宗鏡錄 22.15

22.15

Answer: If one can faithfully awaken to bodhi as having no characteristic that can be grasped and no nature that can be cultivated, such clear comprehension is itself true realization. As the Mahādrumakiṃnararājaparipṛcchāsūtra says: 'A bodhisattva should again further reflect in this way: "Wherein is the self? What are the phenomena that belong to me? Who can attain the bodhi of the Buddhas? Is it obtained by the body? Or is it obtained by the citta?" Even when contemplating in this way, he distinctly and clearly sees that this bodily characteristic does not obtain bodhi, and he also knows that this citta does not obtain bodhi. Why is this? Because among phenomena, there is no using form to realize form, nor using citta to realize citta. Yet, within conventional speech, he knows that all phenomena, although devoid of form, shape, characteristic, or outflow, invisible, and without realization or knowledge, are nevertheless not without realization. Why is this? Because the bodies of all Tathāgatas have no outflows. Furthermore, because the bodies of all Tathāgatas have no outflows, their cittas also have no outflows. And because the cittas of all Tathāgatas have no outflows, their forms also have no outflows.' If one can know in this way that there is nothing to generate, and yet is able to generate this citta, then if one enters into the mirror of the source, this is called true generation. Once able to generate the citta, one then explains and reveals it to others; thus all the āryas together praise it, and its merit is boundless. As a sūtra verse states: 'Generating the mind and final realization are not two different things; / Between these two minds, the first mind is the more difficult. / Though not yet crossed over oneself, one first crosses others over; / For this reason I pay homage to the initial generation of the mind.'