大乘入道次第 1.44

1.44

Question: If the Dharma-gate had a single track, one would instantly cut off hesitation. But when the ruts of teaching branch into paths, how can one tread them without perplexity? Now, the supreme teachings of the Āgamas reject the self while retaining dharmas; the profound snare of the Prajñā[-pāramitā] regards everything as nothing but an illusion; the Avataṃsaka asserts that all arises from mind while dharma-nature does not perish; and the Nirvāṇa reveals the four virtues as unconditioned, with the substance of the self brilliantly established. Existence and non-existence are thrown into chaos, and person and dharma contend together—how can the lost child find a road back home? If a self of dharmas is preserved, it gives footing to the heterodox outsiders; if every category is empty, the scriptures of the Sun's Kinsman are studied in vain. How could one pluck flowers in the sky to make a necklace, or dam up mirage-water to make a lotus pond? With teachings categorized like this, what can be emulated? If nothing is done, the ten practices are applied in vain. If contradictions persist like this, how can the doubts of beings be dispelled? Answer: The essence of the Dharma is without difference, but responses to capacities differ. Although the texts are not the same, in their actual principle what difference is there? Truly, because sentient beings from beginningless time have grasped the self as not non-existent, to first break their delusion it was taught that the self does not exist. The two vehicles therefore regarded the self as non-existent, but falsely grasped real dharmas apart from the mind. Again, to remove their sickness, it was taught generally as empty. When the Tathāgata spoke of emptiness, it was to empty dharmas outside the mind. Sentient beings, not understanding, grasped everything as empty. Since the sickness of emptiness increased, principle demanded its dispelling. Therefore the Avataṃsaka states that the triple world is mind-only, and the Nirvāṇa then sets forth the unconditioned self and purity. By stating that the internal mind exists, the sickness of emptiness is thereby removed; by stating that external objects do not exist, the disease of existence is straightaway wiped away. Since this differs from the heterodox outsiders, it is truly worthy of reliance. Furthermore, because things are not entirely empty, the ten practices must be cultivated.