The Lotus Sūtra utilizes [the number of] ten dharmas to embrace all of reality [sarvadharma], i.e., all dharmas are of suchlike appearance, suchlike nature, suchlike essence, suchlike power, suchlike function, suchlike causes, suchlike conditions suchlike results, suchlike retributions, and suchlike beginning and end ultimately the same.¹³² When Master [Hui-ssu] of Nan-yüeh read this text, since they all say “such,” he [interpreted it as] emphasizing ten suchnesses.

Chih-i says that, depending on the meaning, there are three ways of reading these phrases. The first is [to emphasize their suchness]: “the suchness of this their appearance, the suchness of this their nature . . . the suchness of this their retribution.” Second is [to emphasize their characteristics]: “suchlike appearance, suchlike nature . . . suchlike retribution.” Third is [to emphasize their thusness]: “their appearance is like this, their nature is like this . . . their retribution is like this.”¹³³

First, if all are referred to in their “suchness,” this “suchness” is non-differentiated and is identical to the meaning of emptiness. Second, if one speaks of suchlike appearance, suchlike nature, and so forth, one goes beyond the empty nature and characteristic [of dharmas], constructs names and words, and makes differentiations. This is the meaning of the “conventional.” Third, if one speaks of “their appearance is like this,” and so forth, this refers to the real aspect of the middle path, which is the meaning of the middle.¹³⁴

Distinctions are made in order to facilitate understanding; therefore [the threefold truth of] emptiness, conventional existence, and the middle is clarified. If one understands the meaning and tries to put it into words, the result is [expressed as] “the identity of emptiness with conventional existence and the middle.” If one clarifies emptiness with regard to suchness, [one should say that] the emptiness of one [dharma] is the emptiness of all. If one clarifies appearances [and so forth] by going beyond suchness, [one should say that] one conventional existence is the conventional existence of all. Following this, if one discusses the middle, [one should say that] the middleness of one [dharma] is the middleness of all. It is not one, two, or three, yet it is one, two, and three. The true aspects of reality are neither horizontal nor vertical.¹³⁵

Only a Buddha can completely understand this reality. All reality is included within these ten dharmas. If one were to discuss this according to the convenience of the meaning, the meaning can be discriminated into three parts.¹³⁶ If one were to read further, the verses say, “The suchlike great results and retributions, and the various meanings of natures and appearances and so forth. ¹³⁷

132

This classification is based on the chapter on “Expedient Means” in the Lotus Sūtra as translated by Kumarajiva cr. 9, 5c11-13), which, as Hurvitz points out, is so different from the extant Sanskrit that he devotes a long note to discussing the differences (Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, 349-350). Hurvitz translates this section as follows: “Concerning the prime, hard-to-understand dharmas, which the Buddha has perfected, only a Buddha and a Buddha can exhaust their reality, namely, the suchness of the dharmas, the suchness of their marks, the suchness of their nature, the suchness of their substance, the suchness of their powers, the suchness of their functions, the suchness of their causes, the suchness of their conditions, the suchness of their effects, the suchness of their retributions, and the absolute identity of their beginning and end.” This is a prime example of the importance and influence of Kumarajiva’s translations for the development of T’ien-t’ai and Chinese Buddhist thought. return

133

This “triple reading” works much of course, in the original Chinese where one can merely shuffle around the order of the three characters. return

134

Thus this triple reading reflects the threefold truth. To understand reality while emphasizing its “suchness” is to emphasize the emptiness, or lack of substantial Being, of all dharmas. To understand reality while emphasizing its individual conventional characteristics is to emphasize the conventional existence of dharmas. To understand reality as it truly is, is to realize the simultaneous emptiness and conventional existence of all dharmas as the middle path. return

135

That is, neither monistic, blasé oneness nor fundamental differentiation. return

136

The three aspects of emptiness, conventional, and middle? return

137

A reference to the verse version of this section, which Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, 23, translates:
As to such great fruits and retributions as these,
Such varied doctrines of nature and marks,
I and the Buddhas of the ten directions
Are the only ones who can know these things.
These dharmas cannot be demonstrated;
Words, which are only signs, are quiescent in them.
 return

The subtlety of the dharma of mind is, as it is written in the chapter on “The Practice of Peace” [in the Lotus Sūtra], “to cultivate and collect one’s thoughts . . . while contemplating all dharmas … without moving nor retreating.”¹²⁰ It also means “finding joy in one thought. …”¹²¹ The Sut̄ra on the Contemplation of Samantabhadra¹²² says, “The mind is in itself empty: there is no subject [which commits] sin or [does] virtuous deeds . . . in contemplating the mind [one sees that] there is no mind and that dharmas do not abide as [substantial] dharmas.”¹²³ Also, “the mind [will devote itself] purely to these dharmas.”¹²⁴ The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says, “[As in] contemplating the true marks of the body [one sees that they are all empty], so it is with contemplating the Buddha.”¹²⁵ [The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra also says] “The liberation of all Buddhas should be sought within the mental activity of sentient beings.”¹²⁶ The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says, “There is no distinction between the mind, Buddha, and sentient beings,”¹²⁷ and “by destroying the minute dust-like obstructions of the mind, the thousands of scrolls of Sūtras are revealed.”¹²⁸ This is called the subtlety of the dharma of mind.

120

An abridged form of verses from the Lotus Sūtra. See Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, who translates the entire context as follows:

If in a quiet place
One perfects and collects one’s thoughts,
Dwelling securely and unmoving
As if one were Mount Sumeru itself,
Observing that all dharmas
Have nothing whatsoever,
Being quite like empty space;
That they have nothing firm or solid,
Being unborn, unemerging,
Unmoving, unreceding,
Ever dwelling in one mark,
This is called the place of approach.
 return

121

A quote from the chapter on “The Preachers of Dharma” in the Lotus Sūtra. Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, 174, translates: “If any like these in the Buddha’s presence hears a single gāthā or a single phrase of the Scripture of the Blossom of the Fine Dharma, or devotes to it a single moment of rejoicing, I hereby confer on him a prophecy that he shall attain Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.” return

122

Samantabhadra-bodhisattva-dhyānacaryādharma Sūtra. This Sūtra is considered by the T’ien-t’ai tradition to be the “closing” Sūtra of the threefold Lotus Sūtra. It contains instructions on the contemplation of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra. return

123

Katō, et al. 1975, 363, has “As one’s own mind is void of itself, sin and blessedness have no existence. In like manner all the laws are neither fixed nor going toward destruction. If one repents like this, meditating on his mind, there is no mind he can seize. The law also does not dwell in the law.” return

124

I am not sure what Chih-i intends by quoting this phrase. The context is speaking of purifying the six senses, after which the practitioner “will have joy of body and mind and freedom from evil ideas, and will devote himself to this law so that he can conform to it.” Katō, 354. return

125

From the opening section of a discourse on the non-substantial existence of the Tathāgata in the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra. Boin, 238, translates the context as follows: “Then the Blessed One said to the Licchavi Vimalakirti, Son of good family, now that you have come here to see the Tathāgata, how do you see him? This having been said, Vimalakirti replied to the Blessed One: Blessed One, now that I see the Tathāgata, I see him as if there were nothing to see.” return

126

This quote is found among the questions of Mañjuśrī for Vimalakirti in the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra. Boin translates, “Where is the deliverance of the Tathāgatas found? (Vimalakirti answers) It is found in the first thought activity (cittapūrvacarita) of all beings.” This translation is based on the Tibetan. Boin notes that the Chinese translations of Kumarajiva and Hsüan-tsang have “in the activity of the mind of all beings.” return

127

See note 106. return

128

Compared to the previous phrase from the Avataṃsaka Sūtra which is quoted verbatim, Chih-i takes liberties in paraphrasing this quote. The original reads, “These scrolls of Sūtras in the great trichiliocosm exist within one minute particle of dust. All of the minute particles of dust are also likewise. At one time there was a person who appeared in the world who achieved penetrating wisdom, completed and perfected the pure divine eyesight, and perceived these scrolls of Sūtras in a minute particle of dust. He then had the following thought, ‘How can these vast and great scrolls of Sūtras exist in a minute particle of dust, yet not benefit sentient beings? I should diligently use expedient means to destroy these minute particles of dust and benefit sentient beings.’ At that time this person used expedient means to destroy the particle of dust and extracted these scrolls of Sūtras to benefit sentient beings.” In the original sūtra the word “mind” is not used, and seems to be making quite a different point than that proposed by Chih-i. Chih-i was quoting this phrase to support his contention that the mind is subtle, and this phrase supports this concept only insofar as the Avataṃsaka Sūtra in general teaches the identity of mind and objects. In that sense the mind and the particle of dust are one, and “destroying a particle of dust” or “destroying the dust-like obstructions of the mind” to reveal the (meaning of) scrolls of Sūtras can be interpreted as meaning the same thing. A translation of Chih-i’s paraphrase which would be more consistent with the original Avataṃsaka Sūtra passage would read, “Destroying the mind and minute particles of dust, the Sūtra scrolls of the trichiliocosm appear.” return