宗鏡錄 90.5.3

90.5.3

名了因佛性。 觀諸心數。 稱心數實相。 名緣因佛性。 故經云。 佛性者。 不即六法。 不離六法。 此之謂也。 四觀心三般若者。 一實相般若。 非寂非照。 即一切種智。 二觀照般若。 非照而照。 即一切智。 三方便般若。 非寂而寂。 即道種智。 觀。 一念心。 即空即假即中。 即是三般若。 何者。 一念心一切心。 一切心一心。 非一非一切。 一念心一切心者。 從心生心。 雜雜沓沓。 長風駛流。 不得為喻。 日夜常生無量百千萬億眾生。 六道輪迴十二鉤鎖。 從闇入闇。 闇無邊際。 皆心之過也。 故言一念心一切心。 是則凡夫所迷沒處。 一切心一心者。 若能知過生厭皆自持出。 如世小火。 燒大𧂐薪。 置一小珠澄清巨海。 能觀心空。 從心所生一切心。 無不即空。 故言一切心一心。 如此一心。 乃是二乘所迷沒處。 非究竟道。 雙亡二邊故。 煩惱非一非一切。 大經云。 依智勿依識。 識但求樂。 凡夫識求妄樂。 二乘識求涅槃樂。 是故雙亡。 不可依止。 智則求理。 如是觀者。 即是一心三智。 即空。 是觀照般若。 一切智。 即假。 是方便般若。 道種智。 即中。 是實相般若。 一切種智。 是三智一心中得。 即空即假即中。 無前無後。 不並不別。 甚深微妙。 最可依止。 是為觀心三般若。 五觀心三菩提者。 一真性菩提。 以理為道。 二實智菩提。 以智慧為道。 三方便菩提。 以善巧逗會為道。 今觀一念之心。 即空即假即中。 是三菩提心。 何者。 一心一切心。 交橫嫽亂。 如絲如砂。 如蠶如蛾。 為苦為惱。 若知即空真諦菩提心。 度妄亂心數之眾生。 通四住之壅。 若即假發菩提心者。 空雖免妄亂。 經言空亂意眾生。 而智眼甚盲闇。 復是三無為坑。 是大乘怨鳥。 未具佛法。 不應滅受而取證。 若知即假俗諦菩提心。 度沈空心數之眾生。 通塵沙之壅。 分別可否。 分別時宜。 分別藥病。 分別逗會。 不住無為。 故言即假發菩提心。 空是浮心對治。 假是沈心對治。 由病故有藥。 藥存復成病。 病去藥止。 宜應兩捨。 非空非假。 雙亡二邊。 即發中道第一義諦菩提心。 度二邊心數之眾生。 通無明壅。 以不住法住於中道。 故言即中。 說時如三次第。 觀則不然。 一心中具三菩提心也。 六觀心三大乘者。 一理乘。 理性虛通。 任運荷諸法故。 二隨乘。 智隨於境。 如蓋隨函。 三得乘。 若得果故。 自解脫。 若得機故。 令他解脫。 觀一念之心。 即空即假即中三大乘。 何者。 雖觀一念心。 而實有四運。 此心迴轉不已。 所謂未念。 欲念。 正念。 念已。 從未念運至欲念。 從欲念運至正念。 從正念運至念已。 復更起運。 運運無窮。 不知休息。 如閉目在舟。 不覺其疾。 觀一運心。 即空即假即中。 一一運心。 亦復如是。 從心至心。 無不即空即假即中。 是則從三諦運至三諦。 無不三諦時。 若隨四運運入生死。 若隨四運運入涅槃。 即空之觀。 乘於隨乘。 運到真諦。 即假之觀。 乘於得乘。 運到俗諦。 即中之觀。 乘於理乘。 運到中諦。 三乘即一乘。 是乘微妙。 第一觀智普賢大人所乘故。 七觀心三身者。 所謂理法聚名法身。 智法聚名報身。 功德法聚名應身。 諦觀一念心。 即空即假即中。 即是三身。 何者。 華嚴經頌云。 心如工畫師。 造種種五陰。 若心緣破戒事。 即地獄身。 緣無慚憍慢。 即畜生身。 緣諂曲慳貪。 即餓鬼身。 緣嫉妬諍競。 即脩羅身。 緣五戒防五惡。 即人身。 緣十善防十惡。 緣禪定防散亂。 即天身。 緣無常苦空無相願聲聞身。 緣十二因緣法即緣覺身。 緣慈悲六度。 即菩薩身。

[this is] called the revealing-cause Buddha-nature. Contemplating the mental factors and matching the true characteristic of mental factors is called the conditioning-cause Buddha-nature. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Buddha-nature is neither identical with the six dharmas nor separate from the six dharmas.' This is what it means.

Fourth, contemplating the mind as the three prajñās: First is true-characteristic prajñā: neither quiescent nor illuminating, which is the knowledge of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā). Second is contemplative-illuminating prajñā: illuminating without being illumination, which is all-knowledge (sarvajñatā). Third is expedient prajñā: quiescent without being quiescence, which is the knowledge of the aspects of the path (mārgākārajñatā). Contemplating a single thought of the mind as being identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle is precisely these three prajñās.

Why is this? A single thought of the mind is all minds; all minds are one mind; it is neither one nor all. 'A single thought of the mind is all minds' means that from mind, minds are produced, in chaotic profusion—even a long gale or a rushing torrent cannot serve as a metaphor. Day and night, it constantly generates immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings, the transmigration in the six destinies, and the twelve linked chains. Entering darkness from darkness, the darkness is boundless: these are all the fault of the mind. Therefore it is said: 'A single thought of the mind is all minds.' This is the place where ordinary beings are deluded and sink.

'All minds are one mind' means that if one can recognize the fault and give rise to revulsion, one can uphold oneself and transcend it—just as in the world a small fire can burn a vast pile of firewood, or placing a small pearl can clarify a giant ocean. If one can contemplate the emptiness of the mind, then of all the minds produced from the mind, none are not immediately empty. Therefore it is said: 'All minds are one mind.' Such a 'one mind' is the place where followers of the two vehicles are deluded and sink; it is not the ultimate path. Because both extremes are obliterated, kleśas are neither one nor all.

The Great Sūtra says: 'Rely on wisdom (jñāna), not on consciousness (vijñāna).' Consciousness only seeks pleasure: the consciousness of ordinary beings seeks deluded pleasure; the consciousness of the two vehicles seeks the pleasure of nirvāṇa. For this reason both are obliterated and cannot be relied upon. Wisdom, however, seeks principle. One who contemplates in this way has the three wisdoms in one mind: identical with emptiness is contemplative-illuminating prajñā, all-knowledge; identical with provisionality is expedient prajñā, the knowledge of the aspects of the path; identical with the middle is true-characteristic prajñā, the knowledge of all aspects. These three wisdoms are attained within the one mind: identical with emptiness, identical with provisionality, and identical with the middle, without before or after, neither combined nor distinct, profoundly deep and wondrous, most worthy of reliance. This is contemplating the mind as the three prajñās.

Fifth, contemplating the mind as the three bodhis: First is true-nature bodhi, taking principle as the path. Second is true-wisdom bodhi, taking wisdom as the path. Third is expedient bodhi, taking skillful adaptation to capacities as the path. Now, contemplating a single thought of the mind as being identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle is the aspiration to the three bodhis (bodhicitta).

Why is this? The one mind and all minds crisscross and disturb each other like threads or sand, like silkworms or moths, creating suffering and affliction. If one recognizes the bodhicitta of the ultimate truth that is identical with emptiness, one delivers sentient beings who are the mental factors of delusion and chaos, clearing the blockage of the four entrenchments. If one brings forth bodhicitta as identical with provisionality: although emptiness avoids delusion and chaos, the sūtra speaks of 'sentient beings with minds confused by emptiness,' whose eye of wisdom is completely blind and dark; furthermore, it is the pit of the three unconditioned states, an inimical bird to the Mahāyāna; not yet endowed with the Buddha-dharma, one should not extinguish feeling and realize the fruit. If one recognizes the bodhicitta of the conventional truth that is identical with provisionality, one delivers sentient beings who are the mental factors sunken in emptiness, clearing the blockage of defilements as numerous as dust and sand. One discerns permissible and impermissible, discerns what is fitting for the time, discerns medicines and illnesses, and discerns adaptation to capacities, not abiding in the unconditioned. Therefore it is said: 'bringing forth bodhicitta as identical with provisionality.'

Emptiness is the remedy for a flighty mind; provisionality is the remedy for a sunken mind. Because of illness there is medicine; if the medicine remains, it becomes an illness again. When the illness is gone, the medicine ceases; one ought to abandon both. Neither empty nor provisional, both extremes are obliterated: one immediately brings forth the bodhicitta of the ultimate truth of the middle way, delivers sentient beings who are the mental factors of the two extremes, and clears the blockage of ignorance (avidyā). Abiding in the middle way through non-abiding dharmas, it is therefore said to be 'identical with the middle.' When spoken of, it seems there are three stages, but contemplation is not like that: within the one mind, the three bodhicittas are fully present.

Sixth, contemplating the mind as the three great vehicles: First is the principle vehicle: the nature of principle is open and penetrating, naturally carrying all dharmas. Second is the conforming vehicle: wisdom conforms to the object, like a lid conforming to a box. Third is the attainment vehicle: if attaining the fruit, one liberates oneself; if encountering the capacity, one causes others to be liberated. Contemplating a single thought of the mind as identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle constitutes the three great vehicles.

Why is this? Although one contemplates a single thought of the mind, there are actually four movements: this mind turns unceasingly—namely, not-yet-thinking, wishing-to-think, actively thinking, and having-thought. From not-yet-thinking it moves to wishing-to-think; from wishing-to-think it moves to actively thinking; from actively thinking it moves to having-thought; and then it gives rise to movement again. Movement after movement without end, it knows no rest—just as closing one's eyes on a boat, one does not notice how swiftly it travels. Contemplating one movement of the mind as identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle, each and every movement of the mind is likewise so. From mind to mind, none are not identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle. This is moving from the three truths to the three truths; there is no time when it is not the three truths. If one follows the four movements, one moves into saṃsāra; if one follows the four movements, one moves into nirvāṇa. The contemplation identical with emptiness rides on the conforming vehicle and is carried to the ultimate truth; the contemplation identical with provisionality rides on the attainment vehicle and is carried to the conventional truth; the contemplation identical with the middle rides on the principle vehicle and is carried to the truth of the middle. The three vehicles are precisely the one vehicle (ekayāna); this vehicle is subtle and wondrous, being what the foremost contemplative wisdom of the great being Samantabhadra rides upon.

Seventh, contemplating the mind as the three bodies (trikāya): The collection of dharmas of principle is called the dharmakāya; the collection of dharmas of wisdom is called the saṃbhogakāya; the collection of dharmas of merit is called the nirmāṇakāya. Clearly contemplating a single thought of the mind as being identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle is precisely the three bodies.

Why is this? A verse in the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'Mind is like a skilled painter, creating the various five aggregates.' If the mind focuses on breaking precepts, it is a hell body; if it focuses on lack of shame and haughtiness, it is an animal body; if it focuses on deceit, flattery, and stinginess, it is a hungry ghost body; if it focuses on jealousy and contention, it is an asura body; if it focuses on the five precepts to guard against the five evils, it is a human body; if it focuses on the ten virtues to guard against the ten evils, or focuses on dhyāna meditation to guard against distraction, it is a heavenly body; if it focuses on impermanence, suffering, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, it is a śrāvaka body; if it focuses on the dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination (dvādaśāṅgapratītyasamutpāda), it is a pratyekabuddha body; if it focuses on compassion and the six pāramitās, it is a bodhisattva body.