華嚴經明法品內立三寶章 2.13

2.13

Third, concerning the resolution of contradictions: As it is stated in the seventy-ninth fascicle of the *Vibhāṣā*, the World-Honoured One at one time spoke the four truths for the four heavenly kings first using the noble tongue (āryabhāṣā); two kings understood, and two could not understand. Out of compassion and for their benefit, the World-Honoured One spoke the four truths in the vernacular of the borderlands of South India; of the two heavenly kings, one understood and one did not understand. The World-Honoured One, having compassion, spoke the four noble truths in each of the barbarian (mleccha) languages, whereupon all four heavenly kings came to understand. Question: If diverse types understand through a single sound, why did the latter two heavenly kings not understand together [at first]? Answer: That treatise explains: The inclinations of those four heavenly kings were different; to fulfill their wishes, the Buddha therefore spoke differently. Furthermore, the World-Honoured One wished to demonstrate that he could skillfully comprehend all languages, in order to sever their doubts. Furthermore, there are those to be transformed who receive transformation relying on the Buddha's unaltering form and speech; there are also those to be transformed who receive transformation relying on the Buddha's altering form and speech. For those who receive transformation relying on the Buddha's unaltering form and speech, if he were to alter form and speech to preach the Dharma for them, they would not be able to understand—as it is said that when the Buddha was in Magadha, in order to liberate Chijian, he walked twelve yojanas on foot, and seventy thousand sentient beings all saw the truth, and so forth. For those who receive transformation relying on the Buddha's altering form and speech, if he did not alter form and speech to preach the Dharma for them, they would not be able to understand. Therefore, the World-Honoured One used three kinds of speech to preach the Dharma for the four kings. Based on the above three explanations, the principle can be harmonized; they all stem from differences in what sentient beings are suited to hear, and so there is no contradiction.