THE NON-BIRTH THEORY IN THE LANKÀVATÀRA SUTRA SYSTEM (Part 01)

THE NON-BIRTH THEORY IN THE LANKÀVATÀRA SUTRA SYSTEM
(Part 01)

The main theme of discussion of the Lankàvatàra Sutra focuses on emphasizing the importance of the nature realization of the truth by inside own, or the internal sudden transformation in own citta. That is the realm displayed when people are brightly enlightened about the non-birth non-death of things in the truest meaning, by the deepest wisdom. When enlightened about this, we will be unhindered and independent facing all circumstances and happenings of the existent world. Therefore, we need to clearly understand the viewpoint of non-birth or not-birth of things (all dharmas are not-born) discussed in the Sutra, so that we can realize the potential powers in true citta and emit the powers of True Citta for all species and things to rely on for their sins to be eliminated.
We know that the non-birth theory in the Lankàvatàra Sutra that Buddha opens as real is beyond the characteristic of two sides, which means going beyond pairs of opposing categories like existence and non-existence, birth and death, etc.; not belonging to any clause of the four clauses of the Four Alternatives (Birth, Non-birth, Not-birth Not non-birth, Also birth Also non birth); and not affected by the law of cause-and-condition and cause-and-effect. It means that the non-birth truth needs to be realized by experience, in perfection then it is the permanence impossible to think of and comment on; is nature-realized by the non-discrimination wisdom, which is the wisdom seeing and knowing as real and throughout the three periods – the past the present the future.
As a thing is seen throughout exactly as real it in itself, we see that thing non-birth, which means it is not really born. Because it is only the manifestation of our own citta-consciousness born by cause and condition, having no-ego-nature and no-self-nature. Understanding that a thing is non-birth means seeing that thing in its Bhùtatathatà state; whereas the outer forms like birth_existence_decay_death move in a cycle in its Bhùtatathatà nature. The way of seeing things exactly as real helps us escape wrong discrimination, which is the cause of holding-attachment and which creates misleading judgments. Wrong discrimination leads to the two sides, so we cannot gather the silent Bhùtatathatà identity nature of all things. Looking at things from the non-birth viewpoint helps us clearly perceive the no-ego nature of things or no-ego dharma.
Things are seen to be non-birth, which means seeing that that thing is only the unreally combined condition of four Elements: earth_water_wind_fire; while condition is also no-own-nature and non-birth. Therefore, the way of seeing that things are non-birth has orders: the observed things are non-birth, the condition creating things is non-birth, person (ego) is non-birth, and the thought of this non-birth is also non-birth. When we look at things in the non-birth own-nature that is permanent and impossible to think of or comment on, the non-discrimination Wisdom is opened and the non-birth non-death Buddha Nature will be revealed. And the outcome is we see that all things are not born, not dead; it is itself from no-beginning, it is Bhùtatathatà.
The four Elements’ unreal combination forming from a smallest particle to all beings in this universe of the three periods: the past the present the future overall is the world. This world is totally unreal, but rather it only unreally exists by condition, so it is created_existent_decayed_destroyed back to nothingness. Therefore, the expressed part of the world of names and forms as well as inner feelings is only the world of our perception, or that is the reflection of our citta-mind. Therefore, to gain a view as real of the world, we return them to non-birth and see that the own-nature of this world is the nature of nothingness, is Bhùtatathatà, so all the actions and creations of the world are also silent-pure in their original nature.
When using consciousness to differentiate, we cannot see that the true form of things is non-form, and their nature is the nature of nothingness, no-own-nature, non-birth. Seeing that all things are non-birth, here we only see whole emptiness and nothingness, not having anything. However, it is not true that there is nothing. Rather, it is things’ non-birth that is unchanged, permanent, and impossible to think of or comment on that gathers all their forms of existence, so their forms change and appear depending on condition. If we are not awakened and enlightened, which means that we do not remain in True Citta, we will be gotten by things’ condition of change and appearance and thus unable to see their silent-pure non-birth. Therefore, awakening and enlightenment mean seeing things exactly as real they are in themselves, or seeing their Bhùtatathatà nature. At that time, wrong discrimination ends and all of our seeing is examined by non-discrimination wisdom.
Buddha taught MahàMati Bodhisatva in the Lankàvatàra Sutra:
“MahàMati, not being exactly real means that things’ own nature is not realized exactly real as they are in themselves. However, when an explanation of view is not true but ultimate, there is an act of holding onto things’ own nature without seeing them in their silence-purity; and as long as not seeing this silence-purity, wrong discrimination will not disappear. Therefore, MahàMati, an explanation of view based on non-form is higher than an explanation of view based on form, because form is the cause of birth. When there is non-form, the arising of discrimination ends, and there is a state of immortality which is Nirvana. MahàMati, people find out Nirvana at the place where they see the place of true nature in its true meaning and abandon the discrimination of all that is Citta and those belonging to Citta. Now there is nature-realization of supreme wisdom lying in Tathàgata’s deepest citta-mind. This I call Silence-Purity and Nirvana.”
Looking from the viewpoint of non-birth, we see that all things are equal in their Bhùtatathatà nature. However, things’ Bhùtatathatà is unachievable. If we still see that there is Bhùtatathatà and try to attain Bhùtatathatà then it is not Bhùtatathatà yet, because Bhùtatathatà has no form and unachievable. Within it there is still the operation of the world of names and forms. And our understanding of things’ equality and their silent-pure non-birth is still operating. Therefore, we should only understand like that and conduct again the Original Vows of our Buddha Citta towards the four forms of birth, spreading the citta of loving-kindness towards the whole dharma dhatu so that we will soon fulfill Bodhi Citta and regain complete Original Enlightenment.

Esoteric Dharma VajraPani Lineage
VajraPani Group – “Sun” Generation : Nhat Huong
Translator : Nhat Ngan