止觀輔行傳弘決 9.3

9.3

Next, in opening the sections for separate explanation, first, concerning the clarification of "expansion and contraction": he first lists the ten gates of the present text, and next questions their identity and difference against five gates and fifteen gates. The "five gates" are the five gates of stopping [the mind], which are the first of the seven expedients in the Hinayana. Since both the Great and Hinayana vehicles are initially entered by means of them, they are called gates. They serve as the remote means of counteraction for entering into principle, and are therefore used in the present text for comparative assessment. As for the "fifteen gates": each of the five gates of stopping is expanded into three, thus making fifteen. Then all phenomenal and noumenal dhyānas of both the Great and Hinayana are fully present, completely subsuming all teachings of the Great and Hinayana vehicles. Here, clarifying cultivation and manifestation applies only to phenomenal dhyānas; principle pertains to universal cultivation and the subsequent two objects. Therefore the text below states: "If one takes the five gates, something is omitted; if one takes the fifteen, the meaning becomes confused with principle." Now, elaborating the concise to make it extensive, the five are expanded into ten; eliminating principle and retaining phenomena, the fifteen are contracted into ten. Fearing people might not understand the reasons for the varying number of gates, their expansion or contraction, and selection or rejection, he now takes the ten against the extensive and concise to raise questions, answers, and evaluations, asking how the ten gates, the five gates, and so on, are identical or different. In the answer, he first treats them generally, then specifically. Specifically, expanding the five gates to make ten gates, he simply expands further in terms of phenomena where the phenomena in the five are insufficient; where there are no phenomena to expand, he retains phenomena and adheres to the original. Thus, what is expanded from counting the breath and impurity pertains to phenomena, taken according to expansion or contraction; hence these two gates, together with the originals, each make three. Loving-kindness, causes and conditions, and mindfulness of the Buddha—these three have no phenomena to expand and merely retain phenomena, adhering to the original; therefore, they each remain only one. "Regarding mindfulness of the Buddha, the Abhidharma calls it the expedient of the realms": as cited in the seventh [chapter on] aiding the path. Supernormal faculties were originally not counted among the five gates, but as applications arising from dhyāna, all nine gates possess them, so they must be clarified. Thus, the first two are expanded and not contracted, the next three are contracted and not expanded, and the single gate of supernormal faculties is neither expanded nor contracted, pointing generally to the five gates as both expanded and contracted. Next, regarding the explanation of "contracting the fifteen into ten": the first six gates are expanded and not contracted, while the following nine gates are simply contracted into three. There are three kinds of loving-kindness, but only that directed toward sentient beings is taken, omitting the remaining two, because those directed toward dharmas and unconditioned pertain to principle. "If expanded, they would pertain to the objects of the two vehicles and bodhisattvas": that is, expanding the one directed toward dharmas makes it pertain to the two vehicles, and expanding the unconditioned makes it pertain to bodhisattvas. The text does not pair them separately, but refers generally to the two objects. Because the object of the two vehicles rests solely on [loving-kindness directed toward] dharmas, while the bodhisattva extends to both [loving-kindness directed toward] dharmas and the unconditioned, they are not separately paired. Question: The unconditioned should pertain to the bodhisattva of the perfect teaching; why say it is in the object of bodhisattvas? Answer: First, the initial stage of the distinctive teaching also pertains to the unconditioned; second, the perfect teaching is also temporarily clarified after the object of bodhisattvas. Furthermore, before the stages in the distinctive teaching, it pertains to loving-kindness directed toward sentient beings and dharmas; before the eighth stage in the shared teaching, it is likewise. For the bodhisattva of the Tripiṭaka across the three asaṃkhyeya kalpas, it is entirely loving-kindness directed toward sentient beings. Here, based on the bodhisattva initially differing from the two vehicles and ordinary people, both directed toward dharmas and unconditioned are spoken of generally in those two objects. Next, in the gate of causes and conditions, only the three periods of time are retained; the two periods and single thought-moment, being subtle, accord with principle. "Retribution" refers to the two periods, and "a single thought-moment" is a kṣaṇa, as fully cited in the previous seventh and eighth fascicles. Although these two forms of causes and conditions are not identical with principle, their subtle meaning accords with principle, so they also pertain to principle; if expanded, they would also pertain to the object of the two vehicles. In mindfulness of the Buddha, the dharma-body and reward-body pertain to principle; this meaning is easy to understand, so it is not separately set forth. In supernormal faculties, if one takes outflow-free supernormal faculties, they are also subsumed within the object of the two vehicles. Below "If only...", he concludes the preceding elimination of principle among the fifteen gates and the expansion of phenomena among the five gates. Since supernormal faculties exist in reliance on phenomenal dhyānas, they also pertain to phenomena. Regarding "Although expanded and contracted...": if contracted into five, the meaning of counteracting obstacles is sufficient, and they can universally serve as expedients for entering the path. Expanding them into fifteen serves to subsume phenomenal and noumenal contemplative practices of the Great and Hinayana. Contracting them into ten gates serves to discern the habituation in phenomena; although habituation extends to with-outflows and outflow-free, internal and external, wrong and right, it is necessary to differentiate them here in order to distinguish them from the subsequent two objects, the aggregates, and so forth.