英語訳
Also, among the cultivation and realization, the first eight extend to the causal stage, while the latter two are only fruition. Among the six right practices, one portion of the twelfth completion supremacy, the supreme objects among the objects, and the latter two types among cultivation and realization are all Buddha fruition. Combining these causes and effects serves as objects for the cognizing mind.
Question: The treatise states: "The Śrīmālā Sūtra also says: 'Arhats and pratyekabuddhas have fear and refuge. The four wisdoms are not complete, [so they are] called those heading toward the nirvana realm.'" What does this mean?
Answer: In the sense of comprehensively embracing essence, it takes together the practices, objects, and fruits of the fundamental One Vehicle and the provisional One Vehicle as the One Vehicle essence. Therefore, the above quotes from the Śrīmālā Sūtra, Lotus Treatise, and Madhyāntavibhāga established the fundamental One Vehicle essence. This present text is quoted to prove that the provisional fruit constitutes the One Vehicle essence. The meaning is to prove that the undefiled merits possessed by two-vehicle practitioners in their former bodies are called the One Vehicle.
Question: How does quoting this text prove that the undefiled merits in the bodies of two-vehicle practitioners are called the One Vehicle?
Answer: Since arhats and pratyekabuddhas still have fear, they should seek fearlessness. Since they have refuge, they should seek non-refuge. Since the four wisdoms are not complete, they should seek completion of the four wisdoms. Since they are called "heading toward the nirvana realm," they should seek to realize the nirvana fruit. That fearlessness, non-refuge, completion of the four wisdoms, and nirvana fruit are precisely the One Buddha Vehicle essence—supreme enlightenment and great parinirvāṇa. Therefore, the fruits previously attained by śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are all expedient practices leading to the subsequent One Vehicle. Hence those expedient practices are also called "One Vehicle" based on the fundamental One Vehicle. This is precisely the meaning of comprehensively calling them "One Vehicle." Therefore, this text is quoted to prove this principle. The Lotus Sūtra's statement "What you practice is the bodhisattva path" expresses exactly this meaning.
Question: What is the meaning of "having fear" and so forth?
Answer: The text quoted with this meaning is not one complete passage from the original sūtra. It gathers passages from above and below, taking their meaning. The sūtra text states: "Arhats take refuge in the Buddha. Arhats have fear. Why? Because arhats dwell in fearful ideation regarding all non-action, like a person wielding a sword wanting to harm oneself. Therefore arhats do not have ultimate bliss." It also states: "World-Honored One, arhats and pratyekabuddhas have terror. Therefore, arhats and pratyekabuddhas have remaining birth-dharmas; because they are not exhausted, there is birth. Because remaining pure conduct is accomplished, it is not pure. Because matters are not complete, there should be things to be done. Because they do not save others, there should be things to be eliminated. Because they do not eliminate, they are far from the nirvana realm." It also states: "Through accomplishing remaining liberation, remaining purity, and remaining merit, they know remaining suffering, eliminate remaining accumulation, realize remaining cessation, and cultivate remaining path. These are called those who attain partial nirvana, called those heading toward the nirvana realm." Gathering these passages from above and below forms one complete text for the treatise.
Question: What is the meaning of "having fear" and so forth?
Answer: The Compendium Commentary states: "Because the dharma is not yet fulfilled, therefore there is fear." The Water Commentary states: "Question: Since arhats will never again receive future birth and death, why do they have fear? Answer: Although arhats have no afflictions and birth-death is permanently exhausted, their five-aggregate body is the result of contaminated karma. Fearing that the limits of bodily existence will end and knowing death marks will appear, they are like worldly people approaching old age who fear death. Also, in the bodies of arhat persons, there are conditions of illness and medicine that give rise to fear."
Question: When do they fear?
Answer: If they are non-foolish dharma practitioners, seeing the future transformational birth-death with countermeasures not yet established, therefore they have fear. Foolish dharma people, after future qualified nirvana when mental ideation arises, then have fear.
Question: The sūtra text quoted above explains the reason for fear, saying "Why? Because they dwell in fearful ideation regarding all non-action." What does this mean?
Answer: "Regarding all non-action"—that sūtra's commentary states: "Non-action fear means arhats, regarding the nescience ground beyond the three realms, do not yet have the practices of countermeasures and fear transformational birth-death." The Compendium Commentary states: "Briefly, there are two explanations. First: 'Namely, regarding all transformational birth-death, having no countermeasure practices, dwelling in fearful ideation. This correctly clarifies fear—based on having no practices oneself, fearful mind arises. This is called non-action fear. The mind being in fear is called dwelling. Delusions not yet progressively eliminated is also called dwelling.' Second: 'Non means emptiness. While in all dharma-emptiness practices, dwelling in fearful ideation, not practicing cultivation and realization. Regarding dharma-emptiness practices, deeply generating fear and terror.'"
Question: Which of these two explanations is superior?
Answer: The first explanation accords with the sūtra commentary's meaning. However, the Compendium Commentary judges the latter as superior. Therefore the text states: "If, as the former states, fearing lack of countermeasure practices and dwelling therein, this reasoning is not correct. Arhats and others, before turning their minds, do not yet have transformation. How could they dwell in fearful ideation regarding these countermeasure practices? If they attain transformation, they immediately proceed toward the Great and complete it. What further fear would there be? If one says: 'Non-foolish dharma practitioners, hearing of transformation, although not yet turning toward it, fear it in advance—what fault is there in this?' If following this reasoning, the former explanation is also valid. However, the meaning is not comprehensive, not including foolish dharma people. Therefore the latter explanation is broader. Wise ones should consider this."
Question: What is the meaning of the sūtra's next text stating "like a person wielding a sword" and so forth?
Answer: This draws an analogy to clarify the meaning of fear. The Compendium Commentary has two explanations. First: "Using analogy to show fearing the causes of transformation, analogizing it to a person. Being able to proceed toward future transformational fruits is called 'wielding a sword.' When the corresponding fruit approaches, it is called 'wanting to come.' Coming necessarily cuts the body, called 'harming oneself.'" Second: "Explaining fear of dharma-emptiness. Like a sword wanting to harm, one dares not advance to cultivate." The Water Commentary states: "The person belongs to transformational causes, the sword belongs to fruits, etc. A person's ability to wield a sword is like causes producing fruits. About to arrive, called 'wanting to come.' Coming necessarily cuts the body, hence called 'harming oneself.'"
Question: That sūtra states: "Arhats and pratyekabuddhas transcend the fear of birth-death, equally attain liberation bliss, and think: 'I am free from birth-death terror and do not receive birth-death suffering.'" Why then does it now say they have fear and so forth?
Answer: The same sūtra's earlier text states: "Whatever arhats and pratyekabuddhas observe liberation, complete the four wisdoms, and attain places of rest—this too is the Tathāgata's expedient, qualified, incomplete teaching." The meaning is: regarding the aspect of eliminating affliction obstacles, exhausting fragmented birth-death, and realizing the principle of personal emptiness, it speaks of transcending birth-death and being free from terror. This is the Buddha's expedient teaching. However, since they have not yet eliminated knowledge obstacles, not yet exhausted transformational birth, and not yet realized the principle of dharma-emptiness, it says they have fear and so forth.
Question: What is the meaning of the sūtra saying they "have refuge"?
Answer: The sūtra states: "Like sentient beings having no refuge, they fear this and that. Because of fear, they seek refuge. Likewise, arhats have terror, and because of terror, they rely on the Tathāgata." The Compendium Commentary states: "Because evil dharmas are not yet exhausted, there is refuge."
Question: What is the meaning of the sūtra saying "the four wisdoms are not complete"?
Answer: The treatise states: "First, 'my births are exhausted'—the wisdom of the truth of suffering is not complete; second, 'pure conduct is established'—the wisdom of the truth of the path is not complete; third, 'what was to be done is...'"