Mūlamadhyamakakārikā: A Purport of the Central Theme of Dhātu-parīkṣā The Examination of Six Elements (MMK. V.1-8)

By Wong Weng Hon

Introduction

Śākyamuni Buddha analyses the constitution of the human personality in three ways enumerated as follows:

1. Eighteen Elements  (Dhātu-s)
2. Five Aggregates (Skandha-s)
3. Six Elements  (Dhātu-s)

 The Eighteen Elements consist of 6 sense faculties (indriya-s), Six sense spheres (āyatana-s), and Six sense consciousness (vijñāna-s). The Five Aggregates comprise Material Form, Feelings, Perceptions, Volitions and Consciousness. The Six Elements are constituted from Earth, Water, Fires, Wind, Space, and Consciousness. In the first two definitions of the constitution of the human personality, the Space element is excluded. These two definitions are therefore not comprehensive as the Material Form of the human personality is in mutual dependence on Space element in order to come into being. The third definition is the most comprehensive right view of the human personality in relation to the external environment, the Space (ākāśa) element.

Not Pure Entities

The Buddha posits the Theory of Six Dhātu-s (Elements) as the comprehensive constituents of the human personality because the Material Form and Space are mutually dependent to arise. The Material Form and Space are not pure entities (tabularasa-s). A pure entity is a discrete or separate entity not related to others. But the Truth of Dependent Co-arising asserts that all phenomena are empty of a permanent, immutable self-natures (svabhāvas). They are interdependent and interrelated. They cannot exist as independent self-contained entities unrelated to others. The same principle of Dependent Co-arising is applicable to both Form and Space and, in fact, are universally applicable to all phenomena, both physical and mental. This perspective of Emptiness (śūnyatā) or Insubstantiality (nairātmya) of all phenomena set Nāgārjuna, a fervent insubstantialist, apart from his philosophical opponents who were substantialists or metaphysicians. The ‘Space’ has the unique nature of non-obstruction (anāvaraṇa-svabhāva). It is because of this non-obstruction nature of ‘Space’ that the Material Form finds its locale to appear. Similarly, the Earth, Water, Fires, Wind and Consciousness elements are not pure entities.They are also in mutual dependence on the ‘Space’ to arise. If anyone of the Six Elements is withdrawn or destroyed, a complete human personality does not come into being.

Existent and Characteristic

Nāgārjuna also elucidates the interdependence between an existent and its characteristic. An existent and its characteristic are not pure entities, that is, not existing independently but contigently or mutually. In other words, the existent and its characteristic are not separate. They are dependently co-arisen and are mutual. They are non-dualistic and inter-connected. For instance, the fire and the heat are not pure entities. They are not separate entities. They are one and the same. They are dependently co-arisen to constitute a unity. Likewise, the forest and the trees are inseparable. The forest contains the trees and the trees are contained in the forest. From this intimate relationship of dependent co-arising, it is evident that no phenomenon is either absolute Existence (astitva) or absolute Non-existence (nāstitva). The simultaneously negation of both Existence and Non-existence mirrors the Ultimate Truth (Paramārtha Satya) of the Unity of the empirical world or cosmos. This Unity is described through the right view of Dependent Co-arising or Emptiness of inherent existence. This negation of absolute Existence and Non-existence, the pair of extreme views or the two opposites is reflected in the verse given below.

The above verse, declared by Nāgārjuna, extolls the Buddha as one who is an expert in expounding the Middle Path (madhyamā pratipat) which transcends absolute Existence and absolute Non-existence. ‘It exists or it does not exist’ is an illusion. Whoever intuits the Ultimate Truth rejects the concept of self-nature and other nature as two separate substances. Whoever rejects the self-nature and other nature perceives Emptiness. The one, who has penetrated into Emptiness, rejects absolute Existence and absolute Non-existence. This is clearly declared by Nāgārjuna in the following verse:

Mental Appeasement

With the intuitive discernment of the Ultimate Truth of Emptiness or Unity, which is synonymous with Dependent Co-arising according to Nāgārjuna’s exegesis, there arises the appeasement of object (draṣṭavyopaśama). The appeasement of object is synonymous with the non-reification of object. Non-reification is the result of intuitive apprehension of the signlessness, marklessness, or characteristiclessness (nirnimitatā) collectively designated as Emptiness of self-nature or inherent existence (niḥsvabhāva). The non-reification of object appeases the volition and obsession of the consciousness of the wordling. The appeasement of volition (saṃkaropaśama) and appeasement of obsession (prapañcopaśama) give rise to the signlesss and taintless liberation (vimutti) of the human consciousness. To appease the human consciousness is to tame the human mind. An untrained mind is easily perturbed. A tamed mind consummates human character formation. Dharma is learnt and realized to transform one’s life through mental transformation from darkness to light and from light to light. Darkness refers to ignorance (avidyā) ; the first light refers to mundane right view and the second light refers to supramundane right view of suchness of the world.

Conclusion

Whoever intuitively penetrates into Emptiness in terms of Insubstantiality (nairātmya) and Dependent Co-arising (Pratītyasamutpāda) discerns the absolute Truth of Unity. Such a discerning one transcends the pair of extreme substantial or metaphysical views of Identity and Difference. When the pair of extreme views of Identity and Difference are transcended, then the pair of extreme substantial or metaphysical views of absolute Existence and absolute Non-existence is also transcended. Therefore, the Buddha declares that the world is empty and every phenomenon is empty (Suñña-sutta.SN.35.85). This is what the Buddha promulgates:

To discern that the world is empty is beyond the intellectual or mundane wisdom. It is a spiritual or supramundane wisdom developed through mental development (bhāvanā) in the mundane world. It is instantaneous enlightenment experience for one who has a sharp root from past karmas. This right vision or perfect knowledge of the world, as it really is, is known as the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā). It consummates human character formation through the mental transformation from ignorance (avidyā) to wisdom (prajñā), from illusion to enlightenment and from suffering to happiness.