大乘義章 1.98

1.98

問曰：世法，聖人亦知，何故偏言世人所知名為世諦？釋言：聖人雖知此法，隨世故知，是故猶名世人所知。又復聖人，就彼世人所知法中知其虛假，虛假是其世法之實，故名世諦。若爾，聖人亦就凡夫生死法中知其苦集，所知苦集應名凡諦。然彼苦集雖是凡法，聖人知故，得名聖諦。世諦似彼，何緣偏就世間之人說為世諦？釋言：互從皆得無傷。但經論中為明苦集非聖不知，故名聖諦。又知成聖，亦名聖諦。世法虛假，雖是聖知，非精上，故非第一。非第一故，判入世中。

Question: Worldly dharmas are also known by the noble ones; why do you exclusively state that what is known by worldly people is named worldly truth? Explanation: Although noble ones know these dharmas, they know them by conforming to the world; therefore they are still named what is known by worldly people. Furthermore, noble ones, within the dharmas known by those worldly people, know that they are empty and provisional; being empty and provisional is the real nature of worldly dharmas, and therefore it is named worldly truth. If so, noble ones also know suffering and origination within the worldly saṃsāric dharmas of ordinary beings, so the suffering and origination they know should be named ordinary truth. Yet, although those [truths of] suffering and origination are ordinary dharmas, because noble ones know them, they receive the name 'noble truths'. Worldly truth is similar to them; for what reason is it exclusively termed worldly truth with respect to worldly people? Explanation: Either approach may be followed without fault. However, in the sūtras and treatises, in order to clarify that suffering and origination are not known by those who are not noble, they are named noble truths. Furthermore, knowing them brings about noble status, so they are also named noble truths. Worldly dharmas are empty and provisional; although they are noble knowledge, they are not refined and supreme, and therefore not ultimate. Not being ultimate, they are classified into the worldly.