宗鏡錄 78.3

78.3

Answer: The substance of awareness is one; according to its functions it is divided into many. Functions have depth and shallowness, but awareness has no before or after. As the Yingluo jing says: 'Wonderful awareness is only designated when quietude illuminates; equal awareness illuminates quietude.' Furthermore, awareness has three meanings: First, awareness as inspection: like waking from a dream, or like a person discovering a thief—the thief can do nothing; delusion is the thief. Second, awareness as illumination: illuminating principle and phenomena; also like a lotus opening, illuminating and seeing the one true dharmadhātu of one's own mind and the nature's virtues as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, according with their supreme meaning to be aware of all dharmas. Third, wonderful awareness: that is, the above two awarenesses being free from that which is aware and that which is an object of awareness; hence it is wonderful, not a separate awareness. Therefore the sūtra says: 'There is no Buddha's nirvāṇa that is far removed from that which is aware and that which is an object of awareness.' Furthermore, the nature of awareness is devoid of awareness—this is the fundamental wisdom; the characteristics of awareness are distinctly apparent—this is the subsequent wisdom.