宗鏡錄 15.7

15.7

牛頭融大師答云。善哉善哉。不可思議。今若責我如此證果者。恐與道乖。審如是成佛者。幻師亦得作佛。且與諸大德及諸人士證者。昔釋迦在於。僧中演無上道。與僧不異。維摩在俗說解脫果。與俗不殊。勝鬘女人說大乘法。女相不改。善星比丘行闡提行。僧相不移。此乃正據其內心解與不解。以為差隔。何關色身。男女相貌。衣服好醜。若言形隨證改。貌逐悟遷是聖者。則瞿曇形改。方成釋迦。維摩相遷。乃成金粟。即知證是心證。非是形遷。悟是智變。非關相異。譬如世間任官之人。為遷改官。官高豈即貌別。又古人云。不改舊時人。只改舊時行履處。設或改形換質。千變萬化。皆是一心所為。乃至神通作用。出沒自在。易小令大。展促為長。豈離一心之內。故知萬事無有不由心者。但證自心。言下成聖。若不識道。具相奚為。故金剛經云。若以三十二相觀如來者。轉輪聖王。即是如來。又偈云。若以色見我。以音聲求我。是人行邪道。不能見如來。古人云。若不達此理。縱然步步脚踏蓮華。亦同魔作。龐居士偈云。色聲求佛道。結果反成魔。若決定取神通勝相作佛者。不唯幻士成聖。乃至天魔外道。妖狐精魅。鬼神龍蜃等。皆悉成佛。彼咸具業報五通。盡能變化故。若不一一以實相勘之。何辯真偽。但先悟宗鏡。法眼圓明。則何理而不通。何事而不徹。一切佛事攝化之門。自然成就。如華嚴論云。經云。入深禪定。得佛神通者。以心稱理原。無出入體。無靜亂體。無造作性。任理自真。不生不滅。理真智應。性自遍周。三世十方。一時普應。對現色身。隨智應而化群品。而無來往。亦不變化。名佛神通。智無依止。無形無色。體無來去。性自遍周。非三世攝。而能普應三世之法。名曰神通。是故經云。智入三世。而無來往。為三世是眾生情所妄立。非實有故。為智體無形無色。不造不作。而應群品。名之為神。圓滿十方。無法不知。無根不識。名之為通。又云。法華經云。種種性相義。我及十方佛。乃能知是事。聲聞及緣覺。不退諸菩薩。皆悉不能知。此等即是門前三乘也。為未明。世間相常住。是法住法位。為三乘同厭苦集。樂修滅道之心。未明苦集。本唯智起。不了滅道。本自無修無造無作。化諸群品。如幻住世。性絕無明。即是佛故。一念相應一念佛。一日相應一日佛。何須苦死要三僧祇。但自了三界業。能空業處。任運接生。即是佛也。何須變易。方言成佛。龍天變易。豈為佛耶。三乘之人亦變易。何故待三僧祗佛方成故。十地之上。方能見性。是故經云。若以色性大神力。而欲望見調御士。彼。即瞖目顛倒見。彼。為不識最勝法。佛者。覺也。覺業性真。業無生滅。無得無證。不出不沒。性無變化。本來如。即是佛故。隨緣六道。行菩薩行。變化神通。接引迷流。佛非變化。淨名經云。雖成正覺。轉于法輪。不捨菩薩之道。是菩薩行故。以此善財。十住初心。於妙峯山上德雲比丘所。得憶念一切諸佛境界智慧光明普見法門。即便成正覺。然後始詣諸友求菩薩道。行菩薩行。當知正覺體用之時。即心無作處。即是佛故。不須修行。設當行滿。亦不移今。故如化佛示成化相之時。苦行麻麥。剃髮持衣。捨諸飾好。藉草等事。為化外道。經中佛自和會。非佛自須如是等行。無增上慢者。豈須如是。一念任無作性。佛智慧現前。無得無證。即是佛也。還如善財證覺之後。方求菩提道。菩薩行。所以然者。為覺道之後。方堪入纏處俗無縛。始能為眾生說法解縛。若自有縛。能解彼縛。無有是處。說時前後。法是一時故。當知若欲行菩薩行。須先成正覺。又經頌云。文殊法常爾者。為文殊是諸佛之慧。不動智是體。文殊是用。以將此一切諸佛一切眾生根本智之體用門。與一切信心者作因果體用故。使依本故。迄至究竟果滿。與因不異。無二性故。方名初發心畢竟心。二種不別。明此十信心難發難信難入。聞之者。皆云。我是凡夫。何猶可得是佛。故設少分信者。即責神通道力。是故當知。且須如是正信。方始以正信正見法力加行。如法進修。分分無明薄。解脫智慧明。依自得法淺深。漸當神通德用。隨自己得。信猶未得。何索神通。說言漸漸者。不移一時。一法性一智慧。無依住無所得中漸漸故。以十玄六相義圓之。法性理中。無有漸頓。但為無始無明慣習熟。卒令契理。純熟難故。而有漸漸。

Master Niutou Rong answered, saying: "Excellent, excellent! Inconceivable! If you now demand of me such realization of the fruit, I fear it would diverge from the Way. If becoming a Buddha were truly like this, then a magician could also become a Buddha. Furthermore, consider those who realized it among the venerable ones and people of the past: When Śākyamuni expounded the unsurpassable Way among the Saṅgha, he was no different from a monk. When Vimalakīrti spoke of the fruit of liberation while living as a householder, he was no different from a layman. When the woman Śrīmālā spoke the Great Vehicle Dharma, her female form did not change. When the monk Sunakṣatra engaged in icchantika conduct, his monk's appearance did not alter. This is precisely based on the understanding or lack of understanding in the inner citta as constituting the distinction; what does it have to do with the physical body, male or female appearance, or fine and ugly clothes? If one says that form changes with realization and appearance shifts with awakening to make a sage, then only when Gautama's form changed would he become Śākyamuni, and only when Vimalakīrti's appearance shifted would he become Jin su. Thus one knows that realization is citta-realization, not a shift in form; awakening is the transformation of jñāna, having nothing to do with difference in characteristics. For example, when a person in the world holds office, if they are promoted to another office, does high rank mean their appearance is immediately different? Moreover, the ancients said: 'Do not change the person of old; only change where that person of old walked.' Even if one alters form and changes substance through a thousand transformations and ten thousand alterations, all are wrought by the one mind. As for supernormal functions appearing and disappearing freely, changing small into large, expanding the brief into the long—how could they depart from the within of the one mind? Therefore, know that among the ten thousand things, there is none that does not proceed from the mind. Just realize your own mind, and you will become a sage at once upon these words. If you do not recognize the Way, of what use are possessing characteristics? Therefore, the Diamond Sūtra says: 'If one views the Tathāgata by means of the thirty-two marks, a wheel-turning sage king would be the Tathāgata.' Again, a verse says: 'If one sees me by form, or seeks me by sound, this person walks a deviant path and cannot see the Tathāgata.' The ancients said: 'If one does not comprehend this principle, even if with every step one treads upon lotus flowers, it is still the working of Māra.' Layman Pang's verse says: 'Seeking the Buddha-Way through form and sound, the result turns out to be becoming a māra.' If one definitely takes supernormal powers and superior marks to constitute a Buddha, then not only would magicians become sages, but even heavenly māras, non-Buddhists, demon foxes, spirits, ghosts, gods, dragons, and clam-monsters would all become Buddhas, for they all possess the five supernormal powers of karmic retribution and are entirely capable of transformation. If one does not scrutinize each and every thing with the true mark, how can the true and the false be distinguished? But if you first awaken to the mirror of the source and the Dharma-eye is completely clear, then what principle will not be penetrated, and what matter will not be fathomed? All gates of doing Buddha-work and gathering and transforming [beings] will naturally be accomplished. As the Huayan lun says: 'The sūtra says: "Entering deep dhyāna-concentration, one attains the Buddha's supernormal powers." This is because the mind accords with the source of principle: it has no substance of entering or exiting, no substance of quietude or disturbance, and no nature of contrivance. Entrusted to principle, it is naturally true, neither arising nor ceasing. Principle being true, jñāna responds; the nature is naturally all-pervasive. In the three times and the ten directions, it responds universally at once, manifesting physical forms facing [beings] and transforming all kinds according to the response of jñāna, yet without coming or going, nor is there transformation. This is called the Buddha's supernormal powers. Jñāna has no basis of reliance; it has no form and no color; its substance has no coming or going; its nature is naturally all-pervasive. It is not subsumed within the three times, yet it can universally respond to the dharmas of the three times—this is called supernormal power. Therefore, the sūtra says: "Jñāna enters the three times yet has no coming or going." This is because the three times are falsely established by the sentiments of sentient beings and are not real existents. Because the substance of jñāna has no form and no color, and is uncreated and unmade, yet responds to all kinds of beings, it is called divine; being complete throughout the ten directions, knowing all dharmas, and recognizing all faculties, it is called power.' It also says: 'The Lotus Sūtra says: "The meanings of the various natures and marks—only I and the Buddhas of the ten directions can know these matters; śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and non-retrogressing bodhisattvas are all unable to know them." These beings are just the three vehicles outside the gate. Because they have not yet clarified that the characteristics of the world abide constantly and that dharmas abide in their dharma-positions; and because the three vehicles share a mind that is weary of suffering and its arising and delights in cultivating cessation and the path, they have not yet clarified that suffering and arising originally arise solely from jñāna, and have not comprehended that cessation and the path are originally without cultivation, without making, and without contrivance. Transforming all kinds of beings, abiding in the world like an illusion, their nature severed from avidyā—this is precisely the Buddha. One thought corresponding is a Buddha for one thought; one day corresponding is a Buddha for one day. Why must one bitterly insist on three asaṃkhyeya kalpas? Just realize for yourself that the karma of the three realms can empty the locus of karma, and naturally receive and guide beings—this is the Buddha. Why must there be transformation before one speaks of becoming a Buddha? When dragons and devas transform, are they Buddhas? Persons of the three vehicles also transform, so why must they wait for three asaṃkhyeya kalpas before becoming Buddhas? Only above the ten stages can one see the nature. Therefore, the sūtra says: "If by material nature and great supernormal powers one desires to see the Tamer of Men, that is cataract-clouded eyes and inverted seeing; that is not recognizing the most supreme Dharma." "Buddha" means awakening. Awakening to the karmic nature as true, karma is without arising or ceasing, without attainment or realization, without emerging or submerging, its nature without transformation, originally such—this is precisely the Buddha. Following conditions across the six destinies, one practices the bodhisattva conduct, transforms with supernormal powers, and receives and guides deluded flows [of beings]—yet the Buddha is not a transformation. The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says: "Although he achieves right awakening and turns the wheel of the Dharma, he does not abandon the bodhisattva path—this is the bodhisattva conduct." Thus, Sudhana, at the initial mind of the ten abodes, at the place of the monk Meghasvara on Mount Sugambhīra, attained the Dharma-gate of the wisdom light of universally seeing the realm of all Buddhas through recollection, and immediately achieved right awakening. Only after that did he first visit the various spiritual friends to seek the bodhisattva path and practice the bodhisattva conduct. You should know that at the time of the substance and function of right awakening, the very locus of the mind's non-contrivance is precisely the Buddha; hence there is no need for cultivation. Even when practice is completed, it does not displace the present. Therefore, just as when a transformation-Buddha displays the appearance of transformation through the bitter practices of eating hemp and wheat, shaving the hair, wearing the robes, abandoning ornaments, sitting on grass, and such matters, to transform non-Buddhists—in the sūtras the Buddha himself harmonizes this, showing it was not that the Buddha himself required such practices. For one without overweening pride, why would such things be necessary? With a single thought entrusted to the unconditioned nature, the Buddha's jñāna appears before them, without attainment and without realization—this is precisely the Buddha. It is just like Sudhana seeking the bodhi path and bodhisattva conduct only after realizing awakening. The reason for this is that only after awakening to the Way is one capable of entering entanglement and abiding in the secular without bondage, and only then can one expound the Dharma to beings to release their bonds. If one is bound oneself, that one could release the bonds of others is impossible. Though spoken as earlier and later, the Dharma is simultaneous. You should know that if you wish to practice the bodhisattva conduct, you must first achieve right awakening. Furthermore, a sūtra verse says: "The Dharma of Mañjuśrī is constantly thus." This is because Mañjuśrī is the prajñā of all Buddhas: immovable jñāna is the substance, and Mañjuśrī is the function. Using this gate of substance and function of the fundamental jñāna of all Buddhas and all sentient beings, it acts as the cause-and-effect substance and function for all people of faithful mind, causing them to rely on the origin, so that reaching the ultimate fruit's completion, it is not different from the cause, because the nature is non-dual. Only then is it called the initial aspiring mind and the ultimate mind—the two types are not distinct. This clarifies that these ten faiths are difficult to arouse, difficult to believe, and difficult to enter. Those who hear of it all say: "I am an ordinary person; how could I be a Buddha?" Therefore, if they arouse even a small fraction of faith, they immediately demand supernormal powers and the power of the Way. For this reason, you should know that one must first have such right faith, and only then, by the force of Dharma of right faith and right view, make additional efforts and advance in cultivation in accord with Dharma: fraction by fraction avidyā thins, and liberation and jñāna brighten. In accordance with the depth or shallowness of one's own attainment of the Dharma, one gradually matches the supernormal virtuous functions according to what one has attained. When faith is not yet attained, why seek supernormal powers? When we speak of "gradual," it does not displace the single moment, the single dharma-nature, the single jñāna; it is gradual within the unattached and unattained, consummated by the meaning of the ten profundities and six characteristics. In the principle of dharma-nature, there is neither gradual nor sudden; but because the habits of beginningless avidyā are deeply ingrained, and bringing about an immediate accord with principle to thorough ripeness is difficult, there is the gradual.'