Question

While readingThe Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanhabout mindfulness, I came upon this paragraph: the Buddha taught the meditation on the Two Realms — the realm of the

conditioned (samskrita) and the realm of the unconditioned
(asamskrita). In the conditioned realm, there is birth, death, before,
after, inner, outer, small, and large. In the world of the
unconditioned, we are no longer subject to birth and death, coming or
going, before or after. The conditioned realm belongs to the
historical dimension. It is the wave. The unconditioned realm belongs
to the ultimate dimension. It is the water. These two realms are not
separate. What it means, The conditioned realm belongs to the historical dimension and The unconditioned realm belongs to the ultimate dimension, and also How they are not separated?

Answer 1

The conditioned realm in Buddhism is the world of changing experiences, while the unconditioned realm represents the state of enlightenment where these conditions do not apply. They are interconnected as the understanding of one can lead to insights into the other, signifying a non-dual reality.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Buddhism, the conditioned realm refers to the material world, influenced by conditions such as birth, death, and time, akin to historical occurrences. It's associated with experiences that are transient and subject to change. Conversely, the unconditioned realm signifies an ultimate dimension beyond such limitations, akin to enlightenment or Nirvana - a state with no suffering, desire, or sense of self, where the transient nature of life doesn't apply.

These two realms are interconnected because the unconditioned reality offers a foundational perspective that puts the conditioned experiences into context. For instance, understanding the non-self (Anatman) and impermanence (Annica) can lead to the cessation of suffering and craving, as per the Four Noble Truths. This is where the realms intersect, with the conditioned leading to insight about the unconditioned, and vice versa. Ultimately, both realms co-exist and are non-dual, much like waves and water are part of the same ocean.