廬山蓮宗寶鑑 2.16

2.16

Patriarch Cizhao said: "Regarding the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi of abandoning marks, wise persons of superior faculties awaken to this profound principle, constantly exercising an empty, equal mind, free from the marks of self, person, sentient being, or life span." A sūtra says: "To be free from all marks is called the Buddhas." A treatise states: "'Self' is conceived internally; 'person' is conceived externally; 'sentient being' has the function of continuing what came before; 'life span' has the meaning of continuing what comes after. Since there is no grasping mind of internal or external, before or after, all marks whatsoever are entirely empty and quiescent." Therefore a sūtra says: "When one knows there is neither self nor person, who undergoes transmigration?" Nor are there body and mind undergoing that birth and death—this is called the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi of abandoning marks. This means seeing that the original nature of all sentient beings is identically Amitābha: neither grasping the two extremes of possessing marks and lacking marks, nor holding views of annihilation or permanence. From this, in thought after thought Amitābha appears in the world, and in place after place Sukhāvatī manifests before one. One who recites in this way engages in the mindfulness of non-mindfulness, and mindfulness is then true suchness; the birth of non-birth, and birth is then the real mark. Therefore know that non-mindfulness is being free of thought, and the real mark is marklessness; marklessness is non-abiding, and non-abiding is entering the realm of the Buddhas. This is the unsurpassed, truly authentic Great Bodhi path. If one arrives at this stage, there is neither cultivation nor realization, no birth-and-death to escape, no nirvāṇa to seek; nature and marks are both empty, saint and ordinary being are equal; there is no Buddha-path to accomplish, no sentient beings to deliver, and no personal spirit to attain. A single thought of non-action cuts off the ten directions; not a single phenomenon exists fundamentally, nor is a single phenomenon newly accomplished. Self and other mutually subsume; principle and phenomena are unhindered; every dust mote is complete, every realm is fully manifest. The Dharma is originally thus, beyond thought and discussion. It may indeed be called: 'The Bhagavāns of the ten directions have one single path to the gate of nirvāṇa.'"