大方廣佛華嚴經疏 13.12

13.12

Second, in explaining the title: regarding the term "Four Noble Truths", "noble" means correct, because the untainted correct Dharma is obtained in the mind. "Truth" has two meanings: first, real truth; second, examined truth. As for "real truth", this is analyzed with respect to the objective realm, meaning that like the explained marks, because they are not departed from, because they are real, and because they are definitive, the two kinds of cause and effect—mundane and supramundane—are definitely not false and cannot be erroneous. As for "examined truth", this is clarified with respect to wisdom. Noble wisdom observes them, examining that they are not false. Although ordinary beings have suffering and origination, they do not examine their reality, so these cannot be called truths. Because non-inverted noble wisdom examines and knows the objective realm, they are called noble truths. Thus the Yogācārabhūmi, fascicle ninety-five, says: "Due to two conditions they are called truths: first, due to dharmatā; second, due to resolute faith. The fool has the first but lacks the latter; the sage possesses both, so they are specifically called noble truths." "Four" refers to suffering, origination, cessation, and path; collectively called the Four Noble Truths, this is an explanation by numerical compound. What are their nature and marks? Oppression is called suffering; the growth of tainted form and mind is called origination; the pacification of karma and afflictions is called cessation, which is nirvāṇa; departure is called path, which refers to śamatha and vipaśyanā, and so on. This is spoken with respect to marks, common to both the Great and Small Vehicles. The Treatise [on the Great Perfection of Wisdom] says: "In the Small Vehicle, three have marks and cessation is markless; in the Great Vehicle, all four truths are markless." The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says: "Understanding suffering as devoid of suffering is called the noble truth of suffering," meaning that when one penetrates that the four [truths] are produced from conditions and therefore empty, one transcends the snare, awakens to the intent, and accomplishes the great. Again, the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says: "Ordinary beings have suffering but no truth. The two vehicles have suffering and the truth of suffering, but no reality. Bodhisattvas have no suffering but have truth, and have reality." This means that if suffering were identical to truth, how could the suffering of the three wretched realms be truth? Although the two vehicles examine and know it, they do not penetrate the emptiness of phenomena and do not see reality. Furthermore, although the two vehicles know the marks of suffering, they do not know the limitless marks. Therefore the Great Sūtra says: "Suffering has limitless marks, which cannot be known by śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas." The Yogācāra says that suffering has one hundred and ten [marks]. However, in this sūtra, although different names are revealed, they express distinct meanings; because names must summon reality, these are the meanings of the limitless four truths. In terms of one realm and one truth, there are ten thousand; the four truths of Sahā have four hundred billion times ten thousand names and meanings, and the text and meanings are broad and profound, with words encompassing nature and marks. Furthermore, investigating these four, it is not merely that emptiness alone constitutes reality. Now understanding that the aggregates and sense-fields are all like tathatā, there is no suffering to be abandoned; ignorance and dust-like toil are bodhi itself, so there is no origination to be severed; saṃsāra is nirvāṇa, so there is no cessation to be realized; the extremes and heterodoxies are all centered and correct, so there is no path to be cultivated. With no suffering and no origination, there is no mundane world; with no cessation and no path, there is no supramundane world; neither grasping nor rejecting, they are the same one real truth. Therefore in this one chapter, conditioned and unconditioned, limited and limitless are all contained therein. In accordance with the fifth stage below, they are again examined with ten layers of observation, to be clarified below.