宗鏡錄 94.36

94.36

The Shizhu duanjie jing says: 'All phenomena eternally abide of themselves; sentient beings do not understand this, so for their sake [bodhisattvas] raise up adornments. Phenomenon after phenomenon arises of itself; phenomenon after phenomenon ceases of itself. Phenomenon after phenomenon does not arise; phenomenon after phenomenon does not cease. Phenomena arise and phenomena cease, but their nature does not shift or turn. This is the way of the great bodhisattva beings, beyond the reach of the worldly and ordinary.' / Exegesis: 'All phenomena eternally abide of themselves' means that the true mind does not change, and its nature and characteristics are eternally as they are. 'Sentient beings do not understand this, so for their sake [bodhisattvas] raise up adornments' means that because non-Buddhists cling to the view of annihilationism and the Hīnayāna realizes impermanence, bodhisattvas, in order to remedy ordinary beings and the Hīnayāna, do not extinguish the conditioned, constantly cultivating meritorious deeds, and do not abide in the unconditioned, deeply entering the abyss of wisdom. Raising up vast adornments like gathering clouds for the myriad practices, in thought after thought they consummate the ten pāramitās, pulling up the crooked wood of the non-Buddhists of annihilationism and eternalism, escaping the dense forest of wrong views, rescuing the dwarfed bodies of the biased, realization-of-the-real lesser fruition, and lifting them out of the bottom of the pit of liberation. Therefore the Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'On the seventh ground, the Ground of Far-Reaching Practice, one should cultivate the ten kinds of supreme paths of wisdom with expedient means. That is to say: although one skillfully cultivates the samādhis of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, through loving-kindness and compassion one does not abandon sentient beings. Although one attains the equal Dharma of all buddhas, one delights in constantly making offerings to the buddhas. Although one enters the wisdom gate of contemplating emptiness, one diligently cultivates merit. Although one is far removed from the three realms, one adorns the three realms. Although one has ultimately extinguished the flames of the kleśas, for the sake of all sentient beings one gives rise to and extinguishes the flames of the kleśas of rāga, dveṣa, and moha. Although one knows that all phenomena are like illusions, dreams, shadows, echoes, flames, transformations, the moon in water, and reflections in a mirror, their self-nature being non-dual, yet in accordance with the mind they produce karmic deeds of immeasurable differences. Although one knows that all realms are like empty space, yet through pure and wondrous practices one adorns the buddha realms. Although one knows that the dharmakāya of all buddhas is by original nature bodyless, yet through the major marks and secondary signs one adorns its body. Although one knows that the sounds of all buddhas are by nature empty, quiescent, and ineffable, yet in accordance with all sentient beings one emits various distinct, pure sounds. Although along with all buddhas one completely knows that the three periods of time are only a single thought, yet in accordance with the mental understandings and discriminations of sentient beings, one practices across various signs, various times, and various eons.' / Exegesis: When the sūtra says: 'Although one skillfully cultivates the samādhis of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness', this is to remedy the ordinary person's view of clinging to existence and pursuing pleasure; and 'through loving-kindness and compassion one does not abandon sentient beings' is to remedy the Two Vehicles' view of sinking into emptiness and fearing suffering. The meanings of the lines that follow are all explained in the same way. Therefore it is said: 'Śrāvakas fear suffering, and pratyekabuddhas lack compassion; both lose the bodhisattva's practice of dual benefit.'