大乘起信論義記 1.7

1.7

Second, explaining the scope of subsumption under the piṭakas consists of two parts: first, based on the three things expressed, the teachings are threefold; second, based on the two kinds of addressees, the teachings are twofold. In the former, to express the three trainings, three piṭakas are established: First, the Sūtrapiṭaka, also called sūtra (sūtram) or sūtra (sūtraka), etc., which are all phonetic transcriptions of Sanskrit names that are difficult to reproduce exactly. This is translated as 'tallying scriptures' (qijing): 'tallying' means tallying with principle and suiting capacities; 'scripture' (jing) means stringing together and stitching together. The *Buddhabhūmiśāstra* says: 'Stringing together and holding the meanings that should be taught and the capacities addressed, it is therefore called sūtra.' This is the teaching that expresses concentration. 'Tallying scripture' is itself the piṭaka; this is an appositional compound (karmadhāraya). Second, the Vinayapiṭaka, also called vinaya or viṇi, was translated in the old tradition as 'extinction' (mie). That is, the evils of body, speech, and mind burn the practitioner like a blaze of fire, and the precepts can stop and extinguish them, hence it is called 'extinction'. Or it is called 'coolness', because it can quell the blazing characteristics of evil. It is now translated as 'subduing' (tiaofu): tiao means harmonizing and fu means subjugating, that is, harmonizing and controlling the actions of body, speech, and mind, and subjugating and eliminating all evil deeds. Subduing is practice, namely the precept-practice that is expressed; 'the piṭaka of subduing' is a determinative compound (tatpuruṣa), named after what it expresses. Third, the Abhidharmapiṭaka, also called abhidharma, was translated in the old version as 'incomparable dharma' (wubifa): abhi means incomparable and dharma means dharma; that is, the non-conceptual cognition analyzes the marks of phenomena, and there is no other dharma that can compare to this, hence it is called 'incomparable dharma'. It is now translated as 'facing dharma' (duifa): abhi is the confronting cognition, and dharma is the object-dharma confronted. That is, by means of correct cognition, one wondrously exhausts the source of phenomena and discriminates phenomenal marks, pointing to them clearly like seeing face to face, hence it is called 'facing dharma'. Abhidharma is the wisdom expressed; 'the piṭaka of abhidharma' is also a determinative compound (tatpuruṣa), named after what it expresses. It is also called 'subduing dharma', 'discriminating dharma', 'enumerating dharma', 'penetrating dharma', 'great dharma', and so on; all these are names assigned according to meaning, as explained elsewhere.