淨名玄論 7.16

7.16

Now, explaining next with respect to the provisional śrāvakas, who inwardly conceal the bodhisattva [nature] and outwardly manifest as śrāvakas, there are two meanings: first, to praise the Great Path; second, to guide those of lesser practice. The Avataṃsaka was originally a teaching of the bodhisattva Dharma; yet when the two vehicles were in the assembly, they were like the blind and the deaf, which embodied the two aforementioned meanings: first, wishing to make manifest that the bodhisattva path is supreme and the practice of the two vehicles is inferior, causing bodhisattvas to advance and seek the Great Path and not regress to seek the Hinayana; second, causing persons of the Hinayana to deeply despise their own inferiority, abandon the small, and seek the great. Thus Śāriputra and his six thousand attendants, relying on the Buddha's spiritual power, were able to see Mañjuśrī and inquire about and receive the Great Dharma, which is precisely this event. Next, when it came to the assembly of the Vimalakīrti and the Prajñā, they directly disparaged the Hinayana and praised the Great Path themselves, causing bodhisattvas not to regress from the great to seek the small, and causing those of the Hinayana to abandon the small and seek the great. Prior to that, they shared the confusion with sentient beings; when it came to the Lotus Sūtra, their faculties were led together to enlightenment. All these are the upāya of the Great Beings to benefit sentient beings. Question: The inconceivable liberation is precisely the two cognitions, and the two cognitions are still prajñā. Why is it that when the two vehicles heard of the inconceivable liberation, it was like speaking of various colours and forms before a blind person, yet when they heard the Prajñā, they were able to grasp and understand it? Answer: The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā explains real wisdom, which the two vehicles know in a slight portion, but as for upāya, they have no part whatsoever; this sūtra's explanation of the two cognitions is likewise so. However, the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā mostly clarifies real wisdom and rarely displays supernormal powers; this sūtra mostly displays supernormal powers and rarely clarifies real wisdom. Therefore, between these two sūtras, there is confusion and understanding. Above, the explanation of the assembly of the two vehicles is concluded.