The Essence of the Mind: Teachings of Ashvaghosha Bodhisattva

The Three Subtle Aspects of the Heart

In the profound Mahayana treatise known as the Awakening of Faith, we are invited to contemplate a fundamental question: What is the true nature of the heart? Ashvaghosha Bodhisattva explains that the heart manifests in three subtle aspects. First, there is the True Heart, which is the state of mind beyond all discriminations and mental notes. Second, there is the Skillful Means heart, which is cultivated solely to benefit all beings through the practice of infinite skillful means. Third, there is the Alaya consciousness, which is distinct from the former two. It is the subtle, fluctuating heart of birth and death, where truth and delusion are intertwined.

The supreme Dharma of Mahayana Buddhism is designed to awaken our fundamental faith. To understand this path, we must examine it through five distinct perspectives: Causal Conditions, Establishing the Meaning, Explanation, Practising Faith, and Counseling the Benefits. These pillars provide the framework for our journey toward enlightenment.

The Eight Reasons for This Treatise

Ashvaghosha Bodhisattva outlines eight specific Causal Conditions that necessitated the writing of this profound work. First, to relieve suffering: the primary goal is to help all beings leave suffering behind and find ultimate happiness, rather than seeking worldly fame or the respect of others. Second, to clarify the Buddha’s teachings: to provide an accurate explanation of the fundamental doctrines of the Tathagata, ensuring that beings understand them correctly without misinterpretation.

Third, to strengthen faith: to help those whose good roots have already matured to solidify their faith in Mahayana Buddhism and engage in fiercely diligent practice. Fourth, to nurture beginners: to assist those with weaker good roots in establishing an initial, firm foundation of faith through dedicated practice. Fifth, to overcome negative karma: to guide those bound by false views, helping them eliminate the obstacles of negative karma, reflect upon their own heart, and protect it from the traps of delusion and arrogance.

Sixth, to counteract false views: to provide ordinary people and those following the Small Vehicle with the correct methods of meditation and concentration, ensuring they do not stray from the right path. Seventh, to ensure rebirth: to help those connected by karmic affinity establish an unwavering faith in this life, guiding them on how to chant Buddha’s name so they may be reborn before the Buddha. Eighth, to reveal the benefits: to explain the infinite advantages of Mahayana practice and encourage all beings to establish faith and commit to the path. It is precisely because of these reasons that this treatise was composed.

The Two Gates of the One Mind

The treatise further explains the nature of the Dharma through two gates: the gate of True Suchness and the gate of birth and death. These two gates are inseparable and together encompass all laws of the world. The gate of True Suchness represents the absolute, unchanging nature of the heart, which is neither born nor destroyed. All phenomena in the world exist only because of our mental notes and discriminations. If we were to abandon these mental notes, all boundaries and appearances would vanish. Therefore, all things are, from the very beginning, beyond words, beyond names, and beyond mental attachment. They are ultimately equal, unchanging, and indestructible. This is what we call True Suchness.

Because all words are merely temporary names without inherent reality, they exist only in accordance with our mental notes and cannot be truly grasped. When we speak of True Suchness, it is also without form. We use words to eventually discard words; the nature of True Suchness itself is beyond what can be discarded, for all laws of the world are fundamentally true. It is also beyond what can be established, as all laws of the world are identical in their suchness. One must understand that all laws of the world are beyond words and beyond mental notes; this is why we call it True Suchness.

The Ultimate Truth of the One Mind

The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana is a cornerstone of the philosophy that everything is created by the heart. When we speak of the heart, we refer to the unobstructed heart, which is identical to True Suchness. To all the Bodhisattvas and virtuous practitioners in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, the purpose of this treatise is to remind those who hear the Dharma of the importance of faith in Mahayana Buddhism. It is a compassionate guide intended to help every practitioner achieve true and ultimate liberation.

By returning to this One Mind, we rediscover our original nature and align ourselves with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. May all beings find their way back to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss through the power of this faith. Recorded by the Buddha’s disciple, Shi Haiyuan. Namo Amituofo.