維摩經略疏 1.74

1.74

Question: If so, why does the Dàzhìdù lùn state that "the self is spoken of in accordance with worldly convention"? Answer: The three teachings conform to sentient beings' dispositions—how could that not be conforming to worldly convention? As for the Perfect Teaching, its explanation of the self is precisely the buddha-nature, not conformity to worldly convention. In the three teachings, "I hear" is discussed purely in terms of the auditory faculty; in the Perfect Teaching's explanation of the self, the self is itself hearing. Because the true self is spoken of by pointing to the nature of form, apart from the Dharma-nature there is no separate ear that is capable of hearing. How the teachings are used to analyze the presence or absence of the self in the various sūtras can be understood as described above.