宗鏡錄 28.6

28.6

He answers: This means that regarding the fruition-virtues of the triyāna, their substance illuminates all around, yet their function is not yet fully comprehensive; therefore it is said to have eight petals. If they transform [beings], pervading the paths of dust-realms, with their virtues filling the ten directions, it is then called ten petals. Here, in terms of a lesser portion, the four means of embracing (saṃgrahavastu) and four immeasurables (apramāṇa) are taken, hence it is designated as eight. One petal represents the One Reality; five petals represent the five vehicles. Furthermore, within the citta, there are precisely eight petals that combine to form the lotus blossom's substance; therefore it is called eight petals. Moreover, in the citta-place of all ordinary beings, although they are not yet able to realize it for themselves, their inner citta also naturally possesses eight petals combining to form the lotus shape. Now, if one merely contemplates and illuminates this citta so as to make it blossom, that is the reality of samādhi. If one contemplates the eight-petaled flower of this citta, one will instantly accord with principle. As for these eight petals: the four cardinal directions represent the four means of embracing, and the four corners represent the tathāgata's four cognitions. This flower is originally unproduced; it is the bodhicitta itself. One should know that all dharma-gates exist from the citta. If one understands this, the flower of the citta opens naturally, and one is able to see the Buddha. As the saying goes, 'the mind opens and the intent is unlocked'—this is its meaning. Opening the mind is entering the gate of non-arising. Furthermore, within the citta there are four kinds of maṇis. The first is the Moon-Store, which is the śrāvaka. 'Moon' means cool and refreshing; because it quenches the burning heat of the flames of kleśas, it is called the Moon-Store of Precepts. The second is the Sun-Store, which is the pratyekabuddha. 'Sun' means wisdom; with great and sharp wisdom, it can dry up the great river of the dvādaśāṅgapratītyasamutpāda; hence it is called the Wisdom Sun-Store. The third is the Withered-Flower Jewel, which is the bodhisattva. Holding the total retention of the Tripiṭaka, with boundless eloquence, capable of attaining the jewel of the Buddha-fruition, the bodhisattva seems foolish and simple. While ordinary beings take not knowing to be knowing—like a fresh, clean flower—the bodhisattva takes knowing to be not knowing—like a withered flower; hence it is called the Withered-Flower Jewel. The fourth is the Jewel-Purity, which is the Buddhas. The maṇi jewel's pure radiance is perfected; hence it is called Jewel-Purity. Among these jewels, foolish ordinary beings are untrue and truly cannot know them; they must be tested before one can truly know their reality. For instance, there are four kinds of charcoal fires such as khadira; one may test them by casting them therein. When the Moon-Store is cast into the fire, both before and after coming out its color changes; by this one should know it is not a true jewel. When the Sun-Store is cast into the fire, inside the fire it changes, but upon coming out it returns to its original color; by this one should know it is [still] not [the highest] jewel. When the Withered-Flower Jewel is cast into the fire, both before and after coming out it does not change; even though it does not change, its raining of jewels still has lapses; by this one should know it is not the supreme jewel. When the Jewel-Purity maṇi is cast into the fire, both before and after coming out it does not change, and it rains jewels without end. The first two jewels are inferior jewels; the middle one jewel is a middling jewel; the last one jewel is the supreme jewel. In this way, as for the four kinds of true maṇis within the citta, tested as to whether they are real or unreal, how can they be known? There are immeasurable four māras. When a śrāvaka is cast into the Raurava Hell, both before and after coming out weary and averse thoughts arise; by this one should know the inferior nature. When a pratyekabuddha is cast into the Mahāraurava Hell, inside it a weary and averse thought arises, but upon coming out he regains his original mind. When a bodhisattva is cast into the Tapana Hell, both before and after coming out he does not change, yet in revering good spiritual friends there is gradually a defect; from this one should know that, although unchanging, there is a slight lapse. When a Buddha is cast into the Avīci Great Hell, both before and after coming out he does not change, nor does he have any fear; he also continues to make offerings to good spiritual friends, delivers all sentient beings, and manifests the eight aspects without rest. Always within the various destinies, he undergoes all suffering and affliction on behalf of all sentient beings without any weary or averse thoughts. He is like the wheel-turning king's precious horse, which in a single kṣaṇa circles the four continents, and furthermore at all times and in every kṣaṇa circles the dust-like lands without giving rise to weariness. It is also said: All sentient beings from the beginning have the same true nature and characteristics. They do not increase at the time of awakening, nor decrease at the time of delusion. Regardless of whether ordinary or sage, there are only the skillful nature and characteristics of this One Mahāvairocana, which do not alter even at the time of false thoughts. In the ordinary being's state, the good, evil, indeterminate, and all manner of kleśas and conceptual projections; all the various dharmas seen—lands, mountains, rivers, sand, stones, tiles, rubble, trees, thickets, forests, herds of beasts male and female, eggs and shells, strong and weak devouring one another, male and female lust, caves and dens plundered from one another, men and women in the human world stealing and robbing, greedy for wealth and sex, greedy for fame and profit, murdering and plundering one another, down to all nature and characteristics of unwholesome dharmas already arisen, yet to arise, or currently arising; down to all wholesome dharmas already done, yet to be done, or currently being done; down to jade, gold, silver, red and white copper, iron, pearls, rare jewels, mother-of-pearl, and shells, all flowers, incense, banners, and canopies, palaces and towers—every single useful object and image is the virtuous function of this Mahāvairocana in delivering beings, completely constituting this cloud of the dharmadhātu body. Why is this? If apart from these characteristics, by what skillful means could the Buddhas transform and deliver all types of sentient beings? Therefore, every single dharma of the dharmadhātu is the Buddhas' Dharma. Yet, all ordinary beings run contrary to these differentiated characteristics and give rise to various disparate views; because they do not know, in sudden avidyā they conceptually construct various disparate views. As explained in the sūtras, commented upon according to the primary and secondary results, it is merely a single skillful means winding and bending to form the lotus-treasury that serves as the support, revealing ten Buddhas within each and every flower petal, in order to let it be known that although the characteristics have myriad differences, they are all produced by Vairocana's ten bodies; the differences among the ten bodies are merely due to the diverse capacities and responses. Furthermore, there are two kinds of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda) dhāraṇī: first, pure dependent origination, like waves arising on a clear islet; second, defiled dependent origination, like billows surging on a turbid river. Although clear and turbid differ, the nature of wetness does not vary. Just as pure conditions flow back into the sage realm, defiled conditions flow along within the ordinary sphere. Although ordinary and sage differ, the one mind is clear and still. This is still provisionally distinguished in terms of delusion and awakening; if one directly realizes the one mind, it entirely becomes the arising of nature, where there are no longer designations of ordinary and sage—how could there be any talk of clear and turbid?