For anyone who posits a nonexistent ground, a goal-oriented path, and an end result, liberation remains obscure precisely because of these suppositions. Emptiness as dull or illuminating, as existent or nonexistent, as something to be affirmed or denied, as cause or effect there are no such limitations as these four pairs of eight factors. This is analogous to the realm of space. Any positing of limiting alternatives to strive for is similar to a blind bird’s searching for the end of the sky nothing will be found. No one could possibly distort the ultimate meaning that nothing can be found. It is impossible for this unelaborated object of knowledge to have a final limit. The Great Garuda
Just as the universe manifests within the realm of space, samsara and nirvana arise within the scope of awareness as its unceasing dynamic energy. Of what are they the dynamic energy, you wonder? Just as dreams arise from the dynamic energy of sleep, owing to non-recognition of awareness beings of the three realms and the apparent phenomena of the universe manifest from the dynamic energy that arises as ordinary mind-the eight modes of consciousness. Like confused perceptions manifesting from the dynamic energy of a virulent fever, the apparent phenomena of samsara arise naturally from the confusion of ordinary mind, yet even as they arise they are pure as natural manifestations of emptiness.
Since the heart essence24 is ineffability (the timeless freedom of apparent phenomena and mind), the expanse of evenness (the nature of phenomena in which confusion settles out naturally) abides uninterruptedly in the realm of dharmakaya. There is no division between things arising and being free; they converge in a single blissful expanse. In arising, they arise naturally, holding to their own place. In abiding, they abide naturally, holding to their own place. In being freed, they are freed naturally, holding to their own place. Everything is naturally free, arising from the expanse of the nature of phenomena, and thus does not stray elsewhere, being simply the display of dharmakaya. Apparent phenomena, naturally manifest and experienced unconditionally, are the natural expressions of emptiness. They abide in the ultimate heart essence, being neither positive nor negative.
The Tantra Without Letters states:
The pure enlightened intent of “imperturbable rest that is like the ocean” is not some apparent phenomenon, nor does it cause anything to appear. It is not empty, nor does it exist as emptiness. It is not mere lucidity, but the realm of supreme lucidity. It is not mental laxity, and mental agitation is absent as a matter of course. It has never wavered, does not waver, and will never waver. It has never varied, does not vary, and is beyond all variation. Behold the supreme method of resting, which is not brought about deliberately. Do not try to complicate or simplify it. This unique state of imperturbable rest is not one of holding still, yet there is no going beyond it. In secret timeless awareness, which is like an ocean, rest in basic space, in timeless spontaneous vastness that is not created. In this great ocean, whose depths are difficult to fathom, behold the pinnacle of the victory banner that never falls. Mind in its essence is ineffable-the supremely uncontrived kaya. Not produced, it is victorious over all deliberate attempts to produce it. Never having come into being, it is uncontrived and imperturbable rest itself. Unaltered by apparent phenomena, it is not contrived by ordinary consciousness. Abiding in the sky of the nature of phenomena is revealed to be enlightened intent.
When lights of five colors shine without obstruction from a crystal, these lights are perceived as distinct colors, yet none is better or worse. They are the dynamic energy of a single crystal sphere. Self-knowing awareness, the ground of being, is similar to that crystal sphere: its emptiness is the nature of dharmakaya, its naturally radiant lucidity is sambhogakaya, and its unceasing avenue as the ground for arising is nirmanakaya. The three kayas are spontaneously present in basic space as the ground of being.