英語訳
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Dharma Garden Meaning Mirror - Various Vehicles Chapter
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Teaching one vehicle. This is not because sentient beings' natures have no distinctions.
Question: "The sutra itself explains... to the distinctions of three vehicles and five vehicles" - The meaning of this question is: If it follows the sutra text, breaking two and breaking three while clarifying one vehicle, then in three vehicles and five natures, there would eternally be no fixed natures. The two vehicles and three vehicles would all be what should be broken. Why does it now speak of "gathering three and returning to one"? Is the Great Vehicle among the three not what should be broken? Kumārajīva and other ancient masters all raised this question.
Answer: "If according to the Sanskrit text... this is not truly breaking" - From here below broadly answers according to the question. Within this, first is the doctrine of the master who gathers three and returns to one, later breaks the doctrine of the master who clings to Buddha and speaks of one vehicle. This is the beginning. Kumārajīva and others say: "No two" means there are no śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. "No three" means there are no śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and within the Great Vehicle, self-benefiting bodhisattvas who practice the six perfections exclusively. Now this doctrine is broken. The chapter master explains: Counting from superior to inferior, Buddha is first, solitary realizers second, śrāvakas third. Saying "no two, no three" means no second solitary realizers, no third śrāvakas either - not that there is no ultimate essence of the Great Vehicle among the three vehicles. Examining the Sanskrit text, it says "no second, no third." The present translation simply omits placing the character "second/third." There is a difficulty saying: Among the eight intentions, focusing on the ultimate, there is only the Buddha Vehicle, therefore called "no two and also no three." It is not that there are no fixed-nature two vehicles. One could also say "there is only the formless realm, no desire and form realms." If this were so, it would violate logical reasoning. The logical statement: The natures of the three realms have fixed and unfixed aspects (thesis). Because of beginningless natural law (reason). Like the three vehicle natures (example). The three vehicle natures are all unfixed (thesis). Because of beginningless natural law (reason).
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Like the three realm natures (example). The explanation says: Even those who cling to the formless as ultimate would be similarly broken. Because in the three realms there are also no three ultimates, there is no reconciling refutation. However, in the theses of both logical statements, there are all partial agreement fallacies. Because one admits the unfixed nature of the three realms. Also because one admits there are three vehicle natures within unfixed bodies. There are also questions and answers about natures, as explained in the Commentary.
"The Lotus itself states... not what should be broken" - Master Kumārajīva and others say: Hearing the past teaching of three, there is clinging that all three are ultimate. Now teaching one as ultimate therefore breaks the clinging to three. This is what ground-stage bodhisattvas generate. Now this master's doctrine is broken. The two vehicles do not know that two is expedient, clinging to the fruits of two vehicles as truly ultimate. Now explaining two nirvāṇas is only for the sake of a conjured city. Explaining two bodhi is only called "goat and deer carts." What the provisional teaching explains. Now to break their emotional clinging that two fruits are ultimate, therefore it explains one. If breaking clinging to great ultimate, it would conversely explain one vehicle, further increasing that illness. What would be called breaking? If breaking three, why say "the other two are not real, etc."? Therefore we know the Great Vehicle is not what should be broken.
"That sutra also states... how much more the Great Vehicle" - "Second, etc." - the Sanskrit text fully states "second and third." It's just that in translating, it's abbreviated without the character "second/third." Through this one can clearly know: only breaking the two vehicles, not breaking the Great Vehicle. "Śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha vehicles are the Great Vehicle, etc." - this is the text from the Entering One Vehicle chapter that the sutra explains. Master Xiao says: The various practices that the two vehicles and others cultivate do not go beyond bodhisattva Great Vehicle practices. Therefore it says "this is the Great Vehicle." Also, the Great Vehicle practices and virtues of bodhisattvas
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Dharma Garden Meaning Mirror - Various Vehicles Chapter
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do not go beyond the practices and virtues of the Tathāgata. Therefore it says "the Great Vehicle is the one vehicle." The present chapter master's intention: by gathering one category of unfixed two vehicles, therefore says "two vehicles are the Great Vehicle." And by gathering the remaining unfixed bodhisattvas, therefore says "the Great Vehicle is the one vehicle." Still not gathering fixed-nature two vehicles, how much more fixed-nature bodhisattvas. Therefore says "how much more the Great Vehicle."
"Also no three vehicles... how does this principle fail" - The meaning of this doctrine explains: To reveal the meaning of one, comprehensively says "no three." It is not breaking the nature of the Great Vehicle among the three to separately have one vehicle, therefore called "no three." Also "no three vehicles" means using the one fruit to distinguish the three causes. There are two distinctions: first, principle distinguishes teaching; second, fruit distinguishes cause. Due to these two meanings, therefore called "no three." Therefore there is no failure.
"If gathering and breaking three... does this become gradual awakening" - The meaning of this difficulty: If gathering and breaking three, before not yet leaving the house, one permits using ox carts. Already also breaking the great, when later leaving the house, what kind of cart is given? If saying "giving white oxen, abandoning the original yellow oxen, therefore the two oxen are different," then the great among the three is sudden awakening, gathering it to enter one, then one should abandon the sudden and have them study gradual awakening.
"Also Great Vehicle one... breaking three returning to one" - "What difference is there between Great Vehicle and one vehicle understanding and practice" etc. - Understanding means awakened comprehension. Practice means causal practice. Awakening and entering Great Vehicle understanding, and awakening and entering one vehicle understanding - what difference is there between these two understandings? Great Vehicle and one vehicle both encompass cause and effect. What difference is there between those two causal practices? The Profound Commentary states: The characteristics of yellow and white oxen, the causal
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practices - what is different? Already returning to the original ox, clearly not breaking the great. If clinging to one as ultimate does not contradict proceeding to the great, why is it necessary to break it? Clinging to two as ultimate does not proceed to the great, therefore breaking is necessary. Now this is the same. "This is abandoning the lower and proceeding to higher stages, etc." - If rescuing this by saying "newly aroused bodhisattvas etc., according to their stage, immediately cling to what they obtain as ultimate," then this explains one to remove their doubt and clinging. Through this they abandon lower stages and proceed to higher stages. It is not abandoning the Great Vehicle to enter one. We have not seen such clinging in the cause of proceeding to the Great Vehicle. If not so, the ten grounds abandoning lower and proceeding to higher should all also be called "breaking three returning to one." Even if so, permitting also breaking, then breaking should become endless. Master Xuanlong says: Tripiṭaka's explanation: Great Vehicle and one vehicle have different terms but the same meaning. Saying "Great Vehicle" is a name in contrast to small. Saying "one vehicle" is a name in contrast to fruit. Now this is also the same.
"Also should say... not true principle" - Citing the Śrīmālā text has two meanings. First, the text only says "there are no two vehicles," not saying "three vehicles." Therefore we know it does not gather the Great Vehicle. Second, it already says "expedient explanation," not saying "ultimate reality." Clearly knowing it gathers unfixed natures, not gathering fixed-nature two vehicles. Therefore it says "expedient."
"Though the sutra states... there is one name true" - "This is an expedient gateway, distantly causing entry into truth" encompasses the meaning of distant and indirect. That is, in the past explaining there are fruits of two vehicles, etc., causing them to proceed toward ultimate fruition and true reality