法界圖記叢髓錄 2.37

2.37

The Great Record states: Question: As for the teachings such as the five vehicles, are they the teaching dharma that expresses, or are they the meaning that is expressed? and so forth. Below this, there are seven rounds of questions and answers. The intention of the question in this first question-and-answer is to reveal that outside the teachings of the five vehicles there is separately a purport that transcends words and ceases marks; furthermore, it is to reveal that those very teachings of the five vehicles are themselves that which is expressed, transcending names and marks; hence the question. As for the intention of the answer, the ancient worthies say: This is taking that yellow leaf to be genuine gold; it is the place of such instruction. An ancient account says: When Master Xiao met the Venerable Xiang, he resolved three doubts: first, the meaning of whether initial awakening identical to original awakening is ordinary or noble; second, the meaning of various minds crossing the ocean of moisture; third, this matter of both that which expresses and that which is expressed existing within words. Master Xiao's idea had been that in the lower teachings there really is an essential substance of phenomena. Only upon seeing this text did he realize that both that which expresses and that which is expressed exist within words, and there is no real essential substance of phenomena. Question: As for this statement that both that which expresses and that which is expressed exist within words, on what standpoint is this spoken? Answer: For Samantabhadra, as the capacity flowed toward and designated, in the place of non-arising and non-naming, by means of various names and designations, at this time a distinction is made between that which expresses and that which is expressed; therefore, in reference to this place, it is said that they both exist within words. Furthermore, advancing this, it is said that the Buddha faces outward for capacities like the King of Mountains, constantly teaching and ubiquitously teaching; thus, at this time the ten mysteries and the ten dharmas are complete and unhindered. However, when viewed toward the internal realization of the ten Buddhas above, this is still in accord with the teaching. In reference to this place as well, it may properly be said that they both exist within words. With regard to 'by the power of the fundamental vow of great compassion... establishing the verbal teachings' and so forth: All Buddha Bhagavāns generate the vow of great compassion from the ocean of nature; with their own realized dharma facing outward toward the minds of capacities, they give rise to two kinds of verbal expressions: namely, within the dharmadhātu gate, teaching the ocean of worlds, formation and destruction, purity, wisdom, and so forth; and within the inconceivable prajñā gate, teaching that the Buddha-lands are inconceivable. Although these two verbal expressions proceed after Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī emerge from samādhi, according to Zhixiang's doctrine of the five oceans and ten wisdoms of the stage of fruition, these verbal expressions are raised from within the lion's sprint samādhi (siṃhavikrīḍita). Therefore, the words 'the Buddha-land is inconceivable' correspond to the ocean of lands of internal realization, and when they arise, Samantabhadra, Mañjuśrī, and others realize in accordance with these verbal expressions; hence it is called 'personally realizing the realization aspect.' Thus within this gate Buddha and bodhisattva form a single continuum; therefore it is said that facing inward it is the ten Buddhas, and facing outward it is Samantabhadra. Question: Samantabhadra's internally realized pure treasury samādhi is the Buddha facing outward. Why is it that facing inward it is the ten Buddhas and facing outward it is Samantabhadra, and therefore they form a single continuum? Answer: The Buddha's outward-facing limit borders Samantabhadra's perfect cause; when this perfect cause faces inward, it is the ten Buddhas; hence they are called a single continuum.