天台八教大意 1.31

1.31

This teaching takes the immeasurable four truths as its object to give rise to the bodhicitta: suffering, accumulation, cessation, and the path all have immeasurable aspects. If one discusses self-cultivation, one penetrates vertically through any one gate; while for converting others, one breaks through horizontally from beginning to end. In the ten abodes, one's self-cultivation enters emptiness from provisionality, using the contemplations of arising and non-arising to realize the emptiness of the six realms. In the ten practices, one enters provisionality, extensively gathering the teachings of the four-times-four, sixteen gates. Knowing the provisionality of the ten realms, at the final mind of dedication, one extinguishes the provisionality of the nine realms and realizes the middle of the buddha realm. Prior to the stages, one practices the two contemplations through conditions across immeasurable kalpas as expedients for the Middle Way. Upon ascending to the [first] stage, the three contemplations become manifest before one, being neither two nor different from the first abode of the perfect [teaching]; this is called the 'path of realization.' If there are those suited to hear of sequential distinctions across the stages, it is also preached in terms of the first stage not knowing the second stage; hence various Mahāyāna sūtras can explain that prior to the seventh stage one still abides in the stages of expedients. Thus, from beginning to end, this differs according to the teaching; the cultivation through conditions prior to the stages is, relative to the stages, called the 'path of the teaching.'