華嚴經明法品內立三寶章 1.43

1.43

Seventh: on the superiority and inferiority of activities and functions. Among the three sets of Three Jewels, the distinct characteristics are supreme, and the other two are progressively inferior. Regarding the activity and function of the common characteristic among them: since the three characteristics are not distinguished here, they merely function in equality. This has three senses: functioning as the support and enhancement of the distinct characteristics; functioning as the manifestation of the distinct characteristics according to conditions; and functioning as the manifestation corresponding to the contemplative wisdom of the bodhisattvas. Among the distinct characteristics, the beneficial activity and function of the Buddha Jewel is supreme, the Dharma is next, and the Saṅgha is inferior. Thus the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states: "Just as in a human body the head is topmost, not the other limbs, hands, feet, and so forth, the Buddha is likewise the most honorable and supreme, not the Dharma or the Saṅgha." The remaining meanings can be understood. In terms of perpetuating representation, the function of the Saṅgha is supreme, because it can uphold the Buddhadharma and benefit sentient beings; the Dharma is next, merely serving as an object-sphere to foster the three wisdoms; the Buddha Jewel is the most inferior, its physical image merely serving as an object-sphere to give rise to faith. If it is the Three Jewels of the one vehicle, their activities and functions are all equal, because Samantabhadra and the others also exhaust the realm of the Buddha, and because the dharmadhātu giving rise to function is thus as a dharma. Furthermore, the demarcations of benefit and function for the Three Jewels of the various vehicles can each be understood by analogy when viewed with respect to its own tenet.