英語訳
【Right Page】
[This refers to] the teaching from the day [after enlightenment] up to before the Four Noble Truths teaching. Śāriputra's entering the Buddha's mind was after the Four Noble Truths teaching, when he met Bhikṣu Aśvajit, heard the Four Noble Truths verse, and attained only the first fruit - this was a later event. How could he have aroused bodhi-mind at the Avataṃsaka assembly before he had even taken refuge in the Buddha-dharma?
Answer: Tiantai and others do not consider this a difficulty. The ancient masters of Dharma Characteristics have not yet thoroughly clarified this. Now I explain: The Avataṃsaka Sūtra consists of teachings at seven locations and eight assemblies (newly called nine assemblies). Speaking of the second seven days refers to the supreme assembly. Calculating the subsequent assemblies, they naturally span years and months, and by the supreme assembly, it should come after the Prajñāpāramitā teaching.
Therefore the Immeasurable Meanings Sūtra states: "Next he taught the Vaipulya twelve-part sūtras, Mahāprajñāpāramitā, and Avataṃsaka ocean-space sūtras, proclaiming the bodhisattvas' cultivation through eons," etc. Since it is established that the Dharmadhātu assembly comes after the Four Noble Truths teaching, there is no fault of contradiction regarding Śāriputra's sequence.
In records like the Compendium Commentary it states: "Question: He has already aroused the mind. How does this assembly again speak of 'turning toward'? Answer: He aroused the mind believing in the existence of bodhi, not the mind seeking to approach bodhi. This arouses seeking approach, so it differs from that."
Seeing the meaning of these records, one does not specifically doubt the reason for being at the Avataṃsaka assembly. One should clearly know: after attaining the fruit of no-more-learning, being at the Avataṃsaka assembly he aroused the mind of faith and understanding in Mahāyāna; at the present Lotus assembly he arouses the mind aspiring toward Mahāyāna. It is like Subhūti arousing the mind of faith and understanding at the Prajñāpāramitā assembly, and at this assembly arousing the aspiring mind, etc.
Question: That the Avataṃsaka assembly extends to after the Deer Park teaching is still hard to believe. What serves as proof? Answer: I have not yet seen authoritative texts. But reasoning from principle: the Dharmadhātu chapter was taught at Jetavana Grove. This was many years after the Tathāgata's enlightenment, the monastery initially established by Elder Sudatta as an offering to the Tathāgata. Teaching the Dharmadhātu chapter at this monastery - how could one call it a pre-Deer Park teaching? Moreover, during the seven locations and eight assemblies, many years and months accumulated. How could it not reach after the Four Noble Truths teaching? However, the compiler sages and sūtra translators combined them into one sūtra collection, like the Great Prajñāpāramitā, Ratnakūṭa and other sūtras (this should be further questioned).
However, these are all matters the ancient masters left undecided. I now barely decide them. Do not be complacent.
Question: The treatise states: "Therefore Buddha's one word contains two types of benefit. Namely, two-vehicle practitioners attain the same intention as Buddha's own essence, and various bodhisattvas receive prophecies." What does this mean? Answer: This concludes this eighth cause. The Compendium states: "Therefore Buddha's one word contains two types of benefit. Namely, various śrāvakas gather and attain intention the same as Buddha's own essence, and various bodhisattvas receive prophecies. By this principle, therefore one vehicle is taught."
Question: The previous seventh cause has one intention, this eighth cause has two intentions. Combined they are three intentions. Why does the verse say "attaining two intentions"? Answer: The Compendium Commentary states: "Self and other make two. Two vehicles and bodhisattvas - the other-meaning is equal." The meaning is: self-intention is one, other-intention is one, combined making two.
Also Vasubandhu's commentary states: "First is grasping equality intention. By this one grasps all sentient beings, saying 'that is precisely me, I am precisely that.' Having thus grasped, since this one becomes Buddha, that one also becomes Buddha. Through this intent, Buddha teaches one vehicle. Second is dharma-nature equality intention. Namely, various śrāvakas at the Lotus assembly, receiving Buddha's prophecy, attain dharma-nature equality intention. Though not yet attaining dharma-body, by attaining such equality intention, they think 'the Buddhas' dharma-nature is precisely my dharma-nature.' There is also another meaning. Namely, in that assembly there are bodhi-
【Left Page】
sattvas whose names are the same as those [śrāvakas], who receive Buddha's prophecy. Through this dharma-nature equality intention, I teach one vehicle." Therefore one should know, the third intention is a separate meaning, so the verse does not add "three."
Question: What is the essence of these two intentions? Answer: The Compendium states: "What is called intention has desire and conviction as its nature." The Vimalakīrti Sūtra Commentary states: "It has faith and conviction as its essence." Among the two cognitions of direct and subsequent, it has subsequent cognition as its essence.
Question: The treatise states: "Nine: Due to transformation. As the World-Honored One said: 'You bhikṣus, I remember the past - countless hundreds of times I entered parinirvāṇa through the śrāvaka vehicle.' How could one, having already become Buddha, enter parinirvāṇa through the two vehicles? Precisely to tame and subdue śrāvakas to be taught, Buddhas and bodhisattvas transform their own bodies, becoming the same type as those [śrāvakas], manifesting parinirvāṇa in remainderless nirvāṇa, spending hundreds of thousands of eons intoxicated and lying dormant in the wine of peaceful extinction. Later arising from that, they manifest receiving Buddha-prophecy, causing all undetermined-nature two-vehicle practitioners to have this thought: 'The venerable elders of the past who entered nirvāṇa have all now arisen again and manifestly receive Buddha-prophecy. How much more should I now not hope to become Buddha and enter nirvāṇa?' In this present assembly, Pūrṇa and others are precisely this type." What does this mean?
Answer: This explains the ninth cause. The Compendium states: "Due to transformation means: as the World-Honored One said: 'You bhikṣus, I remember the past - countless hundreds of times I entered parinirvāṇa through the śrāvaka vehicle.' How could one, having become Buddha, again enter parinirvāṇa through śrāvakas? Therefore there is special intent here. Namely, to tame and subdue sentient beings of śrāvaka nature to be taught, one transforms one's own body to be the same as their vehicle type, manifesting parinirvāṇa. Through this meaning, whether śrāvaka vehicle or pratyekabuddha vehicle, they are precisely Mahāyāna. Therefore they constitute one vehicle."
The Water Commentary states: "Buddha told the bhikṣus: 'I remember the past - countless hundreds of thousands of times I entered parinirvāṇa among śrāvakas.' Hiding form and secretly guiding to transform various śrāvakas whose Mahāyāna faculties are not yet mature. Therefore they first cultivate, approaching the no-more-learning fruit. Or cultivating during the Buddha's semblance dharma period, after attaining arhat fruit, later they need to turn their minds and receive transformation. If they do not turn their minds and receive transformation, this has limitations - they must enter remainderless nirvāṇa. The World-Honored One, from within pure lands, observing this creates transformed śrāvakas. Among these real śrāvakas, he becomes a person of superior faculties and sharp wisdom, going ahead to transform fire, burn the body, and enter parinirvāṇa. Just waiting for the real śrāvakas to want to enter remainderless nirvāṇa, he then manifests his body coming out again, telling various people: 'Do you know? Remainderless nirvāṇa has nothing at all to do.' Making all śrāvakas have this thought: 'The venerable elders who entered parinirvāṇa in the past now arise again'" (Next it says: The one-nature school points to this text, truly calculating that all śrāvakas enter remainderless [nirvāṇa], then arise and later become Buddha. The five-nature school considers it transformation).
Question: What is the meaning of "due to transformation"? Answer: The Water Commentary states: "Saying 'due to transformation' means teaching. Namely, to teach śrāvakas, therefore one vehicle is taught. Therefore it is called transformation." This commentary's meaning is that "transformation" means teaching. I think it means metamorphosis. The meaning is: to tame and subdue one type of śrāvakas seeking remainderless nirvāṇa, various Buddhas and bodhisattvas transform their bodies, becoming śrāvaka bodies, manifesting entering remainderless nirvāṇa, then later emerging again, showing the appearance of receiving supreme bodhi prophecy. For this reason one vehicle is taught. This is called "teaching one vehicle due to transformation." Because Buddha teaches one vehicle for these transformed śrāvakas, those real śrāvakas seeking to enter remainderless nirvāṇa immediately think: "People who entered remainderless [nirvāṇa] in the past now also emerge and receive bodhi prophecy. How could I further enter remainderless?" They turn their minds toward the great [vehicle], receiving the accomplishment of