宗鏡錄 6.12

6.12

Answer: The true is spoken of because of the deluded; the true has no self-characteristic. The deluded arises from the true; the substance of the deluded is originally empty. Since the deluded returns to emptiness, the true is also not established.

The Awakening of Faith states: 'The meaning of non-enlightenment: because from beginningless time one does not truly know the oneness of the dharma of tathatā, the non-enlightened mind arises and there are false thoughts; they have no real characteristic of their own and are not separate from original enlightenment. Just like a disoriented person: relying on the directions, he becomes disoriented, but disorientation has no self-characteristic and is not separate from the directions. Sentient beings are also like this: relying on enlightenment, there is non-enlightenment, and false thoughts arise in confusion. Yet that non-enlightenment itself has no real characteristic and is not separate from original enlightenment. Again, in dependence upon non-enlightenment, true enlightenment is spoken of; since non-enlightenment does not exist, true enlightenment is also dismissed.'

This clarifies that the name 'true enlightenment' depends on false thoughts. If one is separate from non-enlightenment, there is no self-characteristic of true enlightenment that can be spoken of. This clarifies that the true enlightenment spoken of necessarily depends on non-enlightenment. If they are not interdependent, there is neither self nor other. Being existent in dependence on the other, it also has no self-characteristic. Since self-characteristic does not exist, how could there be a characteristic of the other? This reveals the meaning of the non-apprehendability of all dharmas. The treatise states: 'One should know that all defiled dharmas and pure dharmas are interdependent and have no self-characteristic that can be spoken of.'

The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa states: 'If conventional truth had reality to the extent of a hair's breadth, then ultimate truth should also have reality'—this is what it means.

Also, a verse states:
'When the Buddha sat at the place of awakening,
He did not apprehend the reality of a single dharma.
Like an empty fist deceiving a small child,
He entices and liberates all.'

Furthermore, whenever truth and falsity are established, they are all subsumed within the teaching method of speaking in accordance with the intent of others. If someone頓 sees the nature, who would debate such matters? Nowadays, those who do not directly awaken to the one mind are all corrupt and crooked; those who seek the Buddha-fruit externally are not correct. As the poem of Master Hanshan says:
'A manly fellow of great stature
Must not act rashly in what he does.
Directly holding an iron-stone mind,
Take the straight road to bodhi.
There is no need to travel crooked paths;
Traveling them only brings more bitter toil.
No need to seek the Buddha-fruit;
Just recognize the master, the mind-king.'

From this we know that if one sees that there is a dharma to seek or a path to practice, one loses the meaning of the mind-king's own source. If one directly enters the Mirror of the Source, all affairs cease; ordinary and sacred sentiments are exhausted, at ease in wondrous eternity. Giving rise to thoughts apart from this all becomes weariness and suffering. Therefore Mahāsattva Fu's verse says:
'The eastern mountain floats upon the water;
The western mountain walks without ceasing.
The Northern Dipper descends to Jambudvīpa:
This is the place of true liberation.
Walking the road is easy;
The road is easy, yet people do not know it.
At midnight the sun shines bright;
Not awakening, one is utterly exhausted.'

Also, Reverend Dongshan's verse on awakening to the Way says:
'Formerly seeking breakthrough on each and every thing,
Only because hitherto I did not know the source.
Now seeing it, there is entirely nothing the matter;
Only now do I know that the myriad dharmas are originally empty.'