(楞伽者，此云不可往。阿云無，跋多羅云上。寶，貴重義。經，貫攝義。是名不可往無上寶經。謂自覺聖究竟之境，非邪智可造，故曰不可往。隨眾色摩尼之珠，非世寶可比，故曰無上。謂不可往處，有此無上寶也。不可徃是喻，無上寶亦喻也。此經蓋以單譬立題。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，無修無證者，方能升也。下瞰大海，表心海本自澄淨。因境風所轉，識浪隨動。惟心空境寂，則此識浪無復起矣。識浪既息，物無不鑑。猶如大海無風，日月星辰等象，炳然顯現。此經乃為根熟者，頓說種子業識為如來藏，異彼二乘滅識趣寂者故。亦為異彼般若修空，菩薩空增勝者故。蓋直明識體本性全真，即成智用。非彼深密別立九識，接引初根，漸令留惑長大菩提。不令其心植種於空，亦不令心猶如敗種。解深密經，乃是入惑之初門。楞伽維摩，直示惑之本實。楞伽即明八識為如來藏。淨名即觀身實相，觀佛亦然。淨名與楞伽同。深密經文，則與此二部少別。當知入胎出胎，少年老年，乃至資生住處，若色若空，若性若相，皆是自識，唯佛能知。一經之旨，槩見於此。)

<note>“Lengqie” means “inaccessible.” “A” means “without,” “Batuoluo” means “supreme.” “Bao” means “precious” and signifies value. “Jing” means “sutra,” which threads together and contains teachings. Thus, its name is “The Inaccessible Supreme Jewel Sutra.” This refers to the ultimate realm of enlightened self-realization, which cannot be reached by misguided intelligence—hence “inaccessible.” Like a wish-fulfilling jewel that reflects all colors, it cannot be compared to worldly treasures—hence “supreme.” The inaccessible place holds this supreme jewel. “Inaccessible” is a metaphor, and “supreme jewel” is also a metaphor. This sutra is titled with a single simile.

The Flower Adornment Sutra commentary says: “The World-Honored One taught at the summit of Mount Malaya in the Southern Sea, within the city of Lanka. The mountain is five hundred yojanas tall, overlooking the vast ocean, with no path to ascend. The city is formed of precious gems, its light outshining the sun and moon, with no gate to enter. Only those with spiritual powers can ascend there. This symbolizes that the ground of mind-only teaching can only be reached by those who have no cultivation to cultivate and no realization to realize. Overlooking the vast ocean symbolizes that the mind-sea is originally clear and calm, but is stirred by the winds of conditions, causing waves of consciousness to arise. Only when the mind is empty and conditions are still do these waves of consciousness cease. When the waves of consciousness subside, everything is reflected without obstruction—just as on a windless ocean, the sun, moon, and stars appear vividly.

This sutra is taught to those whose roots are mature, directly revealing that the seed-consciousness and karmic consciousness are the Tathagata-garbha. This is different from the two vehicles, which extinguish consciousness and seek stillness. It is also different from the Prajna path, where Bodhisattvas cultivate emptiness and tend to emphasize emptiness. This sutra directly clarifies that the essence of consciousness itself is entirely true, and this very essence becomes the function of wisdom. It does not follow the “Profound Secrets” teaching, which establishes a ninth consciousness separately to guide beginners gradually, allowing them to retain afflictions and grow toward enlightenment. This sutra does not let the mind plant seeds in emptiness, nor does it let the mind become like a rotten seed.

The Sutra of Profound Secrets is the entrance for beginning practitioners to engage with afflictions. The Lanka Sutra and the Vimalakirti Sutra directly reveal the true nature of afflictions. The Lanka Sutra clarifies that the eight consciousnesses are the Tathagata-garbha. The Vimalakirti Sutra observes the true nature of the body, and the same for the Buddha. The Vimalakirti and Lanka Sutras are identical. The Sutra of Profound Secrets differs slightly from these two. Know that entering the womb, leaving the womb, youth, old age, and even the necessities of life—whether form or emptiness, whether nature or appearance—are all one's own consciousness, known only by the Buddha. The essential teaching of this sutra is broadly visible here.</note>

Lankavatara Sutra (楞伽經集註)

Lankavatara Sutra (楞伽經集註)