宗鏡錄 79.35

79.35

It answers in a verse: / "Just as a powerful illusion-king / causes other illusion-kings to retreat, / so pure phenomena / can bring defiled phenomena to an end." / The commentary explains: That pure phenomenon which remedies is also like an illusion-king, because it gains predominance through being able to remedy defiled phenomena. That defiled phenomenon which is remedied is also like an illusion-king, because it gains predominance through sensory realms. That pure phenomena can bring defiled phenomena to an end is like that powerful illusion-king being able to cause other illusion-kings to retreat. Because defiled and pure phenomena each have predominant power and revolve autonomously according to the object, they are called 'kings'. Therefore, the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment says: "At that time the World-Honoured One said to Samantacakṣus Bodhisattva: 'Good son, those bodhisattvas who are beginners and sentient beings of the final age who wish to seek the Tathāgata's pure mind of perfect enlightenment should maintain correct mindfulness and distance themselves from all illusions. First, relying on the Tathāgata's practice of śamatha, they should firmly maintain the prohibitive precepts, settle peacefully with their assemblies, and sit quietly in a calm room, constantly generating this thought: "This body of mine is a combination of the four great elements. Namely, hair, nails, and teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, and bones, marrow, brain, and impure matter all return to earth. Spittle, snot, pus, and blood, saliva, moisture, phlegm, tears, semen, vitality, urine, and feces all return to water. Warmth returns to fire. Movement returns to wind. When the four great elements separate from each other, where is this false body now?" Then one knows that this body ultimately has no substance; its characteristics are mere combination, truly identical with illusions and transformations. The four conditions falsely combine, falsely producing the six sense faculties. The six sense faculties and four great elements combine internally and externally; falsely there is conditioning breath accumulating within them, seeming to possess conditioned characteristics, falsely designated as "mind". Good son, if this false mind did not have the six dust-objects, it could not exist. When the four great elements disintegrate, no dust-objects can be apprehended; the conditioned dust-objects within each return to dispersion and extinction, and ultimately no conditioned mind can be seen. Good son, because those sentient beings' illusory bodies are extinguished, their illusory minds are also extinguished. Because the illusory mind is extinguished, the illusory dust-objects are also extinguished. Because the illusory dust-objects are extinguished, the illusory extinction is also extinguished. Because the illusory extinction is extinguished, that which is non-illusory is not extinguished. It is like polishing a mirror: when the grime is exhausted, the clarity appears. Good son, you should know that both body and mind are illusory grime; when the characteristic of grime is perpetually extinguished, the ten directions are pure. Good son, it is like a pure maṇi jewel reflecting five colors, each appearing according to direction; foolish people see that maṇi as truly possessing the five colors. Good son, the pure nature of perfect enlightenment appears in body and mind, responding respectively according to kind; foolish people say that pure perfect enlightenment truly possesses such self-characteristics of body and mind. It is also like this. Because of this, they are unable to distance themselves from illusions and transformations.'" The commentary explains: Within the jewel there are no colors of the five directions; they are reflected due to light. Within the nature there are no bodies of the five destinies; they appear according to karma. Those confused about the jewel cling to the real colors within the jewel; those ignorant of the nature identify with the empty bodies within the nature. The teaching and the metaphor are pellucid; the true and the false can be verified.