宗鏡錄 43.5.1

43.5.1

Answer: This is spoken for those who do not yet know; it is not said for those who already know. It is said for those who have not yet practiced; it is not spoken for those who have already practiced. If they are persons who already know and have already practiced, then traces of the mind are already extinguished—what need would there be for spoken words? Now, it is solely for beginners who do not yet know, whose own eye is unopened and whose perfect potential has not yet unfolded, that one must rely on the wisdom derived from hearing to assist their initial aspiration; and for those who have not yet practiced, who merely cling to derived comprehension and learn the words of the Great Vehicle, like bugs eating wood or like slaves counting coins. Even the dust-and-sand-like teaching gates are all meant for these two classes of people. Thereby seeing the truth, they practice as taught. Moreover, the radiance of wisdom is like the sun shining everywhere; the power of much learning is like oil fueling the light. Because sentient beings of inferior understanding have, from the beginningless past, suffered the blazing torments of boundless kalpas solely through straying from the path of right faith and losing the gate of wondrous wisdom, employing their minds wildly and behaving erratically—why then, being blind and devoid of the illumination of wisdom, should they conversely disparage the true radiance of wisdom, or, being impoverished and lacking the wealth of the Dharma, further cast aside the treasure trove of much learning? As the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'If one wishes to liberate sentient beings and cause them to abide in nirvāṇa, one does not depart from the unhindered wisdom of liberation. The unhindered wisdom of liberation does not depart from the true awakening to all dharmas as they are. The true awakening to all dharmas as they are does not depart from the radiance of wisdom that acts without action and without arising. The radiance of wisdom that acts without action and without arising does not depart from the wisdom of decisive contemplation skillful in dhyāna. The wisdom of decisive contemplation skillful in dhyāna does not depart from skillful, extensive learning.' Therefore, it is through hearing that the citta is revealed, enabling one to distinguish the dhyāna of decisive contemplation; through dhyāna one initiates the wisdom of non-action and non-arising; through wisdom one penetrates the awakening to all dharmas as they are; through awakening one perfects the unhindered wisdom of liberation. All of these depend entirely on the initial power of much learning to achieve bodhi. If one departs from this Mirror of the Source, there is no other gate to attaining Buddhahood; even if one has something practiced, it all becomes the teachings of Māra and outsiders. A verse in the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: / 'To have wisdom without much learning / is to not know the true characteristic: / like in profound darkness / having eyes but seeing nothing. / To have much learning without wisdom / is also to not know the true characteristic: / like in broad daylight / having a lamp but having no eyes. / Much learning with sharp wisdom— / what such a one says should be accepted. / Having neither learning nor wisdom— / this is called an ox in human form.' / Now, one who has wisdom without much learning is compared to having eyes but seeing nothing in profound darkness: though possessing the eye of wisdom, one cannot comprehensively know the myriad dharmas—the dependent origination of the dharmadhātu, the perfuming of the various consciousnesses, and so forth—as if dwelling in profound darkness, utterly seeing nothing. For this reason, the true characteristic pervades all dharmas, and all dharmas are just the true characteristic; not a single dharma has ever departed from the dharmatā. If one does not comprehensively know all dharmas, by what means could one deeply penetrate the true characteristic? Hence it says: 'also to not know the true characteristic.' One who has much learning without wisdom is compared to having a lamp but having no eyes in broad daylight: though having much learning and retaining names and characteristics in memory, one lacks the true wisdom of personal realization; perfect understanding does not unfold, and one falls solely into avidyā; great faith is not established, vainly turning into wrong views. It is like being in broad daylight: though there is the light of the sun, moon, and lamps, lacking eyes, by what means could one see? Even if one hears of the Tathāgata's treasure trove, chanting and reciting it throughout life without weariness of hearing and receiving, if one's own eye is not open, one merely counts another's treasures; if the eye of wisdom does not open, how can one distinguish the source of the teachings? Such a person, therefore, does not know the true characteristic. Only when both hearing and wisdom are complete does one reach the origin of the true characteristic. If one is devoid of both hearing and wisdom, like the eyes of cattle and sheep, how could one distinguish the boundaries of the general and specific, the nature and characteristics of the myriad dharmas? A bodhisattva learning prajñā must not accept the reproach of being an ox in human form; a great being continuing the Buddha Vehicle, would they willingly submit to the ridicule of a bug eating wood? If one is a wise person, one must reflect three times. Therefore, not knowing the jewel of the mind-Buddha, one willingly dwells in the toil of the dusts; but as soon as one hears the source of the inherent awakening, one immediately ascends to the noble stages. As the Xianjie dingyi jing says: King of Joy Bodhisattva sat in quiet meditation for seven days; having passed the seven days, he went to the Buddha and inquired: 'Practicing what samādhi can one completely penetrate the eighty-four thousand Dharma gates of the pāramitās?' The Buddha told King of Joy: 'There is a samādhi gate named Understanding the Root of All Dharmas. When a bodhisattva practices it, they are able to penetrate all the Dharma gates of the pāramitās.' As for 'all the Dharma gates of the pāramitās': the Buddhas have three hundred and fifty merits, each and every merit having the cultivation of the six pāramitās as its cause. Explanation: The 'root of all dharmas' is just the citta of sentient beings. If it accords with a virtuous citta, it accomplishes the gates of the six pāramitās; if it accords with an unvirtuous citta, it makes the paths of the three destinies. Treating a pleasant realm as a state of suffering is entirely made by the citta; dwelling in hell and transforming it into a heavenly hall is wholly shifted by the citta. Either attaining Buddhahood in an instant, or sinking for eternal kalpas, depends solely on the power of the very first thought. Therefore it is said: 'Dharmas have no fixed characteristic, but merely follow the human citta.' Like the tree that responds to heavenly thoughts, turning according to heavenly wishes, its transformation can be said to show immediate proof, cause and effect appearing before one's eyes. Without moving a hair's breadth, it comprehensively fathoms the dharmadhātu—just like viewing boundless space through the crack of a window, or seeing a thousand-li reflection in a foot-wide mirror. Possessing such a marvel, the deluded do not know it, like seeing gold and taking it for a snake, or mistakenly grasping a jewel as gravel. Therefore, a verse in the Ghanavyūhasūtra says: / 'Just as an exquisite jewel / is held in contempt by a rustic, / yet if used to adorn the royal crown, / it is borne on the king's head; / just so is the ālayavijñāna: / it is the pure Buddha-nature. / In the station of ordinary beings it is ever defiled; / in the fruit of Buddhahood it is constantly preserved. / Like fine jade in water, / entangled and covered by moss, / the ālaya dwells in saṃsāra, / obscured by vāsanās and unmanifest. / In this ālayavijñāna, / there are the manifested marks of the two graspings; / like a snake with two heads, / it goes along with whatever it desires. / The ālaya is also like this, / occurring together with various forms and characteristics; / all the worlds / grasp it and consider it to be form. / Those of bad judgment are confused, / falsely conceiving it as self and mine; / whether existing or non-existing, / it freely makes the world. / Although the ālaya manifests transformations, / its essential nature is always profoundly deep; / among all people devoid of wisdom, / none can awaken to and understand it.' / Therefore, if one can awaken and understand, one will immediately perceive the moving citta: the myriad objects and myriad conditions all arise from this. If the citta does not move, all affairs are tranquil; entering the gate of true reality, one abides.