宗鏡錄 58.2.3

58.2.3

Going through affairs is like wind in empty space. At all times, one constantly abides in the mirror of the source, seeing the myriad phenomena without differentiation, like great empty space. Arising on account of discriminating consciousness, name-and-form appears as a shadow; when discrimination does not arise, name-and-form is fundamentally empty. Within the ground of the emptiness of nature, beauty and ugliness are equal. As the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'Just like removing palaces as well as crude huts, or burning sandalwood as well as mixed firewood, the empty space of that place has no different color; seeking the reality of all phenomena, up to and including sarvajñatā, they are all like this.' Therefore, the Commentary on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says: '"Only removing their sickness, not removing the phenomenon" is to clarify what to eliminate and what to take up.' A teacher explained: 'Like a person with an eye disease who sees flowers in the sky; when the eye disease is cured, there are no flowers to be removed. Sentient beings are also like this: they falsely see phenomena, and merely remove false delusion; if false delusion is extinguished, then there is no phenomenon to be removed. This is the meaning of "fundamentally no phenomena"; how could it mean "not removing the phenomenon"?' Now we say: All sentient beings are fully endowed with the phenomena of the ten dharmadhātus. Failing to understand due to ignorance, wherever they touch, disease arises; if they possess wisdom, they are unobstructed and free, and all [actions] become Buddha-work. For example, fire has the property of burning; if one touches it and is burned with pain, being cautious not to touch it is to remove the disease, not to remove the fire. If one were to remove this fire, one would lose its capacity to warm the body, illuminate darkness, and cook food. The phenomena of the twelve links of dependent origination and the three paths are also like this. Here there is what to eliminate and what to take up; the phenomena are not to be jointly removed. Furthermore, fire can burn people, but one who has attained magical arts comes and goes without obstruction, without needing to remove the fire. Therefore, as for the eighty-four thousand kleśas, ordinary beings are troubled by them, while the buddhas and bodhisattvas turn them into Buddha-work. It is also like the method of treating eyes: removing the disease must not damage the eyeball. The sūtra says: 'Teaching and guiding in order to sever the root of the disease.' This directly clarifies transforming living beings. The 'root of the disease' is just a single thought of ignorance grasping at characteristics. Therefore the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'In the three realms there is no separate phenomenon; it is made solely by the one mind.' Now we say it is made solely by the mind of a single thought of ignorance grasping at characteristics. This is the root of the disease of birth and death in the three realms. If one knows ignorance and does not give rise to grasping at existence, then one puts an end to the old and does not create the new, which is severing the root of the disease. Thus we know that the mind of a single thought is both called the root of the disease and is also the source of the Way. Clinging to reality turns into error; realizing emptiness leaves no fault. Awakening is in a kṣaṇa; there is no before or after. As Master Zhigong's Section on the Non-duality of the Essence of the Way says: / 'Sentient beings do not understand how to cultivate the Way, / And so they wish to dispel their kleśas. / Not knowing that kleśas are fundamentally empty, / They use the Way and further wish to seek the Way. / The mind of a single thought is just this; / Why need one search and seek elsewhere? / The Great Way shines clearly before their eyes; / Confused and inverted, foolish people do not understand. / The Buddha-nature is innately true and natural, / Neither cultivated nor made through causes and conditions. / Not recognizing that the three poisons are empty and false, / They falsely cling and sink into birth and old age. / In former days, when deluded, I thought it was late; / Today, newly awakened, it is not early.' / Third, rūpadharma: Matter has fifteen kinds. First, earth has two kinds: first, internal; second, external. Internal refers to being inside the individual body, being that upon which the five sense-faculties such as the eye and their dwelling places rely, subsumed under firmness and hardness, having the nature of being appropriated; furthermore, having predominant accumulation, namely hair of the head and body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, and so on. This is the substance of internal earth; shape-section and use are its functions. External refers to being outside the individual body, being that upon which the five sense-objects such as visual form rely, subsumed under firmness and hardness, not having the nature of being appropriated; furthermore, having predominant accumulation, namely gravel, stones, hills, mountains, and so on. This is the substance of external earth; shape-section and use are its functions. Moreover, relying upon and sustaining, supporting and nourishing are its functions. Second, water also has two kinds: first, internal; second, external. Internal refers to being inside the individual body, being that upon which the five sense-faculties such as the eye and their dwelling places rely, subsumed under moisture, having the nature of being appropriated; furthermore, having predominant accumulation, namely nasal mucus, tears, saliva, sweat, and so on. This is the substance of internal water; moistening, gathering together, and use are its functions. External refers to being outside the individual body, being that upon which the five sense-objects such as visual form rely, subsumed under moisture, not having the nature of being appropriated; furthermore, having predominant accumulation, namely springs, sources, creeks, ponds, and so on. This is the substance of external water; relying upon and governing, using, supporting, and nourishing are its functions. Third, fire also has two [kinds]: first, internal; second, external. Internal refers to being inside the individual body, being that upon which the five sense-faculties such as the eye and their dwelling places rely, subsumed under heat and warmth, having the nature of being appropriated; furthermore, having predominant accumulation, namely being able to make sentient beings completely warm and increase their heat, and also being able to digest what is drunk and eaten. This is the substance of internal fire; maturing, harmonizing, and use are its functions. External refers to being outside the individual body, being that upon which the five sense-objects such as visual form rely, subsumed under heat and warmth, not having the nature of being appropriated; furthermore, having predominant accumulation, namely blazing over villages and cities, or drilling wood and striking flint, seeking it in various ways. This is the substance of external fire; transforming and destroying, using, remedying, supporting, and nourishing are its functions. Fourth, wind also has two kinds: first, internal; second, external. Internal refers to being inside the individual body, being that upon which the eye and other five sense-faculties and their dwelling places rely, subsumed under lightness and movement, having the nature of being appropriated; furthermore, having predominant accumulation, namely upward, downward, and transversal movement, incoming and outgoing breath, and so on. This is the substance of internal wind; activities and use are its functions. External refers to being outside the individual body, being that upon which the five sense-objects such as visual form rely, subsumed under lightness and movement, not having the nature of being appropriated; furthermore, having predominant accumulation, namely destroying mountain cliffs, uprooting forest trees, and so on. When they are scattered and destroyed, having no support, it is tranquil; if one seeks wind, one shakes garments and waves fans, and when they are not shaken, having no conditions, it ceases. Such as these are the substance of external wind; relying upon, using, remedying, supporting, and nourishing are its functions. Fifth, the eye refers to being appropriated by the ālayavijñāna possessing all seeds, having the form created by the four great elements as its domain, being that upon which consciousness conditioning visual objects relies, having clear form as its substance, subsumed under the aggregate of form, with the nature of being invisible yet possessing resistance. Sixth, the ear. Seventh, the nose.