首楞嚴義疏注經 4

English (machine translation) 4

Language: English

4.1

Compiled by the Śramaṇa Zixuan of Changshui

Second, refuting Pūrṇa's grasping of marks to challenge the nature, and revealing the tathāgatagarbha, in four parts: first, making the request, in three parts: first, generally recounting what he has not yet understood, in three parts: first, extending respect and offering praise.

4.3

At that time, Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, in the midst of the great assembly, arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, placed his palms together respectfully, and said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One of Great Majestic Virtue, you skillfully expound for sentient beings the Tathāgata's primary truth."

4.4

When the Tathāgata speaks the Dharma, the great assembly all sit; when one wishes to make an inquiry, one first arises to extend respect. The etiquette of extending respect does not depart from the three karmas: kneeling with right knee on the ground and placing palms together is body; being respectful is mind; from 'said to' onward is speech. The tathāgatagarbha mind is neither empty nor existent, identical to both nature and marks; it is called the primary truth. It is what the Buddha has realized, definitively non-delusive; being genuine and real, it is called 'truth.'

4.5

Second, citing an analogy to recount confusion.

4.6

"The World-Honoured One constantly praises me as foremost among speakers of the Dharma; yet now, hearing the Tathāgata's wondrous and subtle Dharma voice, it is like a deaf person beyond a hundred paces trying to listen to a mosquito: originally not seeing it, how much less could he hear it? Although the Buddha has clearly expounded it so as to make me eliminate delusions, I still have not thoroughly understood this meaning to reach the ground of having no doubts."

4.7

Pūrṇa was skilled in expounding the essentials of the Dharma, praised by the assembly as supreme; yet now hearing what the Buddha spoke, he has not fully grasped and understood it. It is like one whose ears are ruined facing a subtle sound far beyond a hundred paces: how could he clearly discern it? The primary truth is wondrous, subtle, and tranquil; this is the subtle sound. Hearing without understanding is equivalent to not hearing; this is like the deaf person. The path of speech is cut off, the place of mental activity is extinguished; this is exceeding a hundred paces. Expounding such Dharma to make me eliminate delusions, yet still trapped in a net of doubt without having fully undone the knots of hesitation; hence he draws this comparison.

4.8

Third, comparatively discussing gains and losses.

4.9

"World-Honoured One, those like Ānanda, although awakened, have not yet eliminated habitual outflows. We in the assembly who have attained the outflow-free, although all our outflows are exhausted, now upon hearing the Dharma voice spoken by the Tathāgata are still entangled in doubt and regret."

4.10

Those who are awakened refers to the earlier obtaining of the wondrous original mind, permanently abiding and unextinguished. Those in the Hīnayāna still in training have only severed discriminations, while the innate [afflictions] remain entirely; this is called 'habitual outflows not yet eliminated.' Pūrṇa is beyond training and has severed all innate [afflictions]; this is spoken with respect to the affliction-obstacle in the Hīnayāna. Question: Why is it that those beyond training are still entangled in doubt and regret, while those of the first fruit awaken in understanding without doubt? Answer: The two obstacles of afflictions and cognitive [objects] are different, and the grasping of self and grasping of dharmas vary in weight. Therefore, the Nyāyānusāra says: 'There are times when regarding an object, wisdom falls short of ignorance. That is to say, an ordinary person may thoroughly understand the Three Baskets, while an arhat does not recognize red salt.' Because the cognitive obstacle obstructs the principle of the dharmadhātu, although an arhat has attained the outflow-free, his afflictions are light; yet he is still entangled in doubt and regret because his cognitive [obstacle] is heavy. Although Ānanda has attained awakening, his cognitive [obstacle] is light; his habitual outflows are not yet eliminated because his afflictions are heavy.

4.11

Second, specifically recounting what is doubted, in two parts: first, doubt regarding the nature of the garbha generating marks.

4.12

"World-Honoured One! If all the worldly faculties, dusts, aggregates, sensory bases, and realms are originally pure in the tathāgatagarbha, why do conditioned marks such as mountains, rivers, and the great earth suddenly arise, successively changing and flowing, ending and beginning again?"

4.13

The first five clauses cite what was heard, which is identical to Vajragarbha's statement in the Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment: 'If all sentient beings originally are buddhas...' The five clauses from 'why' onward recount the doubt and challenge, which is identical to his saying there: 'Why then is there all ignorance?' He challenged in reverse: 'If all ignorance is originally possessed by sentient beings, by what causes and conditions does the Tathāgata again say that they originally are buddhas?' In the present sūtra there is no such challenge because its meaning is already implied. Furthermore, repeating and granting it while reproving the fault of infinite regress is identical to the separate response to contradictions below. However, what Vajragarbha asked formed challenges back and forth, the text being gathered in one place, linked together like interlocking chains. The Tathāgata's response and explanation also pointed out comprehensively: 'Worlds begin and end, thought after thought continuing; all dualities are due to the discriminating, defiled mind of birth and death and the false views of transmigration. Without having departed from false views, discerning the nature of enlightenment causes the nature of enlightenment to turn into various transmigrations.' And it even concluded: 'Such discriminations do not constitute a correct question.' In the present sūtra, since questions are posed earlier and later, the answers also follow the questions; although the intentions of the responses in the two sūtras differ in breadth and brevity, their great purport is identical. As that sūtra says: 'Various graspings and rejections are all transmigration; without having emerged from transmigration, discerning perfect enlightenment makes that nature of perfect enlightenment identical to flowing in transmigration; to escape transmigration under such conditions is impossible,' and so forth. This reproves Vajragarbha for not understanding that the self-nature of perfect enlightenment cuts off all dualities, where birth-and-death and nirvāṇa are like yesterday's dream; he then cited ignorance, birth-and-death, and conditioned phenomena to form doubts back and forth, challenging the notion that sentient beings originally are buddhas. Therefore, the Buddha reproved this as being precisely the defiled mind of birth and death and discriminating false views, thereby causing perfect enlightenment to turn into transmigration. From this he raised analogies, such as clouds moving making the moon seem to travel, or a boat moving making the shore seem to shift. The present sūtra takes the constantly stated original nature's enlightened substance—wondrous and luminous, luminous and wondrous—and turns it around to reprove him, so as to discern Pūrṇa's mind of understanding and delusion. If he understands, he already knows that the enlightened substance is originally wondrous, ignorance is originally empty, and the marks of mountains, rivers, and the great earth are like flowers in space; why then would he give rise to doubt? If he is deluded, subject and object are falsely divided, forced awareness suddenly arises, the three subtle [aspects] form the root, and the four wheels establish the realms; consequently there are worlds, sentient beings, and karmic retribution continuing in succession. All of this is attempting to discern perfect enlightenment without having emerged from transmigration, so that the nature of perfect enlightenment becomes identical to flowing in transmigration. Therefore, the meaning of the two sūtras, in both question and answer, is entirely identical. However, this is a major juncture of doubt and challenge under the gate of the emptiness of dharmas, which most obstructs cultivation and realization. Although Pūrṇa's traces are those of a lesser sage, the recountings of awakening in the perfect penetration of the present sūtra are nothing other than the Great Path; thus the challenge he sets forth is no different from that of Vajragarbha. Students arriving at this point, please examine it carefully.

4.14

Second, doubt regarding the great elements' natures being mutually pervasive.

4.15

"Furthermore, the Tathāgata has said that earth, water, fire, and wind are in their intrinsic nature harmoniously fused, completely pervading the dharmadhātu, serene and permanently abiding. World-Honoured One! If the nature of earth is all-pervading, how can it accommodate water? If the nature of water is all-pervading, then fire cannot arise. How, furthermore, can it be explained that the two natures of water and fire both pervade empty space without encroaching upon or extinguishing each other? World-Honoured One! The nature of earth is obstructing, whereas the nature of space is hollow and unobstructed; how can both completely pervade the dharmadhātu?"

4.16

This is based on the worldly truth of the distinct natures of water and fire to challenge the mutual fusion of nature and characteristic in the ultimate truth. The text below answers: 'Observing characteristics, they are fundamentally unreal, with nothing to point to; observing nature, it is fundamentally real, being solely the wondrous awakening brightness. Since the mind of wondrous awakening brightness is fundamentally neither water nor fire, why do you further ask about the meaning of mutual encroachment and extinction?'

4.17

3. Concluding both points and requesting instruction.

4.18

"Yet I do not know where this meaning leads. I only wish that the Tathāgata will pour forth his great compassion to clear away the clouds of delusion for me and for the great assembly." Having spoken these words, he cast the five limbs of his body to the ground, thirsty with veneration for the Tathāgata's unsurpassed, compassionate instruction.

4.19

"You" (攸) means place (所). According to the teaching, it is fundamentally pure, mutually pervading and mutually fusing; according to the present [perception], there are clearly mountains and rivers, and water and fire sharply conflict. Not knowing where it leads, what is right and what is wrong, he prays for compassionate instruction, hoping to be free of confusion.

4.20

II. Consenting to proclaim, in three parts: 1. Setting forth what is expressed.

4.21

At that time, the World-Honoured One said to Pūrṇa and to all the arhats in the assembly who had exhausted outflows and had nothing further to learn: "Today, for this assembly, the Tathāgata shall universally proclaim the true ultimate nature within the ultimate truth."

4.22

The Tathāgata constantly expounds the Dharma relying on the two truths, namely the worldly conventional truth and the ultimate truth. What is expounded now differs from the ordinary exposition; it refers to the ultimate truth of the ultimate truth. The one true dharmadhātu, the Middle Way real mark, gathers in all dharmas and pervades all dharmas; high sages and low ordinary beings, sentient and non-sentient, all attain the Buddha Path. This is the supreme proclamation, the final model handed down.

4.23

2. Revealing the benefit.

4.24

"So that the fixed-nature śrāvakas in your assembly, as well as all those who have not yet attained the two emptinesses but are turning toward the supreme vehicle—such arhats and others—may all obtain the ground of the site of unconditioned cessation of the one vehicle, the true araṇya, the place of correct practice."

4.25

The provisional teachings state that the fixed-nature two vehicles and the icchantikas lacking [Buddha-]nature cannot attain Buddhahood, being like scorched sprouts and rotten seeds, and so forth. Now this combines and integrates them, so that all return to the one vehicle, the ultimate nirvāṇa. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'In other sūtras I have said that there are śrāvakas who cannot become Buddhas, but in this sūtra I do not speak in this way.' Nirvāṇa and Buddha-nature are just the tathāgatagarbha, also called the one vehicle, and also called the Śūraṅgama; is it not fitting that the two sūtras share the same flavour? Thus this gathers the five natures and harmonises the three vehicles; of the definitive, supreme discourses, none surpasses this. 'Araṇya' means free from noise and disturbance. The Śūraṅgama king is the great calm concentration of all Buddhas, named the true place of correct practice free from noise and disturbance.

4.26

3. Admonishing them to listen.

4.27

"Listen attentively now, and I shall expound it for you."

4.28

III. Awaiting to hear.

4.29

Pūrṇa and the others venerated the Buddha's Dharma voice and silently received and listened.

4.30

IV. Answering and explaining, in two parts: 1. Answering the doubt concerning the tathāgatagarbha nature producing characteristics, in two parts: i. Directly answering what was doubted, in three parts: a. Reiterating the doubt.

4.31

The Buddha said: "Pūrṇa, as you have said, if it is fundamentally pure, how did it suddenly produce mountains, rivers, and the great earth?"

4.32

b. Directly answering, in two parts: (i) The one and only true mind.

4.33

"Have you not constantly heard the Tathāgata proclaim that nature-awakening is wondrously bright, and fundamental awakening is brightly wondrous?" Pūrṇa said: "Indeed, World-Honoured One! I have constantly heard the Buddha proclaim this meaning."

4.34

The one tathatā mind is what the Buddha constantly expounds, sometimes called the dharmadhātu, sometimes the real mark, or the tathāgatagarbha nature, or the wondrous pure bright mind. Within a single sūtra there are already many names, how much more so across the various sūtras? Although the names differ, the one essence is identical; all reveal the one characteristic of the dharmadhātu, originally equal. The three categories and seven great elements are falsely born and falsely called ceasing; their arising, ceasing, coming, and going are fundamentally the tathāgatagarbha, unmoving and all-pervading, the wondrous nature of tathatā. Within the true permanence of this nature, searching for coming and going, delusion and awakening, death and birth, absolutely nothing can be found. If one understands this principle, how could mountains and rivers suddenly arise, or conditioned dharmas fluctuate? Why would one present such a question to the Tathāgata? Therefore, this interrogative reprimand has already resolved the doubt completely; this answers from the perspective of the gate of tathatā, regarding the essence beyond characteristics. 'Nature-awakening' and 'fundamental awakening' point to the essence. 'Wondrously bright' and 'brightly wondrous' reveal the function. Revealing that it does not depend on another, it is called 'nature-awakening'; because the nature is naturally awake and naturally bright, how could it depend on another? Revealing that it has no beginning, it is named 'fundamental awakening'; because it is fundamentally awake and fundamentally bright, how could it exist only because of an onset? Furthermore, because the essence undergoes no change, it is named 'nature-awakening'; because its characteristics are not produced, it is named 'fundamental awakening'. The essence and characteristics are quiescent, beyond the reach of mind and speech, hence called 'wondrous'; its spiritual mirror is unclouded, unable to be darkened by confusion, hence called 'bright'. 'Wondrously bright' and 'brightly wondrous' are reciprocal expressions. Alternatively, quiescent yet constantly illuminating is called wondrously bright; illuminating yet constantly quiescent is called brightly wondrous. This reveals the one characteristic of the dharmadhātu, the non-duality of true awakening. The Perfect Awakening Sūtra also says: 'Because all is awakening, the perfect awakening universally illuminates, quiescent and non-dual.' The explanations of the ancients each followed their own perspectives; their extended discussions are found in their works, and cannot be set forth in full here.

4.35

(ii) Arising of all false dharmas, explained in terms of the gate of arising and ceasing conforming to conditions to accomplish events. The text has three parts: [a] General inquiry on awakening and brightness.

4.36

The Buddha said: "When you speak of awakening-brightness, is it that the nature being bright is called awakening? Or is it that awakening is unbright, and it is called brightening awakening?"

4.37

This single question determines his understanding or confusion: if he understands, it is not fitting to give rise to doubt; if he is confused, this is not a proper question. The intention of the question is: When you hear me speak of nature-awakening being wondrously bright, what understanding do you form? Is it that the essence of this awakening is fundamentally and naturally bright, and so named awakening-brightness? Or is it that awakening is of itself unbright, and by awakening to an 'other' brightness, brightness and awakening being distinct, it is named brightening awakening? By whom was the designation 'awakening-brightness' established? Hence he says: 'When you speak of...', and so on. Between these two meanings, one is correct and one is perverse, determining which meaning Pūrṇa's answer grasps. Grasping the former leaves no doubt; seizing upon the perverse gives rise to falsity; hence this single question determines his understanding or confusion.

4.38

[b] Answering by means of an object of awakening.

4.39

Pūrṇa said: "If being unbright is named awakening, then there is no object of brightening."

4.40

According to the sense of this reply, the essence of awakening cannot illuminate on its own, but must necessarily borrow another brightness as its object of awakening. If there is no brightness that is an object of awakening, it can only be named awakening alone, and cannot be called awakening-brightness as well. If one wishes to call it awakening-brightness as well, there must be a brightness as an object of awakening. This is simply seizing upon the perverse, taking it as the basis for the arising of false dharmas. The Buddha's original meaning is that the nature of awakening is fundamentally bright, and definitely does not depend on another to be termed bright awakening. Awakening is wondrous and brightness is wondrous; awakening is perfect and brightness is perfect; brightness and awakening are of one characteristic, non-dual and undivided. This is solely true awakening with no other dharma; apart from the one real mark, all else is the work of Māra. Pūrṇa provoked the teaching to show his own lack of knowledge, falsely seizing upon an object of brightening, and consequently fell into delusion.

4.41

[c] Setting forth falsity based on false conceptualization, in two parts: first, provisionally refuting Pūrṇa's grasping view of subject and object, in three parts: (1) Refuting that true awakening falls into subject and object.

4.42

The Buddha said: "If there is no object of brightening, then there is no brightening awakening; where there is an object, it is not awakening."

4.43

The first two phrases generally reiterate what was conceptualized. If you cling to the statement that there must be an object of brightening to be called brightening awakening, and that if there is no object of brightening there is no brightening awakening, the Buddha then refutes it, saying: 'Where there is an object, it is not awakening.' The meaning is: if there are subject and object, how can it be called true awakening? True awakening is free from the characteristics of subject and object. The verse on the path of seeing says: 'When, regarding the cognitive object, / wisdom perceives nothing at all, / at that time one abides in consciousness-only, / because of being free from the characteristics of the two graspers.' A sūtra says: 'Not understanding mind and conditions, / two false thoughts arise; / understanding mind and objective realms, / false thoughts do not arise.' The earlier text stated: 'Awakening to the object of awakening is a defect; awakening is not within defects.' Therefore we know that where there is an object, it is not true awakening.

4.44

(2) Refuting that the wondrous nature is not serenely bright.

4.45

"Where there is no object, there is no brightness; but absence of brightness is not the serene bright nature of awakening."

4.46

The first phrase separately reiterates the object of brightening. If, as you say, there must be an object of brightening to be called awakening-brightness, and if there is no object of brightening it can only be named awakening, the next two phrases refute it, saying: The Tathāgata constantly speaks of the serene bright nature of awakening; how could there be an absence of brightness? If there were truly an absence of brightness, it would not be fitting to call it the serene bright nature of awakening.

4.47

(3) Concluding and indicating the two awakenings, true and false.

4.48

"Nature-awakening is necessarily bright; falsely one makes it brightening awakening."

4.49

The upper phrase concludes the real; the lower phrase concludes the false. Nature-awakening necessarily possesses true brightness; hence it is said: 'Nature-awakening is wondrously bright, fundamental awakening is brightly wondrous.' Falsely one considers brightness to be distinct from awakening; therefore you say: 'If there is no object of brightening, then there is no brightening awakening,' because only when there is an object of brightening is it called awakening-brightness. From this, the views of understanding and confusion can be distinguished.

4.50

ii. Directly revealing the reason why delusion of the real gives rise to the false, in two parts: a. Generally explaining the characteristic of false awakening relying upon the real.

4.51

"Awakening is not an object of brightening; due to brightness, an object is established."

4.52

The essence of true awakening fundamentally possesses wondrous brightness; it does not arise following conditions, nor does it originate from sense objects. It is fundamentally quiescent and illuminating, the single characteristic of the dharmadhātu; hence it is said: 'Awakening is not an object of brightening.' Because of this true brightness, avidyā fails to understand, and falsely clings to it as an object. From this, as soon as a single thought arises, the four defilements arise together; the initial characteristics of the fundamental consciousness are none other than this. The Awakening of Faith says: 'Because of not truly knowing that the dharma of tathatā is one, an unawakened mind arises and there is thought.' It also says: 'The non-arising and non-ceasing harmonises with arising and ceasing, being neither one nor different, named the ālayavijñāna.' It is this true brightness that is seized upon by grasping and establishes an object of brightening. That is to say, tathatā does not abide by its own nature, and being seen by falsity, it becomes an objective characteristic, just as previously the light of the lamp, being seen through an eye ailment, became a round shadow. This is called beginningless ground-abiding avidyā. The Yingluo Jing says: 'Before the four ground-abidings, no further dharmas arise.' Being extremely subtle in its quiescence, this is precisely that objective characteristic.

4.53

b. Broadly discerning the reasons for the gradual arising of the three characteristics, in two parts: (a) Establishing the causal characteristic, in two parts: [i] Separately pointing out the three characteristics, in three parts: <a> The characteristic of difference.

4.54

"Once the object is falsely established, your false subject arises; in the absence of sameness and difference, difference fiercely comes into being."

4.55

The Awakening of Faith names this the characteristic of karma, so the treatise says: 'Because it relies on non-awakening, the mind moves, which is called karma.' When there is awakening, there is no movement; movement immediately entails suffering, for the fruit is unmixed with the cause. This sūtra names it the characteristic of difference; 'difference' has two meanings: first, discussing difference by mutual comparison, meaning non-awakening is movement, whereas awakening is non-movement, because movement differs from non-movement; second, discussing difference in terms of its very substance, meaning this characteristic of karma contains subject and object, because it possesses arising and ceasing. Now this text says: 'Once the object is falsely established, your false subject arises,' which is discussing difference in terms of its very substance. True awakening's wondrous brightness is fundamentally free of the characteristics of subject and object; avidyā's non-awakening falsely recognizes it as an object, and because the false object is formed, the false subject arises following it, the two minds of subject and object being inseparable. 'In the absence of sameness and difference, difference fiercely comes into being' is discussing difference by mutual comparison. The essence of the one reality is free from the characteristics of verbal expression and mental conditioning, hence it lacks sameness and difference. When subject and object are falsely divided, the two characteristics suddenly arise, manifestly established, characteristics differing from the uncharacterized; it is also called the characteristic of movement, because it differs from the quiet mind.

4.56

<b> The characteristic of sameness.

4.57

"Differing from that which is differed from, due to difference, sameness is established."

4.58

In the Awakening of Faith, this is called the mark of turning (parāvṛtti-lakṣaṇa); thus the treatise states: "Because it relies on movement, it can see; without movement, there is no seeing." 'Turning' means arising: it turns from the preceding moving mind to arise, thereby constituting the capacity to see. Now, when it says "different from that which it differentiates," the active differentiator is the mark of identity, and that which is differentiated is the mark of difference. Wishing to differentiate the mark of difference, one must establish the designation 'identity'. The former [mark of difference] was differentiated from reality; the present [mark of identity] is differentiated from difference, establishing identity in opposition to difference; furthermore, it is coarse and manifest. It is also called the mark of stillness, because stillness differs from movement. This stillness opposes movement and is not absolute stillness; therefore, it is said: "Due to difference, identity is established."

4.59

Three, the mark of neither identity nor difference.

4.60

"Identity and difference mutually clarify; due to this, neither identity nor difference is established once more."

4.61

In the Awakening of Faith, this is called the mark of manifestation (viṣaya-lakṣaṇa); thus the treatise states: "Because it relies on the capacity to see, objective realms falsely manifest; apart from seeing, there are no objective realms." This is the manifestation of the three objects of the ālayavijñāna. Now, in saying "identity and difference mutually clarify," because the preceding two marks of identity and difference mutually contrast and become manifest, they subsequently cause the mental mark to become coarser and capable of forming external objects. In contrast to the preceding two, this name is established: being not the former mark of stillness, it is called 'neither identity'; being not the former mark of movement, it is called 'nor difference'. This is a 'neither identity nor difference' that opposes identity and difference, not an absolute 'neither identity nor difference'; therefore, it says, "Identity and difference mutually clarify." These three marks belong to the domain of the fundamental consciousness; they flow along, arising and ceasing, thought after thought without rest, and cannot be perceived by ordinary beings or followers of the two vehicles. Arising from that single thought of avidyā, in the Awakening of Faith they are called 'unassociated defilements' (asaṃprayukta-kleśa), thoroughly plumbed only by Buddhas. Thus the text [of the treatise] says: "The consciousness arising based on the permeation of avidyā is neither known by ordinary beings nor perceived by the wisdom of the two vehicles. Relying on a bodhisattva observing from the initial setting forth of the mind in right faith, if one realizes the dharmakāya one attains partial knowledge; up to the ultimate ground of a bodhisattva, one cannot know it exhaustively; only a Buddha thoroughly penetrates it."

4.62

Two, summarizing and explaining their completion.

4.63

"Perturbed in this way, their mutual opposition generates fatigue; prolonged fatigue brings forth dusts, resulting in mutual turbidity."

4.64

In this way, the three marks mutually disturb and confuse one another, their contrast and opposition never resting, and thus fatigue ensues—just as when eyes are fatigued, wildly dancing flowers appear. The three marks, being false, defile the true nature, and therefore are called 'dusts'. They pollute the pure substance and cause it to lose its clarity and cleanliness, and therefore are called 'turbidity'. The coarse and subtle names and marks of turbidity have five layers, as will be extensively analyzed below; all have these three as their root.

4.65

Two, distinguishing the marks of retribution, in two parts: first, how cause leads to retribution, in two parts: first, how the subtle leads to the coarse.

4.66

"From this, the afflictions of dust and fatigue are brought forth."

4.67

From the preceding three subtle marks, the four coarse marks are brought forth: namely, the mark of intellect, continuity, grasping, and attaching to names. These four constitute the essence of the two obscurations. With false thoughts perfuming internally and objective realms perfuming externally, causes and conditions are fully assembled, and from this they are brought forth; hence it is said, "are brought forth." Defilement, fatigue, creating karma, and receiving retribution, turning in transmigration without end—all stem from this: this is the path of afflictions. Below, the fruition of karma and sentient beings are the latter two coarse marks. The Awakening of Faith states: "Because conditions of objective realms exist, six kinds of marks are further generated." These are the six coarse marks.

4.68

Two, how the internal induces the external.

4.69

"Arising becomes the world; stillness becomes empty space. Empty space is identity; the world is difference. That which is neither identity nor difference is the truly conditioned dharma."

4.70

'Arising' is movement, and movement is the mark of difference; difference, meaning distinction, is the substance of the world. 'World' (shijie) means flux in time (shi) and directions of space (jie); shifting forward and backward, partitioned and distinct, it is therefore called 'the world'. It all has the internal mark of difference as its root; hence it is said, "arising becomes the world." 'Stillness' is the mark of identity; identity means non-difference; contrasting with the preceding distinction and turbulent movement, it is therefore called 'stillness', which is the substance of empty space. Empty space is without distinction or movement; having internally the mark of identity, with the stillness opposing movement acting as its cause, it is therefore said, "stillness becomes empty space." The two lines starting with "empty space" conclude by attributing them to the two marks. From "that which is neither" onward points to the mark of manifestation, also called the manifesting consciousness. This refers to the stage where the three marks of the ālayavijñāna are fully endowed and accomplished; it is named the 'truly conditioned dharma' because it can accomplish the eight consciousnesses, the six dusts, as well as the faculties, bodies, seeds, and so forth. Although the preceding two marks are also conditioned, since the three marks were not yet fully present, their function was not yet completed; therefore, only at the stage of accomplishment are they spoken of as conditioned. Furthermore, this single mark is named 'neither identity nor difference', which might be confused with what was previously described as the awakened substance of tathatā also being neither identity nor difference; therefore, it is specifically designated as a conditioned dharma, so that one may know it is not the true 'neither identity nor difference'. The phrase 'neither identity nor difference' pertains to both the true and the false; by this distinction, the error of confusion is avoided. Although these three marks are spoken of in sequence, they arise simultaneously; the external vessel, empty space, and the faculties of sentient beings induced by them manifest suddenly in a single instant of thought, neither before nor after; one must not hold the sequence of explanation against the simultaneity of their manifestation.

4.71

Two, directly explaining the marks of retribution, in three parts: first, the continuity of the world, in two parts: first, distinguishing its marks, in two parts: first, explaining the arising of the four wheels, in four parts: first, the wind wheel.

4.72

"Awakening's brightness and emptiness's obscurity, by mutual opposition, turn into motion; therefore, there is a wind wheel holding the world."

4.73

Because the objective realm was falsely established previously, your false subjective capacity arose. The objective realm is the reflected brightness; the subjective capacity is the false awakening. This awakened brightness is entirely avidyā; avidyā, dim and dull, pervades the dharmadhātu, thereby becoming the obscurity of emptiness. Therefore the text below states: "You see empty space pervading the worlds of the ten directions, where emptiness and seeing cannot be distinguished," and so forth. Seeing is precisely the false awakening. One bright and one obscure, one moving and one still, arising and ceasing in each kṣaṇa, mutually opposing without rest: internally, arising and ceasing is termed motion; externally, it constitutes the initial arising of the wind wheel. Therefore, at the beginning of the world, the wind wheel is the first, and empty space serves as the support for the world. Hence the text below states: "Delusion and falsehood produce empty space; relying on space, worlds are established."

4.74

Two, the metal wheel.

4.75

"Due to emptiness, motion arises; solidifying brightness establishes obstruction. Those precious metals are established in solidity by the bright awakening; therefore, there is a metal wheel sustaining the lands."

4.76

The arising and ceasing of avidyā, in ceaseless contrast and opposition, is why it says, "Due to emptiness, motion arises." Grasping and clinging to what is brightened, holding fast without letting go, is why it says, "solidifying brightness establishes obstruction." Internally, it is the solid grasping of the bright awakening; externally, it constitutes the subsequent arising of the metal wheel; hence it is said, "Those precious metals are established in solidity by the bright awakening." Thus we know that the nature of precious metals exists because of the bright awakening; therefore, all precious substances have solidity as their substance and brightness as their function.

4.77

Three, the fire wheel.

4.78

"Solid awakening forms precious substances, and moving brightness brings forth wind; wind and metal rub against each other, and therefore there is fire's radiance as the nature of transformation."

4.79

The first two lines point to the preceding two natures as the cause of generating fire. Internally, arising and ceasing do not cease, and solid clinging is not abandoned; externally, motion does not rest, and rigid hardness is difficult to destroy; mutually rubbing against each other, fire is produced—just as in the method of producing fire with a drill and wood, where one is solid and the other in motion. Fire can melt and disperse, bringing all things to maturity; hence it is said to be "the nature of transformation."

4.80

Four, the water wheel.

4.81

"Precious brightness produces moisture, and fire's radiance steams upward; therefore, there is a water wheel encompassing the worlds of the ten directions."

4.82

Internally, craving brightness is solidly grasped, and the scorching mind blazes fiercely; externally, precious metals are moistened and fire steams upward, whereupon flowing water is formed. Just as when steaming things in the world there must be trickling fluids, so too all karmic seeds cannot arise without craving, and all grasses and trees cannot grow without water. Due to this, the four natures mutually depend on one another, their substances inseparable, being transformed and brought forth by the same single false mind, just as flowers in space are inseparable from cataracts. Foolish people do not understand, clinging to realms outside the mind due to their inverted views. In the Hīnayāna school, the water wheel comes first and the metal wheel comes after, which differs from this; but they do not know that the wind wheel holding water is itself solid obstruction. In terms of marks it comes after, but in terms of nature it is named first; therefore, after the wind wheel, the metal wheel is immediately stated. Furthermore, they only know retribution induced by predominant karma, but do not know what kind of cause and seed it is; because their teaching is not definitive, it is explained in terms of coarse marks.

4.83

Two, explaining the arising of various marks.

4.84

"Fire rises and water descends, mutually interacting to establish solidity: moisture forms the great oceans, and dryness forms continents and islets. For this reason, within the great oceans, flames of fire constantly arise, while on continents and islets, rivers and streams constantly flow."

4.85

Fire blazes upward toward dryness, and water descends flowing toward moisture; interacting and striking against each other, they instantly form solid obstruction. Although fire blazes upward and they strike against each other, in the end it is conquered by water; therefore, the great oceans are vast while continents and islets are narrow. This is all because the false nature is impermanent, mutating from before to after: because the mind of craving is abundant, it forms the great oceans; because the mind of clinging is strong, it forms continents and islets. The nature of anger generates arrogance, the nature of clinging generates anger; giving rise to craving toward form produces flowing water on the islets; defying craving generates anger, producing fire in the ocean. Habitable land amidst water is called a continent (zhou); a sandbar amidst water is called an islet (tan).

4.86

"When water's force is inferior to fire, it congeals into high mountains; for this reason, when mountain rocks are struck, flames are produced, and when melted, they turn to water."

4.87

Externally, the force of water is inferior to fire; internally, anger increases while craving is slight. With anger further combined with arrogance, it congeals into high mountains.

4.88

"When earth's force is inferior to water, it shoots forth into grasses and trees; for this reason, groves and thickets, when burnt, turn to earth, and when squeezed, yield water."

4.89

Externally, the force of earth is inferior to water; internally, craving increases while arrogance is light. Craving can produce water, and water can nourish, shooting forth into grasses and trees. The three—anger, craving, and arrogance—mutually proliferate, forming bodies of different classes, with grasses, trees, mountains, and rivers in thousands of distinctions and tens of thousands of varieties.

4.90

Two, concluding with continuity.

4.91

"Interacting falsehoods arise, mutually serving as seeds for one another; through these causes and conditions, the world continues."

4.92

First, from brightness, obscurity, and motion, there is the wind wheel; with wind moving and brightness standing firm, there are precious metals; metal and wind rubbing together generate the nature of fire; fire steaming the moisture of metal gives rise to water; water and fire interacting have superior and inferior forces: water prevailing and fire being inferior forms oceans and continents, fire prevailing and water being inferior forms mountains and rocks, earth being inferior and water prevailing forms grasses and trees, and so forth. Although the external marks are like this, all are due to the internal mind; if there were no alteration in the internal mind, how could there be distinction externally? The sūtra temporarily speaks in terms of the external; hence it is said, "mutually serving as seeds for one another."

4.93

Two, the continuity of sentient beings, in two parts: first, distinguishing its marks, in two parts: first, explaining the initial formation of faculties and dusts, in two parts: first, pointing to the preceding causal marks.

4.94

"Furthermore, Pūrṇa! The brightness of falsehood is nothing else; awakened brightness is the fault. Once the false object is established, the principle of brightness cannot be exceeded."

4.95

'Brightness' means manifestation; the manifestation of falsehood has no other condition; it is merely due to one's own single thought of non-comprehension, falsely bifurcating subject and object, which constitutes the fault. Awakened brightness refers precisely to subject and object. Once the brightened object has been established, it induces the mind of subjective awakening, continuing thought after thought without being able to depart from thoughts; therefore, the wondrous principle of true brightness is obstructed by thoughts, becoming hidden and abandoned, unable to exceed them and manifest.

4.96

Two, concluding the formation of faculties and dusts.

4.97

"Through these causes and conditions, hearing does not go beyond sound, seeing does not exceed form; the six falsehoods of form, fragrance, taste, and touch are accomplished, and from this, seeing, perceiving, hearing, and knowing are separated."

4.98

Avidyā is the cause, and the brightened object is the condition; mutually conditioning one another, they reach the state of neither identity nor difference. Within this single mark, faculties and dusts are differentiated. Once faculties and dusts are paired, consciousness arises within them. The three—faculty, realm, and consciousness—constitute the nature of karma, each drawing in its own and not operating upon other conditions; hence it is said, "does not exceed," and so forth. That is, from the previously brightened object the six dusts are differentiated, and from the previous false awakening hearing, seeing, and so forth are opened up; this is why it was previously said that awakened brightness is the fault.

4.99

Two, distinguishing the initial cause of the classes of birth, in two parts: first, citing the classes and generally designating them.

4.100

"Entangled by shared karma, uniting and separating effect transformation."

4.101

Womb-born and egg-born sentient beings must rely on the shared karma of father and mother mutually inducing one another; hence it is said, "entangled by shared karma." Moisture-born and transformation-born sentient beings arise solely from the union and separation of their own emotional thoughts: where there is union, moisture-birth occurs; where there is separation, transformation-birth occurs; they do not depend on the mutual inducement of shared karma from father and mother; hence it is said, "uniting and separating effect transformation." 'Transformation' is the general name for birth, because all are called change and transformation.

4.102

Second, distinguishing individually according to the causes, in two [parts]: first, grasping dusts to become seeds, in two: first, that which emotion and thought are based upon.

4.103

"Seeing brightness, form arises; clarity of seeing produces thought. Divergent views generate hatred; shared thoughts generate love."

4.104

"Seeing" refers to deluded seeing; "brightness" is that which is made clear. Because of seeing there is brightness, and brightness can manifest form. Because of brightness, seeing arises, and seeing can produce thought. When the object diverges from thought, divergence is conflict, and thus it becomes hatred. When form accords with the mind, accordance is compliance, and thereupon love is produced. When divergent, there is only thought without love; when shared, thought and love operate together. Because of this, undergoing conception must rely upon thought and love.

4.105

Second, concluding on the formation of species.

4.106

"Flowing love becomes the seed; taking in thought becomes the womb. Intercourse and confluence bring forth occurrence, attracting shared karma. Therefore there are causes and conditions that produce kalala, arbuda, and the like."

4.107

"Seed" refers to that which has already been moistened by love and grasping, which is the seed of distinct origins; hence it says "flowing love becomes the seed." "Womb" specifically concerns the very time when a single thought of the active conscious mind arises. Yet seed means that both thought and love serve as seed, and womb means that both thought and love serve as womb; the sūtra text abbreviates, and therefore mentions one for each. The emotions and thoughts of the parents and the child at the three places mutually intermingle and encounter each other, giving rise to and drawing in the shared karma of realms and destinies, causing them to return to a single place and coalesce into an embryonic womb; hence it says "intercourse and confluence bring forth occurrence, attracting shared karma." One's own karma is the cause, and the emotions and thoughts of the three places are the conditions. Kalala is called coagulated slipperiness. Arbuda is called a blister—these are the first two [periods of] seven days in the womb. If reaching the third [period of] seven days, womb-birth and egg-birth are differentiated; hence it is stated regarding the first two stages before differentiation.

4.108

Second, dividing into the four modes of birth.

4.109

"Womb, egg, moisture, and transformation respond according to what is appropriate: the egg is born solely through thought; the womb exists on account of emotion; moisture is stimulated by union; transformation responds by separation."

4.110

In brief there are four modes of birth; in full there are twelve, as explained extensively below. When the four modes of birth arise, wherever karma corresponds with emotion and thought, birth is immediately undergone; hence it says "respond according to what is appropriate." Emotion, thought, union, and separation are possessed by all four modes of birth; here each is cited singly based on what is predominant, and the sūtra below naturally has greater or lesser amounts of emotion and thought. Furthermore, those born within eggshells are mostly due to thought, just as flying birds, fish, and dragons are all swift and agile; hence it says "born through thought." Those born within an embryonic womb have more emotion and less thought, because emotion is heavy and sinks down, unable to soar lightly; hence it says "exists on account of emotion." Those born in moisture do not rely on parents; simply their own emotion and thought unite with moisture, and they immediately undergo birth; hence it says "stimulated by union." Transformation is also from one's own thought longing for a superior realm, with emotional love for that object, and thereupon undergoes transformation birth; hence it says "responds by separation."

4.111

Second, concluding on continuity.

4.112

"Emotion, thought, union, and separation alternate and change among themselves; all undergone karmas follow their soaring or sinking. Through these causes and conditions, sentient beings continue in succession."

4.113

Emotion and thought are not constant, but change from moment to moment: perhaps first womb-born and later egg-born, or first moisture-born and later transformation-born. All retribution undergone follows whether karma is wholesome or unwholesome; hence it says "follow their soaring or sinking." Renouncing bodies and receiving bodies without ever being severed; hence it says "sentient beings continue in succession."

4.114

Third, the continuity of karmic fruit, in two [parts]: first, distinguishing its characteristics, in two: first, directly distinguishing, in three: first, the basis of desire.

4.115

"Pūrṇa, thought and love bind together; love cannot be abandoned, and so in all worlds parents and children, sons and grandsons, generate one another without cessation; such things have craving desire as their basis."

4.116

Deep emotion of love and desire entangles mutually, coagulated and difficult to relinquish; hence it says "cannot be abandoned." Parents give birth to children, and children in turn give birth to grandchildren; sons and grandsons continue to be born without cessation; all have desire as their basis.

4.117

Second, the basis of killing.

4.118

"Greed and love nourish together; greed cannot be halted, and so egg, transformation, moisture, and womb in all worlds, following the strength and weakness of their power, mutually swallow and devour one another; such things have greed for killing as their basis."

4.119

Killing for the sake of greed, used to nourish one's own life. The strong subjugate the weak, and killing does not cease; hence it is the basis of killing.

4.120

Third, the basis of stealing.

4.121

"Because a human eats a sheep, when the sheep dies it becomes a human, and when the human dies he becomes a sheep; in this way, up to the classes of the ten modes of birth, dying and being born, they mutually devour one another. Evil karma arises together, exhausting the limits of the future; such things have greed for stealing as their basis."

4.122

Taking what is not given is therefore named stealing. Now, eating another unlawfully is taking its life. Because of evil karma they abide together in one world, causing adversaries to encounter each other and reciprocally repay each other, perpetually seizing without cease to the end of the future; all have stealing as their basis.

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首楞嚴義疏注經 — Classical Chinese