英語訳
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Having completed [the explanation of] the expedient two kinds of teaching, principle, practice, and fruition, and the dharmas to be studied, now [the text] clarifies that there are differences in what the capable students study in the beginning and end.
Question: How do the dharmas to be studied differ between beginning and end?
Answer: The Water Commentary states: "Gradual enlightenment bodhisattvas first cultivate expedient means, then cultivate the fundamental. Sudden enlightenment bodhisattvas first cultivate the fundamental, then cultivate expedient means."
Question: Why do sudden enlightenment bodhisattvas cultivate expedient means?
Answer: The Water Commentary states: "There are three meanings: first, to subdue the Two Vehicles; second, to transform the Two Vehicles; third, to accomplish their own merit. 'Subduing the Two Vehicles' means that Two Vehicle people think: 'Although I do not understand matters within the bodhisattva [path], bodhisattvas also do not understand matters within our Two Vehicle [path].' Bodhisattvas remove this arrogance, therefore they subdue." The latter two are easy to understand. The third meaning is added outside the treatise.
Question: The meaning states: "Therefore we know that only the two kinds of Buddha-nature, the two causes of principle and wisdom, the contaminated and uncontaminated present and seed forms, conditioned and unconditioned, fundamental and expedient—all the teaching, principle, practice, and fruition that can accomplish Buddhahood are the substance of the One Vehicle." What does this mean?
Answer: The Water Commentary states: "This concludes the previous three substances and provides further detailed analysis. The meaning reveals that [the treatise] comprehensively takes many dharmas as the substance, unlike ancient people who only took suchness and the truth of cessation as the substance of the One Vehicle."
Question: How does it conclude the previous three substances?
Answer: The two kinds of Buddha-nature refer to the fruition of the Dharma and Reward Bodies. The two causes of principle and wisdom refer to the suchness of the ten grounds called "principle cause," and wonderful observation and equality (with "etc." below and "wisdom" in the text) called "wisdom cause." This concludes the according-to-excellence substance. Uncontaminated present and seed refer to the ten grounds' uncontaminated called "present," and originally existent and newly perfumed seeds called "seed." Conditioned dharmas refer to these present and seed forms. "Unconditioned" refers to what penetrates causal and fruition principles. This concludes the comprehensive substance. The teaching, principle,
【Lower Section】
practice, and fruition possessed by fundamental and expedient—this concludes the true reality substance. "All that can accomplish Buddhahood are the substance of the One Vehicle" generally accomplishes the meaning of the three substances. (The first two are not in order; this is merely convenient and has no fault.)
Question: The Water Commentary asks: "How can unconditioned dharmas be called 'capable of accomplishing'? Because their substance is eternally thus."
Answer: The following answer states: "Through realization and meeting, the Buddha path is accomplished. It is not truly causal meaning. Therefore unconditioned dharmas become capable-accomplishing causes but cannot attract fruition." The text's meaning can be fully understood.
Question: The treatise states: "Additionally taking contaminated pre-ground merit and the ten grounds assists the One Vehicle and does not violate correct principle." What does this mean?
Answer: The previous three substances presented the correct One Vehicle substance. Now it presents the substance that assists the One Vehicle. The Water Commentary states: "Next it explains what is cultivated in the two stages of provisions and preparation, contaminated practices and a portion of contaminated cultivation before the seventh ground. These contaminated [practices] generally become the One Vehicle substance and are also included in the One Vehicle. Only the contaminated seven expedients before the path of seeing of Two Vehicle people are excluded, because they are distant in relation to the Mahayana and are not taken."
Question: What are those pre-ground contaminated merits?
Answer: In the provisions stage, one mostly dwells in scattered mind and cultivates the two wisdoms of hearing and thinking. In the preparation stage, one mostly dwells in concentrated mind and cultivates cultivation-wisdom. In these two stages, using these three wisdoms, one cultivates the two practices of merit and wisdom such as the six perfections and four attractions. These are called "pre-ground merits." Because one has not yet attained the uncontaminated, they are called "contaminated." (Before the grounds there are thirty minds: ten dwellings, ten practices, ten dedications. The first twenty-nine minds form the provisions stage, the thirtieth mind forms the suchness-practice stage. The ten faiths are the initial mind of the ten dwellings, which should be understood.)
Question: How are they called "ten grounds contaminated merits"?
Answer: In the ten grounds, when the two wisdoms of wonderful observation and equality are interrupted, they become the contaminated sixth and seventh consciousnesses. The practices of six perfections etc. cultivated at this time are called "ten grounds contaminated merits." (In detail, this is like the Consciousness-Only doctrine.)
Question: The treatise states: "In the Lotus Treatise and other teachings, randomly depending on one approach among these three
【Left Page】
kinds of substances to present the substance does not necessarily include everything completely. If depending on this explanation, comprehensively including all texts, nothing is not exhausted." What does this mean?
Answer: This is self-praising language. That is, using my current explanation of the One Vehicle substance to compare with other teachings' presentations of One Vehicle substance, it concludes that theirs are narrow and do not exhaust principle, while this is broad and exhausts principle.
Question: How do the Lotus Treatise and other teachings present individual substances?
Answer: The Water Commentary states: "The Lotus Treatise's presentation of substance takes only the uncontaminated from the ground level and above as the One Vehicle, immediately not including the pre-ground. If taking the three of opening, showing, and awakening of the first cycle as fruition and entering Buddha-knowledge as cause, it does not include other real substances. If depending on the second cycle's ox-cart gathering others and returning to wisdom, it does not include principle. If depending on the third cycle's gathering principle and returning to nature to present substance, it does not include wisdom. If depending on the Lotus Treatise, only taking teaching and principle as lotus to present One Vehicle substance, it lacks practice and fruition. 'And other teachings' refers to the Srimala and Nirvana [sutras], only taking principle as the One Vehicle, not including other conditioned [dharmas]. These various teachings above randomly depend on these three kinds of substances—if using one approach to present substance, they do not exhaust meaning. The comprehensive substance only includes uncontaminated and does not completely include contaminated. The according-to-excellence substance only takes excellent dharmas and does not completely include inferior dharmas. The true reality substance, though it penetrates contaminated and uncontaminated, still does not include other comprehensive and according-to-excellence substances. If taking the three approaches to present substance, there is no meaning not completely included."
I now think this commentary text is quite cumbersome. It can simply be said that in the Lotus Treatise, presenting the One Vehicle substance of the Infinite Meanings Sutra uses teaching and principle as the One Vehicle, presenting the Lotus One Vehicle substance also uses practice and fruition as the One Vehicle, while in other [sutras] like Srimala and Nirvana, only true principle is used as the One
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Vehicle. In this treatise's three approaches, because it includes according to one approach, principle is not exhausted. Now explaining through three approaches, there is nothing that does not completely include the One Vehicle of all teachings.
One Vehicle Doctrine Private Record, Volume One (End)
Written and completed on the 22nd day of the 6th month of Enpo 3rd year (Rabbit)
(One text's colophon states: "Completed copying with another's hand in early 6th month of Enpo 3rd year, Wood Rabbit year. Shuzon," ordained 16, aged 28)
Corrected errors with other texts and completed punctuation editing. Seikei Proposed Lecturer (aged 37, 28th year of ordination)
Right, completed copying with another's hand
25th day of late autumn, Kansei 1st year (Earth Rooster). Genkei (ordained 7, aged eighteen)
Completed one collation with the same text on the 9th day of the 12th month of the same year