宗鏡錄 99.38

99.38

法華玄贊疏云。如經中說。一時者。即是唯識時。說聽二徒心識之上。變作三時相狀而起。實是現在。隨心分限。變作短長。事緒終訖。總名一時。如夢所見。謂有多生。覺位唯心。都無實境。聽者心變三世亦爾。唯意所緣。是。不相應行蘊法界法處所攝。此言一時。一則不定約剎那。二則不定約相續。三則不定約四時六時。八時。十二時等。四則不定約成道已後年數時節。名為一時。但是聽者根熟。感佛為說。說者慈悲。應機為談。說聽事訖。總名為一時。不定約剎那等者。聽法之徒。根器或鈍。說時雖短。聽解時長。或說者時長。聽者亦久。於一剎那。猶未能解。故非剎那。亦不定約相續者。猶能說者得陀羅尼。說一字義。一切皆了。或能聽者得淨耳意。聞一字時。一切能解。故非相續。由於一會聽者。根機有利有鈍。如來神力。或延短念為長劫。或促多劫為短念。亦不定故。總約說聽究竟名時。亦不定約四時六時八時十二時者。一日一月。照四天下。長短暄寒。近遠晝夜。諸方不定。恒二天下同起用故。又除已下。上諸天等。無此四時及八時等。經擬上地諸方流通。若說四時等。流行不遍故。亦不定約成道已後年數時節者。三乘凡聖所見佛身報化。年歲短長。成道已來。近遠各不同故。釋曰。上所說不定約剎那時。及相續時。與四時六時八時十二時等。及約成道已後年數時節。名為一時者。以長短不定。前後無憑。但說唯心之一時。可為定量。無諸過失。事理相當。既亡去取之情。又絕斷常之見。不唯一時作唯識解。實乃萬義皆歸一心。則稱可教宗。深諧祕旨。能開正見。永滅群疑。所以經云。一切諸法。以實際為定量。又云。但以大乘而為解說。令得一切種智。故知但說大無過。夫言大乘者。即是一心之乘。乘是運載義。若論運載。豈越心耶。又夫不識心人。若聽法看經。但隨名相。不得經旨。如僧崖云。今聞經語。句句與心相應。又釋法聰。因聽慧敏法師說法。得自於心。蕩然無累。乃至見一切境。亦復如是。若不觀心。盡隨物轉。是故大乘入道安心法云。若以有是為是。有所不是。若以無是為是。則無所不是。一智慧門。入百千智慧門。見柱作柱解。得柱相。不作柱解。觀心是柱法。無柱相。是故見柱即得柱法。一切形色。亦復如是。故華嚴經頌云。世間一切法。但以為心主。隨解取眾相。顛倒不如實。又古人云。六道群蒙。自此門出。歷千劫而不返。一切痛哉。是知因心得道。如出必由戶。何所疑乎。

The Fahua xuanzan shu states: 'As the sūtra says: "At one time"—this is precisely the time of consciousness-only. In the mental consciousness of the two assemblies of speaker and listeners, it arises by transforming into the appearances of the three times. In reality it is the present; following the capacities of the mind, it transforms into short or long. When the matter has reached its conclusion, it is collectively termed "at one time." Just as what is seen in a dream is thought to be many lifetimes, yet in the state of waking it is consciousness-only and completely without real objects, so too the listeners' minds transforming the three periods of time are likewise only objects of the mental faculty, subsumed under the aggregate of formations not associated [with citta], the dharmadhātu, and the dharmāyatana. This expression "at one time" is: first, not definitively determined by the kṣaṇa; second, not definitively determined by continuation; third, not definitively determined by the four seasons, the six periods, the eight periods, the twelve periods, and so forth; fourth, not definitively determined by the number of years and seasons following the attainment of the Way—it is termed "at one time." It simply means that when the listeners' faculties have matured, they move the Buddha to speak for them; the speaker, out of compassion, discourses in response to their capacities; and when the matter of speaking and listening has concluded, it is collectively termed "at one time." That it is "not definitively determined by the kṣaṇa, etc." means: the faculties of the assembly listening to the Dharma may be dull, so although the speaking time is short, the time of listening and understanding is long; or the speaker takes a long time and the listeners also take a long time, such that in a single kṣaṇa they are still unable to understand—therefore it is not a kṣaṇa. That it is "also not definitively determined by continuation" means: if the speaker has attained dhāraṇī, in speaking the meaning of a single word, all is understood; or if the listener has attained purified ears and mind, when hearing a single word, they are able to understand everything—therefore it is not continuation. Because among the listeners in a single assembly faculties may be sharp or dull, the Tathāgata's spiritual power may either extend a brief thought into long eons or contract many eons into a brief thought. Being thus indefinite, the time is named collectively in terms of the completion of speaking and listening. That it is "also not definitively determined by the four seasons, the six periods, the eight periods, or the twelve periods" means: the single sun and single moon illuminate the four continents, yet long and short, warm and cold, near and far, day and night are indeterminate across the various directions, because two continents constantly generate functions simultaneously. Moreover, excepting those below, the higher heavens and so forth do not have these four seasons, eight periods, and so on. The sūtra is intended to circulate in higher realms and the various directions; if one spoke of the four seasons and so forth, it would not circulate universally. That it is "also not definitively determined by the number of years and seasons following the attainment of the Way" means: the retribution and transformation bodies of the Buddha seen by the ordinary persons and sages of the three vehicles differ in the length of their years, and the time since the attainment of the Way differs in proximity and distance.' Explanation: The above explanation—that it is not definitively determined by the time of a kṣaṇa, the time of continuation, the four seasons, six periods, eight periods, twelve periods, etc., nor by the number of years and seasons following the attainment of the Way, but is named 'at one time'—is because lengths are indeterminate and earlier and later have no definitive basis. Only by speaking of the 'one time' of mind-only can there be an established standard free from all faults, where phenomenon and principle correspond. It both eliminates feelings of grasping and rejecting and cuts off views of annihilation and permanence. Not only is 'at one time' interpreted as consciousness-only; in truth, myriad doctrines all return to the one mind. Then it accords with the teaching's source and deeply harmonizes with the esoteric purport, able to open right view and forever extinguish all doubts. Therefore a sūtra says: 'All phenomena take the limit of reality (bhūtakoṭi) as their established standard.' It also says: 'Only by means of the Great Vehicle do I explain it, causing them to attain all-aspect knowledge (sarvākārajñatā).' Thus we know that merely speaking of the Great is without fault. Now, as for 'Great Vehicle' (Mahāyāna), it is the vehicle of the one mind; 'vehicle' has the meaning of conveying. If we discuss conveying, how could it surpass the mind? Furthermore, if someone who does not recognize the mind listens to the Dharma or reads sūtras, they merely follow names and characteristics and do not grasp the purport of the scriptures. As Sengya said: 'Now hearing the words of the sūtras, phrase after phrase corresponds with the mind.' Again, the monk Facong, through hearing Master Huimin preach the Dharma, attained it in his own mind, vast and free of encumbrance, and so it was even when seeing all objects. If one does not contemplate the mind, one is entirely turned by external things. Therefore the Mahāyāna rudao anxin fa states: 'If one takes having rightness as rightness, there is that which is not right; if one takes having no rightness as rightness, then there is nothing that is not right. One gate of wisdom enters hundreds of thousands of gates of wisdom. Seeing a pillar and understanding it as a pillar, one grasps the characteristic of a pillar; not understanding it as a pillar, one contemplates that the mind is the phenomenon of the pillar, and there is no characteristic of a pillar. Therefore, seeing a pillar, one immediately attains the phenomenon of the pillar. All shapes and colors are likewise thus.' Hence a verse in the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'All phenomena in the world / Only take the mind as master; / Following understanding they grasp various characteristics, / Inverted and not as it truly is.' A master of old also said: 'The multitudes of the six destinies / Depart through this gate, / Passing through a thousand eons without returning— / How utterly lamentable!' Thus we know that attaining the Way through the mind is like leaving [a room], which must be through the door. What doubt could there be?