宗鏡錄 28.12

28.12

Answer: Apart from the citta, there is no preaching; apart from preaching, there is no citta. Unfurled, it is the Dharma gates like the sands of the Ganges; rolled up, it is the wondrous purport of the one mind. A scroll of scripture within a dust mote fills the great chiliocosm yet fails to fully display the complete text; the Dharma gate of the Universal Eye exhausts the great ocean, yet does not write a single gāthā. It is like the celestial drum of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven delivering an unfathomable, true exposition; or the precious forest of thunderous sound preaching wondrous gāthās of the unarisen. Within the Realm of Peaceful Sustenance, the water and birds all discourse on suffering and emptiness; within the ocean of the Flower Store, the cloud pavilions all lay out the consummate purport.

Therefore the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'For example, among the devas there is a great Dharma drum named "Awakening." When the sons of the devas indulge in heedlessness, a voice sounds forth from empty space, saying to them: "You should know that all sensual pleasures are entirely impermanent, false, and inverted; in an instant they alter and disintegrate, merely deceiving fools and causing them to be attached. Do not be heedless! If you are heedless, you will fall into the evil destinies, and regrets will be of no avail!" When the heedless devas hear this sound, they give rise to great anguish and fear, renounce all the sensual pleasures within their palaces, and go to the celestial king to seek the Dharma and practice the Path. Children of the Buddha, that sound of the celestial drum has no master and no maker, no arising and no ceasing; yet it can benefit immeasurable sentient beings.'

The Amitābha-sūtra says: 'Furthermore, Śāriputra, in that land there are always various wonderful birds of diverse colors: white cranes, peacocks, parrots, śārikās, kalaviṅkas, and jīvañjīvakas. Day and night throughout the six periods of the day, these many birds send forth harmonious and elegant sounds. Their sounds proclaim and expound the five faculties, the five powers, the seven limbs of bodhi, the eightfold noble path—such teachings as these. When sentient beings of that land hear such sounds, they all become mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma, and mindful of the Saṅgha.'

These are entirely the sudden awakening to one’s own citta; there is no other dharma whatsoever. Because this one mind dharmadhātu is the common substance of all sūtras, the twelve divisions of teaching spoken by the Tathāgata flow directly out from within the mind of great compassion. The mind of great compassion flows from the subsequently acquired wisdom; the subsequently acquired wisdom flows from fundamental wisdom; fundamental wisdom flows from the pure dharmadhātu. That is the fundamental origin, and there is nothing further from which it originates. There is no dharma that exists apart from the dharmadhātu.

This one mind gate is the king of a single letter; it is also called a single word; it is also called a single sentence. The Viśeṣacintibrahma-paripṛcchā-sūtra says: 'As the Buddha said: "When you assemble, you should practice two things: either noble discourse on Dharma, or noble silence." What is called preaching the Dharma? What is called silence? The reply is: "If preaching the Dharma does not contradict the Buddha, does not contradict the Dharma, and does not contradict the Saṅgha, this is called preaching the Dharma. If one knows that phenomena are themselves the Buddha, that freedom from characteristics is itself the Dharma, and that the unconditioned is itself the Saṅgha, this is called noble silence." Furthermore, "Good sons, preaching based on the four stations of mindfulness is called noble discourse on Dharma; having no recollective thought regarding all phenomena is called noble silence."' Here, at the very time of speaking, the mind accords with the principle of phenomena, which is precisely not speaking. It clearly does not mean that keeping the mouth closed is called not speaking.

As the Sarvabuddhaviṣayāvatārajñānālokālaṃkāra-sūtra says: 'The Buddha said: "Mañjuśrī, as for the Buddhas and Tathāgatas, no person has seen them, no person has heard them, no person makes offerings to them in the present, and no person will make offerings to them in the future. Mañjuśrī, the Buddhas and Tathāgatas do not say that phenomena are one, nor do they say that phenomena are many. Mañjuśrī, the Buddhas and Tathāgatas do not realize bodhi. The Buddhas and Tathāgatas do not attain their name relying on one dharma, nor do they attain their name relying on many dharmas. Mañjuśrī, the Buddhas and Tathāgatas do not see dharmas, do not hear dharmas, do not recall dharmas, do not know dharmas, and are not conscious of dharmas. Mañjuśrī, the Buddhas and Tathāgatas do not preach a single dharma, nor do they indicate dharmas."'

The Benye yingluo jing says: 'With a single line of gāthā, he instructs eighty-four thousand countries and cities.'

A gāthā of the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra says: 'True children of the Buddha possessing immeasurable wisdom, / equal in number to the dust motes of the ten directions, / inquiring of the Buddha for immeasurable eons, / cannot exhaust the meaning of a single letter of the Tathāgata.' It also says: 'Being able, by means of a single letter, to enter into all dharmas and preach them for sentient beings is called the boundless prajñāpāramitā.'

The Dhāraṇī-sūtra says: 'This single word of prajñāpāramitā can answer myriad kotis of minds.'

The Śūraṅgamasamādhi-sūtra says: 'Mañjuśrī said: "If a person gets to hear the Dharma of a single phrase, he immediately understands the meaning of thousands and myriads of phrases therein. Expounding and explaining it for hundreds of thousands of myriads of eons, his wisdom and eloquence cannot be exhausted. This is called having learned much."'

The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: 'If one sees that the Tathāgata constantly does not preach the Dharma, this is called being fully endowed with having learned much.' It also says: 'It is preferable to hear little and understand much of the meaning and principle, rather than to hear much and not comprehend the meaning.'

This is precisely entering this mirror of the source: when one is understood, a thousand follow. Although texts are extensively cited, they merely substantiate this principle. Those of superior faculties, upon a single glance, have already severed the slightest doubt; those of intermediate and inferior faculties must consult it again and again before they can possess full faith. This is because of the faculties; it is not that the Dharma itself is inherently like this.

Therefore the Suvikrāntavikramiparipṛcchā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra says: 'The Buddha again addressed the Bodhisattva Suvicintita: "The Deva Son Bhadraguṇa has already cultivated the dhāraṇī gate in the past for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of eons; even if he preached the Dharma for an entire eon, it would never end." Bodhisattva Suvicintita said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, what kind of dhāraṇī is it?" The Buddha said: "Good son, it is called the Non-entry of All Dharmas Dhāraṇī. Good son, this dhāraṇī transcends all letters and words; speech cannot enter it, and the mind cannot measure it. All dharmas, internal and external, are ungraspable. Good son, there is not the least dharma that can enter this; hence it is called the Non-entry of All Dharmas Dhāraṇī. Why is this? This dharma is equal, without high or low, and without exiting or entering. Not a single letter enters from the outside, nor does a single letter emerge from this dharma. Furthermore, not a single letter abides within this dharma, nor do any letters mutually see one another. Neither does it discriminate between the dharma and the non-dharma. These letters do not decrease when spoken, nor do they increase when not spoken. From the beginning, there has been no producer and no destroyer. Good son, as with letters, so it is with citta; as with citta, so it is with all dharmas. Why is this? Dharmas are free from speech and free from thinking; fundamentally without arising and ceasing, there is therefore no exiting or entering. This is called the Non-entry of All Dharmas Dhāraṇī. If one can penetrate this Dharma gate, their eloquence will be inexhaustible. Why is this? Because they penetrate the uninterrupted and inexhaustible Dharma. Good son, one who can enter empty space can enter this dhāraṇī gate."'

The Chapter on the Manifestation of the Tathāgata in the Avataṃsaka says: 'Children of the Buddha, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should know that the Tathāgata’s voice is all-pervading, because it universally reaches immeasurable voices. They should know that the Tathāgata’s voice brings joy according to their mental wishes, because it preaches the Dharma clearly. They should know that the Tathāgata’s voice brings joy according to their faith and understanding, because their minds attain clarity and coolness. They should know that the Tathāgata’s voice does not miss its opportune time in converting, because all who should hear never fail to hear. They should know that the Tathāgata’s voice is without arising or ceasing, like an echo. They should know that the Tathāgata’s voice is without a master, because it is produced by the cultivation of all deeds. They should know that the Tathāgata’s voice is extremely profound, difficult to measure. They should know that the Tathāgata’s voice is without crookedness, being born of the dharmadhātu. They should know that the Tathāgata’s voice is without interruption, universally entering the dharmadhātu. They should know that the Tathāgata’s voice is without alteration, reaching to the ultimate. Children of the Buddha, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should know that the Tathāgata’s voice is neither limited nor unlimited, neither having a master nor lacking a master, neither demonstrating nor not demonstrating.'

The commentary explains: 'To subsume the ten voices above, they essentially do not go beyond three: in terms of characteristics, it is broad and immeasurable; in terms of substance, it lacks a directing agent; in terms of function, it has manifestation. Now both are negated to reveal the Middle Way. That is to say, because its boundaries cannot be exhausted, it is "not limited"; because according to capacity and time, there is hearing and not hearing, it is "not unlimited." Because it is an aggregation of many conditions, it is "not having a master"; because it is born of the pure single dharmadhātu, it is "not lacking a master." Because its very substance is unarisen, there is "nothing capable of demonstrating"; because it skillfully manifests the meaning and principle, it is "not not demonstrating."

Furthermore, four propositions are used to clarify the unhindered nature of substance and function. First, by following substance from function: since the substance is nowhere absent, it can cause the above ten kinds of voices to universally pervade everything; not only do they pervade voices, but they also pervade all times, places, sentient beings, Tathāgatas, the dharmadhātu, and so forth. Although they universally pervade forms and the like, they are constantly unconfused. If they did not equally pervade, then the voice would not be consummate; if by equally pervading they lost their melodic cadence, then the consummate would not be a voice. Now, without destroying cadence, it equally pervades, and without altering its pervasion, it varies in melody; only then does it become a consummate voice.

Second, by following function from substance: each and every sound completely contains the true nature.

Third, because function is substance: the above ten kinds of voices are all ungraspable; only the ultimate truth is eternally free from attachment. Therefore, the Dharma conch constantly resounds, and the wondrous sound is ever tranquil—this is called the tranquil sound. Like an echo in an empty valley, it exists and yet is immediately empty. If it were not immediately empty, not only would the single voice be lost, but consummate harmony and freedom would not be attained.

Fourth, because substance is function: being tranquil, it constantly proclaims. Like the celestial drum which has no mind yet responds to everything; or the long wind that follows apertures, with ten thousand blowings all different. If it were not universally identical, not only would it lose the capacity to be consummate, it would also not be the truly single. Therefore the sūtra says: "The diverse languages of all sentient beings are entirely inseparable from the Tathāgata's wheel of Dharma. Why is this? Because the real mark of vocal sounds is itself the wheel of Dharma." For this reason, the vocal sounds of sentient beings do not go beyond the nature of empty space; since the nature is nowhere absent, the wheel of Dharma is present in all places without interruption.'

The Zhiguan says: 'Contemplating the mind subsumes all teachings. The Vibhāṣā-śāstra says: "The mind can create names for all phenomena. If there were no mind, there would be no names whatsoever." One should know that worldly and world-transcending names all arise from the mind. If the contemplation of the mind is deviant and follows the flow of ignorance, then all evil teachings arise: namely, the Sāṃkhya, Vaiśeṣika, and the ninety-five kinds of heterodox teachings are born. Various good teachings also arise: the Five Phases, the Six Jia, yin-yang and the eight trigrams, the Five Classics, philosophers, and histories—the worldly wisdom and doctrinally untaught names and teachings all arise from the mind.

How do world-transcending names and teachings all arise from the mind? The Ratnagotravibhāga says: "There is a great scripture scroll as large as the great trichiliocosm, recording the events of the chiliocosm; just as it records those as large as the medium [chiliocosm], the small [chiliocosm], the four continents, and the three realms. It resides within a single dust mote. As with one mote, so it is with all motes. A person appears in the world and, with the pure divine eye, sees this great scripture scroll and thinks: 'Why is this great scripture within a dust mote and not benefiting all sentient beings?' Thereupon, by expedient means, he breaks open this dust mote and brings forth this scripture to benefit others." The scroll of the Tathāgata's unhindered wisdom is completely present within the bodies of sentient beings; obscured by inversions, they neither believe nor see it. The Buddha teaches sentient beings to cultivate the eightfold noble path to destroy all falsity; upon seeing it, their wisdom is equal to that of the Tathāgata. This uses a dust mote adhering to existence as an analogy.

Furthermore, using empty space as an analogy: the Bodhicitta-śāstra says: "For example, a person sees the Buddha-Dharma perish; using the Tathāgata's twelve divisions of scripture, he writes them upward upon empty space, perfectly and completely, yet not a single sentient being knows of it. After a long time, another person travels through empty space, sees the scripture, and sighs: 'Why do sentient beings neither know nor see this?' He immediately copies it down and reveals and guides sentient beings with it." What is copying the scripture? It refers to causing sentient beings to cultivate the eightfold noble path and break open empty space, and so forth.

Cultivation has many varieties. If one contemplates that the mind’s conditioned arising and ceasing is impermanent and cultivates the eightfold noble path, this is copying the scriptures of the Tripiṭaka. If one contemplates that the mind’s conditioned arising is immediately empty and cultivates the eightfold noble path, this is copying the scriptures of the shared teaching. If one contemplates that the mind's distinctions and reckonings are of immeasurable kinds, unmeasurable by ordinary people and the two vehicles, and seen only by bodhisattvas with the Dharma eye, this is cultivating the immeasurable eightfold noble path, which is copying the scriptures of the distinct teaching. If one contemplates that the mind is itself the Buddha-nature and cultivates the eightfold noble path in a consummate manner, this is copying the scriptures of the Middle Way. It clarifies that all phenomena emerge from within the mind: the mind is the Mahāyāna, the mind is the Buddha-nature, and one sees that one's own wisdom is equal to that of the Tathāgata.

Furthermore, if one contemplates that the mind is simultaneously provisional and middle, it subsumes the scriptures of the Avataṃsaka. If one contemplates the arising and ceasing of phenomena conditioned by the mind, it subsumes the scriptures like milk of the Tripiṭaka and the four Āgama teachings. If one contemplates the mind as immediately empty, it subsumes the scriptures like curds of the shared prajñā. If one contemplates that phenomena conditionally arisen from the mind are immediately empty, immediately provisional, and immediately middle, it subsumes the scriptures like fresh butter of the vaipulya. If one solely employs the immediately empty, immediately provisional, and immediately middle, it subsumes the scriptures like clarified butter of the Large Perfection of Wisdom. If one employs the immediately middle to contemplate the mind, it subsumes the scriptures like ghee of the Lotus Sūtra, which opens the Buddha's knowledge and vision for the one great cause directly and uprightly. If one employs the contemplation of the fourfold propositions' mutual identity on the mind, it has the scriptures like ghee of the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, where all equally see the Buddha-nature.

Furthermore, if one contemplates conditioned arising, and also contemplates conditioned arising as Buddha-nature, and Buddha-nature as Tathāgata, this is called "killing someone within milk." If one contemplates analytical emptiness, and also contemplates analytical emptiness as Buddha-nature, and Buddha-nature as Tathāgata, this is called "killing someone within curds." If one contemplates immediate emptiness, and also contemplates immediate emptiness as Buddha-nature, this is called "killing someone within fresh butter." If one contemplates provisional naming, and also contemplates provisional naming as Buddha-nature, this is called "killing someone within clarified butter." If one contemplates the immediately middle, and also contemplates the immediately middle as Buddha-nature, this is called "killing someone within ghee." Here, speaking generally of "killing someone," it refers to having severed the two types of death and purified the three paths; this is termed "killing someone." This is called the cessation and contemplation subsuming the indeterminate teaching.

Furthermore, the mind's subsumption of the various teachings has two aspects. First, all Dharma gates are fully present within the minds of all sentient beings; the Tathāgata clearly and thoroughly illuminates their mental phenomena, and preaches according to their minds, so that immeasurable teachings emerge from the mind. Second, the Tathāgata in the past once practiced mind contemplation, fully endowed with both partial and consummate aspects; relying on this mind contemplation, he preached for sentient beings, instructing and transforming his disciples to emulate the Tathāgata in breaking the dust mote to bring forth the scroll, and writing the scripture on empty space. Therefore, all scriptures and teachings are completely subsumed by the one mind's cessation and contemplation.

A gāthā in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'If one wishes, in the great trichiliocosm, / to teach and transform all flocks of sentient beings, / like clouds spreading broadly, nothing is unreached; / according to their capacities and desires, all are gladdened. / The Buddha assemblies on the tip of a hair are countless, / and the inclinations of sentient beings' minds are also infinite; / he responds to all their minds and grants them Dharma gates— / all dharmadhātus are entirely like this.'

The Huayan yanyi says: 'The utmost sage handed down proclamations, mirroring the profound ultimate of the one mind; the great beings broadly expounded them, illuminating the hidden depths of the subtle words. Although they forgot attachments in the realm of signifier and signified, they were vast and boundless in the ocean of text and meaning. This was merely desiring to rely on the traces of images and hexagram texts to exhaust the inexhaustible purport! Therefore we know: without speech, there is no way to establish its text; without text, there is no way to broaden its meaning; without meaning, there is no way to exhaust its profundity. Indeed, one who attains its profundity attains the inexhaustible purport of the mirror of the source! Since the purport is inexhaustible, if it is not spoken, it will not be known. Now, it is spoken for those who do not yet know, not for those who already know.

If by chance the different tenets adhere to divergent views, and their understandings differ—or emptiness and existence negate one another, or the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna dispute among themselves—this is merely failing to exhaust the fundamental principle and arbitrarily speaking of sameness and difference. When entering the mirror of the source, victory and defeat simply cease. It is like breaking a golden branch: every section is gold; or like cutting a bough of jade: every inch is a jewel.'