西方合論 2.9

2.9

Second, regarding 'past causes are deep', there are three: first, the right cause; second, the right vow; third, the right practice. First, the right cause: this is the inherently pure essence of the buddhas of the three times and of all sentient beings, just as the myriad phenomena rely on space, mountains and rivers rely on the earth, grain relies on seeds, and flowers and fruits rely on kernels. Without this cause, the fruit of buddhahood cannot be achieved. Why? All compassion and wisdom are established purely on the basis of this cause. Therefore the Elder's Helun says: 'The body of the tathāgatagarbha is the dharmakāya; the oceans of all blessings and wisdom dwell within it, hence it is called a garbha (treasury). If one does not see the dharmakāya, all blessings and wisdom, great kindness and great compassion, are entirely unaccomplished, and all belong to arising and ceasing.' The dharmakāya is precisely this right cause. Second, the right vow: as when Bhikṣu Dharmākara, in this sūtra, made forty-eight great vows before the Tathāgata Lokeśvararāja, not taking bodhi if even one vow were not fulfilled. This was giving rise to such inconceivable vow-power based on the immeasurable compassion and wisdom of the svabhāva; it was not that he saw sentient beings outside the mind and made vows wishing to deliver them, because sentient beings are not outside the mind. Third, the right practice: as this sūtra states, 'Having made these vows, he thus dwelt in various virtues and practiced such bodhisattva practices for immeasurable, incalculable, nayutas of hundreds of thousands of kalpas.' Furthermore, as the Yixiang chusheng pusa jing says: 'When Amitābha Buddha was a prince in the past, he heard this subtle Dharma gate and upheld it with vigor; for seven thousand years his ribs did not touch a mat, he did not think of lust or wealth, did not inquire into other matters, and always dwelled alone with an unshakeable mind; he further taught and transformed eighty thousand billion nayutas of people, causing them to attain non-retrogression.' This is the svabhāva's practice, the svabhāva's vigor, not an intentional or conditioned virtue; though passing through billions of kalpas, it does not depart from a single thought-moment, because this subtle Dharma gate transcends all practices and all kalpas. These are called the right cause, the right practice, and the right vow; like the three dots of the letter 'i', if one is missing, it is not formed; they are neither fabricated nor unfabricated. Thus an ancient worthy said: 'When roots are deep, the fruit is luxuriant; when the source is far, the stream flows long. Since the past causes are deep, the arising of the teaching is also great.' How true this is!