法華玄義釋籤 8

English (machine translation) 8

Language: English

Next, explaining the latter five tiers, the text naturally has five: first, in illuminating the Separate entering [the Common], where it says 'Because of clumsy teachings, the fruit is again not fused': gradual progression is clumsy; the fruit-principle taught by the doctrinal portal is not fused, because the fruit is separated and not fused with the causal principle. The remaining four are as in the text. Next, in opening, there are four: first, briefly using the inferior to compare with the superior; second, from 'Therefore the Great Sūtra' onward, adducing proof; third, from 'Ordinary beings' onward, explaining the text of the *Great Sūtra* to match the present intent; fourth, from 'Such' onward, concluding and returning. The first two are as in the text. In the third text there are two: first, using ordinary beings to compare with the small; next, using the small to compare with the great.

8.3

Five, in terms of the single real wisdom, there are three: explaining, evaluating, and opening. In the first, explaining, it establishes similes, matches them, and concludes. In evaluating, where it says 'If treated relative to the ten wisdoms, it is coarse': the eleven wisdoms of the *Large Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra*, ten wisdoms are shared with the Small Vehicle, and the eleventh, the wisdom of suchness, belongs to the Great Vehicle. The present text universally establishes suchness for both the Great and Small; among the various kinds of suchness, only the Perfect suchness is subtle. Next, opening and revealing: only opening and revealing suchness completes the subtle and real. Next, illuminating in correlation with truthlessness has three: namely, establishing, evaluating, and opening. First, establishing. Next, from 'If traversing' onward, evaluating; third, from 'If by means of' onward, opening.

8.4

Second, mutual progression also has two: first, explaining the reason for what follows; next, from 'Conceivable' onward, directly illuminating the mutual illumination. Since the six objects mutually open and converge, the six wisdoms must also illuminate by following the objects according to their opening and converging. If the wisdoms obtain their names according to the objects, then the various wisdoms are also identical in meaning but different in name; because their names are different, each illuminates [its own], and because their meaning is identical, they transmit illumination. Thus, with inconceivable objects and wisdoms, one object is all objects, and one wisdom is all wisdoms. Just as among the conceivable, the six realms and ten suchnesses still encompass all objects of diverse names, and as the various objects are like this, the various wisdoms are also like this—how much more so for the inconceivable, where the Great and Small, the biased and the Perfect mutually encompass one another! Therefore it concludes below by saying that when truths are fused and wisdoms are fused, the subtle purport of the *Lotus Sūtra* in opening and revealing is perfectly achieved; if one does not see this subtle intent from beginning to end, of what benefit is it to talk in vain? Within this there are again four: first, directly illuminating transmitted illumination; next, from 'Such' onward, the meaning corresponds to evaluating and opening—transmitted illumination is like evaluating, and mutual fusion is like opening; third, from 'Such' onward, the meaning corresponds to opening the teachings and seeing the principle—when one sees the principle, all are completely opened; fourth, briefly comparing the objects by analogy with the wisdoms. The first text is merely using the subsequent wisdom to transmit illumination to the prior objects; because the ten suchnesses stand at the beginning, wisdom is not discussed; based on principle, one should also illuminate the five objects with the wisdom of the ten suchnesses, which means that each of the six wisdoms can illuminate the five objects. This can be seen from the text and does not require detailed discussion. If one does not understand this, with the various objects and various wisdoms, whether great or small, interpenetrating one another, and whether evaluated or opened, mutually serving as the dharma realm, how could one recognize what the *Lotus Sūtra* takes as its core? How could one comprehend the subtle object of the one mind, with object and wisdom corresponding to each other? How could one see what the various subtle texts below rely upon and produce, up to the inconceivable functions of transforming others? The subtle stimulus and subtle response, up to the retinue, all arise from this; even the root realization does not go beyond this. People who do not see this deem it cumbersome and confused.

8.5

Next, in illuminating the wonder of practice, the text naturally has two parts; now it again has three: indicating, listing, and explaining. Within the explanation, it first briefly differentiates the coarse to reveal the subtle; next, from 'Previously correlated' onward, it explains according to the sections. In the first text there are again two: first, adducing the coarse in contrast to the preceding objects and wisdoms; next, from 'Subtle practice' onward, revealing the subtle. In the first text there are again three: first, illuminating that the three dharmas are sequentially interdependent; next, illuminating that the three dharmas mutually manifest one another; third, from 'Such' onward, concluding. In the first text: practice relies on wisdom, wisdom relies on the object; wisdom and practice are that which reaches, and the principle-object is that which is reached—reaching the cool pond. In the next text: 'understanding' is precisely wisdom. Wisdom is the root of practice, so practice relies on wisdom to arise; practice can complete wisdom, so wisdom relies on practice to be completed; wisdom can reveal principle: when wisdom arises, principle arises; because principle is not yet exhausted, wisdom does not cease; therefore, when principle arises, wisdom arises. The concluding text can be seen.

8.6

Question:

8.7

If the three wisdoms in one mind are the root of subtle practice, up to the three wisdoms in one mind illuminating the middle-way principle and reaching the cool pond of the first abidance, what coarseness is there that it is criticized as not subtle?

8.8

Answer:

8.9

It might seem as you question. However, when we speak of it as 'crude' now, it is because [such a view] has not yet perceived that one principle is three principles, and so on up to one practice being three practices, and so on up to the beginning and end of the six stages of identity being both three, three and one being not different, beginning and end being non-dual, and so on up to cultivated virtues and inherent virtues, and three bodies in a single thought-moment. Only if it is like this may it be called marvelous practice.

8.10

The passage below 'Marvelous practice...' explains its characteristics. In the subsequent explanation of marvelous practice, there is first a heading and next an explanation. As for the opening phrase, 'One practice is all practices,' one must rely on the six stages of identity to elucidate the three virtues. Now, when speaking of 'practice,' it is mostly prior to the [ten] abodes, because the marvelous manifestation of the three dharmas mostly occurs at the first abode.

8.11

Question:

8.12

What is the characteristic of 'one practice is all practices'?

8.13

Answer:

8.14

It is like the four kinds of samādhi being bodhisattva practices: each single samādhi is nothing other than the dharma realm and is complete with all perfections. Therefore, a single giving and a single precept are each complete with the three truths, the three wisdoms, and the three virtues, forming pāramitās and subsuming all wholesome dharmas; therefore, it is called 'all practices.'

8.15

The subsequent explanation also has two parts: first, a direct explanation; second, mutual interpenetration with realm and wisdom. The first part also has two: first, citing sūtras; second, concluding with the three virtues. The first is as in the text. In the second, where the text says 'profound and exhaustive,' and so forth, 'exhaustive' is the dharma body, 'complete' is liberation, and 'profound' is prajñā. These three virtues are within a single thought-moment: the realm is the three virtues of the principle-nature; wisdom is the understanding of the three virtues; practice is the contemplation of the three virtues. Beginning from the practice of contemplation and culminating in the six sense faculties, there is nothing that is not marvelous dharma. The subsequent text also has three parts: first, a general explanation; second, a specific explanation below 'The preceding realm explains...'; third, a conclusion below 'If three...'. As for the opening phrase, 'Discussing three as one with the preceding realm and wisdom,' 'one' refers to nirvāṇa; 'three' refers to the three virtues; 'realm' is the dharma body, 'wisdom' is prajñā, and 'practice' is liberation. One should know that these three are discussed merely in terms of the single nirvāṇa. Moreover, realm is the three of principle; wisdom is the three of nominal identity; practice is the three of contemplative practice and resemblance. One should know that nine is simply three, and three is simply one. Even 'one' does not exist; how could there be nine or three? The second and third parts are as in the text. In the subsequent direct explanation, there are two parts: first, relating the intention of its introduction; second, the direct explanation below 'If directly...'. In the explanation, there is first an explanation in general terms, followed by an explanation according to the teachings. As for 'in general terms,' it is established in general terms still relying on the aforementioned marvelousness, because it has not yet been determined as belonging to a single teaching. When the numerical progressions are clarified individually according to each teaching, it is called 'according to the teachings'—as in the case of the shared teachings within the various divisions, which is precisely this matter. That is to say, the Avataṃsaka shares two, up to the Prajñā sharing three. Within the various divisions, there are also cases where different hearings from the same listening naturally constitute [the classification] according to the teachings; therefore, these two kinds of interpretive meanings are necessary. The reason for enumerating these practices of numerical progression is to know that the marvelousness of practice universally encompasses all practices, subsuming all practices clarified by all teachings. Mutually necessary practices strictly belong to the Separate Teaching; the Tripiṭaka and Shared teachings also have this meaning, but because their principle is shallow and proximate, they are set aside and not discussed. Now it is clarified that for a person of the Perfect [Teaching], each of the three—realm, wisdom, and practice—is complete with three, and only then is it called the marvelousness of practice. For instance, practice has the three of completeness, profundity, and exhaustiveness; giving rise to understanding based on principle is called the three of wisdom; the substance of principle is itself the three of the principle-nature. These sets of three do not depend on mutual necessity. Furthermore, taking the three of realm, wisdom, and practice to correspond to the three virtues, they are neither vertical nor horizontal.

8.16

Question:

8.17

Why is it not called 'increasing by one'—as in the Ekottarika-āgama, the Vinaya, and so forth—but rather called 'numerical progression'?

8.18

Answer:

8.19

Its meaning is truly comprehensive. If one said 'increasing by one,' there is a fear of confusing it with increasing dharmas—meaning that one dharma is added to increase the previous dharmas. Now, saying 'numerical progression' means merely an increase in number, while the substance of the dharmas is not fixed: either one dharma is differentiated to increase the number, or different dharmas increase the number of the previous ones; thus it is also called 'numerical progression.' Both meanings—in general terms and according to the teachings—are like this; therefore, only the expression 'numerical progression' is applied. In general discussion, it is simply that the great substance of the dharma realm is differentiated into myriad practices.

8.20

The first section in general terms has four parts: first, relating the intention, which aims at a brief presentation to make the general outline known; second, the direct explanation below 'The commentary...'; third, clarifying inconceivable mutual guidance, mutual generation, and so forth below 'Although practice...'; fourth, concluding with praise below 'If one attains this...'. The first two passages can only enumerate numbers, not be called 'complete.' In the third passage, 'the needle guides the thread' is a passage from fascicle thirty-three of the Da zhidu lun. 'The driver guides the ox' is a passage from fascicle twenty of the Da zhidu lun. This means that, having grasped the preceding intention, one uses inconceivable wisdom to reveal inconceivable practice and reach the inconceivable principle; therefore, the subsequent text says 'wisdom is like the caravan leader,' and so on, which differs from the preceding merely by relying on the inconceivable.

8.21

Next, in [the explanation] according to the teachings, there are two parts: first, generally clarifying the characteristics of numerical progression according to the four teachings; second, broadly clarifying the characteristics of the two kinds of five practices of the Separate and Perfect [Teachings]. Because the practices of the two teachings, Separate and Perfect, are all-encompassing and vast—and although the Separate is sequential, their realization of the Way is identical—therefore, their portals of practice can be analogized to each other and mutually illuminate each other. The first text has three parts: first, a direct explanation; second, classification; third, opening. The first also has three: heading, explanation, and conclusion. Within the explanation, there are four parts of its own: first, within the Tripiṭaka [Teaching], there are two: first, increasing from one to three; second, broadly indicating the various numbers. In the first text, the first part, which clarifies one dharma as practice, refers to non-negligence and non-appropriation of others' possessions. Within it, there are two: first, citing the sūtra; second, within the explanation below 'What is called...', the preceding two texts both have 'what was to be done has been accomplished' without explaining it, because this is a fruit-dharma and thus is not explained again. The present intention is to clarify practice; hence, it only explains non-negligence. Regarding 'the practice of non-negligence that guards the mind,' in fascicle four of the Ekottarika-āgama, the Buddha was in Anāthapiṇḍada's park and told the monks: 'You should cultivate one dharma and broadly expound one dharma. Having cultivated it and spread it broadly, you will immediately attain supernormal powers, the tranquility of all practices, and attain from the fruits of the recluse up to the fruit of nirvāṇa.' What is the one dharma? It is called the practice of non-negligence. What is non-negligence? It is what is called guarding the mind. What is guarding the mind? Thereupon, the monk should guard the mind: when the mind with outflows and dharmas with outflows desire to obtain joy, defilements of desire that have not ended will not arise, and those that have already arisen will cease; ignorance is also like this. Staying at ease in a quiet place, one naturally becomes aware and knows, and wandering at ease, one immediately attains liberation and is complete with the four wisdoms. Regarding 'what was to be done,' and so on: all arhats are complete with the four wisdoms—namely, 'my births have been exhausted, the pure conduct has been established, what was to be done has been accomplished, and there will be no further existence.' The present text briefly cites one of them.

8.22

Regarding the dharmas increasing to two, it is fully as in the third record of the Zhiguan. Here, 'calming' refers to the gateway of precepts, and 'contemplation' refers to the wisdom of the four truths. Again, 'calming' refers to the truth of suffering, and 'contemplation' refers to the remaining three. As for 'Tathāgata,' ancient translations of sūtras and treatises gave the three titles of the Tathāgata as 'Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha.' The first phrase means 'Thus Come'; the second phrase means 'Worthy of Offerings'; the latter phrase means 'Rightly and Universally Enlightened.' Sūtra translations from the Jin and Song dynasties onward were all like this. In the Long'an era of Emperor An of Jin, Saṅghadeva translated the Ekottarika-āgama, which says: 'This calming and contemplation are cultivated by both the Buddha and his disciples'—which has precisely this meaning. As in the Vibhāṣā, the five hundred monks all said that they cultivated calming and contemplation, praising one another in turn: 'Excellent! Excellent! What the disciples of the Tathāgata cultivate is all identical, and the Buddha is also like this.'

8.23

Next, in increasing to three, there are two parts: first, matching; second, in citing the teaching, first citing and next explaining. As for the 'five divisions,' they are the Mahīśāsaka, Dharmaguptaka, Kāśyapīya, Vātsīputrīya, and Sarvāstivāda, fully as in the sixth record of the Zhiguan; the remaining numbers are briefly as in the text.

8.24

The practices of numerical progression of the Shared Teaching have two parts: first, relating the intention; second, the direct explanation. In the first text, 'no fixed divisions and fascicles' means that it is not like the Tripiṭaka's four Āgamas, which have separate divisions and fascicles. Now, whatever in the various divisions of Vaipulya and the various Prajñā sūtras is simply shared practice of the three vehicles is classified as belonging to the Shared [Teaching]. In the subsequent explanation, there are two parts: first, explaining one dharma; second, the remaining numbers—both treated briefly. The first text also has two: first, a direct explanation; second, indicating the broader scope. The first text also has three: first, a heading; second, an explanation; third, a conclusion below 'Such...'. The first is as in the text. In the second, the explanation has two parts: first, citing the text of the treatise; second, explaining the intent of the treatise below 'How...'. This also has two: first, citing the treatise text's own explanation; second, directly explaining the text of the treatise below 'Now contemplating...'. The first also has two: first, the treatise text's own heading; second, the treatise's own explanation below 'What is called...'. In the explanation, there are two: first, a brief explanation; second, adducing the category below 'Like the four great elements...'. There is no dharma among all dharmas that does not contemplate multiple natures within a single composite dharma. Shattering the one by means of the multiple is called the single characteristic; shattering the one by means of non-existence is called characteristiclessness. Hence the four great elements are adduced to understand by analogy. In the subsequent direct explanation, there are three parts: first, the dharma; second, the simile; third, the application. In the dharma, there are four: first, a brief explanation; second, a hypothetical interrogation below 'If it is said...'; third, refuting all dharmas by analogy below 'Such...'; fourth, concluding the characteristic of contemplation below 'This, by means of...', which is precisely the characteristic of the two emptinesses of nature and characteristic. The single characteristic is emptiness of nature, and characteristiclessness is emptiness of characteristic. Thus, within one great element, the other three are 'other,' and the one great element is 'self'; since both self and other are shattered, 'common' is not established. In the first text, analyzing the characteristics of the four great elements is like the Avalokiteśvara contemplation portal in the second [fascicle of the] Zhiguan, but that also shatters subsequent attachments, opening each great element into four propositions—such as using concrete solidity to shatter mental solidity, and so on, so that all four propositions are the meaning of solidity; the other great elements are also like this. This text relies on the Da zhidu lun, merely shattering the real dharmas of the four great elements; therefore, it investigates and examines the four great elements reciprocally: the absence of the other three within earth is called the single characteristic, and earth itself also lacking [inherent existence] is called characteristiclessness; therefore, the single characteristic also does not exist. The other great elements are also like this. In the subsequent simile, 'like the fire and wood before' is as in the third record of the Zhiguan. The meaning of this simile applies to both the biased and the perfect, but here it applies solely to the Shared.

8.25

Next, regarding the practice of increasing numbers in the Separate Teaching, there are also two parts: first extensive, and next brief. In the first text, it should also be stated that its scriptures and volumes are indeterminate, referring to the practices of successive distinction in the Avataṃsaka, Vaipulya, and Perfection of Wisdom scriptures as its characteristics. However, in the Vaipulya they mostly use distinct practices to reprove Hinayana practices, and in the Perfection of Wisdom they mostly merge and integrate distinct phenomena one into another, whereas the Avataṃsaka precisely corresponds to practices of successive distinction; therefore, they are now briefly presented to serve as the characteristics of practice. This also has two parts: first, the direct explanation; next, beginning from "each of these," their function. First, regarding the statement "referring to Sudhana's entering the Dharma realm in the Avataṃsaka," this is because in that sūtra every single good friend states, "I only know this one dharma." As for "or the illusion-like samādhi," this refers to the samādhi that Sudhana attained when he went to Lady Māyā in the 'Entry into the Dharma Realm' chapter, as extensively explained in the sūtra. Regarding "jumping from cliffs and plunging into fire," when Sudhana traveled south, there was a settlement called Īśāna where there was a Brahman named Jayoṣmīya. Sudhana saw that Brahman practicing austerities in pursuit of all-knowledge: heaps of fire on four sides like great mountains, with a mountain of knives in their midst, exceedingly high and steep; he climbed that mountain and cast his body into the heaps of fire. Sudhana said, "I have already generated [the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi]..." (and so forth). The Brahman said, "If you can now ascend this mountain of knives and cast your body into the heaps of fire, all bodhisattva practices will be completely purified." Sudhana thought to himself: "A human body is difficult to obtain; escaping difficulties is difficult; possessing all faculties is difficult; encountering a Buddha, hearing the Dharma, meeting a good friend, and coming upon virtuous companions are difficult; receiving teachings according to the Dharma and obtaining right livelihood are difficult. Could this not be an instigation of Māra? Could this not be a malicious cohort falsely pretending to be a bodhisattva and a good friend?" At that time, ten thousand Brahmā kings proclaimed from the sky: "Good man! Do not harbor such thoughts. This holy one has attained the Dharma gate of the light of the vajra-flame samādhi to deliver sentient beings." Ten thousand Māras exhorted him from the sky; ten thousand Vaśavartin deities scattered flowers from the sky; and so forth, up to Paranirmitavaśavartin deities, nāgas, and the eight classes of beings, ten thousand of each, having made offerings, the Brahman taught the Dharma to Sudhana. When Sudhana heard it, his heart was greatly delighted; toward the Brahman, he gave rise to the thought that he was a true good friend, and spoke verses of praise. When Sudhana plunged into the fire, before he reached the fire he attained the bodhisattva's well-abiding samādhi, and upon touching the fire he attained the tranquil samādhi. Sudhana said, "When the mountain of knives and the great fire touched my body, it was peaceful and free of distress." The Brahman said, "Only I practice this bodhisattva's inexhaustible wheel liberation; the fire burns away sentient beings' delusions of view without remainder, and they will certainly not regress." One should observe the depth or shallowness of penetration. Regarding "counting sand," Sudhana traveled south to the land of Renown, where at the abode of the good friend Indriyeśvara he attained the Dharma gate of counting sand. Indriyeśvara said: "Previously, in the presence of the youth Mañjuśrī, I studied and practiced Dharma gates such as writing, mathematics, and seals; entering the supernatural powers of craftsmanship, I know all Dharma gates. I constantly gather and play with sand on riverbanks together with ten thousand youths who surround me. Due to this Dharma gate, I came to know worldly writing, mathematics, realms, bases, and other phenomena, and can also treat illnesses, knowing all worldly phenomena—up to the bodhisattva's calculation methods, where one hundred lakṣas make a koṭi, a koṭi of koṭis makes an ayuta, and so on up to thirty tiers of calculations including the untellable-untellable revolution. By means of these calculation methods, I know the vast heaps of sand across immeasurable yojanas, completely knowing the quantity of particles inside and out, and even know the number of sands in the ten directions; I know the number of sentient beings, the number of distinctions among dharmas, the number of names of dharmas, and the numbers of names of Tathāgatas, being able to know and speak them all, fulfilling great vows." The old translation of the sūtra states: "Mañjuśrī has already taught me the mole Dharma gate, the sand-heap Dharma gate, and the seal Dharma gate;" the rest is the same as the new sūtra. The present text relies on the old sūtra, hence it says "signs and moles." Regarding "generating the bodhi-mind, etc.," when Sudhana went to each good friend, he always said, "O holy one, I have already generated the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, but do not yet know how the holy one practices the bodhisattva practices..." Next, regarding the function, as for "all destroy ignorance and enter deep realms," the present text discusses the one teaching in general without distinguishing the stages of ordinary and noble persons. If at the abodes of the good friends one merely attains samādhis of conventional truth, then one only destroys nescience, which is termed ignorance; if one enters true reality, then one destroys the subtle ignorance that obstructs the Middle Way. For the most part, it is framed in terms of the unintegrated teaching path that destroys the delusion of ignorance, which is why it is said, "I only know this single Dharma gate." In the realized path there is no obstruction, so how could they not know? If, according to Bodhiruci's *Fajie xing lun*, the good friends are correlated with the forty-two stages, then they all destroy ignorance. But our school, basing itself on their knowing only one dharma and viewing them from the perspective of Samantabhadra and Maitreya, considers that they naturally form a sequence and do not encompass each other; thus, this completely accords with our school's classification.

8.26

For the increasing numbers in the Perfect Teaching, it is also first extensive and then brief in pointing them out. The initial text provisionally increases up to ten dharmas in order to adopt the contemplation methods of the ten vehicles. Other practices each bring benefit at their respective gates from beginning to end, whereas these ten dharmas are complete from beginning to end and escort the practitioner to the first stage of abiding. In the first single dharma, if discussed from beginning to end, it must also possess all ten; provisionally, the Dharma realm is taken as primary before reaching the remaining practices, and the Dharma realm is precisely the inconceivable realm among the ten. Regarding "tying the mind to conditions," etc., and "all unhindered persons," etc., it is as explained in the notes on the first fascicle of *Zhiguan*. The names in this Perfect increasing number are shared, but their essence is definitely distinct from the gradual. Although the text of *Zhiguan* explains the meaning of tying the mind to conditions in terms of cessation and contemplation, here the object to which one is tied and mindful—namely, the realm of true reality—is taken as the single dharma. The statement "all ignorance, etc." explains the function of the aforementioned ability to tie and be mindful: because of cessation it is eternally tranquil, and because of contemplation it is like space. The passage from "this..." below reiterates the function of the practice: because all bodhisattvas have no divergent practice, all emerge from the two kinds of death by means of it; from cause to fruit, they employ only this single dharma. Wisdom having no divergent illumination is called equal contemplation; practice having no divergent destination is called equal entry. When the contemplation of understanding and wisdom is accomplished, tranquil cessation is accomplished; across both places and the three realms, there is nothing superior. "Match" means to be of the same class. Regarding "increasing to two dharmas," etc., they are quiescence and illumination, cessation and contemplation, the non-active three trainings, and the non-active aids to the path. In the initial four foundations of mindfulness, regarding the "five gates of dhyāna," they are like the five gates in the chapter on Kātyāyana in *Vimalakīrti*; taking the concluding double negation to reveal the Middle Way constitutes the five gates of the Perfect Teaching. For example, it is said that all dharmas ultimately do not arise and do not cease, which is the meaning of neither permanence nor impermanence; the five aggregates of appropriation are thoroughly penetrated as empty with nothing arising, which is the meaning of neither suffering nor pleasure; all dharmas are ultimately non-existent, which is the meaning of neither emptiness nor existence; regarding self and non-self, they are non-dual, which is the meaning of neither self nor non-self. The meaning of tranquil extinction is common in name to both Mahāyāna and Hinayana and does not require double negation; the very name reveals the meaning of the Middle Way, which is precisely the five gates of the Perfect Teaching. "Also called the five practices," etc., will be further explained in the sixth fascicle. As for the six pāramitās, they cross to the other shore of the two kinds of death through the stages of the six identities within a single mind. As for the seven good qualities, the commentary says: "The term 'seven good qualities' generally applies to both Mahāyāna and Hinayana," but now it is restricted to the seven good qualities of the Perfect Teaching: first, good in the beginning, middle, and end, which is goodness in terms of the times of the preface, main body, and dissemination; second, its meaning is deep and far-reaching, termed goodness of meaning; third, its words are skillful, termed goodness of words; fourth, it is pure and unmixed, termed goodness of uniqueness; fifth, it is complete, termed goodness of perfection; sixth, it is pure and spotless, termed goodness of pliancy; seventh, the characteristic of the brahma practice, termed goodness of compassion. One should also make detailed distinctions among the seven differences across the teachings, so that showing the *Lotus Sūtra* uniquely reveals the seven of the Perfect Teaching constitutes the meaning of the present text. From the initial four foundations of mindfulness to the eightfold path, it is fully as explained under the aids to the path in *Zhiguan*. The nine kinds of great dhyāna exist only in the Separate and Perfect teachings; the present intention is not the Separate. Their listing and explanation are fully found in the *Fajie cidi*, which also does not distinguish the difference between the Separate and Perfect; if one wishes to distinguish them, differentiate the characteristics of practice in terms of realm and wisdom. The ten kinds of realms are as in *Zhiguan*. The ten realms such as aggregates exist only in the three teachings; here they are the realms observed by a person of the Perfect Teaching, hence termed "ten realms," because once contemplated, they all become inconceivable. The "ten vehicles" also apply in meaning to the four teachings, but here they are not the previous three; and so on up to a hundred billion, which are classified by analogy to this. Next, the passage from "however, increasing numbers..." below classifies the preceding according to the teachings, also having two parts: first, classifying the coarse and the subtle according to the four teachings; next, reiterating the subtle practices in terms of the present sūtra. Among the previous four, the Perfect already belongs to the present sūtra, but to clarify the characteristics of practice, it is distinguished again separately, just as earlier the realm and wisdom both cited the pertinent text as proof. From one dharma to six dharmas, all are characteristics of the four peaceful and joyful practices; to complete the increasing numbers, they are listed together with the four dharmas. Furthermore, among the four peaceful and joyful practices, cessation and contemplation should belong to two dharmas, the three karmas should belong to three dharmas, and vows also belong to four dharmas. Furthermore, the ten numbers of the Perfect Teaching listed earlier are all included in the present sūtra, yet their names and meanings still apply to various other scriptures; therefore, by correlating them further with the dharmas increasing to six, the names and meanings entirely belong to this sūtra. The three openings are as in the text.

8.27

Next, explaining the five practices of the two teachings: the five practices are found in full in fascicle eleven of the Great Sūtra. At the beginning of that sūtra, it states: "The Buddha told Bodhisattva Kāśyapa: 'Regarding this Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa, you should single-mindedly contemplate the five kinds of practices. What are the five? The first is noble practice, and so on up to practice regarding illness. Good man! Bodhisattvas should always cultivate these five kinds of practices. Furthermore, there is one practice that is the practice of the Tathāgata.'" Our school classifies the former list as gradual practices, while the additional single practice is designated as the non-gradual practice. Furthermore, the former five encompass two senses: the track of realization applies to the Perfect [Teaching], whereas the track of verbal teaching applies solely to the Separate [Teaching].

Now, in interpreting the five practices, [the text] first presents the section headings and then provides the explanation. Within the explanation, there are two parts: first, the explanation; next, the critical distinctions that resolve doubts. Within the first explanation, there are three parts: first, explaining the two sets of five practices; second, evaluating them; third, opening them up. Within the first explanation, there are two parts: first, the gradual; next, the non-gradual. In the first part on the gradual, there are two: first, listing; next, explaining. Within the explanation, there are two parts: first, the main explanation; next, questions and answers with critical analysis. Within the text of the main explanation, the five practices themselves form five passages.

In the first, noble practice, there are two: first, listing; next, explaining. Within the explanation, there are two parts: first, citing the sūtra to establish the intention; next, the main explanation. The first part also has two: first, from "as the sūtra says" onward is the sūtra text; next, from "henceforward" onward is the concluding clarification in the text. Next, the explanation from "if one hears" onward also has three parts: first, clarifying the establishment of faith based on the sūtra; second, clarifying the establishment of vows based on faith; and after that, establishing practice based on vows.

In the first part on establishing faith, one has faith in the principle of cessation at the culmination of the fruit and in the cultivation of practices through conditioned means. The essential points of practice do not go beyond the three learnings: first knowing suffering and origin, one has faith in this path and cessation to eradicate suffering and origin. Therefore, when a bodhisattva arouses the aspiration [for awakening], it must take the four noble truths as the foundation of vows and practices, just as discussed in the clarification of the arousal of the aspiration in the first and fifth fascicles of the Zhiguan.

Next, the establishment of vows based on faith from "feeling self-pity" onward also has two parts: first, feeling pity for oneself and compassion for others; next, directly clarifying the characteristics of the vows. [Because for worldly people] there are only suffering and origin without path and cessation, the four truths are entirely absent. By failing to understand suffering and origin, it is called "absent." Next, from "the bodhisattva" onward directly clarifies making vows, which are the four universal vows, just as explained in the arousal of the aspiration in the Zhiguan. Here they are the characteristics of gradual universal vows; one should distinguish them in detail by matching object and wisdom against the preceding two and subsequent one, but the present text summarizes them briefly without full elaboration.

Third, from "having made vows" onward directly clarifies the characteristics of practice to fulfill the preceding vows: up to the practice of non-arising wisdom, cutting off the twelve grades of ignorance, only then are the vows fulfilled. The characteristics of practice are threefold: first, precepts; second, concentration; third, wisdom.

In the first, precepts, there are three parts: namely, explanation, evaluation, and opening up. In the first, explanation, there are two parts: first, the main explanation; next, the concluding exhortation and discernment of stages. The first also has two: first, clarifying the observance of the fundamental four-part jñapti-caturtha-karman as the distant cause; next, from "due to this" onward, clarifying that based on this foundational cause, the various precepts of the five limbs next arise.

In the first text, if one does not purify and cultivate noble conduct throughout one's entire life, how could the distant fruit of eternal abiding ever be achieved? Regarding "throughout one's entire life," it is spoken provisionally in accordance with the force of the reception of the four-part [karman]; thus, among the two hundred and fifty [precepts], one maintains both the intrinsic precepts and the secondary prohibitive precepts equally without defect. Yet worldly speakers of Mahāyāna instead destroy the foundation first. How so? Presuming to have realized suchness, major false speech takes the lead; reciprocal theft and misuse of the Three Jewels comes first; before properly arranging quarters, can one worry about robes and bowls? In accepting food and medicine, do they consider appropriate remedies? Sitting in hidden corners or in the open without the slightest care; when preaching the Dharma, do they ask for men only? Staying overnight without separation from women—instances like these cannot be fully recorded! The rākṣasa of attachment and views completely ruins the floating lifebuoy; when one's own body can barely be preserved, where is the benefit to others? The phrase "the rākṣasa begs for the floating lifebuoy," etc., is explained in detail in passages such as the observance and transgression of precepts in the fourth fascicle of the Zhiguan.

From "due to this complete observance of the foundational precepts" up to "the unexcelled path" clarifies that the noble practices of concentration and wisdom are both accomplished by virtue of the phenomenal precepts. Within this, [the text] first lists and then explains. In the beginning, regarding "complete," etc., the five, eight, ten precepts, and so forth are not yet called complete; only upon reaching this four-part [karman] is it called complete. Regarding "foundation," because of this it can serve as the foundation for the path and concentration; and this completeness in turn relies on the five and eight as its foundation. Regarding "the remaining pure precepts belonging to the preceding and following retinues," from the niḥsargika-prāyaścittika downward and all that is instituted in various sūtras are called the remaining precepts. The sūtra lists five limbs of precepts: the first two limbs of precepts are subsumed under the noble practice of precepts, the next one is subsumed under the noble practice of concentration, and the remaining two are subsumed under the noble practice of wisdom; thus the text provisionally lists them together, because they share the name "precepts."

"Gua" means to hang up, and also means to be included in. Regarding "the latter three are not through ritual action but through obtaining the Dharma," after listing the five limbs of precepts, the sūtra states that there are further two kinds of precepts: first, precepts received through worldly teaching; second, precepts of obtaining the correct Dharma. In the precepts of obtaining the correct Dharma, one never does evil. Those received through worldly teaching are obtained only after the four-part karman. The precepts of obtaining the correct Dharma apply across both the Hinayāna and Mahāyāna, as well as to concentration and wisdom. From the side of receiving and obtaining the precepts, they are subsumed under the noble practice of precepts, and they also have two kinds: first, intrinsic precepts; second, precepts that halt worldly ridicule and censure. The sūtra's explanation of the precepts against censure is fully detailed in the Brahmā's Net Sūtra listing the various minor precepts and various vows.

Regarding "not having evil thoughts," etc.: the essence of the precept is awareness; being free from evil thoughts is called pure awareness, hence it is named "co-existent with concentration." Since it is said to "arise and attain the foundation," it refers generally to the dispersal of desire, all of which are called "evil thoughts"; co-existing with the concentrations of the form realm, it is called "co-existent with concentration." Regarding "safeguarding," etc.: various skillful means cause one to enter the taintless state, hence it is called "safeguarding." Initially leaving behind wrong views, it is called "correct mindfulness." Having no defilement of views, it is called "purity." From the stage of resemblance onward, all belong to these precepts; therefore, referring to the soft [roots] and so on, although [wisdom] has not yet arisen, up to the arhat, all are named "co-existent with the path."

From "furthermore" onward, drawing upon this stage, it evaluates concentration and the path as belonging to precepts; because both the good of cessation and the good of active practice are precepts, it therefore first evaluates them. Concluding, it states: "both the moving and the unmoving are vinaya"; the path and concentration are unmoving, whereas the monastic deportment is moving. From "what is the reason" onward, it explains.

8.28

Next, regarding "dedication being complete": being able to dedicate oneself to others, and to dedicate causes toward the fruit, only upon reaching this can it be called complete. First it states the name, and next from "that is" onward it explains, within which there are two parts: first, briefly citing the vows and practices; next, explaining the vows and practices. The first text, by virtue of the completeness of vows and practices, attains the name of Mahāyāna; because the former four could be confused with the Hinayāna, here it is specifically named Mahāyāna.

Next, from "vast vows" onward is the explanation, within which there are three parts: first, referring the general vows to the preceding; second, clarifying phenomenal practice; third, elaborating on the specific vows. The first is as in the text. In the next text, although the six perfections are listed, they are still subsumed within precepts, so all six become precepts. Being able to endure physical suffering is called endurance of sentient beings; enduring the mind's agreement and opposition is called endurance of dharmas. The eight winds are merely the eight such as gain and loss, which do not go beyond agreement and opposition.

Regarding "the precepts of chickens, dogs, and the like": these non-Buddhist views all belong among the twenty-five principles of the Ṛṣabha school. They say there are six ascetic practices: first, self-starvation; second, throwing oneself into deep pools; third, casting oneself into fire; fourth, throwing oneself from heights; fifth, silence; sixth, observing the precepts of cattle, dogs, and so forth. That is, having attained the supernormal knowledge of past lives, they saw that they came from cattle and the like to be born as humans, and thereupon claimed that cultivating the conduct of cattle and the like leads to birth as a human; they then ate grass, ate dung, and the like. They did not realize that the karma of those cattle and the like had exhausted, and previous superior causes led them to be born among humans or gods, as described in the Mahāvibhāṣā. The story of the butcher Gāḍha and the sixty-two views are as recorded in the second fascicle of the Zhiguan.

8.29

Next, on the specific vows, the text has three parts: first, presenting the twelve vows in the Bodhisattva Precepts; second, listing the ten protective vows of the Great Sūtra; third, comparing them with the ten precepts of the Great Treatise to discern similarities and differences. The first is as in the text.

The second text has two parts: first, listing; next, discerning similarities and differences with the five fundamental limbs. The first text has two parts: first, listing; next, concluding the meaning, which again has two: first, stating the meaning; next, harmonizing them.

Next, in discerning the differences with the five limbs, the phrase "like a doctor curing illness," etc., means that the bodhisattva is a king of physicians who cures the illnesses of sentient beings without being defiled by illness.

Third, on comparing them with the ten precepts of the Great Treatise: comparing the ten precepts of the Great Sūtra with the ten precepts of the Great Treatise, the text involves some cross-correspondence, which is now recorded in full.

The Treatise's unbroken precepts correspond to the Great Sūtra's prohibitive precepts, belonging to the limb of fundamental karmic action.
The Treatise's non-breached and non-perforated precepts correspond to the Great Sūtra's pure precepts and wholesome precepts, belonging to the limbs of preceding and following retinues. Therefore, the text states: "from the two limbs of fundamental and retinue, the three precepts such as the prohibitive are produced."
The Treatise's unadulterated precepts correspond to the Great Sūtra's non-deficient precepts, belonging to the limb of being free from evil thoughts and pure in awareness.
The Treatise's path-accordant precepts and unattached precepts correspond to the Great Sūtra's non-disintegrating precepts, belonging to the limb of safeguarding correct mindfulness.
The Treatise's autonomous precepts, precepts praised by the wise, concentration-accordant precepts, and complete precepts correspond to the Great Sūtra's Mahāyāna precepts, non-retrogressing precepts, compliant precepts, ultimate precepts, and precepts complete in all perfections, belonging to the limb of dedicating toward the unexcelled path.

Although deriving them from the five limbs is as stated above, if one merely compares the ten of the Treatise directly against the ten of the Great Sūtra:
The Treatise's unbroken precepts are the Great Sūtra's prohibitive precepts.
The Treatise's non-breached precepts are the Great Sūtra's pure precepts.
The Treatise's non-perforated precepts are the Great Sūtra's wholesome precepts.
The Treatise's unadulterated precepts are the Great Sūtra's non-deficient precepts. As for the Treatise's unbroken precepts, the names agree but the meanings differ: the Treatise takes breakage rendering them useless to correlate with the fundamental, while the Sūtra takes slight damage to correlate with unadulterated.
The Treatise's path-accordant precepts and unattached precepts are the Great Sūtra's non-disintegrating precepts.
The Treatise's precepts praised by the wise are the Great Sūtra's Mahāyāna precepts.
The Treatise's autonomous precepts are the Great Sūtra's non-retrogressing precepts and compliant precepts.
The Treatise's concentration-accordant precepts are the Great Sūtra's ultimate precepts.
The Treatise's complete precepts are the Great Sūtra's precepts complete in perfections.
Simply rely on this correspondence and it will be clear of itself; erroneous text need not be emended.

Next, the concluding exhortation and discernment of stages from "nirvāṇa" onward is as in the text.

8.30

Next, in the evaluation, where it first says "noble practice of moral discipline," and so forth: because there is depth and shallowness, the crude and the subtle are evaluated according to that depth and shallowness; because realization of the Path is identical, "conforming" and the rest can also be called subtle. Now, as for further dividing them in sequential correlation with the four teachings, it is because sequential practices are vertical, identical in form to the practices of the four teachings. In this there are two parts: first, evaluation according to the teachings; second, according to the five flavors. In the first, evaluation according to the teachings, where it says "the monastic code encompasses all assemblies generally," and so forth: the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna assemblies both generally use the monastic code to encompass their status; hence each relies upon the monastic code to determine rank and position. Therefore, when a bodhisattva is among the Mahāyāna, he conforms to the Mahāyāna; when among the Hīnayāna, he conforms to the Hīnayāna. Thus we know that when a bodhisattva is among a Hīnayāna assembly, he returns to sitting according to Hīnayāna rank and position; when among a Mahāyāna assembly, he sits according to Mahāyāna rank and position. Hence it says that they use the monastic code to determine it; therefore separate ranks for the three vehicles are not established. This speaks of the bodhisattvas of the Tripiṭaka and Common teachings; hence it says the Dharma of discipline is identical. When it says "it also combines the Common," this merely combines the bodhisattva of the Common Teaching who emerges from emptiness into provisionality, following the capacities within the realms and conforming to the truth of the real; the person of the Separate Teaching takes the middle truth as the real. In explaining "endowment," it first explains, and next cites many texts as proof: one who can be like this is called "upholding the Vinaya." In contemplating the mind as unarisen, one ultimately observes the precepts, fully as in the chapter on Upāli: when the mind is without internal or external, defilement or purity, this is called truly upholding the Vinaya. As for "having long cultivated brahma practices," and so forth: because one has long been in the stages of the two vehicles, this is called "having long cultivated." Now, hearing the opening of the provisional, all myriad practices return together to the Buddha vehicle, which is called the fruit-reward. As for "Rāhula's secret practice": the Hīnayāna also speaks of Rāhula's secret practice; what is the difference with the Lotus Sūtra? However, the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna are not the same. The Hīnayāna takes subtle and meticulous guarding and observing as "secret," as in saying that the monk Rāhula never leaned against a tree or wall, never looked about, never spoke a single word to a woman, and so on. Now, in the Lotus Sūtra, it is understood in terms of manifesting traces: that is, the traces concealing the origin is called "secret." This statement originally belongs to the text on opening the provisional. The intention in citing the proof is that the monk Rāhula originally upheld the perfect and subtle, but showed the crude in his traces; thus it belongs merely to being subsumed under evaluating the crude and the subtle. From "Furthermore" below, the evaluation according to the five flavors: if according to the five branches, then the first branch is taken as the first flavor, the last branch as the last flavor, and the intermediate ones as the three flavors. If one gathers the ten precepts into the four teachings, and the four teachings into the five flavors, then the Tripiṭaka Teaching is taken as the first flavor, the Perfect Teaching as the last flavor, and the Common and Separate teachings as the three flavors—that is, the Common Teaching is like curd, and the Separate is like the two kinds of ghee; one should take the ten practices as raw [ghee] and the ten dedications as clarified [ghee].

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法華玄義釋籤 — Classical Chinese