維摩義記 1.6

1.6

Although the holy teachings are numerous, essentially there are only two. What are these two? They are the śrāvaka piṭaka and the bodhisattva piṭaka. Teaching the dharmas of the śrāvakas is called the śrāvaka piṭaka; teaching the dharmas of the bodhisattvas is called the bodhisattva piṭaka. Within what is taught in the śrāvaka piṭaka, there are two kinds: first, the śrāvaka-śrāvaka; second, the pratyekabuddha-śrāvaka. As for the śrāvaka-śrāvaka: this person originally sought the śrāvaka path and constantly delighted in contemplating the dharma of the four noble truths, perfecting the nature of a śrāvaka. In his final existence he encounters the Buddha and desires the lesser; the Tathāgata expounds the dharma of the four noble truths for him, and he attains awakening to the Path. Because his original nature was that of a śrāvaka, now hearing the voice (śabda) again he attains awakening to the Path; therefore he is called a śrāvaka-śrāvaka. The sūtra says: "For those who seek to be śrāvakas, he expounds the four noble truths"; the discourse is based on this. As for the pratyekabuddha-śrāvaka: this person originally sought the pratyekabuddha path and constantly delighted in contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination, perfecting the nature of a pratyekabuddha. In his final existence, he encounters the Buddha expounding the twelve links of dependent origination for him, and he attains awakening to the Path. With the original nature of a pratyekabuddha, in his final existence he hears the voice and awakens to the Path; therefore he is called a pratyekabuddha-śrāvaka. The sūtra says: "For those who seek to be pratyekabuddhas, he expounds the twelve links of dependent origination"; the statement is based on this. Although these two are distinct, their anticipated lesser fruition is the same, and the locus of relying on the teaching is equal; for this reason they are alike designated śrāvakas. The teaching expounded for these two persons is called the śrāvaka piṭaka. Within what is taught in the bodhisattva piṭaka, there are also two kinds: first, gradual entry; second, sudden awakening. As for gradual entry: this person in the past practiced the Great Dharma, but midway regressed and abided in the lesser; later he returned and entered the Great. The Great arising from the lesser is termed gradual. Therefore the sūtra says: "Excepting those who previously practiced and studied the Hīnayāna, I now also cause them to enter into this dharma." This is the bodhisattva of gradual entry. As for sudden awakening: there are sentient beings who have long practiced wholesome roots concordant with the Mahāyāna; upon first seeing the Buddha now, they are immediately able to enter the Great. The Great not originating from the lesser is designated sudden. Therefore the sūtra says: "There are sentient beings who, lifetime after lifetime, have constantly received my teaching; upon first seeing my body and hearing what I expound, they immediately have faith in and accept it, entering the Tathāgata's wisdom." This is sudden awakening. The bodhisattva of gradual entry relies on the shallow to step to the distant; the bodhisattva of sudden awakening in a single leap understands the Great. Although sudden and gradual are distinct, because at that time their locus of receiving the Great is one, what is expounded for these two persons is the bodhisattva piṭaka. Although the holy teachings are numerous, they do not exceed these two. Therefore Nāgārjuna said: "After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, Kāśyapa and Ānanda compiled the Tripiṭaka at Rājagṛha into the śrāvaka piṭaka; Mañjuśrī and Ānanda compiled the Mahāyāna at the Iron Ring Mountains into the bodhisattva piṭaka." The Bodhisattvabhūmi also says: "The Buddha expounded the sūtras on the path of escaping suffering for the practices of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas; those who compiled the sūtras compiled them into two piṭakas, taking what expounds the practice of śrāvakas as the śrāvaka piṭaka, and what expounds the practice of bodhisattvas as the bodhisattva piṭaka." The Bodhisattvabhūmi further says: "Among the twelve divisions of sūtras, only the vaipulya division is the bodhisattva piṭaka; the remaining eleven divisions are the śrāvaka piṭaka." Thus we know the holy teachings do not exceed these two. These two are also termed Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, the half-letter teaching and the full-letter teaching, and so on; although the names change, their meanings are not different. Now, this sūtra is subsumed under the bodhisattva piṭaka among the two piṭakas; it is the Dharma wheel of the sudden teaching for people of ripe faculties. The scope of the teaching is thus known.