大方廣圓覺修多羅了義經略疏 1.556

1.556

行也。謂一切如幻，正解方成；幻法非真，復何修習？故解與行進退相違，徵釋用心，實由斯矣。此問從前知是空華即無輪轉等文而來，意云：身心既如幻，能知亦是幻，將幻還除幻，幻幻何窮盡？幻者，謂世有幻法，依草木等幻作人畜，宛似往來動作之相；須臾法謝，還成草木。然諸經教幻喻偏多，良以五天此術頗眾，見聞既審，法理易明。及傳此方，翻成難曉。今依古師解《華嚴》如幻之文，法、喻各開五法。喻中五者，如結一巾幻作一馬，一所依巾、二幻師術法、三所幻馬、四馬有即無、五癡執為馬；法中五者，一真性、二心識、三依他起、四我法即空、五迷執我法。下諸幻喻皆倣此知。

This is practice. It means: if all is like an illusion, correct understanding is only then established; yet if illusory dharmas are not real, what more is there to cultivate and practice? Hence understanding and practice contradict each other in advancing and retreating; inquiring into and explaining the application of mind truly arises from this. This question derives from the earlier text stating that knowing they are flowers in the sky, there is no transmigration, and so forth. The meaning is: since body and mind are like illusions, that which can know is also an illusion; if one uses illusion to remove illusion again, how will illusion upon illusion ever end? “Illusion” means that in the world there are illusory arts, where, relying on grass and wood, human beings and animals are conjured up, vividly appearing to come and go, move and act; in an instant, when the magic ceases, they return to grass and wood. Yet the sūtras and teachings use the metaphor of illusion especially often, simply because in the Five Indias these arts were quite numerous; having seen and heard them clearly, the Dharma's principle was easy to understand. But when transmitted to this land, it turned out to be difficult to comprehend. Now, relying on ancient masters who explained the text on "like an illusion" in the Huayan, both the Dharma and the metaphor are divided into five dharmas each. The five within the metaphor are: as when tying a cloth to magically create a horse, 1. the supporting cloth, 2. the magician's art, 3. the conjured horse, 4. the horse existing and yet non-existent, and 5. the foolish clinging to it as a horse. The five within the Dharma are: 1. the true nature, 2. the mind-consciousness, 3. other-dependent origination, 4. self and dharmas being empty, and 5. deluded clinging to self and dharmas. The various metaphors of illusion below should all be understood by modeling on this.