宗鏡錄 30.5

30.5

Answer: This gate of the one mind is liberation of the true nature. The compassionate command of the ancient Buddhas regarding the liberation of all Buddhas directs us only to seek it within the citta and conduct of living beings, not in any other place. Why is this? It is simply because living beings' citta is the Buddhas' citta, and the Buddhas' liberation is living beings' liberation. Transforming in accordance with conditions, it is nominally called 'living beings'; the nature of conditions is ever empty, and the true Buddha is motionless. It is like ice being originally frozen water: if one wishes to seek water, one should go to the ice. Although ice and water differ, the wet nature is not destroyed; although seasons differ, the substance and nature suffer no deficiency. Believing and entering in this way is called true liberation. As for the remaining Dharma gates, they are not without progress toward the goal, but compared with this source, the difference between sudden and gradual is like that between heaven and earth. It only illuminates the Buddha's wisdom and receives only those of superior capacity. Therefore, in the Lotus assembly, the World-Honoured One personally entrusted all the great bodhisattvas: if one preaches this sūtra, directly entering the Buddha's wisdom, and is able to broadly reveal and explain it, this is truly repaying the Buddha's kindness. For those who do not believe and accept it, one should demonstrate, teach, benefit, and gladden them among the other deep dharmas—that is, expounding the other Dharma gates of liberation. Now, within the mirror of the source, we discuss only the inconceivable liberation.