大乘義章 19.25

19.25

次第五門明其三佛常無常義。於中進退，四門分別：一對理以論，三佛在果悉是無常，不如理法非因非果一向是常。云何三佛悉是無常？三佛悉是道諦所收。《勝鬘經》說「苦集及道三諦無常。」故知三佛悉名無常。其義云何？無常有二：一者有始、二者有終。若論應佛，有始有終，故曰無常。法報兩佛，雖非有終，而是有始，故名無常，果時說故。二簡本異末，法佛是常、應報無常。何故如是？法佛雖復從緣始顯，性出自古、體非緣生，故名為常。報應兩佛，本無今有，方便修生，故名無常。三簡真異應。法報是常，以不遷故。應佛無常，現同世間有起滅故。四對生死妄法而辨。三以俱是常。生死妄法，悟要則捨，一向無常。三佛真法，證實以成，一向是常。問曰：法報是常，可爾。應佛生滅，云何名常？釋言：據凡以取其應，有始生應、有終滅應，得言無常。就佛辨應，化德常然，無時不為，故得名常。現生之用，無時不生；現老之用，無時不老，如是一切。是故三佛悉得名常。常無常義，進退如是，不得偏定。

Next, the fifth section explains the permanence and impermanence of the three Buddhas. Within this, balancing the alternatives, there are four distinctions: First, discussed in contrast to the principle: the three Buddhas in the fruit are all impermanent, unlike the dharmas of principle which, being neither cause nor fruit, are purely permanent. Why are the three Buddhas all impermanent? The three Buddhas are all subsumed under the truth of the path. The Śrīmālā Sūtra says: 'The three truths of suffering, origination, and path are impermanent.' Thus we know that the three Buddhas are all called impermanent. What is the meaning of this? Impermanence is twofold: first, having a beginning; second, having an end. In the case of the response Buddha, it has both a beginning and an end, and is therefore called impermanent. As for the dharma and recompense Buddhas, although they do not have an end, they have a beginning; hence they are called impermanent, because they are spoken of in the fruit. Second, distinguishing the fundamental from the derivative: the dharma Buddha is permanent, while the response and recompense are impermanent. Why is this so? Although the dharma Buddha is newly revealed through conditions, its nature has emerged from antiquity and its substance is not produced by conditions; therefore it is called permanent. As for the recompense and response Buddhas, they were originally non-existent and are now existent, produced through the cultivation of expedients; therefore they are called impermanent. Third, distinguishing the true from the responsive: the dharma and recompense are permanent, because they do not change; the response Buddha is impermanent, because it appears identical to the world, having arising and ceasing. Fourth, determined in contrast to the deluded dharmas of saṃsāra: all three are permanent. The deluded dharmas of saṃsāra are abandoned when awakening is achieved, and are entirely impermanent. The true dharmas of the three Buddhas are accomplished by realizing reality, and are entirely permanent. Question: That the dharma and recompense are permanent is acceptable, but the response Buddha arises and ceases; how can it be called permanent? Explanation: If one takes the response from the perspective of ordinary persons, having a response that begins to arise and an end that ceases, it can be called impermanent. But distinguishing the response from the perspective of the Buddha, the transforming virtue is ever-present, never ceases to act, and therefore can be called permanent. Its function of manifesting birth is never without birth; its function of manifesting old age is never without old age; and so on for all things. Therefore the three Buddhas can all be called permanent. Such is the balance of permanence and impermanence; one cannot adhere exclusively to one side.