法界次第初門 3.8

3.8

Fourth, to cause those who have not attained nirvāṇa to attain nirvāṇa. This universal vow arises with the truth of cessation as its condition; hence the Yingluo jing says: "Those who have not attained the truth of cessation are caused to attain the truth of cessation." Now, explaining the truth of cessation, it is precisely the cessation of karma and afflictions and the cessation of the painful fruit of saṃsāra. There are two kinds of karma, afflictions, and saṃsāra: first, the cessation of the karma of portion-and-segment saṃsāra and the afflictions of the four resting grounds, whereby the painful fruit of portion-and-segment saṃsāra ceases; this is the truth of cessation attained by the two vehicles. Second, the cessation of the karma of transformational saṃsāra and the affliction of the resting ground of ignorance, whereby the painful fruit of transformational saṃsāra ceases; this is the unshared, ultimate truth of cessation attained by the buddhas and great bodhisattvas. If there are any who have not attained these two kinds of truths of cessation, the bodhisattva resolves and vows to cause them to attain cessation; hence it is said, "to cause those who have not attained nirvāṇa to attain nirvāṇa." The four noble truths that serve as conditions for the four universal vows now differ in terms of "half" and "full" compared with the four noble truths explained previously under the śrāvakas. Previously, only the half-letter, conditioned four noble truths were explained; now, the full-letter, unconditioned four noble truths are explained. The reason the two kinds of four noble truths are explained together is that on the bodhisattva's path, the teaching gates differ. If it is the universal vows explained in the Tripiṭaka teaching and the shared teaching, they arise merely by taking the conditioned four noble truths as conditions; if it is the universal vows explained in the distinct teaching and the perfect teaching, they arise by comprehensively taking both the conditioned and unconditioned four noble truths as conditions. Therefore, distinguishing the half and full of the four noble truths in relation to the universal vows differs from before.