宗鏡錄 3.17

3.17

Answer: The Suvikrāntavikrāmiparipṛcchā-prajñāpāramitāsūtra says: 'The Buddha said: "When a bodhisattva practices the prajñāpāramitā, he reflects on the citta and contemplates in this way: 'This mind is impermanent, yet taken to be permanent; in suffering, it is taken to be pleasant; without a self, it is taken to have a self; impure, it is taken to be pure. Frequently stirring and never abiding, swiftly turning and changing, it is the root of the saṃyojanas, the gateway to all evil destinies, the causal condition of kleśas, and the destroyer of wholesome paths. It cannot be trusted. It is the master of rāga, dveṣa, and moha. Among all dharmas, the citta is the foremost. If one truly understands the citta, one thoroughly comprehends all dharmas. The manifold worlds are all made by the citta. The citta does not see itself. Whether good or evil, everything arises from the citta. The nature of the citta turns and revolves like a whirling firebrand; it changes easily like a horse; it can burn like fire; it erupts violently like water.' Practicing this contemplation, one remains unmoved in mindfulness, does not follow the movement of the mind, and makes the mind follow oneself. If one can subdue the mind, one then subdues all dharmas."' The Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra says: 'The Buddha said: "Good sons, if the mind were permanent, it also could not distinguish the various colors, namely blue, yellow, red, white, and purple. Good sons, if the mind were permanent, all remembered dharmas would not be forgotten. Good sons, if the mind were permanent, whatever is read and recited would not increase. Furthermore, good sons, if the mind were permanent, one could not speak of 'what was done, what is being done, and what will be done.' If there are what was done, what is being done, and what will be done, you should know that this mind is definitely impermanent. Good sons, if the mind were permanent, there would be neither enemies nor relatives, nor those who are neither enemies nor relatives. If the mind were permanent, one could not speak of 'my property' and 'another's property', or dying and being born. If the mind were permanent, though there is activity, it would not increase. Good sons, for these reasons, you should know that because the nature of the mind is diverse in each case, you should know it is impermanent." It also says: 'What is the present simile? As stated in the sūtra, the nature of the mind of sentient beings is like a monkey. The nature of a monkey is to discard one thing and take another. The nature of the mind of sentient beings is also like this: seizing and clinging to forms, sounds, scents, tastes, tangibles, and dharmas, it never halts for a moment. This is called the present simile.' It can be verified: the minds of sentient beings right now are like monkeys dwelling in tall trees, continually moving up and down; like minī-fish drifting in swift currents, moving in and out without obstruction; like illusory phantoms wandering through crowds, whose names and characteristics are entirely empty; like acrobats appearing on a stage, whose beginning and end are not real. Therefore, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthānasūtra says: 'Furthermore, that monk next observes the monkey of the mind. Just as one sees a monkey—just as that monkey is restless and unceasing, roaming through various branches, flowering and fruiting groves, mountain valleys, and rock caverns, places winding and crooked, without impediment—the monkey of the mind is also like this. The distinctions of the five destinies are like the various groves. The destinies of hell, animals, and hungry ghosts are like those trees. Sentient beings, immeasurable in number, are like the various branches. Craving is like the flowers and leaves. Distinguishing pleasant sounds, scents, tastes, and so forth are taken as the various fruits. Wandering through the mountains of the three realms, with the physical body as the cavern, moving without impediment, this is the monkey of the mind. This monkey of the mind constantly wanders through the lands of birth and death: hells, hungry ghosts, and animals. Furthermore, relying on dhyāna, that monk observes the acrobat of the mind. Just as one sees an acrobat—just as that acrobat takes various instruments and performs various plays in the arena—the acrobat of the mind is also like this: taking various transformations of karma as clothing; the arena is the ground of the five destinies; the various adornments are the various causal conditions; the various instruments are one's own sense spheres. The play of the acrobat is the play of birth and death. That the mind serves as the acrobat performing various plays is the beginningless and endless long cycle of birth and death. Furthermore, relying on dhyāna, that monk observes the minī-fish of the mind. Just as one sees a minī-fish—just as a minī-fish is in a river, where the waters of the rivers have swift and chaotic waves, deep and surging rapidly, so that travel is difficult, capable of sweeping away immeasurable kinds of trees, their force violent and rushing, unable to be checked, and the mountain torrents and river waters are steep, fast, swift, and treacherous, yet that minī-fish can enter and exit, can swim and halt—the minī-fish of the mind is also like this: in the rapid and chaotic waves of the river of the desire realm, it can exit and enter, can move and halt.' The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'As the Buddha said: "Ordinary beings sometimes know that the body is impermanent, but they cannot know that the mind is impermanent. If an ordinary being says the body is permanent, that is still forgivable; to take the mind as permanent is a great delusion. Why? The body remains for perhaps ten or twenty years, but this mind passes away day by day, its arising and ceasing being each distinct, never halting from thought to thought. What is about to arise arises differently; what is about to cease ceases differently. Like illusory matters, its true characteristic cannot be grasped. Because of such immeasurable causal conditions, know that the mind is impermanent." This is called the mindfulness of the citta. The practitioner contemplates: "To whom does this mind belong? Who employs this mind?" Having observed, one does not see any master. Because all dharmas are combinations of causes and conditions, they lack self-mastery. Lacking self-mastery, they have no intrinsic nature. Having no intrinsic nature, there is no self. If there is no self, who then employs this mind?' The Mohe zhiguan says: 'When a single thought of conceptual thought arises, it gives rise to the ten destinies in accordance with good and evil. First, if its thought from moment to moment is exclusively rāga, dveṣa, and moha, gathered in and not returning, pulled at and not emerging, increasing by the day and intensifying by the month, giving rise to the highest grade of the ten unwholesome deeds like the five caṇḍālas, this arouses the mind of hell, traversing the path of fire. Second, if its thought from moment to moment desires a large retinue, like the ocean swallowing streams or fire burning firewood, giving rise to the intermediate grade of the ten unwholesome deeds, like Devadatta enticing crowds, this arouses the mind of animals, traversing the path of blood. Third, if its thought from moment to moment desires fame throughout the four distances and eight directions, to be praised and admired, having no real virtue within yet vainly comparing oneself to the worthy and holy, giving rise to the lowest grade of the ten unwholesome deeds, like Mākandika, this arouses the mind of hungry ghosts, traversing the path of swords. Fourth, if its thought from moment to moment constantly desires to surpass others, unable to endure being lower than others, disparaging others and prizing oneself, like a hawk soaring high and looking down, yet externally displaying benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, giving rise to the lowest grade of wholesome mind, it traverses the path of asuras. Fifth, if its thought from moment to moment delights in worldly pleasure, comforting its foul-smelling body and pleasing its foolish mind, this gives rise to the intermediate grade of wholesome mind, traversing the path of humans. Sixth, if its thought from moment to moment knows that the three evil destinies have much suffering, that the human realm alternates between suffering and pleasure, and that the heavenly realm is pure pleasure, and for the sake of heavenly pleasure it subdues coarse evils, this is the highest grade of wholesome mind, traversing the path of the gods. Seventh, if its thought from moment to moment desires great authority, so that the moment physical, verbal, or mental activity is initiated all submit and obey, this arouses the mind of the lord of the desire realm, traversing the path of Māra. Eighth, if its thought from moment to moment desires sharp intellect, eloquence, superior talent, and brave philosophy, surveying and penetrating the six directions, with the ten quarters looking up in respect, this arouses the mind of worldly wisdom, traversing the path of the Nirgranthas. Ninth, if its thought from moment to moment considers the five sense dusts and six desires, seeing that external pleasure is slight, while the pleasure of the third dhyāna is like a spring in rock, its joy profound within, this arouses the Brahmā mind, traversing the path of the form and formless realms. Tenth, if its thought from moment to moment knows the wheel-like cycle of good and evil, in which ordinary beings are indulged and which the worthy and holy rebuke, and that the destruction of evil depends on pure wisdom, pure wisdom depends on pure dhyāna, and pure dhyāna depends on pure śīla, esteeming these three dharmas as if hungry and thirsty, this arouses the undefiled mind, traversing the path of the two vehicles. Among these ten minds above, either the incorrect mind arises first, or the correct mind arises first, or both correct and incorrect arise together. They are compared to elephants, fish, and the wind, which together muddy the water of a pool. The elephant is compared to the various faults, arising from outside. The fish is compared to inner contemplation being weak, shaken by the two extremes. The wind is compared to inner and outer intermingling, chaotic and turbidly blended. The former nine kinds of minds belong to birth and death, like silkworms binding themselves. The latter one kind of mind belongs to nirvāṇa, like a roe deer leaping alone: though able to liberate itself, it has not yet completed the Buddhadharma. Because both are defective, both are eliminated. Clearly know that in the three realms there is no separate principle; there is only the arising of the deluded mind. It serves as the root and trunk of the eight inversions, and acts as the source and fountainhead of the four torrents. Swift as a flash of lightning, ferocious as a furious wind, abruptly kleśas arise faster than torrential river waters, and suddenly the five desires emerge swifter than a whirling firebrand. Thus, it constructs the four Māras and drives the ten messengers, sinking to the bottom of the river of the two kinds of death, and plunging into the flames of the eight sufferings. Confused and drunk, oblivious to the jewel in one's clothes, one traverses hardships and dangers in vain; fighting and losing the jewel in one's forehead, one laments in vain. All is due to the deluded mind being confused about this true awakening; ultimately, there is no other error. These texts bring this to light. As explained above in accordance with the teachings, although the two minds of the true and the deluded seem distinct in meaning, when returning to the source they are not different. Why? The true mind relies on the principle and substance; the deluded mind is based on characteristics and functions. Now, the principle is always citta, without grasping the characteristics of the citta; the citta is always principle, without stirring the characteristics of the citta. Just as water is itself waves without grasping the characteristics of waves, waves are themselves water without destroying the characteristics of waves. Therefore, movement and stillness are without boundary; nature and characteristics share one origin. Taking the ordinary mind as the Buddha mind, observing the worldly truth becomes the ultimate truth. Therefore, the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas contemplate all dharmas as having citta as their intrinsic nature, and abide thus. If one subsumes objects into citta, this is conventional ultimate truth. The intrinsic nature of the citta is itself tathatā; this is the ultimate of ultimate truths. Abiding thus, taking non-attainment as the expedient means, one illuminates both the ultimate and conventional, because of non-abiding abiding.'