宗鏡錄 94.9

94.9

The Sūtra of Complete Enlightenment says: "At one time, the Bhagavān entered the samādhi of correct reception within the Great Radiance Treasury of Supernatural Powers, the gloriously luminous sustaining ground of all tathāgatas. This is the pure awakening ground of all sentient beings, where body and mind are extinguished in stillness, the primordial limit of equality, completely filling the ten directions, non-dually according [with reality]. In this non-dual realm, various pure lands are manifested." It also says: "Good man, all the various illusions and transformations of all sentient beings are all born from the wondrous citta of the Tathāgata's complete enlightenment, just like sky-flowers that exist due to the sky. Although the illusory flowers perish, the nature of the sky is not destroyed. The illusory citta of sentient beings also perishes based on illusion; when all illusions are completely extinguished, the awakened citta remains unmoved. Speaking of awakening based on illusion is also called illusion; if one speaks of possessing awakening, one has not yet departed from illusion; speaking of having no awakening is likewise. Therefore, the extinction of illusion is named unmoving. Good man, all bodhisattvas and sentient beings of the terminal age should distance themselves from all illusory, transformed, empty, and false realms. Due to firmly grasping and holding to the distancing citta, the citta that is like an illusion is also distanced; regarding distancing as an illusion, it is also distanced; departing from the illusion of distancing, it is also distanced. When there is nothing left to distance from, all illusions are then eliminated. It is like drilling for fire: two pieces of wood depend on each other; when fire comes forth, the wood is consumed, the ashes fly away, and the smoke disappears. Using illusion to cultivate [against] illusion is also like this. Although all illusions are exhausted, one does not enter into annihilation. Good man, knowing illusion is immediately distancing, without formulating expedient means; distancing from illusion is immediately awakening, also without gradations. All bodhisattvas and sentient beings of the terminal age who practice relying on this will thus be able to eternally distance themselves from all illusions." Explication: "Knowing illusion is immediately distancing, without formulating expedient means": because illusion has no fixed characteristic, its self-nature is constantly distanced, and distancing is emptiness. Since all tens of thousands of phenomena—defiled and pure, ordinary and sage—are equally illusory like empty space, what need is there to further formulate expedient means to seek distance? "Distancing from illusion is immediately awakening, also without gradations": at the very moment of distancing, one completely becomes the Great Awakening; immediate distancing is immediate awakening, an equal, single illumination. Since there is neither before nor after, how could there be gradations?