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| Contents Door 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 previous next * Preface | ||
Prologue:
Therefore, the doctrines in the stores, Connective, Separate, and Perfect are found in all Four Teachings; yet if one considers their isolated truth, it doesn’t amount to the other three and only amounts to the doctrines in that very teaching.
Commentary:
Therefore, the doctrines in each of the Four Teachings – the Three Stores Teaching, the Connective Teaching, the Separate Teaching, and the Perfect Teaching – are basic to the given Teaching, yet they are found in all four teachings. There are points where they relate to each other and are interconnected. For example, the Three Stores Teaching has its own individual brand of Teaching, yet it also has aspects related to the Connective, Separate, and Perfect Teachings. Each Teaching is like that, with just a small amount of the other kinds, but not enough to warrant them being called the others’ names.
Doctrines of all four are found in all four, yet if one considers their isolated truth, making a definite statement about their actuality, each of the Four Teachings stresses its own kind of Teaching. That makes it quite different form the other three Teachings, so it doesn’t amount to the other three and only amounts to the doctrines in that very teaching. They are named in consideration of what the basic substance of the Teaching is in each case.
Prologue:
He only determined the Flower Adornment as belonging to the perfect and separate, since by contrast with those already above the grounds, those sojourning in positions and successive gradations have the meaning of the separate. The names are different, but the meanings are the same, and there is no great error.
Commentary:
He only determined the Flower Adornment as belonging to the perfect and separate. He looked into the matter carefully and banded down a judgement about the Flower Adornment Sutra, which the Buddha spoke upon first accomplishing Proper Enlightenment. The Buddha had contemplated with his Buddha Eye and seen that all Buddhas of the past, present, and future start by speaking that Sutra, and so he too followed that order.
They speak it first because it teaches and transforms the Great Bodhisattvas, the Great Knights of the Dharma body, the way the newly arisen sun shines first upon the lofty mountains which stand for the Great Bodhidharma door. Those of the Two Vehicles couldn’t hear him speak it, however, since the measure of their minds and their states was too small. They only knew the near and shallow, and not what was far-reaching and profound.
They had eyes but could not see Nishyanda Buddha
Had ears but could not hear the perfect, sudden TeachingSome people may object that this is unbelievable and wonder how they could fail to realize the Buddha was speaking dharma when they did have eyes and ears. Well, here there are two young children who attend the Sutra lecture every evening. They hear and see us, but do they understand? They’re here in the same lecture hall, but hey laugh and cry and act up as they please. Those of the Two Vehicles were like children who didn’t understand the Buddha’s Teaching, and the Great Bodhisattvas were like adults. Otherwise, how could you explain it?
The children can see and hear but don’t know what Buddhadharma is. They can recite the Buddha’s name, but don’t know what it means. When they grow up they’ll realize, “Oh, ‘Namo Amita Buddha’ refers to the Buddha of Infinite Light and Infinite Life – it’s his name, and in the past he made 48 great vows that if any living being recited his name and didn’t become a Buddha he wouldn’t become one either. So now as we recite we’re helping Amita Buddha fulfill his vows. That’s what it meant all along!” it works the same way with the adherents of the Two Vehicles, who can also be compared to level ground which the sunlight doesn’t reach right away, since the high mountains block the light in the early morning. They were as if deaf and as if dumb, not knowing what to say, and Great Dharma could not get through to them.
When the Buddha saw the people of the Two Vehicles missing out on the advantages that only Great Bodhisattvas could receive, he:
Hid the great and displayed the small
He spoke the Agama Sutras, the Three Stores Teaching, to cross over the Small Vehicle, explaining the Dharma of the Four Truths – Suffering, Accumulation, Extinction, and the Way. The original order is actually Suffering, Accumulation, the Way and Extinction, but that doesn’t sound as good as when said in the other order. The Buddha told the people of the Two Vehicles:
This is Suffering, it is oppressive by nature
It presses in on you so hard you can’t breathe.
This is Accumulation, it is beckoning in nature
The ignorance inside you beckons to afflictions to comeThis is the Way; its nature is that it can be cultivated
This is Extinction; its nature is that it can be certified to.
That was the Buddha’s First Turning of the Dharma Wheel of the Four Truths.At the Second Turning of the Dharma Wheel the Buddha said:
This is Suffering; you ought to know it.
This is Accumulation; you ought to cut it off.
This is the Way; you ought to cultivate it.
This is Extinction; you ought to certify to it.The Two Vehicle adherents heard that and thought, “How is it I should ‘know’ Suffering? What’s meant by ‘Suffering’? they looked into it and discovered, “Oh! There are:
The Three Sufferings
- Suffering of Suffering
- Suffering of Decay
- Suffering of Process
And there are also Eight Sufferings as well as all the limitless sufferings.” They knew.
They then asked themselves, “What is meant by ‘Accumulation’? it’s the accumulation of afflictions – which are just garbage, filthy stuff which I ought to clean up by cutting them off so ignorance and affliction are no more. How can I do that? I have to cultivate the Way, the Buddha Way. Why do that? It’s with the hope of obtaining Nirvana and its four virtues:
The Four virtues of Nirvana
- Permanence
- Bliss
- True Self
- Purity
Then they knew Suffering, cut off Accumulation, cultivated the Way, and aimed attachment Extinction. Before the Buddha told the Two Vehicle adherents about the Dharma of the Four Truths, they didn’t know what Suffering was. Once the Buddha pin-pointed it for them, in order to end it they had to cut off Accumulation, since suffering comes from afflictions.
They had to set their sights on Nirvana and cultivate the Way. It was clearly pointed out to them that if they went in one direction it would be suffering, and if they went the other way they would extinguish suffering; that heading for Accumulation would bring bitterness, and going towards Extinction would mean bliss – and that it was entirely up to them. When the Buddha told them that, those of the Two Vehicles thought, “Hum, this seems to make sense. Let’s try it out,” and they did. That was the Buddha’s Second Turning of the Dharma Wheel of the Four Truths.
At the Third Turning of the Dharma Wheel the Buddha said:
This is Suffering; I already know it. I don’t have to know it again.
This is Accumulation; I have already cut it off. I don’t have to cut it off again.
This is the Way; I have already cultivated it. . I don’t have to cultivate it again.
This is Extinction; I have already certified to it. I don’t have to certify to it again.He told them, “I already know all there is to know about Suffering. I’ve already cut off Accumulation, afflictions, cultivated the Way and certified to Extinction. I don’t have to do any of that again. Right now I’m just waiting for you to certify to it, for you to cultivate, cut off, and know. If you understand these principles, you should cultivate the Dharma of the Four Sagely Truths.”
Hearing that, those of the Two Vehicles said, “We’ll do it and see what happens!” some tried it out and were immediately certified to the Fruit, obtaining the advantages and bliss of Nirvana. Afterwards there were many who cultivated the Dharma of the Four Sagely Truths.
After Shakyamuni Buddha spoke the Four Truths, there were great numbers of people who were certified to the First, Second, Third and Fourth Fruits of Arhatship. Now we too have heard the Four Truths lectured, but why is it none of us has certified to those Fruits? It’s because we don’t’ recognize suffering for what it is, mistaking it for bliss. We turn our backs on enlightenment and unite with the dust, and the dust gets daily thicker as our wisdom thins out. Not truly knowing it is suffering, we never consider leaving it behind; and not aware of the bliss of Nirvana, we do not try to attain it. Instead, we stay around in the position of commoners, and can’t certify to the Fruition.
After the Agama Sutras’ Teaching of the Four Sagely Truths, the Buddha spoke the Connective, Separate, and Perfect Teachings. According to Great Master Wise One, says National Master Ch’ing Liang, the Flower Adornment Sutra basically is perfect, Sudden Teaching; but it does have links with the Separate Teaching, he felt. He put it that way since by contrast with those already above the grounds, those sojourning in positions and successive gradations have the meaning of the separate. The Flower Adornment Sutra teaches Bodhisattvas above the level of the Ten Grounds, while Bodhisattvas who are “sojourning in positions” have not yet reached the level of Equal Enlightenment. “Successive Gradations” were discussed in detail before. The principles involved belong to the Separate Teaching. One finds both in the Flower Adornment Sutra. The names are different, for they are two, but the meanings are the same, and there is no great error. This implies that what he said was right.
Third Representative
Prologue:
Three, Dharma Master Yuan Hsiao of Hai Tung, at the beginning of the T’ang, who also established Four Teachings: one, the Separate Teaching of the Three Vehicles, such as the sutras on the Four Truths, arisal from conditions, and so forth; two, the Connective Teaching of the Three Vehicles, such as the Nirvana and deep Secret Sutra, and so forth; three, the teaching of the one vehicle in suitable portions, such as the Brahma Net Sutra, and so forth. Four, the whole teaching of the one vehicle, such as the Flower Adornment Sutra, and so forth.
Commentary:
Three, the third, was yet another Dharma Master whose name was Yuan Hsiao, who was of Hai Tung, also called Tung Hai, which is just Korea. He lived at the beginning of the T’ang Dynasty, and came to study in China. He was a Dharma Master who, when he had learned a fair amount about the T'ien T'ai and Hsien Shou systems, also established Four kinds of Teachings, to show he too had great wisdom.
They were: one, the Separate Teaching of the Three Vehicles – Sound Hearers, Those Enlightened to Conditions, and the Bodhisattvas – and to that Teaching he assigned such works as the sutras on the Four Truths, the Twelve Links of Conditioned Co-Production, arisal from conditions, and so forth; two, was the Connective Teaching of the Three Vehicles – note how he also used the names “Connective” and “Separate” – which was connected with other Sutras, and represented by such works as the Nirvana and deep Secret Sutra, and so forth.
Three was the teaching of the one vehicle in suitable portions – the Bodhisattva Vehicle, but only part of it – represented by the Brahma Net Sutra which discusses the Bodhisattva Precepts, and so forth. Four was the whole teaching of the one vehicle, again the Bodhisattva Vehicle, such as, he decided, the Great Perfect Sutra which we are now lecturing: the Flower Adornment Sutra, and so forth. It, along with the Dharma Flower Sutra, can be considered “Whole-Word” Teaching.
Prologue:
Moreover, what is studied in common by the Three Vehicles he called the teaching of the Three Vehicles. Within it, what has not yet revealed the emptiness of Dharmas he called the Separate Teaching of marks. What talks about the emptiness of all Dharmas he made the Connective Teaching.
That which is not common to the Two Vehicles he called the teaching of the One Vehicle. Within it, what has not yet revealed the Dharma of universality he called the teaching in suitable portions. That which completely clarifies the Dharma of universality he called the perfect, whole teaching.
Commentary:
Moreover – this is National Master Ch’ing Liang defining what Dharma Master Yuan Hsiao meant by the names he assigned his Four Teachings -- what is studied in common by the Three Vehicles he called the teaching of the Three Vehicles. Sound Hearers, Those Enlightened to Conditions, and the Bodhisattvas could all study that kind of Dharma. Within it, what has not yet revealed the emptiness of Dharmas he called the Separate Teaching of marks. Some parts of the Teaching of the Three Vehicles just talk about how people are empty, but do not yet clearly state that dharmas also are.
Then in other Sutras What talks about the emptiness of marks of all Dharmas he made have the name the Connective Teaching, since in it the emptiness of people is connected with an explanation of the emptiness of dharmas. That which is not common to the Two Vehicles, the Sound Hearers and Those Enlightened to Conditions having no share in it, he called the teaching of the One Vehicle of the Bodhisattvas. Within it, what in those kinds of Sutras has not yet revealed the perfect and complete Sutra’s Dharma of universality he called the teaching in suitable portions. You receive the portion suited ot your individual disposition and capacity; while That which completely clarifies the Dharma of universality he called the perfect, whole teaching. Since the Flower Adornment Sutra is great in its means and expansive, pervading the Dharma Realm, he termed that Dharma of totality the Perfect, whole Teaching.
Prologue:
Furthermore, this master is largely similar to T'ien T'ai. He simply has added a One Vehicle in portions to the Separate and the Perfect. He himself, moreover, says that in basing himself upon the doors of the vehicles he in general sets up four kinds, without maintaining that these four comprehensively include all, and so is without error.
Commentary:
Furthermore, this master, Dharma Master Yuan Hsiao, in setting up Four Teachings, is largely similar to T'ien T'ai when one considers the general outlines of their underlying principles. Before there was a Three Stores Teachings and a Connective Teaching , and He simply has added a One Vehicle Teaching in portions and a Perfect, Whole Teaching of the One Vehicle to the Separate and the Perfect Teachings which he combines into one. His terminology differs, but it means about the same thing Agama Sutra the T'ien T'ai classifications.
Then, too, He himself, moreover, says that in basing himself upon the Dharma doors of the vehicles as his methods he in general sets up the four kinds of Teachings, without maintaining that these four comprehensively include all of the Tripitaka and the Twelve Canonical Divisions. He was not trying to do that, and so is without any major error in establishing Four Teachings.
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