The all-embracing feature of the mind contemplation is revealed by the unity of the three categories of Dharma in the quotation from the Avatamsakasūtra:

“The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are of no distinction.”

Chih-i points out that what mind contemplation can achieve is described by yet another quote from the Avatamsakasūtra:

“When one’s mind traverses the Dharma-realm, taking it as if it is empty space, then one will know the objective realm of all Buddhas.”

Chih-i believes that this quotation, in terms of the mind traversing the Dharma-realm, suggests that mind is related to the Threefold Truth, and that contemplating the mind is the means to attain the Threefold Truth. Chih-i explains:

“The Dharma-realm is identical to the Middle Way. Empty space is identical to Emptiness. The mind and Buddhas are identical to the Provisional. The three together are identical to the objective realm of all Buddhas. This means that if one contemplates [the thought of] one’s mind, one can still be endowed with all the Buddha-dharmas.”

The all-embracing feature of the mind is further emphasized by Chih-i as he holds that contemplating the mind is about one thought embracing reality as a whole:

“In the case of one’s mind traversing the Dharma-realm, when contemplating the mutual opposition of a sensation and its object, one thought arises in the mind which must belong to one of the ten realms. When [one thought] belongs to one realm, it at once embraces one hundred realms and one thousand dharmas. The one thought is replete with all [aspects of reality].”

This passage addresses that all characteristics of reality are contained in the rising of one thought. Therefore, contemplating the mind is the most practical method in reaching truth. (Vol. 2, Page 81-82)

For Chih-i, mind contemplation is the most accessible way to approach the Ultimate Truth, because Dharma of Sentient Beings is too broad and Dharma of Buddha is too high in approaching the Ultimate Truth. Contemplating mind, on the other hand, is related to the Threefold Truth and to the all-embracing feature of the mind. As the Ultimate Truth concerns the Threefold Truth and is all embracing, mind contemplation is proved to be the ultimate approach of penetrating the Ultimate Truth. (Vol. 2, Page 81)

The subtlety of the Buddha-dharma is described by Chih-i as follows:

“The hundred realms and the thousand suchnesses are the objective realm of the Buddha, and only Buddhas … can exhaust such principle [reality]. It is like a huge box: its cover has to be correspondingly huge too. With the unlimited Buddha-knowledge, [the Buddha] illuminates the vast and great Buddhahood and objective realm. For [the Buddha] to reach to the bottom [of this reality] is called ‘following his own will.’ If [the Buddha] illuminates the characteristics of the nine other Dharma realms from beginning to end without leaving out a thread or a mustard seed, this is called ‘following another’s will.’ On the basis of these two dharmas [of following the Buddha’s own will and another’s will], [the Buddha] manifests the Traces of the ten realms, either showing his own body or another’s body, and either speaking the words following his own will or the words following another’s will. Both his own will and another’s will are inconceivable, and both his own body and the body of another are extremely subtle and quiescent. [Ultimately,] all of them are neither Relative nor Ultimate, and yet, [they] are capable of responding to the Relative of the nine realms and the Ultimate of the one realm, causing no loss or decrease to the Buddha-dharma.” (Vol 2, Page 81)

Related to the Dharma of Sentient Beings that is composed of the Relative and the Ultimate, the Dharma of Buddha further explains the Buddha’s knowledge that concerns the Relative and the Ultimate, from which the profundity and vastness of objective reality is revealed. According to Chih-i, this objective reality is only penetrated by the Buddha with the Twofold Knowledge in terms of the Relative and the Ultimate. With this Twofold Knowledge, the Buddha is able to embrace the other nine realms, and to utilize all possible expedient means to teach and transform living beings. Therefore, the Twofold Knowledge of the Relative and the Ultimate is subtle and represents the subtlety of the Buddha-dharma. Chih-i asserts that the Dharma of Buddha is not something separate from our empirical world, and in fact, is part of the same reality. Its subtlety is reflected in the fact that the Twofold Knowledge of the Relative and the Ultimate can only be penetrated by the Buddha. Its subtlety is also reflected in the fact that only the Buddha with the Twofold Knowledge can exhaust the vastness of objective reality. (Vol. 2, Page 80)

Chih-i argues that although each realm is differentiated from other realms as having different definitions of the Ten Suchnesses, together, they constitute the Ultimate Truth that consists of the relative and ultimate reality. In other words, the relative and the ultimate are coexistent as a polar concept and are contained within each other in terms of soteriological significance. On the one hand, without the relative of the nine realms, the ultimate of the Buddha-realm cannot be substantiated, and without the ultimate, the relative does not have any validity, two of which form a polar concept existing interdependently. On the other hand, if the relative does not contain the ultimate, then the attainment of Buddhahood would not be possible; if the ultimate does not contain the relative, then the Buddha would not undertake his task of teaching and saving beings. Only if the ultimate is already contained in relative as the cause for Buddhahood, can the attainment of Buddhahood as the effect be possible, whereby all beings in the nine realms are grounded to be able to eventually enter the Buddha-realm; only if the relative is contained in the ultimate, can the Buddha’s endless soteriological activities of saving beings be realistic. (Vol. 2, Page 80)

With regard to the Ten Suchnesses in the Buddha-realm, “appearance” refers to the Buddha-nature as the Conditional Cause (Yiian-yin) of Buddhahood, i.e., the merits living beings accumulate; “nature” refers to the Buddha-nature as the Understanding Cause (Ch., Liao-yin; Skt., vyan͂janahetu) of Buddhahood, i.e., the wisdom of beings; “substance” refers to the Buddha-nature as the Fundamental Cause (Cheng-yin) of Buddhahood, i.e., the pure and tranquil mind as the ultimate truth beings possess; “power” refers to the Buddha’s initial aspiration for enlightenment that surpasses that of the Two Vehicles; “function” refers to the Buddha’s performance of the Four Great Vows; “causes” refers to the Buddha’s grand adornment of knowledge and wisdom; “conditions” refers to the Buddha’s grand adornment of blessings and virtues; “effects” refers to the repetitive effects of the state of unsurpassed enlightenment in which each thought of the Buddha is integrated with the mind of great awakening; “retributions” refers to the fruit of mahāparinirvāṇa, and the last suchness “beginning-and-end-ultimately-alike” conveys the truth of the Middle Way, meaning that the Threefold Truth inherent in sentient beings at the beginning stage of practice is not different from the Threefold Truth revealed at the final stage of enlightenment. This is to say, both types of the Threefold Truth denote the same aspects (i.e., Emptiness, the Provisional, and the Middle Way), and both are based on the same reality consisting of causes and conditions. Chih-i supports his statement by explaining that in terms of the truth of Emptiness, sentient beings and the Buddha are inherently not different, since they are empty of substantial Being. When this non-distinction is spoken of in terms of the truth of the Provisional, it means that the Ten Dharma-realms are interpenetrating and mutually inter-existent. Sentient beings are the same as the Buddha, in a sense that they all inherently possess the Buddha-nature. The Buddha and sentient beings are the same, considering that everyone can attain Buddhahood as long as one makes efforts through diligent practices like the Buddha did in his previous lives before his enlightenment. With regard to the truth of the Middle Way, “ultimately alike” means that all of ignorant men and sages are part of reality that constitute the Ultimate Truth. (Vol. 2, Page 79)

(4) The characteristics of the Ten Suchnesses are defined in the group of bodhisattvas and Buddhas

The meaning of the Ten Suchnesses concerning the fourth group of bodhisattvas and Buddhas (P’u-sa Fo) is described in three categories regarding the bodhisattvas of various levels of attainment: the bodhisattva of the Tripiṭaka Teaching, the bodhisattva of the Common Teaching, and the bodhisattvas of the Separate Teaching.

With regard to the bodhisattva of the Six Perfections” (Liu-tu P’usa) (of the Tripitaka Teaching), “appearance,” “nature,” “substance,” “power,” and “function” are discussed in terms of the bodhisattva’s blessings and virtues, which are derived from practicing the Six Perfections (pāramitās). “Causes” refers to wholesome karman, for the bodhisattva still abides in the human world. “Conditions” refers to affliction (Ch., Fa-nao; Skt., kleśa), for the bodhisattva has not severed defilement. “Effects” refers to the bodhisattva’s severance of bonds by means of thirty-four mental states. “Suchness of its retributions” refers to the Ten Suchnesses the bodhisattva is endowed with.” With regard to the bodhisattva of the Common Teaching (T’ung-chiao P’u-sa), “appearance,” “nature,” “substance,” “power,” “function,” “causes,” “conditions,” and “effects” are discussed from the perspective of non-defilement. “Retributions” means that the bodhisattva receives retribution before the sixth of the Ten Stages, and does not receive any retribution starting from the sixth of the Ten Stages. This is because on the Sixth Stage, the bodhisattva completely severs wrong attitudes and do not receive any rebirth, given that the action of their vow to assist sentient beings is not the retribution per se resulted from real karman. Thus, he is endowed with nine suchnesses but not ten (e.g. “retributions” is not included).

With regard to the bodhisattva of the Separate Teaching (Piehchiao P’u-sa), because of his cultivation of the Middle Way, and his gradual progress in contemplation, the bodhisattva embraces the Ten Dharma-realms. (Vol. 2, Page 78)

The meaning of the Ten Suchnesses in the realm of the Two Vehicles (śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha) is defined from the perspective of the attainment of real non-defilement (Chen-wu-lou). “Appearance” refers to Nirvāṇa that is attained by the Two Vehicles. “Nature” indicates that the Two Vehicles are beyond the dichotomy of good and evil. “Substance” refers to the five attributes of the Dharma-body (dharmakāya). “Power” refers to the ability of the Two Vehicles to appear and move about in the three realms (desire, form, and formlessness), and is their potential capability of attaining the Path (i.e., liberation or nirvāṇa). “Function” means to strive diligently to make progress. “Causes” refers to correct knowledge of non-defilement. “Conditions” refers to practice of practice (Hsing-hsing), which is the auxiliary for attaining enlightenment. “Effects” refers to the Four Fruitions. “Retributions” indicates that the Two Vehicles have no retribution, since they have no further rebirth. Chih-i adds that this no-retribution is from the point of view of Śrāvakayāna. From the viewpoint of Mahāyāna, their non-defilement is still considered to be defilement, because the Two Vehicles have not eliminated all delusions, and still receive the rebirth of metamorphoses. Chih-i further explains that if non-defilement is the cause and ignorance is the condition, then being reborn in the land of metamorphoses is the retribution.” (Vol. 2, Page 77-78)

The characteristics of the Ten Suchnesses are defined in the group with wholesome destinies

The meaning of the Ten Suchnesses with regard to the second group of humans and heavenly beings (Jen T’ien) is defined by Chih-i as a white color, which signifies purity, pleasure, and goodness. These are different from those in the … four lowest states. “Appearance” is related to revealing the good and pleasant perspective, by which the appearance of beings that are born as humankind and deities are pure and superior. “Nature” refers to white color as wholesomeness in contradistinction to beings in hell whose nature is black. “Substance” means that the intrinsic essence of oneself is related to the mind of pleasure. “Power” is associated with the potential capability to do wholesome deeds. “Function” is to refrain from committing evil deeds and to perform wholesome deeds. “Causes” refers to wholesome deeds. “Conditions” refers to the mistaken views regarding self and possessions that keep one continuing to be reborn into the world, but these views are considered to be wholesome in a worldly sense since they are the conditions of a rebirth into a good destiny. “Effects” is the natural outcome from a wholesome mind. “Retributions” refers to the joy one naturally experiences. The last suchness “beginning-and-end-ultimately-alike” means the same as in the … case of the four lowest states. (Vol. 2, Page 77)

The characteristics of the Ten Suchnesses are defined in the group with evil destinies.

The first group includes four destinies to where hell-dwellers, hungry ghosts, animals and asuras tend to go (Ssu-ch’i). The meaning of the Ten Suchnesses in this group is portrayed by Chih-i in black color, consisting of evil activities and causes of suffering. “Appearance” means when a person who has an evil appearance is doomed to fall in one of these unpleasant states in his/her next incarnation. His/her destiny has been revealed through distinctive marks that can be thoroughly seen by the Buddha, less deeply by the bodhisattva, vaguely by the Two Vehicles, and are not seen by an ignorant man. “Nature” refers to the nature of beings that are in these states as “black and evil” (Hei-eh), and they can hardly change. The evil nature is paralleled with wood, within which fire is contained. Because of its fire-nature, the wood can burst into flames under certain conditions. The evil nature is what causes rebirth in these four destinies. Chih-i argues that if there were no evil nature (fire-nature) as the internal cause for fire to burst out, there would be no rebirth in the evil destinies. It is like in the case of a clay-image, which has the appearance of wood, but does not have the fire-nature, and thus, it would not burn. “Substance” refers to the material and the mental elements of beings that have been destroyed countless times as the form of torment in their past existence and are experiencing the same process of torment at present, and will suffer again in their future existence. Such tormented material and mental elements are what constitute the substance of a being. “Power” refers to evil abilities that beings can potentially possess, such as the hell-dwellers who are capable of treading the edge of a blade, the hungry ghosts who can swallow copper and chew iron, the stronger animals who conquer the weaker ones, and so on. “Function” means that beings who construct, engage in, and exercise three kinds of karman (Ch., Sanyeh; Skt., trīṇi karmaṇi), i.e., body (Shen), speech (Yü), and mind (I), build up wickedness. These are called functions. “Causes” refers to “habitual causes of evil” (Eh-hsi-yin) that reproduce themselves continuously. The tendency for evil to emerge by habit is the cause for wickedness to be easily completed. “Conditions” refers to the wickedness of self and wickedness of possession as auxiliary causes. “Effects” refers to the continuing effect of evil caused by the attachment to the state of desire. For example, beings with desires that are reborn in hell still mistake suffering for pleasure. “Retributions” refers to the retribution resulting from effect (Pao-kuo). For example, when beings with many desires are in hell, they are tortured by copper pillars and iron beds (as a consequence of tending to objects of desire). “Beginning-and-end-ultimately-alike” is spoken of in terms of the Threefold Truth (Emptiness, the Provisional, and the Middle Way). First, from the perspective of emptiness, the beginning and end suchnesses are all emptiness, and thus, are ultimately alike. Secondly, from the perspective of the provisional existence, the beginning and end suchnesses are all provisional existence, and thus, are ultimately alike. Thirdly, “ultimately alike” refers to the mind that is the Mind of the Middle Way-Ultimate Principle (Chung-shih Li-hsin). It is not different from that of the Buddha, and is capable of attaining Buddhahood. (Vol. 2, Page 76-77)