四教義 3.6

3.6

Fourth, explaining the four gates of the perfect teaching: The four gates explain entering the paramārtha of Buddha-nature; for the time being, in entering paramārtha-satya, seeing Buddha-nature, and attaining the permanently joyful nirvāṇa, their name and sense are identical to the four gates of the distinctive teaching, but if one examines their purport in detail, there are differences. Question: By what characteristics does one know the difference? Answer: There are differences in distinguishing them, and the points of import are indeed manifold. Now, briefly distinguishing them in terms of the seven meanings of the perfect teaching, one immediately knows that the four gates of the distinctive teaching differ from the four gates of the perfect teaching. As for the seven meanings: first, if one explains that all dharmas are identical to the true nature and real mark, and that Buddha-nature and nirvāṇa cannot be extinguished again, and so explains the four gates, these are the four gates of the perfect teaching; second, if from the initial mind one immediately opens the Buddha's knowledge and vision and universally illuminates, and so distinguishes the four gates, these are the four gates of the perfect teaching; third, if one explains the inconceivable and entering nirvāṇa perfectly without cutting off defilements, and so distinguishes the four gates, these are the four gates of the perfect teaching; fourth, if one distinguishes the four gates in terms of perfect practice, these are the four gates of the perfect teaching; fifth, if one distinguishes the four gates in terms of perfect stages, these are the four gates of the perfect teaching; sixth, if one distinguishes the four gates in terms of the perfect essence, these are the four gates of the perfect teaching; seventh, if one distinguishes the four gates in terms of perfect function, these are the four gates of the perfect teaching.