釋門歸敬儀 1.41

1.41

Second, explaining the Three Jewels as conditioned by principle: 'Principle' refers to the ultimate principle, innately true and permanently abiding, which is none other than the substance of the mind. Spoken for the moment from the perspective of defilement, it has no beginning but has an end; merely caught in the net of delusions, it cannot transcend obstructions. Now, cutting through entanglements and fetters by means of the three trainings, once deluded karma is overturned, the mind-nature shines forth radiantly: from beginning to end its nature is pure, without beginning and without end. Established through Dharma, its characteristics are distinguished according to conditions; these characteristics are then named the fivefold dharmakāya, namely: morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation. The former three trainings take their names from the cause: through the protective assistance of morality, the dharmakāya is perfected as the fruit, hence it is called the 'body of morality'; concentration and wisdom are analogous to this and can be known by class. The latter two take their names sequentially from the fruit: the 'body of liberation' means that through wisdom delusions are overcome, and the locus where delusions are absent is named the body of liberation; the 'knowledge and vision of liberation' means that having emerged from entanglements and shattered obstructions, one turns back the light to contemplate the mind, hence it is called the 'body of knowledge and vision'. Only within the Buddha Dharma do the noble ones of the three vehicles possess these five parts, able to act as the great refuge for the six destinies. Therefore a treatise says: 'Taking refuge in the Buddha' refers to the fivefold dharmakāya of all-knowledge. 'Taking refuge in the Dharma' refers to the truth of cessation, nirvāṇa. 'Taking refuge in the Saṅgha' refers to the noble ones' merits of the stages of training and no-more-training, the locus where one's own body and other bodies are exhausted. That is to say, it is the locus where the delusions of self and others are extinguished and absent, hence called the 'locus of exhaustion'. Therefore a sūtra says: 'All noble persons are designated by unconditioned dharmas.' 'Unconditioned' is another name for 'untainted'. Because these Three Jewels permanently abide in the world and are not subject to the insults or contempt of worldly dharmas, they are called 'Jewels', just as worldly rare jewels are prized by living beings. Now these Three Jewels are that to which all living beings, the three vehicles, and the seven assemblies take refuge and look up with reverence; therefore it is called the correct refuge. If one lacks exclusive faith and promiscuously serves heterodox spirits, even if one receives the refuge and precepts, one will not attain the noble Dharma. Therefore a sūtra says: 'One who takes refuge in the Buddha is truly called a pure-faith layman; they will never falsely take refuge in any of the other heavenly spirits.' What is the reason for this? Because the true Three Jewels are permanently abiding in nature and characteristics, worthy to be a reliance for living beings. As for the rest, the heavenly kings, their bodies and minds suffer distress; they are conditioned and tainted, powerless and incapable; having no leisure to save themselves, how could they save living beings? Only the supramundane Jewels have the power to uphold. Taking refuge is like relying on the power of a king to be free from harm. Now relying on the correct Jewels, whose awesome virtue and blessings are boundless, the divine dragons escape the penalty of the garuḍa, and the faithful layman transcends the peril of the yakṣa. The five kinds of taking the three refuges all take refuge in these Jewels. They are also called the Three Jewels of Identical Characteristics; because their principle pervades the three times and their meaning exhausts the ten directions, the permanently abiding Three Jewels are the utmost culmination of this. A sūtra says: 'If a person gets to hear the two words "permanently abiding", this person life after life will not fall into evil destinies.' What is the reason for this? Because knowing that the Dharma Buddha is permanently of fundamental nature, once heard and understood, it perfumes the fundamental consciousness-mind; once the seed of karma is formed, pure faith is not lost, let alone if one can make a vow to take refuge and venerate them as a master and model! Surely one will remain pure and preeminent for repeated kalpas, and in principle never sink down. As in the sūtra, a person received the three refuges, and at Maitreya's first assembly was liberated from birth and death; this is indeed the fine ford for crossing the ocean of suffering, the graded rank for entering the Buddha Dharma. Yet because sins are manifold and evil is heavy, those who treat them lightly and with contempt, though having once received the refuges, will lose them again according to conditions. Therefore, when wise persons first receive the refuges, they single-mindedly condition their minds upon this, thereby attaining what is called taking refuge; thus they move benevolent spirits to follow and protect them. Above, the explanation of the Buddha is concluded. The latter two Jewels arise conditioned by this, as extensively set forth before to open the spiritual storehouse.