樂邦遺稿 2.23

2.23

孤山《閑居編》云「夫枝必有根、流必有源。生實死之根源也。既有其生，安得無死？故《大經》曰『功德黑暗，姊妹相隨。有智主人，二俱不受。』此則不受其生，故無其死。若夫天理寂然曾無生滅之朕，妄情紛動遂見去來之跡。譬以清淨目觀晴明空，都無瑕翳。苟瞪目勞視，則狂華亂生。華既有生而亦有滅，愚者好華生而惡華滅，而不知華本自無也。故《楞嚴》曰『一切眾生皆由不知常住真心性淨明體，用諸妄想。此想不真，故有流轉。』」

Gushan's Xianju bian says: "Branches must have roots, and streams must have sources. Birth is truly the root and source of death. Once there is birth, how could there not be death? Therefore the Great Sūtra says: 'Merit and Darkness are sisters that follow each other. A wise master accepts neither.' This means not accepting birth, and thus there is no death. As for the heavenly principle, it is quiescent, without the slightest omen of arising and ceasing; when deluded feelings churn in confusion, the traces of coming and going are then seen. For instance, when looking at a clear and bright sky with pure eyes, there are no blemishes or cataracts at all. If one stares hard and tires one's vision, wild flowers arise in confusion. Since the flowers arise, they also cease. The foolish love the flowers' arising and loathe the flowers' ceasing, without knowing that the flowers are fundamentally non-existent. Therefore the Śūraṅgama says: 'All sentient beings, because they do not know the constantly abiding true mind and the pure and bright substance of the nature, employ various false thoughts. Because these thoughts are not real, there is transmigration.'"