宗鏡錄 19.7

19.7

答。日月在天。盲者不見。經說一生成佛者。數如微塵。五千卷經。卷卷有即生得道。只如達磨禪師。傳佛心印。言下見性。便為得道。取相之徒。指為外道。論云。金色世界不動智佛。一切處。文殊。俱是自心法性。非外來物。又云。十信。十住。十行。十向。十地。為華嚴。覺了自心。大方廣。是佛。先自見性。為佛身心。齊修五位。為莊飾也。亦同天台。初發心時。即觀涅槃行道。比喻蓮華。華果同時義。同印即心成佛。鴦崛魔羅經云。鴦崛魔羅與文殊師利。普詣十方。各十世界諸如來所。問如是義。云何釋迦牟尼佛。住娑婆世界。不般涅槃解脫之際。彼諸如來。悉答我言。釋迦牟尼佛。即我等身。彼佛自當決汝所疑。故知遍剎之身。只是一身。分亦不多。聚亦非一。如首楞嚴三昧經云。若善男子。善女人。求佛道者。聞首楞嚴三昧義趣。信解不疑。當知是人。必於佛道不復退轉。何況信已。受持讀誦。為他人說。如說修行。時諸釋梵。護世天王。皆作是念。我等今者。當為如來敷師子座。正法座大人座。大莊嚴座。大轉法輪座。當令如來。於我此座。說首楞嚴三昧。是中人人。各各自謂。唯我為佛敷師子座。餘人不能。乃至須臾之間。於如來前。有八萬四千億那由他寶師子座。悉於眾會無所妨礙。一一天子。不見餘座。各作是念。我獨為佛。敷師子座。佛當於我所敷座上。說首楞嚴三昧。時釋梵護世天王。敷座已竟。各白佛言。唯願如來。坐我座上。說首楞嚴三昧。即時世尊。現大神力。遍坐八萬四千億那由他師子座上。諸天各各見佛。坐其所敷座上。不見餘座。有一帝釋。語餘釋言。汝觀如來。坐我座上。是釋梵護世天王。各相謂言。汝觀如來。坐我座上。有一釋言。如來今者。但在我座。不在汝座。乃至時梵眾中。有一梵王。名曰等行。白佛言。世尊。何等如來。為是真實。我座上是。餘座上是。佛告等行。一切諸法。皆空如幻。從和合有。無有作者。皆從憶想分別而起。無有主故。隨意而出。是諸如來。皆是真實。云何為實。是諸如來。本自不生。是故為實。是諸如來。今後亦無。是故為實。是諸如來。非四天攝。是故為實。諸陰界入。皆所不攝。是故為實。是諸如來。如先中後。等無差別。是故為實。梵王。是諸如來。等無差別。所以者何。是諸如來。以色如故等。以受想行識如故等。以是故等。是諸如來。以過去世如故等。以未來世如故等。以現在世如故等。以如幻法故等。以如影法故等。以無所有法故等。以無所從來。無所從去故等。是故如來。名為平等。如一切法等。是諸如來。亦復如是。釋曰。首楞嚴三昧者。即一切事究竟堅固。何者。以能見心性。名為上定。信入此者。亦名王三昧。以此三昧。歷一切事。豈非究竟堅固耶。如釋梵護世諸天。各見佛坐自座。此乃實證自心。所以經云。皆從憶想分別而起。無有主故隨意而出。是諸如來皆是真實。云何為實。是諸如來本自不生。是故為實者。以諸如來。本自不生。即是自心生。然其自心。又如幻夢。皆不出平等真如之性。所以經云。譬如真金。雖復鍛磨。不失其性。是諸大士。亦復如是。隨所試處。皆能示現不思議法性。寶性論偈云。如彼毘瑠璃。清淨大地中。天主帝釋身。於中鏡像現。如是眾生心。清淨大地中。諸佛如來身。於中鏡像現。故知即心而見佛者。可謂現身成道矣。如禪要經云。佛言。善男子。若外相求雖經劫數。終不能得。於內覺觀。如一念頃。即得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。是以行位齊成。速登妙果。以凡聖同體。迷悟似分。若信入之時。不從外得。所以云。生死與道合。如明與暗合。故云水中鹹味。色裏膠青。李長者論云。此華嚴經。十住為見道。十行十向十地十一地為加行。修行令慣熟故。佛果於初。先現以普賢悲願。令智悲大用。慣熟自在故。以自如來根本普光明智先現故。始終本末。總無延促時日分劑故。以法身根本智。如實而言。不同三乘權教。情所解故。皆須約本而觀之。畢竟佛果慣習已成。普賢行已滿。一往但以教化一切眾生為常恒。從初至末。無始無終。無成無壞。但以普遍十方一切六道。以智對現利生。為永業也。從初發心。起信修行時。發如是信樂。發如是志願。起如是志求見如是道。從初發心住。以定觀力。契會法身。顯根本普光明智。照知一切自他生死海。性自解脫。但為教化眾生。令其破執。離妄想苦故。亦不見自身成佛不成佛故。若也起心圖成佛念。當知此人去佛道遠。若也但以法身無性之力。自他性離。無成壞心。起方便力。興大願力。起大悲門。無作而作。發無限志。願。教化一切法界中。無性眾生。使令迷解。還令省得自心無性之理。妄想繫著自無。不言成佛。不言不成佛。不可作如是圖念之情。如此華嚴經。安立五位教門。但為引接未得謂得。未至謂至。未滿云滿。滯染淨障。於菩提道。及菩薩行。有止足心。有休息想。安立五十重因果。一百一十重法門。使不滯住。止息休廢之心。滿普賢願行。至無盡極。又云。此華嚴經。直示本身本法。出超情見。無始無終。三世相絕。一圓真報。不生不滅。不常不斷。性相無礙。自在果海法門。直授上上根人。教門行相。勢分如是。不同權學。依次第漸漸而成。只如登峯九仞。不可以絕其蹤。履十層之級者。不可亡其跡。常見官階一品。但以為臣。聞古士夫。忽有身登九五。明珠頓照。普見無方。澤霖大海。渧渧皆滿。一塵空性。法界無差。品類有情強生留繫。根器不等。權實不同。以此教門。千差萬別。須知權實。識假修真。不可久滯權宗。迷其實教者也。

Answer: The sun and moon are in the sky, yet the blind do not see them. In the scriptures, those said to achieve buddhahood in a single lifetime are as numerous as dust motes. In the five thousand fascicles of the canon, every single fascicle contains [instances of] attaining the Way in one's present life. Just as Chan Master Bodhidharma transmitted the Buddha's mind-seal and saw the nature upon hearing the words, this is immediately attaining the Way. Those who grasp at characteristics refer to him as a non-Buddhist. A treatise states: 'The Buddha of Immovable Knowledge in the Golden World and Mañjuśrī in all places are both the dharmatā of one's own mind, not things coming from outside.' It also states: 'The ten faiths, ten abodes, ten practices, ten dedications, and ten grounds constitute the Flower Garland; awakening to and understanding one's own mind as vast, correct, and extensive is the Buddha. First seeing one's own nature constitutes the body and mind of the Buddha; cultivating the five stages equally serves as the adornment.' It is also like the Tiantai [teaching]: at the time of initial aspiration, one immediately contemplates nirvāṇa and practices the Way; this is analogized to the lotus flower, where blossom and fruit exist simultaneously. They are identical in sealing that the mind itself achieves buddhahood. The Aṅgulimāla-sūtra says: 'Aṅgulimāla and Mañjuśrī went universally to the tathāgatas of ten worlds in each of the ten directions and asked about this meaning: “Why does Śākyamuni Buddha abide in the Sahā World and not enter the realm of liberation in parinirvāṇa?” All those tathāgatas answered me, saying: “Śākyamuni Buddha is the very body of us all; that Buddha will himself resolve your doubts.”' Thus we know that the body that pervades the lands is merely a single body; divided it is not many, and united it is not one. As the Śūraṅgamasamādhisūtra says: 'If good sons or good daughters who seek the buddha-way hear the meaning and import of the Śūraṅgama samādhi and have faith and understanding without doubt, you should know that these persons will certainly never regress from the buddha-way—how much more so if, having had faith, they uphold, read, recite, explain it to others, and practice as taught. At that time, all the Śakras, Brahmās, and world-protecting heavenly kings each gave rise to this thought: “We should now spread a lion seat for the Tathāgata, an upright Dharma seat, a great person's seat, a greatly adorned seat, a seat for the great turning of the wheel of Dharma. We should cause the Tathāgata to speak the Śūraṅgama samādhi upon this seat of mine.” In this assembly, every person individually thought: “Only I have spread a lion seat for the Buddha; other people cannot do so.” And so, within a moment, before the Tathāgata there were eighty-four thousand billion nayutas of jeweled lion seats, none obstructing any other in the assembly. Each devaputra did not see the other seats, each having this thought: “I alone have spread a lion seat for the Buddha; the Buddha will speak the Śūraṅgama samādhi upon the seat I have spread.” At that time, after Śakra, Brahmā, and the world-protecting heavenly kings had finished spreading their seats, they each addressed the Buddha, saying: “May the Tathāgata deign to sit upon my seat and preach the Śūraṅgama samādhi.” Immediately, the World-Honoured One manifested great supernatural power and sat universally upon all eighty-four thousand billion nayutas of lion seats. The gods each saw the Buddha sitting upon the seat they had spread, not seeing the other seats. There was one Śakra who said to the other Śakras: “Look at the Tathāgata sitting upon my seat!” These Śakras, Brahmās, and world-protecting heavenly kings each said to one another: “Look at the Tathāgata sitting upon my seat!” One Śakra said: “The Tathāgata is now only on my seat, not on your seat.” And so, among the Brahmā assembly, there was a Brahmā king named Equal Practice who addressed the Buddha, saying: “World-Honoured One, which Tathāgata is real? The one on my seat, or the ones on the other seats?” The Buddha told Equal Practice: “All phenomena are empty like an illusion, existing from causes in combination, without an agent. They all arise from conceptual thinking and discrimination; having no master, they emerge according to mental intent. All these tathāgatas are real. Why are they real? These tathāgatas fundamentally do not arise; therefore they are real. These tathāgatas are non-existent now and in the future; therefore they are real. These tathāgatas are not subsumed by the four elements; therefore they are real. They are not subsumed by any skandhas, dhātus, or āyatanas; therefore they are real. These tathāgatas are equal and without difference in the beginning, middle, and end; therefore they are real. Brahmā King, these tathāgatas are equal and without difference. Why is this? These tathāgatas are equal because form is as such (tathatā); they are equal because feeling, conception, volitional formations, and consciousness are as such; for this reason they are equal. These tathāgatas are equal because the past world is as such; they are equal because the future world is as such; they are equal because the present world is as such; they are equal because phenomena are like an illusion; they are equal because phenomena are like a shadow; they are equal because phenomena are non-existent; they are equal because they have nowhere from which they come and nowhere to which they go. Therefore the Tathāgata is called equal. As all phenomena are equal, so too are these tathāgatas.”' Explanation: The Śūraṅgama samādhi is the ultimate firmness of all affairs. Why? Because being able to see the mind's nature is called the supreme concentration. For one who enters into this with faith, it is also called the king of samādhis. By means of this samādhi, one passes through all affairs—how could it not be ultimately firm? Just as the devas such as Śakra, Brahmā, and the world-protectors each saw the Buddha sitting on their own seat, this is indeed the genuine realization of one's own mind. Therefore the sūtra says: 'They all arise from conceptual thinking and discrimination; having no master, they emerge according to mental intent. All these tathāgatas are real. Why are they real? These tathāgatas fundamentally do not arise; therefore they are real.' Because all tathāgatas fundamentally do not arise, this is their arising from one's own mind. Yet their own mind is also like an illusion or a dream; none goes beyond the nature of equal tathatā. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Just as true gold, though refined and polished, does not lose its nature, so too are all these great beings: wherever they are tested, they can all manifest the inconceivable dharmatā.' A verse in the Ratnagotravibhāga says: 'Just as in the pure earth of beryl, / The body of the heavenly lord Śakra / Appears in it as a reflected image, / So too in the pure earth of sentient beings' minds, / The bodies of all the buddhas and tathāgatas / Appear in them as reflected images.' Thus we know that seeing the Buddha within the mind can be called attaining the Way in this very body. As the Sūtra on the Essentials of Chan says: 'The Buddha said: “Good son, if you seek outwardly for characteristics, though you pass through kalpas, in the end you will not attain it. If you awaken and contemplate inwardly, in as little as a single thought-moment you will attain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.”' Therefore, practices and stages are realized simultaneously, and one swiftly ascends to the wondrous fruit. Because ordinary beings and sages are of the same substance, delusion and awakening merely appear to be divided. When one enters through faith, it is not obtained from the outside. Therefore it is said: 'Saṃsāra accords with the Way, just as light accords with darkness.' Hence it is said: '[Like] saltiness in water, or gluey blue in color.' Elder Li's treatise says: 'In this Avataṃsaka-sūtra, the ten abodes are the path of seeing, and the ten practices, ten dedications, ten grounds, and the eleventh ground are the preparatory applications, practicing to make it habitual and mature. The fruit of buddhahood is first manifested at the beginning; by Samantabhadra's compassionate vows, the great functions of wisdom and compassion are made habitual, mature, and sovereign. Because the Tathāgata's fundamental, universal radiant wisdom first manifests of itself, there is no extension, shortening, time, days, or limits from beginning to end, root to branch. Speaking in accordance with reality based on the fundamental wisdom of the dharmakāya, it is not like the provisional teachings of the triyāna, which are understood through emotional perceptions; it must always be contemplated with reference to the root. Ultimately, once the habituation to the fruit of buddhahood is completed and Samantabhadra's practices are fulfilled, in general one simply takes teaching and transforming all sentient beings as eternal. From beginning to end, without beginning or end, without creation or destruction, one takes responding and appearing with wisdom to benefit living beings universally across the six destinies throughout the ten directions as one's perpetual vocation. From the initial generation of the mind, when giving rise to faith and practice, one gives rise to such joyful faith, gives rise to such vows, gives rise to such aspiring pursuit, and sees such a way. From the stage of the initial aspiration, through the power of concentrated contemplation, one accords with the dharmakāya, revealing the fundamental, universal radiant wisdom, illuminating and knowing the ocean of births and deaths of both oneself and others to be inherently liberated by nature. Merely for the sake of teaching and transforming sentient beings to cause them to break attachments and leave the suffering of vain imaginings, one also does not see one's own body as achieving buddhahood or not achieving buddhahood. If one gives rise to a thought scheming to achieve buddhahood, you should know that this person is far from the buddha-way. If, solely by the power of the dharmakāya's lack of intrinsic nature, oneself and others are free from intrinsic nature, without any mind of creation or destruction, one gives rise to the power of skillful means, promotes the power of great vows, initiates the gate of great compassion, acting through non-action, giving rise to boundless aspirations and vows to teach and transform all beings without intrinsic nature throughout the dharmadhātu, causing their delusions to be resolved, further causing them to realize the principle of one's own mind's lack of intrinsic nature, so that vain imaginings and clingings are naturally absent—neither speaking of achieving buddhahood nor speaking of not achieving buddhahood—one must not produce such scheming thoughts. Thus, the Avataṃsaka-sūtra establishes the teaching gates of the five stages solely to guide and receive those who claim to have attained what they have not attained, reached what they have not reached, and fulfilled what they have not fulfilled, being stagnated by the obstacles of defilement and purity, possessing minds of contentment and thoughts of resting regarding the bodhi-path and bodhisattva practices. It establishes the fiftyfold causes and fruits and the one hundred and ten doctrinal gates so that they do not dwell stagnation, ceasing, and giving up, but fulfill Samantabhadra's vows and practices to the inexhaustible ultimate.' It also states: 'This Avataṃsaka-sūtra directly reveals the fundamental body and fundamental Dharma, transcending emotional views, without beginning and without end, severed from the characteristics of the three times. It is a single, complete, true reward, neither arising nor ceasing, neither eternal nor annihilated, where nature and characteristics are unimpeded, the sovereign gate of the fruit-ocean, directly conferred upon people of the highest faculties. The features and momentum of the doctrinal gates are like this, unlike the provisional studies that are achieved gradually in sequence. Just like ascending a nine-ren peak, one cannot do without footsteps; walking up a ten-story flight of stairs, one cannot obliterate one's tracks. Usually, one sees that a first-rank official is merely a minister; yet we hear that an ancient scholar-official suddenly ascended the throne. The bright pearl shines suddenly, seen universally without fixed location; the torrential rain over the great ocean fills every drop. The empty nature of a single dust mote is not different from the dharmadhātu. Various kinds of sentient beings forcibly give rise to lingering attachments; their capacities and vessels are not equal, and the provisional and the real differ. Because of this, the doctrinal gates have thousands of differences and myriad distinctions. One must understand the provisional and the real, recognize the conventional to cultivate the true, and not remain long stagnated in the provisional schools, deluded regarding its real teaching.'"