華嚴一乘教義分齊章 3.4

3.4

Question: "It is said that bodhisattvas up to the eighth stage are briefly of two types: first, those predominant in compassion; second, those predominant in gnosis. The compassion-predominant retain afflictions to receive a fragmentary body; the gnosis-predominant subdue afflictions to receive a transformation body. What is the meaning of this?"
Answer: "What is said here is truly to be feared as not being so. Why? If compassion is predominant, their wisdom must be inferior; if inferior wisdom guides compassion, compassion would stagnate in views; how could compassion that stagnates in views be called predominant? Even if compassion and wisdom are equal, it is not yet called compassion-predominant, much less guiding compassion with inferior wisdom and calling it predominant! If gnosis is predominant, their compassion must be inferior; if inferior compassion guides gnosis, gnosis would stagnate in quiescence; how could gnosis that stagnates in quiescence be called predominant? Because all bodhisattvas from the beginning onward are different from ordinary people and Hīnayānists, compassion and wisdom guide each other, and at every thought-moment both are cultivated together—like the two wheels of a cart, like the two wings of a bird. How could one say that they have increase and decrease? One should know that it is due to the difference between the coarse and subtle in the two teachings, initial and final, that there are two kinds of birth-and-death, not due to compassion and gnosis being mutually predominant. If it is said that those predominant in gnosis have Hīnayāna habituations and fear afflictions, and therefore permanently subdue them: if prior to the grounds one has not yet realized suchness, it may be allowed that there is this type based on former habituations, because they are not yet fully mature. From the first stage upward, practice and understanding are fully mature; they realize together and practice together, cultivate together and sever together. How could there be such a difference? Therefore the Awakening of Faith states: 'For bodhisattvas upon the grounds, their lineage, aspiration, and practice have no differences.' Furthermore, in this teaching, the transformation [body] upon the grounds has four types according to different provisional assignments of stages, which are also indicated below."