妙法蓮華經玄義 6.71

6.71

Fascicle forty of the Great Treatise says: 'Nose, tongue, and body are alike called "perception"; the eye is called "seeing"; the ear is called "hearing"; the mind is called "knowing".' What the three consciousnesses know is unified; what the [other] three consciousnesses know is distinct. Moreover, because the three consciousnesses have many dharmas aiding the Path, they are explained distinctly; the [other] three consciousnesses are not so, and thus are explained together. Furthermore, because the three consciousnesses only know mundane affairs, they are explained together; because the [other] three consciousnesses know both the mundane and the supramundane, they are explained distinctly. Furthermore, the three consciousnesses are only non-defiled (avyākṛta) phenomena, whereas the [other] three consciousnesses may take as objects good, evil, non-defiled, and so forth; furthermore, because the three consciousnesses are able to generate the conditions for the three karmas, they are explained distinctly. If one models on this meaning: because the various meanings of the three faculties are strong, they possess one thousand two hundred merits; because the power of the [other] three faculties is weak, they possess only eight hundred merits. This is merely a distinct explanation from one perspective, not the perfect intention of the sūtra. In the Zheng fahua, 'merits are equally matched at a thousand'.