萬善同歸集 2.32

2.32

答：「一切眾生，悟裡生迷，真中起妄，秖為不覺，須假發揚。《法華經》云：『佛曾親近百千萬億無數諸佛，盡行諸佛無量道法，勇猛精進，名稱普聞。』又云：『善知識者，是大因緣，所謂令得見佛，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。』《華嚴經》云：『譬如暗中寶，無燈不可見；佛法無人說，雖智不能了。』又云：『不要三千大千世界滿中珍寶；惟願樂聞一句未聞佛法。』又云：『雖知諸法不由他悟，而常尊敬諸善知識。』《起信論》云：『又諸佛法，有因有緣；因緣具足，乃得成辦。如木中火性，是火正因；若無人知，不假方便，能自燒人，無有是處。眾生亦爾，雖有正因，熏習之力，若不遇諸佛、菩薩、善知識等，以之為緣，能自斷煩惱、入涅槃者，則無是處。』《法句經》云：『如裹香之紙、繫魚之索。佛語諸比丘：「夫物本淨，皆由因緣，以興罪福。近賢明，則道義隆；友愚暗，則殃禍集。譬如紙、索，近香則香；繫魚則臭，漸染翫習，各不自覺。」頌曰：「鄙夫染人，如近臭物；漸迷習非，不覺成惡。賢夫染人，如附香熏；進智習善，行成芳潔。」』《首楞嚴經》云：『佛告阿難：「一切眾生從無始來，種種顛倒，業種自然，如惡叉聚。諸修行人不能得成無上菩提，乃至別成聲聞緣覺，及成外道諸天魔王及魔眷屬，皆由不知二種根本錯亂修習。猶如煮砂欲成嘉饌，縱經塵劫終不能成。」』是知初心，須親道友，以辨邪正，方契真修。或涉權門，日劫相倍；若得圓旨，不枉功程，直至道場，永無疑悔。及生自悟之時，惟證無師自然之智，決定不從人得。」

Answer: "All sentient beings give rise to confusion within awakening and produce delusion within truth; simply because of non-awakening, they must rely on being stimulated and inspired. The Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra states: 'The Buddha once drew near to hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis of countless Buddhas, thoroughly practicing the immeasurable Path and Dharma of the Buddhas, valiant and vigorous, his name widely heard.' It also states: 'A good friend is a great cause and condition, namely, causing one to be able to see the Buddha and give rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.' The Avataṃsaka Sūtra states: 'Like a treasure in the dark / Which cannot be seen without a lamp, / If the Buddha Dharma is not explained by someone, / Even with wisdom one cannot understand it.' It also states: 'I do not want a great trichiliocosm filled with treasures; I only wish to joyfully hear a single phrase of the Buddha Dharma never heard before.' It also states: 'Although knowing that all dharmas are not awakened to through others, one always respects all good friends.' The Awakening of Faith states: 'Furthermore, the dharmas of all Buddhas have causes and conditions; only when causes and conditions are complete can they be accomplished. Just as the nature of fire within wood is the direct cause of fire; if no one knows it and does not employ skillful means, that it could burn by itself is impossible. Sentient beings are also like this: although they have the direct cause and the power of perfuming, if they do not encounter the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, good friends, and so forth to serve as conditions, that they could by themselves cut off afflictions and enter nirvāṇa is impossible.' The Dharmapada states: 'Like the paper that wraps incense, or the cord that binds fish. The Buddha told the monks: "Things are fundamentally pure; it is entirely due to causes and conditions that sins and blessings arise. Drawing near to the virtuous and bright, one's practice of the Path and righteousness flourishes; friending the foolish and dark, calamities and disasters gather. Just like paper and cord: drawn near to incense, they become fragrant; binding fish, they become foul; by gradual habituation and familiarity, they are each unaware of it." A gāthā says: "A vile person defiles others, / Like approaching a foul object; / Gradually confused and accustomed to wrong, / Unawares they become evil. / A virtuous person perfumes others, / Like being touched by fragrant scent; / Advancing in wisdom and practicing good, / Their deeds become fragrant and clean."' The Śūraṅgama Sūtra states: 'The Buddha told Ānanda: "All sentient beings from beginningless time have had various inversions, and their karmic seeds are naturally clustered like the akṣa fruit. The reason why practitioners are unable to attain unexcelled bodhi, but instead become śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, or externalists, heavenly demon kings, and the retinues of demons, is entirely because they do not know the two fundamental roots and practice in confusion. It is just like boiling sand wishing to make a fine meal; even after passing through dust-mote kalpas, in the end it can never be accomplished."' Thus we know that at the initial stage of mind, one must draw near to companions of the Path in order to distinguish the heterodox from the orthodox, and only then will one accord with true cultivation. If one steps into the provisional gates, days and kalpas are multiplied; if one grasps the perfect import, one's efforts and path are not wasted, and going straight to the bodhimaṇḍa, one will forever be free of doubts and regrets. When spontaneous awakening arises, one realizes only the uninstructed, spontaneous wisdom, which is definitely not obtained from another."