宗鏡錄 39.3

39.3

Answer: This comes from the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra, as the final instruction handed down. It sums up all prior traces of teaching, which together converge on this point. For the four smṛtyupasthānas are precisely what is clarified in the Mirror of the Source: the body, sensations, citta, and dharmas of all sentient beings. As the sūtra says: “The Buddha addressed Ānanda: ‘As to your question regarding what one should rely upon and dwell in after the Buddha's nirvāṇa: Ānanda, one should rely upon the four smṛtyupasthānas, adorning the citta and dwelling therein. Contemplating the nature and characteristics of the body as identical to empty space is called the smṛtyupasthāna of the body. Contemplating sensations as being neither internal nor external, nor abiding in between, is called the smṛtyupasthāna of sensation. Contemplating the citta as having only a name, while the nature of the name is free [from substantiality], is called the smṛtyupasthāna of the citta. Contemplating dharmas as yielding neither good dharmas nor unwholesome dharmas is called the smṛtyupasthāna of dharmas. Ānanda, all practitioners should dwell relying upon these four smṛtyupasthānas.’ It also says: ‘For example, if a king dwells securely within his own territory, his body and citta are peaceful and happy; if he is in another’s territory, he incurs manifold sufferings. All sentient beings are also just like this: if they can abide within their own sphere, they attain peace and happiness; if they go to another’s sphere, they encounter evil Māra and suffer various afflictions. One’s “own sphere” refers to the four smṛtyupasthānas; “another’s sphere” refers to the five desires.’ The Kuśalamūlasaṃparigrahasūtra says: “The Buddha addressed Bhadrapāla: ‘At that time, all good persons should generate this thought: “We shall ourselves rely on the four smṛtyupasthānas.” As for the four smṛtyupasthānas, within the noble Dharma, all dharmas are called smṛtyupasthāna. Why is this? Because all dharmas eternally abide in their own-nature and cannot be destroyed.’” Since all dharmas are called smṛtyupasthāna, one therefore knows that phenomena are precisely citta, and citta is precisely phenomena; they are all of the same nature. How could they be destroyed? If there were two dharmas, they could destroy each other. A verse in the Mahāratnakūṭasūtra says: “One who attains the unmoving place / constantly abides in no place.” The unmoving place is the sphere of one’s own citta; this sphere is itself without any location. As the Vajrasamādhisūtra says: “The citta is boundless; no location is seen.” The commentary explains: “‘The citta is boundless’ means returning to the source of the one mind. The substance of citta is all-pervading: it pervades the ten directions, hence it is boundless; it encompasses the three times, hence it has no limit. Although it encompasses the three times, it has no distinction between past and present; although it pervades the ten directions, it has no location of ‘here’ or ‘there.’ Therefore it is said that ‘no location is seen.’” The Mahādīpadhāraṇīsūtra says: “Now, as for the smṛtyupasthānas, what is the meaning of ‘mindfulness’? One should know that this mindfulness is without contention, accords with the Dharma, tends toward equanimity, is far removed from wrong mindfulness, and is without shifting or diversity. It is purely the one mind, entering into unmoving samādhi. If one can be like this, it is called the meaning of ‘mindfulness.’” Just as Tiantai Zhizhe broadly expounded the true purport, propagating both the Great and Small [Vehicles] and elucidating both doctrine and contemplation, yet at the very end only composed the essay of the Guanshin lun (Treatise on Contemplating the Mind), his intention was likewise this. It is also like the ancestral master Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa, who broadly commented on sūtras and composed treatises, yet at the very end composed only a one-fascicle summary treatise titled Mahāyānaśraddhotpādaśāstra (Treatise on the Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna), which says: “There is a Mahāyāna that can awaken the faculty of faith in the Great Vehicle.” It establishes the two gates of the citta as tathatā and the citta as arising and ceasing, comprehensively discussing the one mind and distinctly opening substance and function. If one understands this overarching purport of the one mind, it is precisely the awakening of the faculty of faith in the Great Vehicle in all sentient beings. If one does not yet believe, even if one undertakes vast cultivation over immeasurable billions of kalpas, so long as one does not enter the correct source of the patriarchs and Buddhas, one is merely a nominal bodhisattva. Through the essential meaning of this single treatise, the extensive texts of the various sections are completely subsumed. Gathering the streams through the source, what would not be exhausted? This is also the overarching intention behind the compositions of all the sages, and the original intent of the Mirror of the Source. It is what all Buddhas know, what all the worthy realize, what all virtues are endowed with, what the ten thousand practices propagate, what the wondrous meanings expound, and what is ultimately tended toward. These four smṛtyupasthānas destroy the eight inversions: first, conceiving the impure to be pure; second, conceiving suffering to be pleasure; third, conceiving the impermanent to be permanent; fourth, conceiving the non-self to be self. These are the four inversions of non-Buddhists and ordinary beings. Furthermore, first, conceiving the pure to be impure; second, conceiving pleasure to be suffering; third, conceiving the permanent to be impermanent; fourth, conceiving the self to be non-self. These are the four inversions of the two vehicles. Together they constitute the eight inversions. Therefore, cultivating the contemplation of the four smṛtyupasthānas destroys the eight inversions, and entering parinirvāṇa therein is the original intent behind the appearance of the Buddhas of the ten directions in the world, the ultimate convergence into the secret treasury, and the place of finally casting off body and life. It corresponds precisely to the great purport of the Mirror of the Source: the Dharma gate of the one mind. The Fuxing ji says: “As for the contemplation of the four smṛtyupasthānas, each and every smṛtyupasthāna first clarifies emptiness and conventionality to destroy the inversions, and next, through the Middle Way, brings the secret treasury to completion. Self and other are both fulfilled, and the meaning encompasses both the Great and Small [Vehicles]. The statement that ‘both are destroyed’ means: since the secret treasury is revealed through the Middle Way, all four smṛtyupasthānas destroy the inversions. Why? Because being identical to emptiness, it destroys the inversion of permanence, with its meaning encompassing the Small [Vehicle]. Being identical to conventionality, it destroys the inversion of impermanence, with its meaning encompassing the Great [Vehicle]. With the Middle Way as the correct, it is therefore said that ‘its meaning encompasses both Great and Small.’ Because it is identical to the Middle, it simultaneously illuminates both Great and Small, and simultaneously negates both Great and Small. That is, it simultaneously illuminates and destroys the eight inversions. The three truths are mutually identical, with neither before nor after; the destruction has no sequential order—immediate destruction is immediate establishment, immediate illumination is immediate concealment. As for the four flourishing and four withering, the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra says: ‘The eastern pair illustrates permanence and impermanence; the southern pair illustrates pleasure and non-pleasure; the western pair illustrates self and non-self; the northern pair illustrates purity and impurity. There is a pair in each of the four directions, hence they are called the twin trees.’ On each side, one withers and one flourishes. Flourishing illustrates permanence and so forth; withering illustrates impermanence and so forth. The Tathāgata lay down in their midst with his head to the north and entered parinirvāṇa, manifesting neither withering nor flourishing. Flourishing manifests conventionality; withering manifests emptiness. That is, entering the secret treasury precisely between emptiness and conventionality. The Latter Section Sūtra says: ‘The eastern pair was behind the Buddha; the western pair was before the Buddha; the southern pair was at the Buddha’s feet; the northern pair was at the Buddha’s head. After he entered nirvāṇa, the eastern and western pairs joined into a single tree, and the southern and northern pairs also joined into a single tree. Both united pairs bowed down to cover the Tathāgata. The trees grew somber and completely turned white.’ Permanence and impermanence, and so forth, are two yet non-dual; permanence, bliss, self, and purity completely cover the dharmadhātu. Therefore, the two unions bowing down to cover the Tathāgata means that the Tathāgata accords with the secret treasury, and also that the smṛtyupasthānas are none other than quiescence. White is the root of all colors; permanence and so forth are called the root, hence it is said they ‘turned white.’ As for having the head to the north, the Ekottarika Āgama says: ‘It manifests the long abiding of the Buddha's Dharma in the northern heavens.’ The fourth fascicle of the Dīrgha Āgama says: ‘The Buddha addressed Ānanda: “Place my head to the south, facing north, so that the Buddha's Dharma may abide long and not be destroyed.”’ How much more so for the ultimate consummation of nirvāṇa—how could it not manifest the secret treasury? Throughout the teachings of an entire lifetime, of all that was manifested, nothing has texts and meanings more prominent than the twin trees. Because the four smṛtyupasthānas can serve as the initial gateway for the contemplations and practices of both the Great and Small [Vehicles], it was therefore so. The earnest bequest had its intent precisely here. Furthermore, ordinary beings simply consider the body pure, say sensation is pleasure, grasp citta as permanent, and calculate dharmas to be a self. Due to these four inversions, greed, attachment, and avidyā arise, whereupon there are formations up to old age and death. The accumulation of suffering is vast; the fires of eighty-four thousand kleśas burn the house of the five aggregates. Therefore the Lotus Sūtra says: ‘On four sides, fires suddenly burst out at the same time,’ which illustrates the four inversions. If a practitioner of the Hīnayāna contemplates, he contemplates the body as impure, destroying the inversion of purity; contemplates sensations as suffering, destroying the inversion of pleasure; contemplates citta as impermanent, destroying the inversion of permanence; contemplates dharmas as non-self, destroying the inversion of self. Thus, through the prior inverted mind that deludedly considered the body to be permanent, pleasant, self, and pure, greed, attachment, and the various kleśas arose. Now, having contemplated and known that the body is impure, and likewise suffering, impermanent, and non-self, he does not give rise to greed or attachment; avidyā, formations, and consciousness, up to old age and death, cease; the river of saṃsāra is drained dry, and the ocean of nirvāṇa is filled. This is precisely jostling and vying to escape the burning house and arrive at the place of fearlessness. For these reasons, he exhorted those of small practice to rely on the smṛtyupasthānas to cultivate the Way. The Mahāyāna four smṛtyupasthānas mean: contemplating the body of the five aggregates of saṃsāra as neither withering nor flourishing, which is the great quiescent concentration. The Nirvāṇasūtra says: ‘Rūpa is liberation and nirvāṇa… up to consciousness is liberation and nirvāṇa.’ If one cultivates this contemplation of the smṛtyupasthānas, it is precisely contemplating that all sentient beings of the six destinies are themselves the great nirvāṇa of permanence, bliss, self, and purity, fully endowed with the knowledge and vision of a Buddha. Just as Sadāparibhūta accomplished perfect faith, the sūtra says: ‘Giving to the lowest beggar in the city is equal to giving to the Tathāgata Durdharṣa.’ Thus, how could one discriminate between field and non-field, between what can be given to and what cannot be given to? Therefore, the contemplation of the smṛtyupasthānas is the seed of equality. If one does not cultivate it, one sees saṃsāra and nirvāṇa as different, and ordinary and noble as distinct. The noble being a field of reverence, one admires and gives to them; the ordinary being a field of compassion, one disdains them and will not bestow [gifts]. If one enters the Dharma gate of the smṛtyupasthānas of the one mind and the equal dharmadhātu, there is no discrimination. Now, as for the four smṛtyupasthānas: ‘smṛti’ (mindfulness) is the citta of contemplative wisdom; ‘upasthāna’ (base/dwelling) is the object illuminated by wisdom. Capacity and object fuse in unison, being solely the one mind. Now, relying on the Tiantai contemplation of the four smṛtyupasthānas, to briefly clarify the four smṛtyupasthānas according to the four teachings through the fourfold discrimination: If ‘neither suffering nor pleasure’ is concluded as arising-and-ceasing suffering and pleasure, up to ‘neither self nor non-self’ is concluded as non-self, this is the purport of the Tripiṭaka [Teaching]. If ‘neither suffering nor pleasure’ is concluded as the suffering and pleasure that is without suffering and without pleasure, it belongs to the Common Teaching. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśasūtra says: ‘Thoroughly penetrating the five aggregates of appropriation as empty and without arising is the meaning of suffering’—this is concluded as the contemplation of the smṛtyupasthāna of sensation. As in the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā, the contemplation of impurity is itself the Mahāyāna because none [of the dharmas] can be apprehended. Contemplating form with this impure citta, one reflects: ‘My own body has not yet escaped this dharma, nor has it avoided birth in the three realms; it must still undergo hundreds of thousands of births and deaths’—hence it says ‘not yet escaped.’ Citing the ‘Extensive Vehicle’ chapter, it completes the contemplation of the smṛtyupasthāna of the body. ‘All dharmas neither arise nor cease’ is the meaning of impermanence; this is concluded as the contemplation of the smṛtyupasthāna of citta. ‘Being non-dual with respect to self and non-self’ is the meaning of non-self; this is concluded as the contemplation of the smṛtyupasthāna of dharmas. This is the purport of the Common Teaching. If taking ‘neither permanent nor impermanent’ to conclude as permanence; ‘neither defiled nor pure’ to conclude as purity; ‘neither suffering nor pleasure’ to conclude as pleasure; and ‘neither self nor non-self’ to conclude as self—this is the Distinct Teaching, where permanence, bliss, self, and purity cut off delusion and are realized through successive stages. If taking ‘neither defiled nor pure’ to simultaneously illuminate defilement and purity; ‘neither suffering nor pleasure’ to simultaneously illuminate suffering and pleasure; ‘neither permanent nor impermanent’ to simultaneously illuminate permanence and impermanence; and ‘neither self nor non-self’ to simultaneously illuminate self and non-self—this is concluded as the Perfect Teaching, cultivating with a perfect citta, entering nirvāṇa without cutting off kleśas. Furthermore, the previous three teachings—Tripiṭaka, Common, and Distinct—are not what is used here, which is why they were only briefly cited. Now I again broadly cite the text on the perfect four smṛtyupasthānas to assist the faith of later generations. The Sinianshu guan (Contemplation of the Four Smṛtyupasthānas) says: ‘Regarding the four smṛtyupasthānas: mindfulness is contemplative wisdom. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: “Smṛti, saṃjñā, and jñāna are all different names for a single dharma. Initially collecting the citta is called smṛti; next, practicing it is called saṃjñā; finally, bringing it to completion is called jñāna.” Upasthāna (place) is the object. None are separate from sarvajñatā. The wisdom that contemplates illuminates yet is constantly quiescent: this is called mindfulness. The object contemplated is quiescent yet constantly illuminating: this is called place. The object being quiescent, wisdom is also quiescent; wisdom illuminating, the object also illuminates. The one characteristic is characteristicless; characteristiclessness is the one characteristic: this is the true characteristic. The true characteristic is the one true reality; it is also called the empty Buddha-nature, and it is also called mahāparinirvāṇa. Such object and wisdom are neither two nor different. The object of tathatā is precisely the wisdom of tathatā; wisdom is precisely the object. Expounding wisdom and the place of wisdom, both are called prajñā.’ Likewise by analogy it says: ‘Expounding the place and the wisdom of the place, both are called the object-truth. It is a non-object object, yet spoken of as an object; it is a non-wisdom wisdom, yet named wisdom. It is also called the samādhi of the quiescence of citta; it is also called the samādhi of the quiescence of rūpa; it is also the samādhi of illuminating citta; it is also the samādhi of illuminating rūpa.’ The Qing Guanyin jing says: ‘From the body issues great light of wisdom, like the burning of a purple-gold mountain.’ The Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra says: ‘Light is precisely wisdom.’ The Suvarṇaprabhāsasūtra says: ‘Inconceivable object of wisdom, inconceivable illumination of wisdom.’ These various sūtras all clarify that mindfulness is simply the place, and the place is simply mindfulness. Rūpa and citta are non-dual; they are two yet non-dual. Merely for the sake of transforming sentient beings are they nominally spoken of as two. This contemplative wisdom simply contemplates a sentient being’s single thought-moment of avidyā citta. This citta is precisely the dharmatā. Being produced by causes and conditions, it is immediately empty, immediately conventional, and immediately the Middle. The one mind is the three minds; the three minds are the one mind. This contemplation is also called sarvākārajñatā. This object is also called the one perfect truth. The one truth is the three truths; the three truths are the one truth. It is for this one great causal condition that the Buddhas appear in the world: desiring to cause sentient beings to open the knowledge and vision of a Buddha, the purpose of the Buddhas’ appearance in the world is fulfilled. The Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra says: ‘The king's highway is level and smooth.’ The Wuliangyi jing says: ‘Traversing the great straight path without obstacles.’ The Lotus Sūtra says: ‘The fully endowed path.’ Although three wisdoms are spoken of, they are in truth the one mind; they are spoken of as three merely to explain them to people and make them easy to understand. Speaking in terms of the pedagogical path: the kleśas to be severed are like overturning the great earth, where rivers and seas are all overturned; like felling a great tree, where roots and branches all collapse. Severing delusion with this wisdom is also just like this: the dust-and-sand [delusions] and avidyā of the Common and Distinct teachings are purified all at once; immeasurable merits and the ten thousand practices and Dharma gates of the pāramitās are fully endowed without decrease; the secret treasury of the Buddha's Dharma completely manifests before one. The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Sūtra says: ‘Although all dharmas are empty, the one mind is fully endowed with the ten thousand practices.’ The Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra says: ‘The initial aspiration and the ultimate are not two distinct things.’ The Lotus Sūtra says: ‘The beginning and the end are ultimately equal.’ Being equal, it is called the equal path of wondrous enlightenment. One should know that this wisdom is the spiritual source of the citta of the dharmadhātu, the unsurpassed Dharma mother of the Buddhas of the three times. Because the Dharma is eternal, the Buddhas are also eternal; bliss, self, and purity are also just like this. It is also called the jewel place; it is also called the secret treasury: that to which the Buddhas and all beings equally return. The narrow path of the prior Tripiṭaka Teaching does not allow parallel travel; the Common Teaching is received together, practiced together, and entered together, but cannot enter deeply; the Distinct Teaching is roundabout and distant through successive stages, and cannot immediately arrive. Now, these smṛtyupasthānas are vast as empty space, bounding the boundless, like a straight plumb-line entering straight into the western ocean; therefore they are named the four smṛtyupasthānas of the Perfect Teaching. Zhang Heng said: ‘The soaring kun gazes up and cannot reach it, how much less the bluebird and the yellow sparrow!’ One should know that the prior three smṛtyupasthānas cannot attain it; only the perfect smṛtyupasthāna flies aloft and operates alone, soaring into the crimson skies. Unsurpassed, unequaled, equal to the unequaled: vertically having no higher canopy, it is called unsurpassed; horizontally having no peer, it is called equal to the unequaled. Equaling the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times, it is called ‘equal to the unequaled.’ To restate this meaning, one further cites Vasubandhu’s Vijñaptimātratāśāstra: ‘There is solely one consciousness; furthermore there is discriminating consciousness and non-discriminating consciousness. Discriminating consciousness is the consciousness of consciousness; non-discriminating consciousness is the consciousness resembling dust. Everything in the entire dharmadhātu—all vases, robes, carts, conveyances, and so forth—is non-discriminating consciousness.’ Nāgārjuna said: ‘The four smṛtyupasthānas are precisely the Mahāyāna; the Mahāyāna is precisely the four smṛtyupasthānas. All dharmas tend toward the smṛtyupasthāna of the body, which is a single nature. Rūpa can have discriminating rūpa and non-discriminating rūpa. As for discriminating rūpa: as in the statement, “Light is precisely wisdom.” Non-discriminating rūpa is the dharmadhātu: the rūpa formed by the four great elements is entirely non-discriminating and so forth.’ This is the non-duality of rūpa and citta. Since they could establish the names of the two consciousnesses, here we also establish the explanation of the two rūpas. If rūpa and citta are contrasted, apart from rūpa there is no citta, and apart from citta there is no rūpa. If one could not establish this discriminating rūpa and non-discriminating rūpa, how could one establish discriminating consciousness and non-discriminating consciousness? If expounded in the perfect manner, one can also speak of solely rūpa, solely sound, solely fragrance, solely taste, solely touch, or solely consciousness. If discussed synthetically, each and every dharma is fully endowed with the dharmadhātu. Because all dharmas are equal, prajñā is equal; internal illumination already being equal, external transformation is also equal. That is, the four siddhāntas accord with the sentiments of beings in terms of ease and difficulty.”