金剛般若疏 3.4.5

3.4.5

香山頂有阿耨達池，流出四河，恒河即是四河中一也。 有人言：此河長八千里，廣處四十里，狹處十里，此中沙極細如[麩-夫+少]麵，水作白色如乳，極深象馬度皆沒。 次、舉經格量，其文可見。 財施不及法施者，具有多義：一者、明法施之時，能施之人多是聖人智人； 若使財施，能施之者則不爾。 愚人無能行施，所以財施則劣，法施則勝也。 二、明受法施之人亦必是智人方能領受，愚者之與畜生不能受此，故明法施為勝。 三者、明得福為勝，財施則但明能施之者得福，受施之者則不得； 若使法施，則能所二人竝皆得福，是故為勝也。 四者、法施則能施所施皆得而不失； 若使財施，則受施之人得五事果，能施則失也。 五者、財施則但益肉身，法施則益法身。 六者、則法施能斷惑，財施正是伏慳。 七者、法施則出有法，財施則是有流。 八者、財施果有盡，法施果無盡； 九者、財施不一時得，法施則一時而得。 十者、明法施具四攝，財施但一攝，是故法施勝於財施也。

On the peak of Gandhamādana Mountain is Lake Anavatapta, from which four rivers flow out, and the Ganges is one among these four rivers. Some say: this river is eight thousand li long, forty li wide at its widest, and ten li wide at its narrowest; the sand in it is extremely fine, like roasted flour, and the water is white like milk, so extremely deep that elephants and horses crossing it are submerged. Next, citing the sūtra for comparative assessment, the text can be seen. There are multiple reasons why the gift of wealth does not match the gift of Dharma: First, it clarifies that at the time of giving the gift of Dharma, the person who can give is mostly an aryan or a wise person; if it were the gift of wealth, the one who can give is not so. A foolish person is incapable of practicing [the gift of Dharma]; therefore the gift of wealth is inferior, and the gift of Dharma is superior. Second, it clarifies that the person who receives the gift of Dharma must also be a wise person before they can receive it; the foolish and animals cannot receive this, which clarifies that the gift of Dharma is superior. Third, it clarifies that the attainment of merit is superior: the gift of wealth only explains that the one who can give gains merit, while the one who receives the gift does not; if it were the gift of Dharma, both the giver and the recipient together gain merit, which is why it is superior. Fourth, with the gift of Dharma, both what can be given and what is given are retained without loss; if it were the gift of wealth, the recipient gains the fruit of five things, while the giver loses them. Fifth, the gift of wealth benefits only the physical body, whereas the gift of Dharma benefits the dharmakāya. Sixth, the gift of Dharma can cut off delusion, while the gift of wealth merely suppresses stinginess. Seventh, the gift of Dharma transcends the realm of existence, while the gift of wealth is an outflow of conditioned existence. Eighth, the fruit of the gift of wealth has an end, whereas the fruit of the gift of Dharma is inexhaustible. Ninth, the gift of wealth is not obtained all at once, whereas the gift of Dharma is obtained all at once. Tenth, it clarifies that the gift of Dharma possesses all four articles of attraction, whereas the gift of wealth has only one article of attraction; this is why the gift of Dharma is superior to the gift of wealth.