妙法蓮華經玄贊 2.124

2.124

The Eulogy says: In this seeing of the propagation of the teaching after extinction, there are two: first, entering extinction; second, erecting stūpas. In Sanskrit, it is parinirvāṇa, translated here as perfect quiescence (yuánjì), which means the state of complete and extinguished substance; 'nirvāṇa' is a phonetic corruption. Nirvāṇa is distinguished by six gates: 1. essence, 2. name, 3. time of attainment, 4. person of attainment, 5. that which obstructs, 6. intention of entering. Regarding its essence: there are four kinds of nirvāṇa: 1. nirvāṇa of intrinsically pure nature, 2. nirvāṇa with remainder, 3. nirvāṇa without remainder, 4. non-abiding nirvāṇa. The essence of these four is precisely the Great Mahāparinirvāṇa, which has three aspects: First, comprehensively, the essence of the four is entirely the single reality (tathatā); only when reality possesses the three does it constitute nirvāṇa. Being able to generate perfect enlightenment is called mahāprajñā, because its essence is the nature of awakening; in the bodies of the two vehicles, it does not generate perfect enlightenment, is not the nature of awakening, and is not called prajñā. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'Both wisdom and the locus of wisdom are called prajñā'; hence the Avataṃsaka says: 'The intrinsically pure mind is also called teacherless wisdom.' Second, emerging from the cognitive hindrance is called the Dharma-body (dharmakāya). The Śrīmālādevī says: 'While within the entanglements, it is called the tathāgatagarbha; emerged from the entanglements, it is called the dharmakāya.' In the two vehicles and others, it is not called the dharmakāya, because it is not the locus upon which the qualities of Dharma rely. Third, all sufferings being exhausted and being free from the two kinds of birth and death, it is called liberation. In the two vehicles and others, cyclical birth and death has ended, and although they are free from the two bonds, it is not complete liberation; nevertheless, those of the two vehicles also slightly attain this, for the three vehicles sit together on the couch of liberation. Therefore, those of the two vehicles are also said to attain nirvāṇa, yet it is not the great nirvāṇa, because its meanings are not complete. Furthermore, according to the second fascicle of the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, great nirvāṇa requires all three things to be complete before it is called entering great nirvāṇa. Prajñā is the wisdom that can realize the twofold emptiness; the dharmakāya is the twofold principle that is realized; liberation is the provisional analytical cessation (pratisaṃkhyā-nirodha) obtained through wisdom realizing the principle once hindrances are exhausted. Its substance is like the three dots of the letter 'i' (∴). Nirvāṇa is also like this: through wisdom one realizes the dharmakāya and obtains analytical cessation; the dharmakāya is the foundation upon which the other two rely, hence it is like two dots of the letter 'i' above and one dot below. If they were separate, it would not be accomplished: the three things would be distinctly separate with different substances, and positing them as attained at different times would also be illogical. The three things of nirvāṇa are neither different nor identical, and only when attained simultaneously are they called entering. If they were vertical, it would not be accomplished: prajñā being the lowest grade, liberation being the intermediate grade, and the dharmakāya being the highest grade, with the three dharmas attained simultaneously across three grades—this too is not accomplished. Vertical means up and down; horizontal means before and after. If the three were distinct substances realized successively, that too would be illogical. Through giving rise to great wisdom, realizing the principle of the dharmakāya, and being liberated from bonds, the three things being neither identical nor different is called entering great mahāparinirvāṇa. It is not like the two vehicles' holding that the three distinct substances have their three grades, attained separately before and after, or attained simultaneously, constituting an entrance into nirvāṇa. The other topics of separately pointing out the essence, explaining names, and so forth are as in the notes to the tenth fascicle of the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi. Now it explains that that buddha manifested entering into [nirvāṇa] without remainder, which was not an entrance into great nirvāṇa, because upon first attaining buddhahood he had already attained it. Those who ought to be crossed over having already been crossed over, he entered nirvāṇa; for those who had not yet attained deliverance, he created the causes and conditions for attaining deliverance, hence they erected precious stūpas to make offerings to the relics (śarīra). In Sanskrit, it is śarīra, meaning bodily remains; 'shèlì' is a phonetic corruption. Stūpa means high and prominent; the word 'tǎ' is a phonetic corruption.