宗鏡錄 77.3

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.