英語訳
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descended to Ayodhyā country and expounded the five great treatises in the Ayodhyānā lecture hall. As a bodhisattva of succession, he was positioned at the tenth ground. This is the wondrous principle of the middle way that is neither empty nor existent, personally heard and transmitted when the Tathāgata was in the world, and truly serves as a clear mirror among all teachings. Works like the Yogācāra treatise have one hundred fascicles and judge all teachings thoroughly, hence called "extensive commentary on all sūtras and treatises." Next there was Bodhisattva Asaṅga, positioned at the first ground, who succeeded the Compassionate Honored One and extensively transmitted this school. He added detailed explanations to all of Maitreya's doctrinal texts and extensively composed treatise commentaries on what Śākyamuni Buddha explained. Next, in the nine-hundredth year, there was Bodhisattva Vasubandhu (younger brother of Asaṅga). As a bodhisattva of clear attainment among the four good roots, he received from Bodhisattva Asaṅga and extensively transmitted this school. Depending on Maitreya's treatises, he abundantly provided treatise commentaries. Initially studying Hīnayāna, he composed five hundred treatises and thoroughly mastered all the doctrinal texts of one lifetime.
Next there was Bodhisattva Dharmapāla, who deeply understood Vasubandhu's treatises and extensively propagated Maitreya's teachings. As one buddha of the Bhadrakalpa, he proclaimed and clarified in space, causing heterodox adherents to close their mouths like mutes and sectarian Hīnayāna practitioners to curl their tongues in speechlessness. Therefore, Western Indian heterodox practitioners and Hīnayāna adherents all declared, "In Mahāyāna there is only this person."
Next there was Ācārya Śīlabhadra, a great general of dharma transmission who was peerless in his time, transmitting all Dharma Characteristics dharma gates and understanding all doctrines of one lifetime. These five great masters were all craftsmen of dharma transmission in India.
Next, in the early period of the great Tang, there was Tripiṭaka Xuanzang, who traveled far across flowing sands, journeyed distantly to India, and eventually met Ācārya Śīlabhadra to extensively receive transmission of this school. Ācārya Śīlabhadra had been waiting for the Tripiṭaka for a long time. He transmitted everything without omission—the five great treatises, ten branch treatises, and all Dharma Characteristics dharma gates. Eventually returning to China, he greatly propagated this school. With three thousand disciples, seventy accomplished ones, and four chief disciples, the entire court looked up to him and all quarters came as tributaries. His
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other sūtra, vinaya, and treatise translations were extremely numerous. This was the founding patriarch of Tang Dynasty Dharma Characteristics, sixth in the Indian succession. Next there was Dharma Master Kuiji, chief disciple of the Tripiṭaka, whose wisdom and understanding were peerless. Succeeding the Tripiṭaka, he extensively transmitted this school. This was the master of a hundred commentaries, a manifestation of the tenth ground, whose excellent virtue was outstanding, causing the entire age to look up to him, and he was titled Great Master Cien. Next there was Great Master Huizhao of Zizhou, who succeeded Great Master Cien and abundantly spread this school. Next there was Great Master Zhizhou of Puyang, who received from Great Master Zizhou and extensively transmitted this school. These were all the successive succession of the great Tang country.
Regarding transmission to Japan, there were three transmissions in total. First, the two Japanese monks Zhitong and Zhida received from Tripiṭaka Xuanzang. Second, Chan Master Zhifeng of Silla received from Tripiṭaka Xuanzang and first transmitted to Japanese Priest Gien, propagating the Characteristics school at Vimalakīrti Hall. Third, Japanese Priest Genbō entered Tang, studied under Great Master Puyang, and upon return transmitted to Priest Zenshu. Since then, successive transmission continued, with full temple study continuing to the present without interruption. All are assemblies of dragon-elephants whose wisdom and eloquence are truly sharp. All possess the excellent virtue of lions whose sounds of discernment are extremely fierce. Throughout the one realm of Japan, Dharma Characteristics flourishes abundantly—what school could match this? The three-country succession has not lost a single link.
Question: How many period teachings does this school establish to encompass the lifetime teachings?
Answer: It establishes three period teachings to encompass the lifetime teachings. This is because the sincere explanation of the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra is clear. First is the existence teaching. In Buddha's first period, for those setting out toward the śrāvaka vehicle, he refuted heterodox adherents' attachment to a real self and clarified the principle of self-emptiness and dharma-existence. All sectarian Hīnayāna schools are encompassed in this teaching. This only speaks regarding the meaning of existence, as all others can be encompassed. Second is the emptiness teaching. In the second period, for those setting out toward Mahāyāna,
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he clarified the principle that all dharmas are empty, thereby refuting the previous attachment to real dharmas. Third is the middle way teaching. In the third period, he explained the principle of neither empty nor existent, thereby refuting the previous attachments to one-sided existence and one-sided emptiness. Thus, the first period only explained existence regarding other-dependence, the second period only explained emptiness regarding ego-attachment, not yet being the clear explanation of three natures and three non-natures. Therefore the first two periods are called provisional. They are places where disputes and arguments find footing. In the third period, he fully explained the three natures and three non-natures. Due to conceptual construction, it is not existent; due to other-dependent nature, it is not non-existent. This is the wondrous principle of the middle way that is neither empty nor existent. Originally departing from the two extremes, it directly enters the correct path. Most profound within one lifetime, especially subtle among the eighty thousand. All profound Mahāyāna teachings like Avataṃsaka, Saṃdhinirmocana, Golden Light, Lotus, and Nirvana are encompassed herein. All Prajñāpāramitā sections are encompassed in the second period. All sectarian Hīnayāna teachings are encompassed in the first period.
Question: Are these three periods chronological sequence or categorical sequence?
Answer: Scholars' different interpretations are not uniform. Some speak of chronological three periods, some speak of categorical three periods, some speak of three periods combining both categorical and chronological aspects.
Question: Does the middle way in the third period establish only regarding the three natures? Is there clarification of middle way within a single dharma?
Answer: There are two interpretations. First is called three-nature correlative middle way. Second is called single-dharma middle way. However, mostly it is only three-nature correlative middle way. Single-dharma middle way is also possible.
Question: How is emptiness explained in the second period?
Answer: There are two interpretations. First, regarding conceptual construction, it explains universal emptiness with hidden intention. Second, it explains emptiness regarding the three non-natures.
Question: How many vehicles does this school establish?
Answer: This
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school's teaching establishes three vehicles and five natures.
The five natures are: first, fixed nature śrāvaka; second, fixed nature pratyekabuddha; third, fixed nature bodhisattva; fourth, unfixed seed nature; fifth, natureless sentient beings.
Fixed nature two-vehicle practitioners, following their own vehicle's fruition, all enter extinction without remainder. Bodhisattva seed nature, with practices benefiting self and others fulfilled, realizes great bodhi. Natureless sentient beings naturally lack untainted seeds, having only tainted seeds. If they advance and are born among humans and gods, that is their highest achievement.
Question: Do the two vehicles that enter extinction have return to life?
Answer: They do not. Those who enter remainderless extinction have bodies reduced to ash and wisdom extinguished—all consciousnesses are extinguished. How could there be return to life? People of unfixed nature necessarily turn their minds toward the great, never entering extinction at all. At the time of mind-turning, they enter the initial mind of the ten faiths, enter the kalpa position at the first abode, and eventually achieve buddhahood. Sentient beings' capacities naturally have these five types of differences. Therefore Buddha, following each of these individual spiritual capacities, bestows the corresponding dharmas for each. Thus there are necessarily five vehicles. Namely, natureless sentient beings constitute the human-divine vehicle; the three fixed natures constitute the three vehicles; unfixed seed nature correspondingly penetrates all three. Therefore there are five vehicles. If considering only the transcendent, then three vehicles are established. The name "universal vehicle" truly derives from this.
Question: Since the Lotus and others already explain one vehicle, fixed nature two-vehicle practitioners can all achieve buddhahood. Why forcefully establish five natures?
Answer: The Lotus and others are explanations with hidden intention. They provisionally speak of one vehicle regarding unfixed nature. This does not mean all five natures achieve buddhahood. Even when speaking of "all," this is a partial "all." The beginningless natural differences of five natures cannot be changed.
Question: What is the character of three-vehicle cultivation and fruition attainment?
Answer: