Billions of Waves

The physical body depends on karma for its existence and has no nature of its own, just as a wave depends on the wind for its existence and has no nature of its own. The sea is one, while waves are countless. Billions of waves rise and fall during the morning. Billions of waves rise and fall during the midday. Billions of waves rise and fall during the afternoon. Thus, over the course of millions and trillions of kalpas [*], the number of illusory waves is far beyond reckoning. But all those illusions can't compare to the one reality--they can't compare to the sea. Noble sons and daughters are also like this. There is only the one sea of our buddha nature. But when people are confused, the sea of consciousness becomes the sea of passion,and the sea of passion becomes the sea of karma, and the sea of karma becomes the sea of suffering, and from the sea of suffering they receive countless, limitless karmic bodies. Thus, on top of confusion, they pile up confusion without end and without limit. But all those illusions can't compare to the one reality, namely the true form of all dharmas.

---Sheng-yi--


*Kalpa: A period of time from the creation to the destruction of a universe.