大乘義章 19.12

19.12

第一釋名。三佛之義，出《地經論》，《金剛般若》亦具分別。名字是何？一法身佛、二報身佛、三應身佛。法身佛者，就體彰名。法者所謂無始法性，此法是其眾生體實，妄想覆纏於己無用，後息妄想彼法顯了，便為佛體顯法成身，名為法身。如《勝鬘》說「隱如來藏，顯成法身。」法身體有覺照之義，名法身佛。問云：人說法身體是第一義空，空非心智，云何覺照？釋言：法身離相為空，而體實有，所謂有於過恒沙法。此法皆依真心說之，真心體是神知之性，能有覺照，故得名覺。是義云何？是以體中，從本已來具過無量恒沙佛法，如妄心中具足一切諸虛妄。心於彼法同體照明，由來無障，故論說言「從本已來，有大智慧光明義故、自性清淨識知義故、遍照一切法界義故，名為本覺。性雖照明，而為無明闇障所覆，相似不覺。後除闇障，彼心顯了，始顯真心如其本性，內照法界故得名佛。」問曰：真心有覺照義，名佛可爾。所覺法性，非覺照義，云何得名法身佛乎？釋言：分相言之，能覺真心說為法佛，所覺法性是其真諦法寶門收，不名為佛。攝相言之，通亦名佛。是義云何？解有四義：一所覺法性是佛體故，通名為佛；如如來藏是眾生體，說為眾生。故經說言「即此法身輪轉五道，名曰眾生。」二所覺法性雖非佛智，而是佛身，故得名佛。如佛色身雖無覺照而得名佛，如是一切。三所覺法性雖非佛智，而是佛性，故得名佛。如似五陰成眾生法，名曰眾生。四所覺法法是佛境界，為佛覺照能生佛智，從其所生，故得名佛。故《地論》言「智行處者，自證知故。自證知者，依彼生故。」與《大智論》說智智處同名般若，其義相似。具此四義，故通名佛。法佛如是。報身佛者，酬因為報。有作行德，本無今有，方便修生。修生之德，酬因名報。報德之體，名之為身。又德聚積亦名為身。報身覺照，名之為佛。問曰：報佛亦能覺照，與前法佛覺照何異？釋言：體一。隨義以分，真心之體本隱今顯，說為法佛。此真心體，為緣熏發，諸功德生，方名報佛。法佛如金，報佛如作金莊嚴具。問曰：法佛自能覺照，何用報佛？釋言？無報，法則不顯。但使顯法，必有報生，故立報佛。又復法佛心性照明，為非事用，故須報佛。如金雖淨，不中衣食，故須用之作莊嚴具，彼亦如是。又復法報照境，有其別異之義，故須別分，義如後釋。報佛如是。應身佛者，感化為應。感化之中，從喻名之。是義云何？如似世間有人呼喚則有響應，此亦如是。眾生機感，義如呼喚。如來示化，事問響應，故名為應。應德之體，名之為身。又此應德聚積名身。應身應覺照，目之為佛。問曰：應覺與真何別？自知是真，隨化現知，說以為應。問曰：三佛俱能覺照，所覺之法為同為異？釋言：不定。分別有三：一隨相分別。法佛唯知無始法性，名知理法。報佛能知行修對治，名知行法。應佛了知三乘化教，名知教法。又復法佛唯知理法，報佛了知自行之法，自行門中通知一切，自行為主，是故名知自行之法。應佛了知化他行法，化他門中亦知一切，化他為主，是故名知化他行法。二寬狹分別。法佛唯知無始法性。於此分齊，理外更無異法可知，是故法佛唯知理法。報佛所知境界漸廣，通知一切理行二法，知理所證、知行能證。應佛所知境界最廣，通知一切理行二法，知理行法通知一切，化眾生故。知理知行以為所詮，知教能詮。又復法佛唯知理法。報佛知理及自行法，知理所證、自行能證。應佛知理，亦知自行及化他法，通緣一切，化眾生故。了知理法化他所入，知其自行，起化所畏作，知其利他，化他之用。三就實通論。法佛通知理教行法。知如來藏無始法性，是其理法。覺已真心顯了成德，名知行法。知已所證妙音法門，能為無盡言說之本，能生法螺無盡言音，名知教法。故《楞伽》中宣說法佛亦能說法。如《涅槃》說「大般涅槃，能建大義，起種種化。」金剛三昧起種種說，即其事也。報佛亦知理教行法，知理所證、知行能證、知教所依。應佛通知，義如上解。問曰：三佛通知理法，所知之理為同為異？通釋義齊，隨相分別。法佛知理無隱無顯，證實返望從來無緣，誰能覆我？故本非隱。本既非隱，豈有今顯？故《維摩》云「我觀如來，前際不來、後際不去、今則不住。」報佛知知理從緣始顯，於事分齊，情外有理，情外之理本為情覆，故說有隱；去情理現，故說有顯。應佛知理緣起作用，知如來藏緣起集成生死涅槃一切種法，故教眾生一切緣中息以求真。所覺如是。然此三佛，隨相別分，名義各別。通而論之，俱名法身，齊得名報並得云應。是義云何？三佛莫不依法以成，是故通得名為法身。又三皆以功德法成，故名法身。良以三佛皆法身故，於彼涅槃三事之中，三佛皆悉法身所攝。望因以論，三俱名報。是義云何？報者是其果之別稱，三佛望因並得稱果，是果酬因，故通名報。約化以論，三俱名應。應隨物情，顯示此三，令諸眾生同見聞故。但經論中為別三佛，隱顯異名，故初名法、第二名報、第三名應。等別三佛，何故初者偏名為法，乃至第三偏名為應？此等各隨義便以彰。法佛是體，顯本法成、證法義顯，故偏名法。報佛是相，本無今有、方便修生，酬因義顯，故偏名報。應佛是用，化用隨物，應成義顯，故偏名應。名義如是。

First, explaining the names. The doctrine of the three Buddha [bodies] comes from the Daśabhūmika-śāstra, and the Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā also distinguishes it in detail. What are the names? 1. Dharmakāya Buddha; 2. Saṃbhogakāya Buddha; 3. Nirmāṇakāya Buddha. The Dharmakāya Buddha is named according to its essence. 'Dharma' refers to the beginningless dharmatā. This dharma is the substantive reality of sentient beings; veiled and entangled by delusive conceptualization, it is useless to oneself. When delusive conceptualization is subsequently stilled and that dharma is made manifest, it becomes the Buddha's essence: revealing the dharma to accomplish the body, hence it is called 'dharmakāya.' As the Śrīmālā says, 'The tathāgatagarbha concealed, revealed it accomplishes the dharmakāya.' The essence of the dharmakāya has the quality of awake illumination, so it is named the Dharmakāya Buddha. Question: People say that the essence of the dharmakāya is the ultimate emptiness; emptiness is not mind or wisdom, so how can there be awake illumination? Answer: The dharmakāya is empty in being free of marks, yet its essence is real existence—namely, it possesses dharmas exceeding the sands of the Ganges. These dharmas are all spoken of on the basis of the true mind. The essence of the true mind is the nature of spiritual knowing, capable of awake illumination; therefore, it can be called 'awakening.' What does this mean? It is because within its essence, from the beginningless past, it inherently possesses Buddha-dharmas exceeding the immeasurable sands of the Ganges, just as the deluded mind inherently contains all delusions. The mind illuminates those dharmas of identical essence, without obstruction from its origin; therefore, the treatise says: 'Because from the beginningless past it has the quality of the light of great wisdom, because it has the quality of self-nature-pure consciousness, and because it has the quality of universally illuminating the entire dharmadhātu, it is called original enlightenment (benjue). Although its nature is luminous, it is covered by the dark obscuration of fundamental ignorance, appearing as if unawakened. When the dark obscuration is subsequently removed and that mind is revealed, the true mind is first made manifest according to its original nature, inwardly illuminating the dharmadhātu; hence it can be named Buddha.' Question: The true mind possesses the quality of awake illumination, so it is proper to name it Buddha. The dharmatā that is awakened to is not the quality of awake illumination; how can it be named Dharmakāya Buddha? Answer: Distinguishing their marks, the true mind that can awaken is spoken of as the Dharma Buddha, whereas the dharmatā that is awakened to is subsumed under the Dharma-jewel gate of the ultimate truth and is not called Buddha. Subsuming marks into reality, it is also collectively called Buddha. What does this mean? There are four explanations: 1. Because the dharmatā that is awakened to is the Buddha's essence, it is collectively named Buddha; just as the tathāgatagarbha is the essence of sentient beings and is called sentient beings. Thus the sūtra says: 'This very dharmakāya, transmigrating in the five destinies, is named sentient beings.' 2. Although the dharmatā that is awakened to is not Buddha wisdom, it is the Buddha's body; therefore it can be named Buddha. Just as the Buddha's form body, though devoid of awake illumination, can be named Buddha; all cases are like this. 3. Although the dharmatā that is awakened to is not Buddha wisdom, it is Buddha-nature; therefore it can be named Buddha. Just as the five skandhas constitute the dharmas of sentient beings and are named sentient beings. 4. The dharma that is awakened to is the Buddha's realm; being illuminated by the Buddha's awakening, it can give rise to Buddha wisdom. Taking its name from what it gives rise to, it can therefore be named Buddha. Hence the Daśabhūmika-śāstra says: 'The locus of the practice of wisdom is because of self-realization; self-realization is because of arising dependent on that.' This is similar in meaning to the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa saying that wisdom and the locus of wisdom are alike called prajñā. Endowed with these four meanings, it is therefore collectively called Buddha. Such is the Dharma Buddha. The Saṃbhogakāya Buddha is the requital for causes: active virtues of practice, previously nonexistent and now existing, produced through cultivation by skillful means. The virtues produced through cultivation requite the cause and are named 'requital' (saṃbhoga). The essence of the requited virtues is named 'body' (kāya). Furthermore, an accumulation of virtues is also named 'body.' The awake illumination of the saṃbhogakāya is named 'Buddha.' Question: The Saṃbhoga Buddha is also capable of awake illumination; how does this differ from the awake illumination of the preceding Dharma Buddha? Answer: Their essence is one. Distinguishing them according to meaning: the essence of the true mind, previously concealed and now revealed, is spoken of as the Dharma Buddha. When this essence of the true mind is perfumed and stimulated by conditions so that all virtues arise, it is then named the Saṃbhoga Buddha. The Dharma Buddha is like gold; the Saṃbhoga Buddha is like making golden ornaments. Question: If the Dharma Buddha is itself capable of awake illumination, what is the use of the Saṃbhoga Buddha? Answer: Without requital, the dharma would not be revealed. Whenever the dharma is revealed, requital necessarily arises; therefore the Saṃbhoga Buddha is established. Furthermore, the luminosity of the Dharma Buddha's mental nature is not for phenomenal function; therefore the Saṃbhoga Buddha is required. Just as gold, though pure, cannot serve as clothing or food, and so must be fashioned into ornaments; it is just like that. Furthermore, the objects illuminated by the dharma and the requited [bodies] have distinct meanings; therefore they must be distinguished separately, as explained below. Such is the Saṃbhoga Buddha. The Nirmāṇakāya Buddha responds through resonance and transformation. Among resonance and transformation, it is named from an analogy. What does this mean? Just as in the world, when someone calls out, there is an echoing response; this is just like that. Sentient beings' capacity for resonance is like the call. The Tathāgata's manifestation of transformation is like the echoing response to the sound; therefore it is named 'response' (nirmāṇa/saṃvṛti). The essence of the responsive virtues is named 'body.' Furthermore, this accumulation of responsive virtues is named 'body.' The responsive awake illumination of the response body is designated 'Buddha.' Question: What is the difference between responsive awakening and the real? Knowing oneself is the real; manifesting knowledge in accordance with transformation is spoken of as the response. Question: The three Buddhas are all capable of awake illumination; are the dharmas awakened to the same or different? Answer: It is not fixed. There are three distinctions: 1. Distinction according to marks. The Dharma Buddha only knows the beginningless dharmatā; this is called knowing the dharma of principle. The Saṃbhoga Buddha is able to know the practice, cultivation, and antidotes; this is called knowing the dharma of practice. The Nirmāṇa Buddha thoroughly knows the transformative teaching of the three vehicles; this is called knowing the dharma of teaching. Furthermore, the Dharma Buddha only knows the dharma of principle. The Saṃbhoga Buddha thoroughly knows the dharmas of his own practice; within the approach of his own practice he universally knows all, with his own practice as primary; therefore it is called knowing the dharma of his own practice. The Nirmāṇa Buddha thoroughly knows the dharmas of practice for transforming others; within the approach of transforming others he also knows all, with transforming others as primary; therefore it is called knowing the dharma of practice for transforming others. 2. Distinction by breadth and narrowness. The Dharma Buddha only knows the beginningless dharmatā. At this stage, outside of principle there is no other dharma to be known; therefore the Dharma Buddha only knows the dharma of principle. The sphere known by the Saṃbhoga Buddha is progressively broader: he universally knows both dharmas of principle and practice; he knows principle as what is realized, and practice as what can realize. The sphere known by the Nirmāṇa Buddha is the broadest: he universally knows both dharmas of principle and practice; knowing the dharmas of principle and practice, he universally knows all in order to transform sentient beings. He knows principle and practice as what is expressed, and knows the teaching as what can express. Furthermore, the Dharma Buddha only knows the dharma of principle. The Saṃbhoga Buddha knows principle and the dharma of his own practice; he knows principle as what is realized, and his own practice as what can realize. The Nirmāṇa Buddha knows principle, and also knows his own practice and the dharmas of transforming others, universally taking all as objects in order to transform sentient beings: thoroughly knowing the dharma of principle as what those to be transformed enter; knowing his own practice as that by which the fearlessness to initiate transformation is produced; and knowing his benefit to others as the function of transforming others. 3. Comprehensive discussion based on reality. The Dharma Buddha universally knows the dharmas of principle, teaching, and practice. Knowing the beginningless dharmatā of the tathāgatagarbha is his dharma of principle. Having awakened, the true mind is revealed to accomplish virtues; this is called knowing the dharma of practice. Knowing the dharma gate of sublime sound that he has realized can serve as the root of inexhaustible discourse and can produce the inexhaustible sounds of the Dharma conch; this is called knowing the dharma of teaching. Hence the Laṅkāvatāra proclaims that the Dharma Buddha can also preach the Dharma. As the Mahāparinirvāṇa says: 'Great parinirvāṇa can establish great meaning and give rise to various transformations.' The vajra-samādhi giving rise to various preachings is precisely this matter. The Saṃbhoga Buddha also knows the dharmas of principle, teaching, and practice: knowing principle as what is realized, practice as what can realize, and teaching as what is relied upon. The Nirmāṇa Buddha universally knows them, the meaning being as explained above. Question: If the three Buddhas universally know the dharma of principle, is the principle known the same or different? Interpreted comprehensively, the meaning is equal; distinguished according to marks: The Dharma Buddha knows principle as neither concealed nor revealed; realizing reality and looking back, from the beginning there were never external conditions—who could cover me? Thus originally it was not concealed. Since it was originally not concealed, how could there be a present revelation? Hence Vimalakīrti says: 'I view the Tathāgata: he does not come from the past limit, does not go to the future limit, and does not abide in the present.' The Saṃbhoga Buddha knows principle as first revealed through conditions; at the phenomenal stage, there is principle outside of emotional afflictions. Principle outside of emotional afflictions was originally covered by emotion, hence it is said to have concealment; when emotion is removed, principle appears, hence it is said to have revelation. The Nirmāṇa Buddha knows the conditioned arising and function of principle; he knows that the conditioned arising of the tathāgatagarbha integrates and forms all types of dharmas of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, and therefore teaches sentient beings to rest amid all conditions in order to seek the real. Such is what is awakened to. However, when these three Buddhas are distinguished according to their marks, their names and meanings are distinct. Discussed comprehensively, all are called dharmakāya, all alike can be named saṃbhoga, and all can be called nirmāṇa. What does this mean? There is none among the three Buddhas that is not accomplished in reliance upon the Dharma; therefore all can be named dharmakāya. Furthermore, all three are accomplished through dharmas of virtue; therefore they are named dharmakāya. Truly, because all three Buddhas are dharmakāya, among the three items of that nirvāṇa, all three Buddhas are subsumed under the dharmakāya. Discussed in reference to cause, all three are named saṃbhoga. What does this mean? 'Requital' (saṃbhoga) is another name for fruit; the three Buddhas can all be called fruits in reference to their causes. Being fruits requiting causes, all are therefore called saṃbhoga. Discussed in terms of transformation, all three are named nirmāṇa (response). Responding to the sentiments of beings, these three are displayed to enable sentient beings alike to see and hear them. But in the sūtras and treatises, to distinguish the three Buddhas, different names are assigned according to concealment and manifestation; thus the first is named dharma, the second is named saṃbhoga, and the third is named response (nirmāṇa). Since they equally distinguish the three Buddhas, why is the first exclusively named 'dharma,' up to the third being exclusively named 'response'? Each of these is displayed according to what is fitting to its meaning. The Dharma Buddha is the essence: accomplished by revealing the fundamental dharma, its meaning of realizing the dharma is manifest, so it is exclusively named 'dharma.' The Saṃbhoga Buddha is the mark: previously nonexistent and now existing, produced through cultivation by skillful means, its meaning of requiting the cause is manifest, so it is exclusively named 'saṃbhoga.' The Nirmāṇa Buddha is the function: its transformative function accords with beings, its meaning of responsive accomplishment is manifest, so it is exclusively named 'response.' Such are their names and meanings.