觀音玄義記 1.34

1.34

Part three, Explanation, has three sections: first, brief indication; second, from "Person is..." downward, extensive explanation of the ten [pairs], which has three parts: first, establishing what is [addressed]. The word "person" refers to a ruler within the aggregates. In brief, four terms are discussed, namely self, person, sentient being, and liver. In full, sixteen are discussed, which adds twelve to these four: life-bearer, born one, nourisher, aggregate-counter, agent, instigator of action, originator, instigator of origination, experiencer, instigator of experience, knower, and seer. As for "provisional designation," it has no real substance of its own, but merely comes into being based on the combination of the five aggregates. Just as gathering the five fingers is provisionally designated a fist, the fist is thus obtained from the fingers, but the fingers are not formed from the fist. The fist is like the person, and the fingers are like phenomena: that which can form [them] is real; that which is formed is provisional. These provisional and real [aspects] are distinguished as permanent or impermanent according to the Small and Great Teachings. The Small clarifies that person and phenomena ultimately return to impermanence; the Great says that provisional and real are ultimately eternally abiding. For instance, in the Tripiṭaka and Common Teachings, from the stage of ordinary beings up to nirvāṇa with remainder, there are provisional and real; but upon entering [nirvāṇa] without remainder, since both body and wisdom are forgotten, where can the provisional person reside? In the Distinct and Perfect Teachings, when the three delusions and two types of death are completely exhausted and purified, the person and phenomena are eternally abiding and autonomous: the provisional person is the supremely exalted sentient being, and the real phenomena are called the eternally abiding five aggregates. In summary, to say that when delusions are exhausted person and phenomena are forever absent is the Small Vehicle and is also termed the provisional teaching; to say that when delusions are exhausted person and phenomena are not destroyed is the Great Vehicle and is also termed the real teaching. Wherever the Distinct and Perfect are discussed, from beginning to end they know permanence, because they know that person and phenomena cannot be reduced to ash and cut off. The Tripiṭaka and Common are contrary to this, and are therefore said not to know. Furthermore, one should know that the names of provisional persons are mostly established based on the real phenomena of circumstantial and direct retribution. Just as worldly people are named either based on physical appearance or based on virtuous deeds, these are names established based on the real phenomena of direct retribution; or based on dwelling place or based on domain of control, these are names established based on the real phenomena of circumstantial retribution. Now, Avalokiteśvara being a provisional designation: "contemplating" is the wisdom of contemplation, and "the world's sounds" is the object; these are the direct retributions of self and others—how could they not be real phenomena? Yet, simply because the name is Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, it is judged as belonging to the person. Since the "Universal Gateway" is what this person rides upon, it is judged as belonging to phenomena. If one were to speak of "the Universal Gateway Dharma Prince, Avalokiteśvara," then one would instead have to judge "Universal Gateway" as belonging to the person and "Avalokiteśvara" as belonging to phenomena. This is because the present chapter designates the person by means of contemplative wisdom; hence, all explanations of the meaning use wisdom to correlate with the person. One must know that the substance of contemplative wisdom is a real phenomenon; and since the person is designated by means of contemplative wisdom, then among the nine pairs, compassion, wisdom, truth, medicine, unmanifest, real, original, revealing, and wisdom are all real phenomena that designate that provisional person. Knowing this now, the explanations in the passages below can all be understood.