法華玄論 8.83

8.83

Answer: Now, with two meanings, this determination is made. First, the three hundred [yojanas] constitute the stage of ordinary beings, and the two hundred [yojanas] constitute the stage of the two vehicles. These two obstruct the Buddha path; desiring to seek the Buddha path, one must escape these two obstructions. Hence the Commentary on the Prajñāpāramitā states: 'There are two things on account of which a bodhisattva regresses: first, craving the three realms; second, delighting in the two vehicles.' Now, escaping the two regressions, one thus attains entry into the bodhisattva rank and advances to the treasure place. Furthermore, the three realms are called the stage of the view of existence, and the two vehicles are called the stage of the view of emptiness; the two views of emptiness and existence harm the bodhisattva's correct contemplation of the middle way. Now, desiring to cultivate bodhisattva practice to seek the Buddha path, one should leave these two stages. Furthermore, the three hundred [yojanas] take saṃsāra as their obstruction, and the two hundred [yojanas] take nirvāṇa as their obstruction. The Daśabhūmika-śāstra states: 'A bodhisattva crosses over the five destinies and further purifies nirvāṇa, because both the five destinies and nirvāṇa are obstructions.' Furthermore, the Avataṃsaka states: 'The great king of medicinal trees does not grow in two places: first, deep water; second, a fire pit.' The fire pit and deep water are precisely the two vehicles and ordinary beings with wrong views; these two cannot generate the roots of the great king of medicinal trees that is the bodhicitta. Therefore, a bodhisattva must leave these two stages. Furthermore, the three realms are the prison of the two vehicles, and the stage of the two vehicles is the prison of the bodhisattva; hence the two vehicles wish to leave the three realms, and the bodhisattva wishes to leave the stage of the two vehicles. Furthermore, ordinary beings in the three realms mostly cultivate merit and lack wisdom, while people of the two vehicles have much wisdom and lack merit; because their two wheels are incomplete, there is no way to reach Buddhahood. Therefore, one must leave them and only then ascend to Great Awakening. Furthermore, there are three kinds of practice: first, that of ordinary beings, who can neither practice for themselves nor practice to transform others; second, that of the two vehicles, who can only practice for themselves but cannot practice to transform others, so their practice is not complete. Because bodhisattvas cultivate practice for themselves, they leave the stage of ordinary beings; because they cultivate practice to transform others, they leave the stage of the two vehicles. Furthermore, the Mahāyānasaṃgraha and Bodhisattvabhūmi-śāstra clarify that there are two kinds of obstructions: first, the affliction obstruction; second, the knowledge obstruction. Escaping the afflictions of the three realms only departs from the affliction obstruction and has not yet departed from the knowledge obstruction; if one leaves the two hundred [yojanas], one then departs from both obstructions. Furthermore, there are two kinds of saṃsāra: first, fragmented [saṃsāra]; second, transformational [saṃsāra]. Ordinary beings undergo fragmented [saṃsāra], and the two vehicles undergo transformational [saṃsāra]. Departing from ordinary beings, one does not undergo fragmented [saṃsāra]; departing from the two vehicles, one does not undergo transformational [saṃsāra]. Furthermore, the causes and conditions of saṃsāra are broadly of two kinds: first, contaminated karma as cause, with the four graspings as condition; second, uncontaminated karma as cause, with ignorance as condition. Ordinary beings have contaminated karma and the four dwelling afflictions; the two vehicles have uncontaminated karma and the affliction of ignorance. Now, traversing these five hundred [yojanas], one then severs these causes and conditions, so that saṃsāra is forever exhausted.