英語訳
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sutra serve as fundamental teaching?
Answer: Because it is a sutra that explicates the meaning of pure Great Vehicle, it is called fundamental teaching. The Compendium of the Great Vehicle treatise explains that Compendium of the Great Vehicle chapter. Using the ten supreme meanings, it comprehensively encompasses all the essential meanings possessed by the Great Vehicle, hence it is called Compendium of the Great Vehicle. (Abhidharma means "corresponding dharma." When the treatise says "sutra etc.," there are two meanings: first, it equally includes the text below in the sutra; second, it equally includes Great Vehicle sutras such as the Avatamsaka. The ten supreme meanings are briefly recorded above.)
Question: The treatise states: "Expedient teaching refers to what this chapter says below: 'Sometimes expounding sutra, gatha, narratives, birth stories, and unprecedented events, also expounding causes and conditions, parables, and geya and upadesa sutras. These nine divisions of my dharma are based on entering the Great Vehicle and are expounded in accordance with sentient beings, therefore this sutra is expounded.'" What does this text mean?
Answer: This cites evidence for expedient teaching. There are two; this is the first evidence.
Question: Why does this text constitute expedient teaching?
Answer: Since it already says "based on entering the Great Vehicle," it is called so.
Question: How are sutra etc. named?
Answer: Sutra means "contract sutra." Contract means the sutra has the meaning of accordance. Teaching penetrates principle and encompasses sentient beings. Gatha means "chanting recitation." In various sutras, what is not long prose direct explanation is formed into verses, sometimes using two verses, three verses, etc. as evidence. Narratives refers to excluding the Buddha's birth stories and proclaiming the various events of people and dharmas from the past. Birth stories means explaining the deaths, births, and practices cultivated when the Buddha was a bodhisattva. Unprecedented events means explaining the shared and unshared virtues of buddhas and disciples and other extraordinary and amazing dharmas. (Also called rare dharmas.) Causes and conditions means expounding due to requests. Also having causes and conditions to establish training precepts. (Such as "Do not take light transgressions as having no consequences. Though water drops are minute, they gradually fill a large vessel," etc.) Parables means using the parables found in various sutras and vinaya to expound various dharmas. Geya means
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"corresponding verses." In various sutras, either in the middle or at the end, using verses to re-verse the meaning of the preceding long prose. (Manifesting the previously unclear meaning and manifesting benefit for those who come later.) Upadesa means "doctrinal discussion." The Buddha personally distinguishing dharma characteristics, and also noble disciples faultlessly distinguishing the essential nature of various dharmas. (Also called mātṛkā and also called abhidharma.)
Question: What is excluded from the twelve divisions?
Answer: Prophecy, self-spoken, and extensive - these three.
Question: How are prophecy etc. named?
Answer: Prophecy means recording disciples' death and birth causes and effects, or recording profound esoteric meanings, or recording bodhisattvas' future buddhahood events. Self-spoken means expounding without being requested in order to make the true dharma abide long in the future. Extensive means expounding the bodhisattva path. Also because the dharma is vast and numerous. (See the detailed explanation in the Yogācāra texts.)
Question: Why does this sutra expound the former nine divisions saying they are "based on entering the Great Vehicle" and not expound the latter three divisions?
Answer: The Profound Praise states: "Based on bestowing upon disciples the record of attaining buddhahood, it is called prophecy. It is not expounded to śrāvakas because they previously did not seek great bodhi. It is like showing treasure to a foolish person - the foolish person laughs. Śrāvaka prophecy is also like this, hence said to be absent. It is not that recording disciples' past death and birth events is also absent. Moreover, the Śrāvaka Vehicle mostly hears shallow dharmas. If one expounded for them immediately without waiting for requests, arrogance would arise, hence it says self-spoken is absent. In reality it also exists. Moreover, śrāvaka persons only realize small fruition and do not attain perfect enlightenment. The principle is not ultimate and the practice is not comprehensive, hence it says extensive is absent. In reality there is also the extensive of vast exposition of true dharma. Therefore in this verse, only nine divisions are expounded for śrāvakas. In principle it extends to twelve."
Question: If it says "only nine divisions are expounded for śrāvakas," why does the Nirvana Sutra chapter three say "Those who protect the Great Vehicle uphold nine
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divisions"?
Answer: Those nine divisions of the Great Vehicle exclude causes and conditions, parables, and doctrinal discussion - these three. They are not the nine divisions expounded in this sutra. Therefore there is no contradiction.
Question: How do we know this?
Answer: The Profound Praise explains the distinctions of the twelve-division teaching: "First, Great complete Small nine - namely in this sutra text there are only no prophecy, self-spoken, and extensive three types. It does not prevent the Great Vehicle from having twelve divisions. Second, Small complete Great nine - Nirvana chapter three says 'Those who protect the Great Vehicle uphold nine divisions.' That excludes causes and conditions, parables, and doctrinal discussion. It does not prevent the Lesser Vehicle from having twelve divisions. Third, Great complete Small eleven - Yogācāra forty-eight says 'The extensive division alone belongs to the bodhisattva repository. The remaining divisions contain the śrāvaka repository.' Fourth, Great one Small eleven - Yogācāra eighty-five says 'Excluding the extensive division, the remainder are called śrāvaka vehicle corresponding sutras.'" Therefore the nine divisions of this sutra and the nine divisions of the Nirvana Sutra have very different meanings.
Question: If so, do these twelve-division teachings extend to both Great Vehicle and Lesser Vehicle?
Answer: Yes. Therefore the Profound Praise states: "In reality, the two repositories of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas both complete the twelve." (See the text of the Twelve-Division Teaching treatise.)
Question: Are these twelve-division teachings only separate from each other, or do they mutually correspond?
Answer: In corresponding verses, there are definitely no chanting recitations. In narratives there are definitely no birth stories. The remaining eight divisions all complete the twelve. (Ancient people said "division" seemed to mean "volume," so new people changed it to "division," meaning the meaning of sections.)
Question: The treatise states: "The Śrīmālā also says 'True dharma abiding etc. constitute the Great Vehicle, therefore these six places are expounded.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This is the second evidence.
Question: How does this text prove expedient teaching?
Answer: For Lesser Vehicle people, these six dharmas are expounded as expedients for entering the Great Vehicle, therefore it is cited as evidence. (The textual meaning is detailed as recorded above.)
Question: The treatise states: "Therefore the Lesser three repositories are all Great expedients." What does this mean?
Answer: This is the conclusion. The meaning is: "In the two places of text cited above, since the Lesser three repository teaching is all expedient teaching for entering the Great Vehicle, we know that Lesser Vehicle teaching is all Great Vehicle expedient teaching." The three repositories are: first, sūtra repository (this is the sutra repository), second, abhidharma repository (this is the treatise repository), third, vinaya repository (this is the disciplinary repository). These three all extend to both Great Vehicle and Lesser Vehicle.
Question: The treatise states: "Fundamental principle refers to dharma-nature true suchness. Practices such as the six perfections ride upon this true principle and can reach destinations, hence called Great Vehicle." What does this mean?
Answer: This clarifies fundamental principle. The meaning is: "All bodhisattvas take dharma-nature true suchness as their object of contemplation, as their cognitive object, cultivate the six perfections and myriad practices, and can reach the other shore. Therefore that true suchness principle also obtains the name 'vehicle.'"
Question: True suchness has no movement or change and lacks the meaning of carrying. How can it be called a vehicle?
Answer: Because it is the nature of vehicle, it is called vehicle. (This can be understood below.)
Question: What are the six perfections?
Answer: Giving through wisdom. (As usual.)
Question: What does "etc." equally include?
Answer: It equally includes all merit and wisdom practices such as the four means of attraction, four immeasurables, etc.
Question: The treatise states: "Above in this sutra it says 'The wisdom of all buddhas is extremely deep and immeasurable.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This cites evidence. There are five; this is the first evidence.
Question: How does this text prove fundamental principle?
Answer: This is text clarifying the profundity of realization wisdom. That profundity of realization wisdom is precisely the principle being explicated, therefore this text is cited as evidence for fundamental principle.
Question: In clarifying the profundity of realization, there are five profundities. The profundity of meaning and the profundity of inner realization are correct wisdom. Therefore one should call it profundity of realization. It extends to both true suchness and correct wisdom, so why is it called only true suchness principle?
Answer: In explaining the five profundities there are two interpretations. One interpretation temporarily