宗鏡錄 87.6

87.6

Answer: It is not so, because it arises bearing the characteristic of tathatā. Since phenomena that are apart from one's own substance lack a reflected image, they cannot be said to arise bearing that characteristic; how then could they be spoken of as having an object-condition (ālambanapratyaya)? Those are all apart from one's own substance. If merely arising bearing a characteristic is termed an object-condition, then when [cognising] form and so forth, sound and so forth should also be cognised. The wisdom cognising form and so forth does not bear the characteristic of sound and so forth. Furthermore, if it were said that when cognising non-existent phenomena and so forth, there would be no object-condition, [that is because] it does not transform into a non-existent characteristic; in order to serve as an object of darśana, it directly illuminates non-existence without a nimittabhāga. Non-existence lacks real substance; how could the meaning of an object-condition be established? From this it is known that even a Buddha cannot directly cognise non-existence. This is the textual and logical proof. Fourth is the stage of cultivation (bhāvanā-mārga). The verse states: / 'Without acquisition, inconceivable, / This is supramundane wisdom; / Because it abandons the two heavy burdens, / One then attains the transformation of the basis (āśrayaparāvṛtti).' / The treatise says: After the bodhisattva arises from the preceding path of seeing (darśana-mārga), in order to sever the remaining hindrances and attain the transformation of the basis, they repeatedly cultivate non-conceptual wisdom. Because this wisdom is far removed from the grasped and the grasper, it is spoken of as 'without acquisition' and 'inconceivable'. Or, because it is free of conceptual proliferation, it is spoken of as 'without acquisition'; its wondrous function is difficult to fathom, hence it is called 'inconceivable'. It is supramundane non-conceptual wisdom; because it severs the worldly, it is called 'supramundane'. The anuśayas of the two graspings are the root of the world; only this [wisdom] can sever them, hence it alone receives the designation 'transcending the world'. Alternatively, the designation 'transcending the world' is established based on two meanings: namely, its substance is uncontaminated (anāsrava), and it realizes tathatā. Because this wisdom possesses these two meanings, it alone is called 'supramundane'; other cognitions are not so. That is, it is the non-conceptual wisdom in the ten grounds (daśabhūmi); because one repeatedly cultivates this, one abandons the two heavy burdens. The seeds of the two hindrances are given the name 'heavy burdens' because their nature lacks competence, being opposed to the subtle and light; making them eternally extinguished is therefore spoken of as 'abandoning'. Because this is able to abandon those two heavy burdens, one is then able to attain the vast transformation of the basis. 'Basis' refers to the support: that is, the other-dependent nature (paratantra), because it serves as the support for defiled and pure phenomena. 'Defiled' refers to the false and imagined nature (parikalpita); 'pure' refers to the real, fully accomplished nature (pariniṣpanna). 'Transformation' refers to the two aspects of transforming away (abandoning) and transforming into (attaining): by repeatedly cultivating non-conceptual wisdom, because one severs the heavy burdens of the two hindrances in the root consciousness, one can transform and abandon the imagined on the other-dependent, and transform and attain the fully accomplished nature within the other-dependent. By transforming the kleśas, one attains great nirvāṇa; by transforming the knowledge-hindrances, one realizes supreme awakening. Establishing consciousness-only is intended for sentient beings to realize such results of the two transformations of the basis. Or, 'basis' is simply the tathatā of consciousness-only, because it is the support of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa. Foolish worldlings, through inversion, are confused about this tathatā, and so from beginningless time have undergone the suffering of saṃsāra. The noble ones, free of inversion, awaken to this tathatā and then attain the ultimate bliss of nirvāṇa. By repeatedly cultivating non-conceptual wisdom, severing the heavy burdens of the two hindrances in the root consciousness, one can transform and extinguish the saṃsāra that is based on tathatā, and transform and realize the nirvāṇa that is based on tathatā. This is the nature of tathatā being free from adventitious defilement: although tathatā is pure by nature, its manifestations are adventitiously defiled; therefore, when it is free from adventitious defilement, it is metaphorically spoken of as newly purified. This new purification is called the transformation of the basis. It is attained by severing hindrances in the stage of cultivation. Although bodhi is also attained at this stage, it is not what is indicated by the verse's intention; the verse's intention only indicates the transformation into the nature of consciousness-only. At the culminating stage of the two vehicles, it is called the body of liberation (vimuktikāya), while in the Great Sage (Mahāmuni), it is called the dharmakāya. How does one attain the two kinds of transformation of the basis? It means that within the ten grounds, one cultivates the ten supreme practices, severs the ten heavy hindrances, and realizes the ten tathatās; the two kinds of transformation of the basis are attained thereby. Fifth is the ultimate stage. The verse states: / 'This is the uncontaminated realm (anāsravadhātu), / Inconceivable, good, and constant, / The blissful body of liberation, / The Great Sage is called Dharma.' / The treatise says: The transformation of the basis attained in the preceding stage of cultivation is the characteristic of the ultimate stage. This means that the results of the two previous transformations of the basis are encompassed within the ultimate uncontaminated realm. All contaminations are eternally exhausted, and they do not increase in accordance with contaminations; its nature is pure, perfect, and luminous, hence it is called 'uncontaminated'. 'Realm' (dhātu) has the meaning of 'storehouse', because it contains boundless, wondrous, and great merits; or it has the meaning of 'cause', because it can produce worldly and supramundane benefits and joys for the five vehicles. The Mahāyānasūtrālaṅkāra speaks of the four stages of applied preparation (prayogamārga). The verse states: / 'At that time this bodhisattva / Successively attains the mind in concentration; / Seeing only the speech of the mind, / They do not see any objects at all.' / The commentary states: When this bodhisattva first attains the mind in concentration, apart from the speech of the mind, they do not see any objects at all, whether individual characteristics or general characteristics; they see only the speech of the mind. This seeing is the bodhisattva's stage of warmth (uṣmagata). This stage is called 'clarity' (āloka); as spoken in the Buddha's Ash River Sūtra, this clarity is called the forbearance of seeing the Dharma. The verse states: / 'In order to increase the light of the Dharma, / And through firm and unyielding vigor, / When the light of the Dharma has increased, / One penetrates it and abides in mind-only.' / The commentary states: Here the bodhisattva, in order to increase the light of the Dharma, gives rise to firm vigor; abiding in this light of the Dharma, they penetrate mind-only. This penetration is the bodhisattva's stage of the summit (mūrdhan). The verse states: / 'All objects are merely radiance; / Through seeing mind-only, / One is able to sever the confusion of the grasped; / This is abiding in forbearance.' / The commentary states: Here, if the bodhisattva sees that all objects are merely the radiance of the mind, and that apart from the radiance of the mind there is no distinct perception, then the confusion of the grasped is extinguished. This seeing is the bodhisattva's stage of forbearance (kṣānti). The verse states: / 'Although the confusion of the grasped is severed, / The grasper still remains; / To sever this, one further swiftly realizes / The unhindered samādhi.' / The commentary states: Here, in order to sever the confusion of the grasper, the bodhisattva further swiftly realizes the unhindered samādhi (ānantaryasamādhi).