Four upside-down theories

J3 Four upside-down theories.
K1 Describes the source and shows the error.

Sutra:

Further, in his practice of samadhi, the good person's mind is firm, unmoving, and proper and can no longer be disturbed by demons. He can thoroughly investigate the origin of all categories of beings and contemplate the source of the subtle, fleeting, and constant fluctuation. But if he begins to speculate about self and others, he could fall into error with theories of partial impermanence and partial permanence based on four distorted views.

Commentary:

Further, in his practice of samadhi, the good person's mind is firm, unmoving, and proper and can no longer be disturbed by demons. When this good person cultivates and attains solid samadhi, his mind becomes proper, so (external) demons have no chance to obstruct him. However, demons may arise within his own mind. He can thoroughly investigate the origin of all twelve categories of beings and contemplate the source of the subtle, fleeting, and constant fluctuation that appears in the formations skandha at this stage in his cultivation.

But if he begins to speculate about self and others, he could fall into error with theories of partial impermanence and partial permanence based on four distorted views. Indulging in false thoughts about self and others, he creates demons in his own mind and comes up with four distorted views. He says that things are both permanent and impermanent, both produced and destroyed, both moving and still, both deified and pure, and both alive and dead. He defends both sides of the issue and refuses to make a decision. He says, "This way is right and that way is also right." He says things are impermanent, but he also says things are permanent. That's upside down. His lack of resolution confuses people.

K2 Detailed explanation of their appearance.
L1 Speculation regarding self and others.

Sutra:

First, as this person contemplates the wonderfully bright mind pervading the ten directions, he concludes that this state of profound stillness is the ultimate spiritual self. Then he speculates, "My spiritual self, which is settled, bright and unmoving, pervades the ten directions. All living beings are within my mind, and there they are born and die by themselves.

Therefore, my mind is permanent while those who undergo birth and death there are truly impermanent."

Commentary:

What does he say in his first theory? First, as this person who cultivates the Way contemplates the wonderfully bright mind fully pervading the ten directions, he concludes that this state of profound stillness and purity is the ultimate spiritual self. Then he speculates, "My spiritual self, which is settled, bright and unmoving, pervades the ten directions. My mind is in a state of unmoving suchness, replete with samadhi power and wisdom that are perfectly bright and unmoving."

He says, "Since my mind pervades the ten directions, all living beings are contained within my mind, and there they are born and die by themselves, over and over. Therefore, my mind is permanent and not subject to birth and death, while those who undergo birth and death there are truly impermanent. The living beings in my mind are continually undergoing birth and death. Therefore, they must be impermanent in nature. My mind pervades the ten directions, permanent and unchanging. But the beings within it, undergoing birth and death, are impermanent."

L2 Speculation regarding worlds.

Sutra:

Second, instead of contemplating his own mind, this person contemplates in the ten directions worlds as many as the Ganges' sands. He regards as ultimately impermanent those worlds that are in eons of decay, and as ultimately permanent those that are not in eons of decay.

Commentary:

Second, instead of contemplating his own mind, this person contemplates in the ten directions worlds as many as the Ganges' sands. He does not look within his mind, as above when he saw his own mind pervading the ten directions. Rather, he looks outside at the worlds in the ten directions, as numerous as the Ganges' sands.

He regards as ultimately impermanent those worlds that are in eons of decay, and as ultimately permanent those that are not in eons of decay. He sees a certain world that has reached the eon of decay in the cycle of becoming, dwelling, decay and emptiness, and he claims that it is ultimately impermanent in nature. Seeing another world that is not in the eon of decay, he says that it is ultimately permanent. So there are both impermanence and permanence.

L3 Speculation regarding his body and mind.

Sutra:

Third, this person closely examines his own mind and finds it to be subtle and mysterious, like fine motes of dust swirling in the ten directions, unchanging in nature. And yet it can cause his body to be born and then to die. He regards that indestructible nature as his permanent intrinsic nature, and that which undergoes birth and death and flows forth from him as impermanent.

Commentary:

In the third distorted theory, this person closely examines his own mind and finds it to be subtle and mysterious. He scrutinizes his own mind in its most subtle and mysterious aspects. These aspects, which are so elusive that they can hardly be perceived, characterize the formations skandha. These states are like tiny ripples on water, or like fine motes of dust swirling in the ten directions. The continuous flowing movement is unchanging in nature. And yet it can cause his body to be born and then to die. It causes his body to undergo repeated births and deaths. He regards that indestructible nature of the flowing movement as his permanent intrinsic nature. He says, "This is the permanence of my own nature." And that which undergoes birth and death and flows forth from him as impermanent. He says, "All the beings that are born and die, over and over, flowing forth from this permanent nature of mine, are themselves impermanent in nature."

L4 Speculation regarding neither self nor others.

Sutra:

Fourth, knowing that the skandha of thinking has ended and seeing the flowing of the skandha of formations, this person speculates that the continuous flow of the skandha of formations is permanent, and that the skandhas of form, feeling, and thinking which have already ended are impermanent.

Commentary:

Fourth, knowing that the skandha of thinking has ended and seeing the subtle flowing, like ripples, of the skandha of formations as he cultivates, this person speculates that the continuous flow of the skandha of formations is permanent. Seeing no change in it, he concludes, "Oh, it must be permanent in nature." And that the skandhas of form, feeling, and thinking which have already ended are impermanent. Since they are gone, he thinks they must be impermanent.

K3 Concludes that it is an externalist teaching.

Sutra:

Because of these speculations of impermanence and permanence, he will fall into externalism and become confused about the Bodhi nature. This is the third external teaching, which postulates partial permanence.

Commentary:

Because of these four wrong theories based on his speculations of impermanence and permanence, he will lose proper and pervasive knowledge, fall into externalism, id become confused about the Bodhi nature. He says, "This part is permanent and that part is impermanent." Because he has these inverted theories and doesn't even understand their implications himself, he adopts the ideas of external teachings and becomes confused about the actual nature of Bodhi. This is the third external teaching, which postulates partial permanence. This third inverted theory advocated by external sects maintains that things are partially permanent and partially impermanent.