大乘法界無差別論疏 1.57

1.57

初中，言「眾生界」者，若別唯結初門，通言具前三門，以佛菩薩是眾生數故。眾生不異法身者，會末歸本故；法身不異眾生者，攝本從末故。《密嚴經》云「佛說如來藏，以為阿賴耶，惡慧不能知，藏即賴耶識。如來清淨藏，世間阿賴耶，如金與指環，展轉無差別。」解云：此中法身是如來藏，如金也；眾生界是阿賴耶，如環也。於一金環開為二門：一金、二環。金有二義：一、不變義，不失斤兩故；二、隨緣義，能成環相故。環亦二義，一、即空義，以離金無體故；二、現有義，以環相宛然故。此中金環不異，有其四義：一、金上隨緣義、即是不變義，以金無二性故。謂若不堪作環，非真金故；若不隨緣而住自體，不成環故。是故二義相須，唯一金也。二、環上現有義，即是空義，以環無二法故。謂若不現有，非是環故；若不即空，非是金故。是故空有相須，唯一環也。三、以金上隨緣義即是環上現有義，以金舉體作環故。由是道理，說法身不異眾生界。四、以環上空義即是金上不變義，以環盡金現故。依此道理，說眾生不異法身。

In the first, regarding the phrase 'realm of sentient beings,' if distinct, it concludes only the first approach; generally speaking, it includes all three preceding approaches, because buddhas and bodhisattvas belong to the category of sentient beings. 'Sentient beings are not different from the dharmakāya' because the branches are converged into the root; 'the dharmakāya is not different from sentient beings' because the root is gathered following the branches. The Ghanavyūha-sūtra says: 'The Buddha taught the tathāgatagarbha as the ālayavijñāna; those of evil intellect cannot know that the garbha is precisely the ālaya consciousness. The pure garbha of the Tathāgata and the worldly ālaya are like gold and a finger-ring, mutually without differentiation.' In explanation: here the dharmakāya is the tathāgatagarbha, like the gold; the realm of sentient beings is the ālaya, like the ring. In one gold ring, two approaches are opened: first, the gold; second, the ring. Gold has two meanings: first, the meaning of unchanging, because it does not lose its weight; second, the meaning of according with conditions, because it can form the shape of a ring. The ring also has two meanings: first, the meaning of being empty, because apart from the gold it has no substantial entity; second, the meaning of currently existing, because the shape of the ring is vivid. Here the non-difference of gold and ring has four meanings: 1. The meaning of according with conditions on the gold is precisely the meaning of unchanging, because gold has no dual nature. That is, if it could not be made into a ring, it would not be real gold; if it did not accord with conditions but remained in its own nature, the ring would not be formed. Therefore, the two meanings depend on each other and are only one gold. 2. The meaning of currently existing on the ring is precisely the meaning of emptiness, because the ring has no dual dharma. That is, if it did not currently exist, it would not be a ring; if it were not empty, it would not be gold. Therefore, emptiness and existence depend on each other and are only one ring. 3. The meaning of according with conditions on the gold is precisely the meaning of currently existing on the ring, because the gold in its entire substance becomes the ring. By this principle, it is said that the dharmakāya is not different from the realm of sentient beings. 4. The meaning of emptiness on the ring is precisely the meaning of unchanging on the gold, because when the ring is exhausted, the gold is manifest. Relying on this principle, it is said that sentient beings are not different from the dharmakāya.