宗鏡錄 89.43

89.43

Answer: This very true mind is the Buddha's compassionate vows, meaning the great compassion of identical substance and the unimpeded vows of one's own substance, which is the great function arising from the nature. Furthermore, "sentient beings" (zhong sheng) means "manifold arisings" (zhong za); because the manifold thoughts of consciousness arise and cease from moment to moment, they are called sentient beings. The sūtra says: 'The Buddha told the monks: "Day and night, you constantly give birth to measureless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings. If you can illuminate with wisdom and not give rise to continuous thoughts, that is delivering sentient beings."' Furthermore, comprehending that thoughts are empty and have no place of origin is delivering all measureless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings, without seeing a single sentient being who has attained extinction. The Tiantai teaching says: 'Ignorance is the father, craving is the mother, the six sense organs are the sons, the six sense objects are the daughters, consciousness is the matchmaker, and the boundless afflictions born are the descendants.' Hence the sūtra says: 'Having thought is saṃsāra; having no thought is nirvāṇa.'