English
This is to act without depending on the external mandala, and even those teachers and students who have visualization regard the external mandala as emptiness. However, since one should first keep the mind of Bodhicitta in mind and consider the actions of the external mandala such as sweeping the ground, this is what is said. If so, if one has realized the inner mandala, does one not need to rely on the external mandala? It is not necessary, for what is the use of external mandala actions for those who are accustomed to emptiness? Actions such as powdered colors have become the nature of those with visualization. Thus, it is also stated in the Tantra of Vairochana's Manifest Complete Enlightenment: Then, Vajrapani touched the feet of the Bhagavan and said to the Bhagavan: "The Buddha has no signs, He abides in the Dharmakaya. The signless, the unconditioned, Teaches the incomparable Dharma. Great hero, for what reason, Do you show this ritual with signs, To be practiced in secret mantras? This is not the way of Dharma." After saying this, the Bhagavan, the Great Vairochana, then spoke to Vajrapani about the nature of the Dharma: "Dharma is free from thought, It has abandoned all thoughts. In that, mind and mental events, Should be completely abandoned. The Dharma I first attained Buddhahood, That is born from the sky. The realm of practice that is well understood, Is not known by children. Objects, times, signs, and so on, Are desired by those obscured by darkness. For the sake of grasping them, This ritual should also be spoken. There is no object, and there is no time, There is no action, and there is no actor. All dharmas are neither existent nor nonexistent, All dharmas are merely illusory. Secret Lord, however, the minds of sentient beings are weak, And they are deluded by mere actions, And those who are attached to the meaning of things, Will arise in the future, Because they do not know this kind of way, From objects, times, and actions, With the signs of good and non-good, The deluded desire the fruit, For the sake of those great heroes, This ritual is spoken." Thus it is said. For those who abide in emptiness, siddhis arise merely by desire, and it is also said in that same tantra: