Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
19. Metaphor of Ice and Water
Master Tanluan says , “The two Dharma Bodies [of a Buddha] are different yet inseparable, uniform but non-identical.”
There are two categories of a Buddha’s kaya (body) . They are the Dharma Body of Dharma Nature and the Dharma Body of Expediency. Although they differ in their functions, the two share the same substance that makes them inseparable.
Lacking a karmic connection with sentient beings, the Dharma Body of Dharma Nature cannot save the multitudes from samsara ; but, the Dharma Body of Expediency is bonded by its karmic connection with all sentient beings and can thus rescue them.
In sum, substantially the same yet functionally distinguishable, the Dharma Bodies are two in one. This is like water and ice. When water freezes into ice, the two become entirely inseparable. Their essence and components remain substantially the same; yet, they are different in their functions.
19. 冰水喻
曇鸞大師進一步又說:「此二法身,異而不可分,一而不可同。」
這兩種法身,就是法性法身和方便法身,雖然不同,但同是一個法身,所以「異而不可分」,不可分就是一體的;可是又「一而不可同」,雖然是一體,但法性是法性,方便是方便。法性的話,跟眾生沒有緣,不能救度眾生;方便的話,跟眾生有緣,能夠救度眾生。所以,這兩個是一而二,二而一。
就好像冰跟水,由水結成冰,冰跟水雖然不同,但是一體不可分,冰仍然是水,因為它們是同一個本質、同一個內容、同一個成分。但,水跟冰的作用,各不一樣。
Namo Amituofo!
