movingalways wrote:First there is no mountain, then there is.
It goes:
First there is a mountain
then there is no mountain
then there is
First you see things conventionally
Then you see things ultimately
Then you see the mountain,( knowing it as it truely is...empty of inherent existence.)
He explains it better :
First seeing mountains as mountains and rivers as rivers means seeing them as fixed and solid entities in and of themselves.
Later seeing them as not mountains and not rivers means we understand that neither mountains nor rivers exist in and of themselves, that they are empty of inherent existence and made up of other beings that are also empty of inherent existence. For instance, there is nothing within a mountain that we can pull out and say, "this is mountain," or, "this is what makes a mountain a mountain." Mountains are made up of rocks, trees, grass, snow, water, rivers, ponds, lakes, insects, birds, animals, etc., etc., etc., and all of these things are made up of other things. So, there are no mountains and no rivers.
When we continue to practice, and our wisdom eye is fully opened, we realize that mountains are indeed mountains, and rivers are indeed rivers, for there is a mountain there and a river over here. However, we deeply understand that both "mountain" and "river" are merely words that we use to describe the conditioned phenomena in front of us. Neither phenomena is a fixed nor permanent entity that exists in and of itself and possesses inherent existence as "mountain," or "river." In other words we experience and understand their true nature, and the true nature of all beings.
Hands palm-to-palm,
Nonin