妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.22

1.22

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.