英語訳
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The ancient masters do not understand the numerical order from superior to inferior, nor do they study and know the Sanskrit original. Using the sūtra passage "no two, no three," they try to establish proof for the doctrine of breaking three. Therefore, now to teach their ignorance, the order of vehicles is explained and Sanskrit passages quoted to make them believe and understand the doctrine of not breaking three.
Question: In the sacred teachings, śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and buddha vehicles are listed in order, but there has never been reverse ordering. Why does this sūtra explain them in reverse order, calling it "the sequence from superior to inferior"? Regarding the Sanskrit original, without broad knowledge of the text, it is insufficient as proof.
Answer: This objection is not worth stating. In listing the order of dharmas, there are both forward and reverse sequences. There are those going from inferior to superior, and those going from superior to inferior. It has never been uniform. Elsewhere, śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and buddha vehicles are explained in order from inferior to superior. In this sūtra, it states "in the buddha-lands of the ten directions there is only the One Vehicle dharma," first raising the buddha vehicle. Therefore it next says "no two and also no three," explaining there is no second solitary enlightenment vehicle and no third śrāvaka vehicle. Without knowing the beginning and end of the text, one should not rashly object. Also, not knowing the Sanskrit original is one's own ignorance and darkness, not the fault of those who examine it. Therefore it should be believed and understood in this way.
Question: The treatise states: "Here there is an objection: The sūtra teaches the Three Jewels as separate entities, but does not break the separate entities to return to unified entity. Why break the two vehicles to return to the One Vehicle?" What does this mean?
Answer: Having finished refuting others and establishing one's own correct doctrine above, now regarding this correct doctrine, an objection from a certain master is presented. "This" refers to one's own correct doctrine.
Question: Then what is the meaning of this master's objection?
Answer: The meaning is: In the Nirvāṇa and other sūtras, separate-entity Three Jewels and unified-entity Three Jewels are taught, but they do not make one break the dharma and saṅgha jewels among the separate entities to return to the unified buddha jewel. Similarly, in the sūtras, three vehicles and one vehicle are taught—why make one break the two vehicles among the three vehicles to return to the one vehicle?
The Water Commentary states: "The meaning is: In the sūtras, separate-entity Three Jewels and unified-entity Three Jewels are taught. How is breaking separate entities to enter unified entity not called 'breaking three'? How is 'breaking three returning to one' not taken, while 'breaking two returning to one' is taken?" This commentary's meaning is quite contrary to the original intent. This should naturally be examined.
Question: Then how should this objection be refuted?
Answer: The treatise states: "This is also incorrect. If one clings to separate-entity Three Jewels as ultimate, they would likewise be broken. Even the substance of the separate-aspect Three Jewels has no three ultimates. Nevertheless, there is no seeking to dwell in separate entities. However, they should be unified and entered into unified entity. This is extensively explained in the sūtras. This is not a provisional-real teaching."
Question: What is the meaning of this refutation?
Answer: The meaning of the refutation is: If there were someone who clings to separate-entity Three Jewels as ultimate and does not know unified-entity Three Jewels, they too could be made to break this and return to unified entity. The substance of separate-entity Three Jewels is also not ultimate. Nevertheless, there is no one who seeks to dwell in separate entities without believing in unified-entity Three Jewels. How could they be broken? However, separate-entity Three Jewels should be unified and entered into unified entity. The Śrīmālā, Nirvāṇa and other sūtras contain this doctrine. But one cannot say "separate entities are provisional, unified entity is real." Now breaking both provisional and real, therefore one cannot make analogous objections.
Question: How should separate entities be unified and entered into unified entity?
Answer: First, separate-entity Three Jewels: In the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, the Buddha tells Gautamī: "When you follow my words, you make offerings to the Buddha. Doing so for liberation, you make offerings to the Dharma. When the saṅgha receives, you make offerings to the Saṅgha. Therefore the three refuges cannot become one." Unified entity: The Nirvāṇa Sūtra also states: "Buddha is dharma, dharma is saṅgha... buddha-nature is dharmakāya." This explains separate entity and unified entity with distinct names and essences. The Nirvāṇa also states: "The Tathāgata sometimes explains one as three, explains
【Lower Section】
three as one. Such doctrine is the realm of buddhas, not known by śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas." This is the doctrine of unifying separate entities and entering unified entity.
Question: What is the nature of these two types of Three Jewels?
Answer: Separate-entity Three Jewels: the three-body buddha as buddha jewel, the teaching, principle, practice and fruit of the three vehicles as dharma jewel, the enlightened holy communities of the three vehicles as saṅgha jewel. Unified-entity Three Jewels: the enlightenment aspect of the unified great nirvāṇa as buddha jewel, the guidance and maintenance aspect as dharma jewel, the harmony aspect as saṅgha jewel.
Question: How is it said "unifying the separate, therefore called one"?
Answer: The treatise states: "'Unifying the separate, therefore called one' means that teaching, principle, practice and fruit all have fundamental and expedient aspects. The teaching, principle, practice and fruit cultivated and achieved by gradual enlightenment beings in their previous two-vehicle stages are unified as great expedient means." The meaning is: Regarding teaching, principle, practice and fruit, there are expedient teaching, principle, practice and fruit, and fundamental teaching, principle, practice and fruit. Now the teaching, principle, practice and fruit that gradual enlightenment people cultivated, achieved and attained in their previous two-vehicle stages are unified. Since these serve as expedient means for entering Mahāyāna, they are also called One Vehicle. This is called "unifying the separate, therefore called one."
The Water Commentary states: "Unifying the separate former two provisional teachings to return together to one real teaching. Unifying those two-vehicle provisional teaching, principle, practice and fruit, entering them into real teaching, principle, practice and fruit, collectively called One Vehicle. Like taking three pearls together and casting them into one pearl. Therefore it is called 'unifying the separate, therefore called one.'"
Question: Does this doctrine of unifying the separate apply to both determinate and indeterminate natures?
Answer: The Water Commentary states: "The previous breaking of the separate applies to both determinate and indeterminate natures. In the present unifying of the separate, only the teaching, principle, practice and fruit within their own vehicles of indeterminate nature beings who have great vehicle and other natures, whose roots have matured and who turn their minds toward the great, are called One Vehicle. Because they serve as causes for the fundamental."
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Question: The treatise states: "According to this fundamental treatise, first bhūmi and above are free from fragmentary death, and the teaching, principle, practice and fruit before the path of seeing serve as the fundamental causes of the non-retreating ground." What does this mean?
Answer: Regarding expedient and fundamental, there are two types of correlation. First: two-vehicle practice as expedient, Mahāyāna practice as fundamental. Second: pre-bhūmi practice as expedient, bhūmi-level practice as fundamental. Having finished explaining above how two-vehicle teachings etc. are unified as Mahāyāna expedient means and called One Vehicle, now it explains how pre-bhūmi teachings etc. are taught as expedient means for bhūmi-level and called One Vehicle. That is, using the Lotus Treatise as proof to establish the latter doctrine.
Question: How does that Lotus Treatise passage read?
Answer: Explaining the passage in the Chapter on Distinguishing Merits that states "in eight rebirths down to one rebirth they should attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi," it states: "This means ordinary beings can definitely realize the first bhūmi. According to their power and capacity, in eight rebirths down to one rebirth, they realize the first bhūmi. This 'anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi' means that through freedom from the fragmentary birth and death of the three realms and the partial ability to see true suchness and dharma-nature, it is called attaining bodhi. This does not mean the ultimate complete fulfillment of the Tathāgata's expedient nirvāṇa."
Question: How does this passage establish the doctrine that pre-bhūmi is called expedient and bhūmi-level is called fundamental?
Answer: When bodhisattvas enter the first bhūmi, they become free from fragmentary birth and death, attain transformational birth and death, and dwell in the stage of fundamental One Vehicle. Compared to the previous pre-bhūmi stages, which have not yet become free from the fragmentary and have not yet attained the transformational, they are called dwelling in the stage of expedient One Vehicle. Those previous pre-bhūmi practices serve as causes for the bhūmi-level fundamental, therefore they are called expedient practices. Therefore this passage successfully establishes that doctrine.
Question: Unifying two-vehicle teachings etc. and calling them One Vehicle is reasonable, because the two vehicles do not understand. The bodhisattva pre-bhūmi teachings etc. are originally themselves One Vehicle. Why must they