宗鏡錄 23.35

Answer: This non-abiding true mind is truly impossible to cultivate, impossible to realize, and impossible to obtain. Why is this? Because it does not grasp a fruit, it cannot be realized; because it does not cling to dharmas, it cannot be obtained; because it is not an engineered dharma, it cannot be cultivated. Being fundamentally pure without need of polishing, it is naturally accomplished by dharma-nature. If we speak of stages, they pertain to the practice-gate of conventional truth, yet without deviating from principle. Discussing stages within that which has no stages, one must not give rise to the rigid clinging to existence or non-existence. The sūtras explain the differences of the ten grounds like bird tracks in the sky. If in terms of the gateway of perfect fusion, in tranquil tathatā, what sequence could there be? If in terms of the gateway of graduated arrangement, in counteracting habit-energies, ascent and progress are not absent. Furthermore, defiled and pure stages and levels are all distinguished according to conventional designations; thus, while seemingly dividing ranks, they do not destroy the One Mind. For example, the stage of sentient beings is like an earthenware vessel; the stage of bodhisattvas is like a silver vessel; the stage of all Buddhas is like a golden vessel. Although the capacities of the three types of vessels—earthenware, silver, and gold—differ, the space inside each and every vessel is pervasive, equal, and without distinction. Space illustrates the principle of equality of the One Mind and dharmakāya; the various vessels illustrate the differences in ranks of faculties, capacities, and stages. The Way is fundamentally without difference, but according to practice there are differences. Now, when discussing practice and understanding, the sudden and gradual differ. Manifesting kleśas have depths and shallows, and perfumed habit-energies have thicknesses and thinnesses; one cannot take a single view, for it rests with each individual. When karma is light, it is easy to round out; when hindrances are deep, they are hard to sever. Just as a bodhisattva who ascends to the eighth ground personally realizes anutpattikadharmakṣānti and views all dharmas as of the nature of space, this is still a gradual realization of no-mind. Arriving at the tenth ground, there are still two kinds of foolishness. Entering the stage of equal enlightenment, a fraction of avidyā is still unexhausted; like slight smoke, it still requires repentance. Moreover, if one has not personally abided in samādhi, one does not believe that there are no dharmas outside the mind, just as one suffering from cataracts does not believe there are no flowers in the sky. With discriminating wisdom, the understanding mind is not eliminated; merely conditioning other objects, one has not abided in one's own stage. As the Śūraṅgamasūtra says: 'The Tathāgatas of the ten directions and the great bodhisattvas, in their personally abided samādhi, see that the seeing, the conditions of seeing, and the marks of what is conceptualized are like sky flowers, fundamentally non-existent.' What are called great bodhisattvas are those from the eighth ground and above. If an eighth-ground bodhisattva still sees a pure land outside the mind, conditioning principle with wisdom, this is not called personally abiding. If a tenth-ground bodhisattva, although not seeing objects outside the mind, still has the two habits of form and mind. Therefore, a verse says: 'Only the Buddha alone upholds the pure precepts; / all the rest are called precept-breakers.' Therefore, we know that only upon entering the ultimate Ekayāna gate of the Source Mirror is one truly called upholding the precepts, truly called seeing the Way. Furthermore, knowledge and vision are fourfold: first, knowing without seeing, from the first ground to the ninth ground; second, seeing without knowing, which is the tenth ground; third, both seeing and knowing, which is the Buddha alone; fourth, neither seeing nor knowing, which is ordinary beings before the grounds, and so on. If one can directly achieve no-mind, its measure surpassing the bounds of space, what need is there to further traverse the stairs? If one has not suddenly united with no-mind, and in a single thought there is deviation, one must directly cure it with the Buddha's knowledge and vision. Thereafter, the five kṣāntis clarify correct cultivation, and the six identifications sift out unearned pretense; thus one avoids falling into overweening pride and ultimately fulfills the complete Buddha-yāna. If one enters into the Source Mirror, one becomes a universal capacity, the Bodhisattva-yāna, the inconceivable vehicle; relying on the universal gate Dharma, one stage is all stages. Just as Sudhana in a single lifetime was endowed with the five stages and so forth, all are mutually gathered by universal dharma. This capacity of Samantabhadra sees all that is seen and hears all that is heard; it is the realm of the Universal Eye. That the universal dharmas mutually gather is because there are no dharmas outside the mind, hence it is called universal. All practices and stages are within the mind; how could they not mutually gather? In the gateway of graduated arrangement, depths and shallows seem to be distinguished. Moreover, the Xuanyi ge says: 'The forty-two stages of the Perfect Teaching share the identical true principle; when discussed with regard to wisdom, brightness and dimness are consequently distinguished. Great space is one; as the sun travels through the sky, it has midday and dawn. Ascending the abodes in the Perfect Teaching is like a ship entering the sea, like the sun roaming through space. Wisdom is completely unengineered, and practice is also unconditioned; moment by moment the wind of the Way naturally advances.' As the Zhiguan says: 'Entering the true source of the Buddha to avoid falling into perverse inversions, a person who initially gives rise to perfect faith must clarify the ten methods of contemplation. The ten methods of contemplation are: first, contemplating the inconceivable realm; second, generating the true and genuine bodhicitta; third, skillfully settling śamatha and vipaśyanā; fourth, thoroughly breaking down all dharmas; fifth, skillfully recognizing the unobstructed and obstructed; sixth, harmonizing the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment; seventh, auxiliary methods that counteract and open up; eighth, skillfully knowing the ranks of stages; ninth, patiently enduring the two thieves of strong and soft; tenth, not giving rise to Dharma-attachment that conforms to the Way. Being unconfused like this, one only then enters the Perfect Vehicle.' Furthermore, the initial single thought-moment of faith and understanding can accomplish the five ranks. The Tiantai teaching says: 'If a person has planted deeply in past lives, or meets a good friend, or from sūtra scrolls comes to completely hear the wondrous principle, namely that one dharma is all dharmas, all dharmas are one dharma, neither one nor all, inconceivable; giving rise to perfect faith and understanding, he believes that within the One Mind the ten dharmadhātus are contained, just as a single particle of dust contains a canon of sūtras of a great trichiliocosm. Wishing to hear this mind and cultivate perfect practice—perfect practice means one practice is all practices, briefly stated as ten: namely, recognizing that a single thought-moment of mind is equally complete, inconceivable; lamenting one's own torpor, compassion reaches all; furthermore, knowing that this mind is ever tranquil and ever illuminating, using the tranquil and illuminating mind to break down all dharmas as empty, as provisional, and as the middle; furthermore, recognizing the One Mind and all minds, whether unobstructed or obstructed, being able in this mind to be fully endowed with the factors of the Way and attain the path of bodhi; furthermore, understanding the primary and auxiliary practices of this mind; furthermore, recognizing one's own mind and the minds of ordinary beings and sages; furthermore, settling the mind to be unmoving, not falling, not retrogressing, and not scattering; although recognizing the immeasurable virtues of the One Mind, not giving rise to defiled attachment. When the ten minds are accomplished, to state the essentials: in thought after thought, the mind completely corresponds with all pāramitās. This is named the initial stage of rejoicing in the Perfect Teaching. Cultivating fully the ten dharmas from this point onward, one attains entry into the abode of the initial aspiration of the Perfect Teaching.'

In the identity of partial realization of reality, from the first [letter] a to the final [letter] ha, the initial arousal of the mind [of bodhi] and the ultimate [attainment] are not two or different. Because of the three forms of non-retrogression—in practice, stage, and mindfulness—the Tiantai teaching receives people and establishes them here. Thereafter, directly progressing through the ten practices, the ten dedications, the ten stages, and the two stages of equal and sublime enlightenment, all advancement in wisdom and eradication [of defilements] occurs spontaneously without effort, moment by moment fulfilling unexcelled bodhi. Furthermore, broadly explaining the inconceivable realm: as a verse in the Avataṃsakasūtra says, 'Mind is like a skilled painter, creating the various five aggregates; throughout all worlds, there is nothing that is not made from mind.' 'The various five aggregates' refers to the five aggregates of the ten dharmadhātus. 'Dharmadhātu' has three meanings: The number ten is what is supported, and the dharmadhātu is that which supports them; combining what is supported and what supports, it is therefore called the ten dharmadhātus. Again, these ten dharmas each have their individual causes and their individual effects, not mutually confused or disordered; therefore they are called the ten dharmadhātus. Again, these ten dharmas, each in its very substance, are entirely the dharmadhātu; therefore they are called the ten dharmadhātus. The ten dharmadhātus are collectively called aggregates, bases, and elements, yet they are actually distinct: the three bad destinies are defiled, unwholesome aggregates, elements, and bases; the three wholesome destinies are defiled, wholesome aggregates, elements, and bases; the two vehicles are uncontaminated and contaminated aggregates, elements, and bases; bodhisattvas are both contaminated and uncontaminated aggregates, elements, and bases; buddhas are neither contaminated nor uncontaminated aggregates, elements, and bases. The commentary [Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa] says: 'That which is unexcelled among dharmas is nirvāṇa'—namely, the dharma that is neither contaminated nor uncontaminated. The Anantanirdeśasūtra says: 'That the Buddha lacks the great aggregates, elements, and bases means that he lacks the aggregates, elements, and bases of the preceding nine [realms].' Now stating that he has them means that he possesses the permanently abiding aggregates, elements, and bases of nirvāṇa. The Great Sūtra [Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra] says: 'Because impermanent form is extinguished, one obtains permanent form; feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are also like this.' Permanent bliss layered repeatedly is the meaning of accumulation; compassion covering over is the meaning of aggregate (skandha). Because the ten kinds of aggregates and elements are different, this is called the realm of the five aggregates. Grasping the five aggregates is collectively called sentient beings, yet sentient beings are distinct: grasping the aggregates of the three bad destinies constitutes sentient beings of sinful suffering; grasping the aggregates of humans and devas constitutes sentient beings who experience pleasure; grasping uncontaminated aggregates constitutes true noble sentient beings; grasping the aggregates of compassion constitutes mahāsattva sentient beings; grasping the permanently abiding aggregates constitutes the supremely revered sentient beings. The Great Treatise [Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa] says: 'The unexcelled among sentient beings is the Buddha'—how could he be the same as the ordinary and inferior? The Great Sūtra says: 'At the time of the kalala, its name is different, up to the time of old age, its name is different; at the time of the sprout, its name is different, up to the time of the fruit, its name is also different.' Even within a single period, there are distinctions among the ten times; how much more so for the ten different sentient beings—how could they not be different? Therefore it is called the realm of sentient beings. As for the ten kinds of dwellings collectively called the realm of lands: hell beings dwell dependent on red iron; beasts dwell dependent on earth, water, and space; asuras dwell dependent on the seashore and ocean bed; humans dwell dependent on earth; devas dwell dependent on palaces. Bodhisattvas of the six pāramitās dwell together with humans dependent on earth. Bodhisattvas of the shared teaching whose delusions are not yet exhausted dwell together with humans and devas; those whose delusions have been exhausted dwell dependent on the land of skillful means. Bodhisattvas of the distinct and perfect teachings whose delusions are not yet exhausted dwell together in the lands of humans, devas, and skillful means; those whose delusions have been exhausted dwell dependent on the land of true reward. Tathāgatas dwell dependent on the land of eternally quiescent light. A verse in the Renwang jing says: 'The three grades of worthy ones and the ten grades of noble ones dwell in karmic rewards; only the Buddha alone abides in the pure land.' Because pure lands are distinct, this is called the realm of lands. These thirty kinds of realms are all created from the mind. Furthermore, each of the ten kinds of five aggregates possesses ten dharmas: namely, such characteristics, nature, substance, power, activity, causes, conditions, effects, retributions, and the ultimate equality of beginning and end. These are the ten suchnesses. The realm of the five aggregates, the realm of sentient beings, and the realm of lands are the three kinds of realms. This one mind possesses the ten dharmadhātus; each dharmadhātu again possesses ten dharmadhātus, which makes one hundred dharmadhātus. Each dharmadhātu possesses thirty kinds of realms, so one hundred dharmadhātus possess three thousand kinds of realms. These three thousand are present in a single thought-moment of the mind. If there were no mind, that would be the end of it; but if the slightest bit of mind exists, it immediately contains the three thousand. Nor do we say that the one mind is before and all dharmas are after, nor do we say that all dharmas are before and the one mind is after. For example, regarding the eight characteristics changing an object: if the object were before the characteristics, the object would not be changed; if the characteristics were before the object, it would also not be changed. Neither 'before' is acceptable, nor is 'after' acceptable; only in terms of the object do we speak of the changing of characteristics, and only in terms of the changing of characteristics do we speak of the object. Now the mind is also like this: if all dharmas were generated from the one mind, this would be vertical; if the mind contained all dharmas at one time, this would be horizontal. Neither vertical is acceptable nor is horizontal acceptable. It is simply that the mind is all dharmas, and all dharmas are the mind. Therefore, it is neither vertical nor horizontal, neither one nor different. Profound, wondrous, and deeply transcendent, it is not what consciousness can cognize, nor what words can express. Therefore it is called the inconceivable realm; the meaning lies here. Having personally comprehended the inconceivable realm of the one mind, one thereupon arouses the great compassion of identical substance, generates the genuine mind of bodhi, and so forth, and the nine kinds of contemplation gates that follow mature. The Huayan lun says: 'As in the three vehicles, fundamental wisdom and subsequently attained wisdom are also taught. Now, wishing to cause practitioners of the three vehicles to convert their minds, one points to this Buddha of Immovable Wisdom in the Golden Realm to have them directly recognize that it is their own mind's wisdom capable of discernment, which is fundamentally unmoving. Mañjuśrī is simply one's own mind's sublime wisdom that skillfully discriminates the markless. Bodhisattvas such as Juexiang and Muxiang are simply the wisdom of principle seen in accordance with the faith and understanding of one's own mind. If such practitioners of the three vehicles have not converted their minds, they will certainly not believe this. Why is this? Because they postulate that they will attain Buddhahood after three asaṃkhyeya kalpas, and because they directly view their own bodies and minds as entirely ordinary persons, merely believing that the Buddha possesses immovable wisdom and the like, but not having faith that their own minds are the fundamental Buddha of Immovable Wisdom, not different from the Buddha. For this reason, they cannot make fundamental wisdom their faithful mind within this teaching's dharmadhātu vehicle. The faithful mind of this sūtra should have faith directly in this manner: the discerning nature of one's own mind is the fundamental Buddha of Immovable Wisdom within the dharmadhātu nature; the Golden Realm is the unstained principle of one's own mind; Mañjuśrī is the sublime wisdom of one's own mind that skillfully discriminates; and bodhisattvas such as Juexiang and Muxiang are the presence of the wisdom of principle in accordance with the faithful mind.'

Faith is accomplished only when one has faith that within the cause there is conformity with all the fruit-dharmas of the Buddhas without the slightest discrepancy. Having developed this faith, one progresses in cultivation through concentration and wisdom, traversing the ten abodes, the ten practices, the ten dedications, the ten grounds, and the eleventh ground. Days, months, years, and kalpas pass without any temporal change; the dharmadhātu remains as originally it was; the immovable wisdom-Buddha remains as of old; and one perfects the ocean of sarvākārajñatā, teaching and transforming sentient beings. Cause and fruit do not shift; time and kalpas do not change: only then is faith perfected. If one posits that an asaṃkhyeya [kalpa] has a fixed, substantial existence, that is [the view of] an ordinary person. For both ordinary persons and sages, the paths, times, and kalpas undergo shifting changes; if there were a Buddha outside the mind, faith would not be accomplished. Furthermore, as the Sūtra of Complete Enlightenment says: 'Bodhisattva Vajragarbha said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, if sentient beings originally are already Buddhas, why then is there all this avidyā? If all this avidyā originally belongs to sentient beings, by what cause and condition does the Tathāgata again say that they originally are already Buddhas? If the heterogenous beings in the ten directions originally completed the Buddha path and later gave rise to avidyā, when will all Tathāgatas again generate all the kleśas? We only pray that, not forsaking your unhindered great compassion, you will open the secret treasury for all bodhisattvas." […] And the Buddha said: "Good sons, all worlds—beginning and end, arising and cessation, before and after, existence and non-existence, gathering and dispersal, starting and stopping—moment by moment in succession, cycling and returning, all kinds of grasping and rejecting, are all saṃsāra. To explain complete enlightenment without having exited saṃsāra causes that nature of complete enlightenment to become identical with transmigration. If one would escape saṃsāra [in this way], that is impossible. It is like moving the eyes: it can make clear water appear to shake; or like fixing the gaze: a whirling fire [brand appears as a wheel]. Clouds racing makes the moon seem to move; a boat traveling makes the shore seem to shift. It is just like this. Good sons, before those whirlings have ceased, it is impossible even for those objects themselves to be seen as stationary; how much less with an impure citta that cycles through birth and death, which has never been purified: when contemplating the Buddha's complete enlightenment, how could it not also whirl and turn? Therefore, you give rise to three doubts. Good sons, it is like a cataract illusion falsely seeing flowers in the sky: if the cataract illusion is removed, one cannot say: 'Now that this cataract has ceased, when will all cataracts arise again?' Why is this? Because cataracts and flowers are two phenomena that are not mutually dependent. Nor can one say, when the sky-flowers cease in the sky: 'Sky, when will sky-flowers arise again?' Why is this? Because the sky originally has no flowers, and they are not a matter of arising and cessation. Birth-and-death and nirvāṇa are identical to arising and cessation; wonderful enlightenment illuminates all, free from flowers and cataracts. Good sons, you should know that empty space is neither temporarily existent nor temporarily non-existent; how much less so the Tathāgata's complete enlightenment, which accords with and is the equal original nature of empty space! Good sons, it is like smelting gold ore: the gold does not come into existence because of the smelting; once it has become gold, it does not become ore again; though an infinite time passes, the nature of gold is not destroyed. One should not say that it was originally not perfected. The Tathāgata's complete enlightenment is also just like this."' Therefore we know that the wonderful citta of complete enlightenment is like the nature of empty space; birth-and-death and nirvāṇa are the characteristics of sky-flowers. The diseased eye is not without arising and cessation; but how could the true nature ever have existence and non-existence? Like gold hidden in ore: the gold does not exist because of the ore, nor is it obtained through smelting, yet it must be accomplished through smelting. When deluded, it is like unpurified gold; when enlightened, it is like a treasure already formed. True gold is immovable, yet defilement and purity are suddenly distinguished; the wonderful nature suffers no loss, but delusion and enlightenment are experienced of themselves. Therefore the Sūtra on the Inconceivable Realm of the Buddha says: 'At that time, Subhūti also asked: "Great Being, in which ground do you definitely abide? Do you abide in the ground of the śrāvakas, the ground of the pratyekabuddhas, or the ground of the Buddhas?" Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva said: "Venerable one, you should know that I definitely abide in all grounds." Subhūti said: "Great Being, do you then also definitely abide in the ground of ordinary persons?" He answered: "Just so. Why? The nature of all dharmas and of sentient beings is precisely the definitive correct state. I constantly abide in this correct state; therefore I say that I definitely abide in the ground of ordinary persons." Subhūti asked again: "If all dharmas and sentient beings are precisely the definitive correct state, why establish differences among the grounds, saying that this is the ground of ordinary persons, this is the ground of pratyekabuddhas, and this is the ground of Buddhas?" Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva said: "Venerable one, it is like in the world, where by means of verbal convention ten directions are established in empty space, saying: 'This is the east, this is the south,' and so on up to 'This is above, this is below.' Although empty space has no differences, yet the directions have such various differences. This is also like that. Within the definitive correct state of all dharmas, the Tathāgata uses skilful means to establish the grounds, saying: 'This is the ground of ordinary persons, this is the ground of śrāvakas, this is the ground of pratyekabuddhas, this is the ground of bodhisattvas, and this is the ground of Buddhas.' Although the correct state has no differences, yet the grounds have distinctions."' Therefore Tiantai says: 'The four teachings are like four points in empty space. Although the four points are distinct, they do not disrupt the nature of empty space.' However, with respect to these grounds, only upon reaching the ultimate ground can principle and practice be completely exhausted. As the Bodhisattva Jewel Necklace of Original Actions Sūtra says: 'Buddha-son, the forty-second ground is called the wonderful enlightenment ground of the quiescent citta, permanently abiding in the single characteristic, foremost and boundless, pure and tranquil like empty space. Sarvākārajñatā illuminates and penetrates non-arising. The beginning and end of the truths of existence are exhausted only by the Buddha. Sentient beings' root has a beginning and an end, which the Buddha also illuminates completely. Up to all kleśas and all sentient beings' karmic retributions: the Buddha's single-thought-moment of citta measures and exhausts their source. All Buddha-lands, all Buddha-causes, and all bodhisattvas' spiritual transformations are also known in a single thought-moment at one time, abiding beyond the inconceivable two truths, solitary and non-dual.' From this we know that one first attains the fundamental source and only then refines and polishes it. When refining and polishing, one does not lose the root of the Way, like an expert goldsmith who does not lose a single grain. Within the perfect and gradual, how could stages be absent? From the conditioned one reaches the unconditioned; due to the forbearance of sentient beings one achieves the forbearance of dharmas. Perfect interpenetration does not destroy the sequential arrangement;

for if destroyed, one loses the phenomena that embody the complete principle. Sequential arrangement does not obstruct perfect interpenetration; for if obstructed, one loses the principle that embodies all phenomena. However, although principle and phenomena are of one limit and cause and fruit are simultaneous, the faculties of the immature and mature seem distinct, and the initial and final citta are not conflated. One proceeds straight to wonderful enlightenment, like the moon at its full; only then does the causal gate come to an end, and one merges with the ocean of fruit. As the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'Buddha-son, it is like boarding a ship intending to enter the great ocean: before reaching the ocean, much effort is expended; once one has reached the ocean, one simply follows the wind without relying on human effort. The distance traveled in a single day upon reaching the great ocean, compared to when one had not yet reached it—even if one spent a hundred years when one had not reached it, one could not match it. Buddha-son, the bodhisattva mahāsattva is also just like this: having accumulated extensive provisions of good roots and boarded the ship of the Mahāyāna, when reaching the ocean of bodhisattva practice, in a single thought-moment, through effortless wisdom, one enters the realm of the wisdom of all wisdoms, which could not be matched by original effortful practice traversing immeasurable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of kalpas.'