西方合論 7.16

7.16

答曰：「長者但言三祇本空，時體不可得，非是無時。如人眼耳鼻舌身現在，說六根本無，不是廢却六根言無也。譬如小兒見水中月，心生愛著欲取而不可得；智者教言是可眼見，不可手捉。但破可取，不破可見，諸佛菩薩三世行業亦然，雖一切不可得，而非是無行。且如龍樹、馬鳴二大菩薩，皆是禪門傳衣之祖，豈肯自誑誑他，誤賺後來。當知生死事大，非是一知半行，所能唾出。《智度論》曰：『有菩薩利根心堅，未發心前久來集諸無量福德智慧，是人遇佛聞是大乘法，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，即時行六波羅蜜，入菩薩位，得阿鞞跋致地。所以者何？先集無量福德，利根心堅，從佛聞法故。譬如遠行，或有乘羊而去，或有乘馬而去，或有神通去者。乘羊者久久乃到，乘馬者差速，乘神通者發意頃便到。如是不得言發意聞，云何得到神通相爾？不應生疑。菩薩亦如是，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提時，即入菩薩位。有菩薩初發意，初雖心好，後雜諸惡，時時生念我求佛道，以諸功德迴向阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，是人久久無量阿僧祇劫，或至或不至，先世福德因緣薄，而復鈍根心不堅固，如乘羊者。有人前世少有福德利根，發心漸漸行六波羅蜜，若三若十，若百阿僧祇劫，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，如乘馬者必有所到。第三乘神通者，如上說。』是知：漸修頓證各各不同，菩薩欲取佛位，無驟至者。故先德云：『雖齊佛覺，未逮極果非為究竟。』」是故悟達之士，決當求生淨土，如法修行免致退墮；俟忍力堅固，入世利生，方為究竟佛果故。

The answer is: 'The Elder only said that the three asaṃkhyeyas are fundamentally empty and the substance of time cannot be grasped; he did not mean that there is no time. Just as when a person's eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body exist in the present, to say that the six roots are fundamentally non-existent does not mean discarding the six roots and claiming they do not exist. For example, a small child seeing the moon in water gives rise to attachment and wishes to take it, but cannot; a wise person teaches them, saying that it can be seen by the eye, but cannot be grasped by the hand. He only refutes its graspability; he does not refute its visibility. The practices and karmas of the buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout the three periods of time are also like this: although all are ungraspable, it does not mean there are no practices. Moreover, the two great bodhisattvas Nāgārjuna and Aśvaghoṣa were both patriarchs transmitting the robe in the Chan lineage; would they be willing to deceive themselves and deceive others, leading astray later generations? One must know that the matter of birth and death is momentous; it is not something that can be spat out with a single piece of knowledge or half a practice. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: "There are bodhisattvas with sharp faculties and resolute minds who, long before arousing the mind, have gathered immeasurable merit and wisdom. When such a person meets a buddha and hears this Mahāyāna Dharma, they arouse the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, immediately practice the six pāramitās, enter the bodhisattva stages, and attain the ground of avaivartika. Why is this? Because having previously gathered immeasurable merit, their sharp faculties and mind are resolute, and they hear the Dharma from the buddha. For example, in traveling far, some go by riding a sheep, some go by riding a horse, and some go by supernatural powers. One who rides a sheep arrives only after a very long time; one who rides a horse is somewhat faster; one who rides supernatural powers arrives in the time it takes to form a thought. Thus one cannot say: 'Hearing [the Dharma] upon forming a thought, how could they arrive so quickly?' Such a characteristic of supernatural power is just like this; one should not give rise to doubt. The bodhisattva is also like this: upon arousing anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, they immediately enter the bodhisattva stages. There are bodhisattvas who, upon first forming the intention, though their initial mind is good, later mix with various evils, only from time to time generating the thought, 'I seek the Buddha path,' and dedicating all merits toward anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. This person takes a very long time, immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, and may arrive or may not arrive. The causes and conditions of their merit from past lives are slight, and moreover their faculties are dull and their minds not resolute, like one who rides a sheep. There are people who in past lives had some merit and sharp faculties, who arouse the mind and gradually practice the six pāramitās, and after three, ten, or a hundred asaṃkhyeya kalpas attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, like one who rides a horse, who will certainly reach their destination. The third, those who ride supernatural powers, are as explained above." From this we know: gradual cultivation and sudden realization are distinct and different; when a bodhisattva wishes to attain the Buddha stage, none arrive abruptly. Therefore a past worthy said: "Though equal to the Buddha's enlightenment, not having reached the ultimate fruit, it is not the consummation." For this reason, people of awakened understanding must definitely seek rebirth in the Pure Land and practice according to the Dharma to avoid falling back; waiting until the power of patience is firm and solid, entering the world to benefit living beings—only then is it the ultimate fruit of buddhahood.'