金剛般若經贊述 1.97

1.97

此答云何住者，謂如何安處其心而成發也。謂諸修行者，欲證菩提作大利樂，要先發起大菩提心，方興正行，故經說言，「如竹破初節，餘節速能破，見道初除障，餘障速能除」。若發菩提心，一切功德自應圓滿。故發菩提心，經說譬如大海初有一滴，能為諸寶作所依處，最初發心亦復如是，五乘善法皆因此生。又如世界初始漸起即為荷負諸眾生因，此心亦爾，能為五趣無量種類荷負依止。又如空界無不含容，大菩提心亦復如是，遍空有為皆厭離故，如空菩提皆求證故，盡空眾生皆深念故。此初發心雖為下劣，一念福聚尚說難盡，況經多劫發心修行利樂功德！

Here, answering 'how to abide' refers to how to settle the mind so as to generate [bodhicitta]. All practitioners, desiring to realize bodhi and create great benefit and happiness, must first generate the great bodhicitta before initiating correct practice. Therefore, a sūtra says: 'Just as splitting the first joint of a bamboo quickly splits the remaining joints, / When the path of seeing first eliminates obstacles, the remaining obstacles are quickly eliminated.' If one generates bodhicitta, all merits will naturally become complete. Therefore, regarding the generation of bodhicitta, a sūtra says that just as the great ocean begins with a single drop, which can serve as the basis for all jewels, the initial generation of the mind is also like this: the wholesome dharmas of the five vehicles are all born from this. Furthermore, just as the world, when it initially gradually arises, serves as the cause for sustaining all sentient beings, this mind is also like that: it can sustain and serve as the support for the immeasurable classes of beings in the five destinies. Furthermore, just as the space realm contains and embraces everything without exception, the great bodhicitta is also like this: because it reviles and turns away from all saṃskṛta dharmas pervading space; because it seeks to realize bodhi, which is like space; and because it deeply cares for all sentient beings exhausting space. Although this initial generation of the mind is elementary, the accumulation of merit from a single moment of thought is still difficult to describe fully—how much more so the merit of generating the mind, practicing, and benefiting beings through many kalpas!