諸經要集 10.167

10.167

Now, of the two kinds of adornment, wisdom is called supreme; among the sequence of the three grades, knowledge is termed free of delusion. Thus the sūtra says: "The five perfections without wisdom are like the foolish and blind." Therefore prajñā surpasses the world and shatters all states of existence. The Commentary also says: "The Buddha is the mother of sentient beings, and prajñā can give birth to the Buddha." Thus wisdom is the grandmother of all sentient beings. Hence external books say: "Discerning, wise, reverent, and luminous: these praised the virtue of Fangxun; benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom: only these were called the Way of Xuan'ni." One must reflect that the teaching of wisdom cannot be left uncultivated; the cause of transcending the world ought not to go unpracticed. It can dispel great darkness, like the full moon illuminating the three destinies; it skillfully purges all poisons, like the modī herb eradicating ten thousand evils. How could one let oneself be perpetually submerged, keeping to this prolonged delusion—clinging to marks and becoming entangled, with one's mind wrapped in knots, always having much craving and constantly abounding in ignorance, not understanding causes and conditions and not cultivating counteragents? Thus the dense mountain of conceit grows almost as high as Song and Hua, and the billowing waters of craving subsequently become as wide as the vast ocean. Some arbitrarily cling to annihilationism or eternalism, onesidedly debating identity or difference; yellow spirits and white spirits; "I see and I know." They constantly raise one leg, or endlessly roast themselves on five sides; they eat grass in imitation of oxen, or consume dung like dogs. Some enthusiastically expound upon the lower truths, but how could they know the principle of the Middle Way? Some remain rigidly attached to the four inversions, so how could they comprehend the purport of the Great Vehicle? Some maintain that the primordial darkness produces consciousness, ignorant of what lies beyond it, asserting that worldly permanence alone is noble; others again claim that non-ideation is the realization of nirvāṇa, or imagine that Maheśvara can create the world. They are foolish, muddled, dim-witted, dull, vulgar, ignorant, obtuse, and alienated. They look at a finger seeking the moon; they guard a tree trunk waiting for a hare. They cannot distinguish fragrant from foul herbs, nor can they tell beans from wheat. Though knowing how to laugh and smile, they are no different from clay figurines; though having a mere knowledge of speech, they are not distinct from orangutans. This is truly because they do not recognize the principle of emptiness and constantly abide in ignorance. All inverted thoughts are called false views. The afflictions of the five entrenchments have not diminished by a single hair; the one hundred and eight fetters remain densely present. For this reason, the Great Beings, in order to seek eight characters, did not begrudge their bodies or lives. Fearing that in the midst of conditions they might meet suffering and immediately retreat, they disciplined their minds to fortify their resolve.