因明入正理論疏 1.2

1.2

Consider that when the sage of the empty mulberry tree arose, he relied on the six stages to illumine the esoteric; when the immortal of Kulai emerged, he unfolded the two books to display his principles. How could that compare to the one whose wisdom perfected the ten powers, who molded myriad phenomena to establish the standards, and whose compassion reached the extremity of the three wheels, broadening the five vehicles to bestow a paradigm? Therefore, he responded to the capacities of beings beneath the twin trees, his supreme teaching pervading the dusty realms; he entered true tranquility beside the two rivers, his residual brilliance shining throughout the sands of kalpas. How grand indeed! Truly it is difficult to find a name for it. When it came to the twenty-eight views, gathering like ants across the Five Indias, and the sixteen teachers, spreading their wings like birds of prey under the four rulers, there was a bodhisattva named Śaṅkarasvāmin, a disciple of the noble Diṅnāga. Endowed with skillful guidance and truly famed for vast learning, he scooped the ocean of wisdom from the depths of his mind and raised the mountain of doctrine within his innermost heart. Thus he hewed Mount Jing to extract the unpolished jade and wandered Clam Bay to seek pearls. With deep contemplative thought richly gathered, he produced a magnificent treatise. Its purport is abundant yet its phrasing concise; its principles are profound yet easily comprehended. Truly it is the pivot of the Dharma portal and the key to the mysterious barrier. Consequently, he caused the Vaiśeṣikas and Sāṃkhyas to be like a towering peak crushing spring eggs, and the Śabdakāryavāda and Śabdābhivyaktivāda to be like a startling gale sweeping autumn leaves. From that time onward, thoughts on the teaching rippled abroad, noble footsteps first became conspicuous, and those who took pleasure in studying it grew immensely broad.