Chittamatra and Dzogchen

The followers of Chittamatra assert that everything depends on mind (sems) and that
there is nothing beyond mind. According to the Chittamatra view, everything that exists
is connected with mind. It is mind-created; that is their real view. According to them, if
we see a blue color, the eye consciousness (the subject side) and the blue color (the
object side) are inseparable, that is, they both arise from the same single karmic cause.
Therefore, anything that is perceived is connected with mind, although it is not made out
of a mind-stuff or substance. If consciousness were not there, the object would not be
there. Nothing exists without this connection with consciousness; it cannot exist
independently. Thus, the Chittamatrins ask, how can Dzogchen do better than this? How
can Dzogchen have a higher view? That is to say, how can it go beyond thoughts and
consciousness to a state that transcends mind? It is not possible that there is anything
beyond mind.

There are some similarities in the languages of Dzogchen and Chittamatra, and so some
people have confused the two views, whereas actually they are quite distinct. Dzogchen
is always speaking about "mind" (sems) and, therefore, people commonly think that
"mind" here has the same meaning as in Chittamatra (sems-tsam, "mind only"). But in
the context of Dzogchen, "mind" is not part of the system of the eight consciousnesses
(rnam-shes brgyad); the word refers to the Nature of Mind (sems-nyid), that is, what we
usually call the Natural State. The essence of this Natural State is emptiness (stong-pa
nyid) and immediate awareness (rig-pa), and they are always found together. They are
inseparable (dbyer-med). So there does not have to be any separate thought or
consciousness present to know emptiness because a pure immediate awareness (rig-pa)
is equally present in this state of emptiness. But according to Chittamatra, whatever we
see or experience is interdependent, and its "emptiness" lies in that fact. A perception
depends on the presence of consciousness and this consciousness exists inherently,
although the objects perceived do not. But Dzogchen does not say that the Natural State
has an inherent existence; it lacks any inherent existence because it is emptiness itself, a
pure potentiality.

What is the difference between Rigpa, or the Natural State, and consciousness? The
Natural State is totally pure, pure from the very beginning (ka-dag), whereas the eight
consciousnesses are not pure and represent the vehicle for the karmic traces. When we
attain enlightenment, they are absorbed into the Natural State, and then they manifest as
wisdom, or primal cognition (ye-shes), rather than as consciousness (rnam-shes). But
although the Kunzhi Namshe, in particular, is the medium for the transmission of the
karmic traces, they in no way disturb or defile the Natural State. A distinction is made
between Kunzhi in the Dzogchen usage of the term and Kunzhi Namshe in the Chittamatra
usage; they are quite different.

Like Chittamatra, Dzogchen also speaks of Rang-rig and Kunzhi, but it understands these
terms in quite a different way. According to Chittamatra, consciousness (rnam-shes) and

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its self-illuminated quality (rang-rig) are always found together. Furthermore, subject and
object are inseparable, yet they are distinct. At the primary level, sense consciousness
represents the subject side and the external object the object side. But at the secondary
level, consciousness (rnam-shes) itself represents the object side and Rang-rig the subject
side. In the Chittamatra view, this Rang-rig is a self-knowing of itself by consciousness,
that is to say, consciousness is self-illuminated. Each of the eight consciousnesses (rnam-
shes) has two functions: it illuminates an object (gzhan-rig) and it illuminates itself (rang-
rig). An example of this, cited previously, is a lamp flame in a dark room; it illuminates
the objects in the room and it illuminates itself. It is this second function that makes
memory possible.

So, according to Chittamatra, Rang-rig is a secondary subtle consciousness which knows

the primary sense consciousness it accompanies. Chittamatra asserts that if there was not
this selfaware quality, this Rang-rig, we would not be able to remember anything. And
since we do have memories, this Rang-rig must exist. Madhyamaka replies to this
argument that we can remember without this hypothetical Rang-rig. When we see an
object, it simply reminds us. We only remember it by name; it has no inherent existence.
So, this is the meaning of Rang-rig here in the Chittamatra system, but in Dzogchen the
term Rang-rig has a different meaning.

According to Dzogchen, Rang-rig is the awareness which knows the Natural State. It is
not something separate from the Natural State. The Natural State is aware of itself; it is
self-aware and self-illuminated. In the Chittamatra system, however, this term only applies
to the eight relative consciousnesses. Chittamatra has no knowledge of the Natural State;
in its view, there is nothing beyond consciousness. So, here we find the same word, but
a different meaning. Such a consciousness is always dualistic in its operation, there being
a bifurcation into subject and object, and it is always something conditioned by antecedent
causes. In contrast, the Natural State is non-dual, there is no duality of subject and object,
and it is unconditioned and outside time. It is not something brought about by causes. It
is totally beyond cause and effect. Although we may speak of Rang-rig as the subject side
of the Natural State, it is not something which originates among the eight
consciousnesses, as in the case of the Chittamatra view. Chittamatra does not know of
this primordially pure Natural State which transcends totally the Kunzhi Namshe. This
Kunzhi Namshe of the Chittamatrins is still something which is defiled by the passions and
conditioned by past karma.

In Dzogchen, the same word is used but it has a different meaning. What is seen on the
object side is the empty nature, but the awareness (rig-pa) in Dzogchen is different from
the consciousness (rnam-shes) in Chittamatra on the subject side. In analyzing the Tibetan
term, rang normally means "self", but here, in the Dzogchen context, it refers to emptiness
or Kunzhi, whereas rig refers to awareness or Rigpa. What we see is the empty nature,
on the emptiness side (stong-cha), and rig is the seeing, on the clarity side (gsal-cha).
The reference is to immediate awareness (rig-pa) and not to consciousness (rnam-shes).
And according to Dzogchen, these two are inseparable (rig stong dbyer-med); the subject
side and the object side are not distinct and separate. We can speak of Rang-rig
representing the subject side of the Natural State and Kunzhi representing the object side.

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But this Rang-rig did not originate among the eight consciousnesses, nor is it what
originates from consciousness (sems byung). According to Dzogchen, Kunzhi and Rang-
rig are inseparable. They always go together like fire and warmth, or like water and
wetness. We can speak of these different qualities but, in actuality, they are always
inseparable. Rigpa is a synonym for clarity (gsal-ba). What is clear is the Kunzhi. The way
in which it is clear lies in their inseparability. They are inseparable in the same way as the
sky (i.e. Kunzhi) and the sunlight (i.e. Rigpa) which illuminates the sky are inseparable.

The other key term is Kunzhi. But Kunzhi has a different meaning in Chittamatra from that
in Dzogchen. In the Chittamatra system, Kunzhi Namshe is one of the eight relative and
conditioned consciousnesses (rnam-shes), and it functions as the container of the karmic
traces (bag-chags). It is called Kunzhi because all (kun) karmic traces, both good and bad,
are contained within this base (gzhi) as a receptacle. It is the base consciousness or Kunzhi
Namshe and this consciousness knows these karmic traces.

According to the Chittamatra view, when Nirvana is attained, the Kunzhi Namshe
dissolves. The Dzogchen view is different. All of existence is contained in the Kunzhi
because it is the Base of both Samsara and Nirvana. Therefore, it does not dissolve. The
Kunzhi is emptiness itself, it represents the matrix out of which can manifest all possible
forms. Therefore, it is compared to the sky, or to infinite space. It is not just a container
or storage place for the baggage of karmic traces. It does not serve as the basis for these
karmic traces because it is primordially pure (ka-dag). But according to Chittamatra, the
Kunzhi Namshe is impure because it is mixed up with karmic traces. When these karmic
traces are finally purified, the Kunzhi disappears. The ordinary mind or consciousness
(rnam-shes), which is soiled with karmic traces, is now transformed into Buddha-mind, or
primordial awareness (yeshes), which is clean in itself and without karmic traces. It is like
washing the hands. When all the dirt has been washed off, the hands are still there. What
remains is only this pristine awareness or knowledge (ye-shes). So we say that when the
Kunzhi Namshe has been purified of all karmic traces, it becomes the knowledge of the
Dharmadhatu (bon-dbyings ye-shes).

In Dzogchen, the Kunzhi is the basis (gzhi) of everything (kun) in both Samsara and
Nirvana. In the Dzogchen context, Kunzhi means the empty, unchanging Natural State.
In it all things exist spontaneously and potentially. But in terms of the Natural State, there
is nothing to be purified or changed or transformed. Thus we speak of it as being
primordially pure (kadag); it has never been sullied or adulterated by the karmic traces of
Samsara. Nevertheless, it remains the basis of everything. Whatever arises, arises in the
Natural State and whatever liberates, is liberated in the Natural State.

On the other hand, the Kunzhi Namshe of Chittamatra contains only the karmic traces of
Samsara. It is only the base for these karmic traces and not the base for Nirvana.
According to Dzogchen, there are no karmic traces to be found in the Natural State. It is
like trying to write something in space, or like clouds passing across the sky; there are no
traces left behind. No traces remain because the Natural State is primordially pure (ka-
dag). The reflections in a mirror leave no trace behind. The Natural State is always pure,
uncontaminated by the passions or their traces. It is the basis of everything; whatever

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arises, arises in the Natural State. They abide in the Natural State and they liberate into
the Natural State. Thus, the Natural State is called the Dharmakaya.

In Dzogchen, we speak of the Kunzhi as being the Dharmakaya of the Base (gzhi'i bon-
sku), but this is not the real Dharmakaya, that is to say, the Dharmakaya in manifestation,
for that is the Fruit. And here we are only speaking of the Base. The Trikaya are fully
present in the Base as its Essence, Nature and Energy (ngo-bo rang-bzhin thugs-rje
gsum), but for the Trikaya to become fully visible and manifest as the Fruit, certain
secondary causes are required, namely, purification of the two-fold obscurations, which
are emotional and intellectual. To behold the face of the sun, the clouds in the sky must
first dissipate, even though the sun has been there in the sky all of the time.

Excerpt from the book BONPO DZOGCHEN TEACHINGS according to Lopon Tenzin Namdak.

Transcribed and edited, together with introduction and notes, by John Myrdhin Reynolds.

http://vajranatha.com/excerpts/bonpo-dzogchen-teachings.html