大般涅槃經疏 12.4

12.4

The intention of this chapter has four aspects. First, as for sequence: the preceding "Chapter on the Nature" clarified the principle underlying the letters, while this chapter clarifies the letters atop the principle, answering the previous question of how to understand the meaning of full letters and half letters. The earlier question concerned the meritorious virtues of the name, directly discussing this sūtra and exclusively explaining the supramundane supreme full letters; the present chapter broadly discusses all teachings, whether half or full, worldly or supramundane, supreme written letters and the like. Disclosing the esoteric: another interpretation explains impermanence as half and permanence as full. Xīnghuáng criticized this, saying: Like two slices of hawthorn and pear, this is a fullness of half a side. That other also explained: In the past, preaching impermanence was not called full; the present teaching completely expounds permanence and impermanence, and therefore it is called full. He again criticized: If one supplements impermanence with permanence, one slice of pear supplements half a slice of hawthorn to make one fruit; this is a supplemented fullness. Xīnghuáng explained: The essence of nirvāṇa and buddhadhātu is neither permanent nor impermanent, yet it is fully replete with permanence and impermanence, hence it is called full. We now clarify that his school's criticisms of the old interpretations make it either half-sided or supplemented fullness. In his own exposition that neither-permanent-nor-impermanent and permanence-and-impermanence constitute full, this is also joining four slices of hawthorn, pear, persimmon, and chestnut into one fruit. Now, relying on this chapter, we disclose that all letters are entirely full letters. The text states: "When the Tathāgata appears in the world, he is able to extinguish half letters; therefore, you should now leave half letters, follow full letters, and have no obstruction and no attachment toward all dharmas." Originally full was clarified in contrast to half; since there is no half, there is also no full—one should know that letters are non-letters. Taking non-letters as full letters, the text says: "Half letters are the root of all treatises, scriptures, records, and compositions. Furthermore, half letters are the root of the verbal expressions of afflictions." It also says: "Full letters are the root of wholesome dharmas. The root of all discourses on wholesome dharmas, heterodox treatises, incantations, and all written letters are entirely spoken by the Buddha, not by non-Buddhists." One should know that what the Buddha expounds is entirely the orthodox Dharma of the inner path; this takes the orthodox Dharma as full letters. It also says: "If one understands written letters, one can cause sentient beings' vocal karma to become pure. Buddhadhātu is not like this; it does not depend on written letters to afterward become pure—buddhadhātu is naturally pure." One should know that all letters are entirely buddhadhātu; buddhadhātu is neither letters nor non-letters, yet it is capable of being letters and capable of being non-letters, hence it is called full letters. Although there are three meanings, do not make three separate interpretations. Identical to letters is non-letters; non-letters are identical to letters; they are also identical to neither-letters-nor-non-letters, fully replete without lack, neither vertical nor horizontal—only then is it called full. It is like gold, silver, and various other treasures entering the furnace together and all becoming a single vessel, yet the various kinds are not lost; it is called various kinds and also called one; the one is identical to the various, and the various are identical to the one; furthermore it is neither one nor various, yet one and various. Disclosing every single letter to be entirely buddhadhātu—dharmatā and the dharmadhātu are also like this, encompassing all letters; one cannot find a single letter or all letters, yet it is replete with a single letter and all letters. How could it be partitioned into half a side and not be full letters? This is called disclosing the secret and expounding the full. From this its title is established, named the "Chapter on Written Letters."