法界次第初門 3.11

3.11

次四弘誓願而辯六波羅蜜者，菩薩之道，願、行相扶，既發大願，必須修行。今六波羅蜜即是菩薩正行之本，是以《法華經》云：「為求菩薩道者，說應六波羅蜜。」故次弘誓而辯之也。檀尸乃至般若，並是外國語，至下別釋中當各翻名。此六通云波羅蜜者，並是西土之言，秦翻經論多不同。今略出三翻：或翻云事究竟，或翻云到彼岸，或翻云度無極。菩薩修此六法，能究竟通、別二種因果，一切自行、化他之事，故云事究竟。乘此六法，能從二種生死此岸，到二種涅槃彼岸，謂之到彼岸。因此六法，能度通、別二種事理，諸法之曠遠，故云度無極也。若依別釋，三翻各有所主；若依通解，則三翻雖異，意同無別也。

Explaining the six pāramitās next after the four universal vows is because on the bodhisattva's path, vows and practice support one another; once the great vows have been made, one must cultivate practice. Now the six pāramitās are the root of the bodhisattva's correct practice; therefore, the Lotus Sūtra says: "For those who seek the bodhisattva path, he expounded the corresponding six pāramitās." Hence they are explained next after the universal vows. "Dāna", "śīla", and on to "prajñā" are foreign words; their names will each be translated below in the specific explanations. These six are collectively called pāramitā, which is a word from the Western Regions; Qin translations of the sūtras and treatises mostly differ. Here I briefly present three translations: it is either translated as "ultimate completion of affairs", translated as "reaching the other shore", or translated as "crossing beyond the limit". By cultivating these six dharmas, the bodhisattva is able to ultimately complete both shared and distinct causes and effects, and all matters of self-cultivation and transforming others; hence it is called "ultimate completion of affairs". Riding upon these six dharmas, one is able to go from this shore of the two kinds of saṃsāra to the other shore of the two kinds of nirvāṇa; this is called "reaching the other shore". Relying on these six dharmas, one can cross beyond the vast expanses of the two kinds of principles and phenomena, shared and distinct, among all dharmas; hence it is called "crossing beyond the limit". If one relies on the specific explanation, each of the three translations has its own primary focus; if one relies on the shared understanding, although the three translations differ, their intent is identical and without distinction.