宗鏡錄 42.3

42.3

答。經云。深信大乘。不謗因果。又云。深入緣起。斷諸邪見。夫唯識之旨。不出因果。正因相者。由識變故。諸法得生。以識為因。正果相者。由種識故。生諸分別法體之果。及異熟等分位之果。所以上至諸佛。下及眾生。皆因果所收。何得撥無。墮諸邪網。只為一切外道。不達緣生。唯執自然。撥無因果。二乘眇目。但證偏空。滅智灰身。遠離因果。世間業繫。無聞。凡夫。五欲火燒。執著因果。盡成狂解。不體圓常。皆背法界緣起之門。悉昧般若無生之旨。今所論因果者。唯以實相為因。還用實相為果。但了平等一心故。終不作前後同時之見。若能如是信入一心。皆成圓因妙果。如賢劫定意經云。指長吉祥。見者悅然。無不吉利。此者皆是一心之報。又云。其演光明。無所不照。多所安隱。是一心報。又云。威光巍巍。無見頂相。是一心報。華手經偈云。汝等觀是心。念念常生滅。如幻無所有。而能得大報。又偈云。是心不在緣。亦不離眾緣。非有亦非無。而能起大果。顯揚論頌云。由彼心果故。生已自然滅。後變異可得。念念滅應知。論曰。彼一切行。是心果故。其性纔生。離滅。因緣。自然滅壞。又復後時變異可得。當知諸。行皆剎那滅。云何應知諸行是心果耶。頌曰。心熏習增上。定轉變自在。影像生道理。及三種聖教。論曰。由道理及聖教。證知諸行是心果性。道理者。謂善不善法。熏習於心。由習氣增上力故。故行得生。又脫定障心清淨者。一切諸行。隨心轉變。由彼意解自在力故。種種轉變。又由定心自在力故。隨其所欲。定心境界。影像而生。是名道理。聖教者。謂三種聖言。如經中偈云。心將引世間。心力所防護。隨心生起已。自在皆隨轉。又說。是故苾蒭。應善專精。如正道理。觀察於心。乃至廣說。又說。苾芻當知。言城主者。即是一切有取識蘊。是名聖教。是知福隨心至。患逐心生。如響應聲。似影隨質。如阿那律。供辟支佛之一食。甘露而常盈空器。金人而用盡還生。阿那律者。此翻無貧。賢愚經云。弗沙佛末世時飢饉。有辟支佛利吒行乞。空鉢無獲。有一貧人。見而悲悼。白言。勝士。能受稗不。即以所噉奉之。食已。作十八變。後更採稗。有兔跳抱其背。變為死人。無伴得脫。待暗還家。委地即成金人。拔指隨生。用脚還出。惡人惡王欲來奪之。但見死屍。而其金寶。九十劫果報充足。故號無貧。其生已後。家業豐溢。日夜增益。父母欲試之。蓋空器皿往送。發看。百味具足。而其門下。日日常有一萬二千人。六千取債。六千還直。出家已後。隨所至處。人見歡喜。欲有所須。如己家無異。又如金色王。施辟支佛一飯。後滿閻浮提。於七日內。唯雨七寶。一切人民。貧窮永斷。當知此七寶。不從。餘處來。皆從彼王供養心中出。因起自心中。果不生異處。如阿那律金人。自作自受。所以福者。見為金寶。惡人觀是死屍。故知轉變從心。前塵無定。又如未開空器。甘露本無。隨福所生。百味具足。善惡之境。皆是自心。故唯識論云。境隨業識轉。是故說唯心。則無有一法不歸宗鏡。已上是世間因果。次論諸佛因果者。如華嚴論云。顯佛果有三種不同。一亡言絕行。獨明法身無作果。二從行積修。行滿功成多劫始成果。三創發心時。十住初位體用隨緣所成果。初。亡言絕行。所明法身無作果者。即涅槃無行等經。是隱身不現。萬事休息。又云。羅剎為雪山童子說。諸行無常。是生滅法。生滅滅已。寂滅為樂。是無作果。不具行故。二從行積修。行滿多劫方明果者。即權教之中。說。從行修成。三僧祇劫行滿所成佛果是也。此以不了無明十二有支。本是法身智慧。壓而以空觀。折伏現行煩惱。忻別淨門。三從凡十信初心。創證隨緣運用所成果者。即華嚴經是也。十信終心。即以方便三昧。達無明十二有支。成理智大悲。即具文殊普賢。體用法界法門。又如化佛所施因果教行。定經三僧祇中。所有功德。總是修生。百劫修相好業。燃燈得光明。不殺得長壽。布施得資財。忍辱得端正。一一因果屬對。相似具足。仍對治種種法門。始得見性成佛。如華嚴經。即不然。一念頓證法界法門。身心性相。本唯法體。施為運用。動寂皆平。任無作智。即是佛也。為一切佛法。應如是無長無短。始終畢竟法皆如是。於一真法界。任法施為。悉皆具足恒沙德用。即因即果。以此普門法界。理智諸障自無。無別對治。別修別斷。不見變化。變與不變。無異性相故。普觀一切。無非法門。無非解脫。但為自心強生繫著。為多事故。沈潛苦流故。勞聖說。種種差別。於所說處。復生繫著。以此義故。聖說不同。或漸或圓。應諸根器。如此經教頓示。圓乘人所應堪受。設不堪受者。當須樂修。究竟流歸。畢居此海。是故餘教。先因後果。不同此教。因果同時。為法性智海中。因果不可得故。為不可得中。因果同時無有障礙也。可得因果。即有前後。有所得者。皆是無常。非究竟說也。若先因後果者。因亦不成。故果亦壞也。緣生之法。不相續故。即斷滅故。自他不成故。如數一錢。不數後錢。無後二者。一亦不成。為剎那不相續。剎那因果壞。多劫不相續。多劫因果壞。待數後錢時。前一始成。因果亦爾。要待一時。中無間者。因果始成。若爾者。如數兩錢同數。無前無後。誰為一二。如竪二指。誰為因果。如二指等。隨心數處為因。後數為果。若是有前有後。即有中間者。還有剎那間斷。有間斷者。不成因果。若同時者。如竪二指。無先無後。誰為因果。亦皆不成。如此華嚴經因果同時者。俱無如是前後因果。及同時情量繫著。妄想有無。俱不俱。常無常等。繫著因果。但了法體非所施設。非因果繫。名為因果。非情所立。同時前後之妄想也。如是者。何異楞伽漸教之說。此則不然。乃至楞伽中。唯論破相。但救顯理。無繫著。故不論緣起。如緣起法界者。法界不成不破。但知了法如是故。是故楞伽經云。先示相似物。後當與真實。又云。得相者是識。不得相者智。如此經中。無有假法。諸法總真。純真無假。更無相似。存真存假。經云。眾生界即佛界也。如文殊。以理會行。普賢以行會理。二人體用相徹。以成一真法界。前後相收。品品之中。互相該括。前後相徹。文義更收。一法門中。具多法也。是故經偈云。於多法中為一法。於一法中為眾多。然此心是法界之都。無法不攝。非但凡聖因果。乃至逆順善惡同歸。若一一悟是自心。則事事無非正理。如經云。提婆達多。不可思議。所修行業。皆同如來。六群比丘。實非弊惡。所行之法。皆同佛行。有修善者。地獄受果。惡行之人。天上受報。如不達斯文。則逆順分岐。焉能美惡同化。然初章之內。已述正宗。若上上機人。則一聞千悟。斯皆宿習見解生知。若是中下之根。須憑開導。因他助發。方悟圓成。為此因緣。微細纂集。所以云。若有一微塵處未了。此猶有無明在。以不了處為障翳故。何況自身根門之內。日用之中。有無量應急法門。全未明一。如生盲人。每日喫一百味飯。雖然得喫。品饌何分。若言無分。又每日得喫。若言有分。設問總不知。若欲為未了之人。憑何剖析。只成自誑。反墮無知。自眼未開。焉治他目。是以善財首見文殊。已。明根本智。入聖智流中。然後遍參道友。為求差別智道。習菩薩行門。遇無厭足國王。如幻法門。見勝熱婆羅門。無盡輪解脫。尚乃迷宗失旨。對境茫然。故知佛法玄微。非淺智所及。何乃將蚊子足。擬窮滄溟之底。用蜘蛛絲。欲懸妙高之中。益抱慚顏。須申懺悔。是以般若海闊。入之者方悟無邊。法性山高。昇之者乃知彌峻。伏自大雄應世。諸聖發揚。至像法初。則有馬鳴龍樹等五百論師。大弘至教。及像法中。復有護法陳那等十大菩薩。廣解深經。辯空有之宗。立唯識之理。悉是賢劫千佛。十剎能仁。同酬本願之懷。共助無緣之化。何乃持螢光而干日馭。捧布鼓而近雷門。不揆寡聞。退慚劣解。牛跡豈將大海齊量。腐草焉與靈椿等榮。今此持論。為成法器。深心好樂大乘之者。如大寶積經云。佛言。若有求大利益。善男子善女人。信我教者。後滓濁世。極覆藏時。善人難得。時聞如是等甚深法已。應為如理者說。不為不如理者。為信者說。非不信者。我今亦為如理者說。非不如理者。為信者說。非不信者。又識者愛者。貴若珠珍。不識不愛。賤同泥土。仰惟參玄之士。願稟佛言。深囑。慕道之賢。同遵祖意。

Answer: A sūtra says: 'Deeply believe in the Great Vehicle; do not repudiate cause and effect.' It also says: 'Enter deeply into dependent arising; cut off all wrong views.' Now, the purport of consciousness-only does not fall outside cause and effect. The characteristic of the correct cause is that, because consciousness transforms, all phenomena are able to arise, taking consciousness as the cause. The characteristic of the correct fruit is that, due to the seed-consciousness, the fruits of all discriminated phenomena-substances arise, as well as fruits of stages such as ripening. Therefore, from all buddhas above down to sentient beings below, all are encompassed by cause and effect. How could one repudiate them as nonexistent and fall into the net of heresy? It is solely because all non-Buddhists do not comprehend dependent arising, cling exclusively to naturalness (svabhāva), and repudiate cause and effect as nonexistent. Those of the two vehicles are one-eyed: they only realize one-sided emptiness, annihilate wisdom and reduce their bodies to ashes, and stay far removed from cause and effect. Bound by worldly karma, unlearned ordinary people are scorched by the fires of the five desires and cling to cause and effect; their [views] all turn into frantic intellectualizations. Failing to realize the substance of the perfect and eternal, they all turn their backs on the gate of the dependent arising of the dharmadhātu and are completely oblivious to the purport of prajñā's non-arising. Now, what we discuss as cause and effect takes solely the real mark as cause, and again uses the real mark as fruit. Simply because one comprehends the equal one mind, one never produces views of before and after or of simultaneity. If one can believe in and enter the one mind in this manner, all become perfect causes and wondrous fruits. As the Bhadrakalpika-samādhi-sūtra says: 'The fingers are long and auspicious; those who see them are delighted, and there is nothing that is not auspicious and beneficial. These are all the retribution of the one mind.' It also says: 'The radiance it emits leaves nothing unilluminated, bringing much peace and stability. This is the retribution of the one mind.' It also says: 'His majestic light is towering and sublime; the mark of the invisible crown is the retribution of the one mind.' A verse in the Kuśalamūlasaṃparigraha-sūtra says: / 'You should observe this mind: / thought-moment after thought-moment, it is constantly arising and ceasing, / like an illusion, possessing nothing, / yet able to obtain great retribution.' / Another verse says: / 'This mind is not within conditions, / nor is it apart from the manifold conditions; / it is neither existent nor nonexistent, / yet able to give rise to great fruits.' / A verse in the Prakaraṇāryavācā-śāstra says: / 'Because they are the fruits of that mind, / having arisen, they naturally cease; / later variation can be apprehended; / one should know that they cease in every thought-moment.' / The treatise says: 'Because all those conditioned forces are the fruits of the mind, as soon as their nature arises, apart from the conditions of cessation, they naturally cease and disintegrate. Furthermore, because variation can later be apprehended, one should know that all conditioned forces cease in every kṣaṇa.' Why should one know that all conditioned forces are fruits of the mind? The verse says: / 'The mind's perfuming is predominant; / samādhi's transformation is masterly; / the principle by which images arise; / and three kinds of holy teachings.' / The treatise says: 'By means of reasoning and holy teaching, it is proved that all conditioned forces have the nature of being fruits of the mind. "Reasoning" means that good and unwholesome phenomena perfume the mind; due to the predominant power of the karmic impressions (vāsanā), conditioned forces are thus able to arise. Moreover, in those who are free from meditative hindrances and whose minds are pure, all conditioned forces transform in accordance with the mind; due to the masterly power of their resolute intention, various transformations occur. Furthermore, due to the masterly power of the mind in samādhi, as they wish, images arise within the sphere of the meditative mind. This is called reasoning. "Holy teaching" refers to three kinds of holy words. As a verse in a sūtra says: / "The mind leads the world; / the mind's power provides protection; / once they have arisen in accordance with the mind, / all transform with mastery following it." / It also says: "Therefore, bhikṣus, you should skillfully concentrate and, according to correct principle, contemplate the mind," and so forth, as extensively explained. It also says: "Bhikṣus, you should know that what is called the city lord is none other than the aggregate of consciousness with grasping." These are called the holy teachings.' From this we know that blessing arrives following the mind, and disaster arises pursuing the mind, like an echo responding to a sound, like a shadow following a form. It is like Aniruddha offering a single meal to a pratyekabuddha: nectar constantly filled empty vessels, and golden men, even when exhausted through use, were born again. "Aniruddha" is translated here as "Without Poverty." The Damamūka-nidāna-sūtra says: 'In the decadent age of Puṣya Buddha, there was a famine. There was a pratyekabuddha named Ṛṣidatta who went begging, but obtained nothing from his empty bowl. A poor man saw him, felt sorrow and lamentation, and said: "Noble sir, can you accept barnyard millet?" He then offered what he was eating. Having eaten it, [the pratyekabuddha] performed eighteen transformations. Later, when [the man] was gathering millet again, a rabbit leapt and clung to his back, turning into a corpse. With no companion to help him remove it, he waited until dark to return home. As soon as it was laid on the ground, it turned into a golden man. Plucking its fingers, they grew back; using its feet, they emerged again. Evil people and evil kings wished to come and seize it, but saw only a dead corpse; yet his golden treasures were sufficient for the fruit of ninety kalpas. Hence he was named "Without Poverty." After he was born, his family estate overflowed and increased day and night. His parents wished to test him; they covered an empty vessel and sent it to him. Opening it to look, it was fully equipped with the hundred flavors. Before his gates, there were constantly twelve thousand people every day: six thousand borrowing, and six thousand repaying the price. After he went forth from household life, wherever he went, people rejoiced to see him; whatever he needed was no different from his own home.' Furthermore, it is like King Suvarṇavarṇa offering a single meal to a pratyekabuddha: later, throughout Jambudvīpa, for seven days it rained solely the seven jewels, and all the people permanently severed their poverty. One should know that these seven jewels did not come from elsewhere; they all emerged from the mind of that king's offering. The cause arose from within his own mind; the fruit did not arise in a different place. Like Aniruddha's golden man, it was self-made and self-received. Therefore, the blessed saw it as gold and jewels, while evil people viewed it as a dead corpse. Thus we know that transformation proceeds from the mind; external dust is indeterminate. Furthermore, just like the empty vessel before it was opened, in which nectar originally did not exist, it arose in accordance with his blessing, fully equipped with the hundred flavors. Wholesome and unwholesome spheres are all one's own mind. Hence the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi says: / 'The sphere transforms following the karmic consciousness; / therefore it is said to be mind-only.' / Thus, there is not a single dharma that does not return to the mirror of the source. The above pertains to worldly cause and effect. Next, to discuss the cause and effect of the buddhas: as the Treatise on the Avataṃsaka says, revealing the buddha-fruit has three different types: First, forgetting words and cutting off practices, solely clarifying the unconditioned fruit of the dharmakāya. Second, accumulating cultivation from practice, where the fruit is first achieved after many kalpas when practice is fulfilled and merit completed. Third, at the time of initial aspiration, the fruit achieved through the substance and function following conditions at the first stage of the ten abodes. First, that which clarifies the unconditioned fruit of the dharmakāya by forgetting words and cutting off practice refers to sūtras such as the Nirvāṇa and the Non-Practice; it is the concealment of the body without manifestation, with the cessation of all affairs. It also says: 'The rākṣasa spoke to the boy of the Snow Mountains: / "All conditioned forces are impermanent; / they are phenomena that arise and cease. / Arising and ceasing having been extinguished, / tranquil extinction is bliss." / This is the unconditioned fruit, because it is not equipped with practices. Second, clarifying the fruit only after practice is accumulated and fulfilled over many kalpas refers, in the expedient teachings, to the buddha-fruit achieved when practice is cultivated to completion over three asaṃkhyeya-kalpas. Because this does not comprehend that ignorance and the twelve factors of existence are originally the wisdom of the dharmakāya, it suppresses them with the contemplation of emptiness, subduing currently active afflictions, and rejoices in a separate pure gate. Third, the fruit achieved by an ordinary person at the initial mind of the ten faiths through initial realization and practical application following conditions refers to the Avataṃsaka-sūtra. At the final mind of the ten faiths, by means of expedient samādhi, one comprehends that ignorance and the twelve factors of existence constitute principle, wisdom, and great compassion; one is thus endowed with Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra, the dharma-gate of the dharmadhātu of substance and function. Furthermore, as in the causal and fruitional teachings and practices set forth by the transformation buddha, in which all the merits must undergo three asaṃkhyeyas and are all produced through cultivation: cultivating the karma for the marks and signs for a hundred kalpas, lighting lamps to obtain light, not killing to obtain longevity, giving to obtain wealth, patience to obtain upright beauty—each cause and effect corresponds, similar and complete, yet one must apply various remedies before one can see the nature and attain buddhahood. With the Avataṃsaka-sūtra, this is not so. In a single thought-moment, one suddenly realizes the dharma-gate of the dharmadhātu. The nature and characteristics of body and mind are originally nothing but the dharma-substance. In activities and applications, movement and stillness are both equal. Giving rein to unconditioned wisdom, that is the buddha. For all buddha-dharmas, it should be thus: without long or short, from beginning to end, ultimately, phenomena are all like this. In the one true dharmadhātu, giving rein to the activities of phenomena, all are fully endowed with virtuous functions numerous as the sands of the Ganges, being immediately cause and immediately fruit. Because of this universal-gate dharmadhātu, all obstacles of principle and wisdom are naturally absent; there are no separate remedies, no separate cultivation, and no separate severance. One does not see transformation; transformation and non-transformation have no different nature or characteristics. Contemplating all universally, there is nothing that is not a dharma-gate, nothing that is not liberation. It is merely because one's own mind forcefully produces attachment, and because of manifold affairs, sinking into the stream of suffering, that the Sage was labored to preach various distinctions; and in the places where he preached, attachment was produced anew. For this reason, the Sage's teachings differ: either gradual or sudden, responding to various capacities. The sudden exposition taught in this sūtra is what people of the perfect vehicle can bear to receive. If one cannot bear to receive it, one must joyfully cultivate it, ultimately flowing back and residing entirely in this ocean. Therefore, other teachings put cause first and fruit afterward; they are not like this teaching, where cause and effect are simultaneous. Because within the wisdom-ocean of the dharma-nature, cause and effect are ungraspable; because within what is ungraspable, cause and effect are simultaneous without obstruction. Cause and effect that can be grasped have before and after; whatever can be grasped is impermanent and not the ultimate teaching. If cause were first and fruit afterward, the cause would not be established, and therefore the fruit would also be destroyed. Because phenomena of dependent arising are not continuous, they would be annihilated, and neither self nor other would be established. It is like counting one coin: without counting the subsequent coins, without the latter two, the one is also not established. Because a kṣaṇa is not continuous, the cause and effect of a kṣaṇa are destroyed; because many kalpas are not continuous, the cause and effect of many kalpas are destroyed. Only when waiting to count the subsequent coin is the former 'one' first established. Cause and effect are also like this: they must await one single time; when there is no interval between them, cause and effect are first established. If that were so, it would be like counting two coins simultaneously: with neither before nor after, which would be one and which two? Like holding up two fingers, which would be cause and which fruit? As with the two fingers, wherever the mind counts is the cause, and what is counted afterward is the fruit. If there is before and after, then there is an intermediate; there is still a kṣaṇa of interruption, and where there is interruption, cause and effect are not established. If they are simultaneous, like holding up two fingers with neither first nor last, which would be cause and which fruit? Neither would be established either. Cause and effect being simultaneous in this Avataṃsaka-sūtra is free from both such cause and effect of before and after, as well as the clinging to simultaneous conceptual measurements, and the clinging to cause and effect through false discriminations of existence and nonexistence, together and not together, permanent and impermanent. Simply comprehending that the dharma-substance is not something established and not bound by cause and effect is called cause and effect; it is not the false discrimination of simultaneity, before, and after established by sentiment. If it is like this, how does it differ from the gradual teaching spoken in the Laṅkāvatāra? This is not so. Within the Laṅkāvatāra, it solely discusses breaking down characteristics; merely seeking to reveal the principle without attachment, it does not discuss dependent arising. As for the dharmadhātu of dependent arising, the dharmadhātu is neither established nor broken down; one merely knows and comprehends that phenomena are thus. Therefore, the Laṅkāvatārasūtra says: 'First show similar things; afterward bestow the truth.' It also says: 'One who apprehends characteristics is consciousness; one who does not apprehend characteristics is wisdom.' In this sūtra, there are no provisional dharmas; all dharmas are completely true. Purely true without falsehood, there is no longer any similarity, nor the preservation of truth or preservation of falsehood. The sūtra says: 'The realm of sentient beings is itself the realm of buddhas.' As Mañjuśrī integrates practice with principle, and Samantabhadra integrates principle with practice, the substance and function of the two thoroughly penetrate each other to form the one true dharmadhātu. Before and after encompass each other; within each and every chapter, they mutually subsume one another. Before and after thoroughly penetrate, and text and meaning further encompass; within one dharma-gate, many dharmas are contained. Therefore, a verse of the sūtra says: / 'Within many dharmas, it is one dharma; / within one dharma, it is manifold.' / Now, this mind is the metropolis of the dharmadhātu; there is no dharma it does not encompass. Not only do the cause and effect of ordinary people and sages, but even contrary and favorable, good and evil, return together. If in every instance one awakens to it as one's own mind, then affair after affair is nothing other than the correct principle. As the sūtra says: 'Devadatta is inconceivable; the actions and deeds he cultivated were all identical to the Tathāgata's. The group of six bhikṣus were not truly depraved and evil; the practices they performed were all identical to the Buddha's conduct.' There are those who cultivate good and receive their fruit in hell, and people of evil deeds who receive their retribution in the heavens. If one does not comprehend these texts, then the contrary and the favorable branch off in different directions; how could beauty and ugliness be transformed alike? Now, within the initial chapter, the main source has already been related. If a person has the highest capacity, upon hearing once they awaken to a thousand [things]; these are all understandings born of past habituation, innate knowledge. If one has middle or lower faculties, one must rely on guidance and be helped into activation by another before awakening to the consummate. For this reason, I have subtly and minutely compiled this work. Therefore it is said: 'If there is a single speck of dust where one is not clear, ignorance still remains here,' because where one is not clear serves as an obstruction. How much more so within the sense-doors of one's own body and during daily practical use, where there are immeasurable urgent dharma-gates, yet one is completely unenlightened about a single one! It is like a person blind from birth who eats food of a hundred flavors every day: although they get to eat it, how can they distinguish the dishes? If you say there is no distinction, yet they get to eat it daily; if you say there is a distinction, if asked, they do not know at all. If one wishes to explain for those who have not understood, on what can one rely to analyze it? It merely results in deceiving oneself and conversely falling into ignorance. When one's own eyes have not opened, how can one treat the eyes of others? For this reason, Sudhana first met Mañjuśrī, already understood fundamental wisdom, and entered into the stream of holy wisdom; only then did he visit spiritual friends everywhere to seek the path of discriminating wisdom and train in the bodhisattva's gates of practice. Meeting the king Anivartana's illusion-like dharma-gate, and seeing the brahmin Jayoṣmīya's liberation of the inexhaustible wheel, he was still bewildered about the source and lost the purport, being at a loss when facing the object. Thus we know that the Buddha-Dharma is mysterious and subtle, not to be reached by shallow wisdom. Why should one use a mosquito's legs with the intention of fathoming the bottom of the vast ocean, or use a spider's silk wishing to suspend the wondrously high Mount Sumeru? Increasing my shameful countenance, I must express repentance. Therefore, the ocean of prajñā is broad: only those who enter it realize its boundlessness; the mountain of dharma-nature is high: only those who ascend it know its towering steepness. Prostrating myself, I reflect that since the Great Hero responded to the world, all the sages have expounded it; down to the beginning of the semblance dharma, there were the five hundred treatise masters such as Aśvaghoṣa and Nāgārjuna who vastly propagated the supreme teaching; and in the middle of the semblance dharma, there were again the ten great bodhisattvas such as Dharmapāla and Dignāga who extensively explained the profound sūtras, distinguished the tenets of emptiness and existence, and established the principle of consciousness-only. All of them were the thousand buddhas of the Bhadrakalpa, the Śākyamunis of the ten kṣetras, fulfilling together the aspiration of their original vows and jointly assisting the unconditioned transformation. Why should I hold a firefly's light to compete with the sun's chariot, or carry a cloth drum to approach the gate of thunder? Disregarding my own limited learning, I shrink back, ashamed of my inferior understanding. How could a cow's footprint be compared in measure to the great ocean? How could rotting grass share equal glory with the spiritual cedar? My holding this treatise now is for the sake of those who will become vessels of the Dharma and deeply love and rejoice in the Great Vehicle. As the Mahāratnakūṭa-sūtra says: 'The Buddha said: "If there are good men and good women who seek great benefit and believe in my teaching, in the later defiled and turbid world, at the time of extreme concealment, when good people are hard to find, having heard such profound teachings at that time, one should speak them for those who accord with principle, not for those who do not accord with principle; speak them for believers, not for non-believers." Now I also speak for those who accord with principle, not for those who do not accord with principle; I speak for believers, not for non-believers.' Furthermore, those who know it and love it value it like pearls and gems; those who do not know it and do not love it disdain it like mud and dirt. Respectfully contemplating scholars who probe the mystery, I hope they will receive the Buddha's words, deeply entrusted; and may the worthy who admire the Way follow together the ancestral intention.