[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) › 5.78 # 妙法蓮華經玄義 5.78 妙法蓮華經玄義 5.78 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [5.78](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5.78) 九、引《涅槃》五譬，成四教位。若不將四教釋譬，譬不可解。若非五譬判四教位，取信為難。若信經文，則位義易曉。解諸位意，彼譬冷然。彼此相須，可謂兼美者也。彼文云：「凡夫，如乳。須陀洹，如酪。斯陀含，如生蘇。阿那含，如熟蘇。阿羅漢、支佛、佛，如醍醐。」此譬三藏五位。何者？凡夫全生，未能除惑，菩薩亦爾，但得如乳。須陀洹破見，革凡成聖，如乳變為酪。斯陀含侵六品思，故如生蘇。阿那含欲界思盡，故如熟蘇。阿羅漢、支佛、佛，皆斷三界見思盡，故同稱醍醐。故《釋論》云：「聲聞經中，稱阿羅漢地為佛地。故共為一味也。」 > Ninth, citing the five analogies of the Nirvāṇa \[Sūtra\] to establish the stages of the four teachings: If one does not use the four teachings to explain the analogies, the analogies cannot be understood. If one does not use the five analogies to determine the stages of the four teachings, it is difficult to inspire belief. If one believes the sūtra text, the meaning of the stages is easy to comprehend; once the intent of the various stages is understood, those analogies become crystal clear. Mutually depending on one another, they can be called doubly splendid. That text says: "Ordinary beings are like milk; srotaāpannas are like curd; sakṛdāgamins are like raw curd-butter; anāgamins are like cooked curd-butter; arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and buddhas are like ghee." This is an analogy for the five stages of the tripiṭaka \[teaching\]. Why? Ordinary beings are completely raw, unable to eradicate delusion; bodhisattvas are also like this, merely equivalent to milk. Srotaāpannas destroy views, transforming from ordinary beings into noble ones, like milk turning into curd. Sakṛdāgamins diminish six grades of thoughts, so they are like raw curd-butter. Anāgamins exhaust thoughts of the desire realm, so they are like cooked curd-butter. Arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and buddhas all sever views and thoughts of the three realms completely, and therefore are all designated as ghee. Thus the Commentary states: "In the śrāvaka sūtras, the arhat ground is called the buddha ground; hence they share a single flavor." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 5.77](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5.77) - [Next: 5.79](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5.79) - [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.5.78) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [摩訶止觀](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1911.3.212) — Classical Chinese - [天台八教大意](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1930.1.46) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5.78](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.5.78) · Pramāṇa