大乘義章 11.91

11.91

次明大小有無之義。通而論之，大小皆有。小乘法中唯是利根阿羅漢得，餘者皆無。大乘法中種性已上一切皆具。若復通論，十信菩薩亦分得之。隱顯別論，大有小無。故《涅槃》云「聲聞緣覺無四無礙。」問曰：經說摩訶𤘽絺羅四無礙第一。今云何言小乘中無？釋有兩義：一多少分別。小乘所得少故名無，如河少水名為無水，此亦如是。故經說言「聲聞之人或有得一、或復得二，若具得者無有是處。」以不具故，宣說其無；大具得故，說有無礙。二取捨分別。小乘之人於法取著，不能自然等照諸法，故無無礙。諸佛菩薩心無取著，自然等照一切諸法，故有無礙。故《涅槃》云「有取著者即無無礙，無取著乃有無礙。」問曰：就通宣說大小齊得應好，何須就別言小不得？釋言：為顯四無礙智是上功德，小乘人中得之者尠，設有得者不具不勝，是故就別道其不得。問曰：無礙就別唯大不在小者，戒定慧等亦如是不？釋言：齊類理亦無傷。但戒定等是通行門，凡聖大小咸皆得之。四無礙智是上行門，上人方有。是故設通，唯通小乘利根羅漢，彰勝隱劣唯在大乘。問曰：無礙是上功德得通聲聞，力無畏等何不如是？釋言：力等是上上門，故小乘人一向不得。然德階降，相非一准。或有功德，唯佛有之，如《地持》說，謂斷諸習及佛一切種妙智等。或有功德，佛菩薩有，餘者皆無，謂首楞嚴定及不思議解脫門等。或有功德，唯佛菩薩、利羅漢有，餘人皆無，謂四無礙、無諍、願智、邊際智等。或有功德，唯佛菩薩、聲聞緣覺四人有之，謂三明等。或有功德，唯佛菩薩、聲聞緣覺那含人有，謂滅盡定。或有功德，唯是三乘賢聖有之，謂三無漏根。或有功德，凡聖皆行，謂戒定等。德門不同，非可一類，不得相並（此五門竟）。

Next, to clarify the meaning of the presence or absence [of these] in the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna. Generally speaking, both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna possess them. In the Hīnayāna teachings, only arhats of sharp faculties attain them, while the rest lack them entirely. In the Mahāyāna teachings, everyone from the stage of lineage (gotra) and above possesses them completely. If discussed broadly again, bodhisattvas of the ten faiths also partially attain them. Discussed specifically in terms of hidden and manifest, the Mahāyāna has them and the Hīnayāna lacks them. Hence the *Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]* states, "Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas lack the four unimpeded [knowledges]."

Question: A sūtra states that Mahākauṣṭhila was foremost in the four unimpeded [knowledges]. Why do you say now that they are absent in the Hīnayāna?
Explanation: There are two meanings:
First, distinguishing in terms of quantity: because what the Hīnayāna attains is meager, it is called absent—just as a river with little water is said to have no water, this is also like that. Hence a sūtra states: "A person of the śrāvaka [vehicle] may attain one, or may attain two; that one should attain them completely is impossible." Because they do not attain them completely, it is declared that they lack them; because the Mahāyāna attains them completely, it is said to have the unimpeded [knowledges].

Second, distinguishing in terms of grasping and relinquishment: people of the Hīnayāna grasp and adhere to dharmas and cannot spontaneously illuminate all dharmas equally; hence they lack unimpededness. Buddhas and bodhisattvas are without grasping in their minds and spontaneously illuminate all dharmas equally; hence they have unimpededness. Hence the *Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]* states: "Those with grasping have no unimpededness; only those without grasping have unimpededness."

Question: It would be better to state generally that Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna attain them equally; why is it necessary to state specifically that the Hīnayāna does not attain them?
Explanation: It is to show that the four unimpeded knowledges are superior virtues: those among people of the Hīnayāna who attain them are few, and even if some do attain them, they are neither complete nor supreme; therefore, it is stated specifically that they do not attain them.

Question: If, when speaking specifically, the unimpeded [knowledges] belong only to the Mahāyāna and not to the Hīnayāna, is it likewise for morality, samādhi, wisdom, and so forth?
Explanation: There is no harm in drawing a parallel in principle. However, morality, samādhi, and so forth are universal gates of practice: ordinary beings, noble ones, Mahāyāna, and Hīnayāna all attain them. The four unimpeded knowledges are superior gates of practice, which only superior persons possess. Therefore, even if stated generally, it applies only to arhats of sharp faculties in the Hīnayāna; and when highlighting the superior and concealing the inferior, they exist only in the Mahāyāna.

Question: If the unimpeded [knowledges] are superior virtues yet can extend to śrāvakas, why is it not so for the powers, fearlessnesses, and so forth?
Explanation: The powers and so forth are supreme gates, so people of the Hīnayāna do not attain them at all. However, the gradations of virtues are not of a single standard:
There are virtues possessed only by buddhas, as taught in the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*, namely the eradication of all karmic impressions (vāsanās), the Buddha's wondrous omniscience, and so forth.
There are virtues possessed by buddhas and bodhisattvas while absent in all others, namely the *Śūraṅgama-samādhi*, the inconceivable liberation, and so forth.
There are virtues possessed only by buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats of sharp faculties while absent in all other persons, namely the four unimpeded [knowledges], the [samādhi of] non-contention (araṇā), knowledge based on resolution (praṇidhi-jñāna), pinnacle-knowledge (prāntakoṭika-jñāna), and so forth.
There are virtues possessed only by these four kinds of persons—buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas—namely the three clarities (traividyā) and so forth.
There are virtues possessed only by buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and anāgāmins, namely the cessation concentration (nirodhasamāpatti).
There are virtues possessed only by the worthy ones and noble ones of the three vehicles, namely the three untainted faculties (anāsravendriya).
There are virtues practiced by both ordinary beings and noble ones, namely morality, samādhi, and so forth.
Because the gates of virtue differ, they cannot be treated as a single category, nor can they be equated with one another. (This concludes the fifth section.)