止觀輔行傳弘決 3.26

3.26

From "Now further" downward, the two truths in the sūtras are cited to elucidate and establish the meaning of the three truths in the present text. The initial text briefly indicates the two truths in order to reveal the three truths. Between two and three, there is the opening and combining of doctrinal gates; therefore, two can be used to reveal three. Since the two have their dual modes, how could the three lack their threefold modes? Previously, the overarching framework was discussed broadly in terms of the three truths; now the specific aspects are elaborated in terms of the two truths.

From "One who doubts" downward, doubts are resolved. First, a doubt is raised: The Buddhas preach the Dharma relying solely on the two truths, which therefore have three turns; how can this serve as an analogy to show that the preaching of the three truths also has three turns?

From "To also analogize" downward, the explanation follows: Whether two or three, it is merely opening and combining. Previously, when explaining the two truths, their meaning already contained the three; now, specifically speaking of the middle and analogizing it to the two truths to also form three turns, it refers to constantly favoring the Middle Way, and so forth. Fascicle Five of the Dazhidulun states: "Question: Why was the Buddha born in Tuṣita Heaven? Answer: The Buddha constantly abides in the middle. That Tuṣita Heaven is situated between the six desires and the Brahmā heavens. Descending from that heaven, he was born in the Central Country (Madhyadeśa); at midday his spirit descended, at midnight he left the city; when attaining bodhi he also realized the Middle Way, and for others' sake he preached the middle; at midnight he entered parinirvāṇa." The Dapin also states: "Not a single color or scent fails to be the Middle Way." Adding the middle here to the previous two again forms three turns. How so? The central heaven, the central country, midnight, and midday are all following others; practicing the middle and preaching the middle are following self and others; entering parinirvāṇa at midnight and attaining the Middle Way are following oneself. Furthermore, all these instances of "the middle" are following others; realizing profound stillness by oneself is called following self; and the contrast between self and other is called self and other.

From "Furthermore, each and every..." downward, the characteristics of the four siddhāntas are further explained in terms of the three [modes of] following sentiments, etc. Without the four siddhāntas, how could one comprehend practicing for oneself and converting others? The first mode of following sentiments is extensive; the remaining two texts are concise. In the initial text, first is teaching and next is contemplation; these are the two practices of faith and Dharma. The first text proceeds from rejoicing down to thorough penetration; one must establish the meaning of the four siddhāntas by finely correlating them with the three truths without conflation, which cannot be recorded in full.

From "down to contemplating the mind" downward concerns contemplation. The text abbreviates the first three, hence saying "down to", clarifying the characteristics of the three truths in terms of the supreme truth.

From "Such as these..." downward clarifies the characteristics of obtaining benefit through the two modes of teaching and contemplation. The phrase "ought to be in one and not in two", etc.: "one" refers to any one among the three; "two" refers to any two among the three; for linguistic convenience, terms like "ultimate" are omitted. Contrasting them with one another, the obtaining of different benefits forms seven propositions: namely, it ought to be in the conventional and not in the ultimate or the middle; it ought to be in the ultimate and not in the middle or the conventional; it ought to be in the middle and not in the ultimate or the conventional. These constitute the three propositions of "ought to be in one and not in two". "Ought to be in two and not in one" likewise forms three propositions; "ought to be fully present in all three" forms one proposition. In each and every siddhānta, the three truths are all like this. The text broadly presents the formula of single benefits and double benefits in sets of two and three; the single proposition combining all three is omitted from discussion in the text for brevity. All are based on the primary gate to address differing acquisitions of benefit. These seven propositions are without exception based on the perfect [teaching], because suitabilities and inclinations differ, adapting to individual capacities.

"The Buddha speaks of born dharmas", etc., further explains the aforesaid differing characteristics. "Born" refers to the two truths; "unborn" refers to the middle. This tentatively relies on the middle as one and the two truths as two. The remaining instances of two pairs of two, two pairs of one, and the full possession of all three should be understood in accordance with what was just explained. If interpreted as the two truths, "born" is the conventional and "unborn" is the ultimate. If interpreted as the four truths, "born" refers to the three truths and "unborn" refers to cessation. All dharmas can be understood by analogy with this explanation. In accordance with the stage at which benefit is obtained, it is called "attaining deliverance".

Question: If when the Buddha speaks of born dharmas sentient beings attain deliverance through unborn dharmas, this is sentient beings delivering themselves; what does it have to do with the Buddha?

Answer: It is precisely because preaching the born leads to awakening to the unborn that this constitutes discerning capacities; knowing that preaching the born causes them to awaken to the unborn, the merit rests with the Buddha—how could it be called self-deliverance? It is termed "attaining deliverance" in terms of the supreme truth. In terms of the three siddhāntas, one could also say that the Buddha speaks of born dharmas, and with respect to unborn dharmas they give rise to joy, produce good, and destroy evil.

From "Therefore the Lotus" downward cites proof of the four siddhāntas. The phrase "various kinds" in each and every siddhānta means that what is addressed by each individual siddhānta is limitless; now, in terms of cultivating contemplation, the three truths and two truths are tentatively called "various kinds". But speaking of the sūtra's underlying intent, only the eight teachings and four flavors are called "various kinds".

From "Why is this so?" downward interprets the sūtra. First, it correlates them with the four siddhāntas; next, from "Why does nature belong to producing good?" downward re-examines the middle two siddhāntas. The first text is a question. The intent of the question: Nature and action both apply to good and evil; why in correlating with the sūtra does nature belong to [the siddhānta for] individual persons and action belong to [the siddhānta of] remedy?

From "Speaking generally" downward is the answer. "Nature" has the meaning of being unalterable; past goodness does not change, and from the past to the present it has the capacity to be generated; now generating that goodness, it belongs to producing good. "Action" means deliberate doing; because evil is currently being done, now eradicating that evil belongs to remedy. The phrase "speaking generally" provides an overarching explanation: although nature pertains to the past, it also constitutes both the latent and the manifest in the present—current bodily and verbal actions are manifest, while what is concealed within the mind is latent; and although action pertains to the present, it likewise has the latent and the manifest. Now, for the sake of the appropriate sense of the four siddhāntas, the specific is adopted and the general set aside: for individual persons, one generates their latent goodness; for remedy, one remedies their overt evil. If manifest goodness has already arisen and latent evil has not yet stirred, this would not match the sage's adapting to sentiments to accommodate beings in the present text.

From "Just as before the Buddha appeared in the world" downward uses the Buddha's teaching methods to illustrate the characteristics of good nature and evil action. The good roots of the three vehicles were latent and unmanifest; the Buddha helped bring them forth, which is called producing good. The evil actions of ordinary people and non-Buddhists were overtly manifest; the Buddha remedied them, which is called remedying evil.

"Various recollections and conceptualizations are the supreme truth" further explains the supreme truth. Prior to perceiving the principle, everything is conceptualization; when encountering the Buddha-Dharma, all conceptualizations become wisdom. Among the three inversions, the inversion of perception is in the middle; because perception is corrected, mind and views naturally become correct. This explains the three truths in terms of the supreme truth. These four siddhāntas all accord with sentiments. The remaining two should likewise be understood by analogy.

From "Thus the three and four..." downward uses these combined numbers to reprove erroneous attachments, urging beings to accord with the teaching, abandon pride, and cease disputation. By investigating the mind and cultivating contemplation, once contemplation is fulfilled and the truths are seen, one can then speak openly and make definitive assertions.

"Like clouds being cleared", etc., means that the hindrances of the three delusions are removed. "Revealed above" means seeing the middle; "clear below" means seeing the two truths. "Lion's roar": the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states: "The lion's roar is called definitive preaching. Preaching that all sentient beings possess Buddha-nature, Buddha-nature is none other than the Middle Way."