英語訳
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It states: "In the Buddha-lands of the ten directions, there is only One Vehicle dharma. There is no two and also no three, except for the Buddha's expedient explanations." This immediately breaks the two and breaks the three, clarifying the One Vehicle. Why then do you say there are differences between three vehicles and five vehicles?" What does this mean? Answer: This uses scriptural text as evidence to argue that there should only be the One Vehicle, without three vehicles or five vehicles. The meaning is: "no two" breaks the absence of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; "no three" breaks the absence of śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and Mahāyāna. This clarifies that there is only the One Buddha Vehicle. Yet why do you now say there are three vehicles and five vehicles? This represents the position of ancient masters like Tiantai. Question: How is this objection resolved?
Answer: In first resolving this objection, within the chapter's answer there are twelve layers of meaning. First: depending on the Sanskrit text, it resolves the passage "no two, no three." Second: depending on this sutra's text, it clarifies the reason for not breaking the three. Third: also depending on this sutra's Sanskrit text, it clarifies the passage "how much more are there three." Fourth: depending on the Śrīmālā Sutra, it clarifies the reason for harmonizing the two but not harmonizing the three. Fifth: even granting the "no three" passage, it provides harmonizing explanation. Sixth: it clarifies that if the three were broken, there would be the error of earlier and later ox-carts. Seventh: it clarifies that if the three were broken, there would be the error of abandoning the sudden to become gradual. Eighth: it clarifies that breaking the three would have the error of Mahāyāna and One Vehicle being separate. Ninth: depending on the Śrīmālā Sutra, it clarifies the reason for teaching the One Vehicle in order to break the two vehicles. Tenth: depending on this sutra, it also clarifies the reason for not breaking the three. Eleventh: it breaks counter-rescues. Twelfth: it breaks certain interpretations. Each text can be understood as below. Question: The chapter states: "Answer: According to the Sanskrit text, the sutra verse should say 'without the second and third.' In counting the three vehicles, pratyekabuddhas are the second and śrāvakas are the third. In order to attract the indeterminate and sustain the others, it expediently says 'without the second and third.' This is not truly breaking them."
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What does this mean? Answer: This resolves the above objection, first depending on the Sanskrit text to resolve the passage "no two and also no three." Question: The chapter states: "The Lotus itself says: 'Only this one reality exists; the other two are not true. [The Buddha] will never use the Lesser Vehicle to save sentient beings.' If the three were broken, why does it say 'the other two are not true, not saving with the lesser'? It should also say 'not saving with the Mahāyāna.' Since the sutra only says 'the other two are not true, not saving with the lesser,' clearly the Mahāyāna is not what is being broken." What does this mean? Answer: This is the second part of the previous answer, depending on this sutra to clarify the reason for not breaking the three. The meaning is: if the three were broken, then the Mahāyāna among the three would also be what is broken. Therefore it should say "never using the Mahāyāna to save sentient beings." Why does it mention the Lesser Vehicle? Question: Tiantai and others rescue by saying: "There are two types of Mahāyāna: first, partial-teaching Mahāyāna; second, perfect-teaching Mahāyāna. The Mahāyāna among the three is partial teaching. Now we break this to make them enter perfect-teaching Mahāyāna. Thus there is no error." How should this rescue be refuted? Answer: Refute by saying: "If so, it should say 'the other three are not true.' Since it says 'the other two,' clearly it is not breaking the Mahāyāna among the three." Question: The chapter states: "That sutra also says: 'There are not even two vehicles, how much more three.' Two means the second; three means the third. It does not mean calling two vehicles and three vehicles 'two and three.'" What does this mean? Answer: This is the third part of the previous answer, also depending on this sutra's Sanskrit text to explain the passages saying "two" and "three." It can be understood like the first above. However, the previous explained text from verses; this explains text from prose sections. Question: The chapter states: "The Śrīmālā Sutra says: 'The śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha vehicles are the Mahāyāna.' It also says: 'Mahāyāna
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is the One Vehicle.' Therefore it only harmonizes the two indeterminate-nature vehicles and does not harmonize those fixed-nature two vehicles. How much less the Mahāyāna." What does this mean? Answer: This is the fourth part of the previous answer, depending on the Śrīmālā Sutra to clarify the reason for harmonizing the two but not harmonizing the three. The meaning is: that sutra already says "śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are the Mahāyāna," harmonizing the two to return them to the one. If it harmonized the three, it should add bodhisattvas. Yet it only mentions two vehicles without adding bodhisattvas. Clearly it does not harmonize the three. Also it says "Mahāyāna is the One Vehicle." Therefore we know that Mahāyāna and One Vehicle have no further differences. Therefore it should only say "harmonize indeterminate-nature two vehicles to return them to the One Vehicle." It still does not harmonize fixed-nature two vehicles. How much less would it harmonize Mahāyāna? Question: In the Pearl Commentary's explanation of this passage: "The meaning is that because it harmonizes one class of indeterminate two vehicles, it says 'two vehicles are Mahāyāna.' And because it harmonizes the remaining indeterminate bodhisattvas, it says 'Mahāyāna is One Vehicle.' Though harmonizing one class of indeterminate two vehicles and the remaining indeterminate bodhisattvas, it still does not speak of fixed-nature two vehicles. How much less fixed-nature bodhisattvas. Therefore it says 'how much less Mahāyāna.'" What does this commentary mean? Answer: "Because it harmonizes one class of indeterminate two vehicles, it says 'two vehicles are Mahāyāna'"—this is quite reasonable. However, "because it harmonizes the remaining indeterminate bodhisattvas, it says 'Mahāyāna is One Vehicle'" does not accord well with the sutra text and the chapter master's original intention. Question: The chapter states: "Also, 'no three vehicles' reveals 'being one,' therefore it is not breaking Mahāyāna to have a separate One Vehicle. What is wrong with this principle?" What does this mean? Answer: This is the fifth part of the previous answer, providing harmonizing explanation even granting the "no three" passage. Pearl states: "This meaning explains that to reveal the meaning of oneness, it generally says 'no three.' It does not break the nature of Mahāyāna among the three to say there is a separate One Vehicle, hence called 'no three.' Also, 'no three
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vehicles' means using the oneness of fruit to distinguish the three of causes. There are two distinctions: first, using principle to distinguish teaching; second, using fruit to distinguish cause. Due to these two meanings, it is therefore called 'no three.' Hence there is nothing wrong." Question: What does this commentary mean? Answer: There are two meanings in the commentary. The first meaning accords with the chapter's meaning; the latter meaning differs considerably. It presents the final meaning of distinctions from the One Vehicle chapter. Question: The chapter states: "If the three were harmonized and broken, the Mahāyāna among the three would be the ox-cart promised within the burning house. Upon exiting the gate, all would equally be ox vehicles. If the former ox were broken and later a different ox given, how would the two oxen differ? Also, the Mahāyāna among the three is sudden enlightenment. Harmonizing to make them enter the one—would this make sudden enlightenment become gradual enlightenment?" What does this mean? Answer: This is the sixth part of the previous answer, clarifying that if the three were broken, there would be the error of earlier and later oxen, and the seventh clarifies the error of abandoning the sudden to study the gradual. Shanzhu states: "The objection's meaning is: if the three were harmonized and broken, before exiting the house, ox-carts were promised, yet the Mahāyāna is also broken. After exiting the house, what kind of cart is given? If you say 'giving white oxen and abandoning the original yellow oxen, therefore the two oxen differ,' then the Mahāyāna among the three is sudden enlightenment. Harmonizing to make them enter the one should abandon sudden enlightenment and make them study gradual enlightenment." Question: The Tiantai school establishes the principle of four teachings, saying there are great white ox-carts on open ground, establishing four teachings to gather people, saying śrāvaka vehicle, pratyekabuddha vehicle, bodhisattva vehicle, and Buddha vehicle are different, and breaking this. Answer: Examining within the sutra, there is never text about having separate great white ox-carts beyond the ox-carts among the three carts. We only break this. Question: That school says: "Though there are no explicit texts, there are doctrinal gates. The carts given outside are said to be drawn by white