宗鏡錄 18.27

18.27

答。若約內觀。因了妄念雜識。眾生無體。發其覺慧。成自心之佛。此豈不是因眾生得度。若論外化。皆因眾生感出。若無機緣。既無所化。亦不成佛。如淨名經云。菩薩隨所化眾生而取佛土。淨度三昧經云。眾生亦度佛。若無感。佛不出世。亦不能得成三菩提。出世菩提。皆由眾生機故。

Answer: If considered in terms of internal contemplation, because of understanding that stray thoughts and miscellaneous consciousnesses—sentient beings—are without substantial entity, awakening wisdom is generated and one accomplishes the Buddha of one's own mind. How is this not attaining liberation on account of sentient beings? If discussed in terms of external transformation, all [buddhas] manifest through the response to sentient beings. If there were no receptive capacities, then since there would be none to be transformed, neither would buddhahood be accomplished. As the Vimalakīrtinirdeśasūtra says: 'A bodhisattva takes a buddha-land according to the sentient beings he transforms.' The Jingdu sanmei jing says: 'Sentient beings also liberate the Buddha. If there were no response, the Buddha would not appear in the world, nor could he attain the accomplishment of saṃbodhi. Appearance in the world and bodhi are both caused by the receptive capacity of sentient beings.'