[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [宗鏡錄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt) › 85 # 宗鏡錄 85 English (machine translation) 85 - **Language:** English ### [85.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.1) Compiled by Yanshou, Dhyāna Master Zhijue, Abbot of Huiri Yongming Monastery. ### [85.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.2) Now, if it is said that the one mind has no external objects, why does the 'Ten Grounds' chapter of the Avataṃsaka-sūtra state that on the first ground one sees a hundred buddhas, and increasing progressively ground by ground, one sees many buddhas? ### [85.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.3) Answer: The greater or lesser number seen all arises from thoughts. When the mind is narrow, one sees few buddhas; when the mind is vast, it perceives many forms. Expansion and contraction depend on citta; opening and closing rest with oneself. Apart from citta, there is truly nothing to be attained. The Mahāsaṃnipātasūtra says: 'Kauṇḍinya again had this thought: "How shall I be able to see the buddhas?" At that time, in whichever direction he looked, he saw buddhas everywhere. When he looked much, he saw many; when he looked little, he saw few. Having seen them, he again thought: "The World-Honoured Buddhas have nowhere from which they come, and departing they go nowhere. I see that the three realms are citta, and this citta depends on the body. Following my vitarka and vicāra, when I wish to see many, I see many; when I wish to see few, I see few. The Tathāgata Buddhas are just my citta. Why? Because they are seen in accordance with citta. Citta is my body, and the body is empty space. Dependent on vitarka and vicāra, I see immeasurable buddhas. By means of the discerning mind, I see buddhas and know buddhas. Citta does not see citta; citta does not know citta. I observe that the nature of the dharmadhātu has no solidity. All dharmas are produced from the causes and conditions of vitarka and vicāra. Therefore the dharmatā is empty space, and the nature of empty space is likewise like emptiness. Dependent on this citta, I see empty space of blue, yellow, red, white, and variegated colors. Having performed spiritual transformations, what is seen is like the wind, devoid of reality. This is called the dhāraṇī of truly-so shared with ordinary persons."' It also says: 'Furthermore, Bhadrapāla, just as a person in the prime of youth, with dignified features, wishing to observe whether his own appearance is fine or poor, handsome or ugly, then takes a vessel filled with clear oil, or holds pure water, or takes crystal, or grasps a bright mirror, and using these four things observes the reflection of his own face, whether good or bad, beautiful or ugly, clearly apparent. Bhadrapāla, what do you think? When the image he sees appears in these four places—oil, water, crystal, and bright mirror—does it exist beforehand?' Bhadrapāla replied: 'No.' 'Could it be fundamentally non-existent?' He replied: 'No.' 'Is it inside?' He replied: 'No.' 'Could it be outside?' He replied: 'No, World-Honoured One. Only because those things—oil, water, crystal, and mirror—are clear and bright, without turbidity or dross, and his form is in front, does that image appear accordingly. Yet that appearing image does not come out from the four things, nor does it come from another place; it does not exist spontaneously, nor is it made by a person. One should know that that image has nowhere from which it comes, nor anywhere to which it goes; it neither arises nor ceases, and has no abiding place.' When Bhadrapāla had replied thus, the Buddha said: 'Bhadrapāla, so it is, so it is! Just as you have said, when the objects are pure, the form is bright and clear, and the reflection appears of itself without requiring much effort. The bodhisattva is also like this: with one mind thinking skillfully, he sees the tathāgatas; having seen them, he abides; having abided, he inquires into the meaning; having understood with joy, he then contemplates again: "Where do these buddhas now come from, and from where has this body of mine emerged?" He observes that those tathāgatas ultimately have no place from which they come and no place to which they go. My body is also like this: it fundamentally has no point of emergence, so how could it return? He should further reflect thus: "Now these three realms are only existent as citta. Why? Following those thoughts of citta, one returns to seeing one's own citta. Now I see buddhas from citta; my citta makes buddhas; my citta is buddha; my citta is the Tathāgata; my citta is my body. My citta sees buddhas. Citta does not know citta; citta does not see citta. When citta has thoughts, it becomes saṃsāra; when citta is free from thoughts, it is nirvāṇa. Dharmas are not real; they arise conditioned by conceptualization. When what is thought is stilled, the thinking \[subject\] is also empty." Bhadrapāla, you should know that all bodhisattvas attain great bodhi by relying on this samādhi.' The Śūraṅgamasūtra says: 'Accord with the minds of sentient beings and respond to their capacity of knowledge.' An ancient commentary says: 'They appear where the faculties of sentient beings are ripe. "The capacity of knowledge" is the differentiated objects of sentient beings. Thus one knows that within a single dust-mote of a dharma-object, it equally pervades the dharmadhātu. For an infinitesimal dust-mote lacks own-nature; its own-nature is empty space, empty space is true emptiness, and true emptiness is original enlightenment. Hence one knows that the Tathāgata constantly preaches the wondrous Dharma for immeasurable sentient beings within a single pore. Thus one knows that all pores and dust-motes also do not go beyond me. If one only understands the dharma of a single dust-mote, one can count dust-motes equal to the dharmadhātu. For this reason the Tathāgata can know the number of drops of water in the four great oceans, and knows the weight in pounds of the great earth and Mount Sumeru. All of this comes from observing this single body, and on this single body observing a single hair, knowing in both cases that they lack own-nature. Merely observing within a single pore, it truly has no own-nature, and a single pore is also unobtainable. The unobtainable place pervades the dharmadhātu; this is knowing all-knowledge. Therefore the Xinxin ming says: "One is all, / All is one. / If you can only be like this, / What worry about not finishing?" If one can thus thoroughly realize that a single dust-mote and a single hair have no own-nature and are only manifested by citta, then one knows that all dharmas are completely so, with no other substance. Because all sentient beings follow dust-motes and cling to views, not penetrating a single dharma, the various dust-motes naturally obstruct them. The Treatise on the Avataṃsaka says: "Speaking in terms of reality, within the dwelling of initial resolve, like a single drop of water entering ocean water, it entirely shares the ocean's substance, and all dragons, fish, and jewel treasuries are contained within it. For the sake of teaching and transforming sentient beings, the teaching nets, fish-traps, and methods cannot fail to be complete. When recorded and inscribed on bamboo and silk in words, there seems to be a sequence of earlier and later meanings. Those who realize the Way must examine it clearly, like holding a precious mirror that universally confronts ten thousand images." It also says in verse: / 'Limitless wisdom and compassion accomplish the Buddha's virtues; / The Buddha accomplishes the ten grounds through wisdom and compassion, / And turns back to accomplish the various stages through the ten grounds. / The five stages of preparatory practice, earlier and later, / Arise without departing from the wisdom and compassion of the ten grounds. / Therefore the initial resolve of the ten grounds— / Resolving the mind, one immediately enters the wisdom of the ten grounds. / Although the expedients of the five stages differ, / It is only to mature the wisdom of the ten grounds. / Just as a swift bird flying through empty space / Does not cease traveling yet reaches nowhere, / And just as fish and dragons roam through water / Without ceasing to roam constantly yet never departing from water, / Such are the differences in the practices of the five stages: / They do not cease to be differentiated yet never depart from wisdom. / Whatever differences of days, months, and years there may be, / By the seal of the Dharma of wisdom they have no difference. / The substance of wisdom is neither formed nor destroyed, / To clarify that the various stages remove habitual tendencies. / Understanding habits and non-habits, compassionate practice is completed; / Ten thousand practices constantly flourish with unconditioned wisdom.' ### [85.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.4) Question: If there are no dharmas outside of citta and there is only the one mind, then externally there are no fruits of good and evil karma, nor retributions of suffering and pleasure. How could the Buddha's Dharma be established? It would, on the contrary, fall among the various heterodoxies. ### [85.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.5) Answer: If one understands the one mind, views of existence and non-existence are cut off; object and cognition are both silenced, tallying with that emptiness of nature; sense faculties and sense dusts are both obliterated, bringing liberation internally and externally. It also constantly illuminates both the internal and the external, freed from ignorance. When even emptiness does not remain, from where could delusion arise? The external realms of various sufferings and pleasures that appear are like images in a mirror: taking one's own mind as a bright mirror, it simply reflects the shadows of one's own karma. An ancient master of virtue said: 'Taking the nature of the tathāgatagarbha as the bright mirror, according to karmic conditions and objects, it manifests the images of retribution.' Now, karma encompasses both nature and characteristics. That is, the substance of this karma takes the phenomenon of naturelessness as its nature, and takes the characteristic of not losing karmic retribution as its nature. Because it has no nature, it can bring about karmic retribution; because it does not destroy characteristics, true emptiness is thereby revealed. Why is this? If it had an inherent nature, then good and bad karma would be fixed and unalterable, and there would be no retribution of suffering or pleasure. If it destroyed the characteristics of karma, then it would lead to annihilationism. Because all causes and effects arise from one's own mind, outside of mind there is truly no good or bad karma to be found. Because karma has no intrinsic nature and arises solely from the mind, it is therefore like a shadow or a phantom, having no fixed characteristic. Furthermore, because karma has no intrinsic nature, it does not fall into existence; because it does not destroy karmic retribution, it does not fall into non-existence. Being neither existent nor non-existent is the principle of the middle of the one mind. ### [85.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.6) Question: Although mind is precisely karma and karma is precisely mind, since it arises from the mind and is in turn experienced from the mind, how is one at present to dissolve its false karmic retribution? ### [85.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.7) Answer: Merely understand non-action, and karma is naturally empty. Therefore it is said: 'If one understands unacted evil karma, one achieves buddhahood in a single lifetime.' It is also said: 'Although there is the creation of karma, there is no creator'—this is the secret teaching of the Tathāgata. Furthermore, whenever karma is created, it is entirely one's own mind falsely calculating external dharmas, in turn countering itself, and grasping delusion to produce karma. If one understands the mind and does not grasp, the object naturally does not arise; with no dharma to drag upon the emotions, how could karma be formed? The Sea of Meanings says: 'To eliminate karmic retribution is \[to understand that\] it is because of sense dusts that one fails to understand one's own mind, taking there to be dharmas outside the mind, thereby giving rise to aversion and love, and forming retribution from the karma of craving. However, this karmic retribution arises from the mind being deluded by sense dusts and falsely calculating; it only appears as though existent, yet none of it has reality. The deluded person takes the characteristics of sense dusts as having a place from which they come, and so gives rise again to this delusion. Now, understanding that the characteristics of sense dusts have no substance is awakening. Delusion fundamentally has no place from which it comes, and awakening also has no place to which it goes. Why is this? Because taking the deluded mind to be existent fundamentally has no substance. Like a snake upon a rope, it fundamentally has no place from which it comes, nor any place to which it goes. Why is this? Because the deluded mind falsely calculating the snake to be existent fundamentally has no substance. If one calculates that there is a place of coming or a place of going, that is still delusion; understanding that there is neither going nor coming is awakening. Awakening and delusion are established in mutual dependence; it is not that there was first a pure mind and afterward avidyā. These are not two things and cannot be understood as two. Merely understanding that delusion is devoid of delusion is itself the pure mind; there is never first a pure mind and afterward avidyā. Therefore, know that delusion and awakening are solely the one mind, just like turning a hand over: it is merely a single hand. When one penetrates this deeply, the shadow of karma dissolves of itself.' As the Buddhāvataṃsakasūtra says: 'At that time, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī asked the bodhisattva Guṇaprabha: "Child of the Buddha! All sentient beings equally possess the four great elements, and are without self and without what belongs to a self. Why is it that there is the experiencing of suffering and experiencing of pleasure, uprightness and ugliness, inner goodness and outer goodness, little reception and much reception, or the reception of retribution in the present, or the reception of retribution in the future? Yet within the dharmadhātu there is neither fine nor evil." Then the bodhisattva Guṇaprabha answered with verses, saying: / "According to the karma that is practiced, / Such karmic retribution arises. / There is no creator at all; / This is what all Buddhas teach. / Just like a clear, bright mirror: / In accordance with the objects facing it, / The manifested images are each different; / The nature of karma is also like this. / It is also like seeds in a field: / Each not knowing the other, / They naturally are able to sprout; / The nature of karma is also like this. / Again, like a skillful illusionist, / At the intersection of four roads, / Manifesting various visible forms; / The nature of karma is also like this. / Like a mechanical wooden figure, / Capable of producing various sounds, / In it there is neither self nor not-self; / The nature of karma is also like this. / It is also like the various kinds of birds: / Emerging from the eggshell, / Their voices are each different; / The nature of karma is also like this. / Just as within the womb, / The various sense faculties are all completed, / Their substance and characteristics having no place of coming; / The nature of karma is also like this. / Again, as in hell, / The various painful matters / All have nowhere from which they come; / The nature of karma is also like this. / Just as a wheel-turning king / Is endowed with the seven supreme jewels, / Whose place of coming cannot be found; / The nature of karma is also like this. / Again, as with various worlds, / Burned by great fires, / This fire has no place of coming; / The nature of karma is also like this."' The Sūtra on Purifying Karmic Obstacles says: 'To view all dharmas as precisely the Buddhadharma—this is the purification of all karmic obstacles.' ### [85.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.8) For instance, a student asked the Ven. Anguo: 'When one has not yet awakened, do the conditions of good and bad karma exist or not?' ### [85.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.9) He replied: 'They do not exist. It is like dreaming at night of being chased by evil men, or becoming King Brahmā or Śakra, and taking it to be existent; suddenly one wakes up, and all is tranquil with nothing the matter. Faithfully know that the three realms are fundamentally empty, and are solely the one mind.' ### [85.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.10) There was also someone who asked the Ven. Dazhu: 'How can one know that karma has been exhausted?' ### [85.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.11) He replied: 'The present mind penetrates both previous lives and future lives, just as seen with the eyes. The former Buddhas and latter Buddhas, the ten thousand dharmas, are simultaneous. A sūtra says: "Knowing in a single thought that all dharmas are the site of awakening (bodhimaṇḍa), because one accomplishes all-knowledge." Therefore, know that whatever arises from the mind is devoid of reality. Just as the dreaming mind is not real, the dream events are also false; this is commonly known in the world and can be deeply believed and accepted. Therefore, the principle of good and bad karma is entirely empty of nature, yet it does not destroy conditioned origination, ever merging with the wondrous intent. The formal syllogism (anumāna) states: Proper karma is the subject (dharmin). Being necessarily both existent and empty is the thesis (pratijñā). The reason (hetu) states: Because being formed through conditions is precisely lacking intrinsic nature. The homogeneous example (dṛṣṭānta) states: Like an illusion. An illusion arises through magical arts and the like; its existence does not obstruct its falsity. Proper karma arises from conditions; emptiness and existence do not obstruct each other. Therefore, know that the ten thousand dharmas arise from the sentiment of pervasive conceptualization (parikalpa); they have only empty names and completely lack real meaning. As the Śūraṅgamasūtra says: "Wondrous awakening is tranquil, pervading the dharmadhātu, containing and spitting forth the ten emptinesses. How could it have a fixed location? It is discovered according to karma. The world is ignorant and is deluded into taking it as causality or spontaneous nature; all of this is the discrimination and calculation of the conscious mind, possessing only words and completely lacking real meaning." "Containing and spitting forth the ten emptinesses": "containing" means the one true \[nature\], unmoving, within the tathāgatagarbha; "spitting forth" means, relying on deluded discrimination, it is discovered according to location. Wherever even a speck of dust is discovered, it is entirely produced by one's own mind and exists from discrimination. If one knows that the place of arising is false, then one is suddenly awakened to true emptiness. When true emptiness appears before one, how could words remain?' ### [85.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.12) Question: The true mind is unmoving, and does not shift across the three periods of time. Why is it said that the mind undergoes transmigration, and why is it also said that the meaning of transmigration is cut off? ### [85.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.13) Answer: What is called following the flow and returning against the flow is spoken entirely in terms of the mind of conditioning thoughts of sentient beings, falsely calling it transmigration. Its substance is ever tranquil; if only one does not see where a single thought arises, that is precisely non-flowing—there are not necessarily thoughts that can be cut off. The Jñānavaipulyasūtra says: 'Mañjuśrī said: "How does one cut off transmigration? By not giving rise to past mind, future consciousness not proceeding, present thought not moving, not abiding and not pondering, not perceiving and not discriminating."' Therefore, know that matching objects with objects and using mind to control mind is like a dog chasing a clod of earth only for more to come, or a man fleeing his shadow only to tire himself in vain. If one can know that the body is a shadow, and abandon the clod to approach the person, then the shadow vanishes and the footprints sink away, peacefully walking the path. Therefore, know that all movements are lustful and entirely become the work of Māra. If one knows that the mind does not move, then one does not follow the flow; only then does one enter into the mirror of the source, eternally transcending demonic illusions, and naturally the mind's cognition is extinguished and all views are dissolved. As the Mahāgaganagañjaparipṛcchāsūtra says: 'The bodhisattva Parvatasaṃgātarāja said: "For example, where there is an aperture, wind enters into it and shakes things, having the characteristic of coming and going. The bodhisattva is also like this: if the mind has an aperture, the mind is shaken. Because it is shaken, Māra obtains an opportunity. Therefore, the bodhisattva guards the mind and does not let there be an aperture. If the mind has no aperture, then all characteristics are fulfilled. Because characteristics are fulfilled, the nature of emptiness is fulfilled. This is the bodhisattva's Dharma gate of transcending Māra." Further, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said: "Good sirs, what you have spoken is all the realm of Māra. Why is this? The establishment of words and letters is entirely the work of Māra; even the words of the Buddha are still the work of Māra. Where there is no speech, free from all words and letters, Māra can do nothing. If there is no establishment, there is no view of self and no view of words and letters. Because there is no self, there is no loss or gain with regard to dharmas. One who enters in this way transcends the realm of Māra. This is the bodhisattva's Dharma gate of transcending Māra."' The Mahāyāna Thousand-Bowl Great Teaching King Sūtra says: 'The Buddha said: "The illusory deceptions of the various heavenly demons, in their varied forms, obstruct the sacred path of the mind's eye of practitioners, even causing them to see all illusory forms of past and future matters of birth and death, various good and bad signs. These are illusory deceptions made by Māra, unrelated to correct knowledge; they are only transformations manifested by the mind—do not grasp external conditions. Practitioners must never, in dream realms or present before their eyes, grasp characteristics and cling to them, agitating their human minds with terror and fear, whereupon they will be obstructed by heavenly demons, ghosts, and spirits. For the practitioner's correct view, one must constantly and attentively contemplate the nature of the mind, seeing that the nature is tranquil, that the nature of the mind is devoid of things, and not grasp these characteristics; then there will be no conditions of objective realms and false thoughts. Therefore, practitioners must practice diligence with vigor, never regressing, becoming lax, or indolent, and then they will swiftly realize unsurpassed, complete, and perfect bodhi."' The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'Except for the true characteristic of all dharmas, all else is the work of Māra for bodhisattvas. If one realizes prajñā and can tally with the true characteristic, one then overcomes the works of Māra.' This is spoken regarding the time of realizing the true characteristic. When personally realizing it, it is like a person drinking water: one must not merely take to speaking without realizing. If one merely speaks of overcoming Māra, one does not depart from the realm of Māra; if one overcomes the realm of Māra, both speech and realization are completely severed. Therefore, know that there is certainly no demonic objective realm—it only arises from the mind. Why is this? If internally the mind delights in birth and death, one's body becomes a heavenly demon; if internally the mind clings to wrong views, one's body becomes a non-Buddhist; up to and including seeing dharmas outside the mind and seeking separately outside of principle—all of these become non-Buddhists. ### [85.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.14) Question: Ordinary beings and sages are of the one mind, identical in their gotra. If their gotra is without difference, why are the causes and effects they experience not the same, and their retributions distinct? ### [85.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.15) Answer: Although each experiences their own karma and there is delusive rising and falling, the conditioned nature is unborn and completely unobtainable. The \*Sarvadharmāpravṛttinirdeśa\* says: "The Buddha addressed Mañjuśrī: 'The minds of all sentient beings are all one; this is named gotra.'" Gotra means root. The root is eternally one, yet sentient beings deludedly give rise to distinctions of self and other, and higher and lower among ordinary beings and sages. Although distinctions arise, the single substance does not move, because the nature of distinction is non-existent, and it is merely a delusive arising without real substance. Therefore the sūtra says: "The Buddha said, 'Mañjuśrī, all sentient beings have no citta, because conditioned nature is unobtainable. This is named gotra.'" Furthermore, all good and evil objects are the light of citta; all superior and inferior enjoyments are the fruit of citta. A verse in the \*Mahāyānasūtrālaṅkāra\* says: / Various lights of citta arise, / manifesting such various characteristics. / Because the substance of the light is not \[real\] substance, / one does not obtain the reality of those phenomena. / "Various lights of citta" means various concrete phenomena. They arise either at different times—namely, the light of greed, anger, and so forth—or at the same time—namely, the light of faith, vigor, and so forth. Such mental factors in the defiled state and mental factors in the pure state have only illumination and no substantial body of light. Therefore, the World-Honoured One did not call them real phenomena. It also says: "As for the instantaneous predominance of conditioned formations: as the Buddha said, 'Citta leads the world away, citta drags the world here; through the mastery of citta, the world turns in accordance with it.' The statement that consciousness conditions name-and-form is also like this." Therefore one knows that conditioned formations are the fruit of citta. Furthermore, regarding "accordance with purity": "purity" is the citta of a person in dhyāna-concentration. That person's conditioned formations turn in accordance with the pure citta. A monk who practices dhyāna is endowed with supernatural powers and his citta attains mastery. If he wishes to make wood into gold, it complies with his intention. Therefore one knows that conditioned formations are all the fruit of citta. Furthermore, regarding "accordance with rebirth": for example, sentient beings who commit sins obtain external objects that are all inferior, while sentient beings who create merit obtain external objects that are all wonderful. Therefore one knows that conditioned formations are all the fruit of citta. One should know that since all myriad phenomena have citta as cause, they also have citta as fruit. Although purity and defilement manifest differently, within the mirror of citta they are like light and shadow, completely unobtainable. ### [85.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.16) Question: Entering the gate of vijñaptimātra, one contemplates that all objects are naturally signless. What need is there to speak further of refuting characteristics to reveal the principle, and moreover of abandoning existence to contemplate emptiness? If there is a tenet to be refuted, then one establishes a principle capable of making it empty. If an empty phenomenon is retained, it turns back into a cause for having characteristics. If one clings to the gate of contemplation, how can it accord with the unconditioned Path? ### [85.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.17) Answer: Speaking of refuting characteristics is for those who have not yet entered vijñaptimātra, to remove their delusive attachments. Though one speaks of refuting characteristics, in truth there is nothing to be refuted. Since there is no existence to be refuted, there is also no emptiness capable of refuting it. When emotional attachment dissolves, emptiness and existence are both quiescent. External objects are not fixed; refutation and establishment follow citta. The delusion that obscures truth does not arise, and the truth that contrasts with delusion is also ended. The \*Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa\* says: "Grasping various characteristics is entirely false, just like a crystal jewel changes according to the color before it, having no fixed color of its own. All phenomena are also like this: they have no fixed characteristics, but differ in accordance with citta. As for characteristics such as permanent or impermanent: if with an angry mind, one sees this person as vile; if the angry mind ceases and lustful mind naturally arises, one sees this person again as good; if with an arrogant mind arising, one considers this person lowly and base; yet hearing that they have virtue, one again gives rise to respect. Such loving and hating with reason, or loving and hating without reason, are all false imaginings. If falsehood is eliminated, there is also no sign of emptiness, sign of signlessness, or sign of wishlessness, because there is nothing to be refuted." Since one does not even take the principle of signlessness as the source, how could one preserve a gate of refutation and establishment? This is because completion, destruction, rejecting, and grasping all stem from one's own citta. If one directly understands citta, contemplation naturally ends. As the verses in the \*Laṅkāvatārasūtra\* say: / In everything there is no nirvāṇa, / nor is there a nirvāṇa-Buddha, / nor is there a Buddha's nirvāṇa; / it is far removed from the perceiving and the perceived. / Whether existence or non-existence, / both of these are completely transcended. / The silent and tranquil contemplation of the Muni / is thereby far removed from arising; / this is called non-grasping, / pure in the present world and future worlds. / There are two and a half verses. Dayun explains: "The first verse completely understands present oneness-as-such; this refers to revealing the consummate nature through the contemplation of wishlessness. Because there is no nirvāṇa-Buddha, there is therefore no wish. The first line means that among all phenomena such as form and citta, there is no attainment of nirvāṇa, because all phenomena are fundamentally such. If one attains nirvāṇa, that is the view of annihilation or permanence: the extinction of phenomena is annihilation, while realization and attainment is permanence. In the second line, since there is no nirvāṇa, how could there be a Buddha? Therefore the sūtra says: 'Seeing the severing of kleśas to attain Buddhahood is called destroying the Buddhadharma,' because kleśas and Buddha-nature are quiescent. In the fourth line, because the perceived is such, there is no nirvāṇa; because the perceiver is such, there is no attaining of Buddhahood. Leaving behind the perceiver and the perceived, they blend into one single suchness." ### [85.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.18) Question: Seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing do not go beyond the citta-measure of conventional truth. Does ultimate truth—unobtained and unborn—still go beyond citta-measure or not? ### [85.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.19) Answer: "Measure" is the mind that can cognize. Only by contrasting with the conventional does one speak of the real; by relying on the false does one establish the actual. Rebuking distinctions, one discusses equality; dismissing differentiated characteristics, one sets up suchness. These all obtain through opposition, and are named 'setting up teachings to break attachments.' If one can wipe away both conventional and ultimate, and dissolve both emptiness and existence, understanding that the extreme is none other than the middle, with no extreme to be abandoned, and penetrating that the middle is none other than the extreme, with no middle to be preserved; and once the wisdom that realizes is gone and the principle that is realized is also quiescent, only then does one transcend citta-measure and enter the gate beyond opposition. If there is attainment or non-attainment, arising or non-arising, all of it does not go beyond citta-measure. The verse in the \*Laṅkāvatārasūtra\* says: / Free from all views, / and free from conception and the conceived, / unobtained and unborn: / this I call citta-measure. / Neither nature nor non-nature, / nature and non-nature are both transcended; / as for that citta being liberated, / this I call citta-measure. / Suchness and the realm of emptiness, / nirvāṇa and the dharmadhātu, / various mind-made bodies: / these I call citta-measure. / Therefore the \*Nirvāṇa Sūtra\* says: 'If there were any phenomenon surpassing nirvāṇa, I would also say it is like an illusion, like a transformation.' Because nirvāṇa is signless, if one grasps its signs, it is merely the direct perception of one's own citta, not true nirvāṇa. Hence the Buddha said: 'Supposing there were a Buddha surpassing nirvāṇa, the mind tending toward what is attained would also become citta-measure; what is manifested by one's own citta is entirely illusory transformation.' Thus one knows that approximations of form and traces of words, or wonderful understandings that flash in an instant, are all governed by citta-measure; not a single phenomenon has ever not concerned citta. If one can awaken to the mind having no mind, and understand that objects have no objects, both principle and measure dissolving together, one may enter the mirror of the source. ### [85.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.20) Question: In discussing citta-measure, it does not go beyond seeing and hearing. If it concerns seeing and hearing, then external objects are preserved. How does this establish the meaning of citta-only? ### [85.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.21) Answer: This is the citta-measure of no-citta; it does not have a real substance. ### [85.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.22) Question: If it has no real substance, how does it establish all phenomena? ### [85.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.23) Answer: It is solely because it has no substance and no nature that the myriad existents can be established. What is produced as the myriad existents is not separated from true emptiness. If one says they have a nature, not a single phenomenon could be established: then emptiness would not be empty of itself, so how could it accommodate form? If form is not form of itself, only then can it unite with emptiness. The \*Mahāyānāvatāraśāstra\* says: "All phenomena turn solely through citta and there are no other phenomena; such mental phenomena are also unobtainable." The \*Laṅkāvatārasūtra\* says: "The citta-measure of no-citta, I call citta-measure." By means of the statement that citta is unobtainable, the meaning of great emptiness is established. By means of the statement of the citta-measure of no-citta, the meaning of illusory distinctions is established. Through the meaning of great emptiness, all phenomena can be established; through the meaning of illusory distinctions, the principle of emptiness can be revealed. ### [85.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.24) Question: Delusion can conceal truth, completely becoming saṃsāra; truth can overcome delusion, purely manifesting nirvāṇa. If truth and delusion are separated, they do not give rise to each other; if truth and delusion are united, the two truths cannot be established. How do they integrate into the wondrous principle of the one mind? ### [85.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.25) Answer: The one mind and the two truths are what teachings and principles culminate in. If differentiated, one is deluded regarding the real; if merged, the conventional is destroyed. Why? Characteristics arise following the real, and through characteristics one can discern the origin of the real; awareness is born by cause of delusion, and by cause of delusion one can know the substance of awareness. Without delusion, awareness does not establish itself; without the real, characteristics have nothing upon which to rely. When the real and the delusional harmonize with each other, defiled and pure activities are accomplished. If there were solely the real, it would not be established—for without delusion, opposite to what would the real be established? If there were only delusion, it could not be accomplished—for without the real, on the basis of what would one speak of delusion? The real and the delusional each have no self-substance; names and characteristics originally share the same source. Thus, the two truths are constantly distinct, yet the single flavor is ever-present. The nature of the repository is unmoving, while dependent origination produces myriad differences. Therefore we know that in reality there is not a single dharma that possesses an independent self-substance; all arise from the harmonious combination of the two dharmas, the real and the delusional. As the Awakening of Faith says: “Neither arising nor ceasing is harmoniously combined with arising and ceasing, being neither one nor different; this is called the ālayavijñāna, which transforms to produce the sense-faculties with the body, the receptacle world, and so forth.” The Shi Moheyan lun says: “As for the causes and conditions of arising and ceasing, there are two: first, the non-corresponding causes and conditions of arising and ceasing; second, the corresponding causes and conditions of arising and ceasing.” The treatise says: “The substance of the manifest-mirror consciousness and the realms of the six sense-objects, in their respective order, can act as causes and conditions for those three kinds of corresponding defiled dharmas. Therefore it is spoken of as the approach of the causes and conditions of coarse arising and ceasing. Within the substance of the manifest consciousness there is also the meaning of conditions, which should be carefully contemplated. Furthermore, there are two more tiers of causes and conditions: first, the fundamental pervasive causes and conditions; second, the derivative pervasive causes and conditions. Speaking of the fundamental pervasive ones, bringing up fundamental avidyā and the mind of original awareness, in relation to the six sense-objects, they correspond, having the meaning of causes and conditions. Speaking of derivative pervasive ones, bringing up the characteristics of karma, transformation, and manifestation, in relation to the three corresponding ones, they have the meaning of causes and conditions. Furthermore, there are two more causes and conditions: first, descending-ascending causes and conditions; second, ascending-descending causes and conditions. Speaking of descending-ascending, avidyā is the beginning and retribution is the end; descending and ascending they render force, not exceeding their number, acting as causes and conditions. Speaking of ascending-descending, retribution is the beginning and avidyā is the end; ascending and descending they render force, not exceeding their number, acting as causes and conditions. Furthermore, all conditioned dharmas of arising and ceasing do not abide for a kṣaṇa, because they lack cause and lack condition. Furthermore, the dharmas of cause and condition are empty and devoid of a master, because in reality their own nature cannot be apprehended. Furthermore, as for dharmas that cannot be apprehended, that they cannot be apprehended can also not be apprehended. Furthermore, regarding the causes and conditions of arising and ceasing, this means that sentient beings’ citta, manas, and manovijñāna transform.” What meaning does this text clarify? It means wishing to show the distinction between the supported and that which supports. What is that which supports? It means the mind of original awareness. What is the supported? It means sentient beings. When speaking of ‘sentient beings’, what dharma does this correspond to? It means the manas and manovijñāna. For what reason are the manas and manovijñāna called sentient beings? Because the manas and manovijñāna are produced by the aggregation of all defilements, they are therefore called sentient beings. Yet they have no distinct self-substance, but rely solely on citta as their substance; therefore it is said that they transform relying on citta. It also says: “The characteristics of avidyā are not separate from the nature of awareness; they can neither be destroyed nor can they not be destroyed. Just as with the great ocean, the characteristics of the wind and the characteristics of the water do not part from one another.” The great ocean is a metaphor for the ālayavijñāna; the water is a metaphor for the mind of original awareness; the wind is a metaphor for fundamental avidyā. Non-awareness can give rise to the consciousness of moving, turning, contemplating, and knowing, just like that wind. The churning waves are a metaphor for the various consciousnesses of papañca, which flow and shift impermanently. That the characteristics of the water and the characteristics of the wind do not part from one another is a metaphor for the mutual assistance of the real and the delusional, which proceed together and transform in combination. This means that because the mind of original awareness does not arise by itself, it must rely on the power of avidyā to be able to arise; because fundamental avidyā does not transform by itself, it must depend on the power of the true mind to be able to transform. Just as water does not make waves by itself, but must depend on the power of the wind; and the wind does not manifest movement by itself, but must rely on the power of the water to be able to manifest the characteristic of movement. A sūtra says: “Within the great ocean of kleśas, there is the fully perfected Tathāgata, proclaiming the principle of the real mark as ever-abiding. Within the real nature of original awareness, there are sentient beings of avidyā, giving rise to measureless and boundless waves of kleśas.” As a sūtra says: “The Buddha addressed the great assembly: ‘As for initial-awareness prajñā, from the stage of being fully bound, one gradually departs, up to the vajra-like perfected causal practice; giving rise to the ultimate path, one suddenly severs the ground of fundamental avidyā; the sun of awareness shines fully, with nowhere it does not pervade. Second, as for original-awareness prajñā, from the pure nature one gradually departs, up to the beginning of faith; giving rise to ultimate wisdom, one severs the category of the characteristic of ceasing, enters the ocean of avidyā, and moves following conditions.’ Thereupon the great assembly, having heard this matter, was aware that all dharmas have one characteristic and one substance, yet have no single characteristic and no single substance; and the nature of all dharmas is also the real mark, is also ever-abiding, is also determined, and is also real existence.” ### [85.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.26) Question: In what way are the names of original and initial awareness established? ### [85.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.27) Answer: Original awareness gets its name because of the initial; initial awareness is established from the original. As the Commentary on the Awakening of Faith says: “I wonder from where initial awareness arises? It is spoken of thus because it is opposed to the original. Originally, this initial awareness is born of the original; being brand new, it is therefore called initial. When reflecting back upon its substance, it has been present from the beginning; standing directly opposite to the initial, it is therefore called original. If there were no initial, what would it depend on? Just as a mother gives birth to a child, and in contrast to the child is called a mother.” ### [85.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.28) Continuing to the question: “Since initial awareness and original awareness are distinct, why are they non-dual? Moreover, since it is identical with original awareness, why is it called initial?” ### [85.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.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. ### [85.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.30) Question: The above states that the true mind is unarisen and delusional thoughts arise and cease. How can one resolve the delusional back into the real and enter the equal path of the ekayāna? ### [85.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.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?’ ### [85.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85.32) The explanation says: ‘Characteristics of distinction are produced by your pervasive conceptualizing and delusional passions; originally they have no reality, just like mistakenly seeing sky-flowers relying on diseased eyes. Therefore it says that all rely on delusional thoughts to have distinctions.’ The doubter also says: ‘By what is it known that they are born relying on delusional thoughts?’ The explanation says: ‘Because the sages are free from delusional thoughts, their objects are completely absent; this verifies that these objects definitely arise from delusion. Furthermore, if these objects were not delusional but definitely truly existent, then if the sages do not see them, they should be confused and inverted; and since ordinary beings see them, they should be awakened. This would be like saying that not seeing sky-flowers is diseased eyes; turn it around to conclude and judge by this. Therefore, if one is free from thoughts, there are no distinctions.’ What is attached to is fundamentally empty, so the true mind is unmoving. Because of this, all dharmas are immediately tathatā. This, then, resolves the delusional to reveal the real, and can cut off doubt. As the Śūraṅgama Sūtra says: ‘The Buddha addressed Ānanda: “I am not ordering you to grasp this as not being citta. But examine citta with subtle contemplation: if apart from the objective dust before you it still has a distinguishing nature, that is truly your citta; if the distinguishing nature has no substance apart from dust, this is merely a shadow-event of the distinguishing of the objective dust before you.”’ An ancient composed a verse on refining gold: ‘Do you not see: / The clear waters of the Li River yield yellow gold, / Following the breakers and drifting with the waves, it is forever submerged. / If fortunate enough to encounter one of fine discernment, / Parting the sand and meticulously sifting it, one briefly finds an appreciative friend. / Because of this, it then receives the Emperor’s favor, / Entering directly into jade pavilions and jeweled caskets. / With each smelting and each purification, its radiance shines brightly; / Each time it is placed on the palm, each time it commands veneration. / Because this dust and sand contain the wondrous gem, / It is used as a metaphor for sentient beings’ mind of awareness and illumination. / Sentient beings have from beginningless time been submerged in the three realms of existence, / Originally drifting and being invaded by external realms. / Facing the dust, it is just like the wisdom of tathatā; / Apart from the realm, there is originally no mind of illuminating substance. / In delusion, the one real is called two substances, / Merely because the multitude of beings do not illuminate citta. / If one can always truly illuminate when facing realms, / Following dust or apart from realms, it is the same citta. / The Tathāgata today eliminates distinctions, / Intending to dispel sentient beings’ mind of delusional habit. / Just remove delusional habit while preserving beginning and end; / In true illumination, what delusion is not the true mind?’” _First 32 of 35 passages. [Read on](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85)_ ## Linked texts (1) - [宗鏡錄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.85.1) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.85) · Pramāṇa