法華玄論 7.42

7.42

Answer: It indeed possesses all the meanings mentioned above, and it is precisely by means of these meanings that the five vehicles are subsumed. But now, in clarifying five, this is the Tathāgata's dharma gate of gradual abandonment, and therefore five are established. We now draw upon the intention of the 'Chapter on the Arising of the Tathāgata's Nature' in the Avataṃsaka to outline the general meaning of the five vehicles. As the sūtra says: 'The suffering of the three evil destinies refers to the suffering of the denizens of the evil destinies; the suffering of King Yama is the suffering of the king of the evil destinies.' Therefore, within the three pathways there is entirely an accumulation of suffering. Wishing to abandon this suffering, one should cultivate the five precepts; the causes and conditions of the five precepts lead to obtaining a human body, and thus the five precepts are spoken of as the human vehicle. However, among humans faculties are dull and life is short, with little joy and much suffering. Wishing to leave these behind, one should cultivate the ten goods; the causes and conditions of the ten goods invite celestial retribution, which is called the heavenly vehicle. Next, it says that the three realms are all suffering, impermanent, and subject to destruction, like a red-hot iron ball with nothing pleasurable; to escape this suffering, the śrāvaka vehicle is taught. But śrāvakas hear the Dharma from others and dwell in the position of disciples; externally they lack the physical marks and internally their wisdom is not profound. Those who are solitary and tranquil in the mountains, self-awakened without a teacher, having merit and sharp faculties, are called pratyekabuddhas; for their sake the condition-awakened [vehicle] is taught, causing them to abandon the śrāvaka vehicle. Although condition-awakened persons are self-awakened without a teacher, their wisdom is not yet complete, through kalpas their residual defilements are unbroken, they solely improve themselves, and their mind of loving-kindness and compassion is meager. Only the Buddha vehicle is supreme, fully possessing all virtues, with residual defilements forever extinguished, having fulfilled self-benefit and broadly capable of crossing over others; therefore the Buddha vehicle is taught to cause them to abandon the condition-awakened [vehicle]. Thus in the past, wishing to show the dharma gate of gradual abandonment, he taught the five vehicles. Followers who received the teachings did not understand the Buddha's intention, and ultimately clung to the three vehicles as all being ultimate.