勝鬘寶窟 1.14

1.14

Next, discussing the stage of Śrīmālā: the old explanations all say she is a dharmakāya bodhisattva, but their interpretations of the dharmakāya differ. If relying on the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, the sixth stage (bhūmi) is the physical body (māṃsakāya), and from the seventh stage onward is the dharmakāya. The commentaries on the Vimalakīrti by Kumārajīva and Sengzhao generally hold this meaning as well. Someone says: relying on the Daśabhūmika-sūtra and the meaning of this sūtra, before the seventh stage is the form body, and from the eighth stage onward is the dharmakāya; then Śrīmālā should be a dharmakāya of the eighth stage or above. Moreover, like the devatā in the Vimalakīrti whose debate subdued Śāriputra, old [masters] mostly say she is a dharmakāya of the eighth stage. Now Śrīmālā's magnificent discourse is not ashamed before this; hence we know she is a dharmakāya of the eighth stage. Relying on the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa explaining the Avalokiteśvara chapter: "Knowing the dharmadhātu means knowing dharmatā. Dharmatā means the tathatā-dharmakāya." Then upon the first stage one immediately attains the dharmakāya. Furthermore, in explaining the purification of the six sense faculties, bodhisattvas before the stages receive a physical body. Hence the sūtra states, "Although they have not yet attained the wondrous essence of the outflow-free dharmatā," then we know that upon ascending the stages, one immediately realises the dharmakāya. The intention of the Mahāyānasaṃgraha and other texts is also like this. If relying on the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, her name is the upāsikā Guṇamālā; her rank is settled and immovable in the tenth stage, yet for the sake of sentient beings she manifestedly received a female body. Becoming a queen consort, she wished to be a maternal exemplar to the four seas and a model of virtue to the six palaces, first guiding them with worldly etiquette, and later leading them into the Buddha's wisdom; that is what among the five births is called the body of superior birth. As for "Siṃhanāda" (Lion's Roar): Śrīmālā is her old name; Siṃhanāda is her new title. Śrīmālā praises the person; Siṃhanāda extols her speech. In foreign language it is called hari; here it is called lion. The Book of Han says lions are yellow; yet in reality they should possess five colours, but people only see the yellow ones. Its size is also not exceedingly large, but by its might and ferocity it can subdue all beasts, being the king among beasts. Dharma Master Fu cited the Viśeṣacintibrahma-paripṛcchā-sūtra to explain that the lion's roar has many meanings, briefly explaining three kinds: first, practicing as spoken; second, fearless speech; third, definitive speech. What is spoken is as what is practiced; what is practiced is as what is spoken; there is no empty speech; hence it is called the lion's roar. Second, as for fearless speech: the worldly say that when a lesser sage meets a great sage, his energy and spirit are completely depleted. Yet Śrīmālā, directly before the Buddha and facing the superior assembly, gave free rein to her eloquence to expound the wondrous Dharma without any fear. Hence the Vimalakīrti states, "Expounding the Dharma without fear like a lion's roar." Furthermore, fearlessness has two [aspects]: first, not fearing others; second, being able to cause others to fear. The king of beasts roaring is also like this: first, he does not fear the hundred beasts; second, he causes the hundred beasts to fear. The Great Being expounding the Dharma is also the same in meaning. Not fearing others: superior persons approach the seat, yet her propagation of the Way is vast and untroubled—this means not fearing others. Being able to cause non-Buddhists to be startled and ashamed, and heavenly Māras to be terrified—this means causing others to fear. The lion's roar being called definitive speech: this borrows the nature of the lion as a metaphor. Just as when a lion crosses a river, it looks straight ahead and crosses; if it were crooked, it would turn back. The bodhisattva expounding the teaching is also the same in meaning: relying on the ultimate principle, she speaks the ultimate teaching; if it were not ultimate, she would not speak it. Hence the text below states, "The lion's roar is an exclusively definitive declaration." An exclusively definitive declaration is still definitive speech. Moreover, when a bodhisattva preaches the Dharma, she can propagate the Great Way above and benefit sentient beings below; there is no falsehood that is not crushed, and no correctness that is not made manifest. Hence the text below states, "Definitively proclaiming the definitive meaning of the ekayāna, and able to crush and subdue evil persons of unrighteous dharma." For this reason it is called the lion's roar. Furthermore, the lion's roar has eleven meanings, which will be fully explained later. Next, clarifying the ekayāna. From "Mahopāya" onward clarifies the Dharma that is spoken. The ultimate Way is non-dual, hence called "one" (eka); its application is unimpeded, designated as the "vehicle" (yāna). Relying on the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa, this Mahāyāna sūtra has seventeen kinds of names; the fourteenth is named the Ekayāna-sūtra, because this dharma gate reveals the ultimate essence of the Tathāgata's anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi and refutes the non-ultimateness of the two vehicles; here, based on the ultimate fruit and virtue, it is called the ekayāna. The meaning of the next chapter is also the same. Thus, generally discussing the meaning of "one", there are altogether ten kinds, which have been fully explained in the Commentary on the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka. Now we briefly state the essential tenets: first, it is named "one" in contrast to the former three. As the Lotus Sūtra states: "For the śrāvakas, he preached the four truths; for the pratyekabuddhas, he preached the twelve links of dependent origination; for the bodhisattvas, he preached the six pāramitās." In contrast to those three, "one" is clarified. Hence it is said, "There is only one principle, there are not three principles; he teaches only one person, he does not teach three persons." Furthermore, it is clarified as "one" in contrast to two. As the Lotus Sūtra states: "Only this one matter is true; the other two are not real."