英語訳
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Why would we not earnestly seek the fruit of swift attainment? Even if just a few words accord with principle, we should offer them to all beings, wishing together with those who have karmic connections to attain supreme enlightenment. I reverently appeal to the great sages of the ten directions and humbly beseech the successive patriarchs of our school to have compassion on this foolish aspiration and enable its fulfillment. Now I briefly establish five sections to express somewhat the thoughts of one fool: first, revealing our own superior virtues; second, blocking others' slander; third, subduing our own attachments; fourth, considering others' reflections; fifth, questions and answers with distinctions.
First, revealing our own superior virtues: The characteristics and nature of Mahāyāna are found in detail in our school. Others consider this to be a superficial reason, but we regard it as the supreme virtue. Why? Because it completely possesses immeasurable excellent qualities. Specifically, I first raise fifteen excellent qualities to reveal one drop of the vast ocean.
First is the superiority of the distinctive fundamental sūtra; second is the superiority of the incomparable fundamental treatise; third is the superiority of complete subsidiary parts; fourth is the superiority of definitive sacred teachings; fifth is the superiority of complete doctrinal paths; sixth is the superiority of the universal Middle Way; seventh is the superiority of revealing extremely profound principles; eighth is the superiority of all teachings being true; ninth is the superiority of ultimate destruction of delusion; tenth is the superiority of the sequential three trainings; eleventh is the superiority of wonderful practices that crush heterodoxy; twelfth is the superiority of ultimately established principles; thirteenth is the superiority of unquestionable lineage; fourteenth is the superiority of noble founding masters; fifteenth is the superiority of authentic translation.
First, the superiority of the distinctive fundamental sūtra: Generally, our school takes the six parts of Mahāyāna such as the Avataṃsaka (Avataṃsaka Sūtra, Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra, Guṇakāraṇḍa Sūtra, Abhidharma Sūtra, Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, Ghanavyūha Sūtra) as fundamental sūtras overall, but what is especially called the fundamental source of the school is the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra. The reason for this is that in the first Paramārthasatya-lakṣaṇa chapter, addressing great bodhisattvas like Yathārtha-pṛcchā, it explains the one true wonderful principle of abandoning designations and discussing essence—this is the original intention of our school. In the next Vijñāna-lakṣaṇa chapter, addressing Bodhisattva Suविशाल (Extensive Wisdom), it explains the characteristics and nature of the eight consciousnesses (consciousness means precisely the seventh consciousness), clarifies the seeds of the torrential stream, enables awakening to the source of saṃsāra, and makes known the origin of vijñāpti-mātra transformation. This is the phenomenal aspect of our school.
In the next Sarva-dharma-lakṣaṇa chapter, addressing Bodhisattva Guṇākara, and the next Niḥsvabhāvatā chapter, addressing Bodhisattva Paramārthasamutpāda, it sequentially expounds the three natures and three naturelessnesses, completely exhausts all dharmas of defilement and purity, correctly reveals the great principle of the harmonious fusion of emptiness and existence, clearly distinguishes the depths and shallows of the three periods of one lifetime, and thoroughly reconciles the two gates of One Vehicle and five natures. This is the wonderful understanding of our school. In the next Vikalpa-yoga chapter, addressing Bodhisattva Maitreya, it explains the practice of vijñāpti-mātra śamatha and vipaśyanā and expounds the mysterious principles of the three divisions' fundamental and derivative aspects. This is precisely the contemplation method of our school. In the next Bhūmi-pāramitā chapter, addressing Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, it expounds the myriad practices of the three worthy stages and ten grounds and also clarifies the number of three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas (this chapter also contains the reconciliation of One Vehicle and five natures). This is precisely the practice and stages of our school. In the next Tathāgata-kṛtyānuṣṭhāna chapter, addressing Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, it extensively explains the great fruit of the three bodies and myriad virtues and thoroughly clarifies the wonderful functions of teaching the Dharma and benefiting beings. Within that teaching of Dharma, it reveals and explains the proper standards for establishing and refuting right and wrong through logic (hetuvidyā). This is precisely what our school aims for and also its fundamental intention.
Generally, the seven chapters that form the main doctrine of this one work in five fascicles together explain the mysterious profundity of establishing one school. Its text is extremely detailed and its meaning especially clear. What wise person could face this sūtra text and falsely claim it does not teach the Dharma-characteristics school? If one insists on doubting this, then the treatises and commentaries of all schools can be subject to doubt. If we allow that, it's not worth discussing; if not, how do we distinguish the differences? One should know that this sūtra's teaching of our school is inevitable. With this principle already decided, the superiority and wonder of our school is hereby sufficiently established. Why? Because this present sūtra...
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Discussing the teaching master: this is precisely the Vairocana Tathāgata of the tenth level (because all the proper recipients in dialogue are of equal enlightenment). The ineffably ineffable body above the lotus platform—even regarding that Buddha-body, it is still what is seen by the vajra samādhi of the completion of the tenth ground. Among all teaching masters, there is none superior to this. Investigating where it was taught: this is the most excellent reward-land where beings of equal enlightenment dwell in the eighteen perfect lotus-treasury worlds. Among transformation-lands, there is absolutely nothing comparable to this. Speaking of the dialogue partners: these are immeasurable and countless bodhisattvas of ultimate position like Maitreya, Mañjuśrī, Avalokiteśvara, and Dharmodgata. They are the highest among high-capacity beings—how could there be any who surpass them? Examining the teaching texts: they are precisely most honored and also most wonderful.
Sometimes it speaks of "subtle, most subtle, profound, most profound, difficult to attain, most difficult to attain," and sometimes it explains "definitive meaning of ultimate truth, definitive meaning of yoga, definitive meaning of perfections, definitive meaning of Tathāgata's activities." Among all these expressions of ultimate profound depths, what text or words could further surpass this? All the above points are entirely found in the sūtra text, without adding even one private embellishment.
When such a Tathāgata, in such a land, addressing such people, taught such Dharma—how could this be false fabrication? How could it be separate from dharma-nature? How could it be like dust and dirt? How could it exceed even infants? As for cases like the beginning of that Paramārtha chapter, where the teaching master Vairocana stops speaking and remains silent, the great being Gambhīrārthasamdhi receives empowerment to expound, and the text does not include "making obeisance and departing" at the sūtra's end—these matters transcend ordinary approaches, with meaning beyond words. I briefly abbreviate detailed discussion, fearing prolixity.
Second, the superiority of the incomparable fundamental treatise: Although there may be fundamental sūtras, if there are no fundamental treatises, it is like a brilliant king not obtaining worthy ministers. Therefore, adding wonderful treatises to profound sūtras makes the school's teaching complete with nothing lacking in its foundation. These fundamental treatises not only have doctrinal paths that correctly correspond, so that later teachers take them as their standard, but the bodhisattva who expounded them personally heard the fundamental sūtra at the Buddha's place and received face-to-face oral instructions.
What he wrote was also not merely describing the fundamental sūtra's general meaning but correctly quoting complete passages for analysis. That bodhisattva was also not merely of lower sage and lower position but should be considered as someone of the equal enlightenment position. That equal enlightenment was also not merely a regent of other realms or future regent but could also be one bound to one more life in this world. Now all these aspects are complete—this is simply the Yogācārabhūmi. What school or tradition has such comparisons? As for the right and wrong of what was taught, this need not even be discussed. Based on the fundamental sūtra, one can know the general outline; I abbreviate the detailed meaning. Generally, this treatise has ten superiorities, as in the Jinsi-chao—this can be recorded later.
Third, the superiority of complete subsidiary parts: Even though there may be a fundamental treatise, if there are no subsidiary parts, it is still like a king tree without branches and twigs. Therefore, adding wonderful subsidiaries to the wonderful treatise makes the foundation complete and immovable. Those wonderful subsidiaries are: among the five works that Maitreya taught, excluding the Yogācāra-bhūmi and Vajracchedikā commentary, the remaining three works (Vikalpa-yoga-śāstra, Mahāyāna-sūtrālaṃkāra-śāstra, Madhyānta-vibhāga-śāstra), together with seven treatises composed by many bodhisattvas including Asaṅga, Vasubandhu, Dignāga, and Dharmapāla, each studying the fundamental treatise (Prakaraṇārya-vācaka-śāstra, Abhidharma-samuccaya-śāstra, Viṃśatikā-vijñaptimātra, Triṃśikā-vijñaptimātra, Pañcaskandha-prakaraṇa, Śata-dharma-prakaraṇa, Nyāya-mukha). The total of ten works is called the ten subsidiaries.
Asaṅga was precisely a bodhisattva who had attained the grounds; Vasubandhu was also a bodhisattva of clear attainment; Dignāga and Dharmapāla were both already accomplished Tathāgatas of the Fortunate Kalpa who manifested traces in India. Each abided in vijñāpti-mātra samādhi—some personally received from Maitreya, some correctly studied under Asaṅga, some wonderfully continued Vasubandhu, some skillfully followed Dignāga. Each poured forth unobstructed wisdom-water and was individually immersed in the inexhaustible ocean of teachings, opening various doctrinal gates, establishing multiple levels of principles, sweeping away their mysterious depths, and exploring their...