法華玄論 4.56

4.56

Answer: Only the tathatā-Buddha-nature is real. One cultivates the myriad practices wishing to manifest this Buddha-nature; because the Buddha-nature is manifested, it is called the dharmakāya. These three must depend on one another: because the Buddha-nature is the root, it is called the cause. Although there is a cause, it still requires conditioning causes; when causes and conditions are complete, the fruit is attained. What is said now does not contradict this explanation. The Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa also explains three kinds: first, the substance of the vehicle, namely the Tathāgata's equal dharmakāya, which is taking the Buddha-nature as the substance of the vehicle; it also states that the Buddha-vehicle refers to the Tathāgata's great parinirvāṇa, which explains the Buddha fruit as the substance of the vehicle. These differ as hidden and manifest, but in reality are not two. Furthermore, it explains: "That which you practice is the bodhisattva path," as well as the good of bowing the head and raising the hand, giving rise to the bodhi-mind and cultivating the bodhisattva practices, which is precisely the illuminating cause and thus constitutes the conditions of the vehicle. This is still just the meaning of the three kinds of Buddha-nature. The conditions of the vehicle refer to bringing forth the Buddha-nature, which is the illuminating cause. The substance of the vehicle refers to the causal Buddha-nature; the fruit of the vehicle refers to the resultant Buddha-nature. That it does not mention the fruit-of-fruit nature is because the fruit-of-fruit nature still belongs to the approach of the fruit. That it does not mention the objective-sphere nature is because it belongs to the approach of the cause. Furthermore, expounded extensively there are five; in brief there are only three. Again, looking to the Dvādaśanikāya-śāstra, the vehicle is equipped with four items: first, the root of the vehicle, namely the true mark of all phenomena: because wisdom (prajñā) is born from the true mark, the true mark is the root, which is the vehicle's meaning of objective sphere; second, the master of the vehicle: because the myriad practices are accomplished through wisdom (prajñā), wisdom (prajñā) is the master, which is wisdom; third, the aids of the vehicle: aside from wisdom (prajñā), all other practices support and complete wisdom (prajñā); fourth, the fruit of the vehicle: because one rides this vehicle, one attains sarvajñā. Furthermore, this sūtra explains that the vehicle has three items: first, the carriage; second, the ox; third, the attendants. The carriage extends through cause and fruit, the myriad virtues and myriad practices. The ox also extends through cause and fruit; the correct contemplation of the middle way, free from the defilements of annihilationism and eternalism, is [represented by] white. Because of this contemplation, it leads the myriad practices out of saṃsāra like an ox; this is the meaning of wisdom (prajñā) guiding the myriad practices.