鎔融任運門第四
Chapter 4: The Gate of Spontaneous Fusion
夫性海無涯。眾德以之繁廣。緣生不測多門由是圓通。莫不迴轉萬差卷舒之形。隨智鎔融一際開合之勢。從心照不生機。縱差別而恒順用非乖體。雖一味而常通。今就體勢而言。略分十義。
The ocean of true nature is boundless, and within it, all virtues flourish and expand. The arising of phenomena is unfathomable, yet through its many gateways, all is perfectly interpenetrated.
Nothing remains fixed—all forms unfold and withdraw, shaped by wisdom. All distinctions merge into a seamless whole, opening and closing in harmony with the mind.
Though phenomena arise, their essence remains undisturbed; Though diverse in appearance, they never depart from the underlying unity. Though fundamentally one, they freely manifest in endless ways.
Now, to clarify this dynamic nature, I will briefly outline ten key principles.
一會理事 二達色空 三通大小四收遠近 五明純雜 六融念劫七了一多 八會通局 九明卷舒十總圓融
First, understanding principles and phenomena; Second, discerning form and emptiness; Third, mastering the great and the small; Fourth, encompassing the near and the far; Fifth, clarifying the pure and the mixed; Sixth, merging thought and eons; Seventh, realizing the one and the many; Eighth, harmonizing the universal and the particular; Ninth, revealing contraction and expansion; Tenth, unifying all in perfect harmony.
初會理事者。如塵相圓小是事。塵性空無是理。以事無體。事隨理而融通。由塵無體。即遍通於一切。由一切事事不異理。全現塵中。故經云。廣世界即是狹世界。狹世界即是廣世界。
In the first understanding, where phenomena and principle come together, consider this: The tiny, round form of a dust mote is the phenomenon. Its empty, insubstantial nature is the principle. Since phenomena have no fixed substance, they merge and flow freely according to principle. Because the dust mote lacks inherent substance, it pervades and connects with everything. And because all phenomena are not separate from principle, the entirety of all things is fully present within a single dust mote. Thus, the scripture says: The vast world is the narrow world; the narrow world is the vast world.
二達色空者。如見塵從緣成立是色。色無體故是空。空若無色而言空。即是無世諦之妄色。因妄色而有真諦之真空。色若無空而言色。即是無真諦之真空。因真空而有世諦之妄色。今但了妄無體。即是真空。非無色名空也。經云。色性自空。非色滅空。
Understanding the Two Truths of Form and Emptiness:
Take, for example, a speck of dust—it appears as form because it arises from conditions. Yet, since form has no inherent substance, it is empty. If emptiness were understood as the mere absence of form, that would deny the conventional truth of illusory form. It is precisely because of illusory form that the ultimate truth of true emptiness exists.
Conversely, if form were understood without emptiness, that would deny the ultimate truth of true emptiness. It is precisely because of true emptiness that the conventional truth of illusory form appears.
Now, simply realize that the illusory has no substance—this is true emptiness. It is not that emptiness means the absence of form. As the sutra says: "The nature of form is itself empty; it is not that form ceases to be and then emptiness arises."
三通大小者。如塵圓相是小。須彌高廣為大。然此塵與彼山。大小相容。隨心迴轉。而不生滅。且如見高廣之時。是自心現作大。非別有大。今見塵圓小之時。亦是自心現作小。非別有小。今由見塵。全以見山。高廣之心。而現塵也。是故即小容大也。經云。金剛鐵圍數無量。悉能安置一毛端。欲明至大有小相。菩薩因此初發心。
The distinction between large and small is like this: the tiny speck of dust in its round form is small, while the vast height and breadth of Mount Sumeru is large. Yet this dust and that mountain, though differing in size, can contain each other, turning and transforming according to the mind, without arising or ceasing.
For instance, when you perceive something as tall and vast, it is your own mind manifesting it as large—there is no separate "large" out there. Similarly, when you see the dust as tiny and round, it is your own mind manifesting it as small—there is no separate "small" out there. Now, by seeing the dust, you are fully seeing it through the same mind that perceives the mountain's height and breadth. That is why the small can contain the large.
As the scripture says: Countless diamond mountains and iron walls Can all be placed upon a single tip of a hair. To understand that the greatest has the mark of the small, The bodhisattva first awakens the mind because of this.
四收遠近者。謂此塵是近。彼十方世界是遠。今塵無體。該通一切十方。即此十方全是塵之十方。是故遠恒近也。然十方雖遠。秖是塵性之十方。縱超不可說世界。亦是不出塵性。何以故。塵量無體。等虛空界。不可出過故。是故一切十方。唯塵性顯也。又雖離此至十方。時亦見此塵。何以故。由塵無體。事隨理而融現。是故塵性。遍一切時。塵事亦同顯現。此乃一塵中顯現一切。而遠近彼此宛然。十方入一塵中。遠而恒近。塵遍十方。近而恒遠。塵與十方。近之與遠。一際顯然。更無別異思之。
The Fourfold Gathering of Near and Far: This speck of dust is near, while the worlds in the ten directions are far. Yet this dust has no fixed substance—it encompasses and connects all worlds in the ten directions. Thus, the ten directions are entirely the ten directions of this dust. Therefore, what is far is always near.
Though the ten directions may seem distant, they are merely the ten directions within the nature of dust. Even if one were to transcend countless worlds, one would still not go beyond the nature of dust. Why? Because the measure of dust is without substance, equal to the realm of space—it cannot be surpassed. Hence, all ten directions are revealed solely through the nature of dust.
Moreover, even if one departs from here and travels to the ten directions, one will still see this dust. Why? Because dust has no fixed substance—phenomena manifest in accordance with principle. Thus, the nature of dust pervades all times, and the phenomena of dust are likewise revealed everywhere.
This is how a single speck of dust reveals all things, yet near and far, this and that, remain distinctly apparent. The ten directions enter a single speck of dust—far yet always near. Dust pervades the ten directions—near yet always far. Dust and the ten directions, near and far, are clearly one and the same, without any distinction. Reflect on this.
五明純雜者。謂塵無生。即一切法皆無生是純。即塵無生義中。具含理事。亦空亦色亦菩提亦涅槃等是雜。理不礙事。純恒雜也。事恒全理。雜恒純也。由理事自在。純雜無礙也。
The distinction between pure and mixed knowledge refers to this: The dust of phenomena has no inherent arising—this means all phenomena are without inherent arising, which is "pure." Within the meaning of "the dust of phenomena having no inherent arising," both principle and phenomena are contained—it is both empty and form, both enlightenment and nirvana, and so on—this is "mixed."
Principle does not obstruct phenomena—the pure is always mixed. Phenomena fully embody principle—the mixed is always pure.
Because principle and phenomena are free and unobstructed, pure and mixed are without hindrance.
六融念劫者。如見塵時。是一念心所現。此一念之心現時。全是百千大劫。何以故。以百千大劫由本一念方成大劫。既相成立。俱無體性。由一念無體。即通大劫。大劫無體。即該一念。由念劫無體。長短之相自融。乃至遠近世界。佛及眾生。三世一切事物。莫不皆於一念中現。何以故。一切事法。依心而現。念既無礙。法亦隨融。是故一念即見三世一切事物顯然。經云。或一念即百千劫。百千劫即一念。
The principle of the six fusions, such as the fusion of a single thought and an eon, can be understood like this: When you see a speck of dust, it is manifested by a single thought of the mind. When this single thought arises, it fully encompasses hundreds and thousands of great eons. Why is this so? Because hundreds and thousands of great eons are formed based on that single original thought. Since they are mutually established, they both lack inherent substance. Because a single thought has no inherent substance, it extends through great eons. Because a great eon has no inherent substance, it encompasses a single thought. Since both thought and eon lack inherent substance, the distinctions of long and short naturally dissolve. This applies even to distant and nearby worlds, Buddhas and sentient beings, and all phenomena across the three times—past, present, and future—all are manifested within a single thought. Why? Because all phenomena arise dependent on the mind. Since thoughts are unobstructed, phenomena also dissolve accordingly. Thus, in a single thought, all phenomena of the three times are clearly revealed. As the sutra says: "A single thought may be hundreds of thousands of eons, and hundreds of thousands of eons may be a single thought."
七了一多者。如塵自相是一。由自一不動。方能遍應成多。若動自一。即失遍應。多亦不成。一二三皆亦如是。又一多相由成立。如一全是多。方名為一。又多全是一。方名為多。多外無別一。明知。是多中一。一外無別多。明知。是一中多。良以非多。然能為一多。非一然能為多一。以不失無性。方有一多之智。經云。譬如算數法從一增至十。乃至無有量。皆從本數起智慧無差別。
When one becomes many, it is like dust particles: each particle's own nature is singular. Because its singular nature remains unmoving, it can universally respond and become many. If it moves from its singularity, it loses the ability to universally respond, and the many also cannot be formed. The same principle applies to one, two, and three.
Furthermore, the relationship between one and many is mutually established. For example, one is entirely many; only then is it called "one." And many are entirely one; only then are they called "many." There is no separate "one" outside of the many; thus, it is clear that "one" exists within the many. There is no separate "many" outside of the one; thus, it is clear that "many" exists within the one.
Indeed, it is precisely because it is not inherently "many" that it can become the "one" within the many. It is precisely because it is not inherently "one" that it can become the "many" within the one. Because it does not lose its nature of emptiness, the wisdom of one and many can manifest.
As the scripture says: "Just as in counting, from one it increases to ten, and even to immeasurable numbers—all arise from the fundamental number. Wisdom is no different."
八會通局者。謂塵之小相是局。即相無體是通。今無邊剎海。常現塵中乃通恒局。一塵全遍剎海乃局恒通又不壞小而容大。即不思議。一塵廣容佛剎。不泯大而居小。即不思議。佛剎海常現塵中。是為通局無礙也。
The eight assemblies of interpenetration and localization: The minute appearance of a dust mote is its localization, while its lack of inherent substance is its interpenetration. Now, the boundless ocean of worlds constantly manifests within a dust mote—this is interpenetration ever-localized. A single dust mote fully pervades the ocean of worlds—this is localization ever-interpenetrating. Moreover, without destroying the small, it accommodates the vast—this is inconceivable. A single dust mote widely contains Buddha lands—this is inconceivable. Without dissolving the vast, it dwells within the small—this is inconceivable. The ocean of Buddha lands constantly manifests within a dust mote—this is the unimpeded union of interpenetration and localization.
九明卷舒者。謂塵無性舉體全遍十方是舒。十方無體隨緣全現塵中是卷。經云。以一佛土滿十方。十方入一亦無餘。今卷則一切事於一塵中現。若舒則一塵遍一切處即舒常卷。一塵攝一切故。即卷常舒。一切攝一塵故。是為卷舒自在也。
The nine illuminations of expansion and contraction. It means that since dust particles have no inherent nature, their entire being expands to fill the ten directions—this is expansion. Since the ten directions have no fixed substance, they fully manifest within a dust particle according to conditions—this is contraction. The scripture says: "With one Buddha land filling the ten directions, the ten directions enter one without remainder." Now, in contraction, all phenomena appear within a single dust particle. In expansion, a single dust particle pervades all places. Thus, expansion is always contraction, because one dust particle contains all things. Contraction is always expansion, because all things contain one dust particle. This is the freedom of expansion and contraction.
十總圓融者。謂塵相既盡惑識又亡。以事無體故。事隨理而圓融。體有事故。理隨事而通會。是則終日有而常空。空不絕有。終日空而常有。有不礙空。然不礙有之空。能融萬像。不絕空之有。能成一切。是故萬像宛然。彼此無礙也。
Tenfold Perfect Harmony means that when the dust-like appearances are exhausted and deluded perceptions are extinguished, because phenomena have no inherent substance, phenomena accord with principle and become perfectly harmonious. Because substance contains phenomena, principle follows phenomena and interpenetrates. Thus, all day long there is existence, yet it is constantly empty—emptiness does not cut off existence. All day long there is emptiness, yet it is constantly existent—existence does not obstruct emptiness. Moreover, emptiness that does not obstruct existence can harmonize all appearances. Existence that does not cut off emptiness can accomplish all things. Therefore, all appearances are vividly present, with no obstruction between them.
然上諸義鎔融之勢。因無性以得通。任運之形。因緣起而得會。一多全攝窺一塵。所以頓彰。彼此相收瞻纖毫以之齊現。良以心通則法門自在。義顯則大智由成。尋之者詎究其源。談之者罕窮其奧。任運之用。何可稱哉。
The profound truths above merge seamlessly, for through emptiness they find their way. The effortless form arises, for through dependent arising they come together. The one and the many fully contain each other—look at a single speck of dust, and it reveals all at once. The self and others embrace each other—gaze upon the tiniest hair, and all appears in unison. Truly, when the mind is free, the Dharma gates open naturally. When the meaning is clear, great wisdom is born. Yet those who seek it hardly fathom its source; those who speak of it rarely grasp its depths. How can the effortless function ever be fully described?