宗鏡錄 67.9

67.9

答。了二無我理。證會真如。則成佛之正宗。超凡之妙軌。若論法利。功德難量。古德云。無我之心。雖不稱境。違於緣故。名非顛倒。如緣真如。作有如解。即是法執。若作無解。雖不稱如。仍因成聖。釋曰。若作如解。即是法執者。若起能解之心。即立所證之理。所境既立。迷現量心。知解纔生。便成比量。皆為法執。失唯識宗。所以華嚴經云。智外無如。為智所入。如外無智。能證於如。則心境如如。一道清淨。廣百門論云。識能發生諸煩惱。業能牽後有。如是識心。緣色等起。無所緣境。識必不生。若能正觀。境為無我。所緣無故。能緣亦無。能所既亡。眾苦隨滅。證寂無影清淨涅槃。至此位時。名自利滿。諸有本願。為利益他。住此位中。化用無盡。亦令有識。住此涅槃。是故欲求自他勝利真方便者。應正勤修空無我理。

Answer: Comprehending the principle of the two kinds of selflessness and realizing and converging with tathatā constitutes the correct source of becoming a buddha and the wondrous path for transcending the ordinary. If one discusses its dharma benefits, the merit is difficult to measure. An ancient worthy said: 'Although the mind of selflessness does not match the object, because it goes against conditioning, it is called non-inverted. If, when conditioning tathatā, one forms an understanding of existent tathatā, that is attachment to dharmas. If one forms an understanding of nonexistence, although it does not match tathatā, it still leads to becoming a noble one.' The explanation says: If forming an understanding of tathatā is attachment to dharmas, then if the mind that understands arises, the principle to be realized is immediately established. Once the objective sphere is established, one is confused about the mind of direct perception. As soon as intellectual understanding arises, it immediately becomes inferential cognition; all of this is attachment to dharmas and loses the source of consciousness-only. Therefore, the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'Outside of wisdom there is no tathatā to be entered by wisdom; outside of tathatā there is no wisdom that can realize tathatā.' Then mind and objects are suchness itself, pure in a single track. The Guang baimen lun says: 'Consciousness can give rise to afflictions, and karma can draw forth future existences. Such conscious minds arise by conditioning form and the like; without an objective condition, consciousness definitely does not arise. If one can correctly observe that objects are selfless, then because what is conditioned is absent, that which conditions is also absent. Once both subject and object have vanished, all sufferings are accordingly extinguished, and one realizes the tranquil, shadowless, pure nirvāṇa. When one reaches this stage, it is named the fulfillment of self-benefit. Those who have fundamental vows to benefit others abide in this stage, their transformative functions inexhaustible, also causing those with consciousness to abide in this nirvāṇa. Therefore, those who wish to seek the true expedient means for the supreme benefit of self and others should correctly and diligently cultivate the principle of emptiness and selflessness.'