妙法蓮華經文句 1.37

1.37

Provisionally distinguishing according to the gradual teaching: the Buddha explained that the conventional has letters, while the real has no letters. Ānanda transmitted the Buddha's conventional truth letters without differing from the Buddha's preaching, hence it is called 'as'; through these conventional letters one accords with the principle of the ultimate truth, hence it is called 'such'. This is the clarification of 'Thus' at the beginning of Tripiṭaka sūtras. The Buddha explained that form is emptiness and emptiness is form, form and emptiness, emptiness and form are not two and not distinct; that emptiness and form do not differ is 'as', and being identical to the real right within phenomena is 'such'. Ānanda transmitted the Buddha's text without difference as 'as', and the expresser being identical to the expressed as 'such'; this is 'Thus' at the beginning of shared teaching sūtras. The Buddha explained that saṃsāra is the extreme of existence and nirvāṇa is the extreme of nonexistence; emerging from the extreme of existence in saṃsāra, one enters the extreme of nonexistence in nirvāṇa, and emerging from the extreme of nonexistence in nirvāṇa, one enters the Middle Way. Ānanda transmitted this emerging from existence to enter nonexistence, and emerging from nonexistence to enter the Middle, without difference from the Buddha's words as 'as'; going from shallow to deep, there is none that is not right, which is 'such'. This is 'Thus' at the beginning of distinctive teaching sūtras. The Buddha explained that saṃsāra is identical to nirvāṇa and is also identical to the Middle Way—how much more so could nirvāṇa not be the Middle Way? The true suchness of the dharma realm, the real nature and the actual limit, universally pervades all places and is nothing other than Buddha-dharma. Ānanda transmitted this without difference from the Buddha's words, hence it is called 'as'; being unmoved in suchness, it is called 'such'. This is 'Thus' at the beginning of perfect sūtras. Moving the conventional to enter suchness is the Tripiṭaka meaning; not moving the conventional being itself suchness is the shared teaching meaning; moving suchness to enter suchness is the distinctive teaching meaning; not moving suchness and being suchness is the perfect teaching meaning, and so forth. If the sudden 'Thus' is considered, it is the same as the perfect; the indeterminate 'Thus' shifts back and forth; the secret is concealed and not transmitted. Spreading the net of the eight teachings across the ocean of the dharma realm, one fears there may be gaps; how much more so could a single mesh of the net be spread alone? Furthermore, to catch four arrows at once without letting them drop to the ground is still not daring to claim agility; if one prods a sluggish donkey or drives a lame turtle, one cannot even manage one, how much less four, and so forth."