宗鏡錄 14.3

Answer: The one mind is immovable; all phenomena have no nature. Because they have no nature, all without exception attain buddhahood. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'Sons of the Buddha, when the tathāgatas attain right awakening, within their bodies they universally see all sentient beings attain right awakening, and even universally see all sentient beings enter nirvāṇa, all having the same single nature—namely, having no nature. What kind of nature is absent? Namely, having no mark-nature, no exhaustible nature, no unarisen nature, no cessation-nature, no self-nature, no not-self-nature, no sentient-being-nature, no not-sentient-being-nature, no bodhi-nature, no dharmadhātu-nature, no space-nature, and likewise having no nature of attaining right awakening. Knowing that all phenomena are without nature, they obtain all-knowledge (sarvajñā), and with continuous great compassion, they rescue and deliver sentient beings. Sons of the Buddha, it is like space: whether all worlds come into being or are destroyed, it is always without increase or decrease. Why? Because space is unarisen. The bodhi of all buddhas is also like this: whether right awakening is attained or not attained, there is likewise neither increase nor decrease. Why? Because bodhi is neither with marks nor without marks, neither one nor manifold. Sons of the Buddha, suppose someone could manifest as many cittas as there are sands in the Ganges, and each citta could again manifest as many buddhas as there are sands in the Ganges, all of them without color, without form, and without marks, continuing in this way for as many kalpas as the sands in the Ganges without rest. Sons of the Buddha, what do you think? How many are there in total among the manifested cittas and manifested tathāgatas of that person?' In the Tathāgatotpattisaṃbhava [chapter], Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said: 'As I understand the meaning of what the Venerable One has said, manifesting and not manifesting are equal and without difference. Why ask: "How many are there in total?"' Bodhisattva Samantabhadra said: 'Good indeed, good indeed! Sons of the Buddha, it is as you have said. Even if all sentient beings were to attain right awakening in a single thought-moment, it would be equal and no different from not attaining right awakening. Why? Because bodhi has no marks. If there are no marks, then there is neither increase nor decrease. Sons of the Buddha, bodhisattva-mahāsattvas should know in this way: attaining equal and right awakening is identical to bodhi, having one mark which is markless.' The commentary explains: 'The reason we know the buddha-wisdom is omnipresent is that there is no sentient being who does not possess original awakening, for their substance is not different from the buddhas. The sūtra says: "The buddha-wisdom secretly flows forth," which seems as if the buddha-wisdom pervades other sentient beings; here it reveals that sentient beings themselves possess the buddha-wisdom, hence it merely says "pervades". There are three points to this meaning: First, it clarifies that not a single sentient being lacks it, which lets us know that those "without nature" do not belong to the count of sentient beings—meaning grasses, trees, and the like—which already surpasses the view of the five natures. Second, the cause of sentient beings being bound already completely possesses the fruition-dharma of liberation from bondage; therefore it is said that they have the wisdom of the tathāgata. It is not merely that they will attain it later after having the nature, nor that the principle comes first and wisdom comes later. Thus we know that in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], in response to earlier expedients, it provisionally spoke of having the nature; later students still thought it discussed having it while hiding its absence, so how much less, upon hearing that they equally possess the fruition-wisdom, could anyone believe it? Third, that fruition-wisdom within the cause is the fruition-wisdom of other buddhas; because in the source of the Perfect Teaching, self and other, cause and fruition, have no dual substance. Were it not so, in this stating that sentient beings have the fruition, how could it be called speaking of the buddha-wisdom? This is profound upon profound; without the Huayan school, there would be no such principle.' An objection asks: 'The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says: "The buddha-nature is named wisdom. When there is wisdom, then there is no kleśa." Now, if they possess the buddha-wisdom, why do they become sentient beings?' The explanation says: 'Because they are inverted, they do not realize it; how could one say they lack it? Like the strong man confused about the jewel in his forehead, how could it be that there is no treasure within his flesh? If it were originally absent, how could it be present once free from inversion? Since it appears once they are free from it, this shows that it was originally not absent, like a poor person obtaining a jewel—it is not that it is only now bestowed upon them. Therefore, in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], fearing that they would not practice, it says: "To say it definitely exists is an attachment." Fearing that they would not believe it exists, it says: "If one says it definitely does not exist, that is false speech." One may provisionally attach to it, but one must not speak falsely. Furthermore, sūtras such as the Tathāgatagarbha[-sūtra] speak of nine similes to illustrate the tathāgatagarbha: like a blue lotus flower in muddy water, before it emerges from the mud, no one values it; also like a poor woman carrying a noble child in her womb; like a priceless jewel wrapped in filthy rags; like a mani jewel fallen into a deep latrine; like a pure gold statue covered with tattered garments; like an āmra tree whose flowers and fruits have not yet opened; also like unhusked rice grain within the chaff; like gold within ore; like an image within a mold—these all have the meaning of the buddha-body existing within defilement, which is largely the same as this. Furthermore, this principle of having no nature can accomplish everything and can destroy everything; thus, when one is accomplished, all are accomplished, and when one is destroyed, all are destroyed. "When one is accomplished, all are accomplished" means that cause and fruition interpenetrate completely. Within this, there are two points: First, it clarifies that sentient beings and buddhas are non-dual. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: "When the tathāgatas attain right awakening, within their bodies they universally see all sentient beings attain right awakening," and so forth. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says: "All sentient beings are the very mark of bodhi." Since they are the very mark of bodhi, what is not accomplished? Second, it clarifies that the subject and object are non-dual; that is, the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: "All have the same single nature—namely, having no nature." The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says: "Non-action is bodhi, because it is free from the citta and phenomena." Phenomena are the object, and the citta is the subject. Truly because citta and objects share the same nature, so too it is with sentient beings and buddhas. Therefore, because the true mind does not abide in its own nature, its entire substance accords with conditions, accomplishing all the myriad phenomena. The nature is the substance. Because all phenomena are solely manifested by citta, each is without self-substance, dependently arisen upon illusory marks, and without a fixed nature. Because they are without nature, they can accord with various conditions to establish everything. If they had a fixed nature, it would be just like metal and stone, each having a hard nature that cannot be changed. Now, this absence of nature is just like water: meeting cold, it becomes ice; encountering fire, it becomes warm. Therefore a verse from the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā says: "If origin (samudaya) had a fixed nature, it could never have been severed before; how could it be severed now? If the path (mārga) had a fixed nature, it could never have been cultivated before; how could it be cultivated now?"'

Therefore, we know that if there were fixed natures, not a single dharma could be established. If there are no fixed natures, everything can be established. Furthermore, if sentient beings each had a distinct nature whose own substance did not shift, they would perpetually remain sentient beings, with no cause to become buddhas. Hence, the principle of non-nature is uniform: through the meaning of emptiness, all dharmas are established; within ultimate emptiness, all dharmas are blazing forth in establishment. If this single dharma of a dust mote is established, then all distinct dharmas throughout the space-realms of the ten directions are established at the same time. If a distinct dharma of a single dust mote were not established, then even the dharma of a single hair-tip here would not be established, losing the meaning of the round and sudden; for the one mind is all minds. If one awakens to the mirror of the source and becomes a buddha, one becomes a buddha in all places. Thus the Vajracchedikā-sūtra says: 'Wherever this place may be, there is a buddha.' If there were a place of a single dust mote where one did not become a buddha, one would not enter into the mirror of the source. Therefore the sūtra says: 'I alone am the one person'—among ordinary people and sages throughout the three realms and six paths, there is none who is not me; because of this unity and this 'person', there is 'only I, the one person'. Thus we know that if one cultivates apart from this, it all becomes provisional and gradual, like waiting for sky-flowers to bear fruit, or collecting morning mirage-water to make ice. Even if three asāṃkhyeya kalpas are completed, one does not enter the real. Only by observing one's own citta does one see the Buddha and comprehend the emptiness of all dharmas; then without moving a thought one directly beholds the light of the ūrṇā-curl, and without moving one's body one visits everywhere throughout the dharmadhātu. Just as when the Buddha was in Trāyastriṃśa for the three-month summer retreat: by his supernatural power, the Buddha restrained all humans and devas from knowing his whereabouts. When the summer ended and the retreat was concluded, the Buddha gathered his supernatural power and wished to return to Jambudvīpa. At that time, Subhūti was dwelling inside a stone cave. He reflected to himself, saying: 'The Buddha is descending from Trāyastriṃśa; should I go to the Buddha's place to pay homage to the Buddha, or should I not go?' He further reflected: 'The Buddha constantly teaches the Dharma that if someone, with the power of wisdom, contemplates the Buddha's dharmakāya, this is called the supreme among seeing the Buddha.' At that time, the Buddha had already descended from Trāyastriṃśa to Jambudvīpa. The four assemblies had all gathered, humans and devas saw each other, and in the assembly there were the Buddha, cakravartins, and a vast gathering of devas; the magnificence of the congregation was unprecedented. Subhūti thought: 'Now this great assembly, though extraordinary, its power will not last long. All dharmas subject to annihilation return to impermanence.' Taking this impermanence as the initial gateway of contemplation, he knew that all dharmas are empty and without reality. While making this contemplation, he immediately attained the realization of the Way. At that time, the whole assembly wished to be the first to see the Tathāgata, to pay homage and make offerings. There was the bhikṣuṇī Utpalavarṇā, whom others constantly called a courtesan; wishing to rid herself of this bad name, she transformed herself into a cakravartin with seven treasures and a thousand sons. When the people saw her, they all yielded their seats. The transformed king, seeing the Buddha, reverted to her original form as a bhikṣuṇī, and was the very first to pay homage to the Buddha. The Buddha addressed the bhikṣuṇī, saying: 'It is not you who paid homage to me first; only Subhūti paid homage to me first. Why is this? Subhūti contemplated the emptiness of all dharmas, which is seeing the dharmakāya; he attained true offering, the supreme among offerings. Making offerings to the physical body is not called [true] offering.' From this it is known that if one does not believe in the Buddha of one's own citta and seeks superior conditions elsewhere, then although one's effort may be diligent, in the end it is not ultimate. As the 'Chapter on the Appearance of the Tathāgata' in the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'Sons of the Buddha, suppose a bodhisattva for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of kalpas practices the six pāramitās and cultivates various bodhipakṣa dharmas; if he has not yet heard this inconceivable teaching of the Tathāgata's great majestic virtue, or having heard it, does not believe, understand, accord with, or enter into it, he cannot be called a true bodhisattva, because he is unable to be born into the house of the Tathāgata.' Furthermore, because things arise from conditions, conditions are also without self-nature, so nothing is established, disintegrating thought-moment by thought-moment. For instance, following the conditions of differentiation and defilement, one is designated a 'sentient being' based on nominal convention. Yet seeking the nature of a sentient being among these conditions, it is utterly unobtainable; thus the substance of a sentient being is empty, which is the meaning of disintegration. Because there are all dharmas, the meaning of emptiness can be revealed. If the meaning of this single sentient being is not established, then all sentient beings throughout the dharmadhātus of the ten directions are entirely not established; hence it is called 'one disintegrating, all disintegrate'. Therefore, all buddhas, knowing that all dharmas are devoid of nature, are able to accomplish all-knowledge, and arouse great compassion of identical substance, unceasingly continuing to the end of future time to broadly liberate sentient beings. By the principle of becoming a buddha through the one mind's non-nature, they vow that all sentient beings will be no different from themselves. Knowing that sentient beings are originally the unmoved one mind, constantly accordant with pristine reality, yet because of non-nature, unknowingly follow conditions to rise and fall in the six realms, enduring delusions and suffering in vain, uselessly falling into saṃsāra, they are therefore able to arouse great compassion to continuously deliver them. If not for this principle of non-nature, the great transformation could not be accomplished, and good and evil, ordinary and sage, could not be altered. If one can understand and awaken like this, then one enters the inconceivable gate of skillful means. The Fo cang jing says: 'If dharmas had a determined substantial nature, even as small as one hundredth of a split hair, then buddhas would never appear in the world, nor would they ever preach the emptiness of all dharmas.' Both attest to the sudden meaning. A verse in the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'Able in a single thought-moment to completely understand / All sentient beings without remainder, / Comprehending the self-nature of those sentient beings' citta, / One reaches the path traversed by those without nature.' The Avalokiteśvara-parivarta [and related sūtras, i.e.,] the Anivartikadharmacakrasūtra says: 'At that time, three bodhisattvas stood before the World-Honoured One, scattering māndārava and lotus flowers over the Buddha. Having scattered them, they spoke thus: "In this Dharma, we give rise to deep faith and understanding, free from any doubt." The first one said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, if someone speaks of the Tathāgata, I am that Tathāgata; in this Dharma, I have no doubt at all." The second bodhisattva further said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, if someone names and speaks of the World-Honoured One, I am that World-Honoured One; also in this Dharma I am completely without doubt." The third bodhisattva said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, if someone names and speaks of the arhan samyaksaṃbuddha, I am that arhan samyaksaṃbuddha; also in this Dharma I am completely without doubt." ...until Ānanda said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, why do the bodhisattvas speak like this?" The Buddha said:'

These three bodhisattvas spoke thus because they thoroughly understood provisional designations. Hence we know that all phenomena, mundane and transmundane, are merely provisional designations established from citta. If one can thoroughly realize that all are equal, one will know that all phenomena, mundane and transmundane, do not exceed provisional designations, and provisional designations do not exceed the nature of tathatā. As the *Mahāprajñāpāramitāsūtra* says: "At that time Subhūti (Shanxian) addressed the host of devas of the desire and form realms, saying: 'All you devas say that I, Subhūti, am a true disciple of the Buddha who is born following the Tathāgata. Why is Subhūti born following the Tathāgata? It is because he is born following the tathatā of the Tathāgata. Why is that? The tathatā of the Tathāgata has no coming and no going; Subhūti's tathatā also has no coming and no going. Therefore it is said that Subhūti is born following the Tathāgata. The tathatā of the Tathāgata is just the tathatā of all phenomena; the tathatā of all phenomena is just the tathatā of the Tathāgata. Such tathatā has no nature of tathatā, nor does it have any nature of non-tathatā. Subhūti's tathatā is also like this. Therefore it is said that Subhūti is born following the Tathāgata.'" In explanation: If the tathatā of the Tathāgata is just the tathatā of all phenomena, then it is not Subhūti alone who is born following the Tathāgata; even all sentient beings of the dharmadhātu are all born following the Tathāgata. Why? Because the tathatā of the Tathāgata is just one's own tathatā. That "such tathatā has no nature of tathatā" is because this tathatā is the ultimate within conventional speech and cannot be posited either. Thus it is said: "To call it 'thusness' (ruru) is already an alteration." Since there is no nature of tathatā, neither is there any nature of non-tathatā. Thoroughly realizing this, one attains the ultimate tathatā. The *Yanyi jing* says: "At that time Śāriputra asked the monks, 'Venerables, for what reason do you speak such words as: "Only now have I gone forth under the six teachers"?' The monks said: 'Venerable Śāriputra, from now on, the six teachers and all Buddhas are equally of one characteristic, with neither increase nor decrease. Venerable Śāriputra, we now know that all teachers are not different; in going forth there is nothing to distinguish, therefore we speak of going forth.' Śāriputra said: 'Venerables, for what reason do you say: "From now on, the Buddha is not my venerated one"?' The monks said: 'Venerable Śāriputra, from now on, I am naturally bright, blazing with clarity, not relying on any other illumination. I take refuge in myself, not taking refuge in anything else; taking refuge in oneself is one's own veneration, therefore we say: "The Buddha is not my venerated one." Why is that? I am not apart from the Buddha; the Buddha is not apart from me.' Up to Śāriputra saying: 'Venerables, why do you say that from now on you speak of there being no karma?' The monks said: 'Venerable Śāriputra, from now on, we know that all discourse is ultimate nirvāṇa. Therein there is no taming and no non-taming. For this reason we say: "I speak of there being no karma."'" The *Tathāgatagarbhasūtra* says: "The World-Honoured One addressed Vajramati, saying: 'Good son, with the Buddha-eye I observe that within the kleśas of desire, anger, and delusion of all sentient beings, there is the Tathāgata's knowledge, the Tathāgata's eye, and the Tathāgata's body, seated cross-legged, dignified and unmoving. Good son, although all sentient beings are in the various destinies, within their bodies of kleśa there is the tathāgatagarbha, constantly undefiled, complete with virtuous characteristics, no different from me.'" The *Laṅkāvatārasūtra* says: "The tathāgatagarbha is pure by its own nature, transforms into the thirty-two characteristics, and enters into the bodies of all sentient beings." In the 'Entry into the Dharmadhātu' chapter of the *Huayan jing*, the householder Veṣṭhila, having attained the bodhisattva liberation of the dharma gate of the limit of non-parinirvāṇa and constantly making offerings to the Buddha-stūpa of the Candana Seat, addressed Sudhana, saying: "When I opened the gate of the stūpa of the Candana Seat Tathāgata, I attained the samādhi named Inexhaustible Lineage of the Buddhas. Good son, thought-moment after thought-moment I enter this samādhi, and thought-moment after thought-moment I am able to know all immeasurable and extraordinary matters... up to: Good son, I have only attained this liberation of the limit of non-parinirvāṇa attained by bodhisattvas. As for the bodhisattva mahāsattvas, with the wisdom of a single thought-moment they universally know the three times; in a single thought-moment they universally enter all samādhis; the sun of the Tathāgata's wisdom constantly illuminates their minds; regarding all phenomena they have no discrimination; they understand that all Buddhas are entirely equal; the Tathāgata and I and all sentient beings are equal and without duality; they know that all phenomena are pure by their own nature, without mentation and without movement or change, yet are able to universally enter into all worlds free from all discriminations, abiding in the Buddha's dharma seal, entirely able to awaken the sentient beings of the dharmadhātu." Furthermore, a verse says: "Just as the objective realm of citta has no limit, / So too is the objective realm of all Buddhas. / Just as the objective realm of citta arises from the mind, / The realm of the Buddhas should be observed in the same way." The *Lotus Sūtra* says: "Thus it is: since I attained Buddhahood, it has been extremely long, my lifespan is immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, constantly abiding and not destroyed." Some have doubts, saying: "Since he attained the Way so long ago and has constantly been teaching here, who then were the Buddhas in the interim—Dīpaṅkara, Vipaśyin, Śikhin, and the others—who attained the Way, entered extinction, and preached the Dharma to deliver sentient beings?" An ancient commentary explains: "The preaching in the interim of Dīpaṅkara and the other Buddhas attaining the Way and entering extinction—all such are skilful distinctions made through wisdom and expedient means, speaking of other Buddhas; it is not that there are those Buddhas apart from my body." A commentary on the *Diamond Sūtra* says: "That there is a Buddha inside the bodies of sentient beings is not esoteric; that there is one outside their bodies is also not esoteric; up to: that there is neither one inside their bodies nor outside their bodies, neither not-inside nor not-outside—all these are not esoteric. That sentient beings are themselves [the Buddha]—hence it is called esoteric." The *Baozang lun* says: "Not dismissing a single phenomenon, not obtaining a single phenomenon, not cultivating a single phenomenon, not realizing a single phenomenon: nature-pure and divinely genuine—can this be called the Great Way? The Genuine One therefore observes the whole world comprehensively: there is none who is not a true person. Who can grasp this principle to be of the same peerage?" The Tiantai teaching says: "Simply observe that the sentient beings of the ten dharmadhātus are themselves the Buddha. In the ten dharmadhātus, between the aggregates of sentient beings and the aggregates of the Buddha, there is not the slightest difference of a hair or a mustard seed. The Buddha activities of the three times are the four bodily postures of sentient beings."

…is completely and fully replete. The Huayan Treatise says: 'If one sees the nature even slightly, one also attains the Buddha Vehicle. It is like a single hair's-tip drop in the great ocean, or even many drops: in each and every drop, one attains the great ocean. In this way, within the five positions of the bodhisattva, within each and every position of the ten stations and the ten stages, there is the buddha-fruit. It is like that single hair's-tip drop of ocean water: not departing from the buddha-nature, all practices are attained. Relying on that buddha-nature, there is advancement in cultivation.' As in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, it directly uses the complete buddha-fruit of immovable wisdom and so forth—the ten wisdoms of the Tathāgata—to reveal faith and cultivation for ordinary people. It is like an ordinary person who suddenly ascends to the precious throne: holding the kingship in person, he knows all his ministers and all the various classes beneath him, fully encompassing all. The Dharma-doors and bodhisattva practices in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra are also like this: from the initial arising of the mind, the beginning of the ten abodes, one suddenly sees such a Tathāgata dharmakāya and buddha-nature, the unconditioned fruit of wisdom, and universally practices all the myriad deeds of Samantabhadra; according with conditions without obstruction, all are unconditioned. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'The buddha-nature is not a conditioned phenomenon; it is merely covered by adventitious defilements (kleśa).' Therefore, now from the initial position of the ten abodes, through the substance of unconditioned samādhi corresponding to the real, the adventitious defilements entirely lack an essential nature, being solely the real substance and function, free of greed, anger, and delusion; operating naturally, it is just the Buddha. Therefore, corresponding in a single thought, in a single thought one achieves buddhahood; corresponding for a single day, in a single day one achieves buddhahood. Why should one require numerous kalpas, cultivating gradually? Amassing cultivation over many kalpas and reaching the fruit after three asaṃkhyeyas—when the mind conditions itself to kalpa-measures, how can the hindrance of views cease? The Dharma-doors of all buddhas are fundamentally not subsumed by time; calculating time and establishing kalpas is not the Buddha Vehicle. Moreover, the sūtra says: 'To attend upon and make offerings to all the buddhas appearing in the world through kalpas as numerous as dust motes in seas of worlds' clarifies that wisdom free of effort is all-pervading: there is no dharma that is not buddha, and buddha is itself dharma. The empty space of the ten directions is without gap or lack; the point of a needle and the tip of a hair are nothing that is not all dharmas and all buddhas. If there is merely a dust mote of mind discerning right and wrong, defiled and pure, none of this is seeing the Buddha: seal it with the eye of wisdom! It also says: 'Universally bringing forth buddhas as numerous as the dust motes of buddha-lands' means that wisdom is full and practice is pervasive, for there is nothing that is not buddha. 'Serving them all' means that sages and ordinary beings share the same substance, and there is not one that is not buddha. Dharma is empty and without interval; viewing it with the universal eye, penetrating both mind and object, there is nothing that is not buddha. Wisdom follows all practices, because all are buddha. Seeing in this way, discussed in terms of phenomena, it is indeed truly so; discussed as an expression of the Dharma, everything is entirely real, for it is buddha. If there is a single dharma or a single thing that is not seen as buddha, one should know that this person has wrong views, not right views. Then subject and object, right and wrong, and various views arise in contention, and one cannot enter this realm of the wisdom-eye of Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī. Therefore, if disparate thoughts and mixed mental acts arise continuously, one is called a sentient being; then subject and object arise mutually, and right and wrong contend with each other, which is just wrong view. If one understands that delusional thoughts are formless and that external objects are naturally empty, then all dust motes of the lands are nothing other than right enlightenment. Therefore the Treatise on the Explanation of the Mahāyāna says: 'The initial arising of a single thought is without an initial characteristic' means that when the mind arises, there is no initial characteristic that can be known; and speaking of 'knowing the initial characteristic' means being without thought, which dispels doubts and causes superior understanding to arise. That is to say, there are sentient beings who have this doubt: 'At the culmination of the path of liberation, when one converges with original enlightenment, is the subtle, initial arising known to exist, or is it known not to exist? If it is known to exist, the culmination of the path of liberation should not be without thought. Why is this? Because one knows there is an initial thought, and the initial thought exists. If it is known not to exist, the culmination of the path of liberation should not be able to exist. Why is this? Since there is no initial thought, in reliance on what thought's absence is liberation established to exist?' Because of such doubts, it now resolves this by saying: 'The characteristic that is known has from the beginning been empty and non-existent in its self-nature; the wisdom that knows has from the beginning had no time of arising. Since there is neither a characteristic that is apprehended nor a wisdom that apprehends, how could one say that there is a subtle initial characteristic that can be known by wisdom? And as for speaking of knowing the initial characteristic, it is to demonstrate the principle of thoughtlessness. Why is this? Although the principle of dharmatā has no initial arising characteristic to be known, nor an initial enlightenment wisdom that knows, it can comprehend that the absence of a characteristic to be known, the absence of a wisdom that knows, and the absence of any apprehension whatsoever are not completely empty non-existence. Therefore, relying for now on this principle, it speaks in this way:

If all sentient beings attain thoughtlessness, then when the pure Awakened One severs avidyā, could all sentient beings also sever it? If so, what fault is there? If when the one of initial awakening severs avidyā, all sentient beings also attain its severance, why was it said above that down from the diamond [stage], all sentient beings, because they have not escaped from the great avidyā-thoughts of the solitary karmic characteristic, are not called awakened? If sentient beings have not escaped from beginningless avidyā, yet attain thoughtlessness together with the Buddhas, then such meanings as thoughtlessness would be mere verbal expression, devoid of actual meaning. How could it be said that all sentient beings possess inherent awakening and also possess initial awakening? To resolve this difficulty, there are two approaches: first, resolving it according to one's own school; second, resolving it with reference to distinct [perspectives]. Resolving it according to one's own school: The main thesis of this treatise is to reveal that all sentient beings are of one continuous series, without differentiation. Therefore, when one practitioner definitively severs beginningless avidyā, all sentient beings also sever it completely. When one practitioner fulfills initial awakening, all sentient beings also fulfill it together. Therefore, it is said in the Sutra on the Inherent Existence of the Three Bodies: 'At that time, the World-Honoured One addressed Mañjuśrī, saying: "Mañjuśrī, through two equalities I attained right awakening: first, equality of severance; second, equality of attainment. As for the equality of severance: when my ultimate path of liberation first arose, all beginningless avidyā of all sentient beings was definitively severed all at once. As for the equality of attainment: when I first attained the Way and fulfilled initial awakening, all sentient beings were completely fulfilled." Hence they are named the two equalities.' Resolving it with reference to distinct [perspectives]: Taking the perfected one with reference to the realm of sentient beings, not a single phenomenon is not pure; taking sentient beings with reference to the Unsurpassed Honoured One, entering the womb of avidyā without any awareness, all are pure and unobstructed. Thus the meaning of thoughtlessness and the like is established. 'Entering the womb of avidyā without any awareness' has no fault of contradiction with the passages stated above. Taking this one corner, one should observe broadly. From here below, integrating the various stages of initial awakening to make them identical with inherent awakening means that when fulfilling initial awakening at the fifty-first stage, there is actually no progressive, gradually superior fruit, nor is there an ultimate, consummated apex. Why is this? All the four characteristics of initial awakening come to abide simultaneously; none can establish itself independently. From the beginning, they have been of one flavor and equal, consummated in their own nature, tallying without duality in the single characteristic of awakening. Hence the treatise says: 'Yet in reality there is no difference of initial awakening, because the four characteristics exist simultaneously, none can establish itself independently, and being originally equal, they are of the same awakening.' The Commentary on the Awakening of Faith says: 'Awakening with vast clarity, one realizes one's own citta: originally there is nothing that turns, and now there is nothing to dispute; originally equal, various dream-thoughts stir the source of citta.' 'Awakening to citta's initial arising' clarifies the characteristic that is awakened to. 'Citta's initial arising': relying on avidyā, the citta-substance with the characteristic of arising is caused to stir into thought; now one realizes that apart from inherent awakening there is no non-awakening, that stirring thoughts are themselves the quiet citta. Hence it is said: 'Awakening to citta's initial arising.' It is like mistaking east for west; when awakened, one knows that west is itself east. 'Citta having no initial characteristic': originally, due to non-awakening, there was citta arising; now, having awakened, citta has nowhere to arise, hence it is said to have no initial characteristic. Now at the ultimate stage, stirring thoughts are completely exhausted and only the one mind remains, hence it is said to have no initial characteristic. When avidyā is permanently exhausted, one returns to the source of the one mind, with no further stirring, hence it is said that one attains seeing the nature of citta. Citta is then eternally abiding with no further progress to make, which is named ultimate awakening. Before reaching the source of citta, dream-thoughts are not exhausted, and one wishes to extinguish this movement, hoping to reach the other shore. But now, having seen the nature of citta, dream-characteristics are completely exhausted; one realizes that one's own citta has originally never transmigrated; now that avidyā has quieted and ceased, it is ever naturally the one mind. Therefore, one verifies and knows that the Buddha-ground is thoughtless. This is adducing the cause to verify the fruit. Master Mazu said: 'If you wish to recognize citta, your speech right now is your citta. Calling this citta Buddha, it is also the real-mark dharmakāya Buddha, and it is also named the Way. A sutra says: There are three asaṃkhyeya hundreds of thousands of names, named according to worldly occasions and stations. It is like a wish-fulfilling jewel that adapts to colors: contacting blue it is blue, contacting yellow it is yellow, yet its substance is not any of the colors. It is like a finger not touching itself, a knife not cutting itself, a mirror not reflecting itself; according to the circumstances of what is seen, it each receives its name. This citta has a lifespan equal to empty space; even when transmigrating through the six paths and receiving various shapes, this citta has never had birth and has never had cessation. Because sentient beings do not recognize their own citta, their deluded passions falsely produce various karmas and receive retributions; deluded about their original nature, they falsely grasp at the worldly body of wind-breath and the four great elements, seeing birth and cessation, yet the nature of spiritual awakening is truly devoid of birth and cessation. Now, your awakening to this nature is named long life, and also named the lifespan of the Tathāgata, called the originally empty, unmoving nature. The past and future sages have all simply understood this nature to be the Way. Now, seeing, hearing, perceiving, and knowing are originally your original nature, also named the original citta. Apart from this citta, there is no other Buddha. This citta existed originally and exists now; it does not depend on fabrication. It was originally pure and is pure now; it does not await polishing and wiping. It is nirvāṇa of own-nature, pure of own-nature, liberated of own-nature, because of being detached in own-nature. Since your citta-nature is originally Buddha of itself, there is no need to seek another Buddha. You are of yourself the diamond samādhi; there is no need to deliberately focus citta to attain samādhi. Even if you were to succeed by focusing citta and gathering thoughts, it would still not be ultimate.' The Venerable Baozhi's Section on the Non-Duality of Sentient Beings and Buddhas says: 'Sentient beings and Buddhas are not different; / Great wisdom does not differ from foolishness. / What need to seek rare jewels outside? / Within the body there is naturally a bright pearl. / The correct way and the deviant way are non-dual; / Realize that worldlings and sages share the same path. / Delusion and awakening originally have no distinction; / Nirvāṇa and saṃsāra are as one. / Ultimately, conditioning thoughts are empty and tranquil; / Deductive searching and recollective ideation are clear and insubstantial. / Not a single phenomenon can be obtained; / Free and unburdened, one enters directly into the remainderless.'

Mahāsattva Fu's verse says: 'Returning to the source, / Why seek through stages? / The Dharma-nature has no before and after; / In a single thought, in a single moment, it is cultivated.' / Another verse says: 'On the worldly ground, one cultivates the noble Way; / On the fruit ground, one practices worldly causes. / Constantly walking, there is nothing trodden upon; / Constantly crossing over people who cannot be crossed over.' / Great Master Zhenjue's song says: 'Snow Mountain's rich pasture is free from impurity; / It yields pure ghee, which I constantly take. / One nature completely penetrates all natures; / One phenomenon comprehensively contains all phenomena. / One moon universally appears in all waters; / All waters' moons are subsumed in the one moon. / The dharmakāya of the Buddhas enters my nature; / My nature joins together in union with the Tathāgata. / One ground is fully endowed with all grounds; / It is not form, not citta, not karmic activity. / In the snap of a finger, eighty thousand gates are perfectly accomplished; / In a kṣaṇa, the karma of Avīci is extinguished. / All numerical propositions and non-numerical propositions— / What do they have to do with my spiritual awakening?' / The Ocean of Meanings in a Hundred Gates says: 'As for arousing bodhi: now one completely realizes the principle of naturelessness in all sentient beings and in specks of dust and hair-tips, so as to accomplish the Buddha's bodhi-wisdom. Therefore, within the Buddha's bodhi-body, one sees all sentient beings attaining equal, right awakening. Furthermore, since sentient beings, specks of dust, hair-tips, and so forth are entirely constituted as sentient beings by the principle of the Buddha's bodhi, within the bodhi of sentient beings one sees the Buddha cultivating bodhi-practices. Therefore, the Buddha is the Buddha of sentient beings, and sentient beings are the sentient beings of the Buddha. Even if there are unfolding and folding, in the end there is no distinction. One who sees thus is said to have the bodhicitta, arousing great compassion of identical substance to teach and transform sentient beings.'