宗鏡錄 1.22

1.22

Answer: Those of superior faculties and sharp intelligence, who possess innate knowledge from past cultivation, enter completely into the ocean of the Buddha's wisdom the very moment they see the single word 'Source' in the title. Eternally severing the subtlest doubts, they are immediately enlightened to the great purport; thus in a single word nothing is omitted, and when subsumed, nothing remains left out. Even if one were to read directly through to the end of the hundred fascicles, or even to the meanings and doctrines numerous as the sands of the Ganges, the treasure-house of the Dragon Palace, or the golden texts of Vulture Peak, their varied explanations would not follow different paths; when unfolded, they completely pervade the dharmadhātu. For the brevity of the beginning and the breadth of the end are solely the one mind; its fundamental rolling up and its resultant unfolding are all on the same horizon. In the end, there is no different purport that stands apart from the preceding source.

Yet deluded sentiments arbitrarily give rise to acceptance and rejection: seeing only paper, ink, and written words, they dislike the abundance of fascicles; or merely clinging to silence and speechlessness, they delight in what they consider concise and essential. These are all cases of being deluded about the mind and chasing after objects, turning their backs on awakening to unite with dust. Failing to fathom the original source of movement and stillness, and never comprehending the origin of the one and the many, they give rise to biased, narrow views and merely fear extensive learning—like the Hinayāna fearing the emptiness of dharmas, or like Pāpīyān hating manifold good deeds. Because they do not comprehend the true nature of all dharmas, they revolve along with various characteristics and fall into [the extremes of] existence and non-existence.

As the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra states: 'If someone hears a single word or a single phrase of the Mahāparinirvāṇa taught, and does not form the characteristic of a word, does not form the characteristic of a phrase, does not form the characteristic of hearing, does not form the characteristic of a Buddha, and does not form the characteristic of preaching—such a meaning is called the characteristic of the signless.'

Explanation: If one says that signlessness is identical with words, this is the view of eternalism. If one says that signlessness is separate from words, this is the view of annihilationism. Furthermore, if one clings to a characteristic that possesses signs, this is also eternalism; if one clings to a characteristic that lacks signs, this is also annihilationism. Only when one extinguishes identity and difference, annihilation and permanence, the four propositions and the hundred negations, and all varied views, will the purport manifest naturally. When one directly enters the mirror of the source in person, how could any written words, consciousness, or intellect be able to explain or describe it?

Therefore, a past virtuous one said: 'If you seek the sūtras, fully understanding the nature of tathatā, there is nothing to be heard. If you seek the Dharma, go amidst Mount Kukkuṭapāda and ask Kāśyapa. The Great Being upholds the robe on this mountain; insentient beings have no need to seek him specifically.' This being so, how could one use a mind of seeing, hearing, perceiving, and knowing to formulate interpretations based on words, phrases, and literal meanings? If one understands the source and penetrates the nature, even though one extensively unfolds and searches through them, one still does not see the characteristic of a single word, and never formulates interpretations based on verbal explanation. It is only because those who are deluded about the mind turn it into an object that they produce such views of paper and ink. Hence the Xinxin ming states: 'The six dusts are not bad; they are rather the same as right awakening. The wise practice non-action; the foolish bind themselves.' For those who have reached this realization, the six dusts are all the true source, and the myriad dharmas are nothing other than the marvelous principle. Why restrict oneself to a narrow perspective and be deluded about the great purport?

How could they know the vast realm of all Buddhas and the gateway of the bodhisattvas' functions? For this reason, Sāgara the Dragon King posed ten thousand questions; Śākyamuni Buddha opened eighty thousand gateways for toil-worn beings; Bodhisattva Samantamati raised two hundred doubts; and the Great Being Samantabhadra answered with two thousand eloquent expositions. As in the Universal Eye teaching of the Avataṃsakasūtra: even if a person were to take ink the size of the great ocean and brushes gathered like Mount Sumeru to write of this Universal Eye teaching—just one gateway within a single chapter, one dharma within that one gateway, one meaning within that one dharma, and one phrase within that one meaning—they could not complete even a tiny fraction, let alone exhaust it entirely! Furthermore, as in the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra, the Buddha said: 'The dharmas I have awakened to are like the grasses and trees grown from the great earth; what I have preached for sentient beings is like the leaves in my hand.' Even regarding the teachings already preached, their doctrine overflows the Dragon Palace; when Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna briefly inspected them, there were one hundred lakṣas of them. What has emerged into the human realm does not amount to even one hundredth part of what exists in India; as for what has been translated into this Eastern Land, it is certainly not worth mentioning. How much less so the teachings not yet preached?

These inexhaustible, marvelous purports are not something shallow wisdom can know; how could an inferior understanding peruse the gateway of nature-origination? How could a swallow or a sparrow measure the aspiration of a great swan? How could a frog in a well know the depths of the vast ocean? The great roar of a lion is something a wildcat cannot produce; the burden carried by a fragrant elephant is something a donkey cannot bear; the treasures of Vaiśravaṇa are something the poor cannot equal; the flight of a garuḍa is something a crow cannot match. One merely gives rise to views based on emotion and shifts one's mind following external objects: either speaking of existence without touching upon emptiness, or speaking of emptiness without encompassing existence; or asserting brevity as one outside of the many, or establishing breadth as the many outside of the one; or departing from silence to cling to speech, or departing from speech to seek silence; or relying on principle apart from phenomena, or attaching to phenomena apart from principle.

They are utterly unable to awaken to this unhindered, perfect source: elaborating broadly is not 'many,' for this is the many within the one; indicating briefly is not 'one,' for this is the one within the many. Discussing emptiness does not sever, for this is the emptiness that is identical with existence; debating existence is not permanent, for this is the existence that is identical with emptiness. Either having speech is permissible, which is speech within silence; or having no speech is permissible, which is silence within speech. Or the mutual identity of principle and phenomena is permissible, for this principle is the principle that accomplishes phenomena, and these phenomena are the phenomena that manifest principle. Or the mutual identity of principle and principle is permissible, because the single suchness has no second suchness, and the true nature is constantly blended and unified. Or the mutual identity of phenomena and phenomena is permissible, for these phenomena that are entirely principle are individually unobstructed. Or the non-identity of principle and phenomena is permissible, because the principle that is entirely phenomena is not phenomena, the supported is not the supporting, so that the ultimate truth is not obscured; and because the phenomena that are entirely principle are not principle, the supporting is not the supported, so that conventional truth is not destroyed. Thus preservation and elimination share the same horizon, and concealing and revealing occur simultaneously. Just as expounding the gateway of the Universal Eye consists entirely of the meanings within the principle, so unrolling the sūtra scroll of the great trichiliocosm does not indicate texts outside the mind.

Hence a sūtra states: 'A single dharma can produce immeasurable meanings, which is not something that śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas can know.' It is not like the explanations of mere emptiness and solitary isolation, or biased, rigid determinations. Now, in this inexhaustible, marvelous purport, when one dharma is indicated, its retinue arises along with it; in the complete and perfect nature-source, when one gateway is raised, all gateways universally assemble. It is neither pure nor mixed, neither one nor many—just as five flavors blend to make a soup, mixed colors form an embroidery, numerous jewels constitute a treasury, or a hundred medicines make a pill. Boundary and surface blend and penetrate; meaning and flavor are completely fulfilled. Seeking out the subtle and selecting the marvelous are completely realized within the mirror of the source. Dependent and primary [retributions] are blended and merged; cause and effect are unobstructed; person and dharma are non-dual; beginning and end are simultaneous. Whenever a single gateway is raised, it can completely subsume the inexhaustible dharmadhātu: neither internal nor external, neither one nor many. Unfold it, and interpenetration is manifold; roll it up, and the true gateway is utterly serene.

As in the Avataṃsakasūtra, where from within the lion throne and amidst the ornaments, clouds of bodhisattva bodies as numerous as the dust motes of a buddha-world each emerge: this is the non-obstruction of dependent and primary, person and dharma. Furthermore, as bodhisattvas numerous as the dust motes of a buddha-world such as Utkṛṣṭasvara emerge from between the Buddha's eyebrows: this is the non-obstruction of cause and effect, beginning and end. And even down to the minute dust motes of the lands, each individually possesses boundless wisdom and virtue; each pore and bodily part subsumes vast gateways of the Dharma. Why is it so wondrous and inconceivable? It is precisely because the one mind blends and is identical [with all]. In short, all boundless, differentiated buddha-activities exist solely without departing from the signless true mind.

As a verse in the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'The Buddha abides in the profound, true dharma-nature, tranquil, signless, and like empty space; yet within the primary, true meaning, he manifests various actions that he performs. The activities performed to benefit sentient beings all exist by relying on the dharma-nature. Signs and the signless have no differentiation; entering into the ultimate, all are signless.'

Also, a verse in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha states: 'All these samādhis are called the mind by the Great Master; because of the mind's painting, they are like the deeds that are performed.'

Therefore we know that all actions of ordinary beings and sages, and all conditions arising in the ultimate and conventional, when this single thought of mind arises in a kṣaṇa, immediately possess the six meanings of the three natures and the three non-natures. That is, a single thought of mind is a dependently arisen dharma, which is the other-dependent [nature]; the emotional clinging to it as real is the imagined [nature]; its substance, originally empty and tranquil, is the consummate [nature]. Relying on the three natures, the three non-natures are explained; hence the six meanings are complete. If a single thought of mind arises possessing these six meanings, it immediately possesses all dharmas, because all the myriad dharmas of the ultimate and conventional do not go beyond the three natures and three non-natures.

The Faxing lun states: 'Whatever is in arising and ceasing is entirely without nature. Because arising has no nature of arising, though it arises, it is not permanent; because ceasing has no nature of ceasing, though it ceases, it is not severed. If they had a nature, one would fall into the net of the four views.' It also says: 'Investigating characteristics to deduce the nature, one sees the non-nature of all dharmas; investigating the nature to seek characteristics, one sees the signlessness of all dharmas. Thus when nature and characteristics are deduced from each other, both are entirely without nature.' Therefore, if one clings to having a nature, one falls into the perverse thicket of the four views; if one understands that nature is empty, one returns to the right path of the one mind. Hence the Avataṃsakasūtra states: 'Having personally entered deeply into the true dharma without self-nature, one also causes others to enter into the true dharma without self-nature, so that their minds attain peace and stability.'

Only with this marvelous penetration can one enter this source; then each and every thing accords with the real, and each and every word tallies with the purport. If one has not personally realized this and does not activate the perfect capacity, speaking of it goes against the source, while keeping silent also incurs error. How could one grasp with the four propositions that which is known by the six sense faculties? But if the teachings of the patriarchs are applied together, concentration and wisdom illuminate simultaneously, benefiting oneself and benefiting others, then there is no fault.

Suppose there are those who firmly cling to their own understanding, do not believe the Buddha's words, give rise to a mind of self-obstruction, and cut off the path of learning for others. Now there are ten questions to establish the guidelines:

Can you clearly see the nature as if observing form by daylight, like Mañjuśrī and the others?

When encountering conditions and confronting objects, seeing forms and hearing sounds, raising your feet and lowering your feet, opening your eyes and closing your eyes, can you in all cases understand the source and accord with the Way?

When perusing the teachings of the Buddha's entire lifetime and the words and phrases of the patriarchs from the past, hearing the profound without fear, can you thoroughly understand them all without doubt?

When faced with diverse inquiries and various interrogations, can you possess the four analytical knowledges and resolve all the doubts of others?

At all times and in all places, is the illumination of your wisdom unobstructed, completely penetrating in thought after thought, not seeing a single dharma that can act as an obstruction, and never allowing even a momentary interruption for a single kṣaṇa?

When all agreeable and disagreeable, good and bad realms manifest before you, are they unable to create separation, and can you thoroughly see through them all?

Within the minds and objects of the hundred dharmas that open the gate of understanding, can you see the subtle substance, nature, root, and origin of each and every one, without being confused and disordered by the roots and dusts of birth and death?

Within the four deportments of walking, standing, sitting, and reclining, when reverently serving and responding, wearing clothes and eating food, or engaging in actions and tasks, can you discern the truth in each and every one?

When hearing it said that there are Buddhas or no Buddhas, that there are sentient beings or no sentient beings, whether praised or slandered, affirmed or negated, can you remain with the one mind unmoved?

When hearing of differentiated wisdoms, can you clearly penetrate them all, thoroughly comprehending both nature and characteristics, without obstruction between principle and phenomena, with no dharma whose origin you fail to illuminate, even so far as having no doubt if a thousand sages were to appear in the world?

If in truth you have not yet attained such efficacy, you must not give rise to an arrogant and deceptive mind, or generate an attitude of self-satisfied complacency. You must simply unfold the supreme teaching extensively, inquire broadly of those with prior knowledge, penetrate to the origin of the self-nature of the Buddhas and patriarchs, and reach the ground beyond study where there is no doubt. Only at this time may you cease your study and quiet your wandering mind; then either you accomplish it for yourself so that Chan and contemplation correspond, or you provide skillful explanations for others.

Even if you cannot visit all places in the dharmadhātu or extensively investigate the various sūtras, simply examine carefully within this mirror of the source, and you will naturally gain entry. This is the essential summary of all dharmas, the gateway for approaching the Way. It is like keeping hold of the mother to recognize the child, or grasping the root to know the branches; raise the headrope of the net, and every mesh becomes straight; pull the garment, and every thread follows along. It is also like using the sinews of a lion for lute strings: once the sound is played, all other strings break to pieces. The power of this mirror of the source is likewise: hold it up, and the myriad kinds sink in light; reveal it, and all gateways obliterate their traces. By this single principle, a thousand paths are shattered; what need is there to painfully traverse mountain passes and river crossings, or produce divergent tracks elsewhere?

Therefore Master Baozhi's song says: 'The six thieves harmonize their light and mingle with dust; being powerless, it is exceedingly difficult to push them away. When the understanding of emptiness and signlessness arises within, the power of the Mahāyāna can overturn them.' It is only when one profoundly contemplates and attains the purport that the ultimate reality of this text can be verified.