宗鏡錄 47.31

47.31

Answer: The treatise says: 'Because they are mutually incompatible. Desire evolves in longing for pleasant things; this consciousness follows karma without any longing. Resoluteness evolves in determining and maintaining settled things; this consciousness is dim and ignorant without maintaining anything. Mindfulness evolves solely in clearly recollecting previously experienced things; this consciousness is dim and inferior, incapable of clear recollection. Samādhi can make the mind focus single-mindedly on a single object; this consciousness operates spontaneously, taking distinct objects moment by moment. Wisdom evolves solely in discerning acquired [qualities] and so forth; this consciousness is subtle and dim, incapable of discernment; therefore it does not associate with the particular-state [mental factors]. Because this consciousness is exclusively of a maturational nature, wholesome, defiled, and other such [factors] also do not associate with it. As for the four such as regret, being of an indeterminate nature, because they are subject to interruption, they are definitely not maturational.' The commentary explains: '"Samādhi can make the mind focus single-mindedly on a single object; this consciousness operates spontaneously, taking distinct objects moment by moment": although the reflected nimittabhāga in samādhi arises afresh moment by moment, when reaching the stage of preparatory effort (prayoga), the original substance being observed continues uninterruptedly and remains ever focused on the object. This consciousness operates spontaneously without preparatory effort to focus on an original substance; it constantly takes present reflected images as its object, and its focal objects merely arise afresh and afresh. Moreover, the cognitive mode of samādhi, in every single moment, takes deep focus and directs itself toward its focal object; this consciousness is floating and lax, and its cognitive mode is not like that; therefore it is not in the state of samādhi. "Operates spontaneously" means evolving in accordance with karma. "Regret and so forth are definitely not maturational" means they are not true maturation; it does not deny that among things born of maturation there is also regret and so forth; because they are not constantly continuous at all times, they do not associate with this.' Therefore, know that the eighth, the true consciousness, is ever like the characteristic of equanimity: through spontaneous conditions it accords with the constant Way; it is not defiled by impure dharmas, so how could it be remedied by pure dharmas? It is not bound by saṃsāra, so how could it be silenced by nirvāṇa? Therefore it is called the master of consciousness, and hence named the mind-king. Thereafter, due to a single thought of ignorance, waves of the seven consciousnesses arise, whereupon mental factors are born and the original mind-king is lost. All this is because forcibly regarding awareness as enlightened splits subject from object, giving rise to distinct understanding where mind and objects appear separately, and activating discriminatory sentiments where self and other are clearly marked. Because of this, within the minds of sentient beings, enmity and kinship are formed following hatred and love; within insentient objects, forms and obstacles are designated following thoughts and ideations. Consequently, externally, mulberry fields turn into oceans and oceans turn into mulberry fields; internally, kin become causes of enmity and enemies become seeds of kinship; alternating between high and low, repaying one another in turn. From this, karmic fruitions are ever renewed and conditions of suffering are uninterrupted. Therefore, the Śūraṅgamasūtra states: 'The Buddha told Pūrṇa: "What is clear and false is none other [than this]; regarding awareness as enlightened is the fault. Once the false object is established, the enlightened principle cannot go beyond it. By this cause and condition, hearing does not transcend sound, and seeing does not transcend form; up to killing, stealing, and lusting alone being the three fundamentals. By these causes and conditions, karmic fruitions continue in succession. Pūrṇa, such three kinds of inverted continuity all stem from the clearly knowing nature of regarding awareness as enlightened; because understanding produces characteristics, they arise from false views. The mountains, rivers, the great earth, and all conditioned characteristics shift and flow in sequence; relying on this falsity, ending and beginning anew."' Therefore, if one wishes to return to the source and revert to the root, revolving falsity to merge with the true, one need only not give rise to a single thought: the boundaries of before and after are severed, the discriminatory mind is extinguished, the karma of transmigration perishes, roots are exhausted and branches wither, causes are emptied and fruits are destroyed. The dust of sentiments and stains of consciousness from beginningless time are completely dissolved in an instant, and the original Buddha eye and eternal body appear suddenly in accord with the true.