華嚴五十要問答 1.58

1.58

問：諸經部類差別云何？答：如四《阿含經》局小乘教。《正法念經》舉正解行，別邪解行，通三乘教。《涅槃經》等及《大品經》三乘終教，為根熟聲聞說故。《金剛般若》是三乘始教，初會愚法聲聞故，義意在文。《維摩》、《思益》、《仁王》、《勝天王》、《迦葉》、《佛藏》等，為直進菩薩說。仍直進有二種：一大乘中直進、二小乘中直進菩薩。此二處直進，教亦有同異，準攝可知。《華嚴》一部是一乘不共教，餘經是共教，一乘、三乘、小乘共依故。又《華嚴》是主，餘經是眷屬。以此準之，諸部教相義亦可解。如《法華經》宗義是一乘經也，三乘在三界內成其行故；一乘三界外，與三界為見聞故，餘義準可知。

Question: What is the classification of the various sūtras into categories? Answer: For example, the four Āgama sūtras are limited to the Hīnayāna teaching. The Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra presents correct understanding and practice and distinguishes wrong understanding and practice, connecting to the triyāna teaching. Sūtras such as the Nirvāṇa-sūtra and the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra are the final teaching of the triyāna, spoken for śrāvakas whose faculties are mature. The Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā is the initial teaching of the triyāna, initially bringing together śrāvakas foolish regarding the Dharma; the meaning is evident in the text. The Vimalakīrti, Viśeṣacintā, Kāruṇikārājā, Suvikrāntavikrāmīparipṛcchā, Kāśyapa, and Buddhapiṭaka sūtras, and so on, were spoken for bodhisattvas of direct advancement. Moreover, there are two kinds of direct advancement: first, direct advancement within the Mahāyāna; second, direct advancement bodhisattvas within the Hīnayāna. Between these two places of direct advancement, the teachings also have identities and differences, which may be understood by analogy with how they are subsumed. The single work of the Avataṃsaka is the distinct teaching of the Ekayāna; the other sūtras are the common teaching, because the Ekayāna, triyāna, and Hīnayāna rely on them jointly. Moreover, the Avataṃsaka is the principal, and the other sūtras are its retinue. Extrapolating from this, the doctrinal characteristics and meanings of the various divisions can also be understood. As for the Lotus Sūtra, its central doctrine is an Ekayāna sūtra, because the triyāna completes its practice within the three realms, while the Ekayāna is outside the three realms, providing hearing and seeing for the three realms; the remaining meanings can be known by analogy.