宗鏡錄 82.11

82.11

Answer: “Nature” has two meanings: first, the meaning of disposition (gotra), because it is arisen from causes; second, the meaning of dharmatā, because whether true [dharmakāya] or responsive [nirmāṇakāya], all are this nature. If it is dharmatā, ordinary beings and sages are alike. If it is disposition, it requires the perfuming cultivation of the myriad goods, using the pure to overcome the defiled; only then does the nature arise. Although delusion is identical to nature, it does not accord with the nature.

The commentary of Qingliang says:
“The meaning of the Tathāgata’s appearance is called both dependent origination and nature-origination. If the eight phases [of a Buddha’s life] assemble conditions and appear, it is called dependent origination; that is, it appears because it is evoked by the karma of sentient beings and by the Tathāgata’s great compassion. The realization of the path through the eight phases proceeds from dharmatā, so it is called nature-origination. Now, since proceeding from conditions is devoid of intrinsic nature, dependent origination is named nature-origination. Furthermore, pure dependent origination constantly accords with the nature, so it is also called nature-origination. Hence it says: although responsive [forms] proceed from conditions, they do not contravene the nature; thus there is nothing that does not flow forth from this dharmadhātu. This is the gateway of mutual completion, explaining that nature completes conditions.

Therefore, this nature-origination naturally has two meanings: first, having no intrinsic nature as it proceeds from conditions, it is nature-origination; second, dharmatā accords with conditions, so it is called nature-origination, because there is nothing that does not return to realize this dharmakāya. This is dependent origination being able to complete nature-origination, which is the gateway of mutual completion.

‘Using the pure to overcome the defiled, the nature thereupon arises’ explains the gateway of mutual overcoming, and also resolves an objection. That is, someone asked: ‘Nature-origination is solely pure, and dependent origination is identical to nature-origination [—how can this be]?’ Hence this resolution is provided. Namely, origination is twofold: first, defiled; second, pure. ‘Pure’ refers to the Tathāgata’s great compassion, the bodhisattva’s myriad practices, and so forth. ‘Defiled’ refers to sentient beings’ delusions and karma, and so forth. If one uses the defiled to overcome the pure, it belongs to sentient beings; hence it is solely dependent origination. Now, using the pure to overcome the defiled belongs solely to all Buddhas; hence it is called nature-origination. Even down to the arising and emergence of the myriad phenomena, all are dependent origination within the true nature.

Therefore, whatever the bodhisattva carries out accords with dharmatā. Sentient beings, because the root of ignorance has not yet been exhausted and the views of ego-attachment are not forgotten, whatever they carry out contravenes dharmatā; it merely accomplishes conditioned, arising-and-ceasing practice, not accomplishing the gateway of the merits of nature-origination.

As the Awakening of Faith says:
‘This bodhisattva knows that dharmatā is free from the characteristic of stinginess and greed; this is the pure perfection of giving, and in accordance with it, cultivates dānapāramitā. They know that dharmatā is free from the realms of the five desires and without characteristics of breaking precepts; this is the pure perfection of morality, and in accordance with it, cultivates śīlapāramitā. They know that dharmatā is free from suffering and affliction and free from characteristics of anger and harm; this is the pure perfection of patience, and in accordance with it, cultivates kṣāntipāramitā. They know that dharmatā is free from the characteristics of body and mind and devoid of indolence; this is the pure perfection of vigor, and in accordance with it, cultivates vīryapāramitā. They know that dharmatā is unmoving and undistracted; this is the pure perfection of dhyāna, and in accordance with it, cultivates dhyānapāramitā. They know that dharmatā is free from all dark delusion; this is the pure perfection of wisdom, and in accordance with it, cultivates prajñāpāramitā.’

Therefore we know that each single perfection and single practice cultivated by a bodhisattva accords with the principle of the one mind dharmatā of tathatā. It is not that there is something else cultivated outside of one’s own nature. Because they accord with the nature of citta, all their merits arise like the nature, inexhaustible and unconditioned, neither grasping nor relinquishing.

The stinginess, greed, down to dark delusion produced by ordinary beings all contravene the true and turn their backs on the nature, giving rise to a mind of self-view. Therefore they do not follow nature-origination, nor do they accomplish uncontaminated merits. Even if they engage in delusional cultivation, it all involves attaining something distinct outside their own mind, entirely becoming non-Buddhists, heavenly demons, and conditioned arising and ceasing, because they do not accord with tathatā and contravene dharmatā.

Furthermore, through cultivation the nature is revealed, and through the nature cultivation is accomplished. Without the nature, cultivation also cannot be accomplished; without cultivation, the nature also cannot be revealed. As an ancient worthy said: ‘Fundamental existence is like true gold; production through cultivation is like an adorned utensil. It is through the adorned utensil that the excellence of gold is revealed; the adorned utensil has no substance of its own, but is entirely made of gold.’

Illustrating the two virtues by metaphor: just as production through cultivation, when in the causal stage, gradually reveals fundamental existence, and in the fruitional stage, completes fundamental existence, it is not that the principle of fundamental existence has the gradual or the complete. It is like the light of the new moon: although it gradually becomes full, it constantly carries the full moon, because the full moon is ever-present. Therefore, the moon of the fifteenth day is universally present within the first, second, third days, and so on. Thus we know that the complete fruit is universally present in the causal stages, and also causes each subsequent [stage] to constantly possess each preceding [stage], and each preceding [stage] to constantly possess each subsequent [stage]. Because on the first day there is the moon of the second day, up to the moon of the fifteenth day, since the moon of the fifteenth day is identical to the first moon. The application to the Dharma can be known from this.

For this reason it is said: ‘Production through cultivation is fundamental existence,’ because when it is first complete, it was already complete beforehand. ‘Fundamental existence is production through cultivation,’ because when it first arises, it is also already complete. Contemplate this with an unattached mind! If one cannot contemplate it in this way, one will lose great benefit—just like the poor son who thought the storehouse belonging to himself was someone else’s property, or who begged while carrying the jewel in his clothes, or stayed impoverished while guarding a hoard of gold. All of this happens because they do not recognize the treasure of their own mind, resulting in such circumstances.

Furthermore, as the Śūraṅgamasūtra says: ‘The Buddha said: “All sentient beings from beginningless time have been deluded about themselves, taking themselves to be things, losing their original mind, and being turned by things; therefore within this they view the great and view the small. If one can turn things, one is then identical to the Tathāgata: body and mind round and luminous, an unmoving site of enlightenment, on the tip of a single hair able to contain and hold the lands of the ten directions.”’

Now, regarding what is called ‘turning things’: things are empty and are not what is turned; one only turns one’s own mind. For all phenomena are born from conceptual discrimination, accomplished through thought, and arrive following mental recollection. Therefore a verse in the Vajrasamādhisūtra says:
‘Phenomena are born from conceptual discrimination,
And they are also extinguished through conceptual discrimination.
When all phenomena of conceptual discrimination are extinguished,
These phenomena neither arise nor cease.’

Hence we know that all phenomena are born from discriminating consciousness. If one can awaken to the emptiness of discriminating consciousness, one will know that all phenomena are quiescent and extinguished. Whether arising or ceasing, both are conceptual discrimination. If conceptual discrimination is eradicated, phenomena neither arise nor cease. It is also like the Lotus Sūtra, where the three purifications of the lands were merely the transformation of the mind, not the transformation of the lands.

A commentary on the Śūraṅgamasūtra says:
‘“If one can turn things, one is identical to the Tathāgata”: outside mind there are no things; things are mind itself. When citta is merely free from conceptual discrimination, it is correct wisdom; correct wisdom is prajñā, pervasively permeating the dharmadhātu without hindrance. For this reason, in the Western land, the water, birds, and groves of trees all expound the Dharma. The place where the Dharma is expounded is citta as suchness. Therefore, every single sense-faculty of the Tathāgata pervades the dust-mote kṣetras, even down to the tip of a hair, expounding the wondrous Dharma. Now, if one can only be free from thoughts, one will be identical to the true knowledge and vision of the Tathāgata.’

Formerly, there was a Chan master cultivating the path on Mount Wuwei in Mianzhu county in the region of Shu. At that time, over three hundred households arranged a vegetarian feast and all invited the master. Because his mind was free from conceptual discrimination, he responded to their capacities without hindrance.