[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法華玄論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720) › 9.86 # 法華玄論 9.86 法華玄論 9.86 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [9.86](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.9.86) 難曰：若未常住則未度五百，何故聞度五百而即信？明已成而未受。又難：若度五百而未常，亦應未度五百即是常；若未度非常，則已度是常矣。又經言「佛度五百」，而言未度者，昔明佛度三百亦應未度。若昔言度三百佛實度者，今亦應實度五百也。若順經故遂度五百，則已免三相，何事非常？今所釋者，〈壽量品〉亦具則三身。《法華論》云王宮現生、伽耶成佛，名為化佛。久已成佛乃至復倍上數，故名為報佛。如實知見三界之相，無有生死若退若出，明法身佛。但三身不同，若《法華論》明三身者，以佛性為法身，修行顯佛性為報身，化眾生義為化身。若《攝大乘論》所明，隱名如來藏，顯名為法身，則此二皆名法身。就應身中自開為二：化菩薩名報身，化二乘名化身。或云化地上名報身，化地前名化身。《地論》、《法華論》是菩提留支所出，《攝大乘》是真諦三藏所翻，此三部皆天親之所述作，而明義有異者，或當譯人不體其意。今欲融會者，眾經及論或二身或三身或四身，今總束為四句：一合本合迹，如《金光明》但辨一本一迹也，故云「佛真法身猶如虛空，應物現形如水中月。」二開本開迹，如《五凡夫論》明有四佛。開本為二身：一法身、二報身。法身即佛性，報身謂修因滿顯出佛性。開迹為二身：化菩薩名舍那，化二乘名釋迦也。三開本合迹，如《地論》、《法華論》所明。開本謂二身，謂佛性是法身，佛性顯為報身。四開迹合本，如《攝大乘論》所明，合佛性及佛性顯皆名法身。開迹為二：化菩薩名舍那，化二乘名釋迦。此皆經論隨義說之，悉不相違；眾師不體其意，故起諍論耳。 > Objection: If he were not yet permanently abiding, he would not have passed five hundred \[kalpas\]; why then did they believe immediately upon hearing of passing five hundred? This shows he had already attained it, not that he had not yet received it. Another objection: If having passed five hundred he were not permanent, then not having passed five hundred should mean being permanent; if not having passed were impermanent, then having passed would be permanent. Furthermore, the sūtra says "the Buddha passed five hundred"; if you say he did not pass \[them\], then when it formerly explained that the Buddha passed three hundred \[kalpas\], he should also not have passed them. If formerly when it said he passed three hundred the Buddha truly passed them, then now he should also truly have passed five hundred. If, following the sūtra, he indeed passed five hundred, then he has already escaped the three characteristics \[of conditioned existence\]; why would he be impermanent? What we now explain is that the "Lifespan" chapter also fully possesses the three bodies. The Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa says that manifesting birth in the royal palace and attaining Buddhahood at Gayā is called the nirmāṇabuddha. Having attained Buddhahood long ago down to again doubling the number above is called the saṃbhogabuddha. Knowing and seeing the characteristics of the three realms as they truly are, with no saṃsāra, no retreat or emergence, explains the dharmakāya Buddha. But the three bodies differ: if explaining the three bodies according to the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa, Buddha-nature is the dharmakāya, cultivating practice to reveal Buddha-nature is the saṃbhogakāya, and the sense of transforming sentient beings is the nirmāṇakāya. If explained according to the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, when concealed it is named tathāgatagarbha, and when revealed it is named dharmakāya; thus both of these are named dharmakāya. Within the response body it is internally divided into two: transforming bodhisattvas is called the saṃbhogakāya, and transforming the two vehicles is called the nirmāṇakāya. Or it is said: transforming those on the stages is called the saṃbhogakāya, and transforming those before the stages is called the nirmāṇakāya. The Daśabhūmika-śāstra and the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa were produced by Bodhiruci; the Mahāyānasaṃgraha was translated by Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha. These three works were all composed by Vasubandhu, yet they differ in explaining the meaning—perhaps the translators did not grasp his intent. Now, wishing to integrate them: the various sūtras and treatises explain either two bodies, three bodies, or four bodies; we now bundle them into four propositions: First, combining the origin and combining the traces, as in the Suvarṇaprabhāsa, which only distinguishes one origin and one trace; hence it says: "The Buddha's true dharmakāya is like empty space; responding to beings he manifests form like the moon in water." Second, opening the origin and opening the traces, as in the Treatise on the Five Ordinary Persons, which explains that there are four Buddhas. Opening the origin yields two bodies: first, the dharmakāya; second, the saṃbhogakāya. The dharmakāya is Buddha-nature, and the saṃbhogakāya refers to the completion of cultivated causes revealing Buddha-nature. Opening the traces yields two bodies: transforming bodhisattvas is called Rocana, and transforming the two vehicles is called Śākyamuni. Third, opening the origin and combining the traces, as explained in the Daśabhūmika-śāstra and the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa. Opening the origin refers to two bodies: Buddha-nature is the dharmakāya, and the revealing of Buddha-nature is the saṃbhogakāya. Fourth, opening the traces and combining the origin, as explained in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha: combining Buddha-nature and the revealing of Buddha-nature are both named dharmakāya. Opening the traces yields two: transforming bodhisattvas is called Rocana, and transforming the two vehicles is called Śākyamuni. These are all expounded in sūtras and treatises in accordance with particular meanings and none contradict one another; the various masters did not grasp their intent, and hence disputes arose. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 9.85](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.9.85) - [Next: 9.87](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.9.87) - [Up: 9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.9) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720~en-mt.9.86) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.9.86](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1720.9.86) · Pramāṇa