宗鏡錄 62.27

62.27

答。四類有情由業增上力。其第八所變相分亦別。若將此第八相分。望四類有情前六識說。即為本質故。相質皆別故。知更無外境。唯有識也。所以唯識論云。一相違識相智。謂於一處。鬼人天等。隨業差別。所見各異。境若是實。此云何成。唐三藏云。境非定一。故為四類有情所變相分。隨四類有情能變之心。境亦成四。一處解成差。證知唯有識。論云。如人見有糞穢處。傍生見為淨妙飲食。於人所見淨妙飲食。諸天見為臭穢不淨。故知隨福見異。垢淨唯心。業自差殊。食無麁細。大智度論云。如佛在耆闍崛山中。與比丘僧。俱入王舍城。道中見大木。佛於木上敷尼師壇坐。告諸比丘。若比丘入禪。心得自在。能令大木作地。即成實地。何以故。是木中有地分故。如是水火風。金銀種種寶物。即皆成實。何以故。是木中皆有其分。復次如一美色。婬人見之。以為淨妙。心生染著。不淨觀人。觀之。種種惡露。無一淨處。等。婦見之。妬瞋憎惡。目不欲見。以為不淨。淫人觀之為樂。妬人觀之為苦。淨行之人觀之得道。無預之人觀之無所適莫。如見土木。若此美色實淨。四種人觀。皆應見淨。若實不淨。四種人觀。皆應不淨。以是故知。好醜在心。外無定也。

Answer: By the predominant power of karma of the four classes of sentient beings, the nimittabhāgas transformed by their eighth consciousnesses are also distinct. If we speak of this nimittabhāga of the eighth consciousness in relation to the first six consciousnesses of the four classes of sentient beings, it constitutes the fundamental substance (benshi). Therefore, both appearance (nimitta) and substance (benshi) are distinct, so we know that there are no external objects whatsoever, but only consciousness. Therefore the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra states: 'First is the knowledge of contradictory appearances of consciousness: namely, in one place, pretas, humans, devas, and so forth, in accordance with the differences of karma, see differently. If the object were real, how could this be accomplished?'

Master Xuanzang of the Tang said: 'Objects are not fixedly one; therefore, they are the nimittabhāgas transformed by the four classes of sentient beings. In accordance with the transforming minds of the four classes of sentient beings, the objects also become four. In one place, understanding develops discrepancies, proving that there is only consciousness.'

The treatise states: 'Just as a place humans see as filled with excrement and filth is seen by animals as pure and wonderful food and drink, while the pure and wonderful food and drink seen by humans is seen by the devas as foul, filthy, and impure.' Thus we know that seeing differs according to merit; defilement and purity are only mind. Karma itself is differentiated; food has neither coarse nor subtle [in itself].

The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa states: 'When the Buddha was on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa, he entered the city of Rājagṛha together with the saṅgha of bhikṣus. On the way he saw a large tree trunk. The Buddha spread his niṣīdana upon the wood and sat, telling the bhikṣus: "If a bhikṣu enters dhyāna and attains mastery of mind, he can cause this large piece of wood to become earth, and it immediately becomes real earth. Why is this? Because within this wood there is the earth element. Likewise with water, fire, wind, gold, silver, and various treasures: they immediately all become real. Why is this? Because within this wood there are all their portions."' Furthermore, for example, regarding a beautiful woman: a lustful person seeing her considers her pure and wonderful, and his mind gives rise to attachment; a person practicing the contemplation of impurity contemplates her, and sees various foul discharges with not a single pure spot; a co-wife seeing her feels jealousy, anger, hatred, and revulsion, not wanting her eyes to see her, considering her impure. A lustful person contemplates her as pleasure; a jealous person contemplates her as suffering; a person of pure practice contemplates her and attains the Way; a person with no involvement contemplates her without favor or bias, like seeing soil or wood. If this beautiful woman were truly pure, all four kinds of persons contemplating her should see her as pure. If she were truly impure, all four kinds of persons contemplating her should see her as impure. Therefore we know that beauty and ugliness reside in the mind; externally there is nothing fixed.