大乘法苑義林章 2.22

2.22

Fifth, regarding establishment and omission: Why are only twelve branches of teaching established, neither more nor less? The *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* states: "Because they are what those capable of hearing the Dharma ought to hear, they are expounded generally across the three vehicles. Because the three turnings of the wheel of the Dharma have twelve aspects in total summary, the teachings capable of expressing them are classified into twelve types. Furthermore, because they shatter the twelve links [of dependent origination] and enter the twelve sense fields, the expounding of the Dharma is likewise divided into twelve." This is the general explanation of establishment and omission. As for the specific establishment and omission: in these sacred teachings, prose and verse are paired as complementary gates, whereby there are direct statements and non-direct statements. Reiterative verse and independent verse are paired as complementary gates, whereby there are *geya* and *gāthā*. Unsolicited and solicited are paired as complementary gates, whereby there are *udāna* and solicited teachings. *Nidāna* scriptures that have a specific petitioner are termed "expounded due to a request," which is indeed a questioning. Deeds of the Buddha and deeds of non-Buddhas are paired as complementary gates, recounting past lives through the expounding of *itivṛttaka* and *jātaka*. In this way, there should also be established gates pairing vyākaraṇa and non-vyākaraṇa, dharma and parable, broad and brief, unprecedented and not-unprecedented, and upadeśa and non-upadeśa. Furthermore, there should also be established a pairing of fundamental and subsequent: that is, for the expounded *itivṛttaka* and *jātaka*, there should also be counter-established subsequent events and subsequent rebirths. This should not be so. Just as among the ten powers there are established the cognitive powers regarding the possible and the impossible and the superior faculties and inferior faculties, but there is no counter-establishment of one's own karma and non-karma, nor is there established a cognitive power regarding the exhaustion and non-exhaustion of outflows; so too it is in the scriptures. For the time being, direct statements and non-direct statements and so forth are established, but there should not be established vyākaraṇa and non-vyākaraṇa, and so on, because they are what those with faith and joy ought to hear. Moreover, according to a distinct explanation: excellent events can be predicted, causing [beings] to turn away in aversion from evil and rejoice in the good; hence the *vyākaraṇa* scriptures are established. Those that cannot be predicted have little significance for aversion and rejoicing, so there is no "non-vyākaraṇa." Wise people gain understanding through parables, and citing parables establishes the Dharma with great doctrinal benefit; hence there are *avadāna* scriptures. Non-parable scriptures have no distinct superior function, but are merely established collectively as *sūtra* and so forth; hence there is no "non-parable." The theoretical understanding of scriptures from this down to *upadeśa* and non-*upadeśa* is also like this. Broad is superior to brief, what has occurred before is inferior to the unprecedented, and discussion is superior to non-discussion; since they are not equal, the brief and so forth are not established. This is because there are expansive teachings based on the śrāvakas. Since there are fundamental scriptures, as for establishing subsequent ones now: within the *vyākaraṇa* scriptures there are already the subsequent. Furthermore, the events of present dharmas can be seen, whereas the future resultant dharmas are subtle and difficult to know; hence they are not separately established with the names "subsequent events" and "subsequent rebirths." Present resultant dharmas are manifest, and one need only recount the causal events of their past lives to make the present results known, whereby the purpose of aversion and rejoicing is achieved; hence only *itivṛttaka* and *jātaka* are established, without separately establishing subsequent events and subsequent rebirths. Alternatively, *vyākaraṇa* scriptures are also named subsequent events and subsequent rebirths; thus there is no error in these scriptures.