英語訳
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How do we know they are expedient provisions?
Answer: The treatise states: "The first person (one who seeks powerful people) uses various worldly good roots, samadhi, and merits as expedient means to let them play, then later leads them to enter nirvana." The Profound Praise states: "This does not explain the true wisdom that correctly realizes the cessation of emptiness of persons in the path of liberation, but names it the provisional understanding of worldly samadhi. These are sheep and deer, not the substance of vehicles. After that observation, one enters worldly concentration and observes what was previously realized. Because the mind is coarse, one does not see true wisdom and the suchness of emptiness of persons, but sees that afflictions, karma, and future suffering do not arise. The mind then transforms and creates nirvana-conceptualization, becoming the cessation-without-conditioned-existence realized by true wisdom. This is merely called a transformed city, not explaining the transformations of provisional observation as a city, because suffering does not cease. Now it explains the later post-attainment wisdom stage that can transform conceptualization, called worldly good roots samadhi. The various merits of mental ease and joy are provisionally called sheep and deer, provisionally called omniscience, allowing play with these, then later transforming to the One Vehicle, finally leading them to enter the Buddha's great nirvana."
Question: According to the treatise and Profound Praise, the Two Vehicles' contaminated post-attainment wisdom is provisionally called sheep and deer carts for them to play with, but why doesn't the sutra explain giving sheep and deer carts?
Answer: This meaning can establish difficulty. That is, people of the Two Vehicles leaving birth-and-death with divisions is called "leaving the house," and exclusively seeking to realize omniscience at the Buddha's place is called "seeking sheep and deer." Their attained omniscience is not truly omniscience—it has name but no substance and cannot discriminate and realize all dharmas. Therefore their attained two carts are not truly two carts—they have name but no substance and cannot be seen or mounted. Therefore the sutra does not explain giving sheep and deer. Speaking of reality, in the Two Vehicles' contaminated post-attainment wisdom, the mind transforms nirvana-conceptualization. This is called worldly samadhi good roots. Grasping these good roots as the two carts, it says "expedient means to
【Lower Section】
let them play with these." This is before turning the mind. However, the sutra hides and does not explain giving the two carts because they are established by name without substance. In reality they are also given, so in the treatise expedient means are established to bring joy. Therefore the Profound Praise states: "All the various wisdoms before and after cannot understand all dharmas, so they are not truly omniscience. It explains that sheep and deer carts have names but are not seen or mounted. Explaining these worldly samadhi good roots as given for play, the Two Vehicles grasp these as two carts, but they are not truly vehicle substance. Like the four inversions arising in Two Vehicle practitioners, correct observation is not so. Later, through conceptualization, they condition this and give rise to grasping. The transformed city is also thus." (The four inversions arising in the Two Vehicles refer to the four inversions of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self arising in the Two Vehicles' post-attainment wisdom. This grasping of the two carts is also thus.) However, the sutra below states "equally bestowing upon all children one great cart" up to "not the original expectation"—this clarifies what happens after turning the mind. (If this reconciliation is not made, the sutra and treatise would contradict. Later people should examine this.)
Question: When the three children leave the house and request the three carts, their father only gives them equally one great cart. When do the two children obtain the sheep and deer carts?
Answer: The sutra hides and does not explain this matter, so the treatise reveals this meaning. The intent of the Lotus Treatise is mostly like this. In detail, this can be fully understood. (In detail, this can be known through the Profound Praise.)
Question: The treatise states: "Through expedient means, a transformed city is established on the middle path to reach the treasure place. Because it is a resting place, two are explained. Only one exists, not others." What does this mean?
Answer: This is the third evidence.
Question: How does this prove it?
Answer: The transformed city refers to Two Vehicle fruition. The treasure place refers to Buddha-fruition great nirvana. Because the transformed city on the middle path is an expedient means to reach the treasure place, citing this text can prove expedient fruition.
Question: What is the substance of that transformed city?
Answer: The treatise states: "The fourth person (one with concentration) uses expedient means to lead them into the nirvana city. Therefore the nirvana city
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refers to the various dhyana samadhi cities. After passing that city, they are then led to enter the great nirvana city." The Profound Praise states: "Samadhi city refers to what learner ordinary beings single-mindedly seek—the worldly meditation transformations of liberation following the wisdom of exhaustion and non-arising in the body of no-more-learning. Without the transforming [consciousness] there is nothing. Generally called samadhi. This concentration is contaminated, called worldly. The meaning here explains that the Buddha explains three matters called great nirvana. The three vehicles equally attain cessation. Liberation is the principle of emptiness of persons realized in the no-more-learning liberation path. Due to this, later afflictions and suffering do not arise, called liberation. The Buddha explains this liberation as called transformed city."
Question: What does "middle path" mean?
Answer: The sutra states: "Like five hundred yojanas of dangerous and evil paths, etc." The Profound Praise explains: "Birth-and-death with divisions has afflictions, karma, and suffering making three hundred; birth-and-death through transformation has ignorance and suffering making two hundred. The ten afflictions, ten paths of karma, and their resulting ten categories of fruits all mutually support each other, so together they are called five hundred." Because it is in the middle of the previous three hundred and latter two hundred, it is called "middle path."
Question: What is the meaning of "because it is a resting place, two are explained"?
Answer: At the place of leaving birth-and-death with divisions, the no-more-learning fruition is established. This is called "resting place." The small and middle nirvana of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas are called "two." Buddha-fruition great nirvana is called "only one exists." These texts quote the sutra's meaning, not one complete correct text.
Question: Why are the two carts of sheep and deer expedient establishments that the Two Vehicle children cannot see or mount, while the transformed city is an expedient establishment that the Two Vehicle group alone enters and finds rest?
Answer: The transformed city is liberation nirvana, realized through the wisdom of emptiness of persons, so it is called "temporary entry." The two carts are contaminated post-attainment provisional understanding wisdom that cannot discriminate all dharmas, so they are called "not seen, not mounted." If speaking about their grasping minds, they also consider themselves to have attained the two carts, equal to the transformed city.
【Lower Section】
Question: The treatise states: "The Srimala [Sutra] also states: 'The four wisdoms of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas are not ultimate, called directed toward the nirvana realm. Speaking of attaining a resting place. The ultimate four wisdoms attaining nirvana is the Buddha's expedient means.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This is the fourth evidence.
Question: How so?
Answer: In explaining Two Vehicle fruition, since it already says "the ultimate four wisdoms attaining nirvana is the Buddha's expedient means," we know that Two Vehicle fruition is expedient fruition. Therefore citing this text can prove expedient fruition.
Question: What is the meaning of this sutra text?
Answer: In that sutra, past provisional teachings are opened and present true teaching is revealed. Within opening provisional teaching, there is this text. However, the sutra text is extensive. The present treatise author takes the essentials and combines them into one complete text. The four wisdoms are the wisdom that "my births are exhausted," etc. (As initially explained.) "Attaining a resting place" means establishing fruition at the place of emerging from observation and resting. Therefore, because of ceasing suffering, it gains the name "reviving rest." This is the same as the transformed city metaphor in the Lotus Sutra. Saying "directed toward nirvana" refers to Buddha-fruition great nirvana. Saying "attaining nirvana" is provisional cessation, nirvana with remainder.
Question: The treatise states: "Therefore Two Vehicle fruition is also the One Vehicle." What does this mean?
Answer: This is the conclusion. The meaning is: through the various texts quoted above, we therefore know that the fruitions attained by the Two Vehicles are expedient fruitions for entering the One Vehicle, so Two Vehicle fruitions are also fruitions of the One Vehicle.
Question: The treatise states: "Those who attain sudden enlightenment properly study the fundamental teaching, principle, practice, and fruition, and also study expedient teaching, principle, practice, and fruition in order to subdue those transformed as Two Vehicle practitioners. Those who attain gradual enlightenment initially study expedient means, and after turning their minds, then study the fundamental. The dharmas studied are the same, but beginning and end are completely different." What does this mean?
Answer: Above, the fundamental and expedient