法華玄論 10.89

10.89

Discussion on the meaning of Avalokiteśvara's Universal Gate (samantamukha). Concerning Avalokiteśvara, there are briefly twenty points of meaning: 1. the pair of person and dharma; 2. the pair of origin and trace; 3. the pair of the three wheels; 4. the pair of name and virtue; 5. the pair of internal and external; 6. the pair of wisdom and merit; 7. the pair of wisdom and eradication; 8. the pair of manifest and secret; 9. the pair of loving-kindness and compassion; 10. the pair of the two bodies; 11. the pair of the provisional and real; 12. the pair of the three karmas; 13. explanation of the three virtues; 14. shallowness and depth; 15. explanation of the two virtues; 16. manifestation of supernormal powers; 17. powers and fearlessnesses; 18. the four immeasurables and four means of embracing; 19. understanding and practice; 20. the pair of compassion and wisdom. As for 'person and dharma', Avalokiteśvara is the person who propagates the Path and benefits [beings], while the Universal Gate is the dharma that is propagated to benefit beings. Without the dharma there is nothing to accomplish the person, and without the person there is nothing to uphold the dharma; person and dharma truly have no before or after, but because the Path does not move alone and its propagation depends on the person, it first explains the person and later discerns the dharma. Furthermore, because the chapters below make the bodhisattva perform the Buddha's work, the person is revealed first.