宗鏡錄 7.4.3

7.4.3

Therefore it is called dharmatā. Furthermore, 'nature' has the meaning of being unvarying; being that which can serve as a standard (guǐ), it is also called 'dharma'. In this case, nature is dharma, so it is called 'dharmatā'. Both of these meanings are explained in terms of being unvarying. Furthermore, since all phenomena (dharma) lack their own nature, it is called dharmatā. That is, the nature that conforms to conditions: dharma is nature. As for 'originally unproduced', 'originally' has two senses. First, in terms of being unvarying: 'original' means the primary origin; it is originally unproduced, yet produced because it accords with conditions. Second, in terms of according with conditions: ever since this dharma arose, it is fundamentally of itself unproduced, not waiting for cessation to become non-existent. That is, when manifested as arising, it is fundamentally unproduced. Therefore it is said: 'Herein there is no agent that manifests, nor is there any object manifested.' Then, through the discrimination of the false mind, affective reckoning deems it to exist. However, existence is non-existence; therefore it is said: 'All is empty and without nature.' It is constantly existing and constantly empty. This is precisely the self-emptiness of all things—how could one wait for cutting and dissection to achieve penetration? Furthermore, in terms of mutual dependence and mutual negation, 'not knowing one another' is explained. As for 'mutual dependence': without the seed of consciousness, karma cannot directly produce the substance; without the seed of karma, consciousness cannot incur suffering or pleasure. Since they depend on each other, they each lack an intrinsic nature. As for 'mutual negation': when karma negates the cause, [the result] is incurred solely by karma, so the cause is like empty space; when the cause negates the condition, citta alone constitutes the substance, so karma is like empty space. Negating each other and standing independently, they cannot know each other either; when they negate each other and both perish, there is nothing that can know. Furthermore, by being unproduced, they do not know each other. Because conditions negate the cause, it is not produced from itself; because the cause negates conditions, it is not produced from another. When cause and conditions are examined together, being mutually dependent they lack nature, so they are not produced from both. When they negate each other and both perish, how could it be produced without a cause? By taking this non-production as analogous to unknowing, it is obviously easy to understand: taking the cause as self, the condition as other, their combination as both, and departing from these as without cause. When they mutually exist, they still do not know each other; when they mutually do not exist, how could they know each other? Therefore we know that all phenomena are mutually dependent and all lack intrinsic nature. As stated in the 'Examination of Mutual Dependence' in the Madhyamakaśāstra, when the non-empty is refuted, empty phenomena also perish. The verse says: / 'If there were any unreal dharma, / Then there would be a real dharma. / In reality, there is no unreal dharma; / How could there be a real dharma?' / It is also like speaking of purity because of defilement: the nature of defilement is fundamentally non-existent; how could the characteristic of purity exist? This single approach of mutual dependence completely refutes all phenomena, because all phenomena exist dependently; never has there been a single dharma that could stand independently. Therefore the *Hetupratyayanirātmaśāstra* says: 'Ānanda and Devadatta were both the World-Honoured One's cousins; Rāhula and Sunakkhatta were likewise both descendants of the Tathāgata. Yet Ānanda constantly served him closely, whereas Devadatta repeatedly caused harm and rebellion; Rāhula protected the jewel and never violated it, while Sunakkhatta was like a broken vessel that could not be restored. Viewing it from this, it may surely be known.' If one says that each has an intrinsic nature that cannot be transformed or exchanged, this is completely wrong. As when a hawk turns into a dove, its original mind completely vanishes; when a mandarin orange becomes a bitter orange, its former taste is gone forever. Therefore we know that both sentient and insentient things lack a fixed nature; they only transform in accordance with the mind and arise solely following karma. Consequently, there is the gate of entering the noble from the ordinary, and the matter of transforming evil into good. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitāsūtra* says: 'Realising that the lack of nature of all phenomena is their nature, being completely and ultimately fulfilled—only this is called Buddha.' Therefore we know that the establishment of the Three Jewels and the gates of performing Buddha-deeds all arise and become manifest from causes and conditions devoid of intrinsic nature. For this reason, the *Śūraṅgamasamādhisūtra* says: 'At that time, the Elder Mahākāśyapa addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honoured One, I think that the Youth Mañjuśrī in past ages already performed Buddha-deeds, manifested sitting at the bodhimanda, turned the wheel of Dharma, and showed all sentient beings entering great parinirvāṇa." The Buddha said: "So it is, so it is. […] Even to, Kāśyapa, you should now observe the power of the śūraṅgamasamādhi: by virtue of this power, all great bodhisattvas manifest entering the womb, initial birth, leaving home, going to the bodhi tree, sitting at the bodhimanda, turning the wondrous wheel of Dharma, entering parinirvāṇa, and distributing relics, yet without relinquishing the dharmas of a bodhisattva, not being utterly extinguished in parinirvāṇa." At that time, the Elder Mahākāśyapa spoke to Mañjuśrī, saying: "Virtuous one, you are able to perform such rare and difficult feats, manifesting them to sentient beings!" Mañjuśrī said: "Kāśyapa, what do you think? By whom was this Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain made? From where did this world emerge?" Kāśyapa answered, saying: "Mañjuśrī, all worlds are formed of water foam, and also emerge from sentient beings' inconceivable karma, causes, and conditions." Mañjuśrī said: "All phenomena likewise exist from inconceivable karma, causes, and conditions. I have no effort or capacity in this matter. Why is that? All phenomena belong to causes and conditions and have no master; they are accomplished in accordance with thought. If one can understand this, what one does is not difficult."' Explanation: If one understands that all phenomena belong to causes and conditions, all lack intrinsic nature, and are merely produced from citta, then in whatever is done, how could one rely on effort? By the principle of non-nature and the gate of naturally suchness, rolling up and expanding according to conditions, one is self-mastered and unhindered. A verse of the *Avataṃsakasūtra* says: / 'Contemplating according to their mind-nature, / Searching thoroughly to the end, it cannot be found. / All phenomena without remainder / All enter into Suchness without substantial nature.' / Another verse says: / 'Just like the original nature of tathatā, / Wherein not a single dharma has ever existed, / Not attaining an intrinsic nature is the true nature: / With such action one dedicates [merit].' / The *Avataṃsaśāstra* says: 'All sentient beings are confused about fundamental wisdom and therefore have worldly dharmas of suffering and pleasure; because wisdom has no nature of its own, according with conditions without awareness, karma of suffering and pleasure arises. Because wisdom has no nature of its own, being entangled by suffering, they are only then able to awaken for themselves to the fundamental absence of nature: many conditions lack nature, and all phenomena are naturally quiescent. When not aware of suffering, because of the absence of nature, they altogether do not know for themselves whether there is a nature or no nature. Just as a person falls because of the ground and rises because of the ground, all sentient beings fall because of the fundamental wisdom of their own minds, and likewise rise because of it.'