英語訳
【Right Page】
"appear in the world. Only this one matter is real. The other two are not true." What does this mean?
Answer: This is citing evidence. There are three citations of evidence. This is the first.
Question: What is the meaning of this text?
Answer: This versifies the prose passage that states "All Buddhas appear in the world solely due to the one great matter as cause and condition." The Profound Commentary has three interpretations. The first states: "This sūtra now mostly explains the two dharmas of Buddha-fruition: bodhi and nirvāṇa, wisdom-nature and wisdom-function. Together they are called wisdom." The second states: "Or only true wisdom, not taking true-suchness. Buddhas appear in the world to manifest this one and cause beings to generate aspiration and pursuit. Only this one is real, the ultimate supreme fruit, supremely wonderful and unsurpassed. The other two vehicles are not truly ultimate, final, and supremely wonderful in essence. Therefore the sūtra below states: 'Comparing the previous five perfections with this sūtra, not explaining prajñā,' therefore never using the Small Vehicle to save beings." The third states: "Or this one matter mostly explains wisdom-nature. In the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, Lion's Roar explains: 'Buddha-nature is emptiness, emptiness is wisdom.' Due to this wisdom-nature, it is also called wisdom."
Question: What is the meaning of these three interpretations?
Answer: The first interpretation means Buddha-wisdom refers to wisdom-nature as true-suchness and wisdom-characteristics as the four wisdoms, together called wisdom. The second interpretation means only true wisdom is called wisdom, not taking true-suchness. The third interpretation means only true-suchness is called wisdom, not taking true wisdom.
Question: Which of these three interpretations is correct?
Answer: The Profound Commentary judges: "This [sūtra] now mostly takes the first interpretation as correct."
Question: Why are the latter two interpretations not considered correct?
Answer: The latter two interpretations are not incorrect. However, regarding making "opening, showing, awakening, and entering" the One Vehicle essence, there is evidence for this throughout the sūtra. "Opening" means jointly manifesting the two bodies of Dharma and Reward, bodhi and nirvāṇa, wisdom-characteristics and wisdom-nature - namely the text here that says "explaining Buddha-wisdom" etc. "Showing"
【Lower Section】
means separately manifesting Dharma-body nirvāṇa wisdom-nature - namely the text below that says "destroying the phantom city to reach the treasure place." "Awakening" means separately manifesting Reward-body bodhi wisdom-characteristics - namely the text below that says "comparing the five perfections, excluding prajñā." Throughout [the sūtra], meaning is manifested according to the text, so now this text jointly takes wisdom-characteristics and wisdom-nature as the One Vehicle essence. This does not mean the latter two texts are incorrect because they are not the One Vehicle essence.
Question: The treatise states: "This dharma abides in the dharma-position, as the characteristic of the world being eternally abiding, having known this in the bodhimaṇḍa, the Teacher explains through skillful means." What is the meaning of this text?
Answer: This is the second evidential text. It is cited as evidence for making fruit-principle the One Vehicle.
Question: How do we know this?
Answer: The complete text above this states: "The Buddhas, Honored by gods and humans, know that dharma is permanent, natureless, and Buddha-seeds arise from conditions. Explaining this, they teach the One Vehicle." This clarifies awakening to the destination of the three-nature dharmas. Therefore they first explain the provisional, then explain the One Vehicle. Namely, "permanent" is parinispanna, "natureless" is parikalpita, "arising from conditions" is paratantra. The Profound Commentary states: "By realizing true-suchness, one severs the defiled aspect of paratantra that is the grasping mind, knows the non-existence of what is grasped, and makes those who cultivate Buddha-seeds from pure paratantra causes and conditions the One Vehicle." To manifest that One Vehicle which is "therefore explaining the One Vehicle," this text of "this dharma abides" etc. is explained. Therefore the Profound Commentary states: "What is the One Vehicle? It re-manifests the permanent dharma, namely parinispanna. 'Dharma abides in dharma-position' means true-suchness abides within all dharmas, its essence-nature eternally existing, called 'dharma-abiding.' Dharmas have defiled and pure aspects; abandoning the defiled and attaining the pure, the stages manifest this, therefore called 'dharma-position.' 'Characteristics' means essence-nature. The fundamental essence of the world is precisely eternally abiding true-suchness, the real-nature One Vehicle essence.
【Left Page】
In the vajra-seat bodhimaṇḍa, knowing this fundamental essence-nature of all dharmas, having already [realized this] within dharmas without names and characteristics, the Teacher skillfully explains using names and characteristics." The One Vehicle is already this dharma-abiding dharma-position true-suchness principle. Therefore this text is cited as evidence for making fruit-principle the One Vehicle essence.
Question: What is the general meaning of these two verse lines in this sūtra?
Answer: The Profound Commentary states: "The meaning shows that because one can realize the permanent dharma-nature true-suchness two-selflessness principle, one is then able to understand and know the two selves as non-existent. Depending on spiritual friends for cultivation and practice, wisdom arises from conditioned dharmas. The completion of bodhi-awakening is to realize the One Vehicle true-suchness sublime principle. The sublime principle is precisely dharma-abiding and dharma-position and the characteristic of world's eternal abiding - great parinirvāṇa. In the bodhimaṇḍa, having already realized and known this, now for the sake of sentient beings, it is explained skillfully to make them joyfully pursue and realize it. Now this paratantra is precisely bodhi, parinispanna is precisely nirvāṇa, together forming the One Vehicle. Because parinispanna is superior, it alone is called the One Vehicle. By severing defiled paratantra-nature and eliminating parikalpita, these two fruits are realized. Because paratantra and parikalpita natures are understood, first the Āgamas are taught, then Prajñā is taught. Pure existence and emptiness teachings are called skillful means; now all three [natures] are taught together, therefore called true reality." This is the general meaning of the sūtra's two verse lines.
Question: Regarding the text cited as evidence, true-suchness has many names - namely dharma-realm, dharma-nature, up to inconceivable realm, etc. Why does this passage only indicate these two names?
Answer: Randomly indicating one or two to form one verse line - there is no special reason.
Question: Where is the bodhimaṇḍa?
Answer: Speaking fundamentally, it is the vajra seat above the palace of Maheśvara in Akaniṣṭha heaven. Speaking conventionally, it is under the bodhi tree in Magadha country.
【Lower Section】
Question: The treatise states: "The Chapter on Distinguishing Merits says: 'For the sake of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, practicing the five pāramitās for eighty myriads of koṭis of nayutas of kalpas is not equal to a person generating faith for even one moment. The merit obtained cannot be compared by analogy.'" What does this mean?
Answer: This is the third evidence. It is cited as evidence for making fruit-wisdom the One Vehicle essence.
Question: How does this text serve as evidence?
Answer: Though not visible in this cited text, the evidence is the sūtra's following text "excluding the prajñā-pāramitā." The meaning is: in the sūtra, the merit of hearing about the Tathāgata's lifespan is compared with the merit of cultivating the five perfections, showing why the former merit is superior. Prajñā-pāramitā is excluded. That prajñā is wisdom. This sūtra takes wisdom as its essence. If prajñā were added, it would be compared with wisdom - how could superior and inferior be determined? Therefore prajñā is excluded. Clearly knowing that this sūtra takes wisdom as its essence, this text is therefore cited as evidence. Therefore the Profound Commentary states: "That One Vehicle essence is conditioned wisdom and unconditioned wisdom. Therefore prajñā is excluded, because [wisdom] is most supreme."
Question: According to the Profound Commentary text, conditioned wisdom is wisdom and unconditioned wisdom is principle. Therefore it should be said to be evidence for making principle and wisdom the One Vehicle. Why is it only evidence for making wisdom the One Vehicle?
Answer: The coarse aspect is so. Examining carefully, it is not so. Therefore the Profound Commentary states: "Though this sūtra explains the productive One Vehicle, its essence-nature is comprehensive and complete. The Śrīmālā One Vehicle, though it encompasses both inclusive and exclusive [approaches], only takes unconditioned wisdom as the One Vehicle. Therefore it says that practicing the six pāramitās for Ganges-sand kalpas is not equal to a person holding the sūtra scroll in hand, and does not speak of excluding prajñā. Therefore we know this sūtra comprehensively takes principle and wisdom as the One Vehicle. The principle and wisdom of the two vehicles merge into one. Therefore if only..."