宗鏡錄 66.26

66.26

Answer: 'There are two points. First: this discriminative conception of a self arises by relying on three conditions, namely evil teachers, evil teachings, and evil reflection. Through the habitual force of long-term perfuming by these three conditions, one then conceives that as other and grasps oneself as self; this is merely posited as real existence due to conceptualization. If you say it is a real existent and not conceived as existent through perfuming, why upon first emerging from the womb does one not grasp oneself and another's body? Since upon first emerging from the womb, because perfuming has not yet occurred, one does not conceptualize self and other, know therefore that conceptualizing the existence of self and other is due to false perfuming. As it is said, discriminative self-grasping arises dependent on three conditions; and it is also said to be the perfuming of evil views, and so forth. Second: wherever one sees and grasps something as real, it must arise from delusion regarding a semblance; apart from the semblance, there is no nature that is grasped. Therefore, know that just as conceptualizing water and fire, it arises from grasping a semblance. How so? Because water and fire seem to exist, but they are only false characteristics deceiving the mind; because of not understanding the characteristics, one falsely grasps them as real existents. Why is this? The cold and heat obtained are merely tangible objects; the blue, yellow, red, and white seen are form dharmas; and the flowing characteristics and leaping flames are mental objects. Grasping water and fire as real is only seeing them falsely as mental objects. As it is said: they arise from one's own mind, creating marks for the mind, and so forth.'