維摩義記 4.68

4.68

In the preceding [passage], "As I contemplate the real characteristic of my own body": contemplating the cause to draw an analogy to the fruit, and contemplating the Buddha as identical to oneself, he thus says "as I [contemplate] my own [body]". What is the reality of the body? It refers to the tathāgatagarbha, the Buddha-nature, the true self. Because this is the original nature of the body, it is called "real"; the bodily form of the real is termed its "characteristic". What is this characteristic like? It resembles the Buddha-body below. To discuss it essentially, there are only two dharma gates: first, truly empty; second, truly non-empty. Within the truly empty, there are briefly two kinds: first, emptiness as separation from characteristics; second, emptiness as separation from intrinsic nature. Separation from characteristics means, as spoken in the treatises, not having characteristics and also not lacking characteristics, neither not having characteristics nor not lacking characteristics; not a single characteristic and not different characteristics, neither not a single characteristic nor not different characteristics, not both a single and different characteristic; not one's own characteristic and not another's characteristic, neither not one's own characteristic nor not another's characteristic, not both one's own and another's characteristic. All such conceptual discriminations of the deluded mind do not correspond [to it] at all; it is exclusively the sphere of realization. Separation from intrinsic nature means that the tathāgatagarbha fully contains Buddha-dharmas surpassing all the sands of the Ganges. These Buddha-dharmas are of one identical essential nature, mutually constituted through dependent origination. Because they are of the same essence, when gathering the particular into the universal, all are existent; when dividing the universal into the particular, all are entirely non-existent. Thus true reality is constantly existent and constantly non-existent. Now, stating the meaning of non-existence constitutes emptiness as separation from intrinsic nature. The meaning of emptiness is such. As for non-empty: although the dharmas in the tathāgatagarbha are immeasurable, essentially there are only two: first, real form; second, real mind. As for real form, as spoken in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], Buddha-nature is also form, and because it is also form, it can be seen with the eye; furthermore, as spoken in that Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra, sentient beings are fully endowed with the Tathāgata's faculties such as eyes and ears, like an image inside a mold. These are called real form; this is indeed the dharma gate of the nature of form, not the phenomenal matter of form. What is its characteristic like? It resembles the unmanifest precept dharma (avijñapti-śīla) of this bhikṣu, and is also like such dharmas as yin-yang and the five phases: although their essence is form, they have no characteristics of form; because they have no characteristics of form, one cannot take true form through blue, yellow, red, or white. Resembling that, although its essence is form, it has no characteristics of form; because it has no characteristics of form, the sage realizes it. The dharmakāya is formless; because its essence is form, the sage realizes it as fully endowed with all faculties. Furthermore, because it is the gate of dependent origination of the nature of form, when the sage realizes it, there is no condition under which it does not manifest. As for the real mind, it is the true mind spoken of in the sūtras. The dharmas surpassing the sands of the Ganges within the tathāgatagarbha are assembled through dependent origination; their assembly constitutes the mental nature of awareness. Because it is an aware nature, when joined with ignorance it gives rise to deluded awareness, but when ignorance is stilled, it becomes correct awareness. This also is its real awareness; it is the dharma of mental nature, not phenomenal emotion. What is its characteristic like? Like a mirror reflecting objects without discrimination. The true mind is also like this: although its essence is mind, it is without discrimination; because it is without discrimination, when the sage realizes it, spiritual cognition is permanently extinguished. Because it is mental nature, when the sage realizes it, he is fully endowed with wisdom that knows reality as it is. Because there is this gate of dependent origination of the aware nature, when the sage realizes it, there is nothing among all dharmas that he does not awaken to and understand. This real form and real mind are called non-empty. Truly empty and truly non-empty resemble the Buddha-body below; therefore, they are used to draw an analogy to the Buddha. "Contemplating the Buddha is also like this" directly uses this to draw an analogy to the Buddha. Buddha and Buddha-nature are conceptually differentiated while being of the same essence; therefore, contemplating the Buddha-body is identical to one's own reality. What is the meaning of this? Ordinary beings and Buddhas are of one essence. Because they are of one essence, viewed from the Buddha's perspective, the essence of sentient beings has always been fundamentally pure, without hindrance and without defilement; this is indeed the perfectly pure dharmakāya of all Buddhas. Hence the earlier text says: "The Buddha knows that sentient beings are identical to the characteristic of nirvāṇa and will not be extinguished again." Nirvāṇa being so, the Buddha-body is also like this. Viewed from the ordinary being's perspective, that pure dharmakāya is concealed by afflictions; acting as the basis for the pure virtues when it is later revealed, it is spoken of as Buddha-nature, and is therefore of the same essence as the Buddha, without difference. Hence the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] speaks of reality: the realities of suffering, origination, and so forth are indeed the Tathāgata, the Buddha-nature, space. Furthermore, as it says, the three refuges are identical to the self; because they are identical to the self, one contemplates the real characteristic of the body, and contemplates the Buddha also like this.