大乘法苑義林章 2.46.1

2.46.1

The third gate is the gate of mutual subsumption and questions-and-answers, which has two parts: first, mutual subsumption among the various teachings; second, differentiation through questions and answers. Regarding mutual subsumption among the various teachings: in the thirteenth fascicle of the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, Bodhisattva Kāśyapa said to the Buddha: "Formerly, the Buddha was once on the bank of the Gaṅgā in the Śīsavā Grove. At that time, the Tathāgata picked up tree leaves and asked the monks how many they were, up to saying that the dharmas he had not yet spoken were like the leaves in the grove. Kāśyapa challenged him, saying: 'If the immeasurable dharmas understood by the Tathāgata enter into the four truths, then they have already been spoken; if they do not enter, there should be five truths.' The Buddha praised Kāśyapa: 'Such dharmas are all subsumed within the four noble truths.' Kāśyapa further said: 'If they are within the four truths, why did the Tathāgata proclaim that they have not been spoken?' The Buddha said: 'Good son! Although they enter into them, they are still not called spoken. Why is this? Good son! Knowing the noble truths involves two kinds of wisdom: the first is intermediate, and the second is superior. The intermediate is the wisdom of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; the superior is the wisdom of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Good son! Knowing that the aggregates are suffering is called intermediate wisdom. Discerning that the aggregates have immeasurable aspects that are all various sufferings, which is not what the two vehicles know, is called superior wisdom. In that sūtra I never spoke of this. The āyatanas, dhātus, and rūpa, vedanā, saṃjñā, saṃskāra, and vijñāna are the truth of suffering; and for origination, cessation, and the path as well, both intermediate wisdom and superior wisdom are spoken of. Good son! Knowing the worldly truth is called intermediate wisdom, because it knows the general aspect. Discerning that the worldly truth is immeasurable and boundless, which is not what the one vehicle knows, is called superior wisdom, because it knows the specific aspects. Knowing that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, and so forth, is the intermediate wisdom of paramārtha, because it generally knows the three Dharma seals. Knowing that paramārtha is immeasurable, boundless, and incalculable, which is not what the two vehicles know, is called superior wisdom.'" The ancient masters interpreted this as referring to the immeasurable and boundless myriad virtues, [numerous as] the sands of the Gaṅgā. The above passage of the sūtra is occasioned by Kāśyapa's question on the reason for the two truths, and in his reply the World-Honoured One reveals that each and every dharma has superior and intermediate wisdom in order to clarify the distinction between the two truths. A truth is what is real; ordinary persons do not understand it, and only the noble ones realize it. Ordinary persons' wisdom cognizes it as an object yet cannot realize it, and thus is called inferior wisdom. Because of contrast with that wisdom, it is merely said that the two truths are established based on the two wisdoms, intermediate and superior. Speaking according to reality, dharmas have superior and inferior [aspects], and wisdom has shallow and deep [levels]; yet only two truths are established. Here, by contrast with the stage of ordinary persons, wisdom is spoken of as intermediate and superior, while the realization of reality is only twofold. If spoken of in terms of general aspects, the two vehicles are inferior when contrasted with the superior, and thus are subsumed under the inferior and superior. According to the superiority or inferiority of their faculties and the power of their wisdom, as appropriate, the following sūtra passage will make this clear. Mañjuśrī said: "Is there a worldly truth within the paramārtha? Is there a paramārtha within the worldly truth? If there is, then it is a single truth. If there is not, would that not make the Buddha's words false?" "Good son! The worldly truth is none other than the paramārtha-satya." This clarifies the meaning of the non-separation of the two truths. "World-Honoured One! If that is so, then there are not two truths." The Buddha said: "Good son! There are skillful means that, in accord with sentient beings, speak of the existence of two truths. Good son! If according to linguistic expression, then there are two kinds: the first is worldly dharmas, and the second is transworldly dharmas. Good son! That which is known by transworldly persons is called paramārtha-satya. That which is known by worldly persons is called worldly truth." This clarifies that, based on persons, wisdom has shallow and deep [levels], revealing the distinction between the two truths. "Good son! When the five aggregates combine, they are called 'so-and-so'; ordinary sentient beings follow that designation—this is called the worldly truth. Understanding that within the aggregates there is no name of 'so-and-so', and that apart from the aggregates there is also no name of 'so-and-so', transworldly persons are able to know them according to their nature and characteristics—this is called paramārtha-satya. Furthermore, good son! There may be a dharma that has a name and has reality, or there may be a dharma that has a name but lacks reality. Good son! That which has a name but lacks reality is the worldly truth. That which has a name and has reality is paramārtha-satya. Good son! Such as the self, sentient being, lifespan, knower and seer, nourished one, puruṣa, experiencer, agent, mirage in the heat, city of gandharvas, tortoise hair, hare horns, circle of a whirling firebrand, the aggregates, dhātus, and āyatanas—these are called the worldly truth. Suffering, origination, cessation, and the path are called paramārtha-satya. Good son! Worldly dharmas are of five kinds: the first is the world of names; the second is the world of phrases; the third is the world of binding; the fourth is the world of conventions; and the fifth is the world of attachment. Good son! What is the world of names? Men, women, pots, clothes, carts, and houses—such things as these are called the world of names. What is the world of phrases? A four-line verse—such verses as these are called the world of phrases. What is the world of binding? Rolling together, tying, binding, and joining palms—these are called the world of binding. What is the world of conventions? Striking the bell to gather the Saṅgha, beating the martial drum to inspect the troops, and blowing the conch to know the time—these are called the world of conventions. What is the world of attachment? Seeing from afar a person wearing dyed robes and generating the conceptual attachment, saying, 'This is a śramaṇa, not a brāhmaṇa'; seeing someone with a sacred cord tied across their body and generating the thought, saying, 'This is a brāhmaṇa, not a śramaṇa'—this is called the world of attachment. Good son! These are called the five kinds of worldly dharmas. Good son! If there are sentient beings who, with regard to these five kinds of worldly dharmas, have minds without error and know them as they truly are, this is called paramārtha-satya. Furthermore, good son! Burning, cutting, dying, and disintegrating are called the worldly truth. Non-burning, non-cutting, non-dying, and non-disintegrating are called paramārtha-satya. Furthermore, good son! The characteristics of the eight sufferings are called the worldly truth. No birth, no aging, no illness, no death, no separation from what is loved, no association with what is hated, no not-getting what is sought, and no five grasping aggregates—these are called paramārtha-satya. Furthermore, good son! Just as a single man has many capabilities: when he runs, he is called a runner; or when he harvests, he is called a harvester; when he prepares food, he is called a cook; when he works with wood, he is called a carpenter; and when he smiths gold and silver, he is called a goldsmith or silversmith. Just as this single man has many names, dharmas are also like this: in reality they are one, yet have many names. What is born based on the union of father and mother is called the worldly truth; what is born of the union of the twelve links of dependent origination is called paramārtha-satya." The ancient masters explained: from "the union of the five aggregates" onward, the subsequent seven rounds distinguish the characteristics of dharmas themselves. Broadly divided within them, there are two: first, the Mahāyāna; second, the Hīnayāna.