釋摩訶衍論 4.70

4.70

The commentary says: Thus in this text there are two approaches. What are the two? The first is the approach of identical characteristics; the second is the approach of differentiated characteristics. For what purpose is the approach of identical characteristics established? It is to reveal that all dharmas are solely the single tathatā and that there are no other dharmas; this corresponds to the approach of tathatā. For what purpose is the approach of differentiated characteristics established? It is to reveal that the single tathatā produces all dharmas, whose names and characteristics are each distinct and whose meanings and functions differ; this corresponds to the approach of arising and ceasing. Upon which sūtra are these two approaches established? They are based on the Sūtra of Mañjuśrī's Answers on the Foremost. What is stated in that sūtra? That sūtra states: The Buddha asked Mañjuśrī, "Throughout the long and distant past you have continuously wandered without rest through the lands of the ten directions. What extraordinary things have you seen?" Mañjuśrī answered, "Throughout the long and distant past, I have seen no other thing; I have seen only minute dust particles." The Buddha also asked, "During the hundred years you lived in a potter's house, did you not see the characteristics of various earthenware vessels?" Mañjuśrī replied, "I saw only dust, not earthenware vessels." The Buddha also asked, "Did you truly not see the various characteristics of earth, water, fire, wind, mountains, rivers, forests, and trees?" Mañjuśrī replied, "I truly did not see such characteristics; I saw only minute dust particles." In this manner, the World-Honoured One questioned and Mañjuśrī answered up to a hundred times, whereupon the Buddha asked Mañjuśrī, "Do you see minute dust particles?" Mañjuśrī replied, "Throughout the long and distant past, I have not seen minute dust particles." At that time, the World-Honoured One said to Mañjuśrī, "Excellent, excellent! You are a great being who can awaken to the single characteristic. To awaken to the single characteristic is itself the uncharacterized dharma. Mañjuśrī, you, a benevolent one, are not the only one so awakened. Relying on the approach of the single characteristic, all sentient beings are fundamentally ever-abiding, entering into the dharma of nirvāṇa and bodhi, up to: because the characteristics of wisdom cannot be seen." Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa established the approach of identical characteristics relying on that sūtra passage. Since the meaning of the text is clear, it needs no further explanation. As for the approach of differentiated characteristics, that sūtra states: The Buddha said to Śāriputra, "With what mind do you view this land?" Śāriputra replied, "I view this land with various characteristics—mountains, rivers, forests, trees, sand, pebbles, earth, stones, sun, moon, palaces, residences, and houses—whose shapes and names are distinct and varied." The Buddha said, "The power of your wisdom is inferior and narrow, and your mind possesses highs and lows; therefore, you see such differences. It is not that you alone view it thus: all sentient beings are also like this, and furthermore all dharmas are also like this. The real and the false mutually perfume each other, and the defiled and the pure are mutually dependent; their merits and faults, shapes and names, are each distinct. Established following the minds of ordinary beings, these names and characteristics exist but are not real; they are all illusory dharmas"—and so on at length. Relying on this text, following the explanation of the meaning, the approach of differentiated characteristics is established. Since the meaning of the text is clear, it needs no further explanation. Between these two approaches, the first approach presented should be carefully contemplated. Up to this point, the explanation of the words and phrases of "this mind's arising and ceasing" in the root text has concluded. From here on, primary and secondary causes (hetupratyaya) will be explained directly.