觀音玄義記 1.48

1.48

Question: In what is discussed in the Tripiṭaka [Teaching], cessation is not the absolute truth. Now, this text establishes the fourth vow based on cessation; how can it say that it is the unconditioned principle of absolute truth? Answer: The substance of the truth of cessation is the two nirvāṇas; although it is not the absolute truth, it can tally with the principle, hence it is said that 'by relying on cessation one realizes the truth.' The path is the cause of cessation; suffering and origination run counter to the principle. Since the Buddha has tallied with the truth, the vow to achieve buddhahood is made through contemplation of the truth. Second, from 'Next' onward [treats] the Shared Teaching. What is eliminated and what is granted—the two causes and two fruits—are largely the same as in the preceding teaching; however, because the capacities addressed by this teaching are only slightly deluded regarding the truth, phenomena are all identical to principle, and all four [truths] are like illusions, neither arising nor ceasing. That is to say, suffering has no mark of affliction, origination has no mark of combining, the path has no dual mark, and cessation has no mark of ceasing. Contemplating these four truths, one gives rise to the four vows; since the truths are like empty space, the vows are also like illusions. Regarding the statement 'If there were a phenomenon surpassing nirvāṇa,' and so forth: in the fiftieth roll of the Da zhidu lun, it first cites a sūtra stating, 'The devaputras thought: What kind of person should listen to what Subhūti teaches? Subhūti, knowing the thoughts of the devaputras, said to them: Like illusory persons listening to the Dharma, there is neither listening nor hearing, neither knowing nor realizing.' And further it says, 'The Buddha is also like an illusion and a transformation, and the phenomenon of nirvāṇa is also like an illusion and a transformation.' The treatise explains: 'Among all sentient beings, the Buddha is supreme; among all phenomena, nirvāṇa is supreme. Hearing that these two things are like illusions, they were alarmed and doubtful, thinking: Did Subhūti speak erroneously, or did the listeners misunderstand? Therefore they questioned Subhūti again. Subhūti said: Because both phenomena arise from erroneous dharmas, phenomena belong to causes and conditions and have no fixed reality. Subhūti thought: Even if there were a phenomenon superior to and surpassing nirvāṇa, I would declare it to be like an illusion, how much more so nirvāṇa!' Third, the Distinct Teaching. This teaching is for those who are heavily deluded regarding the middle; although it speaks of the uncreated, the fruit does not penetrate the cause, and therefore when first generating the mind, one relies only on the immeasurable. The myriad phenomena it expounds all arise due to delusion regarding the nature of the tathāgatagarbha. However, although this matrix-nature does not inherently possess the nine [realms], it can transform and produce all phenomena according to conditions: when the nature follows defiled conditions, it produces the immeasurable suffering and origination of the world; when the nature follows pure conditions, it produces the immeasurable path and cessation transcending the world. Hence the Miaoxuan clarifies that the tathāgatagarbha in the Distinct Teaching is called 'wondrous existence,' serving as the support and basis for all phenomena, and from this wondrous existence all phenomena are produced, and so forth. But because suffering and origination definitively cause obstruction, one must distinctly direct oneself to the path and cessation to counter and overturn them. First, one uses the four truths of arising and ceasing to subdue common defilements; next, one uses the four truths of non-arising to cut off [the defilements of] views and craving; in the middle, one uses the immeasurable four truths to destroy [delusions like] dust and sand; finally, one uses the uncreated four truths to cut off ignorance. In the Distinct Teaching, these four sets of four truths are all named 'immeasurable'; hence it says that vows are generated with reference to the immeasurable four truths of the causes and fruits of suffering and origination within and outside the triple realm. Why is this so? It is because one knows that the basis of all delusion and understanding is Buddha-nature; because the nature is immeasurable, the truths are called immeasurable. The preceding teachings are not like this, so they do not receive this name. Although the Perfect Teaching possesses the meaning of the immeasurable, all three are identical to reality, and therefore it is called 'uncreated.' Fourth, the Perfect Teaching, in two parts: first, indicating the four vows, which itself has two parts: first, explaining the characteristics of the vows. 'Dharmadhātu' refers to the ten dharmadhātus. 'Perfect interpenetration' generally refers to the hundred realms, and specifically refers to the three thousand [realms]. Since sentient beings and buddhas, primary and environmental [recompenses], are mutually possessed and mutually pervasive, it is called 'perfect interpenetration.' Regarding 'neither discordant,' and so forth: taking cultivated [virtue] into inherent [nature], the thousand phenomena are all the nature; what cultivation is not obliterated? A precept-breaking bhikṣu does not enter hell, and a pure practitioner does not enter nirvāṇa—how could it be only that hell and nirvāṇa are identical to the nature? Precept-breaking and pure practice are also not cultivation. Being neither discordant nor accordant obliterates suffering and cessation; being neither dark nor bright obliterates origination and the path. Regarding 'Because of the darkness of ignorance, there is discordance,' and so forth: above, it showed that cultivation in its entirety is identical to the nature, hence both are negated; here, it discusses that the nature in its entirety gives rise to cultivation, hence both are established. Jingxi said: 'The nature does not shift, yet cultivation is ever distinct.' Since one contemplates that what is not discordant is discordant, one gives rise to the vow of compassion to eliminate the two sufferings; since one contemplates that what is not accordant is accordant, one gives rise to the vow of loving-kindness to grant the two joys. Because one knows the perfect interpenetration of the dharmadhātu, there is neither discordance nor accordance; also, because of the perfect interpenetration of the dharmadhātu, there are discordance and accordance. Because there are discordance and accordance, vows are generated; because there is neither discordance nor accordance, it is unconditioned.