大乘法苑義林章 6.16

6.16

次依體性，有六問答。一問：僧是眾義，自三以上名僧，理體不殊，真如寧有僧義？答：覺依無慮，尚得稱以佛名；僧本非多，理亦得標僧稱。二問：三乘體別，後會歸於一乘；三寶相殊，終可成於一寶。答：運生有於初後，會二歸於一乘。可珍有於勝劣，究竟咸歸一寶。或寶可珍，有同別而無會；乘依運載，說三一而稱歸。齊與不齊，亦隨取捨。三問：以乘對寶皆許會歸，以寶對身亦應歸會，謂會應化歸法身故。答：執乘極而住果，令進習而明歸。無執身而不進，故於身而無會。若說勝劣，諸教明文。四問：既許三寶體有同別，應許三身亦有同體。答：寶隨機立，對樂執而稱同別；身利別根，無計情而但異。或事殊立別，理等明同。寶既一三，身亦三一。但以身殊難曉，諸教多陳；體等易知，聖無明說。五問：寶隨乘立既許一三，身對乘明亦應三一。答：乘體即寶故有一三，佛非二乘故無三一。六問：隨機現寶，寶有一三；隨乘現身，佛有三一。答：佛皆極果，非彼二乘。餘開劣勝，故有三一。或雖化身為二乘現，逗彼機器，亦分三身：五分法身名法身，王宮生身名報身，餘隨類身名化身。一乘三身已如前辨，故釋前難有齊不齊。

Next, on the basis of essential nature, there are six questions and answers. First question: "Saṅgha" has the meaning of a community; three or more [individuals] are called a saṅgha. The essence of principle is not distinct; how could tathatā have the meaning of a saṅgha? Answer: Awakening relies on non-deliberation, yet it can still be designated with the name of Buddha; the saṅgha is fundamentally not plural, and in principle it can also be marked with the designation of saṅgha. Second question: The three vehicles differ in essence, and later are converged into the one vehicle; the three Jewels differ in their characteristics, can they ultimately form a single Jewel? Answer: Transporting living beings has a beginning and an end, converging the two to return to the one vehicle. Being precious has superior and inferior, and ultimately all return to the single Jewel. Alternatively, the Jewels are precious, having identical and differentiated but no convergence; the vehicles rely on transport, speaking of three and one and being termed a returning convergence. Symmetrical or asymmetrical also follows one's choice. Third question: Matching the vehicles to the Jewels, a returning convergence is accepted in all cases; matching the Jewels to the bodies, there should also be a returning convergence, namely converging the response and transformation [bodies] to return to the Dharmakāya. Answer: Grasping a vehicle as ultimate, one abides in the fruit; to cause them to advance in practice, returning convergence is clarified. There is no one who grasps a body and does not advance; therefore regarding the bodies there is no convergence. If speaking of superior and inferior, all teachings have explicit texts. Fourth question: Since it is accepted that the Three Jewels have identical and differentiated essences, it should be accepted that the three bodies also have an identical essence. Answer: The Jewels are established according to faculties, called identical and differentiated in response to attachments to joy; the bodies benefit different faculties, and without grasping thoughts are merely different. Alternatively, differentiation is established through differences in phenomena, while identity is clarified through equality in principle. Since the Jewels are one and three, the bodies are also three and one. But because differences among the bodies are difficult to comprehend, the various teachings expound them extensively; equality of essence is easy to know, so the sage gave no explicit explanation. Fifth question: Since the Jewels are established according to the vehicles and are accepted as one and three, the bodies, being clarified in relation to the vehicles, should also be three and one. Answer: The essence of the vehicles is just the Jewels, therefore there are one and three; the Buddha is not the two vehicles, therefore there are not three and one. Sixth question: Manifesting the Jewels according to faculties, the Jewels have one and three; manifesting the bodies according to the vehicles, the Buddha has three and one. Answer: The Buddha is entirely the ultimate fruit, not those two vehicles. The rest open superior and inferior, hence there are three and one. Alternatively, although the transformation body is manifested for the two vehicles to accommodate their capacities, it is also divided into three bodies: the fivefold Dharmakāya is called the Dharmakāya, the body born in the royal palace is called the reward body, and other bodies conforming to different classes of beings are called transformation bodies. The three bodies of the one vehicle have already been distinguished as above; therefore, the resolutions of the previous objections have symmetry and asymmetry.