A Commentary Literature on ‘Faith in Mind’
Chapter 28 Equality of Dharmas
By Wong Weng Hon
One Dharma is not different from another
The deluded mind clings to whatever it desires
All dharmas , which are the constituents of the totality, are not different but are equal in terms of their importance in making up the totality or the whole. If anyone of the dharmas is dropped, the whole system breaks up. The dharmas are interdependent and are equally important. All dharmas can not exist as independent, separate and individual entities. They are each empty of a permanent self, soul or intrinsic nature. But the worldlings are deluded and perceive the dharmas as individual, independent and permanent entities. Therefore, the ignorant worldings grasp upon what they desire and reject what they do not desire. Grasping and rejecting are the causes of suffering, The Buddha promulgates that grasping and rejecting must be abandoned in order to put an end to suffering.
It is important to note the key point that Buddha-nature is not a permanent substance. It is empty of self-nature. If it is a permanent substance, it is incompatible with the Buddha’s Doctrine of Dependent Co-arising and Non-self. The Chan Buddhists or the Mahāyānists consider their Doctrine of Emptiness to be synonymous with Dependent Co-arising or Non-self. If one perceives Emptiness, one perceives both Dependent Co-arising and Non-self. When one perceives Emptiness, one neither grasps what one desires nor rejects what one does not desire. It does not mean what one’s desires are abandoned. It implies that one satisfies one’s desire without attachment to the desire. For instance, there is a desire to eat. If one does not eat, one will perish. But what is advised by the Buddha is that one should eat mindfully without any attachment. When one faces a problem or difficulty, one should be calm and composed and one should not lose one’s temper and throw out one’s anger. This is non-rejecting. All problems or difficulties are to be faced equanimously. |
