宗鏡錄 94.39

94.39

The chapter 'Resolving Perplexing Doubts' in the Puchao sanmei jing says: 'Thereupon King Ajātaśatru said: "I pray only that Ruśou (Mañjuśrī) will resolve my perplexing doubts." Ruśou replied: "What the Great King doubts cannot be resolved even by as many buddhas and World-Honoured Ones as the sands of the Ganges." At that time the king, examining himself and seeing no rescue or protection, fell from his couch and collapsed to the ground like a great tree chopped down and broken. Mahākāśyapa said: "Great King, calm yourself; harbour no dread, and do not be afraid. Why is this? The youth Ruśou has donned the armour of great wisdom and framed these words as skillful means; you may question him gently." The king then arose and asked Ruśou: "You said just now that as many buddhas as the sands of the Ganges could not resolve my perplexing doubts." Ruśou answered: "What do you think, Great King? Suppose someone were to say, 'I will defile empty space with dust, darkness, ash, smoke, clouds, and fog'—would they be able to do so?" The king answered: "They could not defile it." Ruśou asked again: "Suppose, Great King, one were to take this space and wash it clean—would they be able to do so?" The king answered: "They could not cleanse it." Ruśou replied: "It was on this account that I said just now that as many buddhas and World-Honoured Ones as the sands of the Ganges could not resolve them."' / Exegesis: Because all sentient beings do not understand their inherently pure mind, they falsely produce defilement and purity, and delusion and awakening bury themselves, so that they raise doubts where there is no doubt, and seek resolution where there is nothing to resolve. If one can truly understand this, one's mind will suddenly dissolve, and one will see that all phenomena, defiled and pure, are identical with the nature of empty space. Once one understands that the nature of empty space cannot be defiled or purified, one only then awakens to the fact that original mind was never deluded or awakened. Even if the principle of non-arising and non-attainment is expounded, these are all temporary, adaptable expedients. If one enters the mirror of the source, the wondrous purport is completely clear: there is not even doubt or no-doubt, so why harbour resolution or non-resolution?