止觀輔行傳弘決 2.7

2.7

Next, in the contemplation of the provisional, the text adduces six similes: three of dreams, one of a jewel, one of bones, and one of an image. Their essential purport is largely identical; they are merely repeated explanations. Now they will all be briefly correlated [with practice]. As for the dreams: the mind-nature is like the object, contemplation is like the mental focus on conditions, and the completion of contemplation is like the dream. This is an application made purely in terms of the practitioner. Furthermore, the dharma-body is like the object, the reward-body is like the mental focus, and the response-body is like the dream. This is an application made purely in terms of the sphere of the Buddha. Furthermore, that Buddha is like the object, the practitioner is like the mental focus, and seeing the Buddha is like the dream. This is an application discussed in terms of stimulus and response. All three dreams are like this; thus, whenever one arouses the contemplation's mental focus and the mental focus is completed so that the marks are seen, all three imports are completely present. In ultimate emptiness, searching for a Buddha cannot be attained; therefore, we know that the earlier and later two dreams clarify that although seen, they cannot be attained, while the middle dream clarifies that although unattainable, they are seen. Hence the first dream says, 'Having awakened, pursuing the thought, one knows not where it is'; the last dream says, 'Having awakened, the belly is empty'; and the middle dream says, 'Without coming or going, yet the pleasant events are distinctly manifest.' Therefore, the seventh fascicle of the Dazhidulun states: 'When the Buddha was in the world, three men who were companions heard that in Vaiśālī there was a courtesan named Āmrapālī, in the country of Śrāvastī there was a courtesan named Sumanā, and in the city of Rājagṛha there was a courtesan named Utpalavarṇā, all incomparably beautiful. The three men, each having heard of them, constantly thought of them with attached minds, and immediately engaged in affairs with them in their dreams. Having awakened, each reflected: "She did not come, and I did not go, yet the amorous affair was accomplished!" Because of this, they immediately awakened to the fact that all phenomena are also like this. Thereupon they went together to the place of the bodhisattva Bhadrapāla and questioned him about this matter. The bodhisattva answered, saying: "All phenomena are truly like this; they are all born from thought." The bodhisattva expounded the Dharma to them by expedient means, and they attained the stage of non-retrogression.' This text merely cites one of the three; the text of the Pratyutpanna [Samādhi Sūtra] is identical. The three things, beginning with the jewel, are largely identical to the dreams: the jewel is like the mind capable of cognizing, the vaiḍūrya is like the object cognized, and the manifestation of the reflection is like the events of the dream. Contemplating the bones and the mirror image each having three meanings is also like this. If one distinguishes them, it is what is called manifesting the provisional in reliance upon emptiness: the vaiḍūrya is like emptiness and the manifestation of the reflection is like the provisional; the absence of bones is like emptiness and the arising of light is like the provisional; the clean mirror is like emptiness and the manifestation of the image is like the provisional. The preceding three also possess both the meanings of emptiness and the provisional, because one emerges into the provisional bearing the mind of emptiness. From 'the practitioner' onwards, the sūtra briefly correlates them. 'Mirror' is a simile for arousing contemplation. The practitioner is called 'the practitioner's form'—form is indeed the body. Because marks manifest due to mindfulness, it is called 'all that is'. Having seen, one immediately asks; the Buddha answers what was asked; hearing what the Buddha has spoken, the mind is filled with great joy. Although within samādhi, the speaker is the Buddha, hence it is called 'hearing the sūtra'. Next, regarding the contemplation of the middle: the initial text is indeed the text of that sūtra where the bodhisattva, having attained samādhi, aroused reflection. The present text is abridged and follows the convenience of the meaning, so the wording is still difficult to see. First, I will record that text in comparison so that this text can be understood, and next, I will further explain the present text. The present text says, 'Contemplates oneself [...] to having nowhere to reach.' That sūtra says: 'The bodhisattva reflects, saying: "Where has the Buddha come from? I too have gone nowhere." One immediately knows that the Buddhas have nowhere from which they come, and I have nowhere to which I go.' The present text says, 'What I think of is immediately seen.' That sūtra says: 'When one makes this thought, the three realms are all non-existent; they are all made by the mind. Why? Following whatever is thought by the mind, all is seen.' The present text says, 'The mind makes the Buddha; the mind itself sees the mind; the mind sees the Buddha-mind.' That sūtra says: 'By means of the mind, one sees the Buddha; the mind makes the Buddha.' The present text says, 'This Buddha-mind is my mind seeing the Buddha.' That sūtra says: 'The mind is indeed the Buddha; the mind is indeed my body.' The present text says, 'The mind does not know itself, the mind does not see itself.' That sūtra says: 'The mind does not know the mind itself, nor does the mind see the mind itself.' If one grasps at the marks of the mind, all are devoid of wisdom and all emerge from ignorance. By relying on these marks of the mind, one directly enters the true mark of all phenomena and attains the wisdom of this samādhi. Because of the two powers, there are the two vows according with one's intention and the two powers of concentration and wisdom. Next, explaining the present text. The first phrase can be understood by referring to the sūtra. Next, in the phrases such as 'what I think of', where the 'Buddha' is spoken of, all possess two meanings: first, the Buddha seen by one's own mind in samādhi; second, the Buddha of the Western [pure land] responding as the fruit from causes. Now both meanings are completely contained together as one object; to accord with principle, it is explained from the first meaning. When samādhi is already achieved, following thought [the Buddha] is immediately seen; seeing this mind-nature is called 'the mind makes the Buddha'. Since the Buddha is made by the mind, when seeing the Buddha, it is called 'seeing one's own mind'. If one sees one's own mind, one immediately sees the Buddha-mind, because that Buddha-mind is my mind. 'This Buddha-mind [...] seeing the Buddha' clarifies that the Buddha seen is not different from my mind. 'The mind does not know itself [...] see the mind' clarifies that although one sees the Buddha, seeking that which is capable of seeing and what the consciousness cognizes can never be attained. Therefore, the intention here is simply to contemplate that one's own mind and the Buddha seen do not go beyond the dharma-nature; hence seeing the Buddha-mind is seeing one's own mind. One's own mind and the Buddha-mind are indeed the middle way; there is no need to add further words such as 'double negation'. From 'the mind has thoughts [...] to nirvāṇa' explains that the aforementioned unattainable mind is indeed nirvāṇa. 'This phenomenon cannot be demonstrated' clarifies that it is not something known through speech. 'All thoughts [...] are just empty' clarifies that nirvāṇa is free from thought, and even if there are thoughts, one also realizes that both the subject and object are entirely empty and tranquil. Next, the five-character verse eulogizes the preceding text, which can be seen by comparing them. Next, the seven-character verse beginning with 'all Buddhas' further turns to explain the previous five-character verse. As for the first line: all Buddhas attained Buddhahood through contemplating that their own mind is not different from the Buddha-mind. As for the second line: it explains that the mind contemplated in the first line is like the Buddha-mind; the Buddha-mind is free from defilement, and one's own mind is also free [from it]. As for the third line: the five destinies stem from the mind; the essence of the mind is originally pure; although it pervades the five destinies, it does not receive their physical forms. It is like one with diseased eyes seeing flowers everywhere in the sky; although the flowers pervade the sky, the sky receives nothing. Water and waves, water and moisture, are also like this. As for the next line: it summarizes the intent of the contemplation; making this understanding accomplishes the path of perfect integration. 'The seal of the Buddha' explains that since what was contemplated earlier is the true mark, it is called the seal of the Buddha. From 'having no greed' onwards, it explains the marks of emerging from contemplation. Not being greedy for existence, not attaching to emptiness, and not seeking the middle—because there are no three thoughts, all that exists and all desires are completely ended in speech. 'Existence' refers to the object of contemplation; 'desire' refers to the wisdom of contemplation. Both subject and object are eliminated; because they are eliminated, there is no arising, and therefore there is nothing from which they arise; because there is no arising, there is also no cessation. Being destroyed is called cessation; ceasing of itself is called destruction. Realizing that they are originally non-existent is called non-cessation. Being originally ceased and of themselves non-existent is called without destruction and ruin. The path that can be approached necessarily relies on this principle, hence it is called the 'essential of the path'. From beginning to end, this principle is the foundation, hence it is called the 'root of the path'. 'This seal' and so forth humbles the small [vehicle] to illustrate the deluded. In the small vehicle's severing of defilements, the meaning is like breaking the seal. The two vehicles themselves consider that they arouse thoughts of cessation, yet what they practice is originally the Buddha path. Even the eternal cessation of the two vehicles cannot destroy it, how much less the realm of Māra, which accords with birth-and-death? Because the essence of birth-and-death is itself nirvāṇa, how could nirvāṇa further destroy nirvāṇa? From 'The Vibhāṣā says' onwards, the treatise is cited for comparison. The treatise is based on a gradual sequence, so it first contemplates the physical form, and also relies on doctrinal characteristics to distinguish the marks, essence, and so on. In the Tripiṭaka and shared [teachings], they are attained through cultivation; in the distinctive and perfect [teachings], they are attained through manifestation. The distinctive teaching maintains the pedagogical path, so that on which it relies is slightly different. Furthermore, if applying that on which they rely: the Tripiṭaka relies on merit, the shared relies on the wisdom of emptiness, the distinctive relies on conditioned cultivation, and the perfect relies on the true mark. These are the differences in the causes of the marks among the four [teachings]. Although this is so in terms of the teachings, the text of the treatise mostly relies on the meaning of the latter two teachings, provisionally causing beginners to contemplate the physical marks. Furthermore, the causal texts of the Tripiṭaka are not fixed; sometimes there is one cause for one mark, as in the thirty-sixth fascicle of the Great Scripture where Lion's Roar asks: 'How does one attain the Buddha's thirty-two marks?' The Buddha extensively answers in response, the causes each being different. As in the fifth fascicle of the Dazhidulun, there are shared and distinct ones, fully as in the Fajie cidi. In the seventh fascicle of the Bao'en and the seventh fascicle of the Tianwang, what is spoken of as causes is indeed the karma of the marks; what is spoken of as the fruits of the marks is indeed the thirty-two. Condensed into verse, it says: