宗鏡錄 85.29

85.29

答。即是本覺初顯相用。名為始覺。相用。非別外來。故得融同一體。又若非本覺舉體之相用。即不是始覺。以心外有法故。若不然者。但名相似覺。亦名隨分覺。是知直待合同本體。方得名真始覺也。既合於本。始即非始。既無於始。即無於本。本始之名既喪。但可名為覺焉。如上所釋。若入宗鏡。方為究竟之覺。未入宗鏡。但稱相似覺耳。此雖稱覺。乃是不覺。故論云。又以覺心原故名究竟覺。不覺心原故非究竟覺。即其義矣。

Answer: It is simply the first manifestation of the characteristics and functions of original awareness that is called initial awareness. The characteristics and functions do not come from outside separately; therefore, they can merge into a single substance. Furthermore, if they were not the characteristics and functions of the entire substance of original awareness, they would not be initial awareness, because there would be dharmas outside citta. If this were not so, it would merely be called semblance awareness, and also called partial awareness. From this we know that only when it directly joins and unifies with the original substance can it be called true initial awareness. Once it joins with the original, the initial is no longer initial; once there is no initial, there is no original. When the names of original and initial are both extinguished, it can only be called awareness. As explained above, only when entering the mirror of the source does it become ultimate awareness. Not having entered the mirror of the source, it is merely called semblance awareness. Although this is called awareness, it is in fact non-awareness. Therefore the treatise says: “Furthermore, because of being aware of the citta-source it is called ultimate awareness; because of not being aware of the citta-source it is not ultimate awareness.” This is precisely its meaning.