Delusory Thoughts and the Path of Letting Go

The Compassionate Path to Ultimate Joy

The creation of the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana was intended for a singular, profound purpose: to enable all beings to truly leave suffering behind and find happiness. This is not merely a temporary relief from the trials of life, but the attainment of ultimate, perfect joy. To become a Buddha is the final, complete fulfilment of this journey. All the afflictions that weigh upon our hearts are rooted in delusion, discrimination, and attachment. As long as a being remains trapped within these, they will inevitably experience suffering. Therefore, when these delusory thoughts arise, the practitioner must learn to let them go. By leaving behind all appearances and abandoning all delusory thoughts, one will naturally turn away from the false and return to the true. In truth, all phenomena are inherently free from such delusions; therefore, you must not cling to the appearance of words, the appearance of names, or the appearance of mental images.

The Unwavering Stillness of True Suchness

True Suchness is fundamentally unchanging. It is perfectly equal and unified, existing as the one true heart. Because True Suchness is inherently equal, all phenomena are, in their original state, manifestations of this True Suchness. They are free from delusion, discrimination, and attachment. However, we have developed the habit of thinking, discriminating, and attaching ourselves to everything we encounter. We cling to the appearance of words, the appearance of names, and the appearance of mental images. Consequently, the moment we engage in delusion, discrimination, and attachment, we depart from the truth and enter the realm of the false. To leave behind all phenomena is to truly understand all phenomena. All things are ultimately beyond words and beyond thought; whatever can be spoken or thought is not the true nature of reality.

Beyond the Veil of Thought and Name

How can one truly know all phenomena and grasp the Middle Way? One must realise that there is no one who speaks and nothing that is spoken; there is no one who thinks and nothing that is thought. If you depart from a single thought, you are not in alignment with True Suchness. You must not allow yourself to form attachments to any phenomenon, for the moment attachment arises, it becomes a delusion. Whether one is discussing the nature of ordinary beings, the nature of sages, the concept of emptiness, or the absence of emptiness, these are all merely the expressions used within the treatise to convey the truth. True Suchness is about following the natural order—following the truth and following the path of reality. To know all phenomena, one must possess the light of Wisdom. Only when you truly know all phenomena will you genuinely understand the application of True Suchness in your daily life.

The Radiant Practice of the Dharma-Nature Land

To all the Bodhisattvas residing in the Dharma-Nature Land, if you wish to know all phenomena, you must know how to leave behind all delusions. When you successfully let go of the appearance of words, the appearance of names, and the appearance of mental images, you are standing in the presence of True Suchness. Follow this truth, align your heart with it, and practise diligently. This is the path to Awakening.

Bodhisattva Ashvaghosha

Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Hailiang