釋摩訶衍論 7.6

7.6

Having explained the gate of introducing the inquiry and general presentation, next is explained the gate of revealing the reply and detailed exposition. Within this gate there are two gates. What are the two? First, the gate of answering and explaining according to the sequence of the questions; second, the gate of adducing the inferior to reveal the superior so that understanding arises. These are called the two. Within the gate of answering and explaining according to the sequence of the questions, there are six gates. What are the six? First, the gate of revealing the practitioner as a designated person; second, the gate of natural, intrinsically existent perfuming; third, the gate of revealing the functions and capacities of cultivation; fourth, the gate of the time measure for the perfection of faith; fifth, the gate of revealing the causes and conditions of generating the aspiration; sixth, the gate of revealing the superiority of the stage of obtaining benefits. These are called the six.

Regarding 'the gate of revealing the practitioner as a designated person': although the sentient beings to be transformed are immeasurable and boundless, here for now we take the sentient beings of the indeterminate group who are subsumed under the ten faiths. Why is this? Because it is intended that, through transforming the three grades of sentient beings of the indeterminate group, the ten kinds of faithful minds will become fully perfected, decisively establishing them within the vajra-like, unalterable stage of the first aspiration-abode among the ten abodes of a bodhisattva. As the root text says: 'That is to say, relying on sentient beings of the indeterminate group.'

Regarding 'the gate of natural, intrinsically existent perfuming': in the continuum of such sentient beings, from beginningless time, there is always the Buddha of the original awakening treasury, which constantly perfumes sentient beings' good roots and causes them to increase. As the root text says: 'Because they possess the power of perfumed good roots.'

Regarding 'the gate of revealing the functions and capacities of cultivation': various sentient beings of the indeterminate group believe in cause, karma, and result, because of the principle that [phenomena] seemingly exist as a non-empty conjunction of causes and conditions. Knowing the faults of the ten unwholesome actions, they give rise to the intention that these should not be done; observing the merits of the ten wholesome actions, they give rise to the intention that these should be done. Reviling the stage of bondage and seeking the city of liberation, they gradually depart and head toward bodhi. As the root text says: 'They believe in karma and its retributive results and can produce the ten wholesome deeds; detesting the suffering of saṃsāra, they desire to seek unexcelled bodhi; they are able to meet the buddhas, personally serve and make offerings to them, and cultivate the faithful mind.'

Regarding 'the gate of the time measure for the perfection of faith': this reveals the distinctive characteristics of the length or brevity of the time period for the perfection of their faith. Within this very gate, fifteen sūtras speak differently. What are the fifteen different accounts?

First, in the Sūtra on the Cause, Condition, and Absence of a Master of All Dharmas, it is said:
At that time Mañjuśrī said to the Buddha: 'Bhagavat! From the ground of full bondage entering the indeterminate group, through how much time do all practitioners fully perfect the ten kinds of faithful minds and gradually advance to the superior, decisively non-retrogressing stage?' Thereupon the Bhagavat told Mañjuśrī: 'Good son! Listen attentively, listen attentively, and reflect on it well! I shall explain to you the limits and periods of the perfection of faith. Good son! When all practitioners, from the ground of full bondage, enter the indeterminate group, after a period of thirteen thousand eons has ended, they immediately perfect the ten kinds of faithful minds and are decisively [established in] the bodhisattva's stage of initial aspiration.'

Second, in the Sūtra of Gathering Immeasurable Mahāyāna, it is said:
'Furthermore, O son of the Buddha! For a nominal bodhisattva of the stage of faith, when a span of sixty-four thousand eons is fulfilled, they immediately perfect the ten loving minds and are fixed in the vajra stage.'

Third, in the Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Brightness of Wisdom, it is said:
'Sentient beings of the indeterminate group mostly undergo eighty-one thousand and fifty eons, and after that has ended, the faithful mind is perfected and decisively non-retrogressing.'

Fourth, in the Sūtra on the Names of Dharma Gates, it is said:
'Furthermore, for an ordinary person with hair-tip [faculties] at the stage of faith and aspiration, when twenty-six thousand eons have passed, faith is perfected without any deficiency.'

Fifth, in the Sūtra of Pure Samādhi, it is said:
'If there are sentient beings who enter the stage of difficult corners and cultivate the faithful mind, when ninety thousand eons are fulfilled and ended, the category of faith is perfected.'

Sixth, in the Sūtra of the Vajra Dhāraṇī, it is said:
'The measure for the perfection of faith is forty-eight thousand and sixty eons.'

Seventh, in the Sūtra of the Great Wisdom Light, it is said:
'Furthermore, good son! If there are sentient beings who, in order to perfect the parents, heaven, and earth of merit and good roots, pass through the measure of ten kṣaṇas, then the ground of faith is level and free of weeds.'

Eighth, in the Sūtra of the Firm and Immovable Fundamental Limit of the Real Mark, it is said:
'The stage of faith is perfected in the initial kṣaṇa of generating the faithful mind, wherein the ten kinds of faithful minds are completely fulfilled.'

Ninth, in the Sūtra of the Great Dhāraṇī of Mañjuśrī's Fulfilled Ocean of Causes, it is said:
'After three great incalculable asaṃkhyeya eons have passed, the stage of faith is fully established.'

Tenth, in the Sūtra of Profound Bodhi Causes and Conditions, it is said:
'Establishing the stage of faith takes only thirty thousand eons.'

Eleventh, in the Sūtra of Skill in the Wisdom of Great Expedient Means, it is said:
'For a bodhisattva of faith-practice, after a period of nine thousand eons, pure faith is decisively perfected, and their thoughts are extremely joyful.'

Twelfth, in the Sūtra of the Bodhisattva's Light Shining Everywhere, it is said:
At that time Vajramati Bodhisattva Mahāsattva said to the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One! At the initial seed stage of unexcelled bodhi, after how much time is it decisively ripened, so that the sprout of bodhi emerges and grows?' The Buddha said: 'If one is to perfect the initial seed stage, one must pass through seventy-five thousand and sixty eons, and then the initial seed stage is fully established.'

Thirteenth, in the Sūtra of Equal Vyākaraṇa, it is said:
'The perfection of faith is neither distant nor near, neither non-existent nor existent, neither high nor low, neither root nor branch, neither departing nor coming, neither great nor small, neither of the three times nor not of the three times, neither stage nor ground, neither wholesome nor unwholesome, neither wrong nor right; the path of language is cut off, and the place of mental activity is extinguished; therefore it is named true faith.'

Fourteenth, in the Sūtra of the Tathāgatagarbha and Ālayavijñāna, it is said:
At that time Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Mahāsattva said to the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One! What is called the vast, fulfilled, meritorious parent—the chapter on the ground of faith?' The Buddha said: 'The ten faiths of the ten faiths, the ten faiths of the ten understandings, the ten faiths of the ten practices, the ten faiths of the ten dedications, the ten faiths of the ten grounds, the ten faiths of the Buddha ground, and even the ground of fully bound evil seeds and all two vehicles, are all the ten faiths. Among the immeasurable and boundless all dharmas, there is not a single dharma that is not the ten faiths. For this reason it is called the vast, fulfilled ground of faith.'

Fifteenth, in the Sūtra of the Bodhisattva's Jewelled Necklace of Original Actions, it is said:
'A bodhisattva of faithful thought practices the ten wholesome dharmas for ten thousand eons, decisively establishing the place of faith's perfection.'
These are the fifteen sūtras of different accounts. For what reason do these various sūtras have such differences? Because the minds of sentient beings are immeasurable, boundless, and individually different, the characteristics of faith-practice are spoken in accordance with the grades of their minds; that they are thus diverse should be carefully examined. Now, in this text, we merely explain it by relying on the [Sūtra of] Original Actions. As the root text says: 'Because having passed through ten thousand eons, the faithful mind is perfected.'

Regarding 'the gate of revealing the causes and conditions of generating the aspiration': practitioners whose faithful mind is already perfected, in order to generate the mind of the first abode, must await the power of conditions to generate it. In this passage there are three kinds. What are the three? First, the condition of exhortation and request; second, the condition of rescuing and saving; third, the condition of protecting the Dharma. These are called the three.
Regarding 'the condition of exhortation and request': immeasurable and boundless all buddhas and assemblies of great bodhisattvas manifest an ocean of various superior and wondrous sūtras of teaching, exhorting and instructing the practitioners of the stage of faith to transcend the indeterminate stage and decisively establish them in the immovable realm. As the root text says: 'Buddhas and bodhisattvas instruct them to generate the mind.'
Regarding 'the condition of rescuing and saving': taking as a cause the ocean of all sufferings of immeasurable and boundless diverse sentient beings, they generate the vajra-like, non-retrogressing, vast, pure, great compassionate mind. As the root text says: 'Or because of great compassion, they are able to generate the mind on their own.'
Regarding 'the condition of protecting the Dharma': when the teachings of the buddhas are about to be destroyed, through various expedient means—according to what is suitable, what is appropriate, what is proper, what is timely, and what is local—sparing neither body nor life, by the power of the great condition of protecting the Buddhadharma, they are able to generate on their own the vajra-like, non-retrogressing, vast, pure mind of great long abiding. As the root text says: 'Or because the true Dharma is about to perish, through the cause and condition of protecting the Dharma, they are able to generate the mind on their own.'

Regarding 'the gate of revealing the superiority of the stage of obtaining benefits': practitioners who have perfected faith and attained understanding are endowed with ten names without retrogression. What are the ten?
First, they are named 'persons without grief and distress', because they are far removed from the fearful mind of retrogressing and falling back into the ordinary person's stage of fully bound afflictions;
Second, they are named 'greatly wealthy and noble persons', because they clear away the wilderness of afflictions and harvest the fruit of nirvāṇa;
Third, they are named 'persons of exalted and superior lineage', because they are far removed from the low and inferior lineage of ordinary persons and have already entered the honorable and exalted lineage of the Tathāgata;
Fourth, they are named 'persons complete with hands and feet', because they hold the torch of prajñā and roam in the vast courtyard of the dharmadhātu;
Fifth, they are named 'persons who become great river waters', because they flow directly without hindrance into the great ocean of sarvajñatā;
Sixth, they are named 'persons who establish palaces', because they have already transcended the indeterminate stage and decisively dwell in the house of the Tathāgata;
Seventh, they are named 'persons who are true children of the Buddha', because they are far removed from the ordinary womb and have already entered the noble womb;
Eighth, they are named 'persons of the great field of merit', because they have departed from afflictions and are uniquely pure;
Ninth, they are named 'persons of immeasurable retinues', because they take all sentient beings of the dharmadhātu as their own retinue;
Tenth, they are named 'persons without obstruction', because they transform according to the mind. These are called the ten. As the root text says: 'Those who, having thus perfected the faithful mind, are able to generate the aspiration, enter the group of the decisively fixed and never retrogress; they are called those who abide in the Tathāgata's lineage, concordant with the correct cause.'