英語訳
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**Mahāyāna Yogācāra Research and Investigation Chapter, Volume 5**
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Contemplating that saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are non-dual. What saṃsāra should be abandoned? What nirvāṇa should be realized? The sūtra also reflects: sentient beings have self, and self has sentient beings. Since dharma-nature is the same, why abandon sentient beings and enter nirvāṇa? Also reflecting: all sentient beings possessed by the three realms are all my parents. All sentient beings included in the six realms are all my relatives. Now that my parents are in the suffering of birth-and-death, now that my clan relatives are pressed by the suffering of saṃsāra, how can I still falsely seek peace and happiness? Through this great compassion, one cuts off that intention. By being able to cut it off, one enters the ten faith stages.
Question: What are the various doubts and delusions—what is doubted and what causes confusion? Answer: Even if one cuts off the intention and enters the bodhisattva stage, there are different explanations in Mahāyāna that are not uniform. Bodhisattvas have doubts, or follow attachment to one teaching, saying this exists and this is wrong.
Question: Why are there different explanations in Mahāyāna that are not uniform? Answer: Some Mahāyāna teachings say all dharmas have no self-nature, no birth or death, originally tranquil with self-nature nirvāṇa. Some Mahāyāna teachings say all dharmas are like illusions, mirages, valley echoes, mirror images, moon reflections, shadow images. Some Mahāyāna teachings say all dharmas are only suchness and reality-limit. Due to this, bodhisattvas follow attachment to one teaching, having attachment that this exists and this is wrong, still having doubt-mind and different understanding. This is dharma-attachment.
Question: How can one cut off that [attachment] and enter understanding-practice? Answer: The Buddha explained the three natures, or explained no-nature. Bodhisattvas of this stage, depending on three-nature contemplation and no-nature contemplation, abandon the various doubts in Mahāyāna and cultivate the Mahāyāna understanding-practice stage.
Question: Why can contemplating the three natures break those doubts regarding various doubts? Answer: In Mahāyāna there are the established dharma-characteristic three self-
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nature teachings. Depending on these teachings, one can eliminate doubts. Question: What are the characteristics of eliminating doubts? Answer: In Mahāyāna it explains that all dharmas have no self-nature, no birth or death, etc. All such [explanations] are made depending on the imagined nature. In Mahāyāna it explains that all dharmas are like illusions, mirages, etc. All such are gates of falsity, made depending on the other-dependent nature. In Mahāyāna it explains that all dharmas are only suchness and reality-limit, etc. All such are gates of reality, made depending on the perfectly established nature. Depending on three-nature contemplation, contemplating thus, different understanding and doubts never again arise, and one enters understanding-practice.
Question: Why is dharma-attachment eliminated in the dedication stage? Answer: Even if various doubts are eliminated, there is still internal attachment. Regarding what is heard, thought, and cultivated, one thinks "I can accomplish this," and regarding what is thought, one makes it truly existent. Due to this one cannot enter the dharma-realization of Mahāyāna. By being able to cut this off and abandon conceptual practices, the ten dwellings and ten practices can eliminate these concepts and achieve understanding-practice.
Question: Why eliminate discrimination? Answer: Although dharma-attachment is eliminated, there is still discrimination. Namely, induced realms like mountains and rivers, realms like bone chains transformed by meditative power, pure dharma agents like buddhas and bodhisattvas, practices of pure dharma like the perfections. On such objects there is still discrimination. Since there is already discrimination, how can one arouse non-discriminating wisdom and realize non-discriminating principle? Therefore one eliminates this discrimination and enters the seeing-path formless principle.
Question: Depending on what contemplation gates are the four locations eliminated? Answer: Through contemplation of the non-duality of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, one subdues intention-obstacles. Through three-nature contemplation, one separates from various doubts. Through dharma-emptiness contemplation, one subdues dharma-attachment. Through contemplation of the non-existence of dual-grasping,
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**Upper Section:**
one subdues discrimination-obstacles. Question: In what stages does one subdue these four? Answer: First, subduing intention is in the ten faith stages, because one separates from the small mind and enters the faith stages. Second, subduing doubt is in the ten dwellings and ten practices. Third, subduing dharma-attachment is in the ten dedication stages up to the patience stage, because through contemplation of emptiness of the imagined, one eliminates its object-grasping and separates from dharma-attachment. Fourth, subduing discrimination is in the highest worldly dharma stage, because through this supreme discrimination-contemplation wisdom, preparatory practices cease and one achieves the supreme awakening of the first ground. If speaking in terms of contradictory proper elimination, the stage of cutting off discrimination is in the first ground.
Question: Having briefly explained the behavioral characteristics of the accumulation stage, what are the behavioral characteristics of the second preparatory stage? Answer: The root verse of Vijñānavāda states: "Establishing small objects before oneself, considering this to be consciousness-only nature, because there is something attained, one does not truly dwell in consciousness-only." Bodhisattvas first in the initial incalculable eon well prepare the provisions of merit and wisdom. After the portion conducive to liberation is already complete, to enter the seeing-path and dwell in consciousness-only nature, they again cultivate preparatory practices and subdue-eliminate dual-grasping. This stage has four: first is the warmth stage, second is the peak stage, third is the patience stage, fourth is the highest worldly dharma stage.
Question: Why is this stage called the portion conducive to decisive discrimination? Answer: Because it accords with and approaches the portion of true decisive discrimination.
Question: Why is this stage considered true decisive discrimination? Answer: The non-discriminating wisdom in the seeing-path stage is called the portion of true decisive discrimination.
Question: Why is this stage called preparatory practice? Answer: Because it is close to the seeing-path, the name preparatory practice is established.
Question: Why does this stage have the four characteristics of warmth, etc.? Answer: They are established depending on the initial and final stages of the four investigations and four accurate cognitions.
Question: What are the four investigations? Answer: First is name-investigation, second is meaning-investigation,
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third is self-nature investigation, fourth is distinction investigation.
Question: What kind of investigation do such investigations conduct regarding name, meaning, etc.? Answer: Investigating thus: the four dharmas of name, etc., are provisionally existent but actually non-existent. This is called the four investigations.
Question: What is the meaning of the four accurate cognitions? Answer: Investigating name, etc., and accurately knowing completely, this is called the four accurate cognitions.
Question: What is called name? Answer: Because it can designate meaning, it is called name. There are sounds, names, and phrases.
Question: What is called meaning? Answer: The meaning designated by names is called meaning. There are objects, etc.
Question: What is called self-nature? Answer: There are two self-natures: first is name self-nature, second is meaning self-nature.
Question: What is called distinction? Answer: Upon self-nature, the possessed length, shortness, square, round, etc.
Question: What is called self-virtue? Answer: The self-nature that designates meaning is called name self-nature. Distinction is also thus. Or the designating name has self-nature and distinctions, etc. Investigate and know this.
Question: When speaking of self-nature and distinction now, is this name self-nature and distinction, or meaning self-nature and distinction? Answer: Both are so.
Question: Why are name and meaning observed separately as two, while self-nature and distinction are observed together as two? Answer: Since name and meaning have different characteristics, they are investigated separately. Since the two characteristics of the two [self-nature and distinction] are the same without difference, they are investigated together.
Question: Why is it called warmth? Answer: Because it is the preceding sign of the fire of the path, it is called warmth. To reveal the meaning: bodhisattvas of this stage attain the luminous samādhi. Depending on this samādhi, they arouse superior investigation