5
5
一
One
緣門起問曰、葢聞外道亦得五通、菩薩亦得。共彼有何異也。
A question arises from the Gate of Conditions: We have heard that non-Buddhist practitioners can also attain the five supernatural powers, and bodhisattvas can attain them too. What is the difference between them?
入理答曰、不同。何以故、外道謂有能得者、菩薩即不爾。了達無我故也。
Entering the principle, he answered: They are not the same. Why is that? The non-Buddhist path holds that there is one who can attain, but the Bodhisattva is not like that, because they fully understand Non-self (Anātman).
二
Second.
問曰、自有始、凡初学入理未円、微証真如、薄知妙理。与彼外道五通、何者勝。
Question: Since beginningless time, for ordinary beginners who have not yet fully penetrated the truth, who gain but a subtle glimpse of true suchness and a shallow understanding of the wondrous principle—how do they compare with the non-Buddhist practitioners who possess the five supernatural powers? Which is superior?
答曰、先取入理微証、何用彼達事五通乎也。
They answered: First, one should grasp the subtle proof that enters into the principle—what use is there for the five supernatural powers that understand worldly affairs?
三
Three
問曰、若得五通者、交為世所尊、交為世所重。前知未然、却知過事。自防愆犯、豈不勝哉。
Question: If someone attains the five supernatural powers, they will be honored and respected by the world. They can know future events in advance and know past events in hindsight. They can guard themselves against wrongdoing—is that not far better?
答曰、不然。何以故、一切世人、心多著相、貪緣事業、仮偽乱真。彼雖有勝意之通、善星之弁、若不知実相之理、皆不免沒於裂地之患。
The answer is: No. Why? Because people everywhere tend to cling to appearances, pursue worldly affairs with greed, and let falsehood distort the truth. Even if someone has the miraculous powers of a great sage or the eloquence of Good Star, if they do not understand the principle of true reality, none of them can escape the disaster of the earth splitting open beneath them.