宗鏡錄 41.29

41.29

Answer: To reveal the correct source, perverse attachments must first be eliminated; thus, one must clarify principle through phenomena and converge the false back to the true. The true is the truth that is relied upon by the false: it is spoken of as 'converged' on account of sentiment. Phenomena are the phenomena that stem from principle: they are spoken of as 'clarified' to smash attachment. When there is no attachment, both principle and phenomena are empty; when free from sentiment, both the true and the false are cut off. When cataracts clear away, the sky-flowers naturally wither; when thoughts cease, the illusory realm abruptly sinks away.

Now, relying on all the sages, among the realms of sentient beings those who cling to teachings while being confused about the source are truly more than one or two. To grasp the essential pivot, nothing comes before the two emptinesses. Because of being confused about the emptiness of persons, they give rise to the folly of the self-view and suffer illusory birth and death. Because of being confused about the emptiness of dharmas, they contravene the realm of direct perception (*pratyakṣa*) and obstruct pure bodhi. Therefore, self and dharmas are both empty; they transform solely from consciousness.

Now, establishing the foremost mind-dharma, the consciousnesses that can transform are three: first, the transformation of the eighth consciousness, which is the maturation consciousness (*vipākavijñāna*); second, the transformation of the seventh consciousness, which is the thinking consciousness; third, the transformation of the sixth consciousness, which is the consciousness discerning perceptual objects (*viṣayavijñapti*). Since they transform only from consciousness, both self and dharmas are empty. By means of these two emptinesses, one accords and tallies with the profound import: through the emptiness of the person, the affliction obstacle (*kleśāvaraṇa*) is severed; through the emptiness of dharmas, the obstacle to the knowable (*jñeyāvaraṇa*) is eliminated. Because the affliction obstacle is severed, one realizes true liberation; because the obstacle to the knowable is eliminated, one obtains great bodhi. Thereafter, when practice is fulfilled in the causal gate and the mind merges into the ocean of the fruit, then both objects and consciousness are stilled, and there is only the single true emptiness.