宗鏡錄 15.11

15.11

Answer: It is neither the first nor the last, yet not apart from the first and the last. As the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says:
"It is not attained solely by the initial citta, nor is it attained apart from the initial citta. Why is this? If it were attained solely by the initial citta and not by the final citta, then a bodhisattva upon first generating the citta would immediately be a Buddha. If there were no initial citta, how could there be a second or a third citta? The second and third cittas take the initial citta as their fundamental cause and condition. That it is also not solely by the final citta, nor apart from the final citta, means that this final citta is also not apart from the initial citta. If there were no initial citta, there would be no final citta. The initial citta gathers all kinds of immeasurable merits, and the final citta brings them to completion. Because they are complete, it can sever the residual impressions of the kleśas and attain the unsurpassable Path.
Subhūti, herein an objection regarding causes and conditions is raised: The mental factors of the initial and final cittas do not exist simultaneously. Because they do not exist simultaneously, the past has already ceased and cannot combine. If there is no combination, then roots of goodness are not accumulated. If roots of goodness are not accumulated, how could the unsurpassable Path be accomplished?
The Buddha answered with a simile of present occurrences: Just as a lamp-wick is not scorched solely by the first flame, nor apart from the first flame; and it is not scorched solely by the later flame, nor apart from the later flame; yet the lamp-wick is scorched. The Buddha said to Subhūti: You yourself see that the wick is scorched; neither by the first nor by the later, yet the wick is scorched. I also, with the Buddha-eye, see that a bodhisattva attains the unsurpassable Path not by the initial citta, nor apart from the initial citta, and not by the final citta, nor apart from the final citta, and yet attains the unsurpassable Path.
The lamp is a metaphor for the bodhisattva path; the wick is an analogy for avidyā and other kleśas; the flame is like the wisdom corresponding to the first bhūmi, up to the wisdom corresponding to the vajrasamādhi. Scorching the wick of avidyā and other kleśas is neither the wisdom-flame of the initial citta nor the wisdom-flame of the final citta, yet the wick of avidyā and other kleśas is scorched away, and the unsurpassable Path is attained. Furthermore, just as the lamp, although ceasing thought-moment by thought-moment, can continuously dispel darkness, the citta is also like this: although it does not abide thought-moment by thought-moment and the earlier and later do not coexist, it can continue in succession, accomplish its awakening wisdom, and accomplish the unsurpassable Path."
The commentary of Qingliang says:
"The Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'Comprehending and knowing that objective realms are like illusions, like dreams, like shadows, like echoes, and also like phantoms—if bodhisattvas can correspond with such contemplative practice and do not generate dualistic understanding regarding phenomena, all Buddha-dharmas will swiftly appear before them. When first generating the citta, they immediately attain anuttarāsamyaksaṃbodhi, know that all phenomena are the citta's own nature, accomplish the wisdom-body, and do not awaken by means of another.'
Now, the initial citta is the beginning, and right awakening is the end. Why does the initial citta immediately accomplish right awakening? Thus it says, 'because they know that all phenomena are the citta's own nature.' Awakening to the self-nature of phenomena is precisely named Buddha. Therefore the sūtra verse says:
'How could the Buddha-citta be anything else? / Right awakening awakens to the world.'
This is truly a clear proof. Thus 'generating' here means opening and revealing, not bringing forth through origination. What is meant by 'the characteristic of appearing before [them]'? The Buddha's wisdom is not deep; emotional delusion considers it distant. When emotion vanishes and wisdom appears, the single substance is not remote. Since it is said that they know all phenomena are the citta's own nature, they know that this citta is the nature of all phenomena. Now principle appears in one's own citta; being the nature of citta, it is already replete with boundless virtues. 'Accomplishing the wisdom-body' means that the aforementioned contemplation of phenomena is exhausted. The true Dharma is about to arise, and now all views have vanished. The Buddha-wisdom thereupon arises: when citta is awakened, principle appears; when principle appears, wisdom is perfected. Like a mirror being cleansed and brightness emerging, it is neither before nor after, neither new nor old, quiet and luminous, clear and bright. 'Not awakening by means of another' means that accomplishing the aforesaid wisdom-body is precisely the teacherless, spontaneous wisdom. Furthermore, not awakening by means of another is self-awakening; knowing all phenomena is awakening others; accomplishing the wisdom-body is the fulfillment of awakening. Accomplishing the wisdom-body must rely on principle to be revealed; seeing the nature of citta, how could there be anything else? If one sees something else, how could it be called awakening? Since it is called the nature of citta, the self also does not exist. Quiescent yet able to know: this is named right awakening.
Therefore the Lotus Sūtra says: 'It is for the sake of the one great matter of causes and conditions that [Tathāgatas] appear in the world: to open, reveal, awaken to, and enter the knowledge and vision of the Buddhas.'
The 'one' is the one Path unchanging throughout past and present. The 'great' is because it is the citta-substance of ordinary beings and sages. Therefore the Buddhas of the ten directions appear in the world for this one great matter, all to cause sentient beings to open this knowledge and vision within their own citta. If one establishes various differentiations, this is the knowledge and vision of sentient beings. If one harmonizes and resolves them into the one Path, this is the knowledge and vision of the two vehicles. If the one is also not one, this is the knowledge and vision of bodhisattvas. As for the knowledge and vision of the Buddhas, at the moment when a single thought-moment of citta opens, it is like a thousand suns shining together; it awaits no further words. This is precisely the ancestral master coming from the West; this is precisely the universal appearance of all Buddhas. Thus it is said: in thought-moment after thought-moment Śākyamuni appears in the world; with step after step Maitreya is born down below. Where outside one's own citta could one separately seek ancestors and Buddhas? Thus one knows that the Buddha-wisdom of sentient beings is originally complete in itself. If one wishes to give rise to a thought to seek it separately, that becomes the parikalpita nature. Therefore the Sixth Ancestor said: 'The fundamental nature inherently possesses the wisdom of prajñā. One uses one's own wisdom to contemplate and illuminate, not relying on written words.'
If it is like this, why set up written words further? Now, for those who do not yet know, we provisionally use written words to indicate the direction of return, causing them to see their self-nature. When it is illuminated, they suddenly recover their original citta. Within their original citta, there is not a single phenomenon that is not comprehended. Therefore it is said: 'One who awakens to the Dharma of non-thought completely penetrates the myriad phenomena; one who awakens to the Dharma of non-thought sees the realm of all Buddhas.' From this we know that if one enters the Dharma-gate of non-thought, accomplishing Buddhahood does not exceed an instant. If one gives rise to a thought to seek the Path, one vainly wears out one's spirit across dust-like kalpas. For instance, Śākyamuni Buddha, from immeasurable kalpas in the past, served and made offerings to countless Buddhas equal to the sands of the Ganges, yet received no prediction [of Buddhahood] from any of them. Why is this? Because what he practiced by relying on [these practices] involved acquisition. Only when he came to Dīpaṅkara Buddha and offered five stalks of lotuses did he receive the prediction with the name of Śākyamuni. Only then did he penetrate the emptiness of the nature of the five aggregates, his citta having no attachment; only then did he see the innately true Buddha and suddenly enter the gate of non-attainment. Therefore he took lotuses and offered them to the Buddha to manifest verification. Hence the Avataṃsakasūtra verse says:
'Emptiness of nature is precisely the Buddha; / It cannot be grasped by conceptual thought.'
Even a fleeting arising of conceptual thought is not to be used, how much less the labor of an eternal kalpa!