妙法蓮華經玄贊 3.6

3.6

Now, here there are three kinds: first, the expedient means that receives those below, which exclusively guides those below; second, the expedient means that reveals what is above, which exclusively reveals what is profound and marvelous; third, the expedient means that generally illuminates, which pervades both above and below. Regarding the first, the expedient means that receives those below, this sūtra states below: "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, except when expounded by the Buddha as an expedient means"; and it also states: "Openly abandoning expedient means, I preach only the unexcelled path." Among the previous four, this is the expedient means of provisional skillfulness. This consists of three aspects: first, the expedient means of body, such as holding a vessel for dung, donning soiled garments, and attaining the Way at Gayā; second, the expedient means of speech, as it states below: "These nine divisions of Dharma that I teach take entry into the Great Vehicle as their basis," and also proceeding to Vārāṇasī to turn the wheel of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, and so forth; third, the expedient means of mind, as it states below: "I recollected the power of expedient means practiced by past buddhas; the Way I have now attained should also be preached as the three vehicles," and so forth, which above accords with ancient buddhas and below conforms to sentient beings. The Buddhabhūmi-sūtra states: "The kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna gives rise to the transformations of the three modes of action," which is exactly the same as this. Interpreted according to this, activities that can serve as standards are called "fāng" (method/standard), and skillfully adapting to the capacities [of beings] is called "biàn" (expedient). The Treatise on Rebirth states: "Being upright is called fāng; external adaptation is biàn." Fāng means methods or arts; biàn means suitability; the method of suitability is called "expedient means" (fāngbiàn). Regarding the second, what is called the expedient means that reveals what is above, the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa states: "Because of possessing expedient means, one is liberated; lacking expedient means, one is bound." This sūtra states below: "I devised these expedient means to enable them to enter the Buddha's wisdom; all the tathāgatas use immeasurable expedient means to liberate all sentient beings." To enter the Buddha's undefiled wisdom, one initially sets forth expedient means to reveal the subsequent wisdom of the Buddha. Therefore, this is the expedient means of enactment among the four expedient means: the wondrous principle that can serve as a standard is called fāng, and skillful application that can reveal [the truth] is called biàn; its meaning is deep and far-reaching, and its words are ingenious and marvelous; the expedient pervades both teaching and principle; the suitability of the method is called "expedient means". Regarding the third, the expedient means that generally illuminates, below in the sūtra the great assembly doubts: "For what reason does the Bhagavat earnestly praise expedient means and speak these words: 'The Dharma attained by the Buddha is profound and difficult to understand; what he says has an intent that is difficult to fathom'?" Expedient means is the general [term], and the following two phrases are the specific: "The Dharma attained by the Buddha" reveals what is above, clarifying the present single reality; "what he says" receives those below, manifesting the three provisional [teachings] of the past. It also states: "The Buddha, having fully known this, uses the power of the expedient means of various causes, parables, and phrases to cause all to rejoice." Because it pervades both receiving those below and revealing what is above, these are the twelve kinds of expedient skillfulness (upāya-kauśalya) pāramitā, correlated and subsumed as appropriate. Fāng is the norm that governs the inclinations and capacities of sentient beings; biàn is the essential suitability that aids beings and principles. Fāng means standards and methods; biàn means essential suitability and convenience. "Inclinations" refers to sentient beings; "capacities" refers to what is essential for their faculties; the norm that governs and gathers the inclinations and capacities of faculties is called fāng, as it traverses both persons and dharmas. "Beings" refers to persons and things; "principle" refers to the underlying principle; the essential suitability that benefits persons, things, and principles is called biàn, as it aids persons and benefits the Dharma. The intention of this term is to reveal the norms that aid persons and benefit the Dharma; therefore, it is called "fāngbiàn" (expedient means); being both standard (fāng) and suitable (biàn), it is called fāngbiàn. Deducing from this meaning, it applies to all three explanations. The three kinds together constitute the twelve kinds of expedient skillfulness (upāya-kauśalya) pāramitā, correlated and subsumed as appropriate. The forty-fifth fascicle of the Yogācārabhūmi states that among the twelve kinds, the first six are based on internal cultivation and realization, while the latter six are based on external maturation. The six internal kinds are: compassionate yearning, thoroughly understanding all conditioned formations, delighting in the Buddha's wondrous wisdom, not abandoning saṃsāra, remaining unstained in saṃsāra, and blazing vigor. The six external kinds are: causing a small amount of good such as giving to produce immeasurable fruits; causing a small amount of power such as keeping precepts to lead to great roots of virtue; removing the anger and affliction of those who hate the noble teaching; causing those who remain indifferent to enter; causing those who have entered to mature; and causing those who have matured to attain liberation. Here, receiving those below is external maturation; here, revealing what is above is internal maturation; here, general illumination combines to form all twelve kinds, both internal and external. Within the twelve kinds, in order to accomplish the latter four, one further cultivates six kinds of expedient skillfulness: First, accommodating and harmonizing: when about to preach the Dharma, first manifesting gentle, pleasing, and lovable bodily and verbal demeanor to engender love and reverence, so that they take delight in the Dharma; then gradually preaching to them. Since they do not understand the esoteric intention of teachings on emptiness—that all dharmas are without nature, without substantial entity, without arising and without ceasing, like illusions or dreams—one reconciles it in accord with principle: that sūtra does not say that the substance of all dharmas is non-existent altogether, but only that there is no grasped nature that can be spoken of; in terms of ultimate reality, it is not their self-nature. Since their self-nature and substantial entity are entirely non-existent, what arising and ceasing could there be? Furthermore, like illusions and dreams, they are not as they appear, yet neither is it that their substantial entities do not exist at all; therefore, they are spoken of as like illusions to make them understand. Second, making mutual compacts: seeing someone come to make a request, first making a compact with them to make them recognize kindness and virtue, make offerings, pay reverence, uphold pure precepts, and so on, and only then giving to them. Third, diverse inclinations: having made a compact, if the other person does not act promptly, then with an intention to benefit them, first promising but not giving; having first acted as a close friend gently guiding them, if they do not follow and learn, manifesting an appearance of anger, acting contrary to them, and feigning not to go along with or benefit them. These are provisional external manifestations of abandonment, not an internal intention to refrain from rescuing them. Fourth, acting through compulsion: having sovereign power over relatives and the like, being able to properly admonish them; for those who do not recognize kindness and virtue, violate precepts, and so forth, either cutting off what they seek, expelling, reproving, or beating them, so as to make them practice correctly. Fifth, bestowing kindness and requiting kindness: toward those from whom one has previously received great kindness, when they look forward to requital, exhorting them to cultivate goodness; this is called great requital of kindness. Sixth, ultimate purity: having completed the path to fruition, abiding in the Tuṣita Heaven, down to descending to be born and attaining equal, perfect awakening, causing them to give rise to joyful aspiration, descending along with them upon rebirth, and requesting the turning of the wheel of Dharma to broadly benefit them. Expedient means here is specifically "accommodating and harmonizing" among the six, reconciling the three provisional teachings of the past and harmonizing them into the single reality of the present. The Viniścayasaṃgrahaṇī and Vijñaptimātratā also state that there are two kinds: first, the expedient skillfulness of rescuing and delivering, which is the six external kinds; second, the expedient skillfulness of dedication (pariṇāmanā), which is the six internal kinds. According to their respective applications, all are subsumed here.