The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says that that which is called the two truths is in reality one truth. It is called two as an expedient means.⁶¹⁰ It is like a drunk man who has not yet vomited [and regained his sobriety] sees the sun and moon spinning around and says that there is a sun which is spinning around and a sun which is not spinning around.⁶¹¹ A sober person perceives only that which is not spinning and does not see the spinning. To say there are two [modes of] spinning is crude; the lack of spinning is subtle.⁶¹² Those of the Tripiṭaka all belong to the duality of spinning, like a drunk person. All Mahāyāna Sūtras include the two [modes of] spinning and explain the one [truth] of the lack of spinning. This Lotus Sūtra “directly rejects expedient means and only expounds the supreme way.” The lack of spinning is the one reality, therefore it is subtle.

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See the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra. The original text reads, ” ‘Good sons, the worldly truth is identical with the truth of ‘supreme meaning.’ ‘World Honored One. If this is so, then there are not two truths.’ The Buddha said, ‘Good sons, these are good expedient means in accordance with [the capacities of] sentient beings to explain that there are two truths. Good sons, if one follows verbal conventions, then there are two types. First, the worldly dharma, and second, the transworldly dharma. Good sons, that which is known by transworldly people is called the truth of supreme meaning. That which is known by worldly people is called the worldly truth’.” return

611

This analogy is from the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, where the disciples are grieving over the imminent death of the Buddha. “We have met the Tathāgata but are diseased and not yet cured, and have not yet attained supreme peace and eternal bliss. Why does the Tathāgata wish to abandon us and enter nirvāṇa? World Honored One, we are like a drunk person who is not aware of his situation, does not recognize his relatives—his mother or sisters, deluded with lust and rough speech, and sleeps in unsanitary places. At that time a good physician gives him some medicine. After taking it he vomits but regains his memory and sobriety, and he feels repentant and deeply remorseful. He thinks alcoholic drink is not good and the root of all evil. … We are also like this. From the past we have been transmigrating in the cycle of life and death drunk with sensual pleasures and coveting the five desirous things. … Like a drunk man we sleep in impure places. Tathāgata! Now give us the Dharma medicine so that we can vomit out the evil liquors of passions. We have not yet attained a sober mind. How can you abandon us and enter nirvāṇa?” Later in the same section it says, “It is like a drunk man whose mind is confused, and he perceives all the mountains, rivers, castles, palaces, sun, moon, and stars spinning around. Sentient beings are like this drunk man who perceives the sun and moon, which are not really spinning around, as spinning around. They have an inverted mind which is full of passions and ignorance, which takes as a self that which has no self, takes as eternal that which is transient, takes as pure that which is impure, and takes as blissful that which consists of suffering.” return

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In other words, the perception of the sun as spinning is a mistaken perception based on the drunken state of the perceiver. In fact, the sun and moon and mountains are not spinning. return