三論玄義 1.20

1.20

次論三論通別門。以《智度論》對三論，則《智度論》為別論，三論為通論。就三論中自有三別，即為三例：《百論》為通論之廣，《中論》為通論之次，《十二門》為通論之略。所以然者，《百論》通破障世出世一切邪、通申世出世一切正，故名通論之廣。《中論》但破大小二迷、通申大小兩教，不破世間迷、申世間教，故為通論之次。《十二門》但破執大之迷、申大乘之教，為通論之略。問：何故爾耶？答：外道邪興，遍障世出世大小一切教，故提婆遍破眾邪、備申眾教。是以論明，始自三歸、終竟二諦，無教不申、無邪不破。《中論》為對大小學人封執二教，故但破二迷、但申二教，是以論文有大小二章之說。《十二門論》辨觀行之精要，明方等之宗本，故正破大迷、獨申大教，是以論文命宗，但說略解摩訶衍義。問：《十二門》亦備破小乘外道，云何言但破大迷、但申大教也？答：雖備破眾病，而正意為申大乘，故論文前明略解大乘，而後則言「末世眾生薄福鈍根，雖尋經文不能通了」，即知尋大乘失旨。但小乘外道障彼大乘，故須破之耳。又欲令小乘外道同入大乘，故須破之。問：《百論》申大小兩教，與《中論》何異？答：《百論》總申大小，然《中論》別申二教。又《百論》從淺至深，《中論》從深至淺。問：何故爾耶？答：《百論》為迴邪入正、始行之人，故始自三歸終入方等，故從淺至深。《中論》示諸佛本末之義，大乘為本、小乘為末，故從深至淺也。

Next is the section discussing the general and specific among the Three Treatises. When contrasting the Da zhidu lun with the Three Treatises, the Da zhidu lun is the specific treatise, and the Three Treatises are the general treatises. Within the Three Treatises themselves there are three distinctions, which make three cases: the Śataśāstra is the extensive among the general treatises, the Madhyamakaśāstra is the intermediate among the general treatises, and the Dvādaśamukhaśāstra is the abridged among the general treatises. The reason for this is that the Śataśāstra generally refutes all errors that obstruct mundane and supramundane [realities], and generally expounds all correctness, mundane and supramundane, so it is called the extensive of the general treatises. The Madhyamakaśāstra only refutes the two confusions of the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna and generally expounds the two teachings of the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, without refuting mundane confusions or expounding mundane teachings, so it is the intermediate of the general treatises. The Dvādaśamukhaśāstra only refutes the confusion of attachment to the Mahāyāna and expounds the teachings of the Mahāyāna, being the abridged of the general treatises. Question: Why is it so? Answer: Because tīrthikas' errors arose and comprehensively obstructed all teachings, mundane and supramundane, Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, Āryadeva comprehensively refuted all errors and completely expounded all teachings. Therefore, the treatise clarifies [the Dharma] beginning from the three refuges and culminating in the two truths; there is no teaching it does not expound, and no error it does not refute. The Madhyamakaśāstra, addressing practitioners of the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna who were rigidly attached to the two teachings, only refutes the two confusions and only expounds the two teachings; therefore the treatise text has expositions of the two sections, the Mahāyāna and the Hīnayāna. The Dvādaśamukhaśāstra explains the essential points of the practice of contemplation and clarifies the central basis of the vaipulya [sūtras]; therefore it primarily refutes the great confusion and exclusively expounds the Great Teaching. For this reason, in stating its main principle, the text of the treatise simply speaks of "briefly explaining the meaning of the Mahāyāna." Question: The Dvādaśamukhaśāstra also fully refutes the Hīnayāna and tīrthikas; why do you say that it only refutes the great confusion and only expounds the Great Teaching? Answer: Although it fully refutes all sicknesses, its primary purpose is to expound the Mahāyāna. Thus the text of the treatise first states that it briefly explains the Mahāyāna, and then says: "Sentient beings of the latter age have meager merit and dull faculties; though they examine the texts of the sūtras, they cannot penetrate and comprehend them." Thus we know they examine the Mahāyāna but miss its intent. It is only because the Hīnayāna and tīrthikas obstruct that Mahāyāna that it is necessary to refute them. Furthermore, it is because it wishes to cause the Hīnayāna and tīrthikas to enter the Mahāyāna together that it is necessary to refute them. Question: How does the Śataśāstra's expounding of both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna teachings differ from that of the Madhyamakaśāstra? Answer: The Śataśāstra expounds the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna collectively, whereas the Madhyamakaśāstra expounds the two teachings separately. Furthermore, the Śataśāstra goes from shallow to deep, whereas the Madhyamakaśāstra goes from deep to shallow. Question: Why is it so? Answer: The Śataśāstra was for beginners who were turning back from the erroneous to enter the correct; therefore it begins with the three refuges and ends by entering the vaipulya, thus proceeding from shallow to deep. The Madhyamakaśāstra reveals the fundamental and derivative meanings of the Buddhas, with the Mahāyāna as the root and the Hīnayāna as the branch, thus proceeding from deep to shallow.