肇論 1.73

1.73

The Nameless said: Indeed, as for the ultimate way, in principle there is no difference. The Lotus Sūtra says: 'In the supreme Great Way there are not two correct paths; it is by expedient means for the slothful that I distinguish and speak of three within the One Vehicle Way.' The three carts leaving the burning house are precisely this matter. Because they jointly transcend birth and death, they are equally termed asaṃskṛta; because that which they ride is not one, there are three names. When their ultimate convergence is grasped, it is merely one. Yet you object, saying: 'The paths of the triyāna all have distinctions on account of the asaṃskṛta.' This is because human beings are threefold, being threefold in relation to the asaṃskṛta; it is not that the asaṃskṛta is threefold. Thus the Fangguang jing says: 'Are there distinctions in nirvāṇa? The answer is: There are no distinctions.' It is only that the Tathāgata has exhausted all habitual propensities, whereas the śrāvakas have not exhausted their habitual propensities. Let me use an immediate analogy to illustrate the profound meaning. As when a person chops wood: removing a foot, there is no foot; removing an inch, there is no inch. Long and short lie in the feet and inches, not in non-existence. Because sentient beings are of ten thousand sorts, their faculties of consciousness are not uniform; their mirror of wisdom has shallows and depths, and their virtuous conduct has thickness and thinness. For this reason, though they equally reach the other shore, their ascent and descent are not the same. Could the other shore be different? The difference is from oneself alone. Thus, though the various sūtras make distinct explanations, their import does not conflict.