西方合論

Chapter VI

CONFORMITY WITH SELF-NATURE

All sages and saints cultivate in conformity with their own mind. Because the nature of dharmas is boundless, the ocean of practices can never be measured. Therefore, in a single instant one has already passed through all three immeasurable kalpas, or one has passed through kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River and yet not a single thought has been completed.

To discuss the scope of the stages is like speaking of the tracks of birds in flight. To speak of the shadows of past and present time is like speaking of a teardrop exposed to the scorching sun, like a flower bud falling in a whirlwind, like a creature that has no legs yet wishes to run—if one abandons the compassionate father Amitābha, how can one arrive at the place of liberation? With dull and sluggish faculties, yet wishing to attain the fruit swiftly, if one knows to turn toward the Western Land, then it is not far away, just as among the five colors, black is the final color; as the myriad thousands of rivers in the end all pour and flow into the great ocean.

Now, taking the standpoint of the practices of the Great Vehicle and gathering them into a single practice, I shall present in outline five gates:

The practice of the mind of faith.

The practice of śamatha-vipaśyanā (calming and contemplation).

The practice of the six pāramitās.

The practice of compassion and vows.

The practice of conformity with the Dharma.

1. The practice of the mind of faith

The Avataṃsaka Sūtra states: "Faith is the first step in entering the Way; it is the mother of all merits." All practices take faith as their right cause, and even the perfect fulfillment of the fruit of bodhi is only the completion of this root of faith—just as a grain of rice sown into the ground is, at the time of harvest, no different from the grain of rice that was sown; as a tender bamboo shoot just sprouting up becomes, when it has dense branches and leaves, before and after only a single root. The bodhisattva who has just aroused the mind relies entirely on the power of this faith to achieve realization. All who cultivate the Pure Land rely completely on this faith as their foundation:

– First, to have faith that the fundamental wisdom and the immovable wisdom of Amitābha Buddha are no different from one's own—like a span of empty space which, when the sun shines upon it, is bright and clear, and when dark clouds obscure it, is murky and dim. Empty space inherently has no nature of brightness or darkness. Thus the clouds and the sun are not outside the substance of empty space.

– Second, to have faith that Amitābha Buddha, from the time he made his vows down through a hundred million kalpas, was able to do all that is difficult to do and to endure many things difficult to endure—and that I too have the capacity to do likewise. Why is this so? Because I recall that from beginningless kalpas I have ceaselessly floated and sunk in the three evil destinies, undergoing the suffering of birth, the suffering of death, the suffering of bearing fur and donning horns, the suffering of lying on iron beds and embracing copper pillars. All those useless sufferings I have been able to endure; how much more, then, today—the myriad practices of the bodhisattva that rescue sentient beings—is it possible that I cannot put them into practice?

– Third, to have faith that Amitābha Buddha possesses immeasurable wisdom, immeasurable spiritual powers, and has accomplished immeasurable power of vows—and that I too shall become like this. Why is this so? Because within the self-nature of the skillful means of the Tathāgata there are fully present all such inconceivable matters, and I and the Tathāgata are likewise of one and the same substance of the pure self-nature.

– Fourth, to have faith that Amitābha Buddha neither comes nor goes, and that I too neither come nor go. The Sahā world and the Western Land are not separated by even the breadth of a thread or a strand of hair; if I wish to see, then I shall immediately see. Why is this so? Because all the Buddhas take the dharma-nature as their body and as their land.

– Fifth, to have faith that Amitābha Buddha, cultivating through countless kalpas until the realization of the fruit, did not shift or change for a single instant. Now I too, not shifting or changing for a single instant, am equal to the station of all the Buddhas. Why is this so? Because the division of time belongs to karma, and within the ocean of the dharma-realm karma has no truly real substance.

To have faith and understanding in this way is precisely the first mind for stepping into the Way—that is, to have faith in the Pure Land practice of all the Buddhas.

2. The practice of śamatha-vipaśyanā

From of old, with regard to such sūtras as the Perfect Enlightenment Sūtra, the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, and the Vaipulya sūtras, scholars have expounded at length upon the various gates of contemplation. Only the three contemplations of the Tiantai school are presented in the most direct and straightforward manner, pointing out the skillful means of the One Mind. They gather the essential points of all the teachings and are the shortcut of cultivation; there is no single dharma that surpasses these three contemplations.

The central tenet of the Western Land has sixteen contemplations of right contemplation. Yet within each contemplation these three meanings are contained. The Tiantai school, in expounding the sūtras, directly uses the three truths to gather in those sixteen contemplations.

The Miaozong chao (Notes on the Wondrous Tenet) states: "Within the nature, the substance of the three virtues is the three bodies of all the Buddhas. Precisely at these three bodies, these three virtues are the three contemplations within my One Mind. If it were not so, then one would see a Buddha externally, and the realm would not be the mind.

How then could this be called the absolute contemplation of the perfect school? It may also be said that the three bodies of Amitābha are the dharma-body, and my three contemplations are prajñā. When the contemplation is accomplished, then seeing the Buddha is precisely liberation.

To say that one contemplation fully possesses all three meanings is like the letter 'i' ∆ in the Sanskrit script. Since contemplating the Buddha is thus, then contemplating the dependent recompense and the proper recompense is likewise no different." If one wishes to understand more extensively, then look into the Commentary and Notes. Here it is not possible to recount it in full.

As for the Chan master Wenling, he simply uses a single utterance of reciting the Buddha's name to enter into the three contemplations. To say that reciting the Buddha's name fully possesses all three contemplations is the same as saying that at the very utterance of reciting the Buddha's name one immediately penetrates that the substance of this reciting subject is empty, and therefore the object recited likewise has no characteristics.

Thus, at the very moment of reciting the Buddha's name there is the Contemplation of Emptiness; the Buddha who is the object is the response-body, that is, the mind that destroys the delusions of views and thought. Although the substance of the reciting subject is empty and the object recited has no characteristics, this does not obstruct the clarity of the reciting subject nor the manifestation of the object recited. Thus, at the very moment of reciting the Buddha's name there is the Contemplation of the Provisional; the Buddha who is the object is the reward-body, that is, the mind that destroys the dust-and-sand delusions.

On the other hand, at the very moment when the reciting subject and the object recited are both empty, this is precisely the manifestation of the reciting subject and the object recited. At the very moment when the reciting subject and the object recited manifest, this is precisely the stillness of the reciting subject and the object recited. Therefore the Contemplation of Emptiness and the Contemplation of the Provisional exist within each other.

Thus, at the very moment of reciting the Buddha's name there is the Contemplation of the Middle; the Buddha who is the object is the dharma-body, that is, the mind that destroys the delusion of ignorance. Hence, at the very cause of reciting the Buddha's name, one ultimately possesses fully all three truths, and those four Pure Lands are pure—like taking up a single grain of dust and thereby transforming the earth into pure gold.

This is precisely the gate of contemplating the perfect interfusion of the dharma-realm, which is inconceivable.

3. The practice of the six pāramitās

The Treatise on the Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna states: "From the first right faith onward, until one is about to complete the first immeasurable kalpa, within the dharma of suchness the bodhisattva profoundly understands that the cultivation now present is inherently apart from characteristics. Because he knows that the substance of the dharma-nature is far apart from greed, the bodhisattva, in accord with the dharma-nature, cultivates the pāramitā of giving.

Because he knows that the dharma-nature is undefiled and far apart from the faults of the five desires, the bodhisattva, in accord with the dharma-nature, cultivates the pāramitā of upholding the precepts. Because he knows that the dharma-nature is without suffering and far apart from the afflictions of anger and resentment, the bodhisattva, in accord with the dharma-nature, cultivates the pāramitā of patience. Because he knows that the dharma-nature is without the characteristics of body and mind and far apart from laziness, the bodhisattva, in accord with the dharma-nature, cultivates the pāramitā of vigor.

Because he knows that the dharma-nature is ever in concentration and its substance is without disturbance, the bodhisattva, in accord with the dharma-nature, cultivates the pāramitā of meditative concentration. Because he knows that the substance of the dharma-nature is luminous and far apart from ignorance, the bodhisattva, in accord with the dharma-nature, cultivates the pāramitā of prajñā." The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom states: "Because he contemplates that all dharmas are ultimately empty, the bodhisattva does not give rise to a mind of greed.

Why is this so? Because within ultimate emptiness there is no greed, because the very root of greed has been severed—and so on until the bodhisattva contemplates that the prajñā-pāramitā is ultimately empty, and therefore the bodhisattva never gives rise to a mind of delusion. Why is this so?

Because the Buddha said that all dharmas have no giving and no receiving, no precept and no transgression—and so on until there is no wisdom and yet also no foolishness." It further states: "Although the bodhisattva gives, he does not see that there is any giving, because the bodhisattva gives with a mind empty and pure. The bodhisattva reflects: That giving is empty, there is nothing at all, but because sentient beings have need, the bodhisattva gives—just as a child takes earth to be gold and silver, while an adult, not seeing it as gold and silver, generously gives it to the child; yet in truth he gives as though not giving." The other five dharmas can also be inferred and known from this.

This is what is meant by the bodhisattva cultivating the six pāramitās. As for one who cultivates the Pure Land, there are no such differing names and characteristics, nor is there any practice that surpasses this single practice of reciting the Buddha's name, which fully possesses the six meanings:

1- To cast away the mixed and miscellaneous thoughts is to practice giving. Furthermore, because one is wholly intent upon the sound of reciting the Buddha's name, the mind has no thought of abiding and no thought of casting away. This is giving in conformity with the self-nature.

2- For every thought to be pure is to practice upholding the precepts. Furthermore, because one is wholly intent upon the sound of reciting the Buddha's name, the mind does not seek to extinguish thoughts. This is upholding the precepts in conformity with the self-nature.

3- For the restless, scattered thoughts about the world all to fall silent is to practice patience. Furthermore, because one is wholly intent upon the sound of reciting the Buddha's name, the mind has no concern with suppressing thoughts. This is patience in conformity with the self-nature.

4- For all thoughts never to retreat or regress is to practice vigor. Furthermore, because one is wholly intent upon the sound of reciting the Buddha's name, the mind does not cling to ascetic austerities. This is vigor in conformity with the self-nature.

5- To attain the Buddha-recitation samādhi is to practice meditative concentration. Furthermore, because every thought is itself the Buddha, the mind is not infatuated with the savor of meditation. This is the great concentration.

6- To penetrate the cause of reciting the Buddha's name—that at the very moment of recitation it is itself the Buddha—is to practice wisdom. Furthermore, because the thought is inherently not existent and the Buddha is inherently not nonexistent, the mind does not fall into the views of annihilationism or eternalism. This is the wisdom of all modes.

Therefore, the single gate of reciting the Buddha's name can gather in all the practices. Why is this so? Because reciting the Buddha's name is the dharma-gate of the One Mind; outside the mind there are no other practices, yet neither are the practices discarded. If one were to discard the practices, that would be precisely to discard the mind.

4. The practice of compassion and vows

All the Buddhas and all the bodhisattvas have an inexhaustible ocean of nature; they have inexhaustible offering, inexhaustible upholding of precepts, inexhaustible giving, and even perform countless beneficial deeds that are likewise inexhaustible—as Samantabhadra set forth ten great vows: "When the realm of empty space and the realm of sentient beings come to no end, then these vows of mine shall also come to no end.

The wholesome karma of body, speech, and mind ever active and energetic is called the king of vows." All the Buddhas accomplish such a king of vows, and therefore realize the ultimate fruit of nirvāṇa. As for the first four gates within the Five Recollection Gates of the Pure Land of the bodhisattva Vasubandhu—worship, praise, making vows, and contemplation are reckoned as the accomplishment of the gate of entering merit; and the dedication to all afflicted sentient beings, uprooting the sufferings of the world, is reckoned as the accomplishment of the gate of issuing forth merit.

When the bodhisattva cultivates the Five Recollection Gates, he swiftly accomplishes the unsurpassed wisdom of awakening.

Question: The Buddha and sentient beings are originally nothing at all, as the Vimalakīrti Sūtra states: "The bodhisattva contemplates sentient beings as like an echoing reverberation, like a cluster of water bubbles, like the firmness of a banana tree, like the durability of a flash of lightning, like form within the formless realm, like a sprout of rice scorched dry, like the greed, anger, and breaking of precepts of a bodhisattva who has attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, like the latent tendencies and afflictions of a Buddha, like a person dreaming in sleep that he has already awakened." The bodhisattva contemplates sentient beings in this way.

Then sentient beings are originally nonexistent. The bodhisattva ever and always benefits sentient beings—is it possible that the bodhisattva does not see that sentient beings are illusory, like flowers in empty space?

Answer: The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom states: "The World-Honored One said that there is no Buddha in order to destroy the attachment to a Buddha—not in order to grasp tightly the characteristic of there being no Buddha. Therefore one should know that saying there are no sentient beings is in order to sweep clean the attachment that there are sentient beings—not in order to become stuck in the characteristic of there being no sentient beings." Vimalakīrti said: "When the bodhisattva has finished contemplating, he says to himself: I shall, for the sake of sentient beings, expound this Dharma—this is the mind of true loving-kindness." This too makes known that the bodhisattva does not seize the characteristic of there being no sentient beings.

Furthermore, the bodhisattva expounds this Dharma because of true benefit to beings, because of a true mind of compassion and vows—not merely for the sake of delivering sentient beings. The Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra states: "The bodhisattva penetrates deeply into the boundless, shoreless mind of great compassion, like a kind father utterly grief-stricken when he sees his own child die for lack of food. Yet this child was inherently illusory, so in any case he must die." Likewise, all the Buddhas know that all dharmas are empty and that in the end none of them has truly real substance.

Foolish and ignorant sentient beings do not know this principle. For this reason, within empty dharmas they become intoxicated and attached and defiled. Because of being defiled, sentient beings fall into the great hells.

Therefore all the Buddhas penetrate deeply into the mind of great loving-kindness and exercise the vast and great mind of compassion precisely because sentient beings are empty, precisely because sentient beings deceptively plunge into the perilous road of birth and death. For what other reason would the Buddhas retreat from their vast mind of compassion and vows? One should know that the bodhisattva ever and always vows to deliver beings precisely because he understands profoundly the meaning that there are no sentient beings.

Why is this so? If one sees even a single sentient being, then there is still a self, and the mind of compassion is thereby diminished—how could one then practice such beneficial deeds? The ancient worthies said: "Until one has ascended to the ultimate station, it is wholly the gate of benefiting oneself.

From the first-mind stage of the Ten Faiths, passing through such stages as the Ten Abodes, the Ten Practices, the Ten Dedications, and the Ten Grounds, straight up to Wondrous Enlightenment, the cultivation of the practice of Samantabhadra before attaining Buddhahood is still benefiting oneself. As for the gate of benefiting others, one must ascend to the station of Wondrous Enlightenment; only after attaining Buddhahood is the cultivation of the practice of Samantabhadra the practice of benefiting others." The Buddha taught the bhikṣus: "The recompense of merit is exceedingly profound; there is no one who knows the cause of merit by which the surpassing recompense is obtained as I have known it.

Although I have already become a Buddha, my mind still delights in cultivating the cause of merit and never knows satiety. Although I know that merit has no truly real substance, my mind's delight in cultivating merit never for a moment ceases or rests."

Therefore one should know that the ocean of practices is boundless and cannot be measured to its depths—those deep, fathomless depths of the ocean—with a bamboo pole or a wooden ruler, like a foolish child who sees another person point to a pole standing upright before a door and so takes it to be a pole reaching to the middle of the sky, hastily saying that the distance from the surface of the earth to the lofty, vast heaven is only the length of those two poles. Frivolous discussion about the Buddha-Dharma can also be inferred and known from this.

5. The practice of conformity with the dharma-nature

The ocean of the dharma-realm is immeasurable and boundless, and the ocean of the bodhisattva's practices is likewise immeasurable and boundless. If one wished to use colored powder, brush, and ink to paint and depict empty space, it would truly be useless, for the dharma-realm is vast and without limit—how could any trace be found? Therefore the bodhisattva's practice in conformity with the self-nature is neither existent nor nonexistent, neither acting nor yet non-acting; it is simply the practice in conformity with the self-mastery of the dharma-nature.

1- The bodhisattva delivers all sentient beings until they finally reach the station of nirvāṇa without remainder, and yet the realm of sentient beings is not diminished—like a puppet stepping onto the stage of a play, clearly performing scenes of sorrow and joy. But in truth, that puppet is only a coating of clay, empty, with nothing at all. This is the practice in conformity with the dharma-nature.

2- The bodhisattva enters the Avīci hell, yet his mind is without affliction or resentment; he enters hell, yet there is no sin or evil; he enters the realm of animals, yet there are none of the faults of ignorance, arrogance, and so forth—like that young woman of the Zhang family whose soul departed from her body to seek pleasures, until the time when she bore children, while her body all along remained beside her father and mother. This is the practice in conformity with the dharma-nature.

3- The bodhisattva's own body enters concentration while another body emerges from concentration. One body enters concentration, many bodies emerge from concentration. From a sentient body he enters concentration; from an insentient body he emerges from concentration—like a fierce tiger that props up a corpse so that it stands, kneels and bows, leaps and dances. This is because the fierce tiger delights in playful sport, while the corpse itself inherently knows nothing. This is the practice in conformity with the dharma-nature.

4- The bodhisattva enters into the body of a tiny sentient being in order to set turning the wheel of the great Dharma, to kindle the torch of the great Dharma, to sound the thunder of the great Dharma, to topple the palaces of Māra, to shake the earth, and to deliver immeasurable, boundless sentient beings—yet that tiny sentient being is never aware of it, like the music-deva of the Lord of Heaven (Indra) who fled and hid within the nostril of a young woman, whom everyone searched for and could not find, while that young woman likewise was never aware of it. This is the practice in conformity with the dharma-nature.

5- Wishing to abide long in the world, the bodhisattva straightaway takes the time of an instant and extends it into immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of koṭis and hundreds of millions of kalpas. Wishing to abide briefly in the world, the bodhisattva straightaway takes the time of immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of koṭis and hundreds of millions of kalpas and contracts it within an instant—like a child watching a revolving lantern spin round and round forever, without beginning or end. This is the practice in conformity with the dharma-nature.

Therefore, if a person realizes such an inconceivable practice, then the Pure Lands of all the Buddhas throughout the three periods of time are gathered into a single thought without omission. This is the bodhisattva's practice of adorning the Pure Land, seen through the exercise of the impartial illuminating wisdom—not something that ordinary cognition and views can fathom. Why is this so? Because the self-nature transcends each and every measuring and reckoning.