英語訳
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When established in the tathāgatagarbha, nature and characteristics interpenetrate freely. At the ultimate stage of tathāgatagarbha dependent origination emerging from obstacles, one enters the realm of pure cognition - this is called the ten mysteries and six characteristics. From this we can verify that the two emptinesses, three natures, and consciousness-only are precisely the foundation of the perfect teaching. If one were to seek the ten mysteries Indra apart from the two emptinesses, three natures, consciousness-only, mind-only, etc., it would be like trying to construct a great mansion on rotten mud. How could this be achieved? The writings of the Second Patriarch often point out this principle. Now I will present just two or three examples: Chapter One of the Outline, the Consciousness-Only Chapter (etc.), the One Vehicle Chapter (etc.). Also, in the lower section of the Fifty Essential Questions and Answers, after clarifying consciousness-only contemplation, it states: "All should diligently strive with certainty and without doubt. With laziness there is no accomplishment. The decrease of afflictions is the sign of successful contemplation. This applies to both one vehicle teaching and three vehicle teaching" (etc.). The next chapter, after clarifying emptiness contemplation, states: "The scope of these two realms - this emptiness contemplation and the above consciousness-only - cannot be grasped as understanding at the time of comprehension. If grasped as understanding at the time of comprehension, it merely becomes a delusory realm. Up to exhausting expedient emptiness is the ultimate of the one vehicle" (text). The Record of the Mind Roaming the Dharma Realm (etc.). The Contemplation of Delusion's Exhaustion and Return to Source (etc.).
Furthermore, throughout the great Huayan Sutra from beginning to end, it proclaims the treasury nature dependent origination, cessation of delusion and cultivation of truth. In the commentary it sometimes speaks of "borrowing from the final teaching" or "meeting with the perfect principle." The interpretations are flexible with giving and taking at will. What is called "borrowing language" reveals the secret principle that the two emptinesses and suchness, cessation of delusion and cultivation of truth, etc., when compared to the realm of Samantabhadra's pure cognition, are expedient aids to the path, and in essence are not partial or provisional. This is like the borrowed consciousness of the second dhyāna and above not being another's consciousness. This does not mean that perfect persons have no significance in relying on the two emptinesses, mind-only, cessation of delusion and cultivation of truth as auxiliary cultivation. Although National Teacher Xianshou composed works like the Tanxuan and vigorously promoted the perfect teaching, he also
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commented on sutras like the Laṅkāvatāra and Ghanavyūha, and treatises like the Awakening of Faith and the Twelve Gates of the Dharma Realm Without Difference, exhausting his strength in propagation and exposition. He also interpreted the Prajñāpāramitā Heart Sutra, judging it to be a true teaching, and strived to expound the true principle of the emptiness school. Regarding disciplinary teachings, he commented on the Brahmajāla Precepts, lamenting that Mahāyāna Vinaya was not yet complete, and aspired to cross over to India. When his aspiration was not fulfilled, he compiled the Bodhisattva Vinaya in twenty volumes. His earnest dedication to the beginning and final teachings was thus. This is because the principles of the beginning and final teachings are entirely the foundation of the perfect one vehicle.
One should know that at the ultimate point of investigating the principles of the two emptinesses, three natures, consciousness-only, and mind-only, the ten mysteries and six characteristics are manifested there. In cessation of delusion and cultivation of truth, at the point where delusion is exhausted and truth reaches its extreme, delusion is identical to truth, and the mysterious realm of pure cognition manifests before us.
In the world there are those who contaminate the perfect teaching. They misunderstand the perfect principle, taking ordinary beings' universally imagined delusory realms and wrongly equating them with Samantabhadra's cognitive realm, falsely boasting of perfect subtlety, despising and abandoning provisional and lesser teachings, taking non-cultivation and non-cutting off as extraordinary, and taking wild recklessness as lofty attainment. This is like a beggar child emptily speaking of the wealth of Qin and Chu while dismissing Tao Zhu and Yi Dun - is this not also erroneous?
The Record of the Mind Roaming the Dharma Realm states: "Those who wish to enter the unobstructed dharma realm must first develop complete faith." After listing six difficult matters, it states: "If one can follow the Buddha's teaching thus, this person is worthy to receive the ultimate samādhi of the dharma realm. Why? Because they do not worry or fear in practicing austerities according to the Dharma. Because they practice in accordance with the teaching." It also states: "If one lacks such faith, though having various understandings, all are completely inverted. Why? Because understanding without faith does not accord with practice. Because inverted understanding is not understanding" (etc.). This passage is acupuncture and moxibustion for perfect downfall. Cultivating entry into the dharma realm is extremely difficult. I have only briefly indicated its outlines.
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I secretly believe that the above analysis and interpretation not only serves as a bridge for the Huayan teaching ocean, but is indeed the compass for all Vaipulya sections. This is admirable.
Second, clarifying the Tiantai school - this is divided into five gates: first, lineage transmission; second, scriptural basis; third, opening understanding; fourth, establishing practice; fifth, periodization of teachings. First, regarding lineage transmission: Master Huiwen of Northern Qi devoted himself to the Middle Way verses and awakened to the three truths. He distantly succeeded Nāgārjuna. Dhyāna Master Si of Nanyue inherited his sectarian lineage. He practiced various meditative absorptions, the six perfections dwelling in his mind, suspended wisdom's reflection in the spiritual platform, and showered the Dharma rain on all beings. Dragons and elephants submitted to him, his followers like clouds. His trustworthiness weighed heavily on three thousand, his practice was lofty in four hundred. He almost resembled a Buddha without characteristics. However, his remaining texts were few and the teaching path was not yet complete.
Dhyāna Master Zhi of Tiantai devoted himself to the great Su and awakened to the Lotus Samādhi. Maintaining stillness as cause, he developed eloquent speech, opening and proclaiming the subtle meanings of various sutras. Zhangan recorded these, and the world calls them the "three great and five small sections." His other compositions were quite numerous. All the Dharma gates he expounded were indeed the auspicious blossoms of the mind-flower and remaining waves of the meditation ocean. Every sentence transcended the emotional nest of thought and perception; horizontal and vertical expositions all accorded with the sacred transformation of the four siddhāntas. The mysterious principle of the three truths shone like the moon; the subtle meaning of śamatha-vipaśyanā surged like waves. The two paths of teaching and contemplation were thus completely prepared. Zhangan, Fahua, Tiangong, Zuoxi, Jingxi and others successively transmitted and maintained this.
Jingxi annotated and interpreted the three Lotus sections, and had other works like the Yili and Jinpi. He vigorously supported and promoted this school. One could say he was diligent. However, his learning gradually entered into emotional conceptualization, and the sectarian principles underwent one transformation there. His words seemed like the patriarchal teachings, but his meaning greatly differed. Later, reaching
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the Song Dynasty, there was Dharma Master Li of Siming. His reputation was high for a time, his eloquence surpassed all schools. He unified phenomena and principle in the three dharmas, fused truth and delusion in one mind. His discourse on the three truths with characteristics competed in subtlety; his theory of inherent evil and principle-poison boasted of strangeness. His meaning was like a square peg that wouldn't fit in examining Tiantai. Compared to Jingxi, there were both accordances and violations. Tiantai teaching underwent another transformation here. Alas, what a pity! The wonderful teaching was covered by this transformation and has remained obscured for a thousand years.
Second, regarding scriptural basis: This school is established based on the Lotus Sutra. This Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra is the Tathāgata's extremely deep secret treasury, namely the tathāgatagarbha mind. It takes cause and effect, dependent and primary as its essence. When minute, it enters a single atomic particle; when vast, it pervades throughout the dharma realm. In the causal stage it is the three worthy stages and ten noble ones; in the fruition stage it is the three bodies and myriad virtues. All disasters are eliminated by this; all good is born and grows by this.
The Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sutra states: "The Buddha expounded the Lotus in countless verses." The commentary states: "The Lotus Sutra is limitless and boundless like the great ocean waters. Because the text is limitless, the meaning is also limitless" (etc.). This is upheld by the power of great bodhisattvas' dhāraṇī. The Dharma-transmitting bodhisattvas compiled these seven scrolls of golden text, using time, place, host, assembly, etc., to reveal and demonstrate the extremely deep secret treasury. The trace gate's opening and revelation is the cognitive realm of the birth body, revealing the mysterious principle of gathering the three and returning to one. The original gate's opening and revelation is the cognitive realm of the Dharma body, demonstrating the secret profundity of annihilating traces and becoming one with truth. In the Profound Meaning, both trace and original each open ten subtleties. Setting aside the original gate for now, the first three of the trace gate's ten subtleties are the three-cause Buddha nature. The fourth, positional subtlety, is the gradual stages of cultivating and manifesting the three causes. The fifth, vehicle subtlety, is the fruit of the three causes emerging from obstacles and manifesting. The latter