宗鏡錄 21.9

21.9

Answer: The varied explanations across sūtras and treatises are gathered up into roughly ten kinds of dharmakāya: First, according to the Buddhabhūmiśāstra, solely the pure dharmadhātu is taken as the dharmakāya, and the dharmatā is likewise taken as its land. Although the nature is of one single flavor, two distinctions are made following the characteristics of body and land. The [Mahāprajñāpāramit-]opadeśa says: "Within sentient beings it is called buddha-nature; within non-sentient things it is called dharmatā." Object and subject are provisionally spoken of, yet in reality there is no difference. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Although the substance of this body and land has no difference, they belong to the Buddha and to the Dharma, because their natures and characteristics differ." That is to say, dharmatā belonging to the Buddha is the dharmatā-body; dharmatā belonging to the Dharma is the dharmatā-land. Since the nature follows differences in characteristics, it is stated thus. As for saying now that it is 'like empty space,' the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Neither this body nor this land is subsumed under form. Although their size and measure cannot be spoken of, yet following phenomenal characteristics their measure is boundless, just as empty space pervades all places." Therefore, the phrase 'like empty space' is a metaphor shared by both body and land. Second, or great wisdom alone is taken as the dharmakāya, and the realized tathatā is the dharmatā-land. Thus Asvabhāva's Mahāyānasaṃgrahopanibandhana says: "Because immaculate, unimpeded wisdom is the dharmakāya." If so, why is it said that the characteristic of the body is like empty space? Because the substance of wisdom is unimpeded, the same as empty space. Third, both wisdom and suchness are taken as the dharmakāya. In Paramārtha's translation of the Mahāyānasaṃgraha and in the Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra, both state: "Because only suchness and the wisdom of suchness remain alone, they are named the dharmakāya." In this case, the body contains both suchness and wisdom, while the land is solely suchness. Fourth, both object and wisdom are extinguished to form the dharmakāya. A sūtra says: "The tathāgata's dharmakāya is neither mind nor object," and the land likewise follows this. Based on this meaning, all the discourses say that the tathāgata's body and land are not two. This relies on the words of truth, revealing that there is neither subject nor object; only then is it said to rely on the truth, completing the meaning of being like space. Fifth: The above four propositions are combined into one unimpeded dharmakāya; whichever one is spoken of, it holds true, and the land is also like this. Sixth: The above general and particular five propositions mutually fuse and displace each other, extinguishing these five explanations into a transcendent state with nothing to adhere to, which is taken as the dharmakāya; the land is also like this. The above are discussed purely with respect to object and wisdom. Seventh: Universally subsuming the fivefold [dharmakāya], the compassion and vows, and so on, none of the virtues practiced as numerous as sands of the Ganges are not subsumed within this dharmakāya. Because conditioned virtues produced by cultivation must realize the principle, they harmoniously integrate without impediment; this very great substance of tathatā realized is the dharmatā-land. Based on this meaning, body and land are completely distinct. When it is now said that the body has characteristics, that refers to the virtues; when it is said to be like empty space, that refers to the nature of the body. The Avataṃsakasūtra says: "Understand that the Tathāgata's body is not like empty space, because it is perfected by all virtues and immeasurable marvelous dharmas." Eighth: Universally gathering the reward and transformation [bodies], none of the form-characteristics and virtues are not subsumed within this dharmakāya. Therefore, in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, the thirty-two marks and so forth are all subsumed by the dharmakāya. Also, the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra says: "The wondrously pure dharmakāya / Is endowed with the thirty-two marks." Yet there are three meanings: First, because the marks are identical to suchness, they return to the principle-dharmakāya. Second, because they are manifested by wisdom, they belong to the wisdom-dharmakāya. Third, because the marks themselves are entirely dharmas of virtue, they are named the dharmakāya. The land upon which they depend then encompasses both nature and characteristics, purity and defilement without impediment: "My land here is pure, yet you do not see it; sentient beings see it burning, but the pure land is not destroyed." Form is identical to suchness; characteristics are identical to non-characteristics. Phenomena and principle of body and land mutually support each other, admitting of four propositions in all: First, the form-body relies on the form-characteristic land. Second, the form-body relies on the dharmatā-land. Third, the dharmakāya relies on the dharmatā-land. Fourth, the dharmakāya relies on the form-characteristic land. The above is still common to the various Mahāyāna teachings. Ninth: Universally subsuming the three kinds of worlds, all become one great dharmakāya, because it is endowed with the ten buddhas; the three bodies and so on are all subsumed within the wisdom-and-right-enlightenment here, and the land is also like this. Manifesting the universal body from the body that is like space—in what is it not complete? This belongs solely to the Avataṃsaka. Tenth: Above, the provisional and the real were distinguished, and only the ninth was attributed to this sūtra; if one relies on mutual fusion and the inclusion of the common teaching, synthesizing the previous nine meanings into a single collective proposition, this is called the unimpeded body and land of the Tathāgata. Furthermore, the unimpededness of the lands has ten kinds in all. The various teachings speak of lands as being either merely impermanent or mind-transformed, principle and phenomena being vastly separated, and the one and the many not being fused; therefore we must now explain their unimpededness. First, the unimpededness of principle and phenomena: That is, fully identical with the true nature, yet the characteristics of the realm are vividly distinct. A sūtra verse says: "The ocean of worlds of the Lotus Treasury / Has no difference from the dharmadhātu, / Because its adornments are completely pure." Second, the unimpededness of formation and decay: That is, formation is identical to decay, decay is identical to formation, and so forth. Third, the unimpededness of breadth and narrowness: Without destroying characteristics, they universally pervade. A sūtra verse says: "Substance and characteristics are fundamentally without difference, / Universally pervading immeasurable lands," and so forth. Fourth, the unimpededness of mutual entry: A sūtra verse says: "Entering the ten directions with a single seed-realm, / The ten directions enter one without remainder." This is also the unimpededness of the one and the many. Fifth, the unimpededness of mutual identity: The sūtra says that immeasurable worlds are identical to a single world. Sixth, the unimpededness of the minute: A sūtra verse says: "Pure king-jewels spread like clouds, / Brilliantly displaying the reflections of the buddhas," and so forth. Seventh, the unimpededness of concealment and revelation: That is, the defiled and pure of different types are distinct in concealment, revelation, and so on, because they are seen differently. Eighth, the unimpededness of repeated appearance: That is, within a dust mote, one sees all realms; within the dust motes of a realm, one sees realms likewise, endlessly layer upon layer, like Indra's net. Ninth, the unimpededness of host and companions: Wherever there is a single world, it must have all worlds as its retinue. A sūtra verse says: "In the practices Vairocana performed in the past, / Diverse oceans of realms were all purified." Diverse realms are the retinue. Tenth, the unimpededness of the three periods of time: Because they are fused in a single thought-moment. The above kinds of unimpededness are all the one mind. If different dharmas were to intermix, they could not be fused and subsumed. As the Mahāsaṃnipātasūtra says: "The Buddha said: 'Good son, how does a bodhisattva purify his own land like the lands of the buddhas? If a bodhisattva knows that all dharmas have neither land nor non-land, reach everywhere yet have neither reaching nor non-reaching; if a bodhisattva sees dharmas confronting the six sense faculties and knows they are all the Buddha-Dharma, and also does not see that ordinary dharmas and the Buddha-Dharma are different, forming this thought: "All these dharmas are the Buddha-Dharma, because the Buddha-Dharma reaches everywhere. All dharmas and the Buddha-Dharma are merely provisional designations; they are neither dharmas nor non-dharmas. Therefore we should not grasp at them. Because one's own land is pure, one knows that the lands of all buddhas are pure. This is equal to the equality of dharmas. The realm of the eye is the Buddha-realm; the realms of ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, and dharmas are the Buddha-realm. I should not distinguish higher from lower." When a bodhisattva acts in this way, reaching the place of the equality of all dharmas, this is the bodhisattva purifying his own land like the lands of the buddhas.'" Then one knows that host and companion, dependent and primary [retribution], are not apart from the five aggregates. That the five aggregates are empty in nature is equality itself. Furthermore, seeing that dharmas arise from conditions, one knows that the land is manifested by the mind. Because the land is manifested by the mind, it exists yet is empty; emptiness is the dharmatā, from which the myriad dharmas arise. Seeing the source of dharmatā is true wisdom. For this reason, the lands of other-enjoyment of the buddhas, following differences in faculties, are seen differently. Therefore the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra says: "My pure land is never destroyed, / Yet sentient beings see it burned away." An ancient master said: "It is like a person seeing water where a hungry ghost sees fire, or a hungry ghost seeing fire where a person sees water; it is also like a rākṣasa palace and a human palace being in the same place without seeing each other. The land of other-enjoyment is also like this." As for the land of self-enjoyment, it is universally all-pervading, neither identical to the three realms nor apart from the three realms. As for the dharmatā-land, arising and ceasing are ever thus. Therefore we know that the buddha-lands are inconceivable and cannot be viewed through notions of existence and extinction, defilement and purity. Furthermore, ancient masters explained three meanings: First, since the self-nature body and land are both what is realized, it is clear that their substance is identical, like the space of a single room. Second, self-enjoyment is like the light of a thousand lamps, together pervading a room. Third, the two lands of other-enjoyment and transformation directly testify to what was said before; they are also similarly named the same, yet are seen differently according to capacity. As the Śūraṅgamasūtra says: "Manifesting according to karma" means that in accordance with the karmic fruit of sentient beings, all can be manifested. For example, when Śākyamuni appeared in the world, the land was narrow and small, and the ocean waters swelled; when Maitreya descends to be born, the world will be vast and broad, and the waters of the four great oceans will decrease. When bodhisattvas are in the assembly, there are no mounds or pits; when śrāvakas are among them, it is full of filth and evil. Thus we know that response and manifestation arise in accordance with all sentient beings; broadness or narrowness, purity or defilement, are all produced by the mental capacity of sentient beings, while the buddha-fruit is unconditioned. Master Yu said: "The mind is what the buddhas realize to be the dharmakāya; the object is what the buddhas realize to be the pure land. Thus both are what is realized, and wisdom is the realizing subject." The Ci'en Commentary says: