法華宗要 1.4

1.4

第二辨經宗者，此經正以廣大甚深一乘實相為所詮宗。總說雖然，於中分別者，一乘實相略說有二，謂能乘人及所乘法。此經所說一乘人者，三乘行人、四種聲聞、三界所有四生眾生，並是能乘一佛乘人，皆為佛子、悉是菩薩，以皆有佛性、當紹佛位故。乃至無性有情，亦皆當作佛故，如《寶雲經》言：「菩薩發心便作是念：『一切世界中少智眾生，愚癡瘖瘂無涅槃分，不生信心者，諸佛菩薩之所棄捨，如是眾生我皆調伏，乃至坐於道場得阿耨菩提。』發此心時，魔宮震動。」又言：「菩薩成佛眾願滿足。」〈方便品〉說：「三世諸佛但教化菩薩。」〈譬喻品〉云：「一切眾生皆是吾子故。」又言：「諸法從本來，常自寂滅相，佛子行道已，來世得作佛。」斯則無一眾生而非佛子，所以廣大；此眾生界即涅槃界，是故甚深。如論說言：「三界相者，謂眾生界即涅槃界。」不離眾生界有如來藏故，是謂能乘一佛乘人也。此一乘人所乘之法，略而說之有四種：一謂一乘理及一乘教、一乘之因一乘之果。一乘理者，謂一法界，亦名法身、名如來藏。如《薩遮尼揵子經》云：「文殊師利白佛言：『若無三乘差別性者，何故如來說三乘法？』佛言：『諸佛如來說三乘者，示地差別，非乘差別；說人差別，非乘差別。諸佛如來說三乘者，示小功德知多功德，而佛法中無乘差別。何以故？以法界法無差別故。』」《金光明經》言：「法界無分別，是故無異乘。為度眾生故，分別說三乘。」又此經言：「諸佛如來能知彼法究竟實相。」論釋此云「實相者，謂如來藏。法身之體，不變相故。」又下文言同者，示諸佛如來法身之性，同諸凡夫、聲聞、辟支佛等，法身平等無有差別故。案云：如來法身如來藏性，一切眾生平等所有，能運一切同歸本原。由是道理無有異乘，故說此法為一乘性。如是名為一乘理也。一乘教者，十方三世一切諸佛，從初成道乃至涅槃，其間所說一切言教，莫不令至一切智地，是故皆名為一乘教。如〈方便品〉言：「是諸佛亦以無量無數方便，種種因緣譬喻言辭，而為眾生演說諸法，是法皆為一佛乘故。是諸眾生從佛聞法，究竟皆得一切種智故。」是教遍通十方三世、無量無邊，所以廣大。故一言一句皆為佛乘，一相一味是故甚深，如是名為一乘教也。一乘因者，總說有二：一者性因、二者作因。言性因者，一切眾生所有佛性，為三身果而作因故。如〈常不輕菩薩品〉云：「我不輕汝，汝等皆當作佛。」論釋此言：「示諸眾生皆有佛性故。」又言：「決定、增上慢二種聲聞，根未熟故，佛不與授記，菩薩與授記。菩薩與授記者，方便令發心故。」當知依此經意而說趣寂，二乘、無性有情皆有佛性，悉當作佛。言作因者，若聖、若凡、內道、外道、道分、福分、一切善根，莫不同至無上菩提。如下文言：「或有人禮拜，或復但合掌，乃至舉一手，或復少傾頭；若人散亂心，入於塔廟中，一稱南無佛，皆已成佛道。」乃至廣說。《本業經》言：「凡聖一切善，不受有漏果，唯受常住之果。」《大悲經》言：「佛告阿難：『若人樂着三有果報，於佛福田，若行布施諸餘善根，願我世世莫入涅槃。以此善根不入涅槃，無有是處。是人雖不樂求涅槃，然於佛所種諸善根，我說是人必入涅槃。』」《尼健子經．一乘品》言：「佛語文殊：『我佛國土所有僧伽、尼乾子等，皆是如來住持力故，方便示現。此諸外道善男子等，雖行種種諸異學相，皆同佛法一橋梁度，更無餘度故。』」案云：依此等文，當知佛法五乘諸善及與外道種種異善，如是一切皆是一乘，皆依佛性無異體故。如《法花論》顯此義：「云何體法者？謂理無二體。無二體者，謂無量乘皆是一乘故。」而下文言：「汝等所行是菩薩道者，謂發菩提心退已還發者，前所修行善根不滅，同後得果故」者，為顯種子無上義故，旦約發心善根而說，非謂餘善不得佛果，是故□違前所引文。由是言之，若凡、若聖一切眾生，內道、外道一切善根，皆出佛性同歸本原，如是本來唯佛所窮，以是義故廣大甚深，如是名為一乘因也。一乘果者，略說有二種：謂本有果及始起果。本有果者，謂法佛菩提。如〈壽量品〉云：「如來如實知見三界之相，無有生死，若退、若出，亦無在世及滅度者，非實、非虛、非如、非異。」案云：此文就一法界顯一果體，非有體故非實，非無體故非虛，非真諦故非如，非俗諦故非異。如《本業經》云：「果體圓滿無德不備、無理不周、無名無相、非一切法可得、非有體非無體。」乃至廣說。又言：「二體之外，獨在無二」，故是明法佛菩提果體。始起果者，謂餘二身。如論說言：「報佛菩提者，十地行滿足，得常涅槃證故。」如經言：「我實成佛已來，無量無邊百千萬億那由他劫故。」應化菩提者，隨所應見而為示現。謂出釋宮、樹下成道及與十方分身諸佛。如〈寶塔品〉之所廣明。總而言之，一切眾生皆修萬行，同得如是□菩提果，是謂一乘一乘果也。如〈方便品〉云：「舍利弗當知，我本立誓願，欲令一切眾，如我等無異。如我昔所願，今者已滿足，化一切眾生，皆令入佛道。」案云：此文正明如來所願滿足。所以然者，遍化三世一切眾生，如應皆令得佛道故。如《寶雲經》云：「譬如油鉢，若已平滿，更投一渧，終不復受。菩薩成佛，眾願滿足，亦復如是，更無減少一塵之願。」《大雲密藏藏經》云：「大雲密藏菩薩曰言：『世尊！唯願如來，為未來世薄福眾生，演說如是深進大海水潮三昧。』佛言：『善男子！莫作是言。何以故？佛出世難，此《大雲經》聞者亦難，云何偏為未來之？吾當遍為三世眾生廣門分別。』」《花嚴經》云：「如來轉法輪，於三世無不至。」依此等文，當知諸佛初成正覺，一念之頃遍化三世一切眾生，無一不成無上菩提，如昔所願已滿足故；設有一人不成菩提，如昔所願即不滿故。雖實皆度而無盡際，雖實無際而無不度，以無限智力度無限眾生故。而此經下文言：「我本行菩薩道所成壽命，今猶未盡，復倍上數。」論釋此云：「我本行菩薩道今猶未滿者，以本願故，眾生界未盡，願非究竟，故言未滿，非謂菩提不滿足故。所成壽命復位上數者，示現如來常命方便，顯多過上數量，不可數知故。」此論意者：為明約今眾生未盡□如是時本願未滿，非謂菩提已滿而其本願未滿，亦非本願未滿而說佛法已足。如《花嚴經》云：「一切眾生未成菩提，佛法未足、本願未滿。」是故當知願與菩提，不滿等則已，滿則等滿，如是名為一乘果也。合而言之，理教、因果如是四法，更互相應共運一人到薩婆若，故說此四名一乘法。猶如四馬更互相應共作一運，故說四馬名為一乘，當知此中道理亦爾。

Second, concerning the discernment of the central doctrine of the sūtra: this sūtra takes precisely the vast and profound dharmatā of the Ekayāna as the doctrine expounded. Although this is stated in general terms, when analyzing it in detail, the dharmatā of the Ekayāna is briefly explained as having two aspects: namely, the person who can ride [it] and the Dharma that is ridden. As for the persons of the Ekayāna spoken of in this sūtra, practitioners of the Triyāna, the four kinds of śrāvakas, and the sentient beings of the catur-yoni found throughout the traidhātuka are all persons capable of riding the one Buddha vehicle; they are all buddhaputras and are completely bodhisattvas, because they all have buddhadhātu and will succeed to the station of a Buddha. Even agotrastha sattvas will also all become Buddhas. For, as the Ratnamegha-sūtra states: "When a bodhisattva generates the mind [of awakening], he then has this thought: 'Sentient beings in all worlds who possess little wisdom, who are foolish and dumb, who lack any portion of nirvāṇa, and who do not give rise to faith, are abandoned by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. All such sentient beings I will tame, up to the point of sitting on the site of awakening and attaining anuttarā [samyak-saṃ]bodhi.' When this thought is generated, the palaces of Māra tremble." It also states: "When a bodhisattva achieves Buddhahood, all his vows are fulfilled." The Upāyakauśalya-parivarta says: "The Buddhas of the three periods of time teach and transform only bodhisattvas." The Aupamya-parivarta says: "Because all sentient beings are my children." It also states: "All dharmas from their origin / are always of the characteristic of quietude and cessation; / when buddhaputras have practiced the path, / in future worlds they will attain Buddhahood." Thus there is not a single sentient being who is not a buddhaputra; hence it is vast. This realm of sentient beings is itself the realm of nirvāṇa; therefore it is profound. As the treatise says: "The characteristics of the traidhātuka mean that the realm of sentient beings is itself the realm of nirvāṇa." Because the tathāgatagarbha is not apart from the realm of sentient beings, these are termed the persons who can ride the one Buddha vehicle.

The Dharma ridden by these persons of the Ekayāna is briefly spoken of as having four kinds: namely, the principle of the Ekayāna and the teaching of the Ekayāna, the cause of the Ekayāna and the fruit of the Ekayāna. As for the principle of the Ekayāna, it refers to the one dharmadhātu, which is also named the dharmakāya and named the tathāgatagarbha. As the Satyakanirgranthāvadhāna-sūtra states: "Mañjuśrī addressed the Buddha, saying: 'If there is no nature of differentiation among the three vehicles, for what reason does the Tathāgata teach the Dharma of the three vehicles?' The Buddha said: 'When the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, teach the three vehicles, they demonstrate differences of stages, not differences of vehicles; they teach differences of persons, not differences of vehicles. When the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, teach the three vehicles, they show small merit so that one recognizes much merit, yet within the Buddha-Dharma there are no differences of vehicles. Why is this? Because the Dharma of the dharmadhātu is without differentiation.'" The Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra says: "The dharmadhātu is devoid of distinctions; / therefore there are no different vehicles. / For the sake of saving sentient beings, / the three vehicles are taught distinctively." Moreover, this sūtra says: "The Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, are able to know the ultimate dharmatā of those dharmas." The treatise explains this, saying: "Dharmatā refers to the tathāgatagarbha. This is because the substance of the dharmakāya does not change its characteristics." Furthermore, where the text below speaks of "sameness," it demonstrates that the nature of the dharmakāya of the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, is the same as that of all ordinary beings, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and so forth, because the dharmakāya is equal and without differentiation. Note: The Tathāgata's dharmakāya and the tathāgatagarbha nature are equally possessed by all sentient beings, and can convey all together to return to their fundamental source. By this principle there are no different vehicles; therefore, this Dharma is spoken of as the Ekayāna nature. Such is named the principle of the Ekayāna.

As for the teaching of the Ekayāna, from when they first achieve the path up until nirvāṇa, all the spoken teachings imparted during that time by all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time never fail to lead [beings] to the stage of all-knowledge; therefore they are all named the teaching of the Ekayāna. As the Upāyakauśalya-parivarta says: "Those Buddhas also, through immeasurable and countless upāya, various causes, conditions, parables, and words, expound all dharmas for the sake of sentient beings, because these dharmas are all for the sake of the one Buddha vehicle. It is because those sentient beings, hearing the Dharma from the Buddhas, all ultimately attain the knowledge of all modes." This teaching thoroughly pervades the ten directions and the three periods of time, immeasurable and boundless; therefore it is vast. Thus every single word and single phrase is for the sake of the Buddha vehicle, of one characteristic and one flavor; therefore it is profound. Such is named the teaching of the Ekayāna.

As for the cause of the Ekayāna, generally speaking there are two: the first is the inborn cause, and the second is the active cause. With regard to the inborn cause, the buddhadhātu possessed by all sentient beings serves as the cause for the fruits of the three bodies. As the Sadāparibhūta-bodhisattva-parivarta says: "I do not disparage you, for you will all become Buddhas." The treatise explains this, saying: "Because it demonstrates that all sentient beings possess the buddhadhātu." It also says: "With respect to the two kinds of śrāvakas, namely those who are determined and those of excessive pride, because their faculties are not yet mature, the Buddha does not grant them vyākaraṇa, but bodhisattvas grant them vyākaraṇa. Bodhisattvas granting them vyākaraṇa is an upāya to cause them to generate the mind [for awakening]." One should know that, speaking according to the intention of this sūtra, the two vehicles oriented toward tranquility and agotrastha sattvas all have buddhadhātu and will completely become Buddhas. With regard to the active cause, whether noble or ordinary, Buddhist or non-Buddhist, pertaining to the path or pertaining to merit, all roots of goodness without exception together arrive at anuttarā bodhi. As the text below says: "If there is someone who makes obeisance, / or who merely joins their palms, / or even raises a single hand, / or slightly bows their head; / if a person with a scattered mind / enters into a stūpa or temple, / and calls out but once, 'Namo Buddhāya', / they have all already attained the Buddha path"—and so on at length. The Benye jing says: "All goods of ordinary beings and noble ones do not receive contaminated fruits; they receive only the fruit that is constantly abiding." The Mahākaruṇā-sūtra says: "The Buddha told Ānanda: 'If a person delights in clinging to the retributions of the three existences, and within the field of merit of the Buddha, practices giving or any other roots of goodness, wishing, "May I never enter nirvāṇa in lifetime after lifetime!"—for them not to enter nirvāṇa through this root of goodness is impossible. Although this person does not delight in seeking nirvāṇa, yet because they have planted roots of goodness with the Buddha, I say that this person must surely enter nirvāṇa.'" The Satyakanirgrantha-sūtra, "Chapter on the Ekayāna," says: "The Buddha addressed Mañjuśrī: 'All the saṅghas, Nirgranthas, and others in my Buddha-land are provisional manifestations through the power of the Tathāgata's sustaining presence. Although these good sons among the non-Buddhists practice various marks of divergent study, they all cross over by the one bridge of the Buddha-Dharma, for there is no other crossing.'" Note: Based on these texts, one should know that the various goods of the five vehicles within the Buddha-Dharma, along with the various divergent goods of non-Buddhists—all such things are entirely the Ekayāna, because they all rely on the buddhadhātu and have no different substance. As the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa clarifies this meaning: "What does it mean that the Dharma is substantial? It means that the principle has no dual substance. Having no dual substance means that the immeasurable vehicles are all the one vehicle." As for what the text below says—"'What you are practicing is the bodhisattva path' means that for those who, having generated the bodhicitta, regress and then generate it again, the roots of goodness previously cultivated are not destroyed, and they attain the fruit together with what comes after"—in order to manifest the meaning of the seed being unsurpassed, this is said for the time being with respect to the root of goodness of generating the mind; it does not mean that other goods do not attain the Buddha fruit. Therefore it does [not] contradict the texts cited previously. Given this, all sentient beings, whether ordinary or noble, and all roots of goodness, whether Buddhist or non-Buddhist, all issue from the buddhadhātu and together return to the fundamental source; such [a state] from the beginning is fathomed only by a Buddha. By this meaning it is vast and profound. Such is named the cause of the Ekayāna.

As for the fruit of the Ekayāna, briefly speaking there are two kinds: namely, the innately existing fruit and the newly acquired fruit. As for the innately existing fruit, it refers to the bodhi of the Dharma-Buddha. As the Āyuṣpramāṇa-parivarta says: "The Tathāgata truly sees and knows the characteristics of the traidhātuka as having no birth and death, neither retiring nor emerging, and neither abiding in the world nor undergoing extinction; not real and not unreal, not as such and not otherwise." Note: This passage reveals the one fruit-substance in terms of the one dharmadhātu; because it is not an existent substance it is not real, because it is not a non-existent substance it is not unreal, because it is not ultimate truth it is not as such, and because it is not conventional truth it is not otherwise. As the Benye jing says: "The substance of the fruit is consummate; there is no virtue it does not possess, no principle it does not encompass; it is without name and without mark, not attainable as any dharma, neither an existent substance nor a non-existent substance"—and so on at length. It also says: "Outside the two substances, it stands alone without a second." Thus it explains the fruit-substance of the Dharma-Buddha's bodhi. As for the newly acquired fruit, it refers to the remaining two bodies. As the treatise says: "Regarding the bodhi of the reward-Buddha, because the practices of the ten stages are fulfilled, one attains the realization of eternal nirvāṇa." As the sūtra says: "Since I actually attained Buddhahood, immeasurable, boundless, hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of kalpas have passed." Responsive and transformation bodhi manifests according to what should be seen. This refers to leaving the Śākya palace, achieving the path under the tree, and the Buddhas who are emanations throughout the ten directions, as expounded at length in the Ratnastūpa-parivarta. To summarize, all sentient beings cultivate the myriad practices and together attain this […] fruit of bodhi; this is what is meant by the fruit of the Ekayāna. As the Upāyakauśalya-parivarta says: "Śāriputra, you should know / that I originally made a vow, / wishing to make all multitudes / equal to me without difference. / According to what I formerly vowed, / now it has already been fulfilled; / transforming all sentient beings, / I cause them all to enter the Buddha path." Note: This text clearly explains that what the Tathāgata vowed has been fulfilled. Why is this? Because he completely transforms all sentient beings of the three periods of time, causing them, as appropriate, all to attain the Buddha path. As the Ratnamegha-sūtra says: "Just like an oil basin: if it is already full and level, though one drops in another droplet, it will never receive it. When a bodhisattva achieves Buddhahood, all vows are fulfilled; it is also like this: there is not a single vow diminished even by a speck of dust." The Dayun mizang jing says: "The Bodhisattva Mahāmeghaguhya spoke, saying: 'World-Honoured One! We pray only that the Tathāgata, for the sake of sentient beings of meager merit in future worlds, will expound this Ocean Tide of Deep Advance Samādhi.' The Buddha said: 'Good son, do not speak this way. Why is this? The appearance of a Buddha in the world is rare, and those who hear this Mahāmegha-sūtra are also rare. Why [should I teach] only for future [beings]? I shall analyze it extensively for the sentient beings of the three periods of time.'" The Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: "When the Tathāgata turns the wheel of the Dharma, in the three periods of time there is nowhere it does not reach." Based on these texts, one should know that when the Buddhas first achieve correct awakening, in an instant of a single thought they completely transform all sentient beings of the three periods of time, and there is not one who does not achieve anuttarā bodhi, because what they formerly vowed has already been fulfilled; if there were even one person who did not achieve bodhi, what they formerly vowed would not be fulfilled. Although in reality all are delivered, there is no end to them; although in reality they are endless, there is none who is not delivered, because through limitless power of wisdom they deliver limitless sentient beings. However, the text below in this sūtra says: "The lifespan that I achieved formerly practicing the bodhisattva path is even now not yet exhausted, and moreover is twice the above number." The treatise explains this, saying: "'Formerly practicing the bodhisattva path, [it is] even now not yet fulfilled' means: because of the original vow, the realm of sentient beings is not yet exhausted, and the vow is not ultimate; therefore it says 'not yet fulfilled'; it does not mean that bodhi is not fulfilled. 'The lifespan that was achieved is moreover twice the above number' means: demonstrating the upāya of the Tathāgata's permanent life, showing that it exceeds the above amount by so much that it cannot be numbered and known." The meaning of this treatise is: this is to clarify that, in reference to sentient beings at present not being exhausted […] at such a time, the original vow is not fulfilled; it does not mean that bodhi is fulfilled while the original vow is not fulfilled, nor does it mean that when the original vow is not fulfilled, the Buddha-Dharma is said to be already complete. As the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: "When all sentient beings have not achieved bodhi, the Buddha-Dharma is not complete and the original vow is not fulfilled." Therefore, one should know that regarding the vow and bodhi: either they are equally unfulfilled, or when fulfilled, they are equally fulfilled. Such is named the fruit of the Ekayāna.

Taking them together: these four dharmas—principle, teaching, cause, and fruit—mutually correspond and together convey a person to sarvajñatā; therefore these four are called the Dharma of the Ekayāna. Just as four horses mutually correspond and together effect a single conveyance, for which reason the four horses are called a single vehicle (ekayāna), one should know that the principle here is also like this.