觀心論疏 5.8

5.8

Eighth, explaining the recognition of the stages of rank: Having fully cultivated both the primary and auxiliary [practices] above, one will certainly attain realization according to one's measure. If one attains these superior dharmas and fails to recognize the stages of rank, one will immediately claim to be an arya; not only will one lose the correct contemplation, but one will also incur heavy transgressions. Therefore, one must recognize the stages. What are they? In the Tripiṭaka [teaching], the five expedient means are the semblance [stage], and the four fruits are the true [realization]; in the shared teaching, the stage of dry wisdom, the stage of nature, and so forth are semblance, while from the stage of seeing onwards is true; in the distinct teaching, the thirty minds are semblance, and the ten grounds are true; in the round teaching, the ten faiths are semblance, and the ten abidings are true. Thus, each of the four teachings has its semblance and true stages. By correlating the dharma realized in one's mind with the stages, one naturally knows one's own sphere of practice. Furthermore, one who wishes to enter the round stages additionally cultivates the five repentances in the six periods of the day to help manifest the rational contemplation. First, repentance: one must first recognize the faults of the ten minds flowing along with the stream [of saṃsāra]. What are they? First, internally having ignorance: due to delusion regarding the Buddha-realm within the mind, the six paths of birth and death arise. Second, externally meeting bad companions: first, evil persons; second, bad environments. Third, not rejoicing in the goodness of others: internally not having faith in the Buddha-realm within the mind, and externally not rejoicing in good deeds. Fourth, indulging the three karmas to create transgressions: caused by internally having ignorance and externally meeting bad environments. Fifth, although acts are not ubiquitous, the mind is ubiquitous: although transgressions such as sexual misconduct and theft cannot be committed ubiquitously, the mind ubiquitously creates the evil karma of the six paths. Sixth, continuous evil thoughts: evil thoughts of the three poisons and four destinies continuously succeed one another. Seventh, concealing [faults] and not repenting: externally failing to confess and repent before ordinary persons and aryas, and internally failing to cultivate the wondrous dharma of the Buddha-realm within the mind to break through the veil of the six paths. Eighth, not fearing the evil destinies: in the present, not fearing the burning and boiling of the fires of suffering, karma, defilement, the three paths, the three obstacles, the four inversions, and the eight sufferings; and in the future, not fearing falling into the three wretched paths. Ninth, having neither shame nor conscience: constantly giving rise to the evil karma of the three paths, externally without conscience before ordinary persons and aryas, and internally without shame before the heaven of the supreme truth. Tenth, denying causality: becoming an icchantika, lacking faith that the mind contains the cause and effect of suffering and origination of the six paths, as well as the cause and effect of the path and cessation of the four aryas. One who wishes to repent must recognize these ten minds flowing along with the stream that plunge into the great sea of suffering of birth and death; only when one knows faults and resolves to change can one repent. Next, cultivating the ten minds that reverse the sea of birth and death, overturning and destroying the previous ten minds: What are they? First, explaining deep faith in cause and effect: this is the round faith that the mind possesses the ten realms. In delusion, the cause and effect of suffering and origination of the six paths emerge, like water freezing into ice; in awakening, the cause and effect of the path and cessation of the four aryas are accomplished, like ice melting into water. Yet ice and water have never had different essences, and birth-and-death and nirvāṇa have never been two. This overturns and destroys the tenth, lack of faith. Second, explaining shame and conscience: feeling conscience internally—'The mind contains the Buddha-realm; why have I, through deluded transgressions, turned my back on my father and entered the five destinies for more than fifty years, deludedly creating manifold transgressions?'—and feeling shame externally before all the hidden aryas. This overturns and destroys the ninth, having neither shame nor conscience. Third, dread of the evil destinies: having already committed boundless great transgressions, one will certainly fall into the three wretched paths, and there is no escape between mountains or rocks; therefore it says one gives rise to dread. This overturns and destroys the eighth, not fearing. Fourth, explaining disclosure and repentance of faults: if one is deluded and conceals them, birth and death will increase all the more; if one repents of faults, one returns to the original purity of the source. Therefore it says that if one discloses them, one finds peace and security; if one does not disclose them, transgressions become all the deeper. This overturns and destroys the seventh, concealing [faults]. Fifth, cutting off the continuous mind: having repented, the three contemplations continue uninterruptedly, fixing the mind on the four aryas and not giving rise to the evil thoughts of the six paths. This overturns and destroys the sixth, continuous evil thoughts. Sixth, externally giving rise universally to thoughts of compassion, and internally vowing to deliver the sentient beings of the six paths within one's mind. This overturns and destroys the fifth, acts not being ubiquitous while the mind is constantly ubiquitous. Seventh, cultivating merit to make up for faults: diligently applying vigor in the three karmas, manifesting the dharma gates of the four aryas within the mind to make up for the past faults of the three karmas. This overturns and destroys the fourth, indulging the three karmas to create transgressions. Eighth, rejoicing in the goodness of others: having faith in the four aryas of one's own mind, one also has faith that all sentient beings possess the knowledge and vision of the Buddha, rejoicing in them and revering them like Sadāparibhūta Bodhisattva. This overturns and destroys the third, not rejoicing in the goodness of others. Ninth, drawing near to good friends: constantly contemplating the four aryas within the mind—in the two vehicles' realm there are eighty-four thousand actual dharmas of the emptiness pāramitā, grasping these as eighty-four thousand provisional-name śrāvakas; in the bodhisattva realm there are eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas; in the Buddha realm there are eighty-four thousand Tathāgatas. Therefore the sūtra says: 'The aids to the path are good friends; through them one accomplishes right awakening.' The sūtra also says: 'Believing what you say is seeing me, and is also seeing you, the bhikṣu saṅgha, and all the bodhisattvas.' This explains the arya saṅgha and good friends in terms of the mind, overturning and destroying the second, externally meeting bad companions. Tenth, contemplating to destroy ignorance: contemplating that the nine realms of the mind are the Buddha dharma-realm, originally pure, neither the existence of the six paths of birth and death nor the non-existence of the nirvāṇa of the two vehicles; penetrating deeply into the two extremes of transgression and blessing, light and darkness not eliminating each other, revealing the mind's Buddha-bodhi—this directly destroys ignorance and returns to the original purity of the source. This overturns and destroys the first, internally having ignorance. Therefore these are designated as the ten minds flowing against the stream, overturning the previous ten minds flowing with the stream. This is called the great repentance, called the adorned repentance. Hence the sūtra says: 'Sitting upright and minding the true mark / Manifold sins are like frost and dew; / The sun of wisdom can melt them away.' Second, entreating: externally entreating all buddhas to turn the wheel of the Dharma to deliver sentient beings, and internally entreating the contemplation of mind—the Buddha expounds the Dharma to transform the sentient beings of the nine realms, so that both internal and external sentient beings receive the benefit of the Dharma. Third, rejoicing: externally rejoicing in all the merits of all buddhas and bodhisattvas, as well as the conditioned good deeds of ordinary persons in stillness and disturbance; internally rejoicing in the manifold merits of the good deeds of the four aryas within the mind, deeply having faith, rejoicing, and not opposing. Fourth, dedication: externally dedicating the goodness cultivated through the three karmas by ordinary persons and aryas toward Buddha-bodhi; internally dedicating the goodness of the nine realms toward the fruit of the Buddha-realm of the mind. Fifth, making vows: externally vowing that all sentient beings may see the Buddha-nature; internally vowing that the sentient beings of mental factors may quickly return to the original purity of the source. Constantly cultivating these five repentances during the six periods of the day aids in clarifying the round contemplation, beseeching the Buddha's augmenting power, and perfecting round faith; this is called the initial stage of rejoicing. Adding reading and reciting is called the second stage. Additionally preaching to others, so that the merit of transformation returns to oneself and aids in increasing the clarity of contemplation, is called the third stage. Additionally practicing the six pāramitās is called the fourth stage. Fully practicing the six pāramitās is called the fifth stage. The sūtra says: 'Expounding variously for others, purely keeping the precepts, being patient without anger, constantly valuing seated dhyāna, having vigorous and courageous vigor, and having sharp-rooted wisdom—know that this person has already advanced toward the bodhimaṇḍa and is close to sambodhi.' These are the minds of the ten faiths. Formerly, the Contemplation of Samantabhadra explained the five stages, but the ten faiths were not yet detailed. In this sequence through the fifty-two stages up to ultimate wondrous awakening without confusion, it is called knowing the stages of rank.