宗鏡錄 84.14

84.14

Answer: All the various dharmas manifested as present dust entirely arrive in accordance with thought, and all arise in confrontation with conception. When thought ceases, the realm is empty; when the mind is empty, dharmas are tranquil. Hence a sūtra says: 'Conception ceased and tranquil, consciousness stopped and unconditioned.' Another sūtra says: 'All buddhas and all dharmas take form from the mind.' Another sūtra says: 'Dharmas are not firm; they stand only upon thought. For one who understands seeing as empty, there are no thoughts or conceptions whatsoever.' Thus we know that seeing and hearing are merely dependent origination, and seeing is ultimately empty, like worldly magical acts, resembling the arising and ceasing of sky flowers. Hence it is said: 'Seeing and hearing are like illusory cataracts; the three realms are like sky flowers.' For instance, the eye faculty, possessing five conditions, is able to see. Yet this 'ability to see' is merely the five conditions, because there is no seer. If one says that possessing the five conditions generates consciousness to be able to see, it is not known which condition definitely can generate consciousness. If one says that each one individually does not generate, but through combination they can generate seeing, then just as five blind people combined should form one sight—since the many blind do not see, how could combination generate it? Thus we know that it is not that a separate consciousness arises; whenever there is seeing, it is just the manifold conditions. Therefore it is called dependent origination. Hence a sūtra says: 'The eye does not see itself; it belongs to causes and conditions. Conditions are not the nature of seeing; the eye is just empty.' The eye faculty being so, the other faculties are likewise. Arising is solely dependent arising; ceasing is solely dependent ceasing. Arising and ceasing are solely conditions; both person and dharmas are tranquil. If one realizes these two emptinesses of self and dharmas, one realizes the consummate principle. Hence it is said: 'If one sees the dharma of causes and conditions, this is called seeing the Buddha.'