宗鏡錄 35

English (machine translation) 35

Language: English

35.6 — 4 parts

35.1

Compiled by Zhijue, Chan Master Yanshou, Abbot of Huiri Yongming Monastery.

Now, the expounding of this Dharma gate is an expounding without beginning or end; it has no fixed location, nor any temporal division. Because at the time that has no time, principle is without interruption; and at the place that has no place, the expounding pervades the ten directions. In this way, all Buddhas, by nature of phenomena, constantly turn this inexhaustible wheel of Dharma in inexhaustible worlds, causing all sentient beings to return to the source and revert to the origin, to the end of future time, without resting. The Huayan Commentary says: “When the citta is merged with the ultimate Way, antiquity and modernity are fused into one; the dharmadhātu is unborn, and divisions of time are originally absent. Hence a sūtra verse states: ‘The Buddhas attained bodhi, / Truly not counting the days.’” It also says: “Regarding the substance through which this Perfect Teaching's Dharma gate integrates conditions into reality, there are two aspects: First, gathering the branches into the root, because the sacred teachings flow forth from truth, they are not different from truth. Second, integrating characteristics to reveal nature: all those differentiated teachings and phenomena, being without nature due to arising from conditions, are just tathatā. Therefore, illusory characteristics are originally exhausted, and the true nature is originally manifest. The Tathāgata’s words are entirely in accordance with suchness. Hence the Vajrasamādhi-sūtra says: ‘That which is spoken by me is speech of meaning, not words; that which is spoken by sentient beings is speech of words, not meaning.’ Furthermore, regarding the substance of the non-obstruction of principle and phenomena: although all teachings and phenomena in their entire substance are truth, this does not obstruct the distinct manifestation of phenomenal characteristics such as the twelve divisions; although tathatā in its entire substance constitutes everything, this does not obstruct its single flavor of tranquil impartiality. Now, the one vehicle and three vehicles, one nature and five natures—in terms of capacity there are three, but with respect to the Dharma there is one; in terms of new perfuming there are five, but in original existence there are not two. If one enters principle and brushes both aside, then both three and one perish. If viewed according to the Buddha’s converting forms, then he can be three and he can be one. Therefore, though they contend in grasping right and wrong, the realized are without dispute. Although the five divisions of the Mahāsaṃnipāta differ, they do not depart from the fundamental origin of the dharmadhātu. In the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, each speaks of the cause of the body; the Buddha approves that none is not the correct teaching. The capacity addressed by this Mirror of the Source is subsumed by the Perfect Teaching; thus, being addressed to perfect faculties, it encompasses both the great and the small. Hence a former worthy said: ‘The ocean of teachings is vastly deep, containing all with nothing outside; form and emptiness shine upon each other, and virtuous functions are manifold. Speaking of its horizontal inclusion: the five teachings down to humans and devas, there is none that it does not encompass; only then does its depth and breadth become manifest. It is like the hundred rivers not containing the great ocean, while the great ocean inevitably contains the hundred rivers. Although it contains the hundred rivers, they share the single salty flavor; hence any single drop is vastly different from the hundred rivers. The preceding four teachings do not subsume the Perfect, but the Perfect inevitably subsumes the four. Although it subsumes the four, the Perfect threads through them; therefore, even the ten virtues and five precepts are subsumed by the Perfect Teaching.’ Now, according to the Mirror of the Source: if, regarding the teachings, one speaks solely based upon the one mind, then what teaching is not citta, and what citta is not teaching? The general discerning of all sūtras takes the true dharmadhātu of the one mind as substance. The twelvefold division of teachings spoken by the Tathāgata flows forth directly from within the citta of great compassion; the citta of great compassion flows from subsequent wisdom (pṛṣṭhalabdha-jñāna); subsequent wisdom flows from fundamental wisdom (mūla-jñāna); fundamental wisdom flows forth from the pure dharmadhātu. That is the fundamental origin, having nowhere further from which to flow. There is no phenomenon that exists apart from the dharmadhātu. A verse in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: ‘Never has there been a single phenomenon / That could be apart from the dharmatā.’ This is the origin of delusion and awakening for all sentient beings. If one were not deluded about this, one would not become deluded, because there would be no inverted grasping or transmigrating in birth and death; if one did not awaken to this, one would not become awakened, because there would be no cultivation according to Dharma or realization of the ultimate fruition. Therefore, the one mind of tathatā is the basis of both delusion and awakening. Now, the foundation for establishing the teachings does not go beyond mental discourse; it is evaluated by thought and expounded through speech. Hence Master Ji said: ‘The ultimate principle is clear and tranquil; debates over right and wrong cease their words. Prajñā is profound and abstruse; sentiments of oneness and difference end their deliberation.’ Because sentiments and deliberations cease, it is neither consciousness nor citta; because words and debates end, it is neither sound nor speech. The Dharma is not sound or speech, yet speech pervades dust motes and sands; principle is without consciousness or citta, yet citta encompasses the dharmadhātu. That citta encompasses the dharmadhātu means that non-citta acts as citta; that speech pervades dust motes and sands means that non-speaking serves as speaking. In non-citta acting as citta, citta opens into two kinds; in non-speaking serving as speaking, speech comprises two gates. That citta opens into two kinds means: first, the gate of citta arising and ceasing; second, the gate of citta as tathatā. To explain the gate of arising and ceasing: it is just that the cycling through the three realms is entirely illusory consciousness, and the settling of the four modes of birth is entirely the deluded citta. Glory and disgrace pass as swiftly as a spark from a flint; antiquity and modernity rush by faster than a bouncing ball. This is the gate of arising and ceasing. To explain the gate of tathatā: it is just that the pure amala-vijñāna is as clear and serene as empty space; the bright pearl of the Buddha-nature is as brilliant as the luminous moon. Although concealed and revealed differ, within the skin it is ever brighter; though the conditions of defilement and purity diverge, the dharmakāya remains tranquil and still. This is the gate of tathatā. As for speech comprising two gates: first, when great capacities receive the Dharma, the teaching expounds the full vehicle; second, when small sages hear and contemplate, the canon opens the half-character. Reverend Shenkai said: ‘As for the reason teachings arise: the Tathāgata’s lifelong preaching of Dharma was intended to cause sentient beings to awaken to the Buddha’s vision and knowledge. The Buddha’s vision and knowledge is the so-called impartial true mind. All phenomena are non-dual; the non-dual Dharma is the true nature. The substance of the true nature is free from existence and free from non-existence, neither arising nor ceasing. Principle is inherently and ever true, not revealed by contemplative wisdom; the Way is constantly manifest, truly without obscuration or veil.’ Impartial true mind: in the Faxiang school, the true is wisdom, and using wisdom to realize the true, the three vehicles are without distinction; this is the citta of the true, a genitive compound (tatpuruṣa). In the Faxing school, the true is citta; their substance is the same and their names differ; the true mind is impartiality, an appositional compound (karmadhāraya). Hence a sūtra says: ‘The true treasure of Nirvāṇa—sentient beings enter it through various gates.’ The various gates are what can lead into it, but that which is entered is solely the one Way. It also says: ‘The gates spoken of in the sūtras differ: sometimes letters are the gate, as the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra clarifies the gate of forty-two letters; sometimes contemplative practice is the gate, as the Śāstra clarifies that the bodhisattva cultivates the three samādhis taking the real mark of all phenomena as the object; sometimes wisdom is the gate, as the Lotus Sūtra says: “The gate of their wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter”; sometimes principle is the gate, as the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra says: “Clarifying the unproduced Dharma, without coming and without going, is just the Buddha.”’ Relying on the teaching-gate one penetrates contemplation; relying on the contemplation-gate one penetrates wisdom; relying on the wisdom-gate one penetrates principle. If principle is the gate, where further does it lead? The gates of teaching, contemplation, wisdom, and so forth all rely upon principle. If that which relies is a gate, how could that which is relied upon not be a gate? Although there is nowhere to lead, it ultimately and universally penetrates—this is the marvelous gate. Thus the gate of all marvels is that upon which the one true mind relies. The Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: ‘For example, when the sun rises, it first illuminates the high mountains.’ The sun is an analogy for the Buddha; the light is an analogy for the expounding of the teaching. The sun is unconditioned compassion: not rising, it rises; responding to the stimulation of sentient capacities, not shining, it shines. Expounding the Avataṃsaka is like the high mountains; expounding the Vaipulya is like mealtime; expounding the Prajñā is like mid-morning; expounding the Lotus is like midday; expounding the Nirvāṇa is like the flat ground. If great bodhisattvas receive the light of prajñā, it is the function of all phenomena. People of the two vehicles, since they lack this function, are like a seven-day-old infant: if looking at the sun's disc, its eyes lose their sight, because avidyā is entirely present, forfeiting the light of all-knowledge. The dark realization of heterodox practitioners is like walking at night, because they have not yet received the illumination of the correct teaching. The bodhisattva’s benefiting of others is like midday, performing tasks and exercising active service. Yet flat ground and high mountains equally receive the sunlight; small faculties and great vessels both partake of the teaching’s light. In terms of that which illuminates, there is neither shallow nor deep; with respect to that which is illuminated, before and after naturally divide. It is like the equal bestowing of the great cart, or a single rain universally moistening; the Way is beyond beginning and end, and principle is without partiality. If one attains the light of the one vehicle of the Mirror of the Source, the impartial great wisdom, it benefits both self and others, without any distinction whatsoever. Hence the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: ‘For example, suppose someone smears a great drum with fresh poison, and strikes it in the midst of a crowd to produce sound; even if they have no desire in mind to hear it, if there are any who hear it, both near and far all die; only one person is excluded who does not die an untimely death, namely the icchantika.’ To break the delusion of avidyā the moment one hears it is called dying near; when hearing it brings no immediate benefit but creates a cause for future lives, it is called dying far. The Mohe zhiguan explains: ‘The correct cause of the citta-nature of all sentient beings is compared to milk. Hearing the Dharma of the revealing cause is called applying poison. The correct cause is uninterrupted, just as the four subtle elements of milk remain constant, even though the five flavors change. Therefore, the poison follows the four subtle elements, killing in every flavor. The citta-nature of sentient beings is also like this: the correct cause is indestructible, and the poison of the revealing cause, according to whether the correct is relaxed or urgent, takes effect everywhere. It may take effect through principle, through teaching, through practice, or through realization. As when a pratyekabuddha of sharp faculties whose faculties have ripened appears in an age without a Buddha and naturally attains awakening: taking effect through principle is like this. When wholesome roots have been planted for long, even if one does not hear the Perfect Teaching in this life, the poison of the revealing cause spontaneously takes effect. If one attains awakening upon hearing the Avataṃsaka like the sun illuminating the high mountains, this is taking effect through teaching. If upon hearing one contemplates, and through contemplation attains awakening, this is taking effect through contemplative practice. If at the stage of the purity of the six faculties one advances to break avidyā, this is taking effect through resemblance realization. If upon the path of seeing (darśanamārga) one reduces rebirths, this is also taking effect through realization.’ Now, relying on the Huayan, five teachings are established; Tiantai establishes four teachings, up to eight teachings. For now, regarding the Huayan establishing five teachings on the one mind, discussing them in terms of consciousness: First, as in the Hīnayāna teaching, there are only the six consciousnesses; as for the ālaya, it attains only its name. Second, the Initial Teaching of the Mahāyāna attains only one portion of the meaning of arising and ceasing; because its true principle cannot yet penetrate substance, it only says that it is motionless and does not produce phenomena. Third, the Final Teaching of the Mahāyāna: with respect to this ālaya, it attains the common substance of principle and phenomena; the non-arising-and-ceasing and arising-and-ceasing are united, neither identical nor different. This is because it accepts that tathatā accords with conditions to produce phenomena. Because the pure phenomena perfumed by the ālayavijñāna and the defiled phenomena capable of perfuming are each distinct, they are not identical. Because that which perfumes and that which is perfumed are made solely by the one mind and there is nothing else, they are not different. The Initial Teaching is spoken with respect to the gate of distinction in phenomenal characteristics; the Final Teaching is spoken with respect to the gate of mutual accommodation between substance and characteristics, being the true mind of the ultimate truth. That is to say, based on the nature of the tathāgatagarbha, the various destinies and so forth exist. Fourth, the Sudden Teaching: all phenomena are solely the one true mind; differentiated characteristics are exhausted; it is free from speech and beyond deliberation, ineffable. Because all characteristics of defilement and purity are exhausted, and there are no two phenomena that could be comprehended, it is ineffable. This is like the entry into the gate of non-duality shown by Vimalakīrti. Fifth, the Perfect Teaching: spoken with respect to that which arises from the dharmadhātu of the round and bright sea of nature; it is solely the nature of the one dharmadhātu. Arising as mind, it is endowed with the ten virtues.”

35.3

Question: How can the one mind, when approached in terms of the various teachings, have such differentiated meanings?

35.4

Answer: Comprehensively gathered in terms of phenomena, because of this, the profound, arising one mind possesses five gateways of meaning, according with any single practice to guide and transform sentient beings: First, the Hīnayāna: the gateway of gathering meaning into name. Second, the initial teaching: the gateway of gathering principle into phenomenon. Third, the final teaching: the gateway of the non-obstruction of principle and phenomenon. Fourth, the sudden teaching: the gateway wherein phenomena are exhausted and principle is revealed. Fifth, the complete teaching: the gateway wherein the ocean of nature is replete with virtues. The characteristics of the five meanings are revealed, yet they evolve solely from the one mind. The Mìmì Yì Jì states: 'Sons of the Buddha! Listen carefully! For example, take a treasure in a dark house: because people do not know of it, and because there is no lamplight, someone groping and touching it mistakenly takes it to be venom from a snake. Due to this mistake, the toxic vapor enters the body, the body swells up, and they suffer all kinds of distress. A wise person, seeing this, immediately takes a lamplight and reveals the beneficial treasure. The person who had been bitten then sees this treasure, and the toxic vapor within the body is instantly cured and eliminated. Because they obtain this treasure, they fly through the air without obstruction; when people see them, they show reverence; and all malicious ones face them with minds of benevolence, their malice extinguished. Because they have no enemies, they attain fearlessness; and because they have fearlessness, they are secure and joyful. Practitioners are also like this. Because they do not know the treasure of real virtues within the house of dharmatā, they are afflicted by eighty-four thousand defilements. Because they know to draw near to good spiritual friends and hear the Dharma, they overturn the defilements and impurities, making them into eighty-four thousand dharmas of the factors of enlightenment, eliminating attachments to spontaneity. They also know that causes and conditions are empty; they also know that the Buddha-nature is eternal; they also know that the path of words is cut off and the place of mental activity is extinguished; and they awaken to the conditioned arising of the dharmadhātu. Consequently, all phenomena do not go from one stage to another stage; they are unified within this pure mind. Therefore, all kleśas and all pure minds do not come from another place; they are merely the turning over of a single hand. The wise need have no doubts.' Furthermore, as in the previous metaphor, the real treasure in the dark house reveals the pure Dharma-gate to counter impure dharmas. Counteractive measures are fivefold: First is the Hīnayāna teaching, which counteracts non-Buddhists who do not rely on causes and conditions and give rise to attachment to spontaneity. Second is the initial teaching, which counteracts the Hīnayāna's attachment to existence based on causes and conditions. All those preceding this are called conditioned arising of the conditioned. Third is the final teaching, which counteracts the initial teaching's attachment that all phenomena are impermanent, suffering, empty, and non-self. This is called the conditioned arising of the unconditioned. Because tathatā accords with conditions, it is called the conditioned arising of the unconditioned. Fourth is the sudden teaching, which counteracts the final teaching's thought after thought fluttering about, giving rise to verbal explanations. This is the conditioned arising of one's own substance: exhausting the source and plumbing the nature, not a single thought arises, hence it is one's own substance. Fifth is the complete teaching, which counteracts the sudden teaching's silent discourse, where the place of mental activity is extinguished and all returns to the tranquil source, unable [to realize] the sovereignty of the one being identical to the all and the all being identical to the one, and so forth. This conditioned arising of the dharmadhātu is fully endowed with movement and stillness; hence it is called nature-arising, harmoniously merging without obstruction, grasping and discarding entirely exhausted, where the three poisons are themselves the Buddha. Although the Hīnayāna applies counteractive measures as they arise, it only knows the sixth consciousness, not knowing that all phenomena exist due to the mind. When one speaks of 'mind', it is the eight consciousness mind-kings. Furthermore, the Hīnayāna does not know the mind of permanence, bliss, self, and purity: because it is the master of the ten thousand phenomena, because it is unobtainable, and because it is like empty space, it cannot be counteracted. Although it has such dharmas, because it does not know their cause, does not know that the ten thousand phenomena exist due to the mind, and does not awaken to the mind's source, it merely grasps small fruits and universally annihilates form to grasp emptiness. If one does not annihilate form to grasp emptiness, but knows that form is itself emptiness, one can enter the initial teaching. Next, persons of the initial teaching say that all phenomena arising in the sequence described above exist as transformations of consciousness, and that nothing exists outside of consciousness. 'Consciousness' is the eighth consciousness. In terms of the nature of consciousness, it is also unobtainable. As soon as one realizes this mind, one knows that all phenomena are born of causes and conditions, and that what is conditionally arisen lacks self-nature. Although one realizes this dharma, there is still momentary arising and ceasing, hence it is called conditioned; because one realizes immutable tathatā. Next, persons of the final teaching say that all phenomena do not go beyond the one mind. This one mind is, for example, like the wet nature of the great ocean; all phenomena that depend on the one mind are like the billowing waves of the great ocean. Although waves are gathered into water, the billowing waves are not annihilated; although billowing waves arise in profusion, the tranquil water is not diminished. Thus, although the ten thousand objects are gathered into the one mind, the ten thousand objects are not diminished; although the ten thousand objects arise in profusion, the one mind is not diminished. Why is this? Because they are what the one mind possesses. Therefore, the true encompasses the false ends, and the false reaches the true source; nature and characteristics merge harmoniously, and the root and branch are equal. Although self-nature is unborn, karmic fruits are not lost; although karmic fruits are not lost, self-nature is unborn. Although one attains the one mind, one does not attain the inexhaustible, hence one does not attain the layer upon layer; therefore it is called the one real truth. The teachings prior to this, relying on gradual stages and ranks, are termed the gradual teachings. Next, as for the sudden teaching: not a single thought arising is itself the Buddha. Why is this? All phenomena have originally and always had the characteristic of tranquility. Down to sentient beings and up to all buddhas, nothing whatsoever that is done leaves out even a single hair, and all are like a dream; hence attaining Buddhahood and delivering sentient beings are still subsumed within this dream. It does not clarify the many within the one, the one within the many, the one being identical to the many, the many being identical to the one, and so forth. Next, what the complete teaching clarifies illuminates its meaning through the ten-and-ten inexhaustible, and distinguishes its characteristics through the ten-and-ten layer upon layer: whichever is picked up serves as master, and the ten thousand phenomena serve as companions; because the master does not obstruct the companions and the companions do not obstruct the master, both pervade the dharmadhātu.

35.5

Question: Regarding what was spoken of above as layer upon layer and inexhaustible: what thing is layer upon layer, what thing is inexhaustible, what dharma is vast and great, what dharma is harmoniously merged, what dharma contains [all], and what dharma is secret?

35.6.1

Answer: It is simply the citta-characteristics of all ordinary beings and sages that are layer upon layer, and the citta-nature that is inexhaustible. This citta is vast; this citta is consummate and interfused; this citta encompasses all; this citta is esoteric. If there were no such one mind as the source, then among the gates of the teaching not a single dharma could arise, and the buddhas would not have a single word to speak. Having wholly returned to the purport of the citta, having extensively prepared the faculties of faith, consummate understanding being already complete, and not the slightest doubt arising, one must not rely solely on spoken words; the secret lies in practice in the citta. Simply use the water of concentration to secretly clarify, and the lamp of wisdom to shine ever more brightly. If one solely adheres to the texts to seek principle, clinging to the teachings to talk about the source, it is like entering the sea to count the grains of sand or looking up at the sky to number the stars: in the end one never sees it directly, and strays ever farther from the Way. An ancient said: 'Like heaven and earth thundering all day long, it does not equal the true principle.' Therefore, the student discards the texts to grasp the principle, sitting upright and stilling the feelings, beholding directly with the eye of the citta. This is called dwelling exclusively on a single object, cultivating the superior cause of concentration. Furthermore, as for the meaning of the Consummate Teaching: root and branch are interfused; principle and phenomenon are unobstructed. When speaking of the true and the false, ordinary beings and sages are luminously interpenetrating; when speaking of the dharmadhātu, principle and phenomenon distinctly contain each other. In a single verse on the Buddha's vision and knowledge, it is revealed without omission; in a single chapter on the Great Nirvāṇa, its substance and function are thoroughly exhausted. As the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'There is no tathatā outside of wisdom for wisdom to enter, nor is there wisdom outside of tathatā that can realize tathatā.' It also says: 'There is no slight dharma that abides together with dharma.' Because when one adduces citta to subsume the object, there is no object outside of citta; when one adduces the object to subsume citta, there is no citta outside of the object. Because the nature has no duality of characteristics—characteristics are precisely nature—characteristics are interfused along with nature, and along with any one [characteristic], all are subsumed. Thus, outside nature there are no characteristics, so what dharma is not interfused? Within principle phenomena are established, so what gate cannot be entered? It can be described as bodhi wherever the eye touches, consummate realization in a single thought. Therefore, the Anantanirdeśa-sūtra says: 'Innumerable meanings are born from a single dharma; that single dharma is what is called signlessness.' The ancients said: 'This is the meaning of emergence.' The Lotus Sūtra says: 'Ultimately arriving at the stage of all-knowledge'; this is the dharma of gathering in. Thus the ten thousand transformations of the triyāna are born from the true characteristic, and ultimately return again to the one true characteristic. Thus beginning and end are not separated from the one mind; root and branch both abide in their proper positions. As the Lotus Sūtra says: 'In citta and characteristic, [they] personally believe; entering and exiting without difficulty.' One can thereby know the estate of the Mahāyāna, inheriting the stage of the buddha-lineage. Furthermore, initially the one produces the innumerable; later, the innumerable returns to the one. Now, the innumerable is not innumerable, and the one is also not one: this is precisely the realization of the Lotus Samādhi. Furthermore, the reason past virtuous ones designated it the 'Ocean of Teaching' is that it contains all dharmas, analogized to the great ocean: laterally it has no bounds, joining the sky in a single hue; empty space penetrates to the bottom of the ocean, and the ocean reflects empty sky. This is the Consummate Teaching: comprehensively subsuming all teachings to return to the true, all are utterly empty and pure; principle and phenomenon are unobstructed, like the mutual reflection of form and emptiness: form does not obstruct emptiness, and emptiness does not obstruct form. Virtues and functions are layer upon layer, being solely luminous and solely profound; endowed with the ten profound gates, layer upon layer without end, which is phenomenon-and-phenomenon non-obstruction. Like the ten virtues of the ocean mutually pervading, the ocean of citta contains all, profound and vast without limit. Therefore, the Dhāraṇī-sūtra of the Lord of the Country's Realm says in a verse: 'A single syllable expounds all dharmas; / for many kalpas there is no end. / Each and every syllable-gate is likewise so: / this is dwelling in the ground of the jewel-casket mantra.' Master Daosheng's commentary on the Lotus Sūtra says of the passage: 'A single hair of goodness, / raising a hand or bowing the head, / all have already realized buddhahood'—saying: 'Nothing is not an outflow of the Buddha; this is the purport of Nirvāṇa. Even non-Buddhist texts are also an outflow of the Buddhadharma; how much more so the internal dharma!' Because teachings great and small all flow from the Tathāgata's great compassion. From this we know that there is not a single dharma that does not emerge from the source of citta and emptiness of nature, like water coming forth from a source, or clouds coming forth from empty space. Because the Tathāgatas of the ten directions realize citta to become buddhas, the Buddha is simply citta; and all the ten thousand goods, ten thousand virtues, compassion, wisdom, vows, and practices without exception flow forth from this. Furthermore, to discuss the five teachings in terms of the Essay on the Golden Lion: First, although this lion is a dharma of causes and conditions, arising and ceasing from thought to thought, there is in truth no lion to be found. This is called the dharma of foolish persons, which is the Śrāvaka Teaching. Second, precisely these conditioned dharmas are each devoid of own-nature, being thoroughly nothing but empty. This is called the Initial Teaching of the Mahāyāna. Third, although it is thoroughly nothing but empty, it does not obstruct the illusory dharmas from remaining distinctly present; conditioned arising is illusory existence, and both characteristics are simultaneously maintained. This is called the Final Teaching of the Mahāyāna. Fourth, precisely these two characteristics of lion and gold mutually negate each other and both vanish; conceptual graspings do not persist, neither having any power; emptiness and existence are both extinguished; the path of words and speech is severed, and there is nowhere for the citta to lodge. This is called the Sudden Teaching of the Mahāyāna. Fifth, precisely this dharma in which feelings are exhausted and substance is exposed blends into a single whole; its great functions profusely arise, its arising inevitably being wholly the true; the ten thousand images are multifarious, intermingling without disorder; all is the one, identical in having no nature; the one is all, causes and effects distinctly apparent; power and function mutually subsume, folding up and unfolding with complete freedom. This is called the Consummate Teaching of the Ekayāna. This is called the Supreme Yāna. Next, Tiantai establishes the four teachings: First, the Tripiṭaka Teaching, which clarifies the principle of the four noble truths of arising and ceasing through causes and conditions; its primary teaching is the Hīnayāna, while incidentally converting bodhisattvas. Second, the Pervasive Teaching, which the three kinds of persons receive in common, clarifying the four true truths of unarisen causes and conditions that are empty as they are; it is primarily for bodhisattvas, and incidentally extends to the two vehicles; its teaching, principle, wisdom, elimination of defilements, practice, stages, cause, and effect are all empty, realized by the three kinds of persons in common. Both the Tripiṭaka and Pervasive teachings fail to recognize the permanently abiding true citta, and both take the cessation of the citta as the ultimate fruit. Third, the Distinct Teaching, which is a designation for what is not shared, clarifying the principle of the immeasurable four noble truths of nominal designations through causes and conditions; it concerns the conversion of bodhisattvas and is not shared with the two vehicles. As for its difference in teaching, it fully expounds Buddhadharmas numerous as the sands of the Ganges, distinctively for bodhisattvas; as for its difference in principle, the storehouse consciousness contains principles of conventional truth numerous as the sands of the Ganges, extending to its wisdom, elimination of defilements, practice, stages, cause, and effect, all of which are distinct from the phenomena of the other three teachings. Although it knows the principle that the one mind is inexhaustibly non-empty, it is not yet complete in the present, still awaiting sequential arising; it clings to the pedagogical path without interfusion, and establishes distinctions based on graduated stages. Fourth, the Consummate Teaching.

35.6.2

First, the one produces the immeasurable: this clarifies the doctrine and principle of the inconceivable conditioned arising and the non-active four noble truths. It correctly expounds the Middle Way: namely, all dharmas are the perfect principle, without bias. As for the perfection of wisdom: when one is accomplished, all are accomplished. As for the perfection of eradication: without eradication, there is eradication. As for the perfection of practice: one mind is completely endowed with the myriad practices. As for the perfection of stages: one stage is completely endowed with all stages. As for the perfection of causes: it doubly illuminates the two truths, naturally flowing into the ocean of sarvajñā. As for the perfection of fruits: it is the wondrous awakening and inconceivable fruit of the three virtues. That is, a single moment of mind is perfectly endowed with the dharmadhātu. Explaining the four teachings in terms of contemplating the mind: the Commentary on Vimalakīrti says, 'Now we only discuss the operation and function of the mind itself, recognizing that all doctrinal gateways arise from the contemplative practice of the initial mind. Since the four teachings subsume all scriptural teachings, if in a single moment the contemplation of the mind is distinct and clear, and one can discern the mind produced by the conditioned arising of a single moment of avidyā, the fourfold eloquence being evident, then the overarching purport of all scriptural teachings is thoroughly understood in terms of contemplating the mind.' Regarding this, there are four points: First, explaining the characteristics of the Tripiṭaka teaching in terms of contemplating the mind: this is contemplating the arising and ceasing of the mind produced by conditioned arising in a single moment, analyzing the conventional to enter emptiness. In terms of the portal of contemplation, it gives rise to all the Tripiṭaka teachings. If one enters the Way by contemplating the four noble truths of arising and ceasing, this is the Sūtra Piṭaka. Thus the Ekottarika-āgama says: 'The Buddha addressed the monks: "What is called 'all dharmas' is just one dharma. What is this one dharma? The mind is this one dharma. Apart from the mind, there are no dharmas at all."' The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'From the Sūtra of Turning the Dharma Wheel up to the Mahāparinirvāṇa, the Sūtra Piṭaka was compiled.' This is merely explaining the four noble truths in terms of the arising and ceasing of the mind, which is the meaning of 'dharmas returning to the root of dharmas.' Contemplating the mind gives rise to all the Vinaya Piṭaka: when the Buddha instituted the precepts, he asked the monks, 'With what mind did you do it?' If one did it with intention, that is a violation of the precepts. Because there is violation, there is keeping [the precepts]. If one did it unintentionally, it is not called a violation. The sense of violation being unestablished, keeping is not spoken of. Therefore, the precepts arise from gravity of mind; without mind, precepts do not arise. As for saying that the Abhidharma Piṭaka arises from the mind: the brief exposition in four fascicles is named the Abhidharmahṛdaya (*Heart of Abhidharma*). Dharmatrāta's intermediate exposition is named the Samyuktābhidharmahṛdaya (*Miscellaneous Heart of Abhidharma*). That they distinguish the Abhidharma's incomparable teachings in this way is entirely in terms of the mind: discerning all states of mind and mental factors, all dharmas are incomparable. Second, explaining the shared teaching in terms of contemplating the mind: contemplating that all dharmas are produced by the mind's conditioned arising, when the mind is empty, then all dharmas are empty. This is embodying the conventional to enter emptiness. All practices, stages, causes, and fruits explained in the shared teaching arise from this. Third, explaining the distinct teaching in terms of contemplating the mind: contemplating that what is produced by the mind's conditioned arising is conventional designation, completely endowed with all the sands-of-the-Ganges Buddha-dharmas. Relying on the avidyā-ālayavijñāna, it discerns the immeasurable noble truths. All practices, stages, causes, and fruits explained in the distinct teaching arise from this. Fourth, explaining the perfect teaching in terms of contemplating the mind: contemplating that what is produced by the mind's conditioned arising is completely endowed with all dharmas of the ten dharmadhātus, without accumulation, neither vertical nor horizontal, the inconceivable principle of the Middle Way and the two truths. All practices, stages, causes, and fruits explained in the perfect teaching arise from this, like the bright jewel on the crown of a cakravartin. Thus, the four teachings all arise from a single moment of the mind of avidyā. The repeated citations above from the Avataṃsakasūtra, clarifying that crushing a fine particle of dust yields a sūtra scroll of the great trichiliocosm, have their intended meaning here. Furthermore, in terms of sudden, gradual, indeterminate, and esoteric, combining these with the preceding four teachings establishes eight teachings in total. First, the sudden teaching: as in the Avataṃsaka, where there is no śrāvaka vehicle; hence it is called sudden. Second, the gradual teaching: namely the Tripiṭaka, Vaipulya, and Prajñā, gradually leading into the perfect teaching. Third, the indeterminate teaching: meaning one voice, diverse understandings; or preaching the great and attaining the small fruit, or preaching the small and attaining the great path; hence it is called indeterminate. Fourth, the esoteric teaching: this has two kinds: 1. the overt-esoteric, meaning being in the same assembly but hearing differently, without attaining the path, their fruits mutually unknown; hence it is called esoteric; 2. the secret-esoteric, which only the Buddhas can realize, secretly causing sentient beings to attain awakening, impossible to point out. Combining these with the preceding four teachings forms the eight teachings. Furthermore, the teachings are divided into five flavors. The Treatise says: Kātyāyanīputra's clarifying the limits and fulfillment of the six pāramitās is the seasoning of sentient beings of mixed blood into milk. The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā says: the bodhisattva's giving rise to the mind in accord with sarvajñā is the desire to season milk into curd. The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā says: the bodhisattva's giving rise to the mind to disport in spiritual penetrations and purify Buddha-lands; and as in the Vimalakīrti, those who attain the inconceivable liberation are all able to transform their bodies and ascend the seats, yet can also accept humbling and being rebuked—this is the desire to season curd into butter and bring it to clarified butter. The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā says: the bodhisattva's giving rise to the mind, immediately sitting beneath the tree of the Way, realizing right awakening, turning the wheel of the Dharma, and delivering sentient beings is seasoning clarified butter into ghee. This is opening one from one to guide capacities suited for curd and butter, and later gathering the one back to the one to mature the assembly suited for ghee. Ultimately there is no separate dharma; there is only unfolding and rolling up, origin and trace mutually subsuming, capacity and response darkly coalescing. Furthermore, they are divided into half-letter and full-letter teachings: the Hīnayāna is the half; the Mahāyāna is the full. Also, the triyāna is the half; the ekayāna is the full. As the Nirvāṇasūtra explains the half-word and the full-word, when the half-word is spoken, the half-word is manifest and the full-word is hidden. When the full-word is spoken today, the full-word is manifest and the half-word is hidden. This is speaking of the hidden and manifest according to conditions. It is also like the Chapter on the Parable of the Moon: here one sees a half [moon], elsewhere one sees a full [moon], yet the nature of that moon fundamentally has neither waxing nor waning; seen according to conditions, there is increase and decrease. This is spoken within the Mahāyāna tradition. As Dharma Master Zhiyan discerns based on the Huayan ekayāna tradition: without waiting for speaking or not speaking, it is constantly half and constantly full, with no separate times for hidden and manifest. Like the nature of that moon, it is constantly full and constantly half; increase and decrease share no separate course. This is precisely identical to the Dharma gate recorded in the Mirror of the Source: hidden, it is the one mind without marks; manifest, it displays the forms of the myriad dharmas. Without destroying before and after, it is simultaneous; constantly abiding in one limit, yet it has before and after. When it should unfold, it rolls up; when it should roll up, it unfolds. Therefore we know: illuminate the mind through the teaching.

35.6.3

Explaining the teachings by means of the mind: everything spoken by the buddhas is one's own mind. The Fuxing ji cites a verse from the Avataṃsaka-sūtra: / "The buddhas fully know / That everything turns according to mind. / If one can understand in this way, / That person truly sees the Buddha." / The Ratnagotravibhāga says: "A person of supernormal powers saw the disappearance of the Buddha's Dharma, and concealed the scrolls of scriptures of the great trichiliocosm within a single speck of dust." Also, the Avataṃsaka says: "Excellent, excellent! How is it that the Tathāgata is present within the body yet [sentient beings] are unaware?" Therefore, it is clear that the objects of the four noble truths and the twelve links of dependent origination, and the eighty-four thousand dharma-gates, do not go beyond the one mind. If one grasps this meaning, then the eight years of broadly expounding the Lotus [Sūtra] are present in a single thought-moment; passing through fifty kalpas—how could that stir a single kṣaṇa? By analogy, an entire lifetime of adapting to capacities resides within the nature of the mind; the buddha-deeds of the ten directions are vividly before one's eyes. Even up to the three virtues of nirvāṇa, they reside within the one mind; thus an entire vast scripture is fully marked upon one's own heart. Boundless dharmas of the teaching are gathered into a single kṣaṇa. Thousands of branches and ten thousand leaves share the one root as their source; numerous texts and all sūtras without exception expound the one dharma. As cited above, the passages on the five flavors, the eight teachings, the half and the full, and so forth, although they classify and judge the teachings of a whole lifetime, are nevertheless all harmoniously gathered into the one mind and entirely comprehended by the one principle. Divided, yet not many; gathered, yet not one; dispersed, yet not different; united, yet not identical. Dharma-doors numerous as the sands of the Ganges and inexhaustible purports all appear within the mirror of the source of the One Vehicle's perfect teaching. Therefore, an ancient worthy said: "Match it to the mind, and thereafter take it as dharma. In the mind it is dharma; expressed in words it is teaching. Dharmas have their own characteristics (svalakṣaṇa) and common characteristics (sāmānyalakṣaṇa); the teachings have negative definition (apoha) and positive presentation." Therefore we know that although they are divided in terms of phenomena, in terms of principle they are always united. Even when opened into dharma-gates numerous as the sands of the Ganges, they ultimately do not depart from the purport of the one mind. If skillful means are opened and revealed from within the one mind to constitute the traces of the teachings, one cannot fix their provisionality and reality, or their temporal sequence of earlier and later, because these are a period of skillful means employed by the Tathāgata to adapt to capacities. One must not secretly give rise to a fixed interpretation and thereby deviate from the true Dharma. As the Fahua xuanyi says: In terms of the mutual completion of the five flavors and the half and full: if one merely discusses the five flavors, it is like the southern masters, who grasped only the skillful means; if one merely discusses the half and full, it is like the northern masters, who grasped only the reality. Now we clarify that the five flavors are not separated from the half and the full, and the half and the full are not separated from the five flavors. When the five flavors possess the half and full, there is understanding of skillful means through wisdom; when the half and full possess the five flavors, there is understanding of wisdom through skillful means. Provisional and real travel together like the two wings of a bird. Although traveling together, activity and concealment find their proper place: in the Avataṃsaka, the sudden and full family business of the Great Vehicle explains only the one reality without needing skillful means; it is solely full and not half, which in the gradual [sequence] corresponds to fresh milk. The guest laborer of the Tripiṭaka is merely skillful means; it is solely half and not full, which in the gradual [sequence] corresponds to curd. In the Vaipulya's reproaches and admonitions, the half and full stand opposite each other, using the full to rebuke the half; in the gradual [sequence] this corresponds to raw butter. In the Great Chapter's (Prajñāpāramitā) taking charge of the teaching, it carries the half to discuss the full: the half applies generally to the three vehicles, while the full applies uniquely to the bodhisattvas; in the gradual [sequence] this corresponds to clarified butter. In the Lotus Sūtra's bequest of property, it discards the half to explain the full: if there were no half-word skillful means to mature the dull-witted, there would also be no full-word revealing of the Buddha's knowledge and vision; in the gradual [sequence] this corresponds to ghee. That the Tathāgata earnestly praised skillful means was because the half possesses the efficacy of completing the full; this was his intention. Next, distinguishing them in terms of contemplation: the Yogācāra school establishes two kinds of contemplation; the Huayan school establishes four contemplations; the Tiantai teaching establishes three contemplations; and the gate of Samantabhadra establishes ten contemplations. As for the two contemplations of Yogācāra: first, the contemplation of mind-and-consciousness-only; second, the contemplation of the reality of tathatā. The Scripture on Skillful Means for Progressing Toward the Great Vehicle says: "If one cultivates faith and understanding based on the realm of the one reality, one should practice two kinds of paths of contemplation: first, the contemplation of mind-and-consciousness-only; second, the contemplation of the reality of tathatā. As for practicing the contemplation of mind-and-consciousness-only: at all times and in all places, following all actions produced by body, speech, and mind, one should observe them all and know that they are consciousness-only. Even regarding all objective realms, if the mind turns toward them in thought, one should observe and know them all, not letting the mind engage in neutral conditions without self-awareness. In thought-moment after thought-moment, one should observe everything: following whatever conditioned thoughts the mind has, one should make the mind follow those thoughts and cause the mind to know itself. Having known, [one realizes that] it is the inner mind itself that produces ideations and thoughts, not that all objective realms possess thought or conceptual distinction. That is, the inner mind itself produces views such as long and short, good and bad, right and wrong, gain and loss, decline and prosperity, existence and non-existence, and countless thoughts, while all objective realms have never had thought or given rise to conceptual distinction. One should know that all objective realms are themselves devoid of conceptual thought; therefore they are intrinsically neither long nor short, neither good nor bad, up to neither existing nor non-existing, separated from all characteristics. Observing all dharmas in this way, they are produced solely from mental ideation. If separated from the mind, not a single dharma or characteristic could see itself as having distinctions." As for the contemplation of the reality of tathatā: contemplating that the nature of mind is without arising and without ceasing, not abiding in seeing, hearing, perceiving, or knowing, forever free from all thoughts of conceptual distinction. As for the four contemplations of Huayan: this is based on the dharmadhātu of tathatā of the one mind; in terms of the distribution and perfect interpenetration of principle and phenomena, four kinds of dharmadhātu are established. In correspondene to these dharmadhātus, there are four kinds of gates of contemplation. As for these four gates of contemplation, dharmas are originally like this, so one contemplates in accordance with the dharmas, hence it is called 'contemplation': 1. The contemplation of phenomena, which means that delusion and awakening, cause and effect, defilement and purity are distinct. 2. The contemplation of principle, which means that self and dharmas are both empty, equal in a single characteristic. 3. The contemplation of the non-obstruction of principle and phenomena, which means that they pervade each other, conceal and reveal, complete and appropriate each other, unobstructed at the same time. 4. The contemplation of the non-obstruction of phenomena and phenomena, which means that observing phenomenal dharmas are merged through principle, they are mutually identical and mutually interpenetrating, endlessly layered without limit. If one relies on this unobstructed contemplation of the one mind, thought-moment after thought-moment is the Huayan dharmadhātu; thought-moment after thought-moment is the Vairocana dharmadhātu. The sūtra says: "If one accords with such practice of contemplation, one does not give rise to dualistic understanding regarding dharmas, and all buddhadharmas swiftly appear before one." As for the three contemplations of the Tiantai teaching: The Meaning of the Three Contemplations says: "A tube of three inches ensures the seasonal vapors do not decay; a gnomon of one foot can measure the morning sun. From this we know that for those who grasp the Way, could it ever be far away?"

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宗鏡錄 — Classical Chinese