法苑珠林 86.53

86.53

Furthermore, know that the conditions of sin have no intrinsic nature; it is only through the causes and conditions of false thinking that one vainly undergoes this suffering. Hence the Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa says: 'Because the mind is defiled, sentient beings are defiled; because the mind is pure, sentient beings are pure. False thinking is defilement; absence of false thinking is purity. The nature of sin is not internal, not external, and not in between; the mind is also not internal, not external, and not in between. As the mind is, so is the defilement of sin.' Examining thus, the nature of sin is entirely empty. Emitting the fire of wisdom, one illumines the darkness of ignorance. All the evils created since beginningless time are like a dark room. The correct understanding of repentance is like a bright lamp. Once the bright lamp shines, the dim darkness is entirely eliminated; it is not that because darkness has been here since beginningless time it can expel the lamp. Light and dark, understanding and delusion, have been thus from beginningless time. Confused about causes and mistaken about results, one fully commits all misdeeds; this is like darkness. Now wishing to repent and eliminate them, one relies on the power of Buddha-nature to kindle the fire of right view; this is like a bright lamp. When the lamp rises, darkness is dispelled; when understanding arises, delusion is destroyed—there is nothing that is not extinguished. It is also like frost and snow awaiting the sun to melt, like an illness awaiting good medicine to be cured, like losing one's way awaiting awakening to be corrected, and like the gathering of bad firewood where repentance is like bean-stalk fire, extinguished in an instant. Therefore, the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: 'For instance, a thousand pounds of cotton flower are not equal to one ounce of true gold; though sins committed are many, they are not equal to a little good.' Having created transgressions before the Buddha, it is just like the blind people repenting to the saṃgha. Sins have no intrinsic nature; they are extinguished through conditions. Hence a verse of the Karmavibhaṅga-sūtra says: