宗鏡錄 80.23

80.23

Answer: All sentient beings truly possess the buddha-nature. The sūtra speaks reciprocally of presence and absence with reference to the wholesome, unwholesome, indeterminate, principle, fruit, and so forth. The Jianfu commentary says: 'Now, basing ourselves on the sūtra's clarification of the buddha-nature, there are roughly five kinds: wholesome, unwholesome, indeterminate, principle, and fruit, etc. Now, when it is said that the icchantika possesses it and the person of good roots lacks it, this is the unwholesome buddha-nature. However, there are two kinds of people of good roots: first, the person of good roots who is detached from desire, because having detached from desire they have severed all unwholesome things; second, those at the five abodes and above, because at the five abodes and above there is no unwholesome nature. Both of these two persons lack the unwholesome nature. When it is said that the person of good roots possesses it and the icchantika lacks it, this is the wholesome buddha-nature. The icchantika has severed all wholesome things; therefore it is said they lack it. What both persons possess is the principle and the indeterminate. What both persons lack is because both lack the fruit nature.' The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'The Tathāgata's buddha-nature is of two kinds: first, presence; second, absence. As for presence: that is to say, the thirty-two marks up to the immeasurable samādhis—this is called presence. As for absence: that is to say, the Tathāgata's past and future wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate karmic causes, fruitional retributions, kleśas, five aggregates, and twelve links of dependent origination—this is called absence. Up to the icchantika's buddha-nature, it is also like this.' Thus, from the Buddha above down to the icchantika below, all possess both the natures of presence and absence; it is not that they are completely devoid of the nature. From this we know that presence and absence are discussed only with reference to the three natures and the fruit. If one speaks of the nature of principle, there is not even ordinary and holy, so how could presence and absence be spoken of? Thus, when considered in terms of principle, none are not fully equipped with it. Therefore, Dharma Master Daosheng said: 'All who receive physical endowment from the two modes are correct causes for nirvāṇa. How could beings of the class of icchantikas alone lack the buddha-nature? It must simply be that the translation of this sūtra was not yet complete.' Thus Dharma Master Daosheng held on to life for ten years to verify this principle. When the latter portion of the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] arrived, it indeed contained this text. He thereupon sat upon the lion seat and passed away in meditation.