妙法蓮華經文句 9.58

9.58

釋品，「如來」者，十方三世諸佛二佛三佛本佛迹佛之通號也。「壽量」者，詮量也，詮量十方三世二佛三佛本佛迹佛之功德也。今正詮量本地三佛功德，故言「如來壽量品」。如來義甚多，且明二三如來，餘例可解。二如來者，《成論》云「乘如實道來成正覺故名如來」。乘是法如如智，實是法如如境，道是因、覺是果。若單論乘者，如如無所知；單明實者，如如無能知。境智和合則有因果，照境未窮名因，盡源為果，道覺義成，即是乘如實道來成正覺，此真身如來也。以如實智，乘如實道，來生三有示成正覺者，即應身如來也。三如來者，《大論》云「如法相解、如法相說，故名如來」。如者法如如境，非因非果，有佛無佛性相常然，遍一切處而無有異為如，不動而至為來，指此為法身如來也。法如如智，乘於如如真實之道來成妙覺，智稱如理，從理名如、從智名來，即報身如來。故《論》云「如法相解故名如來」也。以如如境智合故，即能處處示成正覺。水銀和真金，能塗諸色像，功德和法身，處處應現往，八相成道轉妙法輪，即應身如來。故《論》云「如法相說故名如來」也。法身如來名毘盧遮那，此翻遍一切處；報身如來名盧舍那，此翻淨滿；應身如來名釋迦文，此翻度沃焦。是三如來若單取者則不可也，《大經》云「法身亦非、般若亦非、解脫亦非，三法具足稱祕密藏、名大涅槃」，不可一異縱橫並別，圓覽三法稱假名如來也。《梵網經》結成華嚴教，華臺為本、華葉為末，別為一緣作如此說，而本末不得相離。《像法決疑經》結成涅槃，文云「或見釋迦為毘盧遮那，或為盧舍那」，蓋前緣異見，非佛三也。《普賢觀》結成法華，文云「釋迦牟尼名毘盧遮那」，乃是異名非別體也。總眾經之意，當知三佛非一異明矣。

Explaining the chapter: 'Tathāgata' is the common designation for the buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time, the two buddhas, the three buddhas, the original buddhas, and the trace buddhas. 'Lifespan measure' means to express and measure: to express and measure the merits of the buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time, the two buddhas, the three buddhas, the original buddhas, and the trace buddhas. Now, it specifically expresses and measures the merits of the three buddhas of the original ground; hence it is called the 'Tathāgata's Lifespan Measure Chapter.' The meanings of 'Tathāgata' are manifold; let us briefly clarify the two and three Tathāgatas, and the rest can be understood by analogy. As for the two Tathāgatas, the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra says: 'Having ridden the path of true suchness to come and realize correct awakening, he is called Tathāgata.' 'Riding' is the wisdom of the dharma of suchness; 'true' is the realm of the dharma of suchness; the 'path' is the cause, and 'awakening' is the effect. If discussing 'riding' alone, suchness is without anything known; if clarifying 'real' alone, suchness is without any knower. When realm and wisdom unite, there are cause and effect: illuminating the realm without having exhausted it is called cause; exhausting the source is effect. Cause and awakening being accomplished, this is riding the path of true suchness to come and realize correct awakening: this is the true-body Tathāgata. By means of true wisdom, riding the path of true suchness, coming to be born in the three realms of existence to manifest the realization of correct awakening: this is the response-body Tathāgata. As for the three Tathāgatas, the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'Understanding according to the characteristics of dharmas and speaking according to the characteristics of dharmas, he is called Tathāgata.' 'Such' (tathā) is the realm of the dharma of suchness, neither cause nor effect; whether there are buddhas or no buddhas, nature and characteristics are constantly thus; being omnipresent without distinction is 'such' (tathā); arriving without moving is 'come' (āgata): pointing to this is the dharmakāya Tathāgata. The wisdom of the dharma of suchness, riding the true path of suchness to come and realize wondrous awakening, wisdom corresponding to the principle of suchness—designated as 'such' from the principle, and designated as 'come' from wisdom—is the sambhogakāya Tathāgata. Thus the Śāstra says: 'Because he understands according to the characteristics of dharmas, he is called Tathāgata.' Because the realm and wisdom of suchness unite, he can manifest the realization of correct awakening everywhere. Just as mercury mixed with genuine gold can coat all forms and images, merits mixed with the dharmakāya manifest responsively everywhere: achieving the path through the eight phases and turning the wondrous wheel of Dharma is the nirmāṇakāya Tathāgata. Thus the Śāstra says: 'Because he speaks according to the characteristics of dharmas, he is called Tathāgata.' The dharmakāya Tathāgata is named Vairocana, translated here as 'pervading all places.' The sambhogakāya Tathāgata is named Rocana, translated here as 'pure and full.' The nirmāṇakāya Tathāgata is named Śākyamuni, translated here as 'saving from Wojiao.' If these three Tathāgatas are taken singly, it is impermissible. The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'The dharmakāya alone is not; prajñā alone is not; liberation alone is not. The three dharmas fully complete are called the secret treasury, named Great Nirvāṇa.' They cannot be one or different, vertical or horizontal, parallel or distinct; completely encompassing the three dharmas is designated the provisional name Tathāgata. The Brahmajāla Sūtra concludes by forming the Avataṃsaka teaching: the lotus calyx is the root, and the lotus petals are the branches; it speaks in this way specifically for a single condition, yet root and branches cannot be separated from each other. The Sūtra on Resolving Doubts Concerning the Semblance Dharma concludes by forming the Nirvāṇa: the text says, 'Some see Śākyamuni as Vairocana, or as Rocana.' This is because previous conditions saw differently, not that the Buddha is three. The Samantabhadra Contemplation Sūtra concludes by forming the Lotus: the text says, 'Śākyamuni is named Vairocana.' These are different names, not different essences. Synthesizing the intent of all the sūtras, one should know that the three buddhas are clearly neither one nor different.