English
English version: The *Nirvana Sutra* refutes the *Triyana* (three vehicles) *bhikkhus* (monks), and also disparages the *Tirthikas* (non-Buddhists, outsiders), because the *Tirthikas* do not possess the true *Dharma* (truth, law) and steal the Buddha's eternal teachings. Now, clarifying that the Buddha's *Dharma* is exquisite, isn't it saying that the *Tirthikas'* *Dharma* is not exquisite and that the *Five Vehicles* are coarse? Question: Since it possesses four names, why is it uniquely called 'exquisite' (*miao*)? Answer: There are generally three meanings: First, the *sutra* has exquisite descriptions but does not directly call it 'exquisite,' such as saying 'My *Dharma* is exquisitely difficult to fathom,' and also saying 'This vehicle is exquisitely pure and foremost,' which are its proofs. Second, 'exquisite' is a term for the subtle, profound, and far-reaching. Establishing the name 'exquisite' includes the meaning of praise, because my *Dharma* is exquisite, and ordinary beings, the *Two Vehicles* (Shravakayana and Pratyekabuddhayana), and newly practicing *Bodhisattvas* cannot fathom it. If it were said 'My *Dharma* is rightly difficult to fathom,' then the expression would not be skillful and would be inconvenient in meaning. Third, inferring from the meaning, 'right' is named in relation to wrong, and 'exquisite' gains its name in relation to coarse. It should be said that the ninety-six *Tirthika* *dharmas* are wrong, and the *Tathagata's* (Buddha's) *Five Vehicles* are called 'right,' so 'right' is in the *Five Vehicles'* *Dharma*. Although the *Five Vehicles* are 'right,' they are still coarse, and only the *One Vehicle's* *Dharma* is called 'exquisite,' so 'exquisite' mainly refers to the *One Vehicle*. It cannot be said that the *Tirthikas* are coarse and the *Five Vehicles* are exquisite, nor can it be said that the *Five Vehicles* are wrong and the *One Vehicle* is right. The *Tirthikas'* imitation of the Buddha's *Dharma* is like the difference between stone and jade; the *Five Vehicles* and the *One Vehicle* are both like jade, but jade has fine and coarse distinctions, so the *Five Vehicles* are said to be coarse and the *One Vehicle* is exquisite. Seventh, the Explanation of Names section, now explaining the *Dharma* (law) of *Dharma* (truth) is explaining the meaning of 'exquisite.' Although this *sutra* has seven scrolls, its principle returns to the *One Vehicle*, and the *Dharma* of the *One Vehicle* should be used to explain 'exquisite.' Therefore, the *Parable Chapter* says 'This vehicle is exquisitely pure and foremost, in all the worlds there is nothing above it,' this verse praises the Buddha Vehicle as exquisite in contrast to the coarseness of the Four Vehicles. The first half of the verse praises the Buddha Vehicle as exquisite in contrast to the coarseness of the Two Vehicles, and the second half praises the Buddha Vehicle as exquisite in contrast to the coarseness of the Human and Deva Vehicles. 'This vehicle' refers to the Buddha Vehicle, 'exquisitely pure' praises the Buddha Vehicle, because virtues are all complete, so it is called 'exquisite,' and karmic obstacles are all exhausted, so it is called 'pure.' Also, all those who discuss karmic obstacles --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
谓粗也，在粗既尽则众德并圆，累尽德圆故称为妙。又累无不尽不可为有，德无不圆不可言无，非有非无则中道之法，故称为妙，同大涅槃空不空义，以空无二十五有不可言有，有常乐我净不可言无。而一乘与大涅槃更无有异，故〈譬喻品〉云“举大涅槃合于大车”，故云“不令有人独得灭度，皆以如来灭度而灭度之”，则其证也。所言第一者，〈方便品〉云“唯有一佛乘，无有余乘若二若三”，则知第一之名对二三而起也。以二三乘累犹未尽、德犹未圆，如《涅槃》云“二乘之人但见于空、不见不空，故不行中道，不得称为第一”。诸佛如来德无不圆、累无不尽，具见空与不空义，行于中道，故称为第一也。“于诸世间为无有上”，人天为世间，世间乘则非妙，故云于诸世间为无有上也。 上来总释偈竟，今次别释偈文。夫造十恶业报感三途故称为粗，五戒招得人报则以人乘为妙；人乘乐少苦多故称为粗，十善感得天身则苦少乐多则天乘为妙；人天未勉生老病死故名为粗，声闻得出三界故名为妙；声闻福少钝根称之为粗，缘觉福厚利根名之为妙；声闻缘觉累犹未尽、德犹未圆故称为粗，唯有佛乘德无不圆、累无不尽故称为妙。 问： 今明一乘为妙，与旧何异？ 答： 释此经者凡 现代汉语译本： 所谓的‘粗’，是指烦恼未尽的状态。当粗糙的状态完全消失时，所有的功德都圆满具足，烦恼消尽，功德圆满，所以称为‘妙’。而且，烦恼没有不能断尽的，所以不能说它‘有’；功德没有不圆满的，所以不能说它‘无’。既非‘有’也非‘无’，这就是中道的法则，所以称为‘妙’，这与《大涅槃经》中‘空’与‘不空’的含义相同。因为‘空’，所以没有二十五有（三界中的二十五种存在状态），不能说它‘有’；因为具有常、乐、我、净四德，所以不能说它‘无’。而一乘（Ekayana）与《大涅槃经》（Mahaparinirvana Sutra）并没有什么不同，所以《譬喻品》中说：‘举大涅槃合于大车’，因此说‘不让任何一个人独自获得灭度，而是让所有人都以如来的灭度而灭度’，这就是证明。所说的‘第一’，在《方便品》中说：‘唯一佛乘（Buddhayana），没有其他的乘，无论是二乘还是三乘’，由此可知‘第一’这个名称是相对于二乘和三乘而说的。因为二乘和三乘的烦恼还没有断尽，功德还没有圆满，正如《涅槃经》所说：‘二乘之人只看到空，看不到不空，所以不行中道，不能称为第一’。诸佛如来功德没有不圆满的，烦恼没有不断尽的，完全了知空与不空的含义，行于中道，所以称为‘第一’。‘于诸世间为无有上’，人天（Deva）属于世间，世间的乘就不是‘妙’，所以说在所有世间中是无上的。 上面是总的解释偈颂，现在分别解释偈文。造作十恶业（Dasakusala）会感得三恶道的果报，所以称为‘粗’；持守五戒（Panca-sila）会招感人道的果报，所以以人乘为‘妙’；人道快乐少而痛苦多，所以称为‘粗’；行十善业（Dasakusala）会感得天人的果报，痛苦少而快乐多，所以天乘为‘妙’；人天还没有脱离生老病死，所以名为‘粗’；声闻（Sravaka）乘超出三界，所以称为‘妙’；声闻福报少，根器迟钝，称之为‘粗’；缘觉（Pratyekabuddha）福报深厚，根器锐利，称之为‘妙’；声闻和缘觉的烦恼还没有断尽，功德还没有圆满，所以称为‘粗’；只有佛乘功德没有不圆满的，烦恼没有不断尽的，所以称为‘妙’。 问： 现在说明一乘为‘妙’，与以前的说法有什么不同？ 答： 解释这部经的人，凡是...
English
English version: What is meant by 'coarse' is the state where defilements are not yet exhausted. When the coarse state is completely gone, all virtues are perfectly complete. Defilements are exhausted, and virtues are perfected, so it is called 'wonderful'. Moreover, there are no defilements that cannot be exhausted, so it cannot be said to 'exist'; there are no virtues that are not perfected, so it cannot be said to 'not exist'. Neither 'existing' nor 'not existing', this is the Middle Way, so it is called 'wonderful'. This is the same as the meaning of 'emptiness' and 'non-emptiness' in the *Mahaparinirvana Sutra*. Because of 'emptiness', there are no twenty-five existences (twenty-five states of existence in the three realms), so it cannot be said to 'exist'; because it possesses the four virtues of permanence, bliss, self, and purity, it cannot be said to 'not exist'. And the One Vehicle (Ekayana) is no different from the *Mahaparinirvana Sutra*, so the *Parable Chapter* says: 'Lift up the Great Nirvana and combine it with the Great Cart'. Therefore, it is said, 'Not allowing anyone to attain extinction alone, but allowing all to attain extinction through the extinction of the Tathagata', this is the proof. What is meant by 'first', the *Expedient Means Chapter* says: 'There is only the Buddha Vehicle (Buddhayana), there are no other vehicles, whether two or three', from this it is known that the name 'first' arises in relation to the two vehicles and three vehicles. Because the defilements of the two vehicles and three vehicles have not yet been exhausted, and the virtues have not yet been perfected, as the *Nirvana Sutra* says: 'People of the two vehicles only see emptiness, and do not see non-emptiness, therefore they do not practice the Middle Way, and cannot be called first'. The Tathagatas have no virtues that are not perfected, and no defilements that are not exhausted, fully knowing the meaning of emptiness and non-emptiness, practicing the Middle Way, so they are called 'first'. 'In all the worlds, there is nothing higher', humans and devas (Deva) belong to the world, the vehicle of the world is not 'wonderful', so it is said that in all the worlds, there is nothing higher. The above is a general explanation of the verses, now explain the verses separately. Creating the ten non-virtuous actions (Dasakusala) will result in the retribution of the three lower realms, so it is called 'coarse'; upholding the five precepts (Panca-sila) will attract the retribution of the human realm, so the human vehicle is considered 'wonderful'; the human realm has little happiness and much suffering, so it is called 'coarse'; practicing the ten virtuous actions (Dasakusala) will result in the retribution of the devas, with little suffering and much happiness, so the deva vehicle is 'wonderful'; humans and devas have not yet escaped birth, old age, sickness, and death, so it is called 'coarse'; the Sravaka (Sravaka) Vehicle transcends the three realms, so it is called 'wonderful'; the Sravaka has little merit and dull faculties, so it is called 'coarse'; the Pratyekabuddha (Pratyekabuddha) has deep merit and sharp faculties, so it is called 'wonderful'; the defilements of the Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha have not yet been exhausted, and the virtues have not yet been perfected, so it is called 'coarse'; only the Buddha Vehicle has no virtues that are not perfected, and no defilements that are not exhausted, so it is called 'wonderful'. Question: Now explaining the One Vehicle as 'wonderful', how is it different from the old explanation? Answer: Those who explain this sutra, all... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
有三说：一云，此经虽辨一乘之因，犹感无常之果。是以文云“过去过尘沙未来复倍上数”；又〈药草喻品〉云“究竟涅槃常寂灭相终归于空”，终归于空者，终灰身灭智入无余涅槃，故犹是无常；至《大涅槃》方辨常住。既是无常则应是粗，但对前诸经未辨过去过尘沙未来复倍上数，故叹此经以为妙耳。若望涅槃教，则犹是粗也。第二释云，此经已辨于常，犹未显了，但是覆相明常。所以然者，此经未除八倒、不明四德，但明寿命无穷，故是覆相辨常；至涅槃教方显了辨常。第三释云，自小乘之教则辨无常覆相之说，一切大乘经皆是常住显了无余。今总评此三说，初释是下根之人，次释是中根之人，第三是上根之人也。所以然者，初释为谤法过甚深，故是下根；次说毁呰少轻，秤为中根；第三乃言究竟而封执成迷教，故是上根人也。此皆就有所得中自开三品。 问： 初释云何谤法过深？ 答： 今以四处徴之，则知为谤深也。一、用《法花》前教为难，二、用《法花》正文责之，三、寻关河旧说，四、以义推难。法花前教，谓大小《波若》及《净名》等经。《大品．常啼品》云“诸佛色身有去来、法身无去来”，《金刚波若论》云“三身异体故，离彼是如来”，故知如来非有为法，身即 现代汉语译本：有三种说法：第一种说法认为，《法华经》虽然阐明了一乘（Ekayana，唯一佛乘）的因，仍然感受到无常的果报。因此经文中说‘过去所经过的尘沙数量，未来还要超过这个数量’；又《药草喻品》中说‘究竟涅槃（Nirvana，解脱）常寂灭相最终归于空’，最终归于空的意思是，最终灰身灭智，进入无余涅槃（Parinirvana，完全的涅槃），所以仍然是无常的；要到《大涅槃经》（Mahaparinirvana Sutra）才阐明常住的道理。既然是无常，那么就应该是粗浅的，但相对于之前那些没有阐明过去所经过的尘沙数量，未来还要超过这个数量的经典，所以赞叹《法华经》是精妙的。如果与《涅槃经》的教义相比，那么《法华经》仍然是粗浅的。第二种解释认为，《法华经》已经阐明了常，但还没有完全显露，只是用隐藏的方式来阐明常。之所以这样说，是因为《法华经》没有去除八倒（Eight inversions，八种颠倒的知见）、没有阐明四德（Four virtues，涅槃的四种德性：常、乐、我、净），只是阐明寿命无穷，所以是用隐藏的方式来辨明常；要到《涅槃经》才显明地辨明常。第三种解释认为，从小乘（Hinayana，声闻乘）的教义来看，是阐明无常隐藏之说，一切大乘（Mahayana，菩萨乘）经典都是常住显了无余。现在总评这三种说法，第一种解释是下根之人，第二种解释是中根之人，第三种解释是上根之人。之所以这样说，是因为第一种解释诽谤佛法的过失太深，所以是下根；第二种说法毁谤轻微一些，可以称为中根；第三种说法认为已经究竟，但执着于教义而成了迷信，所以是上根之人。这些都是在有所得（attachment，执着）中自己区分出三种品类。 问： 第一种解释为什么诽谤佛法的过失很深？ 答： 现在用四个方面来考察它，就知道是诽谤很深。一、用《法华经》之前的教义来为难，二、用《法华经》的正文来责备它，三、寻找关河（地名）旧的说法，四、用义理来推论责难。《法华经》之前的教义，指的是大小《般若经》（Prajnaparamita Sutra）以及《维摩诘经》（Vimalakirti Sutra）等经典。《大品般若经·常啼品》中说‘诸佛的色身（Rupakaya，应化身）有来去，法身（Dharmakaya，法性身）没有来去’，《金刚般若论》（Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra）中说‘三身（Trikaya，佛的三身）异体，离开它们才是如来（Tathagata，佛的称号）’，所以知道如来不是有为法，色身就是