大乘法苑義林章 2.10

2.10

In explaining the specific names: first, within the two piṭakas, the first is the Bodhisattva-piṭaka and the second is the Śrāvaka-piṭaka. Regarding the term 'bodhisattva', in Sanskrit it should be *bodhisattva*; this [Chinese term] is abbreviated, hence it is simply called *pusa*. As Asvabhāva's commentary explains: 'Because *bodhisattva* takes [bodhi and sattva] as intentional objects (ālambana), one is called a bodhisattva; the designation *bodhisattva* is established on the basis of words of great aspiration.' The meaning intended here is that practitioners produce great vows, seeking great bodhi and delivering sentient beings (sattva). Establishing the name bodhisattva based on these two kinds of intentional objects is a bahuvrīhi compound, because one is called a bodhisattva by taking those two as intentional objects. Alternatively, it is a dvandva compound: both *bodhi* and *sattva*, because wisdom and compassion are distinct. Furthermore, he states: 'Or it means that that very mind, seeking bodhi, possesses resolution and capability; hence it is called a bodhisattva.' This means that bodhi is the fruit sought. *Sattva* means courageous and strong: because the practitioner's mind seeks unexcelled, complete enlightenment, it has great aspiration and capability; possessing these superior virtues, one is called a bodhisattva. This is a tatpuruṣa compound, because it is the sattva of seeking great bodhi. Or *sattva* means a sentient being—the sentient being that seeks great bodhi; its tatpuruṣa classification is as before. Although the text in the commentary on the *Yogācārabhūmi* differs slightly, its meaning is also identical to this. The *Eleven-Faced [Avalokiteśvara] Sūtra* states: 'Bodhi is prajñā; sattva means skillful means (upāya). These two dharmas benefit and bring peace and happiness to all sentient beings.' The sattva of bodhi is likewise a tatpuruṣa compound.

Regarding the term 'śrāvaka': 'voice' (śrava/śabda) means sound, that is, all the sounds of the Buddha preaching the Dharma; 'hearing' (śravaṇa) means listening to it. If practitioners hear the Buddha preach the Dharma, faithfully accept it, strive vigorously, and escape the three realms, they are called śrāvakas ('voice-hearers'). Therefore, the beginning of the second fascicle of the *Lotus Sūtra* states: 'If there are sentient beings who inwardly possess the nature of wisdom, hear the Dharma from the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, faithfully accept it, are diligent and vigorous, wishing swiftly to escape the three realms and seek nirvāṇa for themselves, this is called the Śrāvaka Vehicle.' This is based on the stage of newly entering the Śrāvaka Vehicle, because one mostly enters the path by relying on the teaching; later, when realizing the fruit, one does not necessarily have to rely entirely on the voice. The commentary on the *Yogācārabhūmi* states: 'In the sacred teachings of the Buddhas, voice is foremost. Hearing the voice of this teaching from teachers and friends, one cultivates and realizes step by step, forever escaping the mundane world; hence one is called a śrāvaka.' Taking voice as what is heard is also a bahuvrīhi compound. Furthermore, this explanation merely relies on abiding in one's own vehicle, establishing the name solely upon practices for one's own benefit. If [applied to those of] indeterminate nature, this principle is not so. Thus the end of the second fascicle of the *Lotus Sūtra* states: 'By causing all to hear the voice of the Buddha's path, they are called śrāvakas.' That is, based on turning one's mind toward abiding in the altruistic practices of the Buddha Vehicle, it is said that they cause others to hear through the voice, and are therefore called śrāvakas—which is a bahuvrīhi compound. If it means 'the hearing of the voice' and is therefore called śrāvaka, that is a tatpuruṣa compound. Since the pratyekabuddha, at the stage of newly entering their own vehicle, also mostly relies on the Buddha's voice, and also because the teaching is small, [both] are named after the majority as a piṭaka. Furthermore, because what they cultivate and realize and what they abandon are not extensive, they are collectively named śrāvakas. Adapting appropriately to these two capacities, all the dharmas and meanings known by these two are subsumed herein; thus they are named the piṭakas of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas. Both of these two piṭakas are tatpuruṣa compounds.

Among the specific names of the three piṭakas, regarding the three piṭakas first taught in the *Lalitavistara*, two names are as explained above. Regarding the Pratyekabuddha-piṭaka, the *Lotus Sūtra* states: 'If there are sentient beings who hear the Dharma from the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, faithfully accept it, are diligent and vigorous in seeking natural wisdom, delight in solitary tranquility, and deeply understand the causes and conditions of all phenomena, this is called the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle.' The *Yogācārabhūmi* states: 'Always delighting in quietude and not wishing to live among others, having perfected preparatory practice, without the instruction of teachers or friends, naturally and independently awakening, and forever escaping the mundane world, one is therefore called a pratyekabuddha.' The awakening of one who realizes alone is called a pratyekabuddha (solitary awakened one); this is a tatpuruṣa compound. Alternatively, awakening to the noble fruit by observing conditions, one is also called condition-awakened (pratyayabuddha). Awakening in dependence on conditions is also a tatpuruṣa compound. The piṭaka of the solitary awakened one is a tatpuruṣa compound.

Regarding the three piṭakas such as the sūtras as previously mentioned: the *Tattvasiddhi-śāstra* states: 'Sūtras are direct speech.' The *Miśrakābhidharma-hṛdaya-śāstra* states: 'A sūtra has five meanings: producing, gushing spring, displaying, plumb line, and garland.' Now, according to the Mahāyāna explanation, in Sanskrit it is *sūtra*, which is translated here as *qijing* (tallying scriptures). Thus fascicle twenty-five of the *Yogācārabhūmi* and fascicle six of the *Xianyang shengjiao lun* state: 'What is a sūtra? It briefly subsumes all tallying scriptures by means of twenty-four matters.' *Qi* (tallying) has the meaning of tallying with, reaching, and uniting. Regarding the term *jing* (scripture), Vasubandhu's treatise explains: 'It is called a sūtra because it threads through basis, characteristic, phenomenon, and meaning. That is, where, from what, and for what purpose something was spoken is called the basis. The characteristics of the ultimate and conventional truths are called characteristics. The ten skillful dharmas and so forth are called phenomena. Meaning refers to explaining all dharmas in accordance with hidden intention, etc.; this is called meaning.' It explains *sūtra* by means of these four meanings. Fascicle twenty-five of the *Yogācārabhūmi* and fascicle twenty of the *Xianyang shengjiao lun* say: 'It refers to the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, preaching immeasurable discourses associated with the aggregates in that place, for those sentient beings, and relying on the differences of activities of those to be transformed', and so on at length. Those who recited the Dharma gathered the sacred words so that the Dharma would endure long, and by means of exquisite words sequentially compiled them, threading and stitching together true, excellent, and wondrous meanings capable of leading to benefit and capable of practicing the noble life; this is called a tallying scripture. Although *sūtra* has been explained above through the meaning of threading through—threading meaning by means of teaching, and gathering sentient beings by means of teaching, it is called a scripture (*jing*), just as a thread threads through flowers, or as the warp (*jing*) holds the weft. In the Western Regions, drawing ropes, sewing threads, mats, warp, and sacred teachings are all called *sūtra*. Sentient beings are gathered by the teaching and do not disperse into evil destinies; principles and meanings are threaded by the teaching and are not scattered, lost, or obscured. Therefore, the sacred teachings are called *qijing*. The *Dharmaguptaka-vinaya* states: 'Just as various flowers scattered upon a table are blown and fall away by the wind because there is no thread to string them together. Prior to the twelfth year, the capacities of those who could receive the abbreviated teaching were like the table. The various divergent views of monastics and laypeople cause the correct Dharma to perish as swiftly as the wind. All meanings of the scriptures are called flowers. If there are scriptural teachings threading through the correct principles, people will have no divergent views, and the Dharma will not perish.' Therefore, the first fascicle of the *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* states: 'Because it can thread through and can gather, it is called a scripture. Because the Buddha's sacred teaching threads through and holds together the meanings to be spoken and the beings to be transformed, it is designated a scripture.' A scripture that tallies with principle is called a tallying scripture (*qijing*), which is a tatpuruṣa compound. If it is merely called scripture (*jing*), it is not this compound. However, the substance of the sūtra is itself the piṭaka. Calling it the Sūtra-piṭaka is a karmadhāraya compound, because both scripture and piṭaka pertain to the teaching.

*Vinaya* is translated here as 'taming and subduing' (tiaofu). Fascicle eighty-five states: 'Regarding the realms constituted by the four kinds of sentient beings through repeatedly habituating false views of liberation, the Buddha, by means of the power of knowledge of various inclinations and the power of knowledge of realms, investigates their previous inclinations and their subsequent realms, in order to tame and subdue them appropriately. Because it mostly sets in motion four kinds of Dharma teachings, it is called Vinaya; therefore, Vinaya is called taming and subduing.' Vasubandhu explains: 'Because of committing offenses, because of arising, because of purification, and because of egress, it is called Vinaya.' This is explained at length in the first fascicle of the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*. 'Taming' means harmonizing and regulating; 'subduing' means restraining and eliminating, because it harmonizes and regulates bodily and verbal actions, and restrains and eliminates all evil deeds. Being both taming and subduing, it is a karmadhāraya compound. This is the name of practice. The piṭaka of taming and subduing is called the Vinaya-piṭaka. Because the piṭaka is the teaching, this is also a tatpuruṣa compound.

*Abhidharma*: *dharma* means phenomenon/law (fa); *abhi* has four meanings, translated here as 'facing the Dharma' (duifa), and also called 'enumerating the Dharma' (shufa), 'subduing by the Dharma' (fufa), and 'penetrating the Dharma' (tongfa). Vasubandhu explains: 'Regarding the meaning of facing (abhi), this dharma faces toward non-abiding nirvāṇa and can explain various wondrous practices such as the truths and the factors of bodhi.' If based on this explanation, that which can face is called 'facing', its substance being the teaching itself; because it can explain wondrous practices and faces toward nirvāṇa, facing is itself the dharma, and is called Abhidharma. Abhidharma is itself the piṭaka, named Abhidharma-piṭaka; both are karmadhāraya compounds. It is also called 'enumerating the Dharma' because it repeatedly expounds each and every dharma, glossing words, own-characteristics, and so forth. This takes principle as dharma and teaching as enumeration; being the enumeration of dharmas, it is called 'enumerating the Dharma', which is a tatpuruṣa compound. 'Enumerating the Dharma' is itself the piṭaka, named the Piṭaka of Enumerating the Dharma, which is a karmadhāraya compound. It is also called 'subduing by the Dharma' because, being fully equipped with the topics of debate and so forth, it can conquer and subdue others' heterodox debates. The substance of subduing is principle; the dharma that expounds subduing is called 'subduing by the Dharma', which is a tatpuruṣa compound. Alternatively, the teaching of the Dharma is itself subduing, because this teaching of the Dharma is equipped with debate grounds and so forth and can conquer and subdue others' heterodox debates; this is a karmadhāraya compound. 'Subduing by the Dharma' is itself the piṭaka, which is also a karmadhāraya compound. It is also called 'penetrating the Dharma' because it can interpret and penetrate the meaning of the sūtras. The meaning of the sūtras is termed dharma; this [treatise] can penetrate that, so it is called 'penetrating the Dharma'. Being the penetration of dharma, it is a tatpuruṣa compound. 'Penetrating the Dharma' is itself the piṭaka, which is also a karmadhāraya compound. There are further distinct explanations, as found in the *Commentary on the Abhidharmasamuccaya*. The *Fenbie gongde jing* contains two explanations: first, it is called the 'peerless Dharma'; second, it is called the 'great Dharma'. In the accounts of the council, it is also called the 'great Dharma'. Asvabhāva explains: 'Because it is the cause of distinguishing dharmas, or because it is mutually understood.' The *Miśrakābhidharma-hṛdaya-śāstra* has two explanations. The first fascicle of the *Vibhāṣā* records twelve great masters giving twenty-four alternative explanations. The *Nyāyānusāra* states: 'Or the various sūtras are called dharma, and the treatises are capable of definitively discerning them, so they are called Abhidharma.' This matches teaching against teaching. The *Abhidharmakośa* has two explanations. Alternatively, teaching, principle, practice, and fruit are all named Abhidharma, and their names and meanings are explained accordingly, making a total of forty-one explanations, as in the commentary on the *Abhidharmasamuccaya*, which cannot be detailed here. This piṭaka is also called *upadeśa*, which is the ancient *youpotishe*, translated here as 'discussion/treatise' (lunyi). It is also called *mātṛkā*, which is the formerly called *modeleguojang*, translated here as 'matrix/source-mother' (benmu). Fascicle eighty-one and others state: 'This very upadeśa is also called mātṛkā, and is also called Abhidharma.' Fascicle eighty-five states: 'In order to definitively discern the sūtras of former sages spoken, declared, and praised by the Tathāgata. Just as without a matrix (mātṛkā), the meanings of characters are not clear; similarly, sūtras not subsumed by this matrix have hidden meanings that are not clear. Contrary to this, their meanings are clear; therefore it is called mātṛkā.' Here, *mātṛkā* pertains to meaning, while the piṭaka is the teaching. The piṭaka of the matrix is also a tatpuruṣa compound. If this doctrinal treatise serves as the mother of those meanings, it is called the matrix. The matrix is itself the piṭaka, which is a karmadhāraya compound. The names and meanings of the six piṭakas do not differ from the two and three, so they are not explained separately. What has been explained above merely follows one perspective; wise persons may accept or reject as they see fit. This concludes the fifth section, Explaining the Names and Meanings.