四教義 6.17

6.17

Third, to clarify past conditions: the past causes planted by these two kinds of solitary-realizing pratyekabuddhas, greater and lesser, are different. If in a previous life one exclusively cultivated the contemplation of the twelve links through mindfulness of dharmic nature, when wholesome roots are ripe, one appears in an era without a Buddha and, through seclusion, spontaneously awakens on one's own, becoming a lesser pratyekabuddha. If in past lives one cultivated both kinds of mindfulness, namely dharmic nature and shared [mindfulness], so that wholesome roots in principle and phenomena are ripe, then through solitary awakening one realizes on one's own, being fully endowed with the three knowledges, the eight liberations, and the six supernatural knowledges, becoming a great pratyekabuddha. As for their collectively not producing the four unimpeded eloquence-knowledges, dhyāna is an internal realization, whereas when the cause of practice accords with wisdom, the producing of names and meanings belongs to external dharmas; hence, although they have past habituation, these cannot be produced. Distinguishing past conditions is all done in terms of the three kinds of twelve links and the ten kinds of twelve links. If one is born in the era of a Buddha and hears the Tripiṭaka teaching of the arising and ceasing twelve links, one immediately produces the four eloquence-knowledges and is again called an arhat, counted among the śrāvaka assembly; just as Kāśyapa, Śāriputra, and the like were all people of the pratyekabuddha disposition, and are also called pratyekabuddhas. If it were not so, how could the twelve links of dependent origination be preached straightaway for those seeking the pratyekabuddha vehicle? Even if this person does not encounter a Buddha, he would naturally attain the way on his own. As the Lotus Sūtra says: 'If there are people with merit who have formerly made offerings to Buddhas and aspire to seek the superior Dharma, he preaches for them [the vehicle of] the awakened to conditions'—these are all those awakened through conditions. The three kinds and ten kinds of dispositions, and the differences in their past conditions, can thus be understood.