宗鏡錄 29.13

29.13

Answer: Without words, how could one know wordlessness? Without characteristics, how could one reveal the lack of characteristics? A verse in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says:
'Understanding that phenomena are not in words,
One skillfully enters the realm of wordlessness,
Yet can manifest verbal teaching,
Which pervades the world like an echo.'
The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa-sūtra says: 'Now, one who preaches the Dharma neither preaches nor demonstrates, neither speaks nor explains; therefore it is said: "You should preach in accordance with the Dharma."' It also says: 'Without leaving behind letters, one explains liberation.' A verse in the Lotus Sūtra says:
'The quiescent characteristic of all phenomena
Cannot be declared in words.
By the power of skillful means,
[The Buddha] preached it to the five monks.'
Another verse says:
'Furthermore, I see bodhisattvas
Resting in dhyāna with palms joined,
Praising the King of Dharmas
With thousands and tens of thousands of verses.'
These are all using wordlessness to reveal words, and using words to reveal wordlessness. Furthermore, a verse in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says:
'The Buddha takes the Dharma as his body,
Pure as empty space.
The various forms and images he manifests
Cause [beings] to enter into this Dharma.'
Another verse says:
'The physical form is not the Buddha,
Nor indeed are sounds;
Yet not apart from form and sound
Is the Buddha's supernatural power seen.'
The Diamond Sūtra says: 'If one sees that all characteristics are non-characteristics, then one sees the Tathāgata.' These are all using characteristics to reveal the lack of characteristics. Thus wordlessness does not obstruct words, and the lack of characteristics does not obstruct characteristics. Therefore, know that wordlessness is itself words, never having a separate substance; characteristics are themselves non-characteristics—how could there be a different form? Hence a scripture verse says:
'In the non-existent, there are no two;
Nor even is there no-two.
All of the three realms is empty—
This is the vision of the Buddhas.'
Now, within the vision of the Buddhas, could views of existence and non-existence, identity and difference, be established? Therefore a former worthy said: 'Thus the Buddha realized separation from words, yet caused the eight tones to flow beyond the reach of hearing, and expounded the great canon in the dragon palace. Therefore, know that the ultimate principle is not far; when attained through practice, it is profound indeed. Words and images are not near; one who embodies them with an open mind perceives them immediately. The principle beyond words is never cut off; the luxuriant proliferation of profound scriptures is never a genuine proliferation. Hence right within words, one forgets words.' Therefore, the words of wordlessness broadly divide the ocean of teaching; the existence of non-existence towers high in the heaven of meaning. As the commentary and subcommentary on the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi say in explaining the preface: 'The commentary states: "The words of wordlessness warn like the wind; the existence of non-existence surges like waves." Of these four lines of the commentary, the first two lines reveal the Buddha's fundamental teaching (*maula-deśanā*), and the latter two lines reveal the image-teaching (*pratibimba-deśanā*) in the minds of the hearers. Why? The teaching spoken by the Buddha has no substance apart from mind, so it is called "wordlessness." Because it is manifested from mind, it is called "words." This serves as that which stimulates, like the warning of the wind. That is, based on the Buddha's post-attainment wisdom for benefiting others, the teachings of the three vehicles and twelve divisions appear in profusion, serving as the sovereign condition (*adhipati-pratyaya*) for sentient beings, desiring to cause the characteristics of text and meaning to arise upon the consciousness of the hearers; hence it is called "the words of wordlessness warn like the wind." "The existence of non-existence surges like waves" refers to the arising of the characteristics of text and meaning upon the consciousness of the hearers. Because the teaching arises dependent on the fundamental [Buddha's teaching], it resembles surging waves. Lacking any substance apart from mind, it is called "non-existence." Because it manifests from mind, it is called "existence."' It also says: 'Those who are awakened attain the principle and forget words; those who are deluded grasp the text and miss the import. Those who realize it find that words and principle are of one mind.' Therefore, know that if one enters the mirror of the source, there is no text outside the import to be grasped, and no import outside the text to be revered. Principle and phenomena both dissolve; awakening and delusion both vanish.