英語訳
【Right Page】
This is the conclusion. It explains that unifying teaching is one while capacities differ. The Water Commentary states: "Speaking of 'partial and universal,' emptiness of persons is called 'partial,' and both emptinesses is called 'universal.' The meaning is that teaching is originally one flavor, but in receiving it there is partial and complete. Making known that teaching is the same is called 'unifying teaching.'"
Question: If so, how was it explained earlier that "there are three in teaching and practice, etc."?
Answer: The Water Commentary states: "Earlier saying 'there are three in teaching and practice' is because principle and fruit are only one, but unified and not-yet-unified are different." The meaning is: before not yet unified, it speaks of three in teaching and practice, but after already unified, it is only one type.
Question: The treatise states: "Second, unifying principle. The Ratnagotravibhāga states: 'Like three beasts - rabbit, horse and elephant - crossing a river, their nature has no difference, but their attainment has shallow and deep.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This is the second aspect of unifying principle as one. It cites two proofs to establish this. This is the first, citing the Ratnagotravibhāga to establish the doctrine of principle being one.
Question: How does this text establish the doctrine of principle being one?
Answer: Rabbit, horse and elephant respectively represent śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha and Buddha. The river represents the principle of suchness. Just as the river's nature is one but the three beasts crossing it have shallow and deep differences, the principle of suchness is one, but the three vehicles' realization of it has differences of partial and complete. Therefore this text can establish that doctrine.
Question: First, using the three beasts crossing the river having differences, how does this show the doctrine that the three vehicles' realization of principle has differences?
Answer: The rabbit floats on the water surface while crossing, representing śrāvakas' shallow realization of the principle of personal emptiness. The horse sometimes steps on ground, sometimes floats while crossing, representing pratyekabuddhas' medium realization of personal emptiness principle. The fragrant elephant constantly steps on the bottom while crossing, representing the Buddha's deep realization of the principle of both emptinesses. Therefore using the three beasts' shallow and deep differences in crossing the river represents the three vehicles having partial and complete differences in realizing principle.
Question: Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas equally realize the principle of personal emptiness with no difference. Rabbits and horses differ greatly in size, and their river crossing also differs greatly. Why use rabbit and horse to represent śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas?
Answer: Although the principle realized is the same personal emptiness suchness, their root capacities of sharp and dull have considerable differences. Therefore in the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra etc., śrāvakas are called inferior capacity and pratyekabuddhas are called medium capacity. Regarding this superiority and inferiority of root capacity, even for the same personal emptiness principle, realization also differs. Therefore representing them with rabbit and horse has no fault.
Question: The treatise states: "Also below the sūtra says: 'Like digging on high ground seeking water. If one sees dry earth, one knows water is still far. If one sees wet mud, one knows water is not far. If one sees mud, one knows water is extremely near. Water's nature has no difference, but obtaining it differs.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This is the second proof. It is text from the Dharma Teacher chapter. The sūtra text is quite extensive, so the essential meaning is selected and cited.
Question: How does this text prove it?
Answer: As the sūtra states: "Like a person" represents one who studies liberation. "Thirsting and needing water" represents being in saṃsāra without proper dharma water. "High ground" represents the Buddha's correct dharma - covering the four births, encompassing myriad phenomena, transcending all paths, difficult to climb and traverse, called high ground. "Digging" means taking wondrous wisdom as primary, using the three trainings as tools, discriminating and investigating to seek bodhi. "Still seeing dry earth" refers to the former provisional two-vehicle teaching traces, completely lacking Mahāyāna characteristics, called "knowing water is still far." "Not ceasing to apply effort" means the two benefits do not rest. "Then seeing wet earth" means encountering Prajñāpāramitā emptiness teaching Mahāyāna, having the momentum of bodhi, given the name "wet earth." "Finally gradually reaching mud" represents hearing this sūtra teaching. "Knowing water is certainly near" - the treatise states: "Receiving and upholding this sūtra, one obtains Buddha-nature water and achieves anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi," therefore approaching the Buddha wisdom to be realized. The meaning is: taking Buddha-nature suchness principle as water. Two-vehicle people
【Left Page】
initially hearing four noble truths teaching know Buddha-nature water is very far. Next hearing Prajñāpāramitā emptiness teaching, they develop faith and understanding in Mahāyāna mind, knowing Buddha-nature water is gradually not far. Later hearing this Lotus Sūtra, they develop aspiration toward Mahāyāna mind, knowing Buddha-nature water is already near. Therefore we know that although principle is one, according to roots being immature or gradually matured, realizing principle differs. Therefore citing this text can establish the doctrine of unifying principle as one.
Question: Why is this proof unlike the previous proof? The previous proof cited three beasts crossing a river to represent that although principle is one, according to the three vehicles' root capacities, realizing it differs. This is quite reasonable. This proof only shows one person's attainment of principle in sequence, not showing different capacities and roots. How can it show the doctrine of unifying principle as one?
Answer: What this latter doctrine shows is that although principle is one, according to roots being immature or matured, realizing it before and after differs. Not discussing whether roots are three types or one type, it only shows the reason why principle is one. Therefore there is no fault. Also discussing in terms of before and after, it naturally forms three vehicle roots - before turning the mind they are two vehicles, after turning the mind they are bodhisattvas.
Question: The treatise states: "This unifies principle as the same while realization differs. The three vehicles' realization of principle has complete and deficient." What does this mean?
Answer: This concludes and establishes the doctrine of unifying principle as one. Bodhisattvas realize both emptinesses principle, called complete. Two vehicles realize personal emptiness principle, called deficient, because they lack dharma emptiness principle.
Question: The treatise states: "Third, unifying practice. Śāriputra himself said: 'Is this the ultimate dharma? Is this the path to be practiced?'" What does this mean?
Answer: This is the third, clarifying unifying practice as one. It cites three proof texts to establish this. This is the first, citing Śāriputra's words from the doubt section to establish this doctrine.
Question: How does this text establish unifying practice as one?
Answer: Śāriputra's complete words state: "Among the assembly of śrāvakas, the Buddha said I am foremost. Now I myself doubt my wisdom and cannot understand - is this the ultimate dharma or is this the path to be practiced?" The Xuanzan states: "This verse is self-doubt. Is the wisdom he previously attained fruit-dharma or causal path? If it is fruit, what he obtained is already complete - what is there now to praise? If it is cause, he further wants to seek what the cause accomplishes."
Since it asks "Is this the path to be practiced?" - if it is a causal path to be practiced, he further wants to seek the fruit accomplished by causal practice. Clearly the previous two-vehicle practice is bodhisattva practice. Therefore this text can establish unifying practice as one.
Question: "Is this the path to be practiced?" is self-doubting words, not yet definitively understanding that two-vehicle practice is bodhisattva practice. How does this text establish the doctrine of unifying practice as one?
Answer: Pointing to the fruit he obtained, he doubts whether it is causal practice. If it is causal practice, he wants to seek the fruit accomplished by that causal practice. That accomplished fruit refers to Buddha-fruit. Using two-vehicle fruit as causal practice to proceed toward Buddha-fruit. Therefore we know two-vehicle practice is bodhisattva practice. With this doctrine it can serve as proof.
Question: The treatise states: "The Buddha himself also said: 'I established these expedient means to enable entry into Buddha wisdom.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This is the second proof.
Question: How does this text prove it?
Answer: "Expedient means" refers to two-vehicle nirvana. That two-vehicle nirvana is causal practice for entering One Vehicle Buddha wisdom. Therefore the Xuanzan states: "Initially establishing the two provisional teachings is in order to ultimately enable entry into Buddha wisdom and dwelling in One Vehicle." Therefore we know two-vehicle practice is bodhisattva practice. Therefore it serves as proof text for unifying practice as one.
Question: How do we know that "expedient means" refers to two-vehicle nirvana?
Answer: In the explanation of the six predictions in the verses above in the sūtra...