宗鏡錄 36.32

36.32

Answer: To guard against the moment of arising, principle must illuminate. Arising and non-arising are both illuminated; illumination and non-illumination both perish; perishing and non-perishing are both obliterated; obliteration and non-obliteration are completely limpid. Only in this way is the contemplation of entering emptiness accomplished. Therefore it is said: 'One does not see arising and illuminating, yet arising and illuminating are vividly present.' As with all the gates of contemplation explained above, the purport of the one mind has an evident and clear principle. Although understanding is distinct, practice must secretly unite with it. Due to understanding, practice is accomplished; when practice is accomplished, understanding is severed. One must not solely cling to understanding, turning one's back on the Way and talking of the source. Only when practice and understanding correspond with each other is the mirror of the source made clear.

As explained in the Śūraṅgamasūtra, it is entirely for the sake of seeing the nature and cultivating practice, and does not accept [merely] extensive learning, intellectual knowledge, and understanding. Therefore, the Tathāgata reproved Ānanda, saying:
'This is not your own arduous realization and cultivation through successive kalpas. Even though you memorized and retained the pure, wonderful principles of the twelve divisions of scriptures of the Tathāgatas of the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, it only adds to conceptual proliferation. Although you have expounded upon causes, conditions, and spontaneity with definitive clarity, and the people of the world praise you as foremost in extensive learning, because of the habituation of this extensive learning accumulated over kalpas, you were unable to escape the disaster with Mātaṅgī.'

And further, Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying:
'World-Honoured One, although I have now received such Dharma sounds and know that the wonderful, enlightened, and luminous mind of the tathāgatagarbha pervades the realms of the ten directions, containing and nurturing the lands of the Tathāgatas of the ten directions, the pure, precious, adorned realms of the Wonderful Enlightenment King, the Tathāgata has again reproved extensive learning as being without merit and not reaching cultivation. I am now like an itinerant wanderer who is suddenly granted a magnificent palace by a heavenly king; although I have obtained a great mansion, I must enter through the door. I only wish that the Tathāgata, not relinquishing his great compassion, will show those of us in the assembly who are benighted how to abandon the Hīnayāna and definitively attain the Tathāgata's nirvāṇa without remainder, the path of original aspiration; and cause those who still have training to know from where to subdue past conditioned clingings, obtain dhāraṇī, and enter the Buddha's knowledge and vision.'

Therefore, the Buddha told Ānanda:
'You have constantly heard me expound in the Vinaya the three definitive meanings of cultivation. Namely: collecting the mind constitutes the precepts; based on precepts, concentration arises; based on concentration, wisdom develops. These are called the three undefiled studies. Ānanda, why is collecting the mind termed by me the precepts? If living beings of the six destinies in the worlds do not have lustful minds, they will not follow the continuity of birth and death. When you cultivate samādhi, it is fundamentally to escape the dust and toil. If the lustful mind is not eradicated, the dust cannot be escaped. Even if one has much wisdom and dhyāna-concentration manifests before one, if one does not sever lust, one will surely fall into the demonic ways: superior grade, demon kings; middle grade, demon subjects; lower grade, demon women.'

And further:
'If you seek the wonderful fruit of Buddhahood with a lustful body, even if you attain wonderful awakening, it is entirely rooted in lust. With lust as the root, you will transmigrate through the three wretched paths and definitely be unable to escape. By what path could the Tathāgata's nirvāṇa be cultivated and realized? You must cause the propensity for lust to be severed in both body and mind, such that even the nature of severing does not exist. Only then can you hope for the Buddha's bodhi. If one cultivates dhyāna-concentration without severing killing, it is like someone plugging their own ears and shouting at the top of their voice, expecting others not to hear. These are termed wishing to conceal it while revealing it all the more. If one cultivates dhyāna-concentration without severing stealing, it is like someone pouring water into a leaky vessel seeking to fill it; even after passing through kalpas numerous as dust motes, it will never be filled to the brim. If one does not sever great false speech, it is like carving human feces into the shape of sandalwood, seeking its fragrance; this is impossible.'

And further:
'They create the ten causal habits and receive the six reciprocal retributions. As for the ten causal habits: First is the habit of lust. Therefore, all Tathāgatas of the ten directions designate the practice of lust with the same name: the fire of desire. Bodhisattvas regard desire as though avoiding a pit of fire. Second is the habit of greed. Therefore, all Tathāgatas of the ten directions designate seeking much with the same name: the water of greed. Bodhisattvas regard greed as though avoiding a miasmic ocean. Third is the habit of pride. Therefore, all Tathāgatas of the ten directions designate self-pride with the name drinking the water of delusion. Bodhisattvas regard pride as though avoiding a vast drowning. Fourth is the habit of anger. Therefore, all Tathāgatas of the ten directions designate anger and resentment with the name sharp knives and swords. Bodhisattvas regard anger as though avoiding execution. Fifth is the habit of deceit. Therefore, all Tathāgatas of the ten directions designate treachery and falsity with the same name: slanderous bandits. Bodhisattvas regard deceit as though fearing jackals and wolves. Sixth is the habit of fraud. Therefore, all Tathāgatas of the ten directions designate cheating and dishonesty with the same name: robbery and murder. Bodhisattvas regard fraud as though stepping on vipers and serpents. Seventh is the habit of enmity. Therefore, all Tathāgatas of the ten directions designate enemies with the name harm-bringing ghosts. Bodhisattvas regard enmity as though drinking poisoned wine. Eighth is the habit of views. Therefore, all Tathāgatas of the ten directions designate evil views with the same name: pit of views. Bodhisattvas regard all false, pervasive attachments as though entering a poisonous ravine. Ninth is the habit of framing. Therefore, all Tathāgatas of the ten directions designate spiteful defamation with the same name: slanderous tigers. Bodhisattvas regard framing as though being struck by a thunderbolt. Tenth is the habit of litigation. Mutual clamour arises from concealment. Therefore, all Tathāgatas of the ten directions designate concealment with the same name: hidden bandits. Bodhisattvas regard concealment as carrying a high mountain while treading a vast ocean.'

'As for the six reciprocal retributions: First is the retribution of seeing; second is the retribution of hearing; third is the retribution of smelling; fourth is the retribution of tasting; fifth is the retribution of touching; sixth is the retribution of thinking. The evil karma generated by these six consciousnesses produces evil retributions that emerge from the six sense faculties, each inviting evil fruits. At the end of life, the spiritual consciousness falls into the Avīci hell. In seeing, one undergoes the two painful marks of light and darkness; in hearing, one undergoes the two painful marks of open and closed; in smelling, one undergoes the two painful marks of unblocked and obstructed; in tasting, one undergoes the two painful marks of swallowing and vomiting; in touching, one undergoes the two painful marks of conjunction and disjunction; in thinking, one undergoes the two painful marks of unconsciousness and conscious awareness. Each undergoes measureless suffering, as fully detailed in the scripture.'

Therefore, Ānanda had already awakened to the wonderful, enlightened, and luminous mind, and knew the source without delusion; only then did he address the Sugata once more, secretly requesting [the method of] cultivation. Thus we know that after prior awakening comes cultivation: principle and practice must secretly unite. If one merely adopts temporary intellectual understanding and does not aspire to advance in cultivation, wishing to realize ultimate bodhi is impossible. Hence the scripture says: 'Even if you attain wonderful awakening, it is entirely rooted in lust,' because the fundamental root of birth and death has not been severed. One must strictly protect the floating floatation-bag; only then can one cross the ocean of karma.

As the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra states: At that time, there was a rākṣasa in the ocean. (The separate manifestations of kleśas such as greed are each termed a rākṣasa.) 'Begging for the whole' is a metaphor for demanding sexual intercourse. 'Begging for half' is a metaphor for seeking touching. 'One-third' is a metaphor for demanding acts [of intimacy]. 'A hand's measure' is a metaphor for sitting together, and so on. 'A dust-mote's measure' is a metaphor for robes touching. Breaking the four major prohibitions and so on corresponds to begging for the entire floatation-bag. Breaking a saṃghāvaśeṣa corresponds to begging for half. Committing a sthūlātyaya corresponds to one-third. Committing a nihsargika-prāyaścittika or a prāyaścittika corresponds to begging for a hand's measure. (These two transgressions belong to the same category and together correspond to a hand's measure.) Breaking a duṣkṛta corresponds to begging for a dust-mote. Therefore we know that even the most subtle must be upheld to keep the substance of the precepts intact. Just as even if one begs for merely a dust-mote's measure, the floatation-bag is ultimately ruined—how much more so for the whole or the half! Therefore, if one violates this category, the fault is especially severe. Not only does it obstruct the Great Path and prevent escape from dust and toil; because evil karma is repaid, its retribution drags one into hell. Once the ten causal habits are formed, how could the six reciprocal retributions be avoided?

All of these arise from a single thought of an evil, conscious mind producing inverted thoughts: confronting objects, one fabricates causes and conditions into provisional constructs; following feelings, one sets in motion a continuous mind. Failing to contemplate correctly with the eye of wisdom, one sinks into the karmic paths of ordinary beings. Although one temporarily indulges the mind, one does not consider sinking down for ten thousand kalpas. Therefore, all Tathāgatas proclaim this in unison, and it ought truly to be etched into one's bones; all bodhisattvas of the ten directions dread it, and it should truly startle the heart.

Hence the Avataṃsakasūtra says: At that time, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva asked Dharmacūḍa Bodhisattva:
'Son of the Buddha, as the Buddha has said, if any sentient beings uphold the true Dharma, they can completely eliminate and sever all kleśas. Why, then, are there still those who uphold the true Dharma yet do not sever them, but are swayed by the force of greed, anger, delusion, pride, concealment, wrath, hatred, jealousy, stinginess, deceit, and flattery, lacking a mind of renunciation, yet able to uphold the Dharma? Why do they still give rise to kleśas within their mental activities?'
At that time, Dharmacūḍa Bodhisattva replied in verse:
'Son of the Buddha, listen well and attentively / To the true meaning of your question. / It is not by extensive learning alone / That one can enter the Tathāgata's Dharma. / Like a person drifting in water / Who fears drowning and yet dies of thirst, / For one who does not cultivate the Dharma, / Extensive learning is just like this. / Like a person preparing delicious food / Who starves himself without eating, / For one who does not cultivate the Dharma, / Extensive learning is just like this. / Like a person skilled in prescriptions and medicines / Who cannot cure his own illness, / For one who does not cultivate the Dharma, / Extensive learning is just like this. / Like a person counting another's treasures / Without having half a coin of his own, / For one who does not cultivate the Dharma, / Extensive learning is just like this. / Like one born in a royal palace / Who yet suffers from hunger and cold, / For one who does not cultivate the Dharma, / Extensive learning is just like this. / Like a deaf person playing music / Pleasing others without hearing it himself, / For one who does not cultivate the Dharma, / Extensive learning is just like this. / Like a blind person painting many images / Showing them to others without seeing them himself, / For one who does not cultivate the Dharma, / Extensive learning is just like this. / Like a ship's captain on the sea / Who nonetheless dies in the sea, / For one who does not cultivate the Dharma, / Extensive learning is just like this. / Like expounding at the crossroads / Extensively on many good things, / Yet having no real virtue within oneself, / Lacking practice is just like this.'

The Mahāratnakūṭasūtra says: The Buddha said:
'Kāśyapa, if good men or good women who aspire to the Bodhisattva Vehicle, upon hearing this Dharma, are unable to produce such true and deep faith, they will ultimately be unable to attain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Why? Because it is through cultivation and study that bodhi is realized, not through non-cultivation and non-study that it can be realized. If bodhi could be attained without cultivation and study, then creatures like cats and rabbits should also realize unexcelled bodhi. Why? Because those without correct practice cannot realize unexcelled enlightenment. Why? If bodhi could be attained without correct practice, then through vocal sounds and speech one should also realize unexcelled bodhi, saying such words as: "I shall become a Buddha! I shall become a Buddha!" By virtue of these words, boundless sentient beings should achieve correct enlightenment.'

The Yongjia ji says:
'When the mind corresponds with emptiness, what sorrow or joy is there in censure, slander, praise, or acclaim?
When the body corresponds with emptiness, what pain or pleasure is there in knife-slashes or fragrant ointments?
When the circumstantial retribution corresponds with emptiness, what gain or loss is there in bestowing or plundering?
When the mind corresponds with emptiness and non-emptiness, attachment and views are completely forgotten, and compassion universally rescues.
When the body corresponds with emptiness and non-emptiness, inside it is like withered wood, while outside it displays majestic deportment.
When the circumstantial retribution corresponds with emptiness and non-emptiness, greedy seeking is forever cut off, yet material wealth is provided to aid others.
When the mind corresponds with emptiness, non-emptiness, neither-emptiness, and neither-non-emptiness, the true mark first becomes clear, opening the Buddha's knowledge and vision.
When the body corresponds with emptiness, non-emptiness, neither-emptiness, and neither-non-emptiness, entering correct reception in one dust-mote, samādhis arise in all dust-motes.
When the circumstantial retribution corresponds with emptiness, non-emptiness, neither-emptiness, and neither-non-emptiness, incense terraces and precious pavilions adorn the lands and transform living beings.'

Therefore, if one does not sever the four major grave transgressions yet seeks the wonderful fruit of the Ekayāna, it is like plugging one's ears and shouting loudly, which can hardly prevent others from hearing; or in vain pouring into a leaky flagon, which will never see a day of being filled. Furthermore, if what one practices is not what one speaks, and what one speaks is not what one practices, mind and mouth contradict each other—when will there be correspondence? It is like a blind person painting many images, or a deaf person playing musical sounds: it only pleases the sentiments of others, but is of no benefit to oneself. Thus we know: hearing it without realizing it, understanding it without practicing it—though residing in the treasure storehouse of extensive learning, one is like someone freezing to death in a royal palace; wandering in vain in the ocean of wisdom of all Buddhas, one is like dying of thirst in the water. From these analogies it can be known: one must change course. If one does not give rise to shame and repentance, how can one be called wise?