廣弘明集 27.276

27.276

From the initial discernment of virtue to the culmination in unhinderedness, the two paths of good and evil, ordinary and sage, suffering and joy, have been clearly and carefully examined; these words are complete. One need only strive and diligently put them into practice. The scripture says: 'Lamenting that the world's greedy thoughts flow endlessly and sink in the ocean of affection and desire, I alone wish to return to their source, and thus I exert myself and uniquely stand forth.' For this reason, across lifetimes of toil and hardship, he did not consider it labor. The scripture says: 'I and Ānanda together gave rise to the aspiration for bodhi in the presence of the Buddha King of Emptiness. Because I was always diligently energetic, I quickly attained true awakening.' It also says: 'Having attained knowledge of the true Dharma, with an untiring mind he preaches it to sentient beings.' This can indeed be called striving. Sentient beings drift in the three realms of existence, entangling each other whenever encountering suffering; therefore their cognitive consciousness is dark and weak, their thinking shallow, and they are much deluded. Every time they cultivate goodness, they timorously retreat and become frightened and flustered; from thought to thought, they undergo a hundred changes and contradictions. If one does not urge them on through striving and encourage them with resolute strength, their courageous, sharp, and valiant minds will not arise. The scripture says: 'Sentient beings battling with the enemy-robber of ignorance is no different from facing a formidable foe in the mundane realm.' Facing off in the mundane realm, one must rely on bronze gongs to strengthen their spirit, drum and bell to arouse their indignation, pent-up grief to augment their rage, and fierce resolve to achieve their strength. Without relying on these to summon courage and without using these to stir up majesty, how could one crush the battle of Mingtiao or shatter the army of Muye? Now, fighting together with the afflictions, one should assemble the wisdom of the undefiled, command the army of fearlessness, hold the reins over the multitude of the wings to awakening, steer the companions of the six perfections, erect the banner of the place of enlightenment, strike the drum of amṛta, put on the helmet and mail of the great vow, don the armor of patience, grip the bow and blade of wisdom, and hold the sturdy arrow and shield. Energy supervises indolence; diligent effort examines shortcomings. Setting out on the practice, one mounts the Ground of Joy; unhitching the carriage, one rests at the Dharma Cloud. Sarvākārajñatā severs their courage; skillful means maneuvers its strategy. Thereupon, the bandits of ignorance and aging-and-death, colluding with the armies of the four Māras, following upon the shadows and echoes of Pāpīyān, leaning in weariness upon the heavenly maidens, relying on and leading ghosts and spirits in their hundreds of millions—hoisting mountains, spitting fire, thunder and lightning circling on all four sides—wish, with this host of dark confusion, to turn back the vajra army. Because the bodhisattva’s forbearance has subdued conceptual thought and accumulated virtue and prolonged goodness, the enemy Māra bows in submission. With a single thought of striving, there is a sudden, vast illumination: the kings of false dharma are destroyed, and the King of the True Dharma is victorious. These are all grand events in the scriptures; if not for striving, how could they be accomplished? Just as when a person manages a household, rising early and sleeping late, diligently overseeing affairs, his home naturally becomes prosperous and full, and hunger and cold do not press upon him; if only one can strive, there is nothing that will not succeed. The wondrous supramundane practice is not different in its workings from the mundane. If one strives a little and applies one's mind slightly more, the three vidyās and six superknowledges are not difficult to achieve. Further applying skillful means and redoubling the task for mind and body, the patience of faithful compliance will naturally arrive through gradual immersion. How could one vainly abandon an entire lifetime and pass it in emptiness? When the three destinies press upon oneself, there will be no way to apply one's strength; only then to give rise to regret—how could lamentation avail? Therefore, the single gate of striving runs through what follows; the utmost state of mind and practice is simply this. Wishing that the sagely mirror of the hidden and visible realms illumine this exhausting path, I thus dare to utter words and entrust this text to express my intention.