大乘玄論 3.19

3.19

次論四句。問：會三歸一、破三歸一、開三顯一、廢三立一，有何異耶？答：會三歸一者，乃會教、會行、會緣。言會教者，昔開三乘五乘之教，並為顯一道。所表之道既一，能表之教亦復言一，故一切教皆名大乘教也。會行者，「汝等所行是菩薩道」。如來昔說有三行者，為趣一道，故令修三行。所期之道無二，能趣之行豈三耶？所言會人者，如來出世，本為教菩薩，不教餘人。三所行既是菩薩道，能行之人皆成菩薩也，故文云「但為教菩薩，無聲聞弟子。」會教正是一時，會行及人遠令至佛也。問：會有幾種？答：自有融會稱會，自有會歸稱會，如向明也。融會稱會者，既會三歸一竟，緣即疑云：三若歸一，何故說三？是故釋言：昔以方便故說三，今以如實故說一。此是融會今昔三一之義，亦名會也。若是會歸之義，正就三行。融會之義，宜就教門。所以然者，若會三因同歸作佛，如是之義會行為正，不用教門，作佛故教非會歸也。問：有人言，此經未明佛性，但明緣因。復言，覆相明常。此義云何？答：乃是《成論》淺悟之徒，有如此失。值大寶而不取，遇深經而不求，豈異弱喪與窮子反走於舍宅？此經云「常在靈鷲山，常在此不滅。劫火燒盡時，我淨土不毀。」既言依正兩報常住；又《法華論》云釋〈壽量品〉文，有法身壽量、報佛壽量、化身壽量。豈非常耶？又處處明法性，法性是佛性之異名。身子言：「我等同入法性，云何如來以小乘法而見濟度？」又〈方便品〉初明佛知見即是佛性。乘有三種，理乘即是中道佛性，行乘即是緣因佛性，果乘即是果佛性。因因性、境界性屬正因，果果性屬果性，故不開五性也。

Next is discussing the four propositions. Question: What are the differences among converging the three to return to the one, refuting the three to return to the one, opening the three to reveal the one, and discarding the three to establish the one? Answer: Converging the three to return to the one converges the teaching, converges practice, and converges persons. Regarding converging the teaching: in the past he opened the teachings of the three vehicles and five vehicles, all to reveal the one path. The path that is expressed being one, the teaching that expresses it is also said to be one; hence all teachings are called the teaching of the Mahāyāna. Regarding converging practice: "What you are practicing is the bodhisattva path." When the Tathāgata in the past spoke of three practices, it was for the sake of heading toward the one path that he caused them to cultivate three practices. The anticipated path being non-dual, how could the practices heading toward it be threefold? Regarding converging persons: when the Tathāgata appeared in the world, it was fundamentally to teach bodhisattvas, not to teach other persons. Since what the three practice is the bodhisattva path, all persons who can practice become bodhisattvas; hence the text says, "Only for the sake of teaching bodhisattvas, without śrāvaka disciples." Converging teaching pertains precisely to a single time; converging practice and persons causes them ultimately to reach buddhahood. Question: How many kinds of convergence are there? Answer: There is convergence as blending-and-unifying, and there is convergence as returning-and-unifying, as explained above. Convergence as blending-and-unifying: after converging the three to return to the one, practitioners then doubt: "If the three return to the one, why preach three?" Therefore it is explained: "In the past, because of expedient means, he preached three; now, because of accord with reality, he preaches one." This is the meaning of blending and unifying the three and one of past and present; it is also called convergence. If it is the meaning of returning-and-unifying, it pertains precisely to the three practices. The meaning of blending-and-unifying is fittingly applied to the gate of teaching. Why is this? If converging the three causes to return together to becoming buddhas, such a meaning correctly converges practice and does not use the gate of teaching; because it is becoming buddhas, teaching is not returning-and-unifying. Question: Some say that this sūtra has not yet clarified buddha-nature, but only clarified the contributory cause (pratyaya-hetu). Furthermore, they say it clarifies eternity while concealing its marks. What about this doctrine? Answer: These are the shallow-awakening followers of the Tattvasiddhi who have such an error. Meeting a great treasure yet not taking it, encountering a profound sūtra yet not seeking it—how is this different from one lost in youth, or the poor son running away from the household? This sūtra says: "Constantly residing on the Vulture Peak, constantly here without perishing. When the kalpa fire burns everything completely, my pure land is not destroyed." Since it states that both the dependent and primary retributions are eternally abiding; and furthermore, the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa, in explaining the text of the "Fayuan Lifespan Chapter," has the lifespan of the dharmakāya, the lifespan of the saṃbhogakāya buddha, and the lifespan of the nirmāṇakāya—how could this not be eternal? Moreover, it clarifies the Dharma-nature everywhere; Dharma-nature is a different name for buddha-nature. Śāriputra said: "We entered equally into the Dharma-nature; why did the Tathāgata cross us over with the Hīnayāna Dharma?" Furthermore, the beginning of the "Expedient Means Chapter" clarifies that the Buddha's knowledge and vision is precisely buddha-nature. The vehicle has three kinds: the vehicle of principle is precisely the Middle Way buddha-nature; the vehicle of practice is precisely the contributory cause buddha-nature; the vehicle of fruition is precisely the fruit buddha-nature. The nature of the cause-of-the-cause and the objective-sphere nature belong to the direct cause; the nature of the fruit-of-the-fruit belongs to the nature of the fruit; hence the five natures are not opened.