宗鏡錄 3.11

3.11

Answer: The true mind takes numinous knowing and tranquil illumination as mind, non-emptiness and non-abiding as its substance, and the true mark as its characteristic. The deluded mind takes the reflected shadows of the six dusts as mind, the absence of intrinsic nature as its substance, and conditioned clinging and discursive thinking as its characteristic. This deluded mind of conditioned thinking, awareness, discernment, and capacity to know lacks a substance of its own; it is merely [the reflection of] external dusts, existing or not existing according to the presence or absence of objects. When an object arrives, it arises; when the object departs, it ceases. Because it arises dependent on objects, the entire object is mind. Furthermore, because the mind illuminates objects, the entire mind is an object. Neither has an intrinsic nature; they are nothing but causes and conditions. Therefore the Dharmapada says: 'In a mirage there is no water; there is only solar vapor. In the aggregates there is no form; there is only conditioned vapor.' Because the shimmering vapor of hot weather is illuminated by sunlight, from a distance it looks like water; but it arises solely from conceptualization and is only solar vapor. This unreal form and mind are also like this: with one's own karma as cause and the external dust of parents as conditions, their combination seems to manifest form and mind; it is only conditioned vapor. Therefore the Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment says: 'Falsely recognizing the reflected shadows of the six dusts as one's own mental nature.' Thus we know that if this mind capable of inference lacks causes and conditions, it does not arise. It arises solely from conditions, and phenomena arisen from conditions are all impermanent—like a reflection in a mirror, lacking substance and entirely dependent on external objects; like the moon in the water, unreal and falsely manifesting an orb in the sky. To recognize this as real is foolish indeed! Therefore Ānanda clung [to it] without ground and was bewildered at all seven places; the Second Patriarch understood it and did not give rise [to it], and with a single word tallied with the Way. When the Second Patriarch sought this unquiet mind of conditioned thinking and could not find it, he immediately knew that the true mind is omnipresent. Awakening to this as the source, he then initially inherited the patriarchal throne. Because the Tathāgata analyzed and dismantled the deluded mind, all the way to closely and minutely interrogating the five aggregates, the six entrances, the twelve bases, the eighteen elements, and the natures of the seven great elements, each one was thoroughly [seen to be] solely empty, all lacking intrinsic nature. They are neither existent through the coming together of causes and conditions, self and other, nor are they born spontaneously without a cause; all are the discriminations of mental speech, consciousness, and thought. Because of this, [Ānanda] had a sudden awakening to the wondrous and bright true mind, which is vast, all-embracing, and omnipresent. Thereupon, together with the great assembly, he thoroughly realized this mind and praised the Buddha in unison. Thus the sūtra says: 'At that time, Ānanda and the great assembly, having received the Buddha Tathāgata's subtle and wondrous instruction, were completely free in body and mind and attained unhinderedness. These members of the great assembly each knew for themselves that mind pervades the ten directions, seeing the emptiness of the ten directions like looking at a leaf or an object held in one's hand. All things existing in all worlds are all the wondrous bright original mind of bodhi. The quintessential mind is omnipresent and complete, encompassing the ten directions. Turning back to look at their bodies born of parents, they were like a single mote of dust blown into the empty space of the ten directions, seeming to exist and seeming not to exist; like a single floating bubble tossed on the still, vast sea, arising and ceasing without origin. Clearly knowing for themselves, they attained the fundamental wondrous mind, constantly abiding and indestructible. Bowing to the Buddha with joined palms, having attained what they had never had before, they spoke verses before the Tathāgata praising the Buddha: "Wondrous, tranquil, holding all, unmoved Honored One; / King of Śūraṅgama, rare in the world! / Extinguish my inverted thoughts of countless kalpas, / without traversing asaṃkhya kalpas let me attain the dharmakāya!"' This is identical to the First Patriarch pointing directly to the human mind: seeing nature and becoming a buddha.