三論玄義 1.19

1.19

次明別釋三論。問：既有四論，何故常稱三論耶？答：略有八義。一者一一論各具三義：一破邪、二顯正、三言教。以同具此三義，故合名三論。二者三論具合，方備三義。《中論》明所顯之理，《百論》破於邪執，《十二門》名為言教。以三義相成，故名為三論。三者《中論》為廣論，《百論》為次論，《十二門》為略論。三部具上中下三品，故名三論。四者一切經論凡有三種：一但偈論，即是《中論》；二但長行論，所謂《百論》；三亦長行亦偈論，即《十二門論》。以三部互相開避而共相成。五者此之三部同是大乘通論，故名三論。六者此三部同顯不二實相，故名三論。七者同是四依菩薩所造、八者同是像末所作，但欲綱維大法也。

Next is the section individually explaining the Three Treatises. Question: Since there are four treatises, why are they constantly called the "Three Treatises"? Answer: Briefly, there are eight reasons. First, each treatise individually possesses three meanings: 1. refuting the erroneous, 2. revealing the correct, and 3. verbal teaching. Because they identically possess these three meanings, they are jointly named the Three Treatises. Second, only when the three treatises are combined together do they complete the three meanings: the Madhyamakaśāstra clarifies the principle that is revealed; the Śataśāstra refutes erroneous attachments; and the Dvādaśamukhaśāstra is designated as the verbal teaching. Because the three meanings complement each other, they are called the Three Treatises. Third, the Madhyamakaśāstra is the extensive treatise, the Śataśāstra is the intermediate treatise, and the Dvādaśamukhaśāstra is the abridged treatise. The three texts comprise the three grades—superior, middling, and inferior—so they are called the Three Treatises. Fourth, all sūtras and treatises are of three kinds: 1. verse-only treatises, which is the Madhyamakaśāstra; 2. prose-only treatises, namely the Śataśāstra; and 3. treatises of both prose and verse, which is the Dvādaśamukhaśāstra. Through these three texts, they mutually open out and complement one another. Fifth, these three texts are all general treatises of the Mahāyāna, so they are called the Three Treatises. Sixth, these three texts all reveal the non-dual dharmatā, so they are called the Three Treatises. Seventh, they were all composed by bodhisattvas of the four reliances; eighth, they were all produced during the Semblance and Final ages solely to uphold and order the Great Dharma.