法界圖記叢髓錄 1.80

1.80

Zhen's Record states: Regarding 'at the moment of first generating the mind, one immediately achieves perfect enlightenment,' explaining it according to the shared teaching: among the three stages of worthiness and ten grounds, at the stage of the initial generation of the mind among the ten understandings, one achieves the complete Buddha; furthermore, at the stage of cultivating the ground, and so forth, one also achieves the complete Buddha. Here there is no distinction of bright and dim, yet it is manifested according to [these stages]. If according to the distinct teaching itself, then one's own body and mind are called perfect enlightenment; there is no lodging in the stages of the ten understandings. Regarding 'saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are always completely harmonious,' if explained according to the stages: the essence of peaceful and extinguished nirvāṇa follows conditions to form saṃsāra, and when it forms saṃsāra, it is precisely the essence of naturally pure nirvāṇa. According to the One Vehicle, then, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa do not inherently exist of themselves; they reside in our required conditions. Why is this? Because within the required conditions of saṃsāra, nirvāṇa is fully present; and within the required conditions of nirvāṇa, saṃsāra is fully present. Question: What is saṃsāra? What is nirvāṇa? Answer: Saṃsāra is just your body; nirvāṇa is just your body.