廣弘明集 21.35

21.35

Jingtuo of Guangzhai Temple inquired, saying: "I do not know: when a sage perceives the true, does he perceive it gradually, or does he perceive it suddenly?"
The Prince's decree replied, saying: "He perceives it gradually."
He further inquired: "With a signless and empty mind, once this appears, the myriad signs are all stilled. I do not know: why should perceiving the true involve a gradual process?"
The Prince's decree replied, saying: "From worldling to sage, understanding has shallows and depths; the true of itself is open and quiescent, which does not prevent perception from having a gradual process."
He further inquired: "I do not know: when one attains signlessness once, are the myriad existences all forgotten, or are they not completely forgotten?"
The decree replied: "Once one attains signlessness, the myriad existences are completely forgotten."
He further inquired: "If once one attains signlessness the myriad existences are forgotten, then one could also, upon once attaining an empty mind, exhaust that true realm; one should not perceive it gradually."
The decree replied: "The Tathāgata's accord with quiescence naturally exhausts the true; sages of shallow practice ever perceive it gradually of themselves."
He further inquired: "If perceiving the true has gradations and cannot be suddenly realized, then forgetting the myriad existences should also be gradual and cannot be sudden."
The decree replied: "Because understanding has superior and inferior levels, there is gradual perception; because the emptying of mind is impartial, the myriad existences are all stilled together."