宗鏡錄 48.67

48.67

Answer: It is the recompense body Buddha (saṃbhogakāya), because it is accomplished through perfuming, having wisdom as its seed. The dharmakāya is unconditioned, revealed through the severing of delusions, and does not arise from seeds. Because dharma and recompense are complete, they can give rise to transformed manifestations; thus the transformation body (nirmāṇakāya) is the function of dharma and recompense. Only the recompense Buddha-nature is the seed of hearing and perfuming for all sentient beings. For example, in the world, on an amṛta leaf, mist and dew moisten it, dripping into the soil; one drop forms a pearl, and with further moistening, it grows sprouts and stems. The recompense Buddha-nature is also like this. The darśanabhāga of our sixth consciousness and the darśanabhāga of the ear consciousness are like the amṛta leaf. The Tathāgata's Great Vehicle teachings are like the mist and dew. The ear consciousness and sixth consciousness, perfumed by the seeds of the Great Vehicle, are like the moistening. Falling into the eighth consciousness, it is like entering the soil and producing a pearl. Afterward, continually reinforced and perfumed, it reaches the fulfillment of the self-enjoyment recompense body Buddha; meeting further moisture, it gives rise to sprouts and stems. Therefore, know that the Buddha-seed is entirely accomplished through perfuming. How could a beginner not rely on the power of hearing the Dharma? Moreover, although sentient beings possess the nature of the direct cause (hetu), it must rely on conditioning causes (pratyaya) to be brought forth. As the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'As stated in the sūtra, two causes and conditions give rise to right view: first, hearing the true Dharma from outside; second, having right mindfulness within.' It is also like plants having seeds within and rain from without, only after which they can grow. If there were no bodhisattvas, even though sentient beings had karmic causes and conditions, there would be no way to bring them forth. However, if one wishes to propagate the Buddhadharma and analyze the perfect source, one must illuminate both nature and characteristics, and distinguish both the general and the particular. Therefore, a verse in the Lotus Sūtra says: 'Such great retributions, / and diverse meanings of nature and characteristics: / only I and the buddhas of the ten directions / are able to know these matters.' Now, the fundamental intent of the Mirror of the Source is that principle and phenomena must be clearly distinguished, so as to reveal that the one mind is fully endowed with substance and function. If there is substance without function, it is like having a body without hands and feet. If there is function without substance, it is like having hands and feet without a body. If one lacks body and hands, the human form is incomplete; if one lacks substance and function, the dharmakāya is not consummate. The Treatise on the Awakening of Mahāyāna Faith (Shi Moheyan lun) says: 'The uncontaminated natural virtues of intrinsic purity have from the beginningless past been consistently radiant, free from defilement and blemish; yet because avidyā perfumes them, there are blemishes. The ocean of the treasury of avidyā has from the beginningless past been consistently dark, lacking the illumination of wisdom and the white dharmas; yet because inherent enlightenment perfumes it, there are pure functions. Such defilement and purity are merely nominal designations: defilement is not real defilement, and purity is not real purity; they are all illusory transformations, devoid of real self-nature.' Therefore, know that defilement and purity have no substance; they are accomplished according to perfuming. If separated from the conditions of perfuming, there is definitively no phenomenon to be found. If there were no substance of the eighth consciousness that is perfumed, the myriad phenomena could not be established. Through the numerous previously mentioned doctrinal perspectives, Vijñaptimātra has been established; thus we know that there is not a single phenomenon that is not transformed and born from the mind, perfumed and accomplished according to good and evil, and serving as a seed through cultivation. It is like paper wrapping incense being scented, fragrant scent wafting forth; like a cord binding fish drawing near, smelling of fishy grease. How much more so for the fundamental consciousness of maturation (vipākavijñāna), the firmly abiding true mind: when perfumed by hearing good dharmas, pure seeds increase; when aroused by evil dharmas, defiled seeds are fully accomplished. Therefore, internally acting as the cause, although inherently existing, externally it relies on conditions for aid, necessarily depending on new perfuming. Thus it is able to produce fruit in repayment of causes, making ordinary beings into sages. Hence the scripture says: 'The Buddha-seed arises from conditions.' Thus we know that there is no phenomenon not accomplished through perfuming. Therefore, for the merit of the perfuming of extensive hearing, one must draw close to companions of the Way; the effort of accumulating learning and polishing oneself lies entirely with the person themselves. One must not let time pass in vain, failing to exert effort in wondrous practice. Just as the fire-nature in wood is the direct cause of fire, yet without meeting human labor, it does not accomplish the function of fire; just as the buddha-nature in the body is the direct cause of buddhahood, yet without encountering pure conditions, it is difficult to accomplish the wondrous function.