宗鏡錄 56.8.3

56.8.3

"From beginningless time, the three temporal boundaries are immovable, the four characteristics do not shift, and it is truly and constantly abiding; its characteristic of pure and indestructible self-nature is fully complete, without any deficiency. And because all such virtues are identical with the dharmadhātu, they are without dual characteristics. Being without dual characteristics, there is only a single characteristic; being only a single characteristic, it is also unconditioned (without characteristics). Because all are without characteristics, even 'without characteristics' is itself without characteristics. As the sūtra says: 'The indestructible characteristics are eight; without characteristics is also without characteristics.' / In this *Laṅkāvatārasūtra*, regarding how many consciousnesses are explained, there are two approaches: first, the abridged explanation; second, the extensive explanation. Within these two approaches, three recensions give different explanations. That is, one recension of the *Laṅkāvatārasūtra* states: 'Mahāmati, briefly stated there are three kinds of consciousness; extensively stated there are two characteristics. What are the three? Namely, the true consciousness, the manifesting consciousness, and the consciousness that discriminates objects.' / Another recension of the *Laṅkāvatārasūtra* states: 'Mahāmati, extensively stated there are eight kinds; briefly stated there are two kinds. What are the two? First, the perceptual consciousness; second, the consciousness that discriminates objects.' / Another recension of the *Laṅkāvatārasūtra* states: 'Mahāmati, briefly stated there are four kinds; extensively stated there are seven kinds of consciousness. What are the four? Karma-consciousness, evolving consciousness, manifesting consciousness, and the consciousness that discriminates objects.' / These three sūtra [versions] are direct and true teachings; one should take refuge in them. In the first sutra, the first—true consciousness—is directly the true mind of original enlightenment perfumed by fundamental ignorance. The second, manifesting consciousness, is directly the manifesting characteristic, the ālayavijñāna. The third, consciousness that discriminates objects, is directly manovijñāna—its coarse portion being manovijñāna, and its subtle portion being manas. / In the middle sūtra, it is stated thus: the first, perceptual consciousness, is directly the manifesting characteristic of ālayavijñāna. The second, consciousness that discriminates objects, is directly manovijñāna; its meaning is as explained above, likewise including manas. / In the latter sūtra, the four kinds of consciousness are obvious in textual phrasing, so they are temporarily omitted. As for the 'seven consciousnesses', manas and manovijñāna are counted together as one; though coarse and subtle differ, they are only one consciousness. / The *Dharmadhātu-dharmacakra Sūtra* states: 'When the sixth manovijñāna discriminates the realm of the six sense objects, it must rely on manas as its supporting faculty to arise. Therefore, manovijñāna must be that which relies, and that manas must be that upon which it relies.' / Furthermore, the *Huayan Treatise* says: 'The World-Honoured One preached the Dharma on Mount Laṅkā in the Southern Sea. That mountain was steep and high, overlooking the great ocean, with no gates on its sides; only those who had attained supernatural powers were capable of ascending it. This symbolizes the Dharma-door of the citta-ground: only those who have no mind and no attainment can ascend. Overlooking the great ocean symbolizes that the ocean of the mind is inherently pure; turned by the wind of objects, waves of consciousness surge. Intending to show that when objects are penetrated and the mind is empty, the ocean also naturally stills; mind and objects both still, nothing fails to be illuminated. It is like the great ocean without wind: the sun, moon, and array of stars are brilliantly and clearly reflected. / The intention of this sūtra is directly for those of ripe capacities: it immediately speaks of the seed-karma-consciousness as the tathāgatagarbha, differing from those of the two vehicles who extinguish consciousness to enter tranquility, and also differing from those prajñā bodhisattvas who cultivate emptiness and whose attachment to emptiness becomes excessive. It directly shows that the substance of consciousness in its inherent nature is entirely real, thereupon explaining that the substance of consciousness immediately becomes the function of wisdom. Just like that great ocean without wind, where objective forms become clear, the Dharma-door of the ocean of mind is also like this: realizing the real, consciousness becomes wisdom. / This sūtra differs from the intention of the *Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra*, which separately posits nine consciousnesses to guide initial capacities, gradually having them retain afflictions to grow bodhi, neither letting their minds plant seeds in emptiness nor letting their minds become like ruined seeds. The *Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra* is the initial gateway for entering afflictions; the *Laṅkāvatāra* and *Vimalakīrti* directly point out the fundamental reality of afflictions. The *Laṅkāvatāra* directly reveals the eight consciousnesses as the tathāgatagarbha; the *Vimalakīrti* contemplates the real mark of the body, and contemplates the Buddha likewise. The *Vimalakīrti* is identical with the *Laṅkāvatāra*; the text of the *Saṃdhinirmocana* differs slightly from these two works. / One should know that entering the womb and emerging from the womb, youth and old age, even livelihood and dwelling places, whether form or emptiness, whether nature or characteristics, are all one's own consciousness; only the Buddha can fully know this. / As the *Treatise on Manifesting Consciousness* says: 'As for the four existences: from the consciousness link to age six is the existence of birth. From age seven onward, being able to distinguish raw and ripe and giving rise to craving, until life is not yet abandoned, is the existence of karma. The existence of death is only a single moment of thought. Intermediate existence is the bardo. Regarding the existence of karma, the six consciousnesses generate three kinds of karma: wholesome, unwholesome, and immovable. The three conditioned karmas are maintained by the bhavaṅga-vijñāna. When the six consciousnesses naturally perish, because the bhavaṅga-vijñāna maintains them, their force and function remain.' / Question: 'Why posit the bhavaṅga-vijñāna?' / [Answer]: 'Throughout an entire lifetime, it constantly perceives a single object. If born among humans or gods, this consciousness perceives karmic retributions such as mansions and towers; if the six consciousnesses arise, their coarse functions obscure it, and one does not notice the function of this consciousness. If born in the evil destinies, this consciousness merely perceives fiery chariots and the like; if the retributions cause the six consciousnesses to arise with strong function, one does not notice the object perceived by this consciousness. If the six consciousnesses of the desire realm perceive the desire realm, ordinary persons cannot detect it; up to the formless realm it is also like this. If the consciousnesses of the formless realm are extinguished, the function of this bhavaṅga-vijñāna becomes apparent, like the ālayavijñāna and manovijñāna.' / Therefore, the various teachings express the same purport, and perfect realization is not unique. / Again, as the *Lankāvatārasūtra* states: 'Mahāmati, there are other non-Buddhists who see form as having a cause and falsely cling to lengths and shapes; they see empty space as having no bodily shape or boundary, and see the marks of various forms as different from empty space and having their boundaries. Mahāmati, empty space is form, because the gross element of form enters empty space. Mahāmati, form is empty space, because depending on this dharma there is that dharma, and depending on that dharma there is this dharma; because depending on form one discriminates empty space, and depending on empty space one discriminates form. Mahāmati, the self-natures of the four great elements have distinct characteristics and do not abide in empty space; yet within the four great elements, empty space is not absent. Mahāmati, the horns of a hare are also like this: