宗鏡錄 17.9

17.9

答。一是如來慈悲本願功德種子增上緣力。令曾與佛有緣眾生。念佛修觀。集諸福智。種種萬善。功德力以為因緣。則自心感現佛身來迎。不是諸佛實遣化身而來迎接。但是功德種子本願之力。以所化眾生。時機正合。令自心見佛來迎。則佛身湛然常寂。無有去來。眾生識心。託佛本願功德勝力。自心變化。有來有去。如面鏡像。似夢施為。鏡中之形。非內非外。夢裏之質。不有不無。但是自心。非關佛化。則不來不去。約諸佛功德所云。有往有還。就眾生心相所說。是知淨業純熟。目覩佛身。惡果將成。心現地獄。如福德之者。執礫成金。業貧之人。變金成礫。礫非金而金現。金非礫而礫生。金生但是心生。礫現唯從心現。轉變是我。金礫何從。抱疑之徒。可曉斯旨。

Answer: First, through the predominant condition power of the seeds of the Tathāgata's compassion and fundamental vows and merits, sentient beings who have previously had conditions with the Buddha are caused to be mindful of the Buddha and cultivate contemplation, accumulating all blessings and wisdom and all myriad virtues. Taking this merit-power as cause and condition, their own citta evokes and manifests the Buddha-body coming to welcome them. It is not that the Buddhas actually dispatch a transformation body to come and welcome them. It is only through the power of the seeds of merit and the fundamental vows, because the timing and capacity of the sentient beings to be transformed properly coincide, that their own citta is caused to see the Buddha coming to welcome them. Thus the Buddha-body is clear and ever-quiescent, having no going or coming. The conscious mind of sentient beings, relying on the superior power of the Buddha's fundamental vows and merits, transforms in its own citta into having coming and going. It is like an image in a mirror, like actions performed in a dream: the form in the mirror is neither inside nor outside; the matter in the dream is neither existent nor non-existent. It is merely one's own citta, having nothing to do with the Buddha's transformation. Thus, 'no coming and no going' is spoken with regard to the merits of the Buddhas; 'having departing and returning' is spoken in terms of the mind-characteristics of sentient beings. Hence we know that when pure karma matures, the eyes behold the Buddha-body; when evil retribution is about to form, the citta manifests hells. Just as one with merit holds gravel and it becomes gold, while a person impoverished by karma turns gold into gravel: gravel is not gold, yet gold appears; gold is not gravel, yet gravel is produced. The production of gold is merely the production of the citta; the appearance of gravel arises solely from the citta. The transformation lies with me—whence would gold and gravel come? Those harboring doubts should understand this principle.