西方合論 2.10

2.10

Third, regarding 'manifesting fruit-virtue': as the 'Chapter on the Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra' in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'The buddhas and tathāgatas arise with great compassion on account of sentient beings; based on great compassion, they generate the bodhicitta; based on the bodhicitta, they attain samyaksaṃbodhi. Just as in the midst of a desert wilderness there is a great king of trees, if its roots obtain water, its branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits will all flourish; so too is the king of bodhi trees in the wilderness of saṃsāra. All sentient beings are the tree's roots, while the buddhas and bodhisattvas are its flowers and fruits. By benefiting sentient beings with the water of great compassion, one can accomplish the flowers and fruits of wisdom of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.' Therefore, one should know that all buddhas attain the fruit of buddhahood relying on sentient beings; if there were no sentient beings, the fruit of buddhahood would not be accomplished. For example, because the King of Han rescued the people, there were a hundred battles; because of the hundred battles, he ascended the great imperial throne; because he ascended the throne, the common people enjoyed their livelihoods. If there were no common people, none of the above things would exist. In the final analysis, whenever one performs a single virtue, a single task, a single benefit, or a single fame, without sentient beings none of them can be accomplished. Therefore, if I have no sentient beings, I cannot become myself: sentient beings are the dependent [circumstances] and I am the primary [entity]; or sentient beings are the primary and I am the dependent. The equality of others and self, and the non-obstruction of dependent and primary, are because it is naturally so. What is naturally so is precisely the natural fruit-virtue. If it were established outwardly, the meaning of fruit would not be accomplished.