宗鏡錄 70.9

70.9

答。偈曰。觀虛妄無實。如是入我空。觀知諸法異。入諸法無我。為令聲聞解知。因彼六根六塵。生六種識。無有一法是實覺者。乃至無有一法是實見者。為令可化眾生等。作是觀察。入人無我空。觀於諸法異者。謂菩薩觀實無色等外塵一法可見。乃至實無一觸可覺。如是觀察。得入因緣諸法體空。為欲遮彼虛妄分別故。說色等一切諸法。畢竟空無。非無言處。皆悉空無。無言處者。所謂諸佛如來行處。如是唯有真識。更無餘識。不能如是分別觀察。入於識空。如是依識。說入一切諸法無我。非謂一向謗真識我。說言無有佛性實我。又如來方便。漸令眾生得入我空。及法空故。說有內識。而識無有內識可取。若不如是。則不得說我法空。以是義故。虛妄分別。此心於彼心。彼心知此心。辯中邊頌云。識生變似義。有情我及了。此境實非有。境無故識無。變似義者。謂似色等諸境性現。變似有情者。謂似自他身五根性現。變似我者。謂染污末那。與我癡等恒相應故。變似了者。諸餘六識。了別相麁故。此境實非有者。謂似義似相。無行相故。似我似了。非真現故。皆非實有。境無故識無者。謂所取義。有情。我。了別等。四境無故。能取諸識。亦非實有。是以若約大根頓悟之人。尚不得一。何況說多。何以故。以執多故。迷了一故。悟於迷多中。根有不同。遂開陰處界。若迷心不迷色。則數為五陰。若迷色不迷心。則數為十二處。若心色俱迷者。則數為十八界。若直見真心神解之性。則非一非多。非法非數。其餘能詮之教。皆是善巧之門。將逗機宜。廣申破立。欲顯真空之理。先明幻有之端。究竟指歸一心之海。

Answer: The verse says:

Observing that the false has no reality,
one enters thereby the emptiness of the self.
Observing and knowing the diversity of all phenomena,
one enters the non-self of all phenomena.

This is to make the śrāvakas understand and know that dependent on those six sense faculties and six sense-objects, six kinds of consciousness are produced, and not a single phenomenon is a real knower, up to not a single phenomenon is a real seer; it is to make such convertible sentient beings make this observation and enter the emptiness of the non-self of persons. As for 'observing the diversity of all phenomena', this refers to the bodhisattva observing that in reality there is not a single phenomenon among the external dusts such as forms that can be seen, up to there is in reality not a single tangible object that can be sensed. Observing in this way, one is able to enter the emptiness of the substance of all causally conditioned phenomena. Because of the desire to eliminate those false conceptualizations, all phenomena such as forms are said to be ultimately empty and non-existent; it is not that the ineffable realm is altogether empty and non-existent. As for the ineffable realm, it refers to the realm of practice of the Buddhas and Tathāgatas. Thus, there is only true consciousness and no other consciousness besides. If one cannot discriminate and observe in this way, one [cannot] enter the emptiness of consciousness. Thus, relying on consciousness, it is said that one enters the non-self of all phenomena; this does not mean exclusively slandering the self of true consciousness and saying that there is no real self of Buddha-nature. Furthermore, as an expedient means, to gradually cause sentient beings to be able to enter the emptiness of the self and the emptiness of phenomena, the Tathāgata spoke of the existence of internal consciousness; and yet, consciousness has no internal consciousness that can be grasped. If it were not so, one could not speak of the emptiness of self and phenomena. For this reason, in false conceptualization, this citta is directed toward that citta, and that citta knows this citta. The verse in the Madhyāntavibhāga says:

Consciousness arises and transforms, appearing as objects,
sentient beings, the self, and perceptual representations.
These sense-objects are not really existent;
because the sense-objects are absent, consciousness is also absent.

'Transforms, appearing as objects' means appearing in the nature of various sense-objects such as forms. 'Transforms, appearing as sentient beings' means appearing in the nature of the five sense faculties of one's own body and other bodies. 'Transforms, appearing as the self' refers to the defiled manas, because it is always associated with self-delusion and the like. 'Transforms, appearing as perceptual representations' refers to the other six consciousnesses, because their characteristics of perceptual discrimination are coarse. 'These sense-objects are not really existent' means that the semblance of objects and semblance of characteristics lack operational marks; the semblance of the self and the semblance of perceptual representations are not truly apparent; hence, none are really existent. 'Because the sense-objects are absent, consciousness is also absent' means that because the four sense-objects—the apprehended objects, sentient beings, the self, and perceptual representations—are absent, the apprehending consciousnesses are also not really existent. Therefore, considering people of great capacity who awaken suddenly, not even a oneness can be apprehended, much less speaking of multiplicity. Why is this? Because clinging to multiplicity, they are deluded about the one; when they awaken from the delusion of multiplicity, their faculties are not the same, and consequently the aggregates, sense bases, and elements were distinguished. If they are deluded about citta but not deluded about form, they are enumerated as the five aggregates. If they are deluded about form but not deluded about citta, they are enumerated as the twelve sense bases. If they are deluded about both citta and form, they are enumerated as the eighteen elements. If one directly perceives the nature of the true citta's spiritual understanding, then it is neither one nor many, neither phenomena nor number. The remaining teachings that can express it are all skillful gates. Meeting the capacities of beings, they broadly present refutations and establishments. Wishing to reveal the principle of true emptiness, they first clarify the origins of illusory existence, ultimately pointing back to the ocean of the one mind.