宗鏡錄 79.29

79.29

答。了境是心。萬法奚有。以依心所起。無有定體。皆如幻化。畢竟寂滅。寶積經云。爾時世尊告幻師言。一切眾生。及諸資具。皆是幻化。謂由於業之所幻故。諸比丘眾。亦是幻化。謂由於法之所幻故。我身亦幻。智所幻故。三千大千一切世界。亦皆是幻。一切眾生共所幻故。凡所有法。無非是幻。因緣和合之所幻故。又教中總明十喻。如幻如化。如夢。如影等。此是諸佛密意。破眾生執世相為實。起於常見。世間共知幻夢等法是空。則不信人法心境等。如幻夢亦空。所以將所信之虛。破所信之實。令所信之實。同所信之虛。然後乃頓悟真宗遍一切處。心內心外。決定無有實法建立。大莊嚴論云。我昔曾聞。有一幻師。有信樂心。至耆闍山。為僧設會。供養已訖。幻尸陀羅木。作一女人。端正奇特。在大眾前。抱捉此女。而嗚𠯗之。共為欲事。時諸比丘。見此事已。咸皆嫌忿。而作是言。此無慚人。所為鄙褻。知其如是。不受其供。時彼幻師。既行欲已。聞諸比丘。譏訶嫌責。即便以刀。斫刺是女。分解支節。挑目截鼻。種種苦毒。而殺此女。諸比丘等。又見此事。倍復嫌忿。我等若當知汝如是。寧飲毒藥。不受其供。乃至爾時幻師。即捉尸陀羅木。用示眾僧。合掌白言。我向所作。即是此木。於彼木中。有何欲殺。欲安眾僧身故。設此飲食。欲令眾僧心安。故為此幻耳。願諸比丘。聽我所說。豈可不聞。佛於脩多羅中。說一切法。猶如幻化。我今為欲成彼語故。故作斯幻。如斯幻身。無壽無命。識之幻師。運轉機關。令其視眴。俯仰顧眄行步進止。或語或笑。以此事故。深知此身真實無我。華嚴經頌云。世間種種法。一切皆如幻。若能如是知。其心無所動。諸業從心生。故說心如幻。若離此分別。普滅諸有趣。譬如工幻師。普現諸色像。徒令眾貪樂。畢竟無所得。世間亦如是。一切皆如幻。無性亦無生。示現有種種。度脫諸眾生。令知法如幻。眾生不異幻。了幻無眾生。眾生及國土。三世所有法。如是悉無餘。一切皆如幻。幻作男女形。及象馬牛羊。屋宅池泉類。園林華果等。幻物無覺知。亦無有住處。畢竟寂滅相。但隨分別現。菩薩能如是。普見諸世間。有無一切法。了達悉如幻。眾生及國土。種種業所造。入於如幻際。於彼無依著。如是得善巧。寂滅無戲論。住於無礙地。普現大威力。又入法界品。時童子童女告善財言。善男子。我等證得菩薩解脫。名為幻住。得此解脫故。見一切世界皆幻住。因緣所生故。一切眾生皆幻住。業煩惱所起故。一切世間皆幻住。無明有愛等展轉緣生故。一切法皆幻住。我見等種種幻緣所生故。一切三世皆幻住。我見等顛倒智所生故。一切眾生生滅老死憂悲苦惱皆幻住。虛妄分別所生故。一切國土皆幻住。想倒心倒見倒無明所現故。一切聲聞辟支佛皆幻住。智斷分別所成故。一切菩薩皆幻住。能自調伏教化眾生諸行願法之所成故。一切菩薩眾會變化調伏諸所施為皆幻住。願智幻所成故。善男子。幻境自性。不可思議。大集經偈云。如來法界無差別。為鈍根者說差別。宣說一法為無量。如大幻師。示眾生。清涼疏釋。如幻忍者。如一巾幻作一象。楞伽經云。智不得有無。而興大悲心。由了體空。不壞幻相差別。故如象生。即是象死。此二對。應成四句。謂此二無二故非異。無不二故非一。非一即非異。故非非一。非異即非一故非非異。亦絕雙照。故非亦一亦異。若以巾上二義。對象上二義。辯非一異。略有十句。一以巾上成象義。對象上差別義。合為一際。名不異。此是以本隨末。就末明不異。經云。法身流轉五道。號曰眾生。如來藏受苦樂與因俱。若生若滅等。二以巾上住自位義。與象上體空義。合為一際。名不異。此是以末歸本。就本明不異。經云。一切眾生即如。不復更滅等。三以攝末所歸之本。與攝本所從之末。此二雙融。無礙不異。此是本末平等為不異。以前二經文。不相離故。四以所攝歸本之末。亦與所攝隨末之本。此二相奪。故名不異。此是本末雙泯明不異。以真妄平等。異不可得。次下四門明非一。謂五以巾住自位義。與象上差別義。此二本末相違相背。故名非一。楞伽經云。如來藏。不在阿賴耶中。是故七識有生滅。如來藏者。不生滅。此之謂也。六巾上成象義。與象上體空義。此二本末相反相害。故非一。勝鬘經云。七識不流轉。不受苦樂。非涅槃因。唯如來藏。受苦樂等。七以初相背。與次相害。此二義別。故名非一。謂相背則各相背捨。相去懸遠。相害則相與敵對。親相食害。是故近遠非一。以前經文。不相雜故。八以極相害。俱泯而不泯。與極相背。俱存而不存。不存不泯。義為非一。此是成壞非一。以七識即空而是有故。真如即隱而是顯故。九上四非一與四非異。而亦非一。以義不雜故。又相違是存。相害是泯。然存上有不存之義。泯上有不泯之義。若唯泯無不泯。則色空俱亡。無可相即。以不全泯故。雖相即而色空歷然。若唯存無不存。則色空各有定性。不得相即。由有不存故。雖歷然而得相即。以體虛故。十然亦不異。以理遍通故。法無二故。若以不異門取。諸門極相和會。若以非一門取。諸門極相違害。極違而極順者。是無障礙法也。又釋云。別明義理。於中有二。先成有無。後成四句。言有無者。以三性中。各有二義。皆有無故。圓成二者。一性有。二相無。依他二者。一緣有。二相無。遍計二者。一情有。二理無。今初巾中。即圓成二義。術馬皆是依他二義。而術是能成之因。託真而起。故用有體無。用有即是緣有。體無即是性無。三馬是所成之果故。相有實無。相有即是緣有。實無即是性無。四明依圓不離。即事同真。生喻於事。死喻於真。事泯理顯。故生無死有。以無礙故。者出其所因。即事理無礙也。五中就情則有。妄見分明故。就理則無。以是妄計。必非有故。所以幻喻廣說有無者。以惑情所封。有無皆失。理無惑計。有無皆真。是知幻喻諸法。非實非虛。非空非有。若無於有。不成於無。若無於無。不成於有。有無交徹。萬化齊融。又五中。各具四句顯成。四句者。於中有二。初一重四句。後重重四句。今初又二。先正顯。後簡非。今初也。初性有相無四者。一有。真性有故。二空。無諸相故。三亦有亦空。義門異故。四非有非空。互融奪故。二用有體無四者。一有。迷真有用故。二空。依真無體故。三亦有亦空。體用不壞故。四非有非空。無體之用故非有。即用之體故非空。三相有實無四者。一有。事相現故。二空。緣成無實故。三俱存。無性不礙緣成。緣成不礙無性故。四俱非。緣成即無性故非有。無性即緣成故非空。四生即是無死即是有四者。一真性顯故。二依他即無性故。三性相雙存故。四性相即奪故。五情有理無四者。一遍計妄情。能招生死故。二即理而求不可得故。三要由理無。方即情有。若無情有。不顯理無故。四情有即理無。理無即情有故。已上四句。然皆具德。以稱真故。不同情。計定執。四句成謗。皆即有之空。方為具德之空。即空之有。方為具德之有。又盡有之空。盡空。之有。方為具德。又四句齊照。成解境故。四句齊泯。成行境故。皆言亡慮絕。方為具德耳。所以昔人云。巫山臺上。託雲雨以去來。舒姑水側。寄泉流而還往。故知聚沫之身非有。如幻之心本空。豈有欲情而成實事。又如莊周。達體虛如幻。見自身為蝴蝶。及夢中自見己身遊天崖。是以凡夫盲無慧目。妄取前塵男女等相。如幻化法。但誑心眼。都無實事。皆業識心動。起見現相。意識分別。強立我人。自他差別。若能識幻。方悟前非。終不於空而興造作。又此幻法。多人錯解。執一切法如幻如化。便作空無之見。如方廣外道。立空無為宗。不知實義故。華嚴論云。了如幻法。是堅固義。言堅固者。即是常住義。豈可作空無之解。故知。此幻即真。幻不可得。無幻之幻。名為幻法。絕見之見。方名見幻。

Answer: When one realizes that objects are the citta, how could the myriad dharmas exist? Because they arise dependent on the citta, they have no fixed substance; they are all like illusions and apparitions, ultimately quiescent. The Ratnakūṭasūtra says: 'At that time, the World-Honoured One told the illusionist: "All sentient beings and their requisites of life are illusions and apparitions—that is, because they are illusory creations of karma. The assemblies of bhikṣus are also illusions and apparitions—that is, because they are illusory creations of dharmas. My own body is also an illusion, because it is an illusory creation of wisdom. The entire great trichiliocosm is also an illusion, because it is an illusory creation shared by all sentient beings. Whatever dharmas there are, none are not illusions, because they are illusory creations of the confluence of causes and conditions."' Furthermore, the teaching generally explains ten metaphors: like an illusion, like an apparition, like a dream, like a shadow, and so forth. These are the esoteric intent of the buddhas, to shatter sentient beings' grasping of worldly characteristics as real, which gives rise to eternalism. People in the world all know that dharmas such as illusions and dreams are empty, but they do not believe that persons, dharmas, citta, and objects are also empty like illusions and dreams. Therefore, using the unreality in which they already believe, he shatters the reality in which they believe, making the reality in which they believe identical to the unreality in which they believe. Thereafter, one suddenly awakens to the true source pervading all places: inside the citta and outside the citta, there is definitely no establishment of any real dharma. The Mahālaṃkāraśāstra says: 'I once heard that in the past there was an illusionist who had faith and joy. He went to Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa to arrange a feast for the saṅgha. After the offerings were finished, he conjured a woman from citra wood who was upright and extraordinary. In front of the great assembly, he embraced this woman, kissed her, and engaged in sexual intercourse with her. At that time, when the bhikṣus saw this matter, all were disgusted and enraged, saying: "This shameless man has done something filthy and obscene! Had we known he was like this, we would not have accepted his offering." Then, after performing the sexual act, the illusionist heard the bhikṣus ridiculing and rebuking him. He immediately took a knife, hacked and stabbed this woman, dismembered her limbs, gouged out her eyes, cut off her nose, and killed this woman with all kinds of cruel pain. When the bhikṣus saw this matter again, they became doubly disgusted and enraged: "If we had known you were like this, we would rather have drunk poison than accept your offering!" Thereupon, the illusionist immediately grasped the citra wood, showed it to the saṅgha, and said with palms joined: "What I made earlier was just this wood! Within that wood, what sexual desire or killing could there be? Wishing to make the saṅgha's bodies comfortable, I set out this food and drink; wishing to make the saṅgha's minds peaceful, I therefore created this illusion. May the bhikṣus listen to what I say! How could you not have heard that in the sūtras the Buddha said all dharmas are like illusions and apparitions? Now, wishing to confirm those words, I created this illusion. An illusory body such as this has neither lifespan nor life; the illusionist of consciousness turns its mechanisms, making it look and blink, bend down and look up, gaze around, walk, advance, and halt, speak or laugh. Because of this matter, one deeply knows that this body is truly without self."' A verse in the Avataṃsakasūtra says: / 'All the various dharmas of the world / Are completely like an illusion. / If one can know this in this way, / One's mind will not be moved. / All karmas arise from the mind; / Therefore it is said that the mind is like an illusion. / If one is free from this discrimination, / One universally extinguishes all destinies of existence. / Just as a skilled illusionist / Universally manifests all forms, / Merely causing the multitude to covet and delight in them, / Yet ultimately nothing is obtained; / The world is also like this: / All is completely like an illusion, / Without nature and without origination, / Manifesting in various ways. / Deliver all sentient beings, / Making them know that dharmas are like illusions. / Sentient beings are not different from illusions; / Understanding illusions, there are no sentient beings. / Sentient beings and lands, / Whatever dharmas there are in the three times— / All these without remainder / Are completely like an illusion. / Illusions create the forms of men and women, / As well as elephants, horses, oxen, and sheep, / Houses, pools, and springs, / Gardens, flowers, and fruits, and the like. / Illusory objects have no awareness, / Nor do they have any abiding place. / Their characteristic is ultimate quiescence; / They merely manifest following discrimination. / A bodhisattva can in this way / Universally see all worlds: / All dharmas, whether existing or non-existing, / He thoroughly comprehends as entirely like an illusion. / Sentient beings and lands / Are created by various karmas; / Entering into the limit of the illusion-like, / He has no reliance on or attachment to them. / Thus obtaining skillfulness, / Quiescent and without proliferations, / Abiding on the unhindered ground, / He universally displays great power.' Furthermore, in the "Entry into the Dharmadhātu" chapter, a boy and a girl said to Sudhana: 'Good son, we have attained the bodhisattva liberation named "abiding in illusion". Having attained this liberation, we see all worlds as abiding in illusion, because they are born of causes and conditions; all sentient beings as abiding in illusion, because they arise from karma and kleśas; all worlds as abiding in illusion, because they are conditionally produced through the mutual conditioning of avidyā, existence-craving, and so forth; all dharmas as abiding in illusion, because they are born of various illusory conditions such as the view of self; all three times as abiding in illusion, because they are born of inverted cognition such as the view of self; all sentient beings' birth, cessation, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress as abiding in illusion, because they are born of false discrimination; all lands as abiding in illusion, because they are manifested by inversion of thought, inversion of mind, inversion of views, and avidyā; all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas as abiding in illusion, because they are formed by discriminations of wisdom and eradication; all bodhisattvas as abiding in illusion, because they are formed by the dharmas of all practices and vows that can tame oneself and transform sentient beings; all assemblies of bodhisattvas, transformations, taming, and all activities as abiding in illusion, because they are formed by the illusions of vows and wisdom. Good son, the intrinsic nature of the illusory sphere is inconceivable.' A verse in the Mahāsaṃnipātasūtra says: / 'The Tathāgata's dharmadhātu has no distinction; / For those of dull faculties, he speaks of distinctions. / Proclaiming one dharma to be immeasurable, / Like a great illusionist, he shows it to sentient beings.' The commentary by Qingliang explains: 'As for the forbearance of the illusion-like, it is like conjuring an elephant from a single piece of cloth. The Laṅkāvatārasūtra says: "Wisdom does not apprehend existence or non-existence, yet gives rise to the mind of great compassion." Because one realizes that the substance is empty, one does not destroy the distinctions of illusory characteristics. Thus, just as the elephant is born, it is the elephant dying. These two counterparts should form a fourfold proposition (catuṣkoṭi): because these two are not two, they are not different; because they are not non-two, they are not one; not one is just not different, therefore it is "neither not-one"; not different is just not one, therefore it is "nor not-different"; it also cuts off dual illumination, therefore it is "not both one and different". If one matches the two meanings on the cloth against the two meanings on the elephant to discern non-oneness and non-difference, there are briefly ten propositions. First, matching the meaning of forming an elephant on the cloth with the meaning of distinction on the elephant, they unite into one limit, called "non-different". This is taking the root to follow the branch, explaining non-difference in terms of the branch. The sūtra says: "The dharmakāya transmigrates through the five destinies, called sentient beings; the tathāgatagarbha undergoes suffering and pleasure together with causes, whether arising or ceasing," and so forth. Second, matching the meaning of abiding in its own state on the cloth with the meaning of substantial emptiness on the elephant, they unite into one limit, called "non-different". This is taking the branch to return to the root, explaining non-difference in terms of the root. The sūtra says: "All sentient beings are just suchness, never again to be extinguished," and so forth. Third, taking the root to which the gathered branch returns and the branch from which the gathered root proceeds, these two doubly fuse, unobstructedly non-different. This is non-difference through the equality of root and branch, because the passages of the former two sūtras are not separated. Fourth, taking the branch gathered back to the root and also the root gathered following the branch, these two mutually displace, and are therefore called "non-different". This is explaining non-difference through the mutual vanishing of root and branch, because true and false are equal, and difference cannot be found. Next, the four gates below explain "non-one". Fifth, taking the meaning of the cloth abiding in its own state and the meaning of distinction on the elephant, these two, root and branch, are mutually contrary and opposing, and are therefore called "non-one". The Laṅkāvatārasūtra says: "The tathāgatagarbha is not within the ālaya; therefore the seven consciousnesses have arising and ceasing, while the tathāgatagarbha does not arise or cease"—this is what is meant. Sixth, the meaning of forming an elephant on the cloth and the meaning of substantial emptiness on the elephant, these two, root and branch, are mutually contrary and mutually harmful, and are therefore "non-one". The Śrīmālādevīsūtra says: "The seven consciousnesses do not transmigrate, do not undergo suffering and pleasure, and are not the cause of nirvāṇa; only the tathāgatagarbha undergoes suffering and pleasure," and so forth. Seventh, taking the initial mutual opposition and the subsequent mutual harm, these two meanings are distinct, and are therefore called "non-one". That is, mutual opposition means turning away and abandoning each other, far removed from each other; mutual harm means confronting each other and directly preying upon and harming each other. Therefore, far and near are non-one, because the passages of the former sūtras are not conflated. Eighth, by the utmost mutual harm, both vanishing yet not vanishing, and by the utmost mutual opposition, both remaining yet not remaining: not remaining and not vanishing, their meaning is "non-one". This is non-one in terms of formation and destruction, because the seven consciousnesses are empty yet existent, and tathatā is hidden yet manifest. Ninth, the above four non-ones and four non-differences are also non-one, because their meanings are not conflated. Furthermore, mutual contrary is remaining, and mutual harm is vanishing; yet on remaining there is the meaning of non-remaining, and on vanishing there is the meaning of non-vanishing. If there were only vanishing without non-vanishing, then form and emptiness would both perish, with nothing to be identical to each other. Because it does not completely vanish, although they are mutually identical, form and emptiness remain distinct. If there were only remaining without non-remaining, then form and emptiness would each have a fixed nature, unable to be identical to each other. Because there is non-remaining, although distinct they can be mutually identical, because the substance is insubstantial. Tenth, yet they are also not different, because the principle is universally pervasive and dharmas are not two. If grasped by the gate of non-difference, all gates are supremely harmonized; if grasped by the gate of non-oneness, all gates are supremely contradictory and harmful. That which is supremely contradictory yet supremely conformable is the unobstructed dharma.' He also explains: 'Separately elucidating the doctrinal principles, within this there are two: first establishing existence and non-existence, and second establishing the fourfold proposition. Regarding existence and non-existence: because within the three natures each has two meanings, all have existence and non-existence. The two of the consummate nature: first, nature-existence; second, characteristic-non-existence. The two of the dependent nature: first, condition-existence; second, characteristic-non-existence. The two of the imagined nature: first, emotion-existence; second, principle-non-existence. Now, first, in the cloth there are the two meanings of the consummate nature. The magic technique and the horse are both the two meanings of the dependent nature; the technique is the cause capable of bringing it about, arising dependent on the real, so it has function and lacks substance: having function is just condition-existence, and lacking substance is just nature-non-existence. Third, the horse is the result brought about, so it has characteristic and lacks reality: having characteristic is just condition-existence, and lacking reality is just nature-non-existence. Fourth, explaining that the dependent and the consummate are not separated, phenomena are identical to the real. Arising is a metaphor for phenomena; dying is a metaphor for the real. Phenomena vanish and principle becomes manifest, so arising is absent and dying is present. Because of unobstructedness, this brings out its cause, which is the unobstructedness of phenomenon and principle. In the fifth, from the standpoint of emotion it exists, because false views are distinct; from the standpoint of principle it does not exist, because as false conceptualization, it definitely cannot exist. Therefore, why the metaphor of illusion extensively speaks of existence and non-existence is because, when confined by deluded emotion, both existence and non-existence are lost; when the principle is free from deluded conceptualization, both existence and non-existence are true. From this we know that all dharmas in the metaphor of illusion are neither real nor unreal, neither empty nor existent. If there were no existence, non-existence could not be established; if there were no non-existence, existence could not be established. Existence and non-existence penetrate each other, and the myriad transformations harmonize together. Furthermore, within the five, each is fully endowed with the fourfold proposition to make it manifest. As for the fourfold proposition, within it there are two: first, a single tier of fourfold propositions; second, multiple tiers of fourfold propositions. In the first there are also two: first, directly demonstrating; second, eliminating faults. This is the first. First, the four of nature-existence and characteristic-non-existence: 1. Existent, because the true nature exists. 2. Empty, because it lacks all characteristics. 3. Both existent and empty, because the doctrinal gates are different. 4. Neither existent nor empty, because they mutually fuse and displace. Second, the four of function-existence and substance-non-existence: 1. Existent, because deluded regarding the real, there is function. 2. Empty, because relying on the real, there is no substance. 3. Both existent and empty, because substance and function are not destroyed. 4. Neither existent nor empty, because as the function without substance it is not existent, and as the substance identical to function it is not empty. Third, the four of characteristic-existence and reality-non-existence: 1. Existent, because phenomenal characteristics appear. 2. Empty, because formed by conditions it lacks reality. 3. Both preserved, because lack of nature does not obstruct conditional formation, and conditional formation does not obstruct lack of nature. 4. Both negated, because conditional formation is just lack of nature, hence not existent; lack of nature is just conditional formation, hence not empty. Fourth, the four of arising being non-existence and dying being existence: 1. Because the true nature is manifest. 2. Because the dependent nature is just lack of nature. 3. Because nature and characteristic are both preserved. 4. Because nature and characteristic mutually displace. Fifth, the four of emotion-existence and principle-non-existence: 1. Because the imagined false emotion can give rise to birth and death. 2. Because seeking it in terms of principle, it cannot be found. 3. Because only due to the non-existence of principle can it be identical to emotion-existence; without emotion-existence, the non-existence of principle would not be revealed. 4. Because emotion-existence is just principle-non-existence, and principle-non-existence is just emotion-existence. The above fourfold propositions are all endowed with virtue because they accord with the real. They are not like emotional conceptualization and rigid clinging, where the fourfold proposition constitutes defamation. Only the emptiness that is identical to existence is emptiness endowed with virtue; only the existence that is identical to emptiness is existence endowed with virtue. Furthermore, the emptiness that exhausts existence and the existence that exhausts emptiness are endowed with virtue. Furthermore, the four propositions illuminated simultaneously form the sphere of understanding; the four propositions vanishing simultaneously form the sphere of practice; only when words are dead and thoughts extinguished are they endowed with virtue. Therefore an ancient said: 'On the terrace of Mount Wu, one relies on clouds and rain to come and go; beside the waters of Shugu, one lodges in the spring torrent to return and depart.' Thus we know that the body of gathered foam does not exist, and the illusion-like citta is fundamentally empty. How could there be sexual emotions that accomplish real matters? It is also like Zhuang Zhou, who comprehended that the substance is insubstantial like an illusion, seeing his own body as a butterfly, and in a dream seeing his own body roaming to the ends of heaven. Therefore, ordinary worldlings, blind and lacking the eye of prajñā, falsely grasp the external sense data of men, women, and other characteristics. Like illusory transformations, they merely deceive the mind and eye; there is no real matter at all. All are the movement of the karmic-consciousness mind, giving rise to views and manifesting characteristics; the manovijñāna discriminates, forcibly establishing self and other, the distinction between self and others. If one can recognize the illusion, only then will one awaken to former errors and never again engage in fabrications regarding emptiness. Furthermore, this dharma of illusion is misunderstood by many: clinging to all dharmas being like illusions and apparitions, they then adopt the view of emptiness and non-existence, like the Fangguang non-Buddhists who establish emptiness and non-existence as their source, not knowing the true meaning. Therefore the Huayan lun says: 'Understanding the dharma of illusion is the meaning of solidity. That which is called solidity is just the meaning of eternal abiding; how could one interpret it as emptiness and non-existence?' Hence we know that this illusion is just the real; the illusion cannot be apprehended. The illusion of non-illusion is called the dharma of illusion; the seeing that cuts off views is truly called seeing the illusion.