華嚴經明法品內立三寶章 2.40

2.40

問：眾生雜染及三寶清淨，為俱是妄？為亦非妄？答：此二各有四句：謂眾生是妄，以橫計有故；眾生非妄，成法器故。此二約用。眾生是妄，由上二句故；眾生非妄，以妄即空故、真如性滿故。三寶是妄，妄情取有故，經云「眾生強分別，作佛度眾生。」經云「若解真實者，無佛無菩提」等。二、三寶非妄，以能治妄故，經云「佛菩提智之所能斷故。」三、三寶是妄，由治妄故立也，無妄即無真故，論云「但隨眾生見聞得益故」，說為用也。四、三寶非妄，由全體是真故、恒一相故，經云「三寶同一味故」也。

Question: Are the defilement of sentient beings and the purity of the Three Jewels both delusional, or are they also not delusional? Answer: Each of these two has four propositions. Sentient beings are delusional because they are falsely conceptualized to exist; sentient beings are not delusional because they constitute vessels of the Dharma. These two are in terms of function. Sentient beings are delusional by virtue of the preceding two propositions; sentient beings are not delusional because delusion is identical to emptiness and the nature of tathatā is fully complete. The Three Jewels are delusional because they are grasped as existent by delusional conceptualization, as a sūtra states: 'Sentient beings forcibly conceptualize, making a Buddha to deliver sentient beings,' and another sūtra states: 'If one understands the real, there is no Buddha and no bodhi,' and so on. Second, the Three Jewels are not delusional because they are able to remedy delusion, as a sūtra states: 'Because they can be severed by the wisdom of Buddha-bodhi.' Third, the Three Jewels are delusional because they are established by virtue of remedying delusion—for when there is no delusion, there is no truth—as a treatise states: 'It is merely according to what sentient beings see and hear to obtain benefit' that it is spoken of as function. Fourth, the Three Jewels are not delusional because their entire essence is truth and they are perpetually of a single characteristic, as a sūtra states: 'Because the Three Jewels are of a single taste.'