[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [妙法蓮華經玄義](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716) › 5.54 # 妙法蓮華經玄義 5.54 妙法蓮華經玄義 5.54 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [5.54](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5.54) 七明位廢者，理本無位，位為緣興。緣既迭興，位亦迭謝。非是《法華》始復廢也。須識諸破立意，不得妄破妄立。何者？元夫如來立三藏位，權生事善。事善既生，濟用若足，便須廢也。通、別位亦如是。此是如來破立之意。若《毘曇》、《婆沙》中明菩薩義，龍樹往往破之，謂其失佛方便，是故須破；申佛方便，是故須立。此是龍樹破立意。若常途大乘師，全不整理三藏，此則失佛方便。常途小乘師，探取經義，釋所弘之論，辨菩薩義。《毘婆沙》自說菩薩義，而不肯用。取大乘經，解三藏空、有二門，豈應相會？此有二過：一、埋佛方便。二、彰論主不解菩薩義。是故須破。縱令引經釋大乘義，是何等大乘？若作通教大乘者，三乘同入真諦，至佛亦然。那得八地觀中道、破無明？作通義不成，是故須破。若作別教大乘義者，始從初心與二乘異，那得六地將羅漢齊？作別義不成，是故須破。又，別是方便，執權謗實，是故須破。往者，人往義定，今窺見其過，是故須破。申佛方便，復應須立，即是今時破立之意。而圓教起自一師，超三權、即一實。境、智、行、位，不與前同。若文理有會，夷塗共遊，失旨乖轍，請從良導。先敘此意，次明廢位也。 > Seventh, clarifying the abolition of the stages: In terms of principle, there are originally no stages; stages arise on account of conditions. Since conditions arise in succession, stages also fade away in succession. It is not that they are abolished only starting with the Lotus Sūtra. One must understand the intention behind the various refutations and establishments, and not refute or establish them arbitrarily. Why? Originally, when the Tathāgata established the stages of the tripiṭaka, it was to provisionally generate phenomenal good. Once phenomenal good has arisen and its salvific function is sufficient, it must then be abolished. The stages of the shared and distinctive teachings are also like this. This is the Tathāgata's intention in refuting and establishing. When the Abhidharmakośa and Vibhāṣā explain the meaning of a bodhisattva, Nāgārjuna frequently refutes them, considering that they lose the Buddha's provisional means; therefore they must be refuted. To set forth the Buddha's provisional means, they must therefore be established. This is Nāgārjuna's intention in refuting and establishing. Ordinary masters of the Mahāyāna completely fail to organize the tripiṭaka, which loses the Buddha's provisional means. Ordinary masters of the Hīnayāna extract sūtra meanings to interpret the treatises they propagate, discerning the meaning of a bodhisattva. The Vibhāṣā explains the meaning of a bodhisattva on its own, but they are unwilling to use it; taking Mahāyāna sūtras to explain the two gates of emptiness and existence of the tripiṭaka—how could these be compatible? This has two faults: first, burying the Buddha's provisional means; second, exposing that the treatise masters do not understand the meaning of a bodhisattva. Therefore they must be refuted. Even if they cite sūtras to explain the meaning of the Mahāyāna, what kind of Mahāyāna is it? If it is taken as the Mahāyāna of the shared teaching, the three vehicles enter the true truth together, and this remains so up to the buddha; how could the eighth stage contemplate the middle way and shatter fundamental ignorance? As an interpretation of the shared \[teaching\] it fails, and therefore must be refuted. If it is taken as the Mahāyāna meaning of the distinctive teaching, from the very initial mind it differs from the two vehicles; how could the sixth stage be equated with the arhat? As an interpretation of the distinctive \[teaching\] it fails, and therefore must be refuted. Furthermore, the distinctive is a provisional means; clinging to the provisional and slandering the real must therefore be refuted. In the past, the persons passed away and their interpretations became fixed; seeing their faults now, they must therefore be refuted. To set forth the Buddha's provisional means they must also be established; this is the intention of refuting and establishing at the present time. The perfect teaching, on the other hand, originated from a single master, transcending the three provisionals and being identical with the one real. Its objects, wisdom, practices, and stages are not the same as the preceding ones. If there is concordance in text and principle, we may travel the level path together; if one misses the purport and deviates from the track, please follow a good guide. Having first related this intention, we next clarify the abolition of the stages. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 5.53](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5.53) - [Next: 5.55](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5.55) - [Up: 5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716~en-mt.5.54) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5.54](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5.54) · Pramāṇa