△次四，對三乘明等行。文二：初、通對三乘行，二、別對菩薩行。初中三：初、對三會一。文二：初、解一疑三問，又二：初、章名。
Next, the fourth section: clarifying equal practice in relation to the Three Vehicles. The text has two parts: first, a general comparison with the practices of the Three Vehicles; second, a specific comparison with the Bodhisattva practice. In the first part there are three: first, reconciling the three to the one. The text has two: first, resolving the one doubt and the three questions, which again has two: first, the chapter title.
難差第八
Hard to Differ, Part Eight
難謂難問也。差謂差異，即三乘及菩薩有諸位差別。此因上說物我冥一，乃曰涅槃則平等一味更無高下，何故修證此法？人有三乘、位有高下，此則以解中法一難行中人差也。
It is hard to call it a difficult question. "Differences" means distinctions—that is, the Three Vehicles and the various stages and levels of the Bodhisattvas. This is because the preceding passage says that things and the self are merged into one, and then declares that Nirvana is a single, equal flavor with no higher or lower. Why, then, is this Dharma cultivated and realized? People are divided into the Three Vehicles, and their stages have higher and lower levels. This is using the oneness of the Dharma in understanding to challenge the differences among the people who practice it.
△二、本文三：初、牒前法一。
2. Main text, in three parts: first, restating the preceding Dharma.
有名曰：涅槃既絕圖度之域，則超六境之外，不出不在而玄道獨存(牒前也)。斯則窮理盡性，究竟之道妙一無差。理其然矣。
The famous one said: Since Nirvana is beyond the realm of conceptual reckoning, it transcends the six sense objects. Neither emerging nor abiding, the profound Path alone remains. (This restates the preceding point.) This is the Path that exhausts principle and fully realizes nature, the ultimate way—subtly one, without discrepancy. Such is the nature of things.
結成法一。《易》云：「窮理盡性，已至於命。」今於心境諸法，窮緣性理極於真性。真性平等、人法不二，方為究竟妙一之道。境智無差之理定當如是，故前曰物我冥一乃曰涅槃。
This concludes the first section on the Dharma. The I Ching states: "Exhaust the principles, fulfill the nature, and thereby attain the mandate." Now, regarding the mind, its objects, and all phenomena, we must exhaust the principles of conditioned nature until we reach the ultimate True Nature. True Nature is egalitarian, and there is no duality between the person and the Dharma; only this constitutes the ultimate and marvelous Path of Oneness. The principle that there is no difference between object and wisdom is precisely as stated here; therefore, it was said previously that when objects and the self merge as one, that is called Nirvana.
△二、別敘人三中二：初、通疑三乘。
2. Specific account of the individuals, in three parts. Of these, the first part addresses doubts regarding the Three Vehicles.
而《放光》云：「三乘之道，皆因無為而有差別。」
The *Fangguang* states: "The Paths to Cessation of the Three Vehicles all take the Unconditioned as their basis, yet they differ from one another."
此經亦同。《金剛》云：「一切賢聖，皆以無為法而有差別。」聲聞、緣覺、菩薩，因證無為而有淺深，故有三乘差別。
This sutra is the same. The Diamond Sutra says: "All the wise and holy ones differ because of the unconditioned Dharma." The voice-hearers, those awakened to conditions, and bodhisattvas differ in their stages of depth because of how they realize the unconditioned, and that is why there are the three vehicles.
△二、別疑菩薩。
2. Addressing the doubts of the Bodhisattvas specifically.
佛言：「我昔為菩薩時，名曰儒童，於然燈佛所已入涅槃。」儒童菩薩時於七住初獲無生忍，進修三位。
The Buddha said: "When I was a Bodhisattva in the past, I was named Rutong, and at the place of Dipankara Buddha, I already entered Nirvana." As Bodhisattva Rutong, at the beginning of the seventh stage, I attained the patience of non-arising and advanced through the practice of the three positions.
梵云摩衲婆，此曰儒童。經說釋迦因中實經三阿僧祇劫，初劫滿遇寶髻佛，時位在初地；次劫滿遇然燈佛，時位在七地；後劫滿遇勝觀佛，時位在十地。今據次劫滿時，故曰七住初在然燈佛所也。七住即七地，古多此譯。若以七住約下賢位第七，即合云進修三十三位。又初劫尚未滿，非值然燈時，故知即七地也。又《仁王》以五忍配位，無生忍在七地位中得故。言已入涅槃者，證無為理也。若約始教，初地已來分證無為；若約終教，初住證真。今約七地說證者，據獲無生忍深證悟說，非謂前地未證無為。以七地已前未得純無相觀，七地已後有相有為永不現前，故說七地已後入純無相觀。於無相觀進修八九十之三位，如順流舟，自然流入薩婆若海。據斯深證，故曰已入涅槃。言獲無生忍者，《華嚴》七地云：菩薩住此地，善淨無量身語意業無相行故，得無生法忍光明。今引佛意，但欲明證法之人證一味法，何有諸位差別？
In Sanskrit, the term is Mānava, which translates as "youth" or "young seeker." The sutras state that during his causal practices, Śākyamuni spent three asamkhyeya-kalpas. At the conclusion of the first kalpa, he encountered Ratnaśikhin Buddha and attained the first bhūmi; at the conclusion of the second kalpa, he encountered Dīpankara Buddha and attained the seventh bhūmi; at the conclusion of the final kalpa, he encountered Ratnaketu Buddha and attained the tenth bhūmi. Since the current context refers to the time following the second kalpa, it is said that he attained the seventh stage while in the presence of Dīpankara Buddha. In older translations, the "seventh stage" (saptabhūmi) was often referred to as the "seventh abode" (saptasthāna). If we were to interpret "seventh abode" as the seventh position of the lower stages of worthiness, we would instead speak of advancing through the thirty-three stages. However, since the first kalpa was not yet complete at the time of meeting Dīpankara, we know this refers to the seventh bhūmi. Furthermore, the *Renwang Sutra* aligns the five types of patience with specific stages, and the "patience of non-arising" is attained within the seventh bhūmi.
The statement that one has "already entered Nirvāṇa" refers to the realization of the unconditioned reality. According to the Initial Teaching, the unconditioned is partially realized from the first bhūmi onwards; according to the Final Teaching, the truth is realized at the first abode. When we speak of realization at the seventh bhūmi, it is specifically in reference to the profound realization attained through the patience of non-arising. This does not mean that the preceding stages lacked realization of the unconditioned. It is simply that before the seventh bhūmi, one has not yet attained a purely signless contemplation, whereas from the seventh bhūmi onwards, all conditioned activities associated with signs no longer manifest. Thus, it is said that after the seventh bhūmi, one enters into pure signless contemplation. Advancing through the eighth, ninth, and tenth stages within this signless contemplation is like a boat moving with the current, naturally flowing into the ocean of omniscience. Because of this profound realization, it is said that one has already entered Nirvāṇa.
Regarding the "patience of non-arising," the *Avataṃsaka Sutra* states in the chapter on the seventh bhūmi: "A Bodhisattva dwelling in this stage, by means of signless practice, perfectly purifies immeasurable actions of body, speech, and mind, and thus attains the light of the patience of non-arising." By citing the Buddha’s intent here, we only wish to clarify that those who realize the Dharma realize a Dharma of a single flavor. How could there be any distinctions between various stages?
△三、以一難三。
3. Using one to challenge the three.
若涅槃一也，則不應有三。
If Nirvana is one, then there should not be three.
人得平等法，不應有三乘及三位高下故。
Once a person attains the Dharma of equality, there should be no distinction of the Three Vehicles, nor any hierarchical ranking of the three stages.
如其有三，則非究竟。
If there are three, then it is not ultimate.
人既得法有三，則知法非究竟一味。
究竟之道而有昇降之殊。
昇降，即高下。若皆得究竟一味，何以有昇降殊異？
眾經異說，何以取中耶？
中，正也。若以眾經之說與論旨有異，取何為正義也？此下先答三乘，至第十四章再問三位。