Deducing from the statement that the Ten Dharma-realms are the manifestation of True Reality and each realm includes the other nine realms, it can be said that True Reality includes both good and evil. The evil aspect of True Reality can be, according to Chih-i’s point of view, categorized by the Threefold Course of Ignorance, referring to the nature and appearance of affliction, evil karman, and the course of suffering. Since evil and good exist simultaneously constituting the True Reality, the Threefold Track can be regarded as the representation of the good aspect. Since evil and good are one entity, the Threefold Course of Ignorance and the Threefold Track are different aspects of the same thing. If the concealment of evil indicates the manifestation of good, then the transformation of the three types of evil nature and appearance denotes the manifestation of the three types of good nature and appearance.
For this reason, Chih-i argues that the nature and appearance of affliction is identical to the nature and appearance of the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom. The cause for the rising of ignorance lies in lack of wisdom. Understanding ignorance as the cause of suffering gives rise to one’s wisdom. Apparently, wisdom stems from ignorance; without ignorance, there is no such thing as wisdom. As Chih-i states: “Wisdom is not a separate entity apart from ignorance, just as ice and water are identical to each other.” (Vol. 2, Page 254)
Chih-i regards the Ten Suchnesses that describe the characteristics of the Ten Dharma-realms as the beginning of the Threefold Track, since the Ten Suchnesses of each realm can be defined by the Threefold Track.
“Suchness of appearance” is the external state of being and refers to one’s meritorious deeds embodied by the Track of Accomplishment.
“Suchness of nature” is the internal and unchangeable state of being and belongs to the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom.
“Suchness of substance” refers to the principal quality that consists of both external and internal state of beings and belongs to the Track of Real Nature.
“Suchness of power” refers to the potential capability the substance is endowed with, which is the Understanding Cause of Buddhahood, and belongs to the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom.
“Suchness of function” refers to that which constructs, and belongs the practice embodied by the Track of Accomplishment.
“Suchness of causes” is the cause that brings about effect similar to itself, i.e., repetitive cause (His-yin or T’ung-lei-yin, Skt., vipākahetu), and belongs to the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom.
“Suchness of conditions,” which refers to indirect or conditional causes belongs to the Track of Accomplishment.
“Suchness of effects” refers to the effects that are the same as their causes, i.e., repetitive effect (Hsi-kuo or Teng-liu-kuo, Skt., niṣyandaphala), which results from the combination of causes and conditions, and belongs to the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom.
“Suchness of retributions” refers to the effects resulting from the deeds one has done in the past incarnation, i.e., repetitive retribution (Hsi-pao) and belongs to the Track of Accomplishment.
“Suchness of beginning-and-end-ultimately-alike” means that the “appearance” at the very beginning and the “retribution” at the end are ultimately alike and are converged into the same True Reality.
This tenth category of Suchness functions as the conclusion embracing all dharmas. (Vol. 2, Page 253)
According to Chih-i’s theory of one mind embracing three thousand dharmas (I-nien San-ch’ien), the mind of a single sentient being contains Ten Dharma-realms. Why? The Ten Dharma-realms are the manifestation of the True Reality. Considering that sentient beings originally possess True Reality (i.e., the real nature of entities), the Ten Dharma-realms that are the manifestation of the True Reality are likewise present everywhere and are contained in the minds of sentient beings. An evil thought belongs to the worlds of hell-dwellers, hungry ghosts, and animals; a good thought belongs to the worlds of human and heaven beings; and a thought of compassion belongs to the realm of the bodhisattva and the Buddha. Obviously, it would not be possible for different Dharma-realms to be manifest if one’s mind did not contain all of the Ten Dharma-realms. On the one hand, one instant thought includes the whole universe, and one dharma is identical to all dharmas. On the other hand, the whole universe only exists in every single thought, whereby all dharmas are identical to one dharma. Chih-i’s theory is that the reason one’s thought corresponds to a certain realm at a certain moment signifies that one good thought designates the manifestation of virtue and concealment of evil, and one evil thought the manifestation of evil and concealment of virtue. Good and evil are one entity, and the difference lies in the state between manifestation and concealment. Good and evil transform according to conditions, which is similar to the relationship between ice and water. This indicates that both aspects exist as the one entity of True Reality, which arises in turn with causes and conditions. (Vol. 2, Page 252-253)
First, the subtle Track of Real Nature shows that although sentient beings originally possessed the treasure of the Buddha-nature, they were not aware of this fact before the Buddha expounded the Lotus Sūtra. Thus, the Track of Real Nature in the various teachings of the Buddha before the Lotus Sūtra is coarse. Upon the revelation of the One Buddha vehicle in the Lotus Sūtra, the practitioners of the other three teachings are able to see the Buddha-nature as the treasure of enlightenment they inherently possess, whereby the coarse dharma in the past becomes the subtle dharma in the present. Second, the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom is subtle if one abandons one’s attachment to striving to attain wisdom and reach truth. One should understand that wisdom and truth are inseparable, and it is false to seek outwardly instead of inwardly, in view of the fact that one’s wisdom is always contained in one’s nature. As long as one realizes that truth and wisdom are identical to each other as one entity, this realization implies that the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom is subtle, representing One Great Vehicle that is neither horizontal nor vertical. Third, the subtle Track of Accomplishment delineates that innumerable practices and dharma-doors, which are contained in the tathāgatagarbha are, by nature, the manifestation of the suchness of the Buddha-nature. With such an understanding, all expedient vehicles become subtle, and there is no more relative, only the ultimate. (Vol. 2, Page 251)
The purpose of Chih-i’s judging the coarseness and subtlety of the Three Tracks in the Four Teachings is, on one hand, to stress the superiority of the Perfect Teaching by affirming the subtlety of the Threefold Track in the Perfect Teaching, and on the other hand, to foreshadow his argumentation in terms of “opening the coarseness and revealing the subtlety” (K’ai-ts’u Hsien-miao). In Chih-i ‘s view, distinguishing either coarse or subtle teachings is not the real intention of the Buddha. Whereas all entities of the universe are a manifestation of the True Reality, so called coarse dharmas (as relative teaching) actually contain the subtle dharmas (as ultimate teaching). The ultimate teaching reflects the real intention of the Buddha expounding various dharmas whether coarse or subtle, which aim at leading beings to pursue the One Vehicle of Buddhahood. Hence, before the revelation of the real intention of the Buddha, the three teachings (Tripiṭaka, Common, and Separate) were relative and coarse dharma. Only when the coarse dharma is displayed as containing the ultimate teaching of the Buddha, does it become subtle dharma, since it can also guide beings to attain Buddhahood. For this reason, Chih-i argues that the distinction of coarse or subtle only lies in one’s capabilities to conceive of it as such. The subtlety of the Threefold Track as the One Buddha-vehicle is explicated with reference to the Buddha-nature that all sentient beings possess. In view of all beings possessing the Buddha-nature, every being is capable of conceiving the subtle Threefold Track as the One Buddha-vehicle. The reason the vehicle of the Perfect Teaching is subtle is because the practitioner of the Perfect Teaching realizes that that there are no other vehicles to seek except for this One Buddha-vehicle, which can reveal the ultimate Buddha-nature. (Vol. 2, Page 250-251)
How is this characteristic of the True Reality, which cannot be conceptualized either vertically or horizontally, reflected? Such a characteristic can be revealed through the synonymous terms of the True Reality such as the “Supreme Meaning of Emptiness” and “tathāgatagarbha.” Chih-i reiterates that the True Reality is specified in the Perfect Teaching as the “Supreme Meaning of Emptiness,” which indicates “constant quiescence and luminosity” embodied by the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom. “Constant quiescence and luminosity” are the meaning expressed in the passage of the Lotus Sūtra:
“Adorned with the power of concentration and wisdom, the Buddha dwells at the Greater Vehicle, and liberates sentient beings according to the dharma he attains.”
This passage implies that upon the attainment of Buddhahood, the Buddha-vehicle does not cease to be executed (i.e., illuminated) in order to liberate others, even in the state of quiescence. In fact, the Buddha continues his endless career of saving beings, but his action is non-action, which is spontaneous and natural according to conditions. As a result, the Buddha-vehicle is still executed. Such a state of quiescence and luminosity designates the depth of the execution of the Buddha-vehicle incalculable. (Vol. 2, Page 249-250)
The formula that can be used to illustrate this Threefold Track is affirmation, negation, and double negation, i.e., one, not one, and neither one nor not one, which reveals the relation of neither vertical nor horizontal among these Three Tracks. In other words, the relation among them is interconnected, and cannot be defined in fix terms. Being together, the Threefold Track forms a merged unity; being separate, each of them exhibits its own function. It is “one” because all dharmas are embraced by the True Reality (dharmata). It is “not one” because the state of Buddhahood is both quiescent and luminous. It is “neither one nor not one” because the tathāgatagarbha as one reality contains immeasurable practices and dharma-doors. Chih-i cites the wish-granting gem as an example depicting the Threefold Track as being one entity while remaining distinctive. Treasure and light are distinguished from the gem, whereby the three of them indicate different aspects, and yet, treasure and light are not different from the gem, owing to the fact that the former are derived from the latter. Apparently, the treasure and light depict the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom and the Track of Accomplishment respectively and are the function of the gem; and the gem depicts the Track of Real Nature and is the substance of the treasure and light. Thus, Chih-i names the Threefold Track as the inconceivable dharma. (Vol. 2, Page 246)
Obviously, the Threefold Track in the Perfect Teaching represents the One Buddha-vehicle, and demonstrates the state of Buddhahood, which cannot be perceived by the practitioner of the other three teachings (Tripiṭaka, Common, and Separate). In view of the fact that they have not understood the Threefold Track of the Perfect Teaching, Chih-i points out that these Three Tracks become three hindrances. Why is this? If one has not severed the delusion of lacking sufficient knowledge of saving beings within and beyond the three realms, this means that one is not yet able to grasp immeasurable dharma-doors, which hinders one’s perception of the tathāgatagarbha. If one has not severed the delusions of false views and wrong attitudes, this means one is not able to fully perceive the nature of emptiness, which hinders one’s perception of the Supreme Meaning of Emptiness. If one has not severed fundamental ignorance, this indicates that one is not yet able to realize the True Reality that lies in all dharmas and prevents the supreme principle of the True Reality from being revealed. (Vol. 2, Page 246)
With regard to the Three Tracks in the Perfect Teaching, Chih-i stresses that they all complement each other, and that the three are integrated in forming a single Buddha-vehicle. This means that the Track of Real Nature denotes constant abiding of the Buddha-nature as the Fundamental Cause of Buddhahood. Based on this true reality—real nature there arouses the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom, which is both quiescent and luminous, and which conveys the Supreme Truth of Emptiness. Chih-i points out that after the bodhisattva of the Perfect Teaching attained Buddhahood, the state the Buddha abides in is not completely still and extinctive but contains the function of saving beings that rises spontaneously without any intentional action. This means that the Buddha abides at quiescence while constantly illuminating. This illumination refers to the spontaneous action of leading sentient beings to achieve universal salvation, which is the ultimate goal of the bodhisattva pursuing the attainment of Buddhahood. Self-liberation does not render the end of function, but only means that the Buddha’s action of saving beings is highly natural, skillful and expedient according to causes and conditions. The Track of Accomplishment concerns the tathāgatagarbha that contains all practices and immeasurable dharma-doors in the Dharma realm. (Vol. 2, Page 245-246)
Generally speaking, the Track of Real Nature embodies the True Reality that always exists and cannot be destroyed. The Track of the Illumination of Wisdom embodies wisdom that can penetrate truth. The Track of Accomplishment embodies the practice of pursuing liberation. (Vol. 2, Page 242)
