宗鏡錄 73.33

73.33

Answer: It is neither existent nor non-existent. Why is that? If one says it is existent, earth, water, fire, and wind inside and outside one's body are each empty of inherent nature and have never gathered or dispersed. Therefore, the arising of the unarisen can be spoken of as "arising," and the cessation of the unceasing can be spoken of as "cessation." As the Sutra of the Lion's Roar of the Ultimate Meaning by the Girl Andijā says: "If one can clearly understand that the four conditions of earth, water, fire, and wind have ultimately never obtained any combination of their own, and yet can speak in accordance with what is appropriate, this is the meaning of arising. ... Up to, if one can clearly understand that earth, water, fire, and wind ultimately do not obtain any dispersion or destruction of their own, and yet can speak in accordance with what is appropriate, this is the meaning of death." If one says it is non-existent, it is because defiled and pure tathatā does not abide by its own nature, but unconsciously accords with conditions to give rise to illusory arising and ceasing; hence it is said that when the dharmakāya transmigration through the five destinies, it is called "sentient beings." As explained above regarding the two kinds of birth and death of ordinary beings and noble ones, one must understand the Middle Way of birth and death; only then does one leave behind annihilation and permanence. Thus, the unarisenness of arising is such that the true nature is clear and tranquil; the arising of the unarisen is such that karmic fruits are vividly apparent. That the true nature is clear and tranquil means one cannot grasp at permanence; that karmic fruits are vividly apparent means one cannot grasp at annihilation. Furthermore, the appearance of the Buddhas in the world is still like sky-flowers erratically arising and erratically ceasing; how much more so the inverted birth and death of sentient beings, which is merely like a false dream or like mad intoxication—how could it be real? Master Rong said: "For all ordinary beings and noble ones, from the three destinies on up to sarvākārajñatā on down, all imagine [phenomena] to exist; they are all within a dream. Just as someone in a dream sees themselves in hell and seeks escape through various expedients, vainly generating toil and bitterness, but if they just shake themselves awake, all those matters come to an end and are non-existent; so too all actions done now are within a dream, and dream-retributions are received in return. Furthermore, it is like a mad, drunken person who constantly turns following objects. Therefore, all sentient beings drink the wine of avidyā, lie upon the five abodes of affliction, and remain dazed for long kalpas—who is awake? When one suddenly comes to see the nature, it is like awakening from drunkenness. As a sutra verse says: 'Just like a dazed and drunken person / Who awakens after the wine wears off, / Attaining the unsurpassed body of the Buddha, / Which is my true dharmakāya.' Also, if one enters into the mirror of the source, one suddenly illuminates the true nature; looking back upon worldly birth and death, names and characteristics are deceptive and false, just like children's play or like actors. Although their transformations are of a thousand differences, the one nature is vividly unmoved. As the verse by Venerable Caotang says: 'The entertainer was originally a single body, / Suddenly acting as an official, suddenly as a slave. / Although names and garments change, / From beginning to end, slave and master are not different at all.'"