宗鏡錄 15.3.4

15.3.4

They mutually serve as provisional and real responses. As they correspond to the capacities of beings, bodies and lands are without bias; they are identical with the Constant Silent Light and are nothing other than the dharmadhātu. Therefore, one knows that the three thousand [realms] are equally present in the mind-ground, no different from the three thousand of the Buddha's mind-ground. Their substance is identical down to the four subtle atoms, and the benefits of the provisional and the real are equal. This is accomplished through the Gateway of the Non-duality of the Provisional and the Real. All the above explanations have been in terms of principle and phenomena, provisional and real, cause and effect, active and passive, and so forth. In general, the two gateways of principle and phenomena are neither one nor different. As the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says, there are two kinds of gateways: first, the gateway of ultimate emptiness; second, the gateway of discerning the good and the bad. Now, relying on the gateway of discernment, principle is that upon which reliance is placed and is the root; phenomena are that which relies and are the branches. Furthermore, principle is profound and difficult to know, so it is superior; phenomena are coarse and easy to see, so they are inferior. At present, one must only follow the superior and not pursue the inferior. Only attain the root of principle: 'When the root is established, the Way comes forth,' and phenomena will naturally be accomplished. Furthermore, principle genuinely responds to conditions: there is no principle that obstructs phenomena. Phenomena are established through principle: there are no phenomena that lose principle. Those of today who do not enter into perfect faith all disparage themselves as lowly worldlings and project the ultimate sage far into the distance. In this, they not only lose phenomena, but principle is also completely absent. If one merely awakens to the source of the unobstructed, sovereign one mind, principle and phenomena will naturally blend and penetrate, and the true and the conventional will mutually interpenetrate. If one clings to phenomena and is confused about principle, one will sink in transmigration for eternal kalpas. Or if one awakens to principle yet abandons phenomena, this is not perfect realization. Why is this? Principle and phenomena do not go beyond one's own citta; how could nature and characteristics violate the one purport? If one enters the Mirror of the Source and頓-awakens to the true mind, there is not even any phrase of 'neither principle nor phenomena'; how could there be any clinging to 'either principle or phenomena'? But after attaining the root, one also does not discard perfect cultivation. As when a student asked the Venerable Benjing, 'Does the master still cultivate practice or not?' He replied, 'My cultivation of practice is different from yours. You cultivate first and awaken afterward; I awaken first and cultivate afterward.' Therefore, if one cultivates first and awakens afterward, this is effort with effort, and such effort belongs to production and cessation. If one awakens first and cultivates afterward, this is the effort of effortlessness, and its effort is not wasted in vain. Therefore, Master Rong's Xinxin ming says: 'If you wish to attain purity of citta, make effort without citta.' Furthermore, how could someone endowed with the eye of wisdom give rise to false presumption? All the more so, one like a person with clear eyes will never fall into ditches or pits. How could the followers of blind Chan and dark realization know the six degrees of identity? How could the crowd of frantic wisdom who pursue the letter recognize the one mind? Now, only first bring them to have perfect faith without doubt and abide naturally in the stage of contemplation and practice. The ancients said, 'It can be accomplished in a single lifetime'—how could this be an empty phrase? One must never be confused about nature and pursue cultivation, clinging to the provisional so as to harm the real, discarding the root to chase the branches, mistaking the false and forsaking the true, relying on the nominal designations of conventional truth, clinging to beginningless perfuming, using words to determine the purport, or establishing views to explain the source—wholly concurring with dust and turning one's back on original enlightenment. As a person of old said: 'When will the entanglement of deluded sentiments ever end? It fails the single radiance of the spiritual terrace.' Master Zhenjue's song also says: 'When one is awakened, it is finished; no effort is exerted. / It is not like any conditioned phenomena. / Practicing giving while abiding in signs produces heavenly blessings, / like shooting an arrow upward into empty space. / When its force is exhausted, the arrow falls back down, / bringing about disappointment in a future life. / How can that compare to the effortless gateway of the true mark, / surpassing everything in a single leap to enter directly the Tathāgata's stage? / Only get the root, do not worry about the branches, / like pure lapis lazuli containing the precious moon. / Since you can understand this wish-fulfilling jewel, / benefiting yourself and others will never cease.' Consider, for example, a person of fortune in the world who finds a maṇi jewel in a hidden treasury: by the nature of things, having ground and polished it in various ways, it will naturally rain down treasures afterward. How much more so is it for someone who has awakened to citta and attained the Way! Having entered the stage of a buddha, it is natural by the Dharma that the myriad practices adorn them, and compassion and wisdom continue unbroken. This is like the bodhisattva of the tenth ground, the Cloud of Dharma, in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, who is likened to a great maṇi jewel that has ten kinds of qualities. The Chapter on the Ten Grounds says: 'Children of the Buddha! It is like a great maṇi jewel that has ten kinds of qualities, surpassing all other jewels. What are the ten? First, it emerges from the great ocean. Second, a skilled artisan works it. Third, it is completely round and flawless. Fourth, it is pure and free from defilement. Fifth, it is clear and luminous inside and out. Sixth, it is skillfully drilled through. Seventh, it is strung with a precious thread. Eighth, it is placed atop a high lapis lazuli banner. Ninth, it universally radiates all various kinds of light. Tenth, it can rain down all manner of precious things in accordance with the king's wishes, fulfilling the wishes in beings' minds. Children of the Buddha! You should know that the bodhisattva is also like this, having ten matters that surpass all sages. What are the ten? First, giving rise to the mind of all-knowledge. Second, upholding the precepts and dhūta austerities, correct practice being bright and pure. Third, the various dhyānas and samādhis being complete and flawless. Fourth, practice of the Way being pure and white, free of all defilements. Fifth, skillful means and supernormal powers being clear and luminous inside and out. Sixth, wisdom concerning dependent origination being well able to drill through. Seventh, being strung with the threads of wisdom of various skillful means. Eighth, being placed atop the high banner of sovereignty. Ninth, observing the conduct of sentient beings and releasing the light of retention of what is heard. Tenth, receiving the post of the Buddha's wisdom, falling within the ranks of buddhas, and being able to extensively perform buddha-work for the sake of beings.' Therefore, one knows that awakening to the Way is like obtaining a jewel: how could it lack matters such as grinding, polishing, and adornment?