empty or they have emptiness nature. And that realization being retained in one’s mindfulness or awareness becomes the mindfulness of phenomena. From one way of classification, all phenomena can be classified into two groups: the compounded phenomena and uncompounded phenomena, or alternatively the products and non products. Therefore, here in the fourth placement of mindfulness, one firstly establishes how compounded phenomena or products are not inherently existent, therefore they are of emptiness nature. Now looking into that, let’s first say what are compounded phenomena and what are the varying views regarding it. Well, as far as the two lower Buddhist tenets go, the specific exponents in the discourse group, they assert that compounded phenomena inherently exist in the manner that they are first produced or they are born, and then they abide, and then they perish.
So there is with compounded phenomena three phases of existence: birth, abiding, and perish. Therefore they are inherently existent. To counter such lower Buddhist tenets explanation, it is put forth back to them. It is not true that phenomena, compounded phenomena in this case do inherently exist in the manner of born being abiding and perishing because when a phenomena or a compounded thing is produced or when it comes into being, then the very second moment of its existence perish because things don’t last the next moment. By that very reasoning, it is absurd to say that things abide the second moment because when they are born or when they’re produced, the very next moment they actually perish, being momentarily disintegrating.
Due to such a way of countering the reasoning back to them, it is explained that there is not any inherently existing compounded thing which could be described as being born, abiding and perishing. Here the point being established is that the very fact the phenomena, in do not remain unchanging or unperishing the next moment itself indicates that the compounded thing is not inherently existing. Because the opposite of that is if phenomena or here the compounded thing do exist inherently then it is not possible for it to become subject to perish or change or disintegration the next moment. It should always remain the same, unchanging. Be.
But in actual observation of things, how they stand, it is not that because compounded things do disintegrate the next moment they are formed. The reason they disintegrate or perish the next moment they are formed is because they depend on their causes and conditions. It is due to being dependent on their causes and conditions that they are subject to perish and disintegration the next moment. This very fact about them actually indicates that compounded things are not independent, they are dependent phenomena. If they are dependent phenomena because they depend on their causes and conditions.
So if they are dependent phenomena then it by that way as well indicates that they cannot be inherently existing due to the fact that they are dependent. Also that’s how the compounded things are not inherently existing. Next is to establish the uncompounded things as not inherently existing. In there, it is firstly quite clear. If in the case of compounded things that they do not inherently exist, then there is far more ground why uncompounded things would not exist inherently.
Meaning, if compounded things do not exist inherently then it is quite more a matter of no doubt about the uncompounded things being not inherently existent. You would recall from one of the earlier sessions that Lord tenets within Buddhism bring the same reasoning to prove things or phenomena inherently exist. Their same reasoning is that according to the very fact things are produced by their causes and conditions indicate they are inherently existing. But the same reasoning when applied by the Prāsaṇgika or the Prāsaṇgika Mādhyamika, the highest Buddhist tenet, becomes a reasoning to prove otherwise that things do not inherently exist. But according to the highest tenet, the Prāsaṇgika, they say by the very fact things depend on causes and conditions for their production indicate that they do not inherently exist.
At any rate, we then, in our earlier session, the discussion already that when it comes to the things produced by causes and conditions, the attack of argument by the lower tenets is very strong, that their assertion about compounded things produced by causes and conditions being inherently existent is much strongly emphasized by them. And they do not seem to have that strong emphasis regarding uncompounded things because uncompounded things are not dependent on their own causes and conditions. So if that’s the case, if we recall then here, as far as proving the uncompounded things as not inherently existent goes, there is less difficulty to convince them because if compounded things are proven to be not inherently existent to them, then that is the stronger the stronger argument was already challenged, in the sense it was proven wrong, then the less stronger argument becomes as well covered by the very disproving of the stronger argument in that way. Nāgārjuna in his fundamental writing called The Main Wisdom says, If compounded things are not inherently existing, then what to talk about the uncompounded things? There we have a clear emphasis if the compounded things which are produced by causes and conditions are proven as not inherently existing, then there is less room to doubt with the uncompounded ones.
Through these ways of analysis, whenever a practitioner establishes compounded as well as the uncompounded phenomena as not inherently existent, the practitioner would again and again meditatively familiarize with realization. As such, whenever there is realization within a person who has entered into the path, then that becomes the nature of the mindfulness of phenomena. Or to paraphrase, in other words, mindfulness of phenomena is a realization within a person who has entered into the path, has firstly, through analysis, established phenomena as not inherently existent and later on have meditatively again and again familiarized with that realization. In doing meditation on mindfulness, the first step to take is to meditate on the mindfulness of the body. When that goes well, then one shifts the meditation to the second, the meditation on the mindfulness of feeling.
When that goes well, then one shifts to the next one, the meditation on the mindfulness of mind. And when that goes well, then one meditates on the mindfulness of phenomena. In this way, the emphasis is that one needs to meditate in serial order. The purpose for which one does the meditation on the four mindfulnesses are in this way: that by meditating on the mindfulness of the body, where one meditates on the genuine characteristic of the body as well as the individual characteristic of the body, Through such meditation one realizes the suffering and miserable nature of the body as specific as to be taken as the aggregate. So through realization of the body miserable in nature, one comes to understand the first of the four truths: true suffering.
Then through meditation on the mindfulness feeling, or where one meditates how pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feeling give rise to the three types of impure thoughts ignorance, attachment, hatred primarily, and all host or other impure thoughts one directly relates it to the second truth, the true origin of suffering. So in that way, it has the purpose to make the practitioner realize the second of four truths. And then when one does meditation on the mindfulness of the mind, where it mainly has to concern about the characteristic about mind, including us, well its potential to become purified and elevate onto higher stages of grounds and path that directly has relevance to one’s coming to understand the third of the four truths, true cessation. And then the meditation on mindfulness phenomena makes the practitioner come to understand the true path. Together these four types of mindfulness meditation greatly helps the practitioner realize and come to understand the four truths.
Well then, it would be asked during what stage on one’s spiritual path one should start meditating on these four? Well, time during which one should start the meditation on these four in a capable way of course, informally speaking, one could meditate any time. But formally speaking, well firstly, let’s look at, say, in the lines such as in the discourse called Essence of Wisdom where there is lines reading, paretha, vadhya, paretha, and so forth, where the lines cover the five paths leading to liberation and enlightenment. When explained, each of those phrases of the mantra refers to the five paths: path of accumulation of merits, path of preparation, path of seeing, path of meditative familiarization, and no-more-learning path. So the first of the five paths is the path of accumulation of merits.
Now that very first part on to enlightenment and liberation, that is the stage where one first intensely and formally start to meditate on the four mindfulnesses. The five paths covers the whole range of mental development to attaining enlightenment, even in the context of the Mahāyāna or the great vehicle part. Now, if there are the five paths, let’s first look at the first part which is the path of accumulation of merits. And regarding that part, it itself is of three phases or three stages: the small path of accumulation of merits, the middling part of the accumulation of merits, and the great part of the accumulation of merits. So path of accumulation of merit itself is of three levels.
Now that is how it stands. Now the meditation on the whole mindfulness is started when one is already on the small part of the accumulation of merits, so already during the initial part. Therefore, during the small path of accumulation of merits, one meditates on the four mindfulnesses and when that becomes well, then one’s state of mind elevates to the second level of the path of accumulation of merits which is the middling level. Now during the middling level the main practitioner has to do is what is called the four perfect forsaking, so literally the four perfect abandonments. Four perfect giving up four perfect abandonments are specific for practices.
A practitioner on that level takes greater interest to abide by. And the four are first two in terms of what not to do, and third and fourth, the two being from the point of what to adopt to do. So the first two are whatever non virtuous actions one has committed in the past, from now onward one makes the determination not to repeat them. And the second is from now onward, to not commit any non virtuous actions which one has not committed in the past. So together, this covers not to commit any non virtuous actions at all.
So it means perfectly giving up any indulgence or committing of non virtuous actions. Then the two to do with what to adopt or to practice is whatever virtuous actions one has done in the past from now onward, one takes the determination to continue to do them perfectly. And the fourth being whatever virtuous actions one has not done so far, one makes the determination from now onward to perfectly do. So these are the four perfect abandonments. In terms of the third and fourth, the term applies in the sense to perfectly abandon any disinterest or lack of enthusiasm towards doing virtuous actions one has done in the past, and the fourth being to give up or perfectly forsake any disinterest or lack of enthusiasm in doing virtuous actions one has not done in the past.
And then during the great stage of the path of accumulation of merits, one specializes in the practice of what is called the four feats of supernatural powers, popularly called the four magical feats. They are more like four abilities to do super conventional feats or activities. The next part is the path of preparation, which itself has four phases. During the first two phases, one specializes in the practice of the seven types of enlightenment features. And during the next two phases, one specializes in the five powers.
And then during the next part is the path of seeing where one specializes in the seven attributes leading to enlightenment. And then during the next part, which is the path of meditative familiarization, one specializes in what is called eight branches of the superior’s practice, what in correct English translation is called the eightfold noble path. So that’s what they are practiced during the path of meditative familiarization and then one becomes enlightened. Therefore, in total, there are what’s called thirty seven attributes leading to enlightenment which one practices during these five levels of path. It perhaps seemed too complicated to go through all those lists.
That’s how the practices would cover. So that’s where the law of the path was. Anyway, we shall not go into discussing all those, so we shall leave it there. Now, let’s go back to the context. Topic topic where now when the Prāsaṇgika Mādhyamika, the highest Buddhist tenet, therefore, so far establishes all phenomena to be not inherently existing, and through that way when the highest tenet says everything does not inherently exist, then there are further arguments or qualms put forth by the lower tenets.
And all those qualms or arguments can be grouped into three major questions put forth by the lower tenets and that’s what then we should look into. The three objections put forth by the lower tenets to the highest tenets start: First is, if things are not inherently existent, then that would mean there are no two truths. The second objection is there are no reasonings — that if things are not inherently existent, then that also would mean that there even is no reasoning. Thirdly, consciousness will have no end, that a consciousness would be followed endlessly by other consciousnesses, so there would be no end to consciousness. This part is where in the ninth chapter the lines read.
In that case there would be none of the two truths. Therefore how would that be possible? Then sentient beings too would be in the state of perennial nirvana and so forth. Anyway, let’s in meaning look at what the part says. The lower tenets then put forth the first objection saying, if things do not inherently exist, then that would mean there are no things or no phenomena at all.
Their such objection is based on their misunderstanding thinking. If things do not inherently exist then they are absolutely non existent because they cannot differentiate between non inherent existence and absolute non existence. Similarly, they assert if things exist then that indicates they must be inherently existent to be observed and functioning and so forth. Therefore, the meaning of inherent existence is not differentiated from mere existence. Based on such misunderstanding, then they put the question, well, in that case there will be no person, as well there will be no aggregates and so forth.
Meaning the lower tenets put forth the objection that if things do not inherently exist then that would mean that there is none of the phenomena such as person, as well there is none of the aggregates of which the person is built up of. So to put in categorically, they would then say there is none of the two truths: the conventional truth phenomena and ultimate truth phenomena. This is referred in terms of a person. If the conventional truth person is not existent because it is not inherently existent, then that very fact that the person, even conventionally, that person which is a conventional truth phenomenon does not exist, that would mean as well that there cannot be an emptiness of that person because to start with the person itself is not to be found. So that’s the argument the lower tenets put forth where the essence of the objection is to say in relation with the person, which is the conventional truth phenomena, is not to be found and therefore the emptiness of the person which is the ultimate truth phenomena as well is not to be found consequently that would mean the two truths are not there.
The lower tenets then, in the same connection, put forth the objection saying, in actual fact, the conventional truth phenomena or conventional phenomena cannot be found existent. But if you insist on meaning if you’re the highest tenet if you insist on to say that conventional phenomena do exist, you probably would present conventional phenomena only in terms of the mistaken consciousness which perceives the conventional phenomena. And if you do so, then that is no different to a consciousness which perceives a motley colored rope mistakenly as a snake. To such a consciousness, there is a retention of the thought that the motley colored rope is a snake, but it is a mistaken consciousness. Being mistaken consciousness, supposedly there is in that thought or in that consciousness the thought retaining a motley colored rope as a snake.
In actual fact, with the motley colored rope there is no snake to be found. Yet, if one is to assert that the conventional phenomenon, the snake, is existing because the consciousness perceiving it retains retains that thought, then that exactly would fit in the present case about conventional phenomena presented as existing due to the fact of consciousness perceiving that. Therefore, in essence, then the lower tenets put forth the objection to the highest tenets saying, In reality conventional phenomena as well cannot be found. If there is any way of presenting conventional phenomena it would be only in terms of a mistaken consciousness which perceives the conventional phenomena. In the case of consciousness retaining motley colored rope as a snake, the existence of snake is presented or is presentable only to the degree in terms of the mistaken consciousness is to be seen as valid.
Otherwise, in actual fact, there’s no snake to be found and therefore to be presented. In the same way, The conventional truth phenomena cannot be presentable to be found or existing because if there is any way of presenting them, then it would be in terms of mistaken consciousness which perceives the conventional phenomena. Therefore, the lower tenets then say it is quite comfortable, meaning decisive, to say that conventional truth phenomena do not exist at all. If conventional truth phenomena do not exist at all, then that would mean there is no way sentient beings would forsake saṃsāra and would attain liberation. All those possibilities do not exist at all.
So do you get the feeling what to do? Sort of perplexed Now to all those arguments, the Prāsaṇgika, the highest tenet, has to provide answer. Śāntideva has to provide the answer. And in providing the answer here, Śāntideva says that you think our perspective about conventional truth is in terms of mistaken consciousness indicates you have not properly become aware how in our system meaning in the Prāsaṇgika Mādhyamika system how conventional truth phenomena are presented. Because that’s not our way of presenting conventional truth.
So in in essence, the paraphrase meaning the answer then given to the lower tenets is it is not in terms of mistaken consciousness that conventional truth phenomena are presented. That’s not the way. Here in accordance with the perspective of the Prāsaṇgika Mādhyamika, the highest tenet, there is a difference between conventional phenomena and merely existing conventionally or existing merely conventionally, because there is this difference. And in the highest tenet’s case, the emphasis is on existing merely conventionally. This perspective or understanding that phenomena exist mere conventionally is possible only if a person firstly have generated within oneself the view realizing phenomena as not inherently existing.
Because out of the force of such view realizing phenomena as not inherently existing, there comes then a real conviction in the undeniable functioning of going and coming happiness and suffering, virtuous actions and non virtuous actions that having realized phenomena as not inherently existing, that realization produces a view that things mere conventionally undeniable function and mere conventionally that one gains the conviction that all these workings of cause and effect, happiness and suffering, virtuous actions and non virtuous actions do become possible. In presenting between the two truths, the conventional truth phenomena, how they exist, the emphasis then they exist in merely mere conventionally existing. And that presentation exist can be presented only if one first have realized the view that things do not inherently exist. So this then is a clarification given back forth to the lower tenets that it is not a mere presentation of a random conventional phenomena. Instead, it is a perspective through realizing firstly the non inherent existence of phenomena.
When one has realized phenomena as not inherently existent, then one would at that stage be able to retain a combination of appearance and emptiness. Emptiness side of phenomena. Regarding appearing phenomena and emptiness, how two are explained is by appearing phenomena it is to be understood in terms of dependent origination that things appear and manifest as produced by way of depending on their cause and conditions. And that is how, in that manner of dependence, they originate and they come into being. So there is that understanding when things appear.
One understands it in terms of dependent origination. By the very fact things originate or produce with dependence on their causes conditions indicates that their nature is emptiness. They lack independent or solid inherent existence, so there is emptiness understanding. A person who has realized the view, that person can be able to assist the appearance of a phenomena with the understanding of emptiness, and understanding of emptiness assisting the presentation of appearing phenomena undeniable. So there is complement what is so called the complementary working of appearing of phenomena their emptiness nature, that the understanding of one assists the others and the other way around.
In that very manner, it is in the combination of appearance dependent origination and emptiness in nature that things mere conventionally exist. And this is how in the Prāsaṇgika, the highest middle way system, how conventional phenomena or so called appearing phenomena are presented as undeniably there. And that is the very perspective of presenting the conventional phenomena from that highest tenets perspective. Therefore, the clarification given back to the lower tenet is that by the mention of conventional truth phenomena, it means how phenomena mere conventionally appear in the combination of appearance and emptiness. That very is the way to present conventional phenomena.
And it is not what what you say that it is to be in terms of mistaken consciousness or perceiving it. Because in that case, the consciousness is mistaken and what it perceives is not to be actually found there, even in its true appearance sense. That is not the meaning of how to present the conventional truth phenomena. Truth nature do exist, but they are not truly existent, they are not inherently existent, yet in that very nature of not inherently existent they undeniably function in that very state there is all feasibility of creating of actions or karma and receiving of the consequences of the karma. Also there is all feasibility of actualization of the paths or the realizations and forsaking of the shortcomings of the mind, so called obscurations.
Therefore, within that nature of being not inherently existent, a whole range of conventional working phenomena can be presented. This gives us very inspiring hint that one can only become able to present conventional truth phenomena or conventional working phenomena only if one firstly have realized emptiness, the non inherent existence of the phenomena. Without firstly realizing emptiness or the non inherent existence of phenomena, one will not be good at presenting the conventional truth phenomena. In the essence of wisdom discourse what is called ‘Heart Sūtra’ we come across the lines: Form is emptiness, emptiness is form, form is no other than emptiness, emptiness is no other than form. Now there it explains form is emptiness.
That indicates that form, due to very fact being not inherently existent, is emptiness in nature. And the second part, emptiness is form, that indicates the very fact that form or any phenomena with gross shape and mass and so forth. The very fact they have emptiness nature itself is the possible ground that they can arise if the causes and conditions are gathered, and that it is through dependence on causes and conditions out of emptiness there is possibility things could manifest into form, into matter. So we then have the second part of the line, emptiness is form, or emptiness is matter, the actual word is form. And then the next two part is where the confirmation on the previous two is given, where the essence is, in that way, the form or the matter and emptiness are neither neither not of separate entity nor of one entity.
So in that way, the last two, form is no other than emptiness and emptiness is no other than form. And therefore we can quite possibly quite well relate how that covers the perspective of the highest tenet within emptiness there is whole feasible ground of appearance of things dependent on causes and conditions which come to be termed as the conventional truth of Therefore, this evening’s main part covered was the first amongst the three objections and the response to that. In the response, it is explained that due to very fact things are of emptiness nature, there is arising or manifestation of conventional truth or phenomena or conventional phenomena. Due to that fact in our system, meaning in the system of the author of the ninth chapter, the Prāsaṇgika system, it is then feasible to present the two truths. And that’s how that point was covered.
So we shall stop here for tonight and then next Tuesday, we shall have a kind of examination. And it will be on whatever was covered in all these previous Tuesday evenings in this month. Usually for examinations, the examiner don’t mention what questions and topics would be asked. But here at Buddha House they don’t mark the answer sheets and so forth. But here the examination being mainly to improve one’s study of these topics.
For that purpose, it would be Okay to mention what topics would be asked in the examination. And the topics that would come in the questions I can already see Steve’s pen ready. Yes. So the topic that would come would be about the four mindfulnesses. So when there is examination, then it obviously makes one to think about the meaning of what one is going to write and even in matters of terms or words one is going to write, one has to think.
It makes one think. Therefore, it is obviously a good source to improve oneself in matters of understanding and putting into practice these topics. Especially these These Tuesday evening topics have direct relevance to wisdom, so it would greatly help improve one’s wisdom. And then similarly for Thursday, which already was announced last Thursday, there will be examination again. So there will be these two examinations, the Thursday being day after tomorrow.
And then to briefly remark about the examinations, it is no doubt very helpful and it makes one progress greatly. Not only that, there had been many students coming up and mentioning how effective and helpful the examinations had been for their progress of the study and practice. So it is definitely something helpful, beneficial. You don’t have to be concerned of being a failure or failing the examination. So thank you.
We’ll stop here. And if you have any questions, we shall have a few minutes for that. When one does meditation on mindfulness phenomena, it obviously involves thorough analysis and by that way it produces understanding about what things are to adopt, meaning what things are to practice and what things to discard away. Therefore it has direct relevance to producing the understanding of path which leads to attaining of that cessation. Emptiness can be an example of uncompounded thing.
And also, it a good example because it’s a topic we frequently talk about. And then there are lots of other examples of uncompounded thing. For example, in this room there is a vacuum. So that vacuum space the vacuum part that is an uncompounded thing. In brief uncompounded things are those that do not depend on causes and conditions.
They are the uncompounded things. Likewise, we have selflessness of persons, selflessness of phenomena. So the whole range of those things not covered by dependent on causes and conditions would be uncompounded things. There are lines in the middle way text where it says there is not any phenomenon that is not dependent arising and there is not any phenomenon that is not of emptiness in nature. In there, we then have a classification of compounded and uncompounded phenomena.
As regards compounded phenomena or things, they are the ones which depend on causes and conditions. As regards to uncompounded phenomena, these too depend on their parts. For example, the vacuum in this room is a phenomenon which depends on its parts and portions and fragments. And that’s how it is not inherently existing. Yet that would be approximate way of looking how uncompounded things being dependent on their parts not inherently existing.
But let’s look at uncompounded things in the view of the Prāsaṇgika, higher standard. In their case it becomes more subtler because in their view there is not any phenomena which does not depend on name and label. Everything is presented or existent in the fashion of merely label. So uncompounded things too exist in the fashion of merely label by name and label. And the very fact that they exist in the fashion of being dependent on name and label indicates lack of independent existence, lack of inherent existence.
So it is not inherently existent. Now we bring the example again. Say in this room there is a vacuum. Now that vacuum is a phenomenon which is existent as merely labeled through name and label. And it does not exist.
Therefore, it does not exist independently apart from being labeled and being given a name. That’s why it’s not inherently existent. How an uncompounded thing in this present example as the vacuum in the room is dependent on parts is, say, a part on dependent on parts say the vacuum at the back of the rear of the room here is not there, and the vacuum down there in that part is not here. And if we look at it in terms of east and west direction, say that is the west, then vacuum in the west is not present in the east, and the east is not present in the west similarly, also north. And then let’s look at the vacuum there on top of the bell.
Was it? Yep. That vacuum is not the vacuum in the cup. Similarly, the vacuum in the cup is not the vacuum in the top of the bell. And likewise, nostrils, the vacuum in the right nostril cannot be there.
It’s not the vacuum in the left and the left vacuum is not in the right. So each of these are compounded things. For example, this bodily part is called hand and then there are all these fingers. The emptiness upon the thumb is not present on the index finger. Similarly, one on that is not on the middle finger.
So each of them has its own uncompounded phenomenon, the emptiness of that very phenomena. So there are so many what is called uncompounded things, in this case in the manner as emptinesses, and this way a whole range of realm of existence are covered with uncompounded things on its own specific location with reference to whatever that object and area is, and each do not overlap or cross their ways. Yeah. If say the very con or in this case, uncompounded thing, if the uncompounded thing are not partless instead of part full. If they are not part full and if they are partless then that means the uncompounding thing which is the emptiness upon the index finger would have to be on the middle finger and the emptiness of the middle finger will have to be on the index finger because of not being part full or specific in parts because it would cover the whole lot.
So the essence is that it indicates that they are part of fragmentary things. Emptiness is an abiding phenomenon. It abides. If it is a phenomenon which is not produced by causes and conditions, then it would abide. Because if it is a phenomenon which is produced by causes and conditions, then it is subject to perish disintegration and disappearance because of the fact it is dependent on its causes and conditions.
The reason why there are these whole specific terms used for compounded uncompounded things itself indicates quite a bit because compounded is something which is compounded through gathering of causes and conditions, and uncompounded is something which is not compounded because of not having been gathered by causes and conditions. So the actual root, during our previous sessions, has been clarified, the root is compounded and activated phenomena, but to briefly say compounded phenomena. So in the case of vacuum here in this space, which is not produced by causes and conditions, therefore an un component thing, it would always remain there. It is not subject to perish and disintegration. Liberation which we can attain and which is the state of having forsaken all suffering or saṃsāra, that once attained would abide because once it is attained it always remain undeclining so it would always be there.
When the room is filled up, of course the vacuum has gone, but it does not mean the vacuum has perished. So the term perished is not used. Is simply the vacuum is not there. It has become not there. For example, with the cup, the moment it is smashed, then the emptiness upon the cup as well has become not there.
But we cannot say the emptiness upon the cup has perished. That is not to be used. Simply, the very basis of the emptiness itself has become not there. The emptiness as well is not there, but it would not justify to say the emptiness upon the cup has been perished. Yeah, when one becomes hungry and the stomach is empty, there’s a whole lot of emptiness.
But when one eats and if it’s full, the empty or the vacuum has gone, it does not mean the empty has perished. The meaning of perish is to be used where something firstly has been produced or come into being and then become non existence of losing that birth and abiding stage, in that sense.