宗鏡錄 25.7

25.7

Answer: If there were a place of entry, one would lose the self-nature of dharmas. If one says it does not enter, that again constitutes dualistic views. Furthermore, some say that the small is the small of the great's home, and the great is the great of the small's home; or others say that the mustard seed and Sumeru each lack self-nature. These are all using emptiness to contain emptiness; what is extraordinary about that? Hence we know that unless one has entered the mirror of the source, emotional views are difficult to forget: one restricts greatness and smallness to directions and boundaries, and establishes seeing and hearing in the wondrous path, causing the single reality to be hidden away and the ten thousand dharmas to fail to interpenetrate. Now, to clarify the correct meaning: the so-called 'entering yet not entering' means precisely recognizing the original characteristic of Sumeru; 'not entering yet entering' means understanding the inherent source of all dharmas. The Huanyuan guan says: 'What is called entering means that nature and characteristics are both obliterated, the substance is identical with the dharmadhātu, and entering with no characteristic of entering is called entering.' A verse in a sūtra says: 'The Tathāgata's profound sphere / has a measure equal to empty space; / all sentient beings enter it, / yet in reality there is nowhere entered.' The Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'All enter the dharmadhātu, yet there is nowhere entered.' If there were a separate place of entry, then at the time of entering the original characteristic would be lost, and one could not speak of the various dharmas. Because their very substance is inherently empty, it is called 'entering the dharmadhātu'; since there is no separate [realm] that can be entered, the variety [of dharmas] is not destroyed. Furthermore, a sūtra says: 'Although dharmas are neither one nor different, one speaks of oneness and difference.' Hence we know that it is precisely because phenomenal characteristics are distinctly maintained and do not enter that they can assist each other and universally pervade each other. If they entered, then conditions would be lost, and there would be no meaning to the distinctness of the various conditions; if they did not enter, then the nature and function would be destroyed, dynamic functions could not interpenetrate, and there would be no meaning to mutual pervasion and mutual assistance. If both entering and not entering are present, then the meaning of mutual preservation without obstruction is established. Only when endowed with these three conditions is conditioned arising accomplished. Understanding this nature of conditions, one can adapt and transform: thus, what is square can be round, what is small can be great, what is narrow can be broad, and what is short can be long—all of which are nothing other than the sovereign spiritual virtue of our own mind. Then, whatever strikes the eye is Mount Sumeru entering the mustard seed; lifting a foot, one abides in inconceivable liberation. Therefore the ancients said: 'Containing Mount Sumeru in a mustard seed, hurling the trichiliocosm beyond the directions: these are all the regular portion of our own mind; how could they rely on external arts?' This is the full power of sentient beings, not something possessed only after awaiting the realization of sagehood. Therefore, the buddhas manifest wondrous spiritual powers within non-dual dharma, and bodhisattvas accomplish great buddha-work within the principle of non-nature. Thus the Xinxin ming says: 'The utmost great is identical to the small: / one does not see its boundaries. / The utmost small is identical to the great: / one forgets and cuts off objective realms.' Mahāsattva Fu's gāthā says: 'Mount Sumeru is the father of the mustard seed; / the mustard seed is the dad of Mount Sumeru. / Mountains and seas are leveled completely flat; / breaking the ice, come boil tea!' Therefore, taking the single dharma as the source, a thousand paths vie to enter: the Five Peaks are towering without being precipitous; the Four Seas are vast without being deep; the three poisons and four inversions are not ordinary; the eight liberations and six psychic powers are not sacred.