萬善同歸集 2.50

2.50

答：「《涅槃經》云：『雖本自空，亦由菩薩修空見空。』又『師子吼菩薩言：「世尊！眾生五陰空無所有，誰有受教修習道者？」佛言：「善男子！一切眾生皆有念心、慧心、發心、勤精進心、信心、定心，如是等法，雖念念滅，猶故相似相續不斷，故名修道。乃至如燈雖念念滅，而有光明除破暗冥。念等諸法亦復如是。如眾生食雖念念滅，亦能令飢者而得飽滿；譬如上藥雖念念滅，亦能愈病；日月光明雖念念滅，亦能增長草木樹林。善男子！汝言念念滅，云何增長者？心不斷故名為增長。」』」

Answer: "The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'Although fundamentally empty of themselves, it is also through the bodhisattva cultivating emptiness that emptiness is seen.' Furthermore: 'Bodhisattva Siṃhanāda said: "World-Honoured One! The five skandhas of sentient beings are empty and non-existent; who is there to receive the teaching and cultivate the path?" The Buddha said: "Good son! All sentient beings possess mindfulness, wisdom, resolve, diligent vigor, faith, and concentration. Although such dharmas perish moment by moment, they nonetheless continue in similar succession without interruption, and therefore it is called cultivating the path. Just as a lamp perishes moment by moment, yet it has light that dispels darkness; so too are dharmas such as mindfulness. Just as the food of sentient beings perishes moment by moment, yet it can make the hungry satiated; just as superior medicine perishes moment by moment, yet it can cure illness; just as the light of the sun and moon perishes moment by moment, yet it can cause grasses, trees, and forests to grow. Good son! You ask, if it perishes moment by moment, how does it grow? Because the mind is uninterrupted, it is called growth."'"