[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [宗鏡錄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016) › 32.21 # 宗鏡錄 32.21 宗鏡錄 32.21 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [32.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.32.21) 答。此是起惑之初。發真之始。迷悟之本。染淨之由。故云。至妙靈通。目之曰道。則心外無道。道外無心。微妙甚深。凡小非分。菩薩分知。唯佛窮了。以彼二乘但覺四住。不了無明故。此無明所起之識。非其境也。菩薩十信之初。創發心時。即觀本識自性緣起因果之體。得成正信。攝論云。菩薩初起。應先觀諸法如實因緣。此之謂也。如實因緣。莫非一心本識。斯則發真之始也。起信論云。以不覺一法界故。心不相應。無明分別。生諸染心。一法界者。即無二真心為一法界。此非算數云一。謂如理虛融。平等不二。故稱為一。斯則起惑之初也。又因不識無明作眾生。了此無明成諸佛。斯則迷悟之本也。又一法界。舉體全作生滅門。舉體全作真如門。順法界。則出離解脫。違法界。則繫縛輪迴。斯乃染淨之由也。是以千聖仰之。為母為師。群賢歸之。如王如導。諸經綱骨。萬法指南。撮要言之。罔逮於茲矣。故經云。心為法本。心作天堂。心作地獄。若離眾生心。更有何真俗等事。以一切法但如影響故。如向居士云。影由形起。響逐聲來。弄影勞形。不知形是影本揚聲止響。不識聲是響根。除煩惱身而求涅槃者。喻去形而覓影。離眾生心而求佛道者。喻默聲而尋響。故知迷悟一途。愚智非別。無名作名。因其名則是非生矣。無理作理。因其理則諍論起矣。幻作非真。誰非誰是。虛妄非實。何有何空。將知得無所得。失無所失矣。故知但了一心。則萬法皆寂。如華嚴經。解脫長者告善財言。我若欲見安樂世界。阿彌陀如來。隨意即見。我若欲見栴檀世界。金剛光明如來。妙香世界。寶光明如來。蓮華世界。寶蓮華光明如來。妙金世界。寂靜光如來。妙喜世界。不動如來。善住世界。師子如來。鏡光明世界。月覺如來。寶師子莊嚴世界毘盧遮那如來。如是一切。悉皆即見。然彼如來不來至此。我身亦不往詣於彼。知一切佛及與我心。悉皆如夢。知一切佛猶如影像。自心如水。知一切佛所有色相。及以自心。悉皆如幻。知一切佛及以己心。悉皆如響。我如是知。如是憶念。所見諸佛。皆由自心。善男子。當知菩薩。修諸佛法。淨諸佛剎。積集妙行。調伏眾生。發大誓願。入一切智。自在。遊戲不可思議解脫之門。得佛菩提。現大神通。遍往一切十方法界。以微細智普入諸劫。如是一切。悉由自心。是故善男子。應以善法。扶助自心。應以法水。潤澤自心。應於境界。淨治自心。應以精進。堅固自心。應以忍辱。坦蕩自心。應以智證。潔白自心。應以智慧。明利自心。應以佛自在。開發自心。應以佛平等。廣大自心。應以佛十力。照察自心。疏釋云。心該萬法。謂非但一念觀佛。由於自心。菩薩萬行。佛果體用。亦不離心。亦去妄執之失。謂有計云。萬法皆心。任之是佛。驅馳萬行。豈不唐勞。今明。心雖即佛。久翳塵勞。故以萬行增修。令其瑩徹。但說萬行由心。不說不修為是。又萬法即心。修何礙心。故云卷舒變化。唯心所在。壽殀得喪。唯心所宰。故詩三百。一言可蔽矣。教五千。一心能貫之。實入道之要津。修行之玄鏡。實謂深談佛旨。妙達真空。低頭舉手而盡入圓因。發念興心而皆同本果。掘凡夫之乾土。見諸佛之水泉。抽二乘之焦芽。結常樂之果實。變毒藥而成甘露。轉酥酪而作醍醐。定父子而全付家珍。拂權迹而頓開寶藏。今宗鏡所錄。唯窮祖佛正宗。若欲見道修行。無出自身心之內。如華嚴經頌云。身為正法藏。心為無礙燈。照了諸法空。名曰度眾生。故知身為法聚。無一法出我身田。心為慧光。無一智離我心海。若迷之者。則身為苦聚病原。心作無明怨賊。先須察所治過患之迹。方立能治功德之門。則一切眾生所造過患。莫越身心。若欲對治。唯戒以慧。若修身戒。則戒急而妙行成。若修心慧。則乘急而真性顯。故得乘戒兼急。理行俱圓。正助相資。方入宗鏡。內外朗鑒。一道清虛。如大涅槃經云。復次不修身者。不能觀身。雖無過咎。而常是怨。善男子。譬如男子。有怨常逐。伺求其便。智者覺已。繫心慎護。若不慎護。則為所害。一切眾生身亦如是。常以飲食。冷煖將養。若不如是將護守慎。即當散壞。善男子。如婆羅門奉事火天。常以香華。讚歎禮拜。供養奉事。期滿百年。若一觸時。尋燒人手。是火雖得如是供養。終無一念報事者恩。一切眾生亦復如是。雖於多年。以好香華瓔珞衣服。飲食臥具。病瘦醫藥。而供給之。若遇內外諸惡緣。即時滅壞。都不憶念往日供給衣服之恩。善男子。譬如有王。畜四毒蛇。置之一篋。以付一人。仰令瞻養。是四蛇中。誤一生瞋。則能害人。是人恐怖。常求飲食。隨時守護。一切眾生四大毒蛇。亦復如是。若一大嗔則能壞身。善男子。如人久病。應當至心求醫療治。若不勤求必死不疑。一切眾生身亦如是。常應攝心。不令放逸。若放逸者。則便滅壞。善男子。譬如坏瓶。不耐風雨。打擲椎壓。一切眾生身亦如是。不耐飢渴寒熱風雨。打擊惡罵。善男子。如癰未熟。常當善護。不令人觸。設有觸者。則大苦痛。一切眾生身亦如是。善男子。如騾懷姙。自害其軀。一切眾生身亦如是。內有風冷。身則受苦。善男子。譬如芭蕉。生實則枯。一切眾生身亦如是。善男子。亦如芭蕉。內無堅實。一切眾生身亦如是。善男子。如蛇鼠狼。各各相於常生怨心。眾生四大。亦復如是。善男子。譬如鵝王。不樂塚墓。菩薩亦爾。於身塚墓。亦不貪樂。善男子。如栴陀羅。七世相繼。不捨其業。是故為人之所輕賤。是身種子。亦復如是。種子精血。究竟不淨。以不淨故。諸佛菩薩之所輕訶。善男子。是身不如魔羅耶山。生於栴檀。亦不能生優鉢羅華。分陀利華。瞻婆羅華。摩利迦華。婆師迦華。九孔常漏膿血不淨。生處臭穢。醜陋可惡。常與諸蟲共在一處。善男子。譬如世間。雖有上妙清淨園林。死屍至中。則為不淨。眾共捨之。不生愛著。色界亦爾。雖復淨妙。以有身故。諸佛菩薩。悉共捨之。善男子。若有不能作如是觀。不名修身。不修戒者。善男子。若不能觀。戒是一切善法梯隥。亦是一切善法根本。如地悉是一切樹木。所生之本。戒是諸善根之導首也。如彼商主導諸商人。戒是一切善法勝幢。如天帝釋所立勝幢。戒能永斷一切惡業。及三惡道。能療惡病。猶如藥樹。戒是生死險道資糧。戒是摧結惡賊鎧仗。戒是滅結毒蛇良呪。戒是度惡業行橋梁。若有不能如是觀者。名不修戒。不修心者。不能觀心輕躁動轉。難捉難調。馳騁奔逸。如大惡象。念念迅速。如彼電光。躁擾不住。猶如獼猴。如幻如焰。乃是一切諸惡根本。五欲難滿。如火獲薪。亦如大海。吞受眾流。如曼陀山。草木滋多。不能觀察生死虛妄。𮋲惑致患。如魚吞鉤。常先引導。諸業隨從。猶如貝母引導諸子。貪著五欲。不樂涅槃。如駝食蜜乃至於死。不顧蒭草。深著現樂。不觀後過。如牛貪苗不懼杖楚。馳騁周遍二十五有。猶如疾風吹兜羅毦。所不應求。求無厭足。如無智人求無熱火。常樂生死。不樂解脫。如稔婆蟲樂稔婆樹。迷惑愛著生死臭穢。猶如獄囚樂獄卒女。亦如廁猪樂處不淨。若有不能如是觀者。名不修心。不修慧者。不觀智慧有大勢力。如金翅鳥。能壞惡業。壞無明暗。猶如日光。能拔陰樹。如水漂物。焚燒邪見。猶如猛火。慧是一切善法根本。佛菩薩母之種子也。若有不能如是觀者。名不修慧。乃至若有修集身戒心慧。如上所說。能觀諸法。同如虛空。不見智慧。不見智者。不見愚癡。不見愚者。不見修集。及修集者。是名智者。如是之人。則能修集身戒心慧。是人能令地獄果報。現世輕受。是人設作極重惡業。思惟觀察。能令輕微。作是念言。我業雖重。不如善業。譬如㲲華雖復百斤。終不能敵真金一兩。如恒河中投一升鹽。水無醎味。飲者不覺。如巨富者。雖多負人千萬寶物。無能繫縛令其受苦。如大香象。能壞鐵鎖自在而去。智慧之人。亦復如是。然上雖觀身不淨。為破凡夫執此毒身以為苦本。不種菩提之果。唯陷五欲之泥。不能自利兼他。所以訶破。若乃假茲業迹。以續正因。不入煩惱大海之中。難求覺寶。非處塵勞糞壤之地。奚生淨華。是以華嚴經云。不厭生死苦。方成普賢行。又如大寶積經云。佛告優波離。聲聞乘人。乃至。不應起於一念更受後身。是名聲聞持清淨戒。然於菩薩。名大破戒。乃至菩薩摩訶薩修行大乘。能於無量阿僧祇劫。堪忍受身。不生厭患。是名菩薩持清淨戒。於聲聞乘。名大破戒。今宗鏡所錄。總諸大乘經了義妙旨。只為悟宗行菩薩道故。闡觀音普門之慧。迹任方圓。入普賢無盡之宗。運心無際。 > Answer: This is the very beginning of the arising of delusion, the start of the revelation of reality, the root of confusion and awakening, and the source of defilement and purity. Therefore it is said: ‘That which is supremely wondrous, numinous and pervasive is designated the Way.’ Thus outside citta there is no Way, and outside the Way there is no citta. It is subtle, wondrous, and exceedingly deep; it is not the realm of ordinary people or followers of the Hinayāna. Bodhisattvas know it partially; only a Buddha penetrates it completely. Because those of the two vehicles only awaken to the four dwelling-places \[of affliction\] and do not comprehend avidyā, the consciousness arisen from this avidyā is not their sphere. At the beginning of the ten faiths, when a bodhisattva first generates the mind \[of bodhi\], they contemplate the substance of cause and effect in the dependent origination of the fundamental consciousness's own-nature, and thereby succeed in establishing right faith. The Saṃgraha says: ‘When a bodhisattva first arises, they should first contemplate the real causes and conditions of all phenomena.’ This is what is meant. The real causes and conditions are none other than the one mind, the fundamental consciousness. This, then, is the start of the revelation of reality. The Awakening of Faith says: ‘Because of not awakening to the one dharmadhātu, citta does not correspond; avidyā discriminates, giving rise to all defiled minds.’ The ‘one dharmadhātu’ means that the non-dual true citta is the one dharmadhātu. This does not mean ‘one’ in the sense of counting; it means that it is empty, interfused, equal, and non-dual in accordance with principle, and is therefore called ‘one’. This, then, is the very beginning of the arising of delusion. Furthermore, it is because of not recognizing avidyā that one becomes a sentient being, and by fully comprehending this avidyā one becomes a Buddha. This, then, is the root of confusion and awakening. Furthermore, the one dharmadhātu in its entirety serves completely as the gate of arising and ceasing, and in its entirety serves completely as the gate of tathatā. Accompanying the dharmadhātu leads to escape and liberation; opposing the dharmadhātu leads to bondage and saṃsāra. This, then, is the source of defilement and purity. For this reason, the thousand sages look up to it as mother and teacher; the host of worthies take refuge in it as sovereign and guide. It is the framework and backbone of all sūtras, the compass of all phenomena. To speak of it in essence, nothing exceeds this. Therefore a sūtra says: ‘Citta is the root of phenomena; citta creates heaven, citta creates hell.’ If one were separated from the citta of sentient beings, what other ultimate or conventional matters would there be? For all phenomena are merely like shadows and echoes. As Layman Xiang said: ‘Shadows arise from forms; echoes follow upon sounds. Playing with the shadow wearies the form, not knowing that the form is the root of the shadow; raising the voice to stop the echo does not recognize that the sound is the source of the echo. Seeking nirvāṇa by eliminating the body of affliction is likened to removing the form to search for the shadow; seeking the Buddha-Way by departing from the citta of sentient beings is likened to silencing the sound to search for the echo.’ Hence we know that confusion and awakening are of a single track; foolishness and wisdom are not distinct. Giving names where there are no names, right and wrong arise based on those names; establishing principles where there are no principles, disputations arise based on those principles. What is illusory is not real—who is wrong and who is right? What is false is not substantial—what exists and what is empty? One should know that gain is without anything gained, and loss is without anything lost. Therefore we know that if one merely comprehends the one mind, all phenomena are calm and extinguished. As the Avataṃsaka-sūtra states, the elder Muktaka said to Sudhana: ‘If I wish to see the World of Peace and Bliss and the Tathāgata Amitābha, I see them as soon as I wish. If I wish to see the World of Sandalwood and the Tathāgata Vajraprabhāsa; the World of Wondrous Fragrance and the Tathāgata Ratnaprabhāsa; the Lotus World and the Tathāgata Ratnapadmaprabhāsa; the World of Wondrous Gold and the Tathāgata Śāntaprabhāsa; the World of Abhirati and the Tathāgata Akṣobhya; the Well-Abiding World and the Tathāgata Siṃha; the Mirror Light World and the Tathāgata Candrabodhi; the World Adorned with Precious Lions and the Tathāgata Vairocana—all such \[Buddhas\] I see immediately. Yet that Tathāgata does not come here, nor does my body go there. I know that all Buddhas and my own citta are both like dreams; I know that all Buddhas are like reflections and shadows, and my own citta is like water; I know that all the physical marks of all Buddhas and my own citta are both like illusions; I know that all Buddhas and my own citta are both like echoes. Because I know thus and remember thus, the Buddhas I see all come from my own citta. Good son, you should know that a bodhisattva cultivates all Buddha-dharmas, purifies all Buddha-kṣetras, amasses wondrous practices, tames sentient beings, gives rise to great vows, enters into sarvajñā, attains sovereignty, playfully wanders in the inconceivable gate of liberation, attains the Buddha's bodhi, manifests great supernormal powers, goes everywhere throughout all dharmadhātus in the ten directions, and universally enters all kalpas with subtle wisdom—all such things come entirely from their own citta. Therefore, good son, you should assist your own citta with wholesome dharmas; you should moisten your own citta with the water of the Dharma; you should purify and govern your own citta regarding sense-objects; you should strengthen your own citta with vigor; you should make your own citta broad and open with forbearance; you should make your own citta pure and white with realization of wisdom; you should make your own citta bright and sharp with wisdom; you should open and develop your own citta with the Buddha's sovereignty; you should make your own citta vast with the Buddha's equality; you should illuminate and inspect your own citta with the Buddha's ten powers.’ The commentary explains: ‘Citta encompasses all phenomena. This means that not only does one-moment contemplation of the Buddha arise from one's own citta, but the myriad practices of a bodhisattva and the substance and function of the Buddha-fruit are also not separate from citta. It also eliminates the error of false grasping, namely the view which holds: “All phenomena are citta; letting it be as it is, is Buddha. Why wear oneself out with the myriad practices in vain toil?” Now it is clarified: although citta is indeed Buddha, it has long been obscured by defiling afflictions. Therefore, through the supplementary cultivation of the myriad practices, it is made brilliant and clear. It only says that the myriad practices come from citta; it does not say that non-cultivation is correct. Furthermore, since all phenomena are citta, how could cultivation obstruct citta? Therefore it is said: rolling up, unrolling, and transforming reside solely in citta; longevity, early death, gain, and loss are governed solely by citta.’ Therefore, ‘the three hundred poems of the Odes may be covered in a single phrase’; the five thousand teachings \[of the canon\] can be unified by the one mind. It is truly the essential ferry for entering the Way, the profound mirror for practice. It truly speaks deeply of the Buddha's intent and wondrously penetrates true emptiness: lowering the head and raising the hand completely enter the perfect cause; giving rise to a thought and stirring the mind all coincide with the fundamental fruit. It digs up the dry earth of the ordinary person to see the water spring of all Buddhas; it revives the scorched sprouts of the two vehicles to bear the fruit of eternal bliss; it transforms poison into amṛta; it turns curds and butter into ghee. It determines father and son, fully entrusting the family treasures; it brushes away expedient traces, suddenly opening the jewel treasury. What is recorded now in the Mirror of the Source purely investigates the correct source of the patriarchs and Buddhas. If one wishes to see the Way and cultivate practice, there is nothing outside one's own body and citta. As the verse in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: ‘The body is the treasury of the true Dharma; citta is the unimpeded lamp. Clearly comprehending that all phenomena are empty is called delivering sentient beings.’ Hence we know that the body is the convergence of dharmas: not a single dharma lies outside my field of the body. Citta is the light of wisdom: not a single wisdom is separated from the ocean of my citta. If one is deluded about this, the body becomes an accumulation of suffering and the source of illness, while citta acts as avidyā, a hostile bandit. One must first examine the traces of faults and afflictions to be cured, before establishing the gates of merit that can cure them. Thus, among the faults produced by all sentient beings, none exceed body and citta. If one wishes to counteract them, it is only through precepts and wisdom. If one cultivates bodily precepts, then the precepts become urgent and wondrous practice is accomplished; if one cultivates citta's wisdom, then the vehicle becomes urgent and the true nature is revealed. Therefore, when both vehicle and precepts are urgent, principle and practice are both perfected; primary and auxiliary aid each other, and only then does one enter the mirror of the source, illuminating inside and outside, a single Way, clear and empty. As the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: ‘Furthermore, one who does not cultivate the body cannot contemplate the body; although it is without fault, it is constantly an enemy. Good son, it is like a man who has an enemy constantly pursuing him, seeking an opportunity against him. Once a wise man becomes aware of it, he focuses his mind and carefully guards himself; if he does not carefully guard himself, he will be harmed by him. The bodies of all sentient beings are also like this: they are constantly nurtured with food, drink, cold, and warmth; if they are not cared for and guarded in this way, they will instantly disintegrate and be ruined. Good son, it is like a brāhmaṇa serving the god of fire, constantly offering incense, flowers, praise, prostrations, and offerings, serving him for a full hundred years. If he touches it even once, it immediately burns the man's hand. Although this fire received such offerings, it never has a single thought of repaying the kindness of the one who served it. All sentient beings are also like this: although for many years one supplies it with fine incense, flowers, necklaces, clothing, food, drink, bedding, and medicine for illness and emaciation, if it encounters internal or external adverse conditions, it instantly perishes and is ruined, remembering nothing of the kindness of previously supplying clothing. Good son, it is like a king who keeps four venomous snakes, places them in a single chest, and entrusts them to a man, commanding him to care for and feed them. If among these four snakes, one should mistakenly become enraged, it can harm the man. Terrified, the man constantly seeks food and drink to guard and care for them at all times. The four great elements, the venomous snakes of all sentient beings, are also like this: if one element becomes enraged, it can ruin the body. Good son, it is like a man long sick who should seek medical treatment with a sincere mind; if he does not diligently seek it, he will undoubtedly die. The bodies of all sentient beings are also like this: one should always restrain the mind and not allow it to be heedless; if one is heedless, it will perish and be ruined. Good son, it is like an unbaked earthenware vessel that cannot endure wind, rain, striking, throwing, mallets, or pressure. The bodies of all sentient beings are also like this: they cannot endure hunger, thirst, cold, heat, wind, rain, striking, or harsh scolding. Good son, it is like an ulcer that has not yet ripened; one must always guard it well and not let anyone touch it. If someone touches it, it causes great suffering and pain. The bodies of all sentient beings are also like this. Good son, it is like a mule becoming pregnant, which harms its own body. The bodies of all sentient beings are also like this: when there is wind and cold within, the body suffers pain. Good son, it is like a plantain tree: when it bears fruit, it withers. The bodies of all sentient beings are also like this. Good son, it is also like a plantain tree having no core of solid substance within. The bodies of all sentient beings are also like this. Good son, it is like snakes, mice, and weasels, which constantly harbor hostility toward one another. The four great elements of sentient beings are also like this. Good son, it is like the king of swans, who takes no pleasure in graves and tombs. Bodhisattvas are also like this: regarding the grave and tomb of the body, they also do not greedily delight in it. Good son, it is like a caṇḍāla who, continuing for seven generations, does not abandon his occupation; therefore he is despised by others. The seed of this body is also like this: the seed of semen and blood is utterly impure; because it is impure, all Buddhas and bodhisattvas despise and rebuke it. Good son, this body is not like the Malaya Mountains, which produce sandalwood; nor can it produce utpala flowers, puṇḍarīka flowers, campaka flowers, mallikā flowers, or varṣikā flowers. Its nine apertures constantly leak pus, blood, and impurities; its place of birth is foul and filthy, ugly and repulsive, and it constantly shares the same place with various worms. Good son, it is like the world: although there may be a supremely wondrous and pure park, if a dead corpse enters it, it becomes impure; everyone abandons it together and does not give rise to love or attachment. The rūpadhātu is also like this: although it is pure and wondrous, because there is a body, all Buddhas and bodhisattvas abandon it together. Good son, if anyone is unable to make such a contemplation, it is not called cultivating the body. As for one who does not cultivate the precepts: Good son, if one is unable to contemplate that the precepts are the ladder to all wholesome dharmas and also the root of all wholesome dharmas—just as the earth is the source from which all trees grow, so the precepts are the leader of all wholesome roots, like a merchant caravan leader guiding all merchants; the precepts are the supreme banner of all wholesome dharmas, like the supreme banner erected by Śakra, lord of the devas; the precepts can forever cut off all bad karma and the three evil destinies; they can heal malignant diseases, like a medicinal tree; the precepts are provisions for the perilous path of saṃsāra; the precepts are armor and weapons that destroy the evil bandits of saṃyojana; the precepts are an efficacious mantra that extinguishes the venomous snakes of saṃyojana; the precepts are a bridge for crossing over evil karmic deeds—if anyone is unable to contemplate thus, it is called not cultivating the precepts. As for one who does not cultivate citta: one is unable to contemplate that citta is light, agitated, and fluctuating, hard to grasp and hard to tame, galloping and fleeing like a great rogue elephant, momentary and swift like lightning, restless and unsteady like an ape, like an illusion, like a mirage, being the root of all evils. The five desires are hard to satisfy, like fire obtaining fuel, or like the great ocean swallowing all rivers, or like Mount Mandara where grasses and trees proliferate. One cannot contemplate that saṃsāra is false and unreal, leading to delusions and bringing about afflictions, like a fish swallowing a hook. It constantly leads first, with all karmas following, like a cowrie shell leading its young. It is greedily attached to the five desires and takes no pleasure in nirvāṇa, like a camel eating honey even unto death without regard for fodder. It is deeply attached to present pleasures and does not contemplate future faults, like an ox greedily desiring sprouts without fearing the whip and rod. It gallops everywhere through the twenty-five states of existence, like a fierce wind blowing tūla-cotton. It seeks what should not be sought, seeking insatiably, like a foolish person seeking heatless fire. It constantly delights in saṃsāra and does not delight in liberation, like a nimba bug delighting in the nimba tree. Deluded, it loves and clings to the foulness of saṃsāra, like a prisoner delighting in the jailer's daughter, or like a latrine pig delighting in residing in filth. If anyone is unable to contemplate thus, it is called not cultivating citta. As for one who does not cultivate wisdom: one does not contemplate that wisdom has great power, like a garuḍa bird; it can destroy evil karma and destroy the darkness of avidyā, like sunlight; it can uproot the tree of the aggregates, like water floating objects away; it burns away false views, like a raging fire. Wisdom is the root of all wholesome dharmas, the seed of the mother of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. If anyone is unable to contemplate thus, it is called not cultivating wisdom. Furthermore, if anyone cultivates and amasses \[the four dharmas of\] body, precepts, citta, and wisdom as spoken above, they can contemplate all phenomena as identical to empty space; they see no wisdom, see no wise person, see no folly, see no foolish person, see no cultivation and amassing, and see no cultivator. This is called a wise person. Such a person can cultivate and amass body, precepts, citta, and wisdom. This person can cause the karmic retribution of hell to be experienced lightly in the present life. Even if this person performs extremely heavy bad karma, by reflecting and contemplating, they can make it slight and light, thinking: “Although my karma is heavy, it is not equal to wholesome karma. For example, even if raw cotton weighs a hundred pounds, it can never equal a single ounce of real gold. If one throws a pint of salt into the Ganges River, the water does not become salty, and those who drink it do not notice. It is like a vastly wealthy person who, although owing millions in jewels to others, cannot be bound or made to suffer. It is like a great fragrant elephant who can break iron chains and walk away with sovereignty.” A person of wisdom is also like this.’ However, although the contemplation of the body as impure above was given to break ordinary people's attachment to this toxic body as the root of suffering—wherein they do not plant the fruit of bodhi and only sink into the mire of the five desires, unable to benefit themselves and others, which is why it was rebuked and demolished—yet if one relies on these karmic traces to continue the right cause, then without entering the great ocean of afflictions, it is difficult to seek the jewel of awakening; without residing in the defiled soil of worldly toil, how could the pure flower blossom? Therefore the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: ‘Not loathing the suffering of saṃsāra, one only then perfects Samantabhadra's practice.’ Again, as the Mahāratnakūṭa-sūtra says: ‘The Buddha said to Upāli: “A person of the śrāvaka vehicle, up to and including, should not give rise to a single thought of taking on a future body; this is called a śrāvaka maintaining the pure precepts. Yet for a bodhisattva, this is called a great breaking of the precepts. Up to and including, when a bodhisattva-mahāsattva practices the Great Vehicle, being able to endure taking on bodies for immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas without giving rise to loathing or distress, this is called a bodhisattva maintaining the pure precepts. For the śrāvaka vehicle, this is called a great breaking of the precepts.”’ What is recorded now in the Mirror of the Source gathers the wondrous intents of the definitive meaning across all Mahāyāna sūtras solely for the purpose of awakening to the source and practicing the Bodhisattva-Way. It expounds the wisdom of Avalokiteśvara's Universal Gate, with traces accommodating square or round; it enters Samantabhadra's inexhaustible source, operating citta without boundaries. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 32.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.32.20) - [Next: 32.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.32.22) - [Up: 32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.32) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.32.21) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.32.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.32.21) · Pramāṇa