勝鬘寶窟 3.24

3.24

From "such eight noble truths" onward is the fourth [section], opening the provisional to reveal the real. In the text there are two parts: first, mentioning both the provisional and the real together; second, specifically explaining the real. Since the provisional and the real each have four, it speaks of the "eight truths". "The Tathāgata expounds the four truths" is the second, specifically illuminating the real. In the text there are again two parts: first, a brief statement; second, an extensive discussion. Among the previous eight, the four unconditioned truths are what the Buddha knows; therefore it says that the Tathāgata expounds the four truths. Master Fu says, "Although there are conditioned and unconditioned, their items are only the four of suffering, origin, cessation, and path. This means that when separated they make eight, and when combined they make four." From "the meaning of such four unconditioned noble truths" onward is the second [part] below, extensively distinguishing them. The four unconditioned truths are the truths of the Tathāgata, which reveals why the Tathāgata expounds only the immeasurable truths. First it opens two headings, and next extensively explains them. "Such four truths the Tathāgata has brought to consummation" is the first heading; from "not arhats" onward is the second heading, establishing the reason why the Tathāgata above expounds the four truths. Regarding the term "matter" (kārya): as for the truths, there are three kinds [of consummation]: first, consummation of understanding—namely, the marks of all defiled and pure phenomena and the defiled and pure causes and fruits in oneself, thoroughly understanding and knowing all the marks of the phenomena of the four truths; second, consummation of practice—regarding the matter of one's own truths, suffering and origin are severed completely, and cessation and the path are cultivated to fulfillment; third, consummation of exposition—having awakened as it truly is, one also expounds it as it truly is. The Buddha possesses these three; therefore it says the matters are consummated. The two vehicles do not consummate the matters, which also has three meanings: first, non-consummation of understanding—their knowledge of the phenomena of the four truths is not exhaustive; second, non-consummation of practice—regarding their own suffering and origin, they do not sever them completely, and regarding their own cessation and path, their realization is not complete; third, non-consummation of exposition—they neither awaken as it truly is nor expound it as it truly is. For this reason, the two vehicles do not consummate the matters. From "Why is that?" onward is the second, the explanation. First it explains that the two vehicles are not ultimate, and next it explains that the Buddha is ultimate. "Why is that?" is the question: Why are the truths of the two vehicles not ultimate? "It is not by lower, middling, and superior that nirvāṇa is attained" is the answer and explanation. Some say: This text is inverted. If properly arranged, it should say that by lower, middling, and superior dharmas nirvāṇa is not attained. The two vehicles gradually contemplate the four truths in distinct stages, which is called lower, middling, and superior; because of this gradual contemplation, they cannot ultimately eliminate suffering, sever origin, realize cessation, and cultivate the path; therefore it is said that they do not attain nirvāṇa—meaning they do not attain great parinirvāṇa; because they do not attain it, the matters of the four truths are called not ultimate. The Tathāgata suddenly attains nirvāṇa, ultimately exhausting the source, and only then is it given the name "unconditioned". Some say: It is not that people of sharp, dull, and middling faculties of the two vehicles attain ultimate nirvāṇa. Some say: As for lower, middling, and superior, the seven trainees are lower, arhats are middling, and pratyekabuddhas are superior; for these three, according to the place where cessation occurs, all are nirvāṇa. Some say: Lower is the śrāvaka, middling is the pratyekabuddha, and superior is the Buddha. As the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says, "Śrāvakas enter parinirvāṇa with a lesser nirvāṇa, pratyekabuddhas enter parinirvāṇa with a middling nirvāṇa, and the Buddhas, Tathāgatas, enter parinirvāṇa with a superior nirvāṇa." This clarifies that the nature of nirvāṇa is equal and without three differences; truly because those of the Mahāyāna attain nirvāṇa ultimately, while the middling and lower two vehicles have not yet attained this principle, it is said that the matters are not ultimate. Now I clarify that this text is not inverted. What is negated is this: it is not that through the distinction of the three dharmas of lower, middling, and superior that great nirvāṇa is attained. From "Why is that?" onward, this explains the Tathāgata's ultimate nirvāṇa. First comes the question, next the answer. The import of the question is: Why does the Tathāgata consummate the matters regarding the unconditioned truths? From "Because all Tathāgatas" onward is the second, explaining in response to the question, clarifying that the four truths are consummated. This forms four distinctions: "knowing all sufferings" is consummation regarding suffering. From "severing all afflictions" onward is consummation regarding origin. From "extinguishing the aggregates of the mind-made body" onward is consummation regarding cessation, destroying all stores of afflictions. From "cultivating the path to the cessation of all suffering" onward is consummation regarding the path. The reason why the passage locations must be shown is that the textual lines here interweave, so they ought to be noted. "Knowing all future suffering": when the Buddha severs present habit-energies completely, future retributions do not arise; therefore it says knowing future suffering. Furthermore, painful fruits are paired with originating causes: the cause is in the present and the fruit is in the future. Some say: The wheel of suffering spans the three times; the past has already passed away, present affairs are easy to know, and the future is boundless, which the two vehicles are precisely about to undergo, so it is mentioned separately. Master Fu says, "The suffering of the mind-made body is future for the two vehicles. If one can know this suffering, there is no suffering one does not know." "Severing all afflictions and all origins subsumed by secondary afflictions": those of the fundamental nature of the five entrenchments (pañca-vāsanā-bhūmayaḥ) are all afflictions. What arise from the five entrenchments are the secondary afflictions. These two afflictions comprehensively subsume all causes of both fragmented [saṃsāra] and transformational [saṃsāra]; therefore it says subsuming all origins. Some say: All origins that are subsumed are the karma moistened [by affliction] that can incur transformational [saṃsāra]. Severing all afflictions refers to the ground of ignorance entrenchment. The secondary ones are those numerous as the sands of the Ganges and the four entrenchments. All origins subsumed clarifies that all afflictions are completely subsumed, collectively named the truth of origin. "Extinguishing all mind-made bodies, eliminating all suffering, and realizing cessation": above was a brief, distinct explanation of the Buddha's consummation of knowing suffering and consummation of severing origin; now, third is the extensive explanation of the consummation of knowing cessation. In the text there are three parts: first, briefly illuminating the consummation of knowing cessation; second, from "not because of destroying dharmas" onward, extensively illuminating the consummation of knowing cessation; third, from "the cessation of all suffering is realized only by the Buddha" onward, concluding the Buddha's consummation of knowing cessation. The reason why the passage locations must be shown is also because the textual lines interweave. From the first bhūmi upward, the transformational body is the aggregate of the mind-made body. Yet the Buddha in reality completely extinguishes the causes and fruits of both fragmented and transformational [saṃsāra]; it is only in contrast to the two vehicles that extinguishing transformation is specifically spoken of. "The cessation of all suffering": above it only spoke of extinguishing the mind-made body, and fearing people might suspect that suffering was not completely extinguished, it therefore says "realizing the cessation of all suffering".