英語訳
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interpreting the five profundities based solely on true suchness is the ancient interpretation. There is also an interpretation where the meaning extends to both true suchness and correct wisdom. (This is the meaning of the Profound Praise.) If we follow the ancient interpretation, taking true suchness as the essence is without doubt. If we follow the meaning of the Profound Praise, taking one aspect of true suchness as the essence would also present no obstacle.
Question: Then does the true intention of the Profound Praise take the meaning that extends to wisdom-nature and wisdom-characteristics?
Answer: Yes. However, it also does not abandon the interpretation of true suchness alone. Therefore the Profound Praise states: "However, according to various teachings, among the five profundities, mostly only wisdom-nature true suchness is taken as the essence." This takes the interpretation of true suchness alone. Next it states below: "If one includes direct illumination and combines wisdom-nature and wisdom-characteristics to be called the five profundities of realization, then that profundity of meaning refers to correct wisdom, using it as such, etc." This clarifies that it extends to both interpretations. These two interpretations both present no obstacles; there is only a difference in scope.
Question: The treatise states: "The text below also says: 'This dharma-abiding and dharma-position are constantly abiding as worldly characteristics. Having known this at the place of enlightenment, the guide expounds through skillful means.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This is the second evidence.
Question: How does this text prove fundamental principle?
Answer: That dharma-abiding and dharma-position are alternative names for true suchness. Therefore this text is used as evidence clarifying fundamental principle. (The textual meaning is detailed as recorded above.)
Question: The treatise states: "The base treatise also says that contemplative observation means that Great Vehicle people contemplate dharma-selflessness, true suchness, dharma-realm, etc." What does this mean?
Answer: This is the third evidence.
Question: How does this text prove fundamental principle?
Answer: Dharma-selflessness, true suchness, dharma-realm, etc. are fundamental principle, therefore they can serve as evidence.
Question: What does this treatise text mean?
Answer: In the treatise's explanation of the Skillful Means chapter text, there are various dharma gates. This present text is the fifth dharma-dependent text among the six records. The sutra states: "Śāriputra, the buddhas of the past, using immeasurable and countless skillful means, various causes and conditions, parables, and words, expounded all dharmas for sentient beings. All these dharmas are for the sake of the One Buddha Vehicle."
【Lower Section】
The treatise takes what is like contemplative observation in the sutra as four types of dharma. In the present sutra there are only three types of dharma; there is no contemplative observation. The treatise explains contemplative observation saying: "Contemplative observation means: in Lesser Vehicle truths, person-selflessness, etc.; in Great Vehicle truths, true suchness, dharma-realm, ultimate reality, person-selflessness, dharma-selflessness, etc.—various contemplations." Causes and conditions, parables, and skillful means are not what is clarified here, so they are not further recorded.
Question: How are person-selflessness contemplation and dharma-selflessness contemplation named?
Answer: Refuting the heretics' grasping of truly existing sentient beings, life-principles, etc., contemplating the absence of truly existing sentient beings, etc., is called person-selflessness contemplation. This is a contemplation shared by the three vehicles. Refuting the Two Vehicles' grasping of truly existing five aggregates, twelve sense-spheres, eighteen elements, etc., contemplating the absence of real three categories of phenomena, etc., is called dharma-selflessness contemplation. This is solely a bodhisattva contemplation. "Self" means permanent, unitary, autonomous, and sovereign. Contemplating that both persons and dharmas lack permanent, unitary, and sovereign characteristics is called selflessness contemplation. Moreover, grasping at life is afflictive obstruction, and its antidote is called person-selflessness contemplation. Dharma-grasping is cognitive obstruction, and its antidote is called dharma-selflessness contemplation. (See the detailed explanation in Consciousness-Only doctrine.)
Question: Why is true suchness called dharma-realm, etc.?
Answer: Because true suchness is the cause of noble dharmas, it is called dharma-realm. Realm means cause. Also, because true suchness is the essence of all dharmas, it is called dharma-realm. Realm means essence. Because true suchness is the object of non-inverted cognition, it is called ultimate reality. Ultimate means boundary. (See the detailed explanation in Abhidharma treatises, etc.)
Question: The treatise states: "Asaṅga also says: 'Or because one rides upon great nature, it is called Great Vehicle.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This is the fourth evidence.
Question: How does this text serve as evidence?
Answer: Great nature is
【Left Page】
true suchness. In the Compendium treatise's explanation of Great Vehicle, there are two explanations. First: "It is both vehicle and great, therefore called Great Vehicle." Second: "Or because one rides upon great nature, it is called Great Vehicle." The former takes myriad practices as the essence of Great Vehicle; the latter takes true suchness as the essence of Great Vehicle. Therefore this text is cited as evidence for fundamental principle.
Question: Why is true suchness called great nature?
Answer: Because it is the essential nature of all dharmas and the object-nature of great wisdom, it is called great nature.
Question: The treatise states: "The Discrimination of Middle and Extremes treatise explains true suchness dharma-realm as called 'supreme object.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This is the fifth evidence.
Question: How does it prove this?
Answer: That treatise explains three supremes: correct practice, object, and cultivation-realization. Among these, in the supreme object, there are true suchness, dharma-realm, etc. Therefore this text is cited as evidence for fundamental principle.
Question: Why are true suchness, etc. called supreme object?
Answer: Because they are the objects of fundamental wisdom, they are called supreme object.
Question: There are twelve types of supreme object. Do they all take true suchness as their essence?
Answer: Not so. The second dharma-realm supreme object takes true suchness as its essence. The remaining eleven derive their essences according to their meanings. The present treatise author only takes one type among the twelve as evidence. (The essences of the twelve types are briefly recorded in the auxiliary discussion of the above section.)
Question: The treatise states: "Expedient principle refers to the four truth principles contemplated by the Two Vehicles, which are all expedient principles." What does this mean?
Answer: This clarifies expedient principle.
Question: The four truth principles are dharmas contemplated in common by the three vehicles. What makes them expedient principles?
Answer: Although they are dharmas contemplated in common by the three vehicles, in the various noble teachings they are mostly dharmas contemplated by the Two Vehicles, therefore they are exclusively judged as expedient principles. Also, the Two Vehicles know the constructed but do not know the unconstructed, therefore their contemplations are called expedient principles.
Question: Principle is
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only one. What is called expedient?
Answer: In reality principle is not two. But following the superiority and inferiority of the contemplating persons, there are shallow and deep aspects in the principles realized. What the Two Vehicles contemplate now is the shallowest principle, therefore it is called expedient.
Question: What are those four truths?
Answer: Suffering, origination, cessation, and path.
Question: How are suffering, etc. named?
Answer: Suffering is the name of experienced retribution. Origination is the name of karma and afflictions that produce experience. Cessation is the name of realized principle. Path is the name of realizing wisdom. The first two are the fruit and cause of cyclic flow. The latter two are the fruit and cause of return to cessation.
Question: Why are these four called noble truths?
Answer: Truth means reality. These four are known by nobles and are not false, therefore called noble truths. (See the detailed explanation in the meaning of worthies and nobles.)
Question: The treatise states: "Therefore the Śrīmālā states: 'Śrāvakas know the constructed four noble truths. Buddha-wisdom is the unconstructed four noble truths.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This cites evidence. There are three; this is the first evidence.
Question: How does this text prove expedient principle?
Answer: The constructed four truths refer to the principle of the four truths of knowing suffering, eliminating origination, realizing cessation, and cultivating path. This is precisely what śrāvakas contemplate, therefore it is cited as evidence. The text about the Buddha knowing the unconstructed is brought in due to the context. It is not exactly this evidence. Also, using the latter phrase to prove the reason why the former phrase is expedient, it thus also becomes evidence.
Question: How are constructed and unconstructed named?
Answer: Constructed and unconstructed are terms of the ancients. The new terminology says "established and non-established." Established is the name of designation. Using words to designate is called established. What cannot be designated with words is called non-established. They are also called "measurable and immeasurable."
Question: What do these two types of four truths take as their essence?
Answer: The Profound Praise states: "The constructed four truths take segmented birth-and-death as the truth of suffering, karma