宗鏡錄 23.7

23.7

Answer: If one sees directly, there is not a single person who is not a Buddha; if one does not believe, there is not a single Buddha who is not a person. Deluded, one is a sentient being who is always a Buddha; awakened, one immediately realizes the Buddha of sentient beings. Person and Buddha are not different; false views create disparity. Although delusion and awakening differ, the original nature is eternally one. For instance, in the past there was a Buddha named Abiding-in-Non-abiding, who made a vow that the sentient beings of his realm would become Buddhas on the same day and at the same time, and on that very day would enter extinction together. Again, before the Bhadrakalpa there was a Buddha named Samatā, who also vowed that the sentient beings of his realm and of the ten directions would also become Buddhas on the same day and enter extinction on that very day. As the Ratnakūṭa Sūtra says: 'At that time, the young maiden Vimaladattā again addressed Maudgalyāyana: "By virtue of these true words of mine, in a future age I shall attain Buddhahood, just like Śākyamuni Tathāgata today... If these words of mine are not false, let the bodies of this great assembly all become golden." When she had spoken these words, the entire assembly became golden.' Again, the Viśeṣacintibrahmaparipṛcchā Sūtra says: 'Bodhisattva Viśeṣacinti emitted jewelled light from his right palm, and all the fourfold assembly took on the Buddha's physical marks. Four bodhisattvas welled up from below, wishing to pay homage to the World-Honoured One, and made this vow: "Now the colour of this assembly has no difference; one should know that all phenomena are also like this. If these words are not false, we pray that Śākyamuni Tathāgata manifest a distinct sign so that we may pay homage." At that instant, Śākyamuni Tathāgata welled up to the height of seven tāla trees and sat upon a lion throne.' Furthermore, the Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra says: 'The Buddha said: "Those who cultivate the practice of bodhi, with respect to the various realms of the āryas, their substance is neither one nor different; not abandoning the conventional, not departing from the ultimate, relying on the dharmadhātu, they cultivate the practice of bodhi." At that time, the devī Supratiṣṭhitā addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honoured One, as stated above regarding the correct practice of bodhi, I shall now train in it." At that time, Brahmā Sahāmpati asked: "This practice of bodhi is difficult to cultivate. How do you now obtain mastery in the practice of bodhi?" The devī Supratiṣṭhitā said: "I now rely on this Dharma and dwell at ease. If these are true words, I vow that all the immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the five turbidities of the evil world will all attain the golden color and the thirty-two marks, being neither male nor female, seated on jeweled lotus flowers, and experiencing immeasurable joy..." When she had spoken these words, all sentient beings in the five turbidities of the evil world became entirely golden, endowed with the marks of a great person, neither male nor female, seated on jeweled lotus flowers, and experiencing immeasurable joy, just like the palace of the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven.' The commentary says: That 'with respect to the various realms of the āryas, their substance is neither one nor different' means that not abandoning the conventional is 'not one,' and not departing from the ultimate is 'not different.' If they were one, then conventional and ultimate would be destroyed; if they were different, then annihilation and permanence would result. Being neither annihilated nor permanent is precisely relying on the dharmadhātu; being neither ultimate nor conventional is called cultivating bodhi. Therefore she said, 'I rely on this Dharma and dwell at ease.' Thus the devī Supratiṣṭhitā awakened, and the substance of the five turbidities became the colour of true gold; Jambudvīpa was deluded, and the marks of a great person became bodies of evil karma. Hence we know that if one illuminates it with wisdom, worldly phenomena become the Buddha-Dharma; if one grasps it with emotional attachment, the Buddha-Dharma becomes worldly phenomena. The one citta is truly unmoving; the two views spontaneously create disparity. Within the very same single phenomenon, ordinary and holy understandings are distinctively formed. If one comprehends the substance that is neither male nor female, one presently possesses the thirty-two marks and sits on a jewelled lotus flower; if one clings to the form of being male or being female, one is eternally bound to the twenty-five states of existence, sinking into the ocean of avidyā. Therefore, we know that the reach of the power of faith and the utterance of true words can be verified; the gate of immediate realization instantly clarifies the Buddha of citta.