法苑珠林 99.10

99.10

Third: 'Rely on wisdom and not on consciousness.' Consciousness in its active operation discriminates in accordance with sense-objects; eyes addicted to form and ears to sound, infatuated without awareness, it is equal in measure to cattle and sheep and acts in common with deviant ordinary mortals. The Great Sage pointed out and taught that the objective realm is one's own mind, while the utterly foolish are rigidly attached, [holding that] sense-objects are outside consciousness. Therefore, teaching and guiding them has no avenue; abandoning it is knowledge, but remaining stagnant belongs to ordinary consciousness. Inverting and repelling the sage's mind, the foolish and deluded tread along, constantly sinking into the three inversions. For those who are vigorous and exceptionally perceptive, the moment a thought stirs they recognise it; this is called relying on consciousness. Knowing that the flow must be reversed is called wisdom according to one's capacity. By exerting effort in this way, clarity and greatness gradually increase. Later, seeing sense-objects, one knows they do not come from outside; the realm is not outside the mind, but is the aspect of one's own mind. How could there be foolish delusion generating aversion or generating attachment? Continually reflecting and selecting, understanding differs from cattle and sheep. Someone asks: 'You set forth such an argument, distinguishing wisdom from foolishness; how is it that one who achieves comprehensive contemplation is still called [one of] ordinary consciousness?' The answer is: Sages' wisdom is boundless; by accumulating emptiness, virtue is revealed. How could a single statement be considered pristine ascent? This is merely grasping the words and still being attached according to the words. Deeply know that this attachment is an imprint of beginningless habit; only through three asaṃkhyeya-kalpas without interruption can it be completely eliminated. Milk mixed with blood cannot be spoken of carelessly; the aspects of rising and falling lie precisely in this. As the sūtras say, on the first bhūmi one practises generosity, and the rest is cultivated according to capacity; high standards and rules are established to cause people to cultivate and learn. How could it be said that a single understanding can thoroughly exhaust wisdom? If wisdom could be exhausted, it could not be called superior and sublime. People nowadays orally recite emptiness while in their minds they have not forgotten existence; they cannot leap into the air, and entering fire is even harder: both are because they are trapped and deluded by mental aspects. When one later attains mastery, one transforms and employs things according to the mind; is it not like a bird soaring through the sky, naturally constant like asbestos cloth cleansed by fire? It is not to be wondered at.