摩訶止觀 6.166

6.166

In the distinctive teaching, whether two truths or three truths are formulated, they originally know the middle way. If three truths are formulated, it is easily understood. If two truths are formulated, the middle way is the true, and existence and non-existence are the conventional. Illuminating these two truths with leisurely equilibrium is called the 'middle way'; the two functions being unskewed is called 'double illumination'. Although two designations are formulated, the principle of the middle is also revealed. This principle is profound and abstruse, while faculties are dull and obstacles are heavy. Like someone with dim vision who cannot thread a needle accurately. How does one thread a needle? For the sake of the eternal principle, one first destroys grasping at marks, seeing emptiness with the wisdom eye; next one destroys ignorance, seeing the provisional with the Dharma eye; advancing to cultivate the middle way, one destroys one part of avidyā and opens one part of the Buddha eye, seeing one part of the middle, which is only then the true cause. When cause and effect are fully complete, one is only then called a Buddha. The two truths are not the primary intent, and hence are not called the 'cause'. For example, in the Hinayāna, using expedients to subdue defilements without seeing the true is not called 'cultivating the path'. Only after giving rise to the vision of the truths, fully possessing genuine cultivation of the path, is it the true cause; the aśaikṣa is the true fruit. The distinctive teaching is analogously like this: since the two contemplations are expedients, the middle is mandatory. Although it is mandatory, it requires the preceding two contemplations. If the two contemplations are not yet accomplished, one also has no time for the third contemplation.