大智度論 會宗品Dazhidulun — Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa · Converging on the Tenet

I. Structural Placement

Within the sequence in which the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa comments on the Larger Sūtra, this chapter belongs to the section of the Commentary on the Remaining Chapters and is attached to Fascicle 52. The fascicle-head title reads 「大智度論釋會宗品第二十四」 tr. "Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa, Commentary on the Chapter on Converging on the Tenet, the Twenty-fourth"〔T25 0429b22〕, written continuously with the fascicle number; below it are the two lines naming author and translator, 「聖者龍樹造」 tr. "composed by the noble Nāgārjuna"〔T25 0429b24〕 and 「後秦龜茲國三藏鳩摩羅什譯」 tr. "translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the kingdom of Kucha, of the Later Qin"〔T25 0429b25〕; it comments on the whole of the Larger Sūtra's Chapter 24, "Converging on the Tenet"〔T08 0266c05–0267a19〕. The chapter name and the chapter number are entirely identical in form and number with those of the sūtra explained—the same pattern as "Surpassing", and not comparable to the paired names 「等空」 tr. "Equal to Space" and 「含受」 tr. "Containing and Receiving" of "Containing and Receiving". It follows Chapter 23, "Containing and Receiving", which occupies the end of Fascicle 51; this chapter stands at the head of Fascicle 52, beginning at〔T25 0429b22〕 and ending just before the opening title of Chapter 25, "The Ten Non-existents"〔T25 0430b02〕. There is no fascicle-end title at the end of the chapter—Fascicle 52 goes on to contain "The Ten Non-existents"—so this is a chapter boundary within a single fascicle, not a boundary across fascicles. In the sūtra explained, this chapter likewise happens to stand at the head of its Fascicle 7〔T08 0266c02〕: both texts open a fascicle with this chapter. The Northern Song monk Weibai's Essentials of the Outline of the Great Canon records 「五十二釋般若中會宗品．十無品」 tr. "Fifty-two: explains, within the Prajñā, the chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’ · ‘The Ten Non-existents’"〔C056 0185c05〕—Fascicle 52 containing both chapters, in agreement with the beginning and end given here.

This chapter is extremely small in scope—the whole chapter is only a little over a thousand characters, the smallest of all the chapters examined so far. Like "Praise of the Perfections" and "Surpassing", it takes the form of one Sūtra section and one Treatise section: the single Sūtra citation begins at〔T25 0429b26〕 and takes in almost the whole of the sūtra chapter explained; the Treatise explanation begins at〔T25 0430a08〕, and its opening two characters 「者言」 tr. "[one] says" are as the base text has them, while the three texts Yuan, Ming, and Ishiyama have the character 「論」 tr. "Treatise" below the marker (Section VIII).

The macro-structure within the chapter: one round of question and answer, and two convergences. The arc of the sūtra text—the venerable Pūrṇa addresses the Buddha and asks, 「佛使須菩提為諸菩薩摩訶薩說般若波羅蜜，今乃說摩訶衍為？」 tr. "The Buddha had Subhūti teach prajñāpāramitā for the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas; why does he now teach the Mahāyāna?"〔T25 0429b27〕; Subhūti does not decide it himself, but turns and submits the matter for his own examination before the Buddha: 「我說摩訶衍，將無離般若波羅蜜？」 tr. "In teaching the Mahāyāna, have I not departed from prajñāpāramitā?"〔T25 0429b29〕; the Buddha approves, saying 「不也！須菩提」 tr. "No, Subhūti!"〔T25 0429b29〕, and first converges them by setting out the numbered dharmas—「汝說摩訶衍，隨般若波羅蜜，不離般若波羅蜜」 tr. "your teaching of the Mahāyāna accords with prajñāpāramitā and does not depart from prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0429c01〕—listing all wholesome dharmas and dharmas that aid the path as all gathered into prajñā〔T25 0429c07〕; afterwards he converges them by way of principle—from 「須菩提！若摩訶衍，若般若波羅蜜」 tr. "Subhūti! Whether the Mahāyāna or prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0429c14〕 onward, he sets out in general that all dharmas neither combine nor disperse and are of a single mark, the signless, and that the Mahāyāna and prajñā are without duality and without difference, ending with 「以是因緣故，須菩提！汝說摩訶衍即是說般若波羅蜜」 tr. "For these causes and conditions, Subhūti, your teaching of the Mahāyāna is precisely teaching prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0430a06〕. The arc of the Treatise explanation—it explains the reason for the question〔T25 0430a08〕, cites the Buddha's answer〔T25 0430a11〕, makes clear the causes and conditions of according (because the wholesome dharmas of the three vehicles are all for the sake of nirvāṇa〔T25 0430a12〕), sets out the three gates of nirvāṇa and the simile of keeping the precepts giving rise to wisdom〔T25 0430a15〕, lists the items of the wholesome dharmas〔T25 0430a17〕, assigns them to the dharmas shared by the three vehicles, the bodhisattva dharmas, and the Buddha dharmas〔T25 0430a20〕 while recording the divergent view of someone〔T25 0430a22〕, and then in two further rounds introduced by ‘again’—because the meaning of emptiness is one, the according is without error〔T25 0430a24〕; because they are of the same mark, they are without duality and without difference〔T25 0430a27〕—ends with 「摩訶衍、般若波羅蜜無二無別故」 tr. "because the Mahāyāna and prajñāpāramitā are without duality and without difference"〔T25 0430b01〕. This arc matches point by point Jizang's structural division 「初、疑問；二、釋疑」 tr. "first, the doubting question; second, resolving the doubt" and his 「就教會」 tr. "converging by way of the teaching" and 「就理會」 tr. "converging by way of principle" (see Section VI).

II. Terms Examined

Converging on the tenet. What the chapter name is attached to. Apart from the chapter title, the main text of sūtra and treatise does not itself use the two characters 「會宗」 tr. "converging on the tenet"; the sense of its 「會」 tr. "converging" is brought out by Jizang's structural division—the Buddha's answer in two sections, 「第一、就教會」 tr. "first, converging by way of the teaching"〔X24 0255a02〕 and 「第二、就理會」 tr. "second, converging by way of principle"〔X24 0255a11〕; later glosses on the name likewise gloss it as converging and interpenetrating—Teishun: 「會者大品會宗品云會念處道品皆是摩訶衍」 tr. "‘converging’: the chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’ of the Larger Sūtra says that the foundations of mindfulness and the limbs of the path are converged as all being the Mahāyāna"〔D40 0844a09〕 (the original manuscript is unpunctuated); Zhiquan: 「大品經廣乘品、會宗品皆會一切法是摩訶衍」 tr. "the chapters ‘Broad Vehicle’ and ‘Converging on the Tenet’ of the Larger Sūtra both converge all dharmas as being the Mahāyāna"〔X28 0574a13〕 (both detailed in Section VI). As for the substance of the sūtra text, the two sayings 「皆攝入般若波羅蜜中」 tr. "all are gathered into prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0429c04〕 and 「汝說摩訶衍即是說般若波羅蜜」 tr. "your teaching of the Mahāyāna is precisely teaching prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0430a06〕 are the tenet on which the chapter name converges.

Mahāyāna · prajñāpāramitā. The twin names of the whole chapter. Pūrṇa's question sets up the doubt—the Buddha had Subhūti teach prajñā, yet now he teaches the Mahāyāna〔T25 0429b27〕; the Treatise explanation points to its resolution—「不解義一而名字異」 tr. "they do not understand that the meaning is one while the names differ"〔T25 0430a09〕—the names are two and the meaning is one; this alone is what the whole chapter converges. As for the rendering of the term Mahāyāna, the later Zhiquan notes 「摩訶此云大，衍此云乘」 tr. "mahā is here rendered ‘great’; yāna is here rendered ‘vehicle’"〔X28 0574a13〕.

Wholesome dharmas · dharmas that aid the path. The items gathered in. 「一切所有善法、助道法，若聲聞法、若辟支佛法、若菩薩法、若佛法，是一切法，皆攝入般若波羅蜜中」 tr. "all wholesome dharmas and dharmas that aid the path there are—whether śrāvaka dharmas, pratyekabuddha dharmas, bodhisattva dharmas, or Buddha dharmas—all these dharmas are gathered into prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0429c02〕. The items appear twice, in sūtra and in treatise—the sūtra text lists them by name one by one: the six perfections〔T25 0429c07〕, the seven groups of the thirty-seven limbs of the path〔T25 0429c09〕, the three gates of liberation〔T25 0429c10〕, and the seven dharmas from the ten powers of the Buddha up to the practice of constant equanimity, 「佛十力、四無所畏、四無礙智、大慈大悲、十八不共法、無錯謬相、常捨行」 tr. "the ten powers of the Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great kindness and great compassion, the eighteen unshared dharmas, the mark of being without error, and the practice of constant equanimity"〔T25 0429c10〕; the Treatise explanation names the first three collectively, 「所謂六波羅蜜，三十七品、三脫門」 tr. "namely the six perfections, the thirty-seven limbs of the path, and the three gates of liberation"〔T25 0430a18〕, while still listing the Buddha's seven dharmas one by one〔T25 0430a18〕; the two places overlap but differ in fullness.

The three gates of liberation. The Treatise explanation's abbreviated name〔T25 0430a18〕; the sūtra text gives the full name, 「空、無相、無作解脫門」 tr. "the gates of liberation of emptiness, the signless, and non-action"〔T25 0429c10〕; under the character 「脫」 tr. "release", six texts read 「解脫」 tr. "liberation"; details in Section VIII. Further, the treatise itself sets out 「涅槃門有三種：一切法皆入空門、無相、無作門」 tr. "the gates of nirvāṇa are of three kinds: all dharmas enter the gate of emptiness, the signless, and the gate of non-action"〔T25 0430a15〕—the names of the three gates are the same as those of the three gates of liberation (emptiness, the signless, non-action), and the treatise uses them to make clear that all the wholesome dharmas of the three vehicles are for the sake of nirvāṇa.

Dharmas shared by the three vehicles · bodhisattva dharmas · Buddha dharmas. The Treatise explanation's assignment—「此中三十七品、三脫門是三乘共法，六波羅蜜是菩薩法，十力乃至常捨行是佛法」 tr. "here the thirty-seven limbs of the path and the three gates of liberation are dharmas shared by the three vehicles; the six perfections are bodhisattva dharmas; the ten powers up to the practice of constant equanimity are Buddha dharmas"〔T25 0430a20〕; it further preserves a divergent view—someone says 「六波羅蜜有具足、有不具足。不具足者共二乘法，具足者獨菩薩法」 tr. "the six perfections are sometimes complete and sometimes not complete. When not complete, they are shared with the dharmas of the two vehicles; when complete, they are the dharma of the bodhisattva alone"〔T25 0430a22〕—the divergent view further divides, within the six perfections, the complete from the not complete, which is not wholly the same as the preceding assignment placing them directly among the bodhisattva dharmas; the treatise-author records both without deciding and turns straight to what follows.

Neither combining nor dispersing · a single mark, the signless. The conclusion with which the sūtra text sets out all dharmas in general—「是一切諸法皆不合不散、無色、無形、無對，一相，所謂無相」 tr. "all these dharmas neither combine nor disperse; they are formless, shapeless, and unobstructing, of a single mark, namely the signless"〔T25 0429c24〕; the Treatise explanation gathers it up—「復次，從般若波羅蜜乃至涅槃，皆是不合、不散、無色、無形、無對，一相，所謂無相」 tr. "Again, from prajñāpāramitā up to nirvāṇa, all neither combine nor disperse; they are formless, shapeless, and unobstructing, of a single mark, namely the signless"〔T25 0430a27〕. In the sūtra explained this phrase has the three words 「無對無閡無等」 tr. "unobstructing, unimpeded, unequalled"; details in Section IV, the eighth item.

Without duality and without difference. The guiding thread of the whole chapter. 「摩訶衍不異般若波羅蜜，般若波羅蜜不異摩訶衍，般若波羅蜜、摩訶衍無二無別」 tr. "the Mahāyāna is not different from prajñāpāramitā; prajñāpāramitā is not different from the Mahāyāna; prajñāpāramitā and the Mahāyāna are without duality and without difference"〔T25 0429c27〕; in the same pattern it goes on from prajñā—「檀波羅蜜不異摩訶衍」 tr. "the perfection of giving is not different from the Mahāyāna"〔T25 0429c29〕 and 「乃至禪波羅蜜亦如是」 tr. "up to the perfection of meditation, likewise"〔T25 0430a02〕—then 「四念處不異摩訶衍，摩訶衍不異四念處，四念處、摩訶衍無二無別」 tr. "the four foundations of mindfulness are not different from the Mahāyāna; the Mahāyāna is not different from the four foundations of mindfulness; the four foundations of mindfulness and the Mahāyāna are without duality and without difference"〔T25 0430a02〕, turning item by item up to 「十八不共法、摩訶衍無二無別」 tr. "the eighteen unshared dharmas and the Mahāyāna are without duality and without difference"〔T25 0430a05〕, and concludes the whole chapter with 「摩訶衍、般若波羅蜜無二無別故」 tr. "because the Mahāyāna and prajñāpāramitā are without duality and without difference"〔T25 0430b01〕. Zhiyi's later citation takes precisely this phrase (Section VI).

III. Similes and Stories

The Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa is known for its similes, yet this chapter is extremely small in scope: the sūtra text itself has no simile, and the Treatise explanation sets out only one. This is recorded as it is, without listing any that are not there.

The simile of keeping the precepts giving rise to concentration and wisdom. Having made clear that all the wholesome dharmas of the three vehicles are for the sake of nirvāṇa and all enter the three gates of emptiness, the signless, and non-action, the treatise continues: 「如持戒能生禪定，禪定能生實智慧，不著世間故」 tr. "just as keeping the precepts can give rise to meditative concentration, and meditative concentration can give rise to real wisdom, because one does not cling to the world"〔T25 0430a16〕—by the way precepts, concentration, and wisdom give rise to one another in turn and finally arrive at not clinging to the world, it shows that the wholesome dharmas, though they differ in ten thousand ways, go alike toward nirvāṇa, and so are all included in prajñā.

IV. The Sūtra Passage Explained

The single Sūtra section cited by this treatise stands in continuity with Chapter 24, "Converging on the Tenet"〔T08 0266c05–0267a19〕, of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra translated by Kumārajīva of the Later Qin. The chapter title of the sūtra explained reads directly 「會宗品第二十四」 tr. "Converging on the Tenet, Chapter Twenty-four"〔T08 0266c05〕, its chapter name and number entirely identical in form with this treatise's—the pattern of the paired names 「等空」 tr. "Equal to Space" and 「含受」 tr. "Containing and Receiving" in the preceding chapter is not seen continued in this chapter, and this is recorded as it is. Below the chapter title the sūtra explained has its own collation note, and the title forms of the various texts differ in fullness—「卷第七會宗品首【宋】【元】【明】，卷第十會宗品首【聖】」 tr. "‘Fascicle Seven, head of the chapter Converging on the Tenet’ in the Song, Yuan, and Ming; ‘Fascicle Ten, head of the chapter Converging on the Tenet’ in the Shōgozō"—the title forms and the fascicle records each differ, yet the three characters 「會宗品」 tr. "Chapter on Converging on the Tenet" differ in no text: the chapter name is stable in the transmitted texts of both works. The whole sūtra chapter (not counting the title line) has somewhat over six hundred and eighty Chinese characters, and this treatise's single-section citation somewhat over six hundred and seventy—almost equal in length; what the treatise cites is thus the whole of "Converging on the Tenet", the same pattern as "Surpassing", with its complete single-section citation of the sūtra.

Below this the two correspond in general word for word or nearly word for word. A word-by-word check yields eight substantive variants; each of the two texts reads coherently on its own, and these are not errors of copying; they are recorded side by side without judgement, for the decision of a critical edition. Of the eight places, five confirm and are confirmed by the collation notes in each of the two works' own files (the first, second, third, seventh, and eighth), and in this chapter the direction of this mutual confirmation becomes two-way for the first time—this treatise's collation notes support the reading of the sūtra explained in two cases (the second and seventh), and the sūtra explained's collation notes support this treatise's reading in four (the first, third, seventh, and eighth), the seventh being one place symmetrical in both directions. The cross-textual confirmations noted in the preceding several chapters for the most part ran one way, this treatise's collation notes supporting the reading of the sūtra explained; in this chapter for the first time the sūtra explained's collation notes are seen supporting this treatise's reading in the reverse direction, and the webs of collation of the two works become each other's inside and outside. For details see each item and Section VIII.

First, the presence or absence of the particle ye. The sūtra explained reads 「我說摩訶衍，將無離般若波羅蜜耶？」 tr. "In teaching the Mahāyāna, have I not, then, departed from prajñāpāramitā?"〔T08 0266c09〕, with 「耶」 tr. "the question particle ye" at the end of the sentence; this treatise reads 「我說摩訶衍，將無離般若波羅蜜？」 tr. "In teaching the Mahāyāna, have I not departed from prajñāpāramitā?"〔T25 0429b29〕, without it. The sūtra explained's own collation notes record 「耶【大】，〔－〕【宋】【元】【明】【宮】」 tr. "ye in the Taishō; absent in the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Palace"—the four texts Song, Yuan, Ming, and Palace all lack 「耶」 tr. "ye", entirely agreeing with this treatise's reading: this treatise's reading has grounds within the sūtra explained's own transmitted texts and is not isolated.

Second, the repetition following the words on according with prajñāpāramitā. The sūtra explained reads 「汝說摩訶衍，隨般若波羅蜜不離。何以故」 tr. "Your teaching of the Mahāyāna accords with prajñāpāramitā, not departing. Why?"〔T08 0266c10〕, without repetition; this treatise reads 「汝說摩訶衍，隨般若波羅蜜，不離般若波羅蜜。何以故」 tr. "Your teaching of the Mahāyāna accords with prajñāpāramitā and does not depart from prajñāpāramitā. Why?"〔T25 0429c01〕, repeating the five characters 「般若波羅蜜」 tr. "prajñāpāramitā". This treatise's collation notes record 「般若波羅蜜【大】，〔－〕【宮】【聖】」 tr. "prajñāpāramitā in the Taishō; absent in the Palace and Shōgozō" (Section VIII)—the Palace and Shōgozō texts lack these five characters, entirely agreeing with the reading of the sūtra explained, and the Taishō alone has them: this is one case of this treatise's collation notes supporting, from its side, the reading of the sūtra explained.

Third, dāna and dān, dhyāna and dhyān. The sūtra explained reads 「所謂檀那波羅蜜、尸羅波羅蜜、羼提波羅蜜」 tr. "namely the perfection of giving (dāna), the perfection of morality, the perfection of patience"〔T08 0266c16〕 and 「禪那波羅蜜、般若波羅蜜」 tr. "the perfection of meditation (dhyāna), prajñāpāramitā"〔T08 0266c17〕, with 「檀那」 tr. "dāna" appearing five times and 「禪那」 tr. "dhyāna" three times within the chapter〔T08 0266c16–0267a13〕; at the corresponding eight occurrences this treatise uniformly uses the short forms—「所謂檀波羅蜜、尸羅波羅蜜」 tr. "namely the perfection of giving (dān), the perfection of morality"〔T25 0429c07〕, 「乃至禪波羅蜜亦如是」 tr. "up to the perfection of meditation (dhyān), likewise"〔T25 0430a02〕, eight occurrences in all〔T25 0429c07–0430a02〕. This is purely a matter of fuller and briefer transcription, continuing one cross-chapter pattern of the preceding several chapters; but the sūtra explained's own collation notes record 「那【大】＊，〔－〕【聖】＊」 tr. "na in the Taishō (and likewise throughout); absent in the Shōgozō (and likewise throughout)" (the recursive mark 「＊」 tr. "asterisk" is as the note has it, applying to all occurrences within the chapter)—the Shōgozō lacks 「那」 tr. "na" in every occurrence, entirely agreeing with this treatise: in the preceding chapters this pattern had no support at the level of the transmitted texts, and in this chapter it gains it.

Fourth, two graphs for the four right efforts. The sūtra explained reads 「四念處、四正懃、四如意足」 tr. "the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power"〔T08 0266c18〕, and this treatise 「四念處、四正勤、四如意足」 tr. "the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power"〔T25 0429c09〕—the two characters for ‘effort’ are variant graphs; the collation notes on neither side have an entry on this; it is purely a difference of graphic form.

Fifth, two graphs for the four unobstructed knowledges. The sūtra explained reads 「佛十力、四無所畏、四無閡智、大慈大悲」 tr. "the ten powers of the Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great kindness and great compassion"〔T08 0266c19〕, and this treatise 「佛十力、四無所畏、四無礙智、大慈大悲」 tr. "the ten powers of the Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great kindness and great compassion"〔T25 0429c10〕—the two characters for ‘obstruction’ are variant graphs; neither side has a collation note.

Sixth, the presence or absence of the five characters for bodhisattva-mahāsattva. The sūtra explained reads 「須菩提！若菩薩摩訶薩摩訶衍，若般若波羅蜜、禪那波羅蜜」 tr. "Subhūti! Whether the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's Mahāyāna, or prajñāpāramitā, or the perfection of meditation (dhyāna)"〔T08 0266c23〕, and this treatise 「須菩提！若摩訶衍，若般若波羅蜜」 tr. "Subhūti! Whether the Mahāyāna or prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0429c14〕—the sūtra explained has the qualification 「菩薩摩訶薩」 tr. "bodhisattva-mahāsattva", while this treatise says directly 「摩訶衍」 tr. "the Mahāyāna"; neither side has a collation note, and each text reads coherently on its own.

Seventh, Buddha-dharma and dharma-Buddha. The sūtra explained reads 「佛十力乃至十八不共法，若佛法、佛法性、如、實際」 tr. "the ten powers of the Buddha up to the eighteen unshared dharmas; whether the Buddha-dharma, the nature of the Buddha-dharma, suchness, or the limit of reality"〔T08 0267a04〕, and this treatise 「佛十力乃至十八不共法；若佛、佛法、法性、如、實際、不可思議性、涅槃」 tr. "the ten powers of the Buddha up to the eighteen unshared dharmas; whether the Buddha, the Buddha-dharma, dharma-nature, suchness, the limit of reality, the nature of the inconceivable, or nirvāṇa"〔T25 0429c23〕. What is in dispute is the order of the two characters following 「若佛」 tr. "whether the Buddha"—removing the punctuation and writing the characters continuously, the Taishō of the sūtra explained reads 「若佛法佛法性」 tr. "whether Buddha dharma Buddha dharma nature", and the Taishō of this treatise reads 「若佛佛法法性」 tr. "whether Buddha Buddha dharma dharma nature"; the difference lies only in the two middle characters: the sūtra explained reads 「法佛」 tr. "dharma Buddha", this treatise 「佛法」 tr. "Buddha dharma", and the collation notes on both sides take these two characters as their entry. This treatise's collation notes record 「佛法【大】，法佛【宋】【元】【明】【宮】【聖】【石】」 tr. "‘Buddha dharma’ in the Taishō; ‘dharma Buddha’ in the Song, Yuan, Ming, Palace, Shōgozō, and Ishiyama" (Section VIII)—six texts read 「法佛」 tr. "dharma Buddha", agreeing with the Taishō reading of the sūtra explained; the sūtra explained's collation notes record 「法佛【大】，佛法【聖】」 tr. "‘dharma Buddha’ in the Taishō; ‘Buddha dharma’ in the Shōgozō"—the Shōgozō alone reads 「佛法」 tr. "Buddha dharma", agreeing with the Taishō reading of this treatise: the readings of the base texts and the variant texts of the two works cross exactly pair by pair, one place symmetrical in both directions, the height of this chapter's cross-textual confirmation. The punctuation by enumerating commas before and after the two characters, however, differs in the present editions of the two works (the sūtra explained reads 「若佛法、佛法性」 tr. "whether the Buddha-dharma, the nature of the Buddha-dharma" as a continuous phrase, this treatise 「若佛、佛法、法性」 tr. "whether the Buddha, the Buddha-dharma, dharma-nature" item by item); this belongs to the arrangement of punctuation in the present editions, not to a difference of wording in the transmitted texts, and the comparison concerns only the order of the two characters.

Eighth, three words for unobstructing, and one. The sūtra explained reads 「是一切諸法皆不合不散」 tr. "all these dharmas neither combine nor disperse"〔T08 0267a05〕 and 「無色無形無對無閡無等，一相所謂無相」 tr. "formless, shapeless, unobstructing, unimpeded, unequalled, of a single mark, namely the signless"〔T08 0267a06〕, the three words written continuously; this treatise reads 「是一切諸法皆不合不散、無色、無形、無對，一相，所謂無相」 tr. "all these dharmas neither combine nor disperse; they are formless, shapeless, and unobstructing, of a single mark, namely the signless"〔T25 0429c24〕, with only the one word 「無對」 tr. "unobstructing". The sūtra explained's own collation notes record 「無對無閡無等【大】，無礙無等【宋】，無礙無對【元】【明】，無閡無等【宮】，無對【聖】」 tr. "‘unobstructing, unimpeded, unequalled’ in the Taishō; ‘unhindered, unequalled’ in the Song; ‘unhindered, unobstructing’ in the Yuan and Ming; ‘unimpeded, unequalled’ in the Palace; ‘unobstructing’ in the Shōgozō"—five readings side by side, and only the Shōgozō has the single word 「無對」 tr. "unobstructing", entirely agreeing with this treatise: another case of the sūtra explained's collation notes supporting, from its side, this treatise's reading. The presence or absence of enumerating commas between the words also differs between the two (the sūtra explained writes the three words continuously without internal commas, while this treatise punctuates word by word); this too is the arrangement of punctuation in the present editions, and the comparison concerns only the wording.

Of the eight places, at four—the first, third, seventh, and eighth—the readings of the variant texts of the sūtra explained (the Shōgozō especially, several times) agree with this treatise; at two—the second and seventh—the readings of this treatise's variant texts agree with the sūtra explained; at one—the seventh—the base texts and the variant texts of the two works cross exactly. The third is a matter of fuller and briefer transcription, the fourth and fifth of variant graphs, the first and second of particles and repeated text, the sixth of fullness, the seventh of character order, and the eighth of fullness. In every case the two texts each read coherently on their own; this section lays their differences side by side and does not decide on behalf of either text.

V. The Prajñā Eye

The eye of this chapter lies in the single character 「會」 tr. "converging"—the names are two, but the meaning is only one; the dharmas are ten thousand, but the mark is only one. Its meaning can be summed up in four layers.

First, the names differ and the meaning is one. Pūrṇa himself has no doubt: 「為新學鈍根者不解義一而名字異，故發問」 tr. "it is for the sake of those newly learning and of dull faculties, who do not understand that the meaning is one while the names differ, that he raises the question"〔T25 0430a08〕; Subhūti too does not decide it himself—「須菩提即以其事白佛」 tr. "Subhūti then put the matter to the Buddha"〔T25 0430a09〕, 「佛法甚深，我所說者將無有失」 tr. "the Buddha's Dharma is very deep; in what I have said, have I not erred?"〔T25 0430a10〕—what the names confuse, only the Buddha can settle. The Buddha answers, 「汝說摩訶衍，隨順般若，無有違錯」 tr. "your teaching of the Mahāyāna accords with prajñā, without deviation or error"〔T25 0430a11〕; this alone is what the whole chapter establishes: prajñā and the Mahāyāna differ in name and are one in meaning.

Second, converging by way of the teaching—because all are for the sake of nirvāṇa. 「今佛為說隨順因緣，所謂三乘所攝一切善法皆合聚在般若波羅蜜中」 tr. "Now the Buddha explains for him the causes and conditions of according: namely, all the wholesome dharmas included in the three vehicles are gathered together in prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0430a12〕; the reason is 「一切三乘善法皆為涅槃故」 tr. "because all the wholesome dharmas of the three vehicles are for the sake of nirvāṇa"〔T25 0430a14〕; 「涅槃門有三種：一切法皆入空門、無相、無作門」 tr. "the gates of nirvāṇa are of three kinds: all dharmas enter the gate of emptiness, the signless, and the gate of non-action"〔T25 0430a15〕—the wholesome dharmas differ in ten thousand ways, but their destination is only nirvāṇa and their gates only three, and so no dharma lies outside prajñā. The threefold assignment〔T25 0430a20〕 assigns what belongs where without obstructing their common inclusion; the divergent view of someone〔T25 0430a22〕 refines the boundaries without changing the convergence.

Third, converging by way of principle—because the meaning of emptiness is one. 「復次，摩訶衍空，般若波羅蜜亦空，空義一故，須菩提隨順無錯」 tr. "Again, the Mahāyāna is empty, and prajñāpāramitā too is empty; because the meaning of emptiness is one, Subhūti accords without error"〔T25 0430a24〕; 「如般若波羅蜜空，五波羅蜜乃至如、法性、實際、不可思議性、涅槃亦如是」 tr. "as prajñāpāramitā is empty, so too are the five perfections, up to suchness, dharma-nature, the limit of reality, the nature of the inconceivable, and nirvāṇa"〔T25 0430a25〕—the convergence of the teaching has nirvāṇa as its destination; the convergence of principle has emptiness as its ground; emptiness is not two emptinesses, and so the meaning is not two meanings.

Fourth, without duality and without difference because of being of the same mark. The sūtra text first establishes it—「是一切諸法皆不合不散、無色、無形、無對，一相，所謂無相」 tr. "all these dharmas neither combine nor disperse; they are formless, shapeless, and unobstructing, of a single mark, namely the signless"〔T25 0429c24〕, and therefore 「摩訶衍不異般若波羅蜜，般若波羅蜜不異摩訶衍」 tr. "the Mahāyāna is not different from prajñāpāramitā; prajñāpāramitā is not different from the Mahāyāna"〔T25 0429c27〕; the Treatise explanation gathers it up—「是同相故」 tr. "because they are of the same mark"〔T25 0430a29〕, saying 「摩訶衍則是般若波羅蜜」 tr. "the Mahāyāna is then prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0430a29〕 and 「摩訶衍、般若波羅蜜無二無別故」 tr. "because the Mahāyāna and prajñāpāramitā are without duality and without difference"〔T25 0430b01〕. The mark of the signless is what the same mark is; because of the same mark there is convergence, and because of the convergence, 「汝說摩訶衍即是說般若波羅蜜」 tr. "your teaching of the Mahāyāna is precisely teaching prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0430a06〕—it does not wait for one name to be abolished before they become one: the two names stand together, and the meaning is of itself one. This is where the eye of meaning of the whole chapter comes to rest.

VI. Divergent Readings of the Masters

The Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa has no tradition of a complete line-by-line commentary; the ancient masters' citations and explanations lean wherever the material happens to fall. The ancient masters' rereading of this chapter is of the same type as for "Containing and Receiving"—Huiying's Commentary, which explains the treatise, falls into a gap and does not cover it (yielding only one retrospective mention), while Jizang's Commentary on the Larger Sūtra, which explains the sūtra, preserves a complete dedicated section; beyond these, three works under Zhiyi's name show the name 「會宗品」 tr. "Chapter on Converging on the Tenet", which retrospective searches for the preceding several chapters had not found. This section records the correspondence between what they comment on and cite and this chapter, and does not judge the relative merit of the masters' interpretations.

Jizang's Commentary on the Larger Sūtra (X24n0451), in the table of contents at the head of the work, lists 「會宗品第二十四」 tr. "Converging on the Tenet, Chapter Twenty-four"〔X24 0195b01〕 after ‘Equal to Space, Chapter Twenty-three’, with no interlinear note of an alternative name, consistent with the chapter titles of this treatise and of the sūtra explained. Its Fascicle 5 has a dedicated section, 「會宗品第二十四」 tr. "Converging on the Tenet, Chapter Twenty-four"〔X24 0254b16–0255a13〕, of somewhat over a thousand characters, almost equal in length to the treatise text of this chapter. It opens by first summarising the position—「就前為四：第一、善吉五問，問乘」 tr. "Taking what precedes as four: first, Good Auspice's five questions, asking about the vehicle"〔X24 0254b17〕—carrying on the arc of the several chapters from the five questions of "Going Forth and Arriving" onward; it then sets up its own questions and answers, expounding the meaning of the vehicle and prajñā as different names for the general and the particular, and brings in the Lotus as a contrast—「法華會三歸一，今就大中自會是異名，故異也」 tr. "The Lotus converges the three and returns them to the one; here, within the great, it converges on its own what are different names; therefore they differ"〔X24 0254c22〕—this is his own distinctive extension, a comparison not seen in the original text of this treatise. His structural division says 「品，為二：初、疑問；二、釋疑」 tr. "The chapter is in two: first, the doubting question; second, resolving the doubt"〔X24 0254c24〕, and its turning points join the sūtra text of this chapter point by point—「問二：初、滿願騰眾疑」 tr. "The question in two: first, Fulfilled Vow voices the assembly's doubt"〔X24 0254c24〕 corresponds to Pūrṇa's question〔T25 0429b26〕; 「次、善吉自審，如文」 tr. "next, Good Auspice examines himself, as in the text"〔X24 0255a02〕 corresponds to Subhūti's self-examination〔T25 0429b28〕; 「第二、佛答，有二：第一、就教會」 tr. "Second, the Buddha's answer, in two: first, converging by way of the teaching"〔X24 0255a02〕 corresponds to the passage in which the Buddha lists the wholesome dharmas as gathered into prajñā〔T25 0429b29〕; 「須菩提若摩訶衍下，第二、就理會，皆畢竟故一切法不二也」 tr. "From ‘Subhūti, whether the Mahāyāna’ onward is the second, converging by way of principle: because all are ultimate, all dharmas are non-dual"〔X24 0255a10〕—anchoring the turning point of the sūtra text directly with the sentence 「須菩提！若摩訶衍」 tr. "Subhūti! Whether the Mahāyāna"〔T25 0429c14〕, joining it precisely word for word: the most vivid instance in this chapter of structural division and sūtra text confirming each other across texts. Under 「就教會」 tr. "converging by way of the teaching" he divides further—「教無中二判，明三乘法皆入般若」 tr. "Within the teaching there are two assignments: [first,] it makes clear that the dharmas of the three vehicles all enter prajñā"〔X24 0255a03〕 and 「次、判論三乘法不同」 tr. "next, it assigns and discusses how the dharmas of the three vehicles differ"〔X24 0255a05〕—「論云：十力等是佛法，度是菩薩法」 tr. "The Treatise says: the ten powers and the rest are Buddha dharmas; the perfections are bodhisattva dharmas"〔X24 0255a06〕 and 「道品二乘行名二法，菩薩行名菩薩法也」 tr. "the limbs of the path, when practised by the two vehicles, are called dharmas of the two; when practised by bodhisattvas, they are called bodhisattva dharmas"〔X24 0255a07〕, summarising this chapter's threefold assignment in the Treatise explanation〔T25 0430a20〕, differing in wording while corresponding in meaning; 「又出有人云：具足行六度是菩薩法，不具足行是二乘法」 tr. "It further sets out that someone says: practising the six perfections completely is the bodhisattva dharma; practising them incompletely is the dharma of the two vehicles"〔X24 0255a08〕—closely matching in meaning, point by point, the passage 「有人言」 tr. "someone says" in the Treatise explanation〔T25 0430a22〕, sufficient proof that he comments directly on the basis of the text of the Treatise explanation. As for its manner of writing, this section consists mainly of structural division and summary; this chapter's phrases such as 「無二無別」 tr. "without duality and without difference" and 「不合不散」 tr. "neither combining nor dispersing" are not seen restated word for word, differing slightly in density from his section on "Containing and Receiving", which comments in detail passage by passage. This is recorded as it is, without forcing the two into uniformity.

Zhiyi of the Sui, in his Profound Commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sūtra (T38n1777), makes clear the meaning of the three knowledges in one mind—「三智，即是圓教；般若波羅蜜，即是大乘」 tr. "the three knowledges are precisely the Perfect Teaching; prajñāpāramitā is precisely the Great Vehicle"〔T38 0530c01〕—and continues by marking 「故《大品經．會宗品》云」 tr. "therefore the chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’ of the Larger Sūtra says"〔T38 0530c02〕, citing 「般若波羅蜜，即是摩訶衍；摩訶衍，即是般若波羅蜜。般若波羅蜜、摩訶衍，無二無別」 tr. "prajñāpāramitā is precisely the Mahāyāna; the Mahāyāna is precisely prajñāpāramitā. Prajñāpāramitā and the Mahāyāna are without duality and without difference"〔T38 0530c03〕—「無二無別」 tr. "without duality and without difference" is exactly this chapter's word-for-word phrase〔T25 0429c29〕, while for 「即是」 tr. "is precisely" this chapter reads 「不異」 tr. "is not different from"〔T25 0429c27〕 and, at the end of the chapter, 「則是」 tr. "is then"〔T25 0430a29〕: it is a citation that summarises by sense. In retrospective searches for the preceding several chapters, the works under Zhiyi's name all yielded zero hits; in this chapter for the first time his direct citation naming the chapter is found, and it is recorded. His Meaning of the Three Contemplations (X55n0909) shows the same passage again almost word for word—「當知一心三智即是圓教，般若波羅蜜即是大乘」 tr. "one should know that the three knowledges in one mind are precisely the Perfect Teaching, and prajñāpāramitā is precisely the Great Vehicle"〔X55 0676c12〕, 「故大品？會宗品云：般若波羅蜜即是摩訶衍，摩訶衍即是般若波羅蜜」 tr. "therefore the Larger Sūtra? chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’ says: prajñāpāramitā is precisely the Mahāyāna; the Mahāyāna is precisely prajñāpāramitā"〔X55 0676c13〕, 「般若波羅蜜．摩訶衍無二無別」 tr. "prajñāpāramitā · the Mahāyāna are without duality and without difference"〔X55 0676c14〕 (the two marks 「？」 tr. "question mark" and 「．」 tr. "dot" are as that text has them); below this sentence the text carries its own collation remark, 「即是經作不異次同」 tr. "for ‘is precisely’ the sūtra reads ‘is not different from’; likewise for the next"〔X55 0676c14〕—noting that where it has 「即是」 tr. "is precisely" the sūtra text reads 「不異」 tr. "is not different from", which fits exactly the character of the summarising citation noted above. The two works follow one track; which came first and which later is not investigated here.

The Profound Meaning of the Lotus (T33n1716, spoken by Zhiyi, recorded by Guanding) preserves a separate passage—「有人引《釋論．會宗品》，舉十大經：《雲經》、《大雲經》、《法華經》，《般若》最大」 tr. "Someone cites the Expository Treatise, chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’, raising ten great sūtras: the Cloud Sūtra, the Great Cloud Sūtra, the Lotus Sūtra—and the Prajñā is the greatest"〔T33 0811b28〕, headed by the mark 「○記者私錄異同」 tr. "○ the recorder's private notes on agreements and differences"〔T33 0811b28〕—it belongs to the recorder's transcription of what 「有人」 tr. "someone" said, not to Zhiyi's own words, and differs in character from the direct citation in the Profound Commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sūtra. Moreover, a search through the whole text of sūtra and treatise in this chapter finds no name 「十大經」 tr. "ten great sūtras", 「雲經」 tr. "Cloud Sūtra", or 「大雲經」 tr. "Great Cloud Sūtra", nor any passage comparing the sūtras as greater and lesser—what it cites does not correspond to the text of this chapter; its citation is recorded and its non-correspondence noted, and the cause is not investigated here. The combined edition of the Annotations on the Profound Meaning of the Lotus in the Qianlong canon shows the same passage again—「有人引釋論會宗品舉十大經雲經大雲經」 tr. "someone cites the Expository Treatise chapter Converging on the Tenet raising ten great sūtras Cloud Sūtra Great Cloud Sūtra"〔L116 0863b14〕 (that text is unpunctuated)—because the combined edition also contains the base text of the Profound Meaning; a retrospective search of the independent edition of Zhanran's Annotations on the Profound Meaning of the Lotus for 「會宗品」 tr. "Chapter on Converging on the Tenet" yields zero hits, so this passage belongs to the base text and not to Zhanran's explanatory words. The Qing monk Xufa's Guide to the Five Teachings of Xianshou (X58n1024) shows it again—「又會宗品舉十大經：雲經、大雲經、法華經，般若最大」 tr. "Further, the chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’ raises ten great sūtras: the Cloud Sūtra, the Great Cloud Sūtra, the Lotus Sūtra—and the Prajñā is the greatest"〔X58 0639b12〕 and 「大明品云：諸餘善法入般若中」 tr. "the chapter ‘Great Illumination’ says: all the other wholesome dharmas enter into prajñā"〔X58 0639b13〕—almost wholly the same as the 「有人」 tr. "someone" passage of the Profound Meaning; it is a later retransmission of the same citation, and its non-correspondence with the text of this chapter is likewise the same.

Jizang, beyond his Commentary on the Larger Sūtra, also in his Commentary on the Meaning of the Lotus (T34n1721) brings in this chapter as proof of 「合乘」 tr. "joining the vehicles"—「如《大品》總說一切乘皆入大乘」 tr. "as the Larger Sūtra says in general that all vehicles enter the Great Vehicle"〔T34 0483c03〕, marking 「如〈會宗品〉云」 tr. "as the chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’ says"〔T34 0483c04〕 and citing 「若佛法菩薩法二乘法皆入摩訶衍」 tr. "whether Buddha dharmas, bodhisattva dharmas, or dharmas of the two vehicles, all enter the Mahāyāna"〔T34 0483c04〕, and concluding 「故名合乘也」 tr. "therefore it is called joining the vehicles"〔T34 0483c05〕—his citation uses 「二乘法」 tr. "dharmas of the two vehicles" to include the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas together, and uses 「皆入摩訶衍」 tr. "all enter the Mahāyāna" in place of 「皆攝入般若波羅蜜中」 tr. "all are gathered into prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0429c04〕; it is a summary by sense and not a word-for-word citation; one master citing this chapter in two books shows the weight he gave to this chapter's meaning of converging the vehicles. The Qing monk Zhiquan's Verifying Explanation of the Profound Meaning and Annotations of the Lotus Sūtra (X28n0592), under the entry 「○一切法摩訶衍」 tr. "○ all dharmas are the Mahāyāna"〔X28 0574a12〕—「大品經廣乘品、會宗品皆會一切法是摩訶衍」 tr. "the chapters ‘Broad Vehicle’ and ‘Converging on the Tenet’ of the Larger Sūtra both converge all dharmas as being the Mahāyāna"〔X28 0574a13〕, adding the rendering 「摩訶此云大，衍此云乘」 tr. "mahā is here rendered ‘great’; yāna is here rendered ‘vehicle’"〔X28 0574a13〕—cites ‘Broad Vehicle’ and this chapter together as proof of 「會一切法」 tr. "converging all dharmas"; it is a general mention, not a word-for-word citation.

Huiying's Commentary (X46n0791) is the only ancient commentary on this treatise, and survives only in fragmentary fascicles; the extant fascicles break off after "The Meaning of the Phrase", Chapter Twelve, and resume only at "Weighing the Relics", Chapter Thirty-seven; this chapter falls precisely within the gap, and a passage-by-passage commentary on it is wholly lacking. Only in his Fascicle 17, in the part explaining "The Meaning of the Phrase", do words of general outline look back and touch on this chapter's name—「第三、從摩訶衍品已下去，訖至會宗品，有七品經文」 tr. "Third, from the chapter ‘Mahāyāna’ onward, ending at the chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’, there are seven chapters of sūtra text"〔X46 0864a05〕—taking this chapter's title as the end point of a section; it is a mention in a structural overview, not a commentary on this chapter, and it is recorded as it is, neither inflated nor suppressed (its meaning is given further in Section VII).

Huilin's Sounds and Meanings of All the Scriptures has a section 「音大智度論一百卷」 tr. "Sounds for the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa in one hundred fascicles"〔T54 0609c22〕, with the interlinear note below the title 「第九帙無音」 tr. "the ninth case has no sound-glosses"〔T54 0609c22〕; its entries for the forty-fourth to the fifty-second fascicles are missing in the original, and after the forty-third fascicle comes directly 「第五十三卷」 tr. "the fifty-third fascicle"〔T54 0615a08〕; Fascicle 52, in which this chapter lies, falls precisely within the missing list—the lack lies in the transmitted text of that book, and is nothing particular to this chapter.

Teishun's Classified Compendium of Tiantai Terms (D40n8903) glosses the character 「會」 tr. "converging"—「會者大品會宗品云會念處道品皆是摩訶衍」 tr. "‘converging’: the chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’ of the Larger Sūtra says that the foundations of mindfulness and the limbs of the path are converged as all being the Mahāyāna"〔D40 0844a09〕 (the original manuscript is unpunctuated)—summing up with 「會念處道品皆是摩訶衍」 tr. "the foundations of mindfulness and the limbs of the path are converged as all being the Mahāyāna" the passage of this treatise from 「四念處不異摩訶衍」 tr. "the four foundations of mindfulness are not different from the Mahāyāna"〔T25 0430a02〕 up to 「十八不共法、摩訶衍無二無別」 tr. "the eighteen unshared dharmas and the Mahāyāna are without duality and without difference"〔T25 0430a05〕; the wording is brief and the sense corresponds.

The Northern Song monk Weibai's Essentials of the Outline of the Great Canon shows the chapter name twice—in the brief catalogue of the Larger Sūtra, 「會宗品　摩訶衍皆隨般若布施等行」 tr. "Chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’: the Mahāyāna—the practices of giving and the rest—all accords with prajñā"〔C056 0139a07〕, raising its outline in one sentence; in the brief catalogue of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa, recording the fascicle as combined, 「五十二釋般若中會宗品．十無品」 tr. "Fifty-two: explains, within the Prajñā, the chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’ · ‘The Ten Non-existents’"〔C056 0185c05〕, and the summary below it, 「所謂眾生無色無受想行識」 tr. "namely, beings are non-existent, form is non-existent, feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness are non-existent"〔C056 0185c06〕 and so on, all describes the meaning of the ten non-existents of the next chapter—this chapter stands at the head of the fascicle and is small in scope, while the next chapter occupies the greater part of the fascicle; the weighting of the combined-fascicle summary is ordinary in cataloguing, and is simply noted.

The Tang Extended Chapter Register of the Buddhist Teaching of the Kaiyuan Era of the Great Tang records the sūtra's chapter as 「摩訶般若波羅蜜經會宗品第二十三」 tr. "Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra, Converging on the Tenet, Chapter Twenty-three"〔A097 0812a12〕—the chapter name the same but the chapter number one less; the preceding entry, 「含受品第二十二」 tr. "Containing and Receiving, Chapter Twenty-two"〔A097 0812a11〕, and the following entry, 「十無品第二十四」 tr. "The Ten Non-existents, Chapter Twenty-four"〔A097 0812b01〕, are consistently so, agreeing with the chapter numbers of the Shōgozō and Ishiyama texts of this treatise (Section VIII); this carries on the same type noted in the preceding several chapters and is not an isolated case in this chapter.

As for works under the names of Kuiji and Huizhao, retrospective searches for 「會宗品」 tr. "Chapter on Converging on the Tenet" all yield zero hits. The recent Lü Cheng, in his Essentials of Lectures on Sūtras and Treatises, observes the opening and combining of chapters in the two translations of Kumārajīva and Xuanzang—「佛說大乘即般若，般若即大乘，什立《會宗品》，意謂以此為正宗，而奘譯又缺」 tr. "The Buddha says the Great Vehicle is prajñā and prajñā is the Great Vehicle; Kumārajīva set up the chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’, meaning to take this as the proper tenet, while Xuanzang's translation, again, lacks it"〔LC07 0072a09〕—it is the writing of a recent author and by rule does not belong among the ancient masters' citations; its existence is simply noted.

VII. Cross-reading and Further Resonances

On the continuity of this chapter's line of meaning, there are three points of connection with what comes before and after, all recorded in this section, which does not fix a reading on anyone's behalf.

First, the treatise's own cross-reference and the arc of seven chapters. At the opening of the Treatise explanation it says 「此義初已論之」 tr. "this meaning has already been discussed at the beginning"〔T25 0430a12〕—the meaning of the mutual identity of the Mahāyāna and prajñā was already set forth in earlier fascicles, and this chapter restates it and gathers it up; Huiying's outline likewise takes this chapter as its end point—「第三、從摩訶衍品已下去，訖至會宗品，有七品經文」 tr. "Third, from the chapter ‘Mahāyāna’ onward, ending at the chapter ‘Converging on the Tenet’, there are seven chapters of sūtra text"〔X46 0864a05〕—from "Mahāyāna", Chapter Eighteen, to this chapter is exactly seven chapters; the great section on the vehicle closes here, and this chapter stands in the position of its culmination.

Second, the contrast between converging on the tenet and converging the three into the one. Jizang, commenting on this chapter, at once brings in the Lotus for comparison—「法華會三歸一，今就大中自會是異名，故異也」 tr. "The Lotus converges the three and returns them to the one; here, within the great, it converges on its own what are different names; therefore they differ"〔X24 0254c22〕—distinguishing the convergence of prajñā (converging on its own, within the great, what are different names) from the convergence of the Lotus (converging the three and returning them to the one); further, in his Commentary on the Meaning of the Lotus he cites this chapter as proof of 「合乘」 tr. "joining the vehicles"〔T34 0483c04〕 (Section VI)—this chapter's meaning of converging and interpenetrating the vehicles thus became one pivot of later contrasts between the Lotus and the Prajñā; this section records the traces of the contrast and does not judge whether the convergences are the same or different.

Third, the actual traces in later ages of the wording on non-duality and non-difference. Zhiyi's Profound Commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sūtra and Meaning of the Three Contemplations bring the words 「無二無別」 tr. "without duality and without difference"〔T25 0429c29〕 into the discussion of the threefold contemplation in one mind; Teishun sets up an entry on the character 「會」 tr. "converging" and cites this chapter; Weibai gives an outline in each of his two brief catalogues (all in Section VI)—though this chapter is extremely short, its one meaning, 「汝說摩訶衍即是說般若波羅蜜」 tr. "your teaching of the Mahāyāna is precisely teaching prajñāpāramitā"〔T25 0430a06〕, has left actual traces in later doctrinal study.

VIII. Witnesses and Editions

The base text of this chapter is Fascicle 52 of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa〔T25 0429b22–0430b02〕; the collation text for the sūtra explained is Chapter 24, "Converging on the Tenet", of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra〔T08 0266c05–0267a19〕; the collation text for the ancient-master commentaries is Fascicle 5 of Jizang's Commentary on the Larger Sūtra (X24n0451), while the surviving fascicles of Huiying's Commentary (X46n0791) do not cover this chapter. Variant notes follow the Taishō collation, covering differences between the Taishō base text and the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Palace editions, the Shōgozō manuscript, and the Ishiyama text (the Ishiyama-dera manuscript). This chapter being small, the collation notes at the end of the working base text number fourteen entries in all, and this section transcribes them all without selection; the fourteen entries attach to thirteen notes—one note, on the character 「脫」 tr. "release", carries the recursive mark 「＊」 tr. "asterisk" and applies to two places, and so is expanded into two entries. Each entry records the wording of its note as it is; the variant readings are preserved side by side, while the main text continues to follow the reading of the current base text.

Chapter and fascicle title. 「（大智度論…二）十六字【大】，大智度論卷第五十二釋第二十四品會宗品【宮】，（大智度經論卷第五十二，釋第二十三品，訖第二十四品）二十二字【聖】，（大智度論繹第二十三品會宗品，五十四）十六字【石】」 tr. "‘(Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa … two)’, sixteen characters, in the Taishō; ‘Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa, Fascicle Fifty-two, Explaining the Twenty-fourth Chapter, Chapter on Converging on the Tenet’ in the Palace; ‘(Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra-Treatise, Fascicle Fifty-two, explaining the twenty-third chapter, through the twenty-fourth chapter)’, twenty-two characters, in the Shōgozō; ‘(Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa, unravelling the twenty-third chapter, Chapter on Converging on the Tenet, fifty-four)’, sixteen characters, in the Ishiyama"〔T25 0429b22〕—the Taishō's 「十六字」 tr. "sixteen characters" is an abbreviation standing for the sixteen characters of the fascicle-head title, 「大智度論釋會宗品第二十四卷五十二」 tr. "Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa, Commentary on the Chapter on Converging on the Tenet, the Twenty-fourth, Fascicle Fifty-two" (the character 「繹」 tr. "unravel" is as the note has it). The chapter numbers of the Shōgozō and Ishiyama texts both read 「第二十三」 tr. "the twenty-third", one less than the Taishō; the Ishiyama text's fascicle number 「五十四」 tr. "fifty-four" is two more than the Taishō's 「五十二」 tr. "fifty-two"—the departure of the Shōgozō and Ishiyama chapter numbers from the track, and the shift of the Ishiyama fascicle numbers, carry on the same type noted in the preceding two chapters and agree with the Tang catalogue's 「會宗品第二十三」 tr. "Converging on the Tenet, Chapter Twenty-three" (Section VI); recorded side by side without judgement.

The Sūtra marker. 「【經】【大】，〔－〕【宋】【宮】【聖】」 tr. "the Sūtra marker in the Taishō; absent in the Song, Palace, and Shōgozō"〔T25 0429b26〕—the three texts Song, Palace, and Shōgozō lack this marker; a difference of layout, with no bearing on doctrine.

The five characters of prajñāpāramitā. 「般若波羅蜜【大】，〔－〕【宮】【聖】」 tr. "prajñāpāramitā in the Taishō; absent in the Palace and Shōgozō"〔T25 0429c02〕—the five characters repeated in 「不離般若波羅蜜」 tr. "does not depart from prajñāpāramitā" are lacking in the Palace and Shōgozō texts; the sūtra explained likewise does not repeat them (Section IV, the second item), and the Taishō alone has them; a cross-textual confirmation, recorded side by side without judgement.

Feet and the four bases of supernormal power. 「足【大】，四神足【聖】」 tr. "‘feet’ in the Taishō; ‘the four bases of supernormal power’ in the Shōgozō"〔T25 0429c09〕—the Shōgozō, at 「四如意足」 tr. "the four bases of supernormal power", reads 「四神足」 tr. "the four bases of supernormal power"; one dharma with two names, not a miswritten character, with no difference in doctrine.

Buddha-dharma and dharma-Buddha. 「佛法【大】，法佛【宋】【元】【明】【宮】【聖】【石】」 tr. "‘Buddha dharma’ in the Taishō; ‘dharma Buddha’ in the Song, Yuan, Ming, Palace, Shōgozō, and Ishiyama"〔T25 0429c23〕—six texts read 「法佛」 tr. "dharma Buddha", agreeing with the Taishō reading of the sūtra explained; the Shōgozō of the sūtra explained alone reads 「佛法」 tr. "Buddha dharma", agreeing with this treatise's Taishō (Section IV, the seventh item)—one place symmetrical in both directions, the height of this chapter's cross-textual confirmation; recorded side by side without judgement.

The four foundations of mindfulness and the Mahāyāna. 「四念處摩訶衍【大】，摩訶衍四念處【石】，摩訶術四念處【聖】」 tr. "‘four foundations of mindfulness, Mahāyāna’ in the Taishō; ‘Mahāyāna, four foundations of mindfulness’ in the Ishiyama; ‘mohe-shu, four foundations of mindfulness’ in the Shōgozō"〔T25 0430a03〕—the Ishiyama text reverses the order of the two terms; in the Shōgozō 「衍」 tr. "yan (vehicle)" is written 「術」 tr. "shu (art)", and 「摩訶術」 tr. "mohe-shu" does not form a word—probably an error from similarity of shape; recorded side by side.

The eighteen unshared dharmas and the Mahāyāna. 「十八不共法摩訶衍【大】，摩訶衍十八不共法【石】，摩訶術十八不共法【聖】」 tr. "‘eighteen unshared dharmas, Mahāyāna’ in the Taishō; ‘Mahāyāna, eighteen unshared dharmas’ in the Ishiyama; ‘mohe-shu, eighteen unshared dharmas’ in the Shōgozō"〔T25 0430a05〕—entirely parallel to the entry above: the Ishiyama text reverses the order and the Shōgozō writes 「術」 tr. "shu (art)"; the two entries follow one pattern.

The Treatise marker. 「【論】【大】，【論】論【元】【明】【石】」 tr. "the Treatise marker in the Taishō; the Treatise marker followed by ‘Treatise’ in the Yuan, Ming, and Ishiyama"〔T25 0430a08〕—the three texts Yuan, Ming, and Ishiyama have one more character 「論」 tr. "Treatise" below the marker (that is, above 「者言」 tr. "[one] says" there is the character 「論」 tr. "Treatise"), a note of the same type as in the preceding chapter; a difference of layout.

New and cut off. 「新【大】，斷【聖】」 tr. "‘new’ in the Taishō; ‘cut off’ in the Shōgozō"〔T25 0430a08〕—for 「新學鈍根者」 tr. "those newly learning and of dull faculties" the Shōgozō reads 「斷學」 tr. "cut-off learning", the sense obscure; perhaps an error arising from similarity of shape; recorded side by side without judgement, for attention.

Release and liberation. 「脫【大】＊，解脫【宋】【元】【明】【宮】【聖】【石】＊」 tr. "‘release’ in the Taishō (and likewise throughout); ‘liberation’ in the Song, Yuan, Ming, Palace, Shōgozō, and Ishiyama (and likewise throughout)"〔T25 0430a18〕〔T25 0430a20〕—the recursive mark 「＊」 tr. "asterisk" is as the note has it, covering the two occurrences of 「三脫門」 tr. "the three gates of liberation" in this chapter; each occurrence is attached to one entry, making two of the fourteen entries; the six texts all have the full name 「三解脫門」 tr. "the three gates of liberation", the Taishō alone using the abbreviation; recorded side by side without judgement.

The particle zhe. 「者【大】，〔－〕【宋】【元】【明】【宮】【聖】【石】」 tr. "zhe in the Taishō; absent in the Song, Yuan, Ming, Palace, Shōgozō, and Ishiyama"〔T25 0430a23〕—in 「具足者獨菩薩法」 tr. "when complete, they are the dharma of the bodhisattva alone", the 「者」 tr. "zhe (when)" is absent in six texts; the presence or absence of a particle, which does not hinder the doctrine.

The three characters of pāramitā. 「波羅蜜【大】，〔－〕【宋】【元】【明】【宮】【聖】【石】」 tr. "pāramitā in the Taishō; absent in the Song, Yuan, Ming, Palace, Shōgozō, and Ishiyama"〔T25 0430b01〕—in the sentence at the end of the chapter, 「摩訶衍、般若波羅蜜無二無別故」 tr. "because the Mahāyāna and prajñāpāramitā are without duality and without difference", six texts lack the three characters 「波羅蜜」 tr. "pāramitā" (that is, they read 「摩訶衍、般若無二無別」 tr. "the Mahāyāna and prajñā are without duality and without difference"); the Taishō is alone in having these three characters; recorded side by side without judgement.

The Ishiyama closing formula after ‘because’. 「故【大】，故釋二十三品竟【石】」 tr. "‘because’ in the Taishō; ‘because. End of the explanation of the twenty-third chapter’ in the Ishiyama"〔T25 0430b01〕—below 「故」 tr. "because", the last character of the whole chapter, the Ishiyama text further has the closing formula 「釋二十三品竟」 tr. "end of the explanation of the twenty-third chapter", the chapter number again being twenty-three, agreeing with the first entry; the Taishō lacks this formula, and the end of this chapter also has no fascicle-end title, because Fascicle 52 goes on to contain "The Ten Non-existents" (Section I).

The fourteen entries above correspond one by one to the collation notes of the original file, with nothing omitted, and there are no supplementary entries obtainable only by reading the original file directly—unlike the preceding two chapters, each of which had entries added, the notes of this chapter are very simple; this is recorded as it is.