華嚴五十要問答 2.40

2.40

問：一乘語字幾意故說？答：有八意說。一為不定機性聲聞通因及果，故說一乘。二為欲定彼不定性菩薩令不入小乘，故說一乘。三據其法，真如是一，諸乘皆依真如以體攝相，故說一乘。四據無我等，無人我理既是通法，大小乘共據無我理通，故說一乘。五據解脫等，大小諸乘脫煩惱障，據脫障通，故說一乘。六據性不同，聲聞身中先修菩薩種性、後入聲聞、約性二處是通、故說一乘。七據得二意、此有兩二意：初二意者，佛意欲攝一切有情得同自體意樂，我既成佛彼亦成佛，據此意樂故說一乘，自體有法，性為自體。第二佛先為彼聲聞授記，欲發聲聞平等意樂，我等與佛平等無二。佛為此意，與諸聲聞等皆受記，據佛等意故說一乘。第二義於一言下，有二義：一實聲聞攝從自體意樂；二有實菩薩名同聲聞，及菩薩化為聲聞。於一授記下，有其二義：據一受記意樂故說一乘。八據為化意，佛為聲聞作聲聞佛，所以同彼聲聞者，欲令彼修聲聞行，故現同小佛，欲攝末歸本，噵我此身即是一乘。據能緣化心，故說一乘。約此八意括聲聞乘本來是一，唯聲聞人不了自法，謂言有別意，愚住聲聞行。從彼愚故，諸佛所訶。今一乘所救者，據此病別也。此文義在《攝論》也。略舉五十問答，以通大教相顯，諸文準之可見也。此依《華嚴經》而所示矣。

Question: With what intentions was the term 'Ekayāna' spoken? Answer: It was spoken with eight intentions: 1. For śrāvakas of indeterminate capacity, spanning both cause and effect; therefore, the Ekayāna is spoken. 2. To stabilize those bodhisattvas of indeterminate nature so that they do not enter the Hīnayāna; therefore, the Ekayāna is spoken. 3. In terms of the Dharma, tathatā is one, and all yānas rely on tathatā to subsume characteristics into the essence; therefore, the Ekayāna is spoken. 4. In terms of non-self and so forth, since the principle of the non-self of persons is a common dharma, both Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna share the common principle of non-self; therefore, the Ekayāna is spoken. 5. In terms of liberation and so forth, both Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna yānas are liberated from the afflictive hindrances, and based on their shared liberation from hindrances, the Ekayāna is spoken. 6. In terms of differences in nature, when a śrāvaka has previously cultivated the bodhisattva lineage in their person and subsequently enters the śrāvaka path, in terms of nature it is shared in both places; therefore, the Ekayāna is spoken. 7. In terms of attaining two intentions—here there are two pairs of intentions: for the first pair of intentions, the Buddha's intention is to gather all sentient beings to attain the same aspiration as his own essence: 'Since I have become a Buddha, they too shall become Buddhas.' Based on this aspiration, the Ekayāna is spoken; the essence has dharmas, and nature is the essence. Second, the Buddha previously bestowed predictions upon those śrāvakas, wishing to arouse the śrāvakas' aspiration of equality: 'We and the Buddha are equal and non-dual.' With this intention, the Buddha bestowed predictions upon all the śrāvakas; based on the Buddha's intention of equality, the Ekayāna is spoken. Under the second meaning, within a single statement there are two meanings: first, actual śrāvakas are gathered into the aspiration of his own essence; second, there are actual bodhisattvas who share the name of śrāvakas, as well as bodhisattvas transformed into śrāvakas. Under a single prediction, there are two meanings; based on the single aspiration of prediction, the Ekayāna is spoken. 8. In terms of the intention to convert: for the sake of śrāvakas, the Buddha acts as a śrāvaka-buddha. The reason he appears identical to those śrāvakas is that he wishes to lead them to cultivate śrāvaka practices; thus he manifests as identical to a lesser buddha, wishing to gather the branches back to the root, saying, 'This body of mine is indeed the Ekayāna.' Based on the mind capable of cognizing conversion, the Ekayāna is spoken. Delimited by these eight intentions, the śrāvaka-yāna is originally one. It is only that śrāvakas do not understand their own dharma, claiming that there is a different intention, and foolishly abide in śrāvaka practices. Because of that foolishness, they are rebuked by the Buddhas. What the Ekayāna rescues now is based on this particular ailment. This textual meaning is found in the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*. The fifty questions and answers have been briefly cited to reveal the general aspects of the great teaching, and other texts may be understood by inferring from this. This has been shown in reliance on the *Avataṃsaka-sūtra*.