記曰：舊註：楞伽，山名，此云不可往。又云：城名，以山頂有夜叉王城故。山居南海濱。阿䟦多羅，此云無上寶，貴重義。以通喻此經，是不可往無上寶經，非也。受公謂自覺聖智之境，非邪智可造，故云不可往。隨色摩尼之珠，非世寶可比，故云無上。謂不可往處，有此無上寶也。此亦未盡。然華嚴論云：世尊於南海摩羅耶山之頂，楞伽城中說法。其山高五百由旬，下瞰大海，無路可上。其城乃眾寶所成，光映日月，無門可入。得神通者，堪能升往。表心地法門，無修無證，方能升也。此說固爾。愚居五臺時，曾遇一梵師，于闐國人，髮長丈餘。不言其壽，但云入此土三十餘年。精於禪觀，兼明教乘，且善方言。愚請同住阿蘭若三年。每於談次，以經中所有梵語已明者，嘗請試之。所說皆與古譯㳷合。愚因問及楞伽經。師乃驚曰：遮裡亦有此經耶？此是不可說不可得之法也。我土國王寶之。因問：有多少卷？余曰：傳者四卷。師笑曰：來未盡耳。此經有四十卷，此才十分之一。及扣經中旨趣，言言皆發明離心意識境界，不可具述。因問：楞伽山在何處？師曰：此山在天竺國之南海中。又問：何以楞伽為名？師曰：楞(去聲呼)伽乃寶名。其狀八楞，視之渾圓，體極堅固，不可鑽穿，常放光明。世間之寶，無有過上者。故阿䟦多羅，此云無上。以山純此寶，是山以寶名，故曰楞伽阿䟦多羅寶山。山頂有城，此寶天成，無門可入，而為夜叉鬼王所據。佛在此山頂城中說此經，故經以處名耳。又問：此山人能到否？師云：人不能到。以其此山下細上大，每於陰雲黑夜，或波濤洶湧，其山形益顯露分明，光明愈盛。若海湛空澄，天無雲翳，海空一色，其山即不見。然彼土僧有修禪者，于海岸經行，望之以入觀耳。是則按華嚴論，準此梵師言，則山以寶名，經以處名，深有意焉。緣起經云：難入未曾有會中，說隨他緣起陀羅尼智，名為楞伽王識。蓋約處表法，又見深玄。然教稱智海、性海、覺海、心海。至若寶明空海，此經云藏識海。且又以生死喻海，涅槃喻海、喻山，五蘊亦喻山。況夜叉云可畏鬼，乃飛行而食生物者。然吾佛特住此海中寶山夜叉王城，而說此經，顯示自覺聖智境界。其經所詮者，乃五法、三自性、八識、二無我。即處觀法，其旨微哉。何則？經云：藏識海常住，境界風所動，洪波皷冥壑，無有斷絕時。斯則智海無性，因覺妄而成。凡湛淵心海，變而為生死之業海。寶明妙心，變而為八識、五蘊幻妄之身心。故寶有八楞山，高五百由旬，而為煩惱生死夜叉所據耳。然至昏雲黑夜，或波濤洶湧之際，而山形愈顯露者，所謂妄想興而涅槃現。夜叉鬼王請佛說法者，所謂煩惱起而佛道成。抑益顯此寶明妙性，雖住生死大海五蘊山中，不為煩惱所奪，不為生死波流，不為境界風動。無明黑暗，暗不能昏。長夜冥冥，靈光獨露耳。且云海湛空澄，山即不現者，愈見智海圓澄，萬象森羅，炳然齊印。身心世界，當下銷融。生死涅槃，應時平等。至此魔佛皆空，二俱不可得矣。噫，信乎，此為自覺聖智無上尊頂法門也。且義翻此經，名不可往，唯神通者能至。意顯此法門，非心行處。唯上上根人，一入頓入，不許捫摸湊泊。不入，亦不許思量攀緣。但只於境界波濤煩惱黑暗中，觀之而已。不觀，則不知生死海中有此物也。此經為根熟者，頓說業識種子。為如來藏，名頓教大乘。古德云，楞伽說五法三自性皆空，八識二無我俱遣。故達磨大師，指此為心印。馬大師云，楞伽以佛語心為宗，無門為法門。是以宗門師匠教人，直須離心意識，參出凡聖路。學而說者，但只標名立法，不知空遣奈何。益使後之學者，臆度祖師心印，亦如是而已。悲夫。
Treatise says: According to the old commentary, "Laṅkā" is the name of a mountain, meaning "inaccessible." It is also said to be the name of a city, because there is a yaksha king's palace on the mountain peak. The mountain lies on the coast of the southern sea. "Avatāra" means "unsurpassable jewel," conveying a sense of preciousness. To interpret the scripture as "The Inaccessible Unsurpassable Jewel Sūtra" is incorrect.
Master Shougōng says that it refers to the realm of self-realized noble wisdom, which cannot be reached by deluded knowledge. Hence it is called "inaccessible." The jewel that reflects all colors is not comparable to worldly treasures, hence it is called "unsurpassable." The meaning is that in an inaccessible place, there exists this unsurpassable jewel. Yet even this explanation doesn't fully capture its meaning.
According to the *Huayan Treatise*: "The World-Honored One taught on top of Mount Malayā by the southern sea, in Laṅkā City. The mountain is five hundred *yojanas* high, overlooking the sea, with no path to ascend. The city is made of various jewels, its light rivaling the sun and moon, with no gate to enter. Only those with spiritual powers are able to reach it. This symbolizes the mind-ground dharma gate, which cannot be attained through cultivation or realization; only then can one ascend." That is one explanation.
When I lived in Mount Wutai, I once met a Sanskrit master from Khotan. His hair was over ten feet long. He never spoke of his age, only that he had been in this land for over thirty years. He was skilled in Chan contemplation as well as scriptural teachings, and was fluent in local languages. I invited him to stay with me in a hermitage for three years. When we talked, I would test him on Sanskrit terms from the scriptures that were already understood. What he said always matched the ancient translations.
I then asked about the *Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra*. The master exclaimed in surprise, "This sūtra exists here too? It's a teaching that cannot be spoken or grasped. Our king treasures it as a jewel." I asked, "How many volumes are there?" He replied, "The version that has been transmitted here is only four volumes." He smiled and said, "The full text hasn't arrived. This sūtra has forty volumes; what you have is merely a tenth." When I inquired about the essential meaning of the sūtra, every word he uttered revealed the realm beyond mind, consciousness, and discrimination—too much to recount.
I asked, "Where is Laṅkā Mountain located?" He said, "It's in the southern sea of India." "Why is it named Laṅkā?" The master answered, "*Laṅkā* (pronounced with a departing tone) is the name of a jewel. Its shape is eight-angled, but it appears perfectly round. It is extremely hard, cannot be drilled or penetrated, and constantly emits light. No worldly treasure surpasses it. Thus *Avatāra* means 'unsurpassable.' Since the mountain is made purely of this jewel, it is named after the jewel. Hence it is called Laṅkāvatāra (the unsurpassable jewel mountain). At the mountain's summit is a city, naturally formed of this jewel, with no gate to enter. It was occupied by a yaksha ghost king. The Buddha taught this sūtra in the city on the mountain's summit, so the sūtra is named after its location."
I further asked, "Can ordinary people reach this mountain?" He replied, "No. The mountain is narrower at the base and wider at the top. During cloudy darkness, stormy nights, or when waves are tumultuous, the mountain's shape becomes even more distinct, and its light grows brighter. But when the sea is clear and calm, with no clouds in the sky and the sea and sky merge into one color, the mountain disappears. However, monks in India who practice meditation will walk along the coast and gaze at it to enter contemplation."
Thus, according to the *Huayan Treatise* and the Sanskrit master's words, the mountain is named after a jewel, and the sūtra is named after its location. This is deeply meaningful. The *Nidāna Sūtra* says: "In the assembly of the hard-to-enter, unprecedented, the dhāraṇī wisdom arising from conditions is taught, and it is called the consciousness of the Laṅkā king." This expresses a profound truth, using the setting as a symbol.
The scriptures speak of "Wisdom Sea," "Nature Sea," "Awakening Sea," "Mind Sea." Also "Jewel Brightness Empty Sea," "Storehouse Consciousness Sea." They also compare both saṃsāra and nirvāṇa to seas, to mountains, and the five aggregates to mountains. Yakshas are fearsome ghosts that fly and eat living beings. Our Buddha specifically stayed in this jewel mountain yaksha king's city in the middle of the sea to teach this sūtra, revealing the realm of self-realized noble wisdom.
What the sūtra discusses is "the five dharmas, the three natures, the eight consciousnesses, and the two kinds of selflessness." Observing these in relation to the setting, how subtle the meaning is! Why? The sūtra says: "The storehouse consciousness sea is ever abiding. Blown by the winds of perceived objects, great waves surge in the deep abyss, never ceasing." Thus, the wisdom sea has no intrinsic nature; it arises because of awareness and delusion. The originally tranquil mind sea transforms into the karmic sea of saṃsāra. The originally jewel-bright wondrous mind transforms into the illusory bodies and minds of the eight consciousnesses and five aggregates. Hence, the mountain of eight-angled jewels, five hundred *yojanas* high, is usurped by the yakshas of affliction and saṃsāra.
When clouds darken the night, or when stormy waves surge, the shape of the mountain becomes most apparent. This signifies that when false thinking arises, nirvāṇa appears. The yaksha ghost king invites the Buddha to teach—this shows that when afflictions arise, the path of Buddhahood is accomplished. This also reveals that this jewel-bright wondrous nature, even while dwelling in the great sea of saṃsāra and within the mountain of the five aggregates, is not taken over by afflictions, not swept away by the tides of saṃsāra, and not stirred by the winds of perceived objects. The darkness of ignorance cannot obscure it. In the long dark night, the spiritual light shines forth alone.
Moreover, when the sea is clear and calm, the mountain does not appear. This shows that when the wisdom sea is perfectly clear, all the myriad phenomena shine forth distinctly, each one of them imprinting clearly. Body, mind, and world disappear instantly. Saṃsāra and nirvāṇa become equal in that very moment. At this point, both Māra and Buddha are empty; neither can be grasped.
Ah, indeed! This is the unsurpassed, most revered dharma gate of self-realized noble wisdom. The meaning of this sūtra being called "inaccessible, only reachable by those with spiritual powers" signifies that this dharma gate is not a place for the mind's activity. Only those of the highest capacity can enter directly, instantly; they are not allowed to grope or fixate. Nor are they allowed to engage in thought or clinging. They simply observe amidst the waves of phenomena, afflictions, and darkness. Without this observation, they would not know that this treasure exists within the sea of saṃsāra.
This sūtra was taught for those of ripe roots, directly revealing the seeds of karmic consciousness as the tathāgata-garbha. It is called the Great Vehicle of Sudden Teaching. An ancient worthy said, "The *Laṅkāvatāra* declares that the five dharmas and three natures are all empty, and the eight consciousnesses and two kinds of selflessness are all set aside." Therefore, Great Master Bodhidharma pointed to this as the mind seal. Great Master Mazu said, "The *Laṅkāvatāra* takes the Buddha's speech mind as its principle, and having no gate as its dharma gate." Thus, patriarchs and Zen masters instructed people to directly depart from mind, consciousness, and discrimination, and to transcend the path of ordinary and sacred beings. Those who study and teach this sūtra merely label its teachings and set up its categories, unaware of the emptiness and abandonment it points to. This leads later students to speculate about the patriarchs' mind seal in such a superficial way. How tragic!