四教義 8.2

8.2

Second, distinguishing the stages in terms of the shared teaching to explain the meaning of Pure Stainless Renown (Vimalakīrti): Since the shared teaching elucidates the principle that causes and conditions are identical to emptiness, received alike by [practitioners of] the three vehicles, their accord with the principle and realization of the path must have gradations of shallowness and depth; therefore, their stages must be determined. Entering the path in the shared teaching also possesses four gates: first, the gate of the real; second, the gate of the unreal; third, the gate of both real and unreal; and fourth, the gate of neither real nor unreal. Entering the true aspect of all phenomena through these four gates comes from the *Dà zhìdù lùn*. Although the *Mūlamadhyamakakārikā* (*Zhonglun*) does not use the term 'gates', since the four phrases can guide practitioners to enter paramārtha-satya, now establishing the term 'gates' and examining their significance, we consider there to be no error in principle. When we distinguish the substance below, we will explain it briefly. Now we determine the gradations of wisdom and severance for the three vehicles entering paramārtha-satya together. This shared teaching fully possesses four gates for entering the path, yet the sūtras and treatises mostly employ the gate of emptiness. As for meeting capacities to transform beings, the four gates are expounded according to conditions; how could one exclusively employ the rhetorical convenience of the sūtras and treatises? Matters must be handled thus. Therefore, now elucidating the stages of the three vehicles according to the shared teaching, we distinguish them specifically with respect to the gate of emptiness. Within this there are five points: first, briefly explaining the similarities and differences in determining stages between the half-letter and full-letter [teachings]; second, explaining the opening of the three vehicles in terms of the shared teaching; third, properly distinguishing the sequential stages of the three vehicles in the shared teaching; fourth, an evaluation; fifth, properly interpreting the meaning of Pure Stainless Renown in terms of the stages.