宗鏡錄 29.19

29.19

答。諸佛悟達。法性。皆自然。了心原。妄想不生。不失正念。我所心滅。故不受生死。即究竟常寂滅。以寂滅故。萬樂自歸。一切眾生。迷於真性。不達本心。種種妄想。不得正念。故即憎愛。以憎愛故。心器破壞。即受生死。故諸苦自現。欲知法要。守心第一。若一人不守真心得成佛者。無有是處。故云制心一處。無事不辦。一切萬法。不出自心。八萬法門。三乘位體。一切賢聖。論其宗教。莫非自心是本。文句疏云。若尋教迹。迹廣。徒自疲勞。若尋理本。本高。高不可極。日夜數他寶。自無半錢分。但觀己心之高廣。扣無窮之聖應。機成致感。逮得己利。故用觀心釋。當知種種聲教。若微若著。若權若實。皆為佛道而作筌罤。大經偈云。麁言及軟語。皆歸第一義。此之謂也。法華方便品偈云。我本立誓願。普令一切眾。亦同得此道。如我等無異。又偈云。正直捨方便。但說無上道。此正不指世間為正。不指螢光析智為正。不指燈炬體法智為正。不指星月道種智為正。乃指日光一切種智為正。此流通。非為楊葉木牛木馬而作流通。非流通半字。非流通共字。非流通別字。純是流通圓滿脩多羅滿字法也。如宗鏡一光。更無餘照。不唯位高行滿。亦乃因深果圓。巧拙頓殊。遲速莫等。如大智度論云。譬如治病。苦藥鍼灸痛而得差。如有妙藥。名蘇陀扇陀。病人眼見。眾疾皆愈。除病雖同。優劣法異。聲聞菩薩教化度人。亦復如是。苦行頭陀。初中後夜。勤心禪觀。苦而得道。聲聞教也。觀諸法相。無縛無解。心得清淨。菩薩教也。是以了心實相。悟在剎那。積行而成。因賒果遠。但有一毫之善。悉隨喜迴向實相之心。乃至四威儀中。觸途成觀。念念契旨。步步入玄。不令一塵而失真智。如箭射地。無不中者。故論云。復次。正迴向。菩薩。應作是念。如十方三世諸佛所知。用無上智慧。知諸善根相。一切智人中。佛第一勝。佛所知諸善根。必是實相。如佛所知。我亦用如是善根相迴向。譬如射地。無不著時。若射餘物。或著或不著。如諸佛所知隨喜。如射地無不著。若用餘道隨喜。如射餘物。或著或不著。如是迴向。是為不謗諸佛。故知信解實相心。入宗鏡內。舉念皆是。無往不真。方順佛所知。不謗三寶。若得實相智慧所廕。一切萬行悉皆成就。如大鵬影覆其子。令子增長。如今學人。但自直下內了自心。莫疑外境。心若得了。外境皆虛。一法纔通。萬像盡歸心地。一輪有阻。千車悉滯脩途。明明而只在自知。念念而無非真實。外麁叵鑒。不慮他疑。內密難窮。唯應親證。如龐居士偈云。中人樂寂靜。下士好威儀。菩薩心無礙。同凡凡不知。佛是無相體。何須有相持。但令心了事。遮莫外人疑。如人渴飲水。冷暖自心知。又如外書中云。有威名於世者。若呼其名。則可以止兒啼。魏略云。張遼為孫權所圍。遼復入。權眾破走。由是威震江東。兒啼不止。其父母以遼名恐之便止。又燉煌實錄云。宋質直。破虜有威名。兒啼。恐之即止。且孩兒未識其人。聞名即能止啼者。全證唯心矣。乃至如念觀音名號。火不能燒等。此託觀音為增上緣。並是自心所感。致茲靈驗。災祥成敗。榮辱昇沈。無不由心者矣。所以融大師頌云。亦不從天生。亦不從地出。但是空心性。照世間如日。若如日照世間。何光明而不透。則觸目寓情。無非我心矣。皆成法寶。盡作家珍。自利利他。用而無盡。傅大士三諫歌云。捨世榮。捨世榮華。道理長怒力。殷勤學三諫。諫我身心還本鄉。諫意意根莫令起。諫口口根莫說彰。諫手手根莫鞭杖。三諫三王王自香。虛空自得到仙堂。仙堂不近亦不遠。徘徊只是眾中央。若欲行住仙堂裏。不用匍匐在他鄉。若欲求念彌陀佛。東西南北是西方。西方彌陀觸處是。面前背後七重行。或黃或赤或紅白。或大或小或短長。天蓋正是彌陀屋。木孔木穿彌陀房。天上空。中彌陀路。草木正是彌陀鄉。日夜前後嘈嘈鬧。正是彌陀口放光。若欲禮拜彌陀佛。不用思想強干忙。若不誑人是禮拜。若不求人是道場。努力自使三功作。殷勤肆力種衣糧。山河是家無盡藏。草木是人常滿倉。泥水是人常滿庫。藤蘿是人無底囊。多作功夫自成就。自行手脚熟嚴𮖢。若欲往生安樂國。只是箇物是西方。又歌云。諸佛村鄉在世界。四海三田遍滿生。佛共眾生同一體。眾生是佛之假名。若欲見佛看三郡。田宅園林處處停。或飛虛空中擾擾。或擲山水口轟轟。或結群朋往來去。或復孤單而獨行。或使白日東西走。或使暗夜巡五更。或烏或赤而復白。或紫或黑而黃青。或大或小而新養。或老或少舊時生。或身腰上有燈火。或羽翼上有琴箏。或遊虛空亂上下。或在草木亂縱橫。或無言行自出宅。或入土坑暫寄生。或攢木孔為鄉貫。或遍草木作窠城。或轉羅網為村巷。或臥土石作階廳。諸佛菩薩家如是。只箇名為舍衛城。

Answer: All buddhas awaken to and penetrate the dharma-nature, which is entirely spontaneous. They understand the source of citta; delusional thoughts do not arise, and they do not lose right mindfulness. Because the mind of 'mine' is extinguished, they do not undergo birth and death; this is the ultimate, eternal cessation. Because of cessation, myriad joys naturally return to them. All sentient beings are deluded about the true nature and do not penetrate the original citta. With various delusional thoughts, they do not attain right mindfulness, and thus hate and love [arise]. Because of hate and love, the vessel of citta is broken and destroyed, and they undergo birth and death; thus various sufferings manifest naturally. If one wishes to know the essentials of the Dharma, guarding citta is foremost. If a single person could attain Buddhahood without guarding the true mind, that would be impossible. Therefore it is said: 'Control the citta in one place, and there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.' All the myriad phenomena do not go beyond one's own citta. The eighty thousand dharma-gates, the stages and essences of the triyāna, all the worthy and noble ones—in discussing their source and teachings, none is not based upon one's own citta. The Commentary on the Text [of the Lotus Sūtra] says: 'If one pursues the traces of the teachings, the traces are broad, and one merely exhausts oneself in vain. If one pursues the root of the principle, the root is lofty, too lofty to reach the limit. Day and night counting another's treasures, oneself does not have half a coin. One should merely contemplate the height and breadth of one's own citta, and strike the inexhaustible noble response. When capacity is completed and brings forth response, one attains one's own benefit. Therefore it is explained through contemplating citta.' One should know that the various verbal teachings, whether subtle or obvious, provisional or real, are all fish traps and rabbit snares for the Buddha Path. A verse in the Mahā[parinirvāṇa]-sūtra says: 'Coarse words and soft speech alike return to the primary truth.' This is what it means. A verse in the Chapter on Expedient Means of the Lotus Sūtra says: 'I originally established a vow: universally to cause all beings also together to attain this Path, equal to me without difference.' Another verse says: 'Honestly casting aside expedient means, I preach only the unsurpassed Path.' This 'straight' does not designate the worldly as straight; it does not designate the firefly-light wisdom of analysis as straight; it does not designate the lamp-torch wisdom of understanding phenomena as straight; it does not designate the star-and-moon wisdom of the aspects of the Path as straight. Rather, it designates the sunlight sarvākārajñatā as straight. This transmission is not a transmission for willow leaves or wooden oxen and wooden horses; it is not a transmission of half-letters, not a transmission of shared letters, not a transmission of distinct letters; it is purely the transmission of the full-letter dharma of the complete and perfect sūtras. It is like the single light of the Source Mirror, having no other illumination. Not only are its stages lofty and its practices fulfilled, its causes are profound and its fruits perfect. The clever and the clumsy differ abruptly; the slow and the swift are not equal. As the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'For example, in curing illness, bitter medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion heal through pain. If there is a wonderful medicine named sudarśana, when the sick person's eyes see it, all diseases are cured. Although the removal of illness is the same, the superiority and inferiority of the methods differ. The instruction and deliverance of people by śrāvakas and bodhisattvas are also like this. Ascetic dhūtas, in the first, middle, and last watches of the night, diligently practicing meditation and contemplation, attain the Path through suffering—this is the teaching of the śrāvakas. Contemplating the characteristics of phenomena as without bondage and without liberation, with citta attaining purity—this is the teaching of the bodhisattvas.' Therefore, understanding the real mark of citta, awakening occurs in a single kṣaṇa; while accomplishing it by accumulating practices, the cause is protracted and the fruit distant. If there is even the finest hair of goodness, one rejoices in it and dedicates it all to the mind of the real mark; even throughout the four deportments, meeting situations forms contemplation, thought after thought tallies with the purport, and step after step enters the profound, not allowing a single speck of dust to cause one to lose true wisdom. It is like an arrow shot at the ground: none fails to hit. Therefore the śāstra says: 'Furthermore, the bodhisattva of right dedication should make this thought: As known by all the buddhas of the ten directions and the three times, using unsurpassed wisdom to know the characteristics of all roots of goodness, among all omniscient persons, the Buddha is foremost and supreme. The roots of goodness known by the Buddha must be the real mark. Just as known by the Buddha, I also use such characteristics of roots of goodness to dedicate. For example, shooting at the ground, there is no time it does not hit. If shooting at other things, it may hit or may not hit. Rejoicing as known by all the buddhas is like shooting at the ground, where none does not hit. If one rejoices using other paths, it is like shooting at other things, hitting or not hitting. Dedicating in this way is not slandering all the buddhas.' Therefore, know that when the mind of faith and understanding of the real mark enters into the Source Mirror, every thought raised is it, nowhere not true. Only then does one accord with what is known by the Buddha and not slander the Three Jewels. If one is sheltered by the wisdom of the real mark, all the myriad practices will be accomplished, just as the shadow of the great garuḍa covers its chicks, causing the chicks to grow. Today's students need only directly penetrate their own citta internally and not doubt external objects. If citta is penetrated, external objects are all empty. As soon as one dharma is penetrated, myriad images entirely return to the citta-ground. If a single wheel is obstructed, a thousand carriages are all halted on the long road. Clearly it lies only in self-knowledge; thought after thought is nothing other than the real. The coarsely external cannot be examined; do not worry about others' doubts. The deeply internal is difficult to fathom; one should only personally realize it. As Layman Pang's verse says: 'Middling people delight in quietude; / Lower sorts are fond of deportment. / The bodhisattva's citta is unimpeded; / Identical to the ordinary, the ordinary do not know it. / Buddha is the formless substance; / Why must one cling to form? / Merely let citta understand the matter; / Pay no heed to outsiders' doubts. / Like a thirsty person drinking water, / Cold and warm are known by oneself.' Furthermore, as outer books say, of those who have awesome renown in the world, if one calls their name, it can stop a child's crying. The Weilüe says: 'Zhang Liao was surrounded by Sun Quan. Liao charged back in, and Quan's army broke and fled. Because of this, his awe shook Jiangdong. When a child cried without stopping, its parents frightened it with Liao's name, and it immediately stopped.' Also, the Dunhuang shilu says: 'Song Zhizhi had awesome renown in defeating the barbarians. When a child cried, frightening it with [his name] immediately stopped it.' Now, before the child even knows the person, hearing the name can immediately stop its crying; this completely proves mind-only. Even down to mindfulness of Avalokiteśvara's name making fire unable to burn and so forth, this relies on Avalokiteśvara as an auxiliary condition, but both are invoked by one's own citta, bringing about this spiritual efficacy. Misfortune and auspiciousness, success and failure, honor and disgrace, rising and sinking—none is not produced by citta. Therefore Master Rong's verse says: 'It is not born from heaven, / Nor does it emerge from earth; / It is simply the empty nature of citta, / Illuminating the world like the sun.' If it illuminates the world like the sun, what light does not penetrate? Then whatever meets the eye or lodges in feelings is nothing other than my citta. All become treasures of the Dharma, entirely serving as family wealth. Benefiting oneself and benefiting others, its function is inexhaustible. Mahāsattva Fu's Song of the Three Admonitions says: 'Cast off worldly glory, / Cast off worldly glory and splendor; / The principle is long, strive with strength, / Diligently study the three admonitions, / Admonishing my body and citta to return to their original home. / Admonish the intention: do not let the intention-root arise; / Admonish the mouth: do not let the mouth-root speak aloud; / Admonish the hand: do not let the hand-root use whip or staff. / When the three admonitions [subdue] the three kings, the kings naturally become fragrant. / Empty space naturally arrives at the immortal hall; / The immortal hall is neither near nor far, / Wandering, it is right in the middle of the crowd. / If you wish to walk and stay within the immortal hall, / No need to crawl about in other lands. / If you wish to seek and be mindful of Amitābha Buddha, / East, west, south, and north are all the Western Direction. / The Amitābha of the West is in every place; / In front and behind, seven rows of trees. / Either yellow or red, or red and white, / Either large or small, or short or long. / The canopy of heaven is precisely Amitābha's house; / Tree holes and wood borings are Amitābha's chambers. / The sky above, the void within, is Amitābha's road; / Grass and trees are precisely Amitābha's home. / Day and night, front and back, noisy clamor / Is precisely Amitābha's mouth emitting light. / If you wish to pay homage to Amitābha Buddha, / No need to think and busily strive. / Not deceiving others is paying homage; / Not begging from others is the bodhimaṇḍa. / Strive to make oneself perform the three meritorious works, / Diligently exert effort to plant clothing and grain. / Mountains and rivers are the family's inexhaustible storehouse; / Grass and trees are man's ever-full granary; / Mud and water are man's ever-full treasury; / Wisteria vines are man's bottomless sack. / Practice much effort and naturally achieve completion; / One's own walking hands and feet become thoroughly adorned. / If you wish to be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss, / Only this very thing is the Western Direction.' Another song says: 'The villages and hamlets of all buddhas are in the world, / Spreading across the four seas and three fields to arise. / Buddhas and sentient beings share the same substance; / Sentient beings are the provisional name of Buddhas. / If you wish to see the Buddha, look at the three commanderies: / Fields, houses, gardens, and groves halt in every place. / Either flying in the empty sky, bustling and swarming, / Or thrown in mountain waters, roaring and booming. / Either forming flocks and companions, coming and going, / Or again solitary, walking alone. / Or making the bright day run east and west, / Or making the dark night patrol the five watches. / Either black or red, and again white, / Either purple or dark, or yellow and green. / Either large or small, newly nurtured, / Or old or young, born long ago. / Or having fire lamps upon the body and waist, / Or having lutes and zithers upon the wings. / Or roaming the empty sky, wildly ascending and descending, / Or among grasses and trees, wildly crisscrossing. / Or without speech or action, spontaneously leaving the house, / Or entering an earthen pit, temporarily lodged to live. / Or boring into tree holes to make their home district, / Or spreading across grasses and trees to make nests and cities. / Or turning nets into village lanes, / Or lying on earth and stone to make steps and halls. / Such are the homes of all buddhas and bodhisattvas; / Just this is named the city of Śrāvastī.'