英語訳
【Right Page】
...not at all times. Establishing logical arguments follows what came before. This uses one analogy to complete the explanation of the two difficulties of place and time.
Answering the third difficulty: Bodies are not determined, just like hungry ghosts seeing pus-rivers and such. Due to evil karma, the water etc. they see sometimes becomes raging fire, sometimes called pus-rivers, sometimes called excrement and urine. Sometimes they see sentient beings holding swords and staffs, blocking and guarding, not allowing them to obtain food. Therefore bodies are not fixed. This principle is perfectly established.
Question: Why is it called "body non-determination" to reveal "consciousness-only without objects"?
Answer: If objects were really existent, why would multiple ghost-continuities at the same place have different perceptions? We already know these objects are transformations of individual minds, not objects external to mind. We establish a logical argument: At the same time and same place, continuities being non-determined—this principle is established (thesis), because we allow objects are truly nonexistent (reason), like hungry ghosts seeing pus-rivers etc. (example).
Answering the fourth difficulty: Like objects in dreams—though they lack reality, there is the function of losing vital essence, blood, etc. We establish a logical argument: For those with and without eye disease, the hairs etc. they see having or not having function—this principle is also established (thesis), because we allow there are no real objects (reason), like losing vital essence etc. in dreams (example).
Question: This present explanation is still not clear—how so?
Answer: For example, like male and female intercourse in dreams—though the objects lack reality, males have the function of losing vital essence, and females have the function of losing vital essence. Though there are no real objects, there are still functions—why would this not be established? The above verse uses three types of analogies to complete the explanation of the four difficulties. Also, everything is like hell—all seeing prison guards etc. who can perform tormenting acts, so all four meanings are established. Thus the Mahāyāna's subtle principle has a gate that should be entered, while Hīnayāna's net of doubts has no sword to cut it.
Question: What realm of sentient beings are these prison guards etc.?
【Lower Section】
Answer: These prison guards etc. are not included among sentient beings. They are all completely without substance. These are sentient beings with evil karma who, due to previous karmic retribution, falsely see prison guards.
Question: If they were included in the realm of sentient beings, what harm would there be?
Answer: Vasubandhu's Twenty Verses on Consciousness-Only states: "In the realm of truly existing sentient beings that are included, there are no prison guards etc."
Question: If so, even if following their location and including them in the hell realm, what harm would there be?
Answer: If included in the hell realm, there would be completely no characteristics of receiving suffering.
◆Briefly Revealing the Gate of Buddhist Teaching Benefits
When buddhas appear in the world, there are necessarily two conditions: first, the Tathāgata's great compassion; second, sentient beings' spiritual receptivity. Appearing in the world and expounding dharma also has two benefits: first, meaning-benefit; second, wheel-benefit. Regarding these two benefits, Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna explanations are distinctly different.
Question: What is called meaning-benefit and what is called wheel-benefit?
Answer: The Buddha's taught dharma being able to reveal principles and generate understanding in others is called meaning-benefit. The Buddha's taught dharma being able to generate understanding in others and activate the dharma-wheel is called wheel-benefit. Revealing meaning is immediate and close; activating the wheel is immediate and distant. Whether near or far, having these benefits, the Buddha appears in the world and teaches the three-vehicle doctrine.
Question: How do Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna differ in explaining these two benefits?
Answer: Within Hīnayāna, there are twenty sectarian divisions. The Bahuśrutīya, Sarvāstivāda, Haimavata, Vātsīputrīya, Dharmaguptaka, Bhadrayānīya, Saṃmatīya, Gokulikā, Mahīśāsaka, and Sautrāntika—these ten schools all say the same: "The Buddha's taught doctrine does not necessarily have benefits. Sometimes there are two benefits, sometimes there are no two benefits." The Mahāsāṅghika, Ekavyavahārika, Lokottaravāda, Kaukkuṭika, Prajñaptivāda, Caitika, Apara-śaila, Uttara-śaila, Dharmottarīya, and Kāśyapīya—these ten schools all say the same: "The Buddha's taught doctrine necessarily has two benefits. Nothing is without benefit."
【Left Page】
Question: Why do the schools have such different explanations?
Answer: The first ten schools' meaning: "Only the teaching of the Noble Eightfold Path necessarily has these two benefits. All other enemies have no such benefits. Now when the Buddha asks Ānanda, 'Will it rain?' and asks the monks 'Is begging for food easy?'—what benefit do such Buddha-words have?" The latter ten schools' meaning: "All of the Buddha's verbal teachings necessarily have two benefits. Asking about rain, asking about begging for food—these determine things regarding dharma, transmit to the future, and also through joy and sorrow questioning encourage diligent cultivation, causing early entry into the Way. Why would there be no benefit?"
Question: According to Mahāyāna understanding, how is this matter?
Answer: The Buddha's words necessarily have two benefits, causing all sentient beings, whether near or far, to diligently cultivate the Eightfold Path. Only within this there are primary and auxiliary aspects. Expounding the Noble Eightfold Path is the primary dharma-wheel; the rest are auxiliary dharma-wheels. All having benefit differs from the first ten schools; having primary and auxiliary differs from the latter ten schools.
Question: Regarding these various explanations, what is right and wrong?
Answer: Right and wrong are difficult to judge. Making such calculations, some attain noble fruits and also possess skillful means. What is right and what is wrong? Only Mahāyāna doctrine attains the middle way.
Question: Already knowing that generating understanding is called teaching-benefit, what is called the dharma-wheel?
Answer: After generating correct understanding, undefiled wisdom arises. This undefiled wisdom is called the dharma-wheel.
Question: Why is undefiled wisdom called the dharma-wheel?
Answer: Just as a wheel-turning king's wheel-treasure can subdue the unsubdued and pacify the already subdued, the sage's undefiled wisdom is also like this—it can eliminate ignorance and sever the obstacles of delusion. Therefore it is compared to a wheel.
【Lower Section】
Question: Practitioners have many stages. Which stage's wisdom-understanding is compared to the wheel-treasure?
Answer: Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas have seven preparatory stages and seeing and cultivation stages. The initial undefiled wisdom of true seeing-path is compared to the wheel. Bodhisattvas have five stages, and likewise. The initial undefiled wisdom of true seeing-path is compared to the wheel-treasure.
Question: Why is the initial undefiled wisdom of seeing-path compared to the wheel-treasure?
Answer: Just as a noble king's wheel-treasure has hub, rim, and spokes and turns in motion, the sage's undefiled wisdom is also like this. Right view and right thinking are like the hub; right speech, action, and livelihood are like the spokes; right effort, mindfulness, and concentration are like the rim. The sage's undefiled wisdom can possess all eight of these and crush afflictions, so this is the basis for the comparison.
◆Briefly Revealing the Gate of Buddhist Teaching Periods and Assemblies
In India there are no disputes about teaching periods. In this great Tang realm, different explanations are not the same. Before the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra and Yogācāra texts arrived, various masters followed their own inclinations and each stated different explanations. Clear texts were already lacking and later students had no basis. Now relying on the Saṃdhinirmocana and Yogācāra texts, we explain the teaching periods and assemblies, as in Saṃdhinirmocana chapter 2 and Yogācārabhūmi volume 72. Some masters establish sudden and gradual teachings, but this explanation is not stable. Generally, for sudden and gradual there are no distinct doctrinal texts; they mutually interpenetrate and change.
That Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra states: Bodhisattva Paramārthasamudgata addressed the Buddha: "World-Honored One, initially at one time in Vārāṇasī at Ṛṣipatana in Mṛgadāva grove, only for those setting out toward the śrāvaka vehicle, you turned the wheel of true dharma with the characteristics of the Four Noble Truths. Though this was extremely wondrous and extremely rare—among all worldly beings, gods, humans, etc., none previously existed who could turn [the wheel] according to dharma—yet the dharma-wheel turned at that time was qualified, provisional, and of incomplete meaning. It is the ground for various disputes and arguments.