宗鏡錄 21.5

21.5

Answer: The reason for the myriad practices is in every case to accord with the real and reveal the fundamental. If one violates the real and pursues the derivative, one does not understand the source of the teachings. All sentient beings originally possess the vinaya of their own nature. To those of dull faculties, it is gradually demonstrated through phenomenal characteristics; for those of superior capacity, it is directly clarified from the perspective of the nature. As Master Fu said: "Observing the vinaya originally serves to curb the arising mind; / Now that I have no mind, I surpass the vinaya rules." The Śūraṅgama[sūtra] says: "Observing or violating [precepts] merely restrains the body; / Where there is no body, what could be restrained?" For faculties such as these and teachings such as these, why would precepts be needed, since they already know of themselves that each possesses the precept of the Buddha-nature? However, for ordinary people at the initial stage of practice and bodhisattvas emerging from emptiness into phenomenal engagement, phenomenal characteristics are also not destroyed; both prohibitive and intrinsically unwholesome precepts are equally observed. Because the roots of the beginner's self-cultivation are inferior, principle and phenomena must assist each other; because the long-practicing adept's transformation of others must be complete, provisional and real must both be prepared. Furthermore, whether ordinary people, the two vehicles, bodhisattvas, or Buddhas—all who uphold precepts do so through the arising of the one mind. Ordinary people completely fail to realize that the precept causes of defilement and purity arise from their own mind, and that the precept fruits of offense and blessing are to be experienced by their own mind. Although followers of the two vehicles know that [precepts] are transformed by the mind, they cling to external sense objects as existing. Although provisional and lesser bodhisattvas do not cling to external objects as truly existent and abide in the emptiness of lacking self-nature, they do not at all comprehend that the external is fundamentally free of emptiness and is entirely transformed by one's own mind. Great bodhisattvas truly comprehend consciousness-only: emptiness and existence are both extinguished; yet because their avidyā is not exhausted, their merits are not yet complete, and their practice of principle is still deficient, they still abide on the causal stages. Buddhas, then, fully realize the true nature of vijñaptimātra, free from thought and purely clear. Therefore the sūtra says: "Only the Buddha alone upholds the pure precepts; all others are called precept-breakers." As stated in the Six Practices Method: "Next, clarifying the distinctions among people's minds regarding the precepts, there are six differences. First, clarifying the coarse ordinary person who gives rise to offenses relying on the precepts: this refers to a foolish person who, though physically observing the precepts, does not know to inspect their own mind and furthermore does not guard their speech. Regarding themselves as capable, they disparage others and break the precepts. Due to this evil speech, they ruin others' reverence and faith, which turns into sinful karma, and they will be born in the evil destinies. Next, clarifying the ordinary person who observes the precepts in body and speech but has not yet learned contemplative wisdom: they merely accomplish meritorious practices. Next, clarifying the suparamundane path precepts of the two vehicles: when people of the two vehicles contemplate the emptiness of the person, they depart from the ordinary delusion of a self, and this accomplishes the path precepts. Next, clarifying the small bodhisattvas of the Mahāyāna: with the wisdom of contemplating the emptiness of characteristics, when their minds are pure and clear, they depart from the offense of grasping at characteristics, and this is called a precept. Next, clarifying the great precepts of the great bodhisattvas of the Mahāyāna: contemplating mind-only, fundamentally there is no external form; with no form to destroy, the emptiness of characteristics is also non-existent; they depart from the fault of grasping at characteristics, and this is therefore called a precept. This differs from the precepts of small bodhisattvas: although [the latter] depart from attachment to existence, they still attach to the characteristic of emptiness. These great bodhisattvas know that emptiness is also empty; there being no emptiness to attach to, they realize the great emptiness. Thus the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'Destroying all phenomena so they are all empty, only emptiness remains, and one grasps at its characteristic and attaches to it. Great emptiness means: destroying all phenomena into emptiness, emptiness is also empty.' Based on this textual evidence, attachment to emptiness is a fault; those of great faculties depart from it, and this is called a precept. Next, clarifying the Buddha's precepts: realizing mind-only, free from thought and constantly pure, with the defilements of avidyā exhausted, this constitutes the Buddha's precepts. It is only because the Buddha's mind is fully endowed with all merits and free from all faults that it is called a precept. Although great bodhisattvas are endowed with merits, because their avidyā is not exhausted, they are not the same as the Buddha. Therefore the Buddha's pure precepts differ from the causal [stages]." Although the six kinds of upholding precepts discussed above differ in superiority and inferiority, all are created by the one mind. Because ordinary people and lesser practitioners do not comprehend mind-only, they realize emptiness and grasp at characteristics: those who grasp at characteristics accomplish the defilements of offenses and blessings; those who realize emptiness turn away from the gate of perfect constancy. If one enters the Mirror of the Source, the virtue of the precepts is naturally accomplished, and one is not moved by the various conditions of emptiness and existence; how could this not be foremost? Since the Dharma of precepts is like this, the myriad practices are likewise so. Therefore the Huayan Treatise says: "The Hinayana precepts are a school of emotional existence; they were initially formulated by the Tathāgata for the ordinary person's generation of karma, stating 'this should be done' and 'this should not be done,' speaking of the good and unwholesome. Establishing the teachings in this way does not represent true existence. Such a teaching of existence merely takes the ordinary person's erroneous sentiments as a point of reference, restraining all evils across the board by curbing them through the teachings so as to cause them to be born among humans and devas. For this reason, the Precept Preface says: 'If one wishes to be born in the heavens / Or among humans, / One should always protect the feet of precepts / And not let them be damaged.' Sentient beings generate conditioned karma, which is false and lacks real virtue; hence being born among humans and devas is impermanent, false, and unreal. Having not yet attained the dharmakāya and the wisdom-body, this is not the school of true existence; it is provisionally the school of emotional existence, serving as the teaching of guidelines and standards in the Hinayana." In the Avataṃsakasūtra, upholding the precepts is not like this. The sūtra says: "Is the body the brahma-conduct? Are bodily actions and the four deportments, up to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, the ten assemblies, the seven obstructions, the preceptor, the karma master, the platform, and so forth the brahma-conduct? When one thus attentively contemplates seeking the brahma-conduct, it is completely unattainable; therefore it is called pure brahma-conduct." As spoken in the Chapter on Brahma-Conduct: one who practices such pure conduct is called one who upholds the precept of the Buddha-nature, because they attain the Buddha's dharmakāya, and even at the moment of first generating the mind [of bodhi], they immediately accomplish right enlightenment. Because they uphold the precept of the Buddha-nature, they are equal in substance with the Buddha; principle and phenomena are equal, merging into the true dharmadhātu. Upholding the precepts like this, one does not see one's own body as capable of upholding the precepts, nor does one see another's body as having broken the precepts; it is not the practice of an ordinary person, nor is it the practice of a worthy or sage. One does not see one's own body generating the bodhicitta, nor does one see the Buddhas accomplishing equal, right enlightenment. If good, evil, or existence—if even the slightest phenomenon could be apprehended—it is not called pure conduct. One should contemplate in this way: such a nature precept is the dharmakāya. The dharmakāya is the Tathāgata's wisdom; the Tathāgata's wisdom is right enlightenment. Therefore, it is unlike the Hinayana, which involves grasping and rejecting. However, although there is no grasping or rejecting, in the two gates of principle and practice, full cultivation is not neglected. As Master Hanshan's poem says: "The five peaks are ground to powder, / Mount Sumeru is a one-inch hill; / The great ocean is a single drop of water, / Drawn into my mind-field, / Growing the seeds of bodhi / That cover the god of gods. / To report to those who admire the Way: / Be cautious not to circle around the ten entanglements." Although the nine saṃyojanas and ten entanglements are by nature empty and quiescent, beginners must first depart from them. For this reason, regarding the profound sūtras spoken by the Buddhas, they first admonish that they must not be spoken before newly aspiring bodhisattvas, fearing that their habitual seeds are heavy and will give rise to active manifestations, and also observing that those of shallow faculties and fleeting faith will fail to understand them. As the Vimalakīrtinirdeśasūtra says: "The Buddha taught that the nature of lust, anger, and delusion is liberation itself." And further: "Without severing lust, anger, and delusion, neither being conjoined with them." Therefore it is said: for those who grasp it [literally], the Way is hidden; for those who approach it obliquely, it is revealed. If one generates emotional relish and attachment toward lust, anger, and delusion, grasping their phenomenal occurrence, then the Way is hidden; if one approaches them with proper contemplation and comprehends their nature, then the Way is revealed. Although one comprehends them, one does not attach to them; hence it is said: "neither being conjoined with them." Only bodhisattvas of long cultivation whose faculties are mature can achieve the non-obstruction of principle and phenomena. As the verse of a former worthy says: "Long planting good roots deep, / Meeting dust, the dust does not invade. / It is not that dust does not invade, / But naturally that I am without mind."