華嚴經探玄記 1.51

1.51

第八教前後者，今辯如來一代所說，約時顯教，大例有四：一本末差別門、二依本起末門、三攝末歸本門、四本末無礙門。初中本末同時、始終一類各無異說，然有三位：一若小乘中，即最初度彼憍陳那等，最後度於須跋陀羅，中間亦復唯說小乘、唯益小機，如四《阿含經》及五部律《遺教》等說。二若約三乘，即從始至終皆說三乘、通益三機，如前所引《力士經》、《大般若》等諸大乘經，於中雖有權實不同，皆具三乘。三若約一乘，即從初至極為大菩薩唯說一乘，如最初時說《華嚴》等，其中不通二乘，復攝九世該於前後，是故至極更無異說。然此三類既依此世根定者說，此即諸教相望各通始終，竟無前後。二依本起末門者，有四類：一謂初時為大菩薩說大乘，次說中乘，次說小乘，後說人天。如此經下〈性起品〉云「譬如日出，先照一切諸大山王，次照一切大山，次照金剛寶山，然後普照一切大地。如來應供等正覺亦復如是，成就無量無邊法界智慧日輪，常放無量無礙智慧光明，先照菩薩摩訶薩等諸大山王，次照緣覺，次照聲聞，次照決定善根眾生，隨應受化，然後悉照一切眾生乃至邪定，為作未來饒益因緣。」又此品中，「如三千界初始成時，先成色界諸天宮殿，次成欲界諸天宮殿，次成人處及餘眾生諸所住處。如來應供等正覺亦復如是，先起菩薩諸行智慧，次起緣覺聲聞及餘眾生一切善根。」依此等文，明佛初時說大、後漸說小，約法以明依本起末，非約根器，以無先學大後學小故。問：法豈不別耶？答：小乘之法定從大乘所流出故。《文殊問經》云「十八及本二，皆從大乘出。」《普超三昧》及《入大乘論》意並同此。三攝末歸本門者，依《無量義經》，初時說小乘，次說中乘，後時說大乘。依《解深密經》，初時唯小乘，第二時唯大乘，第三時具三乘。依《妙智經》，初時唯小乘，次具三乘，後唯一乘。此即《無量義經》合大開小，《深密》等合小開大，謂於大乘開於權實。然《深密》、《妙智》既各聖教，不可取一捨一，是故合此二經總有四門：一初時小乘，二經同說；第二時唯大乘，唯《深密》說；第三時具三乘，此是《深密》第三《妙智》第二；第四時唯一乘，唯《妙智》第三時說。是故當知《妙智經》在《深密》後說。若謂《妙智經》此土未翻而不信者，彼《深密經》既當第三時教，然許定性二乘及無性有情並不成佛，具足三乘名一切乘者，是即《法華》、《涅槃》既在《深密》後說。然定性二乘及無性闡提悉皆成佛，當知即是第四時名一乘教，是故與《妙智經》懸會無疑。又初小乘教，依《法華》等，佛成道後三七日等說。依《真諦三藏記》云「佛成道七年後說諸部《般若》，是第二時教。」又云「三十八年後說《解節經》，當第三時教。」今依《法華經》及《無量義經》，並云四十年後說《法華》等，故知是《深密》後說。真諦此說必有聖教，若無聖教豈可自作年數？若不信此者，即《涅槃經》最居末後是即無疑。然此四時皆前權後實、以後會前，《法華》、《涅槃》會《深密》之三乘，歸究竟一乘，其義決定。是故此四從淺至深，明攝末歸本之漸次也。四本末無礙門者，謂初舉照山王之本教，明非本無以起末；後顯歸大海之異流，明非盡末無以歸本。是即本末交映、與奪相資，方為攝生之善巧也。是故通論總有五位：一根本一乘教，此如《華嚴》說；二密意小乘教、三密意大乘教、四顯了三乘教，上三如《深密經》說；五破異一乘教，如《法華》、《涅槃》等說。此上四門既圓通無礙，是即前後即無前後、無前後即前後，皆無障礙，思准之耳。

Eighth, regarding the chronological sequence of the teachings: now examining what was expounded by the Tathāgata across his single lifetime, when explaining the teachings according to periods, there are broadly four approaches: 1. the gateway of the distinction between root and branches; 2. the gateway of arising branches based on the root; 3. the gateway of gathering branches back into the root; 4. the gateway of the non-obstruction of root and branches. In the first [gateway], root and branches are simultaneous, each being uniform from beginning to end with no different teaching; yet there are three positions: First, if in the Hīnayāna, he initially delivered Kauṇḍinya and the others, and finally delivered Subhadra; during the middle period as well, he expounded only the Hīnayāna and benefited only those of small capacity, as expounded in the four Āgamas, the Vinayas of the five divisions, the *Sūtra of the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching*, and so forth. Second, if according to the three vehicles, from beginning to end he expounded the three vehicles throughout, benefiting capacities of all three kinds, as in the previously cited Mahāyāna sūtras such as the *Malla Sūtra* and the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra*, wherein although there are differences between provisional and real, all are endowed with the three vehicles. Third, if according to the One Vehicle, from the beginning to the ultimate [limit] he expounded only the One Vehicle for the great bodhisattvas, as in expounding the *Avataṃsaka* and so forth at the very beginning, wherein it was not shared with the two vehicles, and furthermore subsumed the nine times, overarching past, present, and future; therefore, reaching the ultimate, there is no other teaching. Since these three categories were expounded on the basis of beings of fixed capacities in this world, this means that, looking across them, each teaching extends through from beginning to end, with no before and after at all. In the second, the gateway of arising branches based on the root, there are four categories: The first refers to expounding the Mahāyāna for the great bodhisattvas at the initial period, next expounding the middle vehicle, next expounding the small vehicle, and later expounding [the teachings of] humans and devas. As the "Chapter on the Nature Manifestation" later in this sūtra states: "Just as when the sun rises, it first illuminates all the great mountain kings, next illuminates all the great mountains, next illuminates the diamond-jewel mountains, and only then everywhere illuminates all the great earth. The Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha is also like this: having accomplished the wisdom sun-disc of the limitless and boundless dharmadhātu, he constantly emits the limitless and unimpeded light of wisdom, first illuminating the great mountain kings such as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas, next illuminating the pratyekabuddhas, next illuminating the śrāvakas, and next illuminating the sentient beings of determined roots of goodness, transforming them according to what is appropriate, and only then completely illuminating all sentient beings down to those of the wrongly determined [nature], serving as a cause and condition for their future benefit." Furthermore, in this chapter: "Just as when the three-thousandfold world-system first begins to form, the celestial palaces of the form realm are formed first, next the celestial palaces of the desire realm are formed, and next the abodes of humans and the remaining sentient beings are formed. The Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha is also like this: he first gives rise to the practices and wisdom of the bodhisattvas, and next gives rise to all the roots of goodness of the pratyekabuddhas, śrāvakas, and remaining sentient beings." Based on these passages, it is clear that the Buddha expounded the great at the initial period and gradually expounded the small later; this clarifies the arising of branches based on the root in terms of the Dharma, not in terms of faculties and capacities, because no one first studies the great and later studies the small. Question: Are the Dharmas not different? Answer: The Dharma of the Hīnayāna necessarily flows forth from the Mahāyāna. The *Mañjuśrīparipṛcchā Sūtra* states: "The eighteen [schools] as well as the fundamental two all emerge from the Mahāyāna." The intentions of the *Samādhi of Traversing Universally* and the *Mahāyānāvatāra-śāstra* are both identical to this. In the third, the gateway of gathering branches back into the root: according to the *Anantanirdeśa Sūtra*, he expounded the small vehicle at the initial period, next expounded the middle vehicle, and expounded the Mahāyāna at the later period. According to the *Sandhinirmocana Sūtra*, in the first period there was only the small vehicle, in the second period only the Mahāyāna, and in the third period it was endowed with the three vehicles. According to the *Vicitrajñāna Sūtra*, in the first period there was only the small vehicle, next it was endowed with the three vehicles, and later there was only the One Vehicle. This means that the *Anantanirdeśa Sūtra* combines the great and opens the small, while the *Sandhinirmocana* and others combine the small and open the great, meaning that within the Mahāyāna it opens the provisional and the real. However, since the *Sandhinirmocana* and the *Vicitrajñāna* are each sacred teachings, one cannot accept one and reject the other; therefore, combining these two sūtras, there are four gateways in total: 1. the small vehicle of the first period, expounded identically in both sūtras; 2. the second period of only the Mahāyāna, expounded only in the *Sandhinirmocana*; 3. the third period endowed with the three vehicles, which is the third period of the *Sandhinirmocana* and the second of the *Vicitrajñāna*; 4. the fourth period of only the One Vehicle, expounded only in the third period of the *Vicitrajñāna*. Therefore, one should know that the *Vicitrajñāna Sūtra* was expounded after the *Sandhinirmocana*. If one does not believe this because the *Vicitrajñāna Sūtra* has not been translated into this land, since that *Sandhinirmocana Sūtra* constitutes the teaching of the third period, yet allows that those of determined nature in the two vehicles and sentient beings without nature do not attain Buddhahood, taking being endowed with the three vehicles to be "all vehicles"—then, since the *Lotus Sūtra* and the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* were expounded after the *Sandhinirmocana*, yet those of determined nature in the two vehicles and icchantikas without nature all attain Buddhahood, one should know that this is indeed the fourth period, named the teaching of the One Vehicle; hence it tallies perfectly with the *Vicitrajñāna Sūtra* without doubt. Furthermore, regarding the initial Hīnayāna teaching, according to the *Lotus* and other texts, it was expounded three times seven days after the Buddha attained awakening. According to the records of Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha: "Seven years after the Buddha attained awakening, he expounded the various Prajñā texts, which is the teaching of the second period." It also says: "Thirty-eight years later he expounded the *Sandhinirmocana Sūtra*, corresponding to the teaching of the third period." Now, relying on the *Lotus Sūtra* and the *Anantanirdeśa Sūtra*, both state that forty years later he expounded the *Lotus* and other texts; hence we know it was expounded after the *Sandhinirmocana*. This statement of Paramārtha must have been based on sacred teachings; if there were no sacred teachings, how could he fabricate the number of years on his own? If one does not believe this, that the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* comes very last is indeed beyond doubt. However, these four periods are all provisional first and real later, using what is later to integrate what came before; that the *Lotus* and *Nirvāṇa* integrate the three vehicles of the *Sandhinirmocana* and return them to the ultimate One Vehicle is a definitive principle. Therefore, these four, proceeding from shallow to deep, clarify the gradual sequence of gathering the branches back into the root. In the fourth, the gateway of the non-obstruction of root and branches: first presenting the fundamental teaching that illuminates the mountain kings shows that without the root there is no way to give rise to the branches; later revealing the different streams returning to the great sea shows that without exhausting the branches there is no way to return to the root. Thus root and branches reflect each other, granting and refuting supporting one another, which only then constitutes skillfulness in gathering in beings. Therefore, speaking generally, there are five positions in total: 1. the fundamental One Vehicle teaching, as expounded in the *Avataṃsaka*; 2. the esoteric Hīnayāna teaching; 3. the esoteric Mahāyāna teaching; 4. the explicit three vehicles teaching—the above three being as expounded in the *Sandhinirmocana Sūtra*; 5. the One Vehicle teaching that breaks through divergence, as expounded in the *Lotus*, the *Nirvāṇa*, and so forth. Since these four gateways above are completely pervasive and unobstructed, before-and-after is precisely no-before-and-after, and no-before-and-after is precisely before-and-after, all being free of impediment. One should reflect on this.