新華嚴經論 2.41

2.41

Answer: The three vehicles before the gate address the suffering of the triple world, provisionally enabling escape from the burning of the fire-house and provisionally freeing [beings] from the peril of fire; this does not speak of becoming a Buddha. Because the bodhisattva of the provisional teaching delights in practicing a compassionate mind and has the aspiration to benefit [others], they themselves are freed from the peril of fire yet do not depart from the triple world. Possessing a portion of the mind to deliver sentient beings, they excel the two vehicles who seek only their own liberation. Because they obtain a portion of the mind of conveyance, it is called a 'great ox', being large in comparison to the two vehicles. Because they only see the nature and become a Buddha at the tenth ground, they still pass through many kalpas before they can be real. In comparison to those two vehicles, this is merely called the Bodhisattva Great Vehicle, not the Buddha Vehicle. The *Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra* says: 'There is only the Dharma of the One Vehicle, neither two nor three.' It guides those three vehicles to converge together in the One Vehicle, yet still speaks of predictions of becoming a Buddha in a distant time for the Small Vehicle. Because although they have faith and are permitted to become Buddhas, transforming their habits is somewhat difficult, distant kalpas are therefore indicated. The Dragon Girl reached the Buddha body in an instant, which demonstrates that true realization understands that suffering is itself reality, with nothing to detest. Therefore, the vehicles before the gate were established for the three vehicles; only the white ox in the open ground demonstrates reaching the place of non-reliance. The 'open ground' is precisely the Buddha ground. Because the Buddha's wisdom has no point of reliance, it is called the open ground. The 'white ox' is precisely the compassion and wisdom of the dharmakāya: because the dharmakāya is markless, it is called 'white'; with wisdom able to observe capacities and a compassionate mind to rescue creatures, it is called an 'ox'. It is compared to an ox to take the meaning of an ox's ability to carry; because the compassion and wisdom of the unconditioned dharmakāya rescue creatures, it is metaphorically equated to an ox, called an ox on account of its delivering and benefiting. How does the ox before the gate differ from this ox? The ox before the gate is predominant in contemplating emptiness; breaking through the places of suffering in the triple world, it has for the time being a portion of compassion, departing from a portion of coarse suffering of the three karmas; but with the three asaṃkhyeya [kalpas] not yet fulfilled, it has not yet seen the Buddha nature and does not realize the fundamental wisdom of the wisdom body. It does not mention the color white nor the open ground: because provisional true suchness and the contemplation of emptiness still have a basis of reliance before the mind, it does not mention the color white; because it has a basis of reliance, it does not mention the open ground. Now, although the various sons run out and reach the open ground, they alike ask for the three carts—the goat cart, the deer cart, and the great ox cart—which clarifies that people of the three vehicles, having escaped the suffering of the triple world, have provisionally avoided the disaster of fire. Although they turn their minds and believe in this One Vehicle, as for reaching the first ground, they are still far from arriving; because the habit energy of the three vehicles has not yet perished, they merely follow the Buddha's words and believe accordingly. Still, because their minds have fundamentally formed firm faith, they still ask for the three carts, not yet daring to rejoice in the great. The Buddha then entices them to complete their power of faith, giving them equally the great carts, hence saying: 'What was not their own expectation has now all been given to them.' This clarifies that when the three vehicles turn their minds, like the ox cart before the gate, it does not mention the color white nor adornments, because it is conditioned. They merely obtain a portion of bliss superior to humans and devas, but have not yet attained the wondrous bliss of the virtues of the unconditioned wisdom body; hence it is not like the vehicle of the white ox in the open ground, which fully describes its adornment, height, breadth, and so forth. Thus the vehicle before the gate and that in the open ground are completely different. The remaining points will be further clarified in the text below. Therefore, the *Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra* converges the provisional into the real, whereas this *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* is the fundamental vehicle ridden by all Buddhas. Furthermore, what is represented in that sūtra by the Dragon Girl is set forth in this sūtra by Sudhana; the harmonization of the practices and characteristics of Sudhana and the Dragon Girl will be expounded extensively below. The Buddha's intent was to transform those three provisionals so that they all return to this reality; hence this sūtra is named the Fundamental Buddha Vehicle of Omniscience.