The Three Subtle Signs of Bodhisattva Ashvaghosha

March 28, 2019

We often find ourselves trapped in a cycle of giving rise to confusion, creating karma, and enduring suffering. This is the cycle of karmic entanglement. When our hearts are bound by the karma we create, we inevitably suffer. As the teaching goes, a single thought of confusion gives rise to the three subtle signs, and external conditions then cause the six coarse signs to grow.

The Genesis of Subtle Confusion

The first of these is the Ignorance-Karma Sign. Karma here refers to the movement of the mind. Because we possess a deluded heart and cannot yet reach the one pure Dharma Realm, our true self moves for the very first time, and this movement immediately generates the karma sign.

The second is the Seeing Sign. Once there is movement, there must be a corresponding ability to see. The third is the Objective Sign. Where there is a subjective consciousness that can see, there must necessarily be an objective realm that is seen.

Among these three signs, the initial movement is the substance, while the ability to see and the object seen are the functions. The substance and the function are inseparable; they exist simultaneously. Because these signs are extremely subtle and difficult for a practitioner to perceive, they are known as the three subtle signs.

The Fourfold Structure of the Alaya Consciousness

To understand how our consciousness operates, we must look at the four parts of the Alaya consciousness:

• The Objective Part: This refers to all the phenomena that your subjective mind perceives.
• The Subjective Part: This refers to the ability to perceive and discriminate. It encompasses the six consciousnesses—the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousnesses. These six consciousnesses act as the subject that recognises things; they are the primary function that illuminates and understands the objects they encounter.
• The Self-Witnessing Part: When the subjective part acts as the energy to perceive, the self-witnessing part is the mind’s own ability to witness its own act of perception.
• The Witnessing of the Self-Witnessing Part: Who witnesses the act of the self-witnessing part? This leads to a further level of perception. This final part is the Prajna wisdom that is inherently present within our true self.

Returning to the Pure Dharma-Nature

For the Bodhisattvas residing in the Dharma-Nature Land, the practice is clear. When the Six Roots come into contact with the Six Dusts, the practitioner must remain aware of the true reality. Within the Alaya consciousness, whatever realms appear, one must recognise them as they truly are—pure, untainted, and reflecting the true nature of reality.

By maintaining this clarity, you can transcend the cycle of confusion and return to the purity of your original nature. It is through the diligent application of Prajna wisdom that we can see through the illusions of the world and find our way back to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. May you practise with sincerity and realise your true self.

This message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Haiyuan, acting as the chief writer.

Namo Amituofo