成唯識論述記 1.39

1.39

A verse in the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra states: "I bow my head to the unsurpassed, excellent field of merit, / The three bodies, the two truths, and the assembly of the One Vehicle." The Mahāyānasaṃgraha and other texts are all identical everywhere. Therefore, here homage is paid only to the Three Jewels of the One Vehicle, because their realization and understanding are complete, they are endowed with both merit and wisdom, and they possess great power. Alternatively, this may broadly pay homage to the noble ones of all Three Vehicles, because the Two Vehicles also observe and see tathatā, the nature of consciousness, through the gate of personal selflessness, and are thus included in the partially purified. The Abhidharma-samuccaya states: "All who meet the truly pure ultimate truth..." and up to: "I pay homage to such Great Awakened Lords, / The peerless, exquisite Dharma, and the true assembly of noble ones." This broadly pays homage to all Three Jewels of the Three Vehicles. Fourth question: How are the Three Jewels that are paid homage to here defined? Answer: The Dharma is as stated before. The Buddha-jewel here broadly includes the three bodies. The Saṅgha-jewel broadly includes all noble ones other than the Buddha. Question: As the various schools differ regarding the rhinoceros-horn-like solitary realizers (pratyekabuddha), under which of the Three Jewels are they subsumed here? Answer: Because the roots of good of the rhinoceros-horn types belong to the category of the Saṅgha, it is admitted that multiple solitary realizers of that category appear at the same time. Therefore, the rhinoceros-horn types are also subsumed under the Saṅgha-jewel. Fifth question: There are two kinds of Three Jewels: identical in characteristic and distinct in characteristic. Which Three Jewels are paid homage to here? Answer: Here, homage is paid only to the Three Jewels distinct in characteristic. Why is homage paid only to the Three Jewels distinct in characteristic? To show that homage to conditioned and unconditioned merits is completely exhaustive. Furthermore, it also broadly pays homage to the Three Jewels identical in characteristic, because their meaning is implicitly stated within the nature of consciousness. Thus the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states: "If one can see the Three Jewels as eternally abiding and identical with the ultimate truth, this is the supreme vow of all Buddhas." Although the text of the verse mentions the two purities of the full and partial, the intention takes the Three Jewels identical in characteristic that are realized as all being eternally abiding. Sixth question: Why pay homage only to the Three Jewels and not to others? Answer: Because of four supreme conditions: first, because the nature of the Tathāgata is tame and good; second, because of his skillful means in what is tamed and what tames; third, because the Tathāgata is endowed with great compassion; fourth, because when material offerings are made, he does not take delight, but only rejoices when offerings of correct practice are made.