淨名玄論 1.14

1.14

問：夫適化無方、陶誘非一，若但明三教，將非限局聖心？答：悕玄之士唯有三根，通理之門無勞廣說。問：教三已顯，根義未報，請陳其相。答：淨名既為一經之主，不二復是眾教之宗，而不自談，命眾共說者，必有其深致，蓋是欲寄人優劣以彰教有淺深耳。眾人止為翼從樂，道根尚劣，但能以言泯法，未能息泯法之言。文殊既銜高命，而親對擊揚，則神機為次，既能借言泯法，復假言止言。淨名當今教主，即悟入最深，故寄默然，顯理都絕。問：唯就教主，亦約悟緣？答：所以託迹三根，本為引物。下根悟淺，但詣初門；中人小深，漸階第二；上根徹理，蔚登玄室。又上根聞初則領，中人待二始悟，下根至三方曉。

Question: Adapting to converting [beings] has no fixed direction, and cultivating and guiding them is manifold. If one only clarifies three teachings, would that not restrict the mind of the holy sage? Answer: Persons who aspire to the profound have only three capacities; the gates for penetrating the principle need not be extensively spoken. Question: The threefold teaching has already been clarified, but the meaning of the capacities has not yet been given; please explain its characteristics. Answer: Since Vimalakīrti is the master of the entire sūtra, and nonduality is the ancestor of all teachings, the fact that he did not speak of it himself, but commanded the assembly to explain it together, must have a profound reason; it is simply to use the superior and inferior qualities of persons to manifest that the teachings have shallowness and profundity. The multitude were merely retinue who delighted in the Path, and their faculties were still inferior; they were only able to obliterate dharmas with words, but could not cease the words that obliterate dharmas. Since Mañjuśrī had accepted the lofty command and engaged in direct exchange, his spiritual capacity was secondary; he was able both to borrow words to obliterate dharmas and to use words to stop words. Vimalakīrti, as the present master of the teaching, had the deepest awakening and penetration; hence he lodged in silence to manifest that the principle is utterly transcendent. Question: Does this pertain only to the masters of the teaching, or also to the conditions for awakening? Answer: The reason for attributing traces to the three capacities is fundamentally to guide beings. Lower capacities awaken shallowly, only reaching the first gate; intermediate persons go slightly deeper, gradually climbing to the second; superior capacities penetrate the principle, directly ascending into the profound chamber. Furthermore, superior capacities comprehend upon hearing the first; intermediate persons wait for the second before awakening; lower capacities only understand upon reaching the third.