宗鏡錄 85.31

85.31

Answer: The delusional originally has no substance; fundamentally, it is completely the real. Why must one resolve it any further? Now, for the sake of those who hold to delusional attachments of emotional views, I draw upon the wisdom of the patriarchs and buddhas who skillfully penetrate the citta-source, and search through the subtle explanations of the sūtras and treatises that fathom the ocean of nature, so as to cause them to suddenly cast off emotional dust and directly accomplish true awareness. As the Shi Moheyan lun says: “The greatness of substance of the one-mind tathatā is common to the five persons, being universally equal without distinction. What are called the five kinds of provisional persons? First, ordinary beings; second, śrāvakas; third, pratyekabuddhas; fourth, bodhisattvas; fifth, tathāgatas. These are called the five. As for these five names, the persons are naturally five, but the real is naturally only one. Why is this? The self-substance of tathatā has neither increase nor decrease, neither greatness nor smallness, neither existence nor non-existence, neither middle nor boundary, neither coming nor going. From the beginning, the one naturally forms the one, the same naturally makes the same; repelling difference and relinquishing distinction, it is only the one tathatā. Therefore all dharmas are of the single mark of tathatā.” In the Samādhi Sūtra it is stated: “For example, just as gold is fashioned into images of the five destinies, the equality of the five persons is also like this; among the various persons, there is neither increase nor decrease.” Therefore the Awakening of Faith says: “The tathatā of citta is the substance of the great general-characteristic Dharma gate of the single dharmadhātu. Because the original nature of citta is the mark of neither arising nor ceasing, all dharmas possess distinctions solely due to delusional thoughts. If one is free from delusional thoughts, there are no characteristics of distinction among sense-realms.” An ancient commentary says: “An adherer asks: ‘We presently see the distinctions and shifting flow of all dharmas; why then do you say that nature has neither arising nor ceasing?’