妙法蓮華經玄義 3.172

3.172

The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] wishes to discern the sequential holy practices of a bodhisattva, and therefore fully lists the shallowness and depth, beginning and end, and completeness of the various precepts. If one is well able to protect and maintain them, one enters immediately into the initial immovable stage; being immovable, non-retrogressing, non-falling, and non-dispersing is called the holy practice of precepts. Since the holy practice of precepts progresses from the shallow beginning to the deep end, we now judge their coarseness and subtlety. The three precepts of prohibition, purity, and goodness belong to the disciplinary vows (saṃvara). Since the disciplinary vows generally encompass the assembly, they determine seniority, rank, and order. Although there are bodhisattvas, buddhas, and so forth, they do not establish a separate assembly; therefore, the precept-dharma is identical, differing only by the mind of buddha-bodhi. Hence we know that the three precepts of disciplinary vows and the like are subsumed under the tripiṭaka [teaching]. Non-broken [precepts] are concurrent with concentration; the fundamental dhyānas are phenomenal, and likewise belong to the tripiṭaka teaching; therefore they are coarse. The precept of non-analysis is concurrent with the path through understanding phenomena as empty (dharmatā), and thus is subsumed under the shared teaching. The great vehicle, non-retrogression, and so forth are subsumed under the distinctive teaching, and also extend into the shared. The shared has emergence from emptiness into provisionality; following spiritual capacities and according with principle, it does not retrogress from the path. Yet relying on the real truth, it falls short of the distinctive person; the distinctive person is subtle. Accordance, ultimate, completeness, and so forth are subsumed under the perfect teaching. Not arising from the cessation-concentration yet manifesting all deportments, and not abandoning the dharma of the path yet manifesting ordinary worldly affairs, is therefore named 'accordance'. Only the Buddha alone is endowed with pure precepts, while all others are called defilers of precepts; hence it is named the 'ultimate precept'. Precepts are the dharma realm, fully endowed with all buddha-dharmas and sentient-being dharmas, reaching the other shore of śīla; hence it is called the 'complete pāramitā precept'. The Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa says: 'One who can be like this is named one who upholds the vinaya, is named one of good understanding.' This sūtra says: 'We for a long night upheld the Buddha's pure precepts, long cultivating pure practice within the dharma of the Dharma King, and only today do we obtain their reward.' Furthermore: 'Rāhula's secret conduct, only I can know.' How could it not be that relative to the preceding precepts, all are coarse, and only the perfect is subtle? Furthermore, upholding the initial precepts is like milk, those in the middle are like the three flavors, and the final precepts are like sarpir-maṇḍa; sarpir-maṇḍa is subtle, and so forth.