釋摩訶衍論 6.7

6.7

已說有名數量功德分，次說無名過量功德分。本覺體中自性功德無量無邊，離於言量過於心行，以何義故止於數量作如是部？本有功德雖無有量，不出三數，故舉本耳。如本具足如是過於恒沙故。如是無量無邊功德，各各別別有體相耶？唯一心量無別法體，唯一心量終不離心。所以者何？心法雖一而有二種陀羅尼自在用故。云何為二？一者自不離彼陀羅尼自在、二者彼不離自陀羅尼自在，是名為二。如本不離故，如是性德從無始來，一向妙有非遣除法。所以者何？自性自性非他俱故。如本不斷故。如是一切功德唯一自作一終，異自不能作一。所以者何？一法界故。如本不異故。如是深理，一切菩薩、一切二乘、一切凡夫，心不思惟、言不論量，絕之又絕、遠之又遠。如本不思議故。三人非境。當何人之言思境界？唯大覺者乃自軌則。如本佛法故。如是無量性之功德，從具縛地乃至無上大覺智地，具足圓滿無所少闕。所以者何？如是諸德從無始來自然本有，非假緣力而建立故。如本乃至滿足無有所少義故，名為如來藏，亦名如來法身故。

Having explained the section on merits with names and numbers, next we explain the section on merits without names and exceeding measure. The merits of self-nature within the essence of original awakening are immeasurable and boundless, separated from verbal measures and exceeding mental activities; for what reason are they restricted to numerical amounts and arranged into such divisions? Although the originally existing merits are without measure, they do not exceed the three counts, so he merely cited the root [count]. As the root text says: "Endowed in this way with [merits] exceeding the sands of the Ganges." Do these immeasurable and boundless merits each distinctly possess an essential characteristic? They are only the measure of the one mind and have no separate dharma-essence; being only the measure of the one mind, they never depart from the mind. Why is this? Because although the mind-dharma is one, it possesses two kinds of sovereign functions of dhāraṇī. What are the two? First is the sovereignty of the dhāraṇī where the self does not depart from the other; second is the sovereignty of the dhāraṇī where the other does not depart from the self. These are called the two. As the root text says: "not separated." Such essential virtues have from beginningless time been exclusively sublime existence and are not dharmas to be dispelled. Why is this? Because self-nature is self-nature, not co-occurring with another. As the root text says: "uninterrupted." All such merits solely and intrinsically constitute a single unity; that which is different cannot intrinsically constitute a single unity. Why is this? Because of the one dharmadhātu. As the root text says: "not different." Such profound principle is not thought by the minds of all bodhisattvas, all two-vehicle [practitioners], and all ordinary beings, nor is it discussed or measured in words; it is utterly cut off, far beyond and far away. As the root text says: "inconceivable." It is not the sphere of these three kinds of persons. Of what person's speech and thought could it be the sphere? Only the Great Awakened One takes it as his own standard. As the root text says: "Buddha-dharmas." Such immeasurable merits of the nature are fully and completely perfected without any deficiency, from the stage of being fully bound up to the unexcelled stage of great awakened wisdom. Why is this? Because such virtues are naturally and originally present from beginningless time, not established by relying on external conditions. As the root text says: "even unto being complete without any deficiency, it is called the tathāgatagarbha and is also called the Tathāgata's dharmakāya."