釋摩訶衍論 6.7

6.7

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."