宗鏡錄 14.3.5

14.3.5

If all sentient beings attain thoughtlessness, then when the pure Awakened One severs avidyā, could all sentient beings also sever it? If so, what fault is there? If when the one of initial awakening severs avidyā, all sentient beings also attain its severance, why was it said above that down from the diamond [stage], all sentient beings, because they have not escaped from the great avidyā-thoughts of the solitary karmic characteristic, are not called awakened? If sentient beings have not escaped from beginningless avidyā, yet attain thoughtlessness together with the Buddhas, then such meanings as thoughtlessness would be mere verbal expression, devoid of actual meaning. How could it be said that all sentient beings possess inherent awakening and also possess initial awakening? To resolve this difficulty, there are two approaches: first, resolving it according to one's own school; second, resolving it with reference to distinct [perspectives]. Resolving it according to one's own school: The main thesis of this treatise is to reveal that all sentient beings are of one continuous series, without differentiation. Therefore, when one practitioner definitively severs beginningless avidyā, all sentient beings also sever it completely. When one practitioner fulfills initial awakening, all sentient beings also fulfill it together. Therefore, it is said in the Sutra on the Inherent Existence of the Three Bodies: 'At that time, the World-Honoured One addressed Mañjuśrī, saying: "Mañjuśrī, through two equalities I attained right awakening: first, equality of severance; second, equality of attainment. As for the equality of severance: when my ultimate path of liberation first arose, all beginningless avidyā of all sentient beings was definitively severed all at once. As for the equality of attainment: when I first attained the Way and fulfilled initial awakening, all sentient beings were completely fulfilled." Hence they are named the two equalities.' Resolving it with reference to distinct [perspectives]: Taking the perfected one with reference to the realm of sentient beings, not a single phenomenon is not pure; taking sentient beings with reference to the Unsurpassed Honoured One, entering the womb of avidyā without any awareness, all are pure and unobstructed. Thus the meaning of thoughtlessness and the like is established. 'Entering the womb of avidyā without any awareness' has no fault of contradiction with the passages stated above. Taking this one corner, one should observe broadly. From here below, integrating the various stages of initial awakening to make them identical with inherent awakening means that when fulfilling initial awakening at the fifty-first stage, there is actually no progressive, gradually superior fruit, nor is there an ultimate, consummated apex. Why is this? All the four characteristics of initial awakening come to abide simultaneously; none can establish itself independently. From the beginning, they have been of one flavor and equal, consummated in their own nature, tallying without duality in the single characteristic of awakening. Hence the treatise says: 'Yet in reality there is no difference of initial awakening, because the four characteristics exist simultaneously, none can establish itself independently, and being originally equal, they are of the same awakening.' The Commentary on the Awakening of Faith says: 'Awakening with vast clarity, one realizes one's own citta: originally there is nothing that turns, and now there is nothing to dispute; originally equal, various dream-thoughts stir the source of citta.' 'Awakening to citta's initial arising' clarifies the characteristic that is awakened to. 'Citta's initial arising': relying on avidyā, the citta-substance with the characteristic of arising is caused to stir into thought; now one realizes that apart from inherent awakening there is no non-awakening, that stirring thoughts are themselves the quiet citta. Hence it is said: 'Awakening to citta's initial arising.' It is like mistaking east for west; when awakened, one knows that west is itself east. 'Citta having no initial characteristic': originally, due to non-awakening, there was citta arising; now, having awakened, citta has nowhere to arise, hence it is said to have no initial characteristic. Now at the ultimate stage, stirring thoughts are completely exhausted and only the one mind remains, hence it is said to have no initial characteristic. When avidyā is permanently exhausted, one returns to the source of the one mind, with no further stirring, hence it is said that one attains seeing the nature of citta. Citta is then eternally abiding with no further progress to make, which is named ultimate awakening. Before reaching the source of citta, dream-thoughts are not exhausted, and one wishes to extinguish this movement, hoping to reach the other shore. But now, having seen the nature of citta, dream-characteristics are completely exhausted; one realizes that one's own citta has originally never transmigrated; now that avidyā has quieted and ceased, it is ever naturally the one mind. Therefore, one verifies and knows that the Buddha-ground is thoughtless. This is adducing the cause to verify the fruit. Master Mazu said: 'If you wish to recognize citta, your speech right now is your citta. Calling this citta Buddha, it is also the real-mark dharmakāya Buddha, and it is also named the Way. A sutra says: There are three asaṃkhyeya hundreds of thousands of names, named according to worldly occasions and stations. It is like a wish-fulfilling jewel that adapts to colors: contacting blue it is blue, contacting yellow it is yellow, yet its substance is not any of the colors. It is like a finger not touching itself, a knife not cutting itself, a mirror not reflecting itself; according to the circumstances of what is seen, it each receives its name. This citta has a lifespan equal to empty space; even when transmigrating through the six paths and receiving various shapes, this citta has never had birth and has never had cessation. Because sentient beings do not recognize their own citta, their deluded passions falsely produce various karmas and receive retributions; deluded about their original nature, they falsely grasp at the worldly body of wind-breath and the four great elements, seeing birth and cessation, yet the nature of spiritual awakening is truly devoid of birth and cessation. Now, your awakening to this nature is named long life, and also named the lifespan of the Tathāgata, called the originally empty, unmoving nature. The past and future sages have all simply understood this nature to be the Way. Now, seeing, hearing, perceiving, and knowing are originally your original nature, also named the original citta. Apart from this citta, there is no other Buddha. This citta existed originally and exists now; it does not depend on fabrication. It was originally pure and is pure now; it does not await polishing and wiping. It is nirvāṇa of own-nature, pure of own-nature, liberated of own-nature, because of being detached in own-nature. Since your citta-nature is originally Buddha of itself, there is no need to seek another Buddha. You are of yourself the diamond samādhi; there is no need to deliberately focus citta to attain samādhi. Even if you were to succeed by focusing citta and gathering thoughts, it would still not be ultimate.' The Venerable Baozhi's Section on the Non-Duality of Sentient Beings and Buddhas says: 'Sentient beings and Buddhas are not different; / Great wisdom does not differ from foolishness. / What need to seek rare jewels outside? / Within the body there is naturally a bright pearl. / The correct way and the deviant way are non-dual; / Realize that worldlings and sages share the same path. / Delusion and awakening originally have no distinction; / Nirvāṇa and saṃsāra are as one. / Ultimately, conditioning thoughts are empty and tranquil; / Deductive searching and recollective ideation are clear and insubstantial. / Not a single phenomenon can be obtained; / Free and unburdened, one enters directly into the remainderless.'