What is meant by patience with the non-production of dharmas?
One does not see the slightest dharma arise, nor the slightest dharma extinguished.
One attains the state in which dharmas are neither produced nor destroyed.

A reminder from last issue:
Since people who are pure and who uphold the precepts do not become dissipated in the pursuit of the six sense objects, they turn around to their own source and attain great peace and stability. The secret, perfect and pure wonder of all the Thus Come Ones appears before them.

These people then obtain patience with the non-production of dharmas. They thereupon gradually cultivate according to their practices, until they reside securely in the positions of sages. This is the third of the gradual stages of cultivation.

These people then obtain patience with the non-production of dharmas. What is meant by patience with the non-production of dharmas? One does not see the slightest dharma arise, nor the slightest dharma extinguished. One attains the state in which dharmas are neither produced nor destroyed. But it is not easy to obtain this state. They thereupon gradually cultivate according to their practices, until they reside securely in the positions of sages. They gradually progress in their cultivation, making vows in accord with their practice. They dwell in each of the positions of sages, without being shaken or moved. This is the third of the gradual stages of cultivation, that of preventing the manifestation of karma.

Ananda, these good people's emotional love and desire are withered and dry, the sense organs and sense objects no longer match, and so the residual habits do not continue to arise.

Shakyamuni Buddha calls out, "Ananda, these good people's emotional love and desire are withered and dry." "Withered and dry" means that they have no thoughts of emotional desire and love. The sense organs and sense objects no longer match. The six sense organs no longer seek to match up with the six sense objects. And so the residual habits do not continue to arise. "Residual habits" refers to the slight bit of ignorance that these people still harbor. Since the ignorance is so slight, it does not continue to increase.

By means of their complete wisdom, they understand that the attachments of the mind are false. The bright perfection of their wisdom-nature shines throughout the ten directions, and this initial wisdom is called the "Stage of Dry Wisdom."

The slight bit of ignorance that still remains does not grow and increase. The karmic obstacles are also very few, and so by means of their complete wisdom, they understand that the attachments of the mind are false. Their minds become as clear as empty space itself. Their own natures experience the perfection of wisdom. "Complete wisdom" means they don't have any other false thoughts. The thoughts in their mind are brought forth from wisdom. The bright perfection of their wisdom-nature shines throughout the ten directions. The nature of their wisdom is bright and full. And this initial wisdom is called the "Stage of Dry Wisdom." Since emotional love and desire are "dried up," all that's left is wisdom, so this is called the stage of dry wisdom.

It is also called "the initial vajra resolve." "Vajra" means "indestructible." This indestructible vajra resolve is the first step, and it is called the stage of dry wisdom. It differs from the Ten Grounds. What follows is a discussion of the fifty-five stages of a Bodhisattva: the Ten Faiths, the Ten Dwellings, the Ten Conducts, the Ten Transferences, the Four Levels of Augmenting Practice-- Heat, Summit, Patience, Foremost in the World--the Ten Grounds, and Equal Enlightenment. These are the fifty-five stages cultivated by Bodhisattvas.

Although the habits of desire are initially dried up, they still have not merged with the Thus Come One's flow of Dharma-water.

Although the habits of desire are initially dried up, they still have not merged with the Thus Come One's flow of Dharma-water. The "habits of desire" refers to the habits of love and desire. "Initially dried up" means they are gone at the start. At the beginning of the stage of dry wisdom, one no longer has the habits of love and desire. Although love and desire are dried up, one has not connected with the Thus Come One's flow of Dharma-water. The Buddhadharma is not the Dharma which is spoken. Rather, it is the Dharma-water that flows forth from the self-nature. It is the water of genuine wisdom which comes from the self-nature. But right now, they have not yet merged with the water of genuine wisdom.

To be continued