(9.38ab) (Other schools) “But if Buddha has no conceptual mind,
How can there be meritorious results from making offerings to him?”

The objection of the other schools here is if buddhas do not have conceptual minds then they do not know they are receiving our offerings and indeed there is no one there so how can we possibly generate merit by making offerings to a non-existent Buddha who does not know we’re doing so?

(9.38cd) It is said in the scriptures that the results will be the same
Whether the Buddha to whom we make offerings is living or has passed away.

(9.39) Moreover, the scriptures say that the results we receive depend upon our degree of faith,
Whether we think Buddha is conventionally or ultimately existent when we make the offerings.
Just as you receive merits from making offerings to a Buddha you consider to be truly existent,
So do we receive merits from making offerings to an illusion-like Buddha.

In Joyful Path, Geshe-la says whenever we visualize Buddha in front of us, our mind becomes like water on a clear moonlit night, and the Buddhas appear in front of us without effort, like a reflection in that body of water.  Very often we think the Buddhas have to make the choice to help us and when we are not receiving benefit, we think they are holding back.  But they are more like the sun, and our mind is like the blinds closed.  If we create the right conditions, the guidance and blessings of the Buddhas will naturally flow in without any intention or effort on their part.

The objection of the other schools arises from falling into the extreme of non-existence. There are two extremes: the extreme of existence and the extreme of non-existence. The extreme of existence says that if things exist, they must exist inherently, from their own side. The extreme of non-existence says if things do not exist inherently, then they do not exist at all. For the other schools if everything is empty, then buddhas do not exist at all. Therefore, we cannot possibly accumulate merit making offerings to a non-existent Buddha. Likewise, they misunderstand non conceptual thought as no thought and no awareness. It is perfectly possible to have non conceptual thought and awareness. Therefore, buddhas do exist and receive our offerings. There are non-conceptual minds are aware of receiving our offerings.

We can understand how this works by considering dreams. We all know that dreams are simply mere projections of our mind. But when we are in the dream our dream coat keeps our dream body warm. Our dream car can take our dream body from one dream place to another dream place. Within the context of the dream, things have dreamlike functions. Our self and buddhas are like dreams. When our dreamlike self makes dreamlike offerings to dreamlike buddhas, it creates dreamlike karma that will ripen in the form of dreamlike appearances. No problem.

We now enter into the third major section of Shantideva’s 9th chapter explaining emptiness. If we look at the macro level structure of Shantideva’s explanation, it is we need to realize emptiness, here is a presentation of the two truths. We really need to realize emptiness, here is an extensive explanation of emptiness. Then yet more encouragement that we need to realize emptiness. The third section of Shantideva’s chapter is once again encouraging us to realize emptiness.

We may find this somewhat redundant. Why does he need to keep telling us that we need to realize emptiness? He does so because we often forget that we need to realize emptiness, so we need constantly to be reminded. But more specifically, there are different objections people make as to why we do not need to realize the emptiness presented by the Prasangikas in order to attain enlightenment. These objections say there is no point realizing the emptiness that the Prasangikas explaine, so why bother engaging in study and debate. To overcome these specific objections, he then provides answers.

Shantideva now explains that even to attain liberation or solitary peace, one must realize lack of true existence, the emptiness that is the lack of true existence.