妙法蓮華經文句 4.9

4.9

Third, concerning the heaviness or lightness of delusion: Master Yao said, 'After attaining the fruit, the three capacities travel and contemplate non-arising. The principle of non-arising is one, but when they emerge from contemplation and encounter the three teachings, these are different. Applying the inevitably different three teachings, they are deluded about the single principle of non-arising, thinking: since the teachings are three, how could the principle be one? Again, applying the single principle, they are deluded about the three teachings, thinking: since the principle is one, how could the teachings be three? Hesitating between principle and teaching, wavering between gain and loss: being deluded about teaching through principle has the sense of gain; being deluded about principle through teaching has the sense of loss. Those of superior capacity are mostly disposed to being deluded about teaching through principle; upon first hearing the preaching by Dharma, it accords with their disposition and they immediately awaken. Those of inferior capacity are mostly disposed to being deluded about principle through teaching; hearing the preaching by Dharma state that there are not three, it runs counter to their assumptions, so they understand only after hearing it three times. Those of middling capacity stand between the two extremes: not awakening through the preaching by Dharma, they are enlightened through the preaching by parables.' We now say that this explanation of the three capacities is not necessarily correct. Between what principle and teaching do the three types of people hesitate? If they waver between the principle and teaching of the Hīnayāna, their doubts have not been exhausted, and they would not even be persons who have severed the bonds at the first fruit. If they waver between the principle and teaching of the Mahāyāna, the Mahāyāna is distinctly and eternally different; how could it ever be confused with the Hīnayāna so that they hesitate? If they are deluded about the Mahāyāna through the lesser, or deluded about the lesser through the Mahāyāna: prior to this, the expedient had not yet been reproved; how could they have preexisting hesitation while entering and emerging from contemplation? Since they would already have hesitated, doubts would have arisen and attachments would have been unsettled—it would not just begin today. If attachments had been shaken and doubts had arisen beforehand, upon hearing the opening of the three and revealing of the one they should have immediately grasped and understood; why then would there still be astonishment and doubt? Wavering without foundation, this explanation is therefore not accepted. Now, in clarifying that capacities are sharp or dull, this is discussed entirely with respect to Mahāyāna dispositions; and heaviness or lightness of delusion is spoken of in terms of distinctive delusion. Thus there are four propositions: first, light delusion and sharp capacity; second, heavy delusion and sharp capacity; third, light delusion and dull capacity; fourth, heavy delusion and dull capacity. If distinctive delusion is light and the great capacity is sharp, one awakens immediately upon the first hearing. If delusion is heavy and capacity is sharp, one understands upon the second hearing. If delusion is light and capacity is dull, one is resolved upon the third hearing. As for the fourth proposition, though they hear it three times, they cannot attain awakening; they merely serve as the assembly establishing an affinity. Or, the first two propositions of sharp capacity may both be considered superior capacities, and the middle two propositions may be considered middling and inferior capacities, and so forth.