宗鏡錄 90.5.3

90.5.3

[this is] called the revealing-cause Buddha-nature. Contemplating the mental factors and matching the true characteristic of mental factors is called the conditioning-cause Buddha-nature. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Buddha-nature is neither identical with the six dharmas nor separate from the six dharmas.' This is what it means.

Fourth, contemplating the mind as the three prajñās: First is true-characteristic prajñā: neither quiescent nor illuminating, which is the knowledge of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā). Second is contemplative-illuminating prajñā: illuminating without being illumination, which is all-knowledge (sarvajñatā). Third is expedient prajñā: quiescent without being quiescence, which is the knowledge of the aspects of the path (mārgākārajñatā). Contemplating a single thought of the mind as being identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle is precisely these three prajñās.

Why is this? A single thought of the mind is all minds; all minds are one mind; it is neither one nor all. 'A single thought of the mind is all minds' means that from mind, minds are produced, in chaotic profusion—even a long gale or a rushing torrent cannot serve as a metaphor. Day and night, it constantly generates immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings, the transmigration in the six destinies, and the twelve linked chains. Entering darkness from darkness, the darkness is boundless: these are all the fault of the mind. Therefore it is said: 'A single thought of the mind is all minds.' This is the place where ordinary beings are deluded and sink.

'All minds are one mind' means that if one can recognize the fault and give rise to revulsion, one can uphold oneself and transcend it—just as in the world a small fire can burn a vast pile of firewood, or placing a small pearl can clarify a giant ocean. If one can contemplate the emptiness of the mind, then of all the minds produced from the mind, none are not immediately empty. Therefore it is said: 'All minds are one mind.' Such a 'one mind' is the place where followers of the two vehicles are deluded and sink; it is not the ultimate path. Because both extremes are obliterated, kleśas are neither one nor all.

The Great Sūtra says: 'Rely on wisdom (jñāna), not on consciousness (vijñāna).' Consciousness only seeks pleasure: the consciousness of ordinary beings seeks deluded pleasure; the consciousness of the two vehicles seeks the pleasure of nirvāṇa. For this reason both are obliterated and cannot be relied upon. Wisdom, however, seeks principle. One who contemplates in this way has the three wisdoms in one mind: identical with emptiness is contemplative-illuminating prajñā, all-knowledge; identical with provisionality is expedient prajñā, the knowledge of the aspects of the path; identical with the middle is true-characteristic prajñā, the knowledge of all aspects. These three wisdoms are attained within the one mind: identical with emptiness, identical with provisionality, and identical with the middle, without before or after, neither combined nor distinct, profoundly deep and wondrous, most worthy of reliance. This is contemplating the mind as the three prajñās.

Fifth, contemplating the mind as the three bodhis: First is true-nature bodhi, taking principle as the path. Second is true-wisdom bodhi, taking wisdom as the path. Third is expedient bodhi, taking skillful adaptation to capacities as the path. Now, contemplating a single thought of the mind as being identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle is the aspiration to the three bodhis (bodhicitta).

Why is this? The one mind and all minds crisscross and disturb each other like threads or sand, like silkworms or moths, creating suffering and affliction. If one recognizes the bodhicitta of the ultimate truth that is identical with emptiness, one delivers sentient beings who are the mental factors of delusion and chaos, clearing the blockage of the four entrenchments. If one brings forth bodhicitta as identical with provisionality: although emptiness avoids delusion and chaos, the sūtra speaks of 'sentient beings with minds confused by emptiness,' whose eye of wisdom is completely blind and dark; furthermore, it is the pit of the three unconditioned states, an inimical bird to the Mahāyāna; not yet endowed with the Buddha-dharma, one should not extinguish feeling and realize the fruit. If one recognizes the bodhicitta of the conventional truth that is identical with provisionality, one delivers sentient beings who are the mental factors sunken in emptiness, clearing the blockage of defilements as numerous as dust and sand. One discerns permissible and impermissible, discerns what is fitting for the time, discerns medicines and illnesses, and discerns adaptation to capacities, not abiding in the unconditioned. Therefore it is said: 'bringing forth bodhicitta as identical with provisionality.'

Emptiness is the remedy for a flighty mind; provisionality is the remedy for a sunken mind. Because of illness there is medicine; if the medicine remains, it becomes an illness again. When the illness is gone, the medicine ceases; one ought to abandon both. Neither empty nor provisional, both extremes are obliterated: one immediately brings forth the bodhicitta of the ultimate truth of the middle way, delivers sentient beings who are the mental factors of the two extremes, and clears the blockage of ignorance (avidyā). Abiding in the middle way through non-abiding dharmas, it is therefore said to be 'identical with the middle.' When spoken of, it seems there are three stages, but contemplation is not like that: within the one mind, the three bodhicittas are fully present.

Sixth, contemplating the mind as the three great vehicles: First is the principle vehicle: the nature of principle is open and penetrating, naturally carrying all dharmas. Second is the conforming vehicle: wisdom conforms to the object, like a lid conforming to a box. Third is the attainment vehicle: if attaining the fruit, one liberates oneself; if encountering the capacity, one causes others to be liberated. Contemplating a single thought of the mind as identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle constitutes the three great vehicles.

Why is this? Although one contemplates a single thought of the mind, there are actually four movements: this mind turns unceasingly—namely, not-yet-thinking, wishing-to-think, actively thinking, and having-thought. From not-yet-thinking it moves to wishing-to-think; from wishing-to-think it moves to actively thinking; from actively thinking it moves to having-thought; and then it gives rise to movement again. Movement after movement without end, it knows no rest—just as closing one's eyes on a boat, one does not notice how swiftly it travels. Contemplating one movement of the mind as identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle, each and every movement of the mind is likewise so. From mind to mind, none are not identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle. This is moving from the three truths to the three truths; there is no time when it is not the three truths. If one follows the four movements, one moves into saṃsāra; if one follows the four movements, one moves into nirvāṇa. The contemplation identical with emptiness rides on the conforming vehicle and is carried to the ultimate truth; the contemplation identical with provisionality rides on the attainment vehicle and is carried to the conventional truth; the contemplation identical with the middle rides on the principle vehicle and is carried to the truth of the middle. The three vehicles are precisely the one vehicle (ekayāna); this vehicle is subtle and wondrous, being what the foremost contemplative wisdom of the great being Samantabhadra rides upon.

Seventh, contemplating the mind as the three bodies (trikāya): The collection of dharmas of principle is called the dharmakāya; the collection of dharmas of wisdom is called the saṃbhogakāya; the collection of dharmas of merit is called the nirmāṇakāya. Clearly contemplating a single thought of the mind as being identical with emptiness, provisionality, and the middle is precisely the three bodies.

Why is this? A verse in the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'Mind is like a skilled painter, creating the various five aggregates.' If the mind focuses on breaking precepts, it is a hell body; if it focuses on lack of shame and haughtiness, it is an animal body; if it focuses on deceit, flattery, and stinginess, it is a hungry ghost body; if it focuses on jealousy and contention, it is an asura body; if it focuses on the five precepts to guard against the five evils, it is a human body; if it focuses on the ten virtues to guard against the ten evils, or focuses on dhyāna meditation to guard against distraction, it is a heavenly body; if it focuses on impermanence, suffering, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, it is a śrāvaka body; if it focuses on the dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination (dvādaśāṅgapratītyasamutpāda), it is a pratyekabuddha body; if it focuses on compassion and the six pāramitās, it is a bodhisattva body.