華嚴經明法品內立三寶章 1.41

1.41

Fourth is the gate of abandoning marks and taking refuge in the true: within its own tenet, only the Three Jewels of common characteristic are the ultimate peace and security, so one is caused to take refuge in them; the rest are not ultimate, so the Buddha urged their abandonment. Therefore, the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states: "You should not now distinguish the three refuges as śrāvakas and common persons do. Why is that? Within the buddha-nature there are precisely the Dharma and the Saṅgha. It is to convert and deliver śrāvakas and common persons that the distinct marks of the three refuges are distinguished and taught." It also states: "If one cultivates distinct marks with regard to the Three Jewels, one should know that in this section the pure three refuges will have nowhere to rely." The intention of such sūtras is to urge abandoning the distinct and returning to the common; one should know that this is explained in terms of the final teaching and the sudden teaching. Alternatively, they may also be comprehensively included, as all are worthy of being valued as treasures and all serve as what Buddhas rely upon; this is explained in terms of the teaching of the three vehicles.