宗鏡錄 55.9

55.9

Answer: The first, which is immediate, is the mental image; that which is mediate is the underlying substance. First, to distinguish the mental image: the immediate objective condition means that each nimittabhāga and the cognising darśanabhāga are not separate in substance; it is the cognitive object upon which the darśanabhāga relies and is that which is deliberated upon. That which is relied upon is called the condition; that which is contemplated is called the cognitive object. By combining these two senses, it is called the 'objective condition'. This mental image has four designations: first, mental image; second, nimittabhāga; third, internal contemplated reliance; fourth, immediate objective condition. Next, to distinguish the underlying substance: if it is separate in substance from the cognising subject, it is the mediate objective condition. Because it is separated by the nimittabhāga, the cognising darśanabhāga is separate from the underlying substance, and therefore it is called separate.