宗鏡錄 77

English (machine translation) 77

Language: English

77.1

Compiled by Yanshou, Chan Master Zhijue, Abbot of Huiri Yongming Monastery.

Now, a single thought-moment of an ignorant mind stirs the ocean of tathatā, constituting the twelve links of dependent origination (dvādaśāṅgapratītyasamutpāda) and serving as the root source of life and death. If one understands it, it becomes the waves upon the ocean of the Buddha's wisdom; if one is blind to it, it acts as the whirlpools in the river of life and death. How does it become the Buddha's wisdom? How does it become life and death?

77.3

Answer: The natural Buddha-wisdom is originally possessed, while the saṃsāra of deluded conditions is empty in its substance. Although there are two designations, there is only one meaning. It is merely because of not comprehending the truth of the highest meaning that it is named avidyā. Due to being blinded by this non-comprehension, the multitude of sufferings of affliction and karma are formed. By comprehending the real nature of avidyā, the wondrous mind of nirvāṇa is realized. If one is deluded into affliction and karma, it forms the three paths: first, avidyā, love (tṛṣṇā), and grasping (upādāna), which are the path of afflictions; second, volitional formations (saṃskāra) and existence (bhava), which are the path of karma; third, consciousness (vijñāna), name-and-form (nāmarūpa), the six sense bases (ṣaḍāyatana), contact (sparśa), feeling (vedanā), birth (jāti), and aging-and-death (jarāmaraṇa), which are the path of suffering. If one awakens, they become the Buddha-nature of the three causes: first, the seven branches of vijñāna, nāmarūpa, ṣaḍāyatana, sparśa, vedanā, jāti, and jarāmaraṇa, which are the Buddha-nature as the direct cause; second, the three branches of avidyā, tṛṣṇā, and upādāna, which are the Buddha-nature as the revealing cause; third, the two branches of saṃskāra and bhava, which are the Buddha-nature as the conditioning cause. Such meanings, though manifold and distinct, are only the one mind. Delusion brings about the manifold varieties; yet although manifold varieties are formed, they do not depart from the one mind. The Avataṃsaka-sūtra states: 'Son of the Buddha, this bodhisattva-mahāsattva further reflects thus: Whatever exists in the three realms is only the one mind. The Tathāgata, in this context, discriminates and explains the twelve links of existence (bhavāṅga), all established in dependence on the one mind in this way. Why? Craving follows objects and arises together with the mind. The mind is consciousness; the object is volitional formation; delusion regarding volitional formations is avidyā; arising together with avidyā and the mind is name-and-form; the growth of name-and-form is the six bases; the coming together of the three parts of the six bases is contact; arising together with contact is feeling; feeling without satiation is love; retaining through love without letting go is grasping; the arising of those links of existence is existence; the arising of existence is called birth; the maturation of birth is aging; the decay of aging is death.' The Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra states: 'The twelve links of dependent origination are completely present in a single person in a single thought-moment.' Whenever any single object is encountered, wherever a single thought-moment arises, they are without exception fully present. For instance, when the eye sees visible forms: not understanding is named avidyā; generating love and hatred is named volitional formations; the mental intent within this is named consciousness; visible form acting together with consciousness is name-and-form; generating craving at the six sense faculties is named the six bases; the confrontation between visible form and the eye is named contact; receiving it is named feeling; entanglement with visible form is named love; conceiving the marks of visible form is named grasping; the mind arising with mindfulness of visible form is named existence; the arising of the mind is named birth; the cessation of the mind is named death. It is likewise up to the mind thinking of mental phenomena. In a single day and night, how many thoughts arise in an ordinary person? In thought after thought, how many twelvefold dependent originations are woven, forming the boundless saṃsāra of the six destinies! Therefore, saṃsāra has no substance; it is entirely the tathāgatagarbha, the mind of the highest meaning. Delusion, awakening, rising, and sinking are ultimately unobtainable. The Fuxing ji states: 'Regarding the twelve links of dependent origination, sūtras such as the Avataṃsaka and the Mahāsaṃnipāta all state that they are complete in a single thought-moment of the mind. Whenever the various Mahāyāna texts speak of "a single thought-moment," the intention is invariably like this. If it were not so, how could it universally encompass all dharmas?' The Mohe zhiguan also states: 'Dependent origination is precisely the single thought-moment of the mind.' A question in the Dvādaśanikāya-śāstra asks: 'Does it exist in a single mind, or in different minds?' The intention of the treatise's question is: 'Does it exist in the single thought-moment of one person or many persons?' In this way, both 'a single thought-moment' and 'different thought-moments' are valid. In many persons or in one person, all are completely present in the present single thought-moment. The minds generated by many persons or one person do not go beyond the hundred realms. The hundred realms are the 'many'; the single thought-moment is the 'one'. The one and the many are mutually identical; they are neither one nor many. The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā clarifies that all dharmas converge in causes and conditions. The causes and conditions of the hundred realms do not go beyond a single thought-moment. Therefore it is said: 'This convergence does not exceed it.' Hence it can be called 'complete in a single thought-moment.' Dharma Master Yuan said: 'Regarding avidyā conditioning saṃskāra, there are four kinds of avidyā: first, the avidyā that is deluded about the principle, whose meaning pervades beginning to end; second, the avidyā that generates karma, which precedes volitional formations; third, the avidyā that conceals karma, which is after volitional formations and before consciousness; fourth, the avidyā that receives rebirth, which is simultaneous with consciousness, or after consciousness—looking back to the past seed-consciousness, it is after consciousness, but looking forward to the rebirth-linking consciousness, it is simultaneous with consciousness.' Moreover, internal and external dharmas all possess causes and conditions. As the Śālistamba-sūtra states: 'At that time, Maitreya said to Śāriputra: The World-Honoured One has constantly taught that seeing the twelve links of dependent origination is seeing the Dharma; seeing the Dharma is seeing the Buddha. Up to: where there are causes and conditions, this is called the Dharma of dependent origination. This is the Buddha's brief exposition of the characteristics of dependent origination: by means of this cause, this fruit can be produced. Whether a Tathāgata appears in the world or does not appear in the world, dharmas arise through causes and conditions; their nature and characteristics are constantly abiding, free from all afflictions, ultimate and truly as they are, not otherwise than as they are, a real Dharma, free from inverted views. Furthermore, the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination arises from two aspects. What are the two? The first is cause; the second is fruit. Dharmas produced by causes and conditions are also of two kinds: there are internal causes and conditions, and there are external causes and conditions. From what do the dharmas of external causes and conditions arise? Just as a seed can produce a sprout, from the sprout a leaf is produced, from the leaf a node is produced, from the node a stalk is produced, from the stalk an ear is produced, from the ear a flower is produced, and from the flower a fruit is produced. Because there is no seed, there is no sprout, up to there being no flower and fruit; because there is a seed, a sprout is produced, up to because there is a flower, a fruit is produced. Yet the seed does not think, "I can produce a sprout," nor does the sprout think, "I am produced from a seed"; up to the flower does not think, "I can produce a fruit," nor does the fruit think, "I am produced from a flower." Yet in reality, the seed can produce the sprout. Such are called dharmas produced by external causes. What are called dharmas produced by external conditions? They are the so-called earth, water, fire, wind, space, and time. The earth-element firmly supports; the water-element moistens; the fire-element matures; the wind-element brings forth; the space-element provides no obstruction; and relying further on time, the seasons harmonize and transform. When these six conditions are complete, [the plant] is produced; if the six conditions are incomplete, the entity is not produced. Because the six conditions of earth, water, fire, wind, space, and time are harmonious and neither increase nor decrease, the entity is able to be produced. The earth does not say, "I can support"; water does not say, "I can moisten"; fire does not say, "I can mature"; wind does not say, "I can bring forth"; space does not say, "I can be unobstructed"; time does not say, "I can cause production"; the seed does not say, "I produce a sprout from the six conditions"; nor does the sprout say, "I am produced from such a number of conditions." Although they do not think they are produced from such a number of conditions, in reality they are produced through the coming together of conditions. The sprout is not produced from itself, nor is it produced from another, nor from the combination of self and another, nor is it produced by Īśvara, nor is it produced from time and space, nor is it produced from primordial nature (svabhāva), nor is it produced without cause. This is called the sequential order of arising dharmas. Regarding dharmas produced by external conditions in this way, through five matters it should be understood that they are neither interrupted nor permanent, nor do they pass from here to there: just as the seed of a sprout is small, the fruit is manifold; they continue in similarity without producing an alien entity. Why are they not interrupted? Because from seed, sprout, root, to stalk, they continue in sequence, therefore they are not interrupted. Why are they not permanent? Because sprout, stalk, flower, and fruit are each distinct, therefore they are not permanent; nor does the sprout arise after the seed has perished, nor does the sprout arise while [the seed] has not perished; rather, in the Dharma of causes and conditions, as the sprout arises, the seed fades, arising in sequence, therefore they are not permanent. Because seed and sprout are each mutually distinct, they do not go from here to there. Because the seed is small and the fruit is manifold, one should know they are not one: this is called "the seed is small and the fruit manifold." Because like a seed it does not produce an alien fruit, it is called "continuing in similarity." By these five kinds of external conditions, dharmas are able to arise. Dharmas of internal causes and conditions arise from two aspects. What is the cause? From avidyā up to aging-and-death: when avidyā ceases, volitional formations cease; up to because birth ceases, aging-and-death cease. Because there is avidyā, there are volitional formations; up to because there is birth, there is aging-and-death. Avidyā does not say, "I can produce volitional formations," nor do volitional formations say, "We are produced from avidyā"; up to aging-and-death do not say, "We are produced from avidyā." Yet in reality, when there is avidyā, there are volitional formations; when there is birth, there is aging-and-death. This is called the Dharma of internal causes arising in sequence. What is called the Dharma of internal conditions arising? It refers to the six constituents (dhātu): the earth-constituent, the water-constituent, the fire-constituent, the wind-constituent, the space-constituent, and the consciousness-constituent. What is earth? That which can firmly support is called the earth-constituent. What is water? That which can moisten is called the water-constituent. What is fire? That which can mature is called the fire-constituent. What is wind? That which breathes in and out is called the wind-constituent. What is space? That which is unobstructed is called the space-constituent. What is consciousness? The four aggregates and the five consciousnesses—they are also referred to as name, and also named consciousness. The coming together of such multitude of dharmas is called the body; the defiled mind is called consciousness. Thus the four aggregates constitute the five sense organs; the faculties are called form; these six conditions are called the body. If the six conditions are complete and without deficiency, the body is formed; if these conditions are deficient, the body is not formed. The earth does not think, "I can firmly support"; water does not think, "I can moisten"; fire does not think, "I can mature"; wind does not think, "I can breathe in and out"; space does not think, "I can be unobstructed"; consciousness does not think, "I can grow"; the body does not think, "I am produced from such a number of conditions." If without these six conditions, the body also does not arise. Earth is also without self, without person, without sentient being, without life-span; it is neither male nor female, nor neither-male-nor-female, neither this nor that. Water, fire, wind, up to consciousness and so forth, are also all without self, without sentient being, without life-span, up to neither this nor that. What is called avidyā? Avidyā is, within the six constituents, conceiving a notion of oneness, a notion of accumulation, a notion of permanence, a notion of immobility, a notion of indestructibility, internally generating a notion of pleasure, a notion of a sentient being, a notion of a life-span, a notion of a person, a notion of a self, a notion of what belongs to a self—generating such various manifold notions is called avidyā. Within the five sense faculties in this way, generating notions of craving and anger—volitional formations are also like this. Following after all conditionally designated dharmas is named consciousness. The four aggregates are name, and the form aggregate is form: this is name-and-form. The growth of name-and-form produces the six bases; the growth of the six bases produces contact; the growth of contact produces feeling; the growth of feeling produces love; the growth of love produces grasping; the growth of grasping produces existence. Because existence grows, it can produce the subsequent aggregate, which is birth; the growth and transformation of birth is called aging; the decay of the appropriated aggregates is called death. Being able to produce envy and burning affliction is called grief, lamentation, suffering, and distress; the impairment of the five faculties is called bodily suffering; the discord of the mind is called mental suffering. Up to: just as the moon shines in the sky, forty-two thousand yojanas from the earth, with water flowing below and the moon radiant above—though the mysterious celestial image is one, its reflection appears in the multitude of waters; the moon's substance does not descend, nor does the nature of water ascend. In this way, Śāriputra, sentient beings do not pass from this world to a future world, nor do they pass from a future world back to this one; yet the karmic retribution of causes and conditions cannot be diminished. Therefore, just as the moon does not move yet its reflection appears in manifold streams, so consciousness does not travel, yet bodies are differentiated in the six destinies. Although there is no agent, karmic fruits are vividly apparent; merely following the arising of conditions, they do not violate the intrinsic nature of things. Furthermore, the Sūtra on the Questions of the Virtuous Woman states: 'At that time, the virtuous Brahmin woman said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, regarding what is called avidyā, does it exist internally, or does it exist externally?" The Buddha said: "No." The virtuous woman said: "World-Honoured One, if avidyā exists neither internally nor externally, how can there be avidyā conditioning volitional formations? Furthermore, World-Honoured One, does any dharma of another world come to this present world or not?" The Buddha said: "No." The virtuous woman spoke again to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, are the characteristics of avidyā and volitional formations real existents?" The Buddha said: "No. The self-nature of avidyā is produced from false discrimination; it is not truly produced; it is produced from delusion, not produced in accord with reality." The virtuous woman spoke again to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, if it is so, then there is no avidyā; how can there be the arising of volitional formations and the receiving of various painful retributions in saṃsāra? World-Honoured One, just as when a tree has no roots, there are no branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, and the like; in the same way, because avidyā has no self-nature, the arising of volitional formations and the rest are certainly unobtainable." The Buddha said: "Virtuous woman, all dharmas are ultimately empty. The foolish and deluded are inverted; they do not hear the meaning of emptiness. Even if they hear it, lacking wisdom, they do not understand. Because of this, they fully create various karmas. Since there are various karmas, the various existences arise; within the various existences, they fully endure various sufferings. In the truth of the highest meaning, there are no karmas, nor are there various existences produced from karma, nor various matters of suffering and distress. Virtuous woman, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, in accordance with the world, broadly expounds all dharmas for sentient beings, desiring to cause them to awaken to and comprehend the highest meaning. Virtuous woman, the highest meaning is also a name established in accordance with the world. Why? Because within the real meaning, the perceiver and the perceived are all entirely unobtainable. Virtuous woman, for example, just as Buddhas magically manifest a person, and this magically manifested person further magically manifests various objects; that magically manifested person is unreal and deceptive, and the magically manifested objects are also without real substance. This is also like that: the karmas created are unreal and deceptive; and the existences arising from karma are also without real substance."' Therefore, if one merely comprehends the principle of mind-only, naturally the ten thousand dharmas are constantly empty. Whatever is seen or heard entirely accords with the path of non-arising; whatever actions are performed, all return to the gate of non-attainment.

77.4

Question: Why are these twelve links of existence called "conditioned arising" (pratītyasamutpanna), and why are they called "dependent origination" (pratītyasamutpāda)?

77.5

Answer: Having no sovereign ruler, no agent, and no experiencer, possessing no self-function, lacking autonomy, arising from causes, turning dependent upon multiple conditions, originally non-existent and then becoming existent, and having existed then dispersing and perishing, revealed solely by phenomena, capable of moistening and being moistened, and falling into the category of continuous succession—this is called "conditioned arising." A treatise states: "Due to the binding fetters of afflictions (kleśa), one goes to various destinies (gati) and is repeatedly born and dies; hence it is called 'dependent origination.'" Moreover, the cause is called dependent origination, and the fruit is called conditioned arising.

77.6

Question: Does the single thought-moment of an ignorant mind (avidyā-citta) that gives rise to the twelve links of existence arise from itself, arise from another, arise from both, or arise without a cause?

77.7

Answer: Dependent origination is extremely profound; it cannot be measured by the four propositions (catuṣkoṭi). When understood, the one mind is submerged in quiescence; when deluded, there is transmigration through the six destinies. It is neither false nor real; it is neither permanent nor annihilated. If one says it is false, the false is unobtainable. If one says it is real, it can still flow and turn. If one says it is annihilated, its continuity constantly arises. If one says it is permanent, it arises and ceases from thought-moment to thought-moment. Therefore, because it arises from the mind, the arising has nothing capable of bringing it into being, and it possesses no determinate nature. The Foxing lun (Treatise on Buddha-nature) states: "Furthermore, all dharmas have no intrinsic nature. Why? Because they arise dependent upon causes and conditions. For example, fire arises dependent on other things; apart from firewood, it cannot be seen. It is also like the fire of a firefly: if fire had an intrinsic nature, it would be apart from firewood and exist spontaneously in the open air." The Zaji lun (Abhidharmasamuccaya-vyākhyā) states: "Although dharmas of dependent origination cease in an instant, their abiding can be obtained. Although they lack an active causal condition, an efficacious causal condition can be obtained. Although devoid of sentient beings, sentient beings can be obtained. Although devoid of an agent, the non-destruction of karmic fruits can be obtained. Therefore, it is extremely profound." As for "the non-destruction of karmic fruits": although internally there is no agent, there is the performance of karma, the experiencing of fruits, and the maturation of resultants (vipāka). Furthermore, dharmas of dependent origination have distinctions: because they arise waiting upon multiple conditions, they are not self-made. Although there are multiple conditions, without seeds they do not arise; therefore, they are not made by another. Neither of them has an active agency; therefore, they are not made by both. Seeds and multiple conditions both possess efficacy; therefore, they are not made without a cause. What has been explained above is in terms of the gateway of conventional dependent origination. If spoken according to reality, one does not even see a single dharma that is a condition or non-condition, much less twelve of them. The Venerable Zhanran said: "Not seeing the characteristics of form is the cessation of the link of formations (saṃskāra). Not seeing the conditions of form is the cessation of ignorance (avidyā). Not seeing the substance of form is the cessation of consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, and sensation. Not seeing the arising of form is the cessation of craving, grasping, existence, and birth. Not seeing the perishing of form is the cessation of old age and death. Not seeing a single characteristic is not seeing the emptiness of the twelve links of dependent origination. Not seeing the seer is not seeing the provisionality of dependent origination. Both the ultimate and conventional are forgotten; the two truths are both extinguished, and one also does not see the middle. Penetrating in this manner, one thoroughly understands causes and conditions. If taken as an example in this way, seeing the myriad dharmas is likewise just so."

77.8

Question: Are the ignorance of the myriad objects and the dharmatā of the one mind one, or are they two? If they are one, it is inappropriate to distinguish the two names of defiled and pure. If they are two, why do the teachings say that ignorance is itself dharmatā?

77.9

Answer: The substance being one is real; the names being two are provisional. Dharmas are established on account of feeling; reality is illumined by means of wisdom. Feeling and wisdom naturally divide, while reality is originally unmoving. They cannot be definitively identical, because the conventional truth is not destroyed; they cannot be definitively different, because the ultimate truth is not lost. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra states: "Knowledge and ignorance: the foolish consider them to be two; the wise thoroughly understand that their nature is not two. The nature that is not two is precisely the real nature." An ancient worthy explained this in terms of the ten dharmadhātus, saying: "The 'foolish' refers to the folly of the nine realms. The foolish grasp at characteristics and see all dharmas; dharmatā, following their minds that grasp at characteristics, is entirely ignorance—like thousand-year solid ice in a cold valley that has never become water. The 'wise' refers to the wisdom of the Buddha realm. Practitioners of the perfect contemplation who open the Buddha eye see identically to the ancient Buddhas. What the perfect eye sees is that ignorance is fundamentally pure dharmatā—like the sun constantly shining upon the seawater, which has never become ice. The natures of ice and water are one, yet following conditions they become two. The one does not preserve its nature, constantly and spontaneously following conditions. Even though it follows conditions, it does not destroy its own nature." How much more so with dharmatā and ignorance: how could they be definitively one, or how could they be definitively different? Thus, without losing substance in accordance with phenomena, they are neither unified nor divided; without preserving nature while according with conditions, they are both identical and distinct.

77.10

Question: Regarding the initial cause of the three realms and the primordial beginning of the four modes of birth, none can fathom their root and branch, nor distinguish their origin. Zhuangzi and Laozi designated it as "spontaneity" (ziran); the Duke of Zhou and Confucius termed it "chaos" (hundun). How does one point to their initial place of arising?

77.11

Answer: If you wish to know the true origin of the bodies and lands of sentient beings, nothing precedes my own mind; there is no other dharma whatsoever. This means that mental dharmas are instantaneous, continuing in kind, flowing onward from the beginningless realm of time, neither interrupted nor permanent, relying upon conditions and objects, neither being material qi nor an endowment [of Heaven], but consciousness-only and mind-only. The Zhaolun chao (Commentary on the Treatises of Sengzhao) states: "Laozi said: 'The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of the myriad things.' According to the Buddhist intention, however, it is the nature of the tathāgatagarbha that transforms into the storehouse consciousness (ālayavijñāna), and from the storehouse consciousness transform all the seeds of the physical body and the receptacle world. Tracing the origin of their transformation, it is the nature of the tathāgatagarbha that is the beginning of things. Non-arising and beginninglessness are the nature of things. Arising and beginning cannot move this nature, which is precisely dharmatā." The Jun sheng lun (Treatise on the Equalization of the Sages) by Shen Yue of the Southern Qi states: 'Thus, since this Heaven and Earth have existed, it is still just a single thought-moment.'"

77.12

Master Rong asked: "For the three realms and the four modes of birth, what is taken as the root of the Way, and what is taken as the functioning of dharmas?"

77.13

The answer was: "Empty space is the root of the Way, and the myriad phenomena are the functioning of dharmas."

77.14

He asked: "Among them, who is the creator?"

77.15

Answer: Herein there is truly no maker; they arise naturally from the nature of the dharmadhātu. The Vajrasamādhisūtra says: 'Wholesome and unwholesome phenomena arise transformatively from citta.' This may be called the gate of dhāraṇī and the capital of the ten thousand phenomena. Where light has not yet manifested, there is not even a name. When a thought is about to arise, its shadow seems to divide. First, due to forced awareness, understanding gradually arises. As soon as the darśanabhāga and the nimittabhāga separate, the mind and its objects suddenly appear. The Śūraṅgamasūtra says: 'It is entirely awareness; the nature of understanding is luminous and distinct. Due to understanding, characteristics manifest, arising from false views. Mountains, rivers, the great earth, and all conditioned characteristics continuously change in succession. Because of this falsity, [the cycle] ends only to begin again.'

Explanation: This is entirely because, initially due to confusion regarding the one dharmadhātu, thoughts arise unwittingly. The arising of thought is the characteristic of movement. The characteristic of movement is the primary karmic consciousness (karmavijñāna). Before subject and object are divided, it is the fault of luminous awareness. From this, it transforms into the perceiving subject, flowing into the characteristic of understanding; this is the luminous, knowing nature, which is the secondary darśanabhāga, the transforming consciousness (pravṛttivijñāna). Afterwards, due to the darśanabhāga, the nimittabhāga is generated; that is, 'due to understanding, characteristics manifest,' which is the tertiary nimittabhāga, the manifesting consciousness (khyātivijñāna). As soon as subject and object are divided, all becomes falsity. Why? The darśanabhāga arises from cataracts in the eye, and the nimittabhāga manifests like an illusory form. Thereupon, secretly confronting sense faculties and sense objects, emotional attachment is firmly generated. From this, the true nature is separated, and the limpid and perfect [nature] is divided. Internally, it appropriates awareness and sensation to form a conscious body. Externally, departing from attachment, thought becomes still, forming insentient earth. Consequently, shapes and shadows in the mirror perish only to arise again, and mountains and rivers within a dream end only to begin anew.

However, the original oceanic nature does not arise from subject and object; it is limpid, perfectly luminous, illuminating yet ever quiescent. It is merely because sentient beings go against their nature without understanding, turning their backs on the original perfect luminosity and clinging to an object of illumination, which constitutes false views. Due to illumination, the sphere of objects to be observed is established; due to the object, the mind capable of observing arises. Subject and object generate each other, and mind and objects stand in mutual opposition. Following conditions, they lose their nature and cannot return to the primordial source. Unwitting and unknowing, they pass through dust-like kalpas.

Therefore, the sūtra says: 'Awareness is not what is illuminated; because of illumination, the object is established. Once the object is falsely established, your false subjective capacity is born. Where there is neither sameness nor difference, difference blazes forth. Differentiating what is different from it, sameness is established based on difference. Sameness and difference having been demonstrated, based on this, neither-sameness-nor-difference is further established. Thus thrown into confusion, mutual opposition breeds exhaustion. Long exhaustion gives rise to defilement (rajas), turbid in its own characteristics. From this, the defilements of exhaustion and kleśas are aroused: when active, they become the world; when quiescent, they become empty space. Space is sameness; the world is difference. That which is neither sameness nor difference is truly conditioned phenomena.

'Luminous awareness and empty obscurity, mutually opposing, become oscillation; hence there is the wind circle, which upholds the world. Because of oscillation arising from emptiness, solid illumination establishes obstruction. As for gold and jewels, luminous awareness establishes solidity; hence there is the metal circle, which maintains the lands. Solid awareness forms jewels; oscillating illumination emits wind. Wind and metal rubbing against each other, there is the fire light, which constitutes the nature of transformation. The luminosity of jewels produces moisture; the fire light steams upward; hence there is the water circle, which encompasses the worlds of the ten directions. Fire rising and water descending, their alternating manifestation establishes solidity: the wet becomes the great seas, and the dry becomes continents and shoals. For this reason, within the great ocean, fire light constantly arises; within those continents and shoals, rivers and streams constantly flow. Where the power of water is inferior to fire, it congeals into high mountains; therefore, mountain rocks spark fire when struck and melt into water when liquefied. Where the power of earth is inferior to water, it shoots forth as grasses and trees; therefore, groves and thickets turn to earth when burned and yield water when squeezed. Intermingled falsities arise, mutually serving as seeds for one another. Through these causes and conditions, the world continues in succession.'

An ancient commentary says: 'Luminous awareness and empty obscurity, mutually opposing, become oscillation' means that from the initial false awareness and dimly projected illumination being not understood, empty obscurity consequently forms. It is like an obstruction to light producing darkness: the two characteristics shape one another. Luminous awareness is the characteristic of movement; empty obscurity is the characteristic of stillness. One bright, one dark; one moving, one still: arising moment to moment, like wind agitating waves, in ceaseless mutual opposition. Internally, its initial arising is called oscillation; externally, it forms the wind circle and the world. Empty obscurity is empty space; since it has no form or characteristic, it is not called a world.

'Because of oscillation arising from emptiness, solid illumination establishes obstruction' refers to the characteristic of earth. Because emptiness differs from illumination, their mutual opposition becomes oscillation. Oscillation can solidify illumination to form obstruction, just as an embryo encountering wind becomes hard and obstructive. It also means that clinging to illumination produces obstruction. Internally, it is the firm grasping of luminous awareness; externally, it becomes gold and jewels. Thus it says: 'As for gold and jewels, luminous awareness establishes solidity.' Therefore, know that the nature of jewels exists because of luminous awareness; for this reason, all jewels possess luminosity. The Hīnayāna only knows karmic retribution, but does not know what cause and seed it is.

'Solid awareness forms jewels; oscillating illumination emits wind. Wind and metal rubbing against each other, there is the fire light, which constitutes the nature of transformation' means: firmly grasping the nature of awareness forms jewels; oscillating what is illuminated emits wind. Ceaseless movement and stillness is the rubbing of wind and metal against each other. Externally, it becomes fire light, which can ripen the myriad things; thus it is said to constitute the nature of transformation.

'The luminosity of jewels produces moisture; the fire light steams upward; hence there is the water circle, which encompasses the worlds of the ten directions' means: the substance of the luminosity of jewels naturally has luster and moisture. Being steamed by the heat of fire, water flows forth. Moreover, luminous awareness generates affection (rāga); affection is moisture. Internally, it is luminous affection; externally, it becomes the moisture of jewels. The nature of fire steaming upward melts affection into water. All seeds of karma are not generated without affection; all worlds are not gathered together without water. Therefore, the natures of the four great elements depend mutually on one another, their substances inseparable, because they are transformed and arisen from the same single false mind. Know that the sky-flowers are not separate from the mind.

Furthermore, the nature of falsity is not constant; it transforms and varies before and after, and the external characteristics induced are unequal in superiority and inferiority. Where the mind of affection is predominant, it becomes the great oceans; where the mind of grasping is predominant, it becomes continents and shoals. The nature of wind generates pride (māna); the nature of fire generates anger (dveṣa). Affection arising toward material forms is the flowing water in shoals; anger arising against affection is the fire rising in the ocean. When pride increases and affection is weak, it congeals into high mountains; when affection increases and pride is slight, it shoots forth as grasses and trees. The three—anger, affection, and pride—mutually proliferate, taking shape as different classes: grasses, trees, mountains, and rivers in thousands of distinctions and myriad varieties. First from false imagination the four great elements congeal; from the natures of the four great elements, affection and pride proliferate. Apart from the minds of sentient beings, there is no other substance. Therefore it is said: 'Intermingled falsities arise, mutually serving as seeds for one another.'

It also says: 'Pūrṇa said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, if all the sense faculties, objects, aggregates, sense bases, and elements in the world are the tathāgatagarbha, pure and fundamentally so, why do mountains, rivers, the great earth, and all conditioned characteristics suddenly arise, continuously changing in succession, ending only to begin again?" He further doubted, saying: "If this wondrous awareness is fundamentally wondrous, luminous awareness, neither increasing nor decreasing with the Tathāgata's mind, why without reason do mountains, rivers, the great earth, and all conditioned characteristics suddenly arise? Now that the Tathāgata has attained the wondrously empty, luminous awareness, when will mountains, rivers, the great earth, and conditioned habits and outflows ever arise again?"

'The Buddha said: "Pūrṇa, as you have said, if it is pure and fundamentally so, why do mountains, rivers, and the great earth suddenly arise? Have you not often heard the Tathāgata declare: 'The nature of awareness is wondrously luminous; fundamental awareness is luminously wondrous'?" Pūrṇa said: "Yes, World-Honoured One, I have often heard the Buddha declare this principle."

'The Buddha said: "When you speak of luminous awareness, is it that the luminous nature is called awareness, or that unaware awareness is called luminous awareness?" Pūrṇa said: "If this absence of illumination is called awareness, then there is nothing to be illuminated." The Buddha said: "If there is nothing to be illuminated, then there is no luminous awareness. What has an object is not awareness; what lacks an object is not luminous. An absence of illumination is again not the limpid, luminous nature of awareness. The nature of awareness is necessarily luminous; falsely, it is taken as luminous awareness.

'"Awareness is not what is illuminated; because of illumination, the object is established. Once the object is falsely established, your false subjective capacity is born. Where there is neither sameness nor difference, difference blazes forth. Differentiating what is different from it, sameness is established based on difference. Sameness and difference having been demonstrated, based on this, neither-sameness-nor-difference is further established. Thus thrown into confusion, mutual opposition breeds exhaustion. Long exhaustion gives rise to defilement, turbid in its own characteristics. From this, the defilements of exhaustion and kleśas are aroused: when active, they become the world; when quiescent, they become empty space. Space is sameness; the world is difference. That which is neither sameness nor difference is truly conditioned phenomena."'

Explanation: The meaning of these two kinds of awareness is subtle and difficult to comprehend; if one wishes to explain it, black must be distinguished from white. Broadly speaking, the sūtras and treatises have two kinds of awareness: first, nature-awareness (svabhāva-bodhi); second, fundamental awareness (mūla-bodhi). There are also two kinds of prajñā: first, fundamental-awareness prajñā; second, initial-awareness prajñā. There are also two kinds of mind: first, the naturally pure mind; second, the defilement-free pure mind. There are also two kinds of tathatā: first, tathatā amidst bondage; second, tathatā released from bondage. In these four categories, names differ according to meaning, but their substance is ever the same.

Now, all sentient beings only possess nature-awareness, pure fundamental awareness, the naturally pure mind, and tathatā amidst bondage. Within what is pure and fundamentally so, mountains, rivers, and the great earth suddenly arise through falsity, because being amidst bondage they have not yet departed from obstacles, and have not attained tathatā released from bondage. As for the Buddhas of the ten directions, both awarenesses are complete; they already possess tathatā released from bondage and the like, are free from false imagination, defilement, and exhaustion, and are eternally united with what is pure and fundamentally so. Thus they do not again generate mountains, rivers, the great earth, and conditioned characteristics. Just as gold that has come out of the ore never again becomes soiled with dust and mud, and just as wood burned to ash can never sprout branches and leaves again. With these two kinds of awareness, doubts are completely resolved.

'The nature of awareness is wondrously luminous' refers to the naturally pure mind, which is the nature of the tathāgatagarbha, tathatā amidst bondage, and the like. Its fundamental nature is pure and undefiled by kleśas, hence it is named nature-awareness. The sūtra says: 'The Buddha told Ānanda and the great assembly: "You should know that in the world of outflows, the fundamentally luminous, wondrously aware, and perfectly complete mental substance of the twelve classes of living beings is not two and not different from the Buddhas of the ten directions. Due to your false imagination, mistaking the principle is the fault; ignorance and affection arise. Their arising and developing pervade with delusion; hence the nature of emptiness exists. Transformations and delusions ceaseless, worlds arise. Thus, these lands of fine dust in the ten directions that are not free of outflows are all established by confused and obstinate false imagination. You should know that empty space is born within your mind just like a fleck of cloud dotting the great expanse of clear sky, how much more so all the worlds within empty space! If one person among you realizes truth and returns to the origin, this empty space in the ten directions all completely dissolves away; how could the lands within space not collapse and split?"' Through the evidence of this passage, one knows that ordinary beings and sages are fundamentally identical in this wondrously luminous awareness.

'Fundamental awareness is luminously wondrous' refers to tathatā released from bondage and the like. Through non-conceptual wisdom, it completely awakens to the exhaustion of beginningless false thoughts; this is named ultimate awareness. Initial awareness is fundamental awareness; the awareness that awakens to the origin attains the name of fundamental awareness. A treatise says: 'In the gate of tathatā, it is named nature-awareness; in the gate of arising and ceasing, it is named fundamental awareness.' Because of delusion regarding this nature-awareness, false thoughts exist; if false thoughts are exhausted, fundamental awareness is established. Because nature-awareness does not arise from subject and object, nor does it arise through practice and realization, but is fundamentally wondrous and ever luminous, it is said that 'the nature of awareness is wondrously luminous.' Because initial-awareness prajñā illuminates the wonder of nature-awareness, it is said that 'fundamental awareness is luminously wondrous.' Moreover, because the nature of tathatā is intrinsically understanding, 'the nature of awareness is wondrously luminous'; because the wisdom of initial awareness understands the fundamental nature, 'fundamental awareness is luminously wondrous.'

Furthermore, the Mahāyāna Treatise states that there are four kinds of awareness: first, pure fundamental awareness; second, fundamental awareness of defilement and purity; third, pure initial awareness; fourth, initial awareness of defilement and purity. If one discusses the matter of the luminosity and obscurity of the fundamental and the initial, all receive their names based on the awareness of defilement and purity. As for the pure source of awareness, both foolishness and wisdom are cut off; it is not something attained by delusion or awakening, how could words and meanings express it? In the sūtras, the Buddha constantly said that tathatā is the support for both delusion and awakening, just as the myriad phenomena depend on empty space, while empty space depends on nothing. Therefore, Pūrṇa understood and said: 'I have often heard the Buddha declare this principle.'

The meaning of these two kinds of awareness also corresponds to the one mind established in the Awakening of Faith, divided into the two gates of tathatā and arising-and-ceasing. The fundamental purity of nature is the meaning of nature-awareness; but when awareness is spoken of in terms of nature, it is like the nature of fire within wood: without conditions fully assembled, it exists but lacks function. It is not that having awakened, one generates delusion again. At the time of awakening, the designation of fundamental awareness is first established. Having awakened to fundamental awareness, one never again becomes deluded; that Buddhas should become ordinary beings again is impossible.

The Buddha asked: 'When you speak of luminous awareness, is it that the nature of awareness is intrinsically luminous and named luminous awareness, or is it that the substance of awareness is not luminous, but capable of being aware of illumination?' Pūrṇa's idea was that there must be an object of illumination present to consciousness serving as what is perceived by it; if there is no illumination to be perceived, there is no designation of luminous awareness—it could only be called awareness, without anything illuminated; hence he said: 'then there is nothing to be illuminated.'

The Buddha's meaning is that the substance of nature-awareness is intrinsically luminous; it is not because of a subjective awareness and an objective illumination that it is called luminous awareness. The Awakening of Faith says: 'The substance of tathatā has the meaning of great wisdom and luminosity, the meaning of universally illuminating the dharmadhātu,' and so forth. It is only because of delusion regarding the one dharmadhātu that subject and object are forcibly divided, thus forming falsity. If it must depend on an object of illumination before being called luminous awareness, this is established based on an other, and is not the awareness of one's own nature; hence it is said: 'What has an object is not awareness.' It is like having a false mind due to distinguishing external dust; apart from dust, it has no substance. One cannot take an annihilated mind to be the primordial, true awareness. If one took a substanceless phenomenon to be ultimate, as the sūtra says: 'The dharmakāya would be the same as the horns of a hare or the hairs of a tortoise; who then would cultivate and realize the patience of the unarisen dharmas?'

Another explanation states: 'If this absence of illumination is called awareness, then there is nothing to be illuminated' shows that the substance of awareness fundamentally lacks characteristics of illumination. When the Buddha realized the ultimate limit of reality, he truly did not perceive illumination. If he perceived illumination, it would be an object of illumination; once an object of illumination is established, there is a perceiving awareness. Only when the illumination of subject and object is removed can it be called wondrous luminosity. This wondrous luminosity is the illumination of non-illumination; it is not the same as an object of illumination where illumination gives rise to shining. Therefore, the Treatise on Prajñā Being Free of Knowing says:

77.16

Objection: In both the absence in holy wisdom and the absence in deluded wisdom, there is equally neither arising nor ceasing. Why then are they distinguished?

77.17

Answer: The absence in holy wisdom is 'absence of knowing' (unknowing), whereas the absence in deluded wisdom is 'knowing absence'. Although their absence is the same, that in which they are absent differs. How so? The holy mind is empty and tranquil; there is no knowing that can be negated, and so it can be called 'absence of knowing', not 'knowing absence'. Deluded wisdom possesses knowing; hence there is knowing that can be negated, and it can be called 'knowing absence', not 'absence of knowing'. Therefore it is said that prajñā has no knowing, yet there is nothing it does not know. 'Absence of knowing' means having no knowing of subject and object. 'Nothing it does not know' means that the self-nature of tathatā has the function of universally illuminating the dharmadhātu. Furthermore, the sage possesses solely a mind of no-mind and seeing of non-seeing; this is not like the ordinary person who possesses mind and possesses seeing, which are all the mutual generation of discriminatory subject and object. Therefore the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'It cannot be seen, yet it is seen clearly and distinctly.' A verse of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'Non-seeing is indeed seeing, / capable of seeing all dharmas. / If one has seeing regarding dharmas, / this is to see nothing at all.' It also says: 'The bodhisattva sees all dharmas completely, yet has nothing seen; / universally knows everything, yet has nothing known.' Thus prajñā has no knowing, yet there is nothing it does not know. It merely does not fall into the knowing of existence and non-existence, or the seeing of subject and object; it does not mean there is utterly no knowing and seeing. All Buddhas are fully endowed with the five eyes and the three knowledges, the four confidences and the six supernatural knowledges; the principle of the three truths is perfected, fully possessed in the one mind. Only if one sees neither emptiness nor non-emptiness, neither non-emptiness nor not-non-emptiness, does one correspond with the true characteristic. Therefore the Laṅkāvatārasūtra says: 'Each and every characteristic corresponds, far removed from the faults of various views.' If with respect to all characteristics one constantly corresponds with the true characteristic, one is naturally far removed from all faults, meets the ultimate truth, and the pure true mind shines bright and clear without thoughts or attachments; [realizing that] phenomena are immediately tathatā, advancing directly via mind alone, what all Buddhas know is solely the true characteristic. To establish views apart from this is to engender all faults. As for 'there being no object, it is not illumination': if the substance of that which can be aware must depend on an object that is illuminated, then if there is no illumination that is an object of awareness, the substance of that which can be aware is no longer illumination. Thus it says, 'there being no object, it is not illumination.' From this we know that awareness and illumination are mutually postulated; fundamentally lacking a self-substance, how could they constitute the awareness of self-nature that is perfectly luminous? As for 'without illumination, it is again not the luminous nature of calm awareness': this reveals that the substance of deluded awareness lacks the function of calm luminosity. If one were to say that it is merely aware of illumination, why must the substance of awareness be luminous in itself? Then self-nature would not be illumination, and there would be no function of calm awareness. Therefore it says, 'without illumination, it is again not the luminous nature of calm awareness.' As for 'the nature's awareness must be luminous; delusively it is taken as luminous awareness': this explains the characteristic of deluded awareness relying on the real. How is this known? When deluded awareness first arises, it possesses luminous awareness only because the nature's awareness must possess true luminosity; therefore deluded awareness relies on this luminosity of the nature and gives rise to an awareness of reflected luminosity. Grasping the luminosity of the reflected image, it gives rise to an awareness that climbs on conditions. Confusing the real and identifying with the reflection, the two divisions of darśanabhāga and nimittabhāga arise from this, and the designation 'luminous awareness' comes to be. As for 'awareness is not what is illuminated; because of illumination an object is established': the awareness of the one reality, though luminous in substance and nature, does not divide into subject and object; hence 'awareness is not what is illuminated.' Because awareness arises from reflected luminosity, subject and object are divided; hence it says, 'because of illumination an object is established.' As for 'the object having been falsely established, your false capability is born; where there is neither sameness nor difference, difference flaringly arises': originally, relying on luminous awareness, illumination was aroused and the object was born; once the object was established, the illuminating nature was lost. This means that the essential luminosity of consciousness can produce all conditions, but what is abandoned by conditions merely follows the characteristics of the grasping subject and obscures the nature of true vijñaptimātra. Undividedly, subject and object mutually generate each other; like wind stirring water, waves succeed one another, and the calm, clear nature is hidden and does not appear. From this delusion, the nature of space is generated, and further, depending on space, the forms of the world are established. Within the one mind of true emptiness, where there is ultimately neither sameness nor difference, [differences] are flaringly established, becoming the ultimate differences among all dharmas. All of this is due to emotional thoughts being disturbed, laboriously generating the dust of the world; delusion and darkness bring forth the realm of space, distinguishing the variety of the world as difference and establishing the purity of space as sameness. Within discriminatory consciousness, they also establish neither-sameness-nor-difference. These are all conditioned dharmas, all becoming conditions of arising and ceasing. Without penetrating the original source, in the end it is mere conceptual proliferation.

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宗鏡錄 — Classical Chinese