宗鏡錄 23.3

23.3

Answer: In terms of ultimate bodhi, its substance is eternally profound and quiescent. As the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa states: 'Quiescent cessation is bodhi, because it is free from all characteristics.' Yet through the characteristic of characterlessness, within the gate of expedient means, it is not without display, in order to make those who first generate the bodhicitta clear and free of confusion. As former masters said: 'Quiescence and illumination being non-dual is the characteristic of bodhi. It is just like a bright mirror: having no mind is its substance, and reflecting illumination is its function; united, they constitute its characteristic.' This is also the Chan school's function inherent in substance, naturally knowing, and the substance inherent in function, eternally quiescent: knowing and quiescence being non-dual is the characteristic of citta. It is also said: 'Principle and wisdom mutually encompass each other; because apart from principle there is no wisdom, and apart from wisdom there is no principle. It is like the brightness of a pearl: the pearl is the substance and the brightness is the function. Function does not depart from substance, and substance does not depart from function; brightness does not depart from the pearl, and the pearl does not depart from brightness.'