唯心淨土

The Dharma Body from the Original Consciousness

Ok! Ok!
I feel so familiar
Mr. Wu, Mr. Wu.
I still remember you…
You are here, too, Mr. Chen!
Although I am talking about theories,
I am taking advantage of those theories
to help everyone understand,
Citing Buddhism, Philosophy and many kinds of
theories, is to prove the Original Consciousness
and the Six Inner Senses.
Relying on the language,
we can understand ourselves.
Philosophy is all about introspection and
thinking about ourselves.
Philosophy is not to make people worship,
but to help us deeply investigate things.
Why this? Why that?
At beginning,
the Buddha observed the Universe and lives.
He end up realizing that people must
find their Original Consciousness.
The Original Consciousness (noumenon) is a term
explained by Spinoza, and also expounded by
Confucius and Lao-Zi (Chinese philosophers).
Noumenon (The Original Consciousness)
is the origination of the Universe,
and it is also the origination of our lives.
In Buddhism, our Original Consciousness is the
so-called tath?gatagarbha,"Dharma-hidden,"
Which means our Original Consciousness
(or our inner divinity or Dharma)is completely hidden.
All the Buddhist topics are about this Original
Consciousness in our mind.
If the Original Consciousness is not found,
one cannot achieve the Dharma Body.
Neither Increasing nor
Decreasing Sutra states
"Dharma Body is tath?gatagarbha,
and is also this mortal world."
All living creatures have the Original
Consciousness and Dharma Body, but no one knows that.
"How could I have it but I never know? "
Because life's daily vexations and burdens
have covered it for a really long time.
Not only your vexations, but also the lack
of understanding, which covers your mind.
However, the Buddha Shakyamuni explained the
Original Consciousness for us.
Where did the Buddha Shakyamuni's
thoughts come from?
Is it from "Upanishad","Ancient Upanishad",
"Brahmana"or"Vedas"?
The concepts of Trayastrimsa heaven and three
realms introduced in Buddhism
are derived from the Brahmana.
Actually, the term, "Atman", has appeared
in the end of the Brahmana epoch (1000-500 B.C.),
Which indicates that one's
divinity is inside the mind.

These thoughts became mature when the Buddha
Shakyamuni advocated.
The concept of Brahma should be
guided to one's inner mind.
This is important!
The fundamental nature never changes,
which is the so-called "Reality."
At beginning, the ancient Greek philosophers
or the Thinkers in Vedas period,
Thinkers also belongs to philosophers,
were all before the Buddha Shakyamuni.
What these philosophers worshiped is
God, celestial bodies and the stars.
The sky includes the Sun, the moon and stars.
The air includes Wind, Rain, lightning and Thunder.
All of those are considered as God,
and same thing happened in Chinese.
Generally, the entire philosophic systems
and religions have similar beliefs.
People can also deify the earth.
Tu Di Gong (土地公) is the very one deity
that dominates the earth in Chinese religion.
All Gods are created by people.
You think there is God, so it is.
This doesn't mean the God really exists.
OK, let's look at the God of Thunder.
The formation of thunder and lightning is
because of the climates, not Gods.
In the Vedas period (Before 1500 B.C.),
the God of Thunder – Indra.
Indra somehow becomes the Jade Emperor,
who is the ruler of the heaven in Taoist mythology,
and most Taiwanese worship this Jade Emperor now.
As a result, people build temples for the Jade Emperor.
One of the Jade Emperor Temple
is in Southern Taiwan.
Therefore,
the God is the product from people's thoughts.
Otherwise, how can we know whether the God exists.
For example, let's look at "Indra."
He has another name in Buddhist sutra,
called "Sakra Devanam"
This name is also stated in the
Vimalakirti-Nirdesa sutra and the Lotus sutra.
In Mahayana, "Sakra Devanam"
is always to be the guardian of Buddhism,
Especially in the end of the Vimalakirti-Nirdesa sutra,
the Buddha Shakyamuni has a conversation
with "Sakra Devanam"
"Sakra Devanam" is originally named Indra,
who is the God of Thunder.
People saw lightning
and thunder and take them as Gods.
People worshiped celestial Gods,
so the Sun is God, too.
For example, "Surya" is the God
of Sun stated in the Vedas,
who is the God of Sun in ancient India.

The God of Sun in ancient Greek is Apollo.
The celestial bodies became Gods.
How could you know the Sun is God?
How could you know the thunder and lightning is God?

These are ancient people's understanding,
because people then didn't have enough knowledge.
Thus, they took those celestial bodies as Gods.
Today, we are free to have our own religion,
We cannot say others' beliefs are wrong.
There is a temple built for
commemorating one dog in Taiwan.

The believers worship that dog,
making the dog a God.
Have you been there, Miss Lin?
I have.
I visited that temple only.
So, the God is definitely
coming from people's thoughts.
Before Socrates, especially the Greek's thoughts,
those philosophers' Gods are not the
Gods of current religions.
"Immutability" is called God.
The first philosopher, Thales,
declared that there is immutability.
Say, the water is immutable.
He thought the Earth and the world
are not created by the God;
Water is the initial element of the Universe.
Some could say the origination is Fire.
Consequently, Air could be thought
as the earliest element of the Universe.
Therefore, the four elements came out,
inspiring people to discover Atom.
People trying to find a proper way to
explain the Universe became philosophers.
Prior to Socrates,
Philosophers attempted to find out the origination.
They started their search for the
sources of the Gods in this natural world,
source of the Universe and source of this world.
To find the source of the Universe
must rely on people's six senses,
and comply with people thoughts.
Without our six senses, we cannot perceive anything.
Is the Sun a God? How do we prove it?
Philosophers wanted to prove it,
so they started to reason.
Eventually, Logic and Philosophy were developed.
So, Is the Sun a God?
It is because farmers have to grow,
reap and harvest crops.
Sun shine is essential for growing up crops.
Farmer thought the Sun made an
enormous contribution; this Sun must be God.
They thought so!
Sun equals God!?
After all, it depends on "thought."
In ancient Chinese,
one famous philosopher, Lao-Zi, said:
"Before the formation of the Universe,
all elements mixed."
What has existed before the Universe?
However, he did not mention "God."
He said: "Tao, Tao existed before the Universe."
How could Lao-Zi understand the
condition before the Universe?
The vision emerged
from our mind – the Mind Vision.
His Mind Vision showed him how the
Universe was orbiting.
He thought what have seen in his Mind Vision is true.
He did not actually be on the top of the Universe,
but his Original Mind showed the Universe for him.
Before the Universe?
The Universe formed much earlier than Lao-Zi,
therefore, he determined that Tao
is earlier than the Universe,
so that Tao can bring him to see the
beginning of the Universe.
It sounds very reasonable, doesn't it?
He still needed to rely on his Mind Vision.
The ancient Chinese and Greeks,
even those Indian thinker in the "Vedas Period,"
all take the celestial bodies as Gods,
such as Wind, Rain, Thunder ,or Lightning.
Oh, let's take a look at the God of Thunder – Indra.
God of Thunder is a prestigious guardian
of the whole India land.
So,all Indian people worship Indra.

According to ancient stories,
Indra is the ruler of "Sudarsana City."
Moreover,Indra is the ruler of
Trayastrimsa heaven stated in Buddhism.
This is all Buddhist thoughts.
Compiling the thoughts in Upanishads,
we can realize there is the Original Mind.
Those thoughts lead us to find our
inner Dharma (Divinity) and the Original Mind.
In the end of Brahmana is discussing
about the Original Mind, called "Purusa."
Also, we see hymns in Rig-Veda, such as
"Visvakarman sukt,"" Prajapatya sukta,"
"Brahmanaspati sukta," and "Purusa sukta."
All of them are discussing about the origination.
Either Tao or the Reality,no matter what religion,
is looking for the source, the origination.
Where's Gods from? Where's the Universe from?
Where's this world from?
How can find out this answer?
We must search for the answer with our six senses.
The ancient Greek philosophers,
before Socrates,
Some believed there are four elements,
but some thought there are twelve elements.
They still depended on their thought.
Brahmanism has similar concept;
They have "four main elements."
This shows the evolution of their history
and evolution of religious philosophy,
are very similar.
Socrates said:
"You need to abandon the idea of God."
Greek people had no rituals and no doctrines.
Just like what I have said;
the characteristic of their Gods
is immutability.
They thought Water is the source;
Water is Water from long time ago without change,
Therefore, Water is God.
Socrates said the discussion
of Gods is unnecessary.
Knowing ourselves is the
topic we should really consider.
One famous saying is carved on Delphi
"gn?thi se auton."
In English, it says "Know thyself."
"Know thyself" is similar to what
the Buddha Shakyamuni said to his disciple, Ananda,
"Convert your belief to yourself."
This "self" refers to Dharma Body.
If the Buddha Shakyamuni did not
achieve the Dharma Body,
he would be as ordinary as normal philosophers.
Philosophers and religious followers use dialectic
and induction to approach the Realty.
"Know thyself" indicates the importance of "self,"
but how can we find ourselves?
Since ancient ages,
philosophers attempted to find the immutability
from the mutable substances.
Our flesh body is mutable, but the noumenon
(Original Consciousness) is immutable.
You own this Original Consciousness forever.
Plato's theories was influenced by two people.
One was Heraclitus
His theory, "Universal movilism,"
is talking about "Change."

The substances are changing, so is the world.
He explained the water of a river as a metaphor
for all things changing.
When step in the water of a river,
the water is changing.
Water is still water, but the water is not the
same water since one stepped in.
Heraclitus believed in
"Everything is in a state of flux."
He believed change is the essence;
he did not believe that the immutable exist.
However, Parmenides opposed the theory of "change."
Parmenides thought "being" is real.
He believed in
"Only the unchangeable (static) really exist."
Heraclitus said "Only changing substances exist."
One believed in the unchanged;
the other believed in the changed.
Both Heraclitus and Parmenides
are 100 years earlier than Plato.
Plato is Socrates' student.
Plato combined those three theories
(Heraclitus, Parmenides and Socrates)
to generate his own theory, similar to our
discussion now about the Inner Six Senses.
Idealism and ideal
is the most important part of Plato's philosophy.
Idea is Ideal, the true form of reality.
The aspect of "True-form Reality" has been discussed
in Western philosophy for more than two thousand years.
You can experience your inner six senses;
then your experience surpasses Plato's.
I am not lying.
Plato's inspiration came from Socrates' viewpoints.
See how Plato expressed a noun, the "particular."
A cup is like a "particular",
which belongs to "empirical world."
We call everything "particular"
in this "sensible world."
By taking advantages of induction,
Philosophers create the "Universal concepts."
What is universal? The meaning of "Universal"
in Western philosophy
is omnipresent, and only the Dharma Body can be.
"Universal" cannot be seen with our physical eyes;
it can only be experienced via our thoughts or ideas.
For example, you can think of being to Kaohsiung
or other places now.
If I have a Dharma body,
I can be in Canada or everywhere right away.
Because I can control by my thought and idea,
it starts to be "Universal."
"Universal" can be interpreted as "Infinite."

The particular is finite.
The cup is the cup;
the Earth is the Earth. Everything is finite.
Everything we can see is the "Visible substance,"
but "Universal" is the "intelligible ration"
In Plato's The Republic,
he use a famous allegory, "the divided line,"
to describe the world.
The top part of the line represents
the intelligible world;
The lower part represents the visible world.
Plato divided the world
into two parts to see the rational value.
The higher part of the line, the higher the value is.
So, the further from the visible substance,
the higher the value is.
His idealism is really valuable.
I have addressed Plato's "idealism"
since many years ago.
Plato's God can move everything in the Universe,
and transport it to the space in front of our eyes.
This conforms to the true form of Reality.
Also, this is how our inner
Six Consciousnesses function.
What did Plato's "transport" mean?
In Platonic cosmology,
three main topics constitute the Universe.
First, Idea; "We take our
idea or concept as the model, and
take the substance as material to fill in this model,
then transporting it to the space in front us."

"Space" refers to the space in ‘true form of Reality."
You can see the Reality, so the Reality is in the "space."
A cup gets a space for the size the cup.
The world has its own space as well.
"Take our idea/concept as the model,
and take the substance as material."
What does this mean?
"I want to thing of a cup." – the idea.
Your idea becomes a model, or pattern,
and the model of the cup shows up in your mind.
Material – the substance of the cup
becomes the material.
After the material fills into the model,
the cup is created in front of your eyes.
The Religious history of Indian Philosophy,
written by Kimura Taiken and Takakusu Junjiro.
On page 255,
Plato's ideas in his mind, can be projected
to outside and become objectively exist;
Whichever direction and whichever dimension
is able to form the "Ideal world."
This definitely means the manifestation
of our inner Six Consciousnesses.
Ok, let's think about what Socrates said;
"By means of induction, a particular can be Universal."
What is "Induction?"
For example, you are all people;
one is different to another.
If I count the number of people here one by one,
you are Mr. Luo,
and you are Mr. Wu.
Using induction – all of you are human.
Many items are induced to one category.
Can we make further induction?
Or can we expand this concept of "human",
to become "Universal human?"
Therefore, the concept of
"Universal human" inspired Plato.
The "human" becomes an "idea", and "idea"
is capable of being universal.
The idea can be reproduced to two or three more.
Idealism use the examples of flower
and horse to illustrate this theory.
How could one flower become two flowers,
or infinite number of flowers?
One-become-Many is the principle of Universal.
"Idea" is universalized to "Universal",
and the idea becomes vivid image.
The images truly emerge in Plato's
mind and in his brain.
He was in the meddle of thinking,
but the flowers appeared, two flowers.
Then, Plato was able to "move"
the flowers to the outside space.
See, this is how "idea" becomes "ideal form."
This is Plato's philosophy that has been
argued for more than two thousand years.
Like the famous saying from A.N.Whitehead,
More than two thoushand years,
the European philosophical tradition
is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato
Similarly, several thousands years of Buddhism
is a series of footnote to the Buddha Shakyamuni.
Twentieth century, the American philosopher,
R.W.Emerson, said:
"Plato is philosophy and philosophy is Plato."
What is the Platonic philosophy?
It is Iealism.
The theory of "participation" was derived the ideal.
"Ideal" can imitate, share and become Universals.
Plato induced many things to be the Universals.
So, ideas can be Universal.
There are many different translation of
"Universals of Ideal world."
Some might think the ideal is merely image;
some might think the whole appearence.
Although many interpretations of idealism,
They all got the same meaning.
Therefore, people's idea can be projected
to outside world,
and becomes an objective "Ideal world."
Say, this cup; we use the concept of
this cup to be the model,
and then we create an identical cup by thinking
of the model we've installed in our mind.
So, we can create everything, such as a drum,
a hanging bell, a temple and even a world.
The model of idea! The model of Universals!
See, material and the ideal model show up,
and exist in the space in front of you.
These are components to form the Universe.
One of them is space.
Another name for space is "receptacle."
Idea is receptacle,
the space of so-called the Reality Space.
"Receptacle" or "Space"
"material" and "idea"
Three main topics constitute
the Universe in Plato's cosmology.
Now, the manifestation of your inner
Six Consciousnesses means the same thing.
You think something, and that thing vividly appears.
This is indeed Plato's philosophy.
Now, you think something, and something shows up,
but you cannot do this before, why?
One who repelled Plato's idealism most
is Plato's student, Aristotle.
Aristotle said that Plato's
theories were unrealistic and absurd.
Plato built up the theory of "participation."
If the universal people
and horses are truly moved outside,
and there are already a lot of current creatures
in the outside space we are living in,
this space would be overcrowded
and explored, right? (Aristotle's doubt)
The Universals occupied the space.
Aristotle cast doubt on Plato's "participation."
However, Plato could not explain it clearly to Aristotle.
So, Aristotle repelled Plato.
Even until later period of Western philosophy,
Nietzsche rejected Platonic philosophy,
and criticized Plato adversely that
Plato was opposite to the entire world.
"You, Plato, were once prisoned as a slave in Sicily;
you were frustrated and hopeless,
so you created ideal world,
to show that you were dissatisfied with this world."
It turns out that it is Nietzsche himself
who detested this world.
His critique on Plato reflected himself discontent.
However, Plato insisted that there
is an ideal world in his whole life.
The ideal world is so-called the Pure Lands.
Nowadays, Buddhism emphasizes that we have to
achieve the Pure Lands.
You can enter and experience
the world you create in Nirvana.
You may enlarge your house and rooms,
living in a very wonderful world.
Your inner Six Consciousnesses in Nirvana can
completely replace this material world.
Plato has yet achieved the experience of "replace."
He could have the vision of ideal world in his mind,
but couldn't deeply enter it.
So, from my point of view,
he did not completely achieve Nirvana.
If the ultimate score of experiencing Nirvana
is 600 points, Plato achieved almost 300 points.
His experience of the Reality (Nirvana)
was not complete enough to explain it.
According to the definition,
the "Universals" can create an infinite ideal world.
However, the Buddha Shakyamuni could well explain it,
That is why Plato was not as noble as the
Buddha Shakyamuni to be worshiped forever,
Plato has only got his theories left after he died,
but the Buddha Shakyamuni can
manifest his own Dharma Body.
Dharma Body is also regarded as "reward body"
and "transformation body."
Dharma Body can solve the difficulties
of Plato's "participate."
In the end of chapter nine
of the Public,
Plato accomplished the skeleton of the "Utopia,"
but he could not achieve it.
Adeimantus sighed with emotion;
"Such a perfect town in the ideal world, like Utopia,
is not going to come true any where."
Socrates answered Adeimantus…
Socrates' dialogues were recorded in Plato's writings.
Socrates answered Adeimantus,
maybe we can use the model of ideal,
and install it in the heaven,
to inspire those people who are interested
in thinking.
We have this ideal world now, and we will
also have it in the future.
Everlasting and immutable,
this is how Socrates described the world of Reality.
Western philosophy explains
our inner Six Consciousnesses.
Plato's idealism is similar.
For example, all the "particular"
things in this material world,
or we can say the empirical world, are visible to us.
"Visible world" belongs to the "empirical world."
"Take its appearance/model into your idea/concept."
I often hold a cup and demonstrate it;
Watch this cup,
and enter the appearance of the cup into our mind.
This is Plato's "participate."
However, nobody realized that
Plato introduced our inner Six Consciousnesses
more than two thousand years ago.
The first university in the world
was established by Plato,
and was for study the Reality.
Platonic psychology is also
to study about the "soul."
"Soul" is "psyche," which is similar
to the "inner wisdom" in Buddhism.
The inner wisdom is a way to approach the ideal world,
and this concept is very similar to that
voidness is a way to approach Nirvana.
Plato created idealism,
but Aristotle disagreed with him.
Althought Plato's theories were repelled,
he still insist that there is ideal world;
There are "idea world" and "sensational world."
"Idea" and "sensation" constitutes the
"Dualism of the Universe."
"human" and "soul"
constitutes the "Dualism of life"
To sum up, the dualism of Plato
comprises the Universe and life.
Plato thought all knowledge
comes from the soul, or from the previous life.
Plato believe the concept of previous life,
but now "previous life" is a topic that
charlatans often love to talk about.
The main goal of Plato's life to seek for
"previous life," The Soul.
Although Aristotle denied Plato's theory,
Arsitotle still admitted that people have soul.

Human cannot live with soul.
Psyche is soul.

Yao, P-S-Y-C-H-E, in my opinion,
"Psyche" is a better interpretation than "soul"
We are talking about the wisdom of our mind,
which only can be approached by our ideal.
Plato's question,
Where is the soul going after the person dies?
If previous life existed,
then there must be a future life.
How can we deal with the future?
Say, after people died, how to
combine the "dualism of life"
with the "dualism of the Universe?"
How can we understand our next life?
So, the Western philosophy and Plato's theories
all focus on where does human come,
and where to go after death?
What should we really do in this world?
Of course, businessmen would probably
answer that we should do business.
For politicians, their goal might be
to become the President.
From philosophers' standpoint,
the topic they must look into
is "life and the Universe."
Just now, we were talking about seeking for the source,
finding the immutability, which is called Philosophy.

Then Philosophy became religions.
Afterwards, the philosophy is used to
inspect the religion; where is God?
Plato wondered where people came from.
He thought people were from the ideal world,
from the idea of God.
Stated in Timaeus
of Plato's the Public,
there is a God of craftsman, Demiurge.
Demiurge is not the same God as Jesus' God.
Demiurge can create a cup with his thought.
Where did the ideal cup come from?
Aritstotle asked Plato many questions;
How could the ideal cup really be created?
How could it be possible that the ideal cup
truly appeared in your mind?
How could you make the material integrate
with your mind? Are they compatible?
How could the ideal be possible? Who made it?
Was this done by someone inside your mind?
At that time, Plato cannot answer these questions,
but he can realize the "ideal".
When Plato thought something,
the thing he thought showed up.
He tried many times.
Plato thought this phenomenon was God's ability;
He took this God as a powerful craftsman,
and named it "Demiurge."
We can say Demiurge is Plato's God,
who can mover everything in the Universe,
and put it into the space in from your eyes.
Now, we know Plato's God is Demiurge.
However, one man named A. Augustine, born in 354 D.C.,
who agreed with the concept of Demiurge,
and he integrated Plato's theories.
Because of Augustine, Demiurge unexpectedly becomes
"the Almighty" in the Christian religion.
The concept of Demiurge was added into
the Christian beliefs.
Thales, the first philosopher in the world, said,
this world is filled with water.
Water is the origination of the Universe,
the source of all things.
Thales said "this world is filled with God."
Water is immutable,
and God is immutable.

Thales said water,
In the Christian religion,
the God says light, and light emerges.
The God made light.
Light is God.
If the Christians realize the God is our
original consciousness,
it would be a prefect religion.
To practice the Christian religion is easy;
"Experiencing the void" is a way to practice it.
Say, the prayers in the Christian religion
"God, let me give everything to you!"
The void, giving everything away means the void,
and then you are close to the God,
which is like the prayer:
"God, let me give everything to you!"
Some might feel weird;
Why should we give everything to God?

This would be a wrong interpretation of that prayer.
The true meaning of it is "the void of your mind."
Only the ideal can approach the ideal world,
which is close to the Goodness, to God, to Nirvana.
Therefore, from RigVades to Upanishads,
No matter what the stories are about,
the celestial body or Gods,
the stories are talking
about returning - returning to the ideal world;
However, both RigVades and Upanishads placed
too much emphasis on taboos and rituals.
"Atman" is one philosophical topic
derived from Upanishads.

Atman means your Original Consciousness.
The thought of "Liberation from transmigration"
comes from Brahmana.
Analyzing the thoughts of the Buddha Shakyamuni,

you would realize most of
them were inspired from Upanishads.
The Buddha Shakyamuni is an Indian,
was taught by teacher of Brahman when he was young.

The fundamental sutra of Brahman is Brahman.
One apocalyptic sutra adopted from
Brahman is named Srauta sutra,
talking about stories of Gods
and how those Gods originated.
In Brahman, there were "Srauta sutra",
"Grhya sutra" and "Dharma sutra."
the Buddha Shakyamuni continued
using the word "Dharma."

His "all Dharma" came from this word "Dharma."
Japanese professors probed into Buddhism,
and they did not think the Buddha Shakyamuni
inherited the thoughts of Upanishads,
because the Buddha Shakyamuni
created another religion.
At that time, Buddhism was new and
developing religion;
like "Jainism", Buddhism was a heterodox religion.
Both Chinese philosophy and Western philosophy
are seeking for the immutable.
Now, the inner Six Consciousnesses
we are talking about,
is to find your Original Consciousness,
and to manifest the true form of Reality with it.
For example, I usually say "cup."
Look, if you think of one cup,
and the cup can vividly appear.
Then you can replace your appearance by other's.
The experience of this integration is so real;
you can replace your own appearance!
Plato couldn't achieve this;
he did not know how to be integrated in his ideal,
and he could not study about the ideal any further.
Plato's ideal world started
to reveal when he was forty.
When Plato was sixty years old,
Aristotle was only seventeen, very young.
Aristotle criticized Plato all the time.
Of course Aristotle could not perceive the ideal.
Afterwards, Aristotle created "the four causes."
They are Material cause, Efficient cause
Formal cause and the First cause.
In thirteenth century,
Thomas Aquinas cited Aristotle's "the First cause."
The God is the First cause,
First cause – the highest and
supreme cause in the Universe.
The thought of "the First cause" discussed
in Upanishads is about the Original Consciousness,
so Buddhism eventually mentioned
"Dharma-hidden sutra."
Dharma-hidden sutra was translated
to Chinese in the 3rd century.
After Dharma-hidden sutra had been
completely translated,
People stated to know that Dharma
is hidden in our vexation.
Dharma was totally covered so that
people never knew it.
Do I have the Original Consciousness?
How do I have Dharma?
Simply speaking, the Original
Consciousness is Dharma.
The First cause of the Universe – the supreme
cause of the Universe,
can be thought as the origination of man.
The Original Consciousness of man is
the very Original Consciousness of the Universe.
Dharma-hidden sutra used the term
"the Original Consciousness"

to represent "Dharma" and the
consciousness inside our mind.
There are ten sutras together called Dharma-hidden
sutra, and some remarkable sutras are in it.
Dharma-hidden sutra, Srimaladevisimhanada-sutra,
Neither Increasing nor Decreasing sutra
and Main Nirvana sutra are
all very representative works.
talks about "three Dharma."
"Three Dharma" refers to that
"Dharma Body is our Dharma-hidden consciousness,
and is all living creatures."
In Nirvana sutra,
the saying,"All living creatures have Dharma Divinity,"
was derived from the Flower Ornament sutra.
In the Flower Ornament sutra, one saying goes
"All living creatures have Buddha-hood Divinity."
All living creatures have Dharma Divinity,
but no one knows that.
"Suyama Palace Sing in Verse" says if one want
to understand the Buddha in three times-
the past, the present and the future,
one must realize that everything is created by mind.
Therefore, we still need focus on our mind.
"Mind" creates Buddha-hood divinity,
which is the first cause of the Universe.
"Mind" can find the source of "life and the Universe."
Just now I said; Lao-Zi's Tao was prior
to the formation of the Universe.
RigVades described all God of this Universe.
At that time, nobody could physically
visit the Universe.
Totally relyed on the vision of mind…
Plato's thoughts created the ideal world
- the formation of the Universe.
So, what the Buddha Shakyamuni said about
"everything is created by mind" made sense.
It is unreasonable to exclude our six
consciousnesses but try to study about the Universe.
Everything must be based on our six consciousnesses.
So, return the topic to the "Dharma-hidden."
The Dharma has been hidden in our mind.
Ordinary people might say
"How could I have Buddha-hood Dharma?"
"I have the same Dharma as Buddha's?"
"But I am still looking for a job."
"How could this be possible?" However,
this is nothing about one's daily life.
When vexed, one would doubt that
"How could I have Dharma Divinity."
This doubt just covers your Dharma Divinity.
So, Neither Increasing nor Decreasing sutra
says about "three Dharma"
"Dharma Body is our Dharma-hidden consciousness,
and is all living creatures."
The Flower Ornament sutra also says,
"Mind,Buddha-hood and all living creature are equal."
Therefor, "everything in Buddhist
three worlds is created by mind."
The Mahavairocana Tantra also says,
All Buddhas and all fairies…
all come from you Original heart.
Different names meant the same thing.
Some say "Mind",
and some say "Original Consciousness."
Let's look at the "Original Consciousness."
Jewel-Nature Treatise cites the main
points in Dharma-hidden sutra,
and summarized them to become
a comprehensive treatise.
"The Buddha-hood is Dharma Boday,
is the Original Consciousness,and is the Divinity."
That is the "three comprehensive meanings"
of Jewel-Nature Treatise.
"Sutra on Entering Lanka"
summed up all of these and say,
"Entering attainment means self-witnessing."
Witnessing self by oneself – attaining
the path of life
"Attainment " is entering the mind,
called "Entering Lanka."
"Lanka" refers to the Original Consciousness.
Enter Lanka to manifest the Dharma world.
Ten sutras in Dharma-hidden sutra,
including Jewel-Nature Treatise,
all indicate that
"The Dharma is covered in your mind."
People who study about Buddhism all heard that
"All living creatures have Buddha-hood Divinity,
but it is covered by vexation,
so this Divinity cannot be manifested."
Srimaladevisimhanada-sutra names
this "Fettered Buddha-hood."
As for "Unfettered Buddha-hood"
means one has liberated from vexation.
"Unfettered Buddha-hood" is "Dharma Body."
The Dharma Body is omnipresent;
The Plato's Universal is omnipresent.
So,in your ideal world,
The Dharma Body can omnipresent.
Suddenly your Dharma Body might see that
"before the formation of the Universe",
like what Lao-Zi said.
Oh! How could the Dharma Body reach there?
The Dharma of mind can reach infinite space-time,
so our mind creates the ideal world.
Seriously,the ideal world
equals Nirvana in Buddhism
The only difference was that neither Aristotle,
Socrates nor Plato have manifested Dharma Body.
They only knew the theories.
Because they were philosophers,
they must understand
how to use logic and dialectic.
Aristotle divided the logic into two ways,
"Deduction" and "Induction"
"Deduction" provides the conclusion first,
and then starts and reason
until the the end…
Oh,that is it.
For example,you have the Original Consciousness.
How do you prove it?

You can feel the vision,or the Six Consciousness,
in your mind; so,you have it.

This is Deduction,

Induction is different to Deduction;

Induction is gathering the similarity
and makes a conclusion.

However, "Reductio ad absurdum" is another method;
it proves by contradiction.
One attacks the relative topic by asking questions,
but does not provide his/her idea.
Like the Indian philosopher, Nagarjuna,
was good at debating;
He was expert in "Reductio ad absurdum"
and "Dialectic."
Dialectic is negation to affirmation.
That is similar to G.W.F.Hegel's dialectical logic:
Thesis → Antithesis → Synthesis;
and"Emptyness" →"Existence" →"The middle path"
in Budhist philosophy.
This kind of dialectical logic
is based on the principle of "Contradiction."
For example, Kent's "transcendental dialectic"
is using "Antinomy"
to represent "illusion" (Emptyness).
The Middle Path, Emptyness in nature, or Antinomy
all indicated the truth.
The Indian monks had been to Greece
and had contact with philosophers in Athens.
Therefore, Plato was somehow influenced by Upanishad.
In Taiwan, not many people place emphasis
on Upanishad,

but the philosophy in Upanishad was very profound.
A. Schopenhauer was deeply influenced by Upanishad.
Kimura Taiken's The Religious history
of Indian Philosophy,cited that Plato's ideal,
the concept generated from his brain,
can be projected to the outside objective world,
to form an ideal world.
Upanishad was discussing about five
consciousnesses in mind.
With these five consciousnesses,
one can experience the wonderful happiness.
Our inner Six Consciousnesses can
"see", "eat", "listen", "taste" and "touch."
However, the inner consciousnesses were discussed
in Upanishad thousands of years ago.
Althought our discussion now sounds quite innovative,
actually we are old-fashioned.
In the Vimalakirti-Nirdesa sutra, the thought
of Reality can make the fragrant rice
be tasted and smiled.
Philosophers knew there is ideal,
but cannot put it into practice.
Plato knew the ideal world,
but he could not do anything to make it realistic.
Plato could not achieve his goal of
establishing Utopia,
He attempted to reform Athens
to become Utopia.
The Buddhism now tries to make the Pure Land
in the mortal world come true,
which is derived from the saying in the
Vimalakirti-Nirdesa sutra,
"The pure mind leads to the Pure Land."
The Pure Land was manifested by our mind,
and put in the space in front of eyes,
called "the Pure Land in the mortal world."
The is standard ideal world.
According to the Vimalakirti-Nirdesa sutra,
however, "the Pure Land in the mort al world"
in Buddhism now
has a different meaning;
We need to have welfare,
health insurance, and to take care of others.
This charity can be done by politics,
and this is what Buddhist should do.
Buddhism is a religion which should direct
human's mind and life to right direction,
preach eternal life and make people
liberated from reincarnation.
Insdead of focusing on the welfare
of the physical bodies,
religions should tell you how to make your
temporary life to become an eternal one.
Physical bodies are changing all the time.
Every philosopher and religion
is seeking for the "Essence" and the "Immutable,"
and looking for the immutable and perpetual world.
The Pure Land in Buddhism has shown that the
"ideal world" is immutable and eternal.
Plato's "Ideal man"
was talking about "Fen Shen,"
the divine Avatar embodied from mind.
"Ideal man" is much more realistic
and beautiful than the physical man.
However, Aristotle denied "Ideal man."
The ideal can be separated from the particular man,
and becomes an independent
existence - "the third man."
Plato placed emphasis on "Ideal man,"
trying to find his soul and his inner wisdom
to approach the ideal world.
Despite Aristotle's very harsh criticism,
Plato was very determined and insisted on
the theory of "participate."
Aristotle made Plato disgraced;
but Plato could do nothing about it,
because Aristotle was Alexander's teacher,
the teacher of King Alexander.
Alexander was born in Macedon
who was the son of King Philip II.
When Alexander grew up,
he conquered Greece,Persia and India
No matter how powerful Alexander was,
he still died one day.
After Alexander's death,
Aristotle started to escape.
Socrates said,
"I have heard the voice from inside;"
He heard "The voice of soundless."
Therefore, Socrates was convicted of desecration.
Plato had acquaintance with the King of Sicily,
so after the king's failure,
Plato was caught and enslaved.
Life is changing all the time;
everything is inconstant!
Therefore, we have to find the immutable.
Where is the eternal world?
It is in your "ideal world."
In Old Upanishad,
thinkers indicated how to achieve the inner mind.
They said
that one should return
to the inside "Brahma", not the outside world,
leading self to inside from without;
"Brahma" evolved into "the Original Mind."
Therefore, "Brahma" stated in Upanishad means
"the Original Consciousness."
"Brahma" includes "five attributes",
which allowed us to experience
"eat", "listen", "taste" and "touch."
The soul will return to Brahma after
this physical body dies;
Similar concept was written in Upanishad;
The Reality is where to live.
I have read Plato's
philosophy since in high school,
but I did not know Plato's philosophy
was our inner Six Senses.
Plato said "take our concept as a model,
and take the matter as the material" – Idealism.
"The independent existence
participated from the Particular
can be situated in the receptacle space."
Who could ever understand this?
Plato did. Afterwards, the PhDs and
philosophical experts are still researching on it.