少室六門 1.81

1.81

問。上說真如佛性一切功德因覺為根。未審無明之心以何為根。答。無明之心。雖有八萬四千煩惱情欲及恒河沙眾惡。皆因三毒。以為根本。其三毒者。即貪嗔癡是也。此三毒心。自能具足一切諸惡。猶如大樹。根雖是一。所生枝葉其數無邊。彼三毒根。一一根中。生諸惡業。百千萬億。倍過於前。不可為喻。如是三毒心。於本體中。應現六根。亦名六賊。即六識也。由此六識出入諸根。貪著萬境。能成惡業。障真如體。故名六賊。眾生由此三毒六賊。惑亂身心。沈沒生死。輪迴六趣。受諸苦惱。猶如江河。因少泉源。涓流不絕。乃能彌漫。波濤萬里。若復有人斷其本源。即眾流皆息。求解脫者。能轉三毒為三聚淨戒。轉六賊為六波羅蜜。自然永離一切苦海。

Question: It was said above that tathatā and the Buddha-nature, and all merits, have awakening as their root. We do not yet know what the root of the mind of avidyā is. Answer: Although the mind of avidyā has eighty-four thousand afflictions and desires as well as evil deeds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, they all take the three poisons as their root. The three poisons are greed, hatred, and delusion. These three poisons of the mind are able of themselves to possess all evil deeds, just like a great tree: though its root is one, the leaves and branches it produces are boundless in number. From each root of those three poisons are born hundreds, thousands, myriads, and kotis of evil deeds, exceeding the previous by many times beyond metaphor. Such minds of the three poisons manifest within the original substance as the ṣaḍ-indriya, which are also called the six thieves, namely the six consciousnesses. Because these six consciousnesses enter and leave the senses and covetously cling to the myriad objects, they are able to accomplish evil deeds and obstruct the substance of tathatā; therefore they are called the six thieves. Because of these three poisons and six thieves, sentient beings confuse and trouble their bodies and minds, sink into saṃsāra, transmigrate through the six destinies, and suffer various pains and afflictions. It is just like a river: because of a small spring whose trickling flow never ceases, it can spread wide with waves for ten thousand leagues. If there is a person who cuts off its fundamental source, then all streams will cease. Those who seek vimokṣa can transform the three poisons into the three pure precepts and transform the six thieves into the six pāramitās; naturally, they will forever leave behind the ocean of all suffering.