The (Underlying) Nature of Perception is Not the Essence of
Perception
Ananda asked: I now understand that the nature of Perception
annot be returned to any external cause but how can I
know that it is my True Nature?
The capacity of perception
The Buddha said: Ananda, though you have not yet reached the
state beyond the stream of transmigration, you may now use the
Buddha's transcendent power to behold the first dhy‡na heaven
without obstruction, like Aniruddha who sees this world
(Jambudvipa) as clearly as fruit held in his own hand. Bodhisattvas
can see hundreds and thousands of worlds. Buddhas in the ten
directions can see all the Pure Lands as countless as the dust. As
to living beings, their range of sight is (sometimes) limited to
inches.
Picking out causal objects
Ananda, as you and I see the palaces inhabited by the four
heavenly kings with all that is there in water, on the ground and
in the air, though there is a great variety of forms and shapes in
the light and darkness, they are but hindrances resulting from your
differentiation of objective phenomena.
Here you should distinguish between your own Self and external
objects. From, what you see, I now pick out that which is your own
Self and those which are but phenomena.
Ananda, if you exhaust the field of your vision, from the sun
and moon to the seven mountain ranges with all kinds of light, all
that you see are phenomena which are not YOU. As you (shorten your
range) you see passing clouds and flying birds, the wind rising and
dust, trees, mountains, rivers, grass, men and animals; they are
all external and are not YOU.
The essence of perception
Ananda, the great variety of things, far and near, when beheld
by the essence of your seeing, appeared different whereas the
nature of your seeing is uniform. This wondrous bright essence is
really the nature of your perception.