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...to be seen as such. Because the Dharma nature Dharma nature: The essential, unchanging nature of all things, which is inherently pure. original: "法性", Sanskrit: Dharmatā is inherently pure, one cannot say it is "bound" or "liberated," nor can one say it can be "covered" or "hidden."

Manjushri Manjushri: The Bodhisattva of Wisdom, often depicted in dialogue with the Buddha to clarify profound philosophical points. original: "曼殊室利" spoke again to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, it is exactly as the Holy One says. Such a pure nature cannot be bound or liberated, nor can it be covered. Why is this? Because the nature of light and ignorance Light and Ignorance: Wisdom (vidyā) and the lack of it (avidyā). In this philosophy, they are seen as two sides of the same coin, neither having a permanent substance. original: "明無明" are equal; they cannot be 'attained' or grasped as solid things. How then could one say that the 'spreading darkness of ignorance' is capable of removing or staining the pure nature?"

The Buddha said: "Manjushri, it is like the act of drilling for fire Drilling for fire: A common Buddhist metaphor for "dependent origination." Fire isn't "inside" the wood or the person's hands; it arises only when specific conditions meet. original: "鑽火", which depends on various causes and conditions Causes and conditions: The Buddhist principle that nothing exists in isolation; everything arises due to a web of circumstances. original: "因緣", Sanskrit: Nidāna. In this way, the nature of heat is not definitively located in the hands, nor in the wood, nor in any of the individual conditions. Likewise, Manjushri, the heat of the nature of sentient beings—their greed, anger, arrogance, and folly, and their calculative delusions—all depend on various causes and conditions. These greeds and angers are not definitively located within those causes.

In this same way, the 'heat' of the nature of anger and folly exists neither inside, nor outside, nor in between. It dwells in a state of non-dwelling original: "住無住", meaning it has no fixed or permanent residence in reality. Manjushri, by what cause or condition is this called 'obstruction' original: "癈", meaning to be hindered or discarded? Though all phenomena are pure in nature and liberated, because they are 'entangled and obscured,' they cause sentient beings to constantly wander within the net of distorted views, becoming lost regarding liberation; this is why we call it 'obstruction.' Manjushri, you should also know that the very place where the nature of folly original: "愚癡" cannot be attained or found is itself purity. Once the consequences of one's transgressions are exhausted, one is pure and walks this path."

At that time, Manjushri, the Prince of Dharma, said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, is there any Bodhisattva Bodhisattva: A person on the path to Buddhahood who seeks enlightenment for the sake of all beings. original: "菩薩" who, by entering a single pure dharma meaning a single teaching or truth, is then able to comprehensively understand all things?"

The Buddha said: "Manjushri, it is so, it is so. There are Bodhisattvas who enter one dharma-gate Dharma-gate: A specific method or teaching that serves as an entrance to ultimate truth. original: "法門" and are able to...