法苑珠林 99.11

99.11

Fourth: 'Rely on sūtras of definitive meaning and not on sūtras of provisional meaning.' Both of these sūtras are authorities of sage words. All who enter the Way should understand them first of all; then nothing will fail to be penetrated, and all doubts will be resolved. However, the natures and consciousnesses of living beings differ in depth and sharpness, causing the Great Sage to speak differently in accordance with their dispositions. Yet, based on the ultimate Way, it is solely one's own mind. Thus a sūtra says: 'The phenomena and meanings above and below in the tridhātu are mind only.' This clarifies the mind in terms of the world's dependent retribution. It also says: 'Tathatā and the reality-limit, nirvāṇa and the dharmadhātu, the various mind-made bodies—the Buddha declares them to be mind-only.' This clarifies the mind in terms of the substance of supramundane dharmas. Ultimately reaching the supreme reality, one completely arrives at this source. Following the flow and responding to resonance, one still returns to the definitive meaning as the principal; therefore, the Dharma is used to determine provisional capacities.