宗鏡錄 78.27

78.27

答曰。偈言。若依眾生業。四大如是變。何故不依業。心如是轉變。汝向言。彼罪人業。外四大等。如是轉變。何故不言依彼眾生罪業力故。內自心識。如是轉變。又偈言。業熏於異法。果云何異處。善惡熏於心。何故離心說。故偈言。業熏於異法。果云何異處者。此以何義。彼地獄中。受苦眾生。所有罪業。依本心作。還在心中。不離於心。以是義故。惡業熏心。還應心中。受苦果報。何以故。以善惡業。熏於心識。而不熏彼外四大等。以四大中。無所熏事。云何虛妄分別。說言四大轉變。於四大中受苦果報。是故偈言。善惡熏於心。何故離心說。如無盡意菩薩經云。菩薩所作精進。常與身口意相應。雖身口精進。皆由於心。心為增上。云何菩薩心精進。所謂心始心終。云何心始。初發心故。云何心終。菩提心寂滅故。是知起盡俱心。初終咸爾。非唯淨業。萬事皆然。不出一心。圓滿覺道。又如油盡燈滅。業喪苦亡。若定有外境可觀。非內所感。只合長時受苦。無解脫期。既有休時。當知無實。可驗心生法生。心滅法滅矣。是以一切眾生。從無始來。作虛妄因。受虛妄果。皆從情結。唯逐想生。所以首楞嚴經云。即時阿難。及諸大眾乃至而白佛言。世尊。若此妙明。真淨。妙心。本來遍圓。如是乃至大地草木。蠕動含靈。本元真如。即是如來。成佛真體。佛體真實。云何復有地獄餓鬼。畜生脩羅。人天等道。世尊。此道為復本來自有。為是眾生妄習生起。世尊。如寶蓮香比丘尼。持菩薩戒。私行婬欲。妄言行婬。非殺非偷。無有業報。發是語已。先於女根。生大猛火。後於節節猛火燒然。墮無間獄。瑠璃大王。善星比丘。瑠璃為誅瞿曇族姓。善星妄說一切法空。生身陷入阿鼻地獄。此諸地獄。為有定處。為復自然。彼彼發業。各各私受。唯垂大慈發開童蒙。令諸一切持戒眾生。聞決定義。歡喜頂戴。謹潔無犯。佛告阿難。快哉此問。令諸眾生。不入邪見。汝今諦聽。當為汝說。阿難。一切眾生。實本真淨。因彼妄見。有妄習生。因此分開內分外分。阿難。內分即是眾生分內。因諸愛染。發起妄情。情積不休。能生愛水。是故眾生。心憶珍羞。口中水出。心憶前人。或憐或恨。目中淚盈。貪求財寶。心。發愛涎。舉體光潤。心著行婬。男女二根。自然流液。阿難。諸愛雖別。流結是同。潤濕不昇。自然從墜。此名內分。阿難。外分即是眾生分外。因諸渴仰。發明虛想。想積不休。能生勝氣。是故眾生。心。持禁戒。舉身輕清。心持呪印。顧眄雄毅。心欲生天。夢想飛舉。心存佛國。聖境冥現。事善知識。自輕身命。阿難。諸想雖別。輕舉是同。飛動不沈自然超越。此名外分。故知因情滯著。能成愛水。浸漬不休。自然成墜。以情地幽隱。故為內分。以舉念緣塵。取像名想。運動散亂。故名外分。一切境界。非想不生。故經云。若知一切國土。唯想持之。是則名為初發心菩薩。又華嚴經頌云。勇猛諸佛子。隨順入妙法。善觀一切想。纏網於世間。眾想如陽焰。令眾生倒解。菩薩善知想。捨離一切倒。眾生各別異。形類非一種。了達皆是想。一切無真實。十方諸眾生。皆為想所覆。若捨顛倒見。則滅世間想。世間如陽焰。以想有差別。知世住於想。遠離三顛倒。譬如熱時焰。世見謂為水。水實無所有。智者不應求。眾生亦復然。世趣皆無有。如焰住於想。無礙心境界。若離於諸想。亦離諸戲論。愚癡著想者。悉令得解脫。遠離憍慢心。除滅世間想。住盡無盡處。是菩薩方便。又云。譬如有人。將欲命終。見隨其業。所受報相。行惡業者。見。於地獄。畜生。餓鬼。所有一切眾苦境界。或見獄卒手持兵仗。或瞋或罵。囚執將去。亦聞號叫悲歎之聲。或見灰河。或見鑊湯。或見刀山。或見劍樹。種種逼迫。受諸苦。惱作善業者。即見一切諸天宮殿。無量天眾。天諸婇女。種種衣服。具足莊嚴。宮殿園林。盡皆妙好。身雖未死。而由業力。見如是事。大智度論云。如乾闥婆城者。非城。人心想為城。凡夫亦如是。非身想為身。非心想為心。故知地獄天堂。本無定處。身猶未往。已現自心。境不現前。唯心妄見。可驗苦樂之境。本無從出。善惡之事。唯自召來。空是空非。妄生妄死。如達磨大師云。由己見故不得道。己者。我也。若無我者。逢物不是非。是者我自是。而物非是也。非者我自非。而物非非也。若入宗鏡。我法俱空。心境自亡。是非咸寂。神性獨立。對待無從。斯皆悟本而成。非因學得。如先德云。境自虛。不須畏。終朝照矚元無對。設使任持浮幻身。任運都無舌身意。又昔人偈云。寧神泯是非。現身安樂國。所以論云。智境豁然。名為佛國。

I reply: The verse says:
‘If by the karma of sentient beings
The four great elements transform like this,
Why not by karma
Does the citta transform like this?’
You said earlier that the external four great elements and so forth transform like this through the karma of those sinners. Why do you not say that through the power of those sentient beings' sinful karma, their own inner mind-consciousness transforms like this? Furthermore, the verse says:
‘Karma perfuses a different dharma;
How could the fruit be in a different place?
Good and bad perfuse the mind;
Why speak of it apart from the mind?’
Therefore, regarding what the verse says—‘Karma perfuses a different dharma; / How could the fruit be in a different place?’—what does this mean? All the sinful karma of those suffering sentient beings in hell was done relying on their original mind, remains within the mind, and is not separated from the mind. For this reason, evil karma perfuses the mind, and within the mind one should conversely experience the fruit and retribution of suffering. Why is that? Because good and evil karma perfuse the mind-consciousness, but do not perfuse those external four great elements and so forth, as there is no phenomenon of being perfused within the four great elements. Why do you falsely conceptualize and claim that the four great elements transform, and that one receives the retribution of suffering within the four great elements? Therefore, the verse says:
‘Good and bad perfuse the mind;
Why speak of it apart from the mind?’
As the *Akṣayamatinirdeśasūtra* says: ‘The vigor cultivated by a bodhisattva is always concordant with body, speech, and mind. Although there is vigor of body and speech, it all stems from the mind, with the mind being predominant. What is the bodhisattva's vigor of mind? It is called mind at the beginning and mind at the end. What is the mind at the beginning? It is the initial resolve of the mind. What is the mind at the end? It is the quiescent extinction of the bodhicitta.’ Thus we know that both arising and ending are the mind, and beginning and end are both alike. This is not only true of pure karma; the myriad matters are all like this. They do not depart from the one mind, perfecting the path of awakening. Furthermore, just as when the oil is exhausted the lamp goes out, when karma is extinguished suffering ceases. If there were definitively an external object to be perceived that is not evoked from within, one would only suffer continuously without any time of liberation. Since there is a time of cessation, one should know it has no real existence. This can verify that when the mind arises, dharmas arise; when the mind ceases, dharmas cease. Thus, all sentient beings from beginningless time have created false causes and received false fruits, which all stem from emotional bonds and arise purely following conceptions. Therefore, the *Śūraṅgamasūtra* says: ‘Thereupon Ānanda and the great assembly […] addressed the Buddha, saying: “World-Honoured One, if this wondrous, luminous, truly pure, wondrous mind is originally all-pervading and perfect, up to and including the great earth, grasses and trees, wriggling and crawling living beings, which are fundamentally tathatā, being the true substance of the Tathāgata's attainment of buddhahood; and if the Buddha-substance is real, why then are there the destinies of hell, hungry ghosts, animals, asuras, humans, and gods? World-Honoured One, do these destinies exist fundamentally of themselves, or do they arise from sentient beings' false habits? World-Honoured One, for example, the bhikṣuṇī Precious Lotus Fragrance (Baolianxiang), while holding the bodhisattva precepts, secretly engaged in carnal lust, falsely claiming that lust was neither killing nor stealing and had no karmic retribution. Having spoken these words, a great raging fire first arose in her female organ, and subsequently burned through each of her joints until she fell into the Relentless Hell. King Virūḍhaka and the bhikṣu Sunakṣatra—Virūḍhaka for exterminating the Gotama clan, and Sunakṣatra for falsely claiming that all dharmas are empty—fell alive into the Avīci Hell. Do these hells have a fixed location, or are they spontaneous? Does each generate karma and each privately receive [its fruit]? We only ask that you extend great compassion to open the minds of the ignorant, so that all precept-holding sentient beings, hearing the definitive meaning, will joyfully receive it on the crown of their heads, and remain pure without transgression.” The Buddha told Ānanda: “Splendid is this question, which prevents sentient beings from entering wrong views! Listen attentively now, and I will explain it for you. Ānanda, all sentient beings are fundamentally and truly pure. Because of false views, false habits arise. From this, they are divided into an internal portion and an external portion. Ānanda, the internal portion is within the share of sentient beings. Due to various cravings and attachments, false feelings are aroused. When feelings accumulate without ceasing, they can generate the water of craving. Therefore, when sentient beings recall delicacies in their minds, water flows from their mouths. When their minds recall someone from before, whether with fondness or hatred, tears fill their eyes. When they covet wealth and treasures, love-saliva arises in their minds and their entire bodies become lustrous. When their minds are fixated on engaging in lust, the male and female organs naturally discharge fluid. Ānanda, although cravings differ, their flowing and binding are identical. Moisture does not ascend; naturally it sinks. This is called the internal portion. Ānanda, the external portion is outside the share of sentient beings. Due to various longings, empty thoughts become manifest. When thoughts accumulate without ceasing, they can produce superior energy. Therefore, when sentient beings uphold the prohibitive precepts in their minds, their entire bodies feel light and clear. When their minds hold dhāraṇīs and mudrās, their gazes become bold and resolute. When their minds wish to be born in heaven, their dreams soar aloft. When their minds dwell on the Buddha-land, sacred realms secretly manifest. In serving good friends, they hold their own bodies and lives lightly. Ānanda, although thoughts differ, their lightness and soaring are identical. Flying movement does not sink; naturally it transcends. This is called the external portion.”’ Therefore we know that stagnation caused by emotion can produce the water of craving, which, soaking continuously, naturally leads to falling. Because the realm of emotion is dark and concealed, it is called the internal portion. Because raising a thought conditions external dust and grasping characteristics is called thought, moving and scattering, it is called the external portion. No realm arises except through thought. Therefore a sūtra says: ‘If one knows that all lands are sustained solely by thought, that is called a bodhisattva of the initial resolve.’ Furthermore, a verse in the *Avataṃsakasūtra* says:
‘The valiant sons of the Buddha
Follow and enter the wondrous Dharma;
Skillfully contemplating all thoughts
That entangle the world like a net.
The various thoughts are like a mirage,
Causing sentient beings to form inverted understandings.
The bodhisattva skillfully knows thoughts
And abandons all inversions.
Sentient beings are distinct from one another,
Their physical forms and types not being of one kind;
Understanding that all are thoughts,
Nothing is real.
All sentient beings in the ten directions
Are covered by thoughts;
If they abandon inverted views,
They extinguish worldly thoughts.
The world is like a mirage,
Having distinctions due to thoughts;
Knowing that the world abides in thoughts,
One departs far from the three inversions.
Just as with a mirage in hot weather,
Worldly perception considers it to be water;
Water truly does not exist,
So the wise should not seek it.
Sentient beings are also like this;
The worldly destinies do not exist at all,
Abiding in thoughts like a mirage,
The realm of an unobstructed mind.
If one departs from all thoughts,
One also departs from all conceptual proliferation;
Those foolishly attached to thoughts
Are all brought to liberation.
Departing far from the mind of pride,
Extinguishing worldly thoughts,
Abiding in the place where exhaustion is exhausted—
This is the bodhisattva’s skillful means.’
It also says: ‘For example, when a person is on the verge of death, they see the characteristics of the retribution they are to receive according to their karma. Those who performed evil karma see all the realms of myriad sufferings in hell, the animal realm, and among hungry ghosts; or they see hell wardens holding weapons in their hands, raging or cursing, seizing them and dragging them away, and they also hear the sounds of wailing and grief-stricken lamentation; or they see the river of ash, or the boiling caldron, or the mountain of knives, or the forest of swords, being constrained in various ways and suffering diverse pains and distress. Those who performed good karma immediately see the palaces of all the heavens, immeasurable heavenly assemblies, heavenly maidens, and various garments, fully adorned, with palaces and parks that are all exquisite. Although their bodies have not yet died, through the power of karma they see such things.’ The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: ‘Like the city of the Gandharvas, which is not a city, but the thoughts of human minds make it a city; ordinary people are also like this: they think of what is not a body as a body, and think of what is not a mind as a mind.’ Therefore we know that hell and heaven fundamentally have no fixed locations; before the body has even gone there, they have already appeared in one's own mind. The objects do not appear externally; it is only the mind's false perception. It can be verified that the realms of suffering and pleasure fundamentally do not originate from anywhere; good and evil matters are only summoned by oneself. Emptiness is emptily right and emptily wrong; there is false birth and false death. As Master Bodhidharma said: ‘Because of one's own view, one does not attain the Way. "One's own" means the self. If there is no self, when encountering things there is neither right nor wrong. "Right" is what I myself deem right, yet things are not right; "wrong" is what I myself deem wrong, yet things are not wrong.’ If one enters the mirror of the source, both self and dharmas are empty, mind and objects perish of themselves, right and wrong are entirely quiescent, the spiritual nature stands independently, and there is nowhere for dualities to originate. These are all attained through awakening to the fundamental source, not obtained through study. As a past virtuous master said: ‘Objects are empty of themselves, there is no need to fear; shining all day long, originally there is no counterpart. Even if one sustains this floating, illusory body, spontaneously there is no tongue, body, or mind.’ A verse by an ancient also says: ‘Serenely pacifying the spirit to extinguish right and wrong, the present body is the Land of Peace and Bliss.’ Therefore the treatise says: ‘When wisdom and objects are expansive and clear, it is called the Buddha-land.’