止觀輔行傳弘決 3.10

3.10

From "Question: How..." onward is the broad critical evaluation of the virtues. First, old interpretations are presented. He tentatively cites the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra to raise the question about its meaning; because it is the ultimate doctrine in that sūtra and also the guiding destination of the practice and understanding of our school, it must be critically examined. Only by fully citing and comparing ancient and contemporary masters of the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, weighing and evaluating them, does the peerless secret store of the three virtues become manifest. Thus the "Grief and Lamentation Chapter" states: "What is meant by the secret store? It is like the letter *i* (∴): if the three dots are placed horizontally, they do not make an *i*; nor do they make an *i* if placed vertically. It is like the three eyes on the face of Maheśvara that make the letter *i*; if the three dots are separated, they also do not make an *i*. I too am like this: the dharma of liberation is not nirvāṇa, the body of the Tathāgata is not nirvāṇa, and great prajñā is not nirvāṇa; the three dharmas being separate is also not nirvāṇa. I now abide peacefully in these three dharmas, and for the sake of sentient beings it is called entering nirvāṇa, just like the worldly letter *i*." Zhang'an said: "In secular Western texts, the letter *i* has old and new forms. The old *i* is vertical or horizontal, like a horizontal river, etc., and can serve as a metaphor for other sūtras; the new *i* is neither vertical nor horizontal, like the radical 艹 in this land, and can serve as a metaphor for the perfect sūtra. If one wishes to explain the new *i*, one must first understand others' differing explanations, so as to avoid the errors of the old *i* being vertical, horizontal, and so forth, as well as the fallacies of the perverse assertions of heterodox traditions. For the ash-besmeared non-Buddhists also assert that Great Maheśvara is fully endowed with three virtues, saying: 'The dharma-body fills the dharma-dhātu; the reward-body abides in the Heaven of Sovereignty—the three eyes and eight arms are Maheśvara himself; and the transformation-body follows bodily forms throughout the six destinies.' How much more so must we examine the explanations of the various masters of the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna!" For this reason, the various masters are detailed exhaustively. First is the Hīnayāna master. The statement "the knowledge of all modes is already complete" means that at the time when the thirty-four minds sever the fetters, prajñā is already present and is called the knowledge of all modes. The physical body born of father and mother has not yet been extinguished, which is called retribution-bondage. Although the afflictive bondage of seeds has been severed, the retribution-bondage has not yet been removed; this is merely [nirvāṇa] with remainder and has not attained [nirvāṇa] without remainder, hence it is said to be "not complete." Although common delusions have been severed, the dharma-body does not yet exist; the body is impermanent and still depends on morsel food, and morsel food is not unified, which is why it is called "mixed." Because the Tripiṭaka Buddha shares the same recompense as ordinary beings: one is superior, meaning the virtue of prajñā, in that the knowledge of all modes is already complete; two are inferior, meaning that liberation is not yet complete and the body is of mixed food. Although these two are inferior, a small portion already exists, their completion will be before long, and their sense corresponds to a single time. It is likened to a "horizontal river" and a "rushing fire." A rushing fire is a blazing fire. In both cases, one stroke is long and the other strokes are short. The three virtues are also like this: although they exist together, they differ in superiority and inferiority. Under "Another says," in the second master's explanation, "first obtains the marks and signs" refers to when the hundred kalpas are fulfilled. "Next obtains the knowledge of all modes" refers to the thirty-four minds. "Afterward extinguishes body and wisdom" refers to entering extinction at age eighty. Nirvāṇa without remainder lies in the future, hence it is said to "only then be complete." The intent of the metaphor can be understood. As for Master Daosheng saying: "Prajñā stands at the head as the principal," it entirely confuses the three virtues of the first Hīnayāna master; even if it differs from the Hīnayāna, it ultimately constitutes a vertical meaning and remains identical to the second master. From "If one enters..." onward is the third master. "If one enters the cessation concentration," and so forth, means that since there is a physical body present, it is called the dharma-body; because mental formations of sensation and perception, consciousness, and wisdom do not function, there is no prajñā, hence it is said to be "without wisdom." "An arhat in the formless realm," and so forth, means an anāgāmin of the formless realm who attains [nirvāṇa] with remainder in that formless realm is called an arhat; possessing only mind and wisdom without a physical form, it resembles possessing prajñā without a dharma-body. "If one enters [nirvāṇa] without remainder," and so forth, means that because the body is reduced to ashes there is no body, and because wisdom is extinguished there is no wisdom; having liberation alone, it is said to be "isolated." These three dharmas each belong to a different person, so they are said to be "unrelated." If the three dharmas were to exist side by side in a single person—meaning that arising from the cessation concentration one has the wisdom that severs the fetters, not being in the formless realm one is again said to have a body, and definitely being destined for nirvāṇa without remainder one is said to have liberation—existing together in a single person, it is called "horizontal." If the three dharmas were accumulated sequentially in a single person—meaning that first one attains the formless, next one is in the cessation concentration, and afterward one enters nirvāṇa without remainder—it is called "vertical." Thus, the three Hīnayāna masters completely lack the meaning of the letter *i*. Next, among the Mahāyāna, the first master says: "The dharma-body is the fundamental substance," and so forth. Because the dharma-body is inherently existing, it comes first; the other two virtues will exist in the future, so they come next; and between the two virtues, prajñā must precede freedom from encumbrance, which therefore constitutes a vertical meaning. "These two span throughout" refers to prajñā and liberation. *Mi* means filling and spreading. *Geng* means pervading. Although cultivating the knowledge of all modes, the knowledge of all modes is not yet complete; although partially obtaining liberation, liberation is not yet fully attained; they may be termed pure or termed defiled, mutually regarding each other as pure and defiled in turn. Separated by immeasurable births, striding across immeasurable lifetimes—births and lifetimes are no different, the varied terms being merely stylistic. Traversing periods of time, the three virtues proceed in sequence, hence it is called vertical. The next master says: "The three virtues have no before and after," and so forth. The first master took the substance to be only the dharma-body, whereas this master takes the substance to be fully endowed with all three virtues. Although endowed with all three virtues, his meaning is the same as the first master's; from the standpoint of the substance possessing them, they also do not merge with each other, thus constituting a horizontal meaning. Because they are inherently existing, it is called "substantially horizontal"; from the standpoint of being attained through cultivation, it is called "conceptually vertical." The last master says: "Substance and meaning are both not different," and so forth. Substance and meaning both derive from inherent existence, hence they are said to be not different. From the standpoint of attainment through practice and realization, they again seem to have before and after, hence they are called "concealed and revealed." The single virtue of the dharma-body is concealed when entangled and revealed when freed from entanglement; as for the other two virtues, having long been possessed as seeds is called concealed, and the ultimate fruit being fully completed is called revealed. The three virtues both possess these two meanings: inherently existing, all three dharmas are called horizontal; both possessing concealment and revelation, they are both called vertical; and because of concealment and revelation, there is precedence and subsequence, thus constituting a vertical relationship. From "The various interpretations being such..." onward is the concluding refutation. None of the six interpretations of the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna accord with the text of the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra.