十不二門指要鈔 1

English (machine translation) 1

Language: English

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Composed by the Śramaṇa Zunshi of Dongshan under the Song

The prosperity or decline of the great teaching depends upon the person. Once the patriarchs had passed on, the abstruse transformation nearly ceased. A time cannot long fall into decay; an extraordinary figure must emerge across generations. Venerable Master Li, the teacher transmitting the teachings at Siming, is truly a great man of the doctrinal school! Even as a boy receiving the scriptures, he could reflect upon their meanings; his natural faculties were uniquely aroused—would one not call him of a superior nature, possessing innate knowledge? When he received full ordination and studied under Master Tong of Baoyun, at his very first attendance at the Dharma seat, his father dreamed that he knelt before the master, and the master took a vase of water and poured it into his mouth. Its delivery was like a spring, and his reception was like a valley. Thereupon, as for the purport of the Tiantai great teaching's perfect and sudden [nature], upon receiving it once he thoroughly understood it, without needing to hear it again. The master said to him, "There is nothing in my words that you do not penetrate; you are not [merely] helping me." When the master first passed away, the venerable master dreamed again that he strung the master's head upon his left arm and walked. Ah! Did not the former [dream] symbolize receiving the transmission—like Ānanda pouring water from vessel to vessel without any difference? Did not the latter [dream] symbolize carrying on the propagation—holding the head of his master's sarvākārajñatā to walk and convert others? At the beginning of Chunhua (990 CE), the Qianfu Temple of the prefecture invited him to open a lecture seat. The assembly of students joyfully followed him like numerous streams converging upon the sea. Consequently, the halls were narrow and humble, and the disciples steadily multiplied; before long, he relocated to the Bao'en Cloister. The various texts—the Lotus Sūtra, the Zhiguan, the Golden Light [Sūtra]—were lectured on continuously in succession, without an idle day throughout the year. He once exhorted his disciples, saying: "Whether I go out or stay put, whether I am silent or speak, never do I not take the purport of the teaching and contemplation, expedient and real, as my food and drink, as my staff and armrest. Do not be indolent!" How great! As for wearing the robe of patient endurance and dwelling in the chamber of great compassion, gently and skillfully guiding others, it cannot be fully praised! The Ten Gates of Nonduality in the Shiqian has been considered a difficult text by lecturers past and present. Many annotations have been made, each presenting divergent views; who did not claim to hold the jewel of the spiritual serpent or wield a brush covering the entire sky? Yet how could they reflect upon the teaching and contemplation of our single school, utterly failing to understand where its inspiration lies! When the master examined them, he sighed repeatedly: not only were the explanations of the text inadequate, but alas, the overarching framework was thrown into chaos! That the mountain should collapse and the horns break off was truly cause for deep sorrow; if one wished to rectify it, who was there but himself? Thereupon, he correctly analyzed this text and broadly adduced clear evidence, with more than enough skill to spare, while simultaneously restoring the grand path. The doctrinal school's expedient and real, obscure to all in present times, is hereby determined—the distinct principle according with conditions is of this category. That upon which the path of contemplation relies, misunderstood through successive generations, is hereby made apparent—this is the reason the pointing to essentials was established. As for the structural passages of the Lotus Sūtra and the Zhiguan, they are synthesized and interwoven with virtually nothing left out. Later scholars will be able to see the distant by looking at the near, and to know the flavor by dipping a finger. Does not the Book of Changes say: "It penetrates the aspirations of all under heaven, establishes the undertakings of all under heaven, and resolves the doubts of all under heaven"? Truly, these ten or twenty thousand words have attained this. I, Zunshi, am unworthily his fellow student; let viewers not say that I am merely being partisan! Grasp what is superior in its principle; do not grasp what is superior in personal feeling. The text and principle are clear—who could obscure them?

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Composed by the Śramaṇa Zhili of Siming under the Song

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The Ten Gates of Nonduality originally comes from the Shiqian; why should it require notes and explanations? Yet lecturers of this lineage have either explained it or annotated it, composing numerous writings, while the phenomena and principle remain unclear, and understanding and practice have nowhere to rely. Jingxi's wondrous understanding has, on the contrary, become obscured in our time, and the Tiantai perfect lineage brings no benefit to beings. Hereupon, during the course of lecturing, I have explained it in response to those [commentaries], entitling it "Notes Pointing to the Essentials" (Zhiyao chao). It simply points to the momentary mind as the essential of phenomena and principle, understanding and practice. It is merely prepared for students to review; how dare I expect accomplished scholars to examine it in detail? Authored on the ninth day of the first month in the year Jiachen, the first year of Jingde of the Great Song (1004 CE).

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The Notes state:

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The title of this text varies across different editions. Some say "Nondual Gates of the Ten Subtleties of the Origin and Traces of the Lotus"; some lack the two characters "origin and traces"; some simply say "Ten Gates of Nonduality of the Xuanwen." These [titles] may place what is opened or the text being commented on at the head, presumably so as not to forget their source; yet they are all privately added by different compilers, and choosing among them depends on preference, with no need to dispute laboriously. As for the four characters "Ten Gates of Nonduality," they were established by the author himself. Therefore the text says: "Deploying the expedient for the sake of the real, then nonduality becomes duality; opening the expedient and revealing the real, then duality becomes nonduality." Since the dharmas and the teaching divisions are all opened and made wondrous, these ten gates take nonduality as their title. One must interpret the purport of the title based on this text. Is it not that, in what was taught in the four periods and three teachings, from form and mind down to receiving moisture, there was none that was not separated and divergent, and hence all were called "duality"? Now that this sūtra opens and reconciles them, once the true principle is revealed, the ten divergences are all fused, mutually subsuming without remainder, and are all called "nondual." Thus, nonduality in its very essence serves as the "gate." However, one may also say that the ten nondualities are the active opener, and the ten subtleties are what is opened.

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Question: "Subtlety is nonduality, and nonduality is subtlety; both are names and both are essence. Why divide them into active opener and what is opened?"

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Answer: "Now we do not divide the active and passive based on crude versus subtle, nor do we divide them based on name versus essence. Rather, because the dharmas and characteristics of the ten subtleties are comprehensive and vast, scholars find them difficult to enter. This text gathers the essentials to directly reveal their intent, thereby using the brief to reveal the broad and using the easy to penetrate the difficult; hence we conceptually establish the active opener and what is opened. The number reaches ten because it is established following the ten subtleties; although the gates established and the subtleties to which they correspond may vary in number, they do not diminish the original count. This is a general clarification for now; when we come to explaining the text, it will be further pointed out."

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If one wishes to identify the author, it is the Venerable Jingxi. Since it was extracted by later people, one should not directly pronounce his taboo name.

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The explanation of the text has three parts: first, a general account of the intention in establishing [the work]; second, from "First" onward, listing the gates and explaining them; third, concluding and summarizing from "Therefore the ten gates" to the end of the text. These three parts are intended to match the three divisions.

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The first [part] again has four [sections]:

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First, recounting the previous text to establish the intention of the composition; this again has two [parts]:

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First, recounting what precedes; this again has two [parts]:

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First, recounting the breadth of the teaching, with two [points]:

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First, the intention of the ten subtleties. "Ran" (thus) means "correct"; it is a phrase confirming what precedes, and also words of faithful understanding; if one does not believe, one says "not so." "This trace gate," etc., points to the ten subtleties discussed above in the Xuanwen: objects, wisdom, practice, and stages are the causes; the three dharmas are the effect; sympathetic resonance combines self and other; spiritual powers and preaching the Dharma belong to the active transformer, so the activity belongs to oneself; retinue and benefit are those being transformed, so the matter belongs to others. Therefore, the four [categories of] cause, etc., fully contain the ten subtleties. How could the doctrinal characteristics explained in the teachings of a whole lifetime exceed this? Now, with respect to these ten meanings, one uses the two subtleties of comparison and absolute to fuse and reconcile them so that there is no obstruction; hence it is said, "fusing and penetrating into the wondrous."

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Second, from "As for the various" onward: the meaning of the various explanations. For instance, the initial object of principle contains seven headings, each of which is distinguished using the four teachings, with the intention of opening the Tripiṭaka and other [teachings] so that all are perfect; they are further judged by the five flavors, wishing to open the combined and other [teachings] so that all are subtle, causing there to be no other flavor outside of ghee. Only when explained in this way can it be called the wondrous Dharma. Wisdom, practice, down to benefit each clarify various doctrinal characteristics, and all of them without exception are judged by the four teachings and five flavors, after which they are opened so that all become the ultimate flavor.

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Second, from "contemplating the mind" onward: recounting the brevity of contemplation. "Pivot" (shu) means the essential of a gate; "mechanism" (ji) means an apparatus, having the sense of being able to trigger [action]. All teachings and practices take contemplating the mind as their essential and are all triggered from contemplating the mind. Because contemplating the mind is empty, all dharmas are empty; that is, all practices cultivated and all teachings aroused return to emptiness. The provisional and the middle are also like this; how could contemplating the mind not be the pivot and mechanism! However, the present Xuanwen had no leisure to clarify it broadly, so it merely pointed it out briefly at the end of the various passages. Furthermore, although according to principle each should have it, to avoid excessive text some are preserved and some omitted. For instance, it is present after the object of the twelve links of dependent origination, but omitted for the four truths, because the Zhiguan exists. In contrast to this, the secondary and primary nature of teaching and contemplation are clarified, as is commonly said. Relying on phenomena means borrowing those phenomenal meanings to establish the object and contemplation, such as Rājagṛha, Gṛdhrakūṭa, etc. Attaching to dharmas means subsuming various doctrinal characteristics into the mind to form contemplation, such as the four truths, five practices, etc. Since these are not dedicated practices, the ten vehicles are not detailed. These are the three aspects of contemplation, such as "according to practice," mentioned in the Yili.

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Second, from "what is clarified" onward: establishing the intention; this again has two [parts]:

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First, reiterating the intention of the major work. It raises the ten subtleties again to bring out their intention: the active transformer is response, together with spiritual powers and preaching the Dharma; the transformed is sympathetic resonance, along with retinue and benefit. These ten are the names that express [the truth] throughout the teachings of a lifetime. The intention of the major work in clarifying this lies in opening and revealing all names so that they are completely wondrous. The reason one must distinguish the ten is to fully encompass beginning and end, self and other. "Beginning" refers to objects, etc., which are the causes of one's own practice; "end" refers to the three dharmas, which are the fruits of one's own practice; self and other are as stated before. If one distinguishes these ten and each is completely wondrous, then one fully understands the Tathāgata's intention in appearing in the world.

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Second, from "Therefore not" onward: directly clarifying the intention of the present composition, with two [parts]:

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First, to accomplish wondrous understanding. If one wishes to know that these ten are all wondrous, one must understand the overarching framework of opening and revealing: that the three thousand realms are all emptiness, provisionality, and the middle. This is the great essence of the present sūtra, the absolute subtlety of what can open. Because the object is this, phenomena and principle are both fused; because wisdom is generated from this, it is without condition; because practice arises from this, it is unconstructed; because stages progress through this, they mutually subsume; because the three dharmas consummate this, the fruits are complete; because sentient beings possess this, a single thought-moment can induce resonance; because the Buddha attains this, he responds without premeditation; because spiritual powers employ this, transformations are inexhaustible; because preaching the Dharma is based on this, deployment and opening are unfettered; because the retinue is completely this, natural kinship connects them; because benefit accords with this, not a single one fails to become a Buddha. The present ten gates directly point to this. If one is able to understand this, it is called generating wondrous understanding.

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Second, from "Therefore gathering" onward: to accomplish wondrous practice. The "method of contemplation" refers to the ten vehicles. One should know that the ten vehicles of the Zhiguan discuss the characteristics of practice separately, but not a single vehicle is separate from the three thousand realms being emptiness, provisionality, and the middle; hence it is called the great essence of the method of contemplation. The Yili states: "Broadly citing various texts encompasses a whole lifetime, but the correct intent of the textual essence reverts solely to two sūtras: first, relying on the Lotus Sūtra's origin and traces to reveal the real; second, relying on the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] to support the vinaya and reveal the eternal; because these two sūtras are both ghee." Thus we know that when one uses the absolute meaning of these ten subtleties as the essence of contemplation, it is only then likened to sunlight not coexisting with darkness. Furthermore, these three thousand Dharma-gates pervade all dharmas: whether form or mind, dependent or proper [reward], sentient beings or all Buddhas, in every kṣetra and every dust mote, they are completely present without exception. Therefore the Avataṃsaka states: "As the mind is, so is the Buddha; as the Buddha is, so are sentient beings; the mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings—these three are without difference." Therefore, our lineage explains the word "Dharma" in the sūtra title by saying that these three dharmas each possess the three thousand, mutually possessing and mutually fusing, and only then is it called the wondrous Dharma. Yet although all dharmas mutually possess one another, to serve as the essence of contemplation one must point precisely to the three thousand of the mental dharma. Therefore the Xuanwen states: "The Buddha's dharmas are too lofty, and sentient beings' dharmas are too vast; for a beginner they are difficult. The mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings—these three are without difference; contemplating the mind is easy." Furthermore, the Yili states: "The sequence of cultivating contemplation must begin with the internal mind." Whenever our lineage speaks of contemplating the mind, it is always with this meaning. Therefore, the present text gathers the ten subtleties into a single thought-moment of the mind. That the ten gates are shown is to accomplish the essence of contemplation. If it were not so, why would it be explained at every step solely in terms of the mind? Could it be that dust motes, kṣetras, sentient beings, and Buddhas do not possess them? If one does not see this, one completely loses the intention behind the present text's composition.

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Second, from "If one understands" onward: analogizing the subsequent meanings to manifest that the principle of dharmas is not different, with two [points]:

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First, the analogy with the origin subtleties. That ten subtleties are discussed separately in both the origin and the trace and yet differ is only because they mutually separate and combine. That the trace cause fully clarifies four [aspects]—object, wisdom, practice, and stages—is because it separates the cause; that the trace effect clarifies only the single subtlety of the three dharmas is because it combines the effect. That in the origin [the text] does not mention the object and so forth, but clarifies only the single origin subtle cause, is because it combines the cause; that outside of the origin effect it further establishes the origin realm, origin nirvāṇa, and origin lifespan is because it separates the effect. Thus one should know that only stating the subtle cause necessarily encompasses the object and so forth, and only stating the three dharmas necessarily encompasses the realm and so forth. If one knows that cause and effect are not distinct, how could self and other differ? Because when the origin [Buddha] first sat at the place of awakening he also universally responded to beings, how could he not display supernormal powers and preach the Dharma? How could there be no retinue obtaining benefit? One should know that although remote and recent differ, both take the three thousand realms being simultaneously empty, provisional, and middle as their general framework; hence it says 'inconceivably one.'

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Second, from 'how much more so the essence' onward, the analogy with the four chapters. As clarified above, the twenty subtleties are all explaining the name while encompassing the essence and so forth, because explaining the name is the general and the [other] three chapters are the particular, and the general combines the particulars; designating within the ten subtleties the object is the essence; wisdom, practice, stages, and dharmas are the substance; and response and the other three subtleties are the function. Since the responsive [connection] and retinue obtain benefit, this necessarily unites from cause to effect, returning to produce the function of benefiting others, which also possesses essence and so forth; hence it says, 'simply the dharmas of self and other, cause and effect.' Moreover, the four chapters—name and so forth—are all dharmas to be received by those below, which belongs to the teaching; yet one must distinguish their coarse and subtle through their characteristics. The present four chapters transcend the previous three teachings and four periods, and furthermore are capable of opening the previous ones to make them all perfectly subtle; hence the word 'eternally distinct' encompasses [the subtleties of] comparison and absolute, because only the present sutra can universally open [them].

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Third, from 'if one understands' onward, specifically pointing out the subtle essence to enable both understanding and practice to be accomplished, in three parts:

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First, pointing out the subtleties and returning them to the mind. The subtle essence of the three thousand realms is that to which the teaching returns; thus within a single period, the five flavors generating one another in succession are the vertical, and the four teachings each heading toward principle are the horizontal; and although the dharmas explained have concealment and revelation, according to the intent of the present sutra, they have never for a moment departed from the three thousand subtle dharmas. Moreover, although all dharmas possess the three thousand, now, in order to easily accomplish subtle understanding and subtle contemplation, [the text] specifically points to a single thought-moment as identical to the three dharmas, taking mind among the subtleties in particular. One should know that the mental dharma is identified in terms of delusion and phenomena. Thus the Shiqian says: 'The dharma of sentient beings, in the first approach, pervades cause and effect; in the second approach, is confined only to cause. The dharma of buddhas is definitively in the effect; the mental dharma is definitively in the cause.' If distinguished in terms of delusion and awakening: buddha belongs solely to awakening, while the [other] two both reside in delusion. Furthermore, within delusion, sentient beings belong to other, pervading all; the mental dharma belongs to oneself, specifically pointing to one's own mind. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness repeatedly says at every juncture to contemplate the single thought-moment of the mind of fundamental ignorance. The initial contemplation of the mind of aggregates and sense bases among the nine objects in the Zhiguan also clarifies the mind within phenomena; thus it speaks of the mind of defilements, the mind of illness, and up to the mind of meditative views and so forth; as well as the mind of the four movements in [the samādhi of] following one's own inclination and so forth. How are these not identifying the contemplated mind in terms of delusion and phenomena? Some explain the present 'single thought-moment' as the true nature; I fear this does not accord with the purport of the text. Why so? If one speaks of the true nature, all dharmas are it; why only a single thought-moment! Furthermore, various texts often say to contemplate one's own mind; how could the true principle have self and other? There are others who do not permit the establishment of the aggregates, elements, and sense bases as the contemplated object at all, saying only that it is the inconceivable object. These two teachers clearly violate the teaching. Does not only the Mohe zhiguan first broadly show subtle understanding in the six chapters, discussing how all dharmas in their fundamental truth are all inconceivable? Yet when wishing to establish practice and undertake cultivation, one must select the gate for entering the principle and the locus for generating contemplation. Therefore, among the three categories [of dharmas] one selects out elements and sense bases, and further among the five aggregates, one eliminates the former four and specifically takes the aggregate of consciousness; the Fuxing further selects out the mind capable of incurring retribution and that which arises to belong to the lower objects. This is discarding the rod to take the foot, and discarding the foot to take the inch, like moxibustion hitting the acupoint. It is relying on this mind to contemplate the inconceivable, revealing the three thousand dharmas; and even with minds of greed and anger and so forth, as well as the sense faculties and dusts, it always speaks of contemplating the aggregates, sense bases, and elements and the nine lower objects. The selections and discriminations in the text do not err by a hair's breadth; how could it directly speak of the true nature and the inconceivable?

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Question: 'In [the samādhi of] constant sitting it says, "Using the dharma-realm to confront the dharma-realm and give rise to the dharma-realm"; in "settling the mind" it says, "Only believe in the dharma-nature, do not believe in anything else"; and at every juncture it speaks of the inconceivable object. Why do you now not permit this?'

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Answer: 'All these texts refer to the contemplating contemplation method, and also to the dharma-gate that is revealed. Have you not read the rubric-division text in the Fuxing? It first re-clarifies the object, which is the text on discarding the foot to take the inch; next it clarifies cultivating contemplation, which is the text on the ten vehicles [such as] contemplating the inconceivable object and so forth. Moreover, the Fuxing details the characteristics of the two objects with complete clarity; how can one directly take a single thought-moment to be the true principle and the inconceivable? One should know that the inconceivable object, in relation to contemplating wisdom, is undivided yet divided and named the contemplated object; but in relation to the objects to be destroyed, such as the aggregates and so forth, the inconceivable object together with the contemplation are both called the active contemplator. Thus the Zhiguan says: "For example, there are three tiers of bandits. One person has blunt weapons, weak physical strength, and little strategy; he first destroys two tiers, then reassembles his men and materiel before destroying the third, which is why he delays for days and months. Another person has a robust body, sharp weapons, and many stratagems; in a single day he destroys the three tiers." The Fuxing explains: "It uses military deployment to illustrate the active and passive"; "Now, the robust body illustrates the perfect three truths, the sharp weapons illustrate the perfect three cessations, and the many stratagems illustrate the perfect three contemplations; weapons and so forth all depend on physical strength." The above is all from the text of the Fuxing; are not both the truth and the contemplation the active contemplator? Now I shall further establish an analogy of my own to clarify both tiers of active and passive: as when forging an implement, would one use only the hammer without the anvil for raw iron? Thus we know the hammer and anvil naturally divide into active and passive, yet looking toward the raw iron, they both belong to the active. The wise will understand through analogy; I hope you examine this carefully. It is all because they do not discern the two tiers of what is contemplated that they are deluded about this purport. Furthermore, if one does not establish the aggregates and so forth as the object, where would the subtle contemplation be applied? Where would the subtle object be revealed? Thus we know that if one departs from the three paths, there are no three virtues, as in defilement is identical to bodhi, and birth-and-death is identical to nirvāṇa. The Xuanwen briefly lists the ten vehicles, all established with reference to this. Furthermore, the Zhiguan dayi takes these two phrases as the fundamental framework for giving rise to the mind and establishing practice; how could there be a perfect and sudden [teaching] that surpasses this? If it were as the two teachers establish, one ought to say that bodhi is identical to bodhi and nirvāṇa is identical to nirvāṇa. Moreover, you cited from constant sitting that arising and confronting are both the dharma-realm. Now I ask: due to what does the dharma-realm have arising and confronting? One must know that it is in reference to faculties, dusts, and consciousness that it says arising and confronting the dharma-realm. Thus the Yili explains this passage: "Realizing (cultivating contemplation) whether arising or confronting (the aggregates and sense bases) does not go outside the dharma-realm (accomplishing the inconceivable)." That text has three meanings—in terms of principle, in terms of contemplation, and in terms of effect; this text identifies it precisely in terms of contemplative practice. Furthermore, the passage on settling the mind says, "only believe in the dharma-nature"—may I ask what dharma is believed to be the dharma-nature? Yet you do not know that this passage refers precisely to cultivating cessation and contemplation upon the aggregates. Thus the Awakening of Faith says: "All sentient beings from the beginningless past have never been free of thoughts." Furthermore, a later passage says, "defilement is fundamentally inherent." If one does not contemplate the three paths as subtle, it becomes equivalent to contemplating only pure true suchness. Would Jingxi have permitted that? Therefore the Fuxing, explaining "dwelling peacefully in worldly truth," says: "Because it is settled by cessation and contemplation, worldly truth then becomes inconceivable"; and it also says: "Settling is contemplation." Therefore, in discussing the perfect and subtle, only that which does not violate the existing text is the correct exposition. Now, explaining the single thought-moment is merely pointing to a single momentary mind of the combination of faculties and dusts; whether it is aggregates or delusions, good or evil, it fully possesses the three thousand and is identical to the three truths, which is the great substance of the ten subtleties; hence it says "all alike." This single thought-moment is for accomplishing contemplation; the present text specifically clarifies nonduality with reference to it; one must not fail to understand this, and therefore I have detailed it here.'

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Question: 'Tradition says that three people among Bodhidharma's disciples attained the Dharma with varying degrees of depth. The nun Zongchi said, "Sever defilements and realize bodhi." The Master said, "You have attained my skin." Daoyu said, "Delusion is defilement, awakening is bodhi." The Master said, "You have attained my flesh." Huike said, "Originally there are no defilements; fundamentally it is bodhi." The Master said, "You have attained my marrow." Now, saying defilement is identical to bodhi and so forth slightly resembles the views of skin and flesh; how can you say nothing surpasses the perfect and sudden?'

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Answer: 'Because of these words, scholars of our own school are deluded by terms and lose the purport, using that to evaluate this and plunging our school into ruin, all truly because they have not exhausted the meaning of the word "identical" (ji). One should know that our school's clarification of "identical" is eternally distinct from that of the other masters, because it is not two things joining together, nor is it the reverse side flipping over; only when the very entity is entirely it can it be called "identical." Why so? Since defilement and birth-and-death are cultivated evil, their entire entity is the dharma-gate of nature-inherent evil; hence there is no need to sever, eliminate, or overturn them. Because other schools do not understand nature-inherent evil, they must overturn evil into good, and sever evil to realize good; therefore, the most sudden among them still say there is originally no evil and fundamentally it is good. Since they cannot acknowledge that evil in its entirety is evil, in all of them the meaning of "identical" fails to be established. Therefore the seventh volume of the Commentary says: "If one has not even heard the name of nature-inherent evil, how could one believe in the practice of nature-inherent virtue?"'

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'If so, why does one not say defilement is identical to defilement and so forth, but says bodhi and nirvāṇa?'

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Answer: 'It truly does not point to something else; merely because nature-inherent evil is fused, unhindered, and quiescent, it naturally receives the names bodhi and nirvāṇa, established by taking the superior. How could this be the same as the views of skin and flesh? Furthermore, since defilements and so forth are entirely nature-inherent evil, how could one exclusively say they originally do not exist? However, what you cited about Bodhidharma verifying Master Huike with "originally there are no defilements, fundamentally it is bodhi" and so forth is an anomalous theory from Guifeng, which led later people to take this as the ultimate and thereupon discard the three paths to contemplate only the true mind. If we rely on the Hall of Patriarchs, it says only: "The Second Patriarch made three prostrations and stood in his place." How did it say that defilement and bodhi are one non-existent and one existent? Therefore, one must not use Guifeng's anomalous theory to evaluate our school's subtle exposition.'

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(The original text says: 'This further surpasses the theory of attaining the marrow. Even if Master Huike's view reached this in intention, his words were not yet perfect.' Question: 'In now clarifying the perfect teaching, does it not discuss severing delusions to realize principle and overturning delusion to approach awakening? If it discusses them, how is it different from the understanding of Zongchi and Daoyu?' Answer: 'Just like Master Huike, did he not also sever delusions and overturn delusion? Was he also the same as the former two? Hence we know that whenever gradual and sudden are distinguished, it is merely discussing the rationale of what is able to sever and what is able to overturn.')

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Now, since we speak of severance in terms of identity, there is nothing that can be destroyed; and since we speak of awakening in terms of identity, there is nothing that can be overturned. Afflictions and birth-and-death belong to the nine realms; and only when the ten realms are mutually inherent is a phenomenon termed 'perfect.' Would the Buddha destroy the nine or transform the nine? Only in this way is it termed 'penetrating non-paths, where the realm of Māra is identical to the Buddha.' Therefore, the severing and realization, delusion and awakening of the Perfect school are discussed only in terms of defilement and purity, not in terms of good and evil, or purity and foulness. Since other schools do not understand that the nature inherently includes the ten realms, they lack the meaning of perfect severance and perfect awakening; thus they have only the name of identity without its meaning. This is the great path of this school's teaching and contemplation. Once this is understood, whether accepting or rejecting, one may employ it with freedom. Therefore the Zhiguan also says, 'One only trusts in the Dharma-nature, not in anything else.' These words appear to abandon the deluded and contemplate the true (the original text says: 'How could this differ from Master Ke's statement?'). But the Yili judges this by saying that it was spoken in terms of antidotes to smash former attachments. Hence we know that to explicitly indicate perfect contemplation, one must point out that the three paths are identical to the three virtues, and therefore one contemplates the inconceivable in the aggregates and so forth. If one does not precisely distinguish this, how could it be termed perfect cultivation? This meaning is difficult to pinpoint accurately; it will be further examined at the Gate of the Nonduality of Cause and Effect.

1.37

Second, the passage beginning 'Then [the Zhiguan]' reveals that accomplishment is due to practice. Having already revealed the wondrous principle in terms of mental dharmas, even if one knows that the ten subtleties are not separate from a single thought-moment, how could it be accomplished without wondrous practice? Therefore, although the Xuanwen establishes the contemplation of the mind, it relies on phenomena and attaches to dharmas, which is not the primary intent of that work; hence it is mostly brief and incomplete. If one is to discuss fully the efficacy that can bring it about, one must point to the Mohe zhiguan. Thus, the five subtleties beginning with the realm discuss for the time being the dharmas contemplated, aroused, practiced, traversed, and thoroughly exhausted by the sages and those of direct capacity during the Buddha's lifetime; but as to how practitioners like ourselves who receive the teachings may accomplish it, it causes them to cultivate cessation and contemplation using the ten dharmas to form the vehicle, so that they can personally contemplate the wondrous realm, arouse wisdom, establish practice, traverse the stages, and ascend to the fruit. Therefore those ten vehicles can enable practitioners to accomplish the cause and effect of their own practice.

1.38

As for the statement that the chapter on 'originating the teachings' accomplishes the active and passive aspects of transforming others here: although that text's originating the teachings was not preached, it nonetheless does not depart from the meaning of tearing the nets. This text on tearing the nets speaks broadly of its occurrence, and although it concerns transforming others after the fruit, if one examines its intention closely, it mostly explains the initial practitioner's own practice. Thus the text says, 'Various sūtras and treatises open people's eyes; grasping this and doubting that, deeming one to be right and the others wrong, now by harmonizing sūtras and treatises, untying the knots and emerging from the cage'—is this not the beginner being able to tear the nets of others? Furthermore, the text says, 'If a person skillfully applies cessation and contemplation to contemplate the mind, then inner wisdom will be clearly illuminated, penetrating the various gradual and sudden teachings; like breaking a minute dust mote to bring forth a great chiliocosm scroll of scripture, the Buddha dharmas as many as the sands of the Ganges are understood within a single mind'—is this not originating the teachings within one's own practice? It also says, 'If one wishes to benefit sentient beings externally, adapting to their capacities to establish teachings...'—only this passage refers to transforming others after the fruit. The Fuxing gives two explanations, calling them tearing the nets for transforming others and tearing the nets for one's own practice; but because the text on one's own practice is brief, readers are mostly in the dark about it. As for the passage on 'returning to the great destination,' it is also spoken for the initial practitioner cultivating contemplation; thus it says, 'sticky hands easily adhere, a sleepwalker's dream is difficult to awaken from; clinging to the words and taking them to be equivalent to the intent, they consider themselves to be correct,' and so on, down to saying that for this reason one must discuss the final destination. Therefore we know that although the five summaries and ten expansions encompass self and other, beginning and end, exhaustively, they are the methods of cultivation for practitioners; if one understands that text, only then can one resolve the present meaning of mutual accomplishment. Therefore, from the Gate of the Nonduality of Defilement and Purity onward, these ten gates all point to the features of establishing conversion after the fruit, all of which reside in the beginner's single instantaneous thought-moment; yet the three contemplations must achieve efficacy before this function becomes manifest. Thus the text says, 'Therefore the beginner must both occlude and illuminate,' and so forth. Hence we know that if one can cultivate the contemplation of originating the teachings, one can accomplish the function of manifesting supernormal powers and preaching the Dharma in accordance with capacities. This intention is somewhat concealed; only those who understand will know it. If one does not make this interpretation, how could one resolve the Zhiguan's texts on tearing the nets and the ultimate destination, the commentary's explanation of one's own practice, and the present words on mutual accomplishment? If one were to say that by merely cultivating the ten vehicles the fruit and function manifest of themselves, then it ought to have said that the ten vehicles accomplish the active and passive aspects of transforming others here.

1.39

Third, the passage beginning 'Then that [work]' shows that once the work is accomplished, one recognizes the essence. Thus we know that when one obtains this meaning of mutual accomplishment, one's learning will not be in vain and one's cultivation will not be false; the wondrous essence expressed by the teaching can be recognized.

1.40

Fourth, the passage beginning 'Therefore further' concludes and indicates the establishment of the names so that the expressed principle is thereby revealed, in four parts:

1.41

First, the reason for establishing the gates. As in the text.

1.42

Second, the passage beginning 'Why?' explains the names and meanings of the gates. The three thousand realms of principle and phenomena are fundamentally fused and identical; but before the capacities for the real have ripened, expedient transformation should be employed. The Buddha had to speak by dividing them in accord with the sentiments of beings; hence it is said, 'nondual yet dual,' so that the half and full dharmas temporarily have differences. Once the expedient transformation is accomplished, the real principle must be revealed, and the Buddha spoke by opening and harmonizing them according to his own intent; hence it is said, 'dual yet nondual.' The ten dharmas beginning with the realm are precisely what is opened; since they are judged and then opened in terms of the teachings and divisions of the canon, they are all perfect and all wondrous, and so the gate that actively opens should properly be named 'nondual.'

1.43

Third, each is high and deep. According to the judgements of our school, the names and meanings of the Dharma gates do not differentiate higher and lower; self and other are without exception inherently possessed in the nature of principle. Starting from the whole nature to initiate cultivation, it is partially revealed and fully exhausted; hence each of the ten gates at present is like this, all serving as the essence of contemplation, making its meaning even clearer. However, because phenomena differ, there are the six; and because principle is one, there is identity. Which scholar of this school does not say this? Yet those who grasp it accurately are few. One should know that when the Perfect school clarifies principle, it already possesses the three thousand realms, and they are all unchangeable in nature; but in terms of phenomena, we discuss delusion and understanding, true and simulated, cause and effect as having distinctions. Therefore the text below says: 'The three thousand in principle are equally termed ignorance; when the three thousand are accomplished in the fruit, they are all termed eternal and blissful' (clarifying the six in terms of phenomena); 'The three thousand are unaltered, ignorance is identical to illumination; the three thousand are simultaneously eternal, both being essence and function' (clarifying identity in terms of principle). If one sees this principle, one may moderately maintain the discussion.

1.44

Fourth, directly showing the central aim. As in the text.

1.45

Second, the passage beginning 'First' is the second part, listing the gates and explaining them, in two parts:

1.46

First, listing the gates and matching them to the subtleties, in two parts:

1.47

First, listing the gates. This can be seen.

1.48

Second, the passage beginning 'Among these' matches them to the subtleties. The realms of the seven categories do not go beyond form and mind; if these two are nondual, all realms are wondrous, hence it is said that the first is named after the realm. The two dharmas of wisdom and practice properly discuss the characteristics of cultivation; if the two realms are not fused, and cultivation and nature are disparate, it would not be wondrous, hence the second and third are named after wisdom and practice. Stages mostly pertain to characteristics, and the three dharmas pertain only to the fruit; if one understands that beginning and end are one in principle, both of these are wondrous, hence the fourth is named after stages and dharmas. Supernatural powers and response are two matters of benefiting others after the fruit; since they are pure functions, the dependent and proper [retributions] must fuse, and even the capacities of others are identical to one's own essence; this wondrous matter resides in the present defiled mind, and only when one can contemplate in this way will the wondrous function manifest, hence the fifth, sixth, and seventh are named after stimulus and response, and supernatural powers. The three karmas are the person who can preach, and the expedient and real are the dharmas preached; if these two are fused, the preaching of Dharma will only then be wondrous, hence the eighth and ninth are named after preaching the Dharma. Retainers are the three types of grass and two kinds of trees, and benefit is nourished by the rain of Dharma; if one knows they fundamentally share one earth and one rain, the benefits of the expedient and real are equal, hence the tenth is named after retainers and benefit. The intention of establishing these ten gates is to accomplish the understanding and practice of the ten subtleties.

1.49

Second, the passage beginning 'First, form' explains the import of the gates, in ten sections:

1.50

First, the Gate of the Nonduality of Form and Mind, in three parts:

1.51

First, indicating that all dharmas without exception are wondrous realms. The seven categories in the root text also followed what was essential; yet seven categories are still broad and their wondrous purport is hard to reveal. Now they are completely subsumed by the two dharmas of form and mind; hence the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'In all worlds, there are only name and form; if one wishes to speak in accordance with reality, one should only contemplate name and form.' If these two are nondual, all dharmas are wondrous; hence we now subsume the specific into the general, specially pointing to the mental dharma to clarify nonduality, and using this as a gate, understanding and practice can easily enter.

1.52

Second, the passage beginning 'Now, the ten' is the explanation, which further has two parts:

1.53

First, clarifying the general and specific in terms of the various realms, in two parts:

1.54

First, indicating both together. That the general resides in a single thought-moment means: if we speak of the mutual subsumption of all dharmas, whichever single dharma is brought up can serve as the general, which is the non-differentiation of the three. Now, in order to make contemplation easy to accomplish, we specially point to the mental dharma of a single thought-moment as the general. However, this general and specific cannot be separately paired with principle and phenomena; one should know that the three thousand realms inherent in principle and the three thousand realms functioning in phenomena each have their own general and specific; only when these two are identical to each other can it be termed a wondrous realm.

1.55

Second, the passage beginning 'Why?' shows both, in two parts:

1.56

First, the specific. Among the ten suchnesses: because marks can be distinguished, they belong to form; nature is based on the interior, so it belongs to mind; the Guanyin xuanyi points to the mind as the essence, while various texts take both form and mind; power and action cannot operate singly; conditions are sometimes pointed to as craving and sometimes as the auxiliary perfections, and since both theories exist, their meaning must encompass both; if one says karma is the cause, it seems to include form, but now we follow the habit side, so cause and fruit are both mind; the five aggregates are all recompense, so it must include mind, but now we follow the receiving of a body, so the meaning in terms of form is stronger; although the text does not pair beginning-and-end ultimate, since it discusses the three equalities, it is the same as the three truths that follow. In conditioned arising, the seven branches of the present and future must both possess both; although consciousness and name are singular, they must contain the intermediate existence, so they also include both; formations and existence are karma and cannot belong comprehensively [to either]; that ignorance, craving, and grasping are solely mind can be known. Among the truths: suffering is the same as the seven branches; arising already includes karma; the path also contains the precepts; thus all possess form and mind; that the conventional discusses all dharmas as including both can be known. Cessation as well as the true and middle are the single real truth of non-truth; their essence is solely principle without marks that can be displayed, and because they are verified by the mind, they do not include form. However, what has been matched above cannot be eternally disparate; wishing to establish the meaning of the specific, we temporarily follow what is prominent.

1.57

Second, the passage beginning 'Having known' next treats the general. Previously, clarifying that all dharmas do not lose their own essences was the specific; now, explaining that all dharmas converge in an instant is the general. Never losing them all day long, they converge all day long; the dharmas inherent in the nature mutually subsume general and specific, and the dharmas of conditioned arising do likewise with general and specific; it does not mean that the specific is discussed in terms of phenomena and the general is taken as principle. Furthermore, one should know that whether phenomena or principle, both take the single thought-moment within phenomena as the general, because sentient beings reside in phenomena and have not awakened to principle, and because the wondrous principle is revealed relying on the mind of the aggregates.

First 57 of 116 passages. Read on

Linked texts (1)

十不二門指要鈔 — Classical Chinese