大乘法苑義林章 2.44

2.44

The first gate has two [parts]: first, clarifying the names; second, determining the essences. Within the names there are two: first, listing them; next, explaining them. Within listing them there are again two: first, general; next, specific. As for listing the general names: in the Śrīmālā-sūtra only one truth is established, because what is ultimate and real cannot be destroyed. In the Benevolent King Sūtra two truths are stated generally, because persons and phenomena each have distinct superior and inferior [aspects]. In the Nirvāṇa-sūtra, each of the two truths has both an ultimate and a conventional truth, because each possesses middle and superior cognition. In the Xianyang and Madhyāntavibhāga each of the two truths has three [levels], because nominal, active, and manifested [truths] have differences. In the Yogācāra[-bhūmi] and Vijñaptimātratā[-siddhi], each has four, which will be extensively distinguished below. Among these general names: the first is the conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya), also called the truth of concealment and manifestation; the second is the ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya), formerly called the supreme truth, also called the real truth. As for listing the specific names: now clarifying that the two truths differ in essence between existence and non-existence, differ in meaning between phenomena and principle, are not the same in shallowness and depth, and are distinct in expression and purport, therefore regarding the two truths there are four levels each. They are also called: the two truths of name and fact, the two truths of phenomena and principle, the two truths of shallowness and depth, and the two truths of expression and purport. The four names of the conventional truth are: first, worldly conventional truth, also called the truth of having name but lacking reality; second, rational conventional truth, also called the truth of distinct individual phenomena; third, realized conventional truth, also called the truth of established expedient means; fourth, ultimate conventional truth, also called the truth of nominal non-establishment. The Xianyang lun says: 'The four kinds of conventional truth are all established. The first three are self-evident. Why is the fourth also called established? The nature of the ultimate truth is internally realized by oneself; in order to adapt to it and induce that cognition, it is established in reliance on the conventional and named ultimate conventionality.' The characteristics of the first three can be deliberated upon; the fourth, the ultimate, is nominally designated. The four names of the ultimate truth are: first, worldly ultimate truth, also called the truth of manifested essence and function; second, rational ultimate truth, also called the truth of distinct cause and effect; third, realized ultimate truth, also called the truth of revealing reality through access-doors; fourth, ultimate ultimate truth, also called the truth of discarding expression to discuss the purport. The former three are called established ultimate [truth]; the fourth alone is non-established ultimate [truth]. Next, explaining the names: first, explaining the general names; next, explaining the specific names. In explaining the general names, Dharmapāla explains: '"Worldly" (saṃ-) means concealing, in the sense of being destructible. "Conventional" (-vṛti) means manifested, in the sense of conforming to worldly currents. Reasonably, this truth should be named the truth of concealment and manifestation: concealing the principle of emptiness, characteristics of existence are manifested. Just as knotting a cloth into a rabbit or the like conceals the original cloth while the appearance of a rabbit manifests, this is also like that.' Now following the ancient terminology, it is called conventional truth; in Sanskrit, saṃvṛti, so according to its meaning it is explained as the truth of concealment and manifestation. Furthermore, its nature lapsing into arising and ceasing is termed 'worldly'; its essential characteristic being manifested is designated 'conventional'. The worldly is itself the conventional, termed 'worldly-conventional' (saṃvṛti), which is a karmadhāraya compound. Or it is the conventional of the world, and this meaning also does not conflict. 'Truth' (satya) means real: existent as it truly exists, non-existent as it truly is non-existent; being unerring in existence and non-existence is termed 'truth'. The conventional is itself truth: a karmadhāraya compound. The truth of the conventional: a tatpuruṣa compound. 'Paramārtha' (ultimate): parama means supreme; artha (object/meaning) has two kinds: first, objective realm as artha; second, principle as artha. As for the fourth ultimate, various treatises mostly state that the supreme is itself the artha, naming it as a karmadhāraya compound. Or, all four ultimates are the artha of the supreme, a tatpuruṣa compound. Treatises say that the other-dependent and consummate natures are, according to how they correspond, the objects of the two cognitions—fundamental and subsequent. Therefore, various teachings mostly take the essence of tathatā to be supreme, deriving the name as a karmadhāraya compound, though in reality it also admits of tatpuruṣa. Its undefiled true cognition, whichever truth it pertains to, also takes supreme as its meaning, and because it takes tathatā as its object, it also admits of a bahuvrīhi compound. The fourth ultimate is mostly named artha in reliance upon principle, because discarding expression to discuss the purport is not an objective realm. In the former three ultimates, artha is named from the objective realm. 'Truth' (satya) means real: phenomena as they truly are phenomena, principle as it truly is principle; that phenomena and principle are not mistaken is termed 'truth'. The ultimate is itself truth; the truth of the ultimate. The two explanations are as before; although there is no scriptural statement, both kinds may also be named 'noble truths'. Like the four noble truths, nobles can know that existence and non-existence, phenomena and principle, are all unerring, and designate them 'truth'. Next, explaining the specific names. Worldly conventionality: concealing the true principle, existing according to the worldly mind, and falling into the false and deceptive, it is named 'worldly'. Common people all declare it exists; provisionally stated in reliance on feelings and names, it is named 'conventional'. Rational conventionality: in accordance with those various meanings, establishing phenomena such as aggregates, it is named 'rational'. Phenomenal characteristics manifest, their distinctions easily known, so it is named 'conventional'. Realized conventionality: designating the differences between defiled and pure causes and effects to cause beings to enter into them, it is named 'realized'. Having characteristics that can be known, it is named 'conventional'. Ultimate conventionality: wondrously surpassing all phenomena, known by nobles, it is named 'ultimate'. Established through nominal characteristics, not in its essence transcendent of words, it is named 'conventional'. Here, worldly is conventional truth, up to ultimate is conventional truth—all are karmadhāraya compounds. Worldly ultimate: phenomenal characteristics being coarse and evident, still destructible, it is named 'worldly'. Also being known by nobles and surpassing the first conventional, it is named 'ultimate'. Rational ultimate: knowing the differences between causes and effects of abandonment, realization, and cultivation, it is named 'rational'. Being the sphere of undefiled cognition and surpassing the former two conventionals, it is named 'ultimate'. Realized ultimate: noble cognition, relying on expression, reveals the principle through the gate of emptiness; this is named 'realized'. Incomprehensible to ordinary fools, surpassing the former three conventionals, it is named 'ultimate'. Ultimate ultimate: its essence being wondrous and transcendent of words, soaring far beyond all phenomena, it is named 'ultimate'. Internally realized by noble cognition, surpassing the former four conventionals, it is again named 'ultimate'. Here, worldly is ultimate truth, up to ultimate is ultimate truth—all are karmadhāraya compounds. Or, taking them as tatpuruṣa—the truth of the ultimate—is without fault. Next, presenting the essences of the truths. As for the essence of the first conventional: the Xianyang lun says, 'It refers to established pots, armies, forests, and so forth, self, sentient beings, and so forth, either lacking real essence or whose essence is really non-existent, being mere names for sentient beings completely devoid of essential nature. However, it applies to both useful and useless phenomena: pots and the like have use, self and the like have no use.' The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], fascicle thirteen, says: 'Having name but lacking reality, such as self, sentient beings, up to a whirl of fire and five kinds of worldly phenomena such as names and phrases, these are called worldly truth. Sentient beings and the like have no use; the fire-wheel and the like have no real essence.' As for the essence of the second conventional: the Yogācārabhūmi says, 'It refers to established aggregates, sense bases, elements, and so forth.' The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] also says: 'The various aggregates, elements, and sense bases are called worldly truth.' These are the phenomenal essences of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena, possessing distinct essence and function, different from the first conventional. As for the essence of the third conventional: the Xianyang lun says, 'It refers to established stream-enterer fruits and so forth, and their supporting bases.' That is, the noble fruits, the principle of the four truths, and so forth. The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] also says: 'Possessing the characteristics of the eight sufferings is called worldly truth.' As for the essence of the fourth conventional: the Yogācārabhūmi says, 'It is the established nature of the ultimate truth.' The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says: 'Burning, cutting, dying, or destruction is called worldly truth. Because it can be burned and cut, it lacks characteristics of a permanent, unitary self, phenomena, and so forth.' That is, the two kinds of selflessness are called conventional. The essence of the first conventional is established nominally; the essences of the latter three conventionals are established with characteristics. As for the essence of the first ultimate: the Cheng weishi [lun] says, 'It refers to the facts of aggregates, sense bases, and so forth.' The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] also says: 'Having name and having reality is called the ultimate; aggregates, sense bases, elements, and so forth are also the ultimate.' As for the essence of the second ultimate: the Cheng weishi [lun] says, 'It refers to the phenomenal essences of cause and effect such as the four truths.' The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] also says: 'Suffering, origination, cessation, and path are called the ultimate truth.' As for the essence of the third ultimate: the Cheng weishi [lun] says, 'Relying on the gate of expression to reveal the tathatā of the two emptynesses.' The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] also says: 'Lacking the characteristics of the eight sufferings is called the ultimate.' Universally contemplating all phenomena as the two kinds of selflessness, so being without suffering and the like is called ultimate. As for the essence of the fourth ultimate: the Yogācārabhūmi says, 'It refers to the unestablished single true dharmadhātu.' The Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] also says: 'The real essence is just the Tathāgata's space-like Buddha-nature.' It also says: 'Lacking burning, cutting, and the like is called the ultimate, because it does not rely on selflessness to reveal the real.' Because the former three ultimates have characteristics, they are established; the fourth ultimate is without characteristics and is non-established. The first conventional truth has no object outside the mind; relying on mental conception it establishes names, and is termed conventional. The second conventional truth consists of phenomena transformed by the mind; the latter two conventional truths are principles transformed by the mind. The established distinctions are just the former three reals; the fourth real is only realized by internal cognition and is not a principle transformed by the mind; according to how they correspond, they are just the three natures. The above is the first [part], clarifying the names and determining the essences.