英語訳
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Receiving the Buddha's prophecy. Based on this skillful means, teaching the One Vehicle for transformed śrāvakas is called "teaching the One Vehicle due to transformation." This is the true meaning of the ninth cause.
Question: Why does it point to Pūrṇa and say "precisely this type"? Answer: Pūrṇa is a transformed śrāvaka. Therefore it says so.
Question: If so, when did Pūrṇa manifest entering remainderless nirvāṇa, and when did he manifest emerging again, causing fellow practitioners to see this? Answer: This should be investigated. One explanation is that in this lifetime, Pūrṇa only demonstrated appearing as Maitrāyaṇīputra and attaining the no-more-learning fruit, guiding fellow practitioners like Kauṇḍinya and others, without manifesting the appearance of entering nirvāṇa and then emerging. However, since Pūrṇa is a transformation body, it says "precisely this type." Since the modes of transformation are not uniform, there is no contradiction.
Question: The treatise states: "In the Lotus Commentary, giving prophecies to transformed śrāvakas is precisely this. Therefore..." What does this mean? Answer: This uses the Lotus Commentary to explain this ninth cause. The transformed śrāvakas described in that commentary are precisely Pūrṇa and others. This precisely corresponds to this ninth cause.
Incidentally, question: The Lotus Commentary states: "To two types of śrāvakas the Tathāgata gives prophecy: namely, transformed ones and those who have fallen back but then aroused bodhi-mind again. To the two types - determined nature and conceited śrāvakas - because their faculties are immature, the Tathāgata does not give prophecy. When bodhisattvas give prophecy, it is through skillful means to cause them to arouse bodhi-mind." Regarding this, masters like Tiantai say: "Since it states that both determined nature and conceited people have immature faculties, one should definitely know there will be a time when they mature. Therefore, like conceited people whose faculties are immature now but will become Buddha when they mature, determined nature people are also the same. This is because one text discusses them together."
【Lower Section】
How can this difficulty be resolved? Answer: The Profound Eulogy states: "Because those seeking cessation are discussed together with the conceited in one place, they similarly say the faculties are immature, causing them to arouse the mind. The correct interpretation should say: those seeking cessation have immature faculties, Buddha does not give prophecy, bodhisattvas give prophecy to cause them to arouse faith and understanding in Mahāyāna mind. Those with conceit, because their faculties are immature, Buddha does not give prophecy, bodhisattvas give prophecy to cause them to arouse the mind aspiring toward Mahāyāna" (the detailed explanation should be consulted).
Question: Even with this interpretation, understanding the word "immature" is still unclear. Answer: "Not yet" means "not." Regarding this meaning of "not," there are permanent non-attainment and temporary non-attainment. Containing these two types of "not," they are collectively called "not yet." Specifically, it should say "those seeking cessation have faculties that do not mature, the conceited have not yet matured."
Question: How do we know that "not yet" has the meaning of permanent non-attainment? Answer: In the Tathāgata's Lifespan chapter, when explaining the reward-body's lifespan, it states: "The lifespan I achieved when originally practicing the bodhisattva path has still not yet ended." This phrase "not yet ended" means permanently not ending. If "not yet" necessarily has the meaning of "eventually," then the reward-body's lifespan would have the meaning of eventually ending. Therefore one should know this means permanently not ending.
Question: The treatise states: "Also to subdue the pride of those two-vehicle practitioners: 'I too have attained your nirvāṇa.'" What does this mean? Answer: This clarifies the reason why Buddhas and bodhisattvas manifesting entry into two-vehicle nirvāṇa also has another separate meaning. The Water Commentary states: "This subdues their inferior pride. If Buddha did not enter their nirvāṇa, then he would not be able to enter the dharma of other two vehicles. Then they would calculate and say: 'The Tathāgata is mostly superior to me, I am somewhat inferior. Just not attaining my nirvāṇa is called being mostly superior.'" Now I privately say: two-vehicle people consider the remainderless nirvāṇa they seek to be the ultimate destination, forming pride equal to Buddha, and no longer
【Left Page】
seeking Buddha-fruit. Therefore, Buddhas and bodhisattvas demonstrate the appearance of entering two-vehicle nirvāṇa, then also emerge again, receiving the prophecy of supreme bodhi. Through skillful means they tame and subdue those two-vehicle practitioners saying: "Though I too have attained the nirvāṇa you seek, I emerge again and ultimately proceed to supreme bodhi. You should know your nirvāṇa is not the ultimate fruit." Through these words, they remove their prideful mind and cause them to turn toward great bodhi.
Question: The treatise states: "As extensively explained in the Laṅkāvatāra: arhats enter remainderless nirvāṇa, spend hundreds of thousands of eons indulging in samādhi wine, lying drunk and idle. Later arising from that, they then arouse great mind. This is what Buddhas and bodhisattvas create through transformation. If not so, when actually entering remainderless nirvāṇa, body and cognition are completely exhausted - later arising from that, from what would dharma arise? Therefore know this is transformation." What does this mean? Answer: This cites the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra as proof, again explaining this ninth cause.
Question: The Yogācāra Commentary volume 12 reconciles this Laṅkāvatāra text saying: "Like this treatise's explanation below of skillfully manifesting entering the remainderless dependent realm, etc., provisionally describing this person as one entering remainderless nirvāṇa. Actually these are śrāvakas who have turned toward bodhi, dwelling in nirvāṇa with remainder. Being drunk on samādhi wine refers to indeterminate nature people dwelling in peaceful concentration. After emerging from concentration, they proceed to Mahāyāna and become transformation bodies." Seeing this, indulging in samādhi wine refers to indeterminate nature people's skillful nirvāṇa. Then why does it now say this is what Buddhas and bodhisattvas manifest skillfully to guide fellow practitioners? Answer: Now we should reconcile by saying: it does not prevent the Laṅkāvatāra text from also containing this meaning. What is reconciled is that sages entering remainderless [nirvāṇa] then arising again violates conventional reasoning, so it is judged to be demonstrated nirvāṇa. In this, sometimes it is what Buddhas and bodhisattvas manifest skillfully to tame and
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subdue two-vehicle practitioners. Sometimes it is what śrāvakas who have turned toward bodhi manifest skillfully entering remainderless [nirvāṇa] before their fellow practitioners. That commentary and this treatise each explain one meaning, so they do not contradict. "This treatise's explanation below" refers to the text stating: "They being thus, having increased their life-practices, retaining bodies with faculties, separately creating transformation bodies, skillfully manifesting before fellow practitioners, entering parinirvāṇa in the remainderless dependent parinirvāṇa realm," etc. (details as in the 80th text).
Question: Masters of Tiantai, Sanlun and others say: "Two-vehicle people also arise after entering remainderless nirvāṇa, turn their minds and become Buddha." They use precisely this Laṅkāvatāra text as proof, saying "spending such time indulging in samādhi wine, then arising from that and turning toward Mahāyāna." How can this be refuted? Answer: The Profound Eulogy refutes: "The present interpretation is not so. For those in two-vehicle positions who spend such time cultivating and turning toward the great [vehicle], at the earlier time before turning their minds, what they should realize - nirvāṇa with remainder - is called nirvāṇa. What the Dharma King attains is called great nirvāṇa. It is not that two-vehicle practitioners in various learning stages, having already spent 80,000 eons up to 40,000 eons, have entered nirvāṇa. Nor is it that no-more-learners enter remainderless dependence, with body and cognition both absent, having entered nirvāṇa, then again arise body and cognition, spending 20,000 eons etc., cultivating great practices. The Faith and Understanding chapter states: 'We have long cultivated emptiness dharma through the night, up to dwelling in the final body's nirvāṇa with remainder, thus already obtaining reward for Buddha's kindness.' The Ornament Treatise states: 'Other people's good roots are exhausted at nirvāṇa time. Bodhisattvas are not like this.' If those two-vehicle practitioners enter remainderless nirvāṇa and their good roots are exhausted, same as the Ornament Treatise, how could they spend 10,000 eons etc. cultivating, just entering the ten faiths, spending three countless eons, then attaining bodhi? Originally