天台法華宗生知妙悟決
Clarifications which give rise to an understanding of the Sublime Awakening of the Tiantai Dharma Flower School
(JPN: Tendai Hokke Shū Shōchi Myōgo Ketsu)
ATTRIBUTION
Translated into English by Rev. Jikai 慈海 Tyler Dehn デイーン
©Translation by Jikai Tyler Dehn @ The Saichō Repository 最澄典藏 Project, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Available at: [insert URL of specific text page].
You may share this work freely with attribution (as above), but no modifications or commercial use is allowed without express permission from Jikai Tyler Dehn. See USE/ATTRIBUTION for more information.
Text Overview:
The body of the present text consists of questions posed by Master Saichō, and answers provided by Master Daosui. The work opens with Saichō describing the unique karmic-conditions shared by Nanyue [Huisi] and his disciple Tiantai [Zhiyi] 南岳、天台，二大師, as well as recognition for their shared status as participants in the Assembly of the Lotus Sūtra.
This sets the stage for Saichō to highlight the karmic-conditions of Japan, and the need for him to finish the work started by Huisi’s rebirth there. It also provides the context for considering the implications of Saichō and Daosui’s shared karmic-conditions together.
And given that all of the questions and answers concern the Three Contemplations in a Single Thought-moment 一心三觀, it becomes apparent that the document is in fact, a transmission document. The Three Contemplations in a Single Thought-moment 一心三觀 are at the very heart of the Tiantai/Tendai System, and therefore, Daosui’s clarifications are not mere corrections, but the very act of imparting this knowledge to the disciple Saichō. This is made explicit towards the end of the document, when Daosui refers specifically to the: “three contemplations in a single thought, of the Buddhas and Patriarchs, [within] a single phrase” or 佛祖一言一心三觀. The Three Contemplations in a Single Thought-moment in a single-phrase 一心三觀一言 is an expression used in the explicit transmission documents to refer to the transmission from Daosui to Saichō uniquely.
The term 一言 is here rendered as “a single phrase“, but it can also mean “a single word“. In his book Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School (2000), Paul Groner says of Daosui:
…his teachings on meditation may have varied from standard T’ien-t’ai practices. Chih-li 智禮 (960-1028)…noted that Tao-sui’s (i.e. Daosui) meditation practices deviated from the orthodox position.
pg. 42
It should be noted that Zhili‘s (i.e. Chih-li) critique of Daosui does not highlight the phrase 一言 or “single phrase/word”, as evidence for his deviation. Nevertheless Groner and the late Linda Penkower, both finger this expression as evidence of Chan influence on Daosui’s meditative practices. Now that Zhili‘s critique of Daosui has been separated from this phrase, we can consider whether or not it is indeed, evidence of unorthodox meditative tendencies.
This phrase actually appears, only in documents representing some for of transmission. In fact, the only extant work by Daosui on matters of meditation specifically, does not feature it. It’s use in transmission documents then, is evidence of its use within transmissions- not meditative practice per se. And given that no “one word” is anywhere provided as the emphatic instruction of this supposed secret and obscure technique, we have no reason at all, to connect it directly with any meditative method taught by Master Daosui. If it were indeed a ‘technique‘ or ‘method‘, we should find some evidence of these instructions. But we don’t.
So what could the “three contemplations in a single thought, in a single phrase” mean in the context of transmission? It would mean that instead of requiring lengthy and complex instruction concerning the “three contemplations in a single thought” 一心三觀, Master Saichō‘s innate understanding of this concept was such, that when he heard the “single phrase” 一言 of: “three contemplations in a single thought-moment” 一心三觀, he understood it perfectly. The single phrase in question is no mystery; it is precisely the assertion that Saichō received the transmission of this idea in the hearing of the idea per se. This is why the expression appears in the transmission documents, and not, in materials of meditative method. The text itself uses this phrase, to mean the “three contemplations in a single thought-moment” 一心三觀 as it pertains to realisation– and not cultivation (名「證道一心三觀」; 亦名「佛、祖一言一心三觀」). And the postscript confirms, that it was circulated alongside other transmission documents.
TEXT:
| ENGLISH | UNPUNCTUATED TEXT | PUNCTUATED TEXT |
|---|---|---|
| Questions posed by the Dharma-seeker śramaṇa Saichō, [from the] Kingdom of Japan; Clarifications provided by the Tiantai Prelate Venerable Daosui. | 日本國求法沙門最澄疑問。 天台座主道邃和尚決義。 | 日本國求法沙門最澄疑問; 天台座主道邃和尚決義。 |
| “I, the Dharma-seeker Saichō, [from the] Kingdom of Japan bow my head in homage!” “I have respectfully heard [it said]: that the Two Great Masters of Nanyue [Huisi] and Tiantai [Zhiyi], were amongst the audience on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa. [And that they personally] received the commission from the Buddha to propagate [the Dharma Flower] Sūtra after His Extinction.” | 日本國求法最澄稽首和南。伏聞。南岳天台二大師。正在靈山之聽衆也。受佛囑累。滅後弘經。 | 日本國求法最澄，稽首和南! 伏聞: 南岳、天台，二大師，正在靈山之聽衆也。受佛囑累，滅後弘經。 |
| “For this purpose, Great Master Nanyue [Huisi] displayed his extinction in the Middle Kingdom (i.e. China), and manifested his rebirth in the Eastern Land [of Japan]. [Though] in the past he transformed [beings in] that [Eastern] Land, [the task of] teaching and liberating [them] remains unfulfilled. I, Saichō, caught wind of the Great Venerable Daosui and that he has awakened to the deepest import of the Subtle Profundity, and unlocked (lit. Open up) the Secret Cache of the Mahāyāna. [On hearing all this,] I immediately departed from My Majesty’s grace, untied the mooring ropes, unfurled and hoisted the sails, and set out upon the vast ocean. Monstrous waves rose high like mountains, and swift currents shot across like [falling] stars. By day we followed the sun, and by night looked to the north star. The days accumulated into months, [until I] finally arrived in The Tang Realm (i.e. Tang Dynasty China), and made my way [here] to the Peaks of Tiantai. | 是以。南岳大師。示滅中國。現生東土。前化彼土。教度未貰。最澄風聞大和尚。悟幽玄之深旨。開大乘之祕局。忽辭帝澤解滕纜。浮滄溟上布帆。洪濤山積。疾浪星奔。晝望 陽烏。夜瞻北斗。以日計月。終入唐朝。詣于台岳。 | 是以，南岳大師，示滅中國，現生東土。前化彼土，教度未貰。 最澄風聞大和尚，悟幽玄之深旨，開大乘之祕局。 忽辭帝澤，解滕纜，浮滄溟上布帆。洪濤山積，疾浪星奔。晝望陽烏; 夜瞻北斗。 以日計月，終入唐朝，詣于台岳。 |
| These happenings, [must] be the result (lit. response) of the power of the vows of all the Buddhas, and the unseen (通冥=冥通) mandate of Heaven and Earth. Should we have been without past karmic-connections, how could we have met today!? | 是則。所以諸佛感願力。天地通冥府也。若又非宿昔有縁。安得今日相見。 | 是則，所以諸佛感願力，天、地，通冥府也! 若又非宿昔有縁，安得今日相見!? |
| [And so] I beseech Venerable [Daosui], out of compassion, reveal the Mind-seal of the Tathāgatas; impart the Inner-realisation [of Master] Zhizhe [Zhiyi]; open up the Way of the Sublime Dharma; become a good-friend (kalyāṇamitra) to the Triple Spheres; turn the Single Wheel; and act as a knowledgeable-guide (kalyāṇamitra) for the sake of the Six Realms. | 仰願和尚。以慈悲示如來心印。授智者内證。開妙法路。作三界之善友。轉唯一輪。爲六道之知識。 | 仰願和尚: 以慈悲，示如來心印; 授智者内證; 開妙法路; 作三界之善友; 轉唯一輪; 爲六道之知識。 |
| Saichō [then] asked: “For the practitioner of the Perfect and Sudden [Śamatha-Vipaśyanā], [when he engages] in the cultivation-proper of the Three Contemplations in a Single Though-moment, do the three contemplations arise concurrently in the single thought-moment? If they arise concurrently, [when] illuminating the quiescent emptiness of the ten thousand dharmas, then the reflections on the provisional and middle would naturally fall away; [and when] contemplating the world [with its myriad forms] like a dense forest, then the thoughts of emptiness and the middle could not be simultaneous [held with it]. The thought-moments of the three contemplations must therefore be different, [not concurrent]! And therefore it [would have to] be said that: given separate entry [to the contemplations] must be permitted, then separate contemplation of them is also permissable. If they do not arise concurrently, then what is it that is expressed in ‘the three contemplations in a single thought-moment’?” | 最澄問曰。圓頓行者。正修一心三觀。三觀一心倶起耶。若倶起者。照萬法空寂。假中念自廢。觀界如森然。空中心亦無並。三觀之心既異也。故云既許偏入亦可偏觀。不倶起者。一心三觀之稱如何。 | 最澄問曰: “圓頓行者，正修一心三觀，三觀一心倶起耶? 若倶起者，照萬法空寂，假、中念，自廢; 觀界如森然，空、中心，亦無並。三觀之心既異也! 故云: 既許偏入，亦可偏觀。 不倶起者，一心三觀之稱如何? ” |
| The Prelate [Daosui] responded: “[In terms of] the principle of Suchness (tathatā) which is the True Characteristic [of all dharmas], though the ten thousand dharmas are a single suchness (tathatā), because their dharma-natures (dharmatā) are always distinct, the [specific] natures of the ten thousand dharmas is not lost. And therefore, the expression ‘three contemplations in a single thought-moment’ cannot be lost, even if one enters separately or contemplates them separately.” | 座主答曰。實相眞如之理。雖萬法一如。法性常差別之故。不失萬法之性。故一心三觀之稱。雖偏入偏觀不可失也。 | 座主答曰: “實相眞如之理，雖萬法一如，法性常差別之故，不失萬法之性。故一心三觀之稱，雖偏入偏觀，不可失也。” |
| [Saichō] further asked: “Are there shallow and deep [levels to] the ‘three contemplations in a single thought-moment’?” The Prelate [Daosui] responded: “There are.” | 重問曰。一心三觀有淺深耶。座主答曰爾也。 | 重問曰: “一心三觀，有淺、深耶? ” 座主答曰: “爾也。” |
| [Saichō] again asked: “How are the shallow and deep [levels distinguished]?” The Prelate [Daosui] responded: “The contemplative method of the three contemplations in a single thought-moment, extends across the three domains of study, cultivation and realisation. Nevertheless, though there are [these] three labels, their essence is not three; and though they’re of a single essence, [these] three labels are put in place.” | 重問曰。其淺深如何。座主答曰。一心三觀觀門。亘教行證三道。但雖有三名。而無三體。雖是一體。而立三名也。 | 重問曰: “其淺、深，如何? ” 座主答曰: “一心三觀觀門，亘教、行、證三道。但雖有三名，而無三體; 雖是一體，而立三名也。 ” |
| [Saichō] further asked: “ What does it mean [to say that] it extends across the three domains of study, cultivation and realisation?” The Prelate [Daosui] responded: “[In regards to it] extending across the three domains of study, cultivation and realisation: That which is known as the three contemplations in a single thought-moment as the Domain of Study, [is as follows]: Contemplating that the three are identical to the one, and the generation of one is identical to the [generation of the] three. [That is to say,] in contemplating perceptual-objects by means of the contemplations, one perceptual-object is a three-fold perceptual-object. And in generating the contemplations by means of perceptual-objects, one contemplation is also a three-fold contemplation. The practitioner of the Common [Teachings] emerges from [the provisional] and enters into [emptiness], [but he] is unable to [comprehend that they are] identical to the middle. The practitioner of the Distinct [Teachings] sequentially emerges from [the provisional] and enters into [emptiness], [but he] is unable to do so in a single thought. The practitioner of the Perfect [Teachings can] emerge from [the provisional] and enter into [emptiness] in a single thought, [and he] is also able to emerge from [the provisional] and enter into [emptiness] in separate [thought-moments]; he [may] more frequently enter the [middle] and less frequently enter the two [of provisional and emptiness] etc; though there is [that which is entered] frequently, [and that which is entered] seldomly, the three contemplations are inherently-entailed [at all] times. [So] what is it [then,] that is referred to as the “Pure Contemplation of the Sequential”, [conducted by] practitioners of the Perfect [Teachings]? [It is taking] either the perceptual-object or the perceiving-consciousness [and understanding that] both are present [in any given] thought. This is the meaning of this. And this, is what is called “the three contemplations in a single thought, as the Domain of Study.” | 重問曰。亘教行證三道之義如何。座主答曰。亘教行證三道。所謂。教道一心三觀者。觀三即一。發一即三。以觀觀於境。則一境而三境。以境發於觀。即一觀而三觀。通人出入。不能即中。別人次第出入。不能一心。圓人一心出入。亦能別出入。多入少入。二等雖有多少。三觀倶時。何 名圓人純觀次第。若境若智。同在一心。即此意也。是名教道一心三觀。 | 重問曰: “亘教、行、證三道之義，如何? ” 座主答曰: “亘教、行、證三道: 所謂，教道一心三觀者: 觀三即一，發一即三。以觀，觀於境，則一境而三境。以境，發於觀，即一觀而三觀。 通人出入，不能即中。別人次第出入，不能一心。 圓人一心出入，亦能別出入; 多入少入二等; 雖有多少，三觀倶時。 何名圓人「純觀次第」 ? 若境、若智，同在一心。 即此意也。是，名「教道一心三觀。」 |
| [As for] “the three contemplations in a single thought, as the Domain of Cultivation”, this is derived from the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Upadeśa [where it says]: “In a single thought, one contemplation alone is attained, and yet it is [also] the three contemplations; and contemplating one truth is [also] three truths. Therefore it is called the three contemplations in a single thought. This is akin to how a single thought [is singular,] and yet [inherently] possesses [its own] arising, abiding and ceasing. For just as these three characteristics are present in a single thought, when this contemplation is achieved one realises the three knowledges in a single thought; this is also called [the realisation of] Sarvākāra Jñatā (lit. The knowledge of all things).” [That all dharmas have] “the characteristic of quiescent extinction” [to them, means that] the myriad modes, characteristics and features [of respective dharmas,] can all be known! [That is to say,] this “characteristic of quiescent extinction” is that force by which [all dharmas] are at once negated; and “myriad modes, characteristics and features” is that force by which [all dharmas] are at the same time made clear! The Madhyamaka Śāstra says: “Dharmas which arise due to myriad causes and conditions, are identical to emptiness; identical to the provisional; and identical to the middle.” And the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Upadeśa says: “The three knowledges are in truth, attained in a single thought.” This is the meaning of [all] this. And this, is what is called “the three contemplations in a single thought, as the Domain of Cultivation.” | 行道一心三觀者。此出釋論。一心中得唯一觀而三觀。觀於 一諦而三諦。故名一心三觀。類如一心而有生住滅。如此三相。在一心中。此觀成時。證一心三智。亦名一切種智。寂滅相種種行。相貌皆知也。寂滅相者。是雙亡之力。種種相貌皆知者。雙照之力也。 中論云。因縁所生法。即空即假即中。釋論云。三智實在一心中得。即此意也。是名行道一心三觀。 | 「行道一心三觀者」 ，此出《釋論》: 「一心中，得唯一觀而三觀; 觀於一諦而三諦。故名一心三觀。類如一心而有生、住、滅。如此三相，在一心中，此觀成時，證一心三智;亦名一切種智。」 「寂滅相」 種種行、相貌，皆知也! 「寂滅相者」，是雙亡之力; 「種種相貌皆知者」，雙照之力也! 《中論》云: 「因縁所生法，即空、即假、即中。」 《釋論》云: 「三智實在一心中得。」 即此意也。是，名「行道一心三觀。」 |
| [And as for] “the three contemplations in a single thought, as the Domain of Realisation”, [it was on display when] Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva said: “In the past the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa, expounded a Mahāyāna Sūtra called the Sublime Dharma of the Lotus Sūtra, which is the method for teaching the Bodhisattvas, and that which Buddhas keep in their thoughts (i.e. it is the understanding of the Buddhas, as they understand it).” (CH.1) [And when] the Buddha Prabhūtaratna said: “[It is by means of] the Great Wisdom of Equality, [that You are able to expound] the method for teaching the Bodhisattvas, and that which Buddhas keep in their thoughts…” (CH.11) [And when the Śākyamuni] in the Contemplation of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Sūtra says: “Śākyamuni is called Vairocana, who pervades all places. This Buddha’s abode is called Eternally Quiescent Light”… [And finally, when Vasubandhu] in the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Upadeśa says: “The purpose of [the Buddhas Śākyamuni and Prabhūtaratna] sitting together in the single stūpa, [is to indicate that] the nirmāṇakāya Buddhas, and non-nirmāṇakāya Buddhas; the Dharmakāya Buddhas and the Saṃbhogakāya Buddhas, all exist in order to accomplish the [One] Great Matter. ” This is the meaning of [all] this. And this, is what is called “the three contemplations in a single thought, as the Domain of Realisation; these are also called “the three contemplations in a single thought of the Buddhas and Patriarchs, [within] a single phrase.” | 證道一心三觀者。文殊師利菩薩曰。過去日月燈明佛。説大乘經。名妙法蓮華經。教菩薩法。佛所護念。今日如來。當説大乘經。名妙法蓮華經。教菩薩法。佛所護念。多寶佛曰。平等大慧教菩薩法。佛所護念。觀普賢經曰。釋迦牟尼佛。名毘盧遮那遍一切處。其佛住處名常寂光。法華論曰。同一塔坐者。示現化佛非化佛。法佛報佛等。皆爲成大事故。即此意也。是名證道一心三觀。亦名佛祖一言一心三觀。 | 證道一心三觀者，文殊師利菩薩曰: 「過去日月燈明佛，説大乘經，名《妙法蓮華經》，教菩薩法，佛所護念。今日如來，當説大乘經，名《妙法蓮華經》，教菩薩法，佛所護念。」 多寶佛曰: 「平等大慧，教菩薩法，佛所護念。」 《觀普賢經》曰: 「釋迦牟尼佛，名毘盧遮那遍一切處。其佛住處，名常寂光。」 《法華論》曰: 「同一塔坐者，示現化佛、非化佛; 法佛、報佛等，皆爲成大事故。」 即此意也。是，名「證道一心三觀」; 亦名「佛、祖一言一心三觀」。” |
| The aforementioned text [constitutes the] clarifications [given] by the [Tiantai] Prelate [Venerable] Daosui. | 已上座主決義文。 | 已上，座主決義文。 |
奧書
Postscript
| ENGLISH | UNPUNCTUATED TEXT | PUNCTUATED TEXT |
|---|---|---|
| A COMPILER NOTES: The original document traditionally [consisted of] the aforewritten piece, in conjunction with: – “The Dharma Transmission Document from Venerable Daosui” (TEXT 157) – “A Tract on the Genealogy of the Teacher to Student Transmission” (TEXT 91) – “The Record of the Assurance of Luchun, the Inspector of Taizhou” (in TEXT 11) – “A Document on the Virtues and the Path of the Seventh Tiantai Patriarch, the Venerable Daosui” (transcribed by Lu Shenze) (in TEXT 11) – “A Dharma Transmission Document of Dengyō Daishi [Saichō]” (TEXT 75) – “The Last Testament by the Same Great Master” (i.e. Saichō) (TEXT 12) – “The Text on the Perceptual-objects and Perceiving-mind of the Three Contemplations in a Single Thought, [as practised by the] Tiantai Dharma Flower School ” (TEXT ??) (Recorded by the śramaṇa Ennin, and passed down to the Great Dharma Master Eryō) [The aforewritten piece] and these seven works were [therefore] regarded as a single-text, [and recorded under the name of the current text]. | 編者云。本書者。古來右一篇之外。合道邃和尚付法文。師資相承血脈文。台州刺史陸淳之印記文。天台第七祖道邃和上道徳述一首（盧審則述記）傳教大師付法文。同大師遺宣文及天台法華宗境智一心三觀文（沙門圓仁録付惠亮大法師）等七篇。以爲一部。 | 編者云： 本書者，古來右一篇之外，合： 道邃和尚付法文、 師資相承血脈文、 台州刺史陸淳之印記文、 天台第七祖道邃和上道德述一首 (盧審則述記)、 傳教大師付法文、 同大師遺宣文， 及天台法華宗境智一心三觀文 (沙門圓仁録，付惠亮大法師) 等七篇，以爲一部。 |
| However, the manuscript from the collection of the Sairaiji [Temple] in Ise (則ハ本 ), and the reprint ( 山家餘雋則ロ本 ) of the seventh year of An’ei (1778 A.D.) are missing [the seventh document] on the “Three Contemplations in a Single Thought”, and do not contain it. | 而伊勢西來寺所藏寫本（則ハ本）及安永七年再版山家餘雋則ロ本者。一心三觀之一文缺而不載。 | 而伊勢西來寺所藏寫本 (則ハ本)，及安永七年再版《山家餘雋則ロ本》者，《一心三觀》之一文缺而不載。 |
| Thus, the content of this original text is not certain, and the seven works from “The Dharma Transmission Document from Venerable Daosui” onwards are different in subject from the title of the present text. And so here, we give the title of the original text to the aforewritten piece, and the other six works are omitted and presented separately. | 如此。本書内容不一定。謂道邃師付法文以下七篇者。文意自與本書題號不相契。故今者以右一篇收本書題下。他六篇（一心三觀文省之）者。別掲之。 | 如此，本書内容不一定，謂道邃師付法文以下七篇者，文意自與本書題號不相契。 故今者，以右一篇收本書題下；他六篇 (《一心三觀文》省之)者，別掲之。 |
原本： 比叡山實藏坊所藏。祐憲師寫本寫時不詳。
對校本。
イ本 近江坂本西教寺所藏。寫本與臨終祕傳合本書者及年時不詳。
ロ本 山家餘雋所録。
ハ本 伊勢西來寺所藏。寫本書者及年時不詳。