大乘義章 9.42

9.42

次辨乘體。於中略以五門分別：一乘法分別。乘有二種：一者乘法、二者乘行。法有三種：一者教法，所謂三藏十二部經。二者理法，所謂佛性，於中分別二諦一實，緣起法界是其理也。三者行法，六度等儀。言乘行者，要唯三種：一聞、二思、三是行修，依教生聞，依理成思，依於行法集起行修。問曰：經說聞思修證，今此行中何不說證？攝入修故。二行斷分別。行德雖眾，無出三種：一智、二福、三者是報。波若是智，五度是福。又復波若一向是智，施戒及忍一向是福。精進與禪，亦福亦智。壽等八種，是其報也。此三種中，依智起福，依福起報。故《地持》言「若報、報因及與報果，皆依福起，福依智起。此三至果，轉名波若、解脫、法身。智為波若，福為解脫，報為法身。」行德如是。言斷德者，要唯三種：一煩惱斷，五住結亡，此前智慧所斷滅也。二者業斷，分段、變易二種因亡，此前福德所遠離也。三者苦斷，分段、變易二種報盡，此前淨報所出離也。此三種中，斷煩惱故諸業不生，業不生故苦報不起，苦不起故得大涅槃，以斯行斷為一乘體。三自利利他二行分別。自行有二：一厭有為，起離過行；二求佛智，起集善行。利他亦二：一大悲方便，拔令出苦；二大慈方便，化令得樂。以斯兩行為一乘體。自行之乘，至果便住；化他行乘畢竟無盡，所化眾生不可盡故。四證教分別。無始法性顯成今德，名為證行。依教修起方便行德，名為教行。此之兩行，該始及終。五因果分別。因雖眾多，無出滅道。果雖無量，不出菩提涅槃之德。問曰：因行運人至果，可名為乘。果德窮滿，更無進趣，云何名乘？釋有三義：一乘因至果，果仍因名，故說為乘。二者至果雖無去處，非是果德不能運去，如劫盡火更無所燒，非火不能。此亦如是，以其能運，故說為乘。三至果中，自行雖竟化他未息，乘大涅槃周旋齊度一切眾生，故得名乘。乘體隨別，難以具論，略舉斯五，行無不攝。一乘如是。

Next is distinguishing the essence of the vehicle. In this there are briefly five sections of differentiation: First, differentiation by vehicle and Dharma. The vehicle is of two kinds: first, the vehicle-Dharma; second, the vehicle-practice. The Dharma is of three kinds: first, the teaching-Dharma, namely the three baskets and twelve divisions of scriptures; second, the principle-Dharma, namely the Buddha-nature, within which one distinguishes the two truths and the one reality—the Dharma realm of dependent origination is its principle; third, the practice-Dharma, the rites of the six pāramitās and so forth. As for the vehicle-practice, in summary there are only three kinds: first, hearing; second, reflection; third, cultivation in practice. Relying on the teaching, hearing is produced; relying on the principle, reflection is accomplished; relying on the practice-Dharma, cultivation in practice is gathered and aroused. Question: The sūtras speak of hearing, reflection, cultivation, and realization; why in this practice is realization not mentioned? [Answer:] Because it is subsumed into cultivation. Second, differentiation by practice and elimination. Although the virtues of practice are numerous, they do not exceed three kinds: first, wisdom; second, merit; third, retribution. Prajñā is wisdom; the [other] five pāramitās are merit. Furthermore, prajñā is exclusively wisdom; giving, morality, and forbearance are exclusively merit. Vigour and dhyāna are both merit and wisdom. The eight kinds, such as lifespan, are its retribution. Among these three kinds, merit arises relying on wisdom, and retribution arises relying on merit. Thus the Bodhisattvabhūmi says: "Retribution, the cause of retribution, and the fruit of retribution all arise relying on merit, and merit arises relying on wisdom. When these three reach the fruit, they are transformed and called prajñā, liberation, and the dharmakāya. Wisdom is prajñā, merit is liberation, and retribution is the dharmakāya." Such are the virtues of practice. As for the virtues of elimination, in summary there are only three kinds: first, the elimination of afflictions, where the knots of the five dwellings are destroyed—this is what was severed and extinguished by the aforementioned wisdom; second, the elimination of karma, where both kinds of causes, fractional and transformational, are destroyed—this is what was distanced by the aforementioned merit; third, the elimination of suffering, where both kinds of retribution, fractional and transformational, are exhausted—this is what was escaped by the aforementioned pure retribution. Among these three kinds, because afflictions are eliminated, karma is not produced; because karma is not produced, the retribution of suffering does not arise; because suffering does not arise, one attains great nirvāṇa. These practices and eliminations constitute the essence of the one vehicle. Third, differentiation by the two practices of benefiting oneself and benefiting others. Self-benefiting practice has two aspects: first, revulsion toward the conditioned, arousing the practice of parting from faults; second, seeking the Buddha's wisdom, arousing the practice of gathering wholesome qualities. Benefiting others also has two aspects: first, the skillful means of great compassion, pulling [them] out of suffering; second, the skillful means of great loving-kindness, transforming [them] to attain joy. These two practices constitute the essence of the one vehicle. The vehicle of self-benefiting practice ceases upon reaching the fruit; the vehicle of transforming others is ultimately inexhaustible, because the sentient beings to be transformed cannot be exhausted. Fourth, differentiation by realization and teaching. The beginningless dharmatā revealing itself to accomplish present virtue is called practice of realization. Cultivating and arousing the virtues of skillful means relying on the teaching is called practice of the teaching. These two practices encompass the beginning and the end. Fifth, differentiation by cause and fruit. Although causes are numerous, they do not exceed cessation and the path. Although fruits are immeasurable, they do not exceed the virtues of bodhi and nirvāṇa. Question: Causal practice conveys a person to the fruit, so it can be called a vehicle; but the fruit-virtue is ultimate and complete, with no further advancement, so how can it be called a vehicle? Explanation: There are three meanings: first, having conveyed [one] from cause to fruit, the fruit retains the name of the cause, and hence is called a vehicle; second, although upon reaching the fruit there is nowhere [further] to go, it is not that the fruit-virtue cannot convey [one]—just as the fire at the end of the kalpa has nothing more to burn, yet it is not that the fire is incapable; this is also like that: because it is capable of conveying, it is called a vehicle; third, upon reaching the fruit, although self-benefiting practice is complete, transforming others does not cease, and conveying through great nirvāṇa, it circulates and equally crosses over all sentient beings, hence it attains the name of vehicle. Although the essence of the vehicle varies according to distinctions and is difficult to discuss exhaustively, these five are briefly cited, and no practice fails to be subsumed. Such is the one vehicle.