西方合論 7.13

7.13

Fifth, as for bodhisattvas who are born into the family of the Tathāgata at the time of their initial resolve: this is for people of the highest faculties, to whom fundamental wisdom is suddenly revealed, so that when their initial mind is first brought forth, upon the stage of the ten abidings they are already equal to the Buddha. As in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, there is a class of bodhisattvas who practice the six perfections through hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of kalpas without being born into the Buddha's family, still being merely nominal bodhisattvas, because although they have seen the Buddha-nature, their deeds of wisdom have not yet shone forth. The Elder's Treatise Resolving Doubts states: "The clarification of the Abiding of Initial Aspiration is that through dhyāna-concentration, the gate of fundamental, empty wisdom is revealed; ignorance begins to fade, and wisdom begins to shine forth; one is first born into the Tathāgata's family of wisdom, called abiding where the Buddha abides, and thus attains the universal gate of the Dharma gate of the wisdom-radiance of recollecting the realms of all Buddhas. Using this to see the Way, there are no views of past, present, middle, or extreme; passing through the five stages, refining habitual propensities, and increasing compassion is called cultivating the Way. Therefore it is said that upon the initial aspiration, one immediately achieves correct enlightenment, and only then can one cultivate the Way. Just as when Sudhana journeyed south to seek superior friends, all of them said: 'I have already previously brought forth the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi.' Why do they say 'learn the bodhisattva conduct and cultivate the bodhisattva path,' but do not say 'increase the Buddha path'? Because fundamental wisdom is revealed through concentration, without fabrication and without cultivation; merely by learning the bodhisattva conduct, fundamental wisdom illuminates and manifests itself. If one does not attain the essence of correct enlightenment, all practices are impermanent, belonging entirely to the karmic retribution of saṃsāra among humans and devas." It also states: "When one's aspiration accords with this present single lifetime, through correct wisdom one accomplishes the heart of contemplative practice within the segmented body while concurrently cultivating good karma, so that in the next life one enters the body of transformation. Because this segmented body of the present life is the karma made in the past, if one cultivates contemplative practice through wisdom in this body, in the next life one attains birth endowed with supernatural powers and transformations." If the ten good actions still allow birth in heaven with the retributive supernatural powers, and if dragons and powerful ghosts still possess supernatural powers through the evil karma of ignorance, how much more so when the eye of the Way is opened, and by the power of compassionate wholesome roots, one brings the wondrous functioning of wisdom into intentional practice throughout a single life—how could one not obtain great functioning and supernatural powers in the future life? The Zongjing lu states: "Achieving buddhahood at the initial mind does not mean one is not endowed with all merits. As the sūtra says, the youth Samantālaṅkāra in one lifetime heard and cultivated wholesome habituation, in a second lifetime accomplished understanding and practice, and in a third lifetime entered the ocean of fruition. Belonging to the same dependent origination, these three lifetimes are nevertheless within a single thought. It is like taking a long journey: arriving lies in the first step. Yet the arrival of this first step does not mean there are no subsequent steps; it clarifies that for this youth to enter the ocean of fruition was not without planting wholesome roots for a long time. Question: 'Since it is attained only after long cultivation, why is it said to be attained in a single thought?' Answer: 'Saying that one has cultivated wholesome roots for a long time belongs to the scope of the three vehicles' teaching; entering the One Vehicle from the three vehicles is precisely when the initial cultivation is fulfilled in a single thought. Therefore the sūtra says: "Upon the initial aspiration, one immediately achieves correct enlightenment." It is like many rivers flowing into the ocean: the moment a single drop enters, it is immediately pervasive throughout the great ocean, without beginning or end. Even the deepest waters of the remaining hundred rivers cannot equal a single drop entering the great ocean; similarly, cultivating for many kalpas in the three vehicles cannot equal a single thought of the One Vehicle. Furthermore, this kalpa time is unfixed: a single thought may be immeasurable kalpas, as in the unobstructedness of time and place of the Ten Profound Gates. Moreover, the Mahāyāna explains achieving buddhahood in a single thought in two ways: first, converging conditions to enter true nature, where because there is neither more nor less, it explains achieving buddhahood in a single thought; second, just as practices are fulfilled, taking the final thought is called achieving buddhahood in a single thought, like a traveler taking the final step as arrival. If the One Vehicle explains achieving buddhahood in a single thought, it is like the Mahāyāna taking the final thought as achieving buddhahood, which then enters the One Vehicle: the end is the beginning, and the initial thought is itself achievement. Why? Because cause and effect are mutually identical, corresponding simultaneously. However, one who achieves it in a single thought attains the same rank as the Buddha, yet is not fully complete in the ultimate, so there are still distinctions of shallow and deep. It is like a person who has just stepped out the door versus one who has traveled in other lands for a long time: though both are in the open air, there is a difference of near and far. Therefore, the five stages, such as the ten faiths and ten abidings, each speak of achieving buddhahood, yet also discern their shallow and deep; one must reflect well upon this.'" From the words of these two great masters, we know that enlightened practitioners of the Chan school cannot abandon all practices or cease dispelling beginningless habitual ties. Living in this defiled and evil world, advancing one step while retreating ten thousand, if one does not stay close to the Buddha, defilements and impurities will intertwine—how could practice be accomplished? When Sudhana initially brought forth his resolve and awoke to the Way, the bhikṣu Meghashrī taught him the Dharma gate of recollecting all Buddhas; and after he entered Maitreya's pavilion, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva brought forth the ten great kingly vows for him to guide him to rebirth in Sukhāvatī. This is the model for all Tathāgatas entering the Way. What the Avataṃsaka expounds as the gate of the one true dharmadhātu is not like other teachings that have provisional and real; if one does not believe this sūtra, one is truly an icchantika. Even if Śākyamuni praised it, Samantabhadra urged advancement, and Maitreya bore witness, nothing could be done for them!