妙法蓮華經文句 4.25

4.25

Sixth, clarifying those who show an understanding and those who do not: If all three vehicles awaken alike, why is it that only the śrāvakas show an understanding, while the other two do not? Now it is explained that one who appears when no buddha is present in the world is called a 'solitary realizer' (pratyekabuddha), while one who hears a buddha preach the dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination is called a 'conditioned realizer' (pratyekabuddha). Since they are included within the ranks of the śrāvakas, their awakening and expressing of understanding are not treated separately; the general intention can be seen from this. Śāriputra, Kāśyapa, and others all have the disposition of the middle vehicle; therefore, the śrāvakas' expression of understanding encompasses the conditioned realizers, and there is no need for them to appear separately. Furthermore, among the four assemblies, there are those who have generated the mind of a conditioned realizer, and their attainments of awakening are not uniform; the chapter 'Faith and Understanding' says, '[The father] secretly dispatched two men to pursue and bring him back,' which precisely conveys this meaning. As for bodhisattvas not expressing an understanding: the teaching for the śrāvakas did not make clear that they would achieve buddhahood, but this present sūtra opens their path to return to the Great [Vehicle]; fearing that their own understanding might be mistaken, they state their understanding before the Buddha, whereas bodhisattvas are not like this and therefore do not express an understanding. Moreover, there are three reasons for this: First, a bodhisattva's original intention is to seek buddhahood; even if they have diverging attachments, those attachments are light and they will ultimately achieve buddhahood, without any fear of failing to attain it. Now, hearing the preaching through the three cycles simply rectifies their contemplative wisdom; therefore, there is no need to express an understanding. Second, that bodhisattvas awaken to the Great [Vehicle] has scriptural passages everywhere, whereas the two vehicles attaining buddhahood begins only with this present teaching. Because the transmission follows what is essential, the bodhisattvas' expression of understanding was omitted; it may have existed in the Indic text, but the Chinese translation simply did not record it. Third, the stage and practice of bodhisattvas are profound and peerless; the newly aspiring lesser bodhisattvas dared not express an understanding. After the 'Lifespan' chapter was preached, Maitreya comprehensively expressed understanding for all of them; beginning from the patience of the non-arising of dharmas and culminating in having only one lifetime remaining—this was a fully complete expression of understanding. What else would one seek? (and so on).