法苑珠林 99.14

99.14

云何依了義經不依不了義經。不了義經者。分別修道。了義經者。不分別果。不了義經者。所作何業信有果報。了義經者。盡諸煩惱。不了義經者。呵諸煩惱。了義經者。讚白淨法。不了義經者。說生死苦惱。了義經者。說生死涅槃一相無二。不了義經者。讚說種種莊嚴文字。了義經者。說甚深經難持難了。不了義經者。多為眾生說罪福相令聞法者心生欣慼。了義經者。凡所演說必令聽者心得調伏。不了義經者。若說我人眾生等。無有施受者。而為他說有施受。了義經者。說空無相無願無作。無有我人眾生作者受者。常說無量諸解脫門。是名依了義經不依不了義經。云何依法不依於人。人者攝取人見作者受者。法者解無人見作者受者。人者凡夫善人信行人八人四果人辟支佛人菩薩人。一人出世多所利益。多人受樂。憐愍世間生大悲心。於人天中多所饒潤。所謂諸佛等。依世諦故。為化眾生。故作是說。若有攝取如是見者。是謂依人。如來為化攝人見者。故說依法不依於人。一切平等無別異性。猶如虛空。若有依止是法性者。終不復離一相之法。同一法性。是故言依一切法不依於人。舍利弗。是名菩薩摩訶薩四依無盡。

What is 'relying on sūtras of definitive meaning and not on sūtras of provisional meaning'? Sūtras of provisional meaning make distinctions regarding cultivating the path; sūtras of definitive meaning do not make distinctions regarding the fruit. Sūtras of provisional meaning teach: 'Whatever karma one performs, believe that there will be retribution'; sūtras of definitive meaning exhaust all afflictions. Sūtras of provisional meaning rebuke all afflictions; sūtras of definitive meaning praise the pure white dharmas. Sūtras of provisional meaning speak of the suffering and distress of saṃsāra; sūtras of definitive meaning teach that saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are of one characteristic, without duality. Sūtras of provisional meaning praise and speak of diverse ornate letters; sūtras of definitive meaning speak of profound sūtras, difficult to uphold and difficult to comprehend. Sūtras of provisional meaning largely speak to sentient beings about the marks of sin and merit, causing those who hear the Dharma to produce feelings of joy and sorrow in their minds; whenever sūtras of definitive meaning expound [the Dharma], they unfailingly bring about the subduing of the listener's mind. Sūtras of provisional meaning speak as if there were a self, a person, or sentient beings, yet [assert] there is no giver or receiver, while speaking to others of givers and receivers; sūtras of definitive meaning speak of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and unconditionedness, with no self, no person, no sentient beings, no agent, and no recipient, constantly expounding the immeasurable gates of liberation. This is called relying on sūtras of definitive meaning and not on sūtras of provisional meaning. What is 'relying on the Dharma and not relying on the person'? 'Person' means grasping onto the view of a person, an agent, and a recipient; 'Dharma' means understanding that there is no view of a person, no agent, and no recipient. 'Person' refers to ordinary people, good persons, those who follow by faith, the eight persons [of the path], the four persons of the fruits, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas. When a single person appears in the world, they bring great benefit, many beings experience happiness, and, taking pity on the world, they produce great compassion, bestowing abundant enrichment upon humans and gods—namely, the Buddhas and such. It is on the basis of conventional truth, in order to transform sentient beings, that such things are spoken. If someone grasps onto such a view, that is called relying on a person. The Tathāgata, in order to transform those who hold to the view of a person, taught relying on the Dharma and not on the person. All things are equal and without difference in nature, just like empty space. If one relies upon this dharmatā, one will never again depart from the Dharma of a single characteristic, having the same dharmatā. Therefore it is said: rely on all dharmas and do not rely on the person. Śāriputra, these are called the four inexhaustible reliances of the bodhisattva mahāsattva.