無量壽經連義述文贊 2.19

2.19

On the passage from "Skillfully establishing skillful means" to "yet manifesting extinction": The commentary states: This is the fourth, further explaining the benefiting of others. Although skillful means are manifold, 'skillful means' here is a name for clever provisionality. Some say: 'skillful means' is mental skillful means; 'displaying the three vehicles and manifesting extinction' is verbal skillful means; skillfully establishing the three vehicles and delivering beings according to circumstance is called 'skillful means'. Preaching the causes of the three vehicles and the fruit of extinction is called displaying and manifesting extinction. This is certainly not so. Manifesting extinction in the lower and middle vehicles is already an aspect of responsive transformation; it definitely cannot be said to be merely speaking of the fruits of the two vehicles. Otherwise, why does it say 'manifesting extinction' and not 'preaching' it? Some say: 'Skillfully establishing skillful means' is verbal skillful means; displaying the middle and lower vehicles and manifesting middle and lower extinction are both physical skillful means. This is also not so. With 'displaying the three vehicles', the meaning is already complete. To also say 'manifesting extinction' would be useless. Otherwise, what do the three vehicles not include, that one must also speak of the middle and the lower? Therefore, now [we explain]: 'skillfully establishing skillful means' is mental skillful means, complying with all Buddhas in pursuing conversion through the three vehicles. 'Displaying the three vehicles' is verbal skillful means, differentiating the One Vehicle to preach the three vehicles, the three vehicles themselves being the Buddha's skillful means. Extinction in the middle and lower [vehicles] is physical skillful means. Pratyekabuddhas are called the middle, and śrāvakas are called the lower, which is the same as the Lotus Sūtra's meaning that there are no second or third [vehicles]. Bodhisattvas wish to lead the two vehicles of indeterminate nature to advance toward the Buddha Vehicle, and therefore they manifest extinction in their nirvāṇa; this is the same as the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*'s statement that 'it is a transformation, hence called mental'. The *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra* says: 'The wisdom of accomplishing what is to be done generates transformations of the three vehicles and produces the four types of categorical statements'—this is precisely that matter.