大乘起信論內義略探記 1.63

1.63

Fourth, determining the provisional and the real. According to the Hīnayāna, the birth-body is provisional, as it is produced and formed of the four great elements; the dharmakāya is real, as it is endowed with the five parts [of the pure dharma-aggregate]. According to the initial teaching, within this there are four propositions, as the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra says: 'First, the Buddha: that is, after the Buddha's passing into extinction, through the power of his vows he manifests the bodies of nāgas, ghosts, and so forth, rather than manifesting a buddha-body. Second, the responsive [body]: that is, the trichiliocosm responsive body seen within the four wholesome roots, not subsuming the five destinies. Third, both: that is, being the transformer for the three [levels of] sages and the Hīnayāna, for the responsive body he manifests suffering and so forth of the same class [as them]; hence it is called a transformation body. Fourth, neither: that is because it is the dharmakāya.' Among these four propositions, the first three are provisional because they are manifested transformation bodies; the last one is real because it is non-transformative. Within this, the responsive body for the enjoyment of others subsumes the body for one's own enjoyment into the dharmakāya. Furthermore, the transformations for the enjoyment of others also have parents, as the Gu-yin-wang-jing says: 'Amitābha Buddha's father is named Candrottara, his mother is named Viśiṣṭābhā, his son is named Candraprabha, his attendant disciple is named Vimalakīrti, the māra-king is named Aparājita, and Devadatta is named Śānta.' The Treatise on the Sukhāvatīvyūha-sūtra says: 'Women, those with deficient sense-faculties, and the lineage of the two vehicles are not born [there]. Since that land is a reward land, there are no actual women; buddhas and bodhisattvas transform into mothers,' and so on, because they transform fragmentary [birth]. However, he does not first abide in a heavenly abode and only afterwards descend to accomplish Buddhahood; thus it is entirely distinct from the body under the tree. Furthermore, [the body for] the enjoyment of others also passes into extinction, as the Avalokiteśvara-bodhisattva-vyākaraṇa-sūtra says: 'Amitābha Buddha's lifespan is immeasurable kalpas; when he ultimately passes into extinction, at dawn when the light appears, Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara will attain unexcelled, perfect awakening under the bodhi-tree of seven jewels, named King of the Mountain of Universal Light and Merit Buddha; his land will be named Ornament of the Universal Assembly of All Jewels, surpassing the realm of Amitābha by a hundred thousand koṭis, beyond compare. After this Buddha passes into extinction, Mahāsthāmaprāpta will attain Buddhahood, named King of the Jewel of Well-Abiding Merit Buddha.' Becoming a buddha in this very body is likewise [the body for] the enjoyment of others. According to the final teaching, the buddha-body is comprehensively subsumed by the doctrine of the three greatnesses: the two greatnesses of essence and attributes naturally belong to the dharmakāya, and are therefore real. Subsuming the reward and transformation bodies under the greatness of function of tathatā, these also have both real and provisional [aspects]. Which is real? Because it is obtained as retribution, it is real. The śāstra says: 'Spontaneously possessing inconceivable function, which is equal to tathatā and pervades all places... up to the body having immeasurable forms, forms having immeasurable marks, and marks having immeasurable minor characteristics; hence it is real.' Because it accords with capacities to benefit beings, the śāstra says: 'It merely accords with sentient beings' seeing and hearing to bring benefit'; hence it is provisional.