妙法蓮華經玄義 辨體·廣簡偽
魚目能混進明珠，不因它全無光澤，恰因它也圓、也亮。
『真實』也是如此。治國安家可以稱實，離欲得定可以稱實，破除有無可以稱實，證得空寂也可以稱實。每一層都有真切功用；若在所得處停住，那份真切也可能成為遮蔽。
所以智者一路追問：它能安頓人間，能不能出離愛著？它能破一切見，自己還是不是一見？它能離有離無，所住的涅槃是否又成無邊？它能入空寂，能不能從寂發照，為眾生深求到底？
三個譬喻把答案放在眼前。
兔、馬、大象都入同一條河，只有力量深者兼得底岸；頗梨珠與如意珠形類相似，只有如意珠空而能雨寶；黃石中的金始終是金，在愚夫手中被棄，在估客手中只被收藏，在金匠手中成為器物，在仙客手中鍊成金丹。
河沒有偏愛哪一獸，珠沒有只向哪一人隱藏力量，金也沒有在四人手中更換本性。深淺出在能見、能到、能用。
最後一關因此不在名相，而在悟。盲人聽說乳像米末、雪、貝、鵠，便把軟、冷、硬、動當成乳色；聽得愈多，仍沒有親見。直到金錍開眼，一指、二指、三指分明，所聞才成所見。
廣簡偽不是教人急著判別別人，而是把每一個『我已經懂了』重新放回河中、珠前、金石之間：我只是得名，還是真見？只是休息，還能照見？只是守金，還能成就眾生？
實相從未因魚目而減少光明。真正要簡去的，是那個見到一點光，便不再向明珠深看的心。
What is hardest to distinguish is not the false, but what looks almost true. A fish eye can become mixed among bright pearls not because it has no luster at all, but precisely because it too is round and bright.
The same is true of what is called “real.” Bringing order to a country and household can be called real; leaving desire and attaining concentration can be called real; breaking through existence and nonexistence can be called real; realizing empty quiescence can also be called real. Every level has a genuine function, yet if one stops at what has been attained, that very genuineness can become an obscuration.
Zhiyi therefore presses the inquiry at every step. It may bring order to the human world, but can it leave attachment behind? It may break every view, but has it itself become another view? It may leave both existence and nonexistence, but has the nirvāṇa in which it abides become another extreme of nonexistence? It may enter empty quiescence, but can illumination arise from that quiescence and seek all the way to the bottom for the sake of sentient beings?
Three similes place the answer before our eyes.
Rabbit, horse, and elephant all enter the same river, but only the one with great strength reaches both the bottom and the far bank. A crystal jewel and a wish-fulfilling jewel look alike, but only the wish-fulfilling jewel is empty and yet can rain down treasures. The gold within yellow stone remains gold throughout: a fool throws it away, a merchant only stores it, a goldsmith fashions it into ornaments, and an immortal adept refines it into a golden elixir.
The river favors no animal; the jewel conceals its power from no particular person; and the gold does not change its nature in the hands of the four people. Depth lies in the capacity to see, to reach, and to use.
The final boundary therefore lies not in names and characteristics but in awakening. A blind person hears that milk is like rice flour, snow, a shell, and a crane, and so takes softness, coldness, hardness, and movement to be the color of milk. However much is heard, the true color has still not been seen. Only when a golden scalpel opens the eye and one, two, and three fingers are seen distinctly does what was heard become what is seen.
Broadly distinguishing the false does not teach us to hurry to judge others. It places every thought “I already understand” back into the river, before the jewels, and among stone and gold. Have I merely acquired the name, or have I truly seen? Have I merely come to rest, or can illumination still arise? Am I merely guarding the gold, or can I use it to bring sentient beings to accomplishment?
The true mark has never lost its brilliance because fish eyes are mixed among the pearls. What must truly be distinguished and removed is the mind that sees one glint and therefore ceases to look more deeply toward the bright pearl.
隋天台智者大師說《妙法蓮華經玄義》〔私記緣起＝沙門灌頂述〕· 大正藏 T33n1716〔起 T33 0780a29〕。段/行首〔T33 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨（換頁一枚）。
〔T33 0780a29〕○二、廣簡偽者，夫正體玄絕，一往難知，又邪小之名，亂於正大，譬如魚目混雜明珠，故須簡偽。即為六意：一、就凡簡。二、就外簡。三、就小簡。四、就偏簡。五、就譬簡。六、就悟簡。 一、就凡簡者，《釋論》云：世典亦稱實者，乃是護國治家稱實也。外道亦稱實者，邪智僻解，謂為實也。小乘稱實者，厭苦蘇息，以偏真為實也。如是等，但有實名，而無其義。何者？世間妖幻道術亦稱為實，多是鬼神魅法，此法入心，迷醉狂亂，自衒善好，謂勝真實，立異動眾，示奇特相。或髑髏盛屎，約多人前張口大咽，或生魚臭肉，增狀餔食，或裸形弊服，誇傲規矩，或直來直去，不問不答，種種譎詭，詃誘無智，令信染惑著。著已求脫叵得，內則病害其身，外則誅家滅族，禍延親里，現受眾苦，後受地獄長夜之苦，生生障道，無解脫期。此乃世間現見，何實可論，鈍使愛論攝。 若周孔經籍，治法禮法，兵法醫法，天文地理，八卦五行，世間墳典，孝以治家，忠以治國，各親其親，各子其子，敬上愛下，仁義揖讓，安于百姓，霸立社禝；若失此法，彊者陵弱，天下焦遑，民無聊生，鳥不暇栖，獸不暇伏；若依此法，天下太平，牛馬內向，當知此法，乃是愛民治國，而稱為實。《金光明》云：「釋提桓因種種勝論。」即其義也。蓋十善意耳，修十善上符天心，諸天歡喜，求天然報，此法為勝，故言勝論耳。又大梵天王，說出欲論，即是修定出欲淤泥，亦是愛論攝耳。世又方術，服藥長生，練形易色，飛仙隱形者，稱此藥方祕要真實，此亦愛論鈍使攝耳。 二就外簡者，即是外道典籍也。若服藥求知，聰利明達，推尋道理，稱此藥方為勝為實者，藥力薄知，不能鑒遠，觸藥則失，藥歇則失，亦非實也。若此間莊老，無為無欲，天真虛靜，息諸誇企，棄聖絕智等，直是虛無其抱，尚不出單四見外，何關聖法？縱令出單四見外，尚墮複四見中，見網中行，非解脫道。若外國論力受梨昌募，撰《五百明難》，其一云：「瞿曇為一究竟道，為眾多究竟道？」佛言：「但一究竟道。」論力云：「云何諸師各各說究竟道？」佛指鹿頭：「汝識其不？」論力言：「識，究竟道中，其為第一。」佛言：「若其得究竟道，云何自捨其道為我弟子耶？」論力即悟，歎佛法中，獨一究竟道。又如長爪云：「一切論可破，一切語可轉，觀諸法實相，于久不得一法入心。」《釋論》云：「長爪執亦有亦無見。」又云：「亦計不可說見。」 如斯流類，百千萬種，虛妄戲論，為惑流轉，見網浩然，邪智瀾漫，觸境生著。或時襵揲，有無為有，無有無無為無，有非有非無為有，無非有非無為無，百千番牒，悉皆見倒，生死諸邊，非真實也。《大經》云：「被無明枷，繫生死柱，遶二十五有不能得脫。」即此義也。 三、就小簡者，聲聞法中亦云：「離有離無名聖中道。」《大集》云：「拘隣如沙門，最初獲得真實之知見。」然小乘不運大悲，不濟眾生，功德力薄，不求作佛，不深窮實相，則智慧劣弱，雖云離有離無名聖中道，乃以斷常二見為二邊，真諦為中道。真無漏慧名為見，證涅槃法名為知，雖斷見思，除滅分段，而住草庵，非究竟理。對前生死有邊，即是涅槃無邊，二俱可破可壞，非真實道，故不名實相也。 〔T33 0781a03〕四、就偏簡者，諸大乘經，共二乘人帶方便說者，名字既同，義須分別。如《摩訶衍》中云：「三乘之人，同以無言說道斷煩惱。」《中論》云：「諸法實相，三人共得」者，二乘之人雖共稟無言說道，自求出苦，無大悲心，得空則止，鈍根菩薩亦爾。利根菩薩大悲為物，深求實相。共實相者，智如螢火，是故非實；不共實相，智如日光，是故為實。《大經》云：「第一義空名為智慧。」二乘但空，空無智慧；菩薩得不但空，即中道慧。此慧寂而常照，二乘但得其寂，不得寂照，故非實相。菩薩得寂，又得寂照，即是實相。 見不空者，復有多種：一、見不空，次第斷結，從淺至深，此乃相似之實，非正實也。二、見不空，具一切法，初阿字門則解一切義，即中、即假、即空，不一不異，無三無一。二乘但一即；別教但二即；圓具三即，三即真實相也。《釋論》云：「何等是實相？謂菩薩入於一相，知無量相，知無量相又入一相。」二乘但入一相，不能知無量相；別教雖入一相，又入無量相，不能更入一相。利根菩薩即空故入一相，即假故知無量相，即中故更入一相。如此菩薩，深求智度大海，一心即三，是真實相體也。 華嚴不共二乘，但約菩薩：三智次第，得亦非正實；不次第得者，是正實也。若方等中，四人得三智，三人為虛；一人為實。大品三慧說三智屬三人，前二不深求，淺而非實；後一人深求一心三智，是故是實。此經「汝實我子」，無復四三之人，十方諦求，更無餘乘，但一實相智，決了聲聞法，但說無上道，純是一實體也。 妙法蓮華經玄義卷第八上 妙法蓮華經玄義卷第八下 天台智者大師說 《大經》云：「一實諦者，則無有二，無有二故名一實諦；又、一實諦名無虛偽；又、一實諦無有顛倒；又、一實諦非魔所說；又、一實諦名常樂我淨。」常、樂、我、淨，無空、假、中之異。異則為二，二故非一實諦；一實諦即空即假即中，無異無二，故名一實諦。若有三異，則為虛偽，虛偽之法，不名一實諦；無三異故，即一實諦。若異即是顛倒未破，非一實諦；無三異故無顛倒，無顛倒故名一實諦。異者，不名一乘；三法不異，具足圓滿，名為一乘。是乘高廣，眾寶莊挍，故名一實諦。 魔雖不證別異空、假，而能說別異空、假；若空、假、中不異者，魔不能說，魔不能說，名一實諦。若空、假、中異者名顛倒，不異者名不顛倒，不顛倒故無煩惱，無煩惱故名為淨；無煩惱則無業，無業故名為我；無業故無報，無報故名樂；無報則無生死，無生死則名常；常樂我淨，名一實諦。 一實諦者，即是實相；實相者，即經之正體也。如是實相，即空、假、中：即空故，破一切凡夫愛論，破一切外道見論；即假故，破三藏四門小實，破三人共見小實；即中故，破次第偏實，無復諸顛倒小偏等因果四諦之法，亦無小偏等三寶之名，唯有實相因果，四諦、三寶，宛然具足。亦具諸方便因果、四諦、三寶。何以故？實相是法界海故，唯此三諦，即是真實相也。 又、開次第之實，即是圓實，證道是同故。又、開三人共得實，深求即到底故。又、開三藏之實，決了聲聞法。又、開諸見論實，於見不動而修道品故。又、開諸愛論實，魔界即佛界故，行於非道，通達佛道。一切諸法中，悉有安樂性。即絕待明實，是經體也。 五、譬簡者，今借三喻，正顯偽真，兼明開合破會等意。 一、譬三獸渡河，同入於水，三獸有強弱，河水有底岸，兔、馬力弱，雖濟彼岸，浮淺不深，又不到底；大象力強，俱得底岸。三獸喻三人，水喻即空，底喻不空，二乘智少不能深求，喻如兔馬；菩薩智深，喻如大象；水軟喻空，同見於空，不見不空；底喻實相，菩薩獨到，智者見空，及與不空。到又二種：小象但到底泥，大象深到實土，別智雖見不空，歷別非實，圓見不空，窮顯真實。如是喻者，非但簡破兔、馬二乘非實，亦簡小象不空非實，乃取大象不空，為此經體也。此約空、中，共為真諦，作如此簡也。 二、譬頗梨、如意，兩珠相似，形類欲同，而頗梨但空，不能雨寶。如意珠，亦空亦雨寶。頗梨，無寶以喻偏空；如意能雨，以喻中道，此就有無合為俗，簡偽顯真。今經體同如意也。 又、但約一如意珠為譬者，得珠不知力用，唯珠而已。智者得之，多有所獲；二乘得空，證空休息；菩薩得空，方便利益，普度一切。此就含中真諦，簡其得失也。今經如智者得如意珠，以為經體。 〔T33 0782a03〕三、譬如黃石中金，愚夫無識，視之謂石，擲在糞穢，都不顧錄；估客得之，融出其金，保重而已；金匠得之，造作種種釵釧鐶鐺；仙客得之，練為金丹，飛天入地，捫摸日月，變通自在。野人喻一切凡夫，雖具實相不知修習。估客喻二乘，但斷煩惱礦，保即空金，更無所為。金匠喻別教菩薩，善巧方便，知空非空，出假化物，莊嚴佛土，成就眾生。仙客喻圓教菩薩，即事而真，初發心時，便成正覺，得一身無量身，普應一切。今經但取金丹實相，以為經體也。 就同而為喻，從初至後，同是於金，凡夫、圓教，俱是實相也。就異為喻者，初石異金，次金異器，器異丹。丹色淨徹，類若清油，柔軟妙好，豈同環釧，狀乖色別，故不一種。此就與奪破會，簡其得失。 引此三喻者，前喻根性。根性有淺深，淺得其空，深得其假，又得其中。次、喻三情：初、情但出苦，不志求佛道，見真即息。次、情歷別，不能圓修。後者、廣大遍法界求。第三、喻三方便：二乘方便少，守金而住；別教方便弱，止能嚴飾營生；圓教方便深，故能吞雲納漢。 今明此經實相之體，如大象得底，堅不可壞，以譬體妙；圓珠普雨，譬其用妙；巧智成仙，譬其宗妙。如此三譬即是三德，不縱不橫名為大乘。於大乘中，別指真性，以為經體。 六、就悟簡者，夫法相真正，誠如上說，行未會理，豈得名諦？徒勞四說，逐悟生迷，聞粖謂軟，聞雪謂冷，聞貝謂硬，聞鵠謂動，終不能見乳之真色。情闇夜遊，何能到諦？叫喚求食，無有飽理。執己為實，餘是妄語。此有彼無，是非互起，更益流動，云何名諦？ 若欲見諦，慚愧有羞，苦到懺悔，機感諸佛，禪慧開發，觀心明淨，信解虛融。爾時猶名闇中見杌，髣髴不明，人木蟲塵，尚不了了。若能安忍，法愛不生，無明豁破，如明鏡不動，淨水無波，魚石色像，任運自明，清淨心常一，如是尊妙人，則能見般若，金錍抉眼，一指、二指、三指分明。爾時見色，言有亦是，言無亦是。云何有？是的的之色，與眼相應，諦諦之理與智相稱，名之為有。云何為無？無復堅、冷、軟、動之相，名之為無。論云：一切實，一切非實，亦實亦不實，非實非不實。如是皆名諸法之實相。如舍利弗安住實智中：我定當作佛，為天人所敬。爾時乃可謂永盡滅無餘，是名真實見體。故《涅槃》云：「八千聲聞於法華中見如來性，如秋收冬藏，更無所作。」 約理明無所作，此是究竟之理也。約教無所作，聞此教已，更不他聞也。約行無所作者，修此行已，更不改轍。如是等種種無所作義〔云云〕。略而言之，隨智妙悟得見經體也。當以隨智妙悟意，歷諸諦境中，節節有隨情、智、情智種種分別，簡餘情想，唯取隨智，明見經體也。
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
正體難知，所以先辨魚目與明珠
第二番是廣泛辨別偽似。經的正體幽玄超絕，乍看很難認識；邪法與小乘也使用一些近似正大之法的名稱，混亂正邪，就像魚眼混雜在明珠之中。因此必須分辨偽似，共從六方面來說：第一，從凡夫法簡別；第二，從外道法簡別；第三，從小乘法簡別；第四，從偏大乘法簡別；第五，用譬喻簡別；第六，從是否真悟簡別。
一、從凡夫法簡別
先從凡夫法說。《釋論》說，世間典籍也稱自己所說為真實，那是就保護國家、治理家庭而稱真實；外道也稱真實，那是由邪僻的智慧與理解自認為真實；小乘也稱真實，那是厭離痛苦、求得休息，把偏真的道理當作真實。這些說法只有『實』的名稱，沒有這裡所說的真實義。
為什麼？世間妖異幻惑的道術也自稱真實，其中多是鬼神魅惑之法。這些法一旦進入人心，便使人迷醉狂亂；當事人自我誇耀，以為自己善妙，勝過真正的真實；又故意標新立異，驚動眾人，顯示奇特形相。有的用髑髏盛滿糞便，在許多人面前張口大吞；有的把生魚臭肉加倍裝作美食而吃；有的裸體或穿破衣，藉此傲視規矩；有的只是直來直去，既不問人，也不回答。種種詭詐怪異的行為，都是欺騙、引誘沒有智慧的人，使他們相信、沾染、迷惑、執著。
一旦執著，想脫離也很困難：對內使自己身體受病受害，對外甚至招來全家被誅、宗族覆滅，災禍延及親屬鄰里；眼前遭受眾苦，將來又受地獄長夜之苦，生生世世障礙修道，沒有解脫之期。這些都是世間眼前可見的事，還有什麼真實可說？它們屬於鈍重煩惱所攝的愛著之論。
至於周、孔經籍所說的治法、禮法、兵法、醫法、天文、地理、八卦、五行以及世間古典，以孝治理家庭，以忠治理國家；人人親愛自己的親人，人人善待自己的子女；敬重在上者，愛護在下者，實行仁義揖讓，使百姓安定，成就霸業與社稷。若失去這些法，強者欺凌弱者，天下焦灼惶亂，人民無法生活，飛鳥來不及棲息，走獸來不及伏身。若依照這些法，天下太平，牛馬頭都朝向家園。應當知道，這些法只是愛護人民、治理國家，因此被稱為真實。
《金光明》說，釋提桓因有種種勝論，意思就在這裡。這些大體是十善之意；修十善能上合天心，使諸天歡喜，求得自然的善報。因為這種法勝妙，所以稱為勝論。大梵天王又說出欲論，也就是修習禪定，脫離欲望的淤泥；這仍屬愛著之論。世間另有方術，服藥求長生，鍊形而改變容色，求作飛仙或隱身，並把這些藥方稱為祕要真實；這也仍由鈍重煩惱的愛論所攝。
二、從外道法簡別
第二，從外道法簡別，也就是辨外道典籍。有人服藥而求智慧，因藥力變得聰敏明達，能推尋道理，便稱藥方最勝、真實；然而藥力所成的知見很淺薄，不能鑒察久遠，一旦觸犯藥物便失去，藥力消退也隨之失去，所以並不真實。
此地的莊子、老子之說，標舉無為、無欲、天真、虛靜，止息各種誇耀與企求，又說棄聖絕智；這只是一種懷抱虛無的態度，尚且沒有超出單一四種見解，怎會關涉聖法？即使能超出單四見，仍會墮在重複組合的四見之中，只是在見解之網裡行走，不是解脫之道。
外國有名叫論力的人，接受梨昌的招募，撰成《五百明難》。其中一問是：『瞿曇所說是一條究竟道，還是許多條究竟道？』佛說：『只有一條究竟道。』論力便問：『既然如此，為什麼眾師各各都說自己有究竟道？』佛指著鹿頭問：『你認識他嗎？』論力回答：『認識；在得究竟道的人中，他是第一。』佛又問：『他若已得究竟道，為什麼捨棄自己的道，成為我的弟子？』論力當下領悟，讚歎佛法中獨有一條究竟道。
長爪又說：『一切議論都可以破，一切言語都可以轉；我觀察諸法實相，很久以來仍找不到一法可以放在心中。』《釋論》說，長爪執著亦有亦無之見；又說，他也計著不可說之見。
像這一類見解有百千萬種，都是虛妄戲論，使人迷惑流轉。見解之網廣大無邊，邪僻智慧漫溢，接觸任何境界便生執著。有時又把見解重重摺疊：把有、無收歸於有；把無有、無無收歸於無；把有、非有、非無收歸於有；把無、非有、非無收歸於無。即使反覆組合百千層，也全是顛倒見，落在生死各邊，不是真實。《大經》說，眾生戴著無明的枷鎖，被綁在生死柱上，繞行二十五有而不能脫離，說的就是這個意思。
三、從小乘法簡別
第三，從小乘法簡別。聲聞法中也說：『離開有、離開無，名為聖者中道。』《大集》又說：『拘隣如沙門最初得到真實的知見。』可是小乘不能運起大悲，不能救濟眾生，功德力微薄，不追求成佛，也不深究實相，所以智慧較弱。
它雖說離有離無名為聖者中道，所離的兩邊只是斷見與常見，並以真諦為中道。真正的無漏智慧稱為見，親證涅槃之法稱為知。雖然斷除見惑與思惑，滅除分段生死，卻安住在草庵之中，並非究竟之理。與前面的生死之有相對，這個涅槃就成了無的一邊；有、無兩邊都可以破壞，不是真實之道，因此不名實相。
四、從偏大乘法簡別
第四，從偏大乘法簡別。諸大乘經中，有些方便說法讓大乘行人與二乘人共用同一名稱；名稱雖同，含義仍須分清。
同得無言說道，智慧仍有深淺
如《摩訶衍》中說：『三乘之人，同以無言說之道斷除煩惱。』《中論》說：『諸法實相，由三種人共同得到。』二乘人雖共同領受無言說道，只求自己脫離痛苦，沒有大悲心，得到空便停住；鈍根菩薩也是如此。利根菩薩則為眾生運起大悲，深入求取實相。
共同所得的實相，智慧如螢火，所以不是真實；不共同所得的實相，智慧如日光，所以才是真實。《大經》說：『第一義空名為智慧。』二乘只得到空，這種空沒有智慧；菩薩得到不但只是空，便是中道智慧。這種智慧寂靜而又常照，二乘只得寂靜，沒有得到寂而常照，所以不是真實相；菩薩既得寂靜，又得寂而常照，才是實相。
從不空再辨次第與圓具
見到不空也有多種。第一種見不空，是依次第斷除煩惱結使，從淺入深；這只是相似的真實，不是正真實。第二種見不空，具足一切法；初入阿字門便理解一切義，即中、即假、即空，不是一也不是相異，沒有固定的三，也沒有孤立的一。二乘只得一種即；別教只得兩種即；圓滿之教具足三種即，三即才是真實相。
《釋論》說：『什麼是實相？就是菩薩進入一相，知道無量相；知道無量相後，又進入一相。』二乘只進入一相，不能知道無量相；別教雖進入一相，又進入無量相，卻不能再進入一相。利根菩薩因即空而進入一相，因即假而知道無量相，因即中而再進入一相。這樣的菩薩深入求取智慧之度的大海，一心即三，這才是真實相之體。
從諸經所說辨正實
華嚴不與二乘共說，只就菩薩而論：若依次第得到三智，仍不是正真實；不依次第而得，才是正真實。方等中有四種人得到三智，其中三人為虛，一人為實。大品以三種智慧說三智分屬三人，前兩人不深入追求，所見淺而不實；最後一人深入追求一心三智，所以是真實。
這部經說『你實在是我的兒子』，不再有前說四人、三人的差別。向十方審察追求，也沒有其他乘；只有一種實相智慧，決定明了聲聞法，只說無上之道，純是一個真實之體。
至此是《妙法蓮華經玄義》卷第八上之末。以下為卷第八下；卷題之後另署天台智者大師說。
一實諦為何無二
《大經》說：『所謂一實諦，就是沒有二；因為沒有二，所以名一實諦。又，一實諦名為沒有虛偽；又，一實諦沒有顛倒；又，一實諦不是魔所說；又，一實諦名為常、樂、我、淨。』常、樂、我、淨之中，沒有空、假、中的差異。若有差異便成二，成二便不是一實諦。一實諦即空、即假、即中，三者沒有差異、沒有二，所以名一實諦。
若有三種差異，便是虛偽；虛偽之法不名一實諦。因為沒有三種差異，所以就是一實諦。若三者相異，表示顛倒尚未破除，並非一實諦；沒有三種差異，便沒有顛倒；沒有顛倒，所以名一實諦。相異便不能名一乘；三法不異，具足圓滿，才名一乘。這乘高大寬廣，以眾寶莊嚴校飾，所以名一實諦。
魔雖然不能親證各別相異的空與假，卻能宣說各別相異的空與假；如果空、假、中不相異，魔便不能宣說。魔不能宣說的，名一實諦。空、假、中若相異，便名顛倒；不相異，便名不顛倒。不顛倒，所以沒有煩惱；沒有煩惱，名為淨。沒有煩惱便沒有業；沒有業，名為我。沒有業便沒有果報；沒有果報，名為樂。沒有果報便沒有生死；沒有生死，名為常。常、樂、我、淨，名一實諦。
即空、即假、即中如何破而又具
一實諦就是實相，實相就是這部經的正體。這個實相即空、即假、即中。因即空，所以破一切凡夫的愛論，破一切外道的見論；因即假，所以破三藏四門所執的小實，也破三種人共同所見的小實；因即中，所以破次第所得的偏實。如此便不再有各種顛倒的小、偏因果四諦之法，也不再有小、偏三寶之名；唯有實相的因果、四諦、三寶明明白白、完整具足，也具足各種方便的因果、四諦、三寶。為什麼？因為實相是法界大海；只有這空、假、中三諦，才是真實相。
又，開顯次第之實，使它就是圓實，因為所證的道相同；又，開顯三種人共同所得之實，使其深入追求而到達水底；又，開顯三藏之實，決定明了聲聞法；又，開顯各種見論中的實，使人在見解之中不動而修習道品；又，開顯各種愛論中的實，因為魔界就是佛界，能行於非道而通達佛道。一切諸法之中，全都有安樂之性。這就是超越相待而說真實，是這部經的正體。
五、用三種譬喻簡別
第五，用譬喻簡別。現在借用三個譬喻，主要顯出偽與真，也兼說開、合、破、會的意思。
三獸渡河
第一，以三獸渡河為譬。三獸共同入水，三獸的力量有強有弱，河水則有水底與彼岸。兔與馬力量弱，雖能渡到彼岸，卻只浮在淺處，不能深入，也不能到水底；大象力量強，水底與彼岸都能到達。
三獸譬喻三種人，水譬喻即空，水底譬喻不空。二乘智慧少，不能深入追求，如兔與馬；菩薩智慧深，如大象。水柔軟，譬喻空；三種人同見空，卻不都見不空。水底譬喻實相，只有菩薩到達；有智慧的人既見空，也見不空。
到達水底又有兩種：小象只到水底的泥，大象深入而到堅實之土。別教智慧雖見不空，仍歷別而不真實；圓滿之見見到不空，窮盡而顯露真實。這個譬不只簡別、破除兔與馬所譬二乘並非真實，也簡別小象所見不空並非真實；最後取大象所見的不空，作為這部經的體。這是把空與中合為真諦而作的簡別。
頗梨珠、如意珠
第二，以頗梨珠、如意珠為譬。兩顆珠相似，形狀幾乎相同；但頗梨珠只是空，不能降下寶物，如意珠既空又能降下寶物。頗梨沒有寶物，譬喻偏空；如意能降寶，譬喻中道。這是把有、無合為俗諦而簡偽顯真；這部經的體如同如意珠。
又只用一顆如意珠作譬：有人得到珠，卻不知道它的力量和作用，只把它當一顆珠。智者得到它，能有很多收穫；二乘得到空，證空後便休息；菩薩得到空，便以方便利益眾生，普遍救度一切。這是就含有中道的真諦，簡別得與失；這部經如智者得到如意珠，以此作為經體。
黃石中金
第三，譬如黃石之中含金。愚人沒有知識，把它看成石頭，扔在糞穢中，完全不加理會；商客得到它，熔出其中的金，只珍惜保存；金匠得到它，造成種種髮釵、手鐲、指環、鈴鐺；仙客得到它，鍊成金丹，能飛天入地，觸摸日月，變化通達而自在。
野人譬喻一切凡夫，雖具實相，卻不知道修習。商客譬喻二乘，只斷除煩惱的礦質，守住即空的金，不再有所作為。金匠譬喻別教菩薩，善用巧妙方便，知道空而又非空，從空出假教化眾生，莊嚴佛土，成就眾生。仙客譬喻圓教菩薩，當下即事而真，初發心時便成正覺，從一身得無量身，普遍回應一切眾生。這部經只取金丹所譬的實相，作為經體。
若從相同一面作譬，從最初到最後都同是金，凡夫與圓教都同具實相。若從差異一面作譬，最初石不同於金，其次金不同於器，器又不同於丹。金丹色澤清淨透徹，近似清油，柔軟微妙美好，怎會與環釧相同？形狀不同，顏色有別，所以不是一種。這是從與、奪、破、會幾面簡別得失。
三譬所顯的根性、心願與方便
引用這三譬，第一譬根性。根性有淺有深：淺者得空，深者得假，又得中。第二譬三種心願：第一種心願只求脫離痛苦，不立志追求佛道，見真便停止；第二種心願依次歷別，不能圓滿修習；最後一種心願廣大，遍滿法界而求。第三譬三種方便：二乘方便少，守金而住；別教方便弱，只能製作嚴飾以經營生活；圓教方便深，所以能吞納雲氣與天漢。
現在說這部經實相之體，如大象到達水底，堅固不可破壞，用來譬喻體之妙；圓滿之珠普遍降寶，用來譬喻作用之妙；巧妙智慧使人成仙，用來譬喻宗之妙。這三譬就是三德，不是縱列，也不是橫排，名為大乘。在大乘之中，特別指出真性，作為這部經的體。
六、從是否真悟簡別
第六，從是否真悟簡別。法相真正，確實如上所說；然而修行若尚未契合道理，怎能名為見諦？只是辛苦作四種說法，反而隨著所說之悟生出迷惑。聽說米末便把乳色想成柔軟，聽說雪便想成寒冷，聽說貝便想成堅硬，聽說鵠便想成會動，終究不能看見乳的真實顏色。
內心黑暗而在夜間行走，怎能到達真諦？只是叫喊求取食物，沒有得到飽足的道理。若執著自己的說法才真實，其餘都是妄語，便會認定這裡有、那裡無，彼此爭起是非，更加增長流動，怎能名為諦？
若想見諦，便要有慚有愧、知道羞恥，痛切到極處而懺悔；由此機感諸佛，禪定與智慧開發，觀心明淨，信解虛融。那時仍只叫作在黑暗中看見樹樁，隱約而不清楚；究竟是人、是木、是蟲、是塵，仍然不能明了。
若能安住忍可，對法的愛著不生，無明豁然破除，就如明鏡不動、淨水沒有波紋，魚、石與各種色像自然顯明。清淨之心常住於一，這樣尊貴微妙的人便能見般若。如以金錍挑開眼睛，一指、二指、三指都看得分明。
這時真正見色，說它有也是，說它無也是。為什麼說有？因為那是確確實實的顏色，與眼相應；真真實實的道理與智慧相稱，所以名為有。為什麼說無？因為先前堅硬、寒冷、柔軟、會動的那些想像不再存在，所以名為無。
論說：一切真實，一切不真實；也真實也不真實；不是真實，也不是不真實。這些都名為諸法實相。又如舍利弗安住於真實智慧之中，說自己必定成佛，受天、人敬重。到了這時，才可說永遠窮盡滅除而沒有餘留，名為真實見體。因此《涅槃》說，八千聲聞在法華中見到如來性，如同秋收冬藏，不再有所作。
從道理說無所作，這是究竟之理；從教說無所作，是聽了這個教法後，不再聽取別的教法；從行說無所作，是修了這種行後，不再改換軌道。還有種種無所作之義。
簡要而言，須隨智慧微妙領悟，才能看見經體。應當以隨智妙悟之意，遍歷各種諦理與境界；每一節都有隨情、隨智、情智相合的種種分別。簡去其餘情識想像，只取隨智所見，才是明見這部經的正體。
The True Substance Is Difficult to Know, So First Distinguish Fish Eyes from Bright Pearls
The second topic is broadly distinguishing false semblances. The sutra’s true substance is profound and transcendent and at first difficult to recognize. Deviant teachings and the Lesser Vehicle also use names resembling those of correct and great Dharma, confusing false and true, like fish eyes mixed among bright pearls. False semblances must therefore be distinguished from six perspectives: first, in relation to ordinary worldly dharmas; second, in relation to non-Buddhist dharmas; third, in relation to Lesser Vehicle dharmas; fourth, in relation to partial Great Vehicle dharmas; fifth, through similes; and sixth, in relation to whether there is true awakening.
I. Distinguishing in Relation to Ordinary Worldly Dharmas
First comes distinguishing in relation to ordinary worldly dharmas. The Explanatory Treatise says that worldly classics also call what they teach real, but this means only that it protects the country and governs the household. Non-Buddhists also call their teachings real, but this means that through deviant wisdom and distorted understanding they take them to be real. The Lesser Vehicle also speaks of the real, but this means finding respite through weariness of suffering and taking a partial truth to be real. Such teachings possess only the name “real,” not the meaning of the real intended here.
Why is this so? Strange and delusive arts of the world also call themselves real, though many are methods by which ghosts and spirits bewitch people. Once these methods enter the mind, they make a person intoxicated, confused, and deranged. Practitioners boast about themselves, imagining that they are good and excellent and surpass what is genuinely real; they deliberately establish something different to excite the crowd and display extraordinary appearances. Some fill skulls with excrement, then open their mouths and swallow it before a crowd. Some make a display of eating raw fish and putrid meat as though it were fine food. Some go naked or wear ruined clothes and use this to defy accepted standards. Some simply come and go directly, neither asking nor answering. All these treacherous and bizarre acts deceive and entice people without wisdom, causing them to believe, become tainted, fall into delusion, and cling.
Once they cling, escape is extremely difficult. Inwardly, these practices bring illness and injury to their own bodies. Outwardly, they may even cause an entire household to be executed and a clan destroyed, with disaster extending to relatives and neighbors. They undergo many sufferings in the present and afterward endure the suffering of hell through the long night. Life after life, their path is obstructed, with no time of liberation. These are things plainly visible in the world; what reality could be discussed in them? They fall within theories of attachment governed by the dull proclivities.
The classics of the Zhou and Confucius, by contrast, teach methods of government, ritual, military affairs, medicine, astronomy, geography, the eight trigrams, the five phases, and the ancient canons of the world. Through filial conduct they govern the family, and through loyalty the country. People cherish their own kin and care kindly for their own children; they respect those above and care for those below, practice benevolence, righteousness, and courteous deference, bring security to the people, and establish hegemony and the state. If these methods are lost, the strong oppress the weak, the realm becomes scorched and anxious, the people have no way to live, birds have no time to perch, and animals no time to lie down. If these methods are followed, the realm is at peace and cattle and horses turn homeward. One should understand that these teachings are called real because they care for the people and govern the country.
The Golden Light Sūtra speaks of Śakra’s various superior discourses, and this is the meaning intended. Broadly, they amount to the ten wholesome deeds. Cultivating the ten wholesome deeds accords above with the minds of the gods, makes the gods rejoice, and seeks the natural reward of heaven. Because this teaching is excellent, it is called a superior discourse. Great Brahmā also teaches a discourse on leaving desire—that is, cultivating concentration and emerging from the mud of desire—but this too remains within theories of attachment. The world also has esoteric arts in which people take drugs to seek long life, refine their bodies and alter their complexions, fly as immortals or make themselves invisible, and call these prescriptions secret, essential, and real. These too are encompassed by theories of attachment belonging to the dull proclivities.
II. Distinguishing in Relation to Non-Buddhist Dharmas
Second comes distinguishing in relation to non-Buddhist dharmas, meaning the scriptures of non-Buddhist paths. Some take drugs in pursuit of knowledge. When the drug makes them intelligent, sharp, and capable of investigating principles, they call the prescription supreme and real. Yet the knowledge and views produced by the drug are shallow and cannot discern what is remote. They are lost if the drug is counteracted and also when its effect subsides; they therefore are not real.
The teachings of Zhuangzi and Laozi in this land exalt nonaction, freedom from desire, naturalness, empty stillness, the cessation of boastful striving, and the rejection of sageliness and wisdom. Yet this is only an attitude that embraces emptiness and nonbeing. It has not even left the simple four views, so how could it concern noble Dharma? Even if it left the simple four views, it would still fall among the compound four views. It proceeds within the net of views and is not a path of liberation.
In a foreign land, a man named Lunli accepted a commission from the Licchavis and composed the Five Hundred Lucid Challenges. One of his questions was: “Does Gautama teach one ultimate path or many ultimate paths?” The Buddha said, “There is only one ultimate path.” Lunli asked, “If so, why does every teacher claim to teach an ultimate path?” The Buddha pointed to Deer-Head and asked, “Do you recognize him?” Lunli replied, “I do. Among those who have attained the ultimate path, he is foremost.” The Buddha then asked, “If he attained the ultimate path, why did he abandon his own path and become my disciple?” Lunli awakened on the spot and praised the Buddha-Dharma as alone possessing the one ultimate path.
Dīrghanakha also said, “Every thesis can be refuted and every statement overturned. I have contemplated the true mark of all dharmas for a long time without finding a single dharma that could enter my mind.” The Explanatory Treatise says that Dīrghanakha clung to the view that things both exist and do not exist. It also says that he conceived a view of the inexpressible.
Views of this kind number in the hundreds, thousands, and myriads. They are all false conceptual proliferation that deludes people and keeps them circulating. The net of views spreads immensely, deviant wisdom surges without limit, and attachment arises whenever an object is encountered. At times the views are folded and stacked repeatedly: existence and nonexistence are gathered under existence; the nonexistence of existence and the nonexistence of nonexistence are gathered under nonexistence; existence, not-existence, and not-nonexistence are gathered under existence; and nonexistence, not-existence, and not-nonexistence are gathered under nonexistence. Though these combinations are repeated through hundreds and thousands of layers, all remain inverted views and fall among the extremes of birth-and-death; they are not real. The Great Sūtra says that beings wear the cangue of ignorance, are bound to the pillar of birth-and-death, and circle through the twenty-five modes of existence without escape. This is the meaning intended.
III. Distinguishing in Relation to Lesser Vehicle Dharmas
Third comes distinguishing in relation to Lesser Vehicle dharmas. The śrāvaka teaching also says, “Leaving existence and leaving nonexistence is called the middle way of the noble ones.” The Great Collection Sūtra further says, “The śramaṇa Kauṇḍinya was the first to obtain real knowledge and vision.” Yet the Lesser Vehicle does not activate great compassion, does not rescue sentient beings, possesses little power of merit, does not seek buddhahood, and does not deeply exhaust the true mark; its wisdom is therefore weaker.
Although it calls leaving existence and nonexistence the middle way of the noble ones, the two extremes it leaves are only the views of annihilation and permanence, and it takes true truth to be the middle way. Genuine uncontaminated wisdom is called vision, and realization of the Dharma of nirvāṇa is called knowledge. Though views and thoughts are severed and segmented birth-and-death extinguished, practitioners remain in a grass hut and do not reach the ultimate principle. In contrast to the preceding extreme of existence in birth-and-death, their nirvāṇa becomes an extreme of nonexistence. Both extremes can be broken and destroyed; they are not the real path and therefore are not called the true mark.
IV. Distinguishing in Relation to Partial Great Vehicle Dharmas
Fourth comes distinguishing in relation to partial Great Vehicle dharmas. Some expedient teachings in Great Vehicle scriptures use the same names for Great Vehicle practitioners and people of the two vehicles. Though the names are the same, their meanings must still be distinguished.
The Same Inexpressible Path, Yet Different Depths of Wisdom
The Mahāyāna says, “People of the three vehicles all sever afflictions through the inexpressible path.” The Treatise on the Middle says, “The true mark of all dharmas is obtained in common by three kinds of person.” Although people of the two vehicles receive the same inexpressible path, they seek only to escape suffering for themselves. Lacking a mind of great compassion, they stop upon attaining emptiness; bodhisattvas of dull faculties do the same. Bodhisattvas of sharp faculties, however, arouse great compassion for sentient beings and deeply seek the true mark.
Wisdom of the true mark obtained in common is like a firefly’s light and therefore is not real. Wisdom of the true mark not obtained in common is like sunlight and therefore is real. The Great Sūtra says, “Emptiness in the ultimate meaning is called wisdom.” The two vehicles attain only emptiness, an emptiness without this wisdom. Bodhisattvas attain emptiness that is not merely empty, which is precisely Middle Way wisdom. This wisdom is quiescent yet constantly illuminating. The two vehicles attain only its quiescence and not quiescent illumination and therefore do not attain the true mark. Bodhisattvas attain both quiescence and quiescent illumination, and this is the true mark.
Within Nonemptiness, Again Distinguishing Sequence from Perfect Inclusion
Seeing nonemptiness also has several forms. The first sees nonemptiness and severs the bonds in sequence, proceeding from shallow to deep. This is only a semblance of the real, not the correct real. The second sees nonemptiness as fully containing all dharmas. Upon first entering the gate of the syllable A, one understands every meaning: immediately the Middle, immediately provisional, immediately empty; neither one nor different, with neither a fixed three nor an isolated one. The two vehicles possess only one immediate identity, the Distinct Teaching only two, while the Perfect Teaching possesses all three; only the three immediate identities are the true mark.
The Explanatory Treatise says, “What is the true mark? A bodhisattva enters one mark and knows immeasurable marks; after knowing immeasurable marks, the bodhisattva again enters one mark.” The two vehicles enter only one mark and cannot know immeasurable marks. Although the Distinct Teaching enters one mark and then immeasurable marks, it cannot again enter one mark. Bodhisattvas of sharp faculties enter one mark because it is immediately empty, know immeasurable marks because it is immediately provisional, and again enter one mark because it is immediately the Middle. Such bodhisattvas deeply seek the great ocean of wisdom’s perfection. All three are immediate in a single mind, and this is the substance of the true mark.
Distinguishing the Correct Real through What the Scriptures Teach
The Avataṃsaka is not shared with the two vehicles and speaks only in relation to bodhisattvas. Sequential attainment of the three wisdoms is still not the correct real; nonsequential attainment is the correct real. In the vaipulya teachings, four kinds of person attain the three wisdoms: three are false and one real. The Large Prajñā, through three wisdoms, teaches three knowledges as belonging to three people. The first two do not seek deeply and are shallow and unreal; the last deeply seeks the three wisdoms in one mind and is therefore real.
The present sutra says, “You truly are my son,” and no longer retains the preceding distinctions among four and three kinds of person. Searching carefully throughout the ten directions, there is no other vehicle. There is only the one wisdom of the true mark: the śrāvaka Dharma is decisively understood, only the unsurpassed path is taught, and there is purely the one real substance.
Here the first half of Fascicle Eight of the Fahua Xuanyi ends. What follows is the second half of Fascicle Eight; after its fascicle title it is again inscribed “Tiantai Master Zhiyi spoke.”
Why Is the One Real Truth without Duality?
The Great Sūtra says, “The one real truth is without two; because it is without two, it is called the one real truth. Again, the one real truth is called free from falsity. Again, the one real truth is without inversion. Again, the one real truth is not spoken by Māra. Again, the one real truth is called permanence, bliss, self, and purity.” Within permanence, bliss, self, and purity there is no difference among emptiness, the provisional, and the Middle. Difference would make two, and what is two is not the one real truth. The one real truth is immediately empty, immediately provisional, and immediately the Middle. Because the three do not differ and are not two, it is called the one real truth.
If the three differed, there would be falsity, and a false dharma is not called the one real truth. Because there is no difference among the three, there is precisely the one real truth. If they differed, inversion would remain unbroken, and this would not be the one real truth. Because there is no difference among the three, there is no inversion; because there is no inversion, it is called the one real truth. What differs is not called the One Vehicle. When the three dharmas do not differ and are perfectly complete, this is called the One Vehicle. This vehicle is lofty and broad and adorned with many jewels and is therefore called the one real truth.
Although Māra does not realize distinct and differentiated emptiness and provisional existence, Māra can still speak of distinct and differentiated emptiness and provisional existence. When emptiness, provisional existence, and the Middle do not differ, Māra cannot speak of them; what Māra cannot speak is called the one real truth. If emptiness, provisional existence, and the Middle differ, this is called inversion; if they do not differ, it is called noninversion. Because there is no inversion, there are no afflictions, and this is called purity. With no afflictions there is no karma, and this is called self. With no karma there is no recompense, and this is called bliss. With no recompense there is no birth-and-death, and this is called permanence. Permanence, bliss, self, and purity are called the one real truth.
How Immediate Emptiness, the Provisional, and the Middle Both Break and Include
The one real truth is the true mark, and the true mark is the sutra’s true substance. This true mark is immediately empty, immediately provisional, and immediately the Middle. Because it is immediately empty, it breaks all ordinary beings’ theories of attachment and all non-Buddhists’ theories of views. Because it is immediately provisional, it breaks the lesser reality grasped through the four gates of the Tripiṭaka and the lesser reality seen in common by the three kinds of person. Because it is immediately the Middle, it breaks the partial reality attained in sequence. There are then no longer the various inverted dharmas of cause and fruit and the Four Truths belonging to the lesser and partial teachings, nor even the names of the lesser and partial Three Jewels. Only the cause and fruit, Four Truths, and Three Jewels of the true mark remain, distinctly and completely present. It also fully includes the cause and fruit, Four Truths, and Three Jewels of the various skillful means. Why? Because the true mark is the ocean of the Dharma realm. Only these three truths—emptiness, provisional existence, and the Middle—are the true mark.
Again, opening the sequential real reveals it as the perfect real, because the path realized is the same. Opening the real obtained in common by the three kinds of person enables those who seek deeply to reach the bottom. Opening the real of the Tripiṭaka decisively clarifies the śrāvaka Dharma. Opening the reality within the various theories of views enables one to cultivate the factors of the path without moving from views. Opening the reality within the various theories of attachment reveals that the realm of Māra is precisely the realm of the Buddha, so that by practicing what is not the path one penetrates the Buddha-path. Within all dharmas there is a nature of ease and joy. This clarifies the real in absolute terms and is the substance of this sutra.
V. Distinguishing through Three Similes
Fifth comes distinguishing through similes. Three similes are now borrowed primarily to reveal the false and the true, while also clarifying the meanings of opening, combining, breaking, and converging.
Three Animals Crossing a River
The first simile is of three animals crossing a river. All three animals enter the water. Their strength differs, and the river has both a bottom and a far bank. The rabbit and horse are weak; though they cross to the far bank, they float at a shallow level without penetrating deeply or reaching the bottom. The great elephant is strong and reaches both the bottom and the far bank.
The three animals represent the three kinds of person. Water represents immediate emptiness, and the bottom nonemptiness. The two vehicles possess little wisdom and cannot seek deeply, like the rabbit and horse; the bodhisattva possesses deep wisdom, like the great elephant. The water’s softness represents emptiness. All three see emptiness, but they do not all see nonemptiness. The bottom represents the true mark, and the bodhisattva alone reaches it. The wise see both emptiness and nonemptiness.
Reaching the bottom itself has two forms. A small elephant reaches only the mud at the bottom, while a great elephant penetrates deeply to solid earth. Although Distinct-Teaching wisdom sees nonemptiness, it remains sequentially differentiated and is not real. Perfect vision sees nonemptiness and exhaustively reveals reality. Thus the simile not only distinguishes and rejects the two vehicles represented by the rabbit and horse as unreal; it also distinguishes the small elephant’s nonemptiness as unreal. Only the nonemptiness reached by the great elephant is taken as the substance of this sutra. Here emptiness and the Middle are combined as true truth in making the distinction.
The Crystal Jewel and the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel
The second simile is of a crystal jewel and a wish-fulfilling jewel. The two resemble each other and are almost identical in shape, but the crystal jewel is merely empty and cannot rain down treasures, whereas the wish-fulfilling jewel is both empty and able to rain down treasures. The crystal’s lack of treasures represents partial emptiness; the wish-fulfilling jewel’s ability to rain them down represents the Middle Way. Here existence and nonexistence are combined as conventional truth to distinguish the false and reveal the true. The substance of this sutra is like the wish-fulfilling jewel.
Again, only a single wish-fulfilling jewel is used as the simile. One person obtains the jewel but does not know its power or function and treats it merely as a jewel. A wise person obtains it and gains many things. The two vehicles attain emptiness and rest after realizing emptiness. A bodhisattva attains emptiness and uses skillful means to benefit sentient beings and liberate all universally. Here the true truth that contains the Middle is used to distinguish attainment from failure. The present sutra is like a wish-fulfilling jewel obtained by a wise person, and this is taken as the sutra’s substance.
Gold within Yellow Stone
The third simile is gold within yellow stone. A foolish person without knowledge sees it as stone and throws it into filth without paying it any attention. A merchant obtains it, smelts out the gold, and does no more than treasure and preserve it. A goldsmith obtains it and fashions various hairpins, bracelets, rings, and bells. An immortal adept obtains it and refines it into a golden elixir, then flies through the heavens and enters the earth, touches the sun and moon, and transforms freely without obstruction.
The rustic represents all ordinary beings, who possess the true mark but do not know to cultivate it. The merchant represents the two vehicles, who remove only the ore of affliction, preserve the gold of immediate emptiness, and do nothing further. The goldsmith represents a bodhisattva of the Distinct Teaching, who skillfully knows emptiness as nonempty, emerges from emptiness into the provisional to transform beings, adorns buddha-lands, and brings sentient beings to accomplishment. The immortal adept represents a bodhisattva of the Perfect Teaching, for whom phenomena are immediately true. At the initial arousal of the mind, this bodhisattva immediately accomplishes correct awakening, manifests immeasurable bodies from one body, and responds universally to all. The present sutra takes only the true mark represented by the golden elixir as its substance.
Viewed from their sameness, all are gold from beginning to end: ordinary beings and those of the Perfect Teaching alike possess the true mark. Viewed from their difference, stone first differs from gold, gold next differs from ornaments, and ornaments differ from elixir. The elixir’s color is pure and translucent, like clear oil; it is soft, wondrous, and fine. How could it be the same as rings and bracelets? Its form and color are different, so it is not of one kind. This distinguishes attainment and failure through granting, depriving, breaking, and converging.
The Faculties, Aspirations, and Skillful Means Revealed by the Three Similes
These three similes are cited for different purposes. The first represents faculties. Faculties are shallow or deep: those that are shallow attain emptiness, while those that are deep attain the provisional and also the Middle. The second represents three aspirations: the first seeks only escape from suffering, does not aspire to the Buddha-path, and stops upon seeing truth; the second proceeds through sequential distinctions and cannot cultivate perfectly; the last is vast and seeks throughout the Dharma realm. The third represents three kinds of skillful means: those of the two vehicles are few, and they abide while guarding the gold; those of the Distinct Teaching are weak and can only make adornments for a livelihood; those of the Perfect Teaching are profound and can therefore swallow clouds and take in the River of Heaven.
The present teaching describes the substance of this sutra’s true mark as like the great elephant reaching the bottom, firm and indestructible, representing the wondrousness of substance; the perfect jewel raining treasures universally, representing the wondrousness of function; and skillful wisdom making an immortal, representing the wondrousness of purport. These three similes are precisely the three virtues, which are neither vertical nor horizontal and are called the Great Vehicle. Within the Great Vehicle, true nature is singled out as the sutra’s substance.
VI. Distinguishing in Relation to True Awakening
Sixth comes distinguishing in relation to true awakening. The characteristics of Dharma are genuinely correct, just as explained above, but if practice has not yet accorded with principle, how can this be called seeing the truth? To labor over four descriptions only to produce delusion in pursuit of an imagined understanding is like hearing of rice flour and imagining softness, hearing of snow and imagining coldness, hearing of a shell and imagining hardness, or hearing of a crane and imagining movement. One never sees the real color of milk.
How could a mind wandering darkly through the night reach the truth? Calling out for food cannot bring satisfaction. If one grasps one’s own position as real and calls all others false, then “present here” and “absent there,” right and wrong, arise against each other and further increase restless movement. How could this be called truth?
If one wishes to see the truth, one must feel shame and remorse, know a sense of honor, and confess with piercing sincerity. One’s capacities then stimulate the buddhas; concentration and wisdom open and develop; contemplation of mind becomes bright and pure; and faith and understanding become open and interfused. Yet at this time one is still said to see a tree stump in the darkness, indistinct and unclear, unable to determine whether it is a person, a tree, an insect, or dust.
If one can abide in patient acceptance, no attachment to Dharma arises, and ignorance suddenly breaks open. Then it is like a bright mirror that does not move or clear water without waves: fish, stones, and forms appear naturally. The pure mind constantly abides as one, and such a noble and wondrous person can see prajñā. It is like opening an eye with a golden scalpel, so that one, two, and three fingers are seen distinctly.
When color is truly seen at this time, saying that it exists is correct, and saying that it does not exist is also correct. Why is it existent? It is definite, actual color corresponding to the eye; the genuine principle of truth corresponds to wisdom and is therefore called existent. Why is it nonexistent? The imagined characteristics of hardness, coldness, softness, and movement are no longer present and are therefore called nonexistent.
The treatise says: all is real; all is unreal; all is both real and unreal; all is neither real nor unreal. All these are called the true mark of all dharmas. Śāriputra, for example, abides in real wisdom and says that he will certainly become a buddha honored by gods and humans. Only at this time can one be said to have forever exhausted and extinguished everything without remainder; this is called truly seeing the substance. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra therefore says that eight thousand śrāvakas see the Tathāgata-nature in the Lotus, like harvesting in autumn and storing in winter, with nothing more to be done.
In relation to principle, nothing more to be done means that this is the ultimate principle. In relation to teaching, it means that after hearing this teaching, one need not hear another. In relation to practice, it means that after cultivating this practice, one need not change tracks. There are various further meanings of nothing more to be done.
In brief, one must follow wisdom in wondrous awakening to see the sutra’s substance. With the intent of wondrous awakening that follows wisdom, one should pass through the spheres of the various truths. At every point there are distinctions according to dispositions, according to wisdom, and according to dispositions and wisdom together. Distinguishing and setting aside the remaining affective conceptions, one takes only what follows wisdom; this is clearly seeing the true substance of the sutra.
智者說玄義，灌頂受聞而記。到了辨體，最先遇到的難處不是完全相反的邪說，而是許多教法都使用『真實』『中道』『實相』這些近似的名稱。魚目所以能混入明珠，正因它也有圓潤光澤；若只憑名稱與外觀，真假便沒有清楚界線。
廣簡偽因此分成六門。凡、外、小、偏四門，一層層辨同名之下所到深淺；譬簡把抽象差別放入可見形象；悟簡最後把問題落在行人自身：即使道理說得正確，若智慧尚未親見，也仍只是聽說乳色。
世間之善與真實之體，分界在哪裡
凡簡先列三種同名。世典以護國治家為實，外道以邪僻理解為實，小乘以厭苦休息所得的偏真為實。這三者都有『實』名，卻各自依一種有限功用立名；經體所說的真實，不能只由名稱相同便成立。
世間法又有邪惡與清正兩面。妖幻道術令人迷醉狂亂，以奇相動眾；它的結果不只是一時受騙，而是執著深入身心，內傷其身，外禍親族，長夜障道。這種法以強烈感受冒充真實，愈奇異反而愈能顯出愛著如何遮蔽判斷。
周、孔經籍則有另一種功用。孝可治家，忠可治國；禮、兵、醫、天文、地理各能安定人間。失去這些規範，強凌弱、民失所；依之而行，天下可得太平。它們的善果不被抹去，卻仍以愛民治國與求得人天善報為界。梵王出欲論能由禪定離欲，仍為愛論所攝；方術藥法縱能改變形色，也仍由對所得之愛建立真實感。
所以凡簡不是把世間一概說成無用，而是追問：眼前之法究竟只在調身、治家、安國、得報上有效，還是真能顯出經的正體？功用真切，不等於所指已經究竟。
見解愈繁密，為何仍在網中
外簡先處理憑藥力所得的聰明。藥能暫時使人敏利，卻隨接觸、消退而失；依外力忽有忽無的知見，不能鑒照久遠。再看莊、老所說的無為、無欲、虛靜與棄智，雖能止息誇企，若仍抱持一種有、無的決定見，便只是從喧動轉到虛無。
論力的故事把問題逼到一句問答：究竟道是一，還是多？若各家所說都各自究竟，鹿頭便沒有捨己道而作佛弟子的理由。論力由眼前的人證回看自己的提問，才領會究竟之道不因眾說並存便成許多。
長爪更能破一切論、轉一切語，久久找不到一法可納入心中；然而『一切都可破』本身仍可能成為所執。於是有、無、亦有亦無、不可說又被層層摺疊：把有無收歸有，把無有無無收歸無，再把非有非無各自納入有家、無家。組合可以增至百千，能組合的見與所組合的境仍共同織成見網。
這一門顯示，見解的精巧與解脫不是同一件事。邪智可以極為敏銳，戲論可以極為繁複；一觸境便生著，便仍戴著無明之枷，繞生死柱而不能脫離。
已離有無，為何還要再簡
小簡面對更接近真實的說法。聲聞也說離有、離無，名為聖中道；也有真無漏慧之見與親證涅槃之知。這裡不是世間奇術，也不是外道見網，而是真實斷除見惑、思惑，滅除分段生死。
其界線在於所離與所住。所離的有、無，是斷見與常見；所得的中，是與生死相對的真諦。若以生死為有邊，安住的涅槃便成無邊。兩邊彼此相待，仍可被破壞；住在草庵而不再深求，也沒有以大悲濟度眾生、求成佛道。於是同樣稱為『中道』『知見』，名稱雖正，所到仍未窮實相。
六門的次第由此清楚起來：愈往後，所簡的對象愈不是粗顯錯誤，而是已有實證、已離一重偏執，卻在所得處休息。真正難辨的魚目，不是全無光澤，而是已經很像明珠。
同入無言說道，深淺從何而分
偏簡進入大乘內部。同以無言說道斷煩惱，同得諸法實相，並不保證三種人的智慧相同。二乘自求出苦，得空便止；鈍根菩薩亦在所得處停住；利根菩薩為眾生起大悲，繼續深求。共同所得之智如螢火，不共同所得之智如日光，差別就在寂靜能否同時常照。
第一義空名為智慧。只得空寂，便只見到遮除；得到不但空，寂中又能照見一切法。實相不是離開寂靜另添照用，而是寂與照同時成立。二乘所得有寂而未具寂照，菩薩所求則由寂發照、照而不失寂。
見不空後仍有兩種道路。一種依次斷結，從淺至深，所得是相似之實；另一種在初門便解一切義，即中、即假、即空，不一不異，無三無一。這裡的『即』不是把三個名詞排在一起，而是任何一面都不與另外兩面隔絕。
一相與無量相又把這一點展開。只入一相而不能知無量相，空寂便沒有隨緣之用；能從一相進入無量相，卻不能再入一相，差別作用仍未歸一。利根菩薩即空而入一相，即假而知無量相，即中而復入一相。一相不礙無量，無量不失一相，一心即三，才是所深求的實相體。
華嚴、方等、大品所說，由三智次第或不次第、多人各得或一人深求，顯出相同名目的深淺。到了此經，『實子』不再與父相隔，向十方審察也沒有別乘，聲聞法得到決了，只說無上之道。所顯不再是多人分取的片段，而是純一實相之智。
一實無二，何以仍具一切法
卷第八上在此結束，卷第八下仍續智者所說的一實諦。無二、無虛偽、無顛倒、非魔所說、常樂我淨，五面共同說一件事：空、假、中若彼此相異，便有二、有三；三法不異，才具足圓滿而名一乘。
無二不是把三者削成一個空名。即空破凡夫愛論與外道見論；即假破只守小實與三人共見之實，又使實相與方便的因果、四諦、三寶宛然具足；即中破次第偏實。實相如法界海，既能破一切顛倒，又能含攝一切因果法門，空、假、中因此同是真實相。
四德也由這條不異之理顯出。不顛倒便無煩惱，無煩惱名淨；無煩惱便無業，無業名我；無業便無報，無報名樂；無報便無生死，無生死名常。常、樂、我、淨不是附加在三諦之外的四件功德，而是三者不異時所顯的清淨、自在、安樂、常住。
開顯於是有了根據。次第之實可以開成圓實，三人共得之實可以因深求而到底，聲聞之實可以得到決了，見論中可以不隨見動而修道，愛論中也可由魔界即佛界而通達佛道。開不是從外面安上一個新體，而是使諸法本有的安樂性顯出，直到絕待而明實。
同渡一河，為何所見水底不同
三獸渡河先說共同，再說深淺。兔、馬、大象同入水，也都以彼岸為向；兔馬力量弱，浮淺而不到底，大象力量強，兼得水底與彼岸。水柔軟，譬即空；水底不隨水面浮動，譬不空。三種人可以同見空，只有深智者又見不空。
到水底還須再辨。小象只到水底之泥，大象深入堅實之土；前者雖離水面，所到仍不是最深。於是這個譬有兩次簡別：先由兔馬與大象辨到不到底，再由小象、大象辨所到是泥還是實土。最後取大象所見不空，顯這部經的體。
每一件譬物都有自己的位置：兔與馬是浮淺，大象是力強；水是共同所入，底是不空，岸是所濟；小象至泥，大象至實土。譬喻的力量正在這些關係本身，深淺由行與智顯出。
珠本相似，差別為何在能不能雨寶
頗梨珠與如意珠形類近同，一顆但空而不能雨寶，一顆亦空又能雨寶。偏空如頗梨，雖有空的晶澈，沒有利益眾生的寶用；中道如如意珠，空而不礙一切法，故能普雨。兩珠之譬從有無合為俗的一面，簡出偽真。
接著只取一顆如意珠。珠沒有變成兩顆，得珠之人卻有不同：不知力用者只把它當珠；智者由此多有所得；二乘證空便休息；菩薩得空而起方便，利益並普度一切。本論即就這四類受用，簡別其得失。
前一層用兩珠辨體性所顯，後一層用一珠辨得者所用。頗梨不能雨與如意能雨，說明空義不同；同一顆如意珠，在證空休息與方便普利之間，顯出得者所用的差別。
同是黃石中金，何以成為四種人生
第三譬完整走過四個人。愚夫把黃石當石，棄在糞穢；估客熔出金，只加保重；金匠把金造成釵、釧、鐶、鐺；仙客把金鍊成金丹，飛天入地，捫摸日月，變通自在。
凡夫如愚夫，雖具實相而不知修習；二乘如估客，除去煩惱礦，守住即空之金；別教菩薩如金匠，知空非空，出假化物，莊嚴佛土，成就眾生；圓教菩薩如仙客，即事而真，初發心便成正覺，一身能現無量身，普應一切。
從同一面看，石中之金、熔出之金、器物之金、金丹之金，從初至後同是金；從差異一面看，石不同於金，金不同於器，器不同於丹，丹又有清淨透徹、柔軟妙好的形色。同與異在一條譬鏈中同時成立，論主因此以與、奪、破、會四字收束其中得失。
三譬又各有側重。三獸顯根性淺深，淺者得空，深者得假又得中；二珠顯三種心願，或只求出苦、見真便息，或歷別而不能圓修，或廣大遍法界而求；黃金顯三種方便，或守金而住，或只能嚴飾營生，或方便深廣而能變通自在。
回到經的正體，大象到底而堅不可壞，顯體之妙；圓珠普雨，顯作用之妙；巧智成仙，顯宗之妙。三譬同時顯三德不縱不橫，而在大乘之中別取真性為經體。
聽懂乳色，為何還不等於親見
悟簡把所有辨別收回行者。正確說出法相，仍可能沒有契理；若只沿著四種說法追逐，便像盲人聞粖而想成軟，聞雪而想成冷，聞貝而想成硬，聞鵠而想成動。四種性質各有所指，卻都不是乳的真色。
執己為實、判他為妄，便使此有彼無、彼是此非相互增長。情識如在暗夜中行走，即使大聲求食，也不能因此飽足。見諦的起點是慚愧知羞、痛切懺悔，由機感諸佛而開發禪慧；觀心明淨、信解虛融時，仍像黑暗中看見樹樁，只能髣髴分辨人、木、蟲、塵。
安忍而不動，對法的愛著不生，無明豁破，境界才像不動明鏡與無波淨水。魚、石、色像不須勉強安排，自然顯明；能見之心清淨常一，便如金錍開眼，一指、二指、三指都看得分明。
這時說有也對，因為是確實之色與眼相應，真諦之理與智慧相稱；說無也對，因為軟、冷、硬、動的錯認已經消失。有不是把聞說形相重新固著，無也不是全無所見。四句所顯的實相，須在理與智相稱時才能真見。
舍利弗安住實智，確信自己成佛；八千聲聞於法華中見如來性，如秋收冬藏而不再有所作。就理說，是究竟之理；就教說，聞此後不再另聞；就行說，修此後不再改轍。最後遍歷諸諦境時，仍須節節分清隨情、隨智、情智相合，只取隨智妙悟所見，才是經體。
釋籤之眼
湛然先把六門置於一條遞進線上。凡簡不是只斥妖術：世間邪惡由迷狂與過患見偽，周孔清正則以所到仍在人天見限。外簡的百千戲論雖然繁密，能生之見與所緣之境都未出見網；小簡則明分名同、體異，承認二乘自有智慧，只就未得寂照而辨其限。
偏簡的三段被看成展轉生後：先由空對不空，再於不空中辨次第與不次第，最後由一相進入無量相、復歸一相。正文的『二即』只是假借即名，三者互即須至圓具才成立；這一眼使逐層簡別保持方向，不讓前一層所得直接冒充後一層。
一實諦又有正釋、待對、開顯三層。正釋先除無二、無虛偽、無顛倒等過，再以三諦四德顯體；待對一面除小偏之名，一面仍說實相攝方便因果；開顯則由淺至深、由聖至凡。湛然指出，正因諸法本有妙理，才有開顯可說。
三獸與二珠主要顯開合，黃石中金主要顯破會，三譬的正意都在顯體。三獸有兩重深淺：兔馬不到底，大象到底；象中又有小象至泥、大象至實土。二珠先辨能雨、不能雨，再以同一如意珠顯得失在人。所依之理不成兩個，機緣取用才有休息與普利之別。
黃金譬中的與、奪、破、會各守一面：與就金體不殊，奪就凡夫尚無果用，破就石、金、器、丹的差別，會就四者體性同金。這也解開三譬先都顯體、後又分配體用宗的關係：正意已顯體，兼義再順三法；兩層同在，不互相取消。
三德可以由象、珠、仙分別顯法身、解脫、般若，每一譬內又各自具三德；最後為了剋定經體，仍以法身為所取。這不是把解脫、般若排除在大乘之外，而是在三德不離之中辨本番所問的正體。
悟簡的鏡最重位次。慚愧懺悔在前，觀心明淨、信解虛融仍屬凡位未悟；安忍、法愛不生、無明破，才由相似進入真見。鏡水明淨顯無明滅，魚石色像自現顯法身現，能契之智與所顯之體由此相應。
六門由此有兩重收束。譬簡把前四門的抽象深淺化成可見的河底、珠用與金用；悟簡再問能說法相的人是否親見。湛然分凡位未悟與聖位方悟，使顯體既須辨名義，也須在境智相應處得到證明。前面層層簡去同名異體，最後才由能見之智決定所見是否真實。
末後理、教、行三種無所作，只約所得的一分而說，尚不是一切修證全然止息。湛然以此守住悟的真實，也守住悟後仍有深進：隨智見體不是一句終止語，而是往後歷諸法、於每一境中繼續簡情取智的起點。
Why does what most resembles the real most require discernment? Zhiyi taught the profound meaning, and Guanding received and recorded it. When the discussion reaches discerning the substance, the first difficulty is not a doctrine entirely opposed to the true, but the fact that many teachings use similar names such as “real,” “Middle Way,” and “true mark.” A fish eye can be mixed among bright pearls precisely because it too is round and lustrous. If one relies only on names and appearances, there is no clear boundary between false and true.
Broadly distinguishing the false therefore unfolds through six gates. The first four—ordinary, non-Buddhist, lesser, and partial—distinguish layer by layer how far one reaches beneath the same names. Distinguishing through simile places abstract differences into visible images. Distinguishing through awakening finally brings the question back to practitioners themselves: even when the principle has been stated correctly, if wisdom has not personally seen it, one is still only hearing a description of the color of milk.
Where Is the Boundary between Good in the World and the Substance of the Real?
Distinguishing ordinary worldly dharmas begins with three uses of the same name. Worldly classics call protecting the country and governing the household real. Non-Buddhists call their distorted understanding real. The Lesser Vehicle calls the partial truth obtained by growing weary of suffering and finding rest real. All three possess the name “real,” but each establishes that name through a limited function. The reality intended as the sutra’s substance cannot be established merely because the name is shared.
Worldly dharmas also have deviant and upright aspects. Strange and delusive arts make people intoxicated and deranged and stir crowds through extraordinary appearances. Their result is not merely a moment of deception: attachment enters deeply into body and mind, inwardly injuring the person, outwardly bringing disaster upon kin, and obstructing the path through the long night. Such methods pass off intense experience as reality; the more extraordinary they appear, the more clearly they reveal how attachment can obscure discernment.
The classics of the Zhou and Confucius have a different function. Filial conduct can govern the household and loyalty the country. Ritual, military methods, medicine, astronomy, and geography can each bring order to the human world. Without such standards, the strong oppress the weak and the people lose their place; when they are followed, the realm may become peaceful. Their good results are not erased, yet their boundary remains care for the people, government of the country, and the pursuit of wholesome human and heavenly recompense. Great Brahmā’s discourse on leaving desire can use concentration to escape desire, but it remains encompassed by theories of attachment. Even if esoteric drugs change the body’s appearance, a sense of reality is still being established through attachment to what is obtained.
Distinguishing ordinary worldly dharmas therefore does not declare everything worldly useless. It asks: is the dharma at hand effective only in regulating the body, ordering the household, governing the country, or obtaining recompense, or can it truly disclose the sutra’s true substance? A function can be genuine without what it points to being ultimate.
Why Do Increasingly Intricate Views Still Remain within the Net?
Distinguishing non-Buddhist dharmas first addresses intelligence gained through drugs. A drug may temporarily make someone sharp, but the knowledge disappears when the drug is disturbed or its effect subsides. Knowledge that appears and vanishes through an external power cannot illuminate what is remote. The nonaction, freedom from desire, empty stillness, and rejection of wisdom taught by Zhuangzi and Laozi may quiet boastful striving; yet if a determinate view of existence or nonexistence remains, one has only moved from agitation into an embrace of nothingness.
Lunli’s story forces the problem into one exchange: is the ultimate path one or many? If the paths taught by all schools were each ultimate, Deer-Head would have had no reason to abandon his own path and become the Buddha’s disciple. Lunli looks back from the living evidence before him to his own question and understands that the ultimate path does not become many merely because many teachings coexist.
Dīrghanakha can refute every thesis and overturn every statement and, after a long search, finds no dharma he can admit into his mind. Yet “everything can be refuted” can itself become what is grasped. Existence, nonexistence, both existence and nonexistence, and the inexpressible are then folded and stacked: existence and nonexistence are gathered under existence; the nonexistence of existence and the nonexistence of nonexistence are gathered under nonexistence; then not-existence and not-nonexistence are each folded into both the house of existence and the house of nonexistence. The combinations can multiply by hundreds and thousands, while the view that combines and the object combined continue together to weave the net of views.
This gate shows that acuity of opinion and liberation are not the same. Deviant wisdom can be exceedingly sharp and conceptual proliferation exceedingly intricate. If attachment arises whenever an object is encountered, one still wears the cangue of ignorance and circles the pillar of birth-and-death without escape.
Why Distinguish Further after Existence and Nonexistence Have Already Been Left?
Distinguishing the Lesser Vehicle confronts an account much closer to reality. Śrāvakas too speak of leaving existence and nonexistence as the middle way of the noble ones. They possess the vision of genuine uncontaminated wisdom and the knowledge that personally realizes nirvāṇa. This is no worldly strange art or non-Buddhist net of views; views and thoughts are truly severed and segmented birth-and-death extinguished.
The boundary lies in what is left and where one abides. The existence and nonexistence left behind are the views of annihilation and permanence, while the middle attained is true truth in contrast to birth-and-death. When birth-and-death is made the extreme of existence, the nirvāṇa in which one abides becomes the extreme of nonexistence. These opposed extremes can still be broken. Resting in the grass hut without seeking further also lacks the great compassion that rescues sentient beings and the aspiration to buddhahood. Thus the names “Middle Way” and “knowledge and vision” are correct, but what they reach has not yet exhausted the true mark.
The sequence of the six gates now becomes clear. The further it proceeds, the less its object is an obvious error. What is distinguished later has already realized something and left one layer of partiality, yet comes to rest in what was obtained. The fish eye that is truly difficult to distinguish is not entirely without luster; it already looks very much like a bright pearl.
If All Enter the Inexpressible Path, Whence Comes the Difference in Depth?
Distinguishing partial Great Vehicle dharmas enters the Great Vehicle itself. Severing afflictions through the same inexpressible path and attaining the true mark of all dharmas in common do not guarantee that the wisdom of the three kinds of person is the same. People of the two vehicles seek their own release from suffering and stop upon attaining emptiness. Bodhisattvas of dull faculties likewise stop where they have arrived. Bodhisattvas of sharp faculties arouse great compassion for sentient beings and continue to seek deeply. Wisdom attained in common is like firefly light; wisdom not attained in common is like sunlight. The difference lies in whether quiescence can at the same time constantly illuminate.
Emptiness in the ultimate meaning is called wisdom. To attain only empty quiescence is to see only what has been removed. To attain emptiness that is not merely empty is to illuminate all dharmas within quiescence. The true mark does not add illumination to quiescence as a separate function: quiescence and illumination stand together. The two vehicles attain quiescence without fully possessing quiescent illumination, while the bodhisattva’s search lets illumination issue from quiescence without losing quiescence.
Even after seeing nonemptiness there are two paths. One severs bonds in sequence, proceeding from shallow to deep, and attains a semblance of the real. The other understands every meaning upon first entering the gate: immediately the Middle, immediately provisional, immediately empty; neither one nor different, neither three nor one. Here “immediate” does not simply place three terms side by side. It means that no one aspect is separated from the other two.
One mark and immeasurable marks unfold the same point. Entering only one mark without knowing immeasurable marks leaves empty quiescence without responsive function. Passing from one mark into immeasurable marks but being unable to enter one mark again leaves differentiated functions without return to unity. A bodhisattva of sharp faculties enters one mark through immediate emptiness, knows immeasurable marks through immediate provisional existence, and reenters one mark through the immediate Middle. The one does not obstruct the immeasurable, and the immeasurable does not lose the one. Only when all three are immediate in a single mind is there the deeply sought substance of the true mark.
The Avataṃsaka, vaipulya, and Large Prajñā teachings use sequential or nonsequential attainment of the three wisdoms, many persons receiving them separately, or one person seeking them deeply to disclose different depths beneath the same names. In the present sutra, the “real son” is no longer separated from the father. Careful search throughout the ten directions finds no other vehicle; the śrāvaka Dharma is decisively understood and only the unsurpassed path taught. What is revealed is no longer fragments apportioned among several people, but the pure and single wisdom of the true mark.
If the One Real Truth Is without Duality, How Does It Still Contain All Dharmas?
The first half of Fascicle Eight ends here, and the second half continues Zhiyi’s teaching of the one real truth. Freedom from duality, falsity, and inversion, not being spoken by Māra, and permanence, bliss, self, and purity all speak from five sides about one matter. If emptiness, provisional existence, and the Middle differed, there would be two and three. Only when the three dharmas do not differ are they perfectly complete and called the One Vehicle.
Nonduality does not pare the three down into one empty name. Immediate emptiness breaks ordinary beings’ theories of attachment and non-Buddhists’ theories of views. Immediate provisional existence breaks a lesser reality that merely holds to emptiness and the reality seen in common by three kinds of person, while allowing the cause and fruit, Four Truths, and Three Jewels of both the true mark and skillful means to remain distinctly complete. The immediate Middle breaks a partial reality attained in sequence. The true mark is like the ocean of the Dharma realm: it can break every inversion and also contain every gate of cause and fruit. Emptiness, provisional existence, and the Middle are therefore together the true mark.
The four virtues likewise appear through this principle of nondifference. Noninversion means no afflictions, and no afflictions is called purity. With no afflictions there is no karma, and no karma is called self. With no karma there is no recompense, and no recompense is called bliss. With no recompense there is no birth-and-death, and no birth-and-death is called permanence. Permanence, bliss, self, and purity are not four qualities added outside the three truths, but the purity, sovereignty, ease, and permanence disclosed when the three do not differ.
Opening and revealing thereby gains its basis. The sequential real can be opened as the perfect real; the real attained in common by three kinds of person can reach the bottom through deep seeking; the śrāvaka’s real can be decisively understood; one can cultivate the factors of the path within theories of views without being moved by views; and within theories of attachment one can penetrate the Buddha-path because the realm of Māra is precisely the realm of the Buddha. Opening does not attach a new substance from outside. It discloses the nature of ease and joy already present in all dharmas until the real is clarified in absolute terms.
If All Cross the Same River, Why Do They See Different Bottoms?
The three animals crossing the river first reveal what is shared and then depth. Rabbit, horse, and elephant enter the same water and all head toward the far bank. Rabbit and horse are weak and float at a shallow level without reaching the bottom. The great elephant is strong and reaches both bottom and bank. The water’s softness represents immediate emptiness; the bottom that does not move with the surface represents nonemptiness. Three kinds of person may see emptiness in common, but only those of profound wisdom also see nonemptiness.
Reaching the bottom itself requires further distinction. A small elephant reaches only mud at the riverbed, while a great elephant penetrates to solid ground. The first has left the surface but has not reached the deepest point. The simile therefore distinguishes twice: first rabbit and horse from elephant according to whether the bottom is reached; then small and great elephants according to whether what is reached is mud or solid earth. Finally, the nonemptiness reached by the great elephant reveals the substance of the present sutra.
Every element of the simile has its own place. Rabbit and horse float shallowly, while the great elephant is strong. Water is what all enter; the bottom is nonemptiness; the bank is what they cross to. The small elephant reaches mud, and the great elephant solid earth. The simile’s force lies in these relations themselves: differences of depth are disclosed through practice and wisdom.
The Jewels Look Alike; Why Does the Difference Lie in Raining Treasures?
The crystal jewel and the wish-fulfilling jewel are nearly identical in shape. One is merely empty and cannot rain down treasures; the other is empty and yet can rain them down. Partial emptiness resembles the crystal: it has the clarity of emptiness but lacks the precious function of benefiting sentient beings. The Middle Way resembles the wish-fulfilling jewel: emptiness does not obstruct all dharmas, and so treasures can rain universally. From the perspective that combines existence and nonexistence as conventional truth, the two jewels distinguish false and true.
The text next takes only one wish-fulfilling jewel. The jewel does not become two, but those who obtain it differ. One who does not know its power treats it merely as a jewel; a wise person gains much from it; the two vehicles realize emptiness and rest; a bodhisattva attains emptiness and raises skillful means to benefit and liberate all. Through these four uses the treatise distinguishes attainment and failure.
The first level uses two jewels to distinguish what their natures disclose; the second uses one jewel to distinguish the use made by those who attain it. The crystal’s inability and the wish-fulfilling jewel’s ability to rain treasures clarify two senses of emptiness. The same wish-fulfilling jewel, used either for resting in realized emptiness or for universal benefit through skillful means, shows the difference in its recipient’s use.
How Does the Same Gold within Yellow Stone Become Four Kinds of Life?
The third simile moves completely through four people. A fool mistakes yellow stone for mere stone and discards it in filth. A merchant smelts out the gold and only preserves it. A goldsmith fashions the gold into hairpins, bracelets, rings, and bells. An immortal adept refines it into a golden elixir, flies through heaven, enters the earth, touches the sun and moon, and transforms freely.
Ordinary beings resemble the fool: they possess the true mark but do not know to cultivate it. The two vehicles resemble the merchant: they remove the ore of affliction and guard the gold of immediate emptiness. A bodhisattva of the Distinct Teaching resembles the goldsmith: knowing emptiness as nonempty, the bodhisattva emerges into provisional existence to transform beings, adorn buddha-lands, and bring sentient beings to accomplishment. A bodhisattva of the Perfect Teaching resembles the immortal adept: phenomena are immediately true; at the initial arousal of the mind the bodhisattva immediately accomplishes correct awakening, and one body can manifest immeasurable bodies to respond universally to all.
Viewed through sameness, the gold within stone, smelted gold, ornamental gold, and the gold of the elixir are gold from beginning to end. Viewed through difference, stone is not gold, gold not ornament, and ornament not elixir; the elixir also possesses a pure, translucent, soft, and wondrous form and color. Sameness and difference stand together within one chain of simile. The treatise therefore gathers its attainment and failure through the four terms granting, depriving, breaking, and converging.
The three similes also have separate emphases. The three animals disclose shallow and deep faculties: shallow faculties attain emptiness, while deep faculties attain the provisional and the Middle. The two jewels disclose three aspirations: one seeks only release from suffering and rests upon seeing truth; one proceeds through differentiated sequence and cannot cultivate perfectly; one seeks vastly throughout the Dharma realm. The gold discloses three kinds of skillful means: one guards the gold and abides; one can only fashion ornaments for a livelihood; one is so profound and extensive that it can transform freely.
Returning to the sutra’s true substance, the great elephant reaching the indestructible bottom reveals the wondrousness of substance; the perfect jewel raining treasures universally reveals the wondrousness of function; and skillful wisdom making an immortal reveals the wondrousness of purport. The three similes together disclose the three virtues as neither vertical nor horizontal, while true nature is singled out within the Great Vehicle as the sutra’s substance.
Why Does Understanding the Color of Milk Not Equal Seeing It?
Distinguishing through awakening brings every distinction back to the practitioner. One can state the characteristics of Dharma correctly without yet according with principle. Pursuing four descriptions is like a blind person hearing of rice flour and imagining softness, hearing of snow and imagining coldness, hearing of a shell and imagining hardness, or hearing of a crane and imagining movement. Each characteristic points to something, yet none is the real color of milk.
Grasping one’s own claim as real and judging others false makes “present here” and “absent there,” right and wrong, increase against one another. Dispositions wander as though in a dark night; shouting loudly for food brings no fullness. Seeing the truth begins with shame, remorse, and piercing confession. One’s capacities then stimulate the buddhas and concentration and wisdom begin to unfold. Yet even when contemplation of mind is bright and pure and faith and understanding open and interfuse, one is still like someone who sees a stump in darkness and can only dimly distinguish a person, tree, insect, or dust.
When one abides patiently without being moved, attachment to Dharma does not arise and ignorance breaks open. Only then does the sphere become like a motionless bright mirror and clear water without waves. Fish, stones, and forms appear without being forcibly arranged. The mind that sees is pure and constantly one, like an eye opened by a golden scalpel so that one, two, and three fingers are clearly seen.
At this time, saying that color exists is correct because actual color corresponds to the eye and the true principle corresponds to wisdom. Saying that it does not exist is also correct because the mistaken projections of softness, coldness, hardness, and movement have disappeared. Existence does not reify the forms heard about, and nonexistence does not mean that nothing is seen. The true mark disclosed through all four alternatives can be truly seen only when principle and wisdom correspond.
Śāriputra abides in real wisdom and knows with certainty that he will become a buddha. Eight thousand śrāvakas see Tathāgata-nature in the Lotus, like an autumn harvest stored for winter, with nothing more to be done. In relation to principle, this is ultimate principle; in relation to teaching, after hearing this teaching one need hear no other; in relation to practice, after cultivating this practice one does not change tracks. When one subsequently passes through the spheres of the various truths, one must still distinguish at every point what follows dispositions, what follows wisdom, and what joins dispositions with wisdom. Only what is seen through wondrous awakening following wisdom is taken as the sutra’s substance.
Through the Eye of the Shiqian
Zhanran first places the six gates on a single advancing line. Distinguishing ordinary worldly dharmas does not merely reject strange arts: the falsity of deviant worldly methods is seen through derangement and harm, while upright teachings of Zhou and Confucius are limited because they still end within human and heavenly destinies. Though the hundreds and thousands of conceptual proliferations considered under non-Buddhist teachings are intricate, neither the view that produces them nor the object on which it focuses has left the net of views. Distinguishing the Lesser Vehicle then sharply separates sameness of name from difference of substance: it acknowledges that the two vehicles possess wisdom of their own and distinguishes them only because they have not attained quiescent illumination.
The three passages concerning partial Great Vehicle dharmas are read as successively producing one another: first emptiness is contrasted with nonemptiness, then sequential and nonsequential attainment are distinguished within nonemptiness, and finally one enters from one mark into immeasurable marks and returns to one mark. The root text’s “two immediate identities” only borrows the name immediate; the three are mutually immediate only when perfectly complete. This perspective keeps the distinctions moving in one direction and prevents what is attained at an earlier level from passing itself off as what follows.
The one real truth further has three layers: direct explanation, relational contrast, and opening and revelation. Direct explanation first removes the faults of duality, falsity, and inversion and then reveals the substance through the three truths and four virtues. Relational contrast removes the names belonging to lesser and partial teachings while still saying that the true mark encompasses the causes and fruits of skillful means. Opening and revelation proceed from shallow to deep and from noble ones to ordinary beings. Zhanran points out that opening can be discussed precisely because every dharma already possesses wondrous principle.
The three animals and two jewels primarily reveal opening and combining, while the gold within yellow stone primarily reveals breaking and converging; the principal intent of all three similes is to reveal the substance. The three animals have two degrees of depth: rabbit and horse do not reach the bottom, while the elephant does; among elephants, the small elephant reaches mud and the great elephant solid ground. The two jewels first distinguish ability from inability to rain treasures and then use the single wish-fulfilling jewel to show that success and failure lie in the person. The principle relied upon does not become two; conditions and use produce resting or universal benefit.
Within the gold simile, granting, depriving, breaking, and converging each retain one perspective. Granting considers the undifferentiated substance of gold. Depriving considers ordinary beings’ lack of accomplished function. Breaking considers the differences among stone, gold, ornaments, and elixir. Converging sees that all four have gold as their nature. This also resolves how all three similes first reveal substance and are afterward assigned separately to substance, function, and purport: the principal intent has already revealed substance, while the subsidiary meaning is then aligned with the three dharmas. Both levels remain and do not cancel each other.
The three virtues may be represented separately by elephant, jewel, and immortal as Dharma-body, liberation, and prajñā, while each individual simile also contains all three virtues. Finally, to determine the sutra’s substance, Dharma-body is still selected. This does not exclude liberation and prajñā from the Great Vehicle; it distinguishes the true substance asked about in the present topic while the three virtues remain inseparable.
The Mirror’s reading of awakening places greatest weight on stages. Shame and confession come first. Bright contemplation of mind and open, interfused faith and understanding still belong to the ordinary stage before awakening. Only after patient acceptance, the nonarising of attachment to Dharma, and the breaking of ignorance does one move from resemblance into true seeing. The clarity of mirror and water discloses the extinction of ignorance; the spontaneous appearance of fish, stones, and forms discloses Dharma-body manifest; and the wisdom that accords with it thereby corresponds to the substance disclosed.
The six gates thus conclude twice. Distinguishing through simile gives visible form to the abstract depths of the first four gates through river bottom, jewel-function, and the use of gold. Distinguishing through awakening then asks whether the person capable of explaining the characteristics of Dharma has personally seen. Zhanran distinguishes the ordinary stage before awakening from the noble stage in which awakening begins, so revealing the substance requires both discernment of name and meaning and confirmation where object and wisdom correspond. After layers of the same name with differing substances have been distinguished, the wisdom capable of seeing finally determines whether what is seen is real.
At the end, the three senses of nothing more to be done—in principle, teaching, and practice—refer only to one portion of what has been attained and do not mean that all cultivation and realization have ceased completely. Zhanran thereby safeguards both the reality of awakening and further deepening after awakening. Seeing the substance by following wisdom is not a sentence of termination, but the point from which one proceeds through all dharmas and continues, within every sphere, to distinguish what follows dispositions and take only what follows wisdom.
考據Apparatus
正體玄絕，邪、小、偏名又常與正大相亂，故本番不急於再立一名，而以凡、外、小、偏、譬、悟六重次第辨其偽真。前四重由粗至細簡去同名異體，後二重借譬顯體、約悟驗體；所簡愈深，所顯也愈近實相正體。
一、科判定位
本番起於「○二、廣簡偽者，夫正體玄絕，一往難知，又邪小之名，亂於正大，譬如魚目混雜明珠，」〔T33 0780a29〕，止於「當以隨智妙悟意，歷諸諦境中，節節有隨情、智、情智種種分別，簡餘情想，唯取隨智，明見經體也。」〔0782b24〕；中間跨《妙法蓮華經玄義》卷第八上、卷第八下之題署，卷界落在偏簡之內，不另成義科。
論主先列「一、就凡簡。二、就外簡。三、就小簡。四、就偏簡。五、就譬簡。六、就悟簡。」〔T33 0780b02〕。凡簡先兼列世典、外道、小乘三種同稱為實，再專辨世間邪惡與清正；外簡辨此方、西方諸見；小簡辨聲聞同名而體異；偏簡由三乘共證、空與不空、次第與不次第、一相與無量相，進至一實諦的正釋、待對、開顯；譬簡以三獸、二珠、黃石中金顯偽真及開合破會；悟簡先破聞名橫計，再由凡位未悟進至隨智妙悟。
《法華玄義釋籤》（T1717）總判「○次廣簡偽中為二：初敘來意，次廣簡。文自為六：列章，解釋。」〔T33 0932b26〕。六門並非六種互不相涉的定義：前門所除，到後門往往以更細的同名重新出現；簡偽的軸心始終是名可相似，所顯之體與能契之智卻有深淺。
本番的著作層次全依半卷題署作智者講說、灌頂筆錄，未見如前文「私十五番」〔T33 0687a22〕一類另標記者附釋的句界。卷第八下題後「天台智者大師說」〔T33 0781b08〕隨即續偏簡的一實諦，不應因版面換卷而切成另一作者層。
二、成立與傳本
本論緣起所誌為智者於江陵說玄義、灌頂受聞筆錄，並明記《玄》《文》各十卷〔T33 0681a16–a23〕；本單元雖跨卷第八上、下，仍全依題署作智者講說、灌頂記錄，卷題只誌傳本分卷，不另立義科。
三、所引經論覆核
下表逐列本番二十八組明引、暗引與譬喻平行。左欄守《妙法蓮華經玄義》（T1716）原形，右欄守各經論今本；字面不合者並錄不判，論主自行判攝者不倒作根經逐字，未得單一本閉合者明記所指待考。
| 次 | 本論所書 | 今本覆核 | 判讀 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 「《釋論》云：世典亦稱實者，乃是護國治家稱實也。」〔T33 0780b04〕，並列外道、小乘稱實 | 《大智度論》（T1509）作「世俗經書中，為安國全家、身命壽樂故非實。」〔T25 0195c20〕；外道段作「外道出家墮邪見法中，心愛著故，是亦非實。」〔0195c21〕；聲聞段作「但欲求脫老、病、死苦故。」〔0196a01〕 | 三類與理由相應；本論撮為護國治家、邪智僻解、厭苦蘇息，非今本一條連文。 |
| 二 | 「釋提桓因種種勝論。」〔T33 0780b24〕，後別釋梵王出欲論 | 《金光明經》（T663）作「如諸梵天說出欲論、釋提桓因種種善論、五通之人神仙之論。」〔T16 0343c17〕，次句有「無量勝論」〔0343c20〕；《合部金光明經》（T664）同列作「釋提桓因種種善論」〔T16 0384c29〕 | 本論以勝論代善論，並取次句勝字發揮；兩經題名各守本題。 |
| 三 | 「若外國論力受梨昌募，撰《五百明難》，其一云：」〔T33 0780c07〕，問究竟道一多 | 《大智度論》（T1509）作「毘耶離梵志，名論力，諸梨昌等大雇其寶物，令與佛論。」〔T25 0193b08〕，並說「即以其夜思撰五百難」〔0193b09〕 | 人物、受募、五百難與問答相合；外國、毘耶離及題名形態有異。 |
| 四 | 佛答「但一究竟道。」〔T33 0780c09〕，再指鹿頭發問 | 《大智度論》（T1509）作「一究竟道，無眾多也。」〔T25 0193b11〕，又問「鹿頭梵志得道不？」〔0193b15〕 | 同一連續問答；本論縮答並改寫鹿頭反問。 |
| 五 | 長爪說「一切論可破，一切語可轉，觀諸法實相，于久不得一法入心。」〔T33 0780c14〕 | 《大智度論》（T1509）先作「一切論可破，一切語可壞，一切執可轉故，無有實法可信可恭敬者。」〔T25 0061b22〕，後作「求之既久，不得一法實可以入心者。」〔0061c22〕 | 本論合兩處為一句，語可轉、于久等皆是本論形，兩形分層並錄。 |
| 六 | 「長爪執亦有亦無見。」〔T33 0780c16〕，又說「亦計不可說見。」〔0780c16〕 | 《大智度論》（T1509）列「一者、一切有，二者、一切無，三者、半有半無。」〔T25 0254b11〕 | 半有半無與亦有亦無場景相近；不可說見未在同一今本場景定位，所指待考。 |
| 七 | 《大經》句作「被無明枷，繫生死柱，遶二十五有不能得脫。」〔T33 0780c21〕 | 《大般涅槃經》（T374）作「被無明枷繫生死柱，繞二十五有，不能得離。」〔T12 0516b06〕；同題異本 T375 亦作「不能得離」〔T12 0760b15〕 | 遶、繞與脫、離有異，標點亦各守其本。 |
| 八 | 聲聞法中說「離有離無名聖中道。」〔T33 0780c23〕 | 《成實論》（T1646）作「離此二邊名聖中道。」〔T32 0256b03〕 | 論證場景直接閉合；本論把此二邊展為有、無。 |
| 九 | 《大集》句作「拘隣如沙門，最初獲得真實之知見。」〔T33 0780c24〕 | 《大方等大集經》（T397）偈作「憍陳比丘於諸法，獲得真實之知見，」〔T13 0013c14〕 | 同為初轉法輪場景；人名、沙門與比丘、最初與於諸法有異。 |
| 十 | 《摩訶衍》中說「三乘之人，同以無言說道斷煩惱。」〔T33 0781a05〕 | 《摩訶般若波羅蜜經》（T223）作「第一義中無言說道，斷結故說後際。」〔T08 0376a14〕 | 三乘諸位、第一義無言說與斷結場景相應；本論撮成一句，斷煩惱與斷結有異。 |
| 十一 | 《中論》句作「諸法實相，三人共得」〔T33 0781a06〕 | 《中論》（T1564）有「諸法實相者，心行言語斷，無生亦無滅，寂滅如涅槃。」〔T30 0024a03〕 | 今本有實相偈，未定位三人共得的同場景；本論題名照留，短句所指待考。 |
| 十二 | 《大經》句作「第一義空名為智慧。」〔T33 0781a11〕 | 《大般涅槃經》（T374）作「佛性者名第一義空，第一義空名為智慧。」〔T12 0523b12〕；同題異本 T375 核心句同〔T12 0767c18〕 | 本論截取第二分句，核心逐字相合。 |
| 十三 | 《釋論》說菩薩「入於一相，知無量相，知無量相又入一相。」〔T33 0781a20〕 | 《大智度論》（T1509）先問「一相，所謂無相，何以說是種種道？」〔T25 0258b20〕，答「是道皆入一道中，所謂諸法實相。」〔0258b21〕，後又說「亦如是入一相」〔0258c24〕並名道種慧 | 一相、種種道、入一道與復入一相的骨架相合；知無量相的本論短句未成今本連文，所指待考。 |
| 十四 | 「華嚴不共二乘」〔T33 0781a25〕，繼以方等四人、大品三慧三智分判 | 此處不是三經冒號直引，而是論主依三種經教處理三智的判攝 | 不為三段各虛造單一根經出處；只按本論自判讀。 |
| 十五 | 此經句作「汝實我子」〔T33 0781b01〕 | 《妙法蓮華經》（T262）作「此實我子，我實其父。」〔T09 0017b13〕 | 窮子場景可定；本論省字並改此為汝。 |
| 十六 | 「十方諦求，更無餘乘」〔T33 0781b02〕 | 《妙法蓮華經》（T262）作「十方諦求，更無餘乘，除佛方便。」〔T09 0015a14〕 | 本論截去除佛方便，不以省文改寫根經。 |
| 十七 | 「決了聲聞法」〔T33 0781b03〕 | 《妙法蓮華經》（T262）作「若聞是深經，決了聲聞法。」〔T09 0032a15〕 | 詞組逐字相合。 |
| 十八 | 「但說無上道」〔T33 0781b03〕 | 《妙法蓮華經》（T262）作「正直捨方便，但說無上道。」〔T09 0010a19〕 | 本論截後半，今本全句另守。 |
| 十九 | 《大經》一實諦長引依次說無二、無虛偽、無顛倒、非魔所說、常樂我淨〔T33 0781b09–b12〕 | 《大般涅槃經》（T374）分作「實諦者無顛無倒」〔T12 0443b20〕、「實諦者無有虛妄」〔0443b22〕、「實諦者是佛所說非魔所說」〔0443b24〕、「實諦者一道清淨，無有二也」〔0443b25〕、「有常、有樂、有我、有淨」〔0443b26〕；同題異本 T375 有平行文〔T12 0685a25–b03〕 | 本論增一字、重排次序、改無有虛妄為無虛偽，再接三諦四德申釋；非今本一條原樣連文。 |
| 二十 | 「一切諸法中，悉有安樂性。」〔T33 0781c09〕 | 《大般涅槃經》（T374）同作「一切諸法中，悉有安樂性」〔T12 0380a25〕；同題異本 T375 同句〔T12 0620a04〕 | 逐字相合；本論此處未重題書名，仍可由今本定位。 |
| 二十一 | 三獸渡河，以兔、馬、大象及水深淺顯三人〔T33 0781c12–c22〕 | 《普曜經》（T186）列「世有三獸：一、兔，二、馬，三、白象。」〔T03 0488b20〕，並說「聲聞緣覺其猶兔馬」〔0488b23〕、「菩薩大乘譬若白象」〔0488b24〕；《鞞婆沙論》（T1547）作「三獸渡河，兔、馬、香象。」〔T28 0445c09〕 | 兩本都有渡水、深淺、三乘場景，人物配位不全同；本論未題來源，並列而不裁唯一所屬。 |
| 二十二 | 「二、譬頗梨、如意，兩珠相似，形類欲同，而頗梨但空，不能雨寶。如意珠，亦空亦雨寶。」〔T33 0781c23〕 | 《大智度論》（T1509）有如意珠雨寶單邊場景：「是如意珠，能雨一由旬。」〔T25 0316b10〕；未定位同時閉合頗梨、如意同形及能雨不能雨的單一本 | 完整二珠鏈所指待考；後出天台轉引不能倒作原始所屬。 |
| 二十三 | 黃石中金依次見愚夫棄置、估客融金、金匠造器、仙客煉丹〔T33 0782a03–a13〕 | 《大智度論》（T1509）有「如黃石中有金性，白石中有銀性」〔T25 0298b20〕 | 黃石含金性是直接平行；四人、四種處理的完整階梯所指待考，不以分散部件拼成單一來源。 |
| 二十四 | 悟簡說「聞粖謂軟，聞雪謂冷，聞貝謂硬，聞鵠謂動，終不能見乳之真色。」〔T33 0782b01〕 | 《大般涅槃經》（T374）依次有「色白如貝」〔T12 0446c29〕、「猶稻米末」〔0447a02〕、「猶如雨雪」〔0447a04〕、「猶如白鶴」〔0447a05〕，結「終不能得識乳真色」〔0447a06〕；同題異本 T375 有平行文〔T12 0688c16–23〕 | 場景與四譬閉合，本論改成粖、雪、貝、鵠次序及四種錯認；兩種次序分層並存。 |
| 二十五 | 「金錍抉眼，一指、二指、三指分明。」〔T33 0782b10〕 | 《大般涅槃經》（T374）作「即以金錍，決其眼膜。以一指示」〔T12 0411c21〕，再示二、三指而盲人只說少見〔0411c23〕；同題異本 T375 有平行文〔T12 0652c04–07〕 | 抉、決及分明、少見有異；本論是譬義重述。 |
| 二十六 | 論說「一切實，一切非實，亦實亦不實，非實非不實。如是皆名諸法之實相。」〔T33 0782b14〕 | 《大智度論》（T1509）作「一切實一切非實，及一切實亦非實，一切非實非不實，是名諸法之實相。」〔T25 0061b14〕；《中論》（T1564）另有「一切實非實，亦實亦非實，非實非非實，是名諸佛法。」〔T30 0024a05〕 | 本論無題名的論句與 T1509 句法最近；T1564 是同偈系平行，不裁為唯一所屬。 |
| 二十七 | 舍利弗說「我定當作佛，為天人所敬。」〔T33 0782b16〕 | 《妙法蓮華經》（T262）作「疑悔永已盡，安住實智中。我定當作佛，為天人所敬」〔T09 0011b06〕 | 本論省前句，核心相合。 |
| 二十八 | 《涅槃》說「八千聲聞於法華中見如來性，如秋收冬藏，更無所作。」〔T33 0782b18〕 | 《大般涅槃經》（T374）作「如《法花》中，八千聲聞，得受記莂成大果實，如秋收冬藏，更無所作。」〔T12 0420a23〕；同題異本 T375 作「如《法花》中八千聲聞得受記莂，成大果實。如秋收、冬藏，更無所作」〔T12 0661b07〕 | 本論把見性與八千聲聞得記成果壓成一句；後半相近，兩今本皆非本論連續字面。 |
凡簡另列周孔經籍、治法、禮法、兵法、醫法、天文、地理、八卦、五行、世間墳典〔T33 0780b17–18〕，屬論主總舉治世典法，不是一條古籍連引；湛然解「經」為「五經七九等」〔T1717 0932c28–29〕，屬釋籤訓釋，非論主原列；外簡的莊老無為、無欲、虛靜、棄聖絕智也是詞群概括，未題篇名。三獸、二珠、黃石三譬的來源狀態各異，不能因相鄰便一概歸入《大品》或《大智度論》。
四、釋籤釋要〔鏡〕
《法華玄義釋籤》先把凡簡分成通列與解釋，再將世法判為邪惡、清正兩層；清正雖能治家治國，總結仍是「總而言之，不出人天。」〔T33 0932c27〕。這使凡簡的尺度不落在世法全惡：邪術以迷狂、過患見偽，周孔典法則以尚未出世見限。
外簡先總說不實，再分此方與西方。論力、長爪諸說雖可層疊成百千萬種，鏡中收束為「此之能所不出於見，故非真實。」〔T33 0933c02〕。小簡則硬分名同與體異：雖同說實相中道，所證若以生死之有對涅槃之無，仍是可破的兩邊；正文斥奪二乘不得寂照，鏡中又限定為「非無自智慧也。」〔0933c25〕，不可讀成全無智慧。
偏簡有三重展轉：先以空對不空，再在不空中辨次第與不次第，最後以一相攝無量相；故判「此之三文展轉生後。」〔T33 0933c14〕。其後一實諦又分正釋、待對、開顯。正釋先除無二、無虛偽、無顛倒等過，再以三諦四德顯體；待對雖說無小偏名，仍攝方便因果；開顯由淺至深、由聖至凡，根據在「以諸法中有妙理，故方可論開。」〔0934b09〕。
譬簡的三獸與二珠主要顯開合，黃石中金主要顯破會，三者正意皆在顯體。三獸先由三人同入水而辨到底，再由小象但至底泥、大象深至實土作第二重簡；二珠先辨但空與能雨，又以同一如意珠的得失明「含二中者，人有得失，非理爾也。」〔T33 0935a01〕；黃金譬則依所見與用法展開凡聖、教理，而與、奪、破、會各有不同觀察面。
三譬皆正顯體，後文又順三法、三德分配，並不相礙。鏡中以「義有傍正，正顯體已復順此三。」〔T33 0935a23〕解其層次；別配可由象、珠、仙分顯法身、解脫、般若，每一譬內又可各具三德，最後就經體剋取法身。
悟簡先斥聞名橫計，後顯凡位未悟與聖位方悟。明淨、虛融仍在凡位之內，安忍不動、法愛不生、無明豁破後才以鏡、水、金錍顯境智相應。末說理、教、行三種無所作，鏡中特別限定「且約一分，未為全息。」〔T33 0935c09〕，故不可把初得體讀成一切行證全然究竟。
五、諸家異釋
智旭《法華經玄義節要》（X0589）保存七條顯體的科名，於本單元只錄「二、廣簡偽。三、一法異名，具在全帙。」〔X28 0538a17〕。這是節要明示省文的正面證據：能證科名及其取捨，不能以未節錄反證本番無可說之義。
智圓《涅槃玄義發源機要》（T1766）說「以無言說道者，即《大品》共般若也。」〔T38 0024a08〕，又以「喻之以三獸度河，以三乘俱證涅槃而智有深淺」〔0024a23〕解同類場景。此書不是本單元逐句注，卻可證共般若無言說道及三獸深淺如何在山外著作中被承用。
智銓《法華經玄籤證釋》（X0592）由凡簡逐條注至悟簡，下一行才轉一法異名。其說「長爪義當單四見中，後之三見及無言見。」〔X28 0621b19〕，是後世判攝，不能消除《大智度論》今本中不可說見仍待定位的事實；其說「○約譬、簡、借三喻者，借喻是法，故云借耳。」〔0621b22〕，則明借譬不等於把譬物自身立為經體。
二珠、黃金的體用宗關係，智銓判「○圓珠普雨譬其用，玅等本以圓珠金丹譬體。若論雨寶，應屬於用。若論成仙，宜屬於宗。」〔X28 0621c01〕，又以「三法本不相離」〔0621c04〕解三譬正顯體而後別配之關係。悟簡末條作「○六、就悟簡聞。粖，謂輭等。大經十三卷文，具加彼記。」〔0621c05〕，明確封在本單元末；其後一法異名已屬下一番。
六、術語
正體。 本番所求的經之正體，即實相；正體玄絕，不表示無從辨認，而是不能用同名、奇術、偏證或聞說所得的概念代替。
實名、實義。 世典、外道、小乘皆可稱實，卻各因護國治家、邪智僻解、厭苦蘇息而立名。廣簡所問不只是名稱真假，而是名稱之下是否具經之正體。
凡、外、小、偏。 凡門辨世間邪惡與清正；外門辨見論；小門辨二乘偏真；偏門辨大乘中同名而未圓之實。四門由粗至細，不是四類人物的靜態名冊。
即空、即假、即中。 本番由即空破愛見，由即假具實相與方便因果，由即中顯法界海；三者不異而具足，方名一實。正文又以破、開兩面顯其不離諸法。
與、奪、破、會。 與從理體本具說凡夫與所顯同實相；奪從果上力用未成說其未得；破從廢權立實辨石、金、器、丹差別；會從權歸實見其體性不殊。四字各有著眼，不可混成一義。
法身、解脫、般若。 三德既可由象、珠、仙分顯，也可在每一譬中互具；顯體時剋取法身，並非刪去另二德，而是辨本番正意。
悟。 不是聞得乳名、明淨其心或信解虛融便算見體；本番以安忍、法愛不生、無明破、境智相應逐步說明由聞到見的界線。
七、譬喻、互讀與承衍
魚目混珠是全番開門之譬：魚目不是全無光澤，正因外觀近珠，才需要簡。六門遂一再處理相似性：同稱實，同說中道，同證無言說道，同見不空，乃至同得一顆如意珠；愈相似，判準愈不能只在名言。
三獸譬嚴守兔、馬、大象與水、底、岸。兔馬雖濟彼岸，浮淺且不到底；大象兼得底岸；象中又分小象至泥、大象至實土。論主以同入水說所證有共，以力量與深度說智有不同，再取大象所至不空顯體。
二珠先以頗梨、如意形類相似，辨一珠但空不能雨寶、一珠亦空亦雨寶；再只取一如意珠，辨不知力用、智者多獲、二乘休息、菩薩普利的得失。前一層由二珠顯差別，後一層由一珠顯理不二而取用有異。
黃石中金依四種人完整展開：愚夫視作石而棄糞穢，估客融出而保重，金匠造成釵釧鐶鐺，仙客煉成金丹而自在變通。四層的物、能所與次序都服務於同金異用；既可從金體不殊說與，也可從果用未成說奪，從器丹差別說破，從體性同金說會。
乳色譬則反向顯示，聞說某一性質並不等於親見。盲人把粖、雪、貝、鵠各自的軟、冷、硬、動當成乳色，所得愈多仍只是在所聞特徵間轉換；金錍開眼而一、二、三指分明，才把所聞的名轉成能見的智。
本番承上辨體正意：前一番引文證成五章，此番專防同名、似名遮蔽正體。它又為後一番一法異名預作界線：廣簡先辨異體可能同名，下一番才能在名相紛繁中求同一法體，而不把一切相似詞都混作實相。
八、校本定位
一、本單元以《妙法蓮華經玄義》（T1716）為底，起於 T33 0780a29，止於 0782b26；《法華玄義釋籤》（T1717）對位起於 0932b26，止於 0935c11。正文在偏簡內跨卷第八上、下，注疏則在偏簡與譬簡之間跨卷第十六、十七，兩種分卷位置不可互相套用。
二、本單元正文只有一處異讀錨，在「五、譬簡者」〔T33 0781c10〕的序號：通行校本文字作「五」〔T33 0781c10〕【CB】，大正底本異讀作「正」〔T33 0781c10〕【大】；本文依通行校本留五，兩讀並錄不判。
三、頁錨一律取引文首字之前最近同版行號；同一行內短引各依自己的首字定位，不沿用引介語或前一引句的行號。跨頁長引也以首字所在行起錨，不以整段段首代替。
四、《金光明經》T663 與《合部金光明經》T664 各依題署並列；《大般涅槃經》T374、T375 雖同題，仍是兩個傳本。三獸有《普曜經》T186、《鞞婆沙論》T1547 的不同配位平行，不裁唯一來源。
五、長爪不可說見、《中論》三人共得、一相無量相復一相的本論短句、頗梨如意二珠完整鏈、黃石中金四人完整鏈，皆只依現有正面證據標明所指待考；不以未定位改寫本論題名，也不以後出天台轉引倒填古本。
The true substance is profound and transcendent, while names used by the heterodox, the Lesser Vehicle, and partial teachings are often confused with the true and great. This unit therefore does not hasten to establish yet another name; instead, through six successive distinctions—ordinary, non-Buddhist, Lesser Vehicle, partial, simile, and awakening—it discerns false and true. The first four distinctions exclude progressively finer cases in which identical names conceal different substances; the last two use simile to reveal the substance and awakening to test it. The deeper the false is distinguished, the nearer what is revealed comes to the true substance of the true mark.
1. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
This unit begins with 「○二、廣簡偽者，夫正體玄絕，一往難知，又邪小之名，亂於正大，譬如魚目混雜明珠，」 tr. “Second, as for broadly distinguishing the false: the true substance is profound and transcendent and at first difficult to know; moreover, the names used by the heterodox and the Lesser Vehicle confuse the true and great, like fish eyes mixed among bright pearls”〔T33 0780a29〕 and ends with 「當以隨智妙悟意，歷諸諦境中，節節有隨情、智、情智種種分別，簡餘情想，唯取隨智，明見經體也。」 tr. “One should, with the intent of wondrous awakening that follows wisdom, pass through the spheres of the various truths. At each juncture there are the various distinctions that follow feelings, wisdom, or feelings and wisdom together. Distinguish away the remaining affective conceptions, take only what follows wisdom, and clearly see the sutra’s substance”〔0782b24〕. Between these points the text crosses the fascicle headings of the upper and lower halves of fascicle eight of the Fahua Xuanyi; the fascicle boundary falls within the distinction of the partial and does not form a separate doctrinal section.
The author of the treatise first lists: 「一、就凡簡。二、就外簡。三、就小簡。四、就偏簡。五、就譬簡。六、就悟簡。」 tr. “First, distinguish through the ordinary. Second, distinguish through non-Buddhists. Third, distinguish through the Lesser Vehicle. Fourth, distinguish through the partial. Fifth, distinguish through simile. Sixth, distinguish through awakening”〔T33 0780b02〕. The ordinary distinction first includes worldly classics, non-Buddhists, and the Lesser Vehicle as three things alike called real, then specifically distinguishes the deviant and harmful from the pure and upright within the worldly. The non-Buddhist distinction treats the various views of this land and India. The Lesser Vehicle distinction discerns the same name with a different substance among the śrāvakas. The partial distinction proceeds through the shared realization of the three vehicles, emptiness and nonemptiness, sequential and nonsequential, and one mark and innumerable marks, until it reaches the direct explanation, relative comparison, and opening and revelation of the one real truth. The simile distinction uses the three animals, the two jewels, and gold within yellow stone to disclose false and true, as well as opening, combining, breaking, and converging. The awakening distinction first breaks lateral conceptualization upon hearing a name and then proceeds from nonawakening at the ordinary stage to wondrous awakening that follows wisdom.
The Fahua Xuanyi Shiqian (T1717) gives the overall judgment: 「○次廣簡偽中為二：初敘來意，次廣簡。文自為六：列章，解釋。」 tr. “Next, broadly distinguishing the false has two parts: first, stating the reason for its introduction; next, broadly distinguishing. The passage itself has six parts: listing the sections and explaining them”〔T33 0932b26〕. The six gates are not six definitions unrelated to one another. What is excluded in an earlier gate often reappears in a later one under the same name in a subtler form. The axis of distinguishing the false remains throughout that names may resemble one another, while the substance they reveal and the wisdom that accords with it differ in depth.
The work’s authorial layering throughout this unit follows the half-fascicle headings in attributing the spoken teaching to Zhiyi and the heard record to Guanding. There is no sentence boundary separately marking a recorder’s explanation like the earlier 「私十五番」 tr. “fifteen private treatments”〔T33 0687a22〕. Immediately after the heading of the lower half of fascicle eight, 「天台智者大師說」 tr. “spoken by Master Zhiyi of Tiantai”〔T33 0781b08〕, the text continues the one real truth within the partial distinction; the change of fascicle on the page should not be cut into another authorial layer.
2. Formation and Transmission
The root treatise’s account of its formation records that Zhiyi taught the Xuanyi at Jiangling and Guanding heard and transcribed it, expressly noting that the Xuanyi and the Wenju each comprised ten fascicles〔T33 0681a16–a23〕. Although this unit crosses the upper and lower halves of fascicle eight, its headings still attribute the spoken teaching throughout to Zhiyi and the record to Guanding. The fascicle headings record only the received division into fascicles and do not establish another doctrinal section.
3. Scriptures and Treatises Cited by Zhiyi
The following table lists in order twenty-eight groups of explicit citations, implicit citations, and simile parallels in this unit. The left column preserves the form in the Fahua Xuanyi (T1716), while the right preserves the wording of each received scripture or treatise. Where the wording does not agree, both forms are recorded without adjudication. The author’s own doctrinal classification is not recast as the verbatim text of a root scripture. Where no single received text closes the chain, the referent is expressly marked as under investigation.
| No. | Wording in the Root Treatise | Received Text Compared | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 「《釋論》云：世典亦稱實者，乃是護國治家稱實也。」 tr. “The Explanatory Treatise says: worldly classics also call something real, but this is the reality named for protecting the state and governing the household”〔T33 0780b04〕, followed by non-Buddhists and the Lesser Vehicle as also calling something real | The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (T1509) reads 「世俗經書中，為安國全家、身命壽樂故非實。」 tr. “In worldly scriptures and writings, what is done to secure the state and preserve the household and for the happiness of one’s body, life, and longevity is therefore not real”〔T25 0195c20〕. Its non-Buddhist passage reads 「外道出家墮邪見法中，心愛著故，是亦非實。」 tr. “Non-Buddhist renunciants fall into teachings of wrong view and become attached to them in mind; therefore this too is not real”〔0195c21〕. Its śrāvaka passage reads 「但欲求脫老、病、死苦故。」 tr. “They only wish to seek release from the suffering of aging, illness, and death”〔0196a01〕. | The three categories and their reasons correspond. The root treatise condenses them into protecting the state and governing the household, deviant knowledge and distorted understanding, and revulsion from suffering and respite; they are not a single continuous passage in the received text. |
| 2 | 「釋提桓因種種勝論。」 tr. “Śakra Devānām Indra [taught] various excellent treatises”〔T33 0780b24〕, after which the text separately explains Brahmā’s discourse on escape from desire | The Golden Light Sūtra (T663) reads 「如諸梵天說出欲論、釋提桓因種種善論、五通之人神仙之論。」 tr. “As the Brahmā devas teach discourses on escape from desire, Śakra Devānām Indra various wholesome discourses, and persons with the five superknowledges discourses of spirit immortals”〔T16 0343c17〕; the following sentence has 「無量勝論」 tr. “immeasurable excellent discourses”〔0343c20〕. The Combined Golden Light Sūtra (T664) likewise lists 「釋提桓因種種善論」 tr. “Śakra Devānām Indra’s various wholesome discourses”〔T16 0384c29〕. | The root treatise substitutes 勝 for 善 and develops the graph 勝 from the following sentence. The two sutra titles each retain the title given in their own witness. |
| 3 | 「若外國論力受梨昌募，撰《五百明難》，其一云：」 tr. “In a foreign land, Lunli accepted the Licchavis’ commission and composed the Five Hundred Lucid Challenges; one of them said”〔T33 0780c07〕, followed by the question whether the ultimate path is one or many | The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (T1509) reads 「毘耶離梵志，名論力，諸梨昌等大雇其寶物，令與佛論。」 tr. “A brahmin of Vaiśālī named Lunli was hired by the Licchavis for a great sum in precious goods and ordered to debate the Buddha”〔T25 0193b08〕. It further says 「即以其夜思撰五百難」 tr. “That very night he reflected and composed five hundred challenges”〔0193b09〕. | The person, commission, five hundred challenges, and exchange of questions and answers correspond. “Foreign land,” Vaiśālī, and the title form differ. |
| 4 | The Buddha answers 「但一究竟道。」 tr. “There is only one ultimate path”〔T33 0780c09〕, then points to Deer-Head’s question | The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (T1509) reads 「一究竟道，無眾多也。」 tr. “There is one ultimate path; there are not many”〔T25 0193b11〕 and then asks 「鹿頭梵志得道不？」 tr. “Did the brahmin Deer-Head attain the path or not?”〔0193b15〕. | These belong to the same continuous exchange. The root treatise abbreviates the answer and recasts the counter-question about Deer-Head. |
| 5 | Dīrghanakha says 「一切論可破，一切語可轉，觀諸法實相，于久不得一法入心。」 tr. “Every thesis can be broken, every statement can be turned; contemplating the true mark of all dharmas, for a long time he did not find a single dharma that could enter his mind”〔T33 0780c14〕. | The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (T1509) first reads 「一切論可破，一切語可壞，一切執可轉故，無有實法可信可恭敬者。」 tr. “Because every thesis can be broken, every statement can be destroyed, and every attachment can be turned, there is no real dharma that can be trusted or revered”〔T25 0061b22〕. Later it reads 「求之既久，不得一法實可以入心者。」 tr. “Having sought for a long time, he found no single real dharma that could enter his mind”〔0061c22〕. | The root treatise joins two passages into one sentence. Its “statements can be 轉 [turned]” differs from the received text’s “statements can be 壞 [destroyed],” and “for a long time” and other wording are also forms belonging to the root treatise. Both layers are recorded. |
| 6 | 「長爪執亦有亦無見。」 tr. “Dīrghanakha held the view that things both exist and do not exist”〔T33 0780c16〕, and it also says 「亦計不可說見。」 tr. “He also conceived the view that it cannot be spoken”〔0780c16〕. | The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (T1509) lists 「一者、一切有，二者、一切無，三者、半有半無。」 tr. “First, everything exists; second, everything does not exist; third, half exists and half does not exist”〔T25 0254b11〕. | Half existing and half not existing is close to the scene of both existence and nonexistence. The view that it cannot be spoken has not been located in the same received scene; its referent remains under investigation. |
| 7 | The sentence from the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra reads 「被無明枷，繫生死柱，遶二十五有不能得脫。」 tr. “Fettered by the cangue of ignorance and bound to the pillar of birth-and-death, they circle the twenty-five modes of existence and cannot attain release”〔T33 0780c21〕. | The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (T374) reads 「被無明枷繫生死柱，繞二十五有，不能得離。」 tr. “Fettered by the cangue of ignorance and bound to the pillar of birth-and-death, they circle the twenty-five modes of existence and cannot attain separation”〔T12 0516b06〕. The alternate witness under the same title, T375, likewise reads 「不能得離」 tr. “cannot attain separation”〔T12 0760b15〕. | The graphs 遶 and 繞, as well as 脫 and 離, differ. The punctuation also follows each witness. |
| 8 | In the śrāvaka teaching it is said, 「離有離無名聖中道。」 tr. “Apart from existence and apart from nonexistence is called the noble middle path”〔T33 0780c23〕. | The Satyasiddhi Śāstra (T1646) reads 「離此二邊名聖中道。」 tr. “Apart from these two extremes is called the noble middle path”〔T32 0256b03〕. | The argumentative scene closes directly. The root treatise expands “these two extremes” into existence and nonexistence. |
| 9 | The sentence from the Great Collection reads 「拘隣如沙門，最初獲得真實之知見。」 tr. “The śramaṇa Kauṇḍinya was the first to attain true knowing and seeing”〔T33 0780c24〕. | The verse in the Great Vaipulya Collection Sūtra (T397) reads 「憍陳比丘於諸法，獲得真實之知見，」 tr. “The bhikṣu Kauṇḍinya attained true knowing and seeing with respect to all dharmas”〔T13 0013c14〕. | Both belong to the scene of the first turning of the Dharma wheel. The personal names, śramaṇa and bhikṣu, and “first” and “with respect to all dharmas” differ. |
| 10 | In the Mahāyāna it is said, 「三乘之人，同以無言說道斷煩惱。」 tr. “People of the three vehicles alike use the speechless path to sever afflictions”〔T33 0781a05〕. | The Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra (T223) reads 「第一義中無言說道，斷結故說後際。」 tr. “In the ultimate meaning there is a speechless path; because the bonds are severed, a later limit is taught”〔T08 0376a14〕. | The scene of the positions of the three vehicles, speechlessness in the ultimate meaning, and severing bonds corresponds. The root treatise condenses it into one sentence, while severing afflictions and severing bonds differ. |
| 11 | The sentence from the Treatise on the Middle reads 「諸法實相，三人共得」 tr. “The true mark of all dharmas is attained in common by three kinds of people”〔T33 0781a06〕. | The Treatise on the Middle (T1564) has 「諸法實相者，心行言語斷，無生亦無滅，寂滅如涅槃。」 tr. “As for the true mark of all dharmas, the activities of mind and the paths of speech are cut off; there is neither arising nor ceasing, and it is quiescent like nirvāṇa”〔T30 0024a03〕. | The received text has the verse on the true mark, but the same scene for attainment in common by three kinds of people has not been located. The root treatise’s title is retained, while the referent of the short sentence remains under investigation. |
| 12 | The sentence from the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra reads 「第一義空名為智慧。」 tr. “The emptiness of the ultimate meaning is called wisdom”〔T33 0781a11〕. | The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (T374) reads 「佛性者名第一義空，第一義空名為智慧。」 tr. “Buddha-nature is called the emptiness of the ultimate meaning; the emptiness of the ultimate meaning is called wisdom”〔T12 0523b12〕. The alternate witness under the same title, T375, has the same core sentence〔T12 0767c18〕. | The root treatise excerpts the second clause, whose core wording agrees exactly. |
| 13 | The Explanatory Treatise says that the bodhisattva 「入於一相，知無量相，知無量相又入一相。」 tr. “enters one mark, knows innumerable marks, and after knowing innumerable marks again enters one mark”〔T33 0781a20〕. | The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (T1509) first asks 「一相，所謂無相，何以說是種種道？」 tr. “One mark—namely no-mark—why is it spoken of as various paths?”〔T25 0258b20〕. It answers 「是道皆入一道中，所謂諸法實相。」 tr. “All these paths enter into one path, namely the true mark of all dharmas”〔0258b21〕. It later says 「亦如是入一相」 tr. “in just this way one enters one mark”〔0258c24〕 and names knowledge of the varieties of paths. | The framework of one mark, various paths, entering one path, and again entering one mark corresponds. The root treatise’s short sentence on knowing innumerable marks does not form a continuous passage in the received text; its referent remains under investigation. |
| 14 | 「華嚴不共二乘」 tr. “The Huayan is not shared with the two vehicles”〔T33 0781a25〕, followed by the classification through the four persons of the Vaipulya and the three wisdoms and three knowledges of the Large Prajñāpāramitā | This is not a colon-introduced direct quotation from three sutras, but the author’s classification of how the three kinds of wisdom are treated in three forms of scriptural teaching. | No single root-scripture source is fabricated for each of the three passages; they are read only according to the classification made by the root treatise. |
| 15 | The sentence from the present sutra reads 「汝實我子」 tr. “You are truly my son”〔T33 0781b01〕. | The Lotus Sutra (T262) reads 「此實我子，我實其父。」 tr. “This is truly my son, and I am truly his father”〔T09 0017b13〕. | The scene of the poor son can be securely identified. The root treatise omits a graph and changes 此 to 汝. |
| 16 | 「十方諦求，更無餘乘」 tr. “Search carefully throughout the ten directions: there is no other vehicle”〔T33 0781b02〕. | The Lotus Sutra (T262) reads 「十方諦求，更無餘乘，除佛方便。」 tr. “Search carefully throughout the ten directions: there is no other vehicle, except for the Buddha’s skillful means”〔T09 0015a14〕. | The root treatise omits “except for the Buddha’s skillful means”; the omission is not used to rewrite the root scripture. |
| 17 | 「決了聲聞法」 tr. “decisively resolving the śrāvaka teaching”〔T33 0781b03〕. | The Lotus Sutra (T262) reads 「若聞是深經，決了聲聞法。」 tr. “If they hear this profound sutra, they decisively resolve the śrāvaka teaching”〔T09 0032a15〕. | The phrase agrees exactly. |
| 18 | 「但說無上道」 tr. “only teaching the unsurpassed path”〔T33 0781b03〕. | The Lotus Sutra (T262) reads 「正直捨方便，但說無上道。」 tr. “Directly discarding skillful means, they only teach the unsurpassed path”〔T09 0010a19〕. | The root treatise excerpts the latter half, while the complete sentence is separately preserved for the received text. |
| 19 | The long citation on the one real truth from the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra speaks in order of nonduality, absence of falsity, absence of inversion, not being spoken by Māra, and permanence, bliss, self, and purity〔T33 0781b09–b12〕. | The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (T374) states separately: 「實諦者無顛無倒」 tr. “The real truth is without error or inversion”〔T12 0443b20〕; 「實諦者無有虛妄」 tr. “The real truth contains no falsity”〔0443b22〕; 「實諦者是佛所說非魔所說」 tr. “The real truth is spoken by the Buddha, not spoken by Māra”〔0443b24〕; 「實諦者一道清淨，無有二也」 tr. “The real truth is the purity of the one path and contains no duality”〔0443b25〕; and 「有常、有樂、有我、有淨」 tr. “There is permanence, there is bliss, there is self, and there is purity”〔0443b26〕. The alternate witness under the same title, T375, has parallel wording〔T12 0685a25–b03〕. | The root treatise adds a graph, rearranges the sequence, changes “contains no falsity” to “without falsity,” and then continues with an explanation through the three truths and four virtues. It is not a single continuous passage in the received text in the form given by the root treatise. |
| 20 | 「一切諸法中，悉有安樂性。」 tr. “Within all dharmas there is entirely a nature of peace and bliss”〔T33 0781c09〕. | The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (T374) likewise reads 「一切諸法中，悉有安樂性」 tr. “Within all dharmas there is entirely a nature of peace and bliss”〔T12 0380a25〕. The alternate witness under the same title, T375, has the same sentence〔T12 0620a04〕. | The wording agrees exactly. Although the root treatise does not repeat the scripture’s title here, the sentence can still be located in the received text. |
| 21 | Three animals cross a river: a rabbit, horse, and great elephant, together with the depth of the water, reveal the three kinds of people〔T33 0781c12–c22〕. | The Sutra of Universal Radiance (T186) lists 「世有三獸：一、兔，二、馬，三、白象。」 tr. “There are three animals in the world: first, the rabbit; second, the horse; third, the white elephant”〔T03 0488b20〕. It further says 「聲聞緣覺其猶兔馬」 tr. “Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are like the rabbit and horse”〔0488b23〕 and 「菩薩大乘譬若白象」 tr. “The bodhisattva Great Vehicle is like the white elephant”〔0488b24〕. The Vibhāṣā Treatise (T1547) reads 「三獸渡河，兔、馬、香象。」 tr. “Three animals cross a river: a rabbit, horse, and fragrant elephant”〔T28 0445c09〕. | Both texts contain a scene of crossing water, differences in depth, and the three vehicles, but their assignment of the figures does not agree in every detail. The root treatise names no source; the two are placed side by side without adjudicating a unique provenance. |
| 22 | 「二、譬頗梨、如意，兩珠相似，形類欲同，而頗梨但空，不能雨寶。如意珠，亦空亦雨寶。」 tr. “Second, take rock crystal and the wish-fulfilling jewel as similes. The two jewels resemble one another and their shapes appear the same, yet rock crystal is only empty and cannot rain down treasures, while the wish-fulfilling jewel is both empty and rains down treasures”〔T33 0781c23〕. | The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (T1509) contains one side of the scene in which the wish-fulfilling jewel rains down treasures: 「是如意珠，能雨一由旬。」 tr. “This wish-fulfilling jewel can rain [treasures] for one yojana”〔T25 0316b10〕. No single text has been located that simultaneously closes the chain of rock crystal and wish-fulfilling jewel sharing the same form and being respectively unable and able to rain treasures. | The referent of the complete two-jewel chain remains under investigation. Later Tiantai recitations cannot be projected backward as its original provenance. |
| 23 | Gold in yellow stone is successively seen by a fool who discards it, a merchant who smelts out the gold, a goldsmith who fashions vessels, and an immortal adept who refines an elixir〔T33 0782a03–a13〕. | The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (T1509) has 「如黃石中有金性，白石中有銀性」 tr. “as yellow stone contains the nature of gold and white stone contains the nature of silver”〔T25 0298b20〕. | Yellow stone containing the nature of gold is a direct parallel. The referent of the complete four-person and four-treatment sequence remains under investigation; scattered components are not assembled into a single source. |
| 24 | The awakening distinction says 「聞粖謂軟，聞雪謂冷，聞貝謂硬，聞鵠謂動，終不能見乳之真色。」 tr. “Hearing of flour, one takes [milk] to be soft; hearing of snow, one takes it to be cold; hearing of shell, one takes it to be hard; hearing of a crane, one takes it to move. In the end one still cannot see milk’s true color”〔T33 0782b01〕. | The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (T374) has in order 「色白如貝」 tr. “its color is white like shell”〔T12 0446c29〕, 「猶稻米末」 tr. “like rice flour”〔0447a02〕, 「猶如雨雪」 tr. “like falling snow”〔0447a04〕, and 「猶如白鶴」 tr. “like a white crane”〔0447a05〕, concluding 「終不能得識乳真色」 tr. “in the end they still cannot recognize milk’s true color”〔0447a06〕. The alternate witness under the same title, T375, has parallel wording〔T12 0688c16–23〕. | The scene and the four similes close, but the root treatise rearranges them as flour, snow, shell, and crane and adds four kinds of mistaken identification. The two sequences remain in separate layers. |
| 25 | 「金錍抉眼，一指、二指、三指分明。」 tr. “A golden scalpel opens the eye, and one finger, two fingers, and three fingers become distinct”〔T33 0782b10〕. | The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (T374) reads 「即以金錍，決其眼膜。以一指示」 tr. “He then uses a golden scalpel to open the membrane of his eye and shows him one finger”〔T12 0411c21〕, then shows two and three fingers while the blind man says only that he sees a little〔0411c23〕. The alternate witness under the same title, T375, has parallel wording〔T12 0652c04–07〕. | 抉 and 決, as well as “distinct” and “sees a little,” differ. The root treatise is a doctrinal restatement of the simile. |
| 26 | The treatise says 「一切實，一切非實，亦實亦不實，非實非不實。如是皆名諸法之實相。」 tr. “All is real; all is unreal; it is both real and unreal; it is neither real nor unreal. All such are called the true mark of all dharmas”〔T33 0782b14〕. | The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (T1509) reads 「一切實一切非實，及一切實亦非實，一切非實非不實，是名諸法之實相。」 tr. “All is real and all is unreal; all is both real and unreal; all is neither real nor unreal. This is called the true mark of all dharmas”〔T25 0061b14〕. The Treatise on the Middle (T1564) separately has 「一切實非實，亦實亦非實，非實非非實，是名諸佛法。」 tr. “All is real and unreal, both real and unreal, neither real nor not unreal: this is called the Dharma of all buddhas”〔T30 0024a05〕. | The unnamed treatise sentence in the root text is syntactically closest to T1509. T1564 is a parallel in the same verse family and is not adjudicated as the unique source. |
| 27 | Śāriputra says 「我定當作佛，為天人所敬。」 tr. “I shall certainly become a buddha and be revered by devas and humans”〔T33 0782b16〕. | The Lotus Sutra (T262) reads 「疑悔永已盡，安住實智中。我定當作佛，為天人所敬」 tr. “My doubt and regret are forever ended, and I abide securely in real wisdom. I shall certainly become a buddha and be revered by devas and humans”〔T09 0011b06〕. | The root treatise omits the preceding sentence, while the core agrees. |
| 28 | The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says 「八千聲聞於法華中見如來性，如秋收冬藏，更無所作。」 tr. “Eight thousand śrāvakas saw the Tathāgata-nature in the Lotus; like autumn harvesting and winter storing, they had nothing more to do”〔T33 0782b18〕. | The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (T374) reads 「如《法花》中，八千聲聞，得受記莂成大果實，如秋收冬藏，更無所作。」 tr. “As in the Lotus, eight thousand śrāvakas received predictions and attained the great fruit; like autumn harvesting and winter storing, they had nothing more to do”〔T12 0420a23〕. The alternate witness under the same title, T375, reads 「如《法花》中八千聲聞得受記莂，成大果實。如秋收、冬藏，更無所作」 tr. “As in the Lotus, eight thousand śrāvakas received predictions and attained the great fruit. Like autumn harvesting and winter storing, they had nothing more to do”〔T12 0661b07〕. | The root treatise compresses seeing the nature and the eight thousand śrāvakas’ receipt of predictions and attainment of the fruit into one sentence. The latter half is close, but neither received witness gives the root treatise’s continuous wording. |
The ordinary distinction further lists the writings of the Zhou and Confucius, methods of government, ritual, warfare, medicine, astronomy, geography, the eight trigrams, the five phases, and the worldly canon of ancient texts〔T33 0780b17–18〕. These are the author’s general enumeration of canonical methods for governing the world, not a continuous citation from one ancient text. Zhanran explains 「經」 tr. “scriptures” as 「五經七九等」 tr. “the Five Classics, the seven and nine, and the like”〔T1717 0932c28–29〕; this is an explanation in the Shiqian, not an item in the author’s original list. The non-Buddhist distinction’s group of terms—nonaction, desirelessness, emptiness and stillness, and abandoning sageliness and severing wisdom in Zhuangzi and Laozi—likewise names no chapter. The provenance of the three animals, two jewels, and yellow-stone similes differs in each case; their adjacency does not license assigning all three indiscriminately to the Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra or the Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom.
4. Essential Explanations from the Shiqian [the Mirror]
The Fahua Xuanyi Shiqian first divides the ordinary distinction into a general listing and an explanation, then judges worldly dharmas in two layers, the deviant and harmful and the pure and upright. Although the pure and upright can govern a household and state, the Mirror’s conclusion remains 「總而言之，不出人天。」 tr. “In sum, they do not go beyond humans and devas”〔T33 0932c27〕. Thus the ordinary distinction does not measure all worldly dharmas as wholly evil. Deviant arts are seen as false through delusion, frenzy, and harmful consequences, while the canonical methods of the Zhou and Confucius are limited because they have not left the world.
The non-Buddhist distinction first gives a general account of unreality, then separates this land from India. Although the positions of Lunli, Dīrghanakha, and the rest can be layered into hundreds, thousands, and myriads, the Mirror gathers them into 「此之能所不出於見，故非真實。」 tr. “The subject and object here do not go beyond views and therefore are not true and real”〔T33 0933c02〕. The Lesser Vehicle distinction then sharply separates the same name from a different substance. Although it likewise speaks of the true mark and the middle path, if what is realized opposes the existence of birth-and-death to the nonexistence of nirvāṇa, these remain two extremes that can be broken. The root text deprives the two vehicles of quiescent illumination, while the Mirror further qualifies this with 「非無自智慧也。」 tr. “It is not that they have no wisdom of their own”〔0933c25〕. This cannot be read as a total absence of wisdom.
The partial distinction unfolds through three successive turns: first opposing emptiness to nonemptiness, then within nonemptiness discerning the sequential from the nonsequential, and finally using one mark to encompass innumerable marks. Thus it judges, 「此之三文展轉生後。」 tr. “These three passages successively give rise to what follows”〔T33 0933c14〕. The one real truth that follows is further divided into direct explanation, relative comparison, and opening and revelation. The direct explanation first removes the faults of duality, falsity, inversion, and the rest, then reveals the substance through the three truths and four virtues. Although relative comparison says that it bears none of the names of the Lesser Vehicle or the partial, it still encompasses the skillful means, causes, and fruits. Opening and revelation proceed from shallow to deep and from sages to ordinary beings, grounded in 「以諸法中有妙理，故方可論開。」 tr. “Only because a wondrous principle exists within all dharmas can opening be discussed”〔0934b09〕.
Among the simile distinctions, the three animals and two jewels primarily reveal opening and combining, while gold in yellow stone primarily reveals breaking and converging; the principal intent of all three is to reveal the substance. The three animals first distinguish reaching the bottom through three kinds of people alike entering the water, then distinguish a young elephant reaching only bottom mud from a great elephant reaching deeply to solid earth. The two jewels first distinguish what is only empty from what can rain down treasures, and then use the gaining and losing of one and the same wish-fulfilling jewel to clarify that 「含二中者，人有得失，非理爾也。」 tr. “For what contains both, people gain or lose; it is not that principle itself is so”〔T33 0935a01〕. The gold simile unfolds ordinary and noble beings, teaching and principle, according to what each sees and how each uses it, while granting, depriving, breaking, and converging each provide a different angle of observation.
All three similes directly reveal the substance, and the following passage also distributes them across the three Dharmas and three virtues without contradiction. The Mirror explains their layering with 「義有傍正，正顯體已復順此三。」 tr. “Meaning has collateral and principal aspects; having directly revealed the substance, it further accords with these three”〔T33 0935a23〕. The elephant, jewel, and immortal can respectively reveal Dharma-body, liberation, and prajñā, while each simile can itself contain all three virtues. In the end, in determining the sutra’s substance, Dharma-body is selected precisely.
The awakening distinction first rejects lateral conceptualization upon hearing a name and afterward reveals nonawakening at the ordinary stage and awakening only at the noble stage. Lucid purity and empty openness still remain within the ordinary stage. Only after patient endurance is unmoved, Dharma-attachment does not arise, and ignorance suddenly breaks through do the mirror, water, and golden scalpel reveal the correspondence of sphere and wisdom. At the end, the text speaks of three kinds of nothing-more-to-do—principle, teaching, and practice—but the Mirror expressly limits this as 「且約一分，未為全息。」 tr. “This is provisionally stated with respect to one portion; it is not yet complete cessation”〔T33 0935c09〕. One therefore cannot read the first attainment of the substance as the absolute consummation of all practice and realization.
5. Explanations of Various Masters
Zhixu’s Essential Digest of the Fahua Xuanyi (X0589) preserves the headings of the seven topics on revealing the substance, but in this unit records only 「二、廣簡偽。三、一法異名，具在全帙。」 tr. “Second, broadly distinguishing the false. Third, one Dharma with different names; these are found in the complete fascicle”〔X28 0538a17〕. This is affirmative evidence that the digest expressly omits the passage: it can establish the headings and the digest’s selection, but omission cannot be used as counterevidence that this unit contains no meaning worth stating.
Zhiyuan’s Fayuan Jiyao on the Profound Meaning of the Nirvāṇa Sūtra (T1766) says 「以無言說道者，即《大品》共般若也。」 tr. “The speechless path is precisely the shared prajñā of the Large Prajñāpāramitā”〔T38 0024a08〕. It also explains a similar scene with 「喻之以三獸度河，以三乘俱證涅槃而智有深淺」 tr. “It is compared to three animals crossing a river because the three vehicles all realize nirvāṇa while their wisdom differs in depth”〔0024a23〕. This work is not a sentence-by-sentence commentary on the present unit, but it can attest how the shared prajñā’s speechless path and the varying depths of the three animals were carried forward in a Shanwai work.
Zhiquan’s Fahua Jing Xuanqian Zhengshi (X0592) comments line by line from the ordinary distinction through the awakening distinction and turns to one Dharma with different names only on the next line. Its statement 「長爪義當單四見中，後之三見及無言見。」 tr. “Dīrghanakha’s meaning corresponds to the latter three of the four individual views and the speechless view”〔X28 0621b19〕 is a later doctrinal classification and cannot erase the fact that the view that cannot be spoken remains unlocated in the received Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom. Its statement 「○約譬、簡、借三喻者，借喻是法，故云借耳。」 tr. “As for distinguishing by way of simile: to borrow three similes means that simile is borrowed for the Dharma; hence it is called borrowing”〔0621b22〕 makes clear that borrowing a simile does not establish the simile-object itself as the sutra’s substance.
Regarding the relation of substance, function, and purport in the two jewels and gold, Zhiquan judges: 「○圓珠普雨譬其用，玅等本以圓珠金丹譬體。若論雨寶，應屬於用。若論成仙，宜屬於宗。」 tr. “The round jewel’s universally raining [treasures] represents function. Miaole and the others originally use the round jewel and golden elixir to represent substance. If one discusses raining treasures, it should belong to function; if one discusses becoming an immortal, it should belong to purport”〔X28 0621c01〕. He further uses 「三法本不相離」 tr. “The three Dharmas are originally inseparable”〔0621c04〕 to explain the relation between the three similes directly revealing the substance and their later separate distribution. The final item of the awakening distinction reads 「○六、就悟簡聞。粖，謂輭等。大經十三卷文，具加彼記。」 tr. “Sixth, distinguish hearing by way of awakening. As for flour, it means softness and so forth. This passage occurs in fascicle thirteen of the Great Scripture; the full explanation is added in the corresponding commentary”〔0621c05〕, expressly closing the present unit. The one Dharma with different names that follows already belongs to the next topic.
6. Terminology
True substance (正體). The sutra’s true substance sought in this unit is the true mark. That the true substance is profound and transcendent does not mean that it cannot be discerned, but that an identical name, extraordinary art, partial realization, or concept derived from hearsay cannot replace it.
A real name and real meaning (實名、實義). Worldly classics, non-Buddhists, and the Lesser Vehicle can all call something real, yet each establishes the name because of protecting the state and governing the household, deviant knowledge and distorted understanding, or revulsion from suffering and respite. Broad distinction asks not only whether a name is true or false, but whether what lies beneath the name possesses the sutra’s true substance.
Ordinary, non-Buddhist, Lesser Vehicle, and partial (凡、外、小、偏). The ordinary gate distinguishes the deviant and harmful from the pure and upright in the world. The non-Buddhist gate distinguishes views and theses. The Lesser Vehicle gate distinguishes the partial truth of the two vehicles. The partial gate distinguishes within the Great Vehicle what shares the name “real” but is not yet perfect. The four gates proceed from coarse to fine; they are not a static roster of four classes of persons.
Immediately empty, immediately provisional, immediately the Middle (即空、即假、即中). In this unit, immediately empty breaks craving and views; immediately provisional includes the true mark together with the skillful means, causes, and fruits; immediately the Middle reveals the ocean of the Dharma realm. Only when the three are undifferentiated yet complete is it called the one real. The root text further reveals their inseparability from all dharmas through the two aspects of breaking and opening.
Granting, depriving, breaking, and converging (與、奪、破、會). Granting speaks from the inherent presence of the principle-substance and says that ordinary beings and what is revealed are alike the true mark. Depriving speaks from the fruit, where power and function have not yet been accomplished, and says that they have not attained it. Breaking distinguishes stone, gold, vessels, and elixir by discarding the provisional and establishing the real. Converging returns the provisional to the real and sees that their substance-nature does not differ. Each term takes a different point of view and cannot be collapsed into one meaning.
Dharma-body, liberation, and prajñā (法身、解脫、般若). The three virtues can be separately revealed through the elephant, jewel, and immortal, and they can also be mutually contained within each simile. In revealing the substance, Dharma-body is selected precisely. This does not delete the other two virtues; it distinguishes the principal intent of this unit.
Awakening (悟). Hearing the name of milk, making one’s mind lucid and pure, or believing and understanding in empty openness does not yet count as seeing the substance. Through patient endurance, the nonarising of Dharma-attachment, the breaking of ignorance, and the correspondence of sphere and wisdom, this unit progressively clarifies the boundary from hearing to seeing.
7. Similes · Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
The fish eye mixed with a pearl is the opening simile for the whole unit. A fish eye is not wholly without luster; precisely because its appearance resembles a pearl, distinction is required. The six gates therefore repeatedly treat resemblance: alike called real, alike speaking of the middle path, alike realizing the speechless path, alike seeing nonemptiness, and even alike obtaining one wish-fulfilling jewel. The closer the resemblance, the less the criterion can rest on names and words alone.
The simile of the three animals strictly preserves the rabbit, horse, and great elephant, together with water, bottom, and shore. Although the rabbit and horse cross to the far shore, they float shallowly and do not reach the bottom; the great elephant reaches both bottom and shore. Elephants are then divided again: a young elephant reaches the bottom mud, while a great elephant reaches deeply to solid earth. The author uses their common entry into the water to say that what is realized is shared, strength and depth to say that their wisdom differs, and then the nonempty ground reached by the great elephant to reveal the substance.
The two jewels first take rock crystal and the wish-fulfilling jewel, whose forms resemble each other, and distinguish a jewel that is only empty and cannot rain down treasures from a jewel that is both empty and rains them down. It then takes only one wish-fulfilling jewel and distinguishes the losses and gains of one who does not know its power and function, the wise person who obtains much, the two vehicles who rest, and the bodhisattva who universally benefits others. The first layer uses two jewels to reveal difference; the second uses one jewel to reveal that principle is nondual while its appropriation differs.
Gold in yellow stone unfolds fully through four kinds of people. A fool sees it as stone and throws it among excrement and filth. A merchant smelts out the gold and safeguards it. A goldsmith fashions hairpins, bracelets, rings, and pendants. An immortal adept refines it into a golden elixir and transforms things freely. The object, subject and object, and sequence at all four layers serve the same gold put to different uses. One can speak of granting from the gold-substance’s lack of difference, depriving from the fruit’s unaccomplished function, breaking from the difference between vessels and elixir, and converging from the fact that their substance-nature is alike gold.
The milk-color simile shows conversely that hearing a particular quality does not equal seeing directly. Blind people take the softness, coldness, hardness, and movement of flour, snow, shell, and crane to be milk’s color. However many such features they acquire, they still only turn among characteristics heard from others. Only when the golden scalpel opens the eye and one, two, and three fingers become distinct does a name heard from others turn into wisdom capable of seeing.
This unit carries forward the preceding principal intent of discerning the substance: the previous unit established the five chapters through citations, while this one specifically prevents identical or similar names from obscuring the true substance. It also prepares the boundary for the following topic, one Dharma with different names. Broad distinction first discerns how different substances can share one name; only then can the next topic seek one Dharma-substance amid proliferating names and marks without confusing every similar term with the true mark.
8. Placement of the Editions
First, this unit uses the Fahua Xuanyi (T1716) as its base text, beginning at T33 0780a29 and ending at 0782b26. The corresponding text in the Fahua Xuanyi Shiqian (T1717) begins at 0932b26 and ends at 0935c11. The root text crosses the upper and lower halves of fascicle eight within the partial distinction, while the commentary crosses fascicles sixteen and seventeen between the partial distinction and simile distinction. The two fascicle divisions cannot be mapped onto each other.
Second, this unit has only one textual-variant anchor in the root text, the number in 「五、譬簡者」 tr. “Fifth, as for distinguishing through simile”〔T33 0781c10〕. The current critical text reads 「五」 tr. “five”〔T33 0781c10〕【CB】, while the original Taishō witness reads 「正」 tr. “correct”〔T33 0781c10〕【大】. This edition retains “five” following the current critical text; both readings are recorded side by side without adjudication.
Third, every page anchor is taken from the nearest line number in the same edition preceding the first graph of the quotation. Short quotations on the same line are each located by their own first graph rather than inheriting the line number of an introductory phrase or prior quotation. A long quotation crossing a page is likewise anchored at the line containing its first graph, not at the beginning of the enclosing paragraph.
Fourth, the Golden Light Sūtra T663 and the Combined Golden Light Sūtra T664 are listed separately under the titles in their respective headings. Although the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra T374 and T375 bear the same title, they remain two witnesses. The three animals have parallel scenes with different assignments in the Sutra of Universal Radiance T186 and the Vibhāṣā Treatise T1547; no unique source is adjudicated.
Fifth, Dīrghanakha’s view that cannot be spoken, the Treatise on the Middle’s short sentence about the three kinds of people attaining in common, the root treatise’s short sequence of one mark, innumerable marks, and returning to one mark, the complete chain of rock crystal and wish-fulfilling jewel, and the complete four-person chain of gold in yellow stone are all marked as referent under investigation solely on the positive evidence presently available. Failure to locate them does not license rewriting the title named by the root treatise, nor are later Tiantai citations projected backward to fill an ancient witness.