The Darkness of Delusion Within Light

A field of force that appears, in Buddha's vision, as light, is centred on the sun and spreads across the universe. It is a natural law distinct even from the four great elements. It is this field of light that empowers the division, distribution, and varied expressions of the four great elements.

How the World Appears

This is easier to understand through an example relative to a being's sense-bases. Imagine you step into a dark room for the very first time. The four great elements are present there, but nothing at all appears to your naked eye. Yet the moment light falls, the objects in the room appear instantly. Vision occurs. This may seem an ordinary matter to you, but it is common to the other sense-bases too. As seen through Buddha's vision, it is this light that gives rise, within a being, not only to visual forms, but also to sound-forms, scent-forms, taste-forms, touch-forms, and mind-forms. Even with our eyes closed, an image still forms in the mind. This happens because of objects arriving through various sense-bases. This formation of images — this sensing of forms by the mind — occurs because of the light present in the universe. This light is not limited to the range of light detectable by the eye organ.

The scattered elemental qualities throughout the universe become perceivable through the combination of certain components of this light. Within this field of light, relative to the sun's energy, this universe becomes manifest to a being. The amount of this light each kind of matter can absorb also differs from one to another. Various theories of reflection, theories determining capacity, and theories determining absorption underlie this. Through these theories, the differentiation of the four great elements operates. Here we are speaking of light in relation to the world-domain. Matters belonging to the world-domain cannot be grasped and understood through the mind by analysis alone — because in constructing such analyses, the forms built within the mind are also, in fact, governed by the very root laws responsible for the qualities of the light-element.

The Delusion of a Being

A being living in this universe is veiled by a darkness of delusion. That delusion is a form of light-element arising from sunlight, one that touches a being's sense-bases, touches a being's mental faculty, and operates on a being's cells. This is called the light-element of consciousness. If this sun were to disappear from the universe, a being's consciousness would also disappear. But this sun is not the kind of thing that simply disappears.

On this light-element of consciousness, the concept of self is constructed. The light-element is itself a being's delusion. It is precisely this that constructs a world for a being, gives rise to appearances, and prepares the manifestation. Even during sleep, an appearance arises in a dream, because of this same light-element.

A being is created from the combined force of Buddha, universe, karma, and citta. On the manifestation arising from the consciousness-element of light, the concept of self is constructed. It is on that concept of self that a being's personal actions get built. The being is created. The appearances arising from sunlight delude a being. For that delusion to cease, the light of Buddha — the sun — must reach the being. That reaching happens through Buddhas, paccekabuddhas, and great arahants. Every other kind of appearance deludes a being — because all of these appearances too are constructed out of not knowing the reality of the light-element of consciousness.

"Exists" and "Does Not Exist"

Everything is sensed by a being on the basis of the perception "it exists." This too has its cause in the manifestation built on this light-element. Whatever notion arises in a being constructed upon the light-element of consciousness, it arises founded upon this root notion of "it exists." A being's notion of "it does not exist" also arises relative to this root notion of "it exists." "A person exists. Things exist. A mirage exists. An illusion exists." So even if someone says, "there is no world, there is no self," that statement too arises on the basis of the notion "it exists," founded on the light-element. Even "delusion exists" arises accordingly. Nature, through craving, provides the sense of self needed to build continuity on this root perception of "exists." The thought "I am here, I want this" arises. Put another way, this range does not fall within a being's sense-bases or mind at all. The totality of that force does not fall within a being's mind. Only someone who has cultivated the four bases of psychic power can go beyond this range, see it, and reveal its reality. Within the limited range accessible to a being, time feels "real." But time is not a thing that exists. Just as time, so too the world, the mind, karma — none of these "exist." Everything is, in this very moment, changing as a flow. Now you might think: "this changing, this flow, is called something that exists — its existence." What forms in the mind is "even non-existence becomes existence." The appearance shown within the light-element of consciousness is shown as "existing," and it is in exactly this way that nature, through craving, builds continuity upon it. What builds the house called "this moment" is the carpenter called craving. In truth, there is no such thing as "this moment."

Where Buddha's Vision Differs

All the philosophical views constructed today under the name of "Dhamma," through the development of the mind, are constructed entirely within the light-element of consciousness — within its own delusion. Buddha's teaching is not found in them. Only Buddha's teaching can see this reality. That does not mean others cannot see it and be freed without seeing it this way. Buddha-nature exists within everyone. Everyone has the capacity to become Buddha. Everyone has the capacity to realise Buddha's teaching. Through that, everyone has the capacity to be freed from samsara.