勝鬘寶窟 1.4

1.4

勝鬘夫人者，後宮維蹤，本地誰得而測？柔淑乃質，慈悲宜應為殊。若夫踰闍信至之晨、虛空像現之日，寄緣興教、託事契機，狐膽外魔、忽壞蘭儀之宣吐，獅吼了義、無畏蓮眸之照臨，實似周朝亂臣之一人，寧匪祇園影響之巨擘？其經號曰勝鬘獅子吼一乘大方便大方廣也。夫獅子吼者，是一向記說，自非厥理之終窮，誰獲其說之決定？一乘也者，唯一佛乘，是為真實。大方便也者，為說種種，是云權巧。蓋夫無乘而乘、乘無所乘，稱之一乘。無運而運、運無所運，即是真運。唯其無所運，是以無所不運；唯其無所乘，是以無所不乘。其非若斯妙玄指之，言大方廣將以何稱之者乎？但至理幽淵，奉之難入，茫茫歎喟；譯語古簡，讀者不進，往往惋嗟。唐初有

Queen Śrīmālā, who walked within the inner palace, yet who could fathom her original ground? Gentle and pure in character, her compassion was fittingly extraordinary. When the letter arrived from Ayodhyā and the Buddha's image appeared in empty space, she relied on conditions to raise the teaching and entrusted matters to meet the capacity of beings. External demons with fox-like timidity suddenly broke away before the utterance of her orchid-like demeanor, and the siṃhanāda of the definitive meaning (nītārtha) shone down fearlessly from the Buddha's lotus-like eyes. She truly resembled that single capable person among the unruly ministers of the Zhou court; how could she not be a towering figure in the shadow and echo of the Jetavana? Her sūtra is entitled Śrīmālā-siṃhanāda-ekayāna-mahopāya-mahāvaipulya. Now, the siṃhanāda is a definitive exposition; unless one has brought its principle to the ultimate, who could attain such decisive explanation? As for ekayāna, it is solely the one buddhayāna, which is the real truth. As for the great expedient means (mahopāya), it is the preaching of various teachings, which is called skillful means. Now, being a vehicle without being a vehicle, and a vehicle with nothing to convey—this is called the ekayāna. Conveying without conveying, and a conveyance with nothing conveyed—this is true conveying. Precisely because it conveys nothing, there is nothing it does not convey; precisely because it is no vehicle, there is no vehicle it is not. If not referring to such profound subtlety, by what could one speak of mahāvaipulya? Yet the ultimate principle is deep and obscure, difficult to enter when approached, evoking vast sighs; the translated words are archaic and concise, so readers fail to advance, often lamenting in frustration. In the early Tang there was