淨名經關中釋抄 2.7

English (machine translation) 2.7

Language: English

2.7.1

Since the śrāvakas already declined in the previous chapter, in principle one should next summon the bodhisattvas. As for why [the Buddha] did not summon them first: if the mahāsattvas had declined [first], then the śrāvakas would have ceased being summoned; how could the path of guiding and advancing them have been applied? Tiantai explained the purpose of reproaching the bodhisattvas, summarily presenting five points: first, to manifest Vimalakīrti's superior virtue; second, to transform the provisional teachings; third, swiftly to accomplish the pure land; fourth, to serve as an expedient herald for entry into the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā and the Lotus [Sūtra]; fifth, to certify and establish [this discourse as] a sūtra. Regarding the first, manifesting virtue: previously, although the śrāvakas praised him, it was like wrestling with a small child—one’s strength is not yet proven valiant. Now, if the bodhisattvas submit, only then does it display Vimalakīrti's virtue. When the great take him as a model, the Dharma teachings can be put into practice; how could it be a matter of one person being superior or inferior to another? Regarding the second, transforming the bodhisattvas who adhered to the gradual teachings so that they enter the gate of perfect subtlety: bodhisattvas share the same realization, yet the depth of their teachings differs. The Kośa says: practicing the six perfections for three asaṃkhyeyakalpas, planting the causes of the marks and characteristics for a hundred kalpas, descending from Tuṣita to be born, accomplishing the path through the eight aspects, and initially sitting beneath the bodhi tree—being a common mortal in this way, one only achieves equal and perfect awakening through thirty-four mind[-moments]. This is the shallowest. Second, the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Sūtra speaks of the ten stages shared in common practice by the three vehicles. Those of the two vehicles sever [defilements] and realize [the fruit]; bodhisattvas sever them but do not realize [the fruit]. These are the stage of dry wisdom (external ordinary persons), the stage of nature (internal ordinary persons), the stage of the eight persons (the eighth person heading toward the first fruit), the stage of seeing (first fruit), the stage of attenuation (second [fruit]), the stage of detachment from desire (third fruit), the stage of having completed what was to be done (fourth fruit), the stage of pratyekabuddhas, the stage of bodhisattvas, and the stage of buddhas. Here, the three vehicles contemplate the non-arising together, but their realizations have depths and shallows. The three beasts crossing the river and the three arrows hitting the target both serve as similes for this. This is the next deeper level. Moving beyond the views of the three vehicles, the fifty-two stages of the Benevolent Kings and Yingluo [sūtras], beginning with the initial ten faiths, cultivate and accomplish perfect awakening, capable of the single Great Vehicle with no other distinct categories. This is deeper still. Because its stages and practices involve many gates, with divergent phrasing and distinct imports, this is not yet the inconceivable, perfectly subtle path wherein the many is immediately the one and the one is immediately the many. The Avataṃsaka says: "Such a practitioner does not advance from one stage to another stage, but possesses the stage of all dharmas." The Laṅkāvatāra says: "In the tranquil true suchness, what sequence could there be?" The Mahā[parinirvāṇa] Sūtra says: "In the Snowy Mountains there is a grass named forbearance. If a cow eats it, it can yield ghee; it is not a gradual process of milk and curd." This sūtra says: "Knowing all dharmas in a single thought is the bodhimanda, because it accomplishes all-knowledge." One stage is all stages; one practice is all practices. A single hair-tip of good initiates the traces and abides as a buddha. Being neither round nor biased, it is provisionally named the perfect and sudden Great Vehicle. In the past, the mahāsattvas received instruction according to their capacities, and their disparate attachments led to delusion; yet the Buddha's ultimate, perfectly subtle great path is now revealed: the mahāsattva Vimalakīrti rebukes and subjugates them, causing them all to abandon bias, gradually unfolding their perfect understanding, and suddenly accomplishing the inconceivable path of liberation. Regarding the third, swiftly accomplishing the Tathāgata's true purity in seven meanings: previously, each of the mahāsattvas adhered to biased and shallow notions, considering Sahā as definitely defiled and [the land of] Padmaprabha as definitely pure. None failed to loathe defilement and delight in purity, and as their emotional attachments were deep, they were ever farther from the Way. Now Vimalakīrti rebukes them, causing them to know that defilement is precisely purity, non-dual and undivided. Therefore, Ānanda’s later awakening to buddha affairs and Sarvagandhasugandhā's regret over seeing defilement both share this meaning. Regarding the fourth, serving as an expedient herald for entry into the Lotus and Nirvāṇa [sūtras]: since the mahāsattvas were unable suddenly to awaken to the perfect subtlety and each had received biased and gradual teachings, Vimalakīrti now subjugates those of sharp faculties so that they awaken and enter right on their seats, which was covered under the second point above. As for those of dull faculties who required different conditions and relied on this subsequent rebuke to awaken and enter only later upon hearing the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā, Lotus, and Nirvāṇa sūtras, they awakened only following this rebuke and subjugation. Thus the Fajie xing lun states: "If one is of sharp faculties, one enters the dharma-realm through the Mahāprajñāpāramitā; if one is of middling faculties, one enters the dharma-realm through the Lotus; if one is of dull faculties, one enters the dharma-realm through the Nirvāṇa." Thus we know that those who awakened in the initial Avataṃsaka teaching entered through the milk teaching; those who awakened next in the Āgamas entered through the curd teaching; those who awakened in this sūtra and the various Vaipulya sūtras entered through the raw curd teaching; those who awakened in the Prajñāpāramitā entered through the clarified butter teaching; and those who entered through the Lotus and Nirvāṇa entered through the ghee [teaching]. Regarding the fifth, certifying and establishing [this discourse as] a sūtra: in past days, the words of rebuke had not yet received certification; now, proclaimed before the Buddha, the Tathāgata certifies and approves them, whereupon they become Dharma teachings that spread far into the future. "Maitreya" is translated here as "Compassionate One" (Cishi); this is his family name. His personal name is Ajita, which is translated here as "Invincible." "Non-retrograde practices": the Tuṣita Heaven of the desire realm is attached to pleasure, so [beings there] often retrogress; therefore Maitreya explained non-retrograde practices for them. However, having progress and retrogression is what the biased teaching loathes and delights in; neither progress nor retrogression is the absolute realm of the perfectly subtle. Now Vimalakīrti uses the absolute non-retrogression to shatter Maitreya's relative progress and retrogression. If explained analytically, there are four kinds of non-retrogression: first, non-retrogression of principle, because nature and characteristics are eternally abiding; second, non-retrogression of stage, because one does not fall back into the two vehicles or non-Buddhist paths; third, non-retrogression of practice, because wisdom realizes non-arising; fourth, non-retrogression of thought, because one is tranquil yet constantly functioning. In the Kośa, planting the causes of the subtle marks is considered non-retrograde, which is solely non-retrogression of stage. In the shared ten stages, the stage of nature is non-retrogression of stage, and the stage of seeing is non-retrogression of practice. The gradual and distinct teachings fully possess all four kinds of non-retrogression: before generating the ten faiths is non-retrogression of principle; the ten abodes are non-retrogression of stage; the first bhūmi is non-retrogression of practice; and the eighth bhūmi is non-retrogression of thought. Only the perfect teaching completely and perfectly possesses the four kinds of non-retrogression. Here the mahāsattva mostly uses non-retrogression to present his challenge. "The artisan of Ying": the story comes from the Zhuangzi, which says: A man of Ying had a smear of plaster on the tip of his nose; Artisan Shi whirled his adze, creating a wind, and sliced off the plaster without injuring the nose. Drawing upon this meaning, although the artisan could wield his adze, he necessarily depended on the man of Ying's motionless composure. Here, although Vimalakīrti can rebuke, it also requires that Maitreya can receive it. "Rubbing shoulders" (jiaobi): the Zhuangzi says, speaking to Yan Hui: "You and I rub shoulders all our lives, yet we miss each other," meaning that impermanence shifts and changes, missing each other from thought to thought. "Prediction" (vyākaraṇa): the nature of awakening is truly eternal, without accomplishment and without attainment. Speaking of conferring prediction is to guide those who are not yet awakened. If, upon hearing the prediction, one becomes attached to it, such accomplishment and attainment is not a true receipt of prediction. It is not like awakening to the emptiness of the skandha-substance, where non-attainment is attainment—this is called true prediction. The Diamond [Sūtra] says: "I did not have the least dharma to attain in the presence of Dīpaṃkara Buddha, and Dīpaṃkara Buddha conferred a prediction upon me." If analyzed, as explained in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, there are four kinds of predictions: first, conferring a prediction when the mind [for bodhi] has not yet been resolved; second, conferring a secret prediction; third, conferring a prediction face to face; fourth, conferring a prediction upon seeing the non-arising. The former three are predictions with attainment; the latter one is a prediction without attainment.

2.7.2

Now the Great Being rebukes the notion of attainment in the former three, and brings [them] to accord with the non-attainment of the latter. / As for "abandoning discriminative views of bodhi": having progression and regression, having attainment and non-attainment, grasping and rejecting in mutual conflict, and differing inclinations of rejoicing and revulsion—these are all discriminative views of bodhi, not true seeing. / As for "it cannot be attained by the body": a bodhisattva of the provisional teachings considers the body endowed with physical marks to be the attainment of a bodhisattva through the body, and the knowledge of exhaustion and non-arising to be the attainment of a bodhisattva through the mind. Other such categories are like this. But when explained ultimately: a body with marks is not bodhi; a mind with knowledge is not bodhi. Nothing compares to physical marks being immediately formless and the mind being immediately unarisen. Both are quiescent and extinguished. This very quiescence and extinction is bodhi, because it extinguishes all marks. "All marks" refers to the four marks of arising, abiding, changing, and extinguishing. The Dharma-phrases below all establish [the truth] through immediate refutation. / As for "the mysterious path surpassed and ridden": this clarifies that the wondrous path of myriad practices is transcendent, riding alone to the level ground yet without seeing any mark of levelness. / As for "Glory-Adorned Bodhimanda": a secluded dwelling place of woods and springs is an actual, phenomenal bodhimanda. The awakening mind being immediately true is the true bodhimanda of realizing the principle. Moreover, a single thought of an evil mind immediately confounds the Dharmadhātu; turning back delusion to attain truth, the myriad practices are constantly pure. This means understanding the one mind so that the myriad practices are the true way. / Awakening to a single dust-mote such that the Dharmadhātu is completely pure is the bodhimanda. How could it be an ordinary plot of ground that constitutes the bodhimanda? / As for "wisdom directly perceiving all dharmas": deluded consciousness grasps marks, misses the true, and attaches to the false; this is not called direct perception. Correct wisdom illuminates the principle, turns back the false, and attains the true; this is called direct perception. / As for "knowing all dharmas in a single thought": the Hīnayāna uses the true principle of the Four Truths to release and extinguish disparate categories; there is suffering to be reviled and delusion to be cut off, hence one becomes a Buddha in thirty-four minds. The Mahāyāna holds that not a single color or scent is other than the Middle Way, and a single mind and a single wisdom both contain the myriad practices, and therefore one is able to know in a single thought. This is inconceivable wisdom; how could it be the conceivable wisdom of those thirty-four minds? The expression "thirty-four minds" comes from the Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣya: when the Tathāgata was beneath the bodhi tree and the army of Māra retreated, he cut off [the delusions of] seeing with eight knowledges and eight forbearances, and cut off [the delusions of] cultivation with nine unobstructed [paths] and nine liberations; thus it is said to be thirty-four. In truth, the defilements of cultivation belong to the three realms and nine stages; each of the nine stages has nine grades, each having nine unobstructed [paths] and nine liberations, which amounts to nine times nine, eighty-one unobstructed grades and eighty-one liberation grades. Here, being only in one set of nine refers only to the single stage of the summit of existence, because in the eight stages below it, they were already severed in the defiled dharmas. / As for "Holder of the World dwelling in tranquility": this is an attachment to provisional means whereby bodhisattvas of the various provisional teachings do not cultivate meditation. However, abandoning clamor to approach tranquility seems contrary to the purport of equality, hence Vimalakīrti rebukes it. / As for "the two realms of Māra and Buddha are of one suchness and equal truth": the realm of Māra is conventional truth; the realm of the Buddha is ultimate truth. A provisional bodhisattva's contemplation has not exhausted the Middle Way; when going toward the conventional, he turns his back on the true; conditional upon the conventional, delusion arises. When the illuminating mind fluctuates, Māra enters. A bodhisattva of the Perfect Teaching completely illuminates the Middle Way; conventional and ultimate are of one suchness, and the three truths are contemplated equally. As the illumination has no fluctuation, Māra cannot enter. Thus the Humane King Sūtra says: "In the world, constantly cultivate the realm of emptiness; emptiness is constantly myriad transformations." This is that meaning. / Second, as for "in conditioned cultivation, contemplation has entering and exiting": this conditioned arising of true cultivation was used by Dharma Master [Bao]liang of the Qi; its capability is profound and wondrous, hence Tiantai uses it. / Third, as for "conditioned cultivation": because wisdom and object are different. The object is ultimate truth; wisdom is prajñā. Wisdom conditions ultimate truth, cuts off delusion, and achieves sageliness. In this, outside of wisdom there is an objective world. As for "true cultivation": because wisdom and object are one, ultimate truth is constantly pure; being pure, it illuminates; it is never not pure, never not illuminating. It is like the cintāmaṇi: the jewel's substance is fully pure, and its pure light constantly illuminates; it is both true and illuminating, and dust and defilement are constantly dispelled; hence it is called true cultivation. Therefore, for a provisional bodhisattva, there is wisdom outside the object; he illuminates only upon deliberate intent, so there are times when he does not illuminate; in the interval before deliberate intent arises, Māra enters. The true cultivation of the Perfect and Sudden [Teaching] is immediately the object and immediately wisdom; principle and illumination are non-dual; when principle and illumination are contemplated without entering and exiting, Māra cannot enter. / As for "Māra": there are four māras: first, the heavenly māra; second, the defilement māra; third, the skandha māra; fourth, the death māra. What is spoken of here is the heavenly māra. The Great [Parinirvāṇa] Sūtra speaks of the māras of permanence, bliss, self, and purity, and the māras of non-bliss, impermanence, non-self, and non-purity; these are all defilement māras. The Da [zhidu] lun says: "Except for the true mark of all dharmas, everything else is the work of Māra." That is, outside of one's own path and correct contemplation, all deluded thoughts are the work of Māra. / As for "cultivating the three durable dharmas with body, life, and wealth": this refers to the durability of the body, durability of life, and durability of wealth. In explaining these three durabilities, there are four levels of depth: / First, the three worldly durabilities: not harming others' bodies, saving the sick, and giving food attains durability of the body; not severing others' lives, releasing living beings, and stopping killing attains durability of life; not stealing others' wealth, and giving generously without stinginess attains durability of wealth. / Second, the three durabilities of the śrāvaka: diligently cultivating the uncorrupted, constantly contemplating impermanence, one attains the five-part dharmakāya, the uncorrupted life of wisdom, and the seven noble wealths of Dharma, which none can damage or destroy; thus it is spoken. / Third, the three durabilities of the bodhisattva of the provisional teachings: the dharmakāya of true suchness is adamantine and indestructible; the contemplation of the life of wisdom of prajñā has no severance or extinction; the Dharma wealth of myriad goods is cultivated completely without lack. These are the three seats of the bodhisattva. / Fourth, the three durabilities of perfect awakening: namely, the nature of dharmas is truly permanent, which is quiescence and extinction; constantly contemplating and illuminating the myriad good merits, […] phenomenal matters are true. These three durabilities are immediately three while being one, immediately one while being three, neither three nor one, capable of being three and capable of being one. Thus the Great [Parinirvāṇa] Sūtra says: "Mahāprajñā, liberation, and dharmakāya are neither vertical nor horizontal, neither one nor different." Prajñā is the life of wisdom; liberation is the Dharma wealth; the dharmakāya is the true body. This is called the ultimate, constantly abiding three durabilities. / As for "illegitimate things": women are conditions that ruin the path, and are especially reviled by bodhi, hence it is so stated. It also shows that the bodhisattvas of the provisional teachings have not yet harmonized with the principle, and thus are rebuked by Vimalakīrti. / As for "śramaṇa": formerly written […]-men. Here it is translated as "many merits," meaning toil in cultivating the path; it is also translated as "diligent labor," meaning sincere aspiration; its meaning is designated as "cessation," next obtaining the uncorrupted, where saṃsāra ceases; or it is translated as "pure aspiration." / As for "looking down and looking up": [the first] means bowing the head; "looking up" means raising the head. / In the statement that he kept silent in pity, but they forced themselves upon him, [whereupon Vimalakīrti said,] "I have already given them away": this clarifies that the Great Being constantly abides in a mind of giving, his Dharma vows being fulfilled; when the women heard the Dharma, the Dharma was fulfilled, and complying with Māra's wish, the wish was fulfilled. / As for "how to abide in the palace of Māra": the disciple understands the master's principle and harmonizes with it, requesting instruction. / As for "not taking the inexhaustible lamp as one": this clarifies that coming is to take Dharma joy to benefit oneself, whereas using the inexhaustible lamp is to transform others.

2.7.3

This means that the practice of twofold benefit is perfected, and going and coming are constant benefits. Unhindered, wondrous eloquence truly resides in this! Regarding "Shande (Śrīgupta/Sudatta) is also called Shanshi (Good Giving)": For a great being's wondrous realization, what practice is not perfected? Yet in accord with the [different] approaches they guide beings, each has their particular excellence. Śrīgupta's trace lay in material generosity without stinginess, but he had not yet plumbed the subtle origin of generosity to penetrate the ten thousand practices; therefore Vimalakīrti opened up the Dharma for him. It was also merely a matter of mutual responsive harmony; how could it be said to be inevitable? Regarding "setting up a great sacrificial assembly": In the past, his parents practiced heterodox sacrificial rites, sometimes slaughtering cattle, sheep, humans, and the like to sacrifice to the heavens in pursuit of good fortune. Śrīgupta disguised his traces to dwell among them, turning the heterodox sacrifices into correct giving; yet he was not yet able to enter the ultimate truth through the phenomenal and practice the great Dharma giving. Therefore Vimalakīrti took this opportunity to reprimand him in order to open up his understanding. As in the Kośa: at the stage of the Hinayāna, when a bodhisattva provisionally practices the six perfections, they all take not begrudging wealth and not begrudging life and body as the perfection of the six perfections. Now the Mahāyāna takes the practice of the six perfections corresponding with the true mark, identical with the limit of reality, equal to the Dharma-nature, and abiding in the vows of great compassion—giving even a hair's tip of good equally to sentient beings so that they may together realize bodhi—this is called the perfection of the Dharma-giving. Thus the Kośakārikā says: "Because of compassion, they gave universally; / When their bodies were dismembered, they had no wrath. / Praising the Buddha Tiṣya, / For the sake of unsurpassed bodhi..." These are all due to not begrudging body and life as their perfection. The Diamond [Sūtra] says: "Do not abide in form when giving," up to "when my body was cut and severed, there was no notion of self and no notion of a person." The Great Prajñā says: "The purity of the dānapāramitā is the purity of sarvajñā (all-knowledge); they are non-dual and without distinction," and so on up to "the purity of prajñā is also like this." This is to tally with the true mark through principle, its efficacy saving sentient beings, performing generosity in accordance with principle and giving rise to vows in accordance with capacities; therefore it is called perfection. Now Vimalakīrti reprimands the former phenomenal six perfections to lead one into the latter true-mark six perfections. Regarding "upholding the correct Dharma gives rise to the mind of rejoicing": This rejoicing of "rejoicing" is also the joy of Dharma joy, because it causes both oneself and others who uphold the Dharma to practice the mind of rejoicing. It is also because together they uphold the correct Dharma that they equally obtain Dharma joy. Regarding "great equanimity relinquishes the myriad existences": An expedient great being relinquishes enmity and friendship, and also relinquishes the immeasurable minds. A perfect and sudden great being relinquishes the myriad existences; only then is it called the immeasurable of equanimity. It is also called relinquishment because practice has plumbed the true mark. Regarding "leaving behind the marks of body and mind gives rise to vigor": There are two explanations of this. One says: with single-mindedness, where there is no path, one does not awaken; losing body and receiving life is called vigor; harmonizing with the principle of the true mark, constantly abiding in the true mark where the marks of body and mind are empty, is called true vigor. If a mind with marks arises, that is called indolence; therefore it says that it arises by leaving behind the marks of body and mind. Question: The treatises all say that the substance of the perfection of vigor takes the mental factor of vigor among the eleven wholesome mental factors, as well as taking the three activities that accompany it, as its substance; up to generosity taking the mental factor of non-greed and the three activities of body, speech, and so forth that accompany it as the fundamental substance of the six perfections. These general substances of the six perfections have not left the body and mind of the five aggregates. Why does it say here that the mark of vigor is taken by leaving body and mind? Answer: In principle it is not so. Why? Deep sūtras of the Mahāyāna must plumb the true mark, not the nominal enumerations of the five aggregates. Because non-Buddhists initially clung to heterodox origins, the Buddha revealed the dharmas of correct causes and conditions through the nominal enumerations of the aggregates and realms, guiding the two vehicles to eliminate the view of self. Why, in explaining what is profound and wondrous, would one still harbor a biased and lesser view? Moreover, the Buddha taught the aggregates, realms, and bases for the two vehicles, intending to make them realize the wisdom that dharmas are without self and that the conditioned is impermanent; he also did not intend for them to cling to the quantity of enumerated dharmas as real. If they cling to them as real, they depart farther from the Path. Furthermore, when the Mahāyāna speaks of the dharmas of the aggregates, realms, and bases, it also intends not to preserve dharmas. Why? If dharmas were definitely five aggregates, he should not have taught the twelve bases. If definitely twelve bases, he should not have taught the eighteen realms. Five and eight are not fixed numbers; you should know that number is non-number. The aggregates and realms have no fixed marks; you should know that mark is non-mark. The aggregates and realms have no fixed names; you should know that name is non-name. Therefore the text above says: "Dharma has no shape or mark, like empty space; Dharma has no name or word, because speech is severed." These are all regarding marks as markless, and names as nameless. Thus, according to the sūtra, seeking neither form, sensation, perception, volition, nor consciousness, and seeking neither realms nor bases, is the true seeking of Dharma. Inferring from this, how could one discern the real substance of the six perfections from within the nominal enumerations of the aggregates and realms? If one truly seeks, one should leave the marks of body and mind and seek within the true mark itself. I hope scholars will examine this implication thoroughly! Regarding "transforming sentient beings gives rise to emptiness, etc.": If one relies on the Hinayāna and the treatises, they explain the three samādhis as taking the sixteen aspects of the four truths as their objects. The Mahāyāna sūtras explain that the cause and condition of the three samādhis is the true mark of all dharmas; this accords very well with the sūtra text. Why? The four truths of the Mahāyāna are the non-arising four truths; they both take the non-arising of suffering, accumulation, and so forth as the truths, not taking suffering and accumulation [themselves] as the truths. If one takes the non-arising of suffering, accumulation, and so forth as the truth, the truth is the true mark. Giving rise to the three samādhis taking this true mark as an object is forever different from the Hinayāna. Yet the sūtra text says "transforming sentient beings gives rise to emptiness, etc." because the illumination of the true mark perfects both provisional and ultimate wisdom. Thus, transforming is itself emptiness, and those who abide in emptiness constantly transform; emptiness and existence are non-dual, and provisional and ultimate are doubly illuminated, hence it is said thus. Regarding "not relinquishing the conditioned gives rise to the markless": The Hinayāna's truth of cessation extinguishes marks to make the markless. The Mahāyāna takes marks themselves to be markless. This very marklessness is called the true mark. Therefore, without relinquishing existence, it is spontaneously non-existent. Regarding "manifesting rebirth while giving rise to the wishless": The Hinayāna takes resting all seeking and doing as the wishless. The Mahāyāna takes the essence of doing to be non-doing; therefore, throughout the whole day it acts without seeking non-doing. This is the wishless of the inconceivable true mark. Down to the "Inconceivable Non-Dual Dharma Gate Chapter", in one gate of liberation the three liberations are identical. This path tallies with the principle and has no duality. Regarding "correctly practicing wholesome dharmas gives rise to pure livelihood": Wrong livelihood refers to living on improper gain. If a practitioner clings to the aggregates to seek the good, attaches to views to give rise to cultivation, or with a wrong mind seeks the good wishing to sustain the life of wisdom, these are all wrong livelihood. If one correctly contemplates the middle way, that is the fundamentally real of the dharmas; the myriad goods are spontaneously perfected, and merit is constantly pure. Since one does not grasp at marks to seek gain to nourish the spirit, it is called pure livelihood. Regarding "untying the bonds of sentient beings gives rise to the stages of cultivation": The Dharma-nature is constantly tranquil, neither shallow nor deep; yet the sūtras differ. When stages of practice are laid out as shallow or deep, they are all expedient means to guide beings in the sequence of generating practice. Although this is an external matter regarding the Dharma-nature, it is the sequence and stages of generating practice. It is also said: because the true principle is neither shallow nor deep, there are no stages of cultivation; it is because delusions are conditioned entanglements

2.7.4

that untying them entails stages. Regarding "knowing all dharmas neither grasps nor relinquishes": The commentary says: "producing a mind of discrimination" means discriminating marks while being markless, only then entering the true mark. The mark of the true mark is just the single mark. The single mark is markless; provisionally named to communicate with beings, it is called "one". Regarding "the donor's equal mind": Giving to a buddha entails deep respect; giving to the poor entails profound compassion. With genuine and profound compassion and exalted, weighty sincerity, both shatter saṃsāra and reach great nirvāṇa. Therefore it says that by being equal, the fields of merit share the same mark. Regarding "without any discrimination": All marks are non-marks—this is the Tathāgata's body. The five aggregates are all empty—this is the poor man's constitution. The Dharma-nature is non-dual; the giving and the retribution are both forgotten. Giving in this manner is therefore without discrimination.

Linked texts (1)

淨名經關中釋抄 — Classical Chinese