法華義疏 10.164

10.164

上釋久近之疑，今釋虛實之疑。時眾疑云：昔說近成、今說遠成，俱是佛說，即俱應是實；昔近既權、今遠亦權，若昔近為權、今遠為實者，安焉知昔近非實、今遠非權。通疑今昔二說，言既相違並應虛妄。為釋此疑故有今文來也。又有此文來者，釋迦現在益物凡有三時：一、初成道；二、中間說法；三、終滅度。上明初成道方便竟。今明中間益物。於文為二：初、明一切方便；二、辨皆實不虛。「如來所演經典皆為度脫眾生」者，明佛說教大意也。諸佛說教有二種意：一謂未度苦海眾生令度，二謂未脫集諦眾生令脫也。「或說己身或說他身」者，前句總明說法益物，今別開二種方便，即是二輪。自說釋迦之身名說己身，說阿彌陀佛身名說他身。「或示己身或示他身」者，上是說法輪，今是神通輪，如現分身佛等名示己身，示阿閦佛等名示他身。「或示己事或示他事」者，三反淨土名示己事，示香積土名示他事。身既有自他，說土亦應然，但例上可知。「諸所言說皆實不虛」，第二句，正明不虛。又開二別：初、標不虛；「所以者何」下，第二、釋不虛。凡有二意：一、明證理實故所說不虛，二、明深見機故所說不虛。證理實謂得法身，見機實謂起應化身，是故現通、說法皆是實也。「如來如實知見三界之相」者，總標知見相也。《法華論》云「三界相者謂眾生界即涅槃界，不離眾生界有如來藏故也」。「無有生死若退若出」者，釋上如實知見於三界也。三界本是生死都域故上明三界，今次辨無有生死若退若出者，此死生彼謂生死也。此句正序具縛凡夫之人也。背大乘退入三界為退，〈譬喻品〉云「汝諸子等先因遊戲來入此宅」也。三乘諸子競共馳走爭出火宅為出也。此句序三乘眾生於三界中出入，故云退出也。今實相法身中悉無如此事也，故無有從上墮下為退，無有自下昇上為出。故《法華論》云「無有生死若退若出者，謂常恒清涼不反義也」。「亦無在世及滅度者」，上三句明不見眾生生死，此二句明不見諸佛起滅。不見王宮初生乃至八十年住故云無在世者，亦不見雙林滅盡故云無滅度者。如《華嚴經》云「欲令眾生生歡喜善故現王宮生，欲令眾生生戀慕善故示雙林滅，如來實不出世亦不般涅槃。何以故？法身常住同法界故」。《法華論》云「亦無在世及滅度者，謂如來藏真如之體，不即眾生界、不離眾生界故」。「非實非虛非如非異」者，惑者聞上六事皆無，便謂法身是實作決定實解，是故今明非實也。既聞非實便謂同幻夢之虛，故次辨非虛。既聞非實非虛便謂冥真如等法性，故說非如。既聞非如便謂與如異體，故說非異。《法華論》云「非實非虛非如非異者，離四種相。有四種相者是無常法故」，此意釋成法身常義也。「不如三界見於三界」者，凡夫見三界故不見三不三，如來見三界又能見三不三，故《法華論》云「不如三界見於三界者，如來能見能證真如法身，凡夫不能見故。是故經云『如來明見無錯謬故』」。又凡夫非但不見三不三，亦不見不三三，雖非三界而於眾生宛然三界。故《大品》云「諸法無所有，如是有、如是無，是事不知，名為無明」，如來既知三不三故三界即法身，亦知不三三法身於眾生即成三界也。佛知三不三故名漚和波若，即知不三三故有波若漚和，是以如來具足二慧。凡夫不知三不三故無波若，不知不三三則無方便慧，故凡夫無有二慧但有斷常。「以諸眾生有種種性」下，第二、上明見法身理實故所言不虛，今明見眾生機實故所言不虛。又上見三不三義故三界是法身，今見不三三義法身於眾生成三界，是故眾生有種種欲。如《涅槃》云「是一味藥隨其流處有種種味」，即其證也。內因難改名種種性，所樂不同稱種種欲，過去業行各異名種種行，追知往緣不同名種種憶想，此從重至輕而說之。若從輕至重者，眾生憶想猶過去習行不同，習行不同由欲樂各異，實以久習欲成性故也。「欲令眾生種善根」者，上明知機，今辨應機授藥。廣而言之，應八萬四千病、授八萬四千藥；略授四悉檀，應以世界門得道為說世界，乃至應以第一義門得道而說第一義悉檀。然一一悉檀中有無量門，如世界悉檀有無量世界，如《華嚴》云「十佛國土乃至無量淨穢不同」。各各為人悉檀亦有無量，如《涅槃經》三十餘諍論也。對治中亦有無量對治，謂有對治門，增治門，轉治門，總治門。第一義悉檀亦有無量，如《淨名經》三十餘菩薩說入不二法門也。「所作佛事未曾暫廢」者，根性萬差、教門無數，總而論之為令悟入佛道，故云所作佛事。從初得佛之始至今靈山之終及未來際常化物不斷，故云未曾暫廢。此文亦得明三佛俱是常義，初明一證報身湛然無滅謂報身常，上辨無有生死乃至非實非虛，十種不義謂法身常；今明眾生不盡化益無廢謂化身常。「如是我成佛以來至常住不滅」者，上辨過去無前中開為三別：一者、標證佛已久，二者、釋疑顯成證佛已久，此二門竟。今是第三、結成佛久義。既稱常住不滅，即是顯了明常，不得復言覆相及以無常釋此經也。

Above, [the text] resolved doubts regarding past and recent times; now it resolves doubts regarding falsity and reality. The assembly at that time doubted, saying: "In the past he spoke of attaining [enlightenment] recently, and now he speaks of attaining it long ago. Both were spoken by the Buddha, so both should be real; [or,] since the recent [attainment spoken of] in the past was an expedient means, the distant [attainment spoken of] now is also an expedient means. If the recent [attainment spoken of] in the past was an expedient means and the distant [attainment spoken of] now is the real, how is one to know that the recent in the past is not the real and the distant now is not an expedient means?" In general, they doubted both the past and present teachings, thinking that since the words contradicted each other, both must be false. The present passage comes precisely to resolve this doubt. Furthermore, this passage comes because Śākyamuni benefits beings in the present through three periods in all: first, his initial attainment of the Way; second, his intermediate preaching of the Dharma; and third, his ultimate passing into extinction. Above, the explanation of the expedient means of his initial attainment of the Way was concluded. Now, [the text] explains his intermediate benefiting of beings. In the text there are two parts: first, explaining all expedient means; second, discerning that all are real and not false. "The sūtras expounded by the Tathāgata are all for delivering beings" explains the general intention of the Buddha in expounding the teachings. The Buddhas expound the teachings with two intentions: first, to cause beings who have not yet crossed the ocean of suffering to cross over; second, to cause beings who have not yet been freed from the truth of the origination [of suffering] to be freed. "Either speaking of his own body or speaking of another's body": the preceding sentence generally explained preaching the Dharma to benefit beings, and now it separately opens two kinds of expedient means, which are the two wheels [of the Tathāgata's activity]. Speaking of the body of Śākyamuni himself is called speaking of his own body; speaking of the body of Amitābha Buddha is called speaking of another's body. "Either displaying his own body or displaying another's body": the above was the wheel of preaching the Dharma, and this is the wheel of supernatural powers. Manifesting his emanated bodies of the Buddha and so forth is called displaying his own body; displaying Akṣobhya Buddha and so forth is called displaying another's body. "Either displaying his own affairs or displaying another's affairs": purifying the lands three times is called displaying his own affairs; displaying the land of Gandhahastin (Xiangji) is called displaying another's affairs. Just as the body has self and other, the explanation of lands should also be like this; this can be known by analogy with the above. "All that he says is real and not false": the second sentence properly explains "not false." It further opens into two distinctions: first, indicating "not false"; second, from "why is this?" onward, explaining "not false." In all, there are two meanings: first, explaining that because he has realized the reality of the principle, what he says is not false; second, explaining that because he deeply sees the capacities [of beings], what he says is not false. Realizing the reality of the principle means attaining the dharmakāya; seeing the reality of the capacities means giving rise to the response-manifestation body (nirmāṇakāya). Therefore, displaying supernatural powers and preaching the Dharma are both real. "The Tathāgata knows and sees the characteristics of the three realms as they truly are" generally indicates the characteristics of his knowing and seeing. The Fahua lun says: "The characteristics of the three realms mean that the realm of sentient beings is itself the realm of nirvāṇa, because the tathāgatagarbha does not exist apart from the realm of sentient beings." "There is no birth and death, no retreat and no emergence" explains the above [phrase] "knowing and seeing the three realms as they truly are." The three realms are originally the general domain of birth and death; therefore, above, the three realms were explained. Next, discerning that there is no birth and death, no retreat and no emergence: dying here and being born there is called birth and death. This sentence properly describes ordinary beings who are completely bound [by defilements]. Turning one's back on the Mahāyāna and retreating into the three realms is "retreat," as the Parable Chapter says: "All you children formerly entered this house through playing." The children of the triyāna vying and running together to compete in leaving the burning house is "emergence." This sentence describes the sentient beings of the triyāna entering and leaving the three realms; hence it says "retreat and emergence." Now, within the dharmakāya of true reality, there are no such things at all; hence there is no falling from above to below as "retreat," nor is there rising from below to above as "emergence." Therefore, the Fahua lun says: "'There is no birth and death, no retreat and no emergence' means the sense of being permanently cool and not turning back." "Neither is there anyone residing in the world nor passing into extinction": the three sentences above explain not seeing the birth and death of sentient beings, while these two sentences explain not seeing the arising and extinction of the Buddhas. Not seeing the initial birth in the royal palace up to the eighty-year stay is why it says "no one residing in the world"; nor seeing the ultimate extinction in the twin sāla grove is why it says "nor passing into extinction." As the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: "Wishing to cause sentient beings to give rise to the wholesome [mind] of joy, he manifests birth in the royal palace; wishing to cause sentient beings to give rise to the wholesome [mind] of longing, he displays extinction in the twin grove. The Tathāgata in reality neither emerges into the world nor enters parinirvāṇa. Why is this? Because the dharmakāya is permanently abiding and identical with the dharmadhātu." The Fahua lun says: "'Neither is there anyone residing in the world nor passing into extinction' means that the essence of the tathāgatagarbha's suchness is neither identical to the realm of sentient beings nor apart from the realm of sentient beings." "Neither real nor false, neither as such nor different": the confused, hearing that the above six matters are all non-existent, then consider the dharmakāya to be real and form a determinate understanding of it as real; therefore, [the text] now explains "neither real." Having heard "neither real," they then consider it to be as false as an illusion or a dream; hence it next discerns "nor false." Having heard "neither real nor false," they then consider it to be mysteriously identical to suchness and the nature of phenomena; therefore it says "neither as such." Having heard "neither as such," they then consider it to have a different substance from suchness; therefore it says "nor different." The Fahua lun says: "'Neither real nor false, neither as such nor different' means being free from the four kinds of characteristics. Having the four kinds of characteristics is impermanent phenomena." This intention explains and establishes the meaning of the dharmakāya being permanent. "Not seeing the three realms as the three realms do": ordinary beings see the three realms, and therefore do not see the non-three [realms within] the three [realms]; the Tathāgata sees the three realms and is also able to see the non-three [realms within] the three [realms]. Therefore the Fahua lun says: "'Not seeing the three realms as the three realms do' means that the Tathāgata is able to see and able to realize the dharmakāya of suchness, whereas ordinary beings are unable to see it. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Because the Tathāgata clearly sees without error.'" Furthermore, ordinary beings not only fail to see the non-three [realms within] the three [realms], but also fail to see the three [realms within] the non-three [realms]; although [reality] is not the three realms, to sentient beings it is manifestly the three realms. Therefore the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra says: "All dharmas have nothing that exists; that they exist thus and are non-existent thus—not knowing this matter is called ignorance." Since the Tathāgata knows the non-three [realms within] the three [realms], the three realms are themselves the dharmakāya; he also knows the three [realms within] the non-three [realms], so the dharmakāya becomes the three realms to sentient beings. Because the Buddha knows the non-three [realms within] the three [realms], it is called upāyaprajñā; and because he knows the three [realms within] the non-three [realms], there is prajñopāya. For this reason the Tathāgata is fully endowed with the two wisdoms. Ordinary beings do not know the non-three [realms within] the three [realms], so they lack prajñā; and not knowing the three [realms within] the non-three [realms], they lack the wisdom of expedient means. Therefore ordinary beings have neither of the two wisdoms, but only [the views of] annihilation and permanence. From "Because sentient beings have various natures..." onward is the second part: above, it explained that because he sees the reality of the principle of the dharmakāya, what he says is not false; now it explains that because he sees the reality of the capacities of sentient beings, what he says is not false. Furthermore, above, he saw the meaning of the non-three [realms within] the three [realms], so the three realms are the dharmakāya; now, he sees the meaning of the three [realms within] the non-three [realms], where the dharmakāya becomes the three realms to sentient beings, and therefore sentient beings have various desires. As the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: "It is a single-flavor medicine, yet in accordance with the places into which it flows, there are various flavors"—this is precisely its proof. Inner causes that are difficult to change are called "various natures"; what they delight in being different is called "various desires"; their past karmic practices being distinct is called "various practices"; tracing back to know that past conditions differ is called "various recollections and thoughts." This is spoken from the heavier to the lighter. If one proceeds from the lighter to the heavier: sentient beings' recollections and thoughts are due to the differences in their past habituated practices; their habituated practices differ due to their desires and inclinations being distinct; in truth, it is because prolonged habituation of desires becomes their nature. "Wishing to cause sentient beings to plant wholesome roots": above, knowing the capacities was explained; now, discerning the provision of medicine in response to capacities. To speak of it broadly, responding to eighty-four thousand illnesses, he provides eighty-four thousand medicines; to provide them in brief, there are the four siddhāntas: for those who should attain the Way through the worldly gate, he speaks of the worldly [siddhānta], up to speaking of the supreme-truth siddhānta for those who should attain the Way through the supreme-truth gate. Yet within each and every siddhānta there are immeasurable gates; just as the worldly siddhānta has immeasurable worlds, as the Avataṃsaka says: "The lands of the ten Buddhas, up to immeasurable, differ in purity and defilement." The individual siddhānta also has immeasurables, as in the thirty-odd debates in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra. Within the counteractive [siddhānta] there are also immeasurable counteractions, namely the gate of counteraction, the gate of increasing treatment, the gate of turning treatment, and the gate of total treatment. The supreme-truth siddhānta also has immeasurables, as in the thirty-odd bodhisattvas speaking of entering the gate of non-duality in the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra. "The Buddha-work he performs has never been suspended for a moment": their faculties and natures have myriad differences, and the doctrinal gates are countless; to discuss them collectively, they are to cause them to awaken to and enter the Buddha Way, hence it says "the Buddha-work he performs." From the beginning of his first attaining Buddhahood up to the end at Vulture Peak now, and into the reaches of the future, constantly transforming beings without interruption, hence it says "has never been suspended for a moment." This passage can also be understood as explaining that the three Buddhas are all permanent: first, explaining that once having realized the reward body (saṃbhogakāya), it is serene and without extinction—this means the reward body is permanent; above, discerning that there is no birth and death up to neither real nor false, the ten kinds of non-meanings—this means the dharmakāya is permanent; now, explaining that beings are never exhausted and the benefit of transformation is never suspended—this means the transformation body (nirmāṇakāya) is permanent. "From 'Thus, since I attained Buddhahood...' to 'permanently abiding and unextinguished'": above, in discerning that the past has no antecedent, it was divided into three distinctions: first, indicating and proving that Buddhahood was attained long ago; second, resolving doubts to reveal and accomplish the proof that Buddhahood was attained long ago. These two gates are concluded. Now is the third, concluding and establishing the meaning of Buddhahood [having been attained] long ago. Since it is called permanently abiding and unextinguished, this explicitly and clearly illuminates permanence; one may no longer interpret this sūtra in terms of concealed characteristics or impermanence.