金剛經纂要刊定記 2.13

2.13

As for "only for the one great matter," and so forth: the Lotus Sūtra says in full: "The Buddhas, the World-Honoured Ones, appear in the world only for the sake of the causes and conditions of one great matter. Śāriputra! What is called the Buddhas, the World-Honoured Ones, appearing in the world only for the sake of the causes and conditions of one great matter? The Buddhas, the World-Honoured Ones, appear in the world wishing to cause sentient beings to open the Buddha's knowledge and vision and make it pure... down to... wishing to cause sentient beings to enter the path of the Buddha's knowledge and vision." Following the commentary of Tianchang, it explains: "The Buddha's knowledge and vision is neither three nor five, hence it is called 'one'; it is broad and all-encompassing, hence it is called 'great'; the ceremonies of the Buddhas consist in speaking this to transform beings, hence it is called 'matter'; sentient beings having this capacity are able to evoke the Buddha, which is called 'cause'; the Buddha responding to them is called 'condition.'" "Reason" has the sense of "wherefore." It is by reason of the causes and conditions of this one great matter that the Buddha appears in the world. As for "opening, revealing, awakening, and entering": these four phrases do not go beyond two aspects: the first two phrases are the transforming agent, and the latter two phrases are what is transformed. The transforming agent has two aspects: great opening and gradual revealing, which belong to the Buddha. What is transformed also has two aspects: initial awakening and final entry, which belong to sentient beings. If one follows the explanation of the Treatise on the Lotus Sūtra: "'Opening' is opening together the two unexcelled fruitions of bodhi and nirvāṇa. 'Revealing' is specifically showing the Dharmakāya, revealing that the three vehicles have an identical essence. 'Awakening' has the sense of knowing, specifically pointing to the Saṃbhogakāya; because the two vehicles do not know it, it is spoken to make them know. 'Entering' has the sense of cause, because cultivating the cause brings realization." The commentator on the Avataṃsaka explains: "'Opening' means clearing away the obstacles of delusion. 'Revealing' means demonstrating the true principle. 'Awakening' means realizing that delusion is fundamentally empty, comprehending that the mind's substance is quiescent, right now awakening to the true principle above. 'Entering' means merging into the mind's substance." Shibi explains: "All sentient beings have the Buddha-nature: this is the great opening. Pointing it out, saying that within the mind it is clearly distinct: this is the roundabout revealing of the Buddha-nature. Newly comprehending it and definitively sealing it without doubt: this is initial awakening. All conceptual thoughts entirely gone: this is final entry." The purports of the various commentators' explanations differ; white jade and yellow gold are each supreme treasures.