宗鏡錄 2.9

2.9

答。上上根人。一聞千悟。性相雙辯。理事俱圓。若中下之徒。須假開演。莊嚴之道。讚飾之門。格量其功。不可為喻。所以法華經偈云。譬如優曇華。一切皆愛樂。天人所希有。時時乃一出。聞法歡喜讚。乃至發一言。則為已供養。一切三世佛。是人甚希有。過於優曇華。般若頌云。般若無壞相。過一切言語。適無所依止。誰能讚其德。般若雖叵讚。我今能得讚。雖未脫死地。則為已得出。又古聖云。若菩薩造論者。名莊嚴經。如蓮華未開。見雖生喜。不如已剖香氣芬馥。如金未用。見雖生喜。不如用之為莊嚴具。故知弘教一念之善。能報十方諸佛之恩。論希有。則如華擅優曇之名。說光揚。則似金作莊嚴之具。是以菩薩釋大乘密旨。聞於未聞。能斷深疑。成於圓信。法利何盡。功德無邊。如大般若經云。復次憍尸迦。置贍部洲諸有情類。若四大洲諸有情類。若小千界諸有情類。若中千界諸有情類。若大千界諸有情類。若復十方各如殑伽沙等世界諸有情類。皆於無上正等菩提。得不退轉。同作是言。我今欣樂。速證無上正等菩提。濟拔有情生死眾苦。令得殊勝畢竟安樂。有善男子善女人等。為成彼事。書深般若波羅蜜多。眾寶莊嚴。供養恭敬。尊重讚歎。普施與彼。受持讀誦。令善通利。如理思惟。於意云何。是善男子善女人等。由此因緣。得福多不。天帝釋言。甚多世尊。甚多善逝。爾時佛告天帝釋言。若善男子善女人等。書深般若波羅蜜多。眾寶莊嚴。供養恭敬。尊重讚歎。於彼眾中。隨施與一。受持讀誦。令善通利。如理思惟。以無量門巧妙文義。廣為解釋。分別義趣。令其解了。教授教誡。令勤修學。是善男子善女人等。所獲福聚。甚多於前。無量無邊。不可稱數。大涅槃經云。佛言。善男子。除一闡提。其餘眾生。聞是經已。悉皆能作菩提因緣。法聲光明入毛孔者。必定當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。何以故。若有人能供養恭敬無量諸佛。方乃得聞大涅槃經。薄福之人。則不得聞。故知得聞宗鏡所錄一心實相常住法門。皆是曩結深因。曾親佛會。甚為大事。非屬小緣。若未聞熏。曷由值遇。又大涅槃經云。佛告迦葉菩薩。諸善男子善女人。常當繫心修此二字。佛是常住。迦葉。若有善男子善女人。修此二字。當知是人。隨我所行。至我至處。是以信此法人。即凡即聖。修持契會。住佛所住之中。進止威儀。行佛所行之跡。釋摩訶衍論云。第一顯離疑信入功德門者。謂有眾生。聞此摩訶衍之甚深極妙廣大法門已。即其心中。亦不疑畏。亦不怯弱。亦不輕賤。亦不誹謗。發決定心。發堅固心。發尊重心。發愛信心。當知是人。真實佛子。不斷法種。不斷僧種。不斷佛種。常恒相續。轉轉增長。盡於未來。亦為諸佛親所授記。亦為一切無量菩薩之所護念。故如論云。若人聞是法已。不生怯弱。當知是人。定紹佛種。必為諸佛之所授記。第二比類對治示勝門者。謂若有人。能善攝化三千大千世界中遍滿眾生。皆悉無餘。令行十善。或有眾生於一食頃。於此甚深法觀察思量。若校量此二人功德。彼第一人。所得功德甚極微少。譬如芥子碎作百分之量。此第二人。所得功德甚極廣大。譬如碎十方世界微塵數量。故如論云。假使有人。能化三千大千世界滿中眾生。令行十善。不如有人於一食頃正思此法。過前功德。不可為喻。第三舉受持功讚揚門者。謂若有人。受持此論。觀察義理。若一日。若一夜。中間。所得功德無量無邊。不可言說。不可思量。若假使十方三世一切諸佛。十方三世一切諸菩薩。以十方世界微塵數舌。各各皆悉於十方世界微塵數之量。不可說劫。讚揚其人所有功德。亦不能盡。所以者何。法身真如之功德。等虛空界。無邊際故。何況凡夫二乘之人。能稱歎之。一日一夜不多。中間受持人。尚所得功德不可思議。何況若二日。若三日。若四日。乃至百日中。受持讀誦。思惟觀察。不可思議。不可說中不可說。故如論云。復次若人受持此論。觀察修行。若一日一夜。所有功德無量無邊。不可得說。假令十方諸佛。各於無量無邊阿僧祇劫。歎其功德。亦不能盡。何以故。謂法性功德。無有盡故。此人功德。亦復如是。無有邊際。故知信此心宗。成摩訶衍。同三世諸佛之所證。義理何窮。等十方菩薩之所乘。功德無盡。偶斯玄化。慶幸逾深。順佛旨而報佛恩。無先弘法。闡佛日而開佛眼。只在明心。此宗鏡中。若得一句入神。歷劫為種。況正言深奧。總一群經。此一乃無量中一。若染此法。即是圓頓之種。可謂甘露入頂。醍醐灌心。耀不二之慧燈。破情根之闇惑。注一味之智水。洗意地之妄塵。能令厚障深遮。若暴風之卷危葉。繁疑積滯。猶赫日之爍輕氷。猶如於諸王中。為金輪之王。於諸照中。為晨旭之照。於諸寶中。為摩尼之寶。於諸華中。為青蓮之華。於諸諦中為真空之門。於諸法中。為涅槃之宅。故金剛三昧經偈云。一味之法印。一乘之所成。能於一切眾生中。為首為師。為明為導。如勝天王般若經云。一切法中。心為上首。大智度論云。三世諸佛。皆以諸法實相為師。祖師云。一切明中。心明為上。法華經偈云。第一之導師。得是無上法。又若未入宗鏡。非唯不得見道。實乃理絕修行。即本立而道生。歸根方究竟。如觀本質。知畫像而非真。若了藏性。見塵境而為妄。故經偈云。非不證真如。而能了諸行。猶如幻事等。似有而非真。是以若得本。即得末。故華嚴經中海會菩薩。用法界微塵以為三昧。又出現品云。此法門。名為如來祕密之處。乃至名演說如來根本實性。不思議究竟法。故先德云。剖微塵之經卷。則念念果成。盡眾生之願門。則塵塵行滿。未悟宗鏡。焉信斯文。若暫信之。功力悉等。不易所習。盡具法門。即塞即通。即邪即正。所以昔人云。遇斯教者。應須自慶。其猶溺巨海而遇芳舟。墜長空而乘靈鶴矣。

Answer: People of the highest capacity hear once and awaken to a thousand [truths]; nature and characteristics are both discerned, principle and phenomena are both completely realized. But for those of intermediate and lower [capacity], one must rely on unfolding and expounding. The path of ornamentation and the gateway of praise and embellishment—estimating their merit, no analogy can suffice. Therefore a verse in the Lotus Sūtra says: / 'Just like the udumbara flower, / which everyone loves and delights in, / a rarity among gods and humans, / appearing only once in a great while; / if one hears the Dharma and rejoices in praise, / even to the point of uttering a single word, / one has already made offerings / to all buddhas of the three times. / Such a person is exceedingly rare, / surpassing even the udumbara flower.' / A Prajñā verse says: / 'Prajñā has no perishable characteristics; / it surpasses all words. / Having precisely nowhere to rely upon, / who could praise its virtues? / Though prajñā cannot be praised, / I am now able to praise it. / Though not yet freed from the realm of death, / one has already come forth from it.' / Furthermore, an ancient sage said: 'When a bodhisattva composes a treatise, it is called ornamenting the sūtras. Just as when a lotus flower has not yet opened, seeing it brings joy, but this is not like when it has already opened and its fragrance is pervasive; and just as when gold has not yet been used, seeing it brings joy, but this is not like using it to make ornaments.' Thus we know that a single thought of goodness in propagating the teaching can repay the kindness of all the buddhas of the ten directions. In terms of rarity, it is like the flower renowned by the name udumbara; in terms of radiant exaltation, it is like gold made into ornaments. Therefore, when bodhisattvas explain the secret import of the Great Vehicle, [sentient beings] hear what they have never heard, are able to sever deep doubts, and accomplish perfect faith. How could the benefit of the Dharma ever end? Its merits are boundless. As the Great Prajñā Sūtra says: 'Furthermore, Kauśika, setting aside all the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa, if all the sentient beings of the four great continents, if all the sentient beings of a small thousandfold world system, if all the sentient beings of a medium thousandfold world system, if all the sentient beings of a great thousandfold world system, and if furthermore all the sentient beings of world systems as numerous as the sands of the Gaṅgā in each of the ten directions, all attained non-retrogression toward unsurpassable, complete, and perfect bodhi, and together made this utterance: "We now delight in quickly realizing unsurpassable, complete, and perfect bodhi, rescuing sentient beings from the multiple sufferings of birth and death, and causing them to attain sublime, ultimate peace and happiness"; and suppose there were good men and good women who, in order to accomplish that purpose, wrote down the profound Prajñāpāramitā, ornamented it with various jewels, made offerings to it, respected it, honored it, and praised it, and gave it universally to them so that they might receive, uphold, read, and recite it, causing them to master it thoroughly and contemplate it in accord with principle—what do you think? Would these good men and good women obtain much merit through this cause and condition?' Śakra, Devānām-Indra, said: 'Very much, World-Honoured One; very much, Sugata.' Then the Buddha told Śakra, Devānām-Indra: 'If there were good men and good women who wrote down the profound Prajñāpāramitā, ornamented it with various jewels, made offerings to it, respected it, honored it, and praised it, and bestowed it upon even a single person among that multitude, causing that person to receive, uphold, read, and recite it, master it thoroughly, and contemplate it in accord with principle, and with immeasurable approaches and skillful words and meanings extensively explained it for that person, analyzed its import, caused that person to comprehend it, and gave instruction and admonition causing that person to cultivate and study diligently—the accumulation of merit obtained by these good men and good women would be far greater than the former, immeasurable, boundless, and incalculable.' The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'The Buddha said: "Good sons, except for icchantikas, when all other sentient beings have heard this sūtra, they are all able to make it a cause and condition for bodhi. If the sound of the Dharma and its radiance enters their pores, they will definitely attain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Why is this? If a person has been able to make offerings and show respect to immeasurable buddhas, only then does that person get to hear the Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra. A person of meager merit does not get to hear it."' Thus we know that to be able to hear the permanently abiding teaching of the true characteristic of the one mind recorded in the Mirror of the Source is entirely due to having formed deep causes in the past and having personally attended the assemblies of buddhas; it is a matter of great consequence and not of minor circumstance. If one had not previously been perfumed by hearing it, how could one encounter it? Furthermore, the Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'The Buddha told Bodhisattva Kāśyapa: "Good sons and good daughters, you should always fix your minds on cultivating these two words: 'Buddha is permanently abiding.' Kāśyapa, if there are good sons and good daughters who cultivate these two words, you should know that these persons follow where I have walked and arrive where I have arrived."' Therefore, a person who has faith in this Dharma is simultaneously ordinary and holy; cultivating, upholding, and tallying with it, they abide within where the Buddha abides, and their comportment and demeanor follow the footsteps of where the Buddha has walked. The Commentary on the Mahāyāna says: 'First, the gate of manifesting the merits of faith and entry free from doubt: that is, if there are sentient beings who, having heard this extremely profound, exceedingly sublime, and vast Dharma gate of Mahāyāna, do not doubt or fear in their minds, are not timid or weak, do not disparage or belittle it, and do not slander it, but produce a resolute mind, produce an adamantine mind, produce a reverent mind, and produce a loving and faithful mind, you should know that these persons are genuine children of the Buddha, never severing the lineage of the Dharma, never severing the lineage of the Saṅgha, and never severing the lineage of the Buddha, continuously perpetuating and increasingly developing it through the end of the future; they are also personally conferred prophecies by all the buddhas and protected in thought by all immeasurable bodhisattvas. Therefore, as the treatise says: "If a person, having heard this Dharma, does not give rise to cowardice or weakness, you should know that this person will certainly inherit the lineage of the Buddha and will definitely be conferred a prophecy by all the buddhas." Second, the gate of illustrating superiority through comparative antidotes: that is, if there were a person who could skillfully gather and convert all sentient beings filling a three-thousand-great-thousandfold world system without exception, causing them to practice the ten good deeds; and if there were another sentient being who, for the duration of a single meal, observed and contemplated this profound Dharma—if one calculates and compares the merits of these two persons, the merit obtained by that first person would be exceedingly minute, like a mustard seed broken into a hundred parts, whereas the merit obtained by this second person would be exceedingly vast, like the number of dust particles from smashing the world systems of the ten directions. Therefore, as the treatise says: "Even if a person could transform sentient beings filling a three-thousand-great-thousandfold world system, causing them to practice the ten good deeds, this would not equal a person who, for the duration of a single meal, correctly contemplates this Dharma; its surpassing of the former merit cannot be described by any analogy." Third, the gate of extolling by citing the merit of upholding: that is, if there is a person who upholds this treatise and contemplates its principles for a day or a night, the merit obtained in that interval is immeasurable, boundless, inexpressible, and inconceivable. Even if all the buddhas of the ten directions and the three times, and all the bodhisattvas of the ten directions and the three times, with tongues as numerous as the dust particles of the world systems of the ten directions, were each to praise all the merits of that person for inexpressible kalpas measured by the dust particles of the world systems of the ten directions, they could never finish. Why is this? Because the merit of the dharmakāya and tathatā is equal to empty space and is boundless; how much less could ordinary beings and people of the two vehicles fully praise it! For a person who upholds it during no more than a single day and night, the merit obtained is already inconceivable; how much more so if one upholds, reads, recites, contemplates, and observes it for two days, three days, four days, or even a hundred days—it is inconceivable, the inexpressible within the inexpressible. Therefore, as the treatise says: "Furthermore, if a person upholds this treatise and contemplates and practices it for a day and a night, all the merits are immeasurable, boundless, and inexpressible. Even if the buddhas of the ten directions, each for immeasurable and boundless asaṃkhyeya kalpas, were to praise that person's merits, they could not finish. Why is this? Because the merit of the dharmatā has no end; this person's merit is also like this, without boundary."' Therefore, we know that having faith in this citta-source and accomplishing Mahāyāna is identical to what the buddhas of the three times have realized—how could its principles ever be exhausted? It is equal to what the bodhisattvas of the ten directions ride upon—its merit is endless. Encountering this profound transformation, one's rejoicing is exceedingly deep. To accord with the Buddha's intent and repay the Buddha's kindness, nothing takes precedence over propagating the Dharma; to illuminate the Buddha-sun and open the Buddha-eye depends entirely on clarifying the mind. In this Mirror of the Source, if a single phrase enters one's spirit, it becomes a seed across kalpas; how much more so when the correct words are profound and mysterious, summarizing the multitude of sūtras! This 'one' is the one within the immeasurable; if one is imbued with this Dharma, it is the seed of the perfect and sudden. It can be called amṛta entering the crown of the head and ghee pouring into the mind; it radiates the lamp of non-dual wisdom to shatter the dark delusions of emotional faculties; it pours the wisdom-water of a single taste to cleanse the defiled dust of the mental ground. It can cause thick hindrances and deep obstructions to be rolled up like fragile leaves in a violent wind; it causes manifold doubts and accumulated blockages to melt away like thin ice under a blazing sun. It is just like the gold-wheel-turning king among kings, the morning dawn among illuminations, the mani jewel among treasures, the blue lotus among flowers, the gate of true emptiness among truths, and the abode of nirvāṇa among dharmas. Therefore, a verse in the Vajrasamādhi Sūtra says: / 'The Dharma-seal of a single taste, / accomplished by the One Vehicle, / is able to be, among all sentient beings, / the foremost and the teacher, the illumination and the guide.' / As the Suvikrāntavikrāmi-paripṛcchā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra says: 'Among all dharmas, the citta is the foremost.' The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'The buddhas of the three times all take the true characteristic of dharmas as their teacher.' The ancestral teacher said: 'Among all illuminations, the illumination of the mind is supreme.' A verse in the Lotus Sūtra says: / 'The foremost guide / has attained this unsurpassable Dharma.' / Furthermore, if one has not entered the Mirror of the Source, not only can one not see the path, but in truth cultivation is completely cut off from principle. When the root is established, the path is born; only by returning to the root does one reach the ultimate. It is like observing the original form and knowing that a painted likeness is not real; if one understands the nature of the storehouse, one sees that the dust-realms are false. Therefore, a sūtra verse says: / 'Without realizing tathatā, / one cannot comprehend all conditioned phenomena / to be just like magical illusions, / seeming to exist but not real.' / Therefore, if one grasps the root, one grasps the branches. Hence in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, the bodhisattvas of the ocean-like assembly take the dust particles of the dharmadhātu as their samādhi. Furthermore, the 'Manifestation Chapter' says: 'This Dharma gate is called the secret place of the Tathāgata […] up to, it is called the expounding of the fundamental true nature of the Tathāgata, the inconceivable ultimate Dharma.' Therefore, a past worthy said: 'Unfolding the sūtra scroll within a single dust particle, in thought after thought the fruit is accomplished; exhausting the gateway of vows for sentient beings, in particle after particle the practice is fulfilled.' If one has not awakened to the Mirror of the Source, how could one believe these words? But if one has faith in it even for a moment, the merits and powers are entirely equal. Without changing what one practices, all Dharma gates are fully present; immediately obstructed, immediately penetrating; immediately heterodox, immediately orthodox. Therefore, the ancients said: 'Those who encounter this teaching ought to rejoice in themselves; it is like being shipwrecked in a vast ocean and encountering a fragrant boat, or falling from the high sky and mounting an auspicious crane.'