觀心論疏 1.11

1.11

The verse says: / 'If one does not give food to black crows, / how can one repay the kindness of the white crow? / Not only is the field infertile, / there is no seed of equality.' / This single verse clarifies that not cultivating the contemplation of the smṛtyupasthānas is lacking the seed of equality; not abiding by relying on the prātimokṣa is lacking a fertile field. How so? When contemplating the Mahāyāna smṛtyupasthānas, one contemplates the body of the five skandhas of birth and death as neither withered nor flourishing, which is the great quiescence of nirvāṇa. A sūtra says: 'Form is liberation, nirvāṇa; up to consciousness is also liberation, nirvāṇa.' If one cultivates this contemplation of the smṛtyupasthānas, that is contemplating all sentient beings of the six destinies as being permanence, bliss, self, and purity—the great nirvāṇa—complete with the knowledge and vision of the Buddha. Just as Sadāparibhūta accomplished perfect faith, a sūtra says: 'Giving to the lowest beggar in the city is equal to giving to the Tathāgata Durdharṣa.' In that case, how could one discriminate between field and non-field, what may be given and what may not be given? Therefore the contemplation of the smṛtyupasthānas is the seed of equality. If one does not cultivate it, one sees birth-and-death and nirvāṇa as different, and ordinary person and noble one as distinct: the noble one is a field of respect, so one reveres and gives to them; the ordinary person is a field of compassion, so one despises them and does not give. Hence there is no seed of equality. Taking the king now as an analogy illustrates having no seed of equality. How so? In the past, a king was roaming and became exhausted; he lay down in the grass, and a snake was about to bite him. At that time, a white crow pecked the king to awaken him. After the king awoke and returned to his palace, he ordered his ministers to search for the white crow, wishing to repay its kindness. The ministers replied: 'If we search exclusively for the white crow, there is no way it can be found. If Your Majesty simply gives universally to black crows, that will be repaying the kindness of the white crow.' The white crow is used as an analogy for the noble one, the black crow as an analogy for the ordinary person, and the king as an analogy for sentient beings who do not cultivate the smṛtyupasthānas' seed of equality; hence they differentiate between the two fields of compassion and respect. When ordinary persons internally lack the seed of equality and the path of perfect contemplation remains outside their hearts, they cannot proclaim and transform through the Mahāyāna for the Buddha and teach the Dharma with equality; how could they repay the Buddha's kindness? Furthermore, by breaking the Tathāgata's restrictive precepts, they lack a fertile field. Thus the matter is as stated in the verse.