宗鏡錄 82.9

82.9

Answer: This is because there are depths and shallows in the cognitive vision that realizes, which naturally gives rise to distinctions with respect to unconditioned phenomena. The Nirvāṇa Commentary says: "The Buddha-nature is like a worldly road. There are those who have not walked it, those who wish to walk it, those who are walking it, and those who have already walked it. Although there are differences such as not having walked it and so forth, one cannot say that there are two roads. The Buddha-nature is also like this. There are those who have not seen it, those who wish to see it, those who are seeing it, and those who have already seen it. Although the seeing differs, in principle there are not two. All Buddhas share the same dharmadhātu, so in principle there are not two. That a single dust-mote is nothing other than the dharmadhātu means that in terms of phenomena there is not the slightest discrepancy." This is the unity of what is realized. As for differences in that which realizes: in teachings such as the Tripiṭaka and Shared teachings, one sees only emptiness and does not see non-emptiness, like searching for a dream and finding sleep. In teachings such as the Distinct and Complete teachings, one sees the principle of the non-empty Middle Way, like searching for a dream and finding the mind. Moreover, the Distinct approach still clings to the sequential arising of the doctrinal path, whereas the Complete vehicle directly penetrates the mind-nature as fully complete right now. Furthermore, the Tripiṭaka and Shared teachings take the extinction of the mind as the ultimate fruit, [whereas] the sudden [teachings] all belong to the Complete vehicle. The Tiantai teaching says: "The six consciousnesses are the seeds of the contributory cause; both good and evil arise from the six consciousnesses. The seventh consciousness is the seed of the disclosing cause; both delusion and understanding are the seventh consciousness. The eighth consciousness is the seed of the direct cause; without the eighth consciousness, there would be no saṃsāra or nirvāṇa. If these three kinds [of seeds] were not of the Buddha-lineage, where else outside them would there be a complete and sudden Dharma? When the two vehicles sever the saṃyojanas, once the saṃyojanas are exhausted there is no longer a cause for the Buddha's wisdom, and they cannot accomplish sarvākārajñatā; they lose the seed of the disclosing cause. If one eliminates evil and has good, once evil is exhausted one cannot give rise to all good; how could there be the seed of the contributory cause? If one departs from saṃsāra and enters nirvāṇa without remainder, extinguishing the body and not receiving rebirth, how could there be the seed of the direct cause?" Therefore the Perfect Enlightenment Sūtra says: "The Bodhisattva Viśuddhaprabha said to the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One, we pray that for the sake of the assembly of the Dharma who have come, you will once more proclaim the completely fulfilled awakened nature of the Dharma King. What are the differences in what is realized and attained by all sentient beings, the bodhisattvas, and the Tathāgata, the World-Honoured One?'... up to where the Buddha said: 'Good sons, the intrinsic nature of perfect enlightenment is not an existence of natures upon natures; arising in accord with all natures, it is without grasping and without realization. Within the true characteristic, there are truly no bodhisattvas and no sentient beings. Why is this? Bodhisattvas and sentient beings are all illusory transformations. Because illusory transformations are extinguished, there is no one who grasps or realizes. For example, the visual faculty does not see the eye itself. Its nature is naturally impartial, and there is no one who is impartial. Sentient beings are deluded and inverted, unable to eradicate all illusory transformations. In their false exertion between extinction and non-extinction, distinctions are thereby manifested. If one attains the Tathāgata's accord with quiescence, in truth there is neither quiescence nor one who is quiescent. Good sons, from beginningless time all sentient beings, on account of falsely conceiving a self and cherishing what belongs to the self, have never known for themselves that thoughts arise and cease in every instant; therefore they give rise to hatred and love, and indulge in the five desires. If they meet a good friend who instructs them to awaken to the pure nature of perfect enlightenment, revealing its arising and ceasing, they immediately know that this life is of its own nature toil and distress. If there is a person who severs toil and distress forever and attains the purity of the dharmadhātu, that very understanding of purity becomes an obstruction to them; therefore they are not at ease with respect to perfect enlightenment. This is called ordinary beings according with the awakened nature. Good sons, all bodhisattvas take understanding as an obstruction; although they sever the obstruction of understanding, they still abide in the perception of awakening. The obstruction of awakening becomes an obstruction, and they are not at ease. This is called bodhisattvas who have not entered the bhūmis according with the awakened nature. Good sons, having illumination and having awakening are both called obstructions. Therefore, the bodhisattva constantly awakens without abiding; illumination and the illuminator are simultaneously quiescent. For example, like a person cutting off their own head: once the head is cut off, there is no one who can cut it off. Thus by using the obstructed mind one eliminates all obstructions; once the obstructions are extinguished, there is no one who extinguishes the obstructions. The sūtra teachings are like a finger pointing at the moon: if one sees the moon, one thoroughly knows that what points is ultimately not the moon. The various spoken teachings of all Tathāgatas expounded to bodhisattvas are also like this. This is called bodhisattvas who have entered the bhūmis according with the awakened nature. Good sons, all obstructions are themselves ultimate awakening. Retaining mindfulness or losing mindfulness are nothing other than liberation. Establishing dharmas or destroying dharmas are both called nirvāṇa. Wisdom and foolishness are both prajñā. The dharmas accomplished by bodhisattvas and non-Buddhists are equally bodhi. Avidyā and tathatā are not different realms. All morality, concentration, and wisdom, as well as lust, anger, and delusion, are all the brahma-practice. Sentient beings and lands share the same dharma-nature. Hells and heavens are all pure lands. Having nature and lacking nature alike accomplish the Buddha path. All kleśas are ultimately liberated. The oceanic wisdom of the dharmadhātu clearly illuminates all characteristics just like empty space. This is called the Tathāgata according with the awakened nature. Good sons, if bodhisattvas and sentient beings in the final age, dwelling in all times, do not give rise to false thoughts, do not extinguish false minds, do not add intellectual understanding when abiding in realms of false conception, and do not discern reality in non-understanding—when those sentient beings hear this Dharma gate, believe, understand, accept, and uphold it, and do not give rise to alarm or fear, this is called according with the awakened nature.'" Explanation: "Dwelling in all times, not giving rise to false thoughts": although thoughts are themselves empty, they must not be deliberately aroused. Whether they arise through habituation, or arise in succession, or whether one realizes the previous thought was wrong and separately gives rise to a subsequent thought of repentance—all of these are sicknesses. If, during a single period of sitting, the internal and external mind does not arise, that is the samādhi of tathatā. Even if an external realm pulls and generates [thought], merely clarify right mindfulness. Right mindfulness is the fundamental dharma of the one mind; mind and realm are both empty, completely without anything to be attained. "Do not extinguish false minds": that is, when tracing the initial thought, one does not see where it arose; why would one need to sever and extinguish it? Not seeing where it arose is called true extinction. "Do not add intellectual understanding when abiding in realms of false conception": the internal and external realms of false conception are all empty; why should one forcefully generate discrimination? Then neither grasping nor rejecting, one accords with wondrous samādhi. "Do not discern reality in non-understanding": one also does not abide in non-discrimination; neither real nor unreal, the mind has nowhere to rest. Then one attains the correct source of the origin and the wondrous nature of returning to the source.