rise to misperception because it does not involve projection. Mahamati illusions are produced by magic and not by the habit-energy of projections or mispercep- tions, Thus, they do not give rise to misperception. Mahamati, it is the minds of {fools that become attached to delusions, not those of the wise.” ‘The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse: 4. “The wise don't see delusions / with anything real inside them /if there was something real inside / delusions would be real 2. If delusions are abandoned / and something should appear /it would be another delusion / a defect like a cataract." 406. Cataract removal, using curved needles made of gold, was practiced in India even before Shakyamuni’s time. 407, Section XLIV. This section is 2 continuation of the previous section. Bodhiruchi, Shikshananda, andthe Sanskrit all read it differently. As usual, Ive followed Gunabhadra. Mahamati wonders when the Buddha seys everything is illusory if he is only referring to the characteristics of things, if there is not something to which the characteristics belong that is not illusory. Ignoring the ‘wigs and cutting to the root, the Buddha tells him that everything is ilhisory ‘because itisnt real, that there isnot something other than characteristics all of which, ofcourse are the result of projection. 408. The meaning here is that it is only as dreams or illusions that we can talk. about anything at all. 409. Mahamati wonders if characteristics belong to something that is not illusory. 410. Section XLV. The Buddha uses doctrines as skilful means. They are didactic, not absolute. Thus, he teaches non-arising to those who believe in ‘eauses, and he teaches existence to those who might mistake non- arising for nihilism and forget about karmic consequences. However, the teaching of existence does not admit of selfexistence but only theillusoriness of existence. ‘Thus the Buddha urges his disciples to sce things as they really are, the percep tions oftheir own minds. 411, Makamati wonders if something does not arise, how can itbe illusory. Only Gunabhadea proceeds as ifhe understands this last sentence. Bodhiruchi inverts ‘the meaning: *... what arises is not illusory” Shikshananda gives up and omits the whole sentence, MAHAMATI'S QUESTIONS ~ 139 xiv’ “Moreover, Mahamati, in viewing everything as an illusion, if not fr illusions, there would be nothing to compare things to."** Mahamati said, “Bhagavan, do you say things are illusory because of attach- ‘ment to illusory characteristics or because of attachment to something else? If ‘everything that exists was illusory because of attachment to different illusory characteristics, Bhagavan, something would exist that wasn't illusory." And how so? Because the different characteristics of a form have no cause. Bhagavan, itis the appearance of the different uncaused characteristics of a form that is illusory. ‘Therefore, Bhagavan, it isnt attachment to different illusory characteristics that ‘makes things seem illusory” ‘The Buddha told Mahamati, “Te is't because of attachment to different illu- sory characteristics that makes everything seem illusory. Rather, Mahamati, it is because everything is unreal and vanishes as fast as lightning. This is why itis illusory. Like lightning, Mahamati, it appears but for a moment. And as soon as it appears, it disappears. But this is not how things appear to foolish people, who observe everything in terms of the individual and shared characteristics of their ‘own projections. Since what doesn't exist doesn't appear, they remain attached to the characteristics of form.” ‘The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse: 4. “Tf not an illusion what are things like / thus are they called illusory / unreal and transient as lightning thus are they called illusory.” xv ‘Mahamati once more asked the Buddha, “According to the Bhagavan, every- thing is non-arising and illusory. But when he says what is non-arising is illusory, is there not a contradiction in the Bhagavan’ earlier and later statements?" ‘The Buddha told Mahamati, “It is not true that when I say what is non- arising is illusory there isa contradiction in my earlier and later statements. And why not? Because what arises does not arise. When you realize that whether something exists or not is nothing but the perception of your own mind, its external existence is seen as nonexistent and non-arising. Mahamati, there is no contradiction in my earlier and later statements, “However, itis to refute the arising from causes of other schools that I sayeverything is non-arising. Mahamati, the confused members of other schools maintain the arising of existence or nonexistence and deny that they are the result of attachment to their own projections. Mahamati, because I deny the arising of existence or nonexistence, I teach the teaching of non-avising. “Mahamat, I teach existence to refute the nihilistic view that nothing exists and so that my disciples will accept samsars, so that they will accept that where they are reborn involves differences in karma. Thus, I teach existence so that they will accept samsara.? “Mahamati, I teach the illusoriness of self-existence so that they will get fice of selFexistence. But due to erroneous views and hopes, foolish people are 412. Samsara refers to birth and death and is the counterpoint to nirvana. The ‘Buddha's teaching here is aimed at those shravakas who would deny theit own existence in order to get free ofthe suffering of existence. 413. The Buddha talks of existence and rebirth as skillful means to those not ready for the teaching of no-birth, of non-arsing: Thus, he urges them to do ‘good deeds and accumulate merit so that they will enjoy a good rebirth where ‘they will hear the teaching of non-arising once more. 414, Bodhiruchi and Shikshananda omit c'a (transcend, tise above), 415, Section XLVI. Over the past few sections, Mahamati has shown tht he is sill linging to words. Words, phrase, lettersthese are ll tape for meaning, (Once you catch the meaning, forget the tap 416. The Sanskrit is naman-pada-vyanjana-kaya (word-phrase-letter-unit), ‘where aya (bod) is glossed as uma (combination). A417. The Sanskeit vyaniana refers to a writen letter but aso to that elementary “unit of linguistics known asa “phone,” which includes consonants and vowels. 418. The Sanskrit pad means “foot.” Following footprints, the animal is found. Following phrases, the meaning is discovered. But once the meaning is discov. ‘red, words and phrases can be forgotten, 419. The formless skandhas include sensation, perception, memory, and con- sciousness: aspects of our awareness we can name but cannot point to. MAHAMATI'S QUESTIONS ~ 141 unaware that these are nothing but the perceptions of their own minds. To refute arising from causes and attachment to the self-existence of conditions and to pre~ vent foolish people from clinging to erroneous views and hopes regarding what ‘belongs to themselves and others and from creating mistaken doctrines about how to see things as they realy are, I teach that the self-existence of everything is an illusion and a dream. Mahamati, to see things as they really are means to tran- scend“ what are nothing but perceptions of your own mind.” ‘The Buddha then repeated the meaning of this in verse: 1. "Non-arising means nonexistence / existence includes samsara / who sees these as illusions / doesn't give tise to projections of form.”