法苑珠林 99.14

99.14

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.