金剛三昧經論 1.53

1.53

The treatise says: This answer has two parts: the direct answer and the concluding answer. The word "Bodhisattva" is the address to Liberation Bodhisattva, and the forms of address below are all the same. "All marks of mind" refers to the distinct mental activities and associated mental factors of all eight consciousnesses in stirring thought; whether mental activity or objective mark, all possess the four marks. "Originally have no origin; the place where there is originally no origin": all marks of mind have seeds as their origin, yet seeking this original seed, it can never be found. Why is this so? Does it exist in the present, or has it already passed? If it exists in the present, it is simultaneous with the fruit and lacks any distinction of origin and branch, like the two horns of an ox. If it has already passed, it lacks causal action and has no essential nature, like the horns of a hare. Such a principle is fundamentally natural; therefore it is said that they "originally have no origin." Furthermore, for the arising and ceasing mind to arise, it must depend on an original place; since the original place does not exist, it cannot arise. "Original place" refers to the simultaneously present sense-faculties. The five physical faculties are material dharmas, and whether with spatial location or without spatial location, they cannot be apprehended. The remaining three bases are all non-material dharmas, and whether with time or without time, they cannot be apprehended either. Therefore it is also said that "the place originally has no origin." This means that from the origin there has been no original place; since there is neither an original seed nor an original place, one should know that marks of mind are originally non-arising; therefore it is said, "empty, quiescent, and without arising." When one observes in this way and non-arising cannot be apprehended, the observing mind also does not arise; at that time one enters original emptiness and quiescence. The entered emptiness and quiescence is the one mind; being that upon which all relies, it is called "ground"; therefore it is said, "enters emptiness and quiescence; on the empty and quiescent mind-ground." Although all sentient beings have transmigrated from the beginning and continually grasp at marks of existence, by relying on this gate to inquire and observe, they can attain the original empty mind; therefore it is said, "one then attains the mind's emptiness." "The mind's emptiness" and "empty mind" differ in wording, but they are simply the meaning of the one mind of innate awakening. The direct answer to what was asked has concluded above. Below this is the concluding answer. "The signless mind" brings up the essence of the one mind. "Without mind and without self" concludes what was previously said. In the empty, quiescent, non-arising, and signless mind, one is free from the marks of mind and self. "The marks of all phenomena are also like this" reiterates the conclusion of emptiness and quiescence. Not only is it free from these two marks of mind and self, but all other marks—conditioned and unconditioned, up to supreme and non-supreme—are entirely absent in the signless mind.