宗鏡錄 44.5.2

44.5.2

emptiness and form become distinctly clear; one, two, or three fingers are all clearly understood. A great rain can settle swirling dust; great concentration can calm wild recklessness. Śamatha can break through distraction, and the unreal and false are extinguished.' With skillful means and diverse conditions and metaphors, broadly praise śamatha to destroy their drowsiness and distraction. This is called pacifying the citta through śamatha as an antidote. 'Furthermore, good son, if the citta is in concentration, it can know the worldly dharmic characteristics of arising and ceasing, and also know the supramundane dharmic characteristics of neither arising nor ceasing. Even when the Tathāgata accomplished the Path, he still delighted in concentration—how much more so for ordinary mortals! One who possesses dhyāna concentration is like someone seeing lightning by night: they directly attain the seeing of the Path, destroy countless billions of blazing evils, and ultimately attain sarvākārajñatā.' With skillful means and diverse conditions and metaphors, broadly praise śamatha, directly realizing tathatā. This is called pacifying the citta through śamatha in accord with the primary meaning. If that person says: 'When I hear of quiescent cessation, it does not enter my breast at all; but when I hear of analytical distinctions, I listen and accept without satiation,' one should then say to them: 'The blazing fire of the three evil destinies, the heavy suffering of camels and donkeys, and the hunger and thirst of hungry ghosts are not called real suffering; the darkness of ignorance without hearing [the Dharma], not knowing where to turn—this is the great suffering. The joy of extensive hearing and analytical distinction, the joyful delight of seeing dharmas, the joy of overcoming evil with good, and the unattached arhat—this is called the supreme joy. From those of extensive hearing, one hears the joy of nectar; observing according to the teachings, one knows the path, stays far away from pits and chasms, and proceeds straight ahead without turning back.' With skillful means and diverse conditions and metaphors, broadly praise vipaśyanā, gladdening their mind. This is called pacifying the citta through vipaśyanā in accord with delight and desire. 'Furthermore, good son, the moon opens the lotus; the sun initiates daily tasks; a merchant must follow his leader; painting requires glue; unbaked clay, unless it encounters fire, is useless for even an instant; a blind person without a guide cannot take a single step forward. Practices without the wisdom of contemplation are also like this. Sarvākārajñatā takes vipaśyanā as its root, adorned by immeasurable merits.' With skillful means and diverse conditions and metaphors, broadly praise vipaśyanā to generate their merits. This is called pacifying the citta through vipaśyanā in accord with suitability. 'Furthermore, good son, the wise know their enemies, so the enemies cannot harm them; a brave general has strategy, so he can defeat strong foes. Without wind, how could clouds be rolled back? Without clouds, how could heat be blocked? Without water, how could fire be extinguished? Without fire, how could darkness be dispelled? How could an axe that splits wood, or a blade that cuts bonds, surpass wisdom?' With skillful means and diverse conditions and metaphors, broadly praise vipaśyanā to cause them to destroy evil. This is called pacifying the citta through vipaśyanā as an antidote. 'Furthermore, good son, the seven treasures within a well, or vases and basins in a dark room, must await the light of the sun; once the sun has risen, they all become distinct and clear. One must have the eye of wisdom to contemplate and know the true reality of all dharmas. Among all dharmas, one enters the prajñāpāramitā through equal contemplation, which is the most illuminating.' With skillful means and diverse conditions and metaphors, broadly praise vipaśyanā to cause them to attain awakening and understanding. This is called pacifying the citta through vipaśyanā [in accord with] the primary meaning. These are the eight rounds of explaining the pacification of the citta for a practitioner inclined to faith. If that person says: 'I delight in stilling the citta, silence upon silence, diminishing it and diminishing it further, thereby arriving at the unconditioned; I do not delight in analytical distinctions, and running outward while seated brings no benefit'—this is the disposition of a practitioner inclined to the Dharma. One should speak to them of śamatha: 'Do not seek externally; only guard the one within. Cognitive grasping and discursive reflection in their flow all arise from delusion. Like a whirling firebrand, it ceases when the hand stops; when great waves billow in rage, they become clear and calm once the wind is still.' The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says: 'What is called cognitive grasping? It means having the three realms. What is called ceasing cognitive grasping? It means the citta having nothing to attain.' The Ruiying jing says: 'For one who attains the one mind, the myriad evils are extinguished.' Nāgārjuna says: 'The real Dharma is not inverted; mindfulness, thought, and contemplation are already eliminated; dharmas of speech are all extinguished; immeasurable multitudes of sins are removed; the pure citta is constantly unified—such a revered and wondrous person is able to see prajñā.' Now, secluded stillness in the mountains is praised by spirits and immortals; how much more so the serene calm of nirvāṇa, venerated by worthy ones and sages! The Fo hua jing says: 'When a monk is in a settlement, diligent in body and speech, the Buddhas are all grieved; when a monk is in the mountains, resting from affairs and lying down peacefully, the Buddhas are all pleased.' How much more so when sitting cross-legged with hands gathered, sealing the lips and tying the tongue, contemplating the characteristic of quiescence! When the source of the citta is unified in śamatha, the dharmadhātu is thoroughly quiescent. How could this not be the essential path? Only this is noble; nothing else can equal it. With skillful means, diverse conditions, and diverse metaphors, broadly praise śamatha to gladden their citta. This is called pacifying the citta through śamatha in accord with delight and desire. If that person says: 'When I contemplate dharmic characteristics, it only increases turmoil and agitation, and wholesome dharmas are not illuminated,' one should speak to them of śamatha: 'Śamatha is the level and upright, fertile field of the dharmadhātu; what dharma does it lack? When śamatha relinquishes cognitive grasping, that is dāna. When the substance of śamatha is not evil, that is śīla. When the substance of śamatha is unmoving, that is kṣānti. When śamatha is uninterrupted and unmixed, that is vīrya. When śamatha is definitive, that is dhyāna. When the dharma of śamatha is also absent and the one who stops is also absent, that is prajñā. When, by means of śamatha, one realizes neither stopping nor non-stopping, that is upāya. When one stopping is all stopping, that is praṇidhāna. When stopping stops craving and stops views, that is bala. When this śamatha is identical to the Buddha's stopping, without duality or distinction, that is jñāna. Śamatha possesses all dharmas; this is the secret storehouse. Merely rest in śamatha; what need is there to cultivate other dharmas separately?' With skillful means and diverse conditions and metaphors, cause them to produce wholesome roots. This is pacifying the citta through śamatha in accord with suitability. If they say: 'When I contemplate dharmic characteristics, distraction and drowsiness are not eliminated,' one should speak to them of śamatha as having great efficacy: 'Śamatha is wall-like concentration; the eight winds and evil reflections cannot enter. Śamatha is pure water; it washes away lust. The eight inversions are like morning dew; seeing the sun, they dry up. Śamatha is great compassion; pitying both enemies and kin alike, it can break anger and hatred. Śamatha is the great illuminating mantra; ignorance and doubt are completely dispelled. Śamatha is itself the Buddha; it destroys obstacles to the Path. It is like the agada medicine, curing everything comprehensively; like a marvelous, skilled physician, enlivening the withered and raising the dead.' With skillful means,