法華玄論 3.26

3.26

Answer: The Lotus Sūtra's 'Chapter on Faith and Understanding' states: 'Yet formerly, in the presence of the bodhisattvas, he disparaged the śrāvakas who took pleasure in lesser dharmas; however, the Buddha was actually teaching and transforming them with the Great Vehicle.' Hence we know that Prajñā esoterically preaches the one vehicle. This can also be considered an explicit preaching of the one vehicle, but the destitute son has dull faculties and does not perceive or know it. Deducing from this, one should not say that Prajñā is a teaching shared by the three vehicles. Furthermore, the Mahāyānasaṃgraha states: 'Prajñā esoterically speaks the one vehicle. Why is this? All dharmas are suchness.' The three vehicles are not separate from suchness; this is precisely preaching the meaning of the one vehicle, but people of the two vehicles do not perceive or know it. Furthermore, it says that seeking a person anywhere is unattainable; if there is no person, how could one distinguish: this is a śrāvaka, this a pratyekabuddha, this a bodhisattva? Because they are identical in selflessness, one should know that this is precisely the esoteric preaching of the one vehicle. Furthermore, people of the three vehicles together sever the obstruction of afflictions; because they sever the obstruction of afflictions, they are identical in the one vehicle. Furthermore, according to the ancient interpretation: Prajñā has already unified the dharmas, but has not yet unified the persons. Unifying dharmas means that all dharmas enter into the true mark of all dharmas, enter into the Mahāyāna, and also enter into Prajñā. Hence it states: 'If there are true words that subsume all good dharmas, know that it is Prajñā.' Hence we know that Prajñā has already unified all practices. All practices enter the Mahāyāna, but because the faculties and conditions of the two vehicles are not yet ripe and they are not capable of being opened and unified, it is said that it has not yet unified the persons. Since it has already esoterically unified the dharmas, one should know that it has already spoken the one vehicle; but because it has not yet unified the persons, people of the two vehicles do not perceive or know it.