四明十義書 1.85

1.85

應知於能造識心觀具三千，此之三千是灸病之火、是伐樹之斧、是捨重擔之法、是破三賊之將、是觀識心之三觀，故《輔行》云：今文妙觀觀之，令成妙境，境方稱理。又云：若以正觀安之，世諦方成不思議也。故未觀未安，全是迷中陰入，何得未論觀法便自說具三千？若也定境便說三千，至修觀法更何所論？

One should know that contemplating the consciousness-mind that is capable of producing as possessing the three thousand—this three thousand is the fire for cauterizing illness, the axe for felling the tree, the method for setting down the heavy burden, the general who defeats the three thieves, and the threefold contemplation that contemplates the consciousness-mind. Therefore the Fuxing says: 'Now this text contemplates it with the wondrous contemplation, causing it to become the wondrous object, so that the object only then accords with principle.' It also says: 'If one settles it with correct contemplation, only then does worldly truth become inconceivable.' Thus before contemplation and before settlement, it is entirely the aggregates and sense-bases in delusion; how can one, before discussing the method of contemplation, spontaneously say that it possesses the three thousand? If in determining the object one already speaks of the three thousand, then when coming to the cultivation of the method of contemplation, what more would there be to discuss?