淨名玄論 3.12

3.12

Now next, individually explaining the three gates comprises three points. First, explaining the two cognitions also comprises three gates: first, clarifying the inconceivable provisional cognition; second, clarifying the inconceivable real cognition; third, collectively explaining the inconceivable two cognitions. Question: What is called the inconceivable provisional cognition? Answer: Both internal illumination and external functioning completely surpass the two vehicles; therefore they are both inconceivable. The two vehicles cannot completely know all illnesses and cannot completely recognize all medicines; hence they cannot fathom the bodhisattva's cognition: this is called the inconceivable internal illumination. Furthermore, the bodhisattva's internal illumination is illumination without illumination. Illumination being unstirred by non-illumination is also not known by the two vehicles. Furthermore, although the bodhisattva illuminates, it does not depend on effort; the two vehicles come to know only after making mental effort, and thus also cannot conceive of the bodhisattva's effortless cognition. Next, clarifying the inconceivable external activity and functioning: these matters are myriad, impossible to enumerate fully; now we demonstrate their characteristics in terms of the large and the small accommodating and entering each other. Regarding the explanation of the large and small accommodating and entering, there are three masters: The first says that the large truly does not enter the small, nor does the small accommodate the large; it is merely that through spiritual power, persons who should be saved are made to see their accommodating and entering. The second explanation says that the large truly enters the small, and the small truly accommodates the large. If they did not accommodate and enter, then the bodhisattvas would lack this capability; if accommodating and entering is explained, yet they do not accommodate and enter, then all spiritual powers of transformation would be useless.