十不二門 1.2

1.2

Now, this trace gate discusses cause and effect as well as self and other, so that the teachings of the Buddha's entire lifetime are harmonized and enter the wonderful. In general, all the doctrinal explanations are structured around the four teachings and the five flavors, with the aim of opening the teachings so that all enter [the flavor of] ghee. The contemplation of mind is indeed the pivot of teaching and practice, yet here it is only briefly indicated, lodged within various expositions—now present, now absent—as it was not the main aim of that text. Therefore, even when provisional setups were introduced that drew upon events and attached to phenomena, or when the ten contemplations were treated, their names were merely enumerated. The essential realm, the wisdom and practice, and the stages and dharmas that were clarified, as well as the converting and the converted, had their aim in that which expresses, and within that expression all is wonderful. In order to distinguish the beginning and the end, the self and the other, within what is expressed, the ten subtleties were fully expounded to encompass the Buddha's lifetime of teaching, leaving nothing unexhausted of the great intention behind his appearance in the world. Thus one cannot fail to comprehend the overarching framework of the ten subtleties, and hence the ten subtleties are condensed to serve as the main substance of the contemplative method. If one understands the subtlety of the traces, the subtlety of the origin is not far off; one should know that they differ merely in being separated or combined. The meaning of cause and effect is one; how could self and other differ? Hence a subsequent passage states: "Although origin and trace differ, their unfathomable nature is one." How much more so since substance,宗旨 (essence), and function are simply the dharmas of cause and effect of self and other! How much more so since the characteristics of the teachings merely differentiate the preceding four chapters, making the preceding four chapters eternally distinct from all other texts! If one understands this purport, the teachings will have a point of convergence. What unfolds throughout a lifetime does not go beyond the one mind: the three thousand realms are precisely empty, provisional, and middle. From the essential realm down to the benefits, all are likewise. Then the ten vehicles of cessation and contemplation constitute one's own cause and effect in personal practice; the chapter on initiating the teachings constitutes the capacity and object in converting others. Thus both aspects become clearly manifest, the practice of the Lotus [Sūtra] is perfected, efforts are not spent in vain, and that which is expressed can be recognized. Therefore, the ten subtleties are further subsumed under ten gates. Why? 'Deploying the provisional for the sake of the real' means that from nonduality there is duality; 'opening the provisional to reveal the real' means that duality is nondual. Since phenomena, teachings, and textual sections are all opened to become subtle, these ten gates take nonduality as their heading, and each gate is examined through the six identities. The origin gate has already cited sincere proofs extensively; below, we directly set forth the single principle, so that the purport of the entire scripture shines brightly before one's eyes.