[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) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716~en-mt) › 1.28 # 妙法蓮華經玄義 1.28 English (machine translation) 1.28 - **Language:** English ### [1.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716~en-mt.1.28) I privately suggest that the dharma of the true aspect of reality horizontally shatters the four attachments of ordinary beings, and vertically shatters the realizations attained by the three kinds of sages. Shattering ordinary beings is easily understood. As for shattering sages: the two vehicles of the Tripiṭaka consider mere emptiness (但空) to be the ultimate. They are like a crystal bead: at first glance it resembles a genuine gem, but upon further examination it proves false. Śāriputra said: "We have equally entered the dharma-nature, yet have missed out on the Tathāgata's immeasurable knowledge and vision." The import of "empty and existent" directly shatters this realization. Practitioners of the shared teaching consider mere emptiness together with non-mere emptiness (不但空) jointly to be the ultimate. They are like a gem wrapped in multi-colored cloth: its luster alters according to the colors. Following the luster they perceive, they lose its original substance; chasing after black and yellow colors, they tumble down into the two vehicles. The Great Sūtra \[Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra\] states: "The śrāvaka sees only emptiness and does not see non-emptiness. Bodhisattvas not only see emptiness, but also see non-emptiness." Since what they see is already distinct, the import of "non-duality" directly shatters this realization. Practitioners of the distinctive teaching consider non-mere emptiness to be the ultimate. It towers far above the two extremes, like the moon outside the clouds; discarding the extremes and grasping the middle, it is like abandoning emptiness to seek emptiness. The import of "not different" directly shatters this realization. If that exists and this does not, then the true Dharma does not pervade; the import of "inexhaustible" also shatters this realization. None of these constitute the Buddha's extremely subtle wisdom, and they do not share the intention of Vajragarbha. They are not the Buddha's realization of the fundamentally existent and permanently abiding, and thus do not agree with the "Expedient Means" chapter. They do not pervade all places, and thus do not agree with the "Life Span" chapter. Since they do not tally with the correct substance, to what dharma do they belong? Mere emptiness is the real of transforming others; both mere and non-mere is the real of both self-practice and transforming others. Transcending the middle of the two extremes is the provisional of self-practice. All of these are teachings of other sūtras, not the substance of the present sūtra. The substance of the present sūtra realizes that the provisional and real of transforming others are precisely the provisional and real of self-practice, just as the body within the dirty clothes is in reality the elder. It realizes that the provisional and real of both self-practice and transforming others are precisely the provisional and real of self-practice, just as the jewel sewn inside the garment is indeed an invaluable treasure. The provisional of self-practice is precisely the real of self-practice. It is like all worldly vocations and industries, none of which contradict the true aspect of reality. A single color or a single scent is nothing other than the Middle Way. How much more so could the real of self-practice fail to be the real! - [Previous: 1.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716~en-mt.1.27) - [Next: 1.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716~en-mt.1.29) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716~en-mt.1) ## Linked texts (1) - [妙法蓮華經玄義](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716.1.28) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716~en-mt.1.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1716~en-mt.1.28) · Pramāṇa