大乘義章 11.16

11.16

次第四門辨明四依得義多少。如《涅槃》說，一切諸義統而攝之為十六分，如說一慈為十六分，如是等也。此十六中，第一依人得八分義，第二依餘八分中復得人四分，通前十二。第三依人，餘四分中復得兩分，通前十四。第四依人，具得十六。據實論之，第四依人餘二分中但得一分，通前十五，諸佛方得十六分義。以第四依位隣佛境高，美同佛故，說具得十六分也。又第四依，於佛所得第十六分雖未窮證，觀解相應，故說具得。問曰：四依初劣後勝，何故得義初多後少？釋言：麁義浮淺易知，故初得多；細義難精，故後得少。又復麁義，隨詮相別，少為多分；細義說實，階降相微，多為少分。分數雖少，其義實廣。問曰：若言麁義易知初處得多、細義難精後得少者，何故經言「初地菩薩得百三昧，二地得千，乃至十地得十不可說百千萬億那由他佛世界微塵數三昧、佛土廣數三昧。」釋言：辨義汎有兩門，一就攝義從詮門中明得多少；二就捨詮實門中明得多少。從詮門中細分有四：一約一詮始終別論，初得多義、後時得少。從詮之義具顯文中，初得聞持成就之時，依文具解，故初持得多。後設重思，委審而已，無多異見，故後得少。故《涅槃》中，初依菩薩得八分義，第二依人更得四分，乃至第四但得兩分。二約一詮以終攝始，初時得少，後時得多。故《涅槃》中初依但得八分之義，乃至第四得十六分。三約多詮始終別論，初得少義，聞教少故；終得多義，聞教多故。故第十地，能受諸佛雲雨說法，依其所聞亦知多義。四約多詮以終攝始，初時得少、後時得多，義在可知。就其捨詮證實門中，細分有二：一始終別論，初時得少，對教心多，見理昧故；終時得多，以能捨詮，見理明故。二以終攝始，初少後多，義在可知。《地經》所說是其捨詮證實之義，故後得多。不同在斯（此四門竟）。

Next, the fourth section clarifies the quantity of meanings attained by the four refuges. As the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] states, all meanings are collectively subsumed into sixteen parts, as in saying that a single benevolence is sixteen parts, and so forth. Among these sixteen, a person of the first refuge attains eight parts of the meanings. From the remaining eight parts, a person of the second refuge further attains four parts, bringing the total together with the preceding to twelve. From the remaining four parts, a person of the third refuge further attains two parts, bringing the total together with the preceding to fourteen. A person of the fourth refuge attains all sixteen parts. If discussed in terms of reality, from the remaining two parts a person of the fourth refuge attains only one part, bringing the total together with the preceding to fifteen, and only the Buddhas attain all sixteen parts of the meanings. Because the stage of the fourth refuge is adjacent to the Buddha's domain and so exalted, and its excellence is equivalent to a Buddha's, it is said that they completely attain the sixteen parts. Furthermore, although the fourth refuge has not yet exhaustively realized the sixteenth part attained by a Buddha, their contemplation and understanding correspond to it, and so it is said that they completely attain it. Question: Since the four refuges are inferior at first and superior later, why do they attain more meanings at first and fewer later? Explanation: Coarse meanings are superficial and easy to understand, so they attain many at first; subtle meanings are difficult to master, so they attain few later. Moreover, coarse meanings are distinguished according to the characteristics of the expressive teachings, so a little becomes many parts; subtle meanings speak of reality and their stages and degrees are subtle, so much becomes few parts. Though the number of parts is small, their meaning is truly vast. Question: If you say that coarse meanings are easy to understand and thus many are attained at the initial stage, while subtle meanings are difficult to master and thus few are attained later, why does the sūtra state: "A bodhisattva of the first bhūmi attains one hundred samādhis, on the second bhūmi a thousand, and up to on the tenth bhūmi attains samādhis as numerous as the dust motes of ten inexpressible hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of Buddha-worlds, and samādhis as numerous as the vast extents of Buddha-lands"? Explanation: Distinguishing meanings generally has two approaches: first, explaining the quantity attained in terms of subsuming meanings through the expressive teachings; second, explaining the quantity attained in terms of relinquishing the expressive teachings and realizing the real. Within the approach of following the expressive teachings, there are four subtle divisions: 1. Discussing the beginning and end of a single expressive teaching separately: initially one attains many meanings, and later attains few. The meanings following the expressive teachings are fully manifested in the text; when one initially achieves the retention of what is heard, one fully understands according to the text, and therefore initially grasps and attains many. Later, even if one contemplates them again, it is merely a detailed examination without many different views, and therefore one attains few later. Thus, in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], a bodhisattva of the first refuge attains eight parts of the meanings, a person of the second refuge attains an additional four parts, and up to the fourth who attains only two parts. 2. Subsuming the beginning by the end within a single expressive teaching: initially one attains few, and later attains many. Thus, in the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], the first refuge attains only eight parts of the meanings, up to the fourth who attains sixteen parts. 3. Discussing the beginning and end of multiple expressive teachings separately: initially one attains few meanings because one has heard few teachings; in the end one attains many meanings because one has heard many teachings. Thus, on the tenth bhūmi, one is able to receive the rainclouds of teachings preached by all Buddhas, and according to what one has heard, one also understands many meanings. 4. Subsuming the beginning by the end within multiple expressive teachings: initially one attains few and later attains many, the meaning of which can be understood. Within the approach of relinquishing the expressive teachings and realizing the real, there are two subtle divisions: 1. Discussing the beginning and end separately: initially one attains few because the mind is largely oriented toward the teachings and its perception of the principle is dim; in the end one attains many because one can relinquish the expressive teachings and its perception of the principle is clear. 2. Subsuming the beginning by the end: initially few and later many, the meaning of which can be understood. What the Daśabhūmika Sūtra states is the meaning of relinquishing the expressive teachings and realizing the real; therefore one attains more later. The differences lie herein. (This concludes the fourth section.)