菩提心觀釋
Enlightenment Mind Contemplation
西天譯經三藏朝散大夫試鴻臚卿傳教大師臣法天奉 詔譯
Translated by the Tripitaka Master Dharma Deva, a court official and missionary master, under imperial decree.
歸命本師， 大覺世尊， 我今略釋，
菩提心觀。
I bow to my original teacher, the Great Awakened One, the World-Honored One. Now I briefly explain the contemplation of the Bodhi mind.
如佛所說，從心生一切法。我今當議彼菩提心。云何性？答：離一切性。云何一切性？謂蘊、處、界等性。彼菩提心離取捨故，則法無我，自性平等，本來不生，自性空故。所言一切性者，是我等性，謂我、人、眾生、壽者、補特伽羅、摩拏嚩迦等性，而彼等性非菩提心。於意云何？謂彼我等而於自性離一切相中而生我見，從我見生一切煩惱；此不生彼心。或言蘊處界等亦離取捨，謂蘊處界等性真實理不可得故。云何色相等無實？謂色蘊四大合成故。四大者，即地水火風界。復生五色，謂色聲香味觸。彼地大等及五色等，一一各自性不可得。如是諸法皆然，是故知色名虛假，由此知色蘊空。譬如因樹有影，樹滅影亡。色蘊如是，受蘊亦然。云何名受？受有三種，謂苦受、樂受、非苦樂受，而此三受互相因緣。復有二種，謂身受、意受。身色蘊攝，身不可得，故若無身即無受，亦不可言亦不可說、非短非長非色非相、無實無著，不可知故。身受如是，意受亦然。受蘊如是。見受蘊空，想蘊亦虛假不實。緣慮所攝，而彼緣慮不可得故，即非緣慮。非緣慮故，見想蘊空。想蘊如是，行蘊亦然。心所造作善意記念等行，無所有故。彼心法所生色等蘊，一一無所生，是故知行蘊業相不實亦無主宰，即見行蘊空。行蘊如是，識蘊亦然。乃至眼耳鼻舌身意，彼眼識等一一自性皆不可得。彼眼緣有色，從緣生識，無緣即不生識。而此眼色及彼色蘊等無分齊，此分別眼色即非眼色，識無所生。眼識如是，耳鼻舌身意亦然，如是知此識依止摩曩識。由依止摩曩識故，即發生過去未來見在法故。云何過去未來見在法？謂過去已滅、未來未生、見在不住，由是知識蘊空。如是一一說蘊處界，各各分別，自性皆空。彼非無性即真實句，喻無種子不生芽莖，是故說彼蘊處界等亦離取捨。云何菩提心無取無捨？如佛所說，告祕密主：彼菩提心，如來、應、正等覺了知彼心，非青非黃、非赤非白、非紅色非頗胝迦色、非短非長、非圓非方、非明非暗、非女非男非黃門等。又祕密主！菩提心非欲界性、非色界性、非天性、非夜叉、非乾闥婆、非阿修羅、非人非非人等性，乃至一切智求亦不可得。如是取心非有，云何言有捨？故又如佛說，告祕密主：菩提心非內非外非中間，不可得故。於意云何？以自性寂靜故。又祕密主！彼菩提心，一切智求不可得，云何得取捨？如是於法得離取捨，平等無我。如一切法，無我亦然。如佛所說，菩提心亦然。一切法空、無相、無我，諸法寂靜無寂靜相。心本平等，本來不生亦非不生。復云何性？答曰：空性。空云何性？謂如虛空故。如佛所說，虛空之性，空無喻故。菩提之心亦復如是，菩提之名非性非相、無生無滅、非覺非無覺。若如是了知，是名菩提心。又如佛說，告祕密主：於自本心如實了知，於無有法亦不可得，是故名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。又告祕密主：當於自心如實觀已，然後發起方便觀於眾生，知諸眾生於自覺性不如實知，起於疑妄顛倒執著，受於種種輪迴大苦。我由此故起大悲心，令諸眾生於自心法如實證覺。是即名為菩提心，是名利益心、安樂心、最上心、法界善覺心。以如是智攝諸眾生故，名菩提心。發此心故，所獲福德亦如虛空無有邊際，其功德海亦復無量，雖復劫盡功德無盡。如是名為發一切智根本最上菩提心。
As the Buddha taught, all dharmas arise from the mind. Now I shall examine this mind of Enlightenment (Bodhicitta). What is its nature? Answer: It is free from all natures. What are "all natures"? They are the natures of the aggregates, elements, and sense fields. The mind of Enlightenment, being free from grasping and rejecting, reveals the non-self of dharmas—its nature is inherently equal, unborn from the very beginning, and empty by its own nature.
What are called "all natures" are the natures of self and related concepts—such as self, person, sentient being, soul, individual, and human. These natures are not the mind of Enlightenment. Why? Because within the nature that is free from all characteristics, the view of a self arises, and from that self-view, all afflictions arise. This mind of Enlightenment does not arise from such things.
It may be said that the aggregates, elements, and sense fields are also free from grasping and rejecting, because their true nature cannot be found. How are form and other phenomena unreal? Form is composed of the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—which further give rise to the five sense objects: form, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Each of these elements and sense objects has no obtainable self-nature. Likewise, all dharmas are like this. Therefore, we know that the name "form" is merely conventional, and through this, we understand that the form aggregate is empty.
For example, a shadow depends on a tree; when the tree is cut down, the shadow disappears. The form aggregate is like this, and so is the feeling aggregate. What is feeling? Feeling has three kinds: pleasant, unpleasant, and neither pleasant nor unpleasant. These three feelings arise in mutual dependence. There are also two kinds: bodily feeling and mental feeling. Bodily feeling is included in the form aggregate. Since the body cannot be found, without a body there is no feeling. It cannot be spoken of or described—neither short nor long, neither form nor characteristic, neither real nor attached, and unknowable. Bodily feeling is like this, and mental feeling is the same. Thus is the feeling aggregate.
Seeing the feeling aggregate as empty, we find that the perception aggregate is also false and unreal. It is included in mental discrimination, but since that discrimination cannot be found, it is not truly discrimination. Because it is not discrimination, we see the perception aggregate as empty. The perception aggregate is like this, and so is the formation aggregate. The mental formations—wholesome intentions, memories, and other activities—have no existence of their own. The form and other aggregates produced by mental activity each have nothing that truly arises. Therefore, we know that the formations aggregate, with its karmic characteristics, is unreal and without an owner, and thus we see the formations aggregate as empty. The formation aggregate is like this, and so is the consciousness aggregate.
Even the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, along with eye-consciousness and so forth, each have no obtainable self-nature. The eye depends on form, and consciousness arises from conditions; without conditions, consciousness does not arise. This eye and form, along with the form aggregate, have no fixed boundary. When we examine them, the eye is not truly eye, and form is not truly form—consciousness has nothing from which to arise. Eye-consciousness is like this, and so are ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness. Thus, we know that this consciousness depends on the mind-consciousness (manas). Because it depends on the mind-consciousness, it gives rise to dharmas of the past, future, and present. What are past, future, and present dharmas? The past has already ceased, the future has not yet arisen, and the present does not abide. Through this, we understand that the consciousness aggregate is empty.
Thus, each of the aggregates, elements, and sense fields, when examined individually, is empty by nature. This is not to say they are non-existent—it is the true statement itself. Just as without a seed, no sprout or stem can grow, so too are the aggregates, elements, and sense fields free from grasping and rejecting.
How is the mind of Enlightenment free from grasping and rejecting? As the Buddha taught, he told Secret Lord (Guhyapati): "The Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Fully Enlightened One, knows that mind—it is not blue, not yellow, not red, not white, not crimson, not crystal-colored; not short, not long; not round, not square; not bright, not dark; not female, not male, not neuter."
Furthermore, Secret Lord! The mind of Enlightenment is not of the desire realm, not of the form realm, not of the formless realm; it is not of gods, not of yakshas, not of gandharvas, not of asuras, not of humans, not of non-humans—none of these natures apply. Even the search for it through omniscience cannot find it. Since the mind cannot be grasped, how could there be anything to reject?
Thus, as the Buddha also taught, he told Secret Lord: "The mind of Enlightenment is not inside, not outside, not in between—it cannot be found. Why? Because its nature is inherently tranquil."
Again, Secret Lord! That mind of Enlightenment cannot be found even by omniscience—how then could it be grasped or rejected? Thus, in this way, one becomes free from grasping and rejecting in all dharmas, equal and without self. Just as all dharmas are without self, so too is the mind of Enlightenment. As the Buddha taught, the mind of Enlightenment is the same: all dharmas are empty, signless, and selfless. All dharmas are tranquil, yet there is no mark of tranquility. The mind is originally equal, originally unborn, and also not "unborn."
What then is its nature? Answer: It is emptiness. What is the nature of emptiness? It is like space. As the Buddha taught, the nature of space is empty and beyond all comparison. The mind of Enlightenment is likewise. The name "Enlightenment" is neither nature nor characteristic, neither born nor destroyed, neither awareness nor non-awareness. To understand this is called the mind of Enlightenment.
As the Buddha further taught, he told Secret Lord: "To know one's own mind as it truly is, and to find no dharma that can be grasped—this is called Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi (Supreme Perfect Enlightenment)."
Again, he told Secret Lord: "After observing your own mind as it truly is, then generate the skillful means to observe sentient beings. Know that sentient beings do not truly understand their own enlightened nature, and thus fall into doubt, delusion, and inverted attachments, experiencing the great suffering of cyclic existence. Because of this, I generate great compassion, so that all sentient beings may awaken to the truth of their own mind. This is called the mind of Enlightenment—the mind of benefit, the mind of happiness, the supreme mind, the mind of perfect awakening in the Dharma realm. Because it embraces all sentient beings with such wisdom, it is called the mind of Enlightenment."
By generating this mind, the merit obtained is as boundless as space, and the ocean of virtue is likewise immeasurable. Even if the eons themselves come to an end, this merit never ends. This is called the supreme mind of Enlightenment, the root of all wisdom.
菩提心觀釋一卷
Contemplation on the Bodhi Mind