念佛三昧寶王論 2.42

2.42

I reply: “It is not a delusion! How do we know this? If a person cultivating the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi were like someone obtaining gold in a dream who acquires nothing upon waking, then it would be identical to delusion. But ultimately, being reborn in the pure land due to buddha-mindfulness, how could that be called delusion? For example, when practicing the method for the divine eye, one first visualizes lights such as pearls and fire; visualizing them without cease, the divine eye truly manifests. Who could call that a delusion? How could it be the same as gold in a dream, which in the end does not exist? Do not take distant matters with near sight and cite dreams as an analogy. It is clear that one must not treat buddha-mindfulness and rebirth as completely identical to a dream! Furthermore, the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: ‘Mind, buddha, and sentient beings: these three have no distinction.’ When the mind is deluded, it is like a dream; this is the sentient beings of the nine dharma realms. When the mind is awakened, it is like being awake; this single dharma realm is precisely the buddhas. Delusion and awakening exist solely in the one mind; dream and awakening have never been two tracks. As the sūtra states: ‘Realizing that delusion is fundamentally real, one sees Vairocana.’ Even if it were a dream or a delusion, what flaw would there be? Let the mind alone observe this, and make your resolve unyielding like stone.”