宗鏡錄 9.5

9.5

Answer: Preaching the sūtras is originally meant for entering the Way. If a worthy who embraces the Way practices contemplation at every point, how could there be one who seeks the sacred scriptures of nirvāṇa and yet does not practice contemplation? As long as skillful preaching is appropriate, not only will it do no damage to the text and meaning, but moreover contemplation and wisdom will become distinct and clear. When differentiating the Dharma gates, without contemplation, what could reach them? How could there be the fault of causing confusion and disorder? Whenever something is said, the meaning precedes the words. The original intention of the patriarchs and Buddhas was entirely to illumine the mind and arrive at the Way; using words and meanings as an expedient, they pointed directly to the mind-source. How could one cling to the explanation, lose sight of the intended meaning, turn one's back on the mind, and seek the Way? Therefore, a verse of the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthānasūtra states: 'Gods, nāgas, asuras, / hells, ghosts, and rākṣasas— / the mind is ever their guide and lord, / like a king walking through the three realms. / The mind leads one to go to heaven, / and also to walk among humans; / the mind leads one to the evil realms; / the mind turns the wheel throughout the world.' The Bao yu jing states: 'How does a bodhisattva attain skillfulness in śamatha and vipaśyanā? It is said that when this bodhisattva has attained skillfulness of mind, he observes that all phenomena are like an illusion and like a dream, and contemplates all phenomena: "These are wholesome phenomena, these are unwholesome phenomena; these are phenomena of renunciation, these are phenomena of non-renunciation." This means that bodhisattvas observe that all phenomena rely upon the mind: mind is their self-nature, mind is the foremost. Being able to gather in the mind, skillfully subdue the mind, and skillfully know the mind, they are therefore able to gather in all these phenomena. Having skillfully subdued it and also skillfully known it, by this cause and condition they are able to cultivate the method of śamatha. Tying the mind thus, stilling the mind thus, and settling the mind thus, because they diligently cultivate such śamatha, they are able to settle in the one-pointedness of mind.' The Hongdao guangxian dingyi jing states: 'That root of virtue is to understand and know the root of the mind; through this practice of the mind, loving-kindness reaches sentient beings. Consciousness understands that they are empty, devoid of self and person; that root of virtue of the mind assists and encourages on the Way.' Therefore we know that the mind is the root of virtue; this is the general characteristic. Mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are the three specific characteristics. Mind being the general characteristic means that the defiled and pure of the dharmadhātu, the myriad kinds and myriad phenomena, do not go beyond the one mind. This mind encompasses all mundane and supramundane phenomena; hence it is called the general characteristic. The remaining two conditions of defilement and purity each pertain to two categories. However, speaking of the general characteristic, within the ten dharmadhātus the six destinies are defiled and the four sages are pure; thus within the ten dharmadhātus the two conditions of defilement and purity, the two paths of ordinary beings and sages, both do not go beyond the one mind. Therefore the sūtra says: 'The mind can guide the world'—that is the meaning of sovereignty; 'The mind can universally gather in'—that is the meaning of accompanying action. The dharmas of such a single mind are all sovereign and accompanying action. The Commentary on the Vajrasamādhisūtra states: 'The cause of transcendence is entering the contemplation of true reality; the fruit of transcendence is the single-taste liberation.' Therefore we know that in the beginning one enters the Way through faith in the mind, and in the end one attains the fruit by realizing the mind; from beginning to end, it does not depart from the mirror of the source. Furthermore, a verse of the Laṅkāvatārasūtra states: 'Mind-only has no existence; / all conditioned actions as well as the Buddha-stage, / the past, future, and present Buddhas— / thus say those of the three periods of time.' The Xianjie dingyi jing states: 'Viewing all phenomena equally, / their roots and sources are all like this: / fundamentally true reality has no existence; / this is called the one mind.' The 'Chapter of Verses of Praise in the Yama Deva Palace' in the Avataṃsakasūtra states: 'Just as a master painter / distributes the various colors, / falsely grasping distinct colors, / while the great elements have no difference; / in the great elements there is no color, / and in color there are no great elements; / nor is color to be found / apart from the great elements. / In the mind there are no colorful pictures, / and in the colorful pictures there is no mind, / yet not apart from the mind / can colorful pictures be found. / That mind never abides, / immeasurable and hard to fathom, / manifesting all colors, / yet each does not know the other. / Just as a master painter / cannot know his own mind, / yet paints on account of the mind— / the nature of all phenomena is like this. / The mind is like a master painter, / able to paint all the worlds; / the five aggregates all arise from it, / there is no phenomenon it does not create. / As is the mind, so also is the Buddha; / as is the Buddha, so are sentient beings. / One should know that Buddha and mind / are both inexhaustible in essential nature. / If one knows the activities of the mind / that universally create all the worlds, / this person will see the Buddha / and understand the Buddha's true nature. / The mind does not abide in the body, / nor does the body abide in the mind, / yet it can perform Buddha-work, / sovereign as never before. / If one wishes to understand / all the Buddhas of the three periods of time, / one should contemplate the nature of the dharmadhātu: / everything is created by mind alone.' The commentary explains: 'This verse reveals comprehensive consciousness-only. This meaning of "not knowing each other" signifies that not only do the painted phenomena themselves not know each other—which illustrates that the transformed cognitive realm has no essential nature—but the mind that can paint, arising and ceasing from moment to moment, also does not know itself, and therefore also cannot know what is painted. It doubly illustrates that mind and realm are both without self-nature, each not knowing the other. Therefore it says, "cannot know his own mind, yet paints on account of the mind." Moreover, although it does not know the painting mind, yet on account of the mind it can paint; this illustrates that although sentient beings are deluded about the mind's direct perception, the mind nevertheless transforms into the cognitive realm. Furthermore, because it cannot know what is painted, but only paints upon its own mind, it can therefore bring about what is painted; this illustrates that only because sentient beings are deluded about the realm being mind-only can they manifest false realms. It also illustrates that precisely because there is no intrinsic nature, the myriad realms are brought about. Therefore it says, "the nature of all phenomena is like this." "One should contemplate the nature of the dharmadhātu" is the contemplation of principle as tathatā. "Everything is created by mind alone" is the contemplation of phenomena as consciousness-only. With the contemplation of principle regarding the nature of consciousness-only, the Buddhas realize this as the substance of becoming a Buddha; with the contemplation of phenomena regarding the characteristics of consciousness-only, sentient beings comprehend this as the gate of renunciation.' As the Huayan yanyi states: 'Truly, because the marvel of a single text gathers in the meanings without remainder, the efficacy of a single verse can shatter the hells. Thus Bodhisattva Samantabhadra told Sudhana: "In this ocean of my Dharma, there is not a single text or a single sentence that was not sought and attained by renouncing the position of a wheel-turning king, that was not sought and attained by renouncing all that one possessed."' The explanation says: 'Because the one is the one of the all, it accords with the one of the nature.' The Zuanling ji states: 'There was a man of the capital whose surname was Wang, but his personal name has been lost. He originally had no moral discipline and never cultivated goodness. Because of illness, he died and was led to hell by two men. In front of the hell gates, he saw a monk who said he was Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha, who then taught him to recite the verse: "If one wishes to understand / all the Buddhas of the three periods of time, / one should contemplate the nature of the dharmadhātu: / everything is created by mind alone." After transmitting the sūtra to him, the Bodhisattva said to him: "If you can recite this verse, it can shatter the suffering of hell." Having recited it, the man went in to see the king [of hell]. The king asked: "What merit does this man have?" The reply was: "He only upheld a single four-line verse, fully as spoken above." The king then released him. When this verse was recited, wherever the sound reached, the suffering beings all attained liberation. Three days later, he revived; retaining this verse in memory, he related it to monks and laity. Examining and verifying the text of the verse, they only then knew it was spoken in the Avataṃsakasūtra in the Yama Deva Palace, where immeasurable bodhisattvas had gathered like clouds; it was precisely the verse of Bodhisattva Guṇavana. The meaning clarifies that hell is created by the mind; understanding that the mind creates Buddhas, hell naturally becomes empty.' Therefore we know that if one contemplates this mind, one leaves suffering behind at the words. Not only is the realm of hell shattered, but even the ten dharmadhātus are shattered all at once, because one enters the dharma of the single limit of true emptiness; then the equal, true dharmadhātu has neither Buddhas nor sentient beings. This is not some wondrous art or supernormal power, nor does it borrow from external power; it is because the Dharma is naturally so. One can verify one's own mind's inconceivable, divine, and marvelous power: high without a superior, abyss-like yet not deep, prolonged yet not long, brief yet not short, vast without characteristics, manifest without traces, existent yet not permanent, non-existent yet not annihilated. Its illuminated substance stands independently; according with the nature, it pervades everywhere. Wondrously inspiring the myriad things, it is therefore called divine; conceiving everything, it is therefore named the mother. Ruling and encompassing, its transformations are inexhaustible. Following its illumination, it forgets weariness, like a bright mirror reflecting images; responding to conditions without intentional action, like an empty valley transmitting sound. Abiding in the square, the square characteristics are clear; situated in the round, the round pattern is manifest. In awakening, awakening forms all Buddhas; falling into delusion, delusion makes sentient beings. Traces follow a thousand paths, yet the fundamental ground is unmoving. The Tiantai teaching says: 'The mind is like an illusion or transformation; it has only a name, named "mind." Just as one says it exists, one sees no physical form; just as one says it does not exist, thoughts and reflections arise again. Because it cannot be deliberated in terms of existence or non-existence, the mind is called subtle and marvelous. It is not that it is called subtle in contrast to the coarse; it is marvelous because it is beyond comparison.' Therefore Mahāsattva Fu called it the marvelous spirit, and also called it the marvelous consciousness. The marvelous spirit is precisely the dharmakāya Buddha; if there were no marvelous spirit, who would experience the joy of quietude and cessation? The Baozang lun states: 'Its action is form; its quietude is obscurity. Fundamentally pure, not polished; naturally so, completed by heaven. Its light surpasses the sun and moon; its virtue exceeds the Great Purity. The myriad things have no intentional action; all are nameless. It transforms heaven and earth; sovereign, unhindered. Its functions are like the sands of the Ganges; it is formed from primordial chaos. Who, hearing of it, would not rejoice? Who, hearing of it, would not be alarmed? How can an invaluable jewel be hidden in the pit of the aggregates and sense-fields?' Thus, realizing its substance, it is immediately subtle and divine, revealing the invaluable jewel; being deluded about it, it becomes coarse and dark, falling into the pit of the aggregates and sense-fields. Looking through the complete teachings, explanations cannot exhaust it; reverently looking up to all the sages, their praises are boundless. It can truly be called the mysterious gateway for entering the Way, the marvelous secret for becoming a Buddha; up to the causes and fruits of ordinary beings and sages, and the advancement in practice and stages, none can be accomplished apart from this mind. Agreeing with the nature of the mind, what virtue is not gathered in? Because all phenomena, according to what they rely on and abide in, are all completely perfected all at once in the one mind. How could such a matter not be the marvel beyond comparison? As the Fahua xuanyi says: 'Explaining the marvelous as beyond comparison has four aspects: First, arising from the three-tiered dharmas following feelings: if one enters the true truth, the paired contrast is terminated; thus Śāriputra said: "I have heard that in liberation there are no words." This is the meaning of being beyond comparison in the Tripiṭaka sūtras. Second, following the principle of the three kinds of provisionality: all mundane things are like illusions and transformations; phenomena are precisely the true, and there is not a single phenomenon that is not true; what else could one contrast with it as untrue? Looking back to that Tripiṭaka, what was terminated is not terminated; phenomena being precisely true is itself beyond comparison. This is beyond comparison in the Shared Teaching. Third, if the Distinct Teaching arises: looking at the termination in phenomena being precisely true, it is still the mundane truth. Why? Because it is not great nirvāṇa, it is still the mundane truth of birth and death; what terminated still has comparison. If one enters the Middle Way of the Distinct Teaching, comparison is terminated. Fourth, if the Perfect Teaching arises: it explains the non-differentiating Dharma; the extremes are precisely the Middle; there is nothing that is not the Buddha Dharma. Vanished and pure, how could the Buddha Dharma further contrast with the Buddha Dharma? It is the tathāgata-dharmadhātu; therefore, outside the dharmadhātu there are no further dharmas that can be compared with it. In contrast to what could it be coarse? In comparison to what could it attain subtlety? There is nothing that can be compared, nor is there anything to be terminated. Not knowing what to call it, one is forced to say it is beyond comparison. The Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra states: "'Great' means immeasurable and inconceivable, therefore it is great. Just as empty space is not called great on account of small space, nirvāṇa is also like this: it is not called great nirvāṇa on account of small characteristics. Marvelous is also like this: 'marvelous' means inconceivable; it is not called marvelous on account of the coarse." If one asserts that there definitely is a dharmadhātu that is vast and uniquely absolute, this would be having a great existent; how could it be called terminated? Now the dharmadhātu is pure, not seen, heard, sensed, or known, and cannot be explained or shown. The sūtra says: "Stop, stop! There is no need to speak; my Dharma is marvelous and hard to conceive." "Stop, stop! There is no need to speak" means terminating words; "my Dharma is marvelous and hard to conceive" means terminating thought. It also says: "This Dharma cannot be shown; the characteristics of words are quiescent and ceased." This is also a text of terminating praise. It cannot be shown through comparison, nor can it be shown through termination; extinguishing comparison and extinguishing termination, therefore it is called quiescent and ceased. It also says: "All phenomena are ever of quiescent and ceased characteristics, ultimately returning to emptiness." This emptiness is also empty, so there is no longer comparison or termination. The Mūlamadhyamakakārikā states: "If a phenomenon is established through comparison, this phenomenon in turn becomes dependent." Now there is no cause of comparison, nor is there anything established. The opening sūtra of the Lotus [Sūtra] states: "Having attained the forbearance of non-arising, this non-arising is without arising; arising is itself non-arising: this is named beyond comparison." Outside of this, if one further acts, what thing is terminated? What principle is revealed? Wandering boundlessly, one then falls into frivolous discourse. This is the discrimination of deluded feelings: terminating comparison without terminating, neither terminating nor comparing, comparing to both comparing and terminating; words chasing each other will never terminate. Why? Words arise from vitarka and vicāra; if mental reflections do not cease, how could words terminate? Like a foolish dog chasing a clod of dirt, vainly exhausting itself, the clod never terminates. If one can marvelously awaken within the realm, stilling the wind of vitarka and vicāra, the mind-water becomes clear and calm, and words and thoughts are both terminated. Like a clever lion ignoring the clod to chase the person: once the root of the clod is removed, the clod is terminated. At the time of marvelous awakening, clearly knowing that outside the dharmadhātu there are no phenomena, discussing termination explains termination in terms of the gate of existence. This termination is also terminated: this explains termination in terms of the gate of emptiness. Like a swift horse seeing the shadow of the whip, there is none that does not gain entry; this is named the marvelous beyond comparison. Using these two marvels to render marvelous the above three dharmas: the dharmas of sentient beings also possess the two marvels and are called marvelous; the Buddha dharmas and mind dharmas also possess the two marvels and are called marvelous.'