宗鏡錄 67.41

67.41

Answer: The meaning of access is not the meaning of harmonization. Before harmonization, one discusses being accessed. In judging the coarse and the subtle: The truly existent two truths, a teaching gate of half-letters, leads people of dull faculties to clear away the filth of conceptual proliferation; the meaning of the two truths is not perfected, so this Dharma is coarse. The illusion-like two truths, a teaching gate of full letters, teaches those of sharp faculties; the true characteristic of all dharmas is jointly attained by persons of the three [vehicles]; compared to the former, it is subtle. Since they equally see only emptiness, in comparison to what follows it is coarse. Accessing the Shared by means of the Separate can see non-emptiness; this then is subtle. The teaching explains that the principle is not fused, therefore it is coarse. Accessing the Shared by means of the Perfect is subtle. This subtlety is not different from later [levels, but] it entails the expedients of the Shared, and therefore it is coarse. The Separate two truths do not entail the expedients of the Shared, hence they are subtle. The teaching explains that the principle is not fused, therefore it is coarse. When the Perfect accesses the Separate, the fusion of principle makes it subtle; because it entails the expedients of the Separate, it is coarse. Only the Perfect two truths straightforwardly abandon expedients and speak solely of the unsurpassed Path; therefore they are subtle. Next, judging coarse and subtle according to following sentiments and following wisdom: For now, in terms of the Tripiṭaka, when first hearing the two truths that accord with sentiments, one grasps true speech as false speech, and because views based on speech arise, saṃsāra is boundless, without any flavor of the Buddha-Dharma. If one can diligently cultivate the foundations of mindfulness and generate the four wholesome roots, at that time the two truths that accord with sentiments are both termed conventional. When one gives rise to the uncontaminated, the two truths illuminated by it are both termed ultimate. From the persons of the four fruits onward, the ultimate and conventional illuminated by uncontaminated wisdom are both termed the two truths that accord with wisdom. According with sentiments is coarse; according with wisdom is subtle. It is like turning milk so that it first becomes curd. Once it has become curd, their minds develop mutual trust, and they enter and exit without difficulty; then one can speak of the Shared, the Separate accessing the Shared, and the Perfect accessing the Shared in terms of according with sentiments, according with both sentiments and wisdom, and according with wisdom, causing them to feel ashamed of the small and yearn for the great, lamenting themselves as ruined seeds and thirsting for the higher vehicle. At that time, it is like turning curd into raw butter; their minds gradually become unimpeded, and then one speaks of the Separate and the Perfect accessing the Separate in terms of according with sentiments, according with both sentiments and wisdom, and according with wisdom, clarifying the unshared prajñā, ordering them to take charge of the household estate with its gold, silver, and precious gems, so that they know all of its income, expenditure, taking, and giving. Once they have known this, it is like turning raw butter into clarified butter. After a long time in the teachings of all Buddhas, the real truth must certainly be spoken; then one speaks of the Perfect two truths in terms of according with sentiments, according with both sentiments and wisdom, and according with wisdom, like turning clarified butter into ghee. Thus, while the six kinds of two truths mature sentient beings and form the four flavors, they are therefore coarse; the single flavor of ghee is subtle. Furthermore, to bundle and judge the coarse and subtle: Although the former two teachings have that which accords with wisdom, etc., they are wholly according with sentiments because they speak words according with others' minds; hence they are named coarse. From the Separate accessing the Shared onward, although there is that which accords with sentiments, etc., it is wholly bundled into sentiments and wisdom, for wisdom speaks words according with both one's own and others' minds; hence it is both coarse and subtle. Although the Perfect two truths have that which accords with sentiments, etc., they are wholly according with wisdom, speaking the Buddha's own wisdom and speaking words according with the Buddha's own mind; therefore they are praised as subtle.