The Buddha expounded early on that our five sense organs are not reliable; although on the surface they can sense the existence of objects, this kind of feeling is just an illusion. To see a thing clearly, we cannot go by its appearance alone. For example, if we want to do a careful check on a car, we need to take apart all its components, then examine the parts individually. In so doing, we will find the original car has disappeared in our hands and cannot be found. If the car truly exists, it cannot disappear. This testifies to its lack of inherent nature. Why do we always persist in thinking external objects exist? Because we have complete faith in our five sense organs; we think things are real if they can be seen and heard, without ever investigating the logic behind it. Because we hold on to a very simplistic view, our five senses have deceived us since beginningless time. It is only upon careful analysis that we discover the things we see and hear ordinarily are but an illusion.

Most people believe cause and result truly exist. What is the connection between cause and result? For example, when we build a fire, there is smoke. Fire is the cause, smoke the result. With fire, smoke will arise; without fire, smoke will not arise.

In the example of a seed and sprout, the seed is the cause, the sprout is the result. We all believe in this causal relationship. But can we confirm they are connected in this way?

Actually, this is all clearly elucidated in the early Buddhist texts, specifically in Nagarjuna’s exposition of emptiness and dependently arisen phenomena. The Yogacara tenets postulate that cause and result is a phenomenon brought about by the orderly ripening of a seed in the alaya consciousness; it is not an entity that exists outside.

In tantra, for instance, everything is the mandala of the buddha. Some beginners on the tantric path will question or doubt this assertion (although not out loud for fear of breaking the tantric vows). If I am a buddha already, why do I need to cultivate my mind? Although this is true, we need to undergo practice and tame the mind before a state of realization can manifest. Why is that? Because all phenomena are a projection of the mind; when we succeed in taming the mind after diligently staying on the path of practice, we can also affect the world around us. This is likened to watching a slide; the images we see on the screen are a projection of the slides in the projector. In the same way, the external objects that we see are reflections of the habitual tendencies and seeds stored in our mind. Once our mind is pure, all external objects are also pure, we will no longer transmigrate in the cycle of existence.

When we see a flower, we sense the flower is outside and our eye consciousness is inside; however, this is the perception of the mental or sixth consciousness, not the eye consciousness. What is eye consciousness? For instance, at the time we see an object, that “seeing” is in itself eye consciousness. There is no other eye consciousness besides this. Perhaps someone thinks eye consciousness is likened to light, which shines on a certain object and allows it to be seen. This is not the case. When an object appears before our eyes, eye consciousness is that which sees it instantly in its entirety, i.e., has a sense of the object.

Human beings have very diverse capacities, so their goal in life is also diverse. Some are content to just meet their basic needs; some chase after happiness; some are not content with pursuing sensual pleasures and want to look into life’s ultimate meaning. If our only aspiration in life is to satisfy our basic needs, we are no different from ordinary animals. We should have wisdom, which is the biggest difference between a human being and other animals; wisdom is also the special advantage we humans have. To bring this advantage into full play, we have to perceive the world clearly and know our true purpose in life. When we see the truth, we may feel let down by our old ways of perceiving things; however, this disappointment is very different from other kinds of disappointment. This is realization of emptiness. It is a very important step.

Why is it we cling to our existence in samsara, but not to the experience in a dream?

Practitioners who have realized emptiness can, on entering the state of emptiness, step on a stone as if on clay and leave behind clear footprints. However, prior to realizing emptiness, they are like ordinary people; the stone under the feet feels just as hard.

There is this description in Khenpo Ngachung’s biography: once when he was waving the vajra and bell, he carelessly dropped them on a stone. When they landed, the stone suddenly became as soft as butter. The vajra and bell formed a clear impression on the stone; an image of the stone was also clearly etched on the vajra and bell. In many monasteries in Tibet, a lot of masters left behind similar footprints and handprints.

Many people think our mind is the mental consciousness. In Yogacara, the mind is composed of eight kinds of consciousness – the five kinds of sense consciousness, the sixth mental consciousness, the seventh manas (defiled) consciousness and the eighth alaya consciousness. The alaya consciousness is the base or ground of all consciousness. So, our mind is not just the mental consciousness.

As for the view that “mind is inside, objects are outside,’’ this is the perception of the mental consciousness. For instance, when our hand comes into contact with fire, it is very hot to the touch, but what is this thing called hot? It is also a kind of sensation. In addition, when our hand touches an object, most of us think there must be such an object out there. If not, how can we possibly touch it? Most people are of this opinion, but it is mistaken. We can cite numerous examples to refute this perception.

For example, everyone thinks these mala beads are round, but on what basis do we say they are round? Actually our eyes can only see one side of the bead; like looking at a photo, we can only see the front, not the back. However, if we touch the bead with our thumb and middle finger, we can touch both the front and the back and say it is round. Our thumb has a sensation, our middle finger also has a sensation. The two sensations combined produce a feeling that it is round. Nonetheless, these are two sensations, not one. It is our mind that pulls all the information together and concludes the bead is round; it is the mind’s perception and finding. This is a misapprehension. Without investigation, we also accept the conclusion it is round; however, upon examination, we begin to question how we can be certain it is round. We will never know for sure since this feeling is specific to our sense faculty and mind. Most people think these sensations can be traced to an object. But who can prove they are based on a truly existent object outside? It can never be proven.