西方合論

Chapter V

THE PRINCIPLE OF TRUTH

Right within nature is form. Thus nature and form are neither existent nor nonexistent; the gates of principle and phenomena are likewise unobstructed. Therefore, affirmative and negative expressions are used to complement one another.

To speak of nonexistence is like the moon reflected in a lake or hundreds of thousands of flower images appearing in a bright mirror, unlike the nonexistence of a tortoise’s hair or a hare’s horn. To speak of existence is like the wind swirling and clouds drifting, unlike the hard, obstructive existence of pure gold and mountain rock. Thus, those attached to names and forms are ordinary worldlings.

Those who deny causes and reject effects fall into the nihilistic view of non-Buddhist paths. Though knowing Buddha lands to be within a dream, one still vows to be reborn there. Though knowing sages and worthies to be like bubbles and foam, one still earnestly longs to behold them.

To speak of truth and form is like a boil arising on healthy skin. To speak of existence and nonexistence is like a speck of snow upon a blazing furnace. Therefore, from the standpoint of ultimate truth, this is distinguished into four gates:

Right within form is mind.

Right within mind is form.

Neither mind nor form.

Free from both affirmation and negation.

1. Right Within Form Is Mind

The Essential Gate of Contemplating the Pure Land says: “The sutra states: ‘The true mind encompasses the vastness of space, its measure extending throughout worlds as numerous as the sands.’” It also says: “The mind is like a painter who depicts the various five skandhas; throughout all worlds, everything is created by mind. The jeweled ponds, jeweled ground, jeweled trees, the thirty-two marks, and the proper-retribution bodies of the assembly in the Land of Ultimate Bliss—all are inherently complete within our own minds and are made by our minds.

They are neither obtained from anyone else nor do they come from outside.” Only after clearly understanding this can one discuss contemplating the Buddha within one’s own mind. The Contemplation Sutra states: “The Buddha-Tathagatas are bodies of the dharma realm and enter the perceiving thoughts of all sentient beings,” continuing through the passage on “the eighty subsidiary characteristics.” Great Master Tiantai explained this in two senses:

From the standpoint of the responsive communion between stimulus and response.

From the standpoint of understanding and practice proceeding together.

Without the first explanation, the practice of contemplation would not be contemplation of the Buddha. Without the second, one would suppose that a Buddha exists outside the mind. Hence the explanation: “This mind makes the Buddha; this mind is the Buddha.”

From the standpoint of contemplative practice, it is called “this mind makes the Buddha.” From the standpoint of inherent completeness, it is called “this mind is the Buddha.” This meaning pervades this sutra from beginning to end. Another passage of the same sutra likewise says: “When this mind contemplates the sun, this mind is the sun; when this mind contemplates Mahasthamaprapta, this mind is Mahasthamaprapta.” This is also true throughout the nine grades, wherein contemplation accords with each object.

It also says: “Contemplating mind and contemplating the Buddha both belong to illusory objects.” This means that when one understands illusion itself to be truth, there is no need first to destroy illusion and only afterward reveal truth. Master Jingxi said: “Does ‘mind-only’ refer merely to the true mind? You should know that the mind of afflictions pervades everywhere.

If you do not even know that the mind of afflictions is all-pervasive, how could you understand that the materiality of birth and death is all-pervasive? Why is materiality all-pervasive? Because form itself is mind.

If so, one need not gather the Buddha back into the source of mind before calling it contemplation of the Buddha within the mind. To understand in this way is not only to penetrate deeply into the Buddha’s intent but also to transcend ordinary sentiment entirely.”

The Record of the Mirror of the School states: “One’s own mind pervades every place. Therefore, when seeing another Buddha, one sees one’s own Buddha, without destroying the distinction between the realms of self and other, for there is only the one mind. Sentient beings are like a mold covering a Buddha image.

When the mold is broken, one sees one’s own Buddha and also sees the other Buddha. Why? Although one sees the other Buddha, this is also seeing one’s own Buddha, for both are cast from a single mold, yet the other Buddha is not destroyed.

This is because, upon the essential nature of one’s own Buddha, although the image of another Buddha manifests, it remains the objective aspect of one’s own cognition.” It also says: “One’s own mind evokes the manifestation of the Buddha’s body coming to welcome and guide one.” Yet the Buddha’s body is eternally quiescent and neither comes nor goes. Relying upon the power of the original Buddha’s supreme merit, the consciousness of sentient beings sees coming and going, like myriad images upon a mirror, no different from events in a dream.

Images in a mirror are neither inside nor outside. The nature of a dream is neither existent nor nonexistent; it is only a manifestation of one’s own mind and has nothing to do with a manifestation created by the Buddha.

Therefore, one should know that when pure karma matures, the practitioner sees the Buddha’s body. When evil retribution is about to ripen, the mind manifests hell. It is like a meritorious person who grasps stone and it becomes gold, while a person with the karma of poverty grasps gold and it becomes stone.

Stone is not gold, yet gold manifests of itself; gold is not stone, yet stone reveals itself. Obtaining gold arises solely from mind; the manifestation of stone comes solely from mind. Such transformations come from one’s own mind, not because stone or gold exists elsewhere.

The Sutra of the Abodes of Mindfulness of the True Dharma states: “It is like a clever and skillful painter who uses various colors. When he uses white, he paints white. When he uses red, yellow, gray, or black, he paints red, yellow, gray, or black.

Karmic mind is like the painter and should be understood by analogy. When karmic mind thinks of white, it uses white and paints white in the heavenly and human realms. What does white mean?

White means being unstained by the defilements of sensual desires and outflows. Karmic mind is like a painter who uses red and can paint red in the heavenly and human realms. What does red mean?

Red means delight in sounds, scents, tastes, and tactile objects. Karmic mind is like a painter who uses yellow and can paint yellow in the animal realm. What does yellow mean?

Yellow refers to beings who drink one another’s blood and eat one another’s flesh, who are greedy, angry, deluded, and kill one another. Karmic mind is like a painter who uses gray; in the realm of hungry ghosts, it contemplates and paints a filthy gray. What does gray mean?

Gray refers to bodies resembling a burned forest and also to the distress of hunger and thirst and the oppression of many sufferings. Karmic mind is like a painter who uses black and paints black in the hell realm. What does black mean?

Black refers to evil karma such as falling into hell, where there are black iron walls and beings are bound and burned until their bodies are charred black. Karmic mind is like a painter who skillfully uses the colors of meditative concentration, contemplating luminous realms and deftly painting beautiful colors. Everything is one’s own mind and is not made by anyone else.

Thus one should understand by analogy that karmic mind, like a painter, uses pure colors to paint a pure land.”

The Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra states: “When a bodhisattva attains this samadhi, although remaining seated in his own place, he sees Amitabha Buddha. It is like someone who hears that in the country of Vaisali there is the courtesan Amrapali, in the country of Sravasti the courtesan Sumana, and in the city of Rajagriha the courtesan Utpalavarna. Three travelers each hear others praise these three women as exceedingly beautiful.

Day and night, each secretly cherishes longing and desire for them, even seeing their lovely forms in dreams. Upon awakening with a start, all three reflect: ‘She did not come here, nor did I go there, yet sexual union was accomplished.’ From this, might they awaken to the fact that all dharmas are likewise? They went and reported this to the bodhisattva Bhadrapala, who said: ‘Indeed, all dharmas arise from one’s own mind.’ The three travelers immediately attained non-retrogression.”

In this land, upon hearing the name of Amitabha Buddha, a bodhisattva constantly recollects him. Because of this constant recollection, the bodhisattva sees Amitabha Buddha. It is like someone traveling far away to another region whose thoughts return to his old homeland, spouse, relatives, and possessions. In a dream, he returns home, sees his spouse and relatives, rejoices, and speaks with them. Upon awakening with a start, he recounts his dream to a wise acquaintance.

Likewise, in whichever direction a bodhisattva hears the name of a Buddha, he constantly recollects that direction and wishes to see that Buddha. The bodhisattva sees all Buddhas, just as a bhiksu contemplates the bones of a dead person before him. Sometimes he contemplates blue bones, sometimes white, red, or black bones.

No one has brought those bones; those bones are not actually there, nor have they come from elsewhere. They appear solely because of the thought that contemplates bones. Likewise, a bodhisattva immediately sees the Buddha in whichever direction he wishes.

Why? Because of the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, the power of the Buddha’s samadhi, and the power of the Buddha’s inherent merit. Through the operation of these three powers, he sees the Buddha.

It is like a beautiful young woman who places fine sesame oil or clear water in a clean vessel, or holds a newly polished bronze mirror or a crystal mirror. Her figure is reflected upon those surfaces. Why?

Because those surfaces are clear, she sees her own reflection. That reflection does not emerge from those surfaces, nor does it enter from outside. Because the bodhisattva skillfully purifies his mind, he sees the Buddhas at will.

Having seen the Buddhas, his mind rejoices and is uplifted. The bodhisattva reflects: ‘From where did the Buddha come? My body also did not go anywhere.’ At that very moment he knows: ‘The Buddha did not come, nor did I go.’ The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘All dharmas in the three realms are created by mind.

Why? Because whatever the mind thinks is seen. Mind sees the Buddha; mind makes the Buddha; mind itself is the Buddha; mind itself is my body.

Mind does not know itself and does not see itself. Whoever wishes to grasp the characteristics of his own mind is foolish. Mind is also deceptive, and all this arises from ignorance.

One who realizes the characteristics of his own mind enters the true nature of all dharmas.’”

Therefore, one should know that seeing a Buddha outside the mind is the realm of Mara. Why? Because not a single dharma exists outside one’s own mind, for outside mind-nature there is no dharma. Thus, all dharmas throughout the ten directions and the three periods of time are not outside one’s own mind. If a practitioner penetrates the truth that no dharma exists outside mind, Mara’s realm itself is the Buddha’s realm, for there is only one suchness, not two truths.

2. Right Within Mind Is Form

If all dharmas are ultimately empty, dharmas can exist. If dharmas possessed fixed natures, they could never be established. The Prajnaparamita Sutra states: “If dharmas could not be empty, there would be no path and no realization of its fruits.” The Dharmapada Sutra states: “Within ultimate emptiness, the bodhisattva vigorously establishes the myriad practices.” The Avatamsaka Sutra states: “The great bodhisattva clearly knows that his own body and the bodies of sentient beings have always been quiescent, yet he diligently cultivates merit and wisdom without ever being satisfied.

Toward all objects, he forever abandons desire, yet he always delights in beholding and serving the physical bodies of the Buddhas. Although knowing Buddha lands to be like empty space, the bodhisattva constantly adorns Buddha lands. For this reason, the bodhisattva delights in cultivating the Pure Land.” The Treatise Resolving Many Doubts poses the question: “The lands of all Buddhas are empty, and the practitioner contemplates sentient beings as being like a fifth great element.

How, then, can one cling to forms, abandon Saha, and seek rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss?”

Answer: When the Buddhas teach the Dharma, they never depart from ultimate truth and conventional truth. The sutra says: “Accomplish all dharmas while remaining free from the characteristics of all dharmas.” Accomplishing all dharmas refers to dharmas according to conventional truth. Being free from the characteristics of all dharmas refers to the signless truth of ultimate meaning.

It also says: “Although knowing that the lands of the Buddhas and sentient beings are all empty, one constantly cultivates the Pure Land and teaches the multitudes of beings.” You see only the teaching on the perfectly accomplished true nature and the passages that refute imagined attachment in order to reach ultimate emptiness, yet you do not believe the teaching on causes and conditions according to dependent arising.

Thus, you do not believe in cause and effect. If you assert the annihilation of all dharmas, you are a non-Buddhist who holds wrong views.

The Treatise on Ten Doubts states: “The principle of neither arising nor ceasing means that dharmas arise through the conjunction of causes and conditions and possess no intrinsic nature. Thus, even if one seeks the substance of arising, it can never be found. At the very moment of arising, dharmas come from nowhere; hence it is called non-arising. When dharmas dissolve, they go nowhere; hence it is called non-ceasing. The principle of neither arising nor ceasing does not exist outside conditioned arising and ceasing, nor is it the case that only by refraining from seeking rebirth in the Pure Land can one call it non-arising.” The Treatise on the Middle Way states:

“Dharmas arising from conditions,

I declare to be emptiness.

They are also provisional names,

And this is the meaning of the Middle Way.”

It also says: “Dharmas do not arise from themselves, from another, from both, or without a cause; therefore, they are said to be non-arising…”

It further says: “It is like someone building a house. If he builds on open ground, he may proceed freely without obstruction. If he tries to build in empty space, he can never succeed.

The Buddhas always teach the Dharma based upon ultimate and conventional truth; they do not destroy provisional names when explaining the true nature of dharmas. The wise eagerly seek rebirth in the Pure Land, clearly knowing that the substance of birth cannot truly be found; this is genuine non-arising. Here it is said that when the mind is pure, the Buddha land is pure.

Fools are bound by birth: when they hear ‘birth,’ they conceive it as birth; when they hear ‘non-arising,’ they cling to there being no birth. They do not know that birth itself is non-arising and non-arising itself is birth. Because they do not understand this principle, they give rise to disputes over right and wrong and scorn those who seek rebirth in the Pure Land.

Alas, how deluded they are!”

Changlu said: “To regard birth as actual birth is the erroneous attachment of eternalism. To regard non-arising as the absence of birth is the erroneous attachment of annihilationism. Birth that is non-arising and non-arising that is birth—this is the truth of ultimate meaning.” Yongming said: “Right within the nature of form, function does not depart from essence. Right within the form of nature, essence does not depart from function. If you wish to praise nature, that is precisely to praise form. If you wish to destroy form, you merely destroy nature.” Tianru said: “Nature can reveal form; non-arising itself is birth. Form is revealed through nature; birth itself is non-arising.”

Thus, within sound there is what is not sound, like the echoes of water, trees, and wind; within form there is what is not form, like jeweled trees and railings. How could this be the same as the inert emptiness of extinguished smoke and scattered ash? And how could it be the same as the retinue of Mara who deny the principle of cause and effect?

3. Neither Mind nor Form

The Vibhasa Treatise states: “A bodhisattva who has newly aroused the aspiration should first recollect the Buddha’s physical marks, essential characteristics, karmic characteristics, fruition characteristics, and functional characteristics; this is an inferior degree of applied effort. Next, the mind recollects the Buddha’s eighteen unique qualities; this is a middling degree of applied effort. Next, the mind recollects the Buddha’s true nature; this is a superior degree of applied effort. The bodhisattva is attached neither to the physical body nor to the Dharma body.” The verse states:

“Not craving attachment to the physical body,

Not clinging firmly to the Dharma body,

Skillfully knowing all dharmas,

Ever quiescent like empty space.”

The Ratnagotravibhaga states: “With reference to the meaning of Buddha, the sutra records: ‘The Buddha told Ananda: The Tathagata is not a dharma that can be seen; therefore, eye-consciousness cannot see the Tathagata.’ With reference to the meaning of Dharma, the sutra records: ‘The Dharma is not something that can be spoken; therefore, ear-consciousness cannot hear the Dharma.’ With reference to the meaning of Sangha, the sutra records: ‘The Sangha means the unconditioned; therefore, body and mind cannot make offerings to, bow to, or praise the Sangha.’” The Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra states: “The great bodhisattva does not recollect the Buddha by means of form, nor by means of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness.

Because the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, the bodhisattva does not recollect the Buddha by means of the thirty-two excellent marks, the eighty subsidiary characteristics, morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, knowledge and vision of liberation, the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, or the eighteen unique qualities. Why? Because the intrinsic nature of these dharmas is empty.

Within empty intrinsic nature, there is no object to be recollected. Where there is no object of recollection, that is recollection of the Buddha.” The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom states: “If a bodhisattva clings to characteristics, discriminates among the Buddhas of the past, and dedicates merit to them, this is not dedication. Why?

Because characteristics constitute one extreme, while absence of characteristics constitutes another. To leave both extremes and practice the Middle Way is the true nature of the Buddhas. Therefore, speaking of past Buddhas falls into attachment to characteristics.

If one dedicates merit without attachment to characteristics, one is not inverted.” The Sutra of the Treasury of the Buddha states: “To see the true nature of all dharmas is to see the Buddha. What is the true nature of all dharmas? It is that dharmas are ultimately empty and there is nothing whatsoever.

Thus, ultimate emptiness and nothing whatsoever are the Dharma of Recollecting the Buddha. A practitioner who recollects the Buddha abandons all perceptions; no perceptions arise, the mind makes no distinctions, and there are no names, obstructions, desires, attainments, or arising of initial and sustained thought. Why?

Sariputra! Because when recollection arises, all perceptions are wrong views. Sariputra!

Because one accords with nothing whatsoever, there is no initial thought, no sustained thought, no arising, and no ceasing. To penetrate this principle is called recollection of the Buddha. Within this recollection there is no greed, attachment, opposition, conformity, name, or perception.

Sariputra! The absence of perceptual recollection and language is precisely recollection of the Buddha. Within it there is not even the slightest subtle thought, much less coarse karma of body, speech, or mind.

Where there is no karma of body, speech, or mind, there is no grasping, relinquishing, dispute, or contention. It is without thought and discrimination, empty and quiescent, without intrinsic nature, and extinguishes initial and sustained thought. This is recollection of the Buddha.

Sariputra! If one recollects the Buddha in this way and wishes to move the earth of the four continents, one can move it at will and can also subdue hundreds of thousands of kotis of Maras—how much more so that inferior ignorance, which arises from false causes and conditions and has no fixed characteristic? Thus, this Dharma is without perception and conceptual proliferation; it neither arises nor ceases, cannot be fully expressed, cannot be discriminated, and is neither dark nor bright.

Neither Mara nor Mara’s followers can fathom it. Only to teach by means of worldly language is it said: ‘When recollecting the Buddha, do not grasp even the slightest thought; do not give rise to conceptual proliferation or discrimination. Why?

Because these dharmas are all empty, without substance or nature. One cannot recollect the single characteristic, also called signlessness. This is true recollection of the Buddha.’”

Furthermore, the Great Calming and Contemplation states: “How should a practitioner of the Buddha-recollection samadhi recollect? To recollect the Buddha is to return to recollecting one’s own Buddha-nature. Does one then attain the Buddha from the mind or from the body?

Yet the Buddha cannot be attained by means of mind or body. The Buddha’s physical form cannot be attained by means of mind, nor can the Buddha’s mind be attained by means of physical form. Why?

Regarding mind, the Buddha is without mind; regarding form, the Buddha is without form. Thus, unsurpassed perfect enlightenment cannot be attained by means of form and mind. The Buddha’s physical form is quiescent, and so on through consciousness, which is quiescent.

The Buddha declares all dharmas quiescent, but fools do not understand. The wise clearly understand that the Buddha cannot be attained through body, speech, or wisdom. Why?

Because when wisdom searches, the Buddha cannot be found. When one searches within oneself, it is clearly unobtainable and cannot be seen. All dharmas are originally empty, with nothing whatsoever, and are originally quiescent.

To recollect the Buddha in this way is called the gate of recollecting the Buddha’s true nature and is also called the absolute gate.”

4. Free from Both Affirmation and Negation

Yongming said: “If one clings to internal power, that is intrinsic nature; if one clings to other-power, that is other-nature; if one clings to the conjunction of capacity and response, that is shared nature; if one clings to neither cause nor condition, that is causeless nature. All these views are obstructions and have not yet reached perfect interpenetration.” One should know that the Buddha’s power is inconceivable and its wonder unfathomable. It is like the akasuka tree, which blossoms when touched by a woman. The tree is not sentient, yet neither can it be called insentient. The inconceivable contact and mindfulness of the great bodhisattva should be understood by analogy.

– It is also like the elephant-tusk tree, which blossoms when thunder sounds. The tree has no ears, so how does it hear the sound? If it does not hear the sound, why does it blossom? Furthermore, if it blossoms because of thunder, all other things should likewise blossom. The inconceivable object of sound of the great bodhisattva should be understood by analogy.

– It is also like a warrior who mistakes a rock for a pack of fierce tigers and shoots arrows intending to kill them. Yet those arrows do not pierce into the rock, nor does the rock take in the arrows. The inconceivable power of vigorous diligence of the great bodhisattva should be understood by analogy.

– It is also like someone traveling ten thousand miles who stops to rest temporarily in an abandoned house. At midnight, a ghost carries in a corpse and places it before him. A second ghost follows, blazing with rage, and shouts:

– That is mine.

The first ghost says:

– I brought it here myself.

The second ghost also says:

– In truth, I brought it here.

Each ghost seizes one arm of the corpse, and they struggle violently over it.

The first ghost says:

– There is a man here; we should ask him to settle the matter.

The second ghost then asks the traveler:

– Who brought this corpse here?

He reflects silently: “These two ghosts possess extraordinary strength. If I lie, I shall die anyway. I may as well tell the truth.” He then says:

– The first ghost brought this corpse here.

Upon hearing this, the second ghost flies into a rage, seizes the traveler’s arm, tears it off, and throws it to the ground. The first ghost takes an arm from the corpse and attaches it to the severed place. They continue in this way until the traveler’s two arms, two legs, head, and torso have been completely replaced.

After the two ghosts eat the exchanged body, they wipe their mouths and depart. The traveler reflects incessantly: “With my own eyes I saw my body entirely eaten by the ghosts. This present form consists of flesh from the corpse attached to me.” At all times he contemplates it as another’s body, and so he is not defiled by the five desires, does not nurture it, and does not give rise to attachment toward his wife and children.

He even accepts reproaches and insults. Because it is another’s body, he no longer has pride. Later, he suddenly understands: “If this is another’s body, there is no self.

If it is not another’s body, then within this present other body there is nothing that constitutes another’s body. It is neither self nor the absence of self. I have no true substance, and the other body also has no true substance.

From the beginning, it has naturally always been so.” He immediately knows that all dharmas are self and also not self. Everything is merely false. The inconceivable power of contemplation by which the great bodhisattva sees one’s own Buddha and other Buddhas should be understood by analogy.

– It is also like Shangqiu Kai, a poor man who believed a rich man’s claim that one could enter fire without being burned to death, enter water without drowning, and fall from a height without injury. Because he believed those false words, he obtained genuine treasures, although the poor man possessed none of the other man’s magical arts. The inconceivable desire of the great bodhisattva to attain the Buddha’s position as Dharma King should be understood by analogy.

– It is also like a deep, empty valley that produces an echo according to whatever sound is made. The echo comes neither from empty space, nor from the valley, nor from the sound. If the echo came from empty space, empty space would always possess an echo. If it came from the valley, there would always be an echo within the valley. If it came from the sound, echoes would also spread across level ground. Ultimately, the echo does not come through combination, causes and conditions, or spontaneity. The inconceivable characteristic of sound of the great bodhisattva, neither coming nor going, should be understood by analogy.

– It is also like an illusionist who uses magic to place a horse beloved by an elder into a small jar. The jar does not grow larger, yet the horse naturally gallops and leaps about within it. After the elder has set out food, the horse remains tethered in its original place. The inconceivable Dharma of illusion by which the great bodhisattva manifests Buddha lands should be understood by analogy.

– It is also like hathakaca medicine: one measure of it can transform a thousand measures of copper into pure gold, yet a thousand measures of copper cannot be refined into the medicine. The inconceivable refined medicine by which the great bodhisattva transforms a defiled land into a pure land should be understood by analogy.

– It is also like someone who applies anjana medicine to his eyes. Although he enters a crowd, others cannot see him. The inconceivable efficacy of medicine by which the great bodhisattva, amid the continuous arising and ceasing of every thought, attains the non-arising body should be understood by analogy.

– It is also like the Invincible fragrance: if someone applies this fragrance to the face of a drum, when the drum is sounded, the entire enemy army flees in disarray.

– It is also like the Ocean Treasury fragrance possessed by a wheel-turning sage king. When one pellet is burned, the king and his fourfold army soar into empty space. The inconceivable fragrance of right mindfulness by which the great bodhisattva subdues the armies of Mara and transcends the three realms should be understood by analogy.

Therefore, one should know that the Buddha-recollection samadhi is inconceivable, like Samantabhadra’s inconceivable pores, Queen Maya’s inconceivable womb, Vimalakirti’s inconceivable ten-foot-square room, and the laywoman Cudapanthaka’s inconceivable small vessel. Why? Because all dharmas are inconceivable. If even a single dharma the size of a hair-tip could be conceived or discussed, this would not be the ocean of the nature of the dharma realm.

The foregoing explanations of mind and object, of characteristics and signlessness, are all conceivable dharmas. Yet if one enters the inconceivable realm of liberation, one knows that every distinction concerning recollection of the Buddha in terms of mind, object, characteristics, and signlessness is itself inconceivable.