大乘義章 1.37

1.37

第一釋名。佛者是其中國之言，此翻名覺。返妄契真，悟實名覺。舉佛樹性，故明佛也。所言性者，釋有四義：一者種子因本之義。所言種者，眾生自實如來藏性出生大覺，與佛為本，稱之為種。種猶因也，故經說言「云何名性？性者所謂阿耨菩提中道種子。」「大智論」中亦云「性者名本人分種，如黃石中所有金性白石銀性，一切眾生有涅槃性。」斯文顯矣。二體義名性。說體有四：一佛因自體名為佛性，謂真識心。二佛果自體名為佛性，所謂法身。第三通就佛因佛果同一覺性，名為佛性。其猶世間麥因麥果同一麥性，如是一切。當知是性不異因果，因果恒別、性體不殊。此前三義是能知性，局就眾生，不通非情。第四通說諸法自體，故名為性。此性唯是諸佛所窮，就佛以明諸法體性，故云佛性。此後一義是所知性，通其內外。斯等皆是體義名性。三不改名性。不改有四：一因體不改說之為性。非謂是因，常不為果，說為不改。此就因時，不可隨緣返為非因，故稱不改。故經說言「若殺眾生，喪滅佛性。無有是處。」又復說言「因不改者，得果之時因名雖改，因體不亡。」因體即是如來藏性，顯為法身，體無變易，非如有為得果因謝。就體以論，故名不改。二果體不改說名為性。一得常然，不可壞故。第三通就因果自體不改名性。如麥因果麥性不改，以不改故，種麥得麥，不得餘物。如是一切。佛性亦爾，佛因佛果，性不改故。眾生究竟必當為佛，不作餘法。經說佛性旨要，在斯第四，通說諸法體實不改名性。雖復緣別內外染淨，性實平等湛然一味，故曰不改。此是第三不改名性。四性別名性。性別有四：一明因性別異於果。二明果性別異於因。第三通就因果體性別異非情，故經說言「為非佛性一切草木石等，說於佛性。」四就一切諸法理實別於情相虛妄之法名之為性。故經說言「如來藏者，非我眾生、非命非人。」又復經言「佛性雖住陰界入中，而實不同陰界入也。」以此界別，故名為性。佛性名義。庶判如是。

First is the explanation of the name. "Buddha" (fo) is a word from the Central Realm [India]; translated here, it is named "awakening" (jue). Turning away from delusion and tallying with truth, being awakened to reality is named "awakening". Raising "Buddha" establishes the nature; hence "Buddha" is explained. As for the term "nature" (xing), it is explained with four meanings: First is the meaning of seed as fundamental cause. As for "seed", sentient beings' own real tathāgatagarbha nature gives rise to great awakening, serving as the root for a Buddha; this is called a seed. "Seed" is like "cause"; hence the sūtra states: "Why is it named 'nature'? The nature is the so-called middle-way seed of anuttarabodhi." The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa also says: "The nature is named the original, human portion of the seed. Just as there is the nature of gold within yellow stone and the nature of silver within white stone, all sentient beings have the nature of nirvāṇa." This text makes it clear. Second, it is named "nature" in the sense of essence (ti). Speaking of essence, there are four [points]: 1. The own-essence of the Buddha's cause is named Buddha-nature, meaning the true consciousness mind. 2. The own-essence of the Buddha's fruit is named Buddha-nature, the so-called dharmakāya. 3. Generally speaking, the Buddha's cause and the Buddha's fruit are of the same awakening nature, which is named Buddha-nature. It is just as, in the world, the cause of wheat and the fruit of wheat are of the same wheat nature; all [things] are like this. One should know that this nature is not different from cause and fruit: cause and fruit are ever distinct, but the essence of the nature is not different. These previous three meanings are the nature of the cogniser (nengzhi xing); they are restricted to sentient beings and do not extend to the insentient. 4. Generally speaking of the own-essence of all dharmas, it is therefore named nature. This nature is plumbed only by the Buddhas; clarifying the essential nature of all dharmas with reference to the Buddha, it is therefore called Buddha-nature. This latter one meaning is the nature of the cognised (suozhi xing), pervading the internal and the external. These are all named "nature" in the sense of essence. Third, it is named "nature" in the sense of unaltering. Unaltering has four [points]: 1. The essence of the cause being unaltering is spoken of as nature. This does not mean that, being a cause, it never becomes a fruit, and is thus spoken of as unaltering. This refers to the time of the cause, when it cannot follow conditions and reverse into a non-cause; hence it is called unaltering. Thus the sūtra states: "If killing sentient beings were to extinguish Buddha-nature, there is no such possibility." Furthermore, it states: "As for the cause being unaltering: when attaining the fruit, though the name of the cause alters, the essence of the cause does not perish." The essence of the cause is precisely the tathāgatagarbha nature; manifest as the dharmakāya, its essence is without change—it is not like conditioned dharmas where, upon attaining the fruit, the cause ceases. Discussing it in terms of essence, it is therefore named unaltering. 2. The essence of the fruit being unaltering is spoken of as nature: once attained it is ever so, because it cannot be destroyed. 3. Generally speaking, the own-essence of cause and fruit being unaltering is named nature. Just as the wheat nature of the cause and fruit of wheat does not alter, and because it does not alter, planting wheat yields wheat and does not yield other things; all [things] are like this. Buddha-nature is also like this: because the nature of the Buddha's cause and the Buddha's fruit does not alter, sentient beings ultimately must become Buddhas and do not become other dharmas. The essential purport of Buddha-nature stated in the sūtras lies in this. 4. Generally speaking, the reality of the essence of all dharmas being unaltering is named nature. Although conditions differ between internal and external, defiled and pure, the nature is truly equal, serene, and of one taste; hence it is called unaltering. This is the third, named "nature" in the sense of unaltering. Fourth, it is named "nature" in the sense of differentiation of natures. Differentiation of natures has four [points]: 1. Clarifying that the nature of the cause is distinct from the fruit. 2. Clarifying that the nature of the fruit is distinct from the cause. 3. Generally speaking, the essential nature of cause and fruit is distinct from the insentient; hence the sūtra states: "For the sake of what is not Buddha-nature—all grass, trees, stones, and the like—Buddha-nature is spoken of." 4. With reference to the truth of all dharmas being distinct from the false dharmas of subjective characteristics, it is named nature. Thus the sūtra states: "The tathāgatagarbha is not self, not sentient being, not life-principle, not person." Furthermore, a sūtra states: "Although Buddha-nature abides within the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas, it is truly not the same as the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas." Because of this boundary and distinction, it is named nature. The name and meaning of Buddha-nature are generally distinguished like this.