法界圖記叢髓錄 1.138

1.138

The Great Record says: As for the six characteristics, the two characteristics of universal and particular express that phenomena are inexhaustible; the two characteristics of identical and distinct manifest that phenomena are unhindered; the two characteristics of integrating and disintegrating show that phenomena are without flanking [others]. The doctrinal meaning of the One Vehicle does not go beyond these three. If explained separately: the universal characteristic directly points to the self-substance of the non-abiding Dharma; the particular characteristic indicates the inexhaustibility of the non-abiding universal; the identical characteristic manifests the unhindered nature of inexhaustibility; the distinct characteristic explains that unhinderedness does not contradict [diversity]; the integrating characteristic shows that non-contradiction is without flanking [others]; the disintegrating characteristic expresses that being without flanking is unmoved. Question: What is the self-substance of the non-abiding Dharma? Answer: It is that the phenomena of the dharmadhātu blend into a single body. Question: Do the phenomena of the dharmadhātu become a single body because they move? Answer: It is only because they do not move that they become a single body. If discussed in terms of this single hall, then each of the various conditions such as rafters does not move on its own, and only then can a single hall of universal characteristic be accomplished. Question: Why is it said that the particular characteristic expresses inexhaustibility and so forth? Answer: As for the particular characteristic, because the various conditions such as rafters are individually distinct, they manifest the qualities of not being one within the single hall of universal characteristic; therefore, it is said that the particular characteristic points to the inexhaustibility of the universal characteristic. Among conditions such as rafters, there must be the identical characteristic: a twelve-foot rafter corresponds to a twenty-pace hall, and other conditions are also like this; therefore, it is said that the identical characteristic manifests the unhindered nature of inexhaustibility. Furthermore, among these conditions there must be the distinct characteristic: although a twelve-foot rafter corresponds to a twenty-pace hall, it does not move from its own twelve-foot position, and other conditions are also like this; therefore, it is said that the distinct characteristic clarifies that unhinderedness does not contradict [diversity]. When one sees that this twelve-foot rafter accomplishes this hall, on its flanks there are no other conditions; therefore, this single rafter is itself without flanking [others], and other conditions are also like this; therefore, it is said that the integrating characteristic shows that non-contradiction is without flanking [others]. Because disintegration takes place right where integration occurs, it is called the disintegrating characteristic, expressing that being without flanking is unmoved. Question: Why are there only six, neither more nor fewer? Answer: The pair of universal and particular allows those of superior capacity to enter; the pair of identical and distinct allows those of middling capacity to enter; the pair of integrating and disintegrating allows those of inferior capacity to enter. Precisely because those of inferior capacity cannot attain the universal within identity and distinctness, they are not reduced to four or five. Although they are of inferior capacity, through progressively practicing integration and disintegration they will certainly attain entry into the universal; therefore, they are not increased to seven or eight. Kangzang says: "The universal characteristic is because the one contains many qualities; the particular characteristic is because the many qualities are not one. The particulars rely upon the universal and complete that universal" (end of quotation). Question: Regarding "the one contains many qualities," does the universal universalize many qualities, or do the particulars particularize many qualities? Answer: Both meanings obtain. That is, because particulars are gathered to accomplish the universal, to say that particulars particularize many qualities also obtains. Yet, as for the particular qualities possessed within that universal, each and every one completely exhausts the universal; hence, to say that the universal universalizes many qualities also obtains. Question: If so, should an inexhaustible universal be established? Answer: Although it is called "many qualities," they are not a "many" outside the one; thus, this objection does not apply. Question: Since it is said that the universal characteristic is that the one contains many qualities, the many qualities contained and the containing one differ in doctrinal aspect; why say that they are not a "many" outside the one? Answer: It is merely that the locus where the many qualities unite is designated as the containing single universal; therefore, they are neither a many outside the one, nor an one outside the many. Regarding "the particulars rely upon the universal and complete that universal": Question: If the six characteristics are categorized by type, universal, identical, and integrating form one domain, while particular, distinct, and disintegrating form another domain. Since they are of the same type as the universal, the identical has the meaning of being identical to the universal, and the integrating has the meaning of integrating the universal; why then does the particular characteristic, while being of the same type as distinct and disintegrating, have the meaning of completing the universal? Answer: If one attains the universal characteristic, there is no need for the particular characteristic; it is only to show the universal characteristic to those capacities who have not yet attained it that it is opened up. At the time of opening up the particular, the meaning of the universal is already manifested; therefore, within the particular there is the meaning of completing the universal. Question: Does it reach completion, or does it not reach completion? Answer: It reaches completion. Question: Since this is an explanation of the particular characteristic, it should not reach completion of the original universal; why say it reaches it? Answer: Since at the time of dividing the universal, the particular qualities are manifested by opening up the universal, when the particulars in turn complete the universal, it reaches completion. Question: If so, is there a particular appearance within the universal? Answer: There is not. Why? Because it was originally opened up within the universal that has no particular appearance; though its particular characteristics reach completion of the original universal, there is no particular appearance within the universal. Question: If so, how does this differ from the three vehicles' eliminating conventional distinctions to return to equal truth? Answer: In the One Vehicle, distinction is entirely non-distinction, and non-distinction is entirely distinction; it is not by eliminating distinction that one returns to non-distinction; therefore, they differ. As for the identical characteristic: wishing to manifest the qualities of the universal, one opens up the particular characteristic. Once the particulars are opened up, fearing that deluded people might think those particular characteristics are vastly distinct from the universal, and wishing to make them realize that those particular characteristics are entirely identical to the universal, the identical characteristic is clarified next to the particular characteristic. Identity has multiple meanings: identity with what is above and identity with what is below, internal identity and external identity. If discussed in terms of this house: that the various conditions are identical to the universal house is identity with what is above; that the universal house is identical to the various conditions is identity with what is below. Within identity with what is above: that the various conditions are identical to the house is inward-facing identity; that the various conditions, viewed in relation to one another, are equal in their functional meaning of accomplishing the house is outward-facing identity. Furthermore, there are two meanings: partial identity and full identity. A one-foot tile producing one foot's worth of power, being identical to the twenty-pace hall, is partial identity. A one-foot tile producing twenty paces' worth of power, being identical to the twenty-pace hall, is full identity. As for the distinct characteristic: it shows the meaning that the various conditions that can accomplish it are distinct in shape and type, yet do not move from their respective positions. Question: If they are truly distinct, should they not be non-identical? Answer: It is precisely because they are distinct that the meaning of identity can exist. If they were not distinct, the tile being one foot, the rafter would also be one foot, which would contradict their original conditional positions and lose the prior meaning of acting together in equality to make the house. Question: If so, when a one-foot tile produces twenty paces' worth of power identical to the twenty-pace hall, and the rafter is also like this, does this not also lose their original conditional positions? Answer: If the tile moved from its own one-foot position to become identical to the rafter's twelve-foot position and only then produced twenty paces of power, and the rafter were also like this, they would lose their original positions. But the tile itself does not move from its original one-foot position, and the rafter does not move from its twelve-foot position, yet each produces twenty paces' worth of power identical to the hall; therefore, although they both produce twenty paces' worth of power, the tile is not twelve feet and the rafter is not one foot, but each abides in its own position; hence, they do not contradict each other. As for the integrating characteristic: it clarifies non-acting action; that is, the various conditions, without moving from their respective positions, can accomplish the house. In the previous identical characteristic, the various conditions such as rafters, looking toward and subsuming one another, are equal in their functional meaning of accomplishing the house. Furthermore, regarding the various conditions such as rafters viewed in relation to the universal, the house carries the rafters; viewed from the universal to the conditions, the rafter carries the house; thus, there are the meanings of mutually viewing, mutually subsuming, and mutually carrying. In this integrating characteristic, in accordance with any single condition, it is precisely the universal, absolute and without flanking [others]; outside the conditions that can accomplish it there is no other accomplished [house]; therefore, the meanings of mutual viewing and mutual subsuming are not spoken of. As for the disintegrating characteristic: it clarifies the non-action of action; that is, the various conditions such as rafters each abide in their own phenomena and are originally unmoved. Question: What is the difference between the unmoved here and the unmoved in the previous distinct characteristic? Answer: Because in the previous distinct characteristic positions are unmoved, though the one-foot position of the tile and the twelve-foot position of the rafter each do not move, there is the meaning of mutual viewing. Here, because their essence is unmoved, phenomenon and phenomenon each do not know one another. Questioning the various conditions regarding the integrated hall: is it the pillar that accomplishes it? Up to: is it the tile that accomplishes it? Questioning everywhere like this, there is not a single thing that accomplishes that hall. Because of this, the integrated hall is ultimate; that is, acting yet not acting. Disintegration is precisely integration, not the disintegration of destruction.