宗鏡錄 29.19

29.19

Answer: All buddhas awaken to and penetrate the dharma-nature, which is entirely spontaneous. They understand the source of citta; delusional thoughts do not arise, and they do not lose right mindfulness. Because the mind of 'mine' is extinguished, they do not undergo birth and death; this is the ultimate, eternal cessation. Because of cessation, myriad joys naturally return to them. All sentient beings are deluded about the true nature and do not penetrate the original citta. With various delusional thoughts, they do not attain right mindfulness, and thus hate and love [arise]. Because of hate and love, the vessel of citta is broken and destroyed, and they undergo birth and death; thus various sufferings manifest naturally. If one wishes to know the essentials of the Dharma, guarding citta is foremost. If a single person could attain Buddhahood without guarding the true mind, that would be impossible. Therefore it is said: 'Control the citta in one place, and there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.' All the myriad phenomena do not go beyond one's own citta. The eighty thousand dharma-gates, the stages and essences of the triyāna, all the worthy and noble ones—in discussing their source and teachings, none is not based upon one's own citta. The Commentary on the Text [of the Lotus Sūtra] says: 'If one pursues the traces of the teachings, the traces are broad, and one merely exhausts oneself in vain. If one pursues the root of the principle, the root is lofty, too lofty to reach the limit. Day and night counting another's treasures, oneself does not have half a coin. One should merely contemplate the height and breadth of one's own citta, and strike the inexhaustible noble response. When capacity is completed and brings forth response, one attains one's own benefit. Therefore it is explained through contemplating citta.' One should know that the various verbal teachings, whether subtle or obvious, provisional or real, are all fish traps and rabbit snares for the Buddha Path. A verse in the Mahā[parinirvāṇa]-sūtra says: 'Coarse words and soft speech alike return to the primary truth.' This is what it means. A verse in the Chapter on Expedient Means of the Lotus Sūtra says: 'I originally established a vow: universally to cause all beings also together to attain this Path, equal to me without difference.' Another verse says: 'Honestly casting aside expedient means, I preach only the unsurpassed Path.' This 'straight' does not designate the worldly as straight; it does not designate the firefly-light wisdom of analysis as straight; it does not designate the lamp-torch wisdom of understanding phenomena as straight; it does not designate the star-and-moon wisdom of the aspects of the Path as straight. Rather, it designates the sunlight sarvākārajñatā as straight. This transmission is not a transmission for willow leaves or wooden oxen and wooden horses; it is not a transmission of half-letters, not a transmission of shared letters, not a transmission of distinct letters; it is purely the transmission of the full-letter dharma of the complete and perfect sūtras. It is like the single light of the Source Mirror, having no other illumination. Not only are its stages lofty and its practices fulfilled, its causes are profound and its fruits perfect. The clever and the clumsy differ abruptly; the slow and the swift are not equal. As the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'For example, in curing illness, bitter medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion heal through pain. If there is a wonderful medicine named sudarśana, when the sick person's eyes see it, all diseases are cured. Although the removal of illness is the same, the superiority and inferiority of the methods differ. The instruction and deliverance of people by śrāvakas and bodhisattvas are also like this. Ascetic dhūtas, in the first, middle, and last watches of the night, diligently practicing meditation and contemplation, attain the Path through suffering—this is the teaching of the śrāvakas. Contemplating the characteristics of phenomena as without bondage and without liberation, with citta attaining purity—this is the teaching of the bodhisattvas.' Therefore, understanding the real mark of citta, awakening occurs in a single kṣaṇa; while accomplishing it by accumulating practices, the cause is protracted and the fruit distant. If there is even the finest hair of goodness, one rejoices in it and dedicates it all to the mind of the real mark; even throughout the four deportments, meeting situations forms contemplation, thought after thought tallies with the purport, and step after step enters the profound, not allowing a single speck of dust to cause one to lose true wisdom. It is like an arrow shot at the ground: none fails to hit. Therefore the śāstra says: 'Furthermore, the bodhisattva of right dedication should make this thought: As known by all the buddhas of the ten directions and the three times, using unsurpassed wisdom to know the characteristics of all roots of goodness, among all omniscient persons, the Buddha is foremost and supreme. The roots of goodness known by the Buddha must be the real mark. Just as known by the Buddha, I also use such characteristics of roots of goodness to dedicate. For example, shooting at the ground, there is no time it does not hit. If shooting at other things, it may hit or may not hit. Rejoicing as known by all the buddhas is like shooting at the ground, where none does not hit. If one rejoices using other paths, it is like shooting at other things, hitting or not hitting. Dedicating in this way is not slandering all the buddhas.' Therefore, know that when the mind of faith and understanding of the real mark enters into the Source Mirror, every thought raised is it, nowhere not true. Only then does one accord with what is known by the Buddha and not slander the Three Jewels. If one is sheltered by the wisdom of the real mark, all the myriad practices will be accomplished, just as the shadow of the great garuḍa covers its chicks, causing the chicks to grow. Today's students need only directly penetrate their own citta internally and not doubt external objects. If citta is penetrated, external objects are all empty. As soon as one dharma is penetrated, myriad images entirely return to the citta-ground. If a single wheel is obstructed, a thousand carriages are all halted on the long road. Clearly it lies only in self-knowledge; thought after thought is nothing other than the real. The coarsely external cannot be examined; do not worry about others' doubts. The deeply internal is difficult to fathom; one should only personally realize it. As Layman Pang's verse says: 'Middling people delight in quietude; / Lower sorts are fond of deportment. / The bodhisattva's citta is unimpeded; / Identical to the ordinary, the ordinary do not know it. / Buddha is the formless substance; / Why must one cling to form? / Merely let citta understand the matter; / Pay no heed to outsiders' doubts. / Like a thirsty person drinking water, / Cold and warm are known by oneself.' Furthermore, as outer books say, of those who have awesome renown in the world, if one calls their name, it can stop a child's crying. The Weilüe says: 'Zhang Liao was surrounded by Sun Quan. Liao charged back in, and Quan's army broke and fled. Because of this, his awe shook Jiangdong. When a child cried without stopping, its parents frightened it with Liao's name, and it immediately stopped.' Also, the Dunhuang shilu says: 'Song Zhizhi had awesome renown in defeating the barbarians. When a child cried, frightening it with [his name] immediately stopped it.' Now, before the child even knows the person, hearing the name can immediately stop its crying; this completely proves mind-only. Even down to mindfulness of Avalokiteśvara's name making fire unable to burn and so forth, this relies on Avalokiteśvara as an auxiliary condition, but both are invoked by one's own citta, bringing about this spiritual efficacy. Misfortune and auspiciousness, success and failure, honor and disgrace, rising and sinking—none is not produced by citta. Therefore Master Rong's verse says: 'It is not born from heaven, / Nor does it emerge from earth; / It is simply the empty nature of citta, / Illuminating the world like the sun.' If it illuminates the world like the sun, what light does not penetrate? Then whatever meets the eye or lodges in feelings is nothing other than my citta. All become treasures of the Dharma, entirely serving as family wealth. Benefiting oneself and benefiting others, its function is inexhaustible. Mahāsattva Fu's Song of the Three Admonitions says: 'Cast off worldly glory, / Cast off worldly glory and splendor; / The principle is long, strive with strength, / Diligently study the three admonitions, / Admonishing my body and citta to return to their original home. / Admonish the intention: do not let the intention-root arise; / Admonish the mouth: do not let the mouth-root speak aloud; / Admonish the hand: do not let the hand-root use whip or staff. / When the three admonitions [subdue] the three kings, the kings naturally become fragrant. / Empty space naturally arrives at the immortal hall; / The immortal hall is neither near nor far, / Wandering, it is right in the middle of the crowd. / If you wish to walk and stay within the immortal hall, / No need to crawl about in other lands. / If you wish to seek and be mindful of Amitābha Buddha, / East, west, south, and north are all the Western Direction. / The Amitābha of the West is in every place; / In front and behind, seven rows of trees. / Either yellow or red, or red and white, / Either large or small, or short or long. / The canopy of heaven is precisely Amitābha's house; / Tree holes and wood borings are Amitābha's chambers. / The sky above, the void within, is Amitābha's road; / Grass and trees are precisely Amitābha's home. / Day and night, front and back, noisy clamor / Is precisely Amitābha's mouth emitting light. / If you wish to pay homage to Amitābha Buddha, / No need to think and busily strive. / Not deceiving others is paying homage; / Not begging from others is the bodhimaṇḍa. / Strive to make oneself perform the three meritorious works, / Diligently exert effort to plant clothing and grain. / Mountains and rivers are the family's inexhaustible storehouse; / Grass and trees are man's ever-full granary; / Mud and water are man's ever-full treasury; / Wisteria vines are man's bottomless sack. / Practice much effort and naturally achieve completion; / One's own walking hands and feet become thoroughly adorned. / If you wish to be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss, / Only this very thing is the Western Direction.' Another song says: 'The villages and hamlets of all buddhas are in the world, / Spreading across the four seas and three fields to arise. / Buddhas and sentient beings share the same substance; / Sentient beings are the provisional name of Buddhas. / If you wish to see the Buddha, look at the three commanderies: / Fields, houses, gardens, and groves halt in every place. / Either flying in the empty sky, bustling and swarming, / Or thrown in mountain waters, roaring and booming. / Either forming flocks and companions, coming and going, / Or again solitary, walking alone. / Or making the bright day run east and west, / Or making the dark night patrol the five watches. / Either black or red, and again white, / Either purple or dark, or yellow and green. / Either large or small, newly nurtured, / Or old or young, born long ago. / Or having fire lamps upon the body and waist, / Or having lutes and zithers upon the wings. / Or roaming the empty sky, wildly ascending and descending, / Or among grasses and trees, wildly crisscrossing. / Or without speech or action, spontaneously leaving the house, / Or entering an earthen pit, temporarily lodged to live. / Or boring into tree holes to make their home district, / Or spreading across grasses and trees to make nests and cities. / Or turning nets into village lanes, / Or lying on earth and stone to make steps and halls. / Such are the homes of all buddhas and bodhisattvas; / Just this is named the city of Śrāvastī.'