佛祖統紀 49.34

49.34

瓘頓首再拜上啟南湖延慶堂上講主明智法師。人回伏奉書教。獲審道體安隱無惱。下懷良慰。向承寄示觀音玄義并記。且荷開發妙旨以祛愚蔽。深佩提獎之意感德無已。有門頌。但隨順古意過蒙采覽。仰見法師收蕳自在。來諭云。以有題之。恐鈍者不領。誠如所慮。然智者以有門為圓門之相。又謂此相四門皆妙無粗。若有門為法界攝一切法。況復三門法相平等無復優劣。是故若論具足佛法。則見思假即法界也。若論法性因緣。則第一義亦因緣也。故此妙門以有召之。即生死之有。是實相之有。一切法趣有。有即法界。出法界外更無可論。此即止觀有門之大旨。而前書妙假之意也。有未領者亦當以妙假之義開曉之耳。智者解大經之語云。因滅無明則得熾然三菩提燈。即有門也。有門即是妙假。妙假即是有門。其或未領。則於此有門不能無惑。然而前病後藥無兩有也。病去惑亡則有門豁矣。一指二指三指不待更說。然則有之一門純妙無粗具足萬善。豈非三千之性乎。所云此之三千性。是中理。不當有無有無自爾。茲乃古師詮具之微言也。自非深領其旨未易解此。夫三千也者世間之數也。若三千性則離世間矣。離而復即。即而復離。不一不異。非有非無。三千而一。一而三千。此不可思議數。即是不可思議境。若觀若智俱不思議。此數即是止觀。故云千性即中理。此境即是此數。故中理即三千性。若但三千則是一切一切法耳。一切法但有名字。何能具乎。若一切法性則本具矣。故三千即是一切法。一切法性即是三千性也。此性不當有無。有無自爾。夫不當有無者。泯妙外之一執也。有無自爾者。開離執之一妙也。於有為妙有。於無為真無。真無則空而不空。妙有則有而不有。有無自爾。非有無也。在假則假具。在空則空具。在中則中具。無不在無不具也。然則妙假之有。豈情有乎。假不待空泯絕無對。說有說無皆不待絕。今乃設有待之言讚歎妙假之說。豈免為巧度之所訶乎。且一念心起則有三千世間之相。國土一千則山河大地是也。五陰世間一千則染淨一切色心是也。眾生世間一千則六凡四聖假名是也。一念心起三千性相一時起。一念心滅三千性相一時滅。念外無一豪法可得。法外無一豪念可得。此乃本住不遷。不遷者中理圓明之體。此體如理為念其壽無量。非得命根亦無連持。本無名字而不失諸名。名其土曰極樂國。名其身曰阿彌陀。身土交參融乎一妙。故能使說法之音不離彼土。而廣長舌相具足周遍。其具如是。是體具乎。是性具乎。是佛具乎。是眾生具乎。若有能知具彼之樂者。其有不願往生者乎。向實際之中要在不往而往。於方便之內何妨去已還來。機熟緣深定須成辨。此瓘之有得於祖意者也。瓘屏迹丹丘老病待盡。千里相望淨願不隔。更祈慈蔭以師法見攝。而終教之。未由會面以究盡此旨。臨風但極瞻嚮之切。瓘頓首再拜上啟。

Guan bows his head, prostrates twice, and addresses this letter to Lecturer Dharma Master Mingzhi of the Yanqing Hall at Nanhu. Upon the return of the messenger, I respectfully received your written instruction. Learning that your venerable person in the Way is peaceful, secure, and free from distress brought immense comfort to my humble heart. Previously, I was favored by your sending the Guanyin xuanyi along with its commentary; furthermore, I am indebted to you for unveiling its profound purport to dispel my foolish blindness, and I am deeply grateful for your intention to guide and encourage me, with endless gratitude for your virtue. Regarding my 'Ode to the Gate of Existence,' it merely complied with ancient ideas, and it received your perusal far beyond its merit, showing from afar that you, Dharma Master, select and reject with complete freedom. Your letter stated that entitling it with 'existence' caused concern that those of dull faculties might not comprehend it. Indeed, it is just as you were concerned. However, Zhiyi took the gate of existence to be the character of the perfect gate, and further stated that in this character all four gates are profound and none is coarse. If the gate of existence is the Dharma realm containing all dharmas, how much more so are the dharmas and characteristics of the three gates equal without superiority or inferiority! Therefore, if one speaks of being complete with the Buddha's dharmas, the provisional of delusion of views and thought is itself the Dharma realm. If one speaks of the conditioned arising of dharma-nature, the supreme truth is also conditioned arising. Hence this profound gate is called by 'existence'—namely, the existence of birth-and-death is the existence of the true mark. All dharmas incline toward existence; existence is itself the Dharma realm; beyond the Dharma realm, there is nothing further to discuss. This is the great purport of the gate of existence in the Zhiguan, and it was the meaning of the profound provisional in my previous letter. For those who have not yet comprehended it, one should also enlighten them through the meaning of the profound provisional. Zhiyi's explanation of the words in the Great Sūtra says: 'Because ignorance is eradicated, one attains the brightly blazing lamp of sambodhi'—this is precisely the gate of existence. The gate of existence is none other than the profound provisional; the profound provisional is none other than the gate of existence. If one has not yet comprehended it, one cannot be free of perplexity regarding this gate of existence. Yet, the prior illness and subsequent medicine are not two separate things: once the illness is removed and delusion perishes, the gate of existence opens wide. Pointing with one finger, two fingers, or three fingers need not be spoken of further. If so, then is not this single gate of existence—purely profound without coarseness, complete with all myriad goods—the nature of the three thousand? What was stated as 'this nature of the three thousand is the principle of the Middle; it cannot be called existence or non-existence, yet existence and non-existence are naturally so'—these are the subtle words of the ancient master explaining inherent inclusion. Unless one has deeply grasped their purport, it is not easy to understand this. Now, 'three thousand' is the count of the worldly realms. As for the nature of the three thousand, it transcends the worldly realms. Transcending and yet immediately identical; immediately identical and yet transcending; neither one nor different; neither existent nor non-existent. Three thousand yet one; one yet three thousand. This inconceivable count is itself the inconceivable realm. Both contemplation and wisdom are inconceivable. This count is itself calming and contemplation; thus it is said that the thousand natures are the principle of the Middle. This realm is itself this count; thus the principle of the Middle is the nature of the three thousand. If it were merely the three thousand, it would be only all and each of the dharmas. All dharmas are merely nominal names; how could they inherently possess? If it is all dharma-natures, they are originally possessed. Therefore, the three thousand are all dharmas, and all dharma-natures are the nature of the three thousand. This nature cannot be designated as existence or non-existence, yet existence and non-existence are naturally so. Now, that it 'cannot be designated as existence or non-existence' obliterates the one attachment outside the profound. That 'existence and non-existence are naturally so' reveals the one profundity that is free of attachment. Regarding existence, it is profound existence; regarding non-existence, it is true non-existence. True non-existence is empty and yet not empty; profound existence is existent and yet not existent. Existence and non-existence are naturally so, yet they are neither existence nor non-existence. In the provisional, the provisional is inherently complete; in the empty, the empty is inherently complete; in the middle, the middle is inherently complete. There is nothing in which it does not abide, nothing that it does not inherently possess. If so, then is the existence of the profound provisional an existence of ordinary emotion? The provisional does not depend on emptiness, being utterly eradicated without opposition; speaking of existence and speaking of non-existence both do not depend on eradication. If one now establishes dependent words to praise the teaching of the profound provisional, how could one avoid being reprimanded by the skilful crossing? Furthermore, when a single thought arises in the mind, the marks of the three thousand realms are present: the one thousand of the realm of lands are the mountains, rivers, and the great earth; the one thousand of the realm of the five aggregates are all defiled and pure physical forms and minds; the one thousand of the realm of sentient beings are the provisional names of the six ordinary and four noble [destinies]. When a single thought arises in the mind, the three thousand natures and marks arise simultaneously; when a single thought ceases in the mind, the three thousand natures and marks cease simultaneously. Outside of thought, not a hair's breadth of a dharma can be found; outside of dharmas, not a hair's breadth of thought can be found. This is originally abiding and unchanging. That which is unchanging is the substance of the perfectly luminous principle of the Middle. This substance, taking the principle as thought, has an immeasurable lifespan: it is not attained through a life-faculty, nor is it continuously sustained. Originally it has no names, yet it does not lose all names: its land is named the Land of Ultimate Bliss, and its body is named Amitābha. Body and land interpenetrate and blend into a single profundity. Thus it causes the voice preaching the Dharma never to leave that land, while the mark of the broad and long tongue is complete and all-pervading. Its inherent inclusion being like this—is it inherently included in the substance? Is it inherently included in the nature? Is it inherently included in the Buddha? Is it inherently included in sentient beings? If there are those who can understand the joy of possessing that [land], could there be any who would not vow to be reborn there? Facing the ultimate reality, the essential point is to go without going; within expedient means, what harm is there in returning after having gone? When the capacity is mature and conditions are deep, it will certainly be accomplished. This is what Guan has attained from the intention of the patriarchs. Guan has retired to Danqiu, awaiting his end in old age and illness; gazing toward you across a thousand li, pure vows are not separated. I further pray for your compassionate shelter to embrace me with the Dharma of the master and instruct me to the end. Since there has been no opportunity to meet face to face to examine this purport completely, facing the wind, I merely offer my utmost longing and reverence. Guan bows his head and prostrates twice in addressing this.