宗鏡錄 59.33

59.33

答。譬如夜行。見杌為鬼。疑繩作蛇。蛇之與鬼。名體都無。性相恒寂。雖不可得。而生怖心。以體虛而成事故。清涼疏云。若依攝論說喻。皆喻依他起性。然並為遣疑。所疑不同故。所喻亦異。一以外人聞依他起相。但是妄分別有。非真實義。遂即生疑云。若無實義。何有所行境界。故說如幻。謂幻者。幻作。所緣六處。豈有實耶。二疑云。若無實。何有心心法轉。故說如焰。飄動。非水似水。妄有心轉。三疑云。若無實。何有愛非愛受用。故說如夢中。實無男女。而有愛非愛受用。覺時亦爾。四疑云。若無實。何有戲論言說。故說如響。實無有聲。聽者謂有。五疑云。若無實。何有善惡業果。故說如影。謂如鏡影像。故亦非實。六疑云。若無實。何以菩薩作利樂事。故說如化。謂變化者。雖知不實。而作化事。菩薩亦爾。是以萬法雖空。體虛成事。一真非有。無性隨緣。則湛爾堅凝。常隨物化。紛然起作。不動真如。

Answer: For example, when walking at night, one sees a tree stump and takes it for a ghost, or suspects a rope to be a snake. Both the snake and the ghost are entirely devoid of name and substance; their natures and characteristics are ever quiescent. Although they cannot be found, fear arises in the mind, because affairs are accomplished though the substance is empty.

The commentary of Qingliang states: According to the analogies given in the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*, all are analogies for the other-dependent nature. However, they are all meant to dispel doubts; because the doubts are different, the analogies are also distinct.
First, outsiders hearing that the characteristics of the other-dependent nature merely exist through false discrimination and are not real referents, immediately gave rise to the doubt: 'If there are no real referents, how can there be realms of experience?' Therefore it is said to be like an illusion, meaning that an illusion is magically created—how could the six places of objects of cognition be real?
Second, they doubted: 'If it is not real, how can there be the operation of citta and caittas?' Therefore it is said to be like a mirage, fluttering, not water yet resembling water, where mental activity falsely occurs.
Third, they doubted: 'If it is not real, how can there be the enjoyment of agreeable and disagreeable [things]?' Therefore it is said to be like in a dream, where there are really no men or women, yet there is the enjoyment of agreeable and disagreeable [things]; the waking state is also like this.
Fourth, they doubted: 'If it is not real, how can there be conceptual proliferation and speech?' Therefore it is said to be like an echo: there is really no sound, but the hearer takes it to be present.
Fifth, they doubted: 'If it is not real, how can there be wholesome and unwholesome karmic fruits?' Therefore it is said to be like a shadow, meaning like a reflected image in a mirror, hence also not real.
Sixth, they doubted: 'If it is not real, why do bodhisattvas perform deeds of benefit and joy?' Therefore it is said to be like a magical creation: one who creates transformations, though knowing they are not real, performs magical deeds; the bodhisattva is also like this.

Therefore, although the ten thousand phenomena are empty, their substance is empty yet accomplishes affairs; the one truth is not [conditionally] existent, yet without nature it follows conditions. Thus, serenely solid and congealed, it constantly follows the transformations of things; abundantly arising in activity, it does not stir from tathatā.