大乘玄論 3.20

3.20

索車義，第二問：為是三人索三？為是二人索三耶？答：舊經師云，三人索三車也。何以知然？下文云「爾時諸子各白父言：『願賜我等三種寶車。』」故知三人索三。又所以索三者，實無三乘，但昔於一佛乘方便說三，以是方便行，所以索也。評曰：今以十義推之，不應有三人索也。一者本以三車譬於三果，故云「今此三車皆在門外。」二乘人出門外至許車處，覓果不得，可言索果；菩薩之人未至許處覓佛果不得，何有索佛果耶？答曰：原索意者，本為昔有今無，是故索耳。若今昔俱有者，必不索也。尋大小乘經始終，皆明佛乘是有，如初教明佛乘是有，至《法華》亦明佛乘是有，以始終明佛乘是有，故不索也。問：乘以何物障？答：《大論》既以六度為大乘體，六弊即是障也。若取乘出義，即著生死以為障。若取乘廣大義，即以狹劣為障。若以出世無所得六度故能動出，即以有所得六度為通障、六弊為別障。譬中云「三車在門外」者，此總相說耳。依昔義者，二車在三界正使門外，佛果在習氣無知門外。二乘人以正使限域為門，佛以無知習氣限域為門。昔說二乘人盡無生智在三界正使門外，今二乘人斷正使盡而不見車，是故索耳。昔說佛果在習氣無知門外，今菩薩斷正使盡，習氣無知即盡，即便成佛，亦無索也。問：何時索車耶？答：舊云，得羅漢已後、法華之前有索。又難：若未說法華已生疑者，身子得果竟，應言：我今自於智，疑惑不能了，為是究竟法，為是所行道？豈待法華方有此釋索？故今明待法華方索也。

Regarding the meaning of seeking the carts, the second question asks: Do three people seek three, or do two people seek three? Answer: Old scriptural masters said that three people seek three carts. How is this known? Below, the text states: "At that time, each of the sons addressed the father, saying, 'We pray you give us the three kinds of precious carts.'" Therefore, we know that three people sought three. Furthermore, as for why they sought three: fundamentally there are no three vehicles, but formerly, with regard to the one buddha vehicle, three were expounded as an expedient; because these were expedient practices, they sought them. Comment: Examining this now through ten points, there should not be three people seeking. First: originally, the three carts were an analogy for the three fruits, which is why it says, "Now these three carts are all outside the gate." When the people of the two vehicles went outside the gate to the place where the carts were promised and searched for the fruits without obtaining them, they could be said to seek the fruits; but the bodhisattva has not yet arrived at the promised place to search for the buddha fruit without obtaining it, so how could there be a seeking of the buddha fruit? Answer: Investigating the original intent of seeking, it was fundamentally because something existed previously but does not exist now—that is why they sought it. If it existed both now and previously, they would certainly not seek it. Examining the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna sūtras from beginning to end, they all clarify that the buddha vehicle exists; just as the initial teaching clarified that the buddha vehicle exists, arriving at the Lotus Sūtra it also clarifies that the buddha vehicle exists. Because from beginning to end it is clarified that the buddha vehicle exists, they do not seek it. Question: By what things is the vehicle obstructed? Answer: Since the Mahāvibhāṣā/Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa takes the six perfections as the substance of the Mahāyāna, the six defects are precisely the obstructions. If one takes the meaning of the vehicle departing, then clinging to saṃsāra is the obstruction. If one takes the meaning of the vehicle's vastness, then narrowness and inferiority are the obstructions. If by means of the supramundane six perfections of non-attainment one is able to move out, then the six perfections of attainment are the general obstruction, and the six defects are the specific obstructions. In the analogy, when it says "the three carts are outside the gate," this is only a general statement. According to the previous meaning, two carts are outside the gate of the principal afflictions of the triple realm, while the buddha fruit is outside the gate of residual impressions and ignorance. The people of the two vehicles take the demarcation of principal afflictions as the gate, while the Buddha takes the demarcation of residual impressions and ignorance as the gate. Formerly it was said that the people of the two vehicles have the gnosis of exhaustion and non-arising outside the gate of the principal afflictions of the triple realm; now the people of the two vehicles have completely severed the principal afflictions yet do not see the carts, and that is why they seek them. Formerly it was said that the buddha fruit is outside the gate of residual impressions and ignorance; now when bodhisattvas completely sever the principal afflictions, their residual impressions and ignorance are immediately exhausted and they immediately become buddhas, so there is also no seeking. Question: At what time are the carts sought? Answer: Ancient masters said that after attaining arhatship and before the Lotus Sūtra, there was seeking. Another objection: If doubt had already arisen before the Lotus Sūtra was spoken, Śāriputra, upon attaining the fruit, would have had to say: "Now concerning my own gnosis, I am confused and cannot understand: is this the ultimate Dharma, or the path to be practiced?" How could he wait until the Lotus Sūtra to have this explanation of seeking? Therefore, we now clarify that they sought only when awaiting the Lotus Sūtra.