法華義疏 6.85

6.85

From 'expounding the triyāna for them' downward, second, it matches the actual expounding of the triyāna. As for the text, it has four parts: first, admonishing them not to delight in birth and death; next, exhorting them to quickly emerge from the three realms; third, clarifying the guarantee of giving without deception; fourth, praising the triyāna. These four arise in sequence. Matching the four parables above: the first matches the second, pointing out the place of the carts; the second matches the third, urging them to emerge quickly; the third matches the fourth, guaranteeing to give without deception; the fourth matches the first, praising the three carts. The reason the doctrine and the parable differ is due to changing the momentum to expound the Dharma. From 'You all must quickly emerge from the three realms' downward, second, it urges rapid emergence. From 'I now guarantee for you' downward, third, it guarantees giving without deception. Regarding 'By this expedient means enticing and guiding sentient beings': a doubter might say, since he claimed to guarantee giving without deception, yet later they ultimately did not receive [the three carts], this would become false. Therefore it is explained: speaking of guaranteeing to give was merely an expedient means to entice and guide sentient beings. From 'further made this statement' downward, fourth, it praises the unhindered nature of the triyāna. 'Without bondage': ordinary beings are bound by the three kinds—afflictions, karma, and suffering; enabling them to attain liberation is called 'without bondage.' 'Without dependence or seeking': the mind having no attachment is called 'without dependence'; fully possessing the four wisdoms is called 'without seeking.' From 'If there are sentient beings who inwardly possess the nature of wisdom' downward, third, it matches the above parable of the triyāna faithfully receiving [the teaching] and emerging from the house. In the parable above, it summarily clarified the triyāna emerging from the house; now matching them separately, it forms three sections. 'Inwardly possess the nature of wisdom' is the internal cause. 'Hearing the Dharma from the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, and faithfully accepting it' clarifies the external condition. 'Faithfully accepting' means that causes and conditions are complete, hence it says 'hearing the Dharma and faithfully accepting it.' 'Diligently striving': the former clarified faith and acceptance; the present distinguishes practice. 'Wishing to quickly emerge from the three realms and seeking nirvāṇa for themselves' clarifies the intention of practice. Practice has two intentions: first, wishing to emerge from the three realms, meaning knowing suffering and severing accumulation; second, seeking nirvāṇa for themselves, meaning realizing cessation and cultivating the path. 'This is called the śrāvaka vehicle' summarily concludes the name of the Hīnayāna. 'Just like those children' brings up the parable to attach to it. Here, nirvāṇa is precisely taken to allegorize the cart, because śrāvakas cultivate the path precisely for the sake of seeking nirvāṇa. Some say: from initially hearing the Dharma and faithfully accepting it, external ordinary beings are raised to match; diligently striving clarifies internal ordinary beings; wishing to quickly emerge from the three realms clarifies the true noble ones; 'this is called the śrāvaka vehicle' distinguishes the adepts. From 'If there are sentient beings' downward, next it matches the pratyekabuddha vehicle, omitting clarification of the internal cause. The phrase 'seeking spontaneous wisdom': practitioners of the middle vehicle do not primarily seek nirvāṇa; if they sought nirvāṇa, they would not differ from śrāvakas; therefore, seeking spontaneous wisdom is now raised to match the deer cart, wishing to distinguish them from śrāvakas. 'Delighting in solitary excellence and quietude': the Kośa-śāstra clarifies that pratyekabuddhas are of two kinds: first, flock-walking pratyekabuddhas, meaning those who have groups and followers—these are the lesser pratyekabuddhas; second, rhinoceros-horn-parable pratyekabuddhas, who are solitary realizers called great pratyekabuddhas, dwelling alone in quiet mountains; this corresponds to the present text's 'delighting in solitary excellence and quietude.' 'Deeply knowing the causes and conditions of all phenomena': this presents the realm of what they know, meaning it is distinct from śrāvakas who only know the four truths. From 'If there are sentient beings' downward, next it matches the parable of the great cart. 'Seeking all-knowledge' refers to the wisdom of emptiness. 'Buddha-wisdom' refers to the wisdom of all modes, meaning the wisdom of existence. All-knowledge sometimes applies to the two vehicles as well, as the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra's 'Three Wisdoms Chapter' says: 'The two vehicles are called all-knowledge, but if it is the wisdom of all modes, it belongs only to the Buddha'; therefore the name of the Buddha designates the wisdom of all modes. 'Spontaneous wisdom' summarily clarifies that the two kinds of wisdom spontaneously know the two realms of emptiness and existence; that is, non-effortful wisdom. 'Unexcelled masterless wisdom': the preceding three wisdoms are not obtained from a teacher, hence it is called masterless wisdom. The meaning of this explanation comes from the Mahāyānasaṃgraha. 'The Tathāgata's knowledge and vision, powers, and fearlessnesses': above, it directly clarified the four wisdoms; now it further distinguishes the four wisdoms, namely knowledge and vision, and the pair of powers and fearlessnesses. Although the Buddha vehicle possesses all virtues, it takes wisdom as its foundation, and therefore it expounds wisdom extensively. From 'pitying, being mindful of, giving peace and joy to' downward: the former presentation of the gate of wisdom was one's own virtue; now the presentation of the gate of merit refers to the virtue of converting others. Great compassion is called 'pitying'; great loving-kindness is called 'being mindful of', doubly indicating the two gates. The difference between peace-and-joy and benefit is: bestowing the fruit of joy is peace and joy; bestowing good causes is benefit; this explains the virtue of great loving-kindness. 'Delivering and liberating all' explains the virtue of great compassion. Delivering from suffering and liberating from accumulation also has two meanings corresponding to the great loving-kindness above. 'This is called the Mahāyāna' summarily concludes that merit, wisdom, one's own practice, and converting others constitute the substance of the Mahāyāna. 'Because bodhisattvas seek this vehicle, they are called mahāsattvas': above clarified the greatness of the Dharma; now it distinguishes the greatness of the person. Because they seek the great fruit and Dharma, they are called great persons, deriving their name from the fruit-dharma.