大乘法界無差別論疏 1.9

1.9

First, within [the gateway of according with phenomena], there are four propositions. 1. Or, [the teaching] has only names, phrases, and phonemes as its nature, meaning that sound is merely what it relies upon and is not the primary essence. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi says, 'If names and the like were not distinct from sounds, the cognitive objects of unobstructed understanding of dharmas and unobstructed understanding of expressions would not differ.' 2. Or, [the teaching] has only sound as its nature, meaning that names, phrases, and so forth are merely imputed without an intrinsic essence, based on the inflection of sounds. The Abhidharmasamuccayavyākhyā says, 'Sound produced by fulfillment refers to the speech of the noble ones.' The first fascicle of Asvabhāva's commentary on the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says, 'Based on the vast vow, the sound of bodhi is established.' 3. Or, [the teaching] possesses both as its nature, meaning that only when the two consciousnesses of ear and mind take as cognitive objects the two domains of the sound-realm and the dharma-realm are hearing and understanding achieved. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa-sūtra says, 'There are [buddha-fields] that perform buddha-works by means of sounds, speech, and written words.' Also, the Daśabhūmikavyākhyā says, 'The speaker speaks by means of two things, and the listener hears by means of two things—namely, sounds and names,' and so forth. 4. Or, [the teaching] has neither sound nor names as its nature, meaning that both things are empty, and that the nature of words is detached [from words]. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa-sūtra says, 'One who speaks the Dharma has nothing to say and nothing to show; one who listens to the Dharma has nothing to hear and nothing to attain.' In the Daśabhūmikavyākhyā, words are like painting in empty space, and sounds are like the marks of wind in space: in both cases nothing is attained. Preaching the Dharma in this way is precisely 'preaching without preaching.' Among these four propositions, taking the first three separately applies to the Hīnayāna; possessing all four propositions belongs exclusively to the Mahāyāna. Moreover, these four propositions combine into a single teaching, because there are no separate dharmas and because existence and non-existence are unobstructed.