北山錄 7.1.3

7.1.3

Those Vātsīputrīya adherents (In antiquity, a seer engaged with a heifer and gave birth [to an ancestor]; hence they are called the Vātsīputrīya school) might hold to it, yet when people all claim that the dormant nature is the self, I do not believe it. Thus, when Vasubandhu composed the *Abhidharmakośa*, he relied on two traditions; he certainly did not take a single school to be the gateway of ultimate goodness (Vasubandhu originally went forth in the Sarvāstivāda school, but in expounding doctrines he mostly relied on the Sautrāntika). Dharmaśreṣṭhin composed the *Abhidharmahṛdaya*, stating: 'If afflictions arise, the Noble One calls this contaminated.' Dharmatrāta considered the word 'arise' to confound [it with] Cessation and the Path; he therefore separately composed the *Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya*, stating: 'If afflictions increase, the Noble One calls this contaminated.' Asaṅga composed a commentary on the *Prajñāpāramitā*, and Vasubandhu supplemented it with a second (Bodhisattva Asaṅga composed a commentary on the *Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā*, and Bodhisattva Vasubandhu also composed one; hence it is said he 'supplemented it with a second'). In terms of seniority, teacher-student relationship, or stage of practice, Vasubandhu was in no way ahead (Asaṅga, Vasubandhu, and Siṃhabhadra were three brothers from Puruṣapura in North India, which translates as 'Land of Heroes', the place where the Lord of Heaven fought the asuras. They all went forth in the Sarvāstivāda. Asaṅga was first to awaken to the Mahāyāna, went to the Tuṣita Palace to request Maitreya to expound the *Yogācāra*, and later urged Vasubandhu to awaken to the Mahāyāna). If it were not so, it was simply that Asaṅga's cognitive obscurations had not yet been eliminated: 'even a long whip cannot reach the horse's belly,' and 'a foot may fall short of an inch' (Cognitive obscuration refers to the jñeyāvaraṇa. The *Zuo zhuan* states: 'Though the whip is long, it cannot reach the horse's belly.' This illustrates that although Asaṅga composed treatises, there were still things he did not reach). Bhāviveka and his disciples vowed in an asura cave to await the attainment of the Way beneath the Dragon Flower tree before intending to inquire about the crossing, claiming that the present Maitreya is not yet all-knowing (Bodhisattva Bhāviveka struck an asura cave with mustard seeds and concealed himself to await the descent of Maitreya Buddha, intending to ask about unresolved matters. The present Bodhisattva Maitreya is not yet the ultimate sage). Later, Guṇaprabha, relying on Nāgasena, attained sight [of Maitreya] but did not pay homage, and further took issue with his physical form and deportment (Having arrived in Tuṣita to see Maitreya, he did not prostrate because [Maitrereya] displayed the appearance of a heavenly being). Prior to this, the central lands had no doctrine of the eternal abiding of Nirvāṇa; they spoke only of longevity and endurance. Master [Hui]yuan sighed, saying: 'The Buddha is the ultimate extremity; being the ultimate extremity, there is no change. How could the principle of changelessness ever have an end?' He thereupon composed the *Treatise on the Dharma-nature* (This is Master Huiyuan of Mount Lu). Kumārajīva saw it and said: 'People in peripheral lands have not yet received the scriptures, yet he darklingly accords with the principle—is it not marvelous?' Zhu Daosheng lectured on the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra*, claiming that even icchantikas can all attain Buddhahood. Scholars of old learning considered this a heterodox teaching and banished him, casting him out to Tiger Hill; soon he went to Mount Lu. When the large edition of the scripture arrived, it indeed tallied with profound truth (The *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* [initially] stated that there is a class of icchantikas who lack the spiritual lineage and ultimately never attain Buddhahood. When the latter portion of the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* arrived, [stating that] all sentient beings can attain Buddhahood, it indeed verified Master Daosheng's doctrine). Daosheng then ascended the Dharma-seat; after debating the doctrine for several rounds, his deer-tail flywhisk dropped with a rustle, and leaning against his armrest, he passed away in harmony. Daosheng had not died previously because he was waiting (Because the large edition of the scripture had not arrived, Daosheng waited for it; now that it had arrived, he passed away. People of the time called him 'one who endured death'). Daosheng died now because his waiting was complete. Had there not been Master Daosheng's knowledge that transcended mere words, the luminous buddhadhātu would have been concealed among the ignorant crowd. At the beginning of our dynasty, when Xuanzang reached the Western Regions, he prayed with flowers before an image of Avalokiteśvara, saying: 'If all sentient beings truly possess the buddhadhātu, may the scattered flowers hang upon the Bodhisattva's neck.' It immediately fulfilled his wish. Now I say: if Xuanzang possessed Master Daosheng's knowledge, he should not have made such a supplication. If the omen had been inauspicious, would he have disbelieved it? Now, divination resolves hesitation and settles doubts; if there is no doubt, why divine? The *Book of Changes* says: 'He whose heart is in doubt will speak divergence.' Was not Xuanzang divergent? (Branches refer to scattering. Master Xuanzang ought not to have had the method of doubtful scattering). If it was done for the sake of beings, it merely led beings into doubt, thereby estranging the hearts of people (Xuanzang originally had no doubt, but feared future people would doubt, so he displayed this to guide them. 'Estranging' means dispersing; inwardly dissipating the doubts of later generations). When Tanyan composed his commentary on the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra*, he worried it did not accord with the sage's intent; he placed the commentary before a relic pagoda, burned incense, and prayed for an omen. The commentary and the relic emitted light, shining uninterruptedly for three days and three nights. Yet the followers of Jingying [Huiyuan] did not concede to it; praising what they themselves had produced, they ended in equal rivalry. When the Moon Goddess drives her chariot, one needs not carry a firebrand (Wangshu is the moonlight. When the moonlight has emerged, a traveler does not need to hold a torch); when heavy clouds and thunder gather, how could one hope for private showers? (Dense calls refer to clouds and thunder. When clouds and thunder have spread, sweet moisture universally nourishes). Yet a closed-door household specially lights its floral lamp (Though the moonlight flows, the orchid lamp still illuminates), and an old man tending a garden draws water with a well-rope to irrigate on his own (Weeded vegetables cannot go without watering). Truly, it is because distant light does not illuminate deep recesses, and a sudden downpour does not nourish the root: each considers what is beneficial to oneself as fine. Commentators consider that [Jingying Hui]yuan's phrasing is fitting and apt, while Tanyan's presentation is broad and abundant. Scholars appraise their excellence, seeking comprehensiveness; they did not dismiss [Jingying] Huiyuan on account of Tanyan having attained a spiritual sign (To appraise means to evaluate. Northern Huiyuan and Tanyan both composed commentaries on the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra*. Tanyan's literary phrasing was broad and abundant, while Huiyuan's statements and tenets were concise and apt. Later, Huiyuan's commentary was mostly transmitted, not using the miraculous sign of light emission from Tanyan's commentary). Therefore the ancients said: 'Though one has the bottle-carrying wisdom, what one preserves cannot be entrusted to other vessels' (Du Yu said: Carrying a bottle is small wisdom; though it is small wisdom, what one maintains cannot be entrusted to others). Such are the masters of the doctrinal Dharma. Today, in religious practice, all esteem Central India as the finest, and in Sanskrit terms, all take the new translations as standard. Upon close examination, the governmental regulations of kings in the five regions of India vary from one another, not to mention the differences between past and present eras, customs, order and chaos. In truth, the Great Sage expounded the teachings according to each land he reached and in response to particular matters; how could one make their measurements uniform or standardize their balances and weights? (Measurement refers to pecks; balance refers to steelyard scales). Thus, regarding yojana and krośa, there are varying accounts of distance (Eight krośas make one yojana; some say sixteen li, or forty li—near and far are not the same); and regarding the rain retreat and the intercalation of months, lengths and durations are of many kinds (There are seven kinds of rain retreat: the former retreat begins on the sixteenth day of the fourth month, the middle retreat on the seventeenth day until the fifteenth day of the fifth month, and the later retreat on the sixteenth day of the fifth month. They are divided into four: mind-concentration, confronting a counterpart, forgetting-completion, and boundary).