宗鏡錄 1.16

1.16

Answer: These words dispel stagnation. If one possesses the source of no-source, then both the source and the teachings are unhindered. The ancient Buddhas all bequeathed expedient gates, and the Chan lineage also opened a single thread of a path. One must never grasp at expedients and lose sight of the great purport, nor may one abolish expedients and cut off subsequent instruction. Yet, before the [receptive] capacity, there is no teaching; after the teaching, there is no actuality. Even if there is an understanding or an awakening, it is already a belated matter, belonging to the second rank. Therefore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "Observing all things in all the lands of the ten directions with the Buddha eye, one still does not see nonexistence, how much less an existing phenomenon? The phenomenon of ultimate emptiness can destroy inversion and cause bodhisattvas to attain Buddhahood, yet even this matter cannot be obtained; how much less the inverted existent phenomena of ordinary beings?" Now, relying upon the verbal teachings of the patriarchs and Buddhas, and addressing the present students according to the place where their apprehension of the mind-nature is illuminated, we establish citta as the source. For this reason, the Western Śākyamuni Buddha said: "The Buddha's words take citta as the source, and having no gate as the Dharma gate." The first patriarch in this land, Great Master Bodhidharma, said: "Transmit citta with citta; do not establish written words." Thus, Buddha after Buddha personally imparted it, imparting this principle; patriarch after patriarch mutually transmitted it, transmitting this citta. The above concerns the source and purport established by the Buddhas and patriarchs. Furthermore, regarding the substance of the source established by the various worthies and sages: Venerable Dushun, relying on the Avataṃsakasūtra, established the substance of the intrinsically pure, perfectly luminous nature. This is precisely the substance of the dharmatā within the tathāgatagarbha. From the beginningless past, its nature has been inherently complete. Abiding in defilement, it is not stained; cultivated and cured, it is not purified. Therefore, it is called intrinsically pure. The substance of the nature shines everywhere, leaving no darkness unperceived; therefore, it is called perfectly luminous. Furthermore, following the flow to add defilement, it is not stained; going against the flow to eliminate defilement, it is not purified. It can also reside in the sage's substance without increasing, and abide in the ordinary being's body without decreasing. Although there is the difference of concealment and manifestation, there is no distinction of differentiation. When kleśas conceal it, it is hidden; when prajñā realizes it, it is manifest. It is not produced by a productive cause (janaka-hetu); it is only revealed by an illuminative cause (jñāpaka-hetu). This is the very substance of the self-mind of all sentient beings: spiritually knowing and unobscured, tranquil yet shining without omission. It is not only the source of the Avataṃsaka, but also the substance of all teachings. The Buddhabhūmiśāstra establishes the substance of the single pure dharmadhātu. The treatise says: "The pure dharmadhātu is the true essence of all tathāgatas. From beginningless time, its intrinsic nature is pure, fully endowed with diverse nature-and-characteristic virtues that exceed the infinitesimal dust motes of the worlds in the ten directions. Unborn and unceasing, like empty space, it is equally shared by all sentient beings everywhere. It is neither one with nor different from all phenomena, neither existent nor nonexistent, free from all characteristics. All conceptual discriminations and all nominal expressions can never grasp it. It is only realized by pure noble wisdom, revealed by the two kinds of emptiness and selflessness, with tathatā as its intrinsic nature. The various sages partially realize it; the Buddhas fully realize it." This pure dharmadhātu is precisely the wondrous mind of tathatā, serving as the source of the sea of fruition of all Buddhas and acting as the foundation of ultimate reality for all living beings. These are all different names for establishing the source; there is no separate substance. Alternatively, it is said that "source" means "honoured"; taking citta as the source, it is said: "Above heaven and below heaven, I alone am uniquely honoured." Alternatively, it is said that "substance" means "nature"; taking citta as the substance, it is said: "Know that all phenomena are the intrinsic nature of citta." Alternatively, it is said that "wisdom" means taking citta as wisdom, which is the tranquil and shining function of the original nature. Therefore it is said: "Noble wisdom of self-realization," "universal luminous wisdom," and so forth. If divided according to meaning and function, then substance, source, and function are distinct; if returned and unified in equality, then the single path is without differentiation. Therefore, a question in the Huayan Record asks: "If the two stages of equal and wondrous [enlightenment] are entirely identical to the Tathāgata's universal luminous wisdom, this concludes by entering the universal. Therefore, this assembly speaks of the two awakenings of equal and wondrous [enlightenment]; that both awakenings are entirely identical to the universal luminous wisdom is precisely the meaning of returning and unifying."