In letter No.25, gross-subtle elements and pure secret essence were generally described. Elements are often mentioned as something at micro level, just like a molecule of water which is combined by two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom which cannot be seen with our naked eyes, can only be known through statements of chemists. And so, all external manifestations from plants, flowers, rivers, mountains to earth, air, water, space…are gross elements potential of subtle elements which vary at different levels.

THE GROSS ELEMENTS POTENTIAL OF SUBTLE ELEMENTS

Gross elements originated from earth, water, air, and fire are called in Buddhism as “Four Great Elements” (the Buddha did not mention “space” element because it exists as an obvious and inseparable environment for any kinds of elements). All gross elements containing subtle elements that we can see, touch and feel are called, by scientists, substantial elements. For instance, we cannot see Oxygen in the air with our naked eyes but chemists insist on its existence through researches, thus we believe in the existence of this element (this scientific statement can be perceived equivalently as the “Buddha’s teachings” in Buddhism”). The famous Russian chemist Mendeleev is the first one who listed, categorized and demonstrated properties of discovered elements with the invention of the Periodic Table.

It should be stressed that although all species originate from potential of elements, different qualities are caused by the effects of karmic links. Through their sense of feeling, earth-worms are attracted to the earth because in previous lives, they predominantly had the habit of earth’s phenomena. Through their sense of touch, fish are attracted to water because in previous lives, they predominantly had the habit of water’s phenomena. Through their sense of smell, dogs are attracted to air because in previous lives, they predominantly had the habit of air’s phenomena. Through their keen eyesight, vultures are attracted to light because in previous lives, they predominantly had the habit of fire’s phenomena. Through their consciousness, some practitioners are attracted to the substanceless because in previous lives, they predominantly had the habit of space’s phenomena (Teachings by revered Siddha, Lama Thinley Norbu).

If we grasp at substances and our five senses with attachment (i.e abuse but not use), we will suffer. Through attachment to sight, the moth is attracted to fire’s light and dies from its flame; the deer dies from the whistle of the hunter; through attachment to smell, the male praying-mantis dies from being consumed by the female; through attachment to taste, the fish dies from the fisherman’s hook; through attachment to touch, the elephant is attracted to the swamp’s warmth and dies in its mud.

Materialists claim that visible manifestations are what is visible, touchable and sensible (with scientific evidences). They have no faith in previous or after life, citing the physical body will become dust and ashes after death. In Buddhism, they are called the “Nihilist” who tend to attach to gross elements and give prominence to “existentialism”. They, therefore, attach much importance to money and measure personal and social values through material means such as big houses, expensive cars or brand name clothes. These outer elements are closely linked with their subtle ones like power, fame, beauty, financial success which push them to achieve at all costs.

A man has a burning desire to be rich. He is indefatigably absorbed in his business all the time, given “money is God, the motivation for the youth, the health of the elderly, the impetus for fame, the umbrella of protection, the balance of justice..” (a satirical saying in Vietnam). He claims that there’s nothing that can come out of substantial quality of gross elements. He does not believe in the substance-less source of gross elements which is the pure secret essence that I will mention later. From his high perspective of the money value, that man devote all his mind and efforts to get success. There may have alternative outcomes:

1/ He becomes stinking rich but may risk jail if doing illegal business.

2/ He becomes a billionaire but at the same time, he may suffer from diseases, family breakup (adultery, filial impiety).

3/ He cannot get rich for “lacking good fortune” (as defined by Buddhism).

The cause that leads to consequences instead of good results lies in the fact that gross elements may easily run out from over-exploitation, which produces chaos that Buddhism defines as the “imbalance of the four elements”. All conditioned phenomena fall under the rule of impermanence.

THE SUBTLE ELEMENTS INHERENT WITHIN GROSS ELEMENTS

Now come to subtle elements. These elements develop more subtle to essential level in the category of feeling, emotion or psychology. Now they are no longer called “element” but “factor” though both of these words share similar meaning. Negative emotions such as greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance and jealousy; or positive ones like generosity, diligence, determination and equanimity always exist in our physical body. Such subtle elements have no form for regularly changing upon external conditions and mind which is called impermanence. We cannot tell what form the greed has, what color the hatred is or what nuance the ignorance bears because these emotions are formless though sensible. The existing greed gives space to jealousy and so on, thus these factors (Five Mind King and 51 mental factors) always rotate in the mind and body. Five Mind King (Cittaraja) include eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, body consciousness and mental consciousness. Fifty one mental factors or concomitants (Cetasika) include five omnipresent (Sarvatraga), five determinative (Viniyata), 11 virtuous (kusala), 6 root afflictions (mulaklesa), 20 secondary afflictions (upaklesa), and 4 indeterminate (aniyata) which appear in rotation within one’s mind.

Likewise, we cannot describe the “appearance” of the Brahmalokas (benevolence, pity, joy and indifference). However, subtle elements are inherent within the gross ones and also change unpredictably. For instance, when people smile, their upwards-turned mouths express the gross external elements, reflecting the subtle positive happiness within. When people glare, their wrinkled foreheads express through the gross external elements, reflecting the subtle negative anger within. Sometimes, the subtle elements of glaring are not negative, just like the parents who are angry with bad actions of their child and want to teach him how to behave. In Tantrayana, it is called the wrathful means of the Gurus to teach their disciples and straighten them out for the benefit of their cultivation. These subtle factors vary at different levels, depending on the expression of each being or each species.

Idealist tradition often falls on subtle elements (factors) which Buddhism calls “Attachment on Eternalism”. They believe in an immortal deity without beginning or end whose infinite subtle qualities are the source of the gross substance elements. They claim that by praying to that immortal deity, they will gain benefits in present life and be reborn in his “eternal land” after death! Therefore, eternalists worship deities who appeared on the earth since the primeval times, believing it a way to benefit all beings. That’s the perspective from their “Attachment on Eternalism” but what is the reality?

In the mankind’s history, those “attached to eternalism” or eternalists were afraid of anyone who sought the subtle substance source of all phenomena. This is the reason why Vatican formed the Inquisition (a church-court based on Roman law) which had sentenced to death thousands of people who had no faith in the source of God, including many scientists. Other non-Buddhist sects rely on subtle elements which are inherent within the gross ones such as faith, devotion, and non-verbal obedience to the sect’s leader but they contradict themselves by denying the value of gross elements. For example, churches assert that God pervades the whole universe but they still force followers “not to abandon Sunday”, which means they must go to church on the seventh day of the week (Sunday). They consider charity activities like donation of food and medicines or healthcare for the disadvantaged as a way to fortify and increase their faith by relying on gross elements. This faith, however, is the subtle element with which they inferably label substance-less qualities.

However, external conditions being exhausted, suppressed or over exploited will produce a disturbance among subtle internal elements. Vice versa, the over-reliance on gross external elements by subtle internal elements will make the mind become weak and easily influenceable. This is an imbalance between gross and subtle elements within an entity. For a person, this imbalance causes a mental disorder majorly emanated from desire (but unreachable), competition (for gain or lose) or efforts without a lofty goal (for fame or shame or praise-blame).

Whatever source it may come, this turbulence will surely lay bad effects on the neural, arterial and aspiratory systems. Then we have to rely on gross external elements like medicines, environment, weather or climate. Notably, this is the time when we easily fall into delusion because our mind has become chaotic, like an intensely thirsty man being hallucinated by the desert heat. Once subtle internal elements are in turbidity, actions of body, speech and mind become out of control, which can be realized through following expressions: have butterflies in stomach; break teapot or cups or cut oneself on doing kitchen work; tend to stumble easily; be heavy-hearted in the crowd; talk indiscreetly; sleepless; the mind is constantly churned by gales of delusive thought.

Finally is the pure secret essence. This is a superior characteristic of Buddhism that lies beyond the reach of heresies. It is called the Wisdom Mind (Buddha mind, Buddha nature, Suchness…). Any one or religion that depends on gross elements (visible, touchable, and sensible) will not long last because they are impermanent and quickly exhausted. Also it is unstable to rely on subtle elements which mainly depend on the mind that is different in each species and fluctuates every now and then. That’s why the best and absolute reliance is on pure secret essence. Pure essence is permanent, immutable and is the source of eternity. One is All and All converge in One.

Phuoc Thanh Village, July 12, 2013

THINLEY – NGUYEN THANH

Translated by Mat Hue Phap

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