宗鏡錄 19.15

19.15

答。見雖前後。性且不虧。迹任昇沈理亦無爽。如昏睡心中有覺悟之性。以眠熟未惺故。寤來即現。似嬰孩身內具大人之相。以力用未充故。長成即備。一切眾生。以無明夢未惺。覺道力未具。則佛性未現。法身未圓。豈是一切含生。而不具如來藏性。

Answer: Although there is seen to be earlier and later, the nature is not compromised. Though the traces are left to rise or sink, the principle is also without error. It is like having the nature of awakening within a mind in deep sleep: because the sleep is deep and one has not yet sobered up, it appears as soon as one awakens. It is like having the characteristics of an adult within the body of an infant: because strength and function are not yet sufficient, they become fully present when grown up. All sentient beings, because the dream of avidyā is not yet awakened from and the power of the path of awakening is not yet complete, then the Buddha-nature is not yet manifested and the dharmakāya is not yet perfected. How could it be that any living beings are not endowed with the tathāgatagarbha nature?