宗鏡錄 99.23

99.23

顯性論云。一念見性者。見性是凡聖之本體。普遍一切。而不為一切之所傾動。在染不染。而能辯染。在淨不淨。而能辯淨。其性不在一切法。而能遍一切法。若觀一法。即不見性。若不觀一法。亦不見性。其性不在觀。不在不觀。於一眾生身中見心性時。一切眾生悉皆見。於一微塵中。見心性時。一切微塵悉皆見。以性遍凡聖善惡故。凡處徹聖處。聖處徹凡處。善惡相徹。本性自爾。以一切法。並不得取。並不可捨。性相自爾。自性淨故。終日說不得一說。終日聞不得一聞。終日見不得一見。終日知不得一知。並非凡聖之所安立。是故經云。若我出世及不出世。此法常然。

The Xianxing lun says: “Regarding ‘seeing the nature in a single thought’: seeing the nature is the fundamental substance of both ordinary beings and sages. It pervades everything, yet cannot be perturbed by anything. Existing in defilement, it is undefiled, yet capable of discerning defilement; existing in purity, it is not [merely] pure, yet capable of discerning purity. Its nature does not abide in any phenomenon, yet is capable of pervading all phenomena. If one contemplates a single phenomenon, one does not see the nature; if one does not contemplate a single phenomenon, one also does not see the nature. Its nature does not lie in contemplating, nor does it lie in not contemplating. When one sees the nature of mind within the body of a single sentient being, one sees it in all sentient beings. When one sees the nature of mind within a single speck of dust, one sees it in all specks of dust. Because the nature pervades ordinary beings and sages, good and evil, the place of the ordinary penetrates the place of the sage, and the place of the sage penetrates the place of the ordinary; good and evil mutually penetrate. The fundamental nature is naturally so. Because all phenomena can neither be grasped nor discarded, their nature and characteristics are naturally so. Because their intrinsic nature is pure, though speaking all day, not a single utterance can be grasped; though hearing all day, not a single hearing can be grasped; though seeing all day, not a single sight can be grasped; though knowing all day, not a single knowledge can be grasped. None of this is established by ordinary beings or sages. Therefore the sūtra says: ‘Whether I appear in the world or do not appear in the world, this Dharma is always so.’”