宗鏡錄 54.15

54.15

Answer: When the eye faces a form object, where there was nothing, seeing arises; this maturation karmic fruit is inconceivable, known only by wisdom, not fathomable by [ordinary] sentiment. Only through personal realization is the true nature of all phenomena illuminated. That there is seeing and hearing belongs to the measure of worldly minds; if considered from the ultimate truth, sense faculties and sense objects are both empty. Now, in the conventional gate, seeing has no self-nature. For instance, the eye's ultimate-truth faculty is like fire: it can both produce consciousness and illuminate the object; consciousness is like a person: it can discern; the object is like a thing. Therefore, we know that without the faculty, consciousness cannot arise; without consciousness, the object cannot be discerned; without the object, seeing cannot occur. Only when these three phenomena harmoniously combine is the nature of seeing accomplished. Thus, the nature of seeing has no source, and the harmonious combination is not inherently existent. As a verse in the Viśeṣacintibrahmaparipṛcchāsūtra says: 'Seeing all lands of the ten directions / and all classes of sentient beings, / yet regarding the eye and form / one ultimately produces no dual characteristics. / All the teachings spoken by all buddhas / one is completely able to hear and receive, / yet regarding the ear and sound / one likewise produces no dual characteristics. / Able within one mind / to know the various minds of sentient beings, / between one's own mind and the minds of others / one makes no distinction between these two.' The 'Chapter on Refuting Faculties and Objects' in the Śataśāstranirbhāsa says: 'If faculties and objects such as the eye are grasped as truly existent, this must be logically untenable. Why is this? Because it contradicts inference. That is to say, the eye is not seeing, just like the ear and other faculties; the ear is also not hearing, just like the eye and other faculties; the nose cannot smell, just like the tongue and other faculties; the tongue cannot taste, just like the nose and other faculties; the body cannot feel tactile sensation, just like the above faculties. All of them are due to their nature of derived form, or due to the great elements, or due to karmic fruition. Furthermore, because faculties such as the eye all have physical obstruction, they can be analyzed and all reduced to emptiness; otherwise, there would be the fault of infinite regress. Therefore, one should not grasp them as truly existent; they are merely the false manifestation produced by one's own mind in accordance with the power of causes and conditions, like magical illusions and the like: existent conventionally, nonexistent in the ultimate.' Also, the 'Chapter on Refuting Sentiment' says: 'Does the eye see by reaching form, or does it see without reaching form? If the eye sees by going to and reaching form, a distant form should be seen slowly and a near form should be seen quickly. Why is this? Because this is the nature of going. Yet now, the near vase and the distant moon are seen at the same time. Therefore, we know the eye does not go. If it does not go, there is no harmonious combination. Furthermore, if the power of the eye sees without reaching form, why does it see what is near and not what is distant? Far and near should be seen at the same time. Therefore, we know the nature of seeing has no source.' The other faculties are also like this. As the gate of contemplation on self and other in the Huanyuan ji says: 'Two bodies constitute self and other: that body is other, one's own body is self. One body further constitutes self and other: the form body is other, citta is self. Citta further constitutes self and other: citta is other, wisdom is self. Wisdom further has self and other: wisdom with attainment is other, wisdom without attainment is self. Wisdom without attainment further has self and other: pure wisdom is other, that purity is also pure is self. Contemplating the true characteristic of the body, contemplating the Buddha is also like this. Bowing to that which is like empty space without support; the mind being pure has already crossed over all dhyānas. If there is no abiding, there is no root. Awakening—this is named Buddha. Conventionally designated as Buddha, there is also no Buddha to be attained; without attainment that can be attained, without emergence that can emerge, this is called the emergence of the Buddha. Having nothing seen, one sees clearly; seeing clearly, there is nothing seen. There are only names; the nature of names is empty and without anything existent. A mirror image is like empty space, empty space is like a mirror image; form and citta are like empty space, empty space is like form and citta; form and citta are like a mirror image. The mirror image and the body are not two, nor are they one. If one can understand like this, all buddhas emerge from within it. All buddhas have only names, like empty space echoing a sound. The mind-free ultimate path: phenomenon by phenomenon is naturally equal. At the point of equality, there is also no equality; where there is no equality, one speaks of equality. Here words are cut off, and the place of mental activity also ceases. The emptiness of the eye protects the emptiness of form; the emptiness of form protects the emptiness of the eye; the two emptinesses mutually protect each other, and then there is no thief of eye-consciousness. The emptiness of the ear protects the emptiness of sound; the emptiness of sound protects the emptiness of the ear; the two emptinesses mutually protect each other, and then there is no thief of ear-consciousness. The emptiness of the nose protects the emptiness of fragrance; the emptiness of fragrance protects the emptiness of the nose; the two emptinesses mutually protect each other, and then there is no thief of nose-consciousness. The emptiness of the tongue protects the emptiness of taste; the emptiness of taste protects the emptiness of the tongue; the two emptinesses mutually protect each other, and then there is no thief of tongue-consciousness. The emptiness of the body protects the emptiness of touch; the emptiness of touch protects the emptiness of the body; the two emptinesses mutually protect each other, and then there is no thief of body-consciousness. The emptiness of the mind protects the emptiness of dharmas; the emptiness of dharmas protects the emptiness of the mind; still it is that one emptiness can protect two emptinesses, and can also protect one emptiness. Therefore, it is called the emptiness of emptiness; it is conventionally designated as seeing the truth. If one knows that the six faculties are pure, then there are no thieves of the six sense objects. If there are no thieves of the six sense objects, the citta-king is naturally pure. Expediently maintaining this transforms ordinary mortals; inscribing its name is lodged in Buddha-nature.' Explanation: Thus, if the eye is empty and form is not empty, or form is empty and the eye is not empty, they cannot protect each other; because faculty and object would be different, there would inevitably be harm. If they are of the same nature, there is no doubt. Just as in the world, regarding those who serve as guarantors: if one is a loyal and good person, one may act as a guarantor for a loyal and good person; if one is an evildoer, they cannot be guaranteed, because their sentiments and natures are different. Since the harmonious unity of the six faculties and objects is like this, the accordant intent of all the myriad phenomena is likewise so. Therefore, the Śūraṅgamasūtra says: 'The Buddha told Ānanda: The faculties and objects have the same source; bondage and liberation are not two. The nature of consciousness is false and deceptive, like flowers in the sky. Ānanda, knowing is produced from sense objects, and characteristics exist due to faculties. Characteristics and seeing have no nature; they are like crossed reeds. Therefore, for you now, to establish knowing upon seeing and knowing is the very root of avidyā. Seeing and knowing free from seeing [characteristics] is itself nirvāṇa's undefiled, true purity. How could there be room for any other thing within it?'