四教義 1.6

1.6

Question: "Such an alignment of correspondences is doctrinally plausible, but why does the order of their names contradict the sequence of elucidation?" Answer: "The time of exposition is not the time of practice. In the sequence of the teachings' arising, the Four Āgamas come first; at the beginning of practice, the prātimokṣa comes first. Furthermore, as with the eightfold noble path, right view and right resolve come first, followed by the six dharmas of right speech and so forth, all of which are named 'right.' Just as when a person walks, his eyes look forward at the path and only then do his feet set forth. Thus the Dà zhìdù lùn says: 'Because eyes and feet are both complete, one enters the cool pool.'" Question: "In the Tripiṭaka, the Buddha first opened the three vehicles, among which the Mahāyāna is supreme. Why not take the Mahāyāna as primary and the Hīnayāna as collateral?" Answer: "When the wheel of the four truths was first turned in the Deer Park, the five persons including Kauṇḍinya saw the truths and attained the Way, and eighty thousand devas attained the purity of the Dharma eye. Only the Hīnayāna attained the Way, while there was not yet the benefit of the Mahāyāna; thus the Hīnayāna is taken as primary. The Dà zhìdù lùn states: 'Although in the Āgamas the Buddha separately bestowed a prophecy upon Maitreya, he did not expound the manifold bodhisattva practices.' Hence the Mahāyāna is collateral." Question: "Non-Buddhists also speak of precepts, concentration, and wisdom; what difference is there?" Answer: "The precepts, concentration, and wisdom spoken of by non-Buddhists are the old physicians, like those old physicians who used poisonous herbs. Precepts are of two kinds: first, heterodox; second, orthodox. First, heterodox refers to chicken and dog precepts and the like. Second, orthodox refers to the ten wholesome paths of action. Ancient concentration is of two kinds: first, heterodox; second, orthodox. First, heterodox concentration refers to the methods of heterodox concentration of spirits and ghosts expounded in the ninety-six kinds of non-Buddhist scriptures, which may enable one to know worldly good and bad fortune or manifest signs of supernatural transformations. Second, orthodox concentration refers to the four dhyānas, the four immeasurables, the four formless concentrations, and the awakening of the five superknowledges. Ancient wisdom is of two kinds: first, heterodox; second, orthodox. First, heterodox refers to generating various heterodox cognitions based on the minds of the two views of self and extremes, denying cause and effect, consuming dung, practicing nakedness, and the like. Second, orthodox refers to generating various worldly cognitions based on the minds of the two views of self and extremes, affirming cause and effect, and cultivating various wholesome dharmas. Now, the visiting physician explained in the Tripiṭaka teaching expounded by the Buddha—precepts, concentration, and wisdom—is the new physician who comes from afar understanding eight kinds of techniques. The orthodox technique of the four witherings first expounded is precisely the precepts, concentration, and wisdom explained in the gate of the Tripiṭaka teaching. First, precepts refers to the ten ways of receiving precepts and generating all unmanifest form of moral codes, such as all the wholesome bodily and vocal dharmas explained in the Vinayas of the five divisions. Second, concentration refers to relying on the eight liberations to enter the nine successive absorptions, the lion's sprint, the leap samādhi, the apex dhyāna of wisdom based on vow, the six superknowledges, the four discriminations, and so forth. Third, wisdom refers to the four truths of arising and ceasing, shattering the two views of self and extremes and the sixty-two views, generating true untaintedness, and perfecting the eleven knowledges and three untainted faculties. Non-Buddhists have not even heard the names of these precepts, concentration, and wisdom, much less possessed the slightest portion of them. It is like donkey's milk and cow's milk: though the color of the milk is the same, if donkey's milk is left to stand, it turns into foul dung; if cow's milk is left to stand, it becomes curd, butter, and clarified ghee."