分別功德論 2

English (machine translation) 2

Language: English

2.1

Translator's name lost; appended to the Later Han record

Maitreya praised it as "excellent" because he gathered this great Dharma of the six perfections into one division, which is the Bodhisattva Piṭaka. "Cutting off fetters" means cutting off the fetters and defilements of various speculative views. As for "realizing the fruit of the path", in the Great Vehicle it is such a matter. Why did Ānanda only say "I have heard" and not say "I have seen"? Could it be that he did not see the Tathāgata preach the Dharma? The reason that saying "seen" is improper is that for the sake of the future fourfold assembly, he could not say "seen". Supposing he had said "seen", then later members of the fourfold assembly who again followed Ānanda in saying "seen" would be uttering falsehood. For this reason, he only proclaimed "heard" and did not say "seen".

2.3

He first preached the Dharma to deliver the five men including Ājñātakauṇḍinya, and in Magadha subdued the three Kāśyapas. Śākya is Kapilavastu. If the location where a sūtra was spoken is not obtained, one merely states it was in Śrāvastī, because the Buddha stayed in Śrāvastī for twenty-five years, which, compared to other kingdoms, was the longest. The reason he stayed longest was that this kingdom was the most marvelous and had many rare treasures, its people were flourishing and possessed the highest sense of righteousness, and the Jetavana monastery had extraordinary divine verifications. When the sangha was gathered for a lecture, several thousand monkeys came to observe and listen on both sides in utter silence, and all kinds of flying birds universally gathered. Just as the sangha dispersed and each returned to his dwelling, as soon as the gaṇḍī sounded they assembled again. This was because the kingdom had much benevolence and kindness, so that different species drew near. The Buddha might temporarily go to receive an invitation, or by supernatural power adapt to convert [beings] and quickly return to his original place; therefore, simply stating Śrāvastī is sufficient to know its significance.

2.4

The reason for specifically mentioning the names of the two persons, Jetṛ and Anāthapiṇḍada, is that these two had previously passed away and are now in the heavens, where they also gather the devas to teach and preach the Dharma. At that time they thought: "We were originally the dānapatis of the sangha; will our names never again be mentioned?" Wishing to accommodate what they thought, the names of the two persons were separately mentioned. As for stating that "one should cultivate one Dharma", this was also not spoken in sequential order. If based on the preaching of the Dharma upon first attaining awakening, it should begin with preaching the four noble truths in the Deer Park in Vārāṇasī, and next proceed to Magadha to subdue the three Kāśyapas. By taking the opportunity to mention the names of the masters of the monastery, it then says "one should cultivate one Dharma", because the flavor of the principle of this one Dharma and of the four Dharmas is not different. One Dharma also cuts off fetters, and four Dharmas also cut off fetters; both reach nirvāṇa, arriving at the same destination by different paths. In total there are twenty-one fetters, unfolded into thirty-six. Although the numbers expand or contract, all are fetters. In all matters there are one hundred and one, which expanded further become eighty-four thousand; thus one Dharma and tens of thousands are equally paths to the ultimate Way. It is like a lion killing an elephant or killing a rabbit: both are the same single death. Because their principled purport is not different, it begins with one Dharma. Non-negligence (apramāda) is the essence of this one Dharma. Someone may ask: Morality should come first; one should first uphold morality and afterwards be mindful of the Three Jewels. Or it may be said: For beginners, they first be mindful of the Three Jewels—that is, the three refuges—and directing their minds to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, sequentially receive morality. For this reason, morality should be explained fourth, after the cessation of thoughts.

2.5

As for the "mindfulness of the suffering of the body in seclusion", it means contemplating the thirty-six impure substances and foul discharges of the body to awaken oneself, through which the path can be attained. How is this demonstrated? In the past, there was a monk who practiced āraṇyaka conduct and begged for food. He encountered a gṛhapati's daughter and begged food from her. The monk and the woman were both handsome. Seeing the monk, the woman gave rise to lustful thoughts; seeing the woman, the monk also gave rise to lustful thoughts. His mind agitated and his hands trembling, he dropped the food into the bowl, missing it so that it fell onto the ground. The woman smiled in amusement. Seeing the woman's white teeth, the monk immediately awakened to himself, saying: "Inside the woman's mouth there is purely just bone. As the Buddha said: 'In the human body there are three hundred and twenty bones, six hundred joints, seven hundred thousand vessels, and nine hundred thousand pores. One pore enters and nine orifices discharge, leaking impurity, with not one thing worthy of greed.'" Carefully contemplating the thirty-six substances of the woman's body, his hair stood on end with dread; focusing solely on examining himself, he immediately understood the emptiness of the body and attained the path of stream-entry. He then thought to himself: "Because of this woman I have seen the Dharma; she is my spiritual friend. Now I should repay her kindness." He then explained to the woman the contemplation of the body that he had just understood. The woman's mind immediately opened, and she too attained the path of stream-entry. For this reason, mindfulness of the body is superior.

2.6

As for "mindfulness of death", it means being mindful of when a person's merit is exhausted and life ends: seeing the omens of hell, they lose their feces in terror. If they see hungry ghosts or animals, depending on where their actions cause them to fall, all they see is terrifying. Their mind wishes to cast it off and leave, but instead they are dragged by their karmic retribution. If they are to be born as humans, it depends on the union of parents. If taking birth in a male womb, they feel love for that woman; if taking birth in a female womb, they feel love for that man. Removing their sickness and difficulties, when the three conditions do not err, they then enter the womb. Having received it, they further grasp it as their own; changing every seven days, the skillful wind carves and cuts it, until in thirty-eight periods of seven days its form is finally completed. If born in the heavens, heavenly music comes to welcome them, and overcome with joy they immediately lose their urine. These omens of the five destinies each have what is seen. One who should practice this death has already taken it as a clear precept, deeply contemplating impermanence: life is as swift as lightning or a cloud passing through a courtyard, and when old age, sickness, and death arrive, there is none who does not pass away. Constantly being mindful of this transformation to awaken oneself: therefore it is called mindfulness of death.

2.7

The first ten recollections were spoken by the Buddha himself, and because no one had questioned him, they were not explained. Regarding the latter ten recollections, the monks asked, and the Buddha further expounded them, analyzing and explaining each one.

2.8

As for the "venerable disciples", it means that among the five hundred arhats each had their specialty: some were foremost in wisdom, some in ṛddhi, some in eloquence, some in merit, some in keeping the precepts, some in contentment, or some in preaching the Dharma—each held the foremost position. If one wishes to discuss the elder brother coming before the younger brother, Ājñātakauṇḍinya was the eldest and Subhadra was the youngest; this is the broad outline of the hierarchical order in the Buddha's Dharma. If one were to take cleverness, intelligence, and broad erudition as the head, that would merely be the way of the brāhmaṇas.

2.9

When it speaks of 'one thousand two hundred and fifty', it cites those who constantly attended [the Buddha]. When it is said 'five hundred people', it was when the Buddha accepted the invitation of Anavatapta: he selected five hundred suitable people to follow him directly to the dragon king's palace. Why? This Lake Anavatapta cannot be reached by those with defiled, obstructed physical forms. When Ānanda brought forth the sūtras, he assembled eighty-four thousand arhats; from this perspective, the number is beyond calculation. This sūtra now brings forth exactly one hundred people; their foremost qualities encompass the four assemblies, and two hundred and twenty are each foremost. How could the remainder be counted? It is said: 'This sūtra originally had one hundred topics, which Ānanda entrusted to Uttara.' Twelve years after the compilation of the Ekottarāgama, Ānanda entered parinirvāṇa. At that time, the monks each practiced seated meditation and no longer recited and practiced [the texts], saying that of the Buddha's three activities, seated meditation is foremost, and thus each neglected chanting and recitation. After twelve years, the monk Uttara also entered parinirvāṇa, and because of this, ninety topics of this sūtra were lost. Foreign masters transmission from master to disciple was by oral transmission, not permitting the recording in written text. What was transmitted at that time was only eleven topics. From then on down through the lineage, there was only the present text. Even so, the Sarvāstivāda school lacks the preface and the last eleven topics; through drifting over a long time, more and more was lost. The reason he specifically entrusted this disciple with the Ekottar[āgama] was that since the time of the seven Buddhas, he had specifically mastered and practiced the Ekottarāgama, and the previous sages had also all entrusted this sūtra [to him]; therefore, Śākyamuni again diligently reached out to this monk. At that time, Uttara's disciple named Kalyāṇabuddhi received and recited the Ekottar[āgama] from his master, obtaining only eleven topics, when Uttara entered parinirvāṇa. What is currently present in the Tripiṭaka abroad was completely transmitted by Kalyāṇabuddhi, handed down from master to disciple until now without interruption. The reason Kāśyapa always called Ānanda a child was because for successive lifetimes, he had treated him with paternal affection. At that time, Ānanda's sister was a nun; hearing Kāśyapa's words, she was deeply resentful: 'Ānanda is intelligent, broadly learned, and looked up to by the masses. How can the Venerable One call him a child?' Kāśyapa said to the nun: 'Elder sister! Ānanda has two shameful matters. What is there to resent? Precisely because Ānanda urged the Buddha to ordain women, he caused the Buddha's Dharma to decrease by a thousand years; this is the first. Ānanda had sixty disciples, and recently thirty monks returned to lay life. In the Buddha's teaching on the method for ordaining disciples, if a householder with faith comes seeking the path, one must test him for seven days. If one from an external teaching comes seeking the path, one must test him for four months. Why are they not equal? Because those from non-Buddhist traditions might come with bad intentions seeking faults, therefore one first tests them to know if they are completely sincere. Otherwise, Ānanda ordaining them as soon as they arrived is the second shameful matter. The reason these thirty monks returned is that they heard Ānanda was foremost in equal knowledge among the ninety-six paths; when seeking ordination from Ānanda, they wished to request equal knowledge. However, Ānanda did not explain equal knowledge to them, and thus it did not match their original intention, whereupon they returned. Upon returning, they will surely slander Ānanda, saying he lacks equal knowledge. Ordaining disciples is like a fish laying billions of eggs: if she keeps her mind on them, they hatch; if she does not keep her mind on them, they rot away. Disciples are also like this: if one attends to teaching them, they are accomplished; if one does not attend to them, they fall back. Is this not shameful!' Because this nun directed anger toward Kāśyapa, she fell into hell in her present body. Because Ānanda had these deficiencies, Kāśyapa merely called him a child. Ānanda himself cited that in the past he had been a cakravartin named Dīrghāyus. Receiving the bequest of his father the great king, he ascended the throne and governed. When he was about to leave household life, he again entrusted Crown Prince Sudarśana, handing over the state governance to him. Transmitted successively, it was never suspended for a moment. Formerly there was succession from father to son; now there is succession from master to disciple. If in the past he did not lose even defiled teachings, how could he lose the supreme, true, wondrous Dharma now? Therefore, he cited his own experience to show that he was certainly capable of receiving the bequeathed scriptures.

2.10

Regarding 'one should mindfully venerate the Dharma': in the verse above, the Tripiṭaka and the four Āgamas have already been distinguished. In the prose it is also said that within a single verse all the dharmas of the Tripiṭaka can be contained, so how could the Ekottar[āgama] not contain all dharmas? Why is there another verse explanation like this? It is because the devaputras had the thought in their minds: 'Can Ānanda not compose verses to expound the Dharma? Why does he again give this casual explanation?' Knowing what was in the minds of the devaputras, Ānanda said to them: 'Even if the sūtras carried by eighty-four thousand elephants were all to be composed into verse, I could compose them all into verse.' How much less could Ānanda be unable to compose this small Dharma? Desiring to suit the wishes of the devas, he again expounded the dharmas in verse, encouraging the devas and sharp-facultied sentient beings who ought to gain understanding upon hearing the verse. The Dharma is precisely that of the previous chapter: 'To avoid all evil, to cultivate all good, to purify one's own mind—this is the teaching of the Buddhas.' It means that this Dharma can accomplish the three vehicles, sever the three bad destinies, fulfill all fruits, and receive retribution in both lives. Because capacities have superior and inferior qualities, he devised methods to guide them forward. The verse says: 'The highest uphold the Tripiṭaka; next are the four Āgamas; or if one can receive the Vinaya Piṭaka, that is the Tathāgata's treasure.' The reason it is called a treasure is like a king having a treasure storehouse that he does not let outsiders know of; only inner ministers who are of one mind with the king are made to manage it. The Vinaya is also like this: only if one can uphold the two hundred and fifty and the five hundred rules is it conferred upon that person; it must not be put on display for external laymen and laywomen to view, hence the comparison to a royal treasure. If one's strength does not reach the two Piṭakas, but one only upholds the Abhidharma, one can subdue non-Buddhists, and of the ninety-six paths none will fail to return to the source. Why? This incomparable, wondrous wisdom can resolve subtle blockages above and make them clear and upright. Even if one abides for a kalpa with five superknowledges, one has not escaped being controlled by the four floods; therefore, those of external teachings dare not pry into it. Ānanda chanting these ten verses of wondrous encouragement was precisely for these thirty thousand devas and humans.

2.11

In the past, when the Buddha first attained awakening, in the Deer Park in Vārāṇasī, turning the wheel of the Dharma of the four truths for the five men including Ājñātakauṇḍinya, the Buddha said: 'Kauṇḍinya! You should know the truth of suffering, the truth of the arising of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering, and the truth of the escape from suffering.' Directly stating these four truths, Kauṇḍinya had long been attached to existence; hearing the explanation of wisdom, his mind was still not awakened. Thereupon [the Buddha] explained emptiness to him: 'Kauṇḍinya! You should know that what the four wisdoms adhere to is entirely empty and impermanent. It is like an illusion, neither real nor existing.' Kauṇḍinya immediately understood and attained sight of the path. The four men had not yet understood. The Tathāgata again contemplated the basis of their minds: two men had the affliction of conceptualizing and clinging to sensory pleasure, reminiscing about the five desires at home and giving free rein to them, being attached and unable to let go. Applying the medicine according to the sickness, he then explained the signless samādhi: 'All that you conceptualize returns to cessation; why then let your mind race toward what gives you pleasure?' What they conceptualized was immediately dissolved, and the two also attained the path. The remaining two men constantly aspired to be born in the Brahma realm to become a king in Brahmā; what they were attached to remained unresolved and became an encumbrance. Seeing where their minds lay, the Tathāgata also explained wishlessness to them: 'Your aspiration to seek to become a king of the Brahma realm cannot provide an escape; all returns to annihilation and nothing endures permanently. You should abandon what you seek, and take the escape as primary.' They immediately gained understanding and were accomplished in the path. What the five men were attached to was each different, and what they understood was not the same. The so-called three turnings of the four truths are that within emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, the four truths are present in each. The truths are contemplation; samādhi is calming. Calming and contemplation operating together jointly cure the disease of ignorance and craving within the aggregates, elements, and sense bases.

2.12

'Twelve' means destroying the twelvefold conditioned origination. In the past when the Buddha was in the world, expounding the Dharma for the four assemblies, he would explain the four truths or explain the six perfections, unfolding each according to what the sentient beings before him should hear, without any fixed measure. Or there were kings, gṛhapatis, brahmacārins, and householders who either invited him for offerings or came to ask questions. Concerning all that could be spoken, Ānanda asked: 'How should it be designated? Should one say "heard", or should one say "seen"?' The Buddha told Ānanda: 'Later, in the future, when expounding the Dharma for the four assemblies, you should say "heard"; you must not say "seen". If you say "seen", that would be false. Why? What was heard is already past; what is seen is present. Just as regarding the seven Buddhas of the past one can only say "heard" and not "seen", so too will it be for you in the future.' Therefore it says, 'Thus have I heard'.

2.13

The reason I earnestly entrusted Ānanda is that although past Buddhas had attendants, none was like Ānanda in knowing the Buddha's intent. In the past he had already made offerings to two billion Buddhas, constantly serving as an attendant without seeking the exhaustion of outflows, constantly vowing to attain equal knowledge and know the Buddhas' intent. Because of this, he now obtains his reward: looking into my eyes, he grasps my intent without missing the proper measure.

2.14

Among all the Buddhas, in valiant vigor none surpasses Śākyamuni. Among the brothers, Maitreya should have been in front, but now on the contrary he is behind. Why? Formerly, thirty kalpas ago, three bodhisattvas were traveling together on a mountain. At that time, they saw a starving tigress about to eat her cubs. One person thought: 'This tiger is already an animal, and moreover is about to eat her cubs; in death there is bitter pain, and the mother is not compassionate. As for my present body, compounded of the four great elements, it must inevitably end in death; I should use my body to save the cubs' lives.' The two persons were unwilling, intending rather to go to the market to buy meat to substitute for the cubs' lives. The one person reflected: 'If there is this going and returning, the cubs' lives will not be preserved. I should cast my body down from the mountain to save the cubs' lives.' He immediately cast himself down from the mountain and approached the tiger's mouth. His body remained unharmed, and the tigress did not dare eat him. Why was this so? Because when one enters the loving-kindness samādhi, nothing can harm him. Therefore, he pierced himself with a bamboo [splinter] to let the tigress eat him. Due to this vigor, he surpassed nine kalpas, and now precedes Maitreya. From this perspective, in the Path there is no before or after; determination of will comes first. Therefore, now that I have become a Buddha, I entrust the bequeathed scriptures to Ānanda. In the future you shall say, 'Thus have I heard'.

2.15

Why does it again say 'at one time'? Is this a count of days and months? Or is it a person's name? Answer: It is both a reckoning of the season, and it resides in the persons' names. Or it is said: there are two kinds of designations, either kṣatriya or brāhmaṇa; there are further two designations, either of the gṛhapati lineage or of the householder lineage; or it is in the heavens, or in the human realm. Since there are various 'or's such as these and it is not a single place, it is called 'at one time'.

2.16

'Bhagavān' is an appellation of the World-Honoured One. His fetters are completely exhausted, and none can surpass him, so he is called 'Honoured'. The devas of the three realms all come to look up to him as their master, and the ghosts and spirits of the eight classes also revere him, so he is called 'World-Honoured'. Being able to subdue Māra, he is again 'Honoured'. Appellations such as these are immeasurable, hence he is titled 'World-Honoured'.

2.17

Regarding “Jeta Grove, the park of Anāthapiṇḍada”: Prince Jeta was the legitimate heir of King Prasenajit. He had a park estate of eighty qing. Its land was level and its trees were luxuriant, with many birds and beasts gathering there daily. Jeta kept the Buddha in mind and always wished to present it to the Buddha as a monastery. Before this was accomplished, the elder Sudatta also came to request to purchase it. From their youth Jeta had been close friends with the elder and often enjoyed teasing him; so he jokingly gave his consent. Having obtained a decision, Sudatta was overjoyed. Looking back, he said to his attendant: “Quickly yoke the elephants and load the gold to spread upon the ground.” They immediately brought out the gold on [the elephants’] backs, spread it out as it was brought together, and in a short while forty qing were covered. Jeta said: “Stop, stop! I gave consent only in jest; there is no need to spread any more.” Sudatta thereupon went with the prince to the king's presence and reported this matter. The king said: “The law allows no double-talk. Once consent and decision are fixed, there is no principle permitting regret.” Jeta said: “I shall take the share of the trees, and you may take the land.” The two agreed and jointly founded a monastery, which had seventy-two lecture halls and one thousand two hundred and fifty chambers. The grounds within were level and even, its fruit trees were lush and abundant, its flowing springs and bathing ponds were appropriately warm or cool, its vistas in all four directions were clear and bright, and it remained unchanged in winter and summer. When the adornments were completely finished, they jointly invited the World-Honoured One. The World-Honoured One then roamed and dwelt therein together with one thousand two hundred and fifty monks, while the donors provided offerings of the four requisites without lack. As for Anāthapiṇḍada, because he was a minister of that kingdom, he respectfully deferred [to the prince] so that [Jeta] was put first. For this reason the various sūtras always mention Jeta at the head. Because their merits were linked, their names likewise could not be separated, and they are always combined as the designation.

2.18

Regarding “The Buddha addressed the monks”: Why did he not address the laymen and laywomen, but addressed only the monks? Among the four assemblies, the monks are the foremost; furthermore, they are the leaders in crushing evil, cutting off all defilements (āsrava) by means of anāsrava dharmas. For this reason, he addressed them first. A monk (bhikṣu) is also called a śramaṇa. A śramaṇa is one whose mind has attained rest, having put to rest and removed desires, remaining tranquil and without attachment. He is also called “dispeller of famine”: worldly people suffer from a famine of sensual desire; the monk eliminates this hungry notion of desire and famine. When the World-Honoured One preaches the Dharma, the monks are able to receive it, severing birth and death to reach the gate of nirvāṇa. It is for this reason that he addressed the monks.

2.19

Regarding “One should cultivate one dharma”: this refers to mindfulness of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti). What manner of matter is mindfulness of the Buddha? The Buddha's body is adamantine and free from all defilements (āsrava). When he walks, his feet are four inches above the ground, and marks with the pattern of a thousand-spoked wheel appear upon the earth. The insects and ants beneath his feet remain secure for seven days, and if their lives come to an end, they are all reborn in heaven. Formerly, there was an evil monk who was originally a non-Buddhist and wished to don the robes deceitfully in order to slander [the Buddha]. Following behind the Tathāgata as he walked, he killed many flying insects and placed them in the Buddha’s footprints, saying that [the Buddha] trod on insects and killed them. However, though the insects were dead, when they met the Buddha’s footprints, they immediately returned to life. When he enters a town or city and his foot steps upon the threshold, heaven and earth shake mightily, a hundred kinds of music play without being struck, and the deaf, blind, mute, crippled, and afflicted with a hundred illnesses are naturally cured. He possesses the thirty-two marks and eighty secondary signs, and whoever beholds them attains deliverance in accordance with their practice. The beings saved by his merits cannot be reckoned, and how could the illumination of his radiant wisdom ever be deprecated? The Buddha is the master of all phenomena (dharma), uniting the myriad practices with carrying [beings] across as foremost. Such is the meaning of what is called mindfulness of the Buddha.

2.20

What is mindfulness of the Dharma (dharmānusmṛti)? The Dharma refers to anāsrava dharmas, desireless dharmas, dharmas of the path, and unconditioned (asaṃskṛta) dharmas; it is the going from desire to desirelessness. The Buddha is the master of all dharmas, and the Dharma is the master over the fetters. Someone asks: “Is the Dharma first, or is the Buddha first?” The answer is: “The Dharma is first.” How is this known? The sūtra says: “The Dharma produces the Buddhas; the Dharma gives birth to the path of the Buddhas.” Speaking from this, the Dharma is first. He asks again: “If that is so, why not be mindful of the Dharma first, rather than being mindful of the Buddha first?” The answer is: “Although the Dharma is subtle and wondrous, no one is able to know it. It is like precious treasures hidden beneath the earth that exist everywhere, yet people are impoverished and lack the resources for use. A person of spiritual power points out the location, enabling them to provide for themselves and be saved from poverty and lack.” Someone asks: “Is the treasure superior, or is the person superior?” The answer is: “The person is superior.” Why say he is superior? Although the hidden treasures are many, without spiritual power they cannot be seen; it is through the person that the resources for life are obtained—how could the treasure hoard beneath the earth be valuable of itself? The Dharma is also like this: although its principle is profound and subtle, without the Tathāgata it is not distinguished, and without the World-Honoured One it is not proclaimed. Therefore, mindfulness of the Buddha comes first, and the Dharma is next.

2.21

What is mindfulness of the Saṃgha (saṃghānusmṛti)? The Saṃgha refers to the four pairs and eight persons, the twelve virtuous persons, who have abandoned worldly greed and dispute and opened the way as guides of merit. There is no passage between gods and humans that does not depend on them; thus they are a fine and beneficial field of merit for sentient beings. How is it demonstrated that the Saṃgha is an excellent field of merit? Formerly, there was a monk of little merit named Brahmadatta. Being among the assembly of one thousand two hundred and fifty, he caused the Saṃgha to receive no food. Not knowing whose fault it was, the Buddha divided [the Saṃgha] into two groups. When he was in one group, he caused that group to receive no food. [The Buddha] again divided this group in half, placing him in one half, and he again caused that half to receive no food. Dividing by half in this manner successively, down to two persons, they still could not obtain food. Finally, when it came down to him alone, they knew he had no merit. Wherever food was distributed, when it came his turn to have it placed in his bowl, it naturally melted away. The Buddha pitied his plight and with his own hand offered food into his bowl, and controlled by [the Buddha’s] spiritual power, it did not vanish again. The Buddha wished to cause him to gain merit in his present body, so he placed two monks who had attained nirodhasamāpatti to his left and right, and had him give food to these two monks in nirodha. As a rule, with the samādhi of nirodha, one obtains merit immediately. Next, he placed monks who had entered the samādhi of loving-kindness to his left and right; next with two in compassion, next with two in sympathetic joy, and next with two in equanimity, alternating each in turn so that he completed the four immeasurables. At that time King Prasenajit heard that this monk had little merit and that the Buddha had pitied him and given him food. [The king thought,] “I should also now establish merit for him,” and immediately sent a messenger to bestow rice. At that time a crow flew down, took a grain of rice in its beak, and flew away. The messenger scolded it, saying: “The king is establishing merit for Brahmadatta; why do you carry it off?” The crow immediately brought it back to its original place. Why was this so? Because this monk had received the meritorious power of the Saṃgha, he could not be harmed or infringed upon by birds and beasts. By this evidence, one knows that the Saṃgha is an excellent field of merit. Having already crossed over themselves, they are further able to cross others over to the path of the three vehicles. Such is the meaning of the method of mindfulness of the Saṃgha.

2.22

Next, regarding mindfulness of morality (śīlānusmṛti): what is its meaning? From the five precepts, the ten precepts, the two hundred and fifty to the five hundred precepts, all serve to prohibit and restrain body and speech, check all deviance and error, control and govern the six emotions, and sever all desirous thoughts; only when interior and exterior are pure does one accord with the nature of morality. Formerly, two monks were travelling together to the Buddha's place. Their route passed through a wide wasteland, and they suddenly ran out of water. At that time there was a small pool of stagnant water, completely full of insects. One monk contemplated the prohibitive vinaya deeply, regarding non-transgression as foremost: “If I drink this water, I will kill very many living beings. I would rather preserve the precepts and lose my life, perishing without regret.” Thereupon, when his life ended, he was immediately reborn in heaven. The [other] monk thought to himself: “I ought to drink the water to preserve my life so that I can reach the Buddha's place. How do I know what realm I will be reborn into after death?” He then drank the insect-filled water, killing a great many insects. Although he was able to see the Buddha, he was very far from the teaching. Weeping, he said to the Buddha: “My companion’s life has ended.” The Buddha pointed up to the sky and said: “Do you recognise this deva? This is your companion. Through the merit of preserving the precepts, he was immediately reborn in heaven and has now come here. Although you see me, you are very far from me. Although he lost his life, he is always in my presence. Your coming now to see me is merely beholding my physical body; how could you recognise the most true, wondrous precepts?” Speaking from this, if one upholds the precepts without transgressing, whatever one wishes for will be attained. Among the ten recollections, morality is foremost, while speaking of the six perfections, giving is foremost. Why are they not identical in being first or later? The morality of the ten recollections is the morality of the śrāvaka vehicle: the method of disciples regards checking the body as foremost, and therefore it is put first. The method of great beings (mahāsattva) regards generous giving as important. Why is this? As for great beings, being born among gods and humans, they keep in mind helping and benefiting [others]; the essential point of helping and benefiting cannot bring rescue without giving. For sentient beings to maintain their lives, food and clothing come first; therefore, using material giving, one first saves their physical forms, and afterwards by means of the Dharma one gathers and guides their spirits. Hence the great being regards giving as foremost. Now morality is of two kinds: there is worldly morality, and there is the morality of the path. The five precepts and ten wholesome deeds are worldly morality; the three samādhis are the morality of the path. The two hundred and fifty precepts up to the five hundred precepts are also worldly morality; the wondrous wisdom of the four noble truths is the morality of the path. Merely practising and keeping the precepts does not transcend the three realms; only when one governs the precepts with wisdom to make them anāsrava do they accord with the morality of the path. The morality of the śrāvaka vehicle is like a flower on the knee: if one moves, it scatters. The morality of a great being is like a flower pinned in the hair: in walking and stopping, it remains unmoved. Why is this? The Hīnayāna checks physical form, so if one moves, one violates etiquette. The great being directs the mind, not bound by external rules. Because the large and small standards differ, they are distinguished by body and mind; though internal and external differ, both reach nirvāṇa. Therefore it is called mindfulness of morality.

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As for why mindfulness of giving (tyāgānusmṛti) enables one to reach nirvāṇa: it is because giving includes both the giving of material wealth and the giving of Dharma. Relying on the giving of wealth, one is able to attain the giving of Dharma; completing the boundless perfection of giving (dānapāramitā), one is therefore able to reach nirvāṇa.

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Regarding mindfulness of the devas (devatānusmṛti): this refers to the devas of the desire realm, form realm, up to the formless realm. There are two kinds of devas: there are devas who receive merit, and there are devas of the Way and virtue. The srotāpanna devas in the desire realm are forever freed from the three evil destinies and ascend to the halls of the Way. In the form realm and space realm, the eight pure abodes (śuddhāvāsa) cultivate increasing śamatha and vipaśyanā, advance to achieve anāsrava, and enter nirvāṇa right there without returning to the world. As for the devas who are ordinary beings: through the ten wholesome actions, the four dhyānas, and the four formless attainments, they receive merit there; when their merit is exhausted, they fall back down, transmigrating ceaselessly. That which is called mindfulness of the devas means to be mindful of those who have attained the Way, single-mindedly emulating them and admiring what they practice; when the mind does not scatter or wander, one also reaches nirvāṇa. Therefore it is called mindfulness of the devas.

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"Mindfulness of rest" means that the thoughts and ideations of the mind rest; the five desires do not arise, and one is tranquil and eternally settled. Hence it is called "rest." In general, there are two kinds of rest: when non-Buddhist brahmacārins restrain their bodies to seek merit, that too is called "rest"; but when the host of fetters is eternally extinguished in the four fruits of a śramaṇa, that is true rest. How is this known to be so? In the past, there was a monk named Suradha who went to the city of Śrāvastī, walking about to convert and instruct. At that time, to the west of the city of Śrāvastī was the place where Aṅgulimāla used to kill people; the ground there was level and broad, with many trees. There was a brahmacārin sitting in dhyāna under a tree; he did not eat the five grains, but ate only fruits and melons, and if there were no fruit he would eat grass and wild greens to sustain his vital essence. He wore garments of tree leaves, and his body was emaciated and lean, barely supporting itself. At that time Suradha passed by and saw him, took him to be a person of the Way, and sat in dhyāna to test and observe his mind, to know whether he was settled or not. He saw that at root his mind was seeking to become the king of this country. [The monk] thought: "Is this not a great robber?" If he just left, he feared [the man] would later fall into guilt; if he just tried to instruct him, he surely would not follow his words. "I must devise an expedient means to deliver this person." Thereupon he went under a tree not far away and sat in dhyāna, remaining motionless and unshaken for seven days. After seven days passed, he got up, went before the brahmacārin, snapped his fingers to awaken him, and said: "Companion! How is your health?" After a long time, the brahmacārin slowly raised his head and replied: "I am poor and frugal, having nothing to give you. What of it?" The monk further said: "I shall now give you something." He then magically created a chicken [and said]: "You may kill this chicken and eat it." The brahmacārin said in astonishment: "I do not even kill nits or lice, how could I kill a chicken?" The monk said: "At root your mind wishes to kill countless people; killing this chicken—what is it worth mentioning?" The brahmacārin again said: "How could I kill countless people?" The monk said: "When you were originally sitting in dhyāna here, you were seeking to become the king of this country. When a king governs and rules, how many people might he kill in a day? Yet you claim not to kill. This chicken is the consciousness within your mind. Even a chicken can attain the unconditioned Great Way; what use is a king?" He immediately reflected: "This monk actually knows what was thought in my mind. He must surely be a noble person! I should follow his teaching." [The monk] explained the Dharma to him again, and he immediately attained the track of the Way. Although this brahmacārin's physical body had been quiet, his mind had not rested. Only after he was able to kill the chicken of consciousness could he be called at rest. Therefore it is explained afterwards: "the thoughts and ideations of the mind rest."

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"Mindfulness of the body" means observing the thirty-six impure substances and repulsive discharges of the body, mindfully focused and unconfused, thereby also attaining nirvāṇa. How is this known? In the past, there was a monk who was an āraṇyaka. He constantly went begging for food, and ate by the riverbank; having finished eating, he washed his bowl. At that time, in a cemetery on the bank upstream, there was a newly deceased woman; the wind blew her hair, and it suddenly fell into the bowl. The monk took this hair in his hand, looked at it carefully, and found it extraordinarily beautiful. He said to himself aloud: "If it were horsehair, it would be too fine. If it were a man's hair, it would be too soft and fine. If it does not untangle when tied, it must be a woman's hair." He then tied it and it did not untangle. Then he gave rise to the thought: "If the hair is like this, the person must be extraordinarily beautiful, with a face like peach blossoms, eyes like bright pearls, a nose like a cut bamboo cylinder, a mouth like held cinnabar, and eyebrows like millipedes." Having made such distinctions, he gave rise to lustful thoughts; following the water, he searched, yearning to see her appearance. Pursuing without stopping, he saw a woman, half-eaten by foxes and wolves, her body foul and putrid, with her hair still remaining. Taking the hair, he compared it, and the lengths were alike; his earlier lustful thoughts dissolved naturally. Again he observed it closely, distinguishing and scrutinising: "When this person was alive, her appearance was adorned and beautiful, but now it is decomposed and ruined, shown for people to see. The thoughts I gave rise to earlier were merely greed for the body and lustful desire, which is why I conceived such thoughts. That body is like this; how am I any different? Accurately considered, my body is formed by the coming together of the four great elements; when merits are exhausted and conditions separate, it naturally disperses." Seeing the transformation, his mind was awakened, and he immediately attained the track of the Way. Speaking from this, one who is mindful of the body obtains the fruits of a śramaṇa.

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"Mindfulness of death" means that the practitioner contemplates: "Life passes away without stopping; the sense-faculties scatter and decay like rotten wood, and the life-faculty is cut off." One should contemplate impermanence to awaken oneself. In the past, there was a monk named Vakkali. Sitting in dhyāna and practicing the Way, years passed by and his defilements were not eradicated; he loathed his own body, considering it a great burden. He often thought of harming himself: "The reason one cannot attain the Way is precisely because of being entangled and transmigrating through this body; when will it ever cease?" Thereupon, holding a knife in his hand, he was about to slit his own throat, but then reflected again: "The World-Honoured One gave an admonition that his disciples must not mutilate themselves. Even so, I now seek nirvāṇa; in nirvāṇa there is no body, therefore I will first remove the body to take the unconditioned." Just then, he raised the knife and slit his own throat; as his head fell, his mind penetrated through, and he immediately attained the status of an arhat. The Buddha knew that he had already attained the Way, and commanded the monks to cremate his corpse. Therefore, mindfulness of death also leads to nirvāṇa.

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The earlier ten points of mindfulness of the Buddha were a general exposition, intended for sentient beings of sharp faculties. The later exposition is to analyse and explain their meanings for sentient beings of dull faculties. "Reputation" means later becoming a wheel-turning cakravartin. "Attaining great recompense" means later becoming Śakra Devānām Indra. "All good things universally arriving" means later obtaining the retribution of Brahmā. "Attaining the taste of the deathless" means later becoming a pratyekabuddha. "Reaching the unconditioned place" means later obtaining the fruit of an arhat. In the earlier explanation of the ten points of mindfulness, there were not these five phrases; the reason these various retributions are added now is to clarify that the meaning of mindfulness of the Buddha has a profound and subtle principle. The Buddha stated: when the disciples attain parinirvāṇa, all do so by repaying past conditions and then taking nirvāṇa. Maudgalyāyana was beaten, Śāriputra had dysentery; in this way, each of the five hundred disciples attained extinction through their past conditions. Only Ānanda was best at taking nirvāṇa. When Ānanda was about to enter nirvāṇa, he first manifested auspicious omens of light. There was a brahmacārin who studied mathematics from Ānanda; seeing that Ānanda's facial complexion was luminous, he told King Ajātaśatru: "Ānanda's facial complexion is extraordinary; is he about to take nirvāṇa?" The king immediately sent people to pursue and search for Ānanda. Ānanda had already led five hundred disciples midway to the bank of the Ganges, and boarded a boat intending to cross over. Just when he reached midstream, the king had arrived at the shore. Vaiśālī, hearing that Ānanda was coming, also sent five hundred youths to welcome him. Wishing to satisfy the desires of both countries, he used his supernormal power to stop the boat in midstream. At that time he delivered two disciples: the first was named Majjhantika, and the second was named Mahinda. He told Majjhantika: "You must go to Kaśmīra to foster and manifest the Buddha's Dharma. That land does not yet have the Buddha's Dharma; make it well spread." He told Mahinda: "You must go to the island-country of Siṃhala to foster and prosper the Buddha's Dharma." Having completed the entrustment, he performed eighteen transformations, produced fire to burn his body, and divided his relics in half, allowing both parties to obtain them for worship. This was due to the power of mindfulness of the Buddha, and therefore he attained mastery.

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Treatise Distinguishing Merits, Fascicle Two

Linked texts (1)

分別功德論 — Classical Chinese