妙法蓮華經文句 4.20

4.20

Fifth, concerning the clarification of having awakening or not having awakening: the sūtras mostly clarify that bodhisattvas are of superior capacity, pratyekabuddhas of middling capacity, and śrāvakas of inferior capacity. If one says that bodhisattvas are of superior capacity, should they all together attain awakening in the preaching by Dharma, pratyekabuddhas all together attain understanding in the preaching by parables, and śrāvakas all together attain awakening in [the preaching by] causal conditions? However, although the sūtras provisionally distinguish the three capacities, regarding awakening and understanding the meaning is not necessarily so. In the present sūtra, we see only śrāvakas attaining understanding and do not see pratyekabuddhas; this is because pratyekabuddhas are of middling capacity, and having encountered the Buddha appearing in the world, they are included in the number of śrāvakas and attain awakening according to their capacities; therefore, pratyekabuddhas are not separately designated. Thus Śāriputra's verse of entreaty states: 'Those who seek to be pratyekabuddhas, / monks and nuns.' Relying on this text, one knows that pratyekabuddhas are included within the four assemblies. Furthermore, the 'Dharma Teacher Chapter' states: 'Monks, nuns, upāsakas, upāsikās, those seeking to be śrāvakas, and those seeking to be pratyekabuddhas'—how could there be no pratyekabuddhas attaining understanding? The ancient [masters] said: 'Bodhisattvas are of superior capacity, but not necessarily all are sharp; they are called superior on account of the majority, and their grasping mind is easily turned. Tracing the state of mind with which they seek Buddhahood, they merely grasped at having passed the three hundred [yojanas] and thereupon sought an immediate fruit; this doubt is easily awakened from. Bodhisattvas of the three capacities all together attain understanding in the preaching by Dharma: the superior perhaps during the brief explanation, the middling perhaps at the beginning of the expanded explanation, and the inferior equal to Śāriputra.' We now clarify that the term 'bodhisattva' is broad: as long as one generates the great mind, all are bodhisattvas; why must they all be of sharp capacity? Even Śāriputra was of an earlier stage, so how could they all have attained awakening prior to the first cycle? If that were so, why in the transmission of the 'Life Span' [chapter] are there various bodhisattvas who attain awakening to the endurance of non-arising of phenomena or generate the bodhimind stage by stage? The ancient [masters] said: 'Those who awaken in the "Life Span" are all Dharma-body [bodhisattvas] who increase the path and diminish birth.' We now say this is not so: there are six hundred and eighty myriad koṭis of nayutas of Gaṅgā-sands of people who attain the endurance of the non-arising of phenomena; these people are only just attaining this endurance, so one should know that prior to the 'Life Span' [chapter] they were not yet the Dharma-body. Therefore, one knows that the awakening of bodhisattvas cannot be restricted to the beginning of the first cycle.