妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.22

1.22

後顯機者，依《涅槃經》唯有一機。故彼經云：「師子吼者是決定說，一切眾生悉有佛性。」又云：「眾生亦爾悉皆有心，凡有心者悉皆當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」此經亦云：「十方佛土中，唯有一乘法，無二亦無三，除佛方便說，但教化菩薩，無聲聞弟子。乃至廣說，若聲聞若菩薩，聞我說法皆成於佛。」依此唯有一大乘性。此經既說一乘被彼大乘根性，然性有二：一理性，《勝鬘》所說如來藏是，二行性，《楞伽》所說如來藏是。前皆有之，後性或無，談有藏無說皆作佛。依《善戒經》、《地持論》中唯說有二：一有種姓，二無種姓。彼經論云性種姓者，無始法爾六處殊勝展轉相續，此依行性有種姓也。無種姓人無種性故，雖復發心懃行精進，終不能得無上菩提，但以人天善根而成就之，即無性也。此被有性非被於無，此依行性以說有無，已下多依行性而說，理性遍有故，依有非無勝劣異故。天親《攝論》亦言：「上乘、下乘有差別故，菩薩、聲聞各分三藏。」又處處說如來十力中，有根上下智力，此即上乘菩薩藏攝，被上根故，依有非無，依異非同，以通就別。此經又言：「為求聲聞者說應四諦法，為求緣覺者說應十二因緣法，為求菩薩者說應六波羅蜜法。」此經說一乘，即為求菩薩者說應六波羅蜜法。此經下文〈妙莊嚴王品〉八萬四千人遠塵離垢，亦可言被聲聞傍利益故，有無俱彰大小類別，依同非異以別攝通。《涅槃經》言：「譬如病人有其三種：一者若遇良醫不遇良醫決定可差，即菩薩也。二者若遇即差、不遇不差，即二乘也。三者若遇不遇決定不差，即一闡提。」此經亦言：「輪王、釋、梵是小藥草，聲聞、緣覺是中藥草，大小菩薩名大藥草。」隨逆次第亦同《涅槃》。今此唯被菩薩性人，先雖是聲聞後作菩薩故；又亦可言被彼聲聞，如前已說依有非無通別類異。又《大般若》「善勇猛菩薩言：唯願世尊哀愍我等，為具宣說如來境智，若有情類於聲聞乘姓決定者，聞此法已速能證得自無漏地；於獨覺乘姓決定者，聞此法已速依自乘而得出離；於無上乘姓決定者，聞此法已速證無上正等菩提。若有情類雖未已入正性離生，而於三乘姓不定者，聞此法已皆發無上正等覺心。」諸論雖說聖亦迴心，今說不受變易生死，以迴心者故，言未入正性離生。此經被彼大乘定性、聲聞定性、及不定性，如前已引，然無被彼獨覺機文，有無雙彰以通從別。又《勝鬘經》言：「譬如大地持四重擔：一大海，二諸山，三草木，四眾生。如是攝受正法善男子，堪能荷負四種重任，謂離善知識無聞非法眾生，以人天善根而成就之；求聲聞者授聲聞乘；求緣覺者授緣覺乘；求大乘者授以大乘。」此被大乘可及聲聞，非餘二姓，依有非無通別類異，現當非有。《楞伽經》云：「佛告大慧：有五種種姓證法。一聲聞乘姓，二辟支佛乘姓，三如來乘姓，四不定乘姓，五者無姓謂一闡提。此有二種，一者焚燒一切善根即謗菩薩藏，二者憐愍一切眾生，作佛盡一切眾生界願，是菩薩也。若眾生不入涅槃我亦不入。大慧白言：此二何者常不入涅槃？佛言菩薩常不入涅槃，非焚燒一切善根者，以知諸法本來涅槃，不捨一切諸眾生故。」此經被聲聞及如來乘姓、不定乘姓及一闡提中大悲菩薩，非獨覺性及斷善者，有、無並說，通、別類異，現斷畢無。又《大莊嚴論》云：「有五種姓，初四同《楞伽》；第五有二種：一時邊，二畢竟。時邊即暫時，畢竟謂無因。」此經被前四，中除獨覺及第五姓，依有及無，當成、不成，通、別類異。《瑜伽》又說有五種姓，前四同前；第五唯一謂無種姓。此經被彼與《莊嚴》同。若以一乘為宗，唯被有菩薩姓不被唯聲聞姓，一雨所潤三草各別，可被聲聞。《瑜伽》等云：「無間道能遠塵，解脫道能離垢，證此勝智名法眼淨，即是見諦預流果等」，故知非說一乘之處亦被聲聞。經會既有，故作此通，為被機宜說是經也。

Second, explaining the spiritual capacities: According to the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, there is only a single capacity. Hence that sūtra states: "The Lion's Roar is a definitive exposition: all sentient beings possess the buddha-nature." It also states: "Sentient beings are likewise all endowed with mind; all who have a mind shall without exception attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi." This sūtra also states: "In the buddha-fields of the ten directions, there is only the Dharma of the Single Vehicle; there is neither a second nor a third, aside from the expedient expositions of the buddhas; they only instruct and transform bodhisattvas, having no śrāvaka disciples. … Extending to the full explanation: whether śrāvakas or bodhisattvas, upon hearing me expound the Dharma, all become buddhas." Relying on this, there is only a single Mahāyāna nature. Since this sūtra speaks of the Single Vehicle as addressing those of Mahāyāna disposition, nature nevertheless has two aspects: first, the nature of principle, which is the tathāgatagarbha spoken of in the Śrīmālā-devī-sūtra; second, the nature of practice, which is the tathāgatagarbha spoken of in the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra. The former is possessed by all, while the latter nature may be absent; discussing the existence of the [first] womb and the absence of the [second], it says that all will become buddhas. According to the Bodhisattvabhūmi and the Bodhisattva-śīla-sūtra, only two kinds are taught: first, those with lineage (gotra); second, those without lineage. When those sūtras and treatises speak of the "nature lineage," it refers to the beginningless, naturally existing superiority of the six sense bases that successively perpetuates itself; this refers to having lineage in terms of the nature of practice. Because a person without lineage lacks the lineage-nature, even if they generate the aspiration and vigorously cultivate energetic exertion, they can never attain unexcelled awakening; they are matured merely through the roots of goodness of humans and devas—this is being "without nature." This [sūtra] addresses those with the nature, not those without it. This speaks of existence and non-existence in reliance on the nature of practice. Below, it mostly speaks in reliance on the nature of practice, because the nature of principle is universally present, whereas based on having or lacking [the nature of practice], the superior and inferior differ. Vasubandhu's Mahāyānasaṃgraha also states: "Because there are differences between the higher vehicle and the lower vehicle, the bodhisattva and the śrāvaka each have distinct collections of three baskets (tripiṭaka)." Furthermore, it is said in various places that among the tathāgata's ten powers, there is the knowledge of the faculties of the faculties as superior or inferior; this belongs to the higher vehicle and is subsumed by the Bodhisattva Piṭaka, because it addresses superior faculties. Relying on existence rather than non-existence, and on difference rather than sameness, it uses the general to approach the particular. This sūtra also states: "For those seeking to be śrāvakas, he expounds the Dharma corresponding to the Four Truths; for those seeking to be pratyekabuddhas, he expounds the Dharma corresponding to the Twelvefold Dependent Origination; for those seeking to be bodhisattvas, he expounds the Dharma corresponding to the Six Pāramitās." This sūtra expounds the Single Vehicle, which means expounding for those seeking to be bodhisattvas the Dharma corresponding to the Six Pāramitās. Later in this sūtra, in the Chapter of King Śubhavyūha, eighty-four thousand persons become remote from dust and free from defilement; this can also be said to address śrāvakas as a secondary benefit. Thus, existence and non-existence are both made manifest, the great and the small are categorized differently, and relying on sameness rather than difference, the particular subsumes the general. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra states: "For example, there are three kinds of sick persons: the first will definitely recover whether they meet a good physician or do not meet a good physician—this is the bodhisattva. The second will recover if they meet one, but will not recover if they do not meet one—this is the two vehicles. The third will definitely not recover whether they meet one or do not meet one—this is the icchantika." This sūtra also states: "The wheel-turning king, Śakra, and Brahmā are small medicinal herbs; śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are middling medicinal herbs; and great and small bodhisattvas are called great medicinal herbs." Following the reverse sequence, it is also identical with the Nirvāṇa Sūtra. Now, this text addresses only persons of the bodhisattva nature, because although they were previously śrāvakas, they later become bodhisattvas; yet it may also be said to address those śrāvakas, just as previously explained based on existence and non-existence, and the differentiation between general and particular. Furthermore, in the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra, Bodhisattva Suvikrāntavikrāmin says: "We only pray that the Bhagavat, out of compassion for us, fully expound the sphere and knowledge of the Tathāgata. If there are beings whose lineage is determined for the śrāvaka vehicle, upon hearing this Dharma they will swiftly be able to realize their own untainted stage; for those whose lineage is determined for the pratyekabuddha vehicle, upon hearing this Dharma they will swiftly depart [from saṃsāra] in reliance on their own vehicle; for those whose lineage is determined for the unexcelled vehicle, upon hearing this Dharma they will swiftly realize unexcelled, perfect awakening. If there are beings who, although not yet entered into the certainty of right realization (samyaktva-niyāma), are indefinite in their lineage among the three vehicles, upon hearing this Dharma they will all generate the aspiration for unexcelled, perfect awakening." Although the various treatises state that noble ones also convert their minds, here it speaks of not receiving the transmigration of inconceivable transformation; because of those who convert their minds, it says they have "not entered the certainty of right realization." This sūtra addresses those of determinate Mahāyāna lineage, determinate śrāvaka lineage, and indeterminate lineage, as cited above; yet there is no text addressing the capacity of the pratyekabuddha. Existence and non-existence are both made manifest, adapting the general according to the particular. Furthermore, the Śrīmālā-devī-sūtra states: "For example, the great earth carries four heavy burdens: first, the great oceans; second, the mountains; third, the grasses and trees; fourth, sentient beings. In the same way, the good son who upholds the True Dharma is capable of shouldering four kinds of heavy responsibilities: that is, for sentient beings who are devoid of good friends, lack learning, and follow unwholesome teachings, he matures them with the roots of goodness of humans and devas; for those seeking to be śrāvakas, he confers the śrāvaka vehicle; for those seeking to be pratyekabuddhas, he confers the pratyekabuddha vehicle; for those seeking the Great Vehicle, he confers the Great Vehicle." This addresses the Great Vehicle and can extend to the śrāvakas, but not to the remaining two lineages, relying on existence rather than non-existence, the differentiation of general and particular, and their absence in the present or future. The Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra says: "The Buddha told Mahāmati: There are five kinds of lineage realizations of the Dharma. First, the śrāvaka-vehicle lineage; second, the pratyekabuddha-vehicle lineage; third, the tathāgata-vehicle lineage; fourth, the indeterminate-vehicle lineage; fifth, the lineage-less, which refers to the icchantika. There are two kinds of these [icchantikas]: first, those who incinerate all roots of goodness, which means slandering the Bodhisattva Piṭaka; second, those who have compassion for all sentient beings and make the vow to attain buddhahood only when all realms of sentient beings are exhausted—this is the bodhisattva. [They vow:] 'If sentient beings do not enter nirvāṇa, I too shall not enter.' Mahāmati asked: 'Of these two, which one eternally does not enter nirvāṇa?' The Buddha said: 'The bodhisattva eternally does not enter nirvāṇa, not the one who incinerates all roots of goodness, because [the bodhisattva] knows that all phenomena are originally in nirvāṇa and does not abandon any sentient beings.'" This sūtra addresses the lineages of the śrāvaka and tathāgata vehicles, the indeterminate lineage, and the great compassion bodhisattva among the icchantikas, but not the pratyekabuddha nature or those who have severed good roots. Existence and non-existence are expounded together, general and particular are categorized differently, and those who presently sever [good roots] are ultimately without it. Furthermore, the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra says: "There are five lineages; the first four are identical with the Laṅkāvatāra; the fifth has two kinds: first, temporal, and second, ultimate. 'Temporal' means temporary; 'ultimate' means lacking the cause." This sūtra addresses the first four, omitting from among them the pratyekabuddha and the fifth lineage, relying on existence and non-existence, future realization and non-realization, and the differentiation of general and particular. The Yogācārabhūmi also speaks of five lineages, the first four being identical to the above, and the fifth being singular, called the lineage-less. This sūtra's address is identical to that of the Sūtrālaṃkāra. If the Single Vehicle is taken as the core theme, it addresses only those possessing the bodhisattva lineage, not those of solely śrāvaka lineage; just as the three kinds of grass moistened by the single rain are distinct, it can address śrāvakas. The Yogācārabhūmi and other works state: "The uninterrupted path can become remote from dust, and the path of liberation can become free from defilement; realizing this superior knowledge is called the purification of the Dharma eye, which is seeing the truths, the fruit of stream-entry, and so forth." Thus we know that places not expounding the Single Vehicle also address śrāvakas. Since they are present in the sūtra assembly, this harmonization is made: it is to address suitable capacities that this sūtra is expounded.