宗鏡錄 36.44

36.44

答。一漸修頓悟。二頓悟漸修。三漸修漸悟。四頓悟頓修。楞伽經中有四漸四頓。經云。大慧白佛言。世尊。云何淨除自心現流。為頓為漸。答中先明四漸。後說四頓。漸經云。佛告大慧。漸淨非頓。一如菴羅果。漸熟非頓。如來漸除眾生自心現流。亦復如是。漸淨非頓。二如陶家作器。漸成非頓。三如大地。漸生非頓。四如習藝。漸就非頓。上之四漸。約於修行。未證理故。下之四頓。約已證理故。一明鏡頓現喻。經云。譬如明鏡頓現一切無相色像。如來淨除一切眾生自心現流。亦復如是。頓現無相無所有清淨法界。二日月頓照喻。經云。如日月輪。頓照顯示一切色像。如來為離自心現習氣過患眾生。亦復如是。頓為顯示不思議勝智境界。三藏識頓知喻。經云。譬如藏識。頓分別知自心現。及身安立受用境界。彼諸報佛。亦復如是。頓熟眾生所處境界。以修行者。安處於彼色究竟天。四佛光頓照喻。經云。譬如法佛所作。依佛光明照耀。自覺聖趣。亦復如是。於彼法相有性無性惡見妄想。照令除滅。今取頓悟漸修。深諧教理。首楞嚴經云。理雖頓悟。承悟併消。事在漸修。依次第盡。如大海猛風頓息。波浪漸停。猶孩子諸根頓生。力量漸備。似曦光之頓出。霜露漸消。若即文之頓成。讀有前後。或頓悟頓修。正當宗鏡。如華嚴宗。取悟如日照。即解悟證悟。皆悉頓也。又如磨鏡。一時遍磨。明淨有漸。今論。明是本明。漸為圓漸。明是本明者。恐謂拂鏡非頓。明鏡本來淨。何用拂塵埃。此是六祖。直顯本性。破其漸修。今為順經明其漸證。隨漸漸明。皆本明矣。故云明是本明。即無念體上自有真知。非別有知。知即心體也。漸為圓漸者。即天台智者意。彼云。漸漸非圓漸。圓圓非漸圓。謂漸家亦有圓漸。圓家亦有圓漸。漸家漸者。如江出岷山。始於濫觴。漸家圓者。如大江千里。圓家漸者。如初入海。雖則漸深。一滴之水已過大江。況濫觴耶。圓家圓者。如窮海涯底故。今云。漸是圓家漸。尚過漸家之圓。況漸家之漸。禪原集云。頓門有二。一逐機頓。二化儀頓。一逐機頓者。遇凡夫上根利智。直示真法。聞即頓悟。全同佛果。如華嚴中。初發心時。即得阿耨菩提。圓覺中。觀行即成佛。二化儀頓者。謂佛初成道。為宿世緣熟上根之流。一時頓說性相事理。眾生萬惑。菩薩萬行。賢聖地位。諸佛萬德。因該果海。初心即得菩提。果徹因原。位滿猶同菩薩。此唯華嚴一經。名為頓教。其中所說諸法。是全一心之諸法。一心是全諸法之一心。性相圓融。一多自在。又約機頓漸不同。有云。先因漸修功成。而豁然頓悟。如伐木片片漸斫。一時。頓倒。亦如遠詣皇城。步步漸行。一日頓到。有云。先因頓修。而後漸悟。如人學射。頓者。箭箭直注意在的。漸者。久始漸親漸中。此說運心頓修。不言功行頓畢。有云。漸修漸悟。如登九層之臺。足履漸高。所見。漸遠。已上皆證悟也。有云。先須頓悟。方可漸修。此約解悟。若約斷障說者。如日頓出。霜露漸消。若約成德說者。如孩初生。即具四支六根。長即漸成志氣功用。如華嚴經云。初發心時。即成正覺。三賢十聖。次第修證。若未悟而修。非真修也。良以。非真流之行。無以稱真。何有飾真之行。不從真起。經云。若未聞此法。多劫修六度萬行。竟不證真。有云。頓悟頓修者。此說上上智。根性。樂欲俱勝。一聞千悟。得大總持。一念不生。前後際斷。若斷障說。如斬一籰絲。萬條頓斷。若修德說。如染一籰絲。萬條頓色。荷澤云。見無念體。不逐物生。又云。一念與本性相應。八萬波羅蜜行。一時齊用。又頓悟者。不離此生。即得解脫。如師子兒。初生之時。是真師子。即修之時。即入佛位。如竹春生筍。不離於春。即與母齊。何以故。心空故。若除妄念。永絕我人。即與佛齊。經云。不壞世間而超世間。不捨煩惱。而入涅槃。不修頓悟。猶如野干隨逐師子。經百千劫。終不得成師子。故知若不直了自心。豈成圓頓。隨他妄學。終不成真。此宗鏡錄。是圓頓門。即之於心。了之無際。更無前後。萬法同時。所以證道歌云。是以禪門了却心。頓入無生慈忍力。又若用悟而修。即是解悟。若因修而悟。即是證悟。又頓教初如華嚴海會。於逝多林中。入師子嚬伸三昧。大眾皆頓證法界。無有別異。後乃至將欲滅度。在拘尸那城娑羅雙樹間。作大師子吼。顯常住法。決定說言。一切眾生。皆有佛性。凡是有心。定當作佛。究竟涅槃常樂我淨。皆令安住祕密藏中。以此教法。本從世尊一真心體流出。亦只是凡聖所依一心真體。隨緣流出。展轉遍一切處。一切眾生身心之中。只各於自心靜念。如理思惟。即如是如是顯現。於宗鏡中。了然明白。起此無涯之一照。遍法界無際之虛空。無一塵而不被光明。凡一念而咸承照燭。斯乃般若無知之照。照豈有邊。涅槃大寂之宗。宗何有盡。故如般若無知論云。放光云。般若無所有相。無生滅相。道行云。般若無所知。無所見。此辯智照之用。而曰無相。無知者。何也。果有無相之知。不知之照。明矣。何者。夫有所知。則有所不知。以聖心無知。故無所不知。不知之知。乃曰一切知。故經云。聖心無知。無所不知。信矣。是以聖人。虛其心而實其照。終日知未嘗知也。故能默耀韜光。虛心玄鑒。閉智塞聰。而獨覺冥冥者矣。然則智有窮幽之鑒。而無知焉。神有應會之用。而無慮焉。神無慮故。能獨王於世表。智無知故。能玄照於事外。智雖事外。未始無事。神雖世表。終日域中。所以俯仰順化。應接無窮。無幽不察。而無照功。斯則無知之所知。聖神之所會也。然其為物。實而不有。虛而不無。存而不可論者。其唯聖智乎。何者。欲言其有。無狀無名。欲言其無。聖以之靈。聖以之靈故。虛不失照。無狀無名故。照不失虛。照不失虛故。渾而不渝。虛不失照故。動以接麁。是以聖智之用。未始暫廢。求之形相。未始可得。故寶積曰。以無心意而現行。放光曰。不動等覺而建立諸法。所以聖迹萬端。其致一而已矣。是以般若可虛而照。真諦可亡而知。萬動可即而靜。聖應可無而為。斯則不知而自知。不為而自為矣。復何知哉。復何為哉。

Answer: First, gradual cultivation and sudden awakening; second, sudden awakening and gradual cultivation; third, gradual cultivation and gradual awakening; fourth, sudden awakening and sudden cultivation. In the Laṅkāvatārasūtra, there are the four graduals and the four suddens. The sūtra says: Mahāmati addressed the Buddha, saying: 'World-Honoured One, how is the flowing stream appearing from one's own citta purified? Is it sudden or gradual?' In the answer, the four graduals are explained first, and then the four suddens are expounded. For the gradual, the sūtra says: The Buddha told Mahāmati, 'It is purified gradually, not suddenly. First, it is like the āmra fruit, which ripens gradually, not suddenly. When the Tathāgata gradually eliminates the flowing stream appearing from sentient beings' own cittas, it is also like this: purified gradually, not suddenly. Second, it is like a potter making vessels, which are completed gradually, not suddenly. Third, it is like the great earth, which generates [things] gradually, not suddenly. Fourth, it is like learning the arts, which are accomplished gradually, not suddenly.' The above four graduals are spoken in terms of practice, because the principle has not yet been realized. The below four suddens are spoken in terms of having already realized the principle: First, the simile of the clear mirror suddenly reflecting. The sūtra says: 'For example, it is like a clear mirror suddenly reflecting all formless forms and images; when the Tathāgata purifies the flowing stream appearing from all sentient beings' own cittas, it is also like this: suddenly revealing the pure dharmadhātu, formless and without anything existent.' Second, the simile of the sun and moon suddenly shining. The sūtra says: 'Like the orbs of the sun and moon suddenly shining and displaying all forms and images; when the Tathāgata, for the sake of sentient beings who are free from the faults of the habit-energy appearing from their own cittas, [acts], it is also like this: suddenly displaying the realm of inconceivable, supreme wisdom for them.' Third, the simile of the ālayavijñāna suddenly knowing. The sūtra says: 'For example, it is like the ālayavijñāna suddenly and discriminatively knowing that which appears from its own citta, as well as the realms established and enjoyed by the body; those Sambhogakāya Buddhas are also like this: suddenly maturing the realm where sentient beings dwell, establishing practitioners in that Akaniṣṭha Heaven.' Fourth, the simile of the Buddha's light suddenly shining. The sūtra says: 'For example, what is wrought by the Dharmakāya Buddha relies on the illumination of the Buddha's radiance; the holy state of self-realization is also like this: it shines upon the false imaginings of evil views regarding the existence and non-existence of dharmas, causing them to be eliminated.' Now, taking sudden awakening and gradual cultivation accords deeply with the doctrinal principles. The Śūraṅgamasūtra says: 'Though principle is suddenly awakened to, vanished all at once by virtue of awakening, phenomena entail gradual cultivation, exhausted in sequential order.' It is like a fierce gale on the great ocean suddenly subsiding, while the waves gradually cease; it is like the faculties of a child suddenly being born, while strength is gradually perfected; it is like the dawn's light suddenly bursting forth, while frost and dew gradually melt; it is like text being suddenly completed, yet read in sequence. Or, sudden awakening and sudden cultivation precisely corresponds to the mirror of the source. For instance, the Huayan tradition takes awakening to be like the illumination of the sun: that is, both awakening through understanding and awakening through realization are entirely sudden. Again, it is like polishing a mirror: it is polished all over at one time, but clarity and purity occur gradually. We now argue: clarity is the fundamental clarity, and gradualness is the perfect gradualness. As for 'clarity is the fundamental clarity', it is feared that people may think wiping the mirror is not sudden. 'The clear mirror is fundamentally pure; wherefore wipe away dust and dirt?' This was the Sixth Patriarch directly revealing the fundamental nature and destroying their gradual cultivation. Now, in order to accord with the sūtras and clarify its gradual realization, whatever gradually becomes clear is all the fundamental clarity. Therefore it is said, 'clarity is the fundamental clarity.' That is, upon the substance of thoughtlessness there is naturally true knowing; it is not that there is some other knowing. Knowing is itself the substance of citta. As for 'gradualness is the perfect gradualness', this is the intention of Tiantai's Zhizhe. He said: 'The gradual of the gradual is not the perfect gradual; the perfect of the perfect is not the gradual perfect.' This means that the gradual tradition also has a perfect gradual, and the perfect tradition also has a perfect gradual. The gradual of the gradual tradition is like the river issuing from Mount Min, beginning from a mere trickle filling a ladle. The perfect of the gradual tradition is like the great river flowing for a thousand leagues. The gradual of the perfect tradition is like first entering the ocean: although it is gradually deepening, a single drop of its water already surpasses the great river, not to mention the trickle filling a ladle! The perfect of the perfect tradition is like reaching the very limits and bottom of the ocean. Therefore it is now said: the gradual is the gradual of the perfect tradition, which still surpasses the perfect of the gradual tradition, not to mention the gradual of the gradual tradition! The Chanyuan ji says: 'The sudden gate has two aspects: first, the sudden according with capacity; second, the sudden of the conversion method. First, as for the sudden according with capacity: encountering commoners of supreme faculties and sharp wisdom, one directly shows them the true Dharma; upon hearing it, they suddenly awaken, entirely identical with the fruit of buddhahood. For example, in the Huayan, upon first giving rise to the aspiration [for bodhi], one immediately attains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; in the Perfect Enlightenment [Sūtra], contemplation and practice immediately constitute buddhahood. Second, as for the sudden of the conversion method: it refers to when the Buddha first attained enlightenment and, for those of superior faculties whose conditions from past lives were ripe, suddenly expounded at one time the nature and characteristics, phenomena and principle, sentient beings' myriad delusions, bodhisattvas' myriad practices, the stages of sages and worthies, and the myriad virtues of all buddhas. The cause encompasses the ocean of fruit; the initial mind immediately attains bodhi. The fruit penetrates the source of causes; when the stages are fulfilled, one is still identical with a bodhisattva. This belongs solely to the single Huayan Sūtra, which is called the Sudden Teaching. The dharmas expounded therein are the dharmas of the entirety of the one mind; the one mind is the one mind of the entirety of dharmas. Nature and characteristics are completely interfused, and the one and the many are unobstructed.' Furthermore, in terms of the differences in sudden and gradual according to capacity, some say: first, through the achievement of gradual cultivation, one suddenly awakens completely. It is like felling a tree: chopped chip by chip, it suddenly topples at one moment. It is also like traveling from afar to the imperial capital: walking step by step, one suddenly arrives in a single day. Some say: first, through sudden cultivation, one afterwards gradually awakens. It is like someone learning archery: 'sudden' means every single arrow is aimed directly with intent on the target; 'gradual' means only after a long time does one gradually draw closer and gradually hit the mark. This speaks of mobilizing the mind in sudden cultivation; it does not say that merit and practice are suddenly finished. Some say: gradual cultivation and gradual awakening. It is like climbing a nine-tiered pavilion: as one's feet tread gradually higher, what one sees becomes gradually farther. The above are all awakening through realization. Some say: one must first suddenly awaken, and only then can one gradually cultivate. This is spoken in terms of awakening through understanding. If spoken in terms of cutting off obstructions, it is like the sun suddenly bursting forth, while frost and dew gradually melt. If spoken in terms of accomplishing virtues, it is like a child newly born, who immediately possesses four limbs and six sense organs, yet only upon growing up gradually develops determination and functional capability. As the Huayan Sūtra says: 'Upon first giving rise to the aspiration, one immediately accomplishes correct enlightenment; the three [ranks of] worthies and ten [stages of] holy ones are cultivated and realized sequentially.' If one cultivates without having awakened, it is not true cultivation. Truly, practices that do not flow from truth have nothing wherewith to match truth; how could there be practices that adorn truth without arising from truth? A sūtra says: 'If one has not heard this Dharma, though one cultivates the six pāramitās and myriad practices for many kalpas, one ultimately does not realize truth.' Some say: sudden awakening and sudden cultivation. This refers to those of supreme wisdom, whose faculties, nature, and aspirations are all superior: hearing once, they awaken to a thousand [things], obtaining the great dhāraṇī; not a single thought arises, and the limits of past and future are severed. If spoken in terms of cutting off obstructions, it is like severing a skein of silk: ten thousand strands are severed all at once. If spoken in terms of cultivating virtue, it is like dyeing a skein of silk: ten thousand strands are colored all at once. Heze said: 'Seeing the substance of thoughtlessness, one does not arise in pursuit of objects.' He also said: 'In one thought corresponding with the fundamental nature, the eighty thousand pāramitā practices function together simultaneously.' Furthermore, one of sudden awakening attains liberation without leaving this very life. It is like a lion cub: at the very moment of its birth, it is a true lion. At the very moment of cultivation, one enters the Buddha's stage. It is like bamboo shooting in spring: without leaving the spring, it already equals its mother. Why is this? Because citta is empty. If one eliminates false thoughts and forever cuts off 'self' and 'person', one is immediately equal to the Buddha. A sūtra says: 'Without destroying the mundane world, one transcends the mundane world; without abandoning kleśa, one enters nirvāṇa.' Not cultivating sudden awakening is like a jackal following behind a lion: though hundreds of thousands of kalpas pass, it will never become a lion. Therefore, know that if one does not directly comprehend one's own citta, how could one accomplish the perfect and sudden? Following others in false learning, one will never achieve truth. This Record of the Mirror of the Source is the gate of the perfect and sudden: approaching it in citta, comprehending it without boundary, there is no longer before or after, and the myriad dharmas are simultaneous. Therefore the Song of Realizing the Way says: 'Therefore the Chan gate comprehends citta, / Suddenly entering the power of the gentle kṣānti of non-arising.' Furthermore, if one uses awakening to cultivate, that is awakening through understanding; if one awakens on account of cultivation, that is awakening through realization. Furthermore, the Sudden Teaching was initially like the Huayan ocean assembly: in the Jetavana, entering the Siṃhavikrīḍita Samādhi, the great assembly all suddenly realized the dharmadhātu without any difference. Later, up until the Buddha was about to pass into extinction, between the twin śāla trees in the city of Kuśinagara, he made the great lion's roar, revealing the eternally abiding Dharma, and decisively expounded: 'All sentient beings have the Buddha-nature. Whoever has a citta will definitely become a Buddha.' He caused them all to dwell peacefully in the secret treasury of ultimate nirvāṇa, eternal, blissful, self, and pure. Because these doctrinal teachings fundamentally flowed forth from the World-Honoured One's substance of the one true citta, they are also merely the true substance of the one mind upon which ordinary beings and sages rely, flowing forth according to conditions, progressively pervading all places, within the bodies and minds of all sentient beings. If one merely calms one's thoughts in one's own citta and contemplates according to principle, it will manifest just so, vividly and clearly in the mirror of the source. Arising as this single, boundless illumination, it pervades the limitless space of the dharmadhātu; there is not a single dust mote that is not touched by its light, nor a single thought that does not receive its illumination. This is indeed the illumination of prajñā's non-knowing—how could illumination have a boundary? It is the source of nirvāṇa's great quiescence—how could the source have an end? Therefore, as the Treatise on Prajñā Being Without Knowing states: 'The Pañcaviṃśati says: Prajñā has no characteristic of existence, and no characteristic of arising and ceasing. The Aṣṭasāhasrikā says: Prajñā is without knowing and without seeing. This discourses upon the function of wisdom's illumination; why then is it called formless and without knowing? Truly there is formless knowing and unknowing illumination—this is clear! Why so? Now, if there is something known, then there is something not known. Because the holy citta is without knowing, there is nothing it does not know. The knowing of non-knowing is called all-knowing. Hence the sūtra says: The holy citta is without knowing, yet there is nothing it does not know—this is trustworthy indeed! Therefore the sage empties his citta while making substantial his illumination; all day he knows, yet has never known. Thus he can silently radiate and veil his light, empty his citta in dark reflection, close off wisdom and stop up hearing, yet alone be awakened in the dark recesses. Thus, while wisdom has the reflection that plumbs the depths, it is without knowing; while spirit has the function of responding and meeting, it is without deliberation. Because spirit is without deliberation, it can uniquely reign beyond the world; because wisdom is without knowing, it can profoundly illuminate outside phenomena. Although wisdom is outside phenomena, it has never been without phenomena; although spirit is beyond the world, it is all day within its domain. Therefore, looking down and up it accords with transformation, responding and meeting boundlessly; there is no obscurity it does not discern, yet it has no achievement of illumination. This, then, is the knowing of non-knowing, and the meeting of holy spirit. Now, as for this thing, real yet not existing, empty yet not non-existent, present yet impossible to discourse upon—is it not solely holy wisdom? Why so? If one wishes to say it exists, it has no shape and no name; if one wishes to say it is non-existent, the sage is numinous by means of it. Because the sage is numinous by means of it, emptiness does not lose illumination; because it has no shape and no name, illumination does not lose emptiness. Because illumination does not lose emptiness, it blends without changing; because emptiness does not lose illumination, it moves so as to meet the coarse. Therefore, the function of holy wisdom has never ceased for an instant, yet seeking it in shapes and characteristics, it can never be found. Thus the Ratnakūṭa says: Through having no citta or manas, active practice is manifested. The Pañcaviṃśati says: Without moving from equal awakening, all dharmas are established. Therefore, though the sage's traces are of myriad kinds, their purport is only one! Therefore, prajñā can be empty and illuminate; the true truth can be forgotten and known; myriad movements can be approached and stilled; holy responses can be non-acting and yet act. This, then, is to know naturally without knowing, and to act naturally without acting. What more is there to know? What more is there to act?'