宗鏡錄 23.9

23.9

答。如今一念纔起。了不可得。無有處所。是過去佛。過去不有。未來亦空。是未來佛。即今念念不住。是現在佛。但一念起時。莫執莫斷。不取不捨。則三際無蹤。一念圓具十法界。非因非果而因而果之法。若能如是一念而達者。則念念相應。念念成佛。凡聖悉等。今古皆齊。故云了了識心。惺惺見佛。是佛是心。是心是佛。念念佛心。心心念佛。欲得早成。戒心自律。淨戒律。心淨心即佛。除此心。王更無別佛。欲求萬法。莫染一物。心性雖空含真體實。入此法門。端坐成佛。如是則十方諸佛。同一法身。若欲念外施功。心外求佛。便落他境。無有得時。遂即前後情生。凡聖緣起。徒經時劫。枉用功夫。所以華嚴論云。不如一念緣起無生。超彼三乘權學等見。

Answer: Right now, as a single thought just arises, it is completely ungraspable and has no location; this is the past Buddha. The past does not exist, and the future is also empty; this is the future Buddha. Right now, thought after thought does not abide; this is the present Buddha. Only when a single thought arises, do not grasp it and do not sever it, do not seize it and do not abandon it; then the three periods of time leave no trace, and a single thought completely possesses the ten dharmadhātus—phenomena that are neither cause nor effect, yet are cause and effect. If one can comprehend in this way within a single thought, then thought after thought will correspond, thought after thought will achieve Buddhahood, ordinary beings and āryas will all be equal, and present and ancient will both be uniform. Therefore it is said: 'Clearly recognize the citta, lucidly see the Buddha; this Buddha is this citta, this citta is this Buddha. Thought after thought is the Buddha-citta, mind after mind is mindfulness of the Buddha. If you wish to achieve it early, restrain the citta with self-discipline; pure precepts and discipline purify the citta, and the pure citta is the Buddha. Aside from this citta-king, there is no other Buddha. If you wish to seek the myriad phenomena, do not be tainted by a single thing. Although the nature of citta is empty, it contains the true substance of reality. Entering this Dharma-gate, sit upright and become a Buddha.' In this way, all Buddhas of the ten directions share the same dharmakāya. If one wishes to exert effort outside of thought and seek the Buddha outside of citta, one immediately falls into other realms and will never attain it. Consequently, sentiments of before and after will arise, and the conditions of ordinary and holy will be produced; one will pass through kalpas in vain, expending effort to no purpose. Therefore, the Treatise on the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'It is not as good as a single thought of dependently originated non-arising, which surpasses the provisional learning and views of the three vehicles.'