宗鏡錄 38

English (machine translation) 38

Language: English

38.7 — 6 parts

38.1

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

The stages from beginning to end are not apart from original enlightenment; the transformations of subject and object are solely the one mind. If realizing the origin is termed enlightenment, then the origin is unattainable. If it is unattainable, the stages of practice are applied in vain. As for attaining and not attaining, what is their principle?

38.3

Answer: Attaining and yet not attaining, the awakening of the initial and the original are without distinction. Not attaining and yet attaining, at the time of wondrous realization they are profoundly joined. As the Vajrasamādhi-sūtra states: 'The Buddha said: "Good sons, the five stages are a single awakening; one enters profitably from the source. If one transforms sentient beings, it is from their original place." Śāriputra asked: "What is meant by 'from their original place'?" The Buddha said: "Originally there is no original place. In the original limit of no place, entering reality, generating bodhi, one shall realize the noble path. Why is this? Good sons, it is like a hand grasping empty space: it neither grasps it nor does it not grasp it."' The commentary explains: 'Raising a doubt, the question arises: "If there is an original place, one should be able to enter it. If one can enter it, it is not without an original place." To dispel this doubt, an analogy is adduced and explained: "A hand grasping empty space"—the hand grasping is an analogy for the active practice of entering; empty space is an analogy for the source that is entered. "Neither grasps it" because empty space has no form that can be gripped. "Nor does it not grasp it" because within the grip empty space is not absent. The benefit of the source is also like this: originally there is no nature of an original place, hence it cannot be attained; yet the source of no source is not absent, hence it is not non-attainable.' Thus, realizing the source is termed 'attaining'; it is not seeking outward. If there is anything sought, that is losing the source. Furthermore, if there is anything attained, one does not attain bodhi, because it is through non-attainment that bodhi arises. Moreover, the dharma of non-attainment is not outside of attainment: one must seek all dharmas before completely exhausting the fountainhead of non-attainment. As the Bodhicittotpāda-śāstra states: 'Within the absence of dharmas, one explains the characteristics of dharmas; within non-attainment, one explains that there are attained dharmas. Matters as they are seen are the realm of the buddhas.' However, although one seeks all dharmas, because one understands non-attainment, there is no reliance. In that which is unsought, I therefore seek it. Hence the Mahāratnakūṭa-sūtra states: 'The Buddha asked Mañjuśrī: "Relying on what does one practice correctly?" Mañjuśrī replied: "One who practices correctly relies on nothing at all."' The explanation says: 'Whatever is expressed by verbal teachings all verifies the meaning of the one mind. If one sees dharmas outside of mind, this is false practice, because there is something relied upon. If it is correct practice, one relies on not a single thing. When that which is relied upon is calmed, that which relies is also gone. Both subject and object are empty; the false and the correct are both extinguished—this is correct practice.' The Treatise on the Meaning of Non-arising states: 'The sūtra says: "Dharmas are free from eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and manas; therefore, the six sense faculties cannot grasp them." Hence it says that practitioners do not grasp. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "For example, a moth can congregate anywhere, but it cannot congregate in fire. The manovijñāna of sentient beings is also like this: whatever dharmas can be heard or seen, it can take them all as cognitive objects, but it cannot take prajñā as a cognitive object." Thus we know that the nature of prajñā is detached, and the manas cannot grasp it. Furthermore, the person who grasps is himself inherently empty by nature, and therefore cannot grasp. If one grasps with the eye, as the sūtra says, "The nature of the eye is also empty." If one grasps with the ear, the nature of the ear is also empty. If one grasps with the hand, the nature of the hand is also empty. If one grasps with the manas, the nature of the manas is also empty. Person and dharma are together one suchness; suchness cannot grasp suchness, and emptiness cannot grasp emptiness. This is the practitioner's non-grasping, and therefore it is called non-attainment.' Furthermore, when a single thought-moment arises in the mind, there are two kinds of awakening. First, in terms of having a mind: one observes that as soon as a single thought-moment arises, the subsequent thought-moment does not continue, and thus it does not constitute an error. Therefore, it is said in Chan: 'Fear not the arising of thoughts; only beware the delay of awakening.' It is also said: 'A fleeting arising is the illness; non-continuation is the medicine.' This is because the arising of mind is precisely when wrongdoing arises. Hence, for beginners, gathering thoughts is foremost, and is the gradual progression into the path. As the Collection of Essentials from Various Sūtras states: 'Gathering the mind in one place is a thicket of virtues; scattering thoughts for a single instant is a rākṣasa of kleśa.' Therefore, the Śākyan disciple Tanguang subdued a fierce tiger before his knees, and the sage with topknot of hair let birds nest on his crown. Even the manifold phenomena cannot touch themselves; they must depend upon the inner conceptions of the sense faculties to be stimulated and aroused. How do we know this is so? Now there is mind stimulated within and events manifested without; or taking external objects as conditions, defilement is stirred within. Thus we know that inner and outer support each other, and the manifest and the hidden function reciprocally. The sovereign and ministers of the mind and consciousness cannot both be abandoned. Hence the sūtra says: 'If the mind-king is upright, then the six ministers are not corrupt; if the consciousness-faculty is muddled, then its ruler is not bright.' Now, to repent regarding the six ministers, one should be ashamed and restrain the six sense faculties, not letting them run wild. The Mind Chapter of the Dharmapada states: 'Formerly, when the Buddha was in the world, there was a man of the Way practicing the path under a tree by a river. For twelve years, his greedy thoughts were not eliminated; his mind wandered and his intentions were scattered, only thinking of the six desires—visual forms of the eye, auditory sounds of the ear, olfactory fragrances of the nose, gustatory tastes of the tongue, tactile sensations of the body, and dharmas of the mind. While his body was still, his intention roamed, never finding peace. In twelve years, he could not attain the Way. The Buddha, knowing he could be delivered, transformed himself into a śramaṇa and went to his place to lodge together under the tree. Soon the moon grew bright, and a turtle came out of the river and came under the tree. There was also an otter roaming hungrily in search of food; encountering the turtle, it wished to devour it. The turtle withdrew its head, tail, and four legs, hiding them within its shell, so that it could not be devoured. When the otter moved slightly away, it stuck out its head and feet again and walked as before. The otter could do nothing, and the turtle thereupon escaped. Thereupon the man of the Way asked the transformed śramaṇa: "This turtle has an armor that protects its life, so the otter could not gain an advantage over it." The transformed śramaṇa answered: "I reflect that worldly people are not equal to this turtle: they do not know impermanence, indulge the six passions, and external māras gain the advantage over them; their forms decay and their spirits depart, endless in birth and death, revolving in the five destinies with hundreds of thousands of sufferings—all produced by the mind. One should exert oneself to seek the peace of extinguishing and crossing over." Thereupon the transformed śramaṇa spoke a verse: "Conceal the six like a turtle, / guard the mind like a citadel. / Let wisdom do battle with Māra; / victorious, there is no peril."' Therefore, if the ground of the mind is stilled, then the six destinies are all at peace; all māras of the objective realm cannot gain an advantage, like the turtle concealing its six limbs, well protecting its life. The Awakening of Faith says: 'If a subsequent thought becomes aware of a prior thought, although this is called awakening, it is still non-awakening.' This is spoken in terms of having a mind, because it refers to ordinary people at the initial stage of practice. Second, in terms of having no mind: one knows that at the very moment of initial arising, there is no initial characteristic; one does not wait for a subsequent thought to extinguish it further, because at the exact moment a single thought arises, it is ultimately unattainable. As the Sūtra of Fifty Calculations states: 'A bodhisattva asked the Buddha: "Wrongdoing arises and then ceases. Why is it that I do not see it at all?" The Buddha asked the bodhisattvas: "Do your minds turn and arise, or not?" The bodhisattvas answered the Buddha: "Our minds turn and arise. If our minds did not turn and arise, we could not converse with the Buddha." The Buddha asked the bodhisattvas: "When a thought arises, are you yourselves aware of the thought arising, or not?" The bodhisattvas said: "We only perceive when conditions are met; we are not aware of the moment of its initial arising." The Buddha said: "As you have said, you cannot even know when a thought first arises; how could you be free of wrongdoing?"' Thus we know that if one does not examine the provisionality of the causal formation of the initial thought-moment, how can one avoid the fault of subsequent thoughts continuing and becoming concrete events? For all birth-and-death and kleśas are due to non-awakening. If wisdom acts as the guide, whence could error arise? Furthermore, if one understands that there are no dharmas outside the mind, then emotions and thoughts do not arise; without needing extra effort, one directly enters the inconceivable ground. As the Qingliang Commentary says: 'The sūtra clarifies that the dharma-substance of the ten grounds cuts off the paths of mind and speech, and explains the inconceivable as the cutting off of the path of words and language, and the extinction of the sphere of mental activity. Viewing emotions in terms of dharmas, it is called inconceivable, because outside these dharmas there are originally no emotions. What is its meaning? The arising of emotional characteristics originates from false conceptualization. Because of false conceptualization, characteristics arise. Relying on characteristics, mental thoughts arise again; grasping realities according to names is vitarka and vicāra. Relying on this vitarka and vicāra, speech arises. After speech arises, false mental thoughts arise again, grasping the dharmas that were spoken. This is words and language acting as the path, and the mind acting as the activity. Thereupon characteristics and thoughts blaze incessantly. Now, accord with the reality of dharmas and extinguish false conceptualization: characteristics will not arise. Because characteristics do not arise, the mind that establishes names is extinguished. Because the mind of names is extinguished, names do not arise. Because names do not arise, vitarka and vicāra do not occur. Because vitarka does not occur, speech perishes accordingly. Because speech perishes, one no longer grasps what is spoken based on words. Because one does not grasp what is spoken, the path of words and language is cut off, and the sphere of mental activity is extinguished. Because mental activity is extinguished, it is called inconceivable. Because dharmas transcend emotions and are beyond the reach of mind and speech, it is inconceivable.' Thus we know that when the mind of false conceptualization perishes, the conditions of the objective realm are extinguished. It is like moxibustion hitting the acupoint, severing the source of the disease forever; this can be called the fine physician of the jewel of awakening.

38.4

Question: If all dharmas that arise are only manifestations of the mind: if they manifest from the mind, that is ignorance of self-nature; if one clings to their arising from conditions, that is ignorance of other-nature; if they arise from the harmony of mind and conditions, that is ignorance of shared nature; if they arise neither from mind nor from conditions, that is ignorance of causelessness. How can this be comprehensively clarified to avoid falling into these four attachments?

38.5

Answer: If we discuss the real wisdom of the four natures, within the gate of specific characteristics, none of them can be spoken of. If we employ the wisdom of the four siddhāntas, within the gate of common characteristics, they may also be spoken of, as in the Great Calming and Contemplation.

38.6

Question: When the mind arises, it must rely on conditions. Does the mind possess the three thousand dharmas, do conditions possess them, do they possess them together, or do they possess them separately? If the mind possesses them, the mind arises without need for conditions. If conditions possess them, the possession by conditions has nothing to do with the mind. If they possess them together, before they are combined each lacks them; when combined, how could they exist? If they possess them separately, since it is detached from mind and detached from conditions, how could the mind suddenly possess them? When the four propositions are unattainable, how can it possess the three thousand dharmas?

38.7.1

Answer: Masters of the Dilun school say, 'All understanding and delusion, truth and falsity, rely on and are sustained by the dharmatā. Dharmatā sustains truth and falsity; truth and falsity rely on the dharmatā.' The Mahāyānasaṃgraha states, 'The dharmatā is not defiled by delusion, nor is it purified by truth. Therefore, the dharmatā is not that which sustains. What is called that which sustains is the ālayavijñāna. Undiminishing avidyā abundantly holds all seeds.' If one follows the Dilun masters, then citta possesses all phenomena. If one follows the Shelun masters, then conditions possess all phenomena. These two masters each rely on one side. If the dharmatā were to produce all phenomena, the dharmatā is neither citta nor condition. Because it is not citta, yet citta produces all phenomena; because it is not condition, conditions should also produce all phenomena. How could one exclusively say that the dharmatā is the support of truth and falsity? If one says that the dharmatā is not the support, but the ālayavijñāna is the support, and apart from the dharmatā there were separately an ālayavijñāna as support, then it would not pertain to the dharmatā. If the dharmatā is not apart from the ālayavijñāna, the support of the ālayavijñāna is simply the support of the dharmatā. How could one exclusively say that the ālayavijñāna is the support? Furthermore, this contradicts the sūtra. The sūtra says, 'It is neither internal nor external, nor in between, nor does it eternally exist by itself.' It also contradicts Nāgārjuna. Nāgārjuna said, 'Phenomena do not arise from themselves, nor do they arise from others; neither from both, nor without cause.' Further examining by means of an analogy: is there a dream relying on citta, relying on sleep, relying on the combination of sleep and citta, or relying on separation from both citta and sleep? If a dream arises relying on citta, one should have dreams when not asleep. If it arises relying on sleep, a dead person who resembles someone asleep should have dreams. If a dream arises from the combination of sleep and citta, how could a sleeping person ever not dream? Furthermore, if sleep and citta each had dreams, then in combination there could be dreams; since each has no dream, there should not be any when combined. If a dream arises apart from citta and apart from sleep, space, being apart from both, should constantly have dreams. Searching for a dream through the four propositions cannot be attained; how could one see all events in a dream while sleeping? Citta is an analogy for the dharmatā; sleep is an analogy for the ālayavijñāna. How can one biasedly rely on the dharmatā or the ālayavijñāna to produce all phenomena? One should know that searching for citta through the four propositions cannot be attained, and searching for the three thousand phenomena also cannot be attained. Since the arising of the three thousand phenomena horizontally from the four propositions cannot be attained, should the three thousand phenomena arise from the cessation of a single thought-moment of citta? If the cessation of citta cannot even produce a single phenomenon, how could it produce the three thousand phenomena? If the three thousand phenomena arise from citta being both ceased and unceased: being both ceased and unceased are mutually contradictory in nature, like water and fire; neither can be established, so how could they produce the three thousand phenomena? If it is said that the three thousand phenomena arise from citta being neither ceased nor unceased: neither ceased nor unceased has neither agent nor object, so how could it produce the three thousand phenomena? Searching for the three thousand phenomena both vertically and horizontally cannot be attained; searching for the three thousand phenomena neither vertically nor horizontally cannot be attained. The path of language is cut off, and the sphere of mental activity is extinguished; hence it is called the inconceivable realm. The Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra states, 'Arising arising cannot be spoken of; arising non-arising cannot be spoken of; non-arising arising cannot be spoken of; non-arising non-arising cannot be spoken of.' This is precisely the meaning. One should know that in the ultimate truth, not a single phenomenon can be attained, let alone the three thousand phenomena! In conventional truth, a single citta even possesses immeasurable phenomena, let alone three thousand! As when the Buddha asked Guṇavatī, 'Does avidyā exist internally?' 'No.' 'Does it exist externally?' 'No.' 'Does it exist both internally and externally?' 'No.' 'Does it exist neither internally nor externally?' 'No.' The Buddha said, 'Thus it exists.' The Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra states, 'Because there are causes and conditions, it can also be spoken of'—this refers to the causes and conditions of the four siddhāntas. Although the four propositions are profoundly quiescent, out of compassion and pity, in the midst of the absence of names and characteristics, [the Buddha] speaks with provisional names and characteristics. Or, making worldly discourse, he speaks of citta possessing all phenomena, so that listeners rejoice; as in the statement, 'The three realms have no separate phenomena; they are created solely by the one mind'—this is its text. Or he speaks of conditions producing all phenomena, so that listeners rejoice; as in the statement, 'The five desires cause people to fall into the evil destinies; a good spiritual friend is a great cause and condition, that is, transforming and guiding them to see the Buddha'—this is its text. Or he says that causes and conditions jointly produce all phenomena, so that listeners rejoice; as in the verse, 'When mercury is mixed with pure gold, / It can coat various forms; / When merits are mixed with the dharmakāya, / It manifests and goes everywhere'—this is its text. Or he says that separation produces all phenomena, so that listeners rejoice; as in the statement, 'The twelve links of dependent origination are not made by the Buddha, nor are they made by devas, humans, or asuras; their nature is just so'—this is its text. These four propositions are the mundane siddhānta speaking of citta producing all the three thousand phenomena. What is the individual siddhānta? As in the statement, 'The Buddha's Dharma is like an ocean, which only faith can enter. Faith is the source of the path and the mother of merits, from which all good phenomena arise. If you only give rise to the mind of sambodhi, this is leaving household life, and the prohibitive precepts are complete'—listeners give rise to faith; this is its text. Or he speaks of conditions producing all phenomena; as in the statement, 'If one does not encounter the Buddha, one will fall into the suffering of hell for immeasurable kalpas; because one sees the Buddha, one attains rootless faith, like candana emerging from an eraṇḍa tree'—listeners give rise to faith; this is its text. Or he speaks of combination producing all phenomena; as in the statement, 'When the water of citta is clear, the image of the jewel appears naturally; through the power of the roots of benevolence, one sees such things'—listeners give rise to faith; this is its text. Or he speaks of separation producing all phenomena; as in the statement, 'It is not by internal contemplation that one attains this wisdom, up to: it is not by both internal and external contemplation that one attains this wisdom. If there is abiding attachment, then like the wanderer Śreṇika, even slight faith cannot be attained, let alone abandoning the heterodox and entering the orthodox'—listeners give rise to faith; this is its text. These are the four propositions of the individual siddhānta speaking of citta producing all the three thousand phenomena. What is the antidotal siddhānta speaking of citta remedying all phenomena? As in the statement, 'For one who attains the one mind, the myriad evils are extinguished'—this is its text. Or he speaks of conditions remedying all evils; as in the statement, 'Hearing the unsurpassable great wisdom-clarity, citta is settled like the earth, immovable'—this is its text. Or he speaks of causes and conditions harmoniously combining to remedy all evils.

38.7.2

Such as saying, 'One part arises from thinking; one part is obtained from a master'—that is its text. Or it is said that detachment cures all evils: 'When I sat at the bodhimaṇḍa, I did not attain a single phenomenon; truly, [like] an empty fist tricking a young child, I lured and delivered all [beings]'—that is its text. This is the remedial siddhānta: the mind destroys all evil. How is it that through the highest-truth siddhānta the mind comes to see the principle? It is like saying, 'The mind opened and the thought was liberated; suddenly he attained the Way.' Or it is said that conditions can see the principle, as in saying, 'Hearing it for a mere moment, one immediately attains ultimate sambodhi.' Or it is said that the harmony of causes and conditions brings attainment of the Way: 'A swift horse seeing the shadow of the whip immediately takes the right path.' Or it is said that detachment can see the principle, as in saying, 'Non-attainment is itself attainment; having attained non-attainment'—this is called seeing the principle through the four propositions of the highest truth. How much more so the mind producing the three thousand phenomena! The Buddha's intent is utterly pure: it does not reside in cause, condition, combination, or detachment. The conventional truth is itself the highest-truth truth. Furthermore, all four propositions may be stated: saying cause is correct; condition is also correct; combination is also correct; detachment is also correct. If for a blind person one describes milk as being like a conch, like flour, like snow, or like a crane, the blind person upon hearing these descriptions immediately gains understanding. Milk is the conventional truth; it is the highest-truth truth. One should know that speaking all day long is not speaking all day long, and not speaking all day long is speaking all day long. Negating both all day long is illuminating both all day long. Simultaneous refutation is simultaneous establishment; simultaneous establishment is simultaneous refutation. Sūtras and treatises are all like this. Vasubandhu and Nāgārjuna clearly discerned within and adapted externally to what was opportune, each relying on provisional [means]. Yet human teachers have developed biased understandings, and students hold narrow attachments, consequently raising arrows and stones, each clinging to one side, greatly deviating from the holy Way. If one understands this meaning, neither [set of propositions] can be stated, and both can be stated. If one accommodates convenience, one should say that the phenomenon of ignorance and the dharmatā produce all phenomena. Just as the phenomenon of sleep and the phenomenon of mind give rise to all dream events, when the mind unites with conditions, the three kinds of worlds and the three thousand characteristics and natures all arise from the mind. Although the one nature is small, it is not non-existent; although ignorance is manifold, it is not existent. Why is this? Pointing to the one as manifold, the manifold is not manifold; pointing to the manifold as one, the one is not small. Therefore this mind is named the inconceivable realm. If one understands that one mind is all minds, all minds are one mind, neither one nor all, and so on thoroughly traversing everything, all are the inconceivable realm. The above is stated according to the Tiantai teaching. Now, stating the inconceivable realm according to the self-nature dependent origination of the Huayan unimpeded dharmadhātu: as in the 'Entry into the Dharmadhātu' chapter of the Huayan [sūtra], the youth Sudhana, before the great upper tower of the adornment treasury of Vairocana, cast his five limbs to the ground, collected his thoughts for a moment, and contemplated and observed. By the power of deep faith and understanding and great vows, he entered the equal gate of the wisdom-body that pervades all places, and universally manifested his body before all tathāgatas, before all bodhisattvas, before all spiritual friends, before all tathāgata stupas and temples, before all tathāgata images, before the dwellings of all buddhas and bodhisattvas, before all Dharma jewels, before all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas and their stupas and temples, before the fields of merit of all holy assemblies, before all parents and elders, and before all sentient beings in the ten directions. In all cases, as stated above, he paid homage, bowed, and praised them without rest until the end of future time: equal to empty space, because of having no bounds; equal to the dharmadhātu, because of being unimpeded; equal to the limit of reality, because of pervading everything; equal to the Tathāgata, because of being without discrimination. They were like shadows, because they manifest in accordance with wisdom; like dreams, because they arise from thought; like images, because they display everything; like echoes, because they are emitted by conditions; without arising, because they alternately wax and wane; without nature, because they turn according to conditions. Furthermore, he definitely knew that all retributions arise from karma; all fruits arise from causes; all karmas arise from habituation; all Buddha-appearances arise from faith; all manifested offerings arise from decisive understanding; all manifested buddhas arise from a mind of veneration; all buddha-dharmas arise from roots of goodness; all transformation bodies arise from skillful means; all buddha-affairs arise from great vows; all practices cultivated by bodhisattvas arise from dedication; all the vast adornments of the dharmadhātu arise from the realm of all-knowledge. He was free from the view of annihilation, because he knew dedication; free from the view of eternalism, because he knew non-arising; free from the view of causelessness, because he knew the correct cause; free from the view of inversion, because he knew the true principle; free from the view of an autonomous creator, because he knew it does not come from another; free from the view of self and other, because he knew it arises from conditions; free from the view of grasping at extremes, because he knew the dharmadhātu is boundless; free from the view of coming and going, because he knew it is like a reflection; free from the view of existence and non-existence, because he knew it neither arises nor ceases; free from the view of all phenomena, because he knew they are empty and unarisen, because he knew they are not autonomous, and because he knew they are brought forth by vow-power; free from the view of all marks, because he entered the limit of marklessness; because he knew all phenomena are like a seed producing a sprout, and like a seal producing an impression; because he knew the substance is like an image; because he knew sound is like an echo; because he knew the realm is like a dream; because he knew karma is like an illusion; because he realized the world is manifested by the mind; because he realized fruits arise from causes; because he realized retributions gather from karma; and because he fully knew that all dharmas of merit and virtue flow forth from the skillful means of bodhisattvas. The youth Sudhana entered such wisdom, straightened his mind and purified his thoughts, and before the watchtower threw his whole body to the ground and earnestly paid homage. Inconceivable roots of goodness flowed into his body and mind, refreshing, cooling, and pleasing him. Arising from the ground, he single-mindedly gazed upward without looking away for even a moment, joined his palms, circumambulated it for immeasurable rounds, and made this thought: 'This great upper tower is the dwelling place of those who understand emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; it is the dwelling place of those who make no discrimination regarding all phenomena; it is the dwelling place of those who realize that the dharmadhātu is without distinction; it is the dwelling place of those who know that all sentient beings are ungraspable.'

38.7.3

"This is the dwelling place of those who know that all phenomena are unborn. This is the dwelling place of those who do not cling to any worldly existence. This is the dwelling place of those who do not cling to any cavernous abode. This is the dwelling place of those who take no delight in any village. This is the dwelling place of those who do not rely on any realm. This is the dwelling place of those who are free from all conceptualisation. This is the dwelling place of those who know that all phenomena are without intrinsic nature. This is the dwelling place of those who have severed all karmic actions of discrimination. This is the dwelling place of those who are free from all conceptualisation, citta, manas, and manovijñāna. This is the dwelling place of those who neither enter nor emerge from any path. This is the dwelling place of those who enter into all profound prajñāpāramitās. This is the dwelling place of those who are able, by expedient means, to abide in the universally facing dharmadhātu. This is the dwelling place of those who have extinguished all the fires of the kleśas. This is the dwelling place of those who, by higher wisdom, eliminate and sever all views, craving, and conceit. This is the dwelling place of those who bring forth and playfully disport in all dhyānas, liberations, samādhis, superknowledges, and clarities. This is the dwelling place of those who contemplate the realms of all bodhisattva samādhis. This is the dwelling place of those who peacefully abide in the presence of all Tathāgatas. This is the dwelling place of those who enter all kalpas with a single kalpa, and enter a single kalpa with all kalpas, yet without destroying their characteristics. This is the dwelling place of those who enter all kṣetras with a single kṣetra, and enter a single kṣetra with all kṣetras, yet without destroying their characteristics. This is the dwelling place of those who enter all phenomena with a single phenomenon, and enter a single phenomenon with all phenomena, yet without destroying their characteristics. This is the dwelling place of those who enter all sentient beings with a single sentient being, and enter a single sentient being with all sentient beings, yet without destroying their characteristics. This is the dwelling place of those who enter all Buddhas with a single Buddha, and enter a single Buddha with all Buddhas, yet without destroying their characteristics. This is the dwelling place of those who, in a single thought-moment, know all three times. This is the dwelling place of those who, in a single thought-moment, travel to all buddha-lands." And so on, until: "At that time, the youth Sudhana, having reverently circumambulated the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Maitreya to the right, addressed him, saying: 'I pray only that the Great Sage will open the door of the tower and allow me to enter.' Then the Bodhisattva Maitreya approached the tower, snapped his fingers, and made a sound; the door immediately opened, and he bid Sudhana enter. Sudhana was filled with joy, and once he had entered, it closed again. He saw that the tower was vast, boundless, and identical to empty space; and so on, until he saw his own body pervading all the towers, fully beholding various inconceivable, sovereign realms, the events of Maitreya's bodhisattva practice across three lifetimes, and the eight aspects of attaining enlightenment. At that time, the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Maitreya drew back his spiritual power, entered the tower, snapped his fingers to make a sound, and said to Sudhana: 'Good son, arise! The nature of phenomena is like this. This is the manifestation brought forth by the convergence of the causes and conditions of a bodhisattva's wisdom knowing all phenomena. Such self-nature is like an illusion, like a dream, like a shadow, like an image; none of them are established.' And so on, until: 'Just as an illusionist creates various illusory events, which come from nowhere and go nowhere—though there is neither coming nor going, by the power of illusion they are clearly visible—those adornments are also just like this: they come from nowhere and go nowhere. Although there is neither coming nor going, by the power of habituated practice in inconceivable illusory wisdom, and by the power of past great vows, they are manifested in this way.'" Explanation: As for "snapping his fingers and making a sound, the door immediately opened": the moment when illumination first arises and one opens into seeing the nature is called "opening." As for "once he had entered, it closed again": what is awakened to is just as it originally was, not newly acquired; thus it says "closed again." Alternatively, it is said: when the Bodhisattva Maitreya snaps his fingers to make a sound and the door immediately opens, this clarifies that the sound carries the sense of shaking and awakening. Snapping the fingers carries the sense of removing dust. When dust vanishes and grasping is removed, the Dharma door opens of itself. When it says that after Sudhana entered, its door closed again, this is because the vanishing of delusion and the appearing of wisdom is called "opening"; yet wisdom has no inside, outside, or middle, no emerging and no entering, no delusion and no realization—this is called "closing again." Seeing that the tower is vast, boundless, and identical to empty space is the realm of wisdom. As for "such self-nature is like an illusion, like a dream, like a shadow, like an image; none of them are established": this summarizes all the aforementioned inconceivable and boundless realms of buddha-activity. Because the nature of tathatā naturally accords with conditions, even though it accords with conditions, it naturally returns to the nature. Because when it accords with conditions there appears to be manifestation—like viewing illusory phenomena, which exist without existing; like observing dream realms, which are seen without being seen; like a reflection in water, neither emerging nor entering; like an image in a mirror, neither inside nor outside—because of being natureless while according with conditions, the principle is not established. Because of according with conditions while being natureless, phenomena are not established. If both principle and phenomena are not established, then all phenomena are entirely unestablished; thus it says "none of them are established." It is merely manifested just so, and realized just so, clear and distinct, still identical to the mirror of the source, light and light interpenetrating, reflection and reflection mutually containing, like the ten profound gates, layer upon layer without end. Regarding the ten profound gates: the first is the gate of simultaneous complete correspondence. Master Zhiyan explained: "This is spoken with regard to correspondence without before or after. Each one of these ten profound gates possesses ten dharmas, simultaneously complete: first, teaching and meaning; second, principle and phenomena; third, realm and wisdom; fourth, practice and stage; fifth, cause and effect; sixth, dependent and primary [retribution]; seventh, substance and function; eighth, person and dharma; ninth, contrary and compliant; tenth, stimulus and response. Wherever there is one, it possesses these ten dharmas, all simultaneously complete. Now, taking simultaneous cause and effect as an example: if the Hīnayāna speaks of cause and effect, it transforms the cause to achieve the effect; only when the cause ceases is the effect established. If the Mahāyāna speaks of cause and effect, they can also be simultaneous, but this does not reveal the inexhaustible. It is like conditions for a house combining to form a house: cause and effect are established simultaneously, but other things are not established. Because causes have close and distant relations, what is established is finite. If the One Vehicle source explains simultaneous cause and effect, it adduces the distant conditions to enter the close; therefore, just as when a house is formed, all dharmadhātus are simultaneously formed. If a single dharma were unformed..."

38.7.4

this house would also not be completed. It is just as if the first step arrives, all steps arrive; if there were one step that did not arrive, all steps would not arrive. Therefore a sūtra says: 'Although completing equal, right enlightenment, they do not abandon the initial resolve.' Hence, when one is accomplished, all are accomplished, which constitutes the Dharma-gate of a single limit. Second is the gate of the realm of Indra's net. This is explained by way of metaphor: just as within each and every jewel in the jewel net above Śakra's palace all reflections mutually appear without end, and within a single precious jewel thousands of radiances and myriad colors interreflect in multiple layers, distinctly demarcated—how much more so within this dharmadhātu of the one mind, where all persons, dharmas, realms, and wisdoms interpenetrate in multiple layers! Because the nature of tathatā is ultimately inexhaustible, they are layer upon layer, inexhaustible and yet inexhaustible. A treatise says: 'That there are differences in Indra's net can only be known by wisdom, not seen by the eye.' As for Indra's net, this net is woven together from threads of various jewels. His Dharma Hall of Good Abode, forty yojanas in length and breadth, is likewise composed of various jewels. Within each and every perforation in the net's threads there is a bright jewel. The bodies of these jewels are crystalline and pure; the precious net is interlaced, mutually reflecting and appearing. Within each and every jewel net, there are the complete bodies of the jewel net and the precious palace of forty yojanas, each and every complete body mutually appearing therein. Just as with the reflections of the jewels and the net, within each and every beam and ridgepole, each and every rafter and pillar, each and every wall, each and every bracket and corbel, and each and every mirror-image of that palace, there are the reflections of the complete body of the palace, the net, and the jewels, in multiple layers, mutually reflecting and appearing. Therefore it is said: 'Like the net of the heavenly lord Indra, layer upon layer without end.' Now this Dharma-gate is also just like this: within each and every stage, within each and every dharma, within each and every dust mote, within each and every realm-image, within each and every name, and as for the nine times and ten times, each and every one mutually pervades the dharmadhātu; and with the two wisdoms of the real and conventional, they mutually interpenetrate in substance, completely pervading the dharmadhātu. As it is said in the 'Dharmadhātu Chapter': Sudhana's visits began with Mañjuśrī and ended with Maitreya and Samantabhadra, encompassing fifty-three spiritual friends. Among them were monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen, young boys and girls, ṛṣis and non-Buddhists, brāhmaṇas, householders and lay scholars, deities of heaven and earth, deities of night and day, kings and queens, great bodhisattvas, and the like. Each dwelled in a great bodhimaṇḍa, mutually host and companion, together expounding the realm of Vairocana. Whether a Buddha appears in the world or does not appear in the world, this dharmadhātu is naturally and constantly abiding, without alteration. Furthermore, it is just as when Sudhana arrived at the abode of Maitreya Buddha: when he first ascended to a tower and entered it, he saw within that tower that it was vast and boundless, equal to empty space, and that there were separately ineffable towers arrayed within it, each and every one also equal to empty space. In each and every tower he heard the Bodhisattva Maitreya turning all the Dharma-gates of a bodhisattva in his final lifetime. Within each and every tower, amidst the realm-images, the affairs of the three times were assembled without before or after. Maitreya is to become a Buddha in the future, while Sudhana had just initially generated the resolve, yet in a single thought-moment they were able to meet together. This is becoming a Buddha by relying on the wisdom vehicle of the dharmadhātu, not a matter of before and after: using the ancient to seal the present, using the present to penetrate the ancient, merged into non-duality. Moreover, taking the one tower as the universal, the one wisdom contains its myriad goods; taking the many towers as the particular, substance and function are multifold, free and unhindered. This was Sudhana mounting the vehicle of fundamentally unmoved wisdom, going from ordinary person to enter the noble, arriving in this tower, meeting together as non-dual with the Buddhas of the three times—the gate of Indra's net of universal and particular, identity and difference. For all sentient beings, if there are those who can give rise to the resolve and mount this vehicle, it is also just like this. Before seeing Samantabhadra, one gives rise to a vast mind equal to empty space; upon hearing the name of Samantabhadra, one immediately sees one's own body entering the body of Samantabhadra. Observing that within each and every pore of Samantabhadra there are vast kṣetras, with the discs of earth, water, fire, and wind all contained within them. In a single thought-moment, one takes an ineffable-ineffable number of steps, each step crossing an ineffable-ineffable number of Buddha-kṣetras; passing through an ineffable number of kalpas in this way from thought-moment to thought-moment, one cannot exhaust the bounds of a single pore. Looking back upon each and every pore of one's own body, Samantabhadra is also within them; each and every pore is identical to empty space, not obstructing one another. This is indeed the gate of nature-as-such, the constantly real dharmadhātu: practice manifests based on principle, and function matches the pervasiveness of substance. This is Sudhana's constant practice, the fulfillment of Samantabhadra's conduct. As it is said in the 'Ten Concentrations Chapter' of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra: 'Disciples of the Buddha, this bodhisattva mahāsattva has a lotus flower. That flower is vast, exhausting the limits of the ten directions, adorned with an ineffable number of petals, an ineffable number of jewels, and an ineffable number of fragrances. Those ineffable jewels each further manifest various kinds of jewels, pure, wondrous, and excellent, extremely well-settled. That flower constantly emits lights of various colors, universally illuminating all worlds of the ten directions without hindrance. A net of real gold covers over it; jewel bells gently sway, producing subtle and wondrous sounds. Those sounds expound the Dharma of all-knowledge. This great lotus flower is replete with the pure adornments of the Tathāgata, produced by all roots of goodness, characterized by auspiciousness, manifested by spiritual power, possessing ten thousand asaṃkhyeyas of pure merits, accomplished by the wondrous path of the bodhisattva, flowing forth from the mind of all-knowledge. The reflections of the Buddhas of the ten directions appear within it; the world gazes up at it as if at a stupa; of the sentient beings who see it, none do not pay homage. Produced from the true Dharma that is able to understand illusion, nothing in all worlds can serve as an analogy for it. The bodhisattva mahāsattva sits cross-legged upon this flower; the size of his body corresponds to the flower. Sustained by the spiritual power of all Buddhas, each and every pore of the bodhisattva's body emits rays of light as numerous as the dust motes of a million billion nayuta ineffable Buddha-kṣetras; each and every ray of light manifests mani jewels as numerous as the dust motes of a million billion nayuta ineffable Buddha-kṣetras, all named Treasury of Universal Light.'

38.7.5

adorned with various forms and colors, accomplished through immeasurable merits. Netting made of various jewels and flowers spread across and covered it from above, scattering hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of wondrous, superior fragrances, immeasurable forms and colors, and various adornments. Furthermore, there appeared an inconceivable canopy adorned with jewels that covered it from above. Each single maṇi jewel manifested hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of pavilions. Each single pavilion manifested hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of padmagarbha lion thrones. Each single lion throne manifested hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of rays of light. Each single ray of light manifested hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of forms and colors. Each single form and color manifested hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of wheels of light. Each single wheel of light manifested hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of Vairocana maṇi jewel flowers. Each single flower manifested hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of daises. Each single dais manifested hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of buddhas. Each single buddha manifested hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of supernatural transformations. Each single supernatural transformation purified hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of assemblies of sentient beings. Within each single assembly of sentient beings, there appeared hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of the sovereignties of all buddhas. Each single sovereignty rained down hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of buddha-dharmas. Each single buddha-dharma contained hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of sūtras. Each single sūtra expounded hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of Dharma doors. Each single Dharma door contained hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of Dharma wheels entered by vajra-wisdom, each distinctly expounded with differentiated words. Each single Dharma wheel matured hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of realms of sentient beings. In each single realm of sentient beings, there were hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of an inexpressible number of buddha-realms' atoms worth of sentient beings who were tamed and subdued within the Buddha-Dharma.
“Sons of the Buddha! When bodhisattva-mahāsattvas abide in this samādhi, they manifest such realms of supernatural powers and immeasurable transformations, knowing them all to be like illusions and remaining free from defiled attachment.”
Now, the lotus signifies the simultaneity of cause and effect, purity and lack of defilement. How much more so for the inherently pure citta: it can initiate Samantabhadra's inexhaustible causal doors and fulfill Rocana's unconditioned ocean of fruition. Principle and phenomena interpenetrate; unfolding and gathering are simultaneous; arising and ending follow conditions yet remain without defiled attachment.
Furthermore, the “Chapter on the Ten Concentrations” states:
“Just as when someone is possessed by a ghost, his body trembles and shakes and cannot be at ease; the ghost does not show its own body, yet causes the other's body to be so. When bodhisattva-mahāsattvas abide in this samādhi, they are also like this: they enter concentration in their own body and arise in another's body; they enter concentration in another's body and arise in their own body.
“Sons of the Buddha! Just as a corpse, by the power of an incantation, can rise and walk, and whatever task it performs is successfully accomplished—though the corpse and the incantation are distinct, in harmony they accomplish that task. When bodhisattva-mahāsattvas abide in this samādhi, they are also like this: they enter concentration in the same realm and arise in a different realm; they enter concentration in a different realm and arise in the same realm.
“Sons of the Buddha! Just as a monk who has attained mastery over his mind can turn one body into many bodies, or turn many bodies into one body—the one body does not perish when the many bodies are born, nor do the many bodies perish when the one body is born. When bodhisattva-mahāsattvas abide in this samādhi, they are also like this: they enter concentration in one body and arise in many bodies; they enter concentration in many bodies and arise in one body.
“Sons of the Buddha! Just as the great earth is of a single flavor, yet the sprouts and crops produced from it have all kinds of different flavors; though the earth is without distinction, the flavors are distinct. When bodhisattva-mahāsattvas abide in this samādhi, they are also like this: without conceptual differentiation, they enter concentration in one kind and arise in many kinds; they enter concentration in many kinds and arise in one kind.
“…Just as the palace where the Mahābrahmā King of Subtly Wondrous Light resides is called ‘The Most Supreme Pure Treasury of All Worlds’—in this great palace, all the four continents of the trichiliocosm are universally seen: the palaces of devas, palaces of nāgas, palaces of yakṣas, palaces of gandharvas, palaces of asuras, palaces of garuḍas, palaces of kiṃnaras, palaces of mahoragas, the dwellings of humans, and the three evil destinies; Mount Sumeru and various other mountains; oceans, rivers, lakes, marshes, and springs; cities, towns, and villages; forests and various jewels—all such various adornments, to the very limits of the Great Iron Ring Mountains, and even the fine wandering dust in the sky, all appear within this Brahmā palace without exception, just as a face is seen in a bright mirror. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who abide in this great samādhi of the differentiated bodies of all sentient beings know various realms, see various buddhas, liberate various assemblies, realize various dharmas, accomplish various practices, fulfill various understandings, enter various samādhis, give rise to various supernatural powers, obtain various wisdoms, and abide in various moments.”
Furthermore, the “Chapter on Entering the Dharmadhātu” states: “At that time, the youth Sudhana, having formed this thought, immediately went to the night goddess Sarvanagararakṣā-saṃbhavatejaḥśrī. He saw that night goddess in the bodhimanda of the Tathāgata’s assembly, seated upon a padmagarbha lion throne, having entered the liberation called ‘Banner of Great Power and Universal Joy.’ From every single hair-pore upon her body, she emitted clouds of transformation bodies of immeasurable varieties, expounding the Dharma with wondrous sounds according to what was appropriate, universally gathering all immeasurable sentient beings, causing them all to rejoice and attain benefit… Furthermore, she emitted clouds of bodies as numerous as the atoms of all worlds, universally going before all sentient beings, in every thought displaying all the practices and vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, in every thought displaying the pure great vows filling the dharmadhātu, in every thought displaying the adornment and purification of all oceans of worlds, in every thought displaying offerings to all oceans of tathāgatas.”

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宗鏡錄 — Classical Chinese