止觀輔行傳弘決 5.2.3

5.2.3

Therefore, the Great Master wrote in a letter to Jizang: "If one has understanding without practice, one cannot subdue beings; if one has practice without understanding, one lacks externally the means to transform others." In "teachers of humanity," and so forth, this is an expression of praise. One who possesses both practice and understanding is fit to be a teacher of humanity, a treasure of the realm. After Emperor Ling of the Later Han passed away, during the reign of Emperor Xian there lived Master Mou, who had deep faith in the Buddhist lineage and criticized Zhuangzi and Laozi, composing a treatise in three fascicles and thirty-seven essays. In the twenty-first essay, 'Rescuing Monastics from Discussing Right and Wrong,' he posed the question: "Laozi said, 'He who knows does not speak; he who speaks does not know.' He also said, 'Great eloquence resembles hesitation.' And he also said, 'The noble person is ashamed of his speech exceeding his deeds.' Supposing a monastic knows the ultimate Way, why does he not sit and practice it? Idly discussing right and wrong and vainly debating crooked and straight—is this not a despoiler of virtuous practice? Answer: Laozi also had the saying, 'If one does not speak, what would I transmit? To know and not speak is unacceptable. Not to know and not speak is a fool.' One who can speak but cannot practice is a teacher of the realm. One who can practice but cannot speak is an asset to the realm. One who can practice and can speak is a treasure of the realm. Among the three grades, only one who neither can speak nor can practice is a despoiler of the realm." Now it says that one shapes oneself and shapes others; hence one is called a "treasure of the realm." Master Mou also said: "If one conceals gold and does not show it to people, who will know that within there is a precious jewel? If one dons embroidery but does not step out the door, who will know that within there are exquisite patterns? If horses crouch at the trough and do not eat, the nag and the thoroughbred are grouped together; if a scholar holds his voice and does not discuss, the foolish and the wise are indistinguishable. The secular men of today lack outstanding talent in wisdom, yet wish not to speak, expressing nothing with words, like an ordinary fellow presenting himself as greatly eloquent. For such people to sit and attain the Way would be like wanting to see without eyes or wanting to hear without ears—how could it not be difficult?" Therefore, now that one's own practice is fulfilled, one must use the teachings to benefit others; this is compared to being able both to speak and to practice, fit to be a treasure of the realm. For instance, in the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, in the twenty-fourth year of King Wei of Qi, the King of Wei asked the King of Qi: "Does Your Majesty have treasures?" He replied: "None." The King of Wei said: "Small as my state is, yet I possess ten pearls of an inch across, which can illuminate twelve chariots before and behind. How can a state of ten thousand chariots have no treasures?" King Wei said: "What I consider treasures differs from Your Majesty's treasures. I have ministers such as Tanzi and others: when each guards a border, Chu, Zhao, and Yan dare not venture forward. If they guard against bandits and thieves, items dropped on the roads are not picked up. Appointing them as generals, they illuminate a thousand li. Is it merely twelve chariots?" The King of Wei left in shame. This refers precisely to the treasure of the realm who can both speak and practice. "And moreover," and so forth, directly explains bestowing the Buddha vehicle, which is the mind capable of transforming others. Question: Practitioners of the perfect and sudden fundamentally cultivate the unconditioned; how could it be that only upon reaching the first abodement do they speak of studying the Buddha? Answer: Looking up in admiration to the ultimate stage is called studying the Buddha. Furthermore, it encourages the intermediate and inferior to speak in accordance with their practice. The Tathāgata also benefits others with what he has realized; therefore, he encourages speaking of realization to benefit others. "This is precisely," and so forth, is an analogy. If one transforms others by means of provisional dharmas, even though the dharma-gate is opened, it is not called emptying out the storehouse. Now, opening the gate of benefiting beings from within the single mind, one empties the secret storehouse and displays the genuine jewel. Since the mind is inexhaustible, the storehouse is boundless; since the storehouse is boundless, the jewel is limitless. Containing all dharmas, it is named the storehouse; the principle-substance being without lack is compared to the jewel. This is opening and revealing the intrinsically present repository of awakening in sentient beings, which does not come from outside. In "this jewel," and so forth, it next re-employs an analogy to praise the substance and function: first collectively regarding the jewel to praise the substance, and next separately regarding the analogy to praise the function. In the first text, this jewel can be compared to the wonderful substance possessing within it practice, understanding, cause, and effect, all fully complete. "Radiating light" is an analogy for wisdom; "raining jewels" is an analogy for concentration. Wisdom is the virtue of knowing; concentration is the virtue of eradication; these are the substances of concentration and wisdom. These two virtues are precisely the two virtues of self-benefit and benefiting others: knowing is self-benefit; eradication is benefiting others. These self and other are two yet not two; with these three virtues one expounds them to others. Now praising what is expounded, it says "this jewel," and so forth. In "illuminating darkness," and so forth, it praises the function. "Illuminating darkness" is the power of the light, destroying others' darkness of ignorance. "Enriching poverty" is the power of the rain, enriching the lack of dharma-wealth in them. "Brightening the night" further explains illuminating darkness. "Relieving poverty" further explains enriching poverty. Generating each other in turn, the lower explains the upper: concentration and wisdom are mutually identical, destroying delusions and possessing virtues, knowing and eradicating simultaneously. In "driving the two wheels," and so forth, it is an analogy that when cultivation succeeds, the goal is reached. The two wheels traveling far compares to concentration and wisdom universally pervading horizontally. The two wings soaring high compares to concentration and wisdom reaching the utmost peak vertically. *Zhu* means flapping wings to fly. Thus the Great Being of the Snowy Mountains was tested by Śakra to see whether he was capable of bearing the heavy burden of bodhi or not. Just as a cart with two wheels can transport loads, and a bird with two wings is capable of soaring in flight. Although seeing that he upholds the precepts, it was not yet known whether that person possessed deep wisdom. In the sūtra it originally compared the fulfillment of vehicle and precepts; here it is borrowed to compare the simultaneity of concentration and wisdom. In "jade moistening," and so forth, it compares the completion of the practice of calming and contemplation, whose function becomes manifest externally. The moistening of jade compares to the virtue of calming; "lustrous green" compares to the virtue of contemplation. *Liu Zi* says: "A mountain harboring jade has moist grass and trees; a stream containing pearls has shores that do not dry up." *Huainanzi* also says: "Where a spring has pearls, its banks do not dry up." As for green (*bi*), the *Shanhaijing* says: "High mountains have much jade and green minerals." Guo Pu says: "*Bi* is jade." The *Shuowen* says: "*Qing* is an exquisite color; *xian* is a fine color." It is also like pines and bamboos having a deep green color in winter, all presenting a lustrous appearance. Some say: "The understanding and practice of calming and contemplation are like jade moistening and lustrous green." This does not grasp the meaning of the text. The intent here is: due to the preceding practice and understanding, calming and contemplation are fulfilled, their functions become manifest externally, and both self and other are benefited. If one were to interpret this merely as practice and understanding, why would the text be so verbose? In "Fragrant City," and so forth, it explains the difficulty of repaying the kindness of the Dharma. Since practice and understanding are accomplished, one knows that the Buddha's kindness received is profound, such that casting down one's body and grinding one's bones would not suffice to repay his virtue. Fragrant City refers to Bodhisattva Sadāprarudita cultivating the vision of Dharmodgata, taking out his marrow and selling his body. It is also like the youth of the Snowy Mountains seeing the rākṣasa and casting down his body to repay a verse.