宗鏡錄 85.29

85.29

Answer: It is simply the first manifestation of the characteristics and functions of original awareness that is called initial awareness. The characteristics and functions do not come from outside separately; therefore, they can merge into a single substance. Furthermore, if they were not the characteristics and functions of the entire substance of original awareness, they would not be initial awareness, because there would be dharmas outside citta. If this were not so, it would merely be called semblance awareness, and also called partial awareness. From this we know that only when it directly joins and unifies with the original substance can it be called true initial awareness. Once it joins with the original, the initial is no longer initial; once there is no initial, there is no original. When the names of original and initial are both extinguished, it can only be called awareness. As explained above, only when entering the mirror of the source does it become ultimate awareness. Not having entered the mirror of the source, it is merely called semblance awareness. Although this is called awareness, it is in fact non-awareness. Therefore the treatise says: “Furthermore, because of being aware of the citta-source it is called ultimate awareness; because of not being aware of the citta-source it is not ultimate awareness.” This is precisely its meaning.