大乘法苑義林章 2.36

2.36

Sixth, distinguishing according to practice: there are three kinds of practice: (1) practice of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; (2) the six practices of suffering, coarseness, etc.; and (3) the sixteen aspects of the four truths. (1) Practice of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness: with regard to suppression, it extends to all. Xianyang shengjiao lun, fascicle two, states: 'If one merely speaks of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, it extends to both meditative absorption and distraction, sāsrava and anāsrava, and wisdom arisen from hearing, reflection, and cultivation. If one speaks of the samādhi of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, it is solely meditative absorption and not distraction, solely cultivation and not hearing, and reflection extends to sāsrava and anāsrava. If one speaks of the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, it is solely cultivation and anāsrava, subsumed solely under meditative absorption.' Therefore we know that all three gates can suppress afflictions. However, proper suppression of afflictions is only through the practice of emptiness. One enters the Mahāyāna stage relying on the two gates of emptiness, and enters the two-vehicle stage contemplating the principle of the four truths; hence, it extends to all three practices. This stage lies in the four wholesome preliminary practices. With regard to proper severing, various texts within the Mahāyāna speak differently. Some say: among the sixteen aspects, two aspects are emptiness; ten aspects are wishlessness, because they are conditioned; four aspects are signlessness, because they are unconditioned. Some say: emptiness is as before; six aspects are wishlessness, because they are sāsrava; eight aspects are signlessness, because they are anāsrava. Some say: emptiness is as before, six aspects are wishlessness, four aspects are signlessness, while the four of the path do not belong to the three gates: because they are not the truth of suffering, they are not emptiness; because they are not sāsrava, they are not wishlessness; because they are not unconditioned, they are not signlessness. Xianyang shengjiao lun, fascicle two, states: 'Emptiness has two, wishlessness has six, and signlessness has four, the same as above; the four of the path extend to all three, because the path is able to produce the three gates, and is subsumed according to the three gates.' Some say: the practice of emptiness extends to all sixteen; wishlessness and signlessness correspond to the above. Some say: emptiness does not take the truths as its object, because it contemplates what is falsely imputed; the other two contemplate the four truths accordingly, because the substance of the two natures is not fixed. Some say: all three gates extend to the sixteen. In the contemplation of correct knowledge, it is conceptually divided into three gates and conceptually divided into sixteen. Therefore the Yogācārabhūmi states regarding the five dharmas: 'If spoken of in terms of liberation gates, they are subsumed under supra-mundane correct knowledge.' Furthermore, Cheng weishi lun, fascicle eight, states: 'The three gates and three natures, in reality, extend to all; that is, upon the true reality, all three gates are fully raised.' Therefore we know that all three gates extend to the sixteen, because they are conceptually divided in true contemplation. If taken by specific practice, for the most part afflictions are severed only through the gate of emptiness, because of the emptiness of both persons and phenomena. This is emptiness that universally observes, not the specific aspect of emptiness, because the specific aspect of emptiness belongs only to the truth of suffering. The meaning of the three gates is as explained elsewhere; they are subsumed under fundamental and subsequently attained [knowledge] as appropriate. The principle of severing and suppressing does not obstruct either. (2) The six practices of suffering, etc.: these six practices are solely the stage of sāsrava expedient means. Contemplating the lower as suffering, coarse, and obstructive, any one of them serves as the uninterrupted path; contemplating the higher as calm, sublime, and detached, any one of them serves as the path of liberation. They only suppress afflictions and cannot sever them. That they extend to both ordinary beings and nobles applies to the two vehicles, not bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas of the ten grounds do not desire the higher and despise the lower, because of taking rebirth. The 'Stage of the Fundamentals' states: 'First-aeon bodhisattvas in the initial stage of equipment also employ the six practices; however, since those of long cultivation do not sever kleśas and yet are born in the higher realms, it is preferable not to employ them.' However, when Yogācārabhūmi, fascicle sixty-nine, states that nobles do not employ the six practices, it is stated according to the majority; in reality, they are also employed. (3) The sixteen aspects: these also only suppress and do not sever. When entering true contemplation, they are not the sixteen aspects, because this is the path of seeing aspects. Because one cultivates expedient means in the preliminary path, it is not direct true contemplation. Bodhisattvas cultivate them concurrently, while the two vehicles employ them as primary; being exclusively anāsrava, they are not attained by ordinary beings. However, the Foxing lun states: 'For śrāvakas of sharp faculties, the first non-self aspect of the dharma-patience of suffering universally severs the eighty-eight fetters under the four true truths of the three realms. Śrāvakas of dull faculties possess the sixteen aspects and separately sever the eighty-eight fetters under the four true truths of the three realms.' This merely distinguishes the higher and lower, sharp and dull, to make a distinction; this is not something admissible in the Mahāyāna, so there is no need to reconcile them. The Vātsīputrīya school states that there are thirteen minds, with three for the truth of suffering: (1) dharma-patience of suffering, contemplating suffering in the desire realm; (2) dharma-view of suffering, re-contemplating the suffering of desire to examine whether it is exhausted or not exhausted; (3) subsequent knowledge of suffering, jointly contemplating the upper two [realms], which does not require re-contemplation because there is no subsequent suffering. Each of the four truths has three, thus making twelve. The first twelve minds are called proceeding toward [the fruits], and the thirteenth mind is called abiding in the fruit. This is not the doctrine of our school, so there is no need to analyze it.