宗鏡錄 3.7

3.7

Answer: It was already stated above: The skillful means of all buddhas are never interrupted in the present age; they secretly dispense deep compassion and do not let [sentient beings] be abandoned. Those who have already understood clearly never utter a word; it is only because of doubt that there is a question, and because of a question that there is an answer. This was personally spoken by our fundamental teacher at the Laṅkāvatāra assembly to the great bodhisattvas from the ten directions who had come seeking the Dharma: these two penetrations, first, penetration of the source, and second, penetration of speech. Penetration of the source is for bodhisattvas; penetration of speech is for beginners. The ancestral buddhas condescended to grant a little instruction for the beginner with initial capacity; this refers to the penetration of speech. Just because [such people] seek the Dharma from others and generate understanding according to words, there was fear that they would grasp skillful means as reality and become confused about penetration of the source. For this reason the meanings of the two penetrations were divided and distinguished. 'Penetration of the source' means: 'depending on oneself, one attains characteristics of superior advancement, far leaving behind speech, writing, and vain conceptualization,' and so on, up to 'depending on one's own awakened realm, radiance brightly emanates.' If one personally arrives at the ground of self-awakening, when radiance emanates, one may say: 'It is like a person drinking water: they know for themselves whether it is cold or warm.' It is like the blind opening their eyes and clearly illuminating the environment: verifying the elephant's true body, they never stroke its tail or tusk; seeing the proper color of milk, how could it depend on discussing a crane or snow? In front of this person with eyes, if one were further to preach and show it, one could not be called one who knows the proper time and is termed a great Dharma master. A person who truly sees the moon never looks at the finger; one who has personally arrived home naturally ceases to ask the way. Only when realization accords [with it] does it not wait upon words. One never grasps the finger as the moon, nor does one see the moon apart from the finger. As the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra states: 'For instance, there was a king who addressed a minister: "Lead an elephant and show it to the blind." Thereupon the minister, having received the king's order, gathered many blind people and showed them the elephant. At that time, those blind people each touched it with their hands. The minister then returned and reported to the king: "I have finished showing it." At that time the great king summoned the blind people and asked each of them: "Did you see the elephant?" The blind people each said: "We have seen it." The king said: "What kind of thing is an elephant?" The one who touched the tusk said: "The shape of an elephant is like a radish root." The one who touched the ear said: "An elephant is like a winnowing basket." The one who touched the head said: "An elephant is like a rock." The one who touched the trunk said: "An elephant is like a pestle." The one who touched the leg said: "An elephant is like a wooden mortar." The one who touched the back said: "An elephant is like a bed." The one who touched the belly said: "An elephant is like a jar." The one who touched the tail said: "An elephant is like a rope." Good sons, just like those blind people: they did not speak of the elephant's substance, yet nor did they not speak of it. If these various characteristics were all not the elephant, yet apart from these, there is no other elephant. Good sons, the king is an analogy for the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha. The minister is an analogy for the Vaipulya Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra. The elephant is an analogy for the buddha-nature. The blind are an analogy for all sentient beings with ignorance. Having heard the Buddha's preaching, these sentient beings might make this statement: "Form is the buddha-nature. Why? Although this form perishes, it continues in succession. Therefore, one attains the supreme Tathāgata's thirty-two characteristics, the Tathāgata's permanent form. Because the Tathāgata's form is permanent and uninterrupted, this form is called the buddha-nature. For example, true gold: though its substance changes, its color is always invariant. At times it is made into a bracelet or a plate, yet its yellow color is never altered from the beginning. Sentient beings' buddha-nature is also like this: though its substance is impermanent, its color is permanent. Therefore, form is spoken of as the buddha-nature." And so on, up to speaking of sensation, conception, volitional formations, and consciousness as the buddha-nature. Furthermore, some say: "Apart from the aggregates, there is a self; the self is the buddha-nature." Like those blind people each describing the elephant, although they do not attain the truth, nor do they fail to speak of the elephant. Those who speak of the buddha-nature are also like this: it is not identical to the six dharmas, nor is it apart from the six dharmas. Good sons, therefore I say that sentient beings' buddha-nature is neither form nor apart from form, and so on, up to neither self nor apart from self. Good sons, there are non-Buddhists who, although they speak of having a self, in reality have no self. The "self" of sentient beings is simply the five aggregates; apart from the aggregates, there is no other self. Good sons, for example, stem, leaves, filaments, and receptacle unite to form a lotus flower; apart from these, there is no other flower.' Furthermore, the Buddha said: 'Good sons, these non-Buddhists are as foolish as small children; lacking the skillful means of wisdom, they cannot comprehend permanence and impermanence, suffering and bliss, purity and impurity, self and non-self, lifespan and non-lifespan, sentient beings and non-sentient beings, real and non-real, existence and non-existence. Grasping a small fraction from within the Buddha's Dharma, they falsely imagine the existence of permanence, bliss, self, and purity, yet in reality do not know permanence, bliss, self, and purity. Like a person born blind who does not know the color of milk and asks another: "What is the color of milk like?" The other person answers: "Its color is white like a seashell." The blind person asks again: "Is this color of milk like a seashell sound?" The answer is: "No." He asks again: "What is the color of a seashell like?" The answer is: "It is like rice powder." The blind person asks again: "Is the color of milk soft like rice powder? What is rice powder like?" The answer is: "It is like falling snow." The blind person says again: "Is that rice powder cold like snow? What is snow like?" The answer is: "It is like a white crane." Although this person born blind hears these four analogies, in the end he cannot know the true color of milk. These non-Buddhists are also like this; in the end they cannot know permanence, bliss, self, and purity. Good sons, by this meaning, within my Buddha's Dharma there is the real truth, not among the non-Buddhists.' Now, the real truth is that to which the mirror of the source returns. When one has not yet heard and awakened, and does not faithfully understand it, whatever exposition of Dharma one gives and one's own practice all turn into gates of arising and ceasing and of subduing; they do not enter the ultimate path of non-arising. As the Āmrapālīsūtra states: 'At that time Mañjuśrī asked again: "Is there anyone who clearly knows the characteristic of arising yet non-arising, who is nevertheless detained by arising?" The answer was: "There is. Although they clearly see it themselves, their power is not yet sufficient, and they are detained by arising; this is such a one." He asked again: "Is there anyone who is ignorant and does not recognize the nature of arising, yet is ultimately not detained by arising?" The answer was: "No. Why? If one does not see the nature of arising, although through subduing one slightly attains a peaceful place, that characteristic of non-peace is constantly an object of antidote. If one can see the nature of arising, although one is in a non-peaceful place, the characteristic of peace constantly manifests before one. If one does not know in this way, although one has various superior debates and discussions of profound scriptures, it is just with a mind of arising and ceasing that one speaks those secret and essential words of the true mark. Like a blind person distinguishing colors: based on others' words, they can speak of blue, yellow, red, white, and black, but cannot themselves see the proper mark of color. Those today who cannot see phenomena are also like this. But if those who are now subject to the arising of arising and the death of dying make statements, does it mean that for such a person there is no meaning of birth and death? If one is bound by permanence and impermanence, it is also like this. One should know: can one who greatly attains emptiness not personally attain emptiness, so that an idea of emptiness is spoken of?" Therefore we know that being able to comprehend the non-arising nature of the ten thousand dharmas is attaining the Way. The Mahāprajñāpāramitāsūtra states: 'The Buddha said: "Subhūti, because all dharmas are empty and non-existent, all are not self-determined, and are false and unstable, all dharmas are without arising and without origination, without knowing and without seeing. Furthermore, Subhūti, the nature of all dharmas has nothing to rely upon and nothing to which it is tied. Due to these causes and conditions, they are without arising and without origination, without knowing and without seeing."' The Avataṃsakasūtra states: 'With the seal of true reality, one seals all gates of karma, attains the non-arising of dharmas, and abides where the buddhas abide. Contemplating the nature of non-arising, one seals all realms. Protected and remembered by all buddhas, one generates the mind of dedication; in accord with all dharmatā, one dedicates, entering unconditioned dharmas and accomplishing the skillful means of what is to be done.' Therefore, those who do not understand the purport of mind-only and have not entered the mirror of the source give rise to the defilement of greed and delusion toward non-arising, and cling to environmental conditions within true emptiness; taking them as antidotes, they bring about their transmigration. If they can reflect inward, citta and environment are both tranquil. As the Sarvadharmāpravṛttinirdeśasūtra states: 'If a bodhisattva sees the limit of greed, that itself is the limit of reality; if they see the limit of anger, that itself is the limit of reality; if they see the limit of delusion, that itself is the limit of reality—then they can completely extinguish the sins of karmic hindrances.' And so on, up to: 'Worldly fools, because they do not know the ultimately ceased characteristic of all dharmas, see their own bodies and also see other people. Due to this seeing, they then give rise to karma of body, speech, and mind.' And so on, up to: 'Not seeing the Buddha, not seeing the Dharma, not seeing the Saṅgha—this is not seeing any dharma. If one does not see any dharma, then among dharmas one gives rise to no doubt. Because one gives rise to no doubt, one does not grasp any dharma. Because one does not grasp any dharma, one naturally enters tranquility.' The Acintyabuddhaviṣayanirdeśasūtra states: 'At that time the World-Honoured One addressed the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī again: "Youth, can you comprehend the equal Dharma in which the Tathāgata abides?" The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said: "World-Honoured One, I have already comprehended it." The Buddha said: "Youth, what is the equal Dharma in which the Tathāgata abides?" The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said: "World-Honoured One, the place where all ordinary people give rise to greed, anger, and delusion is the equal Dharma in which the Tathāgata abides." The Buddha said: "Youth, how is the place where all ordinary people give rise to greed, anger, and delusion the equal Dharma in which the Tathāgata abides?" The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said: "World-Honoured One, all ordinary people give rise to greed, anger, and delusion within dharmas that are empty, markless, and wishless. Therefore, the place where all ordinary people give rise to greed, anger, and delusion is the equal Dharma in which the Tathāgata abides." The Buddha said: "Youth, is emptiness an existing dharma, such that you say greed, anger, and delusion exist within it?" The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said: "World-Honoured One, emptiness exists; therefore greed, anger, and delusion also exist." The Buddha said: "Youth, how does emptiness exist? How, further, do greed, anger, and delusion exist?" The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said: "World-Honoured One, emptiness exists by virtue of conventional speech; greed, anger, and delusion also exist by virtue of conventional speech. As the Buddha said: 'Monks, there is the unarisen, the unoriginated, the unmade, the unconditioned, which is not an active conditioned dharma. This unarisen, unoriginated, unmade, unconditioned, which is not an active conditioned dharma, is not non-existent. If it were non-existent, then from the dharmas that arise, originate, are made, and are active formations, there would be no escape. Because it exists, escape is spoken of.' This is also like that: if emptiness did not exist, then from greed, anger, and delusion there would be no escape. Because it exists, detachment from the afflictions of greed and the like is spoken of."' A verse of the Madhyamakaśāstra says: 'From a existent dharma, an existent dharma does not arise, nor does a non-existent dharma arise; from a non-existent dharma, an existent dharma does not arise, nor does a non-existent dharma arise.' Directly explaining the meaning of the verse: an existent dharma is existence, like form, citta, and so on; a non-existent dharma is non-existence, like a rabbit's horns and so on. If an existent dharma arose from an existent dharma, it would be like a mother giving birth to a child; if an existent dharma produced a non-existent dharma, it would be like a person giving birth to a barren woman's child; if a non-existent dharma produced an existent dharma, it would be like a rabbit's horns producing a person; if a non-existent dharma produced a non-existent dharma, it would be like turtle hair producing a rabbit's horns. Therefore the Prajñāprajñaptiśāstra states: 'Furthermore, there is the thought: "If the Tathāgata only realized that nothing is to be attained, the Buddha's Dharma would be single and not boundless." Therefore the sūtra states: "The Tathāgata says that all dharmas are the Buddha's Dharma." What is meant by the Buddha's Dharma? It is simply that nothing is to be attained; never has a single dharma had an attainable nature. Therefore, there is nothing that is not the Buddha's Dharma. How is it that all are completely unobtainable? The sūtra says: "All dharmas are simply not all dharmas." Why are they not? Because of the nature of non-arising. If there is no arising, then there is no nature; why are they called all dharmas? Because within naturelessness, conventional speech is provisionally established. That all dharmas have no nature is simply sentient beings' tathāgatagarbha nature.' Layman Pang's verse says: 'The kalpa fire burns the heavens, yet the heavens are not hot; / The fierce wind blows, yet no sound is heard. / A hundred streams contend to pour into the sea, yet the sea does not overflow; / The five sacred peaks and famous mountains show no form. / Clear and tranquil contemplation leaves no trace; / A thousand paths all together enter non-arising.' Therefore we know that all dharmas take form from intention, and a thousand paths have appearance due to mind. In a single thought of clear tranquility, the ten thousand realms are vast and open; originally identical to the gate of non-duality, all enter the principle of non-arising. Therefore Mahāsattva Fu's 'Hard Journey' says: 'Do you not see / All dharmas are merely provisionally set up in emptiness; / Quietude without a gate is the Dharma gate. / Among all dharmas, mind is the master; / I now no longer find the source of the mind. / Since investigating and searching yields no source of mind, / You should know that all dharmas are entirely without root.' Furthermore, non-arising has two aspects, as the Tongxin lun states: 'First, the non-arising of the dharmatā. The wondrous principle is called "dharma"; the utmost emptiness is called "nature"; being originally so of itself is called "non-arising." Second, the non-arising of dependent origination. Since the environment appears from the mind, it does not arise from other; since the mind arises relying on the environment, it does not arise from self; since mind and environment are distinct, they do not arise together; since they exist due to mutual condition, they do not arise without cause.' It is also said: 'First, non-arising in principle: because the perfected nature is originally unarisen. Second, non-arising in phenomena: because the characteristics of conditioned arising are themselves non-arising.' The Zhiguan states: 'If one interprets the Diamond Sūtra, one shifts the meaning of non-arising and carries it into the gate of non-abiding: various non-abidings, not abiding in form when giving, not abiding in sound, fragrance, and so on when giving. Although dharmas do not abide, abiding in prajñā through the dharma of non-abiding is entering emptiness; abiding in worldly truth through the dharma of non-abiding is entering the provisional; abiding in the true mark through the dharma of non-abiding is entering the middle. This wisdom of non-abiding is itself the vajra samādhi, which can shatter bedrock and gravel and penetrate to the fundamental limit. Furthermore, as Śākyamuni entered the great tranquil meditation and vajra samādhi, and the treatises of Vasubandhu and Asaṅga and the extensive explanations of Kaishan [Zhizang]: how could they go beyond the meaning of non-arising and non-abiding?' If one attains this meaning, across a thousand sūtras and ten thousand treatises, one will be clearly free of doubt. This is the initial chapter of studying contemplation, the foundation of thinking and deliberation, the wondrous wisdom for resolving divergences, and the guiding destination for entering the Way. Its essential framework is vast, complete with phenomena and principle; with one understanding, a thousand follow, and one is at ease in the Dharma gates. Therefore we know that all dharmas exist from non-arising and nature-emptiness: existing yet not existing, not departing from the conventional yet constantly true; non-existing yet existing, not departing from the true yet constantly conventional. Then illusory existence is established and non-arising is revealed, with emptiness and existence distinct; both marks are obliterated and both affairs remain, with the true and conventional distinct and vivid. This, then, is non-arising yet with nothing unarisen, not abiding in the two extremes. As an ancient worthy's verse says: 'Non-arising ultimately does not abide, / The ten thousand images drift in vain. / If one forms an understanding of non-arising, / One is still bound fast by non-arising.'