英語訳
【Page 50 Upper】
Among the assembly, the heavenly beings are supreme. Some have attained the fruit of sagehood. This is real, not a manifestation. Therefore they are called "the heavenly assembly that has attained the way-fruit-reality." (I say: A previous worthy said "This refers to the heavenly assembly that has truly attained the way-fruit." Also said "This refers to the heavenly assembly that has attained the fruit-reality of the way.")
Sūtra: "Buddha told those who had attained... to... lion's roar"
The four-stage bodhisattvas and eight-stage bodhisattvas (the new version says "fourth ground bodhisattvas, eighth ground bodhisattvas"). Regarding the lion's roar, Master Zō says: "This praises the teaching. This is definitive discourse of ultimate meaning."
Sūtra: "Thus, thus... to... only then knowing these matters"
Master Eki says: "The text describing and praising what was taught has two parts: first establishing, then explaining. This is the first part." (I say: This master says "This has three praises: first, the inconceivable; second, the immeasurable; third, only Buddha knows." Master Soku's meaning is the same. I say: "The new version lacks the second. If so, it cannot necessarily be three.")
Sūtra: "Good sons, what... to... King Moonlight's divisions and meanings of merit" (Following Master Eki's citation of text)
Masters Eki and Soku mean: "Explaining the above three praises makes three parts: first explaining the inconceivable; next, from 'Good sons, this merit treasury' down, explaining the immeasurable; lastly, from 'I now briefly describe' down, explaining 'only Buddha knows.'"
Sūtra: "Good sons, what... to... transformation is also inconceivable"
Master Eki's meaning says: "In praising the inconceivable, first establishing and raising up, second from 'Why is this so?' down, questioning and explaining, third from 'Therefore prajñā' down, concluding."
Sūtra: "Good sons, what... to... Buddha-treasury inconceivable"
The new version says: "Good sons, these fourteen tolerances are the dharma-bodies of all buddhas, the practices of bodhisattvas, inconceivable and immeasurable." Master Eki says: "Establishing and raising up." Master Soku says: "Establishing the principle and briefly explaining." Regarding the three tolerances, Masters Zō, Eki, and Soku's meanings are the same,
【Page 50 Lower】
saying "the three grades of forbearance tolerance." Regarding the thirty tolerances, Masters Zō and Eki's meanings are the same, saying "each of the ten grounds has three lifetimes, forming thirty tolerances." Regarding practice-treasury and Buddha-treasury, Master Soku says: "Practice-treasury refers to the previous thirteen tolerances; Buddha-treasury refers to the above nirvanic tolerance. Through these two types encompassing all merits, they are called treasuries." Masters Zō and Eki's meanings are the same.
Sūtra: "Why is this so... to... acting within understanding while acting"
Master Eki's meaning says: "In the second questioning and explaining, there are three parts: first brief, next from 'all sentient beings' down, extensive, third from 'therefore prajñā' down, concluding." In Master Soku's meaning, "Why is this so?" is the outsider's questioning language. From "All buddhas" down, the third extensively explains based on the principle. The text has three distinct parts: first, only regarding the Buddha-treasury clarifying the inconceivable (I say: "This can be decided"); next, "all sentient beings" combines and explains the two treasuries clarifying the inconceivable; lastly, from "therefore prajñā" down, doubly concluding the two treasuries clarifying the inconceivable. Master Zō says: "From 'Why is this so?' down extensively describes the functions of the fourteen tolerances. From 'All sentient beings' down raises emptiness to explain and establish."
Sūtra: "All buddhas... to... like empty space therefore" (Regarding "neither characteristics nor without characteristics," some versions say "therefore not without characteristics." The masters' citations of the sūtra differ. The new version says: "All buddhas are born in prajñāpāramitā, transform in prajñāpāramitā, are extinguished in prajñāpāramitā, yet truly the buddhas' birth has nothing born, transformation has nothing transformed, extinction has nothing extinguished. Ultimate without two, neither characteristics nor without characteristics, without self without other, without coming without going, like empty space therefore.")
Master Eki says: "The buddhas achieve enlightenment within prajñā. 'Extinction' here means entering; 'transformation' here means turning the dharma wheel. 'Yet without birth, etc.' is repeated explanation, meaning though there is birth, death, and transformation, there is no birth or death. 'Without transformation, without self or other, etc.' is further explanation, meaning in true characteristics there is no 'self-other, ultimate without two,' therefore no-other, not-no-other (suspiciously there may be omissions). Neither characteristics nor without characteristics, therefore no extinction. Without coming, without going, therefore no birth. Just like empty space cannot be grasped or attached to." (I help clarify saying: "First illuminating birth-death-transformation, next obstructing birth-death-transformation, lastly clarifying the reason for illumination and obstruction? If
【Page 51 Upper】
following the new version taking birth-transformation-extinction as sequence. This would be the sequence of achieving enlightenment, turning the dharma wheel, and entering extinction?") Master Soku says: "Explaining this text has two theories. One says the dharma-body has no form; for the sake of beings it manifests form in the royal palace showing birth, entrusts extinction to the twin sal trees. Responding according to conditions therefore responding and transforming, the function becomes increasingly tranquil, therefore the essence has no birth or death. 'Transformation without self or other' (etc.). 'Ultimate without two' means realm and wisdom are both cut off. 'Neither transformation nor non-transformation' means discussing its tranquility it's not transformation, according to its great function it's not non-transformation. 'Neither characteristics nor without characteristics' means both existence and non-existence are absent (etc.). 'Without coming, without going' (etc.). Also saying: first, regarding the transformation-body clarifying the inconceivable. Birth is wisdom-virtue; extinction is elimination-virtue; transformation is compassion-virtue. Or generally following the enjoyment dharma-body making explanations of birth, etc. Next, 'without self-other characteristics, etc.' pursuing difficulties with repeated explanation. Within this there are two: first dharma, then analogy. After dharma there are five meanings mutually explaining each other. First, 'without self-other' explains the above 'without transformation' - already without self-other, how can there be transformation? Second, 'ultimate without two' explains 'without self-other' - in the ultimate truth there are no self-other two, therefore. Third, 'neither transformation nor non-transformation' (etc.) (From here down it's unclear so briefly not presented. If wanting comparative explanation, think further and explain it)." I say: "Buddha's intention contains much, doctrinal approaches are limitless. Therefore Nāgārjuna and Tiantai freely make explanations. Therefore now adding explanation saying: birth is the reward-body; extinction is the dharma-body; transformation is the response-body. Three becoming one, one becoming three. Though birth-death-transformation, not birth-death-transformation. Or one could say 'birth-death-transformation is the response-body; no birth-death-transformation is the reward-body; without self-other, etc., is the dharma-body.' If regarding two bodies, one could say 'birth-death-transformation is the response-body; no birth-death-transformation, etc., is the true body.' If regarding one body, one could say 'though function involves birth-death-transformation, the essence has no birth-death-transformation.'"
Sūtra: "All sentient beings... to... acting within understanding while acting"
【Page 51 Lower】
Master Eki says: "The extensive explanation text has two parts: first explaining, second from 'dharma characteristics' down, concluding." Master Soku says: "The second combines and explains the two treasuries clarifying the inconceivable. The text has two distinct parts: first explaining, then from 'therefore' down, concluding."
Sūtra: "All sentient beings... to... like empty space therefore"
Master Soku's meaning says: "Within the explanation there are two parts: first, person and dharma in mutual opposition clarifying the inconceivable; second, realm and wisdom in mutual opposition clarifying the inconceivable." Master Eki's meaning is the same.
Sūtra: "All sentient beings... to... tranquilly empty therefore"
The new version says: "Good sons, all sentient beings' nature is without birth-death. Through the collection of various dharmas there is phantom transformation, though there are aggregate-sense-field-element characteristics, there is no combination or scattering. Dharmas are the same as dharma-nature, tranquilly empty therefore. All sentient beings' self-nature is pure; the various actions performed are without bondage, without liberation, neither cause nor effect, not non-cause-effect. Various suffering-experiences-actions, affliction-knowledge-objects, self-characteristics, person-characteristics, knowledge-views, experiencers—all empty therefore." Masters Eki and Soku's meaning says: "First, from 'all sentient beings' down clarifies person-emptiness; second, from 'collection of all dharmas' down clarifies dharma-emptiness." (I examine the new version: from 'all sentient beings' down to 'dharma collection phantom transformation' is person-emptiness; from 'five aggregates' down to 'tranquilly empty' is dharma-emptiness.) "Without birth-death" (I say: "Does this reveal suffering-fruit emptiness?"); "without bondage-liberation" (I say: "Does this reveal affliction-karma emptiness?"); "neither cause nor not-cause-fruit" (I say: "Due to affliction-karma emptiness, therefore not cause. Due to suffering-fruit emptiness, therefore not effect. Since good and evil don't perish, also not non-cause-effect. The above three sentences, Master Zō's meaning seems similar"). Regarding "afflictions, self, person, knowledge-views, experiencer," Master Soku says: "Afflictions means presenting the grasping dharmas, namely self-view. Self, person, etc., means distinguishing the many names of what is grasped: first self, second person, third knower, fourth seer, fifth experiencer." (I say: "This explanation is excellent, according with the new version's meaning.") Regarding "self-possessions," Master Soku says: "This clarifies self-possession emptiness. The previous five types of self are all self-possessions: first self-possession down to fifth experiencer-possession. Generally establishing the five types, therefore saying self-possessions." First