英語訳
【Right page, upper section】
The sutra says: "And receiving birth in the three realms." The interpretation says: There are superior and inferior aspects in receiving retribution.
The sutra says: "Why is this so?" The interpretation says: This is a questioning conclusion.
The sutra says: "Because karmic habitual retribution has not yet been completely destroyed, and because birth accords with the path." The interpretation says: The correct explanation. Due to the power of beginningless perfuming and habituation, one receives the birth and death of the three realms with limited lifespans. Being able to serve as the support for the holy path, it is called "birth according with the path."
The sutra says: "Furthermore, cultivating eighty million pāramitās for three incalculable eons, one should attain the equal holy sage ground, therefore dwelling in the abhivarta correct stage." The interpretation says: The time period for entering the stage. "Holy sage ground" means entering the first ground. Separating from grasper and grasped. "Abhivarta" means "non-retrogression." From the first ground onward, realizing the principle brings non-retrogression.
The sutra says: "Furthermore, Good Awakening Bodhisattva Mahāsattva." The interpretation says: The fourth [stage of] Good Awakening. This can be understood according to the previous [explanation].
The sutra says: "Dwelling in equal patience, cultivating the four attractions, never leaving the mind moment by moment." The interpretation says: Distinguishing cultivation practice. Separating from the characteristics of existence and non-existence is called "equal patience." Cultivating the four attractions, etc., is skillful wisdom—namely, using the four attractions to transform sentient beings.
The sutra says: "Entering characteristicless abandonment, extinguishing the three realms' greed and afflictions." The interpretation says: From here below, separately explaining the cultivation of the three wheels. Because of the nature of abandoning without greed, one can extinguish greed and desire.
The sutra says: "In the ultimate truth, not being two, constituting dharma-nature unconditioned." The interpretation says: This is a separate explanation.
【Right page, lower section】
Real wisdom realizes the three unconditioned. First is dharma-nature unconditioned, second is analytical cessation unconditioned, third is non-analytical cessation unconditioned.
The sutra says: "By being conditioned by principle and extinguishing all characteristics, it constitutes wisdom-conditioned cessation, characteristicless unconditioned." The interpretation says: Analytical cessation unconditioned. Namely, being conditioned by suchness, extinguishing all afflictions, provisionally established upon the revealed suchness as analytical cessation. "Analysis" means discrimination—this is the name of wisdom. "Cessation" means principle-cessation. Through wisdom extinguishing delusions, this is the revealed unconditioned. "Wisdom" refers to the mental factor of wisdom. Using wisdom as condition to extinguish delusions, because it is the unconditioned principle obtained, it is called "wisdom-conditioned cessation unconditioned." The meaning is one.
The sutra says: "When dwelling in initial patience, future countless births and deaths are extinguished not by wisdom-conditioning, therefore [constituting] non-wisdom-conditioned cessation, characteristicless unconditioned." The interpretation says: This is non-analytical cessation unconditioned. When dwelling in the time of initial basic patience of faith-patience, permanently severing all discriminative afflictions, therefore obtaining non-analytical cessation among future dharmas. This can be understood according to the above.
The sutra says: "Having no self-other characteristics, no characteristics, and no non-characteristics." The interpretation says: This reveals the three unconditioned. Separating from the characteristics of existence and non-existence, the meaning reveals that the nature of all three types is empty. Saying "no self-other characteristics" dispels self-characteristics, immediately revealing the principle of personal emptiness. Saying "no characteristics and no non-characteristics" reveals the principle of dharma emptiness. Because it is not characteristicless, it says "no non-characteristics." Because it is not having characteristics, it says "characteristicless."
The sutra says: "Having no countless skillful means, all are present contemplation." The interpretation says: Revealing skillful wisdom. Because it is not inner realization.
【Left page, upper section】
The sutra says: "True characteristic skillful means: in the ultimate truth, not sinking, not emerging, not inverted—namely self-views, etc. When entering the first ground, separating from the above four." The interpretation says: From here below explaining the six types of skillful means. This is the first true characteristic skillful means. Because it is conditioned by the ultimate meaning, it is called "true characteristics." Namely, subsequently-attained wisdom in the first ground separates from the four positions, therefore explaining the "four nots." Also, "sinking" means dullness and torpor—this is an obstacle to concentration. "Emerging" means restlessness—this is an obstacle to wisdom. "Turning" refers to doubt and other remaining delusions. "Inversion" means self-views, etc. When entering the first ground, one separates from the above four.
The sutra says: "Universal learning skillful means: neither realization nor non-realization, yet learning everything." The interpretation says: The second skillful means. Extensively [studying] various learning and different treatises, universally knowing the intentions of sages. Also universally learning the five sciences treatises, etc. Not discriminating between realization and non-realization. Although neither realization nor non-realization, yet able to illuminate and understand all treatises. Also, because there is truth within the conventional, it is non-realization. Because there is conventional within truth, it is called "not non-realization."
The sutra says: "Dedication skillful means: neither dwelling in fruit nor not dwelling in fruit, yet directing toward sarva-jñā." The interpretation says: The third skillful means. Seeking great bodhi, not the same as the two vehicles seeking to dwell in small fruit—called "not dwelling in fruit." Not the same as ordinary beings having no seeking to dwell in fruit—called "not not-dwelling." Proceeding toward bodhi is called "directing toward sarva-jñā."
The sutra says: "Māra sovereignty skillful means: practicing the Buddha path on non-paths, unmoved by the four māras." The interpretation says: The fourth skillful means. This is skillful means of attraction and guidance. Practicing Buddha on non-paths: the Vimalakīrti Sutra says, sometimes manifesting as prostitutes, attracting those who desire beautiful forms, first using desire as a hook to make them enter the Buddha path. Even Vimalakīrti's disturbances cannot find opportunity. The "four māras" are: first, affliction māra; second, aggregate māra; third,
【Left page, lower section】
death māra; fourth, heavenly māra.
The sutra says: "One vehicle skillful means: in non-dual characteristics, penetrating all practices of sentient beings." The interpretation says: The fifth skillful means. Because the principle-essence has no duality, the one vehicle is taught. In the one vehicle dharma, skillfully knowing the different practice characteristics of sentient beings is called skillful means. Saying "non-dual" explains the above one vehicle. Saying "penetrating everything" reveals its skillful means. The Lotus Sutra says: "In the one Buddha vehicle, discriminatively explaining three"—this is one meaning.
The sutra says: "Transformation skillful means: through vow-power, freely being born in all pure Buddha lands." The interpretation says: The sixth skillful means. "Transformation" is another name for transformation. The Vijñapti-mātra [treatise] says: transformation birth-and-death is called "transformation birth." Ground-level bodhisattvas, through vow-power, receive transformation birth in pure lands, not receiving the bodies of limited lifespan in the three realms. Therefore it is called "transformation."
The sutra says: "Thus, good men, this initial awakening wisdom, in existence and non-existence characteristics yet not being two, is the illumination of real wisdom." The interpretation says: Again revealing the similarities and differences of the two wisdoms. In the first ground, first awakening to the two emptiness principles, therefore called "initial awakening wisdom." Illuminating non-duality in existence and non-existence characteristics—this is fundamental wisdom.
The sutra says: "Skillfully using without realizing, not sinking, not emerging, not falling—this is skillful contemplation." The interpretation says: Second, revealing skillful wisdom. This is subsequently-attained wisdom, called "skillful wonderful use." Saying "not realizing" means not like heretics realizing the four meditative absorptions and taking them as nirvana. Saying "not sinking" means not like ordinary beings sinking into birth and death. Saying "not emerging" means not like the two vehicles emerging from birth and death. Saying "not falling" means not like pre-ground bodhisattvas. "Not falling" is the first ground. Also it should be said: not the same as pre-ground bodhisattvas giving rise to inversions.