觀音玄義記 4.9

4.9

Question: Benevolence and compassion must face the suffering and joy of sentient beings; if they are unconditioned, how can they give [joy] and remove [suffering]? Answer: The identical-substance benevolence and compassion taught in the Mahāyāna posits no distinction among the three: mind, Buddhas, and sentient beings. At the stage of verbal identity in the Perfect [Teaching], one learns that the mind is the Buddha, and benevolently delivers sentient beings that are identical to the mind. Since sentient beings are of identical substance, suffering and joy are originally included in the nature; therefore, there is neither an agent of conditioning nor an object conditioned, nor anything that can be removed or given. Such benevolence and compassion, extending to the exhaustion of future boundaries, removes all suffering and gives ultimate joy. In the discourse of the Perfect [Teaching], not only is the unconditioned like this, but [benevolence conditioned by] sentient beings and [conditioned by] phenomena are also so. Why? When conditioned by sentient beings, it is nominal designation, and all three truths are conventional; when conditioned by phenomena, it is empty and quiescent, and all three truths are empty; when unconditioned, it is the middle, and the three truths are beyond relativity. All three benevolences illuminate the perfectly interpenetrating three truths; how could the other two benevolences not be of the identical substance? It is merely according to what is appropriate and delightful that three gates are established: for those suited to grasping, the gate of being conditioned by sentient beings is spoken; for those suited to renunciation, the gate of being conditioned by phenomena is spoken; for those suited to neither grasping nor renouncing, the unconditioned gate is spoken. The explanation of this has two parts: first, revealing benevolence and compassion with reference to the three contemplations, which has two parts: first, explaining the characteristics of cultivation, which has two parts: first, explaining the method of contemplation with reference to double quelling. If one conditions upon the nominal designations of the six realms, this conventionality is definitively conventional, and there is an object of conditioning; since one conditions upon the ten realms, the conventional is not definitively conventional, and thus conditioning is non-conditioning. If one conditions upon the six realms as illusion-like, this emptiness is definitively empty, and there is an object of conditioning; since one conditions upon the ten realms, emptiness is not definitively empty, and conditioning is non-conditioning. Therefore, it is said that one neither conditions upon the nature and marks of the ten realms nor conditions upon the truth of the ten realms; the extremes themselves are the middle, and hence the two extremes are quelled. Since the extremes themselves are [the middle], what middle way is there anymore? The middle and extremes leave no trace, being inconceivable, and it is merely forcedly called unconditioned. Second, from "Like this..." onward, distinguishing benevolence and compassion with reference to double illumination, which has three parts: first, the doctrine. The mind has no reliance, functioning freely in double illumination. Removing nothing, it universally removes, removing all suffering; giving nothing, it universally gives, giving ultimate joy. Second, from "Like a magnet..." onward, the metaphor. It does not instruct, which illustrates being unconditioned; responding [to the iron] illustrates giving and removing. Third, from "Unconditioned..." onward, the combination. Second, from "A practitioner..." onward, explaining entering the stages, which has two parts: first, distinguishing realization with reference to the stages. One should know that the rational nature inherently includes the three benevolences and compassions, and that when practice arises entirely from nature, it forms the wisdom of the three contemplations. Although there are six stages, the unconditioned is not different; yet it must depend on realization for giving and removing to be made manifest. Second, from "Without moving..." onward, citing metaphors to reveal the unconditioned. The bright mirror is like the substance of benevolence: manifesting reflections is giving joy; the lodestone is like the potency of compassion: attracting iron is removing suffering. Second, from "The three truths..." onward, explaining the universal gate with reference to the three truths. The three truths are called universal, which is that which penetrates. Further, as for stating "penetrating to the middle way", it refers to realization as that which is penetrated to. Furthermore, the one being the three is that which penetrates, and the three being the one is that which is penetrated; that which is penetrated is beyond relativity, and is merely forcedly called the middle way.