華嚴經探玄記 13.20

13.20

First, explaining according to the sūtra, there are two parts: first, explaining that the mind creates the triple world, which is from the perspective of the gate of accumulation and origination; second, explaining that the mind supports the twelve [links], which is from the perspective of the gate of reliance and sustenance. In the former, as for the statement that the triple world is false and created by the one mind alone, this single passage is cited in common by various treatises to establish consciousness-only. What kind of mind is being spoken of here? Why is it called "creating"? Now it is explained: according to the various holy teachings, this meaning is explained through multiple gates. First, [it is said that] consciousness-only is spoken because both the objective aspect (nimittabhāga) and the subjective aspect (darśanabhāga) are preserved: this refers to pervading the eight consciousnesses and the various mental factors, along with the transformed objective aspect, possessing both the original object (bimba) and the reflected image (pratibimba); due to the force of the perfuming of the limbs of existence and so forth, they transform and manifest the environments, bodies, and other retributions of the triple world, as is extensively explained in treatises such as the Mahāyānasaṃgraha and the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi. Second, [it is said that] consciousness-only is spoken because the objective aspect is subsumed into the subjective aspect: this means it also pervades the distinctions between the eight consciousness-kings and their associates; the transformed objective aspect has no separate seed to be born from, and when the cognizing consciousness arises, it carries along that reflected image as it arises, as this meaning is fully explained in the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra, the Viṃśikā-vijñaptimātratā, and the Ālambanaparīkṣā. Third, [it is said that] consciousness-only is spoken because the mental factors are subsumed into the consciousness-kings: this means it also fully pervades the eight consciousness-kings, because those mental factors rely on the consciousness-kings and have no self-nature, and it is admitted that they too are transformations of the mind, as explained in the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra. Fourth, [it is said that] consciousness-only is spoken because the branches are returned to the root: this means that the seven evolving consciousnesses are all differentiated functions of the root consciousness, having no separate substance. The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra says: "The ocean of the storehouse consciousness is permanently abiding, / stirred by the wind of objects; / the various waves of consciousness / leap and surge into arising." It also says: "Just as the waves of the great ocean / have no diverse characteristics, / so too are the minds of the various consciousnesses; / difference cannot be found either." The explanation says: since there are no waves apart from the water, this shows that there are no six or seven apart from the root consciousness, as extensively explained there. Fifth, [it is said that] consciousness-only is spoken because characteristics are subsumed into nature: this means that these eight consciousnesses are all without self-nature, being solely the equal manifestation of the tathāgatagarbha, while all remaining characteristics are exhausted. A sūtra says: "All sentient beings are themselves the mark of nirvāṇa, and do not perish again," and so forth. The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra says: "The indestructible marks are eight; the markless is also without marks." Passages such as these are not single in establishing proof. Sixth, [it is said that] consciousness-only is spoken because the true transforms into phenomena: this means that the tathāgatagarbha does not maintain its own nature, but in accordance with conditions manifests the eight consciousness-kings and associates, the objective and subjective aspects, seeds and actualities. Thus the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra says: "Because the tathāgatagarbha is perfumed by beginningless evil habits, it is called the consciousness storehouse." The Ghanavyūha Sūtra says: "The Buddha taught the tathāgatagarbha / to be the ālaya; / those with evil intellect cannot know / that the storehouse is precisely the ālayavijñāna." It also says: "The pure storehouse of the Tathāgata / is the worldly ālaya, / just as gold made into a finger ring / successively has no difference." Furthermore, the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra, the Ratnagotravibhāga, and the Awakening of Faith all explain this meaning, their proofs being not single. Seventh, [it is said that] consciousness-only is spoken because principle and phenomena are mutually interpenetrating: this means that the tathāgatagarbha in its entirety follows conditions to accomplish all phenomena, yet its self-nature originally neither arises nor ceases; these principle and phenomena blend without obstruction, and therefore the one mind and the two truths are both without hindrance. The Awakening of Faith says: "Relying on the dharma of the one mind, there are two gates: first, the gate of the one mind as suchness; second, the gate of the one mind as arising and ceasing. Yet each of these two gates totally subsumes all dharmas." The Śrīmālādevī Sūtra says: "The inherently pure mind, being undefiled yet defiled, is difficult to understand; being defiled yet undefiled, is also difficult to understand." The explanation says: "being undefiled yet defiled" clarifies that the pure nature follows defilement, in its entirety becoming the conventional, which is the gate of arising and ceasing. "Being defiled yet undefiled" clarifies that right in defilement it is constantly pure, originally the ultimate truth, which is the gate of suchness. This clarifies that the defilement that is identical with purity does not obstruct the true and is constantly conventional; the purity that is identical with defilement does not destroy the conventional and is constantly true; therefore, it does not obstruct the one mind while jointly preserving the two truths. There is great relish in this; through deep contemplation you will see it. A sūtra says: "With regard to the truths, they are always naturally two; with regard to understanding, it is always naturally one." A treatise says: "The hindrance of knowables is extremely blind and dark, meaning the separate grasping of the true and conventional." These are all this meaning. Eighth, [it is said that] consciousness-only is spoken because phenomena are harmonized and enter one another: this means that because the nature of principle is perfectly interpenetrating and unobstructed, phenomena accomplished by means of principle are also fused together and do not mutually obstruct; either one enters all, or all enter one, without hindrance. The text above says: "Understanding the immeasurable within the one; understanding the one within the immeasurable," and so forth. The "Rocana Chapter" says: "Within this Padmagarbha world-ocean, within each and every dust mote, one sees all dharmadhātus." Furthermore, below in this chapter it says: "Within a single dust mote, there appear the three bad destinies, gods, humans, and asuras, each undergoing karmic retribution." Passages such as these are infinitely vast, as explained in the sūtra above and below. Ninth, [it is said that] consciousness-only is spoken because phenomena are entirely identical: this means that phenomena relying on principle have no separate phenomena. Since principle has no distinction between this and that, it causes phenomena also to be such that the one is identical with all. The sūtra above says: "Knowing that one world is all worlds; knowing that all worlds are one world." It also says: "Knowing that one is many; many is one," and so forth, extensively as explained in the sūtra text. Tenth, [it is said that] consciousness-only is spoken because of the unobstructedness of Indra's net: this means that within the one there is all, and within that all there is again all. Since within a single gate it is endlessly layered like this without end, each of the remaining gates is also likewise, which can be known by inference. Like the repeatedly reflecting images of Indra's net, these are all because the mind, consciousness, tathāgatagarbha, and dharmatā are perfectly interpenetrating, causing those phenomenal marks to be unobstructed like this, extensively as explained in the text above and below. The ten gates of the principle of consciousness-only above: among them, the first three gates are explained according to the initial teaching; the next four gates are explained according to the final teaching and the sudden teaching; the latter three gates are explained according to the distinct teaching within the complete teaching; and possessing all ten gates collectively is explained according to the common teaching. What has been clarified above pervades the entire sūtra and is not restricted to this bhūmi. Furthermore, it is spoken according to doctrine and understanding. If spoken with respect to contemplative practice, there are also ten layers, as explained in the one-fascicle Huayan Sanmei. Second, within the gate of reliance and sustenance, there are three: first, marking the thesis; second, demanding with "why is that?"—meaning that in the Hīnayāna, the twelve limbs of existence are successively induced and born prior and posterior across the three times; how can it be said that they all rely on the one mind? Below it explains: because apart from the root consciousness-mind, nothing can be established. Therein, first it generally explains that the three limbs are all solely consciousness, and later separately distinguishes that the remaining nine are also solely consciousness. In the former, as for "following actions," it means following their karmic deeds. As for "in what destiny," it is from within the intermediate existence (antarābhava). Arising a mind of craving to seek rebirth, it is thus called "arising a mind of desire." When this mind arises, it arises simultaneously with the seed of the consciousness-limb in the root consciousness; arriving at the embodiment of rebirth, this mind seeking rebirth ceases, and only the root consciousness attaches to the kalala and so forth, like a seed perishing and a sprout arising, hence it says "this mind is precisely consciousness." As for the treatise-sūtra's "greed and desire arise together with the mind," this means that when seeking rebirth in the sixth consciousness, greed and desire arise simultaneously with the ālayavijñāna. At the end of intermediate existence, when greed ceases and the mind continues, it is called taking birth; the actions one created transform into an objective realm, namely palaces, halls, and so forth, which is called the deceptive mind; because of not knowing, grasping them as real is called ignorance. This is the ignorance of taking birth, not the ignorance that initiates action. The general meaning here clarifies that at the time of taking birth, karmic actions are the projector and the mind of desire is the moisturizer; these two speak of the deceptive mind before the consciousness-limb. Ignorance is also a projector, because it is deceptive; causing grasping, it is also a moisturizer. These two reside after, projecting and moisturizing the seeds of the five results and so forth in the root consciousness to give birth to the produced results; because the stages of their actual manifestation possess an order, name-and-form and so forth are spoken. Therefore, the twelve limbs of existence are all solely consciousness, and there is no object outside consciousness. Such is the meaning of the text; the rest of the text can be seen.