華嚴五十要問答 2.30.1

2.30.1

Question: In the teachings compiled by people, what are the distinctions among the eight kinds of Buddhadharma spoken of? Answer: In order to eradicate the disease of icchantikas and accomplish the teaching of universal reverence and acknowledging wickedness, there are two sections. The first section clarifies universal reverence, within which there are eight subsections: First, the tathāgatagarbha, which has two [aspects]: First, the doctrinal explanation of the tathāgatagarbha is that it is the essence of all buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, down to the sentient beings of the six destinies. Second, the explanation by metaphors has five subsections: First, by metaphor, it is like the great Anavatapta lake producing eight great rivers: although the rivers differ, the substance of the water is without difference. Although all ordinary persons and sages differ and are not the same, the substance of the garbha is without difference. Like an actor performing various acrobatic feats: although the feats differ, the body has no difference. Just as all tiles are made relying on clay: although the tiles differ, the substance of the earth is without difference. Birth-and-death relies on the tathāgatagarbha; the tathāgatagarbha produces birth-and-death: this is called a skillful explanation. Because of worldly conventional speech, there is birth-and-death; it is not that the essence of the tathāgatagarbha has birth or death. By metaphor, it is like waves relying on water; water then produces waves: because of the conditions of wind there are waves, yet the substance of water does not have waves. By metaphor, it is like gold ornaments: although the various ornaments differ, the substance of gold has no difference; they are all the identical gold. All ordinary persons and sages differ and are not the same, yet all are the one garbha. Second, buddhadhātu is also explained both doctrinally and metaphorically. Buddhadhātu is the cause for all ordinary persons and sages; all ordinary persons and sages grow and develop from buddhadhātu. The explanation by metaphor: by metaphor, it is like milk being the cause of curd; all curds grow and develop depending on milk, being of one similar kind. The 'Future Buddha': all evil members of the fourfold assembly and the like, though currently practicing wrong good actions, will all become buddhas. The 'Buddha of Conceiving as Buddha': one conceives of all sentient beings with the conception of them being buddhas. Second, the universal, true, and universal, correct Buddhadharma: regardless of whether a wrongful person studies it, they also attain truth and correctness; if a correct person studies it, they also attain truth and correctness. Why? The essence of the tathāgatagarbha and buddhadhātu is exclusively a universal teaching, exclusively a true teaching, in which no demonic evil can enter; therefore, regardless of whether one is a wrongful person or a correct person, both attain truth and correctness. Third, the Buddhadharma without name and without characteristics, which has two kinds: first, the essence of all sentient beings is the tathāgatagarbha, but because they do not yet have the name of a true Buddha, it is called 'without name'. Because they do not yet have the thirty-two marks of a true Buddha, it is called 'without characteristics'. Second, the essence of all sentient beings of the six destinies is solely the tathāgatagarbha, having no other distinct name or distinct characteristic; therefore it is called 'without name and without characteristics'. Fourth, the Buddhadharma that uproots the root of all views, which has two kinds: first, all tathāgatagarbhas entirely possess the noble nature; because one merely reveres their essence and does not see their evil, wrong, or right, it is therefore called the Buddhadharma that uproots the root of all views. Second, for all sentient beings of the six destinies, their essence is the tathāgatagarbha and there is no other distinct phenomenon; because one solely reveres them as the four kinds of buddhas, etc., and does not see the good or evil of the six destinies, it is therefore called the Buddhadharma that uproots the root of all views. Fifth, the Buddhadharma that completely cuts off all paths of language: for all sentient beings, one merely reveres their essence and does not speak of designations such as good or evil, or the six destinies; therefore it is called the Buddhadharma that completely cuts off all paths of language. Sixth, the Buddhadharma of one person and one practice: 'one person' means that oneself is exclusively an evil person; 'one practice' is as the Lotus Sūtra says, Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta practiced only one practice: toward anyone other than oneself, one only reveres them as the Tathāgatagarbha Buddha, Buddhadhātu Buddha, Future Buddha, and Buddha of Conceiving as Buddha; therefore it is called 'one practice'. Seventh, the Buddhadharma of no person and no practice: oneself and other, all sentient beings, are equally one identical tathāgatagarbha, having no distinct essence; therefore it is called the Buddhadharma of no person and no practice. Eighth, the Buddhadharma of the five kinds of non-interference and exhaustion, which has two [aspects]: First, if one wishes to practice these five phenomena, one must only maintain equilibrium: 1. Non-interference between self and other: not for one's own sake, and not associating back and forth with wrongful or good monastics and laity. 2. Non-interference between the close and the distant: not associating back and forth with those who do not study the Buddhadharma appropriate to their capacity. 3. Non-interference between monastics and laity: not associating in friendship back and forth with any wrongful or good monastics or laity. 4. Non-interference between the noble and the base: not associating back and forth with any noble or base. 5. Non-interference between ordinary persons and sages: within all sages there are many demonic evils, and within all ordinary persons there are many buddhas and bodhisattvas; ordinary persons, being born blind, cannot distinguish them; therefore ordinary persons and sages do not interfere. Only excepting circumstances of difficulty in begging for food where one temporarily associates back and forth—this is not within the restriction. Second, both self and other are the tathāgatagarbha; one should only produce one single contemplation, and must not form notions in one's mind of self and other, close and distant, monastic and laity, noble and base, or ordinary and sage. Within these eight subsections there are further two meanings: first, the Buddhadharma of sentient beings born blind, born deaf, and born mute; second, the Buddhadharma of dead persons. What is the second meaning of acknowledging wickedness? Answer: The second section, acknowledging wickedness, contains twelve kinds: 1. One's mind is inverted and constantly mistaken, constantly engaging in words of slander: if the mind directs toward the third level of Buddhadharma and beyond, forming any other mind, that is being inverted and constantly mistaken. The mouth may only speak the Buddhadharma of the tathāgatagarbha; if it produces any other speech, that is constantly engaging in words of slander. 2. The two inversions of good and evil, which has two [aspects]: First, all demonic evils assume the forms of buddhas and bodhisattvas to invert sentient beings; according with their original greedy mind, within them they see only goodness and do not know they are demonic evils. Demonic evils are not buddhas or bodhisattvas; seeing goodness where there is no goodness is called an inversion. Second, all buddhas and bodhisattvas manifest as various kinds of sentient beings; if they go against the minds of inverted sentient beings, anger will certainly arise in their minds and they will see only evil. Buddhas and bodhisattvas are truly not evil; seeing evil where there is no evil is called an inversion. 3. The four kinds of internal and external inversions, which has two [aspects]: First, wrongful greed: in all circumstances pleasing to the feelings, one sees purely goodness—seeing goodness where there is no goodness, seeing much goodness in small goodness, subsuming evil with good and interpreting all as good—therefore it is called an inversion. Wrongful anger: in circumstances displeasing to the feelings, one sees purely evil—seeing evil where there is no evil, seeing much evil in small evil, subsuming good with evil and interpreting all as evil—therefore it is called an inversion. Wrongful delusion: being unaware of obtaining evil within good, and not knowing that one loses good within evil—therefore this is called the inversion of wrongful delusion. Second, spirits, ghosts, and demons assisting the mind: whenever all buddhas, bodhisattvas, and worldly monastics and laity accord with one's mind, that is spirits, ghosts, and demons assisting the mind. 4. All sūtras, vinayas, and treatises constantly speaking purely of inversion: whenever all scriptural texts speak solely of inverted sentient beings as evil and do not speak of them as good, this is called all sūtras, vinayas, and treatises constantly speaking purely of inversion. 5. The seven kinds of distinct evil inversions: First, the three levels, called the third level. Second, the three determinations: the determination of correctness, the indeterminate, and the determination of wrongfulness.