大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 2.94

2.94

The sūtra says: "Furthermore, Master of Mysteries, the Great Vehicle practice gives rise to the mind of the vehicle free of conditions and the selflessness of dharmas. Why? Like those practitioners in the past who cultivated in this way, one contemplates the aggregate-ālaya and knows that its intrinsic nature is like an illusion, a mirage, a shadow, an echo, a whirling firebrand, and a gandharva city." This explains the second layer: contemplating the selflessness of dharmas. The Sanskrit word māpra means "non-existence" and also means "other". What is called "vehicle conditioned by others" means giving rise to an equal, great vow to practice the bodhisattva path for the sake of the sentient beings of the dharmadhātu, even subduing and gathering in all icchantikas and those of the two vehicles who have not entered the right stage through various upāyas, causing them all to enter this vehicle together. With reference to this great compassion without conditions, it is called the vehicle conditioned by others. Furthermore, as for the "vehicle free of conditions", only upon reaching this asaṃkhyeya is one first able to contemplate the deep and subtle consciousness of ādāna and understand that the three realms are mind-only, with not a single dharma obtainable outside the mind. Mounting this conditionless mind and practicing the great bodhi path, it is therefore called the vehicle free of conditions. This conditionless mind is itself the selflessness of dharmas. Because the practitioner's mind was submerged in the aggregates when cultivating contemplation in the first kalpa, they contemplated the selflessness of dharmas through the five gateways of emptiness without intrinsic nature. Yet viewed in light of the middle way of dependent origination, this still belongs to the antidotal siddhānta; if one loses the upāya of prajñā, one falls into annihilationism, being called one who grasps emptiness wrongly and misrepresents the broad path. Now in the Great Vehicle, the mark of emptiness is unobtainable, and the mark of emptiness is itself unobtainable; though one contemplates all dharmas as having nothing that exists, one also has nothing to empty within all dharmas. Therefore, one must contemplate the selflessness of dharmas via the path that leaves behind both existence and non-existence. In order to purify the cognitive obscurations, following the past bodhisattvas' study and practice, one contemplates the aggregate-ālaya; the eight consciousnesses, three natures, and three non-natures in sūtras such as the Laṅkāvatāra and Saṃdhinirmocana all share this intent. When the sūtra says "knowing the intrinsic nature", it means knowing that the three realms are mind-only. The six similes of illusion, mirage, shadow, echo, whirling firebrand, and gandharva city all elucidate both existence and non-existence, clarifying the specific dependent origination of the aggregate-ālaya; their meaning differs again from the previous kalpa's contemplation of emptiness without intrinsic nature through the five similes. "Ālaya" means "storehouse"; its accurate translation is "dwelling". It means that the aggregates arise within it and cease within it; it is the nest and cave of the aggregates, hence its name. However, ālaya has three meanings: first, the meaning of discrimination; second, the meaning of causes and conditions; third, the meaning of reality. As the verse on seeking reality in the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra states: "Because of 'leaving behind the two and the support of confusion, absence of discourse and absence of prapañca', one should know that all three natures are real." What is called "leaving behind the two" means that the nature of discrimination is real, because grasper and grasped are completely non-existent. "The support of confusion" means that the dependent nature is real, because various discriminations arise from it. "Absence of discourse and absence of prapañca" means that the perfected nature is real, because its intrinsic nature is without prapañca. Next, the verse illustrating the search for reality with similes says: "Like the magician who conjures, / It is explained as an analogy for false discrimination; / Like those illusory phenomena, / It is explained as an analogy for the two kinds of confusion." The commentary states: Just as a magician, relying on the power of incantations, transforms wood, stone, and so on into the cause of confusion, false discrimination in the dependent nature is also like this, giving rise to various discriminations as the cause of inversion. Furthermore, just as illusory images of gold and the like appear in various aspects, the nature of discrimination that arises is also like this: because of grasper and grasped, the two confusions are constantly manifest. The next verse says: "Because it lacks substance, / One attains entry into the ultimate truth; / Because it can be apprehended, / One penetrates the reality of conventional truth." The meaning here is: just as illusory phenomena have no real substance—which is an analogy for the two aspects of the dependent and the discriminated also having no real substance—by this principle one penetrates the ultimate truth. Furthermore, just as the magician's illusory phenomena can also be apprehended—which is an analogy for false discrimination also being like this—by this principle one penetrates the reality of conventional truth. Another verse says: "Because that phenomenon lacks substance, / One directly attains the real realm; / Because of revulsion of the basis in this way, / One directly attains the real meaning." The commentary says: If a person realizes that the illusory phenomenon lacks substance, they directly attain the real realm of wood and so forth. When bodhisattvas realize that the two confusions lack substance and attain the revulsion of the basis, they directly attain the meaning of the perfected nature. Another verse says: "That phenomenon exists in that place, / Yet its existence lacks substance; / Because its having substance is non-existent, / Therefore it is said to be an illusion." This verse clarifies that illusory phenomena exist yet do not exist. Why? "Exists" refers to the illusory phenomenon being manifest in that place. "Does not exist" refers to its real substance being unobtainable. In this way, having substance and lacking substance are not two; by this meaning it is said to be an illusion. Another verse says: "Lacking substance, it is not without substance; / Not without substance is itself substance; / Lacking substance and having substance are not two; / Therefore it is said to be an illusion." This verse clarifies that illusory phenomena do not exist yet exist. Why? "Does not exist" means that the illusory phenomenon lacks substance, because it has no real substance. "Yet exists" means that the illusory phenomenon is not without substance, because its image appears. In this way, lacking substance and having substance are not two; by this meaning it is said to be an illusion. This illusion is an analogy for the aggregates; therefore, one should know that false discrimination exists yet does not exist. Why? Because the two images appear, yet their real substance is unobtainable; hence it is said that form and so forth having substance is itself lacking substance. Furthermore, false discrimination does not exist yet exists. Why? Because the two completely lack real substance, yet their images appear; hence it is said that form and so forth lacking substance and having substance are not two. By this non-duality of existence and non-existence, one can prevent both reification, denigration, and inclining toward the cessation of the lesser vehicle. Why is this? Because it lacks substance, knowing that it lacks substance, one should not establish it. Because it has substance, knowing conventional truth, one should not denigrate it. Furthermore, because the two are not distinct, one should not revile substance and enter the lesser nirvāṇa. The verse further says: "Because of confusion, one speaks of two: / The illusory image and grasping the illusion; / Although those two are absent, / The two are nevertheless apprehended. / Because of contemplation, one also speaks of two: / The image of bones and grasping the bones; / Although there is no duality, one speaks of two; / Apprehension is also like this." The former verse means: confused people speak of the two things—grasper and grasped—with respect to the illusory image and grasping the illusion due to confusion. Although those two are absent, the two can be apprehended because of the manifestation of confusion. The latter verse means: the contemplative practitioner is also like this; with respect to the image of bones and grasping the bones, due to contemplation they speak of the two things—contemplator and contemplated. Although those two are absent, the two can also be apprehended because of the manifestation of contemplation. Question: Having contemplated in this way, what dharma is that which is to be remedied? Therefore, it further states two verses: "One should know the substance of that to be remedied / Is the confused mark of that dharma; / Such substance lacks substance; / Existing and not existing, it is like an illusion. / One should know the substance of the remedy / Is the dharmas such as the foundations of mindfulness; / Such substance is without marks, / And like an illusion, it is also like this." The former verse means: what is the substance of that to be remedied? It is the marks of confused dharmas. The marks of confused dharmas refers to such and such substances. Yet such substances can be said to exist due to false discrimination; they can also be said not to exist, because the two substances of grasper and grasped are not distinct from non-substance. In this way, existence is like an illusion and non-existence is like an illusion; hence this mark is said to be like an illusion. The latter verse means: the substance of the remedy is all dharmas, namely the foundations of mindfulness and so forth spoken by the Buddha, because they have such and such substances. Those substances are also all like an illusion. Why? Because they have such and such substance as grasped by ordinary beings; because they lack such and such substance as spoken by the Buddhas, such substance is without marks. And yet the Bhagavat displays entry into the womb, birth, leaping over the city wall, renunciation, and attaining equal, perfect awakening; being without marks in this way, yet the reflections appear, and therefore it is like an illusion. Question: If all dharmas are equally like an illusion, by what meaning is one the remedy and one that to be remedied? The verse answers: "Just as a mighty king of illusion / Causes other kings of illusion to retreat, / In this way pure dharmas / Can cause defiled dharmas to be exhausted." It is through this meaning. Although bodhisattvas cultivate manifold practices, they attain nothing. That treatise's explanation of contemplating the aggregate-ālaya and thoroughly knowing that intrinsic nature is like an illusion accords most closely with this sūtra, which is why it is cited in full. One should know that mirage, shadow, echo, whirling firebrand, and gandharva city should also be explained extensively in this way. The five similes of the previous kalpa included foam and plantain; why are they not discussed here? These things still carry the connotation of breaking down dharmas to explain emptiness without intrinsic nature. However, the intent of the similes of illusion, mirage, and so forth here is to clarify the emptiness of dharmas that is difficult to understand, wherein there is only consciousness and no external objects; this is the progressive harmonization of coarse marks, which is why they are not discussed. When practitioners understand that the aggregates are mind-only, that is knowing the intrinsic nature of dharmas. When one has not yet realized such an intrinsic nature, out of fear of falling into reification, one cannot contemplate existence to the fullest extent of the principle; out of fear of falling into annihilation, one cannot contemplate emptiness to the fullest extent of the principle. Not only is the view of existence not clear, the view of emptiness is also not exhausted. Now, illuminating the non-duality of existence and emptiness through the gateways of illusion and the like, the marks of the twofold emptiness of persons and dharmas do not confront the mind; this is called truly entering the emptiness of dharmas, because one awakens to the nature of consciousness-only.